Chapter 5
Hyperspace, somewhere in the Meridian Sector
The Lucky Karrde – Republic Class Dreadnought
Karrde composed himself before the Comm Unit in his personal quarters.
He was wearing a fine black tunic of Hapan Silk and had brushed his hair carefully. He wanted to look his best, it wasn't everyday you spoke to the Chief of State.
He cleared his throat then ended the very long, very complicated encrypt code that would secure him a line to the space ship Alderaan. The personal yacht of Princess Leia Organa-Solo.
The screen before him showed a mind-numbing-seizure-inducing "Connecting… please stand by" message. Why the service providers in this sector thought lurid yellow and green flashing lettering pleasant to stare at when making a comm call he did not know. He assumed it was probably one of the most commonly pondered mysteries this side of the Core.
The clashing lettering was replaced with a blue tinged holo of the serenely beautiful figure of Leia Organo-Solo.
Karrde smiled slightly and opened his mouth to greet her, but she beat him to it.
"Greetings, I am regretfully unable to answer your holo-call at this point in time. Please leave a recorded message, and I will return you comm promptly. Thank-you."
She hadn't given her name or the ships. /Well, I guess it's safe to assume that anyone coming her at this number will know who she is…/
The recording of the Princess smiled and vanished to be replaced with more lurid lettering. 'Begin message recording'
Karrde sighed, oh well, she'd have his frequency listed as a missed call, so he might as well leave her a message.
"Greetings. My name is Captain Talon Karrde. I have some news of interest for you Madame Chief of State. My crew came across the wreck of Luke Skywalker's X-Wing during a trade run. Please contact me at this frequency to discuss this matter further. I have not contacted the authorities on this matter as I thought it …. appropriate you were the first to know." He nodded respectfully, "Talon Karrde Out.".
The connection cut and he sat back and pondered the message he'd just left. /ambiguous...She won't know if her brother is alive or dead... And since she will have to contact me now, I have the advantage./
Karrde still hadn't decided whether or not he would hand Skywalker over to the NR or the Imperials. He supposed he'd rather give Skywalker back to the NR, but he wasn't going to pass up a tidy profit if the Moffs saw fit to other him enough. /It's up to Organa-Solo what becomes of him now…/.
He stood and walked to the small window of his cabin. They were due to exit Hyperspace within the next two hours, and the descent to his secure dock at the infamous Spaceport, 'Tortugaa Galactic', hidden on the planet of Dalhir would take another hour or so.
Skywalker would be easily convinced to be his 'guest' especially if he were able to communicate with his sister. /but really, who would resist MY hospitality/ Failing that, he had the Yslamiri imported from his 'smuggling' base on Myrkr. From what he had gleaned from Mara Jade and other test subjects and research, the little lizards crippled a Jedi's power.
Yes, soon Karrde would have the last of the Jedi, the hero of the Rebel Alliance and the brother of the New Republic Chief of State securely in his control.
He allowed himself a smile. /I stand to make a lot of credits out of this…/
On the deck below him, Mara Jade awoke from yet another night of fitful sleep haunted by the blue eyes of Luke Skywalker.
She cursed and slammed her fists into her pillow.
"Damn him!"
One minute she was having her usual dream/vision of her master's downfall, and next she was having a lustfull dream about the cursed Jedi.
She clenched her teeth shut, letting them grind together in frustration.
Skywalker had, in the space of a week, somehow insinuated himself into every aspect of her life. /And he's not even conscious/ Her thoughts drifted back to him constantly, switching erratically from hatred to desire then back again. Half the time she had no idea how he distracted her. One minute she'd be thoughtfully regarding her breakfast, trying to decide between caf or stim tea, next thing she knew her mind went off on a bizarre tangent from 'stim-tea' that ended at 'Luke Skywalker'. It was unnerving.
He haunted her dreams in a similar way, whether in her bed or at the end of her blaster, he was always the focus.
But perhaps worst of all was his smell. She could not wash it off! It was as if that infuriating, addictive, maddening scent had imprinted itself upon the very air around her and followed her through the ship in a little cloud, like her own personal weather system.
She has taken to avoiding all conversation with the rest of the crew for fear he would come up in discussion, and had not even been on the same level as the med-bay since her visit a few days earlier.
She had thought her 'feelings' would die down.
Apparently they had not.
