Saga Alliance of Heroes - post-ANH AU (L/M, H/L, Vader, Palpy, Rogues) - COMPLETE - Part 2 cover up!

really good start, hope to see more soon pm list please




..........BJ

 

Mara Jade and Vader working together. To some extent, at least. It always seems to happen time and again. I like it. Always somehow brings a smile to my face and then makes me wonder if you can successfully pull it off.

The banter between Luke and Han certainly shows a bit of background and insight It is rare for Han to reveal he went to the academy, even in fanfics. Luke would obviously be in awe at the moment because of that. Yet, would Han stay with the Rebellion now?

Ohh. i like that. The rest of that conversation is just Gold. pure gold.









If you have a PM list. I'll sign up.
This story is a definite winner.

 

Thanks everyone for reading! And before you all hit me, I actually don't mind the yellow jacket. By itself, it's hideous, but Luke can wear anything and make it look good!


Emilie:

Daaaaaaaaaaaaaamn, girl. When you deliver, you deliver, don't you?

D'awww...

WES! <3 x a billionty. This is the kind of integration with the EU I love to see. And oh, Wes. Luke is going to be your CO soon. This is going to be interesting.

Hehe, yes Wes is. It's actually been really, really hard for me not to put in a ton of EU cameos. I would put in a bunch more people, but I think it would just be trite after awhile.

You're a multi-talented woman, JM! If you can write Wedge/Iella and Corran/Mirax you'll have run the full gamut of my favorite canon couples.

Dawww again. Well, I did write a Wedge/Iella angsty fic...I've never written straight Corran/Mirax, but there will be some of that in my next diary entry.

Big brother Han ftw! Don't worry, Han - he'll grow up, but unfortunately he has a rare congenital disorder - he was born without a sense of self-preservation. He'll still need you to save his butt. Hey - you and Mara can keep score!

Haha, yes, Han is rather protective of his pseudo little brother. And hey, what makes you think that it will be MARA who rescues LUKE?

First off - LUKE AND WEDGE HANGING OUT.

Don't worry, that will happen often in this fic. I want to make up for the dearth of Luke/Wedge interaction in profic! Come on, they didn't do this at the Endor celebration for nothing!

I think this is the reason I love the Union comic so much, even though Mike Stackpole had an...interesting time writing a romantic Luke and Mara. The bachelor party was so worth it.

Union is my guiltiest of Star Wars guilty pleasures.

Okay - awesome part the second: You did more of that awesome EU integration stuff! I LOVE that you remembered that Wedge knew the Terriks growing up, and I love even more that he's telling stories about Booster!

Thanks. Yeah, I'm really trying to keep a lot of this story canon. I did so much research on the pilots and their backgrounds and the Alliance Command structure that it was ridiculous.

Oh, boys. Oh, oh, boys. So much love. I'm going to stop here before I quote the whole post. Just absolutely awesome, JM!

Thank you. Next week we go back to the Empire, but there will definitely be more pilot stuff going on. I love my Rogue Luke!



Luna:

I loved seeing the interaction between Luke and Han, and Luke and the Rogues. They're great friends to have.

Thank you! There can never be enough Han/Luke interaction, and there ISN'T enough of Luke with the Rogues. My goal this year in fanfic is to remedy that!

I also loved Leia's annoyance at Han--so believable.

I'm glad to hear because I've never written them before and they are INTIMIDATING.



Piper:

You wrote them completely in character, I can clearly see their talk in canon.

Aww, I'm glad! Han is one of those characters I can just hear talking. Luke, it's more like I know what he's thinking, if that makes any sense.

Why does everybody who knows Luke is so protective of him?

Because he's reckless and he needs it?!

Oh, Leia... You'll hear it the rest of your life.

Oh, that and A LOT more...



kataja:

Not to speak of the film crew or the audience ? millions of people watching you, time and time again for 34 years? Blanching now, farmboy?



