The Ascension of the Queen (sequel to By the Grace of Lady Vader)

Wow!

An epic post in every way, a-p. From Amidala's brilliant final speech to the galaxywide reactions to Piett and Dihave's anguish at having brought about her destruction. I absolutely loved this post.

Great job!

 

Wow! What a freakin' speech A-P!

*Anipadme rubbing her hands excitedly*

I can't wait for Vader and Leia's reactions to Ami's speech! Drats! thurs. is such a long wait..........

WAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! Those poor Skywalkers.*sobs*

 

That was just rigth! This is what she would have done, and you delivered it perfectly! I'm in awe...

Great work! Can't wait to see how Vader - Anakin - handles this. *jumps up and down in anticipation*

Hm...when Padmé says "his Order" she means Jedi and not Sith, right? Right? *worried glance*

 

That was really beautiful.

 

That was so beautiful, and I can't help but cry! I feel a little silly right now because I'm sitting in a computer lab, but that was just wonderful.

The Empress is dead! Long live the Empress!

 

I hope we see Padme and Luke one last time. I also hope that Luke and Padme are together. Both Mother and Son have lost each twice it would be nice to know that they would be together in death.

Also I hope Anakin can get past what happened. I also hope Leia can to.

 

Tuhh-rrrrific speech!!!

Have you gotten this job offer from the White House speechwriting team yet, A-P?

 

Wow a-p...
That was...wow...

No words can describe how beautiful what was.

 

Thanks, guys. I'm glad you all enjoyed it, and that it came off well. That one was enjoyable to write.


And, Shezan, a speechwriting job at the White House would be lovely! But I think I need a real-life Empress to practice my trade on.

 

*jaw drops on keyboard*

*reads last two posts again*

*head slams on keyboard*

Wow. Just wow. I hate it that she died, but it was so well written and so right that it is completely logical.

Wonderful ladies. Simply wonderful.

 

excellent post :-D

 

I have long been enjoying the fanfiction by JG and a-p, and I can no longer contain my admiration for your truly talented work! You have already been heaped with praise, but allow me to add my voice to your crowd of admirers.

Adjectives fail me when I consider the scope and the depth of your writing, which displays more love of and affection for the Star Wars universe than GL himself has shown (I've been very disappointed by the prequels so far).

Long may you write, ladies - you do it so well

Ladyhawk

 

I am ditto-ing what everyone said!!! AP YOU ARE BRILLIANT!!!! (that goes to JG also ) wow. I'd kill to write speeches like that...!!! simply perfection.

 

Dude! You write extremely good speeches A-P

keep up the great work you guys!

 

Okay, so I'm a diehard. I'm upping.

Somehow, I'm still having trouble reconciling myself to the fact that this is about to end....

 

The desert night was cold and unforgiving.

Vader and Leia might not have noticed it as they stood in the hangar, their arms folded around one another in an embrace that should have seemed surreal but didn't. They didn't seem to take note of anything but the absence of the ship that had just launched.

But Lando noticed. He also saw that Han was rubbing his arms sharply, taking small steps back toward the base. They couldn't stay here all night. Lando guessed that Han didn't want to risk stepping into the moment Vader and Leia were sharing--he had something to lose if they resented it--so Lando decided to do it himself. He took a deep breath, then reached out to touch Leia's small shoulder.

She didn't respond at first, but after a few seconds, she looked up, turning her face away from Vader's chestplate.

"We should go inside," Lando said. "We need to know what's happening."

"We do know," Leia said.

But Vader nodded released her from the embrace (she merely turned and wrapped her arm around him from the side, not letting her touch leave him). "Amidala will speak again," he said. "I would hear it. I must hear it."

In silence, they made their way back to the small conference room where they had spoken earlier, adjacent to the command center. Lando quietly broke away from the group, arranged to take a small holoprojector from the Rebel commander, and double-checked the comm settings that were being used. Gistra looked mildly surprised, and mentioned that the Empress had asked for the same information. Lando couldn't think of any answer for that, so he said nothing.

When he got back to the conference room, Vader was sitting at the head of the table, leaning forward with his helmeted hed in his hands. Lando had never seen anyone look so miserable. Leia, sitting beside him, had placed her hands on the upper part of left arm. Han was standing behind her, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders.

