Union

Disclaimer: Star Wars does not belong to me and I am not making a
single penny off this.

Based on the comic by Michael Stackpole, Robert Teranishi, and Chris
Chuckry.

Chapter 1

The single setting sun of Garqi shone brightly as it slid
behind a single cliff. Opposite the setting sun were a couple
watching it in all its beauty.

"This is so beautiful, Luke, I've seen sunsets before, but
somehow, this is different." Mara Jade glanced sidelong at her soon
to be husband. Their relationship had changed so much. No more than
ten years previous she had been holding a blaster to his head, and
now she was going to marry him.

"For me, having it be a single sun rising and having you here
is what makes it special."

"Yes the company does make a lot of difference, but..."

"But...?" Luke Skywalker said urging his fiancée to continue on
with her statement.

"Peace with the Imperial Remnant. We're not at war anymore."

Luke leaned heavily upon his knee and glanced at her thinking
how lucky he was. "Two decades of fighting now ended. War was all I
knew for my adult life."

"You can't miss it, the fighting." Mara asked as a small orange
bird landed on her outstretched hand.

"Miss it? No, miss friends who I wish could be here to share in
the victory?" Luke's thoughts went to so many friends he had lost,
and family. "Definitely. It's scary too," he continued as he got to
his feet and walked over and stopped beside her. "It's a new future
and new goals to discover."

Mara glanced at Luke wondering about his last

statement. "You're not concerned about our getting married, are you?"

Luke gave a small smile, "Don't even joke. Having you say you'd
become my wife is the best thing that has ever happened to me. No
regrets, no concerns, not now, not ever," He said as he got down
behind her and his arms reached around her waist.
"I've no concerns about my choice, but the event..."

"Don't worry about that," Luke said quietly as he pulled her
closer. "Leia is making the announcement on Coruscant."

"Ah, that's what has me worried," Mara said with a smile.
Luke rested his chin on her shoulder, "Leia knows you want a
small wedding."

"Yes, but her saying that our union will be seen as a healing
of the Rebel/Imperial rift, the symbolism..."

Luke pulled away a look of concern on his face. "I know. She
did say it will convince people the war is truly over."

Mara got to her feet and urged the small bird away to its
freedom. "I suppose I can tolerate the attention at our wedding,
provided we don't have the same on our honeymoon."

Stars, Luke thought, I sure hope the media doesn't follow us on
the honeymoon. I've been in public eye for so long and that is far
beyond even my limits. "I agree, and, hey, no one knows we're here
right now. Our honeymoon will be just as private."

"Good, if things go as badly as I fear for the wedding, getting
away will be first priority."

Luke crossed his arms over his chest and grinned at
her. "Nothing will go wrong, Mara."

"I love it, Luke Skywalker, that even after all these years you
can still be so naïve."

Leia Organa Solo finished up her speech for the mob of holo
reporters. "That's all I had prepared. If you have questions..." She
was instantly bombarded with questions and began looking for an
escape. She needed one.

"How do you react to criticism that this is a move to solidify
a Jedi power-base to establish a force empire?" An insistent reporter
pressed her.

"Criticism? I just made the announcement. This is just my
brother's wedding we're talking about, not some political revolt."
Leia stared straight ahead with a deadpan expression on her face.
Voices yelled from in the crowd. "What are you hiding Leia?"
"Why announce the wedding now Leia?"

"Is Mara's hand in marriage part of the peace package?"
Finally Leia had had enough of their questions. "Threepio, get
over here."

"Me?" The prissy metallic voice of See-Threepio sounded. "Oh
my."

"You know the plans. Can you handle this?" She no longer wanted
to deal with all the holo reporters.

"I get to be part of the wedding? Not shoved into a closet like
at yours?" He sounded dismayed about the fact that he had been locked
in the closest because he had tried to stop the wedding. Thinking
about her wedding she hoped that this one would not hold true to
tradition. By the Force, the disaster it would be if Luke was late to
his own wedding. Leia didn't think he would survive to even get to
the reception and that would only be if Luke could postpone Mara
killing him for a while.

"We got you out in time to join the ceremony." Leia said with a
smirk.

"Only because I had the rings," he said stiffly, still feeling
miffed.

"You saved the day Threepio. You can be a hero again."

Threepio became even more flustered. "A hero? Me? Oh the
responsibility..."

"If not, I'm sure Chewie..." Leia began slyly.

"Chewbacca!? We'd have arms of everywhere... The mess! I'll do
it."

"I am See-Threepio," he began in his basic voice of a protocol
droid. "Human-cyborg relations, it was my privilege to first meet the
groom Master Luke Skywalker, on Tatooine, the planet of my birth. Her
was not the Master Jedi you know now, though I did call him master,
but this is a common courtesy as well you know, and for a protocol
droid conversant in six million languages..."

Leia grinned as she slipped out the back and saw the crowds
already beginning to disperse. A protocol droid was useful at times
such as this to bore crowds to death.

"Nice escape," Han Solo said as he came up behind her, "I

thought I was going to have to come in shooting."

Leia rubbed her head as if suffering from a horrible headache
she was just tired of the crowds. "What stopped you?"

"Not nearly enough clips for the blaster."

"Next time bring the Falcon," Leia quipped.

A pair of children came running up excited, practically
bouncing off the walls with excitement. "They're really getting
married? Will we be invited?"

"Yes and yes, Jaina, New dress-up clothes for you, all of you."
"Even Dad?" Jacen exclaimed.

"Well, I don't..." Han stuttered.

"Even your father."

"Only because it's Luke's wedding." Han relented.

In an apartment, elsewhere on Coruscant Wedge Antilles leaned
lazily back in his chair. Leia had recently told him the news but he
wondered why Luke had not told him directly. They had been close
friends ever since the Rebellion and to think Luke had refused to
tell him any sooner than the rest of the public, actually he hadn't
even seen Luke since the signing of the peace treaty and even then
when Wedge had asked seeing as Luke had grown closer to Mara Jade,
whether anything had happened between them, Luke had brushed it off a
refused to answer. "When Leia told me that Luke and Mara were getting
married..."

"About time," his wife Iella said as she came up behind him. "It
will be good for both of them."

Wedge turned around to scowl at his older daughter as he
glanced at the younger one that was making a mess. "Syal, don't play
with your food. Myri follows your lead."

"But Dad," Syal began in an earnest tone. "I keep mine on
target."

"Summer wedding," Iella continued as she wiped her hands on a
rag. "Provided they have it here on Coruscant."

Wedge contentedly leaned back in his chair again and closed his
eyes, crossing his arms behind his head. "That's the plan. I hope
they'll be as happy as we are."

"I'll go live with them," Syal muttered obviously disagreeing
with her parents' assessment of happiness.

"Hey, have you gotten the news?" The distinguishable voice of
Wes Janson rattled through the Rogue Squadron Headquarters. It caused
several of his squadron mates to look up. One of them working up in
his X-Wing glanced down and groaned. It was a bad thing to get Janson
excited. Problems were sure to follow. "Luke and Mara Jade are going
to get married. This is great!"

"Great?" Derek "Hobbie" Klivian asked snidely as he came up
with a cup of caff. "How do you figure that? Another hero abandons
the solitary path."

"Are you kidding? The women, they love weddings. And this
wedding will be so big we'll have the pick of the galaxy to accompany
us."

As if to mock him one of the female Rogues turned towards her
alien partner and began laughing, most likely at Janson.
Tycho Celchu grinned as he hoisted his pack up to his
shoulder. "Didn't I hear Janson say the same thing about my wedding,
Gavin?"

The younger Tatooine man glanced up. "Mine too, the you
remember what they did..."

"Oh, right. Need to remind Luke not to have a champagne
fountain." There was no sense letting Luke face what Gavin had when
they knew about it. Tycho was sure Luke Skywalker had enough problems
with his impending wedding; he wouldn't need Wes and Hobbie to add to
it.

Talon Karrde sighed as Booster Terrik's face in the
holoprojection. "If you insist Booster, I'll believe you had the news
as soon as I did."

"Then this call is because you want a date for the event."

"Already got that covered." Karrde wondered why Booster was
wondering if he didn't know the date. Afterall this was the wedding
of his second in command to the Jedi Master they were talking about.
He had found out as soon as the Solo's had. When Mara had told him
that she was resigning and had left Skywalker to explain. They had
left out so muchinformation in their story that no one knew whether
to believe htem or not. But they had proof, they had brought back the
Camas document, Artoo refused to let them know anymore either.
Probably on strict commands from Skywalker. Both of them had changed
so much since they had left on the trip that Karrde didn't know what
to think and they had began to avoid everyone so quickly. Avoidance
was very unlike Skywalker and it surprised everyone.

"Got that covered Booster, but in terms of a gift..."

"You thinking something from my fine selection of Jedi
artifacts?"

"Yes, one of the real ones." Karrde remembered some of the fake
ones he had seen. I he had tried to pull off one of the fake ones the
automatic thought was that he had been playing them for fools. If
that ended up being the case he would no doubt hear it from Mara and
possibly Skywalker too. And if that was the case it might get out to
Corran and Mirax, both good friends of Skywalker and Mara, not to
mention the daughter and son-in-law of Booster.

The forest of Yavin four completely surroundind the old temple
which housed the Jedi Academy it was many times dismissed as nothing
but old ruins for anyone who didn't know better. For those that did
just called it a Jedi mind trick. With no shields or protection it
was dismissed as sometimes an easy pick for any attack except it was
shielded with far more than just a man-made shield, the Force itself
protected Yavin Four so that potential Jedi could learn and grow in
safety. Free from worry of invasion.

Within the safety of the Force shields like went on as usual
for the Jedi Academy except the bustle of the news that had just
arrived there.

"The Master and Mara will be wed on Coruscant," Kam Soulsar
said as he held his wife close. "If we leave now we can be there
within the week."

"We can leave Ganner and Wurth in charge in our absence,"

Tionne commented. "This will be a wonderful celebration of light."

"No whistler I want it in the key of Cresh." A small boy told
the green and white R2 unit beside him as he began experimenting with
the keyboard around him again.

Corran Horn leaned against as large pole across from his
wife. "The message just came through. How did your father know?"

"You know how he is," his wife Mirax explained, "he just knew."

"He must have heard from Karrde."

"Regardless, it's great news."

"It was kind of obvious to everybody but them that they were
made for each other." Corran commented remembering the many a time
they had made small signs trying to catch the other's attention but
neither of them realized it. It was a shame since everyone else saw
it that no one shoved them in the right direction. But, then again,
you'd have to be a fool to purposefully rouse Mara Jade's temper,
Luke had, at times, quite a temper too, however hard he tried to hide
it.

"Sometimes love is blind, sometimes it's blinding," Mirax said
with a small smile.

"Still, he'll be living with Mara. Good thing he's a hero."

Chapter 2

As the Carrier ship came into the landing Luke reached out to the
Force and felt something coming from his sister. He hadn't expected her to
be there to meet them but now he knew something was wrong. Luke wondered if
they really should have left and left Leia to take care of everything.

Something had happened, some one had goofed, and now they were going to have
deal with the aftermath.

"Luke? What is it?" Mara asked as she rested her open hand on his arm.
Luke glanced up at her then shook his head.

"Something's wrong, something happened, but I don't know what it is."

"A disturbance in the Force?"

"Not yet."

As the door slid open Mara stood up and Luke followed her out into the
light. Han and Leia were waiting at the bottom, smiling and waving.
"You didn't have to come out here to greet us. We've only been away
for a couple of days."

"Only seemed like weeks to me."

"Not a problem, our pleasure."

"Whenever some one says that Leia, I know they're lying twice."

As they came down Luke joined Han's side and pulled him aside. "The
sense I get from Leia... what's wrong?"

"Let's go kid, we need to talk." Han said quietly.

"Really Mara, it was no problem," Leia was saying trying to convince
her future sister-in-law.

Mara turned back towards Luke as if looking for him to give her an

escape or some help but when none came she groaned. "I'm really going to
hate this, aren't I?"

*We can't really do anything about it. Just go with it. *

*We could always just elope. *

*Let me talk to Han first, I might just consider that option. *

*What would the press think of that one? The Great Jedi Master ducks
media attention and elopes with Former Imperial Agent. *

*Mara talking about the media that way is a good way to turn the maybe
into a no. *

As Luke walked calmly beside Han his appearance displayed anything
except what he was really feeling as Han began explaining.
"Remember how Leia told you she had everything under control
concerning the wedding?"

Luke nodded slightly then watched Han closely. "Do I want to hear
this?" He questioned his brother-in-law. He dismissively waved at the silver
protocol droid that was saying something that he wasn't even paying
attention to.

"Nope."

"So, what did Threepio arrange?" Luke asked wanting yet really not
wanting to know what it was.

"He wanted to be helpful," Han protested trying to avoid actually
telling Luke as they were led to a table. As Luke slid into the round booth
he rested his head in his hands. He was starting to think he would no longer
bother with the Media; he was willing to elope.

As the waitress appeared Han ordered for them before Luke could speak
up. "Corellian Whiskey for me, hot chocolate for my friend."

Luke lifted his head up and watched his friend skeptically. "How bad
is it, Han?"

Han leaned back and slung his arms easily over the back of the booth
and spoke to the waitress again. "Make it a double. Make both of them
doubles and give my whiskey to him."

Luke managed a groan before he slumped down into the both again and
decided he wished he could sink all the way into the floor. Facing Vader and
the Emperor again would be better than this.

Han watched him closely as Luke's shoulders slumped. "Given your
status and your sister's, and that Mara was part of the Imperial household,
at least sort of, for a while..."

"There's going to be a big disturbance in the Force, isn't there?"
Luke muttered not willing to look at Han yet. Mara had been right; things
were going to go bad for the wedding.

"...And given that folks felt snubbed because of our wedding," Han
continued on. "And protocol is his thing and there are so many people who
have to be included for diplomatic purposes..."

Luke pushed himself up and folded his hands in front of his face and
began to stare intently at them trying not to become overwhelmed.
"...and the peace is so young yet..."

"A Jedi does not know pain," Luke muttered trying to convince himself
of that as much as anyone else.

"...and everyone is volunteering services and goods for the wedding free
of charge, and..."

Luke finally interrupted seeing that this was going absolutely
nowhere. "How bad is it, Han?"

"On a scale of one to the Death Star? Heck kid, just elope."

"That bad?" The idea of eloping was sounding better and better. Luke
glanced at the whiskey and wondered if it might be a good idea to get drunk
just this once because he really didn't want to face this. He was going to
talk to Mara about eloping as soon as he got back to the apartment.
Luke glanced up as he saw a waitress put a hot chocolate in front of
him. He would be there for a long time. "Keep the drinks coming please."

As Leia got out of the speeder and headed up steps to a large building
Mara watched and then finally decided to get out before saying anything. "I
don't like this at all Leia. I don't care who these people think they are."
"I know," Leia said resentingly. " But they did compromise to all come
here, and you do need a wedding dress."

