Disclaimer: Most of the characters featured are the property of G. Lucas.
No copyright infringement intended. I am NOT making any money with this.
ONLY TO BE ARCHIVED AT FANFICTION.NET
Timeline: Post- Vision of the Future, replacing Union
To M. For feedback, excellent company, fellowship in SW-madness and fun around the clock ;=) (Especially behind the wheel - I sure would like to see you with an X-wing!)
SPOILER ALERT: Planet of Twilight, Showdown at Centrepoint, Specter of The Past, Vision of The Future, Vector Prime as well as some later New Jedi Orders. (And naturally the Thrawn trilogy, how can anyone possibly avoid that? ;=)
WARPED UNIVERSE ALERT: For the sake of storytelling, Isard's not dead at all. Condolenses to those who get stomach cramps from the woman. I know what you're going through. Just thank the stars of Alderaan I didn't bring Callista back.
Star Wars: The Rising By Heidi Ahlmen (siirma6@surfeu.fi)
"Bastion?" Han asked in disbelief. His own experiences of the place were less than uplifting. There was the peace treaty, but still. The place couldn't have lost in atmospheric charm.
Lando was equally disbelieving. "It would be easier for any other, but someone will likely recognize you, won't they?"
Mara nodded sadly. "I'll just have to be careful."
Vast understatement of the situation. "Isn't Isard still hanging around in there?" Han asked. He knew of what had happened after Mara had failed to take out Luke on Jabba's barge. She'd gone on the run and gotten captured by Isard, head of Imperial Intelligence, under suspicion for treason - for letting Luke go, as if it had been down to her and not Luke's survival skills.
Mara shrugged. "I've handled her before."
"Stang you have," Han replied, anger creeping into his voice. He wouldn't let her do this, least of all for Luke's sake. Even a brief hint of his soon-to-be-wife traipsing into Imperial territory would send him flinging across the galaxy after her. And then they'd have to Jedi to save and haul home on the Falcon. And neither Han nor Lando were feeling up to another jaunt in Imperial space.
Mara cursed her luck. First there was the Emperor watching her every move, and now the whole Solo-Skywalker clan was patronizing her. This had better stop. "And what's it to you then? It's not as if your neck's in line here, Solo," she snarled as best as she could.
Lando twingled his ale bottle in his hand. "We'll go," he said, letting the exclamation roll off his tongue slowly enough for him to be sure of what he was saying. Han stared at him.
"Oh come on, Han, you'd say it yourself if I didn't. We've been there before and Mara's an unlikely candidate for getting in and out without trouble."
Mara turned red. Oh she'd give them trouble alright. "You boys sure don't have a lot to do these days, do you?" she commented, throwing her bottle into what at least looked like a trash can and not some droid. Aided by the Force, it gave a satisfying breaking noise as it hid the bottom of the can.
Han leaned in on her from across the table. "I'm sure you're not looking forward to it that much. Besides, there's a certain someone on Coruscant who'd be just overjoyed to see you."
"Jacen?" Mara joked, smirking, her anger subsiding. Not Jacen but a relative of his alright. Mara shook her head in resignation. Then she sterned her tone, waving a finger at the two ex-smugglers seated across the table. "Alright, but I give you a fair warning; I'll wring both of yours necks if you don't comm me right at the instance if and when you find something."
There was no doubt in Lando's mind whether she would or not. "Promise."
Han said nothing; he knew better than to start a quarrel with his soon-to- be sister-in-law. Only Luke could possibly win. And perhaps Threepio. The droid was more persistant than a sack of Corellian-made hyperdrives.
Enough said, Mara left for the Ice, and set in coordinates for the long flight to Coruscant. With any luck Han and Lando would reach Bastion in just a few hours, it being along the Hydian starway as well as Mantell.
Soon stars became starlines as Mara jumped into hyperspace.
President Ponc Gavrisom wasn't suprised that Luke Skywalker refused his offer for a drink. Seated at his office, the Jedi Master seemed unusually edgy and out-of-place.
"Master Skywalker, I am sorry that this would come up at such a time."
