Beyond - Legends (Luke Skywalker is) Dying of the Light (Ben narrates) [complete]

delurking horrible habit I had once said that I would not read anymore after I read the four dreadful words-LUKE SKYWALKER IS DEAD-that changed after fury but you definitely had me with the title anyway yes I agree with pregnant padme in that hamner needs to go down and echoing the question where and to whom is Ben going to?
*oh and it would be fantastic if you could add me to the PM list

 

mavjade
I know, I think the Council handled that spectacularly badly. I don't think Ben even objects to the public funeral per se so much as their whole attitude. As always, I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

kataja
Wow, thanks. Would you believe the angst prologues, as I like to call them, take twice as long as the main action sequences to write even though they're only a quarter as long? It's crazy, I just can't stop until I've tweaked every word, and I'm so happy to hear that you think I pulled it off well. FOTJ are the most recent SW books I've read, so when I sat down to write a story it sort of decided to set itself there, because I was more familiar with it than previous eras.

Zardi
Thanks for stopping by! While I hope he doesn't die either, I've always thought that the end of FOTJ would be a logical place for him to bite the dust, sort of a way of saying "This is the end of an era," and as a segway into the Legacy comics.

whateveritis12
All good guesses! I thought of Kyp, too, and in different circumstances it would be interesting to see what a heart-to-heart between him and Ben with respect to loss would look like. Thanks for reading!

strwbrystarshine
One update coming right up.

SithGirl132
That's a good point about most people not being themselves when they're grieving. No, Tatooine doesn't come up anymore because this is the second-to-last post. And Ben thanks you for the hug.

Jaded_Girl

*snort* Oh, he's so deliciously sardonic. ^_^
Thanks, I was wondering if anyone would catch that because he flips so effortlessly between that and emo!Ben.

Wow. That made me emotionally upset about Chewie's death all over again! Normally I'm more intellectually upset because of the change in storytelling tone that it represents. I guess "good job" is what I'm trying to say.
Thanks. I always thought the parallels between the effects of all these deaths on the Skywalker/Solo family weren't explored enough, which is part of what I set out to do here. I did hear the writers were planning to kill Luke at the beginning of the NJO, but George Lucas axed that idea pretty quickly, so they sacrificed the hapless Wookie instead.

plain Wow.
Thanks again!

It's in the genes.
For sure.

It's such a, well, fairly normal reaction. Awesome.
Yes, that's the first line I heard Jaina saying when I envisioned the scene.

One: what could he possible mean by that? and Two: who is he going to see?
You get both your questions answered this week, so yay.

Ice1605
No problem, thanks for coming back.

pregnantpadme
Wow, good to see you! You enjoyed the story, that's great. Hmmm, I wonder if it's cuz Leia's not a Master? Though there was talk about promoting both her and Jaina. Plus Hamner has more credibility with the powers that be. Though we see how far that got him ... Anyway, now you can see for yourself if you were very wrong or very right.
EDIT: And props to you for the solitary-confinement-with-ysalamiri idea!

Allana_Djo_Solo
Thanks for delurking, it's always good to hear that someone liked the story. And yes, the major reason I wrote it in the first place was because the title came to me and just begged to attach itself to a fic.

 

Why is the lightsaber a Jedi?s weapon of choice?

Dad would say it isn?t a weapon at all, that it?s merely a visible emblem of the Order?s mandate to protect and serve. I think that?s about as accurate as saying hawk-bats lay rock-shaped eggs because they eat granite slugs. Whoever heard of a meter-long plasma ?emblem? with the power to part durasteel like butter?

Mom would shrug and point out that it requires you to get down and dirty with your opponent ? unlike with a projectile weapon, where it?s impossible to know if your blaster bolts found their mark unless you were recording the firefight. I can hear her dry, sardonic voice as she ticks off the possibilities one by one: Maybe a sentient being deserves to have you look him in the eye before you snuff his life out. Maybe swinging a blade around all day gets you in shape. Maybe it?s handier, more portable, less obtrusive than a blaster. Maybe the lightsaber was invented by the Sith.

The lightsaber is singularly suited to dueling. Think about it: How do you conduct a duel with blasters? I once saw a holovid featuring two Rodians who did just that, stood fifty meters apart and took turns taking potshots at each other ? but first of all that?s a dumb thing to do, even for a pair of Rodians, and second of all how long do you expect the bout to last before they have to call in seconds? The show is over before it?s even begun.

