Chapter Fifteen:

It was deep into the night when Luke and Mara finally set foot upon solid ground. As they exited the speeder, the two Jedi took note of the terrain: they were at the edge of a forest. Deep within could be heard some of the nocturnal wildlife, and Luke took a second to merely listen.

The Kestan that was driving turned to the pair before they could wander off.

"Here is your flimsi map." He handed them the indicated item, and then stood to show them a scanner. "All contestants are to be checked for electronics, so please hold still."

Luke and Mara did so, though Mara wondered if this was overkill. But the inspection was soon over and they were allowed to retrieve their packs.

"May you do well," the Kestan said with a bow of his head. "And remember: you have ten days to complete the trek. Anything you need to do to survive— short of obvious illegal activity— is fair game. And do watch out for golems." The Kestan shuddered. "Surely Leader Afkin warned you about them."

When Luke nodded, the Kestan seemed sated, and he started the speeder's engines. Moments later he was lifting off, leaving the Jedi with a goodbye wave.

Mara, still fighting the near-constant discomfort of her infected injury, watched him go with an air of uncertainty. Had she made the right choice in still coming out here? Out to the middle of nowhere— quite literally— and away from any sort of medical aid?

Mara knew she was falling ill: she could feel it in her bones. It was getting more difficult to hide her condition from Luke, who seemed to be ever in tune with the needs of his companion.

From the safety of their quarters, Mara had been certain she could do this. Now, however, upon the stark realization that she may have bitten off more than she could chew, Mara felt like there was an inflated balloon in her stomach.

Beside her Luke shifted, glancing at the map. Without a glowrod they had no light until they could make a torch. So for now the flimsi map wasn't useful, though Luke had studied the digital version in depth. Thus he knew the direction they needed to go, and he shouldered his pack, looking to Mara.

"Are you ready?"

Mara very nearly answered 'no', but managed to reign in her misgivings.

Luke noticed her hesitation and frowned. "Mara?"

She looked to him, and the sight of him in his 'mountain man' attire, through which she could see some of his most prominent scars made her pause. The view brought her a measure of courage that helped Mara fight off her doubts.

Squaring her shoulders, Mara nodded. "Yes, I am."

Luke eyed her for a few seconds more, but didn't argue, trusting her judgment. If she said she was fine, he would accept that. But to him, she was acting a little off. So he would keep an eye on her, and if he suspected anything amiss, he'd go from there.

He gestured for Mara to precede him, and once she had done so, he fell into step with her.

It felt surprisingly good to walk in the cool dark of the night, and both Luke and Mara found that once their eyesight adjusted, it wasn't as bad. It was still very dark, yes, but there was just a sense of... satisfaction about walking together in the gloom that kept them going.

They walked for a few miles more before Mara spoke, turning practical. "What do you say we stop for the night and begin again in the morning?"

Luke nodded. "That's a good idea." He glanced about them. "But there's nothing much here, so I think we will just have to find a place to bed down for the night."

That didn't bother Mara, and she began searching for such a place as they walked. Several minutes passed before she saw a promising spot.

"What about there?" She pointed out a small clearing within a cluster of trees near their position. "It's somewhat sheltered, and thus would offer some protection."

Luke saw her find and gestured for her to go first. He had to admit that after his lack of sleep the previous evening, followed by the rush of the afternoon and then the long drive out here, he was tired. "Sounds good."

Mara and Luke each found a spot on the ground to lay, though Luke was certain to check for insect mounds before laying down. The last thing he wanted was to lay down and become swarmed by biting bugs.

Taking her cue from her companion, Mara did likewise. Once they had settled in, with Mara using her pack as a pillow, silence descended. Mara could see some of the stars through the canopy if the forest and felt comforted at the sight. Growing up in the Jedi Order, and then when she'd begun travelling as a Padawan Learner, one thing had always grounded Mara. No matter what world one went to, or how different each one was, there was one constant: the stars. They may be in different positions depending on where you were in the galaxy, but they were there nonetheless.

