Title: The Pull of Fate
Author: kimara
Paring: Luke/?
Rating: NC-17
Disclaimer: Everyone belongs to the mighty Lucas and company. I am just borrowing from his characters to allow them a bit of fun. No harm intended and no money is being made.

Luke Skywalker sat back in his chair as he watched his friend and counterpart closely. Han Solo sat at the sabacc table in this small mid-rim casino surrounded by throngs of worshippers. Although they were on planet to meet with a Rebel operative, there wasn't much of an Imperial presence on Umgul so they hadn't bothered to create false identities. The fact that the casino owner was one of the patrons silently financing their fight against the Empire also made false identities unnecessary.

Luke looked on almost in awe of the way Han just basked in the limelight. Radiating confidence from his being, he always seemed to be in total control of every situation. No matter who approached him, he was always ready with a sly comment, charming or cutting remarks depending on the situation and never once had Luke seen him stammer for the right thing to say. As he watched, Luke again thought how different he and Han were. That difference was so great-like night and day or Hoth and Tatooine-that he wondered how such a sophisticated smuggler and rim world farmboy had managed to become such close friends.

As he watched two absolutely gorgeous women vie for Han's attention, Luke pondered his own struggle with dealing with similar attentions. After the destruction of the Death Star, his life had changed drastically. No longer was he the unknown new kid from a backwater planet who had barely convinced the Rebel hierarchy to allow him to fly. He was now Luke Skywalker, Rebel hero; the man who had single handedly destroyed the Emperor's tool of terror. Starting only hours after the medal ceremony in the old Massassi temple on Yavin IV, he and Han had become the objects of attention of every single woman and even a few single men.

Han had handled the situation with the grace and ease of a confident man. He playfully flirted with almost all of them, painlessly deflecting the ones who held no interest for him and basking in the attentions of the others. Many nights, Han would leave the common mess area where all the military and support personnel gathered with a new beauty draped casually across his arm. And since Han still quartered on the Falcon, he always had a private place to take his conquests, although he did have to contend with Chewbacca's watchful eyes.

Unlike his charming friend, Luke found the attentions of all these women very difficult to deal with. When a woman he didn't know approached him, he found himself tongue tied and stammering like a teenaged schoolboy. If by some miracle he could calm himself down enough to actually carry on a conversation, he found it too easy to sense their real reasons for pursuing him. He had not found one, who was interested in him as Luke, the person. They all seemed to want the status of bedding Luke, the Rebel hero. And when his fellow Red Squadron pilots had let it slip that he was still a virgin, the competition for being the one to change his status became intense.

So Luke had politely deferred their attentions and when that didn't stop them, he had taken to spending most of his free time back in his quarters. He had even tried to talk to both Han and his current bunkmate, Wedge Antilles, but they were less than understanding. Both had chided him to 'live in the moment' and had reminded him on numerous occasions that the Empire was still hunting the Rebels as a group and had large bounties out for information on the individuals who had destroyed the Death Star. Wedge had prodded him to just let himself go and allow the women who were fawning over him to do as they will. That way if he got shot out of the sky tomorrow, at least he wouldn't die without knowing the pleasures of the flesh.

But Luke had ignored the advice of his two closest friends and listened to his heart. He had been brought up to believe that sex was something that should be shared only by two people who cared about each other. He didn't feel right about sleeping with someone he didn't love, even if that person was willing to jump into his bed without feelings for him. So he remained a virgin, not getting any further than the heavy petting stage with any of his pursuers before his heart made him push them away.

So here he sat, six months after the Battle of Yavin, alone at a secluded table in this mid size casino, watching Han being pawed and fondled by two gorgeous women. Pulled from his reverie by the serving droid bringing him another ale, Luke noticed that a young woman now occupied the table beside him. They shared a quick smile before he drew his eyes way and refocused on Han's endeavors.

Luke tried to keep his attention on Han but his mind kept wandering. As he absently watched his friend, he found himself shifting between his earlier thoughts and the pull he felt from the young woman beside him. His attention continued to drift and he found himself stealing glances at the mysterious figure. Although he was too shy to blatantly stare at her, he found himself drawn to her presence like a moth to a flame.

