Once again my warm thanks to frodogenic for making posting today possible! This story truly would be nothing without her!
And the same goes to you, amazing readers - you keep me spurred and inspired! I just can't thank you enough!
Quagmire - Chapter 28
Conclusion and interlude
Early the next morning Luke found himself outside the detention cell. He hardly knew what he hoped to achieve, and he didn't have much hope of success anyway, but he had to try. He had to, even though he knew this visit would only end one way. After what he'd learned about Shira, there couldn't be any good outcome. Even without knowing the specific and ugly details of her treachery – the arson, the sabotage, Artoo – he should have known they had no future together –
Only he hadn't known. On the contrary, he had believed in Shira, in their relationship. On a conscious level.
Luke closed his eyes for a moment, the painful consequenses of his own shortcomings washing over him. He should have known. He could have known, had he chosen to see it. But he had muddied the water, had chosen not to trust his deepest instincts. Instead he had tried to commit himself, had offered promises from his head, not from his heart. He had wanted more, he had strained for more, where he'd known all along there wasn't more, and the natural consequence of over-straining anything was pain. But now there was just one thing he needed from Shira – was it only himself who felt the pain, or did Shira too? Had she been lying all the time or had she, on some level, cared for him? Perhaps it shouldn't make a difference, but right now it did.
He suspected their meeting today wouldn't be as private as he would wish. Though he hadn't asked about it, it was a solid bet that hidden holocams would be picking up every word and every motion. But he couldn't bring himself to care, not now. Luke pushed the door release to the visiting cell.
Shira sat in the pristine white room, her hands on the small metallic table. She looked very beautiful and vulnerable, scars still visible on her chin and throat but robbing her of none of her beauty. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw him.
Luke sat down on the chair on the other side of the table. "Hello, Shira."
"I…" She broke off, visibly unsure. "They said you'd left."
He nodded. "I did. But I came back."
Her eyes flickered and he could clearly sense her mind buzzing for a way to tackle this, an opportunity to twist it to her own benefit. "Then you've heard what they're accusing me of?"
"I have. Is it true, Shira?"
"No, of course not." The words left her lips so smoothly, her expression a perfect match in its mix of disbelief and hurt feelings.
"Can you say that again without shielding?" Luke couldn't avoid a dry note in his voice. Now that he'd become aware of it, her shielding practically slammed against his senses – and despite all his guilt, he knew he was disappointed in her too.
For a moment there was a deadly blaze from her narrowed eyes, then her face smoothed again. "I… don't understand what you mean."
Luke shook his head, feeling suddenly very tired. He had already learned what he'd come to learn. Now he just needed to say what he'd come to say, and he wanted it over with. "Look, Shira. I just came here to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry I threw that grenade. I'm sorry we're sitting here. But as things have turned out I can see very clearly why they turned out the way they did. All I can say is… that I wish it had all been different. And I'm sorry. Can you accept that?"
Her face hardened, hate growing visible in those stonehard, green eyes. "You fool! You didn't come here for me at all. You came here for yourself to get rid of your own damn guilt! But you won't shove it off on me! You deformed me! You took my life and made a fracking cyborg out of me! You - who told me you cared for me and that you wanted us to be there for each other. And just hours after that, hours, Skywalker, you threw that grenade to save your own, petty life!"
He still rose to his own defense. "I didn't know I threw it at you!"
"Didn't you?" she challenged. "You with your great Jedi powers, you expect me to believe that? Oh, you knew, Luke. Maybe it was deep down, but somewhere you knew. But you didn't care for me enough. You lied."
"Shira…" His words died. How could he ever wash himself free of that accusation? How could he ever deliver proof? And even if he could, would she care?
"You lied," she repeated. "And today you sit here, gloating. Have you at any point tried to defend me? Fought my case? I think not. That's not caring. You're a liar, Luke Skywalker. You're a coward and a liar and I will hate you to the day I die!"
Of course she wouldn't care. He glanced to the table. "It looks like… we both misjudged each other." He rose to leave.
