A Shadow at Dusk

Chapter 10

A giggle filled the room, a little laughing trill of noise that was so high it was almost painful to the ears.

With difficulty, Shada forced open one eye. Lying on her side, she had been sleeping so heavily the whole night that her eyes felt as if they were glued together.

A small human shape danced excitedly beside the big bed and with a heroic effort, Shada pried open her other eye.

"Roza?" she asked groggily as the tiny child's face swam hazily before her. She tried to turn over on her back so that she could sit up, but something warm and solid was pressed tightly against her.

Roza gave another shrill giggle and that sound along with the realization that a man's muscular arm was slung across her, brought Shada fully awake. As she moved, she felt the big hand that was snugly cupping her breast.

She turned so quickly to look behind her that she bumped square into Talon's head. His face was nestled comfortably in her long hair.

"Talon!" she hissed, glancing nervously at the child who was still dancing excitedly by the bed. "What in blazes do you think you're doing?" She pushed viciously against him and moved over quickly to her side of the bed. How they had both ended up in the middle of the huge bed in such an intimate position was beyond her. It didn't help that she couldn't remember anything from the night before except some vague memories of Mara and Luke in the room with her. Flashes of Luke leaning over her, his fingers pressed to her temples flitted into her mind, and she knew he must have done some Jedi healing on her.

Another high-pitched squeal caught her attention, and she turned just in time to see Roza climbing onto the bed with them. She scrambled across the big surface and planted herself firmly between Shada and Talon, who had just rolled onto his back, his eyes blinking as he tried to awaken.

"Shaaaddaaa," Roza cried, drawing Shada's name out into several syllables, as she was fond of doing. She flung a pudgy little arm around Shada's waist, grinned naughtily, and buried her face against Shada's arm, giggling wildly.

In spite of herself, Shada had to smile. The child's sheer joy in life was infectious. Roza lifted her head, gave Shada a big smile that showed some of her upper teeth missing, and then reached across to plant a smacking kiss on Shada's cheek.

Shada had very little experience with small children. Most of the time she found them quite annoying. On the few occasions when she had seen mothers struggling with several obnoxious offspring, she was glad she had made the decision to follow a life that had taken her away from such a role.

But there was something about this child. Her fine, silky blond hair framed her engaging face like a halo, yet Shada sensed a mischievous spirit that would take life by the horns and shake from it all that was needed and wanted. Shada put a careful hand on the back of the child's head and smiled at her. "And how is Roza this morning?" she asked her gently.

Roza giggled enthusiastically. "'ine," she said, her smile almost splitting her face. She leaned her head to the side as she peered at Shada. "Pretty," she muttered. "Shada pretty."

Shada couldn't help but laugh and she pressed a finger to Roza's pert little nose. "And Roza is beautiful," she told the child.

The child erupted with glee, burying her face against Shada again and rubbing it back and forth. Then, with another high-pitched giggle, she bounded away and then virtually leaped onto the middle of Talon's chest.

He had been lying on his back in the center of the bed, watching the by-play between Shada and the child with a slight smile on his face. But he was taken totally by surprise by Roza's sudden jump and the air left him in a big whoosh.

"Whoa!" he croaked out as Roza's bounced up and down on his midsection, yelling "Tawon Karrt!" at the top of her lungs. He quickly grabbed her, squeezing her against him to stop the bouncing.

Shada burst into laughter, enjoying his discomfort. She hoped Roza put a bruise or two on him, as she had been seriously considering applying a few of her own after the way they had awakened together. How dare he remove those pillows and make himself so comfortable against her!

Her eyes narrowed when she caught him glancing over at her as he held Roza in the air above him. The child was squealing with delight as Talon playfully twisted her back and forth, her tiny legs dangling in the air.

A little of the joy in Talon's eyes died at the fierce look Shada gave him, and he swallowed abruptly, knowing he was no doubt going to hear all about why she was angry later.

"Tawon Karrt!" Roza screamed again as she grabbed him by the arms. She giggled and gasped as he bounced her in the air again. "I 'ove you, Tawon Karrt!"

Talon blinked and found himself fighting back tears that wanted to rise in his eyes. He pulled the child down and hugged her tightly. "I love you, too, Roza, so much."

The little girl's arms went tightly around his neck and squeezed him fiercely.

Talon expelled a rush of air, trying to gain control of his emotions. For so many years, he had put aside the idea of a wife and children, but just these few weeks with this precious little girl had shown him how much he had missed, and it was something he wanted now more than anything.

