Beyond - Legends Willful Disobedience [LotF AU, updated daily - The end is here!]

There was disturbance brewing in the Force, and he could feel it. But what was it?

You think? Is Luke that out of it, doens't he know Jacen's up to no good?

Good Skywalker family interactions.

 

Truth

GAG HEADQUARTERS OFFICE OF COLONEL JACEN SOLO, GALACTIC CITY.

Mara noted how empty GAG headquarters was as she neared Jacen?s office. True it was late, but still. There was something off; she could feel it in the Force. But what was it she felt exactly?

Her entrance into Jacen?s private office was accompanied by a stirring in the Force she recognized instantly. It sent a chill down her spine and forced her eyes to go wide, if only for a moment. It couldn?t be, yet she was certain of what, or rather who, she felt.

?Lumiya is here,? Mara stated calmly as she approached her nephew.

Jacen stood with his back to his aunt, looking out over Galactic City. ?I know,? he said in a distant tone of voice.

Mara felt another chill run down the length of her spine, and her muscles tensed out of instinct. ?You were expecting her?? she queried, eyes narrowing a bit.

?No,? Jacen replied, still sounding distant.

Mara exhaled deeply, realization dawning. ?You were expecting me.? Her hand strayed to the hilt of her lightsaber.

Jacen rounded slowly to face Mara. ?Is that why you came here, Mara?? he asked, his gaze falling to her lightsaber and the gloved hand that rested on its hilt.

?So it is you who?s been working with her,? said Mara.

?It?s the only way to prevent disaster,? Jacen explained. ?The galaxy needs order so that there can be peace.?

Mara just shook her head. ?I allowed you to train my son.? A bit of an edge crept into her voice.

?And I have prepared him well for what?s to come, Aunt Mara. Ben is strong thanks to me.?

Jacen?s assertion made Mara?s anger spike, but she worked to quickly suppress the negative emotion before it took control of her. ?This stops now, Jacen.?

Jacen nodded, almost sadly. His right hand strayed down to his belt, and he sighed. ?I?m sorry, Aunt Mara,? he said, unclipping his lightsaber.

Mara shook her own head. ?No, Jacen, you?re not,? she returned coolly as she removed her own blade.


TBC.

 

Jacen nodded, almost sadly. His right hand strayed down to his belt, and he sighed. ?I?m sorry, Aunt Mara,? he said, unclipping his lightsaber.

Mara shook her own head. ?No, Jacen, you?re not,? she returned coolly as she removed her own blade.

 

I love how calm and controlled Mara is. She didn?t come here to kill him, with murder in her heart, only to find ?truth.? But as they say, truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, and at this point, what choice does she have? May the Force be with her.

 

By the stars thats going to be hot !

 

*starts humming Duel of the Fates*

Da-duh! Da-duh!

Da-duh! Da-da-duh!



*snap-hiss*

*snap-hiss*



- The Imperial Ewok

 

Author Note: Sorry folks but a crying baby doesn't do much to help one write. I'll do my best to have a new post up by morning or tomorrow night as usual. Thanks for understanding


The_Slilent_One:

That fits.


TelannaTani: I love how calm and controlled Mara is. She didn?t come here to kill him, with murder in her heart, only to find ?truth.? But as they say, truth is sometimes stranger than fiction, and at this point, what choice does she have? May the Force be with her.

You're right, she has no choice. She needs to understand what's happening, and with Luke not talking, she has to go to Jacen.


morrison85: By the stars thats going to be hot !

I certainly hope so.


Thrawn McEwok: *starts humming Duel of the Fates*

Heh, that fits.

Da-duh! Da-duh!

Da-duh! Da-da-duh!



*snap-hiss*

*snap-hiss*

That about sums things up.

 

Sith logic, such as it is

GAG HEADQUARTERS, GALACTIC CITY.

Jacen?s relentless assault had Mara on her heels, her lightsaber flashing brilliantly as she and her nephew wound their way through the nearly deserted GAG headquarters. A hard kick to her chest sent her flying backwards to smack against a sturdy wall, but she recovered quickly.

