Awkward Skywalker Family Dinner from Unexpected Consequences

[klcthebookworm]

This scene has been giving me fits for a month. I think I have it sufficiently awkward, but I will take feedback. I'm still working on the transition at the end.

Han opened the quarters’ door into the turbolift foyer. “What is this?” He waved a hand at Lucinda’s jacket. “You went to a swoop race without me?”

“It was a last minute thing.” Luke answered as they headed past the kitchen to the dining room. Artoo rolled away from them, probably to look for Threepio.

Han peered at the logo pendent on Luke’s chest that he had brought back out in the turbolift. “And you didn’t get anything for the Corellian Slice Hounds? They’re in the lead.”

Lucinda, worried again, peered up at Han. “Coruscant is Mara’s home planet,” Luke said.

Han grunted. “They still need better pilots this year.”

Leia came out of the hallway that led to her study. Everything about her torso had expanded and she swayed as she walked. Her dismay over the logo leaked away from her shields. Luke, impartiality so important for public perception.

That was good from her, a full sentence instead of just emotional connotations. I didn’t wear it out in public, but Lucinda wouldn’t take the jacket if I didn’t get something too. He hugged her and kissed her cheek. “How are feeling?” he asked out loud.

“More tired than I thought possible. I fell asleep in the outreach meeting today.” She returned the hug briefly before turning him toward the dining room table that was already set with food and dishes.

Luke frowned. “Why are you in meetings? Shouldn’t your sabbatical have started already?”

She sighed and Han’s expression darkened over Lucinda’s head. “Mon asked for me to continue. We took traveling off the agenda at least.” She shot Luke a look, one he remembered well from the Rebellion days, her I-expect-more-from-you look. “There is so much to do and a limited pool of people we can trust.”

He pulled the chair out at the end of the table for Leia. “I’m aware of just how small that list is.”

Han helped Lucinda take off her jacket and hang it on the back of her chair. “And getting smaller with Lando on his way back to Nkllon.”

Lucinda glanced around the room. “Don’t we need to wait for Chewbacca?”

“Nah.” Han pushed Lucinda’s chair in for her. “He’s working on the Falcon. I set him up with his favorite takeout. And he’s none too happy with Luke over the dorsal damage.”

Luke smirked as he finished adjusting Leia’s chair for her and headed to his seat next to Lucinda’s. “I’d like to see how you two would fare in a corridor of repulsorlift plates and beating a descending lift plate.”

Han gave him a friendly bump as they passed each other. “I’m just happy to have you and the Falcon back in one piece. But you know how Chewie is.” He settled into his chair on Leia’s right.

Lucinda’s face pinched with worry again as she looked up at Luke.

“Don’t worry about it, Little Jade.” Han picked up a serving dish of orange vegetables. “Chewie just likes the excuse to be grumpy until the Falcon is back in perfect running order. He really likes Luke too much to tear his arms off.”

“Perfect running order?” Leia raised her eyebrow.

Han turned to his wife with an exaggerated pout.

“Now, Leia.” Luke interjected as he picked up the platter of sliced roasted nerf and helped some to Lucinda’s plate. “We wouldn’t want the flights to get boring, would we?”

He got a flash that she was annoyed with him over something, but she hid it with a warm smile at Han. “Never. Does Chewie have enough for repairs or are you two scrounging for parts?”

“No scrounging; we bought top of the line.” He took the meat platter from Luke and served Leia and his plates.

Lucinda got her own roll from the breadbasket. “Mommy didn’t know how the Imperials got the Falcon, but she said you wouldn’t leave it.” She glanced up at Luke.

“Of course not. We had to liberate a ship since we couldn’t get back to the shuttle we arrived on.” Luke glanced at Leia before cutting into his nerf slices. “Chewie told us that your mission led you to orbiting it around Endor. He didn’t want to tell us much else, but he told us that. You must have just missed Thrawn’s arrival in system.”

“And he still managed to be right on our heels despite that.” Leia picked up her water glass. Her annoyance was flaring again, but she flattened it with dutiful concern before speaking. “You should go see the Noghri on Honoghr. Let them know we both care about the fate of their people and planet.”

He swallowed. “Wasn’t planning on going off planet until Mara is out of the medcenter, but you know I’ll do my part for New Republic member recruitment.”

“It’s more…” A memory slipped from Leia. One of the short aliens from Bimmisaari with steel-gray skin, large dark eyes, and protruding jaws stared up and the nostril folds flattened. “You are the Lady Vader. The Mal’ary’ush.” “Personal,” she finished out loud.

