Author's Note: The last chapter was very on line with how I think Mara viewed her situation with Palpy. Very much a 'battered child' syndrome thing going on.

This is one of my favorite parts of the story, I hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading!

Chapter 9

"This is the personal ship of the Chief of State of the New Republic's husband! Like Kessel I'm going to let you get your grubby hands all over it so you can wreck it!"

"It's already a wreck!"

Leia recognized the first voice as that of her husband, Han. The second voice was unknown to her but she feared for his health after a statement like that. The holler of their Wookiee companion, Chewbacca, only increased her worry, and her step.

Crossing into the landing bay she saw her husband blocking the entryway of his beloved ship. Luke, Chewbacca, and a Noghri guard stood with him. She could see her children peaking out from the top of the ramp. The adults were facing off what looked like two dozen of Latorin's security guards.

"She's not a wreck!"

"She's a hunk of junk," that came from her brother and Han raised his finger at the Jedi as if to rebut the statement, but then shook his head and turned back to the guard

"I don't care what she is," The Latorin was a good head shorter than her husband with dark hair and a thin built, but he somehow managed to stare down Han, "we have orders to search it and you have no legal right to stop us!"

"Maybe no legal rights, but I have a Wookiee and one of those!" Han pointed at the Noghri bodyguard.

The security man visibly flinched but soldiered on, "Then I'll get the pleasure of locking you up and then searching your ship."

"Gentlemen," Leia finally reached the party, her two Noghri bodyguards stalking behind.

The Latorin whirled his head at her, but the furious look on his face quickly paled. "Madam Chief."

Han turned and gave her a lop-sided grin. "Sweetheart."

She placed herself between both men, but addressed the security man. "May I ask what is going on?"

"Captain Geric Notan of Kelve's internal security force," he introduced himself. "I have orders to search the Millennium Falcon for an escaped prisoner."

"Mara Jade," she easily guessed.

"Yes, ma'am," he nodded.

"Under what pretext?" she asked formally.

"You are the only known acquaintances of Jade on planet," Notan stumbled, a wary eye towards Luke. "Master Skywalker's X-Wing is also being searched at this moment."

Luke nodded to him, "Of course."

While Leia found it understandable that the Latorins would wish to search their ships for Jade, what they didn't realize is that Mara wouldn't have come to any of them for help.

Leia turned to her husband. "Why can't they search the Falcon?"

"Because I don't want these paranoid types pulling wires and damaging my ship trying to find something that isn't there!" he waged a finger at Notan.

"We won't damage your ship," Notan grumbled, glaring at Han.

Feeling the need to step closer in between the two men, Leia said, "Captain Notan. My husband is very protective of his ship. He has also made several modifications. Some of which could be harmful to your searchers."

His eyes shot back to her. "Weapons? Chemicals?"

"Faulty wiring."

"Hey!" Han looked hurt and Luke covered his mouth, a definite grin there.

Notan looked back and forth between her and Han and back again, "You're not joking."

"Unfortunately, no," Leia placed a soothing hand on her husband's shoulder even though he was acting rather childish at the moment. "Perhaps Han can accompany you, open access panels, etc. That way you can do your search and my husband will be happy that no harm is done to his ship."

"We normally do not allow civilians in our search," he eyed Han warily.

She took on her most diplomatic stance. "I understand that, but sometimes compromises have to be made."

The captain sighed, "He behaves himself."

"He will," Leia said before her husband could retort, giving him a stern look.

A roguish simile formed on his lips, "I'm always on my best behavior."

With that the captain and his guards followed Han up the ramp as the children came giggling down from their perch at the top. Chewbacca took them off to the side and kept them occupied. Leia wanted to join them but felt a stronger need to speak with her brother.

"You okay?" Leia spoke softly to Luke, avoiding the ears of the five guards that were left outside.

"Yeah," he said as he released a long breath, "just feeling a little drained."

"Why?" Standing closer to him she realized that he did indeed look very tired, as if he hadn't sleep in days.

"I'll tell you about it later," he ran a hand through his hair as if he was trying to shake something off his mind. "What did you find out?"

Leia wanted to push the subject, but thought better of it. "They don't have any more evidence to prove Mara's guilt. So they are going to try to make a charge of accessory stick."

"Mara give them that idea?"

