Beyond - Legends At the Brink of the Dawn and the Darkness (Act/Dr/Rom AU, L/M, H/L) Updated 12.10.10 COMPLETE!

ah nearing the ending of your epic saga it was as good as i remember on fanfiction.net what do you plan to
do next?

 

LOL! The adroit azygous of your verbose acuity positively delights!

'Tis merely inspired by the intriguing concatenation displayed within your ingenious trilogy. It's really an impressive example of intertextuality.

*whispers* Can we call this one even right off the bat? Otherwise it'll take us a stupid amount of research time to ever talk to each other.

What, I think that?s petty good Mine's like South Park.

My knowledge of South Park is spotty enough to make that a baffling, interesting, and somewhat disturbing thought

Heh,heh. I couldn?t find ?knitting? in latin, so I had to go with ?wool weaving?!

Impressive, most impressive.

Heh. I like a plant that knows its own mind. I actually had a prickly pear for a while, but it got a bit ambitious, and in the end, it was me or the plant?

Ooh, a prickly pear not only survived but actually thrived in that environment? I would have thought that it would suffer away from the desert. Did it ever bear fruit? Prickly pears are yummy. Me, I love plants but apparently kill them with my very presence. Every time I optimistically buy a house plant, I wind up feeling like a murderer. *sigh*

I remain amazed at how rapidly they?ve managed to alienate what was a hugely loyal readership? But that?s a discussion for another day.

We should have that discussion one of these days. I have my own theories, of course, but I'd be interested to hear yours.

That?s cos they have to do the 300 pages thing. That?s like, a prologue and two chapters to me I could write a whole Del Rey-sized story arc and still be asking for just one more book to wrap it up?

Maybe so, but you'd have happy and dedicated paying readers. I think the publishers would indulge you.

I know, it?s costing me a fortune?

I have no idea what you're talking about. (Psst?I'm going to need a raise, or at least a new thesaurus with the next payment. I'm running out of adjectives here...)

I think that would fall at the ?getting you and your sister at the same table? hurdle? No, actually, we?re fine now. Surprisingly

You give me hope. *eyes own brother suspiciously*

LOL! Yep, you blocked it out Hmmm?now I worry about the upcoming Aata chapter?

I just knew you hadn't made him suffer enough yet, you sadist. You could at least get cracking on that next chapter instead of leaving me hanging while making comments like this.

It'll be interesting the day I show up on your doorstep to kick your butt both for torturing characters and for not doing so fast enough.

Heh,heh I really wrote myself into a corner with the vacuum cell thing When I originally wrote it, I wanted there to be a cell that was unbreakable, even to a Jedi/Sith. I didn?t envisage having to break Luke out of the damn thing one day, from the inside. That was months of background Hmmmm-ing, and several phone calls to my NASA friend to talk vacuum

It's good to have interesting friends.

LOL! I?m telling you, it was the beard! Never trust a man with a beard?

So you're telling me that you're not a competitor in the World Beard and Mustache Championships? I'm crushed, I tell you. My whole mental image of you has crumbled.

Can I do that?!

You, yes. You are most certainly not the Diet Coke of evil.

Nathan leaned in. ?Is Mara okay??

?Yeah, aside from being annoyed?at you that is, not the guys who were shooting at her, for some reason

No matter how genuine their friendship ever becomes, I do think that Nathan will always irritate Mara on some level. And Nathan being Nathan, he will remain completely and cheerfully unaffected by that. I love Nathan.


Trained endlessly in close-quarters combat by Mara, Luke reached a hand out to wrap about the back of Tam?s neck and yank him in, burying his face quickly into the joining of Luke?s shoulder and neck to muffle the cry, the knife in Luke?s hand coming unerringly up to embed just below Ta

 

Darth Cable

He's still alive.........grrr

Heh,heh,heh

She couldn't keep quiet for another 2 minutes could she...

LOL! I'm shocked!





Jade eyes

Beautiful, beautiful -- thank you blank! That revelation and declaration was worth every drop of angst!

Aw, I?m glad you enjoyed it They took a while to get there, but they did it in the end. Now they just need to sort everything else out?





Jedi BMK


-----?Okay, well, you have power, that?s all? Turn the box upside-down. You see the inset slide-switch??
----- ?Yes.?
----- ?That?s power?turn it off and restart it.?
----- ?That?s it,? Leia almost yelled. ?Restart it? That?s the best you have??

Doesn't Leia know the first step in fixing all faulty electronics is to turn it off and turn it back on? I thought she was smart...

LOL! How many times have you waited on a technical helpline for forty minutes, to be told that



-----The man pursed narrow lips as he nodded. ?I know who he is?was. Still is, maybe, underneath it all. Y?know, I joined Madine?s Special Ops because I figured I?d got a pretty good idea of where the galaxy should be heading... Thing is, the more I?ve seen in the last two weeks, the less I think Madine's the one who?ll get it there?and?Force help me, the more I think maybe Skywalker is. That?s why I came to deactivate the slave-chip.? -----

Well at least someone on that ship realized just how much of a mess of things Madine was ready to make. Lucky too. Of course, they're not out to the woods yet...

Yep, absolutely right, there?s still a lot that could go wrong.


-----Madine glanced to the soldiers moving in neat formation down the corridor ahead of him, slowly herding Skywalker toward that aft bay?six men, plus himself. Seven men was enough for a firing squad, right? Yes, this could work perfectly.
----- ?Han, you need to head aft as quickly as you can. Be aware, you have three units in your way?stay on the outer port side corridors and you?ll go round them, then come in on the aft bay from there.?