It takes weeks, maybe months, to turn a kid with a good eye and a steady hand into a half-decent shot, but years to master basic lightsaber technique. There?s three different combat styles and fancy footwork and an entire catalog of thrusts and parries. Let it never be said that the Knights of the Old Republic didn?t have a flair for the dramatic, for what else would you call a prolonged dance ? almost choreographed in its crispness ? between two combatants whose identical brown robes billow in the breeze? That?s classic theater right there.

It occurs to me that if the history of the galaxy was written upon a turtle?s shell, landmarks would coincide with lightsaber duels: The one where Jaina killed Caedus. The one where Jacen killed Mom and in the process became Caedus. The one where Dad went after Lumiya in a fit of vengeance. The one where Dad slew Lomi Plo and with her the Dark Nest threat. The one where Corran slew Shedao Shai, and we lost Ithor anyway. The one where the Academy students brought a temple down on top of Exar Kun. The one where Dad and Aunt Leia defeated the Emperor reborn. The one where Mom killed Dad?s clone.

My father has been involved in many, many lightsaber duels in his day. There is one duel that he rarely talks about ? though I hear they stage regular reenactments in the Galactic Museum ? and that is the one where Darth Vader cut off his hand. He doesn?t need to; every time he flexes his prosthetic right hand it?s a reminder of what he lost that day, as well as what he gained. He gained a father, however flawed and misguided the man was. He got to keep him for barely a year before losing him forever. Which one hurt more ? the loss of the father or the loss of the hand? These are the questions I never got to ask him, questions that will likely plague me until my own dying day.

His father was a villain, and he wept over the corpse. My father was a hero, and I?m as dry-eyed as the Tatooine desert.

I need to know: Can we save others from my grandfather?s fate? Is it possible? Should we even be trying? What is the price of a life spent in service to the Light? What is the cost of constant vigilance against the encroaching darkness? Above all, why did I wait until he was gone to start asking?

**

She sat cross-legged on the floor, her eyes closed, her back straight as a ramrod. There were no windows. There wouldn?t be, in a maximum security cell.

?I?m surprised they didn?t ring the place with ysalamiri,? I said by way of greeting.

Green eyes snapped open, widening in surprise, though not at my presence. ?They let you in.?

?Had to leave my lightsaber outside.?

?Good, that reduc

 

Didn't even think of Tahiri, should have though. I'm interested in how the rest of the story goes because I'm really not seeing where this could go past Luke's funeral. Maybe Ben finds out how to stop the force psychosis. Maybe he goes on a trip to find something out about the dark and runs into Vestara (in opposite of finding things in the light). Definitely want to see how Han and Leia react.

Also nice tie-in with Legacy being the reason Luke is sacrificing himself now.

Patiently waiting for the next post.

 

Okay, first off, I have to make this short because I have to wrestle Big Sithter and Darth Little Boy into bed, but I wanted to say;

WooHoo!

I was right! He went to see Tahiri!

I knew it!!!!

And the part about Anakin and Tahiri watching Ben, and Ben falling asleep in her arms while she was in Anakin's... the image nearly tore my heart out.

The whole post was just beautiful, and I'm going to go back and give a more thoughtful reply, I just had to give a quick shout now.

Elle.

 

This continues deeply fascinating, though I start to suspect it won't tie neatly in the end but remain a captivating, disturbing symphony of dark moods, loss and doubt. No matter, I love this story!

Of course Tahiri! I should have guessed! You're right, she's family too. And I loved your line about lookign at 'would have beens'. You pick up the interesting bond she shares with Ben in LotF perfectly here! Loved the idea of her and Anakin babysitting Ben and it being the happiest time of her life!

"His father was a villain, and he wept over the corpse. My father was a hero, and I?m as dry-eyed as the Tatooine desert."
Somehow this captures Ben perfectly: as the son of the Hero of the Galaxy, the child of a mother who was murdered by his beloved cousin when was fourteen, not to speak of other things, he's both utterly sarcastic and utterly empathetic, extremely volatile and a rock at the same time, always questionning, yet not afraid to commit himself...

Luke's suicide remains deeply disquieting, and I really can join in Ben's questions: when is it to much? Can't wait to see how you're going to end this!

