~@~Coming Out

   It was late when they returned, still by Coruscant standards.  Luke absently guided himself through routine motions, slowly directing the small ship through the towering city.  The moving mosaic of city light, the familiarity in it, offered precious little relief for the drained bodies, minds, and emotions of the two men making their way home tonight. There was a stillness in the air surrounding them, even as the steady streams of ships and buildings buzzed persistently by... and the memories of all that they had been witness to remained a constant at the back of their minds and deep in their hearts.

   Luke slowly sat back in the pilot's seat, listening to the sound of the engines powering down as the ship settled onto the landing pad. It was almost unreal, being so close to home after such a long time away.  He returned to the bunk room to throw his travel bag over his shoulder, and made his way down the ramp onto the Coruscant landing platforms, Atamvr at his side.

   "You should come with me to med and get those ribs looked at," his friend admonished.

   Luke suppressed a sigh; he had more or less grown accustomed to the dull pain that accompanied most of his movements. While he deeply appreciated the simple luxuries that a fresh change of clothes and a refresher unit had provided for the journey home, neither he nor Atamvr had objected when spaceport officials had confiscated their ship's medical supplies before letting them leave Orem.  They had both known that those supplies were needed to combat life threatening injuries on the planet. 

   "I will," Luke assured his friend, "but not tonight."  Luke had already extracted an assurance from Atamvr that he would visit Coruscant's medical facilities for treatment. Atamvr's headaches had never fully subsided, despite the healing meditations they had tried on the planet and during the journey home.  "You get yourself seen to, and we'll meet back at my suite tomorrow morning before the Council comes to session."

   "Fine. I'll see you tomorrow," Atamvr acknowledged. There would be no winning that argument tonight, but at least he could tell Lara he had tried. "Give Lara and the twins my love."

   "I will," Luke answered with a smile.  The Jedi and his apprentice parted ways, and Luke directed his footsteps toward home with the same sense of disconnected emotion that had worn on him while bringing the ship in.  He felt so deeply tired.  Worn down into his very soul by the emotional strain that came of trying to reason through everything that had happened on Orem... worn down by a numb feeling of silent dread that he couldn't shake for the unknown conclusions still to come. 

   He had contacted the Inner Council once he and Atamvr had gotten the ship into hyperspace, and the Council had requested his report regarding Orem as soon as possible upon their return. Luke had told them that he had much to discuss with them, but they knew nothing yet of Darlik. Luke took one more deep breath, trying to lay those troubling thoughts and emotions to rest as he walked the halls of the Imperial Palace.

   Quietly, Luke keyed for entry and slipped inside, making his way through the darkened halls of his family's suite.  Finally, this familiarity pushed those troublesome weights and worries into the more distant background of his emotions.  In their wake he could remember the feel of a thousand moments when he had longed for this, when he had wanted more than anything to feel the peace and simple comfort of home.  He felt his spirit lighten and his heart filled with fresh hope at the thought of seeing his family, holding his children and his wife again.

   Luke pressed his finger to the pad beside the door and he stood motionless for a long moment.  Lara was asleep.  His breath caught in his throat and Luke felt his heart swell as he stood in the doorway watching the peaceful rise and fall of the covers about her, perfect in time with her breathing... the deep and even breaths of a deep and peaceful sleep. He wanted to soak in that wondrous sight. 

   The soft beauty in her elegant features was made only more exquisite by the gentle motion of her breathing. Light from the city outside their window wove through the blinds in elaborate, cascading patterns, bringing out the warm tones in her skin and playing against the soft strands of hair that fell delicately around her face.  She was so beautiful.

   Luke gradually forced frozen muscles back to work, setting his travel bag aside and gingerly pealing off his robes as he stepped into their bedroom.  The motion was met by the stubborn protest of sore muscles and unhealed injuries, but Luke deliberately ignored their semi-constant revolt. He was home now. He felt home now.  He sat down on the edge of the bed, reminding himself to breathe as he reached to touch her face. In her sleep Lara smiled, and Luke felt himself smile back.  He whispered her name as he touched her again.

   Lara stirred in response, calling his name.  It was a question, her eyes still blinking away the sleepy uncertainty.

   Luke grinned.  "I hope so."  He couldn't resist teasing her with his response.

   She looked toward his voice, her eyes searching the dark.  For a moment it was too much to believe that he was really there, and she hesitated to let her weary mind fool her again... but the sleepy confusion was gone from her in the next split second as tentative emotions reached out to the Force, and she felt him there, real.

   "Luke," she breathed.  And she threw herself at his waist, almost knocking him backwards. 

   His laugh quietly muffled into a sigh as he wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes tight. He had almost forgotten the feel of having her in his arms.

   "Lara," he breathed, smiling.  His voice hardly seemed to work through the overwhelming rush of emotion, but that didn't matter. He pressed his cheek to the top of her head, taking in the smell and soft brush of her hair against his face.  "I missed you," he finally whispered.

   Lara felt herself laugh as she held on to him with a relief and a happiness that was hard to contain.  Then she pushed back gently, her hands and her eyes searching over him, still disbelieving the reality. 

   "My beautiful love," she managed to speak through a breathless smile; and worry crept in as she reached to gently touch the remnant of an ugly gash over his eye.  She could see the troubled shadows in his face as her eyes returned to search his. "Are you all right?" she breathed, concern overpowering her worry.  

   Luke nodded, closing his eyes. "I will be," he whispered, his arms strong around her. Suddenly his exhaustion had returned in full force. For a moment he was tempted to avoid telling her the truth; for a moment he wished that she didn't know him well enough to see it for herself....

   "I have to go to the Inner Council in the morning and tell them that one of my two apprentices has fallen to the dark side."

   Lara closed her eyes.  "Darlik," she whispered.

   Luke nodded. "The message Atamvr received was a set up. None of his family on Orem sent that transmission; they were all fine.  But while we were there all hell started to break loose around us, and Darlik– 

   "I really thought I could prevent this," Luke whispered. "I knew there was danger in him, but I thought he would come around in time.  I – I misjudged him terribly. Everything was a deception."

   Lara's hands found his face. "You did everything you could to show him the light. I know that."

   Luke shook his head hesitantly.  "It wasn't enough."

   "It has to be. Darlik has chosen his own fate, and no one can change that now but him."

   "I know what the Council will say."

   "You couldn't have turned him away.  If you had it to do again, you still couldn't.  That's part of who you are," she whispered, drawing him away from the storm of doubt and blame that she could feel inside him. "I want our children to learn that from you."

   Luke's breath released slowly. He was stunned by her unexpected words and awed at the sentiment underlying them. Then a smile crossed him as the thought of his young children unexpectedly lightened his emotions. 

   "Did you look in on them?" she asked seamlessly, understanding the cause for his smile.

   "They've gotten so big," he mused, the smile spreading into a huge, disbelieving grin. He was happy and proud, but he was also mystified.

   Lara smiled back at him, her words coming quickly. "Mark's teeth are coming in. And Ben's trying to crawl."

   "I'm glad I didn't miss that."

   "I am too," Lara echoed. "You gave him everything you could, Luke," she finally spoke softly. "He had to choose to turn away from it."

   His eyes flashed over hers, briefly repressing a smile.  "Atamvr said nearly the same thing." 

   "Your apprentice was right," she whispered, smiling. "And what ever comes, we can handle it."

   He hesitated, taking her hands and holding them in his.  "I asked Khabarakh for that Nogrhi guard we talked about."

   Lara braced herself. "Then you think he would come here."

   "It's a possibility I can't ignore," Luke admitted carefully.  "This isn't over for Darlik.  He'll come for me again."

   Lara looked away from him as she tried to take a clearing breath.  She trusted his decision completely, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she had just been backed into a corner.  "I won't have them be afraid, Luke," she said softly, determined and uncertain at the same time. "They have to know that they're safe."

   Luke touched her, gently pulling her eyes back to him. "I promise.  We'll give them that, no matter what."

   Lara nodded, and she closed her eyes as Luke hugged her.

   "We knew the risk was there, and we knew that there would be danger," she whispered. "But it feels so different now," she admitted.

   "Now it has a face and a name, but it's no different.  We'll do what ever we have to to keep the twins safe."

   "And what about the New Republic?"

   "This will difficult," Luke acknowledged.  "It will be hard for the Council to accept it, but they must."

   "They have to understand that it's not a defeat. It's a setback, and a serious one, but it doesn't mean that your efforts are doomed to failure. Look at Atamvr."

   Luke nodded. "He was amazing throughout all of this.  I'm proud of the Jedi he's becoming."

   "I'm proud of you," she whispered. "And I'm so grateful that you're home safe."

   "I love you," Luke breathed.

   The tone of his voice and the strength of his words made it clear that that was the most important thing he was feeling now.  Lara felt the brush of his hair against her forehead and the soft touch of his hand against her neck.  She smiled at the feel of his emotions pushing into hers; he wanted very much to kiss her, and she lifted her chin to press her lips to his.

   Luke's forehead brushed hers when the kiss gently broke and they breathed again, but the strength in his embrace didn't lessen. Lara didn't resist when her husband's strong arms pulled her closer. She smiled at him as he bent to kiss her again, and her smile widened when his weight shifted her balance and they sprawled backward together, both of them laughing at the clumsy humor, then smiling at the wonderful feel of each other's closeness.  They lay there looking into each other's eyes for a long moment.

   "I love you too," she finally whispered, pulling her arms close around him, letting her nose brush his as she tilted her head to his kiss.

   Luke parted from her lips and pushed back slowly on ginger muscles.  He had been able to break their fall with his forearm so that his weight hadn't fallen on Lara when they had toppled over, but, as much as he enjoyed the closeness of their predicament, the awkwardness of it was causing his side to ache in protest, and Luke knew that if he didn't change that soon he wouldn't be able to mask it much longer.

   Lara knew that Luke was worn out.  After everything he had been through he was understandably tired and sore, but there was something more serious in his movement.  Lara felt herself wince when his weight shifted and she quickly pulled her knees under her, holding him gently as she helped him to sit up.

   "Luke," she whispered. A heavy feeling came over her emotions as she realized that he probably needed medical attention much more than he wanted her to know, but Luke only shook his head slightly.

   "It doesn't matter," he whispered. "I'm home," he said, smiling.  "It can wait. Everything else can wait," he breathed. 

   She could see the weariness in him, but his voice and his sense were filled with something stronger... and harder to resist.  Her hand brushed his forehead, affectionately pushing his hair back from his face, and Lara let go a heavy sigh, her brow furrowing. 

   "I should make you go to med, this very second," she breathed, but her heart wasn't in the argument. The worry was quickly becoming impossible to hold on to with his eyes so clear on hers and the support of his arms' gentle hold around her.... 

   His lips brushed hers, softly, asking. "This is all that matters," Luke whispered, watching the uncertainty fade from her eyes.  He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her... softly, tenderly, reaching out to her with all of the love that he felt for her....  And he felt the last of her caution, the worry in her concern for him, slowly fade as her arms moved around him.

   She held close to him, breathless from his kiss, feeling the soft tickle of his breath against her face as they both breathed, holding each other.  Luke let the moment draw long before he smiled and pulled Lara back to his kiss. He loved the excitement in her smile, loved seeing the passion that sparkled in her beautiful eyes.  Her face in his hands, he kissed her again.

   Lara let her arms slip from around him and closed her eyes to the feel of his kiss, his touch. Luke's hands moved down her neck and her arms until his fingertips found her waist and slid softly under her clothing.  She sighed when she felt the gentle pressure of his touch against her back, his hands giving time to worry-tensed muscles. And she arched her neck as his lips sought out the hollow of her throat. Lara whispered his name, feeling the warmth of his kiss, his breath, and the soft touch of his hands against her skin... feeling the trust that she gave completely to his kiss and to his touch.  

   Her lips brushed his as she caught his eyes, and, gingerly, she reached to his waist to pull his shirt over his head.  Luke winced, even as she tried to be slow, to be careful. And Lara touched him gently, hurting for the collection of scrapes and bruises he carried as unhealed and partially healed injuries.  Luke leaned his forehead against hers as her fingertips traced over him lightly, her hands moving over his shoulders and back, then carefully across his sides and his waist.

   Her hands came up to his face, and her fingertips traced against his hairline just before she kissed him there, then at his temple. Then her attention flickered to the gash above his eye.

   Luke slowly pulled back to look in her eyes. He could feel the conflict in her emotions as she studied him, as she hurt for him, wondering how the man she loved could have come to so much harm, far away from her.  Lara lowered her eyes rather than let him see there what she knew he could already feel in her emotions.

   Gently, he brushed his lips to hers, asking her without words not to worry, telling her again that it didn't matter. Her kiss answered his, and her fingertips caressed his hairline again in that way of hers....  He could feel her love for him, in remembered whispers, precious promises that he knew he would never forget.  Luke closed his eyes again and let himself enjoy the feel of her affections.  A careful caress, a light touch, the warm softness of her lips... it was amazing.  In injuries that still brought him pain and muscles that still tensed in anticipation of it, her gentle touch and tender kiss brought pleasure.  The almost forgotten sensation, so simple and sweet, the pain was becoming a distant memory against it. 

   He opened his eyes slowly as her lips brushed his collar and then his neck.  Lara pulled closer to him, and her lips brushed his as they smiled at one another.  Luke looked in her eyes, the smile softening between them, and he kissed her very slowly and very deeply. She felt his desire, and another brush of her lips enjoyed the playful give and take between them. A smile crossed her husband's face too, as he worked at catching his breath.

   They both found themselves smiling uncontrollably as they let this seduction slowly unfold, rediscovering the familiar in so many emotions and sensations that they shared with each other, saved for each other.  It was everything missed and longed for, and it was the full expression of the love that had never parted from them.

   They kissed, still holding on to breathless smiles, trusting what was shared between them. They reveled in the joy of returning to each other, sharing to the depths of themselves, and giving to each other again with everything in them. They watched the thrill of pleasure touch that love that joined them and bound them.  And they made love to each other slowly, enjoying each moment and every feeling to the fullest. Never wanting the night to end....

~

   In the wake of that shared closeness there was want for nothing more than to rest together.  Safe and warm in each other's arms, neither could sleep, and suddenly it wasn't so painful to remember missing each other in a million ways... all the sleepless nights and the cruel tricks of memory.

   "There were so many times I dreamt that I heard your voice or felt your touch."  Lara pressed her lips to Luke's shoulder, the movement coming slowly, deliberately.  He opened his eyes as he felt her move against him, as her lips brushed his collar and then his neck. She tilted her head to face him, a slight smile crossing her features as she looked in his eyes. "It had become something that I expected, just knowing that you were here with me.... I missed that so much," she whispered. "I missed you so much."

   "I know," he whispered, his hand softly stroking her face, her hair. "There were so many nights I could hardly find sleep, only to dream myself here and wake up expecting you beside me," he trailed off softly.  "A million different times I caught myself wishing that I could feel you, talk to you... and when things were their worst I longed for your touch, the feel of your arms around me."

   She sighed.  "I wish I could have been with you through this," she whispered. 

   Luke smiled. "You were," he whispered.  He took her hand, holding it to his chest, his heartbeat. "Right here, where it matters most, in my heart. Your love and your strength are a part of me."

   She studied his face for a long moment.  "But it's not the same as flesh and blood, arms to hold you."

   Luke closed his eyes, and he tightened his arms around her as she laid her head back against him.  He could feel the intensity of raw emotion behind her simple statement, and he knew what it meant for her to say it.  Lara showed her feelings. He knew that she needed him, and wanted him with her every day.  It was something in her eyes and in her touch, as tangible as the words, and it was there in her voice and in her smile when she teased him, when she told him she loved him.  But there was a vulnerability that came in saying it out loud, the need.

   He sensed that discomfort in her emotions. He knew that there were still places in her that were made deeply uncomfortable by that kind of vulnerability, parts of her that still wanted to cling to her own strength for protection. From the very beginning Luke had known that, and he had accepted that side of her... but more times than he could possibly count, she had amazed him by letting her love for him overcome that side of her nature: the need for self-reliance, and an unwillingness to accept her own weakness and vulnerability. 

   He saw it again now. She didn't hesitate to let him know what she was feeling, and once the words had been spoken the strain of discomfort had already passed. She was content to settle her head to his shoulder, content just to feel the tracing of his fingertips at her back as he held her in his arms. The strength of her love, matched with her willingness to belong to him, continued to amaze him.

   He kissed the top of her head affectionately.  "What would I ever do without you?

   Lara smiled playfully in return. "I never intend to let you find out," she whispered.

   Luke laughed.  He could feel her smile against him, feel the sense of happiness and contentment in her that echoed his own, and his heart belonged to her all the more.... 

   "This is what I wanted," he whispered in her ear, "times I longed for home.  It was this moment, this peace."

   Her only response was to reach her arm across his chest, pulling closer to him.  Luke's arm moved to rest over hers, lightly letting the heel of his palm rub over her dedication band, the symbol of their promise to each other. His touch silently brought to mind everything that that promise meant. It joined their lives, it bound their hearts, and made it his place to be here, so close, beside her. 

   They both felt the unique and unspeakable value in that quiet moment, just having each other near, comfortably sharing the silence. Such precious, precious silence... a few more moments of quiet shared until sleep finally joined their nearness, adding its warm and peaceful touch to the night

~

   Laus stalked across the room toward the place where Lara was held captive, in his hand a vibro blade. Her eyes were calm, a little sad, but there was no fear in her – not for Laus and not for her own death.

   Don't let it end this way.  With each heartbeat Mara Jade felt herself desperately hoping that someone would intervene, but those beats each passed with nothing but the sound of Laus' footsteps and the blade keeping time. 

   And Lara's time slowly ran out.  She watched her attacker come nearer, not allowing her eyes to fall to the deadly blade Laus carried   In her heart, she felt love: the love of friends and family, her husband and their children.  She knew she had made the right choice for them.  In her heart, she had nothing to fear; she felt at peace. And she waited calmly for the end to come.

   Then came the searing pain of the blade. Immediately, she gasped for breath and tried to hunch over.  Laus reached a hand to the wall at her back, releasing the power to her restraint mechanism. Lara staggered forward without its support, gasping against the tightness in her chest. But Laus held her upright now, and the pain became indescribable as he sunk the blade in deeper.

   Her breath heaved in short exhales, the oxygen she needed remaining illusive as her body strained to keep alive.  She felt the pressure of the blade's hilt at her sternum, and Laus' palm at her back. Aside from those two sensations, her body felt oddly weightless.

