Beyond - Legends Vi's Drabble Thread (featuring Skywalkers, Solos, OCs and more) Week 4 up 5/26/07

Title: Vi's Drabble Thread
Author(s): ViariSkywalker
Timeframe: Beyond the Saga (with frequent dabbling in the Saga era)
Characters: Skywalkers, Solos, OCs and more
Genre: Various, some AU
Notes: This is a response to the Ultimate Drabble Challenge, hosted by Zonoma. I'm late, but I wanted to give it a shot!


Disclaimer: No money was made in the writing of these drabbles.


Enjoy!

 

Week 1


***

1. beginnings


Ben stares down at the baby’s hands, touching them timidly, as if afraid of hurting something so delicate.

Afraid of passing on the sins of his family.

Jaina is far braver than me, he thinks, watching his cousin close her eyes and sink into the pillows. The Sword of the Jedi, mother of twins.

He is only seventeen, but he can feel the urgency inside his cousin. She is dying. Not today, not tomorrow… not the way that other people die. But she knows it will be soon. They all know.

Two infants in the beginning of life, already motherless.


***

2. middles


Ben has seen too much to be shocked by anything, but today Dolan drew first blood, and Ben cannot speak.

Davin is on his knees, dazed, wiping the dirt and blood from his mouth. Looking so much like his mother. His brown eyes flash with hurt, but he is too proud to cry.

Ben’s heart constricts at the look on Dolan’s face. Standing over his brother, fists clenched, tears in his eyes.

Jag’s eyes, full of Skywalker fury.

Ben remembers holding Davin and Dolan as babies. Brothers shouldn’t fight each other, even as teenagers.

He has seen enough of war.


***

3. ends


She is lying there motionless, a broken body without life. Ben knows she was not a good person, but did Jacen really have to kill her like that?

It makes him sick, because his father always told him he must use his powers to help the weak. Looking at her now, Ben sees an older woman, maybe his mother’s age, and in no position to defend herself. Was she a mother, too?

Stop. He had his reasons.

But Jacen’s not even sorry, that’s the thing.

I’m too young to understand.

He can’t stop picturing the dead woman in his head.


***

4. first


I might have made a mistake, he thinks as his young cousin climbs behind the wheel of the speeder.

“What do you do first, before turning it on?” Ben asks, praying that the boy has listened to something.

Dolan’s eyes widen as he stares at the controls. “Umm…”

“Safety harness.”

“Right.”

The boy possesses none of his parents’ love of piloting, but the Force is strong in him. Ben hopes that is enough.

He’ll be a fine Jedi, the older man assures himself, not sure if he completely believes it. It doesn’t matter today. After all, it’s just a speeder.


***

5. last


He kneels on the floor, fists clenched tightly, eyes hot with tears. Hatred is of the dark side; he knows this, but all he can think of is blasterfire ripping through bodies and silent screams in the Force. Hands pushing him forward, away from the carnage, as if he’s unable to defend himself.

As if he’s too important to lose.

His father standing between him and the Force-damned Sith, making the only sacrifice that will ever matter. Giving the others time to reach them. But it’s too late.

This, Ben promises himself, is the last time anyone dies protecting me.


***

 

Heart-breaking drabbles. Poor Ben, he lacks hope, although like his father, he still tries to find the good in everyone and everything. My favorite is ends. You've really captured the conflict he's feeling right now in the LotF books.

Great job!

 

Mathom - Thanks! I was hoping to explore the difference between young and older Ben. There are so many possibilities with him because in the profic he's so young. I really enjoyed writing these!

 

Week 2


***

6. hours


“We only have a few more hours.”

Jaina remembers him saying that as he took her hand and drew closer. The memory fills her with warmth as she imagines the touch of his lips on hers, the brush of his fingers against her skin. She loves Jag still, even more now as she holds their children in her arms.

It can’t last, and she knows that. There is still one more thing she must do. The Sword of the Jedi, Uncle Luke called her. For only a few hours longer.

She wonders if Jacen is afraid.

She hopes he is.


***

7. days


It’s only been a few days since she’s been in his arms, a few days since they’ve shared a kiss, but it feels like so much longer than that. He pulls her into a tight embrace.

“I’ve missed you, Jaina,” he whispers. His crisp voice is just a little weak.

“I’ve missed you, too.”

She can feel his fear for her, and it worries her.

“I love you,” Jag chokes out, kissing her neck.

I’m safe… stop being so afraid for me.

As he holds onto her, she wonders if all men fear this strongly for the women they love.


***

8. weeks


Jaina slides the crystal into place and closes the polished silver cylinder.

“You’re getting better at that,” Jacen muses.

