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Author	Topic: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/28, "Ending and Beginning"--Finished!
PonyTricks Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 8/2/06 6:18am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/1, "The Message"
	Great update! I hope Leia doesn't get jealous of Han's 'ghost-girl'! -----signature----- Brain: Now, Pinky, if by any chance you are captured during this mission, remember you are Gunther Heindriksen from Appenzell. You moved to Grindelwald to drive the cog train to Murren. Can you repeat that? Pinky: Mmmm, no, Brain, don't think I can.
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ophelia Title: Ex-Mod Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 8/6/06 9:06am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/1, "The Message"
	Sorry it took me so long to reply . . . between getting burnt out on the awards and having to reinstall everything on my computer from the OS on up (long story) I haven't spent much time in fanfic. Congratulations on having the end in sight, by the way! I don't know about you, but I always feel better after I hammer home the final nail in a fic's "coffin" and get to move on. The princess from Alderaan who had taken Han’s heart and soul and transformed it into something different and better. Awww . . . a sweet line. And, most probably, true. If it hadn't been for his desire to protect Leia, Han would have been out of the picture at the start of ESB--going to pay off Jabba the Hutt. Goodbye Rebellion, goodbye hero's life. He also wouldn't be in this unfortunate carbonite mess. “After all of this time, can we be sure anything’s going to work?” Spoken like someone who's watched the Millenium Falcon's hyperdrive fail nine hundred. million. times. Rushing into the palace won’t help Han or us very much. Ah . . . somebody's managed to learn from Daddy's mistakes, if only indirectly. “A disguise? What am I supposed to be, a dancing girl?” Umm, yes. Ordinary individuals in the midst of extraordinary circumstances. A nice definition for the SW heroes, especially Luke, who--before we found out he had this complicated destiny--was just some yutz from the desert. She could certainly understand the reason. Part of any spiritual journey required a period of baptism by solitude. It almost seemed like a requirement. Nice observation, and nicely put. I like the phrase "baptism by solitude" for the "seeker" part of the Hero's Journey. What? Where did that come from? Stop getting distracted, girl! You’re on duty! Why does the Rebellion have to have so many cute boys in it?! Why?? “Love is strange that way.” Skywalker peered into the trunk and moved some things around. “I guess. I can’t claim to understand how it feels. I’m not familiar with how love works, and I probably never will.” Aww, it's sad that he would look at his future that way, but he's not exactly the only Jedi who ever has. Still, while I'm not crazy about Mara, I like to think of him ending up with somebody. She turned her head and looked at Skywalker with a steady gaze. “Don’t let yourself get so caught up in duty that you push life away.” Ooh, good line Leia! Where were you when the old Jedi Order was collapsing due to its isolation and increasing spiritual deadness? Oh, wait--you were in the womb of a doomed senator. That's right. In particular, it seemed that Han and his beloved’s shared fear of love had rubbed off on Skywalker. Or perhaps the twisted road his own journey had dragged him along molded him into the kind of person who would stay away from personal attachments. Maybe it was a Jedi rule he had discovered…if that’s true, it sounds like a stupid rule. Why should any Jedi not get involved with someone if they want to? Closing yourself off even if it’s not your choice…isn’t that wrong? Denying a chance at love if it shows up? A pity these two weren't around to give therapy to the entire Jedi Order twenty-some years ago. That's it--the Jedi's downfall was caused by not listening to enough Force-sensitive women. That's what happens when the only female Jedi with lines is Jocasta Nu. Nalieza bit her lip. She hoped he didn’t hear that. A slight problem with mind-to-mind communication. How do you filter out the umm, undesirable traffic? "Luuuke . . . ::You pointless wiener get it in gear:: Use the Force, Luke . . ." Very nice portrayals of Luke and Leia. It'll be interesting to see Han's reaction when he finds out the "cavalry" is coming. How much of his life-changing experience will be evident, and how much will he just snap back to his old patterns? -----signature----- In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps with your mom
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leiamoody Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 8/16/06 12:36am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--author responses 8/16
	Sorry, these are short. But given that I'm responding to comments from the last two installments, it's better to be brief rather than rambly. Author responses for reader comments for "Vision": Golden_Jedi --I know it's time to get Han out of carbonite. That's why I'm finishing the story soon. PonyTricks--I like Nalieza being persistent. In this situation, it was absolutely vital to make her unwilling to give in. Elsewise, we would have one perpetually stuck Corellian in the netherworld. Not a great solution to the predicament...and there's no dramatic potential in it, either. VaderLVR64--There's a texture to this story? Hmm, never noticed. But thanks. ophelia--I first used that metaphor of white driving someone insane in another piece I wrote. Because it is true. White can become rapidly annoying to the point of madness if you see too much of it. Just like any color. (But I do actually like the Cloud City sets, despite the overwhelming white factor of the walls). Star_Angel---Thanks as well. And Han is a catch for any princess…okay, just this one. And now, author responses for “The Message”: Star_Angel –Doing “behind the scenes” material is one of those things that can be hard to write, because there is often so little to go on in terms of clues. But that’s why I wanted to do this particular installment, because it provides a peek into the lives of the Major Three that helps to illuminate them as humans. VaderLVR64—Luke is forlorn at this particular phase of the story, for obvious reasons. That doesn’t mean it’s always going to be that way for him, though. PonyTricks—Leia’s not likely to be jealous over Nalieza the “ghost-girl”. I think she would spend more time wondering what she had seen, and what in the heck was going on! Ophelia---I’ve always had that notion of the SW heroes being ordinary people caught in the middle of the most bizarre circumstances. It’s interesting to take that perspective and use it in dramatic form. Always keeping in mind that even in the midst of the most incredible events, these are still human beings. I came across the phrase “baptism by solitude” in the works of Paul Bowles. It’s from a French saying used in Morocco. Now, in regards to the matter of Luke winding up with someone…well, that will happen in my AU. I happen to like the guy quite a bit, and think it would be nice to pair him up with someone. In other words, I’m getting around to it. -----signature----- "Pabst Blue Ribbon!"
