Chapter 23

by Saber Girl Leia

1/1/05

Happy Holidays to all! Anyone get any particularly awesome presents? Sorry this took soooooo long... but the chappie is a tad longer than usual to (hopefully) hold off the attack rancors.

Erm... wow, it's been since September! Any other interesting news? Halloween, maybe? lol

My dog and my baby cousin are about the same size now and they followed each other around the whole time we were visiting. (I have a small dog :) Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). And I became a tad obsessive about Gone with the Wind. Other than that... things haven't changed much.

Ariapaige: lol. Love the little angel emoticon. :D

No, I couldn't either. They won't be apart for years in the fic, certainly... hopefully not in the time it takes me to write it either.

Real life should go die. lol

Thanks much! Hugs!

SailorLeia: YOU're apologizing for taking so long! No need, girl! Glad you love it!

Hurrah for great minds!

About the music... yeah, I'm weird that way. I was reading Scarlett, the authorized-but-by-a-different-author sequel to Gone with the Wind recently, and it was really tense and I was like jumping up and down hoping it would be all happy and whatever so I made a playlist especially to listen to while I read the last thirty pages. (The songs were "Don't Leave Me," "Happy Endings," and "Anywhere.") I am crazy and I love it so much. lol

Much love!

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Mara cautiously followed Ila into the little room in the back of the building, closing the door tight behind them.

"Are you sure this is all right?" she asked.

"Yeah, yeah. The guy gave me the password. Said he would watch out for anybody else coming." Mara was not sure she wanted to know just how Ila had convinced him to do so.

"What didya say his name was again?"

"Car'das."

"Spell that?"

She did so, and Ila typed it in, moving too quickly for Mara to pick up on exactly what she was doing. Mara thought some rather nasty things at that, but they quickly gave way to curiosity. Where did she get computer skills like that?

"No one," Ila said after a moment.

Well, what smuggler worth a JedCred would use his real name in a permanent record? Mara thought, but did not say.

But Ila had already thought of that. "Nicknames?" she was urging, "Decoys? What else might be traceable to this guy?"

Mara sighed. "I don't know."

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

A soft knock sounded at the door to Luke's apartment, and he whispered, "Come in," unlocking it with the Force without evening turning to look.

Karrde entered. "Hello, Skywalker." Luke winced. Mara had called him that.

The older man walked over to where Luke sat on the carpet with his daughter, and sat beside him. "Why the face, man? Life's not that bad, is it?" Turning, he looked at the girl. "You know, I don't think we've met before. You must be Ellie?" He made a funny face at her and Luke could not help but join in his daughter's laughter.

"That's better," he stated gruffly. "Your fiancée will kill me if you go all depressed on her."

Luke frowned. "She could call me, if she really cares that much."

"It hasn't been that long, has it?"

Luke looked bemused for a second. "Perhaps not, in conventional terms. But you've clearly never been in love if you don't know how long a short time can seem for lack of one special person."

"So now you're an expert on my love life?"

"No offense meant, I'm sorry, I'm not thinking..." But Karrde's eyes were glinting with a hint of laughter.

"I know," he said.

"Would you like some hot chocolate or caff or a whiskey or something?" Luke offered, standing.

"I wouldn't mind."

The two men walked to the kitchen, Ellie crawling behind them. They were quiet for a while, until both men had some hot chocolate and were seated at the small table.

Karrde pondered how to begin. "You really love each other, don't you? You and Mara?"

"Yes. We do."

"I'm sorry."

"What!"

"I sent her away."

"Oh. Yes. It's all right. I understand. I'm the one who told her to go, after all."

Karrde raised his eyebrows. Luke either did not notice or did not respond.

"Skywalker, I feel terrible. She hasn't reported to me either... I told her to go, and the job isn't going well."

"We don't know that. I can sense her... far away. I can't talk to her, but she's all right, I can tell that."

"Yes, but--"

"Karrde... if it's not too much to ask... where exactly is she, and what is she doing?"

So the smuggler told him.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

"Though many, both fans and adversaries, have been calling for a statement by Mara Jade about her upcoming marriage, we have yet to hear from her. Luke Skywalker, who has professed himself her fiancé, has told the press repeatedly that she is away on business."

A picture of Mara was displayed in the upper left-hand corner of the display, and Adele looked at it, noting that it seemed very familiar. You're rotting away here, girl, she thought to herself, you've got nothing better to do anymore than watch so much celebrity news that you recognize them like they would your own siblings.

"In other news," the newscast continued, "the Coruscant restaurant which was the site of a recent skirmish reop-" his voice abruptly cut off as Adele shut off the Holo. She had heard the story twice that day already.

She lay back on the bed in her room and let her eyes wander. On the bedside table, there lay the holo of the girls from the party the other night. Katris and Skye were in the center, pretending to dance with each other, while Ila and Zafirah looked on, laughing. Fai had been off somewhere with Tarn, and Adele had taken the picture.

Gazing at Katris with longing, she sighed. At least the new woman was of their line of thinking, that this was wrong and they had brains, too. But she was still not the woman, or even man, Adele hoped would someday liberate them. She had not blasted Tarn as soon as she knew that he beat Fai, she had not flown her own ship here, she did not resist Lando when he kissed her.

