"What do you think of Chandrila then?"
Mara looked up from the crowded shop window to find Bodhi standing beside her. He'd wandered ahead to see if there was anywhere they could pawn their last blaster. Now Mara had healed, they didn't really need it. At least, not as much as they needed food.
There weren't many places to trade in the city but Bodhi had managed to find a seedy enough alley and knew there'd be someone in its depths who'd take the blaster off their hands. It took him a while to find Mara through all the crowds but he eventually spotted her standing outside an ironmonger's. He stopped beside her but she didn't seem to notice he was there until he spoke, her attention captured by the window display which housed, amongst other things, a set of tiny tin soldiers and an intricate carousel, reflecting the afternoon sunlight as it gently revolved.
"It's alright."
Mara shrugged, half turning away from the gleaming window. She glanced back at the carousel and Bodhi knew she would've liked to admire it a little while longer but Mara moved away from the shop, indicating they should keep going.
"Alright? Just alright?" He scoffed, shaking his head as if fed up with her. "Maker, you're hard to impress."
Mara gave a wry smile, still not completely used to people talking to her like that. Those beneath her rank treated her with respect and those above were always polite and proper. Her entire life had been one long formality; Bodhi didn't have a formal bone in his body.
"I'm not really in the mood for sightseeing." Though she slept well and felt better than she had in weeks, Mara felt weighed down by all that she'd seen. Not even Chandrila, with its rotund glass towers and beautiful, tree-lined streets could set her mind at ease.
The city Hanna reminded her of Aldera, Alderaan's capital and her home. Built on an island in the middle of a large stretch of water, Aldera was bordered by woodlands and rolling green fields. When she had afternoons off from training, Mara and some of the other children would play there. On the other side of the lake, the Triplehorn Mountains loomed ever-watchful over the city. In the morning light, the waters of Aldera's lake shone like silver.
The city itself was made up of flowing white buildings, most of which belonged to the planetary government, but the most beautiful of them all was the royal palace. Mara had spent her whole life inside its walls, in bare but comfortable rooms that the highest ranking soldiers occupied. Every morning, she would be at the princess' side before she woke, then she'd spend the whole day in her shadow. If Leia was studying then Mara would be as well, though with the other children of Aldera and not the royal tutors.
Mara watched as a street performer crafted enormous pink and purple bubbles seemingly out of thin air and let the gentle wind carry them off. Children screamed and laughed as they ran after them. She'd always been between worlds, not quite a commoner but definitely not a royal; simultaneously a part of the household and an outsider. She supposed it didn't matter now, it was all gone. They were all gone. Not just her mother, Queen Breha, Bail, Leia's foster sister Winter, her aunts Tia, Rouge and Celly... People she'd known her whole life, people she'd sworn to protect until the day she died, were gone.
"Don't worry, we won't be staying long."
Bodhi's words swam around Mara's ears in a faint, garbled haze until she was able to bring herself out of her memories.
"Where're we going next?" He hadn't mentioned anything about a plan, the furthest they'd got was going into the city to find something to eat and, hopefully, somewhere to wash. Five days in a prison cell hardly left you smelling like roses. At that moment, Mara would give away a year of her life if it meant she could have a shower.
"What're you asking me for? You're the one with all the plans and schemes." Bodhi watched Mara frown, then look down at the marble road beneath their feet. She was the one with a plan, now she didn't know who she was. Bodhi bit his tongue, wishing he'd learn to think before he spoke. "What do you want to do?" he asked, changing tack. "You've got the galaxy at your feet, Mar. You can go anywhere."
Mara let the nickname settle over her, no one had ever given her one before. "I don't know."
Bodhi slowed his pace, putting a hand to his chest. "Hang on, I just want to savour those words for a moment," he said, closing his eyes with a wistful of expression.
Mara sighed. "Shut it, pilot." She shoved his arm, making him stumble to the side for a few steps before he fell back into rhythm beside her.
They smelt the bakery before they saw it. The warm scent of freshly baked bread and cakes curled through the air, encircling Mara and Bodhi until their stomachs rumbled hopefully. It had been a long time since Mara had eaten anything so wonderful, probably not since her last dinner on Alderaan before they left for the Tatooine on that fateful day. In all his life, Bodhi had eaten such delicacies only a few times. Sweets were a luxury on Jedha, expensive and hard to come across. They both gazed longingly at the brightly coloured mountains of cake in the shop window as they begrudgingly walked by.
"Seriously, we can go wherever you want," Bodhi went on, trying to distract himself from his empty stomach. "Sotoo's old but it's not finished yet. We can go anywhere."
"Don't you want to get back to Yavin 4?"
"I do," he replied quickly, like he'd been caught out. "Eventually."
Mara frowned curiously as she watched him stuff his hands into his jacket pockets. His goggles were back in the ship, she knew if he had them on he'd been fidgeting with them instead.
"But I mean, while we're out here, we might as well explore."
The glistening street split into a crossroads so that they had four directions to choose from. In the centre, a blue and white marble fountain delicately spouted crystal clear water from a complicated, golden musical instrument. Mara slowed her pace so that they came to a stop at the bank of the fountain, unsure which path they should take.
"Two weeks ago, you were desperate to go home," she pointed out, peering down into the water to find numerous gold and silver coins at the bottom, Chandrilan wishes. She resisted the urge to dip her hand in and scoop as many as she could into her pockets.
"But it's not home, is it," Bodhi said, not meaning to sound quite so bitter. "It's a Rebel base."
"What about your friends?" Mara remembered how desperate Bodhi had been to get back to his friends on Yavin 4, the surviving members of his Rogue One team. She remembered because she was the one who'd taken him from them, a guilt that she couldn't wear down. Mara had heard so much about them, this Chirrut and Baze and the others, that she would rather like to meet them, even K-2SO. It was obvious that Bodhi missed them very much, so it was strange that he suddenly wasn't in a hurry to get back.
"They won't miss me." Mara looked like she wanted to argue so Bodhi turned away, not wanting to discuss the matter any further. He sat down on the bank of the fountain only to find that the marble was slightly damp from the water spray. He debated whether to get up or not but quickly decided he couldn't be bothered. "I just... I feel free out here. Don't you?" He half turned away to dip his hand into the water, leaning over as he reached down into the depths to pull out the coins Mara was too polite to collect. "There's no one staring at me. There's no one questioning whose side I'm on. I can go anywhere I like, do anything I want. If I go back to Yavin 4, they won't even let me fly."
