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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends Walking the Sky - sequel to I, Mara Jade - L/M AU - competed 9/12/12

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by JediMara77, Dec 22, 2011.

  1. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Oh, poor Luke. Politics was never his cup of tea. Thankfully, he got his mother's patience.

    Lol. Now I think I know why Ben was an only child in profic; the Solo children all traumatized Mara. But I love seeing the Solo kids acting like kids and not all sithy or dead.

    NR and the Imps are no longer at war? Did that happen in I, MJ and I just have a bad memory, or did that happen in-between the two fics?
     
  2. Mondra

    Mondra Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 12, 2010
    Can't decide if I should post comments here or on ff.net... I guess I can do both and hope the reviews encourage you to write more. :D

    I love all family moments with the Solos and Skywalkers, there's not enough of it in the profic. Sometimes it seems to me that they don't have a family life at all in the profic; maybe the authors think it's boring? I beg to differ...
    But I guess we will see some intrigue and action pretty soon, right? ;)

     
  3. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    Bah! Damned politians [face_frustrated]

    Very nice family scene though. :)
     
  4. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Oh JM77! I loved this chapter a lot! You had the varying opinions being expressed candidly without bogging the reader down in rants =D= =D= which would be very easy to do - There's a wonderful air of honesty and listeningness between the Solos and Skys ;)

    I agree with Luke - the Jedi Order should be autonomous - not able to be bought or bribed or "influenced" by allegiances to just one.

    An advisory council made up of various interests with enforcement powers would also be great.

    There has got [face_frustrated] :p o_O !!!!!! to be a middle ground between the stability and oppression of the Empire Mara served under and the squabbling, bickering, self-aggrandizing knuckleheads in the NR who don't get anything done except to vote in more perks for themselves or their worlds :rolleyes:

     
  5. Ridley Solo

    Ridley Solo Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 27, 2010
    I love this- it's so natural and organic. Everyone is so in-character, from Mara and her paling when thinking about beign a Mom, to Luke's reactions, right down to Fey'la's arrogance. Force, I hate that guy, but I see I'm in good company.

    Ooh, interesting idea of the Jedi not being exclusively loyal to either Republic or Empire. I'd like to see how that would work out. [face_thinking]

    Another vote for the joking, animal-loving Jacen over here! Seriously, the whole EU got totally screwed up the minute they came out with Vector Prime....[face_frustrated]
     
  6. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    I glared back at Fey?lya, almost daring him to call me into the meeting, so I could give him a piece of my mind. But he backed down. He?d never liked me very much, even after I aided the New Republic during the Thrawn crisis.
    But then, no one likes him much either! [face_not_talking]


    Jaina, Jacen, and Anakin threw themselves at us. The three terrors.
    [face_laugh]



    No, I definitely was not ready for three rambunctious children running around my house. But I couldn?t let Han know that, so I just shrugged nonchalantly. ?Thankfully we?re only having one, and that?s the way it?s going to be for quite some time.?
    I really think Mara wold have had serious problems handling twins from a start! Just imagine... [face_sick]



    Leia entered the foyer. ?Han! Stop bothering Mara!?

    ?Hey, I?m not doing anything
    !?
    [face_laugh] well, you talked to her, didn't you? ;)


    a hologame called ?Jedi vs. Sith
    [face_laugh] [face_peace]

    Leia poured us all a drink?nonalcoholic for me, of course?
    Oh, Mara, this mother-thing makes even you politically correct - I can't believe it! :p The worst thing is taht she sounds as if she enjoys acting nicely :p

    ?I?m beginning to wonder if the Jedi Order should even be a part of the New Republic,? Luke said cautiously. ?The Jedi served the Republic once before, and look what happened then.?
    Great point, Luke...


    ?I don?t know what you want from me, Luke. I can?t force them to listen to me.?

    ?Why not?? Han put his arm around her. ?You do it to me all the time
    .?
    [face_laugh]

     
  7. LouQuinn

    LouQuinn Jedi Knight star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 14, 2010
    Mesa muy muy luv the story so far! But I see that I am not in the PM list *le gasp*

    This needs to be fixed soon. Please put me on the PM list.

    Oy, Fey'lya. I know very well about having to put up with people you can't stand just to support your cause. I've got two words regarding my student council meetings: never. again.

    I kid. But then again I'm a masochist.

    Anyhoo, Mara's fear is perfectly understandable and I think it's present within any and all expecting mothers. There's not enough trainings in the world that could ever prepare you for motherhood. Mara, being someone who relies greatly on practices and preparations, would feel somewhat overwhelmed by the impending motherhood. Excellent insight! Keep it coming :D
     
  8. CurtisZidaneZiraa

    CurtisZidaneZiraa Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Yay new update! Love it, PM list me please?
     
  9. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    ginchy: Too bad that Fey'lya wasn't one of the 'many Bothans', eh?

    Hehe, yes, too bad indeed.

    I love Mara with the Solo terrors.

    I do, too. And I also like lizard-loving Jacen. :p

    [:D]



    taramidala: Does anybody like Fey'lya? Poor Bothan. [face_laugh]

    Luke seeing the roots of corruption in the NR is an interesting twist, and you've tied it back to I,MJ nicely with the peace treaty and the Empire of the Hand business.

    Thanks. :) It's all part of my plan. [face_mischief]

    I do understand your criticism about the Americanism. I debated whether or not to have Han say that. In the end, I couldn't think of another expression that got my point across and sounded as good. If it had been anyone other than Han, I wouldn't have done it.

    Thanks for reading. :)



    Jedi Lover: I always love your stories because they look at realistic and complex problems. I look forward to reading more.

    Thanks very much! I'm glad to hear that. It is a complex situation. I don't like the Jedi Order being just another branch of the military, but at the same time how could they be autonomous? I hope that whatever Luke comes up with satisfies all.



    LVB: Thanks! Mara and Leia have such an interesting relationship. Thankfully, now, they've come to an understanding, and Leia's just really happy to be an aunt.



    PadmeSkywalker: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the update and hope you continue to do so.



    Briannakin: Yes, he really needs Padme's knack for politics when he deals with Fey'lya. :p

    Lol. Now I think I know why Ben was an only child in profic; the Solo children all traumatized Mara. But I love seeing the Solo kids acting like kids and not all sithy or dead.

    Haha, yeah, Mara was like, one is enough! And I also enjoy young Solo kids.

    NR and the Imps are no longer at war? Did that happen in I, MJ and I just have a bad memory, or did that happen in-between the two fics?

    It happened at the beginning of the last chapter. Luke proposed as he and Mara were on their way to Coruscant for the signing of the peace treaty.



    Mondra: Aww, that's sweet. :)

    Sometimes it seems to me that they don't have a family life at all in the profic; maybe the authors think it's boring? I beg to differ...

