~A note from Jedi Master JA

I've got this update written a whole lot sooner than I expected, that's good right? Anyway, school's been going easy on me nowadays, I just had a whole bulk of projects lifted from my shoulders so finding time to write updates won't be so hard. Actually I better not say anything else or I'm gonna jinx it. Heh. And oh yeah, give Deja Vu a nice pat on the back for being my wonderful beta reader. Though I do think she went overboard with the commas.

*~*~*~*~*

Chapter Five: Doubts

                "Hold still please."

                Mara obeyed the gentle commands of the 2-1B and sat still. She watched as the slim medical droid extended its claws and began to peel the large bacta wrap from her side. The droid tediously did its work in a manner that was too slow for her liking. Eventually the bacta wrap was taken off and the droid left Mara alone so that it could tend to other patients.

                "Well, look who's awake."

                The Emperor's Hand glanced up to see Luke, with a large grin plastered on his face, approaching her bedside. In a very childish manner, Skywalker bounded across the room and landed on the end of the cot.

                "Feeling better?" he asked.

                "Much," she replied, suppressing the urge to smile at Luke's antics. "Though I would have felt even better if you hadn't shot me in the first place."

                "It was in self-defense!" Luke exclaimed and ducked as Mara swung a pitiful fist in his general direction. Chuckling, Skywalker moved closer to her and rested a hand on her bare knee. Dressed only in a thigh-length medical gown, Mara felt almost bashful.

                "That's the excuse you give, of course," she retorted, trying her best to hide her embarrassment.

At first glance, Mara had come to the conclusion that Luke was in a pleasant mood, with his foolish looking grin and sparkling eyes. But a second study had told her that he was fighting hard to hide something that was troubling him.

                "What is it?" she asked, there was a touch of concern in her voice.

                Luke pulled his hand away and averted his gaze. He felt his cheeks warm, and chanced a glance towards Mara out of the corner of his eye; she was still staring at him. Rolling his eyes, Luke took in a deep breath and replied. "Well, I came here to play the messenger. Hi-C wants to interrogate you as soon as you can stand on your own two feet."

                After Luke told Mara, he waited in silence for a response as it took the Imperial agent quite a few moments before she could speak. For an awkward moment, Mara had remained silent, staring at the ceiling. In the back of her mind, she noted how often she found herself staring at it. Another question soon surfaced: why exactly was she so nervous? The answer came to the Emperor's Hand quickly: she was just being a coward. After all, what could the Rebellion do to her? Inflict pain on her? Or keep her locked up until she starved to death? Perhaps the Empire would do something so sickening, but she wouldn't believe that Luke would serve a group that could be that horrible.

                So why am I serving the Empire?

                Mara pushed the thought aside and focused her attention on Luke, who was watching her intently. She smiled tightly at him and reached out to take his hand, resting hers on top of his, and squeezing it gently.

                "How does tomorrow sound?" she asked.

                She saw him break into a smile but she could still see the worry in his eyes. Deep inside, Mara understood the reason why she felt so attached to him. What would the Emperor think if he knew how she was feeling now? Mara wouldn't let herself think of the punishment Palpatine would inflict on her. This emotion, this caring would have to go.

                "It'd work," Luke replied, still holding onto her hand.

                But with Luke around, it was going to stay.

*~*~*~*~*

                The dueling droid was opposite of the Dark Lord, holding its lightsabre in classic guard position. It moved from side to side, never staying still for a single moment, and like the droid, the Dark Lord moved about, stepping lightly with his lightsabre extended in one hand.

                It was the droid that made the first strike. It stepped so lithely towards the Sith Lord that one would have been shocked by its grace. But the liquid movements of the droid did not distract Vader. He was as attentive as ever, and though his large bulk denied him the ability to dodge from a strike, it did give him the strength he needed to meet the oncoming blow. He brought his sabre up and was barely fazed by the jolting hit as the two deadly weapons made contact. Both weapons seemed to shriek in protest, but neither the droid nor Vader took notice. They kept their weapons locked, continuously circling each other.

