Untold Secrets

By Skywalker's Dream
September 2000
Revised January 2002

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, nor do I want to. I'm not sure I could handle fans as messed up as me. None of the characters belong to me either, not even the tiny bugs in the forest so please don't yell at me if they don't know how to behave. I am just a tool with the sole purpose of cranking out useless drivel to entertain myself and hopefully a few others in this day of Luke and Mara starvation.
Summary: Luke discovers a person forgotten from his childhood. However, when his past meets his present strange things develop. How Luke deals with it could directly affect the course of his future.
Setting: This story takes place sometime in the Star Wars universe. Where exactly I don't know, but definitely after Darksaber and before the events in The Hand of Thrawn Doulogy. I tend not to follow a strict timeline so you do the math.

Chapter 1

Leia Organa-Solo knew right away that she was dreaming. She was surrounded by swirls of motion and color that were always changing. She caught sight of a man out of the corner of her eye and strained to get a better look. Was that her brother? Yes, she confirmed that it was Luke. He was clad in his normal Jedi blacks, standing relaxed while looking off in the distance, and he was smiling. When he started to fade away, Leia concentrated, trying her best to stay with him. A female hand appeared on his shoulder and caressed its way to his face. He turned away, leaning in as if to kiss the owner of that hand. Leia tried but could not tell who the person was. All that was visible was a hint of the green and gold material that made up her long skirt. Then they were gone, and Leia was staring at the ceiling in her room.
"Another dream?" asked Han Solo. He was lying next to her on his side, one hand tucked under his cheek, sheets tucked comfortable around his shoulders, his eyes still closed. Had he not just spoken, Leia would have assumed he was still asleep.
"What?" she mumbled, trying to remember what it was he said. "Oh Han, I did not mean to wake you. No, this was a vision, I'm sure."
"You did not wake me," he said, even though she knew he was lying. He took a minute to yawn and stretch before continuing. "Was it the same one as before?"
"No, well yes, I guess. However, there was more detail in this one." Leia paused when she realized how confused she sounded. Thinking back she tried to recall all the details for this particular vision. "I saw the face of the man this time. It was Luke." There was something there, something she knew she was overlooking, a feeling, something she had never noticed before.
"What was he doing?" an asked, his voice growing sleepy. He wanted to help her, but he had been awakened every night this week by Leia's dreams. And she was never able to shed any light on why she was having them. Not from lack of trying, but they made no sense. The dreams continued to be vague, to the point that she was not even sure if they were trying to tell her anything. When he continued to wait for her answer she tried to think of anything else that she remembered that was different about this one.
"At first he was smiling," she explained. "He looked better than I have seen him in a while. More relaxed. He wasn't doing anything, just standing there, then he turned away from me."
"Are you going to talk to Luke about it this time?" Han inquired.
"No," she stated firmly. "The dream was too personal, and you know how he is about things like that. I just would not feel right talking to him about it until I understand it better." There was still that feeling. It was a new sensation in the dream, and she could not track down exactly what it was. What was it contentment, happiness? It felt like both of those, but then again neither.
"Personal?" He asked, shifting into a more comfortable position. "Did you leave something out about this one?" Han opened his eyes to look at his wife.
"He was kissing someone," Leia told him.
"Who?" Han asked, suddenly sitting up and looking wide-awake.
"I couldn't tell. The dream was very hard to follow. All I saw was a very feminine hand and the flow of her skirt."
Han relaxed back on his pillow. He stretched once more then pulled her into his arms, snuggling close. "Well, when you think of something more you let me know." Leia sighed, and then closed her eyes. She had a long day that started first thing in the morning and she was determined to go back to sleep. When, and if, she got more information, she would try and figure out her newest prodding from the Force.

The next morning Leia was sitting in yet another council meeting. It was the third on she had been required to attend that morning and she was having trouble paying attention. Her mind was not on the problems being addressed at the meeting, it was on her brother. The dreams were about him, she was able to understand that part, but that was easy. Why she was having them, and what they were about still alluded her. She decided that she would have to talk to him. He was supposed to be at her house to have dinner with her family tonight. She would talk to him then.
Pulling her attention back to the meeting, she was able to figure out that they were discussing going to a peace meeting on Tabim IV and they wanted Leia to attend. Realizing she had missed a few points she turned to Winter, who without being asked, handed Leia her notes. Tabim IV had requested membership to the New Republic after years of supporting the Empire. They claimed to have seen the error of their ways and were willing to try to come to an agreement that would benefit both governments. Leia had attended all sorts of meetings like this one, and was not concerned.
She was about to hand the data pad back to Winter when she spotted a small notation. They had requested Luke to attend. Their reason for the request was simply to meet the famous Luke Skywalker. She would have to ask if he would want to go. Though she was sure what his initial answer would be. It was no secret that he did not enjoy these sort of things, but she was confident she could change his mind. It would be good to spend some time with him again, away from Coruscant.

Luke Skywalker looked out over the Coruscant cityscape. He sighed as he watched the unwavering stream of traffic flow past his window. It had been a good month for him, he decided. He had overseen four new students at the academy, getting them settled in. It was a lot of work but he preferred them to know who he was, get to know him, so that when they were with him, they would not be starring at him in awe instead of learning what he was trying to teach. It had been a long hard month, but it felt good.
He had not been off Yavin in almost six months at that point and he decided it was time to get away. However the idea of being alone did not sound appealing. He wanted to be someplace where he was welcome and they would understand when he said he told them no, he did not want to do something. Coruscant was the last place to be if he wanted the latter, but that was where he went. He had let Leia talk him into coming to visit, convincing him that some time around his friends would do him good. Joking that he had been away just too long and they were forgetting what he looked like, but of course he came anyway.
He had been planet side a week. He had been to see Wedge and the rest of Rogue Squadron, including his former student Corran Horn before they left on their current mission, and had gone to visit with Leia, Han, and the kids at least once a day. Leia seemed to really enjoy it, even when she was not there when he always first arrived. Luke began to smile, remembering. A few times, she had arrived home to find Han and him in the kitchen attempting to cook dinner. A hilarious experience, but the meals had turned out edible. Well, no one had died from the food anyway. They always tried to make him feel welcome when he visited, but the feeling never felt complete. Maybe if he was around more often. That however, was something that could not be helped. He had responsibilities to take care of and could not spend all his time here. So instead of dwelling on what he could not do, he made the best of it all.
He had never told anyone but it had become hard for Luke to be around Leia's family. Not because he did not like to be, but because it always brought him back to the fact that he wanted one of his own. He wanted someone to spend the rest of his life with. Almost everyone he knew was either married or had someone special in his or her life. Even Lando, if the rumors were true, was currently seeing Mara Jade again though Luke was having trouble believing that.
He shut his eyes, his jaw set, and the muscles in his neck tightening. The rumor of Lando and Mara was just that, a rumor. He had never had the chance to ask either of them about it and he couldn't figure out why that bothered him so much. Why should he care who Lando was seeing? Lando was his friend after all, as was Mara. Oh well, he thought, pushing the idea out of his mind. It would be something he could think about later. Right now, he was due for dinner with his family.
Turning his back to the window, he crossed the living room, heading down the hall that led to the other part of the apartment. Walking purposely into his room, he pulled open his closet door. Scanning the contents he began to frown, the outfit he had planed on wearing was not there. Artoo told him that the clothes had been delivered. If they were not in his room, then where were they? He left his room and stood in the hall. His eyes rested on the two other doors, peaking into the bathroom he confirmed that the missing articles were not in there. With only one other option left, he opened the door to the spare room.
He had only used the room a handful of times, mostly for lightsaber practice late at night when he could not sleep. He would work out to help him get his mind off whatever was bothering him, or just when he had things on his mind and did not want to risk running into anyone at a gym. Looking around, he confirmed that the room was as empty as always. Looking around, he grinned. His clothes were hanging on the back of the door, delivered but put in the wrong room.

Across the galaxy, far from the hustle and bustle of Coruscant, Wedge Antilles sat in his X-wing, barreling through the vastness and solitude of hyperspace. It had been a quiet couple of months, with nothing but routine runs to pass the time. It was only natural that the powers that be had come up with some crisis that needed to be taken care of. It started out as rumors of an Imperial base in New Republic space. It had been said that the Empire had been sending personnel and supplies to run a small base on the planet Belkadon. The military had assembled a strike team to clear out the base and make sure they did not come back.
His instrument panel began to beep indicating the return to real space. The counter reached zero and he pushed the lever forward, the stars ceased their crazy dance and returned to their rightful place in the sky. Looking around, Wedge noted that everyone had made it in roughly the same formation.
"Rouge 5, fiddling with the nav computer again?" Wedge asked the one member of his squadron that came out a few degrees out of formation.
"Just trying not to pass out from the boredom, sir," came the amused reply.
"Watching you crash into the planet because you changed course too much would really living things up around here, Lieutenant Horn," Wedge scolded.
"You have no faith in my skills, sir? I am deeply hurt," Corran Horn replied, his voice dropping, his tone sounding hurt.
"Coming up on the planet," someone reported.
Wedge looked around until he spotted the planet. It was small, as planets went, the mass a swirl of browns and blues. Nothing spectacular to be noted, he settled into his seat and began his approach.
"Ok Rogues," he called into the com. "Keep your eyes open for trouble."
"Ship entering the system," Rogue three announced.
"Those would be ours," Wedge explained, confirming his assumption with his scanners. "Lets move, we are going in." They entered the atmosphere and descended on the base with little trouble. It became obvious that the Empire did not consider this as a big enough target to waste defenses on.

"Sithspit," Hobbie complained as they were walking down the hallway of the base. They had yet to encounter any resistance at all. They were able to land and simply walk in the door. They few people they came upon were mere technicians, and surrendered immediately.
"Something wrong?" Wedge asked. He smiled at the look on his friends face.
"No," he explained, "Nothing. That's the problem."
"Just another boring assignment," Wedge agreed. "Enjoy it while you can. It won't last, but I know how you feel. I was hoping for a bit of excitement myself." They continued their walked through of the base, checking the status of the various groups while they secured the building. As they reached the end of the hall, Wedge heard hurried footsteps behind him. Turning he watched Corran approach.
"Sir," Corran announced, his breathing slightly labored. "I think we have a problem."
"What is it Lieutenant?" Corran dug a data pad out of his pocket and handed it to him. Wedge quickly scanned it. His eyes suddenly shoot back up to look at Corran. "Is this true?" He asked.
"Yes, sir," Corran confirmed, his eyes reflected his astonishment at the situation.
"Let's get this to the Admiral."

Luke walked slowly down the hall that housed his sister's apartment. He was a bit early, but he could not wait around. He could not shake the feeling that something was going to happen tonight and it made him a bit jittery, not that he would let anyone know about it. Reaching the door, he announced his arrival. He could hear some noise coming from the other side of the door and he smiled. Han opened the door soon after and greeted him with a friendly slap on the back.
"Hey, kid," he shouted over the noise coming from inside. "Come on in. The kids were just asking about you." He moved to let Luke in the door and came face to face with the three balls of energy. "Stop right there," he shouted, causing the children to stop their sudden rush towards their uncle. "He'll be here for a while, give him a few minutes to relax. Now go play for a while." The excited faces dropped in unison, but they obeyed and left the two adults alone.
"Hello, Han," Luke said. He loved those kids, but at times they could really run anyone thin. "How are things going today? Falcon giving you problems again?"
"Is there ever a day when it doesn't?"
"Come to think of it, I can't think of a time." Han's smile became contagious, and Luke laughed softly. "Is Leia home?"
"Yeah," Han said, looking around the apartment. "She got home about twenty minutes ago. She's in the kitchen. I'm sure she's waiting for you."
"Thanks."
"For what?" Han asked with a snort. "All I did was tell you where your sister was. You could have found that out on your own."
Luke smiled again as he walked into the kitchen. Leia was standing with her back to him, chopping up different foods and dropping them in the prep unit. She turned when she heard him approach and they embraced in a warm hug.
"You're home early," Luke said, stepping forward and grapping a bite of greens of the counter and popping it in his mouth. "You afraid we might try to cook again?"
"No," she said, laughing while shooing him away. "Nothing like that. For once, I finished early. I wanted to spend some time with you, Han and the kids."
Luke looked at her. There was something about her, something that she seemed to be keeping from him. "What is it Leia? You need something." It was not a question but a statement. He knew now that she intended to ask something from him.
"I was going to wait to ask you this until after dinner," Leia told him with regret. "But I guess I can go ahead now. The Council wants to me go to Tabim IV, and they want you to go too." She rushed on stopping him from getting a word in. "Before you say anything you would not have to do anything, it would be like a vacation, with a few meetings to sit in on. I know you probably don't want to, and you can say no, but I would really like to be able to spend some time with you away from here."
"Leia, slow down," Luke insisted, trying to keep from laughing. "I'll go. It would be a nice change of pace." Leia's face changed rapidly from shock to joy.
"Great!" she yelled. She grabbed his arm and led him out of the kitchen. "Lets eat, we'll discuss details later."

Admiral Ackbar sat quietly, with his eyes closed. Antilles and Horn sat in the chairs on the opposite side of the desk. "Please explain this, Commander."
Wedge took a deep breath before continuing. "Lieutenant Horn found this list while they were doing the data dump. As you can see sir, this place is holding over a hundred political prisoners, all claming Rebellion Affiliations." He paused, taking a sip from the glass of water that was sitting in front of him. "It would seem that someone decided to free the prisoners. Hence the rumors bringing us here, and the lack of defense when we arrived. We were meant to find these people."
"Have you confirmed that the prisoners are here?" Admiral Ackbar inquired. It all just seemed too easy. It would be the perfect time to spring a trap, but up until now he could find nothing wrong.
"Yes sir," Wedge confirmed with a nod. "I have a team down there now, assessing the situation."
He scanned over the lists of progress reports coming in from the various teams going through the base. "Looks like our work here is about done, we can leave as soon as all the refuges are aboard."
"Yes, sir," Wedge said.
After the Admiral's last comment Wedge took it as a dismissal and stood, preparing to leave. He was almost to the door when the Admiral called out to him.
"Commander," Admiral Ackbar said suddenly. He was reading over the data pad when Wedge turned around.
"Sir?" Wedge never clamed to be able to read Ackbar's expressions, but he could tell that something had caught him off guard.
"Have you had the chance to review the list of names you gave me?" he asked.
"No sir," Wedge answered. He had meant to read over the names soon, but he did not see it as too important, nothing to cause this reaction from Ackbar.
"Do it as soon as you get a chance," he ordered.
"Is there a problem?" Wedge asked, unsure about the sense of dread that suddenly settled in his gut.
"No, not a problem. I would just like for you to take a look at it when you get a chance, you'll see what I mean."

Day four of the peace talks found Luke bored almost to tears. He let none of it come to the surface, but it was crystal clear to his sister. She saw the same feelings mirrored in her husband, but he did not bother to hide it. Looking for a way to pacify both of them and keep them out of trouble, she suggested that they look around the city. They agreed excitedly, and almost tripped heading out the door that lead to the shopping center.
They walked along the outdoor shopping area and looked around. It was a dusty street, lined with tables offering everything imaginable.
Han watched Luke as he walked past the first few tables with nothing more then a curious glance. Then something on a table on the other side of the street caught the kid's eye. He suddenly walked away from Han to check it out. Smirking at Luke's behavior, Han continued down the street looking for something for himself.

Luke crossed the street, dodging the stray pedestrians that stepped in his path. There was something on the other said that had looked familiar to him and he wanted a better look. As he drew closer, he saw that he was correct. Sitting on the table was a painting of Tatooine. However, it was not a normal picture. This one seemed to change slightly with the angle of the viewer and sun. Luke found it fascinating.
"This is the ledge over looking Stone Riff, right?" he asked the young woman standing behind the table. She was young, not more than sixteen, with short brown hair, and green eyes. She stood behind the table watching the people pass by.
"Yes, sir," she said with a smile. "Are you familiar with the planet?"
"Yes, I grew up not far from this place," he said indicating the picture. Looking at the picture caused memories to start seeping to the surface.
"Wonderful," she exclaimed. "Are you interested in purchasing it? I can offer a decent price for it."
"I might be," Luke told her. "Who made this? You?"
"Me?" she asked, looking taken aback. "No, sir. I have not mastered enough skill for something so wonderful. This is the work of my grandmother, completely by memory. I do not recall the sight, myself, my family left Tatooine when I was very young."
"I see," Luke said. It was a very interesting piece. He hardly ever bought anything for his apartment, but he really want this piece hanging in his living room. "Well...yes, I am interested in the piece. Could it be brought to my hotel?"
"Of course sir," she said with another smile. She then indicated a very reasonable price. Luke transferred the credits and the woman's eyes widened when she noted his name.
"Tell your grandmother that she has a wonderful gift," he said, preparing to leave. "It's not often that I find people who see Tatooine this beautiful."
"Master Skywalker," she called out, causing him to turn around. "If you would like, you could tell her yourself. She is in the back working on another piece."
"I would love to." Luke smiled, surprised at how eager he was to meet this woman. He followed the young salesgirl into the back, and saw a withered old woman hovering around her work.
"Nana," the girl called out. "You have a visitor. An admirer of your work."
"Hum," the woman mumbled. "What child? Nana is very busy child, who is it?"
"It is Master Skywalker, Nana."
"Skywalker?" She asked a bit confused. Then her eyes lit up in recognition. She turned around and took her first look at her visitor. "Luke Skywalker, little Lukie. It has been a long time, how have you been boy?"
"I am sorry Ma'am, but I do not recall knowing you." Luke stared at her, confused.
The old woman laughed. "No, I don't suppose you would. You were still very young when I left. Nevertheless, I knew you and your family. Oh, that reminds me, I have something I would like to show you. Been wanting you to have this for years, but it seems to keep slipping my mind. The mind is just not what it used to be, you understand." She walked over to a large shelf of books and looked very close at them, looking for the right one. "If I can only remember where I put it," she said to herself.
"How long did you live on Tatooine?" Luke asked, trying to fill the silence. Moreover, trying to figure out how this woman thought she knew him. He certainly did not remember her. It was not like there were very many visitors to his childhood home to remember. However, Aunt Beru did have a few friends that came to visit on occasion.
"A long time I guess...it felt like it. I guess it was about 6 years."
Luke studied the picture she had been working on. It was another picture of Tatooine. The recollection of the site greeted him with another flood of memories. "The Stone Needle," he whispered.
She glanced over her shoulder to look back at him. "Ah, so you were one of those kids that flew those blasted machines through there... What did you call that pastime?"
"Threading the needle," Luke said absentmindedly. He mind had been transported back many years. He could feel the air rushing past him as he flew his ship along Beggars Canyon. He could even hear Biggs' laughing with excitement when Luke strayed too close to the wall.
"I bet you still do crazy things," the old woman said, pulling him back into the conversation. "Ha! You always did get yourself into all kinds of scrapes...Ah, finally, here it is," she handed Luke an old dusty book. Looking at the cover he could not place what it was so he opened it.
"A photo album?" he asked, looking at a random page. On it were pictures of three small children sitting on the floor playing with an even smaller animal.
"This," she pointed to the boy, "is you, Lukie. You, your sister, and my oldest granddaughter. My only granddaughter at the time."
"My sister?" Luke asked, confused. As far as he knew, he had never known his sister.
"Here..." she said, flipping the pages to a young man and woman. They were feeding the two siblings.
"Who?"
"That is none other then Kenobi and your mother," the woman told him.
"My mother?" He studied the picture. It was the first time he had even got a glimpse of who she was.
Luke flipped a few more pages looking at each picture as he pasted it. There were always the three children on these pages. As he went further in the book he noticed that Leia was not in those pictures, then the other girl was gone also, and there were only pictures of Luke.
"What happened?" he asked, looking once again at the aging woman. "Where did they go?"
"Oh, you poor boy," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder. "No one ever told you? Here sit down and Nana will tell you. When you were first born, your mother, you and your sister came to live with my family. About a year later, the Empire found us. We assumed that they wanted the three of you. We ran, my poor Asha and her husband with their daughter, and your mother and I with you and your sister. The fighting was terrible, but we managed to get away. It was then decided that you and your sister should be separated. I took my family to Tatooine to help watch out for you, knowing that your sister would be well looked after. I did not agree with Obi-Wan on this. Your father's planet, you could not hide there. Therefore, I watched out for you, and I became friends with your aunt. They found us a few years later. My daughter Asha was killed. They never found you. I have sense found out that they did not know about you. They were tracking my family."
"What about your granddaughter?" Luke asked, though he already had an idea of where the other child had gone.
"Taken," she said, her voice cracking with grief.
"I'm sorry," Luke said. It did not occur to him at the time of him asking that the question would upset her so greatly.
"She was such a beautiful child, the woman aid, ignoring his apology. "She looked just like her father, had his piercing green eyes." Luke smiled and looked at the child in the picture. "But she had her mothers hair, the color of a Tatooine sunset. Do you remember?"
An idea slammed into him, drawing short of knocking the air out of him. An idea that felt so right it frightened him. Timidly, almost afraid of the answer, he asked, "Ma'am, if I may ask, who is this child?"
"A friend of yours...." She said with a smile. "You talk to her still." His heart sank, could it be?
"I had a friend when I was small that I still talk to?" He asked. He had to make sure. This could be a nudge from the Force or a huge coincidence. He could not afford to be wrong about this.
"She held your heart then as she does today," the woman answered, as if Luke should already know that.
"Ma 'am, I don't understand... What is her name?"
"Hum? Oh, Marabelle," she waved her hands in the air and laughed softly. "Sorry, that is none other then Mara Jade. You do still talk to her, yes? You still love her, yes?"
"I'm sorry," Luke said, unable to stop the smile that appeared on his face. "Mara Jade is a friend...nothing more..."
"Ahhh, no matter," the woman said, dismissing his comment with another way of her hand. "You do not know your own heart... You will learn as you did before. However, I have strayed from my story. After that, I stayed to watch you. I thought it to be the best place to possibly learn where they took my granddaughter and so I have. By knowing and watching you, I have found my beautiful Marabelle. But to answer your next question, the reason I have not contacted her is because she has not attempted to seek us out."
"She has no memory of you," Luke told her. It occurred to him that Mara might not appreciate the fact that he was discussing her life with a total stranger, but if this woman was who she clamed to be, it could benefit Mara greatly. "She wishes to find her family, but has no idea where to start."
"Well, she does now," the woman said. "Here this is yours," she said when he tried to hand the book back. "Show it to her. Let her choose what she wishes to do. However, I would love to see my beautiful granddaughter again. Here let me show you." She turned the book around in his hands and began flipping pages. "Give this picture to little Mara. Then ask her to come back and see me. She will have many questions."
It was a picture of a young couple sitting on an old battered couch.
"Who is this?" Luke asked, although he had a good idea who it was already.
"Tell her that these are her parents," the woman told him, again expecting him to know it already. "If she wishes to see me, I will tell her everything she wishes to know. You come back with her. I am sure you both, as well as your sister will have many questions."
Chapter 2
Luke walked into the room he was sharing with Han and Leia. He had met back up with Han not long after he received the book he still carried in his hands. He had not mentioned to Han where he had disappeared to nor what the book was, and Han did not ask. Once through the door Han headed to his room, mumbling something about the most uncomfortable outfit she had ever put him in, and then disappeared behind the closed door. Luke said down at the com station and made a call to Mara.
After a few dead ends, he reached her on-board the Jade's Fire. She sat in front of the com, her hair a mass of wet strands hanging straight down her back and her clothes looked like she had just thrown them on.
"Sorry, Mara," he gushed, realizing he had pulled her out of the shower. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just told Aves that I needed to speak to you and he patched me through."
"Yeah, that sounds like him," she bit out. She reached off screen, bringing a towel back and began drying her hair. "Whatdo you want, Farmboy?"
"I..." He paused, now that he was actually speaking to her, he had no idea what to say. He cleared his throat and started again. "I need to talk to you about something important, but I don't want to do it on an open line. You think you could meet me?"
Mara rolled her eyes and sighed. "What kind of trouble are you in this time."
Luke smiled. Mara was always willing to be there if he needed her, but that meant that every time he called, she thought the worst. "I'm not in any trouble," he assured her. "I just want to talk to you."
Mara seemed to digest that. She continued to run the towel across her hair, finally she dropped it on the console. "Where are you?" she demanded.
"Tabim IV," he said timidly.
"Why are you there?" she asked. "Oh never mind. If I leave now I can be there in the morning. That is the best I can do, Skywalker."
"Tomorrow morning is fine. Thank you, Mara." She ended the transmission without another word. After shutting down the com, Luke went to get him a cold drink. He slowly wondered the living area of the suite until he found himself out on the balcony. He sat down in one of the chairs lining the wall and began to watch the sunset. Han joined him shortly after, holding his own drink.
"So how is Mara?" Han asked with a sly grin.
Luke shook his head, hiding his smile behind his glass. "How long did you eavesdrop?"
"I wasn't snooping," Han defended himself. "I just heard you talking and opened the door to see if someone was here. I saw you talking to Mara. So, what's going on?" He asked. "You have been acting strange all afternoon."
"I don't want to talk about it right now," Luke said. He put his glass down on the table and stared out at the sunset.
"So, there is something wrong," Han said, his face turning serious. "What is it, Luke?"
"Calm down, Han," Luke said with a sigh. It would seem that him keeping this secret would cause everyone to jump to the wrong conclusions. But still, he did not want to tell Han, at least not yet. "There is nothing wrong, I swear. I just have a lot on my mind."
"Okay," Han said, accomplishing a slightly hurt tone. "I can understand that." Behind them, a door opened, and they both turned to see Leia walking in. Han offered a quick smile before going inside to greet his wife, while Luke finished his drink.
----
Luke waited until Leia had changed her clothes and sat down to relax before he brought the book out. He sat down and showed it to both his sister and brother in law. He had decided before he showed it to them that he would not mention the holo of Mara unless they asked. He hoped, even then, he would find away around telling them who is was before he was able to talk to Mara.
Leia sat in awe as Luke showed her the holos. The first couple of pages were merely landscape holos. Most of places he had never been. At the beginning, she did not say a word, just listened as Luke told her where he received the book and what little he knew about the holos. He turned the page and arrived at the first page of the three children together. He held his breath, waiting for Leia to ask.
"Who is this?"
"Like I told you Leia, the woman that gave me this book made some very outrageous clams, but it all feels right. These two children here...are you and me."
"What?! But... I don't get it." Luke went further to retell the story of how they were separated. He was not sure what her reaction was going to be. He was happy to realize that she was not upset. She seemed to accept it just as he did. There was no denying the fact that it all just felt right.
"If this is you and I, who is the other child?" she asked, but Luke did not answer, he just continued looking at the book. It felt wrong to tell them. He should be telling Mara first. He wished not for the first time that she would be arriving sooner.
"Luke...what's wrong? Who is that?" Han asked. He took a deep breath and tried to figured out a way out of this situation and keep them from pressing too hard. He could not think of a solution, other than giving them the answers they were looking for.
"Mara," he stated. He had meant it to come out louder, but as it was his voice was barely above a whisper.
"Jade?" Han asked.
"You know another?" Luke said with a small chuckle.
"No, one is enough..." Han said. "But how? You are trying to tell me that you and Leia both knew Mara when you were small children. It just seems a little too amazing."
"Oh, Luke," Leia exclaimed suddenly. "You are going to show her these right?"
"Of course," Luke said, reaching over to the table and refilling his glass. "I called her. She should be here tomorrow."
"So that was the reason you called her?" Han questioned. "Why didn't you say something?"
"I just wanted Leia to be here when I showed you this," Luke explained. He wanted to share this find with them, but it became annoying to have to explain it more than once to someone that came in during the middle of the conversation. It was important enough find, that he wanted Leia to be the first to know. "Leia please don't say anything to Mara, ok?" Luke pleaded. "I want to tell her."
"I won't," Leia said, throwing a quick smile to her husband.
"There are a few of these that the old woman pointed out," he said, turning the conversation back to the holo book. He turned to the page with the holo of Obi-Wan and their mother. "Leia, this is...."
"Our mother," she finished for him. It was a statement, not a question. Luke could feel the waves of emotion that poured off her. At the top of the immense pile of emotions was distrust. "Luke, are you sure you can believe this woman? I mean, she could have made all this up."
"I'm sure," Luke assured her. He had thought hard about what this woman might have wanted, and he had scanned her thoroughly. "I didn't sense any deceit from her. These are legit. I know I have copies of some of these holos that I saved from my home on Tatooine."
"You never mentioned them," Leia said. She smiled as she watched him. "You never said you saved any holos from your childhood."
"Well, dear sister, you never asked," Luke said with a smile. "Besides I didn't know until today that you were in those pictures."
"So to clear things up," Leia said, her smile brightening. "How old were we when we were separated?"
"Just over a year old." Luke smiled too.
The three of them started at the beginning of the book, looking at each picture, and the captions below them. They continued looking at the book well into the night. Brother and sister trying to patch together a life lived together when they were too young to remember.
----
Wedge was sitting at his desk aboard the flagship, reviewing the list of refugees. It was hard to believe the Empire had held one hundred and ten rebellion prisoners all these years. He was looking at the list, searching for anyone who sounded familiar, or anything that would trigger the Admiral's reaction. He did recognize a few names, but only vaguely. Their home worlds were very familiar. Twelve people from Coruscant, three listed their home planet as Alderaan. It will be hard to tell them that it no longer exists if they do not know, Wedge thought. Ten refugees were from Corellia, and one from Tatooine. Glancing back to that last entry, he noted the name. Biggs Darklighter. He read it twice more, wondering if he was mistaken. He wasn't. Well I can see what startled the Admiral. Near the bottom of the list, the entry definitely read Biggs Darklighter, home planet Tatooine.
Getting up from his chair, Wedge headed for the cargo hold that had been transformed to hold all the refugees. He attempted to keep his heart from racing. He tried to stay calm, he knew if he didn't he would likely attack the person that had the gall to claim to be one of his best friends. Walking casually, he entered and started looking around. He wanted to know who would play such a cruel joke.
"I don't believe it," he heard someone shout. "Wedge is that you?" Turning quickly he spotted the guy. Sith, he even looks like him! Wedge thought to himself. "Wedge, it's me, Biggs. Don't you remember?"
"How can you be Biggs?" Wedge asked, the anger he was feeling hardening his gaze. This was a trick, it had to be. "Biggs died in the battle of Yavin."
"But I didn't," the dark haired man insisted. "I'm here. When I noticed that I had been hit while following Luke against the Death Star, I ejected."
Luke, boy I wish he were here right now, Wedge thought. Luke would be able to find out what this guy was up to better than anyone.
"I saw my ship blow," the man continued. "I also saw the Millennium Falcon coming in. I was sure they would pick me up, but before they even got close enough to register me, an Imperial shuttle picked me up." As the guy was talking, Wedge's communicator beeped.
"Antilles," he barked into the offending device.
"General," came the crisp young voice from the other end. "Admiral Ackbar requests to see you sir."
"I'll be right there." He shut off his communicator and turned his attention back to the guy in front of him.
"A General, huh?" The man was watching him, an impressed grin forming on his face.
This is a trick! Wedge insisted to himself. Whoever was behind this, for whatever reason had done a good job, but this was not Biggs. "Wedge, I am telling the truth. Give me a chance to talk to you. You'll see I am Biggs Darklighter."
"Biggs Darklighter is dead." Wedge's voice was flat, the anger he was feeling beginning to grow. He turned his back to the imposter and left the bay.
----
Wedge walked down the now familiar hallways of this specific space going vessel, barely seeing the people that he past on the way. His thoughts were turned inward, to the scene a few minutes ago. It was bothering him. That guy looked and sounded like his old friend. Was it possible that he had survived? After all this time he was alive? There were ways to find out, he knew. However, first, he had a meeting to get to. Shoving the idea to the back of his mind, he entered Admiral Ackbar's office.
----
Luke and Leia had retired late in the night, only to rise again early the next morning to continue their discoveries. That's where they were when the doorbell rang, sitting on the floor, with the book between them, and a plate of bagels forgotten off to the side. Han got up to answer it.
"Mara," Han said in greeting when he opened the door. "Glad you could make it."
"Hey Solo," she said, her eyes hard. "So, what is this all about? What does Skywalker think is so urgent this time? He seems to forget that I do have a job to do."
Han restrained from replying that if her job was such a problem to get away from, why did she seem to jump and run every time Luke needed her. Instead, he invited her in.
They walked into the lounge area to find Luke lying on the floor across from Leia, looking at, what seemed to be some sort of holoalbum. It wasn't until they were standing right by them that Luke looked up. He seemed surprised at first to see Mara, but he recovered quickly and smiled.
"Mara, it's good to see you again," he said as he stood up, collecting the book. Leia took Han by the arm and excused them both, mumbling something about shopping before a meeting. Mara looked around the room and noted a decent sized box against the wall. It was obvious that they must have already done some shopping here.
"So what is this about, Skywalker?" she asked as soon as the couple was out of the room.
"Please sit down Mara," Luke said, settling back on the floor placing the book back out in front of him. "There is something here I thought you might want to know about." She watched him a few moments wondering what could be in that book that would warrant him calling her across the galaxy. Figuring there was only one way to find out, she sat down next to him. He opened the book and flipped through it until he came to the page with holos of children. "Do you have any idea who this is?"
"By the power of the Force, Skywalker, where did you get this?" She exclaimed, pulling the album in front of her. She looked over at Skywalker, wondering what he was up to this time.
"You know who this is?" he asked, his shock at her outburst showing as clearly on his face as through the Force.
"It's me," she said, unable to get her voice above a whisper. "I have a copy of this holo, "she said pointing to the one of her, Luke, and Leia sitting on a rug. "It was one of the only two holos I still have of my youth. Where did you get this?" She watched as the Jedi took a deep breath. He was nervous she realized, nervous and worried about how she was going to react to what he was planning on telling her. His behavior made her want to know even more.
"An old woman here gave it to me," he said, his eyes downcast. He suddenly looked at her. "Do you know who the other two children are?"
"I have no idea," she admitted. She had the holo for as long as she could remember, but as far as she knew, no one had any ideas who she shared the holo with. "But I take it that you know?"
"She told me who, yes."
"Who?" she shouted. "Tell me! I have always wondered, but no one could ever tell me."
"Leia and me." His voice was low and she had to strain to hear him. Even then she wasn't sure if she had heard him right. Did he just say that was him and his sister?
"You're kidding right?" She asked, disbelief dripping from every word.
"No, I'm serious," he said, his voice rising with excitement for the first time since her arrival. "I also have copies of some of these pictures," he said, pointing to a few others.
"Wait, this is too unreal," Mara said, standing up and pacing the room. How could she have possibly have known him before? She would have been able to tell. Somehow she thought she would have known about this. Suddenly she stopped and turned around. "How could we have known each other? I think you and your mysterious old lady have both lost your minds."
"She told me to show you this other one." She held her breath as he pointed out the other holo. She had a feeling she knew what this second holo was going to be. Sure enough it was the familiar sight of two people sitting together, looking extremely happy.
"This was the other one I have," she whispered. She felt numb, this was too much. The things he was implying was something she did not even want to contemplate. "I've always wondered who they were," she told him. "I used to have dreams and in them, they were my parents, but I never knew for sure. They are my parents, aren't they?"
"Yes," Luke said, his face sporting another bright smile. "The woman that gave this to me said she was your grandmother, your mothers' mother."
"And she's here?" Mara asked. She was finding it hard to breath. She rubbed her temples trying to relieve some of the pressure.
"Yes," he admitted, taking hold of her hand tenderly. She was too confused to think about snatching it away. "She would like to see you."
"I don't know, Luke," Mara said. She sounded unusually timid to Luke's ears, and more unusual using his first name. Luke let the slip pass without a word, although it was good to hear her call him Luke for once. He could feel her confused mix of emotions but could not think of anything he could say that would lessen the impact of this news.
"What could it hurt?" he asked instead. "She just wants to see you."
"I can't right now," she insisted. She pulled her hand away and placed it with the other in her lap. "You have to understand, for all these years, I have wondered whom my parents were, where my family was. Now, here you are, dumping this all in my lap. Not only have you found my family, but you also tell me that we knew each other. It's a little much to take all at once."
"I do understand," Luke said. It was all he could say. He did understand her shock, but he also knew that her denying it would not make it go away. "I believe your grandmother does too. She said, when you are ready, she would be waiting to answer your questions."
"Thank you for this, Skywalker. I do appreciate it," she looked around the room for a moment. "So to change the subject," she said with a smile. "What have you been up to?"
Luke rolled his eyes at her question. She was directing the conversation away from her and he let her do it, for now. She needed time to come to terms with it, and nothing he could say at this point was going to speed that up.
"I let Leia talk me into coming here," he told her, letting the misery he was feeling taint his voice. "Then felt like pulling my hair out after listening to these people dragon and on."
"Oh that sounds like proper talk from a Jedi Master," she kidded. It was good to see her smile. He was afraid when he told her this she would get upset and leave, but she had surprised him by staying long enough to at least talk to him a little.
"Yeah it does sound bad, doesn't it?" Luke agreed, laughing along with her. However there was no denying he did not enjoy doing that sort of thing. "That's Leia's arena. I always feel so out of place in this sort of thing, but she insists on dragging me to them."
"Leia's own form of torture," Mara said with a straight face. She was unable to hold it however and they both started laughing.
"That's not funny," he said, wiping a tear from his eye. "Then Han and I went shopping, anything to get out of there. That's where I met the old woman. She had made some very interesting paintings of Tatooine that I was looking at. Which reminds me," he said, standing up and brushing off his pants. "They delivered it today."
"Can I see?" Mara asked, standing up with him.
"Sure," Luke said. He walked over to the box that Mara had noticed when she came in. He examined the box and realized it was sealed. He would need something to cut it open with. Just as he was turning to go into the kitchen, Mara produced a small knife from somewhere inside her jacket. "I'm not going to ask," he said as he accepted the knife. After opening the box he pulled the two paintings out and gazed at them. A smile slowly spread across his face.
"She gave me both of them," he said, feeling and sounding a bit amazed.
"These are beautiful. My...grandmother made these?" Mara said, stumbling across the word.
"Yes," Luke said, looking over at her. "She has a very rare outlook on Tatooine."
"Oh look, here's a note," Mara said, picking up the paper that fell on the floor.
"Let me see," Luke said. He read the note silently then once again aloud so Mara could hear. It read:
For you Lukie, um I guess I should be calling you Master Skywalker,
When I started making these two paintings, I knew it would be for something important, and they were. To talk to you again, and to see the wonderful person you have become almost makes up for all those years of pain. It was nice to be able to put a smile on your face, which looks like it does not see nearly enough smiles nowadays. I saw today, a light in your eyes that I have not seen since your mother.
I want you to know that I have watched both you and your sister on the Holovids for many years now. Marveling at your accomplishments, and knowing how proud your mother would be. But could you imagine my shock when, one day, I turn on the Holovid and see you, Lukie, and my beautiful Marabelle sitting together chatting at some conference? It was almost too much for this old heart to take. To finally have the proof that I have been waiting for. Proof that Mara is in fact alive, well, and reunited with her childhood friends. You three not remembering any of this makes it all that much more remarkable. I'm happy for all of you.
I was wondering though, if you could now do something for me? Please tell Mara that I know this will be a greater shock to her then that first time I saw her was to me. All I am asking is that when she is ready, that both of you come and see me.
Thank you Lukie...oh sorry...Master Skywalker. This means the world tome. Now you take these two pictures and enjoy. I hope to see you again soon.
Love Always,
Nana
Luke sat back after he finished reading the letter, rubbing his eyes with the heal of his hands. Mara held out her hand and he placed the letter into it. He continued to study the portraits as Mara first read the letter then became lost in her own train of thoughts. Suddenly she stood up.
"You're leaving?" Luke asked, standing up as well.
"You sound disappointed, Jedi."
"I am, a little," Luke admitted. There was a feeling settling in his gut that he could not place. "I was hoping you would stick around a while. Maybe for lunch at least? I haven't eaten much all day." Luke could not help but smile at the thought that occurred to him. "And it would give me a reason not to have to go to that meeting today."
"I think I can handle that," Mara said, returning the smile. "However, I have a better idea. Do you think Leia would lose it if you just left? You know, claming you needed to preserve your sanity?"
"I couldn't do that," Luke said, wondering at the disappointment he felt. Was that his or was he picking up on Mara's feelings? Leia would have his hide if he left now. He had agreed to attend and nothing less then a galactic emergency would be enough to get him out of it.
"Well ok, lunch then," Mara said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "Lead the way."
Chapter 3
Wedge was once again sitting comfortably behind his desk. He took a deep breath trying to relax. This person pretending to be Biggs was really getting to him. He looked and sounded too much like him, but Wedge knew he was dead. He had been gone a long time. So why was he even letting this person bother him? He had no answers. However, he had an idea that would put the imposter in his place once and for all. Pushing the idea aside, he tried to concentrate on his work. He was reading over some disks when Corran walked in.
"Please have a seat, Lieutenant," he said to Corran. He waited until his friend closed the door and took one of the seats on the other side of the desk before he continued. "I would like you to take a look at this." Corran took the offered data pad and looked it over.
"Darklighter?" he said, shocked. "Even I know this name. Is this for real?"
"I was hoping you could help me figure that out," Wedge told his friend. "He's on his way here, and I would like your opinion on if he's telling the truth or not."
Corran looked up, a sly grin appearing his face. "Lets find out." The door opened a few minutes later and the imposter walked in.
"Please have a seat," Wedge said, indicating the chair next to Corran. The dark haired man looked suspiciously at the men in the room before taking the offered chair. "You remember Mr. Horn, right?" Wedge questioned.
Biggs stared at the man sitting next to him for a couple of heartbeats, his face showing his intense concentration. "No," he finally said, drawing out the word. "I am afraid I don't know him."
"No," Wedge said with a sigh. "I guess you wouldn't. He joined us some time after the Battle of Yavin." He was not disappointed that he was not able to catch him with that question because he really didn't think he would. It was not the only tool at his disposal.
"Then I couldn't know him, could I?" The gentleman asked.
"No, you couldn't," Wedge agreed. He sat quietly. On the outside he looked to be in deep thought. Which was the exact image he wanted to portray. The man sitting across from him shifted in his seat before he got the nerve to speak.
"Look, I know what you're doing," he said, finally. "You want me to prove to you that I am who I say I am. So ask me anything. Whatever would prove it to you. Such as the name of all the pilots in our unit, when we first met, whatever."
Wedge thought about it. A question that only Biggs would know? It was a good idea and one that he wanted to put some thought into it.
"Ok," Wedge said, something popping into his head. "What happened the night before we heard about Alderaan?"
A smile touched Biggs' lips. "We had the night off," he said. His eyes went slightly out of focus as he remembered the details of that night. "We were in our room playing cards. You had gotten your hands on a bottle of liquor from somewhere and we succeeded in getting Porkins fall down drunk. He ended up puking on your bunk." His smile faded as he regarded Wedge once again. "The next morning they called a briefing, telling us about Alderaan. You told me then that if you could, you would rip the Empire apart with your bare hands. I told you that you would do no such thing, unless I could go with you."
There was silence in the room. He got it exactly right, Wedge thought. There were only three of us in the room that night. I should have been the only person left alive that would remember that. He looked over to Corran wanting confirmation of his thought. Corran nodded slightly, letting him know that this man was not lying. But if he was telling the truth, then this really is Biggs Darklighter sitting in front of me. He closed his eyes as the fill impact of that hit him.
"So did I pass?"
"How in the worlds are you still alive?" Wedge shouted, a huge grin overtaking his features. He jumped up out of his chair, laughing as he hugged his friend. "I saw your ship explode."
"Like I said, I ejected," Biggs said, giving Wedge a friendly slap on the back before ending the hug. "I was on the shuttle when the Death Star exploded. The pilot panicked and jumped to hyperspace. I was taken to a prison, I'm still not sure what planet that was on but I was there for years. We were told next to nothing about what was happening in the galaxy. Their own form of torture, I guess. All I could gather was eventually our side won. Then a few days ago I got picked up and brought to that new base, with no explanation as to why. Now here I am."
"Amazing," Wedge said, pulling his chair around to the other side of the desk and sitting back down. Biggs took the hint and joined him. Wedge looked over at Corran who had been silent during the exchange. He sat with his hands resting in his lap, smiling at the two of them. "Well Biggs," Wedge said. "You have a ticket to anywhere you want to go. I'm willing to bet you want to go home."
"Yes I do," the dark-haired man admitted. "I hate to think about all the hurt my family has had to deal with thinking I was dead."
"You'll be home before you know it," Wedge promised him. He was having trouble believing that this was all in fact happening. He kept expecting to wake up at any moment. There was a time that he used to wish that something like this would happen, that any or all of his lost friends would walk through his door, but he had given up that hope a long time ago. However, this was real and he had never been happier to see anyone in his life. "We'll be arriving on Coruscant within the hour. There will be people there that will want to talk to you but it is nothing to worry about. After that we can take you home."
"Sounds fantastic," Biggs said, his smile bringing his eyes to life.
Wedge smiled, it was so good to know that his friend had survived after all this time. There was so much he wanted to tell him, so much that he had missed. However, he still had a job to do. "I will take this information to the Admiral, you go on back and get ready. You deserve it." Biggs did as his longtime friend asked and walked to the door.
"And Biggs, it is so good to see you again."
Biggs stopped, his hand resting on the door handle. Turning back to look at Wedge, he returned the smile.
"I saw the Death Star blow all those years ago," Biggs said, his smile turning a bit sour. "That was all I ever knew. I never found out how it happened or who survived. I've always wondered. It is good to see that you survived." He paused, swallowing loudly. "Did Luke?"
Both Corran and Wedge smiled. He had almost forgotten that Biggs was Luke's friend way before they had ever met. In fact it was the reason Luke and he had become friends in the first place. "He survived," Wedge told him, glad to be telling him some good news. "He blew the Death Star and saved us all. He has his Jedi Academy set up back on Yavin. He's there most of the time, but if nothing has come up, he should be still on Coruscant right now. He was vacationing when we left."
Corran laughed. "Luke never vacations for long. But he still may be on planet." Wedge could not help but laugh at Corran's comment, but then he noticed Biggs' confused look.
"A Jedi?" he asked. "Luke? We are talking about the same Luke right?"
"You didn't know?" Corran asked.
"No," he confirmed, shaking his head. "He never said anything growing up, then I left. We didn't get much of a chance to talk when we met up again, before the battle. We planned to catch up when we got back."
Corran smiled. "Well, better late then never."
Wedge stood and approached his friend placing a hand on his arm. "I'm sure that Luke is going to love seeing you again."
"Is he alright?" He had instantly started to worry about Luke, even though he had not heard anything about him all these years. Wedge had to laugh at that. Boy he had missed out on a lot.
"It has been rough for him the past few years," Corran told him. "A lot has happened to him. Nothing he can't handle of course but he can always use all the friends he can."

