Impressions of the Force

"Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future...the past. Old friends long gone."- Yoda, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Described in his fanboy mentality as a chronicle about "the true birth of Luke Skywalker", Kenobi-fan (author of the Star Wars weblog: The Jundland Wastes Journal) asks you to join him in his first fan-fiction foray. What started as a potential blog entry gradually grew into the fictional narrative you see here. He audaciously attempts to connect the saga's two trilogies by considering what might have occurred to Luke just days after hearing Darth Vader's immortal words: I AM YOUR FATHER! Imagining Luke is still recovering from his physical scars, Kenobi-fan reflects on the wounds still impacting the young Jedi's soul. No longer able to communicate with his teachers, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Master Yoda, Luke discovers he is still receiving messages - messages from The Force itself.

Star Wars: Impressions of the Force
by Kenobi-fan

"Obi-wan never told you what happened to your father."

"He told me enough. He told me you killed him."

"No, Luke - I am your father!"

"No, that's not true; that's impossible!"

"Search your feelings; you know it to be true."

Barely visible from a distance, a tiny figure dangled from a thin antenna hanging just below the huge white belly of Cloud City. Still bleeding after allowing himself to fall away from Darth Vader, Luke tried to regain his breath as he attempted to sit upright. His agonized cries could barely be heard above the roar of the winds around him as he attempted to use his remaining hand to lift himself. The winds of Bespin tore at Luke's grip as he tried to remain conscious. Though he was rapidly losing feeling in his legs, and despite the loss of his right hand, Luke managed to pull himself into a sitting position.

"What am I holding on for? It's over. I've failed."

Despite hanging miles above the planetary surface, Luke couldn't keep his mind off of the battle he just escaped - or fled. His muscles and mind blistered trying to keep up with Vader's relentless attack. Tired, he failed to parry Vader's last lightsaber swing. He screamed as his right hand was sent falling into the abyss along with his saber - his father's saber. Clutching the burning wrist, Luke stood at the edge of an exhaust port within the massive structure waiting for the final strike.

"I am your father." Luke found Vader's words were more devastating than any sword blow.

He couldn't believe anything Vader had to say - or could he? It was only meant to confuse him, distract him. Ben would have told him. Or Yoda. It was all a trick to trap him. Why? It didn't matter now. Leia, Han, and Chewie had been captured. The Rebellion was on the run. And having allowed himself to fall, he was about to die too. He attempted to calm himself but the pain and numbness that came with sitting on the thin metal appendage was spreading throughout his body. He could feel himself losing consciousness. Luke tried one last time to call out to Obi-Wan Kenobi for help. He did not recognize the voices that returned.

"No one can kill a Jedi."

"Ah. I wish that were true."

Ben! Ben! Luke's mind screamed. But it was too late. The hazy red atmosphere of Bespin had turned to gray, then black in Luke's eyes. Having lost feeling in his legs, the fingers of his left hand began to tingle now too. His grip loosening, the next gust of wind pulled Luke from the antenna. He fell. The gust had turned into a roar of wind and light as his body plummeted through miles of gas and cloud toward the ground. His consciousness failing, another voice reached out to him...

"Luke - there is still good in him."

Its echo faded as his body raced to meet the planet surface.

Luke Skywalker woke with a start. Sweat seemed to be pouring from every point on his body. His head ached. He looked expecting to see the gasses of Bespin whipping about him as he flew with ever increasing speed towards his destined meeting with Bespin's surface. The air was still. No sound could be heard outside of his own breathing, and the hum of the medical frigate's engines. He was not falling; he was not dying. He was still in his bed, having fallen asleep just a few hours earlier. Pulling at the sheets still clinging to him, he sat up and moved his legs onto the floor. As he stood up, he noticed his right hand still clutching the sheet.

His right hand. He was still getting used to its power, its strength. He was still adjusting to the strength of the servos humming just underneath the new flesh that was applied there. Despite its look and feel, Luke despised his hand. It appeared to save the moment like a bookmark, holding a place Luke did not want to revisit. He quickly released the sheet and walked over to the window looking out into space.

