After a bit of a wait, here is chapter two. I apologize for the delay.
Chapter Two:
Stray Memories, Stray Passengers
Border of the Unknown Regions
Wild Karrde
14 years ABY
Sounds of blaster fire erupted outside. Five year old Mara Jade was awakened by the cries of a toddler. A woman walked into her room. She thrust the crying toddler into her arms.
"Protect your sister, Mara. Don't worry about us." Sister? Did I have a little sister?
"Okay."
Mara backed her and her sister into a corner. Her sister was still sobbing. She locked the door and went back to her sister. "It's okay, Rissi. I'll take care of you," she soothed the crying toddler. I don't remember any of this.
She put her arms around the girl. She looked down at her sister. Her fire swept hair was disheveled from sleep. Her eyes were as green as Mara's own. Her sister clutched her stuffed Ewok close to her.
There was a small explosion behind her and the door opened. A man cloaked in shadowy black entered, followed by a man with a very red, horrid face. These people were pure evil. Mara could sense it as well as her toddler sister.
"Leave us alone! You can't take me or my sister!"
"You have fire, child. I will train you as my Hand."
"No!" Mara yelled as she moved to fight the shadow man.
The men just laughed. Then Mara felt strangely calm. She stopped fighting the shadowy cloaked man. "I'll come with you, Master," she said docilely.
"Good. Good." The shadowy man took her sleepy sister and handed her to the man with the red face.
Mara snapped awake from the nightmare—memory. She had never before dreamed about the day Emperor Palpatine took her from her family. Was that even a real memory? She couldn't remember if she had a sister or not? What planet was she even on when the emperor took her? Who was the man with the red face in her dream? Was her sister even alive?
Mara had too many questions. Yet, she somehow sensed that this dream was important. The Force was trying to tell her something.
Stang. That meant that she would have to talk to Skywalker about her dreams. Surely, he would have some sage advice for her.
Along with irritating her to Kessel and back to finish her Jedi training…
Come on, you know you miss him, her subconscious argued with her.
Yeah, like I miss a blaster burn to the brain, she argued back.
Okay, she admitted to herself, Luke Skywalker was a close friend even though five years ago her greatest desire was to put a blaster bolt through his heart. She had had many opportunities to kill him, but she never could. He had gotten to her, befriended her, and started training her in the ways of the Jedi.
Of course it helped that he was fairly easy on the eyes. He was stocky with baby blue eyes and sandy blonde hair. There was a farmboy innocence to him that endeared him to her even more. She often wondered what it would be like to run her fingers through his blonde hair.
Okay, she mentally shook herself, enough with that train of thought. Mara pulled on her boots and ran her hands through her flaming red hair. She walked out of her quarters on the Wild Karrde made it to the bridge.
Talon Karrde was at the command seat. He turned as she walked in. "Mara, sleep well?"
"Not really. So, what's on the agenda today?"
"A few routine drop offs before we head to Coruscant. We're meeting our first client at these coordinates in half an hour."
"Okay."
Mara settled down at the conn station and waited.
"Got a ship coming out of hyperspace. Looks like our contact has arrived a few minutes early," Aves announced from the sensor station.
Mara shifted in her seat. Something wasn't quite right here. Her danger sense was prickling, a warning in the Force.
"Mara?"
"I feel some kind of danger, nonspecific. I can't tell you anymore than that." Mara stretched out with the Force further. She was picking up on…
Another Force sensitive!
"Another Force sensitive," she mumbled to herself loud enough that Karrde picked up on it.
"Hostile?"
"Indifferent."
"Interesting."
Yeah, Mara thought. Interesting.
"Our sensors identify it as the Elixir of Dreams, captained by Mylos Abrohan. That's our man," Aves said.
"He's trying to contact us," Dankin announced.
"Wild Karrde, this is Captain Abrohan of the Elixir of Dreams. Do you read me?"
