CHAPTER NINE

Leia walked the crying infant throughout the corridors of the Falcon. "Shhh, sweetie," she spoke gently and repeatedly. "I know. I know. We'll be home soon." Mara had awakened briefly after they had cleared the effect of the ysalamiri, but then slipped back into her fever-induced sleep.

Walking back to the sick bay, Leia felt a subtle shift in Mara's presence. Reaching the bunk, she noticed that Mara's breathing had slowed…far too much. Rushing to the cockpit, she thrust the baby at Han, "Take her. Something's wrong with Mara," she called back to him as she disappeared around the corner.

Han looked down at the small red face, now wailing furiously. Chewie glanced over and woofed softly. "You said it, pal. She reminds me of her mother already."

Leia leaned over Mara's still body. "Mara?" she shook her shoulders gently. "Mara, wake up!" There was no response. "No!" she cried.

Kneeling beside the bunk, she noticed rivets of blood trickling down the side of the bed and pooling on the floor beside her. Grasping Mara's hands, she reached out through the Force. Mara's presence was still there…barely. Focusing through the Force, Leia pictured her hands joining with Mara's own. Hold on, Mara. We're almost there.

The inner voice that answered was so faint that Leia almost couldn't hear it, …trying…my baby?…

Clutching her hands tighter for emphasis, Leia replied, Your daughter is fine. Just hold on to me. You'll see her soon.

But even as she spoke, she could feel Mara slipping from her grasp. "Anakin!" she called. "Help me!"

Anakin came running to find his mother kneeling beside Mara, beads of perspiration trickling down her face. "Help me hold her," she gasped.

Anakin perched on the edge of the bunk and placed his hands on top of Leia's. Closing his eyes, he found Mara's weak presence in the Force. Reaching out toward the flicker of light that was her spirit, he wrapped his arms around her and held her with all his might.


A statuesque figure in black watched as the Millennium Falcon pivoted to land in the hangar of the medical center. Robes swirling in the sudden gusts of air, the Jedi Master strode toward the passenger entrance and was on board before the ramp was fully descended.

Inside, Mara felt herself slipping. She'd fought for…how long? The promise. She'd made a promise to Luke not to give up. She must see her child. She must live. She'd promised.

She rallied once again, supported by Leia, whose presence was overshadowed by that of Anakin. But it wasn't enough. The pain was fading. If she would just let go, peace awaited her.

She was falling…

falling…

Her descent was halted by a powerful embrace that encircled her, body and soul. The commanding yet familiar presence glowed with blinding light through the Force and spoke with a gentle strength that transcended all her pain and weakness, I'm here, my love. I've got you. I won't let you go. Luke. He was here, with her. A single tear slid down her cheek as the calming waves of a healing trance washed over her.

Luke lifted Mara from the blood-soaked blankets and glanced briefly at Leia and Anakin, both collapsed on the deck and panting from exhaustion. Before he could speak, Leia waved him away, "We're fine. Go."

Luke hurried out of the sick bay but stopped abruptly at the top of the exit ramp. Han was standing there, looking frazzled and awkwardly bouncing an apparently inconsolable infant.

Luke's heart froze in his chest. His arms ached to reach out for the child, but Mara... Instead, he reached out through the Force and brushed the child's presence with a reassuring caress. Almost instantly, the crying stopped and was followed by peaceful sleep.

Han looked up at him with a crooked grin, "Now, that's a trick worth knowing."


Alone in the waiting area of the medical suite, Luke turned as the physician entered through a whoosh of doors. He was an older man whose sharp eyes regarded Luke carefully. "Your wife is in critical condition, but stable. She arrived in a state of septic shock, caused by an infection in the blood stream. This was, no doubt, a result of the difficult condition in which she gave birth. Fortunately, she does seem to be responding well to the fluid resuscitation and antimicrobial therapy."

Crossing his arms in front of him, he continued, "The second problem is a little more serious. She has developed a condition called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation. This is a rare but deadly complication of sepsis and childbirth in which the blood forgets, if you will, how to clot properly. There is either too much clotting in places where it is not needed, such as the fingers and toes; or there is no clotting at all, resulting in the profuse hemorrhaging that we have seen in your wife.

We are treating her with transfusions, but there is no specific cure for this condition. It may resolve once the sepsis is cured, but we can only wait and see." He paused and reached out to grasp Luke's arm, "We are doing everything we can. I'll keep you informed."

Luke nodded slowly, "Thank you."

A young medical assistant from the nursery ward entered as the physician left, "Master Skywalker," she spoke timidly. "You can come back now."

Luke followed her into a small, softly lit room furnished simply with a small conversation circle, a bassinet, a table and a rocking recliner. Motioning for Luke to sit in the recliner, she disappeared into an adjacent room. She returned carrying a small bundle of blankets. Eyes stinging with tears, Luke reached out for his child. "It's time for her to eat," the young assistant said, placing a nurser bottle on the table. "Will you be all right?"

"Yes," Luke whispered. He did not look up as she left the room, his eyes transfixed on the infant in his arms. He doubted he had ever seen anything so beautiful. A tiny fist was balled up against her pudgy cheek, trying to find its way to the little mouth that smacked in anticipation. Luke laughed as he pulled the blanket back from her face and a tuft of strawberry blond hair stuck straight up on top of her head. He reached down and smoothed her hair with a hand that suddenly seemed too big, and was rewarded with a flash of the most brilliant blue eyes he had ever seen.

Father and daughter regarded each other thoughtfully. "Hi there," he spoke softly. "Remember me? We met earlier, but I had to take care of your mother for a while. Do you forgive me?" As if on cue, she broke into a smile – a smile that immediately turned into a pout as she finally shoved her fist into her mouth. "Oh, right," Luke reached over for the bottle and settled back into the recliner, rocking slowly as his daughter drank...content at last.

To be continued...