A/N: Why, look, Hell hath frozen over because it is a new chapter of that story that everyone thought the author had abandoned...Sleight of Hand! No, really, it's a new chapter!
Many, many thanks to Urazz, Sithspawned, RivendellWriter, SeanWH, Miyabi Ningyou, Abhisek, DarkAngelius, GreatOne (poke!), Zsych, Mara look-a-like, MikeRPG, Cacrocks1, and DMS for not giving up on this story. I appreciate it muchly. :)
And now on to the story...
Judging by the very skeptical look she threw his way, Luke figured that Mara was less than impressed with her first glimpse of Dagobah. He caught that glance and grinned at her. Artoo gave a pathetic little bleep at being back on the planet where something had tried to eat him the first time. Luke patted the droid comfortingly as he tried to reassure Mara at the same time.
"I know, I know. It doesn't look like much, but trust me, there's more here than meets the eye."
One eyebrow raised in a perfect arch as she gave him that sardonic expression she was so good at. "If I didn't trust you, Luke, I wouldn't be here."
"Important, trust is. Need it, you will."
At the quietly spoken words from behind them, Mara jerked around with a gasp. Luke, with a smile for his teacher, turned with a much more relaxed air. Something sounding remarkably like a raspberry emitted from Artoo and Luke took a moment to give his droid an exasperated glance and a sharp rap on the dome.
"Master Yoda. It's so good to see you again," Luke said and he could sense Mara's shock that this tiny creature was the Jedi Master they'd come to meet.
"To see you, it is good as well, young Luke. Brought someone to see me, you have?" Yoda said with a little chuckle.
"Yes, Master. This is Mara Jade. She's also a member of the Alliance, and she's Force-sensitive."
Yoda squinted at Mara, and she gave him an awkward little nod of her head. He smiled at her, and she had the feeling of having passed some sort of test.
"Jade. Jade. Yes, knew your father, I did."
Mara's mouth fell open in shock. How could this being know her father? She had never known her father.
"Y-you knew my father? How?"
"A Jedi Knight, he was. Rescued your mother from kidnappers, he did. Hum, did a little more than rescue, I would say!" Yoda said and cackled at his own joke.
Mara blushed at the reference to her parents' liaison, but there was a question that she had been wanting to ask her entire life.
"Why didn't he stay with her?"
Yoda sighed. "Not the way of the Jedi, to raise a family. Agreed, your parents did, that it was best for Riann to raise you alone."
"Not the way of the Jedi?! My mother struggled and fought for years trying to raise me and this Jedi just had his fun and then decided it would be best for her to handle that burden alone?" Mara demanded.
"Mara-" Luke said as he put a warning hand on her shoulder.
"No, valid her questions are. Her anger, however, she must learn to control if to be a Jedi, she is."
"Maybe I don't want to be a Jedi!"
"Mara!" Luke said, shocked.
She shrugged Luke's hand off her shoulder and turned to glare at him.
"I mean it, Luke. How could I want to be a part of something that would be so callous as to abandon a woman having a child?"
"Know the whole story, you do not, young Jade!" Yoda said sharply. "Helped as much as he was able to, your father did. That you would be Force-sensitive, he guessed. Wanted to train you as a Jedi then, but allow it, your mother would not. When only four years old you were, he was killed…" Yoda paused and glanced at Luke. "…by Darth Vader."
Luke paled and Mara drew in a sharp breath. Her anger at her father melted away to be replaced with renewed anger at the monster who'd stolen so much of her life already.
"What was his name?" Mara asked suddenly. Yoda turned a questioning gaze back to her. "My father. What was his name? I never even knew that much."
"Adan Ilesar. From Melinz, he was. A fine Jedi Knight," Yoda said proudly.
"Adan. Adan Ilesar," Mara repeated the name to herself in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Your anger will not serve you well, Mara Jade. Control it, you must, or control you, it will."
Mara felt like a schoolchild being chastened by her teacher and dropped her eyes to the ground as she tried to let the anger slide away from her.
