Finally, here is another chapter-I'm so sorry for keeping you all in
suspense! I didn't do it on purpose, I promise! As always, read and
review-- and have a great day...
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Skywalker jerked toward her like a strung bow, right hand instinctively reaching to his side for the blaster that Mara could see in the half darkness was not there. His mind caught up with him for a moment long enough for him to realize that it was her and that she was alone.
"Mara?"
She deliberately uncrossed her legs and rose from the sagging armchair, feeling his eyes watching her intently, suspicious and confused. "Yes," she replied quietly. "It's me."
"What are you doing here--how'd you find me?"
She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear and eyed him. "You're not as good at hiding as you seem to think. As for what I'm doing here, it's a long story."
"What do you want?"
Mara bit down on her lip, swallowing her pride. She had no idea how he was about to take this. She--the woman who'd vowed to kill him--was offering her assistance. "Actually," she began, swallowing again, ".I came to help you get out of here."
There was a long silence in which neither of them moved. How did she know that Skywalker wasn't going to look upon her proffered hand as one would the venomous end of a snake? Blatantly laughing in her face was perhaps the only reaction she should expect from him. The taut quiet seemed to have a sound of its own as she waited for him to do something. Finally Luke spoke.
"Right," he murmured.
"I'm serious."
"So am I," he assured her, reaching for his travel bag without taking his eyes off her. "Just what does Palpatine take me for if he thinks I am going to fall for this? Where's the catch?"
"There is no catch."
"Come on Mara, where's this hidden squad of stormtroopers--or were you planning to be able to take me yourself?" His manner held a sort of weary cynicism that had not been there before, making him sound tired and irritated. "Why the subterfuge? Are you afraid of rousing the locals?"
Mara set her teeth. "Skywalker, you are not listening to me. I am here to help."
He paused for a moment, eyeing her. He then swung the bag over his shoulder and brushed past her. "If you'll excuse me please, I'm late for an appointment."
"Luke, this place is swarming with Imperials," she snapped to his back. "Or haven't you noticed?"
He spun on her. "Yeah. Thanks. I noticed. I thought that's why you were here--or aren't you an Imperial anymore?"
That stung. Mara stiffened in anger, but pushed it to the back of her mind. The Jedi had a propensity for saying things that got on her nerves. That was all. She refused to entertain the thought that perhaps Skywalker was more right than he realized. This was not the time for them to fight.
Since she had no answer to his cutting remark, Mara chose to ignore it. She was astounded at her own remarkable display of tolerance. "I have a speeder waiting about a block from here," she told him. "The spaceport is barricaded, but it shouldn't too difficult for us to get past the border patrols groundside. From there, we can make it to Kraell in a little less than eight hours." She paused, waiting for a reaction. Skywalker's expression was unreadable. "But," she went on, "if we don't hurry, it may be too late to do anything."
Luke didn't answer. Perhaps he realized she was serious. "Why Kraell?" he asked finally, his voice losing a significant amount of the harshness that it had held a moment earlier.
Mara arched an eyebrow. "Why not?" she countered. "It's as close as anything, but with one significant difference: Palpatine's not there looking for you."
"What will happen once we get there?" he asked cautiously.
She shot him a scornful look. "Need you ask? I can take care of any Imperial codes or authorizations we might have to deal with. We'll find a ship somewhere."
Luke dropped his gaze to the carpet. "I see. So you are acting on your accord in this matter?"
Mara lifted her chin. "Yes," she answered quietly.
His glass-blue gaze met hers. Mara felt uncomfortably as if he could see right through her. "Would you mind if I asked why?"
She looked away. "It's a long story--one I don't really have the time or the energy to tell at the moment. Perhaps another time."
"Perhaps," he nodded, still watching her. "So Palpatine doesn't know."
She shook her head. "No. Not yet, anyway."
"How do you plan on explaining to him that you helped me escape?"
"Listen, Skywalker," she began irritably, realizing uneasily that she had not considered the issue very thoroughly. "There won't *be* an escape if we don't stop talking and get moving. Vader and Palpatine *are* looking for you, you know."
"I know," he answered. "That's why I think that maybe you should reconsider wanting to help me."
She scowled. "Why?"
He shook his head and set down his bag. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life as an outcast--constantly on the run and afraid of every shadow and corner?"