Even unconscious and in a trance his presence in the force was like a vibrant warmth that called to her constantly.
She sat bolt upright on her bunk as a thought occurred to her. /Perhaps if he was awake, he'd be able to shield his force presence, and I wouldn't be feeling like this./
Mara thought on this for a few minutes, trying to be logical in her arguments for and against awakening Skywalker. She knew that Jedi and sith alike were able to shield themselves from other force users, so she was quite certain that Skywalker would be able to tone down his force presence if conscious. But the downside was of course, that he'd be conscious. /Sithspit/ She'd have to talk to the man.
Mara Jade was also quite well aware where her late night genius regarding the Jedi had gotten her last time.
/Infatuated… apparently.../
She had no desire to make the situation any worse.
She laid back on her narrow bunk and tried to sleep but her heart was beating a little too fast and her breath refused to steady out. Her thoughts all raced towards one man despite her attempts to distract herself with anything, anyone else. /no! I am NOT going back there. Maybe in the morning, when I'm thinking clearly, but not now./
Mara took a long, calming breath and thought about the most unappealing thing she could. A hutt. A big, slimy parasite infected one. One with a great big lolling tongue that wanted to be her 'special' friend. For a moment it worked and she shuddered in disgust, then, predictably, the Hutt turned into Jabba, and Skywalker appeared with the bikini-clad Princess Leia to spoil everything. /Damn! That blasted Jedi has even tainted my Nightmares!… well… I suppose imagining a Hutt wasn't the best idea, seeing as how the one time I ever met the rebel traitor was at Jabba's…/ She sighed and sat up.
"I'll wake him. Tell him that his blasted Jedi powers are invading my sleep, then leave."
She took a few calming breaths. "Hopefully I will then stop speaking to myself."
Yes, she'd wake him, perhaps yell at him, then come back and have a nice night's rest for the first time in a week.
/Sith. I must be tired. Surely sleep isn't worth a conscious Jedi…/
Still, she pulled on a flight suit, not bothering to pull her hair up, and headed out into the ship.
The corridors were quiet, not deserted but quiet. It was about 02:00 hours, so while the ship was mostly asleep, there were many crew around in preparation for the return to real space and Dalhir. Captain Karrde always liked to have his crew ready for action.
Her journey to the med-bay was swift and uneventful.
Mara Jade didn't bat an eyelid at the handful of 'fan-club' members keeping vigil outside Skywalker's room. She noticed however, that someone had adjusted the observation mirror so that it was reflective, not transparent. /the med staff where probably sick of working in a fish bowl…./
She walked boldly up to the door and palmed the release before anyone could stop her.
The moment the door hissed shut behind her she let out a sigh of relief.
Just being close to the Jedi she felt as if a heavy load had been lifted off her. It was as if she'd spent all week pulling against a tractor beam that had suddenly released her. The sense of peace she got from giving in to her need to be near Skywalker was disturbing.
Taking a deep breath she made her way to his bedside.
He looked exactly the same as he had two nights previously. He looked perfect. His hair was still a golden halo, his face still handsome in repose. All traces of his near death experience were gone. He looked gorgeous.
Suddenly the formally sleepless Mara was tired. She yawned and blinked slowly. As she yawned her right hand covered her mouth, then lowered, coming to rest on Skywalker's shoulder.
She glared half-heartedly at her traitorous limb
She could feel the warmth of his body under her hand.
A tingle of desire slithered up her spine. She ignored it.
Her legs wavered beneath her and she sat down on the very edge of his bed, being careful not to touch him.
"Right. Now. To wake him up…." She ignored the rapid beating of her heat and the conflicting emotions running through her veins and instead focused on the problem before her, namely, waking up Luke Skywalker.
She drew up memories of their force conversation, trying to ignore the warmth and kindness she remembered in his voice.
/I will make sure to repay you for your kindness./
His voice was fading again.
/You should go… To pull me from the trance just tell me to wake up…Thank-you…./
"Well, that's really helpful…' /just tell him to wake up/
Sighing, feeling very foolish, Mara Jade quickly looked around to make sure no one was looking.
Since she was alone in the room, this did not prove to be a problem.
Leaning over the still form of the sleeping Jedi, Mara Jade muttered softly , "Wake up Skywalker."
To her complete astonishment, blue eyes shot open and Luke Skywalker took a deep breath.