 

How interesting. I think Ben will help a lot to get Tahiri out of major trouble- her reactions here are very interesting. I'd love to know more about the vision of the dynasty of Sith emperors- sounds fascinating!

 

I, too, am curious about Luke's vision of a Sith dynasty, and what he did to attempt to prevent it.
Anyway, another great chapter, and thanks for the PM!

 

Luke's vision is so fascinating. Was he talking of Cade? (I don't really know anything about the Legacy comics, so I could be way off!)

?I just ? I?m supposed to be sad, but I?m mad. Mad at him, and mad at everyone else for not understanding how stupid he was at the end. They all think he?s this paragon of Jedi virtue. So did I. He wasn?t just my dad, he was my hero.?
I was waiting for this, I knew it would happen eventually and it was heartbreaking. I find it very interesting that he trusted Tahiri with his feelings. Also heartbreaking was when Tahiri was talking about she and Anakin babysitting Ben but gave a warm feeling as well because she was able to talk about it with such love and not misery.

I can't wait to read the next part!

 

You get both your questions answered this week, so yay.

Oh yay! ^_^



Why is the lightsaber a Jedi?s weapon of choice?

Oh, man. Mara makes an excellent little observation regarding blasters and lightsabers in the first chapter of RedGold's fic "Emperor's Shadow". I loved what you had Mara say a few lines below, too. Very good points all.



His father was a villain, and he wept over the corpse. My father was a hero, and I?m as dry-eyed as the Tatooine desert.

*shivers* and Again, I applaud your writing!



Above all, why did I wait until he was gone to start asking?

An oversight everyone who's suffered loss has shared, regrettably.



~She arched an eyebrow. ?Who died and made you Grand Master??
~?My dad, actually.?

Ben gets points for style, man. *shakes head in slight awe*



?As far as I can tell, by a combination of starving himself and overexertion through astral projection. By the time he was gone, really gone, there wasn?t much of him left.?

Hm.



~Tahiri tilted her head and fixed me with a look that said, And he thought meddling with the future was a good idea why? What she said was, ?Do you think it worked??
~I shrugged. ?I guess we won?t know till we?re all wiped out in the next purge.?

One: Thank you, Tahiri! Apparently ONE person in the galaxy has learned from Jacen's mistake!
Two: *snort* Yes, that's one way to know for certain.



...and then when he came back he would be raving about how this boy had my mother?s eyes... The kid was in some kind of trouble. He was a user, and he ran with a bad crowd. He hadn?t fallen yet, but my dad said he was standing on a precipice. The fate of the galaxy ? the fate of the Force itself ? is going to rest in his hands.

Ah! *smacks forehead* Of course! Awesome! Wish I knew more about that storyline...



*sigh* Regrettably, I do not think it is appropriate to quote the entire rest of the fic, no matter how much I want to. Suffice it to say that I think it is possibly the sweetest thing ever and every part is my favorite part!



Up for the funeral! ^_^

Uh... 6_6 I didn't mean it like that...

 

Holy kriff. This is some good stuff, if I do say so myself. I especially enjoyed the mental image I got of Anakin, Tahiri, and Ben sleeping on the couch. Can't wait for your next.

Peace,
Bea

 

*waves* LT, how are you?! Wow, it's been so long. Great to see you here again, girl!

Um, so this story is AMAZING. Not even kidding. I am absolutely in love with your portrayal of Ben, of Tahiri, of basically everybody you've featured so far. But especially Ben. I haven't read anything since Revelation, but I've read up on the plots of the last few books, and while I'm not exactly thrilled by the direction the EU has taken, I found myself totally enthralled by how you wrote this world. Major kudos there.

?Your mother and I met here. For three days she held a blaster to my head and threatened to leave Artoo lying under a bush in pieces.?

?I could swear you sound more pleased with yourself every time you tell that story.?

Love this line. Perfect interaction between father and son.

I was not surprised that I?d been left out of the loop. My father had usually confined his sporadic communications with Cilghal to strictly Jedi business, and in any event there was no reason that Cilghal or anyone else outside the immediate family should know that Jaina was engaged. As soon as they went public with the news, I had no doubt it would be splashed all over the HoloNet. Plus, this was Jaina, whom I?d never been that close to. Mom claimed that when I was little I used to follow Jacen around like a lost puppy. And we all know how that ended. Dad sometimes got this pained look in his eyes when he talked about Anakin, whom he said I resembled in more ways than one. But we?ll never know how that would have worked out. Jaina was an entirely different kettle of fish.

