STRONGER THAN NIGHT

Summary: An AU Luke and Mara story (mostly Mara) set after "Union"
and before "Vector Prime."
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created
and owned by Lucasfilm, Ltd. No money is being made and no
infringement is intended. Thanks to Timothy Zahn for creating the
incredible character of Mara Jade.

Special thanks to my husband - editor, sounding board, and
cheerleader.

CHAPTER ONE

Morning was breaking over the forests of Yavin. A gentle glow crept
softly over the Jedi Academy revealing a scattering of students
already embarking on their morning exercises and meditations. A short
distance behind the main campus, a slight breeze brushed the pale
green leaves of a wayward tree branch against the windows of the
Master's apartment.

Inside, Luke Skywalker began to stir, then paused, as his hands
brushed a familiar feathery satin. Smiling slowly he turned his gaze
to the lovely form of his sleeping wife. Her head was resting against
his shoulder and a mane of red-gold hair was sprawled across his
chest. Fragmented sunlight danced through the window and played
across her face. He knew that she would sense his attention and wake
soon, their connection through the Force unbroken even in sleep.

He lived for these moments of quiet intimacy. They were too few. He
felt her smile as he gently caressed her soft tresses. "I should cut
it," she murmured. "It keeps getting tangled in all these vines."
Rising slowly to rest on one elbow, Mara Jade Skywalker smiled down
into the blue eyes of her bonded mate. "Or should I just get Leia to
teach me how to do all those fancy braids?" she teased, brushing a
stray eyelash from his cheek.

Luke pushed a lock back over her fair, slender shoulder. "I like it
the way it is," he whispered, cupping her jaw in his hand and pulling
her mouth to his. They lingered there, content in each other's arms,
unwilling to start the day. "When do you leave?" he finally sighed.

"This afternoon. Kennre is preparing the Sabre."

"So soon? The graduation ceremonies don't start for another two
weeks."

"I know, but Jaina asked me to guide her in the trials for her
promotion to senior level. And I told Tionne I'd help her prepare the
Temple." She raised herself to sit on the side of the bed. "I should
get moving."

Luke sat up, running a hand through his sandy blond hair. "Do you
have time to eat first?"

She turned, "With you...alone?" He nodded. "Always." she smiled and
walked toward the refresher.

*****

That afternoon Luke carried the last of the bags to the cargo hold of
the Jade Sabre. He found Mara in the cockpit making final
calculations. "All set?"

"Just about." She answered, turning to bring up the Nav computer.

"Are you sure you don't want to take Artoo?" he asked moving to the
copilot's chair.

"I'm sure. You'll need him when you come to Coruscant." She patted
his knee. "C'mon, I'll walk you out."

They paused at the foot of the entrance ramp. "Be careful, OK?" he
reached out for her hand. "I'll miss you."

She pulled him to her and held him close. "I will, love," she
whispered. Tilting her head up, she kissed him warmly. "See you next
week." She stepped back and started up the ramp.

(to be continued...)
I didn't realize how short these first few chapters were, compared to
the later ones. Here's the next one. =) Disclaimer: see Chapter 1.

CHAPTER TWO

Above Yavin, Mara steadied herself against the ship's vibrations as
she exited the planet's atmosphere. She checked the Nav computer -
fifteen minutes till jump. Reclining against the headrest, she gazed
out at the stars and was rewarded by the glorious site of a passing
comet. The tail flared behind it for as far as she could see, a
shimmering tapestry of color and light. Not so long ago in her life,
she wouldn't have given it a second glance. But things were different
now. She was different. Seeing life through Luke's eyes for the past
few years had taught her much about peace, and about love. And just
this last year she had realized the importance of cherishing every
minute...

A flash on the comm panel brought her thoughts back to the present.
Leaning forward, she keyed to receive, "Jade."

"Mara Jade?" a stiff voice answered.

"Yes - "

"One moment please."

Seconds later a familiar voice hailed, "Mara, it's Karrde. Your
assistant said that I might be able to catch you. Got a minute?"

She relaxed and leaned back, "I've got nine. Who was that?"

"Someone new. Look, I got a rather urgent communication today.
Remember the contracting group that tried to enlist our services on
Sluis Van about six years ago?"

"You mean the pirates?"

He snorted, "Yeah, that's them. Remember a young man named Daven?"

She grimaced, "How could I forget - small guy, dark eyes. Kept
staring at me all the time?"

She heard the amusement in his voice. "Well, apparently you made
quite an impression on him." Serious again, he continued, "He
contacted me and said that he had some important information for the
New Republic and that he would only give it to you."

"Why me? And why did he contact you?"

"That's what I asked him. He said that a communication to me would
look less suspicious than one to the Jedi Academy, and he knew that
he could trust you. He sounded terrified. I've got an encrypted
message here that he said you would be able to crack."

"Look, Karrde, I'm on my way to Coruscant and I really can't - " she
stopped, feeling a gentle ripple in the Force. She used to call
them "Jedi hunches," and had learned from Luke that they shouldn't be
ignored. She sighed. "All right, send it to me. But I can't make any
promises."

"Sending now. Let me know how it turns out, OK?"

"Will do. What's your fee?" she asked.

"For you? It's on the house."

"What?" she mocked. "You're not getting soft are you?"

He laughed. "Not at all. Just don't tell anyone else about this."

"Your secret is safe with me. Jade out." She reached over and pulled
up the transmission. A single word appeared on the screen: "perania."
Perania? And then she remembered. When they had been working on Sluis
Van, Daven had commented on the beauty of the local flora, the
perania in particular. He had picked a scarlet bloom and laid it on
her transmitter when he thought she wasn't looking. Taking a guess,
she keyed the word, "scarlet" and was rewarded with the covert
message:

>>>Mara Jade - I apologize for the awkward nature of this message. I
have become involved in a situation that has become grievous to
myself, and many other lives. I request the aid of the New Republic
and trust that you will be able to arrange such without implicating
me in the process. I cannot transmit this information. Please meet me
at the coordinates below. Many innocents will die without your aid.
Please do not delay. My position here is in peril and I fear for my
life. - Daven<<<

She had one minute left to make the jump to Coruscant, but something
told her that this plea was not to be ignored. The coordinates were
coded so that she could not know the destination prior to jump, in
case she decided to tell someone else where she was going no doubt.
This guy really was scared. Pausing, she reached out to the Force and
felt...calm. Taking a deep breath, she keyed in the coordinates and
waited. Stars became starlines as she was thrust into hyperspace.

* * * * *

A high-pitched chime from the control panel jolted her from sleep.
Blinking to clear her eyes, she checked the coordinates, and groaned -
surely not. Of all places in the entire galaxy -

She never finished the thought. Suddenly, the Sabre rocked violently
as a torpedo blast exploded against the bow. "What the...!" raising
her eyes to the viewscreen, she gasped. A freighter, large enough to
be a small space station, was under attack from a motley armada of
what looked to be pirated ships and snubfighters. She had somehow
jumped into the midst of this fray. Before she could even take
evasive action, another massive blast pummeled the stern and knocked
Mara to the deck. She felt a sharp crack against her skull and
then...nothing. Powerless, the Sabre spiraled towards the planet's
surface.

