Fic: Veil of Shadows, 1/13, PG-13
Title: Veil of Shadows
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Category: AU, angst, romance
Timeframe: OT; around time of ANH
Summary: A strange tale where the good guys are bad, the Empire has won, and a Sith adept pursues the girl of his nightmares.
Notes: This is my response to a challenge on another site, with these rules: 1) Begin your story with the sentence "There were fifteen minutes left." 2) Write a story that portrays "romance" without "mush". Luke and Mara may not touch. Find a way for one or both of them to express love without the use of the words "I love you".
A huge thanks to
gabri_jade and
thissilentfall for their help and support. You guys are the best! Also, thanks to
leia_naberrie for inspiring the format and feel of this fic.
~~
Veil of Shadows
1. Scintillate
There were fifteen minutes left. Luke tore his eyes from the chrono and growled a few choice words under his breath.
“What could possibly be taking so long?” he snapped, glancing at the young brunette sitting in the corner.
“Stop whining,” she replied lazily, examining her fingernails.
“Why are we even here? We obviously weren’t needed.”
The girl let out a little sigh. “You’re unusually anxious today.” She looked up at him in a detached manner, as though she were inspecting an insect that had to be crushed.
Luke glared at her and began to pace back and forth across the antechamber. His companion’s brown eyes flashed victoriously.
“So the Emperor’s little Hand is leaving after all?”
Luke stopped and took several angry breaths. “That has nothing to do with this, Leia, and you know it.”
She shrugged and resumed the careful study of her nails. “Either way, you’re pathetic.”
The young man closed his eyes, but all he could see was her. He tried to tear the image from his mind, not because he wanted to, but because the longer he kept it there, the more likely it was that Leia would pick up on the true depth of his yearning. The last thing he needed was for her to jeopardize his tenuous position with the Sith Lords.
The door to the conference room opened, and Darth Vader stepped through, his nightmarish mask aimed in Luke’s direction. Luke tried to dampen his emotions, but he had the sinking feeling it was too late. Across the room, Leia smiled with dark satisfaction.
Vader looked from Luke to Leia. Without a word, he started walking to the far door. Luke and Leia exchanged a curious glance before quickly falling into step behind the Sith.
Luke checked his chrono and gritted his teeth. Ten minutes. Didn’t anyone understand how important his time was? If he didn’t get back to the palace before those ten minutes were up…
No. I have to see her again.
He blinked twice and focused on the hem of Vader’s cloak as they reached the landing pad where their shuttle awaited. The Sith Lord was subtly probing his mind, trying to follow the path of Luke’s previous emotions to their source, but Luke could feel him, and he responded forcefully to Vader’s intrusion.
You don’t ever get to touch my thoughts, old man.
As they climbed the ramp, Vader paused and glanced over his shoulder. The steady hiss of his respirator seemed to drown out the noise of traffic as he stared down at Luke. Then he turned away.
Six minutes left.
~~
He dreamed about her every night.
She stood in front of a tall window at the end of a dimly lit corridor, her slender body wrapped in a shimmering white ball gown. Her red hair fell in loose ringlets across her shoulders and down her bare back, drawing his eyes to the smooth curve of her spine. It made him remember how badly he has wanted to touch her, from the moment he first saw her. The sight of her was like a stab in the gut, sending white hot tendrils of pain lancing through his body. He had to have her.
Now.
She looked at him over her right shoulder and extended her hand. As he reached for it, his skin erupted in flames, scorching his nerves as he opened his mouth to scream. She pulled away in horror, watching as the flames poured from his mouth. He stumbled toward her, unable to speak through that fire that was consuming his tongue.
She lifted the skirt of her gown, revealing her right leg and a small sheath from which she extracted a vibroblade. The weapon’s electric glow cast a faint light across her face, adding an unnatural spark to her green eyes. Before he could react, she let out a war cry and plunged the blade into his heart.
He tried to remove the blade, but it only sank deeper into his chest. As he fell to his knees at her feet, he grabbed the virgin fabric of her dress, leaving smears of blood where his fingers touched. She yanked the cloth from his hands and lifted her left hand to the ceiling. Something slapped into her open palm - he couldn’t see what. The fire was burning out his eyes, blinding him with heat, with rage, with lust.
He collapsed on the ground and felt something cool touch his forehead. Raising his eyes, he saw the faint outline of a blaster in her hands. He groaned and grasped desperately at the air, trying to touch her.
Every night she fired, and then he woke up.
~~
“You’re too late.”
Luke didn’t look behind him. His eyes were locked on the distant pinprick of silver that was her ship. Rage shot through him, rage like that of a cornered beast staring down its tormentor. He spun around, ready to lash out.
The red beam of Leia’s lightsaber sizzled to life a centimeter from his chin. Startled, Luke stumbled backward, igniting his own weapon.
“Unwise, young learner,” she mocked. “You disappoint me.” She flourished her saber before deactivating it and clipping it to her belt.
“I hate you.”
Her lips twisted in a smirk. “Good. You’ll never become Lord Vader’s apprentice otherwise.” She spun on her heel and walked away.
Luke shut down his weapon and watched her stride purposefully down the hall. “I’m the best choice by far,” he called after her, “and the Emperor knows it.”
“Only Vader’s opinion matters,” she replied without looking back.
He folded his arms tight across his chest and snarled, studying Leia’s steps. Who did she think she was? He was the chosen apprentice. Not Horn or Katarn or anyone else. And definitely not this spoiled one-time princess.
I hate you, his mind whispered.
