Luke located a small restaurant within walking distance from the hospital. It was a small Wroonian owned establishment specializing in Coruscanti and Wroona cuisine. A Twi'lek waitress seated them in a quiet corner of the eating establishment handing them two menus.

"Would you like to order drinks first?" the scantily clad blue alien asked.

Luke smiled. "Yes a hot chocolate for me and…" he looked to Mara.

"Caf please."

The Twi'lek left to get them their drinks. Luke sat at the table sneaking nervous glances at Mara while trying to give the impression that he was fascinated by something on the menu. This was like a first date and he was a loss for words. He desperately hoped Mara would be the one to start the conversation.

Either sensing his discomfort or disliking the awkward silence, Mara did speak first. "So, what did you and Mark talk about?"

Luke looked over his menu, his eyes locking on her deep green eyes. "I asked him what his plans were for the future."

Mara put down her menu. "What did he say?"

"He said he wanted to work on the Wild Karrde with you."

Mara looked relieved as she picked up her menu again.

"He also said I was a Di'kut for not asking you out. I didn't know ARC trooper flash-training included Mandalorian expletives."

Mara groaned as she put down the menu. "I knew he would say something embarrassing. I'm going to kill him."

Luke tried to suppress a smile. "He said you were going to kill him."

She shook his head. "He's just lucky he's already in a hospital."

Luke laughed out loud. "That's also what he said."

Mara closed her eyes in frustration. "I guess he knows me too well."

The drinks arrived and Luke ordered a nerfsteak and Mara a Coruscant slider.

"I'm sorry about his behavior." Mara gazed down at her caf. "He doesn't censor his thoughts."

Luke took a sip of his hot chocolate. "I'm glad he didn't. I should have asked you out before this. I think saving my life deserves at least a dinner—or more—in appreciation."

"I think we both owe each other a lot." She put a cube of sugar in her caf and slowly stirred it until dissolved. "I didn't realize how the last command had negatively impacted my quality of life until it was finally gone. It was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders." She took a sip of her drink and winced. She put another scoop of sugar into the cup. "The caf is awful here."

Luke was nervously fiddling with his napkin. He wasn't quite sure if he could follow Han's advice and be completely open with his friend. His brain told him Han was probably right about the direct approach, but Luke's heart told him he was just going to get hurt like he always did when it came to women. But then his bad luck with woman was always because he was following his heart. Maybe it was time to listen to his brain for once when it came to these matters.

"Mara." Luke balled up the napkin and put it on the table so he wouldn't be tempted to twist it nervously. "I just want to clarify something." He took a deep breath. "When I asked you to train with me at the Academy it wasn't just because I thought you would make a great Jedi. I… I was trying to find a way to stay close to you. I like you and I didn't know how to go about… I don't know… I guess what I am trying to say is I would like to get to know you better."

Luke was surprised when he saw Mara smile brightly and he could feel pleasure radiating off of her in the Force.

"Don't tell me; Mark talked you into being direct."

Luke shook his head. "No, it was Han this time." He looked up at her expectantly. "Would you like to see each other again?"

"Yes, I would."

Luke had a goofy smile on his face. "Do you think Mark will be upset? I know he encouraged me to ask you out, but he does seem a bit attached to you."

It was an honest question and Luke hoped the answer would finally nail down what the relationship was between the two.

Mara laughed. "Mark will be thrilled."

This took Luke a back. "Really? You know, for a while I thought he might be interested in you for himself."

"No," Mara laughed. "We've bonded… But he sees me as a sister."

Luke let out a sigh of relief. He wondered if Han felt the same sense of relief when he discovered Luke was Leia's brother.

Their food arrived and they spent the next two hours talking about their early life and what the future might hold. For Luke these were some of the best hours of his life. The only thing he dreaded was hearing Han say, "I told you so!" when he found out how well this date went.

They talked until the waitress came by to notify them that the kitchen would close in a half hour and if they wanted to order desert they needed to do so at this time.