   "You brought this on yourself," Laus sneered, the heat of his breath prickling at her ear. Then he pulled back on the blade and let her go.

   Lara cried out as she fell to the ground, and she lay still there, gasping for breath. The enormous pressure in her chest had released and she could breathe – barley, in short, painful breaths.  She held her forearm against her sternum, pressure to the wound, but the serrated vibro blade had done most of its damage when Laus had pulled it away; the blood she was losing had begun to spread, from a few fallen drops to a thick, red puddle.

   She lay down against the floor, pillowed her head against her forearm, and waited. She was already starting to feel cold, each breath leaving a little more easily than it came.... One more breath came and went, her entire body reaching for peace, and she was gone.

   Mara Jade lowered her head.  She could only feel a numb sense of disbelief in the wake of what she had just seen. Minutes grew long and passed, hard to know how many. Then the door Laus had exited through opened again.

   Luke and his apprentice had tracked Laus here.

   Skywalker's lightsaber blade quickly retracted as he breathed her name and rushed into the room. Atamvr stopped closer to the door, trying to put his own worry aside enough to cover their backs.  Luke dropped down beside his wife, whose back was facing the door they had just entered through.

   "Lara," he breathed, worry and urgency thick in his voice as he spoke her name and reached across her body.  His hand on her neck sought a pulse, but Luke froze for a split second when he saw the trace of blood on the floor beside her, the paleness of her skin.  Gently, he turned her toward him, letting her head and shoulder lay across his knees.  Trembling fingers shifted their position against her neck.  He saw the wound, the blood that had soaked through her clothing and spilled onto the floor... and there was so much blood.

   He closed his eyes, shock and helplessness consuming him.  He knew.  But he couldn't believe it. He didn't know what to do except to hold her. Lara's head fell back as his arm moved under her shoulder to cradle her body against him.  And in that moment the finality of her death hit him. He held her, as he had done a million times before, but this was the last time he'd ever hold the woman he loved. Her eyes wouldn't flicker up to meet his, there would be no gentle reassurance from her voice, no teasing smile to lift his worry, no strength in her arms to return his embrace....  He held her gently, but her body was limp, and all those things he still expected – they were gone forever.

   Luke felt his heart cry out in pain, but his voice could only whisper a strained sob.  "No–"

   Atamvr turned away, filled with grief and tears.

   "Lara–" Luke half sobbed, whispering to his wife.  As the initial shock faded, the pain he felt gave to denial.  She was gone, but how could she be? He was holding her in his arms.  His heart still belonged to her.  He could almost feel the warmth of her presence.... His blood turned ice cold at that thought; he realized that he couldn't feel her.  And it was more than just the Force's absence.  Lara was gone. 

   He bent down over her, laid her body gently to the floor, and he struggled to breathe through emotions that threatened to completely overwhelm him.  Even through his tears, she was beautiful.  He cried out of disbelief; the strength of the love he felt was no longer there looking back at him, shining through her eyes.  Her beautiful eyes were open to slits, but unseeing. 

   He'd seen her overcome heartbreaking pain, and watched those eyes fill with such love and joy. They'd been his anchor through all that had shaken him.  They'd been his window to let him see her heart; shown him her pain, her trust, and, in his favorite memories, the incredible depth of her love. Slowly, he bent to kiss her forehead as his fingers ran over her eyelids, softly closing them.

   He had the strongest remembrance of kissing her goodnight in the motion....  And he felt his heart break as his strength failed him and he leaned against her, his cheek to hers, wanting desperately to feel her arms move around him.  Luke pulled himself back, fighting the tears that racked through him, but the memories wouldn't stop.  He cupped a hand to her cheek, remembering the first time she'd kissed him, needing all her bravery to tell him that she loved him... and the joy that she had felt when he had answered that he loved her.  His fingers caressed her face, tracing her hairline in a return of the caress she'd always given him... and he remembered even more intimate moments, a thousand in each heartbeat. None of them seemed able to capture the love that she'd given him.

   He touched her softly and kissed her forehead again before leaning his forehead to hers. Luke stayed there, close to her, just trying to breathe for a long moment. He knew he needed to break the contact, but every time he tried, the emotions were overwhelming. He closed his eyes to give her one last kiss, a soft brush of her lips.  He wanted one more moment, one more gesture, one more memory. Forever wouldn't be enough time to know how much she meant to him, much less to somehow bring himself to let go.... More than anything, he didn't want to have to let go.

   "Luke–" Atamvr finally spoke.  His voice was gentle through his own pain, but worried, uncomfortable.

   "Please–" Luke whispered.  He felt a stab of fear that his friend might try to force him away. "I know she's gone.  I... I need to say goodbye," he stated the truth, and he tried to keep his voice under control despite the sob that threatened to escape him. "I just don't know how," he managed weakly.  "I don't know how to say goodbye to her."

   Another few moments passed, and Atamvr allowed Luke the time he needed to come to terms with his grief.

   He touched his wife's face once more, taking a deep breath.  Tears fell as he sat back, his eyes finally moving away from her still form.

   "She can't stay here," Luke finally stated, his words soft and determined. Then his red-rimmed eyes raised to meet Atamvr's worried gaze.  "I'll need your help." 

   Atamvr only nodded. 

   "She needs peace.  Somewhere to rest," Luke added, his soft voice ragged.  "I can give her that," he managed to whisper.  "I want to take her back to Marnia. She'll be close to Mark. She'd like that."  The thought gave Luke a sense of peace, as though he would be returning her to her brother's care... and Mark would somehow take care of her where Luke could not. 

   But Luke still felt terribly weak, unable to carry this burden and unsure of his own strength. "But I need you to help me," he said to Atamvr again. "I don't think I can let her go, alone," he admitted.

   Atamvr felt overwhelmed watching Luke trying to struggle through this in the only way he could, the only way he knew.  Trying to serve her.  And Atamvr's heart twisted to see his pain; he knew how much Lara would want for Luke to be taken care of.

   He placed a hand to his friend's shoulder. "I'll do anything you need of me," he offered honestly. 

   Luke only nodded.  "Thank you, Atamvr."  And he took a slow breath.  "I know you loved her too."

   Atamvr swallowed hard. "That's what's going to get us through this," he finally spoke, gathering all of the solid strength he could muster.  "We'll all know that we couldn't have loved her any more than we did. And she knew that. She loved us the same."

   They stayed there silently for a few more moments.

   "Let me take her?" Atamvr asked gently. 

   Luke nodded and slowly got to his feet as Atamvr bent down.  Kneeling, the younger man removed his robes and wrapped the warm fabric around her body before he pulled her carefully into his arms. 

   As Atamvr picked Lara up one arm shifted from underneath her, and there was an eerie clatter.  Atamvr froze in place as Luke crouched down wordlessly, but he did not reach to the floor. He reached into his own sleeve as he stared down at the floor, and Luke closed his eyes, removing his dedication band from within the sleeve of his robes.  He paused only for a moment to stare blankly at it before he picked Lara's up off the floor.  And Luke tried not to remember the only other time that he had held the both of those bands in his hand... the way he had attached them to his belt with enormous pride, hardly able to contain his anticipation at the thought of placing Lara's around her forearm and promising himself to her. 

   These bands they had placed on each other's arms on their wedding day... and they had so easily tightened into fit once both had been in place.  Until this moment, it had been a part of him, as much as she had been.... Luke could feel Atamvr's gaze upon him, but he didn't look at his friend; there was nothing Luke could say to explain it.  He just stood and followed as Atamvr carried Lara's body from Laus' laboratory.

   Force! Why didn't someone intervene? Mara Jade closed her eyes, her mind reeling against the reality set before her.  The robed Jedi in her dreams had the power to stop this carnage.... Why didn't he?  Mara wheeled around, feeling dizzy as the scene that she had been witnessing shifted; this time she found herself on a cliff overlooking a beautiful sea inlet.

   There, Luke Skywalker was kneeling alone beside a fresh grave. The morning mists had cleared away, leaving the early sun to rest warmly against his shoulder, and the sound of waves rushing to shore against the rocks could be heard a short distance below.

   "This was a favorite spot of hers," a voice offered sadly. Luke rocked back on his heels as the woman's  footsteps came to a rest just behind him.

   "She would often ride out here early in the morning, watch the rising sun clear away the mists over the sea....  She said it helped clear her mind.  That was the reason I had Mark laid here, along with their parents," Moranda finished quietly. 

   "Lara never mentioned that to me," Luke said quietly. 

   "I never told her what I had done," Moranda admitted.  "And I don't know if she ever came here again after I left."

   Luke shook his head. "I wish I understood this."

   "It's not how I thought things would end." Moranda's voice echoed his own confusion as she crouched down a short distance away. "When I came back, I was glad that I didn't find her here. I hoped she had made a new life for herself, far from this place... but I also hoped that I would see her again. I imagined her coming back one more time," she trailed off.  "It shouldn't have been like this," she said, her voice struggling over the words.

   Luke was quiet.  "Your friendship meant a lot to her, Moranda," he finally offered.  "Whenever she spoke of home, it was usually the beauty of this place, the times spent in your and Mark's company – they were the fondest in her heart."

   Moranda sat down in the grass and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "She was the best friend I ever had, like a younger sister to me." She trailed off again. "When she came back here, after... her heart was broken.  She had gambled everything, and lost; she knew that, and she was willing to accept that fate as best she could.  But she wasn't willing to risk anyone else's life on her behalf.  She sent me away so that I could have a chance to rebuild my own life.  Her friendship was completely unselfish."

   "She loved with all her heart," Luke whispered in agreement. "It was the only way she knew."

   They sat in silence for a long while, until the silence was broken by the approach of another set of footsteps. Moranda stood and met the newcomer with a hug.

   "How is he?" the younger woman asked.

   "He hasn't moved from this spot since the service ended. He's devastated," Moranda answered honestly, "but he's holding together."

   Luke stood and Leia came to him, hugged her brother tightly. She felt the turmoil in his emotions.  He had managed to keep those emotions contained since she and Han had arrived late last night.  He had kept himself composed during the service that had been held here at dawn... but Leia could sense that her brother's emotions were gradually slipping beyond his control.

   "Leia."  Luke breathed, holding her as tightly as she held him.  "I don't know how I'm going to get through this."

   "I know it hurts, Luke," she whispered.  His tears already assured her of that.  She shifted her arms around her brother's strong shoulders, and tried not to notice the trembling.  "It's gonna be hard without her," Leia mused, tears streaking her cheeks as she felt the pain of Lara's loss anew. "But, slowly, we'll figure out how to live our lives again, without her in them."

   Luke sobbed against her shoulder and Leia held him tighter, protectively.  He was breaking, and not just his heart; she could feel his entire being struggling not to collapse under this weight.

   "I can't imagine it, Leia," he managed.  "It scares me to death even to try. The thought of never seeing her again... of being without her for the rest of my life....  All the places in my heart that she filled; I feel so hollow without her. I'd give anything – just to have her back – just for one moment."

   "I know, Luke," Leia whispered gently, stroking his hair.  "But we have to try to let go now.  That doesn't mean we'll ever forget the way she touched our lives.  She'll live in us in all of those ways. We'll find balance between the past and the future a little at a time," she assured him softly.

     Luke took a breath, regaining some control, and Leia pulled back from him enough to study her brother's face.  She wiped his cheeks and smoothed his hair. "Why don't you try to rest a little now?" she finally asked of him.  She knew from Atamvr that Luke had hardly eaten or slept for the past several days.

   Luke shook his head hesitantly, his mind returning to the only task that he dreaded more than what had already been accomplished here today. 

   "What have you told the twins?" he asked carefully.

   "We tried to give them as much of the truth as we thought they could hear," she answered him.  "I knew that's what the both of you would have wanted," she added quietly.  "They know that their mother is gone away, and that they've come here to help us all say goodbye, but I'm sure that they don't yet understand what it means, that it's not temporary. And of course they know that everyone is very sad."

   Luke nodded. "I want to see them."

   Leia's face was worried when Luke met her gaze a moment later.

   He managed a smile.  "Do I look that bad, that I'd make it harder for them?"

   She smiled back and took his hand as she shook her head. "You're just hurting so much, Luke.  I don't want you to have to be brave for them, and I don't want them to see the hurt either," she admitted slowly.

   Luke smiled again. "I can't keep the hurt from them, Leia.  They have too much of Lara in them already. They'll see straight through me, and if I don't respect that and face them truthfully, then it will scare them.  And you know Lara would never stand for that," he finished, a bitter smile coming through his tears.

   Leia squeezed his hand in reassurance and spoke quietly to Moranda before she walked away. Moranda nodded in reply and walked back toward the cliffs overlooking the water below, staying with Luke.  His gaze remained fixed on the place where Lara's remains now rested.

   "I know I'm going to miss her for the rest of my life," he said quietly, tears in his eyes.  "I can accept that.  But I don't know how I can ever be what she was for them....  Lara once told me that of all the ways she loved me, she loved me best as a father." He fought to speak again.  "I remember thinking it was an amazing thing for her to say, but I didn't really understand it then....  Now I do.

   "When I think of all the ways I'll miss her, the ones that hit me the hardest are the little things I took for granted. The way she held them when they were upset, and knew just the right moment to try to make them laugh.  She was always the one they called for at night.  I could make huge productions out of slaying invisible monsters, but she was the one who held on to them until they realized that the nightmare was passed and the monsters were harmless; then they could laugh at me for trying to find them.

   "I love my wife, my best friend, more than words can ever express. But the side of her that was my children's mother... is the most irreplaceable of all. I know that's how I'll miss her most," he whispered.

   Luke wiped his eyes, and slowly turned away from his wife's grave.

   Leia had returned. She held Mark's hand as they walked across the grass.  Ben had asked to be let down, and Han let him go.  As soon as his feet hit the ground, he raced to where his father stood. And Luke picked him up to hug him and tousle his hair before letting him down again.

   Moranda could only stare through her tears as Luke hugged each of his sons.  The little boys looked like their father: sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. But there was a great deal of their mother in them as well.  They were Lara's sons... and it was deeply unfair that they would be deprived of her. Moranda moved away to give Luke privacy, retreating to stand beside Leia and Han. 

   "It's not fair," she spoke under her breath as Luke sat alone with his children, trying to explain to them again that their mother couldn't be with them now, that she was going to stay here, to rest here.

   "No," Han Solo growled before he turned restlessly on his heel.  "It's too much," he finished under his breath, only to walk a short distance away before turning again, pacing. "Blast!" he cursed softly. "The Kid's had more than his share already," he mumbled.  But something gave in his voice, betraying the helplessness of pain and grief that lurked under his anger and frustration.  Han had stopped in his tracks and lowered his head, raking his hand through his hair.

   Leia placed a hand on Moranda's arm, urging her not to interfere.  "He'll be all right.  Just give him a few minutes to deal with it in his own way."

   By the time the twins were ready to rejoin their aunt and uncle, Han had proved Leia correct. 

   "Anything you need, Luke," Han whispered, giving his brother-in-law a strong hug, "you just name it."

   "Thanks, Han," Luke whispered, releasing him and allowing Han and Leia to lead Mark and Ben away.

   "I'm almost thankful that they don't get it yet," Luke confided softly as he and Moranda watched them go.  "They would rather play with their cousins than sit still in this spot and try to understand how their mother will be here, and not with them.  I can't blame them for that," he admitted quietly.  "They just don't understand what forever is, yet. They only know it makes everyone sad that Lara's not with us. 

   "But the longer it goes, they'll realize.... And I dread that day when they do understand, when they have to know that they'll never see their mother again, never hear her voice, or feel her special comfort."

   Luke closed his eyes, burying his face behind his hand.  That future was too barren a reality, and his emotions too raw to try and contemplate it. 

   Again, the scene shifted violently.  Mara winced, knowing that the sick feeling in her stomach was owed more to the content of what she was seeing than the sudden movement of her surroundings.  The soft daylight had changed to darkness, and the sound of the rushing waves was replaced only with an empty silence.

   "There's nothing you can do for him tonight, Princess," Han breathed.  He had rolled over to pull an arm around his wife, and though his voice was heavy with sleep Leia remained wide awake. "Sleep now. Save your energy for tomorrow," he encouraged her.

   Leia smiled; Han was used to her sleeplessness, but he still worried over her. She felt more determined every day not to take him for granted....

   "I know, Han," she answered, but she found it difficult to explain to him how her brother's emotions kept pushing into her own, especially when she was asleep, and his pain was as impossible for her to ignore as her own. Leia hadn't realized how much a part of their lives Lara really had become.  She had been family, but she had also been a friend whose calm strength and easy manner Leia missed on a near daily basis... and she missed her very much now. Ironically enough, Lara was one of the few people who truly would have understood this pain.

   She suppressed another sigh; Leia felt almost guilty for having those feelings.... She missed her friend, but her loss was nothing next to Luke's. It had been several months since she had stood with her brother following the funeral, his heart broken and his spirit buckling under the weight of his pain and grief....

   She had stood beside him again when they had returned to Coruscant a few days later. Han had taken the twins to collect their things from Han and Leia's, so it had been just the two of them standing in the hall of the Imperial Palace when Luke had keyed open the door to his family's suit.  He had taken a deep breath, tears welling up in him again as he stepped inside and stood in the empty room, feeling her absence.

   Leia had hugged him, laying her cheek to his shoulder as she stood at his back.

   "She should be here," Luke had finally whispered.  "I knew she wouldn't be, but it still feels like she should be."

   "I know," Leia had answered. "I feel it too.  This was her home, and she belongs in this place."

   "This is going to take more than I have, Leia," he had managed.  "I don't know how to do this."

   "None of us do, Luke," she had assured him.  "But none of us will have to do it alone. We're still a family, and we'll come through this as a family."

   He had nodded and whispered a thank you, but even then Leia had known there would be much that no one could help him through.

   He had told her that the nights were the hardest for him, that waking up he always expected Lara to be beside him. "I reach for her in my sleep, or dream... the way things used to be between us," Luke had tried to express it to Leia. "I can feel her touch, her love.  But no matter how vividly I feel it, or how fully I expect her to be there, I always wake up alone."

   Leia cringed at the imagination, and she folded her arm over her husband's, closing her eyes to lay feeling the warm pull of his breathing against her shoulder.

   A short distance away Luke sensed Leia's gentle worry, and he felt when she drifted asleep.  Eventually he also fell into a restless sleep... until there was a familiar touch at the edge of his mind. For a moment he thought the twins had come in to sleep with him again, and he rolled over to make room for them.  But the door was closed, the room quiet. 

   "Luke."

   He felt it more than he heard it.  He was still asleep, and part of his mind filled with dread.