?There?s no one else I?d rather have for a cousin-in-law,? I told Jag truthfully.

This section is so telling. I love how you?re exploring the family dynamics in this story, and you have such great insights into Ben?s relationship with Jacen, Jaina, and even Anakin. Also, I really liked this interaction with Jag, especially Ben?s acceptance of him. Despite being head of the Empire, I think he would truly appreciate that gesture of Ben?s.

In my dreams I am always marooned upon a deserted planet, awaiting the transport that will take me home. It is, perhaps, a dread peculiar to those of us who were born among the stars, born between planets and doomed forever to wander in their wake. But I am no less infuriated by my abandonment now than I was the first time. Dad, why did you leave me here?

This section really touched me. You have a knack for picking up on the little details of Ben?s life that have shaped him into who he is. I could feel his loneliness, his sense of abandonment, of being adrift and not having a safe place to rest. Great imagery throughout this whole section!

I am so glad Ben argued to have Leia and Han present for Luke?s funeral. They were forced away from Mara?s ? it wouldn?t be fair to deprive Leia of the last chance to see her brother. Whether Han and Leia make it back or not, I?m glad Ben said something.

The lightsaber is singularly suited to dueling. Think about it: How do you conduct a duel with blasters? I once saw a holovid featuring two Rodians who did just that, stood fifty meters apart and took turns taking potshots at each other ? but first of all that?s a dumb thing to do, even for a pair of Rodians, and second of all how long do you expect the bout to last before they have to call in seconds? The show is over before it?s even begun.

LOL, nice! I just love Ben?s observations. You really do a great job with him.

My father has been involved in many, many lightsaber duels in his day. There is one duel that he rarely talks about ? though I hear they stage regular reenactments in the Galactic Museum ? and that is the one where Darth Vader cut off his hand. He doesn?t need to; every time he flexes his prosthetic right hand it?s a reminder of what he lost that day, as well as what he gained. He gained a father, however flawed and misguided the man was. He got to keep him for barely a year before losing him

 

I don't think I've properly expressed how grateful I am to you guys to reading and reviewing. Thanks for dropping by - it means a lot to me. And for the fic being finished!!

whateveritis12
Sorry for leaving Vestara out. I didn't notice till you pointed it out that I'd included all the other FotJ big players. And obviously the "Minor Spoilers for FotJ" in my story summary is a pack of lies, there's so many spoilers in here I've lost count.

Also nice tie-in with Legacy being the reason Luke is sacrificing himself now.
Thanks!

pregnantpadme
Okay, first off, I have to make this short because I have to wrestle Big Sithter and Darth Little Boy into bed
This is like two weeks too late, but I realize you must do this every day, so good luck!

And the part about Anakin and Tahiri watching Ben, and Ben falling asleep in her arms while she was in Anakin's... the image nearly tore my heart out.
It tore mine out too. I wasn't planning to put it it, it just kind of wrote itself when Ben started crying. I'm glad it reverberated with you.

kataja
This continues deeply fascinating, though I start to suspect it won't tie neatly in the end but remain a captivating, disturbing symphony of dark moods, loss and doubt.
That is some good insight. I'm not one of those people who plan things out in meticulous detail before sitting down to write it, especially not for a story of this length, so I didn't realize until I started trying to write the funeral - but man, "unresolved" and "disturbing" are very apt here. Even I was disturbed by some of the things Luke said.

No matter, I love this story!
Awww, thanks!

Of course Tahiri! I should have guessed! You're right, she's family too. And I loved your line about lookign at 'would have beens'. You pick up the interesting bond she shares with Ben in LotF perfectly here! Loved the idea of her and Anakin babysitting Ben and it being the happiest time of her life!
It's bittersweet, but also allows her to be independent, I think. For me Tahiri is one of the biggest 'might have beens' of the whole SW universe, and I'm glad I was able to do her at least a little bit of justice here.

Somehow this captures Ben perfectly: as the son of the Hero of the Galaxy, the child of a mother who was murdered by his beloved cousin when was fourteen, not to speak of other things, he's both utterly sarcastic and utterly empathetic, extremely volatile and a rock at the same time, always questionning, yet not afraid to commit himself...
Yes, I feel like I know Ben so much better after writing this!

