Chapter Eight

Luke Skywalker is missing.

Mara had shuddered when she first heard people muttering those words.

Yes, it's true. Luke is missing.

And it somehow felt worse when his Aunt Beru told her with sad eyes, putting a hand on her shoulder. Mara raced over to their homestead when she first heard the news, which was not long after she had left the base. She had been working all day, and Windy frantically told her the news when she arrived at the café in the afternoon.

"I'll head out to Owen and Beru and see if there's anything I can do," Mara had told Windy. "You stick around here in case he shows up."

Mara looked around the courtyard, noticing big groups of people talking amongst themselves. "Why is nobody out looking for him?" she asked Beru.

"There's a huge sandstorm out across Beggar's Canyon and the Jundland Wastes," Beru whispered, her eyes filling with tears. "It's too dangerous for anyone to go out there. Owen has already tried."

Mara nodded to show she understood, putting an arm around Beru and guiding her to the kitchen. She sat her down and poured her a glass of blue milk. Mara sighed sadly; watching Beru tremble with worry was heartbreaking.

Mara sat down and held her hand. "What happened? Why is he missing?"

She breathed deeply. "Well, he got upset this morning as Owen wouldn't let him...leave with you."

"Leave with me?" Mara repeated in surprise.

"Owen had mentioned about buying some new droids to help out, and I think Luke interpreted that as the droids replacing him as the farmhands," Beru explained, staring into her drink. "But you leave this month, don't you?"

Mara nodded. "And that's too soon for your family."

"Yes, exactly. We need him to help out."

"Your farm would suffer if he didn't," Mara deduced. "I understand, Beru."

She smiled sadly. "I'll be sad to see you go, Mara. You've been great to our nephew. You treat him differently."

"I don't have a choice," Mara said quietly, fiddling with her fingers. "I wanted to stay here. But, I can't."

"You have your path, and Luke has his," said Beru. "Though Luke isn't a farmer, he'll find his way. I hope that when you leave he finds you again, I truly do."

Beru squeezed her hand and smiled kindly. Mara stayed with her, even heating up some stew Beru had prepared earlier. Apparently it was cream of Womp rat, which Mara herself didn't fancy.

It was late afternoon now, and they heard a commotion coming from the courtyard. Mara stepped outside into the heat.

But she didn't listen to the locals for long. She heard all that she needed to hear: the sandstorm has subsided. Along with everyone else, Mara ran to her speeder. Dusk would be right around the corner and they would need to find Luke fast.

The search party raced off in different directions, and Mara flew until she could see no-one else. Hopefully everyone was spreading out as she was. She tapped the bottom of her speeder nervously, whilst chewing on her lip. If anything, this scare confirmed what she knew, deep down. She really did like Luke Skywalker. A lot.

It was going to be so hard on her if they didn't find him.

All too soon, dusk fell. Mara cursed, switching on her lights. Though it wasn't yet pitch black, she knew she only had an hour or so at the most before she put herself in danger by staying out here in the desert.

And then it hit her why Luke was stuck out here somewhere. His skyhopper was broken. He must have just ran out in frustration over his Aunt and Uncle.

Mara slowed to a halt, looking at a pack of Womp rats in the distance. She gulped nervously - they were the biggest rats she had seen so far. And they seemed to be heading towards somewhere together.

Maybe to Luke.

Mara panicked and jumped up and out of her speeder, switching it off and making a mental note of the rock formation she had left it by. She hurried over to the rats, her eyes widening at their size as she got closer. They must be about four meters or more.

And these ones were aggressive enough to attack.

Mara yelled out, and aimed her blaster at each one that jumped for her, running in the direction they were originally headed for.

"LUKE?" she screamed, as some of the rats ran away in fear of her blaster that had already killed a number of them. But there were a few that remained chasing her: maybe the leaders of the pack. "LUKE!"

She turned, and stumbled backwards, shooting more of these crazy rats. She bumped into something, and already feeling the high adrenaline Mara whipped around and aimed her blaster at the shape behind her.

"Take it easy, young one," said a calm, male voice. "I'm not here to hurt you."

She eyed the figure warily, as he stepped forwards out of the shadows and lowered his hood. He was an old man, judging by the white hair and beard, and he looked wise, kind, and slightly eccentric, all at the same time. "Are you out looking for Luke?"