Mara felt a pang of guilt. "That's my fault."
Bodhi looked up when her voice suddenly went quiet and saw Mara shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. Her once impassive mask was gone, he'd seen more emotion from her in the last few days than he had in all the time he'd known her, which, to be fair, wasn't that long at all. Still, Bodhi knew that a captain had to be unshakeable, a Royal Guard of Alderaan doubly so. Mara probably wasn't used to letting people know what she really felt. He felt rather honoured to see her as she really was, or at least, what she was beginning to let him see.
"No, no, they were probably never going to," he said, turning to drop the coins back into the fountain. He kept two, one silver and one gold, slipping them over each other again and again with his thumb. "They can't trust me, even after..." He trailed off, not wanting to talk about that either. For a moment, the only sound was the constant rumble of feet all around them and the chink chink chink of the coins.
"Where do you want to go?" Mara asked, sensing she should change the subject. Bodhi looked up at her and began to smile. He leaned forwards, speaking in a hushed voice as if he was sharing a great secret.
"I've heard about planets in the Outer Rims where there are glass deserts." He raised the gold coin and Mara held out her hand so that he could place it in the centre of her palm. "Planets with golden skies and mountains made of rubies." Bodhi shrugged. "They're probably just stories but it'd be nice to find out for certain."
Mara began to smile too, turning the heavy coin over in her hands to find a picture of the Chandrilan Prime Minister on one side and an exotic looking bird on the other. "That sounds wonderful," she said quietly. Mara had also heard stories about far-off planets and their unspeakable beauty but had resigned herself to the fact that she would probably never see them. Now, she supposed she had an opportunity to explore, to act and talk for herself for the first time since she was a child.
"But?" Bodhi could sense the hesitancy in her tone, a heavy weight that made it hard to speak. Mara met his gaze with a sad sort of smile.
"Leia." She woke up that morning with a renewed self-worth. It had taken being caught by slave traders to knock some sense back into her. Maybe she was as stubborn as Bodhi said she was after all, not that she would ever admit it. Losing Alderaan had shaken her, Mara had never been directionless before. For the first time in her life, she didn't have orders, or a plan, or anything to fight for. But the destruction of Alderaan had not been random, she could feel it. A peaceful planet with no obvious alliances would not have been on the Empire's radar. They targeted Leia's planet to get her to talk, to torture her. Leia was still alive. "She's still out there, Bodhi."
He nodded slowly, turning his head to look back at the fountain. The midday sun made the glass mosaics glimmer, casting green and blue squares of light across his face. Perhaps he didn't want their adventure to come to an end either.
"You don't have to take me back. I can find another way." Mara didn't mean it. She didn't want to find anyone else, but even as the words left her mouth, she knew Bodhi would protest.
"Oh, no way. I'm not letting you out of my sight, Captain," he said, beginning to smile.
It was strange to see him without his goggles but somehow he looked younger, more expressive. She didn't know why he wore them, perhaps just for the comfort they provided, although she suspected it was so that he had something to fidget with, and to obscure his face whenever anyone looked at him. Which was a shame, he had a rather lovely face. Bodhi stood up and used the silver coin he still held to point at her.
"You're trouble, you are. Who knows where you'd be without me."
Mara ignored his jibe. She twisted her mouth, feeling guilty about making him travel all that way. "What about your gold skies?" She raised the coin he'd given her, letting the sunlight catch it so that it gleamed like a star between her fingers. Bodhi shrugged, not looking at the coin, just at her.
"Where you go, I go." Those words again. What was once a threat dripping with vehemence was now a coded message that only they knew, a sign that there was no point arguing and that the conversation was over. Mara still didn't know why he wanted to help her, why Bodhi put himself in danger again and again just to help her get home. Then she realised, she didn't have a home anymore, neither of them did.
"Did you find somewhere to sell the blaster?" she asked changing the subject yet again before she did something embarrassing like cry in front of him again. She still couldn't believe that she let him hold her or that Bodhi allowed her to rest against him. Mara had ever been so vulnerable. Bodhi hadn't said a word about it, he hadn't teased or mocked her for showing weakness. He hadn't laughed or told her to be stronger, tougher. Mara couldn't work out if anyone would've been so kind in the same situation, or if it was just Bodhi being Bodhi again.
"They should give us a fair bit for it. It's retro." He placed the silver coin flat on his index finger then rolled it between his knuckles a few times. "We can get some new clothes."
"Thank God, I smell awful," Mara muttered, lifting the bottom of her shirt up to her face. She wrinkled her nose as the acrid stench of a weeks' worth of sweat and grime hit her. Growing up in a palace, you were never dirty, especially if you were supposed to represent the royal family. If Mara ever got so much as a speck of dirt on her clothes, she was immediately rushed off to change and receive a long lecture from one of the Queen's stewards about hygiene and the importance of appearances. Mara quickly learned to keep herself away from anything even remotely unclean, she wasn't used to smelling so bad. "Are there public freshers here?"
"Probably not, these people are a little too high class for that," Bodhi said, trying to ignore Mara's taught, muscled stomach, exposed when she lifted up the front of her shirt. He also tried to ignore the faint scars that crisscrossed her skin but their patterns were branded into his memory with a pang of sympathy. They looked very much like his own. "We'll have to wait until we land somewhere else." He stopped rolling the coin between his fingers and flipped it high into the air where it landed back into the fountain with a faint 'plop'. "We could always take a swim in the ocean," he suggested, inspired by the ripples the coin left in the water.
Mara pulled a face. "No, thanks. I don't fancy being eaten by some enormous fish after all we've been through." She too flipped her coin into the fountain before they began to move again in the direction of the alleyway Bodhi had managed to find. Chandrila was a beautiful planet and Hanna a wonderful, glossy city, but everywhere that people were, there were dark underbellies and Bodhi was a little too good at finding them.
"Shame, could've been very romantic." He chanced being a little cheeky now that he wasn't afraid of Mara in the slightest. Well, he was still a little scared but he knew she would never hurt him. If he was being honest, he thought her terrifying, powerful movements were more than a little bit sexy. "You and me down to our socks, the sounds of the sea in the background..."
"Oh, yes, very romantic." Mara scoffed. "Sand everywhere and poisonous coral."
"I'm worth it."
"You keep thinking that, flyboy."
"Oh, I will, don't you worry about that, Maranellia."
"I told you that in confidence!" Mara shoved him again though not nearly hard enough to actually hurt him. She was trying unsuccessfully not to laugh at Bodhi's extremely unapologetic grin. "Never say that name out loud again for as long as we live."
