Love and Loss Book 1

Jedi|<http://www.oocities.org/rachaelle_arcticwolf>

(a title will emerge sometime my brain has just died on me title wise)

Disclaimer: Star Wars does not belong to me and I am not making a penny off
this. If this is much like any other fic it's purely coincidence.

On a side note, first part is first person then it goes back to third
person. This takes place after Empire's End. It's an AU. The Empire has won,
and the Emperor has taken Anakin Solo's body and Luke is still strugling
with the darkside.

Book 1:Love & Loss

They had won; the Empire had won. I was sent to my punishment the same
as my sister and her husband, Han Solo, along with their children and a
Wookiee. We were sent to an isolated planet that held its residents captive.
They coined their own money, supported themselves but one thing that
bothered me was the lack of any government. It was once an elected monarch
that ruled. But now? Now no one held any control. The people were enslaved
to pirates that plundered them. They were slaves to them with no ability to
fight back. Everyone had been relieved of their weapons. As my sister, Han
and I exited the shuttle we were being taken down to the planet in all of
our weapons were taken, even the Wookiee's.

I wasn't glad to have my lightsaber taken away knowing I would never
have it back and to make it worse they had injected both Leia and I with
something. All I knew is I couldn't feel the Force anymore. It was just
gone. I couldn't explain it anymore. The reborn Emperor had won and it was
my fault. Palpatine had learned his lesson of having Force sensitives at his
side first my father had turned on him then I had so he took care of us the
easy way. Any one Force sensitive he found was drugged, their Force
abilities were some how removed by the drug, and they were sent to this
planet. I wondered if perhaps he sent those that once served him loyally and
then turned away the same as those that brought the war to him.

My question was answered as I heard a loud sharp female voice yelling
at her captives. I could recognize that voice anywhere of course. It had
been the same voice that once, not so long ago, had sworn to kill me. Mara
Jade, the former Emperor's Hand, it couldn't be anyone else. It seemed the
Emperor wasn't going to trust anyone who had once served him, after all,
Mara used to be one of his loyal servants.

I walked over to where I heard the yelling and noticed, not to my
surprise, Mara was putting up a fight. It had been pouring since everyone
had arrived so the ground was slippery and I lost my balance as the guards
shoved Mara into me. She glared at me as if it was my fault and then got to
her feet and brushed herself off.

"Sithspawn Skywalker, what are you doing here?"

"The same thing you are. Do you know exactly where this place is?"

"Yeah, it's a planet where the Emperor kept those he didn't want seen
again. This is where he sent his own people, or at least the ones left,
after he ordered Vader to destroy it."

"So the survivors were imprisoned here?"

"Yes," she nodded and then turned towards a new direction as I heard a
voice.

"Luke, Mara, there you are."

"You knew Mara was going to be here?"

"I assumed as much. But some people are offering us a place to stay.
We'll have to hurry though."

I nodded my head and luckily Mara followed. I was still unsure why the
reborn Emperor did the same to his loyal servants as he had done to his
enemies. Perhaps it was because Mara had not killed me but saved me and
became my ally.

"Ryoo and Pooja Naberrie," Leia told Mara and me introducing us to our
hostesses. For some reason they seemed familiar to me. I wasn't quite sure
where from though.

___________________

Luke entered the house after Leia and the hostesses. The house was
large enough to hold a large family but Luke didn't see anyone else but the
two women. Mara followed him her long waist long hair dripping water from
the storm. Water was dripping from his own hair as he stood in the middle of
the kitchen floor and the water dripping made a small puddle as Mara came
went up next to him. Leia was saying something to their hostesses but he
didn't catch it as another woman entered with a man not far behind her. Luke
noticed that she had long graying brown hair and some things about her
looked much like Leia. The man's hair was a lighter brown, almost caramel
colored.

"Welcome to our home. We'll need to find everyone some dry clothes. I
think we will be able to find some that fit everyone except for you my boy."
She said glancing over Luke, "you're a tad small, aren't you. But I'm sure
we can find something."

"Mother, what about those clothes of Anakin's that we had to cut off.
Those should fit him. They're about the same size, excluding height of
course."

"Pooja, get the child clothes out of the attic, we can't have these
little ones freezing, now can we." She said as she smiled at Jaina and
Jacen. All the while Luke's mind was racing. Surely Anakin couldn't be a
very common name but they couldn't be referring to his father, it wasn't
possible. It was a huge galaxy, there had to be another Anakin.