What would he say about all of us drooling over him? I'm reminded of when I saw Mark Hamill at Celebration V. I kept thinking to myself, "OMG IT'S LUKE!!!"

Heh? This is canon or you made it up?

Oh, it's canon that he's from the Yellow Aces.

Now it?s not only Mara, but Han too?s softening ? oops that was in another fic?

Haha! Well you never know, Mara may soften a bit in

 

?Are you sure this looks okay?? Luke Skywalker asked, self-consciously reaching up to adjust the collar on his bright yellow jacket. The kid had been doing that for the last fifteen minutes and if Han hadn?t known any better, he would have assumed that Luke was actually a thirteen-year-old girl from Kuat, not a nineteen-year-old farm kid from Tatooine.

Oh Luke, you endearing little farmboy, you.

Luke turned, somewhat insulted, still fiddling with his jacket. ?Well I did fire the kill shot, you know.?

Whiny!Luke, you're missed in the fandom.

?For the hundredth time, yes! You look fine.? Han himself was wearing the same outfit he'd come in on, but Luke's desert clothes weren't necessarily appropriate to wear when receiving a medal from Princess Leia Organa, so he'd scrounged together whatever he could find when they'd told him about the ceremony, and he'd been fretting ever since.

I have to echo what Ri said. I almost NEVER hear Han's voice when I'm reading fic of him. Honestly, this could be the first time I've ever seen someone get the voicing right.

?So? You infiltrated the Death Star, rescued a princess, and flew head to head with Darth Vader, and now you?re scared of a little medal ceremony? All ya gotta do is walk down that aisle, smile at the Princess, and get your award. Simple as ryshcate.?

I think I can see part of why the voicing is working. It's the commas. Usually in dialogue or narrative this would come off as excessive, but for Han it's pitch perfect. He's got those pauses in his verbal patterns. When you use them here each comma tells my brain to match Han's usual inflection.

Just a little tidbit you might want to put in your pocket

?Yup. Graduated top of my class. Trust me, we had to go through a lot of ceremonies like this one. Graduation was a piece of work. I hated them at first, but I got used to them. It was just part of the gig that I learned to live with.?

Fanficcers AND proficcers alike forget that Han has an Imperial background.

?Say, Luke,? he started, trying to ease the tension, ?where did you get that jacket from anyway??

Luke looked down, startled. ?Why? It doesn?t look good? I thought you said it looked good!?

You're going to look back at this attempt to impress the Princess in a few years and blanch.

?I can?t. I borrowed it.?

?From who??

?Wes Janson; new pilot, just got in from the Tierfon Yellow Aces. Said he wanted to honor the destroyer of the Death Star with his official squadron colors.?

BURN IT BEFORE A CONDIMENT BOMB GOES OFF

For Han Solo, in that one moment, her smile was a greater reward than all the credits in the universe.

Aw Han, you big ol' softy.

But peace would not come for Leia Organa. It had left her in the Death Star control room and wouldn?t be making a return any time soon.

This little stretch of time between the destruction of the Death Star and the evacuation of Yavin IV must have been brutal for her. Time to reflect can be harsh

?Princess,? he nodded.

?Captain Solo,? she replied in turn, forcing herself not to groan in frustration.

This entire section is just DRIPPING with ANH voicing. You've really hit the mark!

Leia raised an eyebrow, amused. ?They say? I highly doubt that a man such as yourself is unfamiliar with the effects of wine??

Claws out!

?Actually, I am.? Again she raised an eyebrow. He leaned in to whisper, ?I usually drink ale.?

WHAT KIND!?

?Well?he said he was gonna join?I just didn?t realize he?d already made it official.?

?Well, he did. He?s got great dedication, and he?s a natural leader. He?s just what the Alliance needs.?

?Yeah. He?s in there right now, yapping to Antilles about starting a new squadron. You really got him eating out of your hand, don?t you??

