It's a New Day
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: To create a crossing that takes you from one end of the galaxy to the other, and to write a mini-fic about Spencer and Ashin. (This submission was made with their approval and blessing).
Image Credit: Mason Style // Artstation (x)
Canon: N/A
Links: Ashin Varanin, Varunda IX, Ceres, Klöcksenburgh Station, FIMS Mountbatten, FIMS York, and FIS Levinson.
Hyperlane Name: Varanin’s Crossing
Hexes Crossed: 10
Start Coordinate: 6, 19 [Varunda IX]
End Coordinate: 8, 27 [Utapau]
Route Points: Varunda IX, Lanteeb, Lipsec, Yalara, Red Nebula, Kinooine, Ceres, Kal’Shebbol, Utapau
Speed: Low - Very Low
Accessibility: Very few people know of this route and those people are mostly dead. The Republic used it (rumors) to go all the way around the Fringe just to wipe out the Graug. It’s supposedly (rumors) been used to get around the Omega Protectorate. One of the more notable souls who knows of the route is Ashin Varanin, and her cat, Mittens (Ria Misrani). Those who do know of the route now are either natives to the Outback, Pirates or Smugglers looking to avoid detection.
Route Hazards: The Red Nebula. It’s been known to claim the lives of everything in its path. Kyst also reside here and enjoy the taste of blood and flesh, or so the rumors say. The nebula’s density and reputation often lead to ships disappearing, or their crews mysteriously vanish while the ship itself ends up on the other side. The longest stretches are in the Outer Rim. The first stretch is between Kal’Shebbol and Ceres which is the easiest of the long stretches it’s strongly advised to resupply at either one of these planets. Between Ceres and Kinooine space-faring natives and opportunistic pirates often lay traps.
- From Kinooine to Red Nebula you may run into gravimetric distortions, these are relatively small and not nearly as volatile as Anoth and Faldos. If you’re unaware of this it can be a problem, it’s suggested that hulls are reinforced and sensors upgraded to help pilots navigate around the distortions or you will end up part of the graveyard that sits just outside of the Red Nebula.
- After the Red Nebula and it’s own problems as aforementioned, it’s fairly clear from there on. The First Order is efficient and maintains clean space, of course non-First Imperial citizens will be asked to stop at Yalara to obtain all the necessary paperwork and licenses. All vessels are subjected to random searches as the First Order deems fit, these days with the war on - this is no longer random but mandatory to keep the First Order’s citizens safe from terrorism and her enemies.
- From Yalara down to Varunda IX as mentioned, it’s fairly smooth nothing to worry about really just a heavily patrol area and a high traffic zone but the route isn’t as used these days so one should find it the best way to get from one end of the First Order to the other.
- Most importantly while traveling in the Outer Rim, please pack accordingly. Pilots and crew have suffered from not doing so, resulting in death or critical injuries to themselves. All of which could have been easily avoided, so please be sure to consult your local administrator to ensure safe travels between the Outer Rim and the Unknown Regions of the First Order.
Rest Stops: Outside of the planetary stops there are stations far and few between in the Outback. At least on this route anyway, your last rest stop outside of Kal’Shebbol is Klöcksenburgh. After this you’re on your own until you hit the planetary stops on the way to First Order territory. Once you’ve gotten through all the border checks, have your permits and licenses (and you’ve given Aunt Natasi her due). FIMS Mountbatten is your next actual rest stop from here it’s FIMS York which is another medical station and lastly your end point and final rest stop is FIS Levinson.
Varanin’s Crossing is fairly easy going inside the First Order territory as supplies and fuel are readily available from any one of the repair stations. Outside of First Order territory you’re on your own, mate. Be prepared, and pack accordingly. It’s a long trip it’ll take you a few weeks to get from one end to the other even with a class one hyperdrive, as the stops outside of the First Order are less frequent and the speed here is lower than it is within the First Imperial nation. Akin to driving on city roads and then moving out onto country roads where it’s slower.