Yoda switched his keen gaze to Luke, whose face had become white as chalk. "And you. Do not take on blame for actions that are not your own."
Mara looked at Luke with a puzzled expression, but he pretended not to notice, not yet ready to have that conversation with her. He took in a deep, gulping breath and nodded at his Master.
"Master, I've brought Mara here so that you can train her to be a Jedi. She's very strong in the Force, from what little I can tell," Luke said and then frowned as Yoda began to shake his head.
"Not much time left, do I have. Not enough to train a new Apprentice. Your task, that must be, Luke."
Luke looked at him in shock. Surely he didn't mean…
"What are you saying, Master?" he asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
"Her training, I will begin. Finish it, you must. Running out, our time is."
"But what about my own training? I've come back to complete it as I promised."
"No more training do you require. Know you that which you will need. Only two tasks remain. First, a lightsaber of your own, you must build. To replace the one you lost at Bespin."
Luke's gaze lowered to the ground, the shame of his failure searing through him. His head jerked back up when Yoda's gimer stick poked painfully into his belly.
"Let go of the guilt, you must! What is done is done. Move on from here." The Jedi Master sighed, weariness seeming to settle over him like a cloak. "Mara, speak to Luke alone for a moment, I must. Return soon, we will."
Mara threw Luke a sharp glance, obviously unhappy at the idea of the two of them leaving her alone in this swampy world, even for a moment. Artoo squealed, showing his displeasure with the idea as well. Luke took Mara's hand, giving her what he hoped was an encouraging smile. At the same time, he reached out through the Force, reinforcing the physical touch with a gentle nudge along the bond they now shared.
"Just stay near the shuttle and you'll be all right. We won't be long, I promise. Artoo, you keep your sensors sharp, okay?"
Mara's smile was somewhat shaky, but she nodded and stepped back, letting go of Luke's hand as she did so. A mournful beep trailed behind Luke as he turned to follow Yoda back to the little hut that the Jedi Master called home. He spared one last glance at his lover. She looked forlorn standing there alone, but even as Luke watched, Mara seemed to straighten her shoulders. He smiled to himself as she turned her attention to the shuttle and began to check it over, talking to Artoo softly, no doubt seeking to keep herself busy until they returned.
That's my Mara, Luke thought to himself as he turned his gaze back to the path in front of him. He released a tiny sigh, trying to hold on to the warm feeling that thought gave him, as he knew that the upcoming talk with his Master would be much more difficult.
Yoda could move very quickly for a being so small and supposedly so frail, and Luke had to hurry to catch up to him, as the Jedi Master was already out of sight. By the time he reached Yoda's home, Luke could see that there was already a fire in the fireplace, the windows giving off a cheery glow that didn't match the gloom of Dagobah or the growing dread in Luke's heart.
As he ducked into the low doorway and scooted into his usual seat in the middle of Yoda's cramped living quarters, Luke had a hard time meeting his Master's eyes. Yoda mumbled a 'humph' and poked his student with his gimer stick once again. Knowing that he could not avoid the confrontation any longer, Luke gave Yoda his full attention.
"I'm sorry," Luke said in a small voice.
"Sorry for things in the past does no good now. Concentrate on the present, you must." Yoda sighed and Luke had the sense that the ancient Jedi Master was feeling the weight of his years and responsibilities heavily. "Strong, you are. Survived a difficult ordeal that many would have faltered under. But now, focus on your duty, you must."
Luke nodded, acknowledging the truth of his Master's words. A great sense of hesitation swept through him and he wondered if he could ask the question that was burning in his soul. Deep down, he already knew the answer, but there was a tiny part of him that still held some vain hope that Master Yoda would be able to relieve him of this burden. It was ridiculous, Luke knew what the Dark Lord had told him was the truth. He had felt it. And yet, that little hope fluttered somewhere in his heart and it would not die until he heard the words from Master Yoda's mouth.
"Master, is Darth Vader…my father?"
