Beyond - Legends Seasons of Migration to the North - 50 titles challenge - L/M (Complete) (author's thanks and cover)

Title: Seasons of Migration to the North
Author: Divapilot
Genre: AU, drama
Characters: L/M, H/L
Written for the Fifty Titles in Search of a Story challenge. The title I received is from the novel Seasons of Migration to the North by Talib Salih.

Spoiler: word count

Total word count = words 12,835

Posting schedule: Chapter 1: March 15; Chapter 2: April 30; Chapter 3: June 15; Chapter 4: July 30; Chapter 5: September 15; Chapter 6: October 30.



Cover credit Chyntuck

Chapter 1.


Mara closed her eyes, reached out with her mind, and drew in a deep breath as the Jade Shadow settled onto its landing struts. The vessel began to power down, and she listened as the engine’s hum started to become slower. She opened her eyes and scanned the landing bay to see the support crew advance toward her ship to perform the necessary post-flight routines. Her mouth edged into an irked line as her vision confirmed her Force sense. No Skywalker to greet her.

He must have gotten sidetracked, she thought as she unsnapped her safety webbing. I’ll see him soon enough. After all, it was Luke who had specifically asked her to oversee this mission. He’d want the results as soon as she could provide them.

Mara rose from her seat and walked back to her cabin to retrieve her personal items. She slung her duffel bag over her jacketed shoulder and picked the artifact up from where it lay on the bed. It was a curious thing; Luke had been right about that. The archaeologists at the site on that Force-forsaken outer rim desert planet had told her it was incredibly old. Mara cocked an elegant eyebrow at it as if trying to read the significance of the object. She shrugged, opened her duffel bag, and pushed it inside amid her clothes and materials, then proceeded down the ship’s passageway and out, securing her vessel behind her.

The walk from the landing bay to the central hub of the complex wasn’t long and Mara strode through the well-lit corridor. The air here smelled a little different, she noticed, and it made a slightly disagreeable tingle in her nostrils. But it was of no consequence. Air in this part of the complex was often processed, and it was very possible that the filtration needed an update. She made a mental note to mention that to Luke.

The corridor opened to the atrium, where the entrances to the landing bays connected to the access portals that led to the various areas of the complex. Since their re-establishment on Ossus, the Jedi and the government had tried to find a way to merge their sometimes divisive objectives in a harmonious way, and pairing the access to the temple at the same location as the access to the government buildings seemed to work well. The atrium soared above her head, and in the mid-day, the sun provided natural lighting. It was just dusk now, but at night the atrium roof let in the faint starglow and an observer could track the moons at their apex. The unique cosmology of Ossus created interesting twilight effects that the designers of the atrium exploited, and beveled panels in the atrium roof projected brilliant reflections as light from the waxing and waning suns sheared through. Plants grew along the walls and a water feature provided a distant soothing babble. Only a few, like Mara, knew that the water had been specifically requested by Luke. It made her smile softly to think that he had left a subtle reminder of his presence here.

Speaking of his presence. Where was her husband? He ought to have at least commed her if he was going to be late to meet her. She readjusted her duffel bag as the transport that led to the residences near the temple arrived. She boarded the transport and found it, to her satisfaction, mostly deserted. Dropping the bag onto the seat across from her, she sat down and relaxed. A quick probe along their Force bond revealed Luke’s close proximity. He was focused on something, but calm and at peace. When she didn’t feel a corresponding return connection along their Force bond from him, she retrieved her comm unit from her jacket pocket.

The device clicked. “Mara?” Luke’s voice came through the speaker.

She leaned against the seat and stretched out her legs, still dancer-agile in her movements. The lights along the tunnel flashed as the transport sped to its destination. “Of course. Who were you expecting?”

He laughed quietly. “I never know what to expect with you. Probably why I married you. So you got in early?”

She frowned. “No, we agreed I would be back today. Remember? We talked last night.”

“We talked last night because you wanted to tell me you would be delayed. No problem, my love. Another day with you is another day in paradise for me.”

“It better be. I’m the best thing you’ve ever had.”

He laughed again. There was a pause from Luke, and Mara heard a rustling noise. “I’m just wrapping things up. Where are you? I can come and meet you.”

Mara looked up. The transport was beginning to slow as it approached the residential area. “Almost home.”

“Why don’t I meet you and we can go to Han and Leia’s? They’d love to see you. Ben’s visiting over there. Besides, Leia invited me for dinner and it’s getting late.”

“You should have met me at the docking bay. But I’ll let you make it up to me.”

“I would have met you at the docking bay if I’d known you would be there today. But either way, I will thoroughly enjoy making it up to you later.”

Mara laughed. “Just meet me at the residential terminal and we’ll go to Han and Leia’s together.”

They said their goodbyes and Mara switched off the unit. She laughed quietly and shook her head as she put the device back in her pocket. Luke must be terribly distracted if he got such a simple thing as her arrival date mixed up.

True to his word, however, she saw him standing at the station as the transport pulled in. He walked over to her and greeted her with a gentle kiss. “Missed you, Mara,” he said quietly.

“Missed you too, farmboy.” She smiled at him. “How’s Ben?”

“He’s fine. He’s going to be so happy to see you.”

Their conversation fell into an easy, familiar pattern as they walked together toward the building in which Han and Leia lived. They caught up on the events of the last two weeks: Luke filled her in on his continued efforts at his re-established Jedi Academy, and she recounted the journey to retrieve the artifact. Before long they reached the apartment building.

A few minutes later they were at the Solo residence. A blustery C-3P0 met them at the door and ushered them into the foyer. A moment later the droid was nearly toppled over by a small boy about three years old.

