Awards 2009 Beyond Fanfic Awards Excerpt Thread

Hello and welcome to the 2009 Beyond the Saga Awards Excerpt Thread. Here you?ll find samples of the stories everyone decided are this year?s best.

And once more, here are the nominees...


QUALIFIED LIST OF NOMINATIONS

Genre

Best Alternate Universe
Sailing Little Boats by Louie_and_Rick (Golden_Jedi and DarthBreezy)
Destiny's Heir by Tych_sel
Lord Vader's Limpet by frodogenic1
Dark Legacy by Imperial Solo
Children of the Red Sun by Darth_Marrs
Sea of Flowers by DaenaBenjen42

Best Canon
A Certain Affinity by Knight_Aragorn
The Missing Chapters of Legacy of the Force by Sinrebirth
Many Happy Returns by Tahi
The Good News by Darth_Lex
When Will You Realize by BigFatty
Beyond the Wall by divapilot

Best Action
Blood Trail by YodaKenobi
An Unlocked Soul by Ceillean
Children of the Red Sun by Darth_Marrs

Best Drama
Grandfather by AzureAngel2
Wingman by TKeira_Lea
Legacy of the Force: Endgame by Ultima_1
Monsters of the Id by Tahi
Dark Legacy by ImperialSolo
Closing Doors by Darth_Lex
Children of the Red Sun by Darth_Marrs

Best Romance
Rendezvous by TKeira_Lea
The Reluctant Princess by canadianjedimama
Breathing Space by Knight_Aragorn
When Will You Realize by BigFatty
Pure Luck by ginchy
Shattered Remembrance by Jedi-2B
Two Dances Across Time by Jade_eyes

Best Humor
Lord Vader's Limpet by frodogenic1
The One with the Chicken Suit and The Heels by Ceillean
[link=http://boards.theforce.ne

 

Genre

Best Alternate Universe

Sailing Little Boats by Louie_and_Rick (Golden_Jedi and DarthBreezy)

After a cursory security check ? for the Temple was still not open to regular visitors yet ? and while Aubé dashed into the refresher Kay?leb closed his eyes and reached out for Toa, his apprentice and life partner, to check on the Princess. Even for Jedi, their bond was an unusual one for through it, Kay?leb could actually see the Healer?s center and all its surroundings, including the Princess herself as she arrived. After assuring Toa that he would be back long before he himself was actually needed, Kay?leb turned his perception to his immediate surroundings.

The Force sang and danced all around him here, like a living thing unto itself, and although Kay?leb?s memories of his first visit to the Temple were hazy at best, his late father Schurke had regaled the family with stories while Luke had quietly discussed his plans on how to bring it back to life. Some of the Elder Jedi Masters had been visibly displeased and while others had fully embraced the idea, and now, less than a few weeks away those plans would finally be brought to fruition?

His thoughts were interrupted by the return of his sister, who was adjusting her tunic and cloak and perhaps anxious to be gone, until she paused, seeing the look of pure joy on her brother?s face.

?What is it?? Aubé asked.

Kay?leb only smiled, and turned her to look into the Grand Foyer and beyond, and in that instant; Aubé finally realized the truth about the legacy they had been born into.

?Oh, by the stars?? she gasped. ?Kay, it?s? wonderful??
[...]

In sharp contrast to the chaos outside, the activity within the Temple was more structured, more organized. Work crews and cleaning droids were putting the last touches on signage in a hundred different languages, which would direct visitors to different areas of the structure. Light streamed through crystal windows, despite the temporary dust cloth coverings, and everywhere, there were places to sit, to take in the revitalized splendor of it all ? places just to be?

Aubé stood there, mouth agape, while Kay?leb stood at her elbow, grinning.

?Amazing, isn?t it?? he said softly. ?There?s a state of the art Healer?s center that will surpass the one we have on Corellia, enough information in the archives to keep a thousand scholars busy for a hundred years ? maybe even longer? An agricultural center that will has the potential to feed half the city ? and teach others to feed themselves??

?But Kay,? Aubé interrupted him suddenly. ?What you?re talking about? even if every Jedi in the Galaxy came back ? ?

?But that?s the beauty of it, sis,? Kay?leb murmured. ?Don?t you see? It will be open to everyone! Well, most of the Temple anyway ? parts of it will still be limited to ?Jedi? access only, but the general public won?t even be aware of those places. There?s even a separate entrance, somewhere around here, I think...?
[...]

?Walk...? Han Solo grumbled. ?Couldn?t we have walked at home?? He complained as they finished their eighth turn around the inner courtyard of the Healer?s Center.

?How would I know they would stop?? The Princess retorted annoyed.

?I don?t know... This is not the way it works in the holos!? He remarked dejectedly as he held the door to their suite open for her.

Leia Organa tried to place her hands at her nonexistent waist, then gave up and crossed her arms over the huge mound of her belly. ?What, you thought they would just pop out? Didn?t you read all those books I gave you??

Her husband gave her a horrified look. ?By K?ira, no! They were creepy...?

Oblivious to the audience of healers, the Princess raised her voice. ?Creepy? Do you think that me giving birth to YOUR children is creepy?? Jabbing her index into Han?s chest, she added. ?You didn?t think it was creepy when we were.

 

Best Alternate Universe: Part 2

Children of the Red Sun by Darth_Marrs

?You are the daughter of Kal-El?? the man asked.

?Who are you?? Karia said.

?I am your doom,? the man said.

Karia responded with spectacular power. She spun and kicked the man in the chest. He flew like a missile across the whole of the atrium and crashed through the balcony opposite. Lowbacca watched as Karia ran out into the atrium. A moment later, the Wookiee saw a blur and the man was there again.

Lowbacca tried to call out a warning as the figure grabbed Karia by her hair, spun her around and around and then over and down against the alabaster floor. The floor shattered before her impact.

Kyp Durron, home from his squadron, sprung forward with his lightsaber lit. The stranger caught the blade in one hand, spun and kicked with sickening force. Kyp tried to scream as his entire torso collapsed with a shower of blood and the snapping of bone. His shattered body flew across the floor where he landed limply. Everyone there could see the life leave his body before he even landed.

?He?s Kryptonian!? Corran called across the room. The Jedi master swayed on his feet and still shook from his brief concussion. ?Stay away from him!?

Karia somehow was picking herself up out of the crater in the floor. The man charged her, and both suddenly blurred. When the blur ended, the man held her by her lustrous red hair again. He pulled her back and then swung around until his fist struck her face. The blow once again blew her through the floor like a missile. He followed the first blow with a second, and a third, and then the blows grew so fast they became impossible to follow.

That was when Jor struck. Lowbacca caught a brief glimpse of Jor?s face contorted in rage, and then it disappeared in a blur. Not even a heartbeat later Jor struck the enemy with the concussive force of an explosion. Karia spun away across the floor, completely unconscious, her face covered in blood.

Lowbacca felt a hand on his arm and turned to see a still stunned Corran. ?We?ve got to get her away from here,? he said.

Lowbacca agreed with a growl and followed the Jedi Master out onto the floor. Karia was heavier than she looked, which was not surprising since she did not look like she should weigh anything. He knew that was because of her unique physiology.

A loud crack caused them to look as Jor flew backward into an arch over the doorway. Both Jor and the arch came crashing to the floor, but the padawan was immediately back on his feet and exchanging blows with the strange assassin.

They made it to the second level turbolifts just as Leia burst from the doors with Han a step behind. She took one look at Karia and blanched. ?By the Force, what?s happening??

The sound of an explosion caused them to turn just in time to see the attacker fly up through the roof of the atrium. A moment later, he blew through another section and struck Jor going so fast he was but a blur.

?I?ve seen fighting like that,? Han muttered. ?Twenty-one years ago. Here on Coruscant between Kale and Zod.?

?The attacker is Kryptonian,? Corran said. ?He came in and immediately attacked Karia. Jor attacked to save her.?

?We need to get her?? Leia started to say when they heard a loud cry and pain. All of them turned, and Master Solo cried out in alarm.

Jor stood with his back arched and his head thrown back in agony. A lone beam of scintillating green light protruded from his chest, just down from his heart. Behind him, the attacker stood leaning over him, whispering something only Jor could hear. The light went out and the son of Kal-El fell to the floor.

The attacker looked around with a smirk, picked Jor easily off of the floor and then floated into the air. He came closer to Leia and stopped five meters away, flying with all the ease of Kale himself.

?One child is sufficient,? he said as he saw Karia in Lowbacca?s hands. ?The stronger one is preferable.

 

Best Canon

The Good News by Darth_Lex

Her parents hadn?t been gone even an hour when the door to the convalescence suite hissed open again. This time, though, she had only a solitary visitor.

A striking, handsome, uniformed Imperial visitor.

?That was fast,? she said. ?You must?ve come straight from the ceremony.?

He stopped a meter in front of her, straight and proud. ?Perhaps I left early.?

?Yeah, right.?

His lips curled into a slight grin. ?You know me too well.?

?I do.? She grinned, too. ?You look? great.?

?I put on my best. Wouldn?t want to disappoint our hero.? Then he raised a hand, indicating the thin privacy curtain hanging between them. ?So do you ? from what I can see, anyway.?

?Sorry, Chairman. No peeking.? He might be putting on a brave face, but his imagination ? if not his memory from Endor ? was already filling in the missing details. He couldn?t help himself; he was a man, after all. ?Doctor?s orders.?

To his credit, Jag looked genuinely disappointed. ?I understand.?

?How?s it feel to be back in the Imperial threads again??

He furrowed his brow. ?Honestly? Odd.?

?Well, you were basically a free agent for two years. It?s no surprise it feels a little strange to suddenly be back in the military bureaucracy again.?

He nodded, then flashed a smirk. ?Except this time, I?m the boss.?

?True,? she said, grinning back at him. ?From Jedi support pilot to Moff boss in a matter of days. That is a pretty impressive promotion.?

Jag chuckled, shaking his head. ?Is it? I?m already beginning to wonder if maybe I just drew the short straw for a long, horrible quagmire of an assignment no one else in their right mind would have been willing to take.?

Jaina laughed. ?Hard to say no to Luke Skywalker, isn?t it??

?Yes. And I can?t decide whether to thank him ? or shoot him.?

?Give him the benefit of the doubt,? Jaina said with an encouraging smile. ?His plans have worked out pretty well these days.?

