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Author	Topic: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Epilogue - 10/19/09 - COMPLETE!
Jade_Pilot Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 7/19/08 6:47pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	So I'm wondering if Mara is having second thoughts...is she still planning on axing Luke...very interesting scenario! Well done! -----signature----- BOO!
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CommanderK23 Registered: May '04	Date Posted: 7/19/08 7:55pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	Wonderful chapters, Jedi_Emeritus -----signature----- "...You realize tomorrow will never come." "What?!" "Because by the time we get there it will be today." --------------------------------- www.stmaryoftheangles.org - when I'm not in a galaxy far, far away...
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Rigil_Kent Registered: Jan '04	Date Posted: 7/20/08 11:27am Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	The idea of the Tuskens backing down like this cracked me up, though it was definitely for the better as they'd have all died if they pressed the attack. I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens when Mara meets Yoda - I suspect the venerable troll will recognize the stench of Sidious upon her at once, though given his age and weakness in ROTJ, it's not like he could do more than warn Luke about her. Though it would be interesting if he was able to block her from being contacted by Palpatine, thus ensuring that she'll start making her own decisions without being ... infected by the Emperor's thoughts. I did feel like her use of 'farmboy' as a form of address was inappropriate in this instance. I dunno why, but it just felt ... wrong in this case. That could just be me, though, so pay it no mind. Loved the description of how Luke sees Lando and how Lando sees Luke; totally believable, IMO, given their respective backgrounds. Having known "Playas" like Lando, I can also buy his confusion that Mara ... sorry, "Arica" wants nothing to with him. Maybe if Lando had actually seen Luke kicking everybody's ass on the various sail barges (instead of trying to avoiding getting eaten after fighting ONE guy), he might understand a little better. Though he did see Luke tackle the rancor. Unarmed. Rather amusing that Mara believes it's actually possible that Skywalker could get annoyed at Lando and chop him up with the saber. Clearly, she's got some things to unlearn about Jedi. Looking good though! -----signature----- An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. -Robert Heinlein Tyranny Reborn: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28516174/p1 Shattered Dreams: http://boards.theforce.
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cggunnersmate Registered: Jul '07	Date Posted: 7/21/08 8:41am Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	Awesome, the whole thing was just awesome! I really love this story. The Tuskens' reaction, L/M confusion were well done. That should definitely add fuel to Mara's concerns over how Palpy described Luke and the Jedi. Loved the whole bit with Luke, H/L in the hut. All I know is I CAN'T WAIT for L/M to get to Dagobah. I've always been interested in seeing Mara and Yoda meet and how that would go. I don't think Mara would try anything and Yoda could swat her down easily, yes he's 900 years old but I don't think his abilities would have weekend much in 20 years. That'd be like what, 2-4 years of aging for a human? I'm just curious how Yoda will react to her, I believe he'll see through her on some level and I'm sure he'll sense that she's not evil and has the potential to be a great Jedi. Who knows, he may be able to forsee what she and Luke can accomplish together and subtly help guide Luke in getting her to turn away from Palpatine on her own. Can't wait for more! -----signature----- "I got him! I got him!" Chris Griffin as Luke Skywalker "Great Kid! Don't get penisy!" Peter Griffin as Han Solo (Blue Harvest)
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Ocelotl_Nesto Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 7/21/08 11:53am Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	thanks for the PM. I was looking forward to this posting. I really hope Yoda recognizes her or at least tells her of her parents. This is going to be great!
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ginchy Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 7/21/08 1:34pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	Wait. Have I been reading this on SWFF? I don't think I've commented over here on it yet, and this is a new chapter from where I left off... Meesa easily confused. I loved the update! There are few things I love more in this world than Luke, and you're just writing him so well. And I loved Lando's thoughts and Luke's--that gave me a real smile. Some favorite lines: Skywalker glanced at her with a huge smile on his face, causing her heart to flutter most disconcertingly. "I wouldn't expect you to," Han soothed, gathering the angry princess into his arms. "Just give him - and her - a chance. I suspect you may be surprised when it's all said and done." Oh, Han. I hope so--surprised in a good way! Great update... might I be added to that PM list, please? -----signature----- Positivity. ** Okay, seriously. It’s a Rebel Alliance t-shirt. It is NOT a fleur-de-lis.
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Jedi_Emeritus Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 7/21/08 9:13pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	Thanks everyone as always for the remarks and encouragement. I'm so pleased with the reception this fic has received and I'd like you all to know I appreciate everyone taking the time to provide a comment, no matter how small - it really helps to fuel the creative juices and provides motivation for me to continue. I have written a substantial part of the next chapter and hope to have it done within the next couple of days and off to my reviewer. Of course, if the next section to write balloons as much as the first did, there's no telling how long it will end up being, but given what I have so far, it's looking like the longest chapter of this story by far. For those Yoda fans, my apologies, you will not be seeing him in the next chapter, but I promise he will make an appearance in the one after that. On another note, chapter 7 when completed, will mark the half way point in this story - that is unless it grows again. It's already grown by two chapters from my original plan, so it's certainly possible I will end up being a liar when all is said and done. Oh well, you won't hold it against me, will you? Replies: DaenaBenjen42 posted: Mara wants to train and they both think they're "safe" from each other... Yeah, they're safe from each other, but are they safe from each other? I'll leave the exact meaning of that little tidbit to your imagination... Vivid_Scripts posted: I love the irony of this comment so much! I got a kick out of it too! It was just begging to be written! Jade_eyes posted: Coolest beans how the Tuskens split and run!!! That one came to me pretty quickly. I figured there must have been a survivor or two in the camp Anakin destroyed and knowing how superstitious Tuskens are, it seemed logical the tale would quickly grow to legendary status. Jade_eyes posted: you got Han absolutely perfectly in how he wouldn't get in the middle with Luke and Leia and also how he is with Leia after her dust up with Luke Han's too smart to get in between Luke and Leia when they are really going at it - even before they knew their relationship. Jade_eyes posted: Stoked to bits that Luke and Mara will be going to Dagobah together Oh come on... they had to go to Dagobah together. The trick was coming up with a plausible reason for him to allow her to go with him, without delving into the love at first sight thing, which I think doesn't really work in this instance. ccp posted: Great update! Thanks! dianethx posted: I love that Luke is more confident now One of my pet peeves (I have a lot if you haven't noticed ) is when Luke is written in Ep III as if he's still a wet-behind-the-ears teenager like he was in Ep I. He had to have done some growing up in there somewhere - if nothing else, getting your hand chopped off and learning your daddy is the second most hated man in the galaxy would encourage you to grow up real quick. dianethx posted: I also think Yoda is very likely to see through her. Very possibly. That is one of the most difficult things to decide on and make believable - how does Yoda react to her and how much about her does he know? Does he know her parents for example, or does he just sense the 'taint of Palpatine' for want of a better term. All will be made clear shortly. dianethx posted: Loved the conversations and the way you did the characterizations. Thanks! I love it when people think I've done the characterizations correctly - I'm not always certain they've come off right. [quote=Jedi_Liz] Oh the Irony.....if you only knew, Han, if you only knew![/quote] I thought it would be a nice touch to add a little irony in there. [quote=walker-of-minds]what will yoda think when they show up?[/quote] The great unanswered question which seems to be on everyone's mind. My beta has asked me about that too... [quote=dancing_star]He is very observant though and smart, so I wouldn't put it past him to figure it out.