"Yes," he replied calmly as Mara lowered her blaster. "But we must hurry. More of those blasted rats are coming this way."

Mara could hear the pitter-patter of their paws behind them. She agreed with the old man, and they continued on their way quickly. Mara could now see up ahead an entrance to a cave. Maybe Luke's hiding in there.

They both gasped as a huge Krayt dragon appeared out of nowhere, probably attracted by the amount of noise they made, towering over the two of them before they could get to the cave. Mara fired her blaster, but it didn't do as much damage as she would have liked.

"Damn it," she muttered angrily, as the large reptile in front of them cried out in a frenzy. It then bared its large set of teeth at the two of them.

Mara looked in shock at the old man next to her, who was closing his eyes. "Are you meditating? Now?"

The only good thing to come of this was the dragon scaring the rats away. They took one look at the huge beast and scarpered. Some even came streaming out of the cave they were aiming for.

And so did Luke.

Luke!

Mara gasped and ran for him, with little regard to the dragon who roared and struck her with its large claw. She winced at the pain, clutching her side but seeing Luke up ahead was all she could think about. He looked weary, leaning against the cave wall, holding tightly a gaffi stick with fresh blood dripping off of the end.

The old man was still standing very still with his eyes closed as Mara raced around the dragon to get to Luke. Somehow, the dragon calmed down, even bowing its head slightly towards him. Mara took advantage of this, grabbing the stick from Luke's hand when she reached him. The dragon turned around quickly to face her, and Mara took the opportunity - she hurled the stick at its throat on her instinct.

Mara didn't see it topple over in pain, or even see the old hermit finish it off - she and Luke hugged each other in relief.

"You're hurt!" he said, his voice sounding strained and weak.

She laughed slightly at his concern, though stopping abruptly at the sharp pain that she felt in her side. "Don't you worry about me, Luke. Let's get you back, Owen and Beru are worried sick about you."

"We meet again, young Luke."

Luke kept his arm around Mara, so she supported his weary body. He was covered in sand, had some nasty scratches and bruises, and looked absolutely exhausted. Well, he was stuck out here all day. "Ben Kenobi?"

"I was just coming out to rescue you, but this young lady beat me to it."

Mara smiled, holding out her hand. "Mara Kanos." He nodded, shaking her hand.

"Where's Ani?" Luke muttered, looking delirious.

"Who?"

"Ani," Luke repeated. "Ani, he was just here. He's the same as me."

Mara was looking at him in concern. "Come on Luke," she said softly. "My speeder's not too far away."

"Who did you see, Luke?" Ben asked as they helped him walk to Mara's speeder.

"Ani…he can see things and sense them before they happened," Luke mumbled, his head falling onto Mara's shoulder. "He's like us, Mara. He's like us."

He fell unconscious. "Curious," muttered Ben, as they carried Luke between them for the rest of the way. Mara turned around towards the cave, and saw nothing but a lone Womp rat and the dragon's body slumped on the desert floor, the gaffi stick sticking out of its body.

Mara stayed silent until they finally reached her transport, gently setting Luke down in the passenger seat.

"Well, thank you, Ben."

"Thank you."

"Can I give you a lift somewhere?" asked Mara. It was getting very dark now. "Where do you live?"

"No, no" he replied, staring at her. "I live in a hut on the edge of the Dune Sea, not too far from here."

"Oh...OK," she said slowly. "Well get back safely, won't you?" She wondered how he even knew that Luke was missing in the first place, living that far away from Anchorhead.

He nodded, narrowing his eyes. She shut her eyes at the burning pain that erupted inside her head. She jumped inside her speeder, pushing Ben out. Well, it wasn't Luke as he was unconscious...and Ben wasn't taking his eyes off of her.

"No," she muttered. She cleared her throat, looking back to Ben as if nothing had happened. "I have to get Luke back."

Ben nodded, stepping back. To her surprise, she could make out his worried look. "Be careful."

"And you." Though she wasn't sure what he really meant by that comment.

Mara didn't feel right leaving him there, but then again she had offered him a lift. Maybe his own speeder was out of sight somewhere. As she sped away she could sense he was still watching them. If Luke still wanted answers about what they could do, then Ben was definitely the person to go for.

That certainly was a strange encounter.

