Divided Heart
Part 7: Secrets Revealed
By SJ and Rhea (skyjade@globetrotter.net and jediknight@mail2master.com)
05-04-03
___________
Disclaimers: Nothing in the Star Wars Universe belong to us; everything belongs
to George Lucas. We're only writing stories for fun. See my homepage for more
details.
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/3702
Special thanks to Rhea for bringing up the plot bunny of that story and
accepting to work on it with me :) Working with you is a pleasure, my
friend!
Rhea: Thanks to SJ for working on this with me. It's been fun!
_____________________
"Tarrintha!?", Luke gasped almost inaudibly. His shoulder felt as if his arm was
slowly burning away from his body, and he couldn't move his foot anymore without
adding to his pain.
"I thought that you had left the planet," Mara grunted while she tried to pull
him up once again.
The moment that she pulled on his arm, he groaned loudly as he tightened his
grip on her hand, in a silent pleading for her to stop. There was no avoiding
the excruciating pain of standing upright.
"Every commander knows better than to expose her real plans, Emperor's Hand,"
Tarrintha sneered contemptuously.
Luke suddenly realized that the two women were eluding to events that he had no
knowledge of; he glanced up at Mara. She appeared shell-shocked.
"Oh yes," the blond woman commented maliciously. She stood below their position
now, a lizard-carrying trooper right on her heels. "Terren and I where perfectly
aware that you were eavesdropping in that room, Jade. We put on quite a show,
wouldn't you agree?"
"You wanted to kill both Luke and me along with all the others," Mara barely
breathed. Her grip slowly loosened Luke's hand as the horror gripped her. How
had she been so blind?
Luke tried to prevent himself from slipping further down. He had barely begun to
tighten his grip when the resulting jolt of pain almost forced him unconscious.
He managed to barely push back the darkness that tried to claim his vision
before he lost another millimeter of Mara's hand. The tremors hit again, and the
red-headed woman reflexively tightened her grip on Luke's palm. Mara slipped
down, falling at an awkward angle. Luke closed his eyes, preparing himself for a
fall. If he could only feel the Force again. Things did not look good.
******
At the medical center, the corridors were filled with injured people. While the
citizens with ships as well as the military, had taken to the air and were
praying for a miracle about the shield generator, many more were left stranded
on the self-destructing planet.
Leaving Han in the capable hands of a 2-1B unit, Leia chose to assist the medics
as well as she could. Even though her subordinates had contacted her insisting
that she leave the ground immediately, she had ignored them. Instead, she had
abandoned her comlink on a nearby shelf and had decided that she would not be
protected in a glass tower when the average citizens were suffering from an
attack against her government.
She could not abandon them to their fate; she would be with them. She trusted
her brother and Mara Jade to destroy the accelerator, but if they failed, then
it would be the will of the Force. Others would pick up the flame of Freedom
once she would be gone. Her work was important, but she was not essential to the
galaxy.
Thus, after getting a refresher course on how to bandage minor bleeding and how
to monitor the vital signs of the injured, she assisted the medical team to do
triage, determining who needed urgent treatment and who could afford to wait.
She was just beginning to check on a young man laying on a cot, when she
recognized him. Leia had seen him at a function just recently. He was
Tarrintha's aide, she suddenly remembered. He was gravelly injured.
"What happened?" she asked while trying to rouse him. She checked his pulse; it
was slowly fading away.
"The... Danger..." he whispered very weakly, "Princess... Tar... danger..."
"Yes, we know that she's a traitor," she nodded grimly at him. "We will go after
her once this is over. Who did this to you?" She pressed a bacta bandage against
bleeding chest. He had been shot alongside the heart.
"Rrrrrr,..." the man gurgled incoherently, then fell unconscious.
"No!!" Leia roused him, clapping her hands around his head. All of a sudden, she
could feel that the knowledge that he possessed, his secret, was of the utmost
importance if they were to survive. She was convinced that he held the key to
their enemy's plans. "Wake up!" she almost screamed in his ears.
The man groaned weakly.
"Who attacked you? Where is the Princess?"
"H... he... re...." the injured man barely breathed... then she felt his life-
Force leave him as his body succumbed to the fatal injuries.
Leia swallowed hard, affected by his death, as she considered his last words.
The ex-princess of Alderaan closed his eyes as she slowly, almost painfully,
covered his face with a blanket.
He...re, he had said, here!!!!!---- The traitor was still on the planet going
after Luke! She realized in horror even as she understood exactly where on the
planet the traitor was. Quickly abandoning her duties as a nurse, she returned
to Han's side. She had to consult with him before she attempted to find her
brother and warn him.
******
Even as Mara felt herself pitch forward, she swiftly extended both of her legs
behind her and wove them tightly around the crisscrossing struts, successfully
securing her position. Then, she extended her free hand toward Luke to seize his
slippery hand.
"Terren's greatest wish was to have you watch Skywalker die," the blond-haired
woman said ominously. She spread her legs wide, maintaining her balance as the
ground continued to roll. It seemed as if the very planet was complaining about
the torture it was experiencing. No longer garbed in expensive finery, Tarrintha
Goule had the appearance of an experienced military commander. Except for the
imperial crest on her left arm, her uniform was devoid of any sign of rank or
insignia. "Personally, I wanted you two to come to me, to learn of my role in
your death."
"And what about Terren? Would he have ruled at your side?" Mara asked despite
herself.
Luke craned his neck and threw her a questioning glance. Enemy or not, she
silently told him, the man had used to be her friend, and that woman had coldly
accepted him death, unremorseful.
"If he had survived," she shrugged, confirming to her that was indeed aware of
Terren's demise, somehow, "I would have used him, but it was Skywalker that I
really wanted by my side."
The quakes subsided again. She casually took another shot at them, the bolt
barely grazing Luke's chest. The Jedi barely had enough mobility to writhe away
from it. She was playing with them, carelessly torturing them as they talked.
She was not so different from the Emperor. He enjoyed playing with his prey and
he had also greatly desired Skywalker at his side, Mara thought. She wished that
she could use the Force to determine if the woman was Force-sensitive or not.
But then, Mara frowned to herself, if she had the Force, her priority would be
saving both of their lives
Then an idea struck her. Mara focused on the troopers who were slowly stepping
away in order to acquire a better vantage in with to aim their weapons at them.
There were only three ysalamiri left, and with each new death the bubble would
diminish in size---
"Tarrintha!" Luke tried a suddenly appeal to the woman. Tarrintha had continued
taking potshots at him. "Avenging yourself against me, Mara, and whoever else
has ever hurt you is understandable, but you will destroy an entire planet in
your quest for revenge. A planet on which when it is destroyed will kill you as
well."
"I'll be long gone before this place collapses around us, Jedi," she sneered.