Mara dropped the duffel bag, bent down, and opened her arms as Ben excitedly embraced her. She hugged him tightly. Two weeks without her son was too long, she thought.

“What have you been doing all day?” she asked Ben.

He made a face and laughed. “Playing x-wings with Jacen.”

She looked up to see the teenager standing in the doorway. “If he flies anything like he plays, Ben is gonna be an amazing pilot,” Jacen said. “That kid has no fear.”

Jacen turned to Ben, who looked up at his cousin adoringly. “Except you keep crashing your ships, buddy,” Jacen said, ruffling Ben’s copper hair.

Mara stood up and took Ben’s hand as they walked into the apartment. “Thank you for spending time with him, Jacen,” she said.

Jacen smiled at the child, who returned the radiant grin. “No problem. It was fun.”

A woman’s voice interrupted their conversation. “Mara? Home so soon? I’m glad you could make it.” Leia met them in the main room of the apartment. “Jaina commed earlier to tell me she can’t come to dinner tonight. She would have loved to have seen you. Maybe you two can get together soon before she goes off on another mission.”

“Of course. I’d love to catch up with Jaina.”

Leia turned toward the kitchen. “Mara’s here, Han,” she called. “Set another place, please.”

Mara glanced at Luke, her brow furrowed. “Does everyone think I’m too early? Have I ruined a surprise you were planning for me or something?”

Luke put his hand on her arm as they sat together on the sofa in the central room. “Of course not. And it doesn’t matter, you know we’re always welcome here.”

Mara was about to retort with a particularly witty barb when a coughing fit interrupted her. It took her a minute to gain her composure.

Leia sat across from them and began picking up data storage units and datapads from the low table that separated her from Luke and Mara. “I apologize for the mess,” Leia said. “I hope that didn’t set off anything for you, Mara. There must be some dust buildup here. I’ll have the cleaning droid do a deep clean of the carpeting next time. Did you want any water?”

“No, thank you,” Mara said, her voice strained from coughing. “I’m fine, and your home is fine. Don’t worry about me.”

She set the datapads neatly beside the sofa. “With all the documentation I have to go through lately, and with Han out trying to restore negotiations with the Corellian faction, neither of us have had much time to devote to the house,” Leia said.

“Don’t think about it,” Luke assured her. “Let’s put work aside until after dinner. Right now we should enjoy each other’s company.”

“You’re right,” Leia said. She sat back on her sofa, her long brown hair draped over one shoulder. “So Mara, did you find anything interesting on your mission?”

“I did, in fact. You might like to see it.” She got up and retrieved the artifact from her duffel bag, then brought it back to the common room and placed it on the table. Jacen came into the room, staring at it as if drawn to it. Luke leaned in closer and Leia raised her hand to her chin thoughtfully.

“When I got there, the archaeologists had the general location but they didn’t know where exactly it was,” Mara said. “I meditated on it a little while, and then I could see it, deep under the sand, and that’s how I showed the archaeologists where to dig.” She leaned back and turned to her companions. “It was fascinating to watch. They were so meticulous about recording all the data surrounding the artifact. The scientists tested the strata in which it had been discovered – this thing has been buried for millennia. Their guess is about thirty thousand years. They have no idea how it got there.”

The artifact was ancient, that was obvious. It was constructed of solid material, dark in color, devoid of any markings, and shaped like a perfect cube. But the strangest thing was not its age or its appearance. The cube seemed to emit a power of its own, a pulse through the Force that was both intriguing and unnerving.


“What is it?” Leia asked, her voice hushed.

“The archaeologists didn’t know,” Mara said. “No one has seen anything like it. They think it might be some kind of an early holocron.”

Luke picked it up and frowned in concentration. “It doesn’t seem hostile. It isn’t sentient. It doesn’t seem to have a message to relay.”

Luke put the object back on the table and Jacen reached out to it with his fingertip. “It almost seems alive.” He floated his hand just over its surface in an attempt to trace its energy patterns.

Mara looked at them. “It seems to channel energy through the Force. But what type of energy? The archaeologists are stumped on this one. I was hoping maybe Tionne might have some clues.”

They stared at the artifact, feeling the uncanny power that radiated from it. A wondrous quiet fell upon the group as they marveled at the mysterious object.

Suddenly Han’s voice from behind them broke the silence. “Hi Luke. Mara. Hey, who’s hungry?” He glanced at the table then back at the family. “Nice box. Are we ready to eat?”

***

A few hours later, Mara headed back to their own apartment with Ben and Luke. Ben drowsily laid his head on his father’s shoulder as they approached the door. “Do you think it’s safe to have that thing in the house with Ben?” Luke asked quietly. “You know how sensitive he can be to disruptions in the Force.”

Mara shifted her bag and keyed in her access code into the lock panel. “He should be fine. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything dark about it.”

The door lock buzzed. Mara tried her code again. Again, the door buzzed and refused to open.
“Let me try,” Luke said. He reached over and entered his code and the door slid obligingly open.

“Trying to keep me out?” Mara said, smirking. “I’ll have to call maintenance and have them reset my code tomorrow morning.”

“Let me tuck this little guy in, you meet me in our bedroom, and I’ll reset your code tonight.”

Mara shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Skywalker, you make promises you can’t keep.”

He smiled slyly as he carried the slumbering child into his bedroom. Mara walked into the bedroom she shared with her husband, taking in the familiar furniture and sparse decorations, and put her bag on the dresser, then slid her jacket off and hung it up.

She closed her eyes, exhaled, and smiled. It was good to be home.

 

!!!!!! Love the intrigue and mystery about the unique device and its purpose. Intermixed with sweet L/M banter and warmth and the family comfiness. I'll be watching this one for sure.

