Beyond - Legends Drive You Mild (L/M, massive AU -- {Updated March 4!} Complete.)

I hope not either...


And I was hoping to read before school...but hopefully, when I get home, it'll be up.


I hope you feel okay, Oba!!!

 

Actually, I am sick. I was extremely sick yesterday. Throwing up every half-hour = badness. (And what was I thinking, going to school on Wednesday?) I'm still not well (and having bizarre dreams about Stargate Atlantis and stone bubbles).

Thanks for all the well-wishing, everyone. I really appreciate it.

I haven't caught up on replies, but I'm going to post what I've got , 'cause you're all lovely people and I want to respond to every post. I think I'm still a few pages away from being caught up.

Then I'm going to post the final section of the story a few minutes after that.

---

[b]DarthIshtar[/b]: Thank you. ;) [face_rose]

[b] academygrad88[/b]: Thank you! [face_dancing]

Yep, Han finally makes an appearance. ;) Of sorts. :p Hehe.

Yeah, trust is important ? really, that?s why it took so long to get to that point. I had to believe, in just my own head, that he could trust her, and her him, even given their situations.

Thanks! [face_grin]

[b] dianethx[/b]: Thanks, I thought it would be more ? realistic, effective, that way. :p And Mara can be a manipulative girl, aye? ;)

Exactly! Falling in a lot of ways. ;) This is probably the most ?complete? AU that I?ve ever written. I like putting characters in interesting situations, but here I really did end up exploring it in some depth. :p Thank you! [face_rose]

[b]RedGold[/b]: *blinkies* Okay. Wasn?t thinking about absolutism when I was writing that ...

Yeah, Obi-Wan?s comment ?twas very pointed ? and struck home, I think. He has a good point. Do traitors think of themselves that way? I don?t think they generally do. :p Thank you. [face_rose]

[b] Jedi-2B[/b]: You?re quite right, he?s been falling in that direction for quite some time, but he?s been skittish about it, no? ;) But yeah, I think the Council and co. would not be happy about Mara telling Luke. Regardless of whether she?s right, it was a big risk, and certainly not [i]hers[/i] to take.

But then, Luke and Mara are doing nothing but taking risks that they shouldn?t really be taking ? regardless of whether they?re right, do they have the right to risk the lives of others? [face_thinking]

Anywho. :p Thank you. :D

[b] Neo-Paladin[/b]: Funny thing about that is that I forgot about Leia for a while, in writing everything else, so then I had to think ? how to reveal this? And thus, the last two posts or so were pretty much devoted to setting that up, in their own way. :p

I think the Force would naturally very much be part of a Jedi?s life, in all respects. I don?t think that even in something like falling in love, a Jedi would cease looking for its guidance. [face_thinking]

Thank you. :D

[b] Smuggler_Shidakis[/b]: Aye, lots of things happen! ;) After writing this, I was like ... am I nearing the end at last?? *joyousness* :p

Thank you! [:D]

[b] AvenKiel[/b]: I?m a mindreader. ;) I like H/L okay, but L/M is so much more interesting to me ... hence this story, really ... [face_silly] Thank you! :D

[b] Jedi_BMK[/b]: Well ... it?s all understandable, really. What everyone is thinking, the suspicions, the fear, the scheming ... This is the world they live in. ;)

And it?s really not that easy as just a ?realization? for Luke. Emotional scars are [i]scars[/i] ? a realization just ain?t enough. ;) If that was all that was necessary, this story would be much shorter! :p

Thank you. ;)

[b] LianaMara[/b]: Meaty ? I like that description. ;\ I?m glad it fits. Since I took my time writing this (that?s one way of putting it ;) ), that?s a very, very good thing to hear. :p

Obi-Wan is just plain heartable. ;) Aye? [face_kiss] Thank you, dearest. [:D]

[b] NenYim[/b]: Well, he gets mentioned, anyway. ;\ And yes, Vader told him that ? I say that in there, don?t I? Besides, who else would make that kind of comparison with Padme and other politicians? ;) Thanks for reading. :D

[b] Knight_Aragorn[/b]: Thanks! :D I do love Obi-Wan ... guess it shows, huh? [face_blush]

Yes, exactl

 

[edit] *sniffles* I'm going to miss you all. I really do hope you enjoy the ending. Since people are already asking - there's no sequel planned. While continuing in this universe would be a heck of a lot of fun, DYM feels complete to me. Again, I hope you enjoy!


Feedback is always adored.

---

[i]The galaxy was changing, and the consequences were spinning just out of his grasp.

--- Annals of the Empire, Vol. I. [/i]


Luke didn't know a huge amount about his mother. His father had spoken of her little, the topic tender still, though when he did speak of her, he always did so with great respect. An odd thing, but that most of all had always been clear to Luke's young eyes.