Mara pulled up to Luke's home. Her ride home went without a hitch, as she worried the entire time of drawing attention to herself in the dark. Anyone was at their most vulnerable out here at nighttime.

Her lights signalled her arrival, as Owen and Beru hurried out of their entrance hall, relief flooding their faces as they saw their nephew in Mara's speeder.

"Oh thank the heavens," muttered Beru, placing a hand over her heart. She thanked Mara a number of times as they helped Owen get Luke to his bedroom, through the courtyard and into his sleeping loft.

Luke was lay down atop a sheet, due to the fact that he was still covered in dust, and Beru knelt down, stroking his head. He was still muttering in his sleep. Mara suspected he was suffering from heatstroke. A part of her was surprised he didn't find his way back. But he probably ran into trouble and got trapped by the sandstorm.

Mara decided to leave the family to it. She had reached the main courtyard, housed by the crater, when Owen called out to her.

"Thank you for finding our nephew," he said gruffly, putting his hands on his hips. "You were our last hope. Everyone else had returned with nothing." Mara guessed that as it was getting dark the other search parties had decided to call off the rescue. "Including me."

"There's no need to thank me," she said, brushing it off. "I had help. Ben Kenobi was there too, do you know him?"

"That old hermit," Owen muttered angrily, folding his arms. "I should have known. Whenever something happens to Luke or our family, he's always interfering."

Well, she didn't expect that reaction. He did help save his nephew, but Owen didn't look happy with this turn of events so Mara decided not to mention him again. "I wanted to make sure he was found safe and sound. I care about Luke."

Owen nodded, rubbing his stubble. "And that's the problem."

Mara looked around cautiously. "What is?"

"Ever since you've arrived, Luke has hardly mentioned leaving his home," Owen explained. "Leaving his family. He told us that you're leaving Tatooine, and just this morning he was insisting that he re-apply to the Academy. Or-"

"Or leave with me this month," Mara finished.

"You shouldn't do this to the boy," Owen continued, sighing. "Most of his friends have gone, and now you will be too. I need Luke to help out around the farm, not pining for you to come back."

Mara felt some anger bubble inside of her. "He's not a boy anymore, Owen. And he's a hard worker from what I can see, he would never not do his chores because he didn't get his own way. That's not in his nature."

"I don't think you understand," Owen said, coming closer and towering over Mara. "You have no family. You don't understand family loyalty. Luke can't just leave us. You?" He pointed at her angrily. "You just jump from place to place, not realising you're hurting the people you leave behind."

Mara looked stunned for a moment, before recovering herself. She replied quietly, "My friends are my family. Which is why I must go to them." Ouch, she thought to herself. He's really not happy with Luke missing a whole day of work. And he blamed her for Luke leaving. Sad really, she had really gotten along with Owen until now. He seemed to like her compared to some of Luke's other friends.

"Owen!" They both turned to see Beru, her sharp voice settling Mara's nerves. She wasn't happy with how Owen was talking to Mara, they could see that. "Luke wants to see you, he's awake."

Mara wasn't sure if that was true - Beru could have wanted Owen out of the way. Without looking back at Mara he stormed away and disappeared from the courtyard.

"Beru," Mara started, wanting to explain. "You both mustn't think that I-"

"It's Owen who doesn't understand," Beru interrupted, walking to Mara and putting a hand on her arm. "He's lived in Tatooine his whole life. I know that Luke can't stay here forever. He's got so much potential." They smiled at each other in mutual understanding. "Luke thinks very highly of you, Mara."

"I know," she admitted. "I feel the same. I wanted to stay, truly I did. It's out of my hands." To be fair, it wasn't her fault that the Empire had built a huge weapon that could destroy the entire Galaxy, if it wanted to. The Rebellion needed her. Her friends needed her.

"You would have stayed if you could," said Beru. "Luke knows that."

I like your nephew. A lot. As more than a friend. She wanted to say it, but she couldn't. Luke should know, first.

It was making Mara feel a bit sick knowing she wouldn't see him for a long time, after she leaves. Perhaps this would be the last time if she didn't make it. She was a soldier, a pilot, and her chances of surviving more attacks were slim.

"If…" Beru said slowly, studying Mara's saddened features. "If you and my nephew have feelings for one another, then someone should say something. Before it's too late." Mara assured her of this with wide eyes and a nodding head. "I'll pry no more. It's between you two and no one else. Mara, are you hurt?"

