Week 19: Ghosts

(Cade Skywalker, Mara Jade Skywalker)

Forever

Flopping on his bunk, Cade sneered at the shimmering figure in the corner. "What do YOU want?"

"Nice to see you again, too," Mara answered, taking a seat on a worn out lounger. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Like I can say no," Cade grumbled at the ceiling. "Lemme guess? Luke's tired of lecturing me, so he sent you?"

"Actually, no. But now that I'm here, I think I'll stay a while. Nice thing about forever is that there's no hurry to be anywhere." Leaning against the wall, she propped her boots up on a dusty crate. "Let's talk, Skywalker."

Always

"Talk, huh?" He grunted. "I know what you're going to say. I've had these 'talks' before and they're always -"

"You don't know anything, son. Now, shut up and listen," she interrupted. "You did good."

"Look, lady, I -" The retort died on his tongue, replaced by a look of confusion. "What?"

"Big, bad pirate can't take a compliment?" Mara smirked. "I said you did good, against Darth Krayt and Lord Muur. You could have turned to the dark side and had the power to rule the entire galaxy if you wanted, but you didn't. Not everyone can say that."

Never

He stared at her, trying to figure out if she was joking, but her expression remained serious. Finally, he mumbled, "I hate Sith. Would never join them. Don't want anything to do with them."

"Now, that," she said, leaning forward, "is where you're wrong. You don't want to submit to their authority, but you like their power."

"That's a lie -"

"Farthest thing from it. You like the dark power and you use it whenever you please, for whatever reason you please. How long do you think you can keep that up?"

"What's it to you? It ain't hurtin nobody."

Maybe

"Maybe not," she answered. "We're a lot alike, me and you. Took me a long time to figure out who I wanted to be and even longer to decide to serve something bigger than myself. So tell me something, Skywalker. Drugs, liquor, women - is that really all you want out of life?"

"It's enough," he glared. "Haven't found anything better."

"I think you have," she answered quietly. "The memory of your father haunts you. He died for that something better. For you."

He looked over and her gaze had grown distant. "I know a little something about that, too."

Eternity

He knew the story. His grandfather Ben had spoken often of his mother and once, only once, had he ever mentioned that terrible day when he'd held her body in his arms.

Cade stared at the floor, knowing that she was watching him. "Was it worth it?"

"Yes," she said solemnly. "Love is never wasted, Cade. You don't have to be wasted."

"You think like my father - that I should be a Jedi."

"No, I don't. Being a Jedi is nothing sacred. Be who you are, but ask yourself this: When you enter eternity, what will your life have meant?"