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Golden_Jedi Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/16/06 2:15pm Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--author responses 8/16
	Ooooh, I missed one! Very sweet of Nalieza to pass a message to Luek and Leia. -----signature----- New Bespin Café - come visit THE place for H/L fans http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/29538471 Diving (a H/L intertrilogy AU) http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/27836852
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leiamoody Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 8/22/06 12:07am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/22, "This Must Be The Place" - Date Edited: 8/23/06 4:40pm (2 edits total) Edited By: leiamoody
	This Must Be The Place Dream World: Aeithera “…and over there is Brinke Chimuth’s Kahveon, the best place to get breakfast in Krisoti.” Nalieza pointed across the street to a darkened shop with small café tables set out on the sidewalk. “A half-liter of Jimica Green Mountain kahve and six reignets for four credits. The cheapest early morning meal in the city...especially if you happen to be a student.” This time, they were breaking the usual routine of walking around in a reconstructed memory from Han’s past. When she had met up with him earlier on the Falcon, he brought up the idea of doing something different. He wanted to see one of her memories. Certainly an unexpected request, but it didn’t take long to think of a place to show him. She suggested showing him around the capital, especially at night, which was her favorite time to haunt the city streets with her friends. He took well to the idea, so it was off into her mind for a change. “But you aren’t going to see outrageous acts of random drunken stupidity. We’re all pretty boring kids,” she had told him just before they arrived. “Too bad. I should teach you all how to fly a speeder bike upside down with your eyes closed after six shots of Srigillian firewater.” “Are you serious?” “Ask me some other time about my younger days,” he replied with a grin. After this, there was nothing else to do but enter the remembered version of the city. They had been wandering along the center of Avenue Salamicia for a while, surrounded by the general buzzing atmosphere of the downtown area on a typical evening. Beings walked around, chattering in many languages, calling out to each other from the windows of the various student boarding establishments. Some would stop in the middle of the sidewalks to figure out where to go next. Or they might stop to argue, or simply to talk. Speeder traffic crowded the streets, sometimes making it difficult to cross at certain intersections. The kahveons, chashops, restaurants and clubs were crowded as usual. “Lively,” Han commented, looking around. Nalieza tucked her hands into her pockets. “Yeah, this is pretty typical. During the semesters, anyway. It’s less chaotic when break times roll around. But it gets boring after awhile. Just running around from one bar to another, or hitting some of the clubs. And the music scene’s not so interesting right now.” “So what do you guys do then?” “That’s where the Ilo comes in.” She pointed towards the horizon, where a small scattering of lights stood out against the darkened sky. “The Cita dav Ilo is our answer to an island paradise. At least when we can’t get up into the mountains.” She stopped walking. “I can show you around there if you’d like.” Han regarded her with some suspicion. “You’ve got something in mind.” “Well, yeah, I was thinking of showing you something.” “What exactly?” As he asked the question, the street scene began to shift and fade, the bright colors of the downtown night slowly bleeding away to reveal another kind of backdrop. It was turning into a park. It seemed to be small, being surrounded by shadows and deep evening. Yet it felt open. This might have been due to the presence of floating guide lights, crafted in an antique style from black metal and gold embroidered avate, casting small golden pools of light. “I guess you remember the vision I had about your wedding.” Han smirked. “Why, no, I don’t know what in the hell you’re talking about.” She laughed. “Of course you don’t. Not at all.” Then she waved her hand around. “Believe it or not, I’m about to show you where you’re going to get married.” “Seriously?” “It sounds weird, doesn’t it? It didn’t hit me until I was out last night in the park. There’s this one part on the Ilo called the Pavilion Islet, because it has two pavilions set up there which get used for ceremonial occasions and for big events like weddings. We were out there last night after dinner and sat in the smaller one called the Tiara Pavilion. And the moon was out…” and as if on cue, the moon appeared in the sky, round and silver, casting a brighter glow across the landscape. “Just like that, in fact. The light was coming down in a certain way, which hit one of the columns… and it struck me. This is the place where your wedding is going to happen.” And the backdrop changed once again…from the dimly lit park setting to a small island overlooking a lake. Nalieza looked over her shoulder. “Wow. I wish getting to there was so easy in the real world.” Then she pointed at two pavilions that sat in the center of the island. “The large one on the left is the Crown Pavilion. And the smaller one off to the right is where your great event will happen.” “So I’m supposed to get married here. In this pavilion.” “Apparently