Summary
(Heir to the Empire/Thrawn Trilogy re-imagining).
Jedi who play by their own rules. A woman with a mysterious past. Master and apprentice, on the precipice of a universe-shattering discovery. Estranged allies ready to emerge from the shadows. Old enemies preparing to strike.
A powerful dagger waiting to forge a new destiny.
The tide is turning. Grand Admiral Thrawn has returned from exile and has his sights set on reclaiming the known galaxy in the name of the Empire. On Peridea, ancient forces are stirring that could change the course of history, and possibly alter the very fabric of reality itself. Worlds apart, each band of heroes must once again face the looming threat of darkness before it destroys everything they hold dear. Will Light triumph? Or is the path ahead much more perilous than anyone could have imagined?
A/N: This fic is rated T (unless future content deems it necessary for me to up the rating); however, I am treating this as a PG-13 movie where a certain amount of brief cursing is allowed. For characterization purposes the star of this chapter will be guilty of swearing like a sailor at certain moments throughout the story, so please be aware if you are sensitive to that sort of thing.
PART I: A TALE OF TWO WORLDS
CHAPTER ONE: The Emerald Shadow
8 Standard Months Earlier
Mara Jade woke to the sound of her own screams.
She flailed beneath a net of tangled sheets, gasping for breath as she attempted to kick herself free of its grasp. The sheets however, refused to release her. Panicking, she shot upright, ripped the covers away with clawed hands, and swung her quivering legs over the side of the bed.
It was just a dream, she thought, her heart thundering in her chest. Get a hold of yourself.
Except she knew that it was more than just a dream. Ordinary dreams came and went, leaving nothing but faint impressions that withered away in the light of day. But these dreams were different. These dreams stayed.
Mara swallowed down a rising wave of bile and pushed herself to her feet. She staggered across the dark room into the 'fresher and turned on the faucet, letting the icy stream of water tumble over her hands until her skin grew numb and the tremors in her arms subsided. This was a ritual now, one she could perform without even thinking. What had started as an intermittent annoyance she could easily dismiss had become a nightly horror. Vivid, terrible dreams would plague her until she jolted awake with a raw throat, roiling insides, and images that remained imprinted on her mind no matter how much she tried to erase them.
She cupped her palms and splashed her face. The cold shock came as a welcome relief, and she stood still for a moment, allowing the water to trickle down her cheeks and soothe her blistering nerves. But even as she felt her body relax, she knew that sleep would evade her for the rest of the night.
Mara bit back a groan when she spied the time on her wrist chrono. It was barely three hours past midnight. The next day was going to be hell.
"Fuck," she muttered under her breath.
She was too exhausted to do anything else, so a snack and some music would have to do. After rummaging through the lone cupboard in the cramped nook that passed for her kitchen, she managed to scrounge up an overripe meiloorun fruit and a partially-squashed ration bar. Well, better than nothing, she mused as she flopped back onto her bed. She held the ration bar between her teeth as she jammed her headset over her ears and scrolled aimlessly through the music library on her datapad. Her thumb landed on something classical, and she clicked on it without bothering to double-check the title. She needed noise. It didn't matter what it sounded like.
The lilting notes lit a spark in the back of Mara's mind, and on instinct, her fingers began tapping out the counts to an invisible dance. A Chandrilan waltz, woven together with her own personal flair. Her feet twitched as the steps took shape in her imagination, the swish of silken skirts brushing against her memory. Each step swept the ghoulish nightmares aside, and for a few moments there was nothing but the thought of her body melding with the music, her movements becoming one with the song. Mara suppressed a sigh. Dancing was the closest thing she'd ever had to peace. She only wished she had room in her tiny apartment to translate her visions into tangible reality. Maybe then the dreams would finally lose their hold on her.
Somehow, though, she knew she'd never get that lucky.
The distorted image of a face suddenly flashed before her. Mara cringed, the dance now forgotten as quickly as it had been conceived. Scarred, pale flesh peeked out from beneath the shadow of a dark hood. Sharp eyes gleamed at her with the hunger of a starving predator. A face she'd once found favorable now sneered in her direction, its mangled features dripping with accusatory malice.
