Double Double Desire and Trouble
By Rhea
(Thanks again to Jayde Star)
Part Eight
They worked together to prepare food in the small kitchen unit. There was barely enough room in the small alcove for the both of them. Mara cooked a pair of nerf steaks while Luke cut vegetables with an agility that proved his cooking talent. They brushed against each other as they moved in and out of the small kitchenette to retrieve ingredients. More than once, Mara suspected that Luke pressed a little more closely than was necessary, but his expression was innocent.
After one such close encounter, Mara smiled at the Jedi and asked, "Are you doing that on purpose?"
Luke grabbed the salt and grinned. "Sorry."
They sat down to eat. Mara used the force to shut off the bright alcove light, leaving them in the dim illumination of the blue glowing table.
"Hurt my eyes." Mara explained absently.
Luke nodded.
They enjoyed the food in quiet companionship. Wiping her mouth with a napkin and setting down her utensil Mara said, "Well it was worth the wait."
Luke replied, "I don't know what took us so long."
Luke had his head turned down, but he looked through his lashes at her. He dropped his gaze again when Mara did not respond. She cleared her throat, but still she couldn't seem to verbalize her emotions. She did the next best thing, Mara reached across the table and took his hand. His fingers tightened around hers.
He stood up, pulling his hand free and poured them some wine. He seemed suddenly preoccupied. Mara was about to ask him about it when he said, "I watched the Emperor die on the Death Star."
Mara froze and stared at him.
"You felt him die too." He continued.
"Why are you thinking about him now?" Mara asked.
Luke's thoughts consumed him. He remembered the Emperor's voice as he said, "Take your weapon, strike me down with all of your hatred." He recalled the Sith lord in the hooded cape and replying to Mara's inquiry about his identity with "I think the answer to both of those questions is pretty obvious."
"The Sith Lord." Luke explained as he sat across from Mara again.
She watched him for a moment and then said, "The Emperor has to be dead." Mara took his hand, the wine forgotten. "Whoever that Sith lord is, Luke, It's not the Emperor"
Luke nodded, almost reluctantly. He exhaled heavily. "Would you join me in a Jedi memory enhancing session?"
Mara nodded, seeing the sense in this, "You want to try to relive that incident in the caves together?"
He nodded, "Anything that we learn might be useful."
"Alright. How do we get started?"
"Lets find some place comfortable." After a short tour of the ship they sat facing each other on the bed in the main cabin. The only illumination came from the dim outline of light a large window the length of the wall and the streaming star lines. The cabin was small and sparsely furnished with a dresser for her clothes, the comfortable bed, and a door off to one side that led to the 'fresher. Luke had seen her room in the past on his journeys to and from the 'fresher, but he had never realized how intimate the setting really was.
Luke gazed at the beautiful woman seated across from him. Her fine features were visible in the low light and for a moment all he could do was gaze at her. He took a deep breath. "Just relax. I'm going to try to join our minds and we can examine both our experiences together."
Luke placed his fingers on Mara's temples and closed his eyes.
Mara watched his face become serious. She was a little nervous about her mind being so open, laid bare before Luke. His tentative probe encountered her emotions as well as her unconscious shield. His eyes opened and he smiled faintly, "Mara." He entreated slightly, "We're going to focus our attention on the events of that moment only. You have to trust me."
Mara nodded, "I've had my barriers up for so long, I'm finding it hard to let go, to relax."
Luke tilted his head to the side considering and then without warning he closed the space between them and began to kiss her. It was a slow, tender exploration. Mara closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss. Her heart quickened and warmth flooded her being. This was not a kiss of passion, but an expression of deep caring. As she returned the kiss, she felt the light probe of his mind and her barriers melted away.
Luke found the memory he was seeking and pulled away from her mouth. They remained touching forehead to forehead, their eyes closed, their hands entwined. They started with Luke's memories. Mara entered the cave with Luke. The dark side seeped into every one of their senses. It was as if they could hear the roar of the dead Sith lord, smell the decay of his long vanished body, feel the coldness of his trapped spirit, and taste the bitterness of his betrayal. They listened to Luke gasp when he saw the lightsaber lying in the red dust. As Mara handed the weapon to him, Luke could feel the former owner's lust for revenge. Using the force to uncover the truth, they learned even more. He was the Sith lord's former master, betrayed by his apprentice by promises of power and knowledge of the long dead Jedi knights.
The actual betrayal did not surprise him, it was no more than he expected. What shocked him was that he had not sensed the attack or even the intent to betray him.
The memories moved on. Luke dropped the weapon and moved over to Mara when the computer voice said, "Confirm authorization." Mara relived Luke's memory of his force inspired revelation and when he joined his blood to hers she felt as if the moment had great significance. Luke agreed and for a moment their spirits swayed together in a slow dance of mutual regard.
Then, the Sith lord's voice interrupted their reverie. Luke peered deeply into the shadow and was shocked to find nothing there. The face was blank. Either his memory was nonexistent or the lord's face was completely featureless. They quickly scanned the rest of the events, avoiding the fight with the beasts that had wounded the Jedi, not wanting to re- experience the pain of that encounter.
They cleared their minds of the images, and then went back to the beginning again, this time from Mara's point of view. The dark side stain had immediately reminded her of the region in space above the moon of Endor. Although, she had not been conscious of this thought at the time. She inspected the surroundings and with their heightened perception realized that the glittering dome over their head did not just appear to be a star map, it was a star map.
And like before, the sound of Luke's gasp seemed unusually loud. Mara quickly joined him. While he was inspect the ancient weapon, Mara inspect the clothing, and pocketed the oddly shaped item.
"Do you still have that?" Luke asked, noticing this event for the first time.
"Yes."
"How come you never mentioned it?"
"You mean during our jump from the collapsing mound, or when I thought you were dead, or maybe later when you were in a healing trance or when we were chasing your imposter. Or I guess it might have made for enticing pillow talk while we were making love?" Mara said sardonically.
