A GREATER FORCE PT. 1
Mara sighed for the hundredth time as the New Republic council meeting dragged on and on. Part of her regretted joining the New Republic after the Mt. Tantiss destruction. Damn Skywalker and that wide eyed idealism. As his earnest face came into her mind a small smile curled the corners of her lips. It was funny how up until a few weeks ago she wanted nothing more than to cause his death, now she admired and respected him. Shaking her head she dismissed the sudden idea that maybe she felt something more for him. She felt a hand brush hers and glanced up to see the warm, brown eyes of Leia Organa Solo gazing at her.
‘Mara, are you okay? You looked like you were miles away.’
Mara shrugged, ‘Just drifting off a bit, this political scene isn’t really my bag. I’m more comfortable taking on a band of Cavilhru pirates than listening to Mon Mothma.’
Leia laughed softly, ‘It does take getting used to. For better or worse I’ve been attending meetings like this for most of my life.’
Mara nodded, Luke had told her about his and his sibling’s very different upbringings. Luke had grown up on the desolate environment of a moisture farm on Tatooine. Leia had grown up amid the pomp and ceremony of Alderaan royalty. This thought caused her to recall her own upbringing. Under the influence and guidance of Palpatine, who she had seen as her master, her surrogate father and her role model for most of her life. It was only when she had met and come to know those in the New Republic particularly Skywalker that she began to question her loyalties. How could the man she had idolized be viewed as an evil despot by an entire galaxy? Had Palpatine kept her sheltered from seeing the most destructive of his schemes? She had heard about the destruction of Alderaan, of course she had, probably the only beings who had not been talking about it for the last six years were mole miners. Glancing to her left at the profile of the serene, gentle woman she now saw as a friend, she marveled at how Leia had not felt the need for revenge. The revenge that Mara had wanted so badly when she thought Luke had brought about the death of Palpatine. Yet Leia had lost much more than an important person in her life, she had lost her entire world. She wondered how much of this serenity and sense of justice was due to their Jedi training. Although Mara’s skills were growing daily thanks to Luke’s training she was yet to learn that mastery over her emotions. She still had a hair trigger temper and a tendency to see the worst in people. Luke’s unshakeable optimism and sense of belief in universal benevolence was all good and well. But Mara much preferred her natural danger instincts, that and a reliable blaster tucked up her sleeve. Unconsciously her fingers brushed the hilt of her lightsaber hanging from her belt that had been Luke’s. The lightsaber handed down from his father that he had lost on Bespin. The lightsaber, he had handed to Mara without hesitation before he even knew she would join the New Republic.
The murmuring in the room grew louder and Mara looked up to see people rising from their seats. Clearly the meeting had come to an end at last. She rose to follow Leia from the room when a familiar voice called her name. Turning her head she saw Luke walking toward her.
A broad smile was on his face as he reached her side, ‘Hello Mara’
She simply nodded in reply, ‘Skywalker.’
‘I thought we could have an extra training session, seeing the meeting ended earlier than expected,’ he said looking as excited as a child getting his first hoverbike.
Luke glanced up and saw two Duros caught up in conversation about to walk straight into Mara. Instinctively he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him, out of harm’s way. Glancing down he discovered he was at very close range to a pair of extraordinary emerald green eyes. He had always acknowledged and admired Mara’s beauty, but up until recently that beauty was marred by anger and hatred. For a moment he felt time stand still as his hand still clasped hers tightly and his eyes roamed over every inch of her face.
Mara gasped when he had pulled her towards him. He was definitely stronger than he looked. Glancing over her shoulder she saw the large, oblivious Duros Luke had pulled her away from. Turning she found his face mere inches from hers. His wide blue eyes travelled over her face and Mara felt her breath catch in her throat. For the first time she noticed his full lower lip and idly wondered what it would feel like in her mouth or touching her skin. Gasping she stepped back pulling her hand from his grasp as if he had burnt her. She could feel color climbing her cheeks at her own traitorous thoughts. How could she go from hating someone more than life itself to admiring them then to lusting after them? She must be losing her mind she thought giving her head a shake;
‘Did you want something Skywalker? That is apart from pawing me.’ She said trying to keep her voice from shaking and sounding like her usual cynical self.
Luke looked momentarily confused and a little hurt by her implication. He really had just been trying to prevent her getting trampled. He had also already told her why he had approached her. It had been unplanned and definitely unintentional that her closeness would stir emotions and sensations in him he had not known existed. Then he remembered Mara was one of the most emotionally closed off people he had ever met. Her painful, difficult past had created defenses that were equivalent to the fortress of Hijani. He noticed the tinge of pink in her cheeks and her chest rising and falling rapidly and for a moment wondered if she had felt something too.
0(0(0(0(
Two hours later the two of them sat side by side on the training room floor, their backs resting against the woven mats lining the walls. The room had been designed by Luke and every surface had a layer of padding. Due to the physical requirements of being a Jedi it was necessary for the training sessions to include pretty vigorous athletics. Mara had always prided herself on her fitness and physical agility. But now even she sat puffing and could feel sweat running down her face. She glanced to her left and saw Luke sitting serenely, no indication of exertion or physical discomfort showed on his face. Mara again wondered if she would ever gain that level of mastery over her reactions, her expressions and her state of mind. Having her mind controlled for most of her life did not bode well for the task. Although Palpatine had been a ruthless manipulator there had been a feeling of order and control in obeying a simple chain of command. After his death she had been cast adrift not really knowing who she was or where she fit into this new galaxy. The only thing she had known was the terrifying image of the emperor being cut down by Luke and Vader and his command that still occasionally haunted her dreams, ‘You will kill Luke Skywalker.’ She only heard the voice in her dreams now, no longer in her mind, she had fulfilled the order only not in the manner Palpatine had intended. Her slaying of the clone Luuke gave her freedom from the voice at last. It was only after the event that she realized Palpatine had planted the order in her mind not as a means of eliminating Luke but as a last act of vengeance on Darth Vader.
To be continued……….