Chapter Twenty-Five:
When Mara finally exited hyperspace, she had never been so profusely glad to see Yavin IV. Normally she was either indifferent or ready for the fights that more often than not were inevitable.
She opened a hailing channel.
"Yavin VI Watch, this is Mara Jade onboard the Jade's Fire requesting permission to land."
"Acknowledged. Please proceed to the main hangar."
Mara switched off the communications device and expertly piloted her ship to the designated place. She noted the Millennium Falcon, berthed near the far wall. The Jade's Fire touched down whisper soft and Mara blew out a sigh.
She ran through the cool-down sequence, and then noticed the ship across the hangar, which also looked like it had only recently landed. Gathered about it was the Solo family, complete with their three rugrats.
Mara felt a soft touch of affection for the children, as they usually welcomed her without bias. She had to admit they were growing on her.
Mara felt a nudge in the Force, and glanced down to see Kam Solusar waiting for her at the base of her boarding ramp. Mara shut the ship down and made her way out to him. She took a deep breath of the fresh air, grateful to be out of the confines of her yacht.
She loved her ship, yes, but there were also perks to being afoot.
"Kam, how are you?" Mara asked politely.
"I've been better." He lifted his lips in a half-smile. "It's nice to see you."
Mara took a look around. "Where's Skywalker?"
"I don't know." The Jedi answered in clipped tones.
Mara brought her head around. "You don't know?"
"No one does." Kam sighed, rubbing his temples. "He took off in his snub fighter without telling anyone. Even Watch doesn't know when he left, save for what the cameras show."
Mara thinned her lips. "That's not really like him."
"Normally I'd agree; but with all the chaos we've been put through, I can see why he did so."
"Miss Mara!"
The red-head spun on her heel to find two bundles of energy racing her way. Despite herself, Mara grinned at the Solo twins as they wrapped their arms about her middle. She hugged them back briefly.
"Hey you two." She gently punched their shoulders in a show of affection. "How are you treating your parents?"
"Fine." Jaina said.
"We came to surprise Uncle Luke." Jacen looked sad. "Mommy and Daddy thought it would help cheer him up, but he wasn't here when we arrived."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Any ideas on where he may have gone?" Mara glanced at Kam.
"None. Not that we haven't been trying to locate his stubborn self." Kam gritted.
"Mara, it's nice to see you again." Leia greeted as she and Han- who was holding Anakin- approached. "And thank you, for the other night."
Mara understood that they didn't want the children to know the details, but she sure as hell did.
"Kids, why don't you go bug the kitchen staff for a meal while we all chat?" Kam nudged the kids away. "Tell them Master Solusar sent you."
The twins groaned, but Anakin practically leapt from Han's arms, leading the way to the mess hall. Mara shook her head, amused.
"Why don't we retire to Luke's office?" Leia suggested. "Then we can talk in privacy."
Mara didn't like the way she sounded, but allowed the brunette to lead the way. She took in her surroundings, noting the less-than-enthusiastic energy the entire population seemed to exhibit.
She frowned when, after reaching out with the Force, Mara discovered that everyone was a little jumpy and on edge. Yet they all wondered where Master Skywalker was and why he had disappeared… again.
Once the door was locked, Mara rounded on the trio.
"Alright, what is really going on?" She demanded. "I have never seen the Academy this out of sorts."
Leia, Han and Kam traded looks, as if deciding who should talk. Finally Leia settled into Luke's chair. She gestured for Mara to also seat herself, but the red-head crossed her arms.
"I'll stand, thank you." she retorted. "Out with it!"
"Luke has been having… issues since his return from Drionia." Leia began.
Mara's gut twisted, thinking she missed something when she'd attempted to tend to his injuries while in transit back to Coruscant.
"A month ago there was an attack on the Academy, or more specifically, a student. Tavion Parsa was killed." Leia said.
"Killed?" Mara frowned. "Only one student?"
"The attack was by an… animal." Han offered guardedly.
"An animal?" Mara asked skeptically. "And the kid didn't see it coming?"
"No, he didn't until it was right behind him." Kam said defensively. "It was a beast we had never before encountered, and it took us all by surprise."
"And they are all training to be elite Jedi." Mara muttered.
"Before you make judgments, perhaps you should heart the whole story." Leia suggested pointedly.
"Fine." Mara agreed, though something she couldn't quite place was niggling at her.
"Luke was found the next day in the forest, bare as a newborn and injured." Leia continued. "He was thought to also have been attacked by the beast which we later discovered to be a type of canine."
A jolt coursed through Mara at the way Leia said that last word, and a sudden fear arose. Had one of those strange beasts somehow managed to get on board her ship when they hadn't been paying attention? But then, how had it gotten to Yavin IV?
"Cilghal ran testes, talked to witnesses, and gathered data for the next month. And then again almost three days ago, the same creature attacked. On the full moon." Leia paused, searching Mara's gaze for any hint of recognition. She saw some, and went on. "Luke thought he was the source of the issue, and so he took precautions."