(to be continued...)

"Stronger Than Night"

CHAPTER TWO

The sharp pain in the lower half of her right leg roused Mara from a
clouded stupor. She was suffocating...at least that's what it felt
like. Why was it so hard to breathe? Rising slowly to her knees, she
brought her hand abruptly to her pounding head. She pulled it away
from her matted hair, noted the dark color, and wiped the sticky
blood on her pants. Well, at least it was venous and she was in no
danger of bleeding to death. A small comfort. Sitting back on her
heels and leaning against the seat of her chair, she looked around.

The Sabre was leaning sharply to the port side with a large tree
trunk protruding through the hull and lying across the copilot's
seat. Moving slowly to favor a throbbing ankle, she maneuvered
through the mangled cabin and manually released the exit ramp. It
fell heavily to hang at a 45-degree angle and ended about three
meters above the ground. Flashbacks of the coordinates just before
the crashed reminded her not to jump. Easing down the ramp, she
paused at the foot and peered up into the trees. She knew even before
looking what she would find - beady little eyes staring back at her
from slim gray-brown bodies. Ysalamiri. She was on Myrkr.

"Shavit!" she swore fiercely, dropping to sit at the edge of the
ramp. Pulling up her right leg to remove the boot, she inspected the
injured ankle. It was swollen, but not broken. A little pain
suppression would have been nice, but she'd have to settle for an
immobilization bandage.

Picking her way back through the cabin, she straightened her seat as
best she could and sat down to assess the damage. Besides the gaping
hole in the hull, the hyperdrive and thrusters were shot and
communications were off-line, but possibly repairable. The
directional charts were fuzzy or scrambled, another perk of this
kriffing planet, but she could estimate that she was only a few
kilometers from the rendezvous point with Daven. He'd better have a
fast transport, she thought sourly as she got up to gather a survival
pack. And this had better be worth it.

* * * * *

Two hours later she stopped for a drink and a ration bar. Sitting on
a stump, and wishing for the thousandth time that Luke were here; she
adjusted the bandage on her ankle. He'd probably think this was
funny. She smiled, thinking that he would even be able to find some
reason why she needed to be disguised with those leaves that had made
him all puffy and itchy. Maybe she should find one of those bushes
and take it home as a souvenir...

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a cry. It was coming from a
clearing to her left. Shoving her water bottle back into the pack,
she jogged to the edge of the forest, ignoring the protest from her
ankle. A small humanoid-looking child was screaming on the other side
of a wide glen. He was frozen in place as a taller female ran towards
him, gesturing frantically. Mara followed his gaze and saw two
vornskrs crouching at the north end of the glade, tails whipping in
anticipation of their meal. The vornskrs charged forward in pursuit
as the child turned and began running toward the female. He wasn't
going to make it.

Mara took off in a dead run, shouting to draw the attention of the
predators. She reached them just as they were ready to pounce, and
placed herself between them and the child. "Come on, boys," she
taunted. They growled on their haunches and separated as they
prepared to attack. "Clever," she murmured, lightsaber now in hand.
And, as if on cue, they leapt at her from both sides. The blue-white
blade sliced cleanly through one as she simultaneously dropped to one
knee and ducked beneath the other. Rising back up to her feet, she
met the second beast head-on, impaling him through the chest. She
fell to the ground under his weight and somersaulted backwards,
kicking him off with her legs and rolling up to her knees. "But not
clever enough," she finished, shutting down her blade.

She stood and turned to the woman and child, "Are you all right?"
Trembling still, the woman bowed to Mara and responded in an
unfamiliar language. The woman was shorter than Mara, only slightly
over one meter tall, and was leaning down to embrace the child. They
were thin and graceful, with bronze skin, black eyes, and flowing
black hair. "Do you speak Basic?" Mara asked slowly. The woman
responded only with a wave of her hand, beckoning Mara to come with
them. Mara paused, but since the woman appeared to be leading in the
direction that Mara was headed anyway, she gathered her pack and
followed.

* * * * *

An hour later they reached a primitive settlement. Mara squatted to
adjust the bandage on her ankle as several of the bronze-skinned
locals ran towards them. Pointing at Mara, they spoke fervently to
her guide. The woman turned and motioned urgently for Mara to follow
her into one of the huts. Just as they reached a small dwelling, Mara
heard loud voices and turned to see a dilapidated freighter at the
edge of the compound. Several seedy-looking characters were laughing
raucously as they loaded large containers into the cargo hold. Mara
felt a shove as she was pushed inside the hut. She did not need the
Force to sense the fear in these delicate beings.

Crouched in a corner and covered with woven blankets, Mara eventually
heard the ship take off and speed away. The blankets were peeled away
and she found herself face to face with the child from the glen. He
smiled at her and pressed his palm first to his own cheek and then to
hers. Some sort of greeting, Mara assumed, and returned the gesture.
The boy laughed and ran out the door as the woman she had met earlier
entered. "I'm looking for someone, like myself," she spoke slowly.
The woman frowned. Pointing to herself, she tried again, "A human,
like me. A male. Have you seen him?" A glimmer of understanding
crossed her face. Taking Mara by the hand, she led her outside.

They walked to the edge of the settlement and continued into the
forest. About fifteen minutes later, they reached a clearing...made
by a burned-out ship. Stepping over debris, the woman led her to
where the passenger ramp would have been and stopped. Mara froze.
Lying on the ground was the bloody corpse of a man. Beaten severely
with an executioner's point-blank shot in the middle of his forehead,
was Daven.

CHAPTER THREE

Leia hurried across the common room to open the front door. "Luke!"
she smiled and embraced him warmly. "You got our message, then. I
hoped it would reach you in time."

Luke kissed her cheek, then tilted his head, confused, "What do you
mean-"

"Hey kid! You made it," Han appeared from the kitchen and promptly
slapped Luke across the back. "How was the trip?"

"Fine," Luke answered, ushering Artoo through the door. "What
message?"

Leia patted Artoo as he passed, "To meet us here instead of the
Temple. The kids are all coming and I thought we could have a family
dinner." Leia glanced out into the corridor, "Where's Mara?"

Luke turned slowly, a strange look crossing his face, "I didn't get
your message, Leia. I came because Mara wasn't at the Temple or the
apartment, and I thought she might be here."

Han and Leia exchanged glances. Luke continued, "She left a week
ago...to meet Jaina here and help Tionne prepare for the graduation
ceremonies."

Leia shook her head, "We haven't seen her, Luke. We waited for her,
but figured that something must have happened and that she was coming
with you."

Luke swallowed and fought back the sense of fear snaking through his
mind. "May I use your comm center?" he asked.

"Of course," Leia answered, but he was already pulling up a channel
to the Academy. She sat in the conversation circle close enough to
hear but not be intrusive.

"Yes, I need to speak with Kennre," he was saying.

Shortly thereafter, the small holographic image appeared and bowed at
the waist, "Master Skywalker."