"We have enough hot water for all of you to take a nice shower. We
have two." Luke prodded the others to go before him even though he wanted to
get cleaned up just as much as anyone else. Mara refused and pushed the
Solos forward so they agreed and at urgings handed the twins over to their
hostess so that they could be washed.

"The showers are large," Ryoo said as she approached Luke and Mara.
"Two people can fit in one."

At that remark a look of anger flitted across Mara's face but Luke
reached out to hold her back from any actions she would later regret and
pulled her away into a corner. "Don't do anything Jade," he hissed in her
ear. "These people, they have never heard of us. They just assumed, since
Han and Leia were married, that we were too."

Mara dug her fingernails hard into Luke's arm in anger and frustration
and before she knew it he had turned around, slapped her and yanked his arm
away from her dashing out the door before she could say anything.

Ok, here we go, next part.

Mara sat in utter and complete silence as she heard a soft pair of
footsteps approach from behind her and she knew it to be Leia Organa Solo.
Mara unconsciously brought a hand up to her red tinted cheek in memory of
what had just happened less than an hour previous. She wasn't quite sure
what had brought it on, what had caused Luke to react so violently.
"He blames himself for what happened. He considers the loss of so many
his fault."

"What is this about Leia?" Mara said as she turned and eyed the other
woman warily.

"He thought he could conquer the Darkside if he learned it, he tried
to become an inside agent but he fell. He fell further then anyone's willing
to admit."

"What happened to him?"

"I think you need to ask him that. But why are you concerned, I
thought you hated Luke." Leia threw a glance towards Mara and noticed the
redness of her cheek. "What did he do to you?"

Mara left and automatically tried to reach out for him but she didn't
have the Force. She found him shortly just around the corner standing in the
rain shivering. "Did she tell you how many I killed? How I let him take
Anakin? How I failed? I was a fool and I fell."

"She told me." Then she halted as she refocused on what he had said.
"What about Anakin? Luke? What happened?"

"I could've stopped him. I could've martyred myself for him, but I
didn't. I let him take Anakin as his own body. He took Anakin and went on to
destroy us all. We're in this position and it's my fault."

___________________

The months went by quickly and Luke slowly but surely began to open
up, to let his guilt loose. But as he began to heal and his grief lessened
he drew away from Mara and closer to the two women that had taken them in.
He had grown especially close to the younger one with the long thick dark
hair. Mara was feeling angry at the fact that Luke was spending as much time
with her as he did. It surprised her at the least and though she denied it
she knew it to be jealousy. But why was she jealous of Pooja? Because she
had Luke's attention and Mara didn't? Mara denied and refused to be jealous
for Skywalker's attention but that didn't make it go away.

Mara sighed as she entered the garden to see Luke Skywalker back from
a run. He pulled off a loose white sleeveless shirt over his head and used
it to wipe his face and chest that were dripping sweat. "Morning Jade, I
need a favor from you."

"What is it this time Skywalker?" Mara swallowed hard as her eyes
raked over the muscular, darkly tanned chest. She took a gulp of water out
of water bottle and dripped it on her face then tossed it over to him and
wiped at her face. Luke tossed his shirt over and she wiped the rest of it
off her face.

"With no abilities to use the Force and no weapons it seems I'm a bit
helpless here. You're not. I need some training in self defense."

"Am I hearing this correctly? You, Skywalker, want to have the same
training as I did. Skywalker, I was an assassin."

"The name is Luke, and I just want some training in self defense, not
assassin training."

Mara dropped the shirt and came up behind him. She grabbed his arm and
twisted it back behind him. "First lesson Skywalker. Get out without
breaking any limbs." She was going easy on him of course, she realized too
late that was a bad move she realized as Luke managed to twist his arm,
flipping her over onto her back.

Mara glared at the figure standing above her with his arms crossed
over his chest. "Did I forget to mention I'm not completely helpless? I
lived on Tatooine Jade, do you think I was ever helpless?"

She had been fooled, big time. She noticed as Luke offered her his
hand and she took it getting to her feet. "What's wrong Mara? I've seen you
fight before and you were never that easy on me."

"Nothing Skywalker," she snarled brutally as she shoved him away and
stormed away from him.

Luke shook his head but let her leave.

___________________

Mara glared across the table at Pooja. However hard she was trying she
couldn't forget her feelings or what she had seen earlier. After the
practice she had come to Luke and had rubbed her hand over his chest. Mara
Jade couldn't forget about it anymore. She was jealous.

