Invictus

by Ceillean

What if Luke thinks it's time to move along and leave the Jedi behind? At some point in his life, he'll want to retire, right? This sort of covers that bit.

Title: Invictus
Author: Ceillean
Characters: Luke, Mara, Kyp, Liz (OC), Ben
Genre: Mush, Humor, Thoughtfulness
Notes: The idea for this little fic came from something Jade_Eyes said to me a while ago. And all the L/M mush in the story is for her. Hope you enjoy it, sweetie. What if Luke thinks it's time to move along and leave the Jedi behind? At some point in his life, he'll want to retire, right? This sort of covers that bit.

Invictus by William Ernest Henley is one of my favorite poems. I think it fits both Luke and Kyp nicely.

Thanks to Jade_Eyes for her input and help. Means a lot to me.

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be,
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance,
I have winced but not cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance,
My head is bloodied but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears,
Looms but the horror of the shade.
And yet the menace of the years,
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Coruscant

She woke up because she felt his absence. The warmth at her back, the feel of his breath against her neck, his arm draped over her hip – all this was missing when her eyes fluttered open.

Mara turned around onto her back and lay unmoving for a moment, watching a dance of lights up above. She hadn't shut the blinds to cover the windows and any sort of light that could get through did just that. It was a marvelous show, really. So many different colors, so many different shapes and sizes. It was such a soothing sight, she could have almost fallen back asleep.

But Luke wasn't beside her and that little fact made her worry.

Slowly, Mara sat up and swung long, shapely legs over the edge of the bed. She stifled a yawn as she got up and tip toed into the adjoining living room. Ben was home for a few days and she didn't want to wake him. He was like his father when it came to light sleeping; just dropping a needle could wake her boys up in an instant.

Luke was sitting on the sofa when she approached him. He hadn't turned on any lights, only a single small candle flickered, its golden flame throwing beautiful shadows against the walls. Mara sat down beside him and took his hand into hers. "What's bothering you?"

He glanced her way and in the golden light of the candle, she could almost see the young boyish Luke Skywalker she had met so many years ago, a lifetime ago. And with each year that had passed, her love for him had grown stronger until the thought of living without him was all but unbearable.

She would never say this out loud, of course. But she was certain Luke knew how she felt. She could see it in his eyes every time he looked at her because he felt the exact same way.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly and took a deep breath. "I think it's time, Mara."

She caught a hint of sadness in his voice, "Time for what?"

"Time for a change. Time to move forward." Luke sighed and rubbed his thumb along her knuckles. "It's…time."

Ossus

Five pair of young eyes stared back at him. The younglings were all around the age of nine and each one of them had the unique talent of empathy. Two had caught his eye early on; they were strong in the Force yet at times far too sure of themselves, even at so young an age.

Jedi Master Kyp Durron sat cross legged on the leafy ground, his students in a semi circle around him. It was a beautiful day on Ossus and instead of being stuck inside the stuffy halls of the Jedi temple, Kyp had decided on giving his lesson outside where the Force was most dominant.

It was a simple lecture this morning. All the younglings had to do was probe one another's feelings. But since even the average person held natural walls and blocks within their minds, the younglings grew frustrated rather quickly when they noticed that the lesson wasn't as easy as they had first expected.

"Patience." He said slowly, hiding a smile. The youngest of them, eight year old Mina, started to fidget. She drummed her little fingers on her knee and pulled her brows into a deep frown. She was the one with whom he needed to work with most. Her insecurities would stand in the way of her later training and she had to face them as soon as possible. "Take your time."

"It's not working, Master Durron." She sat up straight but kept up the finger drumming on her knee. "I can't –"

She stopped when she noticed the look Master Durron shot her. It was widely known that he did not like the words I and can't in one sentence. She wrinkled her nose. "It's difficult."

"No one ever said it would be easy."

"But –"

"Again."