For a moment their eyes met, and the look in Jag?s said everything words couldn?t. Caedus was dead and Jaina wasn?t ? but her life would never be the same. Not without her twin. The Jaina he had met and fallen in love with all those years ago was gone forever, too, just as much as Jacen was. But Jag didn?t care. The Jaina she was now meant just as much to him.

Jag ran a hand over his face. ?As long as he did plan it. Because sometimes I get the impression he just makes things up on the fly.?

?Yeah, Jedi Masters do that.? She winked. ?Guess we?ll find out.?

?Thanks. Really.? Jag mock-glowered at her. ?That?s very reassuring.?

The moment of melancholy hadn?t quite left her heart yet. ?Jag, I? I?m sorry I lost Zekk.?

?It?s not your fault.? His voice was as earnest as she?d ever heard it. ?And we will find him.?

She tried to smile. ?We??

?The Jedi. The Empire. The Hapans. Everyone?s got assets looking for him.? He met her gaze and held it firmly. ?And, when you?re up to it, you and me. We?ll go look together. I promise.?

She nodded. ?Okay.? Then something occurred to her. ?I do have some good news.?

?Oh?? His face brightened instantly. ?What?s that??

For a heartbeat she hesitated. Maybe it wasn?t her secret to reveal. There was so much at stake, and even most Jedi Masters on the Council didn?t know. But she wanted to tell him ? needed to tell him. And if they couldn?t trust Jag, then who could they trust?

?Allana?s alive.?

He waited for more. He knew her too well, too.

?And? she?s my niece.?

?I know.? He smiled. ?Your mother told me.?

That probably should have astonished her, but it didn?t. ?So much for the surprise.?

He grinned. ?Good news is good news, Jaina. Even the second time you hear it.?

She grinned back. He always knew the right thing to say. ?So??

Jag raised a brow. ?So??

Jaina flashed him a smirk. ?So? wasn?t there something you promised to tell m

 

Best Canon: Part 2

A Certain Affinity by Knight_Aragorn

?You?ll put someone?s eye out with that thing,? Han commented.

The redhead woman at the end terminal turned, hand dropping to the blaster holstered by the familiar lightsaber. Her stance relaxed somewhat as she saw it was him. ?Solo,? she said. Her gaze flicked past him and returned.

?Mara,? he said in greeting.

She tilted her head. ?What are you doing here??

?Checking on my ship.?

?The Millennium Falcon is docked in a public spaceport??

Han crossed his arms. ?Wouldn?t want people thinking I?ve gone soft.?

He thought he saw her lip twitch. ?Ah,? she said. She turned back to the transaction window she?d been interacting with, keyed something into the datafield, and turned back, tucking away a barter card.

?Doesn?t hurt to have her out on display, either,? Han added. ?Just to remind everyone she?s still in top shape. Gives them something to aspire to.?

?Oh, everyone sees that,? Mara agreed, falling into step with Han.

He gave her a narrow look. ?You making a comment about my ship??

?Only that she?s worthy of her fame,? Mara said.

?Huh,? Han said dubiously. His ability to read Mara Jade tended to ebb and flow. Or maybe it was her that shifted ? easy to read sometimes (far easier, he suspected, than she intended to be); and then other times, completely inscrutable. ?So where are you docked??

She nodded toward the Red sector. ?I?m using one of Karrde?s bays.?

?I heard you?d gone legit,? he said. ?Left the smuggling trade behind.?

?Mostly.? She eyed him. ?I still do the occasional job for Karrde on the side.?

?How?s the business thing working out??

?Very well. Why??

Han shrugged. ?I always took you for more of a team player.?

She frowned at him, her body language shifting. Defensive. ?Meaning??

?Pooling your skills, having something or someone to back you up,? Han said. ?You can be a loner and still prefer working for something bigger than yourself.?

She blinked. ?I think you?re confusing me with someone else.?

?Hey, I know the feeling myself,? Han said to mollify her.

?That?s what I meant.?

Han narrowed his eyes at her, then smiled deliberately. ?How?s Lando??

She looked blank for a moment, then her gaze flattened. In another instant her expression was smooth again. ?Haven?t seen him.?

?You?re not working together anymore?? Han asked innocently.

?Not at the moment,? Mara said.

?I thought that you and he?? Han twirled a finger idly.

Mara narrowed her eyes, then shrugged and looked away. ?He?s good at what he does,? she said. ?But I think we may be a little too alike in some ways.?

Han wondered what to make of that. Lando?s strong regard for her had been plain for a while. Han wasn?t sure there was anything in it, beyond Lando?s almost instinctive reaction to a certain type of woman ? generally the more confident the better. Lando?s love life usually consisted of short-lived affairs with little chance of messy fallout at the inevitable end. That was part of the reason Han had been surprised at the hint that Lando was seriously interested in Mara.

He rather suspected Mara went for a similar relationship type, something where she?d be firmly on comfortable ground. Beyond Lando, he?d heard surprisingly little about her private life. He hadn?t exactly been searching for information, but he kept a well-tuned ear out. Something like self-preservation, he thought.

---

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/11018706/r29998804/]Many Happy Returns[/link] by Tahi

"Get this thing closed!" hissed Lando, as he gesticulated desperately to the others on the roof, hoping they'd get the message. Judging by the way Vehn suddenly started pulling the rope up, they had.

"I'm trying!" growled Qorl. He had clambered up the side of the inlet and was yanking the top down in case he could pull it closed manually. "Freeze it with one of your glares. That

 

Best Action

Blood Trail by YodaKenobi

The rear door had been blown off its slide-track with det-charges and was still weeping ribbons of smoke around blackened scorches that blistered its white alloy finish. Jaina charged through, kicking the remnants of the door away only to feel prickles of danger jolt through her spine mere seconds before she was greeted by the nozzle of a blaster cannon belching thick bursts of orange fire.

"Get back!" Jaina managed to growl in the midst of her forward-somersault, catching Tahiri in the gut hard enough with one boot to send the younger woman stumbling back from the door and out of harm's way.

Plasma sizzled all around Jaina's tumbling form, torching glowing furrows through the walls and floor and spitting blast fragments in every direction. She came up on her feet just as the weapon swung in her direction and sent it jerking back with a gesture of her hand.

Before Vevut could recover, Jaina was dashing forward, catching the barrel of the cannon in her palm and delivering a bone-cracking blow to the warrior's faceplate by driving her elbow through his visor. A pained gurgle escaped the web of cracks forming in the center of Vevut's helmet and he went limp.

From the corner of her eye, Jaina could just make out Boba Fett rushing down the adjacent hall towards her, and Mirta, who appeared to be dragging a dead woman by her hair, blood soaked strands knotted around Mandalorian knuckles.

In one swift motion, Jaina whirled on Vevut before he fell, locking one arm around his throat and using his massive armor-covered body as a shield when the rumble of Boba's jetpack flared and Mandalore rocketed into the entryway, the EE-3 blaster rifle tucked in his grip pulsing with rapid bursts of red death. Bolts exploded against Vevut's chest, riddling green plating with smoking holes.

Vevut screamed for Fett to stop firing, but not before Jaina felt heat stabbing into her shoulder and released her grip on her hostage. She hit the floor with a grunt, sparing a glance at the singed tear in her jacket and the wisps of pink smoke rolling from the wound.

The green-and-yellow-armored Mandalorian whipped around and drew his beskad to exact some retribution against the diminutive brunette. "You stepped into the wrong gundark's nest, girlie."

The gleam of the beskad vanished in a blur of sandy robes and incandescent blue light as Ben Skywalker bounded in from the hallway, threw himself into a roll to dodge the volleys of crimson fire Fett's blaster was spewing, and came up in a rising hack, cleaving through Vevut's right arm with a single stroke of his lightsaber.

Vevut hit the ground snarling in pain as the Jedi reversed his grip and batted blaster fire back at Fett, forcing Mandalore to duck for cover. The sound of glass shattering drew Jaina's attention as Tahiri dove through the side window and landed a Asth-korr throat hold on Mirta before jabbing Fett's granddaughter with a Kwaad double punch.

Mirta went down reeling and Fett tried to catch Ben off guard with a trio of blasts when he finally caught sight of the brunette rising from the ground.

"Solo?"

"Yeah," Jaina said, looking at her shoulder with gritted teeth? mostly a flesh wound.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The bounty hunter demanded.

"Trying to stop you from killing people," Jaina replied, stepping forward until she was face-to-helmet with him and gesturing to the dead woman near Mirta. "Looks like I'm too late."

"This is none of your concern. Walk away while your legs still work," Boba said, pointing his blaster rifle at her. "I don't want to have to kill you. But I will if you get between me and my credits."

"I'm not afraid of you, Fett."

"You should be. You've got no weapons. And even if your little pal there attacks me with his lightsaber, he's not getting far," the bounty hunter boasted, keeping the muzzle of his blaster pointed in Jaina's face. "This is Mandalorian

 

Best Drama

Wingman by TKeira_Lea

?From what I understand, Caedus had more Force tricks than the Bessies Boba Fett kept at home for Mandalore. By all accounts, Jaina is his equal in raw power, if not esoteric knowledge. Lucky for us, then, that Jaina has chosen the light ? and, unlike her brother, to limit her own power.?

Soontir paused, a gamesman reveling in the moment a point is scored. Jag had nothing to say. Jaina?s struggle with the Dark Side was undeniable.

?I have been told,? Soontir continued, ?the report from Nickel One states that Caedus shattered a beskar chestplate with the Force.?

?I haven?t seen the report.?

?Can she? Shatter a beskar chestplate using her mind??

Jag was incapable of lying to his father, not even for Jaina. ?Yes.?

?Interesting power. Better than any of our finest Chiss weaponry.?

?Your implication is offensive.?

?I am merely agreeing with your own analysis, Jagged. Jaina is not like most. She?s stronger, smarter, faster, and ? unlike a proton torpedo ? she is self-aware.?

?She is not a weapon.?

?Oh, but she is. A sword ? wielded by her uncle.?

His father had gone too far. It was bad enough to slander Jaina. Jag wasn?t about to listen to another long list of alleged offenses by Jaina?s entire family. ?Luke Skywalker ? ?

?? is an idiot.?

Datacards erupted from the table, ricocheting off the walls, the chairs. Glass splintered in the hutch. Jag was standing, his left arm flung out before him. ?Stop!?

The erratic staccato of Jag?s ragged breathing only served to highlight the uneasy silence. He hovered over his father. This was the moment every son feared, yet knew would come. Soontir must have known it too; he practically aged before Jag?s eyes.

