Chapter 3
Mara heard the door chime. It was Luke. He appeared to be in a more contrite mood than when she stormed out on him two hours ago.
"Are you going to be a jerk some more?" She said acidly as she let him in.
"I'm sorry, Mara. It's just that everyone is always wanting something. Right now I'm so tired that I can't see straight."
Mara eyed him pointedly. She was still seething from his outburst earlier. She knew how tired he was. She was just as tired, but she still wanted to make him pay. Why couldn't he let her be mad at him for a little while? He was so damned infuriating sometimes.
She sighed, "Come here. Let me see what I can do for you."
"Will you forgive me?"
"Maybe. Maybe not."
Luke lay face down on her overstuffed couch. She straddled his waist and began messaging his back. Luke groaned gratefully.
"I could fall asleep right here."
"But you won't, will you."
He chuckled softly, "For fear of your terrible wrath? No, I won't."
Mara reached up cuffed him playfully on the back of his head. He reached back and grabbed her hand.
"You're going to wish that you hadn't done that."
He turned over, dumping her unceremoniously on the floor. A mischievous sparkle lit his blue eyes, as he pinned her down. He kissed her roughly as she tried to push him off.
"Stop it!" She laughed
"Not until you forgive me for being a beast." He kissed her again as she continued to struggle.
"Why should I?"
"Because if you don't, I'll lend some truth to the rumors you've heard about me."
Mara smiled hungrily. "No. I don't think I will."
Luke picked her up and carried her into the bed chamber. As he dropped he on the bed, she pulled him down on top of her. Whatever he had done in the last two hours, he had at least cut his hair and was in a better mood. Something vague, though, tugged at the back of her mind. She would think about it later. Luke was here and ready to play. Maybe tonight would prove enlightening. She responded to his hungry kisses, arching into them and moaning softly. She gasped as his callused hands found a particularly sensitive spot and heard him chuckle throatily. She wanted this to continue, eventhough he made her angry. Right now she would forgive him anything.
Finally, they fell into an exhausted but sated sleep as the cloud hidden sun began to rise over the Imperial City.
As Mara fell asleep in his arms, he smiled slyly. No one would ever discover who he really was. The memory implants were too precise. That and they could never be traced even if they were discovered. His features had been altered, so he looked exactly like Luke Skywalker. He would show the real Master Skywalker what true power really was. With Mara by his side there wasn't any thing he couldn't do. He had heard that Mara was just as powerful as Luke. He would rule the galaxy, once he had defeated Master Dark.
Lightning flashed outside the window. Rain lashed angrily at the glass.
He had been in love with Mara since the first time he had seen her on Yavin. He had approached he several times over the years, yet she had ignored him in favor of Master Skywalker. Nine years, failing time after time to win her affections, he finally found the key. He turned from the path of the Jedi, seeking the power he craved. He found a man who was willing to teach him how to achieve that power. Master Dark promised that he would have Mara, that no one would ever know his little secret. He chuckled softly at the thought. He would finally be the one in power.
He yawned groggily, watching the rain pour down the window, obscuring the crystalline buildings around the Presidential Palace.
"I could get use to all this pampering," he thought as sleep finally claimed him. "Luke had it good."
Master Dark waited. He was a patient individual. He knew that Skywalker would be by soon, he could feel him. Skywalker was out in the city somewhere. His spy was already in place. No doubt he was taking full advantage of his new look on that pretty red-headed Jedi, Mara Jade. He had something special planned for her. She, too, would not be a problem for much longer. Yes, she would not cause him any problems. Everything was in place. His spy would have his way with her, if he so chose. Then when they were happy and settled, she would be the first casualty in his war against the Jedi.
He relished the thought of her pain. Too bad that her life had to end so abruptly. She was a worthy foe. As was Skywalker. His eyes narrowed at the thought of Vader's son coming into his possession. Yes, he would make a tasty addition to his collection. Soon, very soon, Skywalker would belong to him. The idea of breaking him made Master Dark shiver with anticipation.
He watched as the seedier sections of the city closed their doors against the coming day. He got a twisted pleasure out of watching these beings grovel and beg for the wares of a prostitute, even in the pouring rain. Some were so drunk or high on Glitterstem that they would do and did almost anything to satisfy their lust. Not that he didn't as well, but he was generally in control of the situation.
"Skywalker might prove to be a very satisfying toy." He licked his lips hungrily at the thought.