As Luke was walking in he was toppled over by two toddlers that raced
towards his legs and a huge wookiee who was trying to catch them. Luke
dropped the pitcher off Liquid and it spilled all over Mara as Luke
struggled to his feet again he saw Mara glaring at him the sticky drink
dripping off her hair and he couldn't stop from laughing at the sight.
Mara washed off and joined the rest of them for dinner and all sat in
silence until Luke stood up after he had finished and left offering Mara an
apologetic smile and went upstairs. Shortly later on Mara was the only one
remaining and she left also and passed Luke's door that was cracked open and
noticed the woman, Pooja, was stroking his face and leaned forward to kiss
him. Mara pressed against the wall and stared down at the floor, pain and
anger welling up inside of her. If she had just let Luke know this wouldn't
had happened.

Mara ran out shortly later on no longer to take anything else.

___________________

Luke saw the flash of red and the footsteps and pulled away from
Pooja. "I'll be back," he promised as he followed Mara outside into the
garden. Luke could tell she was angry with him but he had had enough of
these secrets and he would break her open.
"Mara!"

"What Skywalker? Haven't you done enough?"

"I'm not allowed to have relationships now? I've had to be so
concerned about you. You're as close a friend as I'll ever have Mara but you
are acting nothing like it. What about my needs? What about me? Obviously
you don't care. Some friend you are."

"Luke, I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"It's all right, I'm here to remind you of these things," Luke
commented as he reached in a large bag and took a handful of potting soil
and came up directly behind her and brought his hand up stroking her hair
and soiling it with the dirt then grabbing her arm and turning her back
towards him and smearing the remainder on her face.
"SKYWALKER! I'm going to kill you!"

Luke laughed at her and her threat but soon she attacked him and
knocked him onto the ground straddling him and playfully poking and tickling
him until he finally gave in and laid back bringing his arms behind his head
and she rewarded him with a final punch in the shoulder before she got up
and Luke followed her inside. She excused herself to her room and as Luke
entered his room shortly afterwards Pooja entered wrapped in a thick robe.
"What you do for her is nice."

"I can't do any less."

Pooja kissed him softly and exited the room silently. One of these
days she would find out who he really was. He refused to tell her his last
name but she would sometime find out.

Book 1:Love & Loss

Disclaimer: Star Wars does not belong to me and I'm not making a single
penny off this. If this is like any other fic it is purely by coincidence.

I wasn't glad to have my lightsaber taken away knowing I would never
have it back and to make it worse they had injected both Leia and I with
something. All I knew is that I couldn't feel the Force anymore. It was just
gone. I couldn't explain it anymore. The reborn Emperor had won and it was
my fault. Palpatine had learned his lesson of having Force sensitives at his
side first my father had turned on him then I had, so he took care of us the
easy way. Any one Force sensitive he found was drugged, their Force
abilities were some how removed by the drug, and they were sent to this
planet. I wondered if perhaps he sent those that once served him loyally and
then turned away the same as those that brought the war to him.

My question was answered as I heard a loud sharp female voice yelling
at her captors. I could recognize that voice anywhere of course. It had been
the same voice that once, not so long ago, had sworn to kill me.

Mara Jade, the former Emperor's Hand, it couldn't be anyone else. It seemed
the Emperor wasn't going to trust anyone who had once served him, after all,
Mara used to be one of his loyal servants.

"Sithspawn Skywalker, what are you doing here?"

"The same thing you are. Do you know exactly where this place is?"

"Yeah, it's a planet where the Emperor kept those he didn't want seen
again. This is where he sent his own people, or at least the ones left,
after he ordered Vader to destroy it."

"So the survivors were imprisoned here?"

"Yes," she nodded and then turned towards a new direction as I heard a
voice.

"Luke, Mara, there you are."

"You knew Mara was going to be here?"

"I assumed as much. But some people are offering us a place to stay.
We'll have to hurry though."

"Ryoo and Pooja Naberrie," Leia told Mara and me introducing us to our
hostesses. For some reason they seemed familiar to me. I wasn't quite sure
where from though.
___________________

"Mother, what about those clothes of Anakin's that we had to cut off.
Those should fit him. They're about the same size, excluding height of
course." The woman nodded her head agreeing.

"The showers are large," Ryoo said as she approached Luke and Mara.
"Two people can fit in one."

At that remark a look of anger flitted across Mara's face but Luke reached
out to hold her back from any actions she would later regret and pulled her
away into a corner. "Don't do anything Jade," he hissed in her ear. "These
people, they have never heard of us. They just assumed, since Han and Leia
were married, that we were too."