Luke wasted no time on formalities, "Kennre, have you heard from
Mara?"

He looked startled, "No, Master, not since she left last week. Should
I have?"

Luke took a deep breath, "Apparently she never arrived. No one here
has heard from her either. Are you sure she didn't contact anyone
else there?"

"Let me check." There was a pause as he consulted the communication
logs. "No, Master. There have been no outside transmissions since the
communication from the Wild Karrde-"

Luke spoke suddenly, "The Wild Karrde? When was that?"

Even through the haziness of the hologram it was obvious that
Kennre's face had turned quite pale. "Forgive me, Master. I didn't
think it was important. The captain of the Wild Karrde sent a
transmission inquiring after Mistress Skywalker shortly after she
left. I- I told him that he could probably still catch her..." his
voice trailed off as he bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Master. I have
failed you."

"No," Luke replied gently. "No you didn't. I'm sure it's nothing.
I'll contact them and find out where Mara went. Thank you, Kennre."
The hologram bowed again and disappeared. Luke turned to face
Leia, "Do me a favor?" She nodded. "Get me Talon Karrde."

* * * * *

The next morning, Leia arrived at Luke's apartment to find him
sitting in a chair in front of the main viewport overlooking the
city. His bed was untouched and the travel bag beside it still
packed. She pulled up a chair and sat beside him. "Did you speak to
Karrde?"

He nodded, eyes transfixed on some spot near the horizon. "He doesn't
know where she is. He had received a message from a former associate
of theirs and agreed to deliver it to her. He didn't know what it was
about."

"Does he know who sent it?" she asked softly.

"Yes, but he didn't know where he was or how to contact him...at
least not yet. He's got his people working on it." Luke sighed deeply
and turned red-rimmed eyes to his sister. He spoke slowly and
emphatically, "She wouldn't do this, Leia. She would never run off
like this without contacting me."

Leia placed her hand on his arm, "I know, Luke. I'm sure she'll be
here soon."

Luke shook his head grasped Leia's hand, "You don't understand. I
can't find her." His voice broke, and when he spoke again it was
barely a whisper, "I've been here, meditating, searching, all night.
I can't find her presence." He turned to emphasize his words. "We've
never been separated like this. Since the day we decided to share our
lives together, I've always been able to touch her spirit. We were
bonded, even then. But now-" A tear trickled down his cheek as he
clutched Leia's hands, "She's gone."

OK - this chapter finishes "setting the stage" so we can move along
with the story. Rating: PG. Disclaimer: see Chapter 1.

"Stronger Than Night"

CHAPTER FOUR

Mara moaned as she turned over on her pallet. Drenched in a cold
sweat and reeling from a sudden attack of nausea, she sat up slowly.
Needing fresh air, she rose to her feet and made her way out of the
small hut into the pre-dawn darkness. She walked a short distance to
a nearby hilltop and sat down on the grass. Looking out over the
glassy blackness of a lake, she breathed deeply and slowly.
Gradually, the feeling passed and she raised her eyes to the stars
overhead. It had been three months since her crash, and she'd seen no
sign of any life other than the forest wildlife and the locals who
had taken her in.

The Beresse, they called themselves. She'd learned enough of their
language in these months to be able to communicate with them. The
woman she had met that first day during the vornskr attack was the
Matriarch of the clan and the little boy, Miti, was her grandson.
Sorada, the Matriarch, spoke a little Basic, but had been afraid of
Mara at first, fearing that she was one of the "Thieves." Mara had
inadvertently found great favor with her and the other leaders by
saving Miti, which was why they had insisted on hiding her in the hut
from the true Thieves.

The Beresse were a simple race of farmers and had lived for hundreds
of years in a symbiotic relationship with the "Traders." The "chusa"
plant was indigenous to this part of the planet and was the staple
food source for the clan. The leaves and beans were harvested each
lunar cycle and stored in large warehouses. The Traders, however,
were only interested in the plant's root. The Beresse would grow and
harvest the chusa crop, drying and storing the roots in large bins.
The Traders would then come at the end of each cycle and exchange the
roots for spices, meats, medicines, and a chemical growth accelerant
for the next crop.

Mara had been confused by this relationship, until she was given a
small portion of the chusa root to taste. Almost immediately, she'd
been overwhelmed by the most dizzying sense of euphoria that she had
ever felt. After a few hours, her mind had cleared and she remembered
that she had experienced that phenomenon once before. It had been
when she was living at the Imperial palace, and the drug was called
Kuussa by the courtiers. It was very expensive and highly illegal,
even in the days of the Empire. Supposedly, the source of the drug
had never been discovered. And although many attempts had been made
to produce a synthetic version, the drug industry had never been able
to imitate the effect of the genuine article.

Suddenly, the purpose of the arrangement had become clear. Over time,
the pressure to produce more and more roots had begun to interfere
with the other daily chores of the clansmen, such as hunting and
learning the medicinal arts. Rather than assist in the farming, the
Traders had convinced the clan leaders to put all of their working
forces into the fields and they, in return, would supply all the
other needs of the colony. The Beresse were immune to the effects of
the drug, and therefore did not understand the exploitation. They
only knew that the human Traders were very pleased with large crops
and rewarded them generously with tokens and goods that they would
never have been able to produce themselves.

And then, the Thieves had come. Pirates, Mara figured, who had found
out the source of the chusa plant production. They had arrived en
masse, pillaging homes and storehouses, taking captives and leaving
the simple farmers destitute. They had stolen not only the stores of
roots, but the entire harvest of leaves and beans as well. The clan
leaders had anxiously searched the skies for the Traders who would
surely help them...but they did not come. They now lived in fear of
when the Thieves would return.

Mara realized that she had jumped into the system during the battle
between the Thieves and the Traders. Apparently, the Thieves had won.
She remembered the pirate ships attacking above the planet, but did
not recognize any of them from her dealings with the group on Sluis
Van. Even from the short time that she had known him, she knew that
Daven would never have participated willingly in such brutality and
had obviously become involved with the wrong organization. He must
have realized what their devastation would do to this delicate race,
and contacted Mara secretly. Not secretly enough though, she thought,
and glanced over to the grove where she had helped the Beresse bury
his body.

For the first few weeks that she had been there, Mara had spent most
of her time salvaging what she could of Daven's ship and making
repairs on the Sabre. Knowing that Luke would be getting worried, she
tried repeatedly to bring up the communications, but could not get
the system calibrated due to the metal content in the trees. It was
then that Sorada had approached her timidly asking if she had
anything to eat on her ship.

Mara understood then that they were running out of food. The Thieves
had come right after the harvest and had carelessly damaged a large
percentage of the seedling crops by landing their ships in the
fields. It had been so many years since the Beresse had done anything
but grow chusa crops that they now did not know how to provide for
themselves.

