Author's Webpage: http://adult.dencity.com/lianne/
Pairing: Lu/Lando
Rating: NC-17
Series: The Vacation Series, #3
Summary: Luke and Lando visit Tronin's excavation site.
Lando woke in the morning, feeling more relaxed than he could remember being in ages. The sunlight streaming through the window indicated that he had slept much later than he usually did. He rolled over and briefly considered going back to sleep, then sat up when he realized two very important things.
First, Tronin was meeting them for breakfast and second, he was alone in the bed.
Suddenly, Lando was wide awake. He sat up and realized that while he might be alone in the bed now someone had carefully cleaned him up at some point without disturbing him. He climbed out of bed and ducked through the shower, before tossing on some clothing and heading out to the deck. There he stopped dead in his tracks.
Luke was on the beach, running through a practice routine with his lightsaber. He was only wearing a loose pair of shorts, and the sunshine gilded him, making his blond hair shine and his light tan gleam. Lando let go of the breath he hadn't realized that he was holding.
Luke was beautiful.
Each movement was smooth, fluid. Lean muscles moved under his skin, giving him the grace of a felinoid. His eyes were shut, and a small smile hovered on his lips.
Lando watched in fascination as Luke finished his exercise. He shut off his lightsaber and turned back towards the cottage, breaking into a broad smile when he saw Lando leaning against the doorframe.
"Good morning. I was beginning to think that you were never going to wake."
Lando stepped forward to meet the young man halfway. He sighed as he wrapped his arms around the warm and very real body. "I sleep very well when I've been loved hard," he said, nuzzling Luke's neck, right below the ear. Luke gave a little sigh, and melted into the embrace.
Lando continued to nuzzle, moving his way around until their lips met. The kiss was gentle at first, then building in intensity until they were both gasping. Reluctantly, Lando pulled back.
"Much as I'd love to just go back to bed, we're late to meet Tronin for breakfast." His stomach growled loudly. "And I'm hungry."
Luke's smile got even bigger, with a touch of anticipation. "Right. I'll just shower and dress, and we'll be off. Then later, we can pick this up again."
"I'll hold you to that."
Lando grinned at the view as Luke headed into the cottage, and firmly squashed the urge to go in and help scrub the younger man's back. If he did, they'd never make it to breakfast.
The Andos resort might not be the best known on Sandrica, but it boasted a fine dining room and an excellent kitchen staff. Only half-way down the path to the main building, both men could smell the enticing aroma of sweet-breads, fresh fruit and cooked meats, and they walked a little faster.
The dining room was actually outdoors at the Resort, since weather satellites ensured that the weather was perfect during waking hours. It was towards the interior of the island, overlooking a fresh-water pool, fed by a small waterfall. Local greenery was carefully planted to give the impression of a wild jungle. Brightly colored birds called from the shadows, and suddenly moving branches betrayed the presence of small animals. The overall effect was of a natural beauty.
Luke and Lando stopped at the entryway. Lando's head swiveled as he searched the room, then his smile suddenly grew larger, and he pulled Luke towards one of the tables in the corner. Luke followed easily, taking the chance to examine the being waiting for them.
Tronin was definitely not human. His very tall, very slender build and the slightly blue tinge of his skin identified him as a Selean. He looked fragile, but having met others of his species before Luke knew that the seemingly frail build hid a strength far greater than the strongest of humans.
As they approached the table he stood, revealing a height almost half again that of Lando's. Next to the Selean, even Chewie would look short, albeit very bulky. His mouth widened into a grin, showing a mouthful of small, needle-like teeth.
"Lando! I was beginning to wonder if you were going to even show up. I was about to start hunting for you." He bared his teeth even more as he joked about his race's predatory heritage.
"I overslept," Lando said. "You know how it is."
Tronin smiled at Luke. "And we both know what makes you sleep best. I'm Tronin, by the way."
