Death Star II Mobile Battle Station
Mara had been on the bridge when Luke had contacted her. She had kept her eyes open and attempted to maintain the appearance of alertness, but that didn't fool Emperor Vader. As soon as she broke contact with Luke, she felt Vader's eyes upon her. She blew out a breath and turned to the Dark Lord.
"Were you communicating with my son?"
She nodded "Yes."
He walked toward the bridge exit while motioning for her to follow. She fell in step with Vader as he moved down the corridor. "What did he say?"
She didn't want to get between Vader and Luke, but she also knew when the emperor asked a question you answered. "He asked me to send a shuttle. He wishes to speak to you."
Vader made a mechanical sound that she believed was a dismissive, 'Pffft.' He stopped in front of a metal door long enough for it to slide open allowing him to enter. Mara hesitated slightly at the threshold when she noticed this was obviously Vader's private quarters. It was sparsely furnished but held a large bacta tank like the one in his quarters on Coruscant. He turned and beckoned for her to follow. She entered, wary as to why she was here.
"Can I assume," Vader began in his low rumbling voice, "that my son did not send his heartfelt thanks and appreciation to his father for saving his fleet?"
"No," she said softly. "He's a bit upset over the destruction of a planet."
She felt a spike of anger from the emperor before it subsided. "I understand how he feels. I was equally upset when he destroyed my first battle station."
She wasn't sure if Vader was being flippant or subtly pointing out Luke's hypocrisy. Skywalker did kill hundreds of thousands of Imperials and therefore he was probably not the best person to lecture his father on the indiscriminate taking of life.
Still, there was a difference. Darth Vader was not at all moved by the deaths of so many on Alderaan or this last planet he just destroyed. Luke, on the other hand, carried guilt.
"Lord Vader," Mara began, determined to defend Luke. "Your son is not like you...or me. You and I were trained by Palpatine to be ruthless. Luke was raised in a loving household and trained to be a farmer. He once told me that the deaths on the first Death Star horrified him. He was able to tolerate the guilt when he was with the Rebellion, but once he joined the Empire... he got to meet Stormtroopers and naval personnel. He befriended the people behind the armor. They were no longer the faceless enemy. That is when the enormity of what he did hit him. Don't pretend you don't understand what's going on in your son's heart. You knew he wouldn't approve of this battle station because of what it can do. What it did do." She moved a step closer to Darth Vader but then thought better of it and moved diagonally, further into his quarters, but keeping her distance. "Let me go and pick up Luke. I'll talk to him. I know you did what you had to do. It is foolish to leave the enemy to your back...especially when the enemy is a planet full of dark Force users. Allowing them to live would have been a catastrophe waiting to happen."
Darth Vader walked over to a shelving unit and opened a small cabinet. "You would speak on my behalf in an attempt to mitigate my son's anger?"
"If you so desire, Emperor Vader."
He reached into the back of the cabinet and picked something up. When he turned she realized he was holding a lightsaber.
"Ummm..." She wasn't sure what this was all about, but it did make her uneasy. "Or not. Whatever you want, Sire."
She forced herself not to jump when he activated the lightsaber. To her surprise the blade was not red, but a light blue. He looked at it for a long moment before deactivating the blade and walking toward Mara. "You should have a lightsaber." He held it out to her. "Take it."
Mara tentatively reached out and grasped the weapon. She examined it noting it looked very much like the hilt to Luke's current green lightsaber. She glanced up to Vader. "Was this yours when you were...a Jedi?"
He shook his head. "No, Luke was wielding that weapon when I took his hand. It disappeared on Cloud City. I did not attempt to recover the weapon. If Luke knew the history of that lightsaber... he would not have wanted it." He pointed to the saber in her hands. "That was his mentor's lightsaber—Obi-Wan Kenobi's. I did not give it to Luke due to the way I acquired the weapon."
"You mean, killing Kenobi?"
He made a dismissive gesture. "Obi-Wan foolishly challenged me to a duel, and I was the victor."
"Why me? Why do you want me to have this weapon?"
"You need a lightsaber to protect my son."
Mara stared at him silently, knowing there was more he wanted to say.
"Kenobi was once my Master, but he betrayed me. Still...I could not bring myself to destroy his weapon. Probably the same way he could not bring himself to kill me when he had the chance." He turned away and she could sense he felt uncomfortable. Perhaps he revealed more than he intended. "There is no hidden meaning to my gesture. You need a lightsaber and I have a spare."