Luke looked at his chrono a bit embarrassed. "I'm sorry for keeping you so late. Do you have a place to stay? I could ask my sister if you can use her guest room."

Mara pulled out a small mobile datapad. "No problem, I had originally reserved a room in case there were no overnight visitors at the hospital. She pushed a few buttons to verify her reservation. "I have a room in the hotel down the street."

Luke handed the waitress a credit chip to cover the dinner and tip. "Can I escort you to your hotel?"

Mara looked like she was going to protest that she didn't need anybody to keep her safe on the streets of Coruscant, but the look quickly disappeared and was replaced with a smile. "I'd like that."

Luke stood and gently pulled out Mara's chair allowing her to stand. He offered her his arm and was thrilled when she accepted.

They walked down the pedestrian walkway of the city. The cool breeze blew her hair around her shoulders like a red-gold halo. Luke was mesmerized by her luxurious hair, intelligent green eyes, her lithe well toned body, everything down to the subtle freckles on her smooth silky skin. She was perfect.

"Well, this is it," Mara said as she stopped in front of the hotel.

"That wasn't a long walk." Luke was disappointed that the evening was going to end. He wanted it to last forever. He was afraid that come morning she would have a change of heart.

"Luke, would you like to come in and talk some more? We can order some desert and hot chocolate."

Despite the nervousness he felt he was able to force the words out of his mouth. "Yes, I would like that very much."

Mara smiled as Luke opened the door for her and then entered the hotel.


The next morning Mara returned to Mark's room. He was finishing a large breakfast. It seemed the Skywalker men had a healthy appetite. When he saw Mara he quickly swallowed his scrambled eggs and gave her a self-satisfied grin. "Look what the Reekcat dragged in. It looks like you had a long night."

"Don't you ever let up?"

"I will when you give me details. How was your evening with the Jedi Knight?" He smirked. "Did he show you the true power of the Force?"

Mara closed her eyes and shook her head. "He was the perfect gentleman. He brought me to dinner and then he went back to my hotel room and…"

"And what?" Mark smirked.

"We talked, he gave me a hug and left."

Mark looked disappointed. "Those are the worst details I've ever heard. I have better details of my date last night."

Mara looked confused. "You had a date?"

Mark grinned smugly. "I convinced the hot looking night nurse that I needed a sponge bath."

Mara covered her eyes with her hand and shook your head. "You can walk to the 'fresher by yourself. Why would she do that?"

"She had a chance to check out the goods of the famous Luke Skywalker. Have you noticed that my chart has me identified as M. Skywalker. I guess she thought the 'M' was a typo."

"Force! Mark, you can't be impersonating Luke, especially to get girls."

"I didn't tell her I was Luke, she assumed it. I just told her I was too weak to walk to the shower."

"I still don't like it, Mark." She sat down in a chair next to the bed. "Luke has a reputation to uphold. You have to promise me you will keep that in mind."

He gave her a contrite look. "Mara, I promise you I won't tarnish your boyfriend's reputation."

If he expected an angry response from Mara, he didn't get it.

"You better remember that. If you are coming to work with me and Karrde, I'll be responsible for your behavior."

A broad smile flashed across the clone's face. "I promise I won't let you down."

"You better not," Mara said while trying to stifle a yawn.

Mark's blue eyes were full of mirth. "It looks like you didn't get any sleep. That must have been a real late night."

"Yes, but just talking," she replied.

Mark smiled. "So you say."

She gave him a questioning look. "Mark, why are you trying to get Luke and me together? Why do you even care?"

He looked at her warmly. "Mara, I already told you I see you as a Mother-figure, even though you prefer the term sister. You have to understand I am the product of Luke's DNA; it was his cells that created me. So technically, he's sort of like my father." He paused for a moment and gazed deeply into Mara's eye. "So to answer your question—what kid in the galaxy doesn't want his mother and father to be together?"

The answer stupefied her. Mark saw her and Luke as his parents? That was absurd... But in a twisted way it made sense. And she could understand his need for a family. Mara grew up without parents, and although she would never admit it, there was always a hole in her heart when it came to her family. It seemed logical that Mark would feel the same way and would want to fill that empty place in his heart also, even if it meant filling that hole with Mara and Luke.