He glanced at Shada again out of the corner of his eye and was relieved to see that her expression had softened as she watched them. Not that he was really surprised. He knew from experience that Roza could charm the fire out of a Krayt dragon.

Roza giggled in his arms again, and he suddenly rolled over, putting her on the bed between himself and Shada. He began to tickle the child in the ribs and she screamed and squealed with laughter.

"Shaaada!!! 'elp me, 'elp me," she cried, laughing so hard she was almost choking.

Shada decided to join in on the fun, her dark eyes sparkling at the possibilities. She moved over closer to the two and began to tickle Talon on his sides. He gaped at her in astonishment and tried to squirm away from her. "Shada!" he gasped, as her long fingers dug painfully into his ribs. "Awwww!"

Shada couldn't contain her own laughter as the child between them roared hysterically.

There was so much noise going on in the center of the bed that none of its occupants heard the knock on the door. It had been left slightly open when Roza had sneaked into the cabin, but neither Shada nor Talon had been aware of it.

Outside the door, Enee listened to the laughter and a child's high pitched squealing in astonishment. She glanced at Mara Jade Skywalker who stood beside her, her own eyebrows lifted in amazement.

Mara stepped forward and pushed the door open. Enee followed her into the room, but all the commotion was coming from the bedroom.

As they rounded the half-wall, they heard Talon yell, "Shada, that hurts!"

Mara bit her lip, hard, at the sight before her. Shada had Talon face down on the bed and was tickling him for all she was worth as she sat straddled across his rounded buttocks. A blond-haired little girl was bouncing on the bed beside them, pounding her tiny hands on Talon's back and screaming with laughter. She was shouting with so much glee that whatever she was saying was completely incomprehensible.

Mara and Enee stood in plain sight at the end of the big bed, but no one noticed them. Finally, Mara cleared her throat. Still, the fun continued. She cleared her throat again, this time much louder.

Shada heard her and glanced over her shoulder. It was all Mara could do to keep from roaring with laughter herself as she watched the dawning realization that they weren't alone appear in Shada's eyes.

As quick as a sand panther, Shada leaped off Talon and hurriedly pulled the blankets up over her again. After all, she only wore a thin undershirt and a brief pair of underpants.

"Mara!" she gasped, but her eyes were slowly turning to Enee, the virtual stranger in their midst. A deep, dark red began to burn in her cheeks. Enee was smiling, not seeming surprised by any of it.

Shada glanced over at Talon, who was gazing up at Mara as if he had never seen her before. To her horror, Shada realized he had on even fewer clothes than she did.

Mara looked down at him and lifted an eyebrow. He started laughing and sat up, pulling one of the blankets over into his lap. "Sorry," he chuckled. "We didn't hear you come in."

"Obviously," Mara drawled, her dancing eyes going back to Shada. "Having just a little too much fun in here, were you?"

Shada shot her a look of acute dislike that was the last straw for Mara. She began laughing so hard she had to sit down on the bed with them.

The little girl crawled over to her and lifted Mara's braid from her back. "'wed," she whispered, her eyes wide with astonishment. It was the first time she had ever seen anyone with hair the color of Mara's, especially now as the light caught the faint sparkle of the water drops that had formed in it from the heavy mist outside.

"Roza!" Enee admonished, and gathered the child in her arms. "I'm sorry," she told Mara who shook her head. "No, no, it's no problem. She's a beautiful little girl."

Mara leaned her head to the side and said gently, "Hello, Roza. My name is Mara."

"Maaraa," Roza toned, spreading the syllables out, as she was wont to do, and giving Mara one of her toothless smiles. Mara was beginning to see why Talon was so fond of the child, as apparently Shada was too.

"Talon Karrde," Enee said. "I'm so sorry, she wandered off again. Adah is about to lose her mind with this child; she is forever leaving as soon as Adah turns her back." Enee smiled at her red-haired companion. "Mara was helping me look for her."

Talon shook his head. "It's alright. She's been with us for some time now, so I suspect she came straight here."

He swung his long legs over to the side of the bed and apparently deciding there was nothing else he could do, collected his pants from the back of a chair and pulled them on.

In that one moment, Shada could have cheerfully killed him. He made it seem as if they had... that they were used to... She sunk lower into the bed, wishing with all her might that they would all just go away. Enee probably wouldn't think anything of it since she believed that Shada was Talon's woman anyway, although it had been excruciating embarrassing for the young girl to find them that way. But Mara...! Shada couldn't even look at her, even though she knew Mara kept glancing at her with a smirk firmly implanted on her lips. There was no way Mara was going to let her live it down!