Mara sighed impatiently. Why could they never agree on anything? She was beginning to grow tired of it. "I think you're overreacting."
"Really?" he asked. "You think the Emperor is just going to slap your hands, tell you to behave yourself and then forget about it?"
Of course he would be angry. She knew that. But she would be able to get through it. "What are you saying?" she asked tiredly.
"I'm saying that you wouldn't be able to go back," he told her, lowering his voice. "Not after something like this. You would have to be on the run for the rest of your life."
Mara stared at him. She shook her head. Palpatine had been angry with her before and she'd dealt with it fine. It was part of the job description. "That's ridiculous," she answered.
"You think so?" he shot back.
"Yes I think so," she snapped. "What would you know, anyway? I've been his Hand my whole life--I know what he would do."
"Then I think you overestimate your importance to him," Luke replied.
Mara's eyes narrowed angrily. "I think YOU overestimate YOUR importance to him," she snapped. "The only Jedi and Vader's son--maybe you should guard a little more carefully against inflating your ego."
She saw Skywalker stiffen in anger, feeling the brief, white-hot flair of his temper before he forcibly suppressed it. "Mara--"
"Don't you think I'm quite capable of making my own decisions?" she cut him off. "Having you tell me what I can and cannot do is the last thing I need- -I can take care of myself."
Luke shook his head. "No. I don't think this is such a good idea. I'm not letting you get involved. I'll find my own way out of town." He moved toward the door again.
"Sure," Mara called to his retreating back. "How? By using your extraordinary mind tricks on all of the perimeter guards? Don't you think THAT'S going to attract Palpatine's attention?"
Luke spun on her. "Look," he snapped, his eyes appearing as angry liquid pools of aqua fire. "This is too dangerous. If we are caught, he will kill you for this. I do not want another person's blood on my hands--do you understand?"
A brief twinge of fear flickered in Mara's stomach at the sight of his brief flash of molten anger, but evaporated as she watched those eyes quickly smolder into swimming gray reproof. Luke quickly glanced away, exhaling a trembling breath. Mara watched, not speaking.
"I'll take the speeder," he said quietly. "Alone."
She spread her hands. "Then how will you get off-planet?"
"I'll manage something."
Mara shook her head. "Skywalker--will you just face the facts? What are the odds that you will be able to get out of here without some sort of help? Pretty slim, don't you think? Have you given much thought to what the Emperor will do to you if you are captured again? Do you want the blood of hundreds or thousands on your hands instead of just one?"
Luke was silent, staring intently at the floor. Mara watched him as he sighed again, with the air of almost pacing. She was just now noticing how startlingly thin he had become over the last two months, how weary and tired. His eyes were ringed with dark circles and his skin exhibited a grayish pallor that made him appear ill. She wondered what had happened to him over that time that had turned him into such a wreck. She probably didn't want to know.
When he finally looked up, she saw that his expression was one of defeat. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Okay, you win," he told her without meeting her eyes. "We don't have any more time to waste."
"I know," Mara agreed quickly, feeling relieved that they'd finally settled on something. "Let's get out of here."
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Vader stood very still, watching Derra IV from the sinister quiet of the throne room. The small planet hung in the blackness of space like a marionette on invisible strings, covered in a soft cotton swirl of cloud cover. He was unable to tear his eyes away from the captivating sight. His son was down there on the surface somewhere. He could feel the boy's presence--albeit vaguely--but it was doubtlessly Luke.
Vader allowed himself a small sigh, almost not caring if the sound was audible to Palpatine. He wondered impatiently when he would be allowed to go down to the surface and take over the job of searching for the boy. It was not a task to be handed to a squad of incompetent stormtroopers.
"You must have patience, Lord Vader," Palpatine's voice reproved mildly behind him. The dark lord grimaced and turned to face his master. The wizened Emperor sat in the thick shadows watching Vader keenly from the cowl of his black robe. The dark lord ought to have expected that his master wouldn't trust him enough to finish his mission on his own, and had personally taken over Vader's assignment when he learned of Luke's whereabouts.
"We will capture young Skywalker in due time," the Emperor's grating voice assured him. "But first, we must be patient for everything to come to pass as I have foreseen it. Skywalker will not escape us."
What his master was waiting for, Vader didn't know. It seemed to him that their opportunity would be slipping away if they didn't hurry. Wisely, though, he chose not to answer or protest as he turned back to face the viewport.
