Beyond "3 a.m." (Luke, Mara, SJRS August Challenge)

Title: 3 a.m.
Fandom: Star Wars
Rating: PG
Characters: Luke, Mara, Rogues
Timeframe: Before Dark Empire
Summary: Luke Skywalker. Mara Jade. Coruscant holding cell. 3 a.m.
A/N: I actually wrote this fic some months ago, but it was not posted and I have revised it for the Challenge.


Late Nights - SJRS August 2011 Challenge

For this challenge, you must write a fic about Luke and Mara having a late night, the reason and timeframe is up to you.

You must include a Star Wars-ified verson of one of these phases (if you can include all five, I will bow down before your greatness):

- "You have lost your marbles"
-"If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck"
-"Speak softly and carry a big stick"
-"The opera isn't over till the fat lady sings"
-""To the ends of the earth"



It was the last place Luke Skywalker expected to find Mara Jade at 3 a.m; the Inner-Coruscant Police Station holding cell, colloquially referred to by locals as the ?drunk tank?.

She was seated against the grimy duracrete wall , one leg crossed over the other and her arms folded. One man, his arm thrown over his eyes, was passed out on the bench beside her, and another was crouched in the corner, his off-key singing interrupted every few moments by stattaco hiccups. Mara studiously kept her eyes forward, and ignored both of them.

Luke approached the bars of the cell, unable to keep the amused smile off his face.

?In all the cells in all the prisons in all the worlds,? he drawled.

Her eyes flickered over him, and she gave a resigned sigh.

?Just when I thought the night couldn?t get any worse,? she muttered. ?What are you doing here, Skywalker??

He wasn?t cowed by her unwelcoming expression. ?I could ask you the same question.?

Mara didn?t answer and simply glared at him. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow.

?Boss!? cried the man from the corner. He stumbled to his feet and into the light. It was Hobbie.

?You?re my hero, Luke,? he slurred and tumbled against the bars, grinning broadly. Luke could smell the strong aroma of Corellian whiskey on his breath.

?Yes, well,? Luke smiled. ?I received a very amusing comm call from the good officer out there, explaining that Wedge had intended to place his one call to me, but had been...detained.? Luke craned his neck to get a better look at the other man on the bench, but it wasn?t the Rogue leader.

?Oi, Janson.? Hobbie stumbled over to the bench and shook Wes awake. ?Luke?s here to save us!?

Wes woke up noisily, flailing his arms and kicking his legs out. One foot almost caught Mara in the face, but she grabbed his ankle and unceremoniously pushed him off the bench. Luke winced as he went crashing to the floor, but Hobbie only laughed. Mara didn?t respond and simply returned to staring straight ahead.

Wes groaned as he got to his feet. ?That was uncalled for, Jade,? he grumbled. Then he looked towards Luke and squinted at him. ?Is this a Jedi Master I see before me?? He stumbled forward with a goofy grin. ?Or is it some former Rogue who has been missing out on all the fun??

?Ah, but what if I had joined in on all this fun?? Luke responded. ?Who would?ve come to bail us all out??

?Good point,? Wes nodded. ?But it would have been worth it. Just like old times.?

?Sometimes I have trouble remembering old times,? Luke told him.

Wes grinned. ?That?s how you know that they were good!?

Mara rolled her eyes. ?I have trouble imagining you having a ?good time? in your life, Skywalker.?

Luke shrugged. ?You might be surprised.?

?Oh really?? She arched a brow. ?Rollicking nights back on the farm??

Luke didn?t really care for her sarcasm at that moment. He?d been having in his opinion a well-deserved night?s sleep when he had received the call from the station.

?Where?s Wedge?? he asked Wes and not Hobbie, who was prodding Luke?s shoulder through the bars as if to check/>/>

You must include a Star Wars-ified verson of one of these phases (if you can include all five, I will bow down before your greatness):

- "You have lost your marbles"
-"If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck"
-"Speak softly and carry a big stick"
-"The opera isn't over till the fat lady sings"
-""To the ends of the earth"

I caught the last two. Now I'm hoping I didn't miss one.

She was seated against the grimy duracrete wall , one leg crossed over the other and her arms folded. One man, his arm thrown over his eyes, was passed out on the bench beside her, and another was crouched in the corner, his off-key singing interrupted every few moments by stattaco hiccups. Mara studiously kept her eyes forward, and ignored both of them.

I had to laught about the singing drunk. Lovely place to spend the night, isn't it?

?Just when I thought the night couldn?t get any worse,? she muttered. ?What are you doing here, Skywalker??

That is so Mara! Before they were married, at least.

He wasn?t cowed by her unwelcoming expression. ?I could ask you the same question.?

I'm curious, too!

?Boss!? cried the man from the corner. He stumbled to his feet and into the light. It was Hobbie.

OMG! The singing man was Hobbie? I so didn't see that coming!

?Yes, well,? Luke smiled. ?I received a very amusing comm call from the good officer out there, explaining that Wedge had intended to place his one call to me, but had been...detained.? Luke craned his neck to get a better look at the other man on the bench, but it wasn?t the Rogue leader.

Oh no, Wedge, too?

?Oi, Janson.? Hobbie stumbled over to the bench and shook Wes awake. ?Luke?s here to save us!?

