Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars; all rights belong to the genius we know as George Lucas. Mara Jade is the creation of another genius named Timothy Zahn, while Callista Ming was created by Barbra Hambly another gifted individual. I'm just borrowing. I'm not making any type of profit off this story, I'm writing for my own enjoyment and hopefully to the enjoyment of others.

Author's Notes: Now you're all caught up with forceboards and utopicworlds boards.

Right after Prologue

Mara slid down to the ground close to the fire that they built. After hearing the story Callista told her, she decided to see what laid ahead in one of the tunnels. Callista offered to stay back and that was when Mara noticed the woman was shivering. Belatedly, Mara also began to notice how cold she too had become. Realizing that it wouldn't do to get pulmonary sickness or some other virus; Mara began to search for some way to provide a heat source; the two lightsabers just weren't adequate for the job. Luckily, Callista began to forage as well and soon they gathered enough dried twigs and other materials to try to build a fire.

The blaze helped, but Mara was never really the type that would just sit and wait. Besides, she survived under worse conditions, and she really wanted to find a way out of the temple. Of course that was before she spent two hours walking down different, dark corridors only to find all of them blocked some way or another. Plus, she really, really, didn't want to admit defeat in front of Callista; the idea of Callista being right rankled Mara, not that she'd ever tell the other that.

"You didn't find a way I take it."

Mara's sour expression was the only response Callista received.

"I see."

The flickering and dancing of the fire present were the only sounds emanating from the site as both women refused to speak. Mara kept her focus on the fire. If it looks like I'm concentrating then maybe she won't talk to me. It was a mite childish, but Mara was tired, hungry, and very frustrated. She figured some childish behavior was allowable at this point. Besides Callista was smart enough to figure out that Mara didn't want to deal with her just yet.

The tentative silence was broken by a very low and soft question, "Is he happy?"

Then again, maybe not.

I suppose I forgot that Callista has a death wish. "Excuse me?"

Callista cleared her throat before speaking, "Is he happy?" She repeated.

Mara only stared at the other woman, her intense emerald eyes burning holes into Callista's soul. A million different responses entered through her mind as she stared across the flames. She could be brutally honest and truthfully she really wanted to, but realized that it would be cruel. Not that it had ever stopped Mara before, but at the moment it would seem like she was gloating. She liked to be smug and irritate people, but she didn't like kicking them when they were down. "Why do you want to know?" She asked the other woman, her tone purposefully flat.

"Morbid curiosity." Callista offered. Mara was definitely not expecting that answer and Callista seemed to sense that as she let out a small chuckle, "In fact, you could say it was my morbid curiosity that brought me here in the first place."

Mara raised an eyebrow, "How so?" She asked unable to reign in her own curiosity.

She hesitated before answering, "I-I wanted to see if the stories of the temple were true."

Mara caught the flicker in emotions, "There's more to it, isn't there?"

Understanding that there was no point in denying, Callista took a steadying breath. "There's a rumor that the spirits of those who died are trapped in the temple as well."

Mara blinked as her mind began to fully comprehend Callista's words. I knew she wasn't mentally stable. I mean she left Luke, who in their right mind would leave Luke?

Well, you did. Several times actually.

Not this again, I thought I said I'd kill you if you spoke again.

Yeah, the voice scoffed. Like I'd believe that.

Besides I didn't "leave" him exactly. I had responsibilities; anyway, what was she thinking?

You're asking me? Half of the time I don't understand your reasoning, let alone attempt to decipher that insane woman's.

At least we both agree that Callista is unstable.

"It's really not as bad as it sounds." Callista murmured.

Mara's eyes flashed at the other woman, "Really, does the name Exar Kun mean anything to you?"

"Yes, but unlike Kyp, I'm not strong enough to sense them at all."

Mara paused, Damn it she has a point.

"Besides I'm not interested in communing with the Sith or any Dark Jedi."

"But you are curious about the female Jedi? Why, so you can reminisce being non-corporal?"

Callista shrugged, "I told you it was morbid."

Mara ignored her, her mind mulling over Callista's words. She couldn't sense any deception from her, and yet, Mara couldn't shake a nagging feeling that she was missing something incredibly important. Mara's eyes suddenly narrowed at her ineptness, and she swore to herself. She really was going soft. "How long!" She hissed at the other woman.

Luke didn't find anyone who would go with him, but at he didn't mind. In fact he was actually grateful for the lack of company. He couldn't explain why he felt better not having another person to aid him in his quest to locate Mara, but he did. However, Luke also had a hunch that he wouldn't be alone for very long either. Proddings from the Force, no doubt, his mind told him. He shook his head ruefully as he continued his trek across the riverbank.

After assuring the hotel manager that he wasn't crazy or suicidal, Luke finally was able to begin his search for the two women. Unfortunately it took him longer than he expected since no one in the city would provide him transport down to the riverbank. He had to do that on his own. At least he didn't have to worry about lifting Artoo this time around. Still it would have been nice if he had gotten his hands on some sort of transport he surmised as he encountered another cascade.

One hour and two other smaller cataracts later, Luke found that the river disappeared underground. When he noticed entered a forest he felt something very familiar. He took a cautious step forward as if he were expecting an attack from behind one of the trees. The Jedi paused; he was acting as he did when he was in the cave at Dagobah. This produced a shake of his head as he wondered what had made him think of the swamp planet, especially that dark and damp cave. He was in completely different circumstances; Mayastria was a pleasure planet, and he wasn't worried about some old superstition, still, he couldn't stop the pervading sense of anxiety.

