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Author	Topic: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
Knight_Aragorn Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 5/2 11:52pm Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette - Date Edited: 5/2 11:57pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Knight_Aragorn
	Title: The Hour Before Dawn Characters: Han Solo, Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker Timeframe: 4 ABY Setting: Rebel Alliance fleet rendezvous point off Sullust Category: Missing scene Summary: Han, Luke and Leia before the battle that would (almost) end the war, EU notwithstanding. The corridors of the Mon Calamari cruiser were boiling with people –- command staff and pilots and techs alike, kitted out in all manner of uniforms and civilian wear –- as Han pushed his way through. Barely controlled chaos was something the Rebel Alliance excelled at; Han mentally classed ‘total disorder’ as its default setting. This felt different, the bedlam undercut with a grim determination. If the Rebel Alliance didn’t win the upcoming battle, there wouldn’t be a Rebel Alliance, and everyone from Ackbar down knew it. Han reflected, stepping around a short Devaronian he’d never seen before, that his position in this collective spell of suicidal delusion seemed wildly inappropriate. It wasn’t that long ago that it had been him and Chewie and the rest of the universe be damned; shifting cargo and staying up-grav of trouble had been his goal and purpose in life, along with earning enough credits to stay comfortable (even if they inevitably went into the Falcon’s upkeep). It hadn’t been an ideal existence, not how he’d seen himself living back when he’d stepped out of Shrike’s troopship into the galaxy, but it had been uncomplicated. Of course, things had a way of burning whatever you did. Jabba’s fingers were short but his reach was long, and if Han hadn’t joined the Rebels he would have been Jabba’s that much sooner. And that wasn’t a thought he enjoyed. The air felt stretched around him, colours streaked with grey as his vision worked itself to (he hoped, more intently than he was willing to reveal to anyone) full recovery. He’d never been prone to the habit of fidgeting, but found his fingers moving restlessly until he consciously stilled them. Something at the back of his brain was testing, testing, making sure this was real. The corridor he needed was blocked by a team of techs checking the fire suppression in the junction. Han elbowed through, essayed a shrug of apology at the supervisor and a smirk at the tech, and entered the port view cluster that he’d managed to charm his way into securing for a last briefing with his team. He was a few minutes early, and thought he’d be the first to arrive, but a dark-clad figure had beat him there. Luke stood by the viewport, but was looking towards the doorway as Han stepped in. The expectation in his stance was slightly unsettling; Han did his best to ignore it. “Han,” Luke said. “Hey,” Han greeted him. “You get time to sleep?” Luke frowned slightly and didn’t answer directly, though his strained expression told Han plenty. “I wanted to speak to you before this all began.” Han walked over. “Yeah?” “I’m not sure what’s going to happen once we get to Endor,” Luke said. Han waited a beat, then when nothing else seemed forthcoming, said, “And?” Luke’s gaze drifted back to the viewscreen. “I don’t know,” he said, and his voice for a second bled with frustration and something else. “Everything’s moving so fast; it’s all tangled. I can’t read anything.” He stared ahead, eyebrows drawn, expression irresolute. Han looked at the empty space visible through the viewscreen, playing for time as he tried to figure out how to respond. Was it bad luck, to have a Jedi unable to see what was coming? Was he supposed to take it as a warning for the mission ahead? Or was the vision stuff sporadic by nature? “I may have to leave,” Luke concluded. Han blinked at him. “Now?” “No,” Luke said. Han scanned Luke’s face, but his features, familiar as they were, were unrevealing. “When we get there?” Han guessed. “Maybe,” Luke said. “Where will you go?” Han frowned. “This… old friend, again? The one you just came back from?” Luke lowered his eyes. “No,” he said. “That was a last visit.” Puzzled, Han took in his expression and stance before offering, “Sorry.” He didn’t know who this mysterious friend was; his first guess was that Luke had found himself a lover somewhere, but Leia seemed to think it was related to the Jedi thing. Whoever the person was, they must have meant something, because Luke was still Luke enough that he couldn’t entirely bury his loss. “If not there, then where?” Han said. “And can you give me… well, more? Like when you’re going? This could affect the mission.” Luke’s gaze went distant. Han frowned, knowing that didn’t mark the beginning of a concise and factual answer. “Whatever happens,” Luke said, “take care of Leia. Let her take care of you.” Han’s stomach seemed to twist. “What?” he said. “What does that mean? Why say something like that?” Luke still didn’t look at him, so Han moved into his space, finger pointed, using the advantage of his height. “So help me, if you’re playing some kind of game like Kenobi did, Luke—” Surprise forced the distraction out of Luke’s eyes, and Han got his first good look at the emotion Luke was covering. He didn’t see blank resignation or some kind of wrongheaded passive deathwish, but he couldn’t place what he did glimpse, except that