Luke laughed reluctantly. "OK. Point taken."
They moved forward into the scene, vaguely noting the lord's emotional signature when he saw Mara.
"He's attracted to you." Luke said incredulously.
"You don't have to act so surprised." Mara groused. She was disturbed by this revelation as well.
Mara could feel his chagrin and Mara instantly said, "Relax Skywalker, I'm just teasing. I guess we know for sure that falling to the dark side doesn't burn out all desires."
"Yeah. That's what scares me." Luke replied.
They tried to examine the object that their adversary had taken, but they still could not learn more about it.
The creature sliced across the Jedi's chest with a swipe of its claw. Luke was surprised at the depth of Mara's distress when she felt his pain and she admonished him mildly. "I've always had a soft spot for you, farm boy."
He was impressed with the agility of her mind as she decided on an escape plan. Her thought processes were clear and practical. When Luke started to climb the rope, they pulled away from the memories, slowly withdrawing from the encounter.
Their breathing was deep and even. They were tired, but alert. They stayed with their foreheads pressed together and fingers interwoven for a long moment. Mara felt vaguely lonely now that their minds were no longer connected on such a deep level, and she was surprised by this realization. Their emotions still flowed freely through a link in the force and Luke pulled her full length against him in a hug.
Despite the depths of his emotions and his usual candor, Luke felt reluctant to verbalize how he felt. He had loved and lost too many times Now, when the last remaining spark of hope burned and began to flame again, he knew that if Mara left him, he'd never recover. If he said the words out loud, he would give them added weight, ensuring his breakdown if she were to leave. It was too late, he knew. He was already lost.
They lay cradled in each other arms, unspeaking allowing their force sense to commune on a deeper level they did not truly comprehend.
There was a tickling sensation on her ear that edged Mara out of sleep. She opened her eyes reluctantly and it did not take her long to discover the source. The Jedi's face was inches from her own, eyes closed and mouth relaxed. A strand of her hair was moving ever so slightly across the tip of her ear with each breath Skywalker took. He was still deeply asleep. She tucked the errant curl behind her ear and inspected the sleeping man. He looked years younger, his skin was smooth unlined by the cares of the galaxy. They had slept for hours in the same bed, but had not made love since that one passionate night. She leaned forward to kiss his cheek and stopped when she saw Luke's eyelids flutter. She did not want to wake him and she felt an unaccustomed shyness around the Jedi. It was almost as if their physical intimacy had just been an extremely vivid and beautiful dream. Perhaps that was the real reason for her reticence, the unreality of their relationship. One day she was hoping for more but never really expecting it to happen. The next day she was waking up in his embrace. She knew Skywalker was not the type to engage in a sexual relationship lightly, but he had called her his best friend, not the love of his life, or even a lover. She had sensed something deeper, but without confirmation she could not be sure.
She slowly eased out of bed. The Jedi stirred, but he did not wake up. She hurried to the 'fresher before the Jedi woke up. Mara's pride would not allow her to ask Skywalker about his feelings toward her, and she did not want to feel like she seduced him, trapping him in the way that she had always believed Callista had ensnared him. Skywalker had a streak of honor that was as wide as the maw. If he believed that he had unwittingly made a commitment with her, he would stick to it whether he wished to or not. The last thing Mara wanted was Luke Skywalker feeling obliged to her. She would rather never see the man again, than have that happen. That voice in the back of her head whispered mockingly to her again. Even her own subconscious knew that she was seeking a reason to avoid her emotions. Years in the Emperor's service had taught her the value of not caring for anyone. She didn't know if she could ever free her heart.
Mara sat in the captain's chair absentmindedly flipping the flat metal disk between her fingers. She sensed the moment Luke awoke. She studied their vector and saw that everything was in order. It was not too long before Luke joined her in the cockpit. His hair was wet from the 'fresher and his eyes were alert.
"Good morning." He said almost shyly.
Mara's heart swelled at the sight of him, and she smiled warmly at him. He seemed momentarily taken aback by her joy. He bent down and kissed her lightly, before sitting next to her in the co-pilot's seat. She handed him the disk, and he inspected it closely.
"Is this it?'' he could feel the importance of the item, the weight of it was more than physical. Luke turned the small oddly shaped metallic disk over, inspecting it closely. It had a series of finely etched lines across the surface on one side, the other side was smooth as glass.
"Any idea what this is?" he asked.
"Not really. I did some preliminary analysis with the ship's computers after we left Androden, but I had no luck. It looks familiar, but I can't place it."
He tried to probe the object with the force, but still could discover nothing. Luke handed it back and helped Mara to perform a routine systems check. He enjoyed these times with her, the moments of relative calm, doing simple tasks together. They spent the rest of the trip sharing meals in the galley, playing holochess, exchanging stories of their past, and by unspoken mutual consent sleeping in the main cabin together. Although, they touched lovingly, they did not make love. Both enjoyed their deepening level of intimacy not dependent on passion. They touched each other often with casual ease, growing more familiar with the other's presence. Neither could deny how right they felt together. The trip seemed suddenly too short, when they arrived in space above Coruscant.
The Jade's Fire landed on an exterior elevated landing bay on the planet. Mara saw the Solo clan waiting for them on the landing platform through the view port of the Jade's Fire. She was surprised to sense them, but then realized it was due to her bond with Luke growing ever stronger in the force. These were his family, of course he would have a link to them. Mara busied herself with the process of powering the ship down.
She sat in the pilot's seat, avoiding the Jedi's eyes, "Go ahead, I'll join you in a minute." She urged him.
Luke watched her carefully. "I can wait for you."
"They're your family. They want to see you, Luke."
Luke sat back down in the co-pilot's seat and faced her. "They care about you too. You're a part of my life now. I want them to see that."
"You think a docking bay is the place to tell them?"
Luke grimaced and then shook his head, "We don't have to tell them anything, but I don't want to hide our relationship either."
Mara met his gaze, conscious of the Solo family watching them through the view port.