Luke resisted the urge to blush at the knowing look on the male's face. "Luke Skywalker," he said, introducing himself. Tronin drew himself up, hissing in surprise.
"I am honored, Jedi Skywalker," he said, folding his hands together and bowing low. "Honored indeed. Lando said he would try to bring a Jedi with him, but he did not say that he would reach so high. You could have warned me, you old reprobate," he added, jabbing a sharp elbow into Lando's ribs.
"Ouch! And spoil the surprise? I see your elbows are as sharp as ever."
They sat down at the small table, Luke feeling more comfortable all the time. Tronin was a wonderful combination of formal and informal. He treated Luke with the respect due a Jedi Master, but still kept it light and friendly. He didn't show any of the usual fear reactions that were common among people that Luke met.
"So anyway," Tronin was saying, waving his fork around. Luke ducked as he was almost hit by a piece of fish that flew off the utensil. "Sorry, Luke. As I was saying, I'm excavating on an island that hasn't been terraformed into yet another resort for the rich and senseless."
"Ahem..." Lando said. "Does that description include me?"
"Of course it does, old friend. Anyway, I've found a settlement that seems to be equal parts native and off-worlder. Now, I knew there was a native species, and that there might have been older settlements, but I didn't realize that there was any real contact between the two groups. It's absolutely fascinating."
Tronin's eyes were starting to glaze over with a scholar's enthusiasm, no doubt going over the possibilities in his mind.
"And Lando says you've found Jedi artifacts?" Luke asked, pulling the Selean out of his thoughts.
"Hmmmm? Oh, yes. I've found taped records which refer to a Jedi living in the settlement. I haven't identified the his home yet, but I hoped that another Jedi might be able to speed the search."
Luke considered the idea. "Perhaps. It depends on how long ago the settlement was abandoned, how much time the Jedi spent in the building and how many others have lived there since. The more that have, the more diluted the resonances will be. Can we come see the site?"
"I would be honored. In fact, I was hoping you'd say that." Tronin's grin got wider. Then he popped another bite into his mouth. They settled down to finish breakfast and the talk turned to wild stories about Lando and Tronin's past exploits together.
From the air, it was almost impossible to see the signs of excavations. Tronin piloted the air speeder with confidence, flair and a near- recklessness that made the trip an adventure. Luke held on to the seat and enjoyed the adrenaline rush that the speed and the air rushing through his hair caused. Next to him, Lando was grinning widely, obviously enjoying the ride too.
The only thing that dampened Luke's spirits was the obvious care that Tronin took in making sure that they were not followed and could not be tracked. Considering the rumors about the disappearance of the native race, possibly at the hands of the syndicates that had built Sandrica into a gambler's paradise, he wasn't surprised. If there was the slightest chance that the excavation could prove their involvement... Well, probably it wouldn't make a difference to business in the long run, but they were not likely to want to take the chance.
The island in question was one of the larger ones, mostly rocky, with clumps of rainforest along the coast line. The beaches were rocky, and probably one of the few on the planet that didn't have a gentle tide. That was probably the main reason that it hadn't been turned into a resort yet -- it would take too much effort and expense to change the environment to meet the expectations of potential guests.
Tronin aimed the speeder for the north side of the island, where a cliff face overlooked the water. Through the tree-cover at the base, Luke caught glimpses of the remains of buildings. Tronin brought the speeder down with impressive accuracy, but at a speed and angle that left Luke's stomach behind. When the vehicle stopped, it took him a moment to retrieve it.
"Welcome!" Tronin said, hopping out of the speeder. "Let me show you around."
The tour was fascinating. Tests said that the buildings were almost three hundred years old and had been abandoned for more than two hundred, but for the most part there wasn't a lot of difference between them and their modern equivalents. Most technological advances in that time had been in the realm of space-flight and weapons systems. Building techniques and designs tended to change very slowly.
