Saga Sleight of Hand (L/M, H/L) **COMPLETED!** Author replies & question 9/14

Poor Han, it doesn't matter which AU version of ESB it is, he always ends in carbonite!

But I really hope that there won't be an ''I love you.'-'I know.''- scence this time!

Great post again!

 

Great twists, with Mara on Bespin instead of Leia. Lando hasn't changed a bit, tho. Guess it's time for Luke to show up.

 

Up!

 

My favorite part:
When he reached his quarters, he was immensely pleased to discover a message awaiting him from a certain bounty hunter. Typical of Boba Fett, the message was terse and brief, as well as being a little vague. Behind his mask, Vader was tempted to roll his eyes at Fett?s sense of drama.

The message simply said, ?Vader, ever been to a Tibanna gas mine??

 

hehehe, Leia's dress from ESB, but in green. .. nice touch. ..


I wonder when the will figure out that Mara is force sensitive. . .

 

Up!

 

UP, UP, UP, UP and UP!

 

J_M_MARIANNA: I don't know why, but that sig strikes me as hilarious... *shrugs8
MORE!

 

GrandAdmiralKyrrona: Those are just the quotes that I remember from the movies. ?

 

Up!

 

merkuria: I hope he'll make sense of the first part of the dream before long!

It might be a little while before he can make sense of it, but it will happen, that I can promise you.

Still wondering about Leia, though, and about how her and Han will meet again.

Leia and Han will meet again, but it'll probably be a couple of chapters before it happens.


RebelMom: Hope Luke figures out about the children soon.

See above answer!


JEDI_MASTER_MARIANA: It is a great story, isn't?! But not as good as this one!

Well, I wouldn't say that, but it is a different kind of story than mine. I'm enjoying it quite a bit, really. (But thank you for the compliment! )


GrandAdmiralKyrrona: but will the jacket make me look sexy?

I don't know, how sexy do you think you'd look giving yourself a big hug?


LaYa: Really Good... the dream, oh.. everything!! Excelent

Thanks for all your kind words.


GreatOne: Luke is dreaming about Han being DEAD!????

*borrows some dynamite from RogueSticks, just in case...*

I knew that bit would get to you! Just remember, "always in motion, is the future."

Ummm, what exactly were you planning with the dynamite? You realize that I need to be functioning to get Han out of the mess I've gotten him into, right?


Jaina_and_Jag: Mara should have listened to her gut instinct! Now look what happened... exacley what happened in ESB!

Well, it wouldn't be much fun if they got away TOO easily, would it?

I'm beginning to wonder how you're going to do that little scene where he gets frozen.

Next chapter.


Kazzy: Mara, my dear, you are a Jedi - or you will be - just like Luke.

Ah, but remember, this is not canon Mara. Neither she nor Luke has any idea that she's Force-sensitive...yet.

I still think however he should be more interested in the crying woman.

Upon your advice, I added a little about that into chapter 10 (which is coming to you sometime before the next millennium, I swear!) Not a lot, as I still think Luke would be more concerned about his visions of the most important people in his life in danger, but it's there!


GuerreStellari: I especially liked the Chewie-talk. Finally, we get to know what he's saying. And he has a dry wit, who knew?

I somehow picture Chewie as long-suffering and fondly tolerant at times of Han!


JediNemesis: This is one hell of a story and I love it to bits. Luke is very well done and Han is, dare I say it, perfect.

I'm flattered as I believe your story is one of the best I have EVER read, profic and fanfic included. And I always worry about my characterization, so I'm glad it seems to be working.


The_Good_Twin: But I really hope that there won't be an ''I love you.'-'I know.''- scence this time!

Nope, I can promise there won't be!


Jedi-2B: Guess it's time for Luke to show up.

Very soon!


LumiKuningatar: I'm glad you liked that part...I wasn't sure about Fett, but I think he came off pretty well.


maramijade: Leia's dress from ESB, but in green... nice touch...

I was wondering if anyone would pick up on that!


New chapter tomorrow! GreatOne, you might want to brace yourself! Han has a meeting with the carbonite chamber.

