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

CHAPTER SIX







Luke stood at the window to his private office, rubbing his fingers across his forehead to ease the tension there. For days he?d had a building headache, like a tone just beyond hearing at the edges of his thoughts.

He turned quickly, aware that there was an expectant silence behind him. ?Say that again??



Talon Karrde frowned, aware that the Emperor's mind was elsewhere but not surprised; based on his own experience of herding little more than a few dozen smugglers, he felt he could safely assume that running an Empire could regularly get the wrong side of untenable. ?I said there?s a general call out for information regarding a certain SSD Executor.?

The Emperor frowned at the Intel regarding Darth Vader?s old command. ?What about it??

Karrde noted the Emperor's change in stance, the subtle tensing of his back as he straightened, completely focused again in that mildly unsettling way he had of switching in the space of a single blink.

?Nothing specific that I can define as yet, just plans and schematics,? Karrde admitted. ?I have feelers out though. I?ll let you know as soon as I have more.?

?Send me a copy of the details you have,? the Emperor said. ?Who?s put the call out??

?I don?t know? I?ve tried to trace it back but so far have come up blank. It didn?t come through their usual channels, but I think it?s the Rebel Alliance.?

?Because??

It was interesting that the Emperor would even ask such a thing, Karrde reflected; that he would invite the opinion of someone like Karrde. Because Karrde was pretty damn sure that it wasn?t the kind of thing that someone brought up in these exalted halls would generally do? Which beggared the question, why would he? Or maybe, to turn that on its head, if he did?then where was he brought up?

Karrde shrugged. ?Wording, mostly. The way it was distributed; it came in from the Rim, from a few sources at once, so whoever wants it is well-scattered out that way. Plus of course, who else would want it??

The Emperor hesitated, considering. ?Who would want the schematics of an eight-year-old Destroyer anyway??

?Yes,? Karrde said thoughtfully. ?Struck me as odd, too. I thought it was perhaps DEMP technology, but I understand they already have it.?

?They don?t have the shield system yet. Nor the means to direct the charge, we think.?

?Which means they can?t fire it off,? Karrde said, nodding. He?d been curious as to why it hadn?t been used by the Rebels. It seemed the perfect guerrilla tool; maximum damage for minimum effort.

?In point of fact they?ve already used it.? The Emperor?s admission of this to Karrde was flattering, but he also knew the way that the man thought; if this got out now, he?d know it was Karrde?and he knew that Karrde knew that too. ?It didn?t work out too well for them.?

?They built one??

?Stole it. Or rather, stole the parts to make two of them, then destroyed one when discharging the other.?

?So they still have one??

?Presuming they can get it working,? the Emperor allowed, seeming none too concerned. ?It was a prototype.?

?You?re not worried they?ll use it??

?Why do you think we?re running overtime to shield major military installations??

?What about principal cities??

The Emperor shook his head, confident. ?They wouldn?t do that; they never hit civilian targets.?

Karrde half-shrugged. ?I heard Madine hit a colony on Toprawa less than a year ago.?

?Yes, he did, and was severely reprimanded, so I hear. He was trying to destroy the new relay station there?the last one was destroyed by Rebels, what?nine years ago. We finally completed its replacement and Madine thought he?d make a statement by destroying it again.?

?I heard that. The Rebel group who destroyed the original were killed to a man. Those who weren?t shot, committed suicide.?

And then something remarkable happened; Karrde watched, fascinated, as the Emperor actually hesitated, visibly uncomfortable. Then he turned away, voice unnaturally even. ?Yes. To protect their mission.

 

Interesting prophesy. 'He', 'she' .... does Luke know who this 'she' is? I suspect he does, and this is what is throwing him for a loop.

 

Stunned by brilliance again! The facets regarding the tone Luke hears -- intriguing and compelling

The conversation with Karrde -- fantastic!

 

Thanks for the PM!

If you mean the photo, I'm afraid I assembled it myself in Photoshop - there is no original. It's about five seperate images and a lot of playing around. It's quite a big file though - if you wanted a larger copy to see it better, I could mail it to you?

It's just that I did some investigation of my own, and gathered that Luke's photograph was a variation on the formal robes of a Royal Knight of the Garter... Since I could not find it on the internet, I was curious as to what picture you had used as your base for the manip. As there was a lot more tweaking involved, it makes sense that I didn't. Anyhow, I would still very much like to have the picture, and will PM you further on that subject.

As for the post proper...

They had a different mission?one they chose to protect with their lives. Which was why the Alli?the Rebellion took exception to the reactivation of a new Imperial relay station there.

A little freudian slip there, kid?

