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

Beyond - Legends Walking the Sky - sequel to I, Mara Jade - L/M AU - competed 9/12/12

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by JediMara77, Dec 22, 2011.

  1. Jedi_QueenBee

    Jedi_QueenBee Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2008
    Wow, what a thrilling adventure you took us on this time. I would have never guessed that Rida Hano was actually Diya Rohan. Great Job :p
     
  2. Piper057

    Piper057 Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2009

    Just wow.
    I love how you're showing how much they both changed - they're always stronger together. [:D]
     
  3. PadmeSkywalkerSHM

    PadmeSkywalkerSHM Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2010
    You can't just stop here!!!!!!!!

    Really good update!! I never would have guess the whole name thing. But they actually seem really similar after it's revealed.
     
  4. CurtisZidaneZiraa

    CurtisZidaneZiraa Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Woohoo! Now we're getting somewhere! How awesome. Does that mean if Callista and Hano were talking, Callista is in on it too? Keep going!
     
  5. Katana_Sundancer

    Katana_Sundancer Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 13, 2009
    Ooh. Nice use of the turbolift trap. And I love Luke and Mara here. So in sync, working together. And nice job with Jinzler too. I always did like him, and Lorana.

    Ooh. DUN DUN DUN... DUN-DUN!:D Nice and twisted there.

    Can't wait for more!
     
  6. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    ginchy: [:D] Oooh, a time capsule of pain - I like that phrase! I'm glad you like the scene in the turbolift. I loved the way they escaped in Survivor's Quest, and how Zahn described their Force bond. I wanted to do a similar thing here, but wanted the "trap" to be different. Do you really think I'd hurt the baby?? You're nuts, lady...oh wait. Didn't I give Mara a miscarriage in another fic? [face_devil]



    Jade_eyes: Despite my teasing of ginchy, the baby will be fine. Mostly Don't worry! ;) Callista is NOT in on the scheme. I repeat - Callista is NOT a villain in this fic. But more on that later...



    Jedi_Lover: You want Luke and Mara to make out wherever they are. Callista's not a Sith. She's a Jedi! And I'm still going to try to make you like her. And thank you!!! I reread SQ and the beginning of OF before writing this fic. Other than that, my brain is just a sponge for this EU stuff.



    darth treyvah: I already PMed you asking about your theories. :) I love that you have them!



    Briannakin: Thank you! And Rida is Diya!



    Hazel: Trouble? The Skywalkers live for that. Thank you!



    kataja: Palpatine is really a horrible human being, isn't he? You comment on all my favorite passages. ;) No, Mara is nowhere near as polite as Luke would like her to be, but that's why he loves her. [face_love] And you know me...I just love being devious. [face_mischief]

    --ell, that was fun,? I muttered when LaRone was out of earshot.--
    LaRone? Jinzler, surely?


    (*(#&*&$__#((*&*&*&!!!! I hate stupid mistakes like that. Thanks for pointing it out!



    Queenbee: Thank you! I hope you enjoy the rest.



    Piper: Thank you! They really are. One of the reasons I decided to write a sequel to I, MJ is because I love L/M as a team so much. Them getting together is always fun, but them working together is even better.



    PadmeSkywalker: Yes I can! That's the perfect stopping point! ;) Thank you!



    Curtis: Thank you! As I already said, Callista is not in on it. But more on that in the next chapter.



    Katana: Thanks! I thought Jinzler was a little immature in SQ, but understandable. I wanted to punch him in the face during OF, but again, he was young and stupid. At least he learned the error of his ways. Plus, he has a cool name! You know me, always with my twists.



    I'm working on the next chapter. Hopefully it will be finished by the end of the week. Then I can start writing ahead again and building up a buffer. Yay for only writing one fic at a time!


    EDIT: As I do sometimes, I created a playlist to listen to while writing this fic. I thought you all might enjoy!

    How Far We've Come - Matchbox 20
    All Hell Breaks Loose - Immediate Music
    Breath and Life - Audiomachine
    Rolling in the Deep - Adele
    Possession - Nicholas Hooper, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
    Chevaliers de Sangreal - Hans Zimmer, The Da Vinci Code
    God Only Knows - The Beach Boys
     
  7. Mondra

    Mondra Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2010
    Sorry I'm late!

    I loved this chapter! The plot thickens, characters develop, an old spy of Palpy's, plus Luke/Mara teamwork as a bonus. Fantastic! Can't wait to see what will happen with that Hano woman...
     
  8. jaded_jewel

    jaded_jewel Guest

    Absolutely brilliant chapter! Good job on the anagram idea...seems so obvious after the fact.

    My favorite part was seeing Luke use the force to keep the lift from falling. The dialogue, actions, and thoughts of Luke and Mara were spot on.

    Loving it! Keep up the awesome work!
     
  9. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    Mondra: Thank you! I hope you enjoy the next chapter...



    jaded jewel: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Luke keeping the lift upright was my favorite part, too. [face_love]




    New chapter coming up...
     
  10. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    CHAPTER 9





    Luke stared at me as if I’d grown a second head. “You can’t be serious, Mara.”

    “I am! Think about it, Luke. The names are too similar to be a coincidence. Hano is supposed to have lived in the Unknown Regions her entire life, but look at all she knows about us. She knew that Vader was your father, for Force sakes! How could she know that unless she worked for Palpatine?”

    “I dunno…”

    I suppressed a groan. This was not the time for Luke’s farmboy optimism to rear its ugly head. “Okay, then answer me this. How did Rida Hano even know about this mission in the first place?”

    He blinked. “I don’t know. We never asked that question.”

    “Exactly! I think there’s something going on there. Fel wanted to keep this mission a secret, right? So how did she find out, unless she was eavesdropping on transmissions like Jinzler?”

