Saga The Way of the Force - (L/M, H/L, Vader, Palpy, Yoda, Rogues) - COMPLETED March 18

Oh JM77! I love Leia-in-training. !!! And I really like that she's doing it this early in the timeline.

It accentuates and adds to her already great skills & intuitive person-sense that she's gained through experience.

 

Luke proved it - but have you.

Oohoo. Leia wouldn't like that one. She has her father's temper. Oh where, oh where shall this go?

 

Great post.... the "Have you?"
an interesting question... soul searching and rather uncomfortable.

 

You really have Mara off the deep end here don't you!! In fact, you have done something all the profic and every fanfic, until now has avoided. Everyone makes sure Mara only kill with orders from Palpatine, NEVER because "You thought they desired it"! Mara is more evil here than anywhere. I fear for Luke's ability to turn her back....If he ever finds her again

 

Loved every line...no word of this chapter! The relationship between Luke and Leia is very well written. Great work!

 

I read this already the other day but was in no position to reply. Awesome - again, again! Loved to see Luke and Leia together - a true pleasure to read!!

She wasn?t as physically strong in the Force as Luke, but she had her own talents and was improving on a daily basis. Master Yoda had said that, had Leia been a part of the Jedi Order during the Republic, she would have been one of their best negotiators and diplomats.
I buy that. I've always had some problems to imagine Leia as Jedi, particularly with the same potential as Luke. I like it that you give them differents strengths!


little sis.?

?You?re never gonna let me live that down, are you??

Luke shook his head, still smiling broadly. ?Never.? Luke couldn?t stop teasing Leia about being the older sibling, especially since she?d always acted much more mature than he did. She was still fiercely protective of him, but Luke couldn?t resist playing Big Brother from time to time, even going so far as to threaten Han with physical harm if he ever hurt Leia. Han had fallen on the floor with laughter after that comment.




Remembering his six months living on Dagobah with nothing to eat but Yoda?s soup and stale ration bars, Luke had decided to pack some ready-to-eat meals on his trip with his sister.
Wise move. Wise move

She stared at him in shock as he shoveled the horrid-smelling soup into his mouth. Sometimes, she really marveled at her brother?s appetite.
I can so imagine!

After Luke had learned of Mara?s fate, he?d thrown himself into his work, going on mission after mission with Rogue Squadron. Secretly, he was working with Han and Lando?s contacts in the smuggling world to find any sign of Mara outside the Imperial Palace. He finally got a breakthrough when, four months later, he learned that she was in command of the Star Destroyer Chimaera. Luke had insisted that Intelligence help organize an infiltration?he refused to call it an attack?and rescue her. The Rogues were all for it, especially Tycho, who?d been almost as brokenhearted as Luke after Mara?s capture. But Alliance Command would have none of it. They?d maintained that whatever Mara Jade may have been in the Alliance was no longer of any importance. She was now Lady Jade, Emperor?s Hand and Imperial Royalty, and they could not risk the lives of soldiers to rescue an agent who was no longer theirs.

Leia had never seen Luke so furious as he?d been during that meeting. She would not have been surprised if he?d walked out of the Alliance then. Afterward, he had rallied the Rogues and was ready to singlehandedly lead a rescue mission himself.

She would have gone with him, had he asked.

But, just as quickly as he flew out of control, he?d composed himself and acquiesced to Alliance Command?s orders. Leia could sense that Luke had been ashamed of his reaction, thinking it unbecoming of a Jedi, but she did not blame him one bit. And she also knew that none of the members of Alliance Command held it against him.

He?d served dutifully for the next several months but it was obvious to everyone who came in contact with him that his heart was no longer in the fight. And so when he once again petitioned Mon Mothma for a leave of absence, the Commander in Chief was not surprised.
So sad - but ringing very true!


And so they?d gone to train on Dagobah, improving Leia?s skills in the Force while Luke honed his. Although they?d known each other for over three years now, spending this time together in such close quarters almost made up for a lifetime apart.
I absolutely LOVE that! Also that Leia can help to comfort Luke in this his loss!



?The Jedi life?call to you, it does not, hmm??

She couldn?t deny it. She shook her head. ?I don?t see myself being a Jedi the way Luke is. He?s so dedicated...but many times I feel like my strengths lie elsewhere.?

?Strong in the Force you are, yes. Like your father.?

Leia?s gaze hardened. ?I?m not like him.?

Yoda nodded sadly. ?Yes, you are. But like

 

Ooh, I'm really looking forward to Leia's response and how she mentally handles that remark!

Great update.

