What if Mara was in Return of the Jedi?; by Jayd; New Republic

Do you remember when, in Heir to the Empire (I think), Lando knew he saw Mara from somewhere, but he couldn’t remember where? Then he remembered that he had seen her at Jabba’s palace, posing as a dancer. After reading this, I watched ROTJ again to see if I could spot her. Yeah, yeah, dense and gullible, but hey, I was bored, okay? When I didn’t see her, it inspired me to write a story about what would happen if she really was there, but right in the thick of it. This is basically a rewriting of ROTJ, including Mara’s presence and impact on the story.

* Since I know everyone who is going to read this has probably seen ROTJ more than a few times, I didn’t include most of the bits that don’t include Mara. I did i�Önclude the ones that are needed for continuity, though.

* All you sticklers out there, some of the original scenes and individual lines don’t have exact wording. Most of the time I’m using an audio tape, but at other times it’s my limited memory being tested. So bear with me.

* Spoilers: Only if you haven’t seen Return of the Jedi.

* Disclaimer: The characters Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, Han Solo, Leia Organa, Chewbacca, Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader and other minor characters were created by George Lucas (Timothy Zahn for Mara) and all belong to LucasFilm, Bantam Books and Twentieth Century Fox. My story and I do not intend to infringe upon copyright laws or any other laws currently in practise, and I am not receiving any money for this story (who in their right mind would pay for this piece of &*^$!!)

* This story itself is copyright, but the base idea (what if Mara was in ROTJ) is not.�é Feel free to write your own version if you want. You can post this story anywhere you want, as long as the disclaimer and this introduction is included, and I am named as the author.

What if Mara was in Return of the Jedi?

Chapter One

Mara Jade pulled on the abbreviated black crop top she wore in disgust. She knew she had to wear it, and the length of silk material hanging from her hips to her calves in two separate pieces on back and front, to fit in as a dancer at Jabba the Hutt’s palace, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. She longed for her normal jumpsuit, flightsuit, or even her Imperial uniform, anything to get out of her current outfit.

She watched the scoundrels and criminals dance and drink around Jabba, leaving space for the exclusive dance floor over the rancor pit. Which is where she would be once this song ended.

Mentally she rehearsed the routine she would perform. It was one of her better ones - it had to be, if she wanted to get onto the sail barge.

And kill Luke Skywalker.

She gritted her teeth as she remembered what the Emperor had told her about Luke Skywalker, the son of Vader. Oh yes, she knew. She could sense it in Vader’s mind. Palpatine had informed her of the times, during the years between the battle of Yavin and the battle of Hoth, when Skywalker had become a commander. He had used his piloting skills to murder innocent smugglers, and had been spotted once decimating a crowd of helpless ordinary civilians with his father’s lightsaber. Just the thought of the things he had done made her want to do something drastic.

Mara smiled cruelly. She would get to do something drastic - and *very* enjoyable - if she got on to the sail barge.

The song ended and there was a smattering of clapping. She heard Jabba bellow for a dancer, like she knew he would. She made a few last minute adjustments to her hair, which was twined around the top of her head in a braid, then emerged from the doorway, running gracefully to assume her starting position.

As the music began, she moved her hips, twirled her hands above her head and started to dance. She kicked high, threw her head back and arched her back. She threw in a few leaps, jumps, flips and saults for good measure, knowing she was impressing everyone. Even Jabba. She could feel it in his sense.

[Fantastic! This woman dances like the wind and the water of Nal Hutta,] Jabba said in his own language.

"Thank you, Your Magnificence," Mara purred, sucking up big time. She knew Jabba liked to be flattered. So did she, occasionally, but maybe being compared to the smog-filled wind and slimy water of Nal Hutta was not what she had in mind...

He spoke to his guards, and as they walked (or maybe staggered) into another room, her face fell. She hadn’t planned this.

One of the Gamorrean guards waddled up to her and clapped an iron band around her neck, making her cough violently. It was just small enough to make her uncomfortable, but large enough so she wouldn’t get strangled. She swallowed hard and tried to pull the band away, but it was iron and wouldn’t budge. Another guard attached a long chain to a small loop attached to the band and dragged her towards Jabba’s throne with it. Desperately she tried to get a grip on the iron with the Force, but she was too hurried and her mind wouldn’t focus.

