Beyond - Legends A Life Not His Own [COMPLETE] -- Sequel Spoilers - 02/02

We're going to have to wait another week to find out what happens to Anakin and Nelani?

Does your evilness know no bounds Kidan?

But not as evil as the Vong using refugees in hopes of getting through the shields to take the planet.

Little do they know,though, that Danni is on the case. This is probably the only time I've ever liked her, as she was part of the Wild Knights.

And what did ever happen to Izal Waz? I have to go find out.

Great update.

 

Lola
We're going to have to wait another week to find out what happens to Anakin and Nelani?
welll....uhm....next week we go back to Luke and the EV.....*ducks*

Does your evilness know no bounds Kidan?
Did I ever give anyone any indications that it did?

But not as evil as the Vong using refugees in hopes of getting through the shields to take the planet. shame_on_you
unfortunately, that particular tactic is canon....

Little do they know,though, that Danni is on the case. This is probably the only time I've ever liked her, as she was part of the Wild Knights.
aye...Danni's on the case....and Danni can do anything! Except make meaningful relationship choices after spending 3 books drooling over a guy....

And what did ever happen to Izal Waz? I have to go find out.
i'm not certain it ever says....my guess is that he's lying in a gutter somewhere with Jimmy Buffet's lost shaker of salt....

Great update.
Thanks!!!

 

I like the comment about your evilness knowing no bounds. But let's face it--in drama, the more evil the act, the more dramatic the resolution. It's good, solid writing and a true pleasure to read. Keep those evil acts a comin'!

 

I want to know what has happened to Anakin....ahhhhh lol I can't wait to read more!

 

Darth_Marrs
I like the comment about your evilness knowing no bounds. But let's face it--in drama, the more evil the act, the more dramatic the resolution. It's good, solid writing and a true pleasure to read. Keep those evil acts a comin'!
Glad you're enjoying it!!! And have no fear, I have plenty of evil acts a comin'




Alishu06
I want to know what has happened to Anakin....ahhhhh lol I can't wait to read more!
fear not...it's just a little less than 24 hours before the next post is up....and we'll get to see what happened then....

 

Chapter Twenty One

Luke stands on the bridge of the Errant Venture, Booster and Kam are there beside him staring at the screen in front of them. It is a holomessage from Coruscant, giving details of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion of the Republic?s capital, and requesting assistance from any ships close enough.

Kam Solusar is there, and Luke can feel the desire to help the capital boil in the Jedi Master. Luke turns to his friend. ?I know you want to be there Kam, but we can?t. Not with the trainees on board.?

Kam nods his head. ?I know Master, but it hurts for us to lose the capital. I don?t know if the Republic can stand it.?

?Does it truly matter??

Kam takes a step back, his eyes widening as if Luke's words were a physical blow. ?Of course it matters Master. How can you say otherwise??

Luke sighs and lowers his head. ?I?m sorry Kam; I just can?t seem to work up the energy. Corran and Tahiri dead, Jacen captured, Anakin Force knows where and?and??

Luke turns away, shutting down his Force presence, pushing away his grief and pain. Kam drops his hand on Luke?s shoulder. ?It?s all right to grieve Luke.?

?I know Kam; I just never really expected that I would have to. I never thought she?d die in childbirth.?

Kam nods his head, giving Luke?s shoulder another gentle squeeze as he turns to look out at the stars. ?I can understand that.?

?But I do guess Corran was right.?

?About??

Luke makes a short sound of almost amusement. ?Back before I sent him on the mission to Belkadan, I was standing in the grove where we placed the plinths to commemorate the dead. Corran was there and told me that we wouldn?t be putting one for Mara there.?

?Luke, I think you should watch this.?

Luke and Kam turn back towards Booster, and the new message. It is a news broadcast from the Corellian System.

?To recap our top story, it has been reported that the Centerpoint Station has once more activated itself. The cause of this reactivation is currently a mystery, as Centerpoint has remained inoperable since the New Republic Debacle last year.? The picture changes, displaying a blocky Corellian freighter, as it heads towards Centerpoint. ?Our sources in Corellian Defense supplied us with these images of an VT-888 light freighter named the Tachyon Flier, which was reportedly seen entering Centerpoint?s hanger.?

