By Angela Jade - [email protected] - constructive criticism and happy thoughts gratefully received ... please don’t flame me!
Set directly after Chapter 11, a few months after ‘Vision of the Future’ by Timothy Zahn. Haven't read the 'Union' comics - but now that I've done my version of the wedding, I can't wait to get my grubby little mits on the g/n! As I said before, the bits I have seen of the 'official' wedding are kinda 'Western' (ie. white dress, flowers, exchanging rings, etc.) - I've tried to make this version more StarWars-ish.
Main characters - Luke and Mara, with cameos by Leia, Han, the Solo kids, Corran, Mirax, Iella, Karrde - well, just about everyone, really!
Rated - NC17 - most of this is kinda mushy; if you're looking for the smut, it's at the end! ;-)
Disclaimer - the recognisable characters belong to Mr. Lucas, Mr. Zahn and Mr. Stackpole. I write about them as a form of flattery - please don’t sue. I’m making no money from this.
Summary - THE FINAL CHAPTER! THE WEDDING! WOOHOO!!
Written June 2000 (pics by Katrina added December 2001)
Chapter 12 - Bonding
After a night of tossing and turning, Mara decided there probably wasn’t much point staying in her bed; she rose just as the sun started putting in an appearance. She showered quickly and pulled on loose pants and a shirt, before heading through to the living area of the Horns’ apartment, tying her damp hair in a ponytail. The whole apartment was silent; Mara could sense Corran and Mirax asleep in their room. She tiptoed through to the kitchen and helped herself to some fruit and Corellian bread that she’d watched Mirax make the day before. Pouring herself a tall glass of water, she leaned against a work surface and sighed, trying to calm the nervousness she could feel bubbling up inside. Tomorrow she would change, become something different. She would be Luke’s bond-mate. His wife. And today she was determined to do her best in preparation. Draining the glass, she padded quietly back through to the living area and started by moving her body through the series of stretches she tried to fit into her daily routine.
After half an hour her muscles were warm and her breathing was slow and regular. She moved to a hand-stand, before carefully bending her legs behind her and touching the floor. As she straightened again, she became aware of someone watching her.
Corran stood beside the door to his room, leaning against the wall. ‘Wow, Mara. I didn’t know you could still do that stuff.’
She sat down and stretched her legs in front, bending down until her head touched her knees. ‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Corsec. And how long have you been watching?’
‘Not long. I figured you were up and wondered if you’d like a partner to start your meditation.’
Mara sat up and stretched her hands high over her head, smiling at the thoughtfulness of her friend. ‘Thanks. That would be nice.’ She pulled her feet in until she sat cross-legged, and gestured for Corran to sit in front of her. ‘If you need to rouse me, use the phrase “Mara Jade Skywalker”.’
Corran raised an eyebrow as he sank to the floor in front of her. ‘Mara Jade Skywalker?’
She frowned at him before closing her eyes. ‘Yes. I’m trying to get used to it, okay.’ One eye snapped open. ‘I take it Mirax has a phrase to wake you if you go too deep.’
‘Oh, yes. We’ve got one set up.’
Mara’s other eye opened as she detected a hint of a blush crossing his cheek. ‘Are you going to tell me what it is?’
‘Nope.’
‘Ah. One of those phrases.’ She smirked. ‘I understand.’
‘Close your eyes, Jade.’
With one last wink at Corran, she closed her eyes and relaxed into the Force.
***************
At his apartment, the only sound was Luke’s feet as they pounded along on the running machine he had installed in one corner of his bedroom. He ran with his eyes closed, a light sheen of sweat covering his body and plastering his hair to his forehead and neck. A quiet double-beep from Artoo indicated he’d covered the distance he’d requested, and he slowly opened his eyes and turned the machine down. After a quick stretch and a quicker shower, he pulled on loose clothes and his Jedi robe, before settling down in the main room to start his meditation.
‘Ten hours, Artoo. And I don’t want to be disturbed.’
The little droid beeped an acknowledgement, and reached out to turn on the comm automatic answering.
Luke closed his eyes and quickly sank into the familiar sense of calm and peace, the place inside himself that only he could access. The Force was at its strongest there, especially the light side. He felt it coursing through his body, his sphere of knowledge and understanding expanding slowly, as if it were a living, breathing being. Images flitted past, but he studiously ignored them, even the ones that seemed to concern Mara. There would be time for visions later. Right now he needed to immerse himself in the Force; feel it, touch it, taste it. As a Jedi he had mastered many aspects of it, both light and dark. But tomorrow he would bond with another Jedi, and he needed to know that the Force would permit this, would allow another to share this special place, without harm coming to either of them.
His breathing and heart rate were now barely perceptible as Luke began his mental preparation for what was to come.
***************
‘Mara Jade Skywalker.’
Mara took a deep, cleansing breath as she slowly opened her eyes to see Corran kneeling in front of her. ‘Hi. What time is it?’ she croaked.
Corran smiled gently. ‘Time to eat. You’ve been out for twelve hours.’
‘Have I?’ Mara felt incredibly relaxed, at peace with herself. ‘How long did you meditate for?’
‘Only the first couple of hours. Mirax and I figured we should just leave you to it.’
‘Thanks.’ She slowly stretched her arms above her head and uncrossed her legs, wincing at the tingling sensation in her muscles. ‘Um, I may need some help standing up.’
He grinned and slapped his right hand into hers, pulling her up. ‘Come and eat. Mirax and I have been cooking, and you look like you need a hot meal.’
Walking slowly, Mara followed him into the kitchen, her senses assaulted by the delicious smell of fresh stew and roast vegetables, as well as the noisy clatter of cutlery and plates. Even the colors looked brighter, making her wince slightly.
‘Hi, Mara.’ Mirax peered at her friend. ‘Are you alright?’
‘Yeah, I’m fine. A little woozy.’ Mara smiled. ‘That smells great, Mirax.’
‘Tastes even better.’ She gently pushed Mara into a chair beside a plate of steaming food. ‘Try it.’
Corran sat opposite her and poured them both a glass of juice. ‘You sure you’re okay? That was a long time to be in meditation.’
Mara nodded as she ate. ‘I’m okay, Corran. I just feel a bit ... sensitive. To this world and to the Force. To everything.’ She watched the concern on his face turn into a smile. ‘What?’
‘I never really saw you as the meditating type, Mara. You and the Force always seemed to end up with somebody bruised, battered, and possibly missing a limb or two.’ His smile widened. ‘I can’t believe you’re doing this purely on Luke’s say-so.’