"Can't be helped," Luke sighed. Gavrisom had always been in careful support of Leia, and his abilities as president had seldom been questioned. Luke just hoped that this matter would be handled with the same delicacy as what had so far characterized the President's period of office.
"The question is, will there be proof that indicates this to be false before I am forced to rule for a vote of confidence for being on Captain Jade's side."
This honest and daring statement was a surprise to Luke. "You will back us up?"
Gavrisom's expression was grim in general but his eyes were friendly. "Insofar I have seen nothing to indicate that this union would be an incentive for troubles concerning the Republic. Instead, I see it as a final closure for the atrocities of war."
Luke agreed. "Leia once joked we had a lot of symbolic value."
Gavrisom smiled in his polite way. "It is no posture to say so. You cannot be asked to encourage this, but it will be a media event. Not very unlike High Councilor Organa Solo's marriage which was in its time a jubilee for the role of smugglers in the fall of the Empire. On a larger scale, though."
When had he become such a celebrity? Luke wondered. Probably the same time as the bounties on his head became a dramatic rise in numbers after Endor. Many legitimate or otherwise businessmen who'd delivered to the Empire had been less than exhilarated when their biggest customer suddenly vanished literally to thin air. Most of it, anyway.
Amarice raised her chin, wanting to look as confident as possible, trying to conceal her boredom as he walked into Senator Gann's offices. The weekend had done much good in terms of regathering of energy, but it did not lessen her chagrin at not studying but keeping company to someone hostile to the cause she believed in.
The same dullness she always felt there returned. Gann was seeted at her desk, nose wrapped up in datacards. Amarice gazed out of the window. It was eight standard hours and traffic was heavy. A stray speeder made its ways across the Senate avenue garden, obviously taking an illegal detour. Amarice shifted her attention back to the Senator.
"Good morning."
"Morning indeed, Jedi." It should've been a snarl judging by the words but the tone belonged to just a neutral greeting.
The Senator's composed aura had begun to trouble Amarice. She couldn't quite read her in the Force either. She was there, but either there were heavy barriers or she was just as unsensitive to it as anyone could. By Amarice's judgment the sensation was more of unsensitiveness than anything more alerting. A good explanation for her ignorant questions.
"The Council has agreed on a meeting sooner than I thought - for the day after tomorrow. I shall be needing only some more information prior to. You've been helpful, thank you." The usually present teasing tone was gone. Now there was determination.
A meeting? Master Skywalker would surely have informed Amarice of it. Or maybe it was because he didn't know either. Th Senate had indeed smelled blood, judging by the conversations she'd gotten to hear when accompanying Gann, and Senator Borsk Fey'lya was at the lead, but no official lines of fire had been formed yet as far as she knew.
Amarice sat down without prompting. The Senate spared her a look and went straight into business. "How do the Jedi perceive other Force users?"
Amarice took a momewnt, and then answered. "The Dathomiri witches really aren't that different - some of them are now Masters in the Order. The Jensaarai exist separately, but they regard Master Skywalker's skills and have been wanting to learn from him as far as I know. The Dark Side isn't really strong enough today to pose a threat."
"It isn't, is it?" The Senator offered eagerly. A strange reaction. Amarice still couldn't read it, but there was something to it. Or maybe she was just seeing what wasn't there - his subcounscious trying to make this conversation more intriguing than it really was.
"There have been some Dark Side Force users in the past users and it won't go away entirely, of course, but no, at the moment I don't think the Jedi have any counterparts in terms of Force-users. Not with the Sith extinct."
"And they were once enemies of the Jedi?" Gann seemed puzzled.
"They wanted to wipe us out," Amarice revealed, "And nearly did if it wasn't for Master Skywalker, who then wiped them out."
"Quite a man, is he not?" There was only awe in the Senator's voice. She then returned to her duties, asking Amarice to stack some datacards into filing cabinets. She did as asked, lost in contemplation, trying to stiffen a yawn.
************************************************'
Thank you for reading. Reviews and feedback would be greatly appreciated - they're the fuel that feeds this creative furnace.
