Beyond - Legends On the Run: The Journal of Mark Devlin, DDC 2014

Don't worry guys, I haven't got the entirety of this thing planned out, but as of now Ana's here to stay.

 

Jedi_Lover

January 9th, 21 ABY​

My apartment, Coruscant​

​

I gritted my teeth as I flipped through the logs on my datapad. There was so much planning involved in a wedding; I’d never really thought about it. I was about to go insane.

“Decorations,” I grumbled. “Outfits. Who stands in what position and at what point. It’s so…so…infuriating.”

“Come on,” Ana pleaded. “My mom wants it to be perfect; she’ll freak if everything isn’t exactly like I want it, but I want you to have a say, too.”

“All right,” I replied. “Tell you what. You handle the decorations and clothes for the women, I’ll handle the clothes for the men and what positions I want everyone in. And I’ll get the officiator.”

She frowned. “The officiator? I figured we’d just have a justice of the peace do it.”

I shook my head adamantly. “No. I’ve got someone in mind.” I stood, kissed her on the forehead. “I’ll be back in a while, I promise.”

I commed my best friend and partner in NRI, Krad Elar, and asked him to be my best man. He eagerly agreed. Then I took a taxi speeder to NRI headquarters and requested to see Director Drayson.

It took fifteen minutes for him to admit me, but when I walked in I was calm, composed, showing no sign that I had been impatient. The director looked up at me with a mixture of professionalism and rough compassion.

“Devlin,” he said, “I heard about your engagement. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Drayson stood, closed his office door, and clasped his hands behind his back.

“What can I do for you, son?”

“Well the thing is,” I began, “I kind of wanted the wedding to be officiated by…um…” I decided to blurt it out. “Luke Skywalker.”

He looked like he was doing his best not to gape. “You what? Skywalker?”

I nodded. “I’ve never met the man but he’s one of my heroes, and Ana absolutely adores him. She’d never believe it if I got him to perform our wedding.”

“So why ask me?”

“You’ve worked with Skywalker before. Do you think you could ask him for me? Please?”

Drayson considered. “Can’t hurt. I’ll ask him, anyways. You’ll only have one wedding day–hopefully–so why not? I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks, sir.”

“Is that all, Devlin?”

“Yes, sir.”

 

Nice division of wedding arranging tasks. Wow! Mark is getting one famous! officiator. Ana will be chuffed!

 

Who wouldn't want Luke Skywalker officiating!

 

Jedi_Lover

January 14, 21 ABY​

NRI HQ​

​

I spent the next several days madly trying to plan out my part of the wedding, while trying to match it up with Ana’s part. It was driving me insane so I decided that I would take a break…by going to work.

I flashed my ID badge as I entered the building, and the Sullustan at the gate let me in. I went to the shooting range and pulled out my pistol, a DL-44 sidearm like the kind Han Solo uses.

I took my position and activated the holo-targets, and set up the force field to block my shots on either side. Then I stepped back, took aim, and fired.

I spent several minutes putting “holes” in the holos, and then I holstered my pistol. Moving to the weapon rack on the far wall, I pulled down a sniper rifle, checked the sights, and moved up to shoot again.

Two hours and seven weapons later, I clocked out and went to get lunch. I called Ana.

“Hey, hon,” I said, “I’m getting lunch. Want to join me?”

“Sure thing,” she replied. “Your place?”

“Yeah,” I said, “you go ahead and go there and I’ll pick up the food and meet you.”

“See you then. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

* * *​

​

After lunch, Ana had a show to do, so she kissed me bye and left with a bag full of clothes. I spent the rest of the day at the apartment, and turned on the HoloNet so that I could watch Ana’s performance.

I went into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of fizzade and a bowl of shroom chips. Then, sitting on the couch, I flipped on the channel Ana’s show would be on.

She came on stage wearing a bright blue dress with a yellow sash around the waist, her hair done up in a bun and subtle highlights around her eyes and lips. The blue makeup made her mercury eyes stand out even more.

She went offstage and the other models, in various outfits that were beautiful, garish, or sexy, but never all three, came out. Ana returned five minutes later wearing a forest green sleeveless dress with gloves that came up to her biceps.

“Wow,” I murmured, “I think she should wear that to the wedding.”

I watched her show for the remaining forty-five minutes it was on, and then I flipped over to some news report. Bored with that, I found an action flick, Han Solo and the Mandalorian Raiders, and settled down to watch it.

Before the vid was over, I was fast asleep.

 

Mark had a nice laid-back day.
Gorgeous - simply gorgeous forest green dress. Revanfan1 - do you think someone with green eyes would look good in that color dress?

 

Well, sure!

 

Nice planning of the wedding and a great day off for him

 

Probably staring, written, directed and produced by Han Solo. Wasn't he the person who was selling unauthorized biographies of Luke in the novel, Shadows of Mindor?

Nice update. I was worried for a second that something awful would happen to Ana while he was watching the holonet…like she gets kidnapped by pirates of something. That is how it goes down in the profics.