----
Han walked into the bay to check on the Falcon. They had been back on Coruscant for nearly a week and his beloved ship had been giving him problems the entire time. He had set the entire afternoon aside for repairs, figuring if he had to fix her again, he might as well do it right. After he lowered the ramp and was about to climb onboard he noticed Luke and Mara on the other side of the bay, in what seemed to be a very heated conversation. He was still too far away to hear what was going on but he watched them nonetheless. Most Luke and Mara arguments tended to be quite interesting, if for nothing else but to see Luke get upset. Not many people could affect him that way.
They continued their conversation for a few moments. Then, without notice, Mara threw her hands in the air, yelling "Jedi! They are all the same!" as she stormed out the door.
Luke walked across the bay, glancing distractingly back at the door Mara had disappeared through.
"Luke, what was that all about?" Han asked when Luke finally strayed near enough. Luke slowly turned around to face his friend, his expression betraying his frustration.
"What do you mean?" Luke asked, rubbing the back of his neck. He sighed heavily, before turning his attention totally on the man in front of him.
"Between you and Mara," Han explained. Not that it really mattered when it came to Mara. She was known to blow her top just because Luke walked in the room. It was a wonder they could even stay friends. "What was she so upset about?"
"You know Mara," Luke said dispassionately. "When does she ever need a reason to get irate with me?" He was upset, Han was sure of it. He wondered why Luke let her get to him the way she did. He would mope about after one of their arguments until it occurred to him to call her. If it worked, and they started talking again, then he was fine. If she still would not speak to him, he normally just sat back and waited for her to come around. And she always did, sooner or later, no matter what caused the argument.
"You have a point there," Han agreed. Mara had her moments when she just did not want Luke around, and when she didn't it was no secret to anyone.
"I tried to get her to go back to meet her grandmother," Luke explained with a sigh.
"And what did she say," Han asked, though by her reaction just a second ago he was sure he knew the answer already.
"She called me an inconsiderate, insensitive Jedi," Luke said, sporting a ghost of a smile. Han had to laugh at that. Only Luke could smile when Mara was out for blood.
"Looks like you are, once again, on her bad side."
Luke only shook his head. "That's not all," he said, considering his words. "She said something about me meeting my new girl." He pinned Han in place with his stare. "Any idea what she meant by that?"
"How did she hear about that?" Han asked before he caught himself and clamped his mouth shut.
"About what?" Luke demanded. "What are you up to?"
"Just that," Han started, wringing his hands. He knew Luke was not going to be happy about this, but it was better to tell him now. "Well, a few of the guys decided that they were going to set you up with a date for tomorrow night," Han said, then continued on before Luke could interrupt. "But before you get all bent out of shape, they have not come up with anyone and I would never let them do anything until I talked to you."
"I wish you would just leave well enough alone, Han," Luke said, running a hand through his hair. "But thanks for the thought."
"I'm sorry," Han asked, realizing that Luke would probably not put up a fight about being set up, but there was no way he would be happy about it. He knew he would not be able to change his mind so he decided to change the subject a little. "Do you think that's what Mara was upset about?"
"No," Luke said automatically, and then stopped as if to think about it. "I have no idea. Even if it is about you setting me up, so what. I mean if I went out with someone, nothing would happen. All we would do is have dinner and maybe dance a little. And even if something did happen, I don't have to answer to her." Luke was getting upset and Han had to try hard to keep the smirk off his face.
"Hey," Han said, stopping Luke as he took a deep breath probably preparing to continue his ranting. "I am on your side, remember?" He was really riled up for not caring what Mara thinks, Han thought. I wonder if maybe he does have a thing for Mara. Well, good for him. He needs a little zest in his life... It is definitely something I need to look into.
----
Luke was sitting at a table in a small caf?ust outside the palace later that afternoon. He had a million and one things to do, but he had agreed to meet Wedge. His friend had been back on the planet for about three days and had called everyday to ask if he had any free time before finally saying it was important that they get together. Luke had decided that the best way to fit in time to see his old friend was to meet him for lunch, and Wedge had been pleased with that.
It was not often that the two friends had time to spend together. When they were younger, when Luke had first joined the rebellion, they were always together. When someone thought of them, they were almost thought of as a single person. So much had happened to the two of them over the years though. So much that they were bound to have grown apart. It was like that with almost everyone in Luke's life. He could make a friend, which was the easy part. Then his choices in life forced him to grow apart from those friends. Luke decided that it was time he changed all that. Therefore, he had made time to meet with one of his dearest friends.
"Everything okay, Luke?" Wedge asked. Luke looked up just in time to see Wedge walking up to the table.
"Hey Wedge," Luke said, returning the greeting. "Everything's fine. My mind was just on something else."
"Yeah, I understand," his friend said, taking the seat across from him. "I know that you are very busy. Glad you could make the time to see me."
"I always have time for my friends," Luke said, but stopped when he noticed Wedge smile. "At least, I do now," Luke corrected. I've really missed this guy, Luke realized. "So, what has been going on with you these days?"
Wedge sat back smugly and merely smiled. Luke was watching and he knew right then something was up. It would have been a simple matter to find out for himself what his friend was up to but he had decided long ago he would never do that. These were his friends and he would not invade in such a way.
"What's that smile for?" Luke asked, knowing there were ways, other then using the Force, to get the information he wanted. "The last time you smiled this much you were up to something. What is going on?"
"Nothing," Wedge said. "I am a happily married man. I am not aloud to get into any more trouble remember. I remember those days, being free. That's one thing I miss, Luke. Being only loved from afar. There are less problems that way."
Luke rolled his eyes. Of all the stupid... "Don't give me that," he scolded. "I hate this, being alone." It was the truth. He hated to go home at night to an empty apartment. It was why he stayed busy all day, even when he was on vacation. If he did enough then he would be so tired when he got home that he wouldn't have the energy to worry about being alone. "However, you are right about one thing. There are fewer problems this way. But when have you ever known me to not be knee deep in one problem or another?"
"Good point," Wedge said, masking his smile by taking a sip of his water. "Hmm... Well, I have a problem for you," he told Luke. Wedge looked at him, the mischief dancing across his features. "If you have the time this week, that is. We are nearing the end of this year's training session, and all of these pilots are getting a bit cocky. Would you be interested in helping me take them down a notch?"
"What would I have to do?" Luke inquired. He leaned closer, interest knifing through his sullen mood.
Wedge's smile began to match Luke's own. "I would like for you and I to team up and see how those guys hold up. It would be like old times, Luke. Well, except, that no one will really be trying to kill us."
"I get enough of that as it is." Luke listened as Wedge mapped out the details. They both grew more excited about the plan, knowing they could pull it off and no one, not even the pilots that Luke already knew, would know what hit them until it was too late.
"So?" Wedge asked. He was leaning on the table, the idea of even ordering lunch completely forgotten.
"Um...let me think," Luke taunted. He knew right away he would say yes, but it was fun to tease his friend a bit. He finally smiled. "I'd love to. When?"
"Whenever you're free," Wedge told him. He sat back in his chair, his smile never fading. "We run trials everyday."
Luke felt Wedge's shock as he checked the time then looked around the caf?He had been acting slightly odd since he sat down. Nothing obvious, but Luke was picking up strange flickers of feelings from him, feelings that fluttered past too fast for him to identify.
"Wedge, what is it?" he asked, wondering if he should be worried.
"What do you mean?" Wedge was able to pull off a confused look, but Luke saw right through it. This man was hiding something from him.
"Why are you smiling so much?" Luke asked. He made no attempt to hide the smile he felt spreading across his face. "You're are up to something, what is it?"
"Okay look," Wedge said, sighing in defeat. "There's someone coming that wants to see you. He's just not here yet."
"Who?"
"I can't tell you," he looked around once again, returning his gaze to the table a few moments later. "He should've been here already."
Just then, Luke felt it, a very distinctive disturbance in the Force. However, light enough to know that she had not noticed him. He made himself as small as he could in the Force and looked around. Spotting her across the restaurant, he watched as Mara Jade sat down at a table across from Lando Calrissian. There was a flash of anger that was gone before he had fully comprehended that it was there. He began to wonder why it had been there in the first place. He wasn't angry about the argument they had had earlier that day. The two of them had them often enough that he did not stay upset for long. He wondered if it was more to do with the fact that she was with Lando. This subject always seemed to rub him the wrong way. Was he jealous? Why should he be jealous? They were both his friends.
"Everything okay, Luke?" Wedge asked, glancing back to see what had grabbed Luke's attention. "Since when is Lando seeing Mara Jade?" he mumbled.
Luke barely registered what Wedge was saying. From where he was sitting he could see the back of Mara's head. He was watching when Lando scooted his chair closer to his female companion. Sighing, he pulled himself back to his present company.
"I'm sorry Wedge," Luke apologized. He shook his head trying to clear away the lingering anger. "What did you say?"
"Oh," Wedge exclaimed softly. " I was just wondering how long Lando and Mara had been seeing each other."
"I'm not sure." He tried to sound indifferent, but he wasn't sure if he had pulled it off. "I have been hearing about it for about a month, but neither of them has said anything to me."
"I wouldn't either, if I were them," Wedge mumbled, he looked up quickly and grinned.
"What do you mean by that?" Luke asked.
"Oh, come on, Luke," Wedge pleaded. He sat a little straighter in his chair and straightened his shirt. "Alright, as a friend, I feel that it is time that someone talked to you about this. Why are you still denying that you...like Mara?"
"Of course I like her," Luke said, wondering where Wedge was going with this. "She's my friend."
"That's not what I meant and you know it." It suddenly dawned on Luke just what Wedge was getting at.
"What is it this month with people thinking that I have a thing for Mara," he exclaimed. "That would be like having a death wish." He rested his elbows on the table, rubbing the back of his neck with his left hand. "I'm eccentric, not suicidal."
"If you say so, Luke. Just calm down," Wedge said, his hand going out as if he was going to touch him, but never reaching its destination. "I was just wondering."
Luke sighed and sat back eyeing his friend. It was not a subject he felt like discussing at the moment. "You're changing the subject," he accused. "Who wants to see me? Who is it?"
"A friend of ours," Wedge explained. "Corran and I stumbled across him a few days ago."
"That doesn't tell me much. Who is it?" he pleaded. He was growing tired of the little game, but it did not seem like he was making any progress. He was about to ask again when his communicator beeped. He dug it out of his pocket and he thumbed it on.
"Skywalker."
"Oh thank the maker Master Luke," a prissy droid voice replied.
"What is it Threepio?" Luke asked, glad that Threepio could not see him roll his eyes.
"It's terrible," the droid exclaimed. "The Ambassador showed up early for your meeting and asked when you would be here. I was so worried that I would not be able to contact you. It would be disastrous to keep the Ambassador waiting."
"Well then everything is fine," Luke said, smiling at the tone Threepio was using. "You found me. Tell the Ambassador that I will be there in a few minutes. In the meantime, offer him some refreshments."
"Very good idea, Master Luke." Luke shut down the communicator, cutting off whatever the droid was going to say next. He normally tried to be nice to the droid but today he was not in the mood. He tucked the communicator away and regarded his friend. "Looks like duty calls."
"Always busy," Wedge chided.
"That's me."
"You going to be home this evening?" Wedge asked.
"I should be," Luke said. As far as he knew there was nothing going on. "Just stop by. Or find me tomorrow."
"I'll try and get over there tonight." Luke stood and shook hands with his friend. Turning he left the restaurant. Throwing one last look at Mara as he passed. She didn't seem to have noticed him.
-----
Mara was sitting on her couch, the raging storm outside responsible for waking her up. She was irritable. It had taken her an unusual amount of time to fall asleep as it was. It had been a bad day all around and all she wanted to do was sleep until the memories faded. If it wasn't bad enough that Skywalker had upset her with his naivet?but later, when she had been having a meeting with Lando, she had spotted Skywalker talking with Wedge Antilles.
She knew she had upset him by walking out during their argument but no more then any other time. She got the feeling when she saw Luke at the restaurant that he had been hiding from her. He had to have realized that she was there. Normally, he could tell when she was on the same planet so it should have been easy for him to tell she was in the same room.
However, he never reached out to her. Not enough to talk to her anyway. She was still able to get wisps of emotion coming from him and was able to tell that whatever Antilles had said to him had made him very uncomfortable. It was something she had wanted to talk to him about, but he left without saying hello.
That's what bothered her, but then, many things about Skywalker bothered her. Like why he was filling her mind tonight and would not let her fall back to sleep. She could sense that his mood was morose. He had been that way all day, it seemed. She scolded herself in annoyance. Why can't he keep his feelings to himself?
Feeling more irritable, she picked up the book she was reading, determined to get that Jedi out of her mind when suddenly all the lights went out.
"Wonderful," she sighed.
She walked into the kitchen to retrieve her candles. After rummaging around she found something to light them with, and returned to her chair. As Mara sat down, she heard a crash right before a gust of air blew the candles out. She grabbed her blaster and went to investigate. It did not take her long to figure out that a tree, from the garden on the top of the tower just outside, had crashed through her window.
"Just wonderful." Here it was the middle of the night, the power was out, and it was pouring down rain. She needed a place to stay, her apartment would no longer suffice. She dreaded the thought of sleeping on the Jade's Fire. No matter what she did to that ship, there was nothing that made it comfortable. Deciding that she might as well go to a hotel, she packed an overnight bag and left the apartment. Remembering to leave a message for maintenance to come and fix her window.
----
Walking down the hallway she listed the things she needed to do. First, she needed to get some currency. She boarded the elevator, pushing the button for three floors down. She chided herself as she stepped back out. Those things need power to move. Locating the nearest door, she entered the dark stairwell. Pulling her lightsaber from his place on her belt, she ignited it and proceeded down the stairs.
Stepping out of the stairwell on the correct floor, she looked around and swore. The power was out in this part of the building also, meaning the currency machine would not be working. Well of course it's not, she thought to herself. If the power is out in my apartment, why should it be working here? And without power how can this thing work? What am I going to do now?
As much as she hated to admit it to herself, she knew there was only one other place she wanted to go. Knowing it was the fastest way to get him out of her mind, she made her way to Luke's suite.
Chapter 4
It took Mara almost an hour to cover the distance from her apartment to Luke's. She had to pull out her lightsaber at times to light her way when she came to halls that had no emergency lighting. The lightsaber was not her first choice for a light source, but she had not thought to grab a glow rod. She kept her guard up through out the walk but there was never a reason, she had not met a single person the entire time. She emerged from yet another stairwell to arrive on Luke's floor, which looked like every other floor she had been on. She had made it, and the walk had done a lot to calm her mood.
As Mara approached the Jedi Master's door it opened of it's own accord. She rolled her eyes and walked in, noting Skywalker's mood had not changed. The inside of his apartment was eerie in the dark. The candles he had lit were throwing strange shadows on the walls and ceiling. Mara found herself wondering what the place looked like in the light, realizing that, though she had been in the hallway may times, she had never been inside. That was something she had never realized. Luke was one of her best friends, yet she had never been inside his home.
Over by the fireplace she noticed he had hung the two pictures of Tatooine he had recently purchased. He had done a nice job of placing them. The fire was casting it's shadows on the mysterious paintings, and by their angle to the windows, she was sure the sun would do the same.
"Ok, enough of your mysterious Jedi junk," she said, addressing the shadow standing by the window. "You know I don't buy it. Come over here and talk to me." She grabbed a cushion off the sofa and sat on the floor.
With a sigh, Luke moved away from the window, slowly closing the distance between the window and the sofa.
"What if I like that Jedi junk?" he asked, his voice low.
"Well I don't," she told him. She was not really irritated at him anymore but he did not need to know that. His attitude at times could really get on her nerves, so her behavior was nothing new. "And I'm the guest," she continued. "So play the good host."
"You've got me there," Luke stated, as he grabbed another cushion and sat down beside her. "I take it we're still friends?"
Mara smiled. That was the typical Skywalker. "For now." She was rewarded for her efforts when Luke turned towards her and smiled.
"I'm glad," he said. He shifted position and settled back against the sofa. He was resting comfortably but she could see he was not well. She worried about him so much, but it had been a long time since she had sat down and really talked to him. It was time to change that. "So what brings you here?" He asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"A tree," she simply stated.
"Well, thank that tree the next time you talk to him," he kidded. "It was a nice surprise." He laughed a little and Mara knew that he did not do that often anymore. She was seeing the real Luke, someone that he needed to show more often, if he did it was possible he would be happy more often then he was. She considered his comment and knew that she could not let him get away with it. He was rewarded for his comment with a swat to the head. She didn't know what possessed her to do it, but it felt good.
"Funny," she said, trying to hide her amusement. "A tree busted out my window and it's raining in my apartment. I was hoping yours was a little dryer. I was also looking forward to a bit more illumination."
"Dry I can handle," he said, looking around regrettably. "But it looks like the lights are out in most of the city."
"Seems that way. Once I got close to your apartment I realized there was no power here either. I was hoping at least part of the building would have lights. You would think with all the technology, they could keep the power going, even during a storm. Do you mind if I hang around here a while. Maybe the rain will lighten up."
"Sure," he said. "It'll be nice to have some company. Would you like something to drink?"
"Awe, such a good host," she kidded. "Do you have anything with a kick? It's been a rough day."
"Mara, I don't drink. I thought you knew that."
"Oh, I know,' she said, even though she had never thought about it before. So the Jedi doesn't drink, interesting. "I just figured with that brother-in-law of yours, that you'd have something stashed away."
"I might be able to dig something up," he said, standing up. He looked back down at her, his features serious. "But I warn you, you drink and you're staying here tonight."
Mara started laughing, there was nothing she could do about it. "I have to admit that's the most straight forward line I've heard out of your mouth."
Luke first looked around confused, and then inhaled with a sharp intake of breath while turning five shades of red. "That is not what I meant," he shouted, crossing his arms over his chest with a huff. "Are you going to purposely twist everything I say tonight?"
"Of course," she told him. Sometimes she forgot just how fun it was to tease him. His reactions were always so amusing. "I'm just trying to have a little fun," she explained, realizing he was really upset. She stood up, coming face to face with him. "Cheer up!" she exclaimed, unwilling to control her frustrations with this man. "You're as gloomy as this storm."
"Then why'd you come here?" He asked, frowning.
"To cheer you up," she said before dropping back on the cushion. "Really Luke, you have been depressed for days now. I thought you were on vacation."
"I am," he told her.
"Most people enjoy their vacations."
"I'm fine," he insisted
"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice softening considerably. Something was bothering him, well something was always bothering him, but he was not dealing with this one very well. Maybe a nice evening was just what he needed.
"Yes," he insisted. However, she knew better. On the outside he may look fine but he was not happy. At times you could find him laughing, but it was becoming more and more infrequent. They stood there, neither willing to break the silence. Finally Mara could not take it anymore.
"You said you were going to get me a drink," she reminded him. "Or did you forget?"
"No, I didn't forget." Luke took a candle from the table and headed for the kitchen.
Mara settled into her seat once again. There had to be something she could do. His pessimism was getting out of control. Part of her mind demanded to know why she was even bothering but she knew without a doubt that if the tables were turned he would be snipping at her heals until he was satisfied that she was feeling better. She quieted her thoughts as he returned to the living area, carrying with him two glasses and a large bottle of Corellian Brandy. He placed everything carefully down on the table in front of her.
"I thought you said you didn't drink," Mara said, eyeing the second glass then looking up at him questionably.
"I thought you asked me to play the good host," he countered, a slight smirk dusting his lips. "Wouldn't it be bad manners if I didn't share a drink with you?"
"You're learning," she admitted, proud that she got at least that much of a reaction out of him. An idea came to her, she now knew of a way she might get him to loosen up a bit. She smiled to herself as he filled both the glasses and sat back down next to her. She reached over, taking one of the drinks. It took everything she had not to choke when she took the first drink. It was a lot stronger than she expected. Mara looked at him and smiled, hoping to hide the fact that her eyes where starting to water. "Don't tell me you picked this out," she asked, glaring at the offending fluid.
"No," Luke said, taking a careful sip. "Han brought it over. He says it's his hold out stash. He likes to hide out over here when he and Leia are fighting."
"It doesn't bother you?" Mara asked, taken aback with the new information. "That people are in your place when you're not here?"
"Not really," Luke told her. He shrugged his shoulders, and shook his head. "I'm hardly ever here. Personally, I don't understand why they keep this place for me. I'm no longer part of the government, or anything dealing with it."
"But the Academy...." She started to point out, but he cut her off.
"The Academy is like any other member of the New Republic. We get aid from them, but we are not theirs. It was my way to ensure that the Council did not turn the Knights into their personal army. When they need our help, they have to ask, and we have the option of saying no." It was an interesting idea, one that she had never really thought about.
"So, when the requests come in," she said. "Do they ask for any Jedi and you just take them all yourself or do they request you personally?"
"Some are general requests, but most requests are to me," he said with a sigh, taking another sip of his drink. "It gets annoying at times. I mean, I don't understand why they always need me personally when there are so many others to help."
"I would think that your sister is a big part of that," Mara said, also trying her drink again, only this time as a much smaller mouthful. "When they see her, they think of you and all that you have done for them." She paused, trying to see things from his point of view. "They should realize that you, like the Jedi in general, are not at their disposal." She smiled, looking around again. Even from her limited view of the apartment because of the lack of lights, his apartment was much nicer than hers. "However, as long as you keep taking on jobs, you'll never want for anything."
"I don't have as much as you might think," Luke told her, looking around the spacious room also. "The Academy's budget covers only the necessities, and this place is something Leia set up for me. I don't pay for it."
"Must be nice to have family in such a high position," Mara chided. "But don't you get paid for the work you do for the NR?"
"Not since I declined my commission."
"What about before that?" she asked. He was full of information she was never aware of. She wondered briefly if she never knew because she never took the time to really talk to Luke before.
"I didn't get paid that much then either," Luke said with a small laugh. "We were at war and there weren't many credits to go around. But I did manage to save up some of it. I get by."
"After all you have done, the NR government can't even take care of one of their favorite heroes," Mara complained. He probably doesn't think he should be getting any more than what he has. And of course the government would do nothing to convince him of anything different.
"It's not that important, Mara," Luke assured her. "My uncle used to say that money was the root of all evils."
"Yeah," she said, smiling. "And I always say that lack of money is the cause of most problems."
"You have a fascinating outlook on life, Mara," he said.
"Thank you, I think." She went to take another swallow of her drink, but the glass was empty. They had been steadily drinking while they were talking but she had not realized she had consumed so much already. She reached over and took hold of the bottle. Carefully she refilled her glass then gestured to Luke's empty glass "You want some more?"
"No, I don't think I should," Luke said, glancing down at his glass.
"Come on Luke, one more," she taunted. "I promise not to tell anyone that the Jedi Master took the night off to entertain a friend."
"Well, since you put it that way," he said offering her the glass. "How can I refuse?" She gladly refilled his drink. This might turn out to be an interesting evening after all.

Luke sat watching Mara as she refilled his glass. He knew he should not drink anymore of the strong liquor. He could already feel the warm feeling starting to spread through his system. However, he didn't think Mara would care too much to be dinking alone. She had come by for company and he knew he could use it too.
"So, I noticed that you had lunch with Antilles today," she said as she sat the bottle back on the table. "That must have been a nice change. I know you don't get to see him as much as you would like."
Luke was unable to meet her eyes, instead he swallowed some more of the burning liquid. He had not realized she had known he was there. He had been so intent on leaving and also thinking she was still mad, he had not thought stopping to say hello had been the healthiest of ideas. That and with the insinuation that Wedge had made still fresh in his mind, he was afraid he might say something he would have regretted later, especially with Lando sitting there. "You noticed," he mumbled when he realized she expected him to say something.
"Yes I did," she said sounding a bit offended. "What did he say to you? You were screaming so loud in the Force that I couldn't help but notice."
Luke took a few moments to gaze at the woman in front of him. She was looking away for the moment, reaching over and picking up her glass off the table. He watched as she set the glass softly to her lips, taking a small sip of its contents. For the first time he really thought about what Wedge had said to him. Did he really have feelings for this woman? Could they really take their hard-earned friendship to that level? Who am I kidding? He scolded himself. This is Mara Jade, not some debutant at one of Leia's functions. What makes you believe she would even stand still long enough to listen to an idea like that.
"Nothing important," Luke told her, deciding to not let Mara know what was running through his head. She might react physically and he preferred to keep that important part of his body intact. "Wedge just made some remarks about my sex life, or lack there of."
"Oh," Mara said, sounding genuinely surprised. "I'm sure he is right."
"How can you take his side?" Luke asked. Then he realized that he was opening up another subject he had no desire to discuss with the woman sitting next to him. "Never mind," he told her. He took a drink and shook his head at his sudden lack of attention. He was normally better able to watch what he said around people as to stay out of territory he didn't want to talk about. "I don't want to know."
"You really need to take care of that," she said.
"What?" he asked, wondering if he had missed her changing the subject.
"You sex life, or lack there of as you put it. You know, it says something about a guy when your friends start telling you that you need to get a woman."
"Mara," he cried. He wondered how red his cheeks were getting this time. He had never had anyone but Han talk so bluntly about such personal subjects and he avoided those conversations as much as he could. He couldn't face having to discuss it with Mara also.
"No, I mean it," she insisted. "There's no reason for you to close yourself up like you do. Antilles had the right idea bringing it up to you. Someone needed to."
"Great," Luke declared, throwing his free hand up in defeat. "Now I've gotten you started too. What you all fail to realize is that I'm a grown man that can take care of himself."
"I bet you can!" Mara shouted then fell into a bit of hysterical laughter. "Are you good at it?" She forced out, unable to control herself.
"Mara, stop," Luke warned. He wanted to laugh, just for the fact that she was. It was an amusing sight to see her so jubilant, but he knew if he did she would never drop the subject.
"Ok, I'm sorry. That was wrong," she said, gulping down the last of the brown liquid from her glass, forcing herself to calm down. "Seriously, though, everyone of your friends knows that you want a family. How can you even think of having one if you don't let yourself get close to anyone?"
"I've decided that it's not meant to be," he said. He had been thinking it, more and more as the months went by but it hurt to finally admit it out loud. "Every person I get close to has something terrible happen to her, or even worse...she dies. I'm like a curse."
Mara shrugged, her expression and feelings she generated through the Force confirming what Luke already thought. She was not convinced.
"I'm close to you," she said. "Nothing has happened to me."
"Mara," Luke chuckled. "You've had so much happen to you over the years you wouldn't know something bad if it slapped you in the face."
"Okay I deserved that," she said taking another big swallow of her drink. "But do you mind explaining that one to me?"
"Oh...," Luke said, taken aback by the fact that he wasn't being clear. "It's just that so much has happened to you, things everyone else thinks of as bad, you brush off as a minor annoyance."
"I guess that's true," she admitted. She reached over and refilled both their glasses again. He accepted the drink, taking a big swig.
"So, does that also include relationships?" he asked, then almost choked when he realized what he had just asked her.
"Huh?" she asked, frowning when she turned to look at him.
"Do you deal with relationships as just another minor annoyance?" he asked again. He figured as long as he was opening up to her, she could share a little information with him.
"What are you getting at?" she asked. She wasn't angry, she was confused.
"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. "I'll get straight to the point. What, if anything, is going on between you and Lando?"
Mara, who had her glass to her lips, spit the liquid out of her mouth with a sputter, and then her noise turned up in disgust. "Me and Lando? May someone shoot me dead if my standards ever fall that low."
"Really?" Luke asked. He took another swallow to try and cover up his reaction to her answer.
"Is it just me or do you sound relieved?"
"Me? Maybe." He smirked, knowing there was no reason to hide what he was feeling at that moment. He could wear himself out with the effort of keeping it from her and she would still be able to pick up on it.
"Why?"
"Why?" he repeated. Thinking fast he came up with a suitable answer. "I'm just worried about Lando's life. Wouldn't want you to kill him when he made you mad." There was some truth to that statement, enough to satisfy Mara.
He took another sip from the glass and marveled at the fact that it no longer tasted bad. Recognizing this information as a blessing, he drank a little more. He looked over when he realized that Mara had grown quiet. Luke decided to change the subject and break the uncomfortable silence that fell over the room.
"I know you're on the list to Han and Leia's party. Are you coming?"
It was Mara's turn to look uncomfortable. She shifted in her seat then laid her head against the sofa. "Well, no. I turned down the invitation," she said, turning her head to look at him. "I don't feel like hanging out with a bunch of people that only marginally like me."
"It wouldn't be like that," Luke told her. He could not figure out why she would ever think that. He knew if she did not show up, there would be plenty of people wondering where she was. "There will be plenty of people there who like you."
"Who?" she challenged.
"Me for one," he said, and then hurried on when she smiled. "Han, Lando, Corran."
"It doesn't matter, Luke," she said. "I already turned it down."
"So."
"Forget it Skywalker." She sat up and drained her glass, then started to refill it. "Hey, you have anything more to drink? Seems we've finished this bottle."
Luke looked from his glass to the bottle. A smile spread across his face and a laugh erupted from his lips. "Oops," he said, his hand going to his mouth. "How do I explain this to Han? I don't drink remember?"
"For someone that doesn't, you sure consumed an awful lot."
Luke caught Mara's amused look out of the corner of his eye and started laughing. It was an uncontrollable laugh, one that was extremely contagious. Before long Mara was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. Unexpectedly, her laughing stopped and she sat upright.
"Uh-oh ..." she mumbled.
Luke sat up too. Looking around he exaggerated suspicion. "What is it?" he whispered.
"Um...Han is not Jedi right?" she queried.
"No," Luke said, giggling. I don't giggle, Luke thought. He shrugged his shoulders. I guess I do now. "Why?" he asked in response to her outrageous question.
"Then how did he know to come down here?"
"Huh?" He reached out until he located his brother-in-law's presence, and was shocked to find that Mara was right. Han was almost to the door.
"He's almost here," Mara said, leaning over and whispering in his ear. Her breath on his ear sent shivers down his spine. He rubbed his arm to try to alleviate the goosebumps that had popped up there.
"Uh-oh," Luke said, repeating Mara's earlier reaction. "Hmm...Guess I should let him in."
"Probably should," Mara agreed.
Luke stood on shaky legs. The floor seemed to be rushing up to meet him so he grabbed the arm of the sofa for support. Setting himself upright once again, he moved slowly to the door. When he thought he would surely make it there without making a spectacle of himself he felt his body once again tumbling. This time he was able to brace himself against a wall until the room stopped spinning. He heard laughing and noticed Mara's head peaking around the end of the sofa.
"Shhhh..." he told her. An idea occurred to him and he quickly turned to look at Mara. He must have turned too quickly because he found himself stumbling again. He reached for the wall and realized he was still leaned up against it. "Do something with the bottle," he whispered. "I'm going to see if I can get us out of this."
He watched as Mara looked around for a place to hide the evidence. She lifted a cushion and stuffed it under then sat on top of it, giggling when she felt it crack. "Sorry."
-----
Han grumbled as he walked down the hall to his brother-in-laws residence. He'd allowed Leia to talk him into coming down here in the middle of the night because she had a feeling that something was wrong with her brother. He had argued that if there were something wrong, Luke would have called but that did nothing to satisfy her, deciding that the only way to get her to calm down would be go to take a look.
As he approached the door, he heard the distinct sound of laughter. Stopping to listen he was shocked to recognize it as Luke's. It was immediately followed by a woman's laughter. Luke was with someone, Han realized. Now he really did not want to go in there but before he could turn and leave the door opened and Luke glanced out.
"Hey kid," Han said, taking the last few steps separating him from the door. "Everything alright?"
"Everything's fine Han. Care to come in?" Luke stepped back to give him room to enter, bumping into something solid as he did. He glanced at the offending wall like it shouldn't have been there, all the while like he was trying not to laugh. A good look on him, Han thought. When was the last time that he had seen the kid this happy?
Curiosity won out and Han looked around the room. He wanted to see who had made Luke so cheerful. His jaw nearly hit the floor at what he saw. Mara was sitting on the sofa with a guilty grin on her face. The room was lit only with candles and two pillows lay on the floor, where the two had obviously been sitting. Two glasses sat on the table in front of them. It was a perfect romantic setting. The thought repeated itself. Romantic? Mara and Luke were being romantic?
"Hey Solo. What brings you by?" Mara asked, from her spot on the sofa.
"I needed to speak with Luke," Han managed to get out. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
"I bet you didn't," Mara exclaimed and started laughing, her hand going to her mouth. "There's nothing to interrupt."
She's hiding something, Han thought. They both are.
"You're right, Han," Luke whispered, trying to keep a straight face and only marginally succeeding. "We are hiding something. There's something Mara and I need to tell you."
"Alright, what is it?" If this is what I think it is, I don't want to be the one to tell Leia.
"That you're sick!" Mara yelled, throwing her head back and laughing again. Luke started laughing too. He had to grab the back of the sofa for support. "Why would you think that you interrupted anything intimate between the two of us?"
"Oh...Well..." Han stammered, he had instantly started feeling very uncomfortable. "Never mind," he said, giving up any hope of saving his dignity. "So what were you guys doing then?"
"Talking." Han looked at his brother-in-law when he spoke. There was something funny going on here. He could almost put his finger one it, then it clicked.
"You two are drunk," he announced.
"We are?" Luke asked in mock surprise. "That's what this is?"
Mara couldn't take it anymore and started laughing once again. He had never seen her in such a mood. She was laughing so hard she rolled off the sofa onto the floor. A loud crunching sound filled the room. Han ran around the sofa followed closely by Luke, but Mara was still laughing.
"Are you ok?" Luke asked.
"Course!" Mara shouted then slapped her hand over her mouth. She turned sheepish eyes towards the sofa. "Oh, that wasn't me," she explained. She turned those same sheepish eyes on Luke. "Sorry about your sofa."
"Huh?"
"Look under the cushion," she instructed, lowering her eyes.
Luke picked up the cushion and saw the pile of broken glass. He turned to look at Han, his expression matching Mara's "Oh, Han I owe you a bottle."
Han started laughing, relief flooding through his body. All that worrying and Luke had just finally let lose and had a bit of fun. Leia needs to lighten up when it came to her brother.
"So did Leia send you here?" Luke asked.
"Who else," Han sent back. "She was doing some work at home, felt something not right with you and asked me to come down."
"Hmmm...," Luke said, rubbing his chin. "Guess I should call her and tell her I'm fine."
"You want her to know you were drinking?" Mara asked, her face trying to hold a serious look. "She'll have a fit."
"I don't plan to tell her," Luke said, his back straightening with pride.
"Just like you didn't plan to tell Han, right?" Mara chided.
"Alright," he said, his smugness slipping away. "Maybe I'm a bit more drunk then I thought."
"Want me to help you?" Mara offered.
"Sure," Luke said, moving to the com with a bounce to his step. "Come on. Two heads are better than one."
Han rolled his eyes. I hope Leia is still in a good mood. This might get messy.
----
Luke fell into the chair in front of the com. Squinting, trying to keep the keys in focus, he punched in the number. A beeping sound indicated he had done something wrong. He studied the keys and tried again. Two more tries later he finally got through.
The screen slowly started to morph into the face of his sister, and he covered his mouth to stop the laugh. However, there was nothing he could do to prevent the involuntary jump back that overtook him. He could no longer hold back so he started to laugh. He took a deep breath and was able to get himself back under control. Did this thing always make her look this big? Luke thought.
You had better never let her hear you say that, Mara sent back at him. He elbowed her in the side to keep her quiet.
Stay out of my head. "Hello Leia," he said. His voice was a bit loud and Mara started giggling. "Han said you were worried about me," Luke said, trying to ignore her. "I thought I would let you know that everything was fine."
"Are you sure Luke?" she asked, her delicate features displaying her worry. "You seem a bit...clouded."
If she only knew, Mara sent him. His only reaction was a slight glance in her direction.
"No Leia," Luke said, shaking his head, causing his vision to blur. "There's nothing wrong. I'm not sure what you feel. I have company over right now. We were talking, waiting for the storm to end."
"Oh, hi Mara," Leia greeted when Mara pushed her way into the viewing area.
"We're waiting for the storm to end," Mara repeated like a child caught doing something she knew she shouldn't. "It's raining in my place and I have no where to go."
"We were thinking that when the rain lets up, we would go find her a place to stay. Some place that would let her pay the bill when the power comes back on. So don't you worry dear sister, everything is fine. I'm fine."
You forgot to add 'just drunk,' Mara whispered in his head.
"Stay out of my head, Mara," he whined, glancing again at the woman sitting with him in the chair. "There's no room for you." Luke suddenly smiled, turning his attention back to the screen. "Leia, you should come down. It would be a shame to waste such a wonderful night."
"I wish I could," Leia said, her voice sounding regretful. "But I have a lot of work to get done tonight." She paused, looking from Mara to Luke. "Well, as long as you are okay, then I'm happy, Luke. Is Han still there? Can I talk to him?"
"Sure," Luke agreed. He pushed at Mara to encourage her to get up. Losing her balance, she slipped off the chair and landed on the floor. Luke started laughing again but managed to stand with no mishaps.
"Hey Leia," Luke said, sounding like a whiny five-year-old. "Can Han stay out and play?" He continued laughing as he stumbled away from the screen. Han took his place a moment later.
"Hi, Hun," Han said, quietly. He knew her reaction to this could span a great scope.
"Tell me, Han," she said with a sigh. "How much did they drink?"
"They finished that bottle of brandy that we picked up last month," he clarified.
"Between the two of them?" she asked.
"Looks that way." Drinking the whole bottle was tough on the most experienced of drinkers. For two of the more inexperienced ones to have finished off the bottle and were still able to stand, mostly, was nothing less then impressive. "What do you want me to do," Han asked. "Send them to bed and tell them they're grounded?"
"Of course not," Leia assured him. "Just stay with them, please. They're talking about leaving the room; don't let them. But don't spoil their good time either."
"Me? When have you ever known me to spoil a good time?" Han asked, sporting another sly grin.
"It's been a long time since I've seen Luke this relaxed," Leia continued. "It's a shame I can't come down and join you guys."
"It would be nice if you could," Han said. He was not very often he could get his wife to put the work aside and just relax. This was just another reason to believe it was time to change that.
"Have fun Han."
"I love you," he told her, smiling.
"I love you, too." The com went blank so he turned to see what Luke and Mara had been up to. They were standing behind him, side by side for support and simply watching him.
"Awwwwww," they both cooed. Then turned in sync and walked back into the living room. Han followed them with a happy sigh, wondering what the two of them were up to. Mara and Luke had taken their seats on the floor so Han followed suit. On the table he saw a fresh bottle of brandy. One he had stashed a while back and had forgotten about. It was going to be an interesting night for sure.
Chapter 5
It was later that same night that Han found himself cleaning up a nasty spill on Luke's floor. They had been steadily finishing off the second bottle of alcohol and he now found his mind more than a little clouded. Mara unexpectedly jumped up and ran down the hallway. He was interested to see Luke watch her until she closed the door to his room. Looking over again Han noticed Luke looking at him.
"I guess she drank one too many," Han said. He felt a deluded sense of fear when Luke got up and slowly approached his room.
"Leave me alone Skywalker!" Han heard Mara shout before Luke had even started to reach out and open the door. "I don't need your help!" Han was amazed to see that Luke was coherent enough to know how to take the hint. He returned slowly to the couch.
"I guess she did," Luke said, sounding dejected as he sat down.
"You alright, kid?" Han asked. It never failed to amaze him that Luke still managed to get dismayed with the way Mara acted towards him.
Luke sat back on the couch and ran his hands through his hair. "I can't remember the last time I even drank," he admitted. "How in the world did I let myself drink so much?"
"Don't worry about it Luke," Han assured him. "There was no harm done. You're having a good time right?"
"Yes," Luke said, turning his head and smiling. "This is nice."
"So don't worry about it," Han suggested. Luke seemed to consider it then looked down the hall to his room again.
"She's been in there for a long time," Luke noted. "Think she's alright?"
"I'm sure she's fine, Luke."
"I'm going to go check on her again," Luke said, unsteadily getting to his feet.
"She's just going to yell at you again," Han warned. "You might as well leave her alone. An embarrassed Mara is not a good person to be bothering."
"I'm just worried, that's all," Luke reiterated.
Han watched as Luke retraced his steps and walked quietly into his room. A minute passed and nothing happened. He had expected to hear Mara yell again and Luke either yell back or come back out of the room. When a few more minutes passed with no other activity from that part of the apartment, Han decided it was time to see what was going on.
Han slowly approached the door, which Luke had left open. Looking inside, he could make out Mara curled up on Luke's bed, sound asleep. Frowning, he took another step inside he finally spotted Luke sitting on the edge of the bed. He was just gazing at her. Not saying or doing anything, just watching her. When Luke finally did move it was to reach over and brush a curl off her forehead. He sighed as he pulled the blanket to cover her then stood up. It wasn't until then that he spotted Han.
"She's beautiful," Luke whispered, looking back at Mara.
"Yes she is," Han agreed. He smirked at the idea that popped into his head. "You love her, don't you?" He had no idea what made him ask that question, but he was interested in the answer nonetheless.
Luke glanced back at Mara before answering. "I do." His voice was so low that Han had trouble hearing him, but he knew what he said.
I KNEW IT! Han thought to himself as he followed Luke back into the living room. He was going to press further when Luke suddenly sighed again and dropped himself on the couch, stretching his legs across the cushions.
"You know it's funny," Luke said. He was lying on his back with his hands clasped lightly across his stomach.
"What's that?" Han asked.
"That you're the only person I can tell that to." He closed his eyes, his breathing slowing. "I've never even admitted it to myself."
"You know what else is funny?"
"What's that?" Luke asked, his eyes still closed.
"We probably won't remember this tomorrow," Han kidded, though he knew there was truth to that statement.
Luke began to laugh but had to stop when a yawn overtook him. With an abruptness Han would not have given him credit for, Luke sat up, grabbed his head and groaned.
"What's the matter," Han asked amused.
"I just remembered that I have a meeting with Wedge in the morning," he let himself fall back to the cushions. "I really hope he doesn't want me to fly that simulation tomorrow. I would have to say no."
"I would have to agree with you." Han laughed as he walked into the kitchen to get some water, hoping it would give Luke the chance to go to sleep. He was having fun but he also knew Leia and she would want him home soon. I really need to remember this conversation, he thought to himself. Luke finally admitted that he loved her. Maybe I should write it down. Han started laughing as he went looking for something to write with. When he gave up his search and went back into the living room, Luke was sound asleep. He covered him up and made his way home.
----
Leia was still busy at her desk when she heard the front door open. She padded softly down the carpeted hallway in her bare feet until she reached the living room. Han had just returned home and was trying to close the door.
"Shhh!" he demanded when he finally accomplished his goal. Leia smiled at his behavior and walked over to her husband. By the looks of him, she had missed one hell of a party.
"Leia," he slurred, wrapping his arms around her. "You should be asleep."
"I'm about done," she told him. She had to shift his weight to keep him from falling over. If he was this bad and joined the party half way through, she was afraid to see what shape her brother was in. "How's Luke?"
"Asleep," Han said, scratching his head. "Um...passed out. Mara took over his bed, so he crashed on the couch. They'll probably have a bad headache tomorrow."
"I have a feeling that you will too," she told him. She smiled when he shook his head.
"Huh?" he asked, confused. "Nah, not me. But I need to lie down. The spinning walls are starting to make me dizzy."
Leia laughed as she led her very intoxicated husband to their room. Not for the first time, she hated the fact that her job kept her from joining her family in yet another totally spontaneous night. It was time to change all that, she decided. She was beginning to like the idea of Han's party more every day.
-----

