Vestara woke up feeling dizzy. "Master Cilghal, she's awake." Tahiri announced.
Vestara smoothed her forehead, as it pounded with a headache. Cilghal rushed over. "Jedi Khai, are you alright?" She asked.
Vestara moaned a little out of discomfort. "What are you talking about?" She asked weakly.
"You had a seizure, and then you lost consciousness." Cilghal explained.
"What do you mean?" Vestara mumbled.
For 4 days, Vestara hadn't slept. And her body started going through withdrawal symptoms after being off of her usual medicine. That was what caused her seizure.
Vestara winced as another round of sharp pain came into her forehead. Cilghal concentrated through the Force, and eased Vestara's agony.
"Where's Ben? I need to talk to Ben." She pleaded.
"I'm sorry Jedi Khai, but Ben left for Zonama Sekot last night." Cilghal reported.
It was then memory slowly began returning. Ben had said goodbye to her an hour before he had left. Vestara moaned in discomfort. "What do we do?" She asked.
Cilghal sucked in air through her teeth. "If you suffer another seizure, we may have to put you in a medically induced coma."
Vestara wasn't more awake than at that moment. "A what?" Cilghal went on to explain how it would work. That a cocktail of drugs would be pumped into her in controlled amounts to put her to sleep to prevent further damage. "However, it would be a last resort. It was a very serious seizure you had, which leads me to believe that you may experience another. Whether it'll be worse or not, I can't guarantee," Cilghal explained, "However it's your choice for the time being. But if you have a worse seizure, I will put you in a coma regardless of your complaints."
Vestara nodded as she considered the conditions. Cilghal turned to face Tahiri. "Jedi Veila, I can't guarantee that you won't suffer a seizure like your friend did."
Tahiri nodded. "I understand, Master."
"It seems like the tumors mutate to become more tolerant to pain killers." So far, the tumors still hadn't become cancerous, but Cilghal made sure to keep an extra close eye on them after the encounter. "I can supply numbing agents, but there's a risk of necrosis at the amount we'd need to use." She added.
Ben held the locket that was given to his girlfriend tenderly. When he said goodbye to her, she had asked him to take it with him so it'd be like they're together in some way. He licked his lips to reapply moisture to them. Still some of her lipstick. He acknowledged. Other times when he tasted remnants of Vestara's lipstick on his lips he'd be happy. Now it just made him sad.
He flicked it open, and admired the holopic of him and Vestara in front of their snowman. A tear fell from his eye. He felt the metallic hand of his father touch and slightly grip his shoulder. "It'll all be okay, son." He promised.
Ben sniffled, and wiped his nose with his sleeve. "I just miss her."
Luke nodded. "I understand. I missed your mother too when she was taken from us. But the difference is that we can still save Vestara."
Ben wiped his eyes. "What if we're too late?"
"Ben, search for Vestara in the Force, and tell me what you feel." Luke's tone wasn't condescending. Rather, it was comforting.
Ben closed his eyes and concentrated, not speaking for a few minutes while Luke piloted the Jade Shadow through the remaining areas of the Transitory Mists. "She's still strong. Just in pain."
"You call that being close to too late?"
Ben nodded at his father's remark. Luke gripped his son's shoulder lovingly again. "I promise that everything will be fine. Even if Vestara becomes one with the Force, you can rest easy knowing that you'll join her one day."
Ben looked up at Luke hopefully, yet remorsefully at the possibility this illness may be the end of her. Luke continued. "And if she dies, all that means is that her suffering is over." Ben nodded again. Luke brushed another tear from his son's eyes. "But I'll need you focusing on the now so we can save her in the later. Okay?"
"Okay." Ben replied.
The Jade Shadow made it out of the Consortium. The blue, rotating, kaleidoscopic vortex of Hyperspace was dizzying to Ben. Luke sensed his son's discomfort. "You doing alright?" He asked.
Ben blinked his eyes a couple times, and looked up at his father. "I think so, yeah."
Luke sensed his son's white lie. "Why don't you go lie down for a while? I'll wake you up when I need something."
"Really dad, I'm fine."
"Sure you are. Go to sleep."
Ben decided that it would be useless to complain as though he were a toddler, and just left. He really wanted to stay in the co-pilot seat. He couldn't help but feel like he was distancing himself from his late mother by leaving. Once he sat down on his mattress in his quarters, he immediately felt like someone was in the room with him. Someone very familiar. A warm, comforting feeling entered his abdominal region. He suddenly felt his hair being ruffled by an affectionate, loving source. "Mom?" He asked.
No one responded.
Ben felt an arm wrap around his shoulder affectionately. He did his best to focus through the Force, hoping he could catch a glimpse of Mara Jade. In the corner of his eye, he saw a blue translucent hand. He let his excitement get the better of him, and immediately whipped his head around, but saw no one.
Ben almost got up, when he remembered that the Force worked best when it was listened to. Especially when the listener was focused. Ben closed his eyes, and took deep breaths. He felt his heart slow down, and the Force flow through him.
"Ben, my son." He heard. The voice was soft and sweet. He continued staying calm. He felt a gentle, soft hand touch his cheek, yet he kept his eyes closed, and his mind focused. "It's okay, my son. You may open your eyes."
Ben opened his eyes, and bit back an excited scream, and once again calmed down. There she was, Mara Jade. The pale blue ghost of his mother standing before him. Ben felt tears tickling his eyes. He couldn't help but bring his hands to his mouth to hide his excited, open smile. Mara gave him her usual motherly, loving grin. They were finally seeing each other, and not because Ben visited the Realm Beyond Shadows.
Ben began to weep. "Mom." He whimpered.
Mara gently grabbed his arms. Even though she was a ghost, Ben felt her touch through the Force. She couldn't pull him to his feet, but Ben stood up anyway. Focusing through the Force, he tried to wrap his arms around his mom. Physically, his hands reached only each other, only feeling each other. But through the Force, Ben felt his mother. Through the Force, he felt his mother holding him close. "I've missed you, mom."
Through the Force, Ben felt his mother's arms tighten around him lovingly. "I know, Ben."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why didn't you visit at all after dad trapped Abeloth in the Depths of Eternity? Why have you never visited at all?"
Mara sighed. "I was always with you, Ben. Even before you and Luke left Coruscant. You weren't open enough, that was the problem."
Ben looked up at Mara. His cheeks had streaks of tears on them. "I don't want to part with you ever again." Mara's expression softened. Her ghostly hand stroked her son's cheek, and she kissed his forehead. "I won't abandon you. Or Luke. At any time you need me, just reach out through the Force, and I will come."
Ben's jaw trembled, but he nodded. "I love you, mom."
"I love you too."