Luke Skywalker gazed out the front viewport of Mara Jade's Suwantek TL-1800 Light freighter. In the seats just in front of him sat Mara Jade and Shara, the Lieutenant in charge of the eighteen commandos that were in the ships hold. All three of them stared at the massive station that orbited the moon in the distance. This new Death Star was even bigger than the first if the handful of Imperial Star Destroyers and the mammoth Executer-Class Star Dreadnaught were anything to judge by. Unable to think of anything else to say, Luke shook his head and uttered a low whistle. Mara Jade nodded and said, "Uh-huh."

Shara, a bounty hunter-turned officer in Grey Squadron, one of the Alliances elite fighting units, asked, "Is everything ready? They'll probably hale us any moment now."

Luke and Mara nodded and the latter said, "We are. Get ready. You'll love this performance."

They had only a few moments to wait. The comms unit buzzed and the voice of a young man filled the cockpit. "Unidentified freighter, this is the Imperial Star Dreadnaught Executer. Transmit your ID signature and clearance code immediately or prepare to be taken."

Mara gave a grin and a wink towards her companions before her entire demeanor changed. From a gleeful, almost cocky young rebel to a very serious, almost board agent. In an arrogant, dead-pan voice, she replied to the comms officer, "This is Senior ISB Agent Selena Grole and the freighter Ouster – transmitting clearance code and ID signature now,Executer."

They sat in silence for several minutes before Shara looked over at Mara. "Do they usually take this long to get back to someone?"

Mara shrugged. "There could be several reasons for them to take a while: laziness, a power trip, trying to find our ship in system..."

She was interrupted by comms unit. "Freighter Ouster, what is your mission to the forest moon below?"

Mara allowed a cold edge to enter her voice. "My mission is official Imperial Security Bureau business and above the paygrade of a simple comms officer but since I am feeling gracious, I'll tell you that we will be inspecting the garrison below per Colonel Yularen's orders. He apparently thinks that now is the perfect time for it since there are so many troops on the ground."

Several more minutes went by again and Luke and Shara looked at Mara. She raised her eyebrows and hands in a 'what am I supposed to do' motion just before the comms beeped once again. "Freighter Ouster, this is the Executer, you have been cleared to proceed."

Mara stifled a sigh of relief and replied to the comms officer, "Of course. Ouster out," before cutting the transmission. She grinned at her two companions and asked, "Well, how did I do? Do you think that was Imperial Center Theater worthy?"

Luke applauded with a chuckle and Shara even gave a smile. They glanced over the instruments and Shara said, "We will be landing in just over an hour, I believe. With your permission, Colonel Skywalker, I'll head to the back and tell the troops. Anything special you want me to tell them?"

Luke nodded, "Go ahead. Just tell them that I don't want heroics or foolhardiness from any of them. When we land, we stick together and immediately go and rendezvous with General Solo. That's it."

Shara smiled at him. "These are mercenaries and bounty hunters, Colonel. I double you'll have to worry about heroics."

Luke sat in the co-pilot's seat as soon as she was gone. Mara grinned at him. "She's right, you know. I doubt you'll have to worry about 'heroics' from them. I mean, they aren't exactly the most heroic type."

Luke shrugged. "I don't know. Han was a fringer and he has pulled off some heroic stuff."

"Must be your influence, Farmboy, turning everyone around you into noble galactic heroes. Hell, look what you did to me."

Mara motioned to herself in mock dismay. "You turned a loyal, trusted agent of the Emperor into a rebel officer and commando."

Luke rolled his eyes. "I had very little to do with it. It was Yoda's discussion with you and the good that was already there that caused you to make the right choice. What could I possibly have to do with any of that?"

Suddenly serious, Mara sat up straight and looked at him. "For starters, you believed in me, Luke. You trusted me even though immediately before, I was a fanatic trying to kill you. Not only that, you saw into my mind and my soul and you accepted what you saw – the good, the bad and the ugly – without judgement or condition. Finally, you paved the way for me to join the Alliance, to be able to help right everything that is wrong in the galaxy. I know it may not feel like you did a lot but from where I'm standing, you made all the difference in the galaxy."