"But it is nice to know that you care a little for me." She said sarcastically.
"But first, so that you don't miss my absence, I'll have to take you out of your
misery. I'm going to enjoy the pleasure of punishing you for your lack of
vision. With the New Republic gone, combined with your death, which will cripple
the Jedi, the galaxy will be mine."
"You are deluded, Tarrintha if you think that is enough to gain power," Mara
sneered in disdain. "I remember what happened when the Emperor held a similar
discourse with me." Aware that Mara would not provoke the other unless she had a
plan, Luke craned his neck painfully to meet her gaze. Shifting her grip on his
hand, she mimicked her blaster with her right hand, then pretended to slip a
little and raised it back on the girder's level.
She was preparing to draw and shoot, he realized. However, no matter how fast
his friend was, they were sitting targets in their current position. As if to
answer his worry, Mara pretended to slip again as a new round of quakes even
stronger than before, shook them, and he understood what she had in mind. If it
worked, he promised himself as he focused his gaze on the ground below them, he
would never call Han a dare-devil again.
The smuggler had met his match now. "Well Jade, do you have any vital and
meaningless platitudes to exchange with the Jedi before he dies before your
eyes? Terren might be gone, but his last wish will be fulfilled."
"I don't think so!" Mara spat, then let go of her perch as she pulled her
blaster from her back. Both Luke and Mara fell full speed toward the hard,
unwelcoming ground. As Mara's first bolt made it past Luke's falling body, the
Empress's shot missed Luke's head by a few centimeters. Mara's shot struck one
of the remaining lizards, allowing the Force to flow back into them.
Luke quickly used the Force to shield them both against the blaster fire, and
with his incredible control, managed to halt their descent. Thrown off guard,
the Imperials' bolts hit the ground where they would have landed, had Luke not
stopped their fall in time. As Luke levitated them safely to the ground, Mara
shot the remaining ysalamir, eliminating the trooper at the same time.
By the time the Force void was gone, the ground had ceased shaking; Luke
recovered his fallen weapon and both Jedi ignited their lightsabers.
"Shoot!!" the princess ordered, ducked low to avoid Mara's aim. She aimed her
blaster at the two Jedi, the weapon spat bolt after bolt of energy at them. Her
troops immediately complied with her orders, attacking their two targets.
Tarrintha aimed at Luke's injured foot.
Despite Luke's best attempt to ignore or dampen his pain, he was unable to
suppress the debilitating signals of his body. He managed to block and sometimes
deflect the troopers' bolts, but he was unaware of the princess' attack.
This time, her shot hit true, hitting him in the back, missing a kidney by mere
millimeters.
Mara felt Luke's pain when he crumpled under the debilitating injury. Both grief
and rage caused her to abandon all caution, and she jumped within easy range of
their attackers.
The troopers fell easily before her slashing blue lightsaber. Once they were
gone, she focused on Tarrintha. The she-devil was aiming her blaster at Luke's
head, as if reveling in this moment and enjoying the pleasure of seeing him in
pain. A cruel smile spread across Tarrintha's face.
For a moment, Mara realized that the sneer could have been on her own face. She
had been so like Tarrintha just a few years ago. It was easy to believe that she
could have been the one about to kill Luke Skywalker...
But she had learned that she did not want him dead. Mara wanted him very much
alive, at any costs. She threw her weapon at the princess' blaster, effectively
slicing its tip, incapacitating the weapon. Mara she jumped at the woman, her
right foot extended directly at her head.
To her surprise, Tarrintha side-stepped from her path, then, as Mara landed
beside the her, the princess turned around and moved to hit her with a flat of
her palm in the stomach.
Mara slipped her arm in front of herself just in time to block the blow. For a
long moment, determined green eyes met hatred-filled brown ones. The two young
women exchanging hits; the ground around them shook harder than ever,
punctuating the impacts of quick kicks and jabs.
Mara tried to surprise her opponent with a series of quick punches, then a
thrust to the jaw. The princess blocked all her swift moves with quick defensive
moves, then delivered a direct kick. It was Mara's turn to block her; the two of
them were once again at a stalemate, their techniques equally matched. Tarrintha
launched herself at Mara, intent on tackling her. Acting on reflex, the red-head
rolled with the impact, then, after positioning her feet against the other's
chest, shoved her backward. She then rolled backward and regained her feet.
When Mara turned to face Tarrintha though, she froze in horror. The all-too-
familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber filled the silence, the sight of her blue
blade illuminated the shadows of the princess' face. "Say goodnight to your
lover boy, traitor," the evil blond-haired hissed. She seemed about to say
something else when an surprised expression crossed her features. She opened her
mouth and a gurgled moan came out instead. A bright green lightsaber pierced her
chest, and the princess glanced down before the blade dropped to the ground
slicing cleanly through the rest of her body.
A few meters away from them, Luke lowered his hand, collapsing back onto his
back, groaning loudly in pain. Tarrintha's body dropped to the floor. Luke's
lightsaber hilt rolled away. Recovering from her shock, Mara rushed to Luke's
side. He was seriously injured, but his vital signs were stable.
"We can't... leave the Accelerator," he whispered.
"I'm not leaving you here. I can carry you to the speeder," she stated while she
called both of their weapons to her hands. She couldn't abandon him, but then
she couldn't leave the accelerator to continue it's destruction; she couldn't
let Luke die.
"It's all right," he whispered faintly, as if reading her thoughts, "don't...
worry,... just stop the accelerator, Mara," he insisted. "... you can stop
it..." His head lulled to the side as he fell unconscious.
For a brief moment, Mara debated with herself whether she should leave Luke's
unconscious form here, but knew that it was up to her to save Coruscant and by
doing that she would save Luke in the process.
She darted to the seismic accelerator and swiftly ran her eyes up and down the
computer pad; she typed in the terminate command.
A droid voice stated, "Shut down will be initiated once confirmation has been
received. Provide authorization now."
Mara frantically raked her mind, trying to think of the correct password. As she
considered Terren's role in the plan, a first possibility came to her mind. She
typed in, "Palpatine."
"Invalid Password. Self destruct initiated in ten minutes."
"Kreth!" she cursed, then belatedly realized that Tarrintha's people were the
ones who had created the weapon. So what would the princess use as a code?, she
wondered, throwing a glance in the direction of the deceased princess.
She typed in "Tarrintha"
"Self destruct accelerated, two minutes until destruction."
Mara groaned in worried annoyance, then glanced at Luke's prone form. She knew
that they could never escape the explosion, but if she typed in the wrong code
it would also be the death of both of them. She didn't want to kill him... not
now, not ever... Tearing her gaze away from what might be the last sight that
she would get of her dear friend, she refocused on the problem at hand.