But the buildings closest to the water were very different. They had openings that led directly into the water, and were built with soft curves instead of the angles that characterized most human habitations. Tronin continued to explain his theory that the settlement had been home to both off-worlders and the indigenous species, which was believed to be aquatic.
But Luke saw at once why Tronin had taken such care in getting them to the island without being tracked. Many of the buildings showed the scorch marks of blaster fire, indicating that the settlement was abandoned forcibly. Luke shivered, feeling echoes of the pain and fear that resonated through the area.
And something else. Something tugged at the edges of his consciousness. Something trying to get his attention.
Luke focused on his connection with the Force, allowing the 'something' to guide him. He followed away from the main part of the settlement into a wooded area that showed little signs of excavation yet. He was peripherally aware that Lando and Tronin had followed him and that they were worried, but it didn't matter to him at the moment.
The call, for lack of a better term, led him to a small building, well removed from the rest of the settlement. It was small, only three or four rooms, and looked to have been a residence. It was also relatively unscathed. Luke stopped in the middle of the main room, gradually becoming more aware of his surroundings again.
"Luke! Are you all right, kid?"
Luke shook his head, trying to clear it. "I'm fine, Lando," he finally said.
Tronin was slightly stooped, since if he stood up he would be in danger of hitting his head on the ceiling. "Actually, this is where we found some of the artifacts that we believe might be Jedi in origin. We removed everything to our center of operations..."
Luke shook his head again, this time in negation. "Not everything, Tronin."
He turned slowly, trying to pin down the source of the pull that had brought him to the building. Moving through the room slowly, he triangulated until he pinned down the origin to one of the cabinets against one wall. He crouched down and opened the lower portion. It was empty.
Not deterred, he ran his fingers along the bottom of the cabinet. Along the edge, there was a knot in the native wood that had been used to construct the cabinets. Chewing on his bottom lip, he pressed down, and felt something give.
A panel popped up slightly at the other end of the cabinet. He lifted the piece of wood and reached in. When he pulled out his hand, there was a lightsaber in it.
Lando was beginning to wonder if maybe bringing Luke to Sandrica had been a bad idea. The whole idea had been to get the young Jedi to relax, but Luke had gone into Jedi Master mode almost the instant they'd landed on the island. Even now that he was responding to them again, Luke's eyes seemed unfocused, almost as if part of him wasn't there.
He ignited the lightsaber, and swung it back and forth, experimentally. The blade glowed a deep indigo-blue that was unlike anything that Lando had ever seen. It drew the eye, fascinated the viewer. And there was something else strange about it... It took Lando a moment to realize that the blade was slightly curved.
"I wonder how they did that..." Luke murmured, no doubt noticing the same thing. He traced the air along the path of the blade, and Lando winced at how close the young man's hand came to the glowing blade.
"There were no bodies left behind," Tronin said in a soft voice. "They were removed either by the people who destroyed the settlement, or else by any survivors."
Luke seemed to be listening to something in the room. "The survivors. They came back and cremated the remains, scattering the ashes from the highest point of the island. Then they left. There weren't many."
"And the Jedi?"
Luke shook his head. "He wasn't a Jedi. But..." He closed his eyes, an expression of confusion on his face. "He was something close enough that everyone assumed he was. I've never felt anything quite like it." He extinguished the lightsaber's blade and hefted it in his hand. "I wish I could have met him."
The rest of the visit was more subdued, Luke still more in the past than the present.
They toured the rest of the settlement, then had lunch with Tronin's crew. There were only a half-dozen of his best students, Tronin being a teacher at one of the top universities in the sector. Lando wonders just how they'd managed to sneak their equipment onto the planet, since no one on the planet would risk proof of genocide being exposed.
Then Tronin flew them back to the Andos resort, leaving them plenty of time to rest before heading to the north pole for an evening's entertainment. Lando waved goodbye as Tronin left, then turned back to Luke. That was when he finally noticed the old lightsaber hanging from Luke's belt.