                Long ago, Vader's skill in lightsabre dueling had been mostly reliant on his speed and agility, but that time had passed, and now with his enhanced cybernetics the Dark Lord had to rely merely on brute strength and skill, and so far both attributes had not failed him. He focused on his power and began to force the droid backwards, the machine faltered as Vader pushed on until the droid finally broke the lock and jumped backwards, escaping a swing from Vader.

                The Dark Lord began stalk the droid like a predator, and stepped back as it tried to make a forward thrust that nearly seared his cape. Darth Vader had to take another step backwards as the droid continued to press on, forcing him onto the defensive.

And as offensive and defensive positions were changed throughout the duel, one man stood by and watched the two continue their battle. Vader finally gained the upper hand and with one almost lazy swing, he bisected the droid in half. Its weapon clattered to the ground, and with nothing to depress the activation button the sabre's dead man's switch kicked in, causing the weapon to automatically switch off.

                Deciding that such an impressive display of power needed praise, the lone being began to clap, not fearing the Dark Lord's reaction. Vader took no notice in his clapping, instead switching off his weapon and turning to face the person. After being subjected to the Dark Lord's stare for over two minutes, the being ceased his clapping and bowed his head in respect.

                "Lord Vader," he addressed the Sith Lord with a nod.

                "Something is bothering you, Jix," Vader stated as he strode past his personal agent. Silently he entered the large chamber of his castle.

                Jixton Wrenga nearly rolled his eyes at Vader's bluntness, but remembered just in time how Vader reacted towards heavy disrespect, suppressing the urge. It could be annoying to have a Sith Lord as an employer at times; it was tough to try to conceal thoughts that Vader shouldn't pick up on if Jix wished to live a long and happy life.

                "Maybe," he shrugged and leaned against the wall, arms folded across his chest. "It doesn't really matter, though I am a bit curious why you called me here, Lord Vader. I've got places to be, you know."

                "Perhaps," Vader replied still not facing the Corellian. "But I pay you a large sum of money every month, Jix, and when I call for you, I expect for you to be punctual, not two hours late." The Dark Lord finally turned to face Jix.

                Realizing that the Dark Lord's mood was not as tolerable as it usually was, Jix arched his eyebrows and smirked. "So what's bothering you, Lord Vader? You're not in your usual chirpy mood today. Upset that I got through your security system again?"

                The Dark Lord raised and nearly clenched his fist in his customary Force strangle-hold, and for a second Jix feared that Vader would try to choke him like he usually did when he got annoyed. Not that he was afraid of death, but getting the life choked out of him was a large annoyance. To his sudden surprise, Vader abruptly dropped his gloved hand, and the power and confidence he seemed to radiate lessened.

                "Whoa!" The Corellian exclaimed. "Something is bothering you."

                "What's bothering me is your inability to cease speaking," Vader snapped.  "I have an assignment for you: Skywalker."

                Jix slowly nodded his head. "No surprise there. I was wondering when you'd ask for me to take care of the kid."

                The invisible talons quickly found their mark after the Corellian's impertinent comment, taking hold around his throat. He choked and collapsed onto his knees, hands wrapped around his throat, trying to free himself from the invisible grasp.

                "Skywalker is not to be harmed," the Dark Lord hissed, and with that said he released his balled fist and watched without emotion as the Corellian fell to the ground. "The Emperor has surely sent agents out by now to keep an eye on him, not to mention a few enemies of the Empire. Palpatine's current Hand, Mara Jade, has not been sighted recently and I'm concerned about her whereabouts. For Skywalker's safety, you will find him and protect him from a distance."

                Slowly rubbing his neck and propping himself on his elbow, Jix stared at the Dark Lord, clearly perplexed. "Bodyguard duty?" he asked. "Now that's a first…"

                "Do you have a problem, Jix?" Vader asked, pointing a finger at the Corellian in warning.