"Oh, don't act so heartbroken," Shira sneered. "You've already proved just how deep it sticks."
"I trusted you, Shira. Everyone did!"
Her voice dripped with suppressed malice. "Oh, you can still trust me, Luke. Trust me to stab a knife in your back if you ever turn it to me."
Luke stood motionless for a moment, staring in her eyes. Slowly, deliberately, he turned and left.
. . .
Returning from her morning shift, Mara was on edge. Shira Brie had been revealed on all possible levels – except perhaps as an Imperial. The rebels had enemies other than the Empire, and as far as they knew Brie could be associated with any of them. On the other hand the Empire outweighed all the rest of the Alliance's enemies by a factor of thousands, so despite lacking any actual proof of Brie's allegiance to the Emperor, everyone probably assumed she was Imperial anyway. Let them investigate or assume whatever they wanted about where Brie's loyalties lay – Mara herself was far more concerned with whether those loyalties would stay put. Would Brie remain loyal to her Master – or would she choose to buy herself better conditions by selling her colleague out?
There was no way of knowing. This far, Mara hadn't seen any indication that Brie had turned her in, but it could chance any moment. As long as that she-nexu was still with the Rebel fleet, she'd have that card to play. From now on, Mara had to be constantly alert. But she couldn't allow that wariness to show, even in the slightest – Skywalker would be burned now, and consciously or subconsciously more on edge, especially around lovely mysterious redheads trying to spark his amorous interest. Which, if she read the writing on the wall correctly, was probably about to become her job.
Counting the ways she wanted to break Brie's neck, Mara reached her cabin – and found Deena waiting outside it, smiling so broadly Mara doubted she'd fit through the door. "Finally!" the blonde girl crowed. "You can start packing!"
Mara stared dumbfounded. "Packing?"
"Yeah, packing," Deena grinned. "You remember Doodjie, my room mate?"
Mara nodded. The unsociable Besalisk was hard to forget. She and Deena had made about the worst pairing imaginable. Mara wasn't sure Deena had ever realized that. Doodjie, evidently, had.
"Well, she was transferred to the Independence yesterday. And guess what? I managed to talk the sergeant in Personnel into you being my new room mate. Isn't that great?" If Deena were to bounce off the walls any harder, the structural integrity of the entire ship might shortly be compromised.
Good grief…"Wonderful." Mara suppressed sigh. Well, at least there wasn't much to pack…
. . .
Luke stepped out of the turbolift from the detention section and walked smack into Han and Wedge, the two of them leaning against either side of the wall facing the lift exit. Luke glanced from one to the other. "Is this some kind of a Corellian ambush?"
"Just consider us your support group," Wedge replied lightly. "High time we sat you down for talking-to. And talking-with, I suppose."
"And don't worry," Han added. "We'll go to the Falcon. Chewie will be there too, in case the Corellian vibe starts to get to you."
Together they crossed the main hangar until they came to the battered YT-1300 freighter where Chewbacca greeted them with fresh caf in the main hold.
"So, you went to see Shira?" Wedge remarked, slinging himself down on the couch.
Luke sat down beside him. "I had to," he replied a bit defensively. "I had to see for myself if there was… I dunno, anything that could be saved, I guess. Not that I thought there would be…" He sighed and stared at his hands.
Han and Chewie grunted and Wedge nodded in sympathy. "So, what do you make of it all?"
Luke rubbed his temples, closing his eyes. "That Shira was a horrible mistake from square one," he finally answered.
Wedge shrugged. "Well, that can happen to anyone, you know. And it's not like she didn't ask for trouble." Then he grew serious. "But I guess I should apologize. I was giving you bad advice there."
"Hey," Luke muttered. "How often do I listen to your advice anyway?"
"Yeah, now that I think about it, you've been contradicting me ever since you showed up on Yavin. And I don't care if you did hit it, there's still no resemblance in hell between a two-meter exhaust port and a fracking wimp rat –"
"Womp rat," Luke corrected automatically.
