main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends A Second Chance (SJRS EP7 Challenge) Updated: 11/15/14 - COMPLETE!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Jedi_Lover, May 24, 2014.

Tags:
  1. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    This challenge was to write the opening scroll for EP7 the way I would want it to read and then write the opening scene. I can't write in film script form, so I wrote the story the way I normally would. Just consider it the novelization of the movie. :p
    Since the powers-that-be don't want to follow the EU because they would have to explain the origin of Mara Jade and her death and everything...I decided to make Luke the celibate monk they probably will have him portrayed in the film. But I have to put a little twist to his story.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
    It has been thirty-four years since the Battle of Yavin. After the destruction of the second Death Star the Rebel cause gained momentum. Without the threat of a planet busting space station hanging over their head thousands of worlds balked at Imperial control and rose up to break their chains of oppression. Millions of Imperial troops defected and returned to their planets, the remnants of the Empire quickly capitulated and joined the new democratic government christened The New Republic.
    Luke Skywalker established his Jedi Academy on Coruscant and rebuilt the Jedi Temple. In the last three decades he has trained thousands of new Jedi Knights. His sister, the former Princess Leia of Alderaan, married Rebel Alliance General Han Solo and had twin children, Jacen and Jaina Solo. As the Grand Master of the New Jedi Order, Luke Skywalker embraced the no attachment tenets of the Jedi Knights of old, deciding to concentrate on nurturing young Jedi Knights instead of a family.
    The people of the galaxy have flourished under the peaceful rule of the New Republic, but in recent months Luke Skywalker has felt a tremor in the Force. He can feel a menacing darkness approaching. Fearing the return of the Sith, Grand Master Skywalker dispatched hundreds of Jedi to search and locate the source of this darkside disturbance. Jedi archivists scoured ancient tomes and digital records looking for planets that might be home to a population of Sith. Through the Force, Master Skywalker was drawn to one particular ancient Sith stronghold—the planet Drakos.



    Opening Scene

    With a glowrod in one hand and his deactivated lightsaber in the other, Jedi Knight Jacen Solo slowly moved through the debris of the abandoned Imperial laboratory. The beam of his light swung over the intact ceiling and walls and then to the shattered glassware and medical equipment littering the floor. He turned to his uncle following close behind. “It doesn’t look like explosives were used. This destruction was done by hand.”

    Grand Master Luke Skywalker gave his nephew a nod of agreement. “Somebody wanted to make this lab nonfunctional.”

    "But why?" Jacen squeezed the hilt of his saber nervously. The overbearing presence of the darkside was suffocating. “This place feels the same as Korriban and Ziost.”

    A haunted look filled Luke’s light blue eyes, but he gave Jacen a reassuring smile. “Yes, but there was no living danger on those two planets, just the lingering manifestation of the darkside. Horrific evil can cause a wound in the Force.”

    Jacen turned back to the task at hand moving cautiously through the wreckage. “Mom always told me time heals all wounds.”

    Luke shook his head. “Not if it’s a festering wound. This place was home to great evil.”

    A loud crash sounded behind them causing both Jedi to spin around activating their lightsabers. In the green and purple glow of their weapons they could see the young platoon leader of the New Republic troops assisting in the search pick himself off the floor and brush dust and glass shards off his uniform and chest armor. “Sorry, I tripped,” the officer muttered as his cheeks darkened with embarrassment. “Do you want a squad to accompany you?”

    Luke shook his head as he and Jacen deactivated their weapons. “No Lieutenant. I think we have this under control. Just stand by.”

    Luke turned away from the newly commissioned officer and grinned at his nephew. Jacen rolled his eyes and resumed searching the building. His mother, Leia Organa Solo, had insisted that a platoon of soldiers accompany the Grand Master on these search missions. Leia didn’t say so out loud, but Jacen knew she thought her brother was too important and possibly too old to put himself into highly dangerous situations. According to her, ‘hunting Sith is a young Jedi’s game.’

    Jacen glanced over to his uncle and suppressed a chuckle. His mother had nothing to worry about. At the age of fifty-three, Luke Skywalker was at his prime. He maintained a strenuous physical regimen and his Force abilities had increased with age. Only the graying of his temples and laugh lines around the Grand Master’s eyes and mouth gave evidence of the advancing years. There was not a Jedi alive who could best the Grand Master.

