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aeon2407 · 8 months

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Pyro's Pyrotechnic Love Life - Chapter 8

For @contentment-of-cats. Also on AO3.

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Recovery Room, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Yana couldn’t slice the door. Whoever was in charge of The House’s cybersecurity was almost as good as Odo, which meant they far outstripped her. “All right, they're not going to let us out. Let’s have it.”

She was a direct person by both nature and nurture, and sometimes got very confused around highborns, which both Artur and Yissa were. More than that, they came from two prominent lines of Founders. But Artur was Army, and Yissa was disowned, so this might just work.

Artur tapped into his electro-tattoos and tried to forcibly override the control panel, not realizing that Lapin programmed it to fry anyone opening it from the inside. Ended up with his ass on the floor and his tattoos steaming, groaning in pain.

At the moment Yana was glaring at both of them, tears starting. Her chest hurt and her heart was trying to rip its way out of her chest. “You deserved that. I'm not going to fight both of you. I'm tired and I have seppies to squish. Let's have it out. All of it. Now. I love both of you. I chose you, Yissa, which is apparently not enough. Artur, I chose the Chimaera because - as Lady Domina said - I wanted to fly, not nest. I was twenty. I needed to find out who I am. And I did. Who I am is not someone who puts up with this pussyfooting around and highborn head games. Both of you shoot straight with me, or both of you let me go."

There was silence for a few seconds. Yana was just about to give up when Artur spoke.

“You know how I feel, Yana. It hasn't change. I love you, and if you want to share yourself between me and Yissa I’ll accept it. I...” A sigh. “I just want to be with you, by your side, all the way.”

Yana turned to Yissa. “I chose you. Is that enough?” She was very lucky to be loved by both, but if it made one or both unhappy she'd walk. Nobody deserved to have love used like a knife in the heart.

Yissa looked at her, then Artur. She was seeing him in somewhat of a new – or rather old – light, the light that made her choose him out of the list her parents gave her all those years ago.

She was also coming to terms with the fact that her mistrust of him, from the moment he stepped foot onto the Chimaera, had nothing to do with him being a Tagge, and everything to do with her not believing that she’d be enough to keep Yana from leaving her and coming back to him. Artur was just so… him, and she’d been so wrapped up in those thoughts she’d failed to notice the love and trust her lover, her wyf, gave her. “Yes, Yana. It's enough.”

Yana exhaled. Worst part is over. “All right. Do either of you have any more issues with me?” Both of them shook their heads. “No issues? Good. Now we can talk about how this is gonna work going forward.”

Both of them were looking at her as if she was supposed to be leading them, as if they didn’t both outrank her. “You can both have me, but you have to work out your issues with each other before that can happen. If I take both of you, it is all the way. Absolutely equal. I have your backs, you have mine, and you need to have each other’s. It's a mean old galaxy full of assholes – we have to be a unit.”

Artur had no problems with Yissa as far as she could tell. Yiss was the one who needed some work here. The Sensors Officer was refusing to look either of them in the eyes, ashamed of herself now that she had time to reflect.

Yana came to her. Luckily she was short and could look Yissa in the eyes from multiple angles. Nothing really needed to be said. Well, that wasn’t true, but it could wait. For now, Yana simply wrapped her arms around Yissa's front and her wyf started crying.

And Yana was a sucker. Yana was the comforter and the make-better one. “I love you. I always will. I will never stop. Even if I die.”

“I know that Yana. I know. It's just... I see the way you look at him, and then I find out about little pieces of your relationship through Jash and Aylin, and it just feels like even though you love me, you'll still realize that he's the better choice. The one that truly has your heart.”

“But do you see the way I look at you? There is no better choice. You’re both unique, amazing.”

And she was truly crying now, bawling in Yana's embrace.

Artur kept his eyes averted, admittedly a little uncomfortable with seeing his ex-fiancé this vulnerable. He had the same conversation with himself their second year, same doubts about whether Yana would fall out of love with him and find someone new. Someone better.

He had Revy, Aunt Mina, and the Twins there to set him straight. Yissa didn't even have family to turn to without breaching professional boundaries.

Yana would never abandon Yissa. Yissa – like her – had no family, disgraced and disowned when she ran from her own wedding to enlist. They've been family since six months after Thrawn came to the Chimaera.

Once Yissa was done crying and Yana released her, Artur scooted closer. Gently, slowly. She was still emotional, easily spooked. He looked at her and opened his arms with a soft, faint smile. She sank in, muttering apologies into his shirt as they hugged. He didn’t say anything, but she understood.

All was forgiven.

Yana’s comlink chimed and she deftly switched it off, hugging Yissa from the back. The graft on her shoulders throbbed and was promptly ignored.

However, she was troubled. Her family was the Chimaera, her loves Yissa and Artur. They could go back, all three of them. Phyrre, Jash, and Odo already liked Artur and they would accept him into the circle the way they did Yissa. In her own opinion she was not ready for command, but she knew it was inevitable at this point.

Cherno and Vergilio were of the opposite view. She got tossed in the deep and and came swimming in like a fireswan. Thrawn happened to agree with them. She had been forced to grow into a command no smaller than that of an Imperial Navy Commander, four ranks above her own, and had flourished. Faro thought that she could use another year or two before her first official command, but that she was ready if needed.

Yana was getting that promotion, whether she liked it or not.

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Command Bridge, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Phyrre watched the security feed with glee. A pool has already been started fleetwide. Jash had a month’s pay on a triad marriage, Odo on a concubine. She had her own pay on a classic husband-wife-wyf setup. Lapin was vibrating with excitement in the command chair, already picking out dresses.

The core family and relevant blood ties were already informed and Cassio, being Baron, was in charge of preparations to bring Pyrondi into the aristocracy. Yissa was already a Lady before being disowned so she was a simpler case.