Yoda seemed to age before Luke's eyes as he turned away, not saying anything for a long moment. He was quiet for so long, Luke feared he wasn't going to answer at all.
"Yoda, I must know," Luke said, his voice quietly insistent.
"Your father, he is."
The words were so softly spoken as to be almost inaudible, but they were like a vibroblade to the heart as Luke felt the emotions of that day wash over him anew. He closed his eyes and his head dropped to his chest, seeing in his mind's eye the vivid images of himself clinging desperately to a gantry in the middle of open space, a black-gloved hand stretched towards him imperiously. His father's voice rang in Luke's ears, the tantalizing offer to join him seeming to whisper around Yoda's small hut even now.
"Told you, did he?"
"Yes," Luke said and with that word, acceptance of his fate settled heavily on his shoulders. He had the feeling it would be a long time before that weight was eased.
"Unexpected, this is. And unfortunate," Yoda murmured.
Luke jerked his gaze back up to his Master, a rush of anger flowing through him at Yoda's insensitivity.
"Unfortunate that I know the truth?" he said bitterly.
Yoda spun around to face his student, pointing the dreaded gimer stick at him for emphasis.
"No! Unfortunate that you did not complete the training before rushing to face him! That not ready for the burden, were you!"
Luke's anger deflated quickly and he found himself once again wracked with guilt and apologizing to his Master. He felt very small and wholly inadequate, unable to live up to the expectations that Ben and Yoda had for him. It would have been better to have stayed on Tatooine and lived in ignorance of his destiny than to have to face their disappointment in him.
Yoda whacked his shin sharply with the gimer stick.
"Ow!" Luke yelled, rubbing his leg with an offended look in his Master's direction.
"Doubt and fear, you feel. Be careful of those, for the Dark Side are they. Strong, you are, not because of who your father is, but because of who you are." He continued to glare at his student for a long moment and then heaved another heavy sigh. "Debated many hours, Obi-Wan and I did, on whether to tell you of your father's identity. My decision, it was, not to do so. Right or wrong? Who can ever know? But now you know the truth. And deal with it, you must, if you are to face him again."
Luke looked at Yoda in shock. "Again? I don't think I can face him again, Master!"
"You must, if a true Jedi you wish to be. Old, am I, Luke. The galaxy's only hope, you are. No one else can stop Vader and the Emperor."
"By stop, you mean kill, don't you?" Luke said with a trace of bitterness in his tone. "You expect me to kill my own father."
"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made, Luke."
Luke turned his head to look at the spectral form of Obi-Wan Kenobi that appeared beside him, somehow seeming quite comfortable despite the cramped quarters of Yoda's hut.
"Sacrifices! You're asking me to kill my own father, who you told me was killed by Darth Vader," Luke said, his anger at Ben's lie coming forth once again.
"Luke, I loved your father. He was my apprentice and he was my friend. But the Dark Side consumed him. When that happened, the good man that was Anakin Skywalker died, and Darth Vader was born. So what I told you was true, from a certain point of view."
"A certain point of view?" Luke echoed in disbelief.
"You'll find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view."
Luke remained silent, unable to find the words at the moment to describe his confusion, his upset, his near-despair. Obi-Wan's ghostly image sighed and Luke was struck by the oddness of the gesture. Did ghosts really need to sigh? You're avoiding the real subject, Luke, his annoying inner voice spoke up. I don't want to think about the real subject! he snapped back. Luke wondered if it were a sign of insanity that he'd started talking back to that little voice.
"Listen to Obi-Wan, you should. Many mistakes were made with Anakin, but he chose, in the end, to succumb to the Dark Side," Yoda said, interrupting Luke's thoughts. The tiny Jedi Master stared Luke directly in the eyes as he continued. "At a crossroads, you are now, Luke. Difficult decisions, you must make. To follow your father's path…or to serve the Light. On you, everything depends," he said ominously.