Tarrintha had programmed this, she thought grimly. She knew the princess now.
Her weakness..--- had been her vanity and her insatiable desire for power!
Suddenly remembering the princess' secret, she tried to remember how Terren had
referred to her while they had been fighting.
She glanced over at Luke once again and said softly almost as if it were a vow,
"I love you." It was brief, and sounded insignificant to her ears, unable to
express the depth of her emotions. And yet she projected all of her emotions,
desires, and hopes to the unconscious Jedi, hoping that even in his current
state he would know how she felt.
As if to answer, the unconscious man stirred slightly, but did not rouse.
Their time was up. It was now or never. She punched in her last command. One way
or another, it would be over. Whether it worked or not, she would either save
the planet, or she and the one she loved would die together.
"Sovereign."
Green lights instantly flickered on and off along the circular end of the
tubular accelerator. Whirring and hissing sounds also came from the contraption;
surrounding them. The shakes resumed with an intensity that left no doubt as to
the coming fate of the planet. Feeling her heart freeze in her chest, Mara's
eyes darted in Luke's direction. She had failed; they would die together. It was
unfair. They would never have the chance to share their life, Luke would never
know how she felt. She rose to her feet, intent on being with him when in their
final moment.
Then the mechanical voice spoke again. "Termination sequence aborted. Powering
down."
The quakes quickly subsided. The ground grew still; the air suddenly quiet.
Mara, who was halfway between the accelerator and Luke's location, stopped in
her tracks and released a long breath of relief. She pushed the damp hair off
her forehead. It was over.
"That was too close," she whispered as she closed the distance between her and
Luke, who had begun to stir. Luke tried to sit, but groaned, and collapsed back
once again. "Ah!" he gasped; his hand settling on his injured hip.
"Lie still, farmboy," Mara soothed him. He could feel her slip down to the
ground behind him, and then she propped his head on her lap. "It's over now; we
have all the time in the galaxy to get you to safety without any need to
aggravate that wound."
"It's really over?" he asked her faintly, his awareness drifting slightly in and
out.
"Yes," she smiled softly at him, then bent forward and kissed him hard and long
on the lips. *We're safe now, and I can't wait to share the future with you,
Luke,* she sent him as she lowered all her barriers, allowing him to feel the
depth of emotions, exposing her true feelings for the Jedi.
Luke was amazed by this sudden act; he basked in the moment, enjoying her love
and concern while revelling in the physical sensation of her lips caressing his
own as they continued the passionate kiss.
She loved him! She really, truly loved him. He was her former nemesis, a mere
farmboy-turned-Jedi Master, who always got on her nerves----
*I couldn't tell you how I felt, but I was not 'always' angry at you,* his
companion replied silently, then pulled away from their kiss and smiled down at
his relaxed face. He was still only half-conscious, but he was sure that he
would remember this moment for the rest of his life with absolute clarity.
"Just remember that when I'm old and gray;haired and still manage to rage at
you, Jedi," she breathed softly.
Like Leia and Han, Luke belatedly understood the true meaning of her words.
"So," he whispered, a smile making it past his pain, "I take it that you really
mean business with me, huh?"
"Forever," his companion nodded, then kissed him again. Even though Luke was
aware that he was not dreaming this time, he could barely believe that he was
truly there with Mara. She had just told him that she was not averse to their
being together for the rest of their lives together. He could see with a clarity
that he immediately understood was a Force vision, that they would be married.
After years of strife, conflicts, and somewhat-distant friendship...
"Odd isn't it?" Mara agreed, quenching her feeling of worry. Sure that he would
be all right, and allowed her the deep love that she felt for this man to
surface. He rested his head on her lap.
"What?" Luke smiled weakly at her.
"You and I together," she replied, gazing down at his handsome face. Even
backward, he looked gorgeous, and he was the only man whom she had actually ever
used such an adjective to describe.
"What are we going to do?" she asked him as images of Luke's family, the
government, and the rest of the galaxy rose before her. So many would oppose
their union...
"I have a couple of suggestions," Luke answered her thoughts, "but I can promise
you this, Mara," he continued weakly yet solemnly, "no one will ever take me
away from your side. Not ever."
Feeling tears of joy fill her eyes, she bent down once again and kissed him long
and lingeringly until both of them were once again breathless.
"Well," a very familiar, teasing voice commented from behind them, "told ya'
that they would be more than able to handle themselves," Han Solo smirked at his
wife as he winked at the two lovers.
Mara pulled back to regard the Solos. Beside Han, his wife gaped so widely that
Mara felt as if she and Luke were about to be swallowed whole. Behind the
couple, New Republic soldiers were streaming in while what looked like a team of
techs hurried over to the accelerator.
Mara gazed down at Luke, who was as shocked as she was to see their friends
approach. He hadn't sensed nor heard them coming.
*I guess what they say about love is true, huh?* he quipped tiredly through
their bond.
*What is?*
*That it makes you oblivious to the rest of the world,* Leia answered for her
brother.
Before Mara could answer her, the petite woman was beside them and hugging her.
"Congratulations on both of your successes, Mara," she told her earnestly.
"We'll never be able to thank you enough for saving the planet, and I," she
continued more gently, "am glad that you and Luke have come together, at last."
Mara was too shocked by Leia's sudden admission to reply. The other woman
understood her. She sent to her. *Don't worry, you'll get used to being loved,
especially with Luke around,* she winked silently.
They turned their heads and watched over Luke as Han and a few medical techs
transferred him onto a floating stretcher, which was then steered toward the
landing medical ship.
Not surprisingly, Luke complained about the upcoming bacta treatment all the way
to the shuttle. Shaking their heads in mutual and newly-gained understanding,
both women exchanged a wry grin, then headed toward the shuttle. They were both
aware that the medical teams would need their help to keep Luke in check until
he was healed.
Behind them, the safety teams, under the watchful eye of General Madine,
finished pulling the accelerator from the ground. Coruscant was saved, and a new
life was beginning for the two Jedi lovers.
******
Epilogue: A few months later
Even though Leia had an important role in the planning of their wedding
celebration, Mara reluctantly conceded that the event had not been as pompous,
nor as crowded as she had feared.
Instead, it had been a mostly intimate affair, with a 'mere' two-hundred or so
guests. The party, afterward, had been more widely attended, accessible to the
press and gossipvids of the galaxy, but once again, her new family had made sure
that the strangers would not become a hassle to either her or her new husband.
So in short, she summarized to herself as she gazed out the balcony of their new
apartment, the day had been as magical and as perfect as she had wanted it to
be.
And she was now part of Luke's family; she was not alone anymore. Nor would she
ever be. Unlike her false family in the Empire, or even her adoptive family,
with Karrde's organization, Luke and his family had truly accepted her. They
knew her, understood her, and did not expect anything in return for their
welcome, except her own affection and support of her new husband Luke Skywalker.
