Fic: Veil of Shadows, 8/13, PG-13
Title: Veil of Shadows
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Category: AU, angst, romance
Timeframe: OT; around time of ANH
Summary: A strange tale where the good guys are bad, the Empire has won, and a Sith adept pursues the girl of his nightmares.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
~~
8. Tainted
It was dark inside the cave when Mara woke. She turned over onto her other side and pulled a glowrod from her pocket. Starkiller was slumped against the opposite wall, still snoring gently. A cold wind blew across their little camp, pricking at Mara’s skin. She rubbed her arms and shoulders as she stood up to stretch.
Mara Jade.
She snapped her head around and held the glowrod up against the darkness. There was nothing there except the entrance to that damn tomb. Blowing out a tired breath, Mara stepped over to the carvings Starkiller had been reading the night before.
She couldn’t decipher the ancient runes, but even if she could, she doubted she would ever trust anything they said. The Sith were ambitious and dangerous. She knew her master valued their skills, but she didn’t understand why he let them have so much power.
Mara ran her fingers over the runes, and as she did so, she saw a small globe of white light appear inside the tomb.
Enter, Mara Jade.
This time she was sure it was not her imagination. The globe of light began to sway, growing smaller and smaller as it retreated into the tomb.
Enter.
She stood frozen to the spot, remembering the voice that had beckoned her into the other tomb. She couldn’t follow it. She shouldn’t… she shouldn’t go in.
Enter.
Mara reached for the light, and the tomb’s outer stone door opened. She stepped across the threshold and followed the light into the chamber.
~~
“This is Lord Vader, my child. He will instruct you in the art of dueling.”
The little girl looked up at the Emperor, her eyes wide. “But I already learned how to duel, Master.”
The Emperor laughed and placed a gentle hand on her head. “You have not learned this, my dear.” He looked across the room at the black shadow-creature and nodded. “Lord Vader?”
Mara watched her younger self in awe, wondering how it was that she could physically witness a moment from her past, a moment that had happened a decade ago.
Darth Vader reached for his lightsaber. With the press of a button, the crimson blade came to life.
The little girl’s mouth formed an O as she stared at the red beam. “What is it?” she whispered.
“That, my dear, is a lightsaber.”
Mara blinked several times. I must be dreaming.
The scene melted, and another appeared in its place.
I’m definitely dreaming.
The girl had aged about two years, and she was kneeling before the Emperor, looking thoroughly chastised.
“You must not interact with any of the adepts, do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
“The Sith are not like us, Mara. Do not forget that.”
“I won’t, Master.”
“If I didn’t control them, they would be a great threat to the galaxy. A careful balance must be maintained.”
Younger Mara lifted her head and nodded. “I understand, Master, but the adepts-”
“Are Sith-in-training. A necessary evil. They are the price I pay for Lord Vader’s service. You are not to go near them, and that is all I shall say on the subject.”
“Yes, Master.”
Mara studied her younger self as the girl stood and bowed to her master. She didn’t remember being that skinny.
“Emperor’s Hand.”
Mara spun around at the sound of Darth Vader’s voice. The scene had changed once again. She was standing in the Emperor’s throne room. This time, however, there was no other Mara. Vader was speaking to her.
“Emperor’s Hand, it is time.”
“Time for what?” Mara stared past Vader at the shadowy throne where the Emperor was seated. For the first time since she was a little girl, the sight of her master sent a chill through her.
“Mara, my dear,” the Emperor said softly, rising from his seat. “You have been trained and molded for a single purpose: to serve as an extension of my will. Now you must mete out punishment to our greatest enemy.”
Mara looked back and forth between Vader and her master. “This isn’t real. I don’t understand what’s happening.”
The Emperor waved his hand, and the doors opened to reveal two stormtroopers dragging in a hooded prisoner. The soldiers came forward and dropped the prisoner at Mara’s feet. She could not tell who was under the hood.
“Who is this person?” she asked.
The Emperor smiled. “All that matters is that this person is an enemy of the Empire and must be executed.”