 

Okay, I just found this story this morning, and it is great. It's a lot of fun to see what Mara would be like if she hadn't been so damaged by the Emperor. But for every Yin there is a Yang, and Leia's bearing the brunt of it as the Emperor's Hand. Where is she?! Please don't forget about her.

Im relatively new on these boards. What does it mean when someone responds to a story by saying, "Up?"

Brilliant lines, by the way:

?The day this Corellian needs to be checked out just ?cause of a little dip in the temp is the day this Corellian kisses Palpy?s wrinkled, white ass.? ROFLMAO! That is absolutely hilarious, but at the same time, EWWWW!

??I thought you said you were playing for high stakes!? Way to go, Mara!

?Well, yeah, but that?s only because the walking corpse doesn?t know about it, does he? What are you gonna do if he ever finds out?? "Walking corpse." Hmmm...somebody's seen Ladyhawke, I think. But it IS the perfect way to describe "Palpy's wrinkled, white ass."

 

Jedi_keladry: Welcome to the story! Always glad to get new readers! I'm glad you liked those lines...they were some of my favorites too.

Hmmm...somebody's seen Ladyhawke, I think.

Was that in Ladyhawke? ? I must have remembered it subconsciously because I LOVE that movie, especially the part where Isabeau and Rutger Hauer (brain fart on the character's name!) see each other for that one brief moment for the first time in years.

"UP" confused me for a long time, too. Basically, it's just a way to move a story back up to the front page and encourage the author to post again. Now, if I can only figure out why so many people spell "the" as "teh" I'll be happy!


New chapter in a moment....

 

Chapter Nine


?Yes, calm, you must be and flow through you, the Force will.?

Yoda?s voice was soothing, though barely audible to his young apprentice. Luke was upside down, balancing on his hands, and the diminutive Jedi Master was perched on Luke?s upturned feet. A nearby rock began to float slowly into the air as Luke immersed himself in the Force. The rock was soon joined by two more.

?Yes! Yes. Much progress, you have made. Maybe next time, lift your own ship, you should, hmm?? Yoda said with a little cackling laugh, referring to the events of the previous day.

A ghost of a smile crossed Luke?s lips--even as his eyes remained closed in concentration--at the subtle reminder that, as far as he had come, he still had far to go. Personally, Luke considered the fact that he didn?t get angry at Yoda?s little jab great progress. Carefully, Luke lifted one hand off the swampy ground so that he was balancing his and Yoda?s weight solely with the remaining hand.

?Yes. Yes. Good,? Yoda encouraged him.

It was one of the rare, but increasing, occasions where Luke truly felt that he was feeling the Force. His very spirit seemed to be completely in tune with his surroundings and he breathed in deeply as a sense of utter serenity flowed through him. He marveled at the connection he could sense to all the living beings around him?the trees, the birds, the creatures in the swamp, his Master?even the insect that crawled slowly across his balancing hand. Rather than be startled, he felt a kinship with the little bug.

The sharp stab of excruciating pain was what startled him. He gasped and, for a moment, thought he had somehow injured himself as his balance began to waver. On his feet, Yoda gave a little yelp. The wave of agony rippled through him again and he cried out. Then he understood. The pain was coming to him through the Force and he could sense Han. And Mara!

?Mara! Han!? he shouted and there was no hope of maintaining his balance now. Yoda gave a frightful shriek as the two of them went tumbling to the ground. Luke landed hard, his breath leaving his body in a whoosh. When he sat up, he noticed Yoda had somehow managed to land on his feet and he was giving his Apprentice a knowing gaze.

?I?m sorry, Master, I--?

?Sensed your friends, did you??

?Yes. I saw?a city in the clouds,? Luke said and he shivered as he hung his head. ?Mara and Han were there and they were in pain.?

Yoda sighed as he sat down in front of Luke. ?Let this interfere in your training, you must not.?

Luke glanced up at his Master sharply. ?I have to go to them. I have to help them.?

?No! Leave before the training is complete, you cannot! Vulnerable, you are, right now.?

?I feel the Force, Master!? Luke protested.

?But you cannot control it, Luke,? a voice said from behind him.

Luke looked around at the spectral figure of Ben Kenobi sitting on a log behind him. Ben?s shimmering form stood and moved to stand beside Yoda.