He awoke to full strength in the force, his bright light suddenly blinding in its radiance. She fought the impulse to reach out towards him with her own presence.
He smiled radiantly at her and to her shame Mara felt her heart swell. "Took you long enough Mara Jade."
She blinked.
The Jedi raised an eyebrow in query.
He spoke to her as if they were friends, as if he had every right to expect her presence at his bedside.
She opened and closed her mouth. Words were trying to form in the back of her mind, but she couldn't seem to string them together to form a sentence. She was aware of only her inexplicable desire for the man before her. His awakening had strengthened her longing, not weakened it. Her breath was catching in her throat. His face was only centimeters from her own.
His eyes seemed to have some sort of magnetic pull to them because she found herself leaning closer to the confused Jedi.
Her eyes flicked to his lips for a second and suddenly she paused, aware of what it was she wanted to do, and unable to allow herself to. She backed her face up away from his./Sith! What are you doing Jade! He'd a Jedi! You can't just kiss him/
He just smiled up at her, looking like a confused farm-boy.
She continued staring stupidly at him.
His smile faded, then his hand, his real hand, came up to rest against the side of her face. It was warm and strong and callused. Her face leant into his touch before she had time to stop herself, her eyes still glued to his. She knew that she'd never looked upon him before in her life, but his eyes were the exact shade that she had known they would be. The same hypnotic blue as in her visions. /Dreams Jade! Not visions! Just stupid hormone induced dreams../ Dimly she fought to regain control of her senses and took a deep, calming breath.
It proved to be a mistake.
She had forgotten that she was practically lying in Skywalker's lap, and in their close proximately, her deep calming breath bought his scent to her attention. The maddening smell that had been haunting her since she'd first visited him in the med-centre hit her full force.
Her eyes slid shut and her forehead fell forward weakly to rest against his. Her hand came to rest on the warmth of his shoulder so she could prop herself up. She could feel his warm breath against her skin, mingling with her own hitched gasping attempts to drawn in oxygen. Her dry lips tingled as they almost brushed against the Jedi's. /no.. can't want… Skywalker…/
She knew she had to get away from him, Now!
Rallying her will, she steeled herself to pull herself away.
Mara sat up.
But her brain had apparently stopped working.
She had never wanted anyone like she wanted Luke Skywalker in that moment. Her very body was betraying her. Her hand, the one that had been resting so innocently against his shoulder had hung onto him for dear life, drawing him up to sit before her. They faces were mere centimeters apart yet again. The heat from his body was burning at her through her flightsuit. She couldn't move.
Her guilt at betraying her master, her mistrust of the Jedi, all she believed in were forgotten. She couldn't think of anything. Her only hope was that he would stay very still and not make any sudden movements.
He didn't move.
Instead his lips parted and he spoke in a low soft voice, "Mara….".
Her eyes slid half closed at the sound of her name on his lips. He sounded as if her wanted her as much as she wanted him. /no.. He can't want me… that's not possible…/
The Jedi before her groaned low in his throat and rested his forehead against her shoulder, inhaling the scent of her hair and skin deeply. Pleasure shot through her at this simple contact. Unconsciously one of her hands buried itself in his mussed bed-hair, bring him into a half-embrace against her.
She couldn't even remember to be angry when he answered her silent question through the force, his voice ringing out softly in her mind, much clearer than it had the week before, /I do Mara…./
Her heart soared at his words.
He wanted her.
Seemingly from a far way away she felt uneasiness and guilt at this pleasure, something was wrong. But in her confusion she couldn't quite remember what was wrong.
Her tongue moistened her lips and her mouth formed a single word, the only response she could think of to express the twisted mess of feelings that the man before her was causing, "Luke..?"
A sarcastic little voice chided her from deep within herself, but she couldn't comprehend its warning, it came from too far away and its words were unclear.
Luke Skywalker's head rose from her shoulder, bright blue eyes boring into green and the murmuring of the sarcastic voice retreated into silence in wake of his unflinching gaze.
She didn't know what exactly she was asking for, but he was a Jedi after all, so he knew even if she did not. His lips closed the centimeter that separated them to brush against hers.
The kiss was soft, warm and short.