"Ok, Let's do this."
Luke smiled and said, "It's going to be alright, Mara. They love you already and I . .. ." his voice trailed off and he stood up abruptly, "Come on."
Mara's emotions churned nervously. Luke sensed them and said reassuringly, "We don't have to spend time with them if it makes you uncomfortable." His misinterpretation of her emotional state was a relief. The Solo clan did not really bother her. What made her edgy was the way Skywalker could not finish the his sentence. Had he been about to make a declaration of love? Or had he prevented himself from saying something he did not mean?
"No. Of course we'll visit with them. Leia's your twin sister, you must spend time with them."
"Thanks, Mara." Luke said and they made their way toward the exit.
Mara lowered the ramp and hesitated. The Jedi glanced at the red haired woman and gave an almost imperceptible nod. Luke took the lead, grabbing his sister and swinging her in an exuberant hug. Not to be left out, Chewbacca grabbed Luke from behind. The blond man laughed and turned to greet the Wookie more properly. Once free of the furry embrace, Han and Luke exchanged a brotherly hug, each clapping the other's back.
Mara watched this exchange, unwillingly envious of their affection.
Han whispered quietly in Luke's ear. "So how's it going between you and Mara?"
Luke's eyes twinkled and he replied, "Ask me again later."
Leia approached Mara and tentatively extended her arms in an invitation. Mara awkwardly moved forward and hugged the woman.
"Mara."
"Leia."
When they broke apart they shared a genuine smile. Mara was no longer quite as uncomfortable.
R2D2 rolled out of the ship and C3P0 rushed forward, "It's so good to see you Artoo. You don't know how lonely I've been without you."
Artoo warbled in reply and the two droids wandered off chatting amiably.
Luke walked back toward Mara. He asked the Solos, "Who do you have guarding the site?"
Han replied, "You have nothing to worry about, kid. We have half a dozen noghri there. No one's getting past them." Then he urged, "Come on, let's get out of here. Leia thought you might be hungry and had dinner prepared back at the apartment."
Mara snorted and said, "Skywalker? Hungry?"
Leia smiled.
Luke replied, "Hey, I'm not that bad." Mara could feel his happiness at being reunited with his family.
Leia laughed and asked Mara, "So did he deplete the Fire's supplies?"
"I think there are still a couple of Hutt swamp frogs. Oh wait, I forgot, those are gone too."
"Mara." Luke entreated, his humor radiating through their bond. Chewbacca chuckled and Han and Leia had broad smiles stretching across their faces.
"Eat a lot of those do you, Jade?" Han teased.
Mara replied airily, "It's always best to be prepared. I never know when I'll have to entertain a Hutt or some other scoundrel."
Leia and Han shared a look, as if remembering a private joke.
They made their way to a air taxi where R2D2 and C3P0 were already seated in the rear. Han opened the door for Leia and made a gallant bow for her to proceed, "After you, your highnessness."
She smiled and made a regal motion with her hand as if dismissing him. He cocked a sideways smile at her.
Chewbacca pushed passed Han to sit in the pilot's seat.
"Hey!" the Corellian let go of the door and dashed toward the front. Mara and Luke exchanged a look, chuckling softly and made their way toward the back. They sat on a bench beside each other. Han and Chewbacca argued over who would pilot the air taxi.
"Fine!" Han threw his hands in the air, dismissing the wookie, "Have it your way. But don't let it get to your head. I'm still the pilot of the Falcon, fuzzball."
Chewbacca was silent as if considering and then growled his ascent.
Han sat next to Leia on the bench in front of Luke and Mara. He leaned back toward then and winked conspiratorially. "Chewy's getting antsy lately. I thought it would be good to let him pilot for awhile."
Leia smiled ruefully at her husband, "You let him?" she said dubiously.
"Of course, sweetheart."
The air taxi started to move. It was late afternoon, the sun glowing low in the sky. They glided into the maze of Coruscant's air traffic. Mara was conscious of Luke pressed against her side. Her hands rested lightly on her pant legs. The swiftly moving air taxi caused the air to caress their faces in a warm breeze.
Luke casually took Mara's hand in his grasp. The green eyed woman was touched by this simple gesture of affection. She was also supremely aware of the fact that they were not alone. Her gaze traveled from their joined hands to the Jedi's face. Luke was watching the many lights of passing vehicles, listening to the roar of numerous alien engines as they quickly maneuvered their way along the skylines of Coruscant.
Mara wondered if he was even aware that he had taken her hand. Luke turned and flashed her a brilliant smile that momentarily dazzled her. She could not help but return the grin.
Leia glanced back, witnessing the exchange. Han had already told her of the embrace he had stumbled onto back on Janus, but she was somewhat startled by the evident regard they shared. Luke shot Leia a quick smile, and Mara turned her head away to view the passing traffic. Leia turned around, feeling as if she would be rude if she continued to watch the couple.
Their relationship was too new for her to be entirely comfortable with public displays of affection, but she could not deny the pleasure that she felt while Luke held her hand. She watched their careful approach to their destination. She tightened her grip on his hand, unconsciously seeking his support. Mara felt an unobtrusive mental caress from the Jedi, which touched her deeply.
Their hands were still entwined when they exited the vehicle. If the Solo clan noticed, they made no indication. C3P0 and R2D2 filled the silence as they strolled from the platform across the long walkway, navigating the complex exterior passageways of the more affluent sector of the planet.
When they arrived at the Solo's residence, Han punched in the entry code. Luke and Mara by silent consent released hands. A noghri slid out of the shadows, almost undetectable until he spoke, "Welcome home, my lady Vader." He rasped and backed away disappearing from sight.
They entered the house. "Make yourselves comfortable. I'm going to check on dinner." Leia said as she exited the main room.
Mara moved to the enormous window that over looked the skyline. The numerous buildings and moving ships were ablaze with the red-orange light of the setting sun. The view was breath taking.
"I would like to accompany Artoo to maintenance. He appears to have sustained some minor damage." C3P0 said primly.