Looks like the aft bay is about to become rather crowded. Not to mention exciting. I wanna go to the aft bay and watch the fireworks!

Heh ? hope you enjoyed the show!



-----Heel to the line, Luke let out a slow breath?and stepped back.-----

His suicidal mindset actually worked to his advantage. Nicely played.

Hee hee!



----- ?I can hotwire anything, sweetheart?if it?s got wires, I can strip ?em and rip ?em.? -----

Except when a blast door comes down as a result. Hopefully that won't happen this time.

Shh, he doesn?t like to talk about that



-----Her earbud crackled into life with Solo?s whisper. ?Jade? What the hell shot are you takin??can you even see ?em from that angle??
----- ?No, but I can see something better?I can see the ysalamiri.?
----- ?Seriously? You got seven soldiers down there with itchy trigger fingers. You waste your one chance at surprise just to take a shot at that thing and they?re all gonna pull the trigger.?
----- ?It?s a stealth sniper. I?ll set the focus of the beam inside the glass sphere. It?ll take the creatures out, not the frame.?
----- ?Well then, how the hell will Luke know??
-----Mara nodded, steadying herself; this was what she did. It was awhile since she?d been in the field, but she loosed her shoulders as she settled for the shot, forcing her breathing to a regular pace. ?Oh, he?ll know. And you don?t have to worry about the soldiers; Luke will take them. All of them.?

I knew that sniper rifle would play a part. It was just a question of what and this makes perfect sense.

You were waiting, weren?t you! LOL!



----- ?No, not you." Luke crouched with icy calm onto his haunches in front of Madine, arms resting on his knees. "You don?t get the easy death. You get a

 

Kataja

-----His breathing ragged, his path weaving as he used the wall for support every few steps, Luke was aware that he was already losing what little adrenaline had sustained him this far, losing the battle to stay upright, to stay conscious?and all the while he was waiting for the slave chip to trigger.

You really start this chapter with style. It really shouldn?t be possible to get worse, but knowing you, it will?

Who, me?


----- ?Han, did you trigger the alarm??
-----The earbud crackled to life in Leia's ear. ?No, we thought it was you.?
-----Karrde?s voice cut in, typically droll. ?I?m confused?weren?t we supposed to be doing this quietly??

Love the chaos! And they forgot to count Luke into the equation

Never count Luke out!


-----?I?m sorry,? Luke whispered, still holding the dying man?s face to him to muffle his shocked cry as they slipped slowly to the ground together, Tam?s limbs falling loose as a last rattling gasp escaping him. ?I?m so sorry.?-----

This is so heart breaking! And Luke is not more Sith than he actually tries, tries to reach out to Tam. But in vain.

A little bit of Luke?but Palpatine?s wolf still takes over. I was hoping most people would assume that it would be Tam who helped Luke in the end, which was why I made him so sympathetic. When the reader saw that it was Tam in the corridor, I wanted them to think, ?Oh, thank goodness, help for Luke,? so that it was so much more shocking what happened. That way, I got to underline just how much Luke has changed?and how much he?s remained the same, whispering heartfelt apologies after he?s instinctively acted.


Still, Mara should be pleased ? she didn?t get all those bruises for nothing?

Heh,heh ? well remembered!


----- ?What the hell are you doing??
----- ?The bubbles!?

ROTFWML. I love chaotic Mara! And you write her so well!

Heh,heh. If you don?t get it, she ain?t gonna explain it to you more than once!


I?m not entirely new to the whole action thing?I have known Luke for six years now,?

We all know what you mean , Nat!

LOL!


the leap of faith
Oh, you turn quite Kierkegaardish here.

Okay, none of the translators have this word! (I?m assuming it?s Danish?) Help!


Besides that ? this entire scene with slave box and shots and Nathan etc. is such a master piece of confused, action suspence!

Heh,heh. Well you know, they say no battle plan ever survives beyond first contact?


-----?You know the codes, don?t you?the corridor numbers??
-----Kalter lifted his chin but remained silent,

And this is so typical of you ? in the middle of all this blasting action you insert this little detail that makes Kalter convincing as a character; one thing is to help Luke staying alive, quite another to help throw Madine down ? completely believable psychologically.

Ah, glad you liked. Yeah, I figure there had to be some delineation between the two?that even if he thought it was the right thing to do, Kalter would still hesitate. These are his comrades, after all. The people he?s lived and fought beside.


-----He had nothing left to fight for any more, no reason to care?but he?d be damned if he?d die on Madine?s terms.
-----Heel to the line, Luke let out a slow breath?and stepped back.

This is really a mirror to the start scene ? with Luke taking the desicion from Vader. Only, he doesn?t have much luck with killing himself, does he?

Yaay, you get three gold stars for spotting that it came full circle (and you know there?s a lot of circles in that damn prophesy!) Heh ? no, fortunately he?s not very good at killing himself; it would have been a bummer of an ending


-----Far below was a grim standoff; Luke, his hand out in warning to seven soldiers, all armed, all their

 

Just three chapters to go now ? a December finish with enough time to go out and get my Holiday shopping done!



This is both a wonderful Christmas present - the end to a fabulous story - but also very bittersweet, as it's the end to a fabulous story.




I just looked at the blurb for Empire's Son - that picture of Palpatine is CREEPY!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure we'll all be hooked again.

