NOTHING STAYS THE SAME
CHAPTER SIX
"Talon!"
The smuggler turned around when he heard someone call his name. There was a crowd of beings behind him, and he turned to continue walking. He was supposed to meet with Mara in less than ten minutes.
"Hey, Karrde!"
Impatiently, Talon spun around. No one in the large group seemed to be paying any attention to him. Who the hell…?
Talon turned back to continue walking to the NRI building.
"Talon, I asked you to wait up!" For the third time, the smuggler turned around. This time he saw the speaker: a short dark-brown haired man, with vivid green eyes. Karrde recognized the pilot and also figured out that the reason he didn't see the man was because of his short stature in a group of normal sized beings.
"Corran Horn," he said by way of greeting.
"Yeah, Talon. I tried to get in to talk to Mara, but they're not going to let me. I need you to do me a favor."
"Yeah?"
"Tell Mara that I know she didn't kill Luke. Ask her if it's all right for me to tell Iella why."
"Ask her if it's okay for you to tell the Director? If it helps her, go ahead."
"No, I want you to ask her. Here, this is the code for my comlink. Once you get an answer, tell me."
"Okay. I'm sure she'll be glad for the help."
"I'm not so sure, but I hope she'll take it."
The pilot disappeared back into the crowd, and Talon shrugged and continued on his way. Damn, he was late now.
Talon waited while the intelligence agent frisked him down. Even with all the high-tech security the NRI enjoyed, they still relied on the oldest way of weapon searching. The reinforced durasteel door slid open and Talon walked into Mara's cell. Rendel Alino glanced up at him and they both went into the small conference room across from Mara's room.
"You just missed the Princess," he said quietly.
Karrde lifted his eyebrow at that. "What did Organa Solo say?"
"She came in here very angry. I was nearly certain that Madam Organa Solo was going to slap Mara sooner or later. But Jade just sat there and took it. She didn't say anything, and that just cause the Princess to leave. I don't think I've ever seen Organa Solo flustered before, but she sure was just then."
"When did she leave?"
"About seven or eight minutes ago. Mara hasn't snapped out of it, though."
Karrde was confused. Rendel was right; Mara seemed off in her own world. "What else happened?"
Both men kept their voices down. "The Lieutenant came in, showed Jade some holos from the murder. Shit, Talon, she just went as white as a ghost."
"They showed her Luke's body?"
"Yeah. That wasn't the worst I've ever seen, Talon, and I have a feeling she's seen worse."
"But those weren't of her best friend, Rendel. You don't understand. Mara and Luke may have started off rocky, but they've gotten really close. Mara's saved his ass countless times."
Rendel nodded. "I gathered as much from our conversations. If she doesn't snap out of this soon, though," the lawyer nodded towards his client, "Then I'm going to get a med droid in here. This doesn't look good, Talon."
"What, so he can drug her? No." Talon walked over to the red-haired woman and knelt down in front of her. "Mara? Mara, wake up. It's me, Talon."
Mara inhaled, a long shuddering breath. "They must have put something in the food. I'm falling apart." Her eyes flicked to Talon, and the older smuggler couldn't realize how difficult even that was, to drag herself away from her thoughts.
He's dead. By the gods, he's really dead! Mara's mind told her. He can't be dead. But you've seen his body now. He's dead. She knew she was still very pale, but she was already reaching into her reserved energy to keep her attention where she needed it. She had never believed that anyone after the Emperor could affect her like this. When the Emperor had died, she'd stopped breathing, and only through some miracle of the Force did her heart begin beating again. But Luke's death was driving her insane. She hadn't realized how much she relied on him, on his Force presence, to ground her.
I'd know if he were dead, she promised herself.
"Hey, Mara, you still with us?" Talon asked.
"Yeah, of course," Mara answered irritably.
"Corran Horn wanted me to give you a message. You know him?"
"Yeah, he was at the Academy while I was there."
"Horn's a Jedi?"
"Yeah. He's a good man to have by your side. What did he want?" Good, concentrate on something, Mara. Keep concentrating, and the doubts will be pushed aside…for now.
"He wanted you to know that he's on our side, and he wants permission to tell the Director why."
"No." The woman shook her head vehemently. "You tell him to forget it."
Her reaction startled the two men. "What?"
"Tell Horn 'No.'"
"But Mara—"
"No, Karrde. He has no business saying any of that."
"What is this about?" Rendel asked, speaking up for the first time since he and the smuggler had re-entered the room.
"None of your business. Nothing."
"Mara."
"No." This time her protest was quieter, but deadlier.
"Fine."
Talon talked to her a little longer, but Mara found it more difficult to pay attention.
Horn means well, her mind told her.
No.
He can help you get these charges dropped.
No one would believe him…or me.
Corran already knew what the answer would be when his comlink beeped, but he answered anyway. "Horn here."
"Horn, it's Karrde."
"She said no." It wasn't a question.
"Yeah." There was a long pause, and then Karrde spoke up again. "Look, can I ask what this is about?"
"No. If Mara chooses to tell you, then she can. But try to get her to let me, okay?"
"I'll try."
"Thanks." The Rogue pilot flipped the comlink off. "Damn it, Mara! Just let me do this!" he said out loud.
"She's refusing to help, isn't she?" his wife asked. She was packing some clothes before she left on a run to Bothawui, and then to Nar Shadaa, though her second destination was not very well known.
"Yeah."
"Well, Corran, I hate to say this, but she's got to live her own life."
"And die?"
"Everyone dies, sooner or later, Corran. You know I hate to say this, but it's true."
"I won't let her die. I promised Luke I'd take care of her."
"I know. And a promise is a promise." Mirax did a good impression of her husband. "I've got to go, but I'll be back in five days, all right? My father's watching over Valin, so don't worry about that."
"Bye, sweetheart."
"Bye. You take care of Corran, okay Whistler?" Corran's green and white droid warbled in response.
After the door slid shut behind his wife, Corran muttered quietly. "A promise is a promise."