Luke woke up slowly, wondering where he was. He could tell right away he was not in his bed where he should have been. For one thing, it was too small and not nearly as comfortable. Shifting over to his back, he slowly opened his eyes. It was a more painful experience then it should have been. Once his eyes adjusted to the light he looked around. It was morning, he realized, the sun streaming through the windows was a good clue to that fact. Looking around some more, he was able to figure out that he was in his apartment and for some reason he was on his couch.
He closed his eyes, trying to remember what had happened to make him end up there. The memories from the night before rushed back and he sat up quickly. Ouch! He thought, grabbing his head. I think maybe I drank too much. He sat back hard against the couch and willed his stomach to settle down. He began to debate wither his head could take the pressure it would have to long enough for him to use to Force to help clean out his system. The sudden lurch of his stomach once again convinced him he was willing to take the chance.
He relaxed a little more and let the Force flow through him. He automatically started to feel better. His stomach settled and the pounding was not as heavy. Deciding that he had done as much as he could at that point he slowly stood up and made his way to his room. Then he stopped when he remembered that Mara was in there. I really need to get some clean clothes out of there, he thought. Maybe if I'm quiet, I can get in and out without waking her up.
It sounded like a good plan, and it was not like he had many more choices so he slowly opened his bedroom door. The inside of the room was still very dim, the only light coming from the half-opened window across the room. Mara was still asleep on the bed. Her head resting on his pillow, her hair fanned out behind her. She had, sometime during the night, been able to get under the blanket. Luke sat on the edge of the bed and recalled the last time he had been in his room. Last night, when he had come in here to check on her, Han had followed him in. Luke was shocked to remember that he had told Han that he loved this woman. I don't love her. Do I? He wondered. Why would I say that? It must have been the alcohol. Even as he thought it, he knew it felt wrong. He dismissed the thought as he stood once again. He grabbed his clothes and left the room, dashing into the refresher. His stomach was not as settled as he would have hoped.

Mara woke to the sound of water running. It sounded like a waterfall had formed inside her head, and she groaned. She rolled over and shoved a pillow over her head to block the sound. I feel like a speeder hit me, she realized. What happened last night? The last she remembered was drinking with Skywalker and Solo showing up. She paused with that thought. She had memories of the Farmboy being drunk. No, that could not be right. She had to force him to drink what he did. He would quit when he had had enough. It must have just been another dream. She had been having strange dreams all night. And that annoying Jedi Master was in all of them.
Suddenly she looked at the bed she was sleeping in. It was unrecognizable but the smell was vaguely familiar. Looking over at the nightstand, she saw a number of holos. They included one of Solo's kids, a few from the Academy, and one with her and Skywalker. Then, it hit her; she was in Skywalker's room. Panic began to fill her as she wondered what really happened the night before. Looking to the other side of the bed, she noted that it did not look slept on. Breathing a small sigh of relief, she slowly got out of bed and made her way to the living room. There she saw a blanket thrown over the back of the couch. He must have been forced to sleep on the couch when I fell asleep in his bed, she thought. Her panic from earlier was replaced with guilt. She had not meant to fall asleep there, she was sure of it.
She made her way to the kitchen as she heard the water turn off. There was a pot of freshly brewed caf on the counter, a good sign that the power had been restored sometime during the night. She quietly poured herself a cup of much needed caf and sat at the table. She was sipping from her cup when Skywalker walked back into the view. He was dressed in his normal black attire, but his hair was still wet. She watched him walk to the couch and start folding his blanket. When he was done, he turned around and smiled.
"How are you feeling?" he asked. He walked past her in the kitchen, poured him his own cup of caf, and then sat across from her at the table.
"Like a Hutt sat on me," she admitted. She took a big swing of the dark liquid and enjoyed the sensation of it sliding down her throat. "What about you? You look like you didn't sleep at all."
"I slept," he said, rotating his shoulders. "But not very well."
"Yeah," she said with a grimace. "Sorry about falling asleep in your bed."
"Not a problem," he said, dismissing the thought. They sat in friendly silence for a while, both sipping quietly at their drinks. She started taking smaller sips as the strong liquid started reacting to her already upset system. "I could help you get over that a little," he told her, interrupting the silence.
"How?" she asked. Her head hurt too bad to yell at him from eavesdropping inside her head.
"How else. It worked for me...Well it made it better."
"The Force can cure a hangover?" Mara asked, doubtfully. She thought a second and then decided that she was interested. It was a technique that might prove useful in the future. She sat patently as he settled himself in the chair beside her. His fingers touched her temples lightly and he paused.
"Are you ready?" He asked. She nodded and paid close attention as he stretched out the Force towards her. He could feel him concentrate not on her mind like she was used to but instead on her body, showing her how to cleans the alcohol out of her system. When he pulled his presence back into himself she paused to evaluate the results. She was not feeling one hundred percent but she did feel considerably better.
She opened her eyes to find that Luke had not moved. His eyes were closed and she could have sworn that was a grimace on his face.
"Are you alright?" She asked, feeling a wave of nausea hit her and realized it was Luke. "I thought you said you used this on yourself."
"I did," he groaned. "Trust me this is better then what I felt like when I first woke up." He opened his eyes and looked at her embarrassed. It was not until then that she realized one of his hands still rested lightly on her cheek. He dropped it to the table, and shifted his gaze to the floor.
They lapsed into an awkward silence, both wrapped up in their own thoughts. Suddenly Luke stood up, startling Mara. She laughed to cover the feeling up. "I need some air," he said. "You want to go for a walk?"
"Sure," she admitted. She was really jumpy this morning and she had to do something to calm her nerves. "I need to clear my head, I have a few meetings this morning."
"Same here," Luke said, grabbing his cloak and lightsaber that was lying on a table by the door. Mara grabbed her own saber out of the living room, and the left the apartment.
-----
Later that morning, Han was sitting in front of the Falcon. He had all intentions of sleeping half the day, but the kids changed his mind so he had told Leia that he was going to work on his ship. She had simply smiled and let him leave. Once he arrived in the hanger, he did not feel up to tinkering with the machine. He took another drink of whatever the brown liquid was he had found in the galley, having the strange feeling that it had started out as caf.
He sighed to himself as he let the warmth of the cup warm his hands. He had lost track of how much the three of them had consumed the night before. Moreover, he had no clue how he got home. He had asked Leia, but she had only laughed and kissed him on the cheek. Rubbing his head, he knew he must have downed a lot. He had not had this bad of a hangover in a long time.
"Han, Ol' buddy," He heard someone call out. There was only one person that could sound that obnoxious. "Good to see you." He looked up to see Lando standing over him. Rolling his eyes, he stood up to shake his friend's hand. He forced a small smile, realizing it was not Lando's fault he felt this bad.
"Hey Lando, glad you could make it."
"I wouldn't miss it," he friend bellowed. Han had to cover his ears to block out the loud voice. He did nothing to stop the groan that followed. Lando's broad smile turned to a frown. "What's wrong with you?"
"Ugh..." Han mumbled, sitting back down and resting his head on the hull of his ship. "A bit too much to drink last night."
"Everyone seems to be in the same shape this morning" Lando said, smirking. "Starting the party a little early are you?" Han started to ask what he was talking about and realized that he was talking about the party he and Leia had planned for that night.
"Just sitting around with some friends," Han explained. If Lando decided to pump him for information, Han was sure he would ring his neck.
"That's all you guys did?" Lando asked. His posture straightened and he pinned Han with a pompous grim. "You really did need me there to liven up that party of yours."
"No," Han said. Lando always did seem to think that no party started until he arrived. "You're just invited for a bit of comic relief." He was satisfied when Lando frowned. "Really though, this one shouldn't be all that bad. For once, this is just a gathering of friends, nothing political behind it. And I made sure Leia kept it that way."
"Well good for you," Lando congratulated. "Finally got Leia to lighten up a bit, huh?"
"I had to," Han said. All the reasons that helped him make the decision to have the gathering coming to mind. "She's been so wound up these past few months. I told her I was doing this, she had to show up and be on her best behavior."
"That sounds like the line she gives you."
"It's the exact line she gives me," Han said, his eyebrows rising in amusement.
"Well, this should be fun," Lando agreed. He took a seat on an old crate next to Han.
"So did you line up a date?" Han asked. Lando had been boasting that he would find a date ever since he found out about the party. Han knew he would not just bring anyone, but he was interested in finding out who he would bring.
"Of course," Lando said. "That's one of the reasons I came to talk to you. She originally turned down your invitation then changed her mind this morning, with a little convincing from me," he added with a smirk. "I just wanted to make sure that there were no problems with her coming."
"Who?" Han asked, wondering if his head had been clear would he have been able to understand what this guy was getting at.
"Mara Jade."
"Yeah," Han exclaimed. He knew Mara was not coming, she had said as much to him the day before. He wondered what Lando had done to change her mind. "So you wanted to check with me first? More like you wanted to brag," he accused. He smiled, knowing it had to have been something big to change Mara's mind. "Of course she can come. Wait. Mara agreed to go out with you?" Han was shocked. When he woke up this morning he had thought maybe he could convince Mara to go with Luke. He wasn't sure why he was thinking that, but thankfully Lando misunderstood why he was shocked.
"I told you she would come around," Lando bragged. "My charms finally worked on her."
"It's only to settle a debt," a woman said from behind them. Han turned to see Mara approaching and she did not look happy. "Solo."
"How are you, Mara?" He asked, though he had a feeling he already knew. She looked tired and irritable, classic signs of a good hangover.
"Don't ask," she moaned. "However, I feel about how you look..." She paused and looked at Lando as he stood up to greet her. "Just so you know, I lost a bet to Calrissian here and a date is what he won. I always settle my debts," she said, still glaring at Lando. "He wanted me to come to this thing with him and it was the only way to get him to shut up."
"Awe, she is so sweet when she is homicidal," Lando said and kissed her on the cheek.
She turned around to slap him and fumed when she missed. "I would love to stay and chat but I have some meetings this morning," Lando said, without missing a beat. "I'll see you both this evening. Mara, my dear, I hope you're feeling better." With a grand flare of his cape, Lando turned and left.
"What in the name of the Force happened last night?" Mara asked, taking the seat Lando had just vacated. "I feel like your ship looks."
"Ok, enough Falcon bashing," Han complained. He had to admit that he enjoyed Mara's company this morning more then Lando, but he did not allow anyone to talk about his ship.
"Okay," Mara backed down with a smile. "How about some Jedi bashing. Hey Skywalker! Come here!" Han fought the urge to cover his ears again. He turned to see Luke, Wedge, and Corran strolling over.

Luke was walking with Wedge and Corran on their way to find Han when he heard someone yell his name. He fought the urge to cover his ears, unknowingly duplicating his brother-in-law's behavior. He scanned the area and soon located the owner of that voice. Mara was sitting next to Han over by the Falcon.
"Good morning, Mara," Luke said as they reached them. "You are mighty loud this morning."
"You'll have to forgive Master Skywalker," Corran said sarcastically. "He is not feeling himself today."
"I know the feeling," Han mumbled.
"It seems to be going around," Mara added. Luke knew exactly how they felt. He was not a drinker. He hardly touched the stuff, but he had consumed enough the night before to impress the heaviest of drinkers. He suppressed a smile at that thought, already knowing what pain it would cause even though he had lessened the effects earlier.
"Well, we are in good company," Wedge said with a sarcastic grin. "Han, you said you were going to help us here. Corran and I were talking to Luke about setting him up with a date for tonight. But we need ideas." Luke's eyes went wide. He knew what they wanted to talk to Han about as he had been trying to talk them out of this date idea all morning with no success. In turn, they had been unable to find anyone that Luke would agree to go with. What surprised him was they all had intentions of discussing this in front of Mara. He glared at Corran, who looked his way then totally ignored him.
"I am sure we can come up with someone," Corran with a smile.
"Who?" Luke asked uncomfortably, glancing at Mara. He was not happy about talking about it with the guys, but to have Mara witness, it would only encourage her to talk to him about it more.
"How about Winter?" Han asked. Luke tried to look shocked but all he felt was relief.
"Winter?" he asked. Thank you for not saying what I thought you would say, Luke thought to himself, placing his barriers more firmly in place. As soon as he did, Mara glanced at him. She knew something was up. "I don't think so," he answered.
"Well, it was a thought," Han said. He shrugged while pondering the question more.
Han looked at his friend closer. Luke seemed a bit more on edge then a hangover should cause him. Did something happen last night? he wondered. Nothing happened that he could remember. However he felt like there was something he wanted to remember. I'll have to ask him about that.
"There is this lady over at HQ that you might like," Corran added. He was glancing at Wedge and they were both smiling. He could just imagine what they had discussed on the subject before he had arrived. "I could give her a call," Corran offered.
"Look guys," Luke interrupted. He needed to stop them before they all got out of control. "I know you mean well, but I don't need a date."
"Yes, you do," Han insisted. "If you don't then you'll be the only one there that doesn't have one. Even Mara here is going with someone."
Luke looked at her, wondering what had changed since he had talked to her last. She held his gaze for a few seconds then lowered her eyes. He smiled at her reaction, she was not happy to be in this situation.
"Well, Mara," Luke said. "I'm glad you decided to join us." He smiled when Mara didn't answer. Why so quiet? He sent her. He was rewarded when she frowned.
Lando suckered me into it, she sent back.
"I tried to warn you about placing bets with Lando," he said out loud. She turned furious eyes in his direction and he smiled at her.
Trust me, if I could think of a way out of it I would, Mara told him. But he would hear none of it. I have no choice.
"Well, you're right, you do need to honor the bet." He paused waiting for her to say something. He knew she was not going to after just a few seconds. "Ah cheer up, he's not that bad."
"Luke," Han scolded. "I've told you before how much I hate it when you do that. It's like listening to half a com conversation."
"Sorry," Luke said. He tended to forget that not everyone was comfortable with the silent conversations. But he had to admit that there were times when he did it just to upset the man still seated against the hull.
"Yeah," Mara added, glowering at Luke. "It was just something I didn't want to discuss and Farmboy here could not take the hint."
Luke just smiled again. It was fun to sometimes get her riled up. It was the least he could do after she did the same.
"Well, you guys can talk all you want," Luke said, an idea of escape forming in his head. "But I don't need a date. Right now, I have to go. I'll see you all later." With that he headed away from the group. He really had nothing he needed to do at that moment, but he did not feel like standing there while the bunch of them tried to play matchmaker. His throbbing head did nothing to encourage him to formulate a complicated plot. He was just glad they didn't start asking questions and let him slip away. His last look at them before he went through the door showed all the guys laughing and Mara merely shaking her head.
TBC
Chapter 6
Corran and Wedge led Biggs down one of the corridors of the Imperial Palace. They had been here for a few days already and this was the first day they were able to free Biggs up from all the red tape to show him around. Corran and Biggs had hit it off well and Biggs had enjoyed hearing some of the stories of the rebellion from this man's point of view.
Upon setting out this morning, Wedge's first priority was to find Luke. He had seen Luke twice since he had returned with Biggs, and it was getting hard not to just tell him the news. Biggs was the one that wanted to be there when Luke found out, but up until today they could not get the times to correlate. Wedge was holding up his end of the bargain and had kept his mouth closed about it. Now it was time to tell him but even that did not turn out to be easy. He called Luke's apartment already this morning but he was not there. So that's how they found themselves walking the halls. He suddenly realized they were near Leia's apartment.
"He may be there," Corran answered Wedge's unspoken thought.
Wedge agreed, changing their direction slightly, now knowing where he wanted them to go. They arrived at the Solo apartment a few minutes later and were greeted by the smiling face of Leia Organa-Solo.

Biggs regarded the woman who answered the door, remembering her instantly. She was the Princess of Alderaan and a hard person to forget. He had heard of her long before he had ever laid eyes on her. She had arrived on the same ship that Luke had arrived on Hoth aboard. Thinking of Luke made him smile. He had proven to be a hard person to track down.
"Good day, madam Chief-of-State Organa-Solo," Wedge said, his smile threatening to tear his face in half.
Solo, Biggs thought. Wasn't that the name of the Captain of the ship they came in on? There had been many things that he had had to catch up on, but he still didn't know much about the one thing he was curious about, Luke. All he could get out of anyone was that he was indeed still alive then they would snicker and not say anymore. Wedge and Corran had been oddly tight lipped about it since their first conversation. That was probably my fault, he realized. I told them I wanted to surprise Luke so they were leaving it at that.
"Hello Wedge, Corran," Organa-Solo said, her voice very friendly. She hugged them both before inviting them in. "It is good to see you."
"Where is your brother this morning," Wedge asked, looking around the apartment. "We sorta figured he might be here."
Biggs stopped and thought. He had heard many things about the princess. He tried to remember if he knew anything about her having a brother. He had not, even before her home planet was destroyed and her family killed.
"He's asleep," she told them sweetly. "He came by a while ago, and was still not feeling well, so he decided to take a nap."
"Oh," Corran said, sounding greatly disappointed. "Well, we need to see him."
"Could it wait?" She asked. "I would rather not have to wake him, he was really tired."
"I suppose it could," Wedge said, smiling again. He took her arm and led her further into the apartment. "Probably would be better," he said, patting her arm lightly. "He won't want to go back to sleep when he hears what we have to tell him. There is someone that wanted to see him."
Leia looked over at Biggs, studying his face. He felt like she was looking straight into his soul. She quickly looked over at Corran and Wedge, her eyes wide. Then walking over to him, she asked. "Biggs Darklighter? You are, aren't you?"
"Yes I am," he said. It surprised him that she would recognize him. He had never actually met her. He had seen her quite a lot before the battle, but he had not even had the opportunity to say hello.
"How?" she asked, her voice strained, her eyes displayed her disbelief.
"We'll explain it to you," Wedge said, circling around her to get a look at her expression.
"But Luke has to know about this!" She shouted, looking at the three of them like they had lost their minds.
"I thought you didn't want to wake him," Corran pointed out, very amused.
"Good point," she said, the smile vanishing from her face. She glanced at her chrono then back down a hallway off the living area. "He should be getting up in about an hour. Please come inside, have a seat."
"If we must," Corran kidded. He received a friendly slap on the arm for his trouble.
Biggs followed them to the living area, but his mind was light years away. He had become lost in the conversation. Not knowing exactly what they were doing inside the home of the Chief of State, and why she had recognized him so easily. He had not been well known when he disappeared. Nothing was making sense and he felt he was missing something. He looked over at Wedge who was asking him to have a seat.
"Leia is Luke's sister," he told him and Biggs was sure he felt his chin hit the floor. Luke did not have a sister. As long as he had known him he had no family at all save his aunt and uncle. "They are twins in fact."
"Twins?" he chocked out.
"Yea," Wedge said, taking delight in his confused state. "They found out about three years after Yavin. It was a huge surprise to everyone."
"Looks like I missed out on a lot of things," Biggs said. He could not contain the weary sigh as he realized just how much he had missed out on. It was going to take forever to get up to date. He rubbed his temples, the pressure starting to build up.
"You have no idea," Corran said seriously. He had sat across the small conversation area. A golden droid came in with drinks and the each accepted one. Leia Organa-Solo sat down in one of the over stuffed chairs, tucking her legs under her. It was apparent that she was extremely comfortable with these two.
"So please," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "Tell me how this is possible. How are you here."
Biggs once again started the tale about his capture and imprisonment. A tale that he realized he would be telling a great many times in the next few weeks. Leia stood when her com sounded. He could not see the caller from his position on the couch, but the voice carried over loud and clear.
"Madam Chef-of -State," the female said. "Sorry to interrupt you at home, but I was wondering if you knew where Master Skywalker is. I have not been able to contact him."
Master Skywalker? Biggs thought. The new bit of information did nothing to help him overcome the confusion.
"He is here Tonnie," Leia informed the caller. "Asleep. I believe he left his com link off. He did not wish to be bothered."
"Alright," the woman said, though she did not sound like she appreciated the idea of not getting her call through. "Could you please ask him to call? It's very important."
"I most defiantly will," Leia told her.
"Thank you. Once again sorry to bother you at home."
"It's not a problem. I'll have him call you, Tionne." Leia flicked a few buttons on her com before turning back to her company. "Sorry for the interruption," she said addressing her company. "Could I get anyone anything?"
No one needed anything, so Leia sat back in her chair.
"So Biggs," Leia continued. "What has your family to say about this?"
"I have not been able to get hold of them," he told her. He had called numerous times with no luck. He had not mentioned this to everyone, but he was getting worried. He wanted to talk to them, however he had no idea what he was going to say. "They have not been home and this is not something that I would want to leave in a message."
"I can understand that," Leia said. She looked at her chrono again. "I have an idea. Would you like to try again? And I can wake Luke while you are gone. You might have better luck this time."
"Thank you," He said, admitting that it was a good idea. It would give him something to do while he waited and he did rather want them to hear from him before they got the communiqu?aying he was alive.
"I'll come with you," Wedge offered. They both stood and walked towards the door. "Maybe I can help them believe the unbelievable."

Biggs followed Wedge back to Leia's apartment. The trip had taken longer then they had planned. To his surprise, his call this time was answered. At the last minute they had decided to let Wedge talk first. A call from the grave might have been too much of a shock. He smiled as he thought of the tearful greeting he got from his mother. He had wanted to talk to his father but he was not home. It seemed they were having a lot of trouble with the machines and it took all hands to correct the problem. That's why he was having such a problem getting through. He had been lucky to catch his mother this time. She had just returned to the homestead to grab some tools when the com call came through.
Wedge had led him back to the apartment then asked if he could have another drink. Leia took him into the kitchen, leaving Biggs standing alone. Looking around, he could see no sign of Corran either. He heard someone talking in the other room so he took a few hesitated steps around the corner. At the far end of the room was the source of the voice. Standing in front of the apartments com system was a slender man in flowing robes.
"And lastly," the voice from the other end of the com was saying. "We need to review the list of new students due to enter in the next week." He recognized the voice as the woman who had called earlier. The man in the robes placed his head in his hand and rubbed his forehead.
"Master," Tonnie continued, sounding sympathetic. "I know you were never one to like the administrative side of this academy but these things are necessary. And since you are not planning to return any time soon, we need to do this."
"I know, I know," the man said, waving his hand dismissively in front of the screen. His voice was strangely familiar yet it did not register right away whom it was that was standing in front of him. "I guess I am not fully awake yet. Continue, please."
"I'll tell you what, sir," Tonnie said with a knowing smile. "I'll handle it this time, and send you a final copy for your approval."
"Fantastic," he said, his voice instantly perking up. "Thank you, Tonnie."
"Good day, Master Skywalker."
"Good day, Tonnie," he replied.
So this is him, Biggs realized. Not that the conversation left any room for error on that point. He waited until the com was shut off to approach his childhood friend.
"You must be the visitor Leia was so excited about," Luke said without turning around. "What can I do for you?"
Biggs decided to stay quiet, knowing Luke would turn to see why. When he did just that, Biggs got the first good look at his face. He was no longer the naive kid he had known growing up. His eyes held a sad wisdom, and his face showed signs of too much worry.
"I just came by to see you," he told him, a small smile beginning to spread across his face. "It's been a long time, Luke."
"Do I know you?" he asked. Biggs tried not to laugh. He had heard that question so many times; he just wanted to scream. However, he knew his being alive had to be a surprise to anyone who knew him. As far as they were concerned, he had been dead a very long time. "I do know you, don't I?"
"Yes, you do. It's me, Luke. Biggs." Luke stood completely still, his jaw working and his brow knitted. Biggs could not even tell if he was still breathing, but his eyes never stood still. They darted up and down, taking in every detail of the man in front of him.
"I don't believe it," Luke said finally. Then a smile replaced his shocked expression. "How in the name of the Force are you here?" He waited barely three seconds for a reply before continuing. "Oh whatever it is, it's great to see you!" Luke closed the distance between them in three long strides and trapped his friend in a hug. Luke stepped back and placed a hand on his cheek. "You should be dead," he said, amazed. "How are you here?"
"It is such a long story," he old his friend, placing his hand n Luke's arm. "How much time do you have?" He meant it as a joke, but Luke took it seriously. His excited expression turned somber.
"Not nearly long enough at the moment," Luke said, disappointed. "I have a meeting I have to get to soon, but I do have some time," he admitted. "We'll definitely have to get together again. How long are you here?"
"Looks like a few more days the way things are going," Biggs told him. He had been in a hurry to go home and the thought of being stuck on the planet while the data pushers determined how best to handle the fact that he was not dead was driving him crazy. But to get a chance to talk to Luke, to find out what had happened to make him go from a hyper Farmboy to this, was well worth the delay.
"Great!"
"Boring really," Biggs admitted. He got a glimpse of the old Luke in his expression. He found himself wondering how often Luke let that part of himself show through. It did not look like he did it very often. "They keep me wrapped up in all these forms and medical exams. One good thing though, Wedge told me about Gavin. He's not back yet, and I didn't get a chance to see him before they brought me here. But he should be back tomorrow, maybe even tonight. I can't wait to see him."
"I'm sure he'll be very happy to see you," Luke said. "I don't get much of a chance to see him." Luke paused remembering his conversation with Wedge. "Ok, I don't get much of a chance to see anyone."
"You're staying pretty busy, I take it." Biggs sighed, there were so many questions "It's hard to believe that little Gavin is a member of Wedge's Squadron."
"No harder than to believe that you are still alive," Luke said with a smile. "He always did want to do everything like you, and usually did."
"True."
"So, now will you tell me how it is possible that you are standing here?" Luke eyes were dancing, and it made Biggs miss home even more. I wonder how often he makes the trip home, Biggs thought to himself.
"It is a long story," he said, pulling his thoughts back together. "Get comfortable and I'll tell you all about it. And why we are at it, you can tell me how little Wormie became a Jedi Master."
Luke smiled, then looked around the room. "It's a deal," he said. "By the way, no one calls me Wormie anymore."
"Sorry about that," Biggs said. He never did care for the nickname. That was no secret. It was why all his friends kept using it. "Old habits die hard."
Chapter 7