Please just go, she begged, her thoughts weary. You're dead. There's nothing I can do.
Avenge me, it hissed.
Mara cranked up the volume. The music had switched to Huttese rock now and she prayed that the cacophony would be enough to drown out the unwelcome voice.
AVENGE ME! the voice howled.
I can't, she shot back.
YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!
Not this shit again. For the last time, she growled, I don't know where he is, and I can't afford to drop everything and chase after him. I have to pay rent, you know.
You are the Emperor's Hand, the voice countered. You made an oath to give your life in service to me.
Yes, Mara replied, her hands clenching into fists. But that was when you were still alive.
AND I STILL WOULD BE WERE IT NOT FOR YOUR FAILURE!
The force of the accusation hit her like a blow to the chest. She dug her nails into her palms and fought back a swell of tears. I'm sorry, Master. I tried.
What remains of me still lives in you, the voice went on. You must complete your final mission. YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER!
"I don't know where he is!" she cried.
Her outburst was met with nothing but the music blaring in her ears.
Mara lay still, her chest heaving, waiting to see if the ghost in her mind would reappear. After a few seconds without a response, she let out an unsteady breath.
"You're not really him," she whispered into the darkness, hoping to reassure herself more than anything else. "He's dead."
And there's no way in hell he could ever come back.
"You're short. Again."
Mara sighed. "I know, Cad. I promise I'll make it up next month."
"That's what you said last month. And the month before that."
"I know - "
"If you can't make up the difference - all of it - by the next due date, you know I'll have to evict you."
Mara fought back a grimace. "I'll get it to you. I promise."
Her Trandoshan landlord folded a pair of scaly arms across his chest. "Make sure that you do," he grumbled. "Won't bring me any pleasure to turn you out on the streets, but I can't run this place on empty pockets, you know."
"Yeah," she mumbled, turning away. "I know."
Cadfrir Svetch wasn't a cruel man. Of all the irascible landlords Mara had dealt with in the years since Palpatine's death, he was the least troublesome, and the one who'd tolerated her presence the longest. Working as bounty hunter now kept her on the move, but it was nice having a home base to return to, even if the ramshackle apartment complex above Cad's cantina left much to be desired. Unlike the other landlords she'd encountered on Ord Mantell, Cad kept his rates reasonable. Even when job offers were scarce, she'd managed to cobble together enough credits to pay rent and keep a roof over her head.
Well, she had managed until now.
The sound of a glass scraping against the counter roused her from her thoughts. "Don't look so glum," Cad was saying, pushing the pint of horstberry cider in her direction. "Drink up."
Mara scoffed. "If you're worried about bleeding credits, you really should stop giving me free drinks."
"Told you before, it's not special treatment. House policy. Free drink every month for residents on payday."
"Yeah, maybe that should only be for the residents who can actually pay up," she muttered, lifting the glass to her lips.
Cad leaned against the counter. "Look," he said quietly, "I know it's not your fault work's dried up lately. Otherwise I wouldn't have given you so many extensions. I just can't keep them up indefinitely."
Mara took a large swig of cider, wincing as the liquid burned the back of her throat. "Yeah, I know."
The Trandoshan offered her a curt nod, a gesture Mara had learned was Cad's closest equivalent to a sympathetic smile. "Keep your chin up, Karinna," he said. "Something'll turn up soon."
She said nothing in response. Karinna. There were times when she forgot Cad didn't even know her real name. Karinna Jansih was just one of a long list of aliases she'd cycled through over the years. Even after the Empire's downfall had rendered her position as Emperor's Hand obsolete, she had kept up the tradition whilst hopping from one place to another. Different location, different name. Different job, different identity. She wasn't sure if she held to the practice out of habit or nostalgia, but she knew it was no longer due to the need for self-preservation. The Emperor's Hand Initiative had been so secretive that only a handful of select individuals had known of its existence, and as far as she knew little to no record of it had been preserved. Aside from Vader, the Hands had been the Emperor's most prized assets - ghosts slinking through the shadows, untraceable operatives who could carry out his will where others would have proven too conspicuous. She was certain that even if she chose to use her true name, the New Republic's amnesty program would never find her. Still, she found a strange sense of security in adopting a facade. Perhaps she'd simply grown to used to the idea.