Eager child, that Luke

And Han, you are cruisin' for a beatdown.

?He?s the same age as I am,? Leia countered.

HE SURE IS.

But she kept talking, keeping her tone as casual as she could. ?We?ll be starting the evacuation process

 

I would quote this, but so many people have quoted the best parts! You write this just like a profic author, it's amazing! Kudos to you and PM for me, please!

 

Leia's view of the destruction of Alderaan was moving and heartbreaking.

Love the explaination for Luke's jacket.

on the ?Reason for Exemption? line, Booster had written ?STOLEN GOODS.? I would've given a thousand creds to see the look on that CorSec officer?s face!?
At least he was honest.

Love the Han/Leia interaction.

Looking forward to more.

 

Leia raised an eyebrow, amused. ?They say? I highly doubt that a man such as yourself is unfamiliar with the effects of wine??

She trailed off, allowing the innuendo the hover in the air, wondering what in the galaxy had prompted her to say something like that, but Han just chuckled, forcing the glass into her hand. ?Actually, I am.? Again she raised an eyebrow. He leaned in to whisper, ?I usually drink ale.?

hahaha! That was some excellent Han/Leia! Their mutual suspicions and Han's protectiveness of Luke was really well written. I also enjoyed Luke's chat with the rogues. Great insight into the new alliance.

Excited for more!

 

Lane:

Oh Luke, you endearing little farmboy, you...Whiny!Luke, you're missed in the fandom.

He is, he really is. And Whiny!Luke will make a lot of appearances. Heh.

I have to echo what Ri said. I almost NEVER hear Han's voice when I'm reading fic of him. Honestly, this could be the first time I've ever seen someone get the voicing right.

Awww, thank you.

I think I can see part of why the voicing is working. It's the commas. Usually in dialogue or narrative this would come off as excessive, but for Han it's pitch perfect. He's got those pauses in his verbal patterns. When you use them here each comma tells my brain to match Han's usual inflection.

Just a little tidbit you might want to put in your pocket

::takes tidbit and shoves it away for safekeeping::

So...it would be like using...ellipses...if I were writing...Christopher Walken... ?

Fanficcers AND proficcers alike forget that Han has an Imperial background.

Ugh this bothers me so much. His backstory is FANTASTIC and they hardly ever mention it. That one trilogy I keep bugging you to read actually does remember it.

You're going to look back at this attempt to impress the Princess in a few years and blanch.

Hee. Thankfully in this fic he'll get a rather big distraction in a few months which will completely take his mind off the Princess.

BURN IT BEFORE A CONDIMENT BOMB GOES OFF

LOL! No, Janson's subtle...for now.

This little stretch of time between the destruction of the Death Star and the evacuation of Yavin IV must have been brutal for her. Time to reflect can be harsh

And of course she will do anything in her power to forget about it all, like bury herself in the Alliance and bicker with a certain Corellian smuggler.

This entire section is just DRIPPING with ANH voicing. You've really hit the mark!

Awww, yay. I've been listening to the ANH and ESB soundtracks lately and it's really getting me in the mood to write this story. I need to watch ANH and ESB this weekend and get more in the mood.

WHAT KIND!?

You know, I didn't even think of that when I put this in. See how you're influencing me?!

Eager child, that Luke

It's why we love him so much!

And Han, you are cruisin' for a beatdown.

Yeah, he'll be doing that a lot. That's why I'm so eager for Mara to come around...the contrast between Luke and Han in their pursuit of women is going to be so, so humorous.

--?He?s the same age as I am,? Leia countered.--

HE SURE IS.

Shhhhh! Don't tell her the secret yet!

And it sure as hell beats hauling freight for Jabba.

Oyah!

Futility. That's the word you'll be using, Han.

Luke + X-wing = OTP

Seriously, this is one of the most in-tune Han and Leia scenes I've ever read. Well done!