"Yeah." Leia gave her brother a long, thoughtful look. "You want to tell me what she told you when you talked to her?"

He shrugged. "Not much to say."

"Oh?"

"It was a pretty short conversation," he sighed, shaking his head. "Basically it boils down to her finally succumbing to that weight she has been carrying around on her shoulders since she worked for Palpatine."

"She still feels guilty for that?" she said thoughtfully, "Why?"

"I don't really know," Luke looked at her quizzically, "I thought you didn't trust her."

"I don't," she answered and Luke gave her an odd look. "What happened in the past was Palpatine's manipulations, not her own. What she is doing in the present, though, gives me cause to worry."

"This whole Baletan thing," he nodded.

Leia chose her next words carefully, "Palpatine already gave Jade one embedded command that we know of. How do we know that this isn't part of another?"

He looked like he was going to say something, his mouth slightly gapped for a few seconds. "We don't know either way, but right now I'm inclined to believe in her."

"Why?"

"Because that is the only way to help bring a person out the darkness and into the light," he answered softly.

Leia couldn't say anything, memories flooding back to her, so she simply nodded.

Luke glanced over at the guards. "Did they tell you what happened?"

"Yes," Leia shook her head. "Another reason why I'm having trouble trusting her right now."

"Because she lets them take her away only to break out," he said as if he agreed there was something wrong with the situation.

"That," Leia shook her head, trying to figure it out, "and killing the guard."

"What?"

She looked at her brother, genuine puzzlement etched across his brow. "They didn't tell you?"

"No. We got back not long before the security men showed up," his eyes now looked far away.

She hadn't known they had left, "Where did you go?"

"To see Mara," he practically mumbled is words.

"Luke," Leia stepped in front of Luke to get him to meet her eyes, knowing her bother all to well. "What is going on?"

"I'll tell you in a minute." Luke gestured towards the Falcon. A frustrated Notan was being followed off the ship by Han who was rambling something about it not mattering whether or not the hyperdrive motivators where standard.

"You're security personnel, not inspectors!" the Corellian insisted.

"So you keep reminding me, Captain Solo," Notan walked straight to Leia. "Why someone of your stature would find themselves in that death trap I shall never know."

"Hey!" Han complained.

"Nostalgia?" Leia replied.

"Perhaps," Notan said dryly. "Our search turned up no trace of the prisoner. We appreciate your cooperation."

"And we appreciate your patience," Leia smiled diplomatically. She would give Han a piece of her man later about his behavior. It just wasn't like him.

"Thank you, ma'am," Notan turned, dodging Han who was still standing behind him blustering. The captain gestured to his men and they began to file out of the hanger bay.

"Han!" Leia said as soon as the men were gone. "Just what is up with you today? You had that poor man around the bend!"

"That was the idea," Han winked and he started back towards the Falcon.

"Would you tell me what's going on?" Leia caught up with her husband.

"In a minute, princess," Han walked up to two Noghri who were coming down the ramp. "Did they implant any listening devices, beacons, or anything?"

"No, Han clan Solo," one of the guards replied.

"Good," Han turned to Leia and gave her another wink and lop-sided grin. "Now I'll show you what's going on."

Leia followed her husband up the ramp into the ship, Luke, Chewie, and the kids not far behind. They started down one of the corridors when Han suddenly stopped.

"Get that end, Chewie," Han pointed to floor.

The Wookie roared in response and walked over to the other side of the corridor from Han. Both leaned down and hit an almost invisible catch, the floor panel popped open and they slid the panel aside.

"That's what's going on," Han looked down into the hidden smuggling compartment.

Leia followed the Corellian's gaze. "What the Force!"

"It's a long story."

"Not really," Luke corrected from beside her.

"I don't care its length, just as long as someone tells it to me." Leia stared down at the unconscious redhead. "Now!"

…

"Well, um, you see, it's like this," Han paused for a moment, "it's all Luke's fault."

"Oh, thanks Han," Luke retorted.

"Well, it is!" he pointed to the woman, "You knocked her out!"

"And who said let's hide her in the Falcon?"

"Wasn't much else that we could do!"

"Boys!" Leia yelled, tired of their arguing. "Unconscious ex-assassin escapee prisoner in the floor. Focus!"

