Beyond - Legends ~The Return to the Corporate Sector~ Post-ROTJ, Action/Adventure/Romance, H/L 05/12

Hello all,

I'm doing something new for me and posting the rough draft of my latest novella here.

Summary: A desperate plea for help from an old friend sends Han Solo back to the wilds of the Corporate Sector, only this time he has Princess Leia Organa as his co-pilot. When the pair stumbles headfirst into a professional set-up, Han discovers that for once in his life, he just might be wrong about his past coming back to haunt him.

Notes: This can either be regarded as a prequel to my fic, Renewal, or be regarded as stand-alone. Since my chapters are usually pretty long, I'll be breaking them up by scene as I go.

Hope you enjoy and Happy Holidays!


~The Return to the Corporate Sector~

~Prologue~

---

[/blockquote]

[blockquote]It was one standard month after the Battle of Endor.

The newly named Alliance of Free Planets basked in the afterglow of triumph against the tyrannical Empire. Fifteen worlds had already sworn allegiance to the newly named galactic assembly and thirty more had expressed an interest in sending their delegates to meet with Alliance command in the coming weeks. The forest moon was hastily becoming the fledgling government?s interim capital, with foreign dignitaries and world leaders arriving daily. Grey prefab buildings mushroomed seemingly overnight wherever the forest offered a few meters of space and even where it didn?t. Flattened fronds and shrubbery perished beneath the heavy landing gear of space transports.

By this time, the Alliance had captured all surviving scattered Imperial personnel and shipped them off-planet. The ground crews were completing a thorough search and excavation of the Empire?s former bunkers - those that were standing, those that were partially damaged and even those that were nothing more than carbon-scored ruins. The best Alliance slicers were eagerly sifting through damaged console units and shattered datafiles for every bit of decryptable information.

It was during such a search of the heavily battered South bunker that the mighty Wookiee Chewbacca, (hero of the Battle of Yavin and native of Kashyyyk), became a hero yet again. When the forward ceiling began to cave in, the Wookiee took the brunt of the beams across his back. Just as he had attempted to do so many years ago in the first [i]Death Star?s [/i]trash compactor, he used his massive strength to prevent the walls from collapsing and saved the lives of three men. He was still bracing broken beams and supports across his shoulders when a second wall caved and buried him.

Fortunately, although the Wookiee?s injuries were critical, they were not life threatening.

The famous Corellian starpilot, Han Solo, wasn?t on duty when the accident occurred, but by the time his companion had been dug out and transported to the moon?s new med-center, he?d been alerted and was as anxious as a mother nuna, pacing the tiny trauma center lengthwise in only three steps.

?Always the big hero,? the man sighed to the Wookiee, who was lying on the prep table with an array of intravenous lines running into his limbs. They vanished beneath the thick shaggy fur. ?Couldn?t you just have [i]run [/i]for once.?

Chewbacca whuffed softly, trying to lift his neck and see what the Em-Dee droid was doing, but the Corellian nudged his shoulder down all too easily. The painkillers and sedatives were beginning to kick in.

?No, don?t look down at your legs.? Han was trying not to look himself. The Em-Dee was in the process of shaving the long reddish-brown fur and whoever was present when the naturally hirsute patient woke up bare legged from the knees down was in for it. The pilot was actually shocked, seeing for the first time in all these years, at how muscular the Wookiee?s calves were. His species was big boned too, (which Han would have rather learned from holos or xeniobiology texts than up close). ?They?re saying you?ll be fine, that the breaks were clean. You?re just gonna be in and out of the

 

Oh boy!!!! A Han and Leia story! This sounds great. I'll be reading!

Edit- A woman in the Corporate Sector... hmm... Jessa? Fiolla? hmmmm.

 

So glad to see you posting here, Ivy L. "Renewal" is a masterpiece. Am definitely looking forward to reading more of this prequel.

 

Ivy! It's so great to see you post here! Echoing Solo_Fan, I've got to say I adored "Renewal," and I'm psyched to be able to read its prequel.

Can't wait for a new post... Keep up the awesome work!

 

Hi all!

Aha, GreatOne - you could be on to something there. And thanks SoloFan and Puggy. I'm so glad you enjoyed Renewal. I vow my intentions were to make this piece 'campier' than that, and then the imminent looming darkness descended upon me and invaded my writing...

As usual.



Ivy

~Chapter 1~

---

[/blockquote]

[blockquote]Leia stamped a worn boot-heel down harder against the deckplates. "[i]No[/i]!"

The inside of the [i]Millenium Falcon?s[/i] common area had never produced such a magnificent echo. Breaking the news to her wasn?t going as exactly as Han had planned it. Although he?d known that she wasn?t going to take it well, he hadn?t expected to be losing the battle before it even got underway. For the third time in as many minutes he sighed with exasperation and scratched at the back of his neck where his stiff collar chaffed his bare skin. "It?ll be two weeks. Three tops."