Mara regarded him coolly, surprised to find she didn’t feel even slightly riled at his implication that she took orders from Luke. ‘I’m not. I agreed to a Jedi bonding ceremony, rather than a Tatooine or Alderaanian wedding ceremony, and this is part of that bonding.’ She chewed thoughtfully on another mouthful of food. ‘Apparently, some of the OR Jedi used to meditate for days beforehand.’
Mirax joined them and all three ate in silence for a while, before Corran spoke again. ‘Mara, are you still happy that you chose to become a Jedi Knight?’
‘I don’t think I chose it as much as the Force chose me. I can see now that it was kind of inevitable but, yes, I’m happy about it.’ She smiled at him. ‘Why? Are you thinking of joining the Brown Robed Ones?’
Corran shook his head, quickly swallowing. ‘No, at least, not yet. I’d like to stay with the squadron for a while.’
‘But you are considering full-time Jedi-hood for the future.’
‘Yes.’ He glanced at his wife, who nodded almost imperceptibly. ‘Mara, we’re pretty sure Valin is Force-strong. I mean, not like the Solo kids, but there’s definitely some sort of awareness there.’ He sighed. ‘It seems unfair encouraging him to fulfil his potential when his own father hasn’t.’
Mara leaned back in her chair, studying him carefully. She didn’t even attempt to dip into his mind; she didn’t need to, as he seemed to be broadcasting his thoughts and emotions so loudly anyway. Finally, she turned to Mirax. ‘Booster’s gonna love this.’
‘That’s why we haven’t told him.’ Mirax smiled. ‘Actually, he’s mellowing in his old age, at least towards some of the Jedi.’
Mara nodded and turned back to face Corran. ‘What do you want me to do?’
He grimaced. ‘Tell me I don’t have to go back to the Academy in order to finish my training?’
‘I can’t make that decision, Corran. You know that. You’ll have to talk to Luke.’
‘I know.’ His green eyes met hers. ‘How long are you two going to be away on honeymoon?’
‘I don’t know. Quite a while, if the amount of baggage Luke made me pack is anything to go by.’
‘Do you know where you’re going yet?’ asked Mirax.
‘Nope. I don’t even know how we’re getting there.’ Mara shook her head. ‘If he’s managed to borrow a ship, it better be something decent, or I’ll never let him hear the end of it.’
‘I can’t believe Mara Jade is letting anyone organise her itinerary,’ commented Mirax with a smile.
‘Me neither,’ replied Mara. ‘But Luke was fairly insistent, so I’m giving him some leeway. If I don’t like wherever it is we’re going, I’m sure I can persuade him to move.’
Mirax’s face split into a grin. ‘I think the whole point of a honeymoon is that it doesn’t matter where you are, Mara. You’ll be too ... ah ... preoccupied to notice your surroundings.’
‘Good point,’ laughed Mara, standing up and pushing her chair back. ‘I’m going to meditate some more. Same pull-out phrase.’ She turned towards Corran and laid her hand on his, momentarily surprised to feel the Force coursing through him like a power cable. ‘Why don’t you wait and contact Luke when you know what you want to do. I’ll mention it to him...’ She winked. ‘... if I remember.’
***************
Artoo’s insistent warbling tone brought Luke out of his meditation; he blinked his eyes a couple of times and stood slowly, stretching carefully. ‘Thanks, Artoo.’
He patted the loyal droid on his dome, wondering anew whether he should take him on honeymoon. He quickly dismissed the idea; Mara would probably dismantle the little astromech. Wandering into the kitchen area, he threw a package in the cooker and hit the on-switch, before walking slowly towards the apartment’s small balcony. As he leaned on the rail, the wind whipping his hair, he watched the cloud-cars and air-speeders racing by. The Force was all around him, so strong he could almost reach out and touch it. Sentient beings were like tiny pinpricks of light, brightening as they gathered together in Coruscant’s busy streets and buildings. He couldn’t see Orowood Towers or Corran’s building, but he could sense Leia and her children, as well as Corran and Mara, quite easily; the Force shouted their presence to him.
The ping of the cooker indicated his meal was ready, and with one last look at the Coruscant skyline, he wandered back to the small kitchen. As he ate, he tried to logically think his way through his recent meditation. The Force was not an entity, but sometimes it seemed so tangible to Luke that he found himself treating it as such; he asked it for guidance, and allowed it to help him achieve great physical and mental feats. And although it had taken them ten years to realise it, he now truly believed that his and Mara’s bonding was the will of the Force. The future was indeed hard to see, but Luke knew Mara would be in his, as long as they both lived and breathed. It was inevitable.
He sighed as he finished his food. He felt completely attuned to the Force, and didn’t really require any more meditation, but decided to continue anyway. Perhaps he would allow himself to see the visions that had been dancing tantalisingly close in his mind.
‘Just four hours this time, Artoo,’ he said, settling down on the floor. ‘Then I’ll get the ship loaded and prepped before I try to sleep.’
The droid beeped a confirmation, watching as his master fell once more into a trance.
***************
Mara woke slowly, wondering what was making the buzzing noise that assaulted her ears. Opening her eyes, she remembered she was still in Valin’s room, and as she looked up, she could see the X-wing models he had suspended from the ceiling as they danced around, performing their programmed display. Smiling, she remembered she had turned it on the previous night in an attempt to help her sleep. It had worked, too; the display had obviously been on all night. She reached out an arm and turned it off, before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and sitting up.
There was a knock at the door. ‘Mara? Are you awake?’
‘Come in, Mirax.’
Mirax opened the door to see her friend facing the opposite wall. The tiny white sleep-shift she wore and the mussed red hair spilling over her slim shoulders served to make Mara look young and vulnerable; Mirax smiled. ‘How do you feel?’
Mara turned round; her emerald eyes seemed to be so full of barely-contained
power that Mirax took an involuntary step backwards. ‘I feel ready.’
Luke’s eyes snapped open. Mara was awake; he could sense it. He was vaguely surprised that he had actually managed to sleep without the help of a Jedi trance. ‘Guess loading the ship last night tired me out more than I thought, Artoo.’
After a shower and a quick breakfast, he dressed in the clothes he and Leia had chosen. He’d wanted something reminiscent of the old Jedi order, but Leia had helped him update it. Just looking at the outfit made him smile; Mara had obviously had a hand in the color scheme. A high-necked, skin-tight shirt in dark green, was followed by leggings and a Jedi-style tunic in a creamy-white color. He fitted the dark green obi round his waist and pulled on shiny black boots; at least she’d let him wear something black. He examined the fabric of the Jedi robe again; some sort of pale gray material, with tiny threads of silver woven through parts of it. Interesting. He settled it on his shoulders, pushing his arms through the voluminous sleeves. No lightsaber today - both his and Mara’s sabers were onboard the starship he’d commissioned for her. ‘What do you think, Artoo?’