Sometime just before dawn, thunder rumbled high above the tower. Sleepily, Luke opened his eyes. Jediah lay next to him, shivering, curled into the warmth of his body. He stretched out his hand and her ebony cloak sailed into it. He himself wasn't cold but he wrapped it around her tiny form. She had always been more susceptible to cooler air than he was. He looked around. The tiny FireFox dagger still lay where he dropped it, it's jewels still burning the same crimson/gold as Jediah's eyes. Beside it, a glossy dark puddle filled a depression in the floor, a pool of his own blood. They still lay inside the silver rune circle carved into the floor. It still glowed a faint white-gold.
Jediah whimpered quietly as thunder clapped loudly overhead. He knew she was dreaming, but he held her close nonetheless. Something was going to happen, soon. And it wasn't going to be good. Jediah's dreams often disturbed her sleep when she had a premonition about something bad. Most of the time it involved him in some way. Unfortunately, many of these premonitions were terribly vague, but over fifteen years he had learned to trust her instincts.
His arm ached. As he flexed the muscles in his arm, Jediah cried out.
"No!" She moaned softly in her sleep. "You can't!"
"Jediah." He shook her gently. "I'Die wake up. It's only a dream."
Jediah's eyes snapped open. "Gods above!" She breathed.
She buried her snowy head against his bare chest.
"It's all right, I'Die. Hush, now. I'm right here."
She clung to him, as he kissed her tenderly. Her face was wet with tears. Her slender body shook with silent sobs.
"What is it?" He asked gently, "What did you see."
"A face. It said something but I couldn't hear over the screaming." Her voice broke, "I'm afraid for your life."
Luke smiled reassuring at her, wiping away her tears. "I will never leave you." He pulled her close, "I promise, Ch'Karah."
He kissed her again to reassure her, a reassurance he wasn't too sure he himself
felt. All he knew, was that they had ensured that she would be able to find and identify him if the need arose.
Rain and wind whipped around the tower arches. Lightning lit up the leaden sky as Luke pulled her closer to him and held her tightly. He sighed heavily. All too soon he would have to leave her and return to the palace. He really didn't want to think about that now. He didn't want to face Mara and her wrath in a few short hours. He really wanted to stay holed up here for a few days with his wife. But he knew that his commitment to duty and sense of honor would keep him from doing exactly that. There were worse things than paying court to Mara. The spice mines on Kessel, for instance, or being sucked into the Maw. Even being eaten alive by the Sarlacc still wasn't an inviting prospect. He would definitely rather take his chances with Mara.
Mara heard the door chime. It was Luke. He appeared to be in a more contrite mood than when she stormed out on him two hours ago.
"Are you going to be a jerk some more?" She said acidly as she let him in.
"I'm sorry, Mara. It's just that everyone is always wanting something. Right now I'm so tired that I can't see straight."
Mara eyed him pointedly. She was still seething from his outburst earlier. She knew how tired he was. She was just as tired, but she still wanted to make him pay. Why couldn't he let her be mad at him for a little while? He was so damned infuriating sometimes.
She sighed, "Come here. Let me see what I can do for you."
"Will you forgive me?"
"Maybe. Maybe not."
Luke lay face down on her overstuffed couch. She straddled his waist and began messaging his back. Luke groaned gratefully.
"I could fall asleep right here."
"But you won't, will you."
He chuckled softly, "For fear of your terrible wrath? No, I won't."
Mara reached up cuffed him playfully on the back of his head. He reached back and grabbed her hand.
"You're going to wish that you hadn't done that."
He turned over, dumping her unceremoniously on the floor. A mischievous sparkle lit his blue eyes, as he pinned her down. He kissed her roughly as she tried to push him off.
"Stop it!" She laughed
"Not until you forgive me for being a beast." He kissed her again as she continued to struggle.
"Why should I?"
"Because if you don't, I'll lend some truth to the rumors you've heard about me."
Mara smiled hungrily. "No. I don't think I will."
Luke picked her up and carried her into the bed chamber. As he dropped he on the bed, she pulled him down on top of her. Whatever he had done in the last two hours, he had at least cut his hair and was in a better mood. Something vague, though, tugged at the back of her mind. She would think about it later. Luke was here and ready to play. Maybe tonight would prove enlightening. She responded to his hungry kisses, arching into them and moaning softly. She gasped as his callused hands found a particularly sensitive spot and heard him chuckle throatily. She wanted this to continue, eventhough he made her angry. Right now she would forgive him anything.
Finally, they fell into an exhausted but sated sleep as the cloud hidden sun began to rise over the Imperial City.
As Mara fell asleep in his arms, he smiled slyly. No one would ever discover who he really was. The memory implants were too precise. That and they could never be traced even if they were discovered. His features had been altered, so he looked exactly like Luke Skywalker. He would show the real Master Skywalker what true power really was. With Mara by his side there wasn't any thing he couldn't do. He had heard that Mara was just as powerful as Luke. He would rule the galaxy, once he had defeated Master Dark.