 

JediMara77

Hey, JediMara! I was just about to post the next chapter when i noticed your post

--Just three chapters to go now ? a December finish with enough time to go out and get my Holiday shopping done!--

This is both a wonderful Christmas present - the end to a fabulous story - but also very bittersweet, as it's the end to a fabulous story.

Aw, it's great to know you enjoyed it. And another three chapters yet, as well!



I just looked at the blurb for Empire's Son - that picture of Palpatine is CREEPY!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sure we'll all be hooked again.

Hee, glad you like! As soon as we get Brink over with, Jedi-2B and I will be winging chapters back and forth across the Atlantic. Having said that, I'm presently stuck on chapter ten....

 

just been to your website cant wait for empires son to start how you become so good at crafting such good story telling

 

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE






Mara stayed with Luke as he drifted in and out of consciousness on the trip back to the Falcon, passing shuttles from the Rebel ships Zephyr and Sol, who had arrived to take over the fight.

Nathan had fussed around Luke as they?d laid him on the narrow medi-bunk onboard the Falcon, grumbling at old instruments and faulty scanners and bemoaning the lack of IV fluids, completely in his element.

Han and Leia had set off for the cockpit, he to get them airborne and she to arrange for the medical bay onboard the Sol to be freed up, and as Nathan finally settled down it was the Wookiee, Chewbacca, who surprised Mara by remaining behind for long moments to lean in and gently rub his leathery knuckles down the back of Luke?s cheek, whuffing unknown words to him, though Luke remained unconscious.

By the time they were airborne, Mara had dragged the only moving chair across the hold to sit beside Luke. Every time he woke he would drift for a second then jolt awake, eyes wide, searching for her, and Mara would squeeze his hand, smiling and murmuring reassurances as she watched the strange sight of a smile grace his battered face when he saw her, knowing she was real, drifting again almost instantly.

It was the two glancing heavy-weapons shots to the Falcon?s shields which pulled him back to real consciousness as Mara stood, glancing about? The next second the Falcon lurched awkwardly to the side, artificial gravity only just keeping pace.

Luke was already pushing himself up. ?That was weapons-fire.?

?Stay there,? Mara said, already heading out of the hold. ?I mean it! Nathan??

?We?re staying right here.?

She reached the cockpit in seconds, Han and Chewie both at the helm, Leia leaning forward over the cockpit comm desk. The visible beam of another heavy-weapons laser seared across dark space before them, lighting the cockpit momentarily as everyone within flinched.

?What the hell?s going on?? Mara yelled.

?Three Star Destroyers just came out of hyperspace and ordered the Sol and the Zephyr to heave-to,? Leia said, half-turning. ?The Captain of the Rebel ship Sol opened fire on your Destroyer Tempest, and it just returned fire. I?m trying to raise the Sol now.?

Another wide beam flashed past the Falcon, making Mara flinch. ?Why did they fire on us? Aren?t we transmitting Karrde?s code??

?Yeah,? Solo answered casually without turning round. ?They?re firing on the Sol, we just got in the way.?

?Is the Sol transmitting the code??

?It wasn?t.?

?Why the hell not??

?Because there were no Star Destroyers here when they arrived.? Han's tone summed up his opinion of the Sol's reasoning.

Mara leaned back to touch Leia?s shoulder. ?Don?t let them put the code out now. If they do, the Tempest will assume it?s a Rebel code and fire on us too.?

?I can?t get through to them,? Leia said. ?They?re not acknowledging our hail.?

Another barrage came from the Tempest, rocking the distant Rebel ship.

?That was a direct hit,? Han said gravely, leaning forward. ?This is turning into a firefight.?



?Then someone should stop it.?

Everyone turned to see Luke leaning hunched against the cockpit?s doorframe, pale and drained.

Mara gave Nathan a withering look as he shrugged helplessly from behind Luke?s shoulder. Luke stepped shakily to the comm console as Leia gave up the seat, letting him collapse down into it. Reaching over the controls, he flicked the switches with old familiarity.

?ISD Tempest, this is the freighter Millennium Falcon transmitting a security protocol. Our recognition code is four-nine-nine-five-three. Come in??

Pausing for a response, Luke realized that everyone was staring and glanced about, his eyes finally resting on Han. ?What??

Han grinned inanely, glib melodrama hiding genuine pleasure. ?Just, y?know?good to see you back at the controls.?

Luke glanced away, un

 

Hey Imperial Warlord

You sneaked in a post whilst I was putting the next chapter up!

just been to your website cant wait for empires son to start how you become so good at craftnig such good story telling

Heh, well, it's good to know it's caught your interest It's fully mapped out but only written to chapter ten, as yet. At the moment i'm on space battles--man, they're haaard...

 

Brilliant and wonderful update with superb characterizations and stunning dialogue!!!



You're one of the best "serious" dialogue crafters I've read!





I knew Luke wasn't going to just up and leave LOL but part of me wished he would -- at least be tempted But I'm glad mara felt comfortable with the idea.

That whole Leia/Luke conversation -- wonderful! And I agree with her appraisal and insight.

 

Nathan had fussed around Luke as they?d laid him on the narrow medi-bunk onboard the Falcon

Ugh...memories of the last time he was there...damn you.....


