Beyond - Legends In Shadows and Darkness -o0**COMPLETE! **0o- (L/M, H/L, Vader, Palpatine, Action/Drama)

I have met with old friends after a couple of years and had some similar awkward conversations. It is good to see that Luke has justified saving an old friend in his mind.

What a killer post.

I look forward to more!

 

Just what we needed... A great Han/Luke reunion scene. But as Han has recognized, his buddy is not that kid from Tatooine anymore. Wonderful interaction between them.

And it's a darn shame that Zahn already snatched the title "Heir to the Empire." That would've been perfect for this story.

 

LOL the last line was the best - So Han to already be on the bridge.

Great to see Han and Luke start to opening up to each other. The way at the start it was kinda stilted, and then got better was so accurate with how things happen when old friends meet after a time away.

Luke's comment was interesting - will be quite interesting to see how Han becomes one of his agents considering where they both stand currently.

Great update as always,

TnTornado

 

Han nodded, frustrated that their brief discussion was coming to an end all too quickly. ?We should...do this again.?

?No, we really shouldn't,? the kid stated unequivocally, though there was amusement in his voice. "When you get back to your quarters, you should pack your bags and go. I assume you can get your own transport??

?Hey?it?s me.?

Luke broke into a genuine smile, quickly quashed, and Han couldn?t help but do the same. He had, he supposed, everything he?d come here for; let the others take care of the rest. He?d come to find an old friend?and much to his relief, he hadn?t been disappointed.

?Good to see you again, kid. Take care of yourself.?
I'm so glad Han wasn't disappointed too. Makes me happy to know the friendship between them is still there. Wonderful work as always!

 

Awesome awesome update! Your Han is so !!!!!! A true true friend!

Amazing that he could still reach part of Luke that is still in there.

Tentative squee!

 

Oh! What a lovely chapter! Your Luke/Han confrontation chapters are the best!


>>> 6 hours later >>>

My PC just crashed (for good this time, I think) and I lost all of my comments on this chapter - will have to read it again (I don't mind that - it was a very good chapter)and post later on ... I am definitely not amused!


*trashes her laptop*


>>> later >>>



Here goes nothing:



That was what he?d claimed anyway?it was a long time ago and he?d not really paid much attention at the time.


LOL! Does he even know what the term ?procedure? means???




That wasn?t his mission, of course?his remit was to lay a series of in-system bugs for information-gathering, but he figured anyone could do that.


Han is going against the rules...again...of course!




Stay out of direct contact, keep out of his way, keep hidden?just watch and learn and wait as long as it takes for the right chance to come along.

I don?t know if that will work ? isn?t Luke able to feel Han?s signature in the force???



?These are the rules; take notes.? The burly man walked slowly down the length of the line. ?You will refer to the Commander at all times by the correct title. The Commander?s own non-military Aides who are on-board refer to him by his civilian title, which is ?The Heir.? You will not. Onboard ship, or whenever you are wearing a Fleet uniform, you will refer to him by his military title, which is Commander-in-Chief. In the unlikely event that you find yourself in his presence, you will remember that he prefers simply ?Commander.? When you have referred to him once as such, you will subsequently acknowledge him as ?Sir.? You will do this every time you meet him: ?Commander? then ?Sir.? You will not try to engage him in small talk; he does not appreciate it. You will not go closer than four paces unless he looks to you and nods his head in permission. Even if you have to give him something you will stand and wait until he nods his head to allow you closer. If he enters a room in which you are present, you will bow smartly from the neck and bring your heels together military-style. You will practice this so that it is not sloppy when you finally have to do it. If you are in a room and the Commander is there, you may not leave without his order or his dismissal. If you need to walk away from him, you will bow and back up four paces, then bring your heels together before you turn away. If I see any one of you turn your back on him within four paces I will have you doing nightshifts on a garbage hauler for the rest of your career. You will not stand behind him closer that those magic four paces?if he turns his back on you, you will back up, as before. You will not sit in his presence unless explicitly invited to do so, which I very much doubt. You will not eat in his presence unless invited. You will not stare. You will not make conversation with civilian members of his entourage; you will remember that aside from Fleet issues, they outrank you and you will refer to them by their rank or title. You will learn their ranks and titles. You will not ask them for an introduction to the Commander-in-Chief?it will not further your career; they have invested many years in getting to where they are now and believe me, they?ll be damned if they?ll help any of you replace them.?

