Chapter 10 – All the best Jedi have daddy issues

They painted up your secrets,
And the lies they told to you,
And the least they ever gave you,
Was the most you ever knew,

And you know I see right through you
'cause the world gets in your way.
What's the point in all this screaming?
You're not listening anyway.

Goo Goo Dolls

The saber's hilt was peculiar, but comfortable. It was designed for a woman, and thus was slightly longer and thinner, with an almost organic look.

- Let's start with something simple… your full name.

- Mara Jade to my friends, Darth Pyra to my enemies. Feel free to forget about that first name.

- You're a sith…

- Very perceptive.

- Where is your academy?

- What academy?

- The Sith Academy the Jedi Council has been trying for years to uncover…

- Oh… that academy. No idea. You know, this would go a lot easier if you mixed it up with a little spontaneous violence.

- You're disgusting.

- Thanks, I like you too.

- Then oblige me with some answers. Where. Is. Your. Academy?

- Oh. Did you just use your Anakin Skywalker Voice? Scary… You do a really neat impersonation of your dad. Of course, it's the closest thing to actually being like him.

- Shut up, Luke said menacingly, bringing the blade closer to her neck.

- Am I touching a nerve? Poor little Skywalker… the prince of the galaxy, with the whole world at his feet, and he couldn't care less because his daddy or Obi-Wan didn't hug him when he was growing up.

- You don't know what you're talking about, he warned her.

- You're not exactly difficult to read… You're messed up Skywalker, and sad thing is, you know it. Somewhere deep inside you know you turned out wrong. You tried so hard to be the son your father wanted you to be that you forgot about the [i]man[/i] you were supposed to be. You know what I'm talking about? A man? Somebody who actually cares about what he's fighting for. Somebody who isn't just going through the motions hoping his father will someday notice.

- You're the last person I'd come to for life lessons! He shouted, his voice shaking with rage. You put a gun in a little girl's hand and told her to shoot. You destroyed her life and you didn't even care.

- Destroyed? If anything I helped her create a new life for herself.

- But it's still a life in chains. Maybe they're not chains you can see or touch or feel. But they're still there.

- Oh, grow up Skywalker. Those kids had suffered since the day they were born. Most of them had parents that sold them. You think you could've helped them with a pat on the back and some cheesy comments about how "the Force works in mysterious ways"? That they would've grown up happy and well adjusted in your perfect Jedi organized society? Life doesn't work like that. The world hurts you, you hurt it back. Those kids who were beaten, raped and molested… they would grow up to be criminals, rapists and molesters.

- Some of them… maybe…

- No, not some of them. Most of them. At least we'll give them a purpose, a focus for their rage, a way to deal with what happened to them and a way to turn it into a source of strength. We're giving them the opportunity to take destiny into their own hands. You think because you have a few issues you know what pain is? You have no idea... How could you, growing up in your ivory tower? Your father never you sold in order to get credits for spice, and you never sat up wondering why he picked you and not one of your three brothers, and you never had to feel your own flesh burning because you had to be branded and your master was too cheap to buy a laser, you've never felt that the whole universe conspires to make your life as miserable and as painful as possible so don't you tell me what those kids will be doing in their future because you have no fucking clue!

- So is that it? You're just a victim of circumstances?

- I didn't say that. Maybe I just understand human nature better… Or maybe I'm just rambling to distract your attention, she added.

The lightsaber hilt heated up rapidly, to the brink of burning his flesh. Luke screamed in pain and released it on reflex. The hilt fell on the ground and then it flew in Mara's right hand. She held it up with confidence. It was her turn to look down on the jedi, but instead of lashing out like he expected, she deactivated the lightsaber and strapped it back on her belt. Luke's hands were covered in blisters, as a result of being burned.

- You should get to sleep, she said and turned to leave. There's some bacta ointment in the first aid kit. Rub that on your hands. You should be fine by tomorrow morning.

Luke was confused and wondered why she was acting so eerily civil. Before leaving the room she turned around.

- Don't think I'll forget about this. You won't know when, where or how, but there will be consequences.

She walked out, not looking back, and Luke collapsed on the floor, unsure what to do or think.

AN: Now I think we're getting to the nitty-gritty of it. The next couple of chapters are going to focus on Leia Skywalker. Yes, she's in this too! So if you're only interested in a Mara Jade/Luke Skywalker story, I suggest you skip the next chapters. But I'd rather you didn't, because I'm actually kind of proud of the way I wrote the Leia / Han interactions. Yup, he's in this too. And Chewie, and the droids and even Lando. :)