Luke lowered his head in disgust, his every sense rebelling at the manipulation from all sides…his father, his teachers, even the Alliance. As he had so many time in the last few weeks, the farmboy from Tatooine wished almost desperately that he was back on that desolate planet listening to his Uncle Owen gripe about moisture vaporators. But I can never go back. There's nothing for me there, just like I said to Ben so long ago. So, if he could not go back, then the only way to move was forward, wasn't it? But in which direction? The many paths in front of him seemed tangled and confused.
He started slightly in surprise at a hesitant touch through the bond he shared with Mara.
((Luke, are you all right?))
((Mara)), he sent back with a little smile. ((I'm fine. I'm just thinking about a lot of things.))
((Too much thinking is not good for the brain, Skywalker)), she teased back. ((Are you sure you're okay?)) she asked, her concern evident.
((I'm sure. Are you okay?))
((Oh, yeah, I'm just great, Farmboy. By the way, Artoo and I are rewiring the hyperdrive while we're waiting for you to finish your little talk with the gnome.))
((Mara!)) Luke scolded with an inner chuckle, although he wasn't sure which instance he was chastising her for, her sarcasm or her irreverence for Master Yoda.
((Just hurry back, Luke. I miss you.)) Her voice sounded a bit plaintive even over their bond.
Luke sent a wave of reassurance and love to the beautiful redhead whose presence in his life suddenly made everything seem bearable. He took a deep breath, reveling in the comfort their bond brought to him. It was as though she shared the burden that weighed so heavily on his shoulders, even without knowing exactly what that burden was.
Luke realized he would have to tell Mara sooner or later that Darth Vader was his father. He dreaded having to do so, not only because he feared her feelings for him might change, but because he knew that any talk of the Dark Lord made Mara remember the pain of the Death Star. Luke would willingly throw himself into the Pit of Carkoon before he caused Mara Jade one iota of hurt. If he should ever lose Mara's love or respect, Luke wasn't sure if he'd be able to go on alone.
Darth Vader. Anakin Skywalker. His father. For the first time since being in the medbay after the confrontation at Bespin, Luke let thoughts of his father slowly roll through his mind. He wasn't foolish enough to try and reach out for him again, not after that frightening experience with what he now knew to be the Emperor's presence. But he allowed himself to think of Vader as his father, as Anakin.
The vision he'd had while hanging underneath Cloud City, the one of how his mother and father must have been before Anakin's fall from grace, crept into his head. Surely, something of that man must live on in Darth Vader. It was true, it had to be true, or Luke didn't think he could bear to go on. It hit him with the sharpness of a bowcaster bolt and Luke knew exactly what he needed to do.
Raising his head, Luke faced his Masters again and was surprised to see a look of anxiousness on both their faces. He must have been sitting there lost in thought for longer than he'd realized. It was at that moment that Luke understood how much Yoda and Obi-Wan were truly counting on him. For the first time since learning of the Force and his place in it, Luke welcomed the burden.
Had the circumstances of their situation not been so grim, Luke might have been extremely amused by the interaction of his Master and the love of his life. It was quite possible that there were no two more stubborn beings in the entire galaxy and Luke was forced to watch them butt heads over and over again. While it was always exhausting, it was also occasionally entertaining. Luke just had to be very careful not to get caught in the middle. He'd made that mistake just once and had silently vowed never to do so again…ever.
Fortunately, most of Luke's time was occupied in constructing his new lightsaber. The cylinder itself was complete and now he was carefully fusing the intricate connections of the inner workings. The only task left after this was finished would be to insert the Ilum crystal that Yoda had given him. That would be the most critical part of his lightsaber, for it was the jewel that focused the blade. If he had done anything wrong, the thing wouldn't work. Luke shook his head slightly, refusing to allow such negative thoughts to interfere with his concentration.
He found his mind wandering instead to the moment that Yoda had presented him with the glowing green gem. Having never taken Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber apart in the brief time he'd had it, Luke had gaped in awe at the brightness and beauty of the stone. It had seemed to glow with a life all its own. The solemnity of Yoda's tone had been sobering for Luke as his Master explained where the crystal had come from.
