There was a little slot set into the door of her cell, about a foot wide and half that high. It had a hinged door, rusted and old so that it squealed whenever it was forced open. Every day, a guard pushed a meagre portion of food through. The night she was captured, Mara was disgusted to find the little bowl that clattered across the floor to land at her feet contained a grey, lumpy substance, stuck halfway between liquid and solid states. She didn't eat it, partly out of protest but mostly because she was fairly certain it might kill her.
That was two nights ago, from what she could tell. There were no windows in her little section of the base. The short corridor contained only six cells, one of which she occupied, and a tap set into the far wall that produced only lukewarm, filthy water. It was hard to calculate the passage of time but every morning, a bowl of this awful mush was pushed into her cell and every morning she ignored it. Then the guard would come along in the evening to take away the bowl and replace it with a fresh one.
Every so often, he lifted the hatch to push through a mug of the disgusting water. Mara turned her nose up at this as well at first, but she started to feel dizzy towards the afternoon of the second day and decided to fashion a filtration system. When she was sure no one would come into the cell block, she quickly pulled off her shirt and tied it between the bars in the corner, collecting the droplets that fell through the material.
She didn't try to escape. Though the thought did cross her mind on her first evening, it faded away as quickly as it started to form. If she did manage to get out, which she supposed she could do very easily, where would she go? She couldn't bring herself to think about Bodhi right now but she knew she'd have to rescue him if she wanted to get off this planet. Even if, by some miracle, they did manage to get out of the base unscathed, where would they escape to? Bodhi would undoubtedly want to go back to Yavin 4, would she go with him? Mara didn't think she'd have much of a choice. And then what? Join the Rebellion? Part of her felt too tired to fight anymore and that worried Mara. If she couldn't fight, what was she good for? Without Alderaan, without Leia, she had no purpose.
Leia. She was still out there. Still alive. Why would the Empire target Alderaan if not to torture the princess? The thought would stay with Mara for years. If she'd been more careful, if she'd done her job properly, Leia wouldn't have been captured. If Leia hadn't been taken, Alderaan would still be here. It was her fault. It was her fault. She'd failed the princess. She'd failed her planet. Mara curled up in the far corner of her cell, pressing her face into her folded arms to block out the world around her. Overwhelmed with dysphoria and guilt, Mara stayed there all night. She'd never felt so afraid.
On the third day, a different guard appeared outside her cell. The Adarians all looked very similar, it was hard to tell them apart, but her previous jailor had been very short with her. He didn't care if she ate what little they gave her, he only passed her the bowl and left with a grunt. Clearly he'd grown tired of the responsibility of collecting and cleaning the bowls of uneaten food. This guard was different, smaller than the rest. He still scowled at her through the bars of her cell but when he bent down to pass the bowl through the slot, he held her gaze. Mara wasn't sure if this was because he was worried she might attack him, or if he just wasn't as careless as his predecessor.
The Adarian noticed that her mug of water was empty. He spoke to her in that low, clicking language, gesturing at the same time that she should stay back. Mara had yet to move from the relative safety of the far corner of her cell and she certainly wasn't going to now. The Adarian clicked at her again then opened the cell door. Keeping his pale eyes on her the whole time, he bent down and collected her mug from the floor then jumped back out of the cell, closing the door quickly behind him. So he was afraid of her. Or perhaps he was worried about what his boss might do to him if she got out.
Mara watched curiously as he walked back into the main body of their base and not to the tap at the far end of the cell block. A few minutes later, he came back with her mug and slid it through the slot, pushing it slowly with the tips of his long fingers so that he didn't spill any. Then he clicked at her again and left the cell block. Mara waited until she heard his footsteps fade away before she uncrossed her legs and reached over to grab the mug. She was surprised to see that the water was clear and cold.
When her new guard came back that evening, she watched him more carefully, wondering why he'd gone to the trouble of getting her clean water. The small Adarian snarled when he saw her. She knew what he wanted of her, so she backed into the far corner of her cell. They hadn't bothered to handcuff her. There was no way she could get out without someone seeing her and if she did manage to somehow slip past her guards, there were more than enough Adarians on the base to overpower one woman. At least, that's what they thought. Still, the guard was understandably nervous to be alone in a small cell with her. When he saw that she hadn't eaten again, the Adarian scowled at her.
"Tua krochek."
He pointed at her, then at the bowl. Mara, through listening to as many conversations between the Adarians as possible, had managed to decipher than 'tua' meant 'you', but the rest was a mystery. Again, the Adarian pointed at her first, then her untouched food.
"Tua krochek. Ni, luanték yesento."
Mara stared back at him, knowing it was best to just stay silent until he went away. The Adarian frowned at her, at least she thought he was frowning. They didn't have any eyebrows but his face contorted in such a way that she knew he wasn't pleased with her.
"Cjest," he muttered, finally turning away from her and walking back out of the cell. Mara also knew enough Adarese to guess he was swearing.
When he came back the next morning to bring her breakfast and collect her uneaten dinner, he leaned back, peering out of the cell block doorway. When the Adarian was sure that no one was watching, he stooped and pushed something small and colourful through the slot. He hurried out of the cell block before she had a chance to move. Mara shrank back from whatever he'd pushed into her cell. When the thing rolled to a stop and did not move again, she tentatively reached over and grabbed it. She poked and prodded at its rough red skin, then carefully took a bite. He'd brought her fruit. Mara didn't realise how hungry she was until her first bite. She devoured it in seconds, licking each one of her fingers to relish the flavour.