   "I'm sorry, Luke," she whispered.  "This was the only way I could come to you."

   "Lara?" he breathed. "Is it really you? I've been wrong so many times."

   She smiled at him, beautiful.  "It's me this time. I've been with you all along, Luke, but I couldn't let you know it. I wanted to, but I knew that wouldn't help you.  I couldn't stay, and you all needed to go on without me."

   "Those other times?" he asked.

   "Only your mind and your heart missing me," she whispered. "I wish I could have made it easier somehow."

   "I have missed you," he whispered through tears. And he reached a hand to her.

   She shook her head gently. "You can't touch me, Luke," she breathed.  "It's hard to explain, but I'm in a different place than this.  A good place," she clarified. "But separate."

   Luke nodded numbly, just now noticing the luminous sheen that seemed to surround her, binding her being together.  For reasons he couldn't entirely explain that sight made him smile.

   Lara did understand. "I had help from a few others here," she admitted.

   Luke nodded, his smile slowly fading.  "I'm afraid to ask... but why now, Lara?"

   She smiled again.  "Because there's enough distance now. I can finally do you more good than I would harm by coming to you."  Then she paused.  "And because I needed to say goodbye to you, too."

   He felt his eyes sting with tears at the answer he had feared that she would give. "Lara, even if I can never see you again, just promise me you'll be with me."

   She could feel the trace of fear behind his need, how desperately he didn't want to be without her.  And she smiled through her own tears.  "I can't, Luke," she whispered. "No one can control death. Only love," she breathed, "and I'll always love you."

   "I love you, so much, Lara," he whispered, the tears falling down his face. 

   "I know," she breathed again.  "With you, I always knew," she smiled. 

   He laughed, and wiped the tears away.  Her face had become serious again. 

   "I only need one more thing from you, Luke," she stated gently.

   "Anything," he managed.

   "My place in your heart. Promise me that you won't let it stand empty.  Pour out that love that you gave me; share our memories with our children and try to remember me to them by loving them the way I did. Honor me," she whispered, "by not letting the parts of you I love most be lost."

   She paused.  "I don't ever want to be a sad memory for you, Luke.  I loved you too well in my life to ever regret not having more time.  And you did the same for me.  So don't be afraid to live without me.  My love is a part of you; it always will be."

   "I promise, Lara," he whispered, fighting back tears as he looked in her eyes. He knew this was the last time, in this life, that he would ever see her.

   Then she smiled once more. "Goodbye, Luke," she whispered.  And then she was gone.

   Luke awoke suddenly, and he was out of bed in an instant.  One of the twins had had a nightmare.

   Mark looked up at his father, a lost expression on his tear-flushed face.  Luke scooped him up and held him, trying to put his own tousled emotions aside and concentrate completely on his sons' emotions.

   But he felt a different confusion growing in them as the fear of nightmare things faded; Luke had felt the same confusion as he struggled with waking thoughts. They had all expected Lara when Mark called for her. Luke had expected it, perhaps most of all.

   The tears settled, and the fear passed.  The boys wriggled back under their covers, but when Luke bent down to tuck them in, that lost and confused look remained etched on Mark's face.

   "I wanted Mommy," he said, sad and puzzled. 

   "I know," Luke answered sadly. And he gently smoothed his son's hair. "I want her too."

   And with that, he could feel them begin to realize.  They understood for the first time that this was something beyond even their father's control, and the seriousness of that scared them. Luke gathered them to him, determined to love them through the pain that had finally set in for them. 

   "Remember what I told you on Marnia," he prompted softly.  "Your mother loves us, very, very much. And she would be with us if there were any way that she could, but we have to be without her now.  I can't change that," he whispered, pulling them nearer to him, "and neither can she. 

   "But we'll always love her.  We'll keep her close in our memories, and her love will never leave us. You know why?" he whispered as he bent close to them.  Their heads each shook in answer. "Because whenever someone loves you as much as she did, that love becomes a part of you.  Your mother is a part of each of you now. She's in your hearts.  And she'll always be there," Luke whispered.

   Mara's eyes smarted as she turned away from the scene before her.  It had come like a collage, a series of overlapping images and emotions, and Mara expected still more to come. But that was the last she saw: Luke trying to comfort his children as they struggled to understand their mother's loss – a loss that none of them should have had to endure.

   Outrage welled up within her.  Of all the possibilities she had seen over the past several months, this had been the worst, the most heart-wrenching... and Mara didn't understand why she was being shown these things.  Why didn't he intervene? The robed Jedi had the power to stop all this, but he always stood in shadows.

   "Coward!" Mara yelled at the top of her lungs. "How can you do nothing?"

   The figure in the shadows shrugged and turned its back on Mara, leaving her standing there alone, her hands trembling with rage. She tried to get control over herself as she looked down at her trembling hands... and Mara felt her heart freeze up as the last piece of information was revealed.  She saw her own hands within the robes of a Jedi Knight....

   Mara Jade bolted awake in a cold sweat, sitting up against the covers that seemed to weigh her down. Another vision.  She sat there, staring down at her own trembling hands, the vividness of this vision impossible to ignore.  She couldn't stand back any longer. She could no longer pretend that this didn't concern her, didn't involve her... clearly, the Force was telling her that it did.

   Mara pushed away the covers. "You win," she mumbled to no one in particular as she rolled out of her bunk.  "I'll go."  The last of her doubt evaporated as she made the decision; she knew it was the right one. Truthfully, she knew that it was the only one.

   That night the Jade's Fire set a course for Coruscant.

~

   Luke's eyes fluttered as he came awake and shifting currents in the Force stilled into the peace that was presently surrounding him. He took a deep breath, one hand softly stroking Lara's hair. He had felt similar disturbances in the Force, usually when he had been in meditation on Orem, but none as strong as this.  He hoped Mara was all right....

   There was another, more subtle, shift in the Force as Lara stirred in his arms, coming awake.  He held her closer, smiling at his wife as her eyes lifted to his.

   "What's wrong," she asked softly.

   "Nothing," he whispered back, his smile widening as his fingertips stroked her face. The persistence in her gaze only decreased his smile slightly.  "A disturbance in the Force.  I've felt it before."

   "Is it trouble?" she asked.

   "No. More of a conflict, a struggle.  Like someone is trying to face a difficult truth... or to avoid it." 

   "Truth can't be avoided."

   "No, it can't," Luke admitted.

   "It will find her, no matter how hard Mara fights against it," Lara said softly.

   Luke's fingers came to a curious pause.  He was a little surprised at her insight, but he also felt a hesitation in Lara's emotions that he didn't quite understand.

   Lara lay her head back against her husband's shoulder, thinking about her own truth and about the woman with whom she shared a common past.  Long ago she had assumed the connection between them to mean that it would be the fate of one of them to die at the other's hand.  Since then their lives had followed a more complex path.  Lara couldn't explain what she felt, but she knew that her and Mara's fates were still intertwined.

~

   Atamvr was awake at first light and he found himself on Luke's doorstep shortly thereafter.  He had forgotten how good it felt to see the world clearly, no headaches and no blurred vision. He felt awake and alive, and even the heavy weight of today's day's events couldn't overshadow how good it felt to be back home. Orem was the place of his birth, and Atamvr knew that it would always feel like home because his family was there... but his future was here, in the light of a busy new Coruscant morning.

   Their returning to Coruscant, at least for the immediate future, would be an extension of the past few months.  There would be a lot to explain to the Senate Inner Council about what had happened on Orem over the last eight months, but the harder task would be in explaining to them what had happened with Darlik.  Luke would take responsibility for his lost apprentice. He would deal with Darlik and the threat that he posed, but Atamvr was determined to stand beside Luke through this, just as he had on Orem.  They had each shared the same mind set, the same challenges and hardships for eight months, and Atamvr wasn't ready to let go of his end now.

   He and Luke had developed a close kinship on Orem, and that was also a part of what found Atamvr at Luke's door early this morning. Selfish perhaps, but there was a part of him that couldn't resist the intrusion onto his friends' life, upon their love and happiness that was always so easily shared.  So Atamvr keyed in the entry code and let himself inside. He had considered announcing himself, but only for a moment.  Atamvr grinned and shook his head at himself; there were some things that shouldn't be intruded upon. He walked to the living room and sat down to wait. There was time.  He could allow his friends a little more time to wake.

~

   Luke awoke and slowly opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling.  He glanced to the chrono on the bedside table, and it confirmed the earliness of the hour. It was barely day, still mostly night. He kissed the top of Lara's head and tightened his arms around her.  The feel of her body against his was perfection... softness, tenderness, warmth, love.  He couldn't get enough of having her in his arms....  Then she pulled closer to him, partially waking, and Luke smiled.

   Luke's arms tightened around her again, and Lara could feel the flash of mischief in her husband's emotions.  A second later he was smiling down at her. 

   "Good morning," Luke whispered.

   Lara laughed and cupped her hand to the nape of his neck, sifting her fingers through his hair.

   "Good morning," she whispered back.  Luke kissed her lips, and the hand that wasn't in his hair slipped around him, holding him closer.  This man she loved. He was here. Real.  She could feel his breath on her skin, could touch him and hold him tight.  She had missed the warmth and comfort of this intimacy in a million different ways... missed this precious side of him that was hers alone to know.

   His breath tickled her ear as he leaned close enough to kiss her throat, finding that spot just below her ear that always made her laugh.

   Luke.

   He felt her voice in his mind, but it was more than just her voice; it was also her presence, warm and alive with the Force's energy. Lara rarely reached out to him that way. Her use of the Force was normally very careful and controlled... and Luke reveled in the gift of that simple contact, the closeness of her mind to his.

   "I seem to remember that my wife doesn't like being tickled," he whispered in her ear.    

   She was smiling when he pulled back to look in her eyes; her measuring gaze already warned him against further pursuing that course of action, and her eyebrows raised a bit at his words. 

   "I have to find some other way to make her laugh..." Luke whispered playfully. And there at the edge of his mind.... 

   Luke buried his head closer against her....  "Atamvr's here," he whispered. 

   Lara suppressed a sigh, her fingers stilling against his hair.

   "Promise," she breathed, her hand moving to cup his neck.  "Tonight." 

   He touched her softly in return, smiling.  "I promise you," he whispered and kissed her again, just brushing her lips. "We'll have tonight."

   She leaned her forehead against his and draped both arms around his neck, waiting one more moment before she kissed him back, keeping him to herself for a moment longer before gently letting him go.

   Then both of them smiled suddenly. Lara dropped her head when the silence was abruptly broken, and Luke kissed her lowered forehead affectionately.

   "Sounds like duty calling," he mumbled against her.

   "Mark," she grinned in answer, slowly lifting her eyes to him. Her expression was a combination of overwhelmed resignation and stubborn graciousness in the face of responsibility that was rushing in too quickly for her.

   "Time for you to go be a mother," he chided her playfully.

   "I'll check on him," they heard Atamvr call from the hallway, but Luke's eyes didn't leave his wife's.

   Her smile gently faded.  She could see the regret that he was trying hard to hold back. 

   "They'll hardly know me," he finally whispered, pained by that thought. 

   Her hand cupped his neck.  "They'll remember," she whispered.  "They know how it feels to be loved by you," Lara answered him.  "And love is easy to relearn," she finished, smiling as she looked deeply into his eyes and kissed him again.

~

   By the time Luke and Lara were up Atamvr was sitting in the kitchenette, Mark bouncing on his knee as Atamvr tried to interest him in one of his toys.  Atamvr looked up, grinning at his limited success as Lara stepped into the room.  She smiled nonetheless, and greeted Atamvr with a warm hug as she took Mark from him.

   "He's teething, and he's very picky," she explained, but Atamvr could already see him responding much better to his mother. "You look in better shape than my husband, at least," she grinned, timing the comment perfectly as Luke stepped into the room.

   Atamvr smiled widely, recognizing the humor she intended to create with that comment.  But looking past her, he realized that he really couldn't argue. Luke was just pulling on a shirt, leaving several particularly nasty cuts and bruises visible. But even so, Luke tried giving his wife a warning look, as if he was offended somewhere underneath his smile.

   Then he glanced to Atamvr. "You're going to get me in trouble," Luke teased as he straightened his tunic and retrieved his robe.

   "It's all an illusion," Atamvr explained lightly, picking up his part in the play.  "I went by med," he pointed out, and he looked between them again with a deprecating smile.  "I didn't have a family to hurry back to." 

   He hardly had chance to finish that thought.

   "Not true," Lara argued certainly. "You're a part of this family, Atamvr, and don't you forget it," she was quick to chide him with the last.

   Atamvr only nodded, and recognizing the playful gleam in her eyes, he exaggerated the last of the motion into a curtly obedient gesture followed by a half salute. And he caught Luke's resulting grin out of the corner of his eye, just before he sensed something decidedly more vivid in him.

   Luke couldn't restrain a wince as he stretched to pull his robe over his clothing.

   Lara's eyes returned to him. And the mischievous gleam that had accompanied her teasing was replaced by more honest concern as she walked to his side.

   "Make time, huh?" was all she asked softly. 

   He kissed her affectionately.  "I will," he reassured her before he bent to kiss Mark.

   "Kiss Ben for me?" he asked with a hopeful smile.

   Lara nodded and smiled her own reassurance as she touched him lightly, something between a caress and a gentle push that was meant to send him on his way. He grinned, and caught her hand to bring her fingers to his lips, his eyes sparkling in a way that made Lara grin uncontrollably in return.

   Then Luke stepped away to follow Atamvr, who had already headed for the front door.

~

   Their accounting to the Inner Council had come under heavy scrutiny, but Luke had expected that. He and Atamvr had given several hours of testimony regarding Orem, and Atamvr had taken the brunt of their questioning. He fell back on his knowledge of the complex political and social situations there and tirelessly insisted to the Senate Inner Council that the course of action which had been taken was the only way to reach a lasting peace, that the peace effort needed to be self-sufficient and self-contained.

   The real fireworks had started with Luke's unexpected revelation that his second student had turned to the dark side. There had been no attacking or accusing, but the carefully unspoken sentiment was tangible: that this conclusion was unavoidable in attempting to reestablish the Jedi Knights.  Mon Mothma and some others expressed their faith in Luke, in the value of his work and in his authority to continue it despite this turn of events. Others were far less trusting or forgiving; Luke could feel them watching them him, and especially Atamvr, closely... as if they were trying to determine how long it might be before they would be having this discussion again.

   "Master Skywalker."

   Luke repressed an urge to flinch at the title that he had never been entirely comfortable with.  He knew that Fey'lya did not intend it as a respectful utterance, just as Fey'lya knew that the Jedi had often declined the use of that designation in the past.

   "Am I to understand that you took this man as an apprentice and trained him to use his abilities in the Force while you, yourself, harbored concerns about his past?"

   "Given the choice between rendering guidance or abandoning him to discover what ever power he possessed on his own, I chose to teach him.  I stand by my decision and I am willing to take responsibility for the ramifications of my actions."

   Fey'lya's fur flattened. "I am afraid the ramifications of your actions may spread far beyond even your reach."  His gaze rested on Atamvr for several heartbeats. "As may future failures in judgement if this course of events is permitted to continue."

   Luke could feel the volatility in Leia's emotions. She wasn't about to let Fey'lya get away with that.  Luke's gaze met hers.  Not now, he communicated to her. Let me handle him.

   Mon Mothma's calm voice intervened.  "This is not a time to assign blame, merely an opportunity for questions. Jedi Skywalker, your assessment of the risks this individual may pose to the New Republic."

   "Very little at this point.  He is potentially dangerous," Luke readily admitted, "but I believe he will try to assert his power by seeking my destruction."  That brought murmurs of worried surprise from many of the senators and their aids, and prompted a smile from Luke. "I do not intend to allow him to succeed in this matter."

   Atamvr grinned, as did many of the senators. The tension in the room had lessened noticeably.

   "I will see to Darlik," Luke assured them, "and I will personally limit any threat he poses to the New Republic and its citizens."

   "And we are supposed to take your word on that," Fey'lya challenged, "after you have allowed him sanctuary here on Coruscant, and then escape on Orem."

   Luke's eyebrows raised warily. "I have already given you my explanation for his presence here.  What would you have had me done differently on Orem, Senator?  Begin a manhunt which would have resulted in countless deaths?"

   "Only one death would have been necessary. And well within your considerable power, I might add."

   "Then, in your opinion, I should simply have bullied the locals into allowing my pursuit of vigilante justice? Killed the man in cold blood in front of witnesses, and done so with impunity, simply because such a thing is within my power?

   "I'm sorry, Senator. I chose to place the good of the citizens of Orem and their planet's future stability above my personal interests, and, at times, above my personal well-being.  And I would do so again."

   Fey'lya fell silent, but the rippling of his fur indicated that he remained unswayed from his initial argument.  Luke took the rare occasion of his silence as an opportunity to turn his attention toward the other Council members.

   "This body must decide where its loyalties lie.  I have worked and fought alongside most of you, and I have seen you struggle for this New Republic.  Like you, I am willing to sacrifice everything that I have for its survival.  That is why I cannot let the legacy of the Jedi religion die with me. I believe very strongly that we cannot recreate the peace and stability of the old times without also reestablishing the guardianship of peace and justice that the Jedi Knights once provided."

   "You have given us much to consider, Jedi Skywalker," Mon Mothma stated. "The New Republic thanks you and your apprentice for your service."

   Luke and Atamvr each bowed.

   "And now the Inner Council will take a short recess."

   Luke remained where he was until Mon Mothma made a slight gesture in his direction.  Atamvr glanced toward Luke.

   "You can go ahead. I suspect some members of the Inner Council may wish to speak to me in private."

   Atamvr nodded. "I'll wait for you outside."

~

   Atamvr exited from the Inner Council Chamber and reflexively took a deep breath.

   "I guess that answers my question." 

   He turned to see Lara stand from one of the seats by the doors. 

   "Pretty rough in there?" she prompted.

   He nodded. "Amazing, really, how much displeasure some beings can express in so few words."

   "And the ones that don't really sound that bad," she agreed, grimacing.  "Believe me, I know." Lara gestured for him to join her, and they sat down to wait for Luke. 

   "Is it breaking up now?" she asked, looking toward the doors.  Some senators and aids had emerged, but for the most part the corridor remained quiet.

   "They've called a brief recess," he answered, "but Mon Mothma and a few of the others seemed to want a private word." 

   Lara nodded, and she leaned back in her seat. 

   "You look tired," Atamvr finally offered softly. He hadn't noticed it earlier.

   Lara waved his worry away. "I'm already much better, now that the two of you are back safe."

