RESCUING HER HEART

Mara stood anxiously outside her boss's office. She hated feeling helpless and uncertain but at the moment she was just that. The door finally slid open and Ghent stepped out clutching a handful of data cards. He hastily smiled at Mara before continuing on his way. Mara hesitated outside the door unsure whether to simply enter, finally Talon Karrde solved her dilemma;

'Come in Mara,' he called despite being unable to see her from his current position.

She felt her feet moving and entered the orderly comfortable office that served as his command room. Karrde glanced up at her his ice blue eyes taking in her anxiety before gesturing to the chair opposite. Mara sat on the edge of the chair returning his gaze trying to appear calmer than she felt.

'Well?' Karrde finally asked his eyebrows raised.

'You know what I want Talon, don't pretend to be dumb.'

Karrde sighed rising from his desk he moved to a nearby sideboard and poured himself a glass of Rystol cognac. Returning to his seat he gazed at the honey coloured liquid, swirling it slowly in the glass and closing his eyes as the aroma rose to his nostrils. Mara knew he was playing for time so decided to wait him out.

'Mara,' he finally said sounding like he was speaking to a wilful child, 'I cannot keep allowing you to disappear from my organisation for weeks at a time simply so you can go running after Luke Skywalker.'

Mara's head shot up at his choice of words and her brilliant green eyes flashed with anger,

'I would hardly call this an idle fancy,' she ground out.

'Yes,' he agreed, 'but I cannot see why it is your responsibility to rescue the Jedi master every time he gets himself into trouble. I am quite sure the New Republic has ample military and security personnel trained specifically for situations like this.'

'The NR security does not possess a force bond with Skywalker,' Mara snapped before she could stop herself.

Karrde's eyebrows rose again, it occurred to him that the subject of Luke Skywalker was one of the very few that could so effectively rattle Mara. However he was growing tired of her lengthy regular absences to play rescuer.

'Mara from what you told me this morning your force bond will be of absolutely no benefit this time.'

Mara stared down at her feet suddenly finding herself fighting back tears. How could she explain her terror when she had heard a bloodcurdling scream through the force followed by a sensation of emptiness. She had become so accustomed to Luke's strong force presence that it was like a warm blanket. Something comforting and reliable. When it winked out moments after she heard the scream she felt a level of fear utterly new to her. All she knew was she had to try and find him, to make sure he was alive and safe. The idea of never seeing his warm smile and deep blue eyes again left a hollow pit inside Mara she was not comfortable with at all.

Silence spun out between employer and employee. Talon Karrde's astute mind could detect Mara's frustration and desperate need for permission to go. Finally he sighed in resignation.

'Very well Mara you may go,'

Mara smiled for the first time all day and moved to leave his office,

'However,' he called making her stop in her tracks, 'I expect you back here before the negotiations with Ukio to transport their next harvest,' he hesitated, 'also when you return we will need to re-negotiate your contract.'

Mara was so relieved she could only nod then dash out the door. Hurrying to her quarters she hastily packed a bag then found herself running toward the Wild Karrde's cargo bay where the Jade's Fire sat snugly in a corner. Keying in her code she dashed into the pilot's seat and quickly moved through the pre-flight sequence relieved when the Fire's repulsorlifts whirred into life. Crossing her fingers she edged her ship forward toward the open cargo hatch. She knew she would have to head to Coruscant to find out exactly where Skywalker had been heading and what the hell he had gotten himself into this time.

0(0(0(0

A distant buzzing sound could be heard, Luke grimaced in annoyance. What was that sound? Slowly he opened his eyes and remembered he was not in fact in his bed on Coruscant. Blinking slowly he gazed around him trying to take in his surroundings. A deep bone numbing cold penetrated his awareness. Smooth circular stone walls surrounded him on all sides. Only a faint circle of light could be seen many metres above him. He tried to roll onto his back but felt an explosion of pain running right down his left side where he was laying. Groaning he tried to remember what had happened. In a flash it came back to him the masked, hooded figures that had circled him and closed in only metres from his X-wing. He remembered now, he had been in the Woostri system, investigating a rumour of a Jedi Master living nearby. His enquiries came to nothing and he was heading back to his ship when his attackers had appeared. Luke instinctively reached out through the force to get a reading on his captors but his mind probe encountered only blackness. It was then he realized his force sense was cut off, he suddenly felt naked and blind. The force had been such a constant in his life for so long it was as natural as breathing. The hooded figures closed in on him before one drew a weapon and Luke recognized the familiar blue beam issuing from the strange looking blaster. It was a stun bolt, the last thing he remembered before the blackness took him was hearing R2's shrill screaming from behind him. The little droid had still been sitting snugly in the droid socket of his ship. Luke now lay broken and bleeding in a deep pit, unable to access the force's healing power, his mind racing, who were these beings and how had they conquered his force abilities?