This went on for two more days until finally, on what she assumed must be the fifth day, the leader, whose name she'd learned was Lotok, appeared outside her door, flanked by two of his men. He ordered one of them to open her cell and stepped inside. There wasn't enough room for all of them so the soldiers stayed outside, watching her closely. One of them had a huge bruise blossoming across his face from where she'd hit him. The other had a limp. Mara smiled at them and despite their fearsome appearance, they shuffled uncomfortably.
"Good morning, Captain," Lotok said, stooping down with his datapad in hand.
His eyes travelled over her face and body, though Mara was pleased to find no hint of desire in his expression. His expression was cool and calculating like he was weighing up a price for her. As he tapped his fingers against the datapad, Mara realised that was probably exactly what he was doing.
"What are you going to do with me?" His eyes did not leave the datapad, the dark blue glow making his skin shine eerily. Mara straightened her back but still couldn't see what he was looking at.
Lotok did not want to answer, that much was very obvious. Although he had been the leader of his little gang of bounty hunters for many years now, he did not have much experience with prisoners. Most people were bound, gagged, and passed over to whoever set the bounty as quickly and quietly as possible, but slaves were a new business venture. Prisoners had to be kept as cargo until they were sold. And they were always chatty.
"There is a shortage of slaves on Tatooine. You will be shipped there." Lotok did not like his job but there wasn't that much choice where he came from. Although, it did satiate his violent proclivities and despite how time-consuming tracking and capturing was, he rather enjoyed the chase. The money was good but there was a lot of competition and a limited number of criminals, runaways, defectors, or people who were just unlucky. To keep their little organisation going and to fend off any possible mutinies, they'd branched out to trading. Fortunately, Lotok and his meticulously chosen followers did not have a whole conscience between them and had no reservations about selling slaves.
"Tatooine," Mara echoed, recognising the name. Tatooine was thought to be one of the oldest planets in known space, a desert world in the Outer Rim Territories. The locals mostly farmed moisture for a living or dealt scrap. The planet had a bad reputation, the cesspool of the galaxy where all the worst criminals gathered and Jabba the Hutt owned a decadent palace that towered over the poor locals.
"Twin suns," said Lotok. "I've heard the sunsets are very beautiful."
He said something in Adarese and the men standing outside the cell laughed. Mara scowled at them and despite their weapons and greater number, they quieted down. Lotok did not say anything more, he simply looked between her and his datapad, probably sending a description to whoever it was that she'd be passed onto. Hoping to coax more information from him, Mara asked,
"How long have you been tracking us?" She'd always prided herself on her skills, she did not train all her life to not notice they were being followed across the galaxy by pirates.
Lotok sighed before answering, muttering under his breath. None of his other prisoners were ever this loquacious. "We were not tracking you." He raised the datapad up to her face. Mara winced when a sudden flash blinded her. Lotok chuckled and flipped the datapad around so that she could see the hologram he'd taken of her. "For a pretty lady, you take a bad picture." She was pulling a face, her nose all wrinkled up and her mouth slightly open because of the flash. Mara glowered at him but unlike his men, Lotok did not seem afraid. "The second you landed on Aldraig IV, we located your position. We did not know who you were. It is only luck that your companion happened to be very… Lucrative."
For one stupid moment, Mara actually felt a swell of relief. So she hadn't made any mistakes, they were just unlucky to land on this particular planet. The more she thought about it, the more that relief sank into an overwhelming feeling of unease. She'd been captured, she was going to be sold as a slave. Why was she happy that at least it had not been her own fault?
Because, Mara realised, it meant she hadn't made any mistakes. It meant she wasn't a disappointment. But a disappointment to who? Her Queen? Her soldiers? Her mother? They weren't here anymore. And she still terrified of letting them down. Mara had worked so hard for so long that she hadn't had time to catch her breath. She hadn't been allowed to think before. She hadn't had a chance to stop and look around. Why did that sound familiar?
Bodhi. Bodhi asked about her. He was interested in her. No one was ever interested in what Mara had to say unless it was about a mission. They only ever asked what she thought, never what she felt. When he heard about her training, he said, 'That must've been hard'. At the time, she thought that an impertinent, maudlin thing to say but she didn't know him then. That was before they were friends.
"What did he do?" she asked, knowing she must be pushing her luck. Fortunately, Lotok seemed to be in a good mood. The Adarians were a fairly expressionless species but if his face hadn't been so flat and impassive, she knew he'd be asking her to elucidate. "The pilot?" Lotok gave what she thought must've been an Adarian shrug.
"We never learn specifics, we are told who to find. We've been trying to catch him for almost a month."
"Kattán tolkae," one of the guards muttered. Mara still knew only a few words of Adarese but she guessed he must've been complaining because Lotok twisted round and barked at him. The guard apologised quickly, looking strangely sheepish for such a towering creature. Lotok muttered under his breath as he turned back to face her, shifting uncomfortably. To meet her eye level, he had to crouch and his long legs were starting to ache.