so. Remember it for future reference.” She nodded her head in the direction of the Tiara Pavilion. “Care to get a closer look?” “Hey, I might as well get an idea what it looks like. So I’m prepared for when I actually get to see it in person.” Han headed towards the structure, followed by Nalieza. Once inside, they stood for a long time, gazing out over the lake. Under the brilliant light of the moon, the surface of the lake shimmered. There was a soft breeze coming off the water, slightly chilly, with the hint of autumn behind it. “So what do you think? Is this a good enough place for the wedding to happen?” Han looked around the pavilion, then leaned on the railing and looked out over the lake. “Yeah, it’s nice. I can’t imagine why I’d wind up here out of all the places in the galaxy, but it looks good.” Nalieza nodded. “It is weird if you think too hard about the matter. But this is the place I saw in the vision. I’m certain.” “Don’t worry. I believe you.” He walked over and leaned on the railing. “You know, I might even see you get married here one day.” “You forget I’m not the marrying kind.” “Neither am I usually.” He looked around the pavilion. “But this is where I’m supposed to get married. At least according to what you saw.” Han rapped his knuckles on the railing in front of them. “Things change, right. Which’s what I realize now. And you either have to go with the changes, or lose.” “Sorry, I don’t see it happening. Just call me a member of the Young Cynics’ Society.” She leaned against one of the columns holding up the roof. “Actually, I think my whole group might be members. At least when it comes to love.” She shrugged. “I guess the Force draws together the oddlings into their own appropriate little groups.” “What’s your excuse?” “I don’t have an excuse.” “At nineteen, you have nothing but an excuse. I should know. I was about your age when I realized love didn’t exist.” He looked down at the ground and kicked the bottom railing with his boot. “Which’s what I wanted to believe at the time.” “Well then, what caused the feeling?” “Death.” Nalieza was somewhat taken aback by this declaration. “What about it? Who died?” He stared out over the water. “Somebody important.” Then he looked at her. “Same with you?” “I’m not really cynical about it. I think if presents itself to a person, they should definitely go after it. I just feel love won’t ever happen to me. Or if it does show up, I won’t have it for very long.” She watched the silver sparkles of the moon’s reflected light dance in the ripples of the dark lake water. “Like my father…he only had eight years with my mother before she died. He’s stayed away from relationships ever since. There were a couple of women he went out with when I was a kid, once or twice. Nothing serious happened, though. He’s never let himself get near love like that, because he still loves my mother too much.” Nalieza shrugged. “The day he gets involved in another serious relationship will probably be when I actually fall in love with someone.” “Do yourself a favor, kid. Let it happen if it shows up. Don’t spend years fighting the good stuff when it’s supposed to happen.” This was a sudden declaration from Han. Said in a quiet voice, with a firm conviction borne of years running from those elements that would make his life better. When the opportunities to change his life arose, fear drove him to push against those forces rather than let them in. By doing so, he lost time which could have been better spent welcoming those good things into his life. “I’ve got a wager for you,” Han pointed up into the sky. “Out there in the real world, somebody will come along one day and change your life the same way Leia changed mine. I’m willing to put twenty credits down it will happen.” “And how do you plan on following through with this bet?” “Simple. When I come to Aeithera for my wedding, I’ll contact you to see if you’ve gotten with someone yet.” A thought came to him, as she felt a sudden ripple of mirth emanate from his mind. “Or maybe I might introduce you to that person. In fact, there is one particular guy I happen to know…nice kid…knows how to blow up metal moons and thinks he’s a Jedi.” “Why did I just happen to know who you were going to bring up?” “Because you’re both a couple of Force sensitives. One of the reasons I think you two might be interesting together.” “No thanks. It’s nothing personal…I mean, your friend seemed very nice for the minute or so I was able to communicate with him. But I don’t think he would be interested in my type. And I would be terrible for him anyway.” Nalieza stood up. “Now I didn’t come here to discuss my lack of love. Since I’ve shown you the place where you will be getting married, it’s time now to accomplish another task that needs to be done.” She stepped out of the pavilion, then turned and looked back at him. ““Follow me.” Then she headed towards the lake. She could feel his confusion from the sudden switch of topic, but also knew that by now he trusted her enough to go along with her occasional whims that never made any particular sense at first. So he followed her without much hesitation. Nalieza stopped at the shore. Han came up beside her. She smiled. “In the aident culture, there’s a small ceremonial gesture done to mark the end of a dream journey. A paper boat is made, set down in the nearest body of water, and then set on fire. After the fire burns out, the ashes are blown away, signifying the death of the old life, and the birth of the new one.” “But my journey’s not over