Chapter 4 Banner glanced around the grubby room as he listened to his comrades' complaints. The high and mighty Rebels living in their palace. How the mighty had fallen. Those mighty Imperials that once ruled were no more than scum now. It had been so long since they had ever felt so high but this time, this time they would win. If they had their way the people of the New Republic would hate the Jedi Master as much as they hated the Imperials. They would despise him, would want his head. The Emperor had been right to kill off the Jedi. The Jedi should be hated. They thought they were so mighty and important. Skywalker would fall first and after him, his Alderaanian witch sister and Jade. She had betrayed the Emperor. The others would fall after them. They would plunge into despair, as they deserved.

"Well, at least we're not spending our ops budget on accommodations." Chala muttered from across the room.

"Didn't spend it on travel, either," Iry pointed out trying to find some brightness in the dingy dark of their position.

"Not for us. The Moff and his wife traveled first class. That Tak_" Banner began irritatedly.

"No names, don't use names." Chik reminded him.

"What's gotten into you? You're gutter slime." Banner admonished him.

"Was gutter slime. I'm coming back into my own now. Good to be home." He said with a slight evilish grin.

"Operational security, that's what's gotten into him. And I wouldn't mention you're home again. Too much detail," Chala told them from across the room.

"Good point. I'm out of practice." Chik commented from behind them.

"We better all get in, or this is a long trip for nothing."

Banner took a few steps in front of the others. "What do we have here," he whispered.

"Well, this place looks clean . . . er clear." Chala said as he glanced around the area.

"Now we wait for out leader to make contact." Their leader, the Moff. They hoped he had some sort of plan to take saint Skywalker down for good.

"They'll be staying somewhere much nicer. She wouldn't take this." Chik told them referring to the Moff's wife.

"Well, those trophy wives do need to be kept in good repair. What the . . .?!"

They turned and saw another of their number ducking out of the way as a huge spider descended.

"Tracking," Chick murmured as he pulled a small pointy object from a pack.

"Sithspawn!" Banner swore.

He watched the spider and threw the small weapon and it cut into the middle of the spider and all turned towards him admirably.

"I never tossed you out of the bar, did I? If so, I want to apolo . . ."

"I never would have imagined . . ."

"All in the wrist action. Glad it's back. We'll need it, if we are to succeed," Chick proclaimed to his awed companions.



* * *

Luke Skywalker rolled over sleepily as his comm unit sounded in his ear. "Skywalker," he mumbled still half asleep.

"Luke, where are you? You forget we're sparring this morning? What are you doing still in bed? It's 1100!"

Luke sat straight upright and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. As he sat up the sheet slipped down to his waist and he noticed Mara's green eyes narrow as she noticed his bandaged ribs. Luke's blue eyes were suddenly alert as they met hers and pulled the sheet back up but he knew it was too late.

"Sorry, I forgot."

"Farmboy, I want to know why you're still in bed. Never mind the sparring the gym is booked now anyways. Get dressed Jedi, I'm coming over."

As Mara signed off Luke dropped back onto the bed again. He was going to get it this time. Luke got out of bed and threw some clothes on shortly before Mara arrived at the door. As he let her in he tried to get his hair out of the disarray it was in. As Mara came in she elbowed him in the ribs in the same position where he had been shot just the night before. He tried to hide the wince but he unconsciously shuddered and sharply drew away from the pain.

"Something wrong Skywalker? That hurt? Is that wound still raw?"

Luke shook his head sadly as he took Mara's hand and brought her to the couch. He sat down and pulled her down next to him as he took her hands between both of his and let go with one hand and reached out to stroke her cheek. "I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself."

"Luke, I wish you would have told me. There's no reason to try to keep it to yourself. Why did you even try?"

"I didn't want you to be so worried about me."

"Luke, you don't get this way usually. What happened? Why were you asleep so late? I've known you for ten years, Luke, and you've never slept in."

"I had a dream last night, after you left. It was so dark and so vivid. I don't know what it means."

"Would you be willing to tell me about it?"

Luke stood up and crossed towards the window and leaned his shoulder against it staring off into the light and bustle of the city. "You were there but you were nothing more than a dead body and as I tried to save hoping there was still life I fell and the Emperor mocked me. My father's hand reached out to stop me from falling but he strangled me, crushed all my bones killed me. I'm not quite sure what this is supposed to mean. It doesn't really make sense."

As Mara watched her fiancé she felt his fear and she knew exactly what one meaning of the dream could be. His fear was the fear that he had learned why his father had fallen and that he would reach the same fate if she were killed.

Mara got to her feet and came up behind Luke wrapping her arms around his waist and buried her face in his back. She would do anything she could to protect him; that she knew. As long as she was around no one would harm him if she could do anything about it.