Thank you CelticKnot, ginchy-Amanda, Cilghal16, Purebristles, Adin-Karee & SailorLeia for taking the time to read and review. I hope you all don't think I have written Luke and Mara too out of character, but this is the way I always picture them, especially Mara. I think most profic/fanfic writers have difficultly characterizing how a trained killer would act... so they portray Mara as always having a severe case of PMS. I spent 10 years in the Army and knew many Special Forces, combat hardened soldiers and I found that the deadlier they were, the more laid back they were. So, as I wrote Luke and Mara, I would imagine how some of my Army buddies would act and joke around.
I also hate it that profics never really show Luke and Mara just hanging around having down time together. They are always fighting evil clones, the Vong, the Imperial Remnant or some other evil nemisis. So in the next couple chapters I just wanted to show Luke and Mara doing something normal. Something we probably all have done before. I hope you like it.
JL
Chapter 4—The Auction
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or any of the characters of the Expanded Universe. I am not making any money off this fic.
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Luke called Mara mid-morning the next day.
"I have our day planned as my master ordered," he said playfully.
"Oh, and what do you intend for us to do on your last day as my slave?" she asked.
"I thought we would start by going to the gym and doing a few hours of lightsaber practice followed by a few hours of Jedi meditation. There are a few techniques I would like to teach you," Luke managed to keep a very serious face.
Mara's cheerful mood immediately faltered. "I sure hope you arejoking Farmboy. It's not too late for me to sublet you to the Baron for the day."
Luke chuckled. "I am just kidding Mara, but I would like to keep what I have planned as a surprise. I will pick you up in about an hour. Dress casual with comfortable shoes. We will be doing some walking."
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"So, where to Skywalker?" Mara asked.
"You'll see." Luke held the speeder door open for Mara and then quickly slipped into the driver's seat. He hastily made his way into the Corsucant flight lanes heading south. They road silently for a whole ten minutes before he broached the subject that had been on his mind since the night before. "I had a wonderful time yesterday, Mara."
"Oh you did? Well, I should have you over to scrub my floors more often," she said with a wink.
Luke smiled. "You know, that may be part of why I had such a great day."
Mara looked at him confused. "How is that, Farmboy?"
"Well, yesterday we both seemed different… more relaxed. I wondered why? What had changed?"
Mara flushed slightly and tightened her shields. Yesterday seeing Luke aroused at her proximity changed her view of the Jedi Master. It made her hopeful that there could be more than a friendship between the two. Did Luke figure out the reason for the change in her demeanor?
"What had changed?" she asked Luke cautiously.
"I think I changed… or at least my attitude did," he replied thoughtfully. "I think that for the first time in your presence I completely dropped the dignified Jedi Master persona you dislike so much. That happens when you're bought at an auction and forced to scrub somebody's toilet."
Mara laughed, but he was right. He was more Farmboy than Jedi yesterday. It had been refreshing.
"And," Luke continued, "I think when I am more relaxed and less of the Jedi Master around you, you seem to respond in kind. Yesterday I got a glimpse of Mara Jade—Master Trader, and not the Former Imperial Hand. I liked that."
"I also had a good time," Mara said quietly, "Luke."
"I'll tell you what," Luke glanced over at Mara for a little longer then he should while driving, "let's make a deal. I will be just Farmboy Luke Skywalker today if you be just Mara, my friend--no stuffy Jedi and no Imperial assassins all day. Deal?"
"I think I can do that." Mara turned to Luke and smiled. "So where are just Luke and Mara going to today? Give me a hint."
Luke grinned at the beautiful redhead seated next to him. "I wanted to bring you somewhere that the Jedi Master and the Former Emperor's Hand have never been to before -- a place where people would never expect them to be seen."
"That is going to be tough, Farmboy. I grew up on Coruscant you know."
"Yeah," Luke acknowledged, "but I doubt the Emperor ever allowed you to go where we are going."
That piqued Mara's curiosity. Where could they possibly be going?
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"You are taking me to Durkii's Dominion! That's a kid's amusement park!" Mara groaned.
"No, it is an all-inclusive, all age, amusement park," Luke countered. "It has rides, games of chance, restaurants, dance clubs and a even a water park. Come on, Mara, it will be fun. Today I just wanted us to interact as two friends doing something ordinary. Besides, I knew you grew up on Coruscant and probably have been to every museum on the planet at one time or another as part of your training and education, but I bet Palpatine never brought you to this place as a kid."
Mara had to laugh, "No, that he didn't."
"So, are you game?" Luke asked with a wink.
"Sure," Mara replied warily.
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"This looks scary." Luke nodded toward the direction of the thrill ride. "You want to try it?"
It was a free fall tower rising over 150 meters up into the Corsucant sky. Surrounding the tower was a ring of padded seats with safety harnesses. 50 people would buckle into the ring of seats and then slowly ride up to the top of the tower. At that point the 50 riders would drop back down to the ground at a heart pounding 40 meters per second before a complicated braking system slowed the seats to a halt just short of crashing to the ground.
Mara snorted. "It doesn't look to scary to me flyboy. Remember I am not afraid of heights and through the years I have done things that would make this look like a kiddy ride."
"Well, if you aren't scared then just humor me. Come on." Luke grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the line.
Mara's pulse started pounding, not because any trepidation of the thrill ride, but from the feel of her hand in Luke's. He was holding her right hand in his left, his real hand, and Mara was shocked at how warm his hand felt wrapped around hers. She was disappointed when they made their way to the end of the line and he let her go.
Luke was grinning like a schoolboy. This had turned out to be a really good idea. Getting out and doing something fun, something nobody would expect a Jedi Master and a former Imperial Assassin to ever do.