I just *LOVED* this part !




Luke motioned with a gloved hand for the small group of senior Officers and Aides trailing behind him?none any closer than the regulation four paces, Han noticed wryly?to stop. Alone, he walked slowly down the long line, indifferently inspecting the new drafts...

Han?s mind was racing as Luke drew ever closer; well this was a bolt from the blue?who?d have thought The Heir to the Empire routinely wandered below decks to check the new Petty Officers?

Ha ha ha! Love how you write Han! He?s very much in character!

 

? Suddenly, in his world for the very first time, Han was realizing just how much had changed. He was no longer trying to steal a few minutes with that hyper kid from Tatooine, who happened to be onboard a Star Destroyer?he was trying to get to the Heir to the Imperial Throne. Someone who lived that life?this life?all bows and Sir?s and entourages.?

This is in its own way a magical moment beause throught Han?s eyes we readers suddenly understand this too. That Luke isn?t just Luke anymore ? and no matter what you?ve thrown on him so far, he has remained that at least to me. OMG to live with all that!!! Poor, poor Luke!

And then Luke comes to give Han the sweat ? and all that realization break before the feeling that?s he?s still Luke!!! Their first exchange is unvaluable!!! Truly it is!!! I think it?s tenth time I read it and I still hold my breath, so much tension is there gathered in between the lines ? and at the same time I?m about to crack up since it?s so funny.

Another thing is that I think Han?s choice of name is poor ? I think Antilles is a pretty common name in GFFA?


?He wouldn?t let them come between himself and the last real friend Luke Skywalker had. The very last to remember who Luke Skywalker was?because he couldn?t remember himself anymore. To know that there was someone out there who still saw that unrealistic, painfully naive idealist when they looked into his face was strangely reassuring.?

It must really be. This is so unsettling in so many profound ways! Luckily Han?s the perfect anchor!

?Han studied Luke as he looked down, briefly uncertain, and in that moment...he still looked so young. Just a kid, trying to find a path through some serious poodoo and keep sane at the same time. Who was Han to judge that?he didn?t exactly have an impeachable record himself. ?

Awww. That?s so? plain wonderful!


?Sometimes in the real world we have to accept that there are complications to every friendship. But that doesn?t necessarily exclude them.? ?

That?s a quotation to take far beyond these forums!!!

 

?You should check your passenger?he?s probably on your bridge by now.?

Luke really does know Han so well. I loved the reunion between Han and Luke. I mean Luke is gone but a part of him is still there and you can see it when he thinks about the warnings Palpatine gave him about running off.

I cannot wait for more

 

Han really got an eye opening introduction to a Luke he thought he knew. I like that we get to see a more intellectual side to Han. As a smuggler he has got to use his wits, but he hides behind an "aw shucks" display. Here you get to see him making assessments of Luke and to a certain extent himself.

The word play as their relationship is shifting to a new arena was great. They know each other so well. This is a real world game of sabacc being played out.

In the end, the friendship and mutual respect is still there. Is this a weakness for Luke along with his relationship with Mara?

 

Ocelotl_Nesto

Hey Ocelotl

""I have met with old friends after a couple of years and had some similar awkward conversations. It is good to see that Luke has justified saving an old friend in his mind.

What a killer post. I look forward to more!""

Heh, heh. See, now I have visions of you packing a blaster at the small of your back and facing off against a Sith!

More soon






Jedi-2B

Hey J-2B

""Just what we needed... A great Han/Luke reunion scene. But as Han has recognized, his buddy is not that kid from Tatooine anymore. Wonderful interaction between them.