"I have heard rumours. He delivered a message to the Rebellion. Defected. Then the Rebels were able to steal plans for that planet killer."
"What does the Empire want with him?"
"They do not forgive easily. They will probably want to make an example of him. Execute him."
Mara suddenly felt very cold and very stupid. Bodhi defected to help the Rebellion. He helped save the lives of millions. He put his own life at risk... And she told him that he'd be better off dead. Mara had replayed their argument in her head, hoping that he'd said something to antagonise her or he'd been just as spiteful, but no, there was no excuse. Bodhi had done nothing but help her from the moment they met, even when she threatened him and took him away from his friends. He gave her his jacket. He brought her food. He found her new clothes. He taxied her far across the galaxy, knowingly putting himself at risk. And she said... Mara stared at the datapad, watching her own hologram turn slowly to the left then the right.
Lotok soon grew bored of their conversation and with all the information he needed, he stood up again, grunting as his long limbs stretched. "No more questions." He'd always hated the cell blocks. They smelt awful and the inmates were less than desirable company. Lotok turned to leave but something made him stop. He leaned down, pushing his face right up close to Mara's. "What is this still doing here?"
He poked his long, grey finger at her tattoo, pressing his nail right into her skin. Mara wrenched her arm away, furious that he'd dared to touch her. Growling, Lotok turned to his men.
"Tua krenskúla?" Again the guards looked sheepish. When neither of them spoke, Lotok got up and left the cell. "Ovaa, tua krenskú!" he ordered, grabbing one by the arm and pushing him towards the cell block door. When the guard returned, he held a long, metal implement, rounded at the end to form a perfect circle. The flat tip glowed white hot. Mara knew instantly what they planned to do to her. Fear brought back her strength and she crawled on her hands and heels until her back was flat against the grimy cell wall.
"Don't do this. Please." She rose to her feet as the guards entered the cell, one with his hands outstretched to hold her still while the other held the white-hot brand aloft, ready to press against the crest of Alderaan that had been given to her on her sixteenth birthday. "Do whatever you want to me but leave me this."
"Sorry." Lotok shrugged, again not looking the least bit apologetic. "But we don't want anyone recognising you."
Sweat drenched her skin, her heart beating so hard she could feel it behind her eyes and in her ears. The Adarian grabbed her by the throat with both hands, pinning her against the wall. Mara's fingers curled into fists, her nails digging into her palms.
"If you take this away from me, I will kill you," she said, low and threatening. The Adarian holding her down seemed to hesitate despite the threat being meant for his boss. Lotok did not look the least bit frightened. In fact, he began to laugh.
"That is funny. I like you." He stood in the doorway and unsheathed his electric spear from the holster tied around his chest, pointing it at her just in case she decided to struggle. "There is no one to help you, Captain. Your planet is gone. You don't have any friends."
For a brief second, Mara almost believed him. Her balled up fists relaxed and her scowl softened. Perhaps this was it. She should just let this happen. She deserved it, after all. She was completely alone. But a sudden burst of light in her chest told her that he was wrong. Bodhi. Bodhi was kind and gentle. He never expected anything of her. He listened to her when she talked and she liked being with him. Mara had spent her whole life being afraid but when she was with Bodhi, somehow she forgot about everything else for a little while. When she was with Bodhi, she knew she was safe.
"Yes, I do," Mara whispered, more to herself than Lotok. She looked the Adarian holding her dead in the eye. Then suddenly, Mara remembered exactly who she was. With a furious cry, she pressed her palms together and pushed up through the arms of the Adarian holding her down. She grabbed his head, pressing her thumbs into his eye sockets until he screamed and let her go. She pulled his head down, slamming it hard against her knee which rose to meet it. With one guard crying on the floor, she rushed to the other as he raised the brand. She didn't wait for him to swing, Mara raised her left arm above the arm that wielded the brand, trapping it against her side whilst her right flew round and struck him in the side of the head. She twisted and flipped the brand into her hands, pushing it against his chest until he screamed and also fell to the floor.
"Cjest."
Mara looked up and saw Lotok staring at her. She dropped the brand. Mara moved like a wildcat, powerful and precise, knocking Lotok unconscious with his own spear in just a few short movements. He wasn't so powerful without all his friends. The commotion must have alerted the other Adarians, she could hear footsteps coming her way fast. Mara wasn't worried, though. She'd fought off a whole army of Stormtroopers with two broken ribs. She could handle a few idiot slave traders.
There was only one problem, she didn't know how to get out. What's more, she was unconscious when they arrived so she didn't know how far they were from Sotoo. Fortunately, she did know where to find her pilot. Mara retraced her steps from five days ago, barely making a sound as she slipped through the corridors. Strangely, she didn't run into anymore more Adarians, though she did remember Bodhi saying there weren't many of them. Hopefully, they could get out of here without too much hassle. She jogged down passage after passage, blinking away the spots in her vision. After spending so much time in a gloomy, half-lit cell, the harsh artificial lights above were almost blinding.
