Ch. 6 Mara meet Akhana

Lightsabre Sparring Room

Mara was just walking through the halls when she heard high melodic laughter from the sparring room. Curious Mara stopped by to have a look. " Master Skywalker you mock me. Come on battle me full out I can take it," Akhana wined. All she wanted was to see the full ability of the Jedi Master before her. She'd heard much about him and wished to test him. Surely, she as a fully trained dark Jedi could best the legend.( The nerve of this girl) Luke sighed inwardly well he might as well get some real sparring practice in today.

"All right then Akhana you're on" Luke challenged assuming the ready position once more. (Finally) Akhana smiled. Blue green, green blue crackle spark hisssssss. As the battle, progressed Akhana felt herself falling farther and farther behind the Masters expert swordmanship. In a desperate effort to unbalance him, she swiped low with her left foot. "Ha!," she exulted as it made contact with the joint in the Jedi's ankle but her triumph was short lived as he merely did a double layout only to come back at her with the double the energy and skill than before. " Gonna have to come up with something better than that to defeat me Akhana.," Luke chuckled at the dismayed look upon the young woman's face.

" Don't worry I was just getting started," Akhana jeered twirling her blade in a dancing pattern of artful arcs. This soon proved to be a bad move for the Jedi quickly disarmed her mid-twirl sending her lightsabre flying over her head and sailing into the waiting hand of the Jedi Master. " You are good Akhana, but not good enough. Focus instead on the flow of the force through you instead of the opponent you're currently fighting against.," Luke coached. "Thanks Master Skywalker I assure you our next battle will be longer.," Akhana replied. " Looking forward to it," Luke answered shutting down his sabre.

" Sooo, you're the new student huh? Haven't seen much of you around here where are you from," Mara questioned. (Something about this girl just didn't feel right and her gut had never failed her before. Excluding Luke of coarse.) " A planet named Celesti along the outer rim worlds," Akhana easily lied. " Really? How'd you hear about the Academy? ," Mara asked. " Well I didn't hear about the Academy so much as I heard about Master Skywalker. They say he's the most eligible bachelor in the galaxy. I thought perhaps I'd come to try my luck but I found the force instead. I find it much more invigorating then a shallow pursuit of a war hero don't ya think," Akhana answered.

" Uh, I'm still here ya know. I can hear everything you're saying you know that right?," Luke stated. " Yes I have nothing to hide from you master Skywalker. Thought it'd be fitting for you to know the true nature of my journey here.," Akhana replied. " Yes I suppose so," Luke answered baffled at the small amount of truth he felt in her words. "So Mara you want to go on a trip?," Luke asked. " Trip where to Courasaunt? Ha!, those simpering senators drive even you crazy. Why I the world would I the illustrious and inclusive Mara Jade want there?," she teased. " Try keeping their dear Jedi Master sane and far away from killing the half of them with his mind," Luke bantered.

"Well as a Jedi I suppose it is my duty to maintain the peace within the Universe even from its chief protector. I'll go but no interviews with the press capice?," Mara cautioned. "I get the message Mara just leave all of the senators and what not to me. Wouldn't very well have an ex-imperial assassin go back on her morals no would we," Luke answered. "No we most certainly would not" Mara replied. (Hmm. They're awfully close. Perhaps she knows the Alkfalian's secret. This deserves some delicate research). Akhana pondered watching the two Jedi Masters in their easy banter. The master would indeed be pleased. It was a shame though he was a beautiful man to behold. Perhaps Palpatine would give him to her once she successfully completed this mission.