Luke was slightly taken aback by what she said. Her intense emerald eyes were still gazing at him as he looked away. When put like that, it seemed like he was the only reason she was here, but that wasn't true. Mara Jade was here because she had done the right thing. Luke was about to say just that when he felt a dark presence brush his mind. At first, he thought it was the Emperor but it felt different – familiar. Looking towards the bridge of the massive Star Dreadnaught Executer, Luke realized what had just happened. "Vader's on that ship." He murmured quietly. Mara knew what he meant. "The Executer is Vader's personal command ship; it makes sense that he would be on board. Everything okay, Farmboy?"

Luke shook his head, suddenly feeling as though he was a hunted creature who had just been found. "I'm endangering the mission. I shouldn't have come."

Mara reached over and prodded his shoulder and said, "Hey, snap out of it, Farmboy. Keep talking and looking like that and you'll start making me nervous. Keep your chin up. They haven't started firing yet and they won't unless we give them a reason to."

Luke took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right of course. What would I do without you, Mara?"

She grinned wickedly, "Well your life wouldn't be as interesting, that's for sure. Buck up. We can't have you going all emotional and broody before the mission even starts or else we'll never get anywhere."

Luke laughed. She was right.

The freighter had to put down about a third of a kilometer away from General Solo's shuttle. It took all of ten minutes for them to link up. As soon as the commando teams were together, Han began giving orders. "I want two columns fifty meters apart. Maintain comms silence and have the astro units send comms – they can probably scramble and bounce them enough to make is seem like the transmissions are coming from Correllia and going to Chandrilla. Keep up your visual scanning and if you see anything in white, signal and don't just shoot them."

He gave a particularly hard look at the members of Luke's unit. They all muttered their assent and Han seemed satisfied. "Alright, let's move out."

Luke, Shara and Mara headed fifty meters east of Han and they began to move in the direction of the shield generator. Having R3-L9, Mara's black, red and silver astromech droid along, made things go a little more slowly but every fifteen minutes, R2-D2 sent R3 an update and she transmitted it to Mara who passed it on to Luke. Suddenly, Mara tapped Luke's shoulder and motion him down. They both knelt and the soldiers behind them followed their example. Mara whispered, "General Solo said that they just sighted some Scout Troopers with speeder bikes and that we should keep our eyes open."

Luke nodded. "What can you tell me about biker scout patrols on worlds like this?" He asked. Mara cocked her head to one side and thought back to her training. "They go in groups of pairs at intervals from fifty meters to a hundred meters. On a moon like this, I would guess fifty so it's quite likely that we will run smack into a couple if we're not careful."

Luke nodded. Looking back through the line, he motion to two of his soldiers – a pair of bothans. They moved to him and he whispered, "I heard you two carry advanced stealth field generators, right? How good are they?"

One of them, a black, gray and brown furred female, replied, "Good enough. As long as we don't move fast, we'll be able to sneak up. They even have sound dampeners so that they won't hear us breathing or if we step on something."

Luke nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. "Go fifty meters east and then head another fifty meters south. Right behind you will be a sniper team. If you see anyone, meet with the snipers, take out the scouts as quietly as possible and come back here. If not, wait for R3's signal – she'll send it to your commlinks."

They nodded and moved off. Luke turned to a pair of humans, a male with a pair of macrobinoculars and a female with an E-17d sniper rifle and motioned them forward. "You two will be following the bothans. They will be going fifty meters east and another fifty south. Be sure you stay at least twenty-five meters away from them. You'll be able to follow their footprints and see the trees and foliage behind them shimmer if you pay close attention."

They saluted and headed out after the bothans, who had already seemed to disappear. Luke turned to Mara and whispered, "You and I are going to slip forward as carefully and quietly as possible to see if there are any scouts ahead of us."

Mara nodded and said, "I'll take point. Watch your step and try not to be too loud."

Shara whispered, "What should we do, Colonel?"

"Wait here. We'll send you a signal through R3 as soon as it's clear. Under no circumstances come after us unless I give the word."

Shara looked skeptical but nodded. Mara and Luke slipped forward silently. Mara was impressed as Luke managed to avoid twigs, dry leaves and other debris that would make noise if trodden on. They made it thirty meters before seeing them – two speeder bikes with scout troopers standing watch near them. Mara unslung and shouldered her blaster rifle but Luke lifted one finger. In her mind, Mara heard his voice. We need to do this quietly. We should get close and use our lightsabers. That blaster is going to alert every other Imperial within a kilometer radius.

