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Author	Topic: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
Knight_Aragorn Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 8/16/08 1:40am Subject: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene - Date Edited: 8/16/08 1:41am (1 edits total) Edited By: Knight_Aragorn
	Title: Breathing Space Characters: Mara Jade Skywalker, Luke Skywalker Timeframe: New Jedi Order Keywords: Missing scene, romance, (very mild) angst Summary: Luke and Mara, and the demands of the war. A/N: Thanks to Gabri_Jade for her assistance with research on Yuuzhan Vong weapons. Mara expected to see pinpricks of light against the blackness under her eyelids when she closed her eyes. Her inner ear told her to anticipate movement – juking and diving and rolling felt through dialled back inertial compensators. She opened her eyes. Her bunk was narrow, neither hard nor soft. The bedclothes were clean and slightly worn. The bulkhead curved into the ceiling above her, patterns hidden in the darkness. Mara could hear the Jedi around her breathing, one or two murmuring in sleep, someone shifting with a rustle. One of the benefits of being wife to the leader of the Jedi was that they were always offered a VIP berth on battle cruisers, a room somewhere in the upper levels, decked out with privacy and full amenities. Luke, being Luke, always politely but firmly declined. Mara approved. This way, they were closer to the docking level, not far from ships and prep areas and the mess. Besides – on some level, she didn’t want silence tonight. She drifted on half-dreams, reliving laser burn against her eyes, the thud of weaponfire against her hull and the chatter of voices in her helmet comlink. Crowing voices, fearful, calm, controlled. Frightened. A boy sounding far too young, a name she couldn’t recall, stammering, panicking as Luke tried to calm him and direct backup to his quarter while keeping a coralskipper off Mara’s tail as she evaded the firepower spilling in her direction. Then she heard a child crying. She started with a gasp as she was jostled, only to collide with a warm and solid body, to have hands catch her. Luke’s hair was dark, wet from the showers, his face marked with exhaustion he let only her see. “Shh,” he said. “It’s me.” She put her arms around him, breathing in his bodyheat and the scent of the Fleet-issued cleaner from the showers. “I dreamt of Ben,” she said softly. She felt him stiffen slightly, shoulders hunching, perhaps with his own pain. They were so tired they were blending, his emotions and hers, boundaries eroded by long hours of anticipating one another’s thoughts and movements, filling gaps and supporting strengths. His low-level anger at the political expediencies he was being forced to serve to keep defending the galaxy bled into her frustration for the demands on his time, which swirled into his fears for them as a family, and his doubts, unspoken, about his insistence on sending Ben away while they fought on, which deepened the ache of absence she felt. He eased back, kissed her forehead, then her lips. Mara felt warmth, love mixed with sadness, a kind of gentle resignation, a blanket of exhaustion. She didn’t know what was his and what was hers, because really, it was both, and didn’t matter. They settled together without having to think about it, accustomed to sharing narrow spaces. She ran her fingers through his hair, pressed a hand to his back, muscle solid against her palm, skin warm. She allowed herself a moment of relief, joy that he was alive, she was alive, they were both safe another day. Luke’s fingers brushed her arm. “We’ll visit him soon,” he muttered into her hair. She kissed him and tasted a ration pack dinner, hours ago, finding his other hand and squeezing it. “Only a few hours before we have to be back out there,” she said. “Mm,” he murmured. His hand tightened and released, his fingers marked with the familiar patterns of the flight gloves he’d been wearing, lines and impressions in his skin. Mara thought of her own fingers, how her skin had flaked away after the trauma of Ben’s birth, and grown back soft with strange, sweet-scented powders and lotions she’d never known existed. She rubbed finger and thumb together now, felt the calluses there. Luke’s breathing had fallen slowly to an even pattern, his thoughts dropping away into the liquid murmur of his sleeping mind, light and familiar and edged in the faint alien wonder of dreams. Still tangled in him, she let that warmth pull her down, and she slept. -end- -----signature----- Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so. Pieces of Air (ESB short story, complete) - http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/27283200/p1
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Jade_eyes Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 8/16/08 3:37am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Beautiful in its subtle but profound sweetness. The emotions are real to them as warriors, lifemates, and parents. Your writing is crisp and vivid yet poetic. Huggles!!!! -----signature----- I dedicate every num yummy love ballad to Mara/Luke as I completely melt Insatiable mush addict ginchy & IJJ: yours especially Certified Squee! maniac
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Gabri_Jade Title: Fan Fiction Archive Editor Emeritus Registered: Nov '02	Date Posted: 8/16/08 5:59am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Any time. I'd do more than that to aid and abet more stories by you. There's a lot I like about this vig - Luke politely declining VIP quarters and how Mara approves because they're closer to the action, Luke as the experienced squadron leader doing half a dozen things at once, Luke and Mara's utter familiarity with each other. But my favorite is this: They were so tired they were blending, his emotions and hers, boundaries eroded by long hours of anticipating one another’s thoughts and movements, filling gaps and supporting strengths. His low-level anger at the political expediencies he was being forced to serve to keep defending the galaxy bled into her frustration for the demands on his time, which swirled into his fears for them as a family, and his doubts, unspoken, about his insistence on sending Ben away while they fought on, which deepened the ache of absence she felt. It's tricky to describe that Force bond of theirs without resorting to an unwieldy info dump, which makes this passage stand out all the more for its eloquence and the image it creates, and how real it feels. Very well done all around. -----signature----- Evil Twin of LadyPadme This concept of "wuv" confuses and infuriates us! - Futurama All I can do is be me. Whoever that is. -Bob Dylan The Space Between Heartbeats - L/M AU vig http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/28870280 !!11!1eleventy
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Jedimaster_JainaSolo Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 8/16/08 7:37am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Aww beautiful! Dana -----signature----- Excited padawan of NYCitygurl Behind the Durasteel Mask: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28439445 "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young..." 1 Timothy 4:12
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walker-of-minds Registered: Oct '06	Date Posted: 8/16/08 8:57am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Beautiful!
