Chapter 4

"Mara…"

His eyes were still so infinitely blue. That same boyish smile on his face. A face that could have looked into the deepest parts of me without any effort at all.

"Why are you still afraid?"

I heard the question as clearly as I saw him, but no answer would come. My words were frozen no matter how hard I searched for them.

"Afraid of losing me?" He laughed. "That's impossible. I told you we'd always be together. Don't you believe me?"

I felt my limbs reach out but he never came close enough to touch. I could feel him near, but the image faded as surely as it had appeared. Left in his wake was just a dense sort of blackness I had known all my life. Hopelessness and longing were all I felt. Vulnerability I was ashamed to acknowledge.

Even after all this time, I regretted not telling him exactly how I felt. It was ridiculous, our bond said more than words ever could.

And yet…

I wanted to choose to share those things. To be honest…to really be honest…

I felt his presence light up the darkness like a flicker of hope.

"I know. I always have. But do you know?" He smiled in a soft challenge. The kind that was always meant to make me search myself for the hard answers. "Have you accepted our bond or my words?" His smile tightened as the joy crinkled beneath his eyes. "In time, I know both will be enough… I know they'll reach you."

"L-Luke…?" I heard my own voice as if from a distance. Streaks of light broke through the darkness, slowly forming into images around me. I blinked, once, twice, and everything came flooding back.

Bolting upright, I felt my heart beating wildly in my chest. How was I alive?! Was I alive…?

"Please rest," the soft voice beside me said.

I turned my head, fighting the dizziness, to see a blue-tinged face with alien features. He was humanoid, but of a species I didn't recognize. "Please rest, you are safe now," he said again, his large green eyes looking at me kindly.

All at once, the pain and recollection hit my body. My nervous system felt inflamed somehow, but it was nothing like the pit of dread in my stomach. "My f-friend, how is she...?"

"Your companion is well. Is she the one called Luke?" he asked with a puzzled tilt of his head.

I let go of an ironic sigh as I took in the simple hut around me. "No, Leia…" Sunlight was streaming in from the many cracks in the walls. "Where are we? Who are you?"

"You are in the village of the Elder Vam. My name is Bicore, I am a historian for my people."

I carefully sat up on my elbows, ignoring the throb in my head. "And you know basic?"

He nodded. "Yes, I am the only one of my people that understands your language. But I have studied many tongues from afar." Turning to the small wooden table at my bedside he reached for a flask of some sort.

"Drink this please, it will help further with the toxins."

"Toxins?" I mumbled as I eyed the drink suspiciously.

"Yes, you and your companion were nearly killed by the song of the Naoforge. It is deadly when left untreated, it attacks the vital systems of the body." He raised a curious eyebrow, or what passed for one. "It is strange you have survived. The herbs I give will heal you, but most would not have lived to take them after such an attack."

I didn't know if he knew about Jedi on this tucked-away planet, so I left it as a mystery. Taking a generous swig out of the flask, I winced at the taste. "How'd you find us…?"

"Hunting parties were seeking the Naoforge pack when they discovered you both."

"Your people hunt those things?" I scoffed in amazement.

He smiled with a degree of pride. "We daily consume the elixir," he said gesturing to the flask in my hand. "Fruit of the Rangton tree and leaves of the Wanto herb. When drunk daily one is immune to the deadly song."

I took another swig. Bitter or not, being immune to those things sounded pretty good.

"If your companion is the one called Leia, may I ask your name?"

"Mara…" I mumbled sleepily. "Mara Skywalker…"

He tilted his head in fascination. "I have heard of worlds where the people have two names but I have never met such a person myself. It is an honor, Mara Skywalker."

I took it these people never got out much. But the hospitality had been great so far, they'd saved my life after all. "Just call me Mara, Bicore, that's the custom among companions."

He nodded. "I have studied as much as I could find regarding other worlds, but I have never left Migo."

"Migo? Is that where we are?" The New Republic had given the planet a basic serial code and a few notes on the four larger settlements, but that was it. I took it that nothing much happened here to draw attention. The place seemed very insulated thus far.

"You've never left, but is there a way to leave?" I asked a little desperately. "In the settlements, maybe?"

He nodded. "There are a few traders that come and go, yes. Tell me, Mara, how did you come to be here?"

It was a good question, honestly.

"My ship crashed, but why I don't really know. Could you or your people lead us to the settlement?"