"This is the Wild Karrde, Captain Karrde speaking. We are approximately three lightyears from our exchange point on Minos Three. I'll send you the nav coordinates."
"Roger that, Karrde. Coordinates received. See you in a few minutes. Abrohan out."
"Well, he wasn't the Force sensitive," Mara replied. "I didn't sense any alarm from him. I think he has sensed my presence. He just doesn't seem to care."
"A dangerous type then. Think Skywalker knows anything about him?"
"I don't know. I don't recognize his Force signature either."
"Well, let's get going then. Take the helm, Dankin. Get us back to base."
"Aye, Karrde."
"Welcome to Minos Three, Abrohan. I am Talon Karrde. Allow me to introduce you to my second in command, Mara Jade."
"Pleasure. This is my second, Haggis Melvis."
Mara's Force sensitivity did not pick up on any ill intentions from them. "Pleasure to make your acquaintances, gentlemen." She turned to Karrde. "If you'll excuse me, I'll find Lachton and Torve. They'll help get those old hyperdrives unloaded."
Karrde nodded. "Join me later in the main room when you have the time."
Mara nodded. "Will do."
She walked out of the hangar bay. She easily found Lachton by the Wild Karrde. He was putting away a hydrospanner.
"Hey, Jade!" Lachton greeted her with a grin. "Need a hand?"
"I could use your help unloading those hyperdrives. Where's Torve?"
"He's replacing one of the power cells that blew out on the aft gun."
"Find him."
"Aye, aye, Jade."
Lachton took off inside the ship with a wide grin. Mara shook her head. His enthusiasm was going to get him into serious trouble one day.
Mara's danger sense pricked. She stretched out with the Force, and picked up her wayward Force sensitive nearby and ducked just in time to miss a flying piece of durasteel that would have knocked her senseless.
"You're a Jedi!" a distinctly masculine voice hissed.
"Show yourself! You know I can sense you. I'll find you whether you want me too or not."
"Prove it, Jedi. Find me."
This is a game to him! Mara realized. Fine, I'll play. Mara fell into the Force, sensing the man's location easily. She walked intentionally in his direction. Ten feet away…five…
Mara had her lightsaber in her hand just in time to deflect a yellow blade. The blade belonged to a young man about her age. He was average in looks and height. Hardly worth her attention except for the Force presence that he taunted her with.
Mara kept on the defense, not wanting to give him the real fight he wanted. She simply blocked and parried, she could easily sense his irritation and frustration with her.
"Fight me, Jedi! I can sense you know how to fight. Why won't you?"
"A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack," Mara told him with an internal grin as she heard Luke quoting the same to her some time ago.
"What good is it to have these powers if you can't use them whenever or however you want?"
"Because these powers we have come with great responsibility. It is our responsibility to use them to better the galaxy."
"But how am I going to learn how to use my powers responsibly if I don't use them when I want?"
"Go to Yavin Four. A friend of mine has a Jedi academy. He will teach you to control your powers. Teach you how to use the Force."
"You mean Skywalker?"
"Yes, Skywalker will teach you how to be a Jedi."
"Okay. I'll give it a try."
Mara refrained from giving the man another one of Luke's platitudes. There is no try, only do, she could hear him saying. "Good deal," she said, deactivating her lightsaber. "By the way, where'd you get the lightsaber?"
"I bought it from a dealer. Had no idea what she had."
"So, why did you stow away aboard the captain's ship?"
"Trying to get away from home to find someone to help me."
"And a smuggler's ship was the best transport you could find?"
"I couldn't afford the fee for a transport."
"Well, I have a deal for you. Work with me for a few hours to unload some cargo and I'll give you the credits you need to get a transport to Yavin Four. You can work on your Force skills in the meantime."
"Deal. You never told me your name."
"It's Jade. Mara Jade."
"Grav Ybis."
"Follow me, Grav."
Author's Note:
Hhm, what's up with this Force sensitive? Are Marissa and Mara really sisters? Is the Force trying to tell her something? Tune in to find out!