Mara was hesitant. It would be hard to sneak up on them since they were practically looking directly at her and Luke. Suddenly, blaster shots rang out from the west and Luke and Mara looked at each other. Mara hissed, "Damn! That will be Han's group. We need to take them now!"

They lifted their blaster rifles, aimed and fired. Mara's shot hit its target, burning a hole straight through the scout's chest plate. Luke missed as the other scout ducked out of pure reflex, seeing his fellow die. The scout leaped on his bike and took off. Cursing, Mara and Luke leaped onto the other bike. "I'm driving, you shoot!" said Luke.

Mara didn't argue; she slung her rifle, drew her blaster pistol and wrapped her left arm around Luke's waist for stability. Luke whipped off after the scout. Almost immediately, they saw one of Han's commandos chasing after another pair of scouts. "Oh kriff! This is a mess. Stang, Skywalker! Keep it study!" yelled Mara.

Luke snapped back to her, "I don't need a back-seat driver. Just get ready to take that scout."

"Why don't you use the swivel blaster?"

"It's not meant for a speeder bike chase. We can't afford to waste time trying to line up a shot. I'll try to pull beside him."

Mara gritted her teeth. Luke was right, trying to shoot a speeder bike from another speeder bike would waste time. Slowly, they gained on the biker scout until they had pulled beside it. Just as they did, laser bolts whipped by them from behind. More scouts. Mara lifted her pistol and fired at near point blank range before nimbly jumping on the now vacated speeder just in time to avoid smashing into a large tree. In his mind, Luke heard her. When I say now, drop behind them. I'll keep them on me.

Luke sent an acknowledgement and waited. When it came, he slammed the breaks and dropped almost directly behind them. Immediately, one of them broke off. One broke off, Mara. I'll follow him. You take the other. Call if you need help.

He pulled up beside the biker scout and slammed into it from the side. The scout trooper looked at him and slammed back. Suddenly, their bikes wouldn't separate! The front fin arrays were stuck together somehow. Looking ahead, Luke saw that they were fast approaching a tree. Thinking fast, he leapt off the bike, rolled when he hit the ground and stood. Just as he did his speeder bike separated from the scout trooper's and slammed into the tree. Luke cursed. Mara, my guy is getting away. He's heading – wait… oh kriff. Never mind, he's coming back.

Luke sensed her alarm in the force but pushed it aside as he drew his lightsaber. The biker scout zeroed in on him, firing his cannon. Luke deflected every shot that got to close and, just as the speeder bike was about to hit him, stepped to the side and swung down with his lightsaber, cutting off the entire front array. With no small amount of satisfaction, Luke watched as the speeder bike spun off and into another tree. Just then, Mara pulled up, a smirk on her lovely face that made Luke smile. "What's a farm boy like you doing in the big, bad forest?" she teased him. Luke chuckled and motioned towards one of the burning trees. "That's my ride over there. Any chance I can talk you into giving me a ride back to the strike team?"

Mara cocked her head as if thinking about it. "Yeah, I can do that, but you owe me dinner, Farmboy."

Luke jogged over and hopped in behind her, chuckling as he went. "Fair enough, Mara – besides, I'd hate for you to have to live off ration bars or Alliance cooked food or, worst of all, your OWN cooking."

As she peeled off, she sent a falsely indignant thought. Hey, I never said that I wasn't a good cook. I just don't cook often.

Luke laughed but didn't reply. It wasn't too long before they got back to the strike team. Han had brought his commando in with the Renegades and they had set up an extensive perimeter while waiting for Luke and Mara to return. When Han saw them, his face lit up with relief. "Luke! Red! Have either of you seen Leia?"

Luke and Mara hopped off the bike and Luke asked, "Wait, where did Leia go?"

Han sighed in exasperation and said, "She went chasing off after a couple biker scouts all on her own. I swear, that woman is crazier than a bag of nexus."

Luke looked at Mara who said, "We saw her heading east. We can go take a look that way."

Solo nodded. Quickly, he turned to the commandos. "Page, you're in charge till we get back. Take everyone and move on ahead. We'll meet you at the shield generator. Luke, Red, Chewie, R2 and 3PO – you're all with me. R3, stay with Page. Let's go take a look."