 

taramidala: I absolutely LOVE it when people highlight Leia as "Daddy's Little Girl," because she's the only person who doesn't KNOW that she IS.

I know, right? It's such a delicious irony to explore.

Mondays-only is too few. I'm greedy like that.

I started out the last two fics with once a week updates, then moved on to two. Hopefully I can do that with this one soon. I have one more chapter that I have to completely rewrite, and another two that I need to heavily revise, and the rest is just normal editing. I'm hoping that in a week or two (or three) I'll feel comfortable enough to start posting twice a week. I just don't want to overwhelm myself when I'm working on another fic, too (cough ginchy's fault cough).



Katana: You're welcome! I think I'm going to start posting Sunday nights, because it's more convenient and I can post on FFN at the same time. (FFN is blocked at work. I'm just waiting for the day when TFN is blocked, too. )

Oh. So. GOOD. Twinny sibling fun and training! Yoda and Leia... SPOT ON. I love your Yoda, and the prequel knowledge is SO GOOD to see passed on to them.

Thank you! I figured that if the OT had been made after the PT, Yoda would have given them some of that information. And I love writing Luke and Leia together. I want a Luke and Leia book that's not Splinter of the Mind's Eye!



ginchy: And you won't need the brave hat in the next one, either!!!

Jedi Wonder Twin Powers Activate!!!!

Form of: awesomeness!

Yoda poses a good question, though, on how she would handle sacrifice. After losing her home world would she be more or less able to sacrifice and listen to the Force? After all, she is her Daddy's daughter...

I don't think Leia's in any danger of turning to the dark side, but she does have to come to terms with her past. I can think of only one way for her to do that.



Briannakin: You'll be able to avoid the brave hat a lot in this fic. And then in some chapters you'll want to grab for it and say AHHHH!!!! I'm following Star Wars, after all - horrible things happen, but then I make you laugh.



dm1: Yoda is very different because of his age and the fact that he's an alien. But he's still a living being, after all, with emotions.

Good to recognize that they each have their own talents and those should be used to their best capacity. It doesn't make one any less valuable if one isn't a powerful Jedi warrior. There are Jedi skills such as reading people that have just as big of an impact on events as a light saber, perhaps even more

I feel that Leia has the potential to be just as powerful as Anakin Skywalker, but in a different arena. She could learn a lot from Anakin, if she'd only let herself.



Hazel: Thank you! See, I can still do fun!



Jade eyes: I thought that Leia deserved training - PROPER training, and not 35 years down the line with Saba.



Curtis: Oohoo. Leia wouldn't like that one. She has her father's temper. Oh where, oh where shall this go?

We'll just have to see, won't we?



Ocelotl: Yoda has a penchant for making people face hard questions.



wbsaw: I'm going to have to disagree with your analysis. Mara is a broken, hollow shell of her old self, but I would not characterize her as evil. Her actions in killing Zurel could be considered "evil," and were defintely wrong, but Mara was acting in accordance with her sense of loyalty and honor that has never shifted, even after defecting to the Alliance and returning to the Empire. In her mind, Zurel Darillian was the biggest kind of traitor that ever existed. While she no longer has any loyalty to the Rogues or the Alliance, Zurel went against people who called him "friend" and that, to her, is utterly reprehensible. Remember that in the end, even she, the Emperor's Hand, could not turn agains

 

I love how Yoda shared information about Luke and Leia's parents with them and explained about them. I especially like the turn of events--how they've both gone to Dagobah--and how Leia is trying to help Luke deal with the situation. Something tells me he won't be able to sit still for much longer! Great update.

 

Luna: Thank you! I always thought that Yoda would have told Luke things about his family, had the OT been filmed after the PT. That's one of the best things about fanfic - getting to fix that "problem." And no, Luke won't be able to sit still for much longer, but he might have some unfortunate encouragement in leaving Dagobah.

---

[u]CHAPTER 3[/u]





Tycho Celchu smiled as he took a bite of his flatbread, chewing carefully so as not to embarrass himself in front of his date. It was odd to think that he was actually sharing a date with someone in the middle of a warship. But, in another way, it made perfect sense.

Winter Retrac smiled back at him and took a sip of her drink. When she was finished, she gently placed her cup back on the table. ?I think this is the longest stretch of time the two of us have been in one place together.?

?Yeah,? Tycho said. ?It?s nice.? After a moment, he reached across the table and took her hand in his.

She glanced down at their hands. ?It is.?

They remained that way for a moment, before separating so they could eat again. Tycho wished they had time for leisurely dates, but with his Rogue Squadron duties and her job in Intelligence, leisure time was something they had very little of.