Mara shook her head. “No, this is a dream. I’m not an executioner.”
The Emperor walked slowly down the steps, his eyes glittering under his cowl. “This traitor is too dangerous to be left alive. You must do it, Mara.”
The stormtroopers lowered the prisoner’s hood, and Luke Starkiller stared up at her. She took a step back, unable to look away. “I can’t,” she pleaded. Blue eyes, she thought absently, wondering why she hadn’t noticed before now.
The Emperor’s smile faded, replaced by a vicious snarl. “Do it!” He raised his hand toward her, and tiny bursts of lightning crackled from his fingertips. “Do it, or I will take back the child I gave you!”
Mara twisted away from the lightning and tripped over the prisoner. On her way down, she saw a flash of red and knew that Vader’s lightsaber was about to slice through her body. She raised her hands defensively, realizing too late that she had lost her control over the Force. She shut her eyes and braced herself.
Open your eyes, Mara.
The voice was completely unfamiliar. Without understanding why, she did as it told her.
Something sizzled overhead, and Mara looked up to see Starkiller standing over her, his lightsaber ignited. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Sure,” she replied, trying to figure out whether she was sleeping, dead, or just having another really bad day. She glanced at the floor where the Emperor’s prisoner had been, but she saw only stone. So it was a vision after all.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”
Mara rose to her feet and dusted off her clothes. “Don’t I look all right?”
“A little dazed, maybe. Did you not see that creature coming at you?”
“What are you talking about?” She picked up the glowrod and examined it.
“The tuk’ata,” he replied incredulously, staring at her as if she’d sprouted an extra limb. “A Sith hound used to guard the tombs. You really didn’t see anything?”
Mara eyed him suspiciously. “I saw the throne room. Are you saying you didn’t?”
“No, I just felt that you were in trouble.” He averted his eyes. “When I got here I saw the tuk’ata about to attack.” He looked off into the darkness. “It won’t bother us again.”
She noticed that her arms were shaking a little. She crossed them tightly over her chest so Starkiller wouldn’t notice. It was humiliating enough that she’d nearly been killed while having some stupid vision. And then there was that strange voice. She was so sick of all these voices - it felt like she was losing her mind.
Starkiller deactivated his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt. “At least you’re okay.”
Mara nodded silently, barely able to see him in the dark. The glowrod must have been damaged when she fell; it was losing power.
“Starkiller?” she said hesitantly. She could feel him staring back at her, probably with that same anxious expression she’d noticed when they met the day before.
“Yes?” His voice was much too soft to belong to a future Sith Lord. Maybe that was what made him so dangerous.
Just say it.
“Thank you.”
She saw his lips quirk in a wry grin. “You’re welcome, Mara.” Then something about his presence stiffened, like a rope being pulled taut. “Why don’t you get your stuff together so we can get out of this cave?”
Mara felt a stirring of the dark energies that had drawn her in, and she knew with sudden certainty that those energies had been after her baby. They might even have been directed at her by her pursuer.
Or maybe this was what the Emperor wanted. He had said that Korriban was an ideal place to stay during the pregnancy. She assumed there would be power here, but nothing like this cave or those bat creatures or the deranged man who had chased her from the other tomb. Did the Emperor know about these dangers? Had he sent her anyway?
She didn’t want any more of Korriban’s darkness. Mara nodded at Starkiller. “Are you coming?”
“I’ll be out soon,” he said earnestly.
“Right.” Mara wrapped the Force protectively around her womb. Then she turned away and ran.
~~
Luke watched Mara for a moment as she jogged off in the direction of the tomb’s entrance. Again he was struck by how petite she was.
“Luke?”
He continued to watch Mara’s backside, his lips quirking into a wry grin. “Hello, Leia.”
Luke turned his head and met the girl’s brown eyes. She was wearing dark gray trousers and a black sleeveless shirt. Her skin radiated a faint blue light.
“You ready, Starkiller?” She raised her arms and spread her legs, settling into a combat stance.
Luke shook his head. “You’re not even real.”