"Fine, fine."
Bodhi raised his hands in surrender but he was still laughing. Strangely, Mara didn't mind at all.
"I prefer 'flyboy'," he said after a moment. When Mara gave him a confused look, he hunched his shoulders awkwardly. Just because they were comfortable with each other didn't mean that he wasn't sorely embarrassed to talk about his past. "To 'pilot', I mean. 'Pilot' reminds me of, you know, before."
Mara sensed the unease rolling off of him. She still felt awful about what she said to him, Bodhi was just trying to survive like the rest of them. She gave him an unusually soft smile and nodded slightly. "If you promise never to call me Maranellia again, I'll call you whatever you want."
Bodhi found his way back to the dark alley with ease. It was exactly what Mara expected, a long, narrow passage that housed garbage disposal units, protruding air conditioning pipes and a concerning number of sleek, white rats. All life was sacred on Chandrila, so there were also no exterminators. Even though the rats seemed relatively well-kept as they scuttled between the enormous, boxy bins, Mara didn't want to go anywhere near them. She wasn't scared of anything but she didn't fancy being bitten either. She waited outside by the mouth of the alley, keeping lookout whilst Bodhi sauntered into its depths without a care in the world.
He soon disappeared from sight behind one of the rubbish bins but she could still hear whispered voices. Selling weapons wasn't exactly illegal on Chandrila but what with the war and the Empire's ever-tightening fist, there was great fear amongst the Core's citizens and many wanted regulation changes, meaning that anyone caught doing anything even slightly dodgy during the transition period could face enormous fines. Chandrila's deviants had been reduced to back alleys and black market deals. When Bodhi emerged, the blaster he carried had been replaced by a tall stack of credits.
They went back into the market to find some new clothes and when they were done, they headed back to Sotoo, still parked by the edge of the sea. They stood on the wing for a few moments before they went in without saying a word, watching the ocean slowly ebb away from them, rising and falling like the chest of some giant, snoring creature. They went inside, they didn't look back. Bodhi cheered happily to himself when he found his goggles sitting in the pilot's seat where he'd left them, immediately putting them back on top of his head whilst Mara went to put their purchases in the hold. The ship rumbled into life and she heard Bodhi call out to her, warning her that they were about to start moving so she might want to hold onto something.
Mara joined him in the cockpit, settling herself down in the co-pilot's seat with their bag of food sitting on her knees. They were both ravenous after five days in a prison cell. It was a blessing they ate so well on Taanab, Bodhi didn't think he'd have made it otherwise. With what little money they had left after buying some fresh clothes, they went to the nearest market and bought all they could carry since they didn't know where their next meal was coming from. A paper bag filled with chale, mynock strips, dried ioaa, and Tapani air cake in thick slices were just a few of the things they managed to find before they decided they should probably restrain themselves. As Sotoo gently lifted off the ground, Bodhi reached over and stuck his hand inside the bag to grab something to eat.
"Oi, both hands on the wheel, flyboy." Mara tutted, trying to move the bag out of his reach but he'd already grabbed a handful of the salty, dried potato crisps he'd chosen.
"I'm hungry!" he protested, laughing through his mouthful of food.
"I am not dying in a hundred-year-oldd shuttle because you fancied some crisps."
"That would be embarrassing, your reputation would never recover."
"I know you're making fun of me but my reputation would actually never recover."
As Bodhi laughed, they left Chandrila's exquisite atmosphere and joined the stars again. Sotoo lurched forward, pressing them back into their seats then abruptly stalled and started again, making them both grunt as the jolt made their seatbelts tighten around their waists. Bodhi mumbled apology after apology under her breath as his hands flew over the controls, regaining control of the ship. Mara shook her head fondly and tucked into the mynock strips, giving one a tentative sniff before she took a bite. They certainly tasted better than they looked, especially dipped in the strange, purple sauce that came with them. Five strips later, she was glad Bodhi managed to convince her they were a lot nicer than they sounded.
Hours passed and they quickly finished all their food. They both decided they wouldn't change until they'd showered but all Mara could think about was getting out of her awful, grimy clothes. To take their minds off their own smell, they talked the whole time. Bodhi tried convincing Mara to play a game at one point but she wouldn't budge. Despite this, they chatted easily, as if they were old friends. Mara even forgot how much she hated flying after a while. Sotoo couldn't travel long distances or at light speed, so Bodhi had to summon a map of the galaxy in his head and hope they were heading in the direction of the nearest planet.
Their plan was to find somewhere nearby to refuel, hopefully have a wash, and then move on to the next planet and the next until they eventually, slowly made their way back to Yavin 4. Much as she would like to, Mara knew she couldn't take on the Death Star by herself. Well, she wasn't completely on her own, Bodhi would undoubtedly come with her. She didn't think she'd be able to stop him. Just her and Bodhi against the entire Imperial army. The thought made her smile.
Yavin 4 was halfway across the galaxy and they were probably going to be arrested the moment they landed, but it was her only hope of getting to Leia. Thinking about the princess left a cold feeling in the pit of Mara's stomach. She reached up and felt the jagged ends of her hair between her fingertips. It wasn't just fashion, it was culture, one of her last connections to Alderaan. She closed her eyes and imagined what she'd be doing right at that moment if she was home. Leia would be out with her friends, enjoying the city. On nights like that, when Mara knew the princess would be safe, she'd order one of her lieutenants and a few guards to keep an eye on Leia, and she would guard the Queen. Mara's mother would be there too.
Helenia Verbanti was a formidable figure. Taller than average and strong as an ox, she was the most decorated Alderaanian guard in the planet's history. Mara was raised at arm's length. Helenia never hurt or deprived her of anything, but she couldn't remember a time that she ever showed her any comfort either. Growing up, Mara didn't think there was anything unusual about this, until she saw Queen Breha sit little Leia on her lap, playing with her hair as she told her a story.
Mara watched from a distance as the princess giggled, wrapping her arms around Breha's middle and squeezing her tight. She wondered what it might be like to be held like that, to be loved so deeply. Mara didn't doubt that her mother cared about her but seeing the way Breha looked at her daughter, like she was the most perfect, precious, important thing in the galaxy... No one had ever looked at her like that.
