Beyond - Legends I'll Come With You

Congrats right backatcha. Now when are we getting an update?

 

Well, I did have to do my taxes this weekend, lol...

 

ThreadSketch - love, love! your excerpt choices. Picked the umphiest and/or nummiest! That giving Mara the pouch scene

 

[Story removed.]

 

Mara found his g-force spot! Ha!

 

Lovely wording as always, and perfect inner thoughts. I wonder where Luke's going with them.

 

I am in awe of your phrasing - what a wonderfully written passage, and so in character for Luke.

And awww, a very nice and logical progression of Luke's thoughts regarding the Fire.

 

ROTFL.

Yeah, hmm, what could that possibly be??

HAHAHA, and here I am thinking, "I'M JUST GONNA BLINDLY VOMIT THIS OUT AND HOPE FOR THE BEST, BWAHHHH." I'm glad that rambling piece still managed to work, lol. Ever since Zahn wrote about him being uncomfortable and creeped out by the Imperial Palace, I figured it'd be a plausible progression that as he grew in his power and perception, Luke would never enjoy being on Coruscant for extended periods of time because even though it's teeming with trillions of lives, all the nature has been stripped off and it just feels weird to him. Skywalkers love tinkering with machines, but being totally surrounded by an environment like that might be freaky and offputting to him for a complex variety of reasons. Even though Yavin 4 had all the residual Sith crap going on, I think he'd really like being in a place rich with natural life because it's a comforting thing after experiencing so much death over and over again.

I also felt it was important and a nice little detail for Luke to acknowledge that he can't be everything to Mara. There will always be aspects to her life that are private or separate and give her satisfaction or a sense of completion that he can't provide, and it's good for him to take that into consideration.

Seeing Mara happy was SUCH a big deal. Even though "canonically" this took place during Darksaber, while he was still hooked up with Callista, he and Mara were still kinda-BFFs and it would have been a wonderful thing for him to see just how far she'd come from the place where he'd first met her. Her being happy made him happy, no matter what it was. And of course now he's wishing he could get her back to that point.

 

Lovely inner thoughts and totally in character. I love the contrasts of Coruscant and Yavin IV in their ambience and home-ness for Luke. Enjoyed the memory of the Fire and SQUEE on where Luke's thoughts are going. A beautiful, wonderful surprise! LOL

 

Are we speaking about Jade's Sabre?

 

In "Maiden Voyage" SQUGGLES!

 

I also meant for both of these sections of Ch. 8 to sound similar - they're both getting back to their lives and work, but neither of them can sleep just yet.

Heh, after getting a ride in the Fire Luke would be like, "Stangit, I miss that ship too," LOL. [/flyboy]

Hehehehehehe. Yeah, this is the reason I'm not reposting "Maiden Voyage," because it's going to be somewhat incorporated in here. And yes, this is the first inklings of what will become the future Jade Sabre.

 

I always thought that the Jade Sabre was such a wonderful gift in so many ways.

 

I know there are fans who feel that Mara was nothing but a spoiled brat who whined too much over losing her ship and didn't deserve to have her whims catered by almost immediately being presented with a brand new replacement.

I prefer to take the view that at that point in her life, other than Karrde, the Fire was the one thing she could count on - one haven of control, stability, and accomplishment. rthstewart's Home Game totally nailed it on the head just how significant this ship was to her (and I love that in this instance, it was Karrde who installed the beckon call as a gift). Even though later on Mara confesses that she was using it as a crutch to isolate herself, it was another important step in her journey.

Instead of waiting until after their marriage to give it to her, here the Sabre becomes something that Luke wants to give her regardless of their relationship, because - like his old lightsaber - he just genuinely wants her to have it, but also because he wants her to have the same sense of freedom, that he's not looking to change or restrict her. Except that this time, they get to share it.

 

[Story removed.]

 

This is so cute Luke biting on a crooked grin.