"Be my guest." Han said.
"We'll catch up with you later, Threepo, Artoo." Luke said warmly.
The two droids left the apartment. Chewbacca had gone into the kitchen. When Han saw he was alone with Luke and Mara, a devilish look crossed his features. "So, uh, How was the trip from Janus?"
Mara glanced away from the cityscape, to regard the former smuggler. Skywalker smiled and said, "It was fine. The Jade's Fire is a good ship."
Mara smiled to herself when she was how expertly the Jedi had deflect the man's interest from their personal relationship to something dear to his heart, space vehicles.
"It's not bad." Han said, his voice indicating his respect for Mara's ship. "I wouldn't mind taking a look at her modifications."
Luke raised his eyebrow questioningly at Mara and she replied, "Sure. As long as you don't report what you see to Central Security."
A large smile spread across his face, "Honey, I'm the epitome of discretion."
"Han?" Leia called from the other room. "Can you give me a hand with this?"
"Duty calls." The Corellian shrugged and then left the room.
Mara turned back to the window, not wanting to sit and wait.
Luke joined her. "Beautiful isn't it." He comments. His voice was low, and his presence washed over her making her feel warm all over.
Mara smiled.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
She knew he was referring to being in the Solo household. "I think I can handle it, Skywalker." She said sardonically.
He gave her a quick kiss and Mara jumped back when the door opened again.
Leia and Han returned with steaming plates of food. Chewbacca sniffed one large dish appreciatively.
Luke asked, "Where are the kids?"
"Winter took them to see the annual airspeeder races." Leia answered.
They sat at a large oval table in the center of the main room. Leia and Han sat on one side facing Luke and Mara on the other. Chewbacca sat at the one end eating the meat from a thigh bone of some animal quietly.
As they ate, talk centered around the Sith lord and their own plans to investigate the coordinates that Ghent had decrypted. Leia's eyes darted between Mara to Luke watching them carefully. Han noticed and unsuccessfully hid his humor from the force sensitives in the room. Leia glared at her husband and quickly squelched it when she noticed Mara's gaze. She gave Mara a slight smile, slightly abashed. Mara glanced at Han and he gave her a wink. Chewbacca barked a laugh and returned his attention to his food. Mara smiled and returned her attention to the elaborate dish placed before her.
Luke was the only one that seemed completely at ease during this gathering. His joy colored everybody's mood, lightening the overall atmosphere. If he noticed Leia's looks, he chose to ignore them.
His hand lingered overlong as he passed Mara the salt, and the twinkle in his eye as he met her gaze alerted her to the fact that he was entirely aware of Leia's inspection. Mara felt like smiling and kicking him at the same time. She settled for sending him a mental *Skywalker!* and all he did was grin.
After dessert, they made plans to leave for the coordinates. Mara told them that she wanted to stop at her place before they left. Han, Chewbacca, and Leia made arrangements to rendezvous with them in two hours.
Luke left with Mara and seemed reluctant to let her out of his sight. It was a short journey to her apartment and Mara entered her security code, making a show of sharing it with Skywalker. He nodded, memorizing it. They entered the room, lights slowly glowing at their arrival. Luke sat on a couch while Mara gathered some supplies. She grabbed a couple of extra power packs for her blaster and set them by the door.
She went back to her room to get a few more items and when she emerged she studied the back of Luke's head. He was seated, facing away from her. "There's something we need to do before we leave." He turned his head to watch her. Mara slowly approached him. Just as he was about to ask her what she meant, she bent down and bit his ear, running her hands down his chest.
His breath caught in his throat. Luke narrowed his eyes and said, "There is, is there?"
"I'm tired of this impasse between us" she said between kisses. She moved her lips down his neck, gently nipping and licking in a pattern that made it difficult for him to hear her words beyond his own thundering heart.
"And another thing, this whole shape shifter business bothers me." She said.
"What do you mean?" Luke whispered between short breaths.
Mara pulled back for a moment to speak seriously, "I assume he was hired to get information for the dark lord. It was not uncommon for Vader or the Emperor to use spies or bounty hunters to do their dirty work."
His eyes were a brilliant blue as he met her gaze. Luke's mouth twisted, "Like Boba Fett."
"Handy skill for a spy to have -- shape shifting." Mara said. Luke could feel her embarrassment at having been deceived by the Imposter.
"The bond between us has grown strong. I don't think we can be fooled again." Luke assured her.
Mara smiled broadly. "I knew you had a practical reason for making love to me." She teased.
Luke's eyelids became heavy and he said with utter sincerity, "I would use any excuse to make love to you, Mara Jade."
All teasing left her in a rush. She was startled by his candor. A slow seductive smile stretched her lips. "Well." She said playfully, "I'm still not sure if I can be deceived by the Imposter again, so it might be smart if we continue to familiarize ourselves with each other."
"Ah, just being practical are we Jade?"
He turned around to face her, their noses brushing gently. He pulled her over the couch and into his lap.
"You got it, Skywalker."
"Luke" he corrected her.
"Oh no, you haven't earned that yet." She said playfully.
He chuckled and bit her lower lip, he drew it into his mouth and sucked gently, soothing the minor ache.
Desire shot like a blaster bolt through her.
"We'll be late." He warned.
"We have time and we can be fast."
He was in no shape to argue. She stripped her clothes away before he could even register what she was doing. She began tugging on his tunic and he shifted to help. He started to lift her, intending to move them to her room when she stopped him, "No. Let's stay here."
He smiled, pleased by her eagerness. He began to ravish her mouth, their hands exploring the length of their bodies fervently. Luke had made plans to seduce her slowly, take her out to dinner, talk long into the night, and then kiss her gently to see where it would lead. Instead, Mara had seduced him with a touch and he was making passionate love with her on the couch.
Luke Skywalker had learned long ago, that things never happened the way he planned. Even thought the universe seemed to always conspire against him, he didn't care. At this moment, he could not be happier.
