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Double Double Desire and Trouble
By Rhea
Part Six
This section is Rated R (I've placed a definition of that below from the movie rating system) If anyone is under 18 or does not feel comfortable reading sexual situations, please do not continue with this story. Thanks! Rated - R: Parental consent required for reading by anyone under the age of 18; stories may contain descriptions of sexual intercourse but will probably not be fully explicit. They may contain descriptions of full nudity but these should not be over-explicit. May also contain strong language, or more graphic violence.
*****
The minute the door closed an awkward silence descended between them. Luke wanted more than anything to pull Mara into his arms and resume what had started in the hallway , but his courage seemed to have left him. He mentally chastised himself. He could fly an X-wing and take out the Death Star, willingly confront Darth Vader and the Emperor, but he could not cross the few paces that separated him from the beautiful woman standing just inside his suite.
Mara raised an arched eyebrow at him. Her green eyes sparkling as if daring him to make the next move.
"You want a drink?" Luke asked, watching her carefully, extending his force sense in an effort to read her mood.
"No." Mara replied succinctly. A determined look graced her features and she walked deliberately toward the Jedi. There was a predatory gleam in her eye. The edges of her mouth tipped upward in a smile and she said, "I want you."
The boldness of this statement took his breath away. Despite the bravado of her attitude, Luke could sense an unease begin to creep across her sense as if she was starting to doubt his response. This knowledge swept away any vestige of doubt, any lingering shyness.
He smiled broadly and said, "So what are you waiting for?" A broad smile spread across her face and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned against his chest, watching his expression closely.
"This will change our relationship." She warned, her hands unclipping his utility belt. It fell heavily to the ground.
"I hope so," Luke said earnestly, his hands cupping her face to peer deeply into her eyes. A wave of desire rolled between them and they joined in a long searing kiss. Their lips moved in a heady exchange of passion, hearts thumping in unison, hands caressing the length of their bodies.
Mara pressed her palms against the bare skin of Luke's back, pushing the smooth, dark material of his shirt aside. She began to work at the edge and Luke pulled away from the kiss to remove the tunic in a fluid motion. The sight of his bared chest made her throat go dry. Luke's mouth tipped upward in a somewhat smug smile, when he caught the flash of desire in her sense.
Mara's mouth twisted and she prepared to say some scathing remark about male ego but the Jedi quickly cut her off with another kiss. Her momentary ire was lost as she was once again caught in the moment. Luke pulled the fastening at the back of Mara's dress. She lowered her arms to allow the material to cascade to the floor leaving her attired in her under things. Luke stopped cold, his eyes glittering.
Mara's lips curved into a satisfied smile, and she understood Luke's similar response to her own arousal when she viewed his naked chest. She was flattered by his obvious pleasure at her state of undress.
"I'm the luckiest man alive." He said and picked her up in his arms. Mara gave an almost inaudible yelp and then laughed as she threw her arms around his neck. She kicked off her shoes as he carried her toward the bed. He laid her almost reverently on the plush bedcovering.
Luke removed his shoes, standing at the foot of the bed. Mara watched as he crawled across the covers on hands and knees to join her. His arms flexed as he moved. His eyes peered intently into her own. Mara suddenly felt nervous. She did not doubt her desire for this man, or have an urge to stop him. She just felt the weight of what they were about to do, the way it would change everything. She did not want to jeopardize their friendship or disappoint him in anyway.
When he reached her, he sensed her hesitation and said, "We don't have to do this, you know, if it's too soon."
Somehow, by saying this, Mara felt her uncertainty evaporate. She smiled invitingly and reached up for him, "You're not going to get away from me so easily, Skywalker."
Luke chuckled and he closed the remaining distance. He pressed against her so that they were chest to chest. His face was a few inches from her own, "I have no desire to be any place else." He breathed.
Mara felt a warmth spread across her entire being at his words and she pulled him down on her, kissing him feverishly.
Luke groaned and responded in kind. Their desire was almost violent in its intensity, radiating through a growing bond in the force. They worked to removed the remainder of their clothing. They took their time, hands roaming freely, their mouths exploring, reveling in this newly found intimacy between them.