The little droid tootled a happy response and rocked from leg to leg. He, too, was looking smart - Luke had spent some time cleaning and polishing him the previous evening.
The door buzzed and Luke strode over to open it. ‘Hi, Han.’
Han Solo stepped into the apartment, looking him up and down. ‘You ready, kid?’
‘As I’ll ever be. Come on, Artoo.’
Han gestured to Luke’s waist. ‘No lightsaber?’
‘Not today. Mara’s not wearing hers, either.’
‘Yeah?’ Han smirked as he patted the blaster strapped to his thigh. ‘Just as well I came armed.’
Luke shook his head as he followed Han out of the door; his brother-in-law was always armed. ‘If I need a saber there’ll be plenty at the temple I can borrow. Besides, we’re not expecting trouble, are we?’
‘Kid, you’ve been off-planet too long. The media have got worse recently, and some of the reports they’ve been making are downright inflammatory.’ He winked at Luke. ‘Besides, it’s us. When do we not expect trouble?’
‘Today,’ growled Luke.
‘It’ll be fine, Luke,’ said Han solemnly, all teasing forgotten when he saw Luke’s worried expression. ‘Security swept the temple last night and this morning, and Leia’s got a whole bunch of Noghri guarding the place.’
‘And did Security find anything on these sweeps?’
Han winced slightly. ‘A bunch of recording stuff. And a couple of little bombs. But they’re all gone now.’
‘Bombs!’
‘Shhh!’ Han gently pushed Luke into the turbolift. ‘I told you; we got them all. And we’ve got the best weapons-detector money can buy on the door. With Chewie standing next to it.’
‘Sorry, but I don’t have a whole lot of faith in NR Security’s weapons-detectors,’ replied Luke, the senate bombing of two years previously still fresh in his mind.
‘This isn’t NRS. It’s something Karrde and Booster Terrik came up with. Security’s spitting laser bolts trying to get a look at it.’
Luke nodded, his posture slowly relaxing. ‘Fine.’ He slipped his hands into his sleeves and bowed his head slightly, silent for a long moment. ‘How’s Mara?’
Han’s hand on his shoulder finally made him look up, to see his friend’s eyes twinkling.
‘She arrived safely at our place, and has Mirax, Iella and Leia fussing over her as we speak. Why do you think I’m early - I had to get out of there.’
Luke nodded, a smile crossing his face. ‘Thanks, Han.’
‘What for?’
‘Everything. In case I don’t get the chance to tell you later.’
In Leia’s main room, Mara looked unconvinced as Mirax and Leia curled her hair. ‘I’m still not sure about this.’
‘Neither am I,’ said Iella, placing a tray with four steaming mugs of Caf on a low table. ‘I still say we should have brought in a professional.’
Leia glared at her. ‘I think I’ve had enough experience styling long hair, don’t you?’
‘I actually meant about the curls,’ said Mara.
‘Sit still,’ replied Leia. ‘We tried this last week, and you said you liked it then.’
Mara shrugged. ‘I did. Now I’m not so sure.’
‘Sit still, Mara,’ said Leia. ‘I’m nearly done.’
Mara fiddled with the sash of her robe and tried to remain perfectly still as Mirax and Leia tugged and pulled.
‘There. Finished.’
Mara stuck her tongue out at her reflection. ‘It looks weird.’
‘It’ll be great when it’s up,’ said Iella. ‘Now come and have some Caf.’
As Mara sipped the hot drink, Leia started pinning her hair on top of her head. She was finished in a remarkably short space of time; Mara’s red-gold hair now a mass of delicate curls, pinned up securely. ‘Do you want me to do your make-up, Mara?’
‘Stop fussing, Leia. I can put on my own make-up, thank you,’ she replied.
‘Good move,’ said Iella. ‘I’ve seen holos of Leia during the glossy-lips years.’
Mirax laughed. ‘She’s right. I wouldn’t let Leia near me with make-up.’
‘Very funny. I’ll have you know that was the height of fashion back then.’
Mara listened to them banter as she started applying cosmetics, occasionally sipping her Caf. The nervousness was starting to creep back, and it was nice to have her friends there to distract her. ‘All done.’
‘That’s it?’ asked Leia.
‘That was quick,’ said Mirax.
Mara smiled. ‘I go for the minimalist look.’
‘It’s great,’ said Iella. ‘Can I see the dress now?’
‘Not yet,’ said Leia. ‘I still have to finish her hair.’ She pulled a handful of decorative hairpins from a box; each one was topped with a glowing green light. Carefully, Leia pushed each pin into Mara’s hair, trying to arrange them into a random pattern. ‘There. How does that look?’
‘Lovely,’ replied Mirax, reaching out to touch one of the pins. ‘I take it they’ve got their own power source. How long will they last?’
‘A few days,’ said Leia. ‘Clever, aren’t they.’
Iella joined them standing round Mara. ‘I’d really like to see the dress sometime soon.’
‘Patience, Madame Antilles,’ smiled Leia. ‘There’s lots of time.’
‘I’ve had to listen to you hint about this dress all week, Madame Solo,’ replied Iella sarcastically. ‘I’m all patienced out.’
‘Me too,’ said Mirax. ‘Bring on the dress.’
Leia placed her hands on Mara’s shoulders. ‘Are you ready?’
Mara nodded silently, her eyes meeting Leia’s in the mirror. She watched as Leia went to her room and returned with the hover-box that contained her outfit. She turned round just as Leia opened the box, and smiled as Mirax and Iella gasped.
‘That is gorgeous, Mara,’ said Mirax.
Iella reached out to touch the fabric. ‘Beautiful.’ She turned to face Mara. ‘Now I really want to see you wearing it.’
Mara smiled and stood up as Leia removed the outfit from the box and unzipped the dress. Slipping out of her robe, Mara carefully stepped into the dress, pushed her arms into the sleeves, and stood still as Leia zipped her up. The silvery fabric shimmered slightly as she moved; fitting her figure snugly from the waist up, the skirt flaring gently to a small train. Tiny green lights, exactly matching those in her hair, had been fixed to the bottom of the dress; the pattern they created looked like flames rising from the hem.
‘Jade Fire,’ commented Mirax. ‘Nice touch.’
‘Wow!’ was Iella’s only comment.
‘You do know how to walk with a train, don’t you?’ asked Leia.
Mara slipped into a pair of dark gray shoes. ‘It’s been a while, but I don’t think I’ve forgotten,’ replied Mara as she started to walk slowly to the other end of the room, her back straight as she pushed the front of the dress with a toe before every step. At the far end of the room she turned in a wide arc, keeping the train behind her.
‘It looks even better when you move,’ said Mirax. ‘Like the flames are dancing, even the ones on the train.’
