By: Tygereye Antilles
CHAPTER 5The holonet projection showed reinforcements arriving at the MedCenter quickly, and pushing the crowd back, although the crowd pushed forward even harder. It seemed the New Republic was taking this threat on their Jedi hero seriously. Mara was just surprised that it had taken them this long.
She turned back to the man in front of her, and gripped his hand harder. She really didn't think that the Cosmic Balance bastard who'd given him the drugs in the first place. Had it not been for that guy, then Luke would have a better chance at healing himself, rather than relying on machines. She took a deep breath, and leaned closer to him. He probably wasn't even aware she was there, regardless of what they say about people in comas. He was so far gone, and his Force presence was locked away inside him, she doubted he'd be able to release it.
She knew she didn't have much time, but she also couldn't figure out what to do. Maybe she could somehow pull his Force presence free? But how to do that?
She could still feel his Force essence, it was just buried. Perhaps by trying to get a hold of it, she could pull it free. She closed her eyes, and with a little effort, she could see around her as if her eyes were still open. She focused her own energy, which she saw as a greenish light, into Skywalker's dull blue, and searched for the glowing place in him, where his Force was captured. She couldn't figure out how anyone could "capture" the very thing that made up life, and this minute distraction made her lose contact. She frowned and dug deeper, searching for him inside the prone and battered body.
She could almost touch it, it seemed, and she tried to pull it, but it wouldn't move. Then she felt something encouraging—his Force presence seemed to acknowledge her, but then it shifted away, concentrating on something else. With these new ethereal eyes, she looked around, and could feel aggressive bodies nearby. Hostile people, and their hatred and hostility seemed to be directed to Luke. He flinched, and she felt herself being pulled away.
She opened her eyes, and Luke was still unconscious. It was like nothing had happened He was as distant as before, but she knew that those with the hostile and malicious intent were coming closer.
Her first try, and her second, had failed. Could she save the Jedi Master at all? For the first time, she could feel her eyes begin to well up. She didn't know.
Talon Karrde found a terminal quickly enough, but almost immediately it went blank, and refused to come back up. He knew something was wrong, and he hoped to all the gods that Jade had not been discovered. He decided to walk back to where he'd taken the worker's uniform. Maybe he'd be able to get out alive yet.
And then the lights flickered, and seemed to grow brighter, and he glanced around and found a wall panel.
UNKNOWN HOSTILES IN MEDCENTER…UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS OF TERMINALS IN C12, C15, AND D 25…
He hadn't been anywhere near there. Someone else must have decided now would be the perfect time to hack into the MedCenter's computers. Then a thought crossed his mind. He found a holographic map to support his theory.
C12 and C15 were the rooms Skywalker had been in prior to now. D25 was a bacta room. One Skywalker had been in.
Coincidence? Luke Skywalker always said there was no such a thing as coincidence…
"Han, Han wake up!" Leia Organa Solo nearly shouted. She'd fallen asleep on the nerf-hide sofa when she felt her brother's Force sense flare up. She nudged her husband none-too-gently, and he opened his eyes and yawned. She could sympathize. They'd both spent countless hours by Luke's side since Wedge Antilles had brought her brother back, and they hadn't wanted to leave until the meddroid promised Luke was stable and threatened to have them sedated unless they rested on their own. So now they were at their apartment, the kids asleep in their room, and Winter nearby.
"What is it, sweetheart?" the former general asked.
Leia shook her head. "Luke. Something happened. I can't sense him."
This seemed to wake Han. "You can't sense him? You don't mean…"
"No, he's alive, but something's strange. I think someone's there with him, but I don't know who."
"Well, okay. Go ahead and take a real quick shower, change your clothes—since I doubt you have since Luke landed—and we'll head over to the Center."
Leia nodded. "Fine. I'll be out in just a minute." She walked over to their bedroom. Han sighed and rubbed his eyes, and flipped on the holonet as he headed over to the kitchenette to grab a cup of caf. He needed some help in waking up.