The kids giggled and Han threw up his hands, "Luke, want to do the honors?"

"We went to talk to Mara," Luke said after taking a slow breath. "On the way there, I could sense that she was no longer in the prison. Instead she was speeding towards the city, alone."

"Only one reason why a prisoner would be alone," Han interjected.

Luke nodded. "So we rushed and intercepted her as she jumped off some kind of cargo transport. The way she was acting, the way her mind and emotions felt, I was sure that she must have just escaped."

"I see," Leia looked back to the unconscious form. "So why is she like that?"

"She was about to get away before we could actually reach her," Luke explained, "I also didn't think she would come with us willingly if we asked. So I forced her to sleep."

"Forced her to sleep?" Leia looked at Luke incredulously. Her brother was a good man but sometimes he did things that seemed wrong on a certain level.

"It's not been easy. She's fighting it pretty hard," he ran his hand through his hair again, shaking something away. "She's also been having terrible nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Leia blurted out. "What of?"

"I can't see them. I could," he said cautiously, "but I'm not going to violate her mind any more then I already have."

"Of course," at least he had some limits still.

"But I can tell you this," he continued, "there is a lot of pain there. Pain, hurt, sorrow, and…"

"And what?" Leia prodded her brother when he paused for too long.

"I don't know. Feels like fear, but not fear. Like she's scared of something, but it's not tangible and neither is the emotion." Luke shook his head. "I'm sorry, I can't explain it."

Leia looked into her brother with the Force. Whatever it was that he was picking up off Mara was affecting him. She must be having some very strong nightmares, or perhaps they were something more then simple dreams?

"Well, sweetheart," Han finally said. "What do you want us to do?"

"Wake her," Leia gestured to Luke. "We can't keep her like this."

The Jedi nodded and took a breath as he closed his eyes. Mara began to stir, her head lulling to one side, her eyes fluttering open, not completely awake. Leia almost said something when Mara jerked. Like a wild animal she skidded across the metal floor of the compartment and pressed her back against wall, her hands reaching for weapons that weren't there.

"Hey there," Han spoke up. "You're safe."

Mara's quick breaths slowed, a confused look on her face. When her eyes fell on Luke her jaw became firm and set. It didn't take the Force to tell that she wasn't too happy with her current situation.

Chewbacca roared and reached down with one of his huge hands. Mara only hesitated slightly before gripping his hand and arm with both of hers. The Wookiee pulled her up out of the compartment and deposited her between Luke and Leia.

The redhead immediately turned to Luke.

"Mara—"

Luke's words were stopped short as the corridor was filled with the resounding crack of Mara's hand stinging across Luke's face. Leia winced at the contact, her brother's cheek already turning a bright shade of red where Mara had slapped him.

"You had no right, Skywalker!" Mara fumed.

If Luke was annoyed or mad he didn't show it. With an even face he said, "I know. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I bet." Mara growled and turned away from him. "Brilliant move bringing me here. Maybe we can all get adjoining cells after they haul us away."

"They've already been here and didn't find you," Han replied, "and you're welcome by the way."

"Welcome for what? I told you all to stay out of this! Now that you've gotten involved—" Mara shook her head fervently and threw up her hands. "Doesn't matter now. What's done is done."

"Care to tell us what happened?" Leia spoke up.

"What's there to tell?" Mara said sarcastically as she turned to face her.

Leia placed her hands on her hips, "You could explain about the guard you killed."

"What?" Mara looked as if she was going to laugh. "They tried to kill me!"

"Woah," Han interjected. "Kill you?"

"Yeah. I got taken to a deserted area of the prison where I was 'to meet an untimely death as I tried a failed escape'." Mara rolled her eyes. "Thank the Force the guards were completely inept."

"Why would they try to kill you?" Leia asked.

"I don't know. Maybe someone thought that with you showing up I might get out of prison legitimately," a smirk ran across her face, then it fell flat, "or maybe someone didn't think a short prison term for accessory was enough punishment."

"You're not suggesting?" the Chief of State could barely voice the possibility.

"All I know is that someone tried to off me in a prison," she began to tick off her fingers, "that means that they would have to had some high rank, authority, or general pull with the locals. They just forgot one little detail."

"What detail?" Luke asked, his cheek still red.

Mara turned to him and gave him a slow grin. "I don't die that easily."