                "No… of course not…" Jix mumbled and made a large effort to get back on his feet. "Any idea where this Skywalker is?"

                "Skywalker's close friend, a Captain Solo, you are aware of his current situation?" Vader asked. He waited for Jix to give an affirmative nod before continuing. "Solo will soon be arriving on Tatooine, and Skywalker is sure to follow. Wait there for him."

                Shrugging, Jix headed for the exit. "Easier said than done," he replied. "Your boy Skywalker's gonna be safe."

                "Don't let your usual arrogance get the better of you this time Jix," Vader warned. "I sense… that another element has introduced itself."

                "Any idea what it is?" Jix asked.

                Instead of answering, Vader turned away from the Corellian, making his reply evident. Jix sighed and rolled his eyes. Turning away from the Dark Lord, he exited the chamber.

*~*~*~*~*

                They had come for her after she had been served her meal, but Mara had been wary and not even touched the food. It was several minutes after the meal had been served when five guards had entered the medical bay and, without a word, gestured for her to follow. Mara knew then that she was going to be interrogated.

                As she was marched down the corridor, the Emperor's Hand couldn't help but feel that small well of fear begin to expand, though she did her best to fight it down. Deciding that she needed something to distract her from her coming interrogation, she began to scan the area around her. There were very few people in the corridor they were in, making Mara wonder if the Rebellion kept their frigate minimally staffed.

                Mara glanced up when she felt a familiar presence pushing itself into her mind. She smiled as she recognized the feeling and turned her gaze to her right to catch a glimpse of Skywalker, who was near the end of the corridor. His pace quickened once he realized she'd acknowledged his presence and she felt her smile growing into a grin. Most of the guards gave their respects by addressing his rank when he approached them, but aside from the usual pleasantries they ignored the young commander completely.

                The knowledge that Luke was nearby to give her support renewed Mara's strength. She was able to brave the interrogation without showing any fear. It turned out that all her fears had been for naught. Her interrogation was in actuality little more than a simple questioning. Mainly her interrogators wondered about her ties to the Empire, and Mara had to repeat several times that she was not related to the Empire in any way. She refused to give them any information about her or about her mission, and in the end the Rebellion High Command had little information. Though in his frustration, the man who'd been interrogating her had ordered for her to be put into a prison cell instead of left in the med-centre, and Luke had volunteered to escort her.

                He'd quickly rushed to her side and made sure her hands were still bound before roughly grabbing her forearm and nearly dragging her out of the room. Mara made no struggle as Luke led her through the frigate and finally into a small detention centre, where he gently pushed her into a cell.

                "Hold on a sec," he spoke to the guards. "I need to speak to the prisoner for a moment." None of the other guards questioned him, and Luke stepped inside the cell, closing the door behind him.

                Mara watched him silently as he studied the room and then gestured for her to sit. "There aren't any bugs in this place," he reassured her. "I just scanned it."

                "You can use the Force to do that, too?" Mara questioned, seemingly impressed.

                Luke grinned at her. "You can use it for a lot of things."

                Mara returned his smile and took a seat on the metal bunk provided in the cell. "Too bad I don't have your power. It could have been helpful."

                Luke's expression became serious as he regarded her. By now, Mara was able to recognize the look on his face. She'd spent only a few weeks with him, but Luke was easy to read when he wasn't paying attention to how he showed himself. Something was troubling him deeply and Mara could have easily guessed that it had something to do with her.

                "Why don't you tell me what's wrong?" Mara asked. Luke eventually would have come out with the truth later, but Mara disliked seeing him upset.

                Slowly, Luke shrugged and clasped his hands behind the small of his back. "I was just wondering why you didn't tell them the truth," he admitted. "Do you intend to stay here as a prisoner forever?"

                "Do you think they'll keep me here forever?"