Luke's suicide remains deeply disquieting, and I really can join in Ben's questions: when is it to much? Can't wait to see how you're going to end this!
Ah, but you know those Jedi - always asking questions, never giving you a straight answer.

SithGirl132
How interesting. I think Ben will help a lot to get Tahiri out of major trouble- her reactions here are very interesting. I'd love to know more about the vision of the dynasty of Sith emperors- sounds fascinating!
Tahiri is interesting, and so fun to write. The vision of the Sith dynasty is meant to be enigmatic so I'm afraid I don't know much more than you or Ben do!

Ice1605
I, too, am curious about Luke's vision of a Sith dynasty, and what he did to attempt to prevent it.
Hmmm well I don't know how the logistics work, but basically I imagined that Luke would die so that he could start appearing in Force visions to Cade, some 100 years later. Strange, I know, but it makes a weird kind of sense. And since it's not germane to the next post I thought I could answer your question here.

mavjade
Luke's vision is so fascinating. Was he talking of Cade? (I don't really know anything about the Legacy comics, so I could be way off!)
Don't worry I haven't read the comics either but wookiepedia is my friend.

I was waiting for this, I knew it would happen eventually and it was heartbreaking

 

Towards the end, I asked him if he would come back, the way Obi-Wan and Yoda came back; the way Mom did, for a while at least. He didn?t hear me. He was transfixed by the imminent tragedy of another time, another place, another boy who needed his guidance. I didn?t suppose it had ever occurred to him that this boy still needed him.

I was wrong.

He said, Fear is of the dark side.

I said, Don?t you mean anger?

You?re angry because you?re afraid. You?re afraid of being abandoned. What?s more, you?re afraid of someday being the one doing the abandoning. You?re afraid of turning out like me.

I won?t make the same mistakes.

Son, we all make the same mistakes.

I wondered then if I were doomed to repeat this dance as fathers and sons had done for eons without end, if the bone-deep convictions of my adolescent soul were as nothing to the inexorable progress of time and fate.

He said, I know what it feels like.

Do you, Dad?

I lost my uncle and my mentor within a week of each other.

Did they sit there on their deathbeds reminding you to be a good little Jedi?

The corner of my father?s mouth twitched. No in so many words, no. Then he said, Is there anything you?d like to say to your mother?

Is there anything you?d like to say to your son? I countered.

Yes, he said. You?re a better man than me.

* * *

The last time my aunt had made a public address was just days after her son died and hours before the Chief of State blew himself ? and half the Imperial Palace ? up. There was a time when her clear, impassioned voice was a fixture in the Grand Convocation Chamber, when her simple white Senatorial robes were a symbol of hope to billions.

Everyone was wearing white in the Morning Court today, even the dignitaries and the holopress.

A pier had been erected for my father?s body halfway between the speaker?s podium and the seating area for guests. These latter were literally crammed into the atrium until it was standing room only, and through doorways I caught flashes of bystanders in adjoining antechambers or hallways craning their necks for a better view. Some of them didn?t have necks. Most of them hadn?t been invited. Insisting on holding the funeral inside the Temple had been an ingenuous means of restricting attendance, however ?public? Master Hamner proclaimed the event to be. It had been the easiest thing in the world to declare that as a recently orphaned sixteen-year-old boy, I refused to countenance holding my father?s funeral anywhere other than where my mother?s had been held.

There is no emotion, there is peace.

As I shifted my center of balance from one leg to the other, I reflected that Tahiri would have approved of the thick layer of sturdimoss which carpeted the chamber, making shod feet unnecessary and even unpleasant. Tahiri was not present, or I would have insisted on her standing with me and the rest of the family, regardless of the amount of hubbub it might have caused. As it happened, Jag in his starch-white uniform was causing plenty of hubbub all by himself.

I had found them in the third floor corridor, conducting a whispered exchange as they walked, Jaina?s faster pace compensating for her shorter stride. They were, as always, perfectly in sync.

?Jag, I want you to stand with the family,? I said without preamble.

?I?d be honored,? Jag replied solemnly, at the same time that Jaina hissed, ?Have you gone insane, Ben??

I had let the wrong man join me in mourning a departed parent once before. It was not a mistake I would be repeating. ?In case it?s escaped your notice, I?m asking him because he?s your fiancé.?

