Here it goes. The third part of my story Glimpse of the Future. I hope you all like reading the story and enjoy it as much as I do. I'd like to thank to all of my reviewers. Your support means a lot guys. All right, enough babbling. I don't want to keep you from reading.

I'd like to dedicate this one to my best friends Susan aka Trinity and Julie aka Arwen (Arwen, Trinity and Jade - quite a group ) and also to all people brave enough to read this stuff that I thought up in my head.

Disc.: I still own no recognizable characters, places, aliens etc. in this fic. They all belong to G.L. (Great Lucas) or T.Z.(Terrific Zahn). There are mentions of other people or places etc. that belong to some of the other SW authors. I own neither them. However, I own Ami and her sibilings and half of her friends and thats more than enough for me. I doubt I could handle more of such strong-willed characters.

dreams, nightmares, visions, flashbacks, Force communication, thoughts

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"No. It isn't true. How could I have a child with ... with ..." Mara couldn't bring herself to say the name.

"Skywalker?" Ami offered. "But you have. I'm in front of you. My name is Amidala Jade Skywalker. I'm daughter of Jedi Masters Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker and I'm going to be a Jedi, too."

That was too much for Mara.

"Liar!" she shouted at Ami. "You lie! I don't want to see you again," with that she turned around and walked out of the gym.

Ami replayed the scene in her head again and again. It had been two days since the fiasco in the gym and all she could have thought about was how wrong it had gone. This was the worst thing that could have happened to her. She had known she would meet her parents and she had known how strained the things had been between them in this time. Yet she had hoped for better reaction. I am hopeless optimist she chastised herself. My mother wants to kill my father, I know it and yet I tell her everything about the future. Of course she is angry and mad at me.

Ami had tried few times to contact Mara through the Force but everytime she slammed into tight mental shields. She should have expected as much. After all, Mara was her mother and Ami inherited part of her abilities from her, mental shields being one of those.

But the problem was still there. How to approach her and gain her trust? They would need to work together to survive what the fate had in store for them all.

Ami's musings were interrupted by the beeping commlink.

"Yeah?"

"Ami, it's me. Winter," Ami could hear relief in the other woman's voice. "Millenium Falcon has just come out of hyperspace and is due to land in a half an hour in the landing bay next to your ship. I thought you would want to meet with Princess as soon as possible."

"Thanks Winter," Ami said. This was something that would take her mind off of her current problems. "I'll be there in about fifteen minutes. See you then."

"See you," Winter answered and shut off the commlink.

Landing bay of Millenium Falcon, Imperial palace, Coruscant

"It's good to be home," Han said as he slowly manoeuvered with his ship to land. His first mate Chewbacca, or Chewie, grumbled something in reply. Leia Organa Solo, former Princess of Alderaan and current member of Inner Council of the New Republic didn't answer as she stared out at nothing with a faraway look in her eyes. Han noticed her silence and was immediately concerned about her well-being.

"Sweetheart? You okay?"

"What? Oh Han. I'm fine. I just.." she made a vague gesture towards the front window. "I just felt a very strong presence in the docking bay."

"Jedi?" Han asked, immediately thinking the worst. C'Baoth wouldn't make it so far on Coruscant. They had better security than that. Leia picked up on his thoughts.

"Oh no!" she laughed. "Nothing like C'Baoth. This presence is full of light. Almost like Luke's and it's somehow familiar."

Han frowned. He didn't know about any other Light Jedi in the Galaxy, apart from his wife and brother-in-law. And even if it was a Jedi how could his presence be familiar to Leia? Han didn't know about this 'hokey religion' like he still called it very much but knew when something was strange. He looked out of the front window just as they landed and saw the tall figure of Winter standing next to the berth. And right next to the Winter stood a woman he had never seen before.

"Sweetheart, I think I can see that your 'presence'," he motioned towards the window. Leia looked out to see the two women talking and obviously waiting for them.

"Let's get out of this ship and find out who she is," she made a feeble attempt to get out of a chair but her pregnant body didn't allow that. Han chuckled and pulled her out of the chair. Leia glared at him and he stopped chuckling but a smile stayed on his face. He offered her an arm as they walked out of the cockpit. The ramp slowly lowered and Ami with Winter came closer just as Han and Leia emerged from the ship. Winter smiled warmly at her friend.

"How was the way from Filv?" she asked.

"Uneventful," Leia replied as she hugged the white-haired woman. "The twins were behaving and luckily didn't decide to come out early."

"I'm glad to hear it," Winter gestured towards Ami. "I'd like you to meet someone. This is Ami Jaker. She is a Jedi."