When they were on duty, Helenia never spoke a word to Mara unless it was to criticise her, telling her to stand up straighter or to fix her uniform. Mara wasn't afraid of anything apart from her mother. But when Helenia left for her rounds, Queen Breha would turn to Mara and smile. She missed the Queen almost as much as she missed Leia. Breha was so clever. She understood the value of diplomacy and ruled Alderaan with a kind and even hand. So fair and decisive in times of crisis, the citizens of Alderaan loved her. The perfect queen for one of the most important planets in the galaxy. Mara could hardly believe they were all gone.
"You look lovely," Bodhi said suddenly.
Mara looked up from the steering console. She hadn't realised she'd drifted off into her own thoughts.
When Bodhi saw her frown, he nervously gestured towards her. "Your hair, it looks nice."
Mara realised she still had the ends of her hair between her fingers. He must've thought she was worried about how it looked, which she was, definitely, but before Mara could answer, his words finally dawned on her.
"You said 'lovely'."
Kriff. Bodhi kept his eyes on the horizon, trying not to wince. "Yes."
"Then you changed it to 'nice'."
"Yes."
Mara watched Bodhi's fingers tighten around the steering console.
"Why?"
Bodhi shrugged. Mara would know if he was lying, so there was no point trying. It was nice, in a way, that she could read him like a book. He liked the idea of knowing someone so well that words transcended their meaning but it was a little intimidating when he accidentally let something slip that he wished he hadn't.
"I lost my nerve," he said, still not taking his eyes away from the stars. Mara was quiet for a moment. Bodhi thought that might be the end of it but then she asked,
"I make you nervous?"
He risked a glance at her. Mara looked confused. After all this time and all that they'd been through together, she didn't think he had any reason to be frightened of her anymore. She would never hurt him, not in a million years, and they were friends, she didn't like the idea of him being afraid of her. Bodhi smiled to himself, turning back to face the viewscreen.
"Yes, but not in the way you're thinking." Before Mara could ask what he meant, Bodhi flipped a switch on the console that fired up the thrusters, making the shuttle speed up. "This is Sarka." He pointed towards the viewscreen and Mara turned to see a small, murky green planet slowly growing larger and larger in the near distance. Two battered looking moons orbited in a crisscross motion, making the planet look like an atom. "No affiliations, no occupations." Bodhi grinned, pleased with himself for finding somewhere to stop on his first try. "We'll be completely safe here."
"Famous last words." Mara scoffed as she tightened her seatbelt, preparing herself for another of Sotoo's graceless landings.
It took Bodhi a while to find any signs of civilisation. The Sarkans were a reptilian species notable for their wealth. Often over two meters tall with sharp fangs and thick, scaly skin, the Sarkans were a cold-blooded species who preferred the hot open plains near the equator rather than the dense, dark jungles toward the poles of the planet. Sarkans were notorious for their excruciatingly complex protocol rituals. Mara had once watched the Queen practice for her meeting with an ambassador.
It was necessary to begin with a greeting in one of the five major Sarkan languages, all of which were unbelievably complicated. This greeting had to include your life story, an account of all of the battles you'd won, and all of the mates you'd acquired. If a greeting took less than a full hour, the ambassador would either take it as an insult (thinking the greeter considered them unworthy of a proper greeting) or as proof that the greeter was unimportant and could be ignored. Diplomatic greetings could take up to eight hours, then came ritual dances which could take three hours. Those who violated the protocols of the greetings or the dances would be removed from an ambassador's presence, sometimes violently. Mara and Bodhi both agreed it would be best to keep out of their way.
They soared over humid, emerald jungles and swampy marshland that bubbled unnervingly until at last, they came upon rocky but fairly level terrain. An enormous rectangular building soon came into view at the bottom of a broad canyon, painted to camouflage with the terrain. There were no ships outside, nor were there any people. The only sign of life at all was the symbol of the rebellion painted in red on the front door.
Bodhi allowed the shuttle to pause in mid-flight so that they could inspect the base without getting too close. From their bird's-eye view, they couldn't see much of anything, but he'd rather that than being captured again. He tried to recall if anyone had ever mentioned anything about a Rebel base on Sarka. Nothing came to mind but then he wasn't exactly popular. The generals were hardly going to allow the defected Imperial pilot into their meetings.
"Looks deserted," Mara said, peering right over the console to get a better look.
Bodhi hummed in agreement. "There might be a fresher. Maybe even some food." His hand hovered over the steering console, ready to move at her command. "What d'you say, Captain?"
Mara sat back down in her seat. She was fairly certain he was teasing her but even so, she appreciated him using her title. It brought back some of her confidence which had begun to wane the moment she crashed onto Yavin 4. She nodded, it looked safe enough.
Sarka's nearest sun was many millions of miles away, so midday looked more like dusk. As they stepped out onto the ramp, it was almost pitch black. Only the cockpit lights lit their way. Bodhi kept the engines running, just in case. Sarkans weren't violent towards visitors unless offended and they were miles away from any villages, so running into anyone would be unlikely anyway. Still, they felt a little apprehensive as their feet met alien soil. Well, it wasn't soil, the surrounding area was made up of sandy brown rock. The sides of the bowl rose up, punctuated the few desert plants that had managed to push their way through the rock.
The deserted rebel base was set into the side of the canyon. It looked bigger now that they were standing before it, a simple, rectangular building only one storey tall so that it looked more like a warehouse than a sophisticated war base. The front doors were shut and from what they could see through the darkness, the keypad beside it was off. Perhaps the base had no power. Sarka's climate was unbelievably humid, so the air hung close to them like a second, filmy skin. Perfect for the reptilian natives, not so nice for two humans who were already desperately in need of a wash.
Looking at the empty building sent a chill over Mara's skin despite the stuffy air. There was something eerie about it. After hours in a noisy shuttle and the sublime Chandrila, the heat and muted colours here made it feel like she'd stepped into a dream. Beside her, Bodhi licked his lips nervously. Neither of them had moved yet. He wasn't afraid, as such, but there was something instinctual, a gut feeling, that was telling him something was off.
"Come on, then," Mara whispered, putting on a brave face though underneath, she too was a little unnerved by this place. They stepped forward, moving carefully across the uneven ground, worried they might trip in the half-light provided by Sotoo. As they drew closer to the building, the Rebellion's symbol grew more vivid, a smack of colour against a sea of browns and blacks. It brought Bodhi some comfort. Then a sharp whir cut through the silence, the unmistakable sound of a blaster being armed.
