Beyond - Legends At the Brink of the Dawn and the Darkness (Act/Dr/Rom AU, L/M, H/L) Updated 12.10.10 COMPLETE!

?Kiria D?Arca had ambition alright, and she was putting every inch of her considerable abilities into forwarding it. Her family?s status had gotten her into the Imperial Palace and then close to Luke, but she?d done the rest herself?no mean feat. Luke was notoriously wary of outsiders but had tolerated her slow, sly insinuation into his broader civic retinue without comment?though without interest either. And having gotten onto the fringes, for some reason Mara couldn?t figure, D'Arca hadn?t pressed her advantage further. Because even if Luke couldn?t see or wasn?t bothering to acknowledge the truth, Mara was well aware of D?Arca?s intent; she knew a rival when she was looking at one.?
I love that! Mara?s always brillant ? but give her a arival and she?ll shine!!! I still can?t understand why the profics missed that opprotunity!

?Eight years older than Luke?
I still see that snippet of information as one of the guns of the wall ? only you haven?t fired it! Will you ever?

??Excellency, may I present Beladon D?Arca, head of the Royal House D'Arca, Planetary Governor of Borleias, Teyr, Govan and Sigmi.?

Unseen by the man as he entered, Mara narrowed her green eyes to slits, suspicion and dislike written all over her face. Luke glanced at her momentarily and couldn?t help but let out a grin which he wrestled into a dignified smile as he turned to D'Arca. ?
The small intimacies you give Luke and Mara are simply wonderful!!!

? which make me wonder: is D?Arca?s proposition at least part of the reason Luke has kept Mara an armlenth away the entire year? A fear of what might come? An excuse not to make anything worse?


?But something held him to silence at the last second, some rational voice at the back of his mind evaluating the advantages on offer. Was it cold logic?or was it the whisper of the Force??
Ta da da daah?.


?Mara?the only complication, as she always had been, one way or another. ?
Oh?love?.


?Because despite everything, some part of him still wanted to go to her now and gather her up in his arms and tell her that he?that he still wanted, that he still needed. Take her hand and run. Just run until they reached the end of the galaxy.

But he?d made that offer once, on the eve of his accession to Emperor: ?Come with me?we?ll leave now, tonight.? ?
Aahh...to me that?s still the ultimate ending?


?The naïve pilot who?d been dragged down to the cells below the Palace still occasionally whispered?and some part of him still couldn?t help but listen.?
And somehow you manage to let him whisper through the text constantly too ? and I and all other readers sit in breathless awe and can?t but listen...!

 

I'm wondering about that part too. Interested to see what Luke will ultimately decide.
Stunning and brilliantly written as always! The little details you add just make it so perfect. Looking forward to more!

 

oh oh...=(

Can't wait for more
Jingocat

 

It appears as if Mara's days of ease are over! Kiara better hold on to her tiara, things might get a bit stormy around here!


Knowing him as she did, Mara also saw what he hid so well behind his veneer of scornful disdain: that he was privately embarrassed by such things?that people were required to stand when he stood and sit when he sat and listen when he spoke.

This is sooo Luke! How cute! And it somehow shows the difference in character between Mara and him: she recognizes his discomfort but to her adhering to protocol is the most normal thing in the world - ha ha!


Unseen by the man as he entered, Mara narrowed her green eyes to slits, suspicion and dislike written all over her face. Luke glanced at her momentarily and couldn?t help but let out a grin which he wrestled into a dignified smile as he turned to D'Arca.

He he he - this whole D'Arca affair is very entertaining - Luke trying to suppress his grin is just


Now that was an act; D'Arca knew damn well that whatever had been agreed between himself and Palpatine, Luke had not been privy to it, though clearly he was somehow integral?which made Luke all the less willing to play these games. ?Palpatine is dead. Any agreement or accord you made with him died with him,? Luke stated unconditionally.

You go, Lukie!


Finally!




Seems as if Mara was a bit quicker on the uptake than Luke. Well, it doesn't surprise me one bit - women just know!