?This is a dangerous time for you, Luke. Now is when you will be most susceptible to the temptations of the Dark Side.?

?I won?t turn to the Dark Side, Ben. I swear. I can?t let anything happen to Han and Mara. They?re?they?re everything to me!?

?That is what Vader and the Emperor are counting on, Luke. They are intentionally trying to draw you out. It is you and your abilities that the Emperor wants.?

?So I?m supposed to sit back and do nothing? Sacrifice Han and Mara?? Luke asked incredulously.

?If you honor what they fight for?yes!? Yoda stated imperiously.

?You?re not ?doing nothing?, Luke. You are taking the necessary steps to prepare yourself for what is going to be a monumental task. You must understand how important this is. You may be the only hope for the galaxy,? Ben said urgently.

Luke closed his eyes and dropped his head at Ben?s words, as though denying them to himself. He could not do this! He was just a farmboy from a desert planet in the outer rim. They expected too much from him. And then there

 

DRL can be a pain, can't it? don't worry, I can wait. I do the same thing.

Nice chapter.

 

Great post! It always makes me giggle when Luke falls with Yoda on his foot. You made me cry!!! Although, I always cry when Han is put in carbonite, even though I know he lives on. Don't worry about infrequent updates, I'll be here til the end!

 

My pooooor Han!! Always ends up in carbonite!!

 

niiiiiiiiiice change in p.o.v.

excellent.I reread some of this on Ff.net..

I like how you changed the whole H/L "I love you, I know" scene..veeeeeerrrry interesting..

 

Hi, kayladie,

Wonderful chapters. I love the way the story is progressing. I thought Luke's nightmare was very well-written, and I can't wait for him to learn the truth.

Poor Han and Mara and Chewie. You know, I hardly ever watch ESB. It's well-made movie, and an integral part of the saga, but I just hate watching my heroes suffer. I'm ridiculously soft-hearted, I suppose. And now I'm having to relive it here. It's just as heartbreaking and nerve-wracking. And that's meant as a compliment! You tie in the original plot very well with slightly different twist on it all.

BTW, I loved the way you described Vader's feelings about his son's Force presence, how he'd grown accustomed to it and felt abandoned without it.

I understand completely about RL taking up time, I'll still be reading, and I'm hoping you like happy endings.


Looking forward to more.

Kristeh

 

New Chapter! ::jumps up and down excitedly::

I liked the way you wrote the carbonite scene - different to the Han / Leia good bye but equally moving.

Interesting how Yoda and Obi-Wan don't quite agree on the issue of Luke's 'mind-wipe' regarding his sister. I wonder if this will come back to bite them...

Lovely chapter - really enjoyed reading!

 

Hooked Reader! but you knew that

Poor Leia, she got such a rough deal going for her. Yoda and Obi-Wan seem to believe she is dead. Her father isn't aware she's his daughter, just sees her as a rival. Her twin brother doesn't remember she ever existed. Very harsh. All in all it's probably best right now that she doesn't realise this. Although, I am looking foward to when everyone finds it out.

At the beginning of the scene after the "lunch" the imagery of Mara in the cell is beautiful. It is so easy to see her standing there. A lovely piece of work.

I've said it before (at least I hope I have) I love the way you weave the original version into your own. It is so soomthly done and so originally. I love it. It's excellent not a missed stitch or repetitive scene. Arg! We could all wish to be so good.

Such a wonderful chapter. So sad.


I'll be interested to see the seen with the woman from Luke's dream. You know I will I'll be interested to see the whole chapter (no that isn't a push, just the truth - every chapter is interesting).

And all readers have my faithful promise that I will return the chapter as soon as humanly possible. (She doesn't make a whole tonne of mistakes so it's an easy job )

Phew!

 

Now that I'm done crying... How can Leia and Han fall in love if she is the Emperor's Hand, and Han is FROZEN? *sobs some more*

 

hmmmmm, I have this odd feeling that Luke is more firm in his training than what he was in the OT. ..

maybe it's just wishfull thinking, but I think Mara's got him grounded. . .

 

HOW DID I MISS THIS! Great post BTW.

POST SOON!

 

Lovely chapter !