Even still, Tycho appreciated every moment spent with Winter. He had liked her from the very beginning, when she?d been assigned to keep watch on his group after they defected from the Empire. After Tycho was cleared for active duty, they remained friends, bonding over long talks about Alderaan. They found comfort in those talks, and even though Tycho still vowed to help topple the Empire, his wounds were slowly healing.

But he still refused to take things to the next level with Winter. He felt it would be disrespectful to his family, and to his fiancée, who had died when Alderaan was destroyed. How could he move on so quickly?

But about a year ago, everything changed. Their dear friend, Mara Jade, had been captured by the Empire. In the aftermath, secrets were revealed?that Mara had served as the Emperor?s Hand. Tycho was shocked, and felt betrayed by the woman who had become his little sister. Why hadn?t she told him? Did she not trust him? In the end, it didn?t matter. He just wanted his friend back.

The Rogues clamored to find her. Intelligence was also involved, and Winter was sent to Coruscant on a reconnaissance mission. Those few weeks with no word from Winter had been absolute hell. Tycho kept thinking the worst?that she?d been captured, that she?d been killed. Was she in a cell next to Mara somewhere? Winter had a perfect memory. Tycho knew what the Empire would do to her if she was caught. He also knew that Winter would find a way to kill herself before they got any information out of her.

Then the rumors started flying?that Mara had been spotted inside the Imperial Palace. That she was serving the Empire and known as Lady Jade. Tycho hadn?t wanted to believe it.

And then the hologram was passed around [i]Home One[/i].

He was devastated, but his only solace was that Winter was okay. When she returned, he pulled her into his quarters and did what he?d wanted to do for so long. He kissed her. And she kissed him back.

From that moment on, they?d been a couple. Even though Tycho missed Mara dearly, even though the war with the Empire was as fierce as ever, he had never been happier.

Winter cleared her throat, interrupting his thoughts. ?I wonder when Luke and Leia will return.?

Tycho shrugged. Upon leaving for more Jedi training, Luke had again turned over Rogue Leader duties to Wedge Antilles. Wedge was a competent commanding officer, but the Rogues were eager for Luke to return. And with both Mara and Leia gone, Winter was sorely missing female companionship. ?I hope it?s soon,? he said. ?Wedge might turn gray if he has to deal with Wes much longer.?

Winter giggled. ?What about poor Luke??

?Gray is less noticeable on blonds.?

?Ah.? Winter raised her eyebrows at Tycho?s assertion, but said nothing else. They at

 

Oh, Han. Shut down by a DROID!

Loved Tycho and Winter. Poor Tycho, losing his little sister like that. It'd be rubbing salt in the wound of Alderaan, don't you think? But yay for him manning up and kissing Winter like that.

Wedge, someday you are going to meet this lovely CorSec lady. And Tycho is going to randomly appear while you try to talk to her, and drag you off for 'important duties'. Just you watch.

Very well done, Nanci. As usual.

Kat

 

Love the Tycho/Winter love here. They are quickly becoming a favorite couple of mine. They really need more love too!

Also so glad Han is manning up and getting his priorities straight. I'm sure Leia will appreciate it!

 

Great Winter/Tycho moments. Yay for Han. He's really ready to settle down in - well if not in one spot with a one particular life-companion.

 

Yay! Winter and Tycho mush! I guess I won't hide under ginchy's brave hat just yet...

Lol! It truly is a miracle that C3PO hasn't been dismantled by Han.

EDIT: okay, so my friend just gave me like 14 gb of music, and among it was a Mumford and Sons album, so I remembered you mentioning 'Little Lion Man' as Luke's theme for this fic. So I am here listening to it. Ginchy, where is your brave hat; I need to wipe my tears. HAZEL: HOLD ME. WAAAAAAH!

 

Oh Theepio!

Great Tycho/Winter moment.


* runs off to hug Bri *

 

Don't worry, because the song that has REALLY inspired me for this fic is The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga.

 

Memory wipes and reprogramming eh? I seriously doubt that would ever happen... imagine an even more annoying version of 3PO...

 

I love this little interlude with Han and some of the guys. It was really fun seeing a date, and some Han snark, and then some droid snark. Fun! I wonder what Leia will think of Han's work.... Great update!

 

?Gray is less noticeable on blonds.?

Sounds like a good reason for Luke to retake charge.

?Yeah, can you do that?? Han stood up and went to leave the hold. ?I gotta meet with Rieekan right away. Thanks for your help!?

Oh Han.

