The Wedding of Luke Skywalker
By Ash Darklighter
Chapter 15
Disclaimer: The characters and situations in this story are the property of Lucasfilm Ltd. I am not making so much as a credit from this endeavour. Thanks to the girls as usual. Without you this story would be nowhere.
Han peered down at the ground. "This is a long way up, kid."
"Yeah, but these galleries are quite secure."
"You're gonna jump from one to the other?" He shook his head and gave a soundless whistle.
"Occasionally."
"Better you than me."
Luke chuckled. "Could you lift this across here please, Han," Luke said, lowering the blast shield on his protective helmet as he finished welding a piece of metal tubing to the floor of the level they were standing on.
"Sure." With a knowledgeable eye, Han examined a completed fitting, wondering why he should still be surprised at the skill his brother-in-law possessed. "This place is really coming together, kid, though I still don't know why you couldn't have gotten a few more construction droids and contracted out the work. This would have been finished a year ago. Although I do wish I could have been here when you tore out the insides of this place."
"It was the only thing I could have done, Han. It was quite a sight. The whole place was just a shell. I left the occasional load bearing wall and anything else that was purely structural."
"Wise of you."
"My new apartment was just a square box with a few windows and the domed roof. I had it gutted."
Han took in Luke's sudden lack of expression. "Care to tell me why?"
"It belonged to Vader."
"He was your father, too."
"I know, but this was for the man Anakin Skywalker became."
"I see." Han picked up on what Luke wasn't saying. His apartment had been fitted out for his father after the accident which turned him into half a man. Han studied the lofty dimensions of the exercise area. "The whole place is impressive." Han picked up a large, flat piece of durasteel. "Where do you want this… exactly?"
"Slot it into this groove." Luke pointed to a thin recess in the piece he was finishing.
"I see it."
"I wanted to do as much of it myself as I could. There are people who would like to see what I've done and it's none of their business."
"Ah, the Bothans."
"Not just them, but they will have floating spy cams up to those windows as soon as they know this place is operational. If they haven't already."
"Wouldn't surprise me, kid."
"Yes, I'm Vader's son and this was his palace. Even though he left it to me, this place belongs to the Jedi now and we are independent of the New Republic. There are beings in positions of power who don't want to realise that we will not do their police work for them. If we are required in a situation, we will find the best solution for all concerned." Luke mounted a small step-ladder and started jerkily fiddling with the underside of one of a series of metal connecting bridges.
"Keep your hair on, kid."
"Sorry, Han." Luke had the grace to look a bit chagrined.
Han stared doubtfully at the metal walkway Luke had just finished fixing and then at the long drop to the ground. "Will that hold?"
Luke brightened. "It will and it won't."
"I don't like the sound of that."
Luke's grin turned to a full blown chuckle. "Watch." He climbed up a ladder and nimbly ran across the walkway. "See… it holds."
"Yeah, I'm convinced."
"Han, there's a box of controls to your left."
Han twisted around and picked up a small square box marked with various buttons and controls. "I've got it."
"Press the red button."
"That's just asking for trouble, Luke."
"Go on, press it. It'll be okay."
"I've heard you say that too many times before. I didn't believe it then and I don't know if I believe it now. I'm always very wary of red buttons. This whole place could blow."
Luke rolled his eyes. "Hardly."
"I mean… you wired it up, right?"
Luke stared down at his brother-in-law. "Go on, I dare you."
"It's your funeral."
"It won't be. Come on. You know you really want to."
"Uh… okay!" Han gingerly pressed the red button and the walkway collapsed. "Luke!"
Luke laughed as he Force-enhanced leapt to the gallery beside Han. "Good, huh?"
"But you spent all day yesterday putting that up."
"Press the grey button."
"Do I have to?"
"Just press it."
"Okay, okay…" Han's face broke into a smile as the gantry swung back into place. "Neat," he proclaimed. He pressed the red button and it swung away again. "Hey! The kids would love this."
"Probably, but perhaps not quite yet."
"I guess."