Using a multitude of sideways glances though half closed eyes, Luke managed to build a pretty fair picture that he viewed behind closed lids. The woman was about his age, eighteen or nineteen and sat silently at the table as if listening to an interior voice. Her gaze wandered around the room, taking everything in but never lighting on any one sight for more than a couple of seconds. She was petite but muscular with obviously dyed long blond hair tied back into an ornate clasp and, from what he could see, green eyes. Her skin was pale but flawless, as smooth as an alabaster statue. She was dressed in a form fitting dark blue jumpsuit and a tan hooded cape was tossed over the back of her chair.

After watching her secretly for about a half hour, Luke decided to use his fledgling powers to try to get a read on her. He focused his attention on the young woman, trying to get a sense of her surface emotions. His probe gave him a brief feeling that she had been studying him as intently as he had been her and then nothing. It was as if a wall went up and he could sense nothing from her, not even the basic sense of people that he had been privy to his entire life. In his surprise, he quickly turned to look at her and found green eyes staring intently at him. His curiosity and his danger sense pulsed strongly and he decided that the only way to get a clearer read on the situation would be to confront it.

So after hiding from any woman's attention for six months, Luke stood up and crossed the space between the two tables. "Hello, I'm Luke Skywalker," he said with a shy smile. The part of his brain that was actually functioning screamed at how much of a risk it was to announce himself to a total stranger. But the instincts that had guided his life since that fateful day in the Jundland Wastes told him that he had nothing to fear from this woman.

"Pushy, aren't you," the young woman replied sarcastically, as she fought to keep her facial expression blank. Her danger sense told her to run away but her eyes were caught in the reflection of the intense blue ones looking down on her.

Luke's cheeks blushed a deep red as he looked at her. "I'm...sor..sorry," he stammered. He was turning to walk away when he felt a hand on his arm.

"No, I'm sorry," the woman replied. "Just because I'm upset doesn't give me an excuse to be rude."

"Did I upset you?" Luke asked sheepishly.

"No," she replied, taking a minute to choose her next words carefully. Things could be very unpleasant if she let her true reasons for being here be known to this innocent young man. "My employer has me out here on a wild goose chase and my patience is in very short supply."

"Oh," was Luke's only reply. He looked at her intently for another moment before placing his hand on the back of a chair. "May I?" When she nodded, he sat down. "I never got your name?"

She hesitated for a moment then said, "I'm Caria Sonnel."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Caria," Luke said as he extended his hand. The feeling that shot through him when their hands touched was both soothing and shocking. He clasped her hand a bit longer than necessary, unwilling to break even this minor contact.

Caria's inner feelings were in chaos as their hands separated. She had no idea what had just happened but she knew she had to find out more about the blond haired man that sat across from her. "So what are you doing in this cultural center?" she asked with a smile.

Luke laughed at her choice of words while silently deciding what he should say. The briefing they had received on this place described it as very safe but his danger sense told him that he shouldn't be completely forthright. "My partner and I are negotiating a contract for supplies." That statement was true from a certain point of view. "Though he's currently negotiating at the sabacc table," he added with a grin.

"Well hopefully your partner will have something left to negotiate with when the night is over," Caria shot back with a smirk. Looking for an innocent topic to continue her conversation with this intriguing young man she asked, "Where are you from?" She watched a flash of pain cross those blue eyes as he heard her question.

"Well," Luke began, "I grew up on a remote planet in the outer rim called Tatooine. I left there six months ago and have been traveling around since."

"Tatooine is a rather desolate place," Caria said in response.

"Tatooine is the place farthest from the center of the known universe," Luke said wryly. "What about you?"

Caria thought about giving her standard line but something in those honest eyes stopped her. "I grew up on Coruscant but I haven't been there much lately. I have spent the past couple of years traveling on assignments for my employer."

Feeling an unaccustomed sense of comfort, Luke told Caria about his life on Tatooine; working on the moisture farm, flying his T-16 skyhopper, racing in Beggar's Canyon, hanging out with his friends at Tosche Station. When he finished speaking, Caria asked innocently," Do your parents still live there?" She immediately regretted the question when the flash of pain she saw earlier settled heavily in his eyes.