Luke trailed a line of kisses that left a burning trail from Mara's neck, across her breasts, over her stomach, and down the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Mara writhed, driving her fingers through Luke's blond hair, clutching frantically. His face was flushed and his eyes almost black as he gazed at her, just as lost as she. Mara urged him back up, claiming his mouth again.
"I want all of you. Now." She demanded.
Luke caught his breath and moved to comply. He edged her legs apart and pulled her to him. Their eyes locked, their hair crackling with the building force energy in the room. Luke grabbed Mara's hand, pushing in to the bed and she grasped it tightly. They joined in one swift motion. The room became still.
Mara's eyes drifted shut. She revealed in the feel of him within her, the weight of him pressing her into the bed.
Luke whispered, "Look at me."
Her eyes fluttered open. He withdrew and then plunged deeply again setting a heady pace. They moved together smooth as velvet, the rhythm causing pleasure to cascaded through them. Mara felt as if she were drowning in his eyes, but instead of being smothered, she was complete - whole for the first time. She felt Luke's thoughts and knew that he was experiencing the same sensations. Their emotions were too complex to name and they rode the wave together.
She wanted this moment to never end. Their movements caused soft involuntary gasps of pleasure to issue from their mouths. Mara pushed him and Luke rolled over so that he was beneath her. Her hair hung like a red gold curtain at the sides of Luke's face. She rocked against him, gasping in satisfaction. He grasped her and began to kiss her in such a way that Mara felt as if her heart would melt.
It was at that moment that she knew she never wanted another man. There would never be anyone else for her. The tension intensified until it became almost unbearable. Their thoughts became one. The force swirled around them joining them on an even deeper level. Their motions were like a well choreographed dance, perfectly in sync to one another. The pleasure swelled, overwhelming them both. Reaching the pinnacle they cried out in unison.
Mara collapsed on Luke's chest. His arms wrapped tightly around her. The bliss ebbed away, leaving them sated and content. They lay together, holding each other, unspeaking, listening to their hearts slow to a more normal rhythm.
Their emotions were too fresh to talk about. Both of them were stunned by the power of their joining. They shifted into a more comfortable embrace, never releasing their hold on each other. Luke absentmindedly ran his hand up and down Mara's spine. She felt her eyelids grow heavy. Her thoughts were in turmoil, but her heart sang.
"I had no idea, it could be like that." Luke said, his voice barely above a whisper
Mara shifted to meet his gaze. "Are you sure this is real? Maybe this is just a heat of the moment kind of thing. How do we know that this wasn't some one time fluke?" There was genuine concern in her voice.
Luke could sense her confusion. Her statement stuck him to the core and he tried to keep the hurt from showing.
"Well." He said slowly, "I guess, we'll just have to test it them." He began to nibble her ear, his caresses becoming more ardent.
"Luke!" Mara exclaimed.
He stopped and raised on eyebrow, "I like the way you say my name, much better than Skywalker." The devilish expression on his face with the barely concealed smile made her grin.
Her heart expanded and she said, "You do. Do you? Keep that up and you might just hear it some more."
"Hmmmmm." Luke said pleasantly. He no longer even attempted to hide the grin. The lines around his eyes crinkled and she could sense his humor. His hands left goose bumps as they caressed her flesh.
"Aren't you tired?" Mara asked with some difficulty.
Without conscious thought, she had began to touch him, loving the way he felt against her. He gasped and then said, "You want me to stop?" There was a definite note of challenge in his question.
Mara moaned, "Oh no. Don't you ever stop."
He chuckled and said between quick kisses, "We might have to venture out for food and water every now and again."
Mara straddled him and began to moved boldly against him.
"Oh Force! Who needs food?" Luke said as he grabbed her.
They made love throughout the night. With each successive time, the pleasure grew as they learned more about each other.
It was many hours later when Mara woke up to find the bed empty. She glanced at the chrono. "Stang!"
She leapt out of bed and dashed into the fresher. After donning last night's evening gown she stumbled right into Luke in her hurry to exit. He put out an arm to steady her.
