Author's Note: Thank you for continuing to read my story. I'm happy if I surprised any of you. I've always wondered what might have happened in the original storyline had Jade and Vader made an alliance with each other. Thank you again...next post on Monday.
Chapter Four: The Master and the Padawan
Mara entered Vader's private docking bay shortly after the evening meal. He was waiting for her by a lone tie-fighter, his personal shuttle. The room was empty of crew and Mara wondered if perhaps Vader had arranged it this way. There was no squabbling between them; no pretense of their former animosity.
Without greeting, Vader spoke, "Ah, Mara. I believe we should begin with something simple. I would like you to lift my tie-fighter using the force."
Mara was dumbfounded and turned toward Vader wondering if perhaps she had misheard him. He turned to face her and without emotion stated, "You may begin."
"Yes Master," Mara said after a brief pause.
She turned her attention to the tie-fighter trying to decide if Vader had a lot of faith in her, or was merely attempting to show her limitations. Either way, the fact that he was allowing her to practice on his personal shuttle made her both a little uneasy and touched at the same time.
Mara reached out with the force and attempted to raise the vessel, but to no avail. Nothing happened. Vader whispered softly, "Don't think about it so much; you're trying too hard. Let go of your physical limitations and open yourself to the force around you."
Mara nodded and refocused her attention on the shuttle. She let out a slow breath and relaxed herself. She felt a tingling of energy around her.
"Now," Vader continued, "visualize that energy around the shuttle."
Mara concentrated on the tie-fighter imagining it rising into the air. Slowly, the shuttle began to wobble, then remained still. Vader spoke, "Still trying too hard." He placed his hand on her shoulder, "Again, Mara." This time when she reached out with the force, she felt Vader's power flow about her and out toward the vessel. Together they lifted the tie-fighter half a meter from the landing pad.
"Good, now hold it there," he said as he began to pull back his force energy. Mara felt the shuttle begin to sink and she redoubled her efforts.
Vader encouraged, "It's only heavy if you let it be. Your eyes see the size and tell you it's too heavy. Ignore them. You must not trust your eyes, they can deceive you. Judge instead by what you feel, what the force tells you to be true."
The shuttle leveled off and remained suspended in the air. Vader removed his hand from Mara's shoulder. He studied the young woman beside him, impressed with her strength in the force. Had the Emperor known of her power all along? He wasn't one to miss something so obvious, so the question remained why hadn't he trained her himself? Perhaps he felt cautious at having too many slaves with such powerful abilities. Another question nagged at Vader. If he had brought his son before the Emperor, and they managed to turn Luke to the dark side, would Palpatine have kept both Vader and Luke alive?
Vader turned his attention back to Mara. She was totally absorbed in her task and completely unaware of her surroundings. Vader leaned closely toward her and whispered, "Your mother begged for her life."
The tie-fighter slammed down onto the docking bay. Mara turned to Vader and he could feel the anger radiate off her. "What did you say?" She demanded.
"I said, 'your mother begged for her life.'"
Mara became enraged. How could she have trusted him? How could she have thought he was anything less than the monster she had always known him to be. "You son of a ...!" She screamed, unable to finish the sentence. "You killed my parents! It was you!"
Vader remained calm, "No Mara, I wasn't even present when they died. I had nothing to do with their deaths."
"Then why did you say..."
Vader interrupted her. "To test you, Mara."
Her face showed confusion, but the rage remained. "Mara, you must know that the Emperor will do and say anything to confuse you, anger you, and defeat you. He will attack your weaknesses and any emotion you display. You think he doesn't know of your longing for your parents? He knows you well, child, better than you realize. He'll use your pain against you. He'll make you so angry that you'll lose your senses and act out in haste. "
Mara's fury abated completely leaving behind embarrassment at how easily Vader had goaded her. With her head cast down, she appeared focused on her shoes. Vader used one finger under her chin and gently raised her head until she was looking into the eyes of his helmet. Softly he added, "Mara, your temper is your greatest deficit. It always has been. Even as a young child you were feisty." Vader mused inwardly at the memory of a young red-haired child, no more that five years, glaring defiantly at a trainer who had broken her finger for talking back to him.
Humbled Mara said, "Yes Master. Shall I begin again?"
"No, I think that's enough for tonight. It grows late. Meet me in the engine room before breakfast. We'll practice with light sabers." The girl nodded and they both departed out separate doors.
_____________________________________________________
Mara's training continued in secret for few more weeks, periodically interrupted briefly when Palpatine called one or the other to a complete a mission. Most of Vader's missions allowed Mara to remain on his ship, albeit in seclusion from the crew.
