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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends Elusive Bliss UPDATED 7/1/13(SJRS Challenge Response. L/M AU): Expanded version Chapter 14

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Jedi_Lover, Apr 21, 2013.

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  1. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Title: Elusive Bliss

    Author: Jedi_Lover

    Challenge: SJRS Challenge. We are assigned a secret from the postsecret archive and we have to write a story with that particular phrase or secret. Mara and Luke must be major characters in the story. It can be a canon or an AU story.

    The secret I have to incorporate into this story is “I will never be this happy ever again.”

    This is an Alternate Universe Story.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    12 ABY: Jedi Praxeum, Yavin 4


    Jedi Master Luke Skywalker walked briskly toward the Jedi Praxeum’s shuttle landing zone on Yavin 4. A ship piloted by Mara Jade had requested permission to land and since Mara was not expected to deliver any supplies Luke sincerely hoped she might have returned to continue her training.

    He stood just off the duracrete pad and waited for the shuttle to complete it’s landing before he walked up to where the boarding ramp would lower. After a few moments he heard the familiar clunk of the ramp release and the whine of hydraulics lowering the entry ramp. He smiled as Mara Jade walked halfway down the ramp but then stopped suddenly.

    “Ahh…I forgot how unbearably humid this place is.” She frowned and then waved for him to follow her. “Come on in, the shuttle is climate controlled.”

    He grinned as he walked up the ramp. “Sure.” He followed her as she moved back up the ramp. He noticed she still wore her lightsaber—the one he had given to her on Coruscant—on her hip along with a blaster. “This is an unexpected pleasure.” He said trying to make small talk. “What brings you here?”

    Mara turned and gave him a coy smile…one that in the past would always make his heart flutter, but more recently only filled him with a sense of loss. He wished Mara didn’t leave Yavin 4. He enjoyed her company and deep down he had thought she enjoyed being around him…but over the years he began to think he thought wrong.

    Mara motioned for him to sit in the copilot seat. “Sit down and we can talk.”

    He gave her a puzzled look, but did as requested. To his surprise Mara started up the shuttle and lifted off. He looked over to her questioningly. “Have you decided to kidnap me?”

    She gave an amused snort. “Hardly, this shuttle is new. It is one of Karrde’s more recent acquisitions. I want to see what she can do within a planetary atmosphere.” The ship made a vertical climb and as soon as she cleared the treetops of the old growth forest she opened up the throttle. They were skimming over the treetops at high speed with Mara occasionally dipping down a ravine so the trees were actually above the shuttle on both sides. Luke smiled. He didn’t get much chance to just fly for fun anymore. The duties of a Jedi Master and head of the Praxeum weighed heavy on his shoulders. That, and dealing with Callista’s loss of Force powers kept him preoccupied most of the time.

    “The shuttle handles well, but then you were always an outstanding pilot.” Luke smiled at her and was rewarded with a small smile in return.

    “Thanks.” Mara reached into a side pocket and pulled out a datachip. “Here,” she said as she handed it to Luke. “Karrde came across some information about a Hutt plot and the Orko SkyMine. He wanted me to pass the information on to you.”

    Luke took the proffered datachip. “Thank you.” He paused for a moment hoping she would have something more to say. He had a distinct feeling that she was holding something back. “We have heavily encrypted communication systems at the Praxeum. Karrde could have transmitted the information.” He paused again. “Is there a reason you came in person?”

    Mara let out a sigh. “Can’t a friend stop by to say hello?” She turned to Luke. “I occasionally enjoy seeing you in person.”

    Luke was touched by her words. “Thank you. I enjoy seeing you also. I wish you would return…to train.”

    Mara’s smile faded. “That’s not going to happen.” She turned the shuttle back towards the Praxeum and maneuvered it back for a landing. “I don’t work well in a school environment. I learned much more with Kyle than I did here.”

    Luke nodded. “Your training with Kyle Katarn by way of the Concordance of Fealty, a mutual apprenticeship.” He let out breath and then gave Mara an apologetic look. “I wish I could do that. If you asked for a mutual apprenticeship after our return from Wayland it would have been possible. You were my only student.” He shook his head. “Now it would only cause friction and discontent among the students.”

