Chapter 16
by Saber Girl Leia
Saw Revenge of the Sith! Opening day! SO, SO GOOD! Started out kinda stupid, but got amazing.
Mara look-a-like: Go Mara! Yeah, I'm wondering how Lando will handle the situation myself...
Annmarie Aspasia: Thanks! Sweet and sour sauce is yummy... :D Sorry if this is late, I was visiting family.
SailorLeia: Thanks! Much love! Unfortunately, this mission isn't a ploy... at least not by Luke...
Ariapaige: Urgh, poor Mara and Luke. It could be fun to see them beat up Lando and the reporters, though...
That's actually a good point about Karrde, 1:30 aside. I think I'll have it be that he is worried that they're rushing into something they're going to regret or something... More about that in this chapter, I hope. :)
Disclaimer: Minor Annie, Get Your Gun reference/quote. "Anything you can do, I can do better."
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Talon Karrde really, really hoped he had done the right thing.
He wanted Mara to be happy. He had grown closer to her over the years than he cared to admit. Did she belong with Skywalker? Not five years ago she had vowed to kill him. They had been friends for some time now, but... Karrde did not know. The sudden change of heart made him nervous. Mara and the Jedi had never shown anything more than simple friendship for each other. Why now, all of the sudden?
Karrde, being the information agent that he was, had seen the lesser known, earlier rumors of Luke's love life. Why had Luke and Mara come together, so soon after his tragedy? Karrde had been told that Skywalker's adopted child had been that woman's.
Karrde did not like to think of Luke as the type, but he could not help but fear that Mara had caught the Jedi on the rebound. In which case, things would get ugly once they finally came to their senses.
And it was not like he had lied to her. He did need someone to find Car'das. And she was the only one he trusted with it. Lando knew no more than was strictly necessary, and that he would be well paid and that he would be traveling with Mara; posing as her lover.
Karrde was feeling old. He wanted his conscience clear of the Car'das business. He only hoped he was not staining it with something else in trying.
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Mara strode angrily through the corridor of the Jade's Fire to let Lando in. She tugged at the neck of her sweater. It was an itchy turtleneck, but she was determined to show Lando as little as possible; be it skin, smiles, or kindness. He had attempted passes at her before, and she did not intend to give him the chance this time. Her hair was pulled back in a practical single braid, and it contrasted sharply with the deep blue of her outfit.
At least they were taking her ship. And she was going to pilot. Sithspit, whatever their undercover job was, Mara was going to prove her independence and her equality to Lando. Anything he could do, she could do better.
A small part in the back of her mind wondered if this wasn't a step backwards for her. Of course not, she reminded herself, Luke and I are a great team. We complement each other. Just not me and Lando. Someone is going to go home maimed...
Mara jerked the door open. "Hello," she greeted the smiling Lando tersely.
"My pleasure, beautiful," he answered her glare, and brought his things inside.
"Your room is the last door on the left," she instructed him, pointing.
"Thank you, m'lady." He gave her a supposedly heart-melting grin.
"Don't bother," she spat at his cape as he walked away, "Our pretense doesn't begin 'til we land, and it ends the moment they aren't watching us. If you treat me as your equal, maybe we'll get along. If you try anything, this trip is going to be hell.
"And I'm piloting!" she finished from the cockpit.
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That night, lying in her bed in the captain's cabin, somewhere in hyperspace, Mara wondered if she should tell Luke about the nature of her undercover job.
No, she decided, he'll just worry. And I can take care of myself.
Safe in this knowledge, she drifted off to sleep, and sweet dreams of the family she would one day have.
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The next day
Luke was nervous. Leia gave him one last hug before he went to the microphone and told the crowds, both the one right in front of them and everyone watching the Holo or the Newsnets, of his engagement. "Luke," she whispered, "those that love you far outnumber those that hate you. What they think doesn't matter anyway. Mara, and Han, and the kids, and Chewie, and the Rogues, and the students on Yavin, and I... we're cheering for you. So who cares what anybody else thinks! You're strong, little brother, go show them. Remember, they can't stop you, whatever they think."
He hugged her back, but didn't even mention her calling him 'little brother.' Taking a deep breath, they walked out.
There was a single microphone at the small podium. Luke focused on it. He had made speeches before without a qualm, but few if any had been this important to him personally.
He would not let this fail.
A hush fell over the crowd as Luke Skywalker, war hero, sole Jedi Master, the President's brother, and recent target of the tabloids stepped to the microphone.
"Most of you have probably heard the recent rumors about me and my family," he began. "They are twisted, and though I forgive those who have authored them, I very much hope that none of you believe them or hold them against me or my family.
"My adopted daughter, Ellanore, I will introduce to you shortly. She... is a wonderful girl, if different than she appears, and we love her. She... is not what most of you think of as normal. But what I ask you to remember is that everyone in this galaxy is different, and there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone deserves respect." He took another deep, steadying breath. "I'll tell you more about her when she comes to join me later.
"For now, I'm going to tell you about Mara Jade. She is a loyal citizen of the Republic, and has helped me and many others many times. She and I are not having an affair, we are engaged." He stopped for a moment to let the news sink in.
There was a long silence, and Luke felt like he was falling into it. Then someone in the crowd began a clap. It was picked up by many of the others. Someone joined in with a cheer. It was nowhere near everyone, but Luke felt a smile overtake his face. "Thank you," he said into the microphone, "Thank you."
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Sorry it's kind of short. I will do my best to update soon. Review please! Constructive criticism welcome!