 

Love this! Especially the banter - that is some grade A L/M banter right there.

But so many little hints as to what might be coming up! Mara coughing, the artifact, her door code not working...all makes me think there's something sinister about to be revealed.

 

Well, colour me intrigued! Love how you've combined the warm fuzziness of a family reunion with something being slightly off and dare I say it creepy about what's happening. Looking forward to more

 

Hmmm. Very interesting start. I loved the warmth of LM with Ben, Han, Leia and Jacen. But something is clearly off between the artifact, the code, not being expected and Mara's cough. So many things could be wrong, or they might be just odd coincidences.

 

With Divapilot, there are no weird coincidences Which is one of the things I love best!!!

Seriously amazing start. Is something wrong with Mara's memory? Is the cube taking time from her or something, that everyone expected her to be back a different time? Are they real or is she hallucinating?? Oh man, my mind goes so many places!!! Either way, I totally love this. The banter is truly awesome--"reset your code tonight" Horny Luke is my favorite!!!!

SO EXCITED to see where you go with this! If you are tagging when you update, will you tag me? Pretty please!

 

LOL I know what is going to go in my siggy when I change it again - "Horny Luke" is my favorite too. Woot, and Mara is the only one who can and should rock his socks.

 

Gee, you even have a posting schedule? Lady, you're light-years ahead of me here!

This. Was. Awesome. And by awesome I mean awesome. It all flows so casually, the arrival, the banter, the family reunion (Han being Han!) but there are just enough off elements to make this absolutely creepy. That cube is a wicked cube, and my guess is that it affects not only Mara, but also Jacen. This is not going to end well...

 

I read this again, and I just LOVE Han--"Nice box. Can we eat?!?!" He's such a grounded dude, I feel like he keeps them all from floating off into Force-Land sometimes. Ohhhh Diva. You're a Master!

 

Love to see Luke, Mara and Ben in an intriguing story

 

Awesome banter, great family scenes and I can't wait to read more!

 

Thank you so much to all who stopped in to read or to reply. I appreciate it!

Thank you! It’s nice to have the whole group together as a family, with everyone happy and at ease with each other. Of course, things can always change…

You know, I love it when something I write inspires your siggy. But I never thought “horny Luke” would be one of those.

Thanks so much for the compliment! L/M banter is fun to write. They can give out the loving snark pretty easily at each other. And yes, there is something just off, just a little out of place here.

Thanks for the reply! I appreciate it. They are a loving family, happy to help each other out. This is the kind of life we want for them. But there is something slightly off and creepy going on. Not all is going as smoothly as it ought to. Hope that you continue to enjoy this story!

Thank you for the comments! I’m happy you like this so far. There is something amiss amid the family closeness and caring. Although they are having this sweet reunion there are signs that maybe things aren’t going as they should be. Things are snagging that should not be an issue. And when you have Jedi involved, there are few coincidences.

Thank you for your enthusiastic reply! I’m so happy that you like this so far! And I will be happy to tag you with updates. Luke and Mara are in full romantic banter mode here, and there’s sincere affection among all of the family members. And Luke just misses his wife a lot. A LOT. But something is weird, and it seems to affect Mara only. Those are some good guesses but I will let you figure it out. There are things that are off here, most definitely.

Thank you for the thoughtful reply! Yes, there is a posting schedule, although I may post a day or so around the date due to my schedule. The whole story is written, I just put the posting schedule up so that I can spread the posts evenly and make sure I meet the requirements to post at least one chapter a quarter. Thanks so much for the compliments! That cube is not a good thing to have around the house, let’s just say. And they are all affected by it, but Mara’s had it the longest time. Bear with me, like I keep saying, this is a kind of a weird story for me but I hope it works. Next post coming up.

Thanks again! I got a lot of practice writing Han this year. Han doesn’t say much in this but he nails it in his delightfully muggle way.

Thank you for the reply! It’s nice to write them all together and happy, everybody getting along, nobody murdering other family members and whatnot.

Thank you! I’m glad you’re liking this so far. Next post is right here.

 

Chapter 2.

Mara closed her eyes, reached out with her mind, and drew in a deep breath as the Jade Shadow settled onto its landing struts. The vessel secured, she listened as the engine’s hum began to wind down. She opened her eyes and scanned the landing bay. A message chimed on her console to indicate that the support crew had acknowledged her arrival and her ship was in the queue to receive the necessary post-flight routines. Her mouth edged into an irked line as her vision confirmed her Force sense. No Skywalker to greet her.

He must have gotten sidetracked, she thought as she unsnapped her safety webbing. I’ll see him soon enough. After all, it was Luke who had asked her to personally oversee this mission. He’d want the results as soon as she could provide them.

Mara rose from her seat and walked back to her cabin to retrieve her personal items. She slung her duffel bag over her jacketed shoulder and picked the artifact up from where it lay on the bed. It was a curious thing; Luke had been right about that. The archaeologists at the site on that Force-forsaken desert planet claimed it was incredibly old – their tests had determined that the item must have been buried in the sands millennia ago.

Mara cocked an elegant eyebrow at it as if trying to read the significance of the object. The artifact made her uneasy for some reason, and she would be glad to be rid of it. Hopefully she could drop it off with someone at the temple, today if possible. She was not a naturally superstitious person, but there was something about this thing. Not something dark, as if it were a Sith artifact – she had had experience with those. This was something older, more primal. She stared at it, turning it over as if to coax its mysteries out of it. Then she frowned, opened her duffel bag, and pushed it inside amid her clothes and materials. She made her way through the ship’s passageway, secured her vessel, and then crossed the landing bay to the transportation center.

