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Chapter 6
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It was a quiet, warm night. The activities at the Academy had come to an end for the day, students and teachers retiring to their quarters. Although it was a few hours after student curfew, a section in the main quarter's level was still lit. The blinds were drawn, and a soft breeze came into the room through the open windows of the terrace in Luke's apartment. His quarters were sober and functional, accentuated by the simple lines and neutral colors of the furniture in there. Not many decorations hang from the walls or lay on the surfaces; the atmosphere was modern and elegant, relaxed and comfortable. It had been a long day for Luke and Mara, their topic discussions tended to last long without any of them minding the time. Sitting at the table Luke and Mara enjoyed a late supper, one of their regular meals together at the end of a hard day of training.
As the days had gone by, Mara's training had continued. They spent more time in the library now, going through ancient Jedi documents and findings from the holocrons. Mara studied extensively. Weeks and weeks had passed since that very first training session when Luke had disarmed her during their lightsaber practice and he could see that she was almost ready, which also meant that she would be leaving soon.
While enjoying their meals they found the small opportunity to relax a bit, talking about different topics from those of Jedi holocrons and techniques, also talking about more irrelevant matters.
"This is so much better than feeding on ration bars," Mara said as she finished with her meal "You have spoiled me for good! After these months of sensible eating I'm going to look at ration bars in a whole new way."
Luke chuckled at Mara's remark while taking a sip of his drink, "Well, I'm gonna have to agree with you on that one! Nothing can beat a good meal after a hard day of training. I had my share of ration bars too, you know; during my years in the Alliance."
"Yeah… being a soldier was never an easy thing," Mara said in remembrance of those days of her own. She had been an elite soldier for most of her life until the fall of the Empire.
"Being a Jedi in not easy either…" Luke pointed out "…but it has more benefits." he joked.
"Yeah right… like getting a Force choke when someone wants to get rid of you, or a personalized Force lighting treatment." She mocked him when remembering Vader's and Palpatine's signature 'treatments'.
"So much for Jedi benefits!" Luke answered half joking and half shivering at the memory.
"Still, I don't know whether I'm gonna like it or not…" Mara kept teasing "…this 'being a Jedi' thing…"
"A little too late to be thinking about that, don't you agree?" Luke pointed out, knowing that she was joking.
"Well, is just that I don't know what I'm going to do with this entire superiority act, and with all that special treatment that sentient creatures give to you. And I'm talking about YOU in particular." She teased.
"I don't get special treatment." Luke complained.
"Of course you do! And you also get the attention of an adoring audience."
"Adoring audience…?"
"Come on Farmboy; don't tell me that you haven't noticed. You're the most recognized face in the entire Galaxy. Every were you go you have your female fan club drooling all over you, and then you have the males who walk all over each other just to be first to show you their respect –out of either admiration or fear. They all treat you with such reverence!" She said amused by the thought.
"I haven't noticed." Luke said casually.
"Don't be that modest, of course you've noticed!" she said not believing her friend for one second.
"I don't like to think about it." He shrugged.
"You don't let things go up to your head, right?" she told him in amusement.
"I try not to." He answered with a shy smile.
"Well, seriously Skywalker, I really don't know how you handle it; all that attention. If that happened to me… surely a few death bodies would be found." She addressed with her usual dark humor.
Luke smiled at her comment. "I'm not going to tell you that the life of a Jedi is easy, of course it has its drawbacks, like being on the spot most of the time as one of them; but it also has enormous rewards… rewards of personal nature; most of all, the satisfaction of doing what is right and of knowing that you're making a difference." He emphasized.
'The Farmboy and his idealistic nature.' Mara thought. "Maybe, but still is going to be hard for me. I'm used to working incognito and I hate recognition. So, don't expect me to take it kindly." She told him, being serious about it this time.
"You'll do just fine, Mara." Luke reassured her.
Although she didn't show it, Luke knew Mara was worried about what becoming a Jedi represented, about the changes this would bring into her life; but he also knew that she was more than capable of dealing with that, and that she would also make a powerful Jedi when the time came. And thinking about powerful Jedi… he remembered he had something for her, something he had meant for her for a while now. Standing up he approached a small cabinet and extracted something from one of the drawers.
"I have something for you." Luke told her putting a small piece of soft cloth on the table while taking his seat.
"A present?" Mara asked amused, noticing there was something wrapped inside the small piece of cloth. "That I know, today is not my birthday." She joked.
"Consider it an advanced gift for your knighthood." Luke said to her.
A twinkle of curiosity showed in Mara's eyes as she smiled with satisfaction while taking the small wrap in her hands, undoing it.
Mara looked at the object in her hands, "A lightsaber crystal!" she said in surprise when looking at the small sparkling gem. It was a crystalline, smooth, yellowish-orange gem.
"I found it during our last expedition to Dantooine. We went inside the abandoned Jedi Enclave on the planet and I brought this back with me. It's a very good quality jewel, very rare and ancient. It should make for an excellent lightsaber," Luke explained "I thought the color would suit you." Luke finished giving her a warm smile.