"We know it," Han put into the conversation. Winter raised both eyebrows in surprise and he explained. "Leia felt her presence as we landed," he looked at Ami with an interest. "So you're a Jedi, huh? You don't look like one."

"Han!" Leia reprimanded but Ami just laughed.

"And how does a Jedi look like?" she inquired.

"Well I have met only few of them but they should wear some kind of robes, shouldn't they?" Han replied.

"Robes? Clothes don't make a Jedi. It's your mind, heart and soul and your understanding of the Force. Not clothes. And besides, this tunic is much more comfortable, too."

Han started to look uncomfortably at having a lesson about the 'hokey religion' and Leia decided to take a pity on him. She reached a hand to greet Ami properly.

"Welcome on Coruscant Miss Jaker. I am Councillor Leia Organa Solo and this is my husband Han Solo," she pointed at Han who shook Ami's hand too. "How can I help you?"

Ami glanced around the hangar bay and then at Leia.

"It would be better to move somewhere more discreet and comfortable. I wouldn't want to tire you out," she pointed at Leia's swollen stomach.

"Sure," Leia nodded. "We can go to my office. I have to stop there anyway."

Five minutes later they were all seated in Leia's office. Leia sat in her chair behind the table, Winter took a seat near the door and Han was on a couch. Ami sat into a chair in front of Leia's desk and took a deep breath.

"I guess I should start from the beginning. Please, try not to interrupt me. I'll answer all questions I can when I am finished," at their affirmative nodds she continued relaying them the story she had made up for General Bel Iblis but adding the Imperial attack and her vision.

The silence reigned in the room for a few minutes until Leia spoke.

"Your vision...that old man you saw...do you know who it was?"

"My guess is it was C'Baoth. I felt an evil from him but also madness. It was unnerving."

"And that man and woman?" Leia asked. Ami was silent for a moment, deciding what to say and what would be better to leave out.

"The man was Luke Skywalker and that is why I wanted to contact him. To warn him. As for a woman ... sometimes its better if certain things stay unsaid."

"Why?" Han asked. Ami turned to him.

"I met her already and she wasn't quite thrilled about it. And I'd rather handle the situation myself because I managed to mess up a lot of things and it's only right for me to sort it out on my own. I promise that once she is ready to face her destiny you'll know about it."

"All right, we won't ask you about it anymore," Leia shot her husband a too well-known look. "But I'd like to know more about you. How did you become a Jedi? Where did you learn everything?"

"That's rather long story. I've got basics from my parents and the rest I have learned by myself. I kinda hoped that my stay on Yavin would result in me becoming a Jedi but it seems that Force had other plans for me. It's almost like a test to make myself worthy of being a Jedi. I have been thrown into a war between the Empire and New Republic, received a vision of a mad dark Jedi and I have to handle it as best as I could," she then muttered for herself. "The Force certainly doesn't like me."

Unfortunately Han caught it and grinned.

"This is the first time I hear Jedi complain about the Force. Maybe you're not so bad after all."

"Han!" Leia once again scolded her husband but before she could continue her commlink beeped. "Leia Organa Solo."

"Councillor, this is Martin, Mon Mothma's aide. I have to inform you that Council has a meeting in a hour and your presence is needed."

"I'll be there," Leia said and then turned to Ami. "I have to go now but I'll find some time for you later. I hope we'll be able to talk more."

"So do I, Councillor," Ami said and stood up. "I'll take my leave now. Don't worry, I know the way," she said to Winter who stood up to accompany her and then she went out. Leia watched her leave and then turned to her husband and best friend.

"She's very nice."

"She is," Winter agreed and then frowned. "But I have a feeling she is hiding something."

"I feel the same Winter but she isn't danger to us. Quite the opposite. She is shielding well yet the power I feel from her is so strong," Leia shook her head. "However, I could sense her feelings towards us. She likes us. And I feel we can trust her."

"Well, if you want my opinion," Han said and looked at his wife. "She isn't bad. For a Jedi, that it is. And I have a feeling like I have met her before," he said thoughtfully.

"Before?" Leia asked.

"Uhm," Han nodded and scratched on his head in thought. "I don't know why but she looks somehow...familiar. The way she walks and moves, the way she speaks and especially her eyes. I am sure I have seen those eyes before. I just don't know where," Han sighed. "At first Lando and now me."

"Lando?" Leia asked.

"You remember. I told you that he had a feeling he had seen Mara Jade before," Han answered. "And now I have the same feeling about this Ami. It's strange."