?But what are the journalists going to think??

?That our family has good taste, presumably.?

Jaina?s frown deepened. ?Look, think about it for a second. It?s supposed to be Uncle Luke?s funeral, but the way Kenth set it up, it could turn into a circus any minute now. I know the kind of media vultures that descend on these things. We don?t need to add fuel to the fire by giving them the Imperial Head of State to gawk at.? She looked at him for confirmatio

 

Wow.

Excellent imagery and dialogue.

Good insertion of that passage as well.

Very very impressive.

 

What a wonderful and fitting use of that poem. Oh, so sad- but so fitting.

A very emotionally charged and well-done piece. Amazing.

 

Wow.

That may be the most beautiful use of another work I've ever seen.

Extraordinary.

I wish I was capable of praising you half as eloquently as you deserve, because you deserve eloquent praise for so eloquent a piece.

But I'm suffering from mommy stupid right now, and I've been sitting in the karate dojo for almost 3 hours because Darth little Boy and Big Sithter both had back to back classes and I've been here since 11 am, listening to hits from the 80's while the kids scream 'hi-ya' at the top of their lungs. And if 'I Want Candy' comes on one more time I'm going to die by the light.

So I'll come back and pay this more props, because it so deserves it when Bow Wow Wow isn't breaking my brain.

Elle.

Because honestly, this was just so beautifully plotted out and written and the depth of emotion and the bond between Ben and Tahiri was beautiful and made me want to weep. And her having the poem already written out and then him reading the poem at the funeral!!!!!!!!!

Kriky...

Kriffing beautiful.

 

I usually don't read stories that have Luke die, but I lurked on this one wanting to see where you'd take it. I was hoping there was a way to bring Luke back, but this ending- especially Han's speech- was absolutely beautiful.
?Because while many people knew him as a hero, a savior, a traitor or a scapegoat ? a figure larger than life ? Luke himself would never have wanted his memory to be invoked in the service of vague, abstract principles. He served the Force, and the Force is life. I therefore yield the floor to a man who can testify firsthand to my brother?s goodness, his generosity, his compassion, and above all his humanity ? my husband.?

This time, the murmurs rose to a fevered pitch.

There is no chaos, there is harmony.

From the sheepish look on Han?s face I gathered that this request was not altogether unanticipated, although it was clear he had not acceded gracefully. The continued muttering from the guests was understandable. This was after all supposed to be a Jedi funeral. It was not an unreasonable expectation. My father had been for forty years the face of the Jedi Order, his very name synonymous with its promise of peace and justice. His exploits during the Rebellion had long since acquired mystical proportions. Now, my uncle may have been the most famous Corellian in living memory, but it would be a gross understatement to say that my aunt was the orator in the family. Leia was up to something.

Han glanced down periodically at the datapad he cradled in one palm ? not as if he were reading from it, more like he was trying to recall something important. ?Some of you know me personally,? he said. ?Some of you wish you didn?t. You all knew Luke. As a kid Luke was an idealist, a visionary, whatever you want to call it. Unlike most of us he kept that idealism as an adult. That?s what set him apart. He believed in the good in each of us with every fiber of his being, and he was willing to do whatever it took to help us find it.?

?As soon as I met Luke in a cantina I started getting shot at, and every fifth day after that without fail for a standard month, the kid would manage to almost get me killed. I?m not making this up. I put it down to his overzealousness to save the galaxy, at first. Then I realized that I wasn?t getting into bad situations because of him, he was getting into bad situations because of me ? or billions of other people like me. He cared about what happened to us, and that?s what you can?t forget when you hear people calling the Jedi insular or arrogant or whatnot. Jedi are people. Every Jedi is somebody?s husband, somebody?s daughter, somebody?s friend. Even before I married his sister, Luke Skywalker was the best friend I ever had.?

?I would probably be justified in saying that I lost both my sons because of Luke. Because of Luke, every single member of my immediate family is, was, or will be a Jedi, and I?m not unequivocally happy about that. There were times when I wasn?t happy with Luke; wouldn?t have trusted him as far as I could throw him ? which, him being a Jedi Master, wasn?t very far. But all the same I sent my kids to him for training. He had as much to do with raising them as I did. I didn?t do it because I saw eye-to-eye with him on everything, or because I wanted them to turn out just like him. I did it because ? because I challenge every single one of you here to name anyone who invested more in our future, in our children, than Luke Skywalker did. His legacy isn?t confined to the Jedi Order or its premises. Again and again, when we thought we were lost, he gave us hope.?