“It only took two weeks.”

“Uncle Luke said a Master in a hurry can build a lightsaber in a matter of days.” Jacen smiles and punches her lightly on the shoulder. “So you see? You’re that much closer to mastery.”

“I should be faster.”

“Just turn it on; I want to see it.”

Jaina thumbs the activation switch and watches as a beam of violet light flashes into existence before her eyes.

“Kinda girly, isn’t it?”

Jaina grins. “You’re just jealous.”


***

9. months


“You’re insane!” she shouts, and she knows she shouldn’t have. But he doesn’t get upset. He just sits there, looking at her like she’s an unreasonable child.

“I don’t expect you to understand,” he sighs, pocketing the datapad she refused to take from him.

“Jacen,” she pleads, forcing the anger out of her voice, “don’t do this.”

“I already have.”

“No!” She recoils. He wouldn’t actually do it, would he? After everything their family had been through, he wouldn’t betray them like this.

“I have been for months, Jaina.”

Months. She looks Jacen in the eye.

Her brother… a Sith.


***

10. years


Jaina is sitting on her uncle’s lap, listening to a story she knows by heart but loves anyway. Years and death have not dimmed the power of Anakin Skywalker to command an audience.

Uncle Luke’s words are soft and full of love. He’s always had a gentle voice, and he makes Jaina believe redemption is possible for anyone.

“He died to save me,” her uncle murmurs, his eyes wet. Jaina hugs him around the neck.

“I wish I could have known him,” she says.

Her uncle smiles. “He’s in you, Jaina. Never forget his mistakes or his sacrifices.”

She won’t.


***

 

Oh, both sets are heartbreaking in their own right, Vi!!! Just wonderful - I love them!

If I had to pick a favourite, it would be the Jaina ones - so tragic what is happening to her brother, and the way you captured her emotions about it was brilliant!

Very well done!


Ant.

 

Jedi-Ant - Thank you! Hope it wasn't too upsetting.

If I had to pick a favourite, it would be the Jaina ones - so tragic what is happening to her brother, and the way you captured her emotions about it was brilliant!

--It's so hard to see two people who were once so close being driven apart they way Jaina and Jacen are, and I wanted to capture that. I'm glad you liked them!


Week 3 up soon!

 

I loved both sets! but somehow this one really made me smile... although a little bit sad lately

8. weeks


Jaina slides the crystal into place and closes the polished silver cylinder.

?You?re getting better at that,? Jacen muses.

?It only took two weeks.?

?Uncle Luke said a Master in a hurry can build a lightsaber in a matter of days.? Jacen smiles and punches her lightly on the shoulder. ?So you see? You?re that much closer to mastery.?

?I should be faster.?

?Just turn it on; I want to see it.?

Jaina thumbs the activation switch and watches as a beam of violet light flashes into existence before her eyes.

?Kinda girly, isn?t it??

Jaina grins. ?You?re just jealous.?

cheers,

VeryBusy

 

verybusy - Glad you liked that one! I know I followed it up with something of a downer, but it was nice to revisit a more innocent past.

More coming soon! *crosses fingers*

 

Very lovely! You have some really emotional drabbles there. I like the cold realization of "months" especially.

Good job!

 

divapilot - Muchas gracias!

I like the cold realization of "months" especially.

--That one just felt right to me when I wrote it. Whether or not the revelation goes like that in profic, I imagine that's the way both characters would react: Jaina feeling betrayed and Jacen taking his sister's shock in stride. I'm glad you liked it!


Okay, so DRL is at my door once more, but I'll try to have week 3 and 4 up before the weekend is out. Stay tuned!

 

Week 3


***

11. red


“Blue eyes, Leia,” he whispers breathlessly. “Just like mine.”

For some reason, she always imagined that his eyes burned red behind those onyx lenses. It fit with what she knew of him: more machine than man, preserved by his dark will and his bloodlust, trying to squeeze the life out of the galaxy. He was the incarnation of her childhood nightmares, the demon of her waking hours, the destructor of her people.

Her father.

Luke takes her hands and tries to meet her gaze, anxious to share with her their father’s last moments.

She still has trouble accepting the truth.


***

12. grey


Her father greets the visitor politely, but Leia recognizes the way his spine stiffens as the grey-cloaked figure enters the room.

An Imperial stooge, most likely.

Leia hates those types.

The figure lowers its hood, revealing a thin, middle-aged woman with long, dark hair tied back in a simple knot.

“Your majesty,” she says warmly, curtsying as her eyes flicker to Leia. She nods her head. “Your highness.”

She doesn’t look like an Imperial underling

Her father turns to her and smiles tightly. “Leia, this is your new foreign studies tutor, Professor Marisol.”