it looked like it hurt. Luke looked at him, then through him. “I don’t know,” he said. “That’s just it.” Han was not satisfied, exactly. But if he trusted his read of Luke’s vagueness as a manufactured calm holding together some kind of desperate tangle of emotion, and not the pretence of someone trying to hide impending death in twisted riddles –- and he did trust it –- then he had to take what he was given. “If you get anything clearer, then,” he conceded. Luke paused a second too long, and said, “I’ll keep that in mind.” Han was even more dissatisfied, hearing the lack of a solid promise in those words. But he’d chosen his path, and he’d commit to it; besides which, Luke was plainly stuck fast on whatever he had himself in knots over, and trying to budge him once he was intent on something was about as useless as attempting a reverse hyperspace jump. “Fine,” Han said reluctantly. “It’s strange to hear that, coming from you,” Luke said. “Changed your opinion on the Force lately?” Han shrugged. “It seems to serve its purpose.” Luke didn’t seem too pleased with that response, his jaw tightening as he looked back through the viewscreen. His right hand moved, gloved fingers touching the silver lightsaber fastened prominently to the left side of his belt as if to check it was still there, or for reassurance, or something. He wasn’t as easily baited as he used to be, though; he just exhaled. Then he surprised Han by saying, “It must be hard, coming back and finding that things are different.” Han surveyed the dark viewscreen. “From my perspective, I haven’t been anywhere.” “You weren’t conscious in the carbonite?” Han swore at him silently and made sure there was nothing to see on his face, either for an old friend or a Jedi. “No,” he answered shortly. Luke’s gaze lingered until it was uncomfortable, then abruptly shifted, as if he’d just realised how unwelcome it was. “Oh,” he said. He rubbed his fingers together, looked down at his hand, tugged at the edge of the glove. Han glanced across and down, and caught a glimpse of melted synthflesh and blackened wire. He grimaced. “Weren’t you going to get that looked at?” “No time,” Luke said. His hand opened and closed, fingers moving in a pattern that Han recognised as the start sequence for an Incom-model fighter. “It’s working well enough.” Han looked at it for a while, until Luke looked up at him and he shifted his gaze. “How’d it happen, originally?” he asked. “Damage in your X-wing?” “No,” Luke said. “Vader.” The name caught him by surprise, and before he really processed it, Han was caught in a startlingly sharp memory, awash with the searing pain of electrical current burning through his nerves, the hiss of a vocal unit, the stench of singed hair. Muscles twitching, restraints cutting into skin as he screamed. The metallic taste of carbonite filling his mouth and chilling his blood. With a great deal of effort, he forced himself not to react. Luke, he was startled to note, actually flinched and recoiled. “Oh,” Han said casually, as if he’d experienced nothing. “Right.” Luke didn’t look at him, slightly pale. Neither of them spoke for a while. Han realised the last real conversation he’d had with Luke had been in the hangar bay on Hoth, or even before then, in the base’s med bay. Both felt like they’d occurred an age ago, through the dark and the silence. His fingers moved reflexively. Han stilled them. “She was terribly cut up while you were gone,” Luke said abruptly. “It wasn’t obvious –- you know Leia –- but I saw it.” Han ran a hand through his hair. Luke turned his head a little, looking at him not quite sideways. “She would have given just about anything to get you back,” he said. “The Alliance. Herself.” Han’s brow wrinkled. “I didn’t ask for anybody to do that for me,” he said. “No,” Luke said. “You have it anyway.” “So?” Han said, angry, and not particularly liking it. He hadn’t forgotten Leia’s enthusiastic welcome of Luke, or the way Luke looked at her sometimes. “What’s it to you?” Luke’s gaze slipped away. “I just want you to understand.” “Understand what?” Han said, because the sentence sounded incomplete. “Understand what she’s giving to you. How powerful that is. Whatever happens, you’ve got to be there for her. So that you’re both okay.” Luke was speaking quietly. Somehow they’d ended up angled toward one another, and Han thought that Luke’s proximity was strange, but reassuring, familiar. After the densely-packed years since that first day on Tatooine, Han knew the way Luke moved and how he stood, how he tilted his head when he was uncertain, the timbre of his voice and the flicker of his fingers. Those fundamentals were unchanged despite everything, and they built the definition of something that had quietly slid into forming one corner of his world in a way he struggled to understand. Leia and Luke, people more than ideals –- he was fighting for something here, and he didn’t know when that had begun. Maybe way back when he’d fired that shot into Vader’s tail over the Death Star. Maybe before. He did know that in the confusion and the mess, blood and death spilling everywhere around him, the small things were what mattered most. Everything might go at any second, could end in a veil of grey or a spray of red, and it was the flickering, sparking brightness that he looked for, with all that it conveyed: things he couldn’t even put in words, only clumsy half-concepts like the warmth of having people at your back and the shape of stars against the black of space and the colour and sharpness of