They searched for quite a while and even Mara began to get anxious. She didn't have a problem with the princess but she didn't know Leia as well as Han and Luke did. Finally, they found another couple wrecked scout bikes and a single helmet used by Alliance ground forces. Han looked very worried. "I hope she's alright."

Mara began looking for signs. While tracking in the forest wasn't one of her strongest skills, she still remembered the basics of it. Looking over by a log, she saw several scorch marks and also a couple of tracks. "I have two booted footprints and also some really soft bare footprints that definitely are not human. They are too small and too round."

Han and Luke ran over to her. Luke knelt beside her and Han anxiously asked, "Can you follow the tracks?"

Mara shrugged unenthusiastically. "I can try. Hey, Chewbacca, you can track in the woods. What do you think of these?"

The big wookie began moving towards them but stopped suddenly, his nostrils twitching and flaring. He gave a grunt and began heading off. Solo called after her, "What, Chewie? Hey, what is it Chewie?"

The wookie lead them a distance to a sapling with a chunk of bloody meat still tied to it. Mara didn't like it. The way it was strung up reminded her of something. "I don't get it. It's just a dead animal, Chewie." Said Solo.

Suddenly, two things happened at once. First, Luke ran forward yelling, "Chewie wait! WAIT! NO!" and Mara realized why she didn't like it; it was a primitive trap. Mara jumped backwards and tumbled to the ground while a massive woven net caught up the rest of them. After the shock of the situation wore off, Han started snapping at the wookie. Mara, looking up at her companions, trussed up like a prize catch of fish, couldn't contain herself. She started to laugh. She was laughing so hard that she couldn't even get to her feet. Han snapped down to her. "I'm so glad you're amused, Jade. Now can you please find a way to get us down."

Mara just shook her head, still laughing but trying to answer. "I'm… I'm sorry, Solo. You all just look so ridiculous." But that's all she could manage before breaking down into another fit of laughter. Luke was even starting to get a little miffed with her. Finally, she pulled herself to her feet and un-clipped her lightsaber. Before she had the chance to do anything, a low buzzing was heard and, within seconds, the net parted and they fell to the ground. Mara's laughter redoubled as they all groaned and winced. She reached down to Luke to help him up when she noticed them. "Luke…"

They were tiny, less than a meter tall, covered in fur and very primitively armed. Whatever they were, they didn't speak basic. "Hey! Point that thing somewhere else."

Mara watched as, apparently for a second time, one of the little creatures shoved a spear into Solo's face. "Hey!" he snarled and pulled out a blaster. Luke grabbed Solo's blaster hand. Mara herself was about to draw her blaster and lightsaber. "Han don't. It will be alright. Mara, don't do it. Everything will be okay. Let them take your weapons. It'll be okay."

Mara didn't like it. She was contemplating not listening to him when she felt Luke's consciousness caressing her own. Easy, Mara. It'll be okay. I sense no danger from these creatures so long as we be careful. It wouldn't be right to slaughter these beings if we can find an alternative.

Mara glared at him and replied, You'd better be right about this, Skywalker. If we wind up having to fight our way out of captivity, I'm going to slug you for every time I was poked or prodded.

Suddenly, C-3PO sat up and said, "Oh, my head!"

The attitude of the little creatures changed completely. They all exclaimed in their high pitch voices and immediately began to bow and chant towards C-3PO. None of them understood what was going on. The gold droid began to utter something in the chattering language of the little furry things. Luke finally asked, "Do you understand what they are saying?"

"Yes, Master Luke. Remember that I am fluent in over six million forms…"

"What are you telling them?" interrupted Solo. The droid paused and said, "Hello I think. I'm not sure, they are using a very primitive dialect but I believe they think I am some form of god."

Luke started to quietly chuckle and Mara had to bite her tongue to avoid laughing herself. Solo was getting just plain mad. "Well why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this." He said sarcastically. 3PO replied rather sternly, "I beg your pardon, General Solo but that wouldn't be proper."

Incredulous, Solo repeated, "PROPER?"

3PO explained with what would have been an arrogant sniff if he was a living being, "It's against my programming to impersonate a deity."

That seemed to push Solo's already fraying temper to breaking. "WHY YOU…" and he lunged at the golden droid. In an instant, he had a half dozen stone spears shoved in his face. Immediately, he calmed and put his hands up placatingly. "My mistake. He's an old friend of mine." Han mumbled lamely.

