Saga "Son of Unveiled Secrets." AU Drama. Obi-Wan, L/M. Chapter #43 Thanks for the nom!

Nice!

 

In light of Disney publications announcement: “In order to give maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience, Star Wars Episodes VII-IX will not tell the same story told in the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe.”

I'm all befuddled about fanfic. I'm right in the middle of this L/M AU that may or my not be based on canon. OY! What are ya'lls feelings????

Thanks to all who are still reading and posting!

 

Chapter #36

It took three months for the intelligence team to get into place on the three planets assigned them. Vin, Thom and Tuer were deep undercover on Bilbringi, discovering intel on a navigation system that had never been seen before. Vin was convinced it was close to completion as the testing site had shut down abruptly last week.

Evans complained long and loud about being stuck on Coruscant, but most felt it was a smoke screen. Working as a bouncer in one of the E-28 level bars turned out to be a perfect fit for the large Corellian who probably made a nice little sum on the side.

Saphi and Donovan kept a close eye on the steel yards of Dubrillion as they pumped out massive amounts of metal and quietly shipped it off planet. Saphi was waiting for word from her informant as to where all this material was going. After several comm meetings with her peers she had a pretty good idea it was headed to where the lieutenant and Mara were placed.

Three months even later gave Mara and Lieutenant Rylan the additional time they needed to correlate all the data from the team and lock it into place with their own findings: the Empire was building something massive, relatively fast and deadly.

Mara burst through the door of their shared apartment and pulled her datapad from her backpack. “You’ve got to see this.” She crossed to the kitchen table and dropped into a chair.

“Let’s see.” Rylan swallowed a mouth full of cereal and moved his bowl to the other side of the table.

“Not only did I get a copy of the Tarkin Doctrine, but I was able to get a few shots of a partial blue print.”

Rylan squinted, biting his lower lip. “Geez look at the size of that laser.”

“It’s called a Superlaser.”

“The cannon well is huge!”

“That’s not all,” said Mara, swiping the screen to the next page. “It also has multiple turbolasers and is capable of proton torpedoes. But it’s the Superlaser that worries me the most.”

Rylan pointed at the center. “What’s that?”

Mara looked closer. “Some kind of trench. Must be used to service the monstrosity.”

“It looks like this thing will eventually be shaped like some kind of sphere. How is it powered?”

“Fusion reactor.”
“Must be a big one.”

“Huge.”

“This Superlaser makes no sense. I mean, how do they control the beam? How do they even generate the beam?”

Mara reached back towards the counter, tipping her chair and grabbed a muja fruit from a bowl. “Not sure, but you remember two months ago when Saphi said something about a large crystal order coming through to Dubrillion from Couruscant?”

Ry nodded.

“I’m speculating that this thing would use multiple crystals to generate several single beams, then focus them into one individual beam using the canon well.”

“That would take a lot of men to oversee a single strike. Just seems counterproductive to me.”

Mara leaned towards the lieutenant. “Not if the energy blast was big enough.”

Ry swallowed. “How big?”

“I don’t know,” said Mara. She bit into her fruit and chewed. “Big enough that one blast would take out a massive target.”

“Okay now you’re scaring me, Mara.”

She popped up from her chair and sat down on Rylan’s lap. “Don’t worry, Lieutenant. I’ll protect you.” Mara slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss, savoring the warm feel of his lips to hers.

Rylan pulled away and grinned. “You taste like muja. He licked his bottom lip. I like it.” He kissed her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You know, I’ve got an hour before I have to report for work….”

“Do you now?”

He smiled, nipping at her lower lip. “Yes, and I think it’s important that we take another look at those plans…in a more private setting, of course.”

“I’ve always been interested in your focused one-on-one observations, Lieutenant. Perhaps an hour of additional study would prove most fruitful.”

Rylan lifted her into his arms and grinned. “Oh, I promise. It will be.”


XXXXX


Ben Kenobi hurried down the hall and ducked into the meeting room. “Sorry I’m late.”

Commander Cracken grinned and leaned back in his chair. “Your apprentice giving you a run for your credits, Kenobi?”

Ben sat across from the commander and scooted his chair in. “I’ll admit that at first, I had my doubts, but after applying some useful Jedi techniques, she seems to be making progress.”