And it's a darn shame that Zahn already snatched the title "Heir to the Empire." That would've been perfect for this story.""

Heh,heh. Yeah, I know! For some reason I can't explain, I get a real kick out of squeezing it into this story as well







TnTornado

Hi TnT

""LOL the last line was the best - So Han to already be on the bridge.""

Wouldn't it just?


""Great to see Han and Luke start to opening up to each other. The way at the start it was kinda stilted, and then got better was so accurate with how things happen when old friends meet after a time away.""

Glad you liked. I figured they may have a few issues, but like Luke said, it shoulodn't come in the way of their friendship


""Luke's comment was interesting - will be quite interesting to see how Han becomes one of his agents considering where they both stand currently.""

Heh,heh,heh.....

""Great update as always""

Thanks! More soon...






dancing_star

Hey dancing star

------Han nodded, frustrated that their brief discussion was coming to an end all too quickly. ?We should...do this again.?

?No, we really shouldn't,? the kid stated unequivocally, though there was amusement in his voice. "When you get back to your quarters, you should pack your bags and go. I assume you can get your own transport??

?Hey?it?s me.?

Luke broke into a genuine smile, quickly quashed, and Han couldn?t help but do the same. He had, he supposed, everything he?d come here for; let the others take care of the rest. He?d come to find an old friend?and much to his relief, he hadn?t been disappointed.

?Good to see you again, kid. Take care of yourself.?-------

""I'm so glad Han wasn't disappointed too. Makes me happy to know the friendship between them is still there. Wonderful work as always!""

Aw, they'd never let a little thing like being on opposite sides of a galactic war come betweeen 'em lad you liked it. Back to the Palace next, with big things afoot....






Jade_eyes

Hi!

""Awesome awesome update! Your Han is so !!!!!! A true true friend!""

LOL! Didn't you always know he would be I mean, you know, aside from the gun thing... but that's just good sense


""Amazing that he could still reach part of Luke that is still in there. Tentative squee! ""

Heh, you may safely make a little tentative squee at this point But be braced for things to change next chapter...







The-Solo-Smirk

Hey TSS!

""Oh! What a lovely chapter! Your Luke/Han confrontation chapters are the best!""

Heh,heh. Glad you liked. I'm presently working up two new stories which are both Han and Luke stories at heart. One is a lighter one, more in the style of the viggies I do, and the other one is much darker, more like this. They're kinda getting written concurrently at the mo 'cos I STILL can't decide which to post first



""My PC just crashed (for good this time, I think) and I lost all of my comments on this chapte

 

kataja

Hey Kataja!

-----Suddenly, in his world for the very first time, Han was realizing just how much had changed. He was no longer trying to steal a few minutes with that hyper kid from Tatooine, who happened to be onboard a Star Destroyer?he was trying to get to the Heir to the Imperial Throne. Someone who lived that life?this life?all bows and Sir?s and entourages.-----

""This is in its own way a magical moment because throught Han?s eyes we readers suddenly understand this too. That Luke isn?t just Luke anymore ? and no matter what you?ve thrown on him so far, he has remained that at least to me. OMG to live with all that!!! Poor, poor Luke!""

Ooh, intresting - that it took until now, I mean. A useful scene then, not just from Han's point of view...


""And then Luke comes to give Han the sweat ? and all that realization break before the feeling that?s he?s still Luke!!! Their first exchange is unvaluable!!! Truly it is!!! I think it?s tenth time I read it and I still hold my breath, so much tension is there gathered in between the lines ? and at the same time I?m about to crack up since it?s so funny!""

""Heh, Han and Luke work so well together whatever the situation They're always great fun to write.

""Another thing is that I think Han?s choice of name is poor ? I think Antilles is a pretty common name in GFFA?""

Wouldn't you just know Han would do that though?