At last, Mara found her way back to the cell blocks where she'd spent several hours before being moved. She hurried down the row, ignoring the jeers and whistles of the others inmates. She gritted her teeth, straining to hear any sign of approaching guards under all their racket. The hall was long and narrow, if they did find her, she wouldn't have much room to fight and they might just get the upper hand. She found Bodhi in the second to last cell. He was curled up into a ball in the corner, his head in his hands, but at the sound of her laboured breathing and frantic footsteps, he looked up.
"Mara?"
He stared up at her, squinting against the light. He looked at her like he didn't believe she was real, like she was just a figment of his imagination. In truth, all Bodhi could do to stop himself going mad in here was think of Mara. She was all that kept him going, the only thing that quieted the terrified voices in his head. They hadn't fed him properly, nor had they brought him much water and it showed. His face was gaunt and pale, his eyes dull. It looked like it hurt to move.
Mara stepped forward, raising her stolen weapon and for an awful moment, Bodhi thought she'd come to finish him off. He didn't blame her. He betrayed her, lied to her, she'd lost her planet, he couldn't- Mara thrust the electric spear into the keypad beside Bodhi's cell. It exploded in a shower of sparks, making the inmates around him whoop and holler. The door slid open with a loud rattle and a 'thunk'. He couldn't see much for a few moments but then Mara stepped through the smoke that engulfed them and held out her hand.
"Come on, flyboy," she said. "Let's get out of here."
Bodhi didn't hesitate. He took her hand and let her pull him to his feet, surprised by how gentle she was with him. Mara let him find his balance, knowing that he might find it hard to stand on his weak legs. She didn't let go of his hand.
"Are you alright?" She leaned close to get a good look at him, her keen eyes switching across his face and down his front for any sign that the Adarians had hurt him.
Bodhi took the opportunity to just look at her, hardly believing that she was really here and still holding his hand. "I'll be fine," he said, making her meet his gaze again.
Mara was surprised by how close they were but even more surprised to find that she didn't mind at all. There was a cut on his forehead that hadn't been there before and his eyes were even warmer than she remembered but the smile she'd got just right. Bodhi squeezed her hand, partly to get her attention and because, after five days, he was still having trouble believing she was real. Mara seemed surprised by the contact but she still didn't let go.
"You said something about getting out of here?"
At last, her stern expression came back and she was the Mara he remembered.
"Can you run?"
"I'm not sure."
"How about a fast walk?"
"That I can probably manage."
"Great. Shall we?"
Mara let go of him, though not as carelessly as he thought she might. Her hand simply left his. Then she started back the way she came, still clutching her stolen weapon. Bodhi didn't have to think twice. By now, he'd learned that the safest place to be was with Mara. They turned right out of the cell block and followed the corridor round until they came to a sort of mess area. There were tables and chairs dotted around the room and a small kitchen in the corner. A pot was bubbling on the stove, more of that awful grey mush. Card games had been abandoned on the tables. Her escape had interrupted their breakfast.
"I've been here before." Bodhi pointed over to a door on the other side of the room. It had taken him a moment but he remembered being led past this room. He wasn't really in any fit state to be able to retrace his footsteps but he remembered the smell that skulked from the kitchen. "When we came in, they took us past that door."
They weaved between the tables, Bodhi picking up a half-eaten pastry of some kind as they went past. He was starving, he would've eaten the lumpy gruel if he had the time. The hall that led to the kitchen was wider than the rest. They were getting close to the exit. Mara tried to slow her pace for Bodhi's sake but the adrenaline coursing through her made it feel like her heart was pushing against her rib cage, guiding her forward.
They turned a left and to their great relief, they found an enormous door, as dismal and disgusting as the rest of the base. Their relief was short-lived. A sound like thunder rolled through the passage, a dozen feet pounding against the metal ground. A door in the side of the hall slid open and a small army of Adarians poured through, blocking the way. They were all armed and all smiling.
"There's no way we're getting through there."
Bodhi was already taking several nervous steps backwards, searching for another way out, but he stopped when he saw that Mara hadn't moved an inch. She stared the Adarians down as they came closer, raising their torturous weapons. Then she evened her stance, her feet shoulder-width apart. Though the spear short-circuited when she freed Bodhi, it was still a useful tool, but she didn't raise her weapon to meet theirs. She was waiting, a strange sort of smile on her face.
All Bodhi could do was stare. It shouldn't have been, but it really was, incredibly hot. "Mar, no. There's loads of them." Bodhi knew there was no point trying to change Mara's mind once it had been made up and he also knew she was a formidable warrior, but he couldn't help worrying. They were outnumbered and outgunned, he couldn't even stand properly.
Mara looked over her shoulder. "Stay there," she said. Bodhi knew better than to argue. Mara turned back to face the Adarians, her grip on the spear tightening. She didn't attack, daring the Adarians to make the first move, which they did, as clumsily as she expected. One lunged forward with a heavy club but Mara easily ducked out of the way. With both hands on the spear, she rammed it into his ribs with such strength that she heard them crack. Then the fun really began. The others all ran at her at once, deciding there was strength in numbers. Mara bent down on one knee, sliding across the floor, and stabbed one man in the thigh then, in the same smooth movement, struck the next in the groin and butted his chin as she stood up.