                Luke shook his head. "No," he confessed. "Not likely, but perhaps for quite a while. Can you see yourself spending an entire year here, or even longer? Just tell them what they want and you can go."

                The thought of being stuck in the same cell struck Mara hard; she'd never thought of being locked up for a year. Never before had she been taken prisoner, but she'd always just assumed she could escape. She was close to escaping on Skywalker's ship, but what was an Imperial agent against a Jedi who had the same power that fueled him as Palpatine?

                "I can't," she replied and suddenly flopped against her seat, wincing slightly when her head banged against the metal bunk. Luke seemed amused for just a moment before he slowly reached her side. He went into a kneeling position, gently lifting her head and checking for an injury.

                "Why not?" he asked as his fingers ran through her hair. Mara closed her eyes and turned away from him. She cared for him, but she had a duty to carry out, and after that she would have to go back to Palpatine.

                "I have an obligation to keep," she replied while staring at the wall. "I obey the Empire."

                Luke reluctantly pulled his hand away and rested it on his knee. There was something wrong about what she said. Perhaps it was the deep sense of regret he felt. The young Jedi suddenly understood.

                "You still haven't given up," he murmured. "You still want to kill that man."

                He felt Mara's humiliation. She hated what she was doing, he understood that much, but he still couldn't decipher the reason why she did something she loathed so much. He slowly stood and began heading for the door.

                "Luke." She called for him.

                The Rebel commander stopped in mid-stride and glanced at Mara over his shoulder.

                "I don't do this because I want to," she said as she began to sit up, one hand resting on the back of her head, the other resting on her knee, clenched into a fist. "It's… complicated."

                "Is it for money?" he asked.

                Mara suddenly shot up, her eyes flaring with anger. Her hand came at him so fast that Luke was almost knocked backwards. The young Jedi stumbled, one hand gripped at his cheek while the other was held up in defense. Though Mara made no move to strike him again, she stared at him, the hand that had slapped him still raised. Her expression frozen in shock, it seemed as if for a time the two were paralyzed in disbelief. Finally Mara registered her attack and moved away from him, that well of humiliation becoming so deep that it seemed ready to consume her.

                Though her attack hurt, Luke felt no anger. By all rights, he should hate her, but there were no negative emotions. All he felt at the moment was a desire to comfort the woman. He reached towards her, resting a hand on her shoulder. Mara stiffened at the touch, but finally caved in and allowed Luke to pull her into a hug. The two stood there in silence before Mara pulled away.

                "You should leave," she murmured. "Never come back. You're in danger when you're around me."

                "Mara," Luke began.

                "No, just get out," Mara snapped. "You don't know how much I care for you, and how it kills me every time I realize that I've hurt you, that I can't make you happy."

                Mara stopped and suddenly found that she was blushing a deep red. She was no longer able to face the young Jedi, and turned her back on him. Luke hesitated, wondering what the best course of action should be, but when he tried to reach towards Mara, he found the way blocked. The Imperial assassin didn't want to see him so much that she was even able to block him from her mind.

                "I'm going to come back," he told her. Mara made no move to acknowledge his words. Her stiff posture seemed to relax when she heard the loud clang of the cell door being locked.

*~*~*~*~*

                After his encounter with Mara in the prison cell, Luke had spent most of the day in a haze, trying to figure out what he'd done wrong and what Mara's words meant. She said he cared for him; the words made him warm with embarrassment.

                "You don't know how much I care for you, and how it kills me every time I realize that I've hurt you, that I can't make you happy."

                 Didn't Mara realize that just being with her, talking with her, made him happy? Admitting that she cared for him had made him happier than he thought he could ever be.

                Luke was unable to pull his thoughts away from the redhead by the time it was lunch, and decided to sit with his friends from Rogue Squadron. The pilots were acting as immature as usual, not taking any notice in Luke's despondent mood.

                "Commander Skywalker?"