Luke stopped in front of the door to his apartment and keyed in his access code. Sighing as he opened the door, he slipped in and closed it behind him. It had been a long day and he was glad to be home. He paused in the hallway and engaged in a leisurely stretch then made his way to his room. His meeting with Biggs Darklighter was the biggest shock he had received in a very long time but a welcome one. It had been nice to sit and talk to him. The time seemed to fly by until Luke knew he could stay no longer. He had a meeting to get to, and he would hate to be late even though he wanted nothing more than to cancel especially since he didn't feel right with these meetings anyway. Leia had insisted that this needed to be done. These were the representatives from the companies Leia had researched and they were bidding the contracts to do some construction on the Academy. He had made it to the meeting only because he knew it would be the last one. Making Biggs swear that they would get together again before he headed home.
The meeting had lasted a lot longer then he would have liked but the representative had many questions and this company seemed to be the likeliest choice for the job. Nevertheless, it was over now and he was due at Han and Leia's in just a little while. Stretching again, he headed for the refresher and a change of clothes.
Stepping out of the shower, Luke walked back into his room. He pulled on his pants and sat on his bed to put on his socks and boots. He looked at the pictures he had there. Picking up the one of Mara, he smiled. The picture started to shift and change shape, causing him to squint to keep it in focus. The picture seamed to fill with sand, and Mara's face could barely be seen underneath. The picture cleared once again and Luke was left staring at it. It was obvious that the Force was trying to show him something but had no idea what it was. Pulling the memory back into his mind, he replayed it but it still made no sense. Standing, he put his shirt on, filing the vision away for further study and made his way out of his room. The vision was something that could wait.
The shower had re-energized Luke, and he felt ready for an evening amongst friends. He made his way to his sister's apartment and it wasn't long before he was standing in front of her door. Bracing himself for what he felt would happen next, he knocked. The door opened and three overly eager children slammed into him in greeting and attached themselves to his legs.
"Uncle Luke! Uncle Luke!" They yelled in unison. "We are going to Winter's tonight!" Jacen gushed. "She's made us snacks and we are going to play games! Doesn't that sound like fun?"
"It sure does," Luke said with a small laugh.
"Do you want to come with us, Uncle Luke?" Jaina asked.
"Not tonight, little ones," Luke said. He loved his niece and nephews but he was not in the mood to keep them company tonight. "Where are your Mom and Dad?"
"Inside," Anakin informed him. He took him by the hand and pulled him inside. "Come on."
Luke let them lead him inside far enough to let the door close. They kept pulling until he continued further into the apartment. Looking around, he found Han standing next to the window but there was no sign of Leia.
"Hey kid, how are you feeling?" Han asked with a smile.
"I was about to ask you the same thing," Luke asked, trying to dislodge the children from his leg. "I feel a lot better." The kids let go of him and disappeared down the hall as fast as they had appeared. They could be heard yelling to their mother that Uncle Luke was here.
"A nap fixed me right up," Han was telling him. He looked a bit sleepy and Luke guessed Leia had just made him get up. "Ready to do it all over again?"
"No way," Luke said in mock horror. "I may never drink again."
"Ahhh, give yourself another five years kid. You may drink again." They both laughed. Luke rolled his shoulders before removing his Jedi robes. Taking them to the closet he hung them up. He was just finishing up when he felt someone approach and looked over at the door.
"Corran and Mirax are here," he announced just as the doorbell sounded. Han went to welcome his guests but Luke saw the annoyed look he threw his way. You would think he would be used to stuff like that by now, Luke thought. He had enough Force users in his own house that it would be hard not to get used to it.
As Han opened the door, his three children once again came down the hallway to see their friend, Valin. Anakin walked over to Luke and tugged on his pant leg. "Corran said that his son could spend the night with us at Winter's. She was nice to say she would watch us and not go to the party, huh, Uncle Luke?"
"That was very nice of her," Luke agreed. He tried not to smile at Anakin, who seemed a lot calmer then he had been a minute ago. It's no telling what those three were up to while they were out of site, Luke thought. "Now you run and get your things, Winter will be here in a minute."
"Okay." He took off at a run down the hall. "Hi, Mommy!" he said, as he saw Leia come out of her room.
The doorbell rang again. This time it was Wedge and Iella. Smiling in their direction, Luke started over to say hello. The party had begun.
-----
Leia was talking with Han, Wedge and Iella, when the doorbell rang once again. To her relief, Luke answered it. He seemed to be enjoying the party from what she could tell. He had begged off on all the alcoholic drinks however. But after the way Han came home she could not blame him. She craned her neck to see who had arrived. It was mostly out of habit since most of her guests had already arrived. It had to be Lando and Mara. She was happy to see that she was not mistaken.
"She looks great," Han whispered to his wife, when he saw Mara. She was dressed in a tight black top and a long flowing flowered skirt. Leia's jaw about hit the floor. "Leia, what's wrong? Are you ok?" Han asked as she pulled him over to the side.
"Han," she said. She took a deep breath trying to control the swarm of emotions that seemed to engulf her. "Do you remember that dream that I had about Luke a few weeks ago?" she whispered.
"Yes," Han said. He was starting to look worried. "The one about him kissing someone?"
"Yes, that's the one. I told you that the only thing I saw was the skirt of the woman he was with."
"Right," Han said, starting to relax.
"Well Mara has on that skirt," she told him. She was disappointed when Han did not see what was wrong with that.
"Leia calm down," he said, taking hold of her hand. "Everything's all right. It's fine. What are you so upset about?"
What's wrong?! She thought. How could he not see the problem?
"Would Luke and Mara being together been so bad?" He asked, looking over at Mara who was pouring herself a drink. Then over at Luke who was talking with Corran. "They would be good together. The way I see it, they may not be right for anyone else."
"Did anything happen between them last night?" she asked, wondering if there was something she did not know.
"No, nothing," Han said. His brow creased, and she knew he was thinking about it. "We sat and talked. Tried to play sabacc but it was somewhat hard with no lights. We all had a few good laughs and they passed out. He doesn't seem upset that she's with Lando though and that seems odd."
"Yes," Leia agreed. She had been meaning to talk to Luke about that. He never said anything but there was a definite change in mood whenever Lando and Mara were mentioned together. "Luke has been touchy about that subject lately. I'm going to have to talk to him about it."
"Talk to me about what?" While they were talking, Luke had approached and was standing behind her. Trying to rid herself of the shocked expression she knew she had, Leia turned to her brother and smiled.
"Oh, Luke," she said, taking hold of his arm. "Enjoying yourself?"
"Yes," he said. He looked from Leia to Han but did not question further. "You two look like you are having fun as well. I think this party was a good idea."
"Really?" Leia asked. Luke normally did not enjoy parties, and tried to duck out as fast as possible. However, this was not one of her normal parties, she realized. Looking around all she saw was friends, no business, just friends. That must have made the difference.
"Glad you are enjoying yourself, kid," Han said. He used his hold on his wife's arm to twirl her. "Right now I am going to enjoy a quiet dance with your sister." Han continued to twirl Leia until they reached the middle of the dinning room, which was serving as the dance floor for the evening.
----
Luke stood watching them. At this point they looked extremely happy, though they did not need a special occasion for that. They could share a happy moment anywhere as long as they were together. He continued watching the couple, suddenly realizing that someone had come to stand next to him. Glancing over he noticed Mara giving Lando one of her stares.
"Lando behaving tonight?" he asked, though the look answered that question. She tore he eyes away from the man standing across the room talking to Corran, unaware of the attention.
"As much as Lando ever behaves," she said, taking a sip of her drink. She frowned into the cup but did not put it down.
Luke laughed and took a sip of his drink. He wondered what she was drinking but decided not to ask. The smell alone was causing his stomach to turn.
"You are awfully cheerful this evening," Mara pointed out. "What happened to you?"
"I just received some really good news today that's all," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. He tried to sound casual, but knew he felt anything but calm. He was ecstatic.
"Care to share it?" she asked, raising one eyebrow. "I could use some really good news." Luke smiled. Mara could pretend she was not having a good time but she could not fool him. Once past her grumpy exterior he could feel her muted delight. She was having fun.
"A very good friend of mine that I thought was dead, was found," he told her, unable and unwilling to hide his smile. "He came by today."
"That's great," she said, smiling for the first time tonight. "Who was it? Anyone I know?"
"No," he told her. He wondered what Biggs would think of Mara. After his death he had felt the loss and it stayed with him over the years. It wasn't until Mara that he thought he had found a friend that even compared to Biggs. They have to meet, Luke thought. And he hoped they would get along. It would be great if they did. "He died before we met, but you may have heard me mention him though, Biggs Darklighter."
"He's alive?" Mara asked, turning to him shocked.
"Yes," he said, laughing lightly at her reaction. Biggs may not realize it but he was well known. Not only for his part in the battle of Yavin, but because he was Luke's friend. There was a time when he talked about him all the time, back when he was trying to cope with his death. Everyone that was close to Luke knew who Biggs Darklighter was. Though by the time he had met Mara, he had overcome the shock of the loss. He could not recall the exact time that he had told Mara about him but it was no surprise that she knew about him.
"What's so funny?" Mara asked, crossing her arms across her chest. Once again Luke smiled. Any onlooker would have thought Mara was upset but in fact she wasn't. It was something he had learned very early on with her. She used anger to hide what she was feeling.
"Nothing," he said. "I was just thinking that must have been how I looked when he walked in the room. I had to pick my jaw up off the floor."
"I read about him a while back," Mara said, her voice sounding distracted as she remembered. "I read about what he did. The article mentioned that he grew up on Tatooine."
"We were best friends growing up," he told her.
"That's great," she said, though she looked confused. "But I thought he was killed over the first Death Star."
"That's what everyone thought," Luke explained. "And it's hard to imagine that anyone could have survived that long and no one know about it. But knowing the facts, knowing just how many people died that day and all the debris that was left behind, there was really know way of knowing for sure. I should have known. I went back out after the celebrations and looked but it was an overwhelming and useless act. There was nothing left to find." He took the time to take a deep breath, trying not to let the memories of that time ruin his mood. "It seems that he was captured right before the thing blew up. No one saw it happen, so there was no way for us to know. He came by here earlier," he continued. "Then I had to leave. He told me he wanted to meet Gavin when he landed. He said he would try to come back tonight but I'm not expecting him to. They need time to catch up."
"Gavin? Darklighter? From the Rogues?" She asked. "I assume they are related?"
"Cousins," Luke explained. "Biggs is the reason Gavin came here. They were very close growing up." Mara wrapped her arm in the crook of his and looked at him, smiling.
"I am glad to hear that something good happened to you," She said. "You deserve it." There was awkward silence between them when Luke could think of nothing to say. He smiled at her and she smiled back.
----
Corran and Lando stood in a corner talking with Han. Without warning, Lando walked away, clearly upset. Corran started laughing which did not help Han understand what had happened.
"What was that about?" he asked. Lando had walked out on the balcony and he could no longer see him. Whatever it was really got him riled up.
"I think he got upset at Luke," Corran told him, still smiling.
"Why is that?" Han asked looking over at his brother-in-law. He was still standing where he and Leia had left him talking quietly with Mara.
"Because," Corran said, clearly thinking that Han should be able to see why he thought it was funny. "Lando is agitated because Luke is over there flirting with his date."
"No way," Han exclaimed.
"I tell you they were flirting," Corran insisted, keeping his eye on the pair. "That is why Lando got upset."
"No way," Han repeated. "Luke doesn't flirt. I have never seen him flirt." Ok, I did last night but he was drunk then.
"I saw it," Corran said. He suddenly froze in place then turned a sly grin in Han's direction. "When was Luke drunk?"
"Now don't you start doing that!" Han shouted. He suddenly thought it would be interesting to ring this guy's neck. Like he did not have enough Jedi around to deal with. Deciding strangling Corran might ruin the mood of the party, he settled for poking a finger in his chest. "You find someone else's brain to pick. Leave mine alone."
"I'm sorry, Han," Corran said, his manner sobering considerably. "Won't happen again," he swore, his hands up as if to fend of an attack. Then his features softened once again. "You did not answer my question. When did you see Luke drunk?"
"Last night," Han explained, knowing he would not get away until he told what he knew. "He had just a bit too much to drink last night."
"Wish I had been there to see that," Corran said. "That explains the behavior this morning. How did you get him to drink?"
"I didn't," Han told him, a smile spreading across his face. "He was drunk when I got there and Mara was with him."
"Wow," Corran said. They both watched as Luke laughed again at something Mara said. She returned with a smile. Lando, who had returned to the party and was standing over in another corner looked as if he was going to explode. Mara said something and Luke rubbed her arm in response. "Would you look at that!" Corran exclaimed, trying to keep his voice low. "See! I knew we should have set Luke up with someone. Now he is after our women!" Corran started laughing then began scanning the room. "I'll be back."
"Where are you going?" Han asked, unable to hide his amusement at his friend's behavior.
"I need to hide Mirax," he said, looking around suspiciously. "You never know, Luke may be after her next." He left, laughing hysterically.
-----
It was early the next morning and Luke sat contently in the overstuffed chair he had pushed over by the window. He was holding a cup of caf, gazing out across the city. He had awoken early, as always, which was still a result of his farmer's upbringing. He had nothing scheduled for this morning so he had decided to make the most of his free time. Finishing the last of his drink, he settled himself in his familiar cross-legged position on the floor, preparing to meditate. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he relaxed into a trance.
He saw himself aboard the Blazing Destiny, a ship he often used since it had been donated to the Academy. It was as if he was outside watching himself at the controls. There was nothing he could do when the ship found itself under attack. He did not feel the effects that go along with the maneuvers the ship was ran through but it was all in vain. The little ship was nothing compared to the attackers, which he couldn't get a look at. There was a loud bang and he knew that was it, the attackers had the ship. He had just enough time to send out a distress call before the blaster shots began scorching the walls.
His eyes snapped open with a start, bringing him back to reality. Closing his eyes momentarily he calmed his racing heart and erratic breathing. It was a vision. There was no question about that. Something in the future but he could not tell how far. Nothing, it seemed, to do with the vision he had had the day before. But exactly like the other vision, he had no idea how to interpret it. No idea when this was to happen or if it would at all. Always in motion, the future, he recalled Yoda telling him. This was only a possible point in the future. Gathering himself together, he got up off the floor and headed to the shower.
----
Mara felt foolish as she knocked at Luke's door. She wanted to be anywhere but his apartment but she had no choice. She still could not remember everything that had happened the last time she was here and it bothered her. But that was not the only thing. She had awakened this morning to realize something was missing, and there was only one place she would have left it. She could not believe she would have lost something that meant so much to her.
Hello, Mara. Came Luke's silent greeting.
Mind if I come in for a second? Mara sent back.
He was not trying to hide his feelings at all and she could tell he felt uncomfortable about her request, but it only lasted a moment. No not at all, he finally sent back. I'll be right there.
She stood, waiting. Looking down the hall, she saw an elderly couple step out and make their way to the lifts. They smiled as they passed and Mara tried to keep her annoyance in check. It didn't work. Are you trying to make me look foolish by making stand at your door? She sent him hotly.
I wouldn't dare, he told her. She could see him standing there smiling at her irritation. I'm on my way.
The door opened and Luke stood before her. She looked him over and realized he was barefoot and only half dressed, clad only in a pair of sleep pants. His hair and chest still dripping from the shower she had obviously interrupted.
"Uh, sorry. I didn't realize I was disrupting," she said, indicating his state of dress. She had not meant to interrupt, figuring he had been up for a while and it should have been safe for her to drop by. She was obviously wrong.
Luke looked down at himself self-consciously. "Well, let's not stand in the hallway then," he said. "If you would care to come in, I can finish getting dressed."
Mara followed him. He showed her into the living area before disappearing behind the closed door of his bedroom. When he returned a short time later, he had put on a light tank top and pair of socks. He had also run a comb through his hair, plastering it to his head.
"You've certainly been coming around a lot lately, Mara." He had sat down next to her, causing her to have to shift her position a bit to face him. "I think you have been in my apartment more in the last three days then you have been the entire time I have known you."
"That's because I had never been in here before," she stated.
"My point exactly," Luke said with a grin. He seemed to still be in a good mood. In fact, he had been for the last few days. It was good to see him like this. He really needed to loosen up more often.
"Are you complaining?" she asked, feeling a bit playful herself. "I could just leave." She had meant it sarcastically but it came out more heated than she had intended.
"No, not at all," Luke said quickly. "What brings you by this time?"
She had played with the idea of making him sweat a little but thought better of it. Sometimes they could get so caught up in pushing the other's buttons that they wouldn't notice that they had crossed the line until it was too late. It normally ended in an argument and that was not what she wanted.
"To be honest," she said instead. "I lost my necklace the last time I was here. Mind if I look for it?"
He watched her change in attitude and if any of it bothered him, he did not say anything. "Not at all," he said. He stood and held out a hand to help her up. Taking it, she let him pull her to her feet. "In fact, I will even help you."
"That's very kind of you," she said, tilting her head in gratitude.
----
Mara starting looking around the living room and suggested that Luke look in the bedroom, since she had slept there. He began by looking under the pillows. It was a good first guess he decided when his hand caught around something metal. Pulling it out, he examined it. It was a piece of shiny metal on a chain. The metal was bent into a spiral, with a tube filled with something golden hanging inside. It was beautiful and Luke had a vague feeling he had seen it before.
Suddenly feeling dizzy, he closed his eyes trying to stop the feeling. He saw the sands of Tatooine rush past and a flash of red that looked oddly like hair, then the necklace. Just as fast as it started, the vision ended, leaving him confused.
"Are you all right, Luke?" Mara called from the next room. He felt her touching his mind and knew that she had felt his confusion at the sudden vision. He willed himself to relax. I really need to get to the bottom of this! It was a few moments before he found his voice.
"I found it, Mara!" He announced to her. He had succeeded in getting himself back under control before she came rushing into the room, taking the necklace away from him.
"Oh, thank you," she said, breathless. "I was afraid I had lost it for good."
"It's beautiful. Where did you get it?" He asked, the memory of the vision dancing before his eyes.
"I don't know," she admitted, looking at the piece of jewelry. "I've had it since I was a kid." She attempted to replace the necklace to its rightful place and Luke automatically reached out to help her. It wasn't until after he took the small clasp from her hands that he realized she might have not wanted his help. He was happy when she let him help her without uttering a word. The necklace back in place, Mara tucked it inside her shirt.
"Well, if that's where you wear it, that's why I have never seen it," Luke told her. "It's very beautiful, you shouldn't hide it."
"Um...Thanks," Mara said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "But I prefer to take my fashion tips from someone that wears more then one color."
"You've got me there," he said. He watched her for a few minutes, feeling content with the fact that they were, for now, getting along. He hated so much when they were fighting, and he was trying really hard not to chase her away again.
"Are you alright?" she asked, eyeing him closely. "I felt your confusion just a second ago."
"It was nothing," he told her, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand. "When I found the necklace, I had a vision. I guess it was about you."
"What did you see?" Mara asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"It wasn't much," he said, sitting down next to her. "I saw what looked like your hair and the necklace and you were surrounded by sand."
"What do you make of it?" she asked, frowning in concentration.
"No idea," he admitted. "I've been having strange visions all day. A few about you and Tatooine."
"Sounds like the Force is trying to tell you something," she said, a smile touching her lips.
"It always does," he confirmed for her. He had hoped that she would be able to shed some new light on the visions but she seemed as clueless about it as he was. He had a few ideas though. He knew she had spent time with her grandmother as a child, who in turn had lived on Tatooine for a few years with the planet being covered in sand. It could have something to do with that. "It was something I was wanting to talk to you about."
"Is this where I get to hear about how it is time that I go and see my grandmother?" She asked, sighing in frustration.
Luke smiled, he had kept those thoughts hidden from her but she still knew. She was getting to know him well. "How did you know that is what I was going to say?" he asked.
"Because I know you," she said. "And it's been too long since you had brought it up. I was waiting for it to happen."
"I was preparing to leave this evening to head back to Yavin," he told her. He had been thinking about it since he had awakened that morning. He could only stand Coruscant for a short while and it was time to leave the planet wide city. "I was hoping you would come with me. We could go and meet your grandmother and then you can drop me off on Yavin."
"You won't leave me alone until I say yes, will you?" she asked. He knew she would most likely protest. However he also knew she was curious about her family. He hoped she would agree to go.
"No, I won't," he told her. "I think you need to go see her."
"Okay, fine," she said, her face set with determination. "I'll go."
"Great," he announced, clapping his hands together. He stood up, preparing to leave the room. "We leave in four hours. You think you could be ready by then?"
"Now you are giving the orders?" she asked, smiling.
"By no means," he said, playing along. "What I meant to say was, when would be a good time for you?" he asked, over exaggerating his submissive tone.
"Four hours should suffice," she said. "See you then."
Chapter 8
Mara arrived at the hanger housing the Jade's Fire a few minutes before the scheduled time. Rolling her shoulders, she repositioned the carry all bag that rested there. Looking around, she was happy to discover Luke waiting near the entrance ramp. So he had understood that she would want to bring her own ship and so he was there waiting for her. The thought brought a smile to her face, there were not many people that could read her the way he could. They boarded her ship without a word, stowed their belongings and quietly set about getting the ship ready to fly.
She had been plagued with doubts during the hours before they were due to leave. She had started to call Luke numerous times to tell him she that wasn't going. If she did that, she reasoned to herself, she would always wonder and it would drive her crazy and Luke would by no means leave her alone about it. It was better to get it over with as quick as possible.
She was startled out of her reverie when one of the indicator lights turned red and began to flash.
"What is it?" Luke asked, leaning over to see the readout. She rechecked the sensors and moaned softly.
"Ship sensors have detected a slight stress fracture in the hull," she explained, rubbing her temples. She checked regularly but it was always a pain when she came across something wrong with her ship.
"Repairable?" he asked.
"It's hard to say without seeing it. Lets go take a look." She got up from her chair and stormed through the hall until she reached the ramp. As soon as they were once again in the hanger, she walked swiftly towards an access ladder across the bay. She would need it to reach the top of the ship where the fracture was detected. She turned when Luke jumped to the top of the ship and landed softly.
"You had better not scratch the paint with your antics," she yelled up to him, though she had to admit she was slightly impressed. Luke did not realize how much he had learned. He had picked up things faster then she ever had. Even though she had the best teachers teaching her. She never had fully accomplished the skill of a Force assisted jump, yet Luke could do it with little effort.
"I would never think of doing that," Luke called back down to her. He was standing atop her ship, watching her with a very amused look lighting up his face. "Do you need a lift?" He asked. She frowned at him, wondering what she could throw at him and knock him off his perch with damaging her ship. But she wanted to get going so she thought better of it.
"Since we are anxious to get going, I will permit it this one time," she said, and immediately felt Luke reach out to her. She felt her feet leave the floor and her ship seemed to move in front of her. She came face to face with Luke and her feet landed with exaggerated care next to his.
"See, not a scratch," he boasted, with a tilt of his head. He laughed as he took out the portable scanner and went in search of the fracture. Mara pretended to fume but she knew it was pointless. Luke would be able to tell that she was not mad. He was too entertaining when he was in this sort of mood. She took out the repair kit and moved to where Luke was bent down studying the scanner.
----
"Will the patch hold?" Luke asked as he stowed the equipment back in its designated places.
"It will for a while," Mara explained. They were back inside the Jade's Fire. She had been able to patch the fracture, but it's location made it necessary for more intensive repairs. "The patch we put on it was only intended to be a temporary fix until the ship can be repaired. If we are forced to perform more then a basic jump then it won't hold. It needs to be repaired."
"Well, I have never known you to use Coruscant Maintenance," Luke said. "So how should we go about fixing your ship?"
"Simple," she told him. There was really only thing she would do since there were only a handful of people that she would let touch her ship. "I call Karrde and he sends someone to pick it up. Shouldn't take more then a week for him to get here."
"So we wait," Luke said, settling back against the wall.
Mara looked at him, weighing her options. He was willing to wait even though she could feel that he wanted to get underway. Knowing what she had to do, she walked over to the com and punched in a few numbers. She was satisfied when Aves' face appeared on her screen.
"Mara, good to see you," the younger man said. He was sitting in a room full of activity. Mara was satisfied that she knew everyone that passed into her view. It would seem that everything was running normally while she was away. "Ready to return already?"
"Not quite," she told him. He didn't sound like he was really worried about it, intending it as just a way to make conversation. Conversation was something that she was not in the mood to indulge in. "I need you to have someone stop by and pick up the Fire. It's in need of repairs."
"Sure thing, Mara." The man became sidetracked as he fiddled with the computer in front of him. When he spoke again he sounded distracted "Looks like we can get it picked up in ten days. Will that work?"
"Sure, that's fine," she said, trying to remember if there was anything else she needed to tell him. "Get the security codes from Karrde. I won't be here when you pick it up."
Luke looked over at her shocked but she did her best to ignore him. The problem with her ship was not serious but would become one if she was forced to push the ship too hard during their flight. She would rather take care of the problem sooner than later, not risking further damage of her ship. However, she also did not want to postpone the trip even if that decision forced her to spend the remainder of it in whatever it was that Luke insisted in traveling in these days.
"I don't see a problem with that. Taking a little side trip?" he asked.
"That is none of your business," she barked. It was time to get on with it. Sitting around would do nothing to improve her mood on the subject. "Tell Karrde I'll be in touch." She ended the call. Feeling Luke watching her, she turned around. "What? Did you want to sit here another week?"
"I didn't say anything," Luke said innocently. He looked around the room but did not offer to move. He was obviously waiting for her to voice her decision.
"I'm assuming you have some form of transportation here, right?" she belatedly thought to ask. She might just as well have to wait if it turned out that they did not have a ship. Which was a possibility, seeing how Luke did automatically come to her ship. She had assumed that it was because she would want it but there was the possibility that it was for a more basic reason. "I mean you didn't bring that rusted old x-wing of yours did you?"
"No, I didn't," Luke assured her. He managed to look slightly offended but the look did not stick. "I have one of the academy's shuttles." To go from her ship to a shuttle did not sit well with Mara. She began to second-guess her decision. However, a shuttle was better than no ship at all.
"Well, we're not getting anywhere just sitting here." She exited the cockpit and headed towards the ramp, stopping in her cabin to grab her bag. This trip was not getting off to a good start.
----
Mara sat aboard the Blazing Destiny, one of the ships that were at the disposal of the Jedi Academy. She stared at the wall, flaming mad. Why had she thought this idea would work? She sighed, looking around the room. It was small, crowded and ill equipped, nothing like her accommodations on the Fire. Stop acting like a spoiled brat, she demanded. She had survived in much worse situations. A few days in a run down shuttle would not kill her. The ship was not completely ready for the recycler, she admitted, but it left a lot to be desired.
She stretched her tired muscles and groaned when her feet extended past the length of the cot. There where a few suggestions she could make to Skywalker, however. Curling back up, she relaxed, wondering if it would be worth trying to get a few more hours sleep.
After leaving Coruscant, they had made an attempt at conversation but had constantly lapsed into silence until she spotted Luke starting to doze off. She had suggested that he take the first turn sleeping and she would keep an eye on things. He had reluctantly agreed after trying to insist that he would take first watch, that way someone was always watching the controls to insure there were no unexpected problems. Though it did not take much attention, she didn't want to risk him falling asleep.
She soon found herself alone, Luke having given in to her demands. She was sitting in the cockpit, smiling when she felt him drift off. Trying to pass the time, she had spent her watch exploring the interior of the ship while periodically checking the controls for trouble. She had been sitting at the controls drinking a cup of caf when Skywalker had come to relieve her.
It had been an easy task to fall asleep. The day had seemed extraordinarily long and she was ready for the somewhat welcoming feel of the cot. She did not remember a thing until she opened her eyes a few hours later, feeling refreshed but still frustrated.
Mara opened her eyes, realizing she would not be able to go back to sleep. She rolled out of bed, her feet contacting the cold metal floor. Walking towards the door and heading to the refresher, she was forced to catch her balance when her foot caught on something.
Grumbling to herself, she glanced down to see what the offending object was. It turned out to be her carry all bag. When she first arrived, she had been so disgusted about having to leave her ship that she had just thrown her things onto the bed then pushed them on to the floor when she retired for the night.
She went to the refresher and returned a short time later, deciding it was time that she try to get her things in some kind of order, placing items in the few drawers and shelves in the modest room. When she was finished, Mara went in search of Skywalker. She was awake early and knew he would not be expecting his solo shift to end for some time yet.
Mara reached out and finally found Luke in the cargo hold. She found it odd that he did not reach back. However, she kept the contact light and ended it before she disturbed him. She altered her direction, heading to the stairs that would take her to the lower level of the shuttle. The doorway to the hold was to the left of the stairs.
Entering the spacious room, she saw him sitting on the floor, meditating. The control panel on the wall kept up running display of the cockpit controls. Sort of like a miniature bridge, though for anything more then a slight course change he would have to go to the bridge, but it was sufficient enough to keep an eye on things. She watched him silently from the door, unsure what to do. He should have sensed her as soon as she woke up or when she reached out to him. He should have at least known she was close to the room. It was a survival technique.
He knows, she thought. He knows and he just chooses to make me wait. Well, I'll teach him. With a sly grin, she moved to the small refresher at the opposite end of the hall and filled a plastic cup full of cold water. He still did not move as she went right up to him and dumped the contents down his back and tossed the cup back in the general direction of the refresher. She braced herself for his reaction, knowing he would jump, scream, something. But once again he surprised her. He didn't react, he didn't move at all. She waited, wondering about it then watched as he slowly looked up and smiled.

"Mara, what were you thinking?" he asked, his grin only widening.
"I was thinking that I wanted to get your attention," she told him. With her hands now placed on her hips, she watched him. When he didn't continue she turned to leave.
"What's wrong?" Luke demanded. He looked at her in confusion.
"Nothing," she said, turning back to face him. "I was expecting some kind of reaction from you but I got nothing. How can you do that?" It was maddening to think he could be so passive. Jedi calm or not, sudden cold should have been enough to force a reaction.
"You want a reaction?" he asked. She began to worry at the sound of his voice. "Is that what you were after?" He called his bottle of water sitting in the corner of the room to his hand, stood up and walked towards her. It did not take long for her to figure out what his mischievous plan was.
"Skywalker!" she yelled, knowing he had all intentions of soaking her. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Try me, Jade." He continued walked towards her causing her to back up the stairs or risk getting wet.
"Okay, alright, bad idea for a joke," Mara said. She had no doubt that Luke would indeed pour the water on her and there was nothing she could say about it. "No more ice water down your back while you're meditating."
"I see that you have seen the error of your ways," he said, stopping at the top of the stairs. "However, with all actions there are consequences. Now you must face yours." Luke laughed out loud as he started to run towards her down the hall.
"Isn't revenge of the Dark Side?" she yelled as she ran from him. She couldn't help but laugh at Luke's unusual behavior. Realizing he was gaining, she tried to run faster. She was just rounding a corner when the ship lurched violently and she was thrown to the floor. "What the hell was that?" she asked. She let Luke help her to her feet before taking off towards the cockpit. She skidded to a halt when she caught sight out the window. Where she should have been looking at the swirling mass of colors normal to hyperspace, all she could see were stars. They had been pulled out of hyperspace.
She went right to the controls, scanning for anything out of the ordinary. According to the scanners, they were alone. Nothing but a few stray asteroids scattered across the area.
"There's nothing out there," Mara said, glancing back at the Jedi.
"Then what pulled us out?" Luke questioned, looking over her readings.
"Ship malfunction?" She wondered aloud. She knew that was not right, it would have registered. However there was no denying the fact that there was nothing out there. She scanned with the Force and again came up with nothing.
"Possible," she admitted. There was a chance that something could have malfunctioned and failed to show on the readouts. There was a flash of light and the ship rocked again. Mara grabbed at the chair to keep her balance. Luke bumped into her as he tired to reach the scanner controls once again
"We're under attack," he said, stating the obvious. His eyes went wide as he looked from the controls then out the window. "Droid fighters coming around that asteroid, probably to hide from our sensors, and I couldn't sense them. Whomever they belong to, it seems they knew it would be Jedi onboard," he said, his voice rising as they were hit repeatedly. "Or this is an uncomfortable coincidence."
"Well, they are going to have to fight to get us," Mara yelled. There was no way she would be beat this easily. "Come on Jedi. I'll take the guns and you demonstrate that fancy flying you are so popular for."
Luke dropped into the captain's chair as she took off at a dead run towards the guns. Realizing it's modest armament would probably not be enough to defend them, she swore and wished once again that she had just went head and brought the Fire. Though the twists and turns Luke was initiating would have surely damaged her ship. Luke took them into another dive as Mara squeezed off a few shots.
"Where are they?" Mara demanded then swore under her breath as she shot at another. "I can't see them until they are right on top of us. They are not showing up on the sensors."
"Maybe we are imagining them," Luke offered. She could hear the strain in his voice as he tried to avoid the flying droids.
"That's not even funny Skywalker." The ship rocked violently, throwing her against her restraints. "So much for it being our imagination."
"There goes the shields!" Luke shouted to her. "On more direct hit and we've had it."
"Then lets not get hit!" Mara shouted back. She grabbed the edge of her seat as Luke dropped them into a steep dive that turned her stomach. She continued firing, occasionally hitting one of her targets. She was still unable to get a lock on any of them, especially not with the wild dance the Destiny was performing. It was pure coincidence when the shots connected and one of the targets was destroyed. The power of the Force and all the luck between them was not enough she realized as the next blast took out their engines.
Mara unstrapped her restraints and made her way back to the cockpit just as Luke was shutting off the now unneeded support systems.
"How bad is it?" she asked. The room was a smoking mess that did not hold much hope for in flight repairs.
"Bad," Luke said, shacking his head. "Engines are gone, navigation and communication both fried. And a hole in the hull."
"So they have won," Mara said, dropping into the chair next to him. "We're theirs."
"No, not necessarily," Luke said, his voice low and his face pinched.
"What," Mara asked, looking over at him. She could feel his sudden change in mood. "You have a plan?"
"No." He shook his head and stared out at the ships that were no longer shooting at them. "Just that they don't have to capture us. At the rate we are losing air, all they have to do is let us sit here long enough and we'll die of affixation."
"Oh well, that's pleasant," Mara exclaimed. She looked around, hoping for inspiration but no ideas were coming to mind "And no one will ever know what happened to us?"
"No, someone will," Luke explained. "I did manage to get a distress call out before they took out the communication equipment. I just don't know if anyone heard it."
"So what do we do now?" she asked. "Sit and wait to die?" That was the last thing she wanted to do. However, with no engines, no communications and very little power there was nothing much they could do.
"Not what I had in mind," Luke said, a spark of optimism shimmering in his eyes. "But that's what I'm hoping they will think. I'll put us both in a trance and maybe they'll pull us out of here before the lack of air gets to us."
He's crazy! She always suspected it, but this proved it. He wanted her to play dead, hoping it would fool her attackers. All it would accomplish would be prolonging their death if that were what they had in mind. She looked out the window once again. She could see the stream of gas that the ship was leaking. The attacking ships had regrouped and were just sitting there. It did look as if they were waiting for them to perish on their own. If all she did was sit and wait, she would surely die but with Luke's plan, she at least had a chance.
"Not my first choice of a plan," she admitted grudgingly. "But it sounds like the best option we have."
"Sit back in your chair," Luke instructed. Mara was overcome by a sense of unease. There was something in the Force but she could not pinpoint it. Her sense of danger was so strong but there was nothing else they could do. This plan would at least give them a chance once they woke up again, if they ever did.
"I'm ready," she told him after taking a deep breath. She closed her eyes and felt Luke lightly touch her temple. She could feel herself drifting off to sleep. Her last conscious thought before the nothingness took her was Luke's whispered reassurances that they would make it.
Chapter 9

Han walked quietly through the heavily worn path that weaved through the forest. He closed his eyes and sighed. Hoping that his hunch would finally pay off. Looking over he could see Lando walking next to him, his face not holding much hope. And their escort was not far ahead, walking with a leisurely step. He was clearly not in a hurry to guide them through the dense forest that separated the landing pad from the main complex. He was clad in a pair of loose black pants and a matching black shirt that left the chest mostly exposed. A strange man, Han had to admit. He had greeted them at the landing pad and offered to get them past the forest, but beyond that had not said a word.
Looking again at Lando Han could see that he looked a bit nervous and he knew how he felt. They were all hoping against hope that this lead at last would pan out. It had been two months, two months of searching and dead ends. It started with Lando showing up on Coruscant looking for Mara, having become worried when she failed to meet him as planned and he could not contact her. He had come to find Luke, figuring that Mara had gone off with him.
It did not take him long to figure out that Luke was also gone. With the new information Lando proceeded to hunt down Han. When Lando first came to him with his fears, Han was not worried. He knew full well where Mara had gone. Luke had come to him before they left to explain that Mara had agreed to finally meet her grandmother. However Lando was not convinced. He pointed out that they were four days overdue as it was. Han had been ready to dismiss it as them just adding a few more days to the trip when he got a call. It turned out that Communications intercepted a distress call from Luke, stating that his ship was under attack and they needed assistance. Lando had been correct, they were in trouble. It took a bit of investigation but they were able to trace the transmission to the originating system, but with several planets in that system and no other word from Luke or Mara, no one knew where to start looking.
The Council rerouted a team to take a look and the details were not promising. And they decided that, because of the debris field that was found at the site indicated they may have been destroyed, it was pointless to look unless they had some proof that they survived the attack. They were set on the decision despite the fact that Leia insisted that she would know if Luke were dead.
Frustrated with the Council's inability to act, Lando, Han, and Chewie had decided to start the search on their own. Once Karrde got wind of the plan he invited himself along. It took them the better part of a day to bang out a plan, but after their impromptu brainstorming session they decided that the best place to start looking would be at the spaceports. So they proceeded to talk to people, following the smallest lead that might point them in the direction of their friends.
A few weeks ago, a seedy looking man approached them, claming he had witnessed the attack. He said the attacking ships had belonged to a man named Riiea Langmen and he had a hefty business running on the sixth plant of the system, Nivina. It took them a little time and money to find out about this Langmen. He was a low class scoundrel with his hands in a little bit of everything, gambling, smuggling, prostitution, black market trading, and it would seem kidnapping. They were able to track him down to this part of the planet, in a place called Pleasures Hideaway.
They had entered a clearing while Han mulled over the events of the past few months. Without a word they crossed the clearing and entered the courtyard. The buildings here were elegant. Sweeping arches and white stalls covered in interweaving vines blooming with small white, pink, and violet flowers. Stone stairs lead to upper levels and delicate flowers were clustered around the many benches on the ground. The sun filtering through the trees threw swaying shadows on the green grass below. It was to Han one of the most beautiful places he had seen in a long time.
What they saw next nearly dropped the men's chins to the floor. A beautiful blue-eyed woman, wearing practically nothing, approached them. Her outfit consisted of gold glittering strips of cloth covering her voluptuous upper half, which secured in the back by strings. Even less material was covering her lower half leaving her petite midsection completely bare. Her shoes seemed to be made of the same material with straps that crisscrossed her long legs up to her knees. Her long dark brown hair was in a simple tail, letting it flow down her back, and blue eyes that seemed to look into your soul.
Looking around, Han noticed that the entire populace of women around was dressed alike. In addition, the men all seemed to favor the black pants and open vest that their greeter had. As he watched a man walked up to one of the many woman lounging about. She smiled seductively as they talked, she leaned over, kissed him, then lead him into one of the many doorways, disappearing inside.
"I really doubt Luke would stay in a place like this very long," Han said to Lando, expressing his doubt. He had seen many places like this in the past. Granted none this elegant, but it's purpose rang through loud and clear. Luke would never feel comfortable being near a place that offered services such as this one.
"It won't hurt to ask," Lando replied, grinning as he took in all the details. He presented the young lady with his most dashing smile as she finally reached them.
"Welcome to the Pleasures Hideaway gentlemen," she said. Her voice was veiled with a heavy accent that Han could not place. "What's your pleasure?"
"To get straight to the point," Han said, throwing a warning look at Lando meaning to keep him quiet. "We are looking for a friend that we figure might have ended up here. Do you think you could help us?"
"I can try, sir," she said. She clasped her hands behind her back and shifted the dirt under her feet innocently. Even though Han knew she was anything but innocent, it was enough to get his attention and that of his companion. "Now you understand that I cannot reveal the names of our customers or their current business," she continued. "However, if you describe your friend to me I will see what I can do."
"Fine," Han said. He had a feeling that if she was unwilling to divulge any information they were not likely to find anyone that would. "Let's see, he's about your height, light brown hair, sort of on the long side. Medium build, blue eyes." He paused, trying to think of anything else that would set his friend aside from everyone else. "Oh he has a scar on his face, you can barley see it but it is there. He and his companion would have arrived here about two months ago maybe."
Understanding crossed her face and she glanced around nervously. "Was his companion a female?" she whispered, her eyes filling with fear. "Red hair, green eyes, and a temper that could kill a Kifler beast?"
"I cannot say that I know what a Kifler Beast is," Lando said. "But knowing this woman she could probably handle it."
"I knew you looked familiar," she whispered in awe. Han had the distinct feeling that they had finally showed up in the right place. "You, sir, are Han Solo, right?"
"Yes I am," Han said. He was determined not to get his hopes up yet again. It had happened before that they thought they were finally going to get a few answers, but always for one reason or another it never worked out quite to the point of finding his friends.
"I would guess then that you are seeking Luke Skywalker." She continued to speak in hushed tons while keeping the inviting smile on her face. To anyone watching it would seem that nothing was amiss. Just another deal in the works. Han tried not to smile as she spoke, but to hear her speak Luke's name was the best sound he had heard in months. "I knew someone would come looking for him."
"You have seen him?" Han asked, feeling the first true stirrings of hope since they started on this search.
"Once," she informed them. "When they were brought in, almost two months ago. I have not seen them since, but not because they are not here. They are locked up in a room and no one is aloud in."
"You said they," Lando said, his voice rising in expectation. "So the woman is still here too?"
"Yes," she said, watching him oddly.
"Mara," Lando whispered, as the woman glanced behind her.
"Gentlemen," she said with a sexy smile. It was clear to Han that the situation had changed. "My boss, Mr. Langmen, has just shown up. Please play along, I need to keep him from being suspicious as long as possible." The words were barley out of her mouth before the burly middle-aged man appeared at her side.
"Sesla, beautiful," Langmen said, eyeing Sesla like a hungry animal. "You two have made a wonderful choice, worth every credit." As he was speaking, Sesla glided over, hooked her arms in theirs, and smiled again. Lando patted her arm affectionately. Either by choice or merely coincidence Lando looked as though he was indeed interested in her 'services.' Han realized that he also had to play along if he wanted to find out what it was that this woman knew.
"I just hope she can handle us," he said, playing his part.
"If I can convince the two of you to follow me, you will see that I am full of surprises." With a smirk, Han and Lando let themselves be lead into the building. A few turns later and they were lead into a room.
"Sit down gentlemen," Sesla said as she closed the door. "And I will tell you what I know." Han was more than obliged to settle himself into one of the numerous chairs set around the room. Lando took another chair, while Sesla settled herself crossed legged on the bed. "Less than two months ago, I was on my way back to my room when I heard a commotion down the hall. Curious, I went to take a peak. A few brawny men were escorting a couple down the hall. Not unusual, but what caught my eye was that they were both cuffed and in need of some medical attention. At one point the woman tripped and the man bent to try to help her up. He was rewarded for his actions with a blow to the side of the face with the butt of one of the blasters. The woman yelled his name and it was not until then that I realized I was watching the capture of Luke Skywalker. I still only know that the woman's first name is Mara."
"You said that they needed medical attention," Lando asked, Han's sudden feeling of dread mirrored in his friends voice. "What happened?"
"From what I saw it looked like a minor crash, but still needed to be treated," she told them. She was watching them with interest. Her earlier portrayal of the sexy 'for hire' forgotten once she was in her room.
"Then what happened?" Han asked. She was willing to talk, but he had a fear that they were running out of time, and he wanted to see how much she knew.
"Langmen called on the doctor," she continued with a nod. "Who is a friend of mine, by the way, to check on his 'guests.' She told me, later on, that they had them on a drug called Nefic. It's a drug that affects thinking, higher reasoning, pretty much clouds the mind so much that you act almost purely on impulse."
"Sounds dangerous," Lando said. Han held his expression in check. Even though it was incredibly hard with his heart dropping to his feet. He had heard of Nefic, back in the old days. A pretty nasty drug, as much as he could remember. Competitors would slip it into their associates' drinks to try and get what they wanted. It was not unheard of for it to be used by unsavory people to slip it to women to have their way with them. The effects it could have on Luke were unnerving. Not to mention what would happen if him and Mara were together. Lets just hope that he did nothing to make the woman mad. There would be nothing to stop her from finally killing him.
"It can be," Sesla continued, unknowingly reiterating what Han had already been thinking.
"So where are they?" Lando inquired. "Can you help us get them out?"
"Well," she said, her voice strained. Han knew then that whatever the news was it was not going to be good. "There's a problem there."
"What?" Han exclaimed. A million things that could have gone wrong flashed across his mind. The foremost was that one or both of them could already be dead. However he kept the thoughts to himself and waited of her next words.
"They've already escaped." With those words Han relaxed. A feeling of utter relief flooded through his senses. They were already out of here, on their way home. I should have known Luke would have been able to take care of himself.
"What? How?" Lando asked. Their escaping did not go well with the image Lando had in his head. Han knew Lando and Mara were business partners, but that did not stop Lando from trying to impress Mara in any way he could. And coming to her rescue, he thought, was a very good way to impress her indeed.
"They had help," Sesla said with a smirk. "We sent them out the back way and directed them towards the landing pad. There they would be hidden until you arrived."
"You knew we were coming?" Han asked, suddenly nervous. If she had known they were coming that meant that Luke and Mara's captors could know as well.
"I make it my business to know," she said matter of factly. So they were waiting at the landing pad. However that made no since. If they had been on the landing pad then why lead Han and Lando here. Why not just transfer them over to the Falcon as soon as they landed? Something must have gone wrong.
"But what happened?" He asked, voicing his concerns.
"They never made it," she stated gravely. "We suspect that they're still in the forest. Needless to say we are worried, they have been missing for two days now, and the nights get very cold this time of year. They will not survive long."
"We will find them." Han had a feeling that they were missing because they had decided not to go to the landing pad. If they were going to be recaptured, arriving at the landing pad would be a sure place for it to happen. And the people that found them might just shoot them for trying to escape. Han figured if he had thought about that, then Luke must have too. And if that was the case, then it might turn out that Luke and Mara were already off the planet and on their way back home.
"I need you to understand the condition they are in," she insisted. "For two months they have been under the effects of this drug. I thought it would be simple enough to send them through to the landing pad and have you get them to a doctor. We are running out of time. Their next dose is over due. I was concerned before for their welfare, but now I fear for their safety."
"What do you mean? Will they attack each other?" Lando asked. It surprised Han already that they had not. With nothing holding them back from doing the first thing that came to their minds, it would not have surprised him if they tore each other to shreds. That they are still alive was a great accomplishment.
"I did not mean that they would hurt each other," she corrected hurriedly, words that brought on a feeling of great relief. "They did not seem that way."
"Then you haven't been around them much." Han said smiling. Mara and Luke's arguments have put all others to shame. It was the only times he ever saw Luke so close to losing his extreme control over his feelings. To say that they would not fight each other just reiterated the fact that she had not spent any amount of time with them.
"No I haven't, but they have spent two months locked up in the same room together and they seemed no worse for it. No, what concerns me is that they are fully aware of the drug's effects on them. When they come down from it, they are going to hit hard, they may try to come back here. With Langmen around, that would be the end of it."
"It's addictive?" Han asked. At any other time the thought of Luke being addicted to drugs would have caused him to laugh, but the information now caused him to worry. If in fact they had been seeking other means of escaping, then tried to find their way back, it could be that they had gotten lost.
"Very. We need to find them soon."
"You may be wrong about them," Han said, knowing that they could be wrong about all this. "It's hard to keep those two locked up for long."
"Maybe you are right," she agreed. However her tone of voice suggested that she did not. "I would rather not have to find out. We need to go, with my boss back it is only a matter of time before he finds out they are missing."
"How long do we have?" Lando asked.
"He has a meeting right now." She paused to think. "Best scenario, we will have an hour head start."
"Well then, lets go," Lando said, standing up ready to head out the door. He paused to think then turned back to Sesla. "What is the best way to get out of here? So we are not seen, I mean."
"Follow me." Getting up from her position on the bed she crossed the room and opened the door. Peaking her head out she looked around then motioned for them to follow her. She lead them back out the door and a few feet down the hall where they turned and walked down a dimly lit staircase. At the bottom was a door to the outside.
"This is as far as I go," she said, her hand on the doorframe. "If I were caught outside the complex there would be hell to pay. Follow that path and head north," she said pointing to a path that started fifteen feet in front of them. "That's the way we sent them." She turned to go back inside, but faced them once again. "I hope you find them soon. You have about three hours until sunset and I will try to hold off Langmen for an hour, longer if I can. Good luck." She closed the door behind her and they were alone. Turning towards the path, Han and Lando set off at a steady trot in the general direction of the landing pad.
-----
Lando stopped and sat on a large rock, taking a drink of his water, and sticking his hands in his pocket. It was cold. It seemed the later in the day it got the colder it became. Sesla had said the nights got cold but he had never experienced any place that had such a big change in temperature.
They had been walking for over two hours. Having reached the landing pad a half-hour after they set off with no sign of Mara or Luke. They had turned and tried backtracking to the building a few degrees off their original path, then tried walking on slightly different paths to cover more ground. They were now on their forth trip and still nothing was showing up on the scanners. Looking around he began to wonder if it were possible to find them here. They could walk right past them and never know it. Or the two of them could be miles away by now. There was just no way to know for sure.
It may not look good at this point, but many things in his life had not, and most had turned out for the better. No he would not give up hope. Two of the closest people in his life were in trouble, and once again, and he felt he had to help. He sighed with the thought, shoving his hands further in his pocket, but first he wanted to get his hands warm.
Han had entered the clearing a few moments earlier and they stood staring at each other. Lando's feelings mirrored in his friends eyes. They were running out of time.
"What do you think?" he asked as Han came to sit beside him.
"I think we keep looking. I am not about to give up on them. We have come this far, and we will continue until they are safe."
Lando nodded in agreement. "Something like this always seems to bring everyone together doesn't it," Han commented.
"It always does. Though I enjoy seeing everyone, I wish many times that it would not happen so often." Lando thought about all the people who had offered them aid during the search. Wedge and Rogue Squadron offered to be there if they were ever needed. Leia had stayed behind on Coruscant, taking care of thing there. What shocked Lando and everyone the most was when Callista had shown up at the Solo's apartment. It was two weeks ago, during the time they had returned home to gather more information. Lando had happened to be there when she arrived.
They were just finishing up dinner and everyone was making their way into the more comfortable part of the house, when there was a knock at the door. Threepio had gone to answer it and without a fuss he ushered the visitor into the room. All conversation had ceased when they noticed the newcomer. Lando could remember the feeling of shock when he saw the person he had believe no one would ever see again. Callista stood at the threshold of the living area, eyes cast downward, making no move to go any further. It was Leia that recovered first, walking up to Callista she invited her to sit.
Callista gratefully took the seat closest to where she was standing. She looked scared, and uncomfortable. But her gaze came up as if she had just made a decision.
"I'm sure the biggest question you are all wondering was why am I here," Callista said. Lando had noted at the time that she had sounded sad.
"The thought had crossed our minds," Han said.
"I'm here to help." She took a deep breath before continuing. "Luke's disappearance is all over the Holonet. I could not help but hear about it. I would understand if you send me away. But no matter what happened between Luke and myself, I feel I should help out."
"He's needed help before, why now?" Leia asked.
"For a number of reasons. I was never able to before. I was afraid."
"Afraid of what?" Lando asked. Luke had been really torn up when Callista left and did not come back. During that time everyone had really started trying to protect Luke. It only marginally worked, but the habit had never worn off. So now, too see that she was trying to get back in, it put everyone on alert.
"Of coming back," she told them. "I know I'm not a popular person around here. I don't expect to be treated like nothing ever happened. I just want to help."
There was really no way to tell her no, when they needed all the help they could get. Leia, had an idea. She had been trying to handle everything at home as well as anything that was needed on Yavin. Seeing a perfect opportunity to give Callista something important to do she asked Callista to go to Yavin. And to stay there, helping with whatever problems she could, and to call her if anything came up or there was something she could not handle. Callista had agreed, somewhat reluctantly and had departed for Yavin the next day.
Even with all the people working towards getting their friends back, it had been an uphill climb. Today being the first time they had even come close to finding them. And Lando had to agree with Han on that. He was not about to give up when they were so close.
"How do you think they got into this situation?" Lando asked, trying to get his mind back on where he was. He was a jumble of emotions and there was nothing else he could think of to say.
"You know Luke," Han said, dispassionately. "Trouble seems to follow him."
"And this time Mara got caught up in it." He had not meant it to sound as accusing as it came out. It sounded bitter. He did not blame Luke for any of it. All he wanted to do was get them home.
"What surprises me is that they were able to hold them for so long," Han said. He was watching him with a sympathetic eye but did not reply to his comment. "It's not that easy to keep two Jedi in one place very long if they do not want to be there."
"It may be because of that drug," Lando said. He still had trouble believing anyone could subject two people such as Luke and Mara to something like what Sesla suggested. However if she were right it would explain a few things. "Maybe it's as strong on them as Sesla was saying."
"Maybe," Han said with a shrug. "My question is what did this guy want? He went to a lot of trouble to get these two and hold on to them, what did he plan to do once he had them."
"Your guess is as good as mine." He put his hands to him mouth and blew trying to spread some warmth there. "I hope we find them soon. It is getting cold."
"I guess it takes a bit more to get me cold," Han said with a smirk.
"I can barley feel my fingers anymore." Lando complained, shoving his hands in his pockets again. "Well, come on, I want to find them before that goon does."
"Right behind you buddy. Your turn to pick, which way?" Han said indicating the area around them.
"Umm...that way," Lando said, pointing in a direction slightly east of their current direction. They started walking, splitting into different paths without a word.
----
Han Solo stepped over yet another annoying root protruding out of the ground, blocking his way. He had been walking for what felt like hours, but what was in all likelihood only about 20 minuets. Lando and him had split up to cover more ground and he could hear him walking not far away. Checking his scanner again he continued forward. Not that the scanner was being much help. Every time he thought he had picked them up it always turned out to be an animal or something. The scanner had seen better days.
He heard what he thought was laughter and turned in that direction. The voices seemed to be moving and he had to correct his route twice as he moved closer. If he had continued on his earlier course he would have walked right into them.
"No, wait, I think it's this way," came the disembodied male voice.
"Do you have any idea where we are going?" Asked an amused female voice.
"Ummm, no." They both started laughing and Han suddenly had the impression he was finally closing in on them. They must have stopped moving for some reason. He maneuvered around one last big tree and his jaw it the ground. Before he could recover from the shock the two people he had stumbled upon took off at a dead run.
"Lando, this way!" he shouted as he ran after them. He was forced to dash through the dense undergrowth as they tried to run from him. He heard movement not far from him and was satisfied to see Lando break through the brush and begin running beside him.
"What is it?" he asked, pacing him.
"I just saw them," he said, watching in front of him trying to keep an eye out for which direction they were going and trying not to trip at the same time. "But I spooked them and they ran." There was a yell of surprise and they stopped when they saw Luke helping Mara up off the ground not far in front of them. Luke turned when he noticed them and looked like he was going to bolt.
"Luke wait!" He looked back at them and pushed Mara behind him in a protective gesture. With one hand on his shoulder and the other on his forearm she looked around to see who had stopped them. Together they began to back away. "Luke please, look at me. You know who I am." Lando stepped up beside him, but did not say a word. Luke's eyes darted from Han to Lando and back again. It was the first time in years Han could remember seeing genuine fear on the kids face. "You know me," he insisted, hoping his words would register.
"Han?" The question was spoken softly, almost too low to hear but Han was waiting for it.
"It's me kid, I've come to take you two home." Luke's brow creased at the word home, but he did not say anything. "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes," Luke said, with much more confidence this time. Mara had yet to say a word but she had edged out from behind Luke. However, Han noted, had not let him go.
"We have the Falcon waiting. We're ready to get you out of here. Do you understand?" He was speaking slowly, afraid he would spook them again. He'd never been in a situation where he had to deal with anything remotely like this, and he felt in over his head. But he also knew that if he did not get them to come to the ship willingly he would have to stun them. He would, under no circumstances leave this planet without them.
Luke looked back at Mara then back at him. "It's time to leave."
----
"They're cold," Lando pointed out as they made the trek to where Karrde and Chewie waited in the Falcon. Mara had her head resting on Luke's shoulder as they followed behind. Luke had his arms around her, trying to suppress a shiver.
"Well let's give them a hand," Han said, wondering why he had not thought about it sooner. He pulled out his comlink and called Chewie on the Falcon. The roar of the engine could be heard less then a minute later.
"That was fast," Lando said as Karrde exited the ramp ushering Luke and Mara onboard.
"We were motivated," Karrde said. "Some goons arrived on the landing pad right before you called and started snooping around. Chewie figured we were about to over stay our welcome so he got the ship ready."
It was short work to get everyone on board. It would seem that once Luke and Mara had remembered who they were, and realized it was the way out that they were looking for, they were more than willing to get off the planet. There was no resistance as they moved to go into light speed, and then they were on their way home.
----
Luke and Mara were seated in the lounge when Han came into the area. He sat down two jumpsuits on the table. He turned his head when Karrde and Lando came into the lounge and took a seat.
"Well here's something for you two to change into," he said directing his attention back to Luke and Mara who were sitting comfortly at the table still dressed in the garb from the planet. "Sorry this is the best I could come up with. Luke they will fit you, they're yours. Mara sorry, but there is no female clothes on board, seems Leia cleaned all her stuff out of here the last trip."
"That's fine," she said, wrinkling her nose at the pile of clothes. "It's awfully hot in here anyway. Those things look too stuffy." Han kept quiet long enough to walk over to Mara intending to talk to her so no one would hear.
"That may be the case," he told her, quietly in her ear. "But certain people are starting to pay too much attention to your current outfit. Now I am not trying to tell you what to do, but you never liked his attention in the past so I thought I would warn you."
Mara seemed to conceder his words before looking up. A smile spread across her face and the mischief that must have come to mind made her eyes sparkle. She stood and walked over to Lando.
"You would rather me not change?" She asked, amusement making her voice soft. Lando did not know how to answer so he merely smiled. "You like this outfit?" She asked again.
"Yes."
She smiled, clearly satisfied with the answer, then grabbed a bundle of clothing and disappeared behind one of the doors. Emerging a few minutes later dressed in the jumpsuit. Her earlier outfit piled in her hands. She walked straight back to Lando, dropping the pile in his lap.
"You can have it, since you liked it so much." With that she walked out of the lounge, leaving behind a room full of laughing guys, well all but one. Lando watched her walk away, completely shocked.
Han smiled as he watched her walk away. It was going to be an interesting flight home.
Chapter 10

