Beyond - Legends Second to None (AU L/M, L/H & OC) 03/08/2012 Replies and artwork

?Last night you gave me so much to look forward to?I can?t wait to get back to Pinnacle Base

Hehehe. A baby to look forward to, maybe?

Loved Mara's thoughts when she was speaking to Palpy.

 

?After all?I live primarily as Energy?formlessness?and power,? the Emperor continued. ?You barely understand the power of the dark side!?

Mara couldn?t help but think, ?I understand enough to know it?s not good for your complexion.?

Brilliant and true!

Loved Luke and Mara saying good-bye to each other, and Mark's good-bye to Mara. Both were so sweet.

 

The SUSPENSE... it's killer.

 

I love your sense of humor, J_L; Mara listening to Palpatine's speech was priceless!

Please don't keep us waiting with the next part...

 

Thanks I am pretty sure that is what is going on in my son's heads when I talk to them. I think when I talk I must sound like the adults in a Peanuts cartoon to them. "WAAA WHAAA WHHA WAAA." I sent my next chapter to my beta, so I hope it won't be too long.

Thanks. Although I think it would be more suspenseful if I was a profic writer because then you wouldn't know if Luke or Mara would survive. I am pretty sure if I killed off Mara or Luke you all would get mad. I can tell you that I am going to kill somebody off in the next chapter.

Thanks. I would think these would be heart wrenching goodbyes because they don't know if they will live.

Maybe, or maybe a whole lot of practice of the procedure of making a baby.

Thank you. It drives me crazy some of the things that have happened in the EU. Mara and Anakin's deaths seemed so pointless.

What is creepy is the Emperor's voice in the dramatizations. Yuk. The only thing that is creepier is Luke's voice. It is that calm sing-song voice that is supposed to make him sound wise and calm. But all it does is make me want to slap him. It sounds condescending to me.


I hope to have the next chapter up soon.

 

Han listened while the scanning crew walked through the Falcon. Their check was short and perfunctory. After a few minutes he could hear their footsteps moving down the boarding ramp and away from the ship. He snapped on a glowrod illuminating Chewie and Luke crouched in the cramped quarters. All three had ysalamiri in mesh backpacks on their backs.

Han turned to Luke. ?Normally I would ask you if the coast was clear, but I guess you can?t feel the Force.?

?Can?t sense a thing. I wish we didn?t have to go in blind.?

?You can always ditch the animals, but without them I?m sure the Emperor would sense us coming.?

Luke frowned. ?I think so too.?

Slowly and quietly Han lifted the top hatch of the smuggler compartment. When he was convinced nobody was on board he fully opened the lid and lifted himself out. He walked over to the other compartment and knocked three times giving the all clear. Mark, Ghent and Karrde pushed open the top hatch and climbed out with their ysalamiri filled backpacks.

Han quickly walked down the ship passageway and into the crew sleeping compartments. Han reached under one bunk and pulled a lever. There was a muffled clunk as the bed popped up like a giant lid. Inside was a selection of clothing to include camouflage, Imperial uniforms and utility worker outfits. Han started handing out bright yellow vests with the word ?Maintenance? on the front and back. ?Put these on. We found these vests in the Star Destroyers we captured from the Empire. Hopefully most Imperial maintenance workers wear similar uniforms.? Han gave Chewie an apologetic look. ?Sorry pal, they didn?t have any in your size and I doubt the Imperials would be hiring Wookiees.?

Chewbacca made a series of growls and jabbers.

Han frowned. ?Yeah, it?s too bad they had no problem using Wookiees as slaves.?

Han reached down to the bottom of the secret compartment and activated another concealed switch. The shelf bottom with the uniforms slid to the side revealing a second compartment fill with an impressive collection of weaponry: Blasters, bowcasters, vibroblades and thermal detonators. Han grabbed a couple small shoulder bags and started putting the detonators inside. He gave one bag to Mark and kept the second. He then started handing out weapons. He handed a blaster to Luke.

?I have my lightsaber,? Luke reminded him.

?You also have a ysalamiri on your back, so take the blaster just in case.?

Luke nodded and wrapped the holster around his waist.

Mark took a vibroblade to go along with his normal sidearm. Han gave a weapon to Ghent who took the blaster after only a second of hesitation.

Luke had a determined look. ?I?ll get Ghent to the communications room and then try to find Palpatine.? He turned to Mark. ?You and Karrde go look for Mara. Chewie and Han see if you can find the cloning facilities and set the detonators.?

Han spoke up. ?We need to get in and out as soon as possible. If you can get back to the Falcon, great, if not try to get to the Imperial freight station where the Starlight Intruder?s docked. Salla has permission to dock there for six hours?hopefully her cargo will be out sooner, just in case we have to make a quick getaway.?

Han looked at each man somberly, hoping this wouldn?t be the last time he saw them. ?Good luck.?