Mara's eyes opened groggily as he pulled away, she did not remember them closing. She met his gaze for a moment, then her eyes slipped down to his lips. /again./ Tentatively she leant towards him, she wanted to feel his soft lips against hers again. Luke's thumb caressed the line of her face gently but he otherwise remained still, letting her come to him. She was almost kissing him, their breath mingling once again. The heat from his skin seemed to be sending tiny invisible streaks of lightening out towards her sensitized skin. Her eyes drifted closed again. She froze for a moment, /there is something I should thinking.. there is something I should be feeling right now…/. She should not be doing this, but her clouded mind couldn't /wouldn't/ let her remember why. /one kiss can't hurt…/
Her lips found his and she sighed at the strange sense of relief and satisfaction that swept through her. Giving in was so much easier that fighting. The kiss was different to the first, the innocent sweetness of lips brushing gently against one another was lost to a new fervor. Mara knew she should pull away before her one kiss turned into something else entirely, but her brain was fuzzy and she felt powerless to resist the gentle insistence of the Jedi before her.
Dimly she was aware of the low groan in the back of his throat and of his hand slipping over her cheek and into her hair, pulling her face closer as he deepened their kiss. She matched his kiss thoughtlessly, her lips hard against his, her free hand grabbing hold to the front of his med-centre tunic.
Desire shot through her and she felt herself moan as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip. Her mouth opened to his easily as he tilted her head to the side, his fingers twisting his her hair. Their tongues tasted each other, lips crushing together in sudden unexpected violence and need. Mara's hand slipped from his hair and her arm wrapped around his neck as she let him pull her onto his lap.
With this new position giving her much more access to the Jedi she had spent the last week craving and hating alternatively, Mara let her hands run over him. The distant, sarcastic part of her mind noted that her desire evidently outweighed her hatred. She ignored this revelation. Her right hand returned to its perch twisted in his hair, keeping his hungry mouth slanted over hers. Her left slid down over his and came to rest on his hip, letting her draw her straddled thighs further over him, pressing her form tightly against his in an intimate embrace. Luke gasped as her hips ground unconsciously against his own and his lips left hers and kissed a trail down the side of her neck coming to rest on the curve of her neck.
His teeth scraped against her soft flesh and her head fell backwards as a low moan escaped her. She clutched at him, holding his head against her as her heart beat wildly. Dimly she was aware that she should stop this and run away, but she couldn't bring herself to remember her duty and continued her blissful delusion.
Luke's damaged artificial arm slid around the small of her back slightly awkwardly and brought her hips flush against his. The heat of him against her awoke a burning ache within her. She moaned softly in need.
His teeth bit into her neck sharply as his real hand slid from her tangled hair and along the line of her neck, his thumb tracing her collarbone before his fingers ran lightly down her arm to come to a rest on her hip. Her face turned against his and he lifted his head to meet her lips in another fevered kiss as his thumb traced circles on her hip, tickling her through the thin material of her flightsuit.
Mara's hand came to rest against his chest and she felt a thrill of triumph at the rapid tattoo of his heart. Her lips pulled away from him and trailed down the line of his neck, her tongue tasting the heat of his skin. He flinched slightly and weakly ground out her name, accidentally letting his force shields waver. His pleasure and desire where suddenly evident to her though the force, as if they were her own feelings, and Mara snapped. Her hands flew up to his shoulders and Luke Skywalker found himself shoved back onto his med-centre bunk as her mouth sought his harshly, her tongue claiming him and her lips stealing his breath. He groaned weakly. Her legs sifted slightly and then she was straddling him fully, her weight and heat welcome against him. Mara broke away from his kiss and sat back, her eyes, darkened with desire, regarding him half closed and her kiss-swollen lips parted. Her breath was coming in little puffs.
The flightsuit she was wearing had started to come undone and Luke could already see the red mark against her creamy skin on her neck. It would leave a bruise. He found the thought pleased him perversely and a flash of embarrassment shot through him.
Ignoring the feeling Luke sat up again, pulling her into his arms, crushing her against him.
Their lips met again in a violent kiss, and they recklessly lost themselves in each other, deaf to the strange noises coming from outside in the med-center hallway.
Talon Karrde was whistling softly to himself as he headed towards the Med-bay to check up on his 'guest'.
The Wild Karrde would be landing in half and hour, and he was hoping to see the Jedi awake.