being alive and the incalculable sense of not being alone. It still stung him, how hard that had been driven in over the past year. “What’s going to happen?” he asked, almost afraid, because it was all still too fragile. “What are you so worried about, Luke?” Luke looked tired, lifting a hand only to lose impetus, stopping and drifting and falling. “I don’t know.” “You must know something.” Luke’s eyelids drifted shut, flickered, opened again. He shook his head. “Well.” Han rubbed a hand in his hair. He pushed aside all his concerns, his frustrated sense that Luke wasn’t sharing all he knew. “Just hold it together, okay? Try to concentrate on the mission.” He opened his hand, making sure his fingers were steady. “Maybe whatever it is won’t happen.” Luke gave him an odd look, sidelong and wary, like he suspected Han was humouring him. Which he was –- to a point. He was concerned, though the fear over Luke genuinely being in danger was beginning to subside against apprehension over how Luke might risk himself if he really started to believe he was going to die. Han resolved to keep an eye on him for signs of –- well. Strangeness didn’t cover it, these days. Of an increasing preoccupation, maybe. “Got the mission all mapped out for us, General?” Luke said. “Getting there,” Han said. “If everything goes to plan.” “Which—” “—it never does, I know,” Han said. “But I’ve got all contingencies covered. They gave me this rank for a reason, you know.” “Did they?” Luke said. “I’d wondered.” Han lifted his eyebrows. “Stow it, Commander.” Luke smiled slightly. “I’ve got to go—” Han said, because two members of his infiltration crew had come in, the door hissing behind them. The door opened again, and Leia came through; her eyes fell on them, and her expression lit, lips curving. Her gaze seemed to linger equally between them, Han noted. “Hi, Leia,” Luke said. He brightened a little as well, turning towards her. “Luke,” she said. “Han.” She smiled at Han, which he returned lopsidedly. “How was the meeting?” he asked. “Fleet coordination is good to go,” she said. “How are we, General?” “About to start,” Han said. More of his team were entering, and he glimpsed Chewie, head and shoulders above the others. Chewie signalled that everything was in good shape with the appropriated Imperial shuttle that was to be their transport. Han waved back, and gave Luke and Leia a nod. Luke was looking off through the doorway, but Leia smiled at him again. Han made his way to the front of the room. “All right,” he said, once the noise level had dropped. It didn’t take long compared to the amount of time it would have taken in a group of smugglers this large; he would admit that military discipline had its benefits, so long as he wasn’t subject to it. “We’ve covered getting through the Imps, provided the code works. We’re going to be setting down just outside their main perimeter on the sanctuary moon. Keeping low and staying quiet is the main priority, because we’ve got to get to the other side of the landing platform so we can access the bunker without letting them know we’re there. We’ve got camo gear, and will be going comm dark. Travel will be over ground on foot, light and fast. Most of you have done this before, so you know the drill. Any questions?” Luke was probably the most unqualified person on his team in terms of ground operations, though Leia had never had formal training. Given the wide and varied range of combat they’d pulled off in his company alone over the years, he had no doubts about the capability of either to slot into the requirements of the mission. Leia was listening intently, her head tilted. Luke had a hand resting on his belt, over his lightsaber, and was looking at Han, brow slightly furrowed. Chewie, who had more years of experience in ground combat than Han had years of life, had his arms crossed, giving Han his full attention. The members of Han’s hand-picked crew, as expected, were listening intently to the spiel they’d already heard multiple times. “Good,” Han said. “We’ll be kitting out now and assembling at 0400 so we’re on the ground and ready in time for the main strike. Lieutenant Bonn has the gear.” He waved them to commence the final round of preparations. Over by the viewscreen, Leia said something to Luke, who turned, head inclined slightly towards her. Han exhaled thoughtfully, pulling his gaze away. He rubbed at the headache forming between his eyes. The glowpanels in the room were too bright, but he welcomed it. Better than the dark. Chewie came over and asked whether Han had organised the supplies yet. “Of course I have,” Han said. “They’re being loaded as we speak.” Chewie spoke again, trailing off meaningfully. “I thought you said it was fine,” Han said. Chewie shrugged, and started to go into a detailed description of manifold drives. “All right, all right.” Han held up his hands. “Patch up what you have to, but make sure the shuttle’s ready to go when we need it.” Chewie growled. “Yeah, I know you do,” Han said. Chewie rubbed a furry hand through Han’s hair – a habit he was partaking of frequently recently, a minor but bearable irritation – and strode off. Han crossed to Luke and Leia. Luke had his kit already, helmet trailing from one hand. “I have to go see a man about supplies,” Han told them. “What about your gear?” Leia asked. “I’ve got mine,” Han said. “Hey, where are you off to, Luke?” “Just want to catch Wedge,” Luke said. Han frowned. “We need you here, buddy.” “Two seconds,” Luke said, showing gloved fingers. “Just want to see if