Within minutes, the men and the wookie were tied by the hands and feet to poles and they were carried hanging from the poles and Mara was forced to walk in front of a chair. On the chair sat 3PO, carried by the little creatures. R2 was hauled on a rickshaw. When they were all restrained, the natives lead them away.

It was dark before they all reached the little creature's homes. According to C-3PO, the easiest way to say their names in basic was to call them ewoks. The ewoks lived in a large village of tree houses and the captured rebels were taken to what appeared to be a main tribal hall. 3PO was set up at the head of the room while Han was placed over a shallow pit. Chewie, Luke, and R2 were all set off to the side of the room. The ewoks tried to hustle Mara off but she wasn't having any of it. "HEY 3PO, what are they going to do with us?"

The golden droid put in a query and as he was doing so, a familiar figure came into the hall: Princess Leia Organa. The rebels saw her and felt weights like boulders lifted from their shoulders. "Your Royal Highness!" cried 3PO.

Leia looked at the ewoks and pleaded. "But these are my friends. 3PO, tell them they must be set free."

Mara was next to Leia now and couldn't help but smirk slightly. "Hey, Princess. Where'd the new clothes come from? Did they make it for you themselves or did you have it in your survival kit?"

Leia looked sternly at her. "Is this really the time for jokes, Lieutenant? Besides, you'll be getting one too and this one was the most conservative they had by a long shot."

Mara couldn't help but laugh. Han, hung upside over a pit, looked at 3PO and asked, "What did he say?" referring to one of the furry little creatures. The gold droid replied, "I'm rather embarrassed, General Solo but it appears you are to be the main course in a banquet in my honor."

The ewoks were stacking wood beneath him and Mara lost it again. She had to sit down and tears were rolling down her cheeks as she laughed harder and harder. Luke looked at the gold droid and asked, "What about the rest of us?"

"Well the princess and Lieutenant Jade are apparently my consorts. According to the fellow with the skull on his head, I need as many of the comforts of life as possible in order to remain appeased. He's a priest or shaman of some nature."

This time, it was Luke's turn to laugh. Chewie gruff chuckles filled the air too as Mara jumped up with an indignant and disbelieving "WHAT?"

When Luke had gained control of his mirth, he looked back at his faithful gold droid and said, "3PO, tell them that if they don't let us go, you will become angry and use your magic."

3PO tried to protest but Luke firmly commanded, "Just tell them."

The protocol droid uttered a stream of chattering speech, punctuating it with a great exclamation, causing all the ewoks to squeak in alarm and pause for a moment. The white ewok with the skull on his head began to chatter and wave again and the ewoks went back to work. A torch was brought forward and flames put to the stacked wood. "You see, Master Luke, they didn't listen to me, just as I said they wouldn't…"

Mara watched as Luke closed his eyes and laid back. She smiled as the droid and his wooden throne rose into the air. 3PO was protesting and calling for help the entire time as he floated several meters of the ground. Quickly, the fire was tamped down and Luke and Han were both set free, as was R2. Immediately, Mara ran to Luke, laughing and saying, "That was great!"

Luke winked at her. "I told you everything would be okay."

Mara swatted at him lightly before giving him a hug. Leia and Han were kissing in the center of the room before Leia came over and hugged Luke. The farm boy looked at the golden droid and said, "Thanks, 3PO."

"I – I didn't know I had it in me."

Mara reached out with the force and pulled hers and Luke's lightsaber to her hands, handing Luke's to him. "Thanks." He said. She winked at him and said, "So what now, Farmboy?"

Luke pointed at Han. "Ask the general. I'm just the XO of this little operation."

Han was having a quick council with Leia and C-3PO for a few minutes before the golden droid began talking somewhat sternly to the ewok chief and the white, skull wearing shaman. The funny little creatures began to gather seats and furs and all the elders of the people gathered around the gold droid. Luke and Mara took a couple fur covered stumps and sat in a corner together. 3PO stood and began what they assumed was a long tail about the Rebel Alliance and their fight against the Empire. Mara leaned over and whispered, "Look at your sister and Solo. Don't they look awfully cozy?"