By Rhea
(Thanks again to Jayde Star)
Part Eight
They worked together to prepare food in the small kitchen unit. There was barely enough room in the small alcove for the both of them. Mara cooked a pair of nerf steaks while Luke cut vegetables with an agility that proved his cooking talent. They brushed against each other as they moved in and out of the small kitchenette to retrieve ingredients. More than once, Mara suspected that Luke pressed a little more closely than was necessary, but his expression was innocent.
After one such close encounter, Mara smiled at the Jedi and asked, "Are you doing that on purpose?"
Luke grabbed the salt and grinned. "Sorry."
They sat down to eat. Mara used the force to shut off the bright alcove light, leaving them in the dim illumination of the blue glowing table.
"Hurt my eyes." Mara explained absently.
Luke nodded.
They enjoyed the food in quiet companionship. Wiping her mouth with a napkin and setting down her utensil Mara said, "Well it was worth the wait."
Luke replied, "I don't know what took us so long."
Luke had his head turned down, but he looked through his lashes at her. He dropped his gaze again when Mara did not respond. She cleared her throat, but still she couldn't seem to verbalize her emotions. She did the next best thing, Mara reached across the table and took his hand. His fingers tightened around hers.
He stood up, pulling his hand free and poured them some wine. He seemed suddenly preoccupied. Mara was about to ask him about it when he said, "I watched the Emperor die on the Death Star."
Mara froze and stared at him.
"You felt him die too." He continued.
"Why are you thinking about him now?" Mara asked.
Luke's thoughts consumed him. He remembered the Emperor's voice as he said, "Take your weapon, strike me down with all of your hatred." He recalled the Sith lord in the hooded cape and replying to Mara's inquiry about his identity with "I think the answer to both of those questions is pretty obvious."
"The Sith Lord." Luke explained as he sat across from Mara again.
She watched him for a moment and then said, "The Emperor has to be dead." Mara took his hand, the wine forgotten. "Whoever that Sith lord is, Luke, It's not the Emperor"
Luke nodded, almost reluctantly. He exhaled heavily. "Would you join me in a Jedi memory enhancing session?"
Mara nodded, seeing the sense in this, "You want to try to relive that incident in the caves together?"
He nodded, "Anything that we learn might be useful."
"Alright. How do we get started?"
"Lets find some place comfortable." After a short tour of the ship they sat facing each other on the bed in the main cabin. The only illumination came from the dim outline of light a large window the length of the wall and the streaming star lines. The cabin was small and sparsely furnished with a dresser for her clothes, the comfortable bed, and a door off to one side that led to the 'fresher. Luke had seen her room in the past on his journeys to and from the 'fresher, but he had never realized how intimate the setting really was.
Luke gazed at the beautiful woman seated across from him. Her fine features were visible in the low light and for a moment all he could do was gaze at her. He took a deep breath. "Just relax. I'm going to try to join our minds and we can examine both our experiences together."
Luke placed his fingers on Mara's temples and closed his eyes.
Mara watched his face become serious. She was a little nervous about her mind being so open, laid bare before Luke. His tentative probe encountered her emotions as well as her unconscious shield. His eyes opened and he smiled faintly, "Mara." He entreated slightly, "We're going to focus our attention on the events of that moment only. You have to trust me."
Mara nodded, "I've had my barriers up for so long, I'm finding it hard to let go, to relax."
Luke tilted his head to the side considering and then without warning he closed the space between them and began to kiss her. It was a slow, tender exploration. Mara closed her eyes, leaning into the kiss. Her heart quickened and warmth flooded her being. This was not a kiss of passion, but an expression of deep caring. As she returned the kiss, she felt the light probe of his mind and her barriers melted away.
Luke found the memory he was seeking and pulled away from her mouth. They remained touching forehead to forehead, their eyes closed, their hands entwined. They started with Luke's memories. Mara entered the cave with Luke. The dark side seeped into every one of their senses. It was as if they could hear the roar of the dead Sith lord, smell the decay of his long vanished body, feel the coldness of his trapped spirit, and taste the bitterness of his betrayal. They listened to Luke gasp when he saw the lightsaber lying in the red dust. As Mara handed the weapon to him, Luke could feel the former owner's lust for revenge. Using the force to uncover the truth, they learned even more. He was the Sith lord's former master, betrayed by his apprentice by promises of power and knowledge of the long dead Jedi knights.
The actual betrayal did not surprise him, it was no more than he expected. What shocked him was that he had not sensed the attack or even the intent to betray him.
The memories moved on. Luke dropped the weapon and moved over to Mara when the computer voice said, "Confirm authorization." Mara relived Luke's memory of his force inspired revelation and when he joined his blood to hers she felt as if the moment had great significance. Luke agreed and for a moment their spirits swayed together in a slow dance of mutual regard.
Then, the Sith lord's voice interrupted their reverie. Luke peered deeply into the shadow and was shocked to find nothing there. The face was blank. Either his memory was nonexistent or the lord's face was completely featureless. They quickly scanned the rest of the events, avoiding the fight with the beasts that had wounded the Jedi, not wanting to re- experience the pain of that encounter.
They cleared their minds of the images, and then went back to the beginning again, this time from Mara's point of view. The dark side stain had immediately reminded her of the region in space above the moon of Endor. Although, she had not been conscious of this thought at the time. She inspected the surroundings and with their heightened perception realized that the glittering dome over their head did not just appear to be a star map, it was a star map.
And like before, the sound of Luke's gasp seemed unusually loud. Mara quickly joined him. While he was inspect the ancient weapon, Mara inspect the clothing, and pocketed the oddly shaped item.
"Do you still have that?" Luke asked, noticing this event for the first time.
"Yes."
"How come you never mentioned it?"
"You mean during our jump from the collapsing mound, or when I thought you were dead, or maybe later when you were in a healing trance or when we were chasing your imposter. Or I guess it might have made for enticing pillow talk while we were making love?" Mara said sardonically.