Leia paced the length of the waiting room inside the medical wing of the Imperial Palace. Han and the others had arrived an hour ago and they had taken Luke and Mara straight here. She had met him there a short time later to find no information what's so ever. No matter how often she asked no one had any information on her brother's condition or that of his companion. She was left with what her imagination offered her, and it was driving her crazy to say the least. As hard as she tried she could not since her brother. Normally they could since each other if they were within the same general area. Such as if they were both anywhere in the palace. She knew she was on the same floor as him yet she felt nothing. It did nothing to calm her nerves.
What did he think he was doing? she thought to herself, totally absorbed in her own turbulent feelings. What did they want from him, this time? Why can't he be left alone? Oh Luke, I am sorry. I wish I could give you the things you want most. You think I don't know, but I see the way you look at my family. I know you want one of your own. If there were a way, I would give it to you in a heartbeat. Please Luke, please do not leave me. I want you to be happy, please, you can still be happy, don't give up now.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to realize a doctor entered the room. It was not until Han got up and touched her arm that she turned and noticed. Her thoughts were pushed away at the opportunity to gather some information. The doctor was an aging gentleman with graying hair and tired brown eyes. He was taller then most standing in the room save Chewie, but he did not seem intimidating. He entered the room with a weary step and stopped in front of Leia.
"How are they?" she asked, as those around her, Lando, Han, Chewie, and Karred stepped closer.
"We have them stabilized," he explained, his voice held the hint of regret. "However they are still unconscious." It had come as no surprise. Han had explained to her that while they were both awake and alert when they were picked up, and continued to be for most of the trip, but they had failed to awaken the final morning before they landed. The reason was unsure though they all had their suspicions. It made them rush even faster to get them both much needed medical attention. "Both of them had to be treated for exposure. Everything seems well, we are sure they will pull through."
"Do you know why they are unconscious?" Karred asked.
"We are not certain, of course. We are still waiting for a few tests results to come back in, but at best guess it is a result of the absence of the drug. They were in fact addicted and the lack of the substance in their system is having a profound effect on their bodies."
"When can we see them?" Leia asked, looking longingly at the door she knew separated her from her brother.
"Soon," he assured her. "But not for long. You have to understand something about their condition. We have mentioned the substance they have been subjected to, but I am not sure you understand the full effect of this on humans. It was created for very shady reasons, and is extremely addictive. We are just not sure what all will be damaged by this. They were under its influence for nearly two months. That is a very long time. Not something we would recommend. I am afraid I am going to have to send them to detox for a week, two at most."
"Is it that bad?" Leia asked. She thought sure that once they were out of physical danger they would be allowed to go home, that the people around them would be able to take care of their needs. But this doctor was not even giving them the opportunity.
"If you want then off the drug, then I think this is a necessary step," the doctor explained. He paused for a minute. Giving Leia the time she needed to digest the information. They had all been searching for months for the location of the two of them. Now that they finally had them home they were being told that they could not come home. "I'm going to warn you that when they wake up, they may have trouble cooping with what happened," the doctor said, interrupting her thoughts, and adding more to her chaotic feelings. "The effects vary in every person. We'll not know for sure until they awaken."
"And when will that be?" Han asked. Leia looked at her husband, then to everyone else in the room. There would be more here, she knew. When the word got out more people would arrive to show their support, and wait the coming of news. The room would be fuller because of the amount of people that would want to be here. They were a large group, when everyone was gathered, but they were a tight group of friends. And, Leia had to admit, most would be here to be with Mara as much as Luke, for she too had become part of the group, probably without her realizing it.
"It should be in the next day or so," the doctor said, answering Han's question.
"That long?" Leia asked.
"Give or take, yes. Their bodies have to adjust to everything that has happened." The doctor sighed then looked at the door. "For now, I can let two people at a time in to see them."
"Thank you for all you have done," Karrde said. He stepped up to the doctor and shook his hand. He turned back to the group and smiled slightly in Leia's direction. "Leia, Han, you two go first, we'll wait out here for you."
It took no more encouragement on her part to accept the invitation. She had to see her brother, to see that he was really there. Han and Leia followed the doctor down the hall and into a room. She was apprehensive as she stood at the door. Taking a deep breath she forced down her fears and entered the room. Luke and Mara shared the room, their beds sitting side by side in the middle of the white room. Both looked too thin and pale. It took all her strength not to break down and cry right there. She slowly walked over to her brother, taking his hand lightly in hers.
"He's cold," she whispered, not knowing who she was telling that to. She gratefully accepted the blanket handed to her by her husband, and did not say a word as he helped her cover him. She nodded approvingly as he did the same for Mara.
"The doctors are helping them Leia," Han said, appearing once again by her side. "They will both be fine."
"Why is this happening?" She pleaded. "Why does this sort of thing happen to our family?" She had not expected an answer, and Han did not seem to have one to give. She watched her brother, looking for any movement or sign that he was waking up, though she knew it would be a while before that happened. She sat next to her brother for a few moments before Han suggested they give the others a chance to come in. Nodding reluctantly she followed him back out of the room.

----
It was three days later that Leia and Han found themselves still sitting next to an unconscious Luke. They were talking quietly to Lando and Karrde who were sitting by an equally unresponsive Mara when Luke rolled over on his side. It was the first time either of them had moved in the days they had been here. Leia jumped up to stand next to her brother as he rolled back over on his back and slowly opened his eyes. After giving his eyes time to adjust Luke merely starred around the room, as if trying to figure out where he was.
"Luke, how are you feeling?" Leia asked, taking his hand.
"Terrible," he crocked. He paused, working moisture in his mouth. Leia reached over and offered him a cup of water that sat on a nearby table. He accepted it gladly, taking a careful sip before continuing. "My head hurts. Where am I?"
"You are back on Coruscant," she explained to him. "In the Medical Wing."
"How did I get here?" Leia sighed. He did not remember, she realized. It occurred to her to wonder how much of it he would in fact recall.
"We found you three days ago and brought you back," Han told him. Luke's eyes shot over to the new voice.
"Back? From where?" He asked. His voice was a bit confused, and slightly flustered. "The last I remember was heading back to Tamin IV with Mara. Then..." He paused his head creasing as he thought. "Oh...our ship was attacked," he continued, his tone calming as the memories returned. "We never made it there. You brought us back? How did you get there that fast?"
"What do you mean?" Han asked. By this time Lando and Karrde had come to stand next to the bed.
"When our ship was attacked, we were losing air," Luke told them. "I put us in a trance, but I didn't think anyone would get my message and get there in time."
"That's the last thing you remember?" Leia asked him, the fear she had been feeling over the past few days taking up it's regular place in her heart.
"Um...Yes, why?"
"Luke," she said softly. "We got your message two months ago."
"WHAT!!" Leia took an involuntary step back. She could feel the anger and confusion pouring off him. It came across so powerfully that it scared her for a second. "But how can that be?" He asked. When no one answered him his head dropped back and hit the pillow. "What the hell happened?"
"We were hoping you could tell us," Han piped in.
"I just told you I don't know!" Luke yelled. "Weren't you listening?" She caught the shocked reactions coming from the other members of the room. She had never seen Luke like this, this out of control.
"Luke," Leia said softly, and rubbed his hand.
"Leia give up," he said, sighing and turning his head away from her. "I can't hear you. I can't touch the Force, my head hurts too bad."
"I'm sorry Luke," Leia whispered. She had been trying to reach out to him, and he had expected it even if he was not able to do the same. She did not know what else to say. The doctors were doing everything they could for him. She knew it would be only a matter of time before he got back his use of the Force, but she could not imagine what he must be going through.
"Please, just leave," he said. "I want to be alone."
"If that's what you want, Luke," Leia said, unable to keep the hurt out of her voice.
The four of them turned to leave but Karrde stopped and stepped back up to Luke.
"Will you let us know if Mara wakes up?" He asked. Luke looked over to the other bed as if he just noticed Mara was there.
"Sure," he said, then closed his eyes. Karrde took the hint and joined the others in the waiting room.
----
Luke was lying impatiently in the bed as the doctor checked him over. It had been a few hours he would guess since Leia and the others had left the room. He had tried to go to sleep, and thought he might have gotten a little sleep before the doctor came in. It occurred to him that the doctors should have come in earlier, but he was not going to complain. The sooner the doctor got out of the room the sooner he could go back to sleep. And confronting him was not a good way to get him out of the room faster. He was trying to lie still when he noticed Mara open her eyes. Luke turned to get a better look at her as she rolled over and groaned.
"This will only take a few seconds, Master Skywalker," the doctor told him while he attempted to take Luke's vitals. As he proceeded, he happened to get in between Luke and Mara. It happened so quickly that Luke did not have time to control it. He was suddenly overtaken by anger that he shouted at the doctor.
"Get out of my way!" Luke yelled, and tried to shove the man to the side. The man did not budge, and Luke was steaming. He looked at the understanding look on the doctor's face, and wondered what it would take to make that look disappear. He sighed, and let go of the thought.
"It's the drug that causes you to behave this way, Master Skywalker," the doctor explained to him. "I understand that it's hard for you. It'll take some time for the effects to wear off."
Luke dropped his head to the pillow. He was not even listening to the man. His head hurt and all he wanted to do was make sure Mara was all right. "Just move," he whispered, his voice clearly showing the defeat he felt.
The doctor turned to see what it was that Luke was trying to see, then motioned to something behind him and another doctor entered the room. It was not until then that he stepped to the other side of the bed, and Luke could again see Mara. She had not spoken a word since she woke up, and Luke could not help but worry about her. She did not look well.
The new comer said something to Mara in a voice that was too low for Luke to hear no matter how hard he tried. Mara looked up at the doctor in shock, but that soon faded away along with all the color in her face.
"Mara, what's wrong?" Luke asked. The worry was getting so great that he had to know what was going on. Was she hurt? What was she so upset about?
"What in the void happened, Skywalker?" She hissed, looking over at Luke. "This person here says that I will recover and be fine, but what exactly am I recovering from?"
"Details are a bit scarce for me too," he admitted, looking from Mara to her doctor who was not paying him any attention.
"Umm, you are no help," Mara said in a huff before rolling away from Luke and not saying another word.
"Fine," Luke said. "You stubborn daughter of a Sith, don't tell me what's wrong. I don't know why I even bother worrying about you." Luke turned his back to her, closing his eyes determined to get back to sleep. Maybe he would get lucky and they would have separate rooms when he woke up. The people standing at the window into their room went unnoticed, as did the startled looks generated by their behavior.
----
It was late in the day when they were both moved from their room in the hospital. An orderly came into the room long enough to check them over then asked if they were ready to be moved to a different part of the hospital. They had both agreed. After a bit of a heated discussion about not wanting them to walk, they all set out through the halls, leading to the new room.
"We are trying to keep this as quiet as possible, Master Skywalker. It's for that reason that we are keeping you two together for the duration. The fewer people involved, the better chance we have at keeping this quiet."
"Thanks," Luke said. Their own form of torture, he added quietly to himself. He glanced over at Mara, for once glad that she could not pick up on his thoughts. However, he had to admit that he was beginning to worry about Mara. She had been unusually quiet. Not speaking a word to him since their conversation when she first woke.
The orderly escorting them stopped at a door and opened it the ushered then inside. Mara entered the room behind Luke and stopped to look around. She snorted before crossing the room and sitting on the bed next to the window. Luke was watching her closely and jumped when the door suddenly closed behind them. Mara sprang to her feet and jumped towards the door, slamming her fist against it when she got near enough.
"What are you doing?!" Mara screeched. "We are not in jail here!" There was a cocky voice that filtered into the room from the other side of the door.
"It was by your request that no one find out you are here. How will you do that if you are walking around the grounds?"
"But why with him?" she asked, emphasizing the last word.
"Thanks Mara," Luke said softly, not caring if she heard him.
"You would rather spend the time alone?" came the voice.
"Yes!" She yelled.
"I have my orders ma'am."
"Well get them changed!" She waited for an answer, but when it became apparent that there was no one outside the door anymore Mara slammed her fists against the door once again.
"Mara, would you stop doing that before you hurt yourself," Luke said. Watching one of Mara's tantrums was a good way to get him in a bad mood. He watched and could see her shift her anger from the man outside to the only other person in the room with her.
"Who are you to tell me how to act? If it wasn't for you I would not be in this mess."
"Me?" Luke asked, taken aback by her accusation.
"Yes you. If you had kept your nose where it belonged I would not have ended up like this!" She had taken steps closer to him while they were talking until she was standing right in front of him with her hand posed to strike him. Realizing what she was going to do he grabbed her arm and held it there.
He watched her closely waiting for her to calm down. He could see the tension she was feeling begin to drain away, but her breathing did not calm along with it. If anything her breathing was growing shallower. As he pondered the oddity of the situation he became aware of the same reaction from his own body. He closed his eyes trying to control the sudden racing of his heart. He felt her step closer still, until their bodies were touching. He opened his eyes to find her staring at the arm he still held.
"Mara," he whispered. She slowly moved her gaze until it locked with his own. She moistened her lips slightly, and he dipped his head lower, trapping those lips with his. She responded by sliding her free hand around his back. He rubbed the back of her neck, pulling her closer while trapping the other hand behind her back. He broke the kiss when he felt Mara begin to fall. He released her arm and caught her before she slid any closer to the floor.
"You need to rest," he told her. "Why don't you lie down for a while?"
"Maybe you're right." She accepted the help he offered her as he lead her to the bed by the window. She was asleep before he had the covers pulled over her. Taking one last look around the room he climbed into the other bed. He was asleep in moments.
----
Luke woke up in stages. The first thing he became aware of was that he was extremely warm. Uncomfortably so. The next thing he realized was that something was not right. On impulse he reached out to the Force trying to track down the feeling. The pain that the action incurred jerked him wide-awake. He looked around the dark room and wondered where he was. Before he could think of a location he had to dash into the refresher, where he was forced to use the more unpleasant method of empting his stomach. He had practically drag himself back to his bed.
Once back into a vertical position he could feel the uneasiness fall back to somewhat bearable levels. It dawned on him then that he was not in his own room. But if not then where was he? His first instinct was to reach out with the Force, but the first wave of pain and nausea stopped him in his tracks. There were other ways to figure it out.
Looking around the dark he could make out the few furnishings scattered throughout the room. A table, chairs, the refresher, which he had already found, and he also found what looked to be another bed. There was not enough light to make it out for sure, but he thought there might have been someone in the other bed. Getting up as slowly as he could, determined to keep his head and stomach under control, he crossed the room and knelt next to the bed. Once he was closer there was no mistaking the figure that lay in the bed. But how did they end up in the room together he wondered. His eyes grew wide, and his heart started racing as the memory came flooding back. But where that put them he was still not certain. Where they captured? Were they now in a cell? He heard a moan coming from Mara and focused his attention on her.
"Relax, Mara. Waking up is not pleasant." She immediately settled down and slowly opened her eyes.
"Luke?" she asked doubtfully.
"Yes," Luke told her. She sifted slightly, her arm coming out from the covers resting atop the blankets.
"What happened?" she asked, rubbing her eyes before turning them on him.
"I don't know," he said quietly. A click from the door drew his attention. The door slowly opened. There was light pouring in through the door that prevented him from seeing who it was coming into the room. The lights inside the room suddenly flared on. It was too much for his stressed out system and he sat down hard on the floor.
"Oh sorry," came he soft spoken apology. The lights dimmed but did not go completely out. It was enough to give Luke's eyes time to adjust. He looked up and was shocked to see who his visitor was.
"Leia?" He asked. He looked over to see that Mara had sat up and was studying Leia as well. "Where are we?"
"You are still in your room," she said, the worry she was feeling tainting her voice. "They brought you in yesterday. You two have been asleep for almost a day. I wanted to be here when you woke up, but I could not get over here fast enough. I'm sorry."
"What are you talking about Leia," Luke asked rubbing his forehead. She was speaking to him like he should have known what she was talking about, but he had no clue. He could not remember anything though he had the feeling that he was missing something.
Leia sighed, looking first to Luke then to Mara, who was still in her bed, but had sat up when Leia entered. She looked just as confused as Luke felt.
"Leia, what's going on? Why are we here?"
"We explained all of this to you yesterday," she insisted.
"Well tell me again, because I don't remember yesterday." He could feel the frustration rising, and did nothing to control it. Staying calm did not seem to be getting them anywhere.
"Listen you two," Mara interrupted. "I have a very bad headache and my stomach isn't feeling too hot either. If you two want to squabble please take it elsewhere. Though I would also like a few answers it's not worth listening to this."
"I'm sorry Mara," Leia said sympathetically. "And to you too Luke. I will try again to explain. Han and Chewie picked you up four days ago and brought you back home. You were in bad shape and had been exposed to a drug. A very addictive drug, which is why you are here."
"Why don't we remember any of this?" Mara asked. Leia looked back at the door.
"The doctor is coming, he should be able to answer those questions. I'll be back later. Oh and Mara, I talked to Karrde he said he would get here as soon as he can."
"Call him back," Mara barked. "Tell him not to bother and I will meet up with him as soon as I can." She sighed. "No since in both of us falling behind schedule over this." Leia frowned at her but did not say anything. She quickly left the room, closing the door behind her. Once in the hall she leaned against the door, waiting for the doctor. She did not have to wait long.
"How are they?" He asked as he and his assistant approached from a side hallway.
"Their awake," Leia said, her voice tired. She looked the doctors over, recognizing them as the same ones that had been taking care of her brother and Mara all along. The doctor seemed to be taking care to keep the public from knowing that they were there. "And acting a bit more like themselves, but they are still very confused. Luke was very distraught when he woke up. They don't remember anything that happened."
"It's going to take time. You'll see they'll be fine. Right now I need to go and check on them."
"Thank you, please keep me informed." Leia moved away from the door to let the doctor enter, and stood there for a minute before deciding she had to get back to work. If she wanted to be able to get back down there to visit her brother, she had to get some things done first. It was then that she remembered that there was a call that she had to make. A call that she should have made yesterday, but in all the commotion she had just never thought about it.
She made her way to her office, and once comfortably behind her desk she punched in the code for Yavin. She was not surprised when Callista answered.
"I'm glad it's you," Leia said. "It saves me the time of asking for you." Callista grinned, and shook her head.
"There is not much for me to do around here," she explained. "I help out where I can, but even that is not much."
"Are they treating you alright?" Leia asked, knowing that the Jedi at the academy had promised to treat her well as long as she was there.
"Better then I expected in fact. But not much has changed with me, and my inability to use the Force puts me at a disadvantage here."
"I understand that," Leia said, realizing she had placed the other woman in a place she probably had not wanted to be. However she had accepted the responsibility without a complaint. "Thank you for doing that for me. And I did call with news. I was hoping you could pass it on for me."
"News?" The brunette said, she perked up, but Leia thought she noticed a hint or worry. Of course. Is it good or bad?"
"Good news," Leia informed her with a smile. "Han found them. Luke and Mara are being treated as we speak, they are both going to be fine."
"Oh thank goodness," Callista gushed, a smile spreading across her face. "So they will be home soon?"
"Sooner or later," Leia told her. "The doctors are not quite ready to release them yet, but they will be home, that's what everyone needed to hear."
"I can't believe after all this time they are home. I'm so very glad to hear it. I'm just sorry I could not do more to help."
"You did enough, thank you." Deep down Leia was glad that Callista was there. Though she was not sure how Luke was going to take the news. He was so confused and tired that she did not have the heart to tell him. Where as everyone was so focused on finding Luke and Mara, Callista's arrival had passed on with no fuss. But she doubted Luke would deal with it the same way.
"So what happens now?" Callista asked.
"From what the doctor says they are going to be fine," Leia told her. "They'll be kept in the hospital for two weeks, after that they should be free to go."
"Two weeks! Why so long?" Callista asked, mortified by the new information.
"Well it seems they became addicted to some drug. It had a strange affect on them, and the doctors want to make sure they are recovered before letting them leave."
"Is that necessary?" she asked.
"They say so," Leia explained. "There is a chance they will go looking for the drug if not watched. Possibly even trying to go back to Nivina. Though I have the feeling that they will want to go back anyway."
"Why would they want to do that?"
"They don't remember anything that happened there. And I know my brother, he will not be able to sit back and let it stand like that."
"He'll want answers," Callista said.
"Exactly," Leia said, glad that Callista knew Luke and understood her worries. "I just hope I can find a way to talk him out of it when the time comes. Well look Callista I need to get going, I have a ton of work to do. Tell everyone there that we will be in touch."
"I sure will. Thank you for taking the time to call me."
"Your welcome." After the com call Leia started into her work. She was determined to get though part of it by the end of the day.
----
Luke sat comfortably on his bed as he watched the doctors leave the room. He had been able to get more information out of them then he had Leia, but it left him disturbed. Two months? How have we been gone for two months? And according to them they were up and walking around as early as yesterday but he couldn't remember any of it. It bothered him. It bothered him more then not being able to touch the Force. He had asked the doctor about that. And Luke understood that these doctors did not have any experience with the Force, but from what he said Luke figured that if we wanted to stand the pain he could in fact used his gift. However he also felt that if he tried in his current state all it would accomplish was to knock him unconscious again. He decided it was better to wait until he felt better.
He looked over at Mara. She was sitting on her bed with her legs drawn up, her arms wrapped securely around them, and her cheek resting on her knees facing away from him. With his attention focused solely on what the doctor was telling him he had been unable to hear what Mara had been told. It was logical to think that she had been told the same as he. From the way she was acting she was taking it pretty hard.
He wished he could remember something, anything that would make since out of everything. He had never lost two months before. Where had they been all that time? Who had been with them? Why had they been there? The questions kept chasing each other round and round inside his head until he felt like screaming. All he had was questions and no idea how to get the answers.
"Is there anything you remember?" Mara asked, her voice calm. Her sudden question had startled him. The fact that she was voicing the exact thing that was eating at him did nothing good for his mood. "Luke?"
"No!" he shouted, finally having enough. "Why does everyone keep asking me that? Leia, that doctor, and now you. If there was anything I remember I would say so."
"Don't take that attitude with me," she said finally straightening up and looking at him. "I only asked you a question."
Luke realized he had snapped at her for no reason. She was in this just as much as him and she had to be feeling the same frustration he was. "Sorry," he told her. What was wrong with him? He normally had better control then that. "I'm just tired of that question," he explained. "I promise that if I remember anything you will be the first person I tell."
"Ok," she said, settling back into her earlier position, except this time she faced him. She looked vulnerable, and he wanted nothing more then to reassure her. He slowly got up from his bed and crossed to her. He knew she was more likely to yell at him, but he had to make the effort. He sat next to her, placing an arm around her shoulder. She nestled closer, trembling as she did. It surprised him at first, that she would so readily accept the show of affection. He settled in, determined to enjoy it as long as she was willing. They sat there for a few minutes, both taking comfort from the other.
"All I remember was putting both of us in that trance," Luke finally admitted. He felt that he had to say something, anything to help them get through this. And it had occurred to him that she might remember more than he did. "When I woke up, I thought that we were captured and were recovering from that. Then they tell me that we went into the trance two months ago, and they found us on some out of the way planet."
"Maybe we were in the trance that whole time," Mara offered. Her voice was muffled, her face buried in his shoulder.
"That's what I thought," Luke said, trying to piece everything together as he spoke. "But Leia said that both Han and Lando claim that we were awake and walking around at least two days before they found us. And it's obvious that we were awake yesterday. So why do I not remember any of it?"
"I asked the doctor about that," she said. "He told me it's an effect of a drug. The same drug that landed us in here. But that still does not explain where we were, or why we were there." She pulled out of his embrace long enough to pull a bag out from under the bed. "Or why these clothes were the only things in our belongings. These outfits are ridiculous."
"Yeah they look a bit drafty don't they?" Luke said, smiling for the first time since he woke up. He could not imagine either one of them wearing outfits as revealing as the ones Mara had pulled out of the bag.
"Drafty is not the word I would use," Mara said, stuffing the clothes back in the bag and tossing it back where she got it from.
"I did think you looked great in that outfit. You should keep it." He expected as heated reply, what he got was a smile.
"Not in your dreams," she teased. There was a friendly silence, as they got comfortable in their room. Mara got up and walked to the window. It was still dark outside and not much could be seen, but she studied it anyway.
"Mara are you alright?" He asked.
"The doctor says I am fine." She continued to look out the window and Luke got the feeling she was avoiding looking at him. Something was wrong.
"That's not what I asked," He told her. He stood up but made no move towards her. "How are you feeling? Is there anything I can help you with?" She turned to look at him, but did not offer any information. "I would like to help if I can. Mara, I can tell you are upset about something."
"Well I think I have every reason to be upset," she exploded. He could tell by the look on her face that had he use of the Force at that moment, the feelings coming from her would have been overwhelming. "I have lost two months of my life. I have been filled with a drug that I would not wish on my worst enemy. And then to top it all off that two bit excuse for a doctor tells me that I am pregnant."
Luke started to speak. He was not sure what it was he should say, but knew that he needed to say something. But then her words finally registered. "You're what?" He asked, wondering if he had heard her right.
"I am going to have a baby" she explained. Her head dropped to her chest for a second before she caught herself and looked him straight in the eye. "At least that is what they tell me."
"By who?" The question was out before he had a chance to think about it.
"That's none of your business!" She shouted. He did not know what to say, until he realized there was nothing he could say. Nothing he did at that moment could change what she was going through. "Besides I don't know," she admitted. "I'm in my forth week, which means that I became pregnant during our captivity."
"This just keep getting better and better," Luke said. "So here we have all these signs that we were awake during at least part of the last two months, and cannot remember any of it."
"And we are not going to find out anything while stuck in here," Mara said, finally coming away from the window and plopping down on her bed.
"If you have any ideas on how to convince them to let us out I am all ears," Luke said. It was unlikely that Leia or the doctors would be letting them go until they were all well and sure that they were completely recovered. Mara laughed from her own side of the room.
"When I think of one you will be the first to know."
TBC...
Chapter 11

"I'm sorry Leia but we have to go back. We both need to know what happened there," Luke told his sister from his position on the couch in Leia's office. Mara was sitting next to him, having insisted that she accompany him when he told her that they wanted to go back to Nivina.
"I understand that, but why now," Leia asked. "You two were just released. Two weeks is a long time to be in Detox. You need time at home to relax, heal."
Luke glanced at Mara, thinking about her condition. Tell them, Skywalker. If not, she may never let us go, he heard Mara say in his head. However Luke knew his sister better then Mara. There was a good chance Leia would not react the way they were hoping she would.
If we tell her, Mara, she may not let you go at all.
Let her try, Mara sent to him. She'll never be able to stop me because of this. The look of defiance on her face convinced Luke she was probably telling him the truth. He looked over to his sister and it was clear that she understood they were having a silent conversation. She was waiting patiently behind her desk for him to continue.
"Leia, we have to do this now," Luke started to explain to her. "Mara will not be able to if we wait too long."
Leia looked shocked and Luke could understand why. "But you both told me that the doctors said you were fine," Leia insisted. She was looking worriedly from Luke to Mara.
"I'm fine," Mara insisted.
"Then why wouldn't..." Leia was at a loss for words. Luke felt Mara elbow him in the ribs to encourage him to continue.
You said you would handle it, Mara sent him. So handle it already.
"She's pregnant," he blurted out. It was not the way he had wanted to tell her. He had thought hard about it the last few days, wondering how to tell his sister. Mara was not comfortable about the situation and he wanted Leia to understand the reasons behind them wanting these answers.
It took Leia a few seconds before she said anything. But Luke could see the emotions as the swept across her face. Some of those feelings he could relate to, others he could not understand. He let it pass, now was not the time to ask her what she was thinking.
"Pregnant?" Leia finally repeated. "But when? By whom?" Luke glanced at Mara in the wake of Leia's reaction. Those where very personal questions Leia was demanding answers to. But to her credit Mara kept her cool and sis not say a word.
"That is the information we want to go back for," Luke told her. He did not mean for it to come out as a plea, but that's the way it had sounded. Leia sat back in her chair contemplating the new information. Luke knew his sister and he could imagine what she was thinking. Under most circumstances a situation like this would have had too many risks to send them on. But what Luke was hoping was that she would see the personal side of it. There was a need for them to go back, a need for answers that could not be found anywhere else.
His hope continued to dwindle as she took longer and longer to decide. It would be a lot harder to make it back to Nivina without Leia's help. They could make it there, but it would take a lot more planning and risk on their part. He opened his mouth to speak, but Leia cut him off.
"Fine," Leia conceded. "We will set it up right away." She did not seem happy about the situation, but it delighted Luke to know that his sister did in fact understand, and that she was willing to lend a hand. "I know you did not have to seek my permission concerning this, but I'm glad you came to me. I want you two to be careful, so you wont be going alone."
"Leia, I don't want everyone hearing about this," Luke insisted.
"There is safety in numbers," Leia told them.
"That's not always true Leia. I know I don't need to explain that to you."
"However this time it's true and you know it Luke. I can't send you two back in there alone. I'll keep it as quiet as I can."
"How do you plan on doing that?" Mara asked. "How will you send people with us but not tell them what's going on?"
"Easy," Leia said with a smile. "There are enough qualified people that know enough about this that would be willing to help you with this. We'll just tell everyone this is a personal vacation. No one would question me wanting to take you away after what you have been through. That should be enough to keep the busy bodies out of it. Don't worry I will take care of it."
-----

