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Beyond - Legends Nanna (L/M AU Roulette Challenge)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Briannakin , Jul 18, 2015.

  1. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Title: Nanna
    Author: Briannakin
    Characters: Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, Beru Whitesun Lars
    Timeframe: 12 ABY
    Categorization: Legends AU
    Notes: Written for the LM AU Roulette Challenge. I got: Coma, Beru Whitesun Lars, and deep space.

    -This is set in your typical “LM got their act together and got banging right after TTT” AU. This could have been an epic. I restrained myself, so some shortcuts were made.



    “Thanks for coming with me,” Luke Skywalker said as he reverted the Jade Sabre into real-space. The ship had been a gift for his fiancèe, who was sitting beside him, directing the ship toward the structure suspended in the middle of space. They were literally in the middle of nowhere.

    Mara Jade let out an uncharacteristic gentle sigh. “Luke, I love you. Of course I’d be here for this.”

    He nodded with a smile, then was on the comm. “Jade Sabre requesting docking at Orios Medical Facility.”

    “We hear you Jade Sabre. Proceed with docking.”

    Slowly, Mara docked with the giant station.

    * * *

    Hand-in-hand, both wearing Jedi robes - his were black; hers were shades of blue - Luke led Mara to their destination through whitewashed corridors of silent nurses in sterile grey scrubs.

    Mara had only gotten the full story from Luke once. He had been raised by his adoptive uncle and aunt until one fate-filled day the couple had bought two stolen droids. One of theses droids - currently rolling behind them - was Artoo-Detoo. He had been carrying plans of a super-weapon, stolen by the Rebel Alliance. Of course, everyone knew this part of the story, Artoo had run off to find the old Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Luke, along with See-Threepio, had gone searching for him. Meanwhile, Imperial Stormtroopers, looking for the droids, had killed his aunt and uncle. Luke had gone off to the Rebellion after that and the rest was history.

    What few knew is that Luke’s aunt had not been killed, only beaten within an inch of her life. The Luke had given her what little medical treatment he could, then hid her with neighbours. He eventually returned to Tatooine, in-between the battle of Yavin and the battle of Hoth and took her here: Orios Medical Facility. It was a private facility, free from being affected by the turbulent political times of the past decade.

    Unfortunately, even this state of the art facility could do little for Luke’s aunt, other than keep her alive and comfortable. The stormtroopers had bashed her skull in, keeping her in a permanent comatose state.

    What chilled Mara most was Luke’s attitude towards it all. He had told Mara “it would have been better if they [meaning the stormtroopers] had just killed her.”

    Mara squeezed Luke’s hand as she sensed they were near.

    “Master Skywalker,” a tall, pale blue, male twi’lek said, approaching them from behind a nurses’ station. “You’re here for your visit early this year.”

    Mara knew her future husband came to visit his aunt once per standard year. This was the first time Mara had joined him, because this would be the last.

    Luke shook the being’s hand. “Yes, I am. Doctor D’ran, this is my fiancée, Mara Jade. Mara, this is my aunt’s doctor.”

    Mara shook the doctor’s hand as a formality.

    Luke then asked, “How is she?”

    The doctor slowly shook his head. “I wish I had better, or even just different, news, but there has been no change: minimal brain function, little signs of progress or recovery.”

    Luke then let out a deep breath. “Then, I think it is finally time that we consider a lythuim injection.”

    This was one of the few facilities that allowed coma patients, who could not die on their own, yet had no chance or recovery, to be euthanized by a lethal injection of spice.

    “Are you sure Master Skywalker?”

    Luke had discussed this at length with Mara. His aunt’s family had given up on her a decade ago, krell, her much older brother and sister - neither of which Luke was close to - had both died in the past eight years. He was all she had left and he had finally decided it was time to let her go.

    “She deserves to be at peace.”

    The doctor nodded. “There will be flimsy work to fill out. Why don’t you go into see her? I’ll get everything started.”

    Luke then led Mara to the room and palmed open the door, which swooshed open, revealing a small, yet warm room. There was a single bed, few silent machines, and a water-feature on one wall, filling the room with the sound of falling water.

    On the bed, only hooked up to the bare minimum of drips, a heart-rate and a brain wave monitor was Beru Whitesun Lars. She was only 59, but her face was worn. Her brown hair was long, but pulled back simply.

    She looked like she was merely sleeping. Evidence of her nearly fatal beating had long since healed.