"How could Luke be the source?" Mara inquired. "That man would never injure his own students."
"We know that." Han replied. "But the wolf would, and has."
Mara frowned, confused. "I don't understand."
The Solo's shared a look.
"Mara, Luke is… very ill." Leia turned back to the other woman. "Yes, he did attack and kill those students. But it wasn't really him."
Mara blew out an annoyed sigh. "Would you just come out and say it? You are making less and less sense."
"He needs help, that's the crux of the issue here." Kam burst in, not willing to get into another debate about the possibility of werewolves being real. "And to do that, we need to find him."
"I can track him down." Mara assured them. "And I'll kick him into last week for being an idiot."
"Mara…" Leia spoke.
"Just tell me where to begin." Mara cut her off. "If he's sick fine: I'll find him, and we will get him cured."
The three others looked uncomfortable.
"That may not be a simple task. It's nothing we've ever encountered before." Leia said, giving up her explanation.
"Did he leave any clues?" Mara asked.
Leia nodded, producing a piece of flimsi. She handed it hesitantly to Mara, who saw Luke's handwriting on it.
My dearest Leia,
I am sorry I must leave like this, but you all know as well as I do that for me to stay is out of the question. I cannot stand the guilt of already killing two students. I will not sit by and just wait for the next episode… and then claim it 'wasn't really me' when someone else winds up like Tav and Yaul.
Whatever form I take, it is still me, no matter how you try to convince me otherwise. I don't know how to fight this, and until I can either control it or somehow make it go away, I will live alone where I can hurt no one.
I leave Artoo in your care; please treat him well as he is family to me. I love you all, and I will miss you terribly, but this is for the best. I will not continue to be a danger to my Jedi family, or to you.
Give my love to the children, and don't forget to tell them every day how precious they are.
I must go now. I am going to where one Jedi was truly born, and another resurrected. I understand if you hate me for just leaving. I will not hold that against you.
And… if you see Mara, please tell her for me that I've loved her with everything I have for quite some time now. And… I am sorry we will never be able to have a future together.
I love you all dearly,
Luke.
Mara's heart was hammering at her ribcage as she processed Luke's final words. He loved her!
Of course he did. She had realized it for certain when they had caressed each other via the Force during his time in the bacta tank on Coruscant all those weeks ago.
She managed to hold back her tears, but couldn't stop a light sniffle, and she had to clear her throat before she could speak clearly.
"He left Artoo behind?" was all she could think to say. "That means something is very wrong here."
"We don't know what he meant by the Jedi being born and resurrected." Han rubbed his neck.
"'I am going to where one Jedi was born, and another resurrected'." Mara re-read aloud. "Where was it that he became a true Jedi?"
"Well, he came into his own while Han was in carbonite…" Leia said.
Mara shook her head. "He did not mean that. Where did he finalize his title and position as a Jed…" her lips stopped working all of a sudden, and she felt realization sink in.
"What?" Han demanded.
"Endor." Mara breathed. "He proved himself a true Jedi there, and his Sith father shed Darth Vader to become Anakin Skywalker that same day."
"Of course!" Leia smacked the desk. "Why didn't I see it before?"
"Maybe because you're too close to this?" Mara suggested mildly. "It's basic police training: when you have a personal investment in a case, let someone else take the joystick."
Again Han and Leia looked at each other.
"And who would we give this case to?" Han solicited.
"Me." Mara declared. "I will find him and bring him home."
"And why would you be willing to do that?" Kam questioned suspiciously.
"Because he's my best friend, and I owe him my life." Mara retorted. "Are the supplies unloaded?"
"Nearly." Kam replied after looking at his datapad.
"Good. I leave as soon as they finish."
"Mara please be careful, Luke is not himself." Leia warned.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Mara narrowed her eyes.
"I was trying to tell you earlier that…"
A student opened the door at that moment, and then took a step back. "Oh, I am sorry to interrupt, but we have finished unloading the Jade's Fire."
"Thank you Heradi." Kam said as he exited, gesturing for Mara to follow.
Mara's hunting instincts kicked in, and she became all business.
"Is there anything you will need for your journey?" Kam asked.
"No, thank you." Mara said.
They reached her ship, and Mara immediately boarded. Fifteen minutes later, Mara was in travelling down memory lane at the speed of light.
00000
"Why didn't you guys let me warn Mara?" Leia demanded angrily. "She's in grave danger; she should at least have a heads-up."
Kam snickered and shook his head. "Actually, Mara will be just fine. It's Luke I think you should fear for."
Han had to agree. "Mara is one tough woman; she will be fine. Besides, she's smart… she'll figure it out."
"And who knows, maybe this time alone will be good for the pair?" Kam smirked.
"You two are disgusting." Leia snorted irritably. "I can't believe you're playing with her life like this."
"Leia, Mara survived life as the Emperor's Hand." Han reminded his wife. "She will do fine."
"If you're wrong, I'll never let you forget it." Leia snapped.