Han and Leia had set off for the cockpit, he to get them airborne and she to arrange for the medical bay onboard the Sol to be freed up, and as Nathan finally settled down it was the Wookiee, Chewbacca, who surprised Mara by remaining behind for long moments to lean in and gently rub his leathery knuckles down the back of Luke?s cheek, whuffing unknown words to him, though Luke remained unconscious.

Oh Chewie...of course he'd stick around, the big loyal oaf that he is.


Mara gave Nathan a withering look as he shrugged helplessly from behind Luke?s shoulder.

Poor Nathan. He's really caught between a rock and a hard place with those two!


Pausing for a response, Luke realized that everyone was staring and glanced about, his eyes finally resting on Han. ?What??

Han grinned inanely, glib melodrama hiding genuine pleasure. ?Just, y?know?good to see you back at the controls.?

Luke glanced away, uncomfortable even with this, Mara knew. To hide it, he toggled the sticky transmit switch several times. ?I can?t believe you haven?t fixed this yet.?

?Hey, you had her three years, junior,? Han accused indulgently.

?She?s not my ship,? Luke replied in kind.

I will not cry...I will not cry....


The line cut and silence fell again. Always one to break it, it was Han who leaned back in his chair again, voice cagey. ?So, uh?can I quote that recognition code too??

Luke didn?t turn. ?Are you Emperor??

??No?but I know the code now.?

And you always know how to lighten the mood.


BTW, even battered and bruised, Luke in control is...way too sexy...oh I can't believe I just wrote that...oh who am I kidding, Luke is sexy no matter what he's doing.


?You understand what I?m saying?that I believe this was...punishment, torture perhaps.?

The power of the word forced the breath from Leia?s lungs. This was what haunted him?this was what she saw in the shadows of his eyes?how could it not?

Remember when I told you last chapter that I loved you?



I have to comment about Leia: so often she has frustrated me beyond belief in this story. I hated her for turning her back on Luke, even though I completely understood why she would do so. When she finally started to realize that she had been wrong, I felt such profound empathy for her. If I were her, I'd probably feel like killing myself, knowing that I had turned my back on my brother and especially after learning everything he had gone through. It's so incredibly heartbreaking.



?You know you?re hoggin? him, don?t you?? Han said good-naturedly. ?Mara ?I?m just a bodyguard and if you try to say any different I?ll floor you? Jade has been waiting with varying degrees of impatience out in that corridor for the last two hours. I can actually see smoke startin? to come out of her ears.?

?I?m his sister!?

?I know, sweetheart,? Han said in sympathetic tones as he turned her smoothly about. ?And Force help him, ?cos already you?re tryin? to dictate his life and he?s not even awake yet.?





Mara frowned, then her eyes widened in realization as she straightened slightly to look at him. ?You said you didn?t use the Force!?

He grinned, blue eyes bright against the deep bruises beneath them. ?I know. I can?t believe you bought that.?

?You are so very lucky you already have broken ribs right now,? Mara growled in mock indignation, settling against him again.

Naughty Luke!


?And me,? he leaned back slightly to look her in the eye, ?since I?m assuming we?ll both be in the same bed.?

Now that really made her smile.

Ahhh...happy sigh.....



The man who had dueled Darth Vader, faced down Palpatine, ruled an Empire, and was now working to broker peace on a galactic scale nodded without hesitation. ?Yeah, very.?

Women!! Can't live with 'em, can't live...wait...what am I saying? [face_w

 

Luke nodded, eyes closing as he let his head drop back?then frowned, looking quickly to Mara. ?Wait, you had words??

?Yeah.?

?You and Kiria??

?Yeah.?

?About me??

?I think you came up in the conversation.? Mara grinned. ?Worried??

The man who had dueled Darth Vader, faced down Palpatine, ruled an Empire, and was now working to broker peace on a galactic scale nodded without hesitation. ?Yeah, very.?

It can't get much better

it's your updates that gives the weekend extra exitment

 

Wonderful update and Luke's right, things are getting interesting. I can't wait for next week

 

?I?m his sister!?

?I know, sweetheart,? Han said in sympathetic tones as he turned her smoothly about. ?And Force help him, ?cos already you?re tryin? to dictate his life and he?s not even awake yet.?



Oh, this was just perfect. Remember way back when I commented about how much I was looking forward to Luke and Leia's reunion (and you teased with a 'you assume that'll happen' and I was all channeling Karrde with a 'whatever' )? Remember? Yeah. That, that quote right there above is why. Luke and Leia's relationship as explored in the EU has always fascinated me. I love the way they bounce off of each other, and I especially love that in the EU, Luke is the uber-powerful Jedi Master Extraordinaire, but he's got this 'big sister' always hovering protectively around him, and no matter how powerful Luke gets, Leia always feels like she needs to keep an eye on him. I think she subconsciously steps into a mothering role with him, as orphaned siblings are wont to do.

And it played perfectly in this story as well. Leia's sense of entitlement over her brother and her profound need to trust him and keep him safe just...makes me feel so warm and gooey inside. Their conversations were beautiful - finally someone called Luke out on his lack of faith in himself in a way that will, hopefully, really make him think.

Luke and Leia's relationship has such a sense of belonging and...it just feels unbreakable, you know? Like, no matter what happens, they'll always end up being there for each other, instinctively trusting each other to catch their fall - in this case, Luke trusting Leia to keep him from falling off that wire he's balanced on (though less precariously, I think, than he's willing to believe). I love to see their relationship handled the way you're doing in this story.

The Mara/Luke stuff was incredible as well (omg OTP and omg Anakin squee!), it's just that I don't often get to read a story where Luke and Leia have so much of the focus, and where they're handled so carefully and true to character.