Talon stood and walked over to Enee and Roza. He patted Roza on the cheek and said gently, "Roza, what have I told you about leaving Adah?" Roza's bottom lip trembled and she whispered, "Want see Tawon Karrt." Talon smiled, "I know, sweetie, but you must learn to wait. Adah would have brought you to see me if you had asked."

Roza shook her head furiously. "Adah busy. Want now."

Talon laughed and looked at Enee a bit helplessly.

Enee chuckled. "She is very stubborn, Talon Karrde, and a very determined child."

Talon nodded and put his hand against Roza's cheek. "Yes, she is."

Someone knocked on the door and everyone except Shada went into the living area. When Talon opened the door, Vashi's worried expression changed to immediate relief as he saw Enee holding Roza. "You found her!"

Talon burst out laughing as he made way for Vashi to come in. "Does Roza have the whole village looking for her?"

Vashi nodded sheepishly. "It is becoming an almost daily occurrence. We must find some help for Adah soon. Roza is too much to handle when she has all the other children to watch also."

He walked over to Enee who was still holding the child. "Roza, you have been a bad girl," he said sternly, hoping to make an impression on the little girl.

Roza's lip trembled again and she nodded, a little sob escaping her. "I sorry," she whimpered out and then burst into a flood of tears.

Talon couldn't stand it. "Oh, Roza," he whispered, walking over to Enee and scooping Roza from her arms. She wove her little arms tightly around his neck and buried her face in his throat. He patted her soothingly on the back.

Vashi shook his head, smiling slightly. "You spoil her, Talon Karrde."

Talon ruefully looked at him over Roza's head. "I know. I can't help it."

Vashi's grin widened. "Roza? Roza? Did you know that Adah is cooking pepaish this morning?"

Roza raised her head and looked at him. "Adah?"

Vashi nodded. "If we don't go soon, the others will eat it all."

He held out his arms to her, and with a watery giggle, she leaned toward him.

Talon laughed and handed her over. "Ahhhh...I see...you have to bribe her with food!"

At that moment, Shada came into the room, now fully dressed in a pair of black flight pants, beige undershirt and a sleeveless black leather vest. Her hair was still loose and flowing about her shoulders.

"Shaaadaa!" Roza called excitedly, her tears forgotten as she wiggled in Vashi's arms.

Shada smiled and walked over to them. "Good morning, Vashi."

Vashi nodded and Shada turned to Roza. "Are you leaving us, Roza?"

Roza nodded.

Shada reached over and gently wiped away a tear. "We will come and see you sometime today, baby. I promise."

Roza's toothless smile was huge and everyone laughed.

Vashi looked at Enee and she nodded. "We had better go," Vashi explained. "We need to get Roza back to Adah and then start working on the cleanup."

"Cleanup?" Talon asked.

Mara laughed. "You guys must have really slept hard last night." She shot a teasing glance at Shada, who ignored her. "It rained so much that the village looks like a giant mud puddle."

Vashi nodded. "Everything is very wet. Even the river is higher than normal."

"We'll come and help then," Talon said.

Mara nodded. "We all will, but Luke and I need to talk with Talon and Shada first. We'll be along shortly, Vashi."

Vashi nodded, and he and Enee headed for the door. As they were going out, Roza turned in Vashi's arms and waved at Talon. "Bye, Tawon Karrt!"

"Bye, Roza!" he called to her, chuckling.

"That child is a handful, isn't she?" Mara observed when Roza and the others were gone.

"She definitely has a mind of her own," Talon agreed.

Mara turned to Shada, who was eyeing her warily. Mara grinned, but decided not to tease her anymore. "I see you're feeling better. Luke thought you might need to stay in bed today. He said you were very weak last night."

"No, I feel fine," Shada told her, relieved Mara wasn't going to mentioned what happened in the bedroom earlier. "I feel full of energy."

Obviously, Mara thought, remembering Shada astride Talon and tickling him. Wisely, she didn't bring it up.

"Luke is over at the communal hut, checking on the last patients in there," she told Shada and Talon. "But we wanted to talk to you about leaving. Looks like everyone here is going to be fine."

"Are we going directly back to Coruscant?" Shada asked, for some reason feeling a little regret at leaving the planet.

