AN: Clarification: In this AU, the Emperor never sent Mara to Jabba's Palace to kill Luke, so she doesn't know who he is. When Mara thinks "Skywalker" or when that name is used alone in the narration, it is meant to refer to Anakin, not Luke. Remember, Mara doesn't know that Luke is Vader's son yet.
Thanks to K9 the First and Lena Breeze for their kind reviews. Keep talking to me!
Chapter 3: One Shot
By chance that night, Mara found Leia alone. The princess was staring off the edge of the Ewok village at everything and nothing in particular. Her legs were crossed under her or they would have been swinging over the edge of the village like a child in a seat far too large for her. She clutched a steaming mug of whatever the locals brewed and occasionally took small sips, more from a habit of politely drinking what she'd been given than out of thirst. Mara shook her head. How had the Rebellion functioned? Someone was going to have to watch these people. They seemed to do an inordinate amount of staring into space.
"So what do you think of your father?" Mara asked, needing no help to sound appropriately curious. The fact that the leaders of the two sides in this war were related struck her as slightly ironic. She still wasn't sure about her reaction to this whole tangle, but that didn't stop her from wanting to sound out Leia's.
"I can't believe he's gone. I mean, you'd think after three years and seeing the planet destroyed that reality would have hit me by now, that I'd be used to it. It hasn't and I'm not. There are times when I feel like I'm just on some extended mission for the Alliance. Maybe I'll get married on that mission; maybe I'll have kids, maybe not, but in the end I'll go home and they'll all be there waiting for me. Mother, Father, my aunts, my friends, everyone. Then I wake up and realize that they don't even exist anymore." Leia looked up at Mara. Her brown eyes were soft and sad, filled with such deep grief that Mara had to pull her emotions back into line. She wanted to hug the princess and console her. She wanted to tell Leia that everything would come right in the end. But Mara was hardened from years of killing at the Emperor's command and if she knew anything for certain, it was that nothing ever came out right in the end. That was another reason to watch these people. If they could make her feel this way, their influence over an innocent stormtrooper would be compelling. Quelling the new emotions she put on a stupid-but-sincere face.
"But your father's here with us." She stated simply.
Leia frowned. "What? Oh him," the word dripped with rancor. Interesting reaction. "I refuse to believe that he's my father. I hate him. He should have died on the Second Death Star. He doesn't deserve to live. He destroyed my world." That wasn't the reaction Mara was expecting or hoping to get, but it made sense after all Leia had been through. What didn't make sense was the fact that the rising anger in Leia's manner refused to abate. There was no doubt about it; the princess was furious and getting madder by the minute. If Mara didn't do something to calm her down, her one shot at Skywalker would be taken by his daughter. How was that for irony.
Deciding that misery, or anger for that matter, loves company, Mara sat down next to Leia. "Mine too," she whispered. The vision of her master dying crossed her mind. YOU WILL KILL THE SKYWALKER. Well, after what he'd done to the galaxy he did deserve to die, and never mind that she had orchestrated similar atrocities.
Leia looked at her curiously. "You're Alderaanian?" she asked. Mara gave her a quizzical look and Leia shook her head. "No, you couldn't be. I knew every Alderaanian in Palpatine's court."
"A planet doesn't have to be sterilized for someone to have their world destroyed." Mara told her. "I actually don't know where I'm from; I was brought to Imperial Center as a child. You only get one shot in life, Leia, so you might as well enjoy it. I could have loved living on Imperial Center, but Vader went out of his way to make life a living nightmare for everyone. Palpatine having a bad hair day was painful enough, but Vader just made the whole mess ten times worse." A shiver ran down her back as she remembered cowering in the corner as Vader Force-choked an entire battalion of stormtroopers one by one. She hadn't understood what was going on, but she'd been sure it was her fault. He'd come right over to her afterwards and dragged her back to the Emperor. It was the last time she cried.
"Palpatine had hair?" Leia mused. The two women looked at each other in surprise at the question, then broke into gales of laughter, letting the upsetting emotions and confusing past disappear in the collective vision of the Galactic Emperor with a toupee.