Beru's eyes had fallen upon Mara's side, where blood stained her top. Mara insisted she was fine, but was taken through by Beru anyway to their kitchen who wanted a closer look. She really was a mother figure to everybody, and Mara wondered (nosily) why she didn't have children of her own.

As she cleaned the scratch marks left by the reptile, Beru told Mara a story from Luke's childhood. "Years ago, during the Great Drought, the crime lord Jabba the Hutt introduced a water tax. It hit us moisture farmers hard. His henchmen enforced this tax, and took a lot from us; they didn't care about the damage they caused." Beru started to smile. "Luke was only eight years old, but he left home, followed the thugs and demanded some of our water back."

"How brave." Mara too smiled at that.

"And naive," Beru pointed out, covering the wound now. Mara winced at the stinging sensation as the dressing was pressed onto her skin. "But we knew then that he was special. Owen discourages his adventurous and bold nature, but not for selfish reasons. I can't explain, but Owen is doing what he thinks is right by Luke."

Mara frowned, wondering what Beru meant by that. What could they be so afraid of?

They were saying their goodbyes when Mara suddenly remembered something. "Beru? Is there anyone called Ani who lives around these parts?"

"No, I don't think so. Why do you ask?"

"Oh...Luke thought he was with someone called Ani, that's all," Mara said, brushing it off. "He must have been delirious, he was out there all day after all."

She almost missed Beru's alarmed look, but his aunt quickly relaxed and brushed it off too. Mara said goodbye, and finally left for the night. And she had a lot to think about on her way home, as the cool wind whipped around her as she sat in her speeder.

She had met this Ben Kenobi character and Owen wasn't happy that she had. He also had what she could do, what Luke could do. Sense things, feel things. He hadn't said a single thing about it, but Mara knew. He had tried to enter her mind. But she had rejected him - the searing pain was too much.

Then there was Owen, who seemed to dislike her at the moment. But they were keeping Luke on Tatooine for a reason, at least that's what Beru was implying. But why?

There was Luke himself. Mara was also glad he was OK. But she had to tell him, after that scare. Tell him everything. She had no idea if Luke would confess his own feelings, if he had any. Or if he would do it first. She didn't know him as well as she thought. No, that's not it. This situation was unpredictable and thus people acted unpredictably; Mara wouldn't be able to call it.

And what would he say when he found out she was the commander for a rebel base? Mara let out a breath she was holding and remembered what she had to face once she leaves Tatooine for good.

A huge weapon. Maybe a huge battle to destroy it.

There was a lot coming up, a lot to deal with. But eventually telling Luke was the one thing that scared Mara the most. This was unexplored territory.

But she had to wait, until the upcoming party at least. As Luke's date.

The following morning, Mara jogged up the stairs that led to the café from her apartment. She was on her way to the base, which she went all day, every day now that Kay was in charge.

As she opened the door and passed Kay who was behind the counter, greeting her briefly, she smiled instantly at Luke Skywalker entering through the main door. He returned her smile and they hugged tightly, meeting in the middle of the café.

"Well, you look better," Mara teased, as they released each other. He was free of all that dirt and sand and had more colour in his face. They sat down on one of the tables. "You know, if you didn't want to go on a date with me, all you had to do was say."

Luke smiled at her joke. "It's what kept me going," he admitted. "When I was stuck because of the storm, and then when I was being chased by Raiders and Womp rats. Thank you for coming for me, and saving my life. Again."

"It's OK," she replied quietly. "You gave us a good scare."

"I didn't mean to get stuck out there all day," he insisted. "I was on my way back when that storm came in out of nowhere."

"Your aunt and uncle told me what happened," said Mara. "About why you left in the first place."

Luke shrugged, not meeting her eyes, tapping his finger on the table. "I needed to cool off." He paused, looking up at her. "I'm sorry for what my uncle said to you."

"How do you know about that?"

"Aunt Beru told me," he explained. "You wouldn't have said anything otherwise, would you?"

"No," she admitted. "And he is right, in a way."

He grabbed her hand, in a move that surprised her. "I don't care what he said or thinks," Luke said strongly. "I'll always be glad I met and knew you."

Mara stared at their hands, smiling. She lifted her head and nodded. "Me too."

