To many, the older sections of the palace were examples of exactly where the Old Republic had gone wrong. They saw in the wood panelling, the alabaster carvings and marble floors conspicuous consumption that even the Empire could not surpass. Leia though, saw only the beauty of the lines and the precious irony. The palace was perhaps one of the most cost effective public buildings in existence. It had been constructed at a fabulous cost yes, but because it was expected to server for Millennia. Her steady measured steps echoed through the corridor and she pulled her heavy clock tighter. She visited these grand and almost forgotten places when she needed to think. Leia shut out the world and concentrated. She didn't want to do it, yet the other members of the council expected it of her. They practically demanded it, in the slick ways of politicians; all smiles and pleasantries but she was savvy enough to understand what they didn't need to say. She paused, lifting her head, and stretched out with her senses, certain to find the warmth that was her brother, yet she found nothing. Leia smiled and gently reprimanded herself, continuing to walk. Imagining distractions did not help, the problem remained; what was she going to do about Mara Jade?
She kissed him, just as they entered the private turbolifts that would take then almost to their destination. Mara pushed him not too gently against the wall of the carriage, her lips brushed tentatively against his. Luke was stupefied; he was somehow in her arms, warm and yielding, held mesmerised by her blazing emerald eyes. She pressed herself against him, weaving her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "You want this," she whispered seductively as she turned her attention to his neck. Luke moaned softly overwhelmed by her contact. "You have always wanted this, Luke."
"Mara I..." he couldn't deny it, her scent permeated his senses and the heat from her body made him painfully aware of her nearness, his own flesh cried out for him to act, yet they were only moments away from the most treacherous part of the operation.
" Mara, we..."
" Hush... it is our destiny Luke," she ran her deft fingers over his tunic. "It is futile to resist."
Mara caught his gaze, and all resolve left the Jedi Master. Hungrily he sought her presence in the force and drew her to him. He returned her earlier kiss, hard and passionately, crushing her close, whispering in her mind the words he had hidden from her for years. Luke had waited for this, hoped, but reason began to impose itself on his restless mind. When did Jade ever let down her barriers like this? She would never lose focus on a mission or... His world lost its sharp edges and began to fade.
"Luke, you OK?" Mara's voice resonated through his mind like ice water.
"No... er... yes... the force," His voice rasped unsteadily, his breathing sharp and rapid. Slowly the Jedi Master slid to the floor. Reality little by little pushed its way back into his befuddled mind. He became aware of his environment. It was cold, dusty and smelt of old data cards. Yet another drab imperial corridor somewhere in the bowels of the palace, it seemed as if he had spent all night in them, dodging guards, moving through passageways, deactivating innumerable devices. A single tear slid down his cheek, hastily he brushed it away. He pressed his eyes shut.
With an effort, he pushed the last remnants of the vision away. The Jade in his mind shook her head as if he was a child and smiled. She dropped her hand to rest on his father's lightsaber, and then dissolved completely. Luke struggled to slow his raging pulse and regain his calm. It was important to say focused on the task in hand, to achieve the objective to not fail his friend.
The Jedi opened his eyes as a familiar presence stole closer.
"Luke," Mara was at his side, her blaster extended towards an unknown enemy, green eyes wide. "Explain."
"I had a vision. It was disturbing. Nothing to worry about," his voice was flat and filled with the peace of a master Jedi. Mara scanned the area then sheathed her blaster, her own heart began to slow. She had felt him react to something, felt the adrenalin surge through him, yet the stimulus had remained elusive. All Jade could sense was his cotton wool calm, it irked her. She had expected to fight her way in and drag the Jedi out of some sort of disaster, not find a boneless bag of skin slumped on the floor.
"Nothing to worry about, you look..." she took in his appearance, flushed cheeks, slightly open lips, large blue eyes, "...you look half dead Skywalker."
"It was very vivid, I need to rest."
"Yeah and I need a new thermo coupling for my hyper drive, don't mean I'm going to get it now". Unceremoniously, Luke was hauled to his feet.
"The turbolift is round the next corner, everything is ready to go."
Half dragging the limp Jedi she moved forward, gliding through the deserted space. "I managed to hack in before your little episode," she scowled lacing her words with venom, "Jedi".
She kissed him, just as they entered the private turbolifts that would take then almost to their destination. Mara pushed him not too gently against the wall of the carriage, her lips brushed tentatively against his. Luke was stupefied; he was somehow in her arms, warm and yielding, held mesmerised by her blazing emerald eyes. She pressed herself against him, weaving her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. "You want this," she whispered seductively as she turned her attention to his neck. Luke moaned softly overwhelmed by her contact. "You have always wanted this, Luke."
"Mara I..." he couldn't deny it, her scent permeated his senses and the heat from her body made him painfully aware of her nearness, his own flesh cried out for him to act, yet they were only moments away from the most treacherous part of the operation.
" Mara, we..."
" Hush... it is our destiny Luke," she ran her deft fingers over his tunic. "It is futile to resist."
Mara caught his gaze, and all resolve left the Jedi Master. Hungrily he sought her presence in the force and drew her to him. He returned her earlier kiss, hard and passionately, crushing her close, whispering in her mind the words he had hidden from her for years. Luke had waited for this, hoped, but reason began to impose itself on his restless mind. When did Jade ever let down her barriers like this? She would never lose focus on a mission or... His world lost its sharp edges and began to fade.
"Luke, you OK?" Mara's voice resonated through his mind like ice water.
"No... er... yes... the force," His voice rasped unsteadily, his breathing sharp and rapid. Slowly the Jedi Master slid to the floor. Reality little by little pushed its way back into his befuddled mind. He became aware of his environment. It was cold, dusty and smelt of old data cards. Yet another drab imperial corridor somewhere in the bowels of the palace, it seemed as if he had spent all night in them, dodging guards, moving through passageways, deactivating innumerable devices. A single tear slid down his cheek, hastily he brushed it away. He pressed his eyes shut.
With an effort, he pushed the last remnants of the vision away. The Jade in his mind shook her head as if he was a child and smiled. She dropped her hand to rest on his father's lightsaber, and then dissolved completely. Luke struggled to slow his raging pulse and regain his calm. It was important to say focused on the task in hand, to achieve the objective to not fail his friend.
The Jedi opened his eyes as a familiar presence stole closer.
"Luke," Mara was at his side, her blaster extended towards an unknown enemy, green eyes wide. "Explain."
"I had a vision. It was disturbing. Nothing to worry about," his voice was flat and filled with the peace of a master Jedi. Mara scanned the area then sheathed her blaster, her own heart began to slow. She had felt him react to something, felt the adrenalin surge through him, yet the stimulus had remained elusive. All Jade could sense was his cotton wool calm, it irked her. She had expected to fight her way in and drag the Jedi out of some sort of disaster, not find a boneless bag of skin slumped on the floor.
"Nothing to worry about, you look..." she took in his appearance, flushed cheeks, slightly open lips, large blue eyes, "...you look half dead Skywalker."
"It was very vivid, I need to rest."
"Yeah and I need a new thermo coupling for my hyper drive, don't mean I'm going to get it now". Unceremoniously, Luke was hauled to his feet.
"The turbolift is round the next corner, everything is ready to go."
Half dragging the limp Jedi she moved forward, gliding through the deserted space. "I managed to hack in before your little episode," she scowled lacing her words with venom, "Jedi".