Chewie whuffled and Han nodded. "We should all have listened to Chewie. He was claiming all along that you weren't convinced about Shira. He could smell it, he says. I remember I asked him about it at one point and he gave me a long Wookiee explanation about the difference between mates and mating."
Luke's mouth twiched. "Maybe it was good I didn't ask. Sounds like it would have been too hot stuff for me."
Han rolled his eyes, mouth pulling to the familiar, loopsided smile. "Good point, kid. Yeah, probably." They all grinned and Luke felt, for a moment, almost cheerful for the first time in weeks. The ramp entry chime shattered the silence. Han glanced at the monitor. "Uh huh. Fire alarm!"
Luke started and reached out with his senses, then relaxed as he realized Han didn't mean it literally. Wedge leaned forward to get a better view of the rec room hatch, whistling upon seeing the incomers. "Our all time favourite couple - Blondie and Red. Come in girls!"
Mara launched her trademark glower. Deena's equally trademark grin threatened to split her face in two. "Hey guys! I knew we could find you here. Guess what! Mara and I are roommates now!" She bounced down on the couch beside Luke.
The look of resigned exasperation Mara shot her friend prompted Luke to smile. There was warmth there too, if hidden behind quite a few layers of sarcasm. It was funny with Mara, he reflected – she was so unapproachable and abrasive, yet he could always sense… Sense? Wait a minute…
"Well, that's great news," Han drawled. "So now if we need a supply officer and a technician we only need to make one call." Rising, he gave his chair to Mara with exaggerated chivalry and trotted off to fetch himself a new one.
"That's so funny, Han," Deena squealed after him, "because I was just coming to that! Even Mara hasn't heard yet!" She reached unabashedly for the caf , looking questioningly to Chewie for a cup.
Mara's head turned sharply and her look turned wary. "Heard what?"
"We're going on a trip together," Deena beamed. "Nothing special, just a short supply run, but anyway. An old freighter called Borrowed Beauty needs a supply officer and a mech – and I told them that we'd be the best team they could get."
Wedge frowned in surprise. "On a trip? But...isn't the fleet is assembling…?"
"Exactly. And d'you know why they insisted this supply trip should take place before the battle?" Deena poked at Mara with her elbow. "You of all people should know."
Some impatience creeped into Mara's voice and she pushed the arm away. "Of course I don't know. Why?"
"You should have a clue," Deena insisted, winking wildly at her. "You've been… involved."
Mara sighed. "Spill it, Shan."
Deena's face broke to a grin. "We're going to pick up a stock of durasteel containers. Ain't that funny? After the fire, Supply agreed that plastifoam was a bad idea and they've been working like maniacs to find a cheap stock – and they found one on a mining station close to Eriadu. That's not more than a daytrip from here. We'll be back before anyone knows we've been away."
Deena's confidence reverberated in the Force and something about it made Luke stir. "Just the two of you?" he asked.
"Of course not, silly!" Deena laughed. "We'll be only part of the crew! Borrowed Beautyis a big freighter. Have you got any idea how many containers we're talking about here?"
Luke had only a vague idea, but didn't especially care. "You need a fighter escort, don't you?"
Deena frowned. "That might be good, I guess. But won't everyone be too busy to –"
"I'll come with you." Suddenly it was crucial that he followed Deena and Mara on that mission, no matter how peaceful it seemed. How it could be crucial when he'd only known about it for a minute, he had no idea. But he was learning to accept the lead of the Force by now.
Wedge looked at him in surprise. "But Gelsk…"
Han shook her head. "Gelsk won't say anything. Leia says that after that tape of Artoo's, Luke has a – ah, what the hells did she call it...uh, carte blanche." The face he made – his usual expression when forced to use words he considered frilly – suggested it was some sort of slimy Huttese entree.
"Maybe." Luke wasn't so sure. "He still has to come up with a punishment for me leaving, though. After all, I was grounded."
"Well, maybe flying container escort could work nicely as punishment," Han suggested. Chewbacca letting out an amused rumble. "Yeah, you said it, Chewie. Kid could actually be the one to load the containers. He just needs to wave his hand a little and in they go. How many can you handle at a time, Luke?"
