Lightheaded: Chapter 5: Something Wicked This Way Comes
Standard Disclaimer: These characters belong to G. Lucas and T. Zahn. In other words: not mine.
Dedication: To anyone who loves hot chocolate.
Rating: NC-17/M
Spoilers/Timeline: After The Corellian Trilogy but before "Vision of the Future".
A/N: Do read and review.
Lightheaded: Chapter 06: Something Wicked This Way Comes
“That’s just unacceptable! Can’t I do anything about it? I don’t want this!”
Isaar shook his head. “I’m sorry, Master Luke, there’s nothing that can be done. You were in a public place, and they have their rights. If they had harassed you or your niece and nephew, we might still have some basis on which to push for a court order against that one holochannel from stalking you. But as it stands, you were wholly unaware of their presence, and you were in a public location.”
Luke sighed, and raked his fingers through his hair. He had commed Isaar once the news story on him and the twins broke on mainstream channels to find out if Isaar would be willing to help him sort the mess out after his final exams were done, which Isaar was happy to. However, it looked like there was nothing that could be done to protect the Solo children from future media attention. ‘And myself too,’ Luke thought privately.
“I’m actually more worried about the children’s’ safety. If the kids grow up with this continual spotlight on them, they’ll have no privacy at all, and their increased media profile would only make them more attractive to kidnappers.” He paused, remembering the time when they had been kidnapped by Lord Hethrir. He clenched his teeth and fisted his left hand when he remembered how impotent he had felt when they were missing.
“Can’t we do anything?” he pleaded. Isaar looked down at his caf for a moment, then raised his head. “There is one thing which you might want to try, but…” he hesitated.
“Yes?” Luke prompted.
“…but you might not like it, and neither might Senator Organa-Solo.” Isaar twisted his lips sardonically. “It’s a bit unorthodox, but there have been certain monarchies which have tried it with varying degrees of success.”
“And?” Luke prompted again.
“You could try…negotiating an agreement with the holochannels and different holopress agencies, to leave the children alone until they reach a certain age.”
Luke was astonished. “You mean that such agreements exist?” Isaar nodded. “But remember, these agreements are informal in nature, and you’ll probably have to give them an information subsidy to placate them from time to time.” At Luke’s blank look, he explained, “Not money, but perhaps release official photos occasionally of the children doing some activity, like celebrating their birthdays, for example. There’s no escaping the fact that the children are newsworthy in their own right, so you’ll have to make some form of a trade-off.”
Luke looked a little pensive at this. “I’ll have to talk to Leia, but it sounds like an idea that we could use. Perhaps at least until the children are of legal adult age.” Isaar nodded in agreement. “Legal adult status is normally the age agreed upon by both parties.”
“I want them to leave me alone too. Do you think that I could pass off as a fifteen-year old?” Luke deadpanned.
“No offence, Master Luke, but that ship boarded and sailed many, many moons ago.” Isaar countered smoothly as he sipped his drink. They both shared a laugh. Isaar abruptly asked Luke, “Have you given any thought to my request to meet Mara Jade?”
The easy smile faded from Luke’s face, and was replaced by a wary one. “Well, I could com her to see if she’s on planet, if you really want to see her. Is your request a particularly urgent one?”
“As a matter of fact, it is.” Luke raised his eyebrows in surprise.
“Why?” Isaar’s gaze flickered past Luke’s chair.
“Because she’s headed our way.”