The Ship – Chapter 26

By Ash Darklighter

Disclaimer: The characters and situations used in this story are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. I am making no credits from this, Imperial or Republican. My thanks to the girls as always for advice and corrections.

"Luke, spawn of Vader, would you open those damn blue eyes of yours!"

He heard the voice – it was Mara's and she didn't sound too happy.

"He's coming 'round."

That voice was excited and Luke struggled to identify it. He wanted to sink back into his dream and not face reality; in his own reality he really hurt. Then he remembered Wedge saying once that hurting was just another way of letting you know that you were still alive. He tried to chuckle but found that his lips would not co-operate. It did sound like something the Corellian would say. He hadn't seen Wedge in a long, long time.

"About time, too."

Mara, again – he would recognise her voice anywhere, even if she did sound annoyed with him. What had he done to upset her this time? He had no idea. Luke blinked in an attempt to clear what felt like half of Tatooine from his eyes. "Mara?" His vocal cords felt dry and unused, as his voice emerged reluctantly. Other sensations returned quickly – too quickly. He felt the ground beneath him, stones digging into his aching body. The sharp, acrid smell of smoke insinuated itself into his nostrils and made his eyes sting painfully. Yeah, he was definitely in the land of the living and, by the Force, he hurt… Everywhere.

He felt something soft graze his cheek in a gentle caress, making his flesh tingle and then a damp cloth covered the same territory. Luke knew he preferred the first option as it had been Mara's hand. Mara touching him in any way was something he desired.

"Skywalker."

The voice was now darkly threatening and Luke blinked open his eyes properly. "Mara," he said again trying to locate her presence. Her voice had come from above him.

"Come on, lad." It was Lek's voice gently encouraging him.

"Don't humour him," Mara's voice rebuked sharply. "Skywalker, it's not bed time and I'm not your personal pillow." She picked up the Force stone from the ground beside her where it had slipped from Luke's open hand. With a small start of surprise she felt it pulse in her grasp and quickly she pocketed it.

Luke felt irritation run through him, but whether it was his or hers was difficult to say. He concentrated hard and opened his eyes. The light was bright at first until his eyes became accustomed to it. The first things he saw were the green eyes of Mara Jade, the woman with whom he was in love, with whom he had always been in love. He could not help the feeling and he was not entirely sure what she felt for him. He knew that she felt something for him. Their relationship had never been one of tepid indifference. He always seemed to pick up her emotions, whether happy or sad, blazingly furious or wickedly mischievous. She could be all of these things. Right this minute she was not happy. His head was pillowed on her lap - that could have something to do with it.

"I'm sorry," he apologised and sat up… or tried to. His mission was to make her happy – that much he knew. His head swam and his face turned green.

"Easy, son." Lek eased him off Mara's lap and Luke was violently sick into a convenient hole next to him in the ground. A flask of water was thrust under his nose and the beleaguered Jedi drank gratefully.

"Easy there," Malyre murmured. "Don't gulp down the water; you'll just make yourself sick again."

"I'm fine," he said quietly, trying to dispel the foul taste of his own vomit from his mouth as they helped him prop himself up. Luke tried to quell the continuing nausea induced by the herd of banthas as they jumped up and down on his stomach. "I'm fine… honest." The banthas were one thing; the rancor rattling and roaring in his head was not so good either, but he didn't want to worry Mara.

"Yeah, right."

Mara's voice was sardonic, but when he turned wary blue eyes in her direction, she avoided his gaze. Her eyes were red and her face white under its accumulated dirt and then Luke understood why she was so upset - she was worried about him.

"We need to get him to a medic," Lek said. "I don't like the look of those burns."

"He's got a cracked bone in his ankle and a couple of ribs, too," Mara mumbled. "Plus a concussion. He'll need to go visit the bacta."

"No!" Luke protested. "I'm not going in the tank. I'm fine." He really hated the claustrophobic feeling in those tanks and the sickly taste of the bacta that stayed in his mouth for days. He was getting too old to be dunked in the bacta tank with such frequency.

Mara picked up on his last thought. "Whose fault is it that they're dunked in bacta so often?" She glared laser bolts at him. "And that's not what you told me earlier – you said you would probably need to go in some bacta. Don't argue. You're going to the nearest decent medicentre and I'll find their biggest bacta tank. If you don't go quietly, I'll put you in personally."

She would do it, too. "You coming in with me?"

"No," she snapped. "Thanks to you, I've only got surface cuts and bruises."

Her voice and manner was a little distant but as Luke stretched out with the Force he picked up on her mingled worry and relief. He had been correct. "I'm sorry, Mara, but you needn't sound so annoyed about it."

