Luke was reluctant to say goodbye to Mara, but at daybreak Luke drove her out to her stealth ship. He had tried to talk her into staying for a few more days, but Mara insisted that if Jadie was anything like her she would want her double off planet and away from her husband as soon as possible.
For the last two hours they had discussed what she would tell Leia, but mostly he had rambled on enthusiastically about his wife and his excitement over their impending births. He had been back to Yavin and Corsucant numerous times during the years, but he resolutely kept the knowledge of his family hidden, even from his own sister. It was nice being able to tell someone about his good fortune.
That is what made the situation so bittersweet. He wanted to tell everybody about his newfound happiness, but he feared the fallout from his actions. He had no delusions that marrying the clone of the woman who twice turned down his marriage proposals would make him the laughingstock of the galaxy.
Although, not many people knew of his offer of marriage to Mara Jade, not even his own sister. He was aware that one or two people on the Chaf Envoy saw him propose to Mara after the Outbound Flight investigation and he also suspected that Mara, during her brief affair with Karrde, might have told the smuggling chief of his marriage overtures. Even though Luke had been determined to keep it quiet, during a night out with some of his old Rogue Squadron buddies, a few too many shots of Rancor Red loosened his tongue, and he vaguely remembers confessing his bad luck with women to Wedge, Janson and Hobbie.
It wasn't many people, but it was enough. If Luke showed up with a Mara Jade clone on his arm and two kids in tow the holopress would be unrelenting in their pursuit of all the embarrassing details. Not that he cared about his reputation that much, but he dreaded the humiliation that would be visited upon his wife and children.
Would the holopress try to paint Jadie as an easy replacement, a way for him to get over Mara's rejection and appease his libido at the same time? Would they see what he saw, a unique, wonderful woman, full of life-- a woman who completed him?
He cringed at the thought of Jadie becoming dehumanized by the press. They would present her as something less than human, a thing created in a cloning cylinder and grown in a sterile environment with no parents, no family, no past and perhaps no soul. He couldn't bear to see his family dragged through such indignities.
And how would the news affect the Jedi, his family and the nascent New Republic Government? Could the humiliation of a galactic war hero and Jedi Master mare the government's image during a critical time in the peace process? And worse, could his downfall inadvertently but adversely affect Leia's credibility among the government?
These were things he had to consider before he broke the news to the galaxy… if he ever did. One thing he was sure of, he would have to tell Leia and Han… soon. They deserved to know they were going to be an aunt and uncle, but he wanted to discuss this with Jadie first. She was in this mess with him and it would have to be their decision.
Before she blasted off, Luke gave Mara a communication chip with codes needed to contact him on Nirauan if the need arose and then regrettably said his good-byes. He watched Mara's ship as it lifted off and disappeared off into the horizon, then revved up his speeder and reluctantly headed back home, dreading the forthcoming conversation with his wife. Jadie-- a very pregnant, hormonally challenged and, for the last eight months, extremely emotional woman.
If he thought his conversation with Mara was difficult it paled to what he would face with Jadie.
When he returned he found Jadie sitting in the small dining area of their suite snacking on some exotic fruit he had picked up on his last trip to the core. Walking over to his wife he gave her a gentle kiss on the lips but he could sense through the Force her continued irritation with him.
"Where is she?" she asked icily as she pulled away from him.
"She went back to Coruscant for now," he answered simply.
"I don't understand why everybody lied to me," she spat angrily. "I was told I was a clone of Mara Jade, the Emperor's Hand, but that my original was long dead." She got up and started pacing, agitated. "She doesn't look very dead to me, Luke."
Luke closed his eyes and tried to calm himself in preparation for the upcoming tirade. "Doctor Bentu didn't lie to you. You are a clone of Mara Jade-- the person you met last night, only she isn't the original either."
Jadie abruptly stopped her pacing. "You mean she is a clone also?"
"Yes," Luke replied quietly.
"Why was she here and why in our apartment in the middle of the night?"
"Jadie… she was here because… well, I guess my activities of late had made the New Republic suspicious." It was the truth, in reality. "She wanted to find out what I was doing and warn me that I have fallen under the watchful eye of Core security."
Jadie knew he was leaving something out. "So why would a former Imperial assassin care about your welfare?"
Luke sighed, "Jadie, Mara and I have been friends for over fifteen years."
Jadie's eyes turned to slits and Luke could feel her anger through the Force. "Fifteen years," she hissed. "Luke! Why would you hide something like this from me?" Before he could answer Jadie gasped, "You were lovers, weren't you?"
"No we were never lovers, Jadie, we never even dated. See, this is why I never mentioned her existence, I knew you would jump to some absurd conclusion!" Luke shot back, agitated that she not only hit on to the most logical scenario, but the fact that the only reason it wasn't true was that Mara rebuffed his advances.
"How the hell is that absurd when you are calling out her name while in bed?"
"Jadie, that happened once. Once!" he was completely flustered now. "I knew a woman who looks exactly like you for over a decade. It was a natural mistake. It wasn't like I was fantasizing about her while we were making love!"
