Beyond - Legends **Sand and Suns** (Ben, L/M) re: The April Ben Skywalker challenge

Title: Sand and Suns
Summary: Ben’s life as an adult—supposing he continued to deny the Force.

Author Note: This viggie is a response to the April challenge found here: http://boards.theforce.net/fan_fiction_resource/b10304/22850448/p1/?1048]Legacy[/URL] Child. The words sobriquet, scion, aberrant and felicity must be included.



Disclaimer: George Lucas created Star Wars. Star Wars, LucasFilm Ltd. and all its content are currently owned and operated by the Walt Disney Company.



Sand and Suns



“It’s aberrant, this life you’ve chosen for yourself,” Mara Jade-Skywalker commented to her oldest child.

Twenty-two year-old Ben Skywalker turned to face his mother. His hair, which once was redder than anything, was now a sandy blonde, having been bleached by his time spent under the harsh Tatooine suns.

“It suits me,” he said softly. “I grew tired of being known as the scion of the Skywalker dynasty. I didn’t want a dynasty, just a life; a normal life.”

Mara moved closer to her son; a son she’d not seen in three years. “You didn’t have to come all the way out to Tatooine.”

Ben scoffed. “Of course I did, Mother. Out here they leave me alone. Out here I don’t have to be a Jedi, or the son of Luke Skywalker. Out here I can just…be.”

“Your sister misses you,” Mara told him.

A rare smile crossed Ben’s tanned face. “How is Peaches?” he asked, using the sobriquet he’d used for his sister from nearly the moment she’d been born. If there was a regret he had in leaving his family behind, it was leaving Sylara.

“She’s well,” his mother told him. “She misses you, naturally.”

“I miss her as well,” he said with a nod as he turned away from Mara.

“Then come home,” Mara pleaded with her son. “Stop denying who and what you are, Ben.”

Ben whirled to face her once again, his blue eyes blazing in a familiar Skywalker haze of anger.

“I deny nothing, Mother!” he yelled.

Ben gestured to the vast sea of sand that spread out before them for many kilometers.

“These sands are who and what I am, Mother. These sands hold the blood, sweat and tears of this family. To be a Skywalker is to belong here, on this world. The ground is solid here and it doesn’t let my feet sink further down as I walk like they did on Coruscant. There is no pressure here to be anything other than who I am; just a man.”

Mara’s own eyes darkened. “And the sheer felicity you had as a child with your father and I and Sylara, does that exist for you here?” she demanded angrily.

Ben shook his head. “Not in the same way, Mother, but yes, I feel it here as well. I feel at home here, more so than I ever did on Coruscant or Yavin or any of the other hundred places we visited when I was a child.”

“Why?” Mara finally asked, her voice sounding tired and full of sadness.

Ben moved to stand directly next to his mother. He placed his arm gently around her shoulders in a comforting gesture.

“Sometimes I wonder that myself,” he began. “I just know that being here is where I need to be, at least for now. It feels…right. I think Dad and Grandfather took their name to seriously; Skywalker. They wanted to walk the skies. All I want is to keep my feet planted firmly on solid ground. I thought coming to Tatooine was a bit like coming home.”

Mara leaned into her son’s strong form and rested her head on his shoulder. “Well, I don’t suppose I can argue that. These sands do seem to call to you Skywalkers.”

“Like I said, these sands have our blood, sweat and tears, our history in their small grains,” he said to her. “We would be nothing without these sands and the twin suns. This planet is who I am, who Grandfather was and who Dad is…whether he still remembers it or not.”

“I remember, Son,” said Luke Skywalker from his spot behind his wife and son. Mara had felt him approach, but Ben had not. His disuse of the Force remained a constant, even when everything else in his life had changed.

Mara took the moment as Luke approached to kiss Ben’s cheek before going inside Ben’s home, leaving father and son alone.

Together, and without a word being said, Ben and Luke Skywalker stood together and watched the twin suns of their home fall slowly below the horizon. Silence prevailed as the two simply enjoyed the moment.

As the last rays of sunlight dissipated, father and son moved towards the sunken home behind them. Sand swirled as they walked. Their feet remained on solid ground.

 

Thoroughly enjoyable. I love that Luke was accepting of Ben's choice. Tatooine. It is where everything centers on huh?

 

Yes, this is a great story JediMaster_Jen!

Ben is believable, and Mara's frustration with him is palatapble....


Great job!

 

Love the image of Luke and Ben watching the twin suns together. Wonderful little viggie!

 

Wow! Absolutely gorgeous!

Ben scoffed. ?Of course I did, Mother. Out here they leave me alone. Out here I don?t have to be a Jedi, or the son of Luke Skywalker. Out here I can just?be.?


What a telling statement from Ben!

 

That was wonderful, Jen!

