Chapter 1: The Briefing
The air in the briefing room always smelled the same: ozone from the holographic projectors, stale coffee, and the faint, metallic tang of recycled air. It was a scent Jacob Skywalker had come to know well over the last two months. A far cry from the living soil of Naboo or the temple incense of Coruscant. He stood just inside the doorway, a silent observer. The room was bathed in the cool, electric blue of a hovering planetoid—Sokovia, according to the script floating beside it. Nick Fury, a statue of black leather and pragmatic anger, stood before it, his single eye reflecting the light.
“You planning on lurking in the hall all day, Skywalker? Or you gonna come in and earn your keep?”
Jacob moved, his steps quiet on the polished floor. He wore simple, durable clothes S.H.I.E.L.D. had provided—dark pants, a grey sweater. They were comfortable, anonymous. They weren’t Jedi robes. His lightsaber hung from his belt, a familiar weight. The only thing that felt like his.
“My keep,” Jacob said, his voice calm. “Which, last I checked, was ‘not causing an inter-dimensional incident.’ I’ve been trying to stick to the checklist.”
“The checklist was phase one,” Fury said, not turning from the hologram. “Welcome to phase two. Sokovia. This Ultron creation of Banner’s and Stark’ is seeking to create a world changing event that will lead to disaster. We’re almost there, better get your ship ready”
Starkiller nodded and turned from the room, heading to his ship. He’d managed to repair most of the damage from his crash landing two months ago, which had been helpful as he still mainly lived on it. The food system still worked, giving him access to the food and drinks he was used to from back home. He’d also kept his Jedi robe, but he wouldn’t need that today. Fury’s voice came over the comms, indicating their impending arrival to Sokovia.
The S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier turned the tide on Sokovia and allowed the civilians an evacuation vehicle. Hawkeye found the missing boy and rushed back to the Helicarrier, one of Ultron’s bots on his tail. Just when he was sure he was done for, a whine came from above and it wasn’t an Ultron bot nor the Helicarrier. Hawkeye looked up in time to see a blue and white ship fly overhead and blast the Ultron bot to pieces with green……bolts of some kind. The ship carried on, blasting away more of Ultron’s bots, heading towards where Hawkeye had left Wanda. Hawkeye sprinted to the ship, handing the child to his mother and collapsed with exhaustion.
I’d heard the voice in my head, an accent and woman I wasn’t familiar with but with great powers. But she was struggling to keep this droids, at least they seemed like droids, at bay. I found the location and blasted away a dozen or so of the blasted things and exited the ship, igniting my lightsaber with the familiar snap-hiss. I let The Force guide me as I cut down droid after droid, like I was in the Clone Wars but these were more advanced, with sleek metallic frames and glowing red optics that locked onto me with predatory precision. I held the blue blade low, dancing between them with Form III—light on my feet, economy of motion, every strike precise. A single misstep here wouldn’t just mean defeat; it would mean civilians dying.
The woman I’d heard exited a nearby building and began throwing the droids around, tearing them apart with ease. Together, we took down droid after droid but they just kept coming. The mysterious woman’s powers reminded me of the witches of Dathomir but more powerful, I could feel it radiating from her and was glad she was on our side. Together we carved through the mass of metal, our combined strength forcing them back towards the edge of the square where a crumbling fountain gurgled water despite the chaos. She moved with a lethal grace, her hands weaving through the air as one droid after another splintered under invisible force. I kept my lightsaber low, deflected blaster fire with the blade’s edge, and let The Force guide my footwork—dodging, countering, never giving ground. Then we both heard it, the call to retreat. The civilians were safe and this Ultron had been destroyed and with the hive mind of droids. Just then, a whirlwind approached us and stopped, revealing a man in maybe his early twenties who stopped before the woman.
“Wanda, you’re safe!” He said with relief. “Who’s your friend?”
"Friend’s a strong word," Jacob said dryly, turning off his lightsaber and letting it retract into his belt with a quiet *whoosh*. The blade’s glow faded, leaving only the scent of ionized air in its wake.
