Mara hated the Force.
She hated the Force, she hated ysalamiri, she hated Jedi, she hated Skywalker, and she hated anything to do with any of them! But, most of all, she hated Skywalker.
The man went on a galaxy-saving binge, removing every evil-doer in sight, and then he suddenly turned around and became one of those he had been saving everybody from. The blasted man was a mottled compilation of everything. He was naive, he was all-knowing, he was kind, he was a jerk, he was pure, he was evil, he was a farmboy, he was a pilot, he was a Jedi, he was nearly a Sith, he was a Republic-supporter, he was an Empire-supporter, he was a hero, he was a villain...He was...
The most annoying man Mara Jade had ever met!
As if his split personality weren't bad enough, the blasted guy with all his blasted flaws had grown on her. She didn't even know when and how it had happened, whether it was on Myrkr, whether it was after C'baoth, or whether it was even just recently. But, try as she might, as much as she might hate him, she just didn't want him to die!
Oh, she wanted to kill him all right, but that was a desire she'd probably never be able to suppress. Even though she really wanted to take his own lightsaber and slice his throat with it, she also wanted to redeem him from his newfound Dark Side leanings and set him about saving the galaxy once again.
As conflicted as her feelings were, she had the slightest bit of satisfaction in knowing that his feelings were the same. She could probably bring the whole Republic down on his head, and he still wouldn't kill her. That righteous Jedi was still buried within him, and it was what was stopping him from killing her right now.
He was more than capable of doing it, she knew. And he should do it. That she knew, too. But he couldn't do it. She might be threatening his plans, but he would stab himself in the heart before he would stab her in the leg.
It was during her angry musings that the door whooshed open and Kantasha stepped through with an expression of contempt on her face. She was cradling her blaster in her arms as she threw a look of malice at Mara.
"Luke and Thrawn have gone elsewhere. Right now, it's just you, me, and the ysalamiri. I'm under strict orders not to kill you, but if you even attempt to attack me, I won't hesitate to do so."
For a moment, Mara had a brief flashback to Myrkr. She'd given a speech much like Kantasha's to Luke while he was at blaster point.
"What are they doing?" Mara asked. Maybe she'd be able to get some information out of her.
"Do you think I'd tell you?" Kantasha snorted. "I'm sure you'll see the product of their handiwork soon enough, though. I'll be sure to bring the holonews for you to read."
"How kind," Mara said dryly.
Kantasha gave her a bitter smile.
Well, whatever Skywalker and Thrawn were doing, it looked like it would be a while before Mara found out about it.
Thrawn studied Luke Skywalker's face.
The human's blue eyes were closed, and his face was creased just perceptibly. Other than that, there were no signs of what he was doing,...unlike with Joruus C'baoth, whose face showed clear signs of the strain he was going through.
Perhaps C'baoth had had more men whose minds he had to keep track of, or perhaps Skywalker was simply stronger.
Idly, Thrawn wondered whether the Jedi was using the Light Side or the Dark Side of the Force, but then he decided it didn't matter. As long as the job was done.
Thrawn's fingers (whose blue hue was still suppressed by the skin solution) were poised over a datapad, waiting for input from the concentrating human. The Senate meeting had only just begun, so it was only natural that Skywalker had nothing to report yet.
Sooner than the Chiss had expected, the Jedi began to speak, his voice sounding eerily detached.
With a grim smile, Grand Admiral Thrawn recorded every word he was told.
...Probably the Dark Side. After all, Dark Side users were more accustomed to entering the minds of others and sensing the deceits within.
Looking down at the information he was entering in, the Chiss felt amused. New Republic Security was going to both love and loathe the information it would soon receive.
"How did things go for your first day?" Kantasha asked Luke as she brushed her long, raven-colored hair. Thrawn was elsewhere, handling a few secretive matters.
"As well as can be expected," came Luke's ambiguous reply.
The young man watched silently as the brush slid easily through the young woman's black hair, like a sable sea parting before a large ship.
He felt desire well up within him, an emotion he had extinguished so many times before. Jedi weren't meant to be happy. A Jedi was supposed to feel no emotions.
...But the Jedi were also supposed to be protectors of the Republic.
If he had decided not to adhere to that, then there was no reason for him to follow the other rules that guided Jedi.
A sinister, secretive smile crossed his face, and he let all of his bottled-up emotions loose to spring forth like a tidal wave.
He might not be able to touch the Force at that moment, but he felt no need to. It was enough to be able to feel.
A strangely sinister grin on his face, Luke got to his feet and walked over to Kantasha, who was sitting in a chair in front of the mirror. He brought his head down beside hers, and when she moved hers to look at him, he captured her mouth in a violent kiss full of pain, loneliness, and desire. It didn't take long for Kantasha to realize what he was doing and kiss him back, an expression of triumph on her face.
Far too soon for Kantasha's liking, Luke broke away, and he disappeared out the door, leaving Kantasha Pellaeon staring after him in mild confusion.