Mara shrugged, not wanting to give them too much information without the Jedi Master. "That's what Luke wants to talk to you about."

She turned toward the door. "I'll go and see if he's finished with the patients. Will you two still be here?"

Talon nodded, glancing at Shada out of the corner of his eye. When Mara left, there was an uncomfortable silence, and neither Shada nor Talon was able to look at the other.

Finally, Shada moved to the table in the center of the room. "Do you want some more bread and cheese? There's plenty left."

Talon took a long, deep breath, relieved that they weren't going to have a major discussion.

He went over to the table, and Shada handed him some of the food.

She turned her back to him and starting cutting some more of the bread. "It won't happen again, you know."

Talon swallowed a bit of the cheese without chewing it. "What?" he got out around a cough. Raw fear curled tightly in his stomach. Was she talking about the kisses they had shared?

"The pillows will stay in the center of the bed, Talon," Shada said, keeping her back firmly to him. "I don't want to awaken again and find us the way we were this morning. Do you understand?"

Relief washed over Talon even as he watched her durasteel-stiff back. "Of course," he told her. "I'm sorry that happened. I suppose we were both cold." He moved to stand next to her. Then he cautiously asked, "Anything else?"

Shada looked at him sharply, suspicion narrowing her eyes. "Should there be?"

Talon shook his head quickly. "No," he mumbled, crumbling a piece of the bread into tiny bits. "No, not at all."

Shada watched him for a moment longer and then took some of the bread and cheese and moved over to the fireplace. She raised a booted foot and kicked some of the dying embers until they burned bright again.

Talon joined her and threw a log onto the fire. It was cool in the room, with the lingering coldness from the night before and the dampness from the rain.

Neither spoke, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable anymore. The air had been cleared. Talon stole a little glance at her, watching how the fire lit the planes of her face. Obviously, she didn't remember the kisses. He was relieved and regretful at the same time. Relieved because he knew she would be embarrassed and furious over them, and regretful that they weren't on the sort of terms that would allow those kinds of kisses between them on a regular basis.

Shada moved to the side of the fireplace and sat down on the floor, drawing her legs up in almost a meditative pose. Leaning back against the wall, she stared pensively into the fire.

Talon was used to her silences. Shada was one of the quietest women he had ever known, and they had spent many an hour together without saying very much at all.

He sat on the stool and finished his cheese, a rather odd sense of happiness flowing into him. Nothing had really changed between them, but nevertheless, he was happy. So she didn't remember what had happened during the night. Somehow, he knew she would someday and then... He grinned slightly. She had kissed him, as a woman really kisses a man she cares about, and nothing could ever take that away from him.

He wanted very much to sit down on the floor beside her, pull her into his arms and kiss her until she pleaded for mercy. But he couldn't...not now...but someday...yes, someday...and soon.

They both looked up when a knock sounded, and Shada got to her feet.

When Talon opened the door, Luke and Mara came in, shaking some of the clinging moisture from their hair. The rain had stopped, but a heavy mist was hanging close to the ground.

Shada looked at Luke carefully, wondering if Mara had told him what she had seen earlier, but, if she had, he wasn't giving any indication. He did glance at her, a slight smile on his face, but all he asked was, "Feeling better?"

Shada nodded. "Much better. I want to thank you."

Luke shook his head. "It's no problem, don't mention it." He came over to her. "I would like to check you again, though. All right?"

Shada nodded again, and Luke gently pressed his fingers to her temples. She was actually slightly taller than he was so he had to reach up. He closed his eyes and concentrated intensely for a moment.

Shada was a bit uncomfortable. She didn't know the Jedi Master that well and they were standing quite close together. But Shada knew it was necessary. After the pain she had suffered last night, finding any remaining spores was a high priority.

Across the room, Talon and Mara watched. When Shada shifted her feet a little nervously, Mara grinned and winked at Talon. Shada had become a close and dear friend, but she was so easy to tease. Mara enjoyed being around her very much.

Luke stepped back and gently smiled at Shada. "Nothing. Not an active spore anywhere." Then he warned, shaking a finger at her. "That doesn't mean you don't have some dormant ones though. If you start feeling bad again at all, you must let us know immediately."

Shada grimaced. "I know. I'm sorry, I should have said something last night," she returned guiltily.

"You probably had other, more important, things on your mind," Mara put in, her emerald eyes dancing.

"Mara," Shada warned, but Mara only laughed and held up a hand. "All right, all right. I'll stop." For now at least, she told herself, laughing again. Shada was such an easy mark when it came to Talon.