    I like the show the characters being normal in between the action scenes. I think it's a good way to show characterization.

    But I guess we will see some intrigue and action pretty soon, right?

    Possibly. ;)



    Hazel: Thank you!



    Jade eyes: I think that, no matter how frustrated Luke gets, he's not one to rant. Well, unless he's with Mara and she's the one frustrating him. ;)

    We'll have to see what Luke comes up with for the Jedi Order.

    There has got frustrated tongue raised_brow !!!!!! to be a middle ground between the stability and oppression of the Empire Mara served under and the squabbling, bickering, self-aggrandizing knuckleheads in the NR who don't get anything done except to vote in more perks for themselves or their worlds

    I think they'll be able to do so. We'll just have to find out.



    JainaSoloYJK: Natural and organic - that's a great compliment! Thanks!

    Ooh, interesting idea of the Jedi not being exclusively loyal to either Republic or Empire. I'd like to see how that would work out.

    Well, first they have to get on good terms. Then we'll see what happens. :)



    kataja: But then, no one likes him much either! not_talking

    Nope, nobody does! [face_laugh]

    I really think Mara wold have had serious problems handling twins from a start! Just imagine...

    It would be both hilarious and tragic!

    well, you talked to her, didn't you?

    Poor Han! [face_laugh]



    LouQuinn: I have put you on the list!

    Oy, Fey'lya. I know very well about having to put up with people you can't stand just to support your cause. I've got two words regarding my student council meetings: never. again.

    And Luke so wan
     
  10. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    A/N: Here, there be plot.


    CHAPTER 3





    Later that night, I was awakened from a blissfully dreamless sleep by a loud beeping noise. I rolled over in bed, smacking Luke’s stomach with my hand, while trying to figure out what was going on. Years of tightly honed instincts had me fully awake in seconds, and my eyes darted around the room, looking for the offending noise.

    I then realized that it was our comm station. I rose from the bed, put on my robe, and went into the living area to see who in stars’ name was calling us at such a late hour. My ire lowered a bit when I saw Talon Karrde’s comm code, but my worry increased tenfold. For Karrde to be calling in the middle of the night meant that a crisis was brewing.

    I took a seat on the chair in front of the station and flipped on the comm for audio and visual. I looked frazzled, like I’d just woken up, and knew it would make him feel guilty. “Hello, Karrde.”

    Sure enough, he was cringing before I even spoke. “Hello, Mara. I’m really sorry to wake you in the middle of the night.”

    I waved him on with my hand. “Sure, sure, whatever. What’s wrong?”

    Karrde frowned, but there was a teasing glint in his eyes. “I wasn’t disturbing anything, was I?”

    I rolled my eyes. Even after being married for several years, Karrde still loved to tease me about my relationship with Skywalker. Before our wedding, he’d even threatened to beat Luke up if my new husband ever hurt me. “Only a pregnant woman’s beauty sleep,” I told him. “Now spill it.”

    Karrde sighed and ran his fingers through his long, graying hair. He too looked like he’d just woken up, and I wondered where the Wild Karrde was stationed in the galaxy. “Okay. Do you remember Soontir Fel?”

    I blinked, taken aback by his question. “Of course I remember him.” How could I not? Several years back, I had been invited to a planet called Nirauan by Sate Pestage, former Grand Vizier to the Empire. Unable to contain my curiosity, I went and having been plagued by a vision, Luke tagged along. Once on the planet, Soontir Fel greeted us. Fel had been the best TIE pilot in the Empire, but after the Emperor’s death he defected to the New Republic. After a kidnapping attempt by Ysanne Isard, he completely disappeared. As Luke and I found out, Fel had been stationed on Nirauan all that time, and was part of Grand Admiral Thrawn’s secret organization known as the Empire of the Hand. It was on Nirauan where I finally confronted my past as the Emperor’s Hand and Luke and I were bonded in the Force.

    Along with all that, Fel was brother-in-law to Luke’s good friend, Wedge Antilles. Luke was more than a little miffed that Fel had never attempted to contact Wedge in the three years past, even though Luke had provided encrypted contact information.

    “I’m glad to hear that,” Karrde said. “Because he wants to speak to you.”

    “He wants to speak with me?” I couldn’t keep the surprise out of my voice. After the rest of the Empire of the Hand learned that Sate Pestage had been using the Nirauan facility to secretly create clones of the Emperor, Fel and Admiral Voss Parck took control of the facility and shipped Pestage off to Bastion for trial. Both Fel and Parck insisted on remaining neutral and isolationist, wanting nothing to do with either the Imperial Remnant or New Republic. Why did Fel all of a sudden want to speak to me? Was the Empire of the Hand once again trying to win my allegiance? “Why?”

    “Well, technically the message was addressed to Luke.”

    “Ah. I see.” But that still didn’t make sense. What would Soontir Fel have to say to Luke? I shrugged my shoulders and moved on to another question. “So then why do you have the message?”

    Karrde frowned. “Ah, yes, well, the message came across one of our relay stations. I just so happened to notice the name Skywalker, and, well, you know how protective I am of my favorite former employee.”

    “Skip the flattery, Karrde.”

    He sighed. “Now that you’re a Jedi, nothing gets past you. It’s no fun.”

    “You couldn’t get anything past me even before I was a Jedi.”

    “Well, you did listen to me about not killing Luke.”

    I pointed to my stomach. “And look where that’s gotten me.”

    Karrde laughed. “Okay, here’s the truth. I’ve been in contact with the Empire of the Hand. Just a few times,” he added, when my expression turned incredulous. “I’ve been trying to broker an intelligence deal with them. Anyway, Fel asked me to put him in contact with Luke, as a sign of good will. I wanted to warn you before he contacts you,” Karrde glanced at his chrono, “which should be sometime tonight.”

    I groaned. “Thanks for the warning. You don’t have any idea what this is about?”

    Karrde shook his head.

    I snorted. “Excuse me if I have a hard time believing that.”

    Karrde held up his hands in an innocent gesture. “I swear, I don’t!” He leaned in toward the comm pick-up and lowered his voice. “But you’ll tell me all about it, right?”

    I leaned in and raised my eyebrows. “For a price.”

    “A price? Oh, Mara, I taught you well.”

    “Yes, you did.”

    “What’s the price?”

    “You and Shada can baby-sit.”

    Karrde wrinkled his nose. “Baby-sit?”

    I nodded and reached for the cut-off switch. “Yes, baby-sit. As in, watch the child while Luke and I have a night on the town. Now good night, Karrde.” He was still protesting as I cut the connection.

    “Karrde’s baby-sitting?”

    I turned around and found Luke standing in the bedroom door, his sleep pants slung low on his hips and hair sticking up in various directions. I nodded and pointed back in the bedroom. “You need to make yourself presentable. Apparently, Soontir Fel is going to be comming us soon.”

