Saga A Scoundrel's Wisdom - G - Luke/Lando/Leia - Vignette, Complete

Title: A Scoundrel's Wisdom
Author: WendyNat
Rating: G
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Lando Calrissian, Leia Organa
Timeframe: Post Episode V
Summary: After his rescue from the bottom of Cloud City, Luke Skywalker learns there is more to Lando Calrissian than meets the eye.
Notes: I'm not Lucas, just playing with his toys!

---

"Wait? if he's a scoundrel, why do you trust him?"

"Oh, Luke. I trust him [i]because[/i] he's a scoundrel."

---

Luke lay on the small cot on the Millenium Falcon, almost sobbing in relief when he felt the familiar pull of hyperspeed. Darth Vader's call through the Force had been impossible to escape? impossible to ignore. Now the pounding pain of his severed hand began again, but it was a relief, distracting him from his thoughts, from the memory of that mechanized voice.

[i]Obi-Wan never told you what happened to your father.[/i]

Leia's voice cut through the cloud of pain, another welcome distraction. "Luke, we've got to get you cleaned up." He blinked when he turned his head in her direction and saw a man that he vaguely recognized ? ah, yes, the man that had pulled him from that pole. "Oh, this is Lando Calrissian. He? he helped us." Chewbacca roared, and Luke winced.

"Listen, Chewie, I've explained this already! I did what I had to do, I had no choice-" Lando's voice trailed off, then he shook his head and leaned against the doorframe, wearily gazing at the Wookiee. "Vader doesn't give? options."

Chewbacca growled again, but it was less fierce, this time. Luke saw Leia place a hand on one furry arm. "He's Han's [i]friend[/i], Chewie. He helped us escape, and he's going to help us get Han back." She turned to Lando. "Right?"

"Right. Of course," Lando said, stepping back even as he smiled smoothly. Chewbacca gave a disgruntled rumble, but Leia's words evidently had some effect ? he turned away and headed back to the cockpit.

Luke stared as Lando's hand squeezed the doorframe hard, brown eyes raking over him in disbelief. "So. You're Luke Skywalker, the one that Vader was looking for?"

Luke closed his eyes, nodding once. [i]The one that Vader was looking for.[/i]

The betrayal burned, a pain sharper than the agony from his severed hand.

[i]Ben, why didn't you tell me?[/i]

---

His father's call through the Force was gone, but the memory of their confrontation remained. Only hours ago. He lived it again, stood on that platform in the center of Cloud City again, heard the deep, mechanized voice again?.

[i]No. [b]I[/b] am your father.[/i]

Luke held his injured arm close to his body, his other arm holding his body close to the platform's pole. He looked down as the wind whipped around him, looked down into an endless sky. It could end. It could.

Darth Vader's voice couldn't be escaped, a thread of darkness and temptation winding its way through his mind. "Luke. You can destroy the Emperor. He has foreseen this. It is your destiny. Join me, and we can rule the galaxy as father and son. Come with me. It is the only way."

He looked up, staring at the dark presence in front of him. Staring at his father. It couldn?t be true? it couldn't?. Vader held out his hand.

[i]Come with me. It is the only way.[/i]

Luke let go.

He fell, wisps of cloud brushing past him in his descent, the smell of outside and exhaust and char overwhelming his senses. He concentrated on it, on the smell, anything to keep the pain at bay, anything to distract him from what he'd just learned.

[i]Search your feelings. You know it to be true.[/i]

[i]No![/i]

Agony tore through him, an agony of spirit and not flesh. How? How could it be true? A tube opened, an exhaust tube of some sort, and he slid into it, cool metal guiding his fall. He could fall forever, on this planet, from this city of the clouds. Forever. It wasn't such a bad thought?.

No. He had to know why, he had to know?.

Reaching out with the Force, he slowed his descent as well as he could, casting about, feeling the pulse of the Fo

 

Everything you write is so lyrical and lovely. This was no exception! I loved it!

 

"Friends." Lando nodded. "No greater reason to do anything."

This really does sum it all up.

This is a wonderful vignette and a good expansion on Lando's character, the whole idea that there was more behind the womanizing scoundrel.

Love your writing! Great job!

 

Oh, this was wonderful! I loved this glimpse into Lando's character, as well as Luke's inner struggles after discovering Vader was his father. I thought Luke noticing the sounds of his prosthetic hand and wondering if his father ever experienced the same thing was especially poignant.

Well done, as always!

 

Lando always makes me girly. I love him and you do a fine job capturing his character!
Bravo! A Scoundrel's Wisdom indeed!

 

I like this viggie--very cool. Nice dive into both Lando and Luke.

 

Really excellent vignette! Always love everything you write! Great job capturing the emotions between Luke and Lando. That gambler has to be perceptive for his profession

 

"Sometimes you lose a city?"

"Or a hand."

"But not your friends."

Sentiments to live by.

I like how you portrayed Lando - he finally got written in a nice light!

 

VaderLVR64 ? Thank you so much!

PadwanKayla ? I'm glad you enjoyed it ? and I really liked delving a bit into the womanizing scoundrel and showing a different side. Thanks!

Gina ? Thank you! I always thought that his mechanical hand might have been something that Luke saw as a bit of a connection, especially right after he cuts Vader's hand off in Ep VI. I'm glad you enjoyed it

Oqidaun ? Lando makes me girly, too . I'm glad you enjoyed it, especially since Lando is one of your loves Thanks!

Laine_Snowtrekker ? Thank you!

Layren ? Thank you so much! Absolutely true ? a gambler that can win a city is obviously a perceptive man

Liesl ? I really like Lando, so I do wonder at all the fic bashing he takes . I'm glad you enjoyed it!

 

how very true.

me liked!

 

This was a good story. It definatly filled in some of the blanks that are left between Empire and Jedi.

 

Superb! You managed to take a brief time period that so many others write about and make it fresh and unique and excellent, from an angle hardly anyone else considers. And Lando is still himself while becoming dimensional. I loved it!

 

Calandria ? Thank you ? I'm glad you liked it!!

Lucid_Lady ? I love filling in backstory that can't be shown in canon ? I'm glad you liked it! Thanks

Healer_Leona ? I always saw Lando as having that sort of life view (when he got older ) I'm glad you liked it!!

ThePariah ? Oh, thank you ? I'm flattered in particular by your comments about Lando's characterization in this short viggie! Thank you so much!!