Luke knocked at his sister's apartment door in the morning. Han was the one who answered. "Hey kid, how's it going?"

Luke followed Han into the apartment. Although he knew he was going to get a ribbing from his brother-in-law he couldn't help but have a huge grin on his face. Han immediately noticed Luke's good mood and smirked.

"It looks like somebody took my advice," Han said smugly.

Luke's cheeks heated up, but he denied nothing. "It was great Han. I told Mara I was interested in her and wanted to go out with her."

"And she didn't kill you!" Han gave his brother-in-law a mock look of shock and horror. He circled around the Jedi. "And it looks like she didn't shoot off any important body parts."

A sheepish look crossed Luke's face. "Okay, go ahead and say 'I told you so'."

Han shook his head. "I wouldn't do that to you Luke, if I did, you may not give me any details." He cocked one eyebrow up. "There are details, aren't there?"

Luke blushed. "Of course there are details."

Han gave him a lopsided grin. "Well sit down and tell me."

Luke sat down on the couch and smiled. "Well, I asked her to dinner and we talked."

Han nodded his head. "Good, that's a good start."

Luke smiled encouraged by the older man. "We then went to her hotel room for dessert."

Han slapped his knee. "All right Luke!"

"I had razzleberry pie and she had cloudcake."

Han's smile faded. "That's it? Please tell me you did the deed."

Luke flushed. "It's our first date Han."

Han threw his hands up in the air. "You are really terrible with women."

Luke glared at Han. "And this is coming from the man who married my sister. Unless she wasn't telling me the truth, I believe it took you over a year to even get as far as I did last night."

Han closed his mouth deciding not to comment on anything that would bring on Leia's wrath.

"At least tell me you got a good night kiss."

Luke smiled bashfully. "I got a hug."

"Well, at least you are going in the right direction." Han stood up. "You want some breakfast?"

"No, I just wanted to come over and tell somebody."

Han smiled. "I'm happy for you kid. What about Mark, is he going to be a problem?"

Luke shook his head. "He sees Mara as a sister."

That prompted a bigger grin from the Corellian. "That's always good when your romantic rival turns out to be the brother of the girl."

"I'd thought you'd like that."

"Oh, before I forget… Leia wants to meet with Mark, Mara and you to discuss Mark's future. Nothing bad, just where he will work and live and such. This afternoon is good for us."

"Okay," Luke said. His stomach rumbled. "You know Han, maybe I will have breakfast."

"I knew you'd be hungry," Han grinned. "All that sexual tension gives a guy an appetite."


Mara leaned against the door jam of Mark's hospital room, arms folded, with an impatient look on her face. "The doctor cleared you to leave an hour ago."

Mark looked up from his lunch. "But I was hungry," he mumbled with his mouth full.

She glared at him causing him to eat faster. Finally he finished off the last of the scraps and got up ready to go.

"What's on the schedule for today," he asked.

"We are going to Luke's sister's apartment. Skywalker wanted all of us together to discuss your future. Leia is going to help us establish a new identity for you. This way you don't have to be known as Skywalker's clone the rest of your life."

Mark put his coat on. "What about my looks?"

Mara walked up to him and examined his face closely. "I think if we dye your hair, maybe put in colored contact lenses we can make it so you only have a passing resemblance to Skywalker."

The clone rubbed his chin. "Can I grow a beard?"

Mara rolled her eyes. "Mark, you don't belong to me or Luke or anybody else. If you want to grow a mustache, mutton-chop sideburns and shave your head nobody can stop you."

He ran his hand through his hair. "Do you think I would look good with a shaved head?"

"I don't know. Come on, let's go."

They left the hospital and hailed an airtaxi to the Palace Apartments where Leia and Han resided. Mark stared out the window for the entire trip, mesmerized by the cityscape that stretched from one horizon to the other.

"Should I disguise myself?" Mark wondered out loud.

