A Jedi's Return
Chapter 12
PG
By Maara
It was dark by the time Luke emerged from the swampy jungle of Dagobah. When he reached Yoda's hut, he found Master Yoda sitting by a fire, Mara beside him, her eyes closed and her hands on her knees, deep in meditation. He walked over and sat next to his master opposite her. "How is it going?" Luke nodded to Mara.
Yoda turned to Luke. "She is doing well." Looking past Luke to Mara, he responded, "Many hours has she been in a trance, learning her own mind."
Luke wondered why Mara's was getting a different form of training then he did. He had started with a more physical form of training, and then began training his mind. What was Master Yoda's reasoning behind it?
Master Yoda picked up on Luke's thoughts easily. "Every Jedi's training is different." Yoda gestured to Mara, "Physical training she has had. Quite extensive it was. Never learned what she was capable of with her mind. She knows not herself. Mara must explore her own mind, in order to learn control." Turning his attention back to Luke, he spoke again, but this time Luke felt as if the wise old Jedi were referring to Luke's own situation. "I can only show her what she needs to know, to face what she must face." Yoda looked down a moment, and then back up at Luke, a serious expression crossed his small features. "When gone am I, complete Mara's training you must." Yoda sat and quietly watched Luke's reaction to what he said.
Luke's eyebrows arched and his jaw dropped as Yoda's words sank in. "What do you mean when you're gone? Are you saying that you're dying?" Sadness touched Luke's heart at the thought of losing yet another being he cared about. "You can't. How can I train Mara? I'm not even fully trained myself." Luke leaned closer to his master. "Mara needs you to help her."
"Help her I am, Luke. She must be the one to shatter the bonds that hold her to the Emperor. I will help her strengthen her mind and control her thoughts, in order for her to do this." Yoda sighed and his little shoulders slumped slightly. "Hanging on a long time have I been. Tired I am. Soon I will become one with the Force."
"Master Yoda, you can't die. I came back here to complete my training as well as help Mara," Luke pleaded, knowing it was futile. He had no control over Master Yoda's destiny.
"No more training do you require. Already know you, that which you need." Yoda pushed a burning log deeper into the firepit.
Luke looked into the flames, contemplating Yoda's words. "Then I am a Jedi." His words came out low, almost a whisper.
Yoda, whooped, "Oh, no. Not yet." Yoda looked intently at Luke. "One thing remains. Vader. You must confront Vader." He turned to look back into the flickering flames. "Then, only then, a Jedi will you be."
Luke watched his master for a few moments. If he were ever to know the truth, now, he knew, would be his last, best opportunity to ask. Taking a deep, cleansing breath he dared to ask the question burning his brain. "Master Yoda. Is Darth Vader my father?"
Yoda, for all his wisdom, did not see this one coming. Leaning forward, he made like he was fixing the firepit, attempting to pretend he didn't hear the question. Turning to the metal box containing ration bars, Yoda tried to distract Luke. "Eat, we must eat something. Keep up our strength we must." Yoda began digging in the box for a particular ration bar when he heard Luke speak softly behind him.
"Yoda, I must know." Luke waited, remembering Yoda's lessons on patience.
Yoda stopped digging in the box and pulled out a ration bar. Looking down at it, he gave up, knowing there was no way to avoid the truth any longer. Quietly, Yoda answered him, "Your father he is." The old Jedi could feel Luke's pain. "Told you did he."
Luke's voice left him, and all he could croak out was, "Yes."
"Unexpected this is. And unfortunate." Yoda felt a flash from Luke, but he held his emotions tightly, trying desperately not to lose his temper and let his anger take over.
Luke looked at his master in disbelief. "Unfortunate that I know the truth?" he asked, an edge to his voice.
Yoda quickly turned around. "No; unfortunate that you rushed off to face him. That, incomplete was your training. Not ready for the burden we're you."
Luke felt his anger fade away, as the truth behind Yoda's words hit home. "I'm sorry." He hung his head down, ashamed that he almost let his anger get the better of him.