“Please,” the tutor says, “call me Sabé.”


***

13. white


She still dreams of Alderaan.

More than thirty years after it was blasted into oblivion, after she’s spent most of her life on other planets, she dreams of it.

She stands on the balcony of her old bedroom, looking over the snow-capped mountains of Aldera. The air is crisp and clean. Pure white buildings gleam and sparkle in the glorious sunset.

Her father calls to her from inside the palace, but Leia leans against the balcony and into the wind.

Sometimes she dreams of her other father. He wears white robes and jumps off the balcony to walk the sky.


***

14. black


She has never worn this type of gown before. Madame Iraina eyes the mirror in scrutiny. Thankfully, Leia’s aunts have been barred from the room.

She wishes it were a different color; she has told Madame this, but the proud dressmaker is stubborn.

Something about the black velvet feels wrong, though. It’s malevolent, seductive, and grim all at once.

The skirt is long, and the sleeves cover her arms; but the neck drops dangerously low. Leia is not sure she can fill that part of the gown.

Mother would be scandalized if she could see me now.

Both mothers, probably.


***

15. blue


“Hello there, my little angel.”

The infant looks up at her and smiles, his eyes sparkling like sapphires caught in the sun’s gaze. Leia reaches down and scoops him into her arms, wishing she never had to let him go.

Anakin coos happily, resting his head against her shoulder. If only these tranquil times could last.

When she pulls away to look into his blue eyes, she is surprised that they look so much like Luke’s, yet so different.

If there is such thing as a second chance at life, perhaps my father has found it in you, little one.


***

 

After accidentally stumbling upon some Sacrifice spoilers today, I realized that my own view of things that will happen in the LOTF probably don't match up with what profic is going to do. (Go figure, huh? ) Which made me think that I should probably mention that many of these drabbles will probably spring from my own AU version of things. Some of them will not, tending to take on a more "missing scene" feel.

Edited the genre in the title post to reflect my dabbling in the AU side of things.

Hope no one gets confused by my pseudo-canon approach! There are AU elements in both Weeks 1 & 2 (and 3, if you're really picky.)

Week 4 up soon!

 

Week 4


***

16. friends


He watches as the World Brain thrashes, its body succumbing to the deadly toxins of the poison dart. Disbelief fills him, and white, blinding rage. He moves to hunt down the attacker, angry as Lumiya stands in his way.

Through their bond, forged during the Yuuzhan Vong war, Jacen can feel the World Brain dying, and he knows there is nothing to be done. This creature is the only being that has been able to understand and accept him since the end of the war.

He wishes this were not so. Now there is no one left to call friend.


***

17. enemies


“Everything I tell you is a lie.”

Jacen hears those words each night in his dreams. Vergere speaks them first, and Lumiya follows, each with the same deceptive tones that at the same time ring with unbelievable truth and reason.

He knows what he did to Nelani was for the good of the galaxy. That’s the calling of a Jedi Knight – to obey the will of the Force. To slay its enemies.

At first he has trouble believing it completely, but after each night, it becomes that much easier.

These lies are the only truth he can afford to trust.


***

18. lovers


She must think he is used to this by now. She must think he has taken a few lovers in his five years journeying the stars.

She is wrong.

At first, it feels like he is using her. He knows that he is. But deep down, in a part of him that has not seen the light of day since Anakin was killed, he has wanted this for a long time.

A connection to life, to another being, something beyond the Force, beyond blood.

He has wanted her without knowing it.

“Lie down, Jacen,” Tenel Ka whispers.

And he does.


***

19. family


He observes Aunt Mara as she tinkers with the remote. Her hands run over the device, and after a moment, she utters a satisfied grunt.

“Now,” she says, eyeing Anakin first before turning her attention to Jacen and Jaina, “this is a rudimentary drill which I’m sure you’ve all mastered—”

“I wanna try,” Anakin interrupts, looking slightly bashful in the presence of their new aunt.

Jacen smirks. He and Jaina are beyond such training devices, but Anakin loves droids.

He has to give Aunt Mara credit, though. No other babysitter has ever lasted this long with the Solo children.


***

20. strangers


Jacen watches as Jaina ignites her lightsaber. He can never make her understand his reasons, why this was the only way. She worships their grandfather’s memory and refuses to believe that Jacen could walk this path any better than Anakin Skywalker did.

And as for their family… she will never understand that either. But he had to make his sacrifice, or the galaxy would burn in eternal conflict.

Jaina thinks she is pure enough to defeat him, but Jacen knows better. There is no dark and light. There is only Jacen and Jaina.

After all this time, they are strangers.


***