It had only been a few days since he looked out from another window as the Millennium Falcon, with Lando and Chewbacca aboard, departed towards Tatooine. The sight before him now included large cruisers and several snub fighters, including the venerated X-wing, moving in front of a bright sun. The fleet was moving towards another rendezvous point, where Leia and another fleet were waiting for them.

Sunlight poured over the passing ships. Barely visible against the brilliant halo millions of miles away, the Rebels chose a course that kept them as far from Imperial eyes as possible. Each ship shimmered in the red, orange, and yellow burst of fire emanating from the nearest suns. The group of them looking like a brilliant cascade of light like that emanating from a blast furnace from which a fresh batch of molten steel has just been spilt.

I should be out there, he thought. Luke's hands clenched reflexively. Having grounded himself until he felt he could control the gears in his hand, he wanted to be sure he wasn't going to have another spasm which might put one of the Rebellion's precious fighters at risk. He didnt know when he would fly again. Another x-wing flew past Luke's window, the whine of its engines still echoing as it passed by. Luke smiled.

He recalled his first flight aboard the now famous rebel fighter. Cocky and brash, Luke boarded the craft as if he were born in it, jumping upon the seat like a child would on his father's lap.
The tightness of the cockpit comforted him, even if it was snug. After snapping his helmet down, his hands gripped the controls. Like all veteran pilots, Luke became a part of his ship. It's snugness added to the sense that he was the beating heart of a living organism, one of metal, wires, and lights. He recalled the sense of excitement as the engines began their now familiar high-pitched whine. Having asked R2 to monitor some strange readings from the rear stabilizer, he pushed the ship into flight. Luke peered through his tinted goggles as they flew beyond the atmosphere. The halo of light quickly diminished behind him. Following the ships ahead of him, the fighters raced towards the approaching battle station, the Emperor's new weapon, the Imperial Death Star.

With R2 feeding him data about his surroundings, Luke shifted his fighter to the left, then to the right. Avoiding fire from virtually every sector of the massive hull, he sped around turret after turret, the metallic dunes, raced past in blur of dark shadows. A splash of fire ignited to his lower left side, as another x-wing disintegrated, its debris field bounced off Luke's shield causing him to reflexively duck. He sent his ship into a nosedive, firing as he went, hoping to disrupt another burst of concentrated energy from killing his friends and destroying his ship. It was then that Ben's voice reached out to him.

"Remember, concentrate on the moment."

Luke eyes opened as another fighter flew past. Ben? The voice continued.

"Feel. Don't think."

It sounded different now; the phrasing was off. Although it had been three years ago, Luke was sure he remembered the moment. Or did he? He recalled the calming effect Ben's voice had on him as he raced above the Death Star. At the time, he wasn't sure he actually believed it was his dead master, but he didn't question its effect. The voice provided him peace and focus.

The dark crevices that sped beneath him had transformed in his mind. Instead of searching among a collage of metal and fire, he envisioned several critical arteries of energy leading to a line of turrets now ejaculating blast after blast at his comrades. He remembered releasing a volley of laser fire towards the conduits severing the connections to some turrets and causing devastating explosions in others. As he raced along the battle station hull, he repeated his actions, knocking several other cannons out of commission as well.

He remembered boasting to Wedge that he could hit the thermal exhaust port with ease. The computer combined with his abilities practically made it a sure thing. Now that he was in the trench, he also recalled how wrong he was. Luke shuddered as he remembered the trench walls rushing past him. The sense of encroaching enemy fighters combined with R2s alarming beeps and whistles, added to the madness of the moment. He had never experienced a flight that fast or with so much depending on it. He monitored the computer as it tried to lock on watching with growing apprehension as he approached his final target. Having lost both Biggs and Wedge, the situation was as desperate as it could get. It wasnt going to work. As he looked into the targeting screen, his fear began to grow. "I'm not going to make it." It was then that he heard the voice that reminded him that he had something more to rely on than his error-prone instruments.

"Trust your instincts."

There it was again, Ben's voice - except it wasn't Ben. He was sure of it. The voice sounded different, more experienced. Meditating on the Force, he knew the exact moment and angle to guide his ship as he released his proton volley. Moments later the battle station exploded. Racing from the fiery scene, Ben's voice echoed in his mind once more.

"He is the chosen one."