he’s thought of something.” He ducked into the crowded corridor and was gone. Han gave a frustrated breath. “He’ll be back,” Leia said. She took a helmet that was handed to her, examining it carefully. “Did he tell you what’s been bothering him?” Han shook his head. “What’s going on with him, anyway?” “I don’t know,” Leia said. “It’s really troubling him, now, but there’s been something there for months. He won’t talk to me about it, whatever it is. I’ve tried. And tried.” She looked frustrated, then tremendously weary. “It’s been such a long year.” Han touched her hand, concerned by what he saw in her face, knowing her tendency to push herself to the edge and beyond. “It’s going to be okay,” he said. Her eyes softened. She looped her arm with his, resting her head against his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re back.” Han looked for a way to respond, caught off-guard, but she’d already straightened again, all signs of tiredness banished from her face. The white lighting caught flecks of gold and amber in her eyes, a pattern without order that he wanted to hold and remember. “I’d better get the rest of my gear,” she said. “I need to check those supplies,” Han said. “And find Luke.” Leia smiled. It was a small smile, for him alone. “Ever onward, Captain.” Han smiled back, and, continuing to smile, headed for the door. [end]
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Bri_Windstar Registered: May '02	Date Posted: 5/3 7:11am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette - Date Edited: 5/3 8:59am (2 edits total) Edited By: Bri_Windstar
	snags Omg, Big Three OT era-ness. My favorite subject matter, hands down. I really like the not-quite-tension between Luke and Han in their conversation. It may not be there because the two of them have any strain between them, but each is still dealing with the traumas and indignities from the past year, and Han's obviously is recent because his stint in carbonite just ended. You do a wonderful job of mixing Han's vulnerabilities and uncertainties with the bravado and devil-may-care exterior he likes to keep up. Also well done is Luke's same mix of vulnerabilities and uncertainties kept at bay, but since they're from Han's POV and the full story isn't known, as it were, there's the added bit of cryptic vagueness that feels very right. Han's never been very trusting of the Force. I would argue that he's still not, it's Luke that he trusts. Han just has to be willing to trust that trust , having faith that Luke will let him in on what's going on in his own time and that until then he'll keep to the mission. The physical descriptions are superb, too. The way Han's sight is still not right, the way both the light and the dark affect him, Luke's tugging at his glove, the way each of them lingers too long on the exposed portion of the internalized vulnerability and the way each looks away quickly when caught. I think the tension there isn't between them as friends, it's the external manifestation of what's going on inside each so prominently that it needs some kind of surface release. “She was terribly cut up while you were gone,” Luke said abruptly. “It wasn’t obvious –- you know Leia –- but I saw it.” Han ran a hand through his hair. Luke turned his head a little, looking at him not quite sideways. “She would have given just about anything to get you back,” he said. “The Alliance. Herself.” Han’s brow wrinkled. “I didn’t ask for anybody to do that for me,” he said. “No,” Luke said. “You have it anyway.” “So?” Han said, angry, and not particularly liking it. He hadn’t forgotten Leia’s enthusiastic welcome of Luke, or the way Luke looked at her sometimes. “What’s it to you?” Luke’s gaze slipped away. “I just want you to understand.” “Understand what?” Han said, because the sentence sounded incomplete. “Understand what she’s giving to you. How powerful that is. Whatever happens, you’ve got to be there for her. So that you’re both okay.” I love that part. I tried for a smaller snippet, but I didn't know how to break it up. I just think that speaks volumes to the reader since we have "outside awareness", if that makes any sense. I think that Luke would have a great deal of concern about Leia even if he didn't know their true relation now/if they didn't even have one just because of how close they are as friends now. But it's all the more poignant now because she's family. It's Leia, but with the added measurement of being his twin sister, which is just another burden he's carrying around alone at this point. Add that on top of Vader and that can of worms, and it's a wonder Luke's not trying to fling himself out of an airlock. Han's reaction is also very well played since he obviously doesn't know the true source of it. Speaking of, I really like the deft way that Han's jealousy is played out here. The whole cliche of a running rivalry/jealousy between the two the entire time they're friends in the course of the movies is one of my biggest pet peeves because I think it gets way over done, to be frank. I think it does a disservice to all three of them. That being said, there are obvious moments of jealousy in RotJ since Han's been gone for a year and hell, he doesn't know what's happened in that time. So I perfectly get that point of view, and you play the way he'd react and the way he'd be feeling beautifully, both with that cryptic convo and later when he notices Luke and Leia lean in towards each other for that small private convo. I also really like the end with Han and Leia. I think it's perfectly