Meanwhile, Tonio was having a fit. His best Weapons Officer AND his best Sensors Officer!? POACHING!

Lapin decided that their job here was over. “Captain Virgilio, the bridge is yours.”

“Copy that, Marshal.”

“Prepare my shuttle. I’m going back to the Acquisitor.”

“Yes, sir. Informing hangar technicians now.”

When it came to wedding preparations, especially for The Eldest of The Eldest, it was best to discuss things in person.

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Executive Quarters, The Acquisitor, Tagge Armada

“They might want to be married in uniform. Lady Ilyana might need to marry Lady Yissa first, then marry Artur. The Hammerlys will have tookas.”

Domina considered things. “The Hammerly Family won't accept being merged into House Tagge, Lapin. Their pride as a fellow Founder won't allow it.” That would be a problem.

“They disowned Lady Yissa, my Lady - finders keepers, losers weepers.” Red dress. Red and gold. Tagge colors. “Lady Yissa has a little bit leftover from draining her trust fund, but that's the last of her connection to that family besides her name. And I think Artur prefers to be married in Special Forces colors. Maybe the red Barony Sash on top?”

“Still, Tagges are expected to be of a certain… financial state. It’ll be a substantial amoun-“ A pause to look at Yana’s business account.

Lapin shrugged. “Lady Ilyana bought an older Arquetiens after graduation so her accounts are a little low. None of the Nerds have needed to work since they founded Find Out Inc. and patented the Pyrondi System. They could retire tomorrow and be very comfortable.”

The Nerds, formerly the Four Demons of Royal Imperial, were millionaires, one and all. Pyrondi System, KYS System, Invisi-Hull, PNM, there were a dozen patents under their names, consolidated into Find Out Incorporated. They made more a month in royalties than Thrawn did a year as Grand Admiral. “Why didn’t Yana, or the rest of the Nerds, use their wealth to find accommodation on Canto Bight? Why ask Artur?”

Lapin looked into it. “Hmm. All of their fees are on autopay, but otherwise I don’t see any activity on any of their company accounts for the past two years. My guess? They forgot that they’re rich. They seem humble enough to not focus on wealth.”

Domina smirked as she opened her comlink. “Let’s test that theory, shall we? Phyrre, my dear, I have a question for you.”

An audible gulp. Adorable. “What is it, Lady Domina?”

“Do you remember Find Out Incorporated?”

“Of course. My friends and I founded it in our third year at Royal to patent the Pyrondi System. What about it, my Lady?”

“Why didn’t you use the royalties to get accommodations while on leave? You have more than enough.”

A very telling silence. “You all forgot about those accounts, didn’t you?”

A sigh. “Yes we did.”

“That’s all I need to know. Thank you, darling.”

Lapin was chuckling. Typical nerd behavior. Domina giggled in amusement as she ended the call. “Take a million from Yana as a dowry. That should appease the more traditional relatives. Recommend investments and saving plans for the rest. If she's going to be a Tagge, she's going to be a proper one. That means adding extra zeroes to this number, Lapin. Get it done.”

“Of course, auntie.”

“Also, offer the Nerds jobs. Multiple options, salaries in the third bracket should do nicely.” It would be beneficial to keep her friends close by. She'd need a support network to deal with life as a Tagge.

Lapin handed her a datapad. “A list of those from the 7th approaching retirement, or who might be waffling on renewing commissions. If we want Thrawn, we have to offer more, and we can.” The Dynasty had outlived more regimes than they had fingers and toes. The Seventh had nearly 3000 ships, split into multiple task forces. They could beat it.

Domina had been interested in Thrawn ever since he was a lieutenant. Wanted him in the Armada when he made Captain. Now was her chance. “Sources close to Cassio told me that Thrawn joined the Navy to protect his people with a military force.” A Pause. Ah. Idea. “Is the High Marshal position open, Lapin?”

A corresponding Pause. “It can be. Where are you going with this?”

A Resign Sigh. This was the best option she could see. “Offer him the Armada. All of it.”

Shocked silence. “Are you sure, Lady Domina?”

Domina noted the formal address. Lapin was serious. “Yes, I am. Thrawn has proven himself loyal to the hand that provides for him. We need to make sure that it's my hand.”

The Armada itself could confront the Imperial Navy head-on. A million ships, including thirty thousand Domina-Class capital ships, armed to the teeth with the best hardware money couldn’t buy. Consolidated yet modular and flexible in deployment. Over two billion soldiers, all highly trained and carefully vetted. Unlike the Imperial Academies, TaggeCo spared no expense and cut no corners in making sure that their troops were the best in the galaxy.

If Thrawn accepted, eighty percent of the 7th would go with him. All of the women in the fleet would. Domina wanted that fleet. It was only ever Thrawn, maybe that mathematical genius aide of his, but this? This was a prize. She told Lapin to handle the talent acquisition, and also to discuss with Artur about an open Marshal position. Time to bring the man home. Most, if not all, of 1st SCAR would come with him. Yet another prize that she couldn’t pass up.

Palpatine would do nothing against her. He couldn’t. If the Dynasty collapsed, TaggeCo collapsed. If TaggeCo collapsed, the Empire would be reduced to the Core and nothing else. The Seswenna sector would go all in with Tepasi, and the Expansion Region with Seswenna. Tagges around the galaxy had their hooks in the Inner Rim, Mid Rim, Outer Rim, even the Unknown and Wild Space. If he killed the Dynasty, 95% of the Empire would die with it.

She checked on the status of Spearhead, then kicked her plan into action. Lucrative job offers by the millions were sent out to every name on the list. All she needed were for the Nerds and Thrawn to accept and the rest would follow. She’d essentially be annexing the 7th Fleet into the Armada.