0(0(0(0

Mara arrived on Coruscant later that same day berthing her ship in the main public section of the hangar bay. As she walked away from her precious ship she hoped no fool would park close enough to the Fire to scratch the paintwork. If they did they would pay dearly she thought as a slight smile touched her lips. Mara headed straight for the New Republic administration headquarters in the old palace. This old building still brought back a lot of memories of her former life as the Emperor's hand. That was her past though and Mara would not have wished it back for every credit in the galaxy. It had been a life of secrecy, violence and fear. If she was honest with herself she would acknowledge that her life really only changed after Skywalker came into it. Even if when they first met all she wanted to do was to kill him. Now they had been friends so long it was difficult to recall the blind hatred that filled her then. His unswerving idealism and loyalty could still be irritating at times but Mara knew he had an inner strength and moral compass that made him a truly special human being. Mara smiled as she realized her own cynicism and instinctive mistrust created the perfect contrast in their relationship. That may have been why they got on so well. They were like opposite ends of a magnet, totally different and yet essential to each other.

She rode the turbolift up to the top floors of the main building heading for the chief of state offices. She crossed her fingers behind her back hoping that Leia Organa Solo was in her office and not in some lengthy meeting that Mara would have to wait to end. Or worse that she was on some diplomatic mission off planet. She was relieved to see her assistant Winter Celchu at her desk in the outer office. This boded well as usually wherever the former princess was Winter was not far behind. Winter glanced up showing only mild surprise at seeing Mara. Mara hastily glanced down checking her flight suit was clean and hastily running a hand through her long flame coloured hair. Winter smiled at her clear discomfort.

'How can I help you Mara?' she said finally her smooth cultured voice showing her Alderaani imperial court heritage.

'Is she in?' Mara asked without preamble.

Winter's eyebrows rose before she leaned forward and pressed a button on the comm. unit.

'Your highness, master trader Mara Jade is here to see you.'

'Send her in,' a familiar voice replied.

The outer door slid open and Mara entered the huge Chief of State office, noticing how the massive desk dwarfed the petite attractive brunette sitting behind it.

'Mara,' Leia began smiling slightly, 'how lovely to see you.'

Mara could not help one side of her mouth rising in a cynical smile. She knew perfectly well Leia's feelings over her brother's friendship with the dangerous redhead. After all it had been Leia that Mara finally confessed her intentions to kill Luke Skywalker. She could still remember the tremor of fear that ran through the now Chief of State at the time. Of course that had been when Mon Mothma still ran the NR government. Before the crazed clone Joruus C'boath and before the appearance of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Leia had finally accepted Mara's presence as part of the smuggler's alliance yet Mara knew she did it begrudgingly. Her fierce protectiveness of her brother made Leia suspicious of any woman who became part of the Jedi Master's life. Although she wondered if Leia had put Gaerial Captison or Callista through the hostility she treated Mara with. Finally she sighed;

'Let's cut the pleasantries shall we, where is your brother?'

Leia's jaw dropped both at Mara's tone and her question. As Chief of State she was used to automatic courtesy and respect from all those in her presence. Yet Mara Jade had always been a law unto herself. Leia sometimes wondered what it had been like for her growing up under Palpatine's influence.

'Why do you want to know?' she responded knowing Mara would not have come to Coruscant and particularly her without good reason.

Mara sighed, 'I think he's in trouble, I heard a scream through the force although it didn't sound human and now I can't sense him.'

Leia frowned for a moment clearly trying to sense her brother. Mara could not help but smile clearly Leia's bond with Luke was not as powerful as her own. Leia's eyes widened in alarm she must have felt the strange blankness surrounding Luke that Mara did.

'Oh no!' she finally said softly, 'he was going to Woostri he heard another Jedi Master had been seen there.'

Before she finished speaking Mara had turned on her heel and headed out of the office she knew where to go now that was all she needed. She could hear Leia calling after her but she did not slow her steps, nothing could have slowed her down now she knew where to start looking for Luke.

To be continued…..