Mara snorted – for once in amusement, instead of derision. Luke rubbed his temple, suddenly very tired. "Han…"
Wedge grinned. "As long as there's no salam… ysim… what did you call them, Dee?"
"Ysalamiri," Deena informed.
"Ah, those." Luke stirred up again. "That's an interesting story, Deena. But Master Yoda never told me about any such creatures. Ben didn't either."
"Maybe that's exactly what it is – a story." Wedge shrugged. "I mean, a childhood memory of a petshop dealer isn't exactly hard evidence."
"Hey!" Deena protested, offended. "I'm not making this up! There was a furry lizzard - and Sabodor never lied!" As Wedge looked pointedly at her she added, "Not to me anyway."
Han stroke his chin. "Huh. I've actually met Sabodor myself. Chewie has too." Chewie let out a low rumble but Han only shrugged. "Well, whatever that guy is, it ain't stupid or shady. He has a reputation and he's proud of it, so if he claims something works, I'd say it does. Still, I've never heard of creatures like that either." He leaned back, enough to tip his repulsor chair dangerously. "The point is, that you should never take the Force for granted kid. It's handy when it's there but you can't rely on it."
Luke gave his friend a pointed look. "I've lived without it most of my life, Han. I'd never take it for granted. And I might not rely so much on it either if I could just quit running into situations where I have to."
"Yeah – you always were a trouble magnet, kid," the Corellian quipped. "Though I gotta say it worked fine when Chewie and you escaped. Not to diminish your jumping and lightsaber flashing - but opening hangar gates – that's some telekinesis!"
It took Luke a moment to understand what Han was talking about. "What do you mean I opened the hangar gate? I didn't do anything." He had wondered about the gate too, but forgotten in all the confusion. In the corner of his eye, Mara moved slightly.
Wedge rose an eyebrow. "Well, how did it open did then?"
Luke turned to look at Mara. "You were there. What happened?"
She glanced back blankly. "What are you talking about?" Her expression was completely impassive but something about it bugged Luke.
"In the control room," he clarified. "When Chewie and I went off with the Falcon."
Mara made no sign of understanding. "Yeah, what about it?"
"They took back the clearance to leave – but they still opened the gate. Why?" There was a strange familiarity to the glazed sensation he got from her – just like… Kreth, she does't want to answer!
She shrugged. "Why do you think I should know that?"
She was shielding! Just having left Shira, there was no mistaking – Luke knew the feeling now. But it's not what I usually pick up from her… Most of the time I sense her strongly! Not like Shira at all… "Well you were there. What did they do?"
"I was talking to Zevv most of the time," Mara replied tartly. "Trying to get him off your back, remember? I didn't realize you wanted me to keep track of what everyone else was doing too."
"I… hey!" Luke broke off, annoyed. The need to dig deeper itched in him – so of course it was now the damned woman chose to pull the you-should-be-grateful-to me-card. He took a deep breath. "Ok. I'm grateful. You were really swell back there. I actually don't think we could have managed without you. But…"
Chewie grumbled a protest, certain he'd have made Zevv leave anyway.
"Yeah, but if he'd run off screaming, he might have alerted everyone and we couldn't have gotten out. Mara confused him," Luke explained impatiently, turning back to the redhead. She sat with lips tight and eyes narrowed, fixating him. "But you were there. Didn't you see if anyone opened the gate?"
"Your gratitude is indeed touching," she snorted. "I'll remember that next time you're in trouble."
Luke wasn't yielding. The longer he could keep her like this, the deeper the strange mix of her now obvious shielding and the yet clear sensation of her in the Force would imprint in his memory – he could contemplate on it later. "So, you didn't see anything?"
"Didn't I just answer that question, Jedi boy?"
Han bobbed an eyebrow at Wedge and the latter leaned closer. "Is he back in the saddle already, you think?" he murmured, not taking his eyes from the arguing couple.
"Not yet," Han breathed back. "He's got some wounds to lick."
"How much you wanna bet?"