Mara dug her fingernails hard into Luke's arm in anger and
frustration. Luke jerked his arm away from her grasp and glared at her. His
eyes then riveted to Sola and the two children. Luke clenched his fist and
Mara could see the angry fire in his eyes.

"Luke? What's wrong?" Mara grabbed the arm of the man she had once
wanted to kill. She didn't realize why she was so afraid for him. She didn't
owe him anything. "Skywalker! Snap out of it!"

Luke's breathing quickened as he felt hands grab his arm. He could
almost feel Palpatine's bony fingers grasping at him, his airy cackling in
his ear. The voice he had heard before was so far away. Palpatine stood
leering over him. Pawing at his arm. Dragging him back to Byss, to the dark.
Luke had to escape. He did all he could think of. He swung at the figure of
Palpatine and he let go of Luke's arm. Luke ran out, away from the shadows.
Mara saw the fear and hatred in Luke's eyes and before she could let
go of him he swung at her and it connected with her face. She released him
and he ran off as she brought her hand up to her face.

___________________

Mara sat in utter and complete silence as she heard a soft pair of
footsteps approach from behind her and she knew it to be Organa Solo. Mara
unconsciously brought a hand up to her red tinted cheek in memory of what
had just happened less than an hour previous. She wasn't quite sure what had
brought it on, what had caused Luke to react so violently.

"He blames himself for what happened. He considers the loss of so many
his fault." Leia said from behind Mara noticing that Luke was missing. Leia
knew his psyche was close to snapping.

"What is this about Leia?" Mara said as she turned and eyed the other
woman warily.

"He thought he could conquer the Darkside if he learned it, he tried
to become an inside agent but he fell. He fell further then anyone's willing
to admit."

"What happened to him?"

"I think you need to ask him that. But why are you concerned, I
thought you hated Luke." Leia threw a glance towards Mara and noticed the
redness of her cheek. "What did he do to you?"

Mara glanced towards Leia, pausing, unsure whether to tell her. "He
saw one of the women washing the twins. He just went blank then when I
grabbed him he started panicking and he hit me."

Mara noticed the concern on Leia's face. "Where is he now?"

"He ran out. I don't know where he is."

"He ran out? Alone? Mara, he can't be left alone in this state."

Mara nodded and left Leia, and automatically, out of custom, tried to
reach out for him but she didn't have the Force. She found him shortly just
around the corner standing in the rain shivering.

"Luke? Are you alright?"

He didn't respond; he just stared blankly into space.
"Luke? Come back inside. It's cold out here."

His eyes flickered towards her and noticed the red on her cheek,
turning his head downward again.

"Luke?" Mara didn't know why but to see Skywalker like this was
ripping her heart apart. She cautiously reached out and took his chin in her
palm turning his head up. His normally bright blue eyes were dead, staring
into nothingness as Mara wrapped an arm around his waist, leading him back
into the house.
___________________

Leia watched as Mara led Luke into the house. He was shaking from the
cold and every time Mara touched him he jerked away and avoided everyone's
eyes.

As the storm continued to rage outside a bolt of lightning streaked
past, the bolt a whitish blue. Fear lit in Luke's eyes and he yanked away
from Mara. Han reached out to touch Luke but Luke's eyes raged with violent
fear as he threw Han away from him. Han hit the table hard as Chewie roared
and grabbed Luke, pinning him against his fury chest. Luke fought with a
fierceness that scared Mara. He fought with a rage as the lightning flashed.
His rage was connected to the lightning. What was it about?

As Luke continued to fight Chewie held him softly, keeping him from
harming anyone. As Han got up he swiped at the blood dripping from his mouth
and glanced at Chewie.

"Chewie, knock him out. Gently."

"Knock him out?" Leia asked developing an edge to her voice. "Han!"

"Listen sweetheart. The kid's freaking out. We need to do something
before he hurts himself and us. We need to keep him safe till we can do
something."

Mara nodded slowly as she glanced at Leia and looked painfully at the
struggling Luke. "We have no choice. I'm not any happier about this but
anyone else."

Leia sighed in resignation. "Do it Chewie. We don't have a blaster.
Mara? You know how to stun him long term?"

"I know a technique that will keep him out for days."

Han nodded and Chewie hit him softly, letting Luke drop to the floor
as they stared down at him. Their hosts' eyes shown with fear as Leia knelt
down beside her unconscious brother.

, new part. Enjoy!

