Chapter ii
In another building on Coruscant, Mara Jade Skywalker stood on the balcony of the apartment that she once shared with Luke. It had been a year since the Black Aurora incident and none of Luke's memories had returned. It had been a bittersweet year. She had the pleasure of falling in love with Luke all over again. But also the distress at the utter loss of the moments they had had together. So much of what Luke had learned and had taught to his students was lost to the former Jedi Master. Now, he was a student again. Having to learn at the feet of those he had taught. The thing that tormented her the most was the loss of the bond they once had. She didn't realize how dependent she had become on having that little part of Luke with her at all times. She felt hollow without it. As if a part of her soul had been taken away and left a cold void in it's wake. She figured, she hoped, that with time Luke would regain the ability to form that bond again. She was desolate without it. Mara felt his presence before the door chimed. Stepping back into the suite, she crossed to the door and opened it. Luke proffered the roses from behind his back and smiled comfortably. Mara smiled and took his offering. "Come on in. I'll just put these in some water." Luke stepped into the apartment for about the twentieth time since he had returned to Coruscant and looked around the room. Everything looked the same, but it was like looking at the home of someone you visit often. Not the home that you once lived in. The news that he was married to the woman who had rescued him from "Jabba's Palace" came as a shock to him. A further surprise came when he learned that he had a sister. He had memories of her, but they were of someone he cared for and loved. His thoughts drifted from his sister and her husband, Han Solo. Another surprise. Luke remembered them as bickering and Leia calling him a scruffy- looking nerf-herder. He remembered having a vision of them at Cloud City and going to rescue them. A sense of betrayal and loss. Luke looked down at his prosthetic hand and could almost feel the sensation of pain as Vader's blade severed his fist. He remembered nearly dying and calling out to Leia. Begging her to hear him.
In the same building, Leia Organa Solo set about cleaning up the mess her youngest son had made. She suddenly gasped as she felt Luke's mental call. Much like Mara, the bond that Leia shared with her brother had been severed. But now he was reaching out to her, the bond they had was returning. Smiling broadly, she reached out for Luke.
Luke. Luke looked around the room as he heard Leia's voice. Confusion wrinkled his brow as he failed to find her. Leia? Leia smiled as she sensed Luke's confusion. Leia, how'd you do that? You did it, Luke. You sent a call out to me. I did? Yes. You don't know how? No. I was. I was just thinking about you, Han and Chewie back at Cloud City and my fight with Vader. I was remembering what happened and. I called out to you. I remembered calling out to you and remembered how to do that! Leia couldn't help from smiling at the enthusiasm that was bubbling up from her brother. It was contagious and the feeling of having her brother coming back to her left her somewhat light-headed. That's wonderful, Luke! Can you remember anything else? Uhh. I remember some guy named Lando and that Han had been taken by a bounty hunter. There was. uhh. I. I don't know. Luke sagged somewhat. I can't remember anything else. Leia sent him warm loving feelings across their bond and finished picking up the rest of the broken toy. It's okay, Luke. It's good to see you coming back to us. Come over for dinner? It was more statement, less question. Luke smiled in response. Yeah, I'll see you tonight. Okay. Bye, Luke. I love you. I love you too, Leia. Luke broke the connection to find Mara staring at him. He smiled sheepishly and lowered his prosthetic from where he had been staring at it. "Remember anything?" "Yeah, a little. I was remembering my time on Dagobah with Master Yoda, and running off to save my friends. I remember the fight with. my father. and calling out to Leia for help. In doing so I was able to talk to her through the Force just now. She had mentioned that we had a bond, and I guess that bond just returned." Mara smiled but inwardly she was a jumble of emotions. She wondered if that meant that their bond would eventually return. If it did, how long would it take. It had been almost a year before he remembered he had a sister, how long would it be before he remembered having a wife. She felt. jealous. She was jealous that the bond with Leia had returned, but she was still cut off from the man she loved with all her heart. Reigning in her wild emotions, Mara set herself to be patient. She would give Luke all the time he needed. He was worth it. "That's wonderful, Luke." She looped her arm through his and pulled Luke over to the sofa. "Maybe whatever Garr did to you is starting to wear off." Luke sat down next to Mara and intertwined his fingers with hers. He looked into her emerald eyes and sighed. "I sure hope so. I know how difficult these past few months have been for you." He smiled sheepishly. "You've tried to hide it, but I can see how much it hurts you. I'm sorry. I am so sorry Mara that I can't remember you, or anything that we had. I want to, I want it more than anything in my entire life. But I can't. I just can't remember. I don't have the." Luke was interrupted by the chime of the door. Mara groaned and stood up. "Just a second." Opening the door, Mara saw a rather flustered Leia outside. She met Mara's gaze and smiled coldly. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just got some news that I know you'll want to hear."