It was at that point that Mara had realized that she had a choice to
make. She knew that she could help them, but that it would be a full-
time job. The crops would take time to grow, but she could teach them
how to hunt and find other sources of nutrition in the forest. Mara
had tossed and turned all that night, debating every course of
action. If she could just get in contact with the New Republic they
could send help. But how long could she ignore the plight of these
victims while she worked on a ship that she may or may not be able to
repair? They would soon be starving. In the end, it was an old
Caamasi saying that Corran had told her once that sealed her
decision: "Evil flourishes where it is not opposed, and those who are
able to oppose it must to protect those who cannot protect
themselves."*

Mara sighed as she pulled her knees up to her chest. She'd never
dreamed that she would still be here so many months later. And the
situation was only getting worse. The crops were growing too slow in
the damaged soil and a virus, brought by the pirates no doubt, was
starting to spread among the tribe. She was spending most of her time
finding and preparing food as more and more of the Beresse became
ill.

Another wave of nausea washed over her and she lowered her forehead
to rest on her knees. Breathing slowly again, in through the nose and
out through the mouth, she rode the wave until it passed. Startled by
a hand on her shoulder, Mara looked up to see Miti standing beside
her. He looked concerned and she smiled reassuringly, placing her
palm to her cheek and then to his. He sat next to her and she lowered
her legs so that he could lay his head in her lap. The Thieves had
taken his mother captive, and he had become quite attached to Mara.
Gently, she stroked his silky black hair as he drifted back to sleep.

The sky was just beginning to lighten on the horizon and soon,
another day would dawn. "Oh Luke," she whispered. "I know you can't
hear me, and I can't imagine what you must be thinking." A lump rose
in her throat at the thought of him, "But I'm all right, love. I
believe I'm doing the right thing as a Jedi. I hope it's what you
would have done. And I will find a way to come home. I promise."

______________
* I, Jedi - Michael A. Stackpole

"Stronger Than Night"

CHAPTER FIVE

-Two months later-

Mara trudged through the forest carrying a water-skin for the third
time that day, each step feeling heavier than the one before.
Exhausted, she slumped against a tree, sliding down its trunk to sit
and catch her breath. She didn't know how much longer she could keep
this up. Almost half the colony's population had fallen ill with the
mysterious fever, and just last night they had buried the first of
what she feared would be a long list of casualties. Reaching up, she
began to massage her temples. A gentle flutter in her abdomen caught
her attention. "It's all right," she sighed, "It'll be all right."
Things are different this time, she thought. Not like last time. The
memories of that night flooded into her mind like a tidal wave.
Almost a year ago now...

~~Luke was lying beside her on the bed in their Coruscant apartment.
She was four months pregnant. "I know," she turned to face Luke. "If
it's a boy, we can name him after Karrde, since he's partially
responsible for getting us together. Talon Skywalker."

Luke laughed out loud, "I don't think so. Actually, it was Child of
Winds, who made me start thinking about how I felt about you."

"There you go," she said. "We'll name him or her 'Child of Jedi.'"
Laughing, they embraced and grew quiet. Mara looked thoughtful, "When
was that?"

Luke paused and smiled, "It was after I put you in that healing
trance. Child of Winds called you my 'beloved companion.' At first I
thought he'd taken one too many blows to the beak, but then the more
I thought about it, the more I realized that it was true." He
shrugged and looked over at her, "What about you?"

"Hmmm," she sighed. "In the cave fighting the sentinels. I'd never
felt anything like that before." She looked deeply into Luke's
eyes, "And I knew that I'd never want to feel it with anyone else."

Luke reached out and caressed her cheek. "If we're having a girl," he
whispered, "I hope she looks just like you."

Mara smiled, "Only if she can have a tow-headed little brother to
beat up on-" She froze.

Luke sat up, "What?"

She looked up, a strange expression on her face, "The baby moved.
Just now."

"Really?"

"Yes!" she grabbed his hand and placed it on her barely-bulging
abdomen, "Be still."

Luke held perfectly still, concentrating. A few minutes later he was
rewarded a gentle thump under the palm of his hand. "Well, I'll be
Kesseled..." A huge, silly grin spread across his face as he leaned
down and roughly kissed his wife. "By the Force, Mara. We're having a
baby!"

It was her turn to laugh - a laugh that turned into a yawn. "And, of
course, he or she wakes up just in time for me to sleep." Lying down
again, Luke gathered her into his arms. Together, they joined hands
and placed them on her belly. It had become their nightly ritual to
join through the Force and reach out to the new little life, as if
singing a lullaby. They felt the rapid heartbeat and the tiny
presence resting warm and content, comforted by the stronger
heartbeat just above it. Eventually, all three of them fell asleep.

Luke heard the cry of anguish and was out of bed sprinting across the
apartment before he was even awake. Mara was bending over the basin
in the fresher, pale and soaked in perspiration. "Something's wrong,"
she gasped. Luke stared in horror at the pool of blood forming around
her feet, "Help me-" Suddenly, everything seemed to be moving in slow
motion. He felt the wrenching onset of pain and nausea that wracked
her body and lurched forward to catch her as she fell.

"No!" he lowered her to the floor, "Oh no." He placed a blood-soaked
hand over the baby, reached out through the Force and felt...silence.
Mara's eyes desperately searched his face. Paralyzed by shock and
grief, he could only shake his head.

The next night, Luke stood at the counter numbly stirring two cups of
hot chocolate. Over and over again the doctor's words echoed through
his head: "fetal demise," "cause unknown," "nothing could be
done," "I am sorry." Luke walked slowly to the bedroom. Mara wasn't
there. Irritated, he set the drinks down on the table. She was
supposed to be in bed.

He found her sitting on the floor in the middle of what would have
been the baby's room. She was hunched over, clutching a soft fleece
blanket that was decorated with little X-wings. It had been a gift
from Wedge and Iella only a few short weeks ago. Her shoulders
trembled as he knelt down beside her. He pulled her close, stroking
her hair as tears streamed down her face and into his tunic. "I'm
sorry," she whispered. "Luke, I'm so sorry."

He pulled back just enough to raise her eyes to his, "No, Mara, it
wasn't your fault." Tears clouded his eyes and choked his voice, "The
doctor said that it just happens sometimes. It wasn't anything you
did, love." She buried her face once again in his shoulder. "It just
happens."

"Why couldn't it have been me?" she murmured. "I would have gladly
died instead. Why couldn't it have been me? Why-!" her voice had
slowly risen in volume, but cracked now as she wept.

Luke grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back to arms
length, "No! Don't you ever say that! Your death could not have saved
our child. What if something did happen to you, or us? Do you want
our children growing up as orphans...like we did? Don't you ever
think that again! Promise me," his eyes bore into hers. "Promise me!"
he almost shouted.

Mara nodded, in shock, "I promise." She looked down at the blanket
wadded up in her hands, "It's just that -" she stopped, sobs shaking
her entire body.

"I know," Luke whispered, tears streaming down his face. "I know." He
wrapped his arms around her and rocked her silently in his embrace.
They stayed there on the floor the rest of the night, both grieving
the loss that was too profound for words.~~

A familiar voice brought Mara's thoughts back to the present. She
lifted her head away from the tree trunk to find that Sorada was
standing over her. At some point it had begun to rain and Mara was
completely soaked, raindrops mingling with the tears flowing down her
cheeks. Sorada knelt in front of her, "You...sick?"