“Jedi techniques?” asked Admiral Ackbar.

Cracken snorted. “He means adding his boy, Luke Naberrie, to the mix.”

Mon Mothma smiled. “Never underestimate the power of a handsome young man in dealing with an impressionable young girl.”

Ben pursed his lips and sighed. “As much as I loath to admit it, Luke has made a big difference in the girl’s attitude.”

“Do we have a Jedi romance on our hands?” asked General Dodonna.

“Stars above, I hope not,” muttered Ben. “Things were much simpler in the old days.”

“Indeed,” said Ackbar. He smiled, as much as a Cal Mon can and shook his head. “Let us move on to more impending matters. He shared with the rest of the members the latest intel gathered by Cracken’s team. They shared his concern about the new weapon, but it was Mon Mothma who spoke first.

“It must be destroyed before it is completed.” She folded her arms across her chest.

Silence fell.

Ben, as habit, ran a hand through his beard and sighed. “We do not have the resources to incorporate a full scale attack on a planet as heavily guarded by Imperials as Geonosis.” He looked around the table noticing his peers deep in thought.

Finally, Airen Cracken spoke, “It will have to be a small strike team.”

Mon Mothma nodded.

Cracken continued, “Sneak in, set up a special criterion of explosives and get the Hoth out.”

Ben glanced over at Cracken. “Agreed. It only makes sense that I take my Jedi team in to accomplish the task.”

“On the contrary, Mast Jedi,” said Cracken. “My intelligence team has been training for just this kind of mission for well over a year.”

“With all due respect, Commander, a Jedi’s abilities places him in a much better position to practice the subterfuge necessary for this particular—”

“I already have a team in place,” barked Cracken.

Ben looked to Admiral Ackbar who nodded. “I see.”

“And just where do you think we’ve been getting all this intel, Kenobi?” Cracken asked.

Ben huffed. “Having not been told of your intelligence team’s whereabouts or missions, I assumed you had contacted some kind of gypsy soothsayer from Dathomir!”

“Gentlemen,” interrupted Mon Mothma, placing a hand on Ben’s arm and glaring at Cracken. “I’m sure we all want the same thing here. Admiral, what are your thoughts?”

Ackbar rose, catching his hands behind his back. “How many do we have on Geonosis?”

“Two,” said Cracken, raising his chin, “including Lieutenant Rylan—a demolitions expert—and Mara Jade, the only Jedi on the team.”

Ben felt his stomach clench and swallowed. So that’s where she’s been all this time. He rapped his knuckles against the side of his leg, frowning.

“What’s the matter, Kenobi? No faith in your Jedi?” asked Cracken.

Mon Mothma rolled her eyes.

“Complete faith,” said Ben softly. “I had just hoped that it would be me leading the team and not some twenty-something lieutenant.”

“I have more people I can easily put in place,” responded Cracken.

“Then why not more Jedi?” asked Ben.

Cracken rose from his chair and smashed a fist onto the table. “Because it’s MY team that’s been doing the work. THEY should have the opportunity to see it through!”

“Enough!” said Ackbar. He locked eyes with the commander. “I will make my decision and let you know what I have decided by tomorrow afternoon. This meeting is dismissed.” He turned and left the room followed by a red-faced Cracken.

Ben leaned back in his chair and sighed.

“He certainly has it in for you,” said Mothma watching the rest of the members file out of the room.

Ben felt a smile struggle to his lips. “I’m afraid I once committed the unpardonable sin where Airen Cracken is concerned.”

“Oh? What was that?”

Ben folded his hands in his lap, shaking his head. “I made him look foolish.”

“Ah, pride goeth before a fall?”

“And now I must pick up the tab.” He looked into Mothma’s deep brown eyes. “I only want what is best for the Alliance, Mon. You know that, right?”

She nodded. “But not everyone sees it as such. Some wonder why it’s taken you so long for you to contact the rebellion—”

“I had to protect Luke from the Emperor…and then later Mara, as well.”

Mothma raised a hand. “I understand that. I’m just telling you that not everyone shares my deep respect and trust in you. I’d suggest you consider that when working with us lesser mortals.” She smiled and pulled him into a hug. “Now, get back to work with that apprentice of yours.” Mothma rose and opened the door. “And Ben?”