   Atamvr grinned mischievously.  "You know, he didn't sleep without you either."

   Lara's smile widened, and she looked away.

   Atamvr shrugged, resisting the urge to tease her any further on the subject. He had the feeling that if he did, he would do so at his own risk... and that urge slipped away as his thoughts shifted back to Orem.

   "I've never admired anyone more than I did him on Orem," Atamvr confided softly. "He never gave up, not on Darlik, not on getting me to my family, not on finding our purpose there.

   "He kept trying to get through to Darlik, and he did everything in his power to make sure that Darlik wasn't put in a position where he wanted to use the dark side, where he felt pushed into it by everything that going on around us. Luke put himself in danger for that. He put his life on the line for Darlik, and he never once stopped trying..." Atamvr trailed off, his respect for those actions clear in their remembrance.  "I had to stand in his way, long after it was over."

   He shook his head and glanced cautiously to Lara.  He didn't want to finish that thought, and the look in her eyes told him that he didn't need to. She knew how much of himself Luke had given, how much more he would have been willing to give.

   "But they just see a failure," Atamvr said, motioning toward the doors which remained quiet, concealing the ongoing turmoil behind that peaceful facade.  "They think he should have cut Darlik loose from the beginning."

   Frustration inched into Atamvr's normally reserved voice.  Lara could feel him working to restrain his own emotions, while at the same time he gauged her reactions, searching her face and her sense curiously, hopefully.  Lara restrained a smile where one wouldn't have been appropriate, but it was difficult to do so.  Suddenly he sounded very much like Luke, struggling to hold on to idealism in the face of hard reality... and hoping for understanding where he knew most people would see only naive foolishness.

   "I wonder if they really understand what he's trying to do at all," Atamvr intoned disappointedly.

   "Some of them do," Lara answered softly. "Leia and Mon Mothma, a few of the others. For the most part, even those who don't really understand it respect Luke enough to give him the benefit of more time.  They've seen him beat impossible odds before, and are reluctant to count him out now. This loss will make it much harder for them to keep faith in Luke's efforts," she conceded, "but you shouldn't judge them too harshly for that. As Leia recently reminded me, some of them remember the Empire and Darth Vader too clearly to be willing to risk that again.  And it's hard to blame them for feeling that way," she conceded grimly.

   "But back beyond the dark times, for a thousand generations, there were Jedi Knights.  The Jedi Knights were great once," she continued, her voice filling with certainty and admiration.  "Their presence was so completely ingrained in the best of what the Old Republic stood for that even the Empire could not erase their existence from history, no matter how hard it tried."  She paused heavily. "That's what this is really all about, and Luke knows that," she breathed.  "The New Republic and its leaders are fighting to reclaim the greatness of the old times.  Deep down, even the most critical and doubting beings among them want to believe that that greatness is something we can achieve again.  The Jedi Knights belonged to those old times," she added, speaking with a familiar idealism in her voice. "They can belong again, to these times, but it will be difficult," she finished softly.

   "If anyone can do it, it's Luke," Atamvr stated with a confidence that was born out of deep respect.

   Lara nodded. "There's something in him that's at its best when everything is depending on that." 

   "He takes it all on himself," Atamvr stated quietly.  "It was that way with the bad too."

   Lara's lip twisted in understanding. She could see something more in Atamvr.  These experiences had bonded him and Luke, and their trials had strengthened them each in a unique and lasting way; she could see that Atamvr was stronger for it, and she knew what he had done for Luke.

   "I know that you helped him," she said softly. "I thank you for that," she added more softly.

   Atamvr looked away uncomfortably.  "I just tried to convince him of the truth, that he did everything he could, and more, for Darlik.  It wasn't his fault that Darlik turned away from the light, couldn't accept it, or was never open to it in the first place.... It was still really hard for him to let that go," Atamvr admitted.

   Lara's eyes held on him. "You've seen something in him that Luke doesn't show most people." Her eyes were soft and her voice was softer, secretive but not guarded.  "It takes a lot from him," she spoke almost reluctantly, "the need for this constant and all-encompassing vigil against the dark side." She paused for a long moment, her eyes carefully measuring him.  "He's told you about Bespin."

   Atamvr nodded.

   "There are moments in life," she stated, her eyes quiet and serious, "where something unexpected acts on you so suddenly that it changes you.  And you're changed in ways that you could spend the rest of you life trying to understand. Bespin was that for him." 

   Atamvr nodded carefully, and her eyes rested on him, unwavering, as he listened.

   "At that point in his life, at about your age, Luke thought he knew himself: who he was, who he wanted to be, and all the things that were impossible, all the lines that he could never cross.  But all the things that were fact before... after Bespin," she shook her head. "There was doubt in everything.  Because in that one moment everything changed. The dark side had become so powerfully close, and cruel, and real. The one person he thought he hated, and the one person he most wanted to know, to love, had become one in the same."

   She let the silence hold for a few moments.  "It would have been much easier for him to fight Darth Vader for all the danger he posed, to hate him for the harm he had already inflicted, and deny the good that was buried so deeply beneath the cruelties of the dark side's influence and the power of the Emperor's hold.  But Luke," she shook her head in a measure of amazement, "could not even imagine that.  He had felt that goodness. And even though facing its existence would shake everything in himself, he had to believe that he could save his father, could somehow turn him back to the good side.

   "That glimmer of hope for the shred of goodness in this otherwise unforgivably evil machine of a man...." She trailed off, snorting lightly at something so seemingly small and illusive.  Then her thoughts shifted, and Atamvr sensed a slight feeling of hollow, cold... like the remembrance of something lost. "It could haunt a person for a lifetime," she said softly, the words almost inaudible.

   Her gaze lifted to Atamvr's, the sadness in her eyes making him wonder all the more at the shadows that he had felt in her a moment earlier.

   "It's still with him in a lot of ways," she continued quietly. "In all the things he never got to ask, and in all the ways the goodness in him could not understand that fall."  Her eyes flickered over Atamvr's as another edge of sad reality touched her emotions.  "And since then this possibility has haunted him," she stated, her eyes filled with familiar strength and compassion, "as he wondered how it could have happened once before, and he struggled, despite the haunting weight of that failure, to carry out all that his responsibility to the light would demand of him." 

   Lara shook her head. "If, somehow, this extraordinary student and friend that Ben Kenobi had embraced could be seduced away from him....  If Luke and Leia's father, who was once a good man, could turn from himself to embrace the dark side and do the will of the Emperor...." She sighed, shrugging at the difficult reality and wincing at its hurtful implications. 

   Atamvr nodded in empathy.  "What can be certain in the face of that fall?"

~

   In the relative privacy of the Inner Council meeting hall even Mom Mothma lowered her public show of support to speak with Luke Skywalker privately, candidly.

   Luke winced inwardly at the worry that he could sense underlying her quiet tone.  

   "Don't misunderstand my concern, Luke. I believe as you do that the New Republic needs the Jedi Knights, and I will continue to support your efforts in every way that I can.  But Luke," she warned regretfully, "as great as that need is.... We cannot afford a fall to the dark side." She paused, and an uncharacteristic discomfort crossed her emotions, turning her voice a degree colder as she finished. "Not with the atrocities of Vader so fresh in the consciousness of so many." 

   Luke could only nod speechlessly; a knot had suddenly formed in his throat.

   It must have shown in his face.  "I'm sorry, Luke," she apologized belatedly, and her strong voice softened.  "I wasn't thinking of that." 

   Mon Mothma was one of the handful of leaders in the New Republic who knew the truth of Luke and Leia's parentage.  She and the others took great pains not to speak of it directly.  If that knowledge were to be made public it could prove damaging to Luke and Leia's credibility as Rebellion heros and as New Republic leaders, and at a time when the New Republic desperately needed their leadership.

   "No," Luke quickly brushed it aside. "You're right. The universe can't afford another Darth Vader."

~

   That very sentiment was still ringing in his ears as Luke left the room, making his way back through the Inner Council Chamber. And Leia stepped into stride beside him. He could feel the turmoil in his sister's fiery emotions, along with a great deal of fresh determination.

   "I've decided something, Luke."

   "Leia," he stopped her and turned to face his sister.  "I appreciate your support. You have always believed, and I thank you for that.  But this is something you have to choose for yourself... not for me, not for the Senate, and not for the New Republic.  Your sense of loyalty and duty is admirable, but this training requires much more of you if you are to complete it.  Being a Jedi is a calling that encompasses all corners of your life.  I learn that fact more every day," he admitted softly.

   "I'm ready to make the commitment, Luke. I've always intended to be ready, able to help Jacen and Jaina when their time comes."  She shrugged and came to a pause. "But that's not enough anymore.  I want to do this for me.  I want to return to the training," she stated calmly. "I need to finish it," she added certainly.

   "I can't explain the pull I feel..." Leia admitted, "but I know that the time is now.  All the pieces are coming together: the Senate needs my leadership on this, the New Republic desperately needs the example of committed Jedi Knights, Jacen and Jaina will be ready soon. It's time, Luke. I know that it's time for me to do this.  I'm ready," she insisted, looking up at him determinedly.

   Luke nodded. Leia knew that he was taking measure of her in ways she couldn't yet understand. Then he nodded again, readily accepting her commitment.

   He could feel something more underlying his sister's new sense of commitment.  He felt the Force at work in her. And not for the first time he wondered if perhaps she was far stronger than either of them suspected....  He had always known that once Leia set her mind to something she was a force to be reckoned with.

   Luke put his arm around his sister's shoulder, grateful to accept the support she offered, grateful for her unshaken confidence in him.  And he was very proud of her – not just for what he sensed in her today, but for what he sensed she had the potential to become....

   "I am proud of you," he whispered.

   Leia laughed.  "I haven't done anything yet."

   "No. You have," he breathed.  "You've taken an important step.  You will be a strong Jedi, Leia."

~

   Only a few days later, under cover of night, Luke met the deceptively small hooded figures and escorted them into the Palace. They traveled slowly to let the group become familiarized with their surroundings as they made their way toward his family's suite, Luke and Khabarakh leading the party.

   Khabarakh had become highly revered among the Nogrhi in the years since the young warrior had recognized the Mal'ary'ush, Lady Vader, saved her from the clutches of Grand Admiral Thrawn, and gone on to assume protectorship of her family. His deeds and the part that he had played in freeing the Nogrhi from their servitude to the Empire had taken on an almost legendary status.

   The Kihm'bar clan personally trained all warriors who wished to offer their service to the Mal'ary'ush and her family, but Khabarakh insisted on hand-picking all teams accepted for that duty. It was an honor to be chosen by Khabarakh, and he had assured Luke that this team was the best he had ever assembled. Luke had no doubt of their skill, but he did feel the need to warn them about what they might find themselves facing. 

   "Khabarakh has told me of your skill and dedication. I am confident in your abilities.  But I wish for you to be aware of the unique dangers you may have to face in your service here. In facing a Force-strong warrior there is no room for error; if he is able to gain the advantage of surprise, or even to strike the first blow, the best of hunter's instincts may be rendered useless," Luke admonished them, and he fell silent. 

   He could sense their caution and resolve as they accepted his warning, accepted the inherent danger in this assignment. He could almost see them remembering pasts of vaunted service and dangerous failings to Vader, his Emperor, and even to Grand Admiral Thrawn after. A circle of service and debt, and honor. Now that honor was extended to Luke, his birth right, along with Leia's. But this service was also a new beginning, a chosen life debt offered out of appreciation for Leia's gift to them: new homeland and new life granted to the Nogrhi race. All of that stood before Luke as he awaited their response. 

   "It is our honor to serve you, son of Vader," their gravelly voices responded one by one.  Only one thing remained: the honor of protecting him and his family. 

   All Luke could give them in return was his gratitude, and an enormous measure of respect.  With that, he turned aside and showed them the small access panel which was programmed to accept keycodes along with the hand prints of a small number of trusted individuals. When the door opened, the team of five Nogrhi fanned out into the suite, stealthy taking measure of the area they would be expected to secure.

   Luke and Khabarakh remained standing by the door. 

   "I know you are still troubled by this necessity, son of Vader."

   Luke gave Khabarakh a hesitant glance, his attention remaining on the party of warriors that was sweeping his family's home.

   "I mean you no dishonor," Luke said softly, his hand resting at his chin.  "I'm simply worried."

   "I assure you, my warriors will become invisible until such a moment arrives when they are needed. And at such a time they will protect yourself and your family with their lives."

   Luke could detect the pride in Khabarakh's voice as easily as he could feel it in his sense.

   "I know that they will, Khabarakh," Luke whispered.

   The young warrior wondered for a moment why his lord still appeared troubled by that assurance.  Then his attention shifted, and Khabarakh dropped into the same gesture of supplication he had assumed when greeting Luke.

   "Chosen one of the son of Vader. We honor you."

   Lara extended the back of her hand to Khabarakh in greeting. "You may rise Khabarakh, clan Kihm'bar.  It is your service that honors us," she said softly. 

   Lara had seen Khabarakh and several members of Leia's Nogrhi guard on rare occasions, and she had known of their devotion to Darth Vader well before that – when the Nogrhi had done the Dark Lord's bidding as a league of deadly assassins.  Lara also knew that her service to Darth Vader was far from unknown to the Nogrhi race. Each recognized the other as a highly skilled warrior, dangerous in combat.  But Khabarakh chose to honor Luke by addressing her only as Luke's consort... and he had learned from earlier dealings with the clan Solo that "consort" was not considered an acceptable designation to many humans when addressing their mates.   

   Khabarakh rose and joined his warriors, speaking softly in their native language.  Luke placed his arm around Lara's shoulder's, and she leaned against his side in response. He could feel the tension in her.

   "Your firstsons dwell here?" Khabarakh questioned, motioning to the nursery. It was the only area of the suite they had not yet surveyed.

   Luke nodded, and gently tightened his hold against Lara's shoulders when he felt her tension shift into restlessness.

   "It's all right," he whispered at her ear. "Let them do what they are here to do."

   She relaxed slightly, but Luke could feel that she did not like allowing their children to be alone with strangers, even strangers who were there to protect them.

   The Nogrhi emerged a few moments later.  "They will be safe," Khabarakh stated.

   Luke lowered his head in a show of respect.

   "You have our gratitude," Lara whispered.

~

   Early the following morning Luke stopped by Leia's suite to collect her; he wasn't expecting her mind to have changed, but he was pleasantly surprised to find her dressed for a work out, her lightsaber in her hand.  The state of chaos surrounding her came as little surprise.

   "Uncle Luke!" his niece and nephew called in unison.

   "Hi, you two." Luke crouched down to their eye level and tried to avoid being bowled over when Jacen and Jaina hugged him.  "I think you've gotten taller since I saw you the other day," he decided playfully.

   "No we haven't," they laughed.

   Luke shook his head, unconvinced.  "At this rate I'll be training you soon."

   "Really?"

   Luke grinned and glanced up at their mother, who was standing behind them.

   "Go get your school things.  Go on," Leia prompted, sending them back toward their room with a shove.

   Luke got to his feet.  "I think you've got the worse end of this deal, Han," Luke decided, grinning.

   "So do I," Leia agreed.  "He's going to have to handle the morning shift singlehandedly for a while."

   "Nice," Han answered dryly.  He was trying to get Bail fed, but Bail was getting both of them covered in food in the process.  "I think I can handle breakfast and getting the twins off to school."

   Leia kissed a corner of his cheek that was still clear.  "I know you can."

   "Personally, I think it's about time you two got serious about this," Han argued. 

   "And I thought you didn't believe in all this nonsense," Luke kidded his brother-in-law.

   Han gave them a lopsided grin. "Who says I believe?" he challenged. "What I believe in is using all my resources, and if you can teach Leia to do the stuff you do she'll be safer – and I'm all for that."

   "Right," Luke agreed, sharing a suspicious smile with Leia.  Han would never admit it, but after all they had been through he would be a fool not to believe that the Force was about more than a collection of simple tricks and ancient weapons... and he would never have been so anxious to have Leia to continue her training if he didn't believe.

   "Just try to keep things under control for a few hours," Leia teased her husband.  "Then Winter will be here to watch Bail."

   "Hey," Han shrugged, "no problem.  It's me."

   Leia grinned.  "That's exactly what worries me," she decided as she gave her husband one more kiss and said goodbye to the twins before she followed Luke.  He didn't miss her slight hesitation when the door slid closed behind her. Leia had so little time to spend with Han and the kids... as crazy and chaotic as these mornings were, she was going to miss them.

   "Don't worry," Luke smiled, gently steering her away with a hand on her shoulder.  "I promise you an equally challenging morning."

   Leia sighed, putting her personal regrets aside as she remembered why it was so important that she do this.  "Luke, you didn't really give a lot of details at the Inner Council meeting.  What are you going to do about Darlik?"

   "There weren't any details to give.  For now I'm going to wait," Luke offered patiently. "I searched him out once before, and I didn't find him then until he wanted me to find him.  I believe the same will be true now.  He'll come for me.  As long as I'm alive, I'm a stumbling block to his ambitions."

   "His ambitions?" Leia questioned.

   "Have you ever thought about why Vader and the Emperor wiped out the Jedi? And not just physically – I mean why they methodically purged every record of the Jedi, tried to make it as through the Jedi never existed."

   Leia shrugged. "I always thought it was a necessity, like dissolving the Senate.  Eliminate what stands in your way, and do it so forcefully that no one dares to oppose you in the future."

   "That's true, but there's more to it than that.  The Emperor wasn't just a brutal dictator, he was also a Sith Lord. Eliminating the Jedi was a necessary step; eliminating the Senate was a necessary step.  Once those two controls were removed, legions of stormtroopers, fleets of star destroyers, and superweapons like the Death Star could ensure his rule over the galaxy. But as a Sith Lord, he knew that all it took to defeat him was one being who felt the Force. Just one being who was able to use the Force against him, and who would refuse to be turned from the light to do his will." 

   "As Vader had been," Leia whispered. Then she turned to Luke. "It was you that he feared.  The Emperor wanted you because he knew you could defeat him."

   Luke nodded. "Darlik is a little different. If he is to ascend to a place of power in the galaxy he must defeat me. Only by destroying me can he prove how powerful he is."

   "So you'll wait for him to make his move," Leia assessed.  "And in the meantime?"

   "In the meantime, getting you and Atamvr ready is my top priority."

   "Ready?" she asked reflexively.

