Beyond - Legends This Little Light (L/M AU Challenge)

This is my entry for the L/M challenge thread. It's a roulette challenge, meaning I had to roll the dice and see what three elements I had to use in my story. The three elements I got were:

-Unplanned pregnancy
-Mace Windu
-Dagobah

This will be a multi-post story, so while all three of these things will be mentioned in the first post, they might not appear yet. Don't worry. We'll get there.

Conception

Luke Skywalker sighed and pulled off his formal Jedi robe, hanging it on a rack near the door. Another long day of reports, meetings, and briefings. He'd been eager to create a new Jedi Order, but he hadn't realized how much bureaucracy would go into it. He'd planned a simple, straight-forward method of teaching students on Yavin IV, where they could learn and then go out into the galaxy and use the teachings for good.

That had lasted about five years. Chief of State Mon Mothma, in a bid to make herself look good, had offered to help the Jedi restore the old Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The Temple had been turned into the Imperial Palace when Palpatine had become Emperor, but Mothma had merely moved all of the politicians on Coruscant to the Senate Tower, leaving the "Imperial Palace" open to become the Jedi Temple once again.

Luke had eagerly accepted, knowing that they would need more space as he acquired more students. Unfortunately, accepting Mon Mothma's gracious offer apparently "indebted" him to her, so the Jedi had become servants of the New Republic. That arrangement had been carried down for the last twenty years, and now the Jedi were just as politicized as they had been in the waning days of the Old Republic.

That was it, Luke decided. He was going to figure things out. He wouldn't repeat the mistakes of the old Jedi. Recently, he'd discovered the holo-journals of the Jedi Master Mace Windu. He was going to pore over the information and see what changes he needed to make. He was seriously considering pulling off Coruscant completely.

"Long day?" Mara asked.

Luke glanced up. Mara walked out of the bedroom. She wore utility pants and boots normally worn by Jedi, but she'd removed her tunic and was wearing only a white tank top. He crossed the room to hug her and kiss her on the cheek.

"Not long," Luke replied. "Just boring."

Mara smirked suggestively. "Well, if that's the case, I can think of a few ways to alleviate the boredom, Master Skywalker..."

* * *

Oh, no, this can't be happening, Mara thought.

She was over fifty years old; she should be eagerly anticipating her twenty-year-old son Ben's wedding and the grandchildren that would proceed from that union. But not this!

She walked out of the 'fresher and into the bedroom. To her surprise, Luke was packing a bag with a few changes of clothes and some old datapads. Oh, he was not leaving now, of all times! She strode toward him.

"Where are you going, Skywalker?" she asked.

He glanced up and smiled. "Dagobah. I need some time to think, and it's a good a place as any to do it."

"But Luke, I–"

"Don't worry, Mara, I won't be gone long. And besides, Ben will be here. And Leia, Han, Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin."

"Luke..."

He kissed her on the cheek. "Love you. See you soon."

"But I–!" He was already out the door. She sighed. "Love you too."

But I'm pregnant.

 

Count me intrigued by this setup. I'm following the thread.

 

Oh! Interesting! I can't wait to see where this leads!

 

There are too many fun things about this. First Ben is really gonna be "Mooom! You're kidding!" And I'm glad all three Solo younglings are alive and accounted for. Terrific use of the challenge elements. I'll be watching too.

 

jcgoble3, Briannakin, Nyota's Heart, glad you're enjoying it!

Month 1

Ben Skywalker strode down the hallway toward his parents' quarters, humming a lively tune under his breath as he walked. It was turning into a pleasant enough morning; Ben had been assigned a mission with his Master, Kam Solusar, and they were going to set out later that afternoon. Ben was going to tell his parents goodbye before he left and then gear up for the mission.

As far as Ben was concerned, any mission where he didn't have to wear his formal Jedi robes was a good one. He hated the things. His parents had insisted that it was a rebellious-teenager thing, but Ben wasn't a teenager anymore, and he still hated them. He crinkled his nose. Great. Now he was thinking about it, and they were starting to itch.