yet.” “You’ve come to the end of your personal journey. The things you needed to learn are done. You know that you aren’t alone in the universe anymore, and that there are people who care about you. Knowing that makes you another person. And you’re well on the way to becoming the guy you were always supposed to be. And now, on to the last order of business.” From the empty spot in the center of her palm, a paper sailing vessel appeared. Small, perfectly formed, and made from shimmering copper colored paper. Tiny masts with thin white gauze sails sprung up from the paper. “There we go,” Nalieza said, holding the boat out in Han’s direction. He took it from her hand gently between his fingers. Copper paper and silver celestial light blended into one delicate form as he turned the boat about. He put the boat back in her hand. “Now it gets set on fire, right?” “First it gets floated on the lake. Then it gets set on fire.” She kneeled down and placed the boat in the water. “Ready to say goodbye to the old life?” she asked him. Han sat down on the ground beside her. “I’ve been ready for years. I just didn’t realize it.” “Well, that’s good. Because when this boat is burned, then you can never be a scoundrel again.” “I like being a scoundrel. Can I at least make a compromise and turn into a respectable scoundrel?” Nalieza laughed. “Sure. The galaxy could always use a respectable scoundrel. Maybe you could become a leader of some army with that reputation.” He looked alarmed. “Does that mean I have to wear a uniform?” “Absolutely not. You get to keep all of your old clothes.” “Good.” He pointed at the boat. “Who gets to set the fire?” “I called up the boat. You can make it burn.” Han leaned over. “Where do I get the flame from?” “Just think about it. Literally. Remember, since this is the dream world, you can do that. Even have a flame come out of your finger if you really wanted to.” “That’d be a neat trick,” Han replied. “But I’ll stick to calling it up out of my head.” He stared at the tiny vessel sitting still on the surface of the lake. From the top of the center mast, a small flame appeared. It spread down the mast, then spread outwards to the rest of the craft. The boat finally burnt away, leaving only a pile of dark ashes tinged with tiny flecks of shining copper paper remaining on the surface of the lake. Han reached out and scooped up the ashes. “Now what?” “Blow them out across the water,” Nalieza instructed. With a nod, Han blew the ashes outward. They scattered, and the copper flecks rose up towards the moon, where they briefly danced in its silvery light. Then the paper remnants disappeared into the night sky. Down below, Han and Nalieza watched this ascent. No words were exchanged…but none were needed. -----signature----- "Pabst Blue Ribbon!"
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Golden_Jedi Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/22/06 2:51am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/22, "This Must Be The Place"
	Aaaaawwww... I hope Han and Nalieza meet in real life one day... -----signature----- New Bespin Café - come visit THE place for H/L fans http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/29538471 Diving (a H/L intertrilogy AU) http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/27836852
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Star_Angel Registered: Jan '06	Date Posted: 8/22/06 8:05am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/22, "This Must Be The Place"
	“I like being a scoundrel. Can I at least make a compromise and turn into a respectable scoundrel?” LOL! I can just picture Han saying that. Wow, this was an amazing update, and really lovely as well , I love it how Han sounded like a big brother to her, although, Luke and Nalieza, hmm , I can live with that, even if I don’t think that anything would actually happen on that part. -----signature----- “It’s not our abilities that shows us what we truly are, it is our choices” – Albus Dumbledor (CoS) <- fanfics/fanart + a funny video in bio SWEDEN HOCKEY forever
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VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 8/23/06 5:53am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/22, "This Must Be The Place"
	Wonderful! She smiled. “In the aident culture, there’s a small ceremonial gesture done to mark the end of a dream journey. A paper boat is made, set down in the nearest body of water, and then set on fire. After the fire burns out, the ashes are blown away, signifying the death of the old life, and the birth of the new one.” “But my journey’s not over yet.” “You’ve come to the end of your personal journey. The things you needed to learn are done. You know that you aren’t alone in the universe anymore, and that there are people who care about you. Knowing that makes you another person. And you’re well on the way to becoming the guy you were always supposed to be. And now, on to the last order of business.” And may I say that Han makes a perfectly adorable respectable scoundrel? -----signature----- R.I.P John, Alex, Jason, and Christian Never forgotten Soldiers' Angels http://soldiersangels.org/ 2114 soldiers waiting for someone to care
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ophelia Title: Ex-Mod Registered: Jun '02	Date Posted: 8/23/06 9:40am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/22, "This Must Be The Place"
