𝐀 𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐄

❛I  got  to  keep  on  𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆──    keep  on  hoping,  when  it  all  feels  𝙱𝚁𝙾𝙺𝙴𝙽,  got  to  keep  your  hope  𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄!❜    [  .  .  .  ]  independent  &  highly  selective  rp  blog  for  𝙻𝚄𝙺𝙴  𝚂𝙺𝚈𝚆𝙰𝙻𝙺𝙴𝚁  of  lucasfilm  𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑  𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐒.  lovingly  adored  by  𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚎  [25/she/her].  𝙰  𝚂𝚃𝚄𝙳𝚈  𝙸𝙽…  coming  of  age,  a  hero’s  journey,  bleeding  honey  despite  every  hardship  thrown  at  you,  friends  &  family,  being  true  to  oneself,  looking  for  the  best  in  people,  staying  gentle,  and  more.

      “You mean the old days on the run from the fascist empire trying to murder us or at least lock us up for life?” Han made a sound that sounded half way between a laugh and scoff. “Or the one where I was a smuggler living hand to mouth and being chased by numerous crime syndicates with a bounty on my head?” He was making it sound much worse than it was, but it was kind of the point. He was aiming to reassure Luke, in his own way, that the old days were not better. That he didn’t miss them. Perhaps he was trying to convince himself at the same time. He was doing his damnedest not to completely freak out about everything that was happening and just how quickly it was happening at that. The New Republic wanted him to head up the pilot’s union, and help organize all sorts of things that he was now suddenly qualified for because he fought in a war where he was just making things up as he went along.

      Luke was being pulled in five different directions, and they’d talked about going away, about getting away, but that hadn’t happened because the guy was too damn busy being a hero and Jedi and Han in no way resented that for him but from what Luke had expressed to him, that wasn’t even entirely what the Jedi wanted. And then there was Leia, a force of nature, that one if there ever had been. When did she sleep? When did she eat? He couldn’t have told you the last time he saw her sit down. And he missed his other friends, the ones who didn’t necessarily have a big place in the new government, like Chewie. Chewie was a hero, too, and had been honored as much but his place wasn’t on Chandrila or Coruscant, it was back home with his family.

      Lando was…being Lando, somewhere, and Han was happy for him, if he was happy, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t a little envious of the total lack of responsibility that had fallen on the former baron administrator. He did miss the old days. He missed when he wasn’t tied down to any place, to anyone, but he couldn’t say so because it would definitely make it sound like he didn’t want to be there with Luke. He didn’t, not really, but it wasn’t the “with Luke” part. He’d go anywhere, with Luke. But presently anywhere was here and he was bored out of his mind and irritated that people kept asking him to make decisions and contribute when all he wanted was a damn vacation with his….whatever Luke was. “Don’t worry about me, kid. You’ve got enough on your plate. I’m doing just fine. Just waiting for someone to realize I’m not cut out for the bureaucracy and set me loose.”

                     “𝐘𝐄𝐀𝐇,   𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐒𝐄   𝐆𝐎𝐎𝐃   𝐎𝐋𝐃   𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄   𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆   𝐃𝐀𝐘𝐒...   I   can’t   speak   much   on   the   smuggling   end   though.   Doesn’t   sound   too   enticing   to   me,   but   to   some…”   Luke   looked   up   from   under   his   lashes   and   gave   the   elder   man   a   teasing   smile.   He   knew   that   Han   was   only   trying   to   draw   comparison   from   the   hectic,   stressful,   and   oftentimes   depressing   years   of   combating   the   Empire   to   the   peaceful,   brighter,   and   more   hopeful   present   and   future.   But   Luke   couldn’t   help   but   feel…   left   behind.   Which   was   an   odd   thought   to   have,   really.   What   reason   did   he   have   for   feeling   that   way?   If   anything,   his   efforts   alongside   his   friends   helped   pave   a   path   forward.   Luke,   Han,   Chewie,   and   Leia   were   at   the   forefront   of   this   new   era;   trailblazing   new   times.   So   what   gives?   Why   did   he   feel   as   though   he   lingered   in   the   back,   not   quite   ready   to   move   on?