She was one of the family, and it was an odd, yet pleasant sensation. A soft
smile touched her red tinted lips. She would never allow anything nor anyone to
harm her beloved husband.
Luke slipped his arms around her waist and snuggled against her back. He rested
his chin in the crook of her neck and bare right shoulder.
"Ditto here," he replied softly.
As usual, he had known what she had been thinking, and once again, she didn't
mind. She had used to resent the fact that Luke had such a close, seemingly-
unexplainable link with her, but after many years of true and honest friendship
with him, she had come to understand that she was lucky to be able to share this
bond with another.
They were one now, bonded through the rituals of marriage, but also through the
Force, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Leaning her head to the side, she rested it against Luke's while she pressed her
body closer to his. "Thank you, Luke," she whispered, then shifted her neck and
kissed his cheek. "Thank you for being there for me, even when I didn't know
that's what I wanted. I so wish that we had not wasted so much time to
understand our feelings."
"So do I. I can't help thinking that we would have avoided the Carriban incident
if I had been brave enough to express my feelings for you earlier."
"And I wonder how I couldn't see Macay's game. It wasn't me, Luke," she
continued more seriously, turning around until she was facing her still tuxedo-
clothed companion. "How could I fall for him the way I did?"
"Because he was a part of you that had to come back to the surface one last
time, my love," Luke answered serenely. "He knew it. That's why he played on
your memories of the past, of your glorious days with the Empire. By doing so,
he was aware that he was offering something that neither I, nor Karrde, could
give you anymore, the thrill of danger. He reminded you of your nostalgia of
the past."
"Yes," Mara nodded, her wisps of hair caressing her neck as she did so, "that's
what I deduced too, but," she smiled softly as she stepped closer to her
husband, "Do you know what I have discovered while I briefly revisited the past,
if only in thoughts?"
"Tell me," he smiled gently in return. She slowly wrapped her arms around his
neck and rested her forearms on his strong shoulders.
"That I do not crave those things anymore. Oh, I admit that I love a good
adventure then and again, and that having a business of my own is challenging
enough to keep on my toes if I don't want to go bankrupt, but for a long while
now, I had been looking for what I now hold in my arms. I love you, Luke." She
pulled him down to her face and kissed him slowly, languorously, expressing her
love through her actions and the Force.
Luke pulled her closer, his strong hands splayed across her back to support her
while she felt that he, like her, didn't want the moment to end. As usual
though, their need to breathe eventually forced them apart. "I love you too,
Mara."
For a long moment, they simply gazed at each other, taking in the sight of each
other. Then, Luke pulled slightly away and reached for the pocket of his dark
blue jacket. He pulled out a small package. "By the way, I think that you forgot
a gift back at the reception," he teased her slightly, then set the package in
the palm of her right hand.
"Luke," she shook her head in mild rebuttal. She had known for a long while that
her farmboy was generous to a fault with those he cared about. After the wedding
ring, the contract for upgrades to a ship of her choice, and the silk gown that
he had given her, she was beginning to feel that she had to stop his generosity
or he would use up what the rest of his credits on her.
"It's not from me," he answered, "or rather, not entirely from me," he amended
when she gave him a stern glare.
Sighing in resignation, Mara pulled open the wrapping, then slowly opened the
case. She gasped in shock as she realized what she was now holding in her hands.
A holo of Talon Karrde suddenly appeared in the air, just above the registration
chips of the Jade's Fire. "Mara, my friend," the smuggler smiled at her. "I
truly wish that I could have been there today as you and Luke unite your lives
to each other, but as you know, sometimes my business does not allow me certain
privileges. However, I wanted to assure you that my absence was not linked to
what happened between us. I always knew, deep in my heart, that you and Luke
would someday wake up from your respective slumbers. I never had any real hope
that you would fall in love with me. I will always care for you and be there for
you, as a very good friend. Mara, you will always be welcome in the group, and
you and Luke, will always be considered as special friends. As a wedding gift, I
am giving you the Jade's Fire. It is your ship , Mara, has always been yours.
May you, and your future family, be happy and safe while traveling the galaxy,
and don't hesitate to drop by, even unannounced. May the Force be With You
both," he smiled warmly, then the holo dissolved.
Mara was speechless, her knees were threatening to give way, and her breath was
trapped in her throat. She had her own ship now. Karrde had gone against his
deeply-seated principles of ownership and had truly given her the ship, not on a
long-term loan, but as a wedding gift. Luke had known all about this! She
suddenly understood the gift he had given her earlier that day.
"He didn't know exactly how to make up for his absence," Luke smiled when she
refocused on his grinning features. "I simply made a suggestion. He has a
special friendship with you. He made the decision to give you the registration
for the Fire. I didn't influence his decision."
Yet Karrde had understood that Luke's suggestion would allow her the freedom to
truly make her own choices, that by giving the Fire to her, he would give her
the greatest gift that anyone had ever given to her, except for when Luke had
freed her from the Emperor and his invisible chains of slavery.
"Thank you Luke," she told him earnestly, then kissed him again. This time, she
didn't let go of him for a long, long while. She wanted to express her gratitude
for everything he had done, and all that he had given her. He had selflessly
tried to maintain her friendship with Kaarde, and in the process had secured the
perfect ship for her.
The sound of Luke's YP speeder grew louder as it approached. When they parted
the speeder was waiting by the balcony. Luke had used his remote control to call
the ship to them. Mara made a mental note to get such a device for the Fire. Now
that she was with Skywalker, she couldn't predict the future, and she truly had
to be ready for anything.
Farmboy had a knack for getting into sticky situations, she smiled inwardly.
"How about checking out the ship right now?" Luke offered mischievously, then
jumped lightly over the railing and in to the speeder. Despite still being
garbed in her wedding gown, Mara followed suite.
"Where to?" she inquired as desire for this man filled her. She gave him a
playfully lusty look.
If the Fire would be their ship from now on, then it about time that they
claimed it. The idea of christening it appealed to her. She settled in the
passenger seat and edged closer to Luke's side.
He smiled back, playing along. "Hmmm, well, I though we could recalibrate my x-
wing," the young man said teasingly.
"Skywalker," Mara groaned at his sense of humor.
"What? You had something else in mind?" he asked, his voice suddenly deepening.
"Yeah," she smiled. Mara saw an opportunity to goad him, "How about I drop you
in a bacta tank and return in about a week?"
The newly wedded couple burst into heartfelt laughter as they sped away from
their apartment toward the private hangar where the Jade's Fire waited patiently
for the adventures to come.
