Chapter 11: Sage Advice
Long after darkness had fallen, Luke sat alone in the hut of his late master. After a long, silent trip back across the desert, Mara had retreated to her cabin onboard the Emerald Dawn. Luke had tried to use the silent time alone to meditate before their planned departure from Tatooine in the morning. He had not been able to find the concentration to properly immerse himself in the Force, however, and Luke had come out to the Obi-Wan's former home, hoping that the lingering presence of the old Jedi would aid him. Luke was disappointed to discover that his luck was no better in the hut.
Luke stared at the dim glowlamp, listening to the sounds of the nocturnal creatures of Tatooine echo across the rock formations near the hut. He couldn't even maintain focus on the night noises, however, as his mind kept returning to what he had seen and felt that day in Jabba's palace. The lingering hate that he had felt caused him to shudder once more. He couldn't believe that Mara would have been capable of the impersonal enmity he had felt emanating from her residual Force signature. Luke didn't even know how such detached animosity was possible, especially towards him.
One explanation kept jumping out at Luke, but he didn't want to believe it. Luke knew that the most likely reason for Mara's nightmares and skills, even her presence at Jabba's palace, was that she was one of the Emperor's agents. The vile Sith continued to haunt his life. Luke was now faced with a woman who had killed for Palpatine. The Emperor had likely bent her will to his own. The impersonal hatred was due to the fact that it wasn't hers. It was the Emperor's. The Emperor had turned her into a tool to carry out his personal vendettas and schemes.
Luke buried his face in his hands as his mind once again rebelled at the idea that the Emperor was capable of such complete domination of someone's spirit. But Luke knew it was true. His father had been the Emperor's pawn for years, beaten down by the tyrant's will until Luke had brought the good out of the man within the armor. Luke could only hope that he would be able to succeed once more in breaking the Emperor's hold whenever Mara's memory returned. He knew now that her memory would return. Through the Force, Mara would have the ability to regain her life and Luke would not, could not, keep that from her. He just hoped he was strong enough to face the consequences. Luke had never asked for these burdens.
"No one ever asks for them, but you have to take them on anyway."
Turning to face the door of the hut, Luke saw the shimmering spirit of Obi-Wan Kenobi enter his former home. The old Jedi gave him a gentle smile and sat down on a bench against the wall of the room. Luke gave his old master a halfhearted smile before turning to look down at the table in front of him, still too troubled by his thoughts to greet Obi-Wan properly. "Things were so much easier when it was more than just me."
Obi-Wan leaned forward in his seat to be nearer to his former pupil. "You're never truly alone, Luke. You carry the spirits of all those you have lost within you. Look to your memories for guidance and trust in the Force."
Luke slowly raised his head to look upon Obi-Wan's shimmering form. "I know, but it's not the same. No one understands what I feel. It's like the Force is setting me apart from everyone else."
"But it doesn't have to be that way. Your sister has the potential to be a great Jedi with proper training and…" Obi-Wan's voice trailed off as he turned his gaze in the direction of the unseen transport sitting outside.
Luke followed the old Jedi's look before glancing at his former teacher out of the corner of his eye. "I don't doubt that Mara has the potential to be a Jedi, but there's so much I don't know about her. Things that not even she knows."
"You're afraid that you won't be able to overcome her past."
Luke snapped his head around to face the glowing spirit of his old master. Sometimes, the way dead Jedi could read him was quite unnerving. Obi-Wan had a point, however. Luke wasn't sure if he could handle his suspicions being confirmed, but that depended more on Mara than anything else. If she was in fact what he feared she was, Mara's reaction to him once her memories returned had the potential to break him. "I think she was an assassin for the Emperor. One sent after me. I'm even starting to wonder if this is some sort of ploy to make me drop my guard."
Obi-Wan leveled an impassive gaze at his former student. "Do you really think she wants to kill you?"
Luke shook his head in response to Obi-Wan's question. He was letting his paranoia get to him. If Mara really wanted to kill him, she had plenty of opportunities to do so and her emotions in the Force had always felt genuine. Mara didn't want to kill him. Not yet, at least.
"Good. Trust your instincts." Obi-Wan rose from his seat and motioned for Luke to follow him outside. Luke soon complied and stood next to the shimmering specter under the clear night sky. The pair stood silently, surveying the darkened desert landscape before them. They watched the sands shift, driven along by the night breeze.
Luke soon found himself distracted by the sight of the transport to their side, however. He was starting to feel Mara's troubled emotions in the Force. The nightmares had come again this night. Luke addressed Obi-Wan without taking his gaze off the transport. "Do you know anything of her?"
"Regretfully, it is not my place to say. Trust in the Force and have faith in yourself. You don't need an old man guiding you anymore. I'm sure you'll make the right decisions."
Luke turned to look at his Obi-Wan, sensing that the spirit's time with him was coming to an end. He gave his old teacher a grateful smile. The old Jedi's words had put Luke at ease for this night at least. Tomorrow, his doubts may return, but Luke could face that when and if it came.
Obi-Wan returned Luke's smile before starting to fade away. "The Force will be with you. Always."
Luke's gaze lingered on the empty spot where the specter had stood before turning back to face the transport. Feeling Mara's troubled emotions hit him in the Force, Luke started to jog toward the ship. He would make his decisions and let life take its path from there. On this night at least, Luke could face any obstacles in his way.