Disclaimer: No infringement intended.

Author: Angel Kamiya

Making a Lightsaber

Chapter Ten

After leaving the Palace earlier that night, Mara didn't cause any problems like usual. Maybe it was because she was tired after the long day of training or was afraid of not getting dinner if she misbehaved again. Whatever the reason, Darth Vader was glad that she seemed to be starting to act like a real apprentice. However it still annoyed him so much that the girl rarely paid attention to him. Mara's hair as usual was untidy and if it had been any longer she would have looked even more peculiar. The Sith Lord had decided to go out with her tonight because he wanted to get out of the Palace to avoid Prince Xizor.

"Thank you Darth!" Mara exclaimed, eating the ice cream that he had just bought for her.

"I suppose there is no harm in letting you have a few sweets once in a while."

"More like letting me have a few every decade..." She muttered.

"What was that little girl?" Vader asked, annoyed.

"Oh nothing. Wow there are so many people out tonight!" Mara quickly answered, trying to change the subject.

"Coruscant is rarely quiet."

"Oh.... Hello!" she blurted out seeing someone approach them.

"Lord Vader, it's a surprise to see you out so late." said the robed figure.

"Prince Xizor, I apologize for not remembering to attend the meeting that you had suggested for tonight." Vader lied. The Sith Lord actually had planned to skip the meeting, since he dreaded having to be stuck in an office with someone he disliked for hours. Taking a girl out, even if it was Mara Jade, was at least ten times more interesting to him then another long conversation with the Prince.

"If you're not busy now why don't we start right now... May I ask who is that girl that you are with?" Xizor inquired.

"I'm his smart and cute daughter!" Mara explained, before Vader could reply. "Poppa was very happy with me." Vader didn't understand what she was trying to do at first, but realized what was happening when she took his cape.

"In fact... Darth can't go with you right now since he is taking me out on a panic right about now."

"I see, then we shall have to reschedule for tomorrow." Xizor answered, acting like there was something he still needed to do. Nodding his head the tall man turned and left the two of them alone.

"You should have pretended along with me." Mara answered trying not to laugh.

"Mara don't tell anyone else that you're my daughter again." Vader ordered. "I don't want my reputation any more damaged then it already has been."

"What a rude thing to say to someone who just helped you get out of a boring meeting!"

The two of them saw many interesting sights during their night out. Mara jumped at every bright light that they passed, and tried to talk to any kids that passed by. The Sith Lord had to hold her back when she tried to get away again. Afterwards a brightly lit arcade building caught her attention. Mara had to pull his arm with all of her might just to get him to the entrance.

"Can we go in?" Mara uttered excitedly.

"Games are a waste of time."

"Oh come on!" Mara pleaded pulling him forward. "One game won't kill you."

The little girl saw a gaming stand brightly lit blue, she took his arm again trying to get him to walk faster with her. Taking a few Imperial coins from his pocket, Vader put a few on the counter.

"Hello welcome to.... I can't believe it! Lord Vader! Lord Vader! Can I have your autograph?!" asked the excited teenage girl behind the counter.

"Perhaps afterwards" the Sith Lord replied, annoyed at her reaction.

"Sorry my Lord. To play this game you much take a blaster and shoot these moving Gungan targets." the girl said pointing to the moving targets in the back that were painted to look like aliens with long ears. "If you hit at least three of those things after ten shots then you win a prize!"

"Let me go first!" Mara squealed making a grab for the small black blaster on the counter. Looking at it curiously she moving her fingers until she saw that Vader was reaching over to take it away. The girl try frantically to hold onto the blaster but they both ended up dropped it after a short pulling contest between them. There was a loud bang which was followed by something that smelled like burning.

Darth Vader felt his foot on fire after the smoke cleared and fell to the ground trying not to curse.

"I didn't mean it." Mara answered shocked, rushing over to see what exactly happened.

"This is a dangerous weapon! Even if it's only on the stun setting!" He shouted, still holding his right foot. "Let me handle this, I'm more skilled at combat."

Mara started at him as he got back to his feet with some difficulty. Vader pointed the blaster forward at the targets, aimed, and then fired. The bolt of energy flew at the target but hit several feet from where it was supposed to hit. Surprised that he had missed, Mara tried standing on her tiptoes to get a better look. After a few more shots he had still not hit any of the moving Gungans. Mara wasn't exactly paying attention to where the shots had hit because she was just shocked with finding out that her temporary Master wasn't perfect at everything. It had certainly looked that way ever since she had started being around him. Vader seemed to know how to do everything from piloting, to dueling, to reciting Imperial laws, and he even knew how cook! So this was a little unexpected.

"I don't think you are very good at this." Mara tried whispering to him, as he missed again.

Mara Jade decided to sit down on the ground after she unsuccessfully tried getting him to quit the game. Watching Vader trying to hit the targets was getting so tiresome since he still hadn't beaten the game yet. At first the Sith Lord told her he would try a few more times before stopping but that ended up being a dozen more times! Mara wondered if she might have been better off not bailing Vader out of that meeting that he was supposed to go to..

"Darth we gotta go!" Mara repeated pulling at his cape. Instead of getting his cooperation she slipped and felt to the ground.

"Ow! Are you listening to me?"

"We shall leave soon." He muttered, more to himself then to her.

Mara looked at him in anger. Why did her suddenly so immature? He was the adult and she was a kid so being immature was supposed to be her job. Trying to get his attention again one last time she finally gave up. There was no way she was going to wait all night for him! Ignoring the sounds Mara headed for the exit and then the way back to the Imperial Palace. After several minutes she still hadn't gotten over the fact that he had wasted so much time.

"This is what happens when Darth forgets about me..." Mara sighed, trying to find the communicator that had been given to her a few days before.

Reaching into her pocket she felt that the communicator wasn't there. She had somehow left it at home or something so she couldn't contact him and tell him to hurry. Mara wondered what he was doing at that moment. Probably still losing at that stupid game she thought. Running forward she wondered if he was really serious about her being his apprentice. Maybe he didn't really want her as his student she thought sadly. While thinking she didn't realize she had started crossing the street without looking. There was a loud crash that made her shut her eyes in fear. A moment later after making sure that she was still alive, Mara opened her eyes. Someone had pulled her back before she had taken any more steps into the street full of moving speeders!

"Are you alright?"

Mara burst out crying finally realizing what had almost happened to her. Pushing back her emotions she nodded trying to stop sobbing.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I usually don't cry this much."

One of a few safety lectures that Vader had given her the first day as his apprentice was to watch both sides of the street before crossing without him. Mara had thought that nothing bad could possibly happen to her at the time so she hadn't been paying attention during the speech. Now she was really regretting having done something that stupid.

She saw that the rescuer was the same boy who had talked with her earlier that day. He was holding out his hand to help her back up on her feet.

"Thank you. Why is it that you always seem to be around whenever I'm out with Darth?" she asked, standing back up.

"For some reason I keep bumping into you." he answered.

"What's your name?" Mara asked curiously, taking his hand. "You still haven't told me."

He looked at her suddenly growing quiet. It was though he really didn't want to answer that question.

"Well if you want to keep it a secret or something then I'm going to start calling you Ane." Mara answered, looking at him suspiciously. "Darth's nickname was Ani you know!."

"Okay."

Mara suddenly heard her stomach growling. Embarrassed she took out a few Imperial coins that her master had given her for emergencies.

"Oh I'm soo hungry, let's get something to eat!"

To be continued....