Heidi Ahlmen siirma6@surfeu.fi
ONLY TO BE ARCHIVED AT FANFICTION.NET
Timeline: Post- Vision of the Future, replacing Union
To M. For feedback, excellent company, fellowship in SW-madness and fun around the clock ;=) (Especially behind the wheel - I sure would like to see you with an X-wing!)
SPOILER ALERT: Planet of Twilight, Showdown at Centrepoint, Specter of The Past, Vision of The Future, Vector Prime as well as some later New Jedi Orders. (And naturally the Thrawn trilogy, how can anyone possibly avoid that? ;=)
WARPED UNIVERSE ALERT: For the sake of storytelling, Isard's not dead at all. Condolenses to those who get stomach cramps from the woman. I know what you're going through. Just thank the stars of Alderaan I didn't bring Callista back.
Star Wars: The Rising By Heidi Ahlmen (siirma6@surfeu.fi)
"Bastion?" Han asked in disbelief. His own experiences of the place were less than uplifting. There was the peace treaty, but still. The place couldn't have lost in atmospheric charm.
Lando was equally disbelieving. "It would be easier for any other, but someone will likely recognize you, won't they?"
Mara nodded sadly. "I'll just have to be careful."
Vast understatement of the situation. "Isn't Isard still hanging around in there?" Han asked. He knew of what had happened after Mara had failed to take out Luke on Jabba's barge. She'd gone on the run and gotten captured by Isard, head of Imperial Intelligence, under suspicion for treason - for letting Luke go, as if it had been down to her and not Luke's survival skills.
Mara shrugged. "I've handled her before."
"Stang you have," Han replied, anger creeping into his voice. He wouldn't let her do this, least of all for Luke's sake. Even a brief hint of his soon-to-be-wife traipsing into Imperial territory would send him flinging across the galaxy after her. And then they'd have to Jedi to save and haul home on the Falcon. And neither Han nor Lando were feeling up to another jaunt in Imperial space.
Mara cursed her luck. First there was the Emperor watching her every move, and now the whole Solo-Skywalker clan was patronizing her. This had better stop. "And what's it to you then? It's not as if your neck's in line here, Solo," she snarled as best as she could.
Lando twingled his ale bottle in his hand. "We'll go," he said, letting the exclamation roll off his tongue slowly enough for him to be sure of what he was saying. Han stared at him.
"Oh come on, Han, you'd say it yourself if I didn't. We've been there before and Mara's an unlikely candidate for getting in and out without trouble."
Mara turned red. Oh she'd give them trouble alright. "You boys sure don't have a lot to do these days, do you?" she commented, throwing her bottle into what at least looked like a trash can and not some droid. Aided by the Force, it gave a satisfying breaking noise as it hid the bottom of the can.
Han leaned in on her from across the table. "I'm sure you're not looking forward to it that much. Besides, there's a certain someone on Coruscant who'd be just overjoyed to see you."
"Jacen?" Mara joked, smirking, her anger subsiding. Not Jacen but a relative of his alright. Mara shook her head in resignation. Then she sterned her tone, waving a finger at the two ex-smugglers seated across the table. "Alright, but I give you a fair warning; I'll wring both of yours necks if you don't comm me right at the instance if and when you find something."
There was no doubt in Lando's mind whether she would or not. "Promise."
Han said nothing; he knew better than to start a quarrel with his soon-to- be sister-in-law. Only Luke could possibly win. And perhaps Threepio. The droid was more persistant than a sack of Corellian-made hyperdrives.
Enough said, Mara left for the Ice, and set in coordinates for the long flight to Coruscant. With any luck Han and Lando would reach Bastion in just a few hours, it being along the Hydian starway as well as Mantell.
Soon stars became starlines as Mara jumped into hyperspace.
President Ponc Gavrisom wasn't suprised that Luke Skywalker refused his offer for a drink. Seated at his office, the Jedi Master seemed unusually edgy and out-of-place.
"Master Skywalker, I am sorry that this would come up at such a time."