[/quote] You would think. Makes you wonder why nobody figured it out (the physical dissimilarities of the actors aside). Even non-identical twins in my experience tend to have very strong similarities. You would think that someone at some point would have looked at them and said, "You know, you two look quite a bit alike..." [quote=Jade_Pilot]So I'm wondering if Mara is having second thoughts...is she still planning on axing Luke...[/quote] Hmm, Mara thinks about her next step very early in the next chapter, although not quite what you are referring to... [quote=CommanderK23]Wonderful chapters[/quote] Thanks! [quote=Rigil_Kent]The idea of the Tuskens backing down like this cracked me up, though it was definitely for the better as they'd have all died if they pressed the attack.[/quote] Uh, yeah - can you say minced Tusken? [quote=Rigil_kent]I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens when Mara meets Yoda - I suspect the venerable troll will recognize the stench of Sidious upon her at once, though given his age and weakness in ROTJ, it's not like he could do more than warn Luke about her. Though it would be interesting if he was able to block her from being contacted by Palpatine, thus ensuring that she'll start making her own decisions without being ... infected by the Emperor's thoughts.[/quote] Hmmm... some of this is dead on, while other parts, while plausible, are not where I'm going with it. I do seem to remember reading another fic where Yoda actually blocks Palpatine out, giving Mara a chance to 'get over him' as it were. In this one, she's still actively working for him, so the circumstances of their meeting will be slightly different. [quote=Rigil_Kent] I did feel like her use of 'farmboy' as a form of address was inappropriate in this instance.[/quote] I'm not completely certain what exactly you are referring to here... do you mean in general in this story, or did you have a particular instance in mind? In cannon, she rarely calls him 'Luke', rather she usually refers to him as 'Farmboy' or 'Skywalker' (or some less complimentary terms when she first meets him), at least until they are married. Since she is not supposed to know his last name, that leaves Farmboy and although I tried to think of another nickname for her to give him, nothing came to mind that didn't sound corny, or just completely stupid. So I stuck with it. [quote=Rigil_Kent]Loved the description of how Luke sees Lando and how Lando sees Luke; totally believable, IMO, given their respective backgrounds. Having known "Playas" like Lando, I can also buy his confusion that Mara ... sorry, "Arica" wants nothing to with him.[/quote] This was the section I completely rewrote - the original featured a much more belligerent Lando who was upset that Mara turned down his charms. It didn't seem to be in character - after all, there must have been some women who have turned him down in the past. Besides, I think Luke and Lando genuinely like each other, they just don't really understand each other - they are too different. [quote=Rigil_Kent]Rather amusing that Mara believes it's actually possible that Skywalker could get annoyed at Lando and chop him up with the saber.[/quote] Nah, she doesn't really think that... more of a fond daydream than anything. [quote=cggunnersmate]The Tuskens' reaction, L/M confusion were well done. That should definitely add fuel to Mara's concerns over how Palpy described Luke and the Jedi.[/quote] Just wait until the next chapter... the confusion mounts! [quote=cggunnersmate]All I know is I CAN'T WAIT for L/M to get to Dagobah.[/quote] One more chapter, then we're there! [quote=cggunnersmate]I don't think Mara would try anything and Yoda could swat her down easily, yes he's 900 years old but I don't think his abilities would have weekend much in 20 years. That'd be like what, 2-4 years of aging for a human?[/quote] She wouldn't want to try - she is under cover after all. [quote=cggunnersmate]I'm just curious how Yoda will react to her, I believe he'll see through her on some level and I'm sure he'll sense that she's not evil and has the potential to be a great Jedi. Who knows, he may be able to forsee what she and Luke can accomplish together and subtly help guide Luke in getting her to turn away from Palpatine on her own.[/quote] Whatever Yoda senses in her, I think he realizes that his time, and the time of the old Jedi order, is over and that whatever happens, Luke will have to take responsibility and ensure that the proper path is taken. I haven't completely defined exactly what passes between them yet (although I do have a pretty good idea) but don't expect the whirling dervish Yoda to make an appearance in this fic. [quote=Ocelotl_Nesto] I really hope Yoda recognizes her or at least tells her of her parents. This is going to be great![/quote] Again, your questions will be answered soon. Can't really say much more as that would be telling... [quote=ginchy]Wait. Have I been reading this on SWFF? I don't think I've commented over here on it yet, and this is a new chapter from where I left off...[/quote] Yup, one and the same! Welcome to the party here on TFN! [quote=ginchy]There are few things I love more in this world than Luke, and you're just writing him so well. And I loved Lando's thoughts and Luke's--that gave me a real smile.[/quote] Wait a minute, I thought Luke was in a galaxy far, far away, not in this world... ok, sorry - just got a little silly there Seriously though, they just seemed to work better the way this ultimately played out - my first version I thought had some good quotes in it, but this one was so much more in character. [quote=ginchy]might I be added to that PM list, please?[/quote] Consider it done! Here is the latest PM list: Tych_sel Ocelotl_Nesto CommanderK23 Kelia Jade_eyes dancing_star Jade_Pilot DaenaBenjen42 ccp Jaina_and_Jag Vivid_Scripts nabooqueen2008 misssolo Lady_Jade Darth_Drachonus jedi_enigma JEDIFLYSWATTER Cggunnersmate angry_bendu1 dianethx walker-of-minds Jedi_BMK AvenKiel JediNat ginchy As always, thanks again and let me know if I've missed anyone. J_E -----signature----- "The road to hell is paved with adverbs." - Stephen King There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.' Take My Hand: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28300611/
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nabooqueen2008 Registered: Jan '08	Date Posted: 7/22/08 9:23pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	Okay...it took me a while to process all of it, but wow! I don't know who is going to turn out to be right....Luke or Leia? and Mara....she is so confused by her feelings and it doesn't help that Luke keeps surprising her. I wonder what Yoda will say when he meets her. I liked that little hint from Han about them being siblings...that was so funny! And Leia being jealous....ha! She is just being her overprotective self. Luke will be alright...I think! Great post! ~nabooqueen~
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Jedi_BMK Registered: Sep '04	Date Posted: 7/23/08 12:00pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	Another fine chapter. I like how the characters are developing. Very believable. Now I have to wonder what Yoda might say upon encountering Mara. Assuming he does of course... -----signature----- Destiny of the Skywalkers II: Splintered Paths OT AU (L/M H/L A/P) http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28042042/
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KELIA Title: The Pretty in Pink Fan Fic Manager Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 7/23/08 1:07pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08
	I think you're safe from me. But are you safe from her? I'm glad Luke insisted on navigating to Dagobah himself. It'll be interesting to see Yoda's reaction to Arica. I have a feeling she won't be able to dupe him so easily. Great update -----signature----- "Do or do not, there is no try." Master Yoda A Light In The Darkness: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28150602/p1/?8 NaNaWriMo Progress: 11,018
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Jedi_Emeritus Registered: Dec '05	Date Posted: 7/24/08 8:33am Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 6 - 07/18/08 - Date Edited: 7/24/08 6:11pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Jedi_Emeritus