"Shouldn't you have left that with Tronin?" he asked, waving a hand towards the artifact. Luke looked startled, almost as if he didn't remember that he still had the saber. He unclipped it and held it up in front of his face.
"There's something about this saber... It's not much older than the settlement, but I keep getting the impression from it of 'ancient'. I wonder why..." His eyes unfocused, as he considered the enigma. Lando decided to nip this off in the bud. This could wait until after the vacation.
He reached out and plucked the lightsaber from his lover's hands, the dropped it on one of the lounge chairs. "I seem to recall that you promised we'd pick things up again later."
Luke smiled, his attention having returned to the here and now. "Oh, did I?"
"Yes, you did." Lando buried his face in Luke's neck, licking at the salt from the sea spray. Luke shivered in his arms.
"Well, if you say so."
"We still have plans up North for tonight," Lando reminded him. "But right now we have plenty of time for a shower, first. Maybe even a nap."
"Shower... sounds good," Luke gasped as Lando started to nibble on his ear.
"Yes," Lando growled. "It does." He turned his face so that his lips could meet Luke's in a deep kiss.
When they pulled apart, Luke was the one who had to pull his attention back to reality. Lando grinned as the other man pulled him towards their rental cottage. Inside, he made short work of Lando's clothing, then his own. Lando followed, more than willingly, as Luke headed for the bathroom.
The bathroom had a bathtub large enough for at least four adult humans to lounge in, but it was the shower that was the height of decadence. Water passed upwards between the two layers of glass that enclosed it, then sprayed out through fine holes in the upper third of the structure. The visual effect was like being inside a bubble of water. Shampoo, soap and body lotion dispensers were the only break, and they were hidden by a cluster of seaweed fronds that grew between the layers at the back side of the shower. Lando had tried to figure out how the seaweed could be protected from the shower water whenever the guest wanted a hot shower, but still hadn't worked it out. He knew it was probably either fake or an illusion, but it was an amusing exercise for an engineer's mind.
Luke programmed the water temperature and pressure into the controls set in the wall, then pulled Lando into the shower. As soon as the door closed behind them, they were hit with a spray of water strong enough to wash them without being overly vigorous. He immediately stepped into Lando's arms for a long kiss.
Lando's erection responded with a vengeance, pressing hard against Luke's groin, where it was answered by a matching heat. Thrusting his tongue deeper into Luke's mouth, Lando started to move with a purpose. He leaned back against the glass and pulled Luke in tight. Their hips undulated, rubbing their erections together.
Not releasing Luke's mouth, Lando reached out blindly to grab a handful of shampoo. Bringing his hands up behind Luke's head, he worked it into the blond hair, creating a thick lather. Luke moaned into his mouth as Lando's strong fingers massaged his scalp.
Lando was so enthralled by the sensation of soft hair and frothy bubbles against his fingers that he was taken completely by surprise when soap- covered hands started running over his chest.
The movement of hands against bodies grew slower, intended to caress rather than clean, building arousal until two sets of hands reached simultaneously for matching erections.
Lando resisted the urge to whimper as slick hands wrapped around him, pumping firmly. Instead, he thrust his hips and returned the favor. In an eternity that was far too short, he cried out and climaxed. He slid down the wall until he was kneeling on the shower floor. Luke followed him, equally spent.
Luke gasped, amazed anew by the intensity of what he felt when he was with Lando.
As soon as his breathing and heartrate had lowered to a more normal level, Luke climbed to his feet, pulling Lando up with him. Since his lover was still dazed, Luke grabbed a wash cloth and used it to clean them both up. Then he steered Lando out of the shower and into the dryer station. The tickle of warm air over his flesh almost had him aroused again, but Luke doubted that he'd be able to get another erection this soon.
Dry, they stumbled to the bed and collapsed there, still tightly entwined. Luke set the alarm to wake them in time for the shuttle to the pole. Right now, a nap sounded really good.