natural for Leia to be frustrated and concerned for Luke and the fact that he won't share with her what's been wrong for so long. You add that on top of what happened to Han and it's a wonder she's not trying to fling herself out of an airlock either. And with the way she acts around Han, you can tell how happy she is to have him back, even if he's still trying to reorient himself and is trying to make sense of the pieces around him. Leia smiled. It was a small smile, for him alone. “Ever onward, Captain.” Han smiled back, and, continuing to smile, headed for the door. Perfect ending. This is disgustingly overly winded, even for me, so kudos to you if you even read all of it. But I loved it. -----signature----- Mediocrity- it takes a lot less time and most people won't notice the difference before it's too late. * OMG! SO RIDICULOUSLY AND AGGRAVATINGLY PERFECT!- Gabri * 11010110101000101011
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Gabri_Jade Title: Fan Fiction Archive Editor Emeritus Registered: Nov '02	Date Posted: 5/3 7:40pm Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette - Date Edited: 5/23 2:40am (1 edits total) Edited By: Gabri_Jade
	A new vig! You must tell me when you post in Saga! I don't look here regularly enough to be sure not to miss things! I'll brb after I read and compose some nice feedback. (Oh, and must compose feedback for your Beyond story, too. ) Edit: Okay, so I suck at leaving timely feedback these days. My adoration for the story is genuine, however. The first thing I have to comment on is the absolute gorgeousness of the language. I was positively spellbound by the first three paragraphs, and I am so not kidding. I reread them at least twice before moving on to the rest of the vignette. The pace and rhythm and phrasing are perfectly in character for Han, and yet they somehow manage to be beautifully evocative and descriptive and set the stage in exactly the right way. I was really impressed with the balance there, because while I adore Han endlessly, he's not someone I'd look to for poetic descriptions, but that's exactly what I got while Han was still undeniably himself. Just fantastic. Puzzled, Han took in his expression and stance before offering, “Sorry.” He didn’t know who this mysterious friend was; his first guess was that Luke had found himself a lover somewhere, but Leia seemed to think it was related to the Jedi thing. Whoever the person was, they must have meant something, because Luke was still Luke enough that he couldn’t entirely bury his loss. Heh, I like both the idea that Han and Leia had discussed Luke's absences and Han's suspicions about just what Luke's doing while he's gone. Perfectly logical conclusion, actually. And Han's observation about how Luke handles such emotions is spot on. Han’s stomach seemed to twist. “What?” he said. “What does that mean? Why say something like that?” Luke still didn’t look at him, so Han moved into his space, finger pointed, using the advantage of his height. “So help me, if you’re playing some kind of game like Kenobi did, Luke—” Surprise forced the distraction out of Luke’s eyes, and Han got his first good look at the emotion Luke was covering. He didn’t see blank resignation or some kind of wrongheaded passive deathwish, but he couldn’t place what he did glimpse, except that it looked like it hurt. I do love this. I love that Han is so perceptive, that he's instantly frightened that Luke might willingly walk to his death, that he's perfectly willing to intimidate if that would shock Luke back into sense, and that Luke would be hurt by the accusation. besides which, Luke was plainly stuck fast on whatever he had himself in knots over, and trying to budge him once he was intent on something was about as useless as attempting a reverse hyperspace jump. Ha! So true, and perfectly put. I love that analogy. “You weren’t conscious in the carbonite?” Han swore at him silently and made sure there was nothing to see on his face, either for an old friend or a Jedi. “No,” he answered shortly. Eek. I hadn't thought of that. It's also interesting to realize just how wide that gap is for Han. It's not something I gave much thought to when watching RotJ, but so much has happened that he wasn't there for, and has to learn all of a sudden instead of gradually, like everyone else. Luke’s gaze lingered until it was uncomfortable, then abruptly shifted, as if he’d just realised how unwelcome it was. “Oh,” he said. He rubbed his fingers together, looked down at his hand, tugged at the edge of the glove. Han glanced across and down, and caught a glimpse of melted synthflesh and blackened wire. He grimaced. “Weren’t you going to get that looked at?” “No time,” Luke said. His hand opened and closed, fingers moving in a pattern that Han recognised as the start sequence for an Incom-model fighter. “It’s working well enough.” Han looked at it for a while, until Luke looked up at him and he shifted his gaze. “How’d it happen, originally?” he asked. “Damage in your X-wing?” “No,” Luke said. “Vader.” The name caught him by surprise, and before he really processed it, Han was caught in a startlingly sharp memory, awash with the searing pain of electrical current burning through his nerves, the hiss of a vocal unit, the stench of singed hair. Muscles twitching, restraints cutting into skin as he screamed. The metallic taste of carbonite filling his mouth and chilling his blood. With a great deal of effort, he forced himself not to react. Luke, he was startled to note, actually flinched and