?No,? the Emperor replied without meeting his eye. ?We put a lot of effort into keeping it very quiet.?
Which was a strange thing, taken on face value, Karrde reflected. Because when your main opposition causes a civilian tragedy, you generally make the fact well known, particularly considering that they would do the same to you in the blink of an eye. What reason then, did the new Emperor have to contain such a thing?because it must have been quite a feat to do so to this degree.

Which makes one wonder what kind of game the Emperor is playing here. Interesting. Most interesting.

?Madine is irrelevant. I don?t have the time for personal grudges.?
?I?ve heard he rather dislikes you,? Karrde pushed out of curiosity.
The Emperor grinned?and for once, the smile didn?t reveal his youth; this was a very different smile. ?Good. I work very hard to keep it that way.?
Karrde glanced down, freshly aware that to cross this man was a dangerous thing?and wondering, in that instant, from the way it had been spoken, whether there was more here than met the eye.

Indeed there is. But what, exactly?

He was pretty sure he could get into the right places given a few weeks? He didn?t even need that in truth; he just needed to be close enough to pick through the thoughts of those nearby. But then, he never had a few weeks anymore. A few hours were a luxury.

*hugs Luke* Seems like he needs it. Big time.

He stared a long time into the night, mesmerized by the changing patterns of ever-moving lights, aware that despite its closeness, it may as well be light-years away from him. He stood in the absolute center of the universe, yet remained forever isolated. How many beings envied him for being here? How many beings would change places with him if they knew what it had cost?what it still took from him every day?

*hugs him tight again* Seriously, Mara had better get her act together quick, because she's honestly the only one who understands him, in and out.

Luke stood before the lofty double-doors and stared at his old Master?s apartments, sealed on his death at Luke?s command, the whole five levels closed down. Knowledge of its existence remained always though, like a dirty stain at the edge of Luke?s awareness, the stagnant torpor of the place a cloying monument to self-serving greed, leaching into the shadows and darkness.

I really, really like this description...

Luke frowned, eyes tracing the curve of the scribings, the words transmuted with flawless clarity?
??And he balances on the biting blade whilst devils and angels whisper?
?And she balances the fates of the worlds whilst head and heart make war??

And herein lies the true balance: between man and woman, in the shades of gray between Light and Dark, between reason and emotion, between action and reflection. Only when such a feat is achieved can one be at peace. Or, in the words of the original Jedi Code:

Emotion, yet peace.
Ignorance, yet knowledge.
Passion, yet serenity.
Chaos, yet harmony.
Death, yet th

 

He stood in the absolute center of the universe, yet remained forever isolated. How many beings envied him for being here? How many beings would change places with him if they knew what it had cost?what it still took from him every day?

Love this part! However, I imagine there are quite a few - no conscience, only greed - Palpy had a nice time before Luke killed him...




??And he balances on the biting blade whilst devils and angels whisper?
?And she balances the fates of the worlds whilst head and heart make war??

Oh! How cool! Had an Indiana Jones/Lara Croft moment there, blank? I am pretty sure its about Luke and Leia keeping the galaxy/the force in balance, or something!



The throne; Luke turned to it, incensed, pushing Nathan?s hand away as he straightened. ?Get it out,? he snarled to Nathan, hearing the rage in his own voice and not caring. "I want it out of here!"


I'll do it, Luke! Your word is my command! This throne is evil...no wonder it was Palpy's favourite decoration!



Knowing only that it, this?this place, this task, this past, this path?it was taking Luke to pieces.

Amazing ending! Luke seems to have reached boiling point!

 

UP

 

Thanks for the PM.

Again another great update. The throne, hmm, I wonder if it will really hit the scrap heap. What if photos of the inscription find their way to rebels before it is melted down.

What will Luke do with the wing of the palace? how about a sewage processing plant? It is interesting as it means he has not access the emporers files and collection.

 

Interesting about the prophesy how it has both Luke and Leia mentioned on the throne room.

I cannot wait to see where this goes. Morwe soon

 

Knowing only that it, this?this place, this task, this past, this path?it was taking Luke to pieces.

Brilliance yet again! Another superbly written chapter. Luke continues to be pushed beyond what a person can usually take, but his past trials and experiences have hardened him. The question remains whether there will be "a straw that breaks the camel's back" .
Excellent job. Looking forward to more!

 

PonyTricks

""Interesting prophesy. 'He', 'she' .... does Luke know who this 'she' is? I suspect he does, and this is what is throwing him for a loop.""

You know, I think he has no idea at this point - it wouldn't even occur to him! But keep reading...





Jade_eyes

""Stunned by brilliance again! The facets regarding the tone Luke hears -- intriguing and compelling The conversation with Karrde -- fantastic!""