Mina sighed and closed her eyes. He felt her presence like a little bright light within the vastness of the Force. He concentrated on her presence, feeling when she broke through the veil of life giving energy and used its power, its evolving current for her purpose. It was like a bubble that she pushed forward until she had enveloped the young boy sitting next to her. Tamon reacted by blinking rapidly and sucking in a breath.

"Strengthen your inner wall, Tamon." Kyp said quietly.

It went on like this for the better part of an hour; touching the others' mind while the other blocked them out. As an empath, it was adamant to know when and how to raise those inner walls and keep them up constantly, no matter the situation. Otherwise the onslaught of emotions could drive you insane.

"Alright." Kyp said while he got up in a fluid, graceful motion. "Enough for today. You did well."

Mina looked away and hugged herself. He felt that she didn't believe his words. While the other students broke out into a run towards the playing ground, Kyp stopped Mina by laying a hand on her small shoulder. She turned towards him with a lowered head and Kyp knelt before her, smiling. "You shouldn't be so hard on yourself. You did very well."

"The others' are better than I am."

"How do you know that?"

Mina shrugged. "Because they are. They can do so much more than I can. All the other younglings are better."

"They aren't, Mina. Every one of you has a unique and different talent. No Force talent is ever the same. So claiming that the others are better than you is, quite frankly, completely wrong." He squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "You have to stop worrying, Mina. You are very good at what you do. And the more you practice, the better you will become. You should start watching yourself as closely as you do your crèche mates. You'll see that you're capable of so much more than you think."

He winked at her before straightening to his full height. Mina smiled. "Thank you, Master Durron."

With a little wave she hurried to catch up to the other children.

"Master Durron!"

Kyp turned towards the voice and raised his brows as Corran Horn approached him in a brisk pace. His fashionable and trademark green robes spread out behind him as a gust of wind came his way. "Since when do you call me Master?"

Corran shrugged. "Dunno. I could, of course, continue with all the name calling instead. How about Gundarkbutt for this week?"
Kyp laughed. "Master is fine by me. Makes me feel all superior."

"And you really need to feel superior, don't you? Not like you already have a superiority complex…"

"Shut up, Horn."

"Yes Sir, Master Gundarkbutt."

Kyp rubbed his brows while leaving half a smile on his face. "Is there a reason you wanted to speak to me?"

"Actually there is." His voice was even and serene. "Master Skywalker wants to talk to you."

Kyp raised his brows. "Did he say why?"

"No. Just that it was a personal matter."

The first thing that shot through Kyp's mind was that something had happened back home. It was an immediate reaction to the words "personal matter". But then he calmed down, knowing that if something were amiss, he would have felt it. No matter the distance, he would always know if something was wrong when it came to his family.

With his curiosity spiked, he thanked Corran and made his way towards the main entrance of the Jedi temple. His nervousness grew with each step he took.

*
Coruscant

Luke turned his head when he heard Mara's light footsteps. In her hands she held a steaming cup of hot chocolate. The gesture warmed his heart. Her smile was blindingly beautiful and with her hair still a mess around her head, she looked almost edible.

The thought made him laugh.

"What's so funny?" Mara asked, placing the mug on the desk in front of him. He pulled her onto his lap by grabbing her narrow hips. Luke sighed, content to have her there with him.

He didn't answer her question, though. Instead he said, "Where should we go?"

Mara raised her brows. "What do you mean?"

"Where should we go? I feel like a long, a very very long vacation."

"Sounds charming."

"Sun and beach?"

Mara lifted her lips into a devious smile. Luke could get used to sun and beach for the rest of his life and not only because he could watch Mara sashay around wearing one of those little bikinis.

"Moderate climate would be nice, too." Mara put in a moment later. "With a little home in the middle of nowhere. A place where no one knows our name, where no one would recognize us."

"Secluded."

"Yeah. And peaceful."

"Sounds…charming."

Mara lifted his chin with her index finger. She stared into his beautiful blue eyes and took a deep breath. Her place was at his side, no matter where they were. Mara leaned forward and touched her lips to his, lingering for several seconds, soaking in the softness of their kiss. His hands wandered underneath her nightshirt, warm and yet rough but his touch was always tender.