But...wait a moment...this meeting was one year ago? Uh! Fooled me again!


Luke sighed, leaning forward to rub at the bridge of his nose; so why, every time he closed his eyes, finally sure it was the right thing to do, did he see sharp, forest-green eyes and a blaze of red-gold hair?

Oh, you know the answer, Luke! Come on, be honest to yourself - we all know it's hard to trust (again) but...


The offer to leave all this behind and live normal lives, be normal people. Grow old and care for each other and?what? He didn?t even know; didn?t even remember what normal people did anymore. It didn?t matter; she?d wanted him to stay. Be Emperor. Rule, as Palpatine had. She?d wanted the man she?d spent her whole life revering and serving. She?d wanted Luke as well, he knew that, but she?d wanted more. Neither was ever enough?she wanted both.

So he?d stayed.?

And every single day since, he?d struggled to balance on the knife-edge between Light and Darkness.

Very good paragraph!


And over the years those disparate personalities had become more and more polarized, he knew that?could see it himself though he was powerless to stop it. Tormented and tortured, he?d had everything that he was ripped from him, and in a final effort to hold on to some semblance of sanity he?d relinquished it. But it hadn?t relinquished him.

Cool!


So he?d finally embraced?truly embraced, without reservation or coercion?the Dark Side. Because it had offered him the chance to achieve all that he desired: Palpatine?s destruction.

We have talked about this before (use dark side power with good intentions in mind), but still I have difficulties accepting the alternative - that Luke would have been strong enough to kill Palpy only be using his light side skills?...he accomplished what he wanted by embracing the dark side, so the galaxy would be free but now he is trapped between his conflicting dark side/light side selfs? It's just not fair!

 

PonyTricks

Ahhh... It appears Mara is jealous, and that she has a very good reason to be jealous. Will the practical side of Luke win out, and will he marry for political gain? I suspect he will, and Mara won't take it very well.

Heh,heh,heh? See that?s always been the thing with Luke ? of everyone, he asks the most of himself, so he?s truly torn here. He knows it gains him a lot, but he also knows that he still has feelings for Mara, even though he doesn?t trust her. And despite what he said to Kiria, he?s unable to separate out his public duties from his private life?yet







Ocelotl Nesto

Wow, you do like to torture Luke huh? Marriage could definitely be a benefit, but love is a much better reason than politics.

LOL! Is marriage the ultimate torture then? Love is a better reason ? in an ideal world. We?re back to Luke?s inability to hold his private life separate from his goals though? and his belief that he can?t trust Mara? and the fact that a political marriage might buy him that all-important stability he needs?

I think he needs to make a list?






Jade eyes

Well ... I guess Luke's backed into a corner. I'm happy he is honest enough to know the true nature of his feelings and motives and to be torn about them. Necessity it appears breeds compromise -- but you just have to be careful not to give away what you can't afford to lose or do without.
Mara seems to be coming up with the really short end of the stick.

She does right now, doesn?t she? But you know Mara ? she fights her best when she?s in a corner And like you say, Luke?s at least acknowledging his reasons?unfortunately, they happen to be good ones






RedGold

ah yes... reality... such a pain in the butt, no?

this kind of thinking can only end in a blaster shot...

LOL! Stop putting idea?s in Mara?s head!






Kataja

Hey Kataja

------Because even if Luke couldn?t see or wasn?t bothering to acknowledge the truth, Mara was well aware of D?Arca?s intent; she knew a rival when she was looking at one.------

I love that! Mara?s always brilliant ? but give her a arrival and she?ll shine!!! I still can?t understand why the profics missed that opportunity!

I know! Imagine what Zahn could do with a rivals-scenario?



-------Eight years older than Luke-------

I still see that snippet of information as one of the guns of the wall ? only you haven?t fired it! Will you ever?

Heh ? listen, you hear that? I think it?s a biological clock ticking?.
Which doesn?t mean to say I won?t use it again before I?m through?


