Chapter Eight

Bandomeer was wet, dark, and depressing. Even though the reports had said that the planet had suffered drastically due to the extensive mining done, Mara hadn't fully been prepared for the rampant sorrow that screamed through the Force. The weather was as desolate as the world it covered. The sunlight was harsh, and the clouds were a sickly grey color that made even the sunlight seem cold. Or at least, that was how it looked through the transperasteel cockpit of Fire's Freedom. Mara sighed. Even the planet itself was without hope.

Luke put his hand on her shoulder carefully, he was still slightly jumpy around Mara even though two weeks had passed since she had attacked him. "Hey, it's going to be okay."

Mara gave him an absent-minded smile. "I know. I just have this funny feeling like if I get out, something's going to go wrong."

Luke squeezed her shoulder. "C'mon, it'll be okay. Let's get this over with and haul you back to the trials, woman!"

Mara smirked at him, "I hear you, Skywalker."

"Finish powering down, and I'll go get our bags." Luke kissed the back of her head and left her to her precious ship. Mara smiled faintly and quickly finished powering down her beloved ship before snapping off her restraints and heading for the exit ramp. Luke was waiting for her there, their bag over one of his shoulders and a bulky, cloth-wrapped gift dangling from his right hand.

"I'm not a knight yet, Luke." Mara told him, figuring that the gift was a coming-of-age-type-thing but wanting to know what it was all the same.

"I know." Luke smiled boyishly and tossed it to her. "It's an early anniversary present. Open it, please?" He pleaded sheepishly, his ears turning slightly pink.

Mara caught it easily, her own smile reflecting the joy in Luke's eyes. "Alright, for you, love."

Whatever Mara had been planning to say, she couldn't recall it once she saw the silver swirls of ancient Corellian that had been woven into the edge of a thick dark grey robe. She let the wrapping fall to the ground and shook out the sweeping garment, her eyes tracing the shadowy armorweave in amazement. "It's beautiful, Luke," was all she managed.

Luke's smile faded from his lips even though it still shone through his eyes with a strength that warmed Mara clear down to her toes. "Like you."

Mara shook her head bashfully, and wondered if this would be the time to tell him… and then shook her head. "Not as beautiful as you seem to think."

"Good point, you're even more beautiful then that."

Mara let her arms drop from holding the robe in front of her. "Stars, Skywalker, we've been over this before."

"You, my love, are uncharacteristically trying to hide from the truth. It is my duty to see that you don't." Luke countered.

"Why is it so important to you?"

"Because you're mine, and you really are the most beautiful woman in the universe."

Mara could feel her cheeks turning as red as her hair. "Fine, but, armorweave farmboy? Don't you trust me to take care of myself?" Not just myself either, Mara thought guiltily. I really have to tell him about them soon.

"You're an angel, Mara. Can you really blame me for it?" Luke asked her earnestly.

"If I really was an angel, I wouldn't need protection," Mara countered. "Besides. Angels are blond, like you."

"Oh no, they are not blond!" Luke objected. "All the art proves that they have hair the color of the sun."

"Yeah, blonde!"

"No! Phoenix colored!"

"No, blonde, Farmboy!"

"No, Jade, phoenix!"

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Mara and Luke walked quietly into the lobby of Offworld's headquarters. Both of them were wearing dark Jedi robes, only Luke's were pure black, and Mara's were a dark grey with silver designs worked into the edges. The large airy building was constructed with thick transperasteel and metal bars, giving it a cold atmosphere.

Mara drew herself inward, her sharp jade eyes catching the security measures that Offworld seemed to think were needed to protect them. Cameras: hidden and visible. Infrared sensors, disruptor beams, B4-J4 droids, and wiry guards armed with A280's. Mara suppressed a dark streak of amusement at the 'heavy' armorment that the establishment boasted. Childs play, the lot of it, Mara snorted. Hell, if I was still the Hand…

A tall, aging woman with sleek white hair and coal blue eyes was waiting for them at a black marble counter. When Mara and Luke stopped in front of her, she bowed her head to them.

"Greetings, Jedi. I am Falynn Barcrion, head of Offworld. When my people told me that you were coming, I felt it necessary to come meet you face to face." She held out a slender hand to them. "Thank you very much for coming, Dreamcry has been causing many of my people to be… uneasy. I can't tell you how much your presence here is helping."

Mara pushed back her hood, and shook Falynn's hand. "Mara Skywalker; I hope I can live up to your expectations, but, it's the New Republic you should be thanking, not the Jedi."

"Oh, but the Jedi could've said 'no' to the New Republic. After all, the Jedi are not the New Republic's pawns, is that not so?" Falynn smiled faintly, her arched eyebrows not revealing anything.

"The Jedi want only peace for the galaxy, Madam." Luke said firmly, stepping beside his wife and pushing back his hood.

Falynn looked mildly astonished, but held out her hand to Luke. "Well, well, well. It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Jedi. My people had not informed me that you were part of the team sent to my planet…"

"I was a last minute addition," Luke said smoothly.

"I see," Falynn said archly, nodding slightly. "Where are the rest of your teammates?"

Mara blinked. "We're… it?"

Falynn blinked back. "I beg your pardon? I was lead to believe that the Jedi were sending a team to deal with this situati-"

Mara's face tightened, her hard eyes cutting off Falynn's words, but she didn't speak.

"I… see." Falynn said in a tone that said she really didn't see. "Well."

"You are supplying us with living quarters?" Mara stated the question as a demand.

"Yes." Falynn nodded abruptly and walked between the two Jedi, heading for a lift. "This way."

Luke and Mara turned silently and followed the cold, black-garbed woman.

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A/N: I am so. So. SO sorry. I had this finished, literally, 8 or so months ago. I realize what an awful author I am about this, but, I swear I will never abandon this fic. I love it. I have to finish it. Part of the reason I haven't written much is (excuses...) that I actually lost the plotline. I remember most of it, but I really hated losing it. The second half of the reason is that I've been... having some difficulties with one of my friends (best friend, actually) and I really have only wanted to spend time writing OF. Anyways, I'm back though. I should have the next chapter up in a few days. I am opening up a section of my forum for if you want to talk with me. PM's work though too.

Feel free to shoot me if I don't get the chapter up. grin