Oh man, all the Rogues in one place. xD Their faith in Luke is sooooo cute.

Wes groaned as he got to his feet. ?That was uncalled for, Jade,? he grumbled. Then he looked towards Luke and squinted at him. ?Is this a Jedi Master I see before me??

If it looks like a Jedi Master, uses the Force like a Jedi Master, and lectures like a Jedi Master, then it probably is a Jedi Master. Couldn't resist.

?Sometimes I have trouble remembering old times,? Luke told him.

Wes grinned. ?That?s how you know that they were good!?

That doesn't make any sense!

?Where?s Wedge?? he asked Wes and not Hobbie, who was prodding Luke?s shoulder through the bars as if to check he wasn?t merely a drunken illusion.

The Rogues are hilarious!

Wes snickered. ?He?s paying homage to the durasteel god.?



?Brawl?? Luke shot a surprised glance at Hobbie and Wes, still in the cell. ?What did you do??

Hobbie laughed. ?Win.?

Wah, you crack me up! That is so epic!

?I?m sorry, miss,? he said in a polite but firm tone. ?I was under the impression Master Skywalker was collecting these three men. Are you also friend of Master Skywalker?s??

Mara?s jaw visibly clenched, and she didn?t answer.

That is a difficult question for her.

Mara glared at him and then turned to the Lieutenant. ?I?m not drunk like they are,? she told him and indeed, she sounded completely sober. ?I don?t pose any threat.?

?That is not what your blood alcohol level indicates,? the Lieutenant argued. ?Nor what the witnesses have said of your behaviour. Now are you are a companion of Master Skywalker or not, Miss??

Leave it to Mara to seem sober even when she's completely drunk.

Of course, for any ordinary person it would have been of no consequence admitting that they were friends with Luke, even if it was a lie. But Mara Jade was in no way ordinary.

Perfect description of her!

?He asked you a question,? Luke said calmly. ?I couldn?t answer for you.? He paused. ?Was it so hard to say??

Aww, poor Luke.

?As you are alw

I looooooooove it!!! Love, love, love this missing moment. I love how Mara always assumes that she completely knows Luke, but she doesn't, not really. And the Rogues are always a fun bunch. You write these characters so well, lady, I can't stand it. I have to give a squeeeeeee.

I can tell you who else will be squeeeeing--Jade Pilot. This is her favorite kind of fic!!!

Love it, lady!!

Those Rogues! *shakes head.*

Luke and Mara are perfect for each other.

Oh, this was really good. I love Luke and Mara arguments, and the time period is excellent. I'd love to see another one of these conversations set AFTER Dark Empire.

Mara thinks she knows him so well, but she really doesn't, and then she gets mad when he thinks he knows her. Oh, you crazy kids. You'll have a lot of chatting to do over the next 9 or so years.

Mara stuck with the drunk Rogues in the slammer! I love it!

It's true, Luke had no 'normal' friends... all figher pilots, scoundrals, etc... he isn't quite as saintly as everyone would think he is... LOL

Drunk Rogues are hilarious , except for who is stuck in the same cell with them - poor Mara.

Mara Jade in the drunk tank with three drunk Rogues, oh boy!

I loved the talk between Luke and Mara.

Wonderful response.

I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this so much! Great banter! Great characterization!

Just Billiant!

That was so awesome!!!!! I love love love love it! =D The talk was awesome, and very well done. I think sometimes he can come across *too* preachy...yes, he was definitely preachy, but you didn't overdo it at all...I could see him saying that, idealism and all! And Mara was spot on and amazing! The ending was lovely....I'm feeling that a sequel is needed here. Like...4 a.m....at the hangar

Yay!!!!

Irish

Oh wow!!! Amazing viggie; rich in details, fun and insight in the characters. All of it wrapped in a light, easy form that was pure pleasure to read!

Just loved what you did with Luke and Mara here - both of them distinctively themselves and singeld out, their interaction spot in nontheless!

Some favs(I canøt quote the entire viggie, can I? ):
Sometimes I have trouble remembering old times,? Luke told him.

Wes grinned. ?That?s how you know that they were good



I have trouble imagining you having a ?good time? in your life, Skywalker
Yeah, she would, wouldn't she? Loved Luke's calm response!


?Brawl?? Luke shot a surprised glance at Hobbie and Wes, still in the cell. ?What did you do??

Hobbie laughed. ?Win



It?s what I would have done.?

?Yes, because when faced with a decision I always ask myself what would Luke Skywalker do??


Perhaps I should have it printed on a wristband.?

?WWLSD, I like it,? Luke smiled. ?I could have one made for you, if it would help.?

Mara gave him a very small, amused smile.
Hah! He got her! And I want one of those wristbands too!


?I even threw my lightsaber away.?

Mara looked perturbed. ?I wouldn?t be so proud about that if I were you.?
Two wordlds that collide, indeed!



I realised, then, that it was about faith.? He remembered that had been his first lesson with Obi-Wan ? to trust himself, and his instincts. ?It?s about trusting yourself, knowing that no matter what, you won?t give into the darkness inside you. And having the same faith in others.?
Wow!!!!



He supposed the other part of being a Jedi was knowing when you should quit.
LOVE mature Luke!!! Awesome!!!

Great story!

Great response! Love the banter between Luke and Mara. And the suggestion about the wristband was awesome