    “Yes, I heard,” Luke said as he went back into the bedroom. “You should have let me get the comm.”

    I sighed and made my way to the ‘fresher. “I’m pregnant, Luke, not an invalid.” That statement had become my rallying cry over the past four months. I hated being coddled, no matter what the situation, and didn’t see any reason why I needed to change my lifestyle just because I was pregnant. Leia had been involved in a galactic crisis while pregnant with twins, for Force sakes.

    Luke was waiting for me when I came out of the refresher. He had changed into his Jedi robes. “I know, but I can’t help it.” He leaned in to give me a kiss.

    I pulled away and tightened my robe. “Well, luckily for you, you can coddle the baby all you want when it arrives.” I poked him in the stomach.

    Luke made a face. “Shouldn’t we say ‘he’ or ‘she’? Saying ‘it’ all the time makes me think you’re giving birth to a droid.”

    I laughed. “I know, but we don’t know the sex yet.”

    “Don’t you have any sense of that yet?”

    “Kind of.” In fact, I had become quite certain over the past several weeks that the baby was a boy, but we’d yet to have a check-up confirming that. I didn’t want to start referring to the baby as ‘he,’ only to find out that I’d been wrong all the time. “What about you?”

    Luke looked sheepish. “You told me not to peek...”

    “And I know that you have, so there’s no point in pretending.”

    “Right.”

    I cocked a brow at him. “And?”

    “And...” Luke stepped forward and placed his hands on my belly. He closed his eyes, and I felt his Force sense envelop mine, and the burgeoning light inside me that was our baby. It was still such an odd, but incredibly natural, feeling. He opened his eyes and smiled at me. “I think that you’re right.”

    I smiled back. “We’ll see.”

    His response was cut off by more beeping from the comm station. I patted him on the shoulder. “Let’s get this over with, Master Skywalker.” He rolled his eyes, but then nodded and took a seat at the comm station. It was always amusing to see Luke switch from Farmboy to Jedi Master in the blink of an eye. I took a seat on the couch, out of pick-up range but still able to hear the conversation.

    The comm station flickered to life and the holographic form of Soontir Fel appeared in front of Luke. Fel was approximately Han’s age and had brown hair and brown eyes. He was a larger man, and had a military air about him. He nodded with precision. “Master Skywalker. Thank you for taking my call. I hope it was not a distraction.”

    Luke shook his head. “Not at all. It’s nice to hear from you again, General Fel.” Although his words were genuine, they sounded hard, and I knew that Luke was again wondering why Fel had continued to avoid his family. But, the consummate Jedi, he remained focused on the task at hand. “What seems to be the problem?”

    “Oh, there’s no problem, Master Skywalker. I would like to extend to you an invitation.”

    Luke’s brow furrowed. “An invitation?” I felt my brow furrow as well. From my conversation with Karrde, I’d gotten the impression that Fel had something of utmost importance to talk to Luke about. My suspicions began to rise.

    “Yes. You see, the Empire of the Hand has been searching the Unknown Regions for quite some time, looking for various threats to the galaxy. On such an expedition, one team came upon something very interesting.”

    “And that was?” Luke asked, clearly not in the mood for drawing this out any longer than necessary.

    Fel paused. “They found the remains of the Outbound Flight project.”

    Luke didn’t bother trying to hide his surprise. His jaw dropped, and it took him a few moments to find his voice. “The Outbound Flight project?” he finally managed to get out. “But I thought Thrawn destroyed that mission.”

    “Indeed,” Fel said. “But it appears that he did not destroy it completely. Our men came upon a distress signal emitting from the vessel and determined its probable location.”

    “What did they find?”

    Fel shook his head. “We don’t know. The team did not investigate further.”

    “Oh.” Luke sounded confused. “Why not?”

    “We had crossed into the boundaries of Chiss space. It would have been a breach of etiquette to land.”

    Fel’s explanation made sense, given what little was known about the Chiss Ascendancy. But it didn’t explain what the Empire of the Hand was doing in Chiss space to begin with. Thankfully, Luke also picked up on that contradiction. “But it was not a breach of etiquette to be exploring Chiss space in the first place?”

    Fel cringed, just slightly. “We have discussed this at length with the Ruling Families. But for now, we have a larger focus. The Chiss want to launch an expedition to the Outbound Flight wreckage, in order to atone for Thrawn’s involvement in the mission’s destruction. They’ve asked that the team from the Empire of the Hand accompany them.”

    Luke nodded. “And where do we come in?”

    Fel took a deep breath. “The Chiss would like a representative from the Jedi Order to come along. I recommended you.”

    “Ah,” Luke said. It all made perfect sense. Luke was the most famous Jedi in the galaxy, and Outbound Flight had been a Jedi mission. But was now the time to leave the galaxy to go exploring? With all the problems in the New Republic, not to mention Luke’s desire to expand the Jedi Order and Fey’lya’s protests to that, it could be foolish to leave.

    But looking at Luke’s eyes, I knew there was no way that he could possibly say no to this opportunity. Since opening the Jedi Academy, Luke had been scouring the galaxy trying to find information about the Jedi in the Old Republic. He’d found several texts and formal documents, but it was never enough for him. And he was always trying to find information about my parents. From visions and long-repressed memories, I knew that my mother had been a Jedi, but that was all I knew about my past.

    “You don’t have to give your answer now,” Fel said. “We will be rendezvousing in the Crustai system in several days time. I will forward the pertinent information. If you decide to come along, we will be waiting for you there. But we ask you to please keep this mission a secret. We don’t want the rest of the galaxy to know we’ve found the remains of Outbound Flight just yet.”

    “I see,” Luke murmured, looking deep in thought. I could tell that he wanted to say yes right away, but he glanced in my direction. I remained silent, and he nodded. “I’ll have to discuss the matter with my wife, at least.”

    “Of course, Master Skywalker,” Fel said. “I hope to see you on Crustai. Fel out.”

    Silence filled the room as Luke switched off the comm station. He remained seated, deep in thought, before turning to me. “You think it’s a bad idea, don’t you?”

    I shrugged my shoulders. “Not exactly a bad idea. I understand why you want to go, of course.”

    “Who said that I want to go?”

    “Please. I saw the look on your face as soon as Fel said the words “Outbound Flight.’ You were practically drooling.”

    Luke made a face. “Really? I thought I’d covered that up.”

    “You’re good at covering up many things, but you always get so excited about new Jedi stuff. It’s quite adorable.”

    Adorable? Me?”

    I nodded. “Yes. It’s one of those irresistible quirks of yours.”

    He crossed to the couch and sat next to me. He placed a hand on my forehead and peered at me intently. “Who are you and what have you done to my wife?”