Yoda came over to Luke and placed his hand on his shoulder. "When gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be. You must pass on what you have learned." Luke looked up at Yoda and just nodded. Not able to form coherent words at that moment.
"Rest. I must rest. Tomorrow a busy day will be." Yoda turned and Luke watched as he hobbled to his hut. He felt an incredible sadness at the thought of going on without Yoda, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. Sighing Luke turned to look at Mara. She was still deep in her trance. How would he complete her training when he didn't feel completely trained himself? Yoda had told him more of hibernation trances after Luke told him what happened aboard the Falcon. He understood them better now, but that was only one aspect of the Force. There was still so much he needed to learn.
Looking again at Mara, he noticed she was beginning to stir and decided to get her something to eat. If she had been in a trance all day, then she would be very hungry when she woke.
Mara felt a cool breeze across her face. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find that night had fallen. A fire blazed brightly before her and warmth fanned outward from it, keeping her from becoming chilled. A sound from her right turned her head. She saw Luke coming towards her with what looked like a tray in his hands. Mara felt a peace around her that she had never felt before. It wasn't complete, but it was a wonderful feeling.
Mara smiled up at Luke as he sat down next to her and set down a tray in front of them with two bowls of stew. The moment she saw it she realized she was starving. Luke handed her a bowl then picked up his own. "Thanks, Luke. How did your run go?"
"It went well," Luke answered as he stirred his stew. "I worked on a few things I haven't been able to master up to now. I have a slightly better understanding of things, but have a ways to go." Luke took a bite and watched as Mara dug in to her own dinner. Luke's thoughts once again turned to the conversation he'd had with Yoda, his sadness returning. Quickly he put up his barriers so Mara wouldn't feel his pain, but she caught a flash before he cut her off.
Mara felt seemed like sadness before it was cut off. It was coming from Luke. "What's wrong?" Reaching down, she picked up a cup from the tray and began sipping on the cool water, giving Luke the chance to answer, and letting him know she was willing to wait.
Luke looked at Mara, trying to decide what he wanted to tell her. "Master Yoda told me a few things," Luke took a deep breath, "and he confirmed that Darth Vader is my father."
Mara looked at him a moment, a thought tickling the back of her mind. "But you knew that already." Mara stared at him, "What else is bothering you?"
Luke just stared back at her, feeling as if she could see right through him. He turned away, trying to hide the pain he felt at what Yoda had told him.
Mara watched Luke carefully. She knew he needed to talk. She could sense his sadness and knew that it would only hinder him if he kept it bottled up. She nudged him in the side, "Come on; tell me." She nudged him again. "You'll feel better."
Luke grabbed his side and tried hard not to smile but couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Ok, ok," He grabbed a stick and poked at the fire, his mood sobering. "Master Yoda told me he's dying."
Mara felt his sadness pour off him in waves and reached out to put her hand on his shoulder. "He told me, too. I'm sorry."
"Thank you." Luke reached up and placed his hand over hers. "I have so much more I need to learn. How am I going to learn without a teacher." Luke sighed, "There is no one else with the knowledge of the Force that he has. I'm worried, that without the proper guidance, I may fall to the dark side of the Force."
Mara squeezed his shoulder and began to rub his back gently. "You have to have faith in yourself, Luke. It's obvious, Yoda does." Mara hesitated a moment then quietly continued, "And so do I."
Luke turned to look at her, "I hope so Mara." Luke paused a moment, "Master Yoda told me, that I would have to help you complete your training."
Mara arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. Instead she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I have a feeling everything will be fine."
"I hope you're right, Mara. I hope you're right." Luke yawned the fatigue from his all day physical training session in the jungle catching up with him. "Come on." Luke rose and pulled Mara to her feet. Grabbing their dishes, he said, "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."
Mara smiled at him, sensing he indeed felt better. "Good idea. I am kind of tired myself."
That night neither had trouble sleeping. Both determined to learn what they could in the time they had left.
TBC...