-------He wouldn?t let them come between himself and the last real friend Luke Skywalker had. The very last to remember who Luke Skywalker was?because he couldn?t remember himself anymore. To know that there was someone out there who still saw that unrealistic, painfully naive idealist when they looked into his face was strangely reassuring.-----

""It must really be. This is so unsettling in so many profound ways! Luckily Han?s the perfect anchor!""

Achor - I like that If only he was around more... Oh wait! That's the next story!


-------Han studied Luke as he looked down, briefly uncertain, and in that moment...he still looked so young. Just a kid, trying to find a path through some serious poodoo and keep sane at the same time. Who was Han to judge that?he didn?t exactly have an impeachable record himself.-------

""Awww. That?s so? plain wonderful!""

Heh,


-------Sometimes in the real world we have to accept that there are complications to every friendship. But that doesn?t necessarily exclude them.-------

""That?s a quotation to take far beyond these forums!!!""

Heh,heh. Vey true!






JediFalcon

Hy Jedi Falcon

-------?You should check your passenger?he?s probably on your bridge by now.?-------

""Luke really does know Han so well. I loved the reunion between Han and Luke. I mean Luke is gone but a part of him is still there and you can see it when he thinks about the warnings Palpatine gave him about running off.

""I cannot wait for more""

Yeah, I guess Luke's in there somewhere, deep down - how could he not be? It just takes someone like Han to bring it out.

Glad you enjoyed it. More soon (but maybe not over Christmas!) Back to the Palace next chapter, with Luke and Mara.






Darth_Malevolent7

Hey Darth M!

""Han really got an eye opening introduction to a Luke he thought he knew. I like that we get to see a more intellectual side to Han. As a smuggler he has got to use his wits, but he hides behind an "aw shucks" display. Here you get to see him making assessments of Luke and to a certain extent himself.""

Yeah, I'd guess Han's pretty perceptive on the sly I'm sure he'd be the first to tell you all
the rest's just a cunning front!


""The word play as their relationship is shifting to a new arena was great. They

 

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN






Mara woke in the early hours of the morning and for long, sleepy moments couldn?t work out why. They?d arrived at Endor two days earlier and Luke had spent the whole time on the new battle station, only returning a few hours ago to collapse into bed, exhausted. She?d curled up beside him, body hugging his, skin to skin, and listened to his breathing in the darkness until he?d fallen into a broken, restless sleep, twisting and turning as he always did but never quite escaping his dreams.

She'd laid awake in the darkness watching him, wondering what a Sith dreamed?terrible things? Nightmares and visions, barbed and biting, and twisted through with Darkness? Fractured foresight and future revelations perhaps...or simply dreams: moments and memories, hopes and fears all jumbled together, like everyone else.

He'd jolted awake with a gasp, jerking upright, arms held protectively before him, fingers splayed. For long seconds he stared breathless into the darkness, wide-eyed, his chest heaving...then slowly tense muscles loosed, as realization of where he was crept in and his breathing gradually returned to normal, and eventually he'd laid down on his back as his eyes closed, drifting again.

?Stop watching me,? he'd murmured quietly without opening his eyes.

Mara had loosed a smile into the darkness. ?I?m not,? she?d said. ?I?m looking in your general direction.?

?Well then look in some other general direction.?

?I like this one,? she'd maintained gamely.

He'd remained silent for long seconds so that she?d begun to wonder if he?d fallen asleep, before he?d rolled from his back onto his side, draping his arm over her and pulling her closely to him so that she faced away, body laid within the curve of his.

?Go to sleep,? he'd breathed against the back of her neck, and she?d settled, closing her eyes, lost in his warmth and his touch...



Which was what was absent now. Slowly it percolated into her drowsy mind that she was alone?Skywalker was gone.

But the pale greeny-blue glow of an automemo light traced a soft line around the partly open door, so Mara rolled quietly from the bed and catwalked lightly towards the diffuse glow in the room beyond. Luke was sitting with his back to her, leaning back to balance on the rear legs of the chair at his desk on the far side of the room, his bare shoulders highlighted by the dim light of the automemo.