He turned in his chair towards her. “Yes?”

“Try not to let Airen get to you so easily.”

Ben laughed as Mothma left the room. She was right. He was a Jedi, for star’s sake. Why did the man get under his skin so readily? “Oh, Sola…if only you were here to guide me.” He rose, shoving his hands into the sleeves of his robe and shuffled down the hall.


...to be continued. OY, I feel like right after I did when our favorite red head died. *sigh*

 

honestly...I am confusted. But I know for the fact that if there will be no Mara, I would be devastated. I would be heart-broken, and deeply disappointed. Lucas said that his Luke would never marry and have kids. Ans that is unacceptable for me.

 

don't loose your hope so soon. Even if they cut off Mara, they can go and kriff themselves. MARA WILL BE ALWAYS ALIVE for us!

 

If it stops this FF, I will tear Disney down brick by brick.

Well, if it's any consolation, that death is now non-canon.

 

Good points! Thanks.

 

Nice update. I am hoping beyond hope that EP7 will not suck. But I hoped that for EP1 and I was disappointed.

 

I am so happy for Mara. She deserves to be. Please, don't stop. That's for fanfictions do exist. It's our own world.

 

“And just where do you think we’ve been getting all this intel, Kenobi?” Cracken asked.

Ben huffed. “Having not been told of your intelligence team’s whereabouts or missions, I assumed you had contacted some kind of gypsy soothsayer from Dathomir!”

wow does Cracken have it in for Obi-Wan or what? More soon

 

Lyli! I am so happy for Mara and Rylan. Her and his romantic banter was so loving and lovable and totally IC for this AU. And the briefing/scene and LOL Mothma and Ackbar can really keep everyone on-task and Mothma is a warm and wise leader as usual.

Let me say straight up that I have loved Luke with a red-golden haired queen of snark with jade eyes since 1991, and I am not going to stop now. I am too old and stubborn to break that particular habit !!! So they'd better not make Luke a celibate or with someone anemic like Callista or worse yet -- I won't mention the third option Luke deserves more than a measure of happiness. One thing that consoles me that if L/H have any kids, hopefully they'll drop that whole Sith-Darth thing.

 

Mara and her Lt. are very sweet! I wonder what Cracken's deal with Obi-Wan is. Is it really as simple as Mon Mothma says? Wonderful work as always!

 

Fantastic, as usual! Girl, where do you keep coming up with this stuff?

(MY theory is that if Disney re-writes the EU and keeps existing EU as "Legends" then they can sell twice the merchandise. That's what counts to the corporation at the end of the day. And who's to say that Mara didn't exist in their rewrite world, except that they would have to give creative credit and $ to Zahn.)

 

Cynical, but probably true.

Zahn isn't owed anything, the characters and situations all belong to Lucasfilm, and they wouldn't have to pay him anything (unless they wanted to hire him as creative consultant or scriptwriter or something. Just as he did not receive any credit or money for creating the name Coruscant which was used in the prequels.

 

RC: Zahn isn't owed anything, the characters and situations all belong to Lucasfilm, and they wouldn't have to pay him anything (unless they wanted to hire him as creative consultant or scriptwriter or something. Just as he did not receive any credit or money for creating the name Coruscant which was used in the prequels.

Daaaaang...I didn't know that!

 

Contract writers...just playing in the sandbox. He just gets paid for writing his books.

 

I felt pretty hollow when Mara died. This bit of her never existing really, really sucks. Sigh. Right now I just want Luke to have a kid in Episode VII. I don't want hermit Luke. He was THTBAW and was definitely THTBAH. I'm not going to lie. My enjoyment of Ep VII will be diminished if Luke's a Jedi Hermit. But I'm trying to get on board with being okay with whatever we get, because at the end of the day it's MORE Star Wars! However.... well, you know. I want Mara or at least the idea that Luke was once married and had a kid. Then we can all fill in the blank of who the mother is.

As for this update, excellent lady. I'm sorry it too me so long to respond. I'm glad Mara's happy. At least she exists here!!

 

I share your feelings, ginchy lee. *fingers crossed*.

 

My continuing thanks to all reading and a special thanks to ginchy lee, Random Comments, Nyota's Heart, divapilot, taramidala, Falcon, demendora, and Jedi_Lover for posting. It is very encouraging!