Luke pushed back the hurt the question caused and answered softly. "I've never known my parents. I lived with my Aunt and Uncle but they died shortly before I left Tatooine."

"I'm sorry," Caria replied sincerely. She guarded her expression carefully as she pondered the impact of his words. He was an orphan too. Is that what had drawn them so strongly to each other? She felt her heart constrict as she looked into those pain filled blue eyes. She chided herself for this uncharacteristic show of compassion. Why was this total stranger having such an affect on her? She was drawn out of her introspection by the sound of his voice and realized she had missed his question. Her confusion must have been evident because he repeated himself.

"Is your family on Coruscant?" Luke asked again. While he waited for her answer, he wondered about this beautiful young woman living in the Imperial capitol.

"I don't have any family," Caria replied flatly. This conversation was becoming much too personal so she sought to change its direction. "Will you be joining your friend at the tables or do you have other plans for the evening?" As the words left her lips she realized how forward they sounded and dropped her eyes.

"No plans, really," Luke replied, too innocent to have even noticed that rather suggestive tone of her words. "I'm not much for games of chance. I'd rather just sit back and watch what goes on around me." He stomach rumbled as he spoke and he laughed shyly. "I must admit I'm about ready for dinner. Though it looks like food is the farthest thing from my friend's thoughts," he added as he saw the pile of credits being fingered by Han's female companions.

Caria chuckled as she followed Luke's gaze. "I would assume food is the last thing on your friend's mind." Looking around the room, she saw nothing that would support her employer's feeling that something was transpiring on the remote rock. Realizing she too was hungry and tossing caution to the wind, she asked. "I know I nice café about a block from here. Would you be interested in have dinner together?"

A strange feeling fluttered through Luke as he pondered her invitation. He couldn't believe he was actually having a relaxed conversation with a complete stranger, especially since that stranger was a beautiful young woman. As he looked into those bright green eyes, he reservations melted. There was no way Han would leave the sabacc tables and he hated eating alone. That added to the fact that there was something about this woman that just drew him to her. "I would love to have dinner with you," he said with a smile. "Thanks for taking pity on the poor farmboy."

A faint blush tinged Caria's cheeks at his comment. Like Luke, she was somewhat shocked at her easy camaraderie with this blond man with the intense blue eyes. Her line of work had kept her from forming any friendships but this was the first time that she had ever felt inclined to open herself to anyone. Deciding to trust her instincts, she stood. "Ready?"

"Just let me tell Han that I'm leaving," Luke replied. He walked quickly to the sabacc tables and spoke to the older man.

Caria watched from a few meters away as Luke spoke to his friend. She caught the backwards glance that the dark haired man tossed her way and saw Luke blush as the man whispered something to him. In a few moments, he was back at her side. "All set?"

"Yes," Luke answered. Looking back at the tables, he smiled. "I don't expect to see Han until the morning."

They walked to the café talking companionably, keeping their topics light and non-invasive. They were seated at a secluded table and spent a few minutes studying the menu. When Luke put his down, Caria asked, "Decided already?" At his nod, she motioned the waiter back to their table. Corellian ales and appetizers arrived quickly and the conversation continued. By the time they had finished dinner, it had shifted to a more personal level. They talked of their wants and feelings again, both overwhelmed by the ease they felt with one another.

While they lingered over their third ale, they could see the restaurant staff placing chairs on the empty tables to arrange the dining area for closing. Looking around more closely, they realized that were the last remaining customers. Luke called over the waiter and quickly settled their check. Rising from his seat, he pulled back Caria's seat and took her arm. "Looks like we'll have to head back to the casino," he said. "Unless you have a better option."

Caria could see from the open expression on Luke's face that he had no ulterior motive from the comment. Silently chuckling at the man's naiveté, she asked. "Are you staying at the casino?"

"Yes, I have a room there," Luke replied. "We could go back there?" He voiced the question hesitantly, wondering if he was being to forward with someone he had just met.

