Shattered Remembrance

Chapter Twenty-nine

"Han!"

Leia felt paralyzed with fear, not knowing or even caring if her cry had been vocal or only mental. It was Lady Buaran's scream of her own husband's name that shook Leia into comprehending what was happening.

Mara was already kneeling next to Ra'uf Buaran, a jagged hole in the center of his blood-stained black tunic. Luke was squatting behind Han, cradling his shoulders. And Han ...

Han was alert, irate, and very much alive. Leia could feel his life-force thrumming as strong as ever. It was Buaran who was motionless, his florid face already draining of color. Delia rushed past, but Leia paid her little mind, her attention now focused solely on Han.

"I think I might've cracked another rib," Han groaned, one hand clamped to his side. He grimaced as Leia quickly hugged him, then leaned back and speared him with a look that was part relief, part irritation.

"Han Solo, when are going to quit scaring me to death like this?"

"I scared myself for a second there, sweetheart." Han gingerly touched the blood adorning his white shirt, then turned to study their adversary. "Is he ...?"

"He's gone," Luke said quietly.

Leia could feel the last of Buaran's life force drain out, and she hurried to comfort Delia as the distraught woman knelt at his side. Mara rose and stepped back, seemingly uncomfortable with the emotional scene. The two wives silently embraced, one grateful that her husband was alive, the other mourning a husband that she never really knew.

"No one move," a gruff voice suddenly ordered.

Buaran's guards must have recovered their nerve, Leia thought. The men emerged from cover along the tarmac's perimeter, their rifles held steady. Luke and Mara were standing back-to-back, gripping their unlit lightsaber hilts, while Han's fingers closed around his blaster.

"There's no reason for anyone else to get hurt," Luke said calmly, his free hand raised in a placating gesture.

"No one but you," one of the guards said. He seemed to be the one in charge. "Lord Buaran!" he called out, spotting the prone figure in their midst. The guards around him raised their rifles to firing position, waiting for orders.

"Wait!" Delia's slight form glided to the forefront.

"Lady Buaran," the guard stated, inclining his head in a slight bow. "Captain Harvis, at your service. All you all right, ma'am? Have they hurt you?"

"I am unharmed," Delia replied. "These people are no threat to us," she added softly. "Please, lower your weapons."

"But ..." Harvis's gaze shifted to the body of his employer.

"Lord Buaran died at his own hand," Delia said in a strained voice. She reached out and lightly laid a soft hand on Harvis's forearm, her gaze scanning the guards surrounding them. "Please, can you call a medical team to our location? I see that some of your men require attention."

Captain Harvis hesitated only a moment. "Right away, ma'am," he acknowledged, raising his comlink to his lips.

Her eyes still red, Delia Buaran visibly tried to compose herself, then turned to Han and Leia. "There will be room on the ambulance for you, Captain Solo."

"I don't need-" Han began, until Leia cut him off.

"Thank you."

Delia's sad gaze swept the entire group. "I'm sorry, for everything. I can see now that my husband was poisoned by his father's early influence. I only wish I had realized sooner. Perhaps I could've ..."

"It's not your fault, Lady Buaran," Leia returned soothingly. "All of us have been taken in by people who are not as they appear." Her mind distractedly jumped from the faux-Callista all the way back to how Palpatine once deceived the entire Jedi Order. A distant siren pierced the stillness, and Leia looked up as it was followed by an approaching pair of flashing red lights.

"Go, join your family," Delia said. "I will explain to the authorities what happened." She squeezed Leia's hand before releasing it. "I will be fine."

Leia nodded, then returned to Han's side. He was standing now, his blaster still held loosely in one hand, his opposite arm pressed against his ribcage. "Looks like a day in the bacta tank for you, flyboy."

Han scowled as the white air ambulance touched down lightly on the tarmac, its sides painted with what must be Bakura's standard emergency symbols. Next to it uniformed officers exited a newly arrived law enforcement cruiser, and Delia Buaran hurried to intercept them. The security guard must have decided it more prudent to let someone higher up determine the veracity of her claims of their innocence.

"Ah, c'mon, Han. I know you like a nice bacta dip as much as I do," Luke spoke up, casually reattaching his lightsaber to his belt. "And this will give me a chance to visit Malinza, and see how she is doing."

Leia frowned. He remembered Malinza? Or had they mentioned Gariel's orphaned daughter somewhere along the line? "How ...?

"All right, that's enough," Han said, shaking a finger in Luke's face. "Quit denying you got your memory back."

