Chapter 9: You Are a Fool, Farmboy
Mara could see her reflection in Lord Vader's expressionless black helmet. Her face was pale. Then again, her face was always pale. She would like to believe she wasn't afraid, but the tremor in her hands and the emptiness in the pit of her stomach said otherwise.
Mara drew her fear close, wrapping it around her, reaching out for the anger that always followed. It didn't come. No. That couldn't be right. The anger always came when she called. The dark side had never failed her before. This was the man who had killed her master—killed his own master. This man, Lord Vader, had betrayed the Emperor for a Jedi! Anger stirred deep inside, but it was weak, choked by the fear that would not fade. For the first time in years, Mara found herself paralyzed by fear.
Luke Skywalker looked like nothing more than a harmless young man when viewed with the unassisted eye. However, when viewed through the Force, he was more like a barely contained solar storm, fire and light blazing with incredible power. While she may be able to hold her own against Vader, Mara was no match for Luke.
And that was finally—finally!—the catalyst that loosed her anger. Yes, she was no match for him, but what did that matter? She had never backed down from a fight in her life, and she wasn't going to start now, no matter how powerful this overgrown farmboy from a backwater planet happened to be.
Lifting her hands palm out, she pushed at them both with the Force, throwing all the anger and hatred she could muster into it. A burning rush of power ripped through her and smashed into her opponents, flinging them into the far wall. She reached out through the Force toward Vader's breathing apparatus. Quickly, before Skywalker recovers! All she had to do was stop the respirator and the airflow would end. He would end. Her master would be avenged. She clenched her jaw to stop the grin that wanted to spread across her face. There! The constant repetitive noise from Vader's respirator came to a stop, and she released the threads of power and stepped back.
Now she allowed herself to smile. Skywalker would kill her when he recovered, of course, but that didn't matter anymore. Her mission was complete.
Luke felt Anakin's breathing stop and his own breath caught. His head had hit the wall hard and he felt adrift in pain, but he gathered the Force around himself and reached out towards his father, ignoring the throbbing in his skull. He could not—would not—lose him!
With his eyes closed, Luke could see Mara's dark signature on the mechanism that allowed Anakin to breathe. Protected behind the armour of his helmet, the respirator's functions were delicate. His Force touch a bare whisper, Luke touched the workings, and gently pushed them back to where they belonged. With a gasp, Anakin began to breathe again.
At the return of the respirator's unmistakable sound, the Force trembled with Mara's anger. Luke pushed himself up against the wall until he stood to face her, ignoring the pain in his head, and he unclipped his lightsaber from its place on his belt. He didn't activate the blade, but he saw Mara's eyes flicker towards it, and her fear spiked. Part of him was pleased—she should be afraid! She had nearly killed his father. She deserved to pay for that.
No. Revenge was not the way of the Jedi. Luke closed his eyes and breathed in deeply, allowing peace to fill his mind. For a moment, it was as if he were floating among the stars.
Mara was not evil. She was merely deluded by the dark side, just as Anakin had been. He returned his lightsaber to its place on his belt, and met her eyes. "You will never succeed," he promised her. "No matter what you do, I will always stop you. I will not lose my father again."
"You don't understand, Jedi," she spat, her fists clenched at her sides, her body poised to fight or flee. "He killed my master. I must avenge him. I don't care if you kill me."
Did she have nothing to live for save revenge? "You were only a child when Sidious found you." It wasn't really a question.
She frowned. "Yes. What does that matter?"
"I'm sorry." He reached out toward her through the Force, willing her to feel the compassion he had for her. "It's not your fault. No one ever taught you how to do or be anything else. If you are willing, you can stay here, and I could teach you of the true Force."
She raised a disdainful eyebrow. "Are you asking me to become a Jedi, farmboy?"
He smiled. Her fear was fading, replaced with curiosity. She was still hostile, but he was certain he could reach her, given time. "Yes, I suppose I am."
She stared at him incredulously. "You are a fool."
"Perhaps. My friend Han certainly thinks so at times."
"Han. He's the one who shot me, isn't he? I have a score to settle with him as well." Her angry words fell flat, with no real passion behind them.
He laughed. "I have a few scores to settle with him myself. What do you say we pool our resources, and teach him a lesson?"
She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "I usually kill those who cross me."
He glanced at his father, who was only now getting to his feet. "I can show you better ways." He offered Anakin an arm for balance. His father said nothing as he stood; he merely watched them, but his emotions through the Force were conflicted. He didn't trust Mara, but he was proud of Luke for trying to help her anyway.
Mara uncrossed her arms and studied Luke through narrowed eyes. "You really mean it, don't you?" She shook her head. "I tried to kill you and your father, and you would still take me in and teach me?"
"A Jedi doesn't hold grudges or harbour hatred. I believe that everyone deserves a second chance." He put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "No matter what you've done."
She stood in silence for a long moment, staring at Luke. Her emotions were conflicted, but shining through the fear and anger was something that was probably alien to her: hope. Perhaps she could find a new purpose. He held out his free hand toward her. "What do you say?"