His hair was damp and he wore casual pants and a tan tank. He gave her a smile and said, "I figured I'd finally make good and cook you breakfast."
Her heart turned over at the sight of him. "I gotta' go."
The smile fled his face and he blocked her exit with his arms, placing them on either side of her head. "Don't go." He said in a low voice.
"I'm late for a conference. Karrde is going to kill me if he finds out."
Luke's demeanor grew less solemn and he kissed her. At first she resisted, but the scent and feel of him was too much. Mara melted into his arms returning the kiss, and then jerked back, "Sith, Luke. You're like a drug. I have to go. I can't go to the Conference dressed like this."
"Do you want me to call them, make an excuse?" Luke offered.
"Like what? That I'm late because you've ravished me for half the night."
"Actually, it was the whole night." Luke chuckled.
Mara groaned and pushed back the laughing Jedi. She felt a pang of regret as she passed the small kitchen table set for two. It was ladened with a lavish breakfast that would go uneaten. It could not be helped. She left the room.
Luke watched the door closed behind Mara, wondering what the future had in store for them. He wondered what Han would say if he asked his advice about what he should do. He knew that he could not push things with Mara, or she might feel pressured and flee. She never wanted to commit to being a Jedi, what made him think she would commit to him?
He sat down, gazing at the empty chair across from him. He ate breakfast, not tasting a thing. He tossed Mara's into the trash chute. Luke noticed with some surprise, he had a communication. When he activated the small screen set into the wall, a simple text message scrolled across the screen "Meet me in the Observatory in one hour - Mara."
Luke smiled. That was fast. He moved with decidedly more energy as he set about getting ready.
On his way to the Observatory, Luke detoured to the landing pad. Luke studied the shipyard manifests R2D2 had conveniently procured during the night shift. There were hundreds of departures in the last few hours and Luke berated himself for failing to immediately track the imposter. He smiled broadly, remembering the reason for this oversight. They would catch up with the Sith lord later. He would not trade the memories of last night for anything. He absentmindedly touched the screen when he saw the Millennium Falcon listed on the register.
There was no way to tell which ship the shape shifter had used to escape. The Coronet had rotated high in the sky and it was impossible to leave the planet for another eight hours. The main landing was relatively empty. He left R2D2 chatting with the Jade's Fire's computers. Luke hoped Mara would not be too upset when she found out that the droid had taken up residence in her ship.
The Observatory was a local tourist attraction on Janus. It was a large, opulent room filed with comfortable seating and rare Alderaanian wood furniture. It had thousands of holoprojectors feeding live images of various planets of the galaxy. There were a few aliens activating the projectors in parts of the large room, but it was relatively quiet this time of day. The holoprojectors could zoom in on a lower level street on Coruscant and watch the pedestrian traffic or the crisscrossing ships layering the airways above the city planet.
There was a strange tingling at the back of Luke's mind, but he could not focus on the source. He glanced around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Luke shrugged. He activated the holoprojector nearest him. Luke chose to watch the twin suns slowly set over Kenobi's abandoned home in the Dune Sea. He could see evidence of disrepair and made a note to arrange for maintenance on the site.
He glanced up and noticed the slim figure of Mara Jade. Her back was to him and she was gazing at Androden. Luke was startled to see her. He had not sensed her arrival and was somewhat hurt that she had raised her shields blocking his sense. He shut the holoprojector down, the image of Tatooine vanishing.
He walked slowly to meet the red haired trader. She turned to greet him, a cautious smile on her face. She was dressed in a beige utilitarian outfit. Her demeanor made him uncomfortable as if the events of last night had never occurred.
"How did the conference go?" Luke asked.
Mara nodded absently, "Fine." She adjusted her holoprojector so that they could see an ariel view of Janus. The rings spun spectacularly in orbit around the planet.
"I'm just about done here. When do you want to leave?" Mara asked perfunctorily.
"Whenever you're ready."
First Mara left in a rush this morning, leaving no opportunity to discuss the change in their relationship, and now she was cold and remote. He wondered if she regretted what had happened between them and intended to act as if the passion of last night had never occurred. Luke felt a part of him grow cold inside, but he was filled with a fierce determination to not give up.