"Chewie obviously can?t go in his condition. Luke isn?t in-system. You are not going alone."

"I never said I was going alone." The Corellian cleared his throat, regarding the diminutive Princess as she tried to sort out what tidbit of information it was that she had missed.

"Then who-"

"Lando said he?ll go."

"[i]Lando[/i]?" Now there were several blue veins raised on her clenched fists. She looked as though the Ewok Shaman?s gold feather would have knocked her flat over and was quite visibly fighting to maintain control of her temper. With a firm shove off the transplanted flight chair that served as extra seating in between the common area and compartment deck, she propelled herself over to him and jabbed a finger violently into his sternum. "[i]Lando[/i]?"

"Yeah. Lando." As far as Han knew, Lando and Leia had made their peace while he was in carbonite. "What?s the problem? You?re not still angry at him are you?"

"[i]That?s [/i]not it."

"Okay." Han wasn?t sure what [i]it [/i]was. Regardless, his preplanned reasoning wasn?t coming to him quickly enough.

"Let me put this into terms with a concision even you can understand." She swallowed tightly and folded her arms over the quilted combat vest. "I don?t know what happened to whatever you call your brain while you were in carbon freeze or what sort of side affects you?re suffering from now ? but don?t think for a second that I?m going to let you waltz to the other side of the galaxy without me. I just spent the better part of the last six months looking for you. I can?t afford to lose you."

Han shook his head. "Sweetheart, you?re not gonna lose me-"

Leia?s mouth turned down. "For a week. For two. For three."

"I?ll be back before you know it."

"That?s not what I mean." She tucked a stray piece of hair back into her braids, shifting her weight from foot to foot. "It doesn?t matter. It?s been six months for me and barely a few weeks with you here."

"I?ll be back before you know it,? he repeated. Until this very moment, asking Lando had been simple to justify. Now the first twinges of guilt began rearing their annoying heads. He hadn?t imagined she would be this upset - not crying but looking as though she were about to, and not screaming but sounding as though she would start soon.

"No."

Softening his tone and setting a hand on her shoulder, he sought to reason with her. "Princess? [i]They [/i]need you. There are a hell of a lot more important things you could be doing than sticking with me while I go sort out an old mess. I won?t know ?til I get there what this is all about and I don?t want to drag you into anything dangerous."

Sarcasm dripped unbridled in her voice and fire flashed in her eyes. She wriggled free of his grip. "Dangerous? And this war is what? child?s play?"

"It?s not like that. It?s not?" Exasperated, Han leaned up against the back of the recessed booth, then rubbed his hands through his hair. What had happened on Bespin had been [i]his [/i]fault. Jabba had been [i]his [/i]fault. And he

 

Love the banter between Leia and Han.

Either this notion of going without me ends here or I?ll be up at command headquarters authorizing them to refuse you before either you or Lando can get a hold of a requisition for temporary leave."

Leia is not one to tangle with when she has her mind made up about something.

 

OH WOW! OH WOW! OH WOW! Did I say that enough? I, too, loved Renewal! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us, Ivy. We really appreciate it!

 

"How about I promise to debrief you once we?re underway.?"

She caught her lower lip between her teeth and slowly tipped her chin. "Have I mentioned to you how disturbing it is the way you manage to make everything sound like foreplay."

I adored that exchange, Ivy! I was thinking the exact same thing as Leia... Debrief, now there's a great word...

Keep up the beautiful work--I love this already!

 

Great Start!
I loved Renewal and am looking forward to more of this story.

 

This is great can't wait for more!!!!!!

 

This is a great story! Can't wait to read the next chapter..

 

Gosh LovelyLea - Oh my. I hope this lives up to your expectations.

Kab730, Puggy, Starwarsfan68, Great One; I'm so happy you guys are dropping in to read and enjoying it so far!

~Chapter 1~ (continued)

---

[/blockquote]

[blockquote]Leia?s knees were still quivering when she exited the [i]Falcon[/i].

Verdant and lush foliage soaked up the predawn-mist, and she walked along the path carved by their frequent footsteps, between the breaking fog and dewy boughs. It hadn?t dropped below freezing overnight, but near enough to it, and her boots crunched pleasantly. It was surreal and peaceful, beautiful.

Endor was truly the last planet one might have expected to be at the center of the war. Environmental scientists had only just arrived to study the effect of the [i]Death Star?s [/i]fallout. Not a kilometer away was the beginning of the debris field. The experts dropped phrases like ?long term environmental damage,? and ?negatively affected sustainability,? in their wake wherever they went. A spacecraft the size of a small moon exploding over the moon-planet was potentially a slow ecological holocaust. There were warnings everywhere for personnel to cover up when it rained. They said they would have to wait and see.

Leia endeavored not to ask herself if it was worth it ? if it did indeed turn out that they?d destroyed an entire world in the process of destroying the Emperor. It left her with too cold of a chill.

