Beyond - Legends Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore -- Dark Luke, Mara -- sequel teaser up 5/23

LadyPadme: That's okay, it did sound kind of vignette-ish. I don't think you're the only who thought that, either...

BrokenNose: Stalker Luke? What an interesting thought. Thanks for reading!

AG88: This is a pretty gloomy tale. Just to put everyone in the mood for ROTS...? Yes, there is more! Coming right up.

MaraJade1225: Thanks for reading.

JadeLotus: I love Dark Luke!

Hehe, me too. All that angst...

even though he's a Dark Lord, she still has all the power over him.

Interesting that you pulled this out... Maybe that's why Mara ran like she did, because she didn't want to deal with that power. Or maybe she had other reasons entirely... Thanks for reading!

The next post will be up in a couple of minutes.

 

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The search ate increasing amounts of his time as years yawed by, shaded and heavy in their passage. The administration of the Empire fell, piece by piece, to deputies and viziers; slowly, corruption seeped, glistening darkly like oil on clear water. The people of the Empire grew impoverished while officials lined bottomless pockets with pilfered prosperity. Wallowing in his need, he barely noticed. He did not care.

The Rebel Alliance grew fat with defected entities, and tottered under its own weight. A guerrilla-style revolutionary body is not intended as an alternative form of government. Ideals in such circumstances were fast to form and faster to pervert.

He assisted the perversion as best he could, through a system of carefully placed spies and even more carefully placed information. The Rebels obliged with disgusting ease. He further weakened them through attacks on known supporters and lesser outposts. Then, when the time was right, when they were scattered and floundering ? then, he attacked. The battle was quick, brutal, and wholly successful. It would known during his lifetime as Vespasian?s Triumph; after, as Vespasian?s Massacre.

The Rebel Alliance was dead.

Or so he thought. In the ensuing years, he began to suspect that they were not as obliterated as he had hoped. Their losses had been considerable, yes, and their numbers were severely depleted. But they had somehow managed to survive. He found that?

Aggravating.

They had gone to ground, and, having perhaps learned from their previous blunders, proved considerably difficult to track down. But he was proficient in the art of pursuit by that stage, and found them eventually.

He commanded an attack on one of the primary bases, a bulky space-station in a backwater system. In the midst of the battle, he found himself thinking of her ? strange, perhaps, but not unusual. Often the fury of conflict brought her to mind, starker than ever. Her green eyes, sardonic and alluring, daring him to touch her; her lips, snarling and hungry and soft. The taunting resistance, the struggle, blazing, fierce, demanding; the sudden moment of yielding, of flowing, of startled sweetness and surrender.

It hurts, he thought, staring into the battle-fire. It wasn?t supposed to, but it did. Angry pain, weeping lines of blood and ash that twined forever in his heart.

?Destroy those shuttles,? he ordered, pointing a finger at a pod lumbering from the Rebel station. ?Don?t let them escape. I want them all dead.? He didn?t bother to follow the command with a threat; it wasn?t necessary. The consequences of failure on his bridge were widely known.

Hurried murmurs of ?Yes, sire,? answered the command, and firepower intensified. He watched the shuttles explode in throes of blazing light, metal twisting, bodies burning.

Lowering his chin, he flexed gloved hands.

He led the landing, later, flanked on all sides by white-armoured stormtroopers. The Rebels did not capitulate easily, he granted them that much. Donned in light combat armour, many of them had withdrawn into sections of the base and were laying down heavy blasterfire before the Imperial squads. Courage, or fear? Capture held black droids and needles and pain, while death held only emptiness. The easier alternative was clear.

His squad came across a horde of Rebels in one of the side corridors, and he stood back to led his troopers do their work. Listened as the screams began, he wondered which smuggling group had leased this station to the Rebels ? or which group might conveniently be blamed. Perhaps Black Sun?

There was a flicker of movement from the empty corridor to his right. He turned his head, caught a glimpse of grey-yellow Rebel armour. He drew his blaster. Strange, for one of them to be alone. Perhaps he?d become separated from his group. Lifting his blaster, he strode around the corner after the Rebel.

The man was moving fast. He caught another flash of grey-yellow, disappearing around the corner ahead. He picked up his pace and was rewarded with a longer g

 

Whoa.

You weren't kidding when you said Dark Luke.

I wonder what is going through Mara's head while all of his is going on.