It’s also a lot more hazardous outside of First Order space. Gravimetric distortions (albeit even as small as they are) can cause tremendous amounts of damage at the rate of speed most vessels travel on these hyperlanes. The Red Nebula’s own mysterious properties pose problems for ships. You can go around to Elysian or Seoul to Cantros, the latter is too far out of the way and negates the idea of the quiet back route. Elysian, on the other hand, will simply add days if not weeks to your trip. Once you reach Kinooine things are fairly easy going, just long stretches of nothingness (akin to driving on desert roads). Be sure that you’ve packed accordingly to keep yourself healthy. Many pilots make the mistakes of not packing properly and end up needing medical attention when they get to the planetary stops (if they make it).
This route has been used most notably by [member="Ashin Varanin"], and it is on this back route where space and time seem to fuzz into one blurry line. Does the Varundana woman reflect on her life. On one occassion she thought of her wife, [member="Spencer Varanin"]...
Just breathe.
You’ve done this before, Ash. She told herself, as she looked at the battle scars. Just take the back route like you always do. What about Spencer? It was only her second thought. Followed by another question, what about her? Could she leave her alone, walk away now, Ash. Just breathe and walk away.
No.
We need her.
For what? We can do this on our own.
Ashin Varanin has lived longer than she should have, longer than what is natural. She has seen and done things many could never do in a singular lifetime. She has conquered, she has relinquished, she has loved. Love. There’s an adjective not many would find for a Sith. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, a shaky hand over her wounds. It’s not the first time she’s been here. Bleeding in the cockpit of a ship, taking this back route. Whatever route this is, her route. Her crossing, it’s how she got around the Protectorate all those years and it’s how she could get through to First Order territory without the ORC taking a second glance.
Why do you need Spencer?
Insurance.
Pragmatic. She understands.
Does she?
Yes- and no.
Spencer loves Ashin, always has for what reason the Sith stopped asking.
Her breath shook, and breathing became a task as her hands set on the controls. There was a mining station on route, Kal'Shebbol if she recalled. Blasted Sith spawn, she cursed as the ship slipped into hyperspace. Taking a moment to relax her body, Ash looked at herself. Her reflection in the glasteel and watched her face contort. Could you leave her? Alone.
She’d never forgive me.
But she’d understand.
Where are your loyalties, Ash.
She coughed and sucked in a breath, gasped for air. Stay awake, Ash you can do this. Patch yourself up. Her eyes scanned the cockpit of the ship, a medkit laid not to far from where she was. The redhead’s teeth ground against one another as she tried to stretch out to take it. A whimper and cry that seemed most undignified.
All she had to do was reach Yalara, the First Order put a medical station there. Ash reached out with the force to pull the medkit into her bloodied fingers. She squeezed her eyes tight and gasped again. Many thoughts raced through her mind but chief among them, was her wife. Spencer.
Spencer’s a big girl, big girl’s don’t cry.
No. She’ll still be mad as hell, and I don’t think there’s enough cake in this galaxy to fix that.
Is this why you’ve held on for so long, Ash?
The sith sucked in a breath between her teeth as she sat upright again and pulled the bloodstained medkit onto her lap. Fingers worked the latches carefully, fumbling at least twice. Utapau. Kal’Shebbol. Ceres, Kinooine, Red Nebula. Ashin said this aloud to keep herself focused as she fumbled with the medstim. Taking the needle she inserted into her flesh and bit down on her lip as she injected herself with the healing liquid.
She breathed a sigh of relief and looked down. Coagulation. Breathing was less of a chore. This route, this crossing she noted to herself while fumbling around one of her compartments for her notebook. Yes, she’d used this before, in the past - several times. Most notably with the Fringe, an easy way to and from home. Red Nebula. Red Nebula. That was the biggest hazard of this route, it was the quickest way, to go around it would add days maybe weeks to the journey depending on where you went.
The numerous checkpoints and stations from the First Order didn’t start until their territory began and that was with Yalara. Assuming you didn’t disappear within the Red Nebula or contract some sort of virus and die... Ashin felt a bit woozy. She looked down at the syringe, feth. Too much, and did her best to focus on the dash - you could navigate through the density that was the Red Nebula. She knew that much, but as of now - sleep would claim her and there wouldn’t be anything that the redhead could do about it.