XXXXX

Chapter #37


It took another month, after Admiral Ackbar gave his approval to the Intelligence team, to organize the multi-layered plan to destroy the Empire’s secret weapon. It would take a highly coordinated effort by Vin, Thom and Tuer to destroy the navigational system on Billbringi at the same time that Saphi and Donovan laid waste to Dubrillion’s steel yard. But the trickiest part was left to Mara and Lieutenant Rylan. They had to plant the Merr-Sonn proton grenades on the partially finished station and detonate them in the absence of any Geonosian workers at the exact same time. Challenging, as the Imperial factory was in operation 24/7.

If Mara and Rylan sabotaged the warehouse, it might cause suspicion and drugging or gassing an entire shift would only put the workers in the destruction zone. By a simple stroke of luck, four weeks after it was decided that Cracken’s team would run lead on Project Wildfire, the twentieth anniversary of the observance of Empire Day arrived. All Imperial positions were to be given the day off in remembrance of that great day when the Emperor took control of the senate and freed the galaxy of the tyrannical efforts of the Jedi. It was a day of celebrations—from a certain point of view. The irony of the date for their clandestine project was not lost on the Alliance.

With less than three hours until the implementation of the project, Mara and Rylan sat at their kitchen table assembling and rechecking the proton grenades.

Mara frowned as she checked the wiring on her fifth grenade. “The ship is fueled and ready?”

“Yes, dear.”

“What about the navigational coordinates? Did those come in from Vin?”
“A-huh. We’ll be bouncing around the galaxy for a week and then meet up with the Alliance on Yavin 4.”

“What time will Red Squadron be in place?”

Rylan glanced at his chrono. “Right…about….now.”

Mara snorted. “Still think it’s silly to have a bunch of flyboys hanging around in case we need help.”

“They’re far enough away that they won’t trigger any Geonosian sensors, but easily capable of coming to our rescue by hyperspace if the need arises.”

“Stupid.”

Rylan raised a single brow. “You worried they’ll steal our thunder?”

“Please.” Mara placed the grenade in her new specially made backpack and picked up grenade number six.

“Then what?”

Mara glared at Ry and then returned her attention to the complex wiring of the grenade. “Nothing.”
“Gotta be something.”

Mara huffed. “You are such a Troydarian grandmother.”

Rylan laughed, leaning into her line of sight.

“Okay! Geez, Ry.” She placed the grenade on the table and folded her arms across her chest. “My brother is probably in one of those X-Wings out there.”

“You have a brother?”

She picked up the weapon and snapped the access panel closed. “Technically, he’s not my brother. No shared blood. We were both rescued and raised by Ben Kenobi. So he’s like a brother.”

“Wait, are you talking about that Naberrie kid?”

“You know him?”

Rylan leaned back in his chair. “Sure. General Dodonna is ga-ga over him. Supposed to be a phenom in the cockpit.”

Mara snorted again and noticed the smile on Rylan’s face. “Yeah, he’s good. Probably the best they got. He’s also an idiot.”

“Great, I can’t wait to be rescued by an idiot.”

Mara frowned.

“I’m just teasing. We aren’t even going to need their assistance.” He placed the last of the grenades in another back pack and zipped it closed. The comm. unit chirped forcing him to cross the room. “Team one just signaled. They’re in place.”

“Now we need to hear from Saphi.”

“We will.” He padded back to the table and placed a kiss on top of Mara’s head. “Oh, by the way…” he reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, handing it to her. “Happy Empire Day.”


“You’re not serious…”

He grinned and tucked his hands under his armpits. “Open it.”

“Rylan. This is inappropriate on so many levels.”

His eyes danced. “Open it.”

Mara grimaced and placed a hand on top of the dark box. “Is this my very own detonator?” She opened it and gasped at the sight of a gorgeous oval-cut emerald surrounded by tiny diamonds. “Rylan? T-This looks like an engagement ring.”

He smiled. “Only if you say yes.”

She looked from the ring to Rylan’s cinnamon brown eyes. She loved how they were laced with golden shards and always seemed to glow. Especially when he looked at her. Did she love him? Mara bit her lower lip and swallowed hard. She did. But was she ready to make this kind of commitment. And was she completely free of any remaining romantic feelings towards Luke? Just the thought of her ersatz brother made her blood pressure rise.

