Shattered Remembrance

Chapter Twenty

"Well?" Leia crossed her arms impatiently as soon as Han entered their apartment.

"Sweetheart, I've checked and rechecked every flight that left Coruscant this morning." Han tossed aside one of Jaina's model X-wings before slumping into his favorite lounger. "There was no flight plan filed by anyone named Callista Ming, or any name close to that. We don't know what kind of ship she has, or which spaceport they left from."

"I know," Leia said, chewing on a fingernail as she began pacing the room. "If only I'd thought to ask Mara more details."

"Even Mara didn't know where they were headed, and she was onboard," Han pointed out. "I'm afraid we're just going to have to wait until she comms again." He raised an eyebrow. "Unless you think you can track him ... you know ... through the Force?"

"Don't you think I've tried?" Sighing in resignation, Leia finally took a seat herself. "By the time I knew he was gone, he was too far away for me to sense. It's not like we can go flying around in circles until we happen to get close enough for his presence to show up." She gave Han a half-hopeful glance.

"No," he said pointedly.

From the corner of the room where he was picking up more of the children's toys, Threepio supplied, "Without knowing Master Luke's route, and even with the supposition that Mistress Leia could feel him from a distance of a parsec, the odds of flying near enough for her to sense him would be three billion, nine hundred forty-seven—"

"We get the point, Goldenrod," Han broke in. "And we're not going off on some wild nerf hunt."

"You know what I don't understand," Leia said, frowning. "Why in the galaxy would Mara Jade go to such extremes, sneaking on board to follow Luke?"

Han snorted in amusement. "Do you want to know what I think?"

"Probably not, but go ahead and spit it out."

"I have a hunch about them. Gambler's hunch, smuggler's hunch. Call it what you will, but I think she's in love with him. Has been for a long time." Han smiled smugly at his own astute conjecture. "She's not the cold-hearted person she pretends to be."

"Oh, Han, that's the most insane thing I've ever heard," Leia said, rolling her eyes. "Mara, in love with Luke?"

"Why not?" Han continued. "She camped out in the medcenter's waiting room as long as we did after his accident. She readily agreed to train him. She's been having lunch with him every day."

"That doesn't mean anything." Leia shook her head. "I've said it before – she probably just feels guilty for Luke having to go rescue her in the first place."

"While he was in the coma, I heard rumors from the medstaff that she was making clandestine visits to his room every night," Han persisted. "Visits besides her assigned shifts."

"She was?" Leia frowned, followed by a quick 'why didn't you tell me' glare. "Still ..."

Han grinned as he played his trump card. "And, when Callista showed up at the reception ... Well, let's just say, if looks could kill, we'd be attending her memorial right about now."

"I don't know where you get your delusions, flyboy." The holocomm unit twittered, and Leia glanced over as Threepio shuffled into her adjoining office to answer it. "I can't say that I was thrilled to see Callista myself. Luke's way too vulnerable right now, and this whole mess with him leaving with her just proves it."

"Mistress Leia!" See-Threepio called, waving his arms as he clattered back into the room. "It's Master Luke! He's on the comm, wishing to speak with you."

"Thank the Force!" Leia wasted no time hurrying into her office, Han close on her heels.

Two familiar faces crowded together in the visual pickup area.

"Luke! Mara!" Leia leaned forward, one hand outstretched toward the image of her brother. "Where are you? Are you all right?"

"We're fine, Leia," Luke answered. "We're on Callista's ship."

"Good." Leia's face morphed into her 'stern parent' mode. "Now listen to me, Luke Skywalker. Don't you ever pull a stunt like this again. You had me worried half to death. Why did it take you so long to comm?"

"Well, we had to wait until Callista pulled out of hyperspace."

"And she allowed you to contact me?"

Luke frowned. "You make it sound like she kidnapped me."

Mara snorted lightly. "All Luke has to do is flash that big smile of his, and Callista agrees to anything."

"Cut that out," Luke grumbled, a grin escaping nevertheless.

Leia glanced at Han out of the corner of her eye, and he returned her curious look. He was already fighting to hide a grin himself.

"How soon before you return home?"

"Uh, it'll be awhile." Luke gave an apologetic smile. "We have a stop to make first."

"What? Where?" Leia's posture stiffened. "Mara, I want you to bring Luke back immediately."

Mara's eyes widened, and Han knew how she felt. When Leia went into regal princess mode, she was a force to be reckoned with.