Heh, glad you liked Karrde's laconic wit is always great fun to write. He gets a lot more to do in this story too.





laurethiel1138

""Thanks for the PM!""

No problem

-----If you mean the photo, I'm afraid I assembled it myself in Photoshop - there is no original. It's about five seperate images and a lot of playing around. It's quite a big file though - if you wanted a larger copy to see it better, I could mail it to you?----

It's just that I did some investigation of my own, and gathered that Luke's photograph was a variation on the formal robes of a Royal Knight of the Garter... Since I could not find it on the internet, I was curious as to what picture you had used as your base for the manip. As there was a lot more tweaking involved, it makes sense that I didn't. Anyhow, I would still very much like to have the picture, and will PM you further on that subject.

Heh, good research! It is indeed the robes of a Knight of the Garter - the patron, in fact - with a few changes here and there Sure, if you'd like a larger copy just mail me, I'm happy to hand it out

-----""They had a different mission?one they chose to protect with their lives. Which was why the Alli?the Rebellion took exception to the reactivation of a new Imperial relay station there.""---

A little freudian slip there, kid?

-----?No,? the Emperor replied without meeting his eye. ?We put a lot of effort into keeping it very quiet.?-----

Which makes one wonder what kind of game the Emperor is playing here. Interesting. Most interesting.

Heh,heh,heh.

-----He was pretty sure he could get into the right places given a few weeks? He didn?t even need that in truth; he just needed to be close enough to pick through the thoughts of those nearby. But then, he never had a few weeks anymore. A few hours were a luxury.-----

*hugs Luke* Seems like he needs it. Big time.

Aw... But I haven't even gotten started yet...

-----He stared a long time into the night, mesmerized by the changing patterns of ever-moving lights, aware that despite its closeness, it may as well be light-years away from him.-----

*hugs him tight again* Seriously, Mara had better get her act together quick, because she's honestly the only one who understands him, in and out.[/blockquote]

More on that shortly...

-----Knowledge of its existence remained always though, like a dirty stain at the edge of Luke?s awareness, the stagnant torpor of the place a cloying monument to self-serving greed, leaching into the shadows and darkness.-----

I really, really like this description...

Thanks I always kinda worry about putting too much descriptive stuff in - my stories run long as it is!

----Luke frowned, eyes tracing the curve of the scribings, the words transmuted with flawless clarity?
??And he balances on the biting blade whilst devils and angels whisper?
?And she balances the fates of the worlds whilst head and heart make war??-----

And herein lies the true balance: between man and woman, in the shades of gray between Light and Dark, between reason and emotion, between action and reflection. Only when such a feat is achieved can one be at peace. Or, in the words

 

The-Solo-Smirk

Hey TSS

----He stood in the absolute center of the universe, yet remained forever isolated. How many beings envied him for being here? How many beings would change places with him if they knew what it had cost?what it still took from him every day?----

Love this part! However, I imagine there are quite a few - no conscience, only greed - Palpy had a nice time before Luke killed him...

He did rather run riot, didn't he? I guess Luke's problem is that he can't even begin to comprehend why anyone would want that kind of power and responsibility.

-----??And he balances on the biting blade whilst devils and angels whisper?
?And she balances the fates of the worlds whilst head and heart make war??-----

Oh! How cool! Had an Indiana Jones/Lara Croft moment there, blank? I am pretty sure its about Luke and Leia keeping the galaxy/the force in balance, or something!

I'm pretty sure you're right!

-----The throne; Luke turned to it, incensed, pushing Nathan?s hand away as he straightened. ?Get it out,? he snarled to Nathan, hearing the rage in his own voice and not caring. "I want it out of here!"-----

I'll do it, Luke! Your word is my command! This throne is evil...no wonder it was Palpy's favourite decoration!

Heh,heh,heh

-----Knowing only that it, this?this place, this task, this past, this path?it was taking Luke to pieces.-----

Amazing ending! Luke seems to have reached boiling point!

Glad you enjoyed it Boiling point? I haven't started yet!





Hey jedi1952- I didn't know you frequented this corner of the galaxy!






Ocelotl_Nesto

Thanks for the PM.

No problem


Again another great update. The throne, hmm, I wonder if it will really hit the scrap heap. What if photos of the inscription find their way to rebels before it is melted down.

Glad you liked Of course, Luke can only decipher the throne's secrets because the prophesy relates directly to him. Which would mean that there could be one other person who might...


What will Luke do with the wing of the palace? how about a sewage processing plant? It is interesting as it means he has not access the emporers files and collection.

Sewage plant? Heh,heh,heh - that's harsh! Yep, Luke's had no contact with or access to any of Palpy's Sith holocrons or artifacts - aside from the throne of course Will he in the furture? That's another story entirely...