The walk from the landing bay to the central hub of the complex wasn’t long and Mara strode through the well-lit corridor. The air smelled stale and mildly unpleasant, she noticed, and it made a disagreeable itch in her throat. But it was of no consequence. Air in this part of the complex was often processed, and it was very possible that the filtration needed an update. She made a mental note to mention that to Luke.

Since their re-establishment on Ossus, the Jedi and the government had tried to find a way to merge their sometimes divisive objectives in a harmonious way, and pairing the access to the temple at the same location as the access to the government buildings seemed to work well. Citizens who worked here mingled with government executives and Jedi associates from the nearby temple, and the noise from the crowd irritated her. A dull headache began throb and she rubbed her forehead.

The corridor opened to the atrium, where the landing bay entrances connected to the access portals that led to the various areas of the complex. The wide dome of the atrium soared above her head, and in the mid-day, the sun provided natural lighting. At night, the full display of the stars glittered faintly. But it was just dusk now. She looked to the eastern horizon and saw the disc of the first moon, Mim, begin to edge upward. Within the hour the second moon, Nerit, would appear. The unique cosmology of Ossus created interesting twilight effects that the designers of the atrium exploited, as beveled panels in the dome projected brilliant sparkling bluish reflections as light from the waxing and waning suns sheared through. Lush plants grew along the low walls and in beds placed throughout the atrium, and a water feature provided a distant soothing babble. Only a few, like Mara, knew that the water had been specifically requested by Luke. It made her smile softly to think that he had left a subtle reminder of his presence here.

Speaking of his presence. Where was her husband? He ought to have at least commed her if he was going to be late in meeting her. She readjusted her duffel bag as the transport arrived and she entered the open door. She sat down and dropped the bag onto the seat across from hers. Thankfully the transport unit was mostly empty. The last thing she needed was more annoying noise to ramp up the headache. The transport began its trip toward the sector that led to the residences at the temple. Mara sent a quick probe along their Force bond which revealed Luke’s close proximity, but she couldn’t tell what he was up to. When she didn’t feel a corresponding connection along their Force bond from him, she retrieved her comm unit from her jacket pocket.

The device clicked. “Mara?” Luke’s voice came through the speaker.

She leaned against the seat and stretched out her legs, still dancer-agile in her movements. The lights along the tunnel flashed as the transport sped to its destination, making her headache worse. “Of course,” she snapped. “Who were you expecting?”

He sighed. “So you got in early?”

She frowned. “No, we agreed I would be back today. Remember? We talked last night.”

“We talked last night because you wanted to tell me you would be delayed. Are you okay? Are you feeling well?”

Mara rubbed her forehead again. “Just feeling a little – I don’t know, off.”

There was a pause from Luke, and Mara heard a rustling noise. “I’m just wrapping things up. Where are you? I can come and meet you.”

Mara looked up. The transport was beginning to slow as it approached the residential area. “Almost home.”

“Why don’t I meet you and we can go to Han and Leia’s? They’d love to see you. Ben’s visiting over there. Besides, Leia invited me for dinner and it’s getting late.”

She paused. It would be nice just to go home and lie down, but she didn’t want to seem ungrateful to Han and Leia for their hospitality. Besides, if they had offered to watch Ben today, then at least she ought to see them and thank them in person. Mara put on a teasing tone. “You should have met me at the docking bay. But I’ll let you make it up to me.”

She reached across their bond again and sensed Luke’s mood lighten. “I would have met you at the docking bay if I’d known you would be there today. But either way, I will thoroughly enjoy making it up to you later.”

Mara laughed. “Just meet me at the residential terminal and we’ll go to Han and Leia’s together.”

They said their goodbyes and Mara switched off the unit. She shook her head as she put the device back in her pocket. Luke must be terribly distracted if he got such a simple thing as her arrival date mixed up.

True to his word, however, she saw him sitting at the station, engrossed in his datapad, as the transport pulled in. He looked up as the doors to her transport opened, then stood up, placing the datapad into the pocket of his leather jacket. She walked over to him and he greeted her with a gentle kiss. She smiled as she handed him the duffel bag to carry for her. “How’s Ben?”

Luke put the bag across his shoulders. “He’s fine. He’s found a new love of coloring. Luckily Leia still had a lot of the art supplies that her kids played when they were younger.”

Their conversation fell into an easy, familiar pattern as they walked together toward the building in which Han and Leia lived. They caught up on the events of the last two weeks: Luke filled her in on his continued efforts at his re-established Jedi Academy, and she recounted the journey to retrieve the artifact. Before long they reached the apartment building.

A few minutes later they were at the Solo residence. A blustery C-3P0 met them at the door and ushered them into the foyer. “Master Luke! Mistress Mara! How wonderful to see you. Please come in!”

Luke put the duffel bag down and Mara peered around the corner. She turned to C-3P0. “Where’s Ben?”

The droid paused in his shuffling and pivoted toward her. “I believe he is in the study,” he said.
Mara directed her thoughts toward her son and confirmed that he was nearby. He seemed uninterested in his parents’ presence. Odd, she thought. But then again, three year olds were easily distracted. She walked into the nearby study as Luke followed C-3P0 into the common room.

She found him absorbed by his artwork. “Hey, sweetheart. How have you been today?” she asked Ben.

Ben looked up at her. “Hi Mom. Look what I drew.” He turned the flimsy toward Mara and pointed to the center of the picture. “Those are x-wings. This one is Daddy.” He pointed to another part of the drawing. “And this one is you.”

She studied the crude drawing for a moment. “Why did you make those orange lines on mine?”

Ben looked at her as if the answer was obvious. “That’s the fire.”

Mara laughed. What strange notions got into that kid’s head sometimes. She nodded appreciatively. “Nice drawing. Did you miss me?”

