They stole through the half deserted corridors of the grand Imperial palace. They moved silently weaving between the deeper shadows. A few beings hurried by, absorbed in their own thoughts, yet none paid the black clad couple any heed. Pausing briefly, Luke reached outwards with his senses, pin-pointing the location of those around them. There were few people in the area; the closest was walking briskly towards them, her mind focused.
"Luke, you ready," Mara's mental voice asked. He nodded, feeling he was missing something. He pushed the fear away. Jade had already slipped through the concealed door and the Jedi quickly followed. The door sealed behind them, leaving total darkness and a musty stench. Luke began to reach for his lightsaber, yet stayed his hand. "You know it makes sense, Skywalker."
Her jibe slid effortlessly in to his thoughts. He smiled weakly "I haven't been without it for some years Jade, I feel..." it was difficult to articulate, "as if a piece of me is missing."
Jade snorted audibly. She activated her glow rod and motioned for him to follow. The corridor was tall enough to walk upright and just wide enough for them to travel single file. "The next time you start spouting about becoming one with my saber, I will remind you of this. What happened to 'a Jedi is never unarmed, with the force as their ally'?"
Luke grinned, "Jade, you actually listened to my classes - I am honoured."
"Shut it, Jedi."
"Not until you admit it." Luke teased.
"Admit what?" He loved to play with her like this he could feel a myriad of indistinct emotions tucked just beneath her barriers.
"You hid it very badly you know."
"What on Hoth are you blithering on about?"
"Are you sure you don't know?"
"Skywalker."
"You want it" Jade tensed
"Sneaking about in a concealed passage is really not the place for this."
"Oh."
"Oh!"
"Lightsaber."
"What?"
"Your lightsaber. You miss it."
The shadow in front of him relaxed.
"What if I do, they were still impractical to bring."
"Yes I suppose so, no stun setting, very distinctive."
"The difficult part is not getting in Luke, it's not getting detected afterwards."
They moved quickly through the narrow passage, alert for any danger.
"The New Republic haven't found this section of the network yet, but stay sharp. Should be no problems for the next 50 metres". Mara paused about 30 metres on; her danger sense began to prickle.
"I got them," Luke sent. "Motion detectors; two, one on the wall, the other on the floor. I can easily disable them."
"How, farmboy?"
"Burn out the fuse."
Mara shook her head. "And what fault would you simulate to show the repair crew why the fuse blew?" She felt his confusion; she had to admit it was nice to rattle the Jedi master. "Little things like that get people curious."
"So what would you suggest?"
"Simulated rodent damage to the power cable. Much more elegant, especially as their own equipment registers the presence of the vermin first." Mara turned towards him the glow rod casting exaggerated shadows. "There is only one problem,"" she whispered softly, "I don't have the control to do it any more. When the Emperor died, I lost..." Even in the half-light, Luke could see her colour.
"It is very simple, Skywalker."
Mara took his hand. "If you push down, like this," she played her fingertips over the back of his hand, "the sensors should interpret it as a town mouse. They are very common in this environment". He nodded, afraid that his voice may betray him.
"Try it on me," she released his hand and stretched out her own, Luke copied her movements hesitantly. "Good. Just replicate that pattern. Mara turned her attention to Luke's face, his attention was riveted to her fingers, and "The biting bit is very easy."
Jade imagined the manoeuvre and then pushed the images over to Luke. "You got it."
"I think so, Mara."
Visualising four small rodents, he sent them scurrying towards the sensors, and then let them nibble through the power cables. The sensors powered down.
"We better get moving," said Luke, "some one might be on the way to repair the system". Mara once again took the lead but soon signalled a halt. "We exit here, cut through the public records office and enter the turbo lifts. Only two cameras, one bank of photostream traps. Less risky than staying here." She let her concentration expand outward. She felt no life and pushed open the panel. Luke found himself in yet another anonymous corridor, pressed tightly against the wall."Skywalker, the camera is round the corner."
"How about obscuring the lenses with cobwebs and dust!"
"I like your thinking flyboy."
"It wasn't a serious suggestion."
"It will work and it doesn't leave a trail."
It was easily done. "Be grateful the New Republic don't waste the budget on sanitation."
They rounded the corner cautiously. Mara changed the setting on her glow rod, illuminating a loose meshwork of low power photon streams criss-crossing the length of the corridor for a metre.Jade smiled, this she missed.Stretching her muscles, alert for the possibility of discovery, she focused on the task ahead.
"See you on the other side, Skywalker."
Jade broke in to a short run then vaulted high over the first beam, landing lightly. She used that momentum to power her next flip, twisting her body halfway through, avoiding a diagonal stream. She gracefully wove herself between the tightly packet beams of energy, kicking, spinning, leaping. Luke watched. It was impressive. Her slender form arched, twisted in mid-air, then ducked under the last obstacle. She rolled clear, then stood straight, panting softly.
"I am getting too old for this, good job I had the home advantage," she muttered whilst dusting a little dirt form her black jump suit. Her emerald eyes glittered when she remembered the Jedi on the other side of the trap. The challenge was obvious. Drawing the Force tightly about him, Luke began his approach. He walked slowly forwards lightly touching each stream of energy with his will. The tangled web before him shifted position, arcing to form a clear path. These things were little inconvenience to a Jedi Master.