The woman—Wanda—fixed him with a sharp green-eyed gaze, one eyebrow arched. "Temporary allies who wield a glowing stick and has…..power of some kind. I raised an eyebrow.
"I could say the same about your… *spellwork*." He gestured vaguely at the shattered droids littering the plaza. “But we can discuss that later, for now we should get back to the Helicarrier.
They boarded my ship and I flew us to the Helicarrier landing bay. We filed out and I found Fury waiting with three other people I recognised from the news: Tony Stark, Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff. Or I guess as people knew them better: Iron Man, Captain America and Black Widow. I felt something clench in my stomach when I met Natasha’s gaze, something unfamiliar.
“Skywalker, I see you’ve met Wanda and Pietro” Fury said.
“Indeed I have.” I said. We followed Fury down a hallway until we reached a room with the other Avengers……except Bruce Banner, he was nowhere to be seen. I couldn’t even sense him, although my powers still weren’t what they once were and I never really spent time with him I guess. Fury then formally introduced me to The Avengers. He began with Tony Stark, the man in the red and gold suit. His sharp eyes flickered over me with barely concealed amusement, his smirk as polished as his tech.
“So, *Skywalker*, huh? What kind of name is that?” Tony drawled, arms crossed.
“Mine. But call me Jacob” I answered matching his tone which he smirked at. The dynamic between him and his counterparts was almost comically familiar—the arrogance of one, the stubborn honor of the other, the quiet observation of the woman with the dark red hair who watched everything like a hawk. She was the one who spoke next, her voice low and measured as she stepped forward.
"Natasha Romanoff," she said, extending a hand. Her grip was firm, her fingers cool against my own. I took her hand, noting the way her eyes flicked to my lightsaber.
Hawkeye, Thor, Captain America and Vision all introduced themselves amicably then Fury told them how I’d crash landed a few months back then left me to fill in the blanks.
“For over a thousand generations the Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice in my galaxy, before the purge during the Clone Wars. The Jedi were unknowingly manipulated by Chancellor Palpatine, who turned out to be a Sith Lord, and he also manipulated a young Jedi named Anakin who had a secret wife. He had nightmares about his wife dying during childbirth and he’d had similar nightmares about his mother being killed which sadly came true. He and his mother were slaves on a planet called Tatooine before being freed by a Jedi called Qui-Gon Jinn and he believed Anakin to be the chosen one who would bring balance to the force. Unfortunately, after further manipulation by Palpatine, Anakin turned on his Jedi and along with the Clone Troopers helped kill the Jedi across the Galaxy. A few survived and went in to hiding when the Chancellor spun a web of lies and propaganda against them.” I began.
“Anakin was confronted by his wife on a lava planet called Mustafar but his Master snuck onboard her ship and in a rage, Anakin strangled her with the force and dulled his master, ultimately losing when his arm and legs were cut off and be caught fire. His wife survived long enough to give birth to Anakin’s twins. They were separated and kept apart but fate brought them together. Anakin also survived Mustafar, kept alive buy hate and a robotic suit, the Galaxy was ruled with an iron fist by The Empire for 20 years until his son eventually managed to bring Anakin back to the light when Anakin saved his life when The Emperor was about to kill him, Anakin himself succumbing to injuries. Anakin’s son was called Luke…..Luke Skywalker, my father.” I said.
The room had gone very quiet, even Tony Stark had stopped smirking. The only sound was the low hum of the Helicarrier’s engines and the distant whir of remote servos. I exhaled slowly, rubbing the back of my neck. “Sorry. You asked for the history; I gave you the whole saga.”
“How exactly did you end up here, on Earth?” Natasha asked after a beat of silence.
“Leia, my aunt, also had a child called Ben. Me and him were like brothers, even attending my father’s Jedi Academy together. But Ben was obsessed with our grandfather and my father sensed a great evil in him, unfortunately he was right. Ben was very charismatic and the students gravitated to him……and one night, his closest followers and him attacked the Jedi Temple while my father was away finding more students. I tried to fight him but he had the dark side now and overpowered me……until my mother, Mara stepped in. But even she was unable to stop him and he…….he killed her, in front of me” I explained, my voice breaking as I relived that fateful night. I stopped talking, clasped my hands together to hide the fact that they were shaking. I felt the weight of the room pressing in on me, but then a voice cut through the silence.
