Chapter Nine: Fallout

Anakin froze at the name and a part of Mara enjoyed the panicked, fearful look on his face.

He deserves it, she thought bitterly.

"Where did you hear that name?"

Anakin patiently waited for her answer but a war raged on inside Mara. Anger and resentment battled for her heart. As Mara had one promised, she focused on the beacon of light the Force provided. The severity of her emotions began to fade and Mara nearly felt like her old self again.

The problem was that now, Mara barely knew who she was.

Instead of arguing, Mara simply handed over the datapad.

She watched as Anakin's eyes skimmed over the information. His eyes widened and the situation began to dawn on Anakin.

"This is his chamber," he breathed, absorbing the feel of the Dark Side. He looked down at Mara, who was starting to lose her grip again.

"We need to leave. Now."

With a firm but gentle tug, Anakin pulled Mara to her feet and led her up the stairs.

o0o

Mara didn't offer any information and Anakin hadn't asked. He hadn't even asked her to pull duty in the cockpit. Instead, Mara had locked herself into the guest quarters and refused to speak.

She had cut herself off from her father through the Force. While she was angry at Anakin, she felt positively livid that her father, her wonderful, trustworthy father, had kept this from her for all those years.

While she had known all along that Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn't her real father, it hadn't mattered.

Until now.

Mara had never asked about her biological parents although Obi-Wan had tried to speak to her about it, once, when she had been younger. Mara highly doubted that he would have filled her in completely though.

She knew what her mother looked like. She wondered just who her father had been. Had he been a worker in the Palace, like her mother? Another Count? A trader? A tourist? Was he dead or alive?

She wondered whether Marali-Ketana or her grandmother were even still alive. It took Mara a split second to realise she probably had the information at her fingertips.

She had hidden the datapad in her tunic so her Master couldn't take it from her again. He clearly had his secrets, and now Mara had hers.

Her datapad downloaded to a remote location that only she had knowledge of and access to. Mara flicked through the statistics and found a huge quantity of information had been downloaded. Her fingers passed over her access button when a tiny flashing button revealed she had messages.

The first one was from Han.

Didn't get to finish my joke. How do you get a redhead to change her mood? Wait ten seconds.

She ignored the idiot's attempt at humour and looked at the next message. Despite her internal conflict, a wave of relief passed over her as she gleefully savoured the happiness and warmth she felt.

Mara,

It's over. I passed! On our way back to Coruscant now. Knighting ceremony is in two standard weeks. I hope you'll be back by then. I can't wait to see you. I finally did it.

Luke

However, even Luke's good news couldn't chase the nagging demons away. With a sigh, Mara logged on to her network and typed in "Jade".

Two profiles appeared and Mara clicked on the one with the holopicture of Marali-Ketana's mother.

My grandmother.

A short profile appeared as if she was merely a footnote to Dooku's vast file.

Cereila Jade

Head of Operations, Inkoo Palace

Waitstaff Officer, Dooku Palace

Gave birth to a daughter, Marali-Ketana Jade.

Father unknown.

Deceased

Mara frowned at the lack of information. She then brought up the other profile.

Marali-Ketana Jade

Waitstaff Officer, Dooku Palace

Arrested by Serenno Base Alpha-Four Officers on three counts of spice possession, two counts theft, eight counts possession of a weapon

Pregnant at time of death

OFFWORLDER

Many facts didn't settle with Mara. Why had her mother been arrested so many times? Why wasn't her birth registered and how had she given birth to Mara eighteen years ago offworld? Where had Mara been born?

An idea occurred to Mara. Although she was still a padawan, Mara had managed to gain access to Anakin's login details for the Jedi Archives.

She accessed their remote location and confidently typed in Anakin's code. She prayed to the Force that he hadn't changed it since their trip to Brentaal. Luckily, the search bar came up and Mara searched for both hers and Marali-Ketana's medical records.

Both records appeared. At a quick glance, one thing became clear. The records contained no reference to any genetic testing to Count Dooku. Mara wasn't sure to be angry or relieved that the information wasn't stored in the Archives and the Jedi Council probably didn't even know.

Which led her to a more curious thought. Her father and her Master knew—that much was obvious. Mara was stunned at the depths of secrecy the two shared. They had deliberately hidden her lineage from the Jedi Council. The only reason they would have done that was because they were trying to hide her.

Deciding she didn't want to read anymore, Mara flung the datapad onto the bed on the opposite side of the cabin. The only thing that mildly comforted her was that she hoped, in light of this new information, her father wouldn't lie to her again.

Mara felt her Master's presence before Anakin bothered knocking. She had clamped her shields down so nobody would make the mistake of trying to connect with her.

