Saga In Love and War - ROTJ-AU - H/L, L/V - Completed!

Disclaimer: All characters in the Star Wars universe are sole property of George Lucas. Just borrowing from his creations for entertainment purposes; i.e. George owns the playground and I'm just playing in the sandbox.

Summary: Events begin after Han has been frozen in carbonite and Luke has just received his new prosthetic hand. Leia makes a startling announcement....

Retraction: As I've been writing further into this story, it seems it is becoming a sequel to my fic Of Spies and Sabacc. Out of sheer laziness, I've managed to recycle so many characters that the story line basically uses some important plot lines from OSAS. For people who haven't read that fic, though, I'm trying to write this out in such a way that original characters I used in OSAS will be introduced properly and no major advantage will be gained by having read it (although I'd love it if people would take a gander).

 

(All's Fair) In Love and War


Chapter One

Princess Leia Organa turned back from the large transparisteel windows to watch Luke Skywalker. They were in the medical bay of the Republic Star Cruiser Lightning and Luke was finishing another round of physical therapy with the Two-One-Bee medical droid. Luke?s hand had been cut off during a lightsaber battle with Darth Vader on Bespin a little over four weeks ago, and was now replaced by a mechanical prosthesis, which he was slowly learning to use.

?Ow,? Luke said softly, as the droid pricked at the prosthetic fingers to test the neural connections. The droid stopped the testing, satisfied with the results, and Luke closed the wrist cover over the circuits. The droid rolled away and out of the room.

A voice sounded over the intercom in the room. Both Luke and Leia looked up to hear Lando Calrissian?s voice: ?Luke, we?ll be taking off any minute.?

?All right, I?ll meet you back on Tatooine,? Luke replied.

?Princess,? Lando said, ?We?ll find Han. I promise.?

Leia nodded her head, unsure of what to say. Her feelings toward Lando were mixed, and mostly not very complimentary. She had been attracted by his charm when she first met him, and almost instantly wary of it, knowing from years of experience in the Imperial Senate that charm often masked undesirable qualities. Her suspicions had been borne out fully when Lando handed Han over to Darth Vader and the bounty hunter, Boba Fett. As a politician and a representative of her people, Leia understood with the intellectual part of her mind the terrible pressure Lando had been under when Vader came to Cloud City and coerced him into trading Han in exchange for the safety of his city. Her heart, however, cried out in fury that Lando could do this to Han?her Han. Not all of the logic and reasoning in the galaxy would persuade her to forgive Lando for what he had done. Only a successful rescue mission would fully exonerate Lando in Leia?s eyes.

The intercom switched off, and as Leia turned back to look out the transparisteel windows, her thoughts returned to Han. He had rarely left her thoughts for more than a few minutes at a time since he had been taken by Boba Fett. Leia?s reveries turned in an increasingly worn groove in her mind?memories of her brief happiness with Han, then regret over all the time they had wasted loving each other at cross purposes, then anger that anyone would dare to take Han from her, then fear for his life. And last, back to memories of her last days with Han before he was taken from her.

*********************

Luke slid off the medical bed and came to stand beside Leia. Lando?s announcement made him turn his thoughts away from Darth Vader and the shattering, unbelievable announcement the Dark Lord of the Sith had made during their encounter; Luke put his arm around Leia, giving her some comfort he felt she sorely needed. Like Leia, Luke was sick at heart over Han?s abduction. He had always looked upon Han as an older brother, a sometime mentor, and a good friend. Whenever Luke was together with Han, Chewbacca and Leia, he always felt he was at home with family, wherever he was, whatever the situation, loving the jokey comradeship that marked their relationship with each other.

For some time, though, he had suspected that there was much more between Han and Leia than just good comradeship. Over the past several months, the tension between the two of them had become thick enough to cut with a lightsaber. Even Luke, who considered them his best friends was starting to get a little tired of watching them trade their attraction for each other under the guise of a constant barrage of bickering and bantering. Several times, he had to restrain himself from giving them a subtle, or perhaps none-too-subtle nudge to move things along.