"I don't care where we end up." She said softly, kissing the tip of his nose.

"Good. Because neither do I. As long as you're with me, we could be floating in cold space for all I care."

Mara chuckled. "But cold space doesn't have a bathtub."

"A bathtub?"

"Yep." She slid off his lap and stretched tired muscles, her nightshirt taut around her slender yet very feminine body. "I want a bathtub."

"What if we decide to live on some backwater planet like Endor or Dagobah?"

Mara leaned forward once more and captured his lips. "Then you get to build me a bathtub." With a wink, she turned on her heel and headed back into their small kitchen. Luke watched her go with a smile on his face. She was amazing. It was just that simple.

There was the scent of breakfast in the air. Luke loved Mara with all his heart but when it came to cooking, the woman was a menace. So he was quite certain she had ripped open a vacuumed packed meal for herself, Ben and Luke. And not to forget the large bowl of semi sweet cereal Ben liked so much.

Once the scent reached the young man's bedroom, Ben would wake up and eventually join them at the table.

Luke turned back to the comm unit and took another deep breath. He was oddly nervous all of a sudden. He leaned back in the formfitting chair, twirling a stylus between his fingers. The connection to the Jedi Academy on Ossus was still holding and he wondered how much longer Master Durron was going to make him wait.

Patience, he chided himself quietly. This wasn't an issue to be pushed and it was a great step that he was planning on taking. No matter how long it took, he would wait.

Luke thought back to the very beginning of the Jedi Academy. Or rather the Praxeum back on Yavin 4. He'd taken baby steps to get where he was today and along the way he'd made mistakes, there was no doubt about it, but he'd learned. And now he was reaching that point where he knew it was time to step down. It was time to let the new generation of Jedi Knights thrive. Among them his son and his future daughter-in-law.

Ben was still too young, too inexperienced to take on the reigns of leadership. Being the head of the Jedi Council was a tiring and tedious job. Over the years it had developed into a political desk job. He even had his personal assistant nowadays.

Luke sighed and rubbed his brows.

He was tired.

Exhausted.

He looked over his shoulder and watched Mara working in the kitchen. They'd spent a turbulent life together, with ups and downs. Now it was finally time to settle. He owed her that much.

He owed himself that much.

It was time.

It was time for a change.

The comm unit came to life with a quiet blip. Above the hologram projector hovered a smaller sized hologram of Master Durron, lightyears away on Ossus. He seemed at ease yet Luke was quite sure it was only a carefully held up façade. Kyp was nothing if not vigilant when it came to hiding his true feelings from the world.

"Busy day?" Luke greeted with a smile.

Kyp shrugged and pulled his dark robes closer around himself. "Same as usual, I suppose. There hasn't been a catastrophe as of yet. Although I think it might be too early to tell…you never know around here."

Luke chuckled softly while still playing with the stylus. He held it in his artificial hand, moving it along the back and catching it with his little finger.
"What's this about, Luke?" Kyp asked when the silence stretched uncomfortably.

"It's a delicate matter and too important to discuss over a comm line. When were you planning on heading home?"

A twinkle of light appeared in the younger man's eyes and the smile that graced his face was one of pure adoration. "Tomorrow."

"Looking forward to seeing the little one?"

Kyp nodded. "Force, yes. Every time I come back from the Academy, she's learned so much. It's fascinating."

"I'd like for you to head home today, Kyp."

He nodded once. "That important, huh?"

"Pretty much. Contact me once you've arrived on Coruscant."

"Alright. I guess I can have one of the other Masters fill in for me today." He took a deep breath, the twinkle in his eyes replaced by a look of worry. "Why do I have a feeling this is something big?"

Luke merely smiled. "See you soon, Kyp."

He cut the connection and sat back in silence.

Two Days Later

Tell me, where do you see the Jedi ten years from now? Twenty years from now? Fifty?

Kyp parked a rented speeder on the parking deck while going over the conversation he had had with Luke. The older man's voice was so clear in his head. He could imagine Luke was sitting right beside him. Grand Master Skywalker had seemed unnaturally tired, as if the weight he carried on his shoulders was slowly smothering him.