    I laughed and swatted away his hand. “Nerf. I blame pregnancy hormones.”

    “I see. I’m an adorable nerf, though.”

    “Whatever. Let’s get back to the pertinent subject matter. Are we going to meet Fel on Crustai or what?”

    “Well, I can tell that you don’t think it’s a great id--wait a minute.” Luke paused, his expression turning suspicious. “Did you say we?”

    “Yes. Is there a problem?”

    He deliberately looked down at my stomach. “I would say so.”

    I sighed in frustration and rose from the couch. “Don’t start this again.”

    “Start what?”

    I entered the kitchen and began to make myself a cup of tea. I glared at Luke, who’d followed me into the kitchen, over my shoulder. “You know what.”

    “I’m sorry, Mara, but you’re pregnant. I just can’t ignore that and say ‘sure, come across the galaxy with me.’ What if something happens? I doubt there will be medics around that can take care of pregnancy complications.”

    “I’m four months pregnant, Luke,” I pointed out. “People still barely notice, and my morning sickness has been over with for a while. You heard what Cilghal said at my last appointment, that I was having a perfect pregnancy.”

    “And that’s exactly why I don’t want you to push yourself and have something go wrong. Here, let me do that.” He leaned forward to help me with the tea.

    I whirled on him and pinned him with a deadly gaze. “I know my own body, and can take care of myself, all right?”

    “Okay, okay!” He held up his hands in submission. “I’m just trying to help. Geez, when Mirax was pregnant she made Corran wait on her hand and foot. You think you’d be appreciative.”

    I took a deep breath as I put the tea kettle on the warmer. I knew that I wasn’t being fair, that all Luke wanted to do was help. He was always so protective of everyone he loved, and I should have expected this kind of treatment from the moment I told him I was pregnant. But it was still hard for me to accept that, very soon, I would have to cut back on the lifestyle I’d grown so used to.

    “Luke,” I said just as he got to the doorway. He turned around and favored me with a hurt expression. I immediately felt guilty. “I’m sorry.”

    He nodded. “I just want to help,” he said again. “It’s not that I think you’re incapable. I’m just...I worry.”

    “I know, but right now, there’s nothing to worry about.” We’d had the same discussion so many times over the past four months. “Right now I still feel really good, and I’d like things to stay normal for as long as possible. Okay?”

    “Okay.” And just like that, the crisis was over. We’d certainly come a long way from screaming matches in abandoned Sith temples...although we still had a few crazy fights every now and then. He tilted his head at me. “So about Outbound Flight...”

    I shook my head as the water began to boil. “Well, first of all, if you go, there’s no way that you’re going without me. Case closed.”

    “Fine,” Luke relented. “But you don’t think we should go at all, do you?”

    I shrugged and offered him a cup of tea. He refused. “It’s not that I don’t think we should go. I just worry about the timing. With all the infighting in the New Republic, and your request to the Senate, it might seem odd if we disappear for a while.”

    “We’ll just say that we have Jedi business. We don’t need to be specific.”

    I sat down at the table and looked at him, leaning against the counter. “And that won’t raise Fey’lya’s suspicions? And what if something happens that requires Jedi intervention while we’re gone?”

    “That’s why I have Kam and Tionne running the Academy, and other Knights stationed at Coruscant headquarters--to take care of things while I’m gone. You’re the one who told me I can’t do everything by myself, right?”

    I took a sip of tea to cover up my glowering glare. I always hated when he was able to turn my arguments around on me. “I know. But still...you know how Fey’lya is. He’ll take advantage of anything right now.”

    “Okay, maybe he will. Is that reason enough to reject this opportunity? It’s Outbound Flight, Mara.” His words were breathless. He took the seat across from me, and leaned in close. “You know how long I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this. It was a Jedi mission. Imagine the information we could find!”

    “If the computers are even intact,” I pointed out. “The dreadnaughts must have been damaged pretty badly in the attack.”

    “That’s true, but before tonight we’d believed that the ships must have been completely destroyed. We were wrong about that. Maybe we’re wrong in a lot of our assumptions.”

    “Point.” I took another sip of tea, and contemplated what such a trip could mean to the Jedi Order. Luke was more than satisfied with its direction, but always strove to learn more. It wasn’t that he wanted to emulate the past, he said. He felt that the only way to avoid repeating history was to learn as much about it as possible. In that, I agreed with him.

    And, of course, he always wanted to learn more about his father. Data about Anakin Skywalker had been erased from all the Jedi archives we’d come upon. The only information we knew about his early life were things Luke and Leia had learned on Tatooine.

    Picking up on my train of thought, Luke continued, “And maybe we’ll find something about your mother.”

    I snorted. “I doubt it. I’m sure Palpatine had all that information erased as well.”

    “Right,” Luke agreed. But I could still see the hope in his eyes. I’d long ago given up hope of finding information about my past. Just having the knowledge that my parents were proud of me, wherever they were, was enough for me. “But it was a Jedi mission. Palpatine wouldn’t have been involved, would he?”

    Luke, of course, would never give up hope.

    I sighed and stared deep into his blue eyes. “Okay, Skywalker. When do we leave?”
     
  11. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    Trying to snag first post before ginchy, but probably already failed. Will be back!

    I'm back! Awesome post. I wish my husband was half as attentive as Luke when I was pregnant. Mara shouldn't turn down the help. There is no way Luke is going to turn down checking out Outbound Flight. I guess Mara and Luke are going off on an adventure.

    Excellent post.
     
  12. Hazel

    Hazel Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2010
    Ooh, they're going off!

    I don't know whether to be excited or worried. [face_thinking]
     
  13. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    Excellent post! It's adventure time!

    And Mara just might renew her vow to kill him if Luke gets any more protective. But it's Farmboy, what else do you expect from him?
     
  14. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Nanci:

    First thing, loved the Karrde/Mara chat. [face_laugh] You do snarkiness better than anyone =D= @};-

    Luke's like a little boy as soon as he heard Outbound Flight LOL - although there is no denying there's valuable information potential [face_thinking]

    Luke is going to be protective of those he loves, Mara especially and it isn't a reflection of her capability; I love that he admitted that and that she up front asked that things stay normal as long as possible.
    I understand that sentiment and feel that's in character for Mara, but Luke's also right. They're going into a very unknown situation and there aren't likely to be medics "standing by" :p and by the time you realize :eek: something's up it might be too late for her or for the baby.

    Mara's maternal "dive in front of a moving semi to protect my child" mentality hasn't set in yet. o_O Either that, or she's as much of an adventure nut as Luke [face_shhh]

    But what I really love is how absolutely and swiftly the storm passes. In another thread, reviewers spoke of loving seeing normal couple/family stuff and that it isn't boring. How could it be with this bunch? [face_laugh] I also love seeing actual resolutions like you've shown here - [face_dancing] :*

    [:D]

    !!!