He knew Mara was reluctant to express her emotions. He stretched out toward the woman standing before him and was rebuffed, pushed aside with a grace that was both subtle and powerful. The bond was still there, distant but intact. He could feel her within him resonating in the force.
Luke moved forward, his eyebrows drawing together slightly. "What's wrong Mara? You seem distant."
"Do I?" She laughed, although there was no humor in her tone. "I thought that was the order for the day."
Luke's confusion grew. He took her hand, trying to read her sense.
She pulled her hand out of his grasp casually, avoiding eye contact. "I'm sorry, Skywalker. I guess I'm just upset about that imposter incident. Do you have any idea what he was after?"
"I think so." Luke replied slowly, confused at her train of thought. This whole meeting had a surreal quality to it. His heart beat dully in his chest, and he flexed his artificial hand in a nervous gesture.
"Do you think it was the decrypt command?"
Luke's face grew contemplative. "Probably. You know he wants the Jedi Vault."
"Did Ghent even tell you the command?"
A strange looks flickered across his face. He straightened his shoulders, understanding coming to him. "Of course he did. You know that, and I believe he told you too."
"Of course he did. I just wanted to verify that you had the information."
"Tell me the decrypt command, Mara."
"Oh no, I'm not going there again. I was fooled once. Why don't you tell me the unlock sequence to prove you're really who you appear to be." Mara's voice was challenging. She glared up at the Jedi.
"Alright," he said slowly and then with resignation, "It's Rogue Epsilon Obi-wan."
Mara was noncommittal her expression blank. Luke watched her expectantly.
"Ok." She said slowly. She smiled and then glanced down at her wristchoro, "Stang! I didn't realize it was so late. The conference break is almost over. I'll meet with you later."
Luke watched her dash off without attempting to stop her. Once she was out of sight, he smiled ruefully to himself.
[pic][pic]
(Thanks again to Jayde Star for the beta read! Please review!) Bottom of Form
Part Six
This section is Rated R (I've placed a definition of that below from the movie rating system) If anyone is under 18 or does not feel comfortable reading sexual situations, please do not continue with this story. Thanks! Rated - R: Parental consent required for reading by anyone under the age of 18; stories may contain descriptions of sexual intercourse but will probably not be fully explicit. They may contain descriptions of full nudity but these should not be over-explicit. May also contain strong language, or more graphic violence.
*****
The minute the door closed an awkward silence descended between them. Luke wanted more than anything to pull Mara into his arms and resume what had started in the hallway , but his courage seemed to have left him. He mentally chastised himself. He could fly an X-wing and take out the Death Star, willingly confront Darth Vader and the Emperor, but he could not cross the few paces that separated him from the beautiful woman standing just inside his suite.
Mara raised an arched eyebrow at him. Her green eyes sparkling as if daring him to make the next move.
"You want a drink?" Luke asked, watching her carefully, extending his force sense in an effort to read her mood.
"No." Mara replied succinctly. A determined look graced her features and she walked deliberately toward the Jedi. There was a predatory gleam in her eye. The edges of her mouth tipped upward in a smile and she said, "I want you."
The boldness of this statement took his breath away. Despite the bravado of her attitude, Luke could sense an unease begin to creep across her sense as if she was starting to doubt his response. This knowledge swept away any vestige of doubt, any lingering shyness.
He smiled broadly and said, "So what are you waiting for?" A broad smile spread across her face and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She leaned against his chest, watching his expression closely.
"This will change our relationship." She warned, her hands unclipping his utility belt. It fell heavily to the ground.
"I hope so," Luke said earnestly, his hands cupping her face to peer deeply into her eyes. A wave of desire rolled between them and they joined in a long searing kiss. Their lips moved in a heady exchange of passion, hearts thumping in unison, hands caressing the length of their bodies.