The vision before him shifted, and when Leia smiled up at him, he found himself looking at a slightly younger version of her.
“Now you see it,” she murmured darkly. “You ready?”
Luke closed his eyes and remembered.
~~
Four Years Ago
“Stop!”
Luke held his blade at Leia’s neck with one hand while he wiped his brow with the other. He tried to regulate his breathing as he looked over at the Sith Lords. His eyes met the Emperor’s. “My lord?”
The Emperor waved a hand at him, and Luke immediately deactivated his saber and took a few steps away from Leia. The Emperor nodded at Darth Vader. The Dark Lord’s respirator hissed in the silence as he approached the sparring circle.
“Explain yourself.” Vader’s tone sent a chill through Luke’s body.
Leia rolled onto her hands and knees. “He defeated me, my lord.” She shifted into a kneeling position, her head bowed low.
“You let him.”
Luke’s eyes went wide. Something hot and ugly reared its head inside of him.
“I did not, my lord, I swear it.” Leia’s voice was quiet but steady.
“Stand up.”
Leia did so.
The Dark Lord towered over the girl. She stared up at him, her eyes bright with fatigue. Luke exchanged a quick glance with Katarn and Horn as they all held their breath.
Vader bent his helmet toward Leia and said in a dangerously low voice: “You lie.”
“No, my lo-”
Vader backhanded her across the face, knocking her to the other side of the mat. Horn’s eyes widened, and he made a motion as if to go to her. Katarn put an arm out in front of Horn, his eyes never leaving the girl on the floor. Luke folded his arms across his chest and glanced over at the Emperor. The old man’s yellow eyes were glittering darkly.
“Get up,” Vader rumbled dispassionately.
Leia looked up at him, her eyes burning.
And then she smiled.
“Thank you, Lord Vader,” the Emperor called out. “Now, my dear, I would like you to fight young Starkiller again.” His lips twitched as though he were holding in a smile. “The right way.”
“Yes, Highness,” Leia replied, rubbing her jaw as she stood. Her eyes found Luke’s.
“You ready, Starkiller?”
~~
Now
Luke opened his eyes and stared at Leia’s specter. He could feel Mara outside the tomb, gathering her belongings. She seemed badly shaken.
“No, Leia,” he addressed the vision. “I will not fight you.”
The apparition seemed annoyed. “You must fight me, Luke. Our master wishes it.”
Luke remembered what had happened after Leia got back up. He remembered how his shame had turned to anger, his anger to rage. He remembered the Emperor forcing them to continue the fight even after he’d disarmed her. He remembered the naked fear in Katarn and Horn’s eyes as the medical droid carried Leia away on a repulsorsled.
“I wonder sometimes,” he said wearily, “if we could ever have been friends.”
The false Leia shook her head. “As long as we both pursue the same goal, it can never be.”
“I won’t give up. Neither will you.”
“The dark path is a lonely one.” She gave him a sad, knowing smile. “And you’re still afraid.”
Luke blew out a disgusted breath. “You’re not even the real Leia. You’re just a vision.”
“I am more real than you know.”
Outside the cave, Luke sensed a flash of concern coming from Mara. “It doesn’t matter now,” he replied dismissively, turning his back on Leia as he began to run toward the entrance. He could feel the dark energies of the tomb swirling angrily around him, but he pressed forward.
Foolish boy, the tomb whispered. So weak.
Luke emerged from the tomb to find Mara pulling her bag onto her shoulder. She adjusted the strap and looked over at him expectantly.
“You ready?”
Luke exhaled forcefully, trying for once in his life to expel the darkness from his body. The tomb had been saturated with it; he had never felt anything like it. And Leia was right, if not in the way she had imagined.
He was afraid.
But Mara was enough to make him face his fears.
She took a step toward him. “Starkiller?”
Luke couldn’t help the grin that came to his face. Was she actually worried about him? Maybe he would get through to her after all.