The End
Written by Rhea and SJ, 2003
Part 7: Secrets Revealed
By SJ and Rhea (skyjade@globetrotter.net and jediknight@mail2master.com)
05-04-03
___________
Disclaimers: Nothing in the Star Wars Universe belong to us; everything belongs
to George Lucas. We're only writing stories for fun. See my homepage for more
details.
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/3702
Special thanks to Rhea for bringing up the plot bunny of that story and
accepting to work on it with me :) Working with you is a pleasure, my
friend!
Rhea: Thanks to SJ for working on this with me. It's been fun!
_____________________
"Tarrintha!?", Luke gasped almost inaudibly. His shoulder felt as if his arm was
slowly burning away from his body, and he couldn't move his foot anymore without
adding to his pain.
"I thought that you had left the planet," Mara grunted while she tried to pull
him up once again.
The moment that she pulled on his arm, he groaned loudly as he tightened his
grip on her hand, in a silent pleading for her to stop. There was no avoiding
the excruciating pain of standing upright.
"Every commander knows better than to expose her real plans, Emperor's Hand,"
Tarrintha sneered contemptuously.
Luke suddenly realized that the two women were eluding to events that he had no
knowledge of; he glanced up at Mara. She appeared shell-shocked.
"Oh yes," the blond woman commented maliciously. She stood below their position
now, a lizard-carrying trooper right on her heels. "Terren and I where perfectly
aware that you were eavesdropping in that room, Jade. We put on quite a show,
wouldn't you agree?"
"You wanted to kill both Luke and me along with all the others," Mara barely
breathed. Her grip slowly loosened Luke's hand as the horror gripped her. How
had she been so blind?
Luke tried to prevent himself from slipping further down. He had barely begun to
tighten his grip when the resulting jolt of pain almost forced him unconscious.
He managed to barely push back the darkness that tried to claim his vision
before he lost another millimeter of Mara's hand. The tremors hit again, and the
red-headed woman reflexively tightened her grip on Luke's palm. Mara slipped
down, falling at an awkward angle. Luke closed his eyes, preparing himself for a
fall. If he could only feel the Force again. Things did not look good.
******
At the medical center, the corridors were filled with injured people. While the
citizens with ships as well as the military, had taken to the air and were
praying for a miracle about the shield generator, many more were left stranded
on the self-destructing planet.
Leaving Han in the capable hands of a 2-1B unit, Leia chose to assist the medics
as well as she could. Even though her subordinates had contacted her insisting
that she leave the ground immediately, she had ignored them. Instead, she had
abandoned her comlink on a nearby shelf and had decided that she would not be
protected in a glass tower when the average citizens were suffering from an
attack against her government.
She could not abandon them to their fate; she would be with them. She trusted
her brother and Mara Jade to destroy the accelerator, but if they failed, then
it would be the will of the Force. Others would pick up the flame of Freedom
once she would be gone. Her work was important, but she was not essential to the
galaxy.
Thus, after getting a refresher course on how to bandage minor bleeding and how
to monitor the vital signs of the injured, she assisted the medical team to do
triage, determining who needed urgent treatment and who could afford to wait.
She was just beginning to check on a young man laying on a cot, when she
recognized him. Leia had seen him at a function just recently. He was
Tarrintha's aide, she suddenly remembered. He was gravelly injured.
"What happened?" she asked while trying to rouse him. She checked his pulse; it
was slowly fading away.
"The... Danger..." he whispered very weakly, "Princess... Tar... danger..."
"Yes, we know that she's a traitor," she nodded grimly at him. "We will go after
her once this is over. Who did this to you?" She pressed a bacta bandage against
bleeding chest. He had been shot alongside the heart.
"Rrrrrr,..." the man gurgled incoherently, then fell unconscious.
"No!!" Leia roused him, clapping her hands around his head. All of a sudden, she
could feel that the knowledge that he possessed, his secret, was of the utmost
importance if they were to survive. She was convinced that he held the key to
their enemy's plans. "Wake up!" she almost screamed in his ears.
The man groaned weakly.
"Who attacked you? Where is the Princess?"
"H... he... re...." the injured man barely breathed... then she felt his life-
Force leave him as his body succumbed to the fatal injuries.
Leia swallowed hard, affected by his death, as she considered his last words.
The ex-princess of Alderaan closed his eyes as she slowly, almost painfully,
covered his face with a blanket.
He...re, he had said, here!!!!!---- The traitor was still on the planet going
after Luke! She realized in horror even as she understood exactly where on the
planet the traitor was. Quickly abandoning her duties as a nurse, she returned
to Han's side. She had to consult with him before she attempted to find her
brother and warn him.
******
Even as Mara felt herself pitch forward, she swiftly extended both of her legs
behind her and wove them tightly around the crisscrossing struts, successfully
securing her position. Then, she extended her free hand toward Luke to seize his
slippery hand.
"Terren's greatest wish was to have you watch Skywalker die," the blond-haired
woman said ominously. She spread her legs wide, maintaining her balance as the
ground continued to roll. It seemed as if the very planet was complaining about
the torture it was experiencing. No longer garbed in expensive finery, Tarrintha
Goule had the appearance of an experienced military commander. Except for the
imperial crest on her left arm, her uniform was devoid of any sign of rank or
insignia. "Personally, I wanted you two to come to me, to learn of my role in
your death."
"And what about Terren? Would he have ruled at your side?" Mara asked despite
herself.
Luke craned his neck and threw her a questioning glance. Enemy or not, she
silently told him, the man had used to be her friend, and that woman had coldly
accepted him death, unremorseful.
"If he had survived," she shrugged, confirming to her that was indeed aware of
Terren's demise, somehow, "I would have used him, but it was Skywalker that I
really wanted by my side."
The quakes subsided again. She casually took another shot at them, the bolt
barely grazing Luke's chest. The Jedi barely had enough mobility to writhe away
from it. She was playing with them, carelessly torturing them as they talked.
She was not so different from the Emperor. He enjoyed playing with his prey and
he had also greatly desired Skywalker at his side, Mara thought. She wished that
she could use the Force to determine if the woman was Force-sensitive or not.
But then, Mara frowned to herself, if she had the Force, her priority would be
saving both of their lives
Then an idea struck her. Mara focused on the troopers who were slowly stepping
away in order to acquire a better vantage in with to aim their weapons at them.
There were only three ysalamiri left, and with each new death the bubble would
diminish in size---
"Tarrintha!" Luke tried a suddenly appeal to the woman. Tarrintha had continued
taking potshots at him. "Avenging yourself against me, Mara, and whoever else
has ever hurt you is understandable, but you will destroy an entire planet in
your quest for revenge. A planet on which when it is destroyed will kill you as
well."
"I'll be long gone before this place collapses around us, Jedi," she sneered.