As he arrived at his parents' quarters, he knocked on the door and planted his hands on his hips, shuffling from side to side as he waited for them to answer. After only a moment, the door slid open. Mara stood inside, and Ben thought she looked a little rattled. That was unusual.

"Hey, Mom," he said.

"Ben," she said, smiling. "Come in."

He hugged her and then slid into the room. The sparsely-furnished living room had been tidied, and peering into the kitchen, Ben saw only one empty cup of caf and one plate in the sink. He frowned.

"Where's Dad?"

"He's...not here," Mara replied. "He went on a trip; he left just about an hour ago. I suppose he'll be back...oh, in a few days."

"Oh." Ben shrugged. "Well, I wanted to tell him goodbye, since I'm going on a mission with Master Solusar. I guess I'll just have to hope I get back in time enough to see him before I have to head out again."

"Yeah." Mara hesitated. "Are you sure you can't stay a while? Maybe have a bite to eat?"

Ben nodded into the kitchen. "Looks like you've already eaten."

"Oh. Yes, I have. I just...never mind."

"Hey," Ben said. "You all right?"

"Yes, of course." Mara spread her hands. "Don't worry, Ben; we can go on a mother-son date when you get back."

"It's a deal. Promise."

Mara smiled. "Okay. Deal." she hugged him. "Good luck on your mission, son. I love you."

"Love you too, Mom." He kissed the top of her head. "See you soon."

He turned and walked out of the quarters. He frowned deeply as he walked away. What had been off about her? Was it Dad's unexpected departure? Maybe; he supposed it would make the most sense. But it had seemed...more. Mara was used to Luke taking off at random times, so it shouldn't have bothered her after twenty-plus years of marriage.

Ben shrugged mentally. Whatever it was, he was sure she'd be fine until he got back.

* * *

Jedi Knight Anakin Solo, twenty-three years and every bit as rakishly handsome as his father, crossed his arms over his chest as Ben walked into the planning room. He gave Anakin a brief nod of acknowledgement and then moved over to stand by Kam Solusar. The fourth member of the team, Anakin's girlfriend Tahiri, shuffled her lightly-wrapped feet impatiently. Anakin patted her shoulder.

"We're all here," Kam said. "Good. We can begin. We've been requested by Senator G'vli G'sil, head of the Senate Security Council. There's been an unusual disruption in the normal trade routes between Garqi and Coruscant; he wants us to check it out."

"Pirates?" Anakin asked.

"Maybe. We don't even know if the supplies are leaving Garqi; for all we know, they could be nabbed before they even leave the planet. So, we're going to head straight there and check it out from the loading docks, and then go all the way down the Trade Routes to Coruscant if we have to."

Ben nodded. "Well, let's get started, then."

"Sounds good to me," Anakin said. "Meet you in the hangar. Come on, Tahiri."

The two of them would grab their gear, say goodbye to Jacen and Jaina and the others, and be off.

* * *

Mara had to tell somebody! Ben was leaving and Luke was gone, so who could she tell? Leia. She'd tell Leia. She could keep it a secret until Luke got back and she could tell him herself. Nodding to herself, Mara reached for her comlink.

"Leia, it's Mara."

"Hey, Mara," her sister-in-law's pleasant voice replied. "What's up?"

"Can we meet for lunch? I've got something I want to talk about with you."

"Of course. Han and I can meet–"

"Not Han." He'd never be able to keep his loose lips shut. "Just you and me."

"Oh. Well, sure. I'd be happy to. How about that tapcaf in CoCo Town?"

"That'd be great. See you there in...oh, two hours?"

"Two hours. See you, Mara."

Mara closed her comlink and placed it in her pocket. There. Now she'd be able to tell somebody. She wouldn't go crazy waiting for Luke to return, but he wouldn't find out through some third party. Nodding to herself, Mara sat down and turned on the HoloNet. She had two hours to kill; she might as well watch some holodramas, or something.

That would pass the time.

 

And Leia would be I kid

Great update. It's nice to see Anakin Solo alive

 

Nice. Glad Mara has somebody to tell. Leia is a good choice. And I wonder how this mission to Garqi is going to play into the story.