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Luke watched Leia and Mara break out in laughter over something. They both looked so beautiful, their faces shining with mirth. Mara especially. The light of the bonfire caught on her hair, sparking the red-gold sheaf into a cascade of glowing fire. Her lips, upturned it what was such a rare smile parted to reveal pearly teeth. Her green eyes shone like his lightsaber, two perfect emeralds filled with living light. "You told me she lied about who she was," he murmured to his father behind him. "So who is she?" He had to know everything about this enchanting stranger.
"Her name truly is Mara Jade," Anakin informed him, "but she was far from being just a petty bureaucrat. She was the Emperor's Hand, an extension of Palpatine in the galaxy. What Palpatine wanted, she wanted, and she knew how to get what she wanted. She was many things, assassin, spy, diplomat on the very rare occasion. I'm not sure, but based on what Vader knew of her missions, I think Palpatine was grooming her to be Empress." He chose his words carefully, Luke was smitten with Mara and while he hoped nothing bad would come from it, he feared she was using him, just to leave his naïve son with a broken heart or worse.
Luke choked on the sickening image of a Mara in a wedding gown facing the decrepit Palpatine. "Why is she here then?" he asked. If she had been that powerful, then by all rights she should still be with the Empire, consolidating her power base, preparing to rule. With her in charge, he knew that the war would end; she was too good for battle.
Anakin shrugged. "Perhaps the same reason I am. She was taken from her home very young. She may be looking for her family. Her story about being a petty bureaucrat is most likely self-defense against the people she destroyed. May be. I can't judge her. I can't say that she is good or bad, but I can say that she does not like the name Skywalker. That much leaked through the wall around her mind. I will give her a chance, I have to." He'd been given a chance. Surely the woman in front of him needed one just as badly.
Luke looked up at his father, than back at Mara Jade. If his father would give her a chance, knowing what he did about her, then how could he not? Somehow, he could not believe Mara Jade was capable of cold-blooded murder, or even shoplifting. He could believe no wrong about her. Force, she was pretty.
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Mara's 'aimless' wandering that night had cold, hard purpose behind it. Moving about randomly, she studied the layout of the base and the kinds of defenses it had. Sadly enough there was very little base and the defenses were, in her opinion, pitiful. They couldn't keep Tarkin out if they'd tried. Then again, they had no need for tight security on-planet. The only Imperial presence here was a blackened crater a few miles away and herself. Then again, could she consider herself Imperial? Palpatine's death had removed the only thing holding the Empire together. Already Mara could see the Moffs and Grand Admirals scrambling for land, ships, the loyalty of the soldiers. Anything to grab the throne for themselves. Mara shook her head at her thoughts. You can't be Imperial if you have no Empire. There is nothing to be Imperial about. Not one of those pathetic self-proclaimed princes could hold it together for long. Vader would have made a good ruler. He would have – No. She put a clamp on those thoughts. Vader was doubly a traitor for destroying the only good in the Empire, its leadership. Skywalker was probably allied with the Rebellion for years before he killed Palpatine. That was why they'd accepted him so readily. Then again, it would be in character for Vader to kill the Emperor. He'd forever been changeable as the winds of his native Tatooine. Like it mattered why he'd killed the Emperor. It didn't change the fact that Palpatine was dead.
She hated Skywalker so much. No one had a right to do this to her. No one. Especially not a mechanical traitor. In the space of five minutes, she had gone from having power, prestige, and purpose, to not even having an identity to call her own. Who was Mara Jade? She was the Emperor's Hand, but the Emperor was dead, and a Hand without the body is pointless. She couldn't even find another body to attach to, not that she hadn't thought about it. Few people knew of her existence and most of them had died with the Death Star. Those who survived the super weapon's destruction were zealous to down play any connections they might have had with the Empire. Which didn't include sheltering the Emperor's Hand. She had no roots, no homeworld, no powerbase, nothing. A drifter who had outlived any purpose in her life. For all of that Skywalker deserved to die. And if that still wasn't enough, she was sure she could think of more given time.
A flutter of motion caught her eye. Startled, she whirled to face the intruder. Vader leaned against the wall of the room. His arms hung loosely at his sides in sleep. His head rested on his chest. His black cape caught the slight breeze and caused the motion she'd seen. She could feel the hated presence burning behind the mask. YOU WILL KILL THE SKYWALKER. He was vulnerable, and he was alone. Swiftly, Silently, and Above Suspicion. By the time anyone found out what had happened, she would be long gone, to whatever life she could make for herself.
