Chapter 11
Mara woke the next morning to cloud-diffused light glowing dimly in her bedroom. The muted orange from the opaque windows reminded her of the eerie glow of firelight or the dying sunset on Tatooine. It was strangely beautiful in its understatement. Rubbing grit from her eyes, she sat up, recovering from her brief disorientation before remembering that she had fallen asleep in her old room at Bast Castle.
Wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, she went to the small adjoining room outside the sleeping quarters, her eyes taking in the faded elegance. The years may not have been kind to the castle on the surface, but the quality of the contents still looked as if they refused to give up their dignity, even under a blanket of dust and debris. She was marveling at the intricate carving on the large desk by the window, when a light blinking on the holo station caught her eye. Approaching the desk, she entered the security code for access. Strangely, it was a memo instructing the housekeeper, Myr, to place items that would be arriving via droid courier into the safe in Mara's room.
Perplexed, Mara knelt in front of the secured compartment beside the desk. She keyed in one of Vader's old codes to open the safe, hoping it would be successful. It wasn't. She concentrated and tried again. After four failed attempts she began to get exasperated, and then it came to her. She entered the code "Luke", and the compartment opened. She was startled at the contents.
Inside the safe was her old lightsaber - the one that had been confiscated after her return from the aborted mission to kill Luke on Tatooine. She withdrew it and ran her thumb along the ridges and bumps on its cool exterior. She touched her thumb to the activator button, and pushed it hesitantly. The red blade flared to life with a snap hiss. She waved it around as a feeling of nostalgia washed over her at the familiarity of its balance and weight.
She had argued with Vader during its construction. In typical teenage fashion, she had wanted a fancier duel-ended saber. He had refused, telling her she could waste time with a more advanced saber after she'd mastered her weak low block and disgraceful over-the-shoulder rear parry. He had never seen the need for a lightsaber that was anything but functional. Mara smiled at the memory. Come to think of it, she still had a disgraceful rear parry.
But why would Vader have sent her lightsaber here? At least, she assumed he had sent it – who else knew about her chambers here or about Myr, for that matter? She placed the saber on the desk, wondering, Why would he have bothered to retrieve it at all?
Reaching into the safe, she removed the remaining item: a small case that looked like it had been to every corner of the galaxy and back. She opened the scratched and dented cover to find a datapad that was almost as scuffed as the case. Lowering herself to the floor, Mara leaned against the wall and keyed to display the information on the datacard. Again, a security code was required. She entered in "Luke" and the data streamed forth on the display.
The file contents appeared to be a series of data and credit transfers between a name that she recognized as a Black Sun operative and part-time bounty hunter, and the code name that Vader had occasionally used when concealing communications from the Emperor, Black King. Mara knew that Vader was a wealthy man and that he had expended a sizable sum of resources in the search for his son. If the staggering amount of credit transfers referenced on the datapad were any indication, the agent and part-time bounty hunter must have been searching for information about Luke.
Scanning the datapad index, she keyed to open a holo file and the face that appeared shocked her to the core. For the first time in over 30 years, Mara gazed at the strange but familiar image of her mother.
She dropped the datapad as if it had delivered an electric shock and scooped it up again immediately, protectively. Inhaling a ragged breath, she brushed the screen with her fingertips. Her mother's face was older than Mara remembered, with streaks of grey throughout her thick, red hair. Her face was leaner and more pale than Mara remembered. Her eyes, green like Mara's, gazed into the distance with an infinitely sad expression.
The room seemed to shift around Mara. She had experienced Force visions of events yet to come, but never of the past. The long-forgotten memories assaulted her in vivid succession. She remembered one of the last nights her mother had tucked her into bed-
"Why is my name different from yours, Momma?"
"Well, sweetie, I wasn't always a hyperdrive mechanic," the beautiful woman said with a smile. "And the people who knew me, where I used to live, do not need to know that you are mine. Besides, Jade is a beautiful name, don't you think? It matches your eyes."
"Who are they? Why can't they know that you are my momma?"
Her mother brushed a hand across Mara's small cheek, "I'll explain it when you're older, but…you have a special gift. We both have it. And listen very carefully, if you're ever in trouble, if they ever try to take you away, I want you to think about me just as hard as you can and call me, in your mind. I will hear you. Do you understand?"