The image changes again to display Coruscant. ?Also, we have been receiving reports that the Yuuzhan Vong have finally moved against Coruscant. If the Capital-?

With a wave of his hand, Luke has turned off the transmission. His face is stony and guarded as he looks between Kam and Booster. ?We need to go to Centerpoint.?

?What? Why? Besides, if going into Coruscant is too dangerous with the trainees onboard, how much more so is going to Corellia, where there?s a weapon that can destroy us with barely any effort??

?Because, there?s a reason why Centerpoint has been inoperable since Anakin last visited it, and why it was inoperable between Anakin?s visits.?

Understanding causes Booster?s face to twist into a frown and a scowl. ?Anakin controls Centerpoint??

Luke nods his head. ?Anakin is the only one who is able to operate Centerpoint, which is why NRI had him go out there. Which means, if it has suddenly become operable again??

Kam breaks in. ?That means we know where Anakin is at right now.?

?Exactly.?

Booster turns towards the crew pit. ?Helm, flank speed to Centerpoint in the Corellian System.?

With a subtle shudder, the giant starship flashes into hyperspace, the stars replaced with the swirling blues. Luke can feel his features hardening, as they drive themselves closer to Centerpoint. He looks between Kam and Booster.

?When we arrive, I?ll take the Jade Shadow in, so that the Venture can pull up and get back into hyperspace, wait for me in the Sacorran System. If I?m not there a day after you, move on. I?ll either find you later or I?ll be dead. Kam, I need you and Tionne to take care of Ben and the students for me.?

?Master, let me

 

My, my, my. Anakin has many strong points, but subtlety was never one of them.

I don't think it's coincidence that a ship called the Jumping Shark showed up in an SbS-timeframe story, either...

All kidding aside, nice chapter. I especially liked the parts aboard the Errant Venture.

 

Por Kyp! I want to give him a hug

 

Poor Luke doesn't even have time to grieve, he's off trying to save a lost member of his flock. I hope he can get to Anakin and make him see what he's doing, not that he doesn't know what he's doing, he's just ignoring everything he'd ever learned about the dark side.

Glad to hear that Nelani is still alive, because Anakin said "Leave us alone" but knowing you, by the time Luke gets there she'll be dead, sending Anakin further over the edge.

Oh, and my poor Kyp. That flash of yellow is not a good sign.

Great update by the way.

 

DarthSanctimonious
My, my, my. Anakin has many strong points, but subtlety was never one of them.
As Mara so kindly pointed out in BP...

I don't think it's coincidence that a ship called the Jumping Shark showed up in an SbS-timeframe story, either...
heh...probably not....

All kidding aside, nice chapter. I especially liked the parts aboard the Errant Venture.
Thanks!! Glad you enjoyed it!




Alishu06
Por Kyp! I want to give him a hug
I'm sure he could use one...




Lola64
Poor Luke doesn't even have time to grieve, he's off trying to save a lost member of his flock. I hope he can get to Anakin and make him see what he's doing, not that he doesn't know what he's doing, he's just ignoring everything he'd ever learned about the dark side.
but isn't that the way of things...and we'll get to see soon if Anakin's going to be got through to....

Glad to hear that Nelani is still alive, because Anakin said "Leave us alone" but knowing you, by the time Luke gets there she'll be dead, sending Anakin further over the edge.
one never knows....

Oh, and my poor Kyp. That flash of yellow is not a good sign.
but yellow is his color...

Great update by the way.
thanks!!

 

Chapter Twenty Two

Anakin carries Nelani from the Tachyon Flier into Centerpoint itself. He cradles her body against him, her feverish skin, hot and sticky against his bare chest. He reaches out with the Force, finding the viruses once more multiplying in her body, and pushes against them, suppressing them with the Force, and where he is able, killing them.