Mara pressed her palms against the bare skin of Luke's back, pushing the smooth, dark material of his shirt aside. She began to work at the edge and Luke pulled away from the kiss to remove the tunic in a fluid motion. The sight of his bared chest made her throat go dry. Luke's mouth tipped upward in a somewhat smug smile, when he caught the flash of desire in her sense.
Mara's mouth twisted and she prepared to say some scathing remark about male ego but the Jedi quickly cut her off with another kiss. Her momentary ire was lost as she was once again caught in the moment. Luke pulled the fastening at the back of Mara's dress. She lowered her arms to allow the material to cascade to the floor leaving her attired in her under things. Luke stopped cold, his eyes glittering.
Mara's lips curved into a satisfied smile, and she understood Luke's similar response to her own arousal when she viewed his naked chest. She was flattered by his obvious pleasure at her state of undress.
"I'm the luckiest man alive." He said and picked her up in his arms. Mara gave an almost inaudible yelp and then laughed as she threw her arms around his neck. She kicked off her shoes as he carried her toward the bed. He laid her almost reverently on the plush bedcovering.
Luke removed his shoes, standing at the foot of the bed. Mara watched as he crawled across the covers on hands and knees to join her. His arms flexed as he moved. His eyes peered intently into her own. Mara suddenly felt nervous. She did not doubt her desire for this man, or have an urge to stop him. She just felt the weight of what they were about to do, the way it would change everything. She did not want to jeopardize their friendship or disappoint him in anyway.
When he reached her, he sensed her hesitation and said, "We don't have to do this, you know, if it's too soon."
Somehow, by saying this, Mara felt her uncertainty evaporate. She smiled invitingly and reached up for him, "You're not going to get away from me so easily, Skywalker."
Luke chuckled and he closed the remaining distance. He pressed against her so that they were chest to chest. His face was a few inches from her own, "I have no desire to be any place else." He breathed.
Mara felt a warmth spread across her entire being at his words and she pulled him down on her, kissing him feverishly.
Luke groaned and responded in kind. Their desire was almost violent in its intensity, radiating through a growing bond in the force. They worked to removed the remainder of their clothing. They took their time, hands roaming freely, their mouths exploring, reveling in this newly found intimacy between them.
Luke trailed a line of kisses that left a burning trail from Mara's neck, across her breasts, over her stomach, and down the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Mara writhed, driving her fingers through Luke's blond hair, clutching frantically. His face was flushed and his eyes almost black as he gazed at her, just as lost as she. Mara urged him back up, claiming his mouth again.
"I want all of you. Now." She demanded.
Luke caught his breath and moved to comply. He edged her legs apart and pulled her to him. Their eyes locked, their hair crackling with the building force energy in the room. Luke grabbed Mara's hand, pushing in to the bed and she grasped it tightly. They joined in one swift motion. The room became still.
Mara's eyes drifted shut. She revealed in the feel of him within her, the weight of him pressing her into the bed.
Luke whispered, "Look at me."
Her eyes fluttered open. He withdrew and then plunged deeply again setting a heady pace. They moved together smooth as velvet, the rhythm causing pleasure to cascaded through them. Mara felt as if she were drowning in his eyes, but instead of being smothered, she was complete - whole for the first time. She felt Luke's thoughts and knew that he was experiencing the same sensations. Their emotions were too complex to name and they rode the wave together.
She wanted this moment to never end. Their movements caused soft involuntary gasps of pleasure to issue from their mouths. Mara pushed him and Luke rolled over so that he was beneath her. Her hair hung like a red gold curtain at the sides of Luke's face. She rocked against him, gasping in satisfaction. He grasped her and began to kiss her in such a way that Mara felt as if her heart would melt.
It was at that moment that she knew she never wanted another man. There would never be anyone else for her. The tension intensified until it became almost unbearable. Their thoughts became one. The force swirled around them joining them on an even deeper level. Their motions were like a well choreographed dance, perfectly in sync to one another. The pleasure swelled, overwhelming them both. Reaching the pinnacle they cried out in unison.
Mara collapsed on Luke's chest. His arms wrapped tightly around her. The bliss ebbed away, leaving them sated and content. They lay together, holding each other, unspeaking, listening to their hearts slow to a more normal rhythm.