Luke indicated a bank of switches. "There are others I can do the same thing to, depending on the situation. They all swing back into place. It's a training arena. Most times in a Jedi's life if you have to fight it's not normally in a gym with a padded mat on the floor. Ground can give way, bridges and gantries can collapse."
"Death Star?"
Luke's face blanched, a stunned expression in his eyes. "Yes… how did you know?" he asked slowly.
"There was just something. You said this place mimics all-terrain. Your first real fights were on man-made structures - Bespin and the Death Stars."
"That's true." Luke's face shuttered for a moment. "I'd never really thought about it. I spent my time running down corridors and clinging to the bottom of Cloud City."
"I'm glad I wasn't there for that one."
"You were… kind of."
Han's face sobered. "Yeah! If it hadn't been for me you wouldn't have been there."
"Ah, but Han, if it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have been put in carbonite. You were the bait to catch me, remember?"
"You always have to go one better, don't you, kid?"
"I try." Luke gave a wry smile.
Han surveyed the intricate connecting walkways. "I like it." He smiled at the younger man. "It makes a weird kind of sense."
"Yeah." There was a pause. "Han… thanks."
"No problem, kid. Leia and I were dying to come and help. I know how important to you it is that the Jedi Order has its own space on Coruscant."
Luke's voice was careful and his face was giving very little away. "I wasn't talking about that."
"Oh!"
"Yeah, oh."
"Things seem to be going well between you and Jade."
A faraway look entered his eyes. "They are because I'm treading so carefully. I've already made mistakes with Mara and I'm trying not to frighten her away. I can't lose her, Han – not this time."
Han opened his eyes deliberately wide, his hands landing on his hips. "Ah, Luke, buddy…"
"Even if it is half killing me."
"Frustrated, huh? Some things even the Force can't cure?"
Luke uttered a strangled sounding, "No."
He squashed a smile – he didn't think Luke would appreciate his humour. He could see that Luke was distracted; the work he was doing was faultless but his mind was somewhere else. Han knew that if Luke were ever to let go and allow himself to feel total love for Mara, the younger man wouldn't know what kind of Eopie had slammed into him. Han reckoned that Luke was beginning to experience the effects and now that Mara was starting to reciprocate, Han was sure that Luke's automatic self-defence system, which protected his heart would crumble. The kid deserved this. Mara was exactly the kind of girl Han would have chosen for his best friend if he could have.
"Just don't go there, Han."
"Sure, I understand. You're being a gentleman."
"Of course, but Force, it's so hard to leave her at her door every night."
Han picked up a hydro spanner and began fiddling with a coiled metal hoop effect obstacle. "I may be asking a stupid question here, Luke. But are you sure that's what she wants - you leaving her at her door with a quick kiss? Does Mara want you to be such a gentleman? Why leave at all?"
"The kiss is not quick." Luke's face grew warm as he relived in his mind last night's leave-taking. The feel of her in his arms had been better than the first time he'd flown into the stars. She'd responded passionately to his kisses, her mouth soft and inviting, her eyes heavy with desire. It had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done, to walk away. The shower setting he'd selected when he'd got back to his apartment had been ten degrees colder than Hoth.
"Luke… Luke!" Han snapped his fingers in front of the young Jedi Master's nose. "I don't see Mara Jade being that easy to scare."
Luke shrugged and fingered his jaw. "You saw what happened the last time I rushed things."
"Oh, yes. Your little… walking into something accident."
"So you guessed it wasn't exactly that."
"Not fooled for a moment, kid. Besides, there were other clues. I have flown the Falcon from one end of the galaxy to the other. I know when a man and a woman have been liplocked. The signs were there."
"We've not talked about it."
"Maybe you should."
"I don't know."
"Are you taking her out tonight?"
"We haven't made plans, but I was going to ask her if she wanted to do something. It's easier if we do something… go out."
'I bet I know what you would like to do,' Han thought. "You could cook her a meal or… order in. That would let you both relax - and have that talk."
"I suppose." Luke sighed and pushed his hand through his already untidy hair. "I find that I can't relax," he admitted. His glance towards Han was wry. "When we're alone I can hardly keep my hands off her."
"So that's why you've both been so social lately. Safety in numbers. This is Mara Jade, remember, kid. If she didn't want your hands on her they wouldn't be there."