JediFalcon

Interesting about the prophesy how it has both Luke and Leia mentioned on the throne.
I cannot wait to see where this goes. More soon

Yep, without her or Luke's knowledge, Leia too is being pulled into the prophesy. More coming shortly - this weekend, I hope!






dancing_star

-----Knowing only that it, this?this place, this task, this past, this path?it was taking Luke to pieces.----

Brilliance yet again! Another superbly written chapter. Luke continues to be pushed beyond what a person can usually take, but his past trials and experiences have hardened him. The question remains whether there will be "a straw that breaks the camel's back" .
Excellent job. Looking forward to more!

thanks, glad you enjoyed it As Mara said, Luke's past has made him strong. Whether it will be enough to endure what is to come...we'll see.



More shortly, folks!

 

I don't know how I keep falling behind over here.

?You know, you trust him more than you think.?

Leia frowned. ?Why do you say that??

?If you didn?t, you would have told ?em in that Council meeting exactly who you met on Devaron. But you wanted to give him a chance?the chance he wouldn?t have had with Madine and you know it.?

Han likes to keep a low profile and all, but he's often the most insightful of the bunch.

?I gotta go. I?m always late for briefings and I?m the one who?s supposed to be giving ?em.

Very in-character detail here.

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.

I always loved this bit. Han's faith in Luke is really touching. I always rather hoped that Wedge felt the same way.

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?

Every single time I've read this?and with all my rereads, that's been a lot of times by now?I think, "What if Leia hated mead?" Not that it wasn't an incredible gesture on Luke's part, but maybe Leia preferred chardonnay. It reminds me of the time a Filipino co-worker smuggled mangos back to the US after a visit home, and very generously insisted on sharing them. I tried hard to find a way to politely decline, telling her that they were her very favorite and she so rarely got home to sample them; I couldn't possibly take any from her. She absolutely insisted, and not just for me to take home. No, she cut one up and handed it to me then and there. I really hate mangos. Ate the whole darned thing and had to channel a tremendous amount of energy into pretending it was delicious. I can't quite shake the image of Leia doing the same with that mead.

On her way between the staff offices and the library in Luke?s privy apartments that evening, Mara frowned, pausing to listen to the earbud comm she wore which was linked into the security channels.

Who had they just said was at the main doors?

Once again, I've read this part many times. And every single time, my heart sinks for Mara. Every. Single. Time. Poor Mara.

Kiria D'Arca. Being politely shown to the White Drawing Room, judging from her direction. 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.

Brilliant bit of body language here.

the short train of her tastefully refined ruby red gown rustling on the marble floors

I hate trains. Why would you want your dress dragging on the floor, and who wants to constantly have to maneuver that extra bit of fabric gracefully? They may be pretty when well handled, but they're way more trouble than they're worth as far as I'm concerned.

Don't mind my tangents.

?Sir, I am well aware of the fact that this accord was not of your own suggestion, but I don?t believe that renders it invalid as a concept. I appreciate that you are viewing this simply as a political contract and I?m happy to do the same. I expect no more from it, or from you. If that?s your concern, then rest assured I understand what?s going on. I?m not stupid and I?m not naïve.?

Damn Kiria for being good at what she does. *sigh*

Kiria half-turned, still backstepping away from him with her hands clasped beh

 

Hmm, Luke?s letting his attention slip with Karrde is indeed a sign of trust, isn?t it? Missa like!

?Madine is irrelevant. I don?t have the time for personal grudges.?

?I?ve heard he rather dislikes you,? Karrde pushed out of curiosity.

The Emperor grinned?and for once, the smile didn?t reveal his youth; this was a very different smile. ?Good. I work very hard to keep it that way.?

Karrde glanced down, freshly aware that to cross this man was a dangerous thing?and wondering, in that instant, from the way it had been spoken, whether there was more here than met the eye.
Karrde?s so sharp ? and this little passus is so lovely ?cause I recall so many situations in RL where I?ve wondered the same thing as he here. Only Karrde would probably have a magnificent memory and be able to put things together in a way I can only dream of?

?It was always there now.

It had started as a distant tone at the edge of Luke?s mind when he?d returned to the Palace after Devaron, a sound just beyond hearing which had built steadily at the back of his awareness for weeks. And there was something else; something achingly familiar in the call. Some distant memory which collapsed into itself every time he reached for it, veiled recognition of that same perfect attunement which pressed in with dull denseness and knife-sharp clarity in the same instant. An absolute, magnetic draw, a summons which he alone heard, the sound pure and perfect and unrelenting, constantly gathering, until eventually it became as stringent and jarring as steel grating against steel, demanding attention. ?
Ahh? this is so lovely, so bearutifully, hauntingæy described!!! And we readers, we know what it is ? and we can?t tell him!!!! Argghhh!!!