"It does have that type of foreboding sense to it, doesn't it?" Luke whirled around, lightsaber blazing to find himself pointing it at an apparition, bathed in a familiar blue light. From what Luke could tell the apparition was female, her eyes were green, not like Mara's intense emerald hue, more of a deep sea blue-green. She too had red hair, but unlike his wife's red gold, she had more of a brownish tint. The being gave him a mysterious smile; "It's been a while since I've seen a lightsaber on Mayastria. So tell me young Master, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Luke relaxed his posture a bit and then deactivated his weapon, but still kept it in his hand, one could never be too sure. He spent the next couple of seconds looking over his new companion. Now he understood his odd sense of relief about being left alone. If someone was with him, several different possibilities would have occurred, but the three most likely were, the other person would have believed Luke to be loosing his mind, unless said person was Force-sensitive, been frighten out of their wits, or start to worship the being as the vaulted "Stellar Passenger."

The mention of the mythical figured reverberated in Luke's mind. He could tell from Chak'lai's narrative that the legend was very old, but if one began to chip away the exaggerations and the bias, one could comprehend that the legend did speak some truth. In fact when one considered what Chak'lai said about the warriors and the "Stellar Passenger" Luke couldn't dismiss the possibility that some of them may have been Force-sensitive. If Chak'lai exclamation on the woman's continued appearance following her death after so many years was true, then it only confirmed that she was very strong in the Force, probably a Jedi Master. The woman's smile seemed to grow as the thought crossed Luke's mind.

"You really are strong in the Force, aren't you?" she murmured.

"The Force is strong in my family," he acknowledged. "It seems to be strong with you as well."

"I'm one with the Force now." She easily quipped, "You have yet to answer my first question."

Luke let out a rueful grin, "Forgive my lack of manners, milady, I came searching for my wife."

"I see and instead you find a deceased Jedi Master. Must be," she paused to think over her next word, "frustrating."

If this occurred to a younger Luke, he probably would have been perturbed by the observation, but this time he only smiled, "At least I won't have to continue on my search alone."

"Oh?" There came that smile again, "What makes you believe that I'll help you?"

"Jedi hunch," Luke quickly supplied. "According to the locals, this area is protected by benevolent being, who would help those looking for aid, and I believe that you are that being, their 'Stellar Passenger.'"

"'Stellar Passenger,' yes, I suppose after a couple thousand years some language corruption would occur." The spirit surmised, "Still it's been generations since I've interacted with another sentient being, how can you be sure that I'm not some capricious soul and will abandon you?"

"That would go against the Code, which you died for."

"Yes, but the Code changed drastically from the time I lived to the present."

"True, but still you honor the core, the intent of the Code, to serve, to aid. I need help to find my wife, Mara; you know the area, you probably even know a way to reach her. I only ask for you to show me the way."

She tilted her head in acquiescence, "Well spoken, Master Skywalker." The specter smirked at his surprise, "Yes, I know who you are. After all I am one with the Force," she reminded him. "Unlike that son of a Hutt, Exar, I can leave Mayastria and join the Force completely, but I choose not to."

Although thoughts of Mara and her current situation were still present in him mind, Luke couldn't help but become curious over her words. "Why not?"

"I'm waiting for someone."

"It seems like you've been waiting an awfully long time."

"What is time to one who is no longer living?"

"Still, it must get lonesome."

She giggled at his remark, "I see you have yet to understand, Master Skywalker. I am never alone; the Force is my constant companion, and though you cannot see or feel them, other souls reside and visit Mayastria as well. Does this contradict what you know?"

"I just remember a time at Yavin IV when," he shivered as he recalled when his spirit was imprisoned. "If not for my students...but besides Exar taunting me, there was no one else."

"Perhaps it was because you were desperately clinging to your mortal life, you couldn't hear the voices of your former masters. Perhaps it was because like all beings you were afraid of the unknown, and therefore unable to feel the essence of the Force." She then smirked, "Or perhaps it just wasn't your time. The Force does work in mysterious ways." She suddenly became serious once again, "However, that should be a discussion for another day. I fear our original conversation has veered off course. You were looking for your wife."

"She and another fell off a cliff and the current swept them down here. Where does the river flow to?"

The spirit turned and lifted her finger to point the direction of the river. As she spoke, a small beam of light seemed to illuminate a path for Luke to follow. "The river continues to travel underground for another 600 meters before it stops at what is now an underground lake. Your wife and companion are most likely in the former courtyard of the monument that once existed." She noticed Luke's hesitation, "You seem apprehensive."

"I'm not sure why, but this area reminds me of a place on Dagobah. Something from the wood..." Luke muttered before glancing back at the woman.

"Most people don't catch that, then again, it's been generations since someone has ventured this far into forest. There is a tree, called 'Lagnim Minr'"

"'Mirror wood?'"

"Close, in my time it translated to 'Tree of Emotion.' Basically, the trees are Force sensitive, and they react to emotions, very strong emotions."

Luke considered her words, along with the impressions he had, "They reflect what a person is feeling."

"Among other things." She added.

"Were there many of these around the monument you spoke of?"

She stared at the Jedi, "They surrounded it."

Understanding began to flood his mind, "You didn't bring the monument down..."

"...they did." She finished for him.

"If I go farther into the heart of this forest, what will I encounter?"

"Only what you bring with you."

"And if I brought a guide..."

"...then I'll show you the way."