He had put on his finest tunic, had his assistant brush the velvet of his Captain's Jacket and groom the long delicate scarlet Alderaani Niutet feathers on his hat. His dress shirt with Naboo Lace cuffs was still with his laundry unfortunately, but perhaps it was for the best. He didn't want to waste all his impressive clothes at once. /Besides, my beautiful DC-74's are enough to impress a Rebel pilot from the outer rim I'm sure…/ He caressed the heavy Dueling Blaster on his left hip with a slight dreamy smile. They were his most prized possessions, even more than his precious hat. /A true gentleman's weapon./
Filled with excitement and anticipation at how things seemed to be working out for him, he started humming 'Blast the man down' (his favourite Spacer's song), to himself. As he approached the room in which Skywalker slept however, the jaunty tune he was whistling died on his lips. One dark eyebrow raised in disbelief and confusion.
Captain Talon Karrde was a man of some experience. He was not a particularly old man, he was only 37, but he'd been knocking around the galaxy for the better part of 20 years, smuggling, profiteering, spying and generating making a nuisance of himself. He'd been a guest of Spice lounges in Palaces of Hutt Royalty, sold information to both the Empire and the Rebel Allowance, been in his first blaster fight at age 15, his first space battle by 17, viewed the slave-markets of Nal-Hutta with distaste, sprung comrades from Imperial Detention and worked for some of the greatest and most unsavory Privateers of his time. In short, there was very little that could surprise Talon Karrde.
There appeared, however, to be some sort of orgy taking place in the hallway of his flagship. His flagship.
Three couples, including the ship's dignified Senior Medic Officer, where making out like teenage twi-leks in a spice lounge right before his eyes.
There were two of his mechanics embracing passionately up against the wall, (he was fairly certain they were both married), another couple sprawled over an observation couch, (one of whom he recognised as his friend, the very respectable Miss Lena Innes) and the medic officer and his assistant were in the process of opening a supply closet, presumable for some privacy.
For a long minute Karrde was speechless.
"Emperor's Black Bones! What is going on here?"
The couple nearest to him, the middle-aged medic officer and his young assistant, glanced at him, then returned their attention to each other.
He blinked, noting to himself that he felt vaguely nauseous.
Everyone around him continued to ignore him. He was unaccustomed to being treated with so little respect by his crew.
"I said, WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!"
This time no-one even glanced in his direction. Karrde's face slipped into an unusual expression of deepest shock.
He wondered vaguely if Skywalker had something to do with his crew's sudden attack of Nymphomania. Slowly, almost gingerly, he walked towards the door to the Jedi's room, trying very hard to seem unaffected by the scene around him.
As he drew nearer he noticed that he was becoming a little, excited. His dark brows furrowed. /What? I'm getting turned on by this! Elderly doctors taking advantage of the nursing staff!… Well, this is a new low…/ He paused near the door, deeply disturbed by his apparent 'deviousness'… /No. NO! I am not turned on by old men or mechanics!…Is the Jedi doing this? Some sort of sick joke/ Another thought occurred to him and he almost smiled, /Is he having a naughty dream/
Crossing the last meter he palmed the room's door release.
His mouth dropped open again.
The fierce blueeyes of Luke Skywalker stopped him dead in his tracks. He was glaring at Talon over Mara Jade's shoulder. From where he sat on his bed. The bed on which he'd apparently been giving Talon's second in command, (his second in command who appeared to be sitting in his lap with her flightsuit half undone), a love-bite.
The look in his eyes was not a friendly one.
Talon felt himself 'pushed' out of the room as if by a giant invisible hand.
The door hissed shut.
He blinked.
Behind him he heard Lena Innes slap someone.
The desert, a long, long way from Fraali Galactic Spaceport.
Dalhir, Meridian Sector.
Han peered through the gathering darkness at the speck of orange light visible ahead of him.
The light belonged to orange Twi-lek's old speeder bike. It wasn't going very fast.
Han and Chewie were forced to follow in their 'borrowed' speeder at a speed a drunken Vippit could outpace. (Or so it seemed to Han)
Chewie was humming to himself and playing with the air rushing past his window. It was an odd game that the Wookie often played when in speeders. He'd put his had outside into the roaring wind then retract it as quickly as possible. Sometimes he made a little "wooo!" sound when he did it.
/I need a drink…/
Han shook his head, "How old are you Chewbacca?"