Luke's entire demeanor suddenly changed; his stance visibly relaxed. Leia looked past the smile slowly forming on his face, past the twinkle that lit up his blue eyes. Instead she felt for him. And then she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt. Luke was whole again. Her brother had been returned to her. She could sense the euphoria that permeated his very soul, for it mirrored her own.

"Okay," Luke relented, "though I haven't actually denied anything." He grinned at Han even as he sent a warm Force squeeze to Leia. "It wasn't until we were in the tunnel. With the help of the Force, and Mara," he said, smiling at his companion, "my memory was restored."

"Oh, Luke!" Leia was launching herself into his arms even before he finished his cryptic explanation. "I knew you'd come back to us!"

Luke hugged her tightly, pulling back only when a pair of medics maneuvered their hover-gurney onto the scene and began examining Han.

"I don't need a gurney!" Han protested, shrugging out of the medics' grasp.

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's procedure," one of the medics returned, reaching once more to guide Han.

"Han, it'll go a lot faster if you just cooperate," Leia said, shaking her head.

Grumbling under his breath, Han plopped down on the edge of the floating stretcher, causing that side to dip alarmingly low. He gave Luke a calculating look, ignoring the medics and their attempts at having him lie back.

"So this means you remember how to fly a ship?"

"Sure," Luke answered, frowning slightly.

"Good. I want you to bring the Falcon to a secure docking berth at the public spaceport. Not this one." Han's eyes narrowed as he glanced around. "Buaran's goons may try to vandalize it, just for spite."

"All right."

"Sir, please lie still," the medic implored, grabbing one end of the gurney as Han's squirming caused it to tilt even more.

"And you do the flyin'," Han continued, purposefully oblivious to the medic. "No lettin' Goldenrod at the controls."

"I understand."

"And fly sensible. Downtown Salis D'aar ain't Begger's Canyon."

"Yes, sir." Luke gave a mock salute. "Right away, sir."

Han scowled at his younger friend, then turned to Leia. "I don't think his amnesia's cured at all"

Leia couldn't help her returning smirk. "You mean because he forgot that he's always been genuinely polite to his elders?"

"Don't you start, too. Maybe I'd better move the ship myself." He started to raise up in indignation, then howled and clutched his side.

"Lie back down and behave," Leia ordered. "Unless you want an extra couple days in a bacta tank." Satisfied that Han was acquiescing, at least as much as the stubborn nerf was capable of, she followed the medics toward the waiting ambulance. "We'll see you at the medicenter later?" she called out to Luke and Mara, not missing how close they were standing to each other.

"Of course," Luke answered, with a wave and a smile.

Leia had a feeling Luke's accident had been a catalyst in bringing her brother and Mara into an entirely new direction. She glanced Han's direction as he continued to frustrate the medics. She may have to actually admit to him that he'd been right about them. And for once, she didn't mind.

***

"You didn't get a chance to tell them your other little tidbit of news," Mara commented, squeezing Luke's hand as they watched the air ambulance lift away.

"One bombshell at a time," Luke returned lightly. "I'm still getting used to the idea myself."

"You need time to get used to us?" Mara gave him a mock-glare. Oh, he was fun to tease.

"Uh, that didn't come out quite the way I meant," he backpedaled.

Mara fought down the grin that threatened to blossom on her face. "You don't say."

"We've got a long trek back to the Falcon," Luke noted, and Mara nobly let him get away with changing the subject.

"I don't intend to walk all that way," Mara returned, spotting Buaran's fancy landspeeder sitting empty near his yacht. She headed toward it with a brisk gait. Lady Buaran had left in the transport that removed her husband's body, so why not do her a favor and return the speeder to her mansion?

"Mara?" Luke called behind her. "Where's Guri?"

Mara slowed her pace, realizing she hadn't seen the human-replica droid since the commotion of Buaran's death. She circled the ship, eyes straining into the darkness for any sign of their wayward companion. She was much more receptive toward Guri now that she knew she wasn't competition.

"Mistress Jade," a cool voice echoed in the stillness, and Mara spun in surprise. Rarely could anyone, or anything, sneak up on Mara Jade.

Guri materialized out of the shadows, her damaged face adding a ghoulish tone to her already unnatural aura.

"Where have you been?" Mara demanded, ignoring the sensation she was feeling from Luke that she was acting like a disgruntled owner of the droid.

"I thought it best to conceal myself from the guards and medical personnel," Guri answered smoothly. "I have also neutralized the ysalimir."