Leia slowly stood up and made a grimace as she got almost stuck in her chair. Han immediately rushed to her side. Leia sighed.

"I have to get to that meeting but we can discuss it when I come back. I know that there's something missing but for now it's enough to know we can trust her."

"If you say so, Sweetheart," Han said as he helped her out of the office and towards the turbolifts. "If you say so."

Ami was walking swiftly through the corridors evading people as she made her way to the visitors' wing. When she got out of the turbolift on her floor she noticed a familiar figure walking out of the door that were two doors left to hers. She debated with herself whether to risk it or not and finally decided to give it a shot. She had failed once and what was the worst that could happen, anyway?

"Wait!" she called after the person. Mara Jade turned around to look who was calling after her and when she saw Ami her eyes hardened. But she stopped nonetheless. She waited until Ami reached her and then spoke up.

"What do you want?"

Ami flinched at the cold in her voice but held her ground.

"I'd like to apologize," she said. Mara raised one of her eyebrows in fake surprise.

"What for?" she said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "For lying to me? For making my life more miserable than it already is? Don't bother yourself. I don't want to hear it."

"I think you do," Ami countered. "You want to know what's going on with me. You want to know if there's even the slightest chance of me telling you the truth. More, you need to know it. You need to know if there is a chance for a brighter future for you..."

"Stay out of my mind!" Mara almost shouted, afraid of everything this girl seemed to know.

"Don't you understand?" Ami asked. "I'm not your enemy. I don't want to hurt you. I want to be your friend."

"Friend?" Mara laughed but it was a bitter laugh. "I thought you were my daughter," she ironized. "You said so yourself. Or was it a lie?"

"No it wasn't," Ami said. "But it wasn't the brightest idea I have ever had either."

Mara regarded her for a moment trying to find something ... anything to confirm or deny Ami's claims. There was a physical similarity - figure, way of walking and most of all eyes. She had seen those particular colour only once. In her mirror. Maybe it was true that Ami was her ...

No! Mara didn't want it to be true. It would mean she would fail again. She remembered Ami's words.

... daughter of Jedi Masters Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker ...

That was impossible. She hated Skywalker. She woke up every night after her nightmare wishing that he was there so she could kill him and finally get it over. How could she marry him if she hated him? And more - to become a Jedi and a Master at the top of it all?

Ami watched her inner struggle and then carefully approached her.

"I understand it's hard for you," she began. "But trust me I didn't mean for this to happen. I just hoped that I'd be able to become your friend so we could face the future side by side."

"Future? Face it side by side? Why?" Mara asked.

"Because I had a vision and you were an important part of that vision."

This got Mara's attention. She had learned not to underestimate such things.

"What vision?"

Ami was relieved Mara was at least talking to her.

"It was of you and Da..." she caught herself. No sense in riling Mara up even more. " ... and Luke Skywalker facing C'Baoth and his minions."

"I didn't know that C'Baoth had found himself apprentices," Mara said thoughtfully. Ami decided that at least she deserved to know more.

"He hasn't. He had them cloned for him," she watched Mara's reaction.

"Are you kidding? Clones?"

"Uhm," Ami nodded. Mara thought about it for a moment.

"How do I know you are telling me truth?" she asked. "You could have thought all of that up."

"I could show you proofs but I want you to believe me without them. It's important to me that you trust me. I'm not lying. You are the first person I have met here I am totally honest to. To everyone else I have said ... well not lies ... more like censored truth. General Bel Iblis, Winter, Han and Leia," Mara looked up at mention of Skywalker's sister and brother-in-law. "But I was honest to you. Do you know why?" Mara shook her head no. "Because I've never lied to you. I've never been able to do that, no matter whether I am in the past or in the future. I just can't do it. We have always shared the trust that made us more than mother and daughter. It made us best friends. And I couldn't ... wouldn't violate that trust for nothing in the universe."

Mara looked into those green eyes, her eyes, she realized and she could see there that Ami was not lying. She didn't know how, whether through the Force or some kind of mother-daughter bond, but she knew that everything Ami had said was true. She really was from future, she really was her daughter and Skywalker was really her father. Mara felt like her world turned upside down once again. She was able to say only one thing.

"Why now?"

"Let's go to my room and I'll explain everything."

Mara only now registered they were still standing in the corridor. She nodded and let Ami led the way. They entered Ami's apartment and Mara sat down on the bed. She noticed the holo on the nightstand and took it in her hands.