Two tried their luck at the same time but Mara ran at the first, jumping to plant her feet against his chest then sprung back, rolling to her feet only to have the spear wrenched from her hands. This Adarian was a lot bigger than the others. She struck him hard where his nose should have been but it had little effect. He hit her hard in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her. Mara heard Bodhi call out to her and his voice gave her strength. She ducked away from another of his punches and with a powerful roar, swung round to strike him with the flat of her hand right in the distensible sack at his throat. That seemed to do the trick, the guard staggered back and she swung her leg round against the back of his knees to fell him like a tree.
Mara collected the spear from the ground and marched towards the last guard. He scrambled away from her but she raised the spear and pinned him against the door, stopping his hand on its way to the keypad. That's when Mara realised who this guard was. It was the Adarian who'd shown her kindness, brought her clean water, told her to eat and brought her nicer food when she didn't. His pale grey eyes were wide with fear. Mara flinched when he began to move again, pressing his thumb against the keypad. It beeped twice then glowed green.
The great door began to rumble and Mara took a few steps back, freeing the Adarian. As the door opened, he did not stand in their way. Mara looked back over her shoulder at Bodhi, who looked like he didn't know whether to be relieved that they were free or nervous of the Adarian. "Come on, Bodhi," Mara called, letting him know it was alright.
She turned back to the Adarian and nodded once, trying to tell him without words that she was grateful. He merely blinked back at her but he seemed to understand. Bodhi joined her side just as a siren began to wail overhead. All the lights in the hall went out to be replaced by a forbidding red warning light. They were running out of time. The great wide forest opened up before them, just as dark and eerie as Mara remembered. Mist settled across the ground, hopefully it would provide them with some cover.
"Did you see which way we came from?" Mara asked, but Bodhi had been trapped inside the transporter when he was brought to the base and had no idea which direction would take them back to Sotoo. Above their heads, the siren still howled, in and out like the base was alive, and below it all, the thunder of approaching footsteps, louder this time.
"What's your plan?" Bodhi whispered, hoping above all hope that Mara had an idea because he was truly drawing a blank.
He was trying to keep his composure and Mara knew it, but beneath his mask of calm, his eyes were wide and she could practically feel the frantic pace of his heart. She was suddenly reminded of Onderon and the look on his face as he raced towards the ship, yelling at her to get inside whilst being chased by the scrapyard droids and their greedy owner. As much as it pained her to do so, she was going to have to copy Bodhi's extraordinary tactical strategy.
"Run," Mara said.
And they did. The mist almost blinded them but they didn't stop. They pushed through the haze, aiming for the faint green smear of the forest ahead of them. They tripped and stumbled over the uneven ground but they couldn't afford to stop. Their pursuers' footsteps drew ever closer but neither of them dared to look back. Once they were into the safety of the forest, Mara and Bodhi didn't break their strides. They stuck close to each other, weaving between the towering trees, breaths coming short and fast. They were both weak from lack of food but escape was just within their reach, they couldn't stop now.
A shout to their right made Mara turn midstep, angling their path to the left. She grabbed Bodhi's arm, just for a second, to guide him in their new direction. Then a shrill fizz of electricity somewhere in the bushes ahead made them stumble to a halt.
Bodhi blinked and suddenly he was pressed against the trunk of a broad tree. Mara pushed him with a little too much force and the breath was knocked from his lungs with an indignant 'oof'. She did apologise but she wasn't looking at him, her gaze somewhere over his right shoulder to make sure they hadn't been spotted. Mara held him against the tree with one palm pressed against the centre of his chest. She was standing very, very close.
"We are so bad at plans," Bodhi said breathlessly, turning his gaze to the grey sky above with despair.
"Not now, Bodhi." Mara tutted, which he found quite funny despite the dire situation.
He looked back down at her, trying to not to enjoy how close they were. Mara's hand was still pressed against him, her fingertips, just eking over the edge of his shirt, were warm against his skin. He tried not to stare at her chest rising and falling heavily to match his, he really did, but then Bodhi saw something that made him forget about all that.
"Your hair..." Someone had cut it with very little care so now the ends were jagged and uneven, falling just above her shoulders. He reached up and Mara finally met his gaze as his fingers trailed down from near her forehead, following the curve of her ear and brushing her neck. It made her shiver. Bodhi knew how important hair was to Alderaanians, their traditions spanned the centuries, and now Mara didn't have her planet, he couldn't imagine how she must be… A sudden wave of bewilderment stopped his thoughts and his hand. They'd been in such a hurry, it had taken a while for his wits to catch up with him. "You came back for me." He realised, making Mara scoff.
"Glad you noticed."
"Why?"
"What?"
"Why?"
"Because I need you."
Bodhi's heart stumbled but he didn't allow himself to enjoy her words for very long. He leaned back as much as he could, his eyes finding the floor. "Because you need a pilot." For one brilliant, shining moment he thought perhaps she'd forgiven him, or at least cared about him enough to help him escape. But no, Mara just needed someone to fly Sotoo, just like she did when they left Yavin 4. Her hand dropped from his chest but her eyes never left his, her gaze steady and stern as ever.
"That's not what I said."
Bodhi's face softened, his stupid big brown eyes making her heart trip over itself. Mara wished she had time to explain but the familiar whir of an Adarian spear to their left interrupted them. "Go!" She pulled Bodhi away from the tree and shoved him in what she hoped was the right direction. Mara ran behind him, making sure that no one would attack them from the rear and so that she could keep an eye on Bodhi.