	This time, they were breaking the usual routine of walking around in a reconstructed memory from Han’s past. Ah--we're out of the "stuck" cycling where Han has a past, but no future. Nice trick with the moon rising, incidentally, since the sky wouldn't budge for 2 chapters. I guess the sun that you couldn't tell whether it was rising or setting must've been setting. The end of the old life, I'm assuming. He wanted to see one of her memories. Ooh, there's a change, too. He's come a long way from, "Better her than me." Just running around from one bar to another, or hitting some of the clubs. And the music scene’s not so interesting right now. Heh . . . you have just described my college experience . . . and that was the interesting part. She laughed. “Of course you don’t. Not at all.” Then she waved her hand around. “Believe it or not, I’m about to show you where you’re going to get married.” This story keeps reminding me of the Matrix . . . this time it was the scene where the Oracle predicts Neo is going to knock over the vase, and he does, and then she says, "What's really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have broken it if I hadn't said anything." Would Han still have gotten married there if she hadn't shown it to him? The world . . . may never know. Han looked around the pavilion, then leaned on the railing and looked out over the lake. “Yeah, it’s nice. I can’t imagine why I’d wind up here out of all the places in the galaxy, but it looks good.” LOL . . . how many guys really care about wedding planning, anyway, even if they're having a magical vision about it and could decorate the place instantly with their minds? I bet he won't care what color the flowers are, either. Knowing Leia, they'll be white. Han rapped his knuckles on the railing in front of them. “Things change, right. Which’s what I realize now. And you either have to go with the changes, or lose.” Ah--the thing Anakin could never quite grasp. Han may be a scoundrel, but at least he's a step ahead of his future father-in-law. I’m willing to put twenty credits down it will happen. This cracked me up, since most people toss off "I'll bet . . ." comments like they're nothing: "I'll bet you a million dollars," etc. Only a serious gambling man would pick an amount he was really willing to lose. In fact, there is one particular guy I happen to know…nice kid…knows how to blow up metal moons and thinks he’s a Jedi. Ooh, something for Luke's resumé: "Can blow up metal moons. Also, am Jedi. Probably." She smiled. “In the aident culture, there’s a small ceremonial gesture done to mark the end of a dream journey. A paper boat is made, set down in the nearest body of water, and then set on fire. After the fire burns out, the ashes are blown away, signifying the death of the old life, and the birth of the new one.” I liked this ritual, and I liked the visual description of the boat. I was initially imagining one of those notepaper boats that kids make, but the image you came up with was a lot cooler. “I like being a scoundrel. Can I at least make a compromise and turn into a respectable scoundrel?” Classic Han. And I would never want him to give up being a scoundrel. With a nod, Han blew the ashes outward. They scattered, and the copper flecks rose up towards the moon, where they briefly danced in its silvery light. This is where I realized why you'd gone with a metallic color for the boat. Very nice visual. -----signature----- In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps with your mom
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PonyTricks Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 8/23/06 11:20am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/22, "This Must Be The Place"
	Beautiful chapter. -----signature----- Brain: Now, Pinky, if by any chance you are captured during this mission, remember you are Gunther Heindriksen from Appenzell. You moved to Grindelwald to drive the cog train to Murren. Can you repeat that? Pinky: Mmmm, no, Brain, don't think I can.
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leiamoody Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 8/28/06 3:23pm Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/22, "This Must Be The Place"
	Thanks, everyone. Golden_Jedi—Your hope about Han and Nalieza meeting in real life…well, wait for the sequel. Star_Angel—Han is definitely now a big brother figure to Nalieza. A member of an odd little family that she never asked for, but the Universe gave her anyway. As for Luke and Nalieza…again, wait for the sequel. VaderLVR64---Yes, Han is a good (okay, fine, adorable in his own unique way) respectable scoundrel. That’s what makes him…him. ophelia---In terms of the “college experience”, I’m actually glad that I seemed to be able to capture this at least semi-realistically. I never participated in the full-on university experience because I’ve never actually been to a university. The only way I’ve known about what it’s like is by a lot of reading and dating someone. And to be honest, I think Han would more than likely have gotten married at the pavilion even if he hadn’t seen it first. Yet I’ll admit that I can’t say for sure that notion would have been definite. Even when I’m creating this universe, I don’t know in which direction it wants to go. Because a lot of comes from that little part of my unconscious brain which stored up these ideas over the years…and we all know that what comes out of the unconscious can be vaguely strange at times. PonyTricks ---Yeah, it is actually a rather nice little chapter. Visually, at least. Once again, thanks for reading. -----signature----- "Pabst Blue Ribbon!"