    As Jacen neared a large heavy security door at the end of the room his eyes were drawn to a red light over the keypad. He motioned his glowrod towards the lock. “This has power.”

    There was the sound of glass ground underfoot as Luke moved to inspect the locking system. “The lock looks about forty or fifty years old. It'll probably be faster to use a slicer than trying to cut through the metal.” He turned and pointed his hand torch toward the officer at the end of the room. “Lieutenant Akans, send in your slicer.”

    “Yes sir.” The soldier pulled out a comlink and spoke a few words before putting it away. A few minutes later a middle-aged sergeant entered the room, the light of his glowrod swung across the chamber until it lit upon Luke and Jacen. He quickly made his way over to the Jedi and started pulling electronic equipment out of his side satchel.

    As the slicer went to work, Jacen ran the beam of his light over the door and surrounding walls looking for warning signs. He didn’t want to walk into a biohazard or radiation secure room. The one thing the Imperials were good at was plastering hazard signs over doors and halls…covering up thermal exhaust ports or installing guardrails was where they had difficulties.

    After a few minutes the light above the lock turned green and the hiss of the door seal separating was heard. The sergeant gathered his equipment and stood back allowing the two Jedi to lead the way.

    Jacen pulled the heavy door open and walked into the unlit room. A soft hum of equipment could be heard indicating this area was hooked up to a separate power supply than the rest of the darkened building.

    He located and pressed a light switch on the side wall. There was a momentary flicker of the overhead glow panels, before the room plunged back into darkness. “The power is on, but the panels are burnt out.”

    Jacen walked further into the shadowy room a tight beam illuminating the way. Along a far wall was a line of transparisteel cylinders covered with a thick layer of dust. He went up to one, rubbed the grime off and peered inside. He startled slightly when he saw dead eyes staring back at him. He turned to Luke,“It’s a cadaver.”

    Jacen moved aside allowing his uncle to gaze at the decaying body floating in a murky liquid. “It looks like a cloning cylinder.” Luke rubbed more dust off the tube so he could see the complete body. The features were indiscernible, but it was obviously a human male.

    “Who do you think it is?” Jacen asked as he analyzed the corpse from the tuff of red hair on his head to his decaying toes.

    “I don’t know.” Luke went to the next cylinder and brushed off years of dust. Inside was a twin of the first unfortunate fellow. “They’re clones, but I don’t recognize the person. He is too deteriorated.” Luke gazed at the dead man intensely, reaching out with the Force, before his brow rose in surprise. “Palpatine.”

    Jacen gazed at the two corpses. “Did Palpatine have red hair?”

    Luke nodded. “I read that he did in his youth. By the time I was born his hair was gray.” He ran a hand through his short-cropped blond hair as he gazed at his old nemesis. “It isn’t the hair or the face that tells me his identity. It’s the feeling in the Force. The last time I felt this type of darkside presence was when I faced Palpatine on the Death Star.” He moved to the next cylinder inspecting the controls. “We have to make sure they’re all dead.” The two Jedi went to each remaining cylinder confirming the clones were deceased. Luke stepped back and rubbed a finger over the stubble of his chin as he scrutinized the cloning apparatuses. “There is power to this room, but all of these cylinders were turned off, leaving the clones to die.”

    “Then what’s that humming coming from?” Jacen flashed his light in the direction of the sound. Over in a far corner stood another cylinder. It wasn’t made of transparisteel like the others, but of a metallic substance with one small window about shoulder high. Jacen went over and wiped his palm over the small port to peer inside. He quickly stepped back and turned to his uncle. “It’s a woman. And this isn’t a cloning tube. It appears to be a stasis cylinder…a functioning stasis cylinder.”

    Luke pushed his nephew out of the way and gazed at the women. She looked perfectly preserved with long flowing hair framing a porcelain smooth face with full red lips. He couldn’t make out much of her body through the small viewport, but he could see the delicate curve of her neck until it disappeared into a green tunic. He stepped back and studied the controls of the stasis unit. “Call for the medic. We should have somebody here when we open it. If she’s been in stasis for years there may be side effects.”

    Jacen nodded and pulled out his comlink ordering the platoon medic to come to their location. After a few minutes a young Corporal ran into the room with a medical bag in hand. “What do we have sir?”

    “A human female. She's in a stasis field and may be alive.” Luke regarded the younger man. “Have you dealt with people coming out of stasis?”