recoiled. “Oh,” Han said casually, as if he’d experienced nothing. “Right.” Luke didn’t look at him, slightly pale. Okay, that's longer than most passages I'd choose to quote, but I simply couldn't pick anything less from this portion. I love everything about it: the slight tension between Han and Luke, Han's reaction to Luke's artificial hand, the idea that Luke would do the X-wing start sequence almost without thinking about it, the fact that Han doesn't even know how his best friend lost his hand (no shame to him in the circumstances, but how incredibly odd for him to have learned of that, and awkward for Luke to make any explanations), Han's flashback and Luke's sensing of it - it's all just lovely. Somehow they’d ended up angled toward one another, and Han thought that Luke’s proximity was strange, but reassuring, familiar. After the densely-packed years since that first day on Tatooine, Han knew the way Luke moved and how he stood, how he tilted his head when he was uncertain, the timbre of his voice and the flicker of his fingers. I love this, too, because it's so realistic. There's a story that when Walt Disney did a test screening of Snow White before it was quite done, the audience had problems with the scene where the huntsman confronts Snow White, but no one could really articulate why. The animators looked closely at the scene, realized that Snow White's shadow was falling in a way that it wouldn't in real life and corrected it so that her shadow fell where it should in relation to the light source, and the next audience had no issues with the scene. That's how I see this: the way another person moves and speaks and twitches is often a subconscious knowledge to those close to him or her, but it's knowledge nonetheless, and someone who knows that person well will notice on some level if those things change. I like the acknowledgment of that. He did know that in the confusion and the mess, blood and death spilling everywhere around him, the small things were what mattered most. Everything might go at any second, could end in a veil of grey or a spray of red, and it was the flickering, sparking brightness that he looked for, with all that it conveyed: things he couldn’t even put in words, only clumsy half-concepts like the warmth of having people at your back and the shape of stars against the black of space and the colour and sharpness of being alive and the incalculable sense of not being alone. Beautifully worded. “—it never does, I know,” Han said. “But I’ve got all contingencies covered. They gave me this rank for a reason, you know.” “Did they?” Luke said. “I’d wondered.” Han lifted his eyebrows. “Stow it, Commander.” Luke smiled slightly. LOL, now that's the old Han and Luke banter we're all used to. It always did amuse me a bit that Han wound up outranking Luke when Luke had been the one who was gung-ho for the Rebellion from day one. “Hey, where are you off to, Luke?” “Just want to catch Wedge,” Luke said. Han frowned. “We need you here, buddy.” “Two seconds,” Luke said, showing gloved fingers. “Just want to see if he’s thought of something.” He ducked into the crowded corridor and was gone. I really like this, even though it has so little to do with the narrative. Of course, I am biased; any mention of Luke and Wedge's friendship catches my eye. But it's very atmospheric. Luke and Wedge have worked closely together with Rogue Squadron for years now; it makes such sense that they'd be checking in with each other before an operation even if they had separate tasks. Han shook his head. “What’s going on with him, anyway?” “I don’t know,” Leia said. “It’s really troubling him, now, but there’s been something there for months. He won’t talk to me about it, whatever it is. I’ve tried. And tried.” She looked frustrated, then tremendously weary. “It’s been such a long year.” Han touched her hand, concerned by what he saw in her face, knowing her tendency to push herself to the edge and beyond. “It’s going to be okay,” he said. Her eyes softened. She looped her arm with his, resting her head against his shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re back.” And there's the old Big Three feeling of the OT, in full force. Lovely. You do Han's voice so well. It's really impressive, how you can switch POV characters so seamlessly and well from story to story. This tempts me to make requests. Mara and/or Luke, always, but when did you last write Leia? Have you ever done Karrde or Shada or Lando? I would be most interested to see something like that from you. But in the meantime, this one's great. It's a perfect missing scene to expand upon, the POV is perfect, and the whole thing definitely has the spirit of the OT. Wonderful stuff. -----signature----- Evil Twin of LadyPadme This concept of "wuv" confuses and infuriates us! - Futurama All I can do is be me. Whoever that is. - Bob Dylan Serendipity (Leia-Mara vig) - http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/30178069 !!11!1eleventy
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ViariSkywalker Registered: Aug '02	Date Posted: 5/4 1:15am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	Ooh, an OT vig! I am in the midst of working on a research paper (all-nighter, woot) but as soon as I get some free time I will return and comment! -----signature----- Big Sis of Lady_Rae Veil of Shadows (OT AU, L/M) - http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/28500417 The Dark Fire Chronicles (OT AU) - http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/11960028 ANGST!