Leia looked up when Lando came in with the holoprojector. "Just put it on the table," she said. "No sound until..." She took a shaky breath. "Thank you for bringing it, Lando."

"No problem." He set it up where they could all see it, and tuned it to the frequency Gistra had said was the central one, the one he had given the Empress before she left. Random images flickered in an out of it, views of a galaxy that was about to disappear forever.

Quite suddenly, Leia screamed, putting her hands to her ears like she was trying to block out a horrible sound.

Han knelt beside her. "Leia... what is it? Leia..."

Leia let him hold her, but said nothing. She just rocked against his chest, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. It was uncomfortable to watch, and Lando found his eyes shifting to Vader himself. One black-gloved hand had reached up to something at his neck.

Lando realized in time what he was doing. "Lord Vader!" he called, not sure what good it would do.

Leia jumped and threw herself at her father. His hand moved away from the circuit he'd been touching. They embraced awkwardly in the chairs. "Father," she whispered. "Don't. She's gone, isn't she?"

Vader nodded.

"Don't leave me, Father. Please."

Lando glanced at Han, who shook his head in bewilderment.

Then there was a burst of static from the holoproj, and when it cleared, The red-clad form of Lady Vader, the Empress, hovered above the conference room table.

Lando hit the sound.

"The last time I came before you all, was to usher in my ascension as your Empress. Today, I come before you to tell you that I have failed."

Vader shook his head in negation, pulling away from Leia, though her hands remained on his arm. He reached one gloved hand toward the image. It flickered when he touched it, and he drew the hand away quickly, as though afraid it would disappear. He leaned forward, as if he could will her back.

Lando could see Leia's hands tightening on her father's arm. As her mother went on, accusing herself of crime after crime--the crimes of which Leia had always accused her in the past

 

i'm convinced now that i'm no longer capable of having coherent thoughts when reading this story....i'm very happy that vader is not planning on killing himself any more....but other than that, i'm going to just continue sobbing.....

 

Vader with the friends of his childhood! All of this is absolutely brilliant -- Leia's reaction, Vader's, Han's, lando. (I really like your Lando!). I've got pretty moist eyes right now.

 

That was a powerful post, JG.

Vader and Leia's heartbreak was emotionally draining. I can see Anakin giving into despair after his loss. Thankfully, Leia was there for him. It was great to see Amee come to Anakin's aid, and I loved the JQ reference.

Great job!

 

I have to say that ever since I read this, the bleakness of Vader's pain haunts me. He has come back full circle, sans mother, sans son, sans wife. Even with Leia, how will he be able to face what's left of his life?

(And when Amidala spoke of "restoring his Order", she must have meant the Jedi... but what a sad and solitary task!)

This is really an exceptional piece of writing: it makes us reconsider the deeper meanings of the characters. Bravo again!

 

WOW!!!

A big lump of emotions is lodge in my throat. Simply beautiful JG! I love the interaction between Vader and Leia, very poignant and eloquent. Love the scene between Anakin and his childhood friends(hmmm..I wonder where Kitser is..)

< If only Padme and Luke would somehow visit the poor orphaned Sywalkers *hint**hint* >


BRAVA!!!

 

WOW!!!

A big lump of emotions is lodge in my throat. Simply beautiful JG! I love the interaction between Vader and Leia, very poignant and eloquent. Love the scene between Anakin and his childhood friends(hmmm..I wonder where Kitser is..)

< If only Padme and Luke would somehow visit the poor orphaned Sywalkers *hint**hint* >


BRAVA!!!

 

Yeah that would be nice.

 

Oh, gosh, JG, that was...

Heartbreaking? Why can't I ever come up with the right words? You make me cry and I still can't describe how I feel.

That was breathtaking - astonishing - Leia and Vader together were perfect - so right together - it was just - dripping with meaning, and love, and family, and loss - I mean, you're making me conjure up images of all those loved ones in my life who've died, so you're hitting some really deep chord here (it takes a lot for me to get back to that level). I mean...wow. Having Amee come in was a stroke of genius - not to mention Lando looking back at 'Anakin' - and the image of Vader looking so abject and broken and tortured - I always see Vader as this tortured hero, but now he's even more tortured -

*breaks down crying*

 

You've done it again! I swear, I wish this story could be published! You two have done such an incredible job, and that last post, JediGaladriel, was simply fantastic. I can't wait until Sunday!