-----Excellency, may I present Beladon D?Arca, head of the Royal House D'Arca, Planetary Governor of Borleias, Teyr, Govan and Sigmi.
-----Unseen by the man as he entered, Mara narrowed her green eyes to slits, suspicion and dislike written all over her face. Luke glanced at her momentarily and couldn?t help but let out a grin which he wrestled into a dignified smile as he turned to D'Arca. -----

The small intimacies you give Luke and Mara are simply wonderful!!!
? which make me wonder: is D?Arca?s proposition at least part of the reason Luke has kept Mara an arms? length away the entire year? A fear of what might come? An excuse not to make anything worse?

Yes! Yaay! You get three gold stars for being the only one to spot it!




-----But something held him to silence at the last second, some rational voice at the back of his mind evaluating the advantages on offer. Was it cold logic?or was it the whisper of the Force?-----

Ta da da daah?

LOL! We need Gabri in on this one ? she?s doing a mix tape! I?m so excited!




-----Mara?the

 

So thats why he kept Mara at arms length to prevent her from doing something to Kiara. I don't like where that last post seemed to be going. I can't see this marriage past as more then a tool to Luke's advantage and nothing more.

I really don't want to see this marriage happen.

Mara is going to have a fit.

 

We?ll be continuing that plotline in the next chapter, as well as going to see what Han and Leia are doing?

...and you expect us to wait for a few MORE days? Mean!

 

Heh ? listen, you hear that? I think it?s a biological clock ticking?.
Which doesn?t mean to say I won?t use it again before I?m through?

And here I was, believin it was the sound of a bomb you intended to blow...


Yes! Yaay! You get three gold stars for being the only one to spot it!

Yay!!! I have to start an account!


Fairytale ending? moi?
You have it in you - I know!!!

 

So, just getting ready to post, I've realized that I?d completely forgotten to send the next chapter off to Jedi-2B for betaing, so I?m afraid you have to wait a few days now

Gives me a chance to get my belated feedback in under the wire. I shan't complain.

Staggered well apart to let long shafts of light into their center, each of the Towers rose from the grand, partially glass-roofed atrium of the Crossways, the sole entrance to the Towers, whose arched and vaulted ceiling was supported by regimented rows of carved, gracefully fluted columns.

I've said this before and I'll doubtless say it again: I can see the whole thing. I wish I could convey just how hard it can be for me to visualize surroundings through words alone, but I can always see your scenes.

Even now during Luke?s reign, although a notable amount of control was being transferred to regional locations, the ability to make major or long-reaching decisions still remained solely within the Palace, requiring a huge staff to assimilate, prioritize, allocate and act upon the incredible amount of data coming in daily from the vast reaches of the Empire.

Another of my favorite parts of this story is how real?and interesting!?you make the ordinary details that comprise so much of life, like the bureaucratic side of the Empire.

Luke had presided less than a dozen times in the last year?and even then only when convention marked some kind of milestone which traditionally required the Emperor?s attendance. Knowing him as she did, Mara also saw what he hid so well behind his veneer of scornful disdain: that he was privately embarrassed by such things?that people were required to stand when he stood and sit when he sat and listen when he spoke.

I do love this detail. Can you imagine what humble Owen and Beru would have to say to such extravagantly submissive etiquette? I bet Luke imagines it every time he has to attend Court.

Because even if Luke couldn?t see or wasn?t bothering to acknowledge the truth, Mara was well aware of D?Arca?s intent; she knew a rival when she was looking at one.

That's my girl. For all the good it's likely to do her...

Unseen by the man as he entered, Mara narrowed her green eyes to slits, suspicion and dislike written all over her face. Luke glanced at her momentarily and couldn?t help but let out a grin which he wrestled into a dignified smile as he turned to D'Arca.

Hee.

Luke?s automatic reaction was the urge to laugh in D'Arca?s face; to dismiss this out of hand simply on principle. He took a sharp breath in to do so?

But something held him to silence at the last second, some rational voice at the back of his mind evaluating the advantages on offer. Was it cold logic?or was it the whisper of the Force?

He hesitated?considered.

Ah, yes. The point at which my poor fangirl heart began to sink in earnest.