"But it is nice to know that you care a little for me." She said sarcastically.
"But first, so that you don't miss my absence, I'll have to take you out of your
misery. I'm going to enjoy the pleasure of punishing you for your lack of
vision. With the New Republic gone, combined with your death, which will cripple
the Jedi, the galaxy will be mine."
"You are deluded, Tarrintha if you think that is enough to gain power," Mara
sneered in disdain. "I remember what happened when the Emperor held a similar
discourse with me." Aware that Mara would not provoke the other unless she had a
plan, Luke craned his neck painfully to meet her gaze. Shifting her grip on his
hand, she mimicked her blaster with her right hand, then pretended to slip a
little and raised it back on the girder's level.
She was preparing to draw and shoot, he realized. However, no matter how fast
his friend was, they were sitting targets in their current position. As if to
answer his worry, Mara pretended to slip again as a new round of quakes even
stronger than before, shook them, and he understood what she had in mind. If it
worked, he promised himself as he focused his gaze on the ground below them, he
would never call Han a dare-devil again.
The smuggler had met his match now. "Well Jade, do you have any vital and
meaningless platitudes to exchange with the Jedi before he dies before your
eyes? Terren might be gone, but his last wish will be fulfilled."
"I don't think so!" Mara spat, then let go of her perch as she pulled her
blaster from her back. Both Luke and Mara fell full speed toward the hard,
unwelcoming ground. As Mara's first bolt made it past Luke's falling body, the
Empress's shot missed Luke's head by a few centimeters. Mara's shot struck one
of the remaining lizards, allowing the Force to flow back into them.
Luke quickly used the Force to shield them both against the blaster fire, and
with his incredible control, managed to halt their descent. Thrown off guard,
the Imperials' bolts hit the ground where they would have landed, had Luke not
stopped their fall in time. As Luke levitated them safely to the ground, Mara
shot the remaining ysalamir, eliminating the trooper at the same time.
By the time the Force void was gone, the ground had ceased shaking; Luke
recovered his fallen weapon and both Jedi ignited their lightsabers.
"Shoot!!" the princess ordered, ducked low to avoid Mara's aim. She aimed her
blaster at the two Jedi, the weapon spat bolt after bolt of energy at them. Her
troops immediately complied with her orders, attacking their two targets.
Tarrintha aimed at Luke's injured foot.
Despite Luke's best attempt to ignore or dampen his pain, he was unable to
suppress the debilitating signals of his body. He managed to block and sometimes
deflect the troopers' bolts, but he was unaware of the princess' attack.
This time, her shot hit true, hitting him in the back, missing a kidney by mere
millimeters.
Mara felt Luke's pain when he crumpled under the debilitating injury. Both grief
and rage caused her to abandon all caution, and she jumped within easy range of
their attackers.
The troopers fell easily before her slashing blue lightsaber. Once they were
gone, she focused on Tarrintha. The she-devil was aiming her blaster at Luke's
head, as if reveling in this moment and enjoying the pleasure of seeing him in
pain. A cruel smile spread across Tarrintha's face.
For a moment, Mara realized that the sneer could have been on her own face. She
had been so like Tarrintha just a few years ago. It was easy to believe that she
could have been the one about to kill Luke Skywalker...
But she had learned that she did not want him dead. Mara wanted him very much
alive, at any costs. She threw her weapon at the princess' blaster, effectively
slicing its tip, incapacitating the weapon. Mara she jumped at the woman, her
right foot extended directly at her head.
To her surprise, Tarrintha side-stepped from her path, then, as Mara landed
beside the her, the princess turned around and moved to hit her with a flat of
her palm in the stomach.
Mara slipped her arm in front of herself just in time to block the blow. For a
long moment, determined green eyes met hatred-filled brown ones. The two young
women exchanging hits; the ground around them shook harder than ever,
punctuating the impacts of quick kicks and jabs.
Mara tried to surprise her opponent with a series of quick punches, then a
thrust to the jaw. The princess blocked all her swift moves with quick defensive
moves, then delivered a direct kick. It was Mara's turn to block her; the two of
them were once again at a stalemate, their techniques equally matched. Tarrintha
launched herself at Mara, intent on tackling her. Acting on reflex, the red-head
rolled with the impact, then, after positioning her feet against the other's
chest, shoved her backward. She then rolled backward and regained her feet.
When Mara turned to face Tarrintha though, she froze in horror. The all-too-
familiar snap-hiss of a lightsaber filled the silence, the sight of her blue
blade illuminated the shadows of the princess' face. "Say goodnight to your
lover boy, traitor," the evil blond-haired hissed. She seemed about to say
something else when an surprised expression crossed her features. She opened her
mouth and a gurgled moan came out instead. A bright green lightsaber pierced her
chest, and the princess glanced down before the blade dropped to the ground
slicing cleanly through the rest of her body.
A few meters away from them, Luke lowered his hand, collapsing back onto his
back, groaning loudly in pain. Tarrintha's body dropped to the floor. Luke's
lightsaber hilt rolled away. Recovering from her shock, Mara rushed to Luke's
side. He was seriously injured, but his vital signs were stable.
"We can't... leave the Accelerator," he whispered.
"I'm not leaving you here. I can carry you to the speeder," she stated while she
called both of their weapons to her hands. She couldn't abandon him, but then
she couldn't leave the accelerator to continue it's destruction; she couldn't
let Luke die.
"It's all right," he whispered faintly, as if reading her thoughts, "don't...
worry,... just stop the accelerator, Mara," he insisted. "... you can stop
it..." His head lulled to the side as he fell unconscious.
For a brief moment, Mara debated with herself whether she should leave Luke's
unconscious form here, but knew that it was up to her to save Coruscant and by
doing that she would save Luke in the process.
She darted to the seismic accelerator and swiftly ran her eyes up and down the
computer pad; she typed in the terminate command.
A droid voice stated, "Shut down will be initiated once confirmation has been
received. Provide authorization now."
Mara frantically raked her mind, trying to think of the correct password. As she
considered Terren's role in the plan, a first possibility came to her mind. She
typed in, "Palpatine."
"Invalid Password. Self destruct initiated in ten minutes."
"Kreth!" she cursed, then belatedly realized that Tarrintha's people were the
ones who had created the weapon. So what would the princess use as a code?, she
wondered, throwing a glance in the direction of the deceased princess.
She typed in "Tarrintha"
"Self destruct accelerated, two minutes until destruction."
Mara groaned in worried annoyance, then glanced at Luke's prone form. She knew
that they could never escape the explosion, but if she typed in the wrong code
it would also be the death of both of them. She didn't want to kill him... not
now, not ever... Tearing her gaze away from what might be the last sight that
she would get of her dear friend, she refocused on the problem at hand.