"But killing is a whole other matter," Leia said flatly.

"Hey, I didn't kill any of the guards." Mara quickly defended herself, but then her eyes became worried. "Not on purpose anyway. I only knocked them out. I swear they were all alive when I left the room."

It could have been an accident, and killing the guards out of spite didn't sit with Mara's personality. Then again, Mara had been acting very strange about the whole Baletan dilemma from the beginning. Leia decided to let the matter sit for now till she got the details from Cordan about the escape. "Well, until we figure out what happened, you are to stay here on the Falcon."

"But—"

"No," Leia held up her hand, "if someone is really trying to kill you, then this is the best place for you to be." It was also the best place for them to keep an eye on her.

Mara looked at if she was about to argue, but then sighed. "Fine, but for the record, I told you to stay out of this."

"Noted," Leia replied then watched as Mara started to walk away. "Where are you going?"

"Refresher," The woman called over her shoulder. One of the Noghri disappeared after her, not needing to be told to keep an eye on the woman.

"You believe her?" Han spoke up after Mara was out of earshot.

"I can't detect any deception on her part through the Force," Luke replied, "but I do wonder why anyone would want to kill her after she pretty much handed them a lock-tight case for the prosecution."

"This whole situation hasn't made much sense since the beginning," Han and Chewie slid the floor panel back into place.

"No, it hasn't," Leia turned and headed down the corridor towards the refresher. She wasn't quite done talking to the former Imperial.

Several minutes passed as Leia waited outside for Mara to emerge. When the door finally slid open Leia caught of glimpse of Mara's true state. Her face was damp from having water tossed on it, eyes weak and tired. No smirk was plastered across her lips. She almost looked, sorrowful?

"What?" Mara said as she finally noticed Leia, her face snapping back into its usual sarcasm.

"There's something else you should know," Leia crossed her arms.

Mara acted completely disinterested. "And that would be?"

"A datacard was found in the wreckage of Palpatine's storehouse on Wayland," Leia paused, wanting to make sure she caught the woman's full reaction.

"And?" Now the former assassin was interested.

"It was entitled 'The Emperor's Hand'."

Mara's face paled and her eyes slightly widened. Her next words were slow and spoke through slightly clenched teeth. "What did it say?"

"Don't know yet," Leia answered casually. "Ghent is working on decrypting it right now."

"You can't let him finish the decrypt," Mara practically commanded her.

Leia tilted her head. "Oh, why? What's on it?"

"I… I don't know," she admitted, "but I have a few ideas and you can't let that datacard be decrypted."

"Why not?" Now it was Leia's turn to be commanding.

Mara took a step closer. "Because when word gets out with what's on that datacard, everyone is going to be out for blood. Since they can't have Palpatine's, they'll take mine."

"Wait," Leia almost laughed, this was getting way too incredible. "You let yourself get imprisoned for a crime you supposedly didn't commit, but demand that no one else knows what you've actually done."

"This isn't about me!" Mara yelled.

"Isn't it!" Leia stared the woman down.

"You have no idea," Mara said softly, anger gone from her voice and replaced by… fear? "If this was about me then I'd be the first one there when it's decrypted."

"Why?" Leia asked cautiously.

Mara's jaw tightened, "For the slim chance that Palpatine wrote down just what rock I came from."

Mara never knew her family and Leia felt an amount of empathy since she herself was given up at birth and separated from her twin. "I understand."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Mara scowled and started to walk off.

Leia grabbed her by the arm. "You're not the only person on this ship who would like to know more about where they come from. Luke and I still haven't figured out who our mother is."

Mara pulled from her grip. "Yeah, but at least you were given up for some noble last hope of the galaxy cause. My family was unceremoniously slaughtered just so Palpatine could have a toy to play with."

"You…" Leia stammered for the right thing to say. "You weren't a toy."

"Tell me, Leia," Mara stepped closer, her words soft and sharp, eyes blazing, "have you ever watched the life drain out of a man that you just murdered for no better reason then a voice inside your head told you to?"

Leia stood horrified.

"I didn't think so. But I'm sure Palpatine had a right laugh," the fire in Mara's eyes died away, replaced by infinite sadness. "Have the datacard decrypted. Then you'll see what happens when my blood isn't enough."