With no one to help her and no idea where she was going, Mara couldn't help but be reminded of the Tantive IV. At least she had a weapon then. Now they were completely defenceless and lost on a foreign planet. Bodhi was just on the brink of giving in, his lungs were packing up, his legs were weak, and the Adarians were starting to close in on them, but then he saw them, the orange Binka trees with their bright yellow fruit, the only trees of their kind in the whole forest. They were close. They were going to make it. He leapt over a fallen tree trunk and heard Mara's footsteps follow his, just a few paces behind him.
Finally, he saw it, the tall, twisting Frieda fir that marked the entrance to the clearing where- Yes! Sotoo! They stumbled into the clearing, not stopping to catch their breaths. Mara and Bodhi were up Sotoo's ramp and inside the tiny shuttle in a matter of seconds. Whilst Bodhi made sure the ship was ready to fly, Mara went to grab their jackets from the cargo hold. They were still sat where she left them, lying side by side on the metal bench. She was too sweaty and grimy to put hers on but she carried both jackets into the cockpit and dropped Bodhi's onto his lap.
"I don't care what you did, I care about right now," she said, trying not to let her nerves get the better of her. Mara was not used to talking about this kind of thing, it made her face feel hot and she never had the right words, but Bodhi deserved an explanation. "You risked your life for the Rebellion. For me." She cleared her throat awkwardly, finding it hard to meet his eyes. "I went back for you because you're my friend."
There was a beat of silence wherein all Bodhi could do was stare at her. Then he began to smile, only a little, but it was warm and hopeful. "You've forgiven me?"
The apprehension in his voice made Mara's chest tighten. She really had said some awful things to him, and he'd said some awful things to her, but all that mattered was that now they'd put everything out in the open, Mara found that she trusted Bodhi completely.
"There's nothing to forgive," she said quietly. Bodhi's face lit up and she wasn't sure why, but the sight made her happy. She couldn't believe she'd gone her whole life without anyone looking at her like that. Mara brushed her fingers over her tattoo, only just coming to terms with how close she came to losing it. "Sometimes we have choices in life and sometimes we don't."
Bodhi slowly nodded. He had so many thoughts and emotions rushing around inside his head, relief, gratitude, joy, he couldn't think of anything to say that could express what he felt. But they couldn't hang around much longer. Mara sat down in the co-pilot's chair as Bodhi ran his fingers across the console, starting up the engines. There would be another time.
Sotoo lifted roughly off the ground; no amount of alterations could dampen its exuberance. Bodhi knew Sotoo would still shake and rattle even if they had the best engineers in the galaxy work on it.
"Are you alright?" Mara asked out of the blue. It had suddenly occurred to her that the last few minutes might've been a bit of an onslaught. The escape, seeing her fight, their conversation, it was a lot to take in. But Bodhi merely smiled.
"Yes."
Mara nodded, pleased but determined not to show just how pleased. "Good. Now, get us out of here."
Mara didn't give him any instructions on where to take her next, so Bodhi steered them towards the Hydian Way and followed the hyperspace route around the Core. He still wasn't completely certain where they were and without a nav system, there was no way he could know for sure but he had a vague idea and once a familiar planet floated by in the distance, his confidence returned. Bodhi's travels had taken him around the Mid and Outer Rims so most of the Core was a mystery to him, and now they knew the Empire could take any planet it wanted, he was nervous about landing. But then he remembered a planet on the outskirts of the Core, a safe world in line with Coruscant that would be protected by its position on the Perlemian Trade Route.
Chandrila was a small planet but undeniably beautiful. Its two main continents were covered with rolling, grassy plains rumoured to be soft to the touch. The planet remained temperate all year round, with gentle winters and warm summers. Even the winds were mild. Chandrilans lived in harmony with nature, educated from birth in proper maintenance of a balanced ecosystem. Family homes always maintained a flower garden, fish pond, insect hive, or some other symbol of natural beauty.
Just offshore of Hanna, the capital city, lay a spectacular coral reef. This was where Bodhi landed Sotoo. There wasn't much of a beach, the land simply ended and the wide ocean began, crashing against the shoreline and spraying crystal clear water into the air. Bodhi carefully landed right on the edge, knowing there would be no need for a permit way out here where no one could find them. He really didn't feel like dealing with government officials or people in general right at that moment. He just wanted some peace and quiet, time to reflect on all that he'd seen.
Whilst he settled Sotoo, Mara left the shuttle to explore. She didn't venture far, just skirted around the ship. They were protected by tall hills that arched up towards the city in the distance, hiding them from prying eyes. She'd heard a lot about this planet though she had never been here. Chandrilans had earned a reputation throughout the galaxy as arrogant and argumentative, unfamiliar with the everyday struggles of life in less comfortable environments. Those who left their home-world typically found employment as diplomats, negotiators, or artists, like Mon Mothma herself.
When she was sure they were safe, Mara climbed up onto the wing of Sotoo, settling herself on the very edge so that her legs hung over the side. She stared out at the ocean, watching as it seemed to boil over the edge of the land but never quite rose high enough to touch the grass. The wind brushed her skin, a strangely gentle touch considering they were so close to the sea. Still, it made her shiver and Mara pulled on her jacket, finding the familiar material eased her anxious heart.