    The medic nodded. “Yes sir, but only short term stasis durations. The after affects are not as bad as carbonite, but if she was ill or dying when she was put into stasis, there may not be much I can do.”

    “Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Luke pushed the button to deactivate the stasis field and unlock the door. There was a muffled clunk as the door swung open. Luke lunged forward and grabbed the woman as she collapsed from the cylinder. He gently held her in his arms admiring her beauty before laying her on the ground allowing the medic to examine his patient.

    The man ran a scanner over her body before he injected her with some type of chemical. He looked up to Luke to explain. “I gave her a stimulant. We want to get everything moving again as fast as possible.” He ran a medical scanner over her once more. “I detect a faint heartbeat.”

    Jacen knelt across from the medic and stared intently at the young woman's chest waiting for it to rise. “She’s not breathing.” Before the medic could move Jacen leaned down and started rescue breathing. After a couple puffs the woman started gasping for breath. Her eyes opened and gazed at Jacen, his face only centimeters from hers. Her brow furrowed before she forcefully shoved him away.

    Luke had to suppress his laughter. Although he had chosen a path of Jedi non-attachment, he gave his students the option. Jacen was one Knight that enjoyed attaching himself to any young female that came his way. Luke was sure his nephew's heroic gesture to save this attractive female's life was merely an excuse to put his lips on hers.

    The young woman slowly rose to a sitting position and brought a hand up to block the glare of the glowrods blinding her. “Who are you!” she demanded, her voice dry and strained.

    “I’m Jedi Knight Jacen Solo,” he stated proudly while giving her his best beguiling smile. “We took you out of stasis.”

    She squinted at him and then to the others in the room. “Jedi Knight? What year is it?”

    Luke came forward and put his glowrod on the floor so it wouldn’t blind her. “It is thirty-four years after the battle of Yavin.”

    A perplexed expression crossed her face. “Battle of Yavin…you mean the destruction of the first Death Star?”

    Luke nodded. “Yes. What year did you go into stasis?”

    “Shortly after the destruction of the second Death Star.”

    Luke glanced at Jacen. “That would be four…almost five years after the Battle of Yavin.” He turned back to the woman. “You’ve been in stasis for thirty years.”

    “Is the Emperor still dead?” She glanced around the room with a look of dread.

    “Still dead?" Luke said confused. "He died on the second Death Star.”

    The woman let out an impatient sigh. “Yes, but is he still dead? Did he show up in some clone body years later.” She gestured to the dead bodies floating in the cloning cylinders.

    Luke gave a slight shrug of his shoulders. “If he did, he hasn’t shown his face in three decades.”

    "Good, good." She let out a relieved breath before dropping her head despondently. "But thirty years might not be long enough."

    Luke cocked his head to the side and gave her a perplexed smile. “Long enough for what?”

    She shook her head sadly before bringing her eyes up to meet his. “To be forgotten.”

    “I’m not sure what you mean, but we should get you to our ship and checked out thoroughly in the infirmary.” He grasped her hand helping her to her feet. “I’m Luke Skywalker…and you are?”

    The woman’s eyes went wide in recognition, but she quickly recovered. She gazed at Luke’s hand gently clutching hers. “I’m pleased to meet you Luke.” She shook his hand with a slight smile. “I’m Mara… Mara Jade.”
     
  2. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    OHHHHH! Man! This has some major potential! Great job! I'd love to see an older Luke with a younger Mara :p
     
    Jedi_Lover likes this.
  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Super duper JL! Yes, this has to continue. =D= :D
     
    Jedi_Lover likes this.
  4. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    What?:eek: Screw you, guys. I am going home.
     
  5. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    What? You don't like it Cartman?
     
  6. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    It's...weird. Young Mara and matured Luke. I can even call him old. Ha! Maybe he could be preserved in a form of computer, just like Callista. :p I got it right? This Mara is Mara as Emperor's hand with last command stuck in her head?
     