“My condolences, Skywalker. I know what it’s like to watch your mother killed before your eyes” Thor said, his voice a low and somber rumble.
“Thank you, Thor” I said, his sympathy meaning a lot.
“So, Ben teamed up with an old Grand Admiral from The Empire called Thrawn and they went to war with The New Republic but my father couldn’t deal with everything and went into exile, blaming himself for everything. I was attacked by The Empire and landed here after a risky jump to Hyperspace. I’ve been trying to contact home ever since but with no success. I don’t know what’s happening anymore, I can’t even contact anyone with The Force” I finished, sinking into a nearby chair. I felt drained after explaining everything.
Stark slid me over a glass of the amber liquid I’d come to know as whiskey and I took a grateful sip. I looked around and noticed all eyes were on me now, the energy in the room heavy with sympathy. I downed the whiskey and excused myself, heading to my quarters for another restless sleep where I relived my mother dying again.
Two days later at The Avengers compound in upstate New York, Stark and Hawkeye left The Avengers to focus on their personal lives while Thor left on a mission to find out about some stones or something, leaving Steve and Natasha to train myself, Pietro, Wanda, Vision and a guy named Sam Wilson as Avengers. I’d been given a room in the main house—simple, clean, with a view of the woods behind the property. It was quiet. Too quiet. I’d spent two months in the sterile hum of the Helicarrier, surrounded by the constant whir of machinery and the low murmurs of strangers. This was different. The silence pressed against my ears like a living thing.
One day, three months following Sokovia, Natasha found me on the back porch at dawn, a steaming cup of black coffee in each hand. She held one out without a word, her green eyes scanning the tree line as if expecting an ambush. I took the cup, our fingers brushing for the briefest moment. A spark. Nothing more. I’d felt it a few times now but couldn’t figure out what exactly was happening but I did know Natasha was the one I’d become closest too, there was a painful darkness inside her like me.
“So, how are you finding Earth?” She asked, sipping her coffee.
The first hint of sunlight crept over the horizon, painting the sky in muted gold and pink. The trees behind the house stood still, their leaves trembling only when the wind dared to stir them. I exhaled slowly, watching the steam curl from my cup before answering.
“It’s not the Coruscant skyline,” he admitted, “but I’ve come to appreciate the quiet. The lack of blaster fire helps.”
“I’d take quiet over the sound of something exploding behind me any day.” Natasha smirked into her mug, a rare, genuine shift in her usual guarded expression.
I learnt about Earth customs and holidays, finding a particular affinity with one called ‘Halloween’ for some reason. But my first Christmas on Earth reminded me of ‘Life Day’ back home and the thought of Aunt Leia and Uncle Han having to celebrate without my father/her brother, my mother, their son or me stabbed me in the heart on those cold December nights. On Christmas Eve, I found comfort in Natasha’s company once again as we watched snow fall over the forest. I’d finally figured out what these little jolts were when I was around her, remembering how my parents and aunt & uncle spoke of similar feelings: I was in love with her. But I couldn’t say anything……could I? My thoughts were interrupted by a simple action from Natasha when she took my hand in hers and I let out a little audible gasp. I froze, my eyes darting up to meet hers. She usually kept her distance, even after weeks of training sessions and shared meals. But tonight, the snow fell thickly outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, muffling the world beyond. The fire crackled in the hearth and its golden light flickered across her face, softening the sharp angles of her cheekbones, the tight line of her mouth.
I stood perfectly still, my pulse thudding in my throat. Her fingers were cool against mine, her palm calloused from years of combat and training. She didn't look away. Didn’t smile. Didn’t pull back. Her gaze held mine with quiet intensity, as though she were measuring me—my reactions, my intentions. I felt the warmth of her touch travel up my arm, settle in my chest, right there where my heart kept time. The air between us wasn’t just charged; it was alive, shimmering like the first light over Coruscant’s towers after a long night of blaster fire.
