Personally, this is one of my favorite chapters to write. There's alot of author mumbo jumbo that I could tell you about how this affects the plot as a whole, but I'll skip and tell you that this chapter and the next one are my favorites.

Also, I'm starting to really like Hobbie's character, and I think I'll include him more after the ESB arc.

DISCLAIMER: Flannel Man still owns this. He won't return my calls about me purchasing Star Wars either. I think I may have gone into too much detail about Jar Jar's assassination...

Chapter Five

Mara wandered through the base later that night, thinking about the fight Han and Leia had earlier. It was clear to her that they were well aware of the feelings between each other, but that they were both terrified to act upon them.

She'd have to ask Luke sometime about how often those fights went down. She was already guessing the number was fairly high. Mara became lost in her thoughts and didn't even hear Hobbie come running up behind her until a thud and an 'oof' were heard.

She spun around and saw Hobbie lying face down on the floor, pushing himself back up to a standing position.

"Hobbie? What did you do?" she asked, and he grinned at her.

"I slipped on the ice running after you," he laughed. "Don't worry, I'm in and out of the Med Bay all the time, but I'm pretty tough."

Mara rolled her eyes and helped him up. "What were you doing running after me, anyways?"

"Oh, um," he said, looking down and blushing. "You see, I was talking to Wes and Wedge the other day and they were telling me how you shot them down so quickly, you know, when you first arrived."

Mara groaned. "Oh, Hobbie-"

"Hear me out!" he said, throwing his hands up in front of him. "I was just wondering if maybe sometime we could hang out, talk some, get to know each other. It doesn't have to be a date if you don't want to. But I'd like you to consider seeing if there's something between us."

"Hobbie, I'd love to get to know you," she said, but her tone was a sadder, ready to let him down easy. "I just don't want to be looking for a romantic relationship at all right now. You're one of my favorite people in the Rogues, but I really only like you as a friend."

"Is it Luke?" Hobbie asked, grinning sadly.

"What? No!" she said, shaking her head. "What gave you that idea?"

"You guys are just always hanging out together, I figure there must've been something brewing between you guys."

"Hobbie, we're just friends," she told him. "I swear."

"Look, I'll keep you're secret," Hobbie said, putting his hand on her shoulder before removing it after she gave him a glare. "I saw you go eat with him on the Falcon with Solo and the Princess. He never takes anyone to eat with them."

"It was because I had a headache and I was feeling really bad this morning," she explained, but it even sounded like a lie to her own ears.

"Fine, but I won't tell the others," he shrugged. "I think you guys are good together, anyways."

"Then why try to ask me out?" she shook her head in confusion.

"If there was a chance, I was taking it," he grinned. "You're one of the hottest women on base, Mara. I'd be an idiot not to at least hope."

"That's sweet Hobbie, but stop thinking of me that way," she said, grinning.

"Okay, but I'm kicking your ass during the run tomorrow," he said, heading back the way he came, pointing at her. She grinned.

"Don't bet on it, Klivian."

"Whatever you say, Jade!" he laughed and jogged back down the corridor. Mara shook her head, and felt the remnants from her headache begin to reappear. She frowned and continued her exploration of the base.

She rubbed her temple and continued walking for a little longer, before she heard the unmistakable sounds of a lightsaber. Furrowing her brow, she followed them before she came across someone swinging a brilliant blue blade about, blocking every bolt that a training sphere was producing.

She watched for a few more seconds, before the owner of the blade deactivated it and looked over to her. She gasped when she saw Luke's bright blue eyes on her, his hair matted and sweaty from his work out.

"What... What are you doing?" she asked, shocked.

"Training," Luke shrugged, before picking the deactivated training sphere up and putting it back in its case.

"You're Force Sensitive?" she asked, and Luke nodded. She stepped up closer to him and glanced around the room. It was a sort of gym for members of the base, with various workout equipment to keep troops in shape.

"Yeah," Luke shrugged. "My Dad was a Jedi. Why didn't you tell me you were Force Sensitive?"

Her head snapped to Luke's and she immediately when into protection mode. "I'm not."

"Please, you were using the Force all the time when you first got here," Luke said, calling a towel to him from the chair across the room. He caught it effortlessly and toweled off his face and the back of his neck, before starting in on his hair.

"Fine, so I am, what does it matter?" she asked, her voice hard.

"Because you lied about being a TIE pilot. Vader would have sniffed you out at the Academy in heart-beat," Luke said, staring down at her, some hurt in his eyes. "What did you do for the Empire?"

"I'm not a double agent," she stated, trying to delay the answer she'd surely have to give.

"I never thought you were," he stated, still waiting for an answer.

She bit her lip and looked away, suddenly ashamed of something she had no control over.

"Mara, tell me," Luke said, his voice softer, pleading. He put his hand under her chin and pulled her face back to look at him. "Mara."

She sighed, and her eyes teared up slightly. "You'll hate me."

"I could never hate you," he said quietly. His eyes were the lightest blue she'd ever seen them, and they conveyed the truth of his words.

"I... I was an assassin," she said quietly. Luke dropped his hand from her chin and he nodded.

"That's not so bad."

"There's more," she said, blinking at the tears. "I was a... a hand for the Emperor."

"A Hand?"

"We, were connected. There was a link between our minds. He could talk to me from anywhere in the Galaxy," she explained. Luke's eyes widened.

"That's why you had the headache earlier," he said, putting the pieces together. "He severed the connection."

Mara nodded, and then wiped away a stray tear from her cheek. "An automated message was sent to him last night. I explained my defection."