Knowing the Bakurans' dislike of mechanicals, Mara couldn't deny the wisdom of the droid's actions. A quick cast of the Force also confirmed that the dreaded creature was indeed no more.

"Good idea, on both counts," Luke concurred, walking up to join the pair. He hesitated a moment, glancing at Mara before turning back to Guri. "We're going back to get the Millennium Falcon. Do you want to come with us?"

It suddenly occurred to Mara that Guri's part in this whole convoluted scheme of revenge was now over. The droid was free to once more roam the galaxy. Hopefully far, far away from her and Luke.

"I have my own ship in a hanger in the Extac District," Guri said simply.

"A ride, then?" Luke continued.

"Yes, that would be acceptable," Guri returned. She followed Luke toward Buaran's speeder, not so much as glancing right or left.

Mara wondered momentarily about the wisdom of leaving Buaran's yacht wide open, but Luke was obviously already way ahead of her. He detoured alone over to where Captain Harvis was eyeing them warily from the edge of the tarmac, then soon trotted back.

"They'll lock up the ship, and I assured them we weren't actually stealing the landspeeder," Luke said. He motioned Artoo out from his hiding spot behind a landing strut, and began fitting the astromech in the speeder's cargo compartment. "Lady Buaran must've done a pretty convincing job of vouching for us."

"Let's go then," Mara said, already sliding behind the speeder's controls. Luke and Guri had barely settled in before she zoomed out into the night.

***

It took only minutes to reach the hanger that housed Guri's personal craft, the Stinger. And several more minutes for Mara to tear Luke away from his unabashed ogling of the sleek Surronian Conqueror.

As Luke and Mara prepared to leave, Guri pulled a small chit from a pocket and handed it to them.

"The comm code to my ship," she said to their puzzled looks. "I am expecting an invitation to your wedding," Guri added, her expression displaying no emotion.

"Our ...? How did you ...? Luke sputtered. Mara felt equally flummoxed. She knew they'd not given away any hint of their engagement, especially in Guri's presence.

"My study of human romantic behavior indicates an ending result of bonding." She tilted her head to one side. "Is this not true in your case?"

Luke and Mara looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Luke finally sent an 'It'll be all right' sensation, then turned to Guri.

"Yes, it's true. We are getting married," he said softly. "But it's not public knowledge yet, so ..."

"I understand," Guri returned, and Mara had no doubt that the droid could be discreet.

Guri started to enter the Stinger when Luke reached out and touched her arm. "Are you going to be all right?" he asked softly.

"I have the credits I earned from Lord Buaran," Guri replied, unblinking. "Do not be concerned for me, Master Skywalker. I am self-sufficient."

Luke nodded, then stepped back as Guri continued into the ship and began the start-up sequence.

"You think she has enough credits to get her face fixed?" Mara asked, as she and Luke returned to the speeder.

"You mean to something other than Callista's face?"

"Exactly."

Luke laughed lightly. "Mara, my love, yours will always be the only face for me." Leaning over, he gently kissed her, then leaned back in his seat and grinned as he sent her a flood of amorous affection.

***

By the time Luke and Mara had retrieved the Falcon, Han was already in a bacta tank, Leia constantly at his side. So it wasn't until the next afternoon that the four of them were finally gathered in his hospital room, awaiting his discharge. Mara had described the indignant glare they'd received when they'd released the butler Stephon from the locked closet, and Luke had relayed a summary of their short visit with young Malinza Thanas. Both were sporting new outfits, since any clothes they'd brought with them had been lost the previous day. Luke's attire looked more stylish than what he usually picked out, and Leia wondered if Mara had a hand in his selections.

"Now, you're sure the Falcon is in a safe spot?" Han was asking Luke for what seemed to Leia as the tenth time. "Somewhere out-of-the-way, but still covered by security holocams?"

"Yes, I'm sure," Luke replied patiently. "Besides, you've got so many alarm systems installed, no one would dare get anywhere near her."

"And you activated all of 'em, right?"

"Every one," Luke assured him. "And we left Threepio and Artoo aboard as an extra precaution."

"Unless you wanted them to come visit you?" Mara asked. "Threepio was quite torn between his worry for your health, and his dislike of having to wear a restraining bolt."

"I've already got Leia fussing over me," Han grumbled, running one hand through his still damp hair. "I don't need Goldenrod, too." He scanned the room, then pointed to a table behind where Luke was standing. "Hand me my boots, would ya? I want to be ready when they spring me from this joint."