Luke laughed reluctantly. "OK. Point taken."
They moved forward into the scene, vaguely noting the lord's emotional signature when he saw Mara.
"He's attracted to you." Luke said incredulously.
"You don't have to act so surprised." Mara groused. She was disturbed by this revelation as well.
Mara could feel his chagrin and Mara instantly said, "Relax Skywalker, I'm just teasing. I guess we know for sure that falling to the dark side doesn't burn out all desires."
"Yeah. That's what scares me." Luke replied.
They tried to examine the object that their adversary had taken, but they still could not learn more about it.
The creature sliced across the Jedi's chest with a swipe of its claw. Luke was surprised at the depth of Mara's distress when she felt his pain and she admonished him mildly. "I've always had a soft spot for you, farm boy."
He was impressed with the agility of her mind as she decided on an escape plan. Her thought processes were clear and practical. When Luke started to climb the rope, they pulled away from the memories, slowly withdrawing from the encounter.
Their breathing was deep and even. They were tired, but alert. They stayed with their foreheads pressed together and fingers interwoven for a long moment. Mara felt vaguely lonely now that their minds were no longer connected on such a deep level, and she was surprised by this realization. Their emotions still flowed freely through a link in the force and Luke pulled her full length against him in a hug.
Despite the depths of his emotions and his usual candor, Luke felt reluctant to verbalize how he felt. He had loved and lost too many times Now, when the last remaining spark of hope burned and began to flame again, he knew that if Mara left him, he'd never recover. If he said the words out loud, he would give them added weight, ensuring his breakdown if she were to leave. It was too late, he knew. He was already lost.
They lay cradled in each other arms, unspeaking allowing their force sense to commune on a deeper level they did not truly comprehend.
There was a tickling sensation on her ear that edged Mara out of sleep. She opened her eyes reluctantly and it did not take her long to discover the source. The Jedi's face was inches from her own, eyes closed and mouth relaxed. A strand of her hair was moving ever so slightly across the tip of her ear with each breath Skywalker took. He was still deeply asleep. She tucked the errant curl behind her ear and inspected the sleeping man. He looked years younger, his skin was smooth unlined by the cares of the galaxy. They had slept for hours in the same bed, but had not made love since that one passionate night. She leaned forward to kiss his cheek and stopped when she saw Luke's eyelids flutter. She did not want to wake him and she felt an unaccustomed shyness around the Jedi. It was almost as if their physical intimacy had just been an extremely vivid and beautiful dream. Perhaps that was the real reason for her reticence, the unreality of their relationship. One day she was hoping for more but never really expecting it to happen. The next day she was waking up in his embrace. She knew Skywalker was not the type to engage in a sexual relationship lightly, but he had called her his best friend, not the love of his life, or even a lover. She had sensed something deeper, but without confirmation she could not be sure.
She slowly eased out of bed. The Jedi stirred, but he did not wake up. She hurried to the 'fresher before the Jedi woke up. Mara's pride would not allow her to ask Skywalker about his feelings toward her, and she did not want to feel like she seduced him, trapping him in the way that she had always believed Callista had ensnared him. Skywalker had a streak of honor that was as wide as the maw. If he believed that he had unwittingly made a commitment with her, he would stick to it whether he wished to or not. The last thing Mara wanted was Luke Skywalker feeling obliged to her. She would rather never see the man again, than have that happen. That voice in the back of her head whispered mockingly to her again. Even her own subconscious knew that she was seeking a reason to avoid her emotions. Years in the Emperor's service had taught her the value of not caring for anyone. She didn't know if she could ever free her heart.
Mara sat in the captain's chair absentmindedly flipping the flat metal disk between her fingers. She sensed the moment Luke awoke. She studied their vector and saw that everything was in order. It was not too long before Luke joined her in the cockpit. His hair was wet from the 'fresher and his eyes were alert.
"Good morning." He said almost shyly.
Mara's heart swelled at the sight of him, and she smiled warmly at him. He seemed momentarily taken aback by her joy. He bent down and kissed her lightly, before sitting next to her in the co-pilot's seat. She handed him the disk, and he inspected it closely.
"Is this it?'' he could feel the importance of the item, the weight of it was more than physical. Luke turned the small oddly shaped metallic disk over, inspecting it closely. It had a series of finely etched lines across the surface on one side, the other side was smooth as glass.
"Any idea what this is?" he asked.
"Not really. I did some preliminary analysis with the ship's computers after we left Androden, but I had no luck. It looks familiar, but I can't place it."
He tried to probe the object with the force, but still could discover nothing. Luke handed it back and helped Mara to perform a routine systems check. He enjoyed these times with her, the moments of relative calm, doing simple tasks together. They spent the rest of the trip sharing meals in the galley, playing holochess, exchanging stories of their past, and by unspoken mutual consent sleeping in the main cabin together. Although, they touched lovingly, they did not make love. Both enjoyed their deepening level of intimacy not dependent on passion. They touched each other often with casual ease, growing more familiar with the other's presence. Neither could deny how right they felt together. The trip seemed suddenly too short, when they arrived in space above Coruscant.
The Jade's Fire landed on an exterior elevated landing bay on the planet. Mara saw the Solo clan waiting for them on the landing platform through the view port of the Jade's Fire. She was surprised to sense them, but then realized it was due to her bond with Luke growing ever stronger in the force. These were his family, of course he would have a link to them. Mara busied herself with the process of powering the ship down.
She sat in the pilot's seat, avoiding the Jedi's eyes, "Go ahead, I'll join you in a minute." She urged him.
Luke watched her carefully. "I can wait for you."
"They're your family. They want to see you, Luke."
Luke sat back down in the co-pilot's seat and faced her. "They care about you too. You're a part of my life now. I want them to see that."
"You think a docking bay is the place to tell them?"
Luke grimaced and then shook his head, "We don't have to tell them anything, but I don't want to hide our relationship either."
Mara met his gaze, conscious of the Solo family watching them through the view port.