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VaderLVR64 Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Feb '04	Date Posted: 5/4 4:02am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	Absolutely stunning! As always. “It’s strange to hear that, coming from you,” Luke said. “Changed your opinion on the Force lately?” Han shrugged. “It seems to serve its purpose.” Luke didn’t seem too pleased with that response, his jaw tightening as he looked back through the viewscreen. His right hand moved, gloved fingers touching the silver lightsaber fastened prominently to the left side of his belt as if to check it was still there, or for reassurance, or something. He wasn’t as easily baited as he used to be, though; he just exhaled. Then he surprised Han by saying, “It must be hard, coming back and finding that things are different.” Han surveyed the dark viewscreen. “From my perspective, I haven’t been anywhere.” “You weren’t conscious in the carbonite?” Han swore at him silently and made sure there was nothing to see on his face, either for an old friend or a Jedi. “No,” he answered shortly. Luke’s gaze lingered until it was uncomfortable, then abruptly shifted, as if he’d just realised how unwelcome it was. “Oh,” he said. He rubbed his fingers together, looked down at his hand, tugged at the edge of the glove. -----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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PonyTricks Registered: Jul '03	Date Posted: 5/4 6:59am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	Great job. I loved how both Luke and Han skirted around the edges of the truth, neither one wanting to show any vulnerability for the other to see, even though both men would have been sympathetic toward their friend's problems. -----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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epithree Registered: Aug '06	Date Posted: 5/4 7:14am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	Simply brilliant. I must say, I'm a sucker for missing scenes as it is, but this would've gotten my attention regardless of that fact. I bow to your writing prowess. The conversation between Luke and Han flowed amazingly well with canon. I really enjoyed the way you handled both characters. Now if only this was part of the actual movies! Ultimately, this was an ingenious idea for a missing scene. I always wanted to see more of the gathering near Sullust. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful tale with us. -----signature----- 'And so it is.' 'charge the plasma rotors!' 'hello there.'
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Atarumaster88 Registered: Jan '09	Date Posted: 5/4 10:23am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	Very enjoyable scene. I thought Han's forced optimism was good, and the descriptions were very nice. I thought Luke was a little too brooding, but it certainly wasn't out of character for him. Good read. -----signature----- Atarumaster88, aka Ataru Concrit specialist See http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/User:Atarumaster88 for more info Currently posting: Force Exile II: Smuggler http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/30079520/p1/?2
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Valairy_Scot Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 5/27 6:06pm Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	I really loved this...sheer perfection. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25405090/p3/?52 Prolific Author thread: list & links there. Muse fueled by coffee. Often AWOL despite frequent sipping. Writes on inspiration, not a schedule. 2007-2008 the quality years
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Jade_eyes Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 5/28 8:31am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	This was amazing. I could feel the holding back on both sides... the sense of not being comfortable with sharing, in conflict with the desire to confide. I don't think it's a matter of trusting one another... it's probably a matter of being afraid of how the other will see you, particularly how Han will see Luke--and at this point there's probably a lot Luke doesn't know for certain so that also adds to the mystery. Enjoyed tremendously the understated but deep intimacy between Han and Leia--but on his part, you can still feel/sense that he's not sure where Luke fits in with Leia. I adore missing scenes, and yours are off the chain. and very big big !!!! -----signature----- Spock/Nyota, woven forever together in gorgeous bonds of Nyota's "Cherished Moments" diary's gonna be hawt, hawt, melty! Squggles! [face_melting into 10 buckets!]