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Skywalker jerked toward her like a strung bow, right hand instinctively reaching to his side for the blaster that Mara could see in the half darkness was not there. His mind caught up with him for a moment long enough for him to realize that it was her and that she was alone.
"Mara?"
She deliberately uncrossed her legs and rose from the sagging armchair, feeling his eyes watching her intently, suspicious and confused. "Yes," she replied quietly. "It's me."
"What are you doing here--how'd you find me?"
She tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear and eyed him. "You're not as good at hiding as you seem to think. As for what I'm doing here, it's a long story."
"What do you want?"
Mara bit down on her lip, swallowing her pride. She had no idea how he was about to take this. She--the woman who'd vowed to kill him--was offering her assistance. "Actually," she began, swallowing again, ".I came to help you get out of here."
There was a long silence in which neither of them moved. How did she know that Skywalker wasn't going to look upon her proffered hand as one would the venomous end of a snake? Blatantly laughing in her face was perhaps the only reaction she should expect from him. The taut quiet seemed to have a sound of its own as she waited for him to do something. Finally Luke spoke.
"Right," he murmured.
"I'm serious."
"So am I," he assured her, reaching for his travel bag without taking his eyes off her. "Just what does Palpatine take me for if he thinks I am going to fall for this? Where's the catch?"
"There is no catch."
"Come on Mara, where's this hidden squad of stormtroopers--or were you planning to be able to take me yourself?" His manner held a sort of weary cynicism that had not been there before, making him sound tired and irritated. "Why the subterfuge? Are you afraid of rousing the locals?"
Mara set her teeth. "Skywalker, you are not listening to me. I am here to help."
He paused for a moment, eyeing her. He then swung the bag over his shoulder and brushed past her. "If you'll excuse me please, I'm late for an appointment."
"Luke, this place is swarming with Imperials," she snapped to his back. "Or haven't you noticed?"
He spun on her. "Yeah. Thanks. I noticed. I thought that's why you were here--or aren't you an Imperial anymore?"
That stung. Mara stiffened in anger, but pushed it to the back of her mind. The Jedi had a propensity for saying things that got on her nerves. That was all. She refused to entertain the thought that perhaps Skywalker was more right than he realized. This was not the time for them to fight.
Since she had no answer to his cutting remark, Mara chose to ignore it. She was astounded at her own remarkable display of tolerance. "I have a speeder waiting about a block from here," she told him. "The spaceport is barricaded, but it shouldn't too difficult for us to get past the border patrols groundside. From there, we can make it to Kraell in a little less than eight hours." She paused, waiting for a reaction. Skywalker's expression was unreadable. "But," she went on, "if we don't hurry, it may be too late to do anything."
Luke didn't answer. Perhaps he realized she was serious. "Why Kraell?" he asked finally, his voice losing a significant amount of the harshness that it had held a moment earlier.
Mara arched an eyebrow. "Why not?" she countered. "It's as close as anything, but with one significant difference: Palpatine's not there looking for you."
"What will happen once we get there?" he asked cautiously.
She shot him a scornful look. "Need you ask? I can take care of any Imperial codes or authorizations we might have to deal with. We'll find a ship somewhere."
Luke dropped his gaze to the carpet. "I see. So you are acting on your accord in this matter?"
Mara lifted her chin. "Yes," she answered quietly.
His glass-blue gaze met hers. Mara felt uncomfortably as if he could see right through her. "Would you mind if I asked why?"
She looked away. "It's a long story--one I don't really have the time or the energy to tell at the moment. Perhaps another time."
"Perhaps," he nodded, still watching her. "So Palpatine doesn't know."
She shook her head. "No. Not yet, anyway."
"How do you plan on explaining to him that you helped me escape?"
"Listen, Skywalker," she began irritably, realizing uneasily that she had not considered the issue very thoroughly. "There won't *be* an escape if we don't stop talking and get moving. Vader and Palpatine *are* looking for you, you know."
"I know," he answered. "That's why I think that maybe you should reconsider wanting to help me."
She scowled. "Why?"
He shook his head and set down his bag. "Do you want to spend the rest of your life as an outcast--constantly on the run and afraid of every shadow and corner?"
Mara sighed impatiently. Why could they never agree on anything? She was beginning to grow tired of it. "I think you're overreacting."