    “Hey there,” Luke whispered, approaching the bed and sitting on the single stool. He took his aunt’s hand, which had been lying on the covers at her side. “I have someone I want you to finally meet. This is my fiancée, Mara.”

    Mara stood behind him, rubbing his back.

    “She would have loved you, Mara. And I think you would have loved her,” he said, absently. He then heaved another sigh. “Can I do it?” Luke asked, quietly.

    “You don’t have to do anything, not today and not next year. However, you did say it was time. Time to let her move on.”

    They were then distracted by someone at the door. It was a male Togruta with orange skin and long white and grey monorails and head-tails. “I’m so sorry to interrupt, but may I come in?”

    Luke nodded.

    “I am Doctor Borgris. Doctor D’ran mentioned you were considering giving your aunt a lythuim injection. I would like to inform you of an alternative. We only offer this to families who are ready to let their loved ones go, as this procedure comes with many risks.”

    “Procedure?” Luke asked, sounding curious.

    The doctor nodded. “Deep-brain stimulation. It is extremely experimental. Essentially we would stimulate your aunt’s brain with electric current in hopes of repairing pathways and walking her up.”

    “What are the chances she could wake?” Mara asked.

    The doctor winced. “In Mrs Lars’ case, given that she is breathing on her own, but has been in this state for a dozen years, only around 10 percent. Sadly, I weigh the possibility of mortality at 50 percent and further brain damage at 40. Even if she does wake, there is no telling how much brain damage she has.”

    Luke nodded. “Can I put a hold on the lythuim injection for now and think about it?”

    “Of course. I will leave some information and inform Doctor D’ran.”

    * * *

    Luke and Mara retired back to the Sabre. He rested on the bed. Mara showed up in the threshold.

    “You hungry?” she asked. Mara’s solution to almost any problem Luke had was food. It made him love her only more. The two had experienced an interesting relationship. First, she wanted to kill him. Then, after a trek over the planet of Wayland, Luke had saved Mara, and she had returned the favour. She then agreed to become his apprentice, then his love. The two had a connection; a bond through the Force.

    “No. I just need to think.”

    “I’m sorry, but I don’t understand. What is there to think about?” Mara could be cold, to the point of being dense, at times. It was a side effect of being raised as the Emperor’s personal assassin. “Yes, I know it’s only a 10 percent chance, but what does she, or you, have to lose?” she asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

    “A peaceful death for starters,” he said, gently passing the few pieces of flimsy Dr Borgris had given him to her. They contained information and a consent form for the brain stimulation procedure. “A lythuim injection is a relatively fast, painless death. The injection would stop her heart within five minutes. Death by brain electrocution does not sound like a pleasant way to go. Not to mention that it is basically open brain surgery.”

    Luke continued as Mara flipped through the pages.

    “And, if by some odd chance she does wake, I’m not sure I want her to. Call me cold -”

    “Skywalker,” Mara interrupted bluntly. “This is me. I’m not going to call you cold.”

    He rolled his eyes. “You may. My Aunt Beru has nothing left. Her last waking memory was probably of stormtroopers killing her husband. It’s been over a decade since then. The galaxy has changed governments, both her siblings are dead. Sure, she has two nephews and a niece and a couple of their kids back on Tatooine that she was never exactly close to. She lost twelve years of her life. I’m just not sure she would want to wake up to that.”

    “She has you,” Mara said.

    “Yeah, the world’s worse adopted nephew.”

    “Luke,” she said, sternly.

    “Mara.”

    “Fine,” she said with a shrug. “Kill her.”

    Luke let his shoulders slump. “But if there is just the smallest chance of had waking, and somehow finding happiness again, shouldn’t I let her have that chance?”

    “If there has been anything I have learned from being with you it’s that anything can happen. A pirate can marry a princess. A Jedi can fall in love with his assassin.”

    “Former-assassin,” he corrected her, raising his eyebrow.

    “That’s just what I want you to believe,” she said, flipping her wavy red hair. The action drove him crazy. “If it was me in there, and you were long dead, what would you want Jaina or Anakin to do?”

    “I honestly don’t know. I’d want you to happy because I know you would eventually be with me. And I know at 60-years-old, you’d still could have a number of great years ahead of you. But, you could also be resentful of the moron who woke you, for dragging you into a meaningless life.” There just was no right answer.