Jedi

Geolf Bensin had been selected out of many new recruits to be the
medic for the Emperor, the ruler of the entire galaxy. He had come from his
studies at the University of Agamar along with other bright young
scientists. He nervously shifted from foot to foot and glanced around. The
hall where he was waiting was guarded by two huge menacing Sentinel droids
and guards in crimson red robes, carrying long thin weapons, force pikes,
stood at rapt attention. As Geolf peered down, instead of the Emperor on his
thrown as he had expected, was a tiny infant in the arms of a young woman.
"Come forward, she said, her voice soft and sweet like music.

"I was called here to serve the Emperor," he told her, his voice
quaking. He fidgeted and his eyes riveted from her, to the guards, then to
the infant in her arms. He could feel the evil that permeated the room, and
he shuttered as the coldness swept into his heart. The coldness that came
from the infant. He had never known a child to be evil; the thought of it
twisted and wrenched his heart.

"You have been called here to help in his raising until he is old
enough to live on his own. That is your only purpose."

"Of course milady."

___________________

Leia Organa Solo woke up gasping for breath and between the gasps sobs
broke out. The infant in her dream was Anakin. The Emperor had Anakin! If
she had only tried harder. She buried her face into her pillow and continued
to sob for her little baby. She felt the weight beside her shift.
"Shh, Leia, honey, it'll be all right. We'll get him back." Han
stroked his wife's hair and took her in his arms trying to comfort her. Leia
buried her face in Han's shoulder and continued to sob.

"I'm afraid for him Han, afraid for us, afraid for Luke, and Mara
Jade."

"You're afraid for Mara?"

"She doesn't have the Force anymore. It's harder for her than it is
for me. Palpatine will probably be after her. I know she can take care of
herself but she can't hold out forever. She's in deeper than the rest of
us."

"Deeper than Luke?"

"She served the Emperor Han. She could have had everything back but
she didn't go back to him. I think she took Luke's reaction as hard as any
of us. She's one of his closest friends."

"Well, she is the one that got hit."

___________________

Pooja brushed her dark hair out of her face as she folded the clothes
before her and placed them in the drawers. They didn't really know who their
guests were and the reaction of the young man towards the storm bothered
her. She had wanted to help but the red head had glared at her as if she was
the one that was evil.

"Quit worrying little sister," Ryoo said as she brushed her hair out
of her face and took the basket of dirty clothes out to wash them. "They can
take care of themselves. The red head is a bit protective over him though.
If I didn't know any better I'd swear you were smitten by him."

"Well," Pooja settled her hands on her hips, "you can't blame me, can
you?"

"No, he is quite a catch. Whatever woman steals his heart, and
innocence, will be a lucky woman. Even if he is a little odd, he's better
looking than even my Xarith."

"Better looking than Xarith," shock shown on Pooja's face. "I never
thought I'd ever hear that from you."

___________________

Sola Naberrie glanced at the redhead glaring at her. "You don't trust
us."

"What makes you think that?"

"You're watching all of us closely. Why did you take us in?"

"There's something about all of you that I don't rightly understand.
Luke and Leia seem all too familiar. Luke reminds me of some one that's
related to me that was lost long ago. The Emperor murdered him and trapped
us here."

"do you normally let complete strangers in?"

"No, I don't really understand it myself. I can't answer it."

___________________

Luke stared blankly at the walls surrounding him. He hated being in
closed up spaces. He wanted to be out, moving about. He could her the sounds
of the outside world but couldn't see them and it was slowly driving him
insane. Each day some one new came in and invaded his privacy. They
pretended to be his friend. They weren't, he couldn't trust anyone.

The door creaked open and Luke eyes moved from that spot to burn on
the entering figure. He was a man, not even as old as Han, but older than
Luke. Hazel eyes watched him soothingly under tight knitted eyebrows and a
messy mop of brown hair. His jaw was set tight and his cheek twitched as he
settled down at Luke's side. "Not too bad a place you got here, huh?" The
man said trying to get Luke to say one thing. "I'm Xarith, my girlfriend,
Ryoo, has told me a lot about you. How you grew up on Tatooine and destroyed
the Death Star, but I don't think I ever caught your name. You think you
might be able to give me it?"

Luke's reaction was to turn towards him and spit in his face. As the
lob dripped down Xarith's face he stood up and Luke turned his glare back
down to the floor.

___________________

"He must like you," Han told Xarith as he handed the younger man a
rag.

"So he spits in my face?" Xarith eyed the Corellian in contempt.

