Beyond - Legends All That You Cannot Leave Behind (AU, Anakin, Ben, Tahiri?, Post NJO) Updated 11*01*05

Upsydaisy

 

Hey! Where'd everybody go?

 

sorry moff, i was home for the weekend

great post

"don't tell wedge, or iella for that matter, that was a great line"

keep up the great work

 

I'll tell you where we all went!

we went---

[tuneless tune] straight down the beltway, we got off at four corners, took a right at the rugged cross church, and two more stoplights straight to the right, throught the underpass at great stoplight, take a left at the 'donut hole' and another left at the 'salad bowl', pass the pine tree with one branch and bear to the left of the ostrich ranch just went straight and we were fine until we saw the big white sign of 'big john's shirt barn!' [/tuneless tune]

wanna join us?

great post, moff!

 

I'm really liking Ben. You're writing him so well, Moff. I also liked the reference to how Luke calls Ben his son after he's proved his virility, but regards him as Mara's when he's in weasel mode. That's great - and realistic.

Luke continues to come through well. I can imagine him being like this when older.

It sounds like Han is keeping the scoundrel side of Ben alive too.
Very readable and enjoyable post.
I also like the way Ben labels people in terms of their weirdness.

 

Thanks all.

The next post should be up in a day or two.

 

Great post, Moffy.

[face_shocked] [face_shocked]

Only in your dreams, Moff.

 

great couple of posts. I like Ben. But it looks like he has the Skywalker complaining gene. What happened to Anakin with the Vong that's so terrible?


Sorry I haven't UPed your fic lately. I've been out seeing X2 which was cool.

keep up the good work.

 

Next...

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Anakin stalked away from the house. How could they? he raged. How could they want me to look for this guy?
He planted himself on a boulder, wrapping his arms around his knees. ?Yuuzhan Vong,? he spat. They caused all of this if the first place?invading, taking by force what we would have shared?Chewbacca. The death of his father?s best friend left a hole in Anakin, a hurt that had never quite left him. It was all forgiven long ago but those few months after the death had caused an emotional rift between Anakin and his father, a rift that had not been completely closed before?before my death.
Or so everyone thought.
Anakin snorted. Not quite dead though, not by a long shot. Long months he had spent in Yuuzhan Vong captivity, analyzed, tested, and shaped. At times he wished he was dead but he kept going. Thoughts of his family sustained him. His family and?Tahiri.
Tahiri.
Whenever she came to mind he was filled with a calming serenity that felt so good. Tahiri as she was?wild blonde hair, motor mouth, bare feet?Anakin smiled wistfully. And then?
?Umm, Anakin??
Anakin snapped out of his thoughts. He looked up to see the uncertain face of his young cousin, Ben Skywalker, looking at him apprehensively. He sized the lad up for a moment before responding.
?What would you like?? Anakin asked in a flat tone.
?I-I don?t know. My dad thought I should?? an awkward silence followed as Ben tried to think of something to say. Anything.
?Uh, so you don?t like the Vong, huh?? Ben winced inwardly. That was stupid.
Surprisingly, Anakin chuckled. ?No, no I don?t.? He sat up, letting his legs dangle before casting his gaze on his cousin once again, one eye closed against the bright sunlight. ?You shouldn?t be so thrilled either. They tried to kidnap you, you know.?
?I know,? Ben nodded before reconsidering. ?I mean, that?s what I?ve been told.?
Anakin watched Ben, observing the lad as he milled around, all nervous energy and gangly limbs, but a possessed strength?the family strength. The boy?s gray eyes insinuated a degree of wisdom but that seemed to desert him every time he opened his mouth. Whether it was another family trait or youthful ignorance, Anakin was not sure.
?I was the first, you know,? Anakin commented.
?First what?? Ben asked.
?In the family. The first to see you.? Beautiful I had said, Anakin thought, in the Force. ?You were such a gift. Exactly what we needed at the time.?
Ben reddened and looked down.
Anakin continued, ?Especially considering all that happened afterwards.?
Ben returned his gaze to his elder companion. ?It was rough, wasn?t it??
?Yes?it was.? The older Jedi?s response was soft, distant.
Ben turned his attention to the horizon. ?I?m glad I don?t remember much from those early years. There doesn?t seem to be a lot worth remembering from that time.?
Everything and nothing, Anakin thought.
?I know you were the first,? Ben said after a long silence. ?In some hazy way. I always remember a flash?a strong presence?it didn?t occur to me until you mentioned it that it is the same feeling I had when I first sensed you when we arrived.?
Anakin looked at his cousin, his features softening, but offered no comment. I feel some kind of bond, but is it enough?
Ben suddenly felt relaxed in his cousin?s presence, almost like he could talk about anything. ?I?m not?,? Ben paused. ?I?m not sure about this Jedi stuff. I have questions.?
?Such as??
Ben shrugged. ?About the nature of the Force and stuff like that. What it means. Whether the Force should be used at all.?
Anakin sensed Ben?s frustration at not being able to precisely articulate his concerns, but the Jedi had sensed this mood several years before.
?You sound like my brother once did,? Anakin said.
Ben kept his eyes on the ground. ?I wouldn?t know about that. It just confuses me some times.?
?I see,? Anakin replied. ?Well, Jacen turned out alright even if his route getting there was roundabout.?
Ben l