                Luke glanced up to see a youth standing before him, staring at him in awe. The young Jedi immediately recognized the expression, and felt a sense of dread begin to well. Despite his loathing for youthful rebels such as the boy before him, he couldn't bring up to the courage to chase him away. It wasn't as if it his 'admirers' were intentionally trying to be an annoyance after all.

                "Yes?" he asked.

                The youth looked as if he were ready to leap fifty feet off the ground and through the ceiling. The thought almost made Luke worry.

                "Is it true that you're a Jedi?" he asked. "Did you really face Vader?"

                Before Luke could answer, someone else did. "Whatever Commander Skywalker is, he is still your superior officer and he's a busy man."

                Luke recognized the voice and grinned. Leia approached the table, returning Luke's grin before taking on a serious expression. She turned to face the young Rebel. "I think it's best that you stop pestering him."

                The Rebel blushed heavily and bowed his head before scurrying away. The rest of the Rogues began to hoot and cheer for Leia before returning their attention in trying to see who could squirt out the most water from their nostrils.

                "Thanks," Luke mumbled.

                Leia shrugged and took the empty seat across from Luke, eyeing his meal momentarily before adverting his gaze. Sensing what Leia wanted, the young Jedi pushed his tray towards her and shot her a smile.

                "This makes us even," Leia replied, beginning to poke at the food with her fork. "Though maybe I should consider revising it."

                "It tastes better than it looks," he reassured her. "Though you must not be eating regularly if you're resorting to cafeteria food."

                "It's been a busy week," she admitted. "Especially with that Imperial assassin you brought in, to false Imperial sightings. All this pressure is enough to make you turn to the dark side."

                The two rebels shared a small chuckle; it felt good for the both of them to relieve their tensions by taking comfort in each other's presence.

                "So why are you here?" Luke asked. "I get the feeling that this is more than just a short break."

                Leia appeared visibly annoyed, rolling her eyes and pointing her fork at him. "Can't hide anything from you now, can I?"

                "You could try," Luke replied.

                "Well, I got a call from Lando a few days ago," Leia answered between a mouthful of food.

                Luke suddenly felt his excitement rise. He rested both hands on the table and leaned forward in anticipation. "And?" he asked.

                "Boba Fett's on Tatooine," she replied, smiling slightly. Luke's reaction mirrored hers when she'd heard the news. "You can go rescue him now."

                Instead of jumping out of his chair and leaping for joy at being able to see his friend again, Luke frowned. "What do you mean by 'you'? You're coming too."

                Leia shook her head. "I can't," she murmured. "There's too much going on here that's too important for me to miss."

                "So you're just going to stay?" he exclaimed. "But what about Han?"

                "I'll be there," she murmured. "I'll be there to rescue him. I have to be, but you'll need to go on ahead, Lando might need your help just in case things get rough."

                Luke understood the logic behind Leia's words, but he still didn't like the thought of going back to Tatooine alone. It was distressing how he was always left alone in the end, but swallowing up his dejection, Luke nodded and forced himself to smile.

                "Alright," he replied. "I'll go back. Don't worry though, we won't start the rescue without you."

                Leia's face broke out into a grin. Reaching across the table, Leia gently took his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "I knew that I could count on you," she said. Luke merely nodded, though his mind was on other things.

*~*~*~*~*

                It'd only been two days since Mara had been locked up in her cell, but by the time the second day came, Mara was ready to jump the next person that came to her door and escape.  Though what thoughts of escape she had were quickly brushed aside when she felt the familiar stirring in the darkest part of her mind. She lay perfectly still, glancing up as the ceiling while the link was being established.

                Master. She spoke up first.

                This mission has taken you longer than expected, Mara Jade. The Emperor seemed to hiss, not even taking the time to greet her.

                My Master, forgive me, Mara replied. She felt herself tense because she knew that the Emperor would very likely punish her for her failure. I failed to kill Ardock. There was Rebel interference, and they captured me.