‘Wow!’ repeated Iella.
‘Tell me you’re not going to put a Jedi robe on top,’ said Mirax.
‘Oh, but she has to,’ replied Leia, reaching into the hover-box and pulling out what looked like nothing more than a giant spider-web. It turned out to be a Jedi robe made from an almost translucent material, shot through with threads of silver and dark gray. ‘Don’t even think about pulling up the hood,’ warned Leia, as she helped Mara into the robe. ‘I’m not fixing your hair again if you mess it up.’ The robe was extra long at the back, and Mirax helped Leia settle it over the train, most of the green lights still twinkling through.
Mara turned slowly to face Iella, the Jedi robe hanging open. ‘Well?’
‘Wow.’
‘Is that all you’re going to say,’ asked Mirax.
Iella grinned. ‘You look great, Mara.’
The door buzzed. ‘And that will be the driver I ordered,’ said Leia.
‘Driver?’ Mara looked puzzled. ‘I thought you were driving me to the temple?’
‘Change of plans,’ said Leia as she crossed to open the door. ‘Meet your new driver.’
The door slid open revealing Talon Karrde, washed, brushed, trimmed, and as smart as Mara had ever seen him. ‘Am I on time, Madame Counsellor?’
‘You are.’ She waved him into the apartment, then almost barrelled into him as he stopped suddenly when he caught sight of Mara.
‘Wow!’
‘Not him as well,’ muttered Mirax.
Karrde quickly regained his composure. ‘You look absolutely stunning, Mara. How come you never dressed like this when you were working for me?’
Mara’s sharp retort died on her lips as four over-excited children raced through the door, followed closely by Shada. Valin tried to hide behind Mirax, while Leia’s three hovered near their mother.
‘Remind me never to have kids,’ said Shada tiredly. She looked up. ‘Hi, Mara. You look great.’
‘Now, Mama, can we do it now?’ asked Jaina in a loud whisper.
Leia nodded and handed her daughter a small black box. Mara crouched down a little and raised a quizzical eyebrow at Leia, before returning her attention to Jaina.
Jaina stopped just in front of Mara. ‘You look very beautiful, Mara.’
‘Thank you, Jaina.’
Jaina looked at the box in her hands, then back at Mara. ‘This is from me and Jacen and Anakin.’ She held out the box. ‘It’s a gift to you for becoming our aunt.’
Mara smiled, struggling to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. She leaned forward and kissed the little girl on the cheek. ‘Thank you.’
‘Does that mean we can call you Aunt Mara now?’ whispered Jaina.
‘Yes, I think it does,’ whispered back Mara. She stood, watching Jaina skip back to her brothers, then opened the box. Inside, nestling in white satin, lay a dark green gem on a platinum chain. ‘Oh, it’s beautiful.’ She looked up at the children. ‘Thank you.’
Leia moved forward to help her fasten the chain around her neck. ‘It’s an Alderaanian custom that the children of the family present a gift to the bride.’ She gently touched the gem where it lay against Mara’s pale skin. ‘It’s a besmera from Mon Calamari; it’s supposed to bring luck.’
Mara took Leia’s hands in her own. ‘Thank you for everything, Leia. I could never have organised all this without you.’
Leia leaned forward and kissed her future sister-in-law on the cheek,
the contact reinforcing the power she had felt from Mara all morning. ‘It
was my pleasure.’ She sniffed. ‘Now go meet my brother at the temple. I’ll
see you this afternoon for the ceremony.’
Luke groaned as he and Han arrived at the old temple; the opposite side of the street was filled with beings of every shape, size and color, most of them with holocams.
‘Come on, Luke. You know the drill,’ said Han as he stopped at the entrance. ‘Wave. Smile. Say nothing.’ He grinned. ‘Works for me.’
‘You don’t think they’ll expect me to say something?’
‘Nah. It’s your wedding day. You’re too nervous to speak.’
Luke gave Han a skeptical look. ‘Would you say a few words for me?’
‘Not even if you paid me.’
Sighing, Luke exited the speeder, waved to the crowds a few times, then bowed once and walked up the steps into the temple, closely followed by Han. The coolness of the interior, combined with the high stone walls and gently curving ceiling, immediately started to make Luke feel more relaxed. As he entered the main chamber, he was pleased to see Streen and Corran waiting for him, flanked by two of the Noghri.
He returned their bows with one of his own and watched as the Noghri melted into the shadows. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here so early, Corran.’
‘Just adding to the security, Luke.’
Han pulled out a comlink and flicked it on. ‘Leia, how’s our bride doing?’
‘Just left with Karrde and Mirax,’ replied Leia. ‘How is Luke?’
Han smiled and handed the comlink to Luke.
‘I’m fine, Leia. Thanks for looking after Mara.’
‘Good luck, Luke. I love you.’
He smiled. ‘I love you, too. Don’t be late.’ He could still hear Leia’s
laughter as he returned the comlink to Han.
The black speeder set a sedate pace through the streets of Coruscant; no-one gave it a second glance, especially as the windows were totally opaque. Inside, Mara sat in silence, looking at her hands as they rested in her lap.
‘Are you okay?’ asked Mirax, reaching for her hand.
‘Same as I was when you asked me five minutes ago,’ replied Mara, smiling at her friend. ‘A little nervous.’
‘Don’t think I’ve ever seen you nervous,’ commented Karrde from the front seat.
‘Do I actually look nervous?’ asked Mara, her face a mask of calm.
Karrde glanced back. ‘No.’
‘That’s why you’ve never seen me nervous.’
As they pulled up outside the temple, Mara sent out tendrils of the Force to gauge the emotions of the crowd. She noticed two or three spots of animosity, but mostly happiness or ambivalence. She could detect no danger to herself or to her friends, and in her state of heightened awareness Mara was sure she’d pick up on any threat.
Karrde opened her door and held out his arm, which she gratefully accepted. The gasps of the crowd at the first sight of her dress quickly turned into spontaneous applause, and half-way up the steps Mara paused and turned, inclining her head towards them in thanks. Mirax slipped in quietly beside them as they entered the building.
Luke stood alone in front of the raised circular dais in the middle of the great hall; seating had been arranged in concentric circles around the dais, with a gap leading from it to the entrance. His back was to the doorway, but he heard the applause and could sense Mara as she came nearer. He bowed his head and concentrated on calming himself.
In the hallway outside, Mara greeted Han, Streen and Corran, and watched as the Noghri left to take up guard positions outside the main entrance.
Streen gently touched her shoulder. ‘Would you like me to accompany you in?’
She shook her head, swallowing the emotion that continued to threaten her composure. ‘I’d like to see him alone, first.’
Streen nodded slowly. ‘Please remember; you mustn’t touch, not yet.’