"That is the only reason you've talked me into this," Mara said her
voice lowering to an almost growl. This was going to be worse than she had
initially thought it would be.

"Greetings Mistress..."

"This is your doing, right Threepio?"

"Well, I thought_"

"Really want to prolong this? Where's the dressing room?" Mara snarled
as she stalked past the golden droid.

Mara slowly came out of the room with her arms in front of her, trying
to hide what the brown rag that the designer called a dress didn't. "No,"
she told him forcefully.

"But minimal is maximal," he said appraising his work.

"Thank you for coming," Leia said and politely shoved him out.
As Mara came out in the next gown she heard the next dress designer
say, "the effervescent nature of the dress reveals the bride's happiness."
Mara buried her head in her hands and considered whether or not it
would be worth it to kill the designers. "It could start me drinking," she
commented on the extremely frilly dress. The train stuck out and the sleeves
were so puffed out she wondered how the designer had gotten anywhere in her
craft.

"The bride just isn't that bubbly."

A large slug like creature said something in some language as Mara
came out in yet another dress.

"Chog say the dress was computer generated based on Mistress Mara's
measurements and other numbers..."

"Tell him we're looking for something more art than it is science."

Every thing soon became disoriented as Mara went from gown to gown.
"Mupcha bleklo wan ghitsa?"

"My Mistresses say they appreciate traditional designs but..."

"No, changing the color won't help," Leia answered the Hutt as she
glanced at the long blue sheet that he had called a wedding gown.
"But neo-Imperial is the next big thing." A black haired woman wearing
all black tried to convince Leia.

"Yes, but the bride doesn't want to dress like the father of the
groom." Leia said as she glanced at the long black hood and cowl that
reminded her much of Darth Vader.

"That's a problem, why?"

"Thank you for coming."

"I'm not coming out in this one." Mara yelled through the dressing
room door.

"But minimal is maximal."

"There's nothing to come out in!"

"Speaking for the bridesmaids, we don't want to know what you'd have
us in. Thanks, Vanar, for coming by." Leia said tiredly, "next."

"No, no next." Mara said angrily as she stormed out.

"But you need a gown," Leia protested as she tried to stop the angered
redhead.

"I need some solitude more right now, Leia."

*Easy Mara, they're just trying to help. Problem is, that planning a
wedding isn't as easy as saving a galaxy, * Mara thought to herself as she
tried to cool her fuming temper. She wondered if it was all worth it. *Of
course, they have more practice at the latter. If it weren't for Luke, none
of this would be worth it. * Mara continued to walk through the crowded
Coruscant walkways and tried to avoid media attention but to no avail. *I
don't want to disappoint him, and they're all working so hard to make me
feel welcome. They want to become the family that the Emperor denied me.
That and love and trust-I'm luckier than I deserve to be. *

Mara turned her back as a crowd pushed their way closer to her and the
flashes of cameras went off. *Luke would say there is no luck, only the
Force. I guess, then, the Force is with me. * They continued to crowd around
her and teenage girls began pawing at her.

She heard murmurs in the crowd that probably were from the younger
generation. "Who's that?"

"That's Mara Jade."

"She used to be an Imp assassin."

"What's the big fuss?"

"She's marrying Luke Skywalker."

"Luke Skywalker? He's so hot."

Mara hid her grin and tried to keep from laughing. She wondered if
Luke actually knew that he had girls melting over him on the streets. Mara
quickly left to escape the crowds but they continued until Mara saw her
escape. Down below, was a different level, shadowed between buildings. She
reached the edge and jumped to escape all the people.

*Old habits die hard, though. I don't like being watched. Marrying
into the wrong family for being left alone, but I can change... *

Mara hit the ground hard and she rose from her kneeling position. *It
won't be easy, but it will be worth it... what's this? * Mara noticed a
solitary female figure sobbing with her face buried in her hands; it was a
Twi'lek.

"Is there something wrong? Are you hurt?"

"Only if having your hearts broken counts." The Twi'lek said through
her sobs.

"What is the matter?" Mara asked taking a few steps closer and hoping
it had nothing to do personally with her.

"I was a designer for Vanar and I had designs for Mara Jade's wedding
gown, but he laughed at them and me..."

"He said minimal was maximal." Mara commented disgustingly remembering
Vanar and his supposed wedding gown that was actually next to nothing.
"And then he threw me out. And I know she would have loved my ideas,
but, now, it's all over." She stuttered and then broke down into sobs once
again. Once the Twi'lek stopped sobbing she pulled herself together and
showed her the designs. Mara just gave her a small smile as she looked at
them.

"This is good. I could see wearing this."

"Great, now only if you were Mara Jade."

Mara shook her head wondering if this Twi'lek was blind or something.
It had been on the holonews for weeks now that she, Mara Jade, was marrying
Luke Skywalker. Pictures and everything. She knew she had better straighten
it out now before things got worse. "Um, I am Mara Jade."

"Sure, in an alley here," she paused and took a good look at her for
the first time. "Wait, you are Mara Jade."

"I'm glad you agree with me." Mara got to her feet then helped the
Twi'lek up. "You're the only person who has agreed with me today."

"You're really Mara Jade, you are. This is so lucky," the Twi'lek
continued still sounding disbelieving and she began sniffing again. "I'm
Jari'Kyn."

"There is no luck, Jari'Kyn, only the Force. I need a gown and now
I'll have one. If you'll work with me." Mara couldn't believe it. *There is
no luck, only the Force. She was quoting that Jedi Code. When Luke found out
about this one he would never let her live it down. *

"Harder than ever for you." Jari'Kyn said as she stood up and grinned.
"And to show Vanar up?"

"That'll make it even more sweet."

Chapter 3

Corran Horn jumped as Kam Solusar brought his blue bade back to strike
at him. Luke was watching two of his former students spar but that was in
actuality the last thing on his mind. "Mirax and I were married before I
became a Jedi, so I didn't have a Jedi Ceremony."

"Tionne and I were married at the Academy, but we had no guidelines,
so we cobbled a ceremony together ourselves." Kam said as his blue blade
intercepted Corran's silver one with a clash. They separated and Corran
charged at him with a kick to the stomach and pointed his blade towards
Kam's face, trying to avoid getting his arms tangled in his shirt that was
hanging around his neck.

Luke crossed his arms over his chest as he pulled his brown robe
around his shoulders. "That ceremony was great, Kam. I was hoping Tionne had
learned more that we could put into mine.

Kam ducked the lightsaber that was heading straight towards him then
jumped high above another thrust turning the jump into a back flip. "I know
she will be overjoyed to help in any way possible."

Kam jumped again as Corran tried to knock him over with a swipe of his
leg, holding himself up with a single arm.

"I know is some question as to whether or not the Jedi Council allowed
Jedi to marry," Luke continued earnestly.

"My Grandfather was married to my Grandmother," Corran pointed out.
"Yes," Luke said then paused considering it. "But Corellian Jedi are,
well... Corellian." Luke thought to several of the Corellians he knew. His
brother-in-law not the least on that list. They had a tendency of forging
their own paths and not listening to reason or authority. "So much of the
past has been lo0st, so many traditions." Luke continued cautiously. "We
don't know what the Jedi council would have approved of not." Luke
remembered back to a conversation he had once had with Han.

"You ought to do more flirting yourself," Han had prodded Luke.
"If I might be of service, Master Luke. I have an extensive library of
love poetry at your disposal, in several languages suitable for the human
tongue, as well as etiquette, medical information, and_"

Luke quickly cut Threepio off. "I don't have time for flirtations or
love poetry. Not right now."

"Don't be so damned dedicated. Don't Jedi Knights have any fun? Little
Jedi Knights have to come from somewhere. I'll bet old Obi-Wan_"

"I don't know what Ben would have done! I don't know what other Jedi
Knights did. I didn't know Ben long enough, and the Empire destroyed so many
records, and . . . I just don't know."

"Take it easy Luke. Take it easy, you're doing great."

"But the traditions."

Luke shook his head. So much had been lost so they were really making
it up. Were they holding true to the Order? Would the order have allowed
marriage? Well Han, when you told me to have some fun I don't think you were
expecting it to be with Mara Jade.

"Having a ceremony to validate and celebrate love can't be of the dark
side." Kam pointed out.

Love may not be, but what of passion. Extreme passion is of the dark
side.

"No fair using telekinesis in a sword fight." Corran yelled at Kam as
he was flipped over onto the ground while Kam used his Force abilities to
hold himself above the ground.

"Had enough Kam?"

Corran hit the floor loudly and his lightsaber flew out of his hand
and deactivated then rolled across the floor. "Thought it was best out of
three falls? We're tied."

"I hit pretty hard. Count that fall twice." Kam said as he held out
Corran's shirt that had come off.

"I want this to be special," Luke pushed still wanting to press the
problem at hand, "incorporate Jedi tradition into it too."

As Luke and Kam started walking away Corran tried to push himself off
the ground. "Everyone wants his wedding to be special, and this one will be
too."

"Tionne is always finding new records and new material. She's composed
a new ballad that I'm sure she'd love to sing."

"That would be great Kam. I love her singing."

Corran got to his feet and jumped up to get the attention of his
former Master. "Mirax and I were married first on the Lusankya, by Wedge,
then later in a civil ceremony here."

"The planning for one ceremony has been bad enough Corran," Luke said
as he waved his hand dismissively.

"I understand. What I'm getting at is this. Most folks might not know
what to make of a Jedi ceremony. Perhaps we could do something here,
privately, for the Jedi."

"Then have a more secular ceremony be the public one?" Luke pressed
trying to get at what Corran was thinking.

"Imp propaganda still lives, so some folks are iffy about the Jedi.
Plus, folks might not understand us, so they'd not feel part of it."

"I don't want people to feel excluded," Luke said becoming unsure of
everything that had been planned. This problem had not occurred to him and
the entire symbolism thing would soon drive him up the wall. "If this
weren't being seen as a rebel and Imperial wedding," Luke growled getting
more annoyed with the media and society as each day went on.
"But it is, Luke," Kam pointed out as he brought his hand out, palm
up, as if offering a peaceful trade. "Because it symbolizes the peace and
healing. The wedding will be an instrument for good."
Luke sighed and leaned heavily on the rail in front of him. "Something

more private and solemn would be the calm before the storm."

"We'll put it together," Kam said with a grin as he rested a hand on
Luke's shoulder. "Then, everyone will be happy."

Happy, the sound of the word echoed uncomfortably in Luke's head as a
dark sense of foreboding settled over him.

Dolis three, a world as cold as the people that live there, people
that once held glory in the might of the Empire. People with immense reason
to hate the New Republic and one of the outstanding symbols of it, the saint
Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker. Skywalker was the enemy; he must have used his
Jedi mind tricks to take those that were once loyal to the Empire. To steal
the soul of those such as Mara Jade from the Lord and Master of them all,
the Emperor. Skywalker destroyed them, destroyed their hearts and souls. So
such weak spined fools such as Pellaeon were left to rule. Were left to give
all their souls to the New Republic, in the evil grasps of 'saint Skywalker'
and his witch sister that ruled them.

"Spare a credit? I've been out of work for a long time." A beggar
asked the man wrapped in a cloak as the man began to turn his back against
the beating snow.

"I don't really have anything."

"Please, I've not eaten."

"Just this once. I don't have much myself."

The hand sporting a ripped glove pushed forwards. "You're a true
Imperial."

A true Imperial that hopes Yaga Minor straightens out the bureaucratic
tangle holding up his pay. The man glanced at the bar and slowly began
walking towards it. With any luck, some one in here will buy me some Lomin
Ale. "Hi Guys, Chasa, anything new?" He asked the men inside the bar as he
entered, other Imperials, like him.

"Not much, save news from Coruscant, weeks old now."

"Hi Banner, I don't have those credits."

"He owes me too, Banner, I can't pay you right now."

Banner nodded towards them not really paying attention. News from
Coruscant. He wondered what the idiots had done now.

The dead pan face of Leia Organa Solo filled the large view screens as
a group of people gathered around, Imperials no doubt. " . . . Proud to
announce the impending marriage of my brother, Luke Skywalker to Mara Jade .
. ."
"Well if that doesn't beat all."

"To the victors go the spoils, right?" But who were the victors now,
Skywalker and his posy, or the former victors, the Empire. And the spoils,
the former Imperials that betrayed all those that they had, betray their
loyalty or was it the degraded Empire whom have won the spoils.
"I can't pay you for this," Banner protested to the bartender as he
poured a drink in a glass for him.

"I know you will. You're a good man."

"I doubt it, sometimes, I mean, if I'm a good man, how come everyone
else in the galaxy hated the government I serve?" The Empire, it was evil to
him. Why was it to everyone else?

"Hey they say the Empire was bad, but it was good for us. Times got
bad when the Emperor died. And worse with the peace."

"And nothing we can do about it. Time once was . . ."

"We were men to be reckoned with. We had power and our positions." It
had always been that way, since the peace. The New Republic that claimed to
be the saviors of the galaxy had destroyed it; had ruined their lives.
"Budget cuts took care of that, though. We can do nothing."
"You said it, Banner."

"They're untouchable now."

"Untouchable," a sinister voice said from behind them, "hardly, they
are at their most vulnerable now."

"Huh?" Banner said suddenly confused.

"You say you can do nothing," the man stepped in front of the
vidscreen that was showing a large golden droid. He reached his hand out,
fingers outstretched. "But you are wrong." He clenched his hand into a fist,
"you still have spines, you can do much."

"Against them?" One of them jerked a thumb towards the screen. He wore
a tight gray shirt with a high collar that was reminiscent of an Imperial
uniform, the good days when they wore the uniform of their wonderful
government, their former lives. "How? We're lightyears away, broke."

"You might have money, Moff Takkar, that you pilfered, but we were
just loyal sons of the Empire." Another man said as he advanced on the Moff.
"We didn't take advantage the way you did."

The Moff drew his fist back and struck the man and heard a satisfying
crack as the blow connected to his jaw. "Think before you whine. I am
offering you a chance to redress the ills these Rebels have visited upon
you. If you are with me, we will give them defeat on this day they celebrate
their victory."

As they glared down at the man on the ground holding his jaw tightly
they nodded their heads in agreeal.

"To see Coruscant again. I'm in."

"We few? We band of brothers?"

"Can't say much for your recruitment techniques, but anything beats
this place."

"I'm ready for a different line of work, and travel would be nice."
"Excellent, my friends. When they think to laugh, we will make them
weep and show them the Empire has not died," the Moff hissed in
anticipation.

Mara wrapped her arms tightly around her as she went out to join Luke
outside. He of course had been the last place she looked after everywhere
else. She shivered against the chill of the Coruscant night and decided she
should get used to wearing sleeves.