 

OMG what a chapter.

I did not review Chapter 34 because I thought whatever I would say would just sound trite. I could not come up with a way to express myself. The chapter was so wonderful.

Chapter 35 - you have outdone all of the preceding chapters. I am truly in your shadow with your use of imagery, adjectives and the rest.

With this chapter, I can really visualize Luke's physical and mental condition and understand what it is he wants to accomplish. This emperor wants more than the empire and more than the alliance. He wants something else entirely, but with the two components making a whole. He has to bring both of them kicking and screaming to the table. He has to have them kicking and screaming for the new order to be something both sides can live with.

He learned only too well from Palpatine. It is Palpatine's teachings which have allowed him to plot, plan, manipulate and survive. This is that extra step which Vader could not go because of his physical limitations. Vader was compromised as he could not survive the punishment from Palpatine if he dared to challenge his master. Luke could and did.

When Luke cannot control the wolf, he becomes a wolverine. The wolf is a thinking animal, looking at the political situation of its pack. The wolverine has no care for the size, strength or position of its prey - it will shred the opposition to get what it wants. Like a wolverine, he shredded Madine's men.

Madine - I would still like to see him crushed like the rodent he is.

How Luke, D'Arca and Mara work things out will be interesting. I do not think Luke will be happy to find out Mara almost got arrested by the empress. D'Arca knows her value to Luke, but will she be content to be the show piece empress? Will Luke have to eventually dispose of her?

I liked the emperor in Luke coming out when on board the Falcon. It was brief, biting and effective. Seemed to put Han in his place for a micro-second.

Chewie stroking Luke's face - almost cried at that one. Brought back the memories of Hoth.

Leia wants the Luke she knew. She is having a problem getting around the farmboy image. But I think she is right. He is both light and dark. He has to be to brink about the changes he wants. He is the balance of the Force. The jedi assumed the balance of the Force is pure goodness. How can it be when part of its whole is the darkness of the Sith? Can it be that Anakin does bring about the balance of the Force in that it is his sacrifice that allows Luke to destroy Palpatine?

This chapter was incredible. All of the dialogue was stupendous. I would have to stop and digest scenes before moving on. I am going to read the chapter again because I think I missed some things.

Oh to await the next installment.

 

Madine got away... hmmm suspicious. Thanks for the PM.

Great dialogoue, but Kiria isnt going to turn power over that easily. I bet Madine will find a way to make a public announcement.

 

The end is near...the chapter read like it's ending soon...maybe because the conversation between Luke and Mara was so "happily ever after"?!

I join those of you guys who want some closure regarding the fate of Madine...no way I am going to accept that he "got away"!

 

Me again! I just want you to know that I'm watching the end of ESB now...I cannot think of the end of this movie the same way ever again after reading this fic, damn you.

 

?Three Star Destroyers just came out of hyperspace and ordered the Sol and the Zephyr to heave-to,? Leia said, half-turning. ?The Captain of the Rebel ship Sol opened fire on your Destroyer Tempest, and it just returned fire. I?m trying to raise the Sol now.?

Someone got trigger happy and caused a big mess. Figures.


?I can?t believe you haven?t fixed this yet.?

?Hey, you had her three years, junior,? Han accused indulgently.

?She?s not my ship,? Luke replied in kind.

Some things never change.


?I did a full-range scan.? The medic turned glassy eyes down to the automemo he was holding. ?This lists the injuries sustained during the last six years or so, discounting the present ones I just mentioned. All these occurred three to six years ago, though I?d estimate the majority are between four and six years old.?

He held her eye for a short while before looking back down to his automemo, voice grave. ?Both his clavicle?his collarbones?have been fractured at separate times, the left twice. His jaw?s been dislocated twice and broken once. His right eye socket has been shattered and repaired. His left shoulder has been dislocated more than once causing deep tissue, nerve, muscle and ligament damage. He?s had compound fractures to the ulna of his left arm and repeated dislocations to his left wrist. Most of the bones of his left hand have been broken- carpals, metacarpals and phalanges, some repeatedly over the several year time period, as have many of his ribs. He has damage to five vertebrae, all of which have been treated, but weeks after the fact. There are hairline cracks to the tibia and fibula of his right leg, inflicted at different times, and his left ankle has been dislocated, probably twice. The left fibula has incurred a severe compound fracture at some point?it?s been pinned and the bone laminated to repair it, the damage was so severe. He?s had repeated lacerations over the whole of his body with dermal, sub-dermal and deep-muscle damage; some were sutured and repaired, many simply left. Deeper scans show he also has scarring from several internal injuries, most of which are concurrent with violent trauma."

I forgot just how brutal Palpatine was to Luke. But when you put it that way, it's quite the reminder of just how evil the walking corpse really was.


?I don?t know. But I do know that Luke?s not the thing that Palpatine wanted him to be. He never was? That?s why he has those scars.?

But what will Luke be after this latest round of imprisonment and torture? I suppose that's the big question to still be answered.


?You know you?re hoggin? him, don?t you?? Han said good-naturedly. ?Mara ?I?m just a bodyguard and if you try to say any different I?ll floor you? Jade has been waiting with varying degrees of impatience out in that corridor for the last two hours. I can actually see smoke startin? to come out of her ears.?

?I?m his sister!?