"Wow," Luke said, before suddenly enveloping her in a tight hug. She froze for a second before hugging him back. It felt so warm, and caring. She suddenly realized that Luke was the first person to ever hug her. A sob escaped her chest and she clutched tighter at Luke's snowsuit. His arms squeezed reassuringly around her, silently letting her know it was okay to cry.

Mara for once in her life truly cried. She wasn't so much ashamed about it either. It felt so natural to show this side of her emotion to Luke. He was the first person that has ever truly trusted her, and never preyed upon her abilities or really ever looked at her as nothing but a woman. He truly wanted to know her.

As Mara's sobs slowed, Luke released his hold on her somewhat and she looked up into his eyes, wiping at stray tears. He reached up tentatively and brushed a few tears away with his thumb. She closed her eyes at the sensation, and then opened them again when his hands fell down to her shoulders.

"I needed that," she admitted.

"I know," Luke said, smiling slightly. "So now that I know your background, do you want to work on using the force with me?"

She grinned, before her grin faded and she looked down again. "I... I can't use it anymore. I don't know what happened. It just... disappeared this morning after the headache came."

"Do you think Palpatine was feeding you power through the bond?" he asked, and she shrugged.

"I don't know. That's the thing. I feel so relieved the bond is severed, and his dark presence is gone from my mind, but I still am having trouble even feeling the Force for people's feelings.

Luke nodded. "Maybe you just need to relearn how to use the Force. You're powerful, I know that much. I could feel how strong you were every time you opened yourself up to it in the skies."

"Maybe I do, but on top of that, I was only ever taught the darkside. I've been using the Force so much lately as an unconventional practice of the Lightside," she explained.

"Did they take you from birth?" he asked and she nodded.

"I never knew my mother. She was probably killed upon my kidnapping."

"Probably," Luke agreed sadly. "Do you still have that headache?"

She nodded. "It came back just before I heard you practicing. It's better than earlier though. It's a lot less painful."

"Good," he said. "Maybe the severing effects are almost completely over then."

"I hope so," she said. "Can you just walk me back to my quarters? I think I just want to sleep."

"Sure," Luke grinned and then placed his hand on her lower back and led her out. They walked in silence back to her room and she stopped and turned to him before unlocking the door.

"Thanks... Thanks for not judging me," she told him.

"Of course," he nodded. "Everyone deserves a chance."

"Yeah, but I think once it gets out I used to work for the Emperor himself some people won't trust me."

"You mean Leia," Luke stated, rather than asked. Mara nodded.

"She doesn't trust me already, I think. She's got really strong shields."

"Really?" he asked, confusion on his face.

"Yeah," she said, almost as confused. "You've never tried to feel her emotions or intentions?"

"Yeah, but I never though her shields were even that great."

"How do you think she survived being interrogated by Vader for so long without mind shields?"

"I never thought of it that way," Luke said, looking down the hall in wonder. "I've always been able to get a read on her."

"Oh," Mara said, then shrugged. "She's one of the few people I can't even get a whiff of their emotions from. No matter."

"I guess," Luke nodded, his brow still furrowed in thought.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Luke," she said, smiling slightly in the dim corridor.

"See you then, Mara," he said as she palmed the door and slipped inside. Luke stared at the door for a few moments longer before walking out of the hallway and towards the Hangar bay. He had a lot to mull over, and he did his best thinking while either meditating, or working on his X-Wing.

As he walked towards his ship though, he saw a figure leaning up against it. Luke paused for a second, before realizing it was only Wedge.

"What are you doing here so late?" Luke asked, before walking under his ship and examining the engine.

"Could ask the same thing to you, buddy," Wedge grinned.

"I needed to think."

"You should just admit it, you know," Wedge told him, and Luke glanced at him, confused.

"Admit what?"

"You totally dig Jade."

"She's an excellent pilot," Luke said into his engine.

"C'mon, admit it, you like her more than just as a pilot!" Wedge said, grinning like a madman. Luke snapped his head to Wedge.

"If you mean as anything more than a friend, then you're wrong."

"You're a horrible liar, Luke."

"I'm not lying," he insisted. "Besides, even if I did care for her as more than a friend, I'm her commanding officer. Nothing could happen."

"So that's why you haven't made a move?" Wedge asked.

"No, I haven't made a move because she's my friend, nothing more," Luke shook his head. "Why don't you go pick on Janson or something?"

"Janson is an idiot," Wedge laughed. "You're much more fun to mess with."

"You guys better not be still pestering Mara, either," he warned.

"Why? Too embarrassed to be shot down indirectly?"

"No, but she has a lot going on right now and doesn't need you morons on top of it."

"Whatever you say, Loverboy," Wedge laughed. "Do try to get some sleep, tonight. Wouldn't want you to not be your handsome best for when Mara sees you."

Luke threw out a punch to Wedge, who neatly dodged it laughing.

"Get some rest, Antilles. I think you have extra TaunTaun duty in the morning," Luke grinned.

"That's cold, Skywalker."

"Wear extra thermals then."

"Aye, Aye Commander!" Wedge saluted and jogged out of the Hangar bay, leaving Luke to work on his ship in silence.

So there you have it! Mara knows about Luke and now Luke knows her history! This is a pretty important chapter, almost as much as the next one. And I won't tell you why! Mwahahaha!

Chapter 6 is the last pre-ESB chapter. I know, tear. I've also found that I'm not liking writing the ESB chapters as much as I thought I would seeing as how it's my favorite SW movie. It's too stifiling, and I'm trying to alter the original story line as little as possible while also including Mara in as much as I can. It's getting there.

NEXT CHAPTER: Mara and Luke begin working on her Force training, but someone sees them sparring and realizes Mara has lied. (I'd give you more but just trust you may want to hit a few characters!)