    Mara had succeeded in landing the shuttle on the landing pad. She unbuckled her crash webbing and gave Luke a knowing look. “Not that I really want to apprenticeship under anybody at this time, but would a Concordance of Fealty arrangement between us really cause friction with the Jedi apprentices…or are you simply worried it would upset your girlfriend?”

    Luke was taken aback by the question. It sounded like Mara was jealous. “I’m sure Callista would be understanding if we did train together.”

    Mara gave a caustic laugh. “Luke, you really know very little about women. She wouldn’t want me around you.”

    “Why not?” Luke’s brow furrowed but then shot up in realization. “She doesn’t know what happened that night on Coruscant…after I gave you my lightsaber.”

    Mara stood abruptly and moved out of the cockpit. “Nothing happened that night Skywalker!”

    He unbuckled his restraints and walked back to the cargo area where Mara stood against a bulkhead. “No, but it almost did.” He moved toward Mara and leaned against the same bulkhead. “Mara, I will always remember that night…going to the meeting and then the party afterwards…walking you back to your assigned quarters…and you inviting me to stay for a while.”

    Mara turned away. “We were drunk…and nothing happened.”

    “Something did happen Mara,” Luke insisted firmly. “We didn’t have sex, but we had fun. I think it was the first time either one of us felt lighthearted. You were released from Palpatine’s last command and I thought I found a friend…a companion.” He paused for a moment, his voice faltering slightly. “As we sat on the couch watching that horrible Luke Skywalker adventure Holo…I remember you getting me laughing harder than I have ever in my life. At that moment a strange thought crossed my mind. I don’t know if it was the Force whispering to me or my own thoughts…but at that instant I believed I couldn’t be happier…I thought, 'I will never be this happy ever again'. And what is really sad…is I was right.”

    Mara turned back to him and frowned. “Don’t say that. You have your soulmate. I saw how happy you were when we pulled Callista out of that escape pod. You were deliriously happy.”

    A weak smile crossed Luke’s face. “I was also delirious from a festering infection in my leg and a horrible head injury.” He looked down at his boots, not wanting to look Mara in the eye. “The happiness faded quickly.”

    “What’s wrong?”

    Luke shook his head not knowing if Callista would approve of him discussing their relationship with Mara Jade, but he had to tell somebody…he needed a confidant. “She’s not happy here, among the Jedi. She’s depressed about losing her Jedi abilities. She’s scared because she can only touch the darkside of the Force.” He looked up at Mara with sad eyes. “I think she’s going to leave me.”

    Mara ran her hand through her hair looking very uncomfortable. “I’m sorry Luke. If she leaves you she’s a fool. If she can’t find happiness with you…she won’t find it anywhere else in the galaxy.”

    A slight smile appeared on his lips. “Why do you say that?”

    She held his gaze, her green eyes never leaving his baby blues. “Because on that night on Coruscant I also thought, I will never be this happy ever again’…and like you, I’ve been right so far.”

    She pushed the ramp control button and the exit hissed open. Luke gave her a sad look as he slowly moved down the ramp. He stopped when his boots hit the duracrete landing pad and turned to gaze at his friend. “Do you think we are doomed to be unhappy? Is the Force punishing me for Byss and you for serving Palpatine?”

    Mara chewed her bottom lip for a moment, deep in thought. “I do meditate like you taught me. Sometimes in my meditations I see myself laughing and happy and…” she trailed off.

    “And what?” Luke asked.

    She depressed the button to retract the ramp. Before the ship sealed shut Luke heard her say, “And sometimes I see you...and me.”

    Luke didn’t move for a long moment shocked by her words. It wasn’t until the ship began its start up sequence that he moved off the landing zone. He watched as the shuttle rose into the blue sky and streaked off into the upper atmosphere. When he couldn’t see the ship anymore his shoulders slumped. Once again the burdens of the galaxy were upon him. He sighed sadly and returned to the Praxeum.
     