     
  15. Jedi_QueenBee

    Jedi_QueenBee Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 5, 2008
  16. Ridley Solo

    Ridley Solo Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 27, 2010
    Yay! New chapter![face_dancing]

    ?Skip the flattery, Karrde.?
    He sighed. ?Now that you?re a Jedi, nothing gets past you. It?s no fun.?
    ?You couldn?t get anything past me even before I was a Jedi.?
    ?Well, you did listen to me about not killing Luke.?
    I pointed to my stomach. ?And look where that?s gotten me.?

    This made me [face_laugh] It's totally Mara and Talon.

    ?What?s the price??
    ?You and Shada can baby-sit.?
    Karrde wrinkled his nose. ?Baby-sit??

    Another LOL. I can just see his face! Perfect conversation!

    Gender debate! [face_dancing] Gotta love those.

    Outbound Flight? Oooh, the plot does thicken?[face_thinking]

    Mara?s mom was a Jedi!? :eek: Who knew? Guess it makes sense, though.

    ?Adorable? Me??Yes, Luke. You?re quite adorable. =P~ I'm totally jealous of Mara.

    Awww, Luke is so sweet and protective![face_love] Don?t knock it, Mara. He?s just showing he loves you!

    Another GRAT chapter! Can't wait to read more!=D= =D=


     
  17. jaded_jewel

    jaded_jewel Guest

    I read I MJ when you put it on the boards?don?t know if I ever reviewed. Thought it was great and I?m loving the sequel as well.

    Love all of the banter. Mara and Karrde, Mara and Luke.

    Great work!
     
  18. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    Oooh, Karrde. You know ginchy loves him. And I sooooo want to see an outtake of him and Shada babysitting Baby Skywalker. [face_batting]

    I love, love, love L/M married and having a minor disagreement but coming to terms with one another. And she's right--she's not an invalid, but he's Luke--she should have expected this. LOL

    VERY interesting conversation with Fel there... I like where this is going.

    And...

    =P~ =P~=P~=P~

    Screw talking to Fel, she should have pushed him back in the bedroom and-- well. [face_mischief]

    O:) What?? :D
     
  19. taramidala

    taramidala Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 1999
    GINCHY SHINE! [face_dancing] Surely those pregnancy hormones will kick in sometime... 8-}


    And we have more plot. As always, I'm intrigued, and surely you didn't throw in the speculation about Mara's parents just for fun, now did you?...
     
  20. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    Karrde frowned, but there was a teasing glint in his eyes. ?I wasn?t disturbing anything, was I??
    Ewww... :rolleyes: :p

    Now that you?re a Jedi, nothing gets past you. It?s no fun.?

    ?You couldn?t get anything past me even before I was a Jedi.?

    ?Well, you did listen to me about not killing Luke.?

    I pointed to my stomach. ?And look where that?s gotten me.?

    Luke /Mara banter is the best but Mara/Karrde banter is fab too! [face_love]



    you?ll tell me all about it, right??

    I leaned in and raised my eyebrows. ?For a price.?

    ?A price? Oh, Mara, I taught you well.?

    ?Yes, you did.?

    ?What?s the price??

    ?You and Shada can baby-sit.?

    Karrde wrinkled his nose. ?Baby-sit??

    I nodded and reached for the cut-off switch. ?Yes, baby-sit. As in, watch the child while Luke and I have a night on the town. Now good night, Karrde.? He was still protesting as I cut the connection
    .
    *falls off chair* You told her not to kill him, Karrde - and look where that got you!



    Luke looked sheepish. ?You told me not to peek...?

    ?And I know that you have, so there?s no point in pretending
    .?
    She knows him all too well... :p


    He closed his eyes, and I felt his Force sense envelop mine, and the burgeoning light inside me that was our baby. It was still such an odd, but incredibly natural, feeling. He opened his eyes and smiled at me. ?I think that you?re right.?
    Awww... The thing is, that you can feel it, in RL too. I could feel my son! Not his gender but him. Who he was. It's so weird...


    It was always amusing to see Luke switch from Farmboy to Jedi Master in the blink of an eye.
    LOOOVE that line!!! :D

    you always get so excited about new Jedi stuff. It?s quite adorable.?

    ?Adorable? Me??

    I nodded. ?Yes. It?s one of those irresistible quirks of yours.?

    He crossed to the couch and sat next to me. He placed a hand on my forehead and peered at me intently. ?Who are you and what have you done to my wife
    ??
    [face_laugh] [face_laugh] Adorable!!! [face_love]


    And that?s exactly why I don?t want you to push yourself and have something go wrong. Here, let me do that.? He leaned forward to help me with the tea.
    Oh, yeah, 'cos taht's really going to drench her... :p

    I?m just...I worry.?
    [face_blush] Oh Luke!!![face_love]


    And what if something happens that requires Jedi intervention while we?re gone??

    ?That?s why I have Kam and Tionne running the Academy, and other Knights stationed at Coruscant headquarters--to take care of things while I?m gone. You?re the one who told me I can?t do everything by myself, right
    ??
    Take you own medicine, Mara! lol
     
  21. CurtisZidaneZiraa

    CurtisZidaneZiraa Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 18, 2010
    Ooh, how interesting. So this is Survivor's Quest pregnant Mara style. I like it.
     
  22. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    Jedi Lover: Ginchy wasn't online, so you win! :)

    I wish my husband was half as attentive as Luke when I was pregnant. Mara shouldn't turn down the help.

    Yes, but this is Mara Jade we're talking about here. She doesn't like any sort of pity whatsoever. Even just a husband trying to help her out when she's pregnant. Crazy woman. :p

    They are going on an adventure, indeed. [face_mischief]



    Hazel: Excited! This is my non-angst fic, remember? Well, okay, there's a tiny bit of angst. But compared to WotF, this is happy fun land! [face_laugh]



    Briannakin: Mara knew what she was getting into, but she still reserves the right to act annoyed. ;)



    Jade_eyes: Thank you! I do love writing banter.

    Mara's maternal "dive in front of a moving semi to protect my child" mentality hasn't set in yet.

    Oh, it has. She just hasn't really had much reason to let it manifest yet. In her eyes, everything has been perfect. Why can't she keep living her life as normally as possible? Sure, she can spar and run and do everything that she used to!

    She's going to have to learn that she needs to slow down, or at least accommodate for her pregnancy.

    I love how Zahn wrote L/M in Survivor's Quest, as true teammates. They didn't agree on everything, but they complemented each other perfectly, and always came to a resolution. I'm hoping to emulate that here.



    Queenbee: Thank you!



    JainaSoloYJK: This made me laugh It's totally Mara and Talon.

    Thank you! I do love that relationship and was very sad to see it diminish in profic.