“I’m fine,” he replied. “I’m ready.” He almost asked her if she wanted him to carry her bag, but he thought better of it. Her experience in the tomb must have been equally difficult, and in their brief time together he had figured out that she preferred to deal with her problems alone.
Mara led the way through the series of caves until they came to the edge of the valley. Luke stepped to her side and looked out over the Valley of the Dark Lords. The sun peeked above the horizon, hitting the tops of the Sith statues. The work of his predecessors didn’t seem quite as impressive this morning.
Mara pulled out a small datapad and held it up in the air.
“What’s that?”
“Tracker. It was dark when I entered the valley, and in the confusion I lost my direction. This will tell me where my ship is.”
“Confusion of what?”
Mara dropped the hand that held the device and let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s gone.”
“Your ship? How?”
“He must have destroyed it.” Mara tucked the tracker into her jacket and folded her arms across her chest. “Damn,” she muttered. “Now what?”
Luke gazed across the canyon. “Come with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“My ship fits two. You can ride with me.”
“No,” Mara said, shaking her head. “You’re an adept. When we get back to the capital, we’d-”
“What? We’d be in trouble? If you don’t come with me, you’ll be dead.”
Mara looked away. Despite his frustration, Luke wanted to pull her into his arms. How did she manage to look so tough and so vulnerable at the same time? Maybe it was something only he could see.
“Mara,” he said, gentler this time. “What happened here? Who is chasing you?”
She looked over her shoulder, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I don’t know who he is.” She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. The tears receded. “I know he’s dangerous,” she finished gruffly.
Luke looked down at his feet. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair, blowing a few strands across his face. “You act like you don’t need my help, but I know you do.”
“How dare-”
“Please, just listen! I’m here for you, Mara. Only for you. So why don’t you let me help?”
She closed her mouth and stared up at him, her green eyes alight with fury. He couldn’t tell whether she was going to punch him or just take off without him.
She let out a long breath, and the fire in her eyes faded just a little.
“Okay, Starkiller,” she said slowly, spreading her hands in a conciliatory gesture. “We’ll do it your way. Lead on.”
~~
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None
Category: AU, angst, romance
Timeframe: OT; around time of ANH
Summary: A strange tale where the good guys are bad, the Empire has won, and a Sith adept pursues the girl of his nightmares.
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
~~
8. Tainted
It was dark inside the cave when Mara woke. She turned over onto her other side and pulled a glowrod from her pocket. Starkiller was slumped against the opposite wall, still snoring gently. A cold wind blew across their little camp, pricking at Mara’s skin. She rubbed her arms and shoulders as she stood up to stretch.
Mara Jade.
She snapped her head around and held the glowrod up against the darkness. There was nothing there except the entrance to that damn tomb. Blowing out a tired breath, Mara stepped over to the carvings Starkiller had been reading the night before.
She couldn’t decipher the ancient runes, but even if she could, she doubted she would ever trust anything they said. The Sith were ambitious and dangerous. She knew her master valued their skills, but she didn’t understand why he let them have so much power.
Mara ran her fingers over the runes, and as she did so, she saw a small globe of white light appear inside the tomb.
Enter, Mara Jade.
This time she was sure it was not her imagination. The globe of light began to sway, growing smaller and smaller as it retreated into the tomb.
Enter.
She stood frozen to the spot, remembering the voice that had beckoned her into the other tomb. She couldn’t follow it. She shouldn’t… she shouldn’t go in.
Enter.
Mara reached for the light, and the tomb’s outer stone door opened. She stepped across the threshold and followed the light into the chamber.
~~
“This is Lord Vader, my child. He will instruct you in the art of dueling.”
The little girl looked up at the Emperor, her eyes wide. “But I already learned how to duel, Master.”
The Emperor laughed and placed a gentle hand on her head. “You have not learned this, my dear.” He looked across the room at the black shadow-creature and nodded. “Lord Vader?”
Mara watched her younger self in awe, wondering how it was that she could physically witness a moment from her past, a moment that had happened a decade ago.
Darth Vader reached for his lightsaber. With the press of a button, the crimson blade came to life.