Arica was silent while she pondered Luke's request. She had really enjoyed the few hours they had spent together and was very comfortable in his company. That in itself was very strange to her as she was normally very reclusive when she was working. As she met those honest blue eyes, the decision was easy to make. "Sure, but only for a little while."

They were back at the casino and at the door of Luke's room in just a few minutes. Sliding the key card in the lock, Luke pushed open the door and directed Caria into the room. He guided her to the small sofa then walked to the small wet bar. "Can I get you another ale?"

"Do you have any juice?" Caria asked in reply. Although she felt no danger from Luke she didn't want to drink enough to impair her judgment. She accepted the glass from him and noticed he had also poured one for himself.

They sat side by side on the sofa, falling back into the conversation they had held so easily at the café. Small touches and reassurances came from each when the conversation turn to topics that were painful for one or the other. When Luke began to speak of the pain of his Aunt and Uncle's deaths, Caria leaned forward and took his hands in hers. The touch, meant to comfort, felt like a bolt of electricity surging through each of them. Lost in those mesmerizing blue eyes, Caria did not even attempt to pull away when Luke leaned forward and gently pressed his lips to hers. When they broke the kiss, she was the one to lean back in and begin anew.

After many minutes of these lighter kisses, Luke ran his tongue along her lower lip, seeking entry. Soft lips opened with a shudder and he explored the warmth of Caria's mouth. By the time this kiss ended, they were both flushed and panting. Luke stared into emerald green eyes glazed by the effect of their kisses and wrapped his hands into silken gold locks. "Caria, is this..." He was silenced when the rosy lips again melded with his.

Fingers released the ornate clasp that secured her hair away from her face and silken strands flowed over fabric clad shoulders. As he broke the kiss and took in the scene before him, he sighed happily. The yellow strands looked like rays of Tatooine sunshine against the deep blue fabric. Luke felt his heart shudder as he wrapped his hands in the golden strands. He felt Caria's hands clasp behind his neck as he again covered her lips. His hands shifted from her hair to the front of jumpsuit and buttons were undone in a matter of seconds.

Caria shuddered as callused fingertips ran along the skin of her shoulders and neck. Although she wasn't very experienced in these things - in reality, she had done no more than some kissing and petting - never had anyone's touch affected her this way. It was as if they were two parts of a whole reuniting when their skin or lips touched. When those fingertips brushed over her breast, her capacity for coherent thought vanished. Her hands moved to the closure of his tunic, her need to feel the texture of Luke's skin almost overwhelming.

When they finally parted for air, fabric had been pushed off shoulders and down arms. Luke quickly removed the offending garment and watched as Caria pushed her jumpsuit off to the waist. Tracing a lace covered breast with his fingertip he looked intently at her. "I feel like we are being drawn to each other. I've never felt this way before." He moved his hand to her cheek and caressed it with his fingers. "Are you sure..? If you want to stop..? I've never done..." He couldn't seem to manage a complete thought and finally just looked into those beautiful green eyes.

"I haven't either," Caria whispered, "but this feels right. I don't want us to stop." She leaned down, unclasped her short boots and removed them. Standing unsteadily, she pushed at the fabric surrounding her waist and when it pooled on the floor, she stepped out of it.

Luke's mouth gaped open at the vision before him. Only two small pieces of maize lace covered any of the creamy white skin of Caria's shapely body. Without taking his eyes from that luscious form, he copied her movements, toeing off boots and stripping his pants. Once he was clad in only his undergarments, he pulled her back into his arms. The touch of skin to skin was electrifying. He covered her lips with his own, pressing their bodies tightly together until there was barely a hairsbreadth between them.

Caria ran her hands along Luke's muscled arms and back before carding her fingers through the shaggy blond hair. This time she was the one to deepen the kiss, running her tongue along his bottom lip until he allowed her full access to his warmth. She tasted each part that she could reach relishing the honeyed taste that was Luke. The depth of their kisses sent warmth flooding into her abdomen. As she abandoned herself to the unfamiliar feeling, she wondered not for the first time that evening if she had lost all common sense.