In another building on Coruscant, Mara Jade Skywalker stood on the balcony of the apartment that she once shared with Luke. It had been a year since the Black Aurora incident and none of Luke's memories had returned. It had been a bittersweet year. She had the pleasure of falling in love with Luke all over again. But also the distress at the utter loss of the moments they had had together. So much of what Luke had learned and had taught to his students was lost to the former Jedi Master. Now, he was a student again. Having to learn at the feet of those he had taught. The thing that tormented her the most was the loss of the bond they once had. She didn't realize how dependent she had become on having that little part of Luke with her at all times. She felt hollow without it. As if a part of her soul had been taken away and left a cold void in it's wake. She figured, she hoped, that with time Luke would regain the ability to form that bond again. She was desolate without it. Mara felt his presence before the door chimed. Stepping back into the suite, she crossed to the door and opened it. Luke proffered the roses from behind his back and smiled comfortably. Mara smiled and took his offering. "Come on in. I'll just put these in some water." Luke stepped into the apartment for about the twentieth time since he had returned to Coruscant and looked around the room. Everything looked the same, but it was like looking at the home of someone you visit often. Not the home that you once lived in. The news that he was married to the woman who had rescued him from "Jabba's Palace" came as a shock to him. A further surprise came when he learned that he had a sister. He had memories of her, but they were of someone he cared for and loved. His thoughts drifted from his sister and her husband, Han Solo. Another surprise. Luke remembered them as bickering and Leia calling him a scruffy- looking nerf-herder. He remembered having a vision of them at Cloud City and going to rescue them. A sense of betrayal and loss. Luke looked down at his prosthetic hand and could almost feel the sensation of pain as Vader's blade severed his fist. He remembered nearly dying and calling out to Leia. Begging her to hear him.
In the same building, Leia Organa Solo set about cleaning up the mess her youngest son had made. She suddenly gasped as she felt Luke's mental call. Much like Mara, the bond that Leia shared with her brother had been severed. But now he was reaching out to her, the bond they had was returning. Smiling broadly, she reached out for Luke.
Luke. Luke looked around the room as he heard Leia's voice. Confusion wrinkled his brow as he failed to find her. Leia? Leia smiled as she sensed Luke's confusion. Leia, how'd you do that? You did it, Luke. You sent a call out to me. I did? Yes. You don't know how? No. I was. I was just thinking about you, Han and Chewie back at Cloud City and my fight with Vader. I was remembering what happened and. I called out to you. I remembered calling out to you and remembered how to do that! Leia couldn't help from smiling at the enthusiasm that was bubbling up from her brother. It was contagious and the feeling of having her brother coming back to her left her somewhat light-headed. That's wonderful, Luke! Can you remember anything else? Uhh. I remember some guy named Lando and that Han had been taken by a bounty hunter. There was. uhh. I. I don't know. Luke sagged somewhat. I can't remember anything else. Leia sent him warm loving feelings across their bond and finished picking up the rest of the broken toy. It's okay, Luke. It's good to see you coming back to us. Come over for dinner? It was more statement, less question. Luke smiled in response. Yeah, I'll see you tonight. Okay. Bye, Luke. I love you. I love you too, Leia. Luke broke the connection to find Mara staring at him. He smiled sheepishly and lowered his prosthetic from where he had been staring at it. "Remember anything?" "Yeah, a little. I was remembering my time on Dagobah with Master Yoda, and running off to save my friends. I remember the fight with. my father. and calling out to Leia for help. In doing so I was able to talk to her through the Force just now. She had mentioned that we had a bond, and I guess that bond just returned." Mara smiled but inwardly she was a jumble of emotions. She wondered if that meant that their bond would eventually return. If it did, how long would it take. It had been almost a year before he remembered he had a sister, how long would it be before he remembered having a wife. She felt. jealous. She was jealous that the bond with Leia had returned, but she was still cut off from the man she loved with all her heart. Reigning in her wild emotions, Mara set herself to be patient. She would give Luke all the time he needed. He was worth it. "That's wonderful, Luke." She looped her arm through his and pulled Luke over to the sofa. "Maybe whatever Garr did to you is starting to wear off." Luke sat down next to Mara and intertwined his fingers with hers. He looked into her emerald eyes and sighed. "I sure hope so. I know how difficult these past few months have been for you." He smiled sheepishly. "You've tried to hide it, but I can see how much it hurts you. I'm sorry. I am so sorry Mara that I can't remember you, or anything that we had. I want to, I want it more than anything in my entire life. But I can't. I just can't remember. I don't have the." Luke was interrupted by the chime of the door. Mara groaned and stood up. "Just a second." Opening the door, Mara saw a rather flustered Leia outside. She met Mara's gaze and smiled coldly. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just got some news that I know you'll want to hear."