Personal covered so much when it came to their father’s atrocities. And a whole species that referred to her as that was bound to irritate her. “What happened to them?”

“A Clone War battle in orbit led to environmental disaster when the ships’ wreckage landed on Honoghr. The Empire promised them aid in return for their service, and then altered one of the native plants to continuously poison their soil and kept the decon droids at the slowest possible pace. They have lost four generations of their sons fighting for the Empire.” No, Luke had been wrong thinking that was the source of Leia’s ire. She was incensed over their exploitation and protective of them.

Lucinda swallowed before speaking. “Are they going to join the New Republic now?”

Leia smiled at her. “I hope they do, but it’s more important that they are freed from the Empire so they can make the choice.”

Lucinda nodded and wrapped her mouth around her forkful of vegetable.

Han looked across the table with a serious expression. “Just how long is Jade supposed to be in the medcenter?”

“The medic said she’ll be in a coma after neural reconstruction for about a month.” Luke kept his tone even and calm to not upset Lucinda. “The procedure went well, and we’re going to see her every day.”

“The medic says it helps Mommy make neural pathways to hear us.” Lucinda reached for her water glass with both hands.

Han hummed. “We never had anyone need that during the war, so it’s new medical ground for us.”

“It’s good news that your mother is doing well.” Leia added, since it seemed to escape Han’s notice to reassure the little girl. “But I thought only family was allowed to visit.”

Han lit up with glee as he chewed.

Luke pointed at him. “Han.” He directed his gaze down to Lucinda quickly before meeting Han’s gaze again.

Han continued to grin as he swallowed. “You lost Jade for nine years. Did you take steps to make sure it didn’t happen again? Tatooine traditions—”

“Don’t apply here,” Luke said quickly. “Mara got hurt helping us. That was enough to make me responsible for her care. But she entrusted Lucinda to my care.”

“Why?” Lucinda glanced up at him and then back to her plate. She poked at her nerf with her fork. “Mommy said you have a free pass for rescues, but why would she trust you with me?”

“Something we’re all curious about, little Jade.”

Leia smacked Han’s arm.

Luke put aside his curiosity over his free rescues. “Your mother told you that you had to hide your Force sensitivity because bad people will take you for it.” She nodded. “We are all the same here, and we keep each other safe from those bad people.”

Leia tilted her head like she wanted to smack his arm and he was out of reach. And her irritation was flaring internally again. “Luke, she’s a child.”

“And she shot a vornskr off me already. She has a good start in protecting herself and others.”

Lucinda beamed at him.

Han snorted at Leia’s expression. “Tatooine child rearing.”

Lucinda shook her head. “We never been there. But I’m not letting some bounty hunter or stormtrooper hurt me or Mommy.”

“Or smugglers,” Luke added.

She sighed heavily. “I will lift the vibroknife next time.”

“Vibroknife?” Leia asked.

“Wadewarn had a vibroknife. I should have disarmed him before hitting him.”

Luke shook his head. “That’s not what you did wrong in that fight.”

“I have to defend Mommy.” Her eyebrows were drawing down to match her severe tone.

“You hit first. That makes you the aggressor. Words hurt but they aren’t lethal.”

Lucinda puzzled on that one. “But Wadewarn pulled out his vibroknife to cut off my nose?”

“And then made himself open for whatever you had to do to protect yourself. But you put yourself in danger by starting it. You should wait for them to make the first wrong move. It’s hard, I know.” He popped a piece of his roll into his mouth.

“He’s finally getting better at it.” Han added dryly. Lucinda covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled. “I met a Wadewarn. Does Karrde know about all this?”

Lucinda dropped her hand and nodded. “He said me and Mommy won’t see them again. He keeps his word.”

“You won’t have to worry about any of that here at the Palace. We have a Security Force to keep people safe.” Leia said firmly. “And hopefully Luke isn’t wasting his time by taking you target blasting.”

The little girl twisted in her seat to look up at Luke. “There’s a range here? I need to practice. I haven’t practiced in forever.”

But Luke looked at his sister’s frustrated face. He didn’t try to beat against her shields, but ‘wasting time’ was a judgment he wanted to bristle against. “What else am I supposed to be doing now, Leia? You don’t have any time for lessons. And Mara entrusted me with caring for Lucinda.”

“You cannot let personal concerns overrule the concerns of the many.” Leia crumpled her napkin in her fist. “Everything we fought for is in danger and you’re gallivanting at swoop races.”

Lucinda slumped in her seat. “I wanted to go,” she said on the verge of tears.