Would he now better understand the contradiction inherent in his mother? Who she had loved, who she had lost . . . Who she had hidden. He understood that better now, he thought, and that made him wonder how far he had come since listening to his father's every word. But his father was gone, and he was here.

He knew he was awake, but he didn't really feel awake; it wasn't dawn, he wasn't planning or worrying. He wasn't thinking about much other than the present, letting his thoughts drift, calm and serene. Mara was facing him, her eyes closed, the glint of her red hair spilling over the sheets, the pillows carelessly thrown aside in the night. The light was dim, brushing her features faintly. Shifting with the beginning of restlessness, he realized they were both still fully dressed. But he didn't want to get up, not yet, not while she still slept so close to him, close enough that he could feel the life in her, coursing through her, her every exhale.

It made him think of quiet nights at home, on Tatooine. Knowing he was safe, having nothing to fear, dreaming of adventure and being so ignorant of reality. What bliss that had been, save for the torment he had inflicted on himself through his childish dreams. Perhaps that was what he had dreamed of tonight, with the nightmares held at bay.

Luke gently caressed Mara's face; she didn't wake, trusting even in her sleep. That made Luke smile.

He let himself fall back asleep.


[hr]

Luke's arm was around her, his other a resting place for his head. He was still asleep, and sleeping dreamlessly, his breathing slow and even. She could barely make out the planes of his face, the curve of his lips. She was aware of slight shifts, vagaries in the still sea of his mind.

Shifting slightly, she carefully brushed his hair back away from his face, not quite even touching his skin. There was something vulnerable in his lack of movement, in how he didn't react to her presence, didn't judge or plan, just slept.

Mara suddenly felt tears in her eyes, totally unexpectedly. Something indefinable rose in her, overpowering, and yet, then it settled, no less strong but quieter. [i]I love you[/i], she thought.

Taking a deep breath, she checked her internal clock. It would be dawn soon, she realized, and more likely than not Luke rose with the dawn.

Considering how deeply he was sleeping, perhaps she should change that for today.

Moving very carefully and slowly, Mara got out of bed, her Jedi clothing suddenly feeling rough against her skin. She looked around the room, all details having escaped her the night before. It was a large room, but nothing was really surprising about it. Most of the colors were soothing tans and blues, reminding her of the desert, for some reason. Something was very stark about it, though she couldn?t say what, exactly.

It looked like there was a bedroom, where she was, and then a larger living area just beyond that.

The wooden floor oddly cold ? she would think it would be heated ? she walked over to the other room, silently opening the door and stepping through.

The presence of Kejal Mauwel in the other room made her start, though she kept silent.

He looked at her, dark eyes intense ? not quite displeased, but not quite having the disapproval of the night before, either. He stood by

 

it's finished

EDIT:

Yay! It's finished! And if I wasn't going to school, I'd write a really long review... but I am, so I'll see you later

Elena

 

That was pure awesomeness Oba.
You revealed the complexity of the story line with a deceptively simple reveal. It was quite a treat.
I don't know what else to say besides that I am sad the story has ended, but the ending was almost good enough to make up for it
Thanks for a great story.

 

Force! That was beautiful!!!

I'm going to cry...

Great ending but do you have to end it there????

NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Not even a epilouge???

*sighs*

I feel so empty now that it's over...

but yet strangly fullfilled...

*cries*

beautiful...

 

Whew! I am so overwhelmed I don't know if I can give a coherent response to this. The journey you led us along with Luke and Mara was so incredible, twisting and turning, first stumbling then speeding along...

This was definitely one of the most passionate stories that I've ever read and the two main characters never shared more than a few kisses!

I think I will definitely have to go back and re-read the whole thing at once, and try to pick up on the little hints and clues that escaped me the first time.

It was amazing how you managed to keep Mara and Luke's characters still themselves, with their own inherent traits, and yet have their backgrounds be SO different from what we're used to. I loved the ending and I'm not even sure which of them was asking that, or if it was both of them. Either way, it was perfect!

But you know, we could have a teeny-tiny little epilogue, couldn't we? Just a little bit? Just enough to know whether Luke and Mara survive the war? Pleeeeeeeeeeeze?

Congratulations on a beautifully written story, oba! I adored it.

 

Absolutely wonderful. But, come on give us at least an epilogue.

Reassure us that Mara stayed with Luke and they had a bunch of little babies and lived happily ever after-- once they kicked the Vong's butts that is.



Great job! I am sorry that the story is over. I really love the way you characterized Luke and Mara. It was so refreshing!

And I agree with Kayladie--this was a very passionate story. It is amazing how you can raise the temperature in the room just writing about a kiss.