But it was still nice to make a new friend, among everything here. If only one day someone with power would show up. Mara Jade or Leia Skywalker Organa-Solo or Mon Mothma or one of the legendary Mistryl... To think the current and former Presidents of the Republic were both women, and yet, here...

She got up and pulled out a gossip magazine. It would bore her to death after a while, but she found it interesting in small doses. This issue sported pictures of Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade, and Ellanore Skywalker on the cover. Feeling slightly foolish, Adele cast a glance around the room, then pulled the holo of her friends over next to the magazine.

Staring at them, she tried to imagine the trio from the magazine appearing in the other holo, creating dialogue in her head. He would be kind, and she would...

Startled, Adele leaned closer, looking back and forth from Mara to Katris. They had the exact same smile, she was certain of it.

Her first instinct was excitement. They were not related, were they? Surely Katirs would have said something, done something... No, the coms were jammed here. But-

No, Adele realized, with tangled emotions, Katris was Mara. No, that was impossible! ...but so it was. She had to find out. Was Katris here to help them, or was she here against her will, forced to come by someone wanting to disrupt her marriage.

Trembling, Adele took the com and dialed her friend's room. It was as she waited for a reply that another possibility hit the woman, one that made her feel sick. What if she came here with Lando of her own free will because she doesn't really love Luke? Adele had imagined their new status as a couple to be perfect, like many of the ideals she held of the outside world. If it was not, that was another sort of hope she was losing.

When Katris finally answered the com, Adele realized she had no idea of what to say. Glancing back and forth from the magazine holo to the woman on the com, she could tell it was indeed the same person, plus a few freckles and with her hair covered.

"Adele? Hi! What is it?"

Searching for something to say, she finally blurted out, "I was wondering if you would like to come over to my place for dinner. Um, about 0600." She hoped her voice sounded calmer than it felt.

"Sure, that should be fine."

"Don't you need to ask Lando first?"

Mara realized her mistake almost immediately. "Oh, yeah. I try not to let him give me orders, but I will check with him later."

"And Katris?" Adele continued.

"Yes?"

"See if you can suggest that he invite a few of the guys over. You know what I mean? Plant the suggestion when you know he won't refuse. I'm really hoping this can be a girls' thing."

"All right," she grinned, "see you then."

They hung up. Adele called Ila next, but there was no answer, so she tried Fai'Nel.

Tarn answered, causing Adele to berate herself for her bad luck. "What are you doing on the com, woman, what do you want?" He was a hulk of a human, and looked as though he never bathed.

Struggling to keep her poise, Adele answered as calmly as she could, "Is Fai'Nel there? I was going to ask her over here for dinner. You know, get her out of your hair for a while... give you a chance to do something with some of the other men... I have often heard you and the others complain about how you cannot do anything worthwhile with us underfoot..."

He leered at her. "Sure you wouldn't rather have me over there, beautiful?"

"Yes, I am sure."

"Well, I don't think you'll be seeing Fai'Nel neither." He hung up.

Head in hands, Adele made herself just breathe for a few minutes before continuing. She had to talk to someone before confronting Mara... if she indeed intended to do so, which was about as far as her hazy plans had gotten.

She called Skye. Adele was thrilled when the woman herself answered it, but her relief was short-lived, as the woman immediately took the com and sat down next to her husband. At least he was a decent person, not like Tarn.

But the invitation went over fine, as did Zafirah's moments later. Zafirah, who was alone, agreed with her assessment of Katris.

And so Adele waited.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Hours later, Mara was back in her room with Lando, having searched to no avail. They did not speak, but the air was rife with tension. Mara had drawn a thick coat around herself, not comfortable in the skimpy outfit she was wearing. She sat on the edge of the bed, dangling one leg, and Lando paced the other end of the room.

Suddenly he turned on her. "Look. You could just give me a chance, here. What did I ever do to you? All you've done is glare and yell at me since we got here."

She glared. "I'm sorry if I hurt your delicate feelings," she snapped, "but you have a bit of a reputation, and this place isn't exactly making me comfortable!" Her voice echoed and Mara flinched, wondering how well sound traveled through these walls.

"You could give me a chance. You, of all people, should know how much your reputation can screw you over."

Mara did not answer.

"Why does it make you angry that I like you?" Pause. "We're not that different, Mara. We could be good for each other, if you would only give me a chance."

She responded finally, cold and clipped. "Because I'm in love with someone else. Not that it's any of your business."

Lando's mouth fell open.

"Why don't you go out with some of the men tonight?" Mara suggested when her voice was calm again, "You can try to pick up some hints from them. I can hang out with the women and see what they know."

"Yeah. Sure."

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Adele, sitting in her apartment with Mara an hour or so later, sighed, gazing off into the distance. "I so long to be free. Why do they do this to us? Women would never do something like this." Adele had decided not to confront Katris until the others were here.

Mara raised one heavily made-up eyebrow. "I hate to admit it, but everyone is prone to the same failings. You ever heard of Dathomir? The woman keep the men as slaves."

Adele seemed shocked. "Oh. Why do people do these things to each other?"

"I- I don't know," Mara said, suddenly uncomfortable. Her own past was so dark. "For power."

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Review, please!