Curious to know if Luke held similar sentiments, Mara turned her head and looked to her companion. It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him. But upon laying eyes on Luke she saw that he'd already drifted off.

He probably doesn't even realize he fell asleep, Mara thought.

The sight reminded Mara of another question she'd held in all day: what had caused his sleepless night from yesterday? Luke had assured her that it wasn't Mara's fault, but she couldn't think of anything else that would have spurned his restlessness.

Unless...

Mara considered the man before her. Had he been debating sharing his own past with Mara? The though gave Mara a bit of hope she hadn't realized she had been searching for. She had no way to be certain, but she would hold to that optimism.

Mara eyed Luke for a time, knowing that for him to not feel her gaze upon him meant that he was already deeply asleep. So she merely gazed upon him, allowing the love she felt for Luke to simply flow through her being. She was in love with Luke, and she wanted to spend forever with him... and only him. Mara had no interest in trying to find anyone else: she was completely happy with Luke.

Mara wondered if he felt the same for her. Did Luke love Mara? She thought that at some times, she saw... something in his cerulean eyes. But oftentimes it was so fleeting that she never knew for certain what it was. It was almost like Luke was trying to hide his feelings for her, if he had any. Or maybe he did feel something for Mara, but was fighting it. Mara knew that id that was the case, it stemmed from the fear that Mara would do to him what Sidara had.

Mara thinned her lips, a little upset. Didn't Luke know Mara well enough by now to realize that she as nothing at all like Sidara? Mara was to the toying kind. She wouldn't sample Luke and then throw him away when she was finished with him.

But as soon as her irritation came on, Mara pushed it away. She'd had her heart broken too, if in a different way. Thus, Mara understood the fear that Luke held within. Besides, Luke hadn't shunned Mara after learning about her past, fears and pain. It would be wrong of Mara to do anything less than the same for Luke.

Luke snorted softly in his sleep and turned towards Mara, presenting her with a new view of his torso and face. Mara smiled gently upon his relaxed visage, and on a whim she reached out to barely finger the scar running down his face to match the one on his chest. She also touched the claw marks on his arm, the scars of which were so faded they were almost nonexistent.

Mara tried to envision how Luke had received each injury, and why. Then, not wanting to wake him, Mara pulled away and closed her own eyes.

00000

Something touched his face, and he opened one eye to see his wife toying with his hair.

Sleepily, Luke smirked at her. "What are you doing?"

She paused, smiling at him, though something in the gesture gave him pause. "I just wanted to see something."

Luke shifted. "Can't get to sleep?" he asked.

She shook her head and sidled closer, one hand touching his arm while the other remained behind her back. "No, but I'm not tired. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

Luke felt something in him stir, and he lifted himself up onto his arms, both eyes open now. "I feel bad that you can't sleep. Let me help."

Sidara sighed. "Alright." Then she smirked again. Once more the action sent warning bells off in his mind. "Lay down and I'll lie with you."

Despite the sense that something was wrong, Luke he laid down anyway. Luke opened his arms to Sidara and she lay down. He closed his arms about her, passing off the warning bells as his imagination. He was just weary...

"You must be extra tired after last night," Sidara murmured.

"Hmm?" Luke hummed, already fading back into sleep.

"It's a lot of work trying to decide if you'll ever move on from me..." Sidara's voice was no longer soft and Luke reopened his eyes.

"What?"

But once again Sidara shifted, rubbing his arms to lull him back into sleep. Luke found that he was powerless against her attentions, and soon he was near sleep yet again. The next thing he knew a hand was touching his face. Luke smiled, thinking Sidara wanted a kiss. But before he could react, something was placed over his airways.

Luke's eyes flew open again, and saw that the woman beside him was now grinning maliciously. Her eyes glinted with mania, and Luke panicked. He struggled against her when she sat atop him to hold him down. He should have been able to overthrow her easily, but he discovered that he was unable to do so.