Again, Luke was confused by what he remembered. It had been three years ago in the middle of one of the most intense periods of his life - at least until recently. It's stupid to think I can remember something from so long ago. What I miss was the calm, he thought. Even amidst the chaos of exploding fighters, he was able to use the Force to temper his feelings, but not now. Ben. Where are you? Luke reached out just as he did to Leia while still hanging onto the tiny metal vane below Cloud City.

"I still can't believe she heard me. How did I even know she had escaped?" he whispered. The Force, he thought. You were right, Ben. I can feel it, but I can't control it. Not like you. Not like Vader.

Luke continued staring at the passing ships before him. Their silhouettes disappeared within the glow of a sun that reminded him of home. Tatooine, he whispered. He imagined the heat of the twin suns warming his face as he worked his uncle's moisture farm. It was there that he first learned how to fix the various machines and devices used to gather water from the wastes. It was a tough life but not impossible. At times, Luke even enjoyed it. It was simple, not like now. Working on the vaporators led to him learning about the mechanics of speeders and of speed. Luke smiled as he recalled the flights above Beggar's Canyon in his T-16 Skyhopper. A stunted chuckle escaped Luke. The Death Star made Beggar's Canyon look like child's play. Sure, he had a few scrapes from time to time but nothing he couldn't survive or fix and he certainly didn't have to worry about people trying to shoot him down in ever increasing waves. Luke stared into space as a voice spoke.

"I'm good at fixing things."

Luke closed his eyes. He remembered saying that - or had he? Like his memory a few moments ago, he was familiar with the phrase but not with voice saying it. He thought again of the moisture farm, how alone he was, his friends disappearing one after another, going off to become something more than just another poor Tatooine sand rat. His heart suddenly filled with longing. Hoping to end his own slavery to the sands of Tatooine, he thought of nothing but the adventures that existed just out of sight. Despite the obvious dangers of the planet, Luke smiled to himself remembering the many nights he snuck outside to view the stars.

"I'm going to see them all."

The voice boomed in his head. The sound seemed so real Luke turned around to see if anyone had walked in. Peering into his cabin, his eyes traced the shadowy outlines of his sparse living space. There was no one in the room. He would have heard C3PO or R2-D2. It wasn't Leia either. She was still visiting with fleet staff ahead. Luke knew there was no one there, yet the voices he was hearing sounded real enough. "I'm going to see them all." It reverberated in his mind. The child who said it, and it was a child, voiced the feeling that echoed in his own heart for years on the desert planet. It's something he might have said. It's something he surely wished for, except those words never left his mouth. And he knew it.

"The Force," Luke whispered. "Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future...the past. Old friends long gone," Master Yoda had said before he left Dagobah to rescue his friends. Luke smirked. How wonderful it all was - at first. Through Ben Kenobi, the Force guided him through the battle above the Death Star. He felt its power flow through him, controlling his fear, and tempering his excitement. Luke was anxious to continue down this path. Believing Vader had found him on Dagobah, he attacked him until he severed the Dark Lord's head from his body. Looking at the false helmet resting beneath him, it had exploded apart revealing Luke's face. "What could it mean? My father? He couldn't be. He's dead."

"This baby is a blessing," a voice responded.

The mass of voices appeared to be growing both in number and volume. It was confusing. Luke closed his eyes as he did on Hoth, and tried to regain control. Like so many times before, he reached out to the Force, releasing his fear. He was amazed at how powerful he felt at those times, almost invincible. Energy swelled around him. It coursed through him, liberating him from the fear and doubt he experienced on Dagobah under Master Yoda.
It was different now. After what happened, after Vader, he no longer felt impervious as he once did. The Force's embrace had changed; he felt the change as he was leaving Dagobah. He didn't acknowledge it then. All that mattered at the time was Han and Leia trapped on a city in the clouds. They were suffering and Luke felt it sure as it was happening to him. The pain, the fear. He had to save them.

Luke tried to push these thoughts from his mind, but he was having trouble meditating on anything else. His attempt to connect to the Force wasn't relieving him of his doubts as it had before. Images and voices still swirled in his mind. He attempted to shut them out. Beads of sweat began to pop from his forehead once again. Luke pushed with renewed energy, attempting to blot out the feelings and images. Though he was healing from his injuries just a few weeks earlier, he still felt drained. The emotions were too powerful to ignore. His mind retuned to Cloud City.