Frowning, Mara took a half-step forward in absolute silence.

Immediately, Luke hit a key on the automemo and the screen fell dark, throwing the room into hazy star-shadows from the viewport.

Mara frowned, pausing instantly. ?What?s going on??

?I?m working.?

?Well then, why did you just turn it off??

His head turned slightly, muscles tensing. Just visible in the wan light, five years of lessons hard-learned were spelled out in old scars across his back and arms. ?Is that what you came in here to find out??

Mara paused for long seconds; she?d been on the very edge of shouting at him, indignant at the accusation?but wasn?t it true?

Luke sighed, voice tired and quiet. ?What the hell are we doing? Who do we think we?re fooling??

?Not each other, apparently.? Still smarting from the near-break-up just a few weeks ago, Mara wasn?t looking for a fight. ?Actually I was just reflecting that your answer was good enough for me.?

He turned, words and tone indulgent, laced with mock belief. ?Really? ?Cos now I?m completely persuaded of your good intentions.?

Mara smiled, draping her arms about him where he sat. ?Come to bed, pushover.?





Luke dropped back onto the bed, body craving the sleep which eluded his mind. He felt jaded, drained and weary after days of plotting and planning, hiding men and equipment and intentions. Already they?d begun drafting and reassigning officers to the Death Star, intending to use it to disseminate those Luke could trust equally through the Core and Rim Fleet whilst slowly, in increments, appointing those he didn?t trust to some aspect of

 

good grief ... now THAT was an update!

AND a cliffhanger!!!!

So much happened in this update its hard to take it in - with Mara finding out so much (and yet so little) about Luke's hidden business, and then finally making her decision, I think it comes down to how good can Palpatine read her? If he can still read just about everything about her, then they are both screwed, but if Luke has managed to help her enough, then they just might make it through a while longer.

The nebulous event that both Luke, Vader, Mara(somewhat) and presumably the emperor have sensed still hangs out there without any explanation, and I tend to think it will be a game changer when we finally find out about it. Makes me wonder if anything from EU far future is being brought in early.

Who knows ... ok, a couple people know, but not me, not yet. Which means I'm patiently (barely) waiting on!

Great update as always,

TnTornado

 

Merry Christmas to you, blank!

Hope that your heated socks are helping in this weather!

The update was awesome, blank! Exciting and good thing that Mara knows the truth about Luke's wheelings and dealings now...I fear for her, though...think about the last scene of this chapter...


A sudden regret washed over him?at what he didn?t know; realization of what this had become perhaps? Fear that it wouldn?t be enough when it came to the moment, as it hadn?t been for his father.

?Darkness wouldn?t care.? His father?s words echoed in Luke?s thoughts, a lifeline to cling to, a promise that he wasn?t yet lost. But then his father had clearly cared a great deal for his mother?he still did. And yet he?d still turned on her in that fateful moment.

Love the reference to Vader's story here! But I won't hold my breath for history to repeat itself!


She lifted his chin gently to look into his eyes. ?You know I...?

?Don?t say it,? he whispered quickly. ?Don?t ever say it.?

?Why??

?...What if I?ve cursed us both already??

I did not know that you had it in you! *heart*




Nathan walked in, performing his customary neat bow before looking up to glance from man to man, as yet blissfully unaware of the morning?s events. ?What?have I missed something??

Gotta love Nathan!


Mara practically burst out onto the massive granite landing platform seconds later and Luke turned to face her, knowing instantly that something was very wrong.

She stormed over, eyes ablaze, shouting over the thrum of the engines, so furious that for a few seconds she couldn?t string her words together. ?What...just...what the hell did you think you were doing!? How long did you think you could get away with it here of all...?

Luke strode quickly out to grab her by the top of her arm, yanking Mara in with enough force to shock her into momentary silence as he hauled her roughly back behind the shuttle, where he knew the all-pervasive surveillance wouldn?t have a clear line of sight.