    Luke didn’t speak for a long moment. Then he walked past me, peered into the mess, and retreated. When he looked back to me, he nodded. “Okay. But before we confront Hano, I think we need to stick to your plan and talk to Callista first. If Callista’s telling the truth and she really was friends with Diya Rohan, she deserves to know our theory. And she can help us decide what to do about Hano. If she really did work for Palpatine, we can't confront her in front of everyone else and put them in danger.”

    “What if Callista's in on it?” I couldn’t help asking.

    Luke shook his head. “I don’t believe that. Not after our conversation with her about the Purge.”

    “She did seem genuinely distressed.” Even so, I was starting to feel skeptical of everything and everyone, with the exception of Luke and LaRone. Perhaps, though, my ego was a bit bruised for not immediately recognizing that Rida Hano was really Diya Rohan. “I guess we won’t find out unless we talk to her.”

    Luke smirked at me. “You want to go get her again?”

    I shoved his arm. “Cute. I'll go.”

    Not long after, Luke, Callista, and I were back in another private room so we could talk without disruption. Callista looked confused and concerned, sensing that something was gravely wrong. She was the first to speak after we took our seats. “What is the matter?”

    Luke remained silent, wanting me to recount my theory. I didn’t know whether to be grateful to him for that or be annoyed. Pushing that thought aside, I turned to Callista and adopted a sympathetic expression. “Callista…what do you think of Rida Hano?” I wanted to get her evaluation of the situation before springing my suspicion on her.

    “Oh…she seems, um…” Callista’s eyes darted back and forth between Luke and me, as if trying to determine our thoughts on the subject. It was typical behavior of somebody not wanting to offend us.

    He chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t worry, Callista. You won’t offend us. She’s not our friend.”

    Callista narrowed her eyes in concern. “But she’s with your mission.”

    “She was already onboard the Chaf Envoy when we arrived. We didn’t know her before then. In fact, we don’t even know how she got invited on the mission.”

    “Oh.” Callista both seemed relieved and worried. “Then I don’t feel bad in telling you that she gives me a very bad feeling.”

    “Of course she does,” I drawled. I began to wonder if she would believe us, with her good memories of Diya Rohan warring with her negative feelings about Rida Hano. I remembered those warring feelings quite well. I guess that made me the best possible person to tell her. “Why were you speaking with her, then?”

    “She approached me with a question about our colony,” Callista explained.

    “Did she want to know how to sabotage a lift?”

    Callista started in surprise. “You think that she was responsible for that?” She and the leaders of the colony had apologized profusely for the accidents and assured us that the techs were already looking into the cause of the ‘accident’.

    “You just said she gave you a bad feeling,” I reminded her.

    “Yes, but that’s quite an accusation. And how is that even possible?” She shook her head. “Very few people onboard Outbound Flight are qualified to maintain the lift system. How would she have known how to sabotage it? It’s Republic technology and she has lived in the Unknown Regions her entire life.”

    “Well…” I glanced to Luke. “That may not be entirely accurate.”

    “What are you talking about?”

    Luke sighed. “Callista…Mara and I think we understand why Palpatine took your friend Diya Rohan off Outbound Flight.”

    Callista looked excited, which made me feel even worse. “You do?”

    “Yes. You see, Palpatine fetched Anakin Skywalker because he already wanted him as a future apprentice.”

    “Okay…”

    I squeezed Luke’s hand, encouraging him to continue. This would sound much better coming from him. “Well, we think that Diya Rohan was actually an agent for Palpatine.”

    “What?” The shock rolling off Callista was evident. “That’s not possible. She hated him!”

    “Yes, so you say—and wouldn’t that be the perfect cover for one of his agents?”

    Callista collapsed back in her chair, lost in thought. Her jaw was set and she looked determined to fight our argument. “I was her friend. She couldn’t have betrayed me like that.”

    “That’s what the dark side does,” I said gently. “Everyone thought Palpatine was a good man when he was Chancellor.”

    “Not everyone,” Callista said bitterly. “Diya and I went on many missions together. I can’t believe that she would work for Palpatine.”

    It was silent for a long moment. “There’s more,” I finally said. Callista stared at me, waiting for me to continue. “I—we—think that Rida Hano is actually Diya Rohan.”

    For a moment, Callista said nothing. Then she laughed. “You’re joking.”

    Luke cringed. “I’m sorry, Callista.”

    “That’s impossible! I think I would know if that woman were actually my best friend!”

    “Callista,” Luke said as gently as possible, moving over his chair to place a hand upon her shoulder, “trust me, I know how you feel. But think of this—if Diya Rohan were actually working for Palpatine, wouldn’t she be able to hide her presence in the Force? Palpatine was a Sith and nobody knew it.”

    She shook her head, still refusing to believe. “Luke, I can believe many things. But I just cannot believe that the woman I knew—the woman who ranted about how Palpatine would destroy the galaxy whenever anyone would listen—was actually working for him. And I most definitely cannot believe that that woman,” she pointed back toward the mess, “is Diya Rohan.” She glared at me and shook her head again. “I’m sorry.”

    She made to stand and Luke glanced at me furtively, unsure of what to do. Callista didn’t want to believe, so it was time for some cold logic. “Callista, wait,” I said, holding out my hand to stop her. “Will you just listen to what we have to say?”

    Her lips pursed as she sat back down and ran a finger over a crack in the old table. “I have been listening, Mara. I listened as you told me that everyone I ever knew in the galaxy is dead. I listened as you told me that Chancellor Palpatine destroyed the Jedi, that he was a Sith Lord, that he ruled the galaxy for over twenty years. Now you’re telling me that a woman I called my best friend was actually working for him and I never knew it.” A tear came to her eye and she didn’t bother to wipe it away. I wanted to reach out and grab her hand, but I knew she wouldn’t want that. I’d only known Callista Masana for short amount of time, but she didn’t seem like the type of person who’d want to be coddled.