Tarrintha had programmed this, she thought grimly. She knew the princess now.
Her weakness..--- had been her vanity and her insatiable desire for power!
Suddenly remembering the princess' secret, she tried to remember how Terren had
referred to her while they had been fighting.
She glanced over at Luke once again and said softly almost as if it were a vow,
"I love you." It was brief, and sounded insignificant to her ears, unable to
express the depth of her emotions. And yet she projected all of her emotions,
desires, and hopes to the unconscious Jedi, hoping that even in his current
state he would know how she felt.
As if to answer, the unconscious man stirred slightly, but did not rouse.
Their time was up. It was now or never. She punched in her last command. One way
or another, it would be over. Whether it worked or not, she would either save
the planet, or she and the one she loved would die together.
"Sovereign."
Green lights instantly flickered on and off along the circular end of the
tubular accelerator. Whirring and hissing sounds also came from the contraption;
surrounding them. The shakes resumed with an intensity that left no doubt as to
the coming fate of the planet. Feeling her heart freeze in her chest, Mara's
eyes darted in Luke's direction. She had failed; they would die together. It was
unfair. They would never have the chance to share their life, Luke would never
know how she felt. She rose to her feet, intent on being with him when in their
final moment.
Then the mechanical voice spoke again. "Termination sequence aborted. Powering
down."
The quakes quickly subsided. The ground grew still; the air suddenly quiet.
Mara, who was halfway between the accelerator and Luke's location, stopped in
her tracks and released a long breath of relief. She pushed the damp hair off
her forehead. It was over.
"That was too close," she whispered as she closed the distance between her and
Luke, who had begun to stir. Luke tried to sit, but groaned, and collapsed back
once again. "Ah!" he gasped; his hand settling on his injured hip.
"Lie still, farmboy," Mara soothed him. He could feel her slip down to the
ground behind him, and then she propped his head on her lap. "It's over now; we
have all the time in the galaxy to get you to safety without any need to
aggravate that wound."
"It's really over?" he asked her faintly, his awareness drifting slightly in and
out.
"Yes," she smiled softly at him, then bent forward and kissed him hard and long
on the lips. *We're safe now, and I can't wait to share the future with you,
Luke,* she sent him as she lowered all her barriers, allowing him to feel the
depth of emotions, exposing her true feelings for the Jedi.
Luke was amazed by this sudden act; he basked in the moment, enjoying her love
and concern while revelling in the physical sensation of her lips caressing his
own as they continued the passionate kiss.
She loved him! She really, truly loved him. He was her former nemesis, a mere
farmboy-turned-Jedi Master, who always got on her nerves----
*I couldn't tell you how I felt, but I was not 'always' angry at you,* his
companion replied silently, then pulled away from their kiss and smiled down at
his relaxed face. He was still only half-conscious, but he was sure that he
would remember this moment for the rest of his life with absolute clarity.
"Just remember that when I'm old and gray;haired and still manage to rage at
you, Jedi," she breathed softly.
Like Leia and Han, Luke belatedly understood the true meaning of her words.
"So," he whispered, a smile making it past his pain, "I take it that you really
mean business with me, huh?"
"Forever," his companion nodded, then kissed him again. Even though Luke was
aware that he was not dreaming this time, he could barely believe that he was
truly there with Mara. She had just told him that she was not averse to their
being together for the rest of their lives together. He could see with a clarity
that he immediately understood was a Force vision, that they would be married.
After years of strife, conflicts, and somewhat-distant friendship...
"Odd isn't it?" Mara agreed, quenching her feeling of worry. Sure that he would
be all right, and allowed her the deep love that she felt for this man to
surface. He rested his head on her lap.
"What?" Luke smiled weakly at her.
"You and I together," she replied, gazing down at his handsome face. Even
backward, he looked gorgeous, and he was the only man whom she had actually ever
used such an adjective to describe.
"What are we going to do?" she asked him as images of Luke's family, the
government, and the rest of the galaxy rose before her. So many would oppose
their union...
"I have a couple of suggestions," Luke answered her thoughts, "but I can promise
you this, Mara," he continued weakly yet solemnly, "no one will ever take me
away from your side. Not ever."
Feeling tears of joy fill her eyes, she bent down once again and kissed him long
and lingeringly until both of them were once again breathless.
"Well," a very familiar, teasing voice commented from behind them, "told ya'
that they would be more than able to handle themselves," Han Solo smirked at his
wife as he winked at the two lovers.
Mara pulled back to regard the Solos. Beside Han, his wife gaped so widely that
Mara felt as if she and Luke were about to be swallowed whole. Behind the
couple, New Republic soldiers were streaming in while what looked like a team of
techs hurried over to the accelerator.
Mara gazed down at Luke, who was as shocked as she was to see their friends
approach. He hadn't sensed nor heard them coming.
*I guess what they say about love is true, huh?* he quipped tiredly through
their bond.
*What is?*
*That it makes you oblivious to the rest of the world,* Leia answered for her
brother.
Before Mara could answer her, the petite woman was beside them and hugging her.
"Congratulations on both of your successes, Mara," she told her earnestly.
"We'll never be able to thank you enough for saving the planet, and I," she
continued more gently, "am glad that you and Luke have come together, at last."
Mara was too shocked by Leia's sudden admission to reply. The other woman
understood her. She sent to her. *Don't worry, you'll get used to being loved,
especially with Luke around,* she winked silently.
They turned their heads and watched over Luke as Han and a few medical techs
transferred him onto a floating stretcher, which was then steered toward the
landing medical ship.
Not surprisingly, Luke complained about the upcoming bacta treatment all the way
to the shuttle. Shaking their heads in mutual and newly-gained understanding,
both women exchanged a wry grin, then headed toward the shuttle. They were both
aware that the medical teams would need their help to keep Luke in check until
he was healed.
Behind them, the safety teams, under the watchful eye of General Madine,
finished pulling the accelerator from the ground. Coruscant was saved, and a new
life was beginning for the two Jedi lovers.
******
Epilogue: A few months later
Even though Leia had an important role in the planning of their wedding
celebration, Mara reluctantly conceded that the event had not been as pompous,
nor as crowded as she had feared.
Instead, it had been a mostly intimate affair, with a 'mere' two-hundred or so
guests. The party, afterward, had been more widely attended, accessible to the
press and gossipvids of the galaxy, but once again, her new family had made sure
that the strangers would not become a hassle to either her or her new husband.
So in short, she summarized to herself as she gazed out the balcony of their new
apartment, the day had been as magical and as perfect as she had wanted it to
be.
And she was now part of Luke's family; she was not alone anymore. Nor would she
ever be. Unlike her false family in the Empire, or even her adoptive family,
with Karrde's organization, Luke and his family had truly accepted her. They
knew her, understood her, and did not expect anything in return for their
welcome, except her own affection and support of her new husband Luke Skywalker.