She tried to pull free of him, fuming, but he kept a tight hold as he spun her about to face him, his tone low and quiet and very serious. ?You?d better get a grip right now because you don?t want me to shut you up.?

Loved this scene! They should erase the security tapes, though...unless they want the whole court to know whats going on between them!!!



?I have double standards!? You?re disobeying a direct order from the Emperor?a fundamental command: No unauthorized contact with Vader?none! He?s always made that clear. What you?re doing is a premeditated defiance bordering on treason and you know it!?

?Yes, I?m disobeying; it?s an unreasonable command. He?s my father, Mara. What?s your excuse, with us?? His words were clipped now, his own fast temper rising to match hers. ?You saw something you wanted and whatever the hell irresolute morals you still had just became...what? An inconvenience??


?But let?s lay all the cards on the table, just so you understand; I?m flying to Mosiin Barracks now as ordered. To continue my duties and responsibilities, as ordered. This is one dissent?and we all have one lapse, Mara, even you. Remember that. And if I?m under arrest when I land, you?d better make damn sure there?s a hell of a lot of them waiting because the moment I think you?ve betrayed me I?m turning around and walking out of there forever...and you?d better tell them all to shoot to kill, because there is nothing they can do short of that which will hold me. Not anymore.?

One of the best scenes that you have ever written! I swear! Best monologue ever!!!



Was this how Luke faced the Emperor; every summons, every meeting, heart pumping, hands trembling, anxious and fearful that somehow Palpatine imagined, he suspected, he knew.

How had he held out against this? How could she? Because even now, committed as she was...without even facing her master, witho

 

Amazing. Quite the literal turning point.



Mara's drawn the line and she and Luke are on one side of it--

Yay!

 

Wow.
That was amazing. (as always ) Looking forward to seeing what happens next. Brilliant job! And hope you have a Merry Christmas too!

 

Yep, Luke used the 'L' word, and cursed 'em both. Maybe. Possibly. Or maybe not. The rest of my eloquent comments will have to wait, cause they'd give too much away.

Merry Christmas back to you, blank. Though I'm not sure what the ' ' icon you put up in the last post has to do with Christmas, unless the chicken is roasted, on a platter on the table. Or you were substituting for Santa or the Grinch?

 

Wow what a chapter. It was so intense between Luke and Mara and Mara finally decided to give herself to Luke knowing what would happen if she turned him over to Palpatine. I cannot wait for the next post more more more more!!!

Merry Christmas Blank

 

BRAVO!!!!!!!!

By far one of the best updates of either story!!!!!

Things are about to get down and dirty rather quickly!!!!!!

The internalizations you do in this chapter with Mara and Luke are amazingly detailed....

I bow to the master!!!!!!

 

Wow! another twist and turn. Luke finally used the Love word; good to see he hasnt totally gone Sith. Now what will Palpy do to Mara? I have two guesses, one, he will pry the info on Luke/Vader out of her (this seems a bit obvious and i have found that you dont go with obvious. Second guess, he finds out that Luke said the L word... OOH and now he will tease Luke and get thumped...

thanks for the PM... I look forward to more. Have a Merry Christmas.

 

Oh god! I can't believe you ended it here! I mean really! After all the tension from the last paragraphs we have to wait 'till Friday to find out what she'll do?
Anybody wanna bet? I bet Mara tells..

 

Wow! A brilliant update! It seems to get better and better.

 

Mara has made her choice ... now can she survive it. She now knows that Luke can maneuver around Palpatine and she is now part of it.

How does she acquire a 'quiet mind'?

This is one of the best, if the the best, chapter written to date.

Hope your Christmas was enjoyable.

 

Blank, are you still on holiday? Some people had to go to work already and need some distraction at the end of a cold, frustrating day, you know...

 

Heh,heh,heh

Okay, okay, I'll get to work. Give me a few days.....