"Are you sure!" Jadie snarled. "How do you know where your thoughts of her and I begin and end?" She paused for a long moment and then looked up at Luke, her eyes wide. "Now a whole lot of things are making sense to me. The way you looked at me the first time we met--the longing in your gaze. It wasn't me you were seeing, was it?"
"Jadie," he squeaked, "now you are being ridiculous! I looked at you longingly, that your case against me? As far as I can tell, just about every heterosexual male in this Force-forsaken outpost looks at you with desire!" It was a fact he was very well aware of, and in a way dreaded. "You are beautiful, sexy and very alluring! Even if I had never set eyes on Mara Jade in my life, I would have to be an eunuch not to look at you with longing."
Jadie glared at her husband as she sat down on the small couch in the sitting area. "You are far from being a eunuch," she conceded reluctantly, then glanced up at her husband with a determined gaze, "I don't want you seeing her again."
Luke sighed sadly, "Jadie, for the last two years I have only seen Mara a handful of times, and each was only for a few moments to exchange greetings. There is nothing between us." Luke walked over and sat next to his wife, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Don't you trust me, Jadie?" He nibbled at the curve of her neck and her eyes fluttered shut as she reveled in the sensations evoked by her husband's ministrations.
"Of course, I trust you, it's just…."
"Just what?" Luke mumbled as he slowly moved down to plant tender kisses on her collarbone.
"It is just," she caught her breath, "I would feel better if I didn't think you were seeing her while on your trips to the core."
"I won't go out to my way to see her, Jadie, honey, but I won't disown her. We've been friends for years and she has saved my life more times than I can count. Please don't ask me to cease all contact," he hesitated for a moment and then quietly added, "and besides, she's family."
"How is she family?" Jadie countered.
"Well, you two are like identical twins, so when the babies are born, Mara will technically be their aunt."
Jadie mulled over that. She didn't particularly like the thought of Mara Jade being around her husband if they had any history together, but the idea of having a blood relative wasn't entirely unappealing. Luke may have been an orphan, but he was raised in a loving household by relatives and later found his sister who made him an uncle. He had a past and family, she had none until Luke made her a wife and soon-to-be mother and now, it seems, she is also had a sister.
"Umm…" she moaned, momentarily forgetting what they were talking about as Luke gently brushed her reddish gold hair aside so he could kiss farther down her shoulder.
"Oh no you don't," she protested as she pushed him away. "You always do that. Pouring on that Skywalker charm when you want to shut me up."
"It usually works," he confessed with a smile.
"It works too well," she laughed sardonically, rubbing her hands over her swollen belly. "If I recall the twins are the result of our last big argument."
"I can't help it, Jadie, I love making up with you."
She suddenly became silent and Luke noticed her mood went from irritated to deeply downhearted.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" he asked, concerned about her shift in attitude.
"Is Mara Jade well known in the galaxy?" she asked softly.
"Yes," he said slowly, "her and I have worked on some very high profile missions. I would say she has a fairly elevated celebrity status," he answered truthfully, not sure where Jadie was going with this line of questioning.
"Oh," she replied, sadly looking away.
"Jadie," Luke said as he gently brought his hand to her cheek and turned her head to face him. "What's wrong?"
She lowered her head, her lower lip trembling. "I was hoping that after the babies were born we could leave here and go live on Corsucant. I wanted the children to have an extended family, their aunt and uncle and cousins. I have no family of my own, I wanted them to have more than I did."
Luke was silent for a long moment, not knowing what to say.
"That's not possible, is it Luke? Not without all of the details coming out. If I showed up on Corsucant alone people wouldn't think anything of me other than I look like I could be Mara Jade's younger sister, but… if I show up with you, there will be questions."
She stood and walked a few feet, facing away from Luke. After some time she turned back to gaze at him somberly, "You never intended to let my existence be known, did you?"
Luke's throat seemed to tighten up, his mouth becoming very dry. "I don't know what I intended to do, Jadie," he said honestly. "I fell in love. I wasn't thinking of the consequences."
He got up and took Jadie's hand in his and brought it up to his lips, kissing it softly. "I want to bring you home very much, but you have to know it will cause an uproar. The press will be unmerciful and I'm not sure if you would want to endure what they will put you through."
"I am not naïve, I know I am different from… from people who are born. Everybody here treats me well, but I can sense they see me as different," she paused to wipe a tear from her eyes. "Are clones seen as second class citizens in the core? Is it an embarrassment to be married to a clone?"
"No, no Jadie. I could never be embarrassed of you… ever." Luke soothed as he pulled her into an embrace. "Clones haven't really been around since the clone war, I don't think that really would be an issue."
"Then why would the press be so unrelenting. Is it because I am a clone of a friend of yours? Wouldn't that be old news in a couple days?"
"Maybe," Luke said quietly.
"You are not being completely truthful, Luke, I can sense it. You might as well tell me," her words were strained.
"The Holoshills will make a Harvest Day Special out of the news because…" Luke hesitated, "Jadie, because they may know that in the past I proposed marriage to Mara Jade."
"You proposed?" she choked out.
"Twice."