She was more than happy to drop the subject. "I will use it to protect your son and the Empire." She slid the weapon on the side cargo pocket of her flight suit, not having a place to clip it on her belt. "Thank you."
He waved her off before clearing his throat. "Take my private shuttle to retrieve Luke. Perhaps you can talk some sense into my son before he arrives."
"Yes, Emperor Vader." She turned and left his quarters and moved briskly to the shuttle bay. Hopefully she would be able to curtail some of Luke's anger before he met with his father.
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Luke was not surprised to learn it was Mara piloting his father's private shuttle to retrieve him. In fact, he was hoping she would. He longed to hold her again; to pull her in his protective embrace. He knew he could have easily lost her in the last week, either to the Resistance or to Palpatine and the thought horrified him.
He waited impatiently as the shuttle docked in the starboard docking bay and finished its shutdown sequence. As soon as the boarding ramp started to lower, he was there, jumping onto the halfway lowered ramp and ducking his head to prevent hitting it on the front nose of the craft. He met up with Mara just as she walked out of the shuttle cockpit.
For that moment all of Luke's concerns melted away as he grabbed her up in his arms lifting her off the ground and crushing his mouth to hers. After a thoroughly passionate kissed he lowered her to the deck and smiled, grateful to have her in his life. "I'm so glad the Resistance didn't hurt you." After a second, he added. "Or the rest of the Wild Karrde crew."
She flashed him a warm smile. "I have your father to thank for that. It's a good thing he heard me."
He knew what she was doing—trying to ease any tension between him and the emperor. Instead of irritating him he was instead relieved that the two had gotten along and his father obviously approved of his relationship with the Former Emperor's Hand. "Yes, I am thankful for his intervention." He paused slightly. "But that doesn't mean I approve of what he did here."
Mara sighed deeply as she pushed the button to raise the ramp and walked back to the cockpit. "I understand." She lowered herself into the pilot seat as Luke moved to the unoccupied seat next to her. "I felt the deaths. I also felt Palpatine's death...along with the reduction of darkside energy." She looked over to him as she initiated the start up sequence. "You had to feel it also. The darkside."
He secured his crash webbing before answering. "I did...but this was a planet, and we don't know if everybody there was Sith or darkside. I assume there were children."
She grabbed the steering yolk and gazed out of the viewport in thought. "I don't know what was down there. For all we know there might have been a planet of Palpatine clones. I do know I sensed evil...a darkside energy stronger than any that I have felt before. Your fleet was in danger...you were in danger. Your father had limited options."
He rolled his eyes. "We could have isolated the planet. Prevented the population from ever leaving. We could have neutralized the threat. The Third Fleet was doing a fairly good job at stopping Palpatine's attack."
She glanced over to him before activating the engines. "Luke, you might be right. Or you might be wrong. Can I give you some advice?"
He was pretty sure he knew what she was going to say but nodded anyway.
"Before you get into a big argument with your father, please recall what two Sith Lords did to this galaxy. Thousands of Jedi, trained since birth, were slaughtered on Palpatine's order. Then there was the destruction of Alderaan, Despayre and Scarif, the slaughter on Bothawui and on Sarko VI. The Blackwing Project, Operation Cinder, the Firrerreo and Dhen-Moh Genocides, just to name a few."
She held up two fingers for emphasis. "Two Sith Lords...one of them being your father who is now in possession of a bigger and better Death Star."
He frowned deeply hoping she wasn't suggesting he forgive and forget what happened here today.
One eyebrow raised as she obviously picked up on his thoughts. "I'm not asking you to condone the destruction of the planet below. Just...just remember nothing will bring those people back. You must look to the future and somehow convince your father to never use the battle station to destroy a planet again. Maybe start by thanking him for rescuing me and the crew and saving your fleet." She gave him a knowing look. "Then remark how much you like his new battle station and ask if you can be put in command of it."
Luke scoffed. "You think he'll give me the most dangerous weapon in the galaxy."
She turned in her seat to face him fully. "Yes, yes, I do. In the last few days, I got to know your father far better than I ever have before. He's changed and it's you who changed him."
He blew out a frustrated breath. "Are you okay with what he did?"
