Chapter Ten: Decision

Mara didn't even have the energy to hold her shields as the pain and stress from the past few weeks tumbled through the Force.

Without hesitation, Luke tightened his hold on Mara. She had never let herself become so raw with emotion. The fact that she was breaking down, here, in front of the three men who meant the galaxy to her, was telling in itself.

"It'll be alright," Luke whispered to her, despite not being able to pinpoint the cause of her anguish. Obi-Wan and Anakin locked eyes and passed an unspoken vow to tend to their own.

With a strong and gentle hand, Obi-Wan pulled Mara from Luke. He was shocked, but grateful to find that she complied almost immediately. Obi-Wan could feel that her defences were down and accompanied by the pain and anguish, was the stinging sear of betrayal.

All four Jedi on the platform could feel the presence of Council members making their way towards them.

"Obi-Wan, she can't deal with them right now," Anakin stressed.

"I'll create a distraction," Luke offered, shooting Mara a worried look and heading in the direction of the incoming Council members.

"Thank you," Obi-Wan breathed as Mara's crying turned into a desperate wail as if she were trying to expel every dark thought from her body. It broke Obi-Wan's heart to see her like this.

Mara almost never lost control and seeing his daughter do so in such a public and spectacular fashion, chilled Obi-Wan to the bone.

Like when she was a child, Obi-Wan projected to Anakin, who was also becoming increasingly concerned.

"I'll take her to our quarters."

Anakin nodded. "Comm if you need me."

Mara continued to sob into his arms and Obi-Wan began to guide her to their family quarters in the Temple, praying to the Force that his daughter would be alright.

o0o

Mara could barely recall stepping off the Skyheart. She remembered seeing Luke and feeling the happiness radiating from him. She could remember his smell and his presence in the Force. As soon as his arms were around her, all Mara could do was let go.

She was now in the safety of her room in the Temple. After her embarrassing display of emotion in the hangar, her father had brought her here. She had wanted so badly to scream at him and demand why he had kept such a huge secret from her but the words seemed empty. The shred of despair she had felt in the Palace on Serenno had grown exponentially and everything she saw was clouded with sadness.

Her father had put up the strongest shields he could create with the Force around them. She registered his presence in the room and felt him press a cup of warmed blue milk into her hands.

"I'm not a child," she croaked, grasping the cup all too strongly.

"It's still your favourite, is it not?"

Mara didn't answer him and instead took a sip.

"For what it's worth..."

Mara held up a shaky hand. "Don't. Please. Not right now."

He placed a hand on her knee. "I never meant for this to hurt you, Mara," he reasoned.

"You never thought I would find out," she said tersely, wrenching her knee away from his loving hand. "That's the difference!"

Obi-Wan bowed his head. "I am so sorry young one."

Mara felt something inside of her snap. Her tears had dried and the sadness turned to frustration. "You didn't just lie to me—you've been hiding this from the Council!" she accused.

Obi-Wan tried to pull himself together to answer her. "The Council needn't know, Mara."

Mara stood up. "And why not? I think that'd be pretty telling, Dad, that one of their padawans is actually the hell-spawn of Count Dooku, a kriffing Sith!" Mara fumed.

Obi-Wan winced at Mara's harsh words. "Mara, you are not hell-spawn," he corrected, gently. "You are my daughter. I have raised you since the day you were born. I have given you my love and my honour. You are not hell-spawn."

"Born?" Mara screeched. "I don't even know where I was born! I only just found out my mother's name and the fact that she was a junkie!"

"You were born here, in this very Temple," Obi-Wan responded, placing his hands on Mara's shoulders. "Eighteen years ago, your mother came to Coruscant with you. We did everything we could. You were born and then...she died."

Mara forcefully removed his hands from her shoulders. "All I know is what you tell me! How can I know that's the truth? You've lied to me for eighteen years!"

"Perhaps it's time we sat down and had an open and honest conversation."

Mara couldn't have agreed more.

o0o

Mara was completely worn out. The stress she had been carrying around from Serenno hadn't lessened but at least her father had started being honest. With the knowledge she had gained from her still-secret datapad and her father's account, she was able to now piece together how she had managed to escape Serenno undetected.

A part of her had been honoured to hear how far both her father and Anakin had gone just to free her mother from the confines of Serenno. It hadn't been easy to hear Obi-Wan's description of desperate and spice-addicted woman, but for his honesty, Mara was grateful.

Having a mother hadn't been a crucial issue in Mara's life—right up until she realised she had been right here, in this very temple, and died the day she prematurely came into the world.

"Why didn't you tell the Council?" Mara finally asked, her temper reaching its lowest point in days.

"It is not your genes that define you as a person—or as a Jedi for that matter. Everything about you is unique, Mara. I have never met a woman more courageous or loyal. You are what makes you special, never because you happen to be share the same genetic structure as a man who fell to the Dark Side of the Force."