‘I’ll remember.’ Slowly Mara turned to her friends; she embraced Corran and Mirax, then Han, and finally Karrde.
‘We’ll leave you now,’ whispered Karrde as he hugged her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and held her at arms length. ‘Be strong, Mara Jade.’ He smiled. ‘And may the Force be with you.’
She watched them go, then turned back to face the door to the main chamber. Nodding once to Streen, she walked slowly towards her destiny.
The huge wooden door was surprisingly easy to move, and as she pushed it silently aside, Mara suspected it was either hollow or artificial. Stepping through, she carefully closed it behind her.
Luke stood with his back to her, his head bowed, the silver in his cloak shimmering slightly in the sunlight streaming through the high windows. Mara stepped forward, then hesitated. ‘Luke?’
His head came up slowly but still he didn’t turn. ‘Mara?’
She took another small step forwards, reaching out with the Force to caress his mind with her thoughts.
He whipped round, his Jedi robe swirling at his feet. As he caught sight of her smiling gently at him, he stopped breathing, his heart caught in his throat. ‘Oh, Gods, Mara. You look absolutely wonderful.’
She bowed, the tension she had been feeling abating a little. ‘Why, thank you, Master Skywalker. And I must say that you are looking particularly handsome today.’
He took a step closer to her, his hands clenching then relaxing at his sides, fighting not to sweep her into his arms. ‘Are you ready, Mara?’
Her steady gaze met his own. ‘I am.’
He nodded and stepped to one side, indicating the dais steps. ‘After you.’ He watched her walk slowly past, rigidly controlling the urge to reach out and touch her.
Mara climbed the steps, her gown and robe rippling up behind her. On top of the dais were three small seating blocks, set equidistant around the circumference; she moved to the one on her left and carefully sat down, crossing her ankles beneath her skirt, the train falling gently over the edge of the dais behind her. She watched silently as Luke also mounted the steps and moved to take the seat on the right. She could feel the power emanating from him, so strong it almost frightened her. Almost. As she watched him settle himself on the seat, his robe falling behind him, she knew her own power in the Force was significant, enough to counter-balance his.
His blue eyes caught her gaze and he smiled, his love reaching out to her. He spoke quietly. ‘It’s time.’
She nodded, her throat constricting with emotion, and closed her eyes. She quickly slipped back to the place she’d retreated to during her trance the previous day. Only now she wasn’t alone. Slowly, Luke’s presence made itself felt, and tentatively Mara reached out to him in her mind.
//You’ve done well, my love. That’s some Force presence you’ve got there// Luke’s voice came over loud and clear in her head, as clear as she’d ever heard it.
//Thank you// She let him lead her into his own mind, feeling his emotions, encountering his memories, their spirits entwined. And, simultaneously, she allowed him into her mind, dropping every residual barrier, conscious and unconscious thought laid bare.
As they sank into a deep trance, revelling in the Force and in each
other, they didn’t notice Streen take the third seat and slip into his
own meditation, nor did they notice the passage of time.
//Mara. Mara, we can start the ceremony//
At the sound of Luke’s voice in her head, Mara started to rise out of her trance, wincing slightly when she realised the temple was now full of people, screaming their associated emotions and thoughts. She quickly erected her natural barriers, wondering that so many hours seemed to have passed in such a short time. If it was time to start the ceremony, it had to be late afternoon.
Luke watched her open her eyes and was shocked to see they were momentarily blue, before turning their normal green. Had his been green when he’d first opened his eyes? This was an unusual manifestation of the Force he had not previously encountered. Then his anxiety vanished with her smile; the preparation was over, and they could now make their vows.
Mara’s gaze flickered round the room, reassuring herself that everything was in place. Thirty Jedi, including Corran she noted with a smile, were standing round the edge of the room, their unlit lightsabers held before them, their heads bowed in meditation. Leia sat as close as she could to Luke, with Han and the children by her side. Iella, Wedge, Mirax, Winter and Tycho sat next to them, with many of their other friends on the seating behind. At the edge of her vision, Mara could see Karrde and Shada, along with some of the organisation she’d crewed with, sitting almost directly behind her. Talon noticed her gaze and winked, gently nodding his head to her. She acknowledged him with a smile, and Mara could almost swear she saw the hint of a tear in his eye. When Shada subconsciously laid a hand on his knee, Mara had to struggle to keep her smile from becoming a feral grin; instead she merely raised an eyebrow at her former employer.
//Mara// whispered Luke.
//Yes?// She whipped round to face him. //Can we start?//
He nodded, then turned to Streen and bowed slightly.
The room drifted into silence as Streen slowly stood, his simple Jedi robes brushing the floor, his hands folded in the sleeves. ‘Citizens of the New Republic, you have been invited here today to witness the bonding of the two Jedi you see before you, Master Luke Skywalker and Knight Mara Jade. They have already bonded mentally in the Force; they will now vocalize their commitment to each other, before they bond spiritually.’ He paused. ‘May the Force be with them today, tomorrow, and always.’ He moved forward to help Mara kneel on the cushion before her, then stood back as Luke knelt on his, directly facing her.
Silence. As one, the Jedi around the room raised their heads, concentrating on the kneeling duo.
Luke struggled to keep his hands clasped in front of him as his intense gaze met Mara’s. He swallowed once. ‘I call upon all present to witness that I, Luke Skywalker, take Mara Jade as my bond-mate, my wife, my partner through life.’ He smiled gently. ‘Mara, I promise I shall always be faithful, loyal, honorable and true, and when times are dark, I will stay with you in the light. This is my vow as a Jedi.’
Mara was also struggling to keep her hands from reaching out to touch him. She lost herself in his eyes as she repeated the vow, her heart pounding in her chest. ‘I also call upon all present to witness that I, Mara Jade, take Luke Skywalker as my bond-mate, my husband, my life-partner. Luke, I promise to remain faithful, honorable, loyal and true, and when times are dark, I shall stay with you in the light. This is my vow as a Jedi.’ She smiled when she saw tears form in his eyes. //Don’t cry on me now, Skywalker//
//I won’t// He blinked a couple of times to clear his eyes, then raised his hands, his palms facing Mara. ‘I belong to you and to the Force.’
‘I belong to you and to the Force.’ As she mirrored his position, she whispered in his mind //Do we know what this is going to do?//
//Trust in the Force, Mara//
The audience held its breath as they slowly brought their palms towards each other. Finally they touched, and for a heartbeat nothing happened. Luke and Mara smiled as their fingers tightly entwined and they felt the power inside themselves begin to grow. A tiny white light appeared from between their clenched hands, faint at first but then quickly expanding to encompass both Jedi. As the light started to diffuse, it touched the other Jedi, leaving them with a feeling of elation.