"Can't be helped," Luke sighed. Gavrisom had always been in careful support of Leia, and his abilities as president had seldom been questioned. Luke just hoped that this matter would be handled with the same delicacy as what had so far characterized the President's period of office.
"The question is, will there be proof that indicates this to be false before I am forced to rule for a vote of confidence for being on Captain Jade's side."
This honest and daring statement was a surprise to Luke. "You will back us up?"
Gavrisom's expression was grim in general but his eyes were friendly. "Insofar I have seen nothing to indicate that this union would be an incentive for troubles concerning the Republic. Instead, I see it as a final closure for the atrocities of war."
Luke agreed. "Leia once joked we had a lot of symbolic value."
Gavrisom smiled in his polite way. "It is no posture to say so. You cannot be asked to encourage this, but it will be a media event. Not very unlike High Councilor Organa Solo's marriage which was in its time a jubilee for the role of smugglers in the fall of the Empire. On a larger scale, though."
When had he become such a celebrity? Luke wondered. Probably the same time as the bounties on his head became a dramatic rise in numbers after Endor. Many legitimate or otherwise businessmen who'd delivered to the Empire had been less than exhilarated when their biggest customer suddenly vanished literally to thin air. Most of it, anyway.
Amarice raised her chin, wanting to look as confident as possible, trying to conceal her boredom as he walked into Senator Gann's offices. The weekend had done much good in terms of regathering of energy, but it did not lessen her chagrin at not studying but keeping company to someone hostile to the cause she believed in.
The same dullness she always felt there returned. Gann was seeted at her desk, nose wrapped up in datacards. Amarice gazed out of the window. It was eight standard hours and traffic was heavy. A stray speeder made its ways across the Senate avenue garden, obviously taking an illegal detour. Amarice shifted her attention back to the Senator.
"Good morning."
"Morning indeed, Jedi." It should've been a snarl judging by the words but the tone belonged to just a neutral greeting.
The Senator's composed aura had begun to trouble Amarice. She couldn't quite read her in the Force either. She was there, but either there were heavy barriers or she was just as unsensitive to it as anyone could. By Amarice's judgment the sensation was more of unsensitiveness than anything more alerting. A good explanation for her ignorant questions.
"The Council has agreed on a meeting sooner than I thought - for the day after tomorrow. I shall be needing only some more information prior to. You've been helpful, thank you." The usually present teasing tone was gone. Now there was determination.
A meeting? Master Skywalker would surely have informed Amarice of it. Or maybe it was because he didn't know either. Th Senate had indeed smelled blood, judging by the conversations she'd gotten to hear when accompanying Gann, and Senator Borsk Fey'lya was at the lead, but no official lines of fire had been formed yet as far as she knew.
Amarice sat down without prompting. The Senate spared her a look and went straight into business. "How do the Jedi perceive other Force users?"
Amarice took a momewnt, and then answered. "The Dathomiri witches really aren't that different - some of them are now Masters in the Order. The Jensaarai exist separately, but they regard Master Skywalker's skills and have been wanting to learn from him as far as I know. The Dark Side isn't really strong enough today to pose a threat."
"It isn't, is it?" The Senator offered eagerly. A strange reaction. Amarice still couldn't read it, but there was something to it. Or maybe she was just seeing what wasn't there - his subcounscious trying to make this conversation more intriguing than it really was.
"There have been some Dark Side Force users in the past users and it won't go away entirely, of course, but no, at the moment I don't think the Jedi have any counterparts in terms of Force-users. Not with the Sith extinct."
"And they were once enemies of the Jedi?" Gann seemed puzzled.
"They wanted to wipe us out," Amarice revealed, "And nearly did if it wasn't for Master Skywalker, who then wiped them out."
"Quite a man, is he not?" There was only awe in the Senator's voice. She then returned to her duties, asking Amarice to stack some datacards into filing cabinets. She did as asked, lost in contemplation, trying to stiffen a yawn.
************************************************'
Thank you for reading. Reviews and feedback would be greatly appreciated - they're the fuel that feeds this creative furnace.
Heidi Ahlmen siirma6@surfeu.fi