No kidding, why do you think I always wear my Jedi blacks?
That's to be expected of you. You're from Tatooine. You'd be cold on
the hottest day on Coruscant while wearing your Jedi blacks.
"There you are." Mara commented as she saw her soon to be husband
kneeling next to his droid. She seemed to always be hearing him far before
she could see him. "What's going on?"

"Just letting Artoo know he's got a part in the ceremony. Ring
bearing, I thought, if that's okay with you."

"Of course, he must be part of the ceremony." Mara joined Luke and
knelt down beside the astromech droid and he tweedled loudly.
"That's right," Luke assured the droid with a small smile, "keeping
Threepio in line won't hurt either. So," Luke commented as he stood up and
grabbed Mara's hand, helping her to her feet. "Did you find a gown you
liked?"

Mara stood up and stood closely to Luke not willing to let go of his
hand as she pushed their hands up and stood there, their palms touching and
steeped closer to him. "No, but I did find a dressmaker I like. The gown
will be up to her.

Luke brought his arm back and placed her hand on his shoulder and the
other hand followed as Luke reached around her waist and brought her closer.
"She'll make it lovely, and you'll make it lovelier."

Mara hooked her hands behind Luke's next and pushed closer so that
their noses were touching. "And you'll make me loveliest by taking me for
your bride."

Luke tilted his head down and kissed her softly on the lips. He let
his mind go and leaned into the embrace, each kiss, each touch, was more
amazing and shocking to his senses than the last. He wondered if one day
they would lessen, if they would get dull. He hoped it wasn't any day soon.

* * *

Luke Skywalker pulled out of the blackness and tried to focus to get
his sleep muddled senses back to life. He noticed that he was not in his bed
but lying on his couch. He was pressed against the back and warm air was
blowing on his neck. One of his arms was pinned to the couch by a weight and
he couldn't feel anything in it except an insistent tingling. A weight was
pressed against the length of his body and he felt something tickling his
cheek and he forced his eyes to open. With his one free hand he brushed away
the thing that was tickling him. His senses were so muddled; he didn't know
what it was. He couldn't see anything. Something blew whatever was tickling
him to his chest and this time he grabbed it and pushed it away but first
caught a glimpse of what it was, of the color . . . and his senses snapped
awake immediately.

Luke sat up abruptly and knocked Mara Jade off the couch. He heard a
thump as she hit the floor and groaned and accidentally hit the table. Luke
cringed as a few things fell off the table and he heard a breaking of glass.
"Spawn of Vader," She swore as she pushed herself up off the floor and
glared at him. "What are you doing in my apartment?"

"Take a look around Jade." Luke stood up and helped her up and offered
her her boots and lightsaber. "You better get out of here. If the Media gets
wind of this one we're going to be a scam"

"Luke," Mara started as she pulled on the boots. She had said
something that had bothered him; she knew that. Normally he would have just
brushed this off, laughed about the mistake. "Good night Luke." She leaned
down and planted a kiss on his forehead and rested a hand on his bare
shoulder.

"You better get moving."

Mara nodded and Luke sat on the couch with his head in his hands until
he heard the door slide shut. Luke stood up and picked up the broken pieces
of glass off the floor. He put them in the trash along with two bottles of
champagne that had been emptied. He should've known better than to start
drinking any of the champagne that Mara had, that's what had gotten him into
this in the first place. Luke shook his head at it and changed into his
sleeping pants and headed to bed.

Thorns, thorns and roses everywhere. They tangled around, strangling a
tree reaching out for the sun. That sun that was gone now. The sky was dark
but what slashed it all was a color that was so familiar, red-gold, so
beautiful, so peculiar. Luke could see far below him, he was standing on a
series of step, only a few. They cut of so suddenly as he took a step
forward he had to flail back. He struggled and slipped on the edge. He clung
to the edge and hoped not to fall. Across the empty space he saw a figure
wrapped in a shroud, standing silently on a floating ledge. The shroud
hugged her curves and Luke squinted trying to see who it was. The hood slid
off to reveal her face. Her face was pale and clung to her bones as if in
death. The green crystal eyes stared off into the space, expressionless as
death itself. In such a sharp contrast to her fiery red hair. MARA!

The cackling corpse of the Emperor reached out and held his fist out,
the thorns wrapping around. Taking his beautiful Mara away from him.
Stormtroppers towered behind him keeping him away. No! They couldn't do it!
She was to be his wife! He wouldn't let them take her away from him. Not
again, that sithspawned Emperor would never have her again. Not if he could
stop him.

Friend of the groom, or enemy of the groom?

Luke suddenly lost his grip on the ledge and fell; he flailed in the air and
reached out a hand for his beautiful love. MARA! Until he stopped. Flashes
of people, flashes of his past. There was evil, evil everywhere.
I know this is a dream but the evil is as palpable as it was in the
cave on Dagobah. All people I've known, friends enemies. Most dead or
deadly.

Aunt Beru, Uncle Owen, Biggs, they were all gone. What was happening?
My past. People I have killed people I have failed. Why are they here,
at the place where I step into the future?

The Emperor stood behind him, cackling evilly, the lightning bolts
shooting from his fingers. Luke could feel the pain again.

A dark hand reached out to pluck its prey from the sky. I know this is
a trap of some sort. But of whose making? Is it of my mind alone? Or is the
Force warning me of something?

The hand reached out a grasped him, holding him prisoner. He struggled
but to no avail and his mind went into panic. My father's hand? Mine?
He felt pain as the hand squeezed tightly around him. Around his
throat and he felt the air being cut off. He could here his bones snapping
under the pressure. It doesn't make sense!
"Help me!"

Luke sat bolt upright in his bed. He was breathing hard and a cold
sweat dripped down his face. "Of course it makes no sense. It was a dream.
The sense of unease lingers though."

Luke felt two separate minds reaching out through the Force for him.
Leia and Mara, both of them had felt it. Had felt his fear. Luke threw up a
shield against both of them. He would tell Mara, tomorrow, he would tell
her, but she didn't need to know, not tonight.

Luke leaned back on his hands as Artoo came to the side of his bed
beeping.

"I'm fine Artoo. A bad dream. I'll be okay." Unless some how our
happiness is drawing happiness to it?

Luke went to the edge of his bed and got out grabbing a t-shirt and
pulling it on. He told Artoo to stay back as he left and went to the roof of
the Imperial Palace. His senses were still as muddled as they had been
earlier on. He didn't know why it was still that bad. He could feel Mara
reaching out for him, she had been doing so since he had woken up and
blocked her.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he never sensed it coming until it
hit. He hit the ground and clutched at his side as he felt the burning of
the pain of the blaster bolt. He managed to jerk out of the way as he sensed
a sudden threatening presence. His dream, he should have paid more
attention, he should have listened.

He was hit numerous times; he didn't know what was happening. Why
couldn't he think straight? The next blow landed on his shoulders and he
managed to get to his feet.

Luke ignited his lightsaber and managed to ward off any future attacks
and before he could see them they had fled. Luke turned off the lightsaber
as he turned around and saw a figure come in. One of the palace guards.
"Sir? I heard a noise."

"It's alright. Nothing happened."

The guard came closer and Luke tried to hide the injury but too late.
"I beg to differ. Master Skywalker, you're injured. You should go to the med
wing immediately."

"It's just a small scratch. It's nothing."

"Master Skywalker that is a blaster burn. I'll direct you down to the
med wing. We'll need to contact your family."

Luke's head jerked up and he glanced at the guard. There was no way he
could allow his family know about this. Leia would lecture him at the least
and Mara! If Mara found out that some one wanted him dead she would never
let him out of her sight.

"I'm fine. I'll just heal myself, in my room. I'm going back right
now." Luke left before the guards could object. He hoped Mara didn't find
out about this one.

Chapter 4

Banner glanced around the grubby room as he listened to his comrades'
complaints. The high and mighty Rebels living in their palace. How the
mighty had fallen. Those mighty Imperials that once ruled were no more than
scum now. It had been so long since they had ever felt so high but this
time, this time they would win. If they had their way the people of the New
Republic would hate the Jedi Master as much as they hated the Imperials.
They would despise him, would want his head. The Emperor had been right to
kill off the Jedi. The Jedi should be hated. They thought they were so
mighty and important. Skywalker would fall first and after him, his
Alderaanian witch sister and Jade. She had betrayed the Emperor. The others
would fall after them. They would plunge into despair, as they deserved.
"Well, at least we're not spending our ops budget on accommodations."
Chala muttered from across the room.

"Didn't spend it on travel, either," Iry pointed out trying to find
some brightness in the dingy dark of their position.
"Not for us. The Moff and his wife traveled first class. That Tak_"
Banner began irritatedly.

"No names, don't use names." Chik reminded him.
"What's gotten into you? You're gutter slime." Banner admonished him.
"Was gutter slime. I'm coming back into my own now. Good to be home."
He said with a slight evilish grin.

"Operational security, that's what's gotten into him. And I wouldn't
mention you're home again. Too much detail," Chala told them from across the
room.

"Good point. I'm out of practice." Chik commented from behind them.
"We better all get in, or this is a long trip for nothing."
Banner took a few steps in front of the others. "What do we have
here," he whispered.

"Well, this place looks clean . . . er clear." Chala said as he
glanced around the area.

"Now we wait for out leader to make contact." Their leader, the Moff.
They hoped he had some sort of plan to take saint Skywalker down for good.
"They'll be staying somewhere much nicer. She wouldn't take this."
Chik told them referring to the Moff's wife.

"Well, those trophy wives do need to be kept in good repair. What the
. . .?!"

They turned and saw another of their number ducking out of the way as
a huge spider descended.

"Tracking," Chick murmured as he pulled a small pointy object from a
pack.

"Sithspawn!" Banner swore.

He watched the spider and threw the small weapon and it cut into the
middle of the spider and all turned towards him admirably.

"I never tossed you out of the bar, did I? If so, I want to apolo . ."

"I never would have imagined . . ."

"All in the wrist action. Glad it's back. We'll need it, if we are to
succeed," Chick proclaimed to his awed companions.

Luke Skywalker rolled over sleepily as his comm unit sounded in his
ear. "Skywalker," he mumbled still half asleep.

"Luke, where are you? You forget we're sparring this morning? What are
you doing still in bed? It's 1100!"

Luke sat straight upright and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. As he
sat up the sheet slipped down to his waist and he noticed Mara's green eyes
narrow as she noticed his bandaged ribs. Luke's blue eyes were suddenly
alert as they met hers and pulled the sheet back up but he knew it was too
late.

"Sorry, I forgot."

"Farmboy, I want to know why you're still in bed. Never mind the
sparring the gym is booked now anyways. Get dressed Jedi, I'm coming over."
As Mara signed off Luke dropped back onto the bed again. He was going
to get it this time. Luke got out of bed and threw some clothes on shortly
before Mara arrived at the door. As he let her in he tried to get his hair
out of the disarray it was in. As Mara came in she elbowed him in the ribs
in the same position where he had been shot just the night before. He tried
to hide the wince but he unconsciously shuddered and sharply drew away from
the pain.

"Something wrong Skywalker? That hurt? Is that wound still raw?"
Luke shook his head sadly as he took Mara's hand and brought her to
the couch. He sat down and pulled her down next to him as he took her hands
between both of his and let go with one hand and reached out to stroke her
cheek. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of
myself."

"Luke, I wish you would have told me. There's no reason to try to keep
it to yourself. Why did you even try?"

"I didn't want you to be so worried about me."

"Luke, you don't get this way usually. What happened? Why were you
asleep so late? I've known you for ten years, Luke, and you've never slept
in."

"I had a dream last night, after you left. It was so dark and so
vivid. I don't know what it means."

"Would you be willing to tell me about it?"

Luke stood up and crossed towards the window and leaned his shoulder
against it staring off into the light and bustle of the city. "You were
there but you were nothing more than a dead body and as I tried to save
hoping there was still life I fell and the Emperor mocked me. My father's
hand reached out to stop me from falling but he strangled me, crushed all my
bones killed me. I'm not quite sure what this is supposed to mean. It
doesn't really make sense."

As Mara watched her fiancé she felt his fear and she knew exactly what
one meaning of the dream could be. His fear was the fear that he had learned
why his father had fallen and that he would reach the same fate if she were
killed.

Mara got to her feet and came up behind Luke wrapping her arms around
his waist and buried her face in his back. She would do anything she could
to protect him; that she knew. As long as she was around no one would harm
him if she could do anything about it.

Chapter 5

Mara walked down the paved walkway between her friends as she glanced
around at the bustle of busy Coruscant around her.

"I hope this designer you've found is very good," Leia commented from
beside Mirax as she eyed Mara who had just told them about the designer,
Jari'Kyn.

"She'll do fine, she'll do more than fine. And the attendants' dresses
will be special, too." Mara assured her when Iella leaned forward grinning.
"Everything better be good or there will be trouble, Mara."

"C'mon Iella," Mara mocked as she shook her head. "They're fashion
designers. What can they do to us?"

Iella grinned as Mara got into the speeder before her and glanced back
at her waiting for an answer. "They declare a quick return to Imp-Chick and
all fashions will come in severe and gray."

Leia shook her head remembering. "If you think I'm doing my hair back
in buns and pulling on a white robe, some serious rethinking due."

Leia moved up beside Mara with Iella sitting behind her. "But the
Empire wasn't always grim. I remember elegance . . ."

Leia dropped her head focusing on the controls before her before
answering Mara. "I remember it, too, but only in the upper echelons of
society. In the strata that had insulated itself from reality."

"You could find it," Mirax pointed out from behind them. "Different
worlds, different times; but without Imperial sanction it seemed like
treason."

"The liberation freed everyone to celebrate, to enjoy life" Iella
pointed out. "Despite the hardships of the war. The party at my wedding to
Wedge was modest, but we never could have had even that much gaiety under
the Empire."

Mara nodded her head in agreement, "and there is no denying that a
Twi'lek like Jari'Kyn would not have gotten a chance to create my own
wedding gown under the Empire."

"Though the clumsy efforts of our menfolk to plan their little
celebration tonight smacks of Imperial bumbling," Leia said with a sly grin
considering how frenzied Luke would be after tonight. Luke didn't fit in
with a group of Corellians, smugglers, and Rogues in a bar. Her little
brother would just have to be relieved when he got back. Mara had already
told them about their little mistake the previous night and they had given
her no peace about it. Just wait till she let Han know, they would torture
Luke to death about this little mishap.

"You don't think they think we don't know what they're going to be
doing?" Mirax asked knowing as well as Leia just what their husbands would
be getting the Jedi Master into that night.

"No, they're just hoping we won't think they're being entirely
childish."

"Well, isn't that what husbands are for? Training you to be able to
deal with children?" Iella asked as she leaned over towards Mirax.
"Hush," Leia admonished. "She's kidding, Mara. Trust me. It's not that
bad." Leia assured her future sister-in-law who was glancing around a little
worried. "Besides you can renege on the trouble of raising them by making
them take care of the kids."