"Someone's got their eye on you," Cad interrupted.
Acting on old instinct, Mara made no move to turn around. But she tilted her head just enough so that she could peer over her shoulder without drawing notice. Sure enough, there was a human man tucked into a far corner of the room, sneaking glances at her over the rim of his glass. The other customers were either too drunk or too consumed with placing gambling bets to pay him any mind, but to Mara's trained eye, his attention was unmistakable.
"Think he wants to hire you?" Cad asked.
Mara shrugged and sipped some more cider. "Maybe. I'd better go see what he wants."
"Good luck," the Trandoshan said with another nod.
Mara nodded back and slipped off her stool. She wove her way through the throng of rowdy patrons until she reached the back booth. Upon closer inspection, she realized the man was some years older than her, if the grey streaks in his dark hair and beard were any indication. His clothes were freshly washed and pressed by the look of them, and although Mara could tell the man wasn't exactly rich, she guessed that his coffers weren't nearly as starved as hers. His posture exuded a distinct air of authority, yet there was something in his gaze that told Mara that he valued discretion above all else.
A smuggler baron, she thought to herself. Nobody else carries themselves like that.
"Good evening," the man said in a slight accent that Mara couldn't identify. His lips curled into a polite smile. "To whom do I owe the pleasure?"
Mara continued her silent assessment of him as she spoke. "I think I should be asking you that," she replied.
The man let out a soft chuckle and extended his hand. "Talon Karrde," he said. "Please, sit."
Mara shook the man's hand and slid onto the bench opposite him. For a moment she considered plucking an alias from her archives, but for reasons unknown to her, she felt a strange urge to introduce herself by her real name.
There's no harm in it, she reassured herself. The New Republic doesn't know who you are.
"Mara Jade," she said finally, folding her arms atop the table. "I'm assuming you've come on a business errand?"
Karrde dipped his chin towards her. "But of course," he answered. "I have a great deal of business to attend to, and I have heard nothing but good things about the illustrious Emerald Shadow."
Mara suppressed the impulse to roll her eyes. She'd chosen that name years ago, back when she had first been trying to gain a foothold in the bounty hunting world. She had hoped that a moniker with a bit of flair would pique potential clients' interest and make her stand out amongst others in the same line of work. She'd made an effort to abandon the title once she had established herself, but the name had stuck regardless.
"Just Mara is fine," she said.
"All right then, Mara." Karrde took a sip of his drink. "Still, your reputation precedes you."
Mara's eye twitched. "Unfortunately it hasn't garnered me much in the way of clients recently," she admitted. "You're the first in awhile."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Karrde offered, his brown eyes darkening with something that looked like genuine sympathy. "A woman of your talents should be fending off a surplus of job offers."
Mara huffed. This wasn't the first time a possible client had attempted to butter her up, but she found the effort distasteful nonetheless. "There's no need for flattery," she said coolly.
Karrde shook his head. "I mean no disrespect, Mara. The tales of your exploits have impressed me, and I would not say such things unless I truly believed in what you are capable of."
She blushed in spite of herself. "Well," she spluttered, trying to find the right words, "I…appreciate that."
Karrde grinned. "I have an offer to make, as I'm sure you've no doubt ascertained."
She nodded. "Yes. Care to tell me what it is?"
Something like amusement sparkled in the depths of Karrde's gaze. "Not one to beat around the bush are you?"
"I prefer to get straight to the point."
Karrde smiled again, his eyes still sparkling. "Then I apologize for already wasting too much of your time," he replied. "The offer is this: I'd like you to join me."
Mara frowned. She hadn't been expecting that. "Join you?"
Karrde nodded. "Yes. I know you're used to picking up freelance work, but I would like to grant you the opportunity to join my organization on a more permanent basis. You see, my main trade isn't so much to do with smuggling goods as it is to do with trading a much more…valuable commodity."
"Which is..?"
Karrde's grin widened. "You are an astute individual," he answered. "Perhaps you could tell me."
Mara crossed her arms and ran her eyes over the man's figure, taking in every aspect of him, both seen and unseen. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then, a sudden revelation dawned on her. "You're an information broker," she whispered.
