Post 4
I'm confused and a wreck, I don't know what to think, say, or do anymore. Sometimes I stare at the ceiling…I can't find words. Something has gone wrong. It wasn't like last time where I went into shock; I now know that his death was the best thing for him. It made me stronger, I don't think I would have made it this far if it weren't for that. I'm asking them to put my case on hold. I don't want anyone doing anything, yet. All I want to do is forget.
Forgetting is easier.
The two shots ricocheted off the hull of the Skate, and the bounty hunters landed with a thud.
Mirax carefully got up, lending her hand to Iella lying next to her. "Who are you? And don't be smart, because I'm not in the mood." Her blaster came out, and was pointed towards the man who had just saved their skin.
"I'm sorry, I was looking for the Pulsar Skate. This is it, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"I'm looking for Anian..." He frowned, thinking. "I don't know her last name."
Iella looked him over. Dark hair, accentuated by cloudy grey eyes. His face was covered with worry lines, although he couldn't be more than 35. She pulled Mirax aside, "There is something very strange going on here, and I think we ought to find out where Anian is. She may be in danger."
"I agree, but how do we do that without letting this guy know?" Mirax looked over her shoulder and glared at the man who was tying up the bounty hunters. He got up and started walking around the ship, searching for something.
"What are you doing? This is my ship and my berth, you can't just walk in and search the place." He stopped and gave her an agonized expression, and turned to face a hidden area on the other side of the ship.
"Come here, tell me if this is her."
Iella and Mirax exchanged shocked expressions, and ran over to his side. There in a crumpled heap lay Anian, not more then skin and bones, and breathing heavily.
Her eyes focused on the two women, "You found me? I'm sorry I was late. I'm sorry they killed you." The she saw the man who had backed away.
She let out a small scream, hysterical and weak. "Get him away. Get purple eyes away." Her eyes flickered for a moment, then more coherently. "They're up to something, something about me being his sister. I don't know what, purple eyes gave me somethingwater, drugs, I don't know, but I can't move." She breathed deeply for a moment, then her eyes rolled back and she was silent.
Iella put her hand to her mouth, "Is she…"
The young man knelt and checked her pulse. "No, she's just exhausted." He glanced suddenly at the two bounty hunters on the floor behind them, motionless. "You guys get her out of here, take her anywhere, away. Tell her I'll come for her. Tell her that Tristan Romani will come and explain all. Whatever you do, do not let her near anyone with purple eyes, or associated with the name Morodin. Do you hear me?"
Mirax pulled him away, "Before we do anything you say you have to tell us who you are, NOW."
"You don't want to get involved."
"I already am."
He stared at her, shifting his eyes to Anian worriedly. "I am Tristan Romani. I am her brother. You will have to take my word for it. She doesn't remember, or understand what went on when she was young. They have done horrible things…" He paused. "No, that's all I can tell you. You must leave. She needs medical attention, but not here in Correlia; they will find you unless you go."
"Who's they?"
He just shook his head mutely, brushed past her, and picked Anian up gently. "Where should I put her?"
Mirax sighed, something was urging her to trust this stranger. Where is Corran when I need him? "The back bunk, strap her in tightly."
He started up the gangplank, then said softly, "Move, you don't have time."
Something in this voice, forced Mirax to comply.
"We're ready, you need to leave now."
Tristan took one last look at the sleeping Anian, kissed her lightly on the forehead, and stood. "Here, I'm a doctor. Give her small portions of food at first, slowly building her up to normal allotments, and give her injections of this." He handed her five vials. "I've given her one already. Remember what I said."
And he was gone.
As they were flying out system, Iella pointed out the viewport. "Isn't that the Sabre?"
"Well I'll be. It is." Mirax turned the antennae, and hit the on switch. "Skate to Sabre, Skate to Sabre."
Mara's voice came back crystal clear. "Mirax, I read you. What is your destination, I'll follow."
"Your home away from home, Coruscant."
"I'll meet you there." Mara clicked off.
Silence.
Iella said what they were both thinking. "I wonder what happened to her."
"I guess we'll see in a week."
Coruscant
"Madame Chief of State, there are two ships requesting landing clearance on your private landing pad."
"Two Ships?" Leia came out of her revere, "Have they identified themselves?"
"Jade Sabre, and the Pulsar Skate."
She looked up from the papers, "Let them land, immediately."
"They requested that you call a medic."
Oh no...
They came silently, with Han coming in first, gingerly moving across the steps delicately, holding a frail young woman. Behind him came Mara, Mirax and Iella, all with tired expressions.