Luke had been watching. He envied them that they had one another. Suppressing a sigh and checking his mental shielding, he couldn't help but realize that it was a good thing that he was alone in that regard. During the walk from the site where they were trapped and the ewok village, Luke had sensed Darth Vader. The Dark Lord had landed on the moon and was waiting for him. Luke knew that it was his destiny to face the Lord of the Sith and he knew that there was every chance that his life would end in that confrontation. Mara gave him a nudge and cocked a dark eyebrow. Luke looked at her and sighed. She was so beautiful. "I'm okay. Don't worry about me, Mara."

Mara frowned slightly but Luke seemed to miss it in the low light of the ewok's fire. Suddenly, drums were being played and the ewok chieftain was speaking. After a couple moments of chatter, C-3PO exclaimed, "Wonderful! We are now part of the tribe."

The little ewoks mobbed each of them, hugging them enthusiastically. Mara heard Solo mutter, "That's what I always wanted." And couldn't help but chuckle. A ball of fur wrapped it's short arms around her and hugged. Mara laughed and couldn't help but hug back. The little creature was like a little stuffed animal. She turned to Luke and saw that he had ducked out one of the entrances. Looking around, she noticed Leia slip out as well. Caught momentarily between allowing them to have some privacy and being worried about Luke's suddenly melancholy mood, she chewed her lower lip. Finally, she hid herself in the force and slipped out another door, sneaking around to hear the siblings' conversation. Luke was quietly asking Leia a question. "Leia, do you remember your mother – your REAL mother?"

Leia gave a tiny smile and leaned against the railing next to him. "Just a little bit; She died when I was very young."

"What do you remember?"

Leia pursed her lips. "Just images really – feelings."

Luke persisted. "Tell me." Leia looked down for a moment as if to remember. "She was very beautiful and kind but sad." She paused for a moment before asking, "Why are you asking me this?"

Luke had a very distant look in his blue eyes as he replied soberly, "I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her."

Leia looked very concerned and she said, "Luke, tell me, what's troubling you?"

After another short pause, Luke said, "Vader is here, now, on this moon."

Leia looked skeptical but Mara had to concentrate to keep the force around her as a concealing cloak. Darth Vader! No! Fear filled her and it was all she could do to remain hidden from Luke's keen senses.

"I felt his presence. He's come for me. He can feel when I'm near. That's why I have to go." Replied Luke with absolute calmness and Mara absolutely agreed. They all had to go. They had to get the generator blown and then get the hell off this wood-covered rock.

"As long as I stay, I'm endangering the group and our mission here. I have to face him."

Leia recoiled slightly. "Why?" she all but whispered. Luke hesitated for several moments and Mara knew what was coming. Oh Farmboy, I hope you know what you're getting yourself into, telling her like this.

Finally, Luke told her, "He's my father."

Leia recoiled even more, a look of shock and even horror on her face. "Your father?"

Luke continued, ignoring her expression. "There's more and it won't be easy for you to hear, but you must. If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance."

Leia had recovered slightly and said, "Luke, don't talk that way. You have a power I don't understand and could never have."

Luke shook his head slowly. "You're wrong, Leia. In time, you'll learn to use it as I have. The force is strong in my family. My father has it, I have it and…"

Mara held her breath. This could end badly for the poor farm boy if the princess didn't take it well. "…my sister has it."

Leia facial expression changed as if something had just come to her, something she knew all along but it just now truly dawned on her. Luke nodded. "Yes. It's you, Leia."

Her face didn't change as she said, "I know – somehow. I've always know."

Luke surged forward. "Then you know why I have to face him."

Leia leaped up and exclaimed. "NO! Luke, run away – FAR away. If Vader can sense your presents then leave this place. I wish I could go with you."

Luke stood too. "No you don't. You've always been strong."

Mara could sense the siblings' emotions - Luke's relief that Leia had accepted the two proton bombs that he had dropped on her and Leia's fearfulness. The princess's voice broke as she pleaded, "But WHY must you confront him?"

Luke grasped her shoulder gently and said, "Because there is still good in him. I felt it. He won't turn me over to the emperor. I can save him. I can turn him back to the good side. I have to try."

His voice was filled with emotion and the earnestness and compassion in his voice caused Mara's heart to ache for the pour, naïve farm boy. There was no good in that monster. Luke was seeing and feeling what he desperately wanted to see and feel. There was no way in all the hells of Correllia or any other force-forsaken world that she was letting him go; Luke leaned in and kissed his sister on her cheek before heading off into the village. Mara took off in a path parallel to him. After a few minutes, she intercepted him. "Just where do you think you're off to, Luke?"