"Really?" he asked. "You think the Emperor is just going to slap your hands, tell you to behave yourself and then forget about it?"
Of course he would be angry. She knew that. But she would be able to get through it. "What are you saying?" she asked tiredly.
"I'm saying that you wouldn't be able to go back," he told her, lowering his voice. "Not after something like this. You would have to be on the run for the rest of your life."
Mara stared at him. She shook her head. Palpatine had been angry with her before and she'd dealt with it fine. It was part of the job description. "That's ridiculous," she answered.
"You think so?" he shot back.
"Yes I think so," she snapped. "What would you know, anyway? I've been his Hand my whole life--I know what he would do."
"Then I think you overestimate your importance to him," Luke replied.
Mara's eyes narrowed angrily. "I think YOU overestimate YOUR importance to him," she snapped. "The only Jedi and Vader's son--maybe you should guard a little more carefully against inflating your ego."
She saw Skywalker stiffen in anger, feeling the brief, white-hot flair of his temper before he forcibly suppressed it. "Mara--"
"Don't you think I'm quite capable of making my own decisions?" she cut him off. "Having you tell me what I can and cannot do is the last thing I need- -I can take care of myself."
Luke shook his head. "No. I don't think this is such a good idea. I'm not letting you get involved. I'll find my own way out of town." He moved toward the door again.
"Sure," Mara called to his retreating back. "How? By using your extraordinary mind tricks on all of the perimeter guards? Don't you think THAT'S going to attract Palpatine's attention?"
Luke spun on her. "Look," he snapped, his eyes appearing as angry liquid pools of aqua fire. "This is too dangerous. If we are caught, he will kill you for this. I do not want another person's blood on my hands--do you understand?"
A brief twinge of fear flickered in Mara's stomach at the sight of his brief flash of molten anger, but evaporated as she watched those eyes quickly smolder into swimming gray reproof. Luke quickly glanced away, exhaling a trembling breath. Mara watched, not speaking.
"I'll take the speeder," he said quietly. "Alone."
She spread her hands. "Then how will you get off-planet?"
"I'll manage something."
Mara shook her head. "Skywalker--will you just face the facts? What are the odds that you will be able to get out of here without some sort of help? Pretty slim, don't you think? Have you given much thought to what the Emperor will do to you if you are captured again? Do you want the blood of hundreds or thousands on your hands instead of just one?"
Luke was silent, staring intently at the floor. Mara watched him as he sighed again, with the air of almost pacing. She was just now noticing how startlingly thin he had become over the last two months, how weary and tired. His eyes were ringed with dark circles and his skin exhibited a grayish pallor that made him appear ill. She wondered what had happened to him over that time that had turned him into such a wreck. She probably didn't want to know.
When he finally looked up, she saw that his expression was one of defeat. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "Okay, you win," he told her without meeting her eyes. "We don't have any more time to waste."
"I know," Mara agreed quickly, feeling relieved that they'd finally settled on something. "Let's get out of here."
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Vader stood very still, watching Derra IV from the sinister quiet of the throne room. The small planet hung in the blackness of space like a marionette on invisible strings, covered in a soft cotton swirl of cloud cover. He was unable to tear his eyes away from the captivating sight. His son was down there on the surface somewhere. He could feel the boy's presence--albeit vaguely--but it was doubtlessly Luke.
Vader allowed himself a small sigh, almost not caring if the sound was audible to Palpatine. He wondered impatiently when he would be allowed to go down to the surface and take over the job of searching for the boy. It was not a task to be handed to a squad of incompetent stormtroopers.
"You must have patience, Lord Vader," Palpatine's voice reproved mildly behind him. The dark lord grimaced and turned to face his master. The wizened Emperor sat in the thick shadows watching Vader keenly from the cowl of his black robe. The dark lord ought to have expected that his master wouldn't trust him enough to finish his mission on his own, and had personally taken over Vader's assignment when he learned of Luke's whereabouts.
"We will capture young Skywalker in due time," the Emperor's grating voice assured him. "But first, we must be patient for everything to come to pass as I have foreseen it. Skywalker will not escape us."
What his master was waiting for, Vader didn't know. It seemed to him that their opportunity would be slipping away if they didn't hurry. Wisely, though, he chose not to answer or protest as he turned back to face the viewport.
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