Vader made use of the shock and confusion to slip a sighting of Kenobi into the records, then mobilized the Inquisitors and left for Byss. He’d get rid of them once they were there. Lapin prepared to welcome the Grand Admiral and Commander Vanto. Lady Karyn too, after a moment’s consideration. There were offers on the table in the form of insignias, gleaming on the literal table.

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Thrawn analyzed the room. The decoration was subtle, yet prominent. An air of elegance, and also an intimidating yet subtle statement of their strength and wealth. Interesting. Meanwhile, Karyn reminisced on the few times she’d been here before, when she was still fooling around with Cas.

Eli stared at the insignias on the table. High Marshal, Fleet Admiral, Vice Admiral. Looked at Thrawn. “They're handing over their armada. All of it. To you. Now.”

Thrawn raised an eyebrow and looked at Lapin, who nodded. “Yes, we are. In exchange, we want you to secure an expansion of Tagge Space to every available system nearby, and improve our officers' tactical prowess. We've also sent offers to every member of the 7th that potentially wants to come with you, which is to say most of them.”

Thrawn’s mind was processing this admittedly unexpected turn of events. They have just offered him everything he could’ve wanted in an ally. After all, nothing was more incorruptible than a Tagge’s self-interest.

Lapin cleared their throat. “But first, I want to know what you think about… overthrowing the Empire?”

The first response was quick to come. “Are you with the Rebellion?”

A scoff. “Oh Margulis no. I stand with my family, Grand Admiral. That won’t change anytime soon.”

“I assume the Dynasty intends to replace the Empire?”

“We do. How do you feel about that?”

Eli knew that Thrawn had been bound ever tighter to the Empire, and that if Eli himself was having doubts lately, that Thrawn was having them, too.

And, on the surface level alone, Thrawn was just handed over three hundred times the amount of ships he had as Grand Admiral, even more firepower, and as much funding as he desired to finish the Defender Project. Although, the project could technically be scrapped and the Sienar contract terminated, then a similar project could be created at TaggeCo. Eli would handle that. His CO had no subtlety.

Thrawn weighed every factor like always. The Empire was so dependent on TaggeCo that it would cease to be without them. The House of Tagge was an empire of its own. Why not just replace the entire regime? It would be risky, especially with Palpatine's Sithly nature, but it could be done.

He picked up the insignia and the Force wobbled. In a cell on the Levinbolt, Ezra felt his heart seized up and his stomach dropped, feeling like his destiny just got bitchslapped.

Eli assumed that Fleet Admiral was for Faro, so he picked up the last one. Vice Admiral. Flag rank. Still an aide, mind, probably Chief Aide, but Vice Admiral Vanto had a very nice ring to it. He looked at Thrawn. The message was clear. ‘You go, I go.’ Faro was telling him the same thing with her eyes.

All three of them took their plaques off, put the insignias on, and sat down. Lapin smiled from the head of the table. Lady Domina would be so pleased. The Rebellion’s command would be decimated once they started, but the rest would have to be put on the backup engine. They'd serve as a distraction while the Tagges pulled off the coup of the millennium. No prolonged battle, no great war. Subtle setups, then one night to assassinate Palpatine and the galaxy would have an Empress Tagge on the throne.

“Welcome to the Tagge Armada, High Marshal, Admirals. Shall we get to work?”

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Deputy Director’s Office, ISB Headquarters, Coruscant

Partagaz and Yularen were having lunch and chatting at Yularen’s desk when the intel came. Domina was essentially annexing the 7th Fleet into the Armada. They looked at each other. The coup has begun. Time to put their control of the ISB to good use.

Partagaz got a request from General Tagge to get himself to Krownest for ‘extensive and advanced interrogation of the Spectres. Immediately made his way back to his office to pack. Yularen called for his private shuttle. No way was he missing this.

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Imperial High Command, Coruscant

Motti heard about the poaching attempt from Domina a little while ago and now he was in a crisis. At first, he had been glad. Thrawn produced results, yes, but the Chiss did it a little too well and he wouldn’t have put it past Palpatine to eventually make him Naval Chief, kicking Motti himself out of the IHC in the process.

Then he heard that every woman in the 7th would be going with him and he was elated. Women in the Navy was fine, but Thrawn’s command was nearly 25% women, with women in senior command positions. That felt weird to a man like Motti, and so he was glad that they were leaving.

And then he sat down and thought about it. About 20% of the 7th as a whole was expected to stay. That was over a million sailors that were, while undoubtedly talented, too off-center for the other fleets. Where would they go?

Maybe he’d encourage transfers to the Army, make it Cassio’s problem. His cousin’s been complaining about a shortage of skilled officers anyway.

Palpatine wouldn’t be happy about losing his largest fleet, but Conan Antonio Motti didn’t make Naval Chief by not knowing how to nerfshit his way out of things.

His comlink chimed. Not the work one, not the personal one. The hidden one. He reached in and checked it with shaking hands. ‘Operation Titanfall is live. Stage One.’

If he got this message, Uncle Wil and Uncle Wullf got it too, so would Uncle Hurst, Uncle Moradmin, and Siward. The entire High Command was in on this, besides Vader that was.

Another message. “Vader is in.”

HOW THE KR-

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Command Bridge, The Visionary, First Fleet

Karyn finally got that fleet she always wanted. It was with the Armada instead of the Imperial Navy, but the feeling was still incredible. Lapin had told her to get use to her new flagship, the Visionary, so she made her way there while Thrawn and Eli went back to the Harbinger.

Karyn expected many things as she stepped into the bridge. She didn’t expect her ex to be there, looking out the viewport.

“Cassio. Oh kriff me”, she groaned.

