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

Welcome Tia Raye, A-Windsor, and Calgary!

Thanks for dropping by.

Chapter 2

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The Corporate Sector had once been nothing more than a cosmic slice of the Expansion Region. The Expansion Region was the site of one of the Old Republic?s greatest experiments. In exchange for a percentage of the profits, corporations rather than elected governments were allowed to control the various inhabited regions. The experiment was disastrous. What followed were centuries of oppression and exploitation, where the credit served as a dictator, god, and the means to all ends and the regional residents suffered without the luxury of complaint. Entire planets were denuded of their resources; ecosystems were so utterly annihilated ? and swiftly ? that Endor?s looming damage paled in comparison. When the Old Republic finally learned of the goings on, they were quick to evict the ruling corporations, all of which were wealthy beyond most beings wildest dreams.

Like any business transaction, the eviction didn?t come without a steep price.

In exchange for peacefully abandoning the civilized areas of the Expansion Region, an unsettled district made up of over five hundred planets lacking sentient life was offered to the ruling companies. Rather than have the Old Republic?s government waste its money and funds by overseeing the corporations at work, the corporations were again granted the power to govern themselves under the watchful eye of a few Republic ombudsmen. There would be no pillaging of star systems for fast credits and no more barbaric working conditions for the Sector Employees. Still, the new operations flourished, and as time passed, the Old Republic began to keep its nose turned toward the wind.

The Corporate Sector was born.

Soon, this unofficial branch of the Old Republic was independent and answerable to no law outside the Sector. It outgrew the marginal guidance mandated by the Republic. When this became abundantly clear back on Coruscant, it was already too late. There were too many credits and too much power behind the scenes. The Corporate Alliance was struck between the Old Republic and the Sector instead. In the same manner that the Trade Federation had become it?s own self-governing entity, the Sector won a fair share of latitude. It was a frontier region of the galaxy, a set of far-flung space with different rules. Although it kept its ties to the Republic, it came to be seen as only distant relative in the Universe, familiar to all only because of the massive amounts of goods and supplies shipped Core-ward.

By the time Palpatine manipulated his way into power, the Corporate Sector had doubled in size, and a thousand new corporations had settled out there. It had developed its own policing forces, the Corporate Sector Authority and the CSA Security Police Force.

Amazingly, the Emperor left them alone.

Sitting in Chewbacca?s oversized chair with her feet dangling high above the floor, Leia could only imagine what sort of behind the scenes deal had been struck with Palpatine. ([i]Your Eminence, we?ll give you 10%? 20%? of the profits for x number of years. Fund this New Order you want to create with our taxes[/i].) Many of the annexed systems had contained sentient lifeforms and developed civilizations. They?d fallen to the New Imperialism, and it was, as they said, ?The Sector?s dirty secret.?

Han had entertained her with a few colored tales about the Sector?s dirty secrets ? she knew he?d lived there for a few years. The Corporate Sector was a frontier, a great place to hide from the Empire, from Bounty hunters, from life. Han Solo said it was easy to make credits and find trouble.

The ?finding trouble? issue notwithstanding, Leia wondered if her desperation to accompany him was truly embedded in concern for his well being or rooted in something deeper and more selfish.

There was a tactful difference between asking for a vacation and requesting a necessary leave

 

This just gets more and more intriguing with every post!

 

Hi Ivy! It's Lyn from LJ... Thought I'd pop in to offer some praise.

What a treat to find a new chapter this morning. This is looking really good - can't wait for more!

 

I Loved IT!

 

Now they are going on a cruise! That should be romantic, if they don't get shot at and chased by Espos!

(I guessed Jessa! )

 

Thank you Gina, Merkuria and LovelyLea.

Lyn, I swear I would have guessed who you were, LOL!

Ivy

Edit: *shakes head* Great One you won't believe I was about to edit this very post to credit you with that when you suddenly appeared in here.

 

Wonderful Ivy! It just gets better and better

 

read it last night.. and its awesome!!!
uppers!!

DM

 

Now that her giggles were under control, she noticed that Han was wearing an old black sweater that hugged his lean frame and accented his military style trousers nicely. The galley lights winked off his hair and when he leaned over and dragged a stowaway compartment partway out for inspection, Leia decided watching him move about the galley qualified as riveting in-flight entertainment.

First of all, I LOVE when Leia laughs in fanfic. We never saw it in the movies--and I imagine it's a beautiful sound, and that Han makes her laugh ALL the time!