Luke brought the boots, but just as he was bending over to set them down, Han scooted out of bed, knocking against a repulsor cart which inadvertently spun aside and bumped against Luke's head.

"Ow!" Luke moaned, exaggeratedly rubbing the top of his head.

"Luke, are you okay?" Leia asked, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, uh ..." He adopted a comical expression of confusion. "Who are you?"

For just an instant, Leia's heart was in her throat, until she detected the mirth in his Force sense. Mara was way ahead of her, already reaching out and smacking Luke on the back of his head.

"That's from me, too," Leia said, her relief on seeing that Luke still had his sense of humor overcoming any irritation she may have felt.

Chuckling, Luke caught Mara's hand as it pulled away, and the redhead leaned in against his side in a rather intimate gesture. Before Leia could blink, Mara was pulling Luke's head down and the pair were kissing, ignoring the open-mouthed stares from both Leia and Han.

"Uh ... uh ... that's not from me," Leia finally stammered, too shocked to form any other intelligent comment. Han had been proclaiming his suspicions for weeks about Luke and Mara's infatuation with each other, and Leia had finally begun to believe him. But to see them locked in a passionate embrace right before her eyes ...

"Yeah, Leia's days of kissing her brother are hopefully over," Han quipped with his endearing lop-sided grin. He shot Leia a 'told you so' wink before schooling his features into a more serious regard. "All right, you two. Spill the details."

The couple pulled back slowly, but didn't relinquish their hold around one another's waist.

"Well, you know how I like rescuing damsels in distress," Luke began, his twinkling blue eyes contrasting with Mara's emerald eye-roll. "Mara was stranded on this planet, so I swooped in. And we tromped through a cave for several days, and she graciously provided a tabulation of everything I've done wrong for the past ten years."

"And he was so grateful," Mara interjected, "he thanked me by bringing up a list of my own shortcomings."

"Few though they are," Luke said.

"True." Mara sent a warm smile Luke's way. "So we managed to clear the air between us."

"Which was long overdue," Luke added.

"And then we both realized we loved each other," Mara said softly. "We had bonded through the Force."

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" Han snorted.

Leia nudged him quiet. "Hush."

Luke took a deep breath before continuing. "And in the midst of deathly peril, I eloquently proposed marriage."

"Eloquently?" Mara chuckled aloud. "With all your farmboy charm, you blurted it out before you lost your nerve."

Luke shrugged lightly. "Worked, didn't it?"

"Wait, wait!" Leia was almost beside herself with unanticipated excitement. "Are you telling us ...?"

"No, let me guess," Han said, grinning wildly. "You two eloped before the accident, and you just now remembered it."

"You're married?!" Leia exclaimed, halting her rush to embrace her brother.

"No, no," Luke said quickly. "Not yet, but as soon as possible." He cast a warm glance Mara's direction.

"Oh, Luke, this is wonderful!" The joy Leia had felt the previous day when Luke revealed that his amnesia was cured was now multiplied a hundredfold. She hugged him so tightly it was a wonder he wasn't the next one with broken ribs. Mara didn't escape her well wishes, either, enfolding her in her arms while Han clasped Luke with his own congratulations.

"So I finally will have a sister-in-law to abuse," Han joked, also squeezing Mara in happiness. He wrapped one arm around Leia. "Well, darling, are you up for planning a big shindig of a wedding?"

"Uh, Luke?" Mara put in, her eyes suddenly narrowing. "Maybe there's still time to go with the elopement idea."

"Oh, no, you don't," Leia said. "There's no way you're going to deny me the chance to see my only brother married." She pursed her lips in thought. "I know the perfect place, too. The Room of a Thousand Fountains. It can easily hold several thousand people."

"Several thousand?" Mara's face paled, and Luke looked no better.

"And of course we'll have to broadcast the ceremony on the Holonet, so the entire galaxy can watch it live," Leia continued, her mind furiously thinking up new details to consider.

"The entire galaxy?" Luke moaned.

"Oh, and Mara, think what fun we can have, shopping for a gown."

"Uh, yeah," Mara said weakly.

"Buck up, the both of you," Han snickered. "Think of it like pulling a bacta patch off. Hold your breath, and the pain will be gone before you know it."

Leia nudged her husband in mock indignation. "Han!"

Han waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "And then you can get on with the fun parts of marriage."

Before Leia could chastise him further, Han was pulling her into a fiery kiss. She needn't have worried about embarrassing Luke or Mara, though.

They were too busy with a lingering kiss of their own.