Luke gave a tired smile. "Yeah. My nightmares have stopped but the dreams I'm getting to replace them…" Luke rolled his eyes, a faint glint of humour lightening the blue. "The nightmares were almost easier to handle."
"Don't leave this too long, Luke, or Mara's likely to think that you're not interested."
"No, she knows…"
He drifted off in a little dream again unaware that Han was regarding him with a warm, sympathetic smile. The kid had it bad and it was good to see. "Maybe she does but you still have to do something about it. I wouldn't give her that chance to consider leaving again. Lando wouldn't have thought twice about it if she'd even once looked in his direction."
Luke's eyes flashed. "I'm not Lando. I don't want to lose her – I can't."
"Well, do something. 'Caution' is not a word I would use in conjunction with you, kid. Or are you… frightened?" Han got ready to flinch. Jedi-Master baiting was perhaps not the wisest of sports.
"Yes, Han. I'm frightened. This is so important to me. Suppose you'd lost Leia to Isolder?"
"I take your point, kid. However, I still think you need to make a more definite move. It was caution that nearly lost me Leia."
Luke closed his eyes. "You may be right."
************************************************
Mara's face was a picture. "Did I hear right, Leia? You said, 'seduce him'? Seduce Skywalker – your brother, Jedi-Master?"
"Mm-hm. My brother, the Jedi Master, who is also a man." Leia picked up a box and moved it into the kitchen. "This contains cooking utensils and dishes," she commented, reading the label on the box.
"So does this one."
Leia produced a data reader from a capacious pocket in her tunic and slotted a data card into it. "He also wants the large sofa moved upstairs to the den area."
"Den area?"
"The gallery above the lounge. Luke's going to arrange the lounge formally. Didn't you notice the spiral stairs leading up from the back of the lounge?"
"No. But… but, Leia!" Mara's hands stilled on the box of kitchenware. "Seduce him? I cannot believe you're telling me to do that."
"Why not?" Leia beckoned and entered the lounge. "This place is too large for Luke even though he's entitled to it. He is the Jedi Master and father left it to him but this is a little large for one man on his own. It is, however, ideal for a married man with a family. Those stairs lead up to a decent sized area. He wants to turn it into a room. He could live upstairs all the time, if he wanted to. There's even a small kitchenette."
"Downstairs for visitors and upstairs for friends and family," Mara said with a smile.
"Yes. That way Luke can keep his private life just that… private."
"I don't fancy lifting that." Mara gestured towards the sofa in question.
Leia waved her hands airily. "I'll get people in to move it. In fact, they're coming in half an hour. You can seduce Luke on the sofa."
"Luke won't like that."
"Tough. I've arranged it. He can get mad at me when it's finished. I don't think Luke will have any objections to the sofa - you can move to the bed later," Leia said matter-of-factly.
"I think we're talking about different things here," Mara muttered. "But, Senator, I like your style," she said with a grin.
"I think it works. Besides, Luke will be too busy with you to get mad at me. If you catch my meaning?"
"Devious. I can see now how you're related. I never thought you looked alike."
"We don't," Leia said with a wry expression on her pretty face. "I'm pretty sure I look like my mother from what I can remember and, from all accounts, Luke is the spitting image of his father apart from his height."
"So you both got your mother's height."
Leia grinned.
Mara smiled in response. "I wonder if Luke has finished in the exercise hall?"
"Probably not. He'll be showing Han all the gadgets."
Mara smiled. "I would expect so. What is it with men and things like that?"
"I think it's genetic. I've done as much as I'm prepared to do for the moment so you and I, in the meanwhile, are going to lunch."
"But what about Luke and Han?"
"They're grownups… I think. Let them cope. Corran is in the main office and I suspect Wedge is but a comlink click away."
Mara grinned ruefully. "You're probably right."
Leia's voice was brisk. "Trust me, I am." She stared at Mara consideringly, her head tilted to one side. "We've got plans to make."
"Plans! What kind of plans?"
"Wedding plans. You are going to marry my brother… aren't you?"