"Your friends?" Ami nodded and sat next to her. She once again told the story how she had got where she was only this time she was totally honest about everything. When she finished, Mara stood up and started to pace the room.

"Let's get this straight. You've seen Skywalker and myself facing C'Baoth and two cloaked figures, right?" Ami nodded. "So you've managed to persuade Bel Iblis to let you go after showing up at his ship from nowhere and he even gave you special clearance codes. But you are from future. You should know that Skywalker is on a mission."

"Yeah, I know. Searching for cloning transports on Poderis or somewhere around there. But I knew you were here and more importantly, Leia and twins are here"

"What do they have to do with this?" Mara asked.

"C'Baoth wants them and Thrawn will send a squad to get them. If I weren't here, you would pull out the rescue on your own but I'd like to help. That would be something to rub in Jaina and Jacen's faces when I get back," Ami grinned. She and her cousins teased each other mercilessly and she enjoyed it very much.

"Wait," Mara stopped pacing as something else registered in her mind. "You have mentioned clones twice. First as C'Baoth's apprentices and then as a target of Skywalker's mission. What's going on?"

"You'd find out eventually. Thrawn is cloning his soldiers and is using cloning facilities on Wayland to do so. Oh, and he found the way how to make them grow in twenty days."

Mara let out a deep breath. Her talk with Winter few days ago made more sense now. New human sources, of course. So Thrawn knew about Wayland. She remembered it quite well although she was there only once. Big cave with at least twenty thousand Spaarti cylinders. And with the speed they could be made... Mara didn't want to think about consequences.

"So, what do you need from me? Give this information to New Republic, they'll send a strike team there and everything's gonna be all right."

"No," Ami shook head. "It can't be NR team. It must be you, Dad, Han, Lando and Chewie. And me, of course."

"Why?" Mara didn't understand.

"Because, that's how it supposed to happen. Five people destroyed the cloning facilities on Wayland and two people killed C'Baoth. End of the story."

"And what about the other clones you have mentioned earlier. Are we handling three C'Baoths?"

"No," Ami sighed. "It's worse."

"How much?"

"You think it's impossible to feel anything else than hatred for Luke Skywalker, right? Because of that last command the Emperor sent you as he was dying?"

"Yeah," Mara interrupted. "But what does it have with clones?"

"I'm getting to that. You fullfilled his last wish and got rid of his voice when you killed Luuke Skywalker. A clone of real Luke."

The pieces clicked into place. So this was how it had happened. She killed his clone. It was so simple she almost couldn't believe that it had actually worked.

"That's why I ... " she trailed off. Ami nodded to her unspoken question. "So there are two clones of Skywalker?"

"No," Ami grimaced. "Only one. The other one is yours."

"Great," it was all Mara could manage to say. So that's why Emperor had brought her to Wayland. To take her DNA sample and make a clone in the case of need. And now C'Baoth had the clones made for him. Mara rubbed her eyes. "I'm getting tired of all of this. I have been living semi-normal life for last year and then everything spins out of control just as I'm about to gain my life back. It's not fair."

"At least you know how I feel," Ami said. "It's kinda hard to keep my mouth shut. What I know would save a lot of lives but if I did say anything I would change the future immensely and Force knows what would happen. I'm already risking a lot telling you all of this but somehow I feel it's right thing to do. I may be threatening everything I know but if that makes you feel better, so be it."

"Thanks," Mara was genuinely surprised. Not many people trusted her literally with their life. Actually, there was only one who did. Skywalker. The future father of her child. The thought seemed so out of place that Mara laughed out loud.

"What?" Ami asked, concerned about her sanity. Maybe she should have been quiet and risk Mara's wrath rather than tell her.

"I just realized that I really believe everything you have said. Even that Skywalker is the father of my child."

"Children," Ami corrected. "I've got two younger siblings, twins."

This came as a shock to Mara although not as big as the first one.

"Twins?" she managed to get out.

"Zane and Zara. Here," Ami took the holo Mara still hold and pointed at a boy and girl, both with red hair and blue eyes who were so much alike nobody could doubt they were twins.

"Any more surprises?" Mara asked, studying the picture.

"I don't think so," Ami laughed slightly.

"Who's this?" Mara asked, looking at the picture.

"Him?" Ami looked. "That's Aron Calrissian, my current boyfriend."

"What?"

"Well, not a boyfriend exactly. We went out few times together and we attended Alderaan's Memorial together. No big deal. He isn't Force-sensitive and he's a lot like his father - a womanizer. I was about to end it just before I ended here. So I guess it'll have to wait."

"I see," Mara muttered. Then she changed the subject. "So, what is the plan?"