Nathan had claimed Luke?s concern was an attempt to assuage his own guilt, and perhaps it was, but no matter what the benefits, Luke found he couldn?t step past this obstacle if Kiria D'Arca was unwilling or unsure. He was used to living empty shams and public charades if they achieved his goals. The question was, could she?

Ha, after all this time Luke still doesn't understand the way the highest echelons of society think, does he?

So he?d stayed. Not completely because of her, he?d be lying if he claimed that. But if she?d said yes in that moment, if she?d said to start the engines of the scoutship and just fly out of there without ever looking back, he would have done so as the words left her mouth, without hesitation. But she hadn?t.

It is interesting to think what would have happened had they really done that, isn't it? How would Luke and Mara have transitioned to ordinary and anonymous lives? What would have happened to the Empire? How long would it ever have lasted, no matter where they went, when Luke is so recognizable with that scar? Come now; wouldn't you like to write AUs of your own stor

 

Still waiting for the update. *pokes Michele away from all those unpacked boxes to get the next chapter betaed*

 

Gabri_Jade


""Gives me a chance to get my belated feedback in under the wire. I shan't complain.""





""I've said this before and I'll doubtless say it again: I can see the whole thing. I wish I could convey just how hard it can be for me to visualize surroundings through words alone, but I can always see your scenes.""

It's great to know those work. I kina agonize over writing them, cos I read them back and think, 'does that make sense to anyone?', so to know they're working is fab.



-----""Even now during Luke?s reign, although a notable amount of control was being transferred to regional locations, the ability to make major or long-reaching decisions still remained solely within the Palace, requiring a huge staff to assimilate, prioritize, allocate and act upon the incredible amount of data coming in daily from the vast reaches of the Empire. ""-----

Another of my favorite parts of this story is how real?and interesting!?you make the ordinary details that comprise so much of life, like the bureaucratic side of the Empire.

I get sudden urges to explain the minutae... I think it follows late night pizza and wierd dreams....



-----""Luke had presided less than a dozen times in the last year...he was privately embarrassed by such things?that people were required to stand when he stood and sit when he sat and listen when he spoke.""-----

I do love this detail. Can you imagine what humble Owen and Beru would have to say to such extravagantly submissive etiquette? I bet Luke imagines it every time he has to attend Court.

Heh,heh - absolutely! Plus, a gold Star for another reason Luke might never attend Court? (actually I think it might be later...




-----""Unseen by the man as he entered, Mara narrowed her green eyes to slits, suspicion and dislike written all over her face. Luke glanced at her momentarily and couldn?t help but let out a grin which he wrestled into a dignified smile as he turned to D'Arca."-----

Hee.

See, she can still make him laugh...



-----""Luke?s automatic reaction was the urge to laugh in D'Arca?s face; to dismiss this out of hand simply on principle. He took a sharp breath in to do so ? He hesitated?considered.""-----

Ah, yes. The point at which my poor fangirl heart began to sink in earnest.

Muah-ha-ha-ha-ha!



-----""So he?d stayed. Not completely because of her, he?d be lying if he claimed that. But if she?d said yes in that moment, if she?d said to start the engines of the scoutship and just fly out of there without ever looking back, he would have done so as the words left her mouth, without hesitation. But she hadn?t.""-----

It is interesting to think what would have happened had they really done that, isn't it? How would Luke and Mara have transitioned to ordinary and anonymous lives? What would have happened to the Empire? How long would it ever have lasted, no matter where they went, when Luke is so recognizable with that scar? Come now; wouldn't you like to write AUs of your own story?

Augh! must...resist.... But feel free yourself...



-----"" So somewhere inside, every day since, he had to wonder:
Had Palpatine won anyway? ""-----

There's my beloved psychological twistiness again.





Also: is D?Arca?s proposition at least part of the reason Luke has kept Mara an arms? length away the entire year? A fear of what might come? An excuse not to make anything worse?

ARGH. I never caught that. ARGH, I say.

LOL!