Mara smiled with excitement, 'A lightsaber crystal'. This meant that the Master considered his Padawan skilled enough to start the construction of her own lightsaber, which also meant that the completion of her training was near.
"But… if it's so rare… you could use it yourself." She said hesitantly, realizing the importance of that little piece of sparkling rock.
Luke shook his head "I like mine and I wouldn't change it for anything. I made it myself and it's mystically attuned to my own power," Luke explained "Don't ask me how it happened because I really don't know. Let's say it's one of those mysteries of the Force and leave it at that." Then pointing at the jewel that Mara held in her hand he added "I kept this other jewel to give it to some other Jedi who could handle its power, which I believe you can, so it's yours now."
Mara couldn't find what to say, something that was very much un-like her Luke realized, which meant that she was pleased.
After a few moments of silent appreciation of the gem she started, "When can I begin?"
"As soon as we go through the writings in the manuals together, just to make sure that you got everything right." Luke told her.
Mara couldn't hide the satisfaction in her smile. So, this was it! She was very close to becoming a Jedi.
Luke couldn't help but to smile back at her, she looked so happy; happier than he'd ever seen her. Mara was about to complete her training, it had cost them so many years of fights and arguments, but finally she had realized the importance of the gift that the Force had given her, one she had to honor. She would become a Jedi and then… she would be gone; not gone from his life, of course… but he wasn't sure of how often he'd be able to see her; - it had been two years the last time they stopped seeing each other. He thought of this while a heavy, dark pain squeezed his heart. Yes, she was going to leave, and he was going to say goodbye… graciously.
Mara noticed the change in his mood "Jedi, what's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing is wrong," he simply answered.
"I don't believe you," Mara said.
"I'm all right, Mara. I guess I'm just tired."
Him tired before her? Very unlikely. "I don't believe that one either." She said staring at him.
Luke stared back at her "We're not going to get into an argument for this, aren't we? I'm fine." He stressed.
"So, you don't trust me?" She knew there was something there.
"Mara, you know better than that. There's nothing to tell, that's all!"
"Well, I don't believe you for one second… you've been acting very strange lately Farmboy; but you know what, I'm going to drop the subject just because it's getting late and I'm very tired and I don't want to lose a night of sleep trying to get it out of you; because I know just how stubborn you can get." She told him harshly.
Luke just hated it when Mara talked to him like that, but he was not going to fall for it because he knew exactly what she was doing… trying to make him loose his temper to have him spill out everything before he knew it. Making a supreme effort he kept quiet.
"All right… I guess I should get going then." Mara said in disappointment at not getting what she expected.
"See you tomorrow, Mara. And thank you for your company." Luke said politely.
She picked up her things and headed to the door followed by Luke.
"Thanks for the crystal," Mara thanked him, feeling grateful for one part, but for the other still upset at the Jedi's inscrutable attitude.
He just nodded. The door closed behind Mara and he was left alone in his apartment.
Luke let out a sigh of anger and desperation, then dropped on the couch. Yes, he'd been acting strange lately, on that she was right; but how was he going to tell her that she was the main reason for all his strange behavior? Maybe it was best if he just told her all about it; they were good friends after all. They had confided things to each other –about their jobs, their past… Mara had been there for him when Callista left him… Yes, they had been through a lot together, which in a way made her the natural option for him to establish a romantic relationship with… No! He could not do that! He would not bring his burdens on her. He would not allow it! He would protect her at any cost, even if it meant that he had to give her up.
Luke stared at the ceiling with a deep feeling of uneasiness in his heart. He wasn't even sure of what Mara's feelings towards him were anyways. He knew she liked him and all; that she considered him a close friend, although she would not admit that out loud –that was Mara; but more than that… he didn't know.
He continued with his musings and without noticing it, he fell asleep.
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oOo
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Soft little noises made him come out of his dreaming and a small chilly breeze made him roll on one of his sides and cuddle against the cushions. He reached for the covers… where were them? He opened his eyes and realized that the place where he laid was not his bed. It was morning and he was lying on the couch. 'Blast it!' He'd fallen asleep on the couch, and for the amount of light coming in through the windows… He sat up abruptly, getting rid of his drowsiness immediately; he could tell that he was running late already… 'Blast it! And blast it again!' Quickly standing up he looked at his chrono… he could still make it! And he'd better hurry up or he'd never hear the end of it! Why couldn't he just handle things the usual way when Mara was around? It seemed like she had just come into his life to complicate it in every way... or maybe he complicated his own life himself. He ran to the bed chamber and jumped into the shower.
Luke knew that Mara would be particularly moody today, given the fact that she hadn't left happy last night. She had left thinking that he didn't trust her, and that was bad. He hurried his steps giving long strides while walking through the corridors leading to the Library. Of course, he would not let any of the students or teachers in the Academy see him running like a stray bantha all over the place; it was a matter of principle, of personal pride.
Even if this meant having another argument with Mara.
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