And the flashback portion about Dagobah was great and their conversation about Leia's child or children, perfect.

 

(stealing your Tumblr tag, but it's so perfect I can't believe I didn't think of it before!) I love the Skywalker Twins here, both in the flashback (my heart!) and the meditation scene with the Solo babies being adorable.

I remind myself happily that this is AU so hopefully all the mess of NJO, LOTF and FOTJ never happened in thus universe and the SkySolos are as perfect and happy as they are here.

 

Gorgeous description of the rainforest and a lovely, poignant flashback. I found Luke's "How" very touching and Leia's decision was just what he needed. Your sibling-centric moments are really really! the best I've read!

 

Hehehe, at this point Luke is finally ready for nieces and nephews.

This portion was slightly inspired by this adorable fan art, because I totally agree that Luke the Jedi Master should be that awesome but lovable uncle to all the padawans.

Steal my tags anyday.

YES, AU FOREVAH.

They're each their own independent characters and Leia needed time to sort out her feelings about having such a complicated heritage, but Luke really needed some support in his solitary quest to restore the Jedi and there was no one better qualified than his twin sister.

Even though Luke knew what he needed to do, there had to have been times when it just became too overwhelming and disheartening; it's too much responsibility for one person. (It probably gave him a lot more sympathy and empathy for Obi-Wan, who dedicated the last melancholy years of his life to just watching over him and hoping, and trying not to lose his mind with fear and grief.)

 

I just caught up on the last two entries, and while both were lovely, what really interests me is Luke's/your thoughts on Coruscant and how the absence of natural life (flora and fauna) affects one's connection to the Force (incidentally JadeLotus also had some thoughts about this regarding Tatooine in her Obi-Wan diary). I've been struggling with this for characters who are in space, where the only lifeforms are their fellow travellers and, when they're travelling on a large ship like a Star Destroyer, they feel like their mind is crowded with the thoughts/emotiona of all the people around them. It stands to reason that it would be a similar situation on a city-planet like Coruscant -- it's just a place where there's no breathing space in the Force and I find that the passage of Luke introspection in the entry before last conveys that perfectly

 

Chapter 8

This is a really interesting insight into the world of the fringe. They're not entirely immune to emotional bonds, but try to stay distanced because of the uncertain, treacherous world they operate in. Sounds about right! It's not entirely a bad place -- people like Karrde and Shada are found there, after all -- but it is limiting in its way.

Luke's gift and letter were beautiful. The bird carving -- I'm going to guess before peeking at the future chapters, but did he make that himself? I know there's a woodcarving tradition on Tatooine.

---

I miss Yavin IV, really. It's touching that Tionne and Streen try to go meet Luke when he returns most of the time. Sure, he doesn't need a welcoming party. But I bet it helps make Yavin IV feel like home, as he mentions earlier, and they know him well enough to know that. Luke's moment of happiness in having his family together there is just adorable. He's learned to appreciate the good days when they're here, even if his relationship with Mara is still in limbo.

This was lovely! Also liked the beginning of Luke's ideas, and that there can never be another quite like a good ship... but maybe a different one...

Chapter 9

I am dead of the Kedorzhan baby Jedi cuteness. *flop* And Luke's thoughts on his own training.

This is so Leia. She's the best of her parents, really -- she and Luke both are. Which is what everyone says, but they say it 'cause it's true and you show it well here!

Congrats on your awards, by the way!

 

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Sorry it's taken me this long to reply - TL;DR, I had a bit of a mini-pre-mid-life crisis and some real-life drama and a lot of shopping all within the same week or so and I thank taramidala and JadeLotus for going off to find me and drag me back out of the pit.

It's kinda like...Coruscant is still teeming with life from all the trillions of people living on it, but the vibe they collectively give off is very different to Luke (in my headcanon) - basically, it's too urban. It's New York in space on steroids. Even though he loves mechanical things like his dad, Luke is ultimately a simple country boy who's not much into the ambitious workaholic/extremely affluent/despairing working-poor atmosphere that the planet radiates, and yes, the population density could create a sort of mental claustrophobia.