Despite its massive expanse, it hung easily among the surrounding swirls of gas it was collecting. The visions of suffering and pain compelled him onward. His confidence in the Force swelled within him then. He would save them. He would not let them down as he had Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru. The sense of foreboding, of the eminent approach of darkness was palpable as he landed on the dark and empty pad.

With R2D2 at his side, Luke preceded into the urban sprawl. "Han, Leia." Using the Force, Luke sent out an echo hoping to locate them. His call returned to him, informing Luke exactly where Leia was. Han was there too. It brought something else back as well - a darkness. Like a looming shadow in the Force, the shroud enveloped Luke. It was as if someone was calling him. The strength of it nearly blotted out Han and Leia's presence. Luke thought it was Ben at first, then Yoda; perhaps they were working together to aid him in their search after all. He reached out again. Han and Leia's signal grew fainter this time, with the darkness growing in intensity, beckoning him forward, calling him. "Luke. Come to me, son." He wasted no time trying to locate his friends for fear he would lose them amidst the background of darkness.

Hiding behind a corner of a sterile corridor, he spied the princess and her procession. With stormtroopers flanking her front and back, along with what looked to be a bounty hunter, Luke prepared to attack. Luke sensed Han's presence as well, but he was nowhere to be seen. Luke hesitated. The voice, the presence, compelled him further into the city. The voice was soothing and seductive. Rather than bolstering his confidence, it shook it. Perhaps they would be all right; he needed to find out from where this voice spoke. More powerful than either Ben or Yoda, it called his name again and again. "Luke. Come to me. It is the only way to save your friends." The bounty hunter's sudden blast and Leia's scream, snapped him into action. He raced ahead. Red bolts singed the walls around him as he tried to keep up, his lightsaber bouncing beneath his belt.

Unable to keep up, he reached out with the Force again, calling to all of them: Han, Leia, and Chewie. They were gone, swallowed by the power that called his name. "Luke. Join me." If he could locate the voice, perhaps it could aid him. He wasn't sure but it was the only chance he had to locate his friends. Using the Force to open previously sealed doorway, he finally located the source of the voice - and the breath.

"I sense great fear in you, Skywalker. You have unusual powers, young Padawan. But not enough to save you this time."

Darth Vader? Father? Again, what he remembered and what was said differed now. Reminded of the false encounter on Dagobah, he now faced the actual killer of his teacher, the torturer of his friends, and the dark beacon calling to him. Recalling the battle with the Dark Lord of the Sith, Luke closed his eyes again as more voices, male and female, spoke out.

"Anakin, don't do this. You're a good person."

"I'm not the Jedi I should be - I want more, and I know I shouldn't."

"Anakin! Anakin! Nooooooo!"

The voices that echoed were not those of Ben Kenobi as Luke had first hoped. Full of concern and distress, they called out the name of his father, Anakin Skywalker.

"Who are you? What do you want? Answer me!" Luke slammed his right fist against the glass. A tear slid down Luke's cheek, glistening fiery gold before the rays of another passing star. Although the punch should have hurt him, it didn't. Despite the superior connections in his new hand, he felt nothing. Yes, it collected data about the collision, notifying his brain that it had come into contact with something hard and inflexible. He felt nothing. It would protect him in his next fight - with Vader. Despite its protective feature, the lack of physical pain made him feel empty and cold inside.

Luke looked at his right hand, still balled up and pressed against the glass. It was an alien feature, more like a parasite than anything else. Where the Force once flowed around him like a billowing cape of energy, caressing his body, penetrating his being, and empowering his spirit, it now faded and died at the wrist of his right hand. Somewhere both his detached limb and his lightsaber, his father's lightsaber, had fallen (were they still falling?) into Bespin's gaseous depths never to be retrieved. "I hate you." Luke said to no one.

Luke turned at the crackling of the room's intercom. "Commander Skywalker?"

"Yes."

"Princess Leia asked that I notify you she would be returning from fleet headquarters within the hour."

Princess Leia. I would be dead if it wasn't for her, Luke thought.

"I thought she wasn't due back for a few days?"