Han suddenly found his arms full of Jaina and Anakin, while Jacen clung to his mother. ‘Are you okay?’ he asked Leia.
She nodded, her eyes filled with tears of joy, and pulled Jacen closer to her.
‘Daddy,’ whispered Jaina in his ear, ‘can you see it, Daddy? It feels so pretty.’
He looked at his daughter’s shining eyes, so like her mother’s. ‘Yes, princess. I can see it.’ He obviously couldn’t feel the emotions his wife and children were experiencing, but the light had by now filled the chamber, and Han surreptitiously checked to make sure everyone else could see it. Most of the faces he could see were full of wonder; the Jedi encircling the room looked ecstatic. In unison, they raised their lightsabers to a salute, before lighting them and stretching them towards the ceiling. Their colors seemed to fade slightly in the glow of the pure, white light, but nothing could quieten the sound of thirty lightsabers being lit simultaneously. As one, they shouted, ‘The Force!’
As Han’s attention returned to the dais, he realised he’d never seen Streen look so happy. The old Jedi was grinning from ear to ear as he took a step closer to the kneeling couple. ‘The Force has joined! Nothing but the Force may separate!’
The light slowly started to fade as Luke and Mara leaned forward and gently kissed.
***************
Leia had indeed organised what her husband termed ‘a high Alderaanian blow-out’, and a big one at that. Hundreds of guests mingled as elegant music played and couples danced; children shrieked as they raced around the room.
Han tugged uncomfortably at his high collar, noticing several other guests doing the same. His grimace turned into a grin as he saw Luke approaching. ‘I suppose you’re going to abandon me now.’
Luke nodded. ‘We have some more meditation to do.’
‘Is that what you Jedi call it?’ said Han, smirking.
Luke raised his eyebrows innocently. ‘It’s true. Got to stabilise the bond, strengthen it.’
‘Yeah, so you say.’
Luke stuck out his hand, and Han grasped it, pulling his friend into a bone-crushing hug. ‘Good luck, kid.’
‘Thanks. I’ve just married Mara Jade, so I’m probably going to need it.’
Han stifled a laugh into a snort. ‘I won’t tell her you said that.’
Luke tightened his grip and nodded once at his brother-in-law, before moving off to say goodbye to some of his other friends. He worked his way around the room as quickly as he could, but it was still some time before he reached the corner where Mara was chatting to Leia, Iella, Mirax and Winter. Moving behind his wife, he slipped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. ‘Sorry to break up the party, ladies, but Mara and I have to leave.’
Mara twisted her head slightly so she could look at him. ‘We do?’
Luke squeezed her waist and nodded.
‘I’m not leaving until you tell me where we’re going.’
Luke shrugged. ‘The space docks.’
‘And then where are we going?’
‘Docking bay 591-D.’
‘And after that?’
He kissed her cheek. ‘You ask too many questions, Mrs. Skywalker.’
She glared at him, trying not to smile, before tugging herself out of his arms and embracing her friends. ‘Thanks, girls. For everything.’ She patted Winter’s bump. ‘And promise me you’ll let me know as soon as this little one puts in an appearance.’
Winter nodded as she gently touched Mara’s cheek.
‘Have a great time,’ said Mirax.
‘And don’t do anything we wouldn’t do,’ said Iella, hugging her again.
Mirax raised an eyebrow at Iella. ‘That doesn’t rule very much out.’
Mara’s breath was almost knocked out of her as Leia pulled her into a tight hug. ‘Take care of each other,’ whispered Leia.
‘We will, Leia. You know we will.’
Leia nodded as she stood back and squeezed Mara’s hands. ‘It was a lovely ceremony. Quite beautiful.’ As she turned to her brother, two small tears slipped down her face, before she flung her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as he hugged her. ‘I feel that you’re happy now, Luke.’
‘I am happy, Leia.’
She sniffed as she looked into his face. ‘Don’t leave it too long before you contact me.’
‘It’ll be about seven or eight days.’
‘I’ll hold you to that.’ She smiled over his shoulder as she saw her children racing towards them. ‘I think there are a few others who would like to see you before you go.’
Jacen, Jaina and Anakin launched themselves at their uncle as soon as he stopped embracing their mother.
Anakin wriggled in Luke’s arms. ‘Do you have to go, Uncle Luke?’
‘Yes, we do, Little Jedi.’ Luke kissed Anakin’s cheek. ‘But we’ll come back and visit.’
‘Soon?’ asked Jaina as she clung to his waist.
‘As soon as we can,’ replied Luke, leaning down to kiss her too. He turned to kiss his other nephew and was a little surprised to see the ten-year-old take a step back and hold out his hand. Solemnly, Luke shook it, then smiled and ruffled Jacen’s hair. ‘Bye, kids. Be good.’
He took Mara’s hand and turned to go, noticing for the first time that the guests had moved to each side of the room. As he and Mara started to walk down the corridor of people, confetti and streamers started to drift down from the ceiling. Luke glanced sidelong at Mara. //Ready?//
She nodded and lifted the front of her skirt a few centimeters. Then they both ran through the thickening storm of paper, to the deafening sound of applause.
Once outside, Luke helped Mara climb into the rear of the waiting speeder, before climbing in himself and pulling the door closed.
Mara stifled a groan when she recognised the driver. ‘Hi, Threepio.’
‘Why, Mistress Mara, it is so good to see you on this happy day, and I am delighted to have been given the honor of driving you on the first stage of your honeymoon...’
‘Threepio, just drive, please,’ interrupted Luke.
‘Of course, Master Luke.’ The droid started the engines and pulled slowly
into the stream of traffic. ‘I do so hope you have a relaxing holiday this
time, Master Luke, although I believe it would be a first if you did not
manage to run into some sort of trouble. Why I remember only last year
when we visited Corellia...’ Threepio glanced in the rear-view mirror,
only to see Luke and Mara engaged in a passionate kiss, their arms around
each other, totally oblivious to everything. ‘Oh. Umm ... yes.’ He studiously
kept his visual sensors on the traffic lane ahead, and didn’t utter another
word all the way to the Docks.
Docking bay 591-D was completely deserted as Luke led Mara through the main entrance.
Mara smiled as she saw the only ship in the hanger; a beautiful, sleek silver ship. Its design reminded her of a Calamarian Zenot fish, with its ‘fins’ flaring on each side to house the ion engines. ‘This is our transport? It’s gorgeous, Luke.’ She raised an eyebrow questioningly. ‘Karrde’s, right? Or is it Lando’s?’
Luke grinned, his eyes lighting up. ‘Nope. She’s yours. Happy wedding day!’
‘Mine?’ Mara’s hand flew to her mouth in shock. ‘Really mine?’