The wookie glared darkly at him, "Older than youpup…"
Han pouted, "I'm not the pup here, you are."
Chewie woofed out a laugh and returned to his game.
They'd followed the twi-lek and his companion around all afternoon, from tap-caf to tap-caf. By the time he'd mounted his speeder bike, it had been a miracle the twi-lek could even walk.
Realising he'd gained a little on the speederbike ahead of him, Han pulled the throttle back a little, letting the little orange light outpace him for a few minutes. Suddenly it vanished.
The Corellian frowned, "What the?"
Chewie shrugged, "Well, Tortuga is hidden. Perhaps it is underground, or behind a stealth shield of some sort…"
"yeah I guess. What do you reckon? We just blast in there and find out where he went?"
Chewie bared his teeth in a wookie-smirk, "I've never known you to behave in any other manner."
Han grinned maniacally and gunned the engine. "Well Chewie, I'd hate to disappoint…"
Hyperspace, Approach Run ro Dalhir, Meridian Sector
The Lucky Karrde – Republic Class Dreadnought
Luke Skywalker returned his gaze to the beautiful woman in his arms.
She was panting, her head swaying from side to side as if woozy.
Luke took a calming breath, coming to his senses, realising that the way he was behaving was bizarre, unusual, and very unbecoming for a Jedi. It was also very unlike him and he felt a wave of shame and embarrassment. /What would Aunt Beru say/ Trying to get his desire under control he bought his hand under Mara Jade's chin and lifted her face so she had to meet his gaze.
Her vivid green eyes met his for a moment then slid shut.
Luke felt his attempts at calming himself failing, /she's so beautiful…/. He'd never met anyone with this affect on him, this woman was practically a stranger and all he wanted to do was rip her clothes off. Beautiful women had thrown themselves at him on occasion ever since the Battle of Yavin, but Luke had never been tempted to have a fling with any of them. For some reason he'd wanted Mara Jade the first time he'd laid his eyes on her.
She shook her head violently from side to side, as if clearing her thoughts, then with an abruptness that startled him, pushed herself out of his arms, onto her feet and out the door, not bothering to shut it again.
He stared after her.
His left arm had reached out pointlessly towards the door.
"What just happened?"
A tall, dark-haired man in a ridiculous hat appeared in the doorway, leaning casually against the frame, his solid arms crossed. Animosity radiated off him through the force. "You tell me Skywalker."
Luke realised he'd ejected the man from the room moments earlier in another very un-Jedi like gesture. /Not to mention inappropriate use of the Force…/ Another wave of shame engulfed him. He wasn't sure what to say.
The outlandishly dressed man stared at him with very cold, serious eyes. He apparently expected an answer.
Luke's hand found it's way into his disheveled hair in a nervous attempt to flatten it.
"Um.. sorry about… before.." The Jedi gestured vaguely with his hand, making a waving motion at the door, "You know… with the… um…pushing thing…" Suddenly all Leia's valiant attempts to soften his Outer Rim drawl into something approaching a dignified Coruscanti lilt had come undone. /great. I sound like a twelve year old…/ From somewhere at the back of his mind he could almost hear someone who sounded like Leia replying, /well, you're acting like one Luke Skywalker/
Suddenly the current situation was forgotten, "Leia!". He flung aside his tangled sheets, "I've got to tell Leia I'm alright!…." He'd made it to his feet pausing as his head swum momentarily then cleared. Quickly he checked himself over, he was stiff and sore, the joint between his artificial limb and his arm was tender and throbbed, but for the most part he was healed. "She's gonna kill me!"
The near-forgotten stranger /there's something familiar about him…/, pushed himself away from the door frame. "Might be premature to go reassuring your lovely sister Skywalker." He leered in a manner that reminded Luke eerily of Han, and strode across the small room, his low-heeled spacers boots clicking sharply.
Luke crossed his arms, arranging his face into his neutral 'Jedi' mask. /sister? He knows Leia's my sister?…./ He sensed no particular danger about his lavishly dressed guest, but then again, his senses had failed him on more than one account in the last hour. He decided to attempt diplomacy.