Judging by the look on Leia?s face, and the heartbreak she had carried in her eyes the past few weeks, Luke guessed that she and Han had finally admitted their feelings for each other. Luke wanted to t

 

?There?s nothing wrong with me, Luke. I?m pregnant.?

This is definately an AU. Very nice post, LadyPadme. I'll hang around for more.

 

More! That was great! I love AU's

 

Normally I don't read H/L stories but I found this one in the sticky thread and just couldn't resist!

I hate cliffhangers. Post soon!

starwoid

 

yeay! heres the story ive been waiting for the past month!
great post!! uppers!

 

Yea! I can hardly wait for more! keep up the great work!

 

Oooh, looks like we have a winner here!

I've been waiting for this ever since I stumbled across your profile, read the premise, and knew you'd make good on it.

Count me in for the ride! Great post.

Am

 

Yeah-You starting posting it. Can't wait for more.

 

It's begun. Cool.

 

up!

 

Yay! Another LP fic. I'm already impatient for more.

I love how it's been four weeks instead of a few days since Cloud City. It's so hard to tell how much time passes in the movies that I never thought of it like that before. I always assumed the medical frigate scene was only a couple of days later, maybe a week.

inez

 

Okay, I'm quaking in my boots, here. I've never had so many replies to a single post before. Geez, hope the rest of the story lives up to this!

Knight-Ander: This is definately an AU When I started on these boards, I swore I would only do canon, but this plot bunny just wouldn't leave me alone.

Diabla: Welcome aboard. Hope you like this AU.

starwoid Wow, I didn't think anyone really looked up at those Saga Indexes. Glad to see it actually works!

As for this being a cliffhanger--this post isn't as cliffy as it can get

DarthMasan: Wow, I'm touched that you've been waiting. Hope you like. Oh, and thanks for the second up.

LovelyLea: Thanks! More forthcoming...

Amidala_Skywalker: LP bows very low before Supreme Empress Amsie...Your Imperial Majesty...I'm so honored! Seriously, when I saw your post my jaw dropped down to my manubrium. Hope you like it.

HanSolo29: Wow, I didn't expect that. - there should be a few more surprises as the story progresses.

Kab730: Thanks!

RebelMom: It's begun - shivers. That almost sounds a little ominous. Hope you like it.

inez: Yay! Another LP fic. I'm already impatient for more. : I'm blushing furiously. Thanks!

As for the time differential, I definitely felt I had more leeway (a) because it's AU and (b) because no one ever said how long it took before Lando and Chewie started off on their search.

More tomorrow after midnight.

 

I'm momentarily speechless. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Very interesting AU premise! I'm definitely hooked. Can't wait for the next post.

 

Is it after midnight there yet???

Waiting.....

 

When I started on these boards, I swore I would only do canon...

Believe it or not, so did I.

 

Ah, another LadyPadme fic to look forward to each morning. Great start and I can't wait to see where you take this.

 

Gabri_Jade:I'm momentarily speechless - Wow, I'm definitely flattered!

Leela: Sorry, sorry, sorry--when I said after midnight tomorrow, I meant, Monday into Tuesday. Postie coming soon!

Knight_Ander: I was really getting too frustrated doing my last fic, and making it fit. I love mush, but I couldn't do any H/L mush and had to settle for a torture-some dream-kiss sequence. sigh.

Sologal: Hey, nice to see you again! I won't be posting this fic as fast as I did the last one...unless I finish writing.

 

cant wait till tomorrow..
uppers!

 

Thanks, Darth_Masan

*******************************

Chapter Two

Two weeks later?

?No more will I teach you today,? Yoda declared. ?Clear your mind. Meditate you must.?

The diminutive Jedi Master motioned Luke to sit down. With a sigh, Luke settled himself down on the jungle floor near the roots of a giant gnarltree and crossed his legs. His outward reluctance notwithstanding, Luke was actually somewhat relieved to get a break. The heat and the torpor under the Dagobah jungle canopy were almost unbearable. Despite being raised on a hot planet like Tatooine, Luke had only known dry heat in his youth. This humidity seemed to raise the temperature by several degrees, and he was exhausted by Yoda?s rigorous training regimen that left him feeling as though he had been running a marathon underwater.