____________________

"Loose security cordon, but one that will pick up any approach," Chik
whispered into his comlink as he continued with his surveillance of the
guard of the perimeter.

___________________

"I copy," Banner said as he listened to Chik over the comlink attached
to his wrist. "Continue surveillance and report back on schedule."

"This used to be such a beautiful place," Takkar mused as he glanced
around the museum. "It's been perverted, all of it. They've mad it
political, not historical."

"It looks fine to_," Banner protested before Takkar cut him off.
"They have made this a mausoleum for the truth, not a monument to it."
"I don't_," Banner began once again but the Moff proceeded in his
complaints.

"It's obvious. This exhibit:" he said regarding another exhibit
pointing out which one he was speaking of. "An exploded view of the Death
Star?" The Moff proceeded to the exhibit that displayed a huge machine, a
walker. "The machines, all huge and menacing, out of scale, intended to
scare."

"Well, if you say so . . ." Banner approached cautiously as he glanced
around, nothing seemed out of scale to him.

___________________

Grrr, Imperials. I hate them." A small girl snarled as she glanced at
the machines of the Empire up for display, her mother glancing at a display
of a Stormtrooper heard her and pulled her aside kneeling down beside her
and softly, livingly caressing her hair.

"No you don't. You can't hate them," the mother tried to convince her
daughter rubbing the red hair out of her face.

"But you said they killed daddy," she protested staring down at the
ground and biting her lip to retain the tears.

___________________

"What children learn to fear, they hate, and persecute." Takkar
snarled viciously as he moved to an exhibit showing the Millennium Falcon
with several Rebel fighters. "They laud the exploits of spice runners and
murderers . . ."

___________________

The mother looked her daughter straight in the eye and took her hands
lovingly. "Daddy died for the peace we now know. Hate is the only enemy of
peace. If you hate, more daddies will die, and you don't want that, do you?"

The girl took a step closer and hugged her mom tightly, sadly as her
mother's arms went around her. "I don't want more daddies to die, mommy."

___________________

"They have much to answer for, this rabble and answer soon they
shall."

Banner lowered his head wondering about the conversation between the
mother and child he had just heard. He began to wonder whether what they
where doing was right. "When? Tonight?"

"The groom is yours. Follow and if the time is right, strike."

Whether it was right or not, Skywalker would die that night, Banner
knew he would make sure of that. He couldn't afford a siege of conscience,
not now. He put his debates back in his mind forgetting about them.

Chapter 6

Luke Skywalker swallowed hard as he glanced down nervously. He had
taken Corran's and Kam's advice and decided to go with the two ceremonies,
one Jedi and one secular. He had been very gracious for Kam's and Tionne's
help in putting together this ceremony. Luke had not known what to do. He
cupped a large blue stone in his hands and caught Mara's eye, who was
standing there also with a large stone much similar to his own. He relaxed
his shoulders under the yellow Jedi tunic and black robe as he used the
Force to try to calm himself. Strands of wound together roses hung from each
platform and covered the edges, where they had previously trained had gone
through such a major change that it was hard to recognize it as such and
Luke didn't really have the nerves to concentrate on it at that very moment
as Mara offered him a reassuring smile.

"Welcome, my brother and sister Jedi." Kam began as he raised his hand
high and spread them out to address every Jedi present. "Today we have a
great honor to celebrate the coming together of Mara Jade..."

Although all the faces there were smiling, joyful, and reassuring Luke
could feel otherwise through the Force. At the mention of the name Mara Jade
many of those presences grew cold and rejecting towards him because of the
woman he had chosen to marry. They knew her past and like many times didn't
trust his judgment.

"and our Master, Luke Skywalker. Their bond with one another was
forged through the Force and strengthened by it..."

Obviously Kam had also felt the presences through the Force and was
going to make things clear especially on the fact that they should not
question the choice of the Jedi Master and especially the urgings of the
Force for Luke and Mara to be together. Luke felt the nervousness of Mara
growing as it continued and mustered to send some reassurance through their
link in the Force.

"so that their efforts together could be stronger than the efforts of
any two other Jedi."

Every Jedi was watching closely but all could feel the stares and many
times glares directed at their backs. Some were glad though and others
respected Luke too much to let their displeasure be known, but others made
no attempt of hiding it. The Jedi were being fractioned and Luke knew this
to be the beginning of it.

"It was once thought that emotional attachments would make a Jedi
vulnerable, but these two so complete each other that only strength will
flow from this union." Kam continued with his speech before he brought his
hands down.

It seemed that Kam had everything covered and Luke really had nothing
to worry about. He seemed to be in control and ahead of everyone else.
Mara's face split into a large smile as he eyes traced Luke's face and
the joy she was feeling began to overwhelm her and her green eyes sparked
with excitement at this new life they were stepping into. "When I first met
Luke, I was under a compulsion to kill him. Generally not a good sign for a
lasting relationship."

Mara knew it was more true than she could ever imagine as she
remembered a conversation she had once had with Callista when questioned
about her relationship with Luke, she denied to having cared about him
greatly then but now knew it had been denial and a bold faced lie.

"Hey mind if I sit here?" Mara asked the blond woman and took a seat
next to Callista as she saw a discreet nod.

"Better than packaged rations, I suppose, but I can tell you people
don't have a gourmet droid here." At no response Mara prodded further. "So
you're Skywalker's new lady?" Mara could feel a spark of emotion as she
recalled on the Hunter's Luck the sight of Luke kissing the woman. She could
feel a spark of anger but Mara didn't know why.

"Yes I am," she answered with an unemotional expression on her face
and in her voice. "And you must be Mara Jade. I've heard about you."
Mara gave a curt nod and watched her closely unsure of where this was
going.

"I also heard that hints that that you might have been interested in
Luke yourself at one time."

Mara felt that spark of anger turn into a full blown burning fire as
she took a drink to keep from chocking on her stew and gave a short laugh to
try to cover her shock at the sudden emotion. "Who told you I was ever
interested in Luke Skywalker? When I first met him, the thing I wanted most
in the universe was to kill him. I thought that way for a long time....

Sometimes it still seems like a good idea to me. Not a great basis for a
long-term relationship."

Mara now knew what that anger had been, it had been jealousy and now
if Callista ever came back she would have to go through Mara to even look at
Luke again. Luke Skywalker belonged with her and no one would take him away
from her.

"Such was his courage that he did not run, and did not strike me. He
accepted me as no one else had before."

Myrkr, it had once been a nightmare, where she was not allowed to kill
the murderer of her master. She had considered more than once in the forest
killing him, now she was more than thankful she didn't.

Mara reached out her hand and concentrated on the Force using it to
lift the stone up as Luke did the same using so much less concentration and
just a thoughtful expression on his face.

"There was a sense to Mara, when I met her, that would not let me fear
her though countless others have learned that fearing her can be trouble."
They shared everything, all experiences, fears, joys, everything, through
the bond. Luke had seen all the assassinations she had committed. He had
been close to being one of them. There were times where he wished he had
never known. Some of the people she had killed, he had known, some of the
rebels he had been close to. The horrors she had gone through as the
Emperor's Hand.

"The Force brought us together, and kept bringing us together until
neither of us could deny our destiny to be together forever." Luke wondered
why it was them to be brought together, the Emperor's Hand and the Son of
Vader.

I don't deserve to be with you, I was evil, a murderer for the
Emperor. You're a hero of the rebellion.

Yes, hero of the rebellion. But also the son of Darth Vader, heir to
his dark power. I was once Lord Skywalker, Dark Lord of the Sith and heir to
my father's destiny, servant of the reborn Emperor Palpatine. Have you
forgotten that part of my past so soon? I'm not as good as you may believe.
The two stones clinked together and sealed with the power of the
Force, never to be broken as Kam reached out his hand and called it to him
holding it out before all. "Let no one here doubt the wisdom of the Force.
May the Force be with you both and in your life together."

Kam urged them forward as Mara tucked her arm into the crook of Luke's
and they began walking down the aisle made by the roses. Up above a group of
younger apprentices threw petals of flowers and they rained down on them and
the Jedi on either side raised their lightsabers, ignited, as they walked
past as a symbol of respect and honor towards the Force and its wisdom.
Mara knew even though she didn't feel she deserved it this was what
was right. She no longer cared what the rest of the people thought as they
reached the end and excited the training area. As soon as they had escaped
slightly Luke smiled down at her and brought his hands up and help her face
between them.

"We've gone through this ceremony, does this mean we're married?"
"We're only halfway there. Wait till after the public one before you
move in or there will be problems." Luke lowered his head and kissed her
softly and she returned it hard until shortly they were interrupted by the
crowd of Jedi coming to congratulate them.

___________________

Chik bent down against the leaves of the large tree as he stared out
at the sight that greeted them, the gardens, the location of the wedding was
decked out with a huge champagne fountain, big enough to give drinks to
hundreds and maybe even thousands, the bright sun shining behind the great
bright globe shooting reflections through the liquid pouring down silently
and soothingly.

"Look at the size of that thing . . . there will be thousands of
people here . . ." Chala murmured from where he was hiding.
"Bigger audience for what we have to do . . . recorder on . . ."

___________________

A Mon Calamari continued to walk forward regarding each and every
tree to the tourists that followed, there were so many since the wedding had
been announced. " . . . would have been lost save for an aggressive
preservation effort by Imperial authorities, leaving us a positive legacy
from that time . . ."

Ignoring the tour guide a young woman glanced up at a tree to see two
figures in a tree, she knew they were not supposed to be there and she would
have to do something about it, after all she couldn't allow it, she had to
organize the entire thing.

___________________

"How far up is that, you figure?" Chala asked as he used his spray gun
to point towards the top of the fountain.

"Too far for you to reach with your spray. Look alive, incoming." Chik
told him referring to the young woman that was staring their direction.
"May I help you?" She asked the two strangers as she headed towards
the tree and stopped immediately in front of them.

"Just spraying for Garqi Vert-mites," Chala said repeating the story
they had fabricated earlier on. "Not much threat here, really, but once they
get into a place . . . "

"Oh, well, I see . . ." she said watching them closely.

"Tourists brought them in. Though just one little plant wouldn't
hurt." Chik continued.

"I have no knowledge of your being here . . ."

"Funny when these little bugs move faster than datafiles, eh?" Chik
said with a forced smile.

"Oh, yeah, they're here."

___________________

"Thanks to another Imperial preservation effort..." the Mon Calamari
continued regarding yet another tree.

___________________

Yes, mite-dust, never miss it." Chala told her holding up a small thread.
"Are you sure?" She asked them cautiously not knowing whether or not
to trust them.

"I know it by feel, but you could taste it if your want. Shouldn't
hurt you. You look healthy enough."

She finally shook her head, still not sure but she couldn't risk the
mites being there. "No, fine, get rid of them. Can't have them here with all
that's going on."

"Consider them and us a memory." Chala finished with a sinister smile.

___________________

"The red rancor?" Luke asked incredulously as he shifted his shoulders
under the new cloak that was so unlike his Jedi robe. He stared up at the
huge industrial size building with the smoke billowing from it. He wouldn't
have been surprised had it once been a warehouse. "I don't know, Han, I've
heard some bad things about this place."

Some bad things was an understatement. Luke had heard more about the
place than he really wanted to. Luke was uncomfortable about the place and
there was a feeling of apprehension with each step he took closer to the
building.

"Kid, would I steer you wrong?"

Maybe, Han Solo, if you didn't know what you were getting into.
"You gotta be here," Han said as eh urged Luke forward.

"Right," Wedge said with a grin, "it's a tradition, a proud one . . ."

"A Corellian one," Luke finished before Wedge could.

. Han looked down at Luke with a look that made Luke nervous. "We would
have gone for the Tatooine equivalent, but it isn't easy to find a Krayt
Dragon on Coruscant."

"Is that what you would have preferred?" Wedge asked as he followed
Luke down the steps. One Corellian in front and one behind him, almost as if
they were trying to keep him from escaping their grasps until it was done
and over.

"I'd have proffered you didn't let Lando pick out my clothes," Luke
glared at both of them and uncomfortably pulled at his clothes. He swore he
must look like an idiot in them; he wanted to be in his respectable Jedi
blacks even if Mara did hate them. These clothes made him feel like some
rich bureaucrat, a smooth talking ladies man, really like the green horned
farmboy Leia had dragged to receptions and had shoved him into stiff
expensive clothes, they had probably costed as much as all the meals sent to
Yavin for a year. She had claimed them to be in style but he just thought
them to be uncomfortable. He knew that Han letting Leia dress him up was
something he just laughed at. If Mara tried to put him in such incredulous
outfits as Leia put Han in Luke swore he would . . .

"And here I thought Luke wore black because he dressed in the dark."
"Jedi:" Wedge said as he laughed at his old commander who had changed
so much since then. "They don't known pain and this fun thing can escape
them too."

Luke brought his hand up to his mouth to hide the grin that split his
face. "How did you get everyone here?"

"I explained what was going on," Han said with a smirk as a group of
people crowded around them.

"And being a New Republic General, I cut some orders," Wedge finished
before Han.

Luke brought his hand down and his eyes sparked with wonderment and
excitement, "wow!"

Chewie roared as he lifted up the huge keg of ale. Hobbie grabbed the
valve and then pulled his mug away letting a puddle drip onto the floor
before he got it closed and he took a swig.

"Miss a party for a Rogue? Not possible."

Talon clapped Gavin on the shoulder as Gavin grinned, "Once they told
me no Krayt Dragon, I was in."

Luke and Gavin shared a smile at the response of the others to the
topic 'Krayt Dragon' as a pair of Tatooine farmboys it was nothing new to
them.

Karrde raised up a glass with a sly grin, "I was honored to be asked
Luke."

"Honored?" Luke asked with a grin. "You do realize I'm stealing your
second-in-command?"

"You're not stealing her and she would skin me alive if I insinuated
it!"

"Miss seeing my last bachelor friend off?" Luke raised an eyebrow at
Lando; Lando had once been chasing Mara himself. Luke remembered when he had
met Lando after his engagement to Mara.

"Luke Skywalker! I'd never thought I'd see the day!" Lando threw his
arms up at the sight of the Jedi Master.

"What day?"

"Luke, I swear you never grew up or gained anymore brains from when
you left that dustbowl you call a planet! You're getting married, and to
Mara Jade. You tamed the wild vixen. Not ladies man, my butt! If I weren't
married to a wonderful woman myself I may have been rather stingy about
this."

"What?" Luke asked rather fuddled.

"You're marrying Mara Jade, unless it was a different one."

Luke shook his head, not having slept much, or at all, in the past
several days. He was as disoriented as possible.

"Mara Jade? Former Emperor's Hand? Master Trader Jade? Hot smuggler
that wears a leather cat suit? Talon Karrde's former second-in-command? The
women that half the galaxy thinks you're marrying?"

Luke shook his head still disoriented and Lando shook his head as he
turned towards the approaching Han and they headed over to the Solo
residence.