Charging to take advantage of his landed kick, Jacen?s face found the flat of Mara?s right boot waiting for him when he reached her. He recoiled, recovering in time to counter his aunt?s follow-up attack, though. And like that, their duel continued.

Mara?s blade swung for Jacen?s head, but he ducked and avoided it. Sensing the miss even before it happened, she launched herself backwards as soon as she could. In tight quarters, creating space was key.

Annoyed, Jacen charged again. His aunt was very skilled, and she was proving as much. It was both impressive and frustrating at the same time. But he had little doubt as to how their battle would end, not that he was pleased about it. This was his sacrifice, and it rightfully pained him. To lose Mara was one thing, but it was Ben, he knew, who would never forgive him.

Mara continued to retreat, but she was not afraid, not worried. She was drawing Jacen in. But the question was what then? She hadn?t come to take Jacen?s life, merely to question him. But things had spiraled, and now they were locked in combat. In all likelihood, one of them would be dead before all was said and done.

?No Sith will ever be able to bring peace to the galaxy, Jacen,? Mara stated firmly, blocking yet another strike from her nephew. ?They are evil, no matter what Lumiya says. In his last moments, your grandfather himself came to see the truth.?

Jacen snorted. ?You hate my grandfather and his memory, you always have. Don?t pretend now to feel any different,? he demanded.

Mara leapt over a strike aimed for her knees. ?My feelings for your grandfather are not the issue, Jacen. In the end, we came to believe the same thing: the Sith are evil.? For Luke Skywalker?s wife, that was quite an admission. And, truth be told, it shocked her more than a little that she?d gotten it out.

?Anakin Skywalker was weak and corrupt from the start,? Jacen asserted. ?He failed because of his own weakness, not the teachings of the Sith.?

Mara had no response for that, at least none she could form in the heat of battle. Jacen had clearly lost his way, and she had no idea how to help him find it again. And worst of all, she wasn?t sure she cared enough to try, not after all that had happened.


TBC.

 

JD: Some nice, physical lightsaber-fighting there. I like the way you cut back into the action in the middle; and I also like the way that Mara's resolve seems to be slipping at the end. She's at once failing to show Kenobi's fortitude in RotS, and failing to grasp the point about "a certain point of view"...

Perhaps there's a paradoxical link there?

- The Imperial Ewok

 

Observation

TOMB BUILT FOR THE LATE LORD DARTH VADER, KORRIBAN.

Darth Krayt, Dark Lord of the Sith, sat on his jewel encrusted throne, deep in meditation. He could feel Jacen Solo clearly through the Force. The eldest Solo son?s darkness grew with each passing moment, and it pleased Krayt.

Soon you will ascend, Jacen. Soon you will be one with the Sith.

Krayt could feel Mara, too. Her anger was surging, even as she fought against it. Things were going just as the leader of the new Sith had foreseen. In time, his vision for the galaxy would indeed come to pass.

Jacen Solo?s ascension will bring the Sith one step closer to their goal. In time, the galaxy will finally know peace.

The Dark Lord took an unsteady breath, The duel on Coruscant was reaching its climax; he could feel it. Soon, one of the two would lay dead. He had little doubt about that, nor was he the least bit troubled by it. So long as the Jedi were made weaker, it suited his plans.

Where they are weak, the Sith shall be strong. Where they stumble, we shall continue on. When they fall, the Sith will rise.

Such were the thoughts of the Dark Lord Krayt as he sat upon his throne. Far away, his plans were proceeding as he had foreseen. Everything was being done according to his design. It was the way of the Sith, his way now. They were all but pawns in his game, to be moved and removed as he alone saw fit. It was his vision which would ultimately reshape the galaxy and bring peace, of that much Lord Krayt was certain.

The Sith Lord?s multicolored eyes opened as he came back to himself. The time for meditation was at an end. He already knew the outcome of the battle on Coruscant anyway. It had been decided long before the first blow had ever been struck. What was happening now was a merely formality in his eyes.