A low growl comes from his throat as he stalks through the station, trying to remember where he needs to go. He comes to a passage way, and her body hitches, as she groans in pain.

Anakin closes his eyes, and roughly blows out his breath. He looks left and right, and sees the same featureless doors for as far as the eye can see, and not a single sign. Another growl, and this time he is surprised that it came from him. Which way?

A gentle prompting and he turns right, rushing down the hallway. Then he sees the sign, the simple icon which has become universally recognized as a medic station.

He enters and a grin twists his lips. There before him is a fully functional bacta tank. He sets Nelani on one of the medical beds, and activates the bacta tank. The he sets about, stripping Nelani, and getting her into the short medical clothes designed for the tanks. He runs a hand down her cheek, wincing at the gaunt, stretched skin which is heat blasted from fever.

He feels a tear trickle down his cheek. He sees the tear as it splashes against her nose.

?Don?t you dare die on me.?

He waits a second, hoping, praying for a reply. When it doesn?t come, he kisses her forehead gently, and then lifts her up, carrying her up the ramp to the second level. He opens the bacta tank, and places the face mask on her, and gently slides her into it, not bothering to put on the rest of the medical monitoring devices. He leaves the top open, and walks down to the front of the tank, and presses his hand against it, even as he feels more tears slipping down his cheeks.

His comunit chirps, and a gravely voice comes from it. ?Lord Vader??

He activates the unit. ?Yes, Ghrikma??

?We have arrived.?

?Good, deploy on level twenty-three, section fifty-five. Then meet me on level forty, section 102.?

?We obey Lord Vader.?

The com dies, and Anakin presses his hand on the tank once again.

Then he walks from the room, heading towards the control center. He arrives at the control center. As soon as he steps into the room screens spring to life, showing him things. He closes his eyes, and walks to a station by instinct. This is the oddest of the gifts he has been given, the one which astounds, and frightens those around him the most. That instinctive understanding of not just machinery, but how things are put together. How they work, how they can be improved.

His sister is a mechanic, she is able to devise, and repair. Restoration is her clarion calling. And she is good at it. His brother is the empath. He feels, and understands, not just people and other sentients, but nonsentient animals as well.

But himself, he is the creator. He knows all there is to know about something, just by focusing upon it. While he may not understand what it is he knows, while he may not comprehend it in its entirety. He knows.

He opens his eyes, and reaches out towards the console, as an interface flows up out of the blank surface in front of him. He grips the handle and grins, feeling the station coming alive around him once more. He knows that his actions will have alerted the populace of Corellia to his presence, but he does not care.

He focuses, and understands. Forty-five totha and he can fire Centerpoint. While he does not know exactly how long a totha is, that does not matter, for Centerpoint wil tell him. He drops into a meditation, waiting for some reply from the station, occasionally touching Nelani through the Force, seeing if she is getting better. His despair grows at every touch, as she seems to be slipping further and further away, slipping deeper and deeper into the healing trance.

A chime sounds in his soul, and he opens his eyes. He glances

 

Whoa

Great Job Kidan

 

I missed then last one, so I got two in a row, and all I can say is "Wow!" Great job!

 

His sister is a mechanic, she is able to devise, and repair. Restoration is her clarion calling. And she is good at it. His brother is the empath. He feels, and understands, not just people and other sentients, but nonsentient animals as well.

But himself, he is the creator. He knows all there is to know about something, just by focusing upon it. While he may not understand what it is he knows, while he may not comprehend it in its entirety. He knows.

Perfect description of the three Solo children.

He brings his saber further up, preparing for a killing blow. His uncle stares up at him impassively, accepting. ?I had to bring you home.?

Then there is a scuffle from behind him. He hears a voice, one that almost sounds like an angel.

?Anakin, this isn?t the way.?

Yay! She's not dead. Yet.

I'm awfully glad she was able to stop Anakin from killing his uncle.

Ooooh and she told him she loved him and there's the kiss.

I should be wary of this wonderful moment, knowing your reputation, but I'm going to stop right there and savor it. I'll finish the last bit later.