They moved toward the open boarding ramp and readied themselves for the unknown.
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With blaster ready Luke led Ghent up a narrow stairwell. They were not sure of the location of the communications station, but in most buildings they were on the top floor near the antenna arrays. They reached the upper floor without seeing anybody. Luke cracked open the stairwell entrance. There was a long hallway with a half dozen doorways. All were closed but one where the sound of two men talking could be heard.

??Well at least we don?t have to deal with Vader anymore. His policy was ?the crushing of windpipes will continue until we see an improvement in moral.??

The other man laughed. ?I don?t know, the Emperor?s goons scare the pood

 

Great action but oops!

The ending -- quite the cliffie there.

 

?Oh no,? he moaned.

What happened to Mark? This cliffie is almost enough to make me forget about the hilarity of the previous scene. Great job there, btw.

 

I pity those guards. I have a feeling they wouldn't say that Luke's technique was "humane".

And, are you sure some of Han's DNA wasn't added to make Mark? 'Cause only Mark or a Solo would be brave/crazy enough to taunt a Sith Lord... then throw a freaking-out yasalmiri at said Sith Lord's head...

Freaky stuff with Bodo Baas. Looks like Karrde and Mark found a holocron of some sort.

And Mark had better be okay!

 

Funny chapter and great scene but NOOOOO! Where's Mark?! He can't be dead because you told me you had a girl for him!

 

Maybe he will be in a coma for 5 years and then wakes up unable to walk and he falls in love with his physical therapy nurse.

Too much angst?

That is the Jedi holocron from Dark Empire. In the profic books Luke uses it to help find other Jedi. So I threw it into the story.

 

I could live with that.

 

You killed Mark. And Palpatine. Only one dead person per chapter you!

 

Very cool chapter.. Are we gonna get Palps clone 2,3,4? Hope not.....
I'm most interested in the prophesy..

When it landed in Mark?s hand the glow intensified and curious sounds filled the air. ?Whoa, what the?.? Mark almost dropped the cube in surprise when a holographic image of a strange crustacean-like creature materialized above the cube.

?Jedi. May the Force be with you. I am Bodo Baas, at your service. Bodo Baas knows all probable futures, from this time until a time lost in mists and shadows. For you Bodo Baas will speak a prophecy written one thousand years before your time, by my master!...two twins born years apart, destined to feud, but they do not. Both love a woman who served the dark lord, but she will be the Master of the Jedi Sword. She must join in battle with her groom or the dynasty of all Jedi will come to doom.?

two twins born years apart, destined to feud, but they do not..Luke and Mark?
Both love a woman who served the dark lord, but she will be the Master of the Jedi Sword. She must join in battle with her groom or the dynasty of all Jedi will come to doom.?--Mara? Part of a prophesy?..She won't like THAT..
WITH her GROOM..early marriages are better..especially with L+M.......

 

Am I the only one who feels sorry for ysalamiri? Poor pet, to sleep peacefully and wake up on Sith Lord face...

 

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!! Are Mark and Nibbles okay??? I love the hilarity of Palpatine with a ysalimiri in his face. I can just see him stumbling around and clawing at his face.

Hope to have the next chapter back to you tonight, gal.

 

NIBBLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! /kirk voice

 

Thanks everybody. I know that was sort of a Three Stooges type of scene with Nibbles and the Emperor, but I never said this was a serious fanfic. I know it seems mean what is happening to Nibbles, but I have to assure everybody that no ysalamiri were harmed in the making of this fanfic.

In Dark Empire Bodo Baas has this long prophesy about Leia and Luke and such, so I wanted to put in my version to match what was going on in my fic. Dark Empire was full of BS anyway, in it Anakin was built up as he was going to be a great Jedi. He may have been pretty good, but he was never allowed to fulfill his full potential...so I think that sort of counters the DE prophesies.

I will have the new chapter up shortly.

Thanks everybody for reading! And thanks to ginchy for being my Beta!!!!!

 

Chewie howled and placed his hands over his ears when the alarms started blaring. Han frowned. ?It?s a fire drill. I think we?re missing the party.?

They darted up the stairs wanting to get out of the stairwell before evacuating personnel started flooding in. When they arrived at the hangar bay level Han stopped and motioned to Chewie. ?Get to the Falcon and I?ll get the others.?

The Wookiee growled and ran in the direction of the ship. Han made sure he made it aboard before he continued his dash up stairs. He eventually came a level where he heard the muffled sounds of blaster fire. He burst into the corridor firing at a couple confused Imperial officers. Han heard footsteps behind him and swung around to find Mara and Luke. ?Come on, I think Mark and Talon are in trouble!? Han shouted as he ran down the hall toward the sound of blaster fire.
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?Mark! Mark!? Talon called down to his security officer who now lay motionless on the floor below.

?Get up Mark!? Karrde looked for a way to get down the lower level safely. Suddenly there was a groan and movement as a dazed Mark Tantiss struggled to his feet.

Karrde let out a sigh of relief. ?Are you all right??