Mara smiled weakly, "No, it is not the fever." She pulled her outer
tunic aside to reveal the softly rounded belly beneath. The older
female's eyes grew wide with understanding.

Sorada sat down in the mud beside the tree trunk and brushed a loose
strand of hair away from Mara's face. "You...lonely...mate. He
will...come for you."

Mara fought back a fresh wave of tears, "He does not know where I am.
And he does not know about the baby." Sorada tilted her head in
confusion. "I did not know that I was expecting a child when I saw
him last," she answered.

They sat for another moment in silence before Sorada pulled herself
to her feet. "Come," she held out her hand. "You should...be dry."
Mara stood slowly and picked up the water-skin. They walked in
silence back to her hut.

Oh wow! Thanks, everyone, for the comments about Chapter 5! It was
one of the most fun to write - does that make me sick-in-the-head or
what? :o) Here's the next. Rating and disclaimer per Chapter 1.

"Stronger Than Night"

CHAPTER SIX

Han looked up as Leia entered the apartment. He already knew the
answer from the look on her face, but asked anyway, "Well?"

She shook her head, "It wasn't her." Leia sat heavily in the chair
across from Han and rubbed her face with both hands. The past six
months had taken their toll on her and it was starting to show. Dark
circles had appeared below her eyes and there was a hint of gray in
the hair behind her temples. She still looked better than Luke,
though. Han knew that she was bearing the weight of Luke's pain, even
though Luke had told him months ago that he was trying to hold back
his emotions in an effort to shield her.

Luke had long ago taken a leave of absence from the Academy and was
living on Coruscant when not out traveling from system to system in
his search for Mara. At first, they had kept her disappearance quiet,
hoping that she would simply arrive with an explanation. But, as
weeks had turned into months, the pressure from friends to go public
with the news became too great to ignore. Leia held the press release
on the holonet and offered a reward, against Luke's better judgment,
to anyone who could provide information on her whereabouts. Luke had
argued that Mara would hate this kind of publicity, but Leia
convinced him that money was the only thing that was guaranteed to
get a response. Han had agreed with her on that issue.

For the first two months, there were so many responses that they had
trouble keeping up with all of them. Who knew that there were so many
red-haired human females in the galaxy? But, gradually, the leads had
dwindled. There had only been two this month, the one on Dantooine
that Mirax had returned from last week and then Leia's recent trip to
Sullust. Talon Karrde's people were scattered throughout the galaxy
and had even agreed to allow some of the recently graduated Jedi
students to tag along.

Han returned from the bar with a mixture of Leia's favorite drink,
cardat and tanic. She accepted it with a nod and sipped slowly as Han
stepped behind her to massage her shoulders. "What am I going to tell
Luke?"

"You don't think he already knows? I mean, from you?" Han asked.

She shook her head and appeared to be listening to something, "Hard
to tell. He's so distant lately."

"Well, I think he's holding it together pretty well...considering."

"Yes," Leia murmured, "but I don't know for how much longer."

That night, Leia had just drifted off to sleep when she suddenly sat
bolt upright in bed, as if shocked by an electrical current. "Oh no!"

"What is it?" a groggy but alert Han asked.

"Luke!" she exclaimed, pulling on a robe and sprinting out of the
apartment and down the corridor. Han had never seen her move so
fast. "Stay here with the kids!" she called back to him.

She arrived at Luke's apartment and opened the door in time to duck
as a chair from the sitting area was hurled through the air to crash
against the doorframe. Luke was standing in the middle of the room
with the apartment's furnishings swirling around him in a Force-
generated wind tunnel. "Luke!" Leia shouted. "Luke, stop it!" She
realized he couldn't hear her.

Leia searched the room as best she could through the darkness and
caught a glimpse of Luke's lightsaber wedged in a corner. Reaching
out, she called the weapon to her hand and ignited it. Taking a deep
breath she stepped into the room and sliced through a table that was
spiraling toward her head. Slowly, she moved into the center of the
room, dodging, ducking, or destroying obstacles as they came. She
reached the eye of the storm and shut down the saber as she
approached Luke. He stood perfectly still, eyes unfocused and face
distorted with either rage or grief; it was hard to tell which.

She reached out to him through the Force and was almost overcome by
his despair. //Luke// she spoke into his mind. //It's Leia// He did
not respond. She reached out and grabbed him by the
shoulders. "Luke!" she shook him. "Luke, stop this!" He squinted at
her as his eyes began to focus. "Snap out of it, Luke," she lowered
her voice. "This won't help her."

The wind began to die down as Luke's face softened. "Leia?" he
choked, and instantly everything in the room fell to the floor with a
loud crash. He looked around, dazed.

She caught him as he stumbled forward. His torso trembled as a cry
escaped his lips...and then shook as sobs wracked his body. "It's all
right," she soothed. Wrapping her arms around him as he sank to the
floor, she spoke softly, "It's all right, Luke." She waited until he
was calm to ask, "What happened?"

"I don't know," his eyes were still glazed but his speech was
clear. "What if we can't find her? What if she needs me and I can't
help her? What if-" his voice broke, "What if it's too late? I can't
go on without her. I don't want to..."

Leia pulled back and looked him at him squarely. When she spoke it
was with a tone of authority, "You listen to me. We will find her.
Mara is the strongest woman that I have ever met. She's a survivor.
And she would never, ever give up on you. Don't you dare give up on
her!"

* * * * *

Mara groaned as she maneuvered her ever-growing belly around the
crumpled cockpit of the Sabre. Leaning over the captain's chair, she
felt a sharp kick of protest from an also-crowded child. "Yeah, I
agree," she muttered. Whoever designed these things had obviously
never been pregnant.

This was her fourth attempt in as many weeks to get the
communications transmitter working. By her calculations, she had six
weeks until the baby was due, and she had no intention of giving
birth on this Force-forsaken planet. Miti stood behind her with a
handful of parts salvaged from Daven's ship. He had been her constant
companion during these treks, bravely insisting on carrying his share
over the three-hour hike.

"Okay," she stepped away from the comm station. "Here it goes." Miti
stepped forward to stand next to her and watched as the multi-colored
lights blinked in sequence across the control panel, and then
stopped. Mara felt her heart begin to sink. And then, miraculously,
the green light on the transmitter began to flash in a steady rhythm.
She held her breath as the S.O.S. was broadcast over every known New
Republic frequency. "By the Force," she breathed. "It works."

I'm off for a long weekend, but I'll post this chapter before I go.
There are 10 chapters, so I'll finish posting them next week when I
get back. Thanks for the comments! Rating and disclaimer per
Chapter 1.

"Stronger Than Night"

CHAPTER SEVEN

Mara rose slowly from yet another pallet in the long line of sick
beds. A large hut had been constructed to house all the Beresse who
had fallen victim to the fever, at least three-quarters of the
population. It had been three weeks since she had initiated the
distress signal from the Sabre, and she feared for the survival of
this gentle race if help did not arrive soon.