"I beg your pardon," Mara said. Luke looked as put out as she did.

Leia must've realized her mistake. "I'm sorry. I've just been so worried." She forced a smile at the screen. "Where are you heading, then?"

"Bakura," Luke replied, regarding his sister's image intently as he waited for her reaction.

"Why there?" Han asked, stepping up to join the conversation. He'd been expecting Callista to sweep Luke off to Hoth or Dagobah, like he'd taken her in an attempt to recover her lost Force powers.

"Uh, well, the thing is ..." Luke rubbed his chin, his hesitation obvious. "Callista has this acquaintance there – her employer, actually – who wants to meet me. Mara and I have talked it over, and we've decided it won't hurt to go with her."

"With eyes wide open and lightsabers ready," Mara put in, nodding.

"Yes," Luke agreed. "But we were wondering if you'd do us a favor?"

"Sure, kid. What?"

"Can you check on Callista's boss for us? Mara doesn't recognize his name, and we'd like to have some background information—"

"Impartial information," Mara interrupted. Han wondered if Callista was within earshot, then decided that Mara probably didn't care.

"Right." Luke glanced at her, a faint sparkle of affection lighting up his eyes. "His name is Ra'uf Buaran, and he's supposed to own a repulsor manufacturing plant."

Leia's keen gaze hadn't left Luke's face, though Han knew she hadn't missed a word of the conversation. "You're suspicious of this Buaran?" she asked.

"Curious," Luke returned, then forged ahead. "Our next stop will be in five days, just as we enter the Bakuran system. We'll comm you again then, so ..."

"I'm sure we'll have something for you by that time," Han assured him.

"Yes," Leia concurred. "And, Luke ..." Her chocolate eyes brimmed with concern. "Be careful, please."

Luke's returning smile was undeniably genuine. "I will. And if I try anything too foolish, I've got Mara right here to set me straight."

Han had no doubt that Mara would do just that.

***

"How soon can the Falcon be ready?" Leia asked as soon as goodbyes were said and the screen went blank.

"Leia ..."

"We'll bring the droids with us; they can research Ra'uf Buaran en route." Leia was already at her desk, sorting through datapads. "This can wait ... These I'll bring along to work on ..."

"Sweetheart ..."

"I'm sure Winter will watch the children. Perhaps she'll even do some checking on this Buaran person. I'll have to reschedule a few meetings, but that shouldn't be a problem."

"Leia, don't you think you're—"

"Don't you dare say I'm overreacting." Leia's dark eyes flashed. "Something about this whole business feels wrong. Why would Callista suddenly show up now? Why would she take Luke off-planet before he could even let us know?"

"Um, I kinda got the impression that it was Luke's decision not to tell us. Didn't Mara say this morning that he made her promise not to let us know until he'd left?"

"Luke's not recovered yet," Leia countered. "He doesn't know what he's doing."

"He's knows exactly what he's doing," Han mumbled.

Leia stopped her sorting. "He's running away from me, is that what you're implying, Han Solo?" She moved around the desk and stared up at Han. "Luke and I have gotten past my ... overprotectiveness. Why would he run away?"

"Not running away, exactly." He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "He's asserting himself. Proving that he's in charge of his own life."

"That's ridiculous, of course he's ..." Leia trailed off.

His beautiful wife was the smartest woman in the galaxy. But when it came to her family, there were times she could be ... a bit slow to notice what everyone else saw.

"I'm doing it again," Leia said with a sigh and a look of chagrin. "Force help our children when they go out on their own."

Han chuckled, then wrapped his arms around his wife. He kissed her softly on her neck before letting her go back to her sorting.

"Guess this answers the question of whether Mara was discovered hiding on the ship," Han said casually, pulling her travel satchel down from a high cupboard.

"Yes, guess so," Leia murmured, a distracted look on her face.

Han waited until Leia finally looked up.

"And yes, they looked ... comfortable ... together," Leia admitted. "I suppose it's possible that Mara has some feelings for Luke." She suddenly looked startled. "You don't think Luke has feelings for her, do you?"

"You mean now, or before the accident?"

"Before? Surely not. He would've told me."

Han started to open his mouth, but Leia held up her hands to stop him. "I don't want to hear any more far-fetched theories out of you, mister. I don't think my pride can take any more of a beating."