Now, as his master instructed, Luke tried to clear his mind, to meditate. Yoda had been teaching him to use his meditation sessions as a way to feel the Force, to direct the currents of the Force around him. Luke found he was easily able to absorb the Force currents around him, but channeling his thoughts in one direction or another was still difficult.

Luke closed his eyes and tried to concentrate, but he kept feeling a wave of sensations sweep over him. It was as though a million transponder channels were aimed at his head. And threading through all the thoughts, images, feelings and sounds he was receiving was his ever present mental turmoil over what Vader had said, as well as his worry over Leia. Since Luke had returned to Dagobah the week before, he had wanted to confide both these concerns to his master, but had never found a convenient time to open the discussion. Yoda had kept him on a grueling training schedule that left him exhausted at the end of each day. Moreover, in the rare moments when Luke remembered what he wanted to say, Yoda seemed distracted, preoccupied. Without an outlet, Luke?s disturbing thoughts continued bother him.

?Turmoil, I sense,? Yoda remarked, settling down on a nearby gnarltree root. ?Concentrating, you are not, my young Padawan.?

?Young what?? Luke asked, opening his eyes and turning toward Yoda.

Yoda smiled, a rare smile of amusement. ?Forget myself, I do, sometimes. Title for a Jedi apprentice, is ?Padawan?. Nearly thirty years since last I trained one??

Luke was quiet as he absorbed those words. My father ended all that for you, he thought.

?Speak, young Skywalker. What is it you wish to say?? Yoda asked, as he observed Luke?s expressive features.

?When?when I fought Vader,? Luke began hesitantly, but was immediately cut off by Yoda.

?No! Speak not of that meeting,? Yoda commanded.

?But?? Luke protested. Again, he was interrupted.

?No! Now is not the right time,? Yoda said. ?Warned you I did that not ready were you. Discussion of this can keep.?

Luke hesitated, wanting to protest again, but decided to obey. He nodded his head, and looked down, away from Yoda, wondering why he should be barred from speaking.

?More on your mind than just this, I think,? Yoda probed.

Luke looked up into Yoda?s face, unable to conceal his surprise as his master?s astuteness.

?What is it?? Yoda prompted

?It?s Leia,? Luke said, finally. ?I?m worried about her.?

?Yes,? Yoda said, ?your friend you left here to save. What concerns about her do you have??

?I tried to save all of them, Master,? Luke said, his breathing getting a little heavy. ?But, Han?Vader gave him to the bounty hunter and now we don?t even know where he is, or if he?s alive. And Leia?she and Han?well, she?s not been well since Han was taken.?

?Reason for your delay in returning this was?? Yoda asked, ?Concern for her??

Luke nodded. ?I wanted to be sure she was all right. She?it?s not just that she misses him. She?s also pregnant.?

That remarked startled Yoda enough that the tiny Jedi Master toppled over backward from the gnarltree root where he was sitting, and ended up tangled among the twisted mass of roots at the base of the tree.

?Master

 

That remark startled Yoda enough that the tiny Jedi Master toppled over backward from the gnarltree root where he was sitting, and ended up tangled among the twisted mass of roots at the base of the tree.

LOL! I'm sorry...perhaps I shouldn't be laughing in the middle of a dramatic post like this...but I saw it so vividly! Besides, it's just how I felt when Leia herself made that announcement. And of course it doesn't disrupt Yoda's train of thought in the least... *wipes away tears of laughter* No, I'm fine, really....

This is great! I love it when authors take a story in a direction I hadn't anticipated, and this is definitely one of those times. Whatever I'd expected from the next post, this wasn't it. This is much better. Waiting patiently for the next installment will be a challenge.

 

*laughs with Gabri*
Yoda falling over got me too.
I'm glad Luke went back to training. Now, he's got to bring Leia to Yoda. Talk about a tough job.

do you have a regular post schedule on this as well? Kind of nice knowing when to look.

 

Whoosh! Yay, I can start reading this story at the beginning. Wonderful premise, LP, and I look forward to seeing more! I'll just be sitting in that corner o'er there *points to southeast corner of thread* and adding my insufferably annoying comments every once in a while...

 

Oooh! Really like it so far, LadyPadme! Looking forward to the next bit.