    “I understand this is difficult,” I said, my voice getting an edge, “but we have to look at the facts. Someone tried to kill me on the Chaf Envoy and someone just tried to kill both of us while we were in that lift. So whoever is out for us has to be someone on our mission. Jinzler already told us that he’s here to pay respects to his sister.”

    “Lorana was his sister?” Callista cut in, eyes narrowed.

    “That’s what he claims.”

    Callista nodded. “She was one of the ones who went to D-One. She gave up her life defending us.”

    “Okay, so that leaves out Jinzler as a suspect. He’s a liar, but not a murderer. Then there’s Formbi and Drask.”

    “General Drask is a Chiss. He would certainly have the means and the motive.”

    “Yes,” I said slowly, knowing that she was right. Drask would be the likely suspect to sabotage that banner. And he’d shown us nothing but hostility. But something about that didn’t feel right to me. Same when it came to Fel and Formbi. Hano, on the other hand… “You’re right. He does seem like a likely suspect. But Rida Hano has rubbed me the wrong way since day one. She knows too much about Luke and me. Something’s not right about her, and we’re not the only ones who think so.”

    “Okay, so Hano’s your suspect, then. I still don’t see why that means she was Diya Rohan.”

    “Because she knows too much,” Luke put in. “I didn’t want to believe it, either, but Hano knew that Darth Vader was my father. Hardly anyone in the galaxy knows that, especially not people who have supposedly spent their entire lives in the Unknown Regions. She claims to be from a near-human species called the Nephro, and according to a reliable source, the Nephro are extinct. Couple that in with the question of how did she know about this mission in the first place?

    “And then there’s the fact that Palpatine took Diya Rohan off this mission for no good reason, if what you claim is true. He removed Anakin Skywalker because he’d one day be his apprentice. What if Diya already was? Think of their names, Callista, how similar they are. That can’t be a coincidence.”

    “And,” I interjected, trying to appeal to her sense as a Jedi, “…it just feels right.”

    Callista closed her eyes, remained that way for a long moment, just thinking. Luke and I shared a glance, confirming to each other that, despite her distress, we were doing the right thing by confiding in her. I understood her anger and sadness, but the Force was telling me that this was right.

    Finally Callista nodded slowly, opening her eyes. “As much as I don’t like it, I have to admit your theory is logical.” She bit her lip. “What do you propose to do about this?”

    “We can’t let her roam around the ship by herself,” Luke said. “We’ll have to make sure her room is monitored for the evening.”

    “And then?”

    That was the question, wasn’t it? How do you confront a person who is potentially a Sith? And if not a true Sith, then at least someone personally trained by Palpatine? I wasn’t worried about the actual fight, but there were civilians here who couldn’t be put in the middle of that mess. Not to mention the baby. I couldn’t go running into battle and hell if I let Luke go off by himself.

    My stomach twinged again and subconsciously rubbed it.

    “We confront her, somewhere far away from the rest of the colony,” Luke said. “Do you know of any place that would work?”

    “Yes,” Callista said softly. “We’ll go to D-One.” She smirked. “You wanted to explore there anyway, did you not?”





    The next morning we set out bright and early for what had once been the center of the Outbound Flight mission. There had been a rather heated discussion about who would go. Luke did not like the idea of me going up there and fought adamantly against it. I told him there was no way I was letting him confront Hano—or Rohan, whatever you wanted to call her—by himself. There’d been a standoff, then Callista came to my aide and said that, with three of us against Hano, we’d have strength in numbers. Luke was still quite unhappy with the situation but shook his head in submission.

    It wasn’t hard to get Hano to come along with us. All we had to do was mention that we were going to explore the bridge and she jumped at the opportunity to “learn more about the Jedi that saved her people”. It was all I could do not to punch her in the face at that moment. Dissuading the others from coming along was another story, but finally we arranged it so it was just the four us, heading far away from the rest of the colonists.

    As we exited the lift that took us to D-One, I fingered the two lightsabers hanging from my belt. One was the one I always used—the one I’d constructed after Luke and I were married. The other was the blue blade Luke had given me after the Thrawn crisis. I always traveled with that weapon, even if I didn’t always carry it. Call me sentimental, or perhaps suspicious, but I didn’t like leaving it behind. Especially on a mission like this.

    Callista had donned her Jedi robes for the occasion, and our browns and tans stood out in stark contrast to Rida Hano’s dark robes and cloak, her face still carefully concealed against Callista’s knowing eyes. Would Callista have recognized her otherwise? Perhaps we’d soon find out.

    Everyone was quiet as Callista led us to the bridge. The area was hard to navigate, with debris still scattered across the corridors. I forced myself not to think about what I was seeing, unable to shut down as I did the previous day while exploring the supply core. My emotions could come later. For now, it was time to discover the truth.

    We stepped onto the bridge, filled with broken machinery and littered with smashed durasteel. The viewports were dirty but I could see a glimpse of the planetoid outside. There was a chill in the air, the atmosphere musty and old. Slowly we crept our way inside, stepping over the remains of long-dead Jedi. Their lightsabers were long gone and I wondered what Callista had done with them all. Had one of them been Geith’s? Callista’s jaw was set, having made this journey several times before. I glanced to Luke, his throat tightening with every step, and clasped his hand to offer my strength. He smiled gratefully, then his blue eyes turned to ice, full of determination.

    Callista settled down at a computer terminal that was, miraculously, still intact. We stood over her shoulder, watching as she worked. I wasn’t sure what she was trying to pull up as she’d previously said that the ship’s log hadn’t been intact. There would be nothing to prove that the Nephro were or were not present at the battle.

    Then Luke spoke. “Are you all right, Ms. Hano?”

    The woman nodded. “It is an honor to be here, Master Skywalker. Thank you for letting me join you.”

    “Our pleasure,” I muttered. Hano glanced sharply at me, her gray eyes narrowing just slightly, before turning back to Luke.

    She gestured her cowled head toward Callista. “What are you searching for, Jedi Masana?”