PonyTricks

Still waiting for the update. *pokes Michele away from all those unpacked boxes to get the next chapter betaed*

LOL! Poor Michele! But two in the post today, so we're off!

 

CHAPTER FIVE







It hadn?t gone well. But then, for the Commander-in-Chief of the Rebel Alliance to admit that she?d gone out on a mission that she?d conveniently forgotten to mention to her own Chiefs of Staff was never really going to go down that well, Leia knew.

And really, that was the high point. It pretty much went downhill from there. And when it wasn?t going downhill, Madine and his supporters were putting their all into re-aiming it that way.

?What is their problem?? Han grumbled, as he and Leia finally split off from the others at the end of the excruciating meeting, headed to a quieter side-corridor onboard Home One.

Leia shrugged, trying hard to remain indifferent. ?They had a point.?

?Yeah? Well I must?ve missed it in between all of Madine's posturing.?

Leia had to smile. ?He was on-form today. But then I guess I gave him something to aim at.?

Han considerately didn?t mention that she could?ve given them a whole lot more.

She hadn?t told them, of course. She hadn?t even told Han for a full day, and when she did tell him, he?d seemed disturbed by his own ambivalence in those first few seconds, surprisingly uncomfortable with the thought that Luke had now turned his attention to Leia.

?Are you gonna tell them?? he asked at last.

Leia pursed her lips, fine frown lines wrinkling her brow. ?When I?m ready?when the time?s right.?

?There?s a right time for that??

?There?s a wrong time,? Leia countered. ?And that?s now.? It had been?surprisingly easy to withhold that vital fact. Perhaps because she didn?t want to have to deal with all the conflicts and contradictions it embodied right now. Probably because she didn?t want to face another round with Madine, Leia reflected wryly.

Or maybe she didn?t want to be told she couldn?t go back? Leia frowned at that; was it true?

No? no, the one person she had discussed it with was Tag Massa, her Intel chief. And Tag, Leia had known before she?d told her, wouldn?t want her to go back. In fact she?d turned on Han, unable to believe he?d let Leia go in the first place. It had taken long minutes to calm her down, but little to persuade her to hold her silence on this; Tag had always looked after Leia's interests, she knew; always looked out for her.

?When you tell Madine, can I be there to see if his head explodes?? Han asked glibly. ?I?m figuring it?s either that or he?ll actually try to get his own Commander-in-Chief arrested for treason? Then he?ll try to blame it on me somehow; he generally tries to make pretty much anything else that gets thrown around here stick to me.?

?He?s just embracing the democratic process,? Leia said dryly of the ex-Imperial Commander. ?Anyway, I thought he was your new best buddy??

Madine had made several approaches to Han in the last few months, Leia knew, ostensibly overtures to friendship in which he?d made all the right noises. Still, Han was wary, and if there was one thing Han Solo had, it was a honed sense of survival; if he thought Madine was up to something, then Leia believed him. What it was, she didn?t know. Han had run through everything Madine had spoken about, but it was all vague; general talk well within safe bounds. The past mostly?old missions, old successes and failures, Mon Mothma and the impact of her loss, Han and Leia's capture by the Empire at Bespin. Nothing specific.

?Yeah, we?re regular pals now,? Han dismissed dryly. ?In fact, he?s put in a request for Blue Wing to accompany the mission on his little jaunt out to Fondor.?

?The shipyards.? Leia winced. She?d sanctioned the planned attack months earlier and now felt some stab of guilt after her meeting with Luke. She blinked quickly, shaking her head in annoyance; with the Emperor. ?Well we can?t stop it now.?

?Are you sayin? you would have?? Han asked, tone deceptively light.

?Yes. No?? Leia shook her head again. ?I just don?t know. How can I believe him?how can I believe anything he says??

?You tell me,? Han said. ?Then tell him and see what he does. You

 

Finally!!! First post! I can't believe Luke won't speak to Mara about what he's about to do! I know they're not exactly that close anymore, but still...he should at least tell her face to face. And Kiria! I hate her already!