I really like how Mara hates the life he's chosen(or maybe the fact that he is so far from home?), but Luke completely understands! He's felt the pressure and knows what it is like (not that Mara hasn't, but it is diffrent for her).

I love that Ben has a little sister... that was such a nice touch, especially with Mara trying to draw him back by saying she misses him!

I must say, Ben was making a very convensing argument as to why he wanted to stay there... he definitly had me wanting that for him!

Together, and without a word being said, Ben and Luke Skywalker stood together and watched the twin suns of their home fall slowly below the horizon. Silence prevailed as the two simply enjoyed the moment.
As the last rays of sunlight dissipated, father and son moved towards the sunken home behind them. Sand swirled as they walked. Their feet remained on solid ground.
This was an amazing ending! I loved it! It's perfect!

Great job!

 

Well done! I really liked this. Great image of Luke and Ben and the twin suns!

 

Lovely!

 

Everything does seem to begin and end on Tatooine!

Wonderful!

 

ZaraValinor Thoroughly enjoyable.

Thank you.

Tatooine. It is where everything centers on huh?

Seems to be.


Kidan Yes, this is a great story JediMaster_Jen!

Ben is believable, and Mara's frustration with him is palatapble....

Thanks.

Characterization is the key. Glad you think I did good.


JadeLotus Love the image of Luke and Ben watching the twin suns together. Wonderful little viggie!

Thanks a bunch.


VaderLVR Wow! Absolutely gorgeous!

Thank you.


mavjade I really like how Mara hates the life he's chosen(or maybe the fact that he is so far from home?), but Luke completely understands! He's felt the pressure and knows what it is like (not that Mara hasn't, but it is diffrent for her).

Exactly; Mara has felt it, but in a totally less life-changing way. Luke and Ben are unique in that they share a burden no others can imagine.


Jade_Pilot Well done! I really liked this. Great image of Luke and Ben and the twin suns!

Thank you.


SilSolo Lovely!

Thanks.


RedGold Everything does seem to begin and end on Tatooine!

Wonderful!

It sure does; and thanks.

 

Man, these Ben fic challenges are making me cry.

This one was no exception. Great read!

 

?Sometimes I wonder that myself,? he began. ?I just know that being here is where I need to be, at least for now. It feels?right. I think Dad and Grandfather took their name to seriously; Skywalker. They wanted to walk the skies. All I want is to keep my feet planted firmly on solid ground. I thought coming to Tatooine was a bit like coming home.?

Wow, I really liked that part

?I remember, Son,? said Luke Skywalker from his spot behind his wife and son. Mara had felt him approach, but Ben had not. His disuse of the Force remained a constant, even when everything else in his life had changed.
Mara took the moment as Luke approached to kiss Ben?s cheek before going inside Ben?s home, leaving father and son alone.
Together, and without a word being said, Ben and Luke Skywalker stood together and watched the twin suns of their home fall slowly below the horizon. Silence prevailed as the two simply enjoyed the moment.
As the last rays of sunlight dissipated, father and son moved towards the sunken home behind them. Sand swirled as they walked. Their feet remained on solid ground.

Beautiful

Great job, Jen Interesting path you've chosen for Ben, returning to Tatooine and trying to live a "normal" life. I could definitely see something like this after Dark Nest, and I really liked it. Ben's explanation for his self-imposed exile from his family and the Jedi was well-thought out and well-written. Closing with Ben and his father watching the Tatooine sunset was absolutely perfect.

Great viggie

 

Once again, a hermit named Ben.

Together, and without a word being said, Ben and Luke Skywalker stood together and watched the twin suns of their home fall slowly below the horizon. Silence prevailed as the two simply enjoyed the moment.

I loved that image - two suns, two Skywalkers. Echoes the ANH moment when Luke watched the twin sunset. And most of all, I liked the idea that Ben recognises Tatooine as being part of the Skywalker legacy. Anakin and Luke were both desperate to leave without realising how much the dustball had shaped them.

Excellent vig.

 

Although Mara did all the talking, Luke connected, even in silence, to his son's words.

Together, and without a word being said, Ben and Luke Skywalker stood together and watched the twin suns of their home fall slowly below the horizon. Silence prevailed as the two simply enjoyed the moment.

Nice job, Jen.

 

AW...sweet. I loved this!
Oh, and I must say, great use of the challenge words!

 

thinking for a minute....hmm, do I sense a bit of "Dune" in this?

Very well done, JMJ!!

 

To be a Skywalker is to belong here, on this world.

To me, so much is said in that one little quote.

I always felt that Ben should have grown up on Tatooine. Anakin grew up there, Luke grew up there, and it is only natural that Ben should have to do so too. So I am glad that Ben went to live there as an adult. To be a Skywalker is to live on Tatooine. And without the Force.

And Mara should understand, or at least not be ad at Ben for his choice.

I loved this so much. Excelent job with the challenge and the vocab words.


jacky