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leiamoody Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 8/28/06 4:18pm Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/28, "Ending and Beginning"--Finished! - Date Edited: 8/28/06 4:36pm (1 edits total) Edited By: leiamoody
	Ending and Beginning Dream World: Nothi Sautn Once again, they were sitting by the river. Han was poised on top of a large boulder. “You know, when I get out of here, I’m going to approach the guys in charge and tell them I’m signing on for good.” Nalieza shook her head and laughed. “It’s not a surprise.” He leaned back on his elbows and set his focus upon the long line of trees on the opposite shore. “It’s definitely a different way for me to think. Weird, you know? My life’s gone from one direction,” he extended his arm and used one finger to point to the left, “to another one that’s put me into this whole other world. Crazy stuff.” He laughed. “Who could have imagined it?” “It’s great, actually. You deserve it, rogue boy.” “Hey, I’ve lost the rogue part.” She frowned. “That’s right, I keep forgetting. You’re the respectable scoundrel now. That means you have to be boring.” He looked shocked. “Absolutely not. I don’t have the genetic material to become boring.” “But this does mean you have to become a responsible citizen. That means doing two things: paying taxes, and having lots of kids.” He made a face. “I think the kids thing should be left up to other people. Like you, for example.” “What!” “Hey, little Jedi people have to come from somewhere.” He grinned, and sat up. “As for taxes, a truly respectable Corellian never pays them.” They were quiet for a long time after this exchange. Unlike the previous times they had been in this setting, it appeared to be a typical spring day. The air was warm, the sky a brilliant blue, the trees were full with ripened leaves of bright green. And these aspects caught Nalieza’s attention. The other times they had been here, it had been autumn. She hadn’t known the significance of why it was always autumn in those first encounters, until she finally discovered that it had been the fall season when he’d left home to attend the Imperial Academy. It was during the last days of the waning season when he had to return to Nothi Sautn one year later to make the final arrangements after his grandmother had died. She never told her grandson she had been suffering from Tennekot’s Syndrome, one of the few diseases left in the galaxy that was completely incurable. After her funeral, he had walked out of the house where he’d grown up…and kept going, down a long dusty road that led out of town…until he reached a patch of woods that lay on the outskirts. It was in this spot he had decided to lock his heart away, never again to let anyone in. He would not let anyone get too close from that point forward, because they would betray him. They would leave. Just like his parents when they flew off soon after his birth. Just like his grandmother did when he was twenty, when she passed away. Obviously, he had never told her any of this. A few of his memories slipped past the barriers he always had up and entered into her dreams within the last week. Han would never entirely reveal the most personal details about his life to anyone…except for the princess from now on. But it did finally answer the question one unanswered question from their discussion at the Tiara Pavilion. He had said the death of someone important caused him to push away any possibility of love from his life. Now, it all made sense. The one person who had been there for him…had left him alone. And never revealed that she would be going away. So he decided it was better to simply choose to be alone. But it was a quirk of the universe that took what he had decided was best for him, and tossed it aside in favor of something better. Just like when he decided to enter the Academy and become an Imperial officer. That had been his plan for the rest of his life. But someone or something else had different plans for him. First, he was put in the path of a Wookiee who had desperately needed his help. And there were other tests that came along the way, which he failed, yet also passed to some degree. Eventually, the first half of a two-part final exam was placed before him. With a series of multiple-choice questions, and no grading on a curve. He had passed that first section with flying colors. The second part came with this carbonite experience. An essay section this time, with only one question for him to answer: What is most important to you? Once again, he had the right answers. So he passed the exam. “Hey, kid,” Han called. “Are you all right?” Nalieza blinked her eyes quickly. “Oh, yeah. Sorry. I was just noticing that things seem a little different around here.” He gave a cursory inspection of their surroundings. “Yeah, the weather’s nice for a change. ” She bit at a fingernail and started thinking. Sure, it was great. But what did it mean? Well, it was a spring day…and spring was the season of rebirth…Wait a minute… “Han, is this what spring is like where you’re from?” He stood up casually from the boulder and stretched. “Sort of. Not usually this warm.” He took a quick peek at the sky. “The sky’s not quite so blue.” He stared at the trees again. “Actually, it looks like the kind of day my grandmother used to say only came around once every hundred years.” “Another belief from the Ancient Days?” “Yeah. She called it a ‘mirari’. It was supposed to be the day when all the gods and goddesses came out of the hills to hold a party in the woods. There’d be some sort of ceremony at the end, and that would renew all the life on the planet for another hundred years.” Nalieza closed her eyes. Rebirth, renewal. Part