The other end of the chain was quickly welded on to a part of Jabba’s throne, near the bright gold Threepio droid. The guard pushed her onto the edge of the throne, and she landed on her hands and knees near the ever-grinning monkey creature, Salacious Crumb. He eyed her and made cackling and purring sounds, making her want to throw up. Viciously, she lashed out with the Force and cut off h�ßis breathing for a few seconds, making him squawk and go blue in the face.

She had to let go, however, when she felt a tug on the chain. She felt herself being yanked backwards to fall against Jabba’s amazing bulk, and spotted a huge hand lower itself onto her hair. Shuddering, she tried to stop herself from pulling away. If she acted hostilely toward Jabba, she wouldn't be allowed to go on the sail barge.

* * * * *

Mara was jerked awake by the sound of talking, albeit softly, in the hallway leading from the entrance to the throne room of the palace. She had her senses tuned to every little thing around her, so she could stay alive. She felt the slow rise and fall of Jabba’s bulk against her back, and his hand sometimes pulling the chain gently. Salacious Crumb was asleep, thank the stars, and so was everyone else, even the guards of the throne room.

She watched Jabba’s lieutenant, Bib Fortuna, hurry from hi�Äs place on Jabba’s left, out into the hall. The Threepio droid was plugged into the wall power outlet, apparently getting a refill. She turned her head to the side and glanced at the woman who sat next to her, on Jabba’s other side. Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, a well-known Rebel leader. She wore not much more than Mara herself, and was also chained to Jabba’s throne.

In order not to reveal her true identity as the Emperor’s Hand, Mara made conversation with her, even though she thought Organa was a lost soul, fighting for a lost cause. There was no chance of the Rebels winning this war, not with the Empire’s new Death Star.

To her surprise, Mara had found that Organa was not such a lost soul, and in fact an intelligent and powerful woman.

Organa had also woken up, at the same time Mara did. They shared looks of confusion, though Organa was less confused than Mara. When the Empe�ror’s Hand looked up, she saw why.

In front of Jabba’s throne, figure shrouded in a cloak and hood, hands folded over his stomach, stood Luke Skywalker.

Mara’s hatred boiled to the surface. Seeing him reminded her of the things the Emperor had told her Skywalker had done. Organa looked at her in surprise, sensing the hate pouring out of her. Skywalker must have controlled himself very well.

[I told you not to admit him!] Jabba raged to Bib Fortuna, who was now at his side.

"I must be allowed to speak," Skywalker said with a cool confidence. Mara frowned. He didn’t sound like a cold-blooded mass murderer.

Fortuna echoed him, only to receive a stern reprimand from his master. [You weak-minded fool! He is using an old Jedi mind trick!]

"I am taking Captain Solo... and the Wookiee Chewba�_cca. My friends," he gestured to Mara and Organa, "will also be coming with me. I warn you not to underestimate my powers."

Mara stared at him in surprise, and more than a little confusion. she thought incredulously. (But...)

(Yes, ma’am, I mean you,) Mara heard in her mind. Now she was frightened. (If you want to get out of this slime pit, you are welcome to come with us.)

(I will, gladly,) she replied shortly, trying not to forget that she hated this man and was sent to kill him. But her hate was slipping away, leaving her perplexed as to what was going on. Why would a murderer of civilians want to completely destroy an escape plan to rescue someone they didn’t even know? She was beginning to have doubts that what the Emperor told her�was true.

Come to think of it, was *anything* he told her true? If he had lied to her once, about something as small, and yet as big, as this, why couldn’t he have lied to her before? Her whole life as the Emperor’s Hand was a lie, that would mean. And Mara Jade did not want to live a lie.

Turning her attention back to Skywalker, she saw that he was grabbing a blaster from one of the guards’ holsters and aiming at Jabba. Then the floor dropped out from under him, Jedi cloak flying up as he fell, a Gamorrean guard following him.

Alarmed, she leaned as far as she could with Jabba’s grip on her chain, watching what was happening in the pit below.

To her relief, Skywalker defeated the rancor and killed it. She and Organa sat back together, both with sighs and relieved�ª smiles on their faces. Seeing each other, they laughed. Jabba yanked on both of their chains, angry that they were happy when he was not.

Suddenly, Mara’s mind caught up to her emotions. *What am I thinking?!* she exclaimed in her mind. Not two hours ago she was immersed in her complete and utter hatred of Luke Skywalker, and ready to fulfil her master’s command to kill him. Now, she was *worried* about him?

Organa mistook her sudden change of expression. "Don’t worry, Miss Jade. We’ll get you out of here," she reassured her.