    “What she’s looking for isn’t important,” Luke said. “It’s what you can tell us.”

    “Me?” Hano feigned confusion.

    And watching her like this, I became absolutely certain—she’d been Palpatine’s. There was no doubt about it. My hackles rose and my hand darted for my lightsaber, ready to take her down. But I made myself wait for Luke to continue his questioning, for his signal to restrain her if necessary. Judging by the look on his face, he was now certain, too.

    “Yes, Ms. Hano,” Luke said. “We have some questions about the battle with Outbound Flight.”

    “I told you already, the Nephro left as soon as the Chiss attacked.”

    I raised an eyebrow. “And how convenient that is for you, isn’t it?”

    Hano crossed her arms over her chest. “Just what are you insinuating, Jedi Skywalker?”

    She was good; I had to hand it to her. But it was time for the charade to end. “I’m not insinuating anything. I am telling you that your claim to be part of the Nephro is full of shavit.” I felt Luke’s warning to calm down, but ignored it. I took out my datapad, Karrde’s report already called up. “We know that the Nephro are extinct, Hano.”

    Her gray eyes widened. “Interesting.”

    My eyes locked onto hers. “Interesting, indeed.”

    “Why did you lie to Mara?” Luke interjected. Hano turned her attention to him, an odd expression on her face. “You told her that the Nephro survived that battle. Were you even there? Do the Nephro even exist?”

    Hano snorted. “Oh, they existed.” Her eyes twinkled and a cold shiver began to run up and down my spine.

    I shook it aside. Callista’s fingers were still flying across a keypad, trying to bring up something on the computer. A passenger manifest, maybe? If she found Diya Rohan’s record, that would be beneficial. “You are not a Nephro, then?”

    Hano shook her head and took a step closer to me. “No. I’m not. I’m human…just like you.”

    She drew out her words, giving me pause, but I moved toward her. “Then why lie? Why are you here?”

    “To see the Jedi, of course.”

    It was still hard to read her—she was human, so she must have been shielding. “Why me? Why us?”

    “Oh, Jedi Skywalker.” She shook her head, closing the distance between us. “I’m disappointed in you.”

    “Why did you come back?” Luke demanded, his lightsaber gripped tightly in the palm of his hand. He walked slowly toward Hano, attempting to come between the two of us.

    Hano turned to him.

    “We know who you really are,” Luke continued. “You’re Diya Rohan. A servant of Palpatine.”

    Hano nodded. “You’re correct about one thing. I did serve Palpatine once. As did she.”

    Luke’s jaw clenched and he ignited his lightsaber. “Stand down, then. The game is over.”

    Hano threw her head back and laughed. “Oh no, Luke. The game has just begun.”

    It happened so quickly. Hano raised her arms, her heavy robes falling to the floor around her. Her right arm darted to a heavy weapons belt around her waist. She yanked a weapon free and ignited it with a joyful expression.

    I couldn’t move. My eyes were pinned to her body, finally revealed from beneath those robes. A body covered in black armor. A face full of actual scars, not markings of an alien species as I’d presumed. Red, luscious lips curled into a sneer. Gray eyes, cold as durasteel, but for some reason I knew they weren’t really hers. The robes couldn't hide her eyes, after all, so she'd have to change them.

    And long hair, as red as mine, pulled severely from her face.

    As red as mine.

    Just like me.

    We’d been wrong. Rida Hano wasn’t Diya Rohan.

    She was Lumiya.

    And her lightwhip was stretching directly toward my stomach.
     
  11. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    Ah, so it was from a certain point of view, eh????? [face_devil]

    More later--I have to leave the library now!!!

    Back!

    I love how L/M work together and reason out the Diya/Rida issue. Poor Diya Rohan, whoever she was. They were so sure she was Rida, but she's probably just lost to time. Hopefully Callista won't be too smug with the "I told you so's." LOL!

    And that reveal--OMG. I was :eek:!!!! I love how it all must have happened in just a split sec, her shedding her robes and them seeing this scary woman they both know...!! But with Callisa there to help them, I like the odds.

    What I don't like is the light-whip heading toward Mara's belly!!!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, not the baby. Save the baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Methinks Lumiya is going to be in for a surprise from a very protective Momma and Poppa Bear... (Does that make Callie Goldielocks???)

    The upshot is: I LOVE IT AND NEED MOAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
     
  12. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    I hate stupid mistakes like that. Thanks for pointing it out!
    I trust you to return the favor when you eye one of mine;)


    This was not the time for Luke?s farmboy optimism to rear its ugly head.
    :eek: Ugly?!? It's true beauty!!! :p


    Even so, I was starting to feel skeptical of everything and everyone, with the exception of Luke and LaRone.
    Typical Mara. [face_mischief] Then again, I have a growing feeling she might be right about this one... [face_worried]


    I wasn?t worried about the actual fight, but there were civilians here who couldn?t be put in the middle of that mess. Not to mention the baby. I couldn?t go running into battle and hell if I let Luke go off by himself.
    That is what you call a dilemma :-B And a classical one too ;)


    There had been a rather heated discussion about who would go. Luke did not like the idea of me going up there and fought adamantly against it. I told him there was no way I was letting him confront Hano?or Rohan, whatever you wanted to call her?by himself. There?d been a standoff, then Callista came to my aide and said that, with three of us against Hano, we?d have strength in numbers.
    I have a growing, bad feeling about this...[face_sick] It's going far too smoothly...

    Red, luscious lips curled into a sneer. Gray eyes, cold as durasteel, but for some reason I knew they weren?t really hers. The robes couldn't hide her eyes, after all, so she'd have to change them.

    And long hair, as red as mine, pulled severely from her face.

    As red as mine.

    Just like me.

    We?d been wrong. Rida Hano wasn?t Diya Rohan.

    She was Lumiya.