Why are you asking me this?

With a deep breath, Kyp opened the door and stepped out into a bright and beautiful day. The parking deck was situated behind the Coruscanti Mall, one of many highlights the planet had to offer. The building was a magnificent construction of transparasteel and crystal spires, the front of it holding over a dozen lift tubes that ascended and descended in a minute cycle. The crowd of people was indescribably huge; all sorts of odd noises and smells and scents wafted towards him as he made his way in the opposite direction.

Kyp hated the mall. To him it seemed like the majority of individuals went crazy once they stepped over the threshold and inside the realm of all that is pretty and blingy. Not his world at all. But the parking deck was perfect.

He squinted a bit when he locked up the speeder and straightened his jacket. He'd chosen to wear comfortable civilian clothes rather than the thick, stuffy Jedi robes. It was too much of a nice warm day to be stuck in work garb. And, of course, the possibility of being recognized as a Jedi this way was next to null. No robes, no lightsaber – just Kyp.

I'm curious, that's all. I'd like to know where you stand, your viewpoint for the future of the Jedi.

Kyp made his way to the nearest lift tube. Even from afar he could see how packed the thing was. He decided to wait a few minutes for a compartment that wasn't as full. Once he stepped inside the tube, he listened absent mindedly as a female computerized voice welcomed the visitors in several different languages.

I'd like for the Jedi to be an unbreakable unit.

When Kyp stepped off the lift tube, he took a tight left turn away from the main entrance to the shopping mall. His destination was a vast park complex about a kilometer away on foot. He could use the fresh air and the time to think. Stuffing his hands into the back pockets of his pants, he walked while hardly paying attention to his surroundings. Most people avoided him anyway – Master Skywalker had once said he emitted a sort of malevolence each time he was deep in thought or wary of something. As was the case now.

Lightly put, he hadn't liked where the conversation with Master Skywalker had been going.

As do we all. It's difficult to keep the Jedi together when so many want to go their separate ways.

Kyp sighed and stopped when he stepped onto a long bridge from where he could overlook parts of the city. For more than half his life, Coruscant had been his home. He remembered vividly the first time he had seen this grand display and how awed he had been. That feeling had long passed since then. Now it was just another planet like any other.

What are you saying, Luke?

He took another deep breath and dragged a hand through his short dark hair. After another cursory look across the city, he walked on. Twenty minutes into his slow and leisurely walk, he arrived at the park complex and stopped to enjoy what he saw.

Happiness.

Innocence.

The laughter he heard brought a smile to his face.

The park had been built years and years ago. The fact that it wasn't a natural occurrence was barely recognized. There were tall trees that surrounded the park and playground, along with small bushes that actually held a few blooming flowers. It was a beautiful sight.

With everything Kyp had seen over the years, with all the death and mayhem and hurt, it was a truly marvelous thing to see children being so lighthearted and happy, unbeknownst in what kind of galaxy they were growing up in.

I'm saying…that it's time for a change, Kyp. The Jedi need a change.

His eyes locked onto the woman who had forever changed his life, the woman who would always be at his side no matter what. He could count on her throughout all stages of their life together and he knew that whatever he decided on the situation with Master Skywalker, she would support him every step of the way.

Eliziya sat on the edge of a sandbox, smiling while watching the children play. Her dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, strands of it falling into her beautiful face. Kyp knew she felt his presence and the moment that thought crossed his mind, she looked up.

The smile that graced her face was absolutely beautiful.

Without change, the Jedi cannot flourish. I need your help, Kyp.

She jumped to her feet and ran at him while laughing. Kyp gathered her up into his arms. He hugged her tightly to his body, breathing in her sweet scent. He'd only been gone a few days but he had missed her like crazy.

"You're home." She said when he set her back onto the ground. "I wasn't expecting you back for another day or two."