"Precisely."
Mara swallowed. Dealing in information carried far greater risk than ensuring the uninterrupted flow of goods - the primary risk being those who wanted their secrets to remain unknown. "That's a very dangerous proposal," she said in a low voice.
"I am aware," Karrde countered, his smile fading. "I would not extend this offer if I did not understand the potential danger involved. But my organization has been struggling somewhat of late and is in need of greater numbers." He paused to draw breath. "Your track record of following through on even the slightest leads is impeccable. Simply put, I would be quite honored to bring you into the fold."
"That's if I accept your offer."
"Of course."
Mara fell silent again and mulled over the idea in her mind. Although Karrde didn't know it, extracting and exchanging secrets was her specialty, a skill she'd honed during her days as a Hand. Serving an information broker wouldn't be quite the same as what she had done at her master's behest, but it would be much closer to her old line of work than mere bounty hunting. Still, the benefits had to outweigh the risks.
"If I join you," she asked, "what else can you offer me?"
The ghost of his previous smile flickered on Karrde's lips. "Well, aside from steady employment, a supportive community, good lodging, and food in your belly, I can promise the possibility of advancement."
"Advancement?"
"Yes. The more jobs you complete successfully, the more chance you will have to move up the ranks. Each of my employees receives a cut from their earnings while the rest go to a pool that serves the needs of the entire organization. Upon promotion, you would receive a larger cut as well as additional responsibilities, should you choose to accept them."
Mara leaned back against the seat cushion. "I see."
"I would understand if the offer is not to your taste. But, if I may be so bold as to suggest…" He trailed off and rubbed his fingers against his temple.
She cocked her head at him. "Suggest what?"
Karrde took a deep breath. "Well, I only mean to say that it may be…better than your current arrangement."
Mara bit the inside of her cheek. It was a bold thing to say, but she had to admit that the broker was right. The way things looked now, her future here with Cad taking odd jobs as they came was precarious at best. Hell, she wasn't even sure she'd have a home in the next month. This was her best - and possibly only - chance at security.
Do it, a familiar voice hissed.
Mara flinched. Not now, she bit back. I'm in the middle of something.
Accept his offer, the voice continued undeterred.
Oh, and what would you get out of it?
Information, the voice whispered. On the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker.
She blanched.
"Are you all right?" Karrde asked, his brow furrowing in concern.
Mara shook her head as if that would dispel the shadow lurking in the back of her mind. "I'm fine," she croaked, clearing her throat. "I…"
DO IT.
"I accept your offer."
Karrde's grin was so broad it could have split his face in two. "Excellent!" he exclaimed, once again clasping Mara's hand in his own. "My base of operations is on a forest planet called Myrkr. I suspect you'll like it there. Cleaner air, open spaces. You'll have plenty of room to yourself."
The thought of dancing briefly crossed her mind. "That sounds nice," she murmured, more to herself than to Karrde.
"Yes, it is. I have some other business to complete before I leave, but I'll return there in two days time. I can send for a shuttle when you're ready to join me?"
Mara allowed a tiny smile to grace her lips. "I don't keep clutter. Two days will be enough."
Karrde raised his glass in a toast. "Wonderful." He took another sip. "Well then, I look forward to what I hope will be a fruitful partnership."
It will be fruitful. Once Skywalker is dead.
"Yes," Mara said quietly. "I look forward to it too."
A/N: I admittedly considered not including Talon Karrde in this at all (I know, sacrilege) because I wasn't sure there was going to be room for him in the plot. But he forced his way into the story citing my undying love for his character, and I'm honestly glad for the intrusion lol.
Cad's name, if anyone cares to know, is courtesy of a Trandoshan name generator I found via fantasy name generator dot com. (Without the spaces obviously).
Karinna Jansih is listed as one of Mara's many aliases on Wookieepedia.
If anyone is wondering why Mara already knows of the other Hands' existence (when she initially didn't in the EU), the concept of the Emperor's Hands is going to resemble something like the Red Room for the purposes of this story. This was less of an attempt to further turn Mara into "Space Black Widow" and more of an idea that I've been nursing for three years at this point. I've really wanted to take a crack at it but never got the chance before now to do anything with it.