    And her lightwhip was stretching directly toward my stomach
    .
    :eek: Nooooo!!!!! Not only is this stopping at the worst possible place - I havea feeling the odds will have changed in the start of next chapter too... [face_worried]

    Just like me.
    This is indeed so nightmarish... brilliant writing!!! [:D] [face_dancing] [:D]


    A/N: Narrators can sometimes be unreliable.
    Also, regarding the note in the character list about Rida Hano being an OC...well, I'm a huge liar.

    Remind me to punch you for this if we ever meet! :p
     
  13. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Luke's wife and ex-lover in the same room. AWKWARD!

    Nice update...but I still don't like Callista. She is going to have to give her life to save baby Ben to get me to warm up to her.;)
     
  14. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    :eek:
    So there was something to Mara's dreams!

    Evil evil cliffie!
     
  15. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Ah, Lumiya. The hand with no real hands. I KNEW it was her. Me thinks you are going to get you butt wooped by an annoyed Callista, a pissed off Mara and one overprotective Daddy!Luke.
     
  16. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Teensy bit of misdirection in the character list eh? ;) Superb plotting and tie-back to the initial dream sequence. =D= =D=

    [face_worried] over the cliffie!

    Bravo! & eagerly on the edge of my seat for more!

    @};-

    @};-



     
  17. taramidala

    taramidala Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 1999
    That is one angry ginger! :eek:

    How will they ever get out of this one? ;)
     
  18. Mondra

    Mondra Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2010
    Evil cliffhanger, really... So - pregnant cranky Mara vs. Lumiya? Scary thought.
    I liked the conversation with Callista, though when Luke touched her arm I was like "what are you doing?!". And then I remembered that she's not the Callista we know. :D
     
  19. jaded_jewel

    jaded_jewel Guest

    :eek: ......*sputters* How is it that you are so good at suprising us with these plot twists, and yet after the fact they seem so obvious and make total sense. Brilliant writing!

    I have a love/hate relationship with cliff hangers. I love them because they make the story interesting and understand they keep readers reading the story...however I hate them because I really, really, really want to know what happens next!

    Once again great work!!
     
  20. CurtisZidaneZiraa

    CurtisZidaneZiraa Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Well well. Premonitions indeed. You did need us to believe Rida was not what we thought. Copyright violations! Mwahahaha.
     
  21. Ridley Solo

    Ridley Solo Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 27, 2010
    WHOA!!!! :eek: Darn computer going on the fritz... *grumbles*

    More attempts on Luke and Mara. Yargh! [face_frustrated]

    And WOW, that's a heck of a plot twist! Evil, evil cliffie! GAAHHHHH! :eek: :_|
     
  22. PadmeSkywalkerSHM

    PadmeSkywalkerSHM Jedi Padawan star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 25, 2010
    I think you forgot to post the next couple of pages...

    I was not suspecting that at all. You went and tricked us with the names and then you go and change everything!
     
  23. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    Replies! Hooray!



    ginchy: A certain point of view??? /Luke [face_mischief]

    Hopefully Callista won't be too smug with the "I told you so's."

    Oh, you know me...I don't think they'll have time for Callista to throw out "I told you so's." [face_laugh]

    I love how it all must have happened in just a split sec, her shedding her robes and them seeing this scary woman they both know...!!

    I have this visualized in my mind, set to music. I may be a little bit nerdy.

    What I don't like is the light-whip heading toward Mara's belly!!!! Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, not the baby. Save the baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    DISCLAIMER: NO BABIES WERE HARMED DURING THE WRITING OF THIS FANFIC.

    at least permanently

    I mean what???

    Goldilocks Callie! LOL!!!

    Moar? Okay.



    kataja: Deal!

    Typical Mara. Then again, I have a growing feeling she might be right about this one...

    When Mara's right, all hell breaks loose!

    Nooooo!!!!! Not only is this stopping at the worst possible place - I havea feeling the odds will have changed in the start of next chapter too...

    [face_skull]

    Remind me to punch you for this if we ever meet!

    [face_devil]



    Jedi Lover: His wife, ex-lover, and ex-lover in another reality. VERY awkward!

    Nice update...but I still don't like Callista. She is going to have to give her life to save baby Ben to get me to warm up to her.

    Sorry, no Callistas were permanently damaged in the writing of this fanfic, either. But she might help save Baby Ben. Maybe. We'll see.



    Hazel: Indeed, there was. [face_mischief]



    Briannakin: You did, huh? I tried to give hints but not make it too obvious. I thought it was really obvious, but ginchy said it was only because I knew the twist. Lol. Butt whipped? Perhaps.



    Jade eyes: I had to misdirect. I'm mean. Thanks!



    taramidala: Oh, she is VERY angry. She wants revenge, and she wants it badly. Well, there's still a few chapters left...



    Mondra: Mara vs. Lumiya is ALWAYS a scary thing! And [face_laugh] re: Callista.



    jaded jewel: How is it that you are so good at suprising us with these plot twists, and yet after the fact they seem so obvious and make total sense. Brilliant writing!

    Awww, thanks! That's exactly the reaction I hope for! [:D]



    Curtis: Mara should never disregard her dreams. Especially when I'm writing. [face_mischief]



    JainaSoloYJK: Thank you! Being evil is fun!



    Padme: Nope, I got the next couple of pages right here. :) And I know, I know...I'm a bad person. Hehe.




    New chapter coming up soon!


     
  24. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    CHAPTER 10





    For a moment, I couldn’t move. All I could do was stare at the lightwhip as it stretched toward my swollen abdomen. It was my nightmare come to life and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

    Except there was.

    My lightsaber was in my hand and ignited in less than a second. I swatted the tendrils of energy away just as Luke jumped in front of me, his own lightsaber blazing. “Get back!” he yelled and I knew better than to argue with him. He ran forward, catching Lumiya’s next strike on the tip of his blade.