He turned around, that damn smirk on his lips. “Not exactly the best place, Karyn, but if you insist…”

“Kriff off, Cas.”

She was happy to see him, but damn her if she ever let him know it.

He chuckled. “The fleet is yours, Fleet Admiral Faro.”

It was hers. All hers. Finally. Time to overthrow a regime.

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Command Bridge, ISD Harbinger, Seventh Fleet

High Marshal Thrawn. That would take some getting used to. Eli hadn’t expect to call him anything besides Admiral or Grand Admiral for the rest of his career. Vice Admiral Vanto, though… That was just fun to say in his head. He was finally flag rank, and now to see who’d accept it. Thrawn took his seat.

“Lock down the ship, Lieutenant.”

“Yes sir.”

A click on his armrest comm.

“Attention crew of the Harbinger, this is Thrawn. As of twenty standard minutes ago, I have resigned my commission with the Imperial Navy and accepted an offer to become High Marshal of the Tagge Armada. My mission is to lead a coup against Emperor Palpatine and instate Lady Domina Tagge as Empress. Most of you have already received your own offers. Whether you accept them or not is your own prerogative, but should you accept, report to the secondary hangar bay in one hour. Should you not accept, report to the primary hangar and you will be allowed to leave. Whether you warn Imperial High Command or not will be irrelevant. Thrawn out.”

Another click to cut the feed. “Monitor all attempts of outside contact, Lieutenant. Report to me immediately and have them detained.”

“Right away, sir. And sir?”

“Yes, Lieutenant?”

“Long may you serve, High Marshal.”

Thrawn’s lips quirked up slightly. Long may they all serve.

A chime on his sensors. Ah, Colonel Yularen and Major Partagaz were here to question their prisoners. Good.

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Galactic Senate Chamber, Imperial Senate Building, Coruscant

Ulric was already preparing for the next Senate session when The Message came, followed immediately by an information package from Uncle Wullf. Evidence proving Mon Mothma, Breha Organa, and a slew of aristocrats and senators covered up the genocide on Jegsziv to save Saw Gererra’s ass, financial ties between Mothma, Organa, and the Rebellion, recordings of Leia Organa’s holocalls to rebel agents to plan the theft of her own ships…

Everything he needed to have them kicked off the Senate was there. The ISB was already standing by for arrests, simply waiting for him to present the data in front of the Senate and on record.

And so he did.

“The Senator for Tepasi has the chamber.”

“Thank you, Grand Vizier. Fellow senators, something has come to my attention just this morning that I feel requires an immediate response. If you all check your datapads, I have sent you the same information package I received from Colonel Wullf Yularen. Alarming, yet irrefutable, evidence of several beings in this very chamber covering up a planet-wide genocide, a genocide that killed over a billion people, just to save one man from rightfully being prosecuted for his crimes: Saw Gererra, a known insurgent that has been on the Empire’s Most Wanted list since its conception for charges such as terrorism, mass murder, and biological warfare.”

A deep breath.

“Inside that package, you will also see evidence financially connecting Senator Mon Mothma and Senator Bail Organa to the insurgent group known as the Rebellion, along with ISB recordings of Princess Leia Organa orchestrating with rebel agents on ways to steal Alderaanian ships for the rebel fleet. Senators, I motion for the removal and arrest of those named and accused by this evidence until a proper investigation into their crimes is completed.”

The vote was as one-sided as he predicted. Once Riyo Chuchi, a vocal supporter of Mothma’s, voted against her own friend with a horrified and disgusted look on her face, Ulric knew it was over.

In the end, they arrested Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, a host of other senators previously held in high esteem, and ISB troopers were moving to contain Alderaan and arrest Queen Breha.

The Grand Vizier and Emperor Palpatine ended the session early once it became clear that the Senate was too chaotic to be productive. Ulric smiled privately. His part was done.

Now he simply hoped that the others could do their parts.

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Recovery Room, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Yissa had some time to think as she got a double hug. Did she like men? Or was it just Artur? She didn’t bed men, that was certain, but loving them? Hmm.

She decided to experiment, putting a hand on Artur's jaw and guiding him closer. Silently asked permission before tentatively meeting his lips with her own.

There was a fluttering in her chest that definitely wasn’t there the first and last time she kissed a man years ago. Yana was not going to disturb this. However, she found that watching them kiss felt Good. Yissa pulled him in closer, moaning lightly as Yana slid her hands up and under, then roamed. Things were heating up and she was glad.

Merri Barlin was in the corridor outside the medbay, trying to listen in and nursing a gigantic crush on Artur, and slightly smaller ones on Yissa and Yana.

Phyrre saw, snuck up behind her, unlocked the door, pushed her in, then relocked the door.

Her eyes widened. Yissa was spread wide, Yana stuffing her face between her legs while Artur railed her from behind.

They stared at her. She stared at them. Blushed. Stammered out an apology and tried to unlock the door.

Yissa recognized the marks of a Phyrre and Jash tag teaming. Meanwhile, Yana was melting into the bed, Artur making sure she came again before pulling out. Merri’s eyes widened even more at the size. She… Had Not.

Yissa patted the bedding. “Come.”

Merri obeyed the order like a good sailor. Looked at Yana. The little carnivore had been kriffed nonverbal and was currently the consistently of pulled taffy. “Well um… What now?”

Twin smirks answered her. Merri shivered with anticipation.

Oh well, to hell with it. “Yes.”

#star wars #thrawn #grand admiral thrawn #star wars rebels #sw fanfic #pyrondi #star wars empire #hammerly #karyn faro #artur tagge #lapin tagge #domina tagge #conan antonio motti #cassio tagge #wullf yularen #major partagaz #merri barlin

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aeon2407 · 9 months

Text

Pyro's Pyrotechnic Love Life - Chapter 6

For @contentment-of-cats. Also on AO3.

