"Back on Tatooine," Skywalker began and Mara rolled her eyes.
"Shut up."
Skywalker continued regardless, "My friends and I did a lot of flying in
our Skyhoppers when we had free time, once, my friend Biggs and I were
flying through Begger's Canyon when we saw."
She could not get him to shut up. Mara had attempted twice more to quiet
him, but to no avail. He simply ignored her. Presently Mara was considering
knocking him out, but her Master would probably not appreciate that. She
would have to find another way to quiet him. Quickly Mara ran through her
options and could not find any way to quiet Skywalker without injuring him,
permanently. She would just have to wait here until her Master contacted
her.
Luke continued talking. He had not talked this much since Bespin. It felt kind of nice to have a long conversation, if only a one-way conversation. He was talking about Tatooine. He spoke of desert legends, stories of him and his friends when they goofed off at Anchorhead, stories he had heard from deep space pilots of far off worlds that, even though he had broken through Tatooine's atmosphere, still seemed distant and dreamlike. His watcher, however, did not seem to be paying attention. She stared at the wall in front of her, never responding in the slightest to any of Luke's comments. Getting desperate, Luke started telling a tale he had heard about the Jabba the Hutt's villainous deeds. At the mention of Jabba his watcher responded for the first time. She shifted her leg. That had to mean something. Luke finished his tale and moved on, storing what he had learned away.
Mara seethed inside. Where did he get the nerve to mention Jabba, to her! The memories of that day were still livid in her mind. That was the first and last time she failed her Master. Never would it happen again. She could still feel the anguish in her soul. She had failed the one person in the entire Universe who counted. Mara could not continue with her thoughts because a stromtrooper's knock was heard outside before the door wooshed open. Skywalker stopped talking a straightened from the cross-legged pose. A wave of solemnity washed over his face, changing he that had been the innocent farm boy to the composed Jedi Knight.
"Let's go," The stormtrooper said briskly and Luke slowly stood up. His watcher stood up with him and they walked side by side through the halls with the stormtrooper leading. After making several turns, they stopped in front of a door with two royal guards standing in front. The stormtrooper then stopped and the watcher guided Luke in. The room was dark and empty with minimum lighting on the walls and no windows. There was only one piece of furniture in the room, a black chair. Seated in that chair was the Emperor. Luke refused to be intimidated. He stopped halfway to the chair from the door. The watcher turned back once and looked at him, but continued on her way; walking with a confidence that told Luke she was accustomed to the Emperor. Luke could not sense his father's presence.
Mara bowed down on one knee in front of her Master. Slowly he turned his chair around and gazed at her, not speaking. Mara could not help but feel a flicker of pride, he thought she was more important that Skywalker! "Arise, My Hand," her Master spoke, breaking the silence, "you have done well, very well indeed. Go now and refresh yourself." Mara stood up and nodded. She looked towards her Master, but his eyes lay on Skywalker, who was still standing awkwardly near the door. She turned around and passed by him, getting a good look at his face. Mara could not help but be impressed. It was seldom that she saw a look of such determination and will on anyone's face, let alone the face of one who was having a conference with the ruler of the known worlds. Mara could not help but feel a twinge of sorrow for this boy dressed in Jedi's clothing.
Luke continued talking. He had not talked this much since Bespin. It felt kind of nice to have a long conversation, if only a one-way conversation. He was talking about Tatooine. He spoke of desert legends, stories of him and his friends when they goofed off at Anchorhead, stories he had heard from deep space pilots of far off worlds that, even though he had broken through Tatooine's atmosphere, still seemed distant and dreamlike. His watcher, however, did not seem to be paying attention. She stared at the wall in front of her, never responding in the slightest to any of Luke's comments. Getting desperate, Luke started telling a tale he had heard about the Jabba the Hutt's villainous deeds. At the mention of Jabba his watcher responded for the first time. She shifted her leg. That had to mean something. Luke finished his tale and moved on, storing what he had learned away.
Mara seethed inside. Where did he get the nerve to mention Jabba, to her! The memories of that day were still livid in her mind. That was the first and last time she failed her Master. Never would it happen again. She could still feel the anguish in her soul. She had failed the one person in the entire Universe who counted. Mara could not continue with her thoughts because a stromtrooper's knock was heard outside before the door wooshed open. Skywalker stopped talking a straightened from the cross-legged pose. A wave of solemnity washed over his face, changing he that had been the innocent farm boy to the composed Jedi Knight.
"Let's go," The stormtrooper said briskly and Luke slowly stood up. His watcher stood up with him and they walked side by side through the halls with the stormtrooper leading. After making several turns, they stopped in front of a door with two royal guards standing in front. The stormtrooper then stopped and the watcher guided Luke in. The room was dark and empty with minimum lighting on the walls and no windows. There was only one piece of furniture in the room, a black chair. Seated in that chair was the Emperor. Luke refused to be intimidated. He stopped halfway to the chair from the door. The watcher turned back once and looked at him, but continued on her way; walking with a confidence that told Luke she was accustomed to the Emperor. Luke could not sense his father's presence.
Mara bowed down on one knee in front of her Master. Slowly he turned his chair around and gazed at her, not speaking. Mara could not help but feel a flicker of pride, he thought she was more important that Skywalker! "Arise, My Hand," her Master spoke, breaking the silence, "you have done well, very well indeed. Go now and refresh yourself." Mara stood up and nodded. She looked towards her Master, but his eyes lay on Skywalker, who was still standing awkwardly near the door. She turned around and passed by him, getting a good look at his face. Mara could not help but be impressed. It was seldom that she saw a look of such determination and will on anyone's face, let alone the face of one who was having a conference with the ruler of the known worlds. Mara could not help but feel a twinge of sorrow for this boy dressed in Jedi's clothing.