AG88

 

I'm not sure I can formulate a coherant response yet. (And no, I hadn't read kayladie's reply before writing this!) This was absolutely wonderful, oba. The ultimate proof that there can exist a beautiful love story without sexual scenes, a complicated plot without space battles or lightsaber duels, a mystery without deadly betrayal or violence. Including the hologram of the galaxy (ala VotF) as a background when he reveals the truth to her, was a masterful touch. And I loved how you made her hesitate, torn between siding with him or with the Republic, then seeing how he had been just as torn when it came to her and the Empire.

Since you said there wouldn't be a sequel, you leave it up to each of us to imagine what happens next -- do they have children eventually, does Leia find out her relationship to Luke, do the Jedi accept Luke, who wins - who survives - the war with the Vong? An epilogue would be nice, but then again, if it didn't have a happy ending, I think I'd prefer not having one.

Thank you, thank you for sharing your immense talent with us. And for continuing to post the ending chapters, even though you've been ill.

Hugs, and applause.

May the Force be with you, oba.

 

An epilogue would be nice, but then again, if it didn't have a happy ending, I think I'd prefer not having one.

I have to agree with Jedi-2B here. I want to know good things. I love happy endings.

Oh well, I guess what happens from here will be left up to my imagination. Luckily for me, I can imagine quite a bit.



Once again, great Job Obaona!

AG88

 

In the twenty-second year of Emperor Luke Skywalker's rule, the Empire was attacked; the invaders called themselves the Yuuzhan Vong.

You just left it there! Gah!

Moving on, you did an excellent job wrapping everything up. Luke's revelations and the way they both seemed torn was well played. Great work and I'm sad to see this end.

 

It's all over.... *sniffles*

Beautifully done. You didn't tell us exactly what Luke's plans were until the very last minute- I loved that sense of mystery and intrigue. All of the romance was perfect, and the emotions and descriptions were amazing.

All in all, an extraordinary piece of writing.

 

Ah, awesome, some of my suspicions were true about his intentions. I love his foresight, but lack thereof.

 

I knew it would end with an annal! And I feel cleaver since I figured out some parts of his plan.*is smug* This is the best thing I read in a long time, and I've read a lot. Beautiful. I love you.

But I still feel cheated without an epilouge!

Kidding, I actually enjoy being able to decide for myself what happens next.

 

Yes!

That was masterfully understated...


oh, yeah.

See, the thing is, I've never been much of a L/M shipper cause Luke by RotJ is a whiny, pompous Jedi wannabe...but this was so different, so much more complex (and the gray area thing? So right! It reminds me of KOTOR II and Jacen's problems in NJO). Not to bash Luke completely, but I love your reenvisioning much, much better. Wow. And of course, Mara is amazingly herself. I love the mix of vulnerablility and Mara coolness. Very, very smart mix.


God, I could care less if there is an epilogue, and normally I run straight to it. That's how cool and enduring your characterizations are.

Yay!

Oh, and thank you!

 

Wonderful ending! You wrapped it up very nicely but...there should still be an epilogue or something definitely!

Anyway it was wonderfully amazing all the way through, especially this last part. Can't say much more than that.

So, the epilogue?

 

I'm sorry you've been sick. I hope you are doing better.

You did a wonderful job getting Luke to open up to Mara and evolving their relationship. there were some great kisses in there as well.
Kudos.

 

Great job my friend!! I am just very sorry that it is over just like many of your other readers. Just real glad that there was not a "Black Thread" in the conclusion. That one ripped my heart out and no amount of CPR could get it started again. Just wonder if Mara stays with him and they finally become a family. Darn those Vong! They are just to much trouble. I figured it must be them. There goes the neighborhood. Love you for making my Tuesdays and Fridays exciting. Take care of yourself and feel better soon. May the Force be with you always!!

 

I strongly suspected that Luke's motives were leading to that. Excellent fic! But...

*joins the mob, chanting for an epilogue*

Pretty please?

Kat

 

wow. a lovely ending to a wonderful story.
Thank you oba!! It was an unexpected, but satisfying ending.

So sorry you are sick.... sending you lots of liquids, Vitamin C, hugs and warm blankets to help you get well....

if I get ambitious I will start a thread somewhere to talk about Jedi, Love and Sex... so maybe we don't need to do it here...

and sorry you are so busy and tired with school work - take care of that first, because you can always come back here, but you are only in school for awhile. take care of yourself.

 

Great job, oba! I think it's wonderful as it is. Call me strange, but I like stories with an open ending like this one. Just knowing that there?s more, that there?s a future and challenges ahead for the characters ? that?s a good feeling, even if we don?t actually see what happens.