‘Yup.’ He fumbled in a pocket, then pulled out a small black box, handing it to Mara. ‘Remote and beckon call. She’s all yours.’ He noticed tears in Mara’s eyes and a quiver in her lower lip. ‘Are you okay? I’ve not upset you, have I?’
He got his answer when she threw herself at him, wrapping her arms round his neck and hugging him till he thought he might burst. ‘She’s wonderful,’ breathed Mara. ‘I can’t believe you did this for me. It must have cost a fortune.’
‘The New Republic helped pay for it,’ said Luke, patting her back. ‘And you’re not the only one who’s made a few wise investments, Jade.’
She loosened her strangle-hold on him and gazed into his eyes. ‘I love you, Skywalker.’
Luke thought his heart would explode. ‘And I love you.’
‘Does she have a name?’
‘She’s registered as the “Jade Sabre”, but you can change it if you don’t...’
Mara put her finger to his lips. ‘No. It’s a lovely name. Thank you, Luke.’ She kissed him soundly. ‘Shall we go aboard?’
He bowed, smiling. ‘After you.’ He watched as she picked up her skirts and almost ran to the starship, pausing only to run a hand along one fin. She opened the ramp and turned back to Luke. ‘Are you coming, Skywalker? I’d like to get changed and then see what this baby can do.’
He quickly joined her and caught one of her hands in his. ‘Did I tell you how beautiful you are?’
‘Yes, you did.’
‘Good.’ Luke smiled as he led her on board. ‘Just checking.’
The ship was spotless, almost straight from the factory. Mara sniffed appreciatively. ‘I love the smell of a new ship.’
Luke led her towards the stern of the starship. ‘Main cabin’s this way.’
Mara pointed to a door at the far end of the corridor. ‘Cargo hold?’
‘Indeed it is.’ He winked. ‘Big enough to take an X-wing.’
‘Oh, really.’ Mara’s sharp gaze met his. ‘And does it contain one at the moment?’
‘No.’ He pulled her into his arms as they reached the cabin door. ‘I want to spend all my time on the same ship as you.’ He kissed her hungrily, his arms tightening around her tiny waist, his tongue dancing with hers.
Reluctantly, Mara pulled away. ‘Let’s get off this rock and go to hyperspace, shall we?’
‘Good idea, Captain.’ He kissed her nose. ‘I’ll go warm her up.’ He started backing away from her, up the corridor towards the bridge. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to keep your dress on? It is very becoming.’
Mara looked down at the gown wistfully, then shook her head. ‘Not very
practical.’ The door whizzed open. ‘I’ll just be a few minutes.’
Luke sat in the co-pilot’s chair, running through the checklist on a small datapad. He had just brought the engines on-line when he heard the door behind him open. He turned to see Mara, hand on hip, wearing the whitest jumpsuit he’d ever seen. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in white.’
‘That’s just what your sister said when she bought it for me.’ She moved forward to sit in the pilot’s chair, adjusting it to fit her height. ‘Leia said you’ve got a thing for women in white.’ She glanced sharply to her right as Luke stifled a laugh. ‘Yeah, she laughed too. Is this some family joke I should know about?’
Shaking his head, Luke continued running his checks. ‘I’ll tell you later.’ He smiled as he watched her run an expert eye over the control board. She had let her hair down and it was now a mass of curls framing her face and drifting over her shoulders. He leaned over and caught one ringlet in his fingers. ‘This is a new look for you, too.’
She batted away his hand as she continued familiarising herself with the controls. ‘Yeah, something else I let Leia talk me into.’ She met Luke’s gaze, her eyes shining. ‘The weaponry on this thing is amazing.’
He smiled in return. ‘Hopefully, we won’t need to use it.’
‘Yeah, that’s real likely,’ snorted Mara, pulling on restraints. ‘Have we got permission to go?’
‘Control says anytime within the next half-hour.’
‘Then what are we waiting for, flyboy? Let’s move.’ She brought up the repulsors to full power, gripped the flight-stick in her right hand, and took them out of the hanger. Kicking in the ion engines, she shot them straight up and out of the atmosphere, barrel-rolling as she went. ‘Yessss!’
Once they had cleared the Coruscant atmosphere, Mara glanced at the state-of-the-art NavComp that Luke had already programmed. ‘So are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?’
He paused, inwardly wincing at her anticipated reaction. ‘Nirauan.’
A look of disbelief crossed her face. ‘Are you out of your tiny Jedi mind, Skywalker?’ she growled. ‘This is our honeymoon. I don’t want to go somewhere where I’m going to find myself shot at, or worse.’
Luke held up his hands defensively. ‘The system, not the planet. I just want to do a quick flyby to check they’re not up to anything, since we still haven’t told Cracken and his people what’s out there.’ He smiled apologetically. ‘Besides, the time we spent in hyperspace coming back from Nirauan holds many lovely memories for me. I’d like to repeat the experience.’
Mara caught a glimpse in her mind of exactly what he was referring to, and struggled to keep the smile from her face. ‘Nine days alone in hyperspace?’
‘The Sabre will do it in seven.’
‘Then where do we go?’
Luke shrugged. ‘We’ve got seven days to decide, I guess.’
Mara nodded thoughtfully as she watched the timer tick down towards zero. ‘Fine. Nirauan it is.’ She glowered at Luke as she placed her hand on the hyperspace levers. ‘But we are out of there at the first sign of trouble, if not before.’
‘Couldn’t agree more,’ replied Luke, watching the stars elongate as they entered hyperspace.
Mara did a quick check of the instruments, satisfying herself that it was safe to leave the ship to fly itself. Then she undid her restraints, uncoiled from her chair, and moved to stand directly in front of Luke. ‘Seven days, huh?’ She sat on his thighs, her legs straddling his.
Luke raised his chin to meet her darkened gaze. ‘Seven days, to start with. Then we have to return. Could be a lot longer.’
‘Really?’ Mara pulled his restraints off, then watched mesmerised as her finger traced the outline of his jaw. ‘And how long have we been apart?’
‘Twenty-seven days, sixteen hours, and about thirty minutes, Coruscant time.’
‘That long?’ Mara’s finger traced a line down his throat, before continuing down his chest, slipping her hands inside the robes he still wore. She leaned in until their noses almost touched. ‘This Jedi bonding thing - does it end the same way other weddings end?’
Luke’s hands rubbed up her thighs and slipped round her waist, pulling her further towards him. ‘And how do other weddings end, Mara?’
Her green eyes blazed. ‘Don’t start the innocent farmboy routine, Skywalker. I just don’t fall for it any more.’ She kissed his bottom lip, pushing the edges of his tunic apart and running her hands over the material that covered his chest. Her breath was gentle on his lips when she met his gaze once more. ‘So, do we have to meditate some more, or can we just go screw?’