?the night-watch guards didn?t so much as glance at each other before falling into pace a discrete distance behind. This was often the way that nights went here, the Emperor walking the halls of his sprawling apartment through the night like a caged animal, exhausted but unable to sleep. ?
What a job for the guards! What a life for Luke!

??And he balances on the biting blade whilst devils and angels whisper?
?And she balances the fates of the worlds whilst head and heart make war??
Double, tripple argghhh!!!!

?Shocked, Nathan took a hasty step back at the unfamiliar ferocity twisting Luke?s voice, at the feral fierceness in his glassy eyes, almost aglow in the low light. ?Out of here? Where do you want me to put it?? ?
Nathan?s so adoringly practical! I can just imaging him trying to grab the thing (which is probably awfully heavy) and starting to drag it somewhere else.

Knowing only that it, this?this place, this task, this past, this path?it was taking Luke to pieces.
And we readers can't to anything!!!!!!
Except to trust you Blank!

 

Sorry I have not added a review in a while.

I realy enjoy the development of the complexity of Luke. He learned so much more than his father ever did about what it takes to rule. He is willing to take risks and make decisions which may not make him happy, but will get him closer to reaching his goals.

Keep up the good work.

 

Gabri_Jade

Helloo Gabri!

?You know, you trust him more than you think.?
Leia frowned. ?Why do you say that??
?If you didn?t, you would have told ?em in that Council meeting exactly who you met on Devaron. But you wanted to give him a chance?the chance he wouldn?t have had with Madine and you know it.?

Han likes to keep a low profile and all, but he's often the most insightful of the bunch.

Heh - don't tell him that though - he's hard enough to handle already!

?I gotta go. I?m always late for briefings and I?m the one who?s supposed to be giving ?em.

Very in-character detail here.

LOL! Ta everso!

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.

I always loved this bit. Han's faith in Luke is really touching. I always rather hoped that Wedge felt the same way.

Yeah, I imagine Wedge would, wouldn't he? He and Han are cut from the same mould, I think.

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?

Every single time I've read this?and with all my rereads, that's been a lot of times by now?I think, "What if Leia hated mead?" Not that it wasn't an incredible gesture on Luke's part, but maybe Leia preferred chardonnay. It reminds me of the time a Filipino co-worker smuggled mangos back to the US after a visit home, and very generously insisted on sharing them. I tried hard to find a way to politely decline, telling her that they were her very favorite and she so rarely got home to sample them; I couldn't possibly take any from her. She absolutely insisted, and not just for me to take home. No, she cut one up and handed it to me then and there. I really hate mangos. Ate the whole darned thing and had to channel a tremendous amount of energy into pretending it was delicious. I can't quite shake the image of Leia doing the same with that mead.

LOL! Trust you to have a unique take on that! Here I am, trying to create a 'special moment', and all you're thinking about is mangos! (Actually, I can't get a taste for them either! )

On her way between the staff offices and the library in Luke?s privy apartments that evening, Mara frowned, pausing to listen to the earbud comm she wore which was linked into the security channels.
Who had they just said was at the main doors?

Once again, I've read this part many times. And every single time, my heart sinks for Mara. Every. Single. Time. Poor Mara.

She has no idea what's coming...

Kiria D'Arca. Being politely shown to the White Drawing Room, judging from her direction. 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.

Brilliant bit of body language here.

heh,heh - merci beaucoup



the short train of her tastefully refined ruby red gown rustling on the marble floors

I hate trains. Why would you want your dress dragging on the floor, and who wants to constantly have to maneuver that extra bit of fabric gracefully? They may be pretty when well handled, but they're way more trouble than they're worth as far as I'm concerned.
Don't mind my tangents.

He,heh. That was a complete trunk road w

 

Still Gabri!

He closed tired eyes against old memories, then opened them against the visions which still lurked in the dark of his mind, trying to ignore their barbed scratch against his sanity, like fingernails down the inside of his skull.

That's fantastic description.

Thanks I get it every time I think of Monday morning HOD meetings....

Another opportunity for scholars through the ages to read significant meanings onto things they knew nothing about

I frequently suspect just this, and about many things. I may be something of a cynic.

You?! Never!!

... Luke caught the power, contained it, the energy crackling back within like knife-blows, a burst of scarlet pain firing through him to tense every muscle and rip the breath from his lungs with incredible force. He was left gasping, breathless, the shock of it throwing reality to a distant blur for long seconds?

That's just gorgeous description.
See, that's what I get when I do Tuesday and Thursday physio with Darth Physiotherapist... (what - she's real!)