"No, nobody will think twice about seeing you unless Luke is next to you. They'll just think you're Skywalker." She smirked. "And they'll probably think, 'He's taller in real life than in the holos.'"

They arrived to apartment building and made their way to Leia and Han's quarters. As they stood outside the entrance to their apartment she could feel Mark's nervousness.

"Why are you worried?"

Mark looked startled, "Stay out of my head, Jade." He broke into a smile letting her know he was joking. "I don't know, it's like meeting the whole family."

Mara gave him a reassuring grin. "You'll do fine, just be yourself. No scratch that, don't be yourself. Just don't do anything Skywalker wouldn't do."

"Where's the fun in that."

"And shield!" Mara reminded her friend.

Leia appeared at the door holding a crying baby in her arms. Other than in battle, Mara had never seen the former princess in such a beleaguered state. "Come on in, Jacen is giving me fits today." She said as she rocked him in her arms. "He's colicky."

"Should we come back later?" Mara asked.

"No, Winter is here and will watch the kids. I just thought I would try to calm him down before handing him off to her. I'll be back." Leia disappeared to the rear of the apartment. On her return she called into a room off the hallway. "Luke, Han, they're here."

Han and Luke followed Leia into the main room. Luke dressed in his ubiquitous black outfit and Han with the ever-present drink in his hand.

"Please, sit down," Leia said as she gestured to the couch and chairs in the living area.

Mara and Mark sat next to each other on a large couch. Mara was slightly amused when Luke opted to sit down on the other side of her. She was now flanked by the two look-alikes.

Han grinned. "It's like a Skywalker sandwich."

Luke and Mark looked across Mara at each other and chuckled, but Mara gave Han a severe look. "Can it, Solo."

"We're here to talk about Mark," Leia brought them back on topic. She looked at Mark directly. "We plan to have Ghent, our top slicer, make you a new identity, but we would like to get your input."

"What type of input?"

Leia smiled. "We are going to create a background for you. Home planet, work history and such." Leia pulled out a datapad with list of planets where humans were indigenous. "There are a number of worlds to choose from, but may I suggest Alderaan."

Mark looked confused. "Why Alderaan?"

A sad look crossed Leia's face. "Because it was destroyed during the Rebellion. It would explain any missing personal records and if anybody asks you any probing questions about your home, simply tell them talking about your home planet is too painful."

Mark gave a slight nod. "That's fine."

"That leaves us with the subject of a last name." Leia pushed some buttons on the datapad and started scrolling through it. "I pulled up a list of popular surnames."

"Could I be a Skywalker? We can say we are cousins," Mark said.

Mara scoffed. "Identical cousins, that sounds like a plot to a bad holo-series."

Leia looked at Mark with some consideration. "You're taller than Luke, if we change some other distinguishing features like eye or hair color you could pull off being a relative." She paused for a moment. "Mark being known as a relative to Luke might not be the best idea. He is well known in the galaxy and his celebrity is more of a burden than anything else. Also he has enemies."

Mark sat silently considering his options. "Maybe it's best if I take a less familiar last name. How about Jade?"

"What?" Luke and Mara said simultaneously.

"We can say I'm your brother."

Mara looked at Luke. "What do you think?"

Luke frowned. "It's your name, how do you feel about it?"

"It might work. If he is going to be traveling with me, I wouldn't need to explain my relationship with him as much." She shook her head. "No, people might assume we are married. Mark and Mara Jade. No, pick another name."

Mark looked a little disappointed. "How about Skyrunner?"

Leia made a face and shook her head.

"Skyjogger?" Mark joked.

Han laughed. "How about Skyprancer?"

Luke interrupted the two men. "Come on, be serious."

"Okay, okay," Mark looked up at the ceiling in thought. "How about Tantiss?"

"Where we found you?" Solo asked.

Mark nodded. "What do you think?" He looked at Mara and Luke.

Mara extended her hand. "Pleasure to meet your Mark Tantiss."

Mark smiled. "The pleasure's all mine, Mara."