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  2. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    That breaks a fangirl's heart. :_| Very well done, JL!
     
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  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Wonderful! I love the way you worked in the quote and the almost-happened on Coruscant part, although I would have preferred if it had [face_laugh] (Like the rest of the fangirl parade). I can taste Luke's unfulfillment with Callista, just taste it. :p I loved how he described the cause [face_rofl] of his earlier happiness: I wasn't in my right mind.

    I'll go ahead and say it: I hope this continues. [face_batting] Pretty please with chocolate sauce [:D] !!!!! Because L/M are right there, right on the brink of falling into [face_love] [face_dancing]
     
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  4. Stone Jade

    Stone Jade Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2013
    Loved it. It seemed only barely AU, too. Is there anything else written about the backstory here (on Coruscant post-Thrawn)?

    I've considered, a few times, writing a missing moment story based on Mara's visit to Yavin 4 depicted here. I've held off because I just can't stomach reading Darksaber again.

    You've done a wonderful job on this scene.
     
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  5. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Thanks. I looked all over my house for my copy of Darksaber, but I couldn't find it. It is probably buried under some papers somewhere. Because I couldn't find it I had to go by memory and by looking at Wookieepedia to try to piece together that scene.

    No, I don't have any backstory written, but I'd like to think that maybe something almost happened and therefore when Mara came to the Praxeum and Luke treated her like every other student she was understandably upset. Also I think she trained with Kyle before she went to the Praxeum, so she was used to being on even footing with her instructor. It probably was upsetting that she had to sit in class with absolute novice Force-users when she spent years training with the Force. Hell...she killed a dark Jedi and a Luke Skywalker clone. That should put her a peg higher than the rest of the students.

    Jade_eyes : I don't know if I will continue it...although I have a few thoughts on the matter. I really don't want to write Luke/Callista as I weave Mara into the story. [face_plain]

    Hazel - I am probably going to irritate Bri with this this fanfic. It was a perfect quote for a mushy love story. :p I hope I don't disappoint. I now have another challenge to finish. It is the Minor Character Challenge. Alexis_Wingstar assigned me to write about Kettch...the make believe X-Wing Ewok pilot. She said he is
    So now I am trying to think of some horrifying story to write. o_O
     
  6. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    I wrote a little fic with Kettch once. It was humorous, though. Ben and Wes were in it too.
     
  7. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    What the kriff?!?! You got like the potentially mushiness secret!?! (While you know, you stuck me with the anstiest one) You have succeeded in irritating me.

    But I still like the idea of something happening after Luke gave her his lightsaber.
     
  8. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    :D

    I think the Minor Roulette challenge leader, Alexis Wingstar, is not going to like my Kettch story either. I think she thought I would write an happy funny story about the stuffed Ewok doll.
     
  9. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    I always thought he was delusional back there. =P~

    It's bittersweet, because both of them have their happiness just right there, and they are not willing to reach for it.
     
  10. EmeraldJediFire

    EmeraldJediFire Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 23, 2012
    why must you torture me...I know I write angst sad fics type fics but this is downright cruel *pouts*
     
  11. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    Awwww, this does break a fangirl's heart, I agree with Hazel!! But It hurts so good!! ;) I think there was a tenuous connection between them way back that could have turned into more if there hadn't been so much baggage (and so many other books to write! ;) ) Lovely challenge fic, gal!
     
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  12. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    I tried to write more for this story, but I found it too difficult. Maybe I will try again later.
    Sorry! [:D]
    I would have loved if he had given her his lightsaber and followed it up with a kiss. She might have thrown him off the rooftop...but Jedi can levitate...right?

    Thanks everybody for reading.
     
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  13. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Since I broke so many fangirls' hearts I decided to try to fix this story so it is more L/M friendly. I have been working at this for a while and it was tough to write because it has the C-word in it...Callista. lol!

