Hunter's Luck, Deep Space. 12 years after the Battle of Yavin.
The stars roiled by, an amalgamation of suns and planets and lives, spinning past her into oblivion. Mara would never admit it to anyone, but she enjoyed watching the blur of hyperspace, the swirling blue it created around the viewing window of her cockpit. And she needed the comfort at the moment. She had felt awkward in the med bay, while Leia tended to Luke's injuries and questioned him mercilessly about the woman they'd found in the escape pod. It had bothered her to see Luke so affectionate to her, staring into her grey eyes, his fingers lightly tracing her new face.
She had felt overwhelmed when he had kissed her. It had been soft, almost chaste, but there had been no question – it had been a lover's kiss. It had been unbearable, and Mara had escaped to the cockpit, mumbling an excuse about checking their flight pattern. She was not going to allow herself to be uncomfortable on her own ship.
But what bothered her so much was the fact that she even cared. Perhaps it was just seeing Skywalker in such a different light. In the few years she had known him, he had never seen him have more than a platonic friendship with anyone. The man had been involved even less relationships than she had. But what was it about this woman that made her gut twist so horribly?
Mara heard the hatch slide open, but didn't bother to turn around. She knew who it was.
"You should be resting Skywalker" she called over her shoulder, unable to put the usual bite into her words. "Wait, don't tell me, you're fine" she continued, before he could speak.
"I am". Luke carefully made his way into the co-pilot's seat.
Mara raised an eyebrow at him. "Is that so?" Before he could register her movement her fingers reached out and pushed into his injured leg. She was rewarded with his yelp of pain.
"Alright" he smiled good-naturedly. "I'm fine so long as ex-assassins aren't putting the moves on me".
She grunted and turned away. "I would say that job is already been covered" she muttered to herself.
Mara felt his intense gaze, and knew his keen ears had picked up her reference to the woman currently residing in her med bunk. Force, she hated when he did that. That look of his compelled her so strongly, calling her eyes to his like a magnet. It made her feel uncomfortable, and out of control. Resolutely, she continued to stare at the blue swirl of the stars rushing by.
"What do you think of her, Mara?" he asked finally, his voice soft.
"Of who? The woman back there who's currently wearing Mingla's body?" Her voice had regained its sharp edge. "I don't know, Skywalker, what am I supposed to think?" Her lips twitched bitterly. "I didn't exactly expect to be carrying the extra cargo" she added snidely.
She heard Luke's deep sigh, the one that meant he was disappointed. "One thing I'll never understand about you Jade" he leaned back wearily into his seat. "Is how you find it so difficult to see the humanity in people. To you they're cargo, objects… complications".
Mara stiffened at his harsh words. His tone was soft and sincere, but there was an undercurrent of brutality to his words. She responded the only way she knew how –dismissively. "Need I remind you whose ship you are on, Skywalker?" Her voice was cold. "Perhaps I should throw you both out of the airlock, since I'm so heartless".
"Oh, Mara…" he shook his head slightly and reached out to touch her hand. "I never said you were heartless".
"Just inhuman". She snatched her hand away.
"No". He sighed again, the sound grating on her nerves. "I know you care about people. You wouldn't be here if you didn't". She felt his piercing gaze on her again. "I'd be dead if you didn't" he added, almost inaudibly.
"Make up your mind, Skywalker" she said impatiently. "Either I care or I don't". Through the Force, she felt a whisper of – something – from the man next to her. Like grief, or melancholy, or perhaps a wistfulness.
"I used to think like that" Luke continued, his gaze shifting from her face to the cockpit window where her own eyes rested. "In absolutes. Good and Evil, Right and Wrong".
Mara noted the change in his voice. "And now?"
He smiled. "Now I know better".
They sat in silence for several minutes, watching the stars rush by. It was peaceful, Mara conceded, sitting in another's presence. She felt a kind of harmony that was unknown to her. It felt strange, yet….she was at peace. Being with Luke was not as abrasive as it had once been, gone was the hostility and uneasiness she had once felt around him. Now in his presence, there was acceptance. From both of them.