 

Perfect way to keep us hanging with Anakin's interrupted thought about Tahiri, Moffy!

So now we have a little better idea of what happened to Anakin.
Poor Anakin. The rifts left by Chewie's death and Han's distance are still an open wound for him.

Once again, you do well in characterizing an adolescent Ben.

I like Anakin's thought of there being "Everything and nothing" worth remembering about the time surrounding the war with the YV. It summarizes a whole battery of emotions in a few words.

It's neat how you have Anakin and Ben linked from the time Ben was born. I never really thought about that--that Anakin could feel Mara's childbirth pain and that as a result he might have more of a connection to her son.

Hmmm...Ben reminds Anakin of Jacen, huh? Doesn't bode well for Ben.

Great job starting the relationship between Ben and Anakin, Moffy.

 

Ben seems to be a rather nomal kid, with the force of course - and ANakin.....of all the things - this situation is the one I fear most....keep it coming
REb

 

I loved this bit: The boy?s gray eyes insinuated a degree of wisdom but that seemed to desert him every time he opened his mouth. Whether it was another family trait or youthful ignorance, Anakin was not sure. That is definitely Anakin's sardonic humour coming through.

I'm so glad you are using Anakin's early connection with Ben, as I've always felt that was important. I'm still hoping the writers might use it in some way in the next few books - hope shines eternal as they say! But this is great - the early connection being reawoken, and Ben feeling the same force presence.

I found this quite emotional actually - Anakin obviously terribly affected by something (good suspense BTW) but at the same time able to have a wider perspective on things and able to laugh at himself to an extent. One of the advantages that comes with age

 

I really enjoyed Anakin's observations of Ben. He does seem to be a lot like Jacen was at that age. Maybe not as weary as his uncle though, Jacen would never be caught in a compromising position, as much as Tenel-Ka might like the idea.

Good reference to Rebirth. I never thought of Jedi forming bonds with others that early but that scene in the book did suggest it. Great idea throwing that in.

As usual, you did a good job of capturing Anakin's thought process. I'm looking forward to reading more.

 

Reb, Tahi, Lonewolf--thanks, it's nice you're picking up on exactly what I was/am trying to do.

Jade--

 

This is some great stuff!

 

great work moff


you just had to keep us hanging even longer over what happened to Tahiri

keep up the great work

 

Yes, yes I did Force.
Thanks for the compliment Hooded One.

 

How'd this get back so far? [face_shocked]

UP!

I can't wait to see what happens next, Moffy!

 

I second Jade-Walker's UP.

 

Loved the last 2 post. sorry about not being here my comupter broke down and yeah.