Luke directed them towards the bed at the opposite side of the room in small steps, unwilling to allow the movement to break their connection of lips and body. Once they reached it, he laid her down gently and quickly moved to lie beside her. As his lips again covered hers, he reached to unclasp the strip of fabric confining her breasts. He tossed it aside and trailed a path of kisses along her throat. Sliding further down, he kissed, licked and nuzzled her breast before moving on to capture a rosy nipple between his lips. He suckled and laved, relishing the soft sounds of pleasure escaping for Caria's lips. After repeating his attentions to her other breast, he attempted to move further downward but was stopped by the hand tangled in his hair. He lifted his head and looked questioningly into those amazing emerald eyes.

Caria met the gaze of those darkened blue orbs with a shudder. All she could think of was how it would feel to have him within her, claiming her in a joining that was as old as time itself but one in which she was truly innocent. "Luke, make love to me," she whispered.

Luke felt like all the air had flowed from his lungs at her words. He was so naïve in the ways of the flesh that his mind was floundering under the impact of her request. He knew the mechanics of the act and with that knew that for women the first time could bring pain. But he was so inexperienced and as such feared that his lack of knowledge would hurt her. Those thoughts warred with the feeling in the depth of his being that this was right, that they were meant to be together. He ached to join with her and lose himself in their passions. He looked intently at her and admitted. "I want that more than anything Caria but I don't want to hurt you."

"This is what we both want. You know it's right. Trust your feelings, Luke," Caria said with a conviction born from within the Force itself.

Astonishment was visible in Luke's features as Caria's choice of words registered in his mind. His belief that this was the right path for them intensified as the Force flowed into his heart with her verbal conviction. He slid up until he reached her lips and covered them with his own. Passion flowed between them as the kiss deepened and their tongues mimed what their bodies would soon be doing. Breaking the kiss, Luke straddled her thighs and brought his hands to the band of lace covering her hips. Searching her eyes to ensure she was still willing, he remained motionless as he waited.

Caria was touched by Luke's sense of honor and concern as his eyes locked with hers. Reaching to his waist to mirror his position, she smiled shyly and nodded her head, beckoning him to continue. She lifted her hips to allow the fabric to be pulled from her body then watched as he bared his own flesh. Her eyes were glued to his lower body as his manhood was finally released from the confining fabric. She buried the slight shudder of fear that passed through her as she imagined that engorged flesh entering her body and she held out her arms.

The small part of Luke's brain that was still functioning couldn't believe that this beautiful woman was beckoning him to join with her. The power of her allure overrode that thought and he moved willingly into her embrace. Their lips again molded together, desire and passion fueling the depth of their tongues' explorations. Luke rested his weight on his forearms and shifted until his arousal rested between the silken flesh of her thighs. Needing to assure himself of Caria's certainty of going forward, he broke the kiss and looked intently at her. She bent her knees and arched her lower body against his in silent acquiescence and slid one hand between them to grasp him lightly.

Caria pushed aside the small flash of shock at her forward behavior that she felt as she guided Luke to enter her body. This was right; she could feel it. Relaxing as much as possible, she whispered, "I need you, Luke."

Any misgivings that may have been lingering disappeared at the need in Caria's voice and eyes. Reaching for the Force to steady his tumultuous emotions, Luke placed his hand over hers and guided his throbbing hardness into the wetness of her body. Partially sheathed, he removed their hands, intertwined their fingers and rested their joint hands by her shoulder. He leaned down and covered her mouth with his before pushing forward gently. He swallowed her gasp of pain as he breached the finally barrier to their joining. He stilled for a few moments, allowing her body to adjust to his intrusion then began to thrust slowly.

Caria closed her eyes and lost herself in the slow movements of Luke's flesh within her. She had listened to the courtesans talking about their activities with their partners but never in the wildest reaches of her imagination had she expected it to be like this. The tremors of pleasure that flowed through her at each tiny motion were exquisite. Soft moans filled the room and she was shocked to realize that most of them came from her. Lost in the moment and needing to know if Luke felt the same, she probed along the currents of the Force to read his emotions.