"Of course, you're quite correct. Before I contact Leia, I need to thank my rescuers…". He paused, letting his eyes trail over the tall figure now standing a little too close to him, letting them reflect subdued awe at his wardrobe, the lace at his cuffs, the gleaming gold of his dueling blasters, the rich velvet of his jacket, his neatly trimmed moustache and goatee…. Luke's head spun, the man was over-dressed for a Kuati Ball. /he obviously dressed to impress… I've never seen a spacer in lace... he's so… shiny…/ "Captain…?"
The man blinked, seemingly mollified by Luke's apparent "awe", but made him wait for a name, pausing dramatically, "Captain Talon…Karrde."
The name was familiar, but Luke couldn't quite place it. Looking suitably impressed he nodded his head in thanks, "Captain Karrde. I am indebted to you and your crew…"
The Captain nodded, "Yes… 'my crew'….", it was obvious he was referring the beautiful Mara Jade by his sarcastic tone, "… are all, quite enamored, with your presence about The Lucky Karrde… Personally I've never cared much for all that Force mumbo-jumbo."
Luke nodded, "Understandable Captain Karrde." /Lucky Karrde! I've heard of this man, this ship… It was in the brief I got on the Star of Naboo… I must still be in the same region of the galaxy at least…/ The Jedi quickly tried to recall the exact details of what he'd read about Captain Karrde, but nothing came, just a vague uneasiness. / Ah! I should know this/
Karrde nodded sharply, "Perhaps we can discuss your.. situation… at more length over dinner." He glanced at a gold wrist-chrono, "We are about to make port. I'm sure we can come to some arrangement regarding compensation for Mara Jade's timely intervention on your behalf. She pulled us right out of Hyperspace... Could have killed everyone on board. Very Dangerous."
Luke nodded in relief, "Of course. I'm sure the New Republic will see fit to offer you a reward for my rescue." /Money, he just wants money.Good./ The Captain's comm. beeped subtly and he smiled slyly at Luke, "If you will excuse me for a moment Skywalker…" He was out the door before Luke could react.
Five minutes passed, the ship reverted to real space in a smooth transition.
/Is he gonna come back?… / Luke sighed and wandered across the tiny med-room to the viewscreen on the far wall. They were just entering a sparse system that he did not recognise.
He took a moment to go over his injuries more thoroughly. His broken ribs and punctured lung were almost completely healed, with just stiffness and bruising left, the fracture in his left arm was similarly healed and the concussion was just a memory. It stung to breathe in too deeply. /maybe the ribs aren't quite healed then…/ His left arm and shoulder was the only thing he was concerned about. His replacement arm had been crushed when the X-wings targeting system had slammed back into him. The movement in the arm was stiff and he could hardly move the fingers at all.
He could live with that however. The problem was where the arm was connected. It ached and throbbed if Luke moved his arm to fast. The artificial interface where flesh and bone met metal and synthflesh was a network of wires and sensors running up his arm to the elbow. These had been damaged when his hand had been crushed. The throbbing was from the little sensors and interfacing wires that had been displaced and now ran through his arm with no purpose, like giant splinters imbedded in his flesh. The deep ache was from where the metal rod that formed the 'bone' of his forearm was riveted into the remains of his real bone. It felt like it had been almost torn away.
The care he'd received in the ship's med bay was still impressive though. /How big is this ship exactly? I'm just in a recovery room./ he glanced at the door, /13b? This must be a big cargo ship.. or something.. to have such a large med bay, with more than thirteen recovery rooms…/
Luke sighed, leaving the mystery of The Lucky Karrde for a moment and tried to send healing powers into his arm, he wouldn't be able to heal the arm without microsurgery, but he needed to keep it stable until he returned to Coruscant.
It was a good ten minutes later that he remembered Leia still didn't know he was alive. Karrde had left abruptly without an offer of a comm. Undoubtedly he would bargain with Luke for use of one. The jedi knew he could easily escape his room, but he preferred to wait until he knew exactly what he'd gotten himself into. /That rules out the comm then…/
He smirked, /But, Karrde can't stop me from speaking to Leia, comm. or not./.
Standing at the tiny viewscreen of the Lucky Karrde's fast approach vector to…/planet something in system where ever, Luke Skywalker stretched out in the force for the first time in over a week. /Leia. Hear me…/
AN: Big thanks to Mei and Mara look-a-like who were kind enough to review... :D
I don't currently have a computer so i've typed this up at a net cafe...
so please excuse any errors!
I will be going over the chapters and checking them when I get a chance - nat