TBC.

 

No reasoning with darkness

GAG HEADQUARTERS ROOFTOP, GALACTIC CITY.

Mara?s red hair whipped around in the breeze, her jade eyes narrowed. She twirled her saber, watching close as Jacen approached her. He was no longer the boy she had known, of that much she was now certain. But, sadly, she found little room in her heart for sorrow. Her anger was still too great to feel sorry for Jacen.

Jacen approached his aunt boldly, his saber held at his side. He walked with purpose, and without fear. He had no desire to take her life, but this was not about desire. This was to be his sacrifice, the final step in his quest for mastery of the Sith arts. And as much as it pained him, he would not fail to reach his goal.

?You?re betraying everything your family stands for,? Mara noted bitterly.

?I?m sorry you see it that way,? Jacen returned. ?I would have thought you, of all people, would understand the need for what I am trying to do.?

?Why, because I was one of Palpatine?s Hands?? asked Mara.

?Palpatine was weak and corrupt, like Anakin Skywalker. He saw the path, but lacked the strength to walk it.? Jacen?s tone was self-assured.

?And you believe you have the strength to fulfill his vision, do you?? Mara questioned, backing up a bit.

?The true vision of the Sith has never been realized. It is that vision I intend to see fulfilled, not the twisted desires of a corrupt former Dark Lord,? insisted Jacen.

?You?re more lost than Palpatine or Vader ever was,? snapped Mara. ?I almost pity you, Jacen.?

Jacen?s expression darkened. ?Save your pity for the galaxy,? he urged. ?It needs it more than I do.?

Mara?s body tensed, sensing the duel was about to resume. ?As you wish,? she nodded, raising her blade in front of her yet again.


TBC.

 

okay i've spent the last three hours reading this, and its awesome, really good fic love the depth, quality, and multiple story lines that meet up at random moments...

and i spent the three hours before reading Sacrifice (which reads more like fanfic that profic)....

PHGS Weyr

 

*leans forward in seat, waiting tensely for what happens next*



- The Imperial Ewok

 

Please dont let Mara die, Please dont

 

Author Note: I'm very sorry, folks, but time isn't my friend these last few days. I will try and get a post up later tonight, but no promises. Again, my apologies for suddenly becoming unreliable. New post as soon as I can, I promise. Tomorrow night at the latest, honest.


JD.

 

The end draws near

GAG HEADQUARTERS ROOFTOP, GALACTIC CITY.

A backhanded fist impacted Jacen?s cheek, sending him stumbling backwards a half step. He recovered quickly, though, sidestepping a follow-up sidekick. And in a blink, he was back on the offensive again, pushing his aunt harder than ever.

Mara was forced back as Jacen recovered and attacked. He was strong, very strong. A series of powerful overhead blows jared her body down to the bones. But she remained strong, countering as best she could even as she was driven back at a steady clip.

Jacen swung his blade for Mara?s right side, but she blocked the strike then snapped a quick left jab into his chin. The blow startled the Sith apprentice, and he blinked as he recoiled two full steps. But, undaunted, he came back to himself in time to again block his aunt?s follow-up strike.

Trading heavy-handed blows, Mara waited patiently for an opening. There had to be an opening in Jacen?s defenses somewhere, but where? High, low, right and left, she tested him. But it was to no avail. Jacen?s skills had clearly grown a lot under Lumiya?s tutelage. However, it was her own husband?s training that was keeping her from breaking through. It was not something that she took any comfort in as she matched him strike for strike.

?Luke?s training is serving you well, Jacen.? Mara?s tone was bitter.

Jacen frowned as he parried a strike aimed for his midsection. ?I am not his enemy, Aunt Mara.?

?You serve a woman who has tried to kill both he and your parents,? countered Mara.

?I serve only the Force,? asserted Jacen, striking at Mara?s head.

Mara ducked away from Jacen?s strike, delivering a strong sidekick to Jacen?s midsection in the process. ?From your point of view,? she returned, landing a kick to his chin while he was doubled over.