There were only two guards on duty outside the Communications bunker, and they bid her good morning on her way in. Seconds later her brother?s angled features over the comm pad both reassured her and inspired a fresh wave of trepidation.

[i]Brother[/i].

It was all so... [i]strange[/i]. Every time she looked at him, it felt right, but there was still a bit of jolt, a bit of a ?how did this come to be?? Feeling as though she were accountable to him, that their relationship gave him a right to express his concerns, was brand new to her, at once comforting and at the same time making her uneasy. He would not approve of her accompanying Han to the Corporate Sector, though he might refrain from saying it.

Leia started off on a bright note, winking at him. ?Mission accomplished out in your parts Commander??

Luke?s eyes glinted flecks of sliver-blue. ?Am I allowed to admit that to you??

They?d been successful then. ?My lips will stay sealed until the briefing later today when they make the announcement. I?ll pretend it?s fresh news.?

?Never trust a politician,? he chuckled. ?That?s what Wedge keeps telling me. Oh, and I?m sorry to drag you up so early. I forgot about the time difference... although...? The tow-haired Jedi leaned out of sight momentarily, popping back into view a few seconds later. ?I thought I dropped my chrono but I must have lost it. I don?t even know what time it is here.?

[i]Chewbacca[/i], Leia remembered suddenly, blurting out news of the accident and updating him on his condition. Naturally, Luke was greatly relieved to hear that although the Wookiee wouldn?t be up and about for a few weeks, he was expected to be as good as new. He sent his best speedy recovery wishes, saying he?d be back to chip in with the med-center entertainment soon enough. The comment reminded Leia that there was more she needed to tell him.

The image was fuzzy but Luke?s baffled expression was crystal clear. ?The Corporate Sector? Is that what I just heard you say??

?That?s it.?

?This isn?t for the Alliance is it??

Ineffably, Leia felt her elbows crossing her chest and staking out a preemptive defensive posture. ?No.?

?Then what is it for??

?It?s?? [i]Well I don?t have the foggiest[/i]? ?It?s? an old friend is in trouble.?

?An old friend of Han?s,? Luke sighed knowingly.

?Please don?t sound like that.?

?Not that I have anything against Lando,? he proclaimed. ?But his old friends have a habit of ??

?If you?re trying to find a tactful way to say, ?getting us in

 

Happy New Year !!!, ivylore! Am looking forward to more of this lovely fic in the coming year!

 

Luke began laughing. ?Can you take care of the both of you is what I want to know? If there?s trouble out there Han?ll find it.

How true!


It's interesting to see the developing relationships between the characters. Luke and Leia becoming accustomed to a sibling relationship. Leia and Han becoming accustomed to a romantic relationship.

Liked the part about Han's attachment to the Falcon. It is his baby, after all.

 

That chapter was so sweet. I love your writing and this story is fantastic!

 

Masterful writing, as always, and I think I'm going to really enjoy your take on the early months of Han and Leia's romantic relationship. I'm lovin' this story already!

 

Hi, Ivy. I'm really enjoying this, especially the exploration of Luke and Leia's sibling relationship. That's an aspect I've often wondered about. It must have been really difficult establishing the ground rules there, especially as neither were used to the idea of having a brother or sister.

The banter is super - dear old Han. Also enjoying the way you evoke the Endor landscape. Good point about the explosion causing ecological damage. That IS something nobody had thought about.

 

Great Post-Looking forward to more!

 

Rxchiquita, Greatone, Kab730, HanSolo29 - Thanks all, and I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Gina - yes, the sibling relationship has always fascinated me too. Basically the entire post-ROTJ period (in my opinion) always strikes me as a rich period for character development, yet so little pro-fic is ever written. It would be a huge period of adjustment for Luke and Leia (or even later, as I had it in Renewal).

Solo_fan - I think relationships in their infancy or in times of crisis are most fascinating.

Tahi - Thanks! My view on their relationship mirrors your own, especially considering their very polarized emotions when it comes to Vader.

As far as Endor, I once caught read a technical commentary on the after effects of the Death Star's destruction (but I can't remember where?), so the idea was implanted long ago and is not my own.

Be back soon... Thanks to everyone who's reviewing!

Ivy

 

Woo-Hoo!!! I come back after a few months with DRL, start catching up on everyone's excellent fics, re-read Renewal, check out the boards, and look who's started a new one!!!!

I'm looking forward to the ride, Ivy!!!

Tia

 

Happy New Year Ivy. This is great!!!!

 

What a great story this is! A perfect mix of banter and passion... Leia telling Luke she loved him... So cute!!! I mean, she's already told Han that she loves Luke, so she might as well tell Luke!! hehehe...


I can't WAIT for more! Soon! Please!


A. Windsor

 

Page 3??????????????????

No way!!!!!!!!!!!!

UP!

Tia

 

I love how this story is progressing....more please