"'Annoyed about it,'" she echoed, stupefied. "I'm not annoyed about that." Mara could have shaken him, but he listed weakly to one side, with his face the most unbecoming colour Mara had ever seen on him. "What on Coruscant are you sorry for?" she asked.

"I didn't mean to cause you…" Was he right? He felt so confused. "I… I can't seem to move," he whispered. "I don't think anything's seriously wrong but my body's decided to give up for today."

Mara leant over him and assessed his condition. He looked exhausted, the pain visible in the cloudy blue eyes and the hint of tension straining his well-shaped lips. She sent him a little of her Force strength and saw him relax just a bit. This whole adventure had taken its physical and emotional toll on the Jedi Master.

Forrell bustled up to them. "The medical team is here and we've taken the other men in for a little routine questioning - might only take a day or two and then we'll let them go." He grinned, his little round face glinting with merriment.

Lek shook his grizzled head. "Only you, Forrell, could get excited by questioning minor criminals. Are you allowed to do that?"

"Sure, what's the point of achieving my position in Zathoq Security Services if you can't tighten a few bolts now and then? They may have information security would find helpful." He waggled his head from side to side. "It gets them out of the way. I don't think Barancz wants to be around them for a while. However, I do want a word with that young man." He trotted off in Barancz's direction.

"You have a couple of nasty burns yourself, Mara." Malyre pointed to a vicious looking red weal on her arm. "That looks painful."

"Have I?" she said. "I didn't notice." Her whole attention was focused totally on Luke to the exclusion of all others.

"Here are the medics," Lek said quietly and helped Mara to her feet. The old man wondered what she would say if she could see herself? He hadn't seen an attachment so strong between two people in a long time.

Luke sat with his head lowered. He looked so forlorn and alone and Mara frowned at the sight. Luke always seemed to shroud himself with this air of loneliness and Mara recognised how much she hated him being alone. She moved closer to the Jedi and placed her hand upon his shoulder. "Luke – time to go. You need to see a doctor."

"I'm fine," he repeated again.

Mara sighed. "He needs to go," she whispered to Lek. "The audio chip has stuck and is repeating itself."

"Take Luke to the medicentre, please."

"I'm not going." Luke's voice was flat.

Mara's eyes narrowed. "Oh, yes, you are," she said firmly, with a 'do what you're told' expression on her lovely face.

For a moment he glared at her, his face truculent, but she held his eyes refusing to give ground. "Okay, I'll go," he capitulated easily. Luke lifted his head and gave a cautious nod whereupon the medics helped him onto a stretcher and carried him away.

"Oh, stars, he's agreeing far too quickly. This means he's really not well. I hate it when this happens to him," she whispered to Lek. "Can I go with him?"

The old man nodded. "Come on, you need to get that burn looked at too, Mara. You can get it done at the medicentre."

Mara smiled at him with relief.

"He doesn't seem the type to be difficult, does your Luke."

"You wouldn't think it, would you," Mara agreed musingly. "And he's not my Luke."

"If you say so."

***********************************************

The main Zathoq City Medicentre was a surprisingly modern building. It rose out of the jumbled sprawl of run-down spaceport city buildings like a white curved spiral. Mara stared, impressed, despite herself and allowed medics to cart Luke off on his stretcher while her own minor cuts and bruises were attended to.

She sat on a repulsor bed while the medic finished tending to the nasty burn she had on her arm. Her lips tightened as her wound was treated and a dressing applied, but Lek could tell that despite being in some pain she wanted to be with the young Jedi. "I need to see Luke," she insisted to Lek and Malyre.

"He'll be well-treated here. Don't worry," Malyre chortled.

The medic moved to a computer console and checked. "Jedi Skywalker is being prepped for bacta immersion," he said. "It will be a while before you can see him."

"I want to see him now," Mara's voice began to rise.

"Medic Gianosi is right, Mara," Lek intervened before things got ugly. He recognised the determination shining in her eyes and sought to appease her. "Luke will be under sedation for some while. You can do nothing more for him just now."

"I can be with him. That is enough."

Lek hid his grin. He didn't think she would appreciate it just at this moment. He thought she had it bad for the young man but if he suggested such a thing she'd probably cut his throat with her lightsaber. "You should go back to your ship and rest. I will have my chef at the tapcaf prepare you a meal…"

"I would ignore that last part," muttered Malyre. "You'd be back in here quicker than travelling by hyperspace, but in the critical ward. Don't eat anything that chef prepares. He's got to be on someone's wanted list and that's not for his cooking."