    She grinned at him as if making the acquaintance of an old friend. “So protective, Skywalker. Funny; it didn’t bother you very much the last time someone you cared about was shred to pieces.” She punctuated her harsh words with quick slashes of her lightwhip, the long, curving tendrils threatening to reach for Callista and me. But Luke kept his lightsaber moving, thwarting her attacks.

    Callista was already on her feet, saber in hand. She rushed forward, standing at Luke’s side and striking at Lumiya as hard as she could. Lumiya fought both of them while lifting her gaze to stare me in the eye. “Letting a man fight your battles, Jade? You’ve changed.”

    I lifted my chin proudly. “Yes. I have.” But she was right; I couldn’t let Luke and Callista fight Lumiya on their own. I had the Force, and I would use it.

    I took a deep breath and reached out into the Force. Lifting my arm, I caught stray pieces of debris in my grip and sent them flying toward Lumiya. She caught them on her lightwhip, slicing them neatly into pieces, and jumped out of the way. She lifted her chin in my direction. “Not bad, Jade. But you could have learned so much more as a Sith.”

    I knew what she was trying to do. I knew she was trying to goad me, to make me upset and nervous in my already fragile state. She wanted me to do something foolish, something I’d regret later. But I refused to give her that satisfaction. I had already refused her once, when she sought me out to bring me back to the Empire—Ysanne Isard’s Empire. That was when my life began to change, and I’d be damned if I let her bring me back to that state of mind. So I ignored her, continuing to call on the Force to rain attacks down on her, while Luke and Callista struck at her with their lightsabers. She continued to dodge and parry their blades, slicing her lightwhip in seemingly nonsensical directions, stealing glances in my direction the entire time.

    And then, as the fight raged on, I realized exactly what she was doing. Luke! She’s escaping!

    He caught my thought before I sent it to him and shifted his body to intercept the self-titled Dark Lady of the Sith. She was close to the door now and it began to open, and she backed up to it. I reached out my arm to stop her but the door would not close. I kept trying and trying but she must have sabotaged it, just as she’d done with the banner on the Chaf Envoy and the lift. I grimaced as I tried harder to stop her, and finally the door began to close. I felt Luke’s strength merge with mine, along with another, newer presence that had to be Callista.

    But it didn’t matter. Lumiya just flipped through the closing door, landing on her feet on the other side. Her lightwhip retracted through the gap, and she grinned as the door shut in front of her.

    Luke rushed to the control panel, jamming it with his fist. He let out a frustrated grunt when, instead of opening, a blast door closed in his face.

    By the time we cut through the door, Lumiya was gone. Luke raced ahead, following her Force signature to the lift we took down to the bridge. Of course, that was much too easy. Luke again slammed his fist against the door and muttered a curse. “What is she playing at? There’s no way she thinks we’ll be trapped down here.” He was right, of course. We escaped her trap in the lift and there were many other, still functional lifts, on D-One. At least, I hoped there were.

    But none of that mattered because, from a distance, we could begin to hear a noise, like metal scraping against the ground. Callista tensed and turned in that direction, grimacing. “Oh no…”

    “What?” I asked.

    “Droidekas!”

    My eyes widened. I’d heard of droidekas, or destroyer droids as they were commonly called—weapons used by the Separatist Army during the Clone Wars. Mobile, shielded, and deadly, they were a Jedi’s worst opponents. They were hardly ever destroyed; Jedi usually ran away from their paths. And one was heating in our direction. “Run!” one of us shouted, I don’t remember whom, and we were off.

    Only to come face to face with another closed and unmoving blast door.

    “Luke!” He turned toward my voice and I threw him the extra lightsaber on my belt, the one he’d lost on Cloud City and given me after the Thrawn crisis. He snatched it from the air and whipped around, ready to face the destroyer. Callista joined him and I thrust my lightsaber into the door. I kept my body low to the ground and cringed as my back spasmed. But I had no choice lest I be hit in the body with stray blaster bolt.

    After several harrowing moments, my blade cut a hole through the thin blast door. I sighed gratefully, glad that it wasn’t the kind of durasteel used on the bridge. I rose, peering through the hole. I needed to get through but I’d need help getting down. I couldn’t just jump. “Callista! You go first!”

    There was a flash of concern from the woman and she glanced at Luke. He nodded and moved to block all the droideka’s blaster bolts, allowing Callista to crawl through the hole. She reached out her arms and grabbed me, pulling me through the hole safely. I landed on my feet and yelled to my husband. “Luke! Come on!”

    He was already moving, sprinting toward the door. He dove through the blast door just as a blaster bolt grazed dangerously close to his leg. I pulled him down on the ground next to me and held him tight, releasing all my anxiety from the previous several minutes. He stroked my hair and rubbed my stomach, still fraught with worry even though we were out of immediate danger.

    “We have to keep moving,” Callista said, her tone regretful. “We don’t know what other traps are waiting for us.” Luke nodded and pulled me to my feet. We followed her down the corridor, to the closest lift.

    Of course, it wasn’t working. Callista pulled out her comlink and that wasn’t working, either. She frowned. “What now?”

    In answer, Luke cut a hole in the elevator doors. “Simple. We have to climb up the pylon.”

    Callista cringed. “That might be a problem.”

    Luke and I shared a concerned glance. “And why is that?” I asked.

    “Because the lifts do not have any access ladders.”

    Luke closed his eyes, blew out a breath. “Well, then, that leaves us with one option,” I said, my brain going into overdrive.

    Luke raised his eyebrows and gave me a look that indicated just how wary he was of my plan. “And what is that?”

    I grinned. “We make our own access ladders.” I glanced at his arms, ran a finger over his bicep. “You up for it, Master Jedi?”