?I know, sweetheart,? Han said in sympathetic tones as he turned her smoothly about. ?And Force help him, ?cos already you?re tryin? to dictate his life and he?s not even awake yet.?

You got Han and Leia perfectly right there. And that wordy 'middle name' for Mara is just perfect.


?You know, I know that you like playing sabacc, but if you could use something other than your own damn neck occasionally??

Luke managed a half-smile. ?Well, if you played sabacc with me more often over a table, maybe I wouldn?t feel the need to play it big-scale like this.?

"Yeah, nice try, flyboy. I?m still not spending the one quiet evening in every blue moon that we get together letting you fleece me out of yet more credits with sabacc.?

He shrugged. ?Well, at least now you?d have an even chance??

Mara frowned, then her eyes widened in realization as she straightened slightly to look at him. ?You said you didn?t use the Force!?

He grinned, blue eyes bright against the deep bruises beneath them. ?I know. I can?t believe you bought that.?

?You are so very lucky you already have broken ribs right now,? Mara g

 

I haven?t told you which character I am yet!

Considering your apparent need for bubble wrap armor, I'm guessing Kenny and his endless cycle of death and regeneration?

Other than that tidbit, everything I know about South Park, I learned from my seventeen-year-old brother?and I'm pretty sure he handpicks the scenes he tells me about for maximum gross-out-big-sister mileage. If you resemble any of those, I really don't want to know.

It did survive, and grow to the size of my window! No fruit I?m afraid ? we don?t get nearly enough sunlight for that! The temperature hasn?t lifted above zero here for the last three days, with the frost staying all day. I?m wearing a fleecy hat writing this!

Pretty amazing that it grew that big, though. If you ever find yourself in Arizona, I'll get you some fresh prickly pears. They're delicious. Yeah, I heard about the weather warning for the UK. Desert-acclimated as I am, it sounds positively terrifying. Watch out for wampas

LOL! Hoisted by my own ?smartass? petard



Heh,heh. That?ll be an interesting day when the neighbors call the police:
?Well yes, officer, I know I said he was annoying me by writing something I didn?t like, but the point is, he wasn?t doing it fast enough?.?

And when it comes time for my trial, I'll act as my own counsel, submit your stories as evidence, and tell the jury just how long I waited between installments. Boom, instant acquittal.

Alan is my 'techie fallback He rocks. He?s actually my neighbour with a shared wall, and he set all my fire alarms off a month or two back when he accidentally set his cellar on fire, because he had an industrial spark eroder going down there (it got some sparks past his fibreglass safety curtain)! My main fascination was how the hell did he get it down there in the first place! That, and how could he not spot that his own cellar was on fire! You gotta appreciate that kind of eccentricity?

What on earth is he doing with an industrial spark eroder in the cellar? My grandfather was an engineer, and he sure never had anything so interesting going at home.

Aw, you say the nicest things?weird, but nice

I want that sentiment in my obituary. Which I obviously hope isn't needed any time soon, but in the unhappy event, that's what I want it to say: "She was weird, but nice." I need to inform my family of this.

I?m afraid I kinda made him deliberately likeable and dangled the hope that Luke might be able to get through to him (as well as Luke?s empathy with him in seeing so much of his younger self in Tam), specifically for those ends. And after all, I have my full-sugar coke reputation to live up to

As though you ever have any problems with that

Heh. If I were, you?d be feeling an unstoppable urge to mail key-lime cheesecake to me right now?

Excuse me a minute, will you? I need to go to the post office...

Especially if it didn?t go awry when you were trying to hotwire bunker doors on Endor

That would certainly be more helpful, yes.

Not even the Pepto-Bismal costs?

*amused* What, you offering recompense there? It'd break you. I'd be taking food out of Mr Hooper and Oscar's mouths if I took you up on that. Just write faster.

Me? I have no idea what?aw, you know the rest of that one!

Do I ever...

Mara gave Nathan a withering look as he shrugged helplessly from behind Luke?s shoulder.

LOL. As though Mara herself could have held him back.

The comm crackled to life again. ?Millennium Falcon, this is Captain Murai of the Imperial Star Destroyer Tempest. I don?t know where you got that code but you?re ordered to stand down shields and weapons immediately, kill your engines and prepare to be boarded. Consider yourself under arrest for treason.?

?Treason?? Luke leaned in, voice gaining strength and authority. ?I?m not sure that?s even possible.?

?Wh?who am I speaking to?? The office

 

Leap of faith ? Kirkegaard wa a danish philosopher and existentialist. He divided people in three groups ? those in the estethic state, the ethic state and the religious state. The first group can be anyone but are basically amoral, living only for whetever drives them, constantly trying to escape boredom. The second group take repinsbility in life - but only as a social being while in the religious state you put your life in the hands of God, in this act giving up rationality. Reason can never bring you to God, K says ? you have to make a leap of faith, like you would do over a cliff. If you ask me George was inspired by Kierkegaard when making Indy III.
On to the story...

?I love you,? he whispered, ?I love you, I love you, I??

And now, when he finally says it he needs to make up for all those years he hasn?t, doesn?t he? Finally!!!

Heh,heh. You tell him, Kataja! (actually, I think you?re telling me, aren?t you? )

Your instincts serve you well?


as Nathan finally settled down it was the Wookiee, Chewbacca, who surprised Mara by remaining behind for long moments to lean in and gently rub his leathery knuckles down the back of Luke?s cheek, whuffing unknown words to him, though Luke remained unconscious.
Love, love, love this!!!