Lightning flashed outside the window. Rain lashed angrily at the glass.
He had been in love with Mara since the first time he had seen her on Yavin. He had approached he several times over the years, yet she had ignored him in favor of Master Skywalker. Nine years, failing time after time to win her affections, he finally found the key. He turned from the path of the Jedi, seeking the power he craved. He found a man who was willing to teach him how to achieve that power. Master Dark promised that he would have Mara, that no one would ever know his little secret. He chuckled softly at the thought. He would finally be the one in power.
He yawned groggily, watching the rain pour down the window, obscuring the crystalline buildings around the Presidential Palace.
"I could get use to all this pampering," he thought as sleep finally claimed him. "Luke had it good."
Master Dark waited. He was a patient individual. He knew that Skywalker would be by soon, he could feel him. Skywalker was out in the city somewhere. His spy was already in place. No doubt he was taking full advantage of his new look on that pretty red-headed Jedi, Mara Jade. He had something special planned for her. She, too, would not be a problem for much longer. Yes, she would not cause him any problems. Everything was in place. His spy would have his way with her, if he so chose. Then when they were happy and settled, she would be the first casualty in his war against the Jedi.
He relished the thought of her pain. Too bad that her life had to end so abruptly. She was a worthy foe. As was Skywalker. His eyes narrowed at the thought of Vader's son coming into his possession. Yes, he would make a tasty addition to his collection. Soon, very soon, Skywalker would belong to him. The idea of breaking him made Master Dark shiver with anticipation.
He watched as the seedier sections of the city closed their doors against the coming day. He got a twisted pleasure out of watching these beings grovel and beg for the wares of a prostitute, even in the pouring rain. Some were so drunk or high on Glitterstem that they would do and did almost anything to satisfy their lust. Not that he didn't as well, but he was generally in control of the situation.
"Skywalker might prove to be a very satisfying toy." He licked his lips hungrily at the thought.
Sometime just before dawn, thunder rumbled high above the tower. Sleepily, Luke opened his eyes. Jediah lay next to him, shivering, curled into the warmth of his body. He stretched out his hand and her ebony cloak sailed into it. He himself wasn't cold but he wrapped it around her tiny form. She had always been more susceptible to cooler air than he was. He looked around. The tiny FireFox dagger still lay where he dropped it, it's jewels still burning the same crimson/gold as Jediah's eyes. Beside it, a glossy dark puddle filled a depression in the floor, a pool of his own blood. They still lay inside the silver rune circle carved into the floor. It still glowed a faint white-gold.
Jediah whimpered quietly as thunder clapped loudly overhead. He knew she was dreaming, but he held her close nonetheless. Something was going to happen, soon. And it wasn't going to be good. Jediah's dreams often disturbed her sleep when she had a premonition about something bad. Most of the time it involved him in some way. Unfortunately, many of these premonitions were terribly vague, but over fifteen years he had learned to trust her instincts.
His arm ached. As he flexed the muscles in his arm, Jediah cried out.
"No!" She moaned softly in her sleep. "You can't!"
"Jediah." He shook her gently. "I'Die wake up. It's only a dream."
Jediah's eyes snapped open. "Gods above!" She breathed.
She buried her snowy head against his bare chest.
"It's all right, I'Die. Hush, now. I'm right here."
She clung to him, as he kissed her tenderly. Her face was wet with tears. Her slender body shook with silent sobs.
"What is it?" He asked gently, "What did you see."
"A face. It said something but I couldn't hear over the screaming." Her voice broke, "I'm afraid for your life."
Luke smiled reassuring at her, wiping away her tears. "I will never leave you." He pulled her close, "I promise, Ch'Karah."
He kissed her again to reassure her, a reassurance he wasn't too sure he himself
felt. All he knew, was that they had ensured that she would be able to find and identify him if the need arose.
Rain and wind whipped around the tower arches. Lightning lit up the leaden sky as Luke pulled her closer to him and held her tightly. He sighed heavily. All too soon he would have to leave her and return to the palace. He really didn't want to think about that now. He didn't want to face Mara and her wrath in a few short hours. He really wanted to stay holed up here for a few days with his wife. But he knew that his commitment to duty and sense of honor would keep him from doing exactly that. There were worse things than paying court to Mara. The spice mines on Kessel, for instance, or being sucked into the Maw. Even being eaten alive by the Sarlacc still wasn't an inviting prospect. He would definitely rather take his chances with Mara.