    Jedi_Lover likes this.
  7. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    I don't think the last command is in her head still Demendora - someone knocked off all those Palpy clones and Mara either put herself or consented to be put in stasis. [face_thinking]
     
    Jedi_Lover likes this.
  8. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Jacen kissed Mara? [face_laugh]
     
    Jedi_Lover likes this.
  9. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    maybe this is the reason why Luke never married. There was no one to poke him with blaster. :D And of course to knock common sense into his head. :(
     
    Jedi_Lover likes this.
  10. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    This is supposed to be a story that is not constrained by the EU, so no last command. I decided Han and Leia probably would have married and had kids. I didn't add Anakin Solo because I was always told Lucas didn't like the character having the name Anakin...therefore I thought he might put pressure on Disney not to have the Solos have a third child in the movies (I am hoping they still have the twins). Since this is a SJRS challenge story I needed to have Mara in it some how...and this is how I thought she could be inserted into the story. She knows of Skywalker, but Luke never heard of her.

    Demendora This is not like Callista. Mara is not a bodysnatcher. Stasis fields slow time to almost nothing. It is like Carbonite. She is in her very own young nubile body. ;)
    Yeah, I thought that would be funny. Jacen would physically be about the same age as Mara. How could he resist? :p

    Luke is fifty-three in this story. I think a Standard Year in a GFFA is 10 of our months. So on Earth he would be 45 years old...which isn't that old. He's in his prime. :D

    I am not sure if I will continue this. Ginchy is trying to bribe me by offering a free ginchy-shine if I do. [face_laugh]
     
    Revanfan1, Gemma and Nyota's Heart like this.
  11. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    Come on! I want ginchy-shine with young Mara and mature Luke! =P~ It would be awesome!!
     
    Jedi_Lover and Nyota's Heart like this.
  12. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    Mature men can be hotter than younger man, as long as they don't slack off.

    This looks like an interesting plot, JL, and i am wondering how far you'd take it.
     
  13. Jade_Pilot

    Jade_Pilot Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2005
    AAAAAAAAAAAH! I love it!
     
    Jedi_Lover likes this.
  14. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    Yes, we need more of this story and soon. I want moar!! I really like this idea. Luke never fell to the dark side and he has passed on the legacy of the Jedi... now it's time for him to take care of himself (or let Mara do it for him). [face_mischief] But seriously, I think this could be a really great story, and you're just the one to write it, gal. you always come up with the best plot twists.
     
  15. taramidala

    taramidala Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 1999
    I'm intrigued. I'm not sure I can do 50-something Luke with 20-something Mara, but I'm intrigued. [face_laugh]
     
  16. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    I like the idea of mature Luke with a younger Mara. If you decide to contine please tag me.

    ginchy If you do a Shine - please let us know where to look for it.
     
    Demendora likes this.
  17. aleja2

    aleja2 Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 4, 2005
    LOL!

    Very interesting start! I would certainly read more. Also, if Palpatine had red hair, does this mean.... [face_hypnotized]
     
  18. Demendora

    Demendora Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 9, 2010
    By the way. Here's my favourite picture of matured Luke. [​IMG]
     
  19. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Ohh, interesting twist!
     
  20. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    True, true, I exclusively make out with a mature retired military man. Well, maybe not mature as much as old.

    Thanks! This is almost as good as time traveling Luke in Alter of Waru.

    It means nothing other than I read the novel Darth Plagueis where Palpatine was described as having red hair. I am not sure if that is still canon or not.

    Thanks! Will do!

    Well...I can do it for you...you just have to read it. lol!

    Thank you!

    I like the idea also. I have been writing some more, but I need to come up with a plot. I am still having problems with that.

    Thanks everybody for reading and taking the time to comment!
     
    Gemma likes this.
  21. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Okay, I am going to try to continue this because I want to read a Ginchy-Shine. [face_laugh] Keep in mind, I have no plot yet. I hope I will come up with one soon.

    ~~~~~~~

    CHAPTER 2

    Jedi Temple ~ Coruscant

    Jacen stepped out of the conference room frustrated. His job was to interview Mara Jade and try to discover the details of her life. Despite his best efforts she remained aloof and often hostile toward him. He ran his hand through his thick dark hair and sighed. He had no idea why she was being so difficult. Usually he could just flash his classic Solo lopsided smirk and women swooned…at least for a while. He was good at first impressions, but then things invariably went downhill…of course he could only blame himself for that.

    His usual ploys weren't working probably because a woman like Mara Jade wasn’t easily swayed by another pretty face. He had to admit, she was beautiful with fine features, beautiful flowing red hair, piercing green eyes, big breasts and soft-as-sin curves. No matter how hard he tried to focus on his mission she had a way of distracting him. He wasn’t sure, but he thought she was doing it on purpose. Often his words would trail off and he would find himself silently watching the movement of her full red lips as she told him to ‘kriff off’.