Whew, and I even finished this before you put the next chapter up. Will wonders never cease?

 

kataja

Hey Kataja

Hmm, Luke?s letting his attention slip with Karrde is indeed a sign of trust, isn?t it? Missa like!

Heh,heh - you gotta look for those little signs whith Luke...

The Emperor grinned?and for once, the smile didn?t reveal his youth; this was a very different smile. ?Good. I work very hard to keep it that way.?
Karrde glanced down, freshly aware that to cross this man was a dangerous thing?and wondering, in that instant, from the way it had been spoken, whether there was more here than met the eye.

Karrde?s so sharp ? and this little passus is so lovely ?cause I recall so many situations in RL where I?ve wondered the same thing as he here. Only Karrde would probably have a magnificent memory and be able to put things together in a way I can only dream of?

LOL! See, like you, I can write that stuff, but only with a sense of distant awe....

It had started as a distant tone at the edge of Luke?s mind when he?d returned to the Palace after Devaron, a sound just beyond hearing which had built steadily at the back of his awareness for weeks. And there was something else; something achingly familiar in the call. Some distant memory which collapsed into itself every time he reached for it, veiled recognition of that same perfect attunement which pressed in with dull denseness and knife-sharp clarity in the same instant. An absolute, magnetic draw, a summons which he alone heard, the sound pure and perfect and unrelenting, constantly gathering, until eventually it became as stringent and jarring as steel grating against steel, demanding attention.

Ahh? this is so lovely, so bearutifully, hauntingæy described!!! And we readers, we know what it is ? and we can?t tell him!!!! Argghhh!!!

Heh,heh - thanks so much!

??And he balances on the biting blade whilst devils and angels whisper?
?And she balances the fates of the worlds whilst head and heart make war??

Double, tripple argghhh!!!!

Heh,heh - I know! he's so close, and yet lightyears away from seeing it.....

?Shocked, Nathan took a hasty step back at the unfamiliar ferocity twisting Luke?s voice, at the feral fierceness in his glassy eyes, almost aglow in the low light. ?Out of here? Where do you want me to put it?? ?

Nathan?s so adoringly practical! I can just imaging him trying to grab the thing (which is probably awfully heavy) and starting to drag it somewhere else.

LOL! He would too, wouldn't he?!

Knowing only that it, this?this place, this task, this past, this path?it was taking Luke to pieces.
And we readers can't to anything!!!!!!

Except to trust you Blank!

Me? Even I don't trust me!








Darth_Malevolent7

Hey DM

I realy enjoy the development of the complexity of Luke. He learned so much more than his father ever did about what it takes to rule. He is willing to take risks and make decisions which may not make him happy, but will get him closer to reaching his goals.

Thanks, glad you're enjoying it Yeah, Luke's facing some hard decisions, which will impact on a lot of people, and he knows it. I guess the question becomes, not, What is he willing to give up for his goals, but, What is not willing to give up for his goals....


Keep up the good work.

Thank you! More tonight....

 

CHAPTER SEVEN








When Mara entered Luke?s office in the Cabinet the following morning she?d already been alerted as to the previous night?s happenings by Hallin. She?d sensed them herself on some level anyway, the faint attenuation in the Force which she?d always shared with Luke having sounded a strident chord for days now, despite his denied disquiet. In fact, if anything it seemed worse, not better, this morning. She stayed close, protective as ever, though she had the good sense not to mention the night?s events, aware that any open concern would be rebuffed.

Wez Reece broke the brittle silence as he entered with the morning dispatches, knocking politely on the door though there was hardly any point?Luke would have sensed his approach long ago.

?Good morning, Excellency. Dispatches,? Reece announced as he set forward, placing the four small datacards on a small clearing to the edge of Luke?s wide, cluttered desk.

?Thank you, Wez.? Luke glanced up distractedly. ?Oh, I was looking for the datacard on the new Star Destroyer, Sterling?I thought I?d left it in the data store??

Wez glanced to the substantial information storage system to Luke?s left, where all sensitive data chips were gathered, their edges aglow with diffuse blue radiance. ?Is it not there?? He walked casually over, frowning. ?I saw it yesterday. When were you looking??

?Yesterday,? Luke replied, reaching out to take the dispatches Reece had placed on his desk and accidentally knocking them away. They slid back over the far side of the crowded desk and Mara stepped forward to retrieve them from the floor, surprised that Luke had been so clumsy.

As she crouched, she glanced to his face and was left with the sudden intense feeling that this wasn?t the fact at all; this was something else. He reached out his hand and the small chips flew in neat succession into his palm yet he still seemed to pause, eyes to the floor.

Reece continued without turning, apparently unaware. ?Perhaps it?ah, here it is. Would you like it??