"Miss a Corellian send-off?" Kyle Katarn said as he slapped Luke on
the back. Luke had met Kyle earlier on in the Rebellion and later on when he
had come to train at the academy for a short time.

A smug grin spread across Wes' face, one that made Luke worry. "Miss a
party? Never."

Uh-oh, there's something about the look on Wes' face I don't like.

There were so many things Wes has pulled on Luke before that Luke knew the
look of trouble on Wes Janson's face. He had once thought Wes Janson would
be the death of him, now he wondered whether Mara would beat Wes to it.
"I figured some one would have to keep you out of trouble."

"And you're supposed to be doing it? Kam! I swear you're responsible
for half the trouble I get in." Luke admonished his fellow Jedi shaking his
head slightly.

"Kam," Tycho said with a grin, "everyone at this table attracts
trouble."

"I didn't have to be ordered to be here," Corran said as he leaned
back into a chair.

"To see my friends here," Luke said with a timid smile, "I don't know
what to say."

"Saying is for other times, Luke," Han said as he raised up his glass
along with everyone else. "This is for fun . . . A toast to the man who
saved the galaxy, on the eve of his greatest adventure: Marriage!"
They all gathered around the table and forced Luke into a seat handing
him a glass. Luke didn't much like alcohol that much and had never drunk
much before but between Han, Mara, and the Rogues he had gotten drunk enough
times that it didn't matter any more.

Luke lost track of the time when a crowd of tattooed men crowded
around their table and one of them angrily banged his fist on the table.
"Can we help you with something?" Luke asked as he brought his hand
out, offering help. The man aggressively grabbed Luke's collar.
"What? Sith! I didn't do anything!" Luke knew he was in trouble.
Chewie, enraged, grabbed the man and threw him towards another table. The
now enraged parson whose table had been hit furiously rammed into the first
person he saw, which was Luke.

Luke could feel himself hit a sheet of glass as the shards fell around
him. As he hit his head was smashed against the wall and shards of glass dug
into his back.

Adrenaline high, Talon and Lando punched the first tow men they had
seen with Han and Tycho leaping over their heads. The riot had started and
glasses began flying and crashing against the walls. Luke winced as he tried
to crawl away but the shards of glass were hurting more and more. This was
his fault and people may die because of him.

Hobbie raced towards another man along with Gavin and threw him down.
Tycho turned around and attacked again but his attention was caught across
the room, as was the attention of others but too late. Luke was clutching
his head in pain and it was obvious that there was no way Luke would be able
to concentrate, much less fight as a Trandoshan eyed the helpless Jedi
Master and charged towards him lifting up a table.

All of them knew Luke was helpless and when that table landed it would
kill Luke painfully and quickly. They all knew what it would do to him. None
of them wanted to be there when Mara had to see the battered and broken body
of her fiancé.

"Luke!" Some one yelled.

Luke saw the Trandoshan and tried to pull himself out of the way. As
he was lifting the table up a man put his foot out and tripped the
Trandoshan letting the table drop on himself.

Luke propped himself up and stared at the body of the Trandoshan
knowing how close it had been to being him. If it had been he wouldn't want
to know what Mara would have done to Han and the rest of the gang had he
been killed.

Luke winced in pain as he brought a hand to his temple, his head was
pounding and he was in so much pain.

"You okay kid?" Han asked as he helped Luke up.
"Sure, but next time, let's go for the Krayt Dragon."

"You're marrying Mara." Han pointed out to the disoriented younger
man. "Do you really think there will be a next time?"

"You're help?" A man on the floor said ludicrously. "I didn't need
your help."

"I'll graciously accept your thanks for my saving your . . ." Kyle
began.

"You'll what?"

In the middle of it all was a mass of people unmoving.
"That Luke," Lando sighed, "you can dress him up, but..."

"Everyone wants to take him out. Probably a good idea for us to get
him out before the scandal holoreporters get here." Talon finished.
"Proprietor? Bill please, to the man bleeding at my feet."

___________________

Iry approached Banner with suspicion. "Takkar won't like this. You
saved Skywalker!"

"Shut up Iry. You had a good reason, right Banner." Chala said
"A good reason," Banner paused as he tried to remember why he had done
it. It had been a reaction. "Yeah, um, I have one. To take him then, that
would have been cheap." Banner said with more resolution. "It would have
been, wrong, somehow."

"We do have Imperial standards.' Chala approached still wondering.
"I get it!" Iry said as he raised a hand. "We're better than swoopie
scum. We have honor."

"No getting nothing past you Iry."

"They have to know it was us," Iry said viciously. "And why we were
doing it."

"That was quick thinking Banner. I'd have made a mess of it."

"Data we got today at the gardens will let us make a mess of them
there." Chala pointed out.

"Good thing you saved him Banner... What we have in store for Skywalker
will just kill him."

Banner leaned against the wall knowing Imperial standards was not why
he was doing it. Skywalker would survive. The war was over and it wasn't
just to take away his well-deserved happiness like that. The peace had
begun, and it was evil to hate. Hate caused the deaths of those you cared
for and Banner had just now realized it and would do anything to stop it.

Chapter 7

Luke moved his hand up to touch his face trying to ease the pain but
Mara reached over and pulled his hand down.

"Mara, I didn't intend for him to hit me, things like that just tend
to happen." Luke tried to explain as he reached over and pulled his shirt
over his head wincing as the fabric rested on his cut up back.

"They don't just happen Luke." She told him as he angrily shoved him
back. Her green eyes glittered with a fire that wasn't going to dim anytime
soon. She was angrier with him than he had seen in a while.

"You don't go out much with Han, do you?" Luke asked trying to humor
her a little bit. It wasn't working.

"Let me rephrase: They don't just happen right before me wedding."
Mara snarled as she forcefully handed him his jacket as she emphasized the
word my letting him know that she was going to make some one pay and the
first person in her range was Luke as she seethed.

Luke shook his head a he shrugged on his jacket and unconsciously
brought his hand to his face again. "I should have known something would
happen." He said softly, "Given the premonitions of that nightmare . . ."
Mara brought her hand to his cheek and ran placed it over his
directing his gaze back towards her face, her eyes softening. "Well, here. A
kiss to banish those worries and to help you heal," she said, her voice
barely a whisper, full of love for him alone.

Her hands moved down and settled on his waist pressing close to Luke's
chest.

"You can banish all me nightmares, Mara." He whispered, "A kiss, a
smile, just being here." He put one arm out and his fingertips trailed down
her arm and rested them by her waist.

"Master Skywalker," she said in fake shock, "Are you becoming a
romantic?"

"No, Mara, a husband with a wife who inspires him."

"That's something I hope to do for the rest of our lives, Luke,
together and forever."

Luke leaned forward closer, lowering his head and kissing her
strongly.

Mara melted into his embrace and considered again just how lucky she
actually was. She loved him more than anything; she didn't know what had
made her so angry, when he had been hurt. After a pause in her thoughts she
knew, she loved him more than life itself and nothing would

____________________

It's all so beautiful. Like an illusion ... a dream. Mara whispered then
paused to ponder. She couldn't see her surrounding but she held a large
bouquet and her gaze was directed towards the sky as her veil covered her
face.

Too beautiful ... has to be a nightmare.

She looked down to see her gown; it had been changed to Stormtrooper
armor with a flowing train behind. The flowers woven into her hair turned
black. The bouquet fell apart and coiled through it was a serpentine dragon.
Not really what I had in mind for my gown. So many people were
surrounding her, glaring and leering at her. Leia, Mirax, Chewie, Kueller,
Isard, Tarkin, Wedge. So many others all angry with her.

Dress design comes because they suggested a return to Imperial Chic.
She ran, ran away from all the shadows.

They're present because Imperial Chic reminds me of the old days. If
the old days never died they would have.

She slipped and fell, Jedi surrounding her, bleeding and dead.

And their plans would have kept the Empire and would have required the
death of all the Jedi, she paused as they disappeared and the light glinted
off the black armor of the menacing Lord Vader.

Death of all, save the betrayer, Vader disappeared and she looked up
to see a figure wrapped in a black cloak. Standing on a floating piece of
land. And his son. He's the one to whom I'll be given, the one to who I'll
be sacrificed.

Luke turned towards her and Mara saw a glint of something in his eyes.
By the one I most trusted. Her Master towered over her letting loose
the lightning. It surrounded her and as she fell her heart stopped beating
and she died.

Mara pushed herself out of bed and was breathing hard, her hair in
disarray as she let herself drop down again.

The evidence of so much evil at our wedding as if all that brought us
together had been horribly undone. An omen, perhaps, of some one who wants
it to be undone?

___________________

Luke shot awake from the feelings of sadness and fear, terror that
permeated his senses. He reached out for the source of the emotions because
he knew they weren't his own. Mara!

Luke!

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Don't give me that, Luke tiredly pulled on some clothes and got out of
bed. I'll meet you on the roof.

Yes.

___________________

Luke was standing at the edge looking over across the cityscape, his arms
crossed over his chest and the wind tousled his hair.

"Mara I might warn you I haven't had much sleep and I'm in a generally
bad mood, my head is pounding, and my face still hurts so just cut to the
chase and tell me what's going on."

"I didn't know you could be in a bad mood, dear."

"If you believe that ask Wedge or any of the old rogues. They've been
on the receiving end before."

"The wedding, I'm afraid something is going to happen to destroy it.
The future, we're taking a huge step. What if something happens?"
Luke's glower melted into a warm, comforting smile as he turned around
and took her in his arms. "Don't worry about it Mara. Everything will be
fine, I promise."

Mara melted into him and buried her face into his chest. It was
comforting having him so near, it felt like nothing could harm her.
"Anything else?"

"No," she whispered. She wasn't going to tell him about the nightmare
but she worried. Luke had had one and some one had tried to kill him, twice.
She wasn't only afraid for herself, she was afraid for him.

"Luke?" she whispered and pressed closer to him.

"I know, I know." He kissed her on the forehead, "it'll be alright, I
promise."

___________________

"You what?!" Moff Takkar screamed at the idiots that claimed to be
Imperials. One of these days he would finish these fools. It was Banner and
his weak conscience; it had to be. "You saved Skywalker?"

"But, we thought," Iry protested before he was interrupted again.
"Idiots!!!" He screamed at them. Banner seemed to be able to convince
anyone of anything, he was a liability. "You're not paid to think!"

"We're getting paid?" Iry and Chik asked as they looked at each other
expressions of astonishment spread over their faces.

"Skywalker dying in a cantina tangle won't make a statement." Banner
began trying to force his belief on the Moff the same he did to the others.
It didn't work. He seemed to be failing.

"How's this one: Jedi Hero slain in drunken brawl?" Takkar's tone was
mocking as he took out his anger on them. They were absolute idiots!
Chik dropped his head knowing where this was going. "Wish I'd thought
of that." Iry said with a shocked expression.

Takkar clenched his fists and threw his arms up in exasperation. "I
wish you'd thought!" He screamed.

"Because of your ineptness, now we are left with no choice but to
attack the gardens during the ceremony!"

"That was the plan," Chala pointed out trying to make a point. It
wasn't working. "Chik and I checked there because of the plan."

"That was a plan, not the plan." Takkar snarled at them, furious. "If
you had shown some initiative, we'd need no more planning."

Takkar sighed exhausted as he glanced back at his wife. "No wonder we
lost it all. I have to do everything."

She stared down at her nails as she continued filing them, ignoring
them. She didn't know where her husband had found these men. She had chosen
her husband because he was so easy to manipulate. But this Banner was
something else. He had a brain, wasn't another unthinking Imp man. "Meaning
you'll win nothing, husband of mine."

He glared at her, "how can you say that?"

She glanced up at him wearily. He was an idiot "You trained me to
dear. You taught me to look at history and repeat what works. Think on it
Derran," she continued, her voice a silky whisper. "Daala, Isard, Leonia
Tavira; these were women and they made life miserable in the New Republic.
This is a delicate matter and needs a women's touch."

"You think?" Iry asked.

"Gosh," Chala said astounded.

"This is trouble." Banner whispered worried. He was trying to keep
this from happening but it was getting so far out of his hands that he no
longer had control over it.

There was a glimmer in Takkar's eyes. "Your vector on Skywalker is?"
She glanced back down at her nails once again. "The weak point, the
dress."

"With the dress you get the women and Skywalker's heart." He said in
amazement at his wife's genius.

"But no one knows who is doing the dress"

"Leave that to me." Takkar's wife pronounced. Murder was nothing new
to her. If it meant the survival of the Empire she would even kill her own
child. Banner seemed afraid and it left her wondering if he actually had any
guts. He was a man, wasn't he? "I'll find it, I'll find her." She hissed.
"Then Chik will kill her and this will be done."

Banner drew back away from the crowd. He needed to stop this somehow,
if he couldn't... if he couldn't it would be the end of Skywalker, the
Peace, and the entire New Republic. It was up to him, but he wasn't so sure.
After what Skywalker was, what he stood for, how could Banner save him?

Chapter 8

"I'm worried. Luke was in bad shape when he came home last night. He
was so bruised and his back was so cut up. He wouldn't do anything for the
pain. Ooh, he's so annoying. I don't care about his male ego if he's going
to let himself get killed because of it." Mara sighed as she crossed her
arms and leaned on them. She had never much before forced herself to relax
so she had never really taken much to spas. She flicked a piece of hair out
of her face. She used the towel wrapped around her hair to swipe some of the
sweat off her face. As she relaxed she felt ready to fall asleep.
Winter gave a small smile at Mara's desperation. " No, Tycho was the
same way. No ice for his hands, so they were swollen this morning."
Leia smirked as she eyed Mara. "We should have booked them into this
spa."

"And we could have mopped up those swoopies," Mara murmured, half to
herself.

"But if we had done that, they'd be out on the slingball court getting
very hurt." Iella said with a grin as she sat up.

Mirax leaned forward onto her hands as she sighed. "I'm more worried
about their being left alone at their fittings today."

Tionne scowled as that thought hit her. "Kam has the fashion sense of
a glitted-up Kowakian Monkey-Lizard."

All of the men, taking care of their own fittings? It was going to be
a disaster! Mara swore if Luke wore all black one more time she would slit
his throat. At least the clothes he had wore to the bar were halfway decent,
not his Jedi blacks.

Mara finally had enough of lying down and got up, wrapping the towel
tightly around her. The others came towards her shortly afterwards.
"I found a wonderful old ballad to sing in the ceremony."

"That's great, Tionne. Mara, have you and Luke finished writing your
vows?"

Mara sighed as she stepped into the mud bath and set the towel on the
side, going in deeper. It felt soothing and Mara began to wonder why she had
never done this before, then she remembered. The closest she had ever gotten
to a mud bath on was training on Yavin in the middle of a rainstorm. Even if
it was for a very short while.

"We're close. We keep getting distracted."

"I wonder why," Leia muttered.

"What's tough?" Mirax asked. "Love, honor . . ."