   Luke sighed, coming to a stop. "There are difficult times ahead, Leia.  I have felt it. In my meditations I have seen futures, murky with plots against the New Republic, that would bring danger to us all. And I have seen that the dark side of the Force, even when it lurks in the shadows, still has the ability to destroy everything." Leia watched him worriedly, causing Luke to spare his sister a reassuring smile. "But the future is always in motion. What is certain is that we must prepare ourselves as best we can, using all of our strengths and talents."

   He hesitated.  "This training will be a challenge to you, Leia.  What I have shown you before has served you well until now, but those skills and abilities are only a fraction of what you are capable of.  What we are about to begin will be something altogether different."

   Leia nodded, feeling a little intimidated by what he was telling her... but Leia Organa Solo had never been one to give in to intimidation.

~

   "Just relax your mind," Luke instructed. "Reach out with your feelings and let go your conscious self."

   Leia was seated on the rec room floor facing her brother, listening to his voice.  He had been trying to teach her to use the Force for meditation for the better part of the past hour; it wasn't what she had expected to be doing with her time this morning, and she was having a hard time keeping patience with her own lack of success.

   "I know you can do this, Leia," Luke assured her.  "I've seen you use those instincts every time you take measure of a political situation, every time you put your own emotion aside and find that calm center inside yourself that lets you focus on the challenge at hand.  Let go your willful emotions and trust in the Force."

   Leia shook her head cautiously, opening her eyes.  "I don't like the idea of letting go of myself, Luke." 

   Leia had always relied on that willful, stubborn, headstrong side of herself – her father had called it the cold fire, and proudly pronounced it her greatest strength.  It was an essential part of who she was, and Leia didn't like the idea of allowing anything to change that.

   Luke nodded in response, his voice softening.  "I know what I'm asking of you is difficult.  It's difficult to let go of your self-reliance and trust in something that you can't fully understand – but you can trust that nothing of you will be lost, Leia." Her brother smiled at her. "I would never want or expect that.

   "Simply trust in the Force and use your instincts. The same Force that guides your actions when you call on it in self-defense will also guide your thoughts in meditation.  Once you can clear your mind and be at peace, passive, then you'll learn to rely on the Force beyond what you can see it doing for you. It will lead you to see and understand everything around you a little differently than you did before."

   Leia nodded. Looking into Luke's determined features, she understood that the Force had not changed him from the farm boy he had once been.  Luke would still risk himself for those in need without a second thought; he loved his family with his life, and remained fiercely loyal to his friends. He was just more – aware – now.  He could see the consequences of his actions more clearly, and while he would not take unnecessary risks to himself or to others, he was willing to sacrifice all he had for what he believed in....  The boy still held a warm place in her heart, but this man she had watched her brother become... he was a man that she admired, and someone she was proud to have at her side. 

   Leia closed her eyes again and concentrated on the sound of her brother's voice.

   "There is growth, and growth means change, but this process is a partnership – and one with great rewards. The Force will guide you to use those talents and abilities that are uniquely yours to their fullest potential... to your fullest potential," he finished softly.

   Leia nodded, concentrating again, reaching out to the Force. She was beginning to understand what he meant, beginning to feel....  It really wasn't a loss at all. As she let go of some things in order to let her mind open to the possibilities Luke spoke about, Leia could feel her senses coming alive.  She could feel herself becoming aware of much more than she had ever expected herself capable of.

~

   Once the Senate had recessed that evening Leia returned to the rec room to resume her exercises. This time she found herself watching her brother warily, her hands on her hips, breathing elevated, as her lightsaber flew harmlessly across the room;  Luke had disarmed her for at least the fifth time.

   He felt her emotions, confused and becoming irritated. Leia's skills had been built up gradually over the years; her combat skills were formidable and she had a solid grasp of the basics when it came to using the Force... but Leia had always lacked vision.  She trusted her senses and felt the Force, but she needed fine control and the kind of understanding that would allow for strength as well as for peaceful focus.

   Luke had been content to let her focus on her strengths, using the Force in her defense and building up her confidence in those skills.  They had both become more or less comfortable with things as they had been.  Now he needed to take away the comfort zone they had developed and show Leia that she still had much to learn. That meant making his sister a little uncomfortable.

   He tossed the weapon toward her and Leia used the Force to pull it back to her grip, her eyes narrowing on his slightly.

   "You know I might be able to improve my skills if I could keep my lightsaber in hand for more than a few minutes at a time."

   Luke met her gaze. "If you can't keep yourself from being separated from that weapon you may not live long enough to improve your skills," he countered, assuming a ready stance.

   "Understood," Leia breathed with a nod, but Luke delayed his engagement for a few moments.

   "These exercises are not just a means to an end, Leia. What we are doing here is more than achieving a skill level, and that lightsaber is more than a weapon.  It's not a blaster that randomly obeys your commands; it's an energy source that you must learn to feel as though it's a part of you.

   "Calm your emotions. Feel the Force," he intoned, "and let its energy flow through you. Feel that connection, that energy, between you and the lightsaber, and let nothing break that connection."

   Leia suppressed a knowing grin.  "Just like the meditation this morning."

   Luke nodded. "Exactly like that.  Immerse yourself in the Force, just as you did then, and let it guide you."

   Atamvr watched Luke and Leia resume their exercise.  Over the past several days Luke had been instructing Atamvr to widen his focus in his meditations, to open his mind and become more aware of the Force as it ebbed and flowed in the larger scheme of events which encompassed him.

   As a result Atamvr was aware of the steady progress Leia was making. He had felt a curious change in Luke's sense a few moments ago, and Atamvr had become aware of another presence in the Force some distance away.

   "Good," Luke breathed following another vigorous exchange. This time his attempts to separate Leia from her lightsaber had failed; her focus was improving. "Very good," Luke noted proudly, but his attention shifted just slightly as he shut down his lightsaber.  "Why don't we continue this tomorrow," he suggested.

   Leia nodded, collecting herself. The soft blue light was reflected against her face for a second longer before she retracted her blade, and Leia noticed that the daylight was rapidly fading from the Coruscant sky outside the rec room windows – just before she noticed that they had a visitor.

   Atamvr had also turned to see the stranger standing in the doorway... someone he had never seen before, but he recognized her immediately.

   Mara Jade stood silently, expectantly, and her green eyes flashed across the room, taking it in for a long moment before she finally stepped inside. Luke walked to meet her.

   "Hello, Mara."

   "Skywalker," she greeted him, a little less gruffly than usual.  Her feet shifted underneath her when she came to a stop, and she glanced past him, to Leia and Atamvr.

   "It's good to see you again, Mara," Leia offered.

   "Leia," Mara nodded. She could feel Organa Solo's curiosity, but Mara gave nothing away just yet. Her gaze rested on the younger man standing behind Luke. His dress marked him as Luke's apprentice as certainly as his calm manner and steady gaze did.

   "I don't think you've met Atamvr," Luke stated.

   The apprentice Jedi bowed.

   "No, not in person.  But I have heard a great deal about you."

   "As I have you," Atamvr answered. 

   Mara gave a snort and nodded appraisingly. She had a pretty good idea of the things he had heard... and she fought back the urge to second guess herself for being here. Organa Solo was a polished diplomat.  Skywalker and his apprentice both fit the role of Jedi Knight from head to toe....  They were the polar opposite of her. Everything in her told Mara that she didn't belong here. But it wasn't that simple anymore.  She couldn't turn away; the consequences of her inaction were too great.

   "I came to offer you my help, if you'll have it," she amended her statement, challenge in her voice.

   Luke nodded. Her discomfort was obvious but Mara didn't let that small factor cause her to back down from her intention.

   "I'd be grateful for your help," Luke answered.  "Please." He motioned her further inside.

   Mara watched him for a moment more, some flicker of previous mischief coming to light in her eyes before she accepted his gesture, his acceptance. But that flicker in her eyes passed away, almost unseen, as she nodded her gratefulness to him. Skywalker understood why she was here, and more importantly he was willing to train her.

   Atamvr and Leia each made their exits. Luke bid them goodnight and followed Mara Jade into the rec room.

   "Thanks," she breathed as she stood in the center of the room, alone with Skywalker. Mara paused to study the Coruscant skyline for a heartbeat before she spoke again. "That was far less painful than it could have been."

   Skywalker only stood there behind her, waiting.  The touch of curiosity underlying the patience in his emotions caused her to cringe in spite of herself.

   "Listen, Skywalker," she said as she turned to face him. Mara Jade shifted uncomfortably again; she didn't like finding herself in the uncharacteristic position of having to explain the reasons for her actions. "I know I don't fit the mold of what a Jedi is supposed to be."  She admitted that much without apology, her green eyes glittering intensely. "I've never cared if I did," she spat. "I never wanted to." She stopped to take a deep breath and her eyes settled, as did her voice.  "But maybe it's time that I did," she said quietly.  "I know I can make a difference." Her voice dropped a notch lower. "I know it's time that I tried."

   "I know you can," Luke echoed her statement. "Mara, I've hoped that you would chose this path, eventually, since the moment I decided to give you that lightsaber," he said, with just a hint of hesitation in his voice. "But I never fooled myself into thinking that the choice would be an easy one for you."  He watched her for a moment more. "Are you going to tell me what really brought you here?"

   Mara lowered her head briefly. "I had a vision," she stated.  "Several of them, actually."  Clearly she was not anxious to revisit those visions.  "I saw myself as a Jedi, and I didn't like what happened when I tried to avoid that reality."  She made the statement with her usual assuredness, confident and businesslike in the assessment, but there was an unmistakable awkwardness in the words, a slight hitch in her voice.

   Luke decided not to press her any further on the issue.  For reasons best known only to her, Mara had come here ready to sacrifice parts of herself that she had been stubbornly unwilling to change until now. What she had seen in the Force had affected her strongly enough to make her believe that she had to follow this decision through. Luke only hoped that he could help her to believe a little more....

   "Luke, I know I don't fit that mold today, and I might never fit it, but I can help you; I'm willing to learn.

   "I know you are, Mara. I don't question your resolve or your commitment.  Your coming here tells me that you want to learn, that you're willing to serve, and ready to sacrifice for those things if necessary. And you're right to say that you don't fit the mold, but, Mara, the mold is not absolute.  The Force doesn't require blind or total sacrifice, at least the light does not," he amended.

   "The light side of the Force doesn't demand conformity, and it doesn't seek to transform you into something that you're not."  The Jedi smiled.  "When I gave you that lightsaber, it wasn't because I wanted a Jedi named Mara Jade. I hoped that Mara Jade would one day serve as a Jedi Knight. I'm honored to train you, and I believe that you have the potential to become an outstanding Jedi Knight, Mara." He placed a hand to her shoulder.  "But you must figure out what you believe."

   Mara looked at him for a long moment, her green eyes stunned and a little puzzled

   Then he stepped back and Luke removed his lightsaber from his belt, shifting its familiar weight in his hand as he studied Mara's reaction.

   "Well then," he prompted her readily, "let's see how much you still remember."

   Mara Jade gave Luke Skywalker a wicked grin as she removed her lightsaber from her belt. She ignited the blade with a familiar snap-hiss, and they began the work that she had come here to do.

~

   As it turned out Mara remembered a great deal when it came to handling a lightsaber. That was no surprise to Luke, and the two of them had dueled at length.  The exchange had given Mara the opportunity to work out her lingering discomforts on familiar turf: hand to hand combat against a familiar adversary. And it had allowed Luke the opportunity to take measure of his new student: her mental status as well as her physical skill and stamina.  One thing Luke had learned over the years was that you could rarely learn as much about a person in as a short span of time as you could in a fight... either your ally or your opponent.

   Luke considered the day a success when he and Mara parted ways, but he was undeniably exhausted when he arrived home several hours later than he had expected. Luke reached out with his emotions, feeling for his family inside as he keyed in his code for entrance.  He was hoping that the twins might still be awake; it startled him when he sensed other minds.  The Noghri.

   Luke redirected his thoughts and emotions as he stepped inside.  He could feel their minds but the Noghri were otherwise undetectable, silent and invisible.  Luke let the presence of the Noghri warriors slip into the background of his thoughts as he walked toward the twins' nursery and the three very drowsy life forms he felt there.

   "Hi," Luke whispered, bending to kiss his wife's cheek as she sat rocking their sons. 

   Ben heard the sound of his father's voice, and Luke took his son in his arms when the child reached for his father.  Lara stood to place Mark in the crib, and he settled in with a sleepy coo.  Luke was speaking softly to Ben as they walked back and forth across the room, Luke cradling his son's head against his shoulder.... Ben was sound asleep moments later, but several minutes passed before his father's footsteps came to a pause and Luke leaned over his sons' crib to put Ben down and gently tuck the two of them in.

   Luke turned and smiled a little sheepishly at Lara after Ben was settled beside his older brother. He wasn't entirely sure for how long he had been standing there watching his sons sleep.  Lara only smiled back at him as she waited beside the door for him to join her.

   She shook her head as Luke closed the nursery door behind them.  Then she placed a hand to his cheek.

   "I love you," Lara whispered, smiling as she softly kissed his other cheek.  "That was the most beautiful sight I've seen in a long time," she added, ignoring the unruly tears that had formed in her eyes. Her unexpected reaction rendered him momentarily speechless before Lara laughed, dismissing her own tears as foolishness. 

   "Come on into the kitchenette," she prompted him, her hand slipping from his face. "You must be starving."

   They sat down at the small counter in the kitchenette for a late dinner, and the conversation quickly turned to the day's unexpected events: Mara's arrival on Coruscant and her newfound determination to be a Jedi.

   "I guess I just never expected it to unfold this way," Luke admitted.  "I knew that Mara might show up here seeking training. After the recent disturbances I've sensed in her, and the way that those feelings have steadily intensified... it doesn't surprise me that she's acted on them.  But I always thought making this commitment would be something like pulling teeth for Mara Jade. I never expected her to come offering me help, and never in a million years did I think I would hear her arguing to me that she could be a Jedi."

   Lara smiled at him.  "Mara Jade has a way of doing the unexpected, doesn't she?  There was a time when I would never have thought the three of us could stand in the same room without trying to kill each other."

   Luke laughed at the intended joke, but he felt the conflicted feelings underlying it.  Lara and Mara Jade shared an uneasy friendship and an uncomfortable history.

   "You know as well as I do that Mara can handle herself in any situation, and I can vouch for her skills with a lightsaber – or just about any other weapon for that matter," Lara added with a smirk.  "She will tackle this just like any other challenge," Lara concluded seriously.  "Mara doesn't offer anything easily, especially her loyalty, but once she's taken the first step she'll find a way to follow it through."

   Luke nodded. "I don't doubt her skill or her dedication, but I feel uncertainty in her emotions.  Mara feels the need to do this, but she's not sure of herself."

   "That's unexpected," Lara admitted.  "I've never known Mara Jade to lack in confidence."

   "Mara's confidence lies in her abilities, what she knows she's capable of. Her connection to the Force is something altogether different. That part of her has always been linked to her belief in the Emperor and his powers, her loyalty to him.  Without him she only possesses an after-image of what she was once capable of."

   Lara's eyes narrowed.  "I know the Emperor's influence over her was strong, but–"

   "Have you never wondered why she didn't retain her abilities after the Emperor's death?"

   Lara blinked.  "No," she answered softly.  "I felt chaos in the Force when he died, even though I was a great distance away. Mara's mind was so closely linked to his... after his death I always thought it felt like a part of her had also died."

   Luke nodded. "As far as she was concerned her abilities were an extension of the Emperor's will, and they died with him.  Those abilities have begun to resurface more and more in the years since the Emperor's destruction, but now she will have to relearn those skills on her own, separate from what she was before."

   "She will," Lara decided softly.

   Luke tugged thoughtfully at his lip. He believed very strongly in Mara, but he couldn't deny himself intimidated when he remembered that Mara had once embraced the teachings of the Emperor, had once called him her master....

   Lara's hand found his forearm. "That time was long ago, Luke," she whispered when she felt the shift in his emotions. "Mara's a different person now; she's turned her back on that old life."

   Luke nodded, his gaze focusing on her curiously. As had Lara.

   "It's not enough just to turn your back on the past. You made a choice not to embrace the dark side.  Mara never made that choice between darkness and light; it was never presented to her. If she's going to understand who she is and decide what she believes in, Mara will also have to understand who she was: the Hand that the Emperor shaped her to be. She will have to face her past.  It's a part of her."

   Lara felt a chill at his words.  The Hand of the Emperor.  "Not even a whole person," she breathed.

   Luke felt her conflict clearly that time; he had felt some of those same conflicted feelings in Mara.

   "She will have to find her own way now," Luke whispered.

   Lara remained silent for a long moment.

   "Lara, you understand those times, that past, maybe better than anyone else. You could help her.  Maybe you could help each other," he suggested gently.

   Lara shook her head, lifting her gaze slowly.  The look in her eyes chilled him to the bone.

   "I do understand," Lara whispered. "That's why it's better I don't get involved."

   Luke reached for her hand, but Lara had already stood and begun clearing the table... acting as though nothing was wrong.  Luke took a deep breath before he got to his feet and went to her.  He wrapped his arms around her, and he felt her shudder when she leaned back into his embrace.

   "I'm sorry, Sweetness," he whispered in her ear, holding her closer.

   Lara sighed. "It's not an unreasonable request, Luke. I've just tried so hard to put that past behind me.... I'm sure I don't want to revisit those times any more than Mara does," Lara whispered, her voice strained.

   Luke nodded, and he kissed her cheek before nuzzling his head against her neck.  "It's late," he whispered, placing another kiss on her collarbone. "Let's leave this for tomorrow."

   Lara nodded and turned to face him.  Luke gently kissed her lips, his hand slipping into hers. She turned out the lights and followed him down the darkened hall, but the bedroom door had barely opened when Mark started to cry.  His teething was still interfering with his sleep; he dropped off easily, but it wasn't uncommon for him to wake several times in the night.

   "You stay put," Lara whispered, placing a hand to her husband's chest. "I'll get him back to sleep."

     Luke got himself ready for bed and slid gratefully under the warm covers. He felt pleasantly tired as he settled his head back against his pillow, and he reached out to the Force, lightly touching Lara's sense, letting his mind reach out to those of his children. He could feel peace in them, warm and safe, with their mother nearby... even the discomfort Mark was feeling was lessened as Lara patiently soothed her son. 

   Luke smiled as he rolled over onto his side... but the smile slowly faded as he registered a movement very close to Lara.  He had pushed back the covers, ready to move into action when he felt the change in Lara's sense, but her caution easily vanished into a reluctant acceptance.  Luke let go a deep breath and brought his racing heart rate under control. The movement had been one of the Nogrhi guard; he had quickly realized his mistake once Lara had become aware of his presence, and he had retreated to a more discrete position.