"You're shaking," she said softly, her voice barely rising above the fire’s crackle.
I swallowed hard, fingers tightening slightly around hers. "Yeah. But not from the cold." Natasha exhaled through her nose—almost a laugh, but not quite. The sound didn’t match the tension in her shoulders.
“I’m not used…..I’ve never really been with a woman or anything, Y’know. It always seemed like something for later, after learning to be a Jedi” I admitted.
“It’s ok, Jacob. I’ve been with men but it’s always been about business. But there’s something different about you, I felt it the first time we met. It’s something I’ve never felt, never thought I’d feel to be honest. Jacob…….I love you” Natasha confessed.
“I love you too, Nat” I responded, my eyes never leaving hers because I wanted her to see the truth in them.
I leaned forward, our breaths mingling in the cold air between us, my free hand reaching up to brush a strand of fiery red hair from her face. My fingers trembled slightly as I cupped her cheek, but not with fear—with reverence. I had never felt something like this before. This was deeper even than the Force. Her breath hitched as my lips met hers in a slow, deliberate kiss. It wasn’t rushed, wasn’t frantic—it was a promise. My hands framed her face, holding her gently but firmly, as if she were something precious, something I could lose. The firelight flickered against her closed eyelids when I finally pulled back just enough to speak, my forehead resting lightly against hers.
“Wow. That was the most amazing thing I’ve ever done” I whispered, my voice rough as I processed my first ever kiss.
Natasha’s hands slipped from my shoulders, settling against my chest—steady, warm, grounding. She exhaled softly against my lips before pulling back just enough to meet my eyes. Even in the dim firelight, I could see the truth there: she was mine.
“You’re insane,” she murmured, her thumb brushing over my collarbone. “I just told you I love you, gave you your first kiss, and you say ‘that was amazing’?” I shrugged, grinning despite the butterflies rioting in my stomach.
“I haven’t kissed anyone before. I figured I’d get it wrong.” Natasha snorted, but her lips twitched upward.
“You’re supposed to *practice* before you determine you’re doing it wrong. You don’t just walk into a kiss like it’s a lightsaber duel.” Jacob leaned back, his hands still cradling her face. He looked at her with genuine curiosity.
“I did practice. I practiced holding your hand for six weeks first.”Natasha’s breath caught again. Her fingers flexed against my chest, not pushing me away, just… absorbing.
“You’re impossible.” she finally whispered.
“You love it,” I said simply, my voice warm. She exhaled, a soft, disbelieving laugh escaping her.
“I do. I love it,” Natasha admitted quietly, her thumb tracing slow circles against Jacob’s sternum. She studied him for a moment—his hazel eyes reflecting the firelight, his long brown hair falling slightly over his shoulder. The sight of him, so calm yet so intense, made her pulse quicken. She had spent years perfecting her control, her composure, but Jacob unraveled her effortlessly. They remained there, foreheads pressed together, the silence between them comfortable now. The snow continued to fall outside, muffling the world beyond the windows. Jacob exhaled slowly, feeling the warmth of her breath mingling with his.
“Do you want to come back to my quarters with me?” Natasha asked.
Even with my inexperience, I knew what she meant. The invitation wasn't casual. It was deliberate. The way her eyes held mine, the way her thumb traced slow, deliberate circles against my sternum—it was an offering, raw and vulnerable. The firelight painted her face in soft oranges and golds, erasing the usual sharp edges of her expression. For the first time, I saw the woman beneath the spy. Natasha Romanoff, stripped of armor, both emotional and physical. I took a steadying breath, my pulse hammering in my throat. *This* was the moment. The one where hesitation could slip in, where the weight of everything—the past, the present, the uncertainty of my place in this world—could press down and make me retreat.
“I’d like that” I replied. Natasha stood up, took my hand and pulled me up, leading me to her room.