Kyp held her at arms' length and caught himself admiring her beauty. Chocolate brown eyes, thick dark hair, soft tanned skin…absolutely stunning.
"Luke asked me to come a little sooner."

Her brow crinkled. "Is everything alright?"

He reached forward and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah. Everything's fine."

I don't understand. Why do you need my help? You've got everything under control.

"Daddy!"

It was the squeal of a three year old that made him turn his head back to the children playing in the sand. Kyp's heart soared when his little girl came running towards him. He caught her when she jumped up to hug him. Against his chest she seemed so small and fragile…

"Hey, there sweetheart."

"Wanna come play? I'm building a castle."

Absolutely carefree…

"I'd love to play."

Melina wiggled out of his hold and once she was back on her feet, she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the sandbox. "Come on, Daddy!"

I want you to take my place, Kyp. I want you to be the next Grand Master.

Mara snuggled up close to Luke while they sat on the sofa. They heard Ben talking over the comm, hushed voices and silent laughter. She supposed when he was finally done with the call, his eyes would be twinkling and he'd be in the best mood ever. It was always like that when he talked to Jysella.

"A credit for your thoughts."

She craned her neck to look up at her husband. Nestled in the crook of his arm, she smiled and shrugged. "Just enjoying being here with you, that's all."

Luke leaned forward a bit awkwardly. He touched her lips to hers and moaned softly as she returned the kiss. Her fingers wandered along his torso until she reached his face. There she cupped his cheek with her hand and pulled him down even lower. She'd missed this; this simple one on one time together. Like this, she could forget about everything. Being with him made her realize just how much they had had to sacrifice over the years. They'd simply put their own well being behind everyone else's.
Mara sighed and opened her eyes. "I like this."

Luke smiled. "So do I."

"Could you please not do this when I'm around?"

Mara sat up slowly and chuckled softly. Ben stood in the doorway of the living room, staring at his parents with raised brows. "Go make out somewhere else."

"Hey, at least your parents still know how to have fun." Luke said with a grin that suggested he meant more than he was letting on.

Ben made a face. "Oh, I really don't need to know the details, Dad."

"Are you meeting Jysella?" Mara asked.

Ben's eyes lit up at the mention of her name. The young man nodded his tousled red head. "Yeah. She's flying in, in about an hour or so." He cleared his throat. "We were thinking about going out to dinner tonight. You guys want to come?"

Mara raised her brows in surprise. This day was just getting better and better, wasn't it? A dinner with the entire family…

"Sure." Luke answered, grasping Mara's hand in his own. "We'd love to come."

"Great." Ben said. "We'll pick you up around seven, okay?"

With that, Ben left the apartment, leaving behind an odd sense of happiness in his wake.

"How long do you think Kyp will need to get back to you?" Mara asked a while later.

Luke took a deep breath and hugged her close. "As long as he needs, sweetheart." He kissed the top of her head. "As long as he needs."

Three bedtime stories later, Kyp closed his daughters' door with a smile on his face. He could never have imagined the difference a child made in a life. He would do anything for his little girl to make sure she was safe, to make sure she had a decent life.

He leaned against the wall and ran a hand across his face. Luke's query hung above his head like a giant rock ready to crush him. Grand Master of the Jedi Order. Not even in his wildest dreams had ever thought about stepping up onto the throne.

"You look tired."

Kyp pushed away from the wall when he heard Liz' voice. She stood in the doorway to the living room, smiling at him and even after all this time her smile could make his stomach twist.

"I am tired." He answered honestly while approaching her. He took her delicate hands into his and raised them to his lips, kissing her knuckles and then the tips of her fingers. She raised her brows suggestively, biting her lower lip. "But not too tired to enjoy your company."

Liz laughed softly as he pulled her into a warm embrace. "You are insatiable, my dear Jedi."

He kissed her cheek then ran his lips along her neck until he could nibble at her earlobe. "There's something I need to tell you."

She pulled back as she detected an odd note in his voice. "Tell me what?"

It took almost three days.