Mara almost laughed. She didn’t realise how capable Mara was at taking care of herself.

She watched as Solo and Chewbacca were brought up from their cell, and Skywalker was pushed� from the stairway to the rancor pit. She caught Skywalker’s eye, then quickly looked away. She wasn’t sure what she felt about him, but if it turned into dislike, she didn’t want him seeing her be friendly to him. A strange way of thinking, maybe, but there it was.

"Han!" Skywalker called to his friend.

"Luke!" the smuggler-turned-General replied. "Together again, huh?"

"Wouldn’t miss it."

"How we doin’?"

"Same as always."

"That bad, huh? Where’s Leia?"

"I’m here!" Organa called from next to Mara, trying to squirm away from Jabba’s slimy hands.

Mara listened as Jabba announced their sentence - to be thrown into the Great Pit of Carkoon. *Oh well, it’s not so bad. The Emperor could have thought of worse things.*

She watched as they were led off, hoping *someone* r�·eally had a plan. She knew she wasn’t going back to the Emperor, that was for sure, after all the lying he’d done. She hoped the Emperor didn’t find out at an inconvenient time - it could be awkward to go into a seizure right as she was about to jump off the sail barge or something.

She hoped someone had a plan - because she sure didn’t.

* * * * *

Mara Jade stood next to Leia Organa at the window of the sail barge, watching as the skiff carrying Skywalker and his friends, including a terribly disguised Lando Calrissian, the former baron-administrator of Cloud City, swooped by. As it swung over the Great Pit of Carkoon, Mara saw the Sarlacc writhe about in expectation. It knew when it was going to get a meal.

She j�´erked as Jabba tugged the chain, then turned back to the window. "Is there a plan?" she asked softly, but no one saw her lips move. Just one of the many skills she had been taught by the Emperor.

Organa nodded slightly, just enough to make it known to Mara that yes, there was a plan.

"When?" Mara said.

"You’ll see," Organa mouthed.

Mara turned around, lounging against the edge of the window. It didn’t look like anybody had heard them. No one would have been able to make sense of it anyway, if they had.

Just as she was about to turn back around, there was a mighty yank on her chain and she felt herself stumbling up onto Jabba’s throne to avoid having her neck broken. There she stayed, occupying Jabba’s �Òattention while Organa watched the goings-on outside.

"Mara! Come here quick!" she called, and Mara got up, edging away from Jabba as fast as she could to see what Organa saw. Luckily Jabba was occupied with the golden droid, See-Threepio.

"Watch... watch this..." Organa said with barely contained excitement and anxiety, grabbing Mara’s arm.

Mara looked at Organa’s hand on her arm for a minute, then shrugged and watched. Skywalker had been pushed onto the end of the plank hanging out over the edge of the skiff, and was now being prodded to jump. Mara spotted him toss a jaunty salute to something above them, then he jumped off. She gasped along with Organa, mind racing as she both thought how stupid he was and considered what she would have done instead. But then she caught her breath as Skywalker twisted in mid-air and caught the gang plank, using the bounce he got to throw a somersault high over the skiff guards’ heads. He landed easily and threw a hand up, drawing the lightsaber that Mara saw flying at him from who knows where into his outstretched hand with the Force.

She watched as he ignited the green lightsaber with the familiar snap-hiss she had heard from Vader’s, then attacked, swinging it in huge arcs and cutting down guards left, right and centre. *Okay, enough standing around... what to do?* Mara thought, brilliant mind coming into play again.

*Get rid of that fat slug!* she heard in her mind a half-second before she would have thought of it.

*Right,* she sent back to Skywalker grimly, shoving Organa to the opposite end of Ja�nbba’s throne. "Get the generator!" she yelled, and swung her chain around Jabba’s huge neck. At least she hoped it was his neck - he was too fat to tell for sure. Organa smashed something big against the power outlet, plunging the entire sail barge into darkness. "Now help me!" Nodding, Organa threw her chain around Jabba’s neck as well, and they both pulled with all their might, in different directions.

Outside, Mara sensed that Skywalker had moved onto the next skiff, and was just getting rid of that annoying and completely incompetent bounty hunter Boba Fett. Who in their right mind would use a steel cable on a Jedi with a lightsaber and a nearby blaster? *Bounty hunters these days...* Mara thought with a mental shake of her head. She couldn’t be sure, but she thought she felt Skywalker’s grin in her mind.