?I thought I was rescuing him all those years ago on Tatooine. The truth is, he rescued me, him and his hokey religion. I wouldn?t be the man I am today if not for Luke. He inspired me to fight, and to keep fighting, and to never lose sight of what I?m fighting for. He showed us all that there are things worth dying for, but many many more things worth living for. We are here to honor the memory of Luke Skywalker ? hero of the Rebellion, Jedi Knight, and Jedi Master; f

 

Oh kriff. That was...so incredibly sad.

?I thought I was rescuing him all those years ago on Tatooine. The truth is, he rescued me, him and his hokey religion. I wouldn?t be the man I am today if not for Luke. He inspired me to fight, and to keep fighting, and to never lose sight of what I?m fighting for. He showed us all that there are things worth dying for, but many many more things worth living for. We are here to honor the memory of Luke Skywalker ? hero of the Rebellion, Jedi Knight, and Jedi Master; father, son, husband, brother, uncle, and, of course, brother-in-law.?

Haaaan! Dude, where are you? I want to give you a huge hug!

?As soon as I met Luke in a cantina I started getting shot at, and every fifth day after that without fail for a standard month, the kid would manage to almost get me killed."

Han, you really know how to eulogize somebody.

?And now, because this is Luke?s ceremony, it wouldn?t be incomplete without a few words from Luke?s son Ben.?
And I wouldn't be the Grammar Nazi (according to Preggers) without mentioning that something is up with this sentence. I think you might have been trying to say either "it wouldn't be complete without..." or "it would be incomplete without..." and ended up fusing the two together? Or you intended for Han to say that. After all, he's not the politician of the family and not used to public speaking. He could just be really kriffing nervous.

Anyway, I'm going to keep my eye out for you in the future, LT.

Peace,
Bea

 

Very eloquently done. It's like watching Ben grow up into a somber adult in front of your eyes.

 

I started reviewing this fic with not knowing what to say, and while I've said a lot since and stand by it all, I again, here at the end, do find it very hard to review again! So forgive me if what I'll say becomes a bit uncoherent!

In this chapter Han's speach left me breathless - it was a brilliant move to leave the
word to him and he said it all! I cried when I read it, yet it warmed!

I did not know the poem before but it fit beautifly. Was it perhaps even the source of this story?

The absolute maturity and clarity of Ben is striking though this entire story! Beautiful! "A better man than me"? That's big words and while Luke would say them easily and mean them, it requires more to agree. Yet, how you have portrayed Ben here, I almost have to!

In a way everything is still hanging in the air when this story ends: Luke has still died of light and that still makes me want to scream, he still didn't unify with the Force, not bodily at least, we still do not know why he did all this and who the other boy was and Ben is still raging against the night! But I have to admit it doesn't reflect ill on the story at all, quite the contrary, it makes it even more insisting! I loved every word of this journey and I will continue to read this again and again! Thank you for a wonderful reading experience!!!

PS - I so agree on Tahiri! She's the greatest "would have been" in SW and I so hope she will still have a satisfying story arch!

 

I just read this in one sitting, and... loved it entirely.

?As soon as I met Luke in a cantina I started getting shot at, and every fifth day after that without fail for a standard month, the kid would manage to almost get me killed. I?m not making this up.

Leave it to Han to bring some humor to a funeral. Loved this, and the entire eulogy, and the awesomeness that is The Dying of The Light poem.

Well done, Lady_Tahiri.

 

Wow! What a great ending! Han's speech, the poem that Ben read, it was all fantastic! Thanks for answering my question, as well.
It was a great read!

 

I"ll echo what several others have said... WOW!

This entire story has been moving and emotional but this last section tops it all.



Is there anything you?d like to say to your mother?
Is there anything you?d like to say to your son? I countered.
Yes, he said. You?re a better man than me.
This was hard. I could feel Ben's anger and fear in this, that he was lashing out at his father and I wonder how that will affect him in the future but Luke's answer was so wonderful and heart felt. Even though this part was painful it was beautiful as well.

I liked how Ben wanted to include Jag. You can see so much of Luke in Ben when he is talking with Jaina and Jag.


