Handwritten Notes
Title: Handwritten Notes
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Ben Skywalker
Rating: PG
Summary: Memories.
"Luke, will you put that thing away?"
Grinning from behind the holorecorder, Luke peered up at Mara's face--currently a mix of annoyed and amused--and replied, "I won't. This is for posterity."
"The posterity of my stomach?"
"He might like to see it someday."
"Luke, I really don't think that he will." She stretched out a hand, extended a finger, and poked her husband between the eyes. "Besides, I don't need a reminder that I'm gaining weight and one day soon won't be able to see my feet."
"Mara," Luke admonished gently. "The baby can hear you."
She stared at him. "You can't be serious."
"Studies have shown--"
"And how many have you read?"
"Er... well, a lot..." Flustered, Luke rested his hand on Mara's gently curved belly, rubbing his fingers over the soft, pale skin. She sighed, reaching down to ruffle his hair affectionately.
"I guess I can forgive you," she said in a long-suffering voice. "But turn the recorder off."
*
"...recording again?"
"You're bigger this time."
"Well, obviously."
"You keep getting more beautiful, too."
"Farmboy, I'm already married to you, you don't need to flatter me."
The sound of clothing rustling, and a gentle sigh.
*
"Luke?"
"Mmm? Is something wrong?"
"Well, you've got that thing on..."
"I'm serious, Mara. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, everything's great."
"You're trembling."
"It's just..."
"Yes?"
"I felt him kick. Right here."
"...oh. Oh." A chuckle. "He's strong."
"Of course he is. What else would he be?"
*
Ben shut it off, tucking his knees up to his chest. In his cabin in the Jade Shadow, with Vestara in the other bunk and a team of Jedi down the hall, watching this was a quiet affair. But it was one of the few things he had left of his parents.
Luke had been killed in a skirmish with their enemy, a few weeks ago. Thinking about it, about how Luke had stepped in front of the lightsaber aimed for his son's neck, and how he'd died with a smile on his face as he ruffled Ben's hair for the last time, tears stung Ben's eyes. Luke's body had become one with the Force when he breathed his last, and Ben had collected his father's lightsaber. It gleamed on his bedstand now, beside the one that had been his grandfather's, once.
Skipping through the entries, Ben passed his birth, several holos that must have been taken at Shelter, some of him growing up, to the very last one. It had been recorded shortly ago--just before the fight that had claimed his father's life. Curious, Ben keyed it up and watched as his father slid in front of the recorder.
Luke Skywalker looked tired, as he had before the fight that had claimed his life, but he still smiled, that proud, parental smile that Ben had always known but hadn't been able to appreciate until lately. No matter what had happened in the past, Luke was proud of his son beyond words, and Ben knew that even in death he probably still was.
"Ben," the recording said. He had to turn up the volume because his father's voice was soft. The glow of light on Luke's face said he was probably on the bridge when he recorded this, the rest of the ship quiet for those on board to be able to sleep.
"When you see this I'll probably be gone already. We're coming up on Korriban, and by all indications the fight we encounter here will be our worst yet. My wounds from the last battle still haven't healed. I'm not sure I'll make it."
Ben reached out with a finger that slid through the grainy blue of his father's cheek. The Jedi's calm acceptance of death grated on him now.
"I put this together over the years... partly to remember Mom because--" his father's voice cracked here, and Ben got a glimpse of the loneliness that he'd probably carried since the moment Mara died "--I miss her, and partly because I knew one day I'd be gone and you'd want something of me, of both of us. Something to show your own kids when they arrive." Luke smiled. "I see what's going on between you and Vestara. I don't know if I approve of it, but I don't think I'll get the chance to change. Whatever you do, you have my blessing. You're smart, and you're on the way to being a great Jedi." He paused. "No, you are a great Jedi. You've done what every parent wants for their child. You've passed me, you've done better than me, and I am so very proud of you."
He bit his lip, looking down. "I wanted you to know that, and that I always will be whether or not I'm around to tell you. If I die in this battle, it's up to you. When you're old enough, you'll lead the Order, and I know you'll do better than me at that. I leave you everything--any assets, including the Shadow, which you'll need to beat this. I--"
An alarm went off in the background, a new light casting his father's face into different relief. Luke leaned forward and Ben heard the sound of the sublight engines engaging. He turned back to the recorder hastily. "Never give up, Ben," he said softly. "I love you."
Tears stung his eyes and angrily Ben swiped at them as he shut off the recorder and set it aside like it was a treasure. On the other bunk, Vestara stirred at the soft sound. Ben stood, going over to pull her blanket up a little higher, then paused and touched her hair gently before going to sit in the pilot's chair, staring out the viewer as the multicolors of hyperspace slid past.