"Hands in the air." The sharp, low voice came from their left. Mara and Bodhi both span around, hearts in their mouths. Torchlight blinded them. For a moment, all Mara could see was spots swimming through the air. They blinked against the bright white lights to see two women and one man stood halfway out of the dark, each armed with a blaster pointed right at them. Bodhi slowly raised his hands above his head as the figures stepped closer. "Move away from the shuttle." The woman closest to them took one hand off her weapon, bending her fingers inward in a gesture for them to come closer. They didn't move.
Bodhi eyed the man who stood close to him, straining to see his face through the darkness, but the figures remained in shadow, even as they stepped closer to surround them. He leaned over, whispering by Mara's ear. She didn't look nearly as frightened as he felt as she too raised her hands above her head.
"Mar, what do we do?"
The first woman moved her blaster to point at him. "Quiet!"
"Wait!" The other woman had walked around them and was standing beside Mara. She shone her torch right into Mara's eyes but she barely even blinked. Bodhi could only admire her strength as she stared the woman down. Then the woman lowered her torch. "Look at her arm." She spoke with such a hushed awe that the other figures lowered their weapons slightly. The woman lifted Mara's arm so that the others could see what she'd found. The only reason Mara allowed the woman to touch her was because she moved so gently. Under the brilliant torch beams of these unknown figures, her tattoo shone.
They didn't waste any time. Mara and Bodhi were led away from Sotoo and towards the base. Despite their interest in Mara's tattoo, they were still forced to walk in front with the blasters trained on their backs. It appeared they were prisoners once again. Mara was beginning to get tired of being pushed around but it was just another day for Bodhi. The rebel base, which they now knew was definitely not deserted, only looked more intimidating as they drew closer. The first woman typed in a complicated passcode and the doors shuddered open slowly, the mechanics worn by age. As Bodhi passed, he saw that the Rebels had disguised the keypad to make it look like no one had used it in years.
That is, if they even were Rebels. They recognised Mara's tattoo and the emblem on the door was a giveaway but otherwise, there was no indication that these people could be trusted. Even if they were Rebels, that didn't necessarily mean they were friendly. Memories of Saw Gerrera and the Bor Gullet itched his mind as they were told to move forward into the darkness.
Behind the doors lay a long tunnel with a low ceiling. It was much colder in here, almost clammy, like they were deep underground. The only sound was their footsteps scraping over the rocky floor and the squeal of the doors clamping shut behind them. Mara glanced over her shoulder at the people who'd captured them. They didn't look particularly threatening. If she needed to, she could fight her way out, but something stopped her, a curiosity she'd never known before. They recognised her tattoo, it stopped them from shooting them right there and then. If they were Rebels, what were they doing all the way out here on Sarka? Would they be able to help her find Leia? The only way she'd get any answers was if she stayed quiet and allowed herself to be led further into the base.
The light that greeted them at the other end of the passage was low but just enough to see by. The tunnel opened up into a large hangar. Slim speeder bikes and armoured land speeders lined the walls, all of them camouflaged to match either the rocky terrain or the immense jungles just a few miles south of here. In the centre of the room sat a long engineering station, a flat cabinet to house all the tools and parts the mechanics needed. The hangar was empty apart from one man, grey-haired and olive-skinned, who was sat on top of the cabinet. Mara and Bodhi were ordered to stop and they did as they were told, blinking against the artificial light.
The man didn't say anything. He waited until the Rebels left their prisoners' sides and joined him. Now that they could see their captors properly, they were far less intimidating. One woman was tall and slim, her skin dark and speckled. The other woman and the man looked very similar, they both had the same bright blonde hair and blue eyes. They whispered in hushed voices, pointing first at Bodhi then Mara, and then slightly downward to what she supposed was her tattoo. Then the first woman left the hangar, exiting out of a pair of sliding doors across the room. They were able to catch a glimpse of the glittering green and blue room beyond before the doors slid shut behind her, leaving them with the dark-skinned woman, the young man and this strange, expressionless Rebel with eyes like silver. Their weapons now sat in their holsters much to Bodhi and Mara's relief. At last, the man straightened up, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse and quiet.
"What brings you to Sarka?" He gestured around him vaguely and they knew he really meant 'what the hell are you doing here?'
"We're just passing through," Bodhi said, glancing nervously at the Rebels on either side of the man. "We saw the base and thought there might be supplies."
The man raised his eyebrows. "So you're thieves?"
"Opportunists," Mara cut in, her voice clear and calm, unlike Bodhi who was trying very hard not to panic. The man lazily turned his head to Mara, looking her up and down a few times before he spoke.
"You're the girl with the crest, huh?" Mara resented being called 'girl' but she knew a level-head was the only way they were getting out of this unscathed.
"I'm the Captain of the Alderaanian Royal Guard," she replied instead, though a thin layer of vehemence slipped into her tone. "Who are you?" The man eyed her for a few moments, fairly impressed by her bravery. Then to her surprise, he began to smile.
"General Thess Monnim, at your service." He held out his hand but neither of them moved to shake it. With a sigh, Thess dropped his hand and gestured to the man and woman standing either side of him. "This is Diana and Rejnian. And you," He pointed at Bodhi, his smile growing. "You're Bodhi Rook."
He felt Mara tense beside him. Bodhi's stomach was suddenly in a dozen knots but he tried to stay calm. "Please, I don't want any trouble," he said quickly.
Mara glanced down when she saw his arm rise up like he was trying to protect her. She barely held back a smirk of amusement, though she was touched by the gesture.
"We're just trying to-"
"Trouble?" Thess shook his head, jumping down from his seat. He was shorter than Mara expected, only a couple of inches taller than herself, but no less threatening. "You won't get any of that from me." He put out his hand again, giving Bodhi a genuine smile. "It's an honour to meet you." Mara and Bodhi exchanged a glance. Neither of them could remember the last time someone was actually pleased to see them. Thess' smile still didn't waver. "C'mon, don't look so surprised. You're a war hero, Rook." When Bodhi still didn't take his hand, Thess sighed and moved away from the engineering station, shaking his head. "Come on through, I'll show you around."
Neither Bodhi nor Mara moved. Now that they suddenly guests and not prisoners, the Rebels Diana and Rejnian were much friendlier, though the former seemed a little more reserved. Bodhi was the first to move. Though he still wasn't completely certain they could trust these people, they were Rebels and that counted for something. What's more, they knew who he was but that wasn't really so unusual. Almost everyone on Yavin 4 knew his name, people he'd never even met knew his whole life like they knew their own. No one had ever been pleased to meet him though.
"A war hero, eh?" Mara said under her breath, nudging his elbow as they began to follow Rejnian across the room.