The little girl’s mouth formed an O as she stared at the red beam. “What is it?” she whispered.
“That, my dear, is a lightsaber.”
Mara blinked several times. I must be dreaming.
The scene melted, and another appeared in its place.
I’m definitely dreaming.
The girl had aged about two years, and she was kneeling before the Emperor, looking thoroughly chastised.
“You must not interact with any of the adepts, do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
“The Sith are not like us, Mara. Do not forget that.”
“I won’t, Master.”
“If I didn’t control them, they would be a great threat to the galaxy. A careful balance must be maintained.”
Younger Mara lifted her head and nodded. “I understand, Master, but the adepts-”
“Are Sith-in-training. A necessary evil. They are the price I pay for Lord Vader’s service. You are not to go near them, and that is all I shall say on the subject.”
“Yes, Master.”
Mara studied her younger self as the girl stood and bowed to her master. She didn’t remember being that skinny.
“Emperor’s Hand.”
Mara spun around at the sound of Darth Vader’s voice. The scene had changed once again. She was standing in the Emperor’s throne room. This time, however, there was no other Mara. Vader was speaking to her.
“Emperor’s Hand, it is time.”
“Time for what?” Mara stared past Vader at the shadowy throne where the Emperor was seated. For the first time since she was a little girl, the sight of her master sent a chill through her.
“Mara, my dear,” the Emperor said softly, rising from his seat. “You have been trained and molded for a single purpose: to serve as an extension of my will. Now you must mete out punishment to our greatest enemy.”
Mara looked back and forth between Vader and her master. “This isn’t real. I don’t understand what’s happening.”
The Emperor waved his hand, and the doors opened to reveal two stormtroopers dragging in a hooded prisoner. The soldiers came forward and dropped the prisoner at Mara’s feet. She could not tell who was under the hood.
“Who is this person?” she asked.
The Emperor smiled. “All that matters is that this person is an enemy of the Empire and must be executed.”
Mara shook her head. “No, this is a dream. I’m not an executioner.”
The Emperor walked slowly down the steps, his eyes glittering under his cowl. “This traitor is too dangerous to be left alive. You must do it, Mara.”
The stormtroopers lowered the prisoner’s hood, and Luke Starkiller stared up at her. She took a step back, unable to look away. “I can’t,” she pleaded. Blue eyes, she thought absently, wondering why she hadn’t noticed before now.
The Emperor’s smile faded, replaced by a vicious snarl. “Do it!” He raised his hand toward her, and tiny bursts of lightning crackled from his fingertips. “Do it, or I will take back the child I gave you!”
Mara twisted away from the lightning and tripped over the prisoner. On her way down, she saw a flash of red and knew that Vader’s lightsaber was about to slice through her body. She raised her hands defensively, realizing too late that she had lost her control over the Force. She shut her eyes and braced herself.
Open your eyes, Mara.
The voice was completely unfamiliar. Without understanding why, she did as it told her.
Something sizzled overhead, and Mara looked up to see Starkiller standing over her, his lightsaber ignited. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“Sure,” she replied, trying to figure out whether she was sleeping, dead, or just having another really bad day. She glanced at the floor where the Emperor’s prisoner had been, but she saw only stone. So it was a vision after all.
“Are you sure you’re all right?”
Mara rose to her feet and dusted off her clothes. “Don’t I look all right?”
“A little dazed, maybe. Did you not see that creature coming at you?”
“What are you talking about?” She picked up the glowrod and examined it.
“The tuk’ata,” he replied incredulously, staring at her as if she’d sprouted an extra limb. “A Sith hound used to guard the tombs. You really didn’t see anything?”
Mara eyed him suspiciously. “I saw the throne room. Are you saying you didn’t?”
“No, I just felt that you were in trouble.” He averted his eyes. “When I got here I saw the tuk’ata about to attack.” He looked off into the darkness. “It won’t bother us again.”