The feeling of Caria's warmth cradling him so securely was so intense that Luke barely felt the slight Force probe that fluttered across his senses. Grasping onto it like a drowning man seeking water, he explored it with a tendril of his own desperate to increase the connection between himself and the gorgeous woman in his arms. Pleasure pulsed along the connection and soon his body was overwhelmed by the need his thrusts were fueling in both of them. Lost in the throes of passion, he unconsciously wrapped then together, mentally as well as physically. As the depth of his penetration into her body deepened, so the depth of their mental connection did as well. The pattern continued to grow even as both participants were unaware of anything other than the pinnacle their bodies were striving towards.

The sensations flowing through Caria's body were overwhelming her senses. Her body tensed as the building passions within her erupted in a flash of brilliance throbbing beneath her eyelids. As she came back to reality, the wetness coating her inner walls and the feeling of Luke's collapsed weight against her spoke of his simultaneous release.

When Luke's heartbeat returned to a more normal rate, he realized he had allowed his full weight to rest on Caria. Rolling onto his side, he pulled her along with him and snuggled her head against his chest. He ran his hands across the soft skin of her back and he mumbled mushy endearments to her. As the need for sleep drew at his sated body, wonder at feeling the echo of her emotions flitted along the few synapses of his brain still functioning. "Caria, can you feel that? How is it possible?"

Caria was so wrapped up in the feelings he had pulled from her body she was unwilling to give voice to the question he was posing although she knew she should. "Later, Luke," was her only reply before allowing her over-sensitized body to give into the need for sleep.

Luke spent a few moments basking in the delight of her emotions melding with his before giving in to his sated body and drifting off to sleep as well.

**********

The warmth of the chest she was resting against brought the night's earlier events racing back into Caria's mind as she came into wakefulness. She opened her eyes and peered up to look upon the sleeping features of the man she was lying with. Studying his face intently, she was shocked to find she could sense the emotions flowing through his mind. Probing gently, she caught the flavor of his dreams and saw the image of them entwined together in the depths of passion. She spent a moment lost in the pleasure of his mind's image until the realization of what was transpiring penetrated her thoughts. If she could sense Luke's emotions this clearly then he had to have some degree of Force sensitivity. And if she could sense him then he probably could sense her.

The danger of these possibilities brought clarity to Caria's mind almost instantly. Her employer would be very interested in the existence of another Force sensitive. The panic that one thought caused enveloped her. She looked into the innocent features of that handsome face and pondered the possibilities. He stirred under her gaze and she quickly soothed him back into the depths of his dreams. The corruption of that generous, loving personality was not something she could allow to happen.

Working through their newly formed connection, she sent his dreaming brain the image that she was still held in his embrace as she untangled herself from his arms. Kneeling beside the bed, she encapsulated the tendrils of their connection within the strongest shield she could build and buried it deep within the recesses of her subconscious mind. Rising to her feet, she walked silently to the desk. Fumbling for pen and paper, she sat and tried to put her feelings from the past few hours into words that would both comfort and explain.

After what seemed to be an eternity, she had composed her message. Putting it aside for the moment, Caria wandered about the room, collecting the articles of clothing that had been so carelessly toss about. She dressed quickly, all the while watching Luke intently for any signs of waking. She was so intent on her study of her sleeping lover, that one detail went unnoticed. Running her fingers absently though her tangled red locks, she secured them with a leather tie from the pocket of her jumpsuit. Unaware of this minor deviation, she retrieved her letter from the desk. With a brief kiss to the shaggy blond locks, she placed the only tangible evidence that would remain of their evening of passion on the pillow beside him. Steeling her resolve, she crossed the room silently and walked through the door.

**********

As dawn's light filtered into the room, Luke senses slowly came back into focus. Expecting to see Caria lying beside him, he opened his eyes. The smile that remained from the previous evening evaporated quickly at the sight of the empty space. Looking down at the pillow, he noticed the piece of resort stationary lying upon it. Dread filled him as he picked up the ivory paper with shaking hands. He looked down at the neat but elegant script that filled the page and breathed deeply as he began to read.