Bodhi finished his final checks and left the cockpit. It took him a few moments of searching before he realised Mara was sitting on the wing. Her back was ramrod straight as usual but when he looked closer, he saw that her fingers fidgeted anxiously in her lap. She must've heard the door slide open but she didn't turn to look at him. Perhaps she was lost in thought. He wouldn't be surprised, he couldn't even begin to imagine what she must be feeling. Mara was raised to be a warrior but now she had nothing to fight for. Without Leia, without Alderaan, she had no purpose. What must it be like to have nothing, not even memories to look back on in the middle of the night?
"I dunno about you," The sudden voice made Mara jump. She looked up to find Bodhi standing beside her. "But I hate the water." He too had put his jacket back on and looked much more like his usual self. They would have to venture into the city to find food, they were both starving and shivery, but that could wait until tomorrow.
Bodhi sat down beside her with a sigh, his body as exhausted as his mind.
"You can't swim?" Mara asked softly, the world around them so quiet she thought to raise her voice might shatter it like glass. "I would suggest we go in and I could teach you but who knows what's lurking about in there." Bodhi gave a soft little laugh which she glad to hear. She was worried his time in the Adarian prison might've shaken him but if it did, he was very good at hiding it. She looked across at him, raising her hand to carefully point to the cut on his forehead which still bloomed bright red. "Who did that to you?"
She didn't touch his skin, her fingertip just ghosted across his forehead, but Bodhi could almost feel it. "The big one. Pale skin, one eye."
Mara retracted her hand. "That's alright, then. I think I got him."
"You're a bit scary, you know that?" Bodhi turned his head to meet her gaze and Mara tried to hold back a laugh but couldn't quite manage it.
They were quiet for a moment, then Mara remembered what she had safely stored away in the pocket of her trousers. She reached in and pulled out a bacta patch, the last of the three Bodhi bought on Onderon. Somehow, the bright blue pod had stayed intact.
"Here." She turned so that she faced Bodhi, tearing into the patch with her teeth whilst her other hand reached up to keep his head still. He leaned back from her touch, wondering what she was going to do to him. Mara scoffed as she pulled the patch from its packet. "C'mere, I won't bite."
"You say that but I've seen you fight," Bodhi muttered under his breath as she reached up to him again. Mara laughed as she moved the hair out of his eyes, tucking the loose strands behind his ear with uncharacteristic care so that she could place the patch over his wound. Bodhi watched her face as she worked. He thought he'd never see her again. Trapped in his tiny, dismal cell, he thought about all that he wanted to say to her. Right now, he couldn't remember any of it. Maybe it would come back to him another time but right now, all he could focus on was Mara's face very close to his and moonlight in her eyes. "That's the last one," he said as she moved away, pressing down the edges of the patch to make sure it would stick. He could already feel it beginning to work, a faint trickling sensation that spread over his forehead and down his neck like warm water.
"We'll have to stop getting into trouble."
Mara gave him a small smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. She was finished patching him up but she didn't turn away like he thought she might. Bodhi was about to ask what was wrong when she spoke again.
"Why didn't you tell me? Really?"
He was relieved to find that there wasn't any anger in her voice, she just wanted answers. Bodhi sighed and looked out at the ocean, shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't need another person pitying me." He wished he had a better reason than that but it was the truth. When people found out who he was, they either reacted with anger or with irritating sympathy. He never knew which was worse, he was still trying to figure it out, but he knew what he'd prefer from Mara. He didn't want her to think he was weak, or stupid, or defenceless. For once, he just wanted someone to see him for who he truly was, and not just focus on the uniform he shed the first moment he could. He thought that person could be Mara but now he wasn't so sure.
"I don't," she said quietly, quickly, like she was embarrassed. "I don't pity you. I... I care about you."
Bodhi turned to look at her but Mara was staring at the grass below them, preferring to focus on the way it softly swayed than meet his eyes. He felt his heart somersault so high that it was frankly embarrassing and smiled, unable to stop himself.
"I care about you too." Bodhi watched as Mara looked down at her lap, her lips pressing together for a moment like she was trying not to smile, then she looked away towards the lights in the distance that followed the land as it curved around. When she turned back, she'd regained control but her face was a little red and although he didn't know it, her heart was somersaulting too.
"I'm sorry." Mara swallowed thickly. Apologies had always been hard for her, right now the words were caught in her throat, choking her. She'd never been so tongue-tied. "What I said, that it would've been better if you... I didn't mean it."
"I know." Bodhi couldn't pretend that her words hadn't hurt but she'd just lost her planet, everyone she ever cared about, and he knew that wasn't any excuse but Mara had apologised and that was enough for him. "You were angry. It's alright."
With a heavy heart, she slowly looked up again and shook her head. "No, it isn't."
Bodhi couldn't look away from those eyes. This was not the same woman who kidnapped him and forced him to cross a desert. Or maybe it was. Maybe this was the Mara that others didn't get to see because she was her duty before she was a person, because Mara wasn't allowed to show her true self. Either way, he felt extremely lucky to be the one she felt comfortable enough around to let down her guard.