"Come on! We can do this!" Organa called to her. "One, two, THREE!" On three, both women pulled back with all their might combined, grunting against the strain. They were rewarded with the strangling sounds that escaped from Jabba’s gaping hole of a mouth, and the huge tongue that followed.

Grinning in relief, Mara jumped down from the throne, her knees only just holding her weight. Organa joined her, and they hugged, glad to be free of the Hutt crime boss. When she realised what they were doing, Mara started. Mara Jade didn’t hug, she thought to herself, this time making sure her thoughts weren’t broadcasted to Skywalker and any other Force sensitive in the vicinity. But she found herself enjoying the moment of warmth and support. All too soon, it ended.

"We’ve got to get out of here," Organa told her, and Mara nodded.

"Doesn’t your droid have an e�lectricity zapper?" Mara asked, gesturing to Artoo Detoo, one of Skywalker’s well-known droids.

"Yes! Good thinking!" Organa replied, face lighting up as the little droid came trundling over, zapper extended. Soon Mara and Organa were free and running towards the stairs to the deck.

Organa had gone on ahead when Mara was suddenly halted by the rise of a not-quite stunned human palace guard.

"Where do you think you’re going, slave?" he asked menacingly.

"I don’t have time for this," Mara said, leaping off one foot and using it to get momentum for the other, which soon followed in a crunching kick to the chin, snapping the guard’s head back and breaking his neck. She left a paralysed human behind, lying on the floor completel�y bewildered.

When Mara burst onto the deck, she saw Organa at the deck gun, aiming it at the deck. Skywalker was blocking blaster bolts with his lightsaber while taking down guards one after the other. Mara rushed over to help, seeing Skywalker’s mechanical right hand had been shot. She automatically grabbed for her blaster where it would normally be in her forearm holster, but realised that the guards had found it and confiscated it. She swore, picking up a staff one of the guards had dropped, and diving into their midst. She caught one with a blow from the end of her staff to his midsection, then followed it up with an overhand blow to the head.

She spotted a guard taking careful aim at Skywalker, and vaulted with the assistance of her staff over his head and right into the� guard’s line of fire. He fired once, and she leaped up into a sault, feet landing on his chest as she opened out. He was effectively stunned as he hit the ground with her still standing atop of him.

Feeling alive and vibrant, knowing it was her battle instincts kicking in, Mara threw a back flip to land and shove her staff backwards into another guard’s groin. She then dispatched another with three quick blows to the head, chest and legs.

"That’s all!" Skywalker shouted above the din coming from the throne room underneath them. "Come on!" He grabbed her hand and pulled her with him to where Organa was standing with the deck gun, then grabbed the rope with one hand and Organa with the other, swinging over to the skiff. Knowing he would either come back for her or throw the rope to her, Mara made sure the deck gun was aimed at the engines of the sail barge and the gun was set to ‘maximum power’.

Skywalker had dropped Organa on the skiff where Solo, Chewbacca and Calrissian were waiting, and was now swinging back to the barge. *Can’t make it all the way!* he called in her mind, and she nodded to herself, getting ready to jump. When he was just at the right position, Mara kicked the trigger for the gun and jumped, throwing a somersault and landing with her arms clasped tightly around his neck, his one free arm around her bare waist.

At the last possible moment, feeling the heat well up from the exploding sail barge, Skywalker let go of the rope and leaped with Mara, using the Force to boost them to safety. Mara closed her eyes tight. She only just met this guy, how did she know he wasn’t going to drop her? But down deep, she knew he wouldn’t. Besides, her hold on his neck was almost a stranglehold. He couldn’t have dropped her even if he had wanted to.

When they �Àlanded, she opened her eyes with relief, seeing the very same Rebel heroes she had been indirectly ordered to get rid of up close for the first time. She breathed deeply, trying to calm herself and her overworked battle instincts down. The fight is over... the fight is over... she repeated to herself.

Mara hadn’t noticed, but she was still clinging to Skywalker. "Are you okay?" he asked gently, setting her down on her feet, after he had told the others to get going, without forgetting the droids.

"Um... yeah... it’s just... my instincts..." she tried to find the right words in between deep, calming breaths.

Skywalker frowned. "You’re... not just a dancing girl, are you?" he said, not really asking.