?As soon as I met Luke in a cantina I started getting shot at, and every fifth day after that without fail for a standard month, the kid would manage to almost get me killed. I?m not making this up.
LOL! I loved this little bit of humor. It was so Han and so much Han and Luke's friendship. This was a wonderful way for Han to speak of Luke. I loved that you had Leia step aside and have Han deliver the eulogy. It was the right thing to do and it was perfect.

?I thought I was rescuing him all those years ago on Tatooine. The truth is, he rescued me, him and his hokey religion. I wouldn?t be the man I am today if not for Luke. He inspired me to fight, and to keep fighting, and to never lose sight of what I?m fighting for. He showed us all that there are things worth dying for, but many many more things worth living for.
And this was where you got me. His entire eulogy was making me tear up but here I could not help but cry. This was so beautifully written and passionate. It showed the things we all love about Luke Skywalker. This was the perfect send off for such a man.

Thank you so much for sharing this with us, I've loved every word. I'm definitely bookmarking this so I can read it again in the future.

Beautiful and amazing job!

 

I do give him all the good lines, don't I? Oh dear.

Not that there's anything wrong with that...



'Kay. Now, I will maintain some semblance of self-control and not quote the entire first part. I shall merely content myself with saying that it is great, and I especially loved the way Ben's anger, frustration and sorrow bled through every word. I also especially loved the last four lines. Not just the fact that they're brilliant, but that Luke is trying to go peacefully into the night, and damned if Ben is gonna let him do that!



?I don?t care if all you do is snog in turbolifts, or if the two of you got hitched on Mon Cal last night.





Uncle Han fingered the blaster he wasn?t wearing and looked uncomfortable as he proceeded to do what he?d been doing for the better part of his life: Hover around Leia and support her in an arena in which he had no expertise, whether it be politics or the Force.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is why we love him so much!



Master Skywalker was a protector to the weak, a friend to the forsaken, a teacher to the inquisitive ? and an implacable enemy to those who sought to shape the galaxy to suit their own twisted vision, who did not count the cost in innocent lives.?

5 out of 5 for style, Leia.



I therefore yield the floor to a man who can testify firsthand to my brother?s goodness, his generosity, his compassion, and above all his humanity ? my husband.?

*gasps too, but then is unable to think of anything more appropriate!* Han's awkwardness is perfect, too.




As a kid Luke was an idealist, a visionary, whatever you want to call it. Unlike most of us he kept that idealism as an adult. That?s what set him apart. He believed in the good in each of us with every fiber of his being, and he was willing to do whatever it took to help us find it.?

*sniffles* *hugs her Luke Skywalker action figure*



?As soon as I met Luke in a cantina I started getting shot at, and every fifth day after that without fail for a standard month, the kid would manage to almost get me killed. I?m not making this up. I put it down to his overzealousness to save the galaxy, at first. Then I realized that I wasn?t getting into bad situations because of him, he was getting into bad situations because of me ? or billions of other people like me. He cared about what happened to us, and that?s what you can?t forget when you hear people calling the Jedi insular or arrogant or whatnot.

Laugh, cry, smile fondly, seriously ponder or just gape at the quality of your writing... I can't decide what to do!



I didn?t do it because I saw eye-to-eye with him on everything, or because I wanted them to turn out just like him. I did it because ? because I challenge every single one of you here to name anyone who invested more in our future, in our children, than Luke Skywalker did... Again and again, when we thought we were lost, he gave us hope... I thought I was rescuing him all those years ago on Tatooine. The truth is, he rescued me, him and his hokey religion. I wouldn?t be the man I am today if not for Luke. He inspired me to fight, and to keep fighting, and to never lose sight of what I?m fighting for. He showed us all that there are things worth dying for, but many many more things worth living for.

*stands up and applauds furiously* *though the last line must be hard for Ben to agree with, what with the semi-suicide thing*



My voice was croaking from grief, or disuse. It reminded me of when I was thirteen and it had cracked without warning one night just as I was asking Mom to pass the nerf steak.

Darn you, Lady_Tahiri! I am cracking up laughing at the funeral of Luke Skywalker!


*holds up a lit lighter during Tahiri's poem*


Oh, and one last thing. The insertion of the Jedi Code thoughout? Brilliant.


Excellent, excellent job, Lady_Tahiri!