"Hey! You're the only one who has gotten the Kid to look up and not
trying to burn holes in the floor."

"No wonder the Emperor sent you people away. What did we ever do to
deserve this punishment?" Xarith asked mournfully as he swiped at his face,
drying it off. He didn't know how he had been cursed with this job. He
didn't even know the people. "Well, he must like you too. Why can't you do
it?"

"You saw what he did to Mara. They're as close friends as you can get.
What do you think he'd do to Leia, or me?"

"So you're thinking ..."

"The less familiar he is with the people the less he'll connect them
to his recent past. We just needed to find a stranger he liked. Looks like
you're our man, Xarith."

"Why me?" He groaned.

and the next one

Luke Skywalker sat staring into the clear stream at his own
reflection. He sat in rigid silence as he let his eyes slide shut, wanting
to make it disappear. Wanting what was happening to be done. He wanted it
all to be over. A young woman in clothing that Luke recognized as the
ancient senatorial robes of the planet appeared behind him. Her soft brandy
brown eyes met his icy blue ones in the water's reflection.

"Who are you?"

"I am your present, past, and future."

Luke saw the brown hair that tumbled down, she looked like some one he
knew but he couldn't remember. "That doesn't answer my question."

"I only tell the truth of who I am."

"What's your name? Where do you come from?"

"I am who I am."

Luke snapped his mouth shut and just sat in the pleasure of her
company.

___________________

Xarith hoisted a large box up onto a shelf and swiped the sweat off
his brow. He leaned heavily against the wall and stared out the window. He
saw Luke sitting there, staring into the stream. Xarith moved away from the
windows and headed down into the garden where Luke sat.
"Hi," he said with a grin, "I don't think I ever got your name."

Luke looked up at Xarith as if looking through him. Xarith could see
the life behind the eyes. "She came to me."

Xarith looked at Luke confused by his words. "Who? Who came to you?"
A mysterious and mystified smile played lightly on Luke's lips. "My
angel."

Xarith smiled and patted him on the soldier. "Well, that's something
at least. Must be pretty special to have you own angel."
"You really don't have to talk to me like I'm a little kid."

"Well, kid, if you'd say something once in a while I would know you
can comprehend what I'm saying."

"My name is Luke, never call me 'kid'."

"Okay Luke, I got it. In the ancient language of my people your name
means light or hope."

"Too bad that's about as far from the truth as you could get."

___________________

Xarith gazed over the rest of the group as they joined Ryoo and him in
the sitting room. "So the kid's talking now." Han burst out saying as soon
as everyone had sat down.

Xarith nodded his head. "He's carrying a lot of weight but he's
talking."

"Well," Mara said, "seeing as this is Luke he's not going to stop once
you get him started again."

Pooja raised an eyebrow at the red head wondering about her coldness.

"You claim this man is your friend but you don't seem to care that he's been
hurt."

"Listen, lady. This is Luke we're talking about. He's faced down Sith
lords before. He isn't scared by them. He tries to turn them. If he's down,
he's not going to be down for long. He's lost enough already to be able to
deal with this."

"Mara," Leia said quietly. "You're forgetting something."

"What?" she snarled.

"Anakin," she whispered. "Luke blames himself for Anakin's lose."

That silenced Mara as she got up and left.

___________________

"It's strange," Ryoo said as she came up behind Leia, "that your son
would share a name with my uncle."

Leia turned away from the window she was looking out of to the other
woman. "He was named after my father."

"You miss your father?"

"I never knew him."

"That's a pity."

___________________

As the months slowly went by Luke began to open up more and more even
though he carried the burden of the loss of Anakin. That would never be gone
but he adapted as it was. He learned to trust again. He learned to trust
others.

___________________

"With no abilities to use the Force and no weapons it seems I'm a bit
helpless here. You're not. I need some training in self defense."

"Am I hearing this correctly? You, Skywalker, want to have the same
training as I did. Skywalker, I was an assassin."

"The name is Luke, and I just want some training in self defense, not
assassin training."

Mara glared at the figure standing above her with his arms crossed
over his chest. "Did I forget to mention I'm not completely helpless? I
lived on Tatooine Jade, do you think I was ever helpless?"
She had been fooled, big time. She noticed as Luke offered her his
hand and she took it getting to her feet. "What's wrong Mara? I've seen you
fight before and you were never that easy on me."

"Nothing Skywalker," she snarled brutally as she shoved him away and
stormed away from him.

Luke shook his head but let her leave.