“Of course you did,” Han said quickly. “And everybody deserves time off and to do something fun. Even you, sweetheart.” He pointed his finger at Leia quickly before leaning over the table to be closer to Lucinda. “She says work is relaxing. I clearly need to take her to more swoop races.”

Luke kept his mouth shut and hoped his glare got across how much that crossed the line. Unfortunately, Leia could match him glare for glare so it usually didn’t work.

Her frustration didn’t diminish, though she did feel apologetic for upsetting the little girl. “That’s not what I meant. The whole New Republic needs what you can do, Luke. We can take care of Lucinda. We’d be happy to do it again.”

He folded his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair. “Intelligence tattled on me all the way to you?”

“[Director’s name] asked me to ask you to reconsider their request.”

Han set his silverware onto his plate. “Sweetheart, I thought other politicos going to you about any of us was off the table. That was your decision. I don’t see why a potential second Clone Wars should mean you are the one to make the Jedi do what they want.”

Lucinda’s blue eyes widened as she looked up at the adults from her seat. “A second Clone Wars!” She slapped her hand across her mouth.

“I kept it classified this time.” Luke patted Lucinda’s shoulder so she’d know she wasn’t in trouble.

Han snorted as he leaned further back in his chair. “It’s all over the Palace now. I think it was one of Fey’lya’s handpicked people but I was told not to make a fuss since nothing was getting out to the HoloNet.”

Ackbar. Leia told Luke mentally.

Luke nodded. The Admiral was being gracious in his reinstatement.

Lucinda’s gaze darted to each of their faces before she took a deep breath. “Do these clones need a Jedi General?”

Both Leia and Han startled at that. “Luke, you aren’t re-enlisting, are you?” Han asked.

“No.” Luke shook his head. “Grand Admiral Thrawn is making clones. I’m not going to work for him.”

“He wouldn’t honor the deal. He didn’t honor the deal Mommy made.” She pushed her plate further away as she slumped down.

“Yeah, that Imperial Navy trait gets worse the higher up the ranks you go.” Han stabbed the last bit of nerf on his plate. “And he’s the last Grand Admiral standing, so I guess it’s up to us to take him down a notch.”

“Which is going to take all of us.” Leia was combining her diplomatic appeal voice with her command forcefulness. And her frustration was leaking past her shields. “Doing what we do best. And I’m not issuing orders for Luke. But I do think they have a point that he is the best one suited to hunt for the clones. He sensed them. The needs of the many require—”

“You to sacrifice your health, well-being, and the health of your babies,” Luke snapped back. “A Jedi can’t get so caught up in matters of galactic importance that it interferes with his concern for individual people.”

“Do not claim some Jedi high ground in ignoring that everything we fought for is endangered, Luke!”

Han scraped his chair back as he stood up. “And this is why civilized beings don’t talk about politics or religion over dinner.” He moved round the table and pulled Lucinda’s chair from the table. “Come check out the nursery so you can help Luke pick his presents out, little Jade. He didn’t have many toys growing up so he’ll need the help.”

Lucinda slid out of her seat and took Han’s extended hand. She looked back over her shoulder with a worried look as they crossed the parlor to the master bedroom suite.

Leia waited until they had entered the other room before letting her second volley loose. “I’m not ignoring my responsibilities to indulge a child’s fantasy in order to impress her mother with some strange ideas of child care!”

“Leave Lucinda out of this! She has nothing to do with Intelligence not being ready to send me on that mission, which isn’t even logistically supported yet. Did [Director’s name] bother explaining that all they have is how I sensed the clones? The mission doesn’t exist logistically other than me jumping in my X-Wing, flying into Imperial space, and the Force will show me where the clones are. No support, no back up, no intel. You want to give that mission your stamp of approval?”

She had the grace to let some abashment show through her indignation. “No, I was given another impression of why you turned it down.”

“I did not. I told them they had a month to get the logistics together and instead of starting that, they ran a complaint all the way to you.” He shook his head. “I should tell them no just out of spite, but a Jedi has to above such things. And the New Republic is in jeopardy.”

“I’m sorry for not shutting it down like I promised I would.” Leia still had seething mass of resentment and frustration, but she was trying to calm it. “But target practice and swoop races?” She spread her hands. “Luke, you can’t just play with her.”

“I accept your apology. Now can you accept I actually know what to do with an older child? You’re assuming without all the data again, probably because I am an easier target than who you are really upset with.”

Leia’s nostrils flared as that bolt hit. “What data am I missing?”

