Shattered Remembrance

Chapter Five

It was the sixth day after the accident that Luke was taken out of the bacta tank and moved to a private room. Hopes for a quick recovery were dashed, however, when he failed to regain consciousness. Post-traumatic coma, the medics called it. Could last a few days, or a few months.

Or forever, Mara thought despondently. Optimism was the farmboy's forte, not hers. At least she had the luxury of staying by Luke's side, as much as she was able without arousing suspicion. She knew that she could just tell Han and Leia about the engagement, but she still clung to the belief that no announcement should be made until Luke was capable of doing so with her.

Talon Karrde had returned to Coruscant on Luke's third day in the bacta tank, and had filled Mara in on the details of the peace treaty with the Imperials. Hollowness instead of joy filled her heart, as the only thought that kept looping through her mind was how elated Luke would be to hear this good news. She would celebrate when Luke could celebrate by her side.

Karrde offered his sympathy on the loss of the Jade's Fire, and didn't press for details on how she and Luke managed to return to Coruscant. Mara hoped that the NRI would continue to honor Luke's instructions that the alien ship be kept under wraps until he released it for analysis. But she knew Cracken wouldn't hold off forever.

As Karrde's second-in-command, Mara was invited to attend the signing of the treaty, but she had no intention of going.

Neither did Leia.

***

"I can't leave him, Han." Leia stood at her desk, shuffling through datapads and stuffing selected ones into a courier's pouch. "He needs us, and I won't go flying off halfway across the galaxy just for some ceremony."

"This is not just some ceremony." Han ran a hand through his graying hair. "I can't believe I'm trying to talk you into going to a diplomatic function, but, Leia, you deserve to be there."

"And Luke deserves to have his family with him."

"But you don't have to sit with him all day long, every day. You're trusting Lando and Tendra to stay with him right now."

"There's a difference between a couple hours and several days."

"To Luke, there isn't." Han grimaced as Leia glared at him, wishing he could take back his sharp words.

"How do you know?" Leia snapped defensively. "There have been studies that show that coma patients may be aware of their surroundings. I think he can sense whether I'm there or not."

Han shook his head at his wife's stubbornness. "How about when he wakes up, and discovers you missed out on the most important political event of your life, in order to baby-sit him? You think he'll just say 'Ah, thanks, sis.'? He'll be furious!"

"Luke doesn't get furious."

"He gets upset, and he has a stubborn streak as wide as yours."

Leia doggedly went back to sorting her datapads. "Ponc will be there. He's the Chief of State, not me."

"Ponc Gavrisom isn't the one Pellaeon approached to propose this treaty. It might not even be happening without your influence." Han came around the desk, wrapping his arms around Leia's tense frame. "Leia, you'll hurt him more by not going."

Leia's fingers tightened on the pad she was holding, and Han could see her wilting emotionally even as she collapsed into her chair. "You're right," Leia whispered hoarsely.

Han began kneading her tight shoulders. "We'll make sure there's someone with him all the time."

"Who?" Leia asked. "We can't impose on Lando any more."

"Hey, Luke has tons of friends," Han said, crouching beside Leia and taking her hand. "Wedge, Corran, the rest of the Rogues, dozens of Jedi …" He paused, thinking. "You know, I bet Mara Jade would even agree to sit with him. She did hang around the day of the accident."

"And we've hardly seen her since."

"Still, it won't hurt to ask," Han reasoned.

"Maybe she only stayed that first day because of guilt." Leia's mouth curved into a grimace. "Luke wouldn't be in this condition if he hadn't been coming back at that exact moment. Coming back from rescuing her. I haven't even heard anything to indicate she needed rescuing."

Han pulled Leia to her feet, guiding her to a small couch. "Sweetheart, we can't blame Mara for this. It was an accident. No one's at fault except the other pilot, and he got his due." Han sighed, hugging Leia closer. "If Luke hadn't been with Mara, he might've been in any number of other situations where he could've been hurt just as bad, or worse. He's like a magnet when it comes to bodily harm."

"He is, isn't he." Leia laid her head against Han's shoulder. "I only want to protect him, just like I want to protect the children, and you."

"I don't have to tell you that that's an impossible task, Your Highnessness." Han kissed the top of Leia's head. "We're a family of trouble-magnets, and not even your royal magic wand can save us from every bump and scrape."

"You're all nerfs," Leia muttered, settling deeper into Han's embrace.

"That must make you the nerfherder. Ow!" Han flinched at Leia's good-natured elbowing.

"You'll always be the nerfherder, flyboy. Always."

***

Mara Jade nodded in greeting to Corran Horn as she entered Luke's medroom. She abhorred having to wait her turn in order to see her own fiancé, but at least she still had her clandestine nightly visits also. Doctor Panio had convinced Leia that the medical center's staff could adequately monitor Luke's condition through the night shift. Mara could have kissed the man.

"Any change?" she asked, though she'd known before arriving that there hadn't been.

Corran shook his head. "This is too eerily like when Kun rendered him unconscious. You don't suppose … " His green eyes swept across the ceiling before turning back to Mara.

"No," Mara said shortly. "That was a dark side manipulation." She took the empty seat next to Luke's bed as Corran rose. "I've felt no dark Force emissions."

"Neither have I," Corran concurred. "Not unless you count me having to bat away the dark side when some holoshill reporter tried to bluff his way in here."