Their emotions were too fresh to talk about. Both of them were stunned by the power of their joining. They shifted into a more comfortable embrace, never releasing their hold on each other. Luke absentmindedly ran his hand up and down Mara's spine. She felt her eyelids grow heavy. Her thoughts were in turmoil, but her heart sang.
"I had no idea, it could be like that." Luke said, his voice barely above a whisper
Mara shifted to meet his gaze. "Are you sure this is real? Maybe this is just a heat of the moment kind of thing. How do we know that this wasn't some one time fluke?" There was genuine concern in her voice.
Luke could sense her confusion. Her statement stuck him to the core and he tried to keep the hurt from showing.
"Well." He said slowly, "I guess, we'll just have to test it them." He began to nibble her ear, his caresses becoming more ardent.
"Luke!" Mara exclaimed.
He stopped and raised on eyebrow, "I like the way you say my name, much better than Skywalker." The devilish expression on his face with the barely concealed smile made her grin.
Her heart expanded and she said, "You do. Do you? Keep that up and you might just hear it some more."
"Hmmmmm." Luke said pleasantly. He no longer even attempted to hide the grin. The lines around his eyes crinkled and she could sense his humor. His hands left goose bumps as they caressed her flesh.
"Aren't you tired?" Mara asked with some difficulty.
Without conscious thought, she had began to touch him, loving the way he felt against her. He gasped and then said, "You want me to stop?" There was a definite note of challenge in his question.
Mara moaned, "Oh no. Don't you ever stop."
He chuckled and said between quick kisses, "We might have to venture out for food and water every now and again."
Mara straddled him and began to moved boldly against him.
"Oh Force! Who needs food?" Luke said as he grabbed her.
They made love throughout the night. With each successive time, the pleasure grew as they learned more about each other.
It was many hours later when Mara woke up to find the bed empty. She glanced at the chrono. "Stang!"
She leapt out of bed and dashed into the fresher. After donning last night's evening gown she stumbled right into Luke in her hurry to exit. He put out an arm to steady her.
His hair was damp and he wore casual pants and a tan tank. He gave her a smile and said, "I figured I'd finally make good and cook you breakfast."
Her heart turned over at the sight of him. "I gotta' go."
The smile fled his face and he blocked her exit with his arms, placing them on either side of her head. "Don't go." He said in a low voice.
"I'm late for a conference. Karrde is going to kill me if he finds out."
Luke's demeanor grew less solemn and he kissed her. At first she resisted, but the scent and feel of him was too much. Mara melted into his arms returning the kiss, and then jerked back, "Sith, Luke. You're like a drug. I have to go. I can't go to the Conference dressed like this."
"Do you want me to call them, make an excuse?" Luke offered.
"Like what? That I'm late because you've ravished me for half the night."
"Actually, it was the whole night." Luke chuckled.
Mara groaned and pushed back the laughing Jedi. She felt a pang of regret as she passed the small kitchen table set for two. It was ladened with a lavish breakfast that would go uneaten. It could not be helped. She left the room.
Luke watched the door closed behind Mara, wondering what the future had in store for them. He wondered what Han would say if he asked his advice about what he should do. He knew that he could not push things with Mara, or she might feel pressured and flee. She never wanted to commit to being a Jedi, what made him think she would commit to him?
He sat down, gazing at the empty chair across from him. He ate breakfast, not tasting a thing. He tossed Mara's into the trash chute. Luke noticed with some surprise, he had a communication. When he activated the small screen set into the wall, a simple text message scrolled across the screen "Meet me in the Observatory in one hour - Mara."
Luke smiled. That was fast. He moved with decidedly more energy as he set about getting ready.
On his way to the Observatory, Luke detoured to the landing pad. Luke studied the shipyard manifests R2D2 had conveniently procured during the night shift. There were hundreds of departures in the last few hours and Luke berated himself for failing to immediately track the imposter. He smiled broadly, remembering the reason for this oversight. They would catch up with the Sith lord later. He would not trade the memories of last night for anything. He absentmindedly touched the screen when he saw the Millennium Falcon listed on the register.