?Please,? Luke acknowledged without turning as he sat back down, already loading the first of the dispatch chips into his autoreader. ?Thanks, Wez?what will I do without you.?

The tall, heavily built Corellian smiled slightly, bowing wide shoulders as he placed the datacard on Luke?s desk, and Mara settled back on her chair as Reece left, the lofty double-doors sliding shut behind him. Long seconds passed in silence, somehow strangely tense to Mara?s senses?

Mara heard a muffled click as the door mechanism locked, and she turned to glance at it momentarily, knowing that Luke must have done it using the Force?

In the next second, everything flew forward off Luke?s desk as if thrown, flashing by to bounce from the wall behind her as she flinched away, and Luke let out a yell of frustration as he hammered the heel of his hand against the solid desk as he stood. ?Stupid! Stupid, stupid??

His chair fell back and he turned on it, catching it with his hand to launch it back against the wall behind him, part under his own strength, part augmented by the Force, so that it hit with a wrenching shriek, smashing to pieces as he stepped clear of the desk. Without pausing, he grabbed it by the front corner to heave it back with all the power of his arm and shoulder behind it, and Mara sensed the mental whirlwind that was the Force raise to sudden hurricane levels, lifting the desk to launch it across the chamber, one leg skittering as it careened half-controlled the length of the room to smash spectacularly against what was left of the chair, the massive weight hitting the wall with a reverberating blow which loosed plaster and knocked datacards and readers from nearby shelves.

Mara had stood and taken two steps back without even realizing it, her heart pounding against her ribs.

Luke turned on his heel and stalked toward the glass doors onto the balcony, flung open with enough force to rebound against their hinges. He was in the doorway by the time Mara began to wonder whethe

 

His father?s words, so stubbornly refuted by Luke, whispered again in his thoughts: ?Darkness cannot love. The results will be catastrophic and spiral from your control.? - Probably due to the fact that love will destroy darkness, just as sunlight drives away the night.

 

Wow!

So Wez is the turncoat!!

Loved the Mara/Luke conversation. They seem to be at an impasse relationship wise and philosophically. The chasm between them is too deep and unbridgeable.

It's very hard for me to read any fic where they're not romantically together and working as a team But I've come to accept that that's not going to happen this time. *wistful sigh*

Excellent, as always.

 

Hmm...

Wez is turning info? I honestly wonder. Mara wont like the contract. This is the kind of thing to push her over the edge, never underestimate a woman scorned. She has too tough a personality to be positioned as a consort/second class relationship.

Fellow reader seems to hit the nail on the head with Vaders words regarding love.

 

?You?re not Palpatine. And you?re not your father.?

?Again, I think you?re in the minority believing that.?

?You?d never use someone as your father did.?

Luke turned to her, outraged? but then what could he say? He knew the limits of his relationship with his father, Mara knew. He wasn?t blind. Instead he let his features relax into cool indifference, retreating behind well-honed shields. ?I am my father?s son, Mara.?

?Not in every way.?
Mara is so right.
I usually don't read stories where Luke has turned to the dark side- I like my innocent, sweet Luke , but you write so excellently I can't help but stick around.

 

I'll soon return with other feedback, but this was first in turn

? She stayed close, protective as ever, though she had the good sense not to mention the night?s events, aware that any open concern would be rebuffed. ?
I know many people who don?t like Mara Jade in general ? but you write her so wonderful they?ll have to melt!!! It?s such a paradox on many levels that she?d be so protective ? yet it feels absolutely right!

The enire Wes? revealed as traitor sequense is such a delight to read: both the intensity between Mara & Luke (where they?re so close and yet the wolf keep her an armlength away) and the way you handle his Force-using, seen from Mara? POV. I suppose no one else would even think of him being a Force user ? only she knows what signs to look for.

?Strangely, Luke?s own temper seemed to subside a little before Mara?s hot-headed indignation.?Yeah, it?s so nice when some one cares, isn?t it?

Poor Turis!

??Hallin suffers the same blindness you do.? He raised an eyebrow at her burst of surprise as it radiated out through the Force. ?Or did you think I didn?t know?? ?


I love the Luke&Mara discussion; Luke tries so hard not to tell, not to trust, but ends up doing it anyway! Ok, it could be labelled a slip but I?m not sure I?d do that

?Realization constricted Mara?s stomach with queasy revulsion, leaving her cold. All he?d done to Luke?the pitiless ordeals, endless condemnations, the brutal chastisements and cold manipulations, all in the name of control.

And Luke had known this, all of it. Known it was his creator who treated him this way.

?But why did he?? She couldn?t say it, suddenly. Couldn?t bring herself to call it the torture that it was. ?
But she?s so close, so close. She is calling it that in her head already and that?s the major difference!

