The Fan Fiction Archive updates with 5 new stories this week, spanning the time from Qui-Gon Jinn to Tahiri Veila. Plus there's an interesting article on method writing by Fernwithy.

Summaries

• When Morning Comes by Darth Ishtar:
  The conclusion to the alternate universe trilogy, "The Other Half".
  As the Galaxy prepares for the turning point of the war and a Jedi prepares to face her destiny, the forces of light and darkness come together to determine once and for all the balance of the Force.

• But by Diane Kovalcin:
  Qui-Gon Jinn is dismissed from the Temple but why will surprise you.

• Father and Son by Kenya Starflight:
  A mission launched by Vader to locate his wife goes awry as the Dark Lord ends up accidentially kidnapping his infant son.

• Of Pilots and Jedi by Melyanna:
  In a post-Rebirth AU, Lieutenant Jaina Solo finds herself with a bounty on her head and in hiding, so her commanding officer, Gavin Darklighter, sends someone to protect her- Colonel Jag Fel and Spike Squadron.

• The Other Half of My Soul by Mcily Nochi:
  Tahiri's thoughts after the events of Star By Star.

When Morning Comes by Darth Ishtar

He thrived on pain.

Most sentient beings in the Galaxy regarded pain as something to be avoided. They thought it to be an unnecessary evil that could destroy and weaken. Pain to the unenlightened yielded scars.

Any member of the Sith Order, however, knew better.

Pain was neither evil nor unnecessary. Pain was what tempered the forces of the Dark Side and strengthened its servants.

Moreover, pain drove the course of history and empowered the forces of destiny.

It was pain that caused a Galaxy to stand by as the Jedi were exterminated. It had been the fear of pain that kept those same citizens flocking to the banner of the New Order. It had been the means of the downfall of Anakin and Luke Skywalker.

Force-willing, the vicarious need for pain would now lure Leia Organa Solo onto the same path as her family.

Palpatine was well aware that it would take more than mere physical stimulus to drive her to the necessary rage. It would take such intense agony as to risk driving her to madness.

They would have to bring Han Solo within microns of his life and sanity many times, then draw him back. Should he die, they would most likely have to kill the foolish girl anyway.

But by Diane Kovalcin

Qui-Gon knew that he needed to speak up now before Mace tried to talk him into yet another mission. He had to be firm this time for his sake and for Obi-Wan's as well. He leaned forward, capturing Mace's attention.

"I just wanted to tell you that I can't agree to any more missions for a while. Obi-wan and I are both exhausted and need some time to refresh ourselves. A vacation or retreat for at least a month. The Council, as you know fully well, has been assigning us to constant missions for the past year and a half and no breaks in between. I doubt that we have spent two days at the Temple in all that time. Frankly, Mace, you know what the field is like. You can't keep sending out teams that are exhausted even before they leave. It is not effective and can lead to great mistakes in judgment. I'm serious, Mace. At least a month."

At first, Mace Windu was astonished by what he was hearing. But running through the gamut of emotions from confusion to sad to stoic left his face shuttered and drawn. He finally put up his hand to stop Qui-Gon.

"Qui-Gon Jinn, that is not why you are here. We will not be assigning you any missions."

Qui-Gon interrupted him, a slight admission to his fatigue and leaned back in his chair. "Glad to hear it. Obi-Wan needs to complete his final studies for the Trials in six months and fieldwork is not helpful in that area. So why did you want to talk to me then?"

Father and Son by Kenya Starflight

The child burped, and Vader grimaced at the mess it caused. He handed the baby to Zevul while he cleaned off his chest. How can so much stuff come from something so small? he mused.

"Thank you," he told the stormtrooper, taking back the infant. "Now leave us."

"Yessir." He saluted and left.

The child whimpered softly, and Vader cradled him clumsily, trying to soothe him.

"Quiet, my son. Your father's here. Shhh."

He found himself humming quietly, a tender tune that he'd all but forgotten. It was his mother's lullaby. Memories flowed back of her gently singing him to sleep in their wretched slave hovel on Tatooine, bringing hope and peace to him on even the worst days. Now he savored the melody like a fine wine, relishing it and the moment.

"Luke," he breathed, suddenly experiencing a gentle nudge in the Force. "Is that your name? Ah, Amidala. I felt that. Thank you."

Of Pilots and Jedi by Melyanna

"Space. Cold. Empty." I once read a holonovel that opened that way. Actually, I read that opening line and decided it wasn't worth my time. Whoever wrote that had obviously never seen space.

Space is never empty, and it can be warm and inviting, as long as you're in the comfort of an X-wing cockpit. Even Uncle Luke agrees with that.

This was by no means the first time I'd looked out into space before and marveled at how different it is each day. This time, the space around the Errant Venture was littered with the remains of a Chiss clawcraft. Colonel Jagged Fel's squadron had shown up, looking for me. Even now, Fel has absolutely no tact, so when he told the landing bay of the Imp Star Deuce that his squadron had been sent from Coruscant to find me, someone had opened fire.

The Chiss whose fighter had been blown up had gone EV just in time. Fel had personally seen him to the medical ward. Those Jedi hunches, as Aunt Mara likes to call them, told me that he would come back to find me.

I was right.

The Other Half of My Soul by Mcily Nochi

Why didn't I kiss him good-bye? Maybe he could have withstood the inevitable, the creeping cold of death, if he had the memory of my lips against his to warm him. I should have kissed him good-bye. Now I'll never get the chance.

Oh, stop the pain! I am ripped open, I can't think or feel! I can't cry. I should be crying for him, crying my heart out, but I can't. I can't! Did the Vong do something to my eyes to stop the flood of tears that my heart wants to pour out? Curse them, I must cry for Anakin, let my grief flow away on a tide of tears.

Articles

• Method Writing by FernWithy
  Using your own feelings to create believable emotions in your characters.