Her minds' eye shifted to another time, when her world changed forever. The day the clone troopers had come to her school and gathered all the children for an annual "blood test"-
Mara had heard about the blood tests that every child took their first year of school, and she certainly wasn't afraid, but the man in white armor had made her friend, Karil, cry. No one hurt her friends and, as payback, she kicked the first trooper who approached her and made quite a scene as he pressed the sharp device to her arm.
Mara smiled smugly until the commanding officer grew very still at the result of her test and muttered something under his breath to the trooper with the colored shoulder armor. Ten of the men in white ran past her with blasters drawn. She heard the word "Jedi" muffled beneath their helmets.
And suddenly, Mara understood about her "special gift." She'd seen her mother's laser sword one time in a locked cabinet. Jedi were enemies of the State, everyone knew that, and the troops heading toward her home could only mean one thing. Closing her eyes, Mara pictured her mother as hard as she could and screamed in her mind, "Run, Momma! RUN!"
The images shifted again and Mara remembered being led away to a shuttle and the small room where she sat alone on the spaceship. And then the first time she was taken before the Emperor-
Who are your parents, child?" his voice grated from beneath a black hood.
"They're dead." Mara faced the old man resolutely, banishing all thoughts of her mother from her mind.
He smiled, a horrible sight, "Do not worry, child. You will forget them soon enough."
Mara brushed unexpected moisture from her palms as a sick feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach. Why would Vader have a holo of her mother? Surely, after all these years, he hadn't hunted her down to kill her. Her mind worked furiously. She squelched the bitter bile rising in her throat. There could be no other explanation. Her face burned in anger and she swatted angrily at tears. With a trembling hand, she keyed for the next data entry.
Log 22332:101:90
Screen: Security Level 0-1
Black King
Enclosed you will find a lightsaber belonging to your daughter. I cannot divulge details, but I wish to assure you that she is alive. You are being delivered enough unmarked credits and igniots to see that she is freed.
The agent delivering this message is one of my most trusted and will see to it that the job is done if you wish to use his services. He will not reveal who I am, for fear of death, but rest assured – I know you and what you did in your former life. Our paths have crossed before. The cell she is being held in on the planet Tynnis IV is CVB1145. I cannot reveal any more information without bringing unneeded attention to myself and possibly making her chances for escape a moot point, as she would be killed were it to come to light that I have been in contact with you.
My agent will instruct you further. He has the coordinates of the Imperial prison and a ship to take you there. Anything further is out of my hands. May the Force be with you.
The final transmission originated from Vader's secret agent and was addressed to Myr, the timestamp indicated it was delivered after the Battle of Endor:
Target located – deceased prior to acquisition. Cause of death - natural causes.
Mara stared numbly at the datapad. She had never dared to hope that she would find her mother. The holo alone and the memories it evoked were more than she had ever expected to recover of her past. And yet Vader had found her…the only other person in the galaxy that would have cared, back then, whether Mara lived or died…
Mara rose stiffly to her feet as the significance of Vader's correspondence to her mother wrapped itself slowly around her heart.
"I'll see your broad swipe and move my gundark to seven," Han Solo said with supreme satisfaction. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his leg over his knee and his arms across his chest.
"That is illegal, Solo." Anakin scowled at his son-in-low across the Dejarik board. "Put it back," he said slowly.
"Oh, no. The gundark can move to seven, ask Lando," Han said, looking back over his shoulder to Lando for support. "Tell him, buddy."
"Um, I don't really remember how the gundark moves, Han, old buddy," Lando said with a nervous laugh. "I think I'll go see how Luke and the ladies are doing in kitchen." He jumped up and left the room.
"See, I thought so," Anakin said as he sat back and crossed his arms. "You are not cheating me, you pirate."
"Where is Threepio?" Han said, feigning hurt. "Princess, bring Goldenrod in here so we can get this straight!"
Leia came into the room with Jacen.
"I'll go get him, Dad!" Jacen said, already running to the back where Threepio was reading a story to Anakin.
"Jacen ," Leia started, but halted as her oldest son bolted from the room.