Chapter 12
PG
By Maara
It was dark by the time Luke emerged from the swampy jungle of Dagobah. When he reached Yoda's hut, he found Master Yoda sitting by a fire, Mara beside him, her eyes closed and her hands on her knees, deep in meditation. He walked over and sat next to his master opposite her. "How is it going?" Luke nodded to Mara.
Yoda turned to Luke. "She is doing well." Looking past Luke to Mara, he responded, "Many hours has she been in a trance, learning her own mind."
Luke wondered why Mara's was getting a different form of training then he did. He had started with a more physical form of training, and then began training his mind. What was Master Yoda's reasoning behind it?
Master Yoda picked up on Luke's thoughts easily. "Every Jedi's training is different." Yoda gestured to Mara, "Physical training she has had. Quite extensive it was. Never learned what she was capable of with her mind. She knows not herself. Mara must explore her own mind, in order to learn control." Turning his attention back to Luke, he spoke again, but this time Luke felt as if the wise old Jedi were referring to Luke's own situation. "I can only show her what she needs to know, to face what she must face." Yoda looked down a moment, and then back up at Luke, a serious expression crossed his small features. "When gone am I, complete Mara's training you must." Yoda sat and quietly watched Luke's reaction to what he said.
Luke's eyebrows arched and his jaw dropped as Yoda's words sank in. "What do you mean when you're gone? Are you saying that you're dying?" Sadness touched Luke's heart at the thought of losing yet another being he cared about. "You can't. How can I train Mara? I'm not even fully trained myself." Luke leaned closer to his master. "Mara needs you to help her."
"Help her I am, Luke. She must be the one to shatter the bonds that hold her to the Emperor. I will help her strengthen her mind and control her thoughts, in order for her to do this." Yoda sighed and his little shoulders slumped slightly. "Hanging on a long time have I been. Tired I am. Soon I will become one with the Force."
"Master Yoda, you can't die. I came back here to complete my training as well as help Mara," Luke pleaded, knowing it was futile. He had no control over Master Yoda's destiny.
"No more training do you require. Already know you, that which you need." Yoda pushed a burning log deeper into the firepit.
Luke looked into the flames, contemplating Yoda's words. "Then I am a Jedi." His words came out low, almost a whisper.
Yoda, whooped, "Oh, no. Not yet." Yoda looked intently at Luke. "One thing remains. Vader. You must confront Vader." He turned to look back into the flickering flames. "Then, only then, a Jedi will you be."
Luke watched his master for a few moments. If he were ever to know the truth, now, he knew, would be his last, best opportunity to ask. Taking a deep, cleansing breath he dared to ask the question burning his brain. "Master Yoda. Is Darth Vader my father?"
Yoda, for all his wisdom, did not see this one coming. Leaning forward, he made like he was fixing the firepit, attempting to pretend he didn't hear the question. Turning to the metal box containing ration bars, Yoda tried to distract Luke. "Eat, we must eat something. Keep up our strength we must." Yoda began digging in the box for a particular ration bar when he heard Luke speak softly behind him.
"Yoda, I must know." Luke waited, remembering Yoda's lessons on patience.
Yoda stopped digging in the box and pulled out a ration bar. Looking down at it, he gave up, knowing there was no way to avoid the truth any longer. Quietly, Yoda answered him, "Your father he is." The old Jedi could feel Luke's pain. "Told you did he."
Luke's voice left him, and all he could croak out was, "Yes."
"Unexpected this is. And unfortunate." Yoda felt a flash from Luke, but he held his emotions tightly, trying desperately not to lose his temper and let his anger take over.
Luke looked at his master in disbelief. "Unfortunate that I know the truth?" he asked, an edge to his voice.
Yoda quickly turned around. "No; unfortunate that you rushed off to face him. That, incomplete was your training. Not ready for the burden we're you."
Luke felt his anger fade away, as the truth behind Yoda's words hit home. "I'm sorry." He hung his head down, ashamed that he almost let his anger get the better of him.