    Mara?s mom was a Jedi!? shock Who knew? Guess it makes sense, though.

    I inferred that near the end of I, Mara Jade, during the flashback scene in Chapter 23. All Mara really remembers is the day Vader came and took her away, and her mother was using a lightsaber.

    Awww, Luke is so sweet and protective! love Don?t knock it, Mara. He?s just showing he loves you!

    Yes, but you know Mara. She doesn't necessarily go for sweet and protective. :)



    jaded_jewel: Thank you! I hope that you enjoy this fic. It's very different from the other one I'm writing right now. [face_laugh]



    ginchy: I can provide that outtake later on. [face_laugh]

    Screw talking to Fel, she should have pushed him back in the bedroom and-- well.

    I leave those types of outtakes to you. [face_mischief]



    taramidala: There may or may not be a ginchy shine later on. [face_batting]

    As always, I'm intrigued, and surely you didn't throw in the speculation about Mara's parents just for fun, now did you?...

    Well, I wouldn't get your hopes up. While I enjoy Mara backstories in fanfic, I much prefer that her actual background be left a mystery.

    But they may find some clues on the mission. It just depends on how far Palpy's control reached - and as we know, he had his hands in Outbound Flight.



    kataja: Luke /Mara banter is the best but Mara/Karrde banter is fab too!

    Thank you! I'm glad you like. :)

    *falls off chair* You told her not to kill him, Karrde - and look where that got you!

    The poor baby will end up playing with Shada's zenji needles!

    Awww... The thing is, that you can feel it, in RL too. I could feel my son! Not his gender but him. Who he was. It's so weird...

    [face_love] I still wonder why I decided to undertake a pregnancy fic when I've never been pregnant. Thankfully, ginchy's been a wonderful beta in that respect. And I try to use what Kathy Tyers gave us in Balance Point as much as possible.

    LOOOVE that line!!!

    It's quintessential Luke, no? :)



    Curtis: HAHA! That's a perfect description of this fic. And yes, it is. :)



    Thanks for reading, everyone! I've got the next chapter almost ready to go. I'm trying to slow down on posting, because I really need to get back to editing WotF, but I'm having so much fun writing this fic. I call the next chapter boring (lots of settin
     
  23. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    A/N: Please note, starting with this chapter we will be getting into spoiler territory for Choices of One. It will not ruin the novel, but you will find out the fate of a particular character.





    CHAPTER 4





    The trip into Unknown Space was uneventful, and several days later Luke and I arrived in the Crustai system. The second planet was a Chiss colony while an asteroid served as a base for the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. I pulled the Jade’s Fire out of hyperspace and maneuvered toward the rendezvous location that Fel had provided.

    Not long after we reverted to realspace, the comm began to buzz. I looked at Luke out of the corner of my eye and indicated for him to answer.

    He did, but not before taking a deep breath. “Here goes nothing.” He grimaced and flipped on the comm. “This is Luke and Mara Skywalker on the Jade’s Fire, at the request of Soontir Fel.”

    Jade Skywalker,” I said out of the corner of my mouth. Luke rolled his eyes in my direction. It wasn’t that I minded being called solely by his name. I just liked to make things difficult for him.

    A flat-sounding voice reverberated out of the speaker. “Greetings, Master Skywalker. We are transmitting docking information. Please proceed as ordered. Standby.”

    Luke and I glanced at each other. “Cheery bunch,” I commented.

    “Is it possible for Chiss to be cheery?”

    “I don’t know. I’ve met approximately one of them in my entire life. And judging from him, no, they’re not the most animated of peoples.”

    Luke smiled lightly. “Right.”

    Just then, a stream of data came into the navigation console. I followed the instructions as ordered and moved the Fire to dock.

    The Chaf Envoy was one of the oddest vessels I’d ever laid eyes on. It was approximately two hundred meters long, full of flat planes and angular edges. It almost looked like some sort of bird of prey. I wondered if other Chiss ships had similar designs. Judging by how secretive the Chiss were, I wasn’t likely to find out the answer to that question any time soon. I’d noticed a few Chiss officers while milling about the Empire of the Hand’s fortress on Nirauan, but as I said to Luke the only one I’d ever met before was Thrawn. I felt somewhat privileged to even be invited onboard a Chiss vessel on a one-time basis. If I was feeling that way, I could only imagine what Luke must be feeling.

    I maneuvered the Fire into one of the Chaf Envoy’s docking bays. There were several other ships nearby, including what looked to be an Imperial shuttle and another ship of alien origin. Who else had been invited on this mission? I’d softened a lot since joining the Jedi Order, but my suspicious nature had been hard-wired into me since I was a young girl. Trust was not something I gave easily, especially in unusual situations like this. Especially while I was pregnant.

    Luke wasn’t the only one who worried about our baby. While he tried to make everything stress-free and perfect, my worry just manifested itself in other ways. But that mother bantha instinct was there and I would kill anybody who dared threaten to harm my child.

    So I was very guarded when, several minutes later, Luke and I powered down the Jade’s Fire and made our way down the ramp. My arms were crossed over my chest in a defensive position. Luke nudged me lightly and I lowered my arms just before we got to our welcoming committee.

    Two Chiss and one human greeted us. “Welcome, Master Skywalker,” the human—Soontir Fel—said. I assumed that he was acting as spokesperson because we had previously met. “I’m very glad you have decided to join us on this mission to Outbound Flight.” He was very formal and stilted, just as he’d been on Nirauan. I wondered at this, as he had a Corellian background and all the other Corellians I knew had the tendency to be quite hotheaded. Was he just naturally a serious person, or was it a result of spending so much time around the Chiss?

    I let Luke do the talking. “Thank you, General Fel. I’m sure you remember my wife, Mara?”

    “Of course.” He stepped forward to shake my hand…and then his eyes raked over my abdomen. I was ready to give him a piece of my mind for staring and remind him that he was married to close family friend’s sister, when I followed his gaze downward and realized what he was looking at—the bump that was protruding from beneath my flight suit. The flight suit that had gotten snug over the past week, and that I hadn’t yet gotten around to replacing. I cursed myself for not thinking to change into Jedi robes before debarking the ship. I only wore them regularly when teaching at the Academy, and it had totally slipped my mind to change. Perfect; all I needed was another male to worry about my well-being on this mission.

    Our eyes snapped up at the same time. He grimaced apologetically, and I shrugged my shoulders as if it didn’t matter. “I guess the nexu’s out of the bag,” I said. “We haven’t announced it publically yet,” I added, not that I needed to explain anything. And not like Fel would be talking to the holopress from out on Nirauan, but you never know.

    He stared at my stomach again, looking a bit worried. I suppressed a grimace, as I expected him to say that I shouldn’t go along on the mission. “Right,” he said after a few moments. Then he looked up at me and smiled. “I suppose congratulations are in order.”