Ami immediately understood.

"Well wait until the twins are born," she stretched the Force and grinned. "Which will be in few hours, by the way. And then we have to wait until Bel Iblis arrival. The attack happened on the night of his coming."

"So, how much time do we have?"

"A week perhaps, maybe more, maybe less."

Mara nodded and went to the door.

"I should go now. I'm tired and need to sleep," Although I wont get much of it she remembered her nightmares. Ami felt her hesitation and then spoke to Mara's mind.

I can help if you want.

Mara quickly turned.

"How you ... "

"I can help," Ami repeated again. "I'm not good in mental communication but you are. I can help you to use this ability to stop the nightmares. If you want to."

"You can make it go away?" Mara hoped against hope that maybe there was even simplier way to get rid of the Emperor's voice than going all the way to Wayland and facing C'Baoth.

"No, I can't," Ami had to say. "But I can help you to shut it down so you can sleep in peace."

"How?"

"Sit down," Ami sat on her legs and Mara did the same, mirroring her pose. "Give me your hands," Ami took them and closed her eyes, Mara doing everything like her. Now drop your outer barriers. Not all of them she instructed as she felt Mara getting uneasy. Just let me in a little. You can navigate me through your mind, you just have to focus. That's good. Now, look for the place the nightmares come from. Ami shivered as it touched her, the hatred so cold and almost blinding, that inspite of feeling it before she had to grit her teeth to stop herself from crying out. Now, built a mental shield around it. Imagine it like building a wall. It's the same you have around your mind. Just make it inside as well. Good job she praised as the cold feeling got weaker and weaker until it disappeared. She slowly eased her way out of Mara's mind, careful not to touch any personal memories. As she passed one area, she paused. She knew what made her stop. It was the part where Mara's Force abilities laid, locked and repressed. She thought for a moment and then reached out and unlocked them. Then she finished her way out.

When she opened her eyes, she found Mara staring at her. She smiled at her.

"Better?" she asked.

"Yeah. Thanks. But I feel so strange," Mara said. "More powerful."

"I unlocked your repressed powers," Ami said nonchalantly. "It would happen eventually, so I just sped up the process."

Mara looked at her, not sure what to say or do. It was almost a violating of her privacy but then she remembered their talk from earlier and knew that Ami would never do such a thing. And maybe having more abilities wasn't bad thing. She could certainly use them.

"Thanks, again."

"You're welcome. And now we really should part."

"Yeah," Mara got up. She was almost at the door when she heard.

"How about a rematch?"

Mara paused for a moment.

"8.00 sharp in the gym. And this time prepare to lose."

"Whatever," Ami called after her. "Goodnight ... Mum."

Mara just shook her head. They would have to talk about it later. But now she was tired and looked forward to first good sleep after months. She wasn't disappointed. It was really the first time in months she slept without the Emperor's voice booming in her head every few hours. It seemed that maybe her life was taking the right turn in the end.

Ami was having similar thoughts, feeling for the first time since she had woken up on the General's ship, that everything was going to be all right.

Little did the mother and daughter knew about an old man who emerged from meditation in his private chambers aboard Star Destroyer Chimaera with a wicked glint in his eyes.

Aboard Chimaera

Joruus C'Baoth, clone of long dead Jedi Master awoke from his meditation. He was very disturbed with what he had seen. There was a young woman with blonde hair and green eyes who wore a lightsaber and had very strong presence in the Force. She was a danger, he knew it.

He had seen her with that insolent Jade. They were friends with a Force bond. And she had a bond with Skywalker as well. But the most disturbing was her light. She was of the Light side but where had she come from? She appeared out of nowhere, threatening his plans with her mere presence. As long as she was near his future apprentices, they wouldn't turn, he was sure of it. And he couldn't try to turn her. No, he couldn't.

"Child of light," he whispered to himself. That was what she was. Child born of two Light side presences that together created almost blinding Force presence. He could do only one thing to be sure of his success. There was only one way.

"Child of light, you will die," he said loudly. "Skywalker and Jade will bring you along to fight me, I'm sure of it. But when they do so, it'll be the end of you. Oh, I promise that," and he started to laugh maniacally. The soldier who stood out at his door shivered at the sound of it. It was cold and threatening and suddenly the man wanted nothing more than to run as far away as he could. The only problem was that he couldn't. The paths of fates were about to cross and noone could tell how it would end.

TBC

I know, I've had promised another chapter but this one just popped out at me. The promised chapter will be the next. Until then May the Force be with You

Kaya Jade