 

The H&L is gentle and sympathetic in tone and still lightly teasing

The talk between Kiria and Luke -- excellently done. So his personal and public lives will be totally separate

Will Mara go for that?

~~~~~~

The dream Leia's been having -- quite intriguing -- that the wolf never harms her and that it turned into a man.

 

Hmmm. Has Leia never suspected who this 'wolf' actually is in her dream, or is she just in denial?

Luke does seem to keep everyone in the dark. (just like the author!)

 

Dreams of a Wolf eh?-- I still wonder about a DNA sample falling into Lukes hands... that would really throw a spin on things!

I dont think Mara would go for "consort" status. That would be the kind of thing to send her off the deep end.

 

Empress and a consort....that could be big trouble where Mara's involved....even if that's what Luke is really heading towards...
hmmmm

I like the description of Leia's dream


Can't wait for the next one
Jingocat

 

??The shipyards.? Leia winced. She?d sanctioned the planned attack months earlier and now felt some stab of guilt after her meeting with Luke. She blinked quickly, shaking her head in annoyance; with the Emperor. ?Well we can?t stop it now.?

?Are you sayin? you would have?? Han asked, tone deceptively light.

?Yes. No?? Leia shook her head again. ?I just don?t know. How can I believe him?how can I believe anything he says??

?You tell me,? Han said. ?Then tell him and see what he does. You might be surprised.?

?I can?t go back, not yet? If I do, I need to let Fondor blow over first.?

?I think the kid?s past taking stuff like that personally,? Han assured. ?If he did, he wouldn?t have spoken to you in the first place.? ?
LOL I think I really missed all of that when I read it first time. Lovely to see how right Han is! But then, Luke told he he didn?t take things that personally anymore, didn?t he?

?Was it real? Was anything he?d said real? Han wanted to believe because he and Luke had a history, but Massa?despite her official line, Leia had a feeling that privately, Massa felt pretty much the same?and there was no connection there, no history.?

Haa?.

??It turned into a man, knelt with one knee on the floor.? ?
You know, that dream still gives me cold shivers to read about! Lovely, cold shivers. But I payed attention to this now, - knelt ? but not to Leia, hmm??

?a half-smoked spice stick?

?Seeing Mara, Kiria narrowed almond eyes and drew herself up to her full height, which was hardly tall, though she exuded a kind of innate superiority through the act.

Never one to be browbeaten, Mara stopped, head tilting to one side in her best, I?ve seen it all before stance, and the two women passed with not a single word spoken and yet volumes communicated. ?
Volume communicated indeed. Oh, they sure are worthy opponents!

?the short train of her tastefully refined ruby red gown rustling on the marble floors?
that gives me creeps ? as it did with him!
All that fine fabric that needs washing?

?Kiria D'Arca held herself tall as she passed the Jade woman, one of Palpatine?s old agents long associated with Skywalker in whispered tones throughout the Palace. ?
Hmm, you write it like she knew his name is Skywalker?

??Yes, uncharted territory does that,? he said graciously, and Kiria flashed him her best smile, made exceptional by the fact that she genuinely meant it.

The slightest of frowns shadowed his face, as if he were uncomfortable at that?Uncomportable ? with her being genuine ? or that he maybe found the smile exceptional?

?He remained silent and she took the opportunity to glance at him, taking in that tense, kinetic stillness which always emanated from him, that distant air which he wore like a shield. What was underneath? ?
Yeah, keep her wondering!

?She?d heard that when practicing lightsaber, as he did almost nightly, in the heat of summer he would occasionally strip off his white athletic shirt and practice in only his fitted trousers, and could occasionally be seen wandering back through the West Tower in the same way, a towel about his shoulders, though Kiria couldn?t imagine such a thing of the man she saw before her now. Or perhaps she could; he was strong and straight, wide at the shoulder and slim at his hips, the carefully tailored suits accentuating his athletic form? Yes, she could very well imagine that. ?
? and imagining!

?It occurred to Kiria that if the Emperor was in a relationship with Jade then it would be because he was attracted to her. He could have anybody?anyone at all. The fact that he?d chosen Jade meant something. Kiria wanted to slap her head for not realizing sooner; Jade was well-known within the Palace for speaking her mind and consequences be damned. She never held back and she never sugar-coated. She was a

 