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Ben Skywalker
Rating: PG
Summary: Memories.
"Luke, will you put that thing away?"
Grinning from behind the holorecorder, Luke peered up at Mara's face--currently a mix of annoyed and amused--and replied, "I won't. This is for posterity."
"The posterity of my stomach?"
"He might like to see it someday."
"Luke, I really don't think that he will." She stretched out a hand, extended a finger, and poked her husband between the eyes. "Besides, I don't need a reminder that I'm gaining weight and one day soon won't be able to see my feet."
"Mara," Luke admonished gently. "The baby can hear you."
She stared at him. "You can't be serious."
"Studies have shown--"
"And how many have you read?"
"Er... well, a lot..." Flustered, Luke rested his hand on Mara's gently curved belly, rubbing his fingers over the soft, pale skin. She sighed, reaching down to ruffle his hair affectionately.
"I guess I can forgive you," she said in a long-suffering voice. "But turn the recorder off."
*
"...recording again?"
"You're bigger this time."
"Well, obviously."
"You keep getting more beautiful, too."
"Farmboy, I'm already married to you, you don't need to flatter me."
The sound of clothing rustling, and a gentle sigh.
*
"Luke?"
"Mmm? Is something wrong?"
"Well, you've got that thing on..."
"I'm serious, Mara. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. Yeah, everything's great."
"You're trembling."
"It's just..."
"Yes?"
"I felt him kick. Right here."
"...oh. Oh." A chuckle. "He's strong."
"Of course he is. What else would he be?"
*
Ben shut it off, tucking his knees up to his chest. In his cabin in the Jade Shadow, with Vestara in the other bunk and a team of Jedi down the hall, watching this was a quiet affair. But it was one of the few things he had left of his parents.
Luke had been killed in a skirmish with their enemy, a few weeks ago. Thinking about it, about how Luke had stepped in front of the lightsaber aimed for his son's neck, and how he'd died with a smile on his face as he ruffled Ben's hair for the last time, tears stung Ben's eyes. Luke's body had become one with the Force when he breathed his last, and Ben had collected his father's lightsaber. It gleamed on his bedstand now, beside the one that had been his grandfather's, once.
Skipping through the entries, Ben passed his birth, several holos that must have been taken at Shelter, some of him growing up, to the very last one. It had been recorded shortly ago--just before the fight that had claimed his father's life. Curious, Ben keyed it up and watched as his father slid in front of the recorder.
Luke Skywalker looked tired, as he had before the fight that had claimed his life, but he still smiled, that proud, parental smile that Ben had always known but hadn't been able to appreciate until lately. No matter what had happened in the past, Luke was proud of his son beyond words, and Ben knew that even in death he probably still was.
"Ben," the recording said. He had to turn up the volume because his father's voice was soft. The glow of light on Luke's face said he was probably on the bridge when he recorded this, the rest of the ship quiet for those on board to be able to sleep.
"When you see this I'll probably be gone already. We're coming up on Korriban, and by all indications the fight we encounter here will be our worst yet. My wounds from the last battle still haven't healed. I'm not sure I'll make it."
Ben reached out with a finger that slid through the grainy blue of his father's cheek. The Jedi's calm acceptance of death grated on him now.
"I put this together over the years... partly to remember Mom because--" his father's voice cracked here, and Ben got a glimpse of the loneliness that he'd probably carried since the moment Mara died "--I miss her, and partly because I knew one day I'd be gone and you'd want something of me, of both of us. Something to show your own kids when they arrive." Luke smiled. "I see what's going on between you and Vestara. I don't know if I approve of it, but I don't think I'll get the chance to change. Whatever you do, you have my blessing. You're smart, and you're on the way to being a great Jedi." He paused. "No, you are a great Jedi. You've done what every parent wants for their child. You've passed me, you've done better than me, and I am so very proud of you."
He bit his lip, looking down. "I wanted you to know that, and that I always will be whether or not I'm around to tell you. If I die in this battle, it's up to you. When you're old enough, you'll lead the Order, and I know you'll do better than me at that. I leave you everything--any assets, including the Shadow, which you'll need to beat this. I--"
An alarm went off in the background, a new light casting his father's face into different relief. Luke leaned forward and Ben heard the sound of the sublight engines engaging. He turned back to the recorder hastily. "Never give up, Ben," he said softly. "I love you."
Tears stung his eyes and angrily Ben swiped at them as he shut off the recorder and set it aside like it was a treasure. On the other bunk, Vestara stirred at the soft sound. Ben stood, going over to pull her blanket up a little higher, then paused and touched her hair gently before going to sit in the pilot's chair, staring out the viewer as the multicolors of hyperspace slid past.