"Ok, Let's do this."
Luke smiled and said, "It's going to be alright, Mara. They love you already and I . .. ." his voice trailed off and he stood up abruptly, "Come on."
Mara's emotions churned nervously. Luke sensed them and said reassuringly, "We don't have to spend time with them if it makes you uncomfortable." His misinterpretation of her emotional state was a relief. The Solo clan did not really bother her. What made her edgy was the way Skywalker could not finish the his sentence. Had he been about to make a declaration of love? Or had he prevented himself from saying something he did not mean?
"No. Of course we'll visit with them. Leia's your twin sister, you must spend time with them."
"Thanks, Mara." Luke said and they made their way toward the exit.
Mara lowered the ramp and hesitated. The Jedi glanced at the red haired woman and gave an almost imperceptible nod. Luke took the lead, grabbing his sister and swinging her in an exuberant hug. Not to be left out, Chewbacca grabbed Luke from behind. The blond man laughed and turned to greet the Wookie more properly. Once free of the furry embrace, Han and Luke exchanged a brotherly hug, each clapping the other's back.
Mara watched this exchange, unwillingly envious of their affection.
Han whispered quietly in Luke's ear. "So how's it going between you and Mara?"
Luke's eyes twinkled and he replied, "Ask me again later."
Leia approached Mara and tentatively extended her arms in an invitation. Mara awkwardly moved forward and hugged the woman.
"Mara."
"Leia."
When they broke apart they shared a genuine smile. Mara was no longer quite as uncomfortable.
R2D2 rolled out of the ship and C3P0 rushed forward, "It's so good to see you Artoo. You don't know how lonely I've been without you."
Artoo warbled in reply and the two droids wandered off chatting amiably.
Luke walked back toward Mara. He asked the Solos, "Who do you have guarding the site?"
Han replied, "You have nothing to worry about, kid. We have half a dozen noghri there. No one's getting past them." Then he urged, "Come on, let's get out of here. Leia thought you might be hungry and had dinner prepared back at the apartment."
Mara snorted and said, "Skywalker? Hungry?"
Leia smiled.
Luke replied, "Hey, I'm not that bad." Mara could feel his happiness at being reunited with his family.
Leia laughed and asked Mara, "So did he deplete the Fire's supplies?"
"I think there are still a couple of Hutt swamp frogs. Oh wait, I forgot, those are gone too."
"Mara." Luke entreated, his humor radiating through their bond. Chewbacca chuckled and Han and Leia had broad smiles stretching across their faces.
"Eat a lot of those do you, Jade?" Han teased.
Mara replied airily, "It's always best to be prepared. I never know when I'll have to entertain a Hutt or some other scoundrel."
Leia and Han shared a look, as if remembering a private joke.
They made their way to a air taxi where R2D2 and C3P0 were already seated in the rear. Han opened the door for Leia and made a gallant bow for her to proceed, "After you, your highnessness."
She smiled and made a regal motion with her hand as if dismissing him. He cocked a sideways smile at her.
Chewbacca pushed passed Han to sit in the pilot's seat.
"Hey!" the Corellian let go of the door and dashed toward the front. Mara and Luke exchanged a look, chuckling softly and made their way toward the back. They sat on a bench beside each other. Han and Chewbacca argued over who would pilot the air taxi.
"Fine!" Han threw his hands in the air, dismissing the wookie, "Have it your way. But don't let it get to your head. I'm still the pilot of the Falcon, fuzzball."
Chewbacca was silent as if considering and then growled his ascent.
Han sat next to Leia on the bench in front of Luke and Mara. He leaned back toward then and winked conspiratorially. "Chewy's getting antsy lately. I thought it would be good to let him pilot for awhile."
Leia smiled ruefully at her husband, "You let him?" she said dubiously.
"Of course, sweetheart."
The air taxi started to move. It was late afternoon, the sun glowing low in the sky. They glided into the maze of Coruscant's air traffic. Mara was conscious of Luke pressed against her side. Her hands rested lightly on her pant legs. The swiftly moving air taxi caused the air to caress their faces in a warm breeze.
Luke casually took Mara's hand in his grasp. The green eyed woman was touched by this simple gesture of affection. She was also supremely aware of the fact that they were not alone. Her gaze traveled from their joined hands to the Jedi's face. Luke was watching the many lights of passing vehicles, listening to the roar of numerous alien engines as they quickly maneuvered their way along the skylines of Coruscant.
Mara wondered if he was even aware that he had taken her hand. Luke turned and flashed her a brilliant smile that momentarily dazzled her. She could not help but return the grin.
Leia glanced back, witnessing the exchange. Han had already told her of the embrace he had stumbled onto back on Janus, but she was somewhat startled by the evident regard they shared. Luke shot Leia a quick smile, and Mara turned her head away to view the passing traffic. Leia turned around, feeling as if she would be rude if she continued to watch the couple.
Their relationship was too new for her to be entirely comfortable with public displays of affection, but she could not deny the pleasure that she felt while Luke held her hand. She watched their careful approach to their destination. She tightened her grip on his hand, unconsciously seeking his support. Mara felt an unobtrusive mental caress from the Jedi, which touched her deeply.
Their hands were still entwined when they exited the vehicle. If the Solo clan noticed, they made no indication. C3P0 and R2D2 filled the silence as they strolled from the platform across the long walkway, navigating the complex exterior passageways of the more affluent sector of the planet.
When they arrived at the Solo's residence, Han punched in the entry code. Luke and Mara by silent consent released hands. A noghri slid out of the shadows, almost undetectable until he spoke, "Welcome home, my lady Vader." He rasped and backed away disappearing from sight.
They entered the house. "Make yourselves comfortable. I'm going to check on dinner." Leia said as she exited the main room.
Mara moved to the enormous window that over looked the skyline. The numerous buildings and moving ships were ablaze with the red-orange light of the setting sun. The view was breath taking.
"I would like to accompany Artoo to maintenance. He appears to have sustained some minor damage." C3P0 said primly.
