FOR THE LOVE OF A JEDI Part 6.
Mara woke up on the floor of the seedy motel room she had rented. She raised her head then gasped as a piercing pain shot through her skull. Her mouth felt like she had gargled with sand. Her eyes stung at the weak sunlight coming through her closed drapes. Drapes that she had not opened in the three days she had been here. For some reason the dark suited her mood better. She turned her head feeling the rug scratching against her cheek as the smell of dust almost made her gag. She honestly couldn’t remember the night before. She idly wondered how she had gotten back to her room then realized she didn’t care. She closed her eyes and tried focussing on the force to try and relieve her hangover. If Skywalker was here he would probably tell her she was misusing the force. A small smile touched her lip before her brain caught up with her and she moaned in pain. She had seen the holo reports showing what seemed like an endless supply of pictures of the happy couple. The lovely Mrs. Skywalker had clung to her husband’s arm as if showing off a prize. Although if Mara was honest with herself she would acknowledge that Skywalker didn’t look happy in most of them. So why the hell had he gone through with it? Damn that farmboy, if he was in front of her she knew she probably wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to vape him with her lightsaber. The lightsaber he had given her. The lightsaber that was his only link to his father. For a moment Mara wished she had gone through with killing him all those years ago then froze. No, she had never regretted not carrying out the emperor’s final command at least not in the way he had intended. Mara closed her eyes against the sudden sting of tears. When would this end?
0(0(0(0
The following day Talon Karrde found himself seated across from Han Solo in a rather quaint bar. Karrde glanced around at the interesting assortment of knick knacks that decorated the bar and had clearly come from all over the galaxy. Han returned to the table with a glass of whiskey for each of them. Karrde accepted his drink then frowned as he noticed a lip print on the edge of his glass. How hard was it to wash a glass? He pushed the drink away, then watched Solo sipping at his drink. Apparently he was fortunate enough to get a clean glass. Karrde waited him out then finally lost his patience;
‘So what is this about Solo? What do we need to talk about?’
‘Luke and Mara,’ Solo replied keeping his gaze steady on the smuggler turned information broker. Karrde’s eyebrows went up again.
‘As Skywalker is now a member of your fraternity he is hardly relevant to Mara is he?’
‘I disagree,’ he commented briefly trying not to let Karrde rattle him.
This man was in a different league to what Han had been in his smuggling days. Talon Karrde was polished, educated, articulate and extremely protective of all of his employees. He was also the wealthiest and most successful of the smuggling chiefs. Han knew it was this protectiveness that was making him lash out
‘So what exactly are you suggesting Solo? Do we kidnap the new Mrs. Skywalker or her husband?’
Han sighed, this was the root of the problem, he just didn’t know what to do.
0(0(0(0
Leia was helping Ciella put the final touches to their new home. Leia had watched in curiosity then horror as Ciella wandered around the apartment humming to herself as she placed a variety of knick knacks in different places. Leia was wondering how she could just disregard her husband’s obvious unhappiness. Leia knew that she felt it as soon as Han was upset or unwell. But she didn’t really think it was her force ability that allowed this. She actually believed it was just the way a couple committed to each other learned to read each other. Perhaps Leia was being too hasty after all Ciella and Luke had only been together five months. Maybe Ciella just needed more time to understand her husband. Leia tried to broach a subject she was curious about;
‘Ciella I wondered have you and Luke talked about starting a family? I know Luke would make a wonderful father.’
Ciella had been in the process of placing a delicate china vase on top of the bookcase when her hand slipped causing the vase to fall to the floor and shatter. She spun around to face Leia;
‘Children? You cannot be serious.’
Leia frowned glancing around at her pride and joy who were sitting quietly on the floor playing a game;
‘But why not? They can only enrich your lives and your marriage.’
Ciella gave a delicate little shudder, ‘No thank you. I don’t want some messy smelly little child messing up my home and my life. Not to mention my figure.’
Leia gasped in horror and turned to see three small shocked faces watching the conversation. Anakin frowned at his new aunt. Did this strange lady just call him smelly? Ani had been prepared to give his new aunt the benefit of the doubt. He really tried to like her even though she had a very strange force signature. Looking at her was like looking through a foggy window. He honestly wondered how his Uncle could have missed that then he realized that his Uncle’s force sense was much weaker than it usually was. He could have overlooked her strange signature if she had made his beloved Uncle Luke happy. But clearly she did not. Anakin thought again of Mara Jade and shook his head. Grown ups were very strange, ignoring the thing they needed most.
0(0(0(0
The two men entered the seedy motel room after demanding the manager open the door. The room was dark and smelled stale as if it had been closed up for a long time. A familiar red headed figure lay curled up on the floor. Han nodded to the window and Talon Karrde crossed to open both the window and the drapes. As the sunlight spilled into the room the figure on the floor moaned and covered her face with her hands. Han reached down grasping Mara’s upper arms and lifted her to her feet. Mara roused herself coming out fighting. Her fist connected with Han’s jaw;
‘Let me go!’ she yelled before seeing who was actually holding her, ‘Solo?’ she questioned in confusion, what the hell was he doing here?
‘Hey Red, come on let’s get you cleaned up,’
Both men led Mara towards the fresher, collecting a change of clothing and clean towels. They stood outside the door listening until they heard the water running then left to give Mara some privacy.
Fifteen minutes later she sat at the small table staring at the cup of caf Han had made for her. Even though she was now in clean clothes with neatly combed wet hair her jade green eyes were red rimmed and her face was pale. She looked exhausted and just plain shattered. Han realized he was seeing the same lost, wounded expression that had been on Luke’s face when he took him to the bar that night. He sighed wondering how they were going to achieve what should have happened in the first place. Namely Luke Skywalker married to the right woman.
Mara’s hand shook as she reached for the mug, finally glancing at the two men;
‘How did you find me?’ she asked her voice hoarse.
‘I had a homing beacon fitted to your ship before you left Coruscant. I was concerned about you,’ Talon Karrde replied shocked at the haggard appearance of his bright, brilliant second-in-command.
‘Next question, why did you come here for me?’ she said softly.
‘We just want to try and help,’ Han replied gently. Mara raised her stricken eyes to his face. Finally she swallowed hard and looked away mumbling;
‘You can’t help, he made his choice and that choice wasn’t me.’