She pressed her hands against her lower back and rubbed slowly. The
now-constant backache was steadily increasing in intensity. Sorada
approached her slowly in the semi-darkness, carrying a full water-
skin. "You go...rest now," as she motioned Mara toward her hut. Mara
entered the small room and arranged herself on what she had come to
call a bed. Turning onto her left side, the most comfortable, she
placed makeshift pillows between her knees and behind her back.
Drifting into a fitful sleep, she dreamt of Luke...holding an
infant...

She tossed in the bed as a vice-like pain gripped her abdomen. What
was happening? The bed was wet.... Wet! She sat up, suddenly awake.
The amniotic sac had ruptured. She was in labor. It was too soon! She
should have three more weeks. Fighting the urge to panic, she changed
into dry clothes and went to look for Anise, the clan's equivalent of
a midwife. She found her in the sick hut. Anise nodded knowingly as
she made her way over to Mara, "It is time."

The next twenty-four hours were the longest of her entire life. Mara
had never known such agony was possible. Not even dark side lightning
bolts could compare to this pain. At first, the contractions had been
several minutes apart and she was able to breathe through them using
Jedi relaxation techniques. But, as the night had turned to day and
then back to night again, her attempts at relaxation had become
futile. The contractions were so close together that she almost
couldn't tell them apart anymore. She felt as if her body was being
ripped into halves, and she was powerless to stop it.

Sorada and Anise took turns sitting with her, wiping the sweat from
her face with cool rags and trying to help her relax. But something
wasn't right - she could see it in their eyes. It was taking too
long. Anise would occasionally place her hands on either side of
Mara's swollen abdomen and press against the baby. The next time she
moved to start this ritual, Mara reached out for her hand and asked
in broken Beresse, "What is wrong?"

"The child has not turned. It will take more time," she answered.
And, although she was trying to appear calm, Mara could see the fear
in her eyes.

No! she thought. This would not happen again, not like this. She
would have to fight the most important battle of her life. This child
would live. She would have to be stronger than whatever this night
held, for both of them. Mara's mind cleared briefly through the haze
of pain, and she reached over to her worn travel bag. Sorada had
entered the room and she motioned both of them over to her. Pointing
out the New Republic crest on the bag, she spoke slowly between
contractions, "Men will come...wearing this symbol. If anything
happens...to me...give them my child...and this." Reaching into the
bag, she pulled out her lightsaber. "They will know what to do."

* * * * *

Slumped slightly in the cockpit of his X-wing after a set of
particularly intense training maneuvers over Obroa-Skai, Gavin
Darklighter gave the flashing light of the N.R. security channel an
irritated glance. So much for dinner at home tonight. He keyed to
receive and was cut off by a hyper-sounding male voice, "Rogue Lead,
this is New Republic intelligence. We've received a report of a
distress signal and hostile activities in the Myrkr system. The
contact was prevented from investigating by a fleet of heavily armed
ships entering the system. The distress signal was somewhat
scrambled, but it appears that the signature matches that of the Jade
Sabre."

It was Gavin's turn to cut him off as he sat bolt upright, "We're on
it!"

* * * * *

The late afternoon sun shone through the window as Sorada pulled a
blanket up over Mara. She was washing her hands over a bowl when Miti
burst in through the door. "Daka!" he shouted, pulling her out of the
hut. "Daka!" Squinting against the glare, she looked to where he was
pointing, and her heart froze. A large, decrepit looking shuttle had
landed on the outskirts of the colony. The Thieves had returned.

Several of the large, burly men were emerging from the storehouses
that, of course, were empty. Recognizing the clan Matriarch, they
stalked toward her. "Where?" the largest one shouted, anger dripping
from his voice. Sorada turned to push Miti back inside the hut, but
the man pulled a blaster and fired a shot into Miti's leg. The child
screamed and fell to the ground, as Sorada stepped in front of him.
He stopped and pointed the blaster at her face, "Where!" His breath
stank of old food and drink and his eyes were glazed with hatred.
Several clansmen were running in her direction but she waved them
away. If some of them could just escape, her death would hold some
meaning. She turned to face the man with a steady gaze-

And the shuttle behind them exploded in a ball of fire, as a small
ship with wings in the shape of an X roared over the village. The
impact knocked Sorada and the Thieves to the ground as chaos erupted
in the village. Sorada struggled to her feet and pulled Miti inside
the hut. Fumbling through Mara's bag, she withdrew the lightsaber and
trained her eyes on the door as the sound of blaster fire rang
throughout the forest.

Eventually, all was quiet. Sorada peered out through the door.
Miraculously, very little of the village was damaged. Only a few
trees had been burned and only the Thieves appeared to have suffered
any harm. Men in strange orange clothing were restraining the few
that had not been rendered unconscious by the blast. One of the new
men removed his head covering and it was then that Sorada saw it -
the symbol that Mara had shown them.

Still clutching the lightsaber, Sorada hurried toward the man and
waved to catch his attention. He startled at the sight of her but
made no hostile advances. She knew she had his full attention when
his eyes fell on the weapon in her hand and what little color he had
in his face drained away. "Please...help," she turned and motioned
him toward the hut.

Once inside, she started to guide him over to Mara's bed, but found
that it was unnecessary. He was already kneeling beside her, his
hands trembling slightly as he pulled back the cover and pushed a
strand of red-gold away from her face. His comlink crackled, "We've
found the Jade Sabre. Moving to begin search-"

"Horn here. Never mind that," he announced grimly. "I found Mara." He
turned to find Sorada holding out the lightsaber to him. He accepted
it slowly, attaching it to his belt as he stood. He looked up to find
the older female bending over to pick up a small bundle wrapped in
blankets. Smiling softly, she placed the infant in his arms.

Thanks for the comments!! Only two more chapters after this one!
Rating and disclaimer per Chapter 1.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Corran Horn sat in the cockpit of his X-wing and listened as Leia's
voice crackled from the Millennium Falcon, "Luke's on his way, but
he's coming from the Varonat system. It'll be a few days before he
gets there."

Corran rubbed a hand across his face. Gavin hadn't told
her. "Leia...she doesn't have a few days. She's very sick." He
swallowed, "She had a baby. According to the locals who have been
taking care of her, the birth was complicated. She lost a lot of
blood during the delivery and they haven't been able to stop the
bleeding since. She was in so much pain afterward that they finally
sedated her with some type of plant that is grown here. I haven't
been able to wake her, but if her heart rate and temperature are any
indication, she is also suffering from some type of systemic
infection. She needs a medical facility now." He paused. Taking a
deep breath, he spoke softly, "She may be dying, Leia."

Leia's voice shook when she finally responded, "And the baby?"

"The baby seems to be doing fine, a little hungry, but otherwise
healthy. Do you want me to call for a medical transport?" He waited,
as she conferred with Han, no doubt.

"No. We've just picked Anakin up from the Academy and Han says he can
have us there in four hours. We're on our way."

Just before the transmission ended, Han's voice cut in, "Punch it,
Chewie!"