Yoda came over to Luke and placed his hand on his shoulder. "When gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be. You must pass on what you have learned." Luke looked up at Yoda and just nodded. Not able to form coherent words at that moment.
"Rest. I must rest. Tomorrow a busy day will be." Yoda turned and Luke watched as he hobbled to his hut. He felt an incredible sadness at the thought of going on without Yoda, but knew there was nothing he could do about it. Sighing Luke turned to look at Mara. She was still deep in her trance. How would he complete her training when he didn't feel completely trained himself? Yoda had told him more of hibernation trances after Luke told him what happened aboard the Falcon. He understood them better now, but that was only one aspect of the Force. There was still so much he needed to learn.
Looking again at Mara, he noticed she was beginning to stir and decided to get her something to eat. If she had been in a trance all day, then she would be very hungry when she woke.
Mara felt a cool breeze across her face. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to find that night had fallen. A fire blazed brightly before her and warmth fanned outward from it, keeping her from becoming chilled. A sound from her right turned her head. She saw Luke coming towards her with what looked like a tray in his hands. Mara felt a peace around her that she had never felt before. It wasn't complete, but it was a wonderful feeling.
Mara smiled up at Luke as he sat down next to her and set down a tray in front of them with two bowls of stew. The moment she saw it she realized she was starving. Luke handed her a bowl then picked up his own. "Thanks, Luke. How did your run go?"
"It went well," Luke answered as he stirred his stew. "I worked on a few things I haven't been able to master up to now. I have a slightly better understanding of things, but have a ways to go." Luke took a bite and watched as Mara dug in to her own dinner. Luke's thoughts once again turned to the conversation he'd had with Yoda, his sadness returning. Quickly he put up his barriers so Mara wouldn't feel his pain, but she caught a flash before he cut her off.
Mara felt seemed like sadness before it was cut off. It was coming from Luke. "What's wrong?" Reaching down, she picked up a cup from the tray and began sipping on the cool water, giving Luke the chance to answer, and letting him know she was willing to wait.
Luke looked at Mara, trying to decide what he wanted to tell her. "Master Yoda told me a few things," Luke took a deep breath, "and he confirmed that Darth Vader is my father."
Mara looked at him a moment, a thought tickling the back of her mind. "But you knew that already." Mara stared at him, "What else is bothering you?"
Luke just stared back at her, feeling as if she could see right through him. He turned away, trying to hide the pain he felt at what Yoda had told him.
Mara watched Luke carefully. She knew he needed to talk. She could sense his sadness and knew that it would only hinder him if he kept it bottled up. She nudged him in the side, "Come on; tell me." She nudged him again. "You'll feel better."
Luke grabbed his side and tried hard not to smile but couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. "Ok, ok," He grabbed a stick and poked at the fire, his mood sobering. "Master Yoda told me he's dying."
Mara felt his sadness pour off him in waves and reached out to put her hand on his shoulder. "He told me, too. I'm sorry."
"Thank you." Luke reached up and placed his hand over hers. "I have so much more I need to learn. How am I going to learn without a teacher." Luke sighed, "There is no one else with the knowledge of the Force that he has. I'm worried, that without the proper guidance, I may fall to the dark side of the Force."
Mara squeezed his shoulder and began to rub his back gently. "You have to have faith in yourself, Luke. It's obvious, Yoda does." Mara hesitated a moment then quietly continued, "And so do I."
Luke turned to look at her, "I hope so Mara." Luke paused a moment, "Master Yoda told me, that I would have to help you complete your training."
Mara arched an eyebrow, but said nothing. Instead she leaned her head on his shoulder. "I have a feeling everything will be fine."
"I hope you're right, Mara. I hope you're right." Luke yawned the fatigue from his all day physical training session in the jungle catching up with him. "Come on." Luke rose and pulled Mara to her feet. Grabbing their dishes, he said, "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day."
Mara smiled at him, sensing he indeed felt better. "Good idea. I am kind of tired myself."
That night neither had trouble sleeping. Both determined to learn what they could in the time they had left.
TBC...