"No...I mean, I wish it didn't have to come to this. I wish Palpatine would have stayed dead. I just don't think your plan on containing the evil would have worked. People know about this planet now...a lot of people. The Resistance and tens of thousands of crewmembers of your massive fleet along with any salvagers you bring in to recover the Katana Fleet. Hundreds of thousands of people would know about the planet and no matter how hard you tried—it would only be a matter of time before darksiders escaped the planet. Then only bad things can happen."
He slouched in his seat, his anger subsiding slightly. "I'll talk to my father."
He watched silently as she maneuvered the shuttle out of the Star Destroyer's docking bay and made its way to the looming battle station in the distance.
She glanced over to him. "Your father loves you."
Luke chuckled darkly. "What? Were you and my father having deep conversations about life, love, and family after your rescue?"
"I wouldn't consider them deep...but yes...we talked." She laughed when she noticed his jaw drop. "He has things to say to you. Give him a chance and listen."
"What did you and he talk about?"
Mara shook her head. "It's not my place to say. There are a few topics your father wants to tell you personally."
Luke ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Now you got me worried. I already know about his battle station. I can't imagine what else we have to talk about." He sat quietly for a long time before asking, "Is it something bad?"
She shook her head. "No, just unexpected." .
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Death Star II Mobile Battle Station
As they approached the Death Star Mara received a communication from Emperor Vader to bring Luke directly to the Throne Room.
Luke looked a little confused. "Why not his quarters? Does he want to remind me that he is in charge?"
Mara knew Vader was probably going to reveal to Luke the Room of Mirrors, but she kept quiet. Before the Emperor sent her to retrieve Luke, he ordered her to not tell him anything. Vader wanted to tell his son that he had a sister among other things.
Mara evaded all of Luke's questions as she docked the shuttle and then walked him to the throne room. When they finally made it to the door, she pulled him into her arms and kissed him softly on the lips. "I'll wait for you in the quarters your father assigned me."
She then quickly walked away before he had the chance to talk her into staying. She knew the future held a very awkward conversation for the two men and that was something she wanted no part of.
She was halfway to her quarters when she decided to make a detour to the station's Commissary and Exchange Shop. She needed some new clothing and personal items. Maybe she will purchase a large bottle of Luke's favorite wine. She imagined he probably would need a drink after talking with his father.
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Death Star II Mobile Battle Station
It was over two hours before Luke showed up at Mara's quarters. She didn't need the Force to tell he was emotionally exhausted. She ushered him into her accommodations before wrapping her arms around him in a fierce hug. "How'd it go? Are you still mad at your father?"
Luke chuckled darkly as he dipped his head down and nuzzled her neck. "I think we're equally irritated with each other."
She pulled away and looked at him perplexed. "He's mad at you for being mad at him?"
He looked at her sheepishly. "My father wasn't the only person with secrets... and he discovered mine."
"Oh?"
He sighed before taking her hand and leading her to the room's sitting area. He sat down on the couch still clutching her hand.
She lowered herself next to him watching at him curiously. "And what was the secret?"
He leaned back into the seat cushions and expelled a long, tired breath. "My father brought me to the room of mirrors and explained its function. At some point he revealed to me that Princess Leia was my sister. When I didn't respond in surprise he got upset."
Mara shrugged. "Why? You always told me you saw her as a sister. You must have subconsciously picked up you were siblings through the Force."
Luke made a face. "Yeah, he didn't see it that way. He was sure you told me, and he was...well, pissed is the best way to describe his reaction. He said he ordered you to be quiet."
Her jaw went slack as a nervous flutter coiled in the pit of her stomach. "I hope you told him I absolutely did not disobey his instructions!"
Luke ran a hand over his face in a nervous gesture. "I did, but he pressed me about why I wasn't surprised...I mean not surprised at all. He knew, I knew beforehand."
She folded her arms across her chest and glowered at him. "Luke, are you going to tell me what happened or are you going to continue to dance around the subject? How did you know?"
He slouched in his seat and stared at the ceiling. "Ben Kenobi told me."
Her brow furrowed in confusion. "Then you've known for years?"
Luke shook his head. "No, only for a couple weeks."
She frowned, irritated that she is having to drag the details out of him. "So, Obi-Wan Kenobi is alive? I thought your father killed him."
"No, he's dead. He died on the first Death Star...he just didn't tell me until a couple weeks ago."
She opened her mouth to say something but closed it as she tried to understand what he was saying. "You lost me."