They were silent for a little while, just staring out across the endless ocean, watching as the stars fell down, spiralling endlessly as the waves swelled and broke. Then, at last, Mara said, "Maranellia."
Bodhi frowned. "What?" He'd been so lost in thought, he thought perhaps he hadn't heard her properly.
"Maranellia. That's my name." Mara scoffed and shook her head. "I don't know what my mother was thinking."
There was a brief pause, then without warning, Bodhi murmured, "Maranellia..."
Mara turned to look at him sharply and saw that he was grinning from ear to ear. "Don't laugh."
"I'm not laughing," he said quickly, a blatant lie. "Why do you shorten it?"
"Are you kidding? It doesn't exactly strike fear into people's hearts, does it?"
"No, I suppose not."
She wasn't sure why she'd told him, but Bodhi had told her so much about himself, she thought it was right to give something back in return, even if it was humiliating. There was another pause and when Mara looked up at Bodhi again, he was still grinning.
"Maranellia Verbanti." He drew out her name, adding emphasis here and there to make it sound like the title of a great queen. Mara cringed to hear it, she'd always hated her name. According to her mother, it had been her great-great grandmother's and she cursed her every day for it. "That's one hell of a name. I like it."
"Shut up."
"No, I do! Honestly!"
"You're teasing me."
"I would never." Bodhi pretended to be offended by her accusation which only made Mara laugh harder. He smiled to see her enjoying herself but didn't point out that he'd never seen her so relaxed for fear of making her clam up again. They'd been through so much, it was nice to just sit and laugh for a while and forget about all the terrible things that had happened to them. "Why did you tell me that?"
Mara shrugged. "Friends know things about each other that no one else does."
"No one else knows about your name?"
"I've never told anyone."
An indescribable sort of feeling began to well up in his chest. Bodhi could not believe that she trusted him so much. He could not believe that he deserved the faith she had in him. More than anything, he couldn't understand why of all the people in the galaxy, he was the one lucky enough to earn the right to know Mara, to learn things about her that no one else knew.
"Well, I'm honoured." He tried to act as if he wasn't deeply touched but Mara had a way of seeing through people and he knew she probably had a very good idea of what he was feeling. Bodhi selfconsciously reached up and brushed the bacta patch on his forehead just for something to do with his hands. It was starting to tingle, a sign that his cut was almost healed. It was only a small injury, really not worthy of a bacta patch, but he would never second guess Mara. Never again. "I'm glad it was me," he said quietly.
"What?"
"I'm glad it was me. I'm glad I was in the hangar when you were looking for a ship." He scoffed when she gave him a dubious look. "Don't get me wrong, this whole thing has been a bloody nightmare. Who knew two people could get into so much trouble." He gave a scornful laugh but he could not hide how much this ridiculous adventure meant to him, how much she meant to him. "I'm glad it happened. I... I'm glad you found me."
Mara was lost for words, something that really didn't happen often. She tried to think of some kind of reply but this was unprecedented, unchartered territory and to her own dismay, she was too frightened of her own feelings to respond. But Bodhi knew. Bodhi understood.
He pulled his jacket around him tighter as the wind picked up. It was getting late and the weather was changing. Even the sea seemed to be telling them to go inside, crashing fervently against the shore until they felt speckles of water hit their faces. They went inside and as they carefully laid out their makeshift bed, Bodhi told the story he'd kept to himself for what felt like years.
"I'd just come in from a really long trip. I must've travelled a million miles, it certainly felt that way. I just wanted to get something to eat and go back to my quarters. I usually sat with my friends. They weren't really friends, just people I knew, but they were all out on different jobs. Then I saw this man sitting by himself. I knew he must be an officer but when I sat at his table, he smiled at me. No officer had ever looked my way twice let alone smile, but this man was different, kind. He told me his name was Galen and that he had a favour to ask."
He told her everything. He told her about his trouble stealing a ship, he told her about the thugs who intercepted him on Jedha and the lies they told about him. He told her about Bor Gullet, about the pain, about the nightmares that still followed him like a second shadow. He told her the truth about meeting Cassian and Jyn and the others, and about how Rogue One came to be. He told her about seeing the Holy City crumble.
Very soon, Bodhi couldn't stop the words tumbling from his mouth like a confession, a catharsis, he just wanted to get it all out, to share what he'd kept locked away in the back of his mind for so long. He knew he was talking quickly, that he probably wasn't explaining everything properly, but Mara didn't stop him. She sat in silence, listening carefully to every word he handed her. He hesitated before telling her about Scarif. The memory was still raw, it hurt to prod at it, but Bodhi was more concerned for Mara. She'd just lost her planet, would she be able to hear about another world meeting the same fate? But she still didn't say anything. When he was done, Mara whispered to him that she was sorry and he said the same to her.
She supposed he wasn't a traditional kind of hero, and if she considered how they met and where they were now, she knew it wouldn't have crossed her mind that first night that she might one day see him as anything more than a pilot. But now Mara could see Bodhi for what he really was, a very brave man, perhaps the bravest. That night, safe and sound inside their little shuttle, neither of them were haunted by their nightmares. They slept peacefully, lulled by the soft snore of the wind and the waves crashing against the shore.