"But the Council —" she began to protest.

Obi-Wan raised a hand. "Might not have understood as clearly as I do. Regardless of where you came from, I raised you. I am your family. I had hoped that it would be enough," he finished sadly.

Mara felt herself come to a crossroads. Despite the stinging betrayal, she could probably understand why her father had done it. If it were her, would she have done it any differently?

She was just as much a Kenobi as she was a Jade or a Dooku. It was that only thought that kept her going.

In a whisper, she confirmed. "Dad, it's more than enough."

In a split second, Obi-Wan was by her side. Mara vowed to shed no more tears and she embraced her father.

As she squeezed the man who had taken her in and loved her, a quiet, dark voice in her mind spoke up.

You can run, but you can't hide, Mara Jade.

o0o

Mara was dreading the debriefing with the Council. She hadn't spoken to Anakin since they had left Serenno and he had expertly hidden the fact that they had accessed Dooku's hidden chamber. She hadn't exactly been respectful towards him and since her interlude with her father last night, the guilt was beginning to form in her mind.

There was another Skywalker that was assaulting Mara's mind too. Luke had tried to comm her last night but Mara hadn't been in very good shape. However, she had opened herself up through the Force when she felt Luke gently trying to reach her. She had felt his concern and didn't want him to worry. She had let him know that she was fine and he sent back what could only be described as a reassuring hug through the Force.

She had promised her father that she would turn up at the debriefing well-rested and ready to discuss everything openly and honestly. Obi-Wan had been summoned by the Council already and Mara could only assume that he, along with Anakin, was being questioned.

Mara walked the familiar path to the Council chambers. The halls were relatively empty and Mara was grateful for the few moments of peace before the storm.

She finally found herself at Council chambers. It was not the first time she had been summoned to explain herself in light of somewhat unorthodox behaviour and despite all that had happened; Mara was fairly certain it wouldn't be the last.

She didn't have to wait long outside. Her father's tired but kind voice called to her.

We're ready for you young one.

Mara stood and shook her hands and legs. She had tried to meditate to clear her mind but she was having a great deal of trouble. Every time she closed her eyes, the image of Dooku's face and the vivid red hair of Marali-Ketana assaulted her.

Her thoughts didn't dwell on Anakin and Obi-Wan's deception too much; instead she was pushing herself to remember the darkest time when they had filled her heart with happiness and lifted her from the ground.

They don't trust you, the traitorous voice in her mind reminded her. You blew the Serenno deal. You will be grounded as a Jedi and left here in the Temple to rot.

Mara pushed the thoughts as far into the back of her mind as possible and opened the door. All twelve Masters were seated, although Master Windu was still broadcasting from Galliespied. She locked eyes with her father but the pit in her stomach grew as he turned away from her.

"Padawan Kenobi," Master Windu began. "You are aware as to why we have bought you in front of this Council today?"

"Yes Master," Mara answered automatically, keeping her eyes downcast. "You wish me to report on the incident at Serenno."

"Master Skywalker has provided a very detailed report regarding the issue on Serenno," Master Tii said in a clipped tone.

Mara was confused. "So if you have no interest in hearing my report, why have you summoned me?"

There was an eerie silence that swept over the chambers. Mara now looked at Anakin, who was avoiding her eyes in the same way as her father.

"This is a punishment hearing, isn't it?" she asked softly, directing her attention to her own Master.

"Reckless on Serenno, you were," Master Yoda answered for the group. "Review your actions, we must."

"Masters Kenobi and Skywalker have filled us in on the," there was a pause from Master Windu, "extenuating circumstances surrounding the incident."

"Masters, I—"

"We are not finished here," Master Koon interrupted.

"Blind we were, if this we did not see," Master Yoda added sadly. "Far reaching Dooku's betrayal was."

Mara's heart was beating wildly.

"You should not have gone on your own, Padawan Kenobi. You put yourself in significant danger and caused the vital negotiations to cease," Master Windu continued. "Not to mention you blatantly misused the Force to guide your own actions. This led you down a dangerous path indeed."

"Dooku's presence, we have not felt in such a long time," Master Yoda added.

Obi-Wan and Anakin's silence cut through Mara and the feeling she had experienced when Anakin had turned on her before Serenno exponentially multiplied.

"Spoken we have to Master Skywalker and agreed the entire Council is," Master Yoda announced sadly. "Agreed we have, that grounded you should be."

"Grounded?" Mara whispered as she tried and failed to control her emotions.

Control, control, you must learn control, she heard Master Yoda's voice in her head.

"Until we are sure that you have a control of your situation and can remember that you are a servant of the Force, Mara. You are a Jedi. You need to let go of your emotions, you cannot let them rule you," Master Adi-Mundi emphasised.

"Master Skywalker will let you know when it is time to return to your duties. You are dismissed."

With that final dismissal, Mara held her head up high and without a word, left the Council chambers.