 

All profits go directly to the Han Solo Charity for Me.

Also, no–Ana's fine for right now! Remember, it's still January and I need eleven months' worth of story to fill out!

 

Jedi_Lover

January 19th, 21 ABY​

En route to Ord Mantell​

​

I tried to convince Drayson not to send me on any more missions until after my honeymoon. Unfortunately, since the wedding proper isn’t until March, his response–with the excessive language removed–was “You get your rear on that ship or your resignation notice on my desk, one or the other.”

So I did.

The ship dropped me on Ord Mantell outside of one of the old villages that has been here since the Old Republic era, a little place called Drelliad. The citizens are nice enough, but they prefer to be left alone.

I winced as I stepped out onto the street and half a dozen people turned away from me. Newcomers were a big no-no in the outlying villages. Common enough in the bigger cities, though; some of them were bristling with smugglers, bounty hunters, and mercenaries year-round.

Too bad I wasn’t here for that. No, my contact was an Arcona in Drelliad who allegedly knew the location of one of the heads of the Black Sun remnant slaving ring. Drayson wanted this information, since the crackdown on slavery by Ackbar.

“Excuse me,” I said to an elderly man. “I’m here to meet an alien by the name of Rou’an. You wouldn’t know where he is, would you?”

The man considered. “I reckon that’s the big-eyed fella that lives over in the north corner. Go up the street an’ turn right, ya can’t miss it.”

I nodded my thanks. “All right. Thank you.”

I walked out to Rou’an’s home, pressed the buzzer, and waited for the alien to come to the door. Rou’an peeked his head out, saw me, and motioned for me to come in, quickly. I nodded but loosened my blaster just in case, because of his nervous look.

“You have information for me?” I asked.

“Yes,” Rou’an replied in broken Basic. “I can give you a name, nothing more.”

“You promised location.”

“Things changed.”

I sighed. That would mean another dressing-down by Drayson, and another entry with an excess of words that would be redacted. Unfortunately there was nothing for it, so I sucked in a breath and nodded.

“Okay,” I said. “Tell me.”

He opened his mouth to speak and then I noticed the little red dot between his green faceted eyes. I jerked into action, honed by years of training. The sniper bolt shot through the window a moment later, shattering a vase.

I pulled my blaster from its holster and crawled over to the window. Rou’an was pulling his own weapon from a drawer. Biting my tongue, I peeked my head out the window. The sniper was not inside the village, I could see, so that meant he was amongst the hills outside.

“Stay down,” I commanded. “And whatever you do, please, do not die. I need you still.”

Fearful, Rou’an nodded. I kicked open the door and sprinted across the street. As I did, I caught a glint of sunlight reflecting off metal or glass, and I knew I had my target. A moment later, a sniper shot smashed into the street. Civilians shrieked and scattered.

I ducked behind another house and brought my blaster up to open fire on the sniper. My bolts hit a tree next to him and split the wood, sending bark flying in all directions.

Knowing I had seconds, I ran forward and kept firing to keep him from getting a bead on me. Halfway up the hill, I saw his head stick up from where he’d been covered, so I fired. The shot missed but he rolled aside…too far, and came out from behind the rock he’d been using as cover.

Flicking my blaster to stun, I fired, catching him full in the chest. He dropped and I walked over. Not he, I had to amend, but she. A female Rattataki. She was clad in a black mimetic suit.

“Definitely Black Sun,” I mused.

Rou’an came up the hill behind me, his blaster shaking with his hands. He looked down at her body and then around, fearful that there would be another attacker. I picked the assassin up under her arm.

“Help me carry her,” I said, “and while we do, why don’t you tell me that name?”

 

Can you tag me in this? Great read so far!

 

Nice update!

 

Whew! Gripping action there. Mark is quick Looks like he'll get the needed info without getting injured in the process.

 

For some reason that made me think of that last episode of Breaking Bad.

 

Never seen that show, but I hope that's a good thing?

Thanks for the comments, everyone!

 

There was a scene where the meth dealer was pressuring two friends to launder some money. They said they would and he tells them that is good. Suddenly two red dots zero in on the the reluctant accomplices. They are freaking out because they have a sniper with a laser painting them. The meth dealer said he hired the most lethal assassins to make sure they did what they are told. He then leaves and then picks up his 'assassins'--a couple teenagers with laser pointers.

Now when I see sniper lasers I think of that scene.

 

Great action in his entry

 

Jedi_Lover, windu4

January 31st, 21 ABY​

Coruscant​

​

Well, it’s the end of the first month of the new year already. Hard to believe, huh? It seems like it’s been forever since that day on Taris. Or maybe it seems like it was just yesterday. I just don’t know sometimes.

In any case, Drayson took the info happily enough but he didn’t tell me what it meant because it was “need-to-know” and until further notice, well…I don’t. So, I’ve spent the past twelve days chilling out, waiting for news about the wedding.

Today, I got the jackpot.