	Replies: nabooqueen2008 posted: I don't know who is going to turn out to be right....Luke or Leia?and Mara....she is so confused by her feelings and it doesn't help that Luke keeps surprising her. I wonder what Yoda will say when he meets her. Hmm... for all these I guess you just need to wait. The part about Yoda is coming up very soon. nabooqueen2008 posted: And Leia being jealous....ha! She is just being her overprotective self. I actually pictured her as being slightly jealous. She has after all, as Han pointed out, been the most important woman in his life for a long time now. She's not going to do anything stupid or crazy, but I think deep down there is a little jealousy. Jedi_BMK posted: Now I have to wonder what Yoda might say upon encountering Mara. Assuming he does of course... Oh, he'll have something to say all right. I am so looking forward to writing Yoda, that I'm almost giddy with anticipation. KELIA posted: I'm glad Luke insisted on navigating to Dagobah himself. It seemed to make sense. You don't entrust the location of the last Jedi Master to someone you've known for all of two days. KELIA posted: It'll be interesting to see Yoda's reaction to Arica. I have a feeling she won't be able to dupe him so easily. Nope, I don't think so either. Other than that, I'll plead the fifth. A/N: Here is the next chapter. I just wanted to note that I have taken some fairly significant liberties with one of the minor characters in the story, the reason for which I assume will become clear as you read through the text. Chapter 7 "So where do we go now?" Skywalker glanced over at Mara, his lips pursed as he regarded her in silence. They were now approaching the outskirts of Anchorhead, a dismal, run-down little town on the southern edge of the Great Mesa Plateau. "I assume you haven't been back to your ship in several days?" When Mara nodded at him, he continued, "We will need supplies then." "You know a place?" Skywalker's grimace returned. "There are only a few - Anchorhead is one of the oldest settlements on Tatooine, but it's only really a minor settlement, which on Tatooine is saying something." "Indeed," Mara murmured with a wry smile. Skywalker's grimace turned to a brief smile before he became serious again. "The best place for supplies of any kind in this area is on our way to Anchorhead. Tosche Station is a local power distribution station and supply depot - I wasted many an hour there when I was young." "You have friends there?" She suspected from the way he was acting he was not looking forward to meeting them again. Skywalker grimaced. "If you can call them that. I was younger than most of them and the butt end of their jokes, more often than not. Of course that was four years ago - there's no telling if they are still there." "We should probably stop and get what we can then," she acknowledged. The immediate destination settled, Mara allowed her thoughts to slip to that morning, when they had set out from the hut and Skywalker's companions behind. They had left very early and she had been eager to leave the planet, its climate and the events of the previous days behind. When they had left, the farewells exchanged by the small group of friends had intrigued and fascinated her - largely, she suspected, due to the fact that she had never been close enough to anyone to actually consider them a 'friend'. Their different manner of expressing themselves was also a matter of interest, not to mention some amusement. Solo and the Wookiee had been warm and effusive in their farewells, many slaps on the back and promises to meet again soon had been exchanged, their camaraderie plain to see. Solo had even had a kind word to say to Mara - a brief, but cordial goodbye, coupled with an admonition, delivered with a smile and a wink, not to let Skywalker get into too much trouble. The princess had parted with words of caution for Skywalker, her eyes darting toward Mara, leaving no doubt as to what (or whom) she was cautioning against. To Mara she said nothing. Skywalker had accepted her words graciously, although she thought she could detect a slight annoyance in his own farewell to her. Calrissian had said very little, although his puzzled expression when he looked at her showed his confusion over his inability to make an impression on her, where his companion had apparently succeeded. For Mara, his perplexity was viewed with a certain satisfaction - the man had an ego the size of Tatooine's moons and she enjoyed the fact he had been taken down a notch. The journey had been uneventful thus far, with each of the vehicle's occupants wrapped up in their own thoughts and feelings. Mara spent the journey trying to decide what her next move should be. As Tatooine was at least nominally controlled by the Empire, she considered briefly the possibility of handing Skywalker over to the first patrol she met, but two things stopped her. First, she was well aware of his abilities and was afraid of tipping her Sabacc hand too soon, knowing if he somehow evaded capture, not an impossibility considering his competence and ability with his lightsaber, it would destroy the fragile trust she had managed to engender in him and expose her for what she was. Second, the way her master had spoken, she suspected he had seen something through the Force - either that or he knew something to which she was not privy and expected events to play out in a specific manner. Any interference or attempt to influence events would be met with an extremely harsh punishment. After much thought, she realized she was going around in circles and knowing it wasn't helping, resigned herself to letting events play themselves out, staying close to Skywalker and attempting to do as her master had commanded. There was nothing else she could do. And she had certainly not forgotten her master's command to seduce Skywalker, given the chance, much as she wanted to. She simply had not been able thus far to behave in a manner necessary to induce such a seduction - the command was still too raw... too new for her to process in a rational manner. She also knew she would have to be extremely careful in how she comported herself as she knew - she was not certain how she knew; she just did - that Skywalker was not the type for casual affairs. For him to be drawn in into a more physical relationship with her there would have to be some measure of feelings on his part, beyond simple lust. A man like Calrissian would have simply accepted an offer for more physical intimacy, likely exulting in his conquest. Skywalker was not cut from the same cloth. "There it is," Skywalker's voice interrupted her musings and she stared out over the landscape. In the distance a group of buildings had begun to rise up from the desert floor. As they approached, Mara was able to get a closer view of the station - not that it was worth looking at. They were the same as any other buildings on the suns blasted world; squat and square in shape, walls fashioned from the same rock, bleached under the unyielding glare, dry and lacking in any aesthetically pleasing attributes in the slightest. A quick glance in Skywalker's direction showed his expression to be grim - whatever awaited them at the station, it was clear he was not looking forward to it. "I'll defer to you to determine what we need," he said, his eyes never leaving the buildings in front of them. "And how do you propose we go about paying them?" Mara replied, thinking fast. "I told you Jabba had not gotten around to paying me yet." "Leave that to me," was the reply. Mara was not surprised and made no comment. They pulled up to the edge of the station and Skywalker brought the speeder to a halt, while gazing at the scene, his features impassive yet intent. At length he jumped out of the speeder and motioning for Mara to follow, entered the closest building. The interior was dim, tables scattered around the room, with a long counter, which looked to serve the dual purpose of a bar and purchasing counter, running the length of the far wall. The room was empty, not surprising as there had been no speeders parked in front of the building, and carried the strangely mixed odors of cheap liquor and mechanical grease. Mara looked around in distaste. "So what's the deal with this place? I thought you said it was a supply depot." "It is," Skywalker responded. "It's also a small cantina - a sort of gathering place for nearby farmers. They also do carry supplies for the surrounding farmsteads, but we should be able to purchase some rations and maybe a few small items, power packs and other devices which might be useful. If you're in serious need of restocking we will have to go to Mos Eisley before leaving Tatooine." "I think we can manage," Mara murmured. "Seems like it's a little dead here." Skywalker nodded absently, while moving toward the counter. From behind the counter a door opened and a dark-haired, blue-eyed woman in her early twenties entered the room, staring at the intruders suspiciously. The effect of her appearance on Skywalker's face was instantaneous; his expression grew completely blank, while the woman's response was to stare back at him incredulously. She immediately reached back to the door and opening it, yelled into the gap, "Fixer, you better get out here!" "Hello Camie," Skywalker stated, his voice low and emotionless. Camie said nothing for a long moment; her eyes flitted back and forth between the two visitors. "Luke Skywalker," she said at last. Mara could not decide whether she was happy to see him, or was simply so surprised as to render her speechless. The door behind her swung open once again and a large, dark-haired man stepped into the room, his eyes immediately narrowing as he took in the sight of the visitors. "Look who crawled up out of the Sarlacc pit," he drawled, his voice thick with dislike. "I must admit, I never thought I'd see your ugly mug around here again, Wormie. Not after what you pulled." "What I pulled?" Skywalker responded, his expression and manner indicating confusion. "After your aunt and uncle's farmstead was found burned out and two fresh graves dug, some folks around here said you did it and ran." "Come on Fixer," Camie said with a certain amount of disgust, "you know Luke didn't do it. Others said it was the Imps - they showed up at about the same time." This was obviously an old argument, one which had not been revisited in some time, unless Mara missed her guess. "Of course I didn't kill them," Skywalker responded, his voice colored with thinly veiled impatience. "And the name's Luke - I left Wormie behind when I knocked