Five Things That Never Happened to Luke Skywalker by Corana (PG)

[malabud.livejournal.com]

Fandom: STAR WARS OT
Pairing: Gen (with a little Luke/Mara in the last one)
Length: 7,000 words
Author on LJ: rynne
Author Website: The Background Hum, Corana's Fanfiction.net Profile

Why this must be read:

Ever since it was first used as a fanfic challenge, the "five things that never happened" concept has become one of the most popular writing tools in fandom. I've read a few such Star Wars stories, but this is the best I've read thus far.

Corana uses the "five things" to great effect in Luke Skywalker's life. Each story is self-contained, but together they reveal interesting facets of Luke's character. In each incarnation, he is still the character we recognize despite his changed status, or even his changed name. Each AU is distinct from the others, but they all work as valid (and intriguing) possibilities. All of them are so good that one wishes the author would write full stories for each of them instead of the snippets with which we must be content.

Who knows? Maybe someday she'll expand a couple of these little AUs into full stories. We can only hope.

* * *

When he reached the conference room, there was only one person there--one very recognizable person. Luke froze in the doorway, and felt his heart skip a beat.

What'd I do? he thought, frantically trying to remember if there was anything he'd done that was bad enough to warrant this. They can't read minds. They don't know I've wanted to defect since before I got my commission and only haven't because of lack of opportunity. I've done well enough that they promoted me to Commander of my own squadron at only twenty-three. What'd I do?

"Commander Skywalker," the other said. "Come in. Have a seat." He gestured toward a chair not far from where he was standing.

His mouth dry, Luke tried to swallow. "Yes, my lord," he said, and hoped his voice didn't betray his nerves. Would he be invited to sit down if he was going to be killed? Gingerly, he took a seat, and waited.

"I have heard glowing accounts of your performance, Commander," Darth Vader said, surprising Luke completely. "Your superiors, including Baron Fel, report that you are the best pilot they have seen since they first watched me fly."

Luke grasped for control. "I'm flattered, sir," he said, his voice as steady as he could make it. Vader was here to...compliment him? No, that couldn't be it. But would he compliment him and then kill him? Still, it was flattering, since it was well known that Lord Vader was the best pilot in the Empire.

Then Vader placed his hands on the table that dominated the room and leaned forward, staring at Luke with that unnerving masked gaze. Luke was surprised into staring back. "Who is your father, Commander?" Vader asked.

My father? Luke blinked. What did his father have to do with anything? "I--he was a navigator, sir," Luke answered, finally. "On a spice freighter. He died before I was born. His name was Anakin Skywalker."

Vader's hands clenched around the edges of the table, and Luke could feel his growing anger. What's going on? Why would Vader be getting angry about a dead man? And perhaps more importantly, what was he going to do with that anger?

Then Vader let go of the edges, and spread his hands on the surface again. "Your records state that you were raised on Tatooine," he said abruptly, "by your uncle and aunt, Owen and Beru Lars."

"Yes, sir," Luke replied. Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru...if I'd listened to you, would I be here now? Probably not. But I'd probably still be back there, which isn't much better.

"I presume they were the ones who told you about your father?"

His father again. Why did Lord Vader care about Luke's family? "Yes, sir," Luke said, despite his confusion.

"A navigator. On a spice freighter. How...ignominious."

Five Things That Never Happened to Luke Skywalker