She was one of the family, and it was an odd, yet pleasant sensation. A soft
smile touched her red tinted lips. She would never allow anything nor anyone to
harm her beloved husband.
Luke slipped his arms around her waist and snuggled against her back. He rested
his chin in the crook of her neck and bare right shoulder.
"Ditto here," he replied softly.
As usual, he had known what she had been thinking, and once again, she didn't
mind. She had used to resent the fact that Luke had such a close, seemingly-
unexplainable link with her, but after many years of true and honest friendship
with him, she had come to understand that she was lucky to be able to share this
bond with another.
They were one now, bonded through the rituals of marriage, but also through the
Force, and she wouldn't have it any other way.
Leaning her head to the side, she rested it against Luke's while she pressed her
body closer to his. "Thank you, Luke," she whispered, then shifted her neck and
kissed his cheek. "Thank you for being there for me, even when I didn't know
that's what I wanted. I so wish that we had not wasted so much time to
understand our feelings."
"So do I. I can't help thinking that we would have avoided the Carriban incident
if I had been brave enough to express my feelings for you earlier."
"And I wonder how I couldn't see Macay's game. It wasn't me, Luke," she
continued more seriously, turning around until she was facing her still tuxedo-
clothed companion. "How could I fall for him the way I did?"
"Because he was a part of you that had to come back to the surface one last
time, my love," Luke answered serenely. "He knew it. That's why he played on
your memories of the past, of your glorious days with the Empire. By doing so,
he was aware that he was offering something that neither I, nor Karrde, could
give you anymore, the thrill of danger. He reminded you of your nostalgia of
the past."
"Yes," Mara nodded, her wisps of hair caressing her neck as she did so, "that's
what I deduced too, but," she smiled softly as she stepped closer to her
husband, "Do you know what I have discovered while I briefly revisited the past,
if only in thoughts?"
"Tell me," he smiled gently in return. She slowly wrapped her arms around his
neck and rested her forearms on his strong shoulders.
"That I do not crave those things anymore. Oh, I admit that I love a good
adventure then and again, and that having a business of my own is challenging
enough to keep on my toes if I don't want to go bankrupt, but for a long while
now, I had been looking for what I now hold in my arms. I love you, Luke." She
pulled him down to her face and kissed him slowly, languorously, expressing her
love through her actions and the Force.
Luke pulled her closer, his strong hands splayed across her back to support her
while she felt that he, like her, didn't want the moment to end. As usual
though, their need to breathe eventually forced them apart. "I love you too,
Mara."
For a long moment, they simply gazed at each other, taking in the sight of each
other. Then, Luke pulled slightly away and reached for the pocket of his dark
blue jacket. He pulled out a small package. "By the way, I think that you forgot
a gift back at the reception," he teased her slightly, then set the package in
the palm of her right hand.
"Luke," she shook her head in mild rebuttal. She had known for a long while that
her farmboy was generous to a fault with those he cared about. After the wedding
ring, the contract for upgrades to a ship of her choice, and the silk gown that
he had given her, she was beginning to feel that she had to stop his generosity
or he would use up what the rest of his credits on her.
"It's not from me," he answered, "or rather, not entirely from me," he amended
when she gave him a stern glare.
Sighing in resignation, Mara pulled open the wrapping, then slowly opened the
case. She gasped in shock as she realized what she was now holding in her hands.
A holo of Talon Karrde suddenly appeared in the air, just above the registration
chips of the Jade's Fire. "Mara, my friend," the smuggler smiled at her. "I
truly wish that I could have been there today as you and Luke unite your lives
to each other, but as you know, sometimes my business does not allow me certain
privileges. However, I wanted to assure you that my absence was not linked to
what happened between us. I always knew, deep in my heart, that you and Luke
would someday wake up from your respective slumbers. I never had any real hope
that you would fall in love with me. I will always care for you and be there for
you, as a very good friend. Mara, you will always be welcome in the group, and
you and Luke, will always be considered as special friends. As a wedding gift, I
am giving you the Jade's Fire. It is your ship , Mara, has always been yours.
May you, and your future family, be happy and safe while traveling the galaxy,
and don't hesitate to drop by, even unannounced. May the Force be With You
both," he smiled warmly, then the holo dissolved.
Mara was speechless, her knees were threatening to give way, and her breath was
trapped in her throat. She had her own ship now. Karrde had gone against his
deeply-seated principles of ownership and had truly given her the ship, not on a
long-term loan, but as a wedding gift. Luke had known all about this! She
suddenly understood the gift he had given her earlier that day.
"He didn't know exactly how to make up for his absence," Luke smiled when she
refocused on his grinning features. "I simply made a suggestion. He has a
special friendship with you. He made the decision to give you the registration
for the Fire. I didn't influence his decision."
Yet Karrde had understood that Luke's suggestion would allow her the freedom to
truly make her own choices, that by giving the Fire to her, he would give her
the greatest gift that anyone had ever given to her, except for when Luke had
freed her from the Emperor and his invisible chains of slavery.
"Thank you Luke," she told him earnestly, then kissed him again. This time, she
didn't let go of him for a long, long while. She wanted to express her gratitude
for everything he had done, and all that he had given her. He had selflessly
tried to maintain her friendship with Kaarde, and in the process had secured the
perfect ship for her.
The sound of Luke's YP speeder grew louder as it approached. When they parted
the speeder was waiting by the balcony. Luke had used his remote control to call
the ship to them. Mara made a mental note to get such a device for the Fire. Now
that she was with Skywalker, she couldn't predict the future, and she truly had
to be ready for anything.
Farmboy had a knack for getting into sticky situations, she smiled inwardly.
"How about checking out the ship right now?" Luke offered mischievously, then
jumped lightly over the railing and in to the speeder. Despite still being
garbed in her wedding gown, Mara followed suite.
"Where to?" she inquired as desire for this man filled her. She gave him a
playfully lusty look.
If the Fire would be their ship from now on, then it about time that they
claimed it. The idea of christening it appealed to her. She settled in the
passenger seat and edged closer to Luke's side.
He smiled back, playing along. "Hmmm, well, I though we could recalibrate my x-
wing," the young man said teasingly.
"Skywalker," Mara groaned at his sense of humor.
"What? You had something else in mind?" he asked, his voice suddenly deepening.
"Yeah," she smiled. Mara saw an opportunity to goad him, "How about I drop you
in a bacta tank and return in about a week?"
The newly wedded couple burst into heartfelt laughter as they sped away from
their apartment toward the private hangar where the Jade's Fire waited patiently
for the adventures to come.
The End
Written by Rhea and SJ, 2003