Anyway, I love the chapters that you've posted. I can't wait to read the next one.

 

Luke's got a sort of creepy stalker vibe to him now. And you managed to capture it quite well. I fear, however, what's going to happen as he continues out from his frustration.

Looking forward to more. Hopefully, you'll give us the perspective of the hunted at some point since I'm curious as to what Mara's doing/thinking.

Great work.

 

Oh Wow, you had me worried. I thought he was going to kill his own sister.

Great fic. This Luke is dark.

?I?ve heard of your perversions.?

?Really.? He lifted his eyebrows. ?My fame continues to spread.?


Hmmm... now that got me curious. What exactly are those perversions?

I hope they don't involve a banana thong and an Ewok.

Sorry, I read too many fanfics.

Great chapter!

AG88

 

I thrive on angst.


It hurts, he thought, staring into the battle-fire. It wasn?t supposed to, but it did. Angry pain, weeping lines of blood and ash that twined forever in his heart.
Great line.

I love Luke's description of Mara. Especially this:
She moved like a dancer, spoke like a noblewoman, and fought like a demon
Very fitting.

And Leia! It's interesting to think that Mara's helping the Rebellion - and perhaps her an Leia would have even become friends.

I like the name Vespasian - does it have any special meaning?

 

Stargazer-19: Erm, no. I warned you though, didn't I? There are going to be two parts to this story, and you see more of what's going through Luke's head in the second part. Hopefully he becomes a little more sympathetic... if that's possible. I'll just say, not everything with him is what it seems.

Mara... is also not quite what she seems. You'll see what I mean later.

Jedi_BMK: So I'm good at writing creepy stalker people? Maybe I should be worried by that. But I'll stress again, things between Luke and Mara aren't exactly what they seem. I know it looks a certain way now, but... you'll see. There'll be more of Mara soon, don't worry. Thanks for reading!

AG88: I thought he was going to kill his own sister.

Heh. Heh. Hold that thought.

How did I guess you'd pick up on the 'perversions' thing? Leia didn't go into detail, so I won't either. Not going near the thing with the Ewok...

JadeLotus: Well, Mara didn't have a lot of places left to go. If you're on the run from the emperor (whichever one), I guess the Rebellion's a good place to be. As for she and Leia... Mara's not a real easy person to be friends with, especially this Mara. But there's more on that later, so I won't give away too much.

Vespasian was actually an emperor in ancient Rome -- I came across the name when I was doing a history assignment a few years ago. Nothing more meaningful than that, I'm afraid. Thanks for reading!

 

Luke ... whoa.

 

Okay, not that was deliciously dark!

I hope Han wasn't in that group of Rebels!

Anyway, great job! Can't wait for more!

 

Oooh, your Dark Luke is sooo evil! It's delicious!

Poor Leia, having to struggle through such defeats and still have the strength to carry on. And...Han better not have been in the group that was killed

This will really be something when Luke finally gets his hands on Mara.

* goes off to make popcorn *

 

Now, Luke, didn't your aunt teach you any manners? Threatening your sister like that is really naughty! Wait until she finds out she's related to you!

Once he finds Mara he will really have his hands full.

A wonderful and unique story!

 

Very interesting! At what point does this story become AU?

I really like your characterizations, although the spitting thing is really old. (But someone should tell Leia that, not you...)

 

Updates are beautiful. Luke fits well into this role the way you write him, and Leia was brilliant. She was still herself, but a little more hard edged. I loved his description of Mara. It really defines her personality.

I'm curious about the twist that you're going to show us later. I'm anxious to see what it is.

 

The Rebel Alliance was dead.

Or so he thought. In the ensuing years, he began to suspect that they were not as obliterated as he had hoped. Their losses had been considerable, yes, and their numbers were severely depleted. But they had somehow managed to survive.

And I think they would always survive. There?s no way to wipe out all resistance.

It hurts, he thought, staring into the battle-fire. It wasn?t supposed to, but it did. Angry pain, weeping lines of blood and ash that twined forever in his heart.

I could write a love sonnet for this bit. It?s really cool.

At last, alone in the debris, he surrendered. He fell to his knees and wept.

?Damn you,? he choked. ?Damn you. Damn you. Damn you.?

Whoa. It?s just so sad how this is absolutely destroying him?and sad, of course, that he?s Dark!Luke in the first place. But to see a person so consumed is?amazing, really.

She moved like a dancer, spoke like a noblewoman, and fought like a demon.