Dear Luke,

How do I find the words to tell you how much last night meant to me and also explain why I had to leave you? I keep looking over at your sleeping form as I fight for the right words to make you understand that this is what must be for both of us.

No one has ever affected me the way that you did in just a few short hours. Taught from the earliest years of my childhood that feelings and emotions will only make me weak, I would give anything to be able to lose myself in the wealth of feelings and emotions you pulled from within me. But that is not possible. Being around me will only put you in danger. The man I work for would look to warp your character into something that he could use. The light that shines within you would be extinguished forever. I can't allow that to happen.

Keep the memory of this night close to your heart, Luke, as I will always keep it safely locked in mine. We gave ourselves to each other fully and without reservation. We shared something that can only be given once. Treasure the experience and the memory, I know I will.

One day fate or destiny or whatever you wish to call it will bring us back into each other's path. Don't ask me to explain how I know, I just do. Trust me in this. I will wait for that moment with baited breath and pray that our feelings when that time comes will remain the same.

Caria

Luke struggled to contain his emotions as he reread the words in front of him. He mentally replayed everything that had happened from the moment he realized Caria's was studying him until he awoke to her note this morning. His conclusion just served to confuse him more. Caria must be Force sensitive. That was the only thing that could explain his inability to get even a basic sense of her in the bar and his ability to feel her emotions while they were making love. But Ben had made it seem as if he was the only one left. Could there be others? Maybe like him, whose parents had been Jedi and who had been hidden after their parents' deaths? A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Hey Kid, are you in there?" Han called from the hallway.

Luke pulled on his pants and headed for the door. He opened it to find a very disheveled Han Solo standing on the other side. "Good morning."

"Can't be morning, never went to bed," Han grumbled. "Made contact last night and got what we needed. Chewie called. Got a call from Commander Willard. He needs this info. Need to leave now."

Luke laughed at he looked at his worse for wear buddy. "Okay, just give me time to get dressed. I'll meet you at the Falcon in ten minutes." With a nod of agreement, Han started down the hallway.

Luke threw on his clothes and packed the few items he had brought with him into a bag. After securing his lightsaber to his belt, he picked up the ivory paper. As he walked past the sofa, a reflection caught his eye. Looking down he saw the silver hair clasp sticking out from the edge of the sofa. He picked it up and cradled it in his palm. He folded the note in his other hand carefully and placed it and the clasp in the tunic pocket closest to his heart. For now duty called but as soon as he could he would look for Caria. His feelings for her were strong and he wasn't willing to let her go that easily. There would be time for him to go after her later. Firm in his resolve, he tossed the bag over his shoulder, left them room and headed for the Falcon.

********

When the swirls of hyperspace coalesced in the viewscreen, Caria released her restraint and stood up. The sensation of being watched flowed over her and she knew what was coming. With a quick check to her newly created shields, she dropped her false persona and opened her mind to her employer.

*What did you find out, my Hand?* the gravelly voice asked mentally.

*Nothing, Master. There was no sign of Rebel activity on Umgul . It was a wasted effort.* Mara replied.

*No matter. I have a more pressing assignment for you, Mara Jade,* the mental voice instructed. *The information has been downloaded to you. I expect you back on Coruscant in two days.*

The mental contact disappeared before Mara could even reply. Walking over to the communication terminal, she watched as the information scrolled across the screen. The last piece of data to transmit was an image and as it appeared shock played across her features. The blond haired, blue eyed man staring back at her with the caption, Rebel operative-identity unknown, was the same young man that had shared her body a few hours before. Reigning in her emotions so as not to leak anything to her Master, she dropped into the seat.

Replaying her earlier decisions, Mara trembled in relief. If she hadn't buried her fledgling connection to the young man and left, her Master would have known about him immediately. She was glad that her normal thoroughness had left no trail for anyone to follow. Her instincts had served her well again. She would keep Luke Skywalker safe. The Emperor would never have the opportunity to warp the generous young man who had shown her that love was not a weakness. Her love would give her the strength she needed until the Force saw fit to reunite them again.

The End.