A/N: At last! An update! I apologize for the wait, but I had a deadline to meet on another project, so now that it's out of the way, I can focus on this story again.
Time for Mara to make a new friend! Wait...Mara doesn't really do the whole friendship thing very well, does she?
Thanks again to my readers, and especially to those who have taken the time to leave a review (you faithful people, you). 3
She felt the hair on her arms lift, felt the prickling on her skin, the shiver that ran up her spine instead of down: It was his presence. It pooled at the base of her neck, buzzed in her mind – white noise. She was used to it. She felt the same sensations when she was near the Emperor, or when his voice was speaking within her mind. Her master's power was so pervasive – and she was so attuned to it – that just stepping foot in the Palace was enough to feel his presence settle over like some dark, fine gauze.
She used to think that only the Emperor had that effect. Now she knew better.
The hulking black figure knelt at her master's feet. The Sith Lord. Supposedly the Emperor's most trusted servant.
Darth Vader.
She knew all about him, of course. Intel had given her a thorough education, and had even gone so far as to warn her about him. Her. The Emperor's Hand. She had met that warning with detached interest. Intel knew what she was capable of. Their chief had personally overseen a great deal of her training. If they thought it wise for her to stay on her toes around the dark lord, she would certainly mind the advice.
But she was not afraid of him. Curious, yes. Vader had been trained by the Emperor in the Sith arts. It was rumored he was second in power only to his master. She was also well aware of the Rule of Two, and that Sith apprentices always tried to overthrow their masters.
She would be on her toes for more than one reason.
"You will serve him as you serve me," the Emperor had told her. "But remember – your allegiance is never in question. He knows that you report to me. Everything he does around you will be carefully orchestrated, because he must hide certain things from his master."
"He is a traitor?" she had asked, disgusted, horrified.
The Emperor had smiled. "Deceit," he answered, "is the way of the Sith. Do not underestimate him."
Now, seeing Vader in person, Mara felt she would never make that mistake. His size alone was impressive, and his presence in the Force was a bright, crackling thing, nearly as compelling as the Emperor's. She closed her eyes and tried to stretch out to him as her master had taught her, to get a better sense of him – but all she felt was darkness, thick and heavy. His intentions were as thoroughly masked as his face, his thoughts and feelings as cloaked as his body.
She was the only witness to this meeting between Vader and the Emperor. The Sith Lord had just arrived from the Mid Rim after a successful campaign against a faction of Jedi who had managed to survive the purges. The Emperor spoke in low tones, no doubt congratulating his apprentice.
She stood in the shadows of the throne room, and waited.
Eventually, the Emperor gestured for Vader to stand, and as he rose, his massive frame sending a long shadow down the marble floor, he turned his head in her direction. Mara figured he had sensed her presence the moment he'd strode into the throne room, and now he was expecting an introduction.
"Come, child," her master commanded. She obeyed immediately, stepping into the pink veil of the twilight that was falling over this side of Coruscant. When she reached the throne, she knelt and kept her head bowed until she was told to rise. In this, she thought, she and Vader were equal. Commander of the Imperial Fleet Vader might be, but they both answered to their master.
"Lord Vader, this girl is at your disposal. She has been trained well. You will not find her abilities lacking."
The casual manner in which the Emperor spoke rankled Mara, but she was not unfamiliar with being sidelined, belittled, ignored. It was a necessary part of her existence. For the Emperor's purposes, she would have no identity beyond what was allowed in private conferences and in the moments of solitude she was given between her lessons, training, and missions.
She had to admit, though, that being given to Lord Vader like so much equipment was more irritating than usual.
This, however – like everything – was a test. Her master was looking at Vader, but she knew that he was seeing her. Searching her out, studying her reaction. Her temper still sometimes got the best of her, but right now, she was determined not to give her weakness away, especially to a man she knew she couldn't trust.
"Mara Jade," Vader said. His voice, deepened by the mechanical rebreather, burrowed into her bones. "I must commend you for your loyal service to the Emperor. I know an obedient mind such as yours will not hesitate to follow my orders as well as you do his."
A threat. A tidy little gauntlet, thrown at her feet. She barely masked a sneer, and, not trusting her ability at the moment to speak with sincerity, gave him a slight bow of acknowledgment.
"She will not disappoint you, Lord Vader," her master said, now gazing on Mara with open approval. "You may go, Mara. Await Lord Vader's orders."
"Yes, Master," she replied. She bowed, and turned smartly to offer Vader a nod of her head and a murmured, "Lord Vader."
As soon as she started walking away, she heard the conversation behind her move on. Her jaw tightened as she mulled over the Emperor's command to be at his apprentice's disposal. Certainly, whatever mission the dark lord was tasked with would be one of importance, and she should feel honored to be serving with someone so highly ranked. But she was used to following only her master's orders. She was used to working alone, making her own plans, forming and executing her missions by herself. And judging by the rumors circulating in the palace, Lord Vader was not the easiest man to work with.
Her pride also hadn't taken well to the manner in which Vader had accepted her so readily as a subordinate. Most of the people she came into contact with dismissed her as a nobody, just another dancer worth nothing outside of a party, but those people didn't anger her. Far from it, she was amused and gratified by their contempt. The senators and bureaucrats all thought they were contributing something meaningful and important to the Empire, when the truth was they were only pawns, useful only so far as they could be manipulated. Mara did not envy them. She did not need nor did she desire their recognition.
But Lord Vader was meaningful. He was Somebody, a large and essential cog in the wheel her master had created. And he had looked down on her like all the Nobodies did. He had treated her as another disposable servant.
He didn't know her, she assured herself. He didn't know who she was. He certainly didn't know what she was capable of, or how special she was to the Emperor.
Intel could go take a flying leap. She wasn't about to back down before Vader.
She ignored the two Imperial Guards who allowed her out of the throne room and stalked down the great hall, her blood already beginning to heat. Soon it would be at full boil, and there was only one thing that would calm her again.
When she reached the sparring rooms, she saw the area was empty of personnel. She flicked the switch on three training droids. As they powered on, she trailed a hand along the numerous weapons lining the wall. She chose a vibroblade, and hefted it with a deep sense of satisfaction at what was to come.