Han assumed a considering expression. "I got twenty credits that say it'll take 'em six weeks."
"Oh, please. Not a day over four –"
All exchanges were interrupted by the ramp chime. A moment later Leia entered and everything was dismissed for a full round of hugs. She gave Luke a hearty embrace and a smile that would have thawed a wampa and pushed the mystery of Mara momentarily from his mind as all he'd recently learned about Leia and himself streamed up to the surface. Again, he had to resist the fierce urge to tell her everything. It still wasn't time. He could not tell her the good part without the bad, could not reveal them as siblings without also telling who their father was. It would cripple her, right now when she needed her strength the most. In a few days they would go to battle. A better moment would arrive.
"You arrived just in time, sweetheart," Han jibed, pulling Leia to his lap. "Luke and Mara here were arguing like an old married couple. Just like us."
Luke ran his hand over his treacherously warm face and glanced up at Mara's warning snort. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously at the Corellian. "Knock it off, Han." The last thing he wanted now was anybody believe he was trying to…
Leia rose her eyebrows, unfazed. "And just when did we became an old married couple, Han Solo?"
"Ah, just you wait, Highnessness. Course we might want to get a move on before the kid here laps us." He gave her a sound kiss.
Luke rubbed his temples. "Right. And here I just sent one girlfriend to the medbay."
For a moment there was an awkward silence. "And from there straight to the detention area." Wedge shot in. "You had to do it."
"Yes," Leia agreed. "Don't blame yourself for that, Luke. She fooled us all."
"Except Chewie," Han went on, unaffected. "Chewie was telling me all the time that he didn't like Shira's smell. And looking back, I shoulda seen it too. There's something wrong when a chick like Shira Brie keeps making herself up like that. But I was kinda happy for the kid I guess - and so I pushed it aside." He shook his head, giving Chewie a thumbs up. "But it turns out you were right, buddy. It ain't natural when the girl's drooling over the guy. It oughta be the other way round."
Mara snorted again and Deena gave him an offended look. ""What's that supposed to mean?"
Han waved with the arm that wasn't holding Leia. "Weell. Maybe kid woulda been more interested if he'd had to work a little harder. It was sorta fine this time, her being a spy and all – but if things had been different…"
Deena snapped her hands to her hips in indignation, elbowing both Luke and Mara in the process. "I asked Corin to go out with me! Not the other way round!"
Leia had turned to glare at Han too, and looking quickly around, the Corellian suddenly realized that he'd managed to get the girls against him – and that no man present was going to help him in this one. Luke's study in Jedi serenity was rivaled with Wedge's impeccable sabacc face and Chewie was obviously counting the hairs on the back of his paw. Han turned back to Deena. "Hey, it's different with you, sweetcake," he tried to sooth. "Corin's not… well, not like other guys."
"Now, what's wrong with Corin?" Deena prompted, eyes blazing now. "He's the best and sweetest guy I've ever met! And don't you come here Han Solo and tell me he'll love me less because I was the one who acted first."
"Umm," Han muttered. "Of course not…"
"I can tell you Deena, that you're very lucky," Leia announced, rising demonstratively. "Corin's different in the way that he's double the man most are. He doesn't have a problem if a girl shows more initiative or stamina than him. He can cope with it. Some men don't have a need to belittle it and make it seem unnatural." She gave Han a dirty look, then Luke too. Luke jolted, glancing to Leia first, then flashed to Han, mouthing an accusing what did I do?
"Well, I have a meeting to see to," Leia announced, glancing to Deena and Mara. "I can't sit and hang around here all day."
"Me neither." Mara got to her feet briskly. "Dee?"
Deena tossed her head. "You said a true word, Leia." She flounced free from the holochess table and walked in before Mara, following Leia out, trailed by the gazes of the flummoxed men left behind. Just before Deena reached the exit a thought hit her and she turned around, causing Mara to almost bump into her. "Oh, and Luke – I'll speak to Muvunc about that container thing. It could be great if they could let that be part of your punishment." She whirled back round and hasted after Leia.