    The turbolift pylon seemed endless, and all I had to do was cut holes into the wall. Spasms ran up my spine as Luke pulled us up the pylon. But I ignored them, telling myself—and the baby inside of me—that it would all be over soon. I couldn’t let Luke get wind of my pain, needing him to concentrate on carrying us. I spared a glance at Luke underneath my shoulders, his face a blank slate. Below him was Callista, her face contorted with exertion. Even though she didn’t have a pregnant woman sitting on her shoulders, she was still a sixty-five year old woman and nowhere near as physically strong as my husband, or me for that matter. I’d suggested that Luke carry Callista and she cut into the wall, but Luke would have none of that. I think he felt better carrying the responsibility for our safety—literally—on his shoulder. “You okay, Callista?” I called to the other woman.

    It was the fourth or fifth time I’d asked that question. She merely nodded, focusing on the Force to augment her strength. “What about you?” I asked, turning my attention to my husband. Sweat dripped down his brow but he didn’t complain, merely grunted with the effort of pulling both of us up to the next cut in the wall. Then it was my turn again, and I sliced my lightsaber into the wall with a steady hand, creating a handhold. Up and up we went, determined to get back to D-Five and defend the others from Lumiya. “I guess I can’t ever complain that you never carried this baby,” I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.

    Luke’s shoulder’s tensed and his eyes darted up to mine. “Shh. Don’t make me laugh.”

    “Sorry.”

    We climbed a few more meters. I tried to send some of my strength to both of them, to assuage the guilt at the effort they were expending. “So who was that?” Callista finally said.

    I decided to answer for Luke. “Her name is Lumiya. She was a servant of Palpatine. Later she became a Sith.”

    “A Sith? But I thought you said that the Sith were destroyed?”

    “Yeah, well. Apparently Lumiya decided she didn’t want to miss out on all the fun.”

    “What does she want?”

    “To kill us.”

    “Ah.” I sensed Callista’s amusement. “That seems rather obvious. What did you do to make her so angry?”

    I glanced down to the other woman and smiled at her. “Well, let’s see. Luke broke her heart and body. I refused to join her and gave her a beating she’ll never forget.”

    “Perhaps you should start from the beginning.”

    Why not? We had nothing better to do while climbing up the pylon. “Back in the Rebellion, Luke knew a pilot named Shira Brie. They were…close, you could say.” Luke gave me a nudge in the Force, and I grinned. “Anyway, during a mission Luke’s sensors went out in his X-wing and he had to rely on the Force to detect the enemy. He shot down Shira. He thought that the Force had let him down and was almost ostracized from the Alliance.

    “But in reality, Shira was an Imperial spy, sent by Darth Vader to discredit Luke and cause him to leave the Alliance. She was picked up by the Imperials and they fixed her up, you could say. Vader presented her to the Emperor and she became one of his Hands.”

    “Oh.” Callista paused. “How do you know this?”

    I blew out a breath. Callista knew that I hadn’t always been a Jedi, but I hadn’t been completely honest about my past. I thought that I’d eradicated all my demons back on Nirauan, but it seemed that I hadn’t. I rubbed my stomach subconsciously. “I know because I was there.”

    Callista’s surprise was evident. “How is that possible?”

    I didn’t answer for a moment, turning my attention back to carving out another handhold. “Because I used to serve Palpatine,” I said. “I was one of the Emperor’s Hands.”

    “…Oh.”

    “Back then I thought I was the only one. I only passed Lumiya as I was leaving the Emperor’s throne room and thought she was just another lackey, just another assassin. A few years ago I learned that there had been more than one Hand, that my position hadn’t been special after all.” I paused as the old feelings surged back, threatening to overtake me. I remembered feeling ashamed at my reaction, angry with myself for caring what the Emperor thought about me. I remembered Luke consoling me, telling me it was all right, that Palpatine had raised me and I’d be inhuman if I didn’t care what he thought. But I thought I was past that.

    “I fought Shira twice,” Luke cut in, “after she became Lumiya. And after the Emperor died, she was sent to bring Mara back to Imperial Center, to serve the Empire again, but the fight ended in a stalemate. I guess you could say that we bruised her ego a bit.”

    “How did you come to be a Jedi?” Callista asked me.

    “Well,” I said, smile growing across my face, “that’s a rather long story. Suffice it to say that I ended up fighting with Luke instead of killing him.” I looked down at my husband’s face and patted his cheek. “Best decision I ever made.”

    Luke glanced up and grinned at me.

    “But why would Lumiya come back now? Didn’t the Emperor die ten years ago?”

    Ten years. I hadn’t even thought of that. A significant milestone, coupled with my being pregnant…was this the Force at work? Hadn’t the Force already done enough in my life? I rolled my eyes. “Yes. She must have gone into hiding after our duel. Learned more about the Sith.”

    “So why now?” Callista asked again.

    “That’s the question of the day,” Luke answered. “Perhaps she learned about the academy and the growing numbers of Jedi. Perhaps she just wanted revenge.”

    “Or perhaps she learned I was pregnant,” I added, saying what Luke would never even consider.

    “We haven’t told anyone about that,” Luke said.

    “Not publicly. But she could have ways of finding out.” I shrugged my shoulders and made another cut in the wall. “It doesn’t really matter why she’s here. We just have to stop her, whatever her plans are.”

    “We don’t even know how she got here,” Luke pointed out. “How did she know about the mission?”

    “That’s a good question,” I said, my suspicious mind going into overdrive. Perhaps Drask was worth our suspicion after all…

    “If she served Palpatine, that would explain how she was able to sabotage the lift,” Callista said. “Not to mention the bridge.”

    “Yes, she might have had access to the Outbound Flight manuals while she served Palpatine,” I agreed.

    We grew quiet again. We’d been climbing for a long time and finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel—or rather, the end of the pylon. I grinned and ruffled Luke’s hair. “Just a few more minutes.”

    He inhaled and exhaled deeply, then glanced up at me and smiled. His smile seemed to say, “it’s going to be all right.”

    I wanted to believe him, but time and circumstance had told me that wouldn’t be the case.





    I was right.

    We had exited the pylon on another dreadnaught and, thankfully, found the turbolifts working. Callista punched in the code that would bring us to D-Five. Our comlinks were still being jammed and nobody answered the call button in the lift.