    Luke clasped my hand and smiled back. “Thank you,” he answered for the both of us. “We’re very excited.”

    “I can imagine.” Fel’s eyes took on a wistful look, and for a moment I could see the father that lay hidden behind the stiff warrior. But it was over as soon as it began. “Allow me to introduce to you to Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano and General Prard'ras'kleoni. You may refer to them by their core names, Formbi and Drask.” He gestured to the Chiss on his right. “Aristocra Formbi is a leader of the Fifth Ruling Family, to which this vessel belongs. General Drask serves the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet and will be in charge of all military operations on this mission.” He gestured to us. “This is Master Luke Skywalker and Jedi Mara Jade Skywalker, representing the Jedi Order.”

    Luke nodded at the both of them. “Thank you for allowing us to accompany you on this mission. We are honored by the privilege.”

    “Likewise,” Aristocra Formbi responded. “I am very pleased that the leader of the Jedi Order can accompany us to atone for the misdeeds of Mitth’raw’nuruodo.”

    He glanced to General Drask, who merely narrowed his eyes and nodded. He did not look nearly as excited to have two Jedi on this mission. On second thought, he didn’t seem pleased to have any humans onboard a Chiss vessel. That was very interesting indeed, especially since he was to be in charge of military operations. Would this cause problems? I hoped not, and made certain to find out more about Chiss politics on the mission to Outbound Flight. Not to mention, learn more about this General Drask.

    I nodded my head toward the other vessels in the hangar. “Will anybody else be accompanying us on this mission?”

    Fel gave a knowing smile, as if he’d expected me to figure that out. “Yes, in fact. If you’ll follow me?” We retrieved our bags from the ship, Luke insisting on carrying the heaviest two, and after a few moments followed him out of the hangar.





    We arrived in a plain-looking room and placed our bags on the ground next to us. I assumed that this was some sort of reception area, but was surprised at the lack of decoration. It turned out that the Chiss were more practical than we even suspected. The room slowly began to change. Walls receded, angles were created, and banners and colors appeared throughout the room. In mere moments, it was as if I was in a completely different space.

    Luke and I must have shared identical impressed expressions, because Aristocra Formbi gave us a proud nod. “Our reception area changes depending on the status of visitor. I can explain more later during a tour of the Chaf Envoy, if you’d like.”

    “Yes, we would, thank you,” I replied. I was very eager to learn more about our hosts, not to mention the other guests.

    Speaking of which, I became aware that Fel had broken off from our group and was now standing in front of five other men. There were out of uniform, but it was clear from just the way they presented themselves that they were stormtroopers. One of them looked oddly familiar, but I could not place him. I didn’t know what to think about being in the presence of stormtroopers again.

    Next to Fel was a man who looked to be in his mid-sixties. He had graying hair and wore thick ambassadorial robes. “May I present Ambassador Dean Jinzler,” Aristocra Formbi said. Luke and I stepped forward to shake hands. “This is—”

    Formbi’s introduction was cut off by Jinzler’s bitter voice. “I know who they are. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Master Skywalker.” He looked to me. “Jedi Jade Skywalker.” He shook our hands politely, but could not disguise the disgusted glances he gave to our lightsabers.

    That was certainly very interesting. Luke’s expression remained blank, but he was thinking the same thing I was. “Please, call us Luke and Mara.”

    “Ambassador Jinzler, did you say?” I asked.

    Jinzler nodded.

    “Interesting,” I murmured. The New Republic had its fair share of political officials, but I had never heard of an ambassador named Jinzler before. “I apologize, I can’t recall what planet you represent.”

    Jinzler’s eyes turned hard. “No, I wouldn’t suspect a Jedi would be aware of such mundane topics. I work in the main senate office on Coruscant. I was sent to represent the New Republic’s official interests in the Outbound Flight project.”

    “Right,” I said dryly. Not only did Jinzler avoid my question, but he expressed more dislike of the Jedi. Very interesting indeed.

    I heard Luke’s voice in my mind. Friend of Fey’lya’s?

    I mentally shrugged. No clue. I’ve never heard of a Jinzler in the senate office before.

    Me neither. And Luke had been subjected to Leia’s political talks far longer than I. Perhaps he’s new.

    Maybe. But I didn’t believe that for a second, and even though Luke had the tendency to trust everyone, I knew he didn’t believe it either.

    As if one suspicious person on this mission wasn’t enough, Formbi turned his attention to the woman—I assumed it was a woman—standing to the right of Jinzler. She was tall and wore dark robes and a cowl that covered her hair and the top of her face. All I could see were her gray eyes, red lips, and oddly-patterned cheeks. Her skin was pale and she didn’t look entirely human.

    “Luke and Mara, may I introduce Rida Hano, representing the Nephro.”

    Hano reached out to shake our hands. Her lips curved into an unnatural-looking smile, but I felt an odd sense of relief radiating from her in waves. “It is an honor to meet you both,” she said softly.

    Luke smiled at her. “Thank you. I’m sorry to say I’m unfamiliar with your species.”

    “Do not apologize. There are few of us now, and we originate from a small planet in the Unknown Regions. I would not have expected you to know of us.”

    “What are your interests in Outbound Flight?” I asked. I tried to keep my tone as neutral as possible, even though my suspicions about this woman had already begun to rise.

    She looked to her feet, her expression forlorn. “Approximately forty years ago, we were attacked by a species called the Vagaari. The majority of my people were killed or captured. There was only a shipload of us left. It was then that we came upon the Outbound Flight mission. The Jedi onboard helped defend us against the Vagaari, and we managed to escape. Since then, we have traveled around the Unknown Regions, searching for a new home. When we learned what became of the Jedi, we were devastated. We always hoped of thanking them for aiding our survival. I am very grateful to be able to pay respects to Outbound Flight and thank our Jedi saviors.”

    “As are we,” Luke murmured. I glanced at him, looking somber and reflective. But I could tell that his suspicions were high, too. Nevertheless, it was quite possible that Hano’s story was true. There was no way to know about every species and civilization that existed in the vast Unknown Regions.

    But my danger sense was spiking like crazy, and I had a strange and unnatural dislike for this woman. I’d learned long ago to listen to the Force, and I would continue to do so, especially now. I made another mental note to ask Aristocra Formbi about the other guests as soon as possible.

    Aristocra Formbi gestured to Fel and his men. “And you’ve already met General Fel.”

    Fel nodded. “Yes. And with me are five of the finest soldiers from the Empire of the Hand, led by Commander Daric—”

    “LaRone!” I gasped, finally placing the familiar figure to events of fourteen years ago.

    The man on Fel’s immediate right nodded. “I was wondering if you would recognize me.”