There was a knock on the door and I stood up from the couch with a slice of pizza sticking to my cheek and a sock on my hand. How? Yeah, you don’t want to know. I winced, scraped the pizza off, and wiped the residue away with the sock, which I threw in the dirty clothes’ basket.

Then, somewhat presentable–ha!–I answered the door. And I almost lost my jaw to the basement because it dropped all the way through the floor. Probably decapitated the guy living under me, too, but who cares? It was karking Luke Skywalker standing in the doorway!

“Uh…I…uh,” I stammered.

“Agent Mark Devlin?” he asked.

“Yeah,” I replied.

“Director Drayson said you wanted to talk to me about something. There’s not much going on at the Academy and I was on Coruscant visiting Leia and Han so…what’s up?”

My mouth worked before my brain. “Hey, come in, why don’t you? Would you like a slice of pizza? It’s cold; it’s been sitting on the table all night.”

Luke smiled gently. “No, thank you. Now, Agent Devlin–”

“Mark.”

“Right. Mark, what did you want to see me about?”

“Well, you see, my girlfriend and I were getting married and I just wondered if you could possibly officiate the wedding or something? She’s a huge fan and I think I’d be set for life if you’d actually…I mean, that’s not why I want you to do it…I’m a fan too…I mean I’m not a fanboy or anything…”

Luke held up a hand. “Easy there, Mark. Well, Jedi Masters do technically have the authority to wed two beings. So, tell me when it is and I’ll see what I can do.”

“It’s this March,” I replied.

“Well, barring any unforeseen galaxy-spanning crises,” he said with a wink, “I think I can do that.”

“R-really? Thank you! Thank you so much. One more thing. Don’t come to the dress rehearsal; we’ll have some justice of the peace do that. I want her to be shocked on the actual wedding day.”

“Will do. Goodbye, Mark.”

“Uh…bye, Master Skywalker.”

He smiled. “It’s Luke.”

I shut the door as he left, and I beamed. This had to be the best last day of a month ever!

 

Yes getting married by Luke. He sure must be feeling great

 

Buya! Mark has scored at least 100 points just by asking,, much less getting, Luke to officiate.

 

Nice! I think Mark is a fanboy, no matter what he says.

 

Jedi_Lover, windu4

February 3rd, 21 ABY​

Coruscant Shopping District​

​

Today Ana wanted to go shopping. That’s great; I love going shopping. I really do. When we’re shopping for gadgets, weapons, candy, and food. Unfortunately that is not what we’re shopping for today.

I followed Ana down the slidewalk, holding an armful of her bags of frilly decorations for the wedding. Why do our decorations have to be frilly? There’s a man getting married here, too. I could tell her I got Luke Skywalker and she’d drop the frilly stuff right now, if I asked her.

But that has to stay a surprise, so we’ll have frilly decorations. Yippee.

The next store I elected to wait outside because it was a bunch of…er…woman stuff. So I stood outside, sitting on the ground with my back pressed against the shop window and my eyes turned up hopelessly to the sky far above.

“Well,” I announced, “it could be worse. At least we don’t have to shop for my undergarments.”

Ana came out a few minutes later carrying a bag, which I did not carry. We spent the rest of the day buying a bunch of stuff that I deemed nonessential to the wedding but Ana insisted were a requirement.

“Our wedding isn’t for another month and a half,” I told her. “Why are we buying all this now?”

“So we don’t have to later, when we’re in a rush,” she replied as if it were obvious. “By the way, you know that the groom’s parents traditionally pay for the rehearsal-night dinner, right?”

“Right,” I replied easily. “My parents are good for it. When they actually get to Coruscant, of course.”

My parents live on Alderaan. Oh, wait, you know that’s not true. The Empire blew Alderaan up. Really, my parents live on a planet called Balmorra, which is not the ugliest planet in the galaxy, but the grass is brown almost year-round so you can see why I was glad to leave.

“You sure?” asked Ana. “My parents…well, they are kind of expecting the Manarai.”

“The Manarai?” I practically exploded. That was the most expensive restaurant on Coruscant, bar none. “You mean your parents want my parents to take them to the Manarai? Take us all to the Manarai?”

Ana nodded. “Well, to be fair, that’s the only thing your parents will have to pay for. And besides, there’ll only be you, me, my parents, your parents, our siblings, and the best man and maids of honor.”

“That’ll reassure them,” I muttered. “All right, but I’m telling you, my dad won’t be happy.”

“We don’t have to go to the Manarai,” Ana continued. “I really don’t care. It’s just what Mom and Dad have been hinting at, but they’re pretty presumptuous. I can let them know it’s not an option.”

“No, no,” I replied. “I’ll try to convince Dad that it’s a good idea to eat at the Manarai. After all, I only get married once. Although since he has one more son and three daughters, he may not see it that way.”

Ana laughed. “Don’t worry, Mark. Everything will be fine.”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I said with a sigh, but I wasn’t.

 

In-law trouble already

 

I like how this fic is firmly grounded in reality! It reminds us that everyone in the GFFA has to deal with normal problems. I wonder if any of the Skywalkers would ever have wedding problems as normal as these...