By the time they were airborne, Mara had dragged the only moving chair across the hold to sit beside Luke
He he, do they actually have a movable chair in the Falcon ? or did you just invent it? But I suppose Mara would have cut something out with her lightsaber in case they didn?t have one so?


Every time he woke he would drift for a second then jolt awake, eyes wide, searching for her, and Mara would squeeze his hand, smiling and murmuring reassurances as she watched the strange sight of a smile grace his battered face when he saw her, knowing she was real, drifting again almost instantly.
Sigh? Am I the only one who wishes this journey to go on and on and on??

It was the two glancing heavy-weapons shots to the Falcon?s shields which pulled him back to real consciousness
You just had to, didn?t you??? *shakes fist*

The scene that follows ? I had forgotten how brilliant it is with the Emperor?s return, mixing with old Luke at the controls, bantering with Han. It minces in with my top twenty/thirty/fourty favourite scenes of this story ? just don?t ask me to choose between them!


Both his clavicle?his collarbones?have been fractured at separate times, the left twice. His jaw?s been dislocated twice and broken once. His right eye socket has been shattered and repaired. His left shoulder has been dislocated more than once causing deep tissue, nerve, muscle and ligament damage. He?s had compound fractures to the ulna of his left arm and repeated dislocations to his left wrist. Most of the bones of his left hand have been broken- carpals, metacarpals and phalanges, some repeatedly over the several year time period, as have many of his ribs. He has damage to five vertebrae, all of which have been treated, but weeks after the fact. There are hairline cracks to the tibia and fibula of his right leg, inflicted at different times, and his left ankle has been dislocated, probably twice. The left fibula has incurred a severe compound fracture at some point?it?s been pinned and the bone laminated to repair it, the damage was so severe. He?s had repeated lacerations over the whole of his body with dermal, sub-dermal and deep-muscle damage; some were sutured and repaired, many simply left. Deeper scans show he also has scarring from several internal injuries, most of which are concurrent with violent trauma."
And you dragged hom through all this!!! And us too!!!! And I re-read, again, and again? what has the world become like??

Mara glanced away, suddenly subdued. ?You have no concept of what he endured to keep this much of himself.?

?I?m beginning to understand,

 

Just a quick reply, as I don't have much time these days...

I've just changed my icon back from the one I had used for Halloween. But as I was searching for my usual "Leia at Bespin" one, I came across another, that seemed to echo, strangely, the themes of "Brother Sun, Sister Moon" and of infinity cycles you develop in this trilogy. So I just decided to up an choose it as my own until this story finishes. Just a wee homage to your excellent craft.

In the story itself, I was particularly moved by the passage in the Falcon's cockpit. Damn, but it really brings back fond memories.

And this was excellent:
?You are speaking to the Emperor, Captain Murai, and I?m ordering you to stand down and disengage. Recognition code is Braxant-Raioballa-Atrivis-Lahara, voice sample is, ?meus vox vocis est meus key?agnosco mihi.??

Now, if i'm right and I sift through the mix of strange Latin and English there, the voice sample actually means, "The sound of my voice is my key - recognize me". Or, if I remember enough of my Latin classes, it would be something along the lines of, "Sonus vocis mei meus clavis est - agnoscite me [2nd p.pl, imperative]".

And somehow, I can't help but hear the recognition code spoken with a Spanish accent, complete with rolled "r" and aspirated "h". Just to make it a wee bit more challenging, you see...

[Edit: Oh, and I'm still wondering where Madine's commandoes (and Madine, for that matter) have gone. Nor am I forgetting their primary mission...]

Cheers,

Lauré

 

Jade eyes

Brilliant and wonderful update with superb characterizations and stunning dialogue!!!
You're one of the best "serious" dialogue crafters I've read!

Thanks so much! I must admit, dialogue is great fun ? I give way too much page-time to it


I knew Luke wasn't going to just up and leave LOL but part of me wished he would -- at least be tempted But I'm glad mara felt comfortable with the idea.

Well like Luke said, it?s just getting interesting?


That whole Leia/Luke conversation -- wonderful! And I agree with her appraisal and insight.

Glad you liked And this is when Leia?s weakness becomes a strength; she thinks with her head, not her heart, and it's hard to argue with logic.






JediMara 77

-----Nathan had fussed around Luke as they?d laid him on the narrow medi-bunk onboard the Falcon

Ugh...memories of the last time he was there...damn you.....

So long ago, now?


-----Han and Leia had set off for the cockpit, he to get them airborne and she to arrange for the medical bay onboard the Sol to be freed up, and as Nathan finally settled down it was the Wookiee, Chewbacca, who surprised Mara by remaining behind for long moments to lean in and gently rub his leathery knuckles down the back of Luke?s cheek, whuffing unknown words to him, though Luke remained unconscious.

Oh Chewie...of course he'd stick around, the big loyal oaf that he is.

Heh; the big, lovable galoot!


-----Mara gave Nathan a withering look as he shrugged helplessly from behind Luke?s shoulder.

Poor Nathan. He's really caught between a rock and a hard place with those two!

Aw, he loves it


-----Pausing for a response, Luke realized that everyone was staring and glanced about, his eyes finally resting on Han. ?What??
-----Han grinned inanely, glib melodrama hiding genuine pleasure. ?Just, y?know?good to see you back at the controls.?
-----Luke glanced away, uncomfortable even with this, Mara knew. To hide it, he toggled the sticky transmit switch several times. ?I can?t believe you haven?t fixed this yet.?