Wearily, Soontir rose. One by one he retrieved the datacards, returning them to their rigidly ordered stacks beside the work station. He settled into the chair, and Jag, still shocked by his own outburst, did the same.

?Jagged, I won?t lie to you. Perhaps I did not do the right thing today. But I did the necessary thing.?

The rage began to boil again in Jag?s veins. Somehow an upraised palm from his father held it at bay.

?Hear me out.? The general closed his workstation and set it aside. ?Then, if you still feel like hitting something, I?ll oblige you.?

?I?? Jag hesitated; he couldn?t deny that the thought had crossed his mind, more than once. He shifted back into the chair, then tipped his head. ?Proceed.?

?Jaina is a Jedi, not a grunt or a hotshot ace or even an officer holding together the front line. No mental care professional in the galaxy has a roadmap for dealing with the trauma she has endured. We can?t even compare it to your recovery after Tenupe. But at least we recognize this and can be aware ??

?I know the signs of a Jedi leaning toward the dark. I saw it in Jacen when he contacted me during the Killik crisis. I won?t let Jaina stumble down that path again.?

?So you propose we spend our whole lives on the watch, hoping she?ll never stray, dreading the unmistakable signs.?

?If that?s what it takes.? Jag had already accepted this as his burden. He had to believe his love would be enough.

?You do not think we can do more??

?More? What?s that mean? Sending her back to the incapacitated state I found her in on the Anakin Solo??

?Not at all. In those first moments after she had killed her brother, there was more grief than her mind could ever filter. Now she?s on the mend; the war is over. She?s been sheltered in a safe haven, and you?re here with her. There is even the glimmer of a future, but even that doesn?t include her best friend. Not to mention the grim, unavoidable reality that her twin is still dead by her own hand, and his death is what made all this new happiness in your lives possible.?

?So how about we face this together, as a family, rather than provoking psychotic episodes?? Jag had trusted his parents to care for Jaina, despite ever

 

Best Drama: Part 2

Dark Legacy by ImperialSolo

Anakin paused, trying to think of something smart to say, when the deck jerked suddenly underneath his feet.

The hyperdrive gave a protesting whine, and the spaceframe of the Falcon shuddered around them, in a way that told Anakin that they'd just dropped abruptly out of hyperspace.

Tahiri frowned. "What was that?"

Anakin didn't answer, but his guess was confirmed when they reached the cockpit. There were TIEs swarming around the Falcon, and an Imperial interdictor was sitting in space ahead of them?a big armored arrowhead, studded with the massive domes of gravity-well-generators.

Anakin dropped into the pilot's chair, and glanced sideways at Tahiri. She was leaning on the back of Chewie's seat, looking out at the Imperial ships with a big, bright grin.

"Friends of mine," she said.

"You're assuming they won't just shoot us!" Anakin yelled, though he had to admit that the Falcon was sitting dead in space, and the Imps hadn't opened fire yet.

"Let me talk to them?" Tahiri smirked.

"Sure." The Imperials were hailing anyway, a blinking light on the communications console. He rolled his eyes, and pressed the switch. "Freighter??"

A sharp voice spoke before he could identify himself. "Rebel pirate Millennium Falcon, this is the Imperial Interdictor Bondage. You are harboring an Imperial defector and traitor, Lieutenant Veila of the Stormtrooper Corps."

Tahiri was still grinning at the sound of the Imp's voice, but the grin died at the words he spoke, and her jaw dropped in disbelief.

"What?!" she exclaimed. "This has to be a mistake!"

The Imperial acted as if he didn't even hear her. "The penalty for treason is death."

Anakin wondered if the Imp was laughing behind his stuck-up tone. "Surrender, and the Empire may be prepared to extend clemency to your close kin. Run, and you will all die."

"Let me speak to Commander Skywalker," Tahiri protested.

Right on cue, Jacen's cold voice came on the comm. "Did you really think you could run, Tahiri? You know that I'll hunt you down. You failed me, and you failed the Empire."

Anakin saw her expression flicker between fury and disbelief. Now it was his turn to grin. He opened the Falcon's throttle, and threw the ship straight towards the Imperial cruiser.

Tahiri was still staring back at the big ship?at Jacen, Anakin supposed. "What? But I'm here and I have the target with me!" She glared at Anakin.

Anakin felt the hull shake as the TIEs opened fire. He glanced at the sensor screen, and calmly toggled the shield-grid switches to reinforce the aft deflector.

Tahiri watched for a moment, then she seemed to realize that they were under attack. She blinked, and elbowed Anakin. "Hey! What are you doing?! Jacen, listen, this crazy idiot kidnapped me!"

"Don't lie to me," Jacen answered smoothly. Then he paused, and seemed to be talking to someone else. "What is that madman doing?"

Tahiri gave Anakin a desperate look.

"Taking them by surprise," he explained. "They still keep leaving this way open as an escape route!" He looked up at the cruiser, massive in front of them now, and launched a pair of missiles.

Tahiri looked at him as if he was insane. "But we don't want to escape!"

Anakin thought that he detected a flicker of uncertainty as she finished speaking, though, and when she turned back to the comm, her voice was quieter, less defiant?almost hurt.

"Jacen, listen... I didn't betray you."

"You had Solo right where he was meant to be," Jacen retorted, and Anakin started to hear anger twisting the icy words. "And you blew it!"

"We have him here now!" Tahiri yelled.

Anakin shot her a dangerous glare. "Fine, get back into the escape pods. If you want to volunteer for the Stormtrooper Corps' execution of deserters, go right ahead!"

Jacen seemed not to be paying any attention. "Enough of this. Commander, target tha

 

Best Romance

Rendezvous by TKeira_Lea

?I was surprised by your choice of rendezvous point. We?re a long way from Keldabe.?

?Fett likes to do a lot of on-the-job training. Nickel One, most recently. He only sent me packing when things got a little too hot.?

Jag sipped his caf slowly, using the activity to mask the displeasure surely creeping across his face. ?Training you, or just using you as a Jedi-for-hire??

?Probably a little of both.?

?As long as you harbor no illusions about the man behind the legend.?

?I don?t.? Jaina raised the mug to her lips. ?He?s a royal {i}guant'no banahs{/i}.?

As her sleeve slid back along her arm, Jag spotted a raw wound peeking out. ?Did he make you pay for that Bessie with flesh??

She followed his gaze. ?Got too close to a plasma blast.?

?That needs to be treated.?

?It won?t kill me.?

Jag rose, crossing to the storage cabinet with the medkit. ?It?ll take a lot more than a flashburn, to be sure, but there?s no good reason not to dress that properly.?

When Jag turned around with the medkit in hand, he braced for the incoming stern reproach or smart-mouthed retort. Instead, Jaina sat with her sleeve rolled up and her arm held out. He experienced a rare loss for words as he began to minister to her wound. Then a mischievous twinkle formed in his mind. ?Who are you, and what have you done with Jaina Solo??

Her head dipped, a fruitless attempt to hide a blush.

Jag daubed the edges of the wound with gauze soaked in an antiseptic solution. ?Not that I?m complaining.?

?I?m tired of fighting, Jag.?

With him? Or just in general? ?I understand. Completely.?

He finished in silence. They cleared their plates to the dishwasher and were just cleaning up the remaining mess from their meal when the autopilot alarm sounded.

?Time for the next jump,? Jag said before heading for the cockpit.

Jaina followed. ?Can I help??

The answer was no, but Jag wanted to be near her every precious second they had left. Even if that meant casual talk between friends. ?Sure. You can double-check my jump route.? In truth, he had confirmed the route three times already.

As they scooted into the pilot and co-pilot seats, a half-smile teased her lips. She saw right through his little lie, and she didn?t care. Playing along, Jaina dutifully studied his plots as Jag keyed the next set of coordinates into the navcomputer. He waited until Jaina finished her assessment. She glanced over at him, her smile a little broader now. ?This is going to be a pretty long jump.?

?You?re the one who likes to throw a long one in early when trying to avoid tag-alongs.?

?I guess you did learn a thing or two from me over the years after all. Well, looks good to me.?

Moments later the stars elongated into the swirl of hyperspace. An odd uneasy hush settled across the cockpit. Where to go from here?

?I suppose you?ll want to catch up on some sleep.? Jag flicked on the autopilot. ?I?ll grab my things from the bunks so you can have that room.?

Rising, Jag caught a glimpse of Jaina?s brown eyes. Soft and dark, definitely sad. He was afraid to keep looking, though, for fear of getting lost in them. If nothing else, he would be what Jaina needed ? the one she could trust to bring her back to the fold and respect her space. There would be time enough when all this was over to ?

A hand on his shoulder stayed him. She must have needed something. He glanced back, his mouth opening to form the question. The answer arrived before any words emerged when Jaina?s lips crushed into his. Palms cupped his clean shaven jaw, fingers dug into his cheeks, locking him in a punishing kiss.

The impact of her attack slammed his shoulders into the bulkhead. His head slammed into the durasteel support with a resounding thud. Their teeth clacked together. Although Jag would have endured tenfold the abuse for just a few seconds more of the bliss of kissing Jaina, she drew back.

?Ow.? She

 

Best Romance: Part 2

Shattered Remembrance by Jedi-2B

A/N: Sequestered with Callista on her ship, Mara and a still-amnesiac Luke discuss their options on continuing the trip with her.

Mara waited until the other woman's footfalls could no longer be heard before turning all her attention to Luke. "What do you think?"

"Me?" Luke seemed surprised that Mara was asking his opinion. "Is this the kind of thing that happened to me often?"

"As a matter of fact..." Mara allowed a smirk to grace her face.

"Well, okay." Luke took a breath as he gathered his thoughts. "Her story sounded plausible, I suppose. Though it's hard for us to know for certain." He looked Mara square in the eye. "You know Callista better than I do, at the moment. Do you think she's telling the truth? Or is she the type of person who would deceive me or try to harm me?"

Mara bit her lip. Luke wanted her honest opinion and she owed it to him to give it. And unfortunately, her danger sense was being obstinately silent. "The only time I remember her deceiving you was when she let you believe she was dead, at least for a short while. And that was only so you wouldn't recklessly try to follow her." She exhaled wearily. "I can't say I ever liked her especially. But no, the Callista I remember wouldn't deliberately put you in danger."

"Then you think we should agree to accompany her to Bakura?"