He squirmed under her gaze. "I have been keeping a secret. Master Kenobi was able to retain his consciousness after death and has been visiting me in spirit form."
She stared at him in disbelief. "What?"
He gave her a pleading look. "It's true. He visits me...mainly to nag me to get away from my father, destroy the Empire, return to the rebellion."
"So, you told your father you knew about your sister because Kenobi's ghost told you...and your father believed you?"
He looked hurt. "Why wouldn't he believe me?"
She scoffed as she stood and walked to the kitchen, deciding she needed that wine right about now. "Because it is easier to believe that I told you everything than you're being haunted by a Jedi ghost." She opened the cooling unit and grabbed the bottle of wine and two long stem glasses from the cabinet and placed them on the kitchen counter. As she poured two glasses, she gazed at him skeptically. "Do you really see the dead?"
He rose off the couch and joined her. "Just Force apparitions...not the ghoulish specters you see in the horror holos."
She took a long sip of the wine as she contemplated his words. His story was outlandish, but there was no reason for Luke to lie to her. Plus, they just fought Palpatine who somehow came back from the dead. She picked up Luke's glass and handed it to him. "Can you see him now? Could I see him?"
He sipped the sparkling red wine then looked around. "I can call them. Maybe they'll show up."
"Them? More than Kenobi?"
He nodded. "Yes, that was another thing I hid from my father. Before I faced him on Bespin I trained with Master Yoda. He was the head of the Jedi Council before the Jedi purge and went into hiding on the planet Dagobah. After my run in with a Wompa on Hoth and right before I passed out from hypothermia, Ben Kenobi came to me as a spirit and told me to go to Dagobah and train with Yoda." He chuckled. "For a while I thought I might have had a concussion and hallucinated all of it, but I never heard of the planet Dagobah before and when I researched the name, I discovered it was a real place. I tried to contact my old master, but he remained silent. So, I traveled to the planet and I found Master Yoda."
"And you didn't tell anybody this because?"
Luke sipped his drink before answering. "I didn't know Master Yoda was dead until I got to the Katana Fleet. When I thought he was alive I didn't want my father hunting him down and killing him. I didn't tell him about Kenobi because there was so much bad blood between the two. The last thing I wanted was my father distrusting me." He blew out a breath. "I didn't tell you because... you shouldn't have to keep secrets from my father."
"That was probably for the best." She brought her glass up to her lips. "How did he take the news?"
Luke gave a small shrug. "Not as bad as I expected. I told him Kenobi had tried to get me to betray him and I refused. I think he was proud of me. He appreciated the fact that I never gave up on him when Kenobi, my father's old master, the man who trained him since he was a boy, wrote him off completely." He looked to her and smiled. "He told me he gave you Ben's lightsaber."
"Yeah," she said softly. "I still don't know what to think about that. Did he have a vision of the future where I defend you with a lightsaber?"
Luke finished his drink and then poured himself another glass. "Maybe not a vision of our future, but a multitude of visions from that room of mirrors. He showed me a dozen or more alternate universes. In the dimensions where you are in my life, you stand by me...we fight side-by-side lightsabers in hand." He reached across the counter and put his hand over hers. "When we're together, we're a family. We're parents. In some universes we have one child and in others we have many. Sometimes my father lived and in others he died. There was one common thread in all the timelines he showed me. Anytime you are not in my life...I am miserable."
She smiled warmly. "I never saw myself in the alternate universes...am I happy?"
He grinned smugly. "Of course, you are married to the sexy farmboy turned Emperor...or in some timelines a Jedi Master and in one I was a roguish smuggler." He leaned over the counter and gave her a long, sensual kiss. "But in all various universes we're happy together."
"I can believe that." She carried her glass over the couch and sat down. She patted the cushion next to her invitingly. "Is everything worked out between you and your father?"
"I believe so."
"He's not going to blow up another planet?"
He sat down next to her. "He promised me he wouldn't... and to convince me he gave me full control of this massive battle station."
She put her glass down on the side table as she tried to suppress a smirk. "I told you so, Supreme Commander."
"You were right." He leaned in and nipped lightly at her earlobe, making her shutter. "Do you still want me to try to summon Yoda and Kenobi?"
She shook her head. "Not now. I think we need some time to get reacquainted."
He edged closer to her, his hand slowly pulling down her flight suit's zipper. "Getting reacquainted sounds...perfect."