the dust of this hole off my boots four years ago." "All right then, Luke," Fixer, responded, his use of Skywalker's name a sneer, "what do you want?" "Supplies," Skywalker responded shortly. "Then we'll be on our way." Fixer's lips lifted in a grimace of disgust. "And why should we sell supplies to a traitor?" "We'll sell supplies to whoever wants them, Fixer - their credits are a good as anyone else's," Camie responded decisively. She turned her head toward Skywalker. "I assume you can pay." Skywalker nodded in the affirmative. "Yes, Camie - we didn't come here expecting your charity. I assume Imperial Credits are now the norm out here?" At Camie's nod, Mara stepped forward and began speaking with Camie in low voices, outlining what supplies they needed. The woman seemed slightly friendlier than before and ready to assist, asking questions and making suggestions, which Mara gratefully accepted. But throughout the conversation Mara kept her ears open, wondering at the barely veiled hostility which exuded from Skywalker's friend. Skywalker himself was quiet and composed, almost relaxed now that the shock of the first meeting had passed. His erstwhile friend, however, seethed with open hostility and aversion; Mara knew from his words and reaction to their presence there was something more to the man's attitude than a simple childhood rivalry. "So, what have you been doing the last four years, Wormie?" Fixer finally spoke, an open challenge on his face. "I'm not certain you want to know," Skywalker replied calmly. "In fact, it would be safer if you didn't." Fixer snorted with distain. "So, you ended up on the wrong side of the law after all." "I guess it depends on your perspective," Skywalker replied, his voice still calm and controlled. "I'm no friend of the Empire, if that's what you're referring to." "I might have known. Never did think you'd have the backbone to stick with that academy of yours." Skywalker turned blazing eyes on his 'friend'. "Well, if I'd ever gone to the academy, I would have 'stuck with it', Fixer. Unfortunately, I had a little bit of an eye-opener before I ever got the chance to go there. Having ones' prospective employers murder the only family you've ever known will do that to you. Just what have you got stuck in your craw?" "You don't realize what it was like around here after you waltzed out of here," Fixer snarled, his finger jutting forward in Skywalker's direction for emphasis. "Stormtroopers taking over, Imperial investigators around every corner, asking all kinds of questions, people disappearing for days at a time. The ones that actually returned were the lucky ones. And do you want to know what they wanted?" "Information," Skywalker responded, his eyes fixed on his friend. "I presume they were looking for me." "You got that right, Wormie. They wanted to know what happened to the little pile of bantha poodoo who used to hang around looking for hand outs from his friends." His tone of voice left no doubt as to his opinion of the state of Skywalker's friendships. "I never thought you'd be so important, but we all got pulled in for questioning and it wasn't pleasant." Skywalker's facial expression did not change, but she knew he was not unaffected by this news, for all he must have expected it. The destruction of the Death Star was no trivial matter and would not have been ignored. Once they found out his name and where he had grown up, Vader and the Emperor would have spared no resources in trying to discover anything they could about him. When Skywalker still did not respond, Fixer continued, "So what did you do this time, Wormie? It must have been something big to have gotten so much attention from the Imps." "I destroyed a massive space station," Skywalker finally replied, his voice low. The room became silent as Fixer stared at his former friend, an incredulous expression fixed on his face. Camie's look was no less startled, but her attention on Skywalker was far more appraising and somewhat awed, in Mara's view. "You? Little Wormie destroyed the Death Star all by himself?" Fixer's words were venomous and laced with skepticism and contempt. "No, not by myself," Skywalker replied, his voice beginning to rise in annoyance as his reserve cracked. "But I was the one who fired the shot. It had just been used to destroy Alderaan and if it hadn't been stopped, more worlds would have met the same fate." "Fixer," Camie interjected urgently, "you heard the rumors. I think he's telling the truth." Fixer's lip curled in disgust. "So Wormie managed to make a name for himself after all, while leaving us to pick up the pieces. Good for you, Wormie." "Look Fixer, I'm sorry about what happened. The Empire killed my aunt and uncle and would have killed me too if I had been there. I never meant for any of this to happen, but I can't change the past. Just sell us the supplies and we'll leave, or if you want, we'll just leave and not bother you any more." A gleam entered Fixer's eyes as he regarded his guests, his visage taking on a predatory air. "Fine, you want supplies? We'll get them for you - like Camie says, your credits are as good as anyone else's. Come on Camie; let's get these two out of here before I lose what little respect I've got for this space slug." Camie directed an unreadable glance back at Skywalker before following Fixer into the back of the shop, where almost immediately she could hear them arguing, their voices raised although she could not make out any words. Labeling them as unimportant for the moment, Mara turned her attention on Skywalker, noticing the pinched tightness around his eyes and the grimace of his mouth. He had obviously expected such a reception although she was certain he had not thought his former friend would be so venomous. "Nice 'friends' you have there," she commented lightly, trying to ease his mood. "I don't think they ever were my friends," he replied with a glance and a sigh. "I was always the outsider looking in. For some reason Fixer took a disliking to me and since he was the leader, the others followed suit." Mara nodded, not really certain how to respond. "So, you are the Skywalker that destroyed the Death Star, are you?" He looked pained, but answered gamely. "I am he - if you want a deposition, I'm afraid it will have to wait until we're in space. So now you know the whole sordid truth, are you regretting your decision to come along?" "No," she answered bluntly, "I knew there was something about you when we met and that didn't stop me then, why should it now?" Mara silently cursed her loose tongue as she realized she had let more slip than she had intended - what she had not even worked out in her own mind - but she was saved by the sight of Camie bustling through the door, a crate of their supplies clutched in her arms. The door swung shut behind her and as it did, she set the crate down on the counter and motioned Skywalker closer. "Get this crate loaded on to your speeder while I get the rest of your supplies - we've got to get you out of here." "What?" Skywalker asked, a sharp, penetrating look appearing on his face. "Fixer is on with the local Imperial garrison about you. It won't be long before they're here." At Skywalker's astonished expression, she reached out and laid a hand on his arm. "Luke, you mustn't blame Fixer - it was a terrible time for us all and he's never been able to get over his resentment. And we have standing orders from the Imps to tell them if you showed up here again; if they ever found out we had seen you without letting them know..." Skywalker turned a sympathetic eye on Camie. "I understand, Camie, we shouldn't have come." "No, Luke," she replied with a quick shake of the head, "I'm glad you came back. I've always wondered what happened to you and I'm glad you've turned out to be such a fine man." The look of incredulity on Skywalker's face was priceless, giving Mara another insight into his past - at one time she suspected he had been smitten with the young woman now facing them. For a brief moment, Mara felt a surge of jealousy well up within her, though she immediately forced it down. It wasn't as if she had any claim, or the desire to have any, on Skywalker after all. "Oh Luke, don't look at me like that," she continued with a chuckle. "I always thought you were meant for something better than this dust ball; I'm glad you've found your path. I always held a certain affection for you." If she had thought he was surprised before, Mara knew it had been nothing compared to the emotions she felt rolling off him now. His face grew heated and he looked away from Camie to gaze at the floor. "You sure had a funny way of expressing it," he grumbled. "And how would I ever have told you?" she queried, her voice gentle. "You know how jealous Fixer was and how he treated anyone I so much as glanced at. You've never been very good at hiding your emotions - your crush on me was obvious. If you think he treated you badly, just imagine what it would have been like if I had given any indication of returning your feelings. He always laughed at your infatuation and thought it a great joke, though sometimes I thought he wondered if a part of me didn't return your feelings..." "Then I'm glad I came back too," Skywalker responded after a moment's pause. "I'm not ashamed of what I felt," at this he blushed and hung his head in an endearing manner, "but I always thought you despised me. I'm glad I know the truth now." Camie said nothing in return, but her face