___________________

As Luke was walking in he was toppled over by two toddlers that raced
towards his legs and a huge Wookiee who was trying to catch them. Luke
dropped the pitcher off Liquid and it spilled all over Mara as Luke
struggled to his feet again he saw Mara glaring at him the sticky drink
dripping off her hair and he couldn't stop from laughing at the sight.
Mara washed off and joined the rest of them for dinner and all sat in
silence until Luke stood up after he had finished and left offering Mara an
apologetic smile and went upstairs. Shortly later on Mara was the only one
remaining and she left also and passed Luke's door that was cracked open and
noticed the woman, Pooja, was stroking his face and leaned forward to kiss
him. Mara pressed against the wall and stared down at the floor, pain and
anger welling up inside of her. If she had just let Luke know this wouldn't
had happened.

Mara ran out shortly later on no longer able to take anything else.

___________________

"Mara!"

"What Skywalker? Haven't you done enough?"

"Luke, I'm sorry. I didn't think."

"I can't do any less."

Pooja kissed him softly and exited the room silently. One of these
days she would find out who he really was. He refused to tell her his last
name but she would sometime find out.

___________________

Sola smiled softly as Leia quietly played with her children. She had
spoken to the young mother often enough and had slowly learned the fate of
the woman's youngest son. She had mourned for his lost and thrown herself
into the care of the other two children. Leia was holding an old book and
glancing at it absorbing the words before Luke walked in slightly angry.
"I don't know why you bother with that junk Leia, how will battle
meditation help you here?"

"It's good to know. As a Jedi I have a responsibility_"

"A Jedi? There are no Jedi here."

"So you're giving up? Like you gave up on Anakin?"

"Luke snapped around and she was returned with a glare for her
assumption. "The Jedi Order is dead, Leia, as is the power of the Skywalker
line."

Sola paused in sudden realization. With the people coming they had
known they had to take a family in. It was what was right. But, it must have
been urgings of the Force, which had driven them towards this family. Luke
and Leia were heirs to the line of Skywalker and it was all falling together
now. The two she was staring at were her niece and nephew. If it was not
guidance of the Force she didn't know what it could be.

"Skywalker?" Sola commented as soon as Luke had left.

"Yes, that's his last name."

"And yours also?"

"Why are you so interested in it?"

"I knew a man by the name of Skywalker before, Anakin Skywalker."

"What do you know about him?"

"He was a Jedi assigned to protect my sister. They fell in love and
married. I could be mistaken but I doubt there are more that one family by
the name of Skywalker."

Leia watched the woman and noticed the resemblance for the first time.
"He was my father," Leia whispered not really wanting to speak of the
man she had known only as Darth Vader. His master, the Emperor, had taken
her baby boy and her hatred for the Master was so strong that she could not
even bear the mention of the name of her dead father who once had served
him. She was glad more than anything that the Force was gone now so that her
children couldn't feel her anger, her hatred, her desperation to seek
revenge on the one that had done this. He had stolen the life of her son,
had stolen the soul of her brother. Once if she had had a chance she would
have killed him, but now, not now, how could she kill her son? She didn't
know who would. The light of the Jedi had since then been extinguished.

___________________

Pooja sunk to the ground as she pulled away from the door that was
ajar. Luke was a Skywalker, it had just been confirmed. She had thought she
had been in love with him but now she knew that yes, she loved him, but not
the type she had thought it would be. He was her cousin, of all things.

Familiarity was said to be common between lovers and family even though you
had never known them. It seemed he had seemed so familiar because she had
met him before. He had only been about three years old at the time she had
last seen him and she had been close to eight or nine. She would tell him,
she had to tell him, but how would they deal with the facts. Could they
still be friends?

"He wasn't the one for you but that doesn't mean you won't find some
one. Luke is a good man and I'm sure you can still be friends. Besides had
it continued the red head looked like she'd be willing to kill you."

"Mara? She and Luke are just friends."

"If you can't see it you've become as blind as men are. She's been all
over him and you knew her reaction when she found that you two were serious.
Try telling me she's not interested."

"Okay, I admit it. I knew. Now how do we get Luke to know?"

"I think a better question is how do we set them up without either one
knowing."

___________________

"Hey Skywalker, you look down. Where's your girlfriend?"

Luke raised an eyebrow at Mara. "I don't know what you're talking
about."

"Your girlfriend? The one with the dark curly hair."

"Pooja?"

"Yes, what happened?"

"Nothing much more than usually happens."