    ~JL~

    ___________

    Chapter 2
    As Luke walked back to the Temple he reached out in the Force in an attempt to sense Callista. After a few seconds he shook his head. He kept forgetting she was a void in the Force. It was always a disconcerting feeling not being able to sense her. Other than a ysalamiri, it was something he had never experienced before in a living creature...after all the Force flows through all living things.
    Living things. Luke shuddered by the implications. Did the Force see Callista as something dead? Did the departure of Cray's Force essence from her remains irrevocably severe that body's connection with the Force? He shook his head and dismissed the idea. If that were true then she wouldn't be able to touch the darkside. He frowned in thought. 'And why was that exactly?'
    He remembered his time on Byss with the Emperor Reborn. Palpatine's Force essence was transferred into the body of a clone. With years of research on Jedi lore, Luke had never heard of a Jedi doing such a thing. Could it be a Sith technique? Luke had asked Callista about the transfer once before. She said she was never taught the technique; she simply willed it to happen, obviously with mixed results.
    Luke made his way to the meditation rooms in the Praxeum. He needed time to think. He was especially curious about what Mara said about her meditations. She saw herself happy and she saw Luke with her. He wondered what she meant by that?
    He walked into a dimly lit meditation chamber. He took off his boots and sat down on the matted floor cross-legged. He closed his eyes and prepared himself to enter a meditative trance. Usually when he did this he concentrated on troubling political or military issues he was dealing with and looked for guidance from the Force. He never attempted to use the Force to see what may lie ahead for him personally. The future was always in motion, therefore he had no way of knowing if what he saw would actually come to pass.
    He took a couple deep cleansing breaths and dropped deep into the flow of the Force.
    .
    .
    .
    "Dad, dad, wake up." Luke heard the sound of a man's voice. His eyes opened and he saw a teenage boy with bright red hair and piercing blue eyes standing next to him. When the boy saw Luke's eyes open he smiled broadly.
    "Thank the Force," the boy said. "You sustained a head injury in that last battle. We thought you might need neural reconstruction if you didn't wake up soon." The mysterious boy frowned when Luke did not answer. "Dad, are you alright?"
    Luke looked around the room. It appeared he was in the small medcenter of a personal luxury ship. By the look of the bulkheads and equipment Luke guessed it was possibly a SoroSuub Horizon-class Star Yacht. He looked over to the boy. "Who are you?"
    The young man took a step back and a concerned expression crossed his face. "I'm your son, Ben." The young man looked at the cabin door and then back to Luke. "I better go get Mom."
    The teenager then walked out of the cabin. "Wait!" Luke called out before his vision started swimming.
    .
    .
    .
    When his sight returned he realized he was back in the Jedi Praxeum's meditation chamber.
    "Stang!" Luke mumbled. He never had a vision that clear before. It felt like he was actually on that ship. Could it be a possible future? Would he have a son named Ben? He stood then paced the room anxiously. "Ben." He thought about it for a moment. "I could see myself calling a son Ben." He ran his hand through his hair. "but who is the mother?"
    He thought of the boy's brilliant red-gold hair and he could imagine who the teenager looked like. 'He could be adopted,' Luke thought. It didn't mean that Callista wasn't his future wife. He frowned as he realized she never actually accepted his proposal of marriage. She told him they needed time to get to know each other better before they jumped into a lifelong commitment. She was probably right, but he was thirty and ready to settle down and have a family. It was true that Cray's body was younger than his. Callista was physically twenty-six years old and with over a decade of fertile child bearing years in front of her. It was still possible for Luke to have a family. He picked up his boots and put them back on and decided to see if Callista was in their living chambers.
    .
    .
    .
    Mara sat in the Wild Karrde's shuttle staring out at the hyperspace lines.
    "What was I thinking?" she said out loud to herself. Why did she ask Skywalker about Callista? That was stupid. And telling him what she saw in the meditations…that was doubly stupid. Now the man would think she was lusting over him and trying to break up his relationship with Callista. She scowled at the thought. Mara Jade may be many things but a man-stealing home wrecker was not one of them.
    "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" She swore to herself. "The future is always in motion. That is what Luke tells all his students! So why am I letting Force visions affect me so much?" She shook her head in disgust. She knew why they affected her. She was happy in the visions and she had a family—a husband and a son. The visions haunted her, but until now she always believed there was no way they could become a reality. Luke was with the love of his life after all, with Callista—the Force-reanimated corpse of a former student, occupied by the spirit of a long dead Jedi.
    Mara shuddered. She still couldn't believe Luke would find that bodysnatching situation tolerable…let alone kriffable. He was a man though, and she had known plenty of men who went with the motto, 'Any port in a storm, although Luke didn't seem like the type of man who would settle for 'good enough'.
    She also puzzled over Luke words. He had said, 'I was also delirious from a festering infection in my leg and a horrible head injury.' Was he trying to say he was not thinking correctly when he pulled Callista/Cray out of the escape pod and wept for joy at her return? Mara shivered at the memory. That horrible day—the day she and the Solo's rescued Luke from the Eye of Palpatine—was burned into her brain. Seeing Luke cradling Callista in his arms, kissing her, crying happily was too much for Mara.
    She had actively avoided contact with the Jedi after that fateful day…until the visions started. The visions came to her in her meditations and then in her dreams. And now the thoughts of her and Luke popped into her head like another infernal Force-projected last command. But this time her mind was not telling her to kill Luke Skywalker…it wanted her to kriff the man.
    It all became too much for her. She knew she needed to see Luke. She needed to know if he was happy. She had to find out if there was a possibility of them ever being together.
    And that is exactly what she did today under the pretense of delivering information to him. She sighed. She now knew there was trouble in paradise, but there wasn't anything she could do about it…at least not with a clear conscious. She wasn't going to actively go after Luke, but she would watch and see how things went between the Jedi Master and his bodysnatching girlfriend.
     