?Now, if you?ll excuse me, I have some general business to attend to
Well, running away from those three could be vital to the war effort.

Great update!

 

Go Han and Threepio! Always good for a laugh. We're going to need the bravery hat to read the next chapter, aren't we?

 

He had liked her from the very beginning, when she?d been assigned to keep watch on his group after they defected from the Empire.
LOL for a moment I forgot this was AU so I started to run through what I could remember of canon: 'where was taht scene again...'

Tycho was shocked, and felt betrayed by the woman who had become his little sister. Why hadn?t she told him? Did she not trust him? In the end, it didn?t matter. He just wanted his friend back.
Awww...

This gave him more time to get his affairs in order, for him to be the man Leia deserved.
Oh, dear, Han. How will this turn out... ?

?Nearly a month? She?s never been on Coruscant that long.?

?What could be going on?? Tycho asked.

Han shrugged. ?Who knows. But the Executor recently arrived, as well.?

Tycho grimaced, and said what they were all thinking. ?Maybe the Emperor?s planning something.?

?Yeah.? Han took back the datapad. Or she got too far out of line and he had to reassert his control. Luke firmly believed that Mara?d been brainwashed, or controlled in the Force somehow. He insisted that she had not turned to the Dark Side, like Vader once had. Han didn?t really understand all those subtleties. All he knew was that the Mara Jade he?d known in the Rebellion would have never voluntarily gone back to serving the Empire.
I'm so glad thay they believe in her! But I'm very worried why she's been staying - and if taht has anything to do with what happened two chapters away...


?I expect you at at a briefing tomorrow morning at 0800, General Solo.?

Han could not keep the surprise off his face this time. ?Did?did you say General??

Rieekan grinned. ?It could be admiral, if you?d like. Take your pick.?

You?re doing this for Leia. Think of Leia.
Wow - take your pick! Han - just take on you can keep!


Just as he was about to turn the corner, he heard Threepio whisper, ?Alliance Command must really be getting desperate for leadership if they decided to promote Captain Solo!?

Oh yeah. When Luke and Leia returned, he was going to have a nice, long chat with them about the importance of memory wipes and reprogramming.
'cos Han Solo will always be Han Solo!!!
But that can of course include a lot

 

WHO are you and what have you done with Nanci??? Because this is like the second week in a row that I haven't needed my brave hat. But I'm not complaining. It's nice not having hat hair...

And I love how much you love Han. I can totally see it in how well you write him and the awesome lines you give him! VERY Han. I can hear him saying these things. And I love, love, love the ending with Threepio.

And how sweet were Winter and Tycho? I hope he gets his friend back, too.

...uh-oh. Going to move on before I have to mess up my hair.

 

Katana Sundancer: Loved Tycho and Winter. Poor Tycho, losing his little sister like that. It'd be rubbing salt in the wound of Alderaan, don't you think? But yay for him manning up and kissing Winter like that.

I wanted to show more Tycho/Winter love in this fic...just trying to balance out all the angst going on.

Wedge, someday you are going to meet this lovely CorSec lady. And Tycho is going to randomly appear while you try to talk to her, and drag you off for 'important duties'. Just you watch.

Hah! Oh yeah, Tycho will definitely get his revenge.

Thanks!



LoriLynn: Thanks! Tycho and Winter will get some more attention throughout the fic. But, of course, my focus is L/M, as always.

Leia will definitely appreciate Han when she returns.



Jade eyes: Yeah, Han has grown up. Of perhaps he just realized that there's no use fighting the inevitable when it comes to Skywalkers! Now, if only Mara could do the same...



Briannakin: Lol! It truly is a miracle that C3PO hasn't been dismantled by Han.

It's a testament to how much Han loves Luke and Leia.

okay, so my friend just gave me like 14 gb of music, and among it was a Mumford and Sons album, so I remembered you mentioning 'Little Lion Man' as Luke's theme for this fic. So I am here listening to it. Ginchy, where is your brave hat; I need to wipe my tears. HAZEL: HOLD ME. WAAAAAAH!

Mara's themes are even better.



Hazel: Thank you! You might need to hold Bri tighter after the next chapter.



Ocelotl: Memory wipes and reprogramming eh? I seriously doubt that would ever happen... imagine an even more annoying version of 3PO...

No, I really don't want to!



Luna: Yeah, the past two chapters have been a lot lighter in tone. I needed to set up the plot for this fic, and wanted to give you all a bit of a break before the story ramps up again.

Leia will be happy.



Fels Goddess: We love Han. Thanks!