" . . . protect each other from mad Jedi clones, aliens, admirals . .
." Iella continued followed by Winter.

" . . .kidnappings, assassination attempts, and the odd try to lure
you to the darkside."

Mara shook her head and sighed. "You're not helping. Sometimes I feel
like we're marrying the Empire and the New Republic together."

Tionne frowned as she shook her head. If things kept up this way there
would be problems later on. "No, Mara, you can't put that sort of pressure
on yourself or your marriage."

Leia nodded her head in agreement with the historian. "Tionne's right.
That would crush anything you and Luke would have together." If that
happened Leia knew her brother would take the brunt of the problems. Luke
had strength, but after so much pain and suffering, Leia had been surprised
he had been able to withstand it for so long. But she knew one more push,
such as his marriage becoming a political one in everyone's mind, including
his, would do him in. "This wedding is about you and Luke and that's it."

Mara leaned forward and dipped lower into the mud pulling one arm out
slightly. "Just an intimate little affair to be simulcast to thousands of
worlds," Mara said a little longingly. She had before never thought of
marriage, but now she just wanted a peaceful, private wedding; but then
again she hadn't more than paused on that thought. She wasn't going to kid
herself. She was marrying Luke Skywalker, hero of the Rebellion, the head
Jedi Master of the order and founder of the Jedi Academy, brother to the
Chief of State. Peaceful and private did not exist with Luke around; his
life seemed to be a Holospectacle with cameras always around him. She never
knew how he always seemed able to deal with it. How she would deal with it,
she didn't know.

Winter leaned heavily on the ledge of the pool next to the mud bath.
"So people know there is a future. They need that."

"They'll be happy for you, not looking for something from you." Mirax
pointed out.

Mara sighed and leaned on the ledge staring across as she felt the
cool concrete. "I believe that, I really do," Mara paused as she continued
softly, almost reminiscing. "But all my life I've been in the shadows. Being
at the center of the holo is not easy for me, and it won't get easier."

Leia grinned trying to ease Mara's worries. "Holocams are like
Bureaucrats. They're everywhere. Can't escape them, so you ignore them."

Mara turned back towards Leia as Leia came closer until she was up to
her neck in the mud. "But the demands made on Luke," Mara shook her head.
She had seen all the pressures. For all that work Luke didn't make nearly
enough. How would he support a family? More importantly how could he find
the time for one? He didn't seem to have any extra time, not even her many
times. If it was like that during their engagement then what would it be
like during their marriage?

"There are times I just want to grab him and run off with him and
hide." Mara sighed; even if they could do that Luke would never follow
through with it. He was too bent on his responsibilities to leave them be,
even for a short while.

"Please," Leia groaned, "not a honeymoon on Dagobah."

Mara glared at her incredulously.

"Mara, we all want to do that with our husbands, our families. Wanting
to shield them from everything is natural." Mirax encouraged her as they all
noticed Mara seemed more troubled every moment.

"As romantic as it sounds, that seldom solves the problem." Iella said
as she turned her back towards them.

"As long as the love is there, the problems are insignificant." Winter
pointed out with a small smile.

"Love we have, and passion. And by temperament, I'm not really on to
hide. I prefer action." Mara said dismissing the thoughts of running off.
That wouldn't solve the problem. That left eloping out of the question. Luke
would never have stood for running or eloping though. What was I thinking?
As Leia headed out the others soon followed. "Well," she said,
conspiring. "I do think the slingball game is almost over. We could claim
next."

"We couldn't tell our husbands," Iella said with a sly grin.

"Why not?" Tionne asked and all of them except Mara turned to stare at
her.

"Then they'd have to come here and win by a margin bigger than ours."
Winter pointed out.

"And they'd moan about their aches and pains for days. Deal, ladies,
let's go." Mirax said smugly. It was about time they introduced Mara to
their world as married women. Mara glanced at them still in confusion.
"You're not going to tell Luke, right." Leia prodded her.

"He's going to find out anyway."

"Not if you don't tell him."

"Leia, he'll find out. I can't lie to him."

"Then don't say anything."

"Sure," Mara sighed knowing Luke would instantly know the truth
through their bond. There was nothing that could be done about it.

___________________

"Luke," Han said as he eyed the young Jedi. "What is wrong with you
today?"

"I'm not quite sure Mara trusts me, after last night. Mara looked at
me as if I'd deliberately been out rancor baiting. It wasn't that bad, was
it?"

Luke shifted his shoulders uneasily as Tycho began laughing. "Barely
bruise a knuckle and Winter wants me to take a bacta dip."

"And I got the 'Do you want your daughters to know what you were doing
last night?' look." Wedge grumble joining in.

"My grandfather dressed like this, not me." Han grumbled as he glared
at the droid, ready to disassemble it. He glared at the clothes that he had
been forced to wear.

"The women just don't know how to have fun." Wedge pointed out
regarding Luke was worried expression had turned into a smug grin.
"Really," Kam said a hint of mocking in his voice. "Off being
pampered. Just lying around doing nothing but sweating."

"Kam, women glow, not sweat." Wedge pointed out.

Luke shook his head. " I think it was good for Mara to go with them to
do something relaxing. She's been very tense." Luke regretted saying it as
soon as he heard Corran's voice from behind him.

"Oh, and you're not Luke?"

"Jedi know no fear." Kam said with a grin.

"Sure, some. It's a big change for my life; or lives." Luke told them
with and earnest look on his face.

Han glared at the droid and then began questioning it. "Who told you I
had to wear this?" He paused but before the droid answered "Leia said it,
did she?" He said with a scowl on his face. As the droid started talking Han
waved his hand dismissively at it. "Yeah, this will be fine, thanks."

"There is right and wrong. Get used to being wrong," Kam said as he
slapped Luke on the back.

"Have to remember Luke, being in a marriage isn't as easy as saving
the galaxy."

"Next," the droid asked as Han stood there stiffly in the clothes he
had been given, the vest was purple and the boots were stiff.
"I can't remember the last time I was right." Han pointed out then he
paused. "Oh, wait, it was before I met your sister."

Luke eyed Han as soon as he joined the crowd in his normal clothes. "I
knew you then," Luke whispered, "Han, think further back."

"You have to be a partner, confidant, lover, healer, and worst of all,
you can't always fix things." Corran pointed out and Luke nodded his head.
"Right. The toughest job is to let her find her solutions, even though
it kills you waiting for her to do it." Wedge said as he crossed his arms
over his chest.

"Of course," Han began a sly look in his eyes. "Mara's solutions are
likely to kill something."

Most likely me. "I know. I just hope I never disappoint her."

"Good luck in that, Kid. Happens in every marriage."

"Han's right. Unless you're reading her mind, you won't know what
you're supposed to do, so disappointments happen." Wedge pointed out.
Yeah, well, it's possible.

Don't consider it Luke; she'd kill you.

I have to agree with Corran on this matter. And we still need you to
teach.

Neither of you are helping. I really need to work on my shields.
Yep, have to agree. Even though both of us are married.
Luke paused as he realized what they were referring to and his face
burned red. Luke turned away as thoughts and images assaulted his senses.
I thought that was forbidden for Jedi. Kam pointed out.

Especially a Jedi Master.

Get out of my head, both of you.

"The key is to avoid stringing too many of them together. Keep talking
to her, learn what she wants, and stick with it." Kam said then glanced at
Luke.

Corran, remember when we agreed that Mirax and Mara should never meet?
Yeah, Corran paused; I think we've failed miserably. Shouldn't be too
hard to figure out what Mara wants.

Yeah, kill me, beat me up, kill me, make me look like a fool, kill me,
argue with me, kill me, and basically kill me.

She better not give Mirax any lessons.

They glanced at each other and just started laughing. "Jedi," Han
muttered.

"You make it sound like trying to hit a moving target." Luke sighed.

"Tougher."

"Much tougher."

"Oh, yeah."

"No doubt."

Luke sighed and shook his head. He hadn't known what he was getting
into. "Well, Master Yoda said there was no try, only do or do not."
"Yoda wasn't married," Han pointed out.

"Mara's worth the work, Luke." Corran said as he clasped a hand on
Luke's shoulder, trying to encourage him.

"Do for Mara what the spa did today and you're set."

Chapter 9

"Luke," Han said as he eyed the young Jedi. "What is wrong with you
today?"

"I'm not quite sure Mara trusts me, after last night. Mara looked at
me as if I'd deliberately been out rancor baiting. It wasn't that bad, was
it?"

Luke shifted his shoulders uneasily as Tycho began laughing. "Barely
bruise a knuckle and Winter wants me to take a bacta dip."

"And I got the 'Do you want your daughters to know what you were doing
last night?' look." Wedge grumble joining in.

"My grandfather dressed like this, not me." Han grumbled as he glared
at the droid, ready to disassemble it. He glared at the clothes that he had
been forced to wear.

"The women just don't know how to have fun." Wedge pointed out
regarding Luke was worried expression had turned into a smug grin.
"Really," Kam said a hint of mocking in his voice. "Off being
pampered. Just lying around doing nothing but sweating."

"Kam, women glow, not sweat." Wedge pointed out.
Luke shook his head. " I think it was good for Mara to go with them to
do something relaxing. She's been very tense." Luke regretted saying it as
soon as he heard Corran's voice from behind him.

"Oh, and you're not Luke?"

"Jedi know no fear." Kam said with a grin.

"Sure, some. It's a big change for my life; or lives." Luke told them
with and earnest look on his face.

Han glared at the droid and then began questioning it. "Who told you I
had to wear this?" He paused but before the droid answered "Leia said it,
did she?" He said with a scowl on his face. As the droid started talking Han
waved his hand dismissively at it. "Yeah, this will be fine, thanks."

"There is right and wrong. Get used to being wrong," Kam said as he
slapped Luke on the back.

"Have to remember Luke, being in a marriage isn't as easy as saving
the galaxy."

"Next," the droid asked as Han stood there stiffly in the clothes he
had been given, the vest was purple and the boots were stiff.

"I can't remember the last time I was right." Han pointed out then he
paused. "Oh, wait, it was before I met your sister."

Luke eyed Han as soon as he joined the crowd in his normal clothes. "I
knew you then," Luke whispered, "Han, think further back."

"You have to be a partner, confidant, lover, healer, and worst of all,
you can't always fix things." Corran pointed out and Luke nodded his head.
"Right. The toughest job is to let her find her solutions, even though
it kills you waiting for her to do it." Wedge said as he crossed his arms
over his chest.

"Of course," Han began a sly look in his eyes. "Mara's solutions are
likely to kill something."

Most likely me. "I know. I just hope I never disappoint her."

"Good luck in that, Kid. Happens in every marriage."

"Han's right. Unless you're reading her mind, you won't know what
you're supposed to do, so disappointments happen." Wedge pointed out.
Yeah, well, it's possible.

Don't consider it Luke; she'd kill you.

I have to agree with Corran on this matter. And we still need you to
teach.

Neither of you are helping. I really need to work on my shields.
Yep, have to agree. Even though both of us are married.

Luke paused as he realized what they were referring to and his face
burned red. Luke turned away as thoughts and images assaulted his senses.
I thought that was forbidden for Jedi. Kam pointed out.
Especially a Jedi Master.

Get out of my head, both of you.

"The key is to avoid stringing too many of them together. Keep talking
to her, learn what she wants, and stick with it." Kam said then glanced at
Luke.

Corran, remember when we agreed that Mirax and Mara should never meet?
Yeah, Corran paused; I think we've failed miserably. Shouldn't be too
hard to figure out what Mara wants.

Yeah, kill me, beat me up, kill me, make me look like a fool, kill me,
argue with me, kill me, and basically kill me.

She better not give Mirax any lessons.

They glanced at each other and just started laughing. "Jedi," Han
muttered.

"You make it sound like trying to hit a moving target." Luke sighed.

"Tougher."

"Much tougher."

"Oh, yeah."

"No doubt."

Luke sighed and shook his head. He hadn't known what he was getting
into. "Well, Master Yoda said there was no try, only do or do not."
"Yoda wasn't married," Han pointed out.

"Mara's worth the work, Luke." Corran said as he clasped a hand on
Luke's shoulder, trying to encourage him.

"Do for Mara what the spa did today and you're set."

___________________

Chik dug his hands into his pockets as he stared down at the bustling
city of Coruscant. The Rebellion had changed Imperial City so much; it had
become a hideous thing of chaos.

"Finding a single dressmaker on a world like Coruscant is not going to
be easy.

Anlys Takkar didn't look up from the computer in front of her. She had
to find who it was. "When there is something I want, Chik, I get it, nothing
stops me." She said determinedly.

Chik shook his head and turned towards her, stepping away from the
window. "I do not doubt your resolve, but Coruscant is a rather large mole
of Uranium in which to search for a single Quark."

"Not as difficult a process as you might think. We know she is of a
certain caliber, and has certain needs." Anlys watched the screen as she
searched through the data, looking for a match. They were coming close; she
knew it. "Coruscant has a wealth of information, including gossip, to aid
us."

"Employment records, want ads, old-fashioned news articles, these give
us our pool of candidates." She called up a group of holos that her searches
had yielded. There were maybe nine or ten designers. She would just have to
narrow it down further. "Leases, equipment, orders, and, yes, fabric orders,
Leia's dress was of Ottegan Silk, Mara will use that." As she glanced
through all the material she quickly eliminated one after another. "These
factors will tell us who has the means and materials to do the job." Soon
she had the number down to one, before her was a holo of a young looking
Twi'lek and she smiled wickedly.

"The winner is Jari'Kyn, late of House of Vanar." She stood up and
turned around towards Chik, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him
closer.

He stood straight and raised his head slightly. "I see the address.
This fitting will become on for a shroud."

"Hurry back," she exclaimed with a joyful laugh. "I love celebrating
with a victor."

___________________

"Well, I found that very relaxing." Mara commented as she finished
wiping off her face and set the towel down. They had won the match but that
really didn't surprise anyone. It had just been a bunch of fighter jocks.
"You didn't have to guard that Rodian." Winter pointed out.
"I thought Ithorians were supposed to be peaceful." Leia said a bit
miffed as she dried her hair.

"Since when do Twi'leks have six elbows?" Tionne asked as she finished
drying her hair and dropped the towel down.

Mirax stood in the shower as she washed out her hair. Drenching the
sweat from her body. "I'll never go into the goal again. Never, never,
never."

"I never did have many friends." Mara sighed as she stared at the
small holograph in her hands. She loved him so much. She didn't know how she
had lived so long without him. "I'm glad that's not the case any more."
"Thank you Mara, " Iella said as she finished brushing out her now dry
hair and gazed at the former assassin.

"Feed me goal assists like that in the future and you're a friend for
life," Winter said jokingly as she finished drying her hair.

Mara packed up her things and headed out but Iella caught up with her.
"Headed out so soon?"