                There was silence and Mara wondered if the Emperor was planning her punishment. She waited for his reply, which eventually came after a few moments.

                And where are you now? he asked.

                The Rebel Fleet, Mara replied, as a suspicion began to form in the back of her mind. The Rebel High Command has interrogated me, but I gave out no information.

                Perhaps your failure will be most beneficial. Tell me, is Skywalker near you? he asked.

                Yes, Mara replied, trying her best to block her memories of the day before. She didn't need the Emperor seeing them.

                Stay where you are for a few more days, then escape. There will be an attack soon, he informed her.

                You were able to discern where I am, my master? Mara asked.

                Perhaps you were not able to figure out your location, my Hand, but I was able to sense where you are. Now Mara Jade, do as I command you. Your failure will be forgiven…this time. Mara felt the sense of darkness disappear as her Master cut off their link. She suddenly found herself smiling, relieved that she wouldn't be punished.

                Though her smile was quickly wiped from her face when the door to her cell slid open and in stepped Luke. His expression was grim as he regarded her as if she were some filthy object that he didn't want to be near. It was gone after a few moments passed.

                "What is it?" she asked while sitting up.

                "I felt something," Luke replied while still keeping a wary eye on her. "It was wrong, dark and… I thought it was coming from you."

                Mara shrugged. "I was just sleeping until you interrupted me. I guess you kept your word after all."

                "I try to keep them," he replied. "I've been thinking you know, about what you said."

                Mara bowed her head and berated herself for blushing. Luke didn't pay attention to her embarrassment and continued. "At first you know, what you said made me happy because, to tell you the truth, Mara, I care for you a lot too. You really did make me happy, but if what you say is true, and that I cause you such grief, then I don't want to make you feel so terrible. I guess what I'm saying that I'm leaving soon and I'm not going to be seeing you anymore."

                Mara's head came up. "Leaving?" she asked. She suddenly stood up and moved towards him, but stopped when she saw that he was moving away. "Luke, what I said before, I was just being over-dramatic. I was upset, I was angry at you, and I was… scared. This is all very new for me."

                "Well, to tell you the truth, I never met a woman that I cared for who returned the same sort of caring to me," Luke admitted, feeling his cheeks warm. "I'm pretty stupid at stuff like this."

                "We can help each other out then," Mara replied, stepping forward again. She smiled when she saw Luke did the same. She reached forward and took his hands, squeezing them gently.

                "I'm still going to leave," Luke told her. "I've gotta go to Tatooine; my friend's there and he's in a lot of trouble so I'm going to help him."

                Mara nodded still smiling. "Because that's what a Jedi does, huh?" she asked.

                Luke shook his head, "No," he replied. "That's what a friend does."

                The same feeling that Mara felt whenever Luke tried to do something self-sacrificing ate at her, but Luke with that Force power of his seemed to sense her embarrassment and pulled her towards him, pressing her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

                "I can teach you," Luke offered. "…Teach you how to be a Jedi."

                The Emperor's Hand pressed her lips against his cheek, taking pleasure in their intimate contact. "I'm no Jedi, Luke," she murmured.

                "Think about it," Luke told her as he pressed his lips against her forehead. "I'll come back, tell me then."

                A memory flitted to the forefront of Mara's mind: the Emperor was going to attack, and he wanted Luke too. She was certain that the attack would happen in a few days, and her Master would certainly be upset if he found out that Skywalker wasn't there. Mara couldn't explain why, but deep down she didn't want Luke to be captured but he was a Jedi and the Emperor would only kill him or, a thought that was even worse, turn Luke into someone like Vader.

                "You should go now," Mara replied. "You don't want to be late."

                Luke stared at her, confused by her sudden change in feelings, but he voiced no protest. Nodding his head, he turned and went for the door, pausing before he exited. "Think about my offer," he said. "Someone like you can break away from Empire and do good."

                Mara smiled at him and gave a small nod, waiting until he left. For all she knew, this could have been the last time she'd ever see him again.

