The dark form surveyed the screenful of information before him.
It might have seemed like his mission had failed, but in fact it had accomplished just what he'd wanted it to.
Unseen by anyone, he smiled.
"So, Security has been keeping a tight lid on this?" Luke glanced at his sister.
Luke, Han, Leia, Mara, and Chewbacca were all gathered in the living room having a discussion. The twins and Anakin were out with Threepio and Artoo on what was hopefully a safe outing.
Leia nodded. "They said they aren't at liberty to give out details yet. Something about learning more..."
"Well, they'd better not call it an isolated incident. I certainly don't think that nearly having my leg blasted off would merit that description!" Luke snorted.
"I don't know about that. It might just be a couple of your admirers wanting to take a chunk out of your leg for a souvenir," Mara said sarcastically.
"That's tacky," Luke scoffed. "You would think they'd rather have a lock of my hair! After all, it would last longer!"
"Who would want a smelly piece of your hair?!" Mara was incredulous. "It's probably lice-infested, and you haven't bathed in—"
"Hold it!" Luke held his hands up, glaring at her as Han exchanged a knowing look with his wife. "I do not have lice!"
"Often," Mara mumbled.
Luke exclaimed, "I do not, have never, and will never!"
"Will never what?"
Luke gave her an annoyed glance. "You know."
"Oh, that. I knew you were celibate, but I thought that once you got married you would finally—"
If Luke's mouth had been open any wider, then his jaws would have come off their hinges faster than a Wookiee on fire could climb, and if his eyes had been any wider, then they would have popped out of his head right then and there.
Han, Leia, and Chewbacca were finding the whole situation amusing, but they were covering their mouth with hands and paws so as to avoid incurring Luke's oncoming wrath.
"You—you—you—" Luke couldn't find anything to say.
Mara raised an eyebrow. "Have I finally made the great Jedi Master speechless?"
"Appalled is more like it!" He looked frustrated and glanced briefly but pointedly at his family members, and then he spoke in her mind. Not in front of them!
Mara's reply through the Force seemed to have a humorous note to it. Ah, so you don't like discussing your life in the bedroom with your family?
Luke's reply was sour. This coming from the woman who doesn't like to discuss anything that doesn't pertain to violence with anybody!
Mara's eyes narrowed. Nothing wrong with that.
Yeah, except your social life is lacking. Luke raised an eyebrow challengingly.
You're one to talk, came her mental retort.
At least I have friends.
Mara was on the defensive. I have friends!
You don't have friends, you have acquaintances, Luke sent Mara via the Force.
Talon Karrde is my—
Boss, Luke broke in.
Leia, Han, and Chewie exchanged frustrated looks. From the expressions of anger and concentration on the two humans' faces, they were having another Force conversation.
Han cleared his throat, and Mara and Luke turned and glared venomously at him. Whatever he was going to say was quickly forgotten, and he held up his hands in surrender. He wasn't stupid enough to mess with a pair of ticked off Force users.
Ghent is—
A business acquaintance, Luke told her smugly in her mind.
Well, Mara thought for a moment, —what about Han?
Luke snickered. You can't stand the man!
I can't stand you, but you're still my friend.
Yowch.
Mara smiled. One point for her!
But I'm your boyfriend, Luke brought to attention the slight technical difference.
He's a boy, and he's a friend.
Han is not your friend.
Mara looked shocked, and in his mind, she inserted, Oh, so now you're controlling who is and who isn't my friend, huh?
That is not what I was doing! Luke insisted. I was merely pointing out that to have friends you have to be friendly, which is something you're not.
This coming from the man who's won the 'Most Reclusive Man of the Year' award twice, Mara returned.
Have not!
Well, if you haven't, then you should have!
I'm getting better about the whole 'reclusive' thing!
Prove it!
The two stared at each other, both daring the other to back down. But neither of them had any intention of backing down from this challenge.
Unable to take it anymore, Han, Leia, and Chewie all began laughing vigorously.
Through his Wookie snorts, Chewbacca told them, Your banter is worse than theirs. He gestured towards the Solos.
"I don't know about that," Han smirked after giving a chuckle.
"How did you know we were fighting?" Luke questioned, a bit defensively.
"Please, kid. We'd have been pretty dumb if we hadn't known you were fighting."
"Well, then I'm surprised you did, Solo. You never struck me as the observant type," Mara's emerald eyes were slitted at the man.
Han started to retort, but he stopped as he saw his brother-in-law's strange expression.
All of the blood had drained out of Luke's face, and his eyes were half-closed. He was mumbling something quietly but insistently under his breath as tremors ran through his body.
"Luke?" Mara asked worriedly as she shook the Jedi's arm.
But Luke did not reply.
Mara tried to use the Force to enter the Jedi Master's mind, but she was violently thrown out by an enraged force which caused her to hit the back of the couch hard enough to knock the breath out of her.
"What the—" Han's immediate response was to draw his blaster, but there was no attacker in sight.
"I'm all right," Mara wheezed, trying to get back her air. "But I'm not sure about him."
As soon as the last word left the Trader's mouth, Luke's eyes shot open. His face slowly began to regain color, and Leia was soon by his side. "What's wrong?" the Alderaanian asked, touching Luke's shoulder.
"I felt a dark being, someone who seemed a lot like...Vader."
Meanwhile, on a private Holonet chatroom...
lilgreenmanami: goin 2 do what bout this are we?!
SpiritsareREALQuothI: do you think I know? sigh maybe its time for us to have a talk w/ her
lilgreenmanami: her?! but dangerous 4 her this could be...
SpiritsareREALQuothI: true. byut if we dont bring her into the picture, it could become even more dangerous for everyone else
lilgreenmanami: fine. understand this well i do...talk w/her alone should i? or coming are you?
SpiritsareREALQuothI: it would prob b best coming from us both...
lilgreenmanami: await your arrival i will
lilgreenmanami left the room.
SpiritsareREALQuothI left the room.
User Chatroom Uh oh deleted.