was filled with compassion and affection. "I'm, sorry for what happened after I left, Camie," Skywalker continued. "I'm glad to see you both doing well. But, like you said, those troops could be here any moment now - we'd best be leaving." He produced some credits, far more than the value of the goods, Mara suspected, and hefted the container, moving swiftly out to the waiting speeder. Mara, waited for Camie to reappear from the back of the shop, where she had left to retrieve their remaining supplies. When the door swung open once again, Camie placed a container on the counter and reached back into the still open door to grab another. "Here are the rest of your supplies. Let's get you out of here." Mara nodded and moved to pick up one of the crates, when she was stopped by a hand on her arm. She looked at the older woman, noting immediately the intense gaze of the other, colored by a certain something in her eyes. It held compassion, reassurance and a slight anxiousness which Mara could not place. "You take good care of him, you hear?" It was not a request, more like an order - a directive from a concerned friend. "You mistake our relationship," Mara responded coolly, pulling her arm from free from the other woman's grasp. "I have no claim on him." Camie cocked her head to the side and regarded Mara as if she were dense. "Perhaps not now. But I've seen the way he looks at you and trust me; I've seen it before - directed at me. In fact, if the looks he gave me were half as intense as the ones he's been sending you, I may have had second thoughts." Mara's mouth worked but no sound came out, stunned as she was by the other woman's assertions. "Look, I may be stepping in where I'm not wanted, but trust me, Luke's interested - more than interested I'd say." "Well, maybe I'm not!" Mara snapped back, finding her voice at last. She expected an angry retort or even a loudly voiced protest in response, but was surprised when Camie simply burst out into a low chuckle. "Then you're a fool - much as I was." "Oh, don't get me wrong," she continued, picking up a crate and moving around the side of the counter, "I'm happy and in love with Fixer - he's a good man under all his bluster and he loves me fiercely. I figure it's part of the reason he never liked Luke, because he knew Luke was the one person who could possibly rival him for my affections. Luke Skywalker is a special person. Trust me - if you let him go, you'll regret it for the rest of your life." She allowed no further words to be spoken as she brushed past Mara with the crate gripped tightly in her hands. Her words about Fixer made sense, but somehow Mara knew seeing Luke had reopened feelings Camie had never allowed herself to feel before and somehow she knew Camie regretted not taking the opportunity with Skywalker when she had had the chance. A part of Mara wondered if she could take the chance Camie had declined, whereas another part of her - a more rational part, she told herself - ridiculed herself for her overly romantic and impulsive feelings. After all, she had only known the man for two days! And yet, she could not shake the feelings she tried to suppress and mock, nor could she contain the growing sense of dread over her master's orders. Could she continue on this path, knowing what awaited Skywalker in the Emperor's clutches? Uncomfortable with the feelings which the other woman had engendered in her, Mara grabbed the final container forcefully, locking her emotions deep down within her - suppressed, but not forgotten. She knew she would have to deal with them at some point. Outside, Skywalker had already stowed the first container in the storage compartment and was accepting the second from Camie's outstretched hands. Mara watched as he stowed it in the storage compartment and turned back to Camie, who stood there waiting. She reached out and placed a hand on his arm, murmuring something to him in a low voice. He blushed slightly and responded in an equally low voice, his eyes staring down into the eyes of the woman next to him. Camie took a step forward and reaching up, brushing her lips against his cheek - from Mara's perspective, it looked like a farewell kiss. Mara stood there, stunned as her former jealousy surged up within her, an emotion she could not suppress, no matter how she tried. Skywalker's eyes darted up to meet hers and he appeared stunned - he had obviously sensed her reaction. Camie followed his eyes to meet Mara's and she nodded her head once toward her new acquaintance. "Bring that crate over here. You both need to get out of here immediately." Skywalker turned anxious eyes toward his old friend. "Won't they blame you and Fixer if we get away?" "I doubt it," Camie said with a brief shake of the head. "They will question us, but as long as we don't look like we've helped your escape, the fact that we reported your presence should go a long way toward protecting us." Skywalker looked as if he wanted to refute her assertion, but Mara, sensing the truth of the other woman's words, decided to take charge. "She's right, Skywalker. The best thing we can do to protect them is to get out of here." She handed the crate to him, which he grudgingly stored in the compartment, before closing it and indicating to Mara that she should get in the speeder. He turned to say goodbye to his friend when a voice behind them interrupted him. "Leaving so soon, Wormie?" Mara whirled and saw Fixer, standing outside the door to the station, a blaster held in his hand, which was pointed directly at Skywalker. Camie reacted instantly. "Fixer, don't be stupid! We can't hand them over to the Imps - Luke is one of us." "He stopped being one of us the day he left," Fixer responded with a slight shake of his head. "In fact, he was never one of us - he never fit in, always had his big dreams, his strange ways and crazy, messed up thoughts. He was always better than us in his own mind." "Fixer," Skywalker said, his voice calm and persuasive, "you don't want to do this. The stakes are enormous - we must get away from here." "You say the stakes are high?" he snapped with a snort. "I'll tell you just how high they are! The reward money for your capture is enough for us to get off this rock and start a new life!" "I'm sorry, Fixer, but I can't let you do this," Skywalker responded. His friend began to retort, when Skywalker gestured and the blaster flew out of Fixer's hand and landed with a thud at the Jedi's feet. Fixer and Camie stared at Skywalker with incredulity, obviously not believing what had just occurred. "What are you?" Fixer breathed, his face showing a myriad of emotions. Skywalker's answer was forever lost, as a squad of stormtroopers rounded the corner of one of the buildings and advanced, their weapons held threateningly at the party. "You there!" the sergeant shouted. "Surrender now!" In a flash of emerald green, Skywalker's blade was out and he moved to engage the stormtroopers. The soldiers responded by opening fire and the combined efforts of the six soldiers sent a hail of energy toward the charging Jedi. Skywalker never paused in his assault, meeting the bolts and deflecting them with cool and deadly precision and within moments, two of the stormtroopers were down, smoking holes opened up in their armor where their own blaster fire had been deflected back at them with lethal effect. Mara glanced toward the couple who appeared stunned and more than a little awed at the transformation of their former friend - Camie's eyes showing an admiration, while Fixer's widened in consternation, not to mention fear. His eyes gleaming with desperation, Fixer tore his eyes away from the spectacle taking place and fastened them on his blaster, which lay forgotten on the ground. "No you don't," Mara snarled, her voice menacing and implacable. She stooped and grasped the blaster in her hand, her other hand now cradling the familiar weight of her holdout blaster which she had unconsciously grabbed when the stormtroopers had appeared. Looking back at the battle, she could see it was almost over; Skywalker, having dispatched three more of the stormtroopers, was now advancing on the last, deflecting the blaster fire directed at him by the panicking trooper. He knocked the blaster out of the trooper's hand, before raising his hand and sending the hapless soldier crashing into the wall of one of the buildings with bone crushing force, where he fell in a heap. The light of his blade winked out and Skywalker turned on his heel and began to stalk back toward the waiting group. Mara, who had seen him in action before, regarded him dispassionately, while the faces of the other two were vastly different - open wonder on Camie's face to fear on the face of her husband. Skywalker's expression, however, held the first true hint of anger she had ever seen him display - he was furious. "Are you happy now, Fixer?" he demanded. "You've forced me to kill those troops when we could have just left in peace..." His voice caught as he attempted valiantly to reign in his emotions. "They were Imps, Wormie," Fixer growled in reply, his bravado overcoming his fear. "I thought you killed their kind for a living." Skywalker stared back at his former friend, his chest heaving with the exertion of the battle and the feelings blazing in the depths of his sea blue eyes. "I only kill when necessary to defend myself and my friends, Fixer," he finally responded, his voice thick with strain. "Don't you understand? I already have more