Curtis: We're going to need the bravery hat to read the next chapter, aren't we?

Um...yeah, pretty much.



kataja: LOL for a moment I forgot this was AU so I started to run through what I could remember of canon: 'where was taht scene again...'

This is the best compliment!

I'm so glad thay they believe in her! But I'm very worried why she's been staying - and if taht has anything to do with what happened two chapters away...

They believe in her, probably not as much as Luke, but they at least know that things aren't so black and white. And yeah...your concerns are accurate.

'cos Han Solo will always be Han Solo!!!

And sometimes, I have to give him his due.



ginchy: It's meesa!!! Don't worry, you can get the brave hat ready for next update.

And I love how much you love Han. I can totally see it in how well you write him and the awesome lines you give him!

Oh, shush.

And how sweet were Winter and Tycho? I hope he gets his friend back, too

We'll see.




Good news, everyone! Tonight I am going to write the last scene in all of these crazy rewrites! That means I can get back to simple editing, which means I can start posting two chapters per week very soon! Hooray! That is, if I don't get sucked into Darth Plagueis.

 

Good news, everyone! I'm going to start posting two chapters per week! One on Sunday night (US EST), one on Wednesday night (US EST).

Bad news, everyone! Time to get out your brave hats! (TM ginchy)

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[u]CHAPTER 4[/u]





The main conference room in the Imperial Palace, like all the other rooms, was incredibly vast and ornate. Empty space filled the area surrounding the large table that was big enough to hold over fifty men. All of the Emperor?s closest advisors and military aides were present. The Emperor himself sat upon the largest chair at the head of the table. Facing the tall transparisteel windows, this room was the prime location from which to rule the entire galaxy. Did the galaxy?s citizens know what went on here? Did they know how their lives were molded by the decisions and whims of just a few men, and by a man so twisted in darkness?

Those were questions Mara had posed to herself since returning to the Emperor?s service. At one time, all she desired was to hold a prominent position that would grant her a place at this table. Now that her dream was a reality, she wished to be back on the [i]Chimaera[/i], doing true good for the Empire and its citizens.

And if she truly had her way...

She shook her head. She would not permit herself such flights of fancy. She needed to concentrate. She?d been in the Palace for a month now. Palpatine had ordered her to stay and refresh her training after the incident with Zurel Darillian. He had not formally reprimanded her, although it was implicit. Keeping her in the Palace had always been his preferred method of punishment, and she hated him for it even more now. Especially when, about a week ago, he began insisting that she participate in similar meetings.

A ripple in the Force captured her attention. She glanced up and saw the Emperor glaring down at her, as if he could sense her thoughts. She met his gaze, refusing to flinch or back down. Of course he knew what she was thinking. He always did. At one time, such thoughts would have been considered treason. Now, it only amused the Emperor to see Mara Jade?s spirit so broken, yet with no choice but to fulfill his every whim.

She narrowed her eyes, and then looked away.

The table was not completely filled today. Several grand admirals, grand moffs, and other high-ranking officials were present. Vader was here, too, which surprised Mara. Like her, he was rarely at the Palace, only returning when summoned by the Emperor. Pellaeon had commed her the previous day to let her know that the [i]Executor[/i] had entered planetary orbit, and she immediately began to wonder what Palpatine was up to. Her suspicions were further raised upon being ordered to attend this meeting.

As soon as the meeting started, she had her answer. The Emperor was building another Death Star. She couldn?t believe that Palpatine would make the same mistake twice. The young girl who had idolized him so much would have accepted his arguments for a new weapon to use against the Alliance. The new Mara, on the other hand, was angry beyond all recognition. The first Death Star had been a flawed project and run by a man with an ego that surpassed the mass of the battle station itself. Grand Moff Tarkin had paid for his mistakes with his life, and the Empire had suffered a terrible loss of life at Yavin.

Mara didn?t really care about the loss of the battle station, but she?d always been disturbed by the number of beings killed when it exploded. She knew the number by heart now, thanks to her time with Skywalker.

As always, when she thought of him, her jaw set and her green eyes narrowed. She had to force herself to pay attention to the other men talk about their precious battle station. Isard was there, too. She practically fell over herself while pledging Intelligence?s support of the new Death Star. As if she had any other option.

Finally the meeting ended. Mara glanced to the Emperor but he did not acknowledge her. She took that as permission to leave the conference room

 

Your Vader is always superb

his conversation with Mara brilliant!

Ouch the Mara/Palps scene - she seems totally to believe all this is what she wants, including the Emperor's final injunction - but you can still feel a flicker of - conflict/dissonance