  14. Kat-Arva

    Kat-Arva Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2013
    Hell, yeah!
    Luke is NOT happy! But we all know who can make him so :D

    *want MORE!*
     
  15. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    Thanks for thinking of our broken hearts LJ! [:D] [:D]
     
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  16. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    JL!!! [face_dancing] Wootness! So glad this is being posted!!!! [:D] Loving that L/M keep having visions of each other. ;) Even Callista knows they're not destined with the wait-and-see line. :p ;)
     
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  17. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Thank you Kat-Arva, Hazel, and Jade_eyes for reading and taking the time to review. [:D] You guys are great.

    ~JL~

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Chapter 3

    When Luke returned to his quarters Callista immediately noticed something was troubling him.

    “What’s wrong?” She walked over to Luke and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. He responded with a warm smile and a hug.

    “Nothing’s wrong. I was just meditating and I had an… unusual vision.” He pulled out of their embrace and ran his fingers nervously through his hair.

    “A vision?” That perked her interest. She was taught by her Jedi Master to pay attention to visions. “Was it something bad?”

    Luke shook his head. “No.” There was a long pause before he continued. “I saw a young man in the vision and he called me Dad. He said he was my son.”

    Callista froze in place. This was a discussion she dreaded having with Luke and one of the reasons she had put off their plans of marriage for so long. “A son?”

    Luke nodded. “I had a vision of me in a medical center on a ship. A young man watched over me. He said I was injured in some conflict and he was worried about me.”

    Callista wasn’t sure what to say at first, but then the enviable question came to her lips. "Who's his mother?"

    Luke shrugged. "I don't know." He gave her a soft smile. "You maybe."

    “What did he look like?”

    Luke looked down at the ground staring at the floor for so long that she didn’t think he was going to answer. Finally he shrugged his shoulders. “He…umm…he looked like me. His facial features were like mine.”

    She waited for him to continue, but he instead walked over to the kitchen area looking very distracted. He opened the cooling unit and pulled out some juice. “Callista,” he said as he poured some fruit juice in a glass. “What do you think about having children?”

    She tensed. “Luke…I never really thought about it. Although I belonged to a sect of Jedi that allowed attachment…we rarely had children. I know I never wanted to have any? I dreaded the thought of bearing children.”

    She could see Luke’s expression sadden. “Why?”