One hand slipped behind her neck as he kissed her deeply, his tongue dancing momentarily with hers. ‘Oh, the latter I think.’ He wriggled slightly uncomfortably. ‘I don’t think I could meditate now if my life depended on it.’
Mara grinned evilly as she slipped a hand between them to rub his obvious erection, eliciting a gentle groan.
‘Don’t tease, Mara.’
‘I’m not teasing, I’m hinting. I want to go to bed. Now.’ She smiled and caught her bottom lip in her teeth. ‘I think all that meditation has done something to my libido.’
‘Yeah, it can have that effect.’ Luke started pulling down the zip on Mara’s jumpsuit. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to ... umm ... christen the cockpit, so to speak?’
‘No.’ She put a hand on either side of his head and tilted it up, forcing him to drag his gaze away from the contemplation of her cleavage. ‘I want to go to bed, and I want to stay there. For days.’
His eyes locked with hers for a long moment. No words passed between them, spoken or through the Force. Then Mara stood up and took his hands in hers; she started walking slowly backwards, leading him down the corridor towards the cabin. Luke’s eyes never left hers as he followed her.
Once inside the small room, he pulled her into his arms and kissed and kissed her, only loosening his grip when Mara started to undo his clothing. He watched fascinated as she slipped the Jedi cloak off his shoulders and untied the obi almost reverentially, before removing his tunic. When he parted his lips to speak, she quickly placed a finger over his mouth and shook her head, indicating he should remain silent. Bemused, he tried to relax as she removed the rest of his clothing.
Carefully, Mara unwrapped the rest of her prize. She rested her forehead against his thigh as she pulled off his boots, and was delighted to feel the shudder that shot through his body. When she looked up it was to see him struggling out of his dark green shirt, pulling it off over his head, mussing up his hair. Her gentle smile turned into an evil grin as she yanked down his leggings and shorts; she stood slowly, making sure to kiss his hip-bone and chest as she rose. Then she covered his mouth with her own, tasting him frantically.
Luke answered her kiss equally passionately, revelling in the feel of her against his naked body, the taste of her, the smell of her. His right hand snaked between them to pull down the zip of her jumpsuit; he stood back slightly to push it off her shoulders and down her arms. His head tilted to one side as he ran a finger round the curve of her breast and down her stomach. As he knelt to take off the rest of her clothing, he carefully pressed a kiss to her belly, before looking up to meet her gaze once more.
Mara swallowed the lump that formed in her throat as she contemplated Luke kneeling at her feet, his blue eyes burrowing into hers, his lips slightly parted as his breathing quickened. He stood slowly, his gaze never leaving hers. As he leaned in to kiss her, she pulled him down onto the bed, twisting slightly so he would land beside her.
Luke studied every square millimeter of the face before him, and his lower lip caught between his teeth as he reached out to caress her cheek. Mara smiled and turned to kiss his palm, before leaning forwards to kiss his mouth, gently at first, then more urgently. Her hands roamed over his chest and tangled in his hair as he pulled her closer and ran his tongue over her teeth. Her hand crept lower and wrapped around his member, rubbing it gently. Mara found herself being pressed back into a pillow as Luke moaned into her mouth and kissed her earnestly, his tongue duelling with hers. She tried to pull him on top of her, but he carried the momentum and they rolled to the far side of the bed, ending up with Mara on top. She immediately began kissing and nipping at his chest, paying particular attention to his nipples, before squirming down to kiss his stomach.
Luke’s muscles tightened as he realised what she was planning, and he slipped his hands beneath her arms and pulled her upwards. ‘I won’t last five minutes if you do that, Mara.’
‘Okay.’ She leaned down to kiss his chin, then met his eyes again. ‘Later.’ Then she slowly sheathed him inside herself with a shudder.
His eyes squeezed shut, then opened again as he caressed her thighs, stomach and breasts, before pulling her down for a kiss. As she kissed and sucked at his neck, he rolled her onto her back and pushed himself further inside her, gritting his teeth as he felt her muscles contract. Her legs hooked round his, and he was once more in the one place in the galaxy he was happiest; between the thighs of the woman he loved.
Mara smiled as she ran her hands over the familiar contours of his back, his muscles moving rhythmically as he pushed her towards her climax. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back as Luke started kissing her neck and collar-bone, the pleasure inside starting to increase. She could feel the Force building inside them both as well, uncontrolled, tied irrevocably to the passion between the two Jedi.
Luke’s emotions exactly mirrored Mara’s as her thoughts and feelings poured into him, warming him, pleasuring him, pushing him towards the edge he longed to tumble over. He buried his face in her neck as he thrust once, twice more, before they were both assaulted by orgasms at the same instant.
To Mara, it seemed like the ship had disappeared and they were flying through the galaxy on the power of the Force alone. In her mind, suns and planets shot past as she flew through the inky blackness of space; Luke’s mind was with her, his feelings as ecstatic as hers. They could sense the Force around them, powering the galaxy through its endless cycles of birth and death, past and future, whispering its secrets to them.
Then, all too soon, her consciousness returned and she opened her eyes to see Luke smiling down at her. ‘What the hell was that?!’ she croaked, her voice still choked with emotion.
Luke kissed her gently, his eyes brimming with tears. ‘I have no idea,’ he whispered. ‘I’ve never experienced anything like it.’
Mara reached up a hand to push away the strands of hair plastered to his cheek. ‘Will that always happen when we make love?’
‘I don’t know. Probably not unless we do all the meditation beforehand.’
She raised an eyebrow at him as he slipped off to one side. ‘Is this an attempt to get me to meditate more?’
He grinned as he kissed her nose. ‘No. But it’s a good idea.’
She gave a throaty laugh as she pulled him in for a hug, his head pillowed against her breast. ‘For a farm boy, you can be so devious sometimes.’
He smiled as he gently stroked her other breast. ‘I can be pretty devious as a Jedi Master, too.’
‘Yeah, and the pilot and the teacher inside you aren’t always one hundred percent honest.’
He lifted his head to gaze at her. ‘What about the husband?’
She grinned as she caressed his cheek. ‘I can see right through you, my love.’
He stretched up and kissed her as the Jade Sabre sped on towards Nirauan,
and the future.
THE END...?
Big thanks to George, Tim and Mike for giving me some cool characters to play with.
Smooches and flowers to EVERYONE who reviewed or emailed me about this fic. The feedback means a lot to me.
And thanks to Mark who, when asked ‘what would Mara wear on her wedding day?’, replied ‘a white flightsuit’. Made me laugh so much I had to include it somewhere. Love ya!