"Be my guest." Han said.
"We'll catch up with you later, Threepo, Artoo." Luke said warmly.
The two droids left the apartment. Chewbacca had gone into the kitchen. When Han saw he was alone with Luke and Mara, a devilish look crossed his features. "So, uh, How was the trip from Janus?"
Mara glanced away from the cityscape, to regard the former smuggler. Skywalker smiled and said, "It was fine. The Jade's Fire is a good ship."
Mara smiled to herself when she was how expertly the Jedi had deflect the man's interest from their personal relationship to something dear to his heart, space vehicles.
"It's not bad." Han said, his voice indicating his respect for Mara's ship. "I wouldn't mind taking a look at her modifications."
Luke raised his eyebrow questioningly at Mara and she replied, "Sure. As long as you don't report what you see to Central Security."
A large smile spread across his face, "Honey, I'm the epitome of discretion."
"Han?" Leia called from the other room. "Can you give me a hand with this?"
"Duty calls." The Corellian shrugged and then left the room.
Mara turned back to the window, not wanting to sit and wait.
Luke joined her. "Beautiful isn't it." He comments. His voice was low, and his presence washed over her making her feel warm all over.
Mara smiled.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
She knew he was referring to being in the Solo household. "I think I can handle it, Skywalker." She said sardonically.
He gave her a quick kiss and Mara jumped back when the door opened again.
Leia and Han returned with steaming plates of food. Chewbacca sniffed one large dish appreciatively.
Luke asked, "Where are the kids?"
"Winter took them to see the annual airspeeder races." Leia answered.
They sat at a large oval table in the center of the main room. Leia and Han sat on one side facing Luke and Mara on the other. Chewbacca sat at the one end eating the meat from a thigh bone of some animal quietly.
As they ate, talk centered around the Sith lord and their own plans to investigate the coordinates that Ghent had decrypted. Leia's eyes darted between Mara to Luke watching them carefully. Han noticed and unsuccessfully hid his humor from the force sensitives in the room. Leia glared at her husband and quickly squelched it when she noticed Mara's gaze. She gave Mara a slight smile, slightly abashed. Mara glanced at Han and he gave her a wink. Chewbacca barked a laugh and returned his attention to his food. Mara smiled and returned her attention to the elaborate dish placed before her.
Luke was the only one that seemed completely at ease during this gathering. His joy colored everybody's mood, lightening the overall atmosphere. If he noticed Leia's looks, he chose to ignore them.
His hand lingered overlong as he passed Mara the salt, and the twinkle in his eye as he met her gaze alerted her to the fact that he was entirely aware of Leia's inspection. Mara felt like smiling and kicking him at the same time. She settled for sending him a mental *Skywalker!* and all he did was grin.
After dessert, they made plans to leave for the coordinates. Mara told them that she wanted to stop at her place before they left. Han, Chewbacca, and Leia made arrangements to rendezvous with them in two hours.
Luke left with Mara and seemed reluctant to let her out of his sight. It was a short journey to her apartment and Mara entered her security code, making a show of sharing it with Skywalker. He nodded, memorizing it. They entered the room, lights slowly glowing at their arrival. Luke sat on a couch while Mara gathered some supplies. She grabbed a couple of extra power packs for her blaster and set them by the door.
She went back to her room to get a few more items and when she emerged she studied the back of Luke's head. He was seated, facing away from her. "There's something we need to do before we leave." He turned his head to watch her. Mara slowly approached him. Just as he was about to ask her what she meant, she bent down and bit his ear, running her hands down his chest.
His breath caught in his throat. Luke narrowed his eyes and said, "There is, is there?"
"I'm tired of this impasse between us" she said between kisses. She moved her lips down his neck, gently nipping and licking in a pattern that made it difficult for him to hear her words beyond his own thundering heart.
"And another thing, this whole shape shifter business bothers me." She said.
"What do you mean?" Luke whispered between short breaths.
Mara pulled back for a moment to speak seriously, "I assume he was hired to get information for the dark lord. It was not uncommon for Vader or the Emperor to use spies or bounty hunters to do their dirty work."
His eyes were a brilliant blue as he met her gaze. Luke's mouth twisted, "Like Boba Fett."
"Handy skill for a spy to have -- shape shifting." Mara said. Luke could feel her embarrassment at having been deceived by the Imposter.
"The bond between us has grown strong. I don't think we can be fooled again." Luke assured her.
Mara smiled broadly. "I knew you had a practical reason for making love to me." She teased.
Luke's eyelids became heavy and he said with utter sincerity, "I would use any excuse to make love to you, Mara Jade."
All teasing left her in a rush. She was startled by his candor. A slow seductive smile stretched her lips. "Well." She said playfully, "I'm still not sure if I can be deceived by the Imposter again, so it might be smart if we continue to familiarize ourselves with each other."
"Ah, just being practical are we Jade?"
He turned around to face her, their noses brushing gently. He pulled her over the couch and into his lap.
"You got it, Skywalker."
"Luke" he corrected her.
"Oh no, you haven't earned that yet." She said playfully.
He chuckled and bit her lower lip, he drew it into his mouth and sucked gently, soothing the minor ache.
Desire shot like a blaster bolt through her.
"We'll be late." He warned.
"We have time and we can be fast."
He was in no shape to argue. She stripped her clothes away before he could even register what she was doing. She began tugging on his tunic and he shifted to help. He started to lift her, intending to move them to her room when she stopped him, "No. Let's stay here."
He smiled, pleased by her eagerness. He began to ravish her mouth, their hands exploring the length of their bodies fervently. Luke had made plans to seduce her slowly, take her out to dinner, talk long into the night, and then kiss her gently to see where it would lead. Instead, Mara had seduced him with a touch and he was making passionate love with her on the couch.
Luke Skywalker had learned long ago, that things never happened the way he planned. Even thought the universe seemed to always conspire against him, he didn't care. At this moment, he could not be happier.