deaths on my hands than..." Mara understood in a flash of insight; he was referring to the Death Star and the fact that his hand had steered the ship and fired the shot which had snuffed out the lives of hundreds of thousands of Imperial personnel aboard the space station. In that instant, she knew that whatever her master's intentions when he had given her the information about Skywalker, the portrayal of him as a cold, heartless killer was absolutely false. All her doubts regarding the matter were swept away and she found herself wondering once again if the Emperor had known he was passing her erroneous information, or if he had been deceived by his informants. "Luke, you need to get out of here." Camie was insistent, her manner urgent and concerned. Mara watched as Skywalker pulled himself together and regarded his friend. "What about you and Fixer? You'll be in danger once another patrol gets out here and realizes what has happened." This time it was Fixer who answered. "Actually, this will throw suspicion off of us," he said, his voice now tinged with reluctant acceptance. "When they realize you've taken out an entire patrol by yourself, they'll realize there's no way we could have held you." "But..." "Luke, you let us deal with them," Camie said decisively, her tone brooking no opposition. Skywalker did not look happy and his features became obstinate. "Look, if you want to get off Tatooine, we can take you. I will help you as much as I can, assist you in getting a start on another world..." "No Luke, our place is here. The best thing you can do for us is to continue what you are doing; go back to your Rebellion and bring down the Empire, Luke. Skywalker appeared as thought he would like to argue the matter further, but Camie stepped forward and began ushering the two toward their waiting speeder, her manner firm, yet gentle. Mara realized Camie now expected she would never see her friend again, but despite that, she was determined they would get away before more Imperial troops arrived. "There are only a few squads stationed in Anchorhead - they don't need much more to keep this town under control - but soon they'll be sending reinforcements from Bestine and Mos Eisley. Even you can't hold out against an entire army." "No, I can't," Luke responded, his voice reluctantly resigned. "Please take care of yourself Camie - no heroics on my account." Camie's face lit up with a beautiful smile and Mara understood instantly why Skywalker had been smitten with her as a young boy. "Don't worry about us. We've learned a thing or two about how to deal with them in the last four years - we'll be fine." Skywalker nodded and focused his attention on the glowering Fixer, who stood watching them. "Take care of yourself, Fixer, and take care of Camie." The man said nothing, merely nodding his head sourly, motioning them to leave. As they got into the speeder, Skywalker leaned over and whispered something in Camie's ear, eliciting another smile from his friend, before he turned to the controls and guided the speeder away from the station. For long moments they sped away, each wrapped up in their own thoughts, until Mara, curiosity getting the best of her, broke the silence. "What did you tell her as we were leaving?" Skywalker favored her with the first grin since they had left that morning. "I told her next time I would not be such a stranger." They arrived without further incident at the spaceport, and loading their crates of supplies onto the waiting ship, were soon blasting away from the planet - Mara hoped for good. There was certainly nothing on the planet she would regret leaving behind, nor would she miss the harsh environment and gritty sand which seemed to get into everything. Leaving him to pilot the craft away from the binary system, Mara excused herself from the cockpit, still slightly put out that he would not allow her to know their destination, and indicated to her companion she would be making use of the ship's sonic fresher. So began the two day journey, a voyage which began in confusion and uncertainty, and quickly degenerated into sullen resentment and open warfare between the two occupants. Nothing seemed to be above their ability to argue about, whether it was their sleeping arrangements - Skywalker offered to sleep on the small sofa in the main cabin, while she insisted, quite reasonably, that since there were two bunks, there was no reason why they could not sleep in the same room - to constant struggles over meals, fights over opposing views of just about any subject, to Skywalker's continuing and stubborn refusal to allow her to know anything of their destination. No possible subject seemed safe and if Mara were honest with herself - something she was loathe to admit to herself, let alone him - she knew deep down it was largely her own fault. The feelings with which she had been assaulted the last several days had left her with a wish for nothing more than a little private space away from him and his constant presence in the Force - something extremely problematic on a ship the size of her shuttle. They unbalanced her badly, causing her to retaliate, after a fashion, by automatically taking the opposite side of any stance he took in any conversation. It was not long before almost all conversation between them ceased and their air between them was filled with a pregnant silence - a calm before the storm which would almost inevitably rise up when any subject, no matter how benign, was raised between them. When he informed her of their purpose - that they were going to visit the Jedi master he had trained under - the information caused Mara a moment of panic, uncertain if she would be able to hide her true nature from a master of the Force. She consoled herself, thinking if she was able to hide certain things from her own master, she would be able to hide from a Jedi master as well. At least a Jedi would be much gentler if he suspected her of hiding something than the Emperor had ever been with her. However, Skywalker's refusal to divulge more than this simple piece of information quickly relegated this to a taboo subject as well. It was not until Skywalker suggested they begin planning for her training that they were actually able to make a breakthrough of sorts. Mara was not certain what she had expected from Skywalker's training - he had, after all, gone to great lengths to inform her of his status as a rank beginner himself and the fact he did not yet feel completely qualified to call himself a true Jedi, let alone pass on his knowledge. But to say she was surprised at how he actually went about passing on said knowledge would have been a massive understatement. He began by producing a datapad which contained a document he said he had been working on since he had agreed to train her. He showed her the information he had painstakingly entered into the datapad and explained to her the various disciplines he had learned under the tutelage of his shadowy and nebulous Jedi master. They discussed at length the different techniques and applications of each discipline; these conversations often delved into the more esoteric and philosophical grounds of the Force. As her master had always brushed off any discussion of the Force he did not feel appropriate, Mara found herself instantly fascinated with the abilities which had always been denied her. It was during these sessions when she finally began to loosen up and feel comfortable with him, her previous bout of pique completely forgotten, overwhelmed by the intense interest she had in the subject matter. For the first time she felt at ease and was able to converse with all the enthusiasm she felt; to debate with him the uses and purpose of the Force, seemed the most natural thing in the galaxy. Forgotten was the need to belittle his opinions and automatically claim the opposite side of any debate. He kept his thoughts of their interactions largely to himself, but Mara suspected he enjoyed their conversations and debates as much as she did. When questioned, he informed her his master had given him long lectures on the nature of the Force and his training had been done in such a hurry that debate or intelligent discussion had not generally been possible. She sensed he had taken the information gleaned from his master and had painstakingly considered every aspect, further developing his thoughts on his master's teachings, expanding where possible, but revising and growing his understanding wherever his master's words seemed inadequate or antiquated. She was surprised to witness his sometimes cavalier treatment of his master's words - her own master would never have allowed such rank insubordination - but when she challenged him on it, he merely smiled. Part of his master's training, he informed her, was to look beyond what he was told and to attempt to come to a true understanding of the Force and his own place in the galaxy. As he was to reconstruct the new order of the Jedi, his master had purposely instructed him on his views of the Force and allowed Skywalker to take that instruction and form his own views. He was told that as long as he trusted in the Force and allowed it to guide him he would never be steered wrong. And after all, to some degree, the mistakes of the old Jedi order had led to its eventual downfall - if the new Jedi order were to stand, it was necessary for it to avoid the mistakes of the previous one. At times, Mara was able to see in his face the awe and uncertainty