*~*~*~*~*

                The doors to the throne room slid open, and though it was one of the grandest chambers of the Imperial Palace, at the moment it was dark save for the light that came from the room's single window. It was in front of that window that Emperor Palpatine, the most powerful man in the galaxy, sat waiting for his servant.

                Darth Vader did not disappoint the man, he hastened his pace, and when he was only a few metres from the Emperor's throne, he went into a kneel, resting both hands on his right knee as he bowed his head. There was silence as Palpatine regarded his right hand and without a word said, he turned his chair away from his apprentice.

                "The Emperor's Hand has found the Rebel Fleet," he said.

                There was a smile on Palpatine's face as he felt Vader's aggravation. He waited for the Dark Lord to speak and, as always, Vader delivered.

                "Then I will go immediately to take care of the Rebels, my Master," he rumbled.

                "Also with the fleet is your son, Lord Vader," the Emperor said, turning his throne to face Vader and gauge the Dark Lord with both the Force and with his sight.

                "Then he will be captured, my Master," Vader replied. Visually he was as stoic as usual, but the Emperor could sense the trouble in his heart.

                "Be sure to take a few prisoners for public execution as well, Lord Vader," the Emperor replied with a small cackle. He made a dismissive gesture with his hand, and waited for the Dark Lord to leave before returning his gaze to the city outside his window.

*~*~*~*~*

                "You know, I heard Skywalker went back to Tatooine."

                Mara's eyes snapped open as the approaching voices became louder. She sat up and strained her ears. The voice was familiar...After a moment of concentration she identified it: it belonged to the guard that always served her meals.

                "You know how easy a target that would make him?"

                The other voice she didn't recognize, but that didn't matter. What she cared about was what they were talking about. They were speaking of Luke's being a target, which meant that he was in danger. She pressed a hand against her chest as her worry for the young Jedi began to mount.

                "We should have just taken him out when we got the chance," said the first man, sounding almost wistful.

                "Us and a Jedi? Yeah right," the second one snorted. "Besides, all those big shots on Tatooine like Jabba will probably be the ones that take him out."

                Oh Luke… Mara stood up and stood by the cell door, waiting for someone to come with her next meal. The Emperor did give her orders to escape, and what better time than this? If she got out then she could steal a ship and go to Tatooine. If Luke was in danger, then she would be there to protect him, and she could try to take him along with her to Coruscant and show him her home.

                Mara heard the sound of the automatic locks being released, and coiled her legs, getting ready to attack. The guard opened the door, not even bothering to look in. Mara smirked at his carelessness and brought her hand up. With one swift blow, the meal server collapsed to the floor. Mara shoved her boot into his friend's abdomen before he even had time to shout, and the kick forced him backwards. With one hard punch, he was on the ground.

                Mara dragged both of the unconscious bodies into her cell and without any hesitation she began to strip the first guard of his clothes.

                Skywalker… I'll be there.

*~*~*~*~*

Special thanks to:

Moonbug, Renee, Jacen200015 and Deja Vu for reviewing.

Favourite Review:

Actually I think I won't do that anymore since Deja seems to love to go all out with her reviews, heck just read the one she did for chapter 4.

Anyway, I really appreciate the reviews that I'm getting, as I've said before, I write for myself, but its nice to know that some people like what they're reading. Thanks guys.

Next on Chapter Six: (Yeah I'm gonna do the preview thing instead of a favourite review thing *glares at Vu*)

Vader receives word from a certain personal agent that his son is no longer with the Rebel Fleet and to say that he's a little angry is making an understatement. The Dark Lord unleashes his anger full force on the Rebel Fleet and Princess Leia once again finds herself in a familiar situation.

Cool L/M Quote:

YOU WILL KILL LUKE SKYWALKER

"No, not like that. My decisions. My reasons."

-Mara Jade, The Last Command: when that Ol' 'ghost' of Palpy is pestering.