Aww, thank you. That means a lot because as you know I never, ever write that pairing. But then again, even the L/M in this story is going to be different than anything I've ever written before. WHY MUST I CHALLENGE MYSELF?!

Oh please, tell me the officer was Corran's dad. PLEASE TELL ME IT WAS HAL.

You can think whatever you want.

(Corran is one of those characters I really, really want to get in this story but I think it woud be too contrite. Same with Iella. My rule so far has been anyone not in the Rebellion at this time is not going to be in this fic.)

There really was a kinship between Luke and Wedge. Shame it's not explroed more

Don't worry, it will be.

--?And besides, I could never be a squadron leader. I hate paperwork.?

?I?ll keep that in mind, too.? Luke paused, taking another drink. --

Wedge. You will EAT those words.

Hehehehe oh yes he will. (Keep this in mind for much, much later.)

You know, this could actually make for an interesting scene later on in this fic ...

Mmm-hmm.

Wonderful update, Nanci! Excellent tone and the bromance came off very well

Thank you. You know how nervous I was about writing it, so I'm glad it

 

I LOVE THIS!!!! Can you please
give us more?

 

Queenbee: Ask and you shall receive.

---

[u]CHAPTER 2[/u]





The Imperial Palace was designed to intimidate.

Rebuilt by Palpatine after he'd come to rule as Emperor, it stood three kilometers tall and over two square kilometers in area. It could be seen from anywhere within the Palace District; some even falsely murmured that it could be seen from anywhere on Imperial Center. Apartments surrounding the Palace were valued based on the view they granted of the Palace, but everyone knew that it was the view from [i]inside[/i] the vast pyramid that was truly priceless.

An entire life could be spent without venturing outside the immense structure, and it was rumored that many officers and aides did just that. The entire Empire was run from inside the Palace; what reason could there possibly be to step outside its walls? Even the Emperor himself rarely left his precious seat of power.

Brought here when she was only a toddler, Mara Jade could not remember the first time she laid eyes on the Palace, but she did recall being awed by its incredible opulence. Every furnishing, piece of artwork, and raw material used in the Palace was of the highest quality; the Emperor would not stand for anything else. As she grew older, Mara had become accustomed to such a high standard of living, even gaining a preference for the fijisi wood that decorated her quarters, but her instructors had done well to train her to live in any condition necessary for her to fill her Emperor?s commands.

Her teachers had been the best the Empire could provide. The Emperor himself had trained her in the ways of the Force, and she learned espionage and assassination skills alongside the Imperial Royal Guard. Her first solo mission occurred when she was fourteen, and she was officially given the title of Emperor?s Hand a little over two years ago, when she had just turned sixteen. Most of the Imperial Court believed Mara to a simple dancer or concubine, and she did her best to encourage those rumors. In truth, she was given free reign to cross the galaxy and deliver justice to traitors in the name of the Emperor. But she was more than just a covert agent. She could hear Palpatine?s call from anywhere in the galaxy, and that was why he trusted her above all others.

Since she?d become the Emperor?s Hand, Mara had often been away from the Palace. The Emperor had granted her a personal starship and protocol droid to use on missions. While she did not mind staying in the Palace, she had also come to enjoy her time away from Imperial Center. It awarded her a sense of freedom, which Mara knew was the Emperor?s way of showing his appreciation.

Still, there were times when the Emperor felt it necessary to assert his will, which was why Mara had been called to the grand Throne Room at the apex of the Palace. Whereas the rest of the Palace strove to intimidate in its grandeur, the hallway outside the Throne Room did the opposite. There were no furnishings, no pieces of artwork hanging from the wall, no tile mosaics or rich carpetings on the floor. The hallway?s only focus was the vast set of doors, several stories high, which opened to the Throne Room.

The bareness of the hallway was one of Palpatine's most brilliant maneuvers. Being summoned to an audience with the Emperor was intimidating enough. First visitors to this part of the Palace found themselves confused by the lack of distractions, and with nothing else to take their concentration, they became overwhelmed by their impending meeting with the ruler of the galaxy. And that was exactly what the Emperor desired.