"I think I'll go do those final checks on the Falcon," Han murmured, backing out of the room with a wink. He'd already set Chewbacca to prepping the ship while he was out searching for Callista's ship. Maybe the Wook would like to hear his far-fetched theories on the love life of Luke and Mara.

***

Mara figured her best plan of action would be to avoid Callista as much as possible. Less bloodshed that way. However, this did not prove feasible on such a small ship.

"This shuttle has only two sleeping cabins," Callista pronounced as the shipboard chrono drew nearer to midnight. "I shall move into the vacant bunk in Luke's cabin, so that you may have my cabin, Mara."

Over my dead body! Mara affected the best simper she could manage through gritted teeth. "Don't be silly. I can double up with him."

"No, I insist. You are the guest, so you should have the largest cabin."

"I believe the term you used earlier was 'intruder,' not guest," Mara bit out.

"I apologize for my harsh words," Callista returned. "I shall take the night watch anyway, so you may as well be comfortable and use my bunk. It would be indecorous for you and Luke to share a cabin."

Mara's eyes widened in shock. "But it would be all right for you and him to bunk together?!"

"I don't see—"

"Ladies!" Luke held up both hands for silence. "I think the proper thing to do would be for me to take the single cabin, and you two share the double."

Blast you, Skywalker, and your sense of propriety. I almost had her wore down. Mara spared a glance at Callista. "Yes, of course you're right."

"If that is agreeable to Mara, then your sensible suggestion shall be carried out." Callista rose from her seat at the pilot's station. "I shall move my belongings immediately. Mara, I shall be glad to loan you anything you might require."

"Uh, thank you," Mara stuttered. Callista was being way too nice, and Mara didn't like it when someone acted contrary to her expectations. But at least this afforded her the opportunity to keep a close eye on the former Jedi, and keep her away from Luke. Callista smiled warmly at Luke as she passed by, and Mara wondered if the woman was having the same musings about her.

***

Glancing around the compact main cabin, Luke dropped his lone satchel on the bunk. While it didn't matter to him how big his sleeping accommodations were, he was pleased to note that this cabin featured an oval viewport. Stretching out on the bunk, he gazed into the vastness of space. Despite the lack of twinkling stars, Luke found peace in the hypnotic swirl of hyperspace. To him, space represented not an infinite darkness, but infinite opportunity.

An image suddenly appeared in his mind, of sitting in a ship gazing into space, with Mara at his side. The pilot's controls were different than the ones on Callista's ship, and he had the sensation that no one else was onboard. But just like previous snatches of scenes that had popped into his head, the image was gone before he could study it. Was it a memory of a trip they'd taken together? Or was it a glimpse of an event yet to come, one of those Jedi visions that Mara had mentioned during his training?

The more he thought about Mara Jade, the more frustrated he became at his amnesia. She felt important to him, but he didn't know why. There was some kind of connection between them that went beyond his admiration of her outward appearance. When she gazed at him with those emerald eyes, he had the sensation that she was aware of every aspect of him. When he had realized that she was on board the ship, he unerringly followed her presence to the escape pod.

When his attention was drawn to her red-gold hair glistening in the light, he felt he already knew how soft it would be against his fingertips. Sighing, Luke turned on his side. Perhaps in the past he had only thought of Mara as a friend, but things were different now. He was different.

As he drifted off to sleep, Luke vowed to himself that he and Mara would part ways with Callista once they reached Bakura.

After all, a dinner date should be for only two.

***

Mara was glad that she'd brought with her a change of clothes and a smattering of toiletries, tucked in underneath her spare blaster, assorted explosives, and the best eavesdropping equipment on the market. A girl could never be too prepared. It would've irked her no end to have to borrow as much as a hairclip from Callista Ming.

Reaching out with the Force, she was relieved to feel that Luke was already sound asleep. She wondered if he'd gotten much more rest than she had the previous night. She regretted deeply putting him in the position of referee between her and Callista. It was immature behavior, and she knew she should be above such petty antics. Yawning widely, Mara shrugged off her jacket, then slipped into one of the bunks.

As she pulled the covering over her, Mara recalled how she and Luke had snuggled together on the deck of the Chiss ship, returning home to Coruscant. Luke had jokingly told her that she must've misunderstood Palpatine's last words all those years ago. Surely his telepathic command had really been 'You will cuddle Luke Skywalker.'

She agreed with him wholeheartedly.