The   young   Jedi   feared   that   he   might   not   want   to   move   on   –   and   that   was   a   very   troublesome   thought.   So   troublesome   that   Luke   had   immediately   shoved   the   idea   out   of   his   mind   before   he   even   had   time   to   truly   process   it.   But   upon   meditation   and   the   thought’s   persistent   presence   he   had   eventually   given   in   and   considered   it.   After   much   thought   he   had   come   to   the   conclusion   that…   well   he   didn’t   know.   He   certainly   didn’t   miss   the   Empire.   He   didn’t   miss   the   death,   the   sacrifices,   or   the   constant   dimming   of   the   galaxy’s   hope.   But   things   seemed   to   make   more   sense   when   he   was   doing   more   than   sitting   in   Senatorial   meetings.

Learning   the   Jedi   way   of   life   was   more   natural…

“Who   said   I   was   worried?”   the   younger   pressed   in   his   teasing,   “I'm   more   than   confident   Leia   has   already   spoken   to   Mon   Mothma   about   your   lack   of   experience   when   it   comes   to   bureaucracy.”   A   deep   breath   and   Luke   moved   to   the   center   seating   area   in   his   reserved   room   in   the   Senate   building.   Han   had   his   own   –   they   all   did   while   the   senate   was   in   session;   but   the   two   of   them   were   often   found   hanging   in   the   other’s   room   on   the   off   time.   In   fact   Han   was   over   so   often   that   it   was   really   more   of   ‘their’   room;   neither   of   them   have   said   it   outloud   though.   It   had   taken   hard   convincing   to   even   get   the   smuggler   to   move   some   clothes   and   a   toothbrush   over   so   he   could   at   least   be   prepared   and   not   have   to   dash   halfway   across   the   building   just   to   get   ready   for   a   hearing.

“   ──   𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒   𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄   𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐘   𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃   𝐔𝐏...”

It   was   a   simple   enough   thing   to   put   out   into   the   silence   and   yet   Luke   knew   that   it   meant   just   as   much   more   to   the   other   man   as   it   did   himself.   Yes,   things   had   picked   up.   Not   just   their   day   to   day   lives,   but   Coruscant,   the   surrounding   sectors,   and   the   galaxy   as   a   whole.   Sometimes   it   felt   like   too   much,   like   he   might   just   get   whiplash   from   it   all.   And   he   was   a   Jedi;   a   man   who   was   more   in   control   of   himself   and   his   surroundings   than   most   other   beings.   Luke   met   the   now-curious   gaze   of   Han.

Dank   ferrik…   imagine   how   Han   must   have   felt.

The   smuggler   turned   war   hero   was   just   as   relieved   at   the   Empire’s   demise   as   anyone   else,   but   the   younger   knew   Han   too   well   to   know   that   he   was   feeling   restless.   Politics   certainly   wasn’t   his   thing.   Han   had   told   him   as   much.   And   there   had   been   a   lot   of   politics   with   the   inception   of   the   New   Republic.   In   all   honesty   it   wasn’t   much   to   Luke’s   liking   either,   but   Leia   was   the   right   fit   for   the   job   and   she   had   been   picking   up   where   the   two   of   them   had   lacked.   Luke   would   forever   be   thankful   for   that   because   if   he   had   to   sit   through   one   more   senate   meeting   and   listen   to   the   Duke   of   Oimol   argue   (   or   gargle   as   that’s   what   it   really   sounded   like   )   about   the   New   Republic’s   lack   of   urgency   to   protect   his   precious,   private   mines   that   ‘obviously   turned   the   tides   of   the   war   against   the   Empire’,   well,   Luke   thought   he   might   just   explode.

Luke’s   gloved,   prosthetic   hand   reached   up   and   rubbed   the   back   of   his   neck   and   he   gave   a   sympathetic   smile   to   the   other.

using bf2 party chat to roast tf out of dengar: 😎👍🏼✅

                     𝐀𝐇𝐒𝐎𝐊𝐀   𝐇𝐀𝐃   𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐊𝐄𝐍   𝐍𝐎   𝐈𝐋𝐋   𝐎𝐅   𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒   𝐌𝐀𝐍,   and   it   was   easy   to   see   why.   Rex   lived   up   to   all   of   the   stories   and   praise.   He   was   a   proud   man,   a   kind   man,   and   a   wise   man.   But   still...   something   lurked   beneath   the   surface.   Something   hidden   away.