"Took your time Jade," he continued slowly past her.
"Show-off."
"Luke, you ready," Mara's mental voice asked. He nodded, feeling he was missing something. He pushed the fear away. Jade had already slipped through the concealed door and the Jedi quickly followed. The door sealed behind them, leaving total darkness and a musty stench. Luke began to reach for his lightsaber, yet stayed his hand. "You know it makes sense, Skywalker."
Her jibe slid effortlessly in to his thoughts. He smiled weakly "I haven't been without it for some years Jade, I feel..." it was difficult to articulate, "as if a piece of me is missing."
Jade snorted audibly. She activated her glow rod and motioned for him to follow. The corridor was tall enough to walk upright and just wide enough for them to travel single file. "The next time you start spouting about becoming one with my saber, I will remind you of this. What happened to 'a Jedi is never unarmed, with the force as their ally'?"
Luke grinned, "Jade, you actually listened to my classes - I am honoured."
"Shut it, Jedi."
"Not until you admit it." Luke teased.
"Admit what?" He loved to play with her like this he could feel a myriad of indistinct emotions tucked just beneath her barriers.
"You hid it very badly you know."
"What on Hoth are you blithering on about?"
"Are you sure you don't know?"
"Skywalker."
"You want it" Jade tensed
"Sneaking about in a concealed passage is really not the place for this."
"Oh."
"Oh!"
"Lightsaber."
"What?"
"Your lightsaber. You miss it."
The shadow in front of him relaxed.
"What if I do, they were still impractical to bring."
"Yes I suppose so, no stun setting, very distinctive."
"The difficult part is not getting in Luke, it's not getting detected afterwards."
They moved quickly through the narrow passage, alert for any danger.
"The New Republic haven't found this section of the network yet, but stay sharp. Should be no problems for the next 50 metres". Mara paused about 30 metres on; her danger sense began to prickle.
"I got them," Luke sent. "Motion detectors; two, one on the wall, the other on the floor. I can easily disable them."
"How, farmboy?"
"Burn out the fuse."
Mara shook her head. "And what fault would you simulate to show the repair crew why the fuse blew?" She felt his confusion; she had to admit it was nice to rattle the Jedi master. "Little things like that get people curious."
"So what would you suggest?"
"Simulated rodent damage to the power cable. Much more elegant, especially as their own equipment registers the presence of the vermin first." Mara turned towards him the glow rod casting exaggerated shadows. "There is only one problem,"" she whispered softly, "I don't have the control to do it any more. When the Emperor died, I lost..." Even in the half-light, Luke could see her colour.
"It is very simple, Skywalker."
Mara took his hand. "If you push down, like this," she played her fingertips over the back of his hand, "the sensors should interpret it as a town mouse. They are very common in this environment". He nodded, afraid that his voice may betray him.
"Try it on me," she released his hand and stretched out her own, Luke copied her movements hesitantly. "Good. Just replicate that pattern. Mara turned her attention to Luke's face, his attention was riveted to her fingers, and "The biting bit is very easy."
Jade imagined the manoeuvre and then pushed the images over to Luke. "You got it."
"I think so, Mara."
Visualising four small rodents, he sent them scurrying towards the sensors, and then let them nibble through the power cables. The sensors powered down.
"We better get moving," said Luke, "some one might be on the way to repair the system". Mara once again took the lead but soon signalled a halt. "We exit here, cut through the public records office and enter the turbo lifts. Only two cameras, one bank of photostream traps. Less risky than staying here." She let her concentration expand outward. She felt no life and pushed open the panel. Luke found himself in yet another anonymous corridor, pressed tightly against the wall."Skywalker, the camera is round the corner."
"How about obscuring the lenses with cobwebs and dust!"
"I like your thinking flyboy."
"It wasn't a serious suggestion."
"It will work and it doesn't leave a trail."
It was easily done. "Be grateful the New Republic don't waste the budget on sanitation."
They rounded the corner cautiously. Mara changed the setting on her glow rod, illuminating a loose meshwork of low power photon streams criss-crossing the length of the corridor for a metre.Jade smiled, this she missed.Stretching her muscles, alert for the possibility of discovery, she focused on the task ahead.
"See you on the other side, Skywalker."
Jade broke in to a short run then vaulted high over the first beam, landing lightly. She used that momentum to power her next flip, twisting her body halfway through, avoiding a diagonal stream. She gracefully wove herself between the tightly packet beams of energy, kicking, spinning, leaping. Luke watched. It was impressive. Her slender form arched, twisted in mid-air, then ducked under the last obstacle. She rolled clear, then stood straight, panting softly.
"I am getting too old for this, good job I had the home advantage," she muttered whilst dusting a little dirt form her black jump suit. Her emerald eyes glittered when she remembered the Jedi on the other side of the trap. The challenge was obvious. Drawing the Force tightly about him, Luke began his approach. He walked slowly forwards lightly touching each stream of energy with his will. The tangled web before him shifted position, arcing to form a clear path. These things were little inconvenience to a Jedi Master.
"Took your time Jade," he continued slowly past her.
"Show-off."