   Luke lay back down, letting the covers remain where they fell, his thoughts distracted.  Lara had said after the twins were born that she couldn't imagine this undertaking without fear, a constant reminder of danger.... Luke knew that little by little they would adjust to the Nogrhi's presence, and there were ways to balance a family's need for privacy with the need to maintain their security. Still, the reminder of the Nogrhi's purpose was always near.  Only a touch of the Force was enough to confirm their presence, and the feel of their minds was always the same: alert, nearby, and ready for anything....

   Lara tried to slip back in quietly after checking on the twins, but her caution was mostly a reflex. She didn't think that Luke was asleep. She could feel the same heaviness to his sense that had been nagging at him since the Nogrhi had arrived. She eased under the covers and pulled close enough to his back to wrap an arm around him, her palm rubbing over his chest.

   He sighed at her touch and his hand moved easily to hold hers, his breath light against her fingers as he curled them to his lips. Lara pulled closer, to embrace him, and she felt him give another, heavier sigh as he struggled with his emotions. 

   "I keep thinking about what you said when we first talked about doing this," he finally put it into words, "and it feels like you said it would. Their presence here, it's a reminder that our children are in danger," he barley managed those words.  "Worse – that we don't know if we can protect them."

   "This is an awful thing to say," Lara breathed, tightening her arms around him, "but it feels better now, just knowing that there are more lives between Mark and Ben and anything that would harm them."  She buried her forehead against his neck.  "You and I know that we would give our lives to protect them. The Nogrhi would too.  Every day I hope that it never comes to that... but deep inside, where I love them so much that I don't care about anything else, I'm thankful that the Nogrhi are here, and willing to fight to the death if they ever have too."

   She felt him swallow hard: a reaction to the grim possibility, or to the coldness that she could objectively recognize in her own sentiment... Lara wasn't sure.  Then she felt him nod. 

   "It's not fair," he admitted softly. "None of it is.  But I feel that too," he added quietly. "I'd lay down my life for them in an instant.  There's nothing I wouldn't give or sacrifice. That's my love for them. I hate that the Nogrhi would call it an honor. I hate that I'm asking that of them," he whispered.  "And I don't know how I'd live with myself..." he trailed off, unable to finish that thought.

   "But the other is more unthinkable," Lara finished at a hoarse whisper.

   He nodded again. "It's just not fair," Luke whispered.  And his arms moved around hers, to pull her a little closer, to feel the warmth of her body, the warmth of her understanding.

   "I know," was all she could manage to whisper in return, to feel with him.

     ~~ ~ () ~ ~~

   For the next several months, life continued on quietly.  The twins had their first birthday shortly after the Nogrhi had arrived, and Luke and Lara celebrated their third anniversary three months later. They balanced themselves carefully between the twins and the new priority of training Jedi.

   Atamvr was finding himself in the middle ground, somewhere between life audience and teaching assistant. The training was vigorous for Mara and Leia. Leia was working hard at her skills and progressing slowly but steadily. Mara was finding progress more easily but wrestling with a great many other issues; the troubled spots in her own personality often found themselves at odds with her new vision of responsibility, trust, and service.  Luke instructed her patiently.  They each knew that she would never fit the ideal model of a Jedi Knight, but that was just as well; her strengths did not lie along those lines. What Mara had was will.  And she would serve with vigor and with her own distinct grace, guided by Luke's model of service. 

   In the wake of Darlik's fall to the dark side the three students had closed ranks around Luke in unity.  Four distinct individuals contrasting dynamically in personality, but all of them seeking the same knowledge and wanting the same goals.... They had joined together, committed to the challenge ahead, each of them ready to work and to build for the future, to see the rise of a strong new order of Jedi Knights.

   This afternoon Luke and two of his apprentices sat waiting in a Coruscant meeting room.

   "So what's the latest on Laus and Karrde?" Luke asked Han as they waited for Karrde to arrive.

   "Laus has pretty much fallen back into his usual pattern of disappearing all of a sudden, without a trace. Since Laus let up Karrde has been keeping himself especially busy, but we haven't been able to find out with what, and of course he hasn't seen fit to keep us informed.  I don't guess he's told you what this is all about?" Han directed the assumption at Mara.

   "No," she admitted shortly.  "I know he's been active in some of Laus' stomping grounds, but I don't know any more about what he may have found there than you do.  Probably less," she grumbled, "now that Aves has taken over the Coalition."

   Luke and Han each nodded.

   That had been her decision, of course, and necessary in order for her to devote this time to her training.  Mara knew that Aves was capable or she wouldn't have handed the authority over to him, but somehow that didn't make it any easier for her to swallow. And especially today, when she would be facing Karrde for the first time since she had stepped down from what had been his pet project.

   Karrde entered a few moments later, exercising his usual mix of bravado with a straight-forward and down-to-business attitude as he greeted everyone.  His gaze rested on Mara for a brief moment, and then appraisingly on Atamvr as the two of them were introduced. 

   Mara gave Karrde a slight nod when he glanced toward her as inconspicuously as he could. They both knew that with a room full of Force-strong individuals, plus Solo's better than average ability for reading people, the effort was rather futile.  But nonetheless, old habits died hard, and Karrde still looked to her for her okay, her reading of the only person in the room that he didn't already know he could trust.

   Mara gave that okay easily.  Thus far she had been impressed with Luke's student.  He had shown himself to be attentive and discrete, always around but never underfoot. Atamvr, she thought, did fit the mold.  He was well on his way with that cursed Jedi calm.  She wondered again if she'd ever get that, and, with an inward grimace, how she could ever tolerate it in herself if she did.

   They were seated, and Karrde began without further preamble. "The reason I called you here is that I have acquired some information which the New Republic has been after for quite a while, and I need to decide how to use it."

   "I give up," Solo grinned, like a kid who was waiting for a surprise but really expecting for it to be a lump of fod oil. "What is it?" he asked.

   Karrde fixed him with a serious look as Skywalker worked at hiding a grin. "I was able to use these last few months Laus has so considerately given me to sure up my resources and to follow a few leads – including the supply routes that the Beringe shared with us upon entering the Coalition.

   "I now have proof enough to confirm that Laus is the illusive weapons dealer and producer that the New Republic has been tracking since before the Pellaeon Agreements were signed. Proof enough," he added, "to charge him with conspiracy to undermine the peace accord of those agreements." 

   Karrde paused, giving that pronouncement a few minutes to sink in. "I could release that information to the New Republic," he proposed evenly," but it will bring you no closer to being able to track Laus, much less bring him under control," he noted grimly. "I can confirm for you that Laus is the power behind these attacks on me, and the same line of attacks on the New Republic.  My dilemma," he continued, "is that my bargaining strength lies in the information itself. Once I release it my leverage and my timing are lost.  So what I need to know is will they listen to me? And can I count on them for help?"

   "Because Laus will waste no time acting against you," Han finished.

   "In retaliation, yes, I know," Karrde readily conceded.  Then he was interrupted, the steady beeping of a comm unit intruding on their conversation.  It belonged to Han, and the meeting came to a pause as he turned away to answer it.

   It was Leia; Luke picked up on the worry crossing his brother-in-law's sense. 

   "Luke, we need a minute," Han called to him a moment later.  It was a statement of action, not one of politeness, and Luke answered by standing to follow Han. For all of Leia's best efforts, there was still a distinct lack of diplomacy in Han Solo.  It was something that, under other circumstances, would have brought a smile to Luke's face, a certain appreciation for the comfort and predictability in seeing that some things never change... but he could not mistake the depth of serious concern he felt in Han, and that was always something that worried Luke. 

   Luke glanced to Atamvr as he stood.  Han was already heading for the door, an unapologetic shrug the only explanation he chose to give the rest of the group. Atamvr took Luke's understanding and stood to follow them just as Luke paused to glance questioningly between Mara and Karrde.  Luke's expression showed more caution in recognition of the unusual set of circumstances than Han's had. 

   "Go ahead," Mara said easily, pushing his concern aside as she motioned them out.  She recognized Skywalker's faith in her, and saw that that only made the line he had to draw more uncomfortable for him. But she knew that it was not yet appropriate for him to include her in the inner circle of Coruscant politics that Luke, Han, and Leia took part in.  They both knew that her outward status was not yet fitting to that trust. But, in time, Luke would gradually and discretely introduce her into that position she would need to take as part of a Jedi's duties in serving the New Republic, just as he was now doing now with Atamvr.

   Luke gave her a nod, and the three of them stepped outside.  Mara swallowed hard as the door closed behind them.  She had also known that she would have to face Karrde, eventually.  Now was as good a time as any to try to explain to him her choice in leaving the Coalition.

   "Well," Karrde spoke to her after a moment, his casual voice slightly strained, "it seems you've found time for me at last."  The words stung, though not intentionally. 

   "I'm sorry Mara," he stepped back from them. "It's just that I could use your help now." 

   She dropped her gaze.  The apology stung worse than the barb.  Mara already knew that his situation was serious, and she was torn between loyalty to him and her new commitment to her Jedi training, even without his hinted regret at her having removed herself from the Coalition.  He was too good to say it outright, that it had disappointed him, but for him to be saying this now.... 

   "You know this isn't easy for me," she finally gritted out the words without looking to him. "I don't know where I'd be if you hadn't taken a chance on me years ago.  You handed this Coalition thing to me because nobody else could do it, and before that, you trained me to be your second, trusted me even when you had no good reason to – I'll always be grateful for that. Loyal for that," she added emphatically.  "I'll continue to oversee the Coalition, to do anything that Aves needs.  But he can do this, just for a while," she half argued, half pleaded.  "If I didn't think he could do the job, I wouldn't have handed it over to him," she finished.

   "I know that," Karrde conceded quietly.  "And I know that your dedication is beyond question." He hesitated. "I miss that, Mara.  I miss having somebody at my side whom I know can count on when all the chips are down."

   Mara was left momentarily speechless.  But the door slid open, cutting into the brief silence.

   "Karrde," Luke called tightly as he crossed the room.  "Can you give me the last known coordinates on Laus?"   

   "The Sangerine system. He was at Sangsug," Karrde answered, no hesitation. 

   Skywalker and Solo exchanged glances.

   "We've got new troubles," Luke finished under his breath.

~

   Luke shook his head. "We knew he'd pop up somewhere.  I didn't expect this though," he admitted, a hint of frustration creeping into his worried expression.

   "NRI is sure?" Lara asked from across the room.

   Luke paced across the floor again, nervous energy coming through in his voice and his stride.  "And Karrde confirmed the location."

   She took a deep breath.  "What do you think it means?" she asked evenly.

   He stopped in mid-step, the nervous energy subsiding as suddenly as it had come on.  "I don't know," Luke breathed, closing his eyes tightly to the frustration that remained. 

   Lara restrained a sigh.  This news would be of no help to him, and coming on top of that dream that had been disturbing his sleep, keeping him awake nights... the one he didn't want her to know about....  Lara forced herself to put that worry aside; he would tell her about that when he was ready. But it wasn't just his sleep.

   "I know this is related to the rest of what I've been sensing," Luke said softly.  "I just don't know how," he breathed.

   Lara walked to him and put her arms around him.  She tried to repress the worry, but the rest of her silent concern remained as she hugged her husband tightly. Luke had been feeling disturbances in the Force, and in his meditations he sensed plots and danger.  Despite his efforts he couldn't make the pieces fit together into something more concrete... and then there was the lurking darkness that seemed to surround everything he was sensing.

   "If Darlik and Laus are banding together, there's a reason. We have to be ready for anything," Luke whispered.

   He remained silent for a few moments longer as the two of them stood still, holding each other.

   "Karrde gave us the info to id Laus. But he was right.  It's enough to bring charges against him, but it won't catch him. It won't even locate him, or Darlik," Luke trailed off. 

   "And going public with what we know brings Laus' wrath down on Karrde," Lara reasoned despondently. 

   Luke nodded, and when he stepped back Lara let him go easily, watching him as he refocused his thoughts.

   "Karrde wants us to feel things out for him, share this information with a few beings who have been sympathetic to Karrde and to the Coalition in the past.  He hopes that maybe by the time Laus starts in on him again, the Senate might be ready to help him, more quietly," Luke finished. And he sighed heavily.

   "What do we do until then?" he asked the rhetorical question.  "What could the two of them possibly be planning?" he finished incredulously.

   "I don't know," Lara whispered.  She hated the feel of Luke's tension and worry, and she wished that there was more she could do to help him. For a moment her emotions were torn, and she shook the thought away.  There was nothing more she could do than offer him her support. "All we can do is prepare," she answered him quietly, "like you said.  For anything."

~

   Across the galaxy, within a hidden base in the Sangerine system, on the far reaches of the outer rim, another conflict was brewing.

   "When exactly are you planning to return to our original purpose?  I'm losing patience with your personal vendettas taking precedence, Laus."

   "Our original purpose?" Laus questioned incredulously. "We've maintained a partnership, not a common purpose.  And that arrangement has already afforded you one attempt at your goal, which ultimately failed to pay off – for you or for me.  I refuse to put my plans on hold any longer in order to cater to the whim of your assistance."

   Darlik's face reddened.  "You want to continue your petty harassment of the New Republic.  That is of no more use to me than your preoccupation with Talon Karrde.  I've seen the two of you battling back and forth for months in some futile exchange of power.  Territory and influence," Darlik scoffed at those minor things and their pursuit.  "So you've taken the advantage thus far with your toys–"

   "I've got far more than a temporary advantage. I will soon be finished with Karrde, and that is all you need to know."

   Darlik rebuked Laus with a dark stare. "I disagree. You still need me. And if you intend for me to get you what you want, then anything that might come back to haunt me is my concern."

~

   "Yes, all of the upgrades continue to go well," the Altevarian noted as he studied the latest updates.

   "Won't Laus be getting suspicious?"

   "No," Septis Morph decided calmly. "Laus doesn't have time to worry about the specifics in Tritis.  And I can arrange the data so that he won't miss the extra resources our upgrades have been requiring. Besides, he has seen the benefits of his investments there.  He can continue on with tracking Karrde, attempting to outmaneuver him. His obsessions will occupy him.  Karrde now, almost as much as Dare," Morph noted distastefully.

   For a moment there was silence on the other side of the transmission, then a blatantly wishful suggestion.

   "If only you could be the one to secure her services..." Dangin mused.

   "I wouldn't stoop to it!" Morph mumbled indignantly.

   "Maybe you haven't seen what she's capable of," Dangin was quick to argue. "I have. Vader's right hand," he expounded with all the reverence one would expect of a life-long middle-tier Imperial. "Don't think that wouldn't mean something in Tritis.  Laus is right about the unifying role she could play there."

   "She's old Empire. And a conscript," Morph cut him off, with more disdain than Dangin had witnessed from the normally reserved Altevarian. "There's no loyalty there, except to the New Republic, to Skywalker.  Laus will find that out the hard way, if ever he's lucky enough to finally get what he's been wishing for.

   "Mark my words on that," he finished curtly. "And don't bring it up again," he warned, his voice lowering as he brought that discussion to an end.  "I want you to meet with Vice Commander Tubachin in the Tritis sector.  Tell him to prepare his men.  Tell him again that Laus will be ready soon."

   "He's starting to grow weary of waiting on Laus," Dangin noted, "just as you said he would."

   "Yes.  Assure him that we share his frustrations, and remind him that, as always, he can contact me with his concerns."

     ~~ ~ () ~ ~~

   Over the next six months Luke put everything he had into training his students, believing more than he ever had before that a test was coming.  But he was sure of their strength and he pushed them hard, challenging them mentally and physically. 

   It was late afternoon when Lara entered the rec room on her way home from the Coruscant med center.  She tended to be there whenever she was not needed in NRI or at home, and today fit those criteria.  NRI had nothing to report on Laus; no trace of Darlik.  And the twins were spending the afternoon at a care center that Leia swore by. She said Bail had benefitted from the interaction with other children his age, plus Jacen and Jaina would also be there, and the twins worshiped their older cousins. Throw in the fact that they were additionally supervised by Winter and carrying a double Nogrhi guard, and even the most overprotective of mothers would have had a hard time finding an excuse to say no.  However, since Luke was here alone, Lara saw no reason to rush home to an empty suite.

   "Hey," she greeted him softly after standing in the doorway for a moment.  The slight tilt of his head toward the door and the equally slight change in his breathing pattern told her that he knew she was there. The room's lighting had been lowered, and Luke sat meditating in the quiet.  "I didn't mean to interrupt," Lara whispered. 

   His answering smile assured her that her presence was not unwanted, and Lara stepped inside, watching his blue eyes flutter open and come to rest on her. She was relieved that he appeared calm and unworried. Too often lately, the things he saw and felt in his meditations had left him feeling anxious and agitated.

   "I'm glad you're here," he greeted her warmly, reaching for her hand.  Lara had come here steadily more often over the past several months but Luke was very much aware that she chose the timing of those visits carefully.  "Actually I could use your help," he stated easily.

   "My students have dispersed for the remainder of the evening," Luke explained with a smile.  "Atamvr's helping Han and Chewie with some fact-finding." 

   Lara couldn't repress a smile at Luke's tact.  She made a mental note to find out which shady area of Coruscant's nightlife the group would be frequenting: the gaudy excesses of the middle levels or the dangerous dregs of the lower levels.

   "Mara, on the other hand, is in the archives with the droids.... I figure if she can keep from disintegrating 3PO for another couple of hours...."

   "She might have the makings of a Jedi after all?" Lara grinned, truly impressed with her husband's resourcefulness, though she didn't envy him Mara's wrath when she had learned the breakdown of the evening's assignments.

   "But, Leia will be here once the Senate lets out," Luke continued, "and I could use a sparring partner for her other than me."

   Lara fixed him with a knowing gaze.  Very resourceful. "I know what you're trying to do, Luke." The hint of a smile vanished from her face.  "This isn't a good idea," she breathed.

   "Isn't it?" he asked evenly, his thumb brushing over her fingers.  "You're here."

   They both felt it. Her emotions had been leading her here.  As Luke had become more and more focused on training his students, Lara had wanted more and more to be here.  She could easily rationalize it by telling herself that she just wanted to show her support, but there was a part of her that wanted very much to step forward, as Mara had done, and to stand with all her strength beside her husband and her friends... to be counted with the good that they would fight for. 

   But underlying that desire was a part of her that was hesitant to look back at all, as though the remembrance might be too much and the hold that those emotions had once had over her life could be enough to swallow her up again.... She was in conflict between wanting to become involved and needing to remain cautious of herself, but more than anything else Lara remembered the feelings of the past. She remembered her actions and what she was capable of.