Mara herself had been called to the Throne Room more times than she could count, so she no longer was nervous before having an audience with her master. After all, she had never failed him, and had no reason to be worried about a reprimand. While she could speak to him from anywhere in the galaxy, Palpatine preferred to have Mara report to him in person, and that did not bother her?she would do anything that her Emperor ordered.

But this time she

 

I always found it interesting that Palpatine's relationship with Mara was almost paternal. I think that was his experiment, Whether he could get this partially innocent girl to do his bitting and still love him - she was his ultimate manipulation experiment.

Good update!

 

Loved seeing the different interactions between Vader, Mara, and Palpatine. He manipulates them both so carefully, and I'm sad for how easily Mara goes with it after all her training. The characterizations between all of them fit. Looking forward to more of what Mara does in her down time! Great update.

 

The bareness of the hallway was one of Palpatine's most brilliant maneuvers. Being summoned to an audience with the Emperor was intimidating enough. First visitors to this part of the Palace found themselves confused by the lack of distractions, and with nothing else to take their concentration, they became overwhelmed by their impending meeting with the ruler of the galaxy. And that was exactly what the Emperor desired.
A fitting tactic, indeed.

Very interesting look into the Mara and Palpatine relationship.

Great update!

 

Luke can wear anything and make it look good!
So true, so true?

BTW I wonder why we all so often picture him in black ? after all, he has a pretty daring taste when it comes to clother? - even the black dress isn?t exactly blending in?

As she grew older, Mara had become accustomed to such a high standard of living, even gaining a preference for the fijisi wood that decorated her quarters, but her instructors had done well to train her to live in any condition necessary for her to fill her Emperor?s commands.
Aah... fijisi wood?

The bareness of the hallway was one of Palpatine's most brilliant maneuvers. Being summoned to an audience with the Emperor was intimidating enough. First visitors to this part of the Palace found themselves confused by the lack of distractions, and with nothing else to take their concentration, they became overwhelmed by their impending meeting with the ruler of the galaxy. And that was exactly what the Emperor desired.
Oooh ? I like that! Great detail!

The Emperor?s Hand nodded slowly. Unlike Lord Vader, she had no reason to ever fear the retribution of her master.

She would never fail.
Oh, Mara, sweet Mara ? how young you are?



as the Emperor had raged against him he wondered with idle curiosity if his life would now be forfeit. He did not fear death?fear had been burned out of his body nearly twenty years ago on the shores of Mustafar. Still, it was interesting, to consider that the Emperor may have finally come to the conclusion that Vader was replaceable.
Another amazing detail - great insight into Vader's thoughts!


Palpatine was adamant about protecting his young Hand, ensuring that she not witness the more brutal aspects of the Empire. Palpatine had not wanted to explain to her the necessity of the Death Star, and now he had no choice but to placate her misgivings. The Emperor had invested much time and effort in training the girl, and he would not tolerate any wavering loyalty on her part. Vader knew that witnessing the Death Star destroy Alderaan had momentarily shaken the girl's faith.
This is fab - their entire exchange is just as I've imagine it in canon!


She suppressed a wince and almost?almost?felt sorry for the Sith Lord. But she did not allow herself to feel such a thing, because he deserved his fate, and he knew it.
So very Mara - she 's so human and can't but feel with Vader (maybe also as they're in the same boat) - yet she's so rational.


?Yes, Master,? Mara confirmed, finally raising her head to meet the Emperor?s gaze. He regarded her with pride, and she felt the warmth of his approval envelop her Force sense, renewing her sense of purpose and loyalty to the Empire. ?The traitors have been taken care of.?
You know, this reminds me that Hitler is supposed to have been very nice to his dog? But yes, perfectly Palpatine!


