In Darkness
A/N: Thanks to all reviewers! You guys are great! This chapter is setting up the rest of the story, sort of like a second prologue.
Dark dreaming, seeing, feeling.
Mara tossed inside her dream. Trying to escape the confines of her mind. Figures appeared inn front of her, men she'd killed… Images of her time with the emperor as his Hand. His cackling laugh reverberated through his mind. She saw him in his throne room on Coruscant, beside his throne a figure stood cloaked in darkness. She shivered as the small figure stepped forwards into the light. Mara shook her head as tears ran down her face.
She woke with a start. Beside her Luke was whispering. "Mara!" he was holding her shoulders. She blinked and tried to shake off the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Mara? What's wrong?" she shivered and shook her head.
"Just a nightmare." She told him standing and going to the 'fresher. Pausing she looked in the mirror. For a moment she saw the dark, cold eyes of the figure beside the throne and shuddered in disgust. She quickly splashed her face with water and returned to Luke. He sat on the side of the bed. He seemed worried but he was giving her space. Allowing her too come to him if she needed too. She smiled at him to let him know she was fine.
Naraé stepped into the circular control room on Nirauan. She looked around at the blue skinned Chiss and their human counterparts who worked diligently at their stations. Those who bothered to glance at her looked away quickly. Her mouth twisted bitterly. They were afraid and respectful. But more the former than the later.
"Commander!" called a strong voice. Naraé turned and walked to where Admiral Voss Parck stood. She smiled at him in a desultory way.
"Admiral." She nodded her head to him. Beside him Soontir Fel sent her a look that sad 'behave'. She smirked. Parck attitude towards was generally one of disgust and she could see why. She was an exception to every rule he lived by, and worse, she was a disgrace to the old Empire in his opinion.
He responded to the slight smirk with a frown. "Welcome back Commander Thirell." He said turning back to the readouts he'd been examining.
"Thank you, sir." Her words were the epitome of imperial correctness.
"How was your mission?" he asked, his sideways glance at her the only hint he was very interested in her answer.
"All objectives were achieved, sir." She replied. He nodded. He lowered his voice and stepped close.
"And?" he asked.
"Admiral Pellaeon… Is open to our approaches." She smiled at his raised eyebrows. "And so is the New Republic. All that remains to be seen, is whether they respond with speed, or slowly." Parck nodded.
"Dismissed." He said distractedly, returning to the information he and Fel had been examining on her arrival.
Turning smartly she walked back through the command room. Pausing outside she turned quickly to the nearest window and opened the plast sheet. Reeal air flowed over her making her smile truly. She had never gotten over the feel of planets, the way air blew in breezes, and the weather could change so quickly, the way rain felt on your face and even the feel of dirt under bare feet. The canyon she was looking at shimmered in the dry heat of Nirauan's summer. She rubbed a hand over her eyes. When she looked back at the shimmer she frowned. Shapes seemed to move within the heat haze, indistinct but there. She turned away. Quickly she fled the open window. The figures in the mist were lost. Left behind by instinct.
Three weeks later:
Talon Karrde leafed through various reports from different groups out on the rim. He paused over a report of a missing Twi'lek dancer. It said she had stolen some files that contained old New Republic access codes. He frowned and leaned forwards. 'having stolen the codes she disappeared from a heavily guarded casino, and made it off planet despite our best efforts.' The report was from Kal Jeedon, a resourceful and reliable man who usually got what he needed to get done done.
He looked up as Shada entered. "We're about to come out of hyperspace." She told him. He nodded and put the report amongst the others and followed her to the bridge.
Once more Naraé lay awake, listening to the whispering of her other self. As always the voice would not let her alone. It muttered of things she should do, of options available to her. It told her lies about itself. About those around her. The other voice, the child's voice as always was silent. And she was alone with the whispers. They were strangely elevated tonight. Feeding on her guilt and pain, showing her how much better it would be to succumb. Be angry, the voice whispered, Be what you were supposed to be.
She sighed and slipped from bed, resigned to another night of exercise to still the voice inside her head.