Classified Events in CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR of NEW JEDI ORDER #2: DARK TIDE I: ONSLAUGHT
Dantooine - Wilderness - Late Afternoon
Mara Jade and Anakin Solo ran from the Yuuzhan Vong for three days over mountain terrain and forests. The woman fought an illness, having to stop every hour or so to rest and gather the Force again. The boy, fifteen years old, used his lightsaber and Jedi abilities to defend his aunt from bug-like discs that often flew at their backs. Rain poured while lightning-shot thunderheads covered the skies for the duration of the journey.
She scrambled up the trail and around a bend. He ran after, but heard a thump from behind. He spun and ignited his saber.
A Vong swung down with an amphistaff. The Jedi blocked horizontally, lowered to a crouch, pivoted on a heel to gather momentum, and struck his blade across the alien's ankles. The Vong fell. Anakin rose and swung down repeatedly to overwhelm his enemy. The Vong kicked him in the shin, gained a fraction of a second from the distraction, and bolted to his feet.
Anakin blocked or parried blow after blow, side-stepping and circling, keeping his distance. An especially powerful vertical attack came, and Anakin defended, but the end of the amphistaff slacked into a whip and lashed his shoulder. He hissed. The Vong happened to stand on a boulder embedded into the dirt. The young man raised his hand and used the Force to pry it from the ground with the alien on top, and flung both away. He heard a crunch.
He switched off his lightsaber and ran to catch up with his aunt. The trail broadened around the bend she had taken. The trees thickened. Tall stones like teeth flanked the path, deepening the shadows. Mara stood by a tree and smiled to him. Anakin stepped closer and offered his warmest smile. He stopped in front of her.
"Are you all right?" He asked.
"I should ask you that same question."
"I'm all right. My shoulder's a little slashed, but I'll make sure it heals quickly."
He reached out carefully and moved locks of red hair from her face. She was cautious at first, but then seemed to interpret it as a friendly gesture. He saw on her the burden of these past few days. Her clothes were torn and muddied, and feint dark lines traced her now heavy lids. Still so beautiful. She was much older. Related by marriage. But he had entertained an affection and attraction toward her since childhood. He buried those feelings deep inside whenever in the presence of Luke Skywalker, his uncle and Jedi master.
Warm moisture coated her neck. Light moved on its surface with every breath. A droplet trailed from her soaked hair down her collar bone, curved over her breast and disappeared to inviting shadow. Her tank-top clung to the curvacious torso underneath. He could discern the shape of her nipples, the muscle definition of her stomach.
Anakin blinked. He realized he had admired his aunt for too long. He returned his gaze to hers and found that she looked at him with dread and astonishment. The secret was out, if ever there was one. Anxiety twisted his stomach. This was worse than facing any Yuuzhan Vong. But he had to be brave. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulled her closer, and kissed her lips. She answered the kiss for an instant, he thought. But then she shoved him away. He stumbled back a few steps. Emotional and physical pain blossomed in his chest. What could he say to explain away what he had done?
Mara's anger vibrated through the air at him. And exhilaration? She raised a fist and looked as though she was about to swing. But the woman stood there and took deep breaths for a few moments until she lowered the fist. The anger began to evaporate. "You are confused, mister. I'm going to convince myself that you ate some toxic roots."
"I lost control," Anakin murmured. "I let my desire become the pilot, as uncle Luke might say."
"What happened to your integrity?" Mara sighed and leaned back on the tree, sinking down to sit. Exhaustion abruptly dominated. "Your uncle intrusted his wife to you." She hunched and went into a fit of coughs.
Anakin leapt forward and lowered beside her. He pulled her close again. She curled against his front. "Try to squeeze my boobs," Mara whispered. "And I'll beat you so hard your grandfather will feel it."