Ben shrugged. “I guess.”

Before Mara could comment, a woman’s voice interrupted their conversation. “Mara? Home so soon? I’m glad you could make it.” Leia came into the study and gave Mara a quick embrace before turning to Ben. “Come on, Ben,” Leia said. “Time to clean up for dinner.”

Ben sighed, then headed toward the fresher without a glance at either woman. Leia looked at Mara closely. “Are you all right? You look a little pale.”

“Just a headache. I’m sure it will be fine.”

“You should contact Cigal. You might have picked up some kind of virus. At the very least, she can get you an analgesic for your headache.” Mara and Leia walked together to the common room, and as they passed the kitchen, Leia paused. “Mara’s here, Han,” she called. “Set another place, please.” She turned back to Mara. “You just missed Jaina. She’s off on a mission and won’t be back until next week. But I’m glad you could make it. We didn’t expect you back so soon.”

Mara glanced at Leia, her brow furrowed. “Does everyone think I’m back early? Were you planning a surprise for me or something? Am I interrupting your plans?”

Leia put her hand on Mara’s arm as they sat together on the sofa in the central room, across from Luke and Jacen, who were in conversation. “Of course not,” Leia said. “And it doesn’t matter, you know we’re always welcome here.”

Mara was about to reply when a coughing fit interrupted her. It took her a minute to gain her composure.

Leia began picking up data storage units and datapads from the low table in front of them. “I hope you aren’t coming down with something. Did you want any water?”

“No, thank you,” Mara said, her voice strained from coughing. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“I hope nothing here set off a reaction. I apologize for the mess. I’ve been so busy with all the documentation I have to go through lately, and Han going out to try and restore negotiations with the Corellian faction just adds to the stress. It would be easier to take care of the house if maybe Han stayed home a little more.” Leia rolled her eyes as she began to pick up the datapads that were spread over the little table by the sofa. “But, I guess it makes him feel good to be out and exploring, especially when I have to stay here to deal with bureaucratic affairs. He gets bored easily.”

Luke looked up from his conversation with Jacen. “Let’s put work aside until after dinner,’ he said, chuckling. “Right now we should enjoy each other’s company.”

“You’re right,” Leia said. She sat back on her sofa, her long brown hair draped over one shoulder. “So Mara, did you find anything interesting on your mission?”

“I did, in fact. You might like to see it.” She got up and retrieved the artifact from her duffel bag, then brought it back to the common room and hesitantly placed it on the table. Once again, she got that strange feeling from it, as if it could cast some kind of aura. Luke and Jacen came over and sat down on the sofa with the two women, and Jacen stared at the cube as if drawn to it. Luke leaned in closer and Leia raised her hand to her chin thoughtfully.

The artifact was ancient, that was obvious. It was constructed of solid material, dark in color, and shaped like a perfect cube. Unrecognizable icons surrounded the edges, and characters of an unknown language were engraved on its dull gray sides. But the strangest thing was not its age or its appearance. The cube seemed to emit a power of its own, a pulse through the Force that was both intriguing and unnerving.

“What is it?” Leia asked, her voice hushed.

Mara shook her head. “The archaeologists didn’t know. No one has seen anything like it. They think it might be an early holocron.”

Luke picked it up and closed his eyes in concentration, then opened them again and frowned at the object. “It doesn’t seem hostile. It isn’t sentient. It doesn’t seem to have a message to relay.” He rubbed his beard in thought as he examined it. “I’ve never seen these symbols before. Maybe it’s some kind of language?”

Luke put the object back on the table and Jacen reached out to it with his fingertip. “It almost seems alive,” Jacen said quietly. He floated his hand just over its surface in an attempt to trace its energy patterns. “I can feel it through the Force. Could it be Sith?”

Mara looked at them. “I doubt it. I’ve seen the items that the emperor used to have and they had a different feel to it. This thing seems to channel energy through the Force, not hoard energy for release later.”

They stared at the artifact, feeling the uncanny power that radiated from it. A wondrous quiet fell upon the group as they marveled at the mysterious object.

Suddenly Han’s voice broke the silence. “Hi Luke. Hey, Mara. So, who’s hungry?” He glanced at the table then back at the family. “Nice box. Are we ready to eat?”

***

A few hours later, Mara headed back to their own apartment with Ben and Luke. Ben drowsily laid his head on his father’s shoulder as they approached the door. “Do you think it’s safe to have that thing in the house with Ben?” Luke asked quietly. “You know how sensitive he can be to disruptions in the Force. He picks up on the slightest things.”

Mara shifted her bag and keyed in her access code into the lock panel. “He should be fine. It doesn’t seem like there’s anything dark about it.”

The door lock buzzed and Mara tried her code again. Again, the door buzzed and refused to open.

“Let me try,” Luke said. He reached over and entered his code and the door slid obligingly open.

“Trying to keep me out?” Mara said, smirking. “I’ll have to call maintenance and have them reset my code tomorrow morning.”

Luke had opened his mouth to say something when Ben stirred, then stretched. The child opened his eyes and looked at Luke. Mara reached over to stroke his hair and he turned toward her. “Hi, sweetie,” she said. “You must be so tired. Do you want me to put you to bed?”

The child frowned and buried his head in Luke’s neck. “No,” he said decisively. “I want Daddy. Just Daddy.”

Mara drew her hand away as Luke smiled. “Let me tuck this little guy in,” Luke whispered.

She sighed as Luke carried Ben into his bedroom. Her headache was finally wearing off, but it still bothered her. She walked into the bedroom she shared with her husband, taking in the familiar furniture and sparse decorations, and put her bag on the dresser, then she slid her jacket off and hung it up.