Her heart swelled at how he was considering them a team. It was 'them' against 'her.' "I think..." She drummed her fingers on the table's plastoid top. "I think we need to comm your sister as soon as we drop out of hyperspace. Let her know what's going on. Maybe they can run a check on this Buaran person." Mara smiled warmly at Luke. "And if we find out he's not some mass-murdering Sith, then perhaps it wouldn't hurt to go along with Callista's itinerary. I doubt she'd take kindly to having to turn around and return to Coruscant, anyway."

"And after Bakura?" Luke shifted nervously. "I don't think I want to travel around the galaxy with just her. She may have been an important part of my old life, but I'm not that person anymore."

Joy erupted inside Mara, its flow hampered by the acknowledgement that Luke's confession didn't translate into an admission of love for her. That, and the strange look that came over his face. Tighten your shields, you fool.

A tinny voice sounded through the intercom: "Please strap in back there. Reversion in one minute."

Luke and Mara rose at the same time, moving toward the acceleration couches in the ship's small lounge. As Luke paused at the doorway to let Mara exit first, he suddenly grasped her arm.

"Mara," he began quietly, "why are you here, really? I can't believe you think I'm so incompetent that I can't be trusted on my own. You already said that Callista isn't a danger to me."

"Not physically." Mara traced the lines of his face with her gaze, wishing she could do so with her fingers. "She broke your heart when she left you, Luke. I care about you. I don't want that to happen again."

Luke nodded as they continued on to the lounge. "She asked my forgiveness for her past actions. But how do you forgive someone when you can't remember their betrayal?" He settled into a seat next to Mara, his shoulder grazing hers. "I know I haven't shown it, but I'm glad you came after me, Mara. I've come to consider you a friend. A good friend, even though our first meeting was less than ideal."

"It was, wasn't it?" Mara concurred, her lips quirking as she thought of a first meeting ten years earlier.

"So thank you, Mara. And whether I decide to go to Yavin, or stay on Coruscant awhile longer, I hope... I hope we can stay in touch."

"Definitely," Mara breathed, as the pair pulled their seat straps tight.

"And maybe, if you'd like, we could go out to dinner together sometime," Luke said, hope shining in his eyes. "I mean, some place nice, not the diner. I've been saving any ext

 

Best Humor

The Reason I didn't update by MsLanna

"Why so silent?" Arn asked. "Already puffed?"

"Thinking about last night," I hedged.

"It was fun. You seemed to enjoy yourself a lot. Though I don't think anybody will give you darts again any time soon."

"Probably safer," I agreed. "I am still amazes Jes and Sey got out of this without injury."

"They are, too, you got almost everybody else." I hoped he was exaggerating. "But since you're such fun, they're willing to risk it next time."

"They do?" I wondered what I had done to deserve that. And I really began to wish I could remember more.

"You kept Toris and his stories off their backs."

"If you say so." I couldn't remember that. "He seems to be nice enough."

"And he has taken a shine to you."

"He has?" There seemed to be a lot more missing than I even remembered I had forgotten.

"Your interest in the Clone Wars?"

"My interest in the clones, or in the war?" That might have been embarrassing.

"You don't remember a lot about last night, do you?" Arn regarded me carefully.

I shook my head, starting to worry. "Was it very bad?"

A mischievous grin crept into his face. "Naw, you did okay. Except for Lieutenant Cherez, he might avoid you now."

"The one I hit with the dart?"

"The only you hit with the dart and then embarrassed," Arn corrected me. I think, your score hitting the crew was a lot above your score in the actual game."

"And Cherez? ?"

"In your own words?" Arn was enjoying himself too much for my liking. "You picked the dart out of his arm saying 'Sorry, I seem to have stuck something into you. If you want satisfaction, I'm all game. You can use this, or your own dart.' And his reaction was pretty what yours is now."

Fierfek. Frigging, ToS-violating bleep!

Maybe I should vow never to touch alcohol again. Well, maybe just not that much. For now.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"In for a night out again, Mel?" Sey asked.

Could he read minds, or what? I shook my head. "I don't feel good."

"Best reason ever to do it," Jes poked his fork in my direction. "Get you mind on nicer things."

"We can surely get some music organised." They looked at each other with a grin. "Or even karaoke?"

"No, thanks." I kept stabbing my dessert. "I'm a horrible singer, you wouldn't want to hear that."

"Oh, I wouldn't know about that," Jes said smugly. "Last week you did a fine job, interesting choice of songs, too."

I wanted to bury my face in my dessert. Why had nobody frigging told me? Okay, I hadn't asked, but Arn should have know - oh, fierfek.

"Ain't she cute when she's embarrassed," Toris almost chuckled. "Just give us an advance warning if you do 'Vode An' again. There's some pretty heated feelings about that one."

I was sure Sey was trying his best not to fall of his chair laughing, and Jes was hiding his face suspiciously long behind his mug. It was a shame that the dessert bowl was too small to hide all of me. I couldn't remember any of that at all. Well, at least, they thought it was funny.

I got up, shaking my head.

"All this sulking - it's not becoming for an Imperial soldier," Toris chided, getting ready to go, too.

I stared at him. "I am not becoming an Imperial soldier."

He winked and shook his head knowingly. "Aw, you'll get there. No worries."

"Right," Jes said patting me on the back. "For a girl, you're radiating an uncanny amount of testosterone."

"And that is very attractive to Jes here, who's actually a girl, too, only stuck in a man's body." Sey sniggered.

I was just glad when I was in the simulator again. At least, I could not give in to the temptation to pack a punch at Jes and Sey. And I had enough control over myself not to dish out some friendly fire. It was hard, though.

---

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29603192/p1/]The One with the Chic

 

Best All Around

Blood Trail by YodaKenobi

There was an intruder.

Cutting herself off from the Force couldn't stop the prickles of impending danger from needling her spine or the icy ball of fear forming between her shoulder blades. There was someone out there, and she couldn't think of any innocent reason for that.

Jaina Solo rolled out of bed and crouched, palming shapes in the darkness until she felt the leg of the trousers she'd tossed on the floor earlier next to a sleeveless undershirt made stiff by sweat and dried swamp water. She quickly dressed and reached for the utility belt draped over a rickety chair? for just a moment, she expected to feel the weight of her lightsaber dangling from the synthleather loop.

Making sure her blaster was, Jaina cinched her belt around her waist and fastened its buckle before creeping towards the door. Her hut was small and it took the lithe woman only a few strides to reach the door after ducking the low-arching passages.

She palmed the toggle-control and crawled through the narrow aperture into the fog-blanketed mud outside. The stench of Dagobah's sweltering bogs mingled in the cold night air, and Jaina could tell from the musty aroma and faint hint of electricity that it was going to rain. She unclipped a glowrod from her belt and snapped the device on, casting a beam of white light through the roving mists.

There was no sign of him.

Starting forward, she tried to think of who it would be. If it was anyone with good intentions, they would have just knocked. This person had come to kill her.

Jaina's boots squashed against the sucking mud of the marshlands as she passed the bubbling swamps and serpentine branches of Dagobah's gray trees. She paused when a vine snake glided across the ground, as if being stalked by a predator.

Instinctively she reached for her lightsaber and again felt silly. She'd dismantled the weapon when she left the Jedi Order and came to Dagobah to live in solitude two years earlier.

Jaina pulled her blaster from its holster and started forward into a murky grove, her legs drowning in fog. To her surprise, she arrived at the dark mouth of a cave covered by tangles of coiled vines and gnarled tree roots? she knew that her intruder was waiting for her inside.

Fear suddenly clawed at her in a way she never thought it would again.

Taking a deep breath, Jaina pushed her apprehension away and crept inside, dropping into the darkness. She hit the soft ground and her glowrod seemed to dim, unable to peel the shadows from the cave walls. It defied logic, but Jaina could feel from the energy radiating from this place that logic just didn't matter here.

She continued ahead slowly, as wriggling creatures crawled and slithered over her boots with more legs than anything should have. Eventually, she came to a dark shape in the center of the cave which the light of her glowrod would not illuminate. She dropped her shoulder and raised her blaster, pointing it squarely at the wraith.

"You... Who are you?"

There was no answer.

Was there anything really there? She was beginning to see the outline of a man.

"Turn around," she ordered. "Slowly."

Again, there was no response.

But before she could repeat herself more forcefully, the glowrod was ripped from her grasp and sent sailing through the cavern, bouncing off the cave floor. She squeezed the blaster's trigger only to see the stranger whip around in a fan of dark robes and catch the flare of red brilliance in his palm. Jaina's weapon was similarly wrenched from her grip before she could even think to fire another salvo.

Then, suddenly, she found she could no longer move.

In a single bound, her attacker reached her and placed his gloved hand over her mouth? that was when his dark form was revealed. His body was twisted, mangled by scorches, and he moved with a limp, as if one leg was hanging on by mere fibers somewhere in the flood of his cloak. One a

 

Style

Most Underrated

Unexpected Blossom by Golden_Jedi

A/N: This is a post-RotJ H/L AU around the Queen song Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)

The Millenium Falcon landed gracefully on the surface of Yavin IV and the pilot powered her down swiftly. Soon the ramp lowered and Han Solo stepped down, breathing in deeply the damp air of the planet, barely stirred by the upcoming sunset.

The heavy scent of the jungle brought all the memories back at once, as always. This was the place where he had started to fall in love with Leia Organa, so many years ago. The place where, in a way, everything had started.

?Welcome, Captain Solo,? the young padawan greeted, interrupting his reminiscence. ?Master Skywalker is finishing with a class but he says he?ll be with you in a few minutes.?

?Thanks, kid. Look, I have some supplies for the infirmary in the cargo hold. My copilot will give you access to them, can you...??

?Sure, I?ll manage it.?

?Great. Do you happen to know where...??

?She?s at the Sanctuary of Light. She?s on duty there this week. Do you know the way??

The Corellian smuggler rolled his eyes. Jedi always finishing his thoughts before he had the time to complete a sentence always grated on his nerves. ?If you haven?t moved it since the last time I was here...?

The Jedi student blinked in surprise at the notion. That was Luke?s padawan in a nutshell; quiet, friendly, efficient, no sense of humor.

Nodding to the befuddled young man, he left the landing pad and headed down a narrow path that meandered through the trees. A few minutes later he arrived to the massive round structure that the New Jedi Order that Luke had rebuilt from the ashes of the old had dedicated to all those that had come before them.

The building was mostly a half sphere of stone and glass about fifty meters in diameter and not very remarkable from the outside besides from its size. On the inside, though, it was a whole other business, as Han knew from previous visits. It was like being inside a giant Corusca gem. The light of Yavin?s primary came through the windows and was reflected and refracted in a thousand ways, broken into a dozen colors and fused into white again, creating walls, rooms and alcoves where there were none. It had a strange effect over people, Jedi and non-Jedi alike, heightening and soothing at the same time.

