3
"Mara," Luke breathed in shock. She was the last person he expected to see when he and Leia decided to go discuss this new development with Han.
"Luke…Leia," Mara couldn't take her eyes off her husband. He was even more handsome than she remembered. The past years were definitely good to him.
"Well Junior tell the NRI I'll get to them when I get to…them," Han stopped in his tracks when he spotted the trio. He sighed; knowing there was going to be trouble.
"Father hi!" Ben greeted, oblivious to the tension between the three adults. "I see you've met Han's friend."
"Ben why don't you go check find Anakin. I think he wanted to discuss something with you," Leia addressed her nephew and tightened her hold on her brother's hold. For some unknown reason she felt possessive of not only her brother but the twins as well. They've grown up just fine without Mara. They didn't need her now.
"Ok Aunt Leia. Uh…it was nice meeting you," Ben addressed the strangely familiar woman and ran off to see his cousin.
"Han you have some explaining to do," Leia glared at her husband, noticing that Luke and Leia haven't taken their eyes off each other.
"There's a perfectly good explanation for this," Han stammered, following his wife onto the Falcon.
"Well start now," Leia crossed her arms.
"I ran into Mara. I brought her back here and she explained everything," Han stammered. "I didn't release her if that's what you were thinking."
"Well then who did?" Luke finally asked, the shock of seeing her again wearing off.
"It was this group of men…I guess they're some kind of cult," Mara explained. "They were these hooded capes. I had to push my way past them to get away from them."
"What did they want?" Luke asked.
"To resurrect the Emperor. According to them, they needed a former subject of his that also possessed Jedi powers."
"My Goodness, not again," Leia groaned. "When will this universe be free from such threats. Nothing we do stops it."
"Did they tell you what their names were?" Luke asked.
Mara shook her head. "I didn't hang around to find out. I'm sorry."
Han cleared his throat. "So what's going to happen now?"
"Well I'm going to have to call the NRI of course. They need to know what's going on."
"Leia…" Luke began, but fell silent when she turned a glare at him. "Well…can you at least wait to do that. I think Ben and Ami deserve to know their mother."
"Plus we may need her help with this cult as well," Han nodded.
"Luke you know very well that I can't do that," Leia sighed. "It's my duty to call the NRI. No matter how personal this is. I'm sorry."
"Yeah that's always your excuse isn't it?" Luke angrily glared at his sister. "Well go ahead Leia. Put your duty above what you know is right. It didn't stop you before."
"Luke that's not fair!" Leia defended herself.
"Stop it you two. Don't argue over this," Mara interrupted the coming argument. "Luke, I saw the children from afar. And Ben up close. They're beautiful. And I got a chance to see you. That's all I wanted. I'm ok with this. Really."
"Well I'm not Mara. I should never had given in so easily before and I'm not now," Luke placed an arm around her, and pulled her against him. "Mara belongs with her family. Not in some cold place as a statue for passerby's to gawk at. I will not let you do that to her again."
"I think the kid means it Leia," Han nodded. "And he's right. Mara did not do anything wrong and it's wrong to punish her for something she didn't do."
"Am I the only one who's thinking rationally in this?" Leia looked at her husband and her brother.
"Uncle Han have you seen Ben!" Amidala entered the ship just to stop and stare at Mara. She immediately knew who the woman was. Tears appeared in her eyes. "Momma?"