"I bodily threw one back into the turbolift yesterday," Mara recounted. "So much for the medcenter's double security."

"You'd think the daily press releases that he's continuing to recover would bore them all enough that they'd go looking for someone more interesting to prey on." Corran sighed. "Well, I suppose I'd better get home. Mirax has been holding dinner late for me every night this week." He headed toward the door, turning only to add, "The treaty signing will be on the holonet this evening. Are you going to watch? I'm sure they'd bring in a portable unit if you asked."

Mara started to say no, then reconsidered. "Perhaps we will watch," she replied, gazing at Luke with a faint smile.

Corran's disconcerted glance shifted between her and his Master, before he nodded and silently continued out into the hallway.

"I thought he'd never leave, didn't you?" Mara said. Careful of his attached medical tubes, she busied herself smoothing out the stark white sheets, tucking them around Luke's still form. She paused briefly at the outline of his right arm, lying across his stomach, then continued her ministrations. "You know, as soon as you wake up, they can stick that new hand on you. Cilghal says her Force-healing techniques will be more effective when you're conscious, too." Mara frowned as she thought back to the healing trance he'd put her in while on Nirauan. "But you'd better be all healed on your own by then, because no way do I want you out cold for any more days. I couldn't stand it."

Pulling her chair closer to the bed, Mara reached out and smoothed back Luke's bangs. His hair had been cut shorter, and Mara winced at the healing cut above one ear. "Only you, Skywalker, could face down Palpatine, Vader, stormtroopers galore, and then let some spiced-up wacko crash into you." Keeping one hand resting on his shoulder, Mara sat back in the chair, exhaling softly. Coruscant's head of traffic security had informed them that the Dug piloting the other speeder had been intoxicated and high on spice. Mara reflected that it was probably a good thing that piece of bantha dung had died in the crash, because she doubted all the Jedi teachings in the galaxy could've kept her from skinning the man alive.

"Shall we watch the treaty signing on the 'net tonight, my love?" Mara said conversationally. "I'll have a monitor brought in. And when your sister returns in a few days, we can tell her how good she looked during the ceremony." Mara brushed Luke's pale cheek with the backs of her fingers. "Or rather, you can tell her all by yourself. How 'bout it?" She leaned in for a soft kiss. "Don't you think you've ignored me long enough, farmboy? I want to see your smile, and that twinkle you get in your eye when you're teasing me."

Closing her own tear-moistened eyes, Mara laid her head next to Luke's head, wrapping one arm around his waist. "I can hear the Qom Qua now, Luke," she whispered. "My beloved companion."

***

Two days later, Leia and Han returned from the Chimaera, briefly stopping to drop off their children at home before heading for the medical center. Despite their whining protests, Leia had insisted that Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin not be allowed to visit Luke until he regained consciousness.

Leia had been grateful that Gavrisom and Pellaeon had taken center-stage for the treaty signing. Not even having her children present for the momentous occasion kept her thoughts straying from her dear brother. Upon her return, Leia vowed to spend as much time as possible at Luke's bedside. It was almost easier to stay at the medcenter than to return home and listen to Han's scolding about not taking care of her own well-being.

***

Ignoring the wailing sirens of incoming air-ambulances, Leia wrapped her arms around herself as she stood at the window in Luke's room. It had been three standard weeks since her brother had been removed from the bacta. Three weeks that he had been unconscious. Luke's friends who had been keeping vigil during her absence reported no signs of awareness - not so much as a twitch. Even Cilghal's skills as a healer proved fruitless.

As much as she wanted to prevent it, Leia couldn't help the mantra of It's not fair from repeating in her mind. Luke had devoted his life to the service of others. He'd had happiness snatched away from him time and again, always erecting fabricated walls of acceptance and stoicism.

As she absently followed the trail of a flashy red speeder across the midday sky, Leia felt a tingle pass through her. It wasn't a warning of danger, it was more like … someone was watching her.

"Luke!" Leia spun around so fast she had to catch herself to keep her balance. Unblinking blue eyes stared back at her, and Leia was at Luke's side in a flash, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug. "Don't you ever scare us like this again!"

Luke didn't answer, but when he moved to pull himself more upright, a strangled cry escaped him. With a horrified expression, he brought his right arm out from underneath the thin covers.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Leia soothed, automatically reaching out to smooth back his short-cropped hair. "It was damaged too much in the accident, and the medics had to remove it. They've just been waiting for you to wake up before attaching a new one."

Luke's eyes widened, but his attempt at answering emerged as a rasping moan.

"Let me get you something to drink." Leia poured a glass of water from a nearby pitcher, then held the cup to Luke's parched lips. "Slowly now. Don't make yourself sick."

Not taking his wary gaze from Leia, Luke swallowed a few sips of the cool liquid. Leaning back, Leia worriedly took in her brother's confused expression. "What is the last thing you remember?"

"Don't know," Luke murmured hoarsely, shaking his head as his eyes fell back to the stump on his arm.

"Luke, you were in an accident. A very serious taxi-speeder accident."

"I don't remember." Luke shrugged back from Leia's clinging hold.

"It's all right. It's probably better that you don't remember the crash." Leia reluctantly started to rise. "I should call the doctor. Han's downstairs; he'll want to know you're awake, too."

Reaching across with his left hand, Luke touched her arm as she began to leave. "Wait." He stared at her blankly, wetting his lips. "Who … who are you?"