“Yes.”

Rylan’s mouth fell open. “Yes?”

Mara laughed. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

“You’re serious? This isn’t some kind of move to get my hopes up and then dash them into little pieces?”

“Well…”

“Mara!”

“Even I’m not that cruel.”

“So… it’s yes?”

“YES!”

He lifted her from the chair and whooped, whirling her around the room. Then he grabbed the ring and gently slipped it onto her left hand with a kiss.

“I love you, Mara.”

She swallowed against the huge lump in her throat. “I love you, too. It’s beautiful, Ry.”

“Just like your eyes.” He kissed her again and pulled her to him, whispering in her ear. “Mara?

“Hmmm?” She nestled into Rylan’s strong arms and closed her eyes.

“I’ve never said this to a woman before…”

Mara opened one eye.


”… but, it’s time to sneak into a secret Imperial warehouse and blow up a battle station.”



XXXXX


Luke sat in the cockpit of his X-Wing, staring at the sensor array readout and yawned.

“Red squadron check.”

“Red two standing by.”

Luke snapped his mouth shut. “Red five standing by.”

“Red three ready to rock.”

“Red four standing by.”

“Red six on the stick.”

“Wedge, how much longer do you think we’ll be hanging out here in no man’s land? It’s been at least two hours,” Wes Janson grumbled.

“Red leader, check. As long as it takes, Red three.”

Two hours hanging out in deep space waiting for any kind of communication. Luke stretched his hands out in front of him, trying to ease a kink in his shoulder. If they weren’t on alert, he could use the time to meditate, but their orders had been specific—high alert until notified otherwise. Luke’s stomach grumbled as he considered breaking into his stash of protein bars.

His thoughts wandered to the last training session he’d had with Nadya. The girl was coming along well in her Force training. Luke winced remembering how she’d landed on top of him during a Force shove activity and, out of the blue, locked lips with him. He’d be so surprised, he’d let the kiss go on for far too long. Was he ready for a relationship? It’d been over a year since Bree… Luke rolled his neck and sighed.

“I could use a massage,” said Wes.

“At least they could tell us what we’re doing out here,” moaned Hobbie Klivan, Red four.

Wedge laughed. “Ours is not to reason why…”

“Ours is just to fly the sky!” recited the Red Squadron members in unison.

“Wedge, where is the other half of our squadron?” asked Luke.

“Don’t know,” said Wedge, “but I’m guessing they’re hanging out somewhere in space like we are.”

“Break out the protein bars, boys,” said Wes. “It looks like it’s gonna be a long one.”


XXXXX



Mara angled her forehead so that her headlamp lit the final door panel leading into the main warehouse.

“Ready?” asked Rylan.

“Yes,” she whispered back.

Rylan punched in the final key code and then sighed as the door whisked open. They darted into the large staging area and froze. “Stars, look at the size of that thing!”

Mara squatted behind a large crate and pulled Rylan down with her. She suppressed a shiver and unshouldered her pack. Rising to look around the large building, she paused, frowning at the silence surrounding them.

“What?” asked Rylan.

“Not sure. It’s just…”

“What?”

“Something feels…off.”

Rylan looked around and then fell back behind the crate. “Is it a: ‘we’re-in-the-middle-of-destroying-an-Imperial-battle-station’off or an ‘I-sense-a-disturbance-in-the-Force off?”

Mara took a deep breath and blew out, pressing her palm against the engagement ring threaded through the chain under her shirt. It was foolish to wear it here, but she couldn’t bear to leave it back at the apartment. “I’m not sure. It’s almost like feeling a movement in the air around us.”

“Is that a kind of Jedi thing?”

“It can be.” She reached out, but sensed no sentient life in the building. The utility droids scattered around the building stood frozen in position, casting strange shadows on the wall. Could one of them have been left on by accident? No, they were all slaved to a central computer.

“Should we abort?”

Mara looked at Rylan. They’d planned this for so long and everything had gone off perfectly. Perhaps it was just a case of nerves. “No. We’ve got to do this. If this thing ever becomes operational the entire galaxy will be defenseless against it.”

Rylan kissed her hand and smiled. “All right then, let’s do this.” He opened his bag and looped it onto one shoulder. “Six grenades each and then we are gone.” He pressed a quick kiss to her lips and darted out toward the huge spherical starship.