I’m dreaming. Ashin immediately noted as she found herself somewhere among the clouds. This is not physically possible. She tried to stir herself awake but it was no use, she was stuck in this dreamland until her body woke. And then she looked down at herself, what in the universe was she wearing? Were these shoulder pads? I thought I killed this part of myself centuries ag-
Oh no, you can’t kill this.
Wh- Wha? Excuse me?
You can’t, I’m you. Well, a type of you. Don’t worry just let me do all the talking.
I swear if Ria’s gotten into my supp-
Spencer. Ashin’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, not that she hadn’t seen her wife in beautiful dresses. It’s just normally this happened at balls and well, something usually exploded at those balls. Her mouth was open and slowly she picked her jaw up from the ground and approached the blonde.
Okay. Note to self, interrogate the cat when I get back home.
Music began to play - music, okay this is definitely the cat’s doing. And it’s Coruscanti BBY Era Pop. Definitely the cat’s doing. Still, Ashin didn’t want to pass the opportunity up, even if this was a dream. Hand in hand, Ashin and Spener met in the center of the clouds as the stars twinkled around them.
Written in the stars was a pattern, written for Spencer, should the worst ever happen and - it has - but on a more permanent basis, Ashin supposed. A letter from Ashin to Spencer that of all this galaxy had brought. Of all that Ashin had experienced, had suffered that Spencer was the one person that she was most proud of. Spencer was the one good thing in this galaxy and it was Spencer who had been her anchor, her constant.
I love you. Spencer would say as they danced across the stars.
I know. Ashin would smile and pull the blonde closer. She shut her eyes in this dreamland and was given the many memories of waking up beside her wife. Seeing the beautiful blonde hair hazel eyed woman beside her. Everything that Ash had ever built has been broken by either people or somehow lost to her. Everything, and everyone except Spencer that is. You make this life worth living, she’d confess in the dreamland. She'd whisper these words on dream-Spencer's lips, although the redhead suspected that her Queen knew this already.
She gasped for breath her eyes flew open and the intensity of hyperspace forced her to shield her vision. Dried blood spotted her clothing, it cracked on her fingers and turned to dust at the edge of her fingernails. The woman placed the medkit down to her side and squinted to view the upcoming port. The mining station? How long had she been out, too long, Ash. The Varundana rubbed her eyes a moment and swore that she felt Spencer there. Felt the blonde's arms slinking down around her oh so tired neck. The urge to go home increased and then she realized that she was probably feeling nothing but the air on the ship. The reality of her situation sunk in, this was not a dream.
Not a dream anymore, and while she was glad to be out of that blasted scene. Part of her, just a tiny, itty, bitty part that would never be spoken or confessed wanted to be back there. She wanted to be back there holding her wife in her arms, dancing to that stupid, insane noise that Ria called music. Her dash told her the station was still a few hours away, and so as she sat there in the cockpit. She looked around and spotted a tape of sorts, and as she grabbed it from the top of the dashboard.
VARANIN POPPABALLADS VOL 1
It wasn’t like she was going anywhere anytime soon.
SIDE A:
STARDESTROYER - NOTHING’S GONNA STOP US NOW
JANE AND JILL BETTE - UP WHERE WE BELONG
BRENDA CARLSON - HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON CORUSCANT
ELLIE AND JILL BETTE - I’VE HAD THE TIME OF THIS LIFETIME
MAUL RAY PARKER - FORCE GHOSTBUSTERS
LENNO ANNXIE - WALKING ON BROKEN GLASTEEL
SIDE B:
BYNRO - WITH EVERY HEART CRUSHED / DARKSIDE MIX
CHEPMA YRAC - FAST SPEEDER / EXTENDED
ELTON YANNI FT. DEDE KEEK - DON’T GO BREAKIN’ MY HEART
OTTO - DAHOMEY (BLESS THE RAINS)
LEFT SAID TED - I’M TOO SITH
HOUGHTON T’NEYHIW - I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY
Can’t be that bad, the Sith thought to herself as she popped the tape in. Not knowing that the cat had fiddled with it already. Which as she noted, for something without opposable thumbs she sure found ways to get into everything. The first song that popped on was on Side A and it was Walking on Broken Glasteel. The redhead found herself bobbing her head to the beat of the song, and even singing.