Unconsciously, Mara smoothed the silk hanging in front and behind her. "No... I’m not," she confirmed, tilting her head up and looking him straight in the eye. She could feel a chill settling on her spine, and she shivered. A chill? On Tatooine? That thought made�" her shiver even more. It didn’t help that her danger sense was going crazy. *No... not now...* she heard a tiny voice inside of her beg the person who was bringing the chills on.

"Something is wrong!" Skywalker exclaimed. "You’re shivering, and I heard that last bit!"

"I... It’s nothing... I just--" her voice was abruptly cut off as she felt a sharp, stabbing pain in her gut. She couldn’t stop herself from letting a small cry escape her lips. She looked around, annoyed and a more than a bit frightened.

"What’s goin’ on with her?" Mara dimly heard Solo ask from where he was standing with his Wookiee friend.

"I dunno! I think she’s having some kind of seizure!" Skywalker called back. "I’ll see if I can help her."

As another stabbing pain entered her body at her right hip, she squirmed and cried out again, this time feeling a soothing arm settle on her shoulders. She felt herself being lowered to the ground, but just as she was about to be set down gently, another jolt shot through her legs and they collapsed, sending her toppling onto Skywalker. She did not fall, however, but was caught by him, who sat down on the deck of the skiff and lowered her into his lap.

Mara didn’t really notice, or care, because the jabs and pains were coming sharper and more frequently now. She writhed and squirmed, continually crying and screaming.

MARA YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME!

"No I haven’t..." she cried in response to the deep voice she both heard and felt.

YOU ARE IN A SKIFF WITH THE MOST WANTED REBEL ALLIANCE HEROES IN THE GALAXY AND YOU HAVE NOT KILLED THEM! THAT IS TREASON AGAINST THE EMPIRE!

"But what if I’m going to--"

YOU ARE NOT! I SEE YOUR MIND!

This cry was almost a shriek of rage, overwhelming Mara’s hearing and making her scream in pain. She did not notice, couldn’t feel, the strong arms holding her tight, and the man they belonged to reaching out with the Force to try and stop whatever was attacking her.

"Go away! Please, please, just go away!" she sobbed, fists clenching so tightly that her nails cut into her palms.

Then she sensed another presence fusing itself to hers and driving away the evil presence of her former Master. It was a hard battle, but once Mara had realised what was happening, all of her Force sense reached out and drove the Emperor back where he came from with one almighty, heaving shove.

Once he was gone, she just sat there, breathing deeply, while feeling Skywalker’s hand stroking her hair, the other rubbing her back, while she heard him whisper soothing things to her.

"She okay?" Mara heard from above her, in the voice of Lando Calrissian.

"I think so," Skywalker replied.

"What *was* that?" Organa asked.

"It was the Emperor, I felt it..." Skywalker told them thoughtfully. "He was... attacking her in some way. Why... I don’t know. I’ll probably never know, unless she chooses to tell me."

Slowly, Mara forced her head up and made her eyes open. She still sat in Skywalker’s lap, com�kfortably encircled in his arms. Organa, Solo and Calrissian were surrounding them, looking at Mara with pity in their eyes, while Chewbacca flew the skiff and the droids chatted off to the side, obviously having been told to shut up and butt out.

"How are you feeling?" Skywalker asked gently.

She took a deep breath and began a check of her body, to see if anything had been injured in the attack. Head... fine, brain a little sore, and there was a strange feeling she couldn’t quite put her finger on... upper body... arms tired from holding onto something, probably Skywalker, palms bleeding, but nothing serious... lower body... receding pain from the attacks, but otherwise fine... legs... sore knee... oh OW! "I think my right ankle’s sprained... but otherwise, I’m fine," she told Skywalker.

"Okay. Will you consent to letting an Alliance medical droid look you over, �just to make sure?"

"Uh... yeah, all right," Mara agreed reluctantly.

Nodding, Skywalker stood, with her in his arms to protect her ankle.

"Hey! I said I was fine! Put me down!" Mara insisted stubbornly.

Skywalker shrugged. "Okay... if you say so." He set her down gently, but as soon as her ankle touched the ground, it gave out, and would have sent her tumbling to the ground if Skywalker hadn’t caught her and swung her into his arms again.

"Fine. Carry me then," she said angrily. She did not like having to depend on anyone, even someone like Skywalker, who she instinctively knew she could trust with her life. "I warn you, I’m not that light."

"You’re also not that heavy, and I’m a Jedi," Skywalker retorted.