of the life cycle for plants, but not usually for animals. And yet, there were occasions for such a thing…the literal reincarnation after death into another physical being…and then, there was the possibility of a figurative rebirth. One that was spiritual. Old and dying parts of the soul were cast away, buried in some proper fashion along the road, leaving the new soul to move forward on the rest of its journey through the living years. She opened her eyes. Han’s time of renewal was starting. “Follow me,” she instructed, jumping off the rock. “What’s going on?” Han joined her at the side of the river. She hesitantly reached out to touch the invisible barrier that had physically separated Han from the conscious world all of these months. The wall was thick and solid. It could not be penetrated, except by small objects like pebbles. Even when she passed through it, there was a fair amount of pushing that had to take place before she could fully enter into this realm. Nalieza expected the wall to be present, same as always. But her fingers came into contact with…nothing. Empty air, that was all. Han reached out both of his hands into the space before him. “The barrier’s gone.” “Do you realize what this means?” His face showed skepticism, but his eyes displayed a different emotion. That same spark of hope she had seen back in the Cloud City dining room. “Is it possible?” She lightly touched his arm. “Try to walk across.” He nodded. Keeping his eyes fixed firmly on the opposite shore, he let out a breath, then stepped to the edge of the river. His right foot moved forward, and landed on the first of the large flat rocks that formed a walkway connecting the two sides. Then he brought his left foot forward, and stood on the rock. It took him several moments to pluck up enough nerve to step onto the next rock. This point had been the farthest he had been allowed to come before encountering the wall. When he finally stepped forward, nothing stopped him. He stood on the rock, not moving. Until he let out a whoop of joy, and started laughing. He wasn’t trapped anymore. Han turned around and looked at Nalieza with the biggest smile that she would probably ever see coming from any person in the universe. Han jumped forward to the next rock with the enthusiasm of a little boy. Then he ran over the remaining flat stones, until he reached the other shore. The shore of consciousness. Nalieza followed close behind, skipping across the rock path, and joined him on the opposite side. There was a moment of silence between them, as they simply stared at each other in utter amazement. Han broke the silence by asking, “Now, how do I get out of here?” She grinned. “Let me lead the way.” They walked up the winding path, through the dome of trees, and finally came out into the clearing. But Nalieza quickly noticed that this was not the same clearing she had used to enter this world so many times. What lay before them now were two paths, one stretching to the left, the other heading in a gradual curve off to the right. “What is this? This wasn’t here before.” “It just popped up?” Han pointed at the paths. “Definitely. There’s usually only been one way in and out of here.” “Can you tell which way is the exit now?” “Nothing’s giving me any hints.” As if in response to their mutual confusion, an object suddenly fell out of the sky, and landed at their feet. Han knelt down on the ground. “Could this help?” He picked up a small, circular gold stone. She took the stone from him. On the side facing upwards, there was carved, “To forget?” She turned it over, and on the other side was inscribed, “To remember?” “What does that mean?” Han asked. “I don’t know.” She handed him the stone. “But I think those might be choices.” Han turned the stone over in his hands. “What kind of choices are those? ‘To remember’ and ‘To forget’.” He tossed the stone high into the air, and it landed at his feet. He kneeled down to see which side was facing upwards. “Huh, look at that.” He pointed down to the ground. “The remember side. What are the odds of that happening?” She kneeled down and traced the facing side with her index finger. “Memories…that’s what got you through all of this.” “They almost drove me crazy,” he retorted, picking the stone up again. “Wanna see me try for two in a row?” “Sure, go for it.” Han tossed the stone up again...it went into the sky, then fell exactly as before. The side with “to remember?” facing up. “Wow…” Nalieza was stunned. “Yeah. Weird.” Han rubbed his chin. “That question, strange isn’t it? ‘To remember?’ What kind of question is that?” “It has to be a message of some kind. To you, definitely.” “Possibly both of us,” he added. "You think it can help me figure out which path to take?” Nalieza stood up and looked at the forking paths. She gave the matter some thought, and an idea came to her. “Try the one on the right,” she suggested. “How do you know that’s the one to get me out of here?” “Call it intuition. A little whisper from the Force.” She smiled. “Now, you might just have to trust that archaic concept. Or just call it gambler’s luck, if that makes you feel better.” He gave her a sardonic grin, then turned towards the path on the right side. “Here goes everything,” he said, then tossed the stone in the direction of the path. It sailed upward, in a graceful arc, and disappeared. A wooden door appeared. He had made the right choice. Han turned to Nalieza with the biggest smile she had ever seen on his face. “I did it.” She nodded. “And so it ends. Back to the living world and whatever awaits you in it.” She leaned forward and whispered, “I’m certain of it, just in case you wanted to ask.” He pointed at the door. “I’m supposed to go through there…and what happens after I leave