I loved Mara?s conversation with Kejal. Wonder exactly what he was thinking then? Can?t have looked too good from his POV. I liked that he put that question to Mara about whether she was willing ? kind of an early glimmer of what Luke was going to be asking of her later.

I really liked that Luke has this kind of really rare precognitive Force-ability. It made me think of Paul Atreides in Dune ? LOL, I?ve just watched a Dune telemovie so I?m seeing that kind of thing everywhere at the moment. But what a burden that would be at times. Hopefully Luke?s future won?t be as awful as Paul?s was. I?m glad that Mara?s going to be by his side through it all.

The revealing of Luke?s plans was really well done. Such a sense of vastness there, with the holographic galaxy as a backdrop, Luke?s words about the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, all the intricacy and complexity of what he?s been doing all this time.

Beautiful job with those last few lines, as well. Be with me? It just captures Luke so well ? his love for Mara, his joy at not having to walk alone anymore, the desperation with which he needs her by his side. Such a joyous ending.

Thank you so much for writing such a great story with such well-developed and intricate characters that made it such a pleasure to read. I really enjoyed it ? definitely a re-read story.

Hope you feel better soon too, sorry to hear you?re sick. *sends flowers*

 

Oba: That was cool, or that was cold?

Cool. Definielty cool.



It's finished!
It's over!
*Jaded_Girl briefly bats around the idea of being really depressed, but is just too damn excited and delighted with the final post to keep from dancing around the room*


Whoa, what an ending! There's Kejal, still watching over Luke ( ), the increased trust between Luke and Mara, and the final showdown amongst the galaxy.



Luke sighed very quietly. "The Republic cannot survive on its own. I see that, even if you do not. It will shatter within twenty years, if not less, of peacetime. It is too divided among itself ? no single thing binds you except the desire to escape the Empire, for an abstract sense of freedom the majority do not fully understand to begin with." Biting, that, and bitter. "They are the opposites, Mara ? the Republic and the Empire. The Empire has stability, and the Republic has fire."

"So you solve your problem by changing the Empire, to making it possible for the two to unite," Mara said, seeking confirmation, still.

Love it, especially the last line! You point out the flaws in the Empire AND New Republic, bringing up things like the political mess the NR found themselves in in VOTF. He's so smart! But hey, if Luke is gonna be Emperor with Mara beside him, sign me up! Love all the future plans and REALLY LOVE Luke's super-precognitive sense. And it WAS the Vong...




What he was asking of her was betrayal. Perhaps kindly betrayal, if what he said was true, but betrayal nevertheless. And . . . she was stalling...

"I did not want to look toward the future," Luke whispered, interrupting her train of thought. "I did not do so, until today. Because I couldn't bear it, if I had to lose you for the sake of it."

Mara faced Luke, looking into his eyes. He had lost everything for her.

Was this not ultimately simple? And she felt herself, in her heart, give all that she had up. For the sake of this, for them, and for the future.

Because she wanted it.


My. Favorite. Part. Mara hesitating to join Luke for fear of betraying the NR... only to realize he had gone through the same for her. Really, how could you say "no" to THAT? But because they are both willing to change parts of themselves to work for the greater galactic good, neither of them has to really give up anything vital. Change, yes, but not forsake. *utterly blissful, contented sigh* "I like the simplicity..."

How sad I am to see it all end, yet how glad to have know it!


Oba, this is an incredible story! The characterizations are complex, multi-dimentional and absolutely and spot-on! The plot is tight and intricate and kept me on the edge of my seat. Your writing style is ordered, fluid and understandable, yet detailed and descriptive!

I am offically naming this one of my favorite Luke and Mara stories! (See my signiture? For now at least... I tend to change it often... )

While I don't want this story to end, I nevertheless find myself agreeing with KnightAragorn about liking the open ending! Sithspit, now I have a TON of possible scenarios and storylines to imagine during slow work hours! Still, I think I'm gonna print DYM up so I can read and reread it when unable to access the computer! ^_^


*hugs Oba tightly* Thank you so much for sharing this story! You have been making my weeks!



I said it before, I will say it again: I love the way the universe, settings, history and characters are almost completly different than- sometimes almost mirror images of- their canon counterparts, yet somehow retain their fundamental aspects entirely! Your universe is complete and recognizable, and that is simply amazing. I think that is what I like the

 

It cant be over already

This was sooooo amazing. I was so into the story and then it ended and now I am sad

I loved it and I wish that you would write a sequel even though you say you are not.

Thank you for a wonderful story Oba

 

Wonderful ending, obaona!!!!

This whole story was so well written and exquisitely crafted. You did a phenomenal job with this!

I loved every word!!!



Congratulations on the ending of another great story.

 

Well, I'm sad it's over...but I'm happy too. This was an awesome story, and each chapter was better than the last.

You rock my socks.