"That's correct, sir. She said she was returning early and asked that we notify you."

"Fine. Thank you, Lieutenant."

Still resting his right hand against the glass, he thought about the moment his battered body hung beneath the city in the clouds.

The pain was unbearable but Vader's words were worse. Standing above an exhaust port within Cloud City, still clutching his burning wrist, he had let himself fall away from Vader. Why did he not let himself fall away completely after his legs caught the antenna? He could have ended it then. He only had to release himself and all of the fears and doubts would be gone forever.
His instincts took over as they had above the Death Star. The Force had not left him completely. Though weakened, he reached out for help, for his friends. A vision of Leia appeared in his mind. He recalled the twists of dark hair framing her face. "Leia." She was no longer dressed in white. Her clothes appeared much more regal than he remembered ever seeing her. He could not see her face. A man was standing in front of her. His face was familiar. The robes he was wearing draped his body in marked splendor unlike the coarse fabric Luke had last seen him in when he too fell to Vader's blade. Ben Kenobi. The wrinkles Luke remembered in the old man's face had just begun to appear in this version. And although he couldn't see her face, the image comforted him as he hung in the roaring atmosphere. The loneliness left him. He felt her presence and her love begging him to hold on. She was coming. Luke reached out.

"Leia." He moaned. "Hear me."

Luke felt his strength waning. "I can't hold on. Help me."

The thin rod of metal pressed into his legs as the tingling pulse of lost sensation began to grow, fanning out from his thighs and reaching into his arms and his mind. The pain relentlessly assaulted his concentration. As had happened on Dagobah, a wave of voices and images cascaded over Luke as he reached out.

"Obi-Wan? You're going to kill him, aren't you?"

"He has become a very grave threat."

The woman's voice trembled as she turned from Ben. "No. I don't believe you."

Leia?

Obi-Wan replied, "Anakin is the father, isn't he?" Both figures faded from Luke's mind.

Ben! Leia! Please, help me! Luke's mind was wavering. Still clinging to the spire, his attempts to concentrate on his rescuers were weakening. He called out again. "Leia. Hear me." New images flashed before him: A woman lying on a table, her face twisted in pain, Ben standing over her. His mind screamed to each but neither image turned toward him despite hearing both his name and then Leia's.

A roar began in Luke's ears, growing in intensity. The wind had picked up. A fiery warmth began to whip around him. The altitude appeared to be conspiring with the metal still pressing into his flesh. He felt his throat begin to constrict. This time there would be nothing to catch him. As he felt his left hand loosen, a light appeared beneath him as an image arose from it. At the time, he was sure he saw a woman standing there, arms outstretched. Another voice spoke, soft and full of warmth:

"Luke."

The light surrounding her was blinding; he couldn't see her face. It didn't matter; she had come for him. Allowing himself to fall once more, he found himself within a spectral embrace. The woman's voice continued to speak to him as he was lowered to safety.

"Luke. There is still good in him. I know it."

Barely conscious, he fell from the hands of Lando Calrissian and into the arms of Leia. Wrapping a blanket around his body, she led him away. Images of Vader, Leia, and Ben Kenobi swam about him. Dropping onto a cabin bed, he felt the powerful call from within the Force again, the call of Vader. He still felt the urge to follow it, to take control of the cockpit, and fly towards the voice, towards his father. "Ben, why didn't you tell me?" With the Millennium Falcon's jump into hyperspace, Luke felt the urge recede quickly allowing him to slip back into darkness and the peace of oblivion.

Luke turned away from the window. None of this is important now, he thought. All that matters is finding Han. Another enflamed star had passed from view. He returned to the table at the far side of the room. Slumping into a chair, Luke considered calling out to Kenobi again then decided against it. Ben wasn't there or, at least, he wasn't strong enough to reach him. Although the fear of losing contact with Ben crept into his mind, he knew he would hear from his master again. He felt it. He just wasn't ready yet. "Yoda was right. Much to learn, have I." Luke smiled at the thought of the little green master's speech. Master Yoda was waiting for him to return. And When he had a chance to meditate on his battle with Vader and on his mistakes, he would return.