"Look, who I found." Han guiltily smiled, " I was up working on the Falcon."
"There's nothing new about that." Like him, Leia kept her voice just under a whisper. "The medic is on the way" She tilted her head towards the guest room. "Privacy."
"That's where I'm headed."
Leia smiled and turned to her sister-in law and friends. "Care to explain? I thought something had happened to you."
Mara glanced around, "That is Anian."
Mirax broke in. "After Mara got captured, Anian disappeared. Something clearly is wrong, and this was the fastest way to get her help."
"Why didn't you get help at Correllia?" Han called from the doorway.
"There seemed to be more of a danger if we stayed, when we were trying to leave a few bounty hunters tried to kill us, they were looking for Anian." She explained what Anian's brother had told them.
"What's this about Mara being captured?"
Mara took deep breath and explained what had happened, pausing only long enough for the medic to rush in and check on Anian, who was still sleeping soundly.
"I don't understand, they were impersonating the Emperor?"
"No, I don't know, I think there is something bigger behind this. Something is going to happen" she stopped, seeing the medic emerge from the guest room.
"What can you tell me about what happened to this girl?"
Mirax and Iella exchanged looks, "She was missing for about two weeks, and then we found her slumped against the side of our ship looking a little worse then she is now."
"Did she say anything?"
"She thought she had been drugged. Someone we knew gave us some medications and told us to feed her slowly, so she could regain strength."
"Good advice. Whatever he gave you saved her life, she is severely malnutrition, and it …" He hesitated.
"What?" Leia asked.
"It looks like she's been abused." He saw their horrified expressions. "No not that way, she looks like someone has hit her, there are bruises across her back and arms."
Mara blinked, "Oh, I know about those." She turned to Mirax. "The spaceport junkies, remember?" Quickly, she explained to the medic, also telling him about the fever Anian had had earlier. He nodded, gave them more instructions, and left.
"Leia, I'm so sorry to ask this..."
"No don't worry about it, she shouldn't be moved."
They turned suddenly as they heard a wail from the back room, "MARAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Pale, Mara ran to the room to find Anian close to falling out of the bed, eye's wide and staring at the ceiling. Her dark hair was plastered to her forehead. She was breathing heavily. "Anian, take a deep breath."
The girl calmed down and she became more focused. "They didn't kill you did they?"
"No, they didn't. They couldn't, my husband came and saved me."
"My fault."
"No, it wasn't. I'm fine."
Anian broke into sobs, "I remember…there was an explosion. And then I was with the people with funny eyes. They called me Sora, when all the time I wanted to yell, that's not my name. But I couldn't remember it…But I can now….I can now. I knew they weren't my parents. They had funny eyes. They didn't love me. I couldn't love them. Bran…Bran…he… he…left me alone. In the room…I was hungry. And all the time. I kept thinking it was all because I didn't help you."
"Shhh. Shhh, Anian, its ok. I'm ok. It wasn't your fault, none of it was."
"I know." The sobs quieted as she leaned into the pillow slowly dozed off again.
Mara reached out and checked her presence in the Force; it wavered, but burned brightly. She tiptoed out of the room, and saw the worried expressions. "You heard it all, didn't you?"
Iella bit her lip, "She needs help, but right now, help defined is sleep."
Leia stood up and led Mirax and Iella to the door, "Which all of you need, I'll take care of her. Go get some rest."
The door closed behind them, and Leia turned to Mara, "Jaina's Room, now."
"Leia" Mara tried to protest, knowing she needed every minute of rest she could get.
"Now."
That morning, I opened my eyes, and couldn't speak. I couldn't yell, I couldn't whisper. My mouth just wordlessly shaped itself, bringing in air like a fish from Mon Calamari. All I could do was listen to the air go in...out...in...out...
Anian's eyes snapped open. What was that noise? She jumped again. Someone's crying. Rolling out of bed, her legs buckled as they hit the floor. Wincing, she hopped to the door and opened it.
Brown hair peeked over the edge of the couch, and a woman with a tired smile turned from the couch. "Anian, right?" She swiped her hand across her face.
Anian nodded silently. She had seen this woman's face somewhere before. Opening her mouth, she tried to speak. Nothing. She tried again. Silence.
The woman's face twisted into concern. "Anian, is everything ok?"
She shook her head, pointing to her throat she tried again to say something, still quiet. Glancing wildly around the room she looked for paper and pen, and she grabbed the notepad off the desk in the corner and froze. Stupid, stupid, stupid...