Feels just like I’m walkin’ on broken glasteel.
Oh I’m killing the cat, Ria you’ve lived the last of your nine lives.
Walkin’ on, walkin’ on broken glasteel.
Keep on walkin’ on broken glasteel.
You’ve done this before, Ash. She told herself, as she looked at the battle scars. Just take the back route like you always do. What about Spencer? It was only her second thought. Followed by another question, what about her? Could she leave her alone, walk away now, Ash. Just breathe and walk away.
No.
We need her.
For what? We can do this on our own.
Ashin Varanin has lived longer than she should have, longer than what is natural. She has seen and done things many could never do in a singular lifetime. She has conquered, she has relinquished, she has loved. Love. There’s an adjective not many would find for a Sith. She closed her eyes and sucked in a breath, a shaky hand over her wounds. It’s not the first time she’s been here. Bleeding in the cockpit of a ship, taking this back route. Whatever route this is, her route. Her crossing, it’s how she got around the Protectorate all those years and it’s how she could get through to First Order territory without the ORC taking a second glance.
Why do you need Spencer?
Insurance.
Pragmatic. She understands.
Does she?
Yes- and no.
Spencer loves Ashin, always has for what reason the Sith stopped asking.
Her breath shook, and breathing became a task as her hands set on the controls. There was a mining station on route, Kal'Shebbol if she recalled. Blasted Sith spawn, she cursed as the ship slipped into hyperspace. Taking a moment to relax her body, Ash looked at herself. Her reflection in the glasteel and watched her face contort. Could you leave her? Alone.
She’d never forgive me.
But she’d understand.
Where are your loyalties, Ash.
She coughed and sucked in a breath, gasped for air. Stay awake, Ash you can do this. Patch yourself up. Her eyes scanned the cockpit of the ship, a medkit laid not to far from where she was. The redhead’s teeth ground against one another as she tried to stretch out to take it. A whimper and cry that seemed most undignified.
All she had to do was reach Yalara, the First Order put a medical station there. Ash reached out with the force to pull the medkit into her bloodied fingers. She squeezed her eyes tight and gasped again. Many thoughts raced through her mind but chief among them, was her wife. Spencer.
Spencer’s a big girl, big girl’s don’t cry.
No. She’ll still be mad as hell, and I don’t think there’s enough cake in this galaxy to fix that.
Is this why you’ve held on for so long, Ash?
The sith sucked in a breath between her teeth as she sat upright again and pulled the bloodstained medkit onto her lap. Fingers worked the latches carefully, fumbling at least twice. Utapau. Kal’Shebbol. Ceres, Kinooine, Red Nebula. Ashin said this aloud to keep herself focused as she fumbled with the medstim. Taking the needle she inserted into her flesh and bit down on her lip as she injected herself with the healing liquid.
She breathed a sigh of relief and looked down. Coagulation. Breathing was less of a chore. This route, this crossing she noted to herself while fumbling around one of her compartments for her notebook. Yes, she’d used this before, in the past - several times. Most notably with the Fringe, an easy way to and from home. Red Nebula. Red Nebula. That was the biggest hazard of this route, it was the quickest way, to go around it would add days maybe weeks to the journey depending on where you went.
The numerous checkpoints and stations from the First Order didn’t start until their territory began and that was with Yalara. Assuming you didn’t disappear within the Red Nebula or contract some sort of virus and die... Ashin felt a bit woozy. She looked down at the syringe, feth. Too much, and did her best to focus on the dash - you could navigate through the density that was the Red Nebula. She knew that much, but as of now - sleep would claim her and there wouldn’t be anything that the redhead could do about it.
I’m dreaming. Ashin immediately noted as she found herself somewhere among the clouds. This is not physically possible. She tried to stir herself awake but it was no use, she was stuck in this dreamland until her body woke. And then she looked down at herself, what in the universe was she wearing? Were these shoulder pads? I thought I killed this part of myself centuries ag-
Oh no, you can’t kill this.
Wh- Wha? Excuse me?