Han shifted position trying in vain to get comfortable on the log he had clamed for a seat. They had touched down on the planet Nivina nine hours before, opting for concealment over closeness. No one was completely sure what type of detection equipment was located around the complex and no one wanted to take any chances. They all agreed that they should land out of range of the buildings, knowing there was a good chance they had wore out their welcome during their last visit. What no one counted on was the surrounding forest being so dense. The closest clearing big enough to land a ship, whether intentional or unintentional was a full days walk away from their target.
More than halfway to their destination they had bedded down for the night, intending to continue at first light. He looked around the group he stood watch over. They had all kept really close through the years. Chewie, Leia, Luke, and himself, they were always there for the one another. Even Mara, Han had to admit, was around whenever Luke needed her. Lando was reliable to a point. You just needed to be able to find him when you needed him. However Lando had shown back up this time, a little reluctant but willing to lend a hand. Han wondered if it was yet another ploy to try to get Mara's attention. Han wanted desperately to tell Lando to back off. However his reasons for telling him that were not his to tell, and the people that should be the bearers of the information had yet to show any sign that they were aware that it happened.
He stretched out his tired muscles and looked around. He had woken up some time ago and sent Chewie to get some sleep. The wookie had taken it upon himself to watch over the camp while everyone rested. He might not admit it, but Han knew he was glad to hand over the responsibility once Han offered. A sound caught his attention and he watched as Lando sat up and looked around. He then crawled out of his sleeping bag and came to sit next to Han.
"You taking over for Chewie?" Lando inquired, helping himself to some of the caf sitting nearby.
"Yeah he needed some sleep. I had a hard time convincing him to let me take over," Han explained. It was the truth, no matter how tired Chewie ever got, he never wanted to give up a responsibility once he had accepted it.
"That's Chewie for you." There was a noise from the sleeping group, distracting the two of them for a moment but the dreamer soon settled back into a peaceful slumber.
"How are they handling things?" Lando asked. Han knew right away that he was talking about Luke and Mara. Back when they were first leaving this planet Lando had convinced Han to stop long enough for him to pick up his ship. Lando had then went his own way, expressing his apologies at not being able to stay, but explaining that since he knew they were safe he needed to see to his investments. After two months Lando had all but vanished. Showing up or calling ever once in a while to check on their progress but other then that staying away.
"They pulled through it," Han told him. "I was worried about them coming back here, but they seem to be handling it quiet well. There were times we doubted the sanity in the decision of keeping them together, but I think in the long run, it helped. Things might have gotten a lot worse if they had been left alone." Han paused, thinking hear heard something. He scanned the area of their camp but there was nothing amiss. He heard Mara mumble something in her sleep, then she rolled over facing them.
"Ever notice that we always seem to be doing this?" Han asked, turning his attention back to his friend sitting beside him.
"Doing what?" Lando asked.
"Walking great distances," Han told him, laughing softly. "You would think we could just take a normal camping trip."
"Nothing is ever normal with this family," Lando kidded. He paused for a second, drinking the last of his caf. "You know, Mara has never been anything but a difficult person," he said, changing the subject. "But I think I am finally getting through to her."
Han caught himself before he coked on his own drink. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"I think she's finally starting to admit she has feelings for me," Lando explained.
"For you?" Han asked, amazed that Lando could actually surmise that from Mara behavior towards him.
"Well of course me, who else would it be?" If you only knew, Han thought.
"What made you come to that conclusion?" Han asked. Lando was fond of crazy schemes, but this one was a bit far fetched.
"Simple, why do you think I knew to be here? Mara called me and asked me to join you guys. I think she asked me along because she wanted to spend a little time together." Han smiled in understanding. He could now see what gave Lando the idea but he had taken the facts and ran the opposite direction with them.
"Do you think it could have possibly been because we were trying to keep this thing quiet? And just maybe she figured since you already knew about it you would be an asset. And that's why she asked you along?"
"Well yeah that too," Lando said. He slowly stood and walked over to where Mara was sleeping. She moaned softly, still secure in the clutched of her dream. Lando looked over at Han and smiled before couching closer to Mara.
"Who makes you feel that good, Mara?" Lando asked in a low whisper. Han rolled his eyes but leaned closer. He was curious to see what her answer would be. "Who visits you in your dreams, Mara," Lando asked once again.
"Luke," she breathed with a smile. She pulled her sleeping bag more securely around her shoulders then rolled away from them. Han took one look at Lando and knew that he was furious. Han quickly stood and stepped in front of his friend.
"Get out of my face, Han!" Lando bit out. However her was not looking at Han, he was looking across the campsite to where Luke lay asleep.
"What are you going to do?" Han asked. "Are you going to storm over there and confront him because of a dream that he knows nothing about?" Lando sighed and looked back at Han. He swiftly turned away from everyone and walked away, stopping at the edge of the small clearing and sitting down, his back to the camp.
Han considered going over and talking to him, but decided against it. Whatever was going on in Lando's head was something he needed to deal with. And with the number of Jedi that they were traveling with it was probably better for him that he deal with it while the others where sleeping. Han returned instead to his log and sat down. He picked up his discarded cup and refilled it, taking a sip of the warm liquid. His gaze wondered back to Mara who had fallen back into a silent slumber, then over to Luke. He could not help but smile. It would seem that there might have been more going on lately then either of them were talking about. He settled back against the tree that the log rested against and settled in to wait for everyone to wake up.
----
Mara pushed her way through a rather dense patch of undergrowth. They had been walking for over an hour, and had been making good time considering the obstacles that kept popping up. Han had woke them all at sunrise and they had quickly and quietly packed up camp, each grabbing a ration bar as they worked. They were getting closer to the compound and she knew she should at least be feeling a bit apprehensive, but the feeling was overshadowed by the residual feelings left over from her nights sleep. Her face flushed at the memory, but the experience suddenly evaporated when her foot caught on a tree root protruding out of the ground. She landed on her knees and elbows, cursing her lack of attention as her pack fell open and a few of its contents spilled out onto the ground. Mara quickly removed the pack and threw everything back inside. She was just tightening the straps when Lando passed her up.
"I would offer to help you," Lando said over his shoulder. "But I'm sure I'm not the one you are wanting help from."
"What are you talking about?" Mara exclaimed, but he continued walking, putting more distance between them. It wasn't the first snide comment she had received from Lando since they started the day's walk, and she was quickly tiring from it. It was time to put and end to it. She lifted her pack onto her back once again then set off on a fast pace until she caught up with him.
"What wrong with you?" she demanded. Lando glanced her way but did not offer an explanation. She could feel her temper rise at his stubbornness. "What do you think is going on here, Lando? Each step we take brings us closer to danger. This is not some family outing we are trying to reach. And your attitude is likely to get someone hurt."
"Must have been some dream you had last night Mara," Lando shot at her. "Do you remember it?"
Mara felt her face fall in shock. She quickly forced her barriers up, hiding her reaction. Her dream flashed once again through her mind before she pushed it back. There is no way he could know, she thought. "Part of it, why?"
Lando turned angry eyes her way and she knew that he somehow had an idea about what she had been dreaming. However she couldn't understand how he could have known, she had told no one about them.
"Well, lets just say that the next time you try and keep a secret, you should try harder to keep your mouth shut while you are asleep!"
"I was talking in my sleep, so what are you getting at Calrissian?" Mara asked, becoming angry herself. Her dreams were of no concern to anyone else, but she felt Lando was overreacting. His advances did not go unnoticed to her, but she had never done anything but push Lando away. He would not back off, and Mara believed that it was that reason that Lando had reacted the way he had.
"Ah, never mind, it's not worth it anymore." Lando quickened his step placing more distance between them once again. Mara threw her hands up in frustration. Lando's mood swings and immature behavior were the last things she needed to deal with at that time.
Mara could hear Han approach behind her and she turned in time to see both him and Chewie clear the annoying patch of undergrowth she had exited moments before. Han fell into step with her while Chewie continued to bring up the rear.
"What's wrong with your friend, Solo," Mara questioned.
"Last night, " Han explained to her, "during our watch, you started making noises in your sleep, Lando, being Lando, figured that you were dreaming about him. So he decided he needed an ego boost and he asked you what you were dreaming about." Mara's head fell and the color drained from her face. "You told him it was...."
"Luke..."she finished for him in a whisper. She glanced ahead to Luke who was walking with his sister talking quietly. She felt a pang of guilt. While they had gotten along as well as could be expected during their treatment, a silence had fallen over them as they started the mission, and it continued on until they were downright uncomfortable around each other. And she was unsure how to get past it. And now, with her dreams added to the mix, it was just making things worse.
"So, is there something going on between the two of you?" Han asked.
"Solo, I was just talking in my sleep," Mara snapped.
"I know, I know," he said defensively. "I was just wondering if there was something or if maybe you wished there was something between the two of you."
"Solo...." She said warningly.
"Oh, sorry Mara," Han apologized. "A bit too personal. I got it, none of my business, just a dream." He took a breath, and then held her arm to slow her. Mara sighed and waited for him to finish talking. "I just worry about him. He is the closest thing to a true brother that I have ever had."
"That is very nice," she said mock sweetly. "However, that is not what I was going to say."
"No?" Han asked, taken aback. Um, then what?"
"Ugh..." She paused, wondering if it was wise to do what she was preparing to do. "I need to tell someone this, and I cannot tell Skywalker...I think it was more then a dream."
"You mean a Jedi thing?" Han asked, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "Look Mara, you know that I know practically nothing about that stuff."
"Do you ever stop talking?" Mara wondered aloud. She smiled slightly before continuing. "Not a Jedi thing. Not really. More like a memory."
"A memory?" Han asked, her comment getting his attention and causing his pace to slow slightly. "From when?"
"Here," she said indicating around her. "Nivina. I keep having very... graphic... detailed dreams. It's been going on about a week now. Always about Skywalker and me, always with those outfits they stuck us in, and most of them...very erotic." The last words where barley a whisper and she knew Han had to strain to hear them, and she was sure that the blush that went uncontrolled on her cheeks did not go unnoticed.
"What about Luke?" he asked, looking ahead to the twins still walking together. "Does he have the same?"
"I have never come out and asked him about the dreams," Mara told him. "But he keeps saying that he does not remember anything."
"I think you need to ask him."
"I will, soon. Right now it looks like we are almost there." She pointed ahead to the building just coming into view behind the trees. Luke and Leia waited at the edge of the clearing as everyone arrived. Luke stood studying the land in front of them. It was strangely quiet but did not raise any warnings. It was Leia who turned first then waited for Luke to make a decision. He finally turned but he did not look happy.
"It's too quiet," he said aloud. "But I am picking up nothing amiss. I say we do this just like we planned. We split up and try and track down as much information as we can, Mara with Lando, Leia with Chewie, and Han with me. We'll keep in touch through the Force so we don't risk drawing attention to ourselves by using a comlink.
"Sounds good," Han agreed, stepping closer to Luke. "Lets just change it to Leia and Lando, and Mara and Chewie." Mara hid the feeling of relief at his words. She was going to suggest it, but was glad that Han had sis it instead.
"I see no problem with that. Any particular reason why?"
"Don't ask," Mara said, throwing a piercing look at Lando.

They split into the designated pairs, fanning out across the clearing and entering the compound at different locations. Lando lead Leia towards the building that Sesla had escorted them to on their previous visit. Lando pointed out that Sesla had mentioned seeing Luke and Mara when they were brought in so it stood to reason that there might have been clues to be found there. The building they were looking for was on the far side of the compound. They were just over half way to their destination when Leia felt a spike of fear radiating from Luke. She felt Luke send out a mental alarm and a startled command.
Get out! Get out now, while you can! The level of fear coming from her brother was more then enough to get her to move. She took hold of Lando's arm and pulled him along a few feet behind her before he got the hint and began to run on his own. They had just entered the forest when Mara and Chewie found their way in.
"Where's Luke?" Mara asked, placing her hands on her knees while she desperately tried to catch her breath.
"They're not back yet," Leia told her. They all glanced back repeatedly waiting for a sign that the two men where on their way out. But nothing on the outside of the complex had changed. Leia was startled when Mara's head snapped around to face the complex and the woman instinctively dropped into a combat stance. Leia was about to ask her what was wrong when she felt it too. Luke's sense had suddenly reappeared and was reaching out to them again. Leia could feel his fear but it was under control this time. However his command did not change.
Get out of here! He shouted at them. Don't wait for us. We will find another way out. Just go! His sense was cut off once again causing Leia to flinch.
"Lets get out of here," she stated aloud for the sake of the none Force sensitives. They started away until they heard a loud crash like something forcing it's way through the trees and the whine of a ship's repulsers not far ahead of them. Leia stopped in alarm until she saw Chewie gesturing with a small remote in his hand. She ran forward instantly knowing that the ship that had just landed was the Falcon, called to the area by the device in Chewie's possession.
By the time they had the Falcon in the air, they had received two more messages from Luke telling them to get off the planet. They headed back to Coruscant to get help.
Chapter 12

Luke Skywalker lay lost in his turbulent emotions. Unwilling and unable to think about anything else, he willed himself to melt into the cot he rested on. Nothing he did relieved the anguish flooding him. All he could do was curl up tighter, and bury his face against the stonewall. He did nothing to control the shivering the wracked his body as his mind twisted events before his eyes. He squeezed his eyes closed, trying in vain to stop the memories from continuing. This isn't happening, he thought desperately. He choked back a sob pulling his arms more securely around him. I can't believe she would do this to me, he sobbed. I never thought she could have been the one behind this. He could still see her face at the exact moment she saw them.
They had been searching the west side of the main building when he was suddenly cut off from the Force. It was unnerving enough to cause him to pause to try and get his bearings. In the couple seconds that it took they found themselves surrounded. Upon Han's suggestion they ran. Covering enough distance, before they were once again forced to stop, to get clear of the yasimarri (I'll look up that word later) bubble. Luke touched the Force long enough to feel that there was something very wrong. It was bigger then the fact that they were surrounded. It was then too that he sent out the first message to the others, he wanted them as far away as they could get.
The men surrounding them advanced forward slowly. While one man moved in front of the pack, Han drew his blaster. Taking Han's action as a cue Luke unclipped his lightsaber.
"You!" Han yelled moving closer. Luke looked questionably to his brother in law. It was obvious that Han had seen the man before, but Luke had no idea who he was. "He's Reiia Langman, the owner of this place," Han informed him. "Lando and I met him the last time we were here. We should be able to get our answers from him."
"Look I don't know anything," the man told them. "I'm just following orders."
"Who are you working for?" Luke asked, pausing to cough. He started to speak again when he was forced to cough once again. He realized he could not breath, like the air in the room was running out. He stumbled, his back hitting the wall, causing pain to shoot throughout his spine. He closed his eyes and shook his head trying to clear it. He pushed his fear aside, knowing that if he panicked he would not be able to fight. He could hear Han calling out his name, asking him if he was all right. However, he could do nothing to communicate with him. It took all his strength and concentration to keep moving air into his lungs.
He felt Mara reach out to him and latched on to her presence. He was asking her for help when he felt Leia join the connection. His hands started to quiver and made another plea to those outside. He waited long enough to feel the others make the decision to leave before letting his body succumb to the blackness being pressed upon him.
----
Luke woke with a start. Sitting up immediately and looking around he tried to place where he was. He found himself sitting on a cold floor. The walls and ceiling were formed from some sort of rough gray stone and Luke guessed from the soreness in his back that the floor was made from the same.
"Well that was fast." Luke spun around expecting to see his captor. He realized he was wrong when he found the person sitting on one of the two cots in the room.
"Han," he said, sounding as relieves as he felt. Then he wondered what had happened to land them both in there. He closed his eyes and forced the memories of before he blacked out to return.
"What happened?" he asked, shaking his head.
"I was hoping you would have been able to answer that question. Just as they surrounded us, you started acting funny, and then you blacked out."
"How long was I out?" Luke asked.
"Only a few minutes, they dumped up in here and left. Then you woke up."
"I couldn't breath," Luke explained. "It was like there was no air left in the room."
"That's strange," Han said. "What ever it was, it only seemed to affect you. Any idea what it was?"
"No, not really." With a loud clank as the lock was released the single door in the small room creaked open.
"Luke," said the female voice. "You never cease to disappoint me on how fast you can forget about me." Luke spun back around to face the figure that had entered the room. Her hood and cloak hid every detail, but that voice was female, and very familiar.
"It's good to see you again, Luke," came the sickly sweet voice again. He was trying to place the voice when she dropped the hood.
"Is it?" Luke asked, feeling his defenses go up. The shock that radiated from him could still be felt whenever he thought of that day. Never in all his life had thought it possible.
"Of course," she cooed, smiling at him.
"It's been a while," he probed, wondering if she would confirm what he was already thinking. She laughed slightly and walked closer to him.
"For you, I guess it would seem that way." It was what he was looking for, an implied clue that she had in fact been around during the previous abduction. "Well Luke, tell me, did you miss me?"
"For a while."
"But not anymore?" she asked, her lip jutting out in a pout.
"Not anymore. Why are you doing this?" he asked, his heart breaking at seeing the face from his past.
"Do you really need to ask?" She questioned, running her finger across his cheek. He jerked his head away, unable to bear even that amount of contact from her.
"I guess I do," he shot at her. He had felt defiant, confident that there was nothing this woman could do to him. Nothing he could not handle. He did not realize then how wrong he had been. He did not budge, wanting to see just how much she had changed. He didn't have to wait long. As he watched her eyes harden, then change he focus from him to Han, he began to feel the same tingling he had felt in the hall. Looking around it was obvious he was the only one affected, both of the other occupants stood calmly, glaring at each other. It felt like the area around him had been sealed off and was quickly becoming a vacuum.
"How?" he choked out. "Why?" His questions brought her attention back to him and he was suddenly able to breath again. He strove to get enough air back into his system.
"Why?" she repeated. "The answer should be obvious, even to you." She stalked up behind him and pushed him out of the room.
In reality Luke shifted on his cot, burring his face in his pillow. However nothing he did, nothing he tried stopped the flow of memories this time. He was at the mercy of his tortured mind, and he knew by now that all he could do was ride it out.
He had been asleep a few days later, back in the cell he shared most of the time with Han, exhausted from his sessions with his captor. He woke to the feeling of someone's breath on his cheek. Looking up, he already knew who he would find. He was not disappointed.
"Did you consider me idea?" the woman whispered. He shifted position once again so he was looking at that once again familiar face.
"I have," he said evenly.
\
"And your decision?"
"Very simple. I made the mistake of getting close to you once. Be it that I was young, naive, lonely, maybe even desperate, but not anymore. I've come to my senses and will never make that mistake again."
"We will see how long you can deny you feelings for me Luke," she hissed. "You seem to forget that I shared your bed. I know what you like, what you crave. I know it, and I can give that to you again. All you have to do is say yes."
Luke paused trying to look like he was pondering her offer. He locked his gaze with her, slowly sitting up.
"You are invading my space," he said, his face mere inched from hers. She smiled and moved back.
"You have my word that I will invade more then your space if I have to." She turned on her heal and left the room, the door locking behind her.
----
It was days after that before they saw her again. Han and Luke were never permitted to leave the room during that time. The only thing to break the monotony was when their food was delivered. Luke dared to hope that maybe they had been forgotten, but that hope was squashed when their captor once again appeared at their door.
"Did you think I left, Luke?" she asked, watching him closely.
"Only every day," Luke told her then. "Maybe one day you will leave and I will not be sitting here waiting for you when you decided to come by again."
"Do you really think it would be that easy?" she challenged him.
"Nothing is ever that easy," Luke retorted. "But I have been known to accomplish the impossible. I think I would be able to get away. I did it once, I could do it again."
"Let's get this straight," she said getting right up in his face. "The only reason you escaped was because of the incompetent people I kept around this place. You can believe me when I say that it will not happen again."
And Luke had discovered that she was correct. He was never able to escape, and he had been able to do when he tried was get himself injured or else he was knocked unconscious.
----
The events that followed caused Luke to regret those words. He would return to the cell each time more upset then the last. Shrugging off Han's attempts to console him. Wishing more and more to fall asleep and never wake up. It had crossed his mind more then once that they may not be able to escape. Well more like he would never escape. He started thinking that if he did what she wanted, if he gave into her demands he would be able to get his brother in law out. So that he could return at least that much to his family. It upset him to think that he had unknowingly been the cause of two of the closest people in his life getting into danger.
The information he learned shook him to the bone. It was information that he would not want passed on if we was not to leave this place. He just hoped that they all would forgive him for what he had done. What have I done? He asked himself. He had been living his life the best he could. And it always seemed like actions hurt other people. Maybe this time more then anything. He had not only messed up his life this time, but that of his friends, a mistake that could never be undone. He wallowed in his misery, wondering how things could have gone so wrong. How he had let anyone manipulate his life they way she had. It was all so unfair, and all he wanted was it to be over.
He could not help the sobs that wracked his body, and was so wrapped up in his memories the light touch to his shoulder nearly made him jump out of his skin. He turned expecting the worse, and sighed with relief when he caught sight of Han's concerned face.
"Wake up kid. It's just another nightmare." Luke could only look at him, too emotional to trust himself to speak. He closed his eyes tight trying to pull back the feelings. "Luke, let it out. Locking everything up will not help you."
"Nothing will help me," he told his friend. And it was the truth. Nothing he could do now would change anything that happened. There was nothing anyone could do to rectify the situation.
"Luke this is not your fault. You have done nothing wrong." Han's hand rested on Luke's shoulder, placed there to try and offer comfort, but that was the last thing Luke wanted. He jerked away, dislodging the offending hand. "Kid, you are worrying me. You have never been this bad before. What happened last night?" Luke rolled over, wishing Han would get the hint and back off. "Please talk to me Luke. Tell me what's going on out there. I am trapped in here all day, no one tells me anything. How can I help you if I don't know what's going on?"
Luke ran his hands through his hair and pulled, trying to relive some of the frustration. Han deserved some answers Luke just did not know what it was he should tell him.
"She wants me to sleep with her," Luke blurted out. That was just the tip of the problem, but it was enough of a start.
"Well there are worse things," Han said, with a smile.
"Han," Luke pleaded.
"Luke," Han said, looking around the room before returning his gaze to his friend. "If that's what she wants, will she let us go afterwards?"
"It's not that easy," Luke explained. He tossed everything around, trying to figure out what it was he wanted to tell him. "She's evil."
"Evil?" Han asked. He seemed to choke on the word, and Luke knew that it was probably the last thing he wanted to hear at that point.
"As in the dark said. I can't give in to her. I just can't do it, I wont. I want to hate her, but I know that's what she wants. She wants me to choose to be with her, or choose the Dark Side. She would take both if I would offer it. I know what she is trying to do, I'm just not sure how much more I can take."
"What are you going to do?" Han asked, sounding as lost as Luke felt.
"I don't know," Luke admitted. "She's in my dreams now. I no longer have that privacy. I feel like I am losing my mind."
"I wish there was something I could do."
"So do I." Han sat next to him. The silence spread out so long Luke turned to get a better look as to what Han was doing. He was just sitting on the cot, staring off into nothing.
"Who were you saying sorry to Luke?" The question caught him off guard, but he found he had no idea what his friend was talking about. "Before I woke you up, you kept saying you were sorry. You kept pleading for someone to tell her your sorry. You never said who."
"It was a dream, Han. I don't remember." Though that was a lie. He knew who he wanted to say he was sorry to, but he would make the apology in person or not at all. If he was gone, or he did fail and he was turned, he did not want his friend to know what he knew now.
There was another sound in the room, one that was not constant but very familiar. It was the sound of the lock disengaging. And in walked the causes of their pain. She stopped just inside the door, smiling to them both as she toyed with the metal cuffs in her hands.
"You..." Han sneered. He started to lunge towards her, but Luke stopped him with a shake of his head.
"Oh, can it, Solo," she said walking up behind him and painfully slapping the cuffs on him. "He's fine," she said, smiling at Luke. "Aren't you? I always knew you would be a challenge. But I almost have you. A few more days, you'll see." She walked up behind Luke, securing his arms behind his back as well. She caressed his cheek, sighing when he pulled away. She moved to where she was standing in front of him. Gently she ran her hands across his chest.
"Do you remember, Luke, the last time I was able to do this?" the woman asked. Luke looked at her, disgust filling his heart.
"Sometimes," he bit out. "They seem like nightmares now."
"You were more than willing then," she continued as if she had not heard him. "Do you remember how I was able to make you feel?" He closed his eyes as the memories of their time together forced its way to the front of his mind. He groaned and set his jaw, trying to ride out this invasion as best he could. "I can make you feel that again," he heard the woman whisper. "More so if you would let me."
"It doesn't look like I have a choice," Luke said, frowning at the strained tone in his voice.
"Oh, but you do," she cooed. "It's very simple. The cuffs you have on, come off very easily, when I want them to. Off a Jedi Master that is," she said, glancing back at Han. "When you're ready to be mine, just take them off. It is that easy. Together we can get this government back together. Make it work where your sister has failed. Together we will be stronger then the Emperor."
"Great," Luke sighed. "Now you. The dark side does not suit you," Luke shot back.
"Ah, but I think it does." She continued to rub her hands across his chest then ventured down. No matter how much Luke wanted to deny it, there was no mistaking the effect she was having on him. He sighed and felt his face flush and knew he had to do something. It was different when she played these games out of the cell, but now he had to deal with the embarrassment of knowing Han was right there watching everything, on top of fighting off her advances. Luke did the only thing he could do.
"There is no Emotion, there is Peace. There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge. There is no Passion, there is Serenity. There is no Death, there is the Force." The Jedi Code was the best defense he could come up with. A method he had developed during the first week of his imprisonment, it was becoming less and less effective but it was all he had.
He got the expected response. She paused her activities and glared at him. "Why do you insist on clinging to that absurd saying?" Luke refused to answer. To give her the satisfaction just made her more daring. His best bet was to wait until she got frustrated and gave up.
She proved to not be dissuaded that easily. She continued letting her hands wonder, dipping lower until she was undoing the waistband of his trousers. Passion or no, he could not ignore what she was doing much longer. He squeezed his eyes shut and held his breath, willing his body to calm down. She suddenly stopped, detaching her hold on him and stepping back.
"There is no emotion," she said mockingly. "I would say you were about to spew emotion all over me," she stoked his cheek once again, placing a light kiss on his lips. "You've not changed a bit, Luke. I bet you still remember how to please me, don't you?" He shivered at the thought, the memories grating across his already sensitive nerves. "Soon it will once again be a reality, but for now, I'll let you lick your wounds. It's moving day. But first, we have a little present for our uninvited guests." She walked back behind Han releasing his cuffs. "I have a mission for you. Follow the directions on this data pad exactly. I will be back in an hour to check your work. Make it good, or I will no longer waste my time trying to turn your friend. I'll just kill him for all the frustrations he has caused me."
She turned back to Luke once more. Griping his gaze with hers. Then raised her hand and landed it firmly across his cheek. With a smirk she left the room, the lock and door opening at her approach. Once it was closed Luke sank to his knees, tears streaming down his face. Han quickly moved to remove his cuffs and helped him over to the cot. He hated himself for being so weak. He should be able to fend her off, but he couldn't.
"Luke," Han's worried voice echoed in his ear. "Is that what's she's been.... Luke it's not your fault. You are doing nothing wrong."
"I am doing everything wrong Han," he snapped, turning his tear filled eyes on his friend. "I don't know if I can keep this up. I came so close to taking those cuffs off and just getting it over with."
"No, Luke, you can't do that," Han pleaded.
"I know," Luke said shacking his head. "I keep telling myself I wont."
"What are you going to do?" Han asked. It was a question he kept asking himself, but there were never any answers.
"I don't know. What else is there for me to do?" He paused realizing they were just repeating earlier conversations. He decided to change the subject. "What is that?" he asked, indicating the data pad he still held. Han laughed, as he looked at it.
"She wants me to write a letter to Leia. Giving details about what has been going on here. Says here I am to leave nothing out."
"That's why she did what she just did," Luke said, glad that something was making since. "So that you would have to put it in that letter."
"That would be my guess," Han agreed. "I have to do this Luke. I believe she would kill you if I didn't."
"I believe it too," he said, his hand covering the red handprint still clearly visible on his cheek.
---
A month had past and Leia still had not heard from her husband or her brother. They had made it back to Coruscant only to find that the planet Nivina had filed charges against the New Republic for being on their planet and unlawfully entering a private building. The Senate being tied down in legal matters over this could not let a rescue team be sent.
Finally, after a it became clear that Han and Luke had not made it off the planet, it was agreed that they needed to do something to get back. After a little convincing from Leia that this could be considered an act of war against the New Republic, the council decided that a strike team should be sent to take care of the problem, and to try and stop this from getting out of hand. They succeeded in taking the complex with little trouble and began the search for the two captives. Leia, following her feelings, found a cell in the basement. The cell contained two cots, and a data pad was placed on one of them.
Lei settled herself on one of the cots and began to read. Once she finished, she stared at the stonewall, tears running freely down her cheek. She sat in the cell that her husband and brother had lived in for the past month, trying the best she could to reach them but everything was cold. There was no trace of them. She turned when she heard movement at the door and saw Corran Horn look in.
"We haven't found anything besides the two lightsabers," he said regrettably. "Their not here. We're ready to go as soon as you are."
"That Bitch!" Leia screamed, unable to hold in her feelings. "When I get my hands on her I will kill her!"
Corran took a step back, visibly shaken by Leia's outburst. "Who?" he asked. She stood up and paced the small confines of the room. "Calm down, Leia, what are you talking about?"
"I found this." She stopped and held out the data pad but did not give it to him. Instead, she held it to her chest. Unable to let go of the only link she had to the two most important men in her life. "It's from Han," she explained, forcing back a sob. "Telling about everything that happened here." She started pacing again. "I can't believe this is how she repays him for all that he has done for her."
"Who?" Corran asked again. "Do you know who is behind this? Leia, we need to know."
Without saying a word, Leia walked out of the cell, Corran following right behind her.
"Where's Mara?" Leia demanded.
"I think she was in the control room," Corran offered. "Let me check." He spoke quietly into his comlink, listening as the reply came back. "No she's this way, come on."
"Let's go. She needs to know about this."
-----
Leia walked into the room where Corran said Mara was. As soon as she looked around her jaw hit the floor. The room was dark, the only lights illuminating a single wall which had all sorts of chains and cuffs attached. Mara was standing next to the wall, her hands resting lightly against it, with tears in her eyes.
"He was here," she whispered, without turning around. "I can feel it. Luke was here, and he was hurting."
"Come on, Mara," Leia said, moving Mara away from the wall and out of the room. "There's nothing we can do here, and there is something I need to show you." Leia glanced back as they left the room and started as her mind started showing her hints of what happened within those walls. She closed her eyes, now understanding what had Mara so upset.
She looked over at the woman walking next to her. Mara's pregnancy had really loosened her up. They had become friends over the last two months, and Leia had enjoyed answering Mara's questions about the baby. She was currently four months into the pregnancy and starting to show. She had been increasingly worried about the things she could do and still keep the baby healthy, and took Leia's advice concerning her diet and regular doctor visits very seriously.
It was amazing, but Leia was sure that Mara would make a good mother. So Leia was dreading telling Mara about the data pad she had found. However, Han had mentioned Mara in the letter, telling her that Luke had been thinking about her. It was Han's suggestion that Mara know what was going on. There were lots of people that would like to know, but only one person she was willing to tell.
"What is it Leia?" Mara asked as they boarded the shuttle. "Did you find something?"
"As a matter of fact, I did," Leia admitted. "Lets get on the shuttle and I'll show you."
As they entered the shuttle they realized it was nearly empty. Leia, Mara, and Corran making up most of the passengers. Corran sat near the front with the remaining two people, leaving Mara and Leia the relative privacy of the back row of seats.
"OK we're here, Leia, spit it out." Leia sighed, trying to summon the curage to say the words.
"She has him. I'm sorry Mara I should have known. It's not like I didn't have the clues. She left right before we wnt back, she was leaving to be there to capture him again."
"Who?"
"Callista. It says here that she wanted him back. And all this time and possible the time before, she has been trying to break him."
"Break him?" Mara asked. "What do you mean?"
"She wants Luke back," Leia explained, her voice breaking at the thought of what he had been going through. "But not by force. She wants him to choose her."
"I would think that Luke would not have a problem with that," Mara said, eyeing the data pad.
"According to Han, he has been putting up a good fight." Leia sat back and sighed, wiping a stray tear off her cheek. "Luke is a strong man, and capable of a lot of things, but I'm afraid for him...and so is Han."
"Can I see it?" Mara asked. Leia hesitantly handed over the data pad and sat quietly as she read over it. Mara for her part sat perfectly still, reading over the data pad once then again a second time. Leia could feel the anger brewing just under the surface, and knew just how she felt.
"Mara, we will find them," she assured her new friend.
"How could she?" Mara growled. "How could she do that sort of thing? She said she loved him. How could she hurt him that way?" She was crying by this time. Tears openly and shamelessly running down her cheeks. It had not been the first time Leia had seen Mara cry, and this time, just like the others, Leia could not help but join her. When asked about her elevated emotions, she quoted her doctor, blaming the now well known pregnancy for her lack of control.
"I don't know Mara," Leia told her, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "We'll find them."
"Did she not realize how much he still loves her?" Mara asked as if she did not hear Leia's comment. She shrugged off Leia's arm and turned to look at her. "He's moving on, but he loves her. I think he would have always loved her." She paused, looking at the data pad in her shacking hands. "Before this. How could she just throw that back in his face? He does not deserve this. When I find her I will make her pay for all the pain she has been putting him through." Mara's voice was steadily rising, and Leia could feel the anger building along with it. It reminded her of the time she had detected that anger towards Luke, now it was in defense of him. Mara really was changing, but the issue now was to somehow diffuse this anger before Mara hurt herself or someone else. Suddenly Corran appeared at her side and sat down.
"Mara, calm down," he said, turning her face to look at him.
"Don't tell me to calm down," she bit out. "Why should I stay calm?"
"Because you have someone else that needs you to," he said evenly. "Think of that baby. You asked me to help you with this, Mara. And you have been doing great. However, blowing up now will not help anyone. Not you, not the baby, and especially not Luke and Han. If you act now, you will be using the Dark Side, and that is the last thing you want to do." He looked over at Leia, and she could see the worry in his eyes before he looked once again at Mara. "I have no idea what is on that data pad. Even though I would like to know, I understand that neither of you can tell me. I also understand that it must be terrible, because it has sent both of you into a rage. What everyone here needs is for everyone to stay calm. We will find them, and we will take care of this, once and for all."
Mara had been quiet during Corran's speech. Concentrating on bringing her breathing under control and clamed her emotions as the shuttle landed. As the ramp opened, they heard alarms, and Leia's comlink beeped.
"Yes?" she barked.
"We have detected a ship on the out skirts of the system," a voice reported. "It's sitting in the shadow of one of the planets."
"Do they know we've detected it?" Leia asked, walking towards the door.
"We don't believe so."
"Ok, then we wait," she said with a small smile. "Lets see where they go, and we follow them."
"Yes, Ma'am." Her com clicked off and she turned to the others following her out of the hanger.
"Lets get to the bridge."
It was a short walk to the main bridge, but all were out of breath, the anxiety of the situation starting to weigh heavily on them. As they entered the bridge, the captain informed her that the ship had jumped to hyperspace. They had their exit vector and were in pursuit. Leia and Mara settled in to wait.
Chapter 13
They came out of hyperspace minutes after the ship they were pursuing. They stayed far enough back so that they would not spook them, but close enough that they were still able to track them. Knowing that there would no longer be a question to the other ship whether or not they were being followed, Admiral Ackbar ordered them to hail the other ship. The message was repeated without any reply. The only response they received was the sight of a mass of small attack fighters rising from the planet. Standard procedure was for them to deploy their owe fighters, and this time was no exception.
Leia fidgeted in her seat as she watched the ship continued to move towards the planet. She could feel that they were running out of time. She could see by the way Mara was watching her, by the look on her face, that the other woman was feeling the same. Standing up, Leia quickly approached the Admiral.
"She's getting away," she told him. She new full well that he was already aware of the situation. However she felt it necessary to reiterate the facts.
"We will deal with them. They will not get far. First we must take care of those fighters. There is no need to worry we have everything under control."
Leia nodded and returned to her seat, but did not sit back down. They may think they have it under control, but in actuality they did not. She looked down at Mara and made her decision.
"We can't wait any longer," she told the red head. Mara bounced to her feet, the look of frustration gone from her features.
"Let's take my ship," she insisted. She sounded as on edge about the situation as Leia herself was feeling. They left the bridge unnoticed, then forced themselves to walk calmly through the corridors. The time it took to cover the distance between the bridge and the hanger seemed to take forever. The sense of urgency Leia felt grew stronger until
by the time the reached the Fire they ended up running on board.
As Leia was trying to close the hatch, Mara pushed past her and headed towards the bridge. She was rushing through the preflight as Leia entered. She took her seat and tried to help as much as she could. It seemed like an eternity before the ship was ready to fly, but Leia knew Mara had cut every corner she could to speed things along. Finally they were in the air, exiting the ship and pulling away from the fleet.
"Jades Fire, this is Admiral Ackbar," the calimarri voice boomed across the com system. Mara quickly reached up and lowered the volume. "I order you to return to the ship. You are only going to put them in greater danger if you go down there now."
"I am sorry Admiral," Leia said into the pickup. "My brother and husband are down there, and we cannot waste anytime now getting them out. If we wait, we will be too late."
"I cannot allow you to do this," the Admiral warned.
"Then you will have to shoot us down," Mara barked. "Fire out." She slammed her palm over the com switch and shut it off. Leia was shocked at her behavior but she understood why she did it. Leia looked out the view screen and her heart sank.
"Maybe you shouldn't have suggested that they shoot us down," Leia told her. We watched as a whole squadron of X-Wings broke away from the battle and moved to intercept.
"He wouldn't really shoot us down would he?" Mara asked, the shock causing her voice to rise.
"That's what it looks like."
"Well I hope not," Mara announced. "I would hate to be forced to fight back. It would take up way too much time."
The X-Wings drew steadily closer and as each second passed Leia's heart sank a little more. At last they were upon them and all she could do was watch as they settled into an escort formation. With an entire squadron of X-Wings surrounding them, there was no chance of them getting down to the planet.
The com crackled once, making her jump, then went silent again. Static filled the air before a voice finally came across.
"Did you get it fixed yet?" the distracted male voice demanded. He was answered by a series of beeps. "Good. Antilles to Jades Fire...you need a little help?"
"What?" Mara replied. "We figured you were sent to bring us back."
"Back?" Wedge questioned. "No we're not bringing you back. We asked permission to help you and it was granted." He took a deep breath, audible even over the com, before he continued. "Luke is one of our own, and we owe both Luke and Han our lives. We will do all we can to get them back. What do you need us to do?"
"A distraction would be nice," Mara told him. "Something that would draw their attention so we might be able to sneak in."
"A distraction it is," Wedge announced energetically. "Good luck."
"May the Force be with you," Leia whispered before the com went silent once again.

Rogue Squadron continued in escort formation until they were entering the planets atmosphere. Mara rechecked the coordinates that she had recorded as the ship landed. With enough luck they should be able to land without trouble. Five more ship rose from somewhere on the planet and shot towards them. Rogue Squadron flew after them with their weapons blazing. As the enemy returned fire, Mara and Leia made their way to the planet.
Mara breathed a sigh of relief as she put her ship in stand by. They had landed without incident and were sitting in a clearing not far from their destination. She could see the ship they had been following sitting not far from them, sitting seemly empty. Stretching out with the Force she confirmed that fact. She refrained from reaching out any further, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention.
Looking past the ship all she could see was a big house. It was an old house in need of minor repairs. The paint was peeling and the porch was in need of some attention. From the outside it looked obvious that the house was never meant to hold prisoners. Unbuckling her restraints she grabbed her blaster and hooked it to her belt. Reaching into a closed compartment she grabbed her lightsaber and did the same. She was on her way out when Leia came up behind her. They left the ship together and began the short walk to the house.
It was quiet outside, nothing out of the ordinary. That fact bothered Mara more then she cared to admit. She paused long enough to begin to shield her presence in the Force then instructed Leia to do the same. It occurred to her that they may have got in over their heads. It would have probably been a good idea to gather a few more people as before they boarded the ship. However at that moment they had not taken the time to think in through. A mistake they may or may not regret later.
They walked along the ship, using it as cover as long as they could. As soon as the back of the house came into view they made a dash for the wall. Looking around Mara noted that up close the house was enormous. It would make it that much harder to find the captives that were held somewhere inside. She also noted that there were no obvious ways to get inside the house that would not draw attention. With an idea in mind, Mara began examining the lower level of the house.
"The window locks are all welded tight," Leia told her. "I can't budge it." Mara accepted the news with a nod and walked over to where Leia was. She stretched out slightly with the Force and took hold of the lock. It would not move. They tested each window in line until they came across one that was not as solidly welded as the others. It took a little effort and time, but Mara, with the aid of the Force, was able to work the lock undone and the window open.
Mara sat on the ground and slipped her feet inside. With a deep breath she slid down and threw the window frame and landed silently inside the house. She grumbled silently over the fact that it was a tighter squeeze through that window then it should have been. She placed her hand protectively over her swelling belly. She was amazed that she could feel so strongly for a person that she had never even met, a child that was hers and had no father. Not one she could remember at any rate.
As Leia worked her way inside, Mara began looking around, her hand still resting on her stomach. They were in what looked to be an ordinary basement. It was dark, dank, and dirty.
"Can you feel them?" Mara asked when Leia came to stand beside her. She was still trying to shield herself but they needed to know where to start looking. No matter the danger she still could not detect anything. Neither Luke nor Han were detectible by her. What she could feel were three defiant all too familiar dark spots in the Force.
"It's ysalamiri," Mara said. She knew it beyond any doubt. That's what she was not able to pick anything up, she was not able to sense them. But she could sense the black spots, they were all around.
"We keep moving. We'll find them," Leia insisted.
"Agreed." It took only a couple of heartbeats for them to locate the staircase and made their way up. Mara took each step carefully but still was startled when she encountered a creaky one. She paused, motioning for Leia to stay still while she waited to see if anyone had noticed. She could hear voices now that they were closer to the top. They were still far away, and she could not make out what was being said, but she could hear them.
They resumed their climb, now taking extra care with each step until they finally reached the top. Looking out, Mara was relieved to discover that the area around them was clear. Taking care to constantly scan the area, they continued on.
"What are you doing?" The shout was far off in the opposite direction and the man was extremely distressed. "What do you w ant now?" Mara started forward again but stopped when Leia grabbed her arm. She turned to see Leia's attention aimed back the other way, her features tight.
"That's Han," Leia whispered. Mara paused to listen to the angry man's yells once again, surprised that she had not recognized it herself.
"Get your hands off him! ... Leave him alone! ... Snap out of it kid!" Han's voice was cut off with a sickening crack then they heard a door slam shut. Leia's grip on Mara's arm grew stronger. "Leave him alone!" This time Han's shouts were muffled. It was obvious that whom ever he had been shouting at had locked him up in a room. "Luke!" Mara's heart sank. She was not sure why she had not thought of it before, but it was a blow to realize that he was yelling after Luke. Where they too late?
"I can feel Han," Leia whispered. "I know where he is." She started back the way they had come and turned corners confidently. Mara was now sure she could track where Luke was. His presence was still hidden from her, and the dark spots were still there, but one of them was moving. As Mara was concentrating on that, Leia skidded to a halt in front of a door.
"I hear you out there," Han yelled angrily. Leia fought with the lock but it would not budge. Mara, feeling her dark spot moving further away, pushed Leia aside. She produced her viroblade from its hiding place and went to work on the lock. The door swung open and she burst into the room with Leia hot on her heals.
"How are you?" Leia asked as she hugged him as she rushed up to her husband and held him tightly. The relief pouring from her cause Mara to pause, they were not out of it yet.
"I'm good, fine," Han said in a rush. "They just took Luke out of here. We have to go after him."
"Where did they take him?" Mara demanded. Han moved from his wife's embrace to the door and looked around.
"Down this hall," he said pointing to the right. Mara concentrated again and homed in on the dark spot she had been following once again.
"Lets go," Mara demanded. "I think I'll be able to find him." She set off at a determined pace never looking back to see if the others were following her. She was forced to stop not long after when she encountered the first person.
"All you should find here are guards," Han told them. "That's the only people that survived the trip.
"What do you mean survive?" Mara asked, turning to look at him.
"I mean that not everyone survived Callista's wrath. She was not too happy when you all showed up."
"Callista killed them?" Leia asked. Mara could understand her shock, Leia had told her how Callista had showed up to help look when her and Luke and been missing, and how helpful she had been. However Mara was not that surprised. She knew what the darkside could do to people, and she knew what it was that Callista wanted. At that point Mara doubted she cared about anything else.
"She s more than capable, Leia," Han told her.
"Then why are you still around?" Mara asked. It wasn't until after the words were out of her mouth that she realized how it had sounded. She knew she had hit a nerve when Leia turn to her with a glare. "I was only wondering if she had a reason," Mara explained. Han swallowed loudly and Mara knew then that it was not good news.