Luke whipped around. Mara's voice had been gentle enough but the scowl on her face told him that he was in for one hell of an argument. He sighed and said, "I assume you heard every word between me and Leia, then."

Mara crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes I did."

Neither of them said anything until Mara couldn't take it anymore. "Damn it, Luke! You're putting this entire operation at risk by leaving. You know that we need your help here! Instead you're chasing dreams and delusions of saving a monster! Do you have any idea what Vader has done?"

Luke didn't reply, which only seemed to make her angrier. "He slaughtered the Jedi Knights, killed MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of beings and now he's going to take you to the emperor where you will have two choices: join them as another puppet of the dark side or die. Damn it, Luke, the Emperor will probably FORCE you to fight Vader anyway so that he can see who would make a better Sith apprentice. Don't you understand? THAT is what you are walking into!"

Luke straightened and said, "I have to do this. I have to try and save him." "HE CAN'T BE SAVED!"

Luke finally lost his cool, "Then I have to kill them, both of them – not out of hate or anger but for justice. It's my destiny."

Mara sneered at him. "Your destiny! You make your own destiny, Skywalker, just like I did."

Luke didn't reply to that, he simply stiffened his jaw. "Mara, I'm going. I'm surrendering to Vader. Please don't try to stop me."

She just glared at him. After a few minutes of silence, she sighed and leaned against one of the village support columns. "Damn it, Farmboy." She whispered, her eyes glistening with tears. "I only just got to know you and now you're going to die."

Luke smiled gently and walked up to her. Gently, he took her in his strong arms and whispered. "I'm not dead yet, Mara. Don't call the end too early. The future is always in motion, you know."

Mara leaned her head against the side of his neck and sniffed slightly before pulling her head back and looking into his sky blue eyes. "I'm coming with you."

Luke's face went slightly pale and he recoiled. "NO!"

Mara held on tight to him. "Luke, I am going with you. IF you insist on this then so do I."

"Mara…" Luke groaned but she interrupted. "Don't you 'Mara' me, Luke Skywalker. You can't just drop into my life, turn it upside-down and then drop out of it again. I won't let you. If you are going, then I'm going too."

Gazing into the dazzling emerald eyes, Luke sighed in defeat. He'd be better off trying to convince Chewbacca to shave his fur than convince her to stay behind. Even so, he couldn't help one last argument. "I may possibly make it out, but Mara, they will kill you – possibly as soon as they see you."

Mara shook her head. "The emperor will want to see to my execution personally. He told me so himself when I last talked to him."

"Oh that's comforting." Growled Luke. Mara smiled and place a hand on his face. "Let's get this over with, Farmboy. Daddy may decide to leave without you."

That brought a small smile to Luke's face and they headed off into the forest. They didn't talk much, verbally or mentally as they went and it was only a couple of hours before they came to a patrol of Scout Troopers. They had only brought their lightsabers and Mara's sleeve holstered blaster, all of which were quickly confiscated and binders were slapped on their wrists. The biker scouts lead them back to a patrolling AT-AT and used a repulser lift to bring them aboard. Inside were a dozen Stormtroopers and a uniformed Imperial Officer who demanded, "What are your names and where is the strike team you came with?"

Luke shrugged, "We were alone. I'm Luke Skywalker. I demand to see Darth Vader."

The officer's eyes widened. No one EVER demanded to see Darth Vader. After a moment he sneered, "Well you're in luck, Rebel. He's at the landing pad as we speak."

The officer turned to Jade and said, "And what is your name, Rebel?"

Mara lifted her chin proudly and said, "I am Mara Jade."

The officer took mental note and said, "You will both be taken to the garrison where you will see Lord Vader."

The officer then went up front. Luke and Mara looked at each other without speaking. Luke tried to reach her mind but she mentally told him, not now, Farmboy. I need to be alone with my thoughts for a while.

Luke nodded and smiled, trying to convey that he understood. Mara gave a small smile back. After what seemed like an eternity, they came to the landing pad and the walker lined up against the boarding corridor. After just a moment, the walker's hatch hissed open. Luke and Mara were ushered out into the docking corridor and there, coming towards them with heavy strides was none other than Darth Vader. Despite every mental preparation she had made, Mara Jade's blood froze.

Updated May 24, 2016