Mark rolled his head side-to-side trying to work the kinks out. ?Yeah, luckily an Imperial Sentinel broke my fall.? Mark looked over to the lifeless prone giant. ?I think his neck broke in the process.? He turned as he heard the sound of small feet moving across the floor. He spotted his ysalamiri scuttling across the room and cowering in a dark corner, shaking in terror.

?Is the Emperor dead?? Talon called down.

Mark moved cautiously towards the Sith. He really didn?t want to touch the Emperor. He had watched enough of Chin?s slasherholos to know the evil villain is never dead when you think he is.

He reached down and grabbed the spear-tipped staff belonging to the lifeless Sentinel. Mark reached out with the metal pike and gave Palpatine a poke at his head and then another. The Sith Lord did not twitch. ?He looks dead to me.?

?Good,? Karrde?s head jerked up as he heard the sound blaster fire and footsteps running down the hall. Karrde moved to the door preparing to fire on the intruders when he heard a familiar voice. ?Han! We?re in here!?

Han, Mara and Luke ran into the throne room. ?Where?s Mark?? Mara shouted when she didn?t see her friend.

?I?m down here!? Mark called out.

The group looked downward to the floor below. Mark was standing with one foot on the Emperor?s chest while he was holding the Imperial Sentinel?s lance in one hand. ?It is I, Mark Tantiss, the mighty Sith hunter!?

Mara rolled her eyes. ?The entire Citadel is probably on their way here and you?re screwing around. ?

Mark grinned. ?Sorry.? He threw the staff off to the side. ?Okay, just let me find Nibbles.?

?We don?t need her now, the Emperor is dead, we can ditch the animals,? Han said as he started to remove his backpack.

At that moment Mark felt a disturbance in the Force. There was a swirl of dark energy around him?trying to envelop him like a horrible blanket of evil. ?You better keep the ysalamiri,? Mark shouted up to the group. ?Something?s wrong in the Force.? He frantically searched for his pet that was no longer cowering in the corner of the room. ?Nibbles! Come here girl.?

Suddenly Mark felt something cold and evil slither up and around his body. He swatted at the invisible fingers pulling at his clothing and rasping against his skin. Then his heart clenched in fear as he felt the evil enter him through the very pores of his skin. His flesh felt ice cold and there was a horrible sensation of shadowy fingers grasping his spine. In that moment he knew it was the Emperor.

?Frack! Palpatine is trying to take over my body! Run!! Keep the ysalamiri and run!? Mark jerked around trying to fight the take-over.

?Why are you fighting this, clone?? the Emperor?s voice rang out in Mark?s head. ?With me you can become powerful and stop living in the shadow of Skywalker.?

?No!? Ma

 

?Please don?t hurt me!? The woman sobbed and then looked up at Mark in confusion. ?Sentinels don?t talk.?

?Oh yeah,? Mark took off his helmet. ?I?m Mark Tantiss, I?m here to rescue you.?

And suddenly, Luke was considering getting a few phrases copyrighted... And we meet the normal girl! And it looks like she going to get a nice long time to get to know her rescuer. Alone.

Poor Mark, getting evil Palpy trying to take over him! But it reminded me of the scene with Ron and the locket horcrux in Deathly Hallows (which I was, ironically, just reading)

Mark was standing with one foot on the Emperor?s chest while he was holding the Imperial Sentinel?s lance in one hand. ?It is I, Mark Tantiss, the mighty Sith hunter!?

*facepalm* Oh Mark...

He really didn?t want to touch the Emperor. He had watched enough of Chin?s slasherholos to know the evil villain is never dead when you think he is.

Jeez, what doesn't Chin have in his holo collection?

 

I LOVE NIBBLES!


?Oh yeah,? Mark took off his helmet. ?I?m Mark Tantiss, I?m here to rescue you.?

What do you know, it's genetic!

 

Nibbles, rhymes with Tribbles

Great action and hope Mark gets away too.

 

Hooray for Nibbles!!!!!!!

Nibbles should meet Artoo.

 

Lol! Yay! Mark has found a girl, now let's hope it's not some cosmetically altered clone of Leia.

 

Chin has a little bit of everything. Later in Mark's journal he talks about one gross video that is probably going to result in him having to get therapy.

So do I. I don't know why the Jedi don't use them all the time when dealing with Sith and such. Mark could throw Nibbles at Jacen/Cadeus and then kick him in the groin. I may actually write that. LOL! I named the ysalamiri Nibbles after my boys' cat. They think it is hilarious that Nibbles killed a Sith Lord. They don't read my stories, but I tell them a watered down version of this fic. My other cat is named Chewie...but there was a character by his name already in this story.

Thanks. I hope everything works out for Mark also...I have a feeling it will, but I think he will have some angst later on.

I know I should have more of the droids in this fic, but to be honest C3PO irritates me to death. I did have Artoo in the story.

Only if it could be a Leia/Tarkin hybrid making the perfect politician. And Mark is the perfect soldier. That could work...if I want fangirls mad at me. No Mark loves to eat, so who better to hook him up with than a chef?