But it's interesting where you cut it off. Would I be reading too much into it to think that something's going to happen in those two hours?

 

Enjoying this - interesting set up so far. Nice seeing grown up Anakin! I also like the detail of mother and son both rebelling against their Jedi robes - Ben just hating them, and Mara just adapting them to how she wants them

 

you have me hooked. Can you tag me when you update? Thanks

 

This is great - love seeing a grown-up Ben with Mara still around, and I'm always here for more Skycrawlers.

I also like Luke trying to move his Jedi Order away from the bureaucracy of the New Republic, although it makes me sad that Mon is the one causing them problems...

 

This is fun! I love the idea of the bonus Skycrawler. Ben will be astounded and Luke will be floored that there is another additon to the family, but they will find a way to make it work. (And boy will that kid be spoiled!) Great to see the cousins, Anakin and Ben, working together.

It's a huge disruption for her, and for Luke, as they are settling into their post-child days, but sometimes the Force has a mind of its own. Leia is a great choice for someone to confide in.

Nice work! I'm waiting for Mace to make his appearance. Since this is "Month 1" and the first chapter was "Conception," I'm guessing there are at least eight more parts?

 

Love this. OK, this is head canon for me for sure. A/T together how nice! Ben and his mom affectionate with one another. The mission sounds intriguing But I know something is gonna happen. It always does.

Leia is the perfectt confidante!

 

Love this, great start!
You should definitely continue this story!

 

jcgoble3, Briannakin, Nyota's Heart, Annia Piet, Falcon, JadeLotus, divapilot, TrustyTrooper, glad everyone's enjoying it!

* * *

Luke swung his X-wing down over Dagobah, enjoying the feeling of familiarity in it. Slowly, he dropped through the atmosphere, being more cautious than he had thirty years ago. R2-D2 beeped apprehensively; he had never liked Dagobah very much. Luke had learned that R2 had visited the planet before Luke had even been born, once, with Yoda. Artoo had been reluctant to divulge that information, to say the least.

He slowly dropped the X-wing down to the same spot he'd landed at the last time he'd visited Yoda. As the vessel settled on its struts, Luke hopped out of the vehicle and slowly moved toward Yoda's hut. The tree dwelling had become overgrown in the three decades since Luke had last visited, so he had to ignite his lightsaber and cut through the vines around the doorway. He deactivated the blade, clipped the hilt to his belt, and crawled through the tiny opening. Inside, he used a small pocket tool to light the fireplace.

Now, he thought, I can begin.

He opened Mace Windu's journal. He read for hours. The journal detailed the Clone Wars, from the Battle of Haruun Kal all the way up to just days before when Luke knew Order 66 to have happened. The deteriorating condition of the Jedi's relationship with Palpatine and the Senate was evident, and many times Windu made note that he wished the Jedi should disconnect from the Republic and become an autonomous order.

This only served to confirm Luke's own desires. They couldn't risk another Order 66 situation. Closing the journal, he carefully placed it into his satchel, settled back, and closed his eyes. He had to meditate on this. He wanted to be certain he made the right decision.

* * *

Mara took her speeder to the tapcaf. She saw Leia's speeder already sitting outside, so she pulled up next to it and went inside. The tapcaf was classically styled, with a greasy-but-clean feel and actual sentient servers rather than droids. Mara saw Leia sitting in one corner. She wore a pair of white pants, a red shirt, and a white vest over it. Mara didn't see Leia's lightsaber clipped to her belt, but that wasn't unusual.

She walked to Leia's table. As she approached, Leia smiled and rose to hug her sister-in-law. Mara returned the embrace, and then the two of them sat down. A Mirialan waiter walked up and asked for their order; Leia asked for a tea, and Mara asked for hot caf.

"So, what's going on?" Leia asked.

"Luke is going to be off-world for a while," Mara said. "I wanted to talk to you."

"I figured as much when you said not to bring Han," Leia joked. "So what is it? Girl problems?"