She closed her eyes and exhaled. It was good to be home.

 

Oh, fascinating!

Some details are slightly altered, particularly the Ben things, his activities and reactions. This reminds me of some movies/TV episodes where you keep reliving the same day in a loop-type fashion.

Now what could be causing that, I wonder?

 

Yes what's happening to Mara?
Love the scene with young Ben

 

WHAT IS GOING ON!?!?!?!?!?!?!??

Mara seems more irritated...Luke is a little less...LUKE. Ben--what is going on with Ben??!?!?!?!!?!? Why is he so "meh"?? And he didn't want Mara to put him to bed!?!?!?

As always, you're the master of description and emotion. I love it!!!! BUT I WANT ANSWERS!!!! UGGGHHHHHHH WHAT IS GOING ON?!?!?!?!!?

I'm dying. Like, literally. You tease me with an update and then just leave me with more questions...oh my!!

 

I am SO intrigued by this story and can't even guess where it is going!

 

Ohhhh, I love the turn this has taken! I am so intrigued and full of speculation.

 

Everything Findswoman said!!! And then I'll add a few things. It's not only Mara -- everyone seems more distant in this second iteration of the scene. In chapter 1, Ben was playing with Jacen, in chapter 2 he's drawing alone. In chapter 1, Leia says that she and Han are too busy to look after the house, in chapter 2 it's become "Han is away all the time". Etc, etc. It's as if the artifact is causing Mara's family network to fall apart, at least in her perception.

You can be sure I'll be pouncing on the next update the moment you post it!

 

Wow. You have set something up here. I do not know what it is, but I am DYING to find out all the odd nuances and feelings. Great writing.

 

I had this lying in my bookmarks and then Findswoman told me that something pretty trippy was at works. And while I don't even dare guess what's going on, my guess is that, in the third chapter, the object will be running into them or something!

Groundhog Day, anyone? Maybe Run Lola Run?

 

Thanks so much for reading and replying. Yes, there are some details that have changed. And they say children are the most aware of things being off, so naturally Ben hones in on the changes more than the others do. And you’re right, there is definitely some looping going on.

Thank you! Mara’s wondering what’s wrong with everyone else. Could it be that they are normal and she’s the one who’s off?

Thank you for your enthusiastic reply! I love it. Mara thinks there is something wrong with everyone. Ben is wary of her; there’s something about her that he doesn’t like or trust. The answers are coming. But there may be more questions first – sorry! Thanks so much for reading.

Ah, the famous “Mysterious Object Is Mysterious” trick!

Well, I wanted the changes to be subtle, and if you thought at first that I had just posted chapter 1 again on accident, then I guess I got that subtlety down. All those changes are accurate. There are definitely some very slight but significant shifts going on.

Thank you! I’m very glad you like it. I would be happy to tag.

Thank you for your kind reply! I hope you continue to enjoy it.

Thanks! I appreciate your comments! Mara is finding these events to be curiouser and curiouser. She’s not sure what’s happening either, but something is definitely off.

You’re very observant, Chyn. Thank you for your reply. It really means a lot!

Thank you so much! I really mean it. I’m honored. There will probably be more questions before there are answers, but I hope you enjoy the trip.

Thank you for reading and commenting. I really do appreciate the feedback. I’m glad you are enjoying this story. Although the object isn’t doing quite what you think, things do get a little trippier as the story goes on.

 

Chapter 3.

Mara closed her eyes, reached out with her mind, and drew in a deep breath from her breathing assist unit as the ship settled onto its landing struts. The vessel secured, she listened as the engine’s hum began to wind down. She waited until her breathing stabilized before she opened her eyes and scanned the landing bay, then she reached over and sent a message to the support crew to log their arrival. An automated message came back a few moments later to inform her that the ship was in the queue to receive the necessary post-flight routines by the end of the work schedule. Satisfied that that detail was completed, she turned her attention elsewhere, and her mouth edged into an irked line as her vision confirmed her Force sense. No Skywalker to greet her. She shook her head tiredly. She would have to gather her things herself.

He must have gotten sidetracked, she thought as she unsnapped her safety webbing. I’ll see him soon enough. After all, it was Luke who had asked her to oversee this mission. As usual, he’d want the results as soon as she could provide them, regardless of whether or not it was convenient for her to do so.

Mara shakily rose from her seat and walked to the back of the ship to retrieve her personal items, shifting aside to allow the rest of the crew to slide past her on their way out. The artifact lay on the narrow bunk beside her duffel bag. The artifact was a curious thing; Luke had been right about that. The archaeologists at the site claimed it was incredibly old – their tests had determined that the item must have been buried in the sands millennia ago.

Mara cocked an elegant eyebrow at it as if trying to read the significance of the object. The artifact made her uneasy for some reason, and she would be glad to be rid of it. Hopefully she could drop it off with someone at the temple, today if possible. She was not a naturally superstitious person, but there was something about this thing. Not something dark, as if it were a Sith artifact – she had had experience with those. This was something older, more fundamental. She sat down on the narrow bunk and stared at it, turning it over in her hands as if to coax its mysteries out of it. Then she frowned, stood up, opened her duffel bag, and pushed it inside amid her clothes and materials. With a grunt, she heaved the duffel bag over her shoulder and made her way slowly toward the ship’s exit ramp.

The walk from the landing bay to the central hub of the complex wasn’t long, but it took a toll on Mara. At one point she found herself leaning against the wall of the well-lit corridor, pausing for a quick use of her breather. The air in the medical device was unpleasantly stale, she noticed, and it made a disagreeable itch in her throat. It was very possible that the filtration needed an update. She made a mental note to mention that to Cigal. Once she regained her strength, she continued on her way to the transport hub.