* * * * *

Looking up, Corran shielded his eyes against the sun as he watched
the Falcon land in an empty crop field. Leia was first down the ramp,
followed by Anakin and Han, who called back to Chewbacca, "Stay here.
Calculate the fastest jump to Coruscant."

Corran led them to Mara's hut where Sorada, Anise, and Miti were
holding vigil. Leia knelt beside Mara's bed and reached out for her
hand. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at the woman she
had come to know and love as a sister. Mara was pale and thin, her
hair matted with sweat around her face. Her breathing was fast and
labored. And despite the fact that she shivered constantly, her skin
was painfully hot to the touch. "Mara?" she spoke gently. "Mara, it's
Leia. We're getting you out of here. Luke is on the way to meet us.
Hold on just a little longer." Mara stirred slightly and became still
again.

Leia stood and turned to find Corran handing Mara's lightsaber over
to Anakin, "She'll want this when she wakes up." Anakin nodded
solemnly. Corran stood next to Leia and motioned to the others in the
room, "This is Sorada, the clan leader, and Anise, the midwife.
Sorada has been taking care of Mara and speaks some Basic." Smiling
he lifted Miti into his arms, "And this brave little guy with the
bandage on his leg is Miti."

Leia bowed and spoke with heartfelt warmth, "She is my sister by
marriage. Thank you. My brother and I are indebted to you for your
kindness." Leia gestured for Han to get ready to leave. "I have been
told of the sickness among your people and have sent for help from my
people to come here."

Sorada nodded her understanding, "We are...grateful." A small cry
from the corner of the room caught Leia's attention. Sorada waved her
over to the makeshift bassinet, "A daughter." Picking up the soft
bundle, Leia smiled as tiny arms waved in protest.

Patting the baby's head with wrinkled hands, Sorada leaned down to
kiss a smooth little cheek. "Lin ata, baby," she whispered. Walking
over to where Han stood holding Mara, she bowed in respect as her
black eyes glistened, "Sen tira, our...helper."

Miti leaned over in Corran's arms and kissed Mara's forehead as Han
carried her gently out of the hut. Walking back to the Falcon, Corran
caught up with Leia, "We neutralized the hostile ships in the area,
so you shouldn't have any trouble on the way out. A couple of us will
stay until the assist team arrives tomorrow."

Leia paused at the foot of the ramp and raised her voice over the now-
crying baby, "Thank you, Corran."

He watched as Han carried Mara up the ramp, "May the Force be with
you."

Thanks y'all! I'll post chapter 10 later tonight. Rating and
disclaimer per Chapter 1.

"Stronger Than Night"

CHAPTER NINE

Leia walked the crying infant throughout the corridors of the
Falcon. "Shhh, sweetie," she spoke gently and repeatedly. "I know. I
know. We'll be home soon." Mara had awakened briefly after they had
cleared the effect of the ysalamiri, but then slipped back into her
fever-induced sleep. Walking back to the sick bay, Leia felt a subtle
shift in Mara's presence. Reaching the bunk, she noticed that Mara's
breathing had slowed...too slow. Rushing to the cockpit, she thrust
the baby at Han, "Take her. Something's wrong with Mara," she called
back to him as she disappeared around the corner.

Han looked down at the small red face, now wailing furiously. Chewie
glanced over and woofed softly. "You said it, pal. She reminds me of
her mother already."

Leia leaned over Mara's still body. "Mara?" she shook her shoulders
gently. "Mara, wake up!" There was no response. "No!" she cried.
Kneeling beside the bunk, she noticed rivets of blood trickling down
the side of the bed and pooling on the floor beside her. Grasping
Mara's hands, she reached out through the Force. Mara's presence was
still there...barely. Focusing through the Force, Leia pictured her
hands joining with Mara's own. //Hold on, Mara. We're almost there.//

The inner voice that answered was so faint that Leia almost couldn't
hear it, //...trying...my baby?...//

Clutching her hands tighter for emphasis, Leia replied, //Your
daughter is fine. Just hold on to me. You'll see her soon.// But even
as she spoke, she could feel Mara slipping from her grasp. "Anakin!"
she called. "Help me!"

Anakin came running to find his mother kneeling beside Mara, beads of
perspiration trickling down her face. "Help me hold her," she gasped.
Anakin perched on the edge of the bunk and placed his hands on top of
Leia's. Closing his eyes, he found Mara's weak presence in the Force.
Reaching out toward the flicker of light that was her spirit, he
wrapped his arms around her and held her with all his might.

* * * * *

A statuesque figure in black watched as the Millennium Falcon pivoted
to land in the hangar of the medical center. Robes swirling in the
sudden gusts of air, the Jedi Master strode toward the passenger
entrance and was on board before the ramp was fully descended.

Inside, Mara felt herself slipping. She'd fought for...how long? The
promise. She'd made a promise to Luke not to give up. She must see
her child. She must live. She'd promised. She rallied once again,
supported by Leia, whose presence was overshadowed by that of Anakin.
But it wasn't enough. The pain was fading. If she would just let go,
peace awaited her. She was falling...falling...

Her descent was halted by a powerful embrace that encircled her, body
and soul. The commanding yet familiar presence glowed with almost
blinding light through the Force. It spoke with a gentle strength
that transcended all her pain and weakness, //I'm here, my love. I've
got you. I won't let you go.// Luke. He was here, with her. A single
tear dripped from her cheek as the calming waves of a healing trance
washed over her.

Luke lifted Mara from the blood-soaked blankets and glanced briefly
at Leia and Anakin, both collapsed on the deck and panting from
exhaustion. Before he could speak, Leia waved him away, "We're fine.
Go." Luke hurried out of the sick bay but stopped abruptly at the top
of the exit ramp. Han was standing there, looking frazzled and
awkwardly bouncing an apparently inconsolable infant. Luke's heart
froze in his chest. His arms ached to reach out for the child, but
Mara... Instead, he reached out through the Force and brushed the
child's presence with a reassuring caress. Almost instantly, the
crying stopped and was followed by peaceful sleep.

Han looked up at him with a crooked grin, "Now, that's a trick worth
knowing."

* * * * *

Alone in the waiting area of the medical suite, Luke turned as the
physician entered through the whoosh of doors. He was an older man
whose sharp eyes regarded Luke carefully. "Your wife is in critical
condition, but stable. She arrived in a state of septic shock, caused
by an infection in the blood stream. This was, no doubt, a result of
the difficult condition in which she gave birth. Fortunately, she
does seem to be responding well to the fluid resuscitation and
antimicrobial therapy."

Crossing his arms in front of him, he continued, "The second problem
is a little more serious. She has developed a condition called
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation. This is a rare but deadly
complication of sepsis and childbirth in which the blood 'forgets,'
if you will, how to clot properly. There is either too much clotting
in places where it is not needed, such as the fingers and toes; or
there is no clotting at all, resulting in the profuse hemorrhaging
that we have seen in your wife. We are treating her with
transfusions, but there is no specific cure for this condition. It
may resolve once the sepsis is cured, but we can only wait and see."
He paused and reached out to grasp Luke's arm, "We are doing
everything we can. I'll keep you informed."

