Before - Legends Warm Feelings - (830 years in Naboo's past) More author responses 8/10

Title: Warm Feelings
Author: Knight-Ander (with a little help from R.A. Salvatore)
Timeframe: 830 BBY
Genre Personal Challenge at my livejournal, Drama
Summary King Jafan ends a war and ushers in the ?Great Time of Peace?


Warm Feelings

The Winds of Fate swirled across the galaxy, through grand star-clusters and around black-holes of fathomless depths; moving across light-years of empty space while manipulating time like a master sculptor with freshly-mined stone. It was an illusion that Fate had no set plans for any one being?s future, but today as it swept across the grassy plains of a planet called Naboo, Fate started sowing the first thread in a tapestry that would take some 800 years to complete.

King Jafan could not allow the small measure of relief he was feeling over-take him when he spotted Lord Pall?n and his escort crest the far hill. The conflict that had engulfed all the Human Naboo city states for 170 years was finally coming to an end, but Jafan knew too well that anything could happen when a narglatch was corner, and Pall?n was one such creature.

Turning in his saddle, Jafan inspected his own escort: one thousand soldiers, the twelve members of his Royal Council, and one Jedi Knight of the Republic. It was an imposing show of force, especially when facing the four men and one woman approaching them.

?Do you think we have enough men to assure Pall?n?s surrender, sir?? the king?s captain voiced, a small smile coming to his lips.

?I hope so, Captain,? Jafan replied dryly.

?The servants have finished preparing the negotiation dais and table at the center of the field, Your Highness,? one of the council members pointed out.

Jafan nodded. ?The council and I will be the only ones to approach, Captain.?

?Understood, sir,? the captain answered, turning to face the soldiers with orders to hold their ground.

At his signal, Jafan and the council dismounted their rides and approached the negotiation table, the Jedi followed without consult. Equidistance from the table, Pall?n and his followers did the same. The negotiations were moving along as planned.

With exception for the Jedi, Jafan and his escort approached the table unarmed. Jafan was dismayed, but not surprised, to see that although Pall?n was not armed, members of his escort were. Dressed in sleeveless-shirts and loose trousers, Pall?n?s emaciated aides were obviously unarmed, but the scarred soldier to his right carried a long-range rifle across his back, while a female mercenary, suited in elaborately decorated and polished armor, carried what appeared to be a cortosis sword at her left hip. Jafan slowly turned his head to his left to assure himself that the Jedi was still with him.

As Fate would have it, both sides arrived at the negotiation dais at the same time, and both sides waited for the other to step up onto it first. Jafan?s face turned hard. Pall?n was playing him to see who wanted peace more: the King or the Lord. Jafan would not have it. He could wipe Pall?n and his pitiful army of loyalists and mercenaries from the face of the planet. Pall?n should be the one eager to begin surrender negotiations, not him.

The staring match went on for several minutes and then a half-hour before the mercenary shook her blonde mane in disgust. ?You couldn?t pay me enough to continue this war, but you wouldn?t have to pay me one red-credit to end it,? she said before stepping onto the dais, effectively ending the battle of Pride between the two leaders. ?I?ve seen enough useless blood-shed, Milord. I rather watch my sons grow old and die with my grandchildren around me.?

Pall?n turned and glared at the woman. ?So be it,? he practically spat, stepping onto the dais.

?Lord Pall?n,? Jafan began as he stepped onto the dais and approached the negotiating table, the Royal Council following his lead. ?I request that you end this war with the city-states of Naboo, surrendering all of the lands under your rule to me.?

Pall?n raised his chin. ?And if I say ?No???

 

Yay!

liked it i did!

 

Thule lifted a bloody hand from the wound in his chest. ?Every time my blood is shed, years of peace will follow,? he whispered. ?That?s what the oracle said. Long after my death, my blood will bring peace to Naboo.?

?A great sacrifice you made. Saved me you did. Remember you and your kin, I will.?

The Winds of Fate rush forward to a time 800 years later, when in an era of great crisis, the same Jedi speaks to a descendant of Lord Thule and upon seeing her, he remembers the first of few non-Force using humans ever to sacrifice themselves for him.

Everyone moved to exchange pleasant greetings, and Yoda pointedly tapped Padmé with his small cane.

?With you, the Force is strong, young Senator,? the Jedi Master told her. ?Your tragedy on the landing platform, terrible. To see you alive brings warm feelings to my heart.?

?Thank you, Master Yoda,? she replied.

Beautiful.

 

I realy like the history of Star Wars and the connections between the past and future characters and all, and I have to say that this story is amazing. Well done, I realy enjoyed reading it. I especialy liked the motif of destiny and the Wind of Fate, it made the story powerful.
Great story.

 

Thank you! Welcome, you are.

Thank you! Thule's final words came out of my fingertips sound far better than I had planned, so having that acknowledged is appreciated.

BTW, the final 3 paragraphs came from the AOTC novelization in case nobody noticed.

And thank you, too! Motifs like that are excellent helpers when connecting on place in time to another. They're also fun to write, too.

 

I concur. You've done a great job here.

 

Thank you!

 

Loved it, I did.

Everything about this history from Thule and Starkiller and Yoda right down to the Outrageous House of Bibs was perfect plot.

 

I just had a pretty good review going and hit the wrong key or something and it all went away. I'll try yto recapture the majic.

Excellent vig, Knight-Ander. It was filled with all the war time atmosphere one could want, but without a battle. The pride and the posturing and the tension was well played. I also enjoyed the setting of the field with the raised dais for arbitration. The descriptions of the warriors and their lords also added to the richness of this piece.

I was a little surprised, but not dismayed, that Yoda, in his prime, wasn not faster than a partisan warrior, but the object lesson is not beyond me. The fact that Yoda was defended by ancestors of Skywalker and Amidala is pretty cool.

 

Very good fic. Really warm somehow.
I like the idea of Yoda knowing Padme's ancestors. It brings some depth to the saga. Beautifuly written.

 

I'm sorry, I've been a bad author and should have responded to these last comments months ago.

Thank you! It was fun creating a small portion of ancient history for a handful of characters in a galaxy far, far away.

Thanks! I was a inspired by something I read in one of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time books years ago and I'm glad the results came out as good as they did.

Don't knock Yoda for being slow. He's only 100 years old, barely a Jedi Knight, hasn't even taken on a padawan, yet, so you'll have to forgive him his hesitation.

Thank you very much! I got a warm and fuzzy feeling just writing it.

 

Really nicely done!

I agree with Ulic_Starwalker

Yoda knowing Padme's ancestors. It brings some depth to the saga. Beautifuly written.

 

Thank you.