Mara placed her hands on her black, leather-clad waist. "You can be a little scary. Did you know that?"
Leia stopped searching through a box of cutlery. "Coming from you, Mara, I'm not sure how to take that."
"I think it's supposed to be a compliment."
"Thank the Force, for that." Leia moved out of the kitchen and was halfway up the stairs before Mara had the wit to follow her.
"Leia…"
"I'm not looking forward to this but my brother has nothing he could get married in."
"I think he has."
"You've got more faith in him than I have. Han would be exactly the same if I let him. The pair of them would go through life with the same clothes. I suppose he could wear his best Jedi tunic and pants. You're not too keen on the Jedi uniform, are you?"
"It's alright. It's just that it's all he ever wears. It makes him look unapproachable and serious with all the cares dragging him down."
"That's how he feels, you know?"
"I know. He really suits colours, especially blue and green."
"Last time I checked his wardrobe, it was black apart from the grey tunic he wore to my wedding."
"He still has that. It's like new."
"So he has nothing…"
"No," Mara said quietly. "He has. I took him shopping…"
"You what?"
"I took him shopping."
"Artoo said that you'd gone shopping. I hadn't realised it was to augment Luke's wardrobe."
"It was to give Luke a wardrobe. You couldn't help but augment."
Leia laughed. "Anything nice?" Then she paused. "Of course. He was wearing a rather smart suit at the reception the other evening. You bought that for him?"
"He bought it for himself. I just helped him choose it."
"Good choice," Leia approved.
Mara drew herself up to her full height. "I have impeccable taste and a powerful blaster."
"You never threatened him with a blaster?"
Mara's eyes gleamed. "What do you think?"
"You threatened him."
"Just once or twice. Then he thought my suggestions were eminently reasonable."
"You do have taste," Leia agreed. "That suit he wore to the reception would do to get married in. He looked very good in it."
Mara pursed her lips thoughtfully. "There are other suits…"
"You managed to get my brother to buy more than one?" Leia pulled a face. "Could I give you my husband to do the same with?"
"You couldn't pay me enough."
"I understand."
"I draw the line at Skywalker. He's more than enough to cope with. There is another suit and he looks…" Mara smiled, a soft expression entering her green eyes.
Leia's mouth curved into a warm smile. Had Mara any idea how she looked at that moment? "Get it for me. That can be his wedding outfit."
"But Leia, he's not asked me to marry him."
"You'll have to make sure that he does." Leia moved into Luke's bedchamber and headed for his dressing room.
"That one." Mara pointed to a suit.
"Okay…" Leia removed it and carried it through to another room and placed it in one of the empty wardrobes. "I can see why you like this one. He'll never miss it."
Mara smiled. "Probably not for a week or so."
"We're not waiting that long. We'll just store it here so he doesn't put it on until the wedding. I don't want him spoiling it."
"What!" Mara exclaimed to thin air.
Leia was moving again like a woman on an important mission. She flicked open her comlink. "Han, Mara and I are going to lunch now."
"Wait ten minutes and we'll join you."
"Why don't you and Luke get Corran and Wedge…"
"I see. You're planning an interrogation of Ms. Jade."
"Not at all. We're going to have a pleasant lunch with adult conversation."
"I get it."
"You can work on my brother."
"But sweetheart…" Han's voice could faintly be heard ineffectually protesting.
"See." Leia shut the comlink and dropped it inside her tunic pocket. "Easy."
'Mara!' Luke's voice inside her head sounded worried.
'Don't worry, farmboy. It's only a light lunch, not the firing squad. I'll be back later. You can cook me dinner.'
'If you're sure?'
'Stop worrying, farmboy.' She felt a warm mental caress as Luke's presence removed itself from her mind.
She smiled at Leia, her green eyes bright. "Let's go, Madam Senator."
**************************************
They settled in an exclusive little restaurant in the entertainment district. The food was good and surprisingly reasonable.
"You need some sort of plan," advised Leia, shifting comfortably in her seat.
"I keep telling myself that but I can't think of one."
"We'll have to change that." Leia studied the pale green Alderaanian-style wine in her glass.