    Mara sighed. “Why don’t you eat something, then sleep on it.”

    “You really want me to eat,” he said, getting up. “It’s like you want me to get fat or something.”

    “You’re right,” she said. “My goal is to give you coronary disease. It’s a slow death and the perfect murder.”

    “Hey, watch it. In 40 years when I have a heart attack you are going to feel so horrible.”

    * * *

    In the morning, Luke woke early and took his caff to the cockpit.

    Eventually, Mara joined him, still in her nightgown. “What are you thinking?” she asked, sitting in the pilot’s chair.

    “That we are going to leave this up to the Force. It’s only a 10 percent chance, but she deserves it. If she wakes, I’ll try to provide for her as best as I can, like she did for me. If she doesn’t, I’ll bury her next to my uncle.”

    “Okay,” Mara said, “but we are in this together.

    * * *

    Luke held out his arms so nurses could put a sterile scrub gown on him. According to Dr Borgris, when patients woke, they could be disorientated. Luke could only imagine what it was like to wake up in some strange operating room. So, Luke was to be in the room with his aunt, if she did wake.

    The nurse, a young male bothan, put a mask, cap, and gloves on Luke and led into the operating room where his aunt was almost sitting up. Her head was secured in some barbaric device and draped in green sheets. He could still see her face.

    He sat on a metal stool and looked up at Dr Borgris.

    “We are going to start now,” the doctor said. “You may hear some alarming sounds and smell some alarming scents. It is all to be expected. We will be monitoring her brainwaves, but if she shows signs of consciousness, please inform us. If she does wake, keep her calm. We will sedate her as soon as we can.”

    Luke nodded and took one of his aunt’s delicate hands.

    It happened about two hours into the procedure. Luke was about ready to tell the doctors to stop; they had tried, when his aunt let out a soft sigh, followed by a grunt.

    “We just got a spike,” one of the other doctors said.

    “And she just let out a vocalization,” Luke reported.

    “Let’s up the dial in this spot,” Dr Borgris requested.

    Then, it happened. Luke’s Aunt Beru opened her foggy blue eyes.

    “Aunt Beru?”

    “L… Luke?” she croaked.

    “We have full consciousness,” a nurse said.

    All Luke could do was grin wildly behind the sterile mask. “Yeah, it’s me.” It was all so surreal.

    “Wh… where?” A look of terror crossed her face.

    “Administer the sedation.”

    “You’re in a medcenter,” Luke said, using the Force to aid the medication in quickly calming her. “I’ll be here when you wake.”

    * * *

    After he got out of the operation room, Luke embraced Mara fiercely.

    * * *

    The doctors had informed Luke that it may be few hours, or even days, before his aunt woke again. Only he was allowed in her recovery room, so he had sent Mara to inform his aunt’s surviving family that she was awake, and to tell Leia and Kam Solustar what had happened and to not expect him back at the academy for the next few weeks.

    Luke had no idea what to say to his aunt when she woke. The doctors agreed that it was best if Luke did the explaining to his aunt, but they warned him that she would be weak, in pain and may still have brain damage.

    Beru, who was resting peacefully, under the blankets let out a small moan. Her now bald head was wrapped in bandages.

    He moved to hold her hand. He was smiling softly when she finally opened her eyes. He had the lights dimmed as to not hurt her eyes.

    “Luke?”

    “Yeah, it’s me,” he said. “Just relax for a bit. I know you must be confused.”

    “Yes,” she breathed. “Where?”

    “You are on the medical facility known as Orios.”

    “Not… Tatooine?”

    “No,” he said, rubbing her shoulder. He knew how much the idea of space travel scared his aunt. “We are in deep space. What is the last thing you remember?”

    It took her awhile to speak again. “Troopers, at the door.” A single tear ran down her face. “They shot your uncle.”

    Luke nodded, sadly. “I’m sorry, Aunt Beru, he died.”

    Her chest began to heave and Luke simply had to envelope her in his arms. She had done this for him as a small boy, now it was his turn to return the favour. Unfortunately, there was more.

    “Aunt Beru, I need to tell you some other stuff,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “The troopers attacked you too. You’ve been in a coma for twelve years.”

    She looked at him, confused for a few moments, then let out an “Oiy.”

    “Yeah, that is why I look so old,” he said, trying to make the situation light.

    “You’re…?”

    “I’m 31. That makes you 59.”