   You can do this, Lara, Luke's voice whispered gently in her mind. I know you can.

   She shook her head hesitantly.

   "Come here." His fingers tightened around hers just slightly, pulling her closer until she was seated on the floor facing him.  "Close your eyes, and just relax your mind."

   Lara was watching him uncertainly.

   "Please," he whispered.

   She was very much tempted to accuse him of taking advantage, and the edge of a smile at his lips showed that he knew it.  But Lara smiled in spite of her reservations. She trusted him.

   For many minutes there was nothing but the two of them.  Lara relaxed into the familiar feel of his mind, close to her own, each of them becoming more relaxed and at ease as they shared the silence. His fingers moved against hers just as she felt a shift in his focus, reminding her that there was a purpose in this exercise.

   "What is it about being here that scares you?" he asked gently.

   Though the words were gentle, they were also powerful. There was a difference between the intimacy with which her husband often touched her mind, and the strength and purpose with which he was now probing her thoughts.  The sound of his voice reverberated in her mind, causing Lara's calm focus to slip as her eyes opened to slits. Luke's eyes opened as well, watching her.  Her gaze moved to the lightsaber that was a constant at his side.

   Lara's fingers tightened around the cold metal of the lightsaber's calendrical handle, every nerve in her body feeling on end with a near electric energy. It would happen any second now....

   "Begin."

   The Emperor's harsh voice reverberated through her seconds before the impact of a red blade jarred her entire body. Lara's own red blade had moved almost of its own accord to block Mara's ferocious attack, but there was no room for recovery.  They continued on, blow for blow, minute after minute, their battle ranging across the throne room until both warriors trembled with exertion nearing exhaustion. And still they stood, eyes locked on each other, each one unable to back down.

   The intense competition between them had been so fierce that it was said to send shivers through the spectators the handful of times the exercise had been held.  There was no prize for the winner, the loser was allotted no guarantee of mercy, and only one man had the power to command the course of these events.

   "Halt," the Emperor rasped.  His own voice was breathless with shear enjoyment for the spectacle they had been witness to.

   The applause began, scattered and stunned, then it grew surprisingly loud considering their very limited audience.  Those Imperial agents and collaborators had been chosen, hand-picked, because it was known that such a display would intimidate them. It would serve as a reminder of the Empire's power, the Emperor and Vader's power to swiftly and easily end the life of anyone foolish enough to be disloyal to the Emperor.

   The two warriors pushed back from one another in a single seamless motion. Blades that had relentlessly drawn one another in attack after crashing attack now repelled and stood eerily silent.

   "Good. Very Good," the Emperor cackled as he stood and stepped down from the seat of his throne.  Darth Vader's hulking bulk remained standing at his master's side, surveying the scene below them. Both combatants bowed obediently, and remained prostrate before the Emperor.  "A most impressive display."

   Lara could feel the dark side emanating in waves from his withered form as the Emperor came nearer.  Cold and malicious, his presence dominated the room. She could feel the fear of those he looked upon and she could feel satisfaction behind his smug facade. 

   "As you have witnessed," the Emperor addressed the others present, "the highest standard of Imperial fighting skill.  And as obedient as they are skilled, carrying the will of Lord Vader and myself into the far corners of the Empire. No system is beyond our reach, as the Rebels and all who aid them will soon learn."

   The Emperor's words slipped into the background of her awareness.  The darkness was all around her, dizzying, suffocating.  Her head still bowed, Lara closed her eyes, fighting to clear her mind from the pull of those dark waters.

   Don't feel it, she told herself sternly. Don't feel anything.

   Trembling fingers closed tightly around her lightsaber, trying to push back what she had pulled close enough to blanket her actions moments ago: the deathly still calm of cold, focused energy... the barriers to everything but the ruthless need for position, power, control.  She had to find a delicate and precarious balance: allowing for the skill and deception that would ensure her survival without giving in to the dark surrender that would swallow her whole.

   She couldn't show weakness.  She had to stop this trembling. Don't feel.  Survive. 

   The Emperor dismissed his audience and retreated to his throne to watch them leave.  Lara succeeded in pushing the emotions back, and the trembling subsided to no more than could be blamed upon her exertion in the finished contest.  But she was shaken. It was a vicious cycle, and a very dangerous game. The stronger she became the more difficult she found it to keep control over her own mind and emotions, to shut out the darkness.

   Her gaze focused, reality slowly coming back around her. Luke's hands held hers tightly.  Her whole body was trembling, her eyes still focused on his lightsaber.

   "It's the darkness," she whispered.  "Stronger, every time.  I feel it reaching for me – and I don't know how much longer I can do this," she whispered, her voice trembling as violently as the rest of her.  "I'm afraid I'm slipping."

   Luke's mind brushed hers gently, very carefully. He didn't want the touch to startle her. But she felt the light in that touch and she reached for it – feeling very much as though she was in danger, drowning.  Luke responded, instantly reinforcing that touch until the light had encompassed them both.

   Tears of relief streaked Lara's cheeks as the feelings of desperation receded. The Force had surrounded her with calm, a passive peace... something that she had never known possible until she had felt that energy in Luke Skywalker.  And she remembered wondering how anything so utterly harmless as this boy could possibly be a threat to the powers of the Emperor.... 

   The trembling subsided as she focused on his presence again now. She had soon realized her mistake in underestimating the young Rebel and his connection to the Force.  Luke had learned to use that power; it  strengthened him, and Lara leaned gratefully on that strength, his strength, as she slowly regained her composure, trying to place the past behind her.

   "I came too close to the edge before," she whispered weakly. "I can't risk that again.  I won't."

   "I know."  Again, his voice reverberated in her mind.  This time she took comfort in its strength. "I stood at the edge too. I know it's paralyzing, but you don't have to be afraid of what you're capable of. Take this," he whispered.

   Lara blinked as her eyes fell back to the object he offered. The thought had never so much as crossed her mind since she had picked it up that day long ago on Aci, when she had used it to cut him free from the rubble....

   "Take my lightsaber, Lara."

   Lara lifted her eyes back to his.  She only hesitated for a moment.  It's grip was still warm from his hand's hold, and it felt strongly of him, his own construction put into it and years of his life in its use... his confidence in it, and in all it stood for.

   Luke's eyes never left hers. "There's nothing to fear in this," he whispered. Again, his mind reached out to hers, in purpose as well as in reassurance. He guided her thoughts until they had settled into meditation, Luke's lightsaber in her hand, his hands covering hers. 

   Lara felt completely at peace. She let the feeling open her mind and stretch out around her.  She lost track of time and was only minimally aware of her surroundings until she felt surprise from Leia.  Leia had just entered the rec room to find the two of them deep in meditation.

   Luke opened his eyes, focusing easily on his sister. Lara knew that her presence had not come as a surprise to Luke at all.

   "I asked Lara to help me out today, be your sparring partner." Leia's face paled a bit. "I hope you'll take it easy on her," Luke chided his sister playfully. 

   Leia was tempted to tell him that it should have been the other way around.  She had learned a lot from her brother and was confident in her skills, but she hardly felt ready to face someone of Lara's background... with years of battle experience. The look in Luke's eyes quickly convinced her not to say anything of the sort.

   "We'll try to go easy on each other," Leia offered evenly, watching as Lara slowly got to her feet, Luke's lightsaber held in her hand.

   They felt each other out for several minutes, circling one another, blades engaging cautiously. 

   Lara allowed Leia to take the lead in the confrontation, and Lara fought defensively, giving ground instead of taking it with every exchange.  That strategy might have confused Leia if not for the fact that it was very similar to the style Luke preferred... but Lara possessed less mass than Luke and a center of gravity more like Leia's.... Leia was betting that she would be able to take the other woman off her feet.

   Blue blade met green blade in several successive strikes, Leia seeking to get her opponent off balance enough to strike the blow which would take her down. Lara retreated, attempting to create enough distance between the two of them to negate Leia's newfound advantage. 

   Having found some success with this strategy, Leia decided not to allow Lara's counter.  She reached to the Force and gathered her concentration to attempt a Force shove.  Lara allowed the shove and used it to aid her own momentum, sending her into a back flip.  Leia continued to press her advantage, trying to get herself into striking distance by the time Lara's feet could hit the ground again.

   But Lara's feet only connected with the ground for a second, and Leia hurriedly stepped back, narrowly avoiding the sweeping kick that Lara threw at her.  The kick was followed by a cross body slash of Lara's blade, preventing Leia from following up on her advantage for another few seconds while Lara nipped up to her feet and resumed her ready stance.

   Leia smiled. That was very different from anything Luke had thrown at her.  This would be challenging.

   "Nicely done.  You split your attention well, Leia," Luke encouraged his sister.

   Remember to quiet your mind, love.  Luke tacked on the playful endearment just to see if he could throw off her concentration. Lara's attention on Leia didn't falter, but her response greatly surprised Luke.

   Keep that up and you might find yourself sleeping on the sofa.

   You wouldn't, he challenged her, very much amused.

   No, she admitted honestly. I can't stand sleeping without you.

   Leia feinted to her right, and took a couple of steps to recover from that action. Lara saw the opening and followed up with a feint of her own, drawing Leia further to her right.  Leia had to take another couple of steps to guard against Lara's attack, but once Leia had committed to that action Lara threw her momentum to Leia's left, ducking into a roll.  Her lightsaber connected with Leia's as Lara returned to her feet, and then Leia was disarmed.

   Luke grinned, looking down, as Leia spun around to face Lara.  It had happened in an instant. 

   "How–  You were going easy on me before," Leia accused, offended at the notion despite her earlier words.

   "Not at all."  Lara lowered her head.  "It was your footwork.  One misstep; I blocked you to exaggerate it and–"

   "Then went after my weapon while I was off balance." Leia shook her head, abruptly understanding. "I see you've been holding back on me."  Leia glanced toward Luke as she used the Force to pull her fallen lightsaber back to her hand.  Luke only grinned, shrugging as the weapon returned easily to its owner's grip.  "And all this time I thought I was the teacher's pet," Leia teased him.

   "I suspect aspects of my training were a little less forgiving than your brother's instruction," Lara offered. She saw Luke's wince, and she tried to lighten the statement with a smile as she handed him his lightsaber.  She hadn't meant to hurt him with the comment, it was just fact.  Learn or die was a pretty strong motivational mind set, and one that Luke would never dream of engaging with any student. 

   He studied her for another moment before turning his attention back to Leia. Igniting his lightsaber, Luke showed her how to counter the series of moves Lara had used to win their engagement.

   Lara walked to the window and stood looking out, silent and still for another moment... waiting. She could hear the sound of Luke's patient instruction as he showed Leia several ways to avoid her earlier mistakes.  Lara blinked warily as she watched the Coruscant traffic filter through the lanes above their heads. She was waiting for her mind to clear. Just that effort had once been an enormous strain... but now... she took a deep breath, closing her eyes. It was already done; she felt at peace, a stunning depth of peace.

   It was hard to imagine.  She had been so cautious of this, trying to guard herself against the past and all those emotions that she had expected would come closer to her if she used the Force again this way... for physical combat. But that hadn't happened tonight.  Just the opposite....

   There was a clarity present in her in the wake of the exchange.  It had been there, in her defense as she had fought, and it had come easily to her: a connection to the Force based entirely in peace.  It was a place that she had only been able to touch in herself before when she was using the emotional talents that came naturally to her instead of the physical or mental ones that she had been forced to learn, to master, within the Empire.

   Leia looked toward windows and Luke felt the falter in her emotions a moment before he saw worry in her warm eyes.  Luke knew Lara's earlier comment gotten under her skin too. Neither liked to imagine how Lara's training might have unfolded.

   Leia smiled as she looked back at him. "Why don't we break early tonight?" she suggested carefully. "You can come collect twins from our suite after you've settled things here."

   Luke nodded. "Thanks, Leia."

   Lara heard the soft conversation come to a close and felt Leia's familiar presence fade further away as she left the room. A moment later Luke placed a hand lightly to her shoulder, and Lara smiled at the reminder that he knew what she was feeling, even while she was still trying to sort it out within herself.

   He was grateful to find her not thinking about past. Her thoughts were quiet, introspective.

   "You did well," he whispered. 

   "That wasn't anything like I expected it to be," Lara answered him honestly.

   Vader had taught her to use the Force, how to manipulate it in every conceivable way, but in many ways the Dark Lord had walked as fine a line as his student had. He had been convinced that Lara was vital to future events; she had to be able to use her skills and to fend for herself in any circumstance.  He had also known that if the Emperor ever suspected that she was more than she appeared, ever suspected that Vader had taken an apprentice... that person would be living under a death mark, likely to be carried out by Mara Jade, and after a torture intense enough to make her confess Vader's traitorous intentions against his master, whether they had ever existed or not.

   Lara turned and looked into Luke's eyes for a long moment, the last of her hesitation slowly dissolving as his eyes met hers, calmly reading her.  They both knew. He could train her.  It was something neither of them had given thought to until now, as though each had instinctively recognized the limitation before... but now that that unspoken and unrealized limitation was removed, it was clear to both of them.  There was nothing to prevent her from furthering her own training, nothing but her own will.

   "Luke," she whispered, and he could feel her uncertainty.

   "When you're ready," he answered.

~

   The following day Atamvr stood with his back against the rec room wall, speaking quietly with Han Solo and Chewbacca.  Meanwhile Luke was working with Leia and Mara.  Each of them were practicing their fine skill in the Force, using it to lift and maneuver several disks of varying shapes and weights.

   After a few moments Luke caught Atamvr's eye and then made his way over to them.

   "Your findings from last evening?" Luke guessed at the topic of conversation.

   "We heard some unexpected things about the Tritis system," Atamvr explained softly.

   Chewie added an ominous rumble before Han explained further.

   "There are rumors that someone is building an army there."

   "An army to use against the New Republic?" Luke asked evenly.

   Han shrugged.  "It hardly seems possible.  Even if they have the troops, we know they don't have the ships or the supply lines; there's no way they could make it very deep into New Republic territory without being detected by our defense fleet."

   Luke nodded, considering.  "What do you make of it?" he asked of Atamvr.

   "They believed what they told us.  They think something is about to happen, something big."

   "How do we know Tritis isn't raising a fleet?" Luke breathed.  "We know that Laus and others like him sold ships to Imperial Remnant groups for years before NRI and Admiral Ackbar's forces were able to shut them down.

   "Most of them," Han corrected his brother in law.  "Laus' organization and a handful of others like him keep operating just under our radar, no matter how much pressure Ackbar has been able to bring down on them."  Han shrugged. "They just slip away from one location and set up shop somewhere else."

   Luke nodded warily.  The New Republic's military, under Admiral Ackbar's command, had successfully pushed those outlaw forces out into the rim territories, gradually reclaiming many of the worlds and systems which they had overrun in the years following the battle at Endor, but the New Republic's inability to dismantle the warlord operations along the outer rim was a major source of frustration to Ackbar and to many other high ranking New Republic military officials.

   "Right," Luke conceded.  "But if Laus has made a deal to do more than supply a few ships–"

   "Laus has his hands full with Karrde," Han argued. "It's hard to believe he's got enough firepower stashed away to supply an invasion."

   "I know," Luke admitted. "Something just doesn't feel right," he murmured.  The possibility of Laus at the head of an invasion army didn't feel as far-fetched as it should have. Luke didn't like the idea of it, and he especially didn't like the idea of Darlik at Laus' side.

   Luke's attention flickered back toward the center of the room just before one pile of disks wobbled violently and crashed to the floor.  Mara cursed bitterly as she abandoned her one-armed handstand and rolled into a sitting position.

   "Jedi trick harder than it looks, Jade?" Han couldn't resist heckling her.

   Mara fixed him with a cold stare as she got to her feet. "Maybe you'd like to find out for yourself, flyboy.  I know I'd like to see how far I could throw you."

   "Concentrate, Mara.  Focus," Luke admonished her softly.

   "Maybe later, Jade." Solo grinned and turned toward the door, Chewbacca lumbering through in front of him.  "I promised the twins they'd get a chance to see some of the festivities here after they finished their schoolwork."

   Mara watched him go, struggling against the urge to pop him in the back of his thick skull with one of those disks.

   "Focus," Luke reminded patiently.  "Remember what you're here for."

   Mara only glared at him for a second before she closed her eyes, abruptly clearing her mind.

   Atamvr lowered his head, repressing a grin.  Mara Jade was a work in contradiction: support underlying sarcasm, a strong sense of self-reliance that masked deeper loyalties, and always it seemed there was a biting comment to cover more respectful emotions.  Atamvr assumed the contradictions were partly due to the transitions that she was still undertaking in her life and lifestyle... and he caught himself trying to imagine this woman, who at times still seemed to have more of the ruthless fringe than a Jedi's calm at work in her, serving as a Jedi Knight.

   But despite all the contrasts in personality of this group, they all sought the same knowledge and wanted the same goals. Luke led them all with seemingly unlimited patience and a consistently gentle manner.  Leia's quiet understanding was matched with a stubborn determination and drive. And even Mara's frank and bitingly sarcastic personality still managed to be seeking and supporting.  Luke accepted her as she was, but he also had a way of melting that superfluous ice that tended to glaze over the rugged edges of Mara Jade's personality.

   Luke rejoined Atamvr and stood studying his students.  Mara had already resumed her previous position, returned all the disks to their places, and was working on steadying them enough to add another to the pyramid.  Leia continued on with her exercise, unaffected by Mara's activities.

   "She's right to say she doesn't quite fit the mold," Luke admitted as he noted Atamvr's focus on Mara, "but Mara has the dedication and the ability.  The path has chosen her, and the rest will come to her in time," Luke finished with quiet confidence. 

   Atamvr nodded, smiling a bit.  "Actually, I keep finding myself trying to get a fix on her past life.  Her, I can see it of," he mused.  "Lara's harder to place in that context," he finished thoughtfully, repressing the smile that came to him. 

   Luke nodded, guarding his own smile. "I thought that too, until the first time I saw their eyes meet."  His smile quietly faded as he looked back toward Mara. "They respect each other, almost enough to outweigh the rest. But with that kind of history, it's always there in the shadows, like a bantha in the room."

   His words caused Atamvr to realize that although Lara had begun to spend more time here in audience, the two women had not been here in each other's company.

   "Is that why Lara's kept her distance?" Atamvr asked cautiously.