    My mouth dropped open, and for a moment all I could do was stand firmly in place. Not long after the Battle of Yavin, when I was still the Emperor’s Hand, I became involved with a group of rogue stormtroopers who called themselves the Hand of Judgment. Instead of turning them in for desertion, I worked with them and used their skills to my advantage. During our second mission together, I traveled to the Candoras sector with orders to execute the Imperial governor. Instead I became involved in a complicated plot that involved an alien warlord named Nuso Esva, the Rebel Alliance, and then-Supreme Commander Thrawn. It was on Poln Major where I ending up working with a Rebel named Skywalker, who somehow also knew LaRone and the other members of the Hand of Judgment.

    After that mission, I waited for LaRone and the others on their ship, but they never returned. I assumed that they’d been captured or killed, and chalked up the experience as yet another lesson not to get close to people. I left Poln Major the same Emperor’s Hand as before, and returned to my duties in the Empire.

    Luke stepped forward to greet LaRone, but I pushed him aside and rushed past him. For fourteen years, I’d idly wondered what had happened to those loyal soldiers. Sitting on their ship, waiting for them to return, was the first time I’d ever experienced a true sense of loss. All those old feelings that I’d long sought to repress came rushing to the surface and I enveloped LaRone in an embrace.

    In hindsight, I could only blame the pregnancy hormones for that move.

    LaRone stiffened slightly, obviously not expecting such a reaction from the former Emperor’s Hand he’d once served. I pulled away quickly, embarrassed by my emotional reaction. “So that’s what happened to you,” I said, trying to cover up my embarrassment.

    He smiled at me, the awkwardness over in seconds. “Yes. Thrawn gave us an offer that we couldn’t refuse. We’ve been in the Empire of the Hand ever since.”

    “And the others?”

    “They serve with other units. They are well.”

    Luke drew beside me to shake LaRone’s hand. “It’s very nice to see you again, LaRone.”

    “Likewise.” LaRone glanced between the two of us. “I must say that I was surprised to learn of your courtship, given past circumstances.”

    I laughed. “Believe me, so was I.” Luke merely grinned at me.

    Fel was watching us the entire time, his eyebrows nearly raised to the top of his head. “You three know each other?” He gave LaRone a questioning look.

    “I’ll explain later, sir,” LaRone said, all business.

    Fel shrugged. “I really shouldn’t be surprised,” he mumbled.

    Aristocra Formbi held out his arms. “Now that we have all exchanged greetings, my aide Feesa will show you to your staterooms.”





    Luke I were led to a small but comfortable stateroom and left to our own devices. We spent the next half an hour or so unpacking our belongings and generally getting settled. My first order of business was to change into looser clothing. I didn’t want any more curious glances during this trip.

    While I was finishing in the refresher, an announcement came over the shipwide comm system, saying that we had about fifteen more minutes before jumping to hyperspace. I hurriedly finished dressing, determined not to lose this opportunity.

    Luke was lying in bed, reading a datapad, when I emerged from the refresher. “I’m going back to the Fire,” I told him. “Do you need anything?”

    Luke looked up at me. “What do you need? I’ll get it for you.”

    I tried hard to suppress my annoyance. He was only being helpful. “No, thanks. I’m going to talk to Karrde.”

    Luke raised an eyebrow. “To Karrde? Will you even be able to send a message from this far out?”

    I shrugged my shoulders. “Hopefully, through one of his relay stations.”

    “What’s wrong?”

    I sat on the bed and looked him straight in the eye. “I want information about Hano and Jinzler.”

    “Ah.” Luke placed his datapad on the bedside table and clasped his hands on his lap. “Suspicious?”

    “Very.” I sighed and placed my head in my hands. “I’m not sure, but I have a bad feeling about them, like they're hiding something.”

    He nodded solemnly. “I felt it, too. Do you want me to go with you?”

    “No, it might raise more questions if the both of us go. If anyone asks, I’ll just say that we forgot something on the ship.”

    “You think the Chiss will be able to track our message?”

    “I don’t know, and I don’t really care.” I rose from the bed and grabbed my utility belt. “We’re just covering their backs, right?”

    Luke smirked at me. “Right. Tell Karrde I say hello.”

    “Will do.” I left him in the room and walked the short distance to the ship. I passed several Chiss on the way, but they gave me wide berth. I couldn’t tell if they were being respectful or impolite.

    Thankfully, I was able to get a connection on the holocomm. I’d spared no expense in ensuring that the Jade’s Fire had a top-of-the-line communications system. To my surprise, Karrde himself answered after a few minutes, wearing a very inquisitive expression. “Well, if it isn’t my favorite Jedi. I thought you were on some super secret mission with the Chiss?”

    “Yes, and let’s keep that super secret, shall we?” I said, rolling my eyes. “I need your help.”

    “Anything for you.”

    “I need you to send me all the data you can find about two beings named Rida Hano and Dean Jinzler.”

    Karrde’s eyes narrowed. “Jinzler, did you say?”

    “You know him?”

    “Yes. He works for the organization, doing tech work on one of the outposts.”

    “Really?” I sat back in my chair, deep in thought. Why would an ambassador have a history doing tech work? It certainly wasn’t odd for people to change careers—I would know—but that was a very big change. “When did he leave?” I asked.

    “I wasn’t aware that he had.” Karrde looked deeply concerned by this. “He’s on this mission with you?”

    I nodded. “Says he’s the official ambassador from the New Republic.”

    “That’s a lie. There are no ambassadors named Jinzler that I’m aware of.”

    “Yeah, that’s what Luke and I thought as well.” I sighed. “What about Hano?”

    “Doesn’t ring a bell. Female?”

    “Yes, from a near-human species called the Nephro.”

    “Hmm.” He pressed a few buttons, and then shook his head. “I’ve never heard of that species. I’ll have to investigate that for you.”

    “Please do. We’re about to go to hyperspace, but send anything you find as soon as possible. I’ll check the logs every time we revert for a course correction.”

    “Will do.” Karrde leaned into the pick-up and smiled mischievously. “Oh, and Mara? Does this assistance relieve me of my baby-sitting duties?”

    I rolled my eyes again. “We’ll see. Good-bye, Karrde.”

    He saluted. “May the Force be with you.”
     
  24. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    It is so sweet to see LaRone. I loved Choices of One. Great chapter. It has been so long since I read Outbound Flight. Perhaps it is time to read it again.

    Great job! I look forward to reading more.
     
  25. ginchy

    ginchy Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 25, 2005
    I thought you said you were posting this on Friday. I got all excited for a moment thinking it wasn't Thursday but was in fact Friday. :p

    Loving the plot. And I don't think this chapter is boring. I still haven't read CoO but I'm glad to see this LaRone guy. Seems like he was somewhat of a friend to Mara. And her hormonally induced hug was too sweet. LOL!