of having been entrusted with such an enormous and momentous task. At other times, she could almost feel the crushing weight resting on his shoulders. In the face of this knowledge, it was difficult for her to remain unaffected. Then he moved to his actual testing of her abilities, the results of which were painstakingly noted in his datapad. Some, like her general awareness of the Force - her ability to feel its currents and follow its promptings - were generally noted in a positive sense, whereas others - such as her almost nonexistent ability with telekinesis - drew a frown and many notes as to how they would work to improve her natural abilities. But the most surprising event, in Mara's opinion, was Skywalker's ability to see his own shortcomings and instantly switch into the role of student, while accepting any superior knowledge she could impart with great enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. She had half expected him to be aloof and arrogant, instructing her as if his authority was absolute - and this regardless of his assurances to her regarding his suitability to teach. Nothing could have been further from the truth. In hand-to-hand combat, she was generally his superior; her training from the Empire's finest fighters outstripped his own learning, although he was certainly not deficient in that respect. She momentarily feared she had made a major error in revealing the extent of her expertise in unarmed combat, recovering only with a quickly thought up excuse that her mother had drilled her extensively. Her reasoning was that she could only use her lightsaber in dire need as the mere possession of the weapon of the Jedi would bring the Empire down on their heads and she would need a way to defend herself in close quarters when using a blaster was not feasible. Whether Skywalker truly believed her explanation she could not tell - he was as infuriatingly difficult to read as ever - but whatever he believed, she was relieved when he chose not to challenge her on it. She managed to surprise him again when she produced her own lightsaber. He was as curious of its workmanship as he was to its design and he questioned her on its construction and inner components, while surprised and fascinated by the purple beam which shot out of its emitter when she activated the blade. Her lightsaber became the genesis of another discussion - a general dialogue on the construction of lightsabers. Although she was not as interested in this subject as he was, not having the mechanical aptitude or skill he possessed, Mara gamely told him what she could remember of the weapon's creation, secretly amused by his almost childlike enthusiasm for the subject. His eyes took on an awed expression when she told him her crystal was a natural ilum crystal from the Belgaroth system and he imparted to her the knowledge that he had been forced to forge his own crystal due to his inability to procure a natural one. Her estimation of him once again was raised a notch by this tidbit of intelligence. Speaking of their lightsabers and construction naturally introduced them to a discussion of lightsaber fencing and all of its forms. Although she was familiar with the forms in general, her lack of practice was entirely due to her master's insistence that she function without her lightsaber and concentrate on her ability to remove a target through stealth, cunning and her training in all manner of weapons, combat and explosives. She suspected he was primarily motivated by a desire to protect her identity, knowing the intense public speculation which would ensue if stories of a lightsaber wielding assassin should ever come to light. However, her own lack of practice, but general knowledge of the forms, was in direct contrast to Skywalker's undeniable skill with the blade, yet his virtual ignorance in the technical aspects of lightsaber wielding and the forms in general. His skill with the lightsaber was far superior to her own - indeed she seriously doubted she would ever become his equal - and the more startling was the fact that his aptitude and skill appeared to be completely natural and instinctual. With this knowledge, she was once again forced to revise her opinion of him and she could not help her growing admiration for his skills, knowledge and not least of all, his person. Once he found out she possessed a working knowledge of the forms, his delight and excitement were almost endearing and she quickly found herself sharing his enthusiasm. It was difficult indeed to ignore his childlike excitement and remain unaffected by it. The evening before they were due to arrive at their still unnamed destination Mara was beginning to grow a little restless once again. They were in the cargo hold of the ship and Skywalker was going through one of the forms she had begun teaching him, his face a mask of concentration as he moved through the various steps, his lightsaber a blur. She was impressed - more than impressed with his ability and the pace at which he was absorbing the information he had gleaned from their discussions. They had spent most of the last two days conversing - or to be more accurate, quarreling for the first day - and she was beginning to feel the need for some more exercise. Her upbringing in the Emperor's tutelage had instilled in her an appreciation for physical activity and she found herself needing to move after the past days of talk and discussion. "Skywalker, this is all very well, but I think I've grown tired of simply talking about this. Why don't we spar for a while?" Shutting down his lightsaber, Skywalker peered dubiously in her direction. "A bit of sparring might be a nice change, but do you think you're ready?" Mara could not help the grin which formed on her face. "I can keep up with you any day of the week, Farmboy." His answering grin was infectious but fleeting, quickly replaced again by a look of concern. "Arica, are you sure of this? I thought your mother had not allowed you much practice in lightsaber combat." "That's true," Mara allowed, "but I did receive some instruction." And it was true - Vader had provided her with the basics, although under the orders of her master and clearly unhappy over having to instruct his master's young protege. He had, however, given her excellent instruction as much as he had been allowed to, and she had found him to be a very good teacher, although a little strict and unyielding. "Well, I suppose we could turn the intensity setting down on these things," he responded, his manner still somewhat hesitant. "Fine, if that's what it will take to get you to spar," Mara shot back, a slight smile of anticipation belying her sharp words. Skywalker nodded in assent and adjusting his blade accordingly, he took a few practice swings, eying her all the while as she engaged in her own preparations. She turned back to him, noticing he was ready, weight evenly distributed, with one foot set slightly before the other, his lightsaber held in front in the classic stance. Mara lifted an eyebrow at him. "You seem pretty eager for someone who wasn't certain about this in the first place." "I never said I wasn't eager - just cautious." Not bothering with a response, Mara activated her lightsaber and mirrored his stance. "Just remember to be careful - I don't know how thick these walls are and this hold isn't very big." "I would say the same to you," Skywalker responded. "With the lower intensity setting we should be safe." They circled each other for several moments, neither willing to make the initial attack, a situation which Mara found very amusing. "What's the matter, Skywalker?" she taunted, a hint of playfulness in her voice. "Afraid I'm going to hurt you?" "'A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense - never for attack.'" It was obviously a quote he had picked up from somewhere. "Who told you that? Is that a mystical platitude from your nebulous Jedi master, whom you haven't told me a thing about yet?" "From a Jedi master, yes, but not the one we're on our way to see." Mara was intrigued, but let the intelligence slide for the time being. "Well, I didn't see much of that knowledge and defense stuff at Jabba's sail barge. Seemed like you did all the attacking and they did all the defending - or dying." "True enough," Skywalker responded with a smirk. "But another old Jedi axiom states, 'When outnumbered, attack'." "It would seem to me those two statements are mutually exclusive." "One would think so at first glance, but then, maybe the Force prompts the outnumbered Jedi to attack, knowing the best defense is a good attack." Mara laughed out loud. "Sounds like sophistry to me. Well, all I can say is that it's no wonder the Jedi order went extinct if they stood around waiting for their opponent to attack, except when outnumbered." "Maybe so," Skywalker conceded with a smile, "except that the old order never did truly become extinct, did it? I'm living proof of that fact." Mara was forced to concede the point, but instead of responding further, she stepped forward and directed an overhand swing at him, which he neatly caught on his lightsaber with a horizontal parry, before forcing her blade to slide off his to the side and taking up his stance once again, a grin once again plastered on his face. "Of course, sometimes it is best to let your opponent attack first. That way you can gauge her strategy and style, not to mention allowing her to waste her energy in aggression, while you conserve yours