"What? I don't think she's an Imperial Agent, she's not dead, and I
don't think she's told you to get lost yet?"

"You forgot one."

"What?"

"She's my cousin."

Mara had just taken a sip of water and began coughing. When she could
finally breathe again she glanced at him and began laughing again. "Great
joke Skywalker," Luke wasn't laughing, he was more serious than usual.
"You're not kidding."

"No, I'm not." He said dully not making any other comment.
"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Luke said as he waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing
new."

"What? Nothing new?"

"Better than my sister." Luke quipped as he left leaving her
wondering.

___________________

Leia looked over with a distant look on her face, Ryoo handed her a
basket of fruit and proceeded to the next cart in the area. It was so calm
on this world, especially when she was with her family. It had been so hard
for her and Han since the loss of Anakin. The surroundings seemed to be so
simple and far away she saw a large, ancient looking building. It was empty
and looked forlorn.

"What is that place?"

Ryoo glanced up to see what Leia was pointing at. "That used to be the
palace. The Queen was murdered during the Clone Wars when we were taken
over."

"Taken over? By who?"

Ryoo opened her mouth but then shut it before answering. "Get down!"
She screamed pulling Leia down onto the ground as blaster fire laced past
them.

Leia lay pressed against the cold ground as heavy boots dropped down
around her, luckily not seeing them. Leia heard a thump and saw a body fall
to the ground, the chest caved in by a burn from a blaster burn. Leia gagged
on the smell and Ryoo clamped a hand over her mouth before she could scream
in horror.

"Them," Ryoo hissed.

___________________

Han Solo glanced around the area. While the woman were out shopping
he, Luke, and Ryoo's boyfriend, Xarith. He knew Luke dreaded the new clothes
just as much as he did. Luke pulled uncomfortably at the brown clothes that
looked like they could belong to a storekeeper. Nothing the former Jedi
Knight would be caught dead in. Han couldn't stop laughing at his
brother-in-law.

"Yours aren't any better," Luke glared at him.

"Yeah, but I'm used to being shoved into pathetic clothing. You're
still a bachelor but you being shoved into clothes that pathetic, this
early." Han started laughing once again. Xarith caught up to them as Han
jumped onto the ledge of the wall surrounding the pond that they were
walking past.

Xarith ribbed Luke and pointed up at Han grinning. Luke took the hint
and reached up and shoved Han over the edge. A moment later Han rose to the
surface and sputtered shaking his head the water droplets dripping from his
hair.

"Xarith! Skywalker! Both of you are so dead!"

"You wish Solo!" Xarith yelled at him. As Han sat in the cold shallow
pond he began laughing. Even though they may be two completely different
people Luke and Xarith seemed more alike each day. Over the past couple
months Xarith had picked up some of Luke's mannerisms and Luke had picked up
the accent of Xarith among other things they had shared. Han had noticed the
same thing had happened between Luke and Leia during the Rebellion. But
Xarith and Luke weren't related, were they? Who knew with the Skywalker
family.

Xarith paused but then turned and noticed several burly men. "Han! Get
underwater! Hide! Luke! Get down!

Xarith dropped onto the ground followed by Luke and Han took a huge
breath and ducked under the water. The burly men unloaded their blasters
into any bystander that was unlucky enough to remain there.

___________________

Leia was shaking hard as Ryoo dragged her back up to her feet. "We
have to get out of here. They might come back."

"Who are they?"

"I'll explain later, we need to get out of here first."

"Ryoo, we have to help these people."

"We can't." Ryoo tried to pull Leia away but to no success.

"No, these people are hurt. I'm staying."

___________________

Han gasped for air as he popped out of the water and his retort to
Xarith died on his lips as he saw the bodies lying around.

"We need to find the women," Han gasped as Xarith and Luke nodded
their heads.

"Xarith, Han, go find Ryoo and Leia. They should be together. I'll go
find Mara and Pooja."

"Luke, I can come with you. Are you sure you don't need help?"

"I think it best I went alone Xarith, I can take care of myself."

Xarith nodded as Luke left them behind.

___________________

Mara furiously jumped behind a cart as the shots rang out and yanked
Pooja out of sight. "Who are those people?"

Pooja threw a look towards them then turned back towards Mara.
"Pirates, they come once a week to plunder our goods."

"What?!" Mara yelled and Pooja tried to shush her. "How can you let
them do that? How come no one has ever stopped it?"

"This is a prison planet, the republic never cared and we have no way
to fight them."

"And they just slaughter innocent people?"

"Yes, we can't do anything."