Mara threw a last glance to Luke, their eyes locking, then went after her. Luke continued to stare after her until the hatch closed.
Wedge gave him a sly grin, not having missed who his friend's eyes dwelled on. "Heeey, look who's looking…"
Luke sighed. "New subject, please."
"All right," Wedge obliged, turning suddenly serious. "I'll come with you on that trip. This morning I was transferred to the leader slot of Shira's Red Squadron. That container escort job sounds like a good pre-action rehearsal; make sure we've got all the bantha dung shovelled out of the way."
Luke gave him a puzzled look. "How do you explain me flying with you, then?"
"Well, seems like Deena will be working for it from her part – but I'd be happier if you'd fly, of course. Besides, they're breaking up the Rogues for this battle and in that process I think they're toying with putting you on lead of Reds anway. The reason why they didn't do it right away is that Madine wants you to stay clear for some special operation as usual. That's why they asked me - they know we can switch any day. Besides, we need to poke into that emotional mess Shira left behind, a few people just shouldn't work together anymore so there's gonna be more transfers coming. Hobbie's coming along too."
"What about Wes?"
"Dunno yet. They don't want all aces in one squadron and I can't blame them. I know Tycho's been moved to Green Flight, though."
Lando had been asked too, Luke knew. He hadn't told what ship he'd be flying. Luke had problems imagning him in an X-wing.
As they left the Falcon Luke leaned in to Han, lowering his voice. "Why doesn't Chewie like Sabodor?"
"Ah," Han lowered his voice to a whisper too. "Old grudge. When we visited Sabodor, he thought Chewie was the goods."
. . .
Returning to his cabin that night, Luke found himself staring into its familiar, night-black walls in much greater clarification than before but big questions still ahead.
Leia – the woman he'd cared for so deeply was his sister – at least there was a riddle he'd found the answer to. He reached gently out to her and sensed her mind swirling not far away, radiant, glowing that dogged determination he loved so much. Now he knew why he'd always been able to understand her so well. It was like Yoda had said, it was hard to seek truths in the Force unless you knew what to search for. But when you found it, it all seemed easy.
Shira – who'd been a much more troubling puzzle - had turned out a spy. Why she'd gone for him as she had, only Force knew, and Luke suspected it would take a long time before Intel would manage to get anything out of her. But he couldn't dwell on that. Whatever mistakes he'd made in the past months, he was past fears and regrets now. Shira could blame him, and maybe she was partly right, but she had still made her own choices. Luke couldn't do anything for her.
As for Mara, she remained an enigma. She had been shielding today - he was absolutely sure of it. Still, it didn't feel the same with Mara as it had with Shira. Nothing about Mara felt the same as Shira! Mara he could sense – often so strongly that he knew what she was going to say even before she opened her mouth. But if she was shielding – didn't that make her a Force user? Or was it possible for people to shield subconsciously, without knowledge of what they were doing? He couldn't see why not; he had himself used the Force even as a little child, without knowing what he was doing. And Mara was a private person – since she kept people at bay consciously, it made sense that she might subconscioulsy do the same with the Force.
On the other hand, she'd been fully deliberate when she'd tried to lead him astray today, not wanting to answer his questions. Why? After all she'd been helping him escape – why try to conceal it? Luke closed his eyes, rubbed his temples.
Your thoughts betray you. Seek your answers in the Force and find the truth you will.
And as he reached out, the Force told him it all would be all right – that what he needed to think of right now wasn't Mara, nor was it Leia or even Shira. It was – as ever – his father. Luke took a deep breath and opened his eyes.
The moment was closing in, he could feel it. And he had no idea how that meeting would go, no plan, no idea, save this: he couldn't run from it – and he couldn't kill his own father. He just couldn't! As Anakin's son, he'd had an obligation to his father – he had it as Vader's son too. Mara might insist on children not owing their parents but that wasn't how Luke could live his life.