Hmm interesting post. So she's trying to figure out the extent of the relationship between Luke and Mara. Luke said it would be only politcal and not private.

Now I'm intriqued on what will happen next. Can't wait for more

 

I like the fact that Kiria is intelligent enough to deal with Luke who seems to be untouchable and superior to everyone at the moment, although I doubt that he would allow somebody close to him who is as ambitious as Kiria. You never know when she stabs you in the back!

I didn't quite understand why Han has Luke's crumpled picture in the pocket of his jacket-if this is not for sentimental reasons, please enlighten me! I am looking forward to seeing Leia in action as to how to deal with Luke's offer - quite interesting that Han is afraid for her or at least concerned, now that Luke has expressed some interest...

Things don't seem to go too well for Mara, accepting Kiria as his wife seems to be Luke's decision alone...I don't know what Mara can do, especially at a time when Luke has lost his trust in her.

 

Walking back toward the Command Center, Leia slipped her arms into Han?s battered old jacket, the weight and the feel of it comforting, its size completely engulfing her. Smiling, she tucked her hands into the deep pockets and her finger caught against something, nail embedding into the sticky surface. Pulling a face, Leia dragged her hand out and shook it until the old piece of unwrapped, lint-covered candy came free, a fine roll of it sticking beneath her nails. Typical.

Fumbling through the other pockets, she emptied them of an assortment of wrappers, tech fuses, half a broken memory chip, two ticket stubs, a half-smoked spice stick and indeterminate fluff. Muttering, Leia undid the breast pockets and pulled a piece of torn-edged flimsiplast card out from one, folded in half to fit.

Opening it stopped her dead in the corridor, the shock holding her attention completely, the bustle of people around her fading to nothing. In her hand, creased and battered, its corners worn and the image lost in places, was an old-fashioned, two-D image.

They?d been released in limited numbers on the event of the new Emperor?s first year in office, their allocation carefully controlled, presented only to a select group to make sure that they became a sought-after commodity before they were even distributed. How Han had come by one Leia didn?t know, but it seemed genuine, the official seal in the lower corner still intact. The image itself, two-dimensional and printed onto foiled flimsiplast with a sepia tone to hint at age and continuity, held Leia's gaze completely, her smile melting away.

It was Luke?

....

Leia reached out to run her finger gently over the worn image, remembering vividly when she had watched in rapt silence as the man she had been so close to was named Emperor... Was it really the same person? Looking at the image now, she could see only the barest resemblance between the easy-going, self-effacing pilot and the stately, compelling man who stared out from the image with such insular intensity. Some part of her doubted, some part of her wished?

Was this the man she knew? The same man who had spent four weeks? pay on a bottle of mead from the destroyed Alderaan and given it to her, just to see her face when he did so? Four weeks pay!

Had it been the incredible, selfless gesture she?d thought at the time?or was it simply that the astronomical price didn?t matter, not to him?not to someone who?d grown up in the limitless, opulent affluence of the Imperial Palace?

Was it the selfless gift of a much-missed friend?or was it the cold manipulations of Palpatine?s Heir?

Was it benevolent compassion?or nothing at all?

This was my favorite part. Wonderfully written! (as always )

 

I just finished a four-day marathon reading of your trilogy...

And it's quite simply magnificent. Damn, but your characterization is spot-on, and the attention to detail splendid.

[Edit:

In the last post, I especially liked the description of Luke's official holo (major *squee!* at this one: the rising sun at his back - quite symbolic indeed). As I read it, I looked at the cover picture you gave us (could we perhaps have a link to the original photograph?), and I felt Leia's puzzlement as she contemplated the enigma that was the Emperor. I truly think she's coming to a better understanding of the man, which will come in handy when (if?) their relationship is revealed. (The sweet irony of it being, of course, that, as Emperor and Chief of the Alliance, they will have more than fulfilled their old man's ambitions.)