Lek sniffed with annoyance. "There's nothing wrong…!" he began and then calmed himself. "What do you want to do, Mara?"

"I'll go back and have a shower and change my clothes," she decided. "Then, I'm coming back and nothing will stop me from seeing Luke… is that clear? I don't care whether he's in surgery or in a bacta tank. I will see him."

"Your little droid is with him," Malyre said with a toothy grin.

"Artoo?" Mara had forgotten about Luke's faithful astromech. "I should have known. At least one of us is with him."

"He seemed most concerned," the Selonian remarked with surprise. "Very strange for a droid to be so concerned with his master."

"You don't know Luke well enough; if you did you would see that it's commonplace."

****************************************

Artoo remained within whistling distance of his master as Luke was treated, stripped to his under-shorts, cleaned and prepared for immersion in the bacta tank. He sat waiting, his mind numb and his body aching. He had too many things to think about, but couldn't do it just yet. He'd tried to put himself into a healing trance - he needed to do that - but his own mind's disquiet gave him little time for peace.

"Artoo," he murmured faintly. "Could you see if Mara's okay?"

The little droid gave several sharp toots and beeps indicating that he was remaining right where he was.

"But I'd like you…"

Artoo interrupted with a defiant cascade of electronic sound. Mara Jade would want him to stay with his master and that was what he was going to do. He moved and extended one of his arms into a computer socket. Mara had been treated and was discharged in the company of Lek and Malyre. His master was to obey the medics and rest.

"You're supposed to obey my commands," Luke whined a little.

Artoo Detoo laughed and ignored him.

"Remind me to have your memory wiped when we get home."

Artoo blew a raspberry.

"Jedi Skywalker?" The medic and his assistants surrounded the increasingly groggy man. "We are ready for you now."

Luke gave a careful nod. His head was really hurting now, the rancor in his skull increasing in ferocity. His cloudy blue eyes were heavy with pain as he was helped from his remaining clothes and fitted with his breathing mask. When the hypospray hissed against his neck there was no disguising the relief in Luke's face as he slid into unconsciousness and was placed in the bacta tank.

Artoo rolled forward and took the watchful position beside his master, tootling contentedly to himself. Things were going to be just fine.

**************************

Mara felt better after a leisurely shower and fresh clothing. She munched on a ration bar, staring at the objects Luke had been given by Barancz: the leather pouch with the braided hair, the small grey stone and the carved object. She stretched her hand out and picked up the latter object. Ignoring the feelings she received as she fingered the article gently, she could then see what it was - some sort of pendant. There was a hole for a cord or chain to go through and it had been very carefully carved by hand. Mara's experienced trader's eye recognised the material. It had been cut from one half of a large nut - a japor snippet, that's what it was. Whoever carved it had some skill. She placed it on the table and as her hand hovered over the item the feelings she'd been keeping at bay threatened to swamp her. Feelings of admiration, love and pain.

'I made this for you so you'd remember me; I carved it out of a japor snippet. It will bring you good fortune.'

It was the voice of a child.

'It's beautiful, but I don't need this to remember you. Many things will change when we reach the capital, Ani, but my caring for you will remain.'

The other voice was older but not yet fully grown - a young girl's voice, not yet a woman but with maturity evident in her calm tones. The image of a face flashed in Mara's mind. A beautiful face, framed with dark hair and with eyes like... like Leia Organa Solo's, but the smile. Mara allowed herself a rueful grin. The woman's smile was pure Luke Skywalker. Luke had inherited his mother's smile and probably her height.

She now knew the source of the pain associated with that object. Anakin Skywalker had carved it for his wife. Mara hadn't realised they'd met when he was a child, but that's what her vision indicated. "Luke's mother must have kept this and then lost it," she murmured softly to herself. "Or maybe she couldn't even bear to have it near her."

Carefully emptying her backpack of its contents, she gazed at the second perfume jar in relief. It was still in one piece after all it had gone through. Perhaps this was a testament to its fine craftsmanship. Like the first one it was beautiful, but the designs etched upon the glass were different from those on its fellow. There's something symbolic about this, Mara thought. She placed the vial with its twin and watched as the sun lanced weakly through the cockpit hitting both jars and filling the ship with gentle, swirling colours. They're just like Luke and Leia - the same but very different. Where did Mara Jade fit in with the special twins, she wondered? Was she the child of Obi-Wan Kenobi and a Naboo handmaiden? If she was, the maiden part was rather inappropriate. Mara chuckled lightly. And I thought a Jedi knew no passion. It was all a little too convenient, but the Force did draw people together. Luke and Leia had found each other after all their years apart.