"I have a dress fitting to get to." When Mara noticed Iella wasn't
leaving she turned around and faced her. "You don't have to come with me."

"No, no, I'd be happy to go with you, if you don't want to go alone."

Mara shook her head. "I appreciate the offer but ..."

"I understand," Iella said interrupting her. "Well, bye!" Iella called
after her as she left.

___________________

"Bacta? They must have some here." One of the voices sounded from the
floor of the Smash ball court.

"I thought Alderaanians were supposed to be peaceful."

"I've sprained a Lekku," the Twi'lek muttered.

Hope they're up for another game later, 'cause if this fitting is
stressful, I'm going to need to burn it off! The alien pushed himself up off
the ground and waited for his squadron mates to get up as well.

___________________

"Mara!" Jari'Kyn yelled as she jumped to her feet at the sight of the
woman.

"Sorry for being late, I was held up at the spa."

"I'm running a bit late, anyway. Ready for you now, though." Jari'Kyn
picked up the dress and led Mara happily to the changing room.
Mara changed into the dress and as soon as she had it on she peered
into the mirror. The dress was gorgeous. So, elegant, she was glad that she
had this dress now, to please Luke. She remembered back to when she had
fallen asleep at his apartment, how he had reacted. It had to be the press.
He was afraid of what they would put out if they found out. The Jedi Master
who had faced down the Emperor and countless other disastrous dangers was
afraid that the gossip reporters would get a hold of it and he would loss
face in front of the entire galaxy. It could be dismissed as humorous,
really.

"Oh, my," Mara whispered as her excitement for the wedding grew. "It's
beautiful Jari'Kyn. Even in my Imperial days I never had anything this
elegant..."

"Yess!" Jari'Kyn yelled in uncontained excitement.

"I don't even recognize myself in it. It makes me look ..." Mara never
finished her sentence as she stepped out in her new dress with a smile
spread across her face.

"You look beautiful, Mara, because you are and because you're so
happy."

"I am happy, but your dress is doing the beautiful part." Mara stepped
back into the dressing room and started changing her clothes back. "With
this gown, I feel like everything is perfect and will actually go off as
expected."

"It will, the bridesmaids' dresses are done, and even the thing for
the ring bearer." Mara finished strapping her belt on and stepped out.
"I'll be back for the gown in two days."

Jari'Kyn nodded her acknowledgement. "I'll have it ready."

___________________

Chik slunk closer to the window the red cloak of his royal guards
uniform swirling around him. He had served his Emperor loyally and would
bury this traitor by his oath

___________________

Mara turned around as she heard a noise outside the window and as she
did so the window crashed inward on them. "No rush, you'll need to make
alterations." A figure hissed as he swung into the areas, force pike out,
dressed in the red armor of the Emperor's Royal Guards.

"What? Who are you?"

Jari'Kyn was breathing heavily as she turned. "I'll call security."
Then she ran off.

The weapon came down and more jumped and snatched the lightsaber from
her belt and it came crashing down. "You betrayed the Empire, Mara, now you
must die."

Mara ignited her lightsaber and the blade shot out as she saw the easy
kill and swiped at his unprotected chest. "If I had a credit for every time
I've heard that line I could buy you a real guardsman's uniform and every
other unreconstructed Imperial a life."

"They said they'd hurry," Jari'Kyn yelled as she raced in seeing the
attacker on the floor in pain.

"No problem, Jari'Kyn, though if we could work a holster for my
lightsaber into the design."

Jari'Kyn grinned widely, "only if you could recommend me to all your
Jedi friends."

Chapter 10

"All in all my day was very uneventful," Mara said as she plopped down
on the couch and rested her arms on the back. She looked up to see Luke
Skywalker shaking his head slowly as if confused.

"What Skywalker? You get lost during the Spa?"

"No, Mara, I understand what happened. I just don't understand how you
consider your day uneventful."

"It's not the same as what happened to you last night. You started a
riot."

Luke looked back at her earnestly as he tried to emphasize his point.
"And you just disabled an assassin." He pointed out as his gaze leveled on
her. She was comparing it to something he had not even wanted to happen. He
didn't understand how she could view fights as something good.
"He was a kook," Mara said as she glanced at him.

Luke sighed and turned away from her. "No, turns out he used to be an
Imperial guardsman." He brought his hands up to his chin as he thought on
it. He had thought they had all been dead, had thought that Kir Kanos had
been the last of them. Obviously the histories had been wrong. This man,
Chik Apla, had been one of them and as he was trained he refused to talk.
"Well, I didn't disable him."

Luke raised an eyebrow, a skeptical look crossing his face. "Ruptured
Spleen, bruised Liver, broken Ribs, fractured skull."

Mara flashed a look in Luke's direction, "see, nothing Bacta can't
fix."

Luke shook his head giving up on making a point. "The dream I had the
other day gave me a bad feel_"

Mara grew instantly serious, "don't say it. I had a nightmare too, not
good, I think your telling me about yours may have triggered mine."

Luke turned away and shut his eyes trying to focus. "Could have been
the Force, it could be trying to tell us something."

"Or could be the same wedding jitters everyone else gets. We may be
schooled in the Force, but why should we be so special?"

"Can't argue with that." Luke paused as he pondered on what she had
just said. A nightmare that she had refused to tell him about, but why? "I
mine I saw enemies, dead friends, then that big hand clutching at me."

In mine, the Emperor had won. Everyone I know was dead, 'cept you."

"That's good, right?" Luke asked, an edge of concern in his voice."

"You were the Emperor's creature."

"Don't like that."

Mara crossed her arms and got to her feet to join Luke. "If I had
stopped you from killing the Emperor, my dream would have come true."

"Yours was about failure, as, really, was mine."

"You think we're afraid our marriage will fail?"

"In the past, if we failed, there were grave circumstances. Here, too,
so having apprehensions makes sense. However, I love you and I know you,
Mara. You could never fail in our marriage."

She stepped close to him and stared into his face. "I know the same
thing about you Luke, you couldn't fail our marriage. Together there is
nothing that could defeat us."

Luke seized her hand and drew her closer. "This will be forever,
Mara."

"Ever and always, Luke." Forever, the word had once been drenched with
fear, but not now, now it was full of hope as she stepped closer to the
wonderful man that she was to marry.

Luke supported her back with one of his hands as he pulled her closer
and leant down to kiss her. A kiss that felt like it would last forever.
Even now one kiss was the world to Mara, as it had been the first time. Mara
slowly pulled away to draw a breath as she wrapped an arm around his
shoulder and grabbed his cloak, pulling him closer.

Luke brought his hands up and tilted her chin upward to look directly
into her eyes. "I love you, Mara, and I'm so glad I found you."
Mara pulled away and led him outside. "I love you, too, Luke, and
remember, I found you."

"Yes, Mara ... oh, you were at the Spa, you must have seen it." Luke
wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they stared out at the cityscape. "A
gang of females swoopies came in and beat the daylights out of some guys
from Champion Squadron at Slingball."

"Really, dear? I must have missed it."

Luke looked at her disbelieving as he leaned down as if to kiss her
again. "Really, just like you're going to miss this." Mara leaned forward to
receive the kiss but he pulled away and she was leaning too heavily on him
so that she fell onto the ground when he drew away.

"Luke Skywalker! That was just plain mean!"

He just raised an eyebrow at her.

"Okay," she snarled, "I get the point. You won't tell anyone, will
you? Leia made me swear not to tell!"

"You were going to listen to Leia? You really shouldn't do that, it
has got to be bad for your health."

"No worse than keeping you around. Promise not to tell anyone."

"I won't tell anyone, really, only Han and Corran and Kam and Wedge
and Tycho and_"

"Skywalker! Don't you dare!"

"And if I do?" Luke asked trying to draw something of a threat.
"I'll make you sleep on the couch! Alone!"

"Sure you can?"

"Yes, I bet you'll be begging to get back in the bed."

"I'll take that bet."

Mara turned back towards him and glared at him. He had never agreed to
a bet that easily unless he knew he was going to win. "Okay, what going on?"

"C'mon Jade, one this apartment is mine and we aren't married yet and
two, you can hardly keep your hands off me, what do you think is going to
happen after the wedding?"

Mara scowled at him, "fifty credits say you're on the couch."

Luke just shook his head at her.

___________________

"My wife's plan did not go well, and Chik has been taken." Takkar
paced back and forth as he suddenly paused and turned towards the other
Imperials.

"Chik gone? They'll bet us." Banner spoke up as he tried to discourage
the mission

"Nonsense, he was an Imperial Guardsman. He won't talk." Takkar
declared.

"I meant he was better than us. They'll get us for sure."

Takkar shook his head. "His loss is a setback, but not a critical one.
We have ways to make out plan work. It must work or his sacrifice will be in
vain." He reached out his hand, beckoning to them. "We can not allow that to
be true, can we my Imperial brothers?"

"Um," Banner started but then saw the eyes of the others on him. "No."

"Not likely," Chala said.

A look of confusion spread its way across Iry's face. "We can't?"
"No, we cannot." Takkar leaned down beside his wife as she clutched to
him through her sobs. "She does not weep for Chik, but for the through that
the Empire will not be avenged. I have a plan that will work, and parts for
each of you to play. You will follow my orders without question. Do that and
we will not fail."

Takkar turned to each of them in turn as he spoke. "Chala, you have
dealt with the underclasses. Find me footsoldiers: Swoopies, whomever, we
will pay them to provide a distraction. Banner, you understand bureaucrats.
Clean yourself up; woo the woman coordinating the wedding. Learn all the
secrets you can about the site and ceremony. Iry, you've survived in the
gutter for years. I need you to go deeper. Find the places here where no one
would imagine a human would go, and there we find our egress. Wife mine, you
will put your skills to good use. There is information I need and you will
obtain it for me."

His wife stood up and grabbed his arm. "And what will you be doing, my
husband?"

There was a glimmer that shone in his eyes. "I will be doing
everything else. I have something special in mind and I'm sure, on
Coruscant, my needs will be met."

___________________

Chala Venan stepped into the seedy bar. In the lower levels of
Coruscant there were many of these places and they had not reduced since the
Imperial hold on their capitol had fallen. Imperials were not the only ones
that despised the heroes of the Rebellion. The scum on Coruscant did as
well. All they truly did care about was money and they were sure to get it.
They were thieves and scoundrels that just wanted a drink.
Chala smirked as he passed one of them a few credits and leaned over
to talk to him.

___________________

Banner Sumptor nodded towards a few others whose gaze had been
directed towards him. He spotted exactly who he was looking for and nodded
toward her as she came over with a smile. He offered her a flower and
whispered sweet nothings in her ear.

___________________

Iry Danta broke to the surface and gasped into the air. The palace was
riddled with entrances in the sewage pipes. Of course the high government
types paid no mind to it even though he was sure they had once used it for
infiltration. So sure of themselves and that would be there doom.

___________________

Anlys Takkar gazed at the information on the screen in front of her.
She knew what to do. She had been trained to find the information as she
pulled it up and smiled wickedly to herself.

___________________

Moff Derran Takkar smiled to himself as he handed over the money to
one dealer at a time telling them a representative would pick it up later.
It was set. The Rebels would die.

Chapter 11

Luke glanced around the immense area. The garden seemed even larger
now, now that it would change his life. It would change his life forever, or
so it seemed. He was marrying Mara Jade, and this was where it would happen.
Not as daunting as the Death Star, but it will have as profound a
change on your life, Luke." Wedge commented as his eyes wandered the area.
Luke clenched his hands together and glanced down. "But that was a
focus for hatred, Wedge... Here we will celebrate love and union."

Han shook his head. "Don't worry, kid. We've gotten you through all
sorts of adventures. We'll get you through this."

"I can make through this day fine, Han. I'm not afraid of me or Mara
not making it through the wedding, no anxiety there..."

Han eyed him uneasily, "The way you say that, you do have anxiety..."

"Vague and unfocused."

"You must have seen the reception menu."

"Back when we all first met, I'd never have guessed we would find
ourselves here." Wedge mussed, "especially not at a wedding."

"'Specially not Luke's wedding," Han pointed out. "He'd not even been
kissed by then. Freezing on Hoth was when I figured we'd never be here."

Luke nodded slightly. "Even after I met Mara, I never imagined this."

Especially seeing as when I met her was when she had a blaster to my head. "
"But here we are."

"Right, and, as you pointed out, it's all your fault. You know what
that means?"

Han and Wedge glanced at Luke as he lowered his head. "When Mara kicks
me out, you'd best have a guest room ready."

"I thought Jedi didn't know pain."

___________________

"C'mon, we don't want to be late," Hobbie urged Wes Janson as he
pulled at his shirt collar slightly.

"We'll get there, we have plenty of time," Wes said as he care freely
shrugged his shoulders and leaned against the desk.

___________________

"Banner and the Moff's wife are off with the hit team. Is the Moff in
position?"

"I got him there then he sent me away, best if we don't know his
plan."

___________________

"No, Master Solo, protocol dictates right-hand loops equal to you age
in standard years." Threepio's prissy voice sounded as he took the bow tie
around Jacen's neck.

"It'll choke me and never come loose," Jacen complained as Anakin
peered at his older brother.

___________________

"Time to mount up." One of the swoopies said as he straddled his bike.
"Slip it over their head, choke, twist, and it'll never come loose."

___________________

"Not fair, Mom. Myri had my dress. Why did I have to get a new one?"
Syal pouted as Iella eyed her daughter out of the corner of her eye.
"That question will come back to haunt you when you're old enough,
Syal."

___________________

In their wildest imaginings, they never would have thought... And that
will be their undoing. The Moff smiled evilly to himself.

___________________

"Mon Mothma, this way!"

"Mom, it's Talon Karrde!"

"Senator Fey'lya, give us a smile."

The crowd gathered around and the guests to the wedding smiled kindly,
all of them did, except for Fey'lya.

___________________

The swoopies smirked as they headed off to the Imperial Palace, the
heroes would die tonight.

___________________

"Greetings Madam President. This way to your seat." Kam said with a
smile.

"So gracious, Jedi Solusar. Thank you."

___________________

The swoopies glared at each other across their swoops as they readied
for the attack to begin.

___________________

"It's natural to be nervous, kid, but you're doing the right thing,
here." Han tried to assure the younger man.

"I know, Han, no regrets, but those vague feeling I had before are
more concrete." Luke leaned back and glanced around nervously.
"We can have things checked out if you want..."

___________________

"Good, you have it all loaded," the Moff's wife smirked at the
blue-skinned Twi'lek. "That will make things so much easier."

"Emperor's black bones!" Jari'Kyn cursed as she saw the woman. "Who
are you? What are you talking about?"

"The dress, we'll be taking it."

"I have a comlink."

"I have a jammer," the woman pointed out. "Do your job, Banner. Get
rid of her."

"But there has to be another way," Banner began, not wanting to kill
the Twi'lek.

"You've failed enough on this mission, my way or no way, understand?"
Banner nodded his head, "yes, Ma'am."

