CHAPTER SEVEN

Mara rose slowly from yet another pallet in the long line of sick beds. A large hut had been constructed to house all the Beresse who had fallen victim to the fever, at least three-quarters of the population. It had been two weeks since Mara had initiated the distress signal from the Sabre, and she feared for the survival of this gentle race if help did not arrive soon.

She pressed her hands against her lower back and rubbed slowly. The now-constant backache was steadily increasing in intensity. Sorada approached her slowly in the semi-darkness, carrying a full water-skin. "You go…rest now," as she motioned Mara toward her hut. Mara entered the small room and arranged herself on what she had come to call a bed. Turning onto her left side, the most comfortable, she placed makeshift pillows between her knees and behind her back. Drifting into a fitful sleep, she dreamt of Luke…holding an infant…

Mara woke suddenly as a vice-like pain gripped her abdomen. What was happening? The bed was wet…. Wet! The amniotic sac had ruptured. That meant she was in labor but it was too soon. She should have four more weeks. Fighting the urge to panic, she changed into dry clothes and went to look for Anise, the clan's equivalent of a midwife. She found her in the sick hut. Anise nodded knowingly as she made her way over to Mara, "It is time."

The next twenty-four hours were the longest of her entire life. Mara had never known such agony was possible. Not even dark side lightning bolts could compare to this pain. At first, the contractions had been several minutes apart and she was able to breathe through them using Jedi relaxation techniques. But, as the night had turned to day and then back to night again, her attempts at relaxation had become futile. The contractions were so close together that she almost couldn't tell them apart anymore. She felt as if her body was being ripped into halves, and she was powerless to stop it.

Sorada and Anise took turns sitting with her, wiping the sweat from her face with cool rags and trying to help her relax. But something wasn't right – she could see it in their eyes. It was taking too long. Anise would occasionally place her hands on either side of Mara's swollen abdomen and press against the baby. Mara finally reached out for her hand and asked in broken Beresse, "What - is wrong?"

"The child has not turned. It will take more time," Anise answered. And, although she was trying to appear calm, Mara could see the fear in her eyes.

No! Mara gritted her teeth in determination. This would not happen again, not like this. This child would live. She would have to be stronger than whatever this night held, for both of them.

Mara's mind cleared briefly through the haze of pain, and she reached over to her worn travel bag. Sorada had entered the room and she motioned both of them over to her. Pointing out the New Republic crest on the bag, she spoke slowly between contractions, "Men will come…wearing this symbol. If anything happens…to me…give them my child…and this." Reaching into the bag, she pulled out her lightsaber. "They will know what to do."

Slumped in the cockpit of his X-wing after a set of particularly intense training maneuvers over Obroa-Skai, Gavin Darklighter gave the flashing light of the N.R. security channel an irritated glance. So much for dinner at home tonight. He keyed to receive and was cut off by a hyper-sounding male voice, "Rogue Lead, this is New Republic intelligence. We've received a report of a distress signal and hostile activities in the Myrkr system. The contact was prevented from investigating by a fleet of heavily armed ships entering the system. The distress signal was somewhat scrambled, but it appears that the signature matches that of the Jade Sabre."

It was Gavin's turn to cut him off as he sat bolt upright, "We're on it!"


The late afternoon sun shone through the window as Sorada pulled a blanket up over Mara. She was washing her hands over a bowl when Miti burst through the door. "Daka!" he shouted, pulling her out of the hut. "Daka!" Squinting against the glare, she looked to where he was pointing, and her heart froze. A large, decrepit looking shuttle had landed on the outskirts of the colony. The Thieves had returned.

Several of the large, burly men were emerging from the empty storehouses. Recognizing the clan Matriarch, they stalked toward her. "Where?" the largest one shouted angrily.

Sorada turned to push Miti back inside the hut, but the Thief pulled a blaster and fired a shot into Miti's leg. The child screamed and fell to the ground

Sorada stepped in front of the hulking figure who pointed the blaster at her face, "Where?" His breath stank of old food and drink, his eyes glazed with hatred.

Several clansmen were running in her direction but she waved them away. If some of them could just escape, her death would hold some meaning. She turned to face the man with a steady gaze…

And the shuttle behind them exploded in a ball of fire, as a small ship with wings in the shape of an X roared over the village. The impact knocked Sorada and the Thieves to the ground as chaos erupted in the village. Sorada struggled to her feet and pulled Miti inside the hut. Fumbling through Mara's bag, she withdrew the lightsaber and trained her eyes on the door as the sound of blaster fire rang throughout the forest.

Eventually, all was quiet. Sorada peered out through the door. Miraculously, very little of the village was damaged. A few trees had been burned but only the Thieves appeared to have suffered any harm. Men in strange orange clothing were restraining the Thieves that had not been rendered unconscious by the blast. One of the new men removed his head covering and it was then that Sorada saw it - the symbol that Mara had shown them.

Still clutching the lightsaber, Sorada hurried toward the man and waved to catch his attention. He startled at the sight of her but made no hostile advances. She knew she had his full attention when his eyes fell on the weapon in her hand and the color drained from his face. "Please…help," she turned and motioned him toward the hut.

Once inside, she started to guide him over to Mara's bed, but found that it was unnecessary. He was already kneeling beside her, his hands trembling slightly as he pulled back the cover and pushed a strand of red-gold away from her face. His comlink crackled, "We've found the Jade Sabre. Moving to begin search-"

"Horn here. Never mind that," he announced grimly. "I found Mara."

Sorada held the lightsaber out to him and he accepted it slowly, attaching it to his belt as he stood. He scanned the interior of the hut and watched as the older female leaned over a small basket to lift a tiny bundle wrapped in blankets. Smiling softly, she placed the infant in his arms.

To be continued…