The Corellian went in through the south entrance and stopped just inside, taking in the beautiful vastness. The brown robes of a few Jedi could be seen here and there, all of them immersed in deep meditation. His eyes noticed immediately the small figure clad entirely in white that sat cross-legged in the exact center. His heart fluttered with joy as he recognized the shoulder length chestnut hair.

The light changed, turning grayer as the sun sank below the tree line outside.

The figure in white raised her hands with her palms up in front of her chest, as if she were holding something infinitely precious on them. At first Solo did not understand what she was doing, but then he saw the tiny ball of fire the delicate hands of the Jedi were cupping.

The fireball grew bigger as she spread her hands apart and soon it started to levitate slowly up until it stopped well over her head. Suddenly, she extended her arms fully and the ball of fire exploded silently into a hundred fragments that flew towards the rounded wall, each one of them lighting a small lamp attached to it.

The chamber was flooded again with renewed radiance.

?Sweetheart...? Han Solo breathed in awe.

The small figure turned to him, her fair features lit up by a smile that shone brighter than the hundred lamps. ?Dad!? She called loudly, running into his open arms.

When I'm gone
No need to wonder if I ever think of you
The same moon shines
The same wind blows
For both of us, and time is but a paper moon...
Be not gone

---

 

Most Underrated: Part 2

Tionne's Yavin System Tour by JediAlly

?Excuse me, Master Skywalker,? Tionne said. Taking a moment to gather herself, she continued. ?All things considered, I think it would be better if I were to meet with Suz Tanwa.? She saw everyone focus their attention towards her.

?Would you care to explain the reasoning behind your decision?? Aqinos asked.

?Certainly. ?First, we have to consider whom we?re meeting with. Suz Tanwa is a scholar and a former treasure hunter. A scholar would be able to understand another scholar. When DeeVee called, he had been hoping to talk to Tash or Zak. Being scholars themselves, either would have been the ideal choice to send to meet with Tanwa. But they?re not here now, and since so much time had been lost, we cannot afford to lose any more by trying to get in touch with them or anyone else. One of us must go.

?You all know that I have been gathering Jedi lore for most of my life. That would make me a scholar of sorts myself. In addition, one could say I was ?treasure hunter? of sorts before I began my Jedi training. I still go out on field trips to find Jedi artifacts and lore. So in a sense, from a certain point of view, I?m still a ?treasure hunter?. But I do this for the betterment of the Jedi order, not myself. Hence, I can establish a better rapport than any of you because I can understand Tanwa and her way of thinking.

??And quite frankly, I don?t believe any of you would qualify for other reasons as well.? Seeing Kam and Kyle raise their eyebrows in challenge, she chose to elaborate. She looked at Aqinos first. ?To show Suz Tanwa how seriously we?re taking this, it would help if whomever talks to her be a Jedi of some renown. Master Aqinos, you were known in the Old Republic, but since your return from exile, you?ve been here teaching the students. Sadly, you?re not known in the New Republic.? Though what she said was true, she couldn?t keep a tinge of regret from her voice.

?If renown were the prime factor, you would be the first choice, Luke, followed by Kyle, then myself, Kam, and Streen.? She looked at Luke. ?You and I have spent the past few years planning to change the format of the praxeum so that we can begin training children. While nearly everything?s ready, there are a few administrative details left to cover. And the team of engineers will be coming within the next few weeks to begin renovating the rooms we?ve selected. One of us must be here to oversee the project. In addition, Jacen and Jaina still have a few weeks of training left before they return to their parents. We?ve helped you train them, but I get the impression that Leia?s entrusting their welfare and training to you more so than us. I don?t think she would be happy with you leaving here unless it was an absolute emergency.?

She looked at the remaining three ?candidates?. ?Like Luke said, we must proceed carefully because dealing with Suz Tanwa could be a delicate matter.? She looked at Streen. ?Streen, my friend, you?ve come a long way in being able to shut the minds of others out of your mind. Yet every time you return from a mission, you seek solace in the jungles before returning to us. Despite your progress, you still hear the voices in your mind. What might happen if you were to lose some of your control while talking to Tanwa?? Though Streen wasn?t exactly happy with what she said, he knew she was telling the truth.

Next, she focused on Kam. ?My love, our years together and teaching Octa Ramis had softened your hard demeanor. But you?ve often said that diplomacy wasn?t your strength. Talking with Suz Tanwa will, unfortunately, most likely involve diplomacy and delicacy.? As she turned to face Kyle, her features became a little mischievous. With an impish smile, she said, ?As for you Kyle, your definition of handling a matter ?delicately? is to jab an Imperial or a thug with a stun baton.?

Kyle flustered at that while everyone else laug

 

Most Underrated: Part 3

The Magician and the Snake by Ubersue

Xhinhi trepidatiously touches Ispeth's belly. Ispeth says nothing, watching her friend's knitted brow, her fluttering eyelids. She looks like the dancers on Harvest Day when they call the spirits and gods and ghosts enter their bodies, flinging them around by the fire, stomping their feet. Ispeth never talks nor asks about that horrible power that her friend posesses, and whose full extent that even Xhinhi fears and doesn't understand.

Xhinhi focuses, and she can see. Blood and cells and muscle walls. The pulsing of veins. All of this she has seen before. And she searches--

There.

Xhinhi remembers that when she was three years old, she had a nightmare and wanted to sleep in Mama's room. Xhinhi's brothers' biological father-- their Padhwa-- and Mama were snoring. Xhinhi crawled under the blanket and cuddled up with Mama. She had listened to her breathing and her heartbeat and felt comforted in the rhythm of her pulse. She listened to her stomach gurgle and wondered how a stomach could make noise. Before she knew it, that train of thought led to her seeing right inside, all those funny things that she would later learn were called organs, arteries, and tissues. It was fascinating. And then suddenly she saw something small, something attached by a little pulsing thread, and it had eyes and feet and webbed hands, and she was scared.

"Mama," she whispered fearfully, poking her arm.

"Hm?"

"Mama, there's something wrong with your tummy."

"I know sweetie, I have a tummy bug."

Xhinhi gasped. "There's a bug in your tummy?"

"No, silly, not a real bug. I have just been feeling a little sick today."

Padhwa's deep voice gumbled, "Go to sleep, Xhinhi."

Xhinhi settled down, but she couldn't stop looking at that little bug, or whatever it was, in Mama's tummy. She wondered what would happen if she poked it, and with that thought it suddenly twitched a hand, and Xhinhi jumped with a shriek.

A few weeks later Mama told Xhinhi that she has a little brother or sister for Xhinhi growing in her belly, and asked if she could still see it.

Xhinhi nodded.

"Don't tell anyone but me that you can see these things," Mama said. She explained that other people would be confused and maybe even scared.

Xhinhi believed her, because Mama looked scared too, and for the remaining twelve years of her life, she never told anyone. Not even Padao or Padhwa or any of Xhinhi's brothers.

Ispeth swallows nervously. "Can you see anything?"

Xhinhi nods slowly. Her eyelashes continue to flutter and only the whites her her eyes show beneath them.

This one is smaller than her brother Ghanis was. It doesn't yet have arms or feet or eyes, and it still has a tail. This one really does look like a bug, suspended in the darkness and tethered to Ispeth's pulse by a cord.

There are two ways she could do this. She could compress the lifeline until all the cells die, cut off from their source of nutrition, like uprooting a cactus from the ground. But that would take a long time. Or she could physically crush it until it's too broken to grow.

She knows how to make things break just by thinking about it. She inherited that talent from the man who sired her.

It doesn't feel pain yet. It can barely twitch.

Ispeth watches Xhinhi's brow furrow.

This one won't wake up.

Xhinhi's mouth twists into a grimace.

You can do this. Everyone else can squish a bug.

---

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29441105/p1]Détente's End[/link] by JediCarpet

?We don?t serve their kind here!?
?The Vornskr, or the droid?? Jacen responded, lowering his hood and looking at Wuher. Astro leapt over the bar upon seeing the familiar face of Wuher and rolled over to get his belly scratched, pining for attention.
Wuher grunted and smiled, rubbing the Vornskr?s belly with his foot. ?C?mon in, Solo. The usual??
?Plea

 

Best Response To A Challenge

Dear Tam by DarthBreezy

A/N ? In an alternate Galaxy, Far, Far Away, The Skywalker Saga grew to include a Corellian Pilot wife, and children. Everything in this story is told from his eldest daughter Pemberian?s POV?


Dear Tam,

Well, now I know something?s not right, despite the fact that Ma-mere tried to hide it from me.

This morning I over heard Ma-mere and Uncle Han (and Uncle Chewie) arguing in the sitting room. Ma-mere said that even Auntie Leia agreed that Pay-pa was probably ?in trouble? and ?By the Force she was going to do something about it!?

Uncle Han said that ?if she went and got herself killed that could leave me and Ben as ?orphans? and what good would that do?? And Ma-mere started shouting saying that he (Pay-pa) was not dead (thank the Goddess I knew that) and ?there was a big difference between being dead and in trouble, but that could change unless she went after him.

Then Uncle Han got all puffed up like a big blower fish and said that ?he and Chewie and the Rogues would get his (butt) out of what ever sling that (Pay-pa) had got himself into, no matter how high up it was, even if it took the whole fleet!?

Ma-mere started to cry then (which is something I haven?t seen since before Ben was born) and so did Ben so I snuck into his room to try to sooth him, but Ma-mere caught me. She asked me how much I had heard and I told her everything. I tried to be brave, but then I started to cry too so all three of us were crying. Ma-mere took Ben, and Uncle Han took me into his arms and told me that I should be a brave girl like my Pay-pa.

I told him it was hard and that I was scared, but he said that my Pay-pa was one of the smartest and bravest men in the Galaxy, and sometimes that even he needed help. Then he said that he and Pay-pa and Chewie had ?been in tougher scrapes? and ?where Pay-pa?s negotiation skills didn?t work, negations from the point of a good blaster backed up by the fleet?s finest would.?

I told him I wanted to go with him, that Ma-mere could stay with Ben, and he said no. He told me that there might be a lot of ?rough language involved? and it was better if I didn?t hear it. I told him that it didn?t matter, that I knew a whole load of bad words, and I would use them if it would help my Pay-pa! He still said ?No?, and though I though about trying the ?trick?, I knew Pay-pa said that I could never use it on him, so that was out. Instead, I made him promise to bring Pay-pa home as soon as he could. I also gave him Vitty to take for good luck.