You can’t, I’m you. Well, a type of you. Don’t worry just let me do all the talking.
I swear if Ria’s gotten into my supp-
Spencer. Ashin’s eyes nearly popped out of her head, not that she hadn’t seen her wife in beautiful dresses. It’s just normally this happened at balls and well, something usually exploded at those balls. Her mouth was open and slowly she picked her jaw up from the ground and approached the blonde.
Okay. Note to self, interrogate the cat when I get back home.
Music began to play - music, okay this is definitely the cat’s doing. And it’s Coruscanti BBY Era Pop. Definitely the cat’s doing. Still, Ashin didn’t want to pass the opportunity up, even if this was a dream. Hand in hand, Ashin and Spener met in the center of the clouds as the stars twinkled around them.
Written in the stars was a pattern, written for Spencer, should the worst ever happen and - it has - but on a more permanent basis, Ashin supposed. A letter from Ashin to Spencer that of all this galaxy had brought. Of all that Ashin had experienced, had suffered that Spencer was the one person that she was most proud of. Spencer was the one good thing in this galaxy and it was Spencer who had been her anchor, her constant.
I love you. Spencer would say as they danced across the stars.
I know. Ashin would smile and pull the blonde closer. She shut her eyes in this dreamland and was given the many memories of waking up beside her wife. Seeing the beautiful blonde hair hazel eyed woman beside her. Everything that Ash had ever built has been broken by either people or somehow lost to her. Everything, and everyone except Spencer that is. You make this life worth living, she’d confess in the dreamland. She'd whisper these words on dream-Spencer's lips, although the redhead suspected that her Queen knew this already.
She gasped for breath her eyes flew open and the intensity of hyperspace forced her to shield her vision. Dried blood spotted her clothing, it cracked on her fingers and turned to dust at the edge of her fingernails. The woman placed the medkit down to her side and squinted to view the upcoming port. The mining station? How long had she been out, too long, Ash. The Varundana rubbed her eyes a moment and swore that she felt Spencer there. Felt the blonde's arms slinking down around her oh so tired neck. The urge to go home increased and then she realized that she was probably feeling nothing but the air on the ship. The reality of her situation sunk in, this was not a dream.
Not a dream anymore, and while she was glad to be out of that blasted scene. Part of her, just a tiny, itty, bitty part that would never be spoken or confessed wanted to be back there. She wanted to be back there holding her wife in her arms, dancing to that stupid, insane noise that Ria called music. Her dash told her the station was still a few hours away, and so as she sat there in the cockpit. She looked around and spotted a tape of sorts, and as she grabbed it from the top of the dashboard.
VARANIN POPPABALLADS VOL 1
It wasn’t like she was going anywhere anytime soon.
SIDE A:
STARDESTROYER - NOTHING’S GONNA STOP US NOW
JANE AND JILL BETTE - UP WHERE WE BELONG
BRENDA CARLSON - HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON CORUSCANT
ELLIE AND JILL BETTE - I’VE HAD THE TIME OF THIS LIFETIME
MAUL RAY PARKER - FORCE GHOSTBUSTERS
LENNO ANNXIE - WALKING ON BROKEN GLASTEEL
SIDE B:
BYNRO - WITH EVERY HEART CRUSHED / DARKSIDE MIX
CHEPMA YRAC - FAST SPEEDER / EXTENDED
ELTON YANNI FT. DEDE KEEK - DON’T GO BREAKIN’ MY HEART
OTTO - DAHOMEY (BLESS THE RAINS)
LEFT SAID TED - I’M TOO SITH
HOUGHTON T’NEYHIW - I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY
Can’t be that bad, the Sith thought to herself as she popped the tape in. Not knowing that the cat had fiddled with it already. Which as she noted, for something without opposable thumbs she sure found ways to get into everything. The first song that popped on was on Side A and it was Walking on Broken Glasteel. The redhead found herself bobbing her head to the beat of the song, and even singing.
Feels just like I’m walkin’ on broken glasteel.
Oh I’m killing the cat, Ria you’ve lived the last of your nine lives.
Walkin’ on, walkin’ on broken glasteel.
Keep on walkin’ on broken glasteel.