    She gave him an incredulous look. “Luke, I couldn’t carry a child in my womb for nine months and then have the Jedi Order take the baby away.” Her eyes became misty as she talked. “My Master Djinn Altis had a philosophy that differed from the Jedi High Council, but I doubt he could prevent the Council from taking any Force-strong child born to members of his sect. Force-users usually had Force strong children…and we all knew Force-sensitive children were always brought to the Temple’s crèche.”

    Luke walked over and brought her into his arms, holding her tightly. “That’s not something you have to worry about any more.”

    She laid her head on his shoulder. “I know Luke, but it is hard to change the way I feel. I know it's an irrational feeling, but the thought of having a child makes me anxious. Even if I could get past the aversion to having children…I don’t want to continuously worry about a baby’s safety.” She leaned back and gazed deeply into his eyes. “As the leader of the Jedi Order every warlord, murderer, assassin and psychopath would love to kidnap or kill any child of yours. Look what has happened to your sister’s children. How many kidnapping attempts have there been?”

    Luke’s shoulders slumped. “Too many.”

    She pulled out of his arms and turned away. “Luke, if this is something important to you. You may want to…” She trailed off not wanting to continue.

    “Want to what?” he asked.

    “Maybe I’m not the woman for you.” Tears flowed freely from her eyes now. “I love you Luke, but I don’t know if I can give you what you want.”

    Luke’s face fell. “Callista, sweetheart, don’t cry.” He pulled her back into his embrace and kissed her on the cheek. “I would love to have kids, but I also want you.” He gave her a weak smile. “If it is the will of the Force to have kids, then I’ll have kids. If not…” He let out a deep breath. “I’m sure the Force brought you into my life for a reason, maybe to talk some sense into me. You’re right…any child of mine would be a target for assassination or kidnapping.”

    She didn’t need the Force to tell that he was disappointed, greatly disappointed. “I’m sorry Luke,” was the only thing she could think to say.

    Luke nodded. “Don’t be. I completely understand you apprehension.” He gave her a forced smile. “How about I take a shower and then we can go to dinner in the dining Hall?”

    “I would like that.”

    She watched Luke move to the ‘fresher. As the door shut behind him she closed her eyes and sighed. First the Force was stripped from her and now she shattered the dreams of the most loving man she had ever met…a man she loved deeply. Why did she have the feeling that the Force had other plans for Jedi Master Luke Skywalker?
    .
    .
    .
    Mara had tossed and turned on the small cot of the shuttle’s lone cabin for hours until sleep mercifully found her…but then the dreams came.

    It was strange that she knew she was asleep and dreaming, but she found herself unable to wake up. All she could do was ride out the dream. Sometimes she retained the ability to move and talk as a conscious participant, but more often she was simply an observer as if she was watching herself in a holodrama.

    This time she found herself somewhere dark and dank. It looked like she was deep within the lower levels of Coruscant. She was wearing some strange organic looking body armor and she sensed there were other’s in the room…but she couldn’t get her dream self to turn around to see who was whispering behind her. In front of her was a vast pool of red tinged water. Suddenly there was a loud rumbling sound and the chamber appeared to change. A bare-chested man with a breathing mask stood up in the middle of the tank and started wading toward her.

    “What did you do?” Mara wasn’t sure if the question came from her or one of the other people in the chamber.

    The man standing waist deep in the pool of water pulled off his breathing mask and Mara realized it was Luke Skywalker. “I turned a wheel. Something obviously still has power.”

    Luke was splashing his way through the water when Mara heard the soft laugh from a woman behind her. As Luke moved closer Mara realized what was so funny. From her vantage point she could see Luke was not only bare-chested, but as he walked the water moved up and down around his hips revealing he was completely nude.

    She felt shock radiate through her sleeping self, but the Mara of her dream simply laughed, although she obviously tried to disguise her chuckle with a cough. “Luke, before you step out and join us, out of respect for those of us you’re not married to, you might want to be sure that you are presentable.”