Vader trained Mara in the use of light sabers. He instructed her how to block blaster fire, she learned how to shield her thoughts. Mara learned how to successfully lift many objects with the force, including Vader's shuttle. Vader challenged her by trying to anger her or cause her pain. She became better able to manage her temper, although was never able to let go of her feistiness, much to Vader's amusement. A special camaraderie developed between the two as student to teacher and, at times, daughter to surrogate father. When their final training session took place, both were heavyhearted.
"Mara, it is time." Vader began. "My son has surrendered himself to stormtroopers on the planet below and is en route here. Palpatine has ordered me to bring Luke before him."
"Yes, the Emperor has commanded me to 'seek out and kill Han Solo and Lando Calrissian.' I had planned to leave after this session."
With concern in his voice, Vader asked, "How do you plan on avoiding killing them?"
Mara shrugged. "I'll just stall a bit. After all, the Millennium Falcon 'made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsces,'" she said with an aloofness that clearly showed she didn't put much stock in the rumor. "I'll just have trouble catching up with 'the fastest ship in the galaxy.'" She rolled her eyes, but smiled in the end. Vader just shook his head in response and Mara could almost feel mirth emulating from him.
Vader turned somber. "Mara, I want you to have this," he said as he presented her with a light saber. "It was my light saber when I was a jedi, before I----turned," he added softly. "I lost it in battle with my jedi master and nearly lost my life as well. Luke brought it with him to Besbin. I took it from him in battle." Vader reflected sadly at how close he had come to almost killing his own son.
Mara could feel her master's pain and offered, "Master, perhaps you should give it back to your son. He should have it, not me. Besides, I already have a light saber."
Vader glanced down at the saber hanging from her belt. "Ah yes, but then jedi typically don't carry light sabers with a red blade. You have been my only student, Mara. You've worked hard. I'm proud of you. I want you to have it. Luke will understand. And, for some reason, I believe it was meant to be yours."
Mara reached out and tentatively took the light saber from Vader's out stretched hand. Vader continued, "Until we face Palpatine, may the force be with you."
Mara looked at Vader and realized this could be one of the last moments they shared together . With unshed tears in her eyes, she replied, "Thank you, Master. And may the force be with you too...Anakin."
She turned and walked from the room, and as Vader watched her depart, a smile formed beneath his mask. Yes, it was good to be back. Anakin Skywalker started toward the detention center. It was time to let his son in on the plan.
Chapter Four: The Master and the Padawan
Mara entered Vader's private docking bay shortly after the evening meal. He was waiting for her by a lone tie-fighter, his personal shuttle. The room was empty of crew and Mara wondered if perhaps Vader had arranged it this way. There was no squabbling between them; no pretense of their former animosity.
Without greeting, Vader spoke, "Ah, Mara. I believe we should begin with something simple. I would like you to lift my tie-fighter using the force."
Mara was dumbfounded and turned toward Vader wondering if perhaps she had misheard him. He turned to face her and without emotion stated, "You may begin."
"Yes Master," Mara said after a brief pause.
She turned her attention to the tie-fighter trying to decide if Vader had a lot of faith in her, or was merely attempting to show her limitations. Either way, the fact that he was allowing her to practice on his personal shuttle made her both a little uneasy and touched at the same time.
Mara reached out with the force and attempted to raise the vessel, but to no avail. Nothing happened. Vader whispered softly, "Don't think about it so much; you're trying too hard. Let go of your physical limitations and open yourself to the force around you."
Mara nodded and refocused her attention on the shuttle. She let out a slow breath and relaxed herself. She felt a tingling of energy around her.
"Now," Vader continued, "visualize that energy around the shuttle."
Mara concentrated on the tie-fighter imagining it rising into the air. Slowly, the shuttle began to wobble, then remained still. Vader spoke, "Still trying too hard." He placed his hand on her shoulder, "Again, Mara." This time when she reached out with the force, she felt Vader's power flow about her and out toward the vessel. Together they lifted the tie-fighter half a meter from the landing pad.
"Good, now hold it there," he said as he began to pull back his force energy. Mara felt the shuttle begin to sink and she redoubled her efforts.
Vader encouraged, "It's only heavy if you let it be. Your eyes see the size and tell you it's too heavy. Ignore them. You must not trust your eyes, they can deceive you. Judge instead by what you feel, what the force tells you to be true."
The shuttle leveled off and remained suspended in the air. Vader removed his hand from Mara's shoulder. He studied the young woman beside him, impressed with her strength in the force. Had the Emperor known of her power all along? He wasn't one to miss something so obvious, so the question remained why hadn't he trained her himself? Perhaps he felt cautious at having too many slaves with such powerful abilities. Another question nagged at Vader. If he had brought his son before the Emperor, and they managed to turn Luke to the dark side, would Palpatine have kept both Vader and Luke alive?
