Beyond - Legends Destiny's Heir (HTTE AU) Completed 2/19

Post for 10/22--woo!!! Lando and Karrde were both fantab in this.... 10/26--love Thrawn's confidence and Pellaeon's POV in this--very well done!!!!

 

Very interesting look at the Imperials. Good work.

 

Excellent!

 

dancing_star: Glad you liked it!

Jade_eyes: Pellaeon's always a tricky character for me to handle, and Thrawn even moreso. Perhaps that's why I like writing both of them, since they give me a challenge.

Miraluka: I find that the more I write the Imps, the more interesting I find them.

VaderLVR: Thanks!


Okay, here comes the promised Leia/Nera post.


The sun had dipped below the treeline, and the forest was quickly growing dark. Leia pushed the travois containing Artoo up against a tree, then helped the little droid free. Nera was already pulling out the satellite balloon, and sending it up. Leia turned to near. "Why don?t you try and get some rest? You look exhausted."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you," Nera snapped. "So keep your suggestions to yourself."

"Look, Nera, we're going to get nowhere unless we sort this thing out between us. Just tell me how I can make this right."

"You juts don?t get it, do you?" Nera said. "There's nothing you can do to make this right. You can't change the way Biggs feels about you any more than I could. Even if you told him that you couldn't possibly acknowledge his devotion, it would always leave me as a second-place choice. I don?t want to be forever in your shadow. So we'll get through this, and then we'll go our separate ways."

"If that's what you really want," Leia said. "But if that's your choice, then this whole thing about blaming me has to stop."

"Fine," Nera snapped, as Artoo tweetled something. "They've finally replied?"

Artoo replied by activating his holoprojector, and Leia couldn't help thinking that it was an image of Luke that had gotten her started on this whole experience that her life had become. I wonder, she thought, if I would have pushed Artoo so hard had I known what it would bring? She'd come to terms with those she'd lost, and she'd gained so much. But there would always be something that would giver her reason to wonder about the path not taken.

"Good evening, Mistress Leia, Mistress Nera," Threepio's image said. "I bring you greetings from Captain Karrde, who wishes me to express he is grateful you both survived your accident. He wishes to express his regret that it has taken this long to establish communication with you, but the Empire's visit created some logistical problems."

"Thanks for stating the obvious," Nera snarled. A Wookiee roar sounded from the background, and Threepio turned.

"Yes, Chewbacca, I was just getting to that. Before the Imperials left, they dispatched a trio of shuttles to the planet. Captain Karrde believes that they have determined your emergence point, and have left a sizable force behind to pick you up. He and Captain Calrissian are working on a plan to intercept you before the stormtroopers do, but there is a chance you might have to deal with them yourselves."

"Lovely," Nera said.

"Further communication may not be possible due to the Imperial presence, so Captain Karrde wishes you good luck, and a safe journey." The image of the protocol droid vanished.

"Safe journey my foot," Nera snarled as she began winding down the signal balloon. "Next thing you know, Karrde's going to be asking me to hand you back your lightsaber."

"That wouldn't be such a bad idea. I can do more with it than you can."

"And you'll also give yourself away," Nera said. "No, I think we'll have to do something different. We'll swing around, and take an extra day."

"Are you sure you'll be able to handle an extra day?" Leia asked.

"Worry about yourself, Leia. I'll be fine."

++++++++++++


That's all for now. More to come this weekend.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

looks like these two are stuck with each other

 

Loving the Nera/Leia banter. Keep it coming!

 

Marvelous update... if Nera only knew Biggs' real feelings

 

Sil: At least for the moment they are.

Miraluka: You should enjoy tonight's post, then.

Jade_eyes: If only...


Okay, here some the next post!


The rustling in the bushes started Nera from the slight doze that she'd fallen into, and her first instinct was to check on Leia. She had no intention of letting the Jedi slip away in the middle of the night, Force or no Force. But Leia appeared to be fast asleep, and the droid wasn't moving either. Nera rose to a crouch, blinking to give her eyes a chance to adjust to the darkness. She looked around, and saw nothing. Then, with stings of burning needles, something heavy landed on her back. Damn Leia anyways. Somehow, Nera was certain, the Jedi had gotten the drop on her.

Leia heard the small cry of pain, and Artoo's squeal of alarm brought her to full alertness. Under normal circumstances, she would have drawn on the Force to limit the effect the night had, but here, surrounded by ysalamiri, that simply wasn't an option. She blinked a few times, and her eyes began to adjust. Perched on Nera's back was a full-grown vornskr, and this one didn't look like it had been domesticated. That was borne out when it lowered its head.

