Luke sat slumped on his chair in a conference room on Naboo only half listening to the others around him. His fist under his chin he focused his eyes off in the distance searching. The others were in the process of planning the "Attack" but Luke just couldn't seem to focus. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this mad at someone but also worried.

Why would she leave him?

Sometimes he just didn't understand women—most of the time actually—and Mara especially. Why did she go off by herself? Didn't she understand yet that they were now a team? What would it prove and more importantly why didn't she include him?

Luke thought that they had finally made progress, that now she could trust him fully and lean on him when she needed to…

"Right Luke?" Leia asked turning all attention to him. He looked at her a bit startled but noticed she expected an answer so he just nodded in agreement with what ever she had asked and went back to his deep thinking.

Ok, so he figured that there is no way he is wrong about her trust. She trusts him, has for years now even grudgingly. He is absolutely sure that she loves him but that would also mean that his worst fears are true. She went after Palpatine alone in order to protect him.

"Blast her," he muttered under his breath and everyone turned to look at him. He slumped further down in his chair and waved them off just as Artoo came through the doors. He rolled over to Luke and let out a few beeps causing Luke to glance up sharply and glare.

"What do you mean stop sulking!" He asked much to the amusement of the rest of the group in the room. Artoo wasn't fazed by his sharp tone at all and answered him with another few firm beeps.

"Mara told you to tell me that?" He repeated and couldn't stop the slight smile from forming, the first in days. Of course Mara said that…

"Wait! When did you talk to Mara?"

Artoo's dome swiveled slightly as if surveying just who is in the room making sure that every one is trust worthy, then beeped again.

"When she left a week ago!"

Obviously it was an affirmative response because Luke scoffed and threw his hands in the air.

"When were you planning on mentioning this?"

Everyone moved forward in their seat to hear the answer. Obi-wan gave an amused glance to Anakin and Padme and they couldn't help but smile in return. They couldn't wait to see more of this Luke. The panicked, annoyed and angry man that only Mara seemed to bring out.

"What do you mean not until today? When did you start listening to anything Mara tells you?"

"Classified?" Luke asks in disbelief looking at Han and Leia in surprise. Leia smiled slightly but didn't want to let on that she was too amused. Han looked deep in thought, his face scrunched and when his eyes narrowed it was obvious to everyone that he came to the conclusion that Jaina had something to do with it.

"Jaina didn't do anything…" Luke made sure to assure as Artoo beeped it at him repeatedly. Han gave a yeah right look and Leia elbowed him.

"This was all Mara," Luke growled and smiled thinly as Artoo began to play the holographic message Mara left.

"This is something I have to do," she began and gave a little smirk that could rival Solo's.

"I know what you're thinking Skywalker—so stop it! I love and trust you and yes I'm doing this to protect you in a way but now I need your help."

Luke smiled bashfully and sat back in a relaxed position. They all listened attentively to Mara as she explained her plan and they grudgingly admitted that her plan of attack is better. After her message ended everyone moved to follow her directions. Obi-Wan and Anakin got on a ship to Kamino—much to Obi-wan's dismay and surprise Dooku, who Mara had traced there. Han couldn't help but be upset because he had to stay on Naboo while Luke awaited further instruction from Mara.

"Yes I understand," Luke said softly and patiently while shielding his presence as he walked down the hall. Artoo followed him beeping all the way with instructions really defeating any purpose to shield at all.

"I got it Artoo!" Luke exclaimed and rolled his eyes as he approached the hanger and Artoo decided that he had badgered enough. Behind a few crates Jaina Solo watched as her Uncle left Naboo on his way to Coruscant and couldn't help but wish she could fly—but she couldn't wait to tell on Lukie. Finally someone else would be in trouble besides her. She smiled and ran off to bed.

Luke watched her from the front window while taking off. He couldn't help but laugh. At least she isn't on board this time. What could she possibly do when they reached Coruscant? Nag Palpatine to death? Or talk him to death of all kind of flying?

Luke laughed then sobered as he thought of Mara. Where had she really been all of this time and why did he have a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. He knew, could feel in the ripples of the Force that this is supposed to happen but what? What would happen when they get Palpatine? Would they return as they are to a new world or the same one or would they have to re live their lives?

What would happen to Mara?

"Sith!" Luke cursed as the thought came to him. She is so worried about his future happiness that she never gave a thought to her own. Will she have her parents to watch out for her or is she destined now to face a childhood of solitude?

Once again, as he had been trying for days, he stretched out with the Force searching for her familiar form.

Nothing.

He didn't know how she closed off from him completely. He couldn't even…it is like she didn't exist anymore and the panic began to rise within him again. The lump in his throat grew as he thought of all the possibilities. He would know if she is dead or in pain but then that would mean that…

"No, she didn't," he whispered not believing it himself but it did make sense. Her plan started to make even more sense and Luke grimaced and willed the ship to go faster. She had told him to shield strongly when he reached planet side so they didn't give away their location. He would of course but at the moment he wondered if he could refrain from killing Mara long enough to let her explain.

"Not good," Mara muttered to herself as she played with a few wires. She made sure to attach the green to the detonator and twist the red attaching it as well. She pulled out some gray clay and smashed against the wall hiding it sight and carefully placed her self made bomb on it.

"That should do it," she said with a small grin and calculated just how many she had set and if it would be enough.

55.

Would it be enough? She had spent the past few hours placing bombs strategically along the floors and walls of the place that had been Palpatine's hideout for years now. The dirty sith…

She trailed off and glanced at her chrono. Luke, if he followed her directions, should be arriving in a matter of minutes and she wanted to be in the "throne room" to greet him. Mara walked slowly over to the crate back pack and shrugged it on causing the creature inside to make a small noise. She would wait until the perfect opportunity to kill the thing so Palpatine won't suspect all that she's done.

She did feel a bit guilty for setting Luke up, even with his shielding he is walking straight into a trap but it was necessary.

"Keep telling yourself that Mara," she scoffed and continued through the hallways and the secret passageways she had discovered over the last day. Her plan couldn't really fail, especially after sabotaging all the escapes and exits. They had to be fast though, only an hour to go before the whole of it would blow.

"Let's just hope we get up to the roof and the ship before that…"

Making the final turn she quickly entered the passageway looking into the main room and as a spy hole and groaned slightly as she heard Luke giving Palpatine a speech. That is her farmboy all right. Even handcuffed he's cheeky. Honestly though what is it with men and talking? If she were in Palpatine's position she wouldn't hesitate, just kill him and get it over with!

That thought caused an involuntary shiver and she sent silent thanks that she wasn't in the villain position in this circumstance. She had already tried to kill Skywalker once and ended up engaged to the man…

Shaking her head to clear her awkward thoughts she put her back pack on the ground and began to rig another slightly less lethal explosive on the crate. This would be the perfect distraction and also a way to hide the knowledge of Yssamilri (too tired to look up spelling) from the past. She honestly had no clue whether the creatures were known of yet but she wouldn't take the chance of that knowledge getting into the wrong hands.

Setting the time for the bomb for ten seconds she made her mad dash across the passage way to the opposite doors and made her presence known just as the corridor exploded. She ran to Luke setting him free while Palpatine yelled out in anger. She gave the old man a smirk and ignited her blue blade.