Since the start of the New Republic, the Jedi and the government had tried to find a way to merge their sometimes divisive objectives in a harmonious way, and pairing the access to the temple at the same location as the access to the government buildings seemed to work well. Citizens who worked here mingled with government executives and Jedi associates from the nearby temple, and the noise from the crowd exacerbated Mara’s already throbbing head.
The corridor opened to the central courtyard, where the entrances to the various landing bays connected to the access portals that led to the various areas of the complex. At mid-day, the sun provided natural lighting throughout the area. It was dusk now, and the first of the two moons was beginning to edge over the horizon, where a blue haze sparkled and flickered. A soft breeze had begun to pick up, rustling through the plants and short trees that grew around the pathways. The haze floated among the branches, barely perceptible in the waning daylight, and tiny blue lights danced amid the leaves. Just beyond the courtyard lay the water. Only a few, like Mara, knew how important the presence of the soothing nearby water source was to Luke.

Speaking of presence. Where was Luke? He ought to have at least commed her if he was going to be late in meeting her. She readjusted her duffel bag and boarded a transport that led to the residences at the temple. A quick probe along their Force bond failed to reveal his location, although she suspected he was close by. The transport, thankfully, was nearly empty. She dropped the bag onto the seat across from hers and retrieved her comm unit from her jacket pocket.

The device clicked. “Hello?” Luke’s voice came through the speaker. “Mara? So you got in early?”

She frowned. “No, we agreed I would be back today. Remember? We talked last night.”

“No, we talked last night because you wanted to tell me you would be delayed. Are you feeling well? Did you take your medication?”

Mara rubbed her forehead again. “My medication?”

There was a pause from Luke, and Mara heard a rustling noise. “I’ll just wrap things up. Where are you? I’ll come get you.”

Mara looked up. The transport was beginning to slow as it approached the residential area. “I’m almost home.”

“Just get off the transport and then stay put. I’ll be right there.”

She reached across their bond again and sensed Luke’s mood. “I can get to my home on my own. I don’t need you to help me,” she snapped.

“Mara. We’ve had this conversation before. You know you can’t push it.”

Mara was silent for a moment. As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. “Fine,” she said at last, exhaling heavily. “I’ll meet you at the terminal.” She said goodbye then switched off the comm unit. She shook her head as she put the device back in her pocket. Luke must have gotten her arrival date mixed up. That’s what it was, of course. Or was she really supposed to come in later? She couldn’t remember.

True to his word, however, she saw him sitting at the station, engrossed in his datapad, as the transport pulled in. He looked up as the doors to her transport opened, then stood up as she walked over to him, then he greeted her with a gentle hug. She smiled as he took the duffel bag from her, placing it on the ground at his feet, and he motioned for her to sit on the bench. Mara complied and he sat beside her.

“Mara, are you still on your medication schedule?” Luke asked. He reached inside the pocket of his brown Jedi robes and extracted a small box. “Look, you need to keep the medication in your system. Remember? We met with Cigal right before you left. She set up the schedule with you.”

Mara stared at the package of transdermal medpatches that Luke held in his hand. “I don’t remember,” she said quietly.

Luke sighed. Gently, he took her arm in his flesh hand, and with his metallic hand, he rubbed her forearm with a sterilization wipe and then applied the patch. Mara took in a deep breath as the medication began to course through her veins. She felt her headache lessen and a sense of focus began to return to her. “I’m sorry, my love,” Luke said. “I never should have sent you on such a stressful mission alone. You should get some rest."

She raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Yeah, but I got the artifact.”

Luke smiled broadly at her. “I knew you would.” He held her hand in his flesh hand, and she felt the warmth from his skin and from his affection for her. “It’s getting late. Are you hungry? We could go to Han and Leia’s house. She’s closer than our place, and she wanted to see me tonight anyway.”

Mara nodded, and Luke helped her to her feet. Their conversation fell into an easy, familiar pattern as they walked together toward the building in which Han and Leia lived. They caught up on the events of the last two weeks: Luke filled her in on the rumors of a new threat from the remnants of the empire, and she recounted the journey to retrieve the artifact. Before long they reached the apartment building.

A few minutes later they were at the Solo residence. Leia answered the door and let them in. “How are things?” Luke asked his sister.

She sighed and tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ears. “Things are fine for now. Ask me again in five minutes.” Leia turned toward Mara and embraced her. “How are you, Mara? How are you feeling?”

“Tired. But good.”

Leia cast a sincere and caring smile at Mara. “I’m glad. Come on, let’s relax before dinner.”

They began to head toward the common room when Mara stopped suddenly. “Where’s Ben?” she asked.

Leia gestured toward the study. “He’s in the other room. He wanted to play x-wings by himself.”

Mara turned toward the study while Luke accompanied Leia to the kitchen. She stood quietly in the doorway and waited for Ben to turn around. “Hi, honey,” she said.

The boy turned to look at her, then turned back to his toys. “Hi.” He lifted the toy in an imaginary flight over his head. Then he brought it swiftly down and it crashed into the floor violently enough to cause little pieces of the toy to fly off as it skittered across the room. He walked over and picked it up, then began to play with it again.

Mara came over and crouched beside him. “How are you? Did you miss me?”

Ben looked at her warily from the corner of his eye. “Where’s my daddy?” he asked.

“In the main room with Aunt Leia. Don’t you want to spend time with me?”

The child frowned. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

“Of course I am,” Mara said, slightly taken about by Ben’s forceful assertion. “Maybe I came home a little earlier than you expected, but this is still my home.”

Ben looked away. “May I be excused? I want to see my daddy.”

