Disclaimer: Owned by George, not mine.
Author's Note: Sorry this took so long; writer's block is a bitch.

RETURN TO SELF--Chapter 8

A dozen Jedi sat cross-legged on the floor of the Vong prison, staring at each other. Many
were nodding off, existing on maybe half an hour of sleep each. They had been training non-
stop for almost a week, mostly at night when the Vong didn't visit.

Mara seemed to be suffering more than anyone. She and Callista had been organizing the
others, helping them develop their Force-skills and strengthen their bodies. But the red-and-
white haired Jedi had never regained her pre-pregnancy stamina and it was now taking its toll.

"How are we all feeling?" Callista asked those around her.

Some grumbled about the lack of sleep, but their Force-energies said they were doing fine.

Callista placed a rough hand on Mara's knee. "Do you need a break?"

The other woman began to shake her head but a yawn interrupted the action. A few of the
other Jedi chuckled and then yawned as well. Mara looked up with her bloodshot eyes at
the group and nodded.

"I think we *all* need a break. Let's take a few hours to rest before we start moving again."

The Jedi scattered quickly, collapsing onto their sleeping areas. Callista helped her
co-leader to her own "quarters" and sat down next to her. She watched as the wife of her
former lover curled up on the floor, letting out an exhausted sigh.

"Mara, you can't save the galaxy if you're going to collapse in battle." She dropped her
voice. "You have a baby to get back to. I don't want to tell your son I let you die."

Mara smiled weakly at the mention of her son. "I came here to work; don't put me on bed
rest. I did that for three months before Ryft was born."

Callista shook her head. "Just take it easy"

****

Leia made her way to the NRI complex as quickly as she could. The thought of her sister-in-
law being alive was a great relief. Luke had become even more self-involved and
despondent since Mara had left; something was needed to snap him out of it.

The guards, who had apparently been expecting her, let Leia in without fuss. Jaina, her brown hair cropped short now, met her mother with an excited expression.

"I found her!"

"How did you manage that?" Leia asked, trying to keep up with her excited daughter.

"A few Jedi mind tricks, a glance into some brains..." Jaina saw the look on her mother's
face. "Kidding, Mom. I just started doing some back tracking as to where she'd been lately,
what ship she took when she left. It all pointed to the NRI."

"That still doesn't explain where we're going, or why the NRI told you anything about your
aunt."

Jaina stopped in the hallway and turned to face her mother. "Believe it or not, I've got some
connections of my own. I did manage to make a few friends while I was leading a
sequestered life in your quarters." She took a breath. "The woman who's been keeping
contact with Mara is the mother of a friend."

Leia shook her head slowly and followed her daughter in silence as they walked deeper into
the NRI buildings. Finally, Jaina opened a door with a long code and ushered her mother
inside before locking the door again.

"Councilor Organa," an older woman said from a console. "It's an honor to finally meet
you."

Leia smiled her diplomatic smile and then nodded. "It's my pleasure, especially if you have
information on my brother's wife."

The woman frowned. "I'm really not supposed to be doing this...but you can talk to her right
now if you like."

Leia perked up. "Please. I promise to take full responsibility for any trouble you get in."

The woman wordlessly handed Leia the headset and offered her chair to the tiring New
Republic councilor. Leia sat down and cleared her throat.

"Mara?"

At first, there was no response, but as the Intelligence woman turned up the sound, Leia
could hear people rustling around and talking. The voices got quieter and then a very
familiar voice spoke.

"Leia? How in Sith did you find me?"

Leia grinned and gave a "thumbs-up" sign to her daughter. "Jaina tracked you down. Are
you okay? Luke's worried sick. We all are."

She could hear Mara sigh. "I'm fine, just a little tired. How's my son?"

Leia's grin turned into a sad smile. "Ryft is fine; Tionne's been taking good care of him."

There was a long pause and Leia thought she might have lost contact with her sister-in-law.
Then Mara's voice came back, quietly.

"Leia, I'm doing a lot of good where I am, which is why I'm not going to tell you where that
is. Please tell Luke that I'm okay, but if he tries to find me, I might actually kill him this
time." A pause and another sigh. "You'll know if everything works out, Leia. Please don't
try and contact me again."

Leia opened her mouth to speak, but she could hear the background noise growing. Mara
was returning to the crowd she'd been in. She wanted no more to do with Leia at that
moment. Or until she returned, for that matter.

She handed the headset back to the Intelligence woman and stood slowly. "Thank you so
much," she began, "we just needed to know she was alive and well."

The woman nodded, speaking hesitantly. "I can keep you updated on that much, if you'd like."

Leia turned to her daughter, who nodded eagerly. "Yes, please," Leia said. "Just send any
information directly to my office." Leia began to leave with her daughter then turned
around.

"Thank you."

*****

Viqi Shesh waited expectantly for her liason to contact her. Eventually, the villip began to
morph and Shesh bowed her head.

"Good news," she said immediately. No need to mince words. "The wife of the most
powerful Jeedai is missing. No one seems to know where she is."

"How is this news good?" the Vong asked, clearly unamused at the interruption.

"If you can find her, and destroy her, you will send the Jeedai into a self-destructive spiral.
Their Master will not be able to function without her."

The Vong seemed to think this over carefully. "What does she look like?"

Shesh explained Mara's description to the Vong contact who nodded.

"We will find this Jeedai and destroy them all."

*****

Mara's sleep was fitful. A sense of unease had settled over her and had tickled her danger
sense. It wasn't for Ryft, or Luke, or any of the Solos...it was for her. *She* was in
danger. And her dreams reflected that.

Flashes of her childhood came to the surface: the Emperor's face looming over her; Vader's
mask staring over her master's shoulder. That could have been any number of occassions
when she had feared she may have angered those two men enough to get herself killed.

She saw herself as a young adult, coolly watching as a stormtrooper was tortured for
something...maybe his boots weren't clean enough. The child she was seemed unaffected;
the adult she had become was appalled.

Resigning herself to the fact that sleep wasn't an option, Mara opened her eyes and looked
around her. All these Jedi were here because of a power they'd been given. But they'd
never been trained to protect themselves with that power. It was sad. Mara wanted to get
all these creatures out of here so they could train, or not train, and live the rest of their
lives.

*Soon they'll be ready,* she thought. *Callista's been doing a great job. Soon we can plan
their escape.*