    He crossed the hall and softly tapped on his uncle’s office door before entering. The Grand Master was sitting at his desk reading a datapad as Jacen entered. Luke looked up at his nephew and smiled.

    “Any luck with our young ward?”

    “No,” Jacen said with a touch of irritation. “Maybe you will have better luck with the Ice Queen.”

    Luke chuckled at his nephew’s discomfort. “You struck out again I see.” Luke put his palms on his desk and rose from his seat. “Perhaps if you spent less time trying to flirt with the woman and more time trying to get answers you wouldn’t be so frustrated.”

    Jacen blushed and stared at the floor. “I can’t help it. She is beautiful.” He looked up at his uncle and grinned. “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed.”

    Luke walked out from behind his desk. “I’m not a eunuch. Of course I noticed. If she were my age and if I didn’t follow the tenets of no-attachment, I might be the one flirting with her instead of you.”

    Jacen gave a nod and then a tentative smile. “I’ve never understood why any sane person would purposely make a vow of chastity.”

    “It’s not exactly a vow of chastity.” Luke interlocked his hands behind his back and rocked onto his heels. “Non-attachment doesn’t simply mean no-sex.”

    Jacen raised an eyebrow. “So you are having sex without attachment. Like one night stands?”

    A look of horror crossed Luke’s face. “No, that’s not what I meant. No attachment means I don’t get emotionally attached to people. To be a Jedi Master I have to put the Order above all else in my life.”

    Jacen gave a disbelieving snort. “You’re attached to more people than you care to admit. You threw caution to the wind and left your Master on Dagobah because you were attached to my parents and wanted to save them.”

    Luke brought a hand up and pointed at Jacen. “Exactly. I was attached to my friends and I made a decision that might have been fatal to the Rebellion. I could have died and Palpatine would have won.”

    “And if you didn’t go, my parents would be dead and Jaina and I would never exist. Attachment is what holds people together. It inspires self-sacrifice. The men and women who fought in the Rebellion weren’t mercenaries. They fought for their loved ones. They fought for their family, their planets and the return of their freedom. You can’t do that if you are totally detached from humanity.” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I’m not here to argue your decision. I just wanted to tell you that the woman across the hall is the most stubborn, rude and infuriating person I have ever met.”

    Luke smiled as he stepped forward and gave Jacen a good-natured pat on the back. “Don’t worry, I’ll talk to her. I don’t want her to shatter your ego further.”

    Jacen feigned annoyance. “Not fair uncle.”

    Luke’s bright blue eyes closed with a wink. “I’ll handle our guest. I’ll let her abuse me for a while.”

    The younger Jedi scoffed. “Good luck.” As he exited Luke’s office he turned and smirked. “You’ll need it.”

    ~~~

    Luke entered the small conference room where Mara Jade sat at a table looking annoyed and bored. She was wearing a green formfitting one-piece jumpsuit that Luke found flattering. He could understand his nephew’s interest and frustration.

    “Jacen told me you don’t want to talk to him.” He sat down across the table from her and gave his best disarming smile.

    She rolled her eyes. “He gives me the creeps.”

    His lips twitched in amusement. “That’s surprising. Most women fall under Jacen’s charms.”

    She scoffed. “I’m sure some women like it when construction workers leer at them and make crude sexual comments.” She gave an impertinent grin. “I do admit… Jacen’s eyes are a beautiful shade of rapey.”

    Luke shook his head. “Rapey?”

    Her green eyes went to the ceiling in frustration and then back to Luke. “You know…when a guy is creepy and stalk-ish.” She let out a sigh. “Sorry, I know he’s your nephew.”

    Luke was at a loss for words. He never heard his nephew described in that way. “I assure you, he’s a very upstanding young man. He’s just…I think he is trying a little too hard to become your friend.”

    “My friend,” she laughed skeptically. “Yeah.”

    Luke shifted in his seat uncomfortably. He now understood why Jacen found her difficult. “Maybe you will feel more comfortable talking to me. You have given me your name, but we haven’t found anything in the official records. I’d like to find out why you were in Palpatine’s laboratory and what happened there.”