Walking back over to his bed, he brushed against some plants Leia had brought him the day before. She said the small cluster of ferns were part of a gift from the people of Naboo to the people of Alderaan. The gift had been presented to her father; she couldn't remember why. She kept them with her as reminder of her parents while she was racing across the galaxy. It was the only thing she had left after they were killed by the Empire, along with the rest of her people. She said they reminded her of hope in a way. Though her parents were dead, the plants stood as a testament that life continues on. She thought it would brighten his room and maybe his mood too. He stared at the lush shiny green leaves reaching out. Luke sat next to them and held one of the leaves in his new hand. For the first time, he thought he could feel something beyond the dull electric impulses emanating there. A slight smile spread across his face.
Luke sensed an incoming call informing him Leia was back aboard the ship before his intercom sounded.

"Commander Skywalker?"

"Yes, Lieutenant?" Luke wiped his face and walked towards his closet, preparing to change his clothes for a meeting with the former princess of Alderaan. Gone were the romantic feelings he felt when he first saw her aboard the Death Star. She was more like a sister now, tending to his needs, constantly telling him they would find Han and make things right for the galaxy.

"Princess Leia is aboard. She requested your presence as soon as you're available."

"Thank you, I'll be there shortly."

Getting dressed, Luke snapped his belt in place, briefly touching the clip where his lightsaber once hung. He smiled. "I'm going to have to build another one soon," he thought. Briefly thinking of the one Ben handed him back on Tatooine (my father's?), he resolved not to repeat the previous design. Perhaps he would make one mirroring Ben's. "I mean Obi-Wan Kenobi", Luke corrected himself. Did Master Yoda have a lightsaber? Did they make lightsabers that small? Although he had difficulty imaging the diminutive Jedi Master wielding a lightsaber, he wasn't ready to dismiss it after witnessing Yoda lift his ship out of the swamp. "Judge me by my size do you?" Luke smiled thinking of the little green master dancing about the vibrant planet with lightsaber in hand. A thought of a bright green blade pushing forth from the hilt of a new lightsaber seemed right to Luke. Looking over his shoulder as he opened his door, he looked back at the plants Leia had brought him earlier. "Yes, when I meet Vader again, I will return with a new lightsaber, one with a green blade - green like the plants, like life, and like hope."

As he walked down the corridor towards the room where Leia would be waiting, he felt peace beginning to return to him. He would thank her again for looking after him. Her presence lent him strength he sorely needed after his fight with Vader. He was supposed to rescue her, but she saved him instead. He thought of telling her what Vader said. He wanted to.

"What will she think of me? I can't tell her, not yet. I'm not ready. I'm not sure I even believe it myself - not until I know for sure."

He thought of her hazy image, as he was still hanging below Cloud City. At least, he thought it was Leia. The entire experience seemed so distant now, like something out of a dream. He nearly laughed thinking he mistook Lando for Leia. He was definitely not going to tell her or Lando about that one, and definitely not Han. The smuggler, who still referred to him as kid, would never let him live it down. Luke finally allowed himself a chuckle.

"Still, maybe I should tell her. I know I could use her help," Luke considered again. A cunning leader, she had earned his respect and those of the senior Rebel leaders. He was glad she was on their side and not the Empire's. The plan to spring Han from Jabba the Hutt had been mostly hers. It sounded crazy, but he knew it would work. He wasn't a Jedi yet, but he knew they would save Han.

Thinking of Vader's words made him wonder what Leia's parents were like. She almost never spoke of her adoptive parents, let alone her real ones. He wasn't even sure if she knew who her real parents were. They must have been strong considering how courageous she was. Given all that had happened the past three years, he just never considered asking her until now. Vader's words seemed to change everything.

"If Vader is my father, then who is my mother?" Luke wondered as he walked out of his room. He thought of his aunt and uncle. They never really discussed his mother, only saying she died in childbirth. "What really happened?" Did Vader kill her? He was at least partly responsible for Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru's death, why not hers too? Did she love Vader? Had he loved her? He just couldn't imagine anyone ever loving the Sith Lord who took his hand and destroyed the lives of so many. Still, thinking that a man actually existed beneath such dark armor, aroused a strange sympathy in Luke's heart. He clenched his right hand unconsciously.