"Okay, you two, this is getting ridiculous. You are NOT using my droid to break up an argument, and that is that." She put her hands on her hips and looked to the two men.
"Oh, how clever of General Solo…," they heard Threepio say as he followed Jacen down the hall to the dining room where the Dejarik board sat. "Using a gundark for seven is being done by the professionals now. How impressed I am that he is using the standard only set out four months ago," the droid said as he stopped beside the table and looked to Anakin and Han.
"See?" Han said with satisfaction. "A new move." He smiled and leaned forward. "You really should be watching more Dejarik on the holo, old man."
"Old man…?" Anakin said as leaned forward over the game table to meet Han half way. "I'll show you 'old man'," he said as he lowered his voice in a mock menacing tone.
"I can give you a haircut from a mile away, with my eyes closed. And you would only suffer minor burns," he finished menacingly.
"Hah!" Han laughed nervously and sat back. "You're kidding, right?'
"Oh, no. That's fine. I am away from the game for thirty years, and I'm supposed to know when the rules change. I understand completely," Anakin said. The seriousness of his tone belied the mischief twinkling in his eyes. He loved his son-in-law dearly, but every once in awhile he had to remind Han of his ability to make him sweat.
He looked to Threepio. "And you… I built you," he said as he stood up from the table.
"Oh, dear…," the droid said. "I do apologize, Master Anakin, but the rules are the rules."
Anakin just shook his head and laughed, "Well, I am extremely glad that some things never change, Threepio." He smacked the droid on the shoulder, causing Threepio to stumble forward.
"Why, Thank you, Master Ani."
Anakin turned and scowled at the droid and then turned to follow Leia to the kitchen.
"I need an ale."
Leia laughed and put her arm around her father's waist as they walked to the kitchen.
"See? You haven't learned to ignore Han the way I have," she said with a chuckle.
Luke stood leaning against the kitchen counter talking to Lando and Tendra. He looked to his father and raised his eyebrows. "So, who won?"
"That son of a ," Anakin started.
"Well, I did. Of course," Han said as he came in to the kitchen. He flashed Luke, Lando and Tendra a huge grin. "The big guy here is good with a lightsaber, but just like piloting –," he finished with a flourish.
Luke looked to Leia and smothered a warning grin.
"Oh look! What is this?" Leia jumped in. She picked up a package lying on the counter wrapped in plain brown paper.
"This ," Anakin said, as he grabbed the package out of Leia's hands and held it out to Han. "…is a little gift for my favorite son-in-law." He leaned forward and looked at Han challengingly.
"I'm your only son-in-law," Han said as he cautiously took the package from Anakin.
"Thank the gods," Anakin mumbled as he stepped back to lean on the counter beside Luke, who looked at him as if to say – "What have you done, now?"
Anakin smirked at his son and winked.
Han opened the package as if it contained a thermal detonator. He tore the paper from the box and lifted the lid. Once inside the box, he pulled away the tissuplast to reveal a statuette of the bounty hunter Boba Fett cast in carbonite. His jaw dropped.
Luke put his hand over his mouth, but was unable to suppress the snigger that escaped. Lando laughed out loud, while Tendra looked on in confusion.
Leia shook her head and ran her fingers between her eyebrows. Moons, the men in her life…
"Why, thank you - DAD," Han said forcefully. He turned the statuette over in his hand and shook his head.
Anakin pushed himself forward from the counter and put his arm around Han, "You know, Solo? I wouldn't trust my daughter with anyone else. Come, let me tell you the secret to making the Kessel run in 10 seconds," he said with a laugh.
He slid his arm from around his son-in-law and clapped him on the shoulder. Han returned the gesture and the two men returned to the living area to continue drinking and dredging up old pilot stories.
Later that night, after Anakin had returned to his apartment, the comm sounded and his Noghri bodyguard, Epakch, moved swiftly to answer the call.
"Lord Skywalker," he returned and approached Anakin. "Lady Jade is here to see you."
Anakin stood, his brows drawn together in surprise, "Show her in."
"Immediately, my Lord," Epakch said with a bow as he turned and left the room silently.
Mara followed the Noghri into the common area of the apartment.
Anakin was standing at the viewport and turned to face Mara as she arrived. He studied her for a second and then turned to the Noghri. "You may leave us, Epakch. Thank you."