“Artoo confirmed that all Lucinda has done since we sent her here was work on her lessons, shadow Winter, and yelled at Ghent to eat and sleep. And she didn’t bother asking for anything fun because Winter had to work and Mara promised her something fun when she got here. Instead of a trip to the opera, Lucinda got her mother in the medcenter and everyone else she knows leaving her here with us.”

“Opera?” Leia’s eyebrows raised. “Lucinda strikes me as liking that as much as you and Han do.”

Luke shrugged. “Apparently, Mara likes opera. Lucinda doesn’t want to go to the opera with me, but the poor kid deserved something fun after what happened to her mother and then Intelligence sending her into a tailspin that I’m needed on the front lines again yesterday. So we all decided on a swoop race. I’m not planning on making it a daily thing. Target practice depends on what we can schedule with the range since that’s part of her lessons I didn’t know about.”

“Part of her curriculum?” Leia asked dryly.

“She shot a vornskr off me already. And you should see how her mother handles a blaster.” A grin he didn’t want to hide spread over his face as he remembered just how deftly Mara had dropped their foes.

His sister’s lingering frustration evaporated as she smirked at him. “You aren’t protesting that you don’t want to impress one Mara Jade when she wakes up.”

“Of course I want to impress her, she entrusted me with her daughter.” The awe of that trust made his heart swell again. “You and Han make fun, but entrusting your children to anyone else on Tatooine is a sacred honor. You have proven you wouldn’t sell them into slavery.”

“Luke, Mara Jade is bound to know that slavery is illegal in the New Republic.”

He shrugged again. “She thought I was kidnapping Lucinda to be my padawan when we were on Myrkr. My taking care of Lucinda isn’t training, and I hope Mara sees that when she wakes up.”

“She will.” Leia had let go of her frustration, and now familial warmth exuded from her. “But don’t forget that Han and I are here and can help.”

“I haven’t forgotten. If Intelligence actually turns this sandmine into a mission before Mara wakes up, Lucinda will have to stay with you.”

“She is welcome.” Leia leaned back in her seat, resting her hands on the swell of her belly. “Free rescues?”

“Well, they didn’t charge me anything for getting me off Jomark.”

“She didn’t, did she?” Leia smirked and her glee was unrepentant. “And just how did you spend all the time between Jomark and the Chimera?”

His face reddened before he could bury the reaction.

Her smirk went triumphant. “Chewie had a lot of complaints about how the Falcon’s cargo hold smells after so much mating.”

“I cleaned it!”

Leia laughed, peels ringing out of her in such a way that proved she needed to. He didn’t protest her amusement at his expense. Her mood was now buoyant in a way that it hadn’t been when they arrived. His ego could take the hit. She pulled herself back together. “Oh Luke. You have been waiting for her all these years, haven’t you?”

“Nobody else has compared. And I hope she sticks around after the crisis have wrapped up.” He stood and braced himself to help Leia pull out of her chair.

“I’m sure she will.”

Han was stepping across the living area as loudly as he could. “You two settled?”

“It’s safe to come out,” Leia said. “My mood swing is over.”

“Yeah, they’ve got it all sorted, little Jade.”

Lucinda’s worried face peered out from behind Han’s long leg.

Luke smiled at her before wrapping his arms around Leia in a tight hug. “You aren’t the only one to keep the New Republic together, okay? And if you can’t tell Mon Mothma no, at least delegate to your trusted staff? We both know none of them are Delta Source.”

“I will.” A wide yawn interrupted her. “I will,” she repeated.

He washed the invigorating Force over her, lifting her fatigue away. She lifted her head and blinked her surprise at him. “Clear some time in your schedule and we’ll practice that one so you aren’t fall asleep in meetings any more.” She nodded. “Maybe not tomorrow,” he added as he turned to grab Lucinda’s jacket. “We have to go see what the maintenance pool can do with one of Intelligence’s disposables.”

Han frowned. “They better work a miracle before you trust your hide to one of those. Chewie and me will make you go buy a ship first.”

“You can afford a ship of your own?” Lucinda caught his hand as he headed them to the main door.

“I can, but I really don’t need a bigger ship.”

“Yes, you do,” Han called after them.

“Good night,” Luke called back. He waited until they were in the turbolift, before starting his apology. “I’m sorry you got surprised by that.”

“Captain Solo explained it. He said you both want to do the right thing, but sometimes you don’t agree on how to do it. And if you are both on the same trajectory, the Imperials should jump to hyperspace to get out of your way.”

“That’s pretty accurate.”