"Okay, you two," Luke laughed. It pleased him that Mara had such a relaxed, teasing friendship with someone like Shada. He knew she had had friends before their marriage, but he didn't think any of those relationships were quite as close as what he was seeing between her and Shada. Although they apparently enjoyed tormenting each other with teasing banter, there seemed to be a deep and underlying sense of loyalty between them. He had a feeling no one better cause trouble for one when the other was around.

Talon cleared his throat. "Luke, you wanted to talk to us?"

Luke nodded. "I did."

Talon motioned toward the table in the center of the room. "Why don't we all sit down then."

Shada moved to the table, but Talon beat her to it, pulling out a chair for her to sit down. She took the chair, a bit uncomfortably. She wasn't used to sitting with the group when Talon met with some of his associates. Usually, she liked to stand off to the side, keeping an eye on him and the others. She couldn't seem to completely rid herself of her old bodyguard instincts, even though her job had become so much more than that.

She stiffened abruptly when Talon put his hand on her shoulder, then turned it to softly caress the side of her neck. He wasn't looking at her, but talking quietly with Luke. Shada got the impression that he wasn't even aware of what he was doing. But how had he ever gotten the idea that he could...her eyes narrowed, remembering his comment about "Anything else?" Just what had happened in that bed the night before?

Talon removed his hand but not before another soft caress and then sat down in the chair, still conversing softly with Luke.

Shada looked across the table to find Mara watching her. She braced herself for another teasing comment, but Mara only smiled slightly and winked.

Shada took a deep breath and pursed her lips then frowned slightly and shook her head almost imperceptibly. Mara caught it though and nodded. Now wasn't the time to discuss anything about what was going on between Shada and Talon.

"So...I think we should try to find these 'wisemen' as Vashi calls them," Luke was saying, bringing the women's attention back to him.

"You think they will know more about this disease?" Talon asked.

Luke nodded. "Mara and I have been in contact with the New Republic. They are willing to send both medical and research teams to the planet, but they would like for us to find out as much information as possible before they get here."

"When did you contact the NR?" Talon asked in astonishment.

"Artoo was able to set up a holonet message with the comm-unit on Mara's speeder," Luke told him and then grinned at Mara.

Talon's eyebrows rose. "The speeder has a comm-unit that powerful?"

Luke's smile widened. "Remind me to show you the speeder later. Mara has had some special modifications done to it!"

Shada laughed. "I don't think it can really be classified a speeder anymore. It's more like a Kuat Juggernaut." Shada was referring to an old ground assault vehicle used during the Old Republic to support troops during an attack. She glanced at Mara and they shared a small, secret smile.

Luke noticed and sent to Mara. *What's all that about?*

*Just girl-talk* Mara reassured him, laughing a little at his still puzzled expression. She knew if he thought about it long enough, he'd figure it out. Both she and Shada had a bit of a reputation for being weapons connoisseurs.

"Will it hold all four of us and our things too?" Talon asked curiously.

"That and maybe a small squadron of troops," Shada inserted and she and Mara both laughed.

"I'm going to have to inspect this thing a little closer," Talon put in, smiling.

"You'll get your chance. I was hoping we could leave at first light in the morning," Luke said.

"That soon?" Talon was surprised.

Luke nodded. "Yes, there are only two patients left and they are recovering quickly. I don't think anyone else in the village is in danger from the disease, at least until they are older." He leaned his elbow on the table and rubbed the cleft in his chin. "I want to see if we can find the source of these spores. It's obvious they're not native to the planet. If we could find them..."

"And destroy them," Mara interjected.

All of the table's occupants looked at one another. Finally, Talon whispered, "It would save countless lives."

There was a little silence and then Shada said, "Talon, why don't you help the villagers with the cleanup? I'll pack everything here, and then join you later." She looked over to Luke. "We'll be ready to leave at daybreak."

"Good plan," Luke agreed. "Mara and I still have some packing to do, also. We'll join you both with the cleanup." He sighed. "I can't believe the amount of rain that storm dropped during the night."

"It rained the entire night?" Shada asked, slightly amazed and wondering at just how hard she had slept.

Luke nodded. "It has me a little worried about the river. It's heavily swollen. I'd hate for it to come over its banks and cause more damage to the village."

Mara stood up. "Well, let's hope it doesn't rain anymore." She looked down at her husband. "We had better be going, Luke. We have a lot to do."

On the Chapter 11