Leia reacted, charging the beast. Then she threw her head back and screamed. The sound that emerged wasn't human, but rather the haunting scream of a krayt dragon. The vornskr looked at her, startled. Then it bent again towards Nera, intending to take a bite from her neck. Leia screamed again, and again, the vornskr paused. Leia leapt forward, scooping the lightsaber from where it had fallen off Nera's belt. She ignited the blade, and cut the vornskr in half.

She shoved the creature off of Nera, and turned the woman over. But even as Leia's fingers moved to check for a pulse, Nera brought her blaster around to point straight at Leia. "Back away, and drop the lightsaber," she said.

"You could thank me," Leia said, shutting down the lightsaber, and dropping it to the ground. "I just saved your life."

"Maybe I don't care," Nera said.

"I think that we both know that isn't the case," Leia said. "You're too stubborn and proud to see yourself indebted to anybody."

"If anybody's indebted, it's you, Leia. I could have easily let the Imperials shoot you down."

"They wouldn't have interfered," Leia said, watching as Nera opened an emergency medkit and began rubbing some sort of salve into the wounds on her back.

"Maybe they would, maybe they wouldn't. But you would have been out here all alone, and Karrde wouldn't have been quite so willing to spin whatever tale he told the Imperials. He would have simply given you up, and let them hunt you down."

"I don't think he would have, and I'll tell you why," Leia said. "Karrde's smart enough to know that the Empire would have crushed him for rescuing me, but not handing me over. That shuttle had to come from a capital ship, and even if it isn't a Star Destroyer sitting up there, whatever it is probably wouldn't have had much difficulty blowing the base to scrap."

"Perhaps," Nera said. "We'd best get moving." Leia watched as Nera reattached the lightsaber to her belt.

"Maybe you should let me have the lightsaber back. Even without the Force, I can handle it better than you."

"And I don?t want to find it protruding from my back," Nera snapped back. So don't even think about that. Now get the droid back on the travois, and let's get moving."

++++++++++++

I think we'll head back to Han & Luke for Wednesday's post.


Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Very nice. Cann't wait for more.

 

Most interesting. I think that Leia and Nera will have to put up with each other for a bit longer before they are able to be civil. I wonder what sort of trouble Karrde will be getting into?

 

Great update!

 

Super update. I think Nera definitely is too stubborn and proud and that Leia's right about Karrde also.

 

It will be interesting to see if Nera and Leia can keep from killing each other.

 

I think we'll head back to Han & Luke for Wednesday's post.
Sounds good! Wonderful update as always - actually updates. I missed the last one somehow! Sorry!!

 

Miraluka: Who said anythign about waiting? The next post is here!

SithGirl: I don't think that's a question to pose lightly.

ccp: Glad you liked!

Jade_eyes: Let's just hope Nera's stubbornness doesn't land the two ladies in too hot of water.

VaderLVR: It may just come to that.

dancing_star: It's probably my fault, since I haven't been as good about my Pms as I probably should. DRL keeps interfering.


Okay, here comes the next post!


Chapter 26

"There he goes," Han said, watching as the Noghri ship made it's jump into hyperspace. "I still think letting him go was a mistake."

"It's my mistake to make," Luke replied. "Besides, if he doesn't return, the Empire will simply send another team."

"And you think that they're just going to write things off?" Han asked. "Luke, you know better than that."

"But now his people will know something they didn't before."

"If he tells them," Han said. "You know, you're taking an awful big risk, letting him leave. If he tells the Empire of your plans, they'll have more than enough time to set up a trap."

"I know that, Han. But what are the alternatives? Ringing your kids with Wookiees everywhere they go?"

"I'm just saying what others will likely say," Han said, meaning, he hoped, Leia. Perhaps she could talk her brother out of this insane idea. "Have you gotten through to Leia yet?"

"No," Luke said, and Han could hear definite concern in his brother-in-law's voice. "She's still cut off from the Force. And Mara still feels somehow withdrawn."

"Then perhaps we ought to look into this," Han said. "We'll swing past Obroa-skai, and do a search these Noghri. Then we'll make contact with Coruscant and see if they've had any word from Leia."

"And if they haven't?" Luke asked.

"Then I'm going to have to start taking advantage of other avenues of inquiry," Han said. "And I'm going to start by seeing if Lando's heard anything."

"I thought he was going to go and talk to Karrde," Luke said, a quizzical look on his face.

"He is. But Chewie and I worked out an arrangement that guaranteed I could find him if I needed to. Wherever the Falcon is, that's where we'll find Lando."

"Han, I'm not sure that rushing into this is what Leia would want."