She noticed that her arms were shaking a little. She crossed them tightly over her chest so Starkiller wouldn’t notice. It was humiliating enough that she’d nearly been killed while having some stupid vision. And then there was that strange voice. She was so sick of all these voices - it felt like she was losing her mind.
Starkiller deactivated his lightsaber and hooked it to his belt. “At least you’re okay.”
Mara nodded silently, barely able to see him in the dark. The glowrod must have been damaged when she fell; it was losing power.
“Starkiller?” she said hesitantly. She could feel him staring back at her, probably with that same anxious expression she’d noticed when they met the day before.
“Yes?” His voice was much too soft to belong to a future Sith Lord. Maybe that was what made him so dangerous.
Just say it.
“Thank you.”
She saw his lips quirk in a wry grin. “You’re welcome, Mara.” Then something about his presence stiffened, like a rope being pulled taut. “Why don’t you get your stuff together so we can get out of this cave?”
Mara felt a stirring of the dark energies that had drawn her in, and she knew with sudden certainty that those energies had been after her baby. They might even have been directed at her by her pursuer.
Or maybe this was what the Emperor wanted. He had said that Korriban was an ideal place to stay during the pregnancy. She assumed there would be power here, but nothing like this cave or those bat creatures or the deranged man who had chased her from the other tomb. Did the Emperor know about these dangers? Had he sent her anyway?
She didn’t want any more of Korriban’s darkness. Mara nodded at Starkiller. “Are you coming?”
“I’ll be out soon,” he said earnestly.
“Right.” Mara wrapped the Force protectively around her womb. Then she turned away and ran.
~~
Luke watched Mara for a moment as she jogged off in the direction of the tomb’s entrance. Again he was struck by how petite she was.
“Luke?”
He continued to watch Mara’s backside, his lips quirking into a wry grin. “Hello, Leia.”
Luke turned his head and met the girl’s brown eyes. She was wearing dark gray trousers and a black sleeveless shirt. Her skin radiated a faint blue light.
“You ready, Starkiller?” She raised her arms and spread her legs, settling into a combat stance.
Luke shook his head. “You’re not even real.”
The vision before him shifted, and when Leia smiled up at him, he found himself looking at a slightly younger version of her.
“Now you see it,” she murmured darkly. “You ready?”
Luke closed his eyes and remembered.
~~
Four Years Ago
“Stop!”
Luke held his blade at Leia’s neck with one hand while he wiped his brow with the other. He tried to regulate his breathing as he looked over at the Sith Lords. His eyes met the Emperor’s. “My lord?”
The Emperor waved a hand at him, and Luke immediately deactivated his saber and took a few steps away from Leia. The Emperor nodded at Darth Vader. The Dark Lord’s respirator hissed in the silence as he approached the sparring circle.
“Explain yourself.” Vader’s tone sent a chill through Luke’s body.
Leia rolled onto her hands and knees. “He defeated me, my lord.” She shifted into a kneeling position, her head bowed low.
“You let him.”
Luke’s eyes went wide. Something hot and ugly reared its head inside of him.
“I did not, my lord, I swear it.” Leia’s voice was quiet but steady.
“Stand up.”
Leia did so.
The Dark Lord towered over the girl. She stared up at him, her eyes bright with fatigue. Luke exchanged a quick glance with Katarn and Horn as they all held their breath.
Vader bent his helmet toward Leia and said in a dangerously low voice: “You lie.”
“No, my lo-”
Vader backhanded her across the face, knocking her to the other side of the mat. Horn’s eyes widened, and he made a motion as if to go to her. Katarn put an arm out in front of Horn, his eyes never leaving the girl on the floor. Luke folded his arms across his chest and glanced over at the Emperor. The old man’s yellow eyes were glittering darkly.
“Get up,” Vader rumbled dispassionately.
Leia looked up at him, her eyes burning.
And then she smiled.
“Thank you, Lord Vader,” the Emperor called out. “Now, my dear, I would like you to fight young Starkiller again.” His lips twitched as though he were holding in a smile. “The right way.”
“Yes, Highness,” Leia replied, rubbing her jaw as she stood. Her eyes found Luke’s.