Her mind turned again to the Jedi and she called out to him through the Force. As their minds touched Mara felt all the warmth that Luke possessed burning through their bond. She withdrew quickly after the mental caress; he needed time to heal and distracting him was not the way she wanted to do it. Her mind turned again to the phrase 'a Jedi knows no passion.' Mara shook her red-gold head in disgust. Whoever churned out that one had not known Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi or Anakin Skywalker. All three had shown passion for something or someone. A ripple of heat scorched through her body as she recalled Luke showing her exactly why that sentence was a complete waste of time, making a lie out of the words he kept spouting. The passion they'd shared during their sexual converging had been more than she had ever experienced in her limited encounters with members of the opposite sex. He'd been bold, demanding and tender. He'd been all the things she'd ever dreamed about and more, except that the special, perfect lover she'd held in her arms had been a dream – a fantasy lover. The man in whose anonymous arms she'd reached the heights now had a face and a name. If that was to be the only time she and Luke ever made love, she would forevermore see his face in her dreams, feel his hands on her body, hear his voice calling out for her. Little guttural moans which fired her blood to fever pitch and then, as he reached complete fulfilment, let her name ring out as if she were the pinnacle of his wants and desires.

Mara sat down heavily, her face white and set. Force, what was she going to do? She loved Luke Skywalker. She, who had never loved anyone before in her entire life, loved Luke Skywalker. "And I thought that Skywalker messed his life up more than most. I'm as bad as he is. We could be well matched after all." Her sardonic humour was still intact even if her heart was not and she could appreciate the strange irony.

With a mirthless laugh Mara pulled out the cloth-wrapped object Luke had found inside the ship. Carefully unwrapping the parcel, she held in her hands a simple, leather bound volume. The binding was plain but beautifully done and the leather felt smooth as she traced her fingers over its surface. As she opened the book, Mara glimpsed writing done in an elegant handwritten script such as was rarely used these days - even among the aristocracy. The name at the front of the journal made her feel as if she were prying into something that did not belong to her. The book had once been the property of Padme Skywalker.

Luke's mother finally had a name.

With a sigh, Mara rewrapped the journal in its soft cloth cover and placed it with the collection of objects they were beginning to amass. Luke had to be the one to read this first. Once he was out of the medicentre they would leave for Coruscant. It was strange to think she had spent all this time with him and had enjoyed most of it. 'Karrde will want me to start the trading runs again. I do work for him after all', she thought wearily.

"Karrde," she muttered. She checked her com to see if she had any messages from her boss and found there were two – none of them from the smuggler. One was from Artoo telling her that Luke was doing what he was told and was in the bacta tank and the other was from his sister.

His sister! Sithspit. What time was it on Coruscant?

Mara decided she didn't care and returned the call. A few minutes later a very sleepy looking Leia faced the trader.

"Mara! Do you realise what time it is here?"

"No," Mara said shortly.

"Where's Luke?" asked Leia. "Can I speak to him?"

Damn, thought Mara sourly. Why does she always get to the awkward questions first? "How will I put this?" she wondered aloud.

"He's okay, isn't he?" Leia could see the indecision in Mara's face.

"Yeah… sort of."

Leia's eyes flashed. "What do you mean 'sort of'?" She suddenly felt wide awake.

Mara took a calming deep breath and decided to just let the whole story pour out. "Better get it over with, Jade," she mumbled.

"Better get what over with?" Leia immediately began imagining the worst and with Luke she normally had good reason to.

Mara took another deep breath, expelling the words in a rush. "Luke's in the medicentre, presently in a bacta tank as he has a cracked bone in his ankle, two broken ribs, various abrasions, cuts contusions and burns to various parts of his body…"

"What!" Leia's mouth dropped open inelegantly.

"You heard me," Mara grated irritably. "I think that's all."

"That's all," Leia echoed. "I think that's quite enough."

"Oh, no." Mara bit her lip but knew she had to tell Leia the truth. "He also has a mild concussion. His head is hard otherwise it could have been much worse."

"I'm afraid to ask how he got that way," Leia muttered, "but he's my brother and I've known him long enough. Mara how did he…?"

"Would take too long," Mara returned sharply. "I need to go check on him anyway. Artoo's standing guard."

"Oh," Leia said burning with curiosity. "Are you alright? You look… tired."

"Been a rough couple of days. I don't want to tell you over the holonet and without Luke with me. It's his place to tell you, not mine." She glanced at a bacta patch on her arm. "I was walking wounded so… they let me go. I didn't want to leave him, Leia, but the old guys said I needed to change and catch some sleep. I can't sleep."

