A/N: Since the background tales got a good response, here's my take on Luke's time in the Marines, while stationed in Okinawa. He wouldn't be a Duke if he didn't find some romance there, too. Hope you enjoy. Please R&R! Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own or operate "The Dukes of Hazzard."

A Long Way from Hazzard

Chapter 1: Letters Home

Jesse Duke was tickled. The day's mail had brought a box from his nephew, Luke, who was stationed with the Marines in Okinawa. The family all lived for these infrequent letters, and a box was a special treat. He picked up Bo and Daisy from school, and Bo's sharp eyes spied the large parcel.

"Is that from Luke?" he said. "Let's open it now!"

"No sir, we won't. We'll wait until we get home. I don't want anything flyin' out the window. Daisy, you hang on to it. I don't want Bo peeling the tape off in the truck."

"Yessir," Daisy answered.

"Shoot," Bo said.

As soon as they arrived at the house, they crowded at the kitchen table to see what the box contained. It was a little heavy, and they were all consumed with curiosity. Jesse's pocket knife made short work of the tape and opened the box. A letter lay on top, addressed to the family.

"What else is in the box?" Bo was wild with excitement. A box meant presents.

"Settle yourself down, Beauregard," Jesse said. "We'll read the letter then look in the box."

That was just going to take an eternity, Bo thought, but he said, "Yessir," and sat down.

Uncle Jesse adjusted his glasses and opened the letter, written in Luke's neat cursive.

"Dear Uncle Jesse, Daisy and Bo," he read.

"I hope you all are O.K. I'm fine. It's been hot here. August is the rainy season and it lives up to its name. It's rained nearly every day and is humid as it can be. Everybody kind of takes it a little easy when it's this humid. I have some good news, though. It looks like I might be coming home for a furlough in January. I hope so. I miss all of you.

"I got a weekend pass to Naha, that's the capital, and did a little shopping. I hope you all like what I bought you. I put your names on everything. Daisy, the doll is for you. It has a real silk kimono and ladies here grow their hair to be used on the dolls, so even the hair is real. Grown women collect these dolls, so don't think they're just for little girls. It's a big business because ladies paint the dolls' faces and make their clothes and this helps them feed their families.

"Uncle Jesse, I got you a jade dragon to put on the mantelpiece. They're supposed to bring good luck. The silk fan is for Aunt Darcy. She can put that up in her room at the nursing home, can't she? I hope she likes it.

"Bo, the short sword is yours. They call it a katana. It's not sharpened because I told the man who sold them that giving you anything sharp was a recipe for disaster. No telling what you'd do with it. But the hilt is inlaid with jade and I thought it looked really cool.

"Thank you for the box you sent. I got it and tell Daisy the cookies were delicious. They got a little crumbled in transit, but my buddies and I all enjoyed them. Bo, thank you for your letter, but please print the next one, will you? Your chicken scratch is mighty hard on the eyes. I can get about half of what you write and multiply by two from there.

"Please keep writing. Your letters keep me going over here. Okinawa is a beautiful place, and the people are very kind, but I live for the days when I get those letters from Hazzard County, USA. You all take care and keep us all in your prayers. I pray for all of you. I'm in church every Sunday, Uncle Jesse, just so you know.

"Much love, Luke."

Jesse sighed. It was always good to know Luke was doing well. "All right. Now we can see what all we've got," he said. He pulled out a smaller box with a plastic window. It was Daisy's doll. She opened the parcel and carefully removed the doll.

"Oh, Uncle Jesse! It's just beautiful!" The doll was dressed in a red and gold silk kimono with a bright green obi around the waist. She had jade ornaments in her hair and tiny sandals on her feet. She carried a decorated parasol that actually opened. "I can't wait until I show this to Jennie!" Jennie Sellers was Daisy's best friend.

Jesse had unwrapped his dragon. "Well, well. Isn't this something?" he said. The intricate carving was beautiful and clearly handmade. A true artist had carved it.

"Look at my sword! This is so cool!" Bo exclaimed. "It's even got a rope to go around your waist and everything! Outtasight!" He waved the blade around.

"Be careful with that thing," Jesse said.

"It ain't sharp. I can't hurt anything with it," Bo said, as he swung it around and narrowly missed the lamp beside the sofa.

"Bo you're an accident waiting to happen and you know it," Daisy said.

"Shut up. You didn't get a cool sword like I did. You just got a stupid doll."

"You're just impossible," Daisy replied.

"There's something else in here," Jesse said. He pulled out a large package of candy and snack foods popular in the country. "'Rice crackers,'" he read on one package Luke had labeled. "What in the world are those, do you suppose?"

"They look kinda weird," Bo said.

Jesse opened the package and they all had a taste.

"They taste a little strange, but they're pretty good," Daisy said.

"Nice and crunchy. Better than cheese curls," was Bo's opinion. He homed in on what looked like candy. It was labeled, "Caution! This stuff is hot!" but he grabbed a piece anyway.

"Bo, I'd be careful of that, if I were you," Jesse said.

"Aw, Uncle Jesse. It's candy. How hot can it be?" He popped the piece in his mouth. "Not bad. Real sweet," he said, then his eyes teared up. "AAAUUGH! This stuff is like fire!" He ran to the garbage can and spit it out, then got a glass of water and drained it. Jesse and Daisy were laughing like crazy at his performance. You could always count on Bo to make things exciting.

"What's the idea of making candy that hot?" he gasped. "It's hotter'n Tabasco!"

"You were warned," Jesse said, wiping his eyes.

"Yeah, but gosh!" Bo drank another glass of water.

Jesse turned the package over and started laughing again. He showed it to Daisy and she giggled, too. On the back, Luke had written, "Bo ate it, didn't he?"

Unnoticed by either cousin, Jesse had slipped a separate envelope into his pocket. It had only his name on it. He would read it later.

After Bo and Daisy had gone to bed, Jesse opened the letter.

"Uncle Jesse, I wanted you to be the only one to read this because I don't know how this is going to turn out. I've met someone. Her name is Midori Abe and she's so pretty and sweet. We've been out a few times, but her family is very traditional and I don't think they like her dating an American. They seem to like me well enough, and they've been really nice to me, but I think they want her to marry someone from her own country.

"I like Midori a lot, Uncle Jesse, and I think I might be falling in love with her. What am I supposed to do? I sure wish I could sit down and talk to you about this, because I need your advice. Write me back about this as soon as you can. Love, Luke."

Jesse sighed again. Of the three cousins, Luke was by far the deepest emotionally. In that, he was a lot like his dad. Bo's feelings were always out for everybody to see. Daisy was a typical teenage girl. Luke expressed his feelings, but usually to particular people, and only after a lot of thought. Jesse had a feeling this was serious, and Luke had already fallen in love with this girl.

"Dear Lord," he prayed out loud. "You know exactly what's going on here. I don't. Please guide Luke and help him make the right decisions in this. Be with him and with that little girl. Thank You. Amen." Jesse had prayed about the situation and trusted the Almighty to provide an answer. There was nothing more he could do except go to bed, which he did.