"I thought Luke had a plan but now he appears to have switched gears and be going full throttle in reverse."
"No, he thinks he's still going forward. You have to head him off or meet him halfway. As far as he's concerned, it's the same thing."
Mara sipped at her wine. "I suppose it is."
"He is kissing you?"
"Yes," Mara said. "Oh, yes."
"Believe me, with Luke, that's progress."
"But all he does is kiss me. Just when I think…"
"So it's up to you to make sure he wants to do more."
"He does."
"So don't let him get away with whatever he's up to. This is Luke, remember. He doesn't think like everyone else. You always have to consider that fact. Han's the same."
"Yeah!" Mara sighed.
"I want you to produce my brother in that suit in a week's time in the Meditation Room for a wedding."
"Leia…"
"His own." Leia dug into her pocket and produced the data reader and another data card. "Kam and Tionne will still be here. Kam can marry you. You'll need a dress."
"I have a dress," Mara snapped, her head beginning to spin.
"But Mara, this is your wedding. Not just any dress will do."
"This is not just any dress." Mara visualised the pale green shimmersilk gown. "It will do," she whispered.
Leia lifted her dark eyes from the list she was making on the pad and smiled at the rapt expression on Mara's beautiful face. "Good."
"We'll have to get Luke to finish the Meditation Room," Mara mused aloud.
"It's not finished?"
"Luke says it's not."
"I'll get Han onto that one."
Mara blinked. Everything was spiralling out of her control. She now totally understood why Leia Organa had been a leader in the Rebel Alliance and one of the youngest Senators ever in the Galactic Senate. She knew why the Emperor had found her dangerous. The woman was a walking energy source and once focused on a mission there was no dissuading her from her course of action.
"Catering…"
"Leia," Mara finally had to protest. "If I marry your brother at all, it will be in one of the smallest possible ceremonies. And remember that one little vitally important point. He hasn't asked me! He may never ask me."
Leia grinned. "He will, but it's up to you to make sure that he does it sooner rather than later. You have a week or I will drag you both to the marriage kicking, screaming and attached to Ysalamiri nutrient frames."
"Now I know that you're scary," Mara muttered. "You'll do it, too."
"You can count on it," Leia said with a toss of her head. "Now… getting you there. What have you got in your wardrobe that will help you seduce my brother?"
"Leia!" Mara spluttered, her face almost as red as her hair as she choked on the wine she was sipping. "I think I can manage."
"You haven't so far."
"Ah, but he caught me unawares. I'm ready for him this time. I hope."
"Good girl."
********************************************
Luke's apartment, Jedi Centre
"I'll see you tomorrow, Han." Luke waved his brother-in-law away and began to set the table in the kitchen for two. The dining room was too big for just him and Mara. Besides, he liked eating in the kitchen. It reminded him of his childhood on Tatooine. He had thought about ordering in but he liked cooking and the dish he'd made was simple. He hoped that Leia hadn't said something she shouldn't have to Mara. Then he gave a rueful chuckle. Scrub that last thought. There was no way that Leia would not have said something to Mara. He would just have to try and judge the mood that his beautiful love was in when she arrived and take it from there.
He placed the dish containing the nerf-steak casserole in the oven and headed upstairs for a quick shower. Stripping off his work clothes, he made his way into the 'fresher and started the water running, the controls automatically set at the pressure and temperature he preferred. Stepping underneath the warm jets of water, Luke closed his eyes and let the water take away as much of his tension as possible. No matter how long he'd been away from the desert-covered world of Tatooine, a shower – with real water - always seemed like the height of luxury. Even times spent on Chad or Mon Calamari failed to rid him of that feeling.
This shower was big enough for two. Luke groaned as visions of Mara naked and wet began to fill his mind's eye. This had to stop but he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out against her irresistible appeal. He had to make her want him as much as he wanted her. He had to court her properly; he had to show her that he wanted a lifetime of love and commitment. He had to make her see that he had loved her even before the Force had suggested that they should marry and he had to make sure that she believed him. He had been in love with her long before the Force had suggested he marry and that was the crux of the matter.
Easy.
Luke winced. No, it wouldn't be easy.