Once again, she was disturbed that she had ever doubted her master?s wisdom.
I love how you point this out - she might be disturbed ? but she did doubt = something in her knows better than her mind?

Awesome update!!!

 

Looking forward to it!

Very interesting insight into Vader's and Palpatine's thoughts. You write Mara wonderfully, as always.

 

Stunning interaction between Vader and Palpatine and the Emperor and Mara -- you have the emotional tone just right for Mara in this timeframe: loyal, efficient, and dedicated. You can tell she has scruples and questions but her entire world view hasn't been shaken yet.

 

Very easy to see how Mara was raised... her sense of right/wrong twisted to serve Palpy... Well written

 

Mara was always the best. Raised to be that way. The relationship between her and Palpatine is certainly interesting. Paternal. But you never really know if she actually was punished for mistakes or not.
You got mara characterized well. I salute you.

 

Wow. Excellent post. I really liked how you portrayed the Mara/Palpy/Vader relationships.

 

The Imperial Palace was designed to intimidate.

That's definitely one way to put it!

As she grew older, Mara had become accustomed to such a high standard of living, even gaining a preference for the fijisi wood that decorated her quarters

She's going to cost you a fortune, Luke

The bareness of the hallway was one of Palpatine's most brilliant maneuvers. Being summoned to an audience with the Emperor was intimidating enough.

Psychological warfare seems to be something Palpy would excel at

But this time she was not happy to have been summoned. This time, she was forced to wait in the hallway while Darth Vader reported to their master regarding his failure at the Death Star.

Uh oh. Boss is in a foul mood. Mara may have just heard him shouting "WHAT THE HELL IS AN ALUMINUM FALCON!?"

Still, it was hard not to wince at the incredible agony and rage she felt swirling through the Force.

Is it possible to feel bad for Vader? Cus I kinda do.

Darth Vader did not respond. What could he say to appease his master?s wrath? The Death Star had been destroyed, and the Rebels had slipped through his grasp. He had known that he would be punished as soon as he faced the Emperor again.

There's no escaping his wrath this time

While Vader would go to any measures necessary to crush the Rebellion, he knew that the Death Star was not the means to that end. Yes, it would strike fear in the local systems, as the misguided Admiral Motti had claimed, but Vader had truly believed that such a station was unnecessary.

And ultimately, it had been a drain on resources and inherently flawed in its design.

HOW HARD IS IT TO PROTECT A THERMAL EXHAUST PORT, TWO METERS WIDE!?

?You are a Sith Lord,? Palpatine hissed. ?I gave you a simple task?keep her away from the Death Star. She was not to witness the project.?

Palpatine's tough to write, but I think you've got his voicing down. Very creepy!

The Emperor?s Hand stood in the hallway, carefully concealing her emotions. He stepped past the girl and ignored her polite bow, stalking down the corridor as his cloak billowed in his wake.

Oooh, that's good phrasing and imagry.

?Good. Good. Were they eliminated??

Mara shook her head. ?No, Master. I was able to bring them into custody. They should be arriving on Imperial Center at any moment.?

?Very good, my child. I am sure that they will bring much amusement to Ysanne.?

Well there was a name drop that for some reason I was NOT expecting! *shudder*

She did not care for Ysanne Isard at all, and considered her to be highly disturbed

Highly disturbed is putting it lightly

She was not trained as a Sith nor as a Jedi; she was something else entirely: an experiment, molded to carry out the Emperor?s will and deliver justice to those who threatened the stability of the Empire.

What a terrifying experiment

?Yes, Master,? she replied softly. ?I am sorry, but I?m afraid I do not agree with Grand Moff Tarkin regarding the destruction of Alderaan.?

?I see. Unfortunately for Grand Moff Tarkin, he is no longer here to defend himself. A pity.?

Everything your Palpy is saying just oozes with creepy-ness

?As you wish,? Mara said, idly wondering if there was any other reason why the Emperor was requesting her presence at the Palace. She quickly disregarded those thoughts. He was, of course, merely rewarding her for another mission accomplished.

