0.1 | video.

[t65]

Who: Luke Skywalker
Broadcast: Fleetwide (Accidental)
Action: Marsiva
When: 2/16

[Luke Skywalker is sitting pensively in front of one of the wide windows on the Marsiva's Hospitality Deck. Rather than staring out into the darkness of space, he's bent over a tiny silver disk in his hands. It's open, revealing a series of wires, something mechanical and complex. Lacking any proper tools of his own, Luke is replying it with careful fingers and, occasionally, teeth.]

[Lacking any proper supplies, he's forced to improvise. At one point, he removes the glove on his right hand. There's a burn over the back, but the flesh cracks open to reveal more wires and mechanistry. Luke pulls some wires out, breaks them and inserts them into the disk. It seems to cause some of the fingers on his hand to twitch irregularly, but the disk is repaired. He presses a button, and a little blue holograph of a smiling couple appears.]

[He stares at it for a little while.]

[Finally, Luke notices that he's being recorded.] Hello, there. How long have you been on, hm? [He reaches over and turns off the feed.]

[Actually wait. A second later, Luke turns the feed back on.] I suppose if all of this is being recorded, I ought to introduce myself. I'm Luke Skywalker. It's a pleasure to meet you. [His smile kind of... twitches.] All of you.

Comments

[t65]

Um. It's nice to see you too...? I think I might be missing something! [He laughs. The holo he has is of poor quality; there's no way for him to recognize her when that's the only image of her he's ever seen.]

[diplomacme]

You don't remember. [ Did the Atroma do something to him? The thought makes her stomach twist.

She takes a deep breath, as if steeling herself. ]

My name is Padmé.

[t65]

[Luke feels something tug at his chest. It's not the Force; it's just his heart.] That... was my mother's name. [He's not... sure if... hm. He may be squinting at her a bit more, but what are the odds of that, right? No one's that lucky.] I'd ask if you were from the same system, but I'm not completely sure where she's from.

[His expression is more than a little apologetic, a little hopeful. Always hopeful.] Now, what have I forgotten?

[diplomacme]

[ Softly: ] I am your mother, Luke. And I'm from Naboo.

[ Her smile is kind and sympathetic. ]

I'm sorry, I know it's hard to take in.

[t65]

[Somehow, he knows she's not lying. Or maybe it's just that he hopes, but he'd like to think that's the subtle guidance of the Force at work. His voice is soft and careful, almost a whisper.] Don't be sorry.

[He thinks for a long time about how to respond.] I always wanted to meet you, and... now I don't know what to say. [He looks up shyly, like a boy much younger than twenty three.]

[diplomacme]

Thoughts can be a little intimidating when they become reality. But you can ask or say whatever you want.

[ He knows even less about her than Leia did. It's... sad. ]

[t65]

[Almost shyly,] What's Naboo like?

[diplomacme]

[ Padmé is always happy to talk about Naboo. She loves her home planet dearly, and it shows in the warmth with which she speaks of it. ]

Primarily fields and forests with a large patch of swampland. That's where the Gungan live. Naboo is known for its natural resources and beauty.

The people are kind, peaceful. Naboo are ruled by a king or queen. They're elected and have term limits.

[ A soft smile. ] I was queen ten years ago. But I'm a Senator now.

[t65]

A senator. I'd heard that, but... [How can he have a senator for a mother? He can barely believe that his sister's a princess, sometimes.] I can believe it, now.

Is it still- still the Clone Wars, for you? I haven't been born yet?

[He'd always assumed she lived a little while after he was born.]

[diplomacme]

I am. The others you'll meet from my era are ahead of me, timeline-wise. And that means that, no, you haven't. I learned of you and Leia when I came here.

[t65]

That... Must have been quite a shock. Did you... Expect to have children? Not here, I mean, of course, but... Ever?

[diplomacme]

[ She answers honestly, though she'd rather not. She doesn't want Luke or Leia to feel unwanted. ]

No. With our jobs and the war, we never saw it as a possibility.

Apparently that will change sometime soon.

[t65]

[He smiles faintly.] That must have been quite a shock, I'm sorry.

By now you must know how... little I know of you. Until recently I didn't even know your name. I... how did you meet my father? [That's probably something acceptably impersonal, right? Far better than the more worrying question of whether or not she likes, knows or even tolerates the man.]

[diplomacme]

It was. But it's also an opportunity.

[ A soft smile. ]

My ship had been damaged while breaking through a blockade. We had to make a landing on Tatooine to gather parts and repair the ship so we could continue to Coruscant.

Anakin worked at a junk shop. The shop had the supplies we needed, but we couldn't pay for them. Master Qui-Gon struck up a bargain with the junk shop owner. If Anakin won a podrace, he would give us the supplies we needed. If Anakin lost, he would get our ship. A dangerous gamble I can say I didn't approve of at the time.

But Anakin had been so willing to help us and didn't expect anything in return. It's rare anywhere, but it's especially striking in a place like Mos Espa.

[t65]

He- he did? Really? [Somehow, he'd never expected his father to be charitable.] Who is Qui-Gon? Another Jedi?

[diplomacme]

Yes, though his other traits are more well-known. [ Which is a shame, she thinks. Then again, the Holonet likes to put its own spin on things. ]

Master Qui-Gon was Obi-Wan's master.

[t65]

[Uncomfortably,] I'm... Aware.

Obi-Wan's master? I always thought that was Yoda. [Of course, he'd never asked, never gotten any explicit confirmation.] Did you know him well?

[diplomacme]

[ His discomfort makes her feel a touch nervous. He knows next to nothing about his parents-- what have people been telling him? ]

Don't believe everything everyone says about him.

[ Her expression turns thoughtful. ]

No. I don't think Master Yoda has had a padawan in some time, though the inner workings of the Jedi Order aren't well-known.

I knew Master Qui-Gon briefly. He and Obi-Wan were sent to negotiate the end of the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo, though it didn't... quite work out. They ended up escorting me to Coruscant and later helped liberate Naboo from the Federation.

[t65]

Oh, I don't. [His smile is tired, but confident.]

So he met my father as well? He knew all of you? [He was a crucial part of his parent's meeting, and Luke has never heard of him.]

[diplomacme]

Yes. Master Qui-Gon is the one who petitioned the Jedi council to allow Anakin to train to become a Jedi. I think he also intended to be Anakin's master.

[t65]

Oh, you had to... petition, back then? [He wonders if that's something he should institute in his new order. It seems like an awful lot of hassle...] Well, it was very kind of him.

[diplomacme]

No, Anakin was a special case. Children are brought into the Order young, but he was nine. That is why Master Qui-Gon had to petition the Council.

[ Her knowledge of the entire thing is very broad-- she had a lot going on at the time. ]

[t65]

Nine- nine? Nine was older than usual?

[Have the first non-positive emotion he's displayed in front of his mother: utter confusion and muted worry.]

[diplomacme]

It is. I believe the average age is three or four.

[t65]

Oh, poor Father... [He sags a little.] And he was only nine. And- and you knew him even back then. [His voice grows a little wistful, being an incurable romantic as he is.]