I think I took this sort of spin on him from the way Zahn wrote Luke's discomfort with the Imperial Palace all the way back in HttE. Granted, there he had the willies from the Emperor once having occupied it and leaving behind potential dark side influences, and he wasn't keen on the symbolism, but that made me feel that overall, he might not have enjoyed Coruscant all that much. It doesn't quite fit his personality. Quiet places full of natural life would plausibly be more appealing and calming to him, especially as he got older. But your theory is really interesting too and makes a lot of sense. (Streen had that very issue before Luke taught him how to control his perceptions.)

It all goes back to the way Han and Lando treated one another in TESB - there's always this wariness between them, but at the same time they're total bros. Smugglers and fringers have their BFFs too, they're just more ambivalent about it.

Yep, he did whittle that bird on short notice, but at this point Mara doesn't realize that; she thinks he might have just run out and purchased it at some random bazaar, since you can find anything on Coruscant. She'll find out eventually...

SPOILERPALOOZA AHOY

Spoiler

I've been so amazed and fascinated by the intricate and beautiful headcanons folks on Tumblr have conjured up for Tatooine culture. Anakin started things off with the japor snippet, and everyone's ideas have been giving me brainstorms about what Luke might do for their wedding. I thought of that necklace that Mara was often and inexplicably painted with on NJO book covers - what if it was a long chain of hand-carved japor ivory wood beads that Luke gives her as a symbolic gift during their wedding ceremony? That'd be another way to explain the significance of that necklace and why Mara chooses to wear it, when she seems to be a person who usually eschews jewelry.

Yeah, I know that's not really a spoiler, but whatevs. Formalities.

And that's the key: while these two dorks are better together, they each still have full and satisfying lives of their own.

Back to my headcanons, I figure Luke's inaugural class is very close to him as well as each other; they're basically his second family. They were there for all his early struggles with rebuilding the Jedi order, and he helped them realize their potential. Although according to the EU Tionne's strength in the Force is minimal, I see her as being strongly empathic just like Streen. Luke redeemed Kam Solusar from the Dark Side, so I have the three of them as a sort of core team who is always looking out for Luke's well-being and understands where his difficulties come from. They're the ones who stand by and pull him up when he needs insight or gets into a navel-gazing funk and Han and Leia can't be present immediately.

I'm kind of obsessed with the idea of making the creation of the Jade Sabre such a major part of the story and their relationship because it's something I've never really seen done in other L/M fic (unless it has and I just haven't come across it ).

I wanted to feature a youngling from an uncommon species (cuz hey, it's a big galaxy, lol) and remembered these little guys from the SW Insider story "Incognito."

This is why I have Luke thinking in my other work, "Even in weakness she is strong." It's so arduous and terrible, but Leia always manages to overcome whatever life throws at her - yet there are times when it's nearly impossible even for her, so she'll never judge her brother for getting temporarily lost and overwhelmed by circumstances.

I think Luke would forever have that representation of Leia as a supergiant star burned into his mind (when she was captured by Cronal and he was trying to break her so he could inhabit her body), a star that not even a black hole could tear apart or consume. The magnitude of her strength gives him awe. But because he's so busy admiring her, he doesn't really notice that he's just as strong and bright and persevering as she is.

 

Girl, I love that picture. And...SHE HAS SLEEVES!

 

YES, I SPECIFICALLY ASKED FOR SLEEVES. I actually linked him to a couple pieces of fan art you had featured on your Tumblr, and some scans of Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand, that showed her wearing jackets and other practical gear and explained how Teh Catsuit just doesn't work, lol. She keeps that little blaster in a sleeve holster, so...they're kinda necessary.

 

Mara has sleeves and Luke doesn't. This is the most perfect fanart to ever fanart