"Yes, but you will not be strong enough for at least two days more. The attack was extensive, you must rest."

Judging by how my body felt, I knew I shouldn't argue. So I just leaned back with a sigh.

"I will bring you something to eat if you wish?"

I nodded, feeling like I shouldn't turn down the hospitality. Bicore stood and made toward the door, but he stopped just short of leaving. His emotions felt a mixture of faraway thoughts tinged with an old sadness.

"May I ask you who is Luke?" he finally said. "You called their name many times during your sleep."

A sadness of my own settled in my bones. That same vulnerability and longing.

"It is just," he went on softly. "My mother called just the same after my father surrendered to death. She continued to call…" He looked up at me. "It is just, it reminded me."

I nodded, feeling the shadow of his old memories in the air. A pain I knew nothing about, but could understand now clearly. "My life mate," I said hoping he would understand. "But he is very far away from here…" So far, I didn't add, that I felt like a part of me was dying from the distance.

He nodded in gentle understanding, a slight hopeful smile coming to his face. "Then perhaps he will find you, Mara Skywalker…"

I just watched him walk away. Closing my eyes, I surrendered to the feeling of loneliness. But if nothing else, I was alive… Alive enough to hope.

It was foolish to hope he'd find me. Embarrassing even.

But I did.

Did all the same…

Roughly a day later I felt strong enough to get up and around. Bicore offered Leia and me a tour of his village and we decided to take him up on it. Not only was it the hospitable thing to do, but I was painfully bored besides. Bored and worried could be a deadly combination, I'd learned that the hard way often enough.

The village was small, with only a group of about 30 people in total. Their technology was mostly primitive with a bit of older tech scattered in. All in all, I hoped the transport we'd take at the settlement was a little more advanced, or we might blow up before we got anywhere near Coruscant. Still, they were resourceful enough to save our lives, and for that, I'd always be grateful. We drew stares from the adults as much as the children. It was clear they didn't get many visitors. Finally, feeling a little winded we went back to our hut to rest up a bit.

Leaning back against the thatched wall I stared over at Leia, my feelings so obvious.

"We're alive, that's what matters," she calmly said, leaning into the window opening. Her eyes watched the village children at play with a warmth that told me she was thinking of her own kids back home. But pulling her gaze away she focused on me. "It's certainly what will matter most to Luke."

I shifted my weight a little painfully. "That's what I keep telling myself, but it never feels right, Leia…"

On my belt was now an empty spot where my lightsaber used to be. I was grateful to be alive but disappointed that Bicore's people hadn't found it when they rescued us.

"You can build another, many Jedi have needed to," she tried to reassure me. But I wasn't ready to buy it just yet. It was funny because it meant I was hopelessly sentimental.

I leaned my head back, closing my eyes. "It was his father's, your father's…"

She smiled sympathetically. "I know… But it was a matter of life and death." Her eyes looked wistful and distant suddenly. Thoughts of Alderaan softly burned behind them. "Sometimes the only way to keep something forever is to hold it inside you, Mara…"

It wasn't like me to go looking for a reason to open up, but almost dying can change a lot. "It's not just because of your father…" I ventured softly. "Luke gave it to me when no one else believed I was worth much. I said I wanted to kill him and he gave me his most cherished possession…"

All the warmth returned to her face. "And you gave him your heart in return. With or without the lightsaber, nothing can weaken that bond."

I felt embarrassment burn my cheeks. Brushing a lock of hair behind my ear I tried to play it down. "It felt good in your hand too, I'll miss it," I said, meaning the old lightsaber.

She scoffed, a playfulness in her voice. "It certainly didn't look comfortable."

I smiled. "Well, it was in its own weird way. I think with time your hand deforms enough for it to be a perfect fit."

All the tension broke into laughter and I felt relieved. At least we were alive…

We were getting stronger each day, I just had to bide my time until we could make it to the settlement and get off this rock for good. All I needed now was patience. I just wished that wasn't the hardest thing of all to muster…

That night, sleep felt as far away as Coruscant. I tossed and turned but could never shake this sudden feeling of anticipation. It didn't feel like danger, just the moment before the bubble burst.

I wasn't sure why, but I thought I'd feel relieved when it finally did. Being a Jedi meant always having strange feelings, half of which you didn't understand, I'd already accepted that. Still, I hoped for good news more than anything.