"Belonged to a Jedi Master named Qui-Gon Jinn, it did. Strong Jedi, was he. Strong in the Force and strong-willed as well," Yoda said with a little chuckle, obviously lost in his own memories.
A frightening thought occurred to Luke and he swallowed nervously as he asked, "Did my father…I mean, did Darth Vader…" He broke off, not able to complete the question, his mind and heart still rebelling at remembering all the evil Darth Vader had perpetrated on the Jedi and the galaxy.
"No. Died, Master Jinn did many years before Anakin fell to the Dark Side. Obi-Wan's Master, he was, when Kenobi was a padawan. Killed by Palpatine's first apprentice, Darth Maul, he was."
This bit of information had surprised Luke greatly. "Palpatine had an apprentice before Vader?"
Yoda's expression became grim as his memories of darker times overcame the more pleasant ones. "Fooled everyone for a very long time, did Palpatine. Blind, the Jedi were, to the depths of his darkness. Much to our regret."
He paused in his tinkering with the lightsaber, recalling how Yoda had then once again reminded Luke that he was the only hope for the galaxy. Heaving a helpless sigh, the young Jedi wondered if his shoulders were truly strong enough to bear the weight that Yoda and Ben seemed to think they could. But they have to be. If I really want to accomplish what I know I need to do, they have to be, he thought, reminding himself of the task he had ahead of him. A task that, should he tell Ben or Yoda of it, would probably cause them to leave him stranded on Dagobah forever.
The shuttle's hatch slid open suddenly and Luke's somber thoughts were interrupted by a low growl of rage. He turned in his seat to see Mara standing behind him…covered from head to toe in the thick, slimy mud of Dagobah's swamps. A tiny grin twitched at the corner of Luke's mouth, even as he tried to stop it, knowing how unwise it would be for him to let Mara see his amusement.
"Don't you dare laugh," she said in a low voice.
"I'm not laughing," he managed to say without laughing, although it was very difficult. "What happened?"
"Master Yoda had me standing on my hands while he balanced on my feet. I was levitating rocks, working on my split concentration."
"So what happened? Did you lose your focus for some reason?"
"That little troll is the reason I lost my focus. He…he tickled my feet with the Force! Tickling is inherently unfair!"
"Now, Mara, Master Yoda was just teaching you that you need to concentrate-"
"Don't you dare defend that little squirt right now, Skywalker!"
"You're right, I'm sorry," Luke said as he got up and walked over to her. He placed his hands gingerly on her shoulders, unable to repress a little grimace at the mud coating them before he looked her in the eyes. "Why don't you go get cleaned up and I'll make us some dinner?"
"That sounds like a very nice idea, but I think there's something that I'd like even more," Mara said in a suggestive tone with a gleam in her eye.
Luke perked up immediately, all thoughts of continuing to work on lightsaber construction vanishing. "Really? Like what?"
"Oh, I don't know," Mara whispered. "How about…getting you as dirty as I am?"
"Now that sounds like it has possibilities," Luke grinned.
"My thoughts exactly," Mara said and before he could stop her, she raised her hands and put them on his head, rubbing vigorously and smearing his hair liberally with the mud. Her laughter drowned out his shout of outrage as she leaped back a step.
"Serves you right for even attempting to justify the troll causing me to drop in the swamp!" Mara said as she tried to contain her giggles, not succeeding very well. They ended in a little hiccup as Luke glared up at her from under the mud dripping into his eyes.
"Oh, you are definitely going to pay for this, Jade."
"Maybe, maybe not, Skywalker. But you know what?"
"What?" he growled.
"You have to catch me first!" she taunted and turned to dash out the hatch of the shuttle.
Yoda watched silently, chewing on his gimer stick as one of his students chased the other into the swamp, Mara's shrieks of laughter and Luke's threats of retribution floating back to him. Yoda chuckled quietly to himself. Somehow, he had the feeling he wouldn't be seeing the two of them for a little while.