    She let out another shocked breath.

    “Why don’t you get some more rest. I can tell you more once you’ve digested this.”

    * * *

    It was another few hours until his Aunt Beru woke again. It was time to break the news of her siblings’ death.

    She wept as Luke held her.

    “What about you?” she asked. “Please, I need some good news.”

    Luke shrugged. “I joined the rebellion, helped take down the empire and rebuild the Republic. I’m a Jedi Master. I am rebuilding the order.”

    “Then I suppose you know the truth about your father.”

    Luke nodded. “I also know why you didn’t tell me. You were only protecting me. He was the one to kill the Emperor; Darth Vader.”

    “I knew him back when he was a good - although angry - young man.”

    “There was always good in him. He gave his life to save me. I also know Owen wasn’t really his brother, but you took me in anyways. Thank you,” he said, patting her hand.

    “It was nothing but joy for me. Your uncle and I only met your father and mother once, but your grandmother was a good friend.”

    He smiled. He knew the stories of Shmi. “You knew my mother?”

    She nodded. “I’m surprised you haven’t found out her identity yet. Your father loved her dearly. She was a former Queen of Naboo. Padmè was her name.”

    Luke leaned back. “I’ll have to tell Leia,” he said, in shock.

    “Your twin?”

    “How did you know?”

    “When he gave you to me, old Ben mentioned that there was another, but she was to remain anonymous. You had to attract all the attention once time came, thus why your name wasn’t changed and why your uncle and I didn’t formally adopt you as your parents.”

    It finally made sense.

    Beru’s head lolled back.

    “You’re getting tired. Why don’t you get some more sleep. I need some as well. Then, in the morning, I want you to meet someone.”

    * * *

    Before his aunt woke the next morning, Luke and Mara sat down with Dr D’ran.

    “Your aunt will need extensive physical therapy even after I release her, her muscles have severely atrophied, and she will have to be eased into eating solid foods, but there is no reason why I can’t release her to you two tomorrow. I have been talking with Mara while you were sitting with your aunt yesterday and I am confident you will be proficient at caring for her over the next few weeks and months.”

    Luke nodded. “I’m hoping my aunt will be open to living with us on Yavin, but she is a very simple person and was never off Tatooine. I’m going to give her the option of returning to her estranged family.”

    * * *

    Beru was awake and being fed a soupy substance for breakfast by a nurse, who soon cleaned her up and left.

    Luke smiled as he, alone, entered the room. “How are you feeling?”

    “Achy,” she replied. “I can barely move, let alone do anything for myself. But I’ll try not to whine too much.”

    Luke chuckled. “It’s fine. We will get you into therapy as soon as you are feeling up to it. But I want you to meet someone.”

    This seemed to perk her up. “Who?”

    “The love of my life,” he said, bashfully. “The woman who I am marrying in eight months.”

    “Oh Luke,” she gasped, covering her mouth.

    “Mara?” he called.

    Mara entered, looking respectful in her green Jedi robes and her hair in a bun. “Hello there, Beru,” she said, approaching the bed. “It’s an honour to finally meet you.” She stood behind Luke.

    Beru slowly wiped away tears. “Luke, she’s beautiful.”

    “Yeah,” Luke said, looking up at Mara. “I think so too.”

    “You raised a wonderful man,” Mara said. “I’m glad I got to tell you this. He won’t tell you this, but he has saved millions. He saved me.”

    Beru was now crying openly. “My Luke,” she sighed. “I always knew you were destined for greatness.”

    “Can I tell you more great news?” Luke asked. “You’re being released to Mara and I tomorrow. Which is why I want to give you some options.”

    She looked at him, confused.

    “Mara and I live a very active and busy life on Ossus. We travel lots; go on missions for the New Republic. But we are going to take some time off to get you settled in somewhere. We would love it if you would join us and live in the Jedi Temple with us. We can help you get on your feet, our amazing friend can do your physical therapy. But, I also know how much you hate travel and change. If you want to, we can set you up on Tatooine, either with Haro’s or Dama’s children or in a nice home in Mos Eisley.”

    “Luke,” she sighed. “We both know that nice does not describe anything in Mos Eisley. And, sadly, I’ve never been that close to my siblings’ children. I would never want to be a burden on them, or anyone.”

    “I want you to be a burden on me,” Luke said.

    “And you can eventually pay us back by baby-sitting when and if Luke and I have kids,” Mara suggested.