Uncle Han got tears in his eyes then, and promised me that he would bring back both Pay-pa and Vitty before the next moon cycle, and he swore it on his ?bloodstripes?.

Later, Ma-mere said that it was the most solemn oath any Corellian could give, and that he would do it or ?die trying?, so I should have faith. She said Pay-pa will be home, it was just a matter of time.

I only wish she would have looked at me when she said it.




Love,

Pem

---

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29644336/p1/?148]My Life as a Stoner, or How I Stalked the Talon Intelligence Squadron[/link] by Jag4Me

Well, Lula?s latest spell was a total disaster. I?ve put all spells on hold until Stud?s back on his feet... he should be out of the hospital next week.

Last night Mr. Tib, Lula, and I went to visit him. We brought him a big bag of gummy candies. He can let them sort of soften up in his mouth until he can swallow them.

I?m really busy holding down the fort with the restaurant re-opening. It?s going to be a challenge to get it all done without Stud?s help. He gave me a list of the appointments he made for entertainers. Mr. T insists we have a gimmick or some decent entertainment lined up.

Today he has scheduled a professional chainsaw juggler. I hope I don?t end up sharing St

 

Best Response To A Challenge: Part 2

Losing My Mind, Going Crazy, Whacko by Ceillean

Yes, my escape plan failed.

Damn.

It.

I consider myself to be an easy going person. It really takes a while for me to get angry and even then I?m calm and laid back. I tend not to start yelling or cursing or actually getting violent.

This time around I made an enormous exception.

There were a lot of beeps coming out of my mouth, let me tell you. And not just that, when I finally managed to sit up and wrap the situation around my mind, I jumped to my feet and all I could think about was knocking this guy upside the head.

Of course, idiot that I am, I completely forgot about the fact that this grouchy Jedi Master Durron, could use his mind to do? things. Sounds like something out of a fantasy fairy tale, doesn?t it?

IT SO IS NOT.

So anyway, here I am running towards him, yelling at the top of my lungs and all the while I?m thinking Punch him! Punch him!

I got to the P, leaving out the unch. It might have just been half a P, I don?t really know.

I couldn?t move. Right in the middle of my ultimate awesome attack (at least I?m pretending so, otherwise it would just be too embarrassing), my body stopped obeying. My arms and legs were saying ?Nah, to hell with you, we?re tired?.

I can?t even put into words how annoying this was. I took solace in the fact that I could at least still make myself heard.

Loudly.

The nicer of the two Jedi, namely Zekk, even smiled and chuckled a bit.

?Are you finished with this tantrum of yours?? Master Durron asked calmly, arching a dark brown eyebrow while smirking. My mind was made up ? I didn?t like him.

?Whatever it is you?re doing, stop it! Now!?

It seemed I hadn?t completely grasped the fact that this new place was alien. Back home people didn?t do things with their mind. I mean, some said they could but no one really believed their tales, right?

And in that moment I couldn?t help but wonder what else he could do with his mind. He could kill me in an instant, couldn?t he? Make my heart stop or choke me or some other crazy crap? There was a sort of deep rooted respect trying to slither its way to the surface. I killed it. Thoroughly. Not respecting this guy.

?If you?d just calm down, we can all talk about this.? Zekk said, smiling.

?What, like diplomacy?? I asked a bit peeved. I didn?t want to talk. I wanted to sulk. I wanted to be left alone.

I wanted to go home.

?What?s there to talk about?? I yelled at both of them. At least I could still move my head.

Insert random curses here. Lots of them. And lots and lots and lots of them.

?Let. Me. Go.? I added after finishing my tirade about hurting certain parts of their anatomy. Obviously, they weren?t taking me seriously. I think that?s what bugged me the most. Not being taken seriously and suddenly not being in control of myself and of my life.

Because right then and there I realized if I didn?t find a way home, life as I knew it was over.

Bang. You?re dead ? game over.

?Calm down and I will.? Master Durron said while coming closer. He stood only about a foot away from me, with his arms crossed. But thank God he wasn?t smiling. If he?d let me go that instant, I would have lunged for his throat.

Hell, I would have bit him.

Again!

Zekk came towards me with his hands held up, a gesture that he meant no harm. ?I know you must be frightened ??

?Ye think??

? ? and this isn?t the way we planned things out. None of us expected you to make a run for it.?

?What the hell did you expect? You keep me locked up, scan me, poke me, feed me the most vilest food ever and then you expect me to be all happy? Well beep that!?

Master Durron sighed, shaking his head.

And ? oh wow! He let me go.

I stumbled forward a little, righted myself to my meager height of five six and narrowed my e

 

Best Songfic

Unexpected Blossom by Golden_Jedi

A/N: This is a post-RotJ H/L AU around the Queen song Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)

Though I'm gone
It's just as though I hold the flower that touches you
A new life grows
The blossom knows
There's no one else could warm my heart as much as you...
Be not gone

Han and Raania walked hand in hand along the inner wall slowly, their steps guiding them surely to a point both of them knew well.

The stone pillars that supported the glass panels were not smooth, but carved with letters from a hundred alphabets. The letters spelled names, the names of all known Jedi in history in the native language of their species. New names were added from time to time, as new data became rescued from the Emperor?s brutal attempt to erase everything Jedi. The columns of names all ready reached higher than what Han?s eyes could read in the tricky lighting of the Sanctuary.

At last they reached their destination. It was a wall section that had been one of the firsts in being carved, bearing the names of those that had died to make the rebirth of the Order a reality. Still their names were neither larger nor more adorned than the rest, but every living Jedi knew them by heart. They had been the last of the old and the firsts of the new: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Anakin and Leia Skywalker.

Han Solo?s fingers traced the carving that spelled the true name of the passionate young Princess that had stolen his heart so many years ago. This was all he had left from her. This, and the beautiful daughter they had made together. The miracle child.

Raania Solo slipped her arm around her father?s waist and he threw his around her slim shoulders holding her closer to him. She still did not know the full details about the nature of her mother?s and his relationship; he did not like to talk about her and Uncle Chewie was as stubborn as the Corellian when he wanted. The circumstances of her mother?s death also intrigued her, but Uncle Luke?s diplomatic answer had been that she would know when she was ready for the knowledge. But she did not need to know anything to feel the pain and grief they felt any time they thought of her and that was her gift, and, for a long time, her curse.

Anyway, she thanked the Force every day for giving her father the chance to rebuild his life with that wonderful woman that was about to give him his second daughter. She all ready had two boys of her own when they had met, both about Raania?s age. Even if Han Solo?s daughter ? by then aged five ? had no intention at the time of sharing her Daddy with anyone by any means, the woman had been wise enough to find her place in their lives little by little.

Two more sons had joined later the de-facto family. And Thera had never made the smallest difference between her and her own children, or made any reference to the ?oddities? that happened every once in a while as her adopted daughter?s Force potential developed. That big was that woman?s heart. They missed each other dearly now that Raania had come to live at the Academy most of the time.

Raania looked forward to see her Corellian family again and to meet her soon-to-be-born little sister.

Han cleared his throat. ?I brought something,? he said. From a pocket of his perennial flight vest he extracted a small flat package. Discarding the wrapper, he uncovered a thin piece of clear metacrystal with some pink and yellow flowers inside it. ?I was told it would stick to any surface, let?s see if they were right...?

He placed the crystal next to Leia?s name, where the light hit the wall more intensely.

?It?s beautiful, Dad... Thank you,? Raania whispered. ?Are they...??

?Yeah,? Han Solo answered. The artist had sworn they were real raanie, the little flowers that bloomed everywhere on Alderaan, in all climates, against all odds. The blossom that ages before it was destroyed had given the planet its name. The name that had been pe

 

Best Songfic: Part 2

Not in Love by Ceillean

?So.? Jaina began, pushing a thick branch out of her way as the three of them walked a rundown path. ?I saw you say good-bye to Jacen earlier.?
Inwardly, Nelani cringed. ?Yeah. He?s off on one of his personal missions again.? She tried not to let her foul mood invade her voice but it wasn?t working. Tahiri caught up on it quickly.

?Did the two of you have a fight??

Nelani stopped in mid stride, frowning at the short blond girl. ?What??
Tahiri shrugged. ?Just wondering.?

?Well?no. We didn?t fight. I just said good-bye and told him to be careful.?

They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Jaina broke it by laughing. ?The two of you are so cute, you know that??
Nelani?s eyes bulged. ?Pardon??

?Oh, come on!? Jaina threw her arms up in exasperation. ?I might be Jacen?s sister but I am not blind to his unerringly roguish good looks!? She batted her lashes and screwed her face up into a big grin. ?He gets it from Dad, obviously.?
?I don?t know what you?re ??

?Stop lying to yourself, Nelani. Everyone can see it. You like him.? Tahiri dropped down on a large stone and stretched her legs, while wriggling her toes.

?You?ve got it all wrong.? Nelani dismissed Tahiri?s comment with a wave of her hand. ?He?s my teacher and I like him as a friend. Nothing more.?
Jaina, leaning against a tree, snorted and shook her head. ?You?re kidding yourself, Nelani. It?s in your eyes, in the way you look at him.?
?We can read you like a book.? Tahiri piped up with a laugh. ?You?re in love with Jacen.?

Nelani sucked in a breath. ?I am not!?

There was no way in the nine Corellian hells that Nelani would admit her feelings for Jacen out loud! It was a private thing she had to deal with on her own and not with her friends ? especially not with Jacen?s twin sister!

?You know, Nelani.? Jaina began, her eyes latched onto her fingernails while she spoke. ?We?ve seen you day dream and we?ve seen that big smile on your face whenever he?s near you. Have you even thought about telling him how you feel??

?I am not in love with your brother, Jaina!? Nelani knew she was being too defensive but she couldn?t help it. On the one hand she wanted Jacen to know about her feelings for him but on the other hand the entire concept of being in love was ludicrous!
Jaina had the gall to laugh. Nelani narrowed dark eyes and took a deep breath.

In love? Force that couldn?t be the case! She?d had crushes on a few of her classmates along the way, which was normal she thought. Once she?d been so completely obsessed with a young boy and had been devastated when he?d broken her heart. So falling in love was out of the question.
Wasn?t it?