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Ilyana deep in thought was Ilyana at the drafting table, operating her own applications, working on the thing that saw her plucked from the Youth Corps and shoved into the Academy.

The new weapons she was working on were small mines loaded with concentrated acid that would eat uncoated durasteel, a silicate drone that would transmit the shielding frequencies of enemy ships on impact, guided drones built from silicates that wouldn't show up on sensors, ventral laser canons capable of sustained blasts and varying it's frequency.

A simple technique of glazing compressed carbon panels onto a hull rendered it almost impervious to standard optical weapons, acids, sensors, and even some direct strikes by torps and mines - it also turned the grey of durasteel a mirror-finish black.

And she remembered.

It was as if she lived a year in a dream, head empty of all but the project under her hands, where her feet took her, of eating and sleeping as if her soul left her body to carry on living. To Ilyana's knowledge, she did not dream. Her barrack said differently.

Over time, she noted that the tasks became more complex, sometimes problems arose, and while they were not pleased with a 'child' telling them their designs were flawed, no one could deny the data or the fact that Emperor Palpatine, Lord Vader, and High Command would not take kindly to having holes blown in their ships by their own equipment.

They pulled her from the welding line one day, sat her in front of the drafting table, and set her to learn. And she did, her hands-on life of building and testing weaponry giving her what she needed even if her limited education didn't.

Then they jammed her through said education. Her life became a series of chairs, then sparring, then shooting. And that was when her instructors found her 'master eye.' If she could aim something at it, Ilyana would hit it.

Sienar tried to keep her, after all the Corulag Academy was right there, and they were her legal guardian along with the Youth Corps. While Ilyana was not the typical prep student, something her classmates made sure she never forgot, she was the proverbial diamond in the rough. The Empire would cut and polish her.

The Grand Inquisitor and Seventh Sister came. Observed. Some Force sensitives had quirks, talents that were otherwise unusable, so narrow as to be ridiculous. Ilyana would be a good gunnery sergeant, at best a weapons officer, or another brilliant mind in R&D, but that was all she could ever be.

With that, Royal Imperial plucked her away, beating out Corulag, Carida, Raithal, and Anaxes, bringing a child from a primitive backwater world, someone TaggeCo was training to fly cargo donks, to the very heart of the Empire. Her destiny offtrack, Ilyana became someone around whom the Force rippled like a pebble into a pond, or the butterfly who beat her wings and created the seed of a hurricane.

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Merri Barlin was from a good Corulag family. Not the Hammerlies, nowhere near, but the Barlins were an old, stable upper-middle-class family and Merri grew up with the hum of the hyperdrive on her parents' ship from the time she was born.

The youngest of five daughters, Merri was the studious one. Not the one picked for academic brilliance, but dogged persistence in her area of interest. The Barlins sent her to a decent school that realized what they had on their hands and shipped her to the Pilot/Nav/Helm Program at Skystrike, who then traded her to Royal in exchange for another recruit.

It was odd that she, Yissa, Phyrre, Jashin, Odo, and Ilyana all in some way revolved around that one point in time and space.

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Anakin remembered the day he first met Artur Tagge. He was still just a Padawan then, sent by the Council with Obi-Wan to recruit a new Force sensitive child on Tepasi in an attempt to get him 'used to the way of things'. He hated it, but knew that even if the family was hesitant in giving their child away, pressure from the local government and the Senate would ensure that the Order got the child.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

Things proceeded as usual right up until Obi-Wan told Cassio Tagge what they were here for. Immediately, Anakin understood why the Order was wary of the Tagge Dynasty. The man threatened to go to war with the Order if they took his son. Obi-Wan assured him that the Order didn't work that way, and that the choice always belonged to the parents, or in this case parent, of the child.

Hypocritical of him to then turn right to the Council to help Tagge 'make the best decision' the moment they were in hyperspace.

However, as soon as they landed on Coruscant, the two received a message from the Senate forbidding them from ever attempting to take Artur Tagge. Apparently, the Tepasi system threatened to withdraw from the Republic. Tepasi, and The House in particular, controlled the decision-making capability of the Seswenna sector through their relations to the Tarkin and Motti families, and the entire sector would’ve withdrew with them.

TaggeCo accounted for 82% of the Republic’s economy on its own, with claws everywhere from the walls of the Deep Core to the edge of the Unknown Region. In the short time it took Anakin and Obi-Wan to travel from Tepasi to Coruscant, they had abruptly withdrew everything they own on four different Core systems.

Chandrila went into a silent crisis as everything from crops to industrial products to infrastructure maintenance fell below critical levels. Corulag and Corellia scrambled to suppress the riots as their entire infrastructure networks were yanked out from under them.

Alderaan had it worst, Delaya rioting as they were suddenly out of jobs and public services were suddenly shut down. The Alderaanian Defense Force was deployed to the industrial moon and the suppression had been brutal, resulting in record numbers of emigration from Delaya, crippling Alderaan’s industrial production, with a significant number relocating to Tagge Space. The entire event went down in history as the Core Riots, the worst conflict the Core Worlds had seen since the Hyperspace War. It only stopped once the order making Artur Tagge untouchable to the Jedi Order went into effect and TaggeCo moved back into those systems with more favorable deals. The House finally became wealthier than Coruscant and Chandrila combined.

Anakin had sigh in relief when the message arrived. That was one order from the Senate he'd have no problem following. The reason they wanted the child so badly wasn't even because he was overly Force sensitive like Anakin was, anyway. It was because he was, as Master Windu called it, an “aberration in the Force.”