"I wish I could go with you," said Luke wistfully. "Once, when Uncle Owen had business in Mos Eisley, Aunt Beru used the HoloNet connections somewhere in Anchorhead and showed me images of forests, rivers, oceans. It looked beautiful."

"You'll see those things for real, one day," Mara assured him, wanting to take him away there and then and show him some real beauty in the Galaxy. She often took for granted that all he knows is this heat and the barren landscape.

"I want to see Naboo," he said, somewhat dreamily. "You told me about it around the time we first met, d'you remember? It sounds...unbelievable."

"It's my-"

"-favourite place," Luke finished for her, smiling shyly. "I know."

"When it's all over, I'll come back for you," said Mara. "And Naboo is the first place we'll go."

"You will?" he asked, his eyes wide as he gripped her hand. "Do you promise?"

"I promise," she confirmed. "Just don't go running off to join the Academy where I can't find you, alright?"

"I won't." He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, Luke?" Mara asked tentatively. "Do you remember what you said to me last night? About Ani?"

Luke nodded. "It wasn't just a dream. It felt so real...I know that sounds crazy."

"I believe you," Mara said softly. "Go on."

"Well, I first saw a tall, dark figure. And then I met Ani. He was only a boy, but we had a lot in common. He knew little about his father, was a good pilot, wanted to leave Tatooine, and he was like us, Mara. He could sense things before they happened. We came across an astromech droid in one of the caves, and Ani rigged it so the motivator exploded. You must have saw the flare it caused?"

"No, I'm sorry I didn't."

"Oh. Well after we got attacked again, I lost sight of him and not long after you found me."

They both looked thoughtful, trying to work out what really happened. Mara guessed it was Luke's abilities - if Ani wasn't real, he may have been once. Perhaps Luke had an insight into something, but what?

"I forgot," Luke gasped, "you were hurt!"

"I'm fine, honestly," Mara said casually. "It's nothing more than a little scratch now, thanks to your aunt's magic hands."

She noticed that Luke's own hand was still over hers. He cleared his throat and blushed slightly. "So, where shall I meet you on Saturday, for the party?"

"I'll wait outside for you, I'll walk from here," she answered. It was in the council's main building, which was situated in the centre of Anchorhead. She realised that they had been talking for awhile and she was needed at the base. "I've got to go, I was on my way somewhere. If I don't see you before, I'll see you Saturday."

They said their goodbyes as Luke's hand finally left hers, and he walked her outside to her speeder. "Thank you again," he said sincerely.

"What are you going to do without me?" Mara joked, placing a hand on her transport.

They departed ways, and Mara wondered what she was going to do without him, too.

At the base, she had received an update from General Dodonna. Captain Antilles, strangely no relation to Wedge Antilles, was now stationed aboard the diplomatic shuttle Tantive IV, to Leia's service, after a data haul from the man himself. More fragments needed to be gathered to get a full picture, and Mon Mothma wanted this one ship alone to receive any plans that other rebels manage to steal.

Mara also found out that Hack and Simms were staying on to assist Roger in his new position as commander, which meant they were out of harm's way. She worried about Wedge, though, and thought about him - about where he was, if he wasn't still on Yavin 4.

He can be reckless. On his very first mission for the Alliance, Wedge crashed an A-Wing into the lip of a volcano, leaving his leg broken in three places. Mara remembered it vivdly. She had managed to land near him, and she had to calm down the pilot who was screaming in pain at his leg. It had stuck out in unnatural places, and her hands were soon stained with his blood.

It was quite horrific, looking back. But she had remain calm until help arrived. So, she held him in her arms until the medics rushed over from their frigate, stroking his head and squeezing his hand, until his screams became whimpers.

She didn't want any of this happening to Luke, she thought to herself as she sat in the passenger's seat of a skyhopper, waiting for her rookie to join her. Even if he did join the Rebellion in the future, she couldn't see him in that much pain.

But it does happen.

At the end of a full day of training, Mara checked out of the base and headed straight for home. She realised that Saturday was fast approaching, and that she needed to find a nice dress to wear for the Council's party.

After all, Mara had someone to dress up for. And she wanted to look her very best.

Author's Note: Whoops, I'm sorry that took so long! The end of my final year at Uni was traumatic, to say the least xD but I've done it! I've started writing the next chapter already, which is the party and of course Mara is Luke's date, so look out for that soon :) thank you everyone!