I could only guess what had happened with our original mission to Becro 5. Surely, we'd been missed by now. The New Republic should know by now, right? They had to… Luke had to…

Just thinking his name made the feeling of anticipation strengthen to the point that I sat up. Glancing across the room at Leia I saw her back rise and fall slowly. I assumed she was asleep, lucky her. Standing quietly, I walked over to the hut window. The stars seemed brighter than I'd ever seen before. Some mixture of the lack of planetary light and the sentimentality I couldn't shake. I reached out to the darkness, tracing the many silhouettes of life I felt. Each like a varying shade… Luke was always comforted by feeling life around him.

Luke…

I closed my eyes as the sudden sense washed over me.

Injury and despair had dulled my senses temporarily, but now it all washed over me. Somewhere still far away but closer, I could feel his presence as plainly as a beckon.

My heart raced as breath clenched in my chest.

I reached out as strongly as I could, rippling the Force until the air hummed around me. Through the stillness, the voices of my emotions shouted as loudly as they could manage. The effort left me weak. A reminder of the toll this planet had taken. Dropping to my knees, I leaned against the thatched wall, hoping, praying that he'd heard me. Noticed me…

The answer came back with as much gentleness as strength. His presence filled me as if our bond had never been strained by the distance or the pain.

"About time, Farmboy…" I mumbled, ignoring the silent tears streaming down my face.

Leia stirred and sat up, her look of confusion quickly morphing into joy and relief. "Luke!" she exclaimed.

I grinned. "Yeah, he knows we're here. Finally."

Her face softened as she noticed the embarrassing tears on my face. "Then rest, we'll both need our strength."

To tell him off for leaving me out here this long? Yeah, I really would.

The playful emotion didn't seem lost on him as some amusement drifted through our bond. But mostly it was blinding relief the likes of which I'd never felt from anyone…

A full day had almost passed, his presence growing stronger with each hour. We would still have plenty of unanswered questions to figure out but at least we'd be together. That was all that really mattered to me now…

Dusk was lingering in the air as we sat with Bicore, sharing a meal and whatever wild stories Leia and I could think up. Our history certainly wasn't boring.

"I have read little of The Jedi, but I would like to know more." Bicore tilted his head in curiosity. "It would explain why you survived the Naoforge song when others would have surely died."

"Well, I wasn't far from it," I admitted. "But the Force gives us help when we need it most."

"The Force…" he mused slowly. "The great living spirit of all, in all?"

Leia nodded. "You could put it that way, yes."

"In times past," he went on. "There were members of my people who claimed they could feel the living spirit within even the stones. Some did not believe them, but the idea is surely a wonderful one regardless." He looked at me sincerely. "To feel life everywhere is to never truly be alone."

I grinned, stirring the small fire in front of us. "You already sound like a Jedi, Bicore."

He returned my smile as the three of us watched the embers flicker toward the approaching night sky. In the distance, we could hear the cheerful noise of one of the village's hunting parties returning. Tied to a wooden pole was one of the Naoforge. He was dead and would likely end up in a nice stew. And frankly, I didn't have much sympathy for him, not after all I'd been through. Luke, on the other hand, could always nurse some compassion from his heart, even for a simple creature taken for food.

I grinned to myself. He was so good it should have been illegal.

I couldn't understand what they were saying, but the whole village gathered around the party cheering happily.

"This was Tobia's first hunt. To succeed in slaying a Naoforge is a great honor for such a young man."

I was watching the party with mild interest until one of them held up a very familiar object.

"My lightsaber?!" I gasped as I watched one of the young hunters holding it over his head as a spoil of the hunt. His finger brushed the activation switch and the glowing blue blade extended over his head. He startled in fright and would have cut his head off if I hadn't stepped in.

Using the Force, I gently plucked it from his hand and brought it to mine safely. The whole village was now looking at me in some strange mixture of wonder and fear. I smiled awkwardly at Bicore, who looked equally amazed. "Please tell them that this was mine, that I lost it in my battle with the Naoforge. Tell them we mean no harm and congratulate them on their hunt."

Leia and I felt on a hair trigger. How would they react to seeing the Force in action for what must have been the first time? Bicore quickly rose to his feet explaining things in their native tongue. To our relief, they seemed easily distracted with cleaning and preparing their kill. Leia breathed a sigh of relief from beside me. "Well, looks like you got it back after all."

I held it in my hand like the embrace of an old friend. I was too proud to say how much I'd missed it, but I thought she knew. Knew without me saying a single word…