 

ah duels and love how great
but when i was reading that deul i was thinking of the Ani/Obi Deul of episode III

 

G__Anakin
Whoa


Great Job Kidan
Thanks!!




Darth_Marrs
I missed then last one, so I got two in a row, and all I can say is "Wow!" Great job!
Thanks!!!




Lola64
Perfect description of the three Solo children.
thanks! I thought so as well...

Yay! She's not dead. Yet.
nope...not yet...

I'm awfully glad she was able to stop Anakin from killing his uncle.
*nods* so was Luke...

Ooooh and she told him she loved him and there's the kiss.
yup!

I should be wary of this wonderful moment, knowing your reputation, but I'm going to stop right there and savor it. I'll finish the last bit later.
Fear not....there's only a single post left for this story...which is really designed to set things up for the next story....





darth_dragon666
ah duels and love how great
hey! It's Star Wars! It's what it's all about!

but when i was reading that deul i was thinking of the Ani/Obi Deul of episode III
I can understand...there's a lot of similarities between the two duels...

 

wow that was wow...Glad that Nelani came to the rescue, poor Anakin though, I know he has to be vewry confused...great job!

 

Go Anakin! Go Kidan!

One's quest for revenge could incidentally save trillions; the other's moralistic attitude will permit them all to die feeling righteous and superior.

I'm taking exactly the wrong lesson away from this story, aren't I?

 

Alishu06
wow that was wow...Glad that Nelani came to the rescue, poor Anakin though, I know he has to be vewry confused...great job!
Thanks!! And yeah, he's probably a bit confused...





DarthSanctimonious
Go Anakin! Go Kidan!
Thanks!

One's quest for revenge could incidentally save trillions; the other's moralistic attitude will permit them all to die feeling righteous and superior.
well that is certainly one way of looking at it...

I'm taking exactly the wrong lesson away from this story, aren't I?
I would have to say no. I don't think there is a wrong lesson in a story...there's just the lesson that you learned. IT doesn't have to be the same lesson as everyone else is apparently getting to not be right...

gah...how post-modernist of me...

 

Chapter Twenty Three

?What are you??

Jacen opens his eyes, to find himself staring once more into the black pools which server as Vergere?s eyes.

?I am a Jedi.?

A flash of beak and fur. A twist of crest feathers. ?No, we have been over this. You are not a Jedi. You must be alive to be a Jedi.?

Jacen drops his head, not wanting to look at her any more. ?But I have the Force!?

A cawing sound assaults his ears. ?Ah, but the Force does not a Jedi make.?

A feathery finger touches his chin, and he allows his chin to be lifted up, her beak is opened wide, her approximation of a human smile. ?And if the Force is keeping you from realizing that, then let us see what we can do about that.?

Confused, he reaches out with the Force, touching her and finding a wellspring of it within her. Deep, powerful, controlled. Trained.

His eyes widen, and his mouth drops for a moment. ?You. You?re a Jedi.?

Her head shakes. ?You will find no Jedi here, young Solo.?

Her hand touches his head for a second, and a blinding flash of pain rips through him, a silent explosion of pain which drowns out even the White. He gasps aloud, a sharp intake of breath as the room closes in around him.

He has been raised with the Force his entire life. It has always been there for him, a comforting, calming breath of life and laughter, washing through him at all times.

With that flash of pain, that explosion of self, it is gone.

The river of life has dried up.

The world is now all grey, leeched of the colors that he has always seen.

The world is silent now; the sounds he has always heard have been stilled.

It lacks substance and depth. The nothingness within his head and heart scream at him, echoing the fact that he no longer has the Force. He reaches for his twin sister through their bond, slamming his self against that spot where she has always been.

And he is met with silence, with lack, and with an overwhelming emptiness. Even his bond with Jaina has become a void.

He is alone.

He is dead.

His lungs scream for air, and he finally remembers to breathe again.

?Why? What did you do??