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LukeSkywalker_2001 Registered: Mar '02	Date Posted: 6/19 2:41pm Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	I liked this story.....:) The friendship between Luke, Leia, and Han is clearly demonstrated in this story -----signature----- The Notes fics are at this address: http://boards.theforce.net/The_Saga/b10476/19820458/?26 Please stop by Have an awesome day! Jesus is who I live for Now unto Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according
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dancing_star Registered: Feb '07	Date Posted: 6/19 5:23pm Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	I meant to comment on this a long time ago when it was written, but I just didn't get around to it. I loved it!! As all your work, it was very, very well done. Just wanted to say, your writing is wonderful and your nom is totally deserved!! -----signature----- God bless America and our troops. "The LORD gives strength to his people. The LORD blesses his people with peace." Ps 29:11 ~~~ "Darkest Hours, Brightest Hope" (fic below) http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/29811085/p1/
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ratna Registered: Mar '07	Date Posted: 6/22 9:36am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	Wow, this is amazingly well written! I'm not usually captured by OT / Luke, Leia, Han fics, but this one is a huge exception. Bravo!! -----signature----- “What we measure affects what we do. If we have the wrong metrics, we will strive for the wrong things.” Joseph E. Stiglitz
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Terek_Deckard Registered: May '06	Date Posted: 6/22 10:46am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	The level of detail and description in this missing scene was amazing. Wonderful work, so wonderfully executed. The actual spoken words would have not filled a paragraph, but the it is the bold descriptions and subtleties that surround them that bring this piece to life. Fantastic! -----signature----- Terek Deckard TD-2187 Sandtrooper, 104th Moisture Farm Patrol Check out "The Sandtrooper's Story" http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=24597606&brd=10476&replies=30
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Knight_Aragorn Registered: Jun '03	Date Posted: 7/4 3:32am Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	This comes embarrassingly late, but author replies ahoy! And many thanks for the nomination, it's highly appreciated. bri_windstar: I love Big Three stuff! Getting that vibe dead on is not as easy as it seems, is it? There's such an unusual dynamic to catch, but that's why we love 'em. Very glad that Han and Luke's relationship worked. That's another one that's not as straightforward as it seems, and especially in this timeframe, because Han's been in the carbonite for that year during which so much has changed for Luke, and they're both dealing with all that internal damage and conflict. Thanks for the comments about the jealousy aspect. I know what you mean about it being frustrating when it's overplayed, because you've got to balance the strength of the friendship in there against everything else. (Which the movies actually manage to do quite well, all things considered). I'm glad it worked here. Poor Leia must have had a miserable time in that year between TESB and ROTJ, what with Han being missing and Luke in paternal-revelation doldrums. Over-windedness is never disgusting, and of course I read every word! Extensive feedback is adored and appreciated. So glad you enjoyed. Gabri: My memory is terrible, but I'll do my best to let you know when I post over this way. (Not that it happens as often as I'd like; the Saga-era bug is hopelessly sporadic). Thanks for the comment re the language. Han has such a distinctive voice, and couching his POV to match his patterns of speech is always an interesting challenge. Very glad the interactions worked. It's kind of boggling to realise how much Han's missed, isn't it? When you work out that the last time he and Luke saw one another was on Hoth, that's a fair jump. No wonder he thought Luke's Jedi thing was a delusion of grandeur, back on Tatooine.... I love the irony of Han being a general while Luke's still a lowly commander. I can see Han being highly bemused by it all. And I couldn't not have Wedge work his way in there. Thanks so very much for the POV praise. I do have a couple of other POV-ish fics in the works, depending, of course, on whether they cooperate. Very much appreciate the lovely feedback. ViariSkywalker: amused Oh, I know that feeling. Hope the paper cooperated. VaderLVR64: Thanks. PonyTricks: They're both dealing with so much at this point, Luke with his Vader angst, Han with carbonite and wondering exactly what's happening with Leia and him and Luke. Thanks so much for reading! epithree: I share your affection for missing scenes! I'm always pleased when canon leaves a gap that can be expanded on. Fic potential is never a bad thing. Very glad you enjoyed the interactions and the story, and thank you for the feedback. Atarumaster88: I have an unfortunate tendency to make Luke a brooder, but maybe I can argue it's the natural evolution of his sizable capacity for whining back in ANH? Thanks for reading, and for the feedback. Valairy_Scot: Thank you. Jade_eyes: The missing scenes subgenre is a favourite of mine, but being off the chain is a new one for me... Thanks for the reply. LukeSkywalker2001: Thank you. dancing_star: Thanks very much! ratna: Very glad you hear you enjoyed! Terek_Deckard: Thanks very much for the feedback! Glad the detail stood out, and that the fic was enjoyable.
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Valairy_Scot Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 9/1 6:57pm Subject: The Hour Before Dawn –- Luke, Han/Leia ROTJ vignette
	I'm notorious for running late...but better late than never. This was a really wonderful look at three characters. Excellent! -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/25405090/p3/?52 Prolific Author thread: list & links there. Muse fueled by coffee. Often AWOL despite frequent sipping. Writes on inspiration, not a schedule. 2007-2008 the quality years
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