She reached for him but he squirmed away from her. Reluctantly, she lowered her hand. “Sure. Go see Daddy.”

Ben placed his toy back on the table then he ran out of the room. As soon as Ben saw Luke sitting on the sofa, the child rushed over to him and Luke opened his arms to embrace the boy and picked him up to sit beside him. Mara frowned. What had gotten into Ben? He used to be so happy to see her. She walked out of the study with the intention of speaking with Luke about it when Leia intercepted her. “Are you all right?” Leia asked. “You look a little pale.”

“Just a headache. I’m sure it will be fine.”

“You just missed Han and Jacen. They should be home soon, so we can all have dinner together. I’m glad you could make it. We didn’t expect you back so soon. But it doesn’t matter; you know you’re always welcome here.”

Mara was about to reply when a wheezing fit interrupted her. She grasped her breathing unit and inhaled deeply. Luke rose from the sofa in the common room and stood beside her until she gained her composure again, then held her by the elbow and steered her to her seat beside him, with Ben on the other side of Luke.

“Can I get you some water?” Leia asked. Mara waved her hand and Leia sat back on her sofa, her long brown hair draped over one shoulder. “So Mara, how was your mission?” she asked solicitously.

“I have something interesting. You might like to see it. Luke, would you get my bag for me?” Luke got up, retrieved the duffel bag from where she had dropped it by the doorway, and handed it to her. She opened it, lifted the artifact out, and hesitantly placed it on the table. Once again, she got that strange feeling from it, as if it could cast some kind of aura. Luke leaned in closer and Leia raised her hand to her chin thoughtfully.

The artifact was ancient, that was obvious. It was constructed of solid material, dark in color, and shaped like a perfect cube. Unrecognizable icons surrounded the edges, and characters of an unknown language were engraved on its dull gray sides. A bluish glow radiated around it and a soft, almost imperceptible hum seemed to come from it. But the strangest thing was not its age or its appearance. The cube seemed to emit a power of its own, a pulse through the Force that was both intriguing and unnerving.

“What do you think it could be?” Mara asked, her voice hushed.

Luke looked at her and frowned. “The archaeologists identified it as an early Force prism.”

“Already? They just learned about its existence three months ago.”

“No, my love. We’ve studied it for years.” Luke continued patiently. “It’s a Force prism. Probably thousands of years old.” He picked it up and the blue glow danced brightly over the artifact then traveled across Luke’s hand to buzz and flutter along the exposed metal of his artificial fingers like a coin in a magician’s trick.

Mara pondered this information. “So…if you already know what this artifact is, then what exactly was my mission, Luke?”

Luke smiled at her but he spoke slowly, as if he were addressing a child. “I asked you to bring it back from where it’s been stored so we can study it here.” Leia looked away, pained.

Mara frowned at the device silently, trying to remember if she had seen it before. Then her curiosity got the better of her and she leaned in to take a better look. “What does it do?”

Luke placed it back on the table, and the blue glow faded into a steady rhythm. “A Force prism can redirect the energy of the Force itself.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Think of it this way,” Luke said. Mara noted that Luke was using his teacher’s voice now, just like he did when he was with his students. “Imagine that the Force is a river. Everything that lives is pulled along its current. But this—“ he pointed toward the artifact “—this is a diverter in that river. The Force flows around it and this redirects where the Force goes. New pathways appear, and former pathways that once seemed fixed disappear.”

Mara reached out toward the artifact. She could hear the rhythm of the hum grow slightly louder now, as if it had acquired a beat of its own. A Force prism. She must have heard of this before. Why hadn’t she heard of this before? She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead.

Suddenly the door opened and Han’s raised voice broke the silence. “You can’t just do whatever you want, Jacen. You’re not the only one who wants to finish the project.”

Mara turned, with Luke and Leia, toward the door while Ben buried his head in his father’s side. Jacen threw his jacket on the chair. “You don’t get it, Dad. Nobody is doing it right. I’m surrounded by idiots.”

Luke rose and approached the teenager, who glared at him. “Jacen, calm down.”

“I will not calm down!” Jacen shouted at his uncle. “This is stupid. Why do you make me do these things? You know I hate them!”

Han shook his head and reached out for his son. “Jacen, wait—“

The teen shook his father’s hand off of his arm. “Leave me alone.” He spun and glared at Luke. “You too, Uncle Luke. Just leave me alone!”

Han and Luke stared helplessly as Jacen stormed out of the room toward his bedroom. Leia put her head in her hands.

***

A little while later, Mara and Luke headed back to their own apartment. Ben drowsily laid his head on his father’s shoulder as they approached the door. Mara dropped the duffel bag and keyed in her access code into the lock panel. The door buzzed, but nothing happened.

“Mara,” Luke said gently.

The door lock buzzed and Mara tried her code again. Again, the door buzzed and refused to open.

He sighed. “Mara."

“What?” she demanded.

Luke smiled sadly at her. Carefully balancing the sleeping boy, he picked up the duffel bag. Then he walked down three more doors and stopped. Mara stared at him. He reached over and entered his code and the door slid obligingly open. He waited for her at the open door, and she walked over to the other apartment.

She sighed as Luke carried Ben into the apartment. She followed them, dropping her duffel bag on the floor. The door on the end of the hall was her bedroom, she was sure of it. She walked into the bedroom she shared with her husband, taking in the familiar furniture and sparse decorations, then she slid her jacket off and hung it up.

She closed her eyes and exhaled in relief. It was good to be home.

****

tags Findswoman

 

WHAT IS GOING ON! Ugh, this is killing me. Is Mara REALLY sick? Is she traveling through alternate universes of some sort?

Fabulous writing. This is great and I know you have some amazing going on.