"Sort of..." Mara confirmed. "It's something I feel like I have to tell right now, or I'll go crazy. I want to be the one to tell Luke, so you have to promise to keep this a secret, okay?"

"Okay," Leia replied, quirking an eyebrow.

The server returned with their drinks. The two ladies thanked him, and then ordered a small meal of sliced ribenes. As he walked off to tell the cook, Mara leaned in close to Leia.

"Leia...I'm pregnant."

Leia choked on her drink and began coughing. Mara reached around and patted her on the back until she cleared her throat. Leia's eyes bugged out of her head as she looked at Mara.

"You what?"

Mara smiled weakly. "Yeah...I was as surprised as you are. I sensed the baby this morning when I woke up. I tried to tell Luke but he was so excited about going to Dagobah that he just left before I could get the words out."

"Mara, this is wonderful," Leia said. "But you're a bit old to be a mother, aren't you?"

"Barely," Mara replied. "I'm technically just below middle-aged, so it's not like it's that unusual. But I expected Ben to be the next Skywalker to have a child. I wasn't expecting an encore."

Leia chuckled. "Well, don't worry, you'll be just fine. I'm here for you if you need anything."

"Thank you, Leia." Mara sipped her caf. "It'll certainly be an interesting experience."

* * *

Ben pulled on his black jumpsuit, utility belt, and blaster holster as he prepared to mount up for the flight to Garqi. Usually, the Jedi didn't carry blasters, but on missions where there was a possibility of facing pirates, sometimes looking intimidating with a blaster at your side was better than pointing a lightsaber at their throats. The other Jedi were geared similarly–Master Solusar wore a light brown shirt, black pants, and a dark brown bantha-leather jacket. Tahiri wore a complete outfit of black leather with a white vest over it. Anakin wore his traditional outfit: brown pants, orange shirt, brown jacket.

Ben pulled himself into his StealthX fighter and powered it up. The ships were useful in that they could trail enemy vessels without being detected, so if they found pirates, they could even follow them back to the main fleet, dealing with the problem at its source.

"Everyone ready?" Kam asked.

"Four engines green," Ben confirmed.

"Ready to move," Anakin replied.

"Let's haul jets!" Tahiri said eagerly.

The four StealthXs lifted from the hangar floor and blasted out into Coruscant's midday sky. Ben grinned eagerly as he rocketed to space. Adventure awaited.

 

I want Luke's reaction next even Ben's is going to be interesting

More soon

 

Leia's reaction was about what I envisioned. Could have been worse.

I think Mace Windu has the right idea in separating the Jedi from the government. Too bad he didn't get a chance to do that.

And this:

Ben grinned eagerly as he rocketed to space. Adventure awaited.

Awesome. Ben is just like his dad was at his age: craving adventure.

 

I liked how you incorperated Mace into this fic. Even though he has been long dead, I have a feeling his thoughts will be influencing events.

And Leia's reaction! I can't wait to see how Luke reacts!

 

Great second installment, it's got a kinda Star Wars space soap opera vibe going on!

 

Awesome way to bring Mace into the tale and his influence on the future course. It just solidifies Luke's intent. LOL on Leia's reaction but hapy she is there for moral/practical support. (Luke will be surprised but tickled!)

 

Nice way to use Mace, and I'm intrigued about Luke's plans (and how Mara's news will affect them). Leia's reaction was great, and I rather like that after all these years of being sisters-in-law they're close enough for her to be the first to hear

 

Great scene between Mara and Leia - it makes sense since the GFFA human have longer lifespans that the women remain fertile for longer as well.

 

Ha! That sounds like my family. My brother and my sister's kid are almost the same age. My nephew's kids are older than mine.

Have fun changing diapers, Mara!

 

Ben is looking for adventure in space on his mission, but Mara is on an adventure of her own! Great scene with her and Leia. And poor clueless Luke!

 

jcgoble3, Briannakin, Nyota's Heart, Annia Piet, Falcon, JadeLotus, divapilot, TrustyTrooper, Jedi_Lover, I apologize for the lateness of the update; life has been super busy lately and I've been writing a non-SW story for most of my free time. But I'm back now!