Luke heaved... but Sidara held him fast, her weight holding him down. Why couldn't he shake her?!

"Poor Luke," Sidara said in a sing-song manner, "too young to marry, but too stupid to understand that!"

Luke balked, trying hard to be free while his lungs seized.

"You will never be free of me!" Sidara growled. "I will hold your heart captive forever!"

She laughed evilly...

Luke woke with a start, covered in perspiration and disoriented for precious seconds. It was not long before he realized that his lungs had indeed frozen, and it hadn't been just a dream. He grabbed at his chest, trying to shake the nightmare so he could think clearly. It had been a long time since he'd had a relapse, and this one had taken him by surprise. He looked about frantically, his dream clouding his ability to remain calm.

When his eyes fell upon Mara, Luke crawled the short distance over to her, patting her shoulder urgently. The Jedi in Mara allowed her to wake instantly, and she looked to Luke in concern.

"What?"

Unable to speak, Luke gestured to his chest. Upon seeing his face, Mara realized something serious was happening.

"What do you need me to do?" Mara asked, sitting upright. Luke gestured, attempting to show her, but Mara was confused. "Luke, I don't understand."

He closed his eyes, his face pale, and then an image appeared in her mind. It was of Luke with his back pressed against Mara's front.

A little startled, Mara hesitated... but she trusted Luke, so nodded. "Alright."

She crawled behind him and put her arms around his middle. She was further shocked when he leaned to be fully against her. Alarmed by his unexpected movements, Mara froze in place. However, when he did nothing more than sit where they were, Mara's befuddlement grew.

Luke, what are you doing? Mara thought at him. He stiffened in her arms and craned his neck to loom at her with wide eyes.

Little did either one of them know of the shockwave in the Force that emitted from that act between them and into the earth beneath.

Feeling his time running low, Luke was forced away from his awe and to instead resume his former position. After several seconds, he gasped in air. His chest heaved and Mara waited for him to move away when he was done. She still didn't entirely understand what had just happened.

Finally Luke calmed and retreated to a more respectful distance. "Thank you Mara." his voice was hoarse.

"...what was all that?" Mara asked.

Luke eyed her with a myriad of emotions warring for position on his face. "Something sent me into a relapse."

Mara felt comprehension dawn. Luke had told her once about his breathing problems. "I hadn't realized those were still a problem," Mara said softly.

Luke glanced away, and Mara could have sworn he looked... haunted. "I thought they were done for. I haven't had a relapse in almost a year."

Mara bit her lip. "What set you off?"

"... a nightmare." Luke whispered.

Mara thought that over, and ventured a tentative guess. "Was it about Sidara?"

He stiffened, looking for all the world like he wanted to deny, but eventually Luke deflated. "Yes."

Mara considered, trying to think of some way to comfort him. "I'm sure it was just that: a bad dream."

Luke sighed. "Yeah."

There was a hint of something in his voice that told Mara he wasn't entirely convinced. She leaned forward, touching his arm gently... but at a loss as to what she should say. "I'm sorry Luke." Mara attempted. "I... I wish I knew what to say."

It was the truth: she didn't know what to say to comfort him. Mara felt inadequate, and that bothered her deeply. She loved this man, but couldn't help him when he needed her to. Sure she'd helped him physically, but what about emotionally, or mentally?

Mara lay back down, rolling over to stay off her inured shoulder, but feeling like she was leaving her companion all alone.

Luke didn't seem to have noticed, however, so Mara took the man's distracted state as a chance to escape the discomfort she felt. She closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep when Luke finally did come around.

"...Mara?"

After a time of her not answering, Luke settled back down also, though he didn't fall asleep again.

00000

Deep within the ethereal network of Keostea, a shockwave had been felt, and it woke a part of the ecosystem that had lain dormant since the Kestans had begun their quest to evolve.

There were Force users here; ones that could understand and help the planet and her children.

That made the planet so happy that all of her children sang a livelier tune that morning.