“You ready, Starkiller?”
~~
Now
Luke opened his eyes and stared at Leia’s specter. He could feel Mara outside the tomb, gathering her belongings. She seemed badly shaken.
“No, Leia,” he addressed the vision. “I will not fight you.”
The apparition seemed annoyed. “You must fight me, Luke. Our master wishes it.”
Luke remembered what had happened after Leia got back up. He remembered how his shame had turned to anger, his anger to rage. He remembered the Emperor forcing them to continue the fight even after he’d disarmed her. He remembered the naked fear in Katarn and Horn’s eyes as the medical droid carried Leia away on a repulsorsled.
“I wonder sometimes,” he said wearily, “if we could ever have been friends.”
The false Leia shook her head. “As long as we both pursue the same goal, it can never be.”
“I won’t give up. Neither will you.”
“The dark path is a lonely one.” She gave him a sad, knowing smile. “And you’re still afraid.”
Luke blew out a disgusted breath. “You’re not even the real Leia. You’re just a vision.”
“I am more real than you know.”
Outside the cave, Luke sensed a flash of concern coming from Mara. “It doesn’t matter now,” he replied dismissively, turning his back on Leia as he began to run toward the entrance. He could feel the dark energies of the tomb swirling angrily around him, but he pressed forward.
Foolish boy, the tomb whispered. So weak.
Luke emerged from the tomb to find Mara pulling her bag onto her shoulder. She adjusted the strap and looked over at him expectantly.
“You ready?”
Luke exhaled forcefully, trying for once in his life to expel the darkness from his body. The tomb had been saturated with it; he had never felt anything like it. And Leia was right, if not in the way she had imagined.
He was afraid.
But Mara was enough to make him face his fears.
She took a step toward him. “Starkiller?”
Luke couldn’t help the grin that came to his face. Was she actually worried about him? Maybe he would get through to her after all.
“I’m fine,” he replied. “I’m ready.” He almost asked her if she wanted him to carry her bag, but he thought better of it. Her experience in the tomb must have been equally difficult, and in their brief time together he had figured out that she preferred to deal with her problems alone.
Mara led the way through the series of caves until they came to the edge of the valley. Luke stepped to her side and looked out over the Valley of the Dark Lords. The sun peeked above the horizon, hitting the tops of the Sith statues. The work of his predecessors didn’t seem quite as impressive this morning.
Mara pulled out a small datapad and held it up in the air.
“What’s that?”
“Tracker. It was dark when I entered the valley, and in the confusion I lost my direction. This will tell me where my ship is.”
“Confusion of what?”
Mara dropped the hand that held the device and let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s gone.”
“Your ship? How?”
“He must have destroyed it.” Mara tucked the tracker into her jacket and folded her arms across her chest. “Damn,” she muttered. “Now what?”
Luke gazed across the canyon. “Come with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“My ship fits two. You can ride with me.”
“No,” Mara said, shaking her head. “You’re an adept. When we get back to the capital, we’d-”
“What? We’d be in trouble? If you don’t come with me, you’ll be dead.”
Mara looked away. Despite his frustration, Luke wanted to pull her into his arms. How did she manage to look so tough and so vulnerable at the same time? Maybe it was something only he could see.
“Mara,” he said, gentler this time. “What happened here? Who is chasing you?”
She looked over her shoulder, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I don’t know who he is.” She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes. The tears receded. “I know he’s dangerous,” she finished gruffly.
Luke looked down at his feet. A gentle breeze ruffled his hair, blowing a few strands across his face. “You act like you don’t need my help, but I know you do.”
“How dare-”
“Please, just listen! I’m here for you, Mara. Only for you. So why don’t you let me help?”
She closed her mouth and stared up at him, her green eyes alight with fury. He couldn’t tell whether she was going to punch him or just take off without him.
She let out a long breath, and the fire in her eyes faded just a little.
“Okay, Starkiller,” she said slowly, spreading her hands in a conciliatory gesture. “We’ll do it your way. Lead on.”
~~