Mara sprang forward and sprinted to the left side of the monstrosity, while Rylan ran to the right. They’d practiced the maneuver for weeks, timing it until it became rote. Mara lost sight of Rylan as she approached her first designated site and slapped the proton grenade against the hull. Flipping the switch and activating the timer, she ducked further to the left until she arrived at her next plant point. All by themselves, the grenades would not have done enough damage, but twelve specifically placed ones would destroy the weapon, by causing it to collapse upon itself.

Two down. Mara felt her breath become irregular as sweat dripped down her face, her lightsaber swinging at her side. Drawing on the Force, she steadied herself and ran to the next site.

Three down.

At the fourth point, she heard the sound of metal hitting metal and dropped to the floor. She listened for a moment and then pulled a grenade from her pack. They talked about different scenarios and what they would have to do. The mission came first. They, in essence, were dispensable. Mara felt her heart skip at the thought of Rylan being in some king of trouble. She toggled the switch and ran to the next site.

Glancing at her chrono, she noticed she was off by about fifteen seconds. Not bad, yet…

She heard blaster fire and then a deafening explosion and almost fell to the ground. What? Had one of Rylan’s grenades gone off too soon? Was he injured? She fought the urge to run to the other side and grabbed her next grenade.

Five down.

With the last proton grenade, she rounded the curve of the huge weapon and raced to the last plant point. She should be able to see Rylan by now. Where was he? She pressed the grenade into the hull and flicked her thumb against the switch. Dodging a large scaffold, Mara rounded the circumference and ran right into a large figure. “Rylan!”

“We’ve got to get out of here.”

“Are you all right?”

“No time—run!”

Hand in hand they raced back towards the exit.

“Faster, must go faster,” gasped Rylan.

As they reached the door, Mara felt a blast sizzle just over her head and fell behind several sheets of steel leaning against the wall. “What in Hoth was that?”

Rylan landed beside her, trying to breath. “Some…kind…destroyer droid…”

“But intel said there weren’t any weaponized droids in the warehouse.” Mara peeked out from the other side of their impromptu hiding place and gasped. It was a droid, but none she had ever seen before. It rolled on some kind of wheel mechanism and was incredibly fast. It paused ten meters from them and unfurled, pointing twin blaster canons in their direction.

“Can’t we just…blast the stupid thing?”

Rylan swallowed fighting for breath. “Tried that. Had…had to use…one of my grenades.”

Not good. Would eleven be enough to topple the station? Mara looked at her chrono. “We’ve got less than three minutes before the grenades go off.” She released her lightsaber and thumbed the switch. “Stay behind me. We’ll see if I can deflect those blasts.”

They jostled out from their barrier with Mara facing towards the droid. The machine fired a series of bone breaking blasts which she caught, but couldn’t direct.

“Two minutes,” shouted Rylan.

They backed away from the droid, edging closer to the exit.

Mara breathed in the Force and deflected two blasts right at the destroyer only to discover a shield protector engulfing the entire droid.

“It has a force field?” Mara cried.

“Forgot to tell you…”

“Sithspit!”

The droid crept closer as they finally reached the door. Rylan began to punch in the code as a second droid rolled up, flanking the first one.

“Hurry!”

“Trying!”

Mara sank deep into the Force, trying to intercept each blast as the droids advanced.

“Almost there,” said Rylan.

The door whipped open as the timer on Mara’s chrono sounded.


XXXXX


Luke bolted forward in his cockpit seat as a weird pain shot up his spine. What in Hutt space was that? He shuddered as an ear splitting alarm thundered through his headset.

...to be continued.

 

Yikes! None of this is good. Mara, engaged? Luke, hooking up with nasty Leia avatar? Mara and fiancee in danger? You must tell us more!

 

I never thought I would read a story where I was happy for Mara getting engaged to anybody but Luke. I don't know, having Mara and Luke grow up together and thinking of themselves as brother and sister...it would be weird to have them romantic together. You wrote them in such a way that the reader sees them as siblings. I am sure you can get around that, but right now them kissing would be like the Leia and Luke kiss to me.

Nice update. I like the action and the cliffhanger.