He had told Ben this, Ben and Yoda, and while both old Jedi had protested, Luke hadn't budged a millimeter. He knew, somehow he knew, that while the steel of Darth Vader's armour was painted in black, there was still light inside that durasteel enclasped chest, if not compassion, then at least a leniency, a strange, moral standard that might be screwed and distorted but that nonetheless was. Something, something had held his father back – at the Death Star when Vader could have killed Luke but hadn't – at their clash at Bespin when the Dark Lord had had several opportunities but had ended up offering Luke half of the galaxy instead. Some sense of empathy, some sense of kinship. Even when Vader had held Leia in his clutches, not knowing she was his daughter, he had tortured her, but never humiliated her to the sadistic extent Luke knew many other Imperial commanders would have done.
Vader's disappointment, his outright pain at Luke's rejection, he had felt so clearly it still hunted his dreams. Maybe he haunted his father's dreams too? As hideous and machine-like as Vader might appear, he was more human behind that armor than was Shira behind her angelic face. Love had been wasted on her – but maybe, just maybe, it would not be wasted on his father...
The thought – the awful hope that some spark of Anakin Skywalker could have survived all these years, could be rekindled, stoked to a blaze – tormented Luke long into the night, seeing strange visions in the pitch blackness of his cabin.
. . .
*So he returned…*
The Emperor fell into contemplative silence and Mara adjusted her position just slightly, preparing for a long wait. Things had turned out in an unexpected direction and he would consult the Force before he resumed their contact. That things weren't as unexpected to Mara as they were to her Master was irrelevant. She waited.
Finally, the Emperor spoke again. *What is your…opinion of Skywalker, child? Your personal opinion.*
Mara felt a wave of hope. He valued her judgement again. Things were finally going her way once more. She had been right in her assumption that Skywalker would return and consequently her Master's opinion of her was restored. She weighted her words carefully.
*I believe that at his core, he is an honorable man, Master. He is doing the wrong thing, but he's doing it for all the right reasons. If Vader hadn't been harsh and managed to get Skywalker's relatives killed four years ago and thus practically thrown him into the arms of the Rebels, he would have been easy for us to pick. But as it is now, he's turned out a die-hard. He will be difficult to turn against the Rebellion. Also, his friends anchor him here. They are his strength. It's my belief that killing them would only harden his resolve, as it did previously.*
*The greatest strength always holds the seed to the greatest weakness, child, remember that,* her Master admonished. *And indeed, as events have transpired, Agent Brie has played into our hands to teach Skywalker the first lesson in this.* He paused. *That being said, Agent Brie has failed. The future is always in motion and new developments are already taking momentum, I see it quite clearly. Are you prepared, my Hand? To take Brie's place as Skywalker's mistress?*
Mara's took a deep breath. This was what she'd feared – and still on some strange level had been awaiting for some time now. And at least she was pretty damn sure by now that she wouldn't have to kill the Jedi, not anymore. *On my part, my Master. There's an attraction between us that's reciprocal. But I cannot see him ready for a relationship so soon after Brie. He must be viewing all of that as a great personal failure. And he shies away from dalliances.*
*He will love you next.* The Emperor dismissed her doubts without hesitation. *I've seen it. And as he will still be a Jedi when he does, it will be soon. This will give us new possibilities.* Her Master fell silent again for long moments.
*I sense… a child.*
Mara's heart skipped a beat. *Master?*
Her Master dragged the words, as was he recieving visions from the Force as they spoke. *Yes, yeess… A child… he will be… powerful… A fruitation of all my efforts… these two strong lines….* He fell silent and Mara could almost sense him dwell in his sensations.
Mara's head raced instead through the biological necessities. *But Master, when I was sixteen I was… It shouldn't be even possible… I should maybe go to the medbay and…*
*Nothing is impossible to the Force, child. The Force will find a way. Pitiful technology and security arrangements are no match to its strength. Now, prepare yourself. And contact me when it has happened.*
*Yes, Master.*
As the contact faded again Mara found herself staring at the wall before her, more confused than ever. Child? Happen? When would this happen? Was it inevitable as her Master had said? And what in the name of the galaxy was the direction she should take in this madness?
T.B.C.