    We knew that things were bad as soon as we exited the lift and touched ground on D-Five. The power was flickering and it was quiet, too quiet. I stretched out into the Force to find all the colonists, and nearly gasped. Because there were many more beings onboard D-Five than when we’d left.

    Lumiya had brought reinforcements.

    I didn’t have time to ponder the hows or whys. The three of us took off down the corridor without saying a word. Luke and Callista were still exhausted from the climb but they didn’t complain, merely ignited their lightsabers and took off toward the fight. I followed them, feeling a strange mix of protectiveness toward my baby and desire to fight against this woman who threatened us.

    We ran until we got back to the corridor that led to the main council chambers. We could hear the blaster fire from meters away, heightening our worry.

    The Outbound Flight colonists and our group were caught in crossfire between strange aliens I’d never seen before. With them were vicious looking animals that were not being taken down by blaster fire. Luke immediately jumped into the fray and sliced the animals in half, reducing the attack. The aliens kept shooting, undeterred by our arrival.

    All of a sudden my stomach lurched and tightened. I placed a hand on my abdomen, expecting it to be like all the other tiny twinges I’d felt during my pregnancy. Gas, cramps, pure hunger—all the things my friends had warned me about.

    But this was different. This pain didn’t go away. My uterus kept clenching I had to bend over, gasping for air. I pushed through it, knowing I couldn’t stop fighting or else I’d be dead. So my lightsaber moved on auto-pilot, blocking blaster shots as I moved to the side of the corridor, trying to get away from the fight.

    I don’t remember what happened next in the battle. We must have pushed back the strange aliens because the fighting stopped and I heard voices—human voices—calling to one another. I staggered inside the council chambers and then I couldn’t take it any longer. I collapsed against the wall and slid down, biting my lip against the pain. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong and I had no idea how to stop it. I had never felt so helpless in my entire life.

    The back spasms weren’t just an effect from climbing up the pylon. They were contractions.

    I knew it was true, but couldn’t believe it. I was only four months pregnant. Babies didn’t come until forty weeks. Even I knew that. But there I was, lying against the wall of a strange ship, having contractions.

    I heard Luke’s voice in my head, telling me not to go on the mission. Worrying about something happening to me and there being no medics to assist me. Asking me to stay behind with the others instead of going to D-One.

    Three years ago, I’d almost killed us both because I was too proud to listen to him. Too proud to give up on my quest for redemption and ask for help from others. For the past four months I’d been trying to pretend that nothing had really changed in my life. So a baby was growing inside me. That didn’t mean I had to change my lifestyle. I could still be as active as before. I was barely showing, after all.

    Now, instead of putting Luke in danger, I’d put our baby in danger. Our baby boy.

    I heard Luke’s voice again, this time in my ear, not a memory. He was frantic, calling my name and asking me what was wrong. Tears were in his eyes and it made me feel even worse. My husband was crying and I couldn’t even shed a tear.

    “I don’t know,” I told him, holding my stomach as another contraction ripped through my body. My throat clenched and I couldn’t say anything else. I tried to reach out into the Force, but that didn’t help.

    I heard another voice next to me, telling Luke to back away. Then Callista was there, staring at me intently. “Mara, what is wrong?”

    “I don’t know,” I said again. “I don’t know what’s wrong…” I trailed off, unable to speak.

    Callista’s eyes darted to my stomach. “Mara, are you having contractions?”

    I nodded, head turned away so I didn’t have to see Luke’s face, so worried and upset.

    “Okay.” Callista sounded very matter-of-fact, not worried at all. “Mara, listen to me. I need you to breathe deeply, in and out. Understand?”

    I nodded. I could do that.

    She whispered something to Luke, then place an object in my hands. “I need you to sip this, very slowly, okay?” I placed the object to my lips. It was a water bottle. I nodded again and tilted my head back, allowing some of the liquid to trickle down my throat. “Slowly, Mara. You don’t want to shock your system.”

    “What’s wrong with her?” Luke demanded, his voice still shaky.

    “You are dehydrated,” Callista said, addressing me instead of Luke. She didn’t want to talk about me as if I wasn’t there, and I decided then that I truly liked her. “It happens to many pregnant women. The stress of the battle must have triggered this attack, especially if you haven’t been drinking enough water.”

    I cringed, remembering her advice to stay hydrated and subsequently brushing her off. “I’ll be okay?” I gasped out in between sips of water.

    Callista nodded. “It’s very common. They’re not true contractions, just spasms. I’ve seen it happen with several pregnant women on Outbound Flight and they all went on to deliver healthy babies. You just need to drink right now. Okay?” I didn’t answer, just continued sipping slowly. My stomach was still clenching but I was calmer now, which eased the pain. “Just lean back and relax.”

    “Does she need medical attention?” Luke asked.

    “If it continues, yes. But you’re early enough in the pregnancy that just drinking water should ease the pain. Make sure you hold her feet up.” She patted my arm, gave me a warm smile. “I’ll leave you two alone.” She rose and walked away, talking with Fel and Formbi, getting information about the battle most likely.

    Luke didn’t move, however. He remained kneeling at my side, holding my arm in one hand and stroking my hair with the other. “Don’t leave,” I told him, feeling weak and vulnerable. I hated feeling this way. I was supposed to feel strong, able to protect my baby. I was always strong. It was one of the reasons my pregnancy didn’t faze me. I could protect myself, and therefore I could protect a child in my womb.

    But apparently, something as simple as not drinking enough water could keep me from doing just that.

    He smiled at me. “I told you; I’ll never leave you.” He moved his legs under mine so my feet were raised in the air, and I felt his comforting Force presence reach out to mine. His hand continued to caress my arm.

    We stayed that way for a long time.
     
  25. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Poor Mara! I had Braxton Hicks contractions for months! They suck. Nice update!