 

Aaahh!This is mean to end chapter on such cliffhanger. My guess is Ry will die, and Mara will be so heart-broken.Just thought in my head.I can't see another way for LM here.At least, now.

 

Mara engaged? and they're in trouble

More soon

 

Gripping and riveting action. Superb cliffie. I agree with JL. You've really made L/M seem like siblings to one another and to us Doesn't hurt that Rylan isn't dirtbag ugly and seems genuinely crazy about Mara.

 

Thanks Nyota's Heart, Falcon, Demendora, and Jedi_Lover for your encouraging words and thanks everyone for reading.

XXXXX


Chapter #38



“Wildfire alert! Wildfire alert!” Wedge’s voice screeched through Luke’s headset. “Standby for orders!”

Luke blinked rapidly and breathed deeply. The pain was gone, but he shuddered when he realized it had been a sudden cry through the Force that had assailed him. He started at the sound of Admiral Ackbar's voice pouring through his comm. unit:

“This is Admiral Akbar 3-7-8 quasar zero tundra…your mission is a rescue and retrieve on the planet’s surface of Geonosis.”

“Ho-lee—” stammered Wes.

“It is unknown whether Project Wildfire has been fully successful. Expect Imperial forces both in the air and on the ground. Red Squadron 1 is to assist and acquire Intelligence team members, Marcus Rylan and Mara Jade. Sending planet and hyperspace coordinates to Squadron leader now. Ackbar out.”


“Mara…” Luke whispered.

“Listen up!” barked Wedge. “Relaying hyperdrive coordinates—now.”

Luke punched in the coordinates and waited.

“Sound off!”

The entire Red squadron checked in with no banter. Luke could feel the tension radiating from his fellow pilots.

“On my mark…3…2…1…mark!”

Luke paused as the first four X-Wings disappeared and then blasted into hyperspace. He had known Mara was part of Cracken’s team, but had no idea she was on Geonosis. Stang. He doubted any, but a select few, knew about their mission. He fiddled with his chin strap and swallowed hard. He hoped she was all right. There had been so much left unsaid between them. He should’ve called her. He should’ve…

“Approaching planet coordinates in 3…2…1...mark!”

Luke watched the star lines disperse and keyed up on Wedge as they attained orbit.

“Sending encrypted communiqué now,” said Red squadron leader.

Please, please, please, thought Luke to himself. He blew out a breath and swallowed. Was his hand shaking? Breathe….

“Wedge?”

Luke turned to his left at Wes’ inquiry and saw the veteran pilot pulling at his gloves.

“Nothing, yet.”

Silence.

“Sending message again,” said Wedge.

Five more minutes strained by. Luke clenched and unclenched his fists. Would he be able to sense her from here? He doubted it. Uncle Ben probably could, but…closing his eyes he reached out with his feelings…

“Nothing.”

“What do we do, Wedge?” asked Hobbie.

Wedge hesitated for a minute. “We go in. Sending surface coordinates—now!”

Each pilot plotted the retrieval site and then checked in.

“Keep in communication at all times, understand?” said Wedge. “Let’s go.”

Luke pulled back on his stick, hoping they would make it in time.


XXXXX


“Turbo laser fire coming in at 223.45!”

Luke juked, dodging the incoming blast and leveling out over what used to be some kind of huge warehouse.

“Luke,” barked Wedge, “do you see anything on your 3?”

“A lot of destruction, not much left of the structure, Wedge. You sure these are the pick-up coordinates?” He checked his radar, then swore when he realized they were being jammed.

“Completely…what…do you…Imperial jam… switch to hyper…communi—”

Luke changed to hyperdrive communications. “Red Five standing by.”

As each pilot checked in, Luke reached out with his feelings and drew on the Force. Faint. It was very faint, but he recognized her from somewhere deep beneath the rubble. Mara.

“Do you think they’ve already left?” asked Hobbie.

“Not according to Akbar,” said Wedge.

Luke saw Wes whip under another cannon blast and circle back towards where the warehouse used to be. “I sense her.”

“Your sensors are online?” asked Wedge.

“No, said Luke. “I sense her in the Force. She’s under all that wreckage.”

Wedge growled. “Still no response to my comm. You sure she’s alive? What about the other one?”