ULTERIOR MOTIVES. THERE ARE ULTERIOR MOTIVES.

It filled her with pride, knowing that she had done her duty to the best of her ability and that he appreciated her success.

It really is kind of horrifying to reflect on how Palpatine warped her mind and worldview, isn't it?


Nanci I know you were really worried about this chapter, but it came off really, really well. Great job!

 

Hazel:

she was his ultimate manipulation experiment

Oh, she certainly was. Poor girl had absolutely no idea what she was doing or why - she just followed orders, no questions asked. There's a wonderful excerpt in Jedi vs. Sith: the Essential Guide to the Force where she basically says that she couldn't have even felt sorry for herself if she tried. It's very difficult for me to write Emperor's Hand Mara, but I hope it's coming off well. Basically I try to creep myself out and if that works, hopefully I've succeeded in creeping everyone else out, too.



Luna:

He manipulates them both so carefully, and I'm sad for how easily Mara goes with it after all her training.

He really is the master manipulator. That jerk.

Looking forward to more of what Mara does in her down time!

Next chapter jumps ahead, but you'll eventually find out what she's been up to. And she's not happy about it at all. Heh.



Fels:

Thank you! Their relationship is squicky and hard to write but also very necessary!



kataja:

BTW I wonder why we all so often picture him in black ? after all, he has a pretty daring taste when it comes to clother? - even the black dress isn?t exactly blending in?

If I had my way I'd picture him in the flight suit, all the time.

Aah... fijisi wood?

to TZ.

Oh, Mara, sweet Mara ? how young you are?

I know, I just want to give her a hug and shake her and tell her that Palpy is EEEEVIL! Perhaps somebody else will be able to do that for her.

Another amazing detail - great insight into Vader's thoughts!

Thanks! Vader has, surprisingly, become one of my favorite characters to write.

This is fab - their entire exchange is just as I've imagine it in canon!

Thank you! This was another at TZ. I had to put the hand thing in there.

You know, this reminds me that Hitler is supposed to have been very nice to his dog?



I love how you point this out - she might be disturbed ? but she did doubt = something in her knows better than her mind?

The doubts have taken a hold, as much as she wants to deny. I wonder if she'll start to doubt even more!



Piper:

You write Mara wonderfully, as always.

Aww, thanks! This is a very different Mara for me to write, so I hope it came off well!



Jade:

you have the emotional tone just right for Mara in this timeframe: loyal, efficient, and dedicated. You can tell she has scruples and questions but her entire world view hasn't been shaken yet.

Thank you! Things are starting to crack for her but she hasn't broken just yet. It'll take something quite shattering for that to happen.



Ocelotl:

Thanks! She has definitely had an interesting upbringing.



Phoenix:

The relationship between her and Palpatine is certainly interesting. Paternal. But you never really know if she actually was punished for mistakes or not.

She has never given a reason for him to punish her. She always behaved and has never failed a mission, so he keeps tossing false pride and congratulations on her, giving her more reason to serve the Empire and her Emperor. I have no doubt that if she did ever fail, Palpatine would punish her immensely. But, will that ever happen? We will see.



Briannakin:

I really liked how you portrayed the Mara/Palpy/Vader relationships.

Thanks! They're quite different from anything I've ever written before so this has certainly been a challenge.



Lane:

--As she grew older, Mara had become accustomed to such a high standard of living, even gaining a preference for the fijisi wood that decorated her quarters--

She's going to cost you a fortune, Luke

Lol! Nah, she can slum it.

Psychological warfare seems to be something Palpy would excel at

Just a little bit, huh?

Uh oh. Boss is in a foul mood. Mara may have just heard him shouting "WHAT THE HELL IS AN

 

Interesting dynamic between Mara and Palpatine. I wonder how much longer he will be able to keep the blinders over her eyes and continue to hide what a monster he truly is.