Ooh, so true.

Luke Skywalker clenched his fists, and whispered to the universe, ?Next time, you will be mine.?

Heeee. This makes me think of Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget: ?I?ll get you, Gadget!?

Knight_Aragorn, you have such stunning descriptions. Great post.

 

Wow, poor leia...

 

*shivers* oohohhh, creepiness abounds!! Scary Luke!! This is great!

 

A Luke gone rotten . . . I shudder to think what love will make him do . . .

Great post!

KT

 

Now that...was awesome! Such deliciously wonderful angst. Luke is so evil and its so wonderful. He came so close to Mara and she still slipped away.

I love it!

 

oh Knightly, this is good. But please tell us - what happened to Vader? and how did Luke and Mara meet up in the first place? Who seduced whom?

please more, keep it up!!

 

obaona: Uh huh.

Redgold: I hope Han wasn't in that group of Rebels!

I never thought of that! No, Han?s safe, don?t worry. Thanks for reading!

LadyPadme: Yes, Leia?s been through a bit. Things aren?t looking like improving anytime soon now that Luke has her. Considering that she?s the only thing standing between he and Mara?.

This will really be something when Luke finally gets his hands on Mara.

Not too far away now?

VaderLVR64: Now, Luke, didn't your aunt teach you any manners?

Ah, now that?s the question?.

A wonderful and unique story!

Thank you!

Maryaminx: Luke?s past is explored a little further on. He?s had a very different upbringing to canon Luke, I?ll say that much. And I know the spitting thing is old ? I wouldn?t normally use it except that the scene was modelled vaguely on ANH and Leia spits on Vader then if I recall correctly? Or maybe that was in the novelisation. Anyway. Luke deserved it, didn?t he?

Starfighter5: Thanks! The entire Rebellion is more hard-edged given their losses and the fact they?re been fighting so long now with so little result. And Luke?s a very different enemy to Palpatine or even Vader.

It?s not really a twist per se?. This first section is more or less an extended intro ? the real meat of the story is in the second part. You see a lot more of what Luke?s thinking and how he sees himself and others. Like? Mara, for example? One more post to finish this first section, and then you?ll see what I mean.

Leia: And I think they would always survive. There?s no way to wipe out all resistance.

True ? especially with an emperor who is as careless as Luke is. If he?d only focus more on his people and less on Mara and the Rebellion, maybe things wouldn?t be so bad?.

It?s just so sad how this is absolutely destroying him?and sad, of course, that he?s Dark!Luke in the first place. But to see a person so consumed is?amazing, really.

Poor Luke, I seem to torment him so...

This makes me think of Dr. Claw from Inspector Gadget: ?I?ll get you, Gadget!?

My early influences shining through? All Luke needs now is a cat to stroke as he hatches his evil plans.

DarthIshtar: Things don?t get better for Leia?.

AvenKiel: Creepy Luke is fun, isn?t he? Thanks for reading.

Killik_Twilight: I shudder to think what love will make him do . . .

You?ll see? Thanks for reading!

Jaina_Solo_15: Thank you! Luke thought he had her there -- he should have known better. It takes more than that to capture Mara Jade.... Glad you're enjoying the story.

Edit: Modernism: Thank you! As for the rest, I'm going to be an evil author and make you wait and find out... It's more fun that way, right?

 

Of course not, that's what makes fics like this worth it!

 

Unbelievable, K_A!

Ditto all the comments above.

Terrific writing - I could only aspire to evoke the darkness so beautifully!

oldj

 

Oooooh! Another new favorite story!

Well, I found this and I'm hooked. Your dark Luke is so...creepy!

I can't wait to see what happens next! Please post soon and put me out of my misery

 

Your Eyes Aren't Blue Anymore now has cover art -- thank you, AG88! Check out the link on the first page.

DarthIshtar: So true!

oldjedinurse: Thank you!

Rebel_Princess: Glad you like the story, but you'll have to wait a few days at least for the next post. The story's not very long so I'll be leaving a little while in between posts -- otherwise it would be over too soon! Be patient, it won't be too long. Thanks for reading.

 

Hello. Just caught up with this, and wow...it is deliciously dark - you capture that elusive bleakness found in so few stories so well...

That's one evil Luke you have there. Looks like there's almost no hope for him. And he seems to have an unhealthy obsession with Mara - perhaps she is the key to his redemption...