And secondly... I want in-flight entertainment like Leia's.

Beautiful, as always, Ivy! Your writing is absolutely extraordinary, and you characterize Han and Leia so perfectly. It's a joy to read this.

 

Excellent as always Ivy. It's nice to read a well written, fact filled chapter.

 

Another awesome post!!!!!! Han and Leia alone on a ship.... dangerous... very awesomely dangerous.... I second Puggy on her inflight entertainment comment...



A. Windsor

 

I tried to post but the board eat it...ggrrrr. I liked poor Chewie having his legs shaved

 

Great Post!

 

It was more personal than they might have imagined - in the shadows of her being where needy emotional taproots forced aside logic, gnarled and thirsty and tired of pernicious struggling.

Sentences like this one are why I love your stories so much. Your command of the English language is wonderful. I love to read a story that challenges my vocabulary. Plus, I love how complex you write Han and Leia's relationship. Keep up the great work!!

 

Sigh.

I love this stuff.

Also, Ivy, you are doing a wonderful job of setting up the story and giving enough background so that even people who have never read Brian Daley's books will have no problem following.

I shall lanquish in anticipation until the next post!!!

Tia

 

Thank you for the feedback, HanSolo29, Kab730, A-Windsor, starwarsfan68, DarthMasan and calgary.

I want in-flight entertainment like Leia's.

Hehehe Puggy. I'm usually pretty darn impressed by your writing and falling out of my chair when you say you just "jotted it down it off the top of your head without editing." That doesn't happen at my desk - never ever.

Solo_Fan.

Sock_of_Darth_Vader . hehe...

Thanks TiaRaye. Yes, I'm trying to be conscious of setting this up so those who haven't read HST will follow easily. (If you haven't read it and you love Han - go for it!) The fic does draw heavily from it. I've gone nutty about it elsewhere but I have a copy of the Corporate Sector Source Book!!!! *dances with it over head like a prize*

Here's to Brian Daley, the creator of the CS.

I'm having family stay with me for the next week, so my next chapter may be late. However, I have an idea for something else in the meantime...

Ivy

*Cruise scenes? 'Romantic cruise scenes? Where?*

 

Too far down...

*flap flap flap*

 

Hello...

In lieu of an actual update to Return to the Corporate Sector, I'm linking to a revised vignette I was inspired to write for this point the story (a sort of between or behind the scenes). This was courtesy of a monthly challenge Greatone suggested some time back.

Restless Spaces



Ivy

*Whose home is currently invaded by visiting family, and whose writing space and computer have been taken over by aliens. She just might go crazy in the meantime.*

 

I like Restless Spaces! A LOT!!!

 

I love this so much more then the original version. Terrific insight into Han and Leia. Other fan fiction miss this...thanks for writing it.

 

Aww. Thanks GreatOne. Your idea too. The pace and voice set it completely outside this fic, but it was fun to step outside it.

Speaking of that, where did those challenges go to?

Thank you Calgary. Honestly, everything I've ever written benefits from lots of revisions and time to age. Not the wine-type aging of course - but being able to go back and edit with a little perspective, if that makes sense(and this is at the root of my inability to write quickly). Glad you liked the changes.

Ivy

 

Ooh, things are hotting up in more ways than one. The background on the Corporate Sector was fascinating. I love stories with intrigue.

I'm also enjoying the romantic banter and the insights into Leia's way of thinking.

An individual at war with her self could not bring peace those outside her self. Only once she?d made peace within could she set about bringing peace to the rest of the galaxy. So true - and it really sounds like the sort of thing Leia would think.

It sounds like you had a busy New Year, Ivy. We had family down, too - which was nice. It's good to get evryone together.

 

I really liked Restless Spaces.

It was so sad how Leia had no mementos and wanted to cling so desperately to the portrait of Han. It really showed a child-like vulnerability in her character she rarely shows (not allowing others to see how much she still mourns for her family and planet).

 

*grumble grumble*

Computer ate my post. GRRRR!

Hi Tahi!

I love having family here, I just need MORE ROOM!

*Waves at Gina too* I always feel as though the EU paints an inconsisent portrait of Leia. On the one hand, she is a woman deeply affected by her past, with very human flaws and fears; on the other, she's portrayed as so strong and consistently fearless that we are completely unnable to empathize with her. Personally, I guess I'd say I see her more along the lines of how Hambley wrote her; a woman who spends her adulthood struggling to come to terms with her past and capable of sharing these feelings with those closest to her.