I know, she whispered back.
~~
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Category: AU, angst, romance
Timeframe: OT; around time of ANH
Summary: A strange tale where the good guys are bad, the Empire has won, and a Sith adept pursues the girl of his nightmares.
Notes: This is my response to a challenge on another site, with these rules: 1) Begin your story with the sentence "There were fifteen minutes left." 2) Write a story that portrays "romance" without "mush". Luke and Mara may not touch. Find a way for one or both of them to express love without the use of the words "I love you".
A huge thanks to
gabri_jade and
thissilentfall for their help and support. You guys are the best! Also, thanks to
leia_naberrie for inspiring the format and feel of this fic.
~~
Veil of Shadows
1. Scintillate
There were fifteen minutes left. Luke tore his eyes from the chrono and growled a few choice words under his breath.
“What could possibly be taking so long?” he snapped, glancing at the young brunette sitting in the corner.
“Stop whining,” she replied lazily, examining her fingernails.
“Why are we even here? We obviously weren’t needed.”
The girl let out a little sigh. “You’re unusually anxious today.” She looked up at him in a detached manner, as though she were inspecting an insect that had to be crushed.
Luke glared at her and began to pace back and forth across the antechamber. His companion’s brown eyes flashed victoriously.
“So the Emperor’s little Hand is leaving after all?”
Luke stopped and took several angry breaths. “That has nothing to do with this, Leia, and you know it.”
She shrugged and resumed the careful study of her nails. “Either way, you’re pathetic.”
The young man closed his eyes, but all he could see was her. He tried to tear the image from his mind, not because he wanted to, but because the longer he kept it there, the more likely it was that Leia would pick up on the true depth of his yearning. The last thing he needed was for her to jeopardize his tenuous position with the Sith Lords.
The door to the conference room opened, and Darth Vader stepped through, his nightmarish mask aimed in Luke’s direction. Luke tried to dampen his emotions, but he had the sinking feeling it was too late. Across the room, Leia smiled with dark satisfaction.
Vader looked from Luke to Leia. Without a word, he started walking to the far door. Luke and Leia exchanged a curious glance before quickly falling into step behind the Sith.
Luke checked his chrono and gritted his teeth. Ten minutes. Didn’t anyone understand how important his time was? If he didn’t get back to the palace before those ten minutes were up…
No. I have to see her again.
He blinked twice and focused on the hem of Vader’s cloak as they reached the landing pad where their shuttle awaited. The Sith Lord was subtly probing his mind, trying to follow the path of Luke’s previous emotions to their source, but Luke could feel him, and he responded forcefully to Vader’s intrusion.
You don’t ever get to touch my thoughts, old man.
As they climbed the ramp, Vader paused and glanced over his shoulder. The steady hiss of his respirator seemed to drown out the noise of traffic as he stared down at Luke. Then he turned away.
Six minutes left.
~~
He dreamed about her every night.
She stood in front of a tall window at the end of a dimly lit corridor, her slender body wrapped in a shimmering white ball gown. Her red hair fell in loose ringlets across her shoulders and down her bare back, drawing his eyes to the smooth curve of her spine. It made him remember how badly he has wanted to touch her, from the moment he first saw her. The sight of her was like a stab in the gut, sending white hot tendrils of pain lancing through his body. He had to have her.
Now.
She looked at him over her right shoulder and extended her hand. As he reached for it, his skin erupted in flames, scorching his nerves as he opened his mouth to scream. She pulled away in horror, watching as the flames poured from his mouth. He stumbled toward her, unable to speak through that fire that was consuming his tongue.
She lifted the skirt of her gown, revealing her right leg and a small sheath from which she extracted a vibroblade. The weapon’s electric glow cast a faint light across her face, adding an unnatural spark to her green eyes. Before he could react, she let out a war cry and plunged the blade into his heart.
He tried to remove the blade, but it only sank deeper into his chest. As he fell to his knees at her feet, he grabbed the virgin fabric of her dress, leaving smears of blood where his fingers touched. She yanked the cloth from his hands and lifted her left hand to the ceiling. Something slapped into her open palm - he couldn’t see what. The fire was burning out his eyes, blinding him with heat, with rage, with lust.
He collapsed on the ground and felt something cool touch his forehead. Raising his eyes, he saw the faint outline of a blaster in her hands. He groaned and grasped desperately at the air, trying to touch her.
Every night she fired, and then he woke up.
~~
“You’re too late.”
Luke didn’t look behind him. His eyes were locked on the distant pinprick of silver that was her ship. Rage shot through him, rage like that of a cornered beast staring down its tormentor. He spun around, ready to lash out.
The red beam of Leia’s lightsaber sizzled to life a centimeter from his chin. Startled, Luke stumbled backward, igniting his own weapon.
“Unwise, young learner,” she mocked. “You disappoint me.” She flourished her saber before deactivating it and clipping it to her belt.
“I hate you.”
Her lips twisted in a smirk. “Good. You’ll never become Lord Vader’s apprentice otherwise.” She spun on her heel and walked away.
Luke shut down his weapon and watched her stride purposefully down the hall. “I’m the best choice by far,” he called after her, “and the Emperor knows it.”
“Only Vader’s opinion matters,” she replied without looking back.
He folded his arms tight across his chest and snarled, studying Leia’s steps. Who did she think she was? He was the chosen apprentice. Not Horn or Katarn or anyone else. And definitely not this spoiled one-time princess.
I hate you, his mind whispered.
I know, she whispered back.
~~