Luke sat behind his desk in his private office rooms. The Jedi temple was quiet this early in the morning. Only a few Jedi walked the halls. Luke enjoyed the quietness. He could work quietly without being disturbed and he could think.

If not for the constant interruptions of comm calls, the little ping sound when he received a message on his monitor or his assistant walking into the office asking questions he didn't want to answer.

No matter the time of day, there was always something going on.

So when his office door opened and his assistant walked in with a rather pale face, he raised his brows. "What is it?"
"I told him you didn't want to be disturbed but –"

Master Durron squeezed passed the young woman. "She refused to believe I am your best friend in the world." He winked at her. "I think she's under the impression you have no friends at all, Master Skywalker." He continued in a conspiratorial voice.

The young woman sucked in a breath. "I would never even suggest –"

"It's alright." Luke said with a laugh. "I was expecting him."

With a red face, the woman turned on her heel and closed the door behind her.

Kyp took a seat at the desk. Luke couldn't really place his mood. He felt tendrils of happiness along with worry but above all wariness and a touch of excitement. He was all over the place.

An uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Kyp took a look around the sparsely decorated office and wrinkled his nose. "Would I get the office if I agree?"

"Of course."

"First thing on the agenda would be a decorator then."

Luke chuckled as he leaned back in the formfitting chair. "There's a lot of free stuff, too."

"Really?" Kyp asked with raised brows.

"Yep. Free kicks in the butt, for example. It won't cost you anything if someone wants to shoot you, either. And let's not forget all the inner disputes with fellow Jedi. All free of charge."

"Wow. Makes this decision so much easier, doesn't it?"

"I think you've already decided or else you wouldn't be here."

"Maybe I just came by to tell you I need more time to think it over."

"Maybe."

Kyp took a deep breath and let it out on a sigh. "Why me?"

"You're suited for this position."

"That's a bunch of crap and you know it. Again, why me?"

Luke took hold of a stylus laying atop his desk and began twirling it between his fingers. Kyp watched with mild amusement. Seemed he'd picked up this little habit just recently. Luke's face lay in shadow, as if he was thinking hard about what to say next. There were lines around his eyes that Kyp was sure hadn't been there just a few weeks earlier. His entire persona seemed drained, as if he were only running on reserve energy.

"You are…one of the most honest people I have ever had the chance to meet."

Kyp raised his brows in surprise but didn't interrupt.

"You don't take no for an answer. Which can or cannot be a good thing. Depends on the situation, really." A smile tugged at his lips, as he remembered their rather heated arguments back during the Vong war. Luke continued with a little shrug. "Basically, you tell it like it is and that's a rare quality nowadays. You aren't intimidated by anyone. And by anyone I really mean anyone. You'll be true to yourself and you'll be true to the Jedi. As I said, you're suited for this position."

The ensuing silence stretched while Kyp tapped a finger against his chin. "Wow. You've never ever been this nice to me before. I'm at a loss for words."

"That's a first."

"I know! And it's scaring me." He added with a little smile. But then his expression grew serious again. "It's not an easy job, is it?"

"I won't lie to you, Kyp. It's the hardest I've ever done. But it's worth it."

"So why are you stepping down?"

"Because it's my time to do so. Anyway, I promised Mara a nice place with a bathtub." Luke shrugged helplessly.

Kyp laughed softly and rubbed his chin. Then his brow crinkled. "Wait. You don't have a bathtub?" He asked incredulously.

With amusement coloring his blue eyes, Luke asked. "What's your answer, Master Durron?"

Kyp took a deep breath. "I already made up my mind when you first approached me."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. And with Liz backing me up, I really don't have anything to lose, do I?"

"I suppose not."

"Who'd have thought…" Kyp's voice faltered for a moment before he continued. "After everything, who'd have thought I'd end up here?"

"You've always had it in you, Kyp. You're a natural leader."

"Not everyone thinks so."

"Not everyone has to think so."

Kyp took another cursory look around the office. He wrinkled his nose and shook his head. "Definitely need a decorator."

"Is that a yes?"

Kyp gave a curt nod. "Yeah. It's a yes."