?Deny it all you want, Nelani.? Tahiri said quietly. ?Eventually you?ll have to tell him. Maybe it?ll turn out for the best.?
Nelani arched a brow. ?The best? This is Jacen we?re talking about, Tahiri. He?s? complicated!?

?I bet that?s one of the things you like about him.? Jaina said with a smile. ?It?s nothing to be ashamed of. You just need to accept your feelings and approach them.?

?But ??

?There are no buts.? Jaina winked and shrugged. ?It?s obvious to everyone else. You really really really like my brother.?

Nelani made a face. ?No offence but that sounds strange coming from you.?

Jaina laughed and pushed away from the tree. ?Tahiri and I were headed to the mess. Want to join us for a little snack??
This time Nelani shook her head. ?Thanks but I?d rather be alone.?

Respecting her decision, Jaina waved and Tahiri got up and both of them headed back the way they?d come.

Their little discussion still rang around in Nelani?s mind an hour after the two young women had left. Of course she had feelings for Jacen! But love? That was quite a leap, wasn?t it?

Nelani ran a hand through her straight black hair and heaved yet another sigh. Maybe ? just maybe ? Jaina and

 

Best Poem

Grandfather by AzureAngel2

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n2/AzureAngel2_2006/SW%20pictures/n672682335_852801_5975.jpg

There are so many stories about our grandfather. We are not even sure if we know all of them. History describes him as a merciless killer that helped to extinct the jedi order.

His fits with Imperial officers and his cruelty were famous. He did even hurt our mother very badly on the first Death Star, but it did not bring him closer to find the constructions plans.

And he tried to get Uncle Luke to join him on the Dark Side, but he did not succeed with this business either.

Well we think there was a good man deep down inside him after all.

Somebody who was very lonely.
Somebody who was afraid of the darkness around him.

There were those who did recognize that fear of his, but where helpless to act on time.

And there were also witnesses to his good deeds as well, for he also had a drive to build things or fix them.

What we know from Uncle Luke is that grand-father was a big hero during the Clone Wars and once a dear friend of Ben Kenobi. They fought dangerous enemies together.

For our mother our grand-father is Bail Organa and nobody else. It is said that she made her peace with Anakin after the battle of Endor when he came to her as a force ghost, but we know it´s not true.

Grand-father did a lot of evil things to her that changed her deep inside. There is a shadow in her life and we pray it is not the dark side.

Grand-father had a sad secret. Something about his fall to the dark side. The grown-ups seem not to know it or they simply do not wish to discuss it.

Once there was love between our grand-parents. It must have been the hardships of the Clone Wars that changed that. Or the emperor´s lies towards grand-father. Sneaky old man he was.

He knew all about the dark secrets of Korriban. A source of evil lingers there in the graveyard of the Sith Lords. They still whisper within their tombs, willing to share their unholy secrets.

Some were strong enough to turn away from the dark path though, resisting all the pleasures it can offer. Aunt Mara is the best example for that.

Her love for Uncle Luke cleansed her and made her whole again after what the emperor did to her since she was a little girl. She is a Skywalker now.

In dark times a family will support you and make you strong. The old Jedi Order was wrong to forbid attachment. Love and trust are all you need to make you happy.

We learned early in our lives about the Skywalker legacy: to fight for freedom and justice in the galaxy. And to restore the order.

You left us with a difficult legacy, grand-father. Jason, Anakin and I hope that we live up to your expectations, but not your example. May the force be with you.

http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n2/AzureAngel2_2006/SW%20pictures

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/29889271/r29934022/]Away from the sun[/link] by Tahi

A/N: This is based loosely on the 3 Doors Down song "Away from the sun", and focuses on the Tahiri of the LotF series. I guess you could say that this poem is my effort to try and make sense of her.

She can't remember
when things got so messy
or why nothing is
in the right place anymore
even when she tries to fix the layout
in her head
it shifts
things sidle into corners
become upturned
for no apparent reason.

In the absence of light
nothing is constant
nothing looks the same
from one day to the next
and yet strangely
everything looks the same.

If only she could fix the blinds
then maybe things wouldn't look so
distorted; it's all stripes and jumbled
patterns and no nice clear lines
marking the juxtaposition
of light with dark
marking the differentiation
of one thing from the next
marking the negotiation
between day
and night

But now there's no consensus
no mediators.

It never used to be like this
. . . did it? If she closes her eyes

 

Best Crossover

Where No Jedi Has Gone Before by RK_Striker_JK_5

Earth
He ran his fingers along the console, surprised but glad that there was no dust on the smooth black metal. Han Solo leaned against the console and looked around the bridge, feeling?connected to it in ways he couldn?t even begin to describe. His brown eyes glanced about, noting the archaic screens and multi-colored buttons.

Han could never really call himself a military man, even when he was in the Imperial Navy. Still, the bridge appealed yo him. In his mind, he could feel the rumble of the engines, hear the chatter over the intercom and smell faint traces of ozone.

?Am I disturbing ye, lad??

Han?s head jerked around to the turbolift doors. An older man stood there, smile on his face and arms crossed at his chest. For some reason, Han felt somewhat?disrespectful, simply leaning on the console. He straightened up and tugged at his white shirt. ?Oh, hi.?

The man paced around a bit, eventually stopping in front of the dedication plaque. He ran a finger along the top, brushing off imaginary dust. ?It?s nice to see people taking an interest in history, but inn?a the museum closed??

Han shrugged. ?Being married to the former chief of state for the New Republic has its?perks.? He walked over and extended a hand. ?I?m Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon.?

The older man accepted the proffered hand and gave it a good pump. ?And I, my good man, am Captain Montgomery Scott, but you can call me Scotty.?

Han chuckled. ?Well, Scotty, nice to meet you.? The two men broke contact and Han looked about the bridge. ?This is nice, but a bit old.? Scotty?s mustache twitched a bit, but before he could chastise Han, the captain shook his head and continued. ?Still, there?s something about this bridge. It feels alive.?

Scotty nodded. ?Well, how much do you know about her?? Han shrugged, allowing Scotty to motion to the dedication plaque next to the turbolift alcove. ?This here, lad, was the first bridge module for the original Constitution-class Enterprise. When Starfleet rebuilt the vessel in 2271, the bridge was removed wholesale and placed here, in the Smithsonian.? He looked about. ?This ship was the first I served on as chief engineer, and holds a special place in my heart.?

Han smiled, but it quickly turned to a frown. ?Hey, wait a minute. You said this ship was refitted in 2271, right??

Scotty nodded while Han did a quick calculation. ?So, that means that you were the chief engineer about 110 years ago??

Scotty patted Han on the shoulder. ?Transporter accident in 2294 put me into suspended animation for 73 years. I?m technically 159 years old.?

Han?s eyebrows shot up. ?Really? That?s-something really useful I should know about.?

Scotty quirked an eyebrow at Han. ?Installed a transporter aboard yer ship??

Han nodded and grinned sheepishly. ?Sometimes I?ve gotta smack the console to get it working, but it?s got a range twice that of a standard model.?

Scotty grinned and stood up. The engineer walked over to the communications station and bent down, albeit slowly. ?You know, Han, you seem to be a bit of a scoundrel; someone who likes to do things his own way.? Scotty carefully removed a mesh screen and pulled out a dusty old bottle filled with a pale green liquid. ?I like that in a person.?

Han chuckled as Scotty also pulled out two glasses. The older engineer straightened up, turned and walked over to Han with the bottle and glasses. ?What is that?? Han asked, brown eyes looking over the bottle.

Scotty handed him a glass. ?It?s called Aldeberan whiskey. Captain Picard introduced it to me not long after I was freed from stasis.? He gave Han one of the glasses and poured him a shot of whiskey. ?A toast, Captain Solo.? Scotty raised his glass, and his eyes seemed to cloud over a bit. ?To old friends.?

Han nodded and touched his glass to Scotty?s, making a clinking so

 

Best Vignette

When Will you Realize by BigFatty

Changing the subject, Luke stretched out his hand to give Mara the item he picked up. ?Good Winter Solstice, Mara.?

?Ooo, a datapad. How did you know it?s what I always wanted?? Sensing Luke ignoring her quip and his eagerness increasing, she activated the device and focused on the images and data scrolling on the screen before her. ?These are ship schematics, but I haven?t seen this design before.?

?You shouldn?t have. It?s custom.?

Mara looked up from the datapad, confusion evident on her face. ?What am I missing??

?I want you to look over the schematics to make sure everything is up to your specifications.?

?Why do I need to do that??

?Because this is going to be your ship.?

Mara sat for a moment in stunned silence. She could sense Luke waiting patiently for a reaction, but she instead turned her focus back to the schematics. To the side of the ship?s blueprints she saw small notes written giving details about the vessel?s features like engine speed, maneuverability, and the size.

She tried to understand his reasoning for doing this, but failed. ?Why??

With a soft smile, Luke asked, ?When will you realize that you are worthy of being loved??

Mara?s initial reaction was to bristle at his question. This wasn?t love; this was extravagance.

But then Luke opened himself fully across their bond. Immediately, she was overwhelmed with a number of emotions: regret for her having to sacrifice her beloved Fire, joy in being able to do this for her, love in spending hours designing the vessel inside and out just for her, and a longing for her to see herself as he saw her.

His question sounded again in her mind: When will you realize you are worthy of being loved?

Part of her hoped the answer was never. She did not want to be accustomed to this kind of outpouring and take it for granted. She didn?t want his generous acts to become mundane no matter how large or small they were.

Focusing once more on the datapad, she looked at the schematics with fresh eyes. She made note of several details that showed Luke?s attentiveness to his work for her?how the captain?s char was slightly smaller than standard, how the engines were a new model she told him she was impressed with, how the cargo hold was large enough to stash a sizeable load in addition to an X-wing.

He did all of this for her. It made her amend her earlier thought: just because something was extravagant didn?t mean it couldn?t be born from love.

Turning back to him, she shook her head trying to wrap her mind around the idea. Finally, she whispered, ?Thank you, Luke.? Not allowing him the chance to respond, she leaned her body into his for a kiss.

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28870280/r28906650/]The Space Between Heartbeats[/link] by Gabri_Jade

There had been a time, not so long ago, when such waiting would have been tinged with a delightful anticipation. He missed those times now, with an ache that went to his core.
...

A soft sound from behind distracted him, and he turned his senses outward again in time to recognize the familiar presence just as his wife stepped to his side, sinking to the sand beside him.

"Hi," she said. "Sorry I'm late."