* * *

As Ben's X-wing descended through Garqi's atmosphere, he emptied his mind and reached into the Force. Ben had an affinity for being able to touch the Force completely for brief moments at a time, allowing him to sometimes anticipate upcoming events. This talent had been useful in the past when tracking smugglers; he could tell where they would show up, and lie in wait for them.

But for some reason, all he got from Garqi was an odd haze. Furrowing his brow, he fell back into his natural state of mind.

"Anybody else sensing anything odd?" he asked.

There was a slight pause, and Ben assumed the others were reaching out with the Force to test it.

"Nothing unusual here," Anakin said.

"Likewise," Tahiri added.

"I'm not sensing anything, Ben," Kam said, "but we'll keep a lookout. Maybe the Force is choosing to reveal something to you that it hasn't to us."

"Thanks." Ben dropped his X-wing toward the spaceport. "Hopefully, it's nothing."

As soon as he landed, he hopped out of his fighter and joined the other three Jedi. Anakin and Tahiri stuck close, looking like nothing so much as a young couple out to watch ships enter and exit the atmosphere. Kam, with his graying hair and nondescript but slightly dangerous features, could've been their escort.

"We'll begin by speaking to the dockmaster," Kam said. "His office is this way."

Ben fell in step behind his Master, staying immediately behind and to his left. Anakin and Tahiri walked several paces behind them. They took a turbolift up to the dockmaster's office. Kam knocked on the door. It slid open a moment later, and the dockmaster stepped out. He was a Twi'lek man with pale green skin. His tunic looked expensive but wrinkled, as if he slept in it often.

"Can I help you?" he asked.

"I am Jedi Master Kam Solusar. This is Apprentice Ben Skywalker, and Knights Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila. We're here investigating the disappearance of supplies from here to Coruscant."

"Of course. Senator G'Sil informed me you were coming. Please, step inside my office."

Kam did, and as Ben moved to follow he caught sight of a figure down the hall. He was pale-skinned, with jet black hair combed back down to his collar, and piercing blue eyes. He was dressed all in nondescript black with a dark gray trench coat over it. He caught Ben's gaze for a moment and then looked away casually. Ben felt a twinge from the Force. That guy could be trouble, he thought.

He followed Kam and the others into the office. If he saw the guy again, he'd know his feeling had been right, and he'd act on it.

* * *

After three days by herself, Mara was longing for Luke or Ben to return. How dare they leave her when she was in this state? Of course, they didn't know...Mara sighed. If she experiencing moodiness already, they were in for one crazy pregnancy.

Deciding to find some company, Mara set out for the Temple's cafeteria. She found Jaina, Jacen, and Tenel Ka sitting at one table and moved over to sit next to them. They had been laughing, she noted, and they quieted subtly as she approached.

"Hope I'm not intruding," she said.

"Not at all," Jacen said politely. "We were just discussing Jaina's date tonight."

"Date?" Mara asked as she sat down.

"Yeah," Jaina said. "With Commander Jagged Fel."

"Ah. So what's under discussion?"

"My outfit," Jaina said. "I had this little black dress I wanted to wear, but Jacen is warning me that it might scare Jag off."

"Trust me," Jacen said, "I've seen the dress. If Tenel Ka had worn that on our first date, I would've been too intimidated to ask her out again!"

Mara laughed. "That's you though, Jacen. Not all young men are so modest."

"No, but I bet Fel is," Jacen said. "The guy's stiff as a plank."

"Well, if that's the case, then I am sure we could find something for Jaina to wear." Mara stood and put her hand on her niece's shoulder. "Come on; we'll raid my closet. Jag will be just the right amount of intimidated," she added with a wink.

Jaina smiled. "Okay. Thanks, Aunt Mara."

Mara led the three young Jedi back toward her quarters and wondered if, in twenty years, she might be having this same conversation with a daughter of her own.

 

Great detail with Ben and the Force. And Mara needed a distraction. Let's see if helping Jaina can help her with that.