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When Vader saw the name on his datapad, he had Artur's blood tested. 4700 per cell was barely enough to be recruited into the Order and a few more practical tests concluded that he would never be powerful enough to be part of the Inquisitorious, even though he held himself surprisingly well against Fifth Brother, and even better against Seventh Sister.

There was some potential there though. Enhanced speed, agility, predictive combat ability stemming from what little Force sensitivity he did have. Sword fighting skills from the Dynasty as well. Vader knew a deadly soldier when he saw one, and decided to train the boy in Form V and methods of controlling his midichlorians so as to achieve his full potential.

As it turned out, he was unknowingly cultivating a new future.

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There were always cases that slipped past the Jedi, either due to political circumstances or just because they weren’t strong enough in the Force. Karyn Faro was one such case, evaluated and then rejected before she'd even finished breast-feeding.

But that sliver of Force talent brought her, and others like her, to the Chimaera, and it was enough for those little wings to beat a hurricane to live, for The Cultivators to turn those ripples from The One Not Meant To Be into a supernova, making way for The Aberration to take root.

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The Force screamed at the threads of destiny to stay on track. Artur Tagge was supposed to be aborted. Artur Tagge was supposed to be a miscarriage. Artur Tagge was supposed to be a Jedi, to die in Order 66. Artur Tagge was supposed to die with the rest of his battalion in San Diego. Artur Tagge was supposed to die in the ambush by Saw Gerrera. Artur Tagge was supposed to die in a duel by his mother’s hands.

The Aberration known to the galaxy as Artur Kyric Tagge was never supposed to be captured by Clan Wren or any other Rebel faction. The moment it happened was the moment he took his place in the flow of destiny, and things irreversibly changed. The new timeline solidified when Ilyana Kaiti Pyrondi took command of the Levinbolt and led the Armada to Krownest.

For the first time since the conception of Anakeen Ekkreth, the Force shifted its focus away from The Chosen One, its offspring, and The Catalyst, its descendant, and instead The Aberration and The One Not Meant To Be took their places in a new, frighteningly uncertain future.

Right after Artur’s capture, Vader experienced his first restful, dreamless night in over twenty years. The invisible burden of Destiny was off his shoulders. Now to make sure it stays off.

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Beyond Krownest Atmosphere

Tenth Minute of Krownest Assault

Hera was honestly surprised. Four minutes of weaving through barrage after barrage of fire, taking multiple hits, and they haven’t sent a single TIE to intercept her. Oh, never mind, there they were, flooding out of Star Destroyers like swarms of flies.

She tried to lock on, but these pilots must be Special Forces because she’d never seen any Imperial fly that well. Finally, she locked onto a TIE, and Ezra sent a burst right at it.

The TIE microjumped. The TIE microjumped.

Hera realized with a pit of dread in her stomach that the Interdictors weren’t just there to stop her from escaping, they were acting as anchor points for the TIEs to use lightspeed all over the battlefield. And she thought only TIE Defenders had hyperdrives!? These were Aggressors and Interceptors!

Hera was fast, but it was redundant to say that lightspeed was faster.

A hit knocked Chopper off his wheels. Hera swore. That shot came from behind, but there was nothing on her scanners. These things have cloaking now too!?

“Tristan, on the aft. Shoot it!”

“Shoot what, Hera? There’s nothing here.”

Wait, what? “What do you mean there’s nothing there? We just got shot from behind!”

“I know, but I’m telling you there’s nothing here, at least nothing I can see.”

Shit. Invisible TIE fighters? There were rumors of something called the TIE Phantom, but it was only ever a rumor, never confirmed. Then the Defender showed up and they focused on that instead.

Another hit, this one on portside. Shields down to 60%.

A dorsal hit. Starboard. Aft. Portside. Aft again. They were laying down suppressing fire in all directions, but there wasn’t even so much of a flicker from a deflector shield to let her know where they were as she executed evasive maneuvers. Kanan and Ezra tried to sense the pilot but ran into interference. Vader was so Dark in the Force it was like trying to look through oil.

Shields down to 10%.

It stopped. Completely stopped. An ion torpedo from a fancy-looking capital ship hit them right in the exhaust port, bypassing the remaining shields, and the Ghost was suddenly dead in space.

Hera was in the middle of rerouting the auxiliary when another ion torp hit them in the other exhaust port and suddenly they had no auxiliary at all.

“Wait, that means…” Sabine’s panicked voice came through her comlink.

“We have no life support”, Hera finished the sentence for her.

They weren’t being pulled in. Did the Empire want them to die of suffocation out here? That was brutal, even by Imperial standards.

The Ghost lurched towards the surrounding ships just as she finished that thought. Alright, false alarm, they were gonna be okay. Or as okay as rebels in Imperial captivity could be.

Or not. That was the Executor. That was Vader’s flagship pulling them in. They had two Jedi on board. No no no no no…

Another lurch. They stopped. The Ghost shuddered violently, then was pulled towards another ship, the one that shot those torpedoes.

Next to her, Kanan paled. “Vader just backed down.”

Hera blinked. Say what now?

He must’ve been reading her thoughts, because her lover turned to her. “Vader just backed down against whoever is commanding that ship pulling us in.”

Hera considered their options and realized that sometimes death was preferrable to capture. After all, no one was unbreakable.

“Everyone, prep your blasters. Make sure you have one shot for yourself.”

This was most likely end of the line for most, if not all, of them, but no one here would fall without a fight.

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Command Bridge, SSD Executor, Death Squadron

Eleventh Minute of Krownest Assault

Vader could feel victory at hand. Two familiar Force signatures on board, a new Knight and a Padawan. Their ship had no power, no auxiliary, and caught in his tractor beam.

Just as the portside hangar opened to receive its cargo, an alarm sounded.

“Another tractor beam just latched onto the Ghost. It’s… it’s the Levinbolt, my Lord.”