for the decisive moments in the duel." Once again ignoring his comments, although she could not find fault with them, Mara launched herself at him, attempting to drive him back with a series of swings, which he parried with no visible effort, all the while yielding nothing, yet moving himself away from her in various directions, forcing her to change her angles of attack. It was soon very evident his experience and skill far exceeded her own, a verification of her earlier thoughts regarding their relative levels of skill. He never responded to her attacks, seemingly content with allowing her to attack him, yet never letting her close enough to allow her the opportunity to breach his defenses. For the first time, Mara found herself able to let go and just allow her instincts to take over. Her sessions with Vader had always been somewhat forced - he instructed her in what she was to do and she performed it to the letter, aware of his displeasure if she should deviate from his directions for even an instant. Skywalker gave no such directions, allowing her to dictate her own actions and learn her own limitations. She had also had very little opportunity to press the attack with Vader, as the few times they had actually sparred, he had generally dictated the session by forcing her to defend herself, throwing everything at her he thought she could handle and allowing her no opportunity to counter attack. They continued across the somewhat limited area of the cargo bay, lightsabers buzzing and clashing, Mara always pressing the attack, Skywalker always defending. Mara knew she had overextended herself several times and left Skywalker openings to counter attack, but he declined every opportunity, instead content to let her dictate their duel. He seemed to be studying her, gauging her abilities, once again showing his aptitude for instruction. In an instant, all of that changed. Catching a violent attack on his lightsaber, he forced her back, followed up with an overhand blow, causing her to retreat a few steps and then moving forward to engage with a series of follow up strokes, designed more to test her ability to defend herself, she suspected, than with any serious attempt to end the duel. "Now let's see if you can defend as well as you attack." She was unable to respond as all her energies were now directed toward evading his blade, which almost penetrated her defenses several times. They continued on in this manner for several moments, before Skywalker, she sensed, deciding it was time to end the dance, suddenly moved in with impossible speed and hooked her lightsaber out of her hands, sending it clattering to the deck several meters away. The move startled her and she stumbled, crashing into him. He instantly dropped his lightsaber, keeping it from coming in contact with her body, allowing the safety to deactivate the blade before it hit the deck. Suddenly, his arms were around her waist, steadying her and helping her to regain her balance. Mara's first instinct was to push him away and berate him for taking liberties, but the words died in her throat as she gazed up into his impossibly blue eyes, taking in for the first time the depths they held, the sensation of being in his arms, his strong, lean frame pressed into hers. Time seemed to stand still as they stood in the middle of the cargo hold, each mesmerized by the other's presence. Mara could not have broken the spell had she had the inclination to do so. Then with the greatest gentleness, he bent his head and kissed her full on the lips. For the briefest of instants, Mara stiffened in shock, her first instinct being to push him away with all the force she cold muster. All this disappeared and without further thought she melted into the kiss, pleasure exploding in her body. He seemed to sense her initial surprise and began to pull back in consternation, but Mara, not willing to let the exquisite sensations escape, reached up and wrapping her arms around his neck, pulled his head down to hers, deepening the kiss. All thoughts of her master and her mission instantly flew out of her mind until nothing was left but him and the beautiful sensations she had never before experienced. There was nothing but the movement of his lips on hers, his breath as it eddied across her face, the sensation of his hands as they caressed her back and the feeling of belonging - the like of which she had never before experienced. Eventually they separated, each gasping for air as they stared into the other's eyes. Slowly a blush crept up onto his face and Mara, consciously realizing at last what had happened between them, stepped out of his arms and hugged her own arms about her frame, trying desperately to process everything which had just occurred between them. "Arica, I'm..." She didn't allow him to finish. Not wanting to hear him apologize for the most amazing feelings she had ever been allowed to experience, she turned on her heel and walked out of the hold, never witnessing the look of anguish which appeared on his face. In a daze, she walked out through the common room and into the bedroom, throwing herself on her bunk, her mind working over and over the events of the past several minutes. She spent the night waiting for him to return to his bunk, aching for him to come to her and tell her the kiss they shared was not a mistake, but Skywalker never made his way into his own bunk that night. She could sense him on the edge of her perception, but he had his shields up as tightly as he could and she could not detect any emotion through them. Sleep was a long time coming, for she could not get the images and sensations out of her mind, continually playing the whole sequence of events through her consciousness, over and over again. Try as she might, she could make no sense of what had happened. Surely she could not be falling for Skywalker now - her master would never allow it. She knew that whatever else came of it, their relationship, such as it was, was forever changed, altered by an impulsive kiss. -----signature----- "The road to hell is paved with adverbs." - Stephen King There is a very fine line between 'hobby' and 'mental illness.' Take My Hand: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/28300611/
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ginchy Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 7/24/08 9:28am Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 7 - 07/24/08 - Date Edited: 7/24/08 9:30am (1 edits total) Edited By: ginchy
	Well, if you didn't have me reeled in before now, I certainly would be with this post! Luke, Mara--on Tatooine seeing his old "friends". Luke being his wonderful Luke self! Mara being her wonderful Mara self! Thoughts and doubts over the Emp! Lightsaber dueling and... a kiss! What a set-up you're brewing here. I love it! Man, I gotta read that again. I'm really on the edge of my chair now (no, really!) and can't wait for the next update. Thanks for the PM! -----signature----- Positivity. ** Okay, seriously. It’s a Rebel Alliance t-shirt. It is NOT a fleur-de-lis.
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Ocelotl_Nesto Registered: Oct '04	Date Posted: 7/24/08 9:41am Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 7 - 07/24/08
	Your post on Fixer and Lukes teen crush was great. I think you handled the whole situation well. Realistically too. But your description of training and aspects of the Force were some of the best. Brief,deep and complete. But the best was the description of the first kiss. Very well done!
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tato82 Registered: May '08	Date Posted: 7/24/08 10:45am Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 7 - 07/24/08 - Date Edited: 7/24/08 10:46am (1 edits total) Edited By: tato82
	So Mara believes that Palpatine has seen something through the Force and is manipulating her situation for some unspecified goal she does not understand... yet. All I can say is, ...the best laid plans of mice and Sith... Excellent writing Jedi Emeritus. P.S. Warhammerythought of the day: Palpatine's machinations are sure to please Tzeentch, the Liar God, just as Rigil_Kent pleases Khorne... -----signature----- Burn the emo. Cleanse the yaoi. Kill the Mary Sue. Warhammer 40K - where the genocidal, fascistic, xenophobic, ultraconservative zealots with a morbid fear of technology and an unhealthy fondness for burning things... are the good guys.
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Jade_eyes Registered: Aug '04	Date Posted: 7/24/08 5:12pm Subject: RE: Take My Hand (L/M, canon characters) Chapter 7 - 07/24/08
	Mara's automatic jealous reactions made me Camie's just as I would imagine her to be--glad she told Luke what she did about her true feelings and what she knew of his Loved what she told Mara about Luke's "interest" I thoroughly enjoyed the detailing of Luke's training and their growing in their knowing and learning--their skills balance each other splendidly--that impulsive kiss and their reactions made me melt and SQUEE! but Luke has nothing to apologize for--it's like "huh?" I'd be like: "Lay another one on me baby!!!" LOL This is so delightful and wonderful that I will think of ROTJ as the AU of this "canon" version. Huggles!!!!!!! -----signature----- Spock/Nyota, woven forever together in gorgeous bonds of Nyota's "Cherished Moments" diary's gonna be hawt, hawt, melty! Squggles! [face_melting into 10 buckets!]
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