    Beru’s eyes lit up. “That sounds lovely.”

    * * *


    Nine years later.


    “Ben,” Beru said, softly yet sternly. “You may stay up until your parents get home, but please put on your pyjamas and wash up.”

    “But Nanna,” the four-year-old whined. “I’m not tired.”

    She sighed, shifting the sleeping 9 month-old in her arms. “Please, Ben. If you don’t, I’m going to have to tell them you were being a bad boy.”

    “Fine,” Ben said, getting up from the toys spread around the living quarters and trotted off to his room.

    Beru looked down at the pink bundle of blankets in her arms. “Bebe, I swear your brother sounds more and more like your father every day.” She then kissed the wispy red hair atop of the baby’s head.

    The child woke, grunted, let out some gas, then fell back to sleep, clutching Beru’s finger.

    “And you are purely your mother’s child,” she remarked with a laugh. Bebe’s name was actually Beru, named for the woman holding her. Beru Lars had beamed with pride, but had settled on the nickname Bebe for the child. The more senior Beru had insisted on being called Nan or Nanna from the time Ben was born, so there was little confusion.

    When Ben toddled out, he climbed on the couch with a yawn. “Can you tell me a story, Nan?”

    Beru smiled as he cuddled up to her. “Alright. Once upon a time….”

    Ben was fast asleep half way through the story and Beru herself began to drift off when the front door slid open.

    Luke and Mara entered, looking tired. They were home from a three day mission. “How were they?” he asked, picking Ben up.

    “Little angels,” Beru smiled as Mara picked up Bebe.

    Mara snorted. “I’d believe you, but I know these two all too well.”

    “Let me put this one in bed and I’ll walk you to your apartment,” Luke said.

    “Luke,” Beru said, getting up. “I live next door. I think I can walk there myself.”

    “Alright,” Luke said with a smile. “Goodnight, Nan, and thanks, for everything.”
     
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  2. jcgoble3

    jcgoble3 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 7, 2010
    I love this. So nice to see Luke have family from a previous generation survive the Galactic Civil War.



    Mara sighed. “Why don’t you eat something, then sleep on it.”

    “You really want me to eat,” he said, getting up. “It’s like you want me to get fat or something.”

    “You’re right,” she said. “My goal is to give you coronary disease. It’s a slow death and the perfect murder.”

    “Hey, watch it. In 40 years when I have a heart attack you are going to feel so horrible.”

    This literally made me laugh out loud. [face_rofl]



    Luke and Mara entered, looking tired. They were home from a three day mission. “How were they?” he asked, picking Ben up.

    “Little angels,” Beru smiled as Mara picked up Bebe.

    Mara snorted. “I’d believe you, but I know these two all too well.”

    This is just perfect.
     
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  3. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Oh, the trademark Briannakin sensitivity blended with realism. The most touching thing ever, and the final scene. Marvelous! @};- Made me just :d all over the place! Mara was a wonderful loving support through all of it. [face_love]
     
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  4. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Nice story here. It's lovely to see the sweet-faced lady from the Tatooine homestead alive after all these years as Luke's and Mara's kids' Nanna (my name for my late grandmother too). Her face and demeanor stuck with me even in my earliest viewings of SW, and it always made me so sad that she ended up as a charred skeleton in the movie.

    I like how you set up the decision process here between the painless death and the experimental method that might wake her up but might also cause a painful death. And I find it interesting that, at the start, Mara—the former assassin—is the one who advocates most strongly that Luke not "just kill her" (especially the way she makes that point in the bit jcgoble3 quoted). Says a lot for her own personal growth since the early EU, which is also reflected in the way she greets and treats Beru and compliments her on the nephew she raised.

    I also have to say that the deep-space location of the medical facility turned out to be a very effective juxtaposition with Beru's former fear of traveling and change.
     
  5. Lady_Misty

    Lady_Misty Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 21, 2007
    A really fun piece Briannakin! :) All of your fics that I have read are really good and fun.
     
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  6. Annia Piet

    Annia Piet Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Feb 7, 2015
    Omg, I love this AU! Very well written, for a while you had me convinced they would go through with the euthanisation before the other option was revealed. And Nanna Beru - ah it's what the poor woman really deserved. And I get the impression Mara and Beeu (as presented here) would have got on really well - surprising given how superficially different the two women are.
     
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