Bodhi looked away, embarrassed. "He's exaggerating."
Mara opened her mouth to counter but they'd reached the sliding doors. The next room was small and crowded. Circular with very little light, the command centre hummed with activity. Much like its counterpart on Yavin 4, the room glowed green from the light of the holoscreens used for reporting Alliance activity. Though, unlike Yavin 4, there were no droids here, only very tired looking people. The various holoprojectors plotted the course of nearby planets and the few Rebel ships that were out amongst the stars. In the centre of the room lay a map. Shaped like an amphitheatre and encircled with hundreds of coordinates, it also displayed incoming messages from whoever was in range.
"I know, pretty basic stuff but it's the best we can do all the way out here," Thess said as he led them through the command centre over to a holoscreen. He typed in a passcode then brought up a map of Sarka. "See here?" He pointed to the northernmost quarter where they were currently stationed. "There's an Imperial base a few miles east. We're going to destroy it."
Bodhi watched with interest as Thess dragged the screen with his fingertips, moving them eastward so that the enemy base came into view. Buried deep in the heart of the forest lay a forgotten temple. It was practically falling apart but a few days ago, a squadron of Imperial soldiers set up base there. The Alliance wasn't sure why the Empire had decided to invade but Sarka was closer to Yavin 4 than they were comfortable with and had sent a large team of Rebels to put an end to whatever they were planning.
"Resources are low and we've already lost a few soldiers to enemy fire," Diana said quietly, glancing up at Thess who nodded slightly. He seemed genuinely upset by this, unlike most generals who couldn't allow themselves to be emotional in a time of crisis.
"They're moving the Death Star." He waved to the bowl-shaped map in the centre of the room. As they watched, a hologram of the planet killer moved slowly across the sky. Where it was headed, they weren't certain, but it couldn't be good. "If we can get any information from the Imperial base, it'll help us." He saw Mara watching the Death Star.
She'd never seen it fully completed, only heard rumours of its enormous size and terrifying brutality. Now she knew first hand just how cruel a machine it was. It looked far more terrifying than she ever could have imagined.
"I'm sorry about Alderaan. I wish we could've done something."
All around them, the Rebels within earshot paused in their work. Mara felt dozens of eyes on her but she couldn't look away from the projection.
Bodhi reached out and brushed his fingertips against the back of her hand, silently making sure that she was alright. He didn't get much of a response, just a small quirk of her lips, but he supposed that was enough and more than could be expected under the circumstances.
"I'm surprised you're here actually," Thess went on. "I thought you'd be with the princess."
"Leia was taken by the Empire. I'm trying to get her back," Mara said quietly.
If Bodhi didn't know her any better, he'd say she was ashamed. Or perhaps it was because he did know her better, better than anyone, that he knew her averted gaze and her hands folded behind her back meant exactly that.
Thess looked away from the holoscreen. "That's why you're all the way out here?" When Mara nodded, he exchanged a glance with Diana, then two more Rebels across the room.
Mara was beginning to grow quite aggravated when he finally said what everyone apart from her apparently knew.
"Captain, someone's already beaten you to it."
Something like dread began to tighten around Mara's stomach. For the first time since the death of Alderaan, she felt genuine fear.
"What?" She tried to not let her voice evade her, trying to stay strong, but her question was a mere whisper.
"We don't get many communications from Yavin 4 but there's talk that the princess was rescued by some kid, a smuggler and a Wookie." Thess laughed, looking to Diana for confirmation. "I thought it was a joke at first."
"Leia's on Yavin 4?" Mara felt sick. She'd been halfway across the galaxy and back to find the princess, and she was on the planet she started on. This had all been a waste of time. She was captured by slave traders, nearly killed, shot at, starved, she lost her hair, she stole, she lied. No, not she. They. Bodhi had been by her side through it all and there was no reward in it for him, nothing that made it worth it, he was just trying to help her. Her heart felt lighter to know that Leia was safe, that was all she'd ever wanted, but relieved as she was, she'd put Bodhi through hell and it had all been for nothing.
"That's what the rumours say. I don't know how true they are but..." Thess went on, perhaps seeing how her face had fallen. He didn't want to get her hopes up, the rumours were just that, rumours, just whispers across the stars. He turned to Bodhi, clapping his hands together to indicate a change in the subject. "Now, is this just a fleeting visit or do you plan on staying?"
"Well, I..." Bodhi looked to Mara to see what she wanted to do. He would quite like to stay for a while. It would be nice to sleep in an actual bed, to shower and to eat warm food. It would be nice to not be confined to a tiny shuttle for a little while. "We haven't really talked about-"
"We could use a man like you, Rook." Thess gestured to Mara, whose gaze still lingered in the hologram of the Death Star. "Plus it couldn't hurt to have one of the famed Alderaanian Guards up our sleeve."
At the sound of her planet's name, Mara looked back, snapping out of her thoughts. She looked like she wanted to say something but changed her mind halfway through. Bodhi wasn't sure what to say either so Thess spoke for them.
"You must be tired. Stay here tonight, get something to eat, and you can leave in the morning if you want."
When Mara still didn't speak, Bodhi knew he'd have to make the decision for them. "Thank you. That's very kind."
Thess sent someone to shut down Sotoo while he led Bodhi and Mara through to where they would be sleeping. They tried to keep track of their path but the base was like a rabbit warren, dimly lit and riddled with tunnels. He led them down three flights of stairs, the air growing colder as they headed deeper into the rock. The base was built over fifty years ago but the Sarkans never finished construction.
After the Empire invaded, they allowed the Alliance access in the hope that they could rid the planet of the Imperial officers and their stormtrooper drones. After the Rebels took possession of the building, the base was arranged according to the needs of its new occupants. The interior walls were clad with sheets of seamed metal, new cavities were drilled, and the original stone floors were reinforced with ferrocrete.
"You can stay here." Thess showed them down a corridor of small rooms. Only the last on the row was empty. He stood aside to let them enter first. The room was tiny, just a few square feet, with no windows and only a dim light, hung from the low ceiling, to see by. There was one bed and little else, just a crate for any possessions that needed tidying away and a feeble looking potted plant, an attempt to brighten the place up. "We haven't got much space but there's a fresher down the hall and more blankets if you need them."
Thess leaned against the doorway, watching his guests as they looked around. Neither Bodhi nor Mara were used to luxury so they didn't mind their sparse temporary home. "Gets pretty cold at night and it rains non-stop but you're welcome to stay as long as you like. We can find another bed, if you want?"