The letterhead read:
Chief of State Leia Organa Solo
The New Republic
Coruscant
She pointed to the notepad, and then pointed to Leia. You? She mouthed.
Leia nodded, a worried look on her face. "Do you want me to get Mara?"
Anian shook her head, and remembered why she came out of the room. She grabbed a pen, "What happened, why are you crying?"
Leia stiffened, then spoke carefully and slowly. "You know about the Force, right? I felt that something had happened to my children, I don't know what exactly. I was about to call their academy to find out. I was just waiting for my husband and Chewbacca to get back."
Her mouth formed a little 'O', and she scrawled quickly, "Where's Mara?" The weird feeling in her stomach had gotten worse, and she felt a little sick.
The Chief of State closed her eyes, and let out a little puff of air. "She's awake, she'll be out in a second. Why don't you go back and lie down?"
Anian shook her head vehemently, swaying as a noise from the front doorway surprised her. "NO…TOO MUCH SLEEP…I HAVE TO DO SOMETHING." She glanced up as she saw someone that she had to be stupid not to recognize. Han Solo.
He glanced at her, and asked, "Feeling better?"
She shook her head again and tilted towards the bedroom; all of a sudden, she felt tired again. Someone's hand helped her up and pulled her towards the room, leaving Leia to explain to her husband why she had called them back so soon.
"Anian, you aren't supposed to get out of bed. If you need anything, call out." It was Mara.
Realizing she was still holding the notepad, she scribbled, "I can't. I can't talk." Angry tears filled her eyes, and she wiped them off before handing the tablet back to Mara.
Mara looked at her curiously. "Ok, we'll call the medic and he'll find out why. But you are NOT allowed out of this bed for a while."
"Mara," Leia's voice entered the room, slightly strained. "Can you come here? We're getting a call from Gem Diver Station, it's Luke."
Mara felt his presence, and it felt like something was wrong. "Anian, I need to go and take this…will you be all right for ten minutes?"
The girl nodded, she closed her eyes and turned away from the door, I hope the kids are alright. She closed her eyes and breathed as images flashed byscenes from another lifetime. The same ones, but this time the faces were clearer.
The viewscreen cleared, and Mara stood a little ways back so Luke couldn't see her. He knew she was here, this message was for Leia and Han. In the last few moments before the call came through, Leia had composed herself remarkably well, but Han and Chewie still stood ready, just in case.
Those few moments increased Mara's admiration for the woman she was starting to think of as a sister. A woman whose face was changing into a friend each day that passed.
Luke spoke solemnly, "Leia, I'm sorry, but something has happened."
His sister spoke quickly, "Luke, I know, I felt it. I want to know what exactly, and how we are going to get them back."
Relief showed on his face. "Then you know they're alive."
"Mara told me."
"They were visiting Lando on Gem Diver Station, and they seemed to have been ambushed. They are alive, and so far unhurt. I'm not completely sure what this is about. But I have a feeling it may have to do with what happened to Mara earlier."
"Oh? " Leia set her face in a determined expression. "Luke, I'm coming over there."
"Leia, you know you can't."
"But Luke, they're our children. We can't simply stand by and do nothing if they are in danger."
Han interjected, "Not me, not on your life!"
"Of course not." Mara felt his calming presence, even from so far away. He understood, but believed that he needed to figure this one out. "But as the New Republic's Chief of State, you can't put yourself in that same danger. Mobilize your forces. Start an investigation. Send out spies and probe droids. But stay there and act as a central clearinghouse for information."
Skywalker, you know she wouldn't over use her authority like that. She just like you, can't sit still when there's something to be done.
"All right Luke," she said, not defeated, but resigned. "For now, we'll work from Coruscant. But as soon as we can, we're going to look for them ourselves."
"I'll come and get you in the Falcon," Han said. "That way we can work faster."
"Give some time first, I have a lead I'm going to follow right now, before the trail gets cold. We need to get going."
We? Mara echoed Han's verbal request. She stepped to the right, and saw a young girl with fiery red hair standing behind Luke. Tenal Ka, Heir of Hapes.
Luke introduced her, and then asked to have a few brief words with Mara, the girl stood silently behind him. "Mara, is everything ok with you?"
"Yes, Luke. Hello, Tenal Ka."
"Hello." The girl seemed a little uncomfortable, so Mara turned to Luke. "Be careful, and think of what you're doing."
"I know, I'm being careful. I have a feeling…"
"Don't say it. I know. Just bring them home."
As the link closed, Leia called out one last time, "May the Force be with you."
End Post 4