There was no way to tell which ship the shape shifter had used to escape. The Coronet had rotated high in the sky and it was impossible to leave the planet for another eight hours. The main landing was relatively empty. He left R2D2 chatting with the Jade's Fire's computers. Luke hoped Mara would not be too upset when she found out that the droid had taken up residence in her ship.
The Observatory was a local tourist attraction on Janus. It was a large, opulent room filed with comfortable seating and rare Alderaanian wood furniture. It had thousands of holoprojectors feeding live images of various planets of the galaxy. There were a few aliens activating the projectors in parts of the large room, but it was relatively quiet this time of day. The holoprojectors could zoom in on a lower level street on Coruscant and watch the pedestrian traffic or the crisscrossing ships layering the airways above the city planet.
There was a strange tingling at the back of Luke's mind, but he could not focus on the source. He glanced around, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Luke shrugged. He activated the holoprojector nearest him. Luke chose to watch the twin suns slowly set over Kenobi's abandoned home in the Dune Sea. He could see evidence of disrepair and made a note to arrange for maintenance on the site.
He glanced up and noticed the slim figure of Mara Jade. Her back was to him and she was gazing at Androden. Luke was startled to see her. He had not sensed her arrival and was somewhat hurt that she had raised her shields blocking his sense. He shut the holoprojector down, the image of Tatooine vanishing.
He walked slowly to meet the red haired trader. She turned to greet him, a cautious smile on her face. She was dressed in a beige utilitarian outfit. Her demeanor made him uncomfortable as if the events of last night had never occurred.
"How did the conference go?" Luke asked.
Mara nodded absently, "Fine." She adjusted her holoprojector so that they could see an ariel view of Janus. The rings spun spectacularly in orbit around the planet.
"I'm just about done here. When do you want to leave?" Mara asked perfunctorily.
"Whenever you're ready."
First Mara left in a rush this morning, leaving no opportunity to discuss the change in their relationship, and now she was cold and remote. He wondered if she regretted what had happened between them and intended to act as if the passion of last night had never occurred. Luke felt a part of him grow cold inside, but he was filled with a fierce determination to not give up.
He knew Mara was reluctant to express her emotions. He stretched out toward the woman standing before him and was rebuffed, pushed aside with a grace that was both subtle and powerful. The bond was still there, distant but intact. He could feel her within him resonating in the force.
Luke moved forward, his eyebrows drawing together slightly. "What's wrong Mara? You seem distant."
"Do I?" She laughed, although there was no humor in her tone. "I thought that was the order for the day."
Luke's confusion grew. He took her hand, trying to read her sense.
She pulled her hand out of his grasp casually, avoiding eye contact. "I'm sorry, Skywalker. I guess I'm just upset about that imposter incident. Do you have any idea what he was after?"
"I think so." Luke replied slowly, confused at her train of thought. This whole meeting had a surreal quality to it. His heart beat dully in his chest, and he flexed his artificial hand in a nervous gesture.
"Do you think it was the decrypt command?"
Luke's face grew contemplative. "Probably. You know he wants the Jedi Vault."
"Did Ghent even tell you the command?"
A strange looks flickered across his face. He straightened his shoulders, understanding coming to him. "Of course he did. You know that, and I believe he told you too."
"Of course he did. I just wanted to verify that you had the information."
"Tell me the decrypt command, Mara."
"Oh no, I'm not going there again. I was fooled once. Why don't you tell me the unlock sequence to prove you're really who you appear to be." Mara's voice was challenging. She glared up at the Jedi.
"Alright," he said slowly and then with resignation, "It's Rogue Epsilon Obi-wan."
Mara was noncommittal her expression blank. Luke watched her expectantly.
"Ok." She said slowly. She smiled and then glanced down at her wristchoro, "Stang! I didn't realize it was so late. The conference break is almost over. I'll meet with you later."
Luke watched her dash off without attempting to stop her. Once she was out of sight, he smiled ruefully to himself.
[pic][pic]
(Thanks again to Jayde Star for the beta read! Please review!) Bottom of Form