Her head cocks to the side. The crest of feathers on her head raises, shifting, catching the light, reflecting the yellow of surprise. ?The Force is life,? she spreads her hands wide, takes up a questioning stance, ?and what does life have to do with the dead??

Jacen sobs, his entire body shaking. ?But I?m not dead.?

?I have told this to you already, you are dead. Just because you are still moving does not change that. The galaxy thinks you are dead, your family and friends cry over your memory; they mourn you and believe you have become dust. Your mother and sister weep, your father rages, and your brother? Your brother rushes to his own doom. They are as lost to you, as you are to them. Gone are the bright fields of day.?

Jacen looks up at her, the tear tracks shining slightly on his face.

Her hands flap away in front of her. ?Your life has been terminated. A line of division has been drawn between you and everything you have ever known.?

?What am I supposed to do??

?Choose and act.?

?What??

?Choose and act.?

He shakes his head slightly. ?I don?t-?

?You must choose and act. Will you stay here, and live out your entire life in pain, or will you choose to learn the True Way? Choose and act.?

?I trusted you.?

?Yes you did. Why??

The simplicity of the question astounds him, draws him back, and his mouth opens in surprise. Why indeed? Could it be because he was raised on Coruscant, among the multitude of species and beings? Could it be an instinctive aspect of his Jedi training, of the empathy which allows him to handle the deadly animals in his menagerie without fear of danger?

He looks at her, his thoughts collapsing and sluggish in the void which exists in his mind.

?But, you healed Aunt Mara.?

?Did I? And what significance did you attach to that?

His body shudders, and tears drip from his eyes, shattering on the floor beside Vergere.

?But?? Jacen?s breath

 

And it is finished.

After 58,124 words, 6,303 Lines, 2,149 Paragraphs and 126 double-spaced, 10 pt font pages, it is done. For those of you keeping score, that's 264,887 characters (or 320,994 counting white space). I began work on this story Thursday, June 29, 2006 at 11:18 in the evening, and made the final modification on Monday, January 22, 2007 at 10:20 in the morning. There were 197 revisions, for a total editing time of 11,335 minutes (which is just under 189 hours or just under 79 full days).

I would like to thank PRINCESSCAMBRIA, Jedi-Roxy, Alishu06, THE_PIED_PIPER, Jade_Pilot, G__Anakin, rebel_cheese, Draconarius, AniriRevan, frankieskywalker, emeraldshadow, Imperial-Hippy, pregnantpadme, ShadowcatX-men, Thrawn McEwok, Darth_Marrs, Killik_Twilight, DarthSanctimonious, goddess_sticks, Lola64, darth_dragon666,
DARTH_MU and also thank any lovable but silent lurkers or others that I have forgotten.


Again, thanks for reading and I truly hope it was as fun for you as it was for me.

 

Great conclusion! Do I smell an impending sequel?

She looks between the nearest droid and the being in the bacta tank. As the green fluid flows out, the body within thumps to the side, her blonde hair lying damp and limp around her scarred face. The twist of the scars, a crinkling of the flesh around the eyes. Amusement gives way to madness in her eyes. ?I will have an apprentice, if I have to assemble one from scratch.?

Eh heh heh he he he ha ha HA HA BUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I mean, uh, how horrible. Yeah.

I also notice that Han and Leia both regained their composure a lot quicker than they did when Anakin died in Star by Star.

Entirely understandable, of course.

On a less pedantic note, I have to say that my favorite part of this chapter was Traest's one simple line, "Coruscant, I'm sorry". I'm not sure what exactly it was about it, but those three words really seemed the perfect expression for the desperation of the galaxy, especially coming as they do right on the heels of Jacen's "death" (err, that was a line original to you, right? I'm going to feel like an ass if it turns out it was already in Star by Star...). Putting Leia's speech as the closing words was perfect.

Now, am I allowed to imagine that Anakin subsequently pulverized every Vong ship in the galaxy and let Luke lie on the floor and bleed to death?

 

Great Job Kidan!

Congradulations on finishing yet another story

 

Great ending!

 

shes got TAhiri
now i can see a future scene that is like Aliens