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divapilot Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 8/16/08 9:37am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Lovely. I really like the way you make them so human, with fears and compassion and regrets. -----signature----- Never tell me the odds. AKL Happy new year!
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ginchy Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 8/16/08 7:12pm Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	I always love 'missing moments', and this one is very nice--it could easily be dropped into any NJO book (and I wish it would have been). -----signature----- ginchy's gambit: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29089731/p1 ** Ready for 2009.
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Irish_Jedi_Jade Registered: Jul '07	Date Posted: 8/16/08 7:15pm Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Oh! K_A, you make my life. Seriously. What an amazing gem to come home to after the horrible, "first day of work" catastrophe. That was the most beautiful piece I've ever read. Its so down to earth, so in the nitty-gritty of life, what makes us real and alive and human. I love it! I Love you! Great big huggles and many many thanks for everything you've blessed us with! Irish -----signature----- "Merry Christmas." "And a Happy go to Hell." ~House, M.D. Season 3: exactly my thoughts after the holidays working in retail. ~**~ Don't forget me...no matter what.
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kataja Registered: May '07	Date Posted: 8/17/08 5:59am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Wonderful work! Gabri_Jade's saying almost everything I think. I'd like to add that it's pretty rare in fanfic to get the feeling of war close but you manage very, very well in this little viggie! It gives a special kind of angst, that is all the more real since it's not limited to a GFFA It also makes the story so much more concerning; the timelessness of human pain and fear.
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Tabby Registered: Aug '08	Date Posted: 8/17/08 9:07am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	This was my favorite line: He eased back, kissed her forehead, then her lips. Mara felt warmth, love mixed with sadness, a kind of gentle resignation, a blanket of exhaustion. She didn’t know what was his and what was hers, because really, it was both, and didn’t matter. It really captures the essence of Luke and Mara, and it's so incredibly sweet! Like others have said, I love how human they are in that they feel everything so deeply--compassion, fear, exhaustion, love, etc. 'Tis a wonderful piece. Tab -----signature----- Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see. C.S. Lewis --- Drabbles!: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29087223/p1/?0
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VaderLVR64 Title: Fan Fic Manager in Combat Boots Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 8/17/08 7:50pm Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Luke’s breathing had fallen slowly to an even pattern, his thoughts dropping away into the liquid murmur of his sleeping mind, light and familiar and edged in the faint alien wonder of dreams. Still tangled in him, she let that warmth pull her down, and she slept. So very lovely! -----signature----- Someone who loves me carries an M16. My baby boy wears combat boots.
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dancing_star Registered: Feb '07	Date Posted: 8/17/08 7:55pm Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	I read this earlier, but was too busy to reply. I must say, it was absolutely gorgeous!! Beautiful! So very real. Another little masterpiece! VERY well done! -----signature----- Merry Christmas!!! God bless America and our troops. "The LORD gives strength to his people. The LORD blesses his people with peace." Ps 29:11 ~~~ http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29615415/p1/?2
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Blue_Milkshake Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 8/18/08 8:02am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	What a beautiful glimpse into their coupleness. -----signature----- Not all chemicals are bad. Without chemicals such as hydrogen and oxygen, for example, there would be no way to make water, a vital ingredient in beer. --Dave Barry
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Knight_Aragorn Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 8/20/08 2:00am Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	Jade_eyes: Thanks for reading! Gabri_Jade: Thank you! I quite liked the way the Force bond part turned out - trying to describe something like that can be difficult (you can't exactly think back to the last time you Force-bonded with someone as a point of reference ) so it's hard to know for sure that it'll work. Glad you enjoyed. Jedimaster_JainaSolo: Thank you! walker-of-minds: Thanks for reading. divapilot: Thank you! That's the best part about the characters, I think - that they do have those vulnerabilities. Glad you liked it. ginchy: Missing moments are a little addictive. Thanks for reading! Irish_Jedi_Jade: Thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed. kataja: Thanks for the lovely feedback. I think it must be difficult for Luke and Mara sometimes (and also for Lando, Han and Leia, and so on) because they've been directly involved in a lot of conflict in their lives. They must daydream about living dull, conflict-free lives from time to time. Glad you enjoyed, thanks for reading. Tabby: Thank you! I'm pleased that they come across that way. I really think it must have an emotional as well as a physical toll, all that conflict. VaderLVR64: Thank you! dancing_star: Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for the reply. Blue_Milkshake: Thank you. -----signature----- Time is an illusion. Lunchtime doubly so. Pieces of Air (ESB short story, complete) - http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/27283200/p1
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Myriad_Daydreams Registered: Jun '07	Date Posted: 8/20/08 6:15pm Subject: RE: Breathing Space -- Luke/Mara vignette, NJO missing scene
	sigh I must have come to this story several times, and never left a reply. Most of the time it was a result of the fact I cannot seem to get enough of this fic, and need to come back again and again to re-read and enjoy several times. I also tried several times to formulate a reply worthy of this. I still can't think of a way to sum up how I feel about this, so I'll just spit it out: I love the utter simplicity of this. I was at first slightly suprised at the shortness of this, yet it says so much in so few words. And even more than its simplicity, this fic is so subtle on many levels. This is not a feeling dump, or trying to beat us over the head with details, angst, and romance. It is just Luke and Mara dealing with their problems, stressing and worrying, yet still so in love and intertwined with one another. You have captured this beautifully. -----signature----- "I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love, than a success at something you hate." -- G. Burns
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