??I don?t for a moment claim control.?

?Yet you do. Every day.? ?
Exactly!!!!

??I don?t let you,? she assured confidently.

?Then why are you still here? Either I?m using you or you?re using me, Mara?which is it today??

Mara was silent for long seconds, stung in a way that only he could. Still, she saw through his snipe as only she could. ?Why do you always push me away?? ?
She?s getting good at that. And I have to admit that it all makes so much more sense to me too, after I realized how he?s trying to protect her too! I really, really missed a huge thing there ? and it irritated me, like a constant itch on my nose whenever I read Brink!!!

?Hallin let the slightest of offended smiles cross his face. ?Have you eaten breakfast??

?Yes.?

?Then no. Was there fruit involved??

?No.?

?Ah.?

?I don?t do fruit before eleven,? Luke held out, and the medic dropped his head in acquiescence. ?
Luke?s like a misbehaving child sometimes!

??Because one can?t help but feel there?s a certain?overlap.? ?
Houston, we have a problem!

?And on some level, Nathan worried that this contract was just another conveniently offered way for Luke to distance himself, another way to avoid having to trust again. Another way to avoid ever being put into that situation again.

And if so, he felt a certain redhead may well have words to say about that. ?
It will certainly put things on the edge ? and force Luke out from the bush where he?s hiding! Wise man, him Hallin!

 

I don't get the logic about Wez being a spy - this is too sudden, I thought he is one of the few people who can be trusted? Why should he betray Luke? I thought he was ready for a change of policy under Luke's reign???

I am confused...

 

LOL! Trust you to have a unique take on that! Here I am, trying to create a 'special moment', and all you're thinking about is mangos!

It was a special moment! I just have traumatic memories of mangos.

I love your 'Exscuse me whilst I radiate...' userpic

That's Karrde for you

I get it every time I think of Monday morning HOD meetings....

Well, that adds a whole new level of appreciation for that passage.

See, that's what I get when I do Tuesday and Thursday physio with Darth Physiotherapist... (what - she's real!)

And apparently merciless!

?Thank you, Wez.? Luke glanced up distractedly. ?Oh, I was looking for the datacard on the new Star Destroyer, Sterling?I thought I?d left it in the data store??

Another tangent for you - this bit always reminds me of Luke and Mara's discussion about the Invincible, how Luke thought it was contentious and Mara shrugged it off by saying that Palpatine had always had a taste for the theatrical, and I'm amused that under Luke's reign, the Star Destroyers have calmer names.

?Wez. A year ago I would have put him in the top three people I trusted.

It also kind of amuses me that both Luke and Mara seem to miss the implication here. Who are the three people who've consistently remained close to Luke, both personally and professionally? Mara, Nathan, Wez. And who's ahead of Wez in the line of succession? Probably Nathan; definitely Mara. I swear, for as sharply intelligent as both Luke and Mara are, they're pretty clueless about their own psyches a lot of the time. Maybe they'd have been better off if Nathan had been a psychologist instead of a physician.

Strangely, Luke?s own temper seemed to subside a little before Mara?s hot-headed indignation. ?I should have known?I should have seen it coming. If he was willing to betray Palpatine to put me in power, then he?ll think nothing of betraying me to another.?

Rather a good point, really.

A pale, slim hand rested on the young man?s shoulder, and Mara stepped into the darkened room. Luke watched her calculating gaze take in the scene: his voice, his stance. Watched her casually pull the youth back as she stepped forward, centering all attention on herself. She still believed herself immune to his shifting disposition. It irked him that she was at least partially right.

?It was my fault,? Mara said evenly as she stepped forward. ?I told him you?d want to see me. If you?re going to shout, do it at me.?

But even when they're clueless, there's just a fantastic dynamic here. This trilogy is one of the very, very best examples I've ever seen of a seriously AU scenario that still manages to perfectly capture the essence of how Luke and Mara relate to and play off of each other.

?And there it is again,? Luke said bitterly. ?Destiny snapping at my heels. There?s no such thing.?

Hey, you modified that line. Good call. It's very effective.

?You aren?t here to force me to eat healthy breakfasts again, are you??

Hallin let the slightest of offended smiles cross his face. ?Have you eaten breakfast??

?Yes.?

?Then no. Was there fruit involved??

?No.?

?Ah.?

I really, really love Nathan.

And on some level, Nathan worried that this contract was just another conveniently offered way for Luke to distance himself, another way to avoid having to trust again. Another way to avoid ever being put into that situation again.

And if so, he felt a certain redhead may well have words to say about that.

Oh, quite. But so will Nathan himself. He just chooses his moments with more care than Mara does.