"No, it's fine."
"Don't worry."
Mara and Bodhi answered simultaneously. She looked around at him in surprise and found he was already looking at her, the same shock clear in his expression. They both looked away again, their faces burning with embarrassment. It had felt strange at first, to sleep in the same bed as someone they didn't know. When they weren't strangers anymore, it was less awkward but still strange to Mara, who had never shared a bed with anyone. Now, after weeks in a claustrophobic shuttle with no choice but to be accommodating, neither of them could easily envisage sleeping in different rooms, let alone separate beds.
Thess looked between them with a small, amused smile. "Rook, let me introduce you to a few people." He patted the doorframe then left the room, giving them a moment to get settled.
Bodhi thought about putting his bag down and getting changed when he realised neither of them had any belongings. Their new clothes and what little remained of the food they bought on Chandrila was safe inside Sotoo's hold. They must look so bizarre to these Rebels in their spotless uniforms, surrounded my sleek machinery, just a couple of dirty, scrappy travellers with no possessions and no plan, looking like they just fell out of the sky.
Bodhi watched Mara explore their little room, searching every corner closely. Perhaps she was looking for any cameras or bugs the Rebels might have installed. She knew they had no reason to distrust these people but old habits were hard to shake. She turned around, seemingly happy that they weren't being spied on. It was strange to be left alone again. They'd spent so much time by themselves, to be suddenly thrust into the midst of another Rebel base and then left alone made it feel like they were meeting all over again. The silence was unnerving but then Bodhi gave her a weak smile and she felt a little better. Nothing had changed, it was still her and Bodhi. He nodded towards the door.
"You coming?"
Mara shook her head. "I'll catch up," she said, giving him a weak smile. It was incredibly false but if Bodhi knew something was wrong, which he probably did, he didn't say anything. He followed after Thess but looked back at her just before the door closed and gave her a small smile. She didn't have time to return it before the door slid shut.
Thess guided Bodhi back the way they came, showing him where the freshers were on their way past. They travelled back up the stairs but instead of going right to the top, back to the command centre, they stayed on the floor below. Immediately off the stairwell was a large room filled with tables and chairs. A small kitchen laid off at the far end. It was a refectory, dark and foreboding, but the smell of freshly cooked food made it seem much more welcoming. It was late, so there weren't many Rebels around apart from those who'd just got back from a mission. Thess led Bodhi over to a table by the door occupied by Rejnian, the smiley man who captured them outside, and another man.
"Rook, you've already met Rej." At the sound of his name, the Rebel looked up and smiled. "And this is-" Before Thess could introduce him to the other man, he turned around and Bodhi was shocked to find he recognised him.
"Deffan?" The young pilot Bodhi met on Yavin 4. When he saw Bodhi, his face immediately split into a grin.
"Rook! Good to see you!" He pushed back his chair and grabbed Bodhi's hand, shaking it so vigorously that his feet almost left the ground.
Bodhi couldn't help laughing, it was good to see a friendly face after weeks of fear and hiding.
"You two know each other?" Thess asked, raising an amused eyebrow at them. It was so quiet in the refectory that Deffan's eager greeting had sent a shockwave through the few remaining Rebels, making them jolt out of their sleepy haze.
"We met on Yavin 4," Bodhi explained.
"Until you vanished." Deffan shook his head. "What happened to you? The whole base was in chaos."
Bodhi nervously glanced at Thess, worried about what he might think of him. Thankfully, another Rebel had just come through the refectory's double doors and was relaying a message, so Thess wasn't really listening. "I was, erm..." How could he explain what had happened? It was a long story, one they certainly didn't have time for now. Bodhi still wasn't sure he could trust Thess, as friendly as he was, and then there was the other part of him, small but loud, that didn't want to share all that he and Mara had been through. It was personal, something that was just theirs.
"Thank you, Lina," Thess said, then turned to the men at the table. "Rook, can I leave you with Deffan for a few moments?" When Bodhi nodded, Thess left with the messenger.
It wasn't until the doors shut behind him that Bodhi felt comfortable enough to sit down and share his story. "The woman who came down in the lifepod," he said, speaking just loud enough so that only Deffan and Rejnian could hear him. "She's Princess Leia's guard. She asked me to take her back to Alderaan."
"She's here too?" Deffan had only seen Mara when she was pulled from the wreckage of her escape pod. She was unconscious then, and bloody and bruised beyond belief. If he saw her now, he probably wouldn't recognise her.
"You think you could introduce us properly?" Rejnian asked, making both Bodhi and Deffan look around at him incredulously. When Deffan shot him an exasperated look, he raised his arms in an exaggerated shrug. "What? A hot captain turns up and I'm not even allowed to talk to her?"
Deffan scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, like you'd have a shot." Rejnian pretended to be offended. Then he saw the surprised look on Bodhi's face and put a hand on his chest.
"Oh, sorry, are you and her..?"
"No, no." Bodhi shook his head, trying not to let his face grow red at the thought. He supposed it might look that way, it was just him and Mara in that tiny shuttle and now they were sharing a room. He probably would've made the same assumption.
"Sorry about Rej," Deffan said, rolling his eyes as he turned back to his food. "He shoots better than he thinks."
"C'mon, you gotta admit, she's a work of art," Rejnian went on, making Bodhi's face heat up all over again.
"That's beautiful, Rej. You should tell her that."
"No way, she also scares the hell out of me."
At that, Deffan laughed but Bodhi was still so mortified by the whole conversation that he could barely manage a smile.
"C'mon, Bodhi," Deffan nudged his arm. "Put him out of his misery. Do you think she's pretty?"
"And I mean pretty."
Bodhi looked down at his hands folded on the table top, shaking his head. He was embarrassed by their questions but it felt good, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so comfortable around other people. He thought about his friends on Jedha, how they all used to tease each other relentlessly, especially about girls. Bodhi thought about Mara, about her strong, scarred body, her dark eyes and her crooked smile. She was so clever and braver than anyone he'd ever met. He'd do anything for her.
"I think she's beautiful."