Returning to his thoughts of Leia, he wondered if someone like her could handle being told Vader was her father. He just couldn't see her fleeing as he did. She was the strong one, not like him, always planning when others were worrying, fighting when others were running. Even in the face of her planet's total destruction, she never let her emotions overrule her reason. He thought again of the light and how she came for him as he hung below Cloud City. They might not be brother and sister, but they surely shared similar scars in the war with Empire. He loved her like family and promised himself he would never let anything happen to her as long as he lived.

Passing both C3P0 and R2D2 heading in the opposite direction, Luke decided he would wait to ask Leia about her parents. Knowing how she felt about Han, he decided not to burden her with any other memories of people she had lost. There would be time to discuss those things later, he assured himself. "And Vader too," he mumbled to himself.

Focusing on the rescue to come and his own training, he recalled Obi-Wan's voice after he destroyed the Death Star. Though just a memory now, the words rang just as strong as Vader's...

"The Force will be with you, always."

The End.

Short story review: Impressions of the Force

The story takes place just after The Empire Strikes Back, and happens entirely inside Luke's head. You can tell Kenobi-fan wrote this in the same fram of mind as his Birth of Luke Skywalker blog entry. Luke goes through several flashbacks, some his own and some his father's, as he comes to term with the startling news. K-fan described this story as an "attempt to connect the saga's two trilogies", and I believe he has done a masterful job of it. He asked us (those of us who recieved advance copies) to review everything from subject matter to grammar and layout. I have no qualms about picking someone's work apart, all in the name of constructive criticism, but all I can say is "Holy Lori Jareo, Batman! That's some good writing!" I'm not usually a big fan of the vague, twisting, flashback-in-the-head-interspersed-with-reality kind of writing, but here it's not only appropriate, it's extrememly well done.

I particularly like the stomach-churning confusion of the end of the first section "...as his body raced to meet the planet surface." Yep, you got me with that one, K-f. I think my favorite part of the entire 8-page manuscript though is the third-to-last paragraph.

"Returning his thoughts to Leia, he wondered if someone like her could handle being told Vader was her father. He just couldn't see her fleeing as he did. She was the strong one, not like him, always planning when others were worrying, fighting when others were running. Even in the face of her planet's total destruction, she never let her emotions overrule her reason. He thought again of the light and how she came for his as he hung below Cloud City. They might not be brother and sister, but they surely shared similar scars in the war with Empire. He loved her like family and promised himself he would never let anything happen to her as long as he lived."

Okay, now I found something to critique. "war with Empire." Try "war with the Empire." luuke's score: 9 out of 10. The only problem is that it was fanfic. Write your own stuff, get it published, and then get invited to do this for real!

RE: Short story review:
And this was K-f's reply to my review:

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
luuke -

WOW! Damn, man - that was some write up. THANKS!!!

I'm speechless. What do I say? Do I say 'thanks' again? It sounds so stupid repeating the same words over and over again. However, I'm serious. I've said this to some others, but I am very appreciative of the time you took to review my story and provide feedback. I mean, really, who the hell am I? Anyway, I am amazed at some of the feedback I've received over the past several days...amazed and shocked. To quote Luke: it's like something out of a dream. Jeeze!
Anyway, I would be greatly honored if you would publish it on your site - if that's possible. Darth Rex0 suggested it to me and I thought it was the perfect place - again, if you'll have it. You are welcome to place it wherever you want and promote it (or not) in whatever manner you see fit.

To that end, I apologize I don't get to your site more often. I do most of my web surfing from work...don't ask. However, your site and numerous others (to include the SW.com forum section) are blocked. As such, I can only view your site from home where I don't have much time to do very much. I hope you don't take this as a slight of any kind. Your comments on my blog and elsewhere are incredible. Also, I am pleased you pointed out your 'fan-fic'. Again, I didn't see it there but now that I have, I will be reading them.

I am perfectly fine with you pointing out the error I made. You're right - that was messed up. I was serious when I said I wanted people to pick up on these errors. Thanks, again. I told another person it's just a reminder that nothing is perfect, no matter how many times you read through it.

Again, thanks for reading my work and for the AWESOME review - really!

Take it easy, luuke!

...Kenobi-fan

P.S. that 'band' picture is freaking hilarious and I look at it often. Freakin' crazy...Ha!