“I’m not sure.” Luke banked and zeroed in on one of the turbo cannon. “I’ve got a clear shot on the cannon. Permission to engage, Red leader.”

“Do it!”

He fired a proton torpedo and watched it detonate into a blaze of fire.

“Direct hit!

“Way to go, Red Five!” said Wedge. “Everyone fall back into formation. Luke…”

“Yeah, Red leader?”

Wedge sighed. “The parameters have changed. I don’t know if we’re capable of completing our mission. You sure about this Force thing. This agent is still alive?”

Luke filed into formation and adjusted his mic. “I’m positive, Wedge. It’s faint, but I can sense at least one life form.”

“What are you thinking, Wedge?” asked Wes.

“I’m thinking of something stupid,” said Wedge.

“How stupid?” asked Hobbie.

“Really stupid,” said Wedge.

Wes laughed. “All right, my kind of plan.”

“Listen up, not sure how this will play out, but I’m thinking Luke and Wes go land in that clear patch of tundra we flew over about a click from here—”

Wes groaned.

“—travel back on foot to the pick-up site and infiltrate what’s left of that building. Luke can do his Jedi thing and, hopefully, find the Intelligence team and bring them back to their awaiting ships.”

“That’s your plan?” said Hobbie.

“The rest of us will continue to do fly overs and attempt to take out those cannons. I can’t order you two to do this, I can only ask for volunteers,” said Wedge.

“I’m in,” said Luke immediately. He held his breath waiting for Wes to respond.

“Know what?” said Wes. “I love this plan—as long as I get to carry a big scary blaster.”

“Done!” shouted Wedge. “Get going, you two. We’ll do our best to keep the Imperials off your backs.”

Luke and Wes banked away from the others, descending with Wes in the lead.

“You positive about this Force thing of yours, Luke?”

“Absolutely.”

“Good. ‘Cause I’ve done a lot of stupid things in my time…”

“But never left your X-Wing unguarded on a hostile Imperial planet while searching a blown up building for two, probably injured, people all under turbo laser fire and possible face to face combat?”

“No…I’ve done that. It’s getting one of the team members in the storage hull of my ship that’s got me concerned.”

“Wes…I’m glad you’re here.”

“I’m not.”


XXXXX



Mara coughed and tried to open her eyes. So much dust. She attempted to lift her hand to her face and was met with an intense flare of pain. Broken. Was it her right or her left? She tried again. Another surge. Her right. So much for using her lightsaber with her dominant hand. “Rylan?”

Mara lifted her head, blinking and surveying the wreckage. Where were they? Last thing she remembered…the hallway and Rylan was behind her. Everything was gray and covered in soot. She grimaced at the smell of burning oil and coughed again. They needed to get out of here. “Rylan?”

Her legs were free, but her left arm was immobile. “Rylan? Can you hear me? My arm is under something…” she looked to her left, and felt a metal tool poking into her hip. Mara winced as she discovered a huge chunk of durocrete restraining her arm. Great. Her right arm throbbed and her left one was numb under the big hunk of wall. “Ry…”

She tried to reach out with the Force, but her head felt strange. Probable concussion. Why hasn’t he responded? Her heart dropped to her stomach as a possible realization hit her. “Rylan—answer me!”

The silence was broken by the sound of footsteps running toward her. Oh no no no…. They had to get out now, before the Imperials got there. She attempted to draw on the Force again…

“Over here.”

“See them?”

Mara saw two figures covered in gray, advancing fast. It was hard to make out whether they were storm troopers or Imperial ground forces.

“Here’s the lieutenant.”

“I’ll find Mara.”

Mara? How did the empire know her name? She looked up into the face of what appeared to be an Alliance pilot. She could see the orange of his suit now. The pilot cursed and lifted the durocrete from her arm. Stars, guy’s strong. That must’ve weighed at least....

“Mara, can you hear me?”

She blinked, losing focus and seeing a kind of haloed silhouette around the pilot.

“Come on, cheeka, don’t give up on me now. Open your eyes for me.”

Mara felt her brows clench in confusion. Only one person ever called her cheeka.

“How’s the guy?”

“Not so good.”

Mara fought to keep her focus. “Rylan?”

“How bad, Wes?”

Mara shifted to take in the other pilot. “Is he okay?”

“I’m sorry, miss. He’s dead.”

...to be continued.