A   soldier   can   only   be   rescued   by   a   permanent   end   to   war.   But   does   his   mind   and   soul   ever   leave   the   battle?   The   Clone   Wars…   the   war   against   the   Empire…   each   were   only   separated   by   illusions   of   peace.   It’s   probably   why   the   seasoned   veteran   still   held   himself   so   guarded   ──   he   was   ready   for   the   phantasm   of   this   tranquility   to   crack   and   rear   the   ugly   head   of   death   and   battle   once   more.   Luke   let   out   a   quiet   breath,   sympathizing   for   the   other.   

𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆   𝐓𝐇𝐄   𝐅𝐔𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐄   was   no   easy   task.   Luke   had   only   done   it   once   before   and   even   then   he   had   not   meant   to   do   it.   What   was   in   store   for   the   galaxy?   For   Han   and   Leia?   For   himself?   Luke   sat   in   the   middle   of   his   room   inside   the   New   Republic’s   Coruscant   government   building.   Leia   had   offered   it   to   him   for   a   quiet   place   of   meditation.   But   that   didn’t   make   it   easier.   His   eyes   were   closed   and   his   focus   strong.   He   could   feel   the   pull   of   the   Force,   all   he   had   to   do   was   take   hold.

The   Jedi   stretched   out   to   the   force   and   suddenly   the   whole   universe   exploded   in   front   of   him.   It   was   a   brilliant   kaleidoscope   of   color   and   motion.   Luke   Skywalker   gasped.   The   vast   image   wavered   momentarily   like   a   desert   heat   shimmer   as   he   nearly   lost   all   control   over   his   hold.   A   hundred   different   scenes,   a   thousand   different   possibilities.   Brilliant   colors,   sharp   edged   sounds,   joy   and   content,   fear   and   death…   all   of   it   swirled   together   with   the   fury   and   randomness   of   a   Tatooine   sandstorm.   Lines   of   possibility   wove   around   each   other,   none   of   which   made   sense   to   him.   He   could   feel   his   grip   slipping   away   and   he   desperately   tried   to   cling   to   it.   But   the   tighter   he   tried   to   hold   on   to   it   the   faster   it   dissipated.

And   then   it   was   gone.

His   eyes   flashed   open   and   his   disappointment   rushed   over   him.   What   was   wrong?   Why   was   he   struggling   to   understand   what   the   Force   wanted   from   him?   It   has   been   two   years   after   the   battle   of   Endor   and   though   Luke   knew   that   he   still   had   much   to   learn   he   had   not   realized   he   was…   so   out   of   touch.   And   with   no   one   to   talk   to   ──   no   Ben,   no   Yoda,   no…   anyone...      he   felt   as   though   he   had   hit   a   brick   wall   that   refused   to   move.

Did   other   Jedi   struggle   as   much   as   he?   He   knew   the   answer   before   the   question   was   even   asked,   of   course.   Yes,   even   the   greatest   of   the   Jedi   could   not   see   the   problems   presented   before   them.   Anakin   Skywalker,   the   Chosen   One,   had   even   lost   his   way.   But   their   path   could   be   found   again.

A   Jedi   must   act   when   he   is   calm.   When   he   is   at   peace   with   the   force.   Luke   swallowed   hard   and   closed   his   eyes   once   more.   He   cleared   his   mind   with   each   deep   intake   of   breath.   Calm…   and   at   peace   with   the   Force.   Calm…   and…   at   peace…

He   could   feel   the   wind,   but   not   just   the   air   ──   he   could   feel   each   ribbon   of   energy   that   flowed   from   all   living   things   in   the   galaxy.   The   web   of   consciousness   and   emotion;   each   individual   feeding   and   breathing   life   into   the   very   energy   he   had   been   taught   to   control.   He   knew   who   he   sought   and   his   concentration   deepened.   The   Force   may   or   may   not   give   him   what   he   was   looking   for,   but   he   had   to   try.