Mara and Luke were strapped into seats next to each other. The ride conductor came around to ensure everybody was belted in securely and then the seats slowly rose into the blue sky. When on top they were given a wonderful view of the Coruscant skyline.
"You ready?" Luke asked, grinning in anticipation.
Mara rolled her eyes. "Farmboy, this is going to be no more exciting than doing maneuvers in your X-Wing or the time I had to do a repulsor free fall behind enemy lines."
There was a loud whirling sound followed by a muffled clunk, and then Mara thought her stomach was going to lurch up into her throat. They were falling and falling fast!
Her first thought was this was way too rapid to just be a free fall ride. The designers must have made this ride to accelerate beyond the effects of gravity alone.
The second thought she had was that they were falling too long, there was no way the ride would stop before it crashed to the ground below. It must have broken and they were going to go splat like a bug on a speeder windshield.
The last thing that went through her mind was: Is that really me screaming?
To her relief the braking system worked and the ride came to a surprisingly soft landing. She looked over at Luke and he was laughing and grinning.
"That was great!" Luke exclaimed as he and Mara were extracted from their safety harnesses.
"It was alright," Mara admitted grudgingly.
"Now don't lie to me Mara I heard you screaming."
She crossed her arms. "I wasn't screaming."
"Oh come on, I heard you," Luke laughed. "In fact you sounded something like this," Luke then bravely did his best Mara impression, "Skywalker, I have done repulsor free falls behind enemy lines and….AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHHHH! Oh FORCE! AHHHHHHHHH!" Luke waved his hands about for emphasis before he busted out in laughter.
"Skywalker!" Mara growled at him and gave his a punch in the arm. She was slightly embarrassed at her uncharacteristic behavior, but couldn't help but enjoy his playful mood, even if it was at her expense.
"Okay, okay," he said as he brought his hands up in front of him in a mock surrender. "Come on, I see something you might like."
Before Mara could respond he was walking swiftly to an area filled with carnival games of chance. Luke wandered up to one counter that held miniature versions of Wookiee Bowcasters.
Luke handed a five-credit chip to the worker and began to line up for his shot.
"What are you doing Luke?" Mara asked.
"What does it look like I am doing?" Luke responded happily. "I am going to win you a prize."
Mara reached over and put her hand on Luke's arm. "If you really want to get a prize, don't you think I should be the one firing? After all, I am the one who is an expert shot here, not you. At least without cheating and using the Force."
Luke gave her a fake look of shock. "Mara, how could you possibly think I would stoop so low as to use the Force to win a stuffed Carnival toy?" Luke put the weapon back down on the counter and stepped back, gesturing to the bowcaster. "Please, be my guest."
Mara smiled broadly and then hoisted the bow up to her shoulder. She aimed, took a deep breath, let it partially out, held it and then slowly squeezed the trigger. The arrow shot out of the bow with surprising power as it rushed toward the target… and completely missed.
Mara lowered the weapon and stared at the target in shock. The arrow hit about fifteen centimeters high and to the right.
"The lady misses!" the worker called out as he went to retrieve the wayward arrow. Mara looked at the weapon in disgust. "The sights are off. This weapon isn't zeroed."
"Oh, I am sure that is it," Luke said evenly, but couldn't suppress a smile. "Now I know why you always kept your blaster painfully pressed between my ribs while on Myrkr," he chuckled, "you didn't want to miss me if you did decide to shoot." Luke brought his hand up to his mouth to cover his growing laughter.
Mara glared at the laughing Jedi Master. Before, she may not have wanted to spoil his mood, but he was really pushing it now. "You better stop laughing Farmboy or I may just aim my next shot at you!"
Luke tried to compose himself. "Oh, I am just so… not worried," he started laughing anew.
"Okay smart guy, you do it!" Mara snarled, but Luke could tell through the Force that she was not as upset as she tried to pretend.
"Okay, I will." Luke handed another five-credit chip to the game operator who reloaded the weapon. Luke aimed and fired. The arrow this time flew true and landed directly center of the target.
Mara just shook her head in disgust. She was never going to hear the end of this.
"We have a winner!" the worker boomed and handed Luke a stuffed doll.
"Here you go Mara," Luke said with a smile as he handed her a stuffed Ewok doll.
Mara, still feeling a little chagrined at Skywalker one-upping her, took the offered doll and rolled her eyes. "Just what I always wanted."
"Oh come on Mara," Luke chided, "Don't you like Ewoks?"
"Sure I do Skywalker, they taste like Chicklings."
Luke's smile faltered, "You are joking, aren't you?" he asked apprehensively.
"Of course I am joking. I know they are sentient beings." Mara realized that her words came out a bit too biting. They had been having a great time so far and she wanted to make sure that she kept things light and tried to keep the sarcastic, moody, and often scary Emperor's Hand at bay. Today she wanted to be just a normal person out with a long time friend.
She held the doll out in front of her for a moment to look at it. The realization hit that it was her first stuffed doll and she brought it to her chest and squeezed it. "Thanks Luke. I will cherish it," she smiled.
Luke returned the smile as they turned and walked down the game isles.
"You did cheat though and used the Force," Mara said mockingly because she knew he would never cheat.
"Nope," Luke responded to his friend's accusation. "You would have known if I did. You were right about the sights being off. I figure you aimed dead center and it was high and to the right. So I simply aimed low and to the left. If I had went first I probably would have shot the carnival worker." Luke started a chuckle.
"Oh, that would have looked good in the Gossip Holos: 'Jedi Master kills Carnival worker with Wookiee crossbow while trying to win a stuffed Ewok doll for the Former Emperor's Hand'."