"You said it yourself, Luke. She's not showing up in the Force. Give me one good reason she'd cut herself off from it."

"I don't know," Luke said. "But I think I'd know if she was in trouble."

"She'd know if you were. I'm just not sure it works the other way around. You have to admnit, you're not as strong a Jedi as Leia."

"I know," Luke said. "Once we've got this Noghri problem worked out, I fully plan to take some time away and work with Leia."

"Good," Han said. "Because I'm tired of having to give you free rescues."

"Very funny, Han," Luke snarled.

++++++++++++


That'll be it for now. More to come over the weekend.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Nice to hear from Luke and Han again. Maybe we'll hear from Mara or the Rogues again soon?

 

sorry I haven't been replying! Last week it was because of the DNS server problems. And now that the election is over, I can reply much more regularly now.


So, how will Han find Chewie? Does he have a signal or something he can send to the Falcon and get info?



And I think its time to check on poor Mara soon.

 

most definitely good to see Luke and Han again, and I'd also like to check in on Mara and see how she's doing

 

Amazingly in character.... your Han is terrific--pragmatic and outspoken LOL He's given Luke a lot to think about and I really hope and wish they'd go after Mara--

 

Miraluka: Glad you liked hearing from Han & Luke. I'm not sure, but I think Mara might be getting an appearance soon.

Liz: You hit the nail on the head.

Sil: Well, we won;t be seeign what Mara's up to quite yet. I want to try and bring Luke & Han a little closer to resolution.

Jade_eyes: Glad you thought my Han was in character. He can be tough to write, trying to get the right mixture of pragmatism and heroism, which is not to say that one can only be present when the other isn't.

Okay, here comes the next post!


"If you need anything further during your research, please don't hesitate to ask," the ninepio unit said, after escorting Luke and Han to one of the terminals in the main library complex on Obroa-skai. Han looked to Luke, who sat down at the terminal.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Luke asked Han.

"You're the one with the Force connection," Han said. "You tell me."

"This was your idea," Luke said. "I thought you had something concrete in mind. And remember that if we don?t accomplish something, we've just wasted time coming here."

"Cool your afterburners," Han said. "Let's start with a search for any reference to "Noghri." That should give us someplace to start."

Luke keyed in the search perameters, and waited while the library's computer system executed it. "You're worried, aren't you?"

"About what?" Han said. "On one hand, I've got you ready to rush straight into the hands of the people who've been trying to kidnap you and Leia, and on the other, I've got the fact that we haven't heard a peep from either Luke or Mara."

"You really think Mara ran into Shira Brie?" Luke asked, recalling the conversation he'd had with Han on the subject.

"I don?t know," Han said. "But if she did, and she's giving Mara problems, then she jumps to the top of my list of issues I'm going to bring up with Ackbar."

The computer pinged softly, indicating that it had completed the search. "Nothing major," Luek said, pulling up the results. "Just a couple of old files?and incomplete ones at that."

"I thought that Obroa-Skai was supposed to have the largest repository of information on the New Republic," Han said. "You mean we're going to have to go someplace else?"

"Well, I suppose we could go digging in the foundations of the Imperial Palace," Luke said. "These files indicate that the real documents, the complete ones, were housed in the Jedi Archives."

"And Palpatine had the Archives destroyed when he razed the Jedi Temple. You know, Luke, sometimes I wish somebody had done the galaxy a favor and ousted the old coot."

"As if he would have allowed such a thing to happen," Luke said. "I think?Li?"

"What?s your old master got to do with this?"

"From the fragment we've got here, it seems that Aayla Secura filed one of the reports, more than thirty years ago."

"Luke, that sounds like it was during the Clone Wars. I don?t think much of that survived."

"Sounds like we've got another thing for Leia to ask that Jedi when she hooks up with him," Luke said. "Maybe he knows something about it."

"And maybe 'he' doesn't exist at all," Han said. "Maybe it's all some kind of trap."

"You're getting paranoid, Han."

"No, I just want to make sure my wife, and your sister doesn't go and get herself into any trouble that she won't be able to get out of."

"Well," Luke said with a sigh, it doesn't look like we'll get any answers here. Let's head over to the embassy and see if we can raise Leia."

++++++++++++


More to come Wednesday, and I have a sneaking suspicion it might deal with a certain redhead.

Force be with you,

Tych_sel

 

Very nice. Looks like they're on the trail of something big.

 

Han isn't paranoid, except it was Mara that basically walked into the trap.

And I hope you're right, cause we need to check on Mara.

 

I hope that Mara is okay.

 

Fine update... looks like they've still got as many questions as they did before they did the search

 

Great couple of posts! Very nicely done! Looking forward to more!!