Vader turned his attention back to Mara. She was totally absorbed in her task and completely unaware of her surroundings. Vader leaned closely toward her and whispered, "Your mother begged for her life."
The tie-fighter slammed down onto the docking bay. Mara turned to Vader and he could feel the anger radiate off her. "What did you say?" She demanded.
"I said, 'your mother begged for her life.'"
Mara became enraged. How could she have trusted him? How could she have thought he was anything less than the monster she had always known him to be. "You son of a ...!" She screamed, unable to finish the sentence. "You killed my parents! It was you!"
Vader remained calm, "No Mara, I wasn't even present when they died. I had nothing to do with their deaths."
"Then why did you say..."
Vader interrupted her. "To test you, Mara."
Her face showed confusion, but the rage remained. "Mara, you must know that the Emperor will do and say anything to confuse you, anger you, and defeat you. He will attack your weaknesses and any emotion you display. You think he doesn't know of your longing for your parents? He knows you well, child, better than you realize. He'll use your pain against you. He'll make you so angry that you'll lose your senses and act out in haste. "
Mara's fury abated completely leaving behind embarrassment at how easily Vader had goaded her. With her head cast down, she appeared focused on her shoes. Vader used one finger under her chin and gently raised her head until she was looking into the eyes of his helmet. Softly he added, "Mara, your temper is your greatest deficit. It always has been. Even as a young child you were feisty." Vader mused inwardly at the memory of a young red-haired child, no more that five years, glaring defiantly at a trainer who had broken her finger for talking back to him.
Humbled Mara said, "Yes Master. Shall I begin again?"
"No, I think that's enough for tonight. It grows late. Meet me in the engine room before breakfast. We'll practice with light sabers." The girl nodded and they both departed out separate doors.
_____________________________________________________
Mara's training continued in secret for few more weeks, periodically interrupted briefly when Palpatine called one or the other to a complete a mission. Most of Vader's missions allowed Mara to remain on his ship, albeit in seclusion from the crew.
Vader trained Mara in the use of light sabers. He instructed her how to block blaster fire, she learned how to shield her thoughts. Mara learned how to successfully lift many objects with the force, including Vader's shuttle. Vader challenged her by trying to anger her or cause her pain. She became better able to manage her temper, although was never able to let go of her feistiness, much to Vader's amusement. A special camaraderie developed between the two as student to teacher and, at times, daughter to surrogate father. When their final training session took place, both were heavyhearted.
"Mara, it is time." Vader began. "My son has surrendered himself to stormtroopers on the planet below and is en route here. Palpatine has ordered me to bring Luke before him."
"Yes, the Emperor has commanded me to 'seek out and kill Han Solo and Lando Calrissian.' I had planned to leave after this session."
With concern in his voice, Vader asked, "How do you plan on avoiding killing them?"
Mara shrugged. "I'll just stall a bit. After all, the Millennium Falcon 'made the Kessel run in less than 12 parsces,'" she said with an aloofness that clearly showed she didn't put much stock in the rumor. "I'll just have trouble catching up with 'the fastest ship in the galaxy.'" She rolled her eyes, but smiled in the end. Vader just shook his head in response and Mara could almost feel mirth emulating from him.
Vader turned somber. "Mara, I want you to have this," he said as he presented her with a light saber. "It was my light saber when I was a jedi, before I----turned," he added softly. "I lost it in battle with my jedi master and nearly lost my life as well. Luke brought it with him to Besbin. I took it from him in battle." Vader reflected sadly at how close he had come to almost killing his own son.
Mara could feel her master's pain and offered, "Master, perhaps you should give it back to your son. He should have it, not me. Besides, I already have a light saber."
Vader glanced down at the saber hanging from her belt. "Ah yes, but then jedi typically don't carry light sabers with a red blade. You have been my only student, Mara. You've worked hard. I'm proud of you. I want you to have it. Luke will understand. And, for some reason, I believe it was meant to be yours."
Mara reached out and tentatively took the light saber from Vader's out stretched hand. Vader continued, "Until we face Palpatine, may the force be with you."
Mara looked at Vader and realized this could be one of the last moments they shared together . With unshed tears in her eyes, she replied, "Thank you, Master. And may the force be with you too...Anakin."
She turned and walked from the room, and as Vader watched her depart, a smile formed beneath his mask. Yes, it was good to be back. Anakin Skywalker started toward the detention center. It was time to let his son in on the plan.