Vader didn’t acknowledge the lieutenant’s report.

“Hail from the Levinbolt. Captain Pyrondi’s personal codes, Lord Vader.”

Now that one he acknowledged. “Send it through, Captain Piett.”

“Right away, milord.”

“Mine.” The demand was accompanied by a feral growl and nothing else. Under the mask, Vader raised what would’ve been an eyebrow. He had some experience with small, homicidal brunettes. It was best not to confront them if possible.

“Lieutenant, disengage our tractor beam and allow the Levinbolt capture of the Ghost.”

“My Lord? I- I mean, right away, Lord Vader.”

The confusion was palpable, but that was to be expected. Vader had never relented, except to Sidious. But the old Emperor was now doomed to fail, to die while Anakin Skywalker rises from the Dark, and what little sliver of the Fallen Jedi currently still alive wanted the new figureheads of Destiny on his side.

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Command Bridge, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Thirteenth and Final Minute of Krownest Assault

Captain Ilyana Pyrondi was tired. So very, very tired. She wanted nothing more than to neutralize the threat, retrieve Artur, then shed the command rank and go back to being Senior Lieutenant Pyrondi, the Chimaera’s Weapon Systems Officer.

But she was probably looking at a promotion to Captain after this. Her third and final chance, and she’d hold onto this one as long as she got to stay with Her People and the kriff away from Dead Officers Squadron.

She stopped the Ghost just outside of her hangar bay and waited for 3rd SCAR to get back from the surface. Once they were positioned around the bay, she waited for the damn freighter to run out of air, just enough for all aboard to pass out from hypoxia, then cleared the SCARs for entry. She watched their helmet cams as they stunned every rebel they saw on board just to be safe, shot a restraining bolt onto the homicidal droid, then slapped stuncuffs on bodies.

Lapin had provided her with Force-suppression collars, ancient Korriban technology adapted by the Hutts for modern Jedi slaves. As much as Yana wanted to slap the collars onto those Jedi herself, starship captains, especially of this caliber, were not part of raid parties, and the chance of one or both Jedi waking up prematurely was too high to not use the collars immediately.

She had them thrown into separate cells. They were each other’s greatest weapons, and she intended to strip them of that, along with everything else. Every weapon and personal effect was taken and deposited into labeled boxes, their clothes stripped and replaced with containment bodysuits, designed to paralyze the wearer remotely. The droid was forcibly shut down, but not before sending a SCAR to medbay for a minor injury. Even the blind Jedi’s mask was replaced with a blindfold.

She had a single ration pack sent to each of their cells and waited. In the meantime, she turned to her screens. The core of Clan Wren was being brought onto her ships and secured, holdout cells throughout the planet were being routed without mercy, and the planet itself was pretty much pacified. She turned on a frequency and got in touch with Revy.

The assault was over. Time to bring Artur home.

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Wren Stronghold, Krownest

Captain Revy Maklar let her mind wonder as the stronghold was cleared, then back cleared. The assault was way too easy for what was supposedly an entire clan of elite Mandalorian warriors. Why haven’t they done this sooner?

Oh yeah. Politics.

But now, they had a problem. Artur wasn’t here. They found where he was supposed to be, a cell that reminded Revy of her life on Tatooine so much it made the scar on her neck throb. A few chains and a slave collar and it’d be almost a perfect recreation.

Of course Artur couldn’t sit still and wait for rescue. She wouldn’t have, either. But that didn’t help them find him. Her helmet comm chimed. Shit, that must be Pyrondi. “Yes, Captain?”

“Have you secured Artur yet?”

“So, here’s the thing, sir. We cleared and secured the entire stronghold.” Brace for impact. “He’s not here.”

Silence.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE’S NOT THERE!?”

Revy winced at the volume and almost took her helmet off. “We found where he was being kept. An interrogation room down in the sublevels. There’s a set of broken cuffs, a chair, and two dead guards. We’re sweeping the place again just to be sure, but we might have to look outside.”

“Sir, there’s something here. West Wing, by the window.”

That was Miro. “On my way. Captain Pyrondi, Sergeant Golovan might’ve found something. Standby.”

“Copy that.”

She made her way upstairs and made her way to Miro. “What is it, Sergeant?”

He pointed to a spot outside. Yep, that’s Artur’s mess, alright. “Captain Pyrondi, come in.”

“This is Pyrondi.”

“We found a trail of Mandalorian bodies leading to the forest West of our current location. Requesting aerial support in a sweep search matrix. Might also need a medical crew on standby upon return.”

“SCAR Wing One just finished up here, I’ll send them down. There’s a full medical suite waiting for our dumbass Major’s return.”

Revy chuckled. “Copy that, sir. We’ll find him, don’t worry.”

With that, she signaled for two squadrons. That should be enough for a search party. She just hoped that he would be mostly intact when they find him.

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Secure Communications Room, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Ilyana was having to explain ‘he’s not there’ to The Lady, Artur’s dad, Admiral Motti, Lord Vader, General Veers, and Colonel Yularen. “He just couldn’t sit still. Permission to kill him if he dies?”

Cassio let out a long-suffering sigh. His dumbass son was going to be the death of him. “Granted, Captain. I trust the SCARs already planetside are actively searching for him?”

“Yes, sir. Troopers on the ground and SCAR Wing One above. Standard sweep search matrix.”

“Cassio, when they find Artur, can you please just promote him already? It’ll at least get him out of the field”, Max Veers, the first ever SCAR Trooper and Artur’s old mentor, spoke up. “He’s ready, Cas. Lieutenant Colonel Artur Tagge, SCAR Commander. What do you say?”

“Promotion? I’ll bust him down to Lieutenant for being so kriffing stupid!”