Jacen?s mouth snapped shut when Mara?s second kick landed, sending him flying backwards to land with a thud on his back. He blinked, his vision clearing just in time to see the point of Mara?s blade move within millimeters of the flesh of his throat. With his saber now lying just out of reach and his aunt?s blade so close, he froze, seemingly defeated.

Breathing hard, Mara narrowed her eyes on Jacen?s prone form. ?It?s over, Jacen.? The point of her blade did not waver even a little as it rested close to Jacen?s exposed flesh.

Expressionless, Jacen met Mara?s gaze and held it. One way or another, these were the duel?s last moments; he could sense it. Oddly, the thought brought him a great deal of peace, even with his life in such obvious peril. It was a sensation that gave him pause as he continued to hold his aunt?s gaze, knowing in his heart what the ultimate outcome would be.


TBC.

 

why? why? don't make me choose between two of my favourite characters.....


PHGS Weyr

 

Rise and fall

GAG HEADQUARTERS ROOFTOP, GALACTIC CITY.

?It is,? Jacen seemingly agreed with Mara?s last remark. His tone was flat, devoid of emotion, nearly lifeless.

Mara felt the poison dart coming at her in plenty of time to react to it. Using the Force, she grasped the dart and held it in midair just shy of the flesh of her neck. Close, perhaps, but not good enough on this occasion.

?Show yourself, Lumiya,? Mara urged strongly, her green eyes scanning the rooftop.

There was no response from the Dark Lady, though she made no attempt to hide her presence in the Force. She was on the rooftop somewhere, lurking, as always, in the shadows. She was just out of sight, waiting, watching, planning her next move. All very typical things for a Sith.

Something stirred in the Force. It was short lived, but strong and clear. And in the blink of an eye, it had passed.

Mara scowled briefly at the silence, but her scowl suddenly turned to a look of shock. Eyes widening in realization, her left hand slowly found its way to her neck. Confirming with her fingertips what she already knew to be true, she blinked, taking an unsteady half-step backwards.

?I?m sorry.? Jacen?s voice was devoid of any true emotion.

Her head starting to swim, Mara faced Jacen at the sound of his voice. He was standing now, and his expression was unreadable, nearly blank. ?She?s using you, Jacen.?

?You?re wrong,? asserted Jacen in a calm tone. ?I?m using her. In the end, they will all see that this was the only way to save the galaxy from my vision.?

Mara pulled the poison dart from her neck, letting it slip from her grasp once it was removed. ?Your fear has destroyed your family, Jacen,? she said, swaying on her feet. ?You?ve saved nothing. You will save nothing. All you?ve done so far can only lead to more darkness. You can?t win.?

?Goodbye... Aunt Mara,? Jacen said as Lumiya appeared behind him.

Mara dropped to her knees, her saber slipping harmlessly from her gloved right hand. ?Ben will never forgive you for this,? she managed to choke out, her world going steadily dark.

?Why do you think he killed you, Jade?? asked Lumiya from her place at Jacen?s side.

Mara wanted to respond, but the words died in her throat. The poison was too strong, and a healing trance had not been an option with Jacen and Lumiya there. Her mortal life was at an end, and she knew it. She hated it, but was not fool enough to believe she could survive.

Stoically, Jacen looked on as Mara swayed on her knees then finally succumbed to the poison. It was an unremarkable end to a remarkable life, in Jacen?s opinion. He frowned, looking down at the now lifeless body of his aunt.

?You expected more?? Lumiya surmised.

Jacen felt a wave of pain and anguish through the Force, and he couldn?t help but wince. Shook his head, then faced Lumiya, his expression utterly serious. ?She can?t be found here. Dispose of the body, and don?t trouble me again today,? he said firmly, turning on his heel and striding away. He called his saber back to him with Force as he walked, but never once looked back, his black cape swishing in the breeze.

Lumiya watched him leave, a pleased smile hidden beneath her veil. ?And so he ascends,? she said to herself before turning to deal with Mara?s lifeless body.