"Maybe they'll have the smashball finals on…" he muttered. He knew Leia needed some time to herself, because the entire Luke-thing had completely worn her out. They would go immediately to Luke after she took her shower. He glanced back at the holonet projection, and he felt his jaw drop.
"Leia, get in here!"
Leia rushed out of the refresher in only a robe and wet dripping hair. "What happened?"
Wordlessly, Han gestured to the holonet.
"Oh, gods," the princess said. Her wet hair temporarily forgotten, she reached for the comm unit. The holonet was showing the MedCenter where Luke was being treated, completely surrounded with shouting crowds. Some yelling for the Jedi's blood, as was one of the men the reporter was asking.
"Yes," she said to the small holo of some government flunky, assigned as an aide to her for the week. "This is President Organa Solo. I want the latest information on the Jedi Master's status.
She listened for a minute, then spoke again. "Cosmic Balance? That is a Bakuran religion, is it not? Of course, that's why they went after him. Cosmic Balance hates all Jedi. All right, my husband and I need immediate transportation to my brother's MedCenter." She could feel Han at her back, but it didn't keep the blood rushing from her face. Her brother, supposedly safe, was under attack? How had anyone learned where he was?
"I'm sorry, Madame President, but we won't be able to get you in there now. It's too dangerous."
Leia wanted to yell at the young man, but knew it wouldn't help. "Fine. Organa Solo out." She turned to Han. "They won't get us in. But we have to get there, Han. Luke's in trouble."
Han tried to give her his infamous Solo grin, but he knew she didn't really notice it. "Don't worry. Go get dressed, and if we have to, we'll land the Falcon on top of that MedCenter."
Leia glanced at him oddly. "You really are planning to do that, aren't you? You're going to park the Falcon up there."
"Hey, sweetheart, if it sounds good, it'll prob'ly work."
Meanwhile, Talon Karrde had the same idea. He and Mara needed an escape route, and if Aves would bring the Skifter…he could land on the top of the MedCenter. He and Mara would be able to get away from here. He'd make sure Aves had a hyperspace already planned, and when they dropped out of lightspeed, they'd change their automatic responder to another name, jump again, then home, in the Katana. He fingered his comlink.
Mara found that she had been staring at Luke for what seemed several minutes, but could only have been a few seconds. There was an incessant beeping from her jacket pocket, and she pulled out the comlink and attacked it to her collar.
"Arica here," she said, her voice hushed.
"Arica, it's Kris. We've got to leave." Kris was the name Karrde was using on this trip.
"I need more time," she said.
"We don't have time. The Skif's comin' for us. Head on up."
"Kris—"
"No time, Arica. Up. Now. That's an order."
Mara heard the beep from the comlink, signaling Karrde had cut the communication. Head up? To the roof, of course. Why hadn't she thought of that? But she needed more time.
Karrde wouldn't give her that time.
And those Cosmic Balance people…they were coming closer. If she left now, then she left Skywalker in danger. She'd have to hope the Balance extremists wouldn't find him, and that he'd be able to overcome this latest roadblock on his own.
Skywalker had mentioned something about physical contact with healing…she pulled off her thin black gloves and placed both her hands on his bare chest and pulled.
She leaned over him, her eyes tightly closed, concentrating. She could feel beads of sweat on her forehead. Damn it, she wasn't strong enough! But she couldn't let the Balance followers win…she slipped further into the Force, and leaved further over him. She pulled, harder and harder.
She barely noticed it when her lips touched his, but as soon as that happened, she got her grip on him and yanked. Pain lanced through her body and she realized she was feeling his momentary pain and panic. She opened her eyes, with what seemed a lot of effort.
Two blue eyes stared at her, widened in surprise.
She pulled away, breaking the kiss. His eyes fluttered closed, and he groaned. His skin was flushed, but the color and heat coming back into his face was a warm welcome.
She nearly collapsed in the chair. Gods, she was exhausted, but she tentatively reached out towards him, and was nearly engulfed with the warm light that signified him in the Force.