"She told me why," he explained. Leia turned her attention back to her husband. "I was to be the final test." Mara sighed, she had a very good idea what he meant by that, and it was in fact not very good news.
"A test for what?" Leia asked.
"For Luke," Han said concentrating on Leia's reaction. "She was going to have him kill me after she turned him."
"Does you standing here mean that there is still time?" Mara asked, not able to keep the worry out of her voice. She did not want to think that they had worked all this time, been through everything they had been through to only be halfway successful. And she knew, just as a lot of people knew, that if Luke ever did turn it would mean pain for a lot of people.
"He hasn't turned yet," Han said. "Not that I can tell. But I'm worried about him. He is not well. This has been really hard on him. We need to get him out of here."
They all quieted down as they approached the guard. He was sitting on the floor studying his gun. They quietly ducked into a nearby room, and using Mara's lightsaber, cut a hole in the wall into the adjacent room. Once through the room they returned to the hall, well past the guard without ever catching his attention. It was after they passed the third guard that Mara voiced her opinion on their lack of skill.
"They're better at causing pain than they are at anything else."
"Figures." They rounded yet another corner, still following the dark spot that Mara had tracked earlier.

Leia watched Mara as she looked around the corner of the T-juncture they were currently standing in. The house was an endless maze of hallways and rooms, and Leia knew that she would probably not be able to trace their way back. So instead Leia tried to sense whatever it was that Mara was tracking, but she could not do that either. It was frustrating, she wanted to find her brother, but she felt there was nothing she could do but to follow along. She did not have the extensive experience in tracking these things, and she had no idea how it was Mara had zeroed in on one specific spot. So she left it up to Mara, she was doing more then what Leia knew she could do herself. She felt an arm go around her waist and turned to see Han smiling down at her.
"We'll find him," he whispered. She smiled back at him then they continued walking. Mara had already disappeared around the next corner. Then there is was, Leia could feel it right in front of her. The dark spot. The Force was pushing her on, encouraging her to go forward. Mara was already making her way down the hall so Leia continued on, trying to downplay her panic when she entered the bubble. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. Luke once had tried to explain to her how it felt, but she now realized that she had not even come close to understanding what he was talking about. The Force had become part of her life, and she felt lost without it. Her heart broke to think what Luke must feel like trapped inside one of these.
Mara stopped a few meters in front of them and pointed to a door, silently indicating that she had found the room they were looking for. Leia did not dare ask her how she knew that. Even though there was no way for Mara to be able to since Luke without the Force, but Mara had not been proven wrong so far so they took her word for it. Removing her viroblade once again, Mara skillfully popped the lock and quickly passed through the door.
The room they found themselves in was brightly lit, more so than any other part of the house they had been in. The sun was pouring in from the massive windows lining the walls. Luke sat on a bench across the large room in front of one of those windows. His knees were drawn up and he rested is cheek on them, his face basking in the sunlight. However he looked anything but peaceful. It was disconcerting not being able to automatically sense him.
Leia walked further into the room, crossing over to where Luke still sat. He had not moved when they arrived and that worried her. She was maybe halfway across the room when the sound of blaster fire tore through the area. Leia spun around and saw Mara taking aim. Leia followed the direction Mara was pointing and got a good look before Mara opened fire again. Looking around she spotted more of the ysalamiri. Leia's skin crawled at the sight. It was the result of those slimy brown creatures that she was not able to reach out to her brother.
She left Mara to her work and approached Luke. Han was behind her but did nothing to interfere. She reached her arm out and placed her hand lightly on his shoulder. He jumped so violently at her touch that she could not help but jerk her hand away. She reached out once again and whispered his name. It was only then that he opened his eyes and looked at her. The torment and aguish she saw swimming there chilled her to the bone.
As strong as Luke could be at times it was easy to think that nothing could ever stop him. However she was slammed back into the reality that he could be hurt. And someone he had once cared about had hurt him deeply, again. She heard another blaster shot and her breath caught in her throat as the Force was returned to her.
She opened her eyes and watched her brother. He had not moved, but had closed his eyes. His breathing became deeper and she could feel his jumbled emotions being pulled back under control. She was startled by the sound of a door being slammed open. She knew it was bad when she heard her husband swear. Turning she caught sight of the exact person she knew would be walking into the room. Callista walked into the room but did not notice the newcomers until she looked in Luke's direction. It was the first time Leia had ever been able to since the woman. She frowned knowing the feel of the dark side that coursed through her.
"No!" Callista screamed as she stormed across the room. "You cannot come here yet. He's not ready." Leia stood next to her husband ready to defend her brother, however Callista never made it that far. Mara had come up behind her, knocking her across the back of the head with her blaster.
"Give it up sister, you've lost," Mara said with a smirk as Callista struggled to her feet. "We're taking him home."
"You!" Callista snarled. "We'll just see about that. You have been a pain in my side foe long enough." Callista leaped to her feet, charging towards the red head. Mara sidestepped her, letting Callista sail past her. With a rise of her eyebrows Mara ignited her lightsaber, finding a since of peace knowing that it would be Luke lightsaber, the one he had giving her, that would end this wretched life. After what she did to him, she deserved nothing else. Callista answered her challenge, and blue met gold (right color?) in the first strike of battle.
Mara withdrew her sword and was just able to get it around before Callista's connected with her head. Bring her sword down and around to try once again to get past the other woman's defenses. Leia watched fascinated as Callista and Mara circled each other. Her attention was distracted as Luke sat up straighter to better see the fight. Leia sat next to him and held him, feeling his need to help, but also realizing the bad shape he was in. He must have realized it too because he never made an attempt to get up. He just continued to watch.
Leia was not sure when it happened but her husband's concerned gaze brought her eyes back to Luke. Hey lay limp in her arms with his eyes closed once again. His breathing was normal, and she could sense that he was concentrating very hard. She became concerned until she noticed Mara look back at him and smile.
"Luke?" Han asked, touching his shoulder.
"No, Han," Leia whispered. For she had reached out to judge Luke's sense, and for the first time, was able to feel the connection between Luke and Mara. "He's helping Mara." Leia could feel it, and the power of the connection was nothing short of amazing. Was it always this way? Leia wondered. It was incredible and these two took it in stride. Leia wondered if they even realized how deep it seemed to run.
Mara blocked another blow by hitting Callista's blade with a loud crack. She jumped backwards to dodge the next swing. Spinning on her heal, Mara brought her lightsaber down towards Callista's head. Callista had to drop to one knee to get her lightsaber in to block the blow. The woman retaliated by swinging her lightsaber towards Mara's stomach. Mara jumped back once again to avoid the strike.
"Hey!" Mara yelled. "That section's off limits."
"Ah, so you know," Callista said, with a smirk.
"Yes," Mara said taking another swing. "And I know that you are a sick individual. Just give up now, and you can save us both a lot of time."
"Why should I give up now?" Callista asked. "When I am so close to having what I've always wanted."
"You had him," Mara growled. Their sabers lock mere inches from their faces and they glared at each other over the light of the blades. "And you gave him up. He'll never again be yours."
"You're wrong. He nearly is, and I will not give up now." Callista pushed away from Mara swinging low to try and slice at her legs. "I have put too much work into this already, and I always get what I want. One way or another."
"Not this time," Mara said, with a fierce confidence, and brought her lightsaber down across the handle of Callista's, and her blade died.
"Go ahead, kill me," Callista shouted. "I know you want to."
"No," Mara said as she shut her lightsaber off and replaced it on her belt. "I'm not like you."
Luke opened his eyes and looked around again. Mara glanced at him relieved. That seemed to be the opening Callista was waiting for, as she pulled out a blaster and aimed it at Mara. Out of nowhere the entire room was filled with an enormous sound that seemed to rip right through them. It was sever enough to cause all movement to stop as they all looked towards the window. The sound was repeated as another X-Wing soared pass the window. Looking further in the distance, Leia could see more of them approaching.
"That's my cue to exit, I know when I am out gunned," Callista said as she made a dash for the door. Without warning, Luke grabbed Leia's blaster and fired. But the blast only encountered the wall. Callista was gone. Mara ran to the door, but did not go through it. Luke continued to watch her until she walked slowly walked back over to them.
"She's gone," Mara said, not speaking to anyone in particular. "I can sense her. She got away."
"We'll find her," Han said, looking down as Mara knelt beside Luke. He was dazed, and Leia was not sure he was completely aware of where he was. He continued looking at Mara but made no effort to move. The X-Wings buzzed the building once again and Han glanced out the window. He then stepped away and pulled out his comlink.
"Let's get you out of here," Leia told Luke. She left out the reason she had suggested it. She was sure that they were all aware of the fact that Callista had only fled. She had not been defeated. If she was smart Callista was on her way to being far away. However Callista had never been the smartest person in the galaxy, the present incident proving her point.
Leia helped Luke as he struggled to his feet and joined Mara when she wrapped her arm around his waist to help support him. Wedge and some of the other pilots were entering the room as they reached the door. Luke continued on without acknowledging them as the exited the room. He seemed more than ready to leave, and Leis could not blame him. He had been away to long, it was time he went home.
Chapter 14
Leia paced the space of the room, finding it ironic that she was once again forced to wait on word of Luke's condition. It seemed like only a few days ago that they had done the same thing. It was hard to believe it had been more then a month since she had been in the same exact situation. They were not back on Coruscant, Mara had suggested that they stop and get Luke checked out sooner then the trip back would have allowed. Leia had agreed and they had decided to stop on a planet that Mara knew very well. A planet, in fact, that housed one of Karrde larger bases. She was well known there, and there would be no problems keeping their visit a secret.

Leia sighed and looked around the room, wondering when they would hear anything. Han was sitting in a chair flipping through a book, while Mara was standing at the window. No one spoke, but Leia knew they were both as worried as her. There were others as well. Wedge made her promise that they would send word of Luke's condition as soon as they could. Despite the fact that Luke had lots of friends in Rogue Squadron, they still had a job to do and could not stay and wait this time.

Waiting... it was the hardest thing Leia had ever had to do. She had no idea what condition her brother had really been in, and would not know until someone came out and told them. As it turned out, the wait was not long, barely an hour after they arrived, a doctor came out to talk to them.

"How is he?" Leia asked. She had to shuck of the feeling of familiarity as she asked the question yet again. The doctor waited until Mara and Han made their way over before beginning his description.

"He'll be fine," the human male doctor informed them. "He's awake, and responsive. We do want to keep him under observation for a day or so to make sure."

"Can we see him?" Leia asked. She was overcome with relief at hearing for once Luke had no physical damage. She was very aware, however, about the amount of emotional damage he may be suffering through. All she wanted to do was get to him, let him know that she was there for him and that he was safe. He needed her now more then ever.

"Yes, of course," the doctor said. Leia and Han started down the hall. Leia glanced back when she noticed that neither Mara nor the doctor had followed them. Mara was still in the waiting room talking quietly with the doctor. Leia turned and continued her journey, figuring if it was something that Mara wanted her to know about, she would tell them later.

She arrived at the door, and pushed it open. The room was dark, the only light bright enough to illuminate the room was located above Luke's bed. Luke was sitting up in his bed, a pillow tucked comfortably behind his head. His face was passive and his eyes were closed. He was thinner then he used to be, making it obvious that he had not eaten much over the last month. His face was drawn, and his skin was pale, but he was alive.

Luke opened his eyes, and Leia noticed Han shift uncomfortably when Luke looked up at them. She felt sorry for him. Han had expressed his guilt for everything that he had witnessed. And no matter how much she tried to console him, Leia could not convince him not to worry about how Luke would react now that it's over.

"Luke, I'm so glad you're alright," Leia said softly. She walked over to him and sat lightly on the edge of the bed. She turned worried eyes on him and wished there was anything she could do to take the pain out of his eyes.

"I'm fine Leia," he whispered. He cleared his throat and took a sip out of the cup sitting beside him.

"Is there anything we can do?" Leia asked. "Is there anything you need?"

"Nothing." Luke closed his eyes again, letting his head roll to the side. He forced his eyes open again and tried to keep them open.

"You must be tired," Leia observed. She patted his hand then stood, meaning to leave the room. "We'll let you rest." They started out the door, Leia's emotions swirling inside her. She was trying to sort them out when something occurred to her. She turned once again to look at her brother. "Luke, there's someone else here that wants to see you."

"Who?" Luke asked, curiosity causing him to open his eyes again.

"Mara." Luke cringed when she spoke her name, and Leia found that very odd. Mara would want to see him as soon as she was done with the doctor. She had been with her though all this and would not leave until she knew Luke would be all right. "She's been right there looking for you every day since we lost you. She needs to see you, so she knows you are alright."

"If you say so," Luke said, with a shrug, resting his head against the pillow tiredly.

---

Mara was waiting outside the door when Leia and Han reentered the hallway. She moved forward once she got a nod from Leia. It took one look at their faces to know that this would probably not be a cheerful visit. Not that she really expected Luke to be one hundred percent after his ordeal. He was pretty out of it when they found him, and it was useless to hope that he had recovered this quickly. Though Mara had to admit that she would not have been upset if it turned out that he did not remember any of it.

At first glance, once she was in the room, it seemed like Luke was sleeping. His eyes were closed and his breathing was steady. She walked further into the room and let the door close, timidly walking over and sitting on the edge of the bed. He stirred and opened his eyes. It pained her to see how drawn out he looked.

"Hi," she whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. He watched her curiously, his eyes darting from her hand on the bed up to her face.

"Hello," Luke said, but offered nothing else in the form of conversation, and did not seem in the mood for company. However, he never took his eyes off her. Mara found it curious that he did not look away, not even for a moment. It was like he was afraid that if he did not keep her in his sights she would vanish. Mara suppressed a smile at that thought. It was silly to think he would be worried about something like that. He had been through a lot, and he was just tired. His need for rest was surly the reason for his strange behavior.

"How are you feeling?" Mara asked. She was more then willing to give him time alone, but first she needed to make sure he would be all right. After weeks of looking for him, there was no way she could relax without that information. The look his eyes told her that he was not well, but she wanted to hear what he had to say about it. Mara wished more then she had ever for anything before that there was something that she could do to help him through this. But she knew there was very little she could do.

"I'm alive," he finally uttered. His gaze finally left her face and dropped to the sheets, but then shot straight back up to her face. The look in his eyes changed in that moment, and Mara suddenly felt uneasy. He was still watching her closely, but she was sure she now saw concern hidden behind those eyes. "How are you doing?" he asked.

"Me?" she asked. The question shocked her. She had been so worried about him for so long that the last thing she expected was for him to be worried about her. "I'm fine," she told him, with a smile. "I'm more worried about you." He seemed to consider that for a moment then sighed.

"Don't worry about me. I just want to be left alone..." His eyes drooped before he caught himself. "I'm tired."

"I'll let you sleep." When Luke did not speak, Mara stood from the bed. She gave his hand a squeeze before turning and walking out of the room. She returned to the hallway where Han and Leia were waiting.

"How is he?" Han asked. He offered her his seat and she took it gratefully. He feet where beginning to ach and she found that it helped to stay off of them whenever she could.

"He's sleeping," Mara told them. "He's not very talkative, not that I blame him though." She shook her head trying to make sense of what was happening. In a matter of months, her life as well as many others had been turned upside down. She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. "But this is too much," she continued, not really caring if anyone was listening to her. She had a lot on her mind and needed to voice it. "Luke should not have to be going through this. He should be sitting in that Temple subjecting those poor students to another lecture. Not here."

"He's fine now, Mara," Han told her. He had moved to stand next to Leia, his hand rested lightly on her shoulder. It was meant to comfort her, and Mara could almost imagine just how little it helped, but how much it meant to know that she had that person to lean on. "He just needs some time," Han continued. "And right now we can give him all the time he needs. Lets go and get something to eat."

"I know," Mara said. "You're right." Solo was not saying anything that she had not already thought about. But none of that helped her relax, and she knew she could not until she knew for a fact that Luke would be all right.

"I know I am," Han said with a smile. He dropped the subject and looked questionably at his wife.

"I'm going to wait here," she informed him in response to his unspoken question. "In case he needs something. You two go on ahead, I'll be here when you get back."

"Now come on Leia, you need to eat too," Han insisted. It took one look into that worried face and he backed down. "Would you like me to bring you back something?"

"Sure," she said, and then looked up into his face. "Yes, please. That would be great Han, thank you."

----

Luke lay awake in his bed. He had been doing so throughout the night and now found it was early morning. Leia had come into the room three times already, and each time he had pretended to be asleep. He knew she just wanted to speak to him, but he did not feel like talking to anyone. Leia wouldn't understand, Luke knew. Han had been bothered with too much of it already, and he could not face talking to Mara.

He had been really groggy when he had first awakened, but he vaguely recalled talking to all of them. Luke didn't recall what was said though, and was not too worried about not remembering. The more he did not remember, the better. All he wanted to do was sleep, to sleep so he did not have to think. But even then, he couldn't get away. His sleep was invaded by dreams, dreams of everything that had happened to him over the last few months.

His thoughts were interrupted when the door to his room opened. He slammed his eyes close and calmed his breathing, hoping once again that to the visitor it would seem as if he was indeed sleeping. Luke could hear someone shuffling around the room, but no one came to sit by the bed the way Leia normally did. He felt a blanket go over his legs and he opened his eyes.

"I thought you might have been cold." It was not Leia. The lady standing at the end of his bed was much older then Leia, and was wearing a uniform he now associated with the nurses in this particular med center. She picked up his chart and made a note on it. Then quickly placed it back in its holder. She smiled as she walked quietly over to the side of his bed and sat in the chair. Luke could not help but look at her curiously. "You look like you have been through the fire and back, my young one," the older woman said gently. "You also look as though you need an extra ear."

"Thank you," Luke said, realizing it was just another attempt to get him to talk about things he did not wish to. "I just want to be alone."

"Yes, I can understand that," she said, nodding her head knowingly. "But what would you accomplish by locking such a tragedy up in a caring heart."

"My family has been though enough because of me," Luke admitted. He had no idea why he was telling a stranger such things, however he found her very easy to talk to, and it felt good to say something.

"You would bear the brut of this wrongful deed to save your family pain?" She asked, tilting her head towards him.

"I would die here and now if I thought it would save my family from feeling such pain." And Luke knew, deep in his heart, that he meant every word of that. It tore him apart to know how much Leia had to have worried during all this time. How much Han had worried while trapped in that cell with him, having to watch, and not being able to help Luke when he needed it most. He could not even begin to think how he would have dealt with the same situation. And Mara...Well he tried not even to think about that.

"That's very noble of you," the woman informed him. She sat quietly in her chair for a few heartbeats. Smiling before she sat forward. "So talk to someone outside of your family. I am willing to listen, if you care to accept the gift."

Luke took a deep breath, taking a few moments to think. "Where did they put the things I can in with?" He suddenly asked.

"Probably in the closet," she said slowly. "Is there something you need?"

"My jacket," Luke said.

"Why dear?" she said, shaking her head. "You cannot leave yet."

"I'm not," Luke said, smiling at her misunderstanding. "I need something out of the pocket." The woman fetched his jacket and he fished around in the pockets until he found the envelope he was looking for. "Could you do me a favor? Could you give this to someone for me?"

"Who?"

"The woman that has been in here to visit me," Luke said. Then realized that there was more then one woman waiting outside. "She's outside with my sister. You can't miss her, red hair, green eyes. Her name is Mara."

"I can do that for you," the woman said. "As long as you promise me that you will sleep, and not just pretend to be sleeping."

"Deal." Luke settled in but then realized that the woman had not moved from the chair. He looked at her curiously. "Was there anything else?" he asked.

"No, nothing," the woman said. She was smiling again and Luke could not help but wonder what was going on in her head. "I'm just going to sit here until you fall asleep. That way you will not be alone."

"You don't have to do that," Luke insisted. However he closed his eyes as she took his hand. "But thank you."

----

The elderly nurse sat by his bed, stroking his hand until she was sure he was asleep. Then, with a contented sigh, she stood and exited the room. He was a sweet man, and it broke her heart to see anyone in his condition. He would not talk to her, but she could still see the pain in his eyes. His physical needs would be well taken care of, she just hoped that there was someone that he would let help him though his emotional pain. However, she knew that there was very little she could do. Sighing, she hoped he would seek out the help he needed. Walking into the waiting room, she saw a couple sitting at a table, talking.

"Leia," the man was saying, his voice almost a plea. "All I am saying is that you could have handled that better. You made it sound like she was not allowed to go in to see him."

"But Han, he does not want to see anyone," the woman addressed as Leia countered.

"And I can understand that," Han said. "In fact, I don't blame him. Which is why I have not tried to go in there. The fact of the matter is, you have been going in there, and every time Mara tried, you stopped her. She may have gotten the wrong idea."

"I did not mean to upset her," Leia said. Her gaze dropped to the arm of the chair. "I didn't realize that what I said came out that way."

"Excuse me," the woman interrupted. She felt bad about listening in on their conversation, and wanted to do what she came in there to do.

"Can we help you?" Leia asked. Looking up at the nurse she knew was looking after Luke. Her heart immediately leaped to her throat thinking something had happened. She reached out to Luke and found him sleeping peacefully. She smiled at that. She had seen him sleeping, but he had always been blocking, this was the first time she could feel him since he woke up.

"I did not mean to intrude," the nurse insisted. "But I needed to talk to you."

"That's alright," Han said. "Is everything all right? Is Luke alright?"

"He's fine," she said, dismissing his worries with a wave of her hand. "He's asleep right now. He asked me to give this to the young lady, Mara." The woman said, holding out the envelope.

"She's not here," Leia said, throwing a bewildered look towards her husband. She now felt extra guilty for her actions now that Luke was asking about her. There had to be something she could do to set things right. "But you can give it to us." The woman seemed to think about it, and with some hesitation she handed over the envelope.

"Ok," she said, eyeing them carefully. "But he said this was only for her."

"I understand," Leia assured her. "We'll take care of it."

"Thank you." The woman offered one last smile then exited the room as quietly as she had entered. Leia looked at the plain white envelope and wondered what was inside. It felt like a holodisk, however that did not clear anything up. Luke could be giving Mara anything.

"I wonder what it is," Han said, looking at the object in his wife's hands.

"I don't know," Leia said. Han got the message and dropped the subject.

"Come on Leia," he finally said, taking Leia's free hand. "He's sleeping. Let's go get something to eat. You can check on him when we get back."

Leia let Han lead her out of the room, knowing that Luke would be fine while she was gone, but still not wanting to leave. She figured it would do no harm in getting something to eat, he would sleep most of the night, and really did not need her there bothering her.

-----

It was a few hours later that Han and Leia returned to the waiting room. They were walking hand in hand but they both were visibly upset. Han looked at his wife, waiting to see what she had to say. He did not want to make her feel bad, but he knew she would any way.

"I feel so bad," Leia told her husband, and he had to keep his smile in check. "I really didn't think she would leave."

"This is Mara we are talking about," he tried to explain for the third time since they left their room. "I'm not surprised. She never stays where she feels she's not wanted." After their meal, Han was able to talk Leia into going back to their room for a rest. Upon arriving, they found a note under the door. Han knew it was coming, but it still seemed like a blow. He remembered when Leia got the letter; he knew it was bad by looking at her face. And Mara, true to form, kept it short and to the point.

Han and Leia,

Something came up and I had to leave. You are booked on a shuttle back to Coruscant as soon as he is able to travel. Tell Luke I will be in contact soon. Take care of him.
Mara

"So what do we do with this?" Han asked her, holding out the envelope.

"We'll give it back to him," Leia said, taking it out of his hands. She did not look happy, but there was nothing else they could do. "Whatever it is, he can give it to her when she comes around again." Taking the envelope, Leia crossed the hall and quietly entered Luke's room. He was lying on the bed, eyes closed, breathing softly. Trying not to wake him, Leia placed the envelope inside Luke's bag of belongings, and turned, disappointed, to leave the room.

"Leia?" the voice was soft and weak, but still Luke's. She turned, trying not to cry and saw him watching her. Walking quickly to the side of his bed, she tried to keep herself calm, when what she wanted to do was laugh and hug him. He was awake!

"Luke," she said just as softly. "I thought you were sleeping."

"I was," he said, reaching over to scratch his left arm. "Were you leaving?"

"Would you like me to stay?" she asked...she tried not to sound too hopeful, but wasn't really sure she pulled it off.

"Please." Luke said, and tried to sit up. Leia was at his side in an instant. With an arm around his back she helped him forward, then placed a pillow behind his back. "Thank you."

"How are you feeling?" Leia asked.

"Better then I was, I guess," Luke said. He looked at the blankets for a moment, his face looking as if he was debating something in his mind. "I'm sorry for the way I have been acting. I had a few things I needed to sort out." He paused again, and then sighed. "I didn't feel like talking about it. Therefore, I just did not talk to anyone."

"Don't be sorry, Luke," Leia told him, her heart breaking at the thought that he though he had anything to be sorry for. "You need time, and you will get all the time you need."

"Leia, is everything ok?" Came the voice from the door. Leia smiled. She was not sure how Han did it, but he always knew when something was going on. She noted that the smile Luke had been giving her vanished and he turned his head as Han walked in. If Han noticed, he did not show it.

"Hey, kid," Han said cheerfully. "How you feeling? Good to see you awake." When Luke did not look at him, Han looked worried. Leia thought she would have to say something, but her husband was faster then that. "Luke, don't worry about it. It is not your fault."

"I know that," Luke said.

"I'm glad," Han said with a nod. "Because I would hate to think that what she did would make you feel as if you cannot talk to me anymore. You are one of my best friends, and I would like to keep it that way. What I saw is forgotten. So don't worry about it any longer."

This time Luke did look at him. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Thank you, Han."

"Well, alright then," Han said happily. "Now we just have to convince these doctors that you are ready to go home."

Leia sat in the chair smiling. She had been worried about how Luke would handle seeing Han. She knew Han was worried about it too. They both should have known that Luke was stronger then that. He would bounce back from this like he did everything else. Han was right though; Luke did need to be at home. He would heal much faster around his loved ones. Suddenly Luke looked up as if confused.

"Where's Mara?" he asked. "I can't find her."

"Oh, Luke. It's time to rest now," Leia said, glancing at her husband.

"Yes," Han said nervously. "You have had enough visitors for now."

"No," Luke insisted, his voice becoming stronger. "You didn't answer my question. Where is Mara? I know she was here."

Leia took a deep breath, knowing she would not like how this was going to turn out. "She left Luke," Leia said in a soft voice.

"She left?" Luke asked, his voice full of pain. "When?"

"Early this morning," Leia continued. "She left us a note saying that something came up and she would be talking to you soon."

"That's it. Just said that something came up, and left?"

"I'm sure it was important," Leia tried to sooth.

"Yes, I am sure it was," Luke said. He sighed, and slumped back in his bed. "You know, you are right. I do feel tired. I need to rest."

Confused, Leia and Han took the hint and left the room. Leia had expected a reaction out of Luke, but instead he had completely closed himself off. That was more then enough to make Leia worry.
Chapter 15
Luke sat in his favorite comfortable chair sipping on his caf, and looking silently out the window. It had only been a few days since he had first stepped foot back on Coruscant, and he was not feeling any better. Though he could not let his sister know that. When they had first returned home Leia had tried insisting that he stay with her, but he had refused. The last thing he wanted was to be around her constantly, giving her more than enough opportunities to continue trying to get him to talk. He had refused, knowing if she had got her wish he would have likely lost what sanity he had left.

So he had retreated back to his apartment and locked his door where he could concentrate on getting himself well. However, the feeling of remorse for everything he had put people though was so overwhelming, so unbearable, that he spent his time trying to get away from it. All he wanted to do was bury everything away so he did not have to deal with it any more.

His emotions were in no way out of control, he knew. In fact he had tight control over himself. But he also knew his limits, and at that time they were extremely low. It took very little to get him to the point where he could not control his emotions. Simply making him something to eat was likely to end in tears if he was not careful. He hated himself for how he was acting, and did not want anyone to see him in that condition. So he had made excuses when people came to his door, and he answered no calls. Even when reached out to through the Force, he did not reply. He found it easier that way.

He was still sitting sipping from his cup when his com beeped. He had established the tendency to sit and listen to the messages people would send, not caring to answer any of them. That's what he found himself doing once again. He tried not to moan as he waited to see who it was this time. It was most likely Leia, she tended to try to call a few times a day, and it had been a few hours since her last call.

"Hey Luke!" Came the once again familiar voice over the speaker. Luke's head came up with a start, and he slammed the cup on the nearby table. It was Biggs Darklighter. How could he have forgotten his friend? Biggs, back in his life after all this time, and he had not thought to get hold of him. "Are you there, Luke?" Biggs asked from his end of the call. There was a pause from the caller. "Well," Biggs continued, now sounding disappointed. "I guess you're not home. I'll try back later."

Luke quickly reached out with the Force and turned the com on. "I'm here," he said, his voice low, almost alien to his own ears.

"Oh," came his friend's voice, sounding relieved. "That's good to hear. I just heard you were back. I wanted to see if you were ok."

"I'm fine," Luke moaned, finding his emotions now conflicting. He wanted to talk to his friend, but then again he didn't. They had not gotten to talk about much during their brief visit. He wanted to talk to his friend, someone that knew nothing about what had been going on in his life over the years, someone that would still treat him like plain old Luke.

"Funny," he friend said. "I don't know, maybe it's just because that I have been out of it for quiet a while, but you don't sound fine. You feel like talking."

"Not to a com station," Luke said. His small laugh at his own comment surprised him, but it helped him realized that he did need to speak to Biggs.

"Well then stop making me stand out in the hallway and let me in." A small smile slowly appeared on Luke's face, and then quickly vanished. Even the arrival of Biggs Darklighter was not enough to over shadow the pain he was feeling. With a careless flick of his hand, the door opened and Biggs Darklighter entered.

"Man you look terrible," the dark haired man pointed out after the door closed. "You look like you were trampled on by a herd of Banthas. You call that being fine?"

"Yes, I call this being fine," Luke snapped. He silently scolded himself, he found it very hard not to scream at that moment, but he once again took hold of his emotions. He had let the man in, it would do no good to insult him as soon as he walked though the door.

"Tell me how you see that," Biggs challenged. He stood there with his hands on his hips and Luke could see him just as he was when they were kids. He never let Luke get into any trouble, and was always there to help Luke out when he one of his more irrational ideas. And it always started out like this, him demanding to know what was going on in his mind. But that was a long time ago, Luke reminded himself. Biggs knew everything there was to know about him when he was a child, but he knew nothing about him now. "Well?" Luke jumped to his feet, and began pacing the room. No longer holding himself in check. If Biggs wanted to know, then Luke would tell him. "This is me, Biggs," Luke began, his voice a mix of pleading and anger. "That's what I call this. I call this the way that I want to live my life. I call this being someone that has seen and experienced things no one should have to go through. I call this being a grown man that has decided that he wanted to be left alone. What do you call it?"

"You really want to know what I call this?" Biggs asked, his eyebrows rising at the question. Knowing he was getting himself into a lecture, Luke nodded. "Fine, I call this little Luke Skywalker, hiding in his room because he does not want to face the things going on around him. You have done it since I met you. I didn't put up with it when we were young and I wont put up with it now. You know Luke, when I heard about the things you had done, I really thought you would have grown up a bit. But it seems that through all the publicity and power, nothing has changed. You have been left to yourself so much that you no longer care when others are worried about you."

"How dare you!" Luke shouted, his anger rising. He could not believe what this man had just said. "No one talks to me like that!"

"That's the problem," Biggs shouted back. He took a breath and took Luke by the shoulders. "Luke no one dares to correct you anymore. You are left to do whatever your heart desires. I have been asking around about you, and everyone tells me such amazing stories of the things you are able to do, and everyone looks on in awe. Even when they don't approve of what you're doing, Luke, because you are the Jedi Master, so what you do must be right. You're not grounded anymore."

"Who do you think you are?" Luke said, still astonished by the accusations this man was making. He pulled away and walked to the other side of the room, spinning to see Biggs when he spoke.

"I used to be your best friend," Biggs said, his voice taking on hurt quality. "I used to be the person you would talk to about everything. Granted I have not been around in a lifetime, but I would still like to help."

"How can you help?" Luke asked, falling into a chair. He was exhausted, and was not in the mood to argue. "You have no idea what has happened to me and my family."

"You're right, I don't," Biggs admitted. "And knowing you, I'm sure I would not even find half of it if I read every file I could find on you." He walked over and knelt in front of the chair Luke had sat in. "Please Luke, what ever it is, whatever has happened, it's eating you up. I can see the change from the Luke I knew. I can even see a change since I saw you last. I'm sure what happened was terrible. You wouldn't be acting like this if it weren't. But locking yourself up is no way to deal with anything. You have so many people out there right now that want nothing more then to help you."

"Help me?" Luke asked. He shook his head, the sadness returning. "They don't even know what's wrong with me."

"They don't have to," Biggs told him. "They are your family and friends. They love you no matter what." Luke sat thinking about what Biggs had told him. They would love him no matter what. But by being there for him, they would get hurt. And he could not live with that. He would not hurt them anymore.

"No," Luke said, knowing he could not open up to them. "Biggs, it's not going to work. There's nothing they can do to help me. I don't want to cause them any more pain then I have to right now. All I want to do is get out if here."

"Out of here?" Biggs asked, looking around. "As in out of this room? This building?"

"This planet," Luke admitted. He knew as soon as he said it that it was what he needed. But even Yavin did not seem like a get away at that point. "I need to get away from here. But everywhere I go, people are there, starring and whispering. I can't take it right now."

"So come home, Luke," Biggs said, standing up. "You have always been welcome there."

"I have not been welcome there for a long time, Biggs." Though the idea of going home did sound appealing. Go somewhere that he could hide, and maybe not have to see anyone he knew. The people on Tatooine kept to themselves, if he did not want to be seen, it was easy to accommodate.

"Try it," Biggs said with a smile. "You might be surprised."

"I don't know," Luke said. He sighed with the effort of thinking about it. He would be just as happy if he crawled into his bed and went to sleep. But that would not last. Leia had been understanding up till now, but that was not likely to last. She would come demanding answers sooner or later.

"What could it hurt? At most it will get you off this planet for a while." Luke liked the idea of that. He could go, and take his own ship, so that when he was ready he could leave. And no one had to know, he could truly get away from it all.

"Sure, why not," Luke said, getting back to his feet. "It's better then staying here."

----

Luke shielded his eyes from the blazing Tatooine suns as he made his way across the landing pad. Looking around he was amazed at how much everything hadn't changed since he left. Walking down these streets, he could have easily been ten again. After spending so much time on the ever-changing planet of Coruscant. It was a nice change of pace to be back home.

He looked behind him, knowing that his X-Wing was tucked safely away in Biggs' private hanger, but still not comfortable with leaving it there. If Biggs' father was still the same, he was likely to sell it. He shook the thought away. Where as the buildings had not changed, it was more then likely that the people had. He sighed as he thought. A son returning from the dead was liable to change any man.

Biggs continued to guide them towards their destination and Luke continued to stay awash in memories. They were just crossing a sandy street when he noticed a few people walking past.

"I don't want anyone to know I'm here," Luke murmured to his friend beside him. He knew he had mentioned it before, but he felt the need to remind him. They were walking down the street in the middle of the day. Anyone looking out the door would see them. However Biggs did not seem worried. He just looked over at Luke and smiled.

"Don't worry about it," he said, draping a friendly arm across his shoulders. "No one will bother you. Relax, you're home."

They continued walking down the street until they reached a house that Luke knew very well. He had spent many hours in that house, Biggs' childhood home. He smiled, almost able to see the group of kids as they raced across the yard. He had returned to Tatooine a few times over the years, but never before had he felt at home. The return of his friend seemed to set everything right.

"You live back here?" Luke asked looking around. He had recognized the house, but was surprised to see that it was their destination. He would have thought that Biggs would have found his own place by then.

"My parents insisted," Biggs explained with a smile. "They said they lost me for so long they want me where they know I'll be safe."

"Sounds nice." To have a family that would want him around just because he was alive, not trying to get him to become something he wasn't, just enjoying him still being around. It was something he had always wanted as a child, and learned where to look for it as an adult. He had managed to find a few people in his life that accepted him as he was, and he cherished every moment of it.

"It is," Biggs agreed and walked up to the house and ushered Luke inside. Luke looked around and saw that at least inside the house had changed a bit. After all these years the family had managed to get new furniture and make a few repairs to the building. Luke found himself wondering if the NR government had helped the family in any way. He knew that nowadays there was a fund for pilots killed in action. He scolded himself for never thinking about it earlier. He should have checked on the family sooner, made sure they had what they needed.

Biggs broke him out of his thoughts by slapping him on the shoulder. "They really did a job on this place huh?" Biggs laughed. "But you should have seen my room, it was completely empty. They had cleared everything out of it, but never put anything back into it. It was strange."

"I bet." Reaching out through the house Luke verified that there was no one else around. There was no real question where everyone was. This was still Tatooine and there was always work to do.

"What is your family like, Luke?" Biggs asked as he took Luke's bag and sat it in one of the rooms. "I hear you have a sister. That must have been strange. And Leia Organa on top of it."

"Yes, it was really strange at first," he smiled for the first time since arriving on the planet. Biggs sat on the couch and Luke took the hint and sat in a chair. He smiled even more as he told Biggs the tale of his relationship with Leia. "You have to understand, before I found out, I spent most of my time competing with Han for Leia's attention. I thought I was in love with her."

"You and every other guy in the Rebellion," Biggs joked.

"True. As it turned out I was, but not in the way that I thought." His smile faded as he let his mind wonder to a time he had not thought about in a long time. "We had been through a lot together, Leia, Han, Chewie and me. But there was yet a lot we had to get through. It has been years, but it seems like in a blink of an eye I found myself as a brother, uncle, and ... a lot has happened." He got up from the chair and walked to the window. It was designed to let in sun light, but there was really no way to keep the sand off them, and most windows stayed dusty. This was no exception. He held his lightsaber out staring at it, as he thought, a dozen emotions drifting across his face.

"What's that?" Biggs asked, walking over to him.

"This?" Luke asked. "It's my lightsaber." Biggs stared as Luke ignited it, the brilliant green blade snapping to existence. Just as quickly, he shut it down. "I'd better put this thing away, I wouldn't want anyone to get hurt with it." He sat it on the top most self in the living room.

"Wow," Biggs said in true amazement as he watched Luke put it away. "Do you remember those stories we used to hear about those things? I always thought those old guys were just crazy." Luke had to laugh at that. He had thought the same thing as he had listened to the old timers jabber on about the Jedi.

"We are the old guys now, my friend." They both smiled, and then turned when the doorbell rang. Luke stretched out with the Force, but the presence there was unfamiliar. Not that it surprised him. He had known Biggs like a brother but had not recognized his signature when he had first arrived. The person on the other side of the door could be someone he knew as a child, but there was only on way to find out. He continued to stand by the shelf as Biggs went to answer the door.

>From where he was standing he could not see who had arrived, but he picked up on Biggs' amused surprise. It sparked his interest and he wondered who would cause such a reaction.

"Windy," Biggs said, glancing back in his direction. It was obvious that he did not know what to do. He was not sure how Luke would react to a visitor after he had made it clear he did not want anyone to know he was there. Luke berated himself for the mix up. It was not that he wanted it to go unnoticed that he was there. He just did not want people to know that would get word back to Coruscant. You never knew who would see you on the street. He did not see Windy as having contacts that far from home. Luke smiled and shrugged and Biggs turned back to his newest arrival.

"I was sitting in the station when your call to land came in," Windy said, unaware of the other mans discomfort.

"And your old man sent you over to find out who I brought in with me right?" Biggs asked, and laughed.

"Yeah, something like that," Windy confirmed, now looking uncomfortable himself. "It's not that he doesn't trust you, he just does not know when to keep his nose out of other people's business."

"I know. There's nothing to worry about." He ushered him in to the living room. Luke got his first look at another childhood friend, and him the same. If anyone looked like a born and raised Tatooinian it was Windy. From his tan colored clothes to the sand in his hair. He had not changed much. However the subject of his inspection was not nearly so calm when he saw Luke standing there.

"Oh my lords, Wormie!" Windy exclaimed as Biggs closed the door. Luke could do nothing but smile at his old friend. Once again he was being greeted, not by someone shocked over who he was, but shock to see an old friend.

"Hello Windy, good to see you again," Luke said. He wanted to laugh at the way the man continued to stare at him, dumbfounded.

"Listen Windy," Biggs told him quietly, pulling the attention off of Luke for a moment. "Luke has been though a lot, he has come here to rest. Keep this to yourself, alright?" Biggs was trying to spare him from the barrage of questions they both knew was coming, and for once the overprotectivness from others did not upset Luke. For once he welcomed it.

"Yes, I know," Windy said looking back and forth between the two, his smiling never fading. "I read about that. They said you were held captive for two months?"

"Something like that," Luke said with a shrug before sitting down in the chair he had been in earlier. This was a subject that he did not want to get into.

"They also suggested that it was by someone you knew," Windy pressed. Biggs rolled his eyes, and Luke could just imagine what he was thinking. This boy would not stop until he got the answers he wanted. And Luke at least could rest knowing he did not want to know much.

"Windy, that's enough," Biggs warned.