 

On with the show
---------------------------------

?What?s this guy?s name again?? Anakin asked. He had returned to his home, Ben in tow. Both Mara and Luke could sense a difference in each of them, a difference that seemed to be for the better.
?Baatjes Savalax,? Mara answered.
?Quite the name,? Anakin commented. He looked pensive, as if trying to figure out a way to tiptoe through this situation. ?I?? he began before stopping and shifting his gaze to the wall, choosing his words carefully. ?I?m not comfortable being involved with anything Vong related.?
Mara nodded in understanding, her features softening before she spoke, ?Of course, Anakin. We realize that, but the task presented you is not really Vong related.?
Luke looked from his wife to his nephew. ?It?s true. We want you to find the man, not to search for what he wants.?
Anakin?s features formed into a dubious stare, but Luke continued. ?So, looking for Savalax himself isn?t quite Vong related.?
Anakin crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. ?You?re not going to add ?from a certain point of view,? are you?? Luke had related Obi-Wan Kenobi?s bending of the truth about Darth Vader numerous times to Anakin and his siblings when they were children.
Luke chuckled nervously and glanced away. ?Well, no??
Ben covered his mouth, stifling laughter. Apparently he too had been privy to Luke?s ?Obi-Wan? example plenty of times.
Mara rose from her seat and crossed the room. ?Oh, Anakin,? she said taking his hand and squeezing gently, ?we wouldn?t ask you to do anything you weren?t capable of.?
Anakin smiled briefly, indecision evident as he considered what to do. He finally looked Mara in the eyes, raising her hand and returning the squeeze. ?Ok, Aunt Mara,? he said quietly. ?I?ll do it.?
Luke had risen from his chair and had moved behind his son, placing his hands on the boy?s shoulders. ?And you?ll keep an eye on this one??
Anakin glanced over at his uncle and cousin. Despite the age difference it suddenly struck him how much they looked like each other. As he observed before, Ben was not quite as boyish as his father but there was no doubt he was a Skywalker. ?Yeah,? Anakin nodded. ?I have a soft spot for strays.?
Mara laughed lightly, as did her husband. Once again, Ben failed to see the humour in the comment.
************************
A short time later Mara and Luke departed. They had gathered Ben?s things and took them into Anakin?s house and had then exchanged goodbyes. Mara?s eyes threatened to water but she held herself together; Luke looked the proud father but Anakin could sense the empty feeling gnawing at his uncle. He hugged his aunt and uncle and wished them well before letting Ben say his farewells. The boy took a little longer, grasping his parents as his real feelings for them came to the surface. He finally let them go and turned toward Anakin, wiping his face as he approached. The eyes were a little red but Anakin decided not to comment, giving Ben some time to collect himself.
As they walked back to the house, Anakin finally spoke up. ?I envy that you know.?
?What?? asked Ben.
?The closeness you have with your parents.?
Ben glanced at his cousin, confused.
?Don?t get me wrong,? Anakin continued, ?my parents did the best they could, and I love them, but?? Anakin searched his memory for a few moments, ?they were away a lot of the time when we were growing up. You don?t get that back.?
Ben smiled half-heartedly. ?Yeah, I guess so. I?ve never thought about it.?
?You?re lucky Ben. Cherish the time you?ve had with them.?
The rest of the evening was quiet. Anakin shared a number of tales from his youth with Ben, and Ben proved to be an eager and curious audience. They finally turned in, Ben retiring to the room Anakin had set aside for him. Ben remained awake, the strange feeling of staying in a new room for the first time keeping him from sleeping, but he had finally drifted off. Shortly after that he was startled from his slumber. A scream, sharp, panicked, fearful, pierced the darkness. It was from Anakin:
?Tahiri!?

 

Anakin crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. ?You?re not going to add ?from a certain point of view,? are you??

I like how you've focused on Anakin's sarcastic humor. The EU writers seemed to have abandoned that after Conquest. Pity too, it made his character so much cooler.

I can't wait to see how Anakin goes about finding Savalax. He and Ben seem to be getting along pretty well, and if Ben has any of his mother in him they're going to make a great team.

I liked the comparison between Luke and Mara to Han and Leia. Anakin's parents were a little more preocupied with saving the galaxy when he was younger.

?Tahiri!?

You can't just leave us with a cliffie like that! You have to tell us what happens next! More soon!

 

As Lonewolf said, you can't leave us with a cliffie.

BTW, I hope you keep this up, and whenever you can check out Manticoran honor, its fine.

 

What they said!!!!!!

 

BTW, I hope you keep this up, and whenever you can check out Manticoran honor, its fine.
I took a peek at your three listed fics Star-Lead but it looked like you had given up on them so I didn't respond. What's the deal?


You can't just leave us with a cliffie like that!
Sure I can.

Always leave 'em wanting more.