"He is okay?" Leia's face showed her worry.

Mara nodded. "He's no worse than he's ever been before. We found some things which will prove to be of great interest to you, but the locals objected to us having them. They are Luke's and yours I suppose. It's the strange result from some rather weird visions."

"I know all about those." Leia's voice was fervent. "I had an experience over Naboo that I don't want to be subjected to again."

"What was it?"

"False labour," Leia replied succinctly.

Mara's red-gold eyebrows arched towards her hairline. "I could imagine that would be unpleasant. Any more on the research front?"

"Ghent has been working at two sets of encrypted files regarding Naboo and so far has been unable to break them. He thinks he needs a third set to even start cracking the encrypt."

"We've found a few data cards and things. We'll be leaving here as soon as Luke can be moved. I'll get one of Karrde's people to fly Skywalker's x-wing back to Coruscant for him. We'll bring what we have with us on the shuttle."

"Maybe we can patch together our stories."

"No maybe about it."

Leia smiled. "I worry about Luke so much, I'm glad you're with him, Mara."

"Yes, so am I… I think."

Mara cut the connection and sat thinking for a moment. Things were coming together. It was clear that they needed all parts of the puzzle to fit it together, but she suspected there were some things she would never be able to find out.

******************************

An hour later she watched from the observation window as Luke thrashed about in the bacta tank.

"We're very worried about him," the medic had said. "We cannot give him any more medication; he's at the limit right now."

"He's not in any more danger?" Mara asked.

"No… but he will prolong his recovery rate if he doesn't calm down and we are worried that he causes himself permanent damage. His injuries will heal in the tank but not if he resists it."

"He's unhappy in there, Artoo," Mara told the little droid by her side. "He told me he didn't like it but he must be used to it by now! It's not the first time he's been immersed in bacta."

Artoo gave a frustrated warble.

"He's not healing himself by doing that."

Artoo swivelled his head and then assessed the woman by his side through his photoreceptor. He gave a quiet toot and then beeped out a swift melodic phrase.

Mara blinked as she read his screen. "Talk to him! But Artoo, they sedated him before they put him in the tank. He's unconscious."

Artoo gave a derogative buzz.

"Don't call me stupid, droid. You're in danger of being deactivated right this minute. Skywalker has spoiled you…"

Artoo cut in once more.

"Talk to him through the Force?" Mara shook her head sheepishly and laughed softly. "I'm sorry Artoo, I am being dense."

Artoo chuckled, then offered more advice on Luke Skywalker. After all he knew him better than anyone else.

"Make him good and mad? Artoo…" Mara's lips curved into a wicked smile. "That's perhaps not the best idea under the circumstances. However, I think I will try to talk to him. He needs to calm down."

Luke floundered under waves of bacta and whatever drug with which they had sedated him. He wanted to control his rising panic and reach for his calm centre in the Force but his mind felt clouded, his senses dulled. He tried to call out for Mara but his mouth clogged with bacta and his dread threatened to rise to terrific proportions.

'Hey, farmboy, you trying to swim out of that tank?'

'Mara!'

'Who else would it be?'

'You're all right?'

'Of course, I'm all right. I wasn't the one letting myself be used as a Jedi punching bag.'

'I didn't want to see you hurt.'

Mara could hear him clearly in her mind, his voice earnest as he sought to reassure her. 'I'm not hurt, Luke. I'm fine and I'm waiting for you.' She felt his mind still and his sense, so powerful – a bright true clear light – reach for her own. She opened to him keeping her own mind as tranquil as possible.

'You're really okay?'

'I'm really okay.' She felt him accept it and gradually the naked figure in the bacta tank ceased thrashing about and floated.

'I love you, Mara,' his voice sounded very tired and far away.

'I… lo…' she tried to say.

'S'okay,' he mumbled inside her head.

'No, it's not 'okay',' Mara bit back. 'Let me finish what I'm trying to say.'

'Sure.' His sense was finally calming down, he was becoming sluggish and his movements in the tank had stilled.

Mara swallowed, her heart beating so loud she was convinced Artoo and all the medics minding their own business could hear it. 'I… lo… love you too.'

'Nice,' his voice threaded away almost to a whisper. 'Have to be in bacta 'fore the girl tells me she likes me.' His sense faded away as he gave in to the welcoming darkness.

'Rest, farmboy,' Mara soothed, her nerves inwardly jumping up and down. She'd done it now, hadn't she?