I will not cry...I will not cry....

LOL!


-----The line cut and silence fell again. Always one to break it, it was Han who leaned back in his chair again, voice cagey. ?So, uh?can I quote that recognition code too??
-----Luke didn?t turn. ?Are you Emperor??
----- ??No?but I know the code now.?

And you always know how to lighten the mood.

Heh. Don?t you just know Han would?


BTW, even battered and bruised, Luke in control is...way too sexy...oh I can't believe I just wrote that...oh who am I kidding, Luke is sexy no matter what he's doing.

LOL! Stop, you?re making him blush!!


I have to comment about Leia: so often she has frustrated me beyond belief in this story. I hated her for turning her back on Luke, even though I completely understood why she would do so. When she finally started to realize that she had been wrong, I felt such profound empathy for her. If I were her, I'd probably feel like killing myself, knowing that I had turned my back on my brother and especially after learning everything he had gone through. It's so incredibly heartbreaking.

She?s had her own arc of self-awareness and realization, I hope. She?ll always be the one who thinks with her head and not her heart, but I think that?s always been the case with Luke and Leia, and it?s not necessarily a bad thing. As I said to Jade eyes, it?s as much a strength as a weakness. They compliment each other in that.



-----Mara frowned, then her eyes widened in realization as she straightened slightly to look at him. ?You said you didn?t use the Force!?
-----He grinned, blue eyes bright against the deep bruises beneath them. ?I know. I can?t believe you bought that.?

Naughty Luke!

Hee hee!


[i

 

Gabri Jade

--I haven?t told you which character I am yet!

Considering your apparent need for bubble wrap armor, I'm guessing Kenny and his endless cycle of death and regeneration?

LOL! I?d probably have to go with that?


--It did survive, and grow to the size of my window! No fruit I?m afraid ? we don?t get nearly enough sunlight for that! The temperature hasn?t lifted above zero here for the last three days, with the frost staying all day. I?m wearing a fleecy hat writing this!

Pretty amazing that it grew that big, though. If you ever find yourself in Arizona, I'll get you some fresh prickly pears. They're delicious. Yeah, I heard about the weather warning for the UK. Desert-acclimated as I am, it sounds positively terrifying. Watch out for wampas

Minus seventeen?minus seventeen! Actually it?s warmed up loads now, I?ll bet we?re hovering around zero. Now if the snow would just go It?s not the snow I mind, it?s when it starts melting and freezing and melting and freezing, and slowly turns into bottle ice. That?s when Kenny-ites like me get nervous!?


--Heh,heh. That?ll be an interesting day when the neighbors call the police:
?Well yes, officer, I know I said he was annoying me by writing something I didn?t like, but the point is, he wasn?t doing it fast enough?.?

And when it comes time for my trial, I'll act as my own counsel, submit your stories as evidence, and tell the jury just how long I waited between installments. Boom, instant acquittal.

Heh, I can see the movie now; it?ll be just like A Few Good Men; ?You can?t stand the wait!?


--Alan is my 'techie fallback He rocks. He?s actually my neighbour with a shared wall, and he set all my fire alarms off a month or two back when he accidentally set his cellar on fire, because he had an industrial spark eroder going down there--

What on earth is he doing with an industrial spark eroder in the cellar? My grandfather was an engineer, and he sure never had anything so interesting going at home.

Heh. He was spark-eroding a big block of titanium, of course! I once asked him jokingly if he?d had anything radioactive down there, and he blithely replied, ?Well yes, but I brought a Geiger-counter home.?
Oh, okay then?

He?s also part of a think-tank (nothing secret, just clever people ) set up by the government to deal with plans of action should there be any major events. Interestingly, he told me they?d arranged to have three thousand cardboard coffins delivered to a local airfield, ?just in case??


--Aw, you say the nicest things?weird, but nice

I want that sentiment in my obituary. Which I obviously hope isn't needed any time soon, but in the unhappy event, that's what I want it to say: "She was weird, but nice." I need to inform my family of this.

LOL! Yeah, that?ll help with the ?weird? part of that comment!


--Heh. If I were, you?d be feeling an unstoppable urge to mail key-lime cheesecake to me right now?

Excuse me a minute, will you? I need to go to the post office...

But it?s not here yet!!! I think the postman ate it??


-----The comm crackled to life again. ?Millennium Falcon, this is Captain Murai of the Imperial Star Destroyer Tempest. I don?t know where you got that code but you?re ordered to stand down shields and weapons immediately, kill your engines and prepare to be boarded. Consider yourself under arrest for treason.?
----- ?Treason?? Luke leaned in, voice gaining strength and authority. ?I?m not sure that?s even possible.?
----- ?Wh?who am I speaking to?? The officer had lost none of his bluster.
-----Luke?s own voice cooled by degrees. ?You are speaking to the Emperor, Captain Murai, and I?m ordering you to stand down and disengage. Recognition code is Braxant-Raioballa-Atrivis-Lahara, voice sample is, ?meus vox vocis est meus key?agnosco mihi.??

Hee hee! Luke's awesome as

 

?That?s my yardstick with you, Skywalker, you know that?

I can't believe I let 'yardstick' go through without some 'too Earthy' admonition! Pleeeeze change this to 'measuring rod' before you submit it to the Archives.

...sits back and waits for chap. 36 to go up... I mean, I got it to you 20 minutes before the Friday deadline and all...