Title: Mara Jade and the Research Paper of Doom
Author: Balo
Summary: Mara Jade is forced to undertake an assignment she finds distasteful and Luke likes to live dangerously.
Timeframe: I am thinking during the Jedi Academy Trilogy... So 11 ABY or so.
A/N: Thanks to Jaira for looking this over and helping cut the story. It was the response to a challenge at JelloAnarchy (link in my profile.) The topic was: How does Mara Jade show her love towards Nomi Sunrider? Enjoy!
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Mara Jade was annoyed. When Skywalker had invited her to his Jedi Academy to train her Force powers she had been mildly interested. Since leaving the service of the late Emperor, she had only managed limited control. Even while in their prime, her powers were not in the league of her former master or Vader, but they were more than enough to make her a skilled assassin.
Although intrigued about studying with Master Skywalker, she was disappointed not to be doing more action-oriented exercises. Instead, he had given her the assignment of researching a long-dead Jedi.
"Before you commit to the path of the Jedi, you must know what to expect." Luke had intoned when she asked if he was kidding.
She had been allowed to pick any Jedi, and almost picked Anakin Skywalker just to see the look on Skywalker's face. Instead, she had chosen Nomi Sunrider after hearing Tionne sing about her.
After the performance, Mara had asked Tionne more about Nomi. She was directed to a file on the local datanet that Tionne had comprised.
Mara had to admit, the file was comprehensive and informative. More then that, it was intriguing.
Nomi had lived through one of the most tumultuous periods of galactic history, the Great Sith War.
She had been married to a Jedi. Her husband was slain in front of her. Untrained, she picked up his lightsaber, attacked and killed two of the criminals. She trained as a Jedi. She led troops into battle. She was forced to fight a former lover, sever him from the force, and finally aided him in his redemption to the light. She led the entire Jedi Order. Her story was told for countless generations.
Mara stared at the display and felt something stir inside her for this almost mythical figure. Nomi had faced so much, far more then she herself had, and she persevered. She never gave up, her will was indomitable.
Mara wrote.
Hours passed and the sun was setting. The door behind Mara opened and in walked Skywalker.
"You look like you've been busy." He said.
Mara nodded, "I have just about finished your essay, Skywalker."
"Ah, good. Who did you end up choosing?"
"Nomi Sunrider. I heard one Tionne's ballads about her and she struck me as a formidable person."
Luke smiled, "She was one of the greatest of all Jedi Knights. Perhaps you will be remembered like her one day. Good job."
"You haven't even read my paper yet, how do you know how I did?"
"I don't need to read it to know you passed this trial. Have a good night Mara." With that he walked out of the room.
"Skywalker, I'm going to kill you!" She yelled after him.