here?” “I don’t know. Like I told you ages ago, you were a unique case. But I know on a certain level that you will wake up somewhere and you will be alive.” “I have to believe in what I can’t see. That’s what you’re saying.” “Everything revolves around believing in something. Even if it’s just one thing at a time.” She smiled. “Drop me a commline or two when you get married.” “Definitely, kid.” They looked at each other for a few seconds. Too many words could be said, if either of them were inclined to be eloquent. But when Nalieza broke the silence, the only thing she could find the courage to say was, “Now get out of your head and back into your body.” “Hey, I can’t leave without saying goodbye.” “That’s not necessary. Go home while the door’s there.” Han glanced at the door. “It’ll still be there for another minute or two. I don’t wanna rush out of here without saying thank you first.” “Well, okay, you’re welcome.” “I don’t mean like that.” He stared at her. “Look, I’m not good with this kind of stuff…I’m not one of those guys who can just come out and say what I feel…but you know that by now…But I’m glad you were with me during this…I wasn’t doing well by myself…but you already know that too.” Nalieza stepped forward. “I’m aware of it all.” Then she hugged him. She could tell he was startled. To be honest, she was surprised that instinct had come to her, as she generally wasn’t a demonstrative sort either. But it was only for a second or two…then he hugged her back. This gesture brought up the tears she had been fighting back. There’s no need to cry, silly. When they separated, Han was smiling. “I’ll catch up to you in the real world one of these days. So look up every so often, and you’ll see the Falcon coming in for a landing when you least expect it.” She laughed. “Sure. I’ll keep a check on the sky. And maybe swing by the spaceport once a week just in case you got a major case of insomnia and decided to drop by.” “Or it might be on the news,” he added. She nodded. “Of course, that’s a possibility.” Then followed another few seconds of silence, broken when Nalieza laughed again and said, “Go on, Respectable Scoundrel. You’ve got a life waiting for you on the other side of that door.” “Right.” He reached out and shook her hand. “Actually, goodbye really isn’t in my vocabulary. So I’ll see you later.” She bit her lip, trying once more to keep from crying. “Definitely. Take care of yourself.” “You too.” She felt he wanted to say something more…but he also knew there was nothing else to say for now. So he turned and walked up the path. When he got to the door, he stopped long enough to look back at her. She smiled, then waved. He returned both gestures, then opened the door, and stepped through it… A brief trip between the worlds He was falling…out of the sky…out of another plane…then came a sudden and hard landing… What the…? There was breathing…some movement…a mind slowly rising back from the abyss…a sharp rush of cold…blackness… Then, falling forward…finally stopped by a floor. He was back in the living world. Real World: Aeithera Nalieza woke up. Just like on the night when it all began. There was the same mixing of blue light from the lamp placed high on the wall opposite her bed and the darkness coming from outside. Her breathing was a bit unsteady, as it usually was when she landed back in her physical body. Yet something was very different. A major aspect that just happened to be significant. Han was no longer in carbonite…no longer locked away from the real world…from his life. Truly alive, in mind, spirit, and body. He was free. “Now the journey’s over,” she murmured. -----signature----- "Pabst Blue Ribbon!"
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leiamoody Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 8/28/06 4:26pm Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/28, "Ending and Beginning"--Finished!
	Well, that's the end of the dream journey. The life journey, on the other hand, is just beginning...as the other half of the title indicates. Which means, yes, Virginia, there will be a sequel. I'm currently working on it, and hope to have the first few chapters posted by the end of September. If you would like to be notified when it gets posted, let me know either in this thread or by PM. And when it gets started, I'll send along the link so you can start reading it. Thanks again to everyone who has read and reviewed my odd little tale. It's appreciated, folks. -----signature----- "Pabst Blue Ribbon!"
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Golden_Jedi Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 8/28/06 5:45pm Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/28, "Ending and Beginning"--Finished!
	I always cry with happy endings! And yes, please, PM me when the sequel is available. Congrats for finishing this truly original story. -----signature----- New Bespin Café - come visit THE place for H/L fans http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/29538471 Diving (a H/L intertrilogy AU) http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/27836852
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Star_Angel Registered: Jan '06	Date Posted: 8/29/06 8:38am Subject: RE: Sleeping And Dreaming (AU)---Han In Carbonite--update 8/28, "Ending and Beginning"--Finished!
	I both laughed and cried while I read this, I just loved it . This has been ana amzing journey and I've loved it. Please send me a pm when you post the sequel and thanks for the pm for this chapter . -----signature----- “It’s not our abilities that shows us what we truly are, it is our choices” – Albus Dumbledor (CoS) <- fanfics/fanart + a funny video in bio SWEDEN HOCKEY forever
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