Unfortunately, it did not last.
"I think you'll like her" he said, shattering the silence and, along with it, Mara's comfort. "Callista, I mean".
"Is that her name?" Mara felt her acrimony returning.
There was a chuckle from the seat beside her. Blast him, what did her always find so amusing about her? Mara crossed her arms and clenched her jaw. Gone was the peace, he was back to his usual, infuriating self.
"Not like you to forget details so easily" Luke said, a slight taunt in his voice. Mara grimaced, she hadn't forgotten the woman's name. And Luke knew it.
"She's wonderful, Mara" he continued, his eyes glazing over in happiness. "Brave and intelligent – one of the kindest people I've ever met. And a Jedi, too" he added as an afterthought.
Shock overwhelmed Mara as she felt bright tendrils of Luke's feelings hit her. "You…you're in love with her" she managed to stutter out.
Luke gave her a quizzical look. "Well…yes". He had obviously thought his feelings had been clear.
Mara clamped down her shields, so not to alert him to her tumultuous emotions. She had known that they had shared an intense experience on the Eye of Palpatine, but love? It had been obvious to everyone that Luke wished to pursue a relationship with Callista, but the revelation he was already in love with her upset Mara more than she cared to admit.
Calming herself down, Mara had to admit to herself that it was keeping in with Skywalker's character. One flimsy Force-dream and he was irrevocably in love. Mara had never heard anything so ridiculous. Force help her if she was to ever fall victim to such foolishness.
"Mara?" She heard Luke's voice permeate her reeling mind and refocussed her attention. "Mara?" He repeated as she – finally – turned to face him. "What's so wrong with my being in love with her?"
Mara recollected her emotions. "Nothing" she spat out, a little too eagerly. "I just wasn't expecting you to reveal it like that".
"You think it's too soon" Luke nodded sagely. "That's what Han said".
"Well, Solo isn't always so far off the mark". Her voice had returned to a normal level.
"I can't really explain it, Jade. But what we share…it's incredible".
Mara rolled her eyes as she caught that faraway look in his gaze again. "I'm sure".
"I really want you to accept her, Mara" he tried for her hand again, and this time she didn't pull away. "Your opinion is very important to me".
His clear blue eyes pleaded with her. Mara felt herself drawn to them - she had never really noticed how deep they were before. His words rattled through her mind. He wanted – no, needed, her acceptance, her support. The question was whether she was prepared to give it to him.
"She'll just have to prove herself to me". The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could think them through. It was an automatic response, although she wasn't sure if it was a truthful one.
Luke's eyes betrayed his hurt, and he slowly pulled his hand away, nodding resolutely. It was then that Mara realised the fundamental difference between them. While she needed time to judge people, to weigh their worthiness of her trust and support, Luke always accepted without question. Unlike his unending faith, her friendship was conditional.
Understanding and perhaps, Mara realised, a little saddened by it, Luke hoisted himself to his feet. "Thanks for the rescue, Jade" he acknowledged coldly, before making his way towards to hatch. He winced in slight pain as he twisted his leg at the wrong angle. Mara ignored it.
She heard the release mechanism of the door, and something twisted inside of her. "Skywalker" she called to him, her voice stripped of all emotion. It sounded pitifully tinny in the cockpit, echoing off the walls. "What you said, about…humanity…"
He didn't answer, but she felt his full attention. She swallowed forcefully, loathe to say anything at all. But something within her forced the words out. "In most of the people I've known…" She looked sadly out to the stars. "It hasn't existed at all".
The silence was palpable, and Mara was unable to gauge his reaction. Understanding flowed through from him, but no words. She hadn't really wanted any. His presence shifted, and then grew fainter.
The door whipped closed behind him, and she was left alone in the cockpit, contemplating the stars.