    She glared at him, her eyes dark with pain. “If I told you that I might sign my own death warrant. I worked for the Empire. I’ll tell you that much. Your side won the war. I don’t want to sit in a New Republic prison for anything I might have done in service to the Empire.”

    Luke sat back in his seat. “Did you kill the Palpatine clones? You could tell me that much. We’d probably give you a medal for doing so.”

    Her brow creased in concentration. “I did kill them.” She looked away and Luke thought he saw tears glistening in her eyes.

    “If you worked for the Empire…why kill the Emperor’s clones?”

    Her head snapped back to Luke, her eyes blazing murderously. “Because that lying sack of scat lied to me! If I sensed his death I was supposed to go to Drakos and wait for him. I waited for months and got bored. I sliced into his computer records and discovered his journal…and with it I found the truth. The truth about everything! All the time I served the Emperor I thought I was on the side of right. I was working to make the Empire a better place by rooting out crooked politicians, spies, conspirators and a whole host of enemies of the state. I was told they were the antagonists. Worst of all, I realized I wasn’t a poor orphan that Palpatine rescued off the street…he killed my parents just to get me.”

    Luke was a bit overwhelmed by this sudden confession, but he needed clarification on something. “You said, ‘if you sensed his death’…are you a Force adept?”

    Her eyes dropped. “I used to be. I got my power from the Emperor. Without him I’m nothing.”

    The Grand Master shook his head. “The Force doesn’t work that way. A Force-user can draw strength from another Jedi, but a non-Force-user can’t do that. For Palpatine to give you strength in the Force you must have Force abilities.” He leaned forward with his hands folded on the table. “That was another falsehood he told you.”

    She smacked her fist down on the tabletop. “It’s a good thing he’s dead…or I’d kill him.”

    Luke smiled. “Mara, the New Republic released you to my care. I don’t think they are interested in your past or prosecuting you for any Imperial indiscretions. We pardoned most of the Imperial military and civilian workforce after the war. Few were sought as war criminals. You don’t have to worry.” When she didn’t reply Luke reached out and put his hand over hers. “Mara, trust me.”

    She quickly pulled her hand away looking agitated by the close contact. “I don’t know if what I’ve done would get me in trouble, but I worried enough about it before I went into stasis. I destroyed Palpatine’s secret laboratory and his clones. Now I was the enemy of the Empire and the Rebellion. I had a choice. I could run, hide, change my name and appearance and hope I could blend in on some rimworld planet. Or I could put myself in stasis and let the centuries go by. I thought if somebody found me a century or a millennium later nobody would care what I did in the past.” She took a deep breath and blew it out. “I worked for the Empire. Do I need to tell you more than that?”

    Luke shook his head. “We can keep that subject closed for now if you’d like. The digital records in the laboratory were corrupted…probably because somebody tossed the computer across the room and then shot it with a blaster.” He chuckled. “You have quite a temper.”

    She tried to restrain a smile as she nodded her head. “So I’ve been told.”

    “I’d like to discuss what you found in the records if you remember anything.”

    She stared at him deep in thought before she nodded in agreement. “I can remember most of what I read…maybe not details like names, numbers and addresses, but I can tell you the general gist of things.” She drummed her fingers nervously on her knee. “You were in the records. I can tell you that much. You and your father.”

    Luke sat up in his chair. He and his sister had told the galaxy that their father was Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, but they hid the fact that he had become Darth Vader. What does she know?

    “My father…you mean Anakin Skywalker?”

    She gave him a smug grin. “Yes, Anakin Skywalker…but I knew him as Darth Vader.”
     
  22. Gemma

    Gemma Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 25, 2013
    WOW, please keep it going. I loved it when Jacen called Mara the Ice Queen. And Luke's conversation with her was spot on. I'm glad she felt comfortable enough with Luke to tell him what she did. Can't wait for more.
     
  23. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    =D= Very good and snarky - Enjoyed the philosophical discussion too. You actually have Jacen talking sense ;) I think Luke is right. Mara has nothing to worry about, or there is no reason to give all the gory details of her 'employment activities' :p
     
  24. JadeLotus

    JadeLotus Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2005
    Yay, you're continuing! Love the conversation between Luke and Jacen about attachment (and JAden is actually right about something for a change!). There's already sparks between Luke and Mara, and I love that she discovered the truth about Palpatine for herself.
     
  25. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    I like where this is going! :D :D
     
    Nyota's Heart likes this.