TBC.

 

*stunned silence*



Awesome, awsome stuff: quiet and deadly.

I really liked the understated way this scene was written: the really important things - each of them on its own a tipping point for the whole 'fic - weren't mentioned, just inferred...

Of course, dead!Mara isn't something I'm a fan of; but does Lumiya have plans for the body of a red-headed Emperor's Hand? After all, she's been in that position herself...?

- The Imperial Ewok

 

this - this - this is very sad
why did you have to kill her? evilness, pure evilness I say

superb updates

~ Lady Mags ~

 

Author Note: Just replies tonight, I fear. But a new post tomorrow. Sorry I'm not sticking to my promise of daily updates quite as well recently, but life has been extremely busy.


Thrawn McEwok: *stunned silence*

That?s a good sign.

Awesome, awsome stuff: quiet and deadly.

Thank you!

I really liked the understated way this scene was written: the really important things - each of them on its own a tipping point for the whole 'fic - weren't mentioned, just inferred...

That was the idea. I wanted to play it low key, or as low key as possible.

Of course, dead!Mara isn't something I'm a fan of; but does Lumiya have plans for the body of a red-headed Emperor's Hand? After all, she's been in that position herself...?

That?s an excellent question you pose, my friend. However, you should know by now that I?m not about to go talking out of school. You?ll see what becomes of Mara in due course.


Maggy: this - this - this is very sad
why did you have to kill her? evilness, pure evilness I say

It was not an easy decision, I assure you. I quite enjoy writing Mara, but in this case, it worked for the story.

superb updates

Thank you as always, Lady Mags.

 

*nods*

And, thank YOU!!

Minor key?

Now that I WASN'T expecting!

- The Imperial Ewok

 

Aftermath

CORUSCANT JEDI TEMPLE.

Silence.

Sadness.

Anger.

Confusion.

These things and more permeated the the room as Luke and his son stood before the lifeless body of Mara Jade Skywalker. A simple white sheet covering her up to her neck, she lay before her husband and son, a grim reminder of how fleeting life is. It was a moment neither Luke nor Ben would ever forget, no matter how much they might wish to.

Luke glanced at his son, but had no words to offer Ben. Instead, his gaze quickly moved back to his dead wife. Seeing Mara lying so peacefully...

Luke had no words for the moment.

?She shouldn?t be here.? Ben sounded distant.

Luke nodded. ?Your mother made a choice, Ben.?

?Why would she refuse to return to the Force, Dad??

Luke shook his head, but didn?t look up at his son, Mara?s son. ?I don?t know, Ben. Nothing about your mother?s death feels--?

?Right? Of course it doesn?t feel right!? Ben snapped. ?Mom is dead, Dad. Someone... someone killed her.? His tone was angry.

?I know,? Luke said coolly, still not looking at his son.

Angry and frustrated, Ben gave his father an annoyed look before storming for the exit. ?Jacen will know what to do,? he said, looking back over one shoulder before leaving his father alone with his mother?s corpse.

Deep in thought and emotional turmoil, Luke didn?t so much as turn to look at his son as Ben left. He knew the truth, much as he hated to admit it. He?d felt it when Mara had passed. Expression blank and eyes on Mara?s lifeless body, his gloved right hand clenched into a tight fist. But, still, he remained where he was, seemingly willing to let events he himself had helped set in motion play out... for now.


TBC.

 

aww Luke you should now by now, you never get anything by working with the Sith, other than the wrong end of a lightaber that is...

Great Post JDH3 this is working so much better than sacrifice did

PHGS Weyr

 

JD: that's nasty of Lumiya...

I rather like the counterpoint between Ben and Luke's honest, emotional reactions, and the subtle, ruthless manipulative playing of them both by Lumiya (especially because her actions are entirely implied/off-camera)...



The contrast between the understated (stunned?) response from Luke, and Ben's open anger, is very effective, as well - the way they face each other, and react in different directions...

Interesting. All VERY interesting...

- The Imperial Ewok