Mara nodded to the silent Noghri as he left. She looked up at Anakin hesitantly then averted her eyes, "I'm sorry it's so late. Am I disturbing you?"
"No," he motioned jerkily toward one of the chairs. "Please…sit." He regarded her pallor and red-rimmed eyes with trepidation and concern as he sat down across from her and crossed one black-booted leg over his knee.
Mara turned her nervous gaze to the floor and spoke quickly, "Luke probably told you already, but I had to make a quick business trip for my former employer."
Anakin nodded patiently for her to go on.
"It was on…Vjun, of all places," she added and then glanced up at him briefly. "I don't suppose you've ever been back there, have you?"
Anakin raised his eyebrows at the mention of his former home and shook his head, "No, I haven't, actually. Is Bast still standing?" He gave a small smile and pressed his lips together. He already knew the answer. The Empire had gutted anything belonging to the traitor Darth Vader with wild abandon. Luckily, Varykino had remained tucked away secretly.
Mara shifted awkwardly in her chair, unaccustomed to sitting in Anakin's presence, "Yes. It's somewhat dilapidated, but not completely uninhabitable. I didn't plan to go there, but I felt…something…calling me. Luke would say it was the Force, and he'd probably be right, this Jedi business is still new to me, but I remembered…," Mara knew she was rambling, but continued before she lost her nerve. "I remembered the first time you took me there and how I got sick. You covered for me when the Emperor wanted…something, I don't even know what. I don't think I ever thanked you, did I? That was rude of me." She paused, thinking how distantly polite that last statement sounded, and held out the datapad with a trembling hand, "And…I found this."
Anakin reached over and took it from her slowly and scanned the information on the screen. He continued staring at the screen until Mara thought the data might be somehow missing, then finally looked up at Mara and frowned. He said sadly, "I am sorry. I was afraid that she was dead, but I felt the need to try."
She stared at the datapad in his hands, "She was a Jedi, wasn't she?"
"Yes," he answered quietly. "She was one of the many who left the Order at the beginning of the Clone Wars. It took me a while to trace you back to her after your imprisonment -" he paused. "She was the only person I felt I could trust to try to find you…"
"Why didn't you tell me that at the party? All this time I thought-" Mara's voice broke and she swallowed hard.
Anakin placed the datapad on the table beside him, his deep baritone voice taking on a comforting tone, "I did not think that you were ready to hear it, Mara. I am a firm believer in the Force showing us the way. It has now shown you and you are a better person for it, are you not?" he said with a reassuring smile.
He reached over and laid a hand on top of hers. "I would have gone for you myself, but I was incapacitated for a long time after what happened on the Death Star. Luke told me that the physicians gave him little hope for my survival for most of that first year. And, by the time I was able to function independently, the New Republic had already released you from prison."
Anakin leaned forward, his eyes boring into hers, "You were willing to die for me once, Mara. Can you forgive me instead?"
The tears that had been threatening to overwhelm Mara spilled down her face as she nodded, smiling. "I…missed you," she whispered.
Anakin reached and brushed the moisture from her cheek with his thumb and smiled in return, "I missed you, too."
He withdrew his hand and stood up to his full height and drew Mara into an embrace. She sighed and laid her head against his broad chest as she had wanted to do so many times in her youth, when both of their lives had been cast in darkness. Anakin stepped back and held her at arm's length.
"I am very proud of you," he said with a smile. "You will be a fine Jedi."
Mara dried her face with her palms and laughed shortly, "That remains to be seen. I've already told Luke I'm not giving up my blasters."
"There is no reason for you to," Anakin handed her a cup of water from the dispenser and lowered himself again into the chair. "You should make use of all of the Emperor's training."
She settled on the lounger beside him, "Speaking of - you really threw him down a reactor shaft?" She cocked an eyebrow at him and grinned, "I would have loved to have seen that."
"Oh, yes," he said with a smirk. "I cannot tell you how much it hurt. However, were it not for being fried in my very skin, I do believe it would have been the most fun I had ever had. Okay, maybe not the most fun…," he corrected himself.
Mara sputtered in her water glass, looking up at him surprise...and laughed, truly laughed, for the first time in a very long while.
to be continued...