“GENTLEMEN!”

All eyes snapped to Pyrondi, who looked moments away from exploding. “Hash it out in your own time. Stay off my comms unless it’s urgent. Understood?”

They stared at her in shock, but Pyrondi could not be said to be insubordinate when she wasn’t currently operating as an Imperial servicewoman, but a private contractor.

She let out a sigh when no one responded. “Krownest has been completely neutralized. All dissidents have either been captured or executed. A list of soldiers and their number of kills will be provided so that they may be rewarded in accordance with the bounty. I will inform all of you once Artur has been found. If that is all?”

Silence.

“My Lord. My Lady. Sirs.” And with that, she ended the call, then let out a loud, frustrated scream into the void.

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Containment Cell Five, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Sabine woke up to a pounding head. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up on a surprisingly comfortable mattress. The room around her was small, but clean. Her body still ached, her head fuzzy and disoriented, but Sabine remembered being pulled in by one of the ships before blacking out. She must be on that ship then. Probably one of the Tagge ships, judging by the luxurious interior on the other side of the two red ray shields acting as a doorway.

She glanced down. Where was her armor? Who the kriff stripped her and put her in… this!?

Someone was walking by. A Human or very similar humanoid, male presenting. Slightly on the shorter side, straight brown hair, gray suit with red accents, datapad in hand. A secretary or assistant, most likely. They looked at her, looked at their datapad, then pressed a button next to the shield and suddenly there was sound in her cell.

“Miss Wren, my name is Lapin, personal assistant to Lady Domina Tagge. I’m here to make you an offer.”

Human then, and a notorious one as well. Their voice was smooth, with a lilt that could’ve only been the sharpness of traditional Tepasi, instead of the thick Corrie accent she’d expected. Sabine saw a button on her side of the room. It looked like a toggle more than a hold-and-talk. After a second of hesitation, she turned it on.

“I’m listening.” She’s not, not really, but when the Voice of Domina Tagge talks to you personally, you need to at least pretend. Questions about her beskar’gam burn on her tongue, but she needs the information first.

“The Lady wants you and your compatriots to join the Armada.”

Sabine stared at them. Stared long and hard for any signs of a joke, which this had to be. To their credit and her chagrin, Lapin didn’t flinch or look uncomfortable at any point. “You’re trying to recruit us into the Empire? Really?”

They looked offended at that. “Not the Empire, Miss Wren. The Dynasty.”

“Same thing.”

“I can assure you it’s not. The Empire is degenerate and corrupt, looking for domination and flaunting power. The House prefers efficiency and effectiveness through convincing others to cooperate. Everyone has a price, it’s a matter of finding the right currency.”

“Your House submitted to Imperial rule.”

“We entertained the Empire and their delusions. But not for much longer. Like I said, the concept is sound, but the Empire has descended into a pit of degeneracy and needs to be removed.”

Sabine saw an opening. “Then help us! Help the Rebellion overthrow them.”

Lapin smiled at her. A Kind Teacher sort of smile. “Then… what? What next? Restore the Republic? With what resources? What kind of political alliance do you have? How many worlds can you guarantee will join you instead of striving for complete independence? How will you maintain the protection that the Empire is providing against pirates and slavers? How will you ensure that the economy doesn’t collapse into a crisis?”

Sabine was stuck scrambling for an answer. She’s… never thought about any of that before. It has always been ‘restore democracy’ but never ‘how do we restore democracy?’ or any of that. “Well, The Dynasty can do all of that, can’t they? Can’t you?”

A nod. “We can. But why would we need the Rebellion?”

She thought about it and came to the most logical conclusion, the one that a Tagge would come to. “You don’t. You don’t need us at all.”

Lapin smiled again. “No, we don’t. But we are always looking for talent. Join us, and you can still have a hand in overthrowing the Empire. If being part of a private military doesn’t appeal to you, there are other options. An R&D job at TaggeCo, perhaps? Mechanical engineering? Your friends will receive the same offer we’re giving you, provided that they are… amenable to our presence.”

Sabine stayed silent. She needed time. She needed to talk to her crew. She told them as much.

“Time you can have, Miss Wren. I understand that this is a lot to process. However, I’m afraid you won’t be allowed to communicate with your friends or family without the Captain’s express permission. Press the button and a crewman will be here shortly to receive requests and answer queries, and I hope you make the right decision.”

With that, they turned on their heels and walked away without another word. She was reeling. She’d thought that capture was going to be the end for her, they all did. They’d be tortured for information then executed without trial for treason. But now?

Now she had a choice. A real choice, if she chose to believe Lapin Tagge of all people.

Was she actually considering this?

…

Yes. Yes she was.

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Evergreen Forest, Krownest

Revy swept the forest carefully. Artur was a master of concealment, something made evidently clear in the months following Terra, and even injured he was capable of fashioning traps and shelter from the environment. She silently cursed Veers for training the boy so damn well as they cleared every nook and cranny her dumbass BC could physically squeeze himself into.

Behind her, Miro stilled and straightened. “Sergeant Miro Golovan. SCR – 1521”, he sounded off loudly.

Revy understood immediately. “Senior Captain Revy Maklar. SCR – 1002.”

Artur dropped from a branch above her head like a sack, bleeding profusely through the makeshift bandages on his knee. Revy opened comms to Pyrondi.

“Artur Tagge is secured. I repeat, Artur Tagge is secured. Requesting medical team on standby. RTB time ten minutes.”

Time to finally wrap this entire operation up. Time to bring the man home.

#star wars #star wars rebels #sw fanfic #pyrondi #star wars empire #ezra bridger #sabine wren #tristan wren #hera syndulla #kanan jarrus #darth vader #c1 10p #domina tagge #so completely inspired by @contentment of cats

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