    She saw Luke gaze down to his bare chest and then reach his hands into the water and down to his groin area. The red blush that crossed his face was evidence that he realized he was missing his pants. He gave Mara a sheepish, boyish grin that made her heart flutter. He continued to move toward her and even in the dim light she was able to see Luke Skywalker in all his glory. He gave her a tender, loving look, obviously completely unashamed to be seen by her.

    He was about to say something more when she finally woke up.

    “Arrgghh!” she groaned. “Why am I dreaming this?” She had no idea why the Force was torturing her. First it showed her happy with Luke as her husband, then it revealed to her a loving son and now the Force decided she should see parts of Luke Skywalker that she had never seen before. “Damn the Force!” She tossed the blanket off her body. “I need to get back planet side somewhere and get a cold shower.” She got up and paced the small room. “Why would the Luke in the future be skinny dipping in some rancid pool of water? And why did the Force feel the need to provide me with a strip show!”

    She looked toward her cot wondering if she go back to bed. After a moment of thought she realized it was going to take days to get those images of nude Farmboy Luke out of her head. There was no way she would get back to sleep now.
    .
    .
    .
     
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  18. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    Hehehe!!! The Force is torturing Mara. Maybe the Force should give Luke a glimpse of skinni dipping Mara too ;)
     
  19. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    This is great! I wanna dream of a nude FARMBOY!
     
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  20. Kat-Arva

    Kat-Arva Jedi Padawan

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2013
    Oh, another chapter for always hungry readers! @};- [:D]

    Well, what can I say? Your Callista seems to be nice person (from a certain point of view), she cares for Luke and doesn't want to hurt him... But she is not one for our Skywalker. That's for sure.

    Maybe because the Force has pretty twisted imagination? Or it someone's else imagination... I'm not sure. [face_devil]

    But what I know undoubtedly - this isn't enough! More!
    *'cause we always want MORE* :D
     
  21. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Woohoo! Yeah, I agree with Hazel, Luke needs a vision of skinny dipping Mara [face_rofl] Enjoyed the scene with Callista, because it was open and honest, and if she leaves it'll make sense and not be such a shock or be for selfish reasons either. [face_thinking]
     
  22. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    Now, Mara, don't be so rude to the Force. It's only trying to show you what is front of your eyes! Well, I know for sure, that I wouldn't be angry to have such dreams.[face_love]
     
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  23. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Thanks Demendora, Jade_eyes, Kat-Arva, Briannakin and Hazel for reading. I agree Mara should love that skinny dipping scene. I know I loved that scene in the books. ;) Right now Luke doesn't know who the mother is, but he has a good idea and it's probably not Callista. I know we all want him to say "See ya!" to Callista, but that would be OOC for Luke. He doesn't leave women...they leave him. :(

    Also, I want to thank ginchy for helping me on the later chapters. [:D]

    ~JL~

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Chapter 4

    Luke sat in his office at the Jedi Praxeum staring blanking out the window. Since his vision of a son he remained completely distracted. He couldn’t get the image of the young man out of his mind.

    He always wanted a family, but he never obsessed over that particular desire like he did now. The boy had Luke’s facial features and eyes...but that hair. He had distinctive fiery red hair that he had only seen on one other person…Mara Jade. But he didn’t see Mara in the vision. It could be a complete coincidence.

    He desperately wanted to contact Mara and ask her about what she saw in her meditations. She had said she had seen Luke, but did she also see a son? He shook his head. He couldn’t imagine what he would say to her. ‘Hey Mara, in your visions did you ever see me and you married and with a kid?’ He chuckled at how that would sound. Mara would think he'd gone insane.

    And what would he do if she said she did have visions of a son? He loved Callista. He couldn’t leave her because of a vision that might never come to pass. The thought was ludicrous. He really liked Mara and after Wayland he had hoped there could be more to their relationship, but that never came to pass. For a long time he wished he never left Mara’s apartment that night on Coruscant, but he had no choice. After things got a little out of hand she became panicked and asked him to leave. He complied…and the next day she was gone.