Luke nodded slowly, "Thank you."

A young medical assistant from the nursery ward entered as the
physician left, "Master Skywalker," she spoke timidly. "You can come
back now." Luke followed her into a small, softly lit room furnished
simply with a small conversation circle, a bassinet, a table and a
rocking recliner. Motioning for Luke to sit in the recliner, she
exited into an adjacent room. She returned carrying a small bundle of
blankets. Luke felt tears burning his eyes as she laid the infant in
his arms. "It's time for her to eat," she said, placing a nurser
bottle on the table. "Will you be all right?"

"Yes," Luke whispered. He did not look up as she left the room, his
eyes transfixed on the infant in his arms. He doubted he had ever
seen anything so beautiful. A tiny fist was balled up against her
pudgy cheek, trying to find it's way to the little mouth that smacked
in anticipation. Luke almost laughed as he pulled the blanket back
from her face and a tuft of strawberry blond hair stuck straight up
on top of her head. He reached down and smoothed her hair with a hand
that suddenly seemed too big, and was rewarded with a flash of the
most brilliant blue eyes he had ever seen.

Father and daughter regarded each other thoughtfully. "Hi there," he
spoke softly. "Remember me? We met briefly, but I had to take care of
your mother for a while. Do you forgive me?" As if on cue, she broke
into a smile - a smile that immediately turned into a pout as she
finally shoved her fist into her mouth. "Oh, right," Luke reached
over for the bottle and settled back into the recliner, rocking
slowly as his daughter drank...content at last.

Here's the last chapter! Forgive me if I'm rushing a bit, but I
wanted to finish posting this story before I go on vacation. I hope
everyone has enjoyed it. Please let me know what you think -
feedback/constructive criticism welcome. I'll respond after I get
back from Florida on the 21st, if not before I leave.
Rating and disclaimer per Chapter 1.

"Stronger Than Night"

CHAPTER TEN

The room was still, and quiet. It was too quiet. Where were the
birds? Gradually, Mara realized that she could not hear them...or
anything else. She inhaled gently, expecting pain, and instead felt a
ripple of energy in the Force. The Force? Struggling for awareness,
she tried to move and felt her right hand brush against something
feathery and soft. She opened her eyes and tried to focus in the
dimmed lights of the medical suite. Hot tears clouded her vision as
she looked down at her hand. Luke was sitting in a chair beside her,
slumped over with his head resting on the bed. She brushed his hair
with her fingertips and luxuriated in the familiar sensation.

Luke startled and looked up. For a moment, he couldn't believe what
he was seeing. Brilliant green eyes, brimmed with tears, were gazing
back at him. It was her touch that he had felt. Rising slowly, he sat
on the edge of the bed and reached over to lace his fingers with
hers. "Am I dreaming again?" he whispered. She smiled through
quivering lips and shook her head. Brushing the dampness from her
cheek, he cupped her face in his hand, "Oh, Mara-" His voice broke as
he leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers.

She welcomed the warmth of his kiss and raised her arms to wrap them
around his shoulders. Feeling the muscles of his back rippling
beneath her hands, she pulled him closer. Tears of happiness flowed
and mingled in their embrace. She sensed that he was holding back,
not wanting to hurt her, and separated sooner than either of them
would have wished. Pleading his forgiveness with her eyes, she spoke
in a hoarse whisper, "Luke, I'm so sorry. I should never have-"

He silenced her by placing his fingertips against her lips, "Don't.
It wasn't your fault. Leia and Corran told me what happened." Her
hair was as long as he had ever seen it and he brushed a stray lock
away from her face. "You did the right thing. I'm the one who's
sorry. I should have been able to find you. I should have been there-
"

She cut him off, suddenly panicked as she tried to sit up, "The
baby!"

"Shhhh," Luke eased her back into the bed. "She's fine." He stood and
walked over to a small, portable baby bed that she had not noticed
before. He spoke with his back to her as he lifted the bundle from
the bed, "I've kept her in here with us as much as possible."

"How long have I been here?" she asked.

"Ten days," he replied.

"And you've been in here the whole time?"

"Most of it," he answered casually. Walking back over to the bed, he
pressed a button on the side that raised the head of the bed up to a
semi-sitting position. Settling once again beside her, he placed the
infant in her waiting arms, "Look, sweetie. Momma's awake."

Mara was speechless. She felt as if she held the most perfect being
in the universe in her arms. Wisps of strawberry blond hair framed
the pale skin of the most beautiful little face she had ever seen.
Pulling back the blanket, she counted twenty tiny fingers and toes,
sported by adorably pudgy hands and feet. Swaddling the sleeping
child once again, images of those last few hours of labor flashed
through her mind. Searing pain...Sorada and Anise hovering over her,
speaking with fear in their voices...violent ripping
sensations...Anise frantically rubbing the tiny, blue body with a
blanket...and then blackness.

She was weeping. Tears of joy and relief streamed down her face and
splashed against a small, smooth cheek. "Oh," Mara gasped. "I'm
sorry," as she rubbed the moisture away with a corner of the blanket.
Petite eyelids fluttered, and Mara was startled by a pair of bright
blues eyes glancing sleepily around the room. "Look!" she said to
Luke. "She has your eyes."

Luke smiled, "The doctor says that they are all that color at first.
We'll have to wait and see if they stay that way." He nodded to the
child and Mara followed his gaze. Those blue eyes were now trained
intently on her face. "She recognizes your voice," he commented
softly.

"I can't believe it," she whispered. "I was so afraid. I didn't know
if she was alive or not." Mara paused as a fresh wave a tears
threatened to overtake her. Instead, she leaned down and pressed her
lips against the smooth little forehead. "We made it, baby. Thank the
Force." After a moment, she looked up at Luke. "What shall we call
her?"

"Well," Luke shifted uncomfortably. "We had no way of knowing when
you would wake up, and Leia insisted that a child had to have a
name." Luke leaned forward and ruffled her hair with his hand, "I
call her Miriam. It means 'longed-for child'. But we can change it or
add to it, if you don't like it."

"No," she smiled as five tiny fingers wrapped themselves around her
thumb. "It's perfect."

* * * * *

-Six Months Later-

Mara emerged from the kitchen of their home on Yavin to find Luke
crawling around on his hands and knees in the living area. "What are
you doing?"

His voice was muffled as he rounded the chair, "Showing her how to
crawl. She's trying - look." Sure enough, Miriam was up on her hands
and knees as well, rocking back and forth and giggling.

Mara sat on the couch and pulled her feet up out of the way, smiling
down at her family. Fractured light streamed in through the trees
outside of the window and played across the floor. She watched,
mesmerized by the interplay of shadow and light. The light would not
be extinguished, no matter how many shadows appeared. It was the dark
spaces that made the light so beautiful. How true, she thought.

Lowering herself from the couch, she crawled over to where Luke and
Miriam were laughing on the floor. "No, no, no, Miri. Watch Momma.
I'll show you how it's done."

THE END.

~Traci