   "She says it's better if they give each other space. This doesn't come easily to Mara," he considered softly, "taking on this kind of leadership, responsibility.  She's fiercely independent, more inclined to action than to negotiation." Luke paused in his assessment, glancing toward Atamvr. "I'm sure you've seen all of that," Luke admitted behind a wayward smile.

   Atamvr answered with a nod.  "She doesn't feel the need to mask her emotions," he admitted pointedly.

   Luke only grinned, conceding the valid point.  "Mentally, emotionally, I know it's two completely different processes and experiences. They each know it too, but the training... the physicality of relearning all these things....  I think it's just very close to a lot of the places they've both had to work hard to distance themselves from, and the past has a way of complicating things."

   "Are things that uncertain between them still?" Atamvr ventured after a thoughtful moment.

   "No," Luke considered easily.  "Over the years they've worked together and helped each other.  They've tried to come to new terms," he added quietly, "now that each of them has started over.  But I know Lara still has regrets from that past, things that she can't forget, and things that she still has a hard time forgiving herself for," Luke said very softly.

   Atamvr nodded, worried by the sound of Luke's voice. He hadn't heard that quiet tone since Orem.

   "Lara suspects that Mara has the same feelings, and she would rather give Mara the space to pursue this on her own resolve for a while longer, keep this place separate from the past they shared and everything that she knows comes in with her when she walks through the door."

   Luke's attention shifted.  He felt a change in the Force that was completely unexpected.

   "Or I could be wrong," he added with a surprised smile.  Han and Chewie had just come in, bringing Jacen and Jaina and the droids along with them, and Lara had followed them through the door.

   "What would you say that means?" Atamvr asked with a playful smile.

   Luke grinned back. "For starters, I'd say it means Winter has her hands full this evening."

   A few hours later their audience sat off to one side, watching attentively as Luke and his students went though sparring exercises. Luke closed down his lightsaber as he looked toward Leia and Atamvr, giving pointers on their exchange and stepping back to watch.  After a moment Mara closed her lightsaber down as well. That was the third time Luke had unconsciously switched from participant to observer in the sparing among his students, and Mara complained loudly, again, at the uneven numbers. 

   Luke felt an odd flicker in the Force and his gaze rested on Lara for a second.  He sensed that she had felt it too, but her gaze moved away from his cautiously as other eyes started to turn to her. For a brief moment the intensity of the past was forgotten by the rest of the room in favor of the greater mutual respect and skill that existed now.  And Lara found Mara's gaze resting on hers.

   Mara slowly grinned as she realized the unexpressed possibility. Part of her was intrigued by the challenge as she watched her old rival, old enemy, new friend. A little voice in the back of her head reminded her that the urge to seek out challenge and competition was probably yet another aspect of her personality that didn't fall into line with the values of a proper Jedi. But the competitive side of her nature very much wanted to test herself against Lara Dare again, and Lara held Mara's gaze for a long moment, their eyes locked on each other's, Lara's emotions also caught up in the possibility of accepting that challenge....

   But the moment passed and Lara's eyes fell away, declining.  It wasn't so simple as a test of skill; the contest between them had always been more than a competition between two well-matched opponents. And even if Mara chose to forget that, Lara could not. She remembered the rest of the emotion that went along with the competitive edge of their testing each other: the deathly calm of cold, focused energy, the ruthless need for power and control, the danger of weakness, and the lethal threat of failure....  It was a chilling metaphor for the life that both of them had learned, embraced, and then turned away from in their own cycles of growth and survival... the past best left undisturbed. 

   Mara gave her past enemy a nod of respect. That little voice in her head was also reminding her that she had nothing to prove.... Giving the past they shared an even greater measure of respect, Mara also chose to look back no more.  There were some lines they still couldn't cross, and there was no reason to try and cross them.  Instead, Lara stood and walked to Luke. He gave her a smile, seeing her understanding of his intention, and he handed his lightsaber to her.

   Lara looked toward Leia and Atamvr, the numbers mixing.  After another moment they had fixed: Lara and Atamvr, Leia and Mara.  Leia and Mara circled one another cautiously. Atamvr gave his opponent a bow and Lara responded with a slight smile just before each activated their weapons.  They were all well-matched, and Luke split his attention between the two match-ups, occasionally giving instruction and encouragement.

   Atamvr knew better than to underestimate his opponent but he was surprised from the first moment of contact at how easily Lara fell back into skills that she had set aside for years. She simply relied on her strengths, drawing on Force. She had vision, the ability to read an opponent's movement, and her defense came reflexively, instinctively. Atamvr lost contact with his lightsaber for a brief moment as Lara's blade rounded on his, and he retreated warily in response as he secured his grip on the weapon. Again he was surprised where perhaps he shouldn't have been.

   His defense stepped up quickly from a feeling out to greater pressure applied in the exchange, but Lara could feel the light emanating from him as he called on that energy to protect and strengthen him.  For a moment the strength of that presence caught her unaware. Her opponent was skilled; that came as no surprise to Lara. But his connection to the light was amazingly strong.  She calmed her emotions and met his next advance evenly: block for block, balance for counterbalance.

   Leia had sparred against Mara before.  Mara Jade held nothing back.  It was always a challenge to attempt to outmaneuver her, but Leia had learned that Mara's skill sometimes exceeded her vision.  Leia had been able to win the engagement a couple of times if she could get Mara to overextend herself. But Mara was learning to be patient.

   Mara understood that her skills exceeded Leia's and, although a conservative strategy went against every combat instinct she possessed, Mara knew that if she could wait out the engagement her opponent would make a mistake eventually. And if Mara was ready in that moment she could take advantage.

   Atamvr thought he knew Lara as well as he knew Luke, and he thought himself well-prepared to face his friend in a test of skill. Thus far they had matched one another blow for blow in a hard-fought exchange.  He admired the pure defense in her engagement; there was no will for dominance and not a trace of aggression, just defense. The engagement itself was simply a means to an end, a way to allow the Force to work through her for her protection... and Atamvr knew from experience how difficult it was to maintain that kind of emotional detachment in a combat situation, where it was so easy to slip from defense into offense, where the dark emotions were quick to join you in the fight.

   But as the engagement continued Atamvr began to see the caution behind her defense.  At times he could sense her hesitation, her restraint. Atamvr could see the fringes, he could see the Empire, and he could see the scars of the past... feel the weight of her regrets in way that he had not in Mara Jade. When they stepped back from one another Atamvr caught himself wondering if Jade had made peace with that past, of if she was simply better at blocking out her true emotions.

   Luke unfolded his arms and applauded.  Both contests had come to impasses.

   "Very good," he breathed, proud of his students and their progress.  The rest of their audience joined in the applause as congratulations were passed between the participants.

   The twins rushed forward next, clamoring excitedly for their mother's attention. Luke, Han, and Chewie were talking with Mara, and Atamvr was listening patiently as Lara offered him a few pointers.

   Her eyes were again calm, the ghosts of the past laid to rest for a while longer.  But Atamvr realized with a bit of a chill that each of the times he had sensed hesitation in her it had been because she had passed up an opportunity to make a strike that she didn't think he could block, a killing or maiming blow.

   "You can't leave yourself open like that," she chastised him, "even in a friendly contest. One opening is all a hostile opponent would need to finish you," she told him, worry weighing heavily in her voice.

   Atamvr nodded. "I understand," he answered seriously. Atamvr was aware of the conversation between Luke, Han, and Mara a short distance away from them, but Lara's attention shifted almost in mid-thought when Luke looked in her direction. Atamvr extended his emotions and felt the same unease that Lara had just picked up on.

   "What's that all about?" she asked Atamvr under her breath as they made their way over.

   "Trouble," he answered warily.

   "Looks like we've got trouble brewing in the Tritis sector," Mara confirmed when they approached.

   "Lara, you think you could follow up with NRI, try to figure out what's really going on there?" Han questioned easily.

   She nodded.  "I'll look into it, but if NRI knew anything," she trailed off with a shrug.

   "We'd already have heard," Luke finished.

   "Maybe they aren't looking in the right places," Mara suggested with a smirk.

   Lara smiled in return. "Maybe.  If NRI doesn't have anything current I'll go back over the old records and intelligence reports, see what I can turn up."

~~ ~ () ~ ~~

   Another six months passed as Luke waited out Laus and Darlik's next move, preparing vigilantly for the unknown. The twins had a second birthday. Luke's students continued their progress.  And Mara managed to keep a far greater interest in NRI's work than a civilian should have had access to, something that coincided with Lara's request to oversee the incoming Coalition reports for NRI.  The news was not as good for Karrde. Laus was keeping him on the defensive and regularly inflicting costly losses.  Given that situation, it came as no surprise to Mara or anyone else when he arrived very quietly on Coruscant.

   Luke met with him at Karrde's request, fully expecting to discuss what the New Republic may or may not be willing to do to help Karrde combat Laus. Luke and Leia had discreetly shared the facts about Laus' involvement in weapon production, and even speculated on the implications of his past ties to the Tritis sector. Their confidants in both the New Republic civilian and military leadership had expressed the same concerns that Luke and Leia felt, but they doubted action could be taken without more substantial proof of a threat to the New Republic. They advised further investigation.  Karrde had something different in mind.

   "I've had Laus' supply routes staked out for months. The Beringe only gave me a handful of locations, but months of surveying those has led me to others.  I know which ones he uses for trade and which ones he relies upon to supply his forces.  And the randomness of the routes the Beringe provided leads me to think that the information they provided was a plant."

   "A plant?"

   Karrde grinned.  "I think Laus wanted me to get that information, and to pass it on to the New Republic.  It's a smoking gun, too good to pass up, but it endangers none of his vital operations."

   "What does he have to gain by giving up that information?"

   "It's bait.  He's betting that I won't be able to resist using that information, betting that if he applies enough pressure I'll trade that information to you in exchange for protection."

   Luke nodded. "Then when you let down your defenses Laus is there to pounce."

   Karrde shrugged. "We can't forget that I still possess information which Laus wants very badly."

   "Information he fears falling into New Republic hands," Luke amended knowingly.  "What do you have in mind for your next move?"

   "I want to disrupt the supply routes and see if that will lead me back to some of Laus' bases. I'll only get one chance at this, so I need to time the attacks all at once for the move to be effective.  It will take all of my resources and every person I've got."

   "You need Mara," Luke surmised, easily and seriously.  He was finally beginning to see the purpose in this visit, and it was hard to miss the change in the air around the two men.  The room had filled with a strange air of restrained jealousy, charged with a bit of a father-suitor appeal.  Even though it was not really Luke's decision, and even though Karrde had known Mara long before Luke had, he was in fact asking Luke's permission.  Karrde was asking Luke to let Mara go.

   "I do," Karrde answered. "But only if she's ready to leave here.  That's why I came to you before asking her directly."

   Luke nodded and was silent for a moment. "There's no reason you can't ask her," he finally decided.

   Karrde felt a sense of relief cross him, for the decision and that Luke had not been more possessive of his student. But he was still cautious.

   "You're certain Luke?  Above all, I want to do Mara no harm in taking her away from her training."

   Luke nodded again. "I'm certain," he echoed, and he placed a hand to Karrde's shoulder. "Good luck."

   Karrde nodded gratefully.  "Luke, there's something else," he said softly. "I once assured you I'd let you know if there was anything out of the ordinary brewing in Tritis."

   "What do you know?" Luke asked.

   "Very little in the way of hard facts, lots of rumors though.  What ever is going on in Tritis, Laus is a part of it.  And it's about more than supplying a few former Imperials with ships. I'm warning you now. Laus is very dangerous, and he's most dangerous when he's cornered."

   "And you intend to corner him," Luke surmised.

   Karrde gave a half nod.  "I do.  Be careful, Luke. Don't let the New Republic let down their guard. Things won't be what they seem where Laus is involved, and this Tritis thing could be big."

   "Understood," Luke answered.

~

   When Mara came to Luke a short time later she could see that he already knew.  And she wasn't really surprised that Karrde had left out the fact that he had already spoken to Luke about her leaving. Skywalker just fixed her with one of those knowing, abashed, grins. 

   "I know Karrde has asked for your help," he stated.  The voice under that grin was startlingly strong, in that quiet, unassuming way of his.  "He wanted to know if you were ready to leave your training before he came to you," he explained patiently.

   Always patiently, she thought dryly to herself.  "And?" she prompted him, more annoyance coming through in her voice than the nervous impatience that she was really feeling.  Old habits, she realized. She didn't like having to ask Skywalker's opinion before making her own decision.  And though she understood it logically, the thought of him and Karrde discussing her future without her was something she appreciated even less.

   "You're ready," he stated simply. 

   "I'm not a Jedi," she replied with the same simplicity, a questioning hint underlying her pointed tone. 

   "No," Luke acknowledged, with no show of uncertainty in the admission.

   "But you're letting me go," Mara continued, leading him.

   "You're ready for what ever challenges await you," he assessed calmly, reassuringly.

   Mara was still suspicious.

   Luke only smiled.  "You're the one who told me, you don't fit the mold, Mara.  What I'd like to see for Atamvr, or Leia, or Lara is not what I'd expect to see in you. This path is yours.  You have to follow it wherever, and into what ever service you feel it leading you."

   He took a step toward her, and his voice softened. "You feel the Force, and it's guidance.  I can see that.  And I've shown you, the best that I can, how to use what you feel.  Now you have to trust the good in yourself to carry you the rest of the way."

   The good in herself....

   Mara was still thinking about that when she said her goodbyes to Coruscant and stepped aboard the Wild Karrde, once more as second in command to Talon Karrde.  Despite the enormous challenge ahead, there was a remarkable feeling of homecoming and family in the familiar faces, the familiar role. And there was also a certain foresight in this turn of events. Mara knew that the times and events to come were the ones that would test her resolve, and they would change the course of the rest of things to come.

~~ ~ () ~ ~~

   Luke and Lara watched from Coruscant as Karrde was successful in that ingenious first offensive. For months the roles reversed and he kept Laus on the defense and on the run.  Karrde attacked Laus' supply lines and used that attack as a means to flush out the locations of his bases.  From there Karrde's forces had been able to strike at the heart of some of Laus' most valuable resources.  The chess match had now turned in Karrde's direction, coming firmly under his control, until finally it seemed that Laus had had enough of the losing side and, predictably, he dropped off the charts into another of his fade outs.

   "Quite honestly, I was expecting this about two months ago.  I'm shocked that he held on for four," Karrde admitted over the transmission divide.

   "He's stubborn.  That's plain to see," Mara added dryly as Karrde glanced in her direction.  "He's taken a heck of a beating over the last two months," she assessed bluntly.

   "Stubborn," Lara cautioned, "but not stupid or careless. He'll regroup and come back stronger.  I guarantee you that."

   Luke nodded in agreement.  "We've seen it over and over again. He uses these fades effectively, and his offensives are always well-planed, usually multi-purposed."

   "I'll keep that in mind," Karrde acknowledged.

   "You might also be interested to know that NRI is closely monitoring your offensive against Laus, and some very highly-placed beings have been impressed with your success."

   Karrde smiled. "Now that is interesting.  Are they impressed enough to act?"

   Luke smiled in return. "Some in the military are. They see a way to finally end their standoff with the factions, but Ackbar is harder to convince... and for the kind of operations they have in mind, the Senate would have to come on board as well."

   Karrde nodded thoughtfully.  Admiral Ackbar had never thought highly of smugglers, pirates, or anyone with fringe connections, and the Senate was probably less likely than Ackbar to throw their support behind Karrde... but still, Luke must have thought it was a possibility to have brought it up.

   "Something to keep in mind," Karrde offered.

   "And we'll keep our eyes open," Luke added.  "If we get anything on Laus, you'll be the first to know," he finished.

   "Thanks, Luke," Karrde answered. "Lara," he nodded, a prompt.

   "Take care, both of you," she responded.

   "Lara, Skywalker," came the familiar grating drawl that marked a sign off from Mara.

   Luke grinned at it as the transmission flickered out, and he glanced toward Lara as he stood from his seat.  They could both see the change in Mara, Karrde too. Whether it was the partnership, or the shared challenge, or simply that they had finally managed to accomplish a decisive string of victories over Laus, everything was going well. This had been a good move for both of them.

   Lara could see that Luke was happy for it, proud for Mara. She hugged him lightly, and he kissed the top of her head as he pulled her close, rubbed her back.

   "Things are starting to look up," he mused.  "If only we could get a fix on Darlik–"

   "Not tonight, huh?" she asked easily.  "Let's not worry about Darlik, or Laus, or Mara and Karrde, or anything else for a night."

   He smiled at the request.  And he dipped his head to meet her eyes, to nod and touch her face affectionately.

   "You tired?" he finally asked softly, straightening. Even before she nodded against him, he could sense it.  "I wish you wouldn't push yourself so hard," he worried out loud. She had been spending a lot of time trying to dig up information on Tritis. Searching the old records and intelligence reports dealing with the system, and reading up on the state of the fanatical Imperial factions there was decidedly unpleasant business, especially for Lara. But she kept at it, hoping that something useful would come of it.

   "I'm all right," she reassured him; the love behind his worry made her smile. "Nothing a nice, quiet night with my husband won't cure," she added affectionately. And she took his hands to walk with him into the living room, ready to settle in for a quiet night.

~

   "It's time," Laus concluded.

   Darlik sat up a little straighter in his chair.  Even across the transmission divide, set against the dark background of some obscure base, he could see a deadly seriousness to the other man's face.

   "Just like we discussed," Darlik prompted, leading.

   "I call the timing.  I'm the one in control this time. Any problems with that?"

   "As long as I get my opportunity," Darlik grated, "the rest is yours."

   Laus nodded fractionally.  "Two months," he stated quietly, coldly.

   Darlik nodded back.

   And with that understanding finished they cut the transmission, leaving each man to stew over his own agenda.  For Laus, this would provide the final blow to eliminate Karrde's leverage over him for once and for all. With that finally accomplished, he would have the ability and the opportunity to take his long-planned action against the New Republic to the next level.  This strike would prove to the doubters in the Tritis system that Laus could lead them.  He had spent years building the infrastructure of an attack force, preparing for this moment.  Now was the time to claim what would be his.

   For Darlik, it was the past that he remembered.  Too many failures.  If he couldn't defeat Skywalker man to man, then he would take him apart piece by piece until he could defeat him. He would tear the man down, make him defenseless.... And the thing that Darlik remembered most clearly was the only time that he had ever seen true weakness in the man: the helplessness that he had seen in Skywalker's face at seeing his pregnant wife held hostage... the way Skywalker had stood there, frozen, until the boy's action had broken up the capture.

   That sight he remembered. ~@ ~ ~