 

I wonder how much longer he will be able to keep the blinders over her eyes and continue to hide what a monster he truly is. It might take awhile...assuming she ever gets the blinders off, that is.

---

[u]CHAPTER 3[/u]





General Jan Dodonna, Alliance Minister of War and commander of the Yavin IV base, sat back in his chair and placed his datapad on his desk. ?I have to hand it to you, Captain Skywalker. Under other commanding officers, most of your pilots would have come back in pieces. You showed great leadership out there.?

?Thank you, sir,? Luke Skywalker replied respectfully. ?But my pilots deserve all the commendation for staying alive.?

?Ah, you?re being modest,? Commander Narra interjected from beside Luke. ?But the Rogues are certainly proving themselves to be the premier pilots of the Alliance. I?ll have to instruct my Renegades to spend more time in the sims.?

Luke grinned and again thanked his superior officers. He?d been in charge of Rogue Flight for three months now and was finally starting to feel like a true leader in the Alliance. His pilots were confident, listened to orders, and worked extremely well together?when Janson wasn?t on another prank rampage, that is. (Of course, such antics usually united the rest of the Rogues against him in extremely humorous retaliations, so Luke always turned a blind eye to such occasions.)

Rogue Flight had just returned to Yavin IV from an escort mission that had become an ambush, but the Rogues had managed to hold off the TIEs long enough for the transports to make another jump to lightspeed. Luke had felt immense pride that his group had been able to pull off such a feat, and was once again very glad for all of his pilots?especially Wedge, who had more than proven himself as his XO. Luke smiled, thinking of how his friend had opened up since the Death Star battle, and finally seemed to have gotten over his guilt about being forced to pull out of the trench run, and was now putting all his efforts into flying for the Rogues.

Both Luke and Narra rose from their chairs and saluted General Dodonna, but the aging general stopped Luke before he could leave the office. ?As you know, Captain Skywalker, we?ll be starting the final evacuation of the base within the week. After your success in your last mission, I hope that I can count on your Rogues to help lead the process.?

Luke nodded eagerly. ?Of course, general. We?ll be glad to assist in any way possible.?

?I knew I could count on you. You know, you take after your father very much.?

The young pilot?s head snapped up. ?You knew my father??

?Knew [i]of[/i] him,? Dodonna clarified. ?Everyone who served in the Clone Wars knew of General Skywalker, of course.?

The name echoed through Luke?s mind: [i]General Skywalker.[/i] For most of his life, he had believed that his father had been a navigator on a spice freighter. Then, one fateful day, he had met Ben Kenobi and come to learn that his father had in fact been a Jedi Knight named Anakin Skywalker, who had been killed by Darth Vader before Luke was born. Since arriving at the Alliance, some of the older leaders had approached Luke with stories of his father. They had described him as a fierce warrior, willing to go to any lengths to turn the tide of battle. They seemed to believe that Luke was destined to follow in his footsteps.

Their belief in him scared him senseless?but also filled him with immense determination to prove them right.

In comparison, nobody seemed to have any information about the identity of his mother. It appeared that his parents had not been married, or they had kept their relationship a secret. It saddened Luke to suddenly have so much information about his father, and yet his mother?s identity was still shrouded in mystery. He tried not to dwell on that fact, and remained grateful that he at least knew the truth about his father now.

?You even resemble him,? Dodonna continued. ?We all believed that the Jedi were gone after Palpatine came to power

 

Interesting twist upon how he finds his son. Cool.

Ozzel, second guessing himself, Vader and even everyone else. Methinks also that Piett will soon be Admiral of the Fleet. Piett is like the most awesome Imperial in Star Wars.

 

Quite a way to find out Vader has a son! I loved, loved, loved the interaction between Han, Leia, Chewie, and Luke. It felt so classic. It's terrible, though, that a big chunk of the Rebellion couldn't get off planet in time. I can't wait for more.