"You can't!"

Banner turned towards the Twi'lek as it touched on his feelings, he
didn't want to. He knew he didn't want to. Then he made his decision and
turned his blaster onto the two guards of the Moff's wife. "You've right, I
can't." He turned and fired on them as they yelled in pain.

"Traitor!" she yelled at him as she pulled a vibroblade from its
hiding place and turned towards him, slashing at him. He dropped the blaster
and his other hand went to his bleeding hand as she stood over him. He knew
that this was the end; that it was now that he was going to die.

Jari'Kyn debated in her mind for a moment then took the hydrospanner
and smashed the woman over the head with it. The woman dropped to the floor,
unconscious, and she couldn't help but grin. Jari'Kyn was no longer as
helpless as they had thought she was.

"Thanks for the save," she said as she brought the hydrospanner behind
her.

"We have to get the dresses to the wedding. There is no time." Banner
said as he felt for the Moff's wife's pulse.

"I'll fly, you make sure they stay on."

___________________

"You agreed to keep the kids quiet during the ceremony, Booster..."
Mirax angrily turned to face her father.

"Your kid, Mirax, singular... I have a new Rebellion here on my hands."
"We're all next door, in the gardens... They're not going to get the
better of you, are they?"

"Kids, never..." Booster Terrik said w

ith a smug expression on his face.
"Good, it's settled. Later, Father, and thank you."

___________________

Valin Horn glanced over at the other younger kids. He heard what his
mother had told him to say as he approached Syal Antilles.
"Want one?" she asked as he came up to her.

"Hi, Syal. My mom said to say your dress looks pretty."

"It will be until Myri good something on it." Syal grumbled as she
glanced at the younger girl on the other side of her. "You don't have a
little sister, do you?"
"No."

___________________

"Never thought I'd see you this nervous, Mara. It's actually
refreshing."

Mara shook her head and glanced over towards the door once again. "I
want the gowns to get here... Once we have them, nothing can go wrong." She
told Talon Karrde as she turned back.

A few moments later she heard a noise and rushed out the door to greet
Jari'Kyn. "You made it!"

"Barely," Jari'Kyn exclaimed.

"Trouble?"

"Don't ask."

Mara glanced suspiciously at Banner. "Who's he?"

"Don't ask."

Jari'Kyn hurried inside and rushed Banner and Talon out. "Both of you,
out of here. Thanks for you help, Banner."

"Help? You're a dressmaker?" Karrde asked skeptically.
"Um, no, just a delivery man."

"Wait, you were at the Red Rancor, I remember you..." It all clicked
suddenly.

Oh, Sith!

___________________

"Here you go." Jari'Kyn said as she began pulling the dresses out.
"Someone tried to kidnap your dress... A crazy woman."

"What?! What happened?"

"Not important, but, by the way, that kick you taught me really
works."

Mara took the dress and glanced around nervously. Something big was
going to happen, Luke had to know.

___________________

"Is it okay, Leia?" Mara asked, a bit worried. "What do you think?"
"You're more beautiful than ever, Mara. You and Luke will be happier
today than you have ever been."

Mara knew she was nervous. If anyone tried to ruin this day for them...
The day that they had waited for had finally come. The day she would
become Mrs. Luke Skywalker.

___________________

"That's a great place for a honeymoon. I'll fly you there myself." Han
said as he glanced at Luke. Luke kept his cool demeanor but Han could tell
he was nervous.

"Thanks, Han. What is it, Talon?" Luke turned towards the other man.
"We may have trouble." Karrde said as he placed his hand on Banner's
back and pushed him forward.

___________________

"Being here, I saw he was wrong, so when I had to kill Jari'Kyn, I
couldn't."

Luke nodded his head as Banner finished explaining. Trouble was
brewing. "Good for you, Banner. What are the Moff's plans?"

Banner shook his head. "Need to know, and I didn't. None of us did... We
were the distraction: swoopies, my friends, and the ventilation system..."

Luke glanced at him then turned around taking off his jacket and
picking his lightsaber up from where it had been lying. "That's the story.
I'm going to go." He said as he started heading towards the door. In the
formal clothes he felt strange but he had to go. He had to end this. As soon
as he took one step out the door he was stopped by a pair of hands holding
him back. Wedge stepped in front of him to face him.

"No, Luke, you're not going anywhere but to the altar."

"But, you heard what I said..." Luke realized he suddenly couldn't order
them around any more. "Mutiny," he muttered under his breath, "it's mutiny."
"I heard you. You, Han, Karrde, you all have parts in the ceremony.
So, you're going nowhere."

Luke silently conceded with Wedge. Besides if I left Mara alone at the
altar she would kill me. I have a duty to her. I can't abandon her. But, the
galaxy, the New Republic is at risk.

"You've saved the galaxy enough," Wedge continued.
What? Can Wedge read my mind?

"Now the galaxy is going to pay its debt to you."

Luke nodded his head grabbing his jacket and putting it back on. Then
he laid the lightsaber back down.

Wedge nodded his head at that then turned towards the others. "Chewie,
Tycho, Corran, Kam, the rest of you, on me. We have trouble. Threepio, get
Jacen Solo---you're the ushers now. Go!"

"Oh my!" Threepio's prissy voice sounded in the midst of the crowd.

___________________

"Corran, Kam, We have swoopies incoming from somewhere."
The two Jedi raced over to one side as Corran yelled back at Wedge.
"We'll cover the left flank."

"Good. Chewie, someone is going for the vent system, they're yours.
Rogues, we have center."

Wedge raced outwards with Tycho and Gavin on his heels. Then he
noticed Hobbie and Wes not too far off and Wedge couldn't help but grin.
They may not be the most mature but Wes had a killer aim with the blaster.
"There's Wedge. I told you we'd be late."

"You're not late, not for the fun."

"Something in his voice I don't like..." Wes began.

Wedge pointed over towards another way. "You tow, take the Annex
Building, secure it."

As Wes and Hobbie race off Wedge heard Gavin's voice. "Wedge,
incoming. Very hot!"

All three of the Rogues raised their blasters and began firing at the
swoopies as they attacked innocents.

"I'm hit, I'm hit!"

"My baby? Where's my baby?"
"Mommy!"

"We're going to die!"

___________________

"There's a group breaking right!" Corran yelled a warning to Kam as
they tried to protect the people. He heard the yells of the swoopies.
"Ouch!" Kam yelled out as a blaster bolt made its way through his
defenses. "We need to get them before they come back."

___________________

Mara glanced down at her dress and parted her veil. It was a beautiful
dress. She glanced over at Karrde and noticed he was smiling.
"Don't worry about it Mara, he'll love it."

Mara nodded her head and Leia joined her by her side.
"The time has come," she whispered.

She smiled as she glanced down at the dress once again. The full skirt
gathered around her and the small flickering designs around her waist. They
looked almost like small flames. The roses gathered at her shoulder. It was
the grandest thing she had ever worn.

___________________

"Swoopies are here, people are running." Iry reminded Chala.
"Right on time. Connector is on; give me the canister."

Iry swallowed hard as he saw what was before him. "Uh-oh!"

"I need the tanks, c'mon. What's the prob, here? What's the hold up,
Iry?" Chala turned to see the angry Wookiee with its hands wrapped around
his partner's throat. "Sithspit!"

"Nice Wookiee."

___________________

"Hooray, we'll make it to the building before the swoopies will. We
can defend it as ordered, Janson!" Hobbie yelled as he began racing towards
the building.

"That leaves us only one problem," Wes said with a smug look on his
face.

"What's that?"

"Uh, Hobbie, what are we defending with?"

"Our good looks and trenchant wit?"

Wes finally groaned. "That's quite enough defeatist talk, thank you."

___________________

"A bunch have broken for the Annex," Gavin warned them.
"Nice shooting, Gavin."

"Isn't this the gang from the bar last night?" Tycho asked them.

___________________

I've made it. Into my disguise now, to finish the mission. The Moff
pulled off his suit and put on a single green cloak. The diversion drew off
security, letting me slip into place. He took the Ithorian mask and put it
back into place. Their best heroic efforts may stop my diversion, but will
not stop me.

___________________

"They're breaking."

"Watch them. Make sure they don't regroup." Wedge told the other two
as he continued to fire.

"Keep shooting like that, Wedge, and there won't be any more to
regroup."
___________________
Luke Skywalker glanced up as Mara came up to him with a beautiful
smile on her face. As she stopped right in front of him he smiled. "Mara, oh
Mara," she whispered.

"I know Luke, I know."

"Friends, family, peoples of so many diverse worlds, we are gathered
here to celebrate..." Admiral Ackbar began before he was interrupted as an
Ithorian stepped forward and reached up, pulling at his face.
The mask was removed to reveal the hating face of the Moff.
"Celebrate a travesty. Celebrate the destruction of a people and their
culture... Imperial culture. I cannot allow this abomination to take place."
People backed away from him as he took out a remote.
"Stay back, do nothing," Luke warned as he took Mara's hand and pulled
her back, away from the mad man.

"Built into this costume is a datapad and comlink that will download a
virus into the New Republic computers in this facility." The Moff boasted as
he smiled evilly at Luke and his bride.

"In an instant it will go out, destroying the communication system
that was once Imperial, severing all worlds from one another. My thumb comes
off this switch, the virus downloads. Your Republic dies the way my Empire
did, in pieces."
___________________
"I'll take the ones to the..." Corran began as he looked at the
plummeting shapes. People would die if they continued on.
"Hang tight, I've got them."

"All of them?!"

"I don't mind taking my fair share."

"No reason for you to break a sweat, Kam." Corran concentrated on the
swoopies, knowing his gifts to twist minds and make them think they see
something. "Weak minds, all thinking alike. Wait until they see this."
They spun into darkness, crushed together, an absence of light.
"You did the black hole thing? Projected it into their minds?"
"Well... I had no time for finesse, it was ugly."

"But effective, now we just have to pry them apart."
___________________
It was an ugly group and what they wanted to do was ugly too as the
leader pounded his fist against his other hand and glared at Wes and Hobbie.
"You can't run no more, pretty boys, I pounded you the other night. Now I
get to finish the job."

Wes held his fists out and faced them still trying to look brave. "You
didn't walk away last time, you won't this time." Then Wes turned towards
Hobbie. "Get that door open, will ya?"

"It's stuck..."

The man grabbed Wes' shirt and dragged him off the ground as the door
behind him opened. "I'm gonna smear you into a thin paste, pretty boy."
An angry voice sounded from inside the building. "Be quiet..."

It was followed by a fist smashing into his face and knocking him down
soundly. "If you wake those kids after I got them to sleep there's going to
be serious trouble."

"What are you idiots doing here?"

"You said to guard..." Hobbie tried to explain.

"Not you, them."

"Booster?" They suddenly asked.

"We didn't know Booster, let's go guys."

As they hurried off Wes grinned. "Another dangerous mission
accomplished."

"Don't push your luck or I'll give you real had work."
"Yeah, like what?"

A little voice sounded from inside. "My sister needs to be changed."
Wes grinned widely, "oh, Hobbie..."
___________________
Luke measured him with an even gaze. "I don't understand. Why here, why
now?"

The Moff stared at him angrily. ""Because they are all watching,

Skywalker. Everyone will know your actions doomed them. When the virus goes,
all trade between worlds will stop. Famine, disease, poverty... All the things
given to Imperials."

"You're protesting an evil: what was yours has been taken away. Others
have been given what was taken from you."

"I don't want charity. I just want what is mine."

"I just want what is fair," Luke challenged him. "You want to be
treated equally, not punished because of your family and its status."

The Moff glanced up at him startled. "Yes, exactly, that's right."

"Congratulations, you want what all of us wanted: the freedom to be
who we want to be. You've just become a Rebel, and that's okay because we
welcome that change in anyone."

"Oh, was it that simple?" Takkar asked as he looked at the Jedi
Master, mystified.

"Only in hindsight."

"Or, if someone was willing to think."

Mara came up closer to Luke and rested her hand on his arm. "We don't
always have time to think."

"I should have. It occurs to me now that you, a Jedi Master, could
have kept the button down on this deadman switch no matter what."
"I could have."

"You didn't, why?"

"If I stopped you, you'd still be angry. If I let you stoop yourself,
a doorway to peace would open for you. You saw this as a travesty because by
marrying Mara, I was taking an important icon from you. But this is about
starting a new life, not ending an old one."

Luke smiled slightly as he glanced over at Mara then back at Takkar.
"Come join with us, join the celebration."

"You can't mean it."

"I do, let everyone see the rifts be healed."
___________________
"The virus thing would have worked, would it, Senator?"
"Been shielded against that since we took Coruscant."
___________________
"The New Republic is a family, we always have room for new members."
Luke told him encouragingly as he nodded back towards the officiator and
turned back towards Mara. The time had finally come.

"Mara Jade, do you freely bind yourself to Luke Skywalker, to be his
companion, aide, and comfort for all the days of your life?"

Mara breathed hard and looked into Luke's eyes, this was it. "I do."
"And you, Luke Skywalker, do you promise to forsake all others, to be
Mara's comfort and confidant, friend, lover and companion for your mortal
days?"

"I do," he said softly.

Mara smiled brightly at Luke as the excitement grew. "For a
relationship that started with me trying to kill you, this has become more
than I could have imagined. I have never felt more complete than now,
knowing we will be together for eternity."

Luke's gaze didn't divert from hers as he leaned in closer. "Well,
since Leia always wanted to kill Han, I knew where this could lead."

I did not! You were imagining things.

A mysterious smile crossed Luke's lips. "You are more than I deserve,
all that I desire, and all I need to feel whole, I love you. Mara."

"The rings, please."

Han nodded and brought his hand over to Artoo as the rings were
dropped into his hand. "Got them right here. Thanks, Artoo."

"The rings are a symbol of your love, unbroken and shining. They show
the galaxy the vows you make here today."

They exchanged the rings, their thoughts only one each other.
"You have exchanged vows and rings. I pronounce you husband and wife.
You may kiss the bride."

Luke leaned forward and kissed her deeply. A single kiss meaning more
to them than anything else ever in their lives before.
As they separated Luke took Mara's hand and led her down the aisle. "I
present to you, the Skywalkers."

___________________

The crowds in the streets cheered as the smiling faces of Luke and
Mara Jade Skywalker were displayed on the screens for all to see. A symbol
of the union that was possible of former enemies.

___________________

"Do you remember?" Han Solo asked his wife as they danced at the
beautiful reception.

"Always and often..." she said with a laugh.

"Were two people ever meant more to be together?" Corran glanced at
his beautiful wife.

"Just like us, dear."

___________________
Luke held Mara close as he heard the soft music. They were meant to be
together, he knew that. They would always be together. Nothing would change.
He had finally found her, after so much suffering and confusion, had found
the woman that was meant to be his bride and she had been right in front of
his nose. And finally she was with him, in his life, forever.

The End