In that respect, her dream/vision is particularly interesting. To her contact, the wolf becomes a man. As he finds his way back to his family (DNA proof or not, I think he's long considered Leia like a sister, as the Alderaan mead episode shows), he finds his heart again... I do hope he realizes how empty a marriage to the likes of Kiria would be. He desperately needs honesty and care such as Mara could give, not more "games within games" as Kiria offers (he need only look at his father to see what a soulless life it would be). Hopefully, the thrown gauntlet will be enough to make Mara's competitive streak rise up to the fore, and make her realize how much Luke still means to her.]

Please PM me when you update next.

Cheers,

Lauré

 

no update? Would have been nice to end my working day (Sunday!) with something I actually enjoy doing: reading your story, blank!

 

I feel the same way about Fridays -- best way to spend a Friday evening is to read a riveting, looong update LOL

 

AniriRevan

Finally!!! First post! I can't believe Luke won't speak to Mara about what he's about to do! I know they're not exactly that close anymore, but still...he should at least tell her face to face. And Kiria! I hate her already!

Yaay! First post! Yep, Luke and Mara aren't exactly on the same page any more, considering past events...but I also think that Luke maybe knows how much this will hurt her, and he wants to be sure he has no other option before he takes this one. Will he tell her face to face? Heh,heh,heh... Read on...






Jade_eyes

The H&L is gentle and sympathetic in tone and still lightly teasing
The talk between Kiria and Luke -- excellently done. So his personal and public lives will be totally separate
Will Mara go for that?

Even if she did, is it even possible, given the two women involved?


The dream Leia's been having -- quite intriguing -- that the wolf never harms her and that it turned into a man.

If only she knew she had the Force to guide her!






PonyTricks

Hmmm. Has Leia never suspected who this 'wolf' actually is in her dream, or is she just in denial?

Heh - you know, I think maybe it's a little bit of both.


Luke does seem to keep everyone in the dark. (just like the author!)

Who, me?!






Ocelotl_Nesto


Dreams of a Wolf eh?-- I still wonder about a DNA sample falling into Lukes hands... that would really throw a spin on things!

I'm sure I have no idea what you could possibly mean


I dont think Mara would go for "consort" status. That would be the kind of thing to send her off the deep end.

Heh,heh,heh. Kiria's a smart player though, well aware of the fact that she's facing a once in a lifetime opportunity. And whether he likes it or not, Luke's aware that in her (and the advantages she'd bring), he has he same.






Jingocat

Empress and a consort....that could be big trouble where Mara's involved....even if that's what Luke is really heading towards...
hmmmm

Hmmm... I think that beyond the advantages this offers to his own long-term goals, Luke's really trying hard not to think about it.


I like the description of Leia's dream

Thanks! Dream scennes and visions are always fun to write - you can go so over-the-top theatrical


Can't wait for the next one

Coming up...at last!






kataja

Hey Kataja!

??The shipyards.? Leia winced. She?d sanctioned the planned attack months earlier and now felt some stab of guilt after her meeting with Luke. She blinked quickly, shaking her head in annoyance; with the Emperor. ?Well we can?t stop it now.?
?Are you sayin? you would have?? Han asked, tone deceptively light.
?Yes. No?? Leia shook her head again. ?I just don?t know. How can I believe him?how can I believe anything he says??
?You tell me,? Han said. ?Then tell him and see what he does. You might be surprised.?
?I can?t go back, not yet? If I do, I need to let Fondor blow over first.?
?I think the kid?s past taking stuff like that personally,? Han assured. ?If he did, he wouldn?t have spoken to you in the first place.?

LOL I think I really missed all of that when I read it first time. Lovely to see how right Han is! But then, Luke told he he didn?t take things that personally anymore, didn?t he?

Heh - Han always has faith in his friends!

??It turned into a man, knelt with one knee on the floor.?

You know, that dream still gives me cold shivers to read about! Lovely, cold shivers. But I payed attention to this now, - knelt ? but not to Leia, hmm??

Glad you liked[fac