Mara froze in the doorway. When she left their room to find Bodhi, she caught Thess heading up the stairs. He was in a hurry but he told her that Bodhi was with some friends in the refectory and he showed her where to go. When she saw them laughing through the glass window of the refectory door, she almost didn't want to interrupt. Bodhi looked so happy, it was nice to just stay and watch him for a while. When she heard them mention her name, she blushed to hear that Rej liked the look of her. She never would've expected… Bodhi thought she… He thought she was…
She turned and fled back down the winding staircase to their room. Mara paced back and forth across the floor. There was barely enough room to take more than four strides and after a while, she began to feel a little dizzy, but it paled in comparison to the way her heart was somersaulting in her chest. Bodhi thought she was beautiful. No one had ever even looked at her twice let alone liked her. She supposed she thought he was beautiful too. She felt ridiculous for even entertaining the idea but the more she thought about it, the more she thought about him, the less she cared. She'd put her life at risk to protect him more times than she could count and in return, he'd shown her nothing but kindness. Did she care for Bodhi?
But then a trickle of doubt seeped into her mind. There might not be an Alderaan anymore but she was still a Royal Guard and Royal Guards did not fall for people. Mara stopped pacing and slowly sank down onto their uncomfortable new bed. Realisation washed over her like cold water. Her whole life had been dedicated to one person and now she was gone. She knew Leia was still alive, she would never stop trying to get her back, but there was something else, something new. Mara had seen that there was more to life, to her life. And now there was someone else.
Bodhi. She really had no idea what she was doing. Mara had never felt this way about anyone. And it was terrifying but exciting? She didn't know what she was feeling but she knew it was good. It was better than good. But Mara had spent her whole life focused on one person. What if what she was feeling for Bodhi was just her replacing Leia?
Mara looked around the empty room, suddenly feeling more alone than ever. Where was her mother to tell her what to do? Where was the Queen to comfort her? Where was Leia, the one true constant in her life? Mara subconsciously reached up and brushed her fingers over her tattoo. Her family were gone but Leia might not be. She knew what she had to do.
When Mara never joined him, Bodhi began to worry. He left his new friends in the refectory and wandered up to the command centre to see if she was there but no one had seen her, so he travelled back down the twisting staircase to their room. He typed in the passcode Thess had given them and was relieved to find Mara safe and sound inside when the doors swished open.
"Hey, Thess said there's a group of Rebels on their way back so they're gonna eat soon. He was wondering if you..." He stopped when he saw Mara putting her jacket on. She didn't turn to look at him but he could see that she hadn't showered or changed. She hadn't settled at all. "What're you doing?" he whispered, hating his voice for evading him.
Mara sighed, pulling her hair up as best she could now that it was so short. "Bodhi..." she began, but he interrupted her.
"No, Mara, this is ridiculous. When are you going to stop?" He stepped into the room, waiting until the door had shut behind him so that they could talk privately. "What's your plan? You don't know for certain that she's on Yavin 4. What're you gonna do if you don't find her? Just keep crashing around the galaxy?"
"Bodhi, please..." Mara knew it was stupid, she knew it was a ridiculous risk to take, but she'd made up her mind. If Bodhi wouldn't take her back to Yavin 4 then she would find somebody else to do it. If no one on the base would help her then she'd find the nearest Sarkan village. She didn't have a plan, she didn't know what her next move was, all she knew was that she couldn't stay here any longer. She didn't want to leave Bodhi but the princess might be just a few planets away and she'd come so far, she couldn't stop now.
"What if she's still a prisoner? You can't fight the Empire all by yourself."
"I know."
"So what're you going to do?"
"I-"
"What're you going to do, Mara?"
She wheeled around, her voice rising so suddenly that it felt like a slap in the face. "I don't know!" Silence fell between them, uncomfortable and heavy. "I don't know, Bodhi! But what's the alternative? Just sit here and forget about her? What do I do then?"
Bodhi was so surprised by her outburst, for a moment, he forgot how to speak. "Mara-" He took a step towards her and Mara took another herself, closing the distance between them. He wasn't frightened of her, he knew she would never hurt him, but even so, Bodhi couldn't ignore the nervous skip his heart gave. Mara was powerful, possibly even stronger than he knew, and she'd been through so much, getting him out of her way would be like swatting a fly.
"No, seriously, what do you suggest I do?" Mara shook her head, her arms out wide. "What do I do?"
Bodhi wanted to respond, he wanted to help her, but to his great shame, all that he managed were a few mismatched syllables. "I don't... Mara, I-" She took another step closer and now he could see that her eyes were starting to shine.
"Every second of my life from the moment I was born has been spent protecting the Royal Family and now there is no Royal Family! So what am I good for?" She struck her chest hard, making Bodhi flinch. Her voice shook but Mara didn't care. The only person in the whole galaxy who she trusted was telling her that it was pointless to keep going and that hurt, that hurt a lot. "Oh, no, wait. There is someone left but I can't find her. If I'm not protecting Leia then I'm not a Royal Guard and if I'm not a Royal Guard then what am I? What's the point of me?"
He watched her shoulders sink, all the fight suddenly leaving her. Without her anger and her determination, she looked so frightened. He'd never seen her like this before, not even when they learned about Alderaan. All that ferocity that had got them across the galaxy had finally run out and Mara was so, so tired.
"I don't even have a planet anymore. They took it from me like they took Leia. She is all that's left of Alderaan. She is all that's left of everything I know. If I don't have Leia then I'm just... Nothing. I'm nothing." Mara swallowed but her throat felt so tight, she could hardly breathe. A few tears managed to escape and she angrily brushed them away, embarrassed to look so weak.
With his heart in his mouth, Bodhi took a few steps closer. He wanted to reach out to her, to tell her that she wasn't nothing, not to him. But words failed him. The door to their room slid open, making them both jump, and a young man stepped in.
"Dinner's ready," he said brightly, missing the way Bodhi took an awkward step back and Mara turned away so that he couldn't see her face. The tension was overwhelming.
"We'll just be a minute." Bodhi thanked the man whose name he'd yet to learn. He stood awkwardly in the doorway for a moment, his gaze switching between Mara's gritted teeth and Bodhi's anxious expression, before he decided he better leave them to it. The moment the door slid shut, Bodhi let a long sigh. "Mara…"
"It's fine." She didn't look at him. Mara gazed down at the bed covers, barely moving, then she suddenly straightened up.
To Bodhi's dismay, her expressionless mask was back in place.
"Come on, or there won't be any food left." She walked to the door, forgetting in her hurry that neither of them had had the chance to shower or get changed. Mara wasn't thinking about much of anything apart from getting out of that room as fast as possible.
Bodhi didn't want to leave it like this, he didn't want Mara to shut him out again, but she was already halfway out the door. "Mara-"
"I said it's fine, Bodhi."
He shut his mouth, watching sadly as Mara left without looking back.