Mara snorted and frowned, staring out over the endless �)deserts of Tatooine. Skywalker carried her to the far end of the skiff and set her down on the ground, dropping down next to her. She bent her unhurt leg and straightened her injured one, looking at him inquiringly.

"I need to know who you really are, so that I can better help you," he told her firmly.

"I... can’t tell you," Mara replied, old instincts kicking in. She was told, drilled, never to tell her real name and position to *anyone* unless the Emperor told her to.

"If you are some way connected to the Emperor, you can tell me, because he’s already attacked you and won’t do so again just yet. I’m not exactly his greatest fan, either," Skywalker reassured her.

She took a deep breath. "I suppose so. All right, I’ll tell you, but you won’t like it. I... I am... *was*, I should say... Mara Jade, t�he Emperor’s Hand."

Skywalker froze, hand instinctively going for the lightsaber at his belt. He stopped himself before it could get there, however, and spoke instead. "The Emperor’s Hand? What’s that?"

"It was *me*, Skywalker. I was an extension of his will, travelling around the galaxy in his name and performing any job he wanted done. Assassinations, promotions, orders... I did everything. I had more power than an Admiral if you came right down to it. Now... now, I’m just Mara Jade," Mara told him dreamily, sadly on the last sentence, then stopped her train of speech and thought. Remembering the power and prestige she had had just a day ago was a little trick the Emperor was bound to play to get her to come back to the Empire. "It won’t work," she whispered to the air, certain she heard a soft laugh afterward.

"What won’t work?" Skywalker asked. He was conf�used, and she didn’t blame him.

"The Emperor’s trying to make me want to come back to his side. But I won’t do it. I’ve had enough of his lies and betrayals," Mara said determinedly.

"Good for you," Skywalker replied. "So... what are you going to do now? I’m sure Leia could find you a place in the Rebellion as an officer if Han and I vouched for you, if you wanted. Or you could join like I did originally, as a pilot. Or you don’t have to join at all, if you don’t want to."

Mara thought this over. This strange thing she was feeling in her head had something to do with Skywalker, she knew it, because it had happened when he was helping her get rid of the Emperor’s attack. She couldn’t leave before finding out what had happened. "I want to join, but I don’t think I would be any good as an officer or a pilot. I can command and fly anything, but I’m too used to Imperial tactics," she explained truthfully. She had been tr�>ained by the Empire’s best instructors in almost every field imaginable, from sharp shooting and unarmed combat to cooking and singing.

Skywalker thought for a moment, then said, "I would say that you could be flash-trained as a controller or something, but you already have skills surpassing anything they could teach you with flash-training." He paused, shifting a bit. "I know. How would you like to become one of Page’s commandos? They’re always in need of rookies, and I’m sure they’d love someone as highly trained as you," he suggested.

"And what would I have to do?" Mara asked, gently massaging her sore ankle.

Skywalker shrugged. "Learn their latest techniques and procedures and you’ll be fine. You won’t be in command, so if you start to fall back on Imperial ways, it won’t really matter."

Mara smiled. "Perfect. I’ve�
heard a lot about Lieutenant Page. All bad, of course, but he’s earned my respect. No stormie has ever come close to catching him and his people."

"Hey kid, did you come in your X-Wing?" Han called from the front of the skiff. His voice was nearly lost in the whooshing of the sand and wind flying past them.

"Yeah. Is there room in the *Falcon* for Mara?" Skywalker yelled back.

Han looked around quickly, counting heads. "She joining up?"

"Uh huh. One of Page’s commandos if we can swing it."

"Great. He’ll be real happy." Han turned away again, and Luke turned back to Mara.

"Hey Skywalker, do you have something I can wrap this ankle with?" she asked.

"Hang on a sec, I’ll check. Um..." he reached over to the small cabinet set in the side of the skiff. "Here’s the medikit.�" He rummaged around in it for a few seconds, then made a triumphant noise and pulled out some bandages. "Give me your ankle."

Mara did so, and he gently reached out and started bandaging it. Mara gasped audibly, pulling away and staring at his hand in shock. "What did you do?" she demanded.

Skywalker frowned. "Nothing."

His hand had left not at all unpleasant tingles behind, which had sprung up her leg, past her hips, waist and up her spine. A few had made it to her head, setting her senses on fire and bringing a sort of... awareness of him to her. "Well it sure didn’t feel like nothing. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel it," she said.

"Well... I did feel something. I don’t know what it was, though," he replied.

Mara took a deep breath. "Give me your hand," she told him.