Luke turned his head. She was looking straight ahead of her, toward the setting sun that was nearly below the horizon. A long ray of light skimmed across the sea's surface and settled upon her, gilding her pale skin in gold and making her red hair shine vibrantly. Her beauty took his breath away; the wariness evident in her sense and guarded stance nearly closed his throat with pain.

"It's all right," he said, turning his own gaze forward again. The last edge of the sun's disk slipped out of sight, leaving them in the faint dimness of twilight. This stretch of beach was deserted save for themselves; most visitors preferred to remain in the nearby crystalline city of Calius Saj Leeloo. Luke had been there himself and could vouch

 

Best Short Story

Presque Vu by Knight_Aragorn

Luke stayed another night, but as he walked through the darkened streets of Mos Espa, he found no new insights into his father. He wasn?t even sure what he was looking for. He usually searched for knowledge, some residue of the old Jedi Order, anything that could help him understand his path. This was something else, something personal, a search for answers to a question he wasn?t sure how to form.

Maybe Anakin Skywalker had been born here. Perhaps he?d come as an infant. He may have run through the streets as a child, he may have risked his life racing pods, he may have met a Jedi ? met Obi-Wan? ? and burned the ground as he left this place heading out into the galaxy. Perhaps he left as an innocent, out into a galaxy that would change him irrevocably, or perhaps he left as a child with darknesses and shadows that would deepen with time.

The word slave kept returning to him, prickling and burning like the midday suns? light on exposed skin. There had never been slavery in the Anchorhead region, but he?d known it had existed in other parts of Tatooine before being outlawed around the time of his birth. His uncle, normally reserved in most things not touching on Luke?s idling habits or the upkeep of the farm, was vehement in his condemnation of the practice. Luke could still remember the quiet, frightening force of his uncle?s anger when Huff Darklighter had suggested alien slaves as a solution to seasonal shortages, and Luke had only been ten or eleven at the time.

He wondered what effect it would have on a child to be exposed to that depth of careless and profound evil on so direct, intimate a level, and what distorted value of ownership and possession, of power and its absence, it would stain the mind with. What kind of hurt it would inflict and how those hurts might transform.

He?d seen himself how it had marked Chewbacca. The Wookiee never spoke about his time in slavery, but he had old injuries that spoke wordlessly of the kind of violence that had been inflicted upon him. As did his furious response to any attempt to curtail his freedom or to belittle him.

The thought of a child being subject to that enforced dissolution of freedom and identity was particularly horrifying. Luke opened and closed his hands. His anger, for the moment, was frivolous, useless; even dangerous. Evils done in the past, he couldn?t control. And the slavery that still occurred in the galaxy was best fought through the new government, removing the disease, not its individual spores and symptoms.

Anger and helplessness over damage inflicted on his father as a child wouldn?t bring Luke any closer to him, either. He closed his eyes.

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[link=http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28665622/p1/]Party Girl[/link] by Jedi Trace

The large storefront sign flashed dull orange, sizzling as if it would sputter out any minute with the fading daylight: [i]Jaxan's Fixer Shop[/i]. Or, that?s what it was supposed to say. Some of the letters were missing, so it actually read: [i]Ja an's Fix S op[/i]. I looked down at the coordinates on my datapad. This was the right place. I wasn?t sure what I'd been expecting, but this run-down shop tucked into a seedy cove on the upper level of Coruscant's undercity wasn't what I'd had in mind - not for the man who was supposed to be the best fixer in the Core.

It wasn't quite far enough down to be in Vongspawn territory, but the various sets of eyes peeking around corners in my direction were nothing friendly. The streets were cluttered with litter and piles of junk in various colors and textures that I probably shouldn't look at too close. And it smelled.

A tattered figure of some hunched-over species peeled away from the shadow of a nearby tapcafe and started staggering toward me. I rang the bell on Jaxan's darkened door.

Nothing happened. I tried the door handle. Locked. Must be after business hours. By the time I rang the bell ag

 

Best Epic

Wingman by TKeira_Lea

In the midst of one of the many carefully timed pauses within the ambassador?s speech, when Chiss and Imperials alike banged their fists into palms in a gesture of approval, Jag made his way toward the dais. He banged his fist and expressed the appropriate measure of endorsement for a man of Formbi?s regard. Then Jag held his arm out toward Formbi and with the other indicated the crowd should renew their applause. As the cheers swelled, Jag moved swifter than a nexu snatching its prey to steal the spotlight.

?Thank you, Ambassador Chaf?orm?bintrano. ? Jag repeated the statement in Cheunh.

Syal stood. ?That was bold.?

?Staking his claim in the hierarchy.? Soontir looked grim. ?Jagged has spent more time than any of us living and working with the Chiss. He understands what it will take to bring the Chiss into the Imperial fold.?

?That?s what you trained him to do.?

?It?s not his dealings with the Chiss that trouble me.? He clucked his tongue while listening to their son?s words.

Syal wasn?t sure what was more captivating, her son standing before an entire alien civilization as one of their most powerful allies or the weary sadness of a father who had trained their son for this exact moment. Soontir?s expression had not looked this distressed since the day he had come home to announce their first-born son was dead.

?He won?t be alone in this.? Had she said that for her own benefit?

?No, he won?t.?

The crowd erupted in the loudest chorus of fist-banging yet, and Soontir put forth a modicum of effort. While Syal cheered on with the resounding ovation, her husband let his hands fall to his side. Their son walked from the dais back to the spot in the center of the room where Jaina had waited patiently. Jag held out an elbow to escort Jaina in a round of official greetings. The young couple moved toward the far side of the room, causing Soontir to brace suddenly.

Jag guided Jaina until they were face to face with a trio of Chiss garbed in ruby robes. Syal snatched her husband?s forearm. ?What is he doing??

The corner of Soontir?s mouth curled up. ?Finally listening to his father, apparently.?

?He can?t greet a second tier family first.?

?To be fair, our son has previously proven himself willing to do whatever he wants when it comes to politicians.?

?Jaken?thaldu?od will not approve.?

Soontir?s good eye snapped to a contingent of green robed Chiss. ?Correct.?

?Isn?t Jag?s mandate to bring the Chiss into the Empire? This is an affront to their perception of power. He?s not playing by the Chiss rules.?

?No, but he has done exactly what I had hoped he would do.? Soontir?s weighted gloom seemed to have magically lifted.

?But? Now there will be too much dissension for Jag to bring in the Chiss and be their representative to the Council.?

?More than likely.? Her husband wore the same expression he did right before he entered battle.

?Then who will ? Oh. No. Please tell me you?re not thinking what I think you?re thinking.?

?I am.?

Syal?s hands trembled. Only one thought could terrify her to the point of loss of control. As long as she had Soontir?

An arm snaked around her, reminding her she was not alone. Silently they watched Jag and Jaina move among the guests. It was a beautiful sight to see her son happy, belonging again. But truly he could still be stranded on Tenupe and he would have been just as content ? as long as he had Jaina. Their son deserved exactly what Soontir and Syal had enjoyed in the early years of their marriage: a home, a purpose, and security to start a life together.

There were days when Syal was so tired that she looked forward to letting go of their responsibility to the future generations, and simply live. As her tear-filled eyes watched Jag, she tried to come to terms with the reality that retirement was not going to happen any time soon. Yet she would lay down her life for any of her children with

 

Best Epic: Part 2

Shattered Remembrance by Jedi-2B

A/N: Luke, Mara, and Callista are caught in an explosion on a skyhook.


What was left of the skyhook slowly tilted to one side, and Mara's fingertips scrabbled to find something to hold onto as she slid across the maddeningly smooth floor. During the initial blast, she had been lucky enough to catch a metal support strut as it crashed down from the ceiling. But a second explosion ripped overhead, and she had quickly let go of the strut to prevent following it outside. She could sense Luke nearby, alive and not quite as panicky as she was beginning to get. She couldn't care less what had happened to Callista.

Something wet and sticky was rolling down her face, causing her vision to blur, but she didn't dare raise a hand to wipe it away. Mara could feel her feet reach the jagged edge of the newly created precipice, and she doubled her effort in the Force to slow her descent. But not even the mystical power could defy gravity forever.

The skyhook gave another groan, and the angle of incline increased. It was just as Mara was beginning to plummet through the sky that a strong hand gripped her arm.

"Hold on!"

Squinting through bloody lashes, Mara could just make out Luke, his right hand clamped to a protruding rod, the rest of his body stretched across open space to reach her.

"Grab around my waist!" he shouted, and before Mara could object, he was swinging her toward the lower part of his body. She latched her arms around him, and he immediately raised his left hand to clutch the fragile rod again. But even if Luke could use the Force to catapult the two of them back onto the decking, there was nothing she knew of to hold onto there. Mara wondered if he actually had some plan in mind, or was simply acting out of reflexive desperation.

"I'll get you," a calm voice suddenly stated.

From out of nowhere, gray eyes loomed above. How Callista was keeping from tumbling over the edge, Mara had no idea. Reaching down, the woman grasped Luke's arm and seemingly without effort, hauled him upwards until his entire body was on the deck, with Mara still clinging onto him.

"There are two outside wall girders about ten meters over that you can hold onto," Callista was saying, raising her voice to be heard over the roar of the wind. "Work your way over, hand over hand."

Mara shimmied her way up Luke until she was lying next to him. From there she could see handholds punched into the flooring, spaced about a half-meter apart, leading to a skeletal section of the outside wall that hadn't given way. Where in blazes did those holes come from? They looked too irregular to have been made with a lightsaber, even if Callista had one. Luke turned to give her a little shrug, then started following Callista toward the hoped-for sanctuary, with Mara close behind.

The girders provided a place where they could brace their feet to keep from sliding downward, and Mara breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching them safely. Leaning against Luke, she took the opportunity to study their predicament. The skyhook now hung at about a forty-five degree angle, and from what Mara could estimate, it seemed to be losing altitude.

"I calculate that half of the repulsors are non-functioning," Callista said. "Soon the rest will go out, and the skyhook will fall to the surface."

"Well, there's a cheery thought," Mara returned, pulling her tangled hair away from her eyes. "I'd prefer to be off this thing before that happens. Maybe we can make our way to the shuttle on the roof."

"Yes, I have been gauging the best route?" A clunking roar drowned out the rest of Callista's sentence. It was the shuttle, tumbling off the landing pad and banging against the skyhook on its way to its destruction kilometers below. Luke and Mara clung both to each other and to the mysterious handholds as the skyhook rocked back and forth.

"There goes that idea," Luke muttered. He peered do