"Mara..."

"Go away," she shouted.

"Mara, you're going to have to come out eventually," Anakin reasoned.

Mara's rational Jedi side had shut down. While she had felt slightly embarrassed that she was the cause of the cease of negotiations, the side of her that had been betrayed nearly revelled in the fact that Anakin would return to the Council empty-handed.

Well, they certainly won't be empty-handed for long, Mara thought bitterly.

Despite her strong shields, Mara knew that her emotions were bleeding through. A thought slammed into her. She had been a Jedi for eighteen years—she had been taught the difference between compassion and love and reckless emotion, hadn't she?

So why now, when she had been lied to, had she forgotten her most fundamental lesson?

She heard Anakin's footsteps retreating and heard a tiny voice in her head.

Maybe because you've never been a real Jedi.

Mara felt herself panic but instead, she closed her eyes, focused on the Force and lay back down on the bed.

o0o

Obi-Wan tried to put on a happy face for Luke, even though he was sure the gifted Jedi could tell that his emotions were all over the place. Even after years of service to the Order, since Mara had come into his life, he had more trouble than usual controlling his emotions. Normally he allowed himself happy emotions, as his daughter filled an empty hole in his heart that the lack of family had left.

At precisely 11:00 three standard days ago, Coruscant time, Obi-Wan Kenobi felt his heart break from millions of parsecs away.

Obi-Wan had heard his daughter's voice in his head and he prayed to the Force that this perceived betrayal wouldn't drive her from him forever.

He and Luke had landed early on Coruscant and had spent the better part of three standard hours debriefing with the Council. Obi-Wan had attempted to pay close attention but his thoughts rarely strayed from Mara.

"Is everything alright, Obi-Wan?" Luke asked kindly.

Obi-Wan pushed aside his feeling of dread and placed a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Everything is fine. Have you spoken to your family yet?"

A happy smile appeared on Luke's face. "Not yet. I wanted to surprise them. I did send Mara a message..."

"You've spoken to Mara?" Obi-Wan asked quickly. "Is she alright?"

A look of curiosity and concern passed over Luke's face. More than that—Obi-Wan could literally feel Luke's worry over Mara through the Force. On an ordinary day, this might have intrigued him.

"She didn't reply. I just assumed she and Dad were busy. Why, is there something I should know about?"

Obi-Wan waved him off. "She and Anakin are due back on Coruscant in a matter of minutes. That's where I'm heading now."

Luke's eyes lit up. "They're due back now? I'll come and keep you company, Master."

"That is not necessary," Obi-Wan said quickly. "I am sure your mother..."

"Will be more than happy if I come home with my father in tow," Luke finished. "Please Obi-Wan. I want to see Dad's face when I share the good news."

Obi-Wan could merely nod and point in the direction of the port. Obi-Wan wasn't sure what sort of greeting lay ahead but he felt sorrow knowing that the reunion he and Luke were hoping for was about to become a wisp of wishful thinking.

o0o

Obi-Wan felt both his former apprentice and his daughter's presence long before the Skyheart began docking. Anakin had been very open and it was hard for Obi-Wan not to sympathise with his current predicament. He knew Mara very well and she had a well-rounded temper that could send lesser Jedi to the pits of Corellian hell. It wasn't fair that Anakin had to bear the brunt of her anger.

Obi-Wan had a sneaking suspicion that her anger and feelings of hurt and betrayal were about to be transferred to the very worthy recipient—himself.

The Skyheart docked and Obi-Wan felt Luke's excitement mounting through the Force. What was harder to decipher was whether Luke was more excited to see Anakin or Mara.

The door opened and Obi-Wan braced himself for the worst as Luke puffed out his chest.

Anakin came out first, looking tired and haggard. The look of sorrow seemed to have permanently etched itself onto his face. A quick smile appeared as he saw Luke. He pulled Luke in for a hug and held him close. Obi-Wan stepped aside and allowed his two padawans their moment together.

Like a raging fire, Mara stepped out of the Skyheart. Obi-Wan's heart constricted and he tried to reconcile his memories of his baby girl with the fiery young woman that stood in front of him.

I have failed you, he thought miserably, letting his guilt and sadness fall over the four of them like a shroud.

Mara began her walk down the ramp, her eyes shooting vibro-blades at him. The Negotiator, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was rendered speechless.

"Mara," Luke greeted warmly, moving from his father's embrace to greet Mara.

Obi-Wan and Anakin both knew what was coming and both braced for impact, feeling guilty for letting Luke fall prey to Mara.

Instead, Mara simply folded into Luke's arms and began to cry.