All her anger, pain, and grief came bubbling out of her. Throwing herself into a flying high kick, she brought her heel crashing into Vader's jaw. The empty helmet caved in rattling off the equally empty armor. Mara's fury threatened to engulf her. He shot, her one shot to be revenged on Skywalker and she had spent it on an empty shell. The black armor embodied the hate of herself. Of course that wasn't Skywalker. Skywalker was all in white now, as if he were trying to bleach the stains of the past with a change of clothes. Well let him try to get clean, she would make sure he had nothing to go back to if the attempt failed. Drawing her blaster from its wrist holster, she vaporized the section of the chest that normally would have killed a man. The armor jumped and with a vicious kick, she caved in the chest piece. With the main part of the armor gone, the entire suit collapsed. Mara stared at the heap for a long moment. She was sweating and breathing hard from the adrenaline flooding her systems. She was more worked up about destroying an empty suit than she had ever been even in the moment of the kill. The small agonies running up her leg warned her that her ankle had been twisted. Kicking durasteel will do that to a body.
"Thank you, Mara," the low growl behind her could only have come from Anakin. The white gauntlet that fell on her shoulder confirmed her instant analysis. She partially turned to look into Anakin's face. After years of not needing to hide his feelings behind a mask of flesh, he was an open book. The expression of true gratitude in his eyes made her sick to her stomach. "I didn't have the strength of mind to do it myself," he explained. "It seemed as though I must look Vader in the face every day, if only to convince myself that he is no longer me." The dreaminess of his Sense was still alert enough that she could not take her critical shot. Angrily she shook off Anakin's hand.
"I wasn't trying to do you any favors, Skywalker," she hissed eyes a roaring inferno. "It was just another reminder of my past." Which you destroyed, she added silently. If Skywalker felt the accusations blazing in her mind, he did not show it. He simply nodded understanding, although his face trumpeted concern.
"Why have you come here, Mara?" he asked suddenly. She slammed her shields into place as a tentative probe reached out to brush her mind.
"To clean off the slate." That much at least was true, and she let Skywalker feel that truth. She felt him retract his probe.
Anakin was at a loss what to do. "Clean off the slate" could have a multitude of meanings and the sense he was getting from Mara was violent. Very violent. He must warn her of the consequences of violence. "Very well, Mara," he whispered, "but watch how you go. I will not let these people suffer because of me." He felt the darkness rise in him as he contemplated what he would do if she hurt his family. The darkness spoke before he could quash it. "Don't make me destroy you, Emperor's Hand. And don't ever forget that I am capable of destruction."
Mara brazenly met his icy glare. "I'm not afraid of you, Vader. I never have been, but I'm not stupid either." She ducked underneath his arm and stalked out the door. Anakin watched her leave, and then returned his attention to the destroyed suit. He picked up the helmet and contemplated it. It was crushed, but still recognizable, like the darkness within him.
"She does not like you, my friend." A familiar voice observed behind him.
Anakin snorted. "Understatement of the century, Master," he responded automatically, then whirled around dropping the helmet as the truth of what he'd just heard sank in. "Obi-Wan!"
The blue-rimmed shadow of his former Master grinned at him. "I told you that you could not destroy me, Anakin."
Anakin fell on his knees before the ghost. "Oh, Obi-Wan, forgive me. I destroyed us all." His eyes teared, and he gazed pleadingly at Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan placed a comforting hand on his Padawan's shoulder, careful not to overshoot and put his hand through Anakin. "There is nothing to forgive, Anakin that I have not already forgiven. The fault is not all yours. You must also forgive me, Anakin. There was so much I could have done and should have done." Obi-Wan's voice grew soft and he no longer spoke directly to Anakin. Instead he mused aloud, "In the end, I am afraid I drove you to darkness."
"You did nothing wrong, Master," Anakin insisted looking up into the face he thought Vader had destroyed. "The fall was mine. The guilt is mine. Your death was Vad – my doing."
Unexpectedly Obi-Wan laughed. "If I told you once, I told you every day, you were going to be the death of me." He gazed solemnly into the pain-stricken eyes of his apprentice. "There is no guilt, Anakin, for what has been forgiven. Keeping guilt beyond its time is as destructive as anger." He had felt the wave of dark that rolled off his friend when threatening the woman. "Anakin, when you fell the first time, I thought you were dead and I grieved for you. Another fall will surely kill you."