"No Biggs, it's fine," Luke said, cutting in with a tired sigh. "Its old friends right? It was by an ex-girlfriend, Windy. It was her way of revenge for me not going back to her." It was a simple enough answer, one that should satisfy the curiosity of the man standing before him. Windy processed the information, seeming to roll it around in his head before smiling and coming over to pat Luke on the shoulder.

"You sure do know how to pick them, Wormie."
TBC...
Chapter 16
Luke was suppressing yawns by the time Windy left a few hours later. Luke hated to admit that he was glad he was gone, and only smiled when the other man claimed he had a few things to take care of. It would not last, Luke knew. Windy would be back. However he did not feel threatened about that. In fact, after a little rest, he thought he might even enjoy the company. Though he was not treated exactly like he had when he was a boy, the constant teasing was now absent from their conversations, it still felt good to be talked to like a friend.

Not being one to be a lazy guest, Luke walked into the small kitchen and began helping Biggs with dinner. If he was going to stay here, the least he could do was lend a hand. Again he was struck by how little had really changed over the years. Biggs and Luke laughed all through the dinner preparations, and Luke was in high spirits when Biggs' parents and sister Carina, walked in the door.

"Something smells good," Carina shouted, dropping her equipment by the door. Luke shook his head as he heard the thump of the bags against the stone of the floor. It was not his house, so it was not his place to clean up after anyone here, but he had the overwhelming urge to put the stuff away for them. He laughed silently at that thought before pushing it away.

"Biggs?" And older woman called out, Luke was sure that this would be Biggs' mother. "That you?"

"Yes." Biggs said, as he walked out of the kitchen to greet his family. Luke took his time finishing what he was doing, giving Biggs time to talk with his family. It did not want to make it seem like he was intruding.

"There you are," Luke heard the slightly edge voice of Biggs' father boom in from the front room. "We stopped by the hanger. I noticed you had an extra ship in there. Thought maybe it was that cousin of yours. I wanted to remind him that his father had his own hanger."

"That's not Gavin's X-wing dad," Biggs laughed. "Besides, he would know better. I don't think he could afford your fees anyway."

"If not his, then who?" His father demanded. "There are not may people out there that are just flying around in a military star fighter."

"It's mine," Luke said as he came out of the kitchen. It was his first look he had of this family in many years. Though the tough life you receive on Taatooine added lines to their weathered faces, it was easy to find the people he had grown up with still shining through. "Biggs invited me for a visit. I hope it is not a problem."

Biggs' mother smiled, and Carina came over and hugged him. "Glad to see you are alright," she said into his ear.

"Thanks."

"You're always welcome here, Luke," Biggs' mother said as she embraced him. "Biggs ran out of here as soon as he heard you made it back. Probably before the broadcast was over. I rather figured he would bring you back. You were never a problem to have around. Stay as long as you would like."

"Thank you," Luke told her. "That means a lot to me."

"I'm starving, let's eat!" Biggs yelled before vanishing into the dinning room. Everyone else followed at a more leisurely pace.

-----

Luke was sitting in the workroom about a week later, helping Biggs fix an old speeder. He had forgotten how good it felt to get your hands dirty in some real labor. But it did not take much thinking on his part to do the work so his mind was free to wander. And that was exactly what he did not want to happen. He always ended up in the same place, on the same topic. And no matter how much he thought about it, he could not get past the problem.

"What's on your mind today, Luke?" Biggs asked, pulling him away from his thoughts with a welcome distraction. "You are too quiet."

Luke forced a smile. It was a welcome distraction but an unwelcome topic. "Nothing much," he lied. But it did not feel right to lie so outright. An idea came to him and he spoke about what he now saw as an opening to the conversation he had been trying to bring up all week. "I was thinking about that holo-drama we watched last night. What would you do if you found yourself in that situation?"

"What, about knowing I had a child and the mother did not know it was me?" Biggs asked, peaking around the bulk of the speeder.

"Yes," Luke confirmed. Watching that drama that night had struck too close to home. He wished his life would work like the drama had ended, with everyone happy and no one got hurt.

"I would tell her," Biggs announced, ducking his head back to his work. "But then again that was some strange circumstances. It's not likely that you will sleep with a woman and she will lose her memory. It was all just fiction.

"And if you told her and she did not care?" Luke ventured.

"Why wouldn't she care?" Biggs questioned. "If the child were mine, I would want to be part of its life. And I would have that right. I guess I would try to make her see that. What brings that up?"

"It's just that it got me thinking..." Luke paused, why was everything so hard to talk about?

"I think I get it," Biggs said with a knowing smile. "Don't worry so much Luke. Don't force it. When you are ready to talk, I'll be here." The doorbell rang, interrupting them. Luke went back to work as Biggs got up to see who had arrived. "We'll finish this in a minute."

Instinctively, Luke reached out with the Force to see who it was, and just as quickly pulled back into himself. However he was filled with that fear that even that brief a contact was enough. Corran Horn was one of the people at the door, and he was sure to know that Luke was here. Getting back to work, Luke waited to see if, in fact, Corran could tell that it was him.

----

Biggs opened the door only after checking to see who was there. He was pleased to see his cousin had come to visit, and a bit shocked at who he had brought with him. His first thoughts were of Luke. He would have to be very careful with current company if they were not to find out that the Jedi Master was here. With a smile he invited the trio inside.

"What brings you by, Gavin?" he asked, fighting the urge to check the workroom door to make sure he had closed it.

"We were in the area and thought we would stop by," Gavin explained. "How have you been? Settling in alright?"

"As well as can be expected," Biggs told them. "Please have a seat. You want something to drink?" At the positive answers Biggs headed into the kitchen, smiling at Gavin as he followed to help. Biggs just hoped that, if Luke still wanted to remain in hiding that he did not leave the workroom.

----

Corran headed to the window as soon as Biggs and Gavin had left the room. He tried to look casual, but he needed to talk to Wedge, and if they did not talk now they may not have another chance. Wedge seemed to sense his need and walked close.

"What's on your mind?" The dark haired man asked.

"Luke's here," Corran informed him.

"Here on Tatooine?" Wedge asked, eyes darting to the dusty window.

"Here in this house," Corran corrected. "I felt his presence for a moment, and then he pulled away. I think he is trying to hide."

"Are you sure it was him?" Wedge asked, this time scanning the inside of the house.

"No mistaking."

"Well," Wedge said, his causal search not producing their missing friend. "Let's ask Biggs if he is..."

"No." Corran interrupted. "Then we would have to explain how we knew he was here. I have something better." Walking over to the shelf, he reached up, knowing what he would find when he did and pulled it down so Wedge could see.

"Luke's lightsaber," Wedge said with a smile. "Proof enough for me." Their exchange was over before the two cousins came back in the room. Corran turned to face them, still holding Luke's lightsaber. "So how long has Luke been here?" He asked.

Gavin looked at Biggs, shocked, most likely that he had not been told of the visitor. Biggs merely smiled and led them to the door. "I should have figured you wouldn't stop by just for a visit."

"That is why we came by," Gavin protested.

"Gavin said he was heading out this way and we offered to come alone," Wedge said in his defense. Corran silently agreed, not wanting his information putting the kid in trouble. Gavin had nothing to do with them being here.

"You mean to tell me that you were not trying to track Luke down?" Biggs asked, eyeing the suspiciously.

"We were," Corran corrected him. "But we were not looking here. The lightsaber gave it away." There was a dismissive shack of the head before Biggs reached and opened the door. Luke was the first thing they saw, as he sighed and sat back in his chair, wiping his hands on a cloth.

"I should have known that you guys would find me." Corran was sure he noted a touch of sadness in his voice, and it worried him. Why would he not want to be around his family right now? What was he running from? The thought disturbed him more than any others. He had never known Luke to run away. If anything he rushed forward into more things than he should.

"Luke," Wedge said, stepping closer to his friend. "You have everyone worried, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Luke insisted, doing nothing to hide his irritation. "I'm on vacation."

"Vacation?" He had not meant that to sound as degrading as it did. But why would anyone want to come here to vacation? But then again if he had grown up here, the dry planet might hold some sort of appeal to him.

"Yes, a vacation," Luke repeated. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No," Wedge answered. "Nothing. It's just that Leia is ready to pull her hair out. She's saying that it's her fault that you ran away, that she should have kept you in her home."

"So she could keep an eye on me," Luke added with a frown. "Yes, she would say that. I'm tired of her treating me like one of her kids. She thinks that I cannot make a decision on my own, and I need her to take care of me."

"Sounds like someone else I knew," Biggs added, trying to hold back his smile. "Is she going to ground you when you don't do what she says the way your uncle did?"

"That's what she wants to do," Luke said. He smiled for the first time since they found him, but even the curve of his smile seemed tired. "She fails to realize that I can leave when ever I want to."

"And you most often do," Wedge added.

"And that worries her to no end," Corran supplied.

"Than let her worry," Luke said, turning back to the machine in front of him. The finalism in his voice shocked him.

"Luke, do you really mean that?" Wedge asked.

"Yes, I do," Luke snapped, whipping around to glare at them. "I can't worry about what is bothering Leia right now. I just can't."

"What about everyone else?" Corran shot at him. He was beyond able to stand here an just let Luke sulk. He would not let Luke continue to worry everyone unless the Jedi Master had a very good reason.

"Who?" Luke questioned, his eyes flashing. "You two now know where I am, and you know I'm safe. Han knows I can take care of myself and so do my students."

"Well, Mara seems to think you can't," Corran told him. "And as often as she has had to run to save your behind, I'd say she has every right to worry."

"Mara?" Luke's head snapped up at the sound of her name, a frown on his face. "Why would Mara care about what I'm doing?"

"Ok, it's obvious that you two had another one of your fights," Corran said, surprised that he would take it so far when Mara was wearing a grove in her floor from all the pacing. "All I know is that she spent that entire month doing everything she could to help find you. She is worried about you. Just like we all are."

Luke had almost panicked when Corran had mentioned the red head. He was worried that not only had she pushed him away she had told Corran and sent him after him. But he realized the absurdity of that thought. He doesn't know anything, Luke told himself. "Tell them I'm fine."

"And how should we tell them we saw you?," Wedge countered. "What do you think is going to happen when Leia, Mara, or both find out where you are? They are both going to show up on the doorstep."

"I don't want them here," Luke moaned. The last thing he wanted to do was bring those to into this house. He was comfortable here.

"Want it or not, they will be here." Luke thought that over. What else could he do in the matter? He knew in the back of his mind that what his friends were saying was right. And he did not want to live his life cringing every time Leia or Mara's name was mentioned. As soon as Leia found out where he was, she would be on her way. Mara showing up, he doubted that, but they wouldn't know that.

"Luke," Biggs said, interrupting his thoughts. "If you want to stay here, you are more then welcome. You need your rest. You don't have to go back now. And you said you could not get it back there. If your sister and friends are worried about you and they feel the need to come out here, then so be it."

"That doesn't matter now," Luke conceded, not feeling up to a fight with anyone. "I should go. As soon as Leia finds out where I am, she will stop at nothing to get me home. You guys mind telling Leia I'm going back to Yavin?"

"Not at all," Wedge said with a sad smile.

"Luke," Biggs said again, his voice filled with worry. "When you want to come back, just come on."

"Thanks, Biggs," Luke said, getting up intending to go gather his things. If he was going to go he might as well get ready.

"Everything is going to be alright Luke," Biggs said, patting his arm. Walking to the door he took his lightsaber that Corran was offering to him. Turing back he looked to his friend.

"Sooner or later."
Chapter 17
"Skywalker, are you ok?" Luke had been sitting on the edge of the overhang, looking out over the trees. He was not meditation, or thinking, he was just sitting. It was all he could bring himself to do at that time. Just to sit and try not to think. At the sound of her voice, Luke turned around to see Mara Jade approach. At first he was surprised that Mara had been able to approach and he had not sensed her, and then he was surprised that it had surprised him. He had not been himself lately.

"You look sick," she said, looking at him closely.

"That's because I am," he replied. Sick of life.

Mara sat down next to him, not seeming to care when he almost instantly inched away from her. Why doesn't she say something about it? He wondered. Does she know? How can I tell her? He ended up right where he was trying not to go, gone astray in his confusing thoughts until he lost track of what he should have been doing. If Mara noticed, she did not react to it.

"That's what we figured," she said with a small shake of her head. He was about to dismiss her comment and study the horizon a little more until her words sunk in.

"We?" he asked. "Who else? I have been visiting with people all week. I thought I was keeping how I felt well hidden."

"Normally you do," Mara agreed. "But not this time. Everyone is worried about you." Luke was sure that she would continue, that she would continue to ask him questions until he either started them arguing or he gave in and told her what she wanted to know. He was not in the mood to talk, especially not to her. But he was not sure he could start an argument, even if it was a guaranteed way to get her to leave him alone. To his surprise she did not continue. Instead he encountered a sudden change of subject. "I came by here to see you a few weeks ago," she said instead. "But you were not here."

"I had some things to take care of," he said. He could feel his defenses going up, unsure of what she was trying to pull this time.

"Sure," she said, her voice light. She turned her eyes on him, and he tried not to think about the new shine he saw there. "I waited here for almost a week to hear from you. You never even called once."

"They do not need me checking up on them," Luke defended himself, although he saw her point.

"You're right, but I also know that you do it anyway. After a week, I had to get back to work. I figured you would call when you were ready to talk, but I still did not hear from you. I had no idea you were back until Corran came and told me." Luke did not say anything. There was nothing he could say. He had agreed to come back, and he had done just that. However it was obvious that no one was happy with the way he was. He would just have to work harder to keep this from them. "We came to check on you."

"Figures," he groaned before he caught himself. They were only worried about him, he should not be upset with them over that. "Thank you." Taking a deep breath, he continued before he could lose his nerve to ask the one thing on his mind. "But why do you care, Mara?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. He could tell that his question shocked her. Whither it be because she did not expect him to ask that or that she really did not know what he was talking about he could not tell. "You're my friend," she told him. "I'm worried about you. You tell everyone that you are fine, but you're not."

"I'm your friend?" he challenged, finally to the point that he could not keep this inside anymore. He could not believe that she was willing to sit there and act like nothing had happened. "Then why did you leave?"

"Leave?" she repeated. "When?"

"At the hospital," he explained. Her innocent act was grating on his nerves and he wanted her to stop acting like nothing was wrong and tell him what she was feeling, but then again he did not want to know. "I remember you there. But you left, without saying goodbye."

"Wait," she commanded, holding up her hand as if to physically make him halt all activity. "I left when you said you did not want to see me."

"I would never say that," Luke insisted. If he had not wanted to see her, then why was he so upset when he found out that she had left.

"But you did," Mara insisted. "After you woke up I was not even aloud in the room."

Luke closed his eyes and sighed, suddenly realizing what she was talking about. He had forgotten about that. "I was not seeing anyone at the time," he admitted quietly. "I just could not convince Leia to get out of the room." She looked doubtful at first but then he could see understanding starting to work its way in.

"So it wasn't just me that you did not want to see?" she asked.

"No," he insisted, begging her silently to believe him. "I just wanted to be alone. But when I asked to see you, they said you had left."

"Do you want to talk about it?" She asked. He could not control the shudder resulting from considering her offer. He knew it would increase her concern over him, but it was too late to change that now. All he could do was get thought this conversation and hopefully stop her from worrying about her all together.

"Why?" he finally asked. "You pretty much know everything."

"You know Han did what he had to do," she told him. "With that data pad."

"I know," Luke said, wanting to smile and thank Han for everything he had done for him. "And I'm not angry with him, he was trying to save my life. That could not have been easy for him. I just wish that so many people had not read it."

"Who all do you think read it, Skywalker?" Mara asked, her gaze intensifying. "It was just Leia and I. Leia refused to let anyone else touch it. The only reason she let me read it was that Han thought that I was the person you told him to explain to. Was he wrong?"

"No, he was right." Luke did not know what to think now. He had been living under the impression that everyone know what had happened with her. Every time he looked at someone, all he could think about was what they must me thinking. He saw Mara suddenly smile and he wondered about that. Mara's smiles were few and far between, so each one had a meaning behind it.

He held eye contact with her has he reached out with the Force. He did not want her to get upset over his curiosity, so he was watching for any disturbed emotions to cross her face. When they touched minds and he felt the block on their bond dissolve all he saw was her smile get brighter. He did not intrude and there was no need, her happiness was right there where he could easily see. She was happy that he thought of her as a close enough friend to feel the need to explain things to. That he would even think of her at a time like that. He offered a weak smile back at her.

"Leia filed a report," she told him. "But it only contained information that people needed to know. She has the only copy with her."

"She does?" Luke asked. He was starting to wonder just how many times he was going to be surprised in the space of one day.

"Yes," Mara confirmed. "She would never betray your trust like that, Luke. And neither would I."

He sat quietly, trying to digest everything he had heard. His mind flipped from one thing to another trying to come to terms with everything and succeeding in nothing. When had he lost his ability to cope with things? He needed stable ground, he realized. He had been so lost in his own self pity that he did not know, anymore, where to reach to pull himself out. This must be what everyone was seeing. Why, despite his best efforts, everyone was still worried about him. He brought his eyes back to Mara, intending to tell her what he had realized. But the site before him shocked him yet again. He realized that he had not looked in her direction once since she arrived, and had missed a very important detail. There was no hiding her now protruding stomach, a very knowing sign of her condition.

"My goodness, Mara," he exclaimed, unable to get the astonishment out of his voice. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel like I swallowed the Fire," she said with a laugh. "Other than that, I'm fine." It seemed to be her time to be at a loose for words. She studied her hands, threading her fingers together before getting the courage to say what was on her mind. "That was the other thing I wanted to ask you," she finally said. "Did you happen to find out anything about this, while you were back there?"

Luke swallowed hard trying not to feel as nervous as he suddenly felt. "It was all on the holo-recording," he forced out, suddenly meeting her eyes again. "You didn't watch it?"

"What recording?" she asked.

Luke suddenly wanted to kick himself. She has no clue! He yelled at himself. She did not have the tape. She did not know. But then where was that recording? He felt jittery as he tried to figure out what he should do with this new information. He wanted to know what had happened. Had the old nurse kept the tape? Would it be possible that he had given that damaging tape to someone who would use it against him? It was too humiliating to think about. Doing the only thing he could think of, he searched his memory, using the Force to literally scan through his things that he had thrown in his closet when he returned. To his utmost relief, he found the tape at the bottom of his bag.

"Are you there, Farmboy?" He refocused only to find Mara watching him closely, she had obviously just been trying to get his attention.

"You were never given the tape," he whispered, more to confirm the facts to himself than for her to hear. "It's still in my things."

"Ok," she said with a shrug. "So what was on that tape?" It was a simple question that held the opening to such a difficult and potentially friendship shattering answer. "She told you who the father was," Mara said, when he did not speak. "Didn't she?"

"Yes," Luke forced out.

"So tell me," it was such a light and cheerful request. It was as if she was not expecting the information to affect her any. And what reason would she have to fear over such a revelation. She had plenty of time know come to terms with the fact that the father of her child was some unknown figure that she would probably never see again. All she was looking for was answers. "This not knowing is driving my crazy... Skywalker?"

Luke lowered his eyes, not willing to let her see the conflicting emotions in his eyes. Why did this feel so hard to tell her? It would have been so much easier if she had found out the same way he did. "I could give you the tape," he finally said.

"Sure," Mara agreed with a nod. "You could do that. But since you already know, you can tell me. You have to realize that I'm pregnant and incapable of playing games. So, if you don't tell me soon, I'll not be held responsible if I decide to toss you over this cliff."

"It's me," he blurted out. He realized just after the words left his lips that she had been kidding. The smile on her face slowly faded at the sound of his voice.

"What's you?" she asked. Was she really not going to understand after all this? Then her eyes widened a bit as understanding swept in. "You?" she asked in disbelief.

"She originally wanted to just capture me," Luke rushed to explain. Now that it was out in the open he was determined that she know everything that he knew. "However, when she got you too, she set up what she called a test. She drugged us both to see whom I would choose. When I chose you, she decided to punish us both."

"What do you mean chose me?" Mara asked. Luke wondered if he had looked as shocked when he found out. He remembered little of the thoughts of that day. All that lived in that part of his memory was numbing pain, heart wrenching emotions. "Tell me what happened," she pleaded.

"You're pregnant, by me," Luke clarified, heart tearing as he forced the words out. "And neither of us remembers doing it."

"Then how do you know?" Mara asked. There was none of the flat out denials he had been expecting. None of the accusations of this being his fault that he had been fearing. And most of all she did not just get up and leave.

"That's where the tape came in," Luke said. "For the two months we were there, she recorded us. All the time. Everything we did."

"Everything we did?" Mara asked, and he could just imagine what was going through her mind. He did not have the option of thinking about it when he found out. He knew everything that was on that tape. He was forced to watch every painful moment of it.

"Everything," he confirmed. "It's all on there... She made me watch it." He was not sure why he was telling her that part. Maybe he did not want her to think that he would watch it just to see it. Maybe he wanted her to believe him when he told her that he would have not watched it if he had not be forced to. "It was strange to watch. It was me, I cannot deny that, but I don't remember anything that happened. It was almost like watching a stranger."

"I want to see it," Mara said, quietly. He thought at first that he had misheard her. But then realized that she was really requesting to see what he had seen. Even knowing the truth, she still wanted to see it for herself.

"Come on," he said, getting to his feet and offering her a hand up. "I'll go get it for you." He never broke the habit of offering her assistance even after her refusing it time after time. Her not turning his offer away was one look at how much she had changed over the last few months. He turned, meaning to lead her back inside so he could honor her request, when he was stopped by her hand on his arm.

"Luke," she said, looking at him warmly. "You thinking I had that tape, and then leaving; that's why you got upset again wasn't it?" He wanted to deny it, to say it was no big deal, but she deserved better than that. He would not lie to her, after everything they had been though, the last thing he wanted to do was lie to her. The one person he had told the truth. The only person he had ever felt he could turn to.

"Yes," he admitted. "I honestly thought you had seen it and ran. It hurt."

"I'm sorry," she told him, her voice dropping. He felt the hand on his shoulder and looked into those for once emotional eyes. "If I had known the truth, Luke. I would never have left. If I knew there was a reason for me to stay you would not have been able to get rid of me. I can be just as stubborn as you."

"Thank you." Mara broke the comfortable silence that had descended on them first.

"You were going to show me the tape," she reminded him. With a nod and another ofter of his hand, Luke lead Mara back into the temple.
Chapter 18

Corran had the good since to know that Luke and Mara needed some time alone. He was not the only one that could see the strain still on that friendship. Mara had not asked him for privacy, but he was willing to give it. They needed time to work out their troubles. Luke could not afford to lose his friends right now, and needed to have Mara close, no matter if he wanted to deny that fact or not. Because of that reason Corran had remained out of sight, not seeking out Luke until the Jedi Master appeared in the mess hall later that day. He looked tired and drawn, but relieved somehow. Like some part of the weight he had been carrying was gone. Corran hoped that he was not just imagining the change in his friend and in fact his talk with Mara had helped him.

"Luke," Corran said, approaching his side. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"That's why I came down here," Luke stated. There was no mistaking it that time. Corran was sure that he saw the hint of a smile there. No drastic turn around here, but it was a defiant start. "What can I do for you Corran?"

"Did you talk to Mara?" Corran asked though he already knew the answer. Mara had been determined to not leave him alone until he talked to her. He would not be standing there if he had dodged another talk. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," Luke said quietly. "Thank you for your concern."

"Not a problem at all," Corran assured him. "I was worried about you. You have not been yourself lately, when Mara asked me to come here with her, I was jumping to go."

"Yeah," Luke said with a nod. "With Mara and Leia asking you to check up on me, it's hard to say no."

"I never said I talked to Leia," Corran insisted, trying not to look as guilty as he suddenly felt.

"You're right," Luke agreed. "You didn't. I just know my sister."

"Good," Corran said. Luke did not look upset. He did not look as sad as he had, and not angry about Corran being there. That was a good sign. "I hope you understand that she said I had to take you out, that you need to be around friends."
"And so she can have me back on Coruscant," Luke finished for him.

"I don't know about all that," Corran said with a shrug. "But you know you don't have to stay. Just one night out, it'll be fun."

"Sure why not," Luke finally said after a moment of silence that Corran had been sure would have turned into an excuse. "Mara already said I had to agree with whatever you wanted to talk to me about."
"You would rather keep all your fingers too huh?" Corran asked, thrilled when Luke smiled.
"Exactly."
----
It was late in the afternoon when Han and Chewie arrived at the hanger to meet Lando. He was coming because Han had invited him, so he thought it was only proper for him to meet him. That and it gave him a reason to get out of the apartment and away from Leia's preparations. They had gathered up their friend and where heading back out of the hanger when Chewie stopped them with a growl.

"What Chewie," Han asked, looking around. "Where?"

Chewie growled again, and Han's head whipped around to see what had gotten the Wookie so excited. He smiled when he saw Luke talking with Mara. He had not seen his brother in law in two weeks. Corran had convinced him to come out with them one night. But that night was not a huge success. Luke was still withdrawn and on edge. He left the pub early and was heading back to Yavin the next morning.

"What?" Lando asked, looking around to see what had caught their attention.

"Shhhhh. Look," Han instructed and they all fell silent. Unsure of what was drawing him to the conclusion that he should not have walked right over there and trapped Luke in a hug, Han tried to figure out what they were talking about that kept them so unaware of their surroundings that they did not notice the trio.

Luke and Mara stood facing each other. They were too far away to hear what they were saying, but the three of them could clearly see what they were doing. Luke slowly took Mara's hand and Mara smiled. That was a surprise all in itself, but when Mara stepped close and they started kissing, three jaws hit the floor. Mara's hands went around Luke's neck and Luke's hands went around her waist.

"I knew it!" Han exclaimed, excited over this turn of events, even if he shouldn't have found out this way. "About time."

Then Luke pushed away, with a very disturbed look on his face. He stared at Mara. She said something to him and he dropped his gaze and shook his head. Mara took one more step forward and put her hand on his cheek. He said something else, turned, and left, heading slightly in their direction. Mara balled her fists in what looked like frustration, and then went after him. About half way across the floor she caught up with him, grabbed his arm, and spun him around.

"OK, Luke out with it," she hissed. "What's going on with you? I'm tired of you saying nothing is wrong. Talk to me."
"I'm sorry Mara," Luke said quietly. "I just can't. I couldn't do that to you."

"Luke you cannot keep doing this," Mara insisted. "It's not fair to you, or me." She added quietly. "This is all her fault!"

"Mara, please," Luke pleaded, touching her arm. "Don't do this."

"If not Callista, then what?" Mara asked. "I can't help you if I don't know what the problem is."

"You don't understand... I can't." He sounded miserable, even from the distance Han was still standing. Whatever was still bothering the Jedi weighed heavily on his mind. Now he knew, without a doubt that the kid needed some help.

"You're right I don't understand," Mara shouted. "But I would if you would tell me!"

Luke shook his head. His eyes downcast while he spoke. "Please understand this," he continued to plea with her. "I can't right now...I'm sorry." He backed away from her and continued out the door without looking back.

"Jedi!" Yes. Defiantly frustration. With an angry growl Mara turned and exited the hanger from the other direction, neither of them knowing they had an audience.

"What the hell was that all about?" Lando asked.

"I think I know," Han admitted. He had thought about this before, about why Luke and Mara had never gotten together. He had thought that maybe Mara would not admit her feelings, or that neither of them would. It surprised him that it was Luke that was holding back.

"You think you know?" Lando asked. He knew just as much as anyone else that Han was privy to more about the Jedi Master than any of. For him not to know what was going on was indeed strange. "He never talked to you or Leia?"

"Not to me," Han admitted with a shrug. "And if he did to Leia, she never said anything to me about it."

"What ever it is, he is really upset about it," Lando pointed out, looking back towards the direction Luke had disappeared through.

"He was doing great for a while there," Han said, feeling the familiar pain when thinking about the kid. He wanted to help. He always wanted to help, but it seemed more often than not there was nothing he could do. That more than anything bothered him to distraction.

"What like one day?" Lando asked, sarcasm dripping from every word. He felt like his eyes would pop out of his head at the gall of that statement, but he let it pass. There were some things that Lando did not realize he said wrong and no amount of pointing it out to him would make him see reason.

"Nice," Han sighed, before turning away. "I'm going to see what I can do." With purpose in his step, Han followed the Jedi trying to catch up with him. He finally did as Luke was walking past the hanger doors where he had landed the Falcon.

"Hey kid!" He yelled, trying to catch the Jedi's attention.

"Not now Han," came the reply without him turning around. It looked like Luke had all intentions of leaving once again and not talking to him.

"I really need to talk to you," Han called out.

Luke looked down at the ground and took a deep breath, gathering himself together before slowly turning to face Han. His eyes looked clouded, almost sad.

"Sure Han," Luke said, his voice soft. Now that he had the kid's attention he was unsure what to do with it.

"Come on," Han finally said, putting his arm around the others shoulders. "We'll go talk in the Falcon."
They walked in silence towards the ship. Han's mind was whirling as he tried to think of something to say that would possibly help the kid. Without a word, they boarded the ship and made themselves comfortable in the lounge.

"OK kid," Han finally said, sipping at his drink. "What is going on with you?"

"I don't want to talk about me, Han," he said. There was that sad shake of the head. Did he even realize how he looked to everyone around him? He just screamed that he needed help.

"You know that I can't make you talk," Han admitted. "But think about this. Here I am, and I'm willing to listen." Han leaned forward and caught Luke's stormy eyes. "You know there is no reason to fear telling me. If this is about what I think it is, I feel I'm the best person to talk to. I won't tell anyone if that is what you want."

"But Han," Luke protested.

"No, Luke, listen," Han interrupted. "I'm not even going to pretend that I know what you are going through. But I do know that Mara looked like she was ready to put a blast hole in you. Now that's not all that different than how she normally looks, but it's clear that something was up."

"You saw all that?" Luke asked, eyes wide.

"Yes," Han said. He thought he saw a blush color those cheeks. But that was not what he was trying to do. The last thing he wanted was to embarrass the kid. "So, you have someone here to talk to. It's up to you if you want to take advantage of it."

"How much did you hear?" Luke asked.

"Not much," Han assured him gently. He did not want to scare him away. "You two were too far away. We saw you two talking, then kissing, and then you freaking out and running away." Han waited, knowing Luke should had realized that Han told him he was not the only one that saw this, but Luke did not call him on it. Instead he sat there, silent and brooding. "So, I ask again, what is going on?"

Luke studied his hands lying on his lap for a minute, eyes never leaving the intertwined digits. Han was almost convinced that Luke was not going to say anything.

"Do you really want to hear about this?" The Jedi finally asked, eyes moving to rest on him. "Do you really want to know what I'm thinking?"

"If it will help you," Han said. "Yes." Again the silence, the total lack of movement. But the tale started. Soft and low at first, to the point that Han had to lean forward so that he could hear the soft spoken words.

"Do you remember when Mara and I were held prisoner on Nivina?" Luke asked.

"Yes," Han told him, nodding his head, thinking he was starting to understand. "That's what this is about... You said you thought you were tortured then too."

"That's not the best word to describe what we went through..." Luke said, sounding extremely uncomfortable. "I have only told two other people about this." He took a deep breath, and Han suddenly knew that this was going to be one story he would not want to miss.
----
Han sat alone onboard the Falcon long after Luke had left. He thought that the talk had helped Luke. The kid had been keeping all that inside all this time and it seemed that talking had helped him sort it all out. Now, though, Han was bothered with what he knew. Mara's baby was Luke's. Luke had found this out while he and Han were held on Nivina, and Luke had never said anything.
Luke was justifiably confused as to what to do now. He knew he had feelings for Mara, but was afraid she would think that he was doing it all just because she was pregnant, or that it was the only reason she wanted to be with him. Han tried to point out that they had chosen each other while they were under the influence of the drug. Before Mara became pregnant. Luke had considered that, but still did not seem convinced. He said he was going home to meditate for a while, that maybe things would become clear. Luke had made Han swear not to say anything to Leia about the baby. He wanted to tell her, but he also wanted to be able to answer the questions that she was bound to have, and right now, he couldn't do that.

----

It was two days later that Luke sat on the large sofa in Han and Leia's apartment watching the crowd of his friends talking. Han had come up with the idea that they needed to get together again. Saying that the first one was such a hit, he wanted to have another, and everyone agreed. So once again everyone had gathered in the large apartment of the Solo's. Wedge stood to one side with a few pilots from the Rouge's, Hobbie, Wes Jenson, and Corran Horn. Gavin stood next to his cousin Biggs, who returned to Coruscant once again just to attend the party. Han sat on another sofa talking with Lando and Chewie. Leia was busy with the girls, Winter, Marix, and Mara. They were discussing something intense by the looks on their faces. Mara, probably feeling his eyes on her, turned and smiled, Luke smiled back.

"So, I see she took the news well." Luke looked up to see Biggs sit next to him. Across from him, Lando and Chewie got up and walked to the small bar in the corner. Leave Luke sitting there alone with Biggs and Han. The two men that sat side by side as his best friends.

"What, did you talk to her again?" Han asked in a whisper, sitting on the other side of Luke.

"No," Luke said with a sigh. "I told her a few days ago, before I told you, and that was the last I spoke to her." Luke had to laugh as Han suddenly stood, taking hold of his face turning it this way and that, inspecting him closely before sitting back down.

"Hey and you are still alive, no bruises," Han said, nodding his approval. "She took it better than I would have thought."

"What do you mean?" Biggs asked, turning towards him. "What'd you think she'd do?"

"Worst case," Han said with a shrug. "She'd shoot him, but at the very least I thought for sure she would have hit him. I mean, this is Mara Jade we are talking about here." This time Biggs laughed and Luke once again found himself smiling. He looked up automatically finding Mara. She was looking at him, a smile mirrored on her face. They looked away at the same time breaking the contact.

"I tell you," Biggs said patting him on the back. "You sure do pick winners." Luke smiled as he downed his drink, the bitter taste of the alcohol pleasantly burning as it made its way down. Han grabbed the glass before Luke could sit it down.

"You need another," Han announced boldly.

"No, Han, I'm fine," Luke insisted.

"I know," he said with a grin. "That's why you need another."
----
Across the room, the conversation between the women was not as intense as Luke thought. In fact for all the presses speculations of what is exactly discussed at these types of parties they were way off. Mara never thought she would be interested in the sort of conversation that had caught her attention, but things in her life were no longer the same. So she stayed there, without much to add but willing to absorb everything she could while the ladies here discussed their kids.
Mara shook her head in disbelief, as Leia describe the latest mini disaster that her children had caused with the nanny. She looked over, and noticed Luke across the room. It had been three days since Luke told her and she saw the tape. She had watched the whole thing from start to finish; Answering Luke's protests that since he had been forced to watch the whole thing, that she should do the same. And she had wanted to remember, she admitted to herself. The images of her and Luke on that vid were stuck in her mind, and she felt cheated. That thought surprised her. Looking over at Luke, she noticed him looking at her, she smiled to cover up her embarrassment, and he smiled back.

-----
It was about an hour later that Mara found Luke alone in the kitchen. She had been avoiding him, she knew it. But now that they were this close to each other she wasn't sure why. She knew Luke needed time, and she was willing to give that to him, but she wanted him to know where she stood right now. Not to scare him off, just so that she knew that he knew she was waiting. She stood beside him at the sink and waited while he got her some water.

"So, how are you feeling?" Luke asked, handing her a glass.

"I'm fine," Mara told him, taking a sip. "It's rather funny to be the only sober person at a party. Everyone is so amusing to watch."

"Careful Jade," Luke said with a laugh. "People might start thinking that motherhood agrees with you."

"Maybe it does," she said with a shrug. She knew she was not acting like herself, but it did not matter to her. Things in her life had changed. And a huge weight on her shoulders was gone. And the father of her child was standing with her in the kitchen trying not to look uncomfortable. There had to be something she could say to get a conversation going. "So," she finally said. Since she could think of no small talk to fill the space, she asked one of the greater questions on her mind. "Have you told everyone yet?"

"No," Luke admitted, looking at the floor for a second. He was smiling when he looked up again. She noticed he was smiling a lot that night. "Han and Biggs are the only ones that know."

"Ah," Mara said, almost laughing. "So you picked the easy ones first? You haven't told Leia?"

"No," Luke said with a shrug. "I haven't found the right time."

"I think you should tell her," Mara assured him. "Leia deserves to hear about it from you."

"I know."

"Hear what?" The laughing feeling fled from her mind as they whipped around to find Leia standing next to a very uncomfortable Han at the door. His reaction would have confused her if she had not already found out that he knew.

"Leia," Luke breathed.

"No time like the present, Luke," Han told him. Mara wanted to agree, and if it looked like Luke was not going to say anything then she would have, but as it turned out, she was not needed in that area.

"You're right," Luke agreed. "Leia, we need to talk."

"Come on Mara," Han said, taking her hand. "Let's let them talk alone." She did not want to leave him there to tell his sister on his own, but if Han was encouraging her to leave and Luke was not protesting then she would take their word for it. They walked out of the room and stood off to the side.

"Why did you pull me out of there?" Mara asked. Even though she was fine with leaving, she still wanted an explanation. "Do you think she's going to get that upset?"

"I think it will be a shock to her," Han admitted. "Give her a second, everything will be fine."

"WHAT?!!!" Everyone heard Leia yell from the kitchen. Making the entire gathering turn in the direction of the kitchen door. Mara suddenly was very thankful for Han pulling her out of there. When she looked over at him she wanted to smack that I-told-you-so look off his face. However Leia was not done yet. "Luke Skywalker how could you even think about not telling me that!"

Wedge started laughing, almost falling out of his chair in the process. "I thought she was yelling at one of the kids," he walled.

Mara looked at the door then back at Han, feeling Luke through their suddenly reopened bond. She smiled again, basking in the feeling of Luke opening himself up to her once again. "We've been summoned." She and Han went back into the kitchen without another word, closing the door behind them. Leia, upon seeing Mara, gave her a hug. "You're not mad?" Mara asked, unsure of how to take this sudden change.

"How can I be mad?" Leia exclaimed. "I'm going to be an Aunt. But now what about you two?" Mara's insides cringed. But Luke looked like he was going to speak first so she decided to let him take the lead.

"Oh, here we go," Luke said, rolling his eyes. Well, way to take the lead Skywalker.

"Don't give me that," Leia scolded him. Leia's eyes were darting between the two of them, and Mara felt Luke bracing himself. "So are you two finally done pretending you don't care for each other?"

"Leia!" Luke shouted, shocked despite the fact that he was trying to be prepared.

"There's no more denying it," Leia almost sang. "That baby did not make itself."

"No," Luke protested desperately. "The drug..."

"Did what?" Han asked, pulling himself into the conversation. "All that drug did was let you two do exactly what you wanted to do most without your heads getting in the way. Luke you were given a choice, Callista," Luke shuddered at this, "or Mara, and you choose Mara. To me that speaks volumes."

"Look at each other," Leia instructed them. "Right now, Luke look into her eyes and deny that you feel more for her then you do... say Wedge." Luke laughed at her comparison, but sobered at his sister's insistence. "No, I'm being serious. If she's just a friend then you would feel the same for her that you do for Wedge." Luke's face lost the playful look; he became serious and gazed at Mara. "Now, deny, here and now what you feel for this woman."

Luke's eyes lowered for a second. "I can't," he whispered, as he once again met Mara's eyes, a ghost of a smile touching his face.

"And Mara, you look at Luke, and admit that it would not bother you to see him happy in the arms of another woman." Mara wanted to slap her and all her questions. But she could see what Leia was trying to do. With her mind still spinning from Luke's confession Mara could not lie, and wasn't sure she wanted to even if she could.

"It would kill me," Mara admitted. Even though in her mind it felt like a lifetime before she answered that question she knew it looked like she answered with no consideration. Leia released the breath she was holding and shared a smile with her husband.
"See that wasn't so hard," Leia said, again sounding like she was talking to one of her children. "I swear, you two are almost as stubborn as Han and I were."

"Like you two?" Luke asked. "It wasn't that obvious was it?"

"Yes," both Han and Leia said together. "Now come on," Leia insisted. "We have a room full of guests that are just itching to find out what is going on in here."

Mara started, Leia's words again shocking her to her toes. "We have to tell them?" she asked, feeling the fear filling her again.

"Of course," Leia gushed. "Don't you think everyone will be wondering why we're hovering over that baby like its family?"

"There's no turning down this one?" Luke asked, looking as unsettled about this as she was.

"Oh come on you two," Leia exclaimed rolling her eyes. "You would think you had a bunch of your worst enemies out there, not a room full of friends. They deserve to hear it. Everyone has been waiting for this." Leia left without another word with Han taking her arm. Mara and Luke hung back, still looking at each other.

"It's no wonder you can never say no to your sister," Mara told him.

"She can be very persuading," Luke said with a smile. He hesitated a moment before wrapping an arm around her waist. "Come on, lets get out of here, and after the party, we talk about going to see your grandmother."

Mara growled in frustration, unable to stop the reaction. "You never give up do you?"

"No way," Luke told her. "I was this close to getting you there."

Mara laughed at his reaction, and the playful tint to his voice. "Yeah, and what two kidnappings are not enough to stop you right?"

"Right," he agreed smiling broadly.

"Ok we will talk about it...," she said, laughing when his smile grew. "Knock off that look. I said we would talk about it." They were both laughing as the followed Han and Leia back into the main room. Both bracing themselves for what would happen in the next few minutes and after. But the first major hurtle was behind them, and they rest, well the rest they would tackle together.
THE END!!!!