    A sad smile graced his lips as he remembered that night. They watched a holo together and laughed over the ridiculous plot. At some point their eyes met and he gathered up all his courage and leaned in and kissed her…and she kissed him back. They kissed and caressed and he felt a heat building up between them until he couldn’t take it any longer. He broke away from her his heart pounding and gasping for breath. He looked over to the bedroom. “Do you want to do this?” he had asked. He hoped above all hope that she did, but as the words left his lips he could see fear and doubt in her eyes. She detangled herself from his arms and began muttering that things were going too fast.

    He reluctantly left that night fearing he had lost his chance at love. He tried contacting her the next day, but was told she checked out of the Palace guest quarters. Later he discovered she returned to the Wild Karrde. He tried contacting her every day for a week until he realized she was avoiding him.

    He decided to back off and try to slowly reestablish a platonic friendship, which he did eventually. He was resigned to the fact that friendship was all that could be between them, until she visited him two days ago.

    Now he wasn’t sure what to believe.
    .
    .
    .

    When Mara finally arrived to the Wild Karrde she thought perhaps she could immerse herself in her work and purge her mind of Luke Skywalker. It worked to a degree. She could distract herself temporarily but she couldn’t escape the dreams. She had taken to using stim tea in an effort to keep herself awake, but now she was so tired she was making mistakes at work. Talon Karrde became so concerned that he ordered her to her cabin to get some rest. She bristled that the man thought he could send her to her room like he was her father, but she knew he was only concerned for her welfare…so she didn’t give him any grief. It helped that she didn’t have the energy to make any snarky outbursts. Reluctantly she dragged herself to bed and settled down to sleep.

    It felt like only a minute or two before she realized she was in another dream and not a good one. She was in some type of underground cavern fighting for her life. She was using her lightsaber to deflect heavy blaster fire from what looked like sentinel droids. Her saber was a blur of movement as she twisted and turned to keep herself alive. She was immersed deeply in the Force so all she could sense were the blasters, her lightsaber…and Luke.

    In her dream she took a sharp breath as she realized she could sense Luke’s presence as clearly as she could sense her own thoughts. She could feel his back pressed against hers and the movement of his muscles as he desperately fought to keep them alive. They were so immersed with the Force that their minds had melded together until they were one. She could see Luke’s thoughts and feel his grim determination to save her…but there was so much more. She knew Luke Skywalker…she knew every detail about him. She knew his happiest and his saddest moments of life, his strengths and his weaknesses and his greatest wishes and fears. She saw Luke Skywalker the man and she realized that he knew her. He knew all of her deep dark secrets, her fears, all she had done in her past and he knew her most intimate desires.

    She thought this would be a humiliating experience, but she found it elating. Luke’s Force essences flowed and swirled with hers, binding the two together, now and forever. It was the most intimate encounter she had ever experienced. Luke and Mara had become one and she never wanted to be apart from him ever. She wanted him with a burning passion. She wanted him more than she wanted anything in her life.

    “Oh kriff!” she gasped as she woke up. Sitting up in bed she took a few deep breaths as she tried to calm her wildly beating heart. The lingering memory of the bond they shared made her shiver. She could still feel his masculine Force presence enveloping her and caressing her soul. She held out her hand in front of her and noticed her body was trembling as if she had touched a live wire...or was it the nervous anticipation of a lover's touch.

    She flopped back down in her bunk and stared at the ceiling. For the last week her dreams of the Jedi master had become more sensual and erotic… and agonizingly detailed. In the dreams she could feel his body move against hers, she could smell the faint hint of his cologne, and hear him whispering in her ear sweet words of devotion.

    She didn’t think she could experience a dream more intimate than the carnal images that recently plagued her sleep…until tonight. Instead of dreaming of a physical closeness, she dreamt of a deep emotional and mental bond that she never thought possible.

    She rolled over to her side and readjusted her pillow. She tried to fall back to sleep, but it looked like this was going to be another sleepless night.

    “Damn Skywalker!”
     
  24. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    MARA!!! YOU KNOW YOU WANT HIM! Listen to the Force.
     
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  25. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    I think she does but she doesn't like anybody telling her what to do. She wants to rips off Farmboy's clothing on her own terms! [face_laugh]
     
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