Luke Vader Part 8

Luke Vader: From Slave to Dark Lord of the Sith
Part 8: Teenagers
By SJ 15-10-00/12-12-00
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Disclaimers: None of this belong to me; everything in the Star Wars Universe
belongs to George Lucas.
See my home page for more details.
Http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Quasar/3702

Special thanks to my shy, secret beta-reader and best friend, Adrianne, for her
help with the final editing of my new stories. Thanks for giving
me some of your precious time, my friend :)

__________________

******

Fifteen months later.

Today had been a good day, Mara reflected as she came out of her shower.
She and her friend had finished to prepare their new mission, then had
trained all the skills that they might need to bring it to completion. As
usual, she had enjoyed the challenge to try and pin him, but today hadn't been
exactly like usual either,

Or, she amended, it hadn't been like what it used to be until a few weeks ago.
For the past twenty-three days, she had been slightly distracted by her friend's
sight when they were challenging each other's self-defense skills. She shook
her head in annoyance at that thought. It was ridiculous of course; she and
Luke had been training that way with him since they were both eight, she sternly
rebuked herself. She was used to feeling his body against hers, she reminded
herself. It wasn't the first time that she managed to straddle his hips and pin
him to the floor... but it was somehow different now, she shyly admitted.
Instead of focusing on how he was straining to free himself... she constantly
found herself mesmerized by his eyes, by the strength that was exuding from his
harder and harder body which was pressed against her seemingly soft one.
Perhaps she just saw him too often, she reflected without conviction. After
all, she continued to convince herself, they were 'always' together and they
were both beginning to feel the tensions of what was known as teenage-hood
throughout the galaxy. Perhaps it was natural and nothing to worry about, she
tried to comfort herself.

Her only relief, she then reflected with a mental sigh, was that it only
happened with him; nobody else managed to even get her interest, even when she
was with the Emperor's courtesans. Were she softening toward boys and men, she
'knew' that the situation would repeat itself in the Emperor's court, but it
never did, much to her satisfaction. Whatever 'it' was, it was only related to
her best friend and partner.

However, she sobered slightly, it seemed to also attack him, but she could only
tell because she knew him almost as well as she knew herself. Otherwise, he was
doing an A job of hiding it from her. Perhaps they were just getting too used
to their routines and they would have to change it, she thought seriously, then
made a note to discuss this with her friend as she finished to put on her
clothes.

She finally exited her private 'fresher--- and stopped short at the sight of the
object of her thoughts. The strange feeling she had tried to rationalize just
moments before returned full strength to attack her, stilling her as her eyes
slowly traveled up and down her best friend's back.

He was watching the news channel; his hair were still damp from his own shower
and his body tight trousers wonderfully took care to enhance the slim shape of
his hips. Not that the fourteen-year-old teenager had ever been overweighed,
she reflected with a shy smile, but, like her, he was very well-trained and his
developed shoulders made him look slightly slimmer than he truly was. She for
one decided that she would never complain about that particularity of his young
body and she dimly hoped that he would always maintain that shape.

Totally oblivious to her presence, Luke removed his towel from his shoulders and
planted his fists on his hips as bad news came on. Unbeknown to him, this
simple position brought out almost every single muscle that could show itself to
her eyes.

She gaped, mesmerized, until she caught herself and shook her head in annoyance.
Darn it, what was it? It wasn't the first time that she was seeing him this
Way; she had even tended him when he had gotten the different scars she could
see on his skin. Why in heck was she feeling so dry-mouthed at his sight?, she
asked herself in growing frustration. She then admitted that her friend
certainly was better looking than many more men she had had the displeasure to
meet she had become active in her role of young courtesan, but still, he wasn't
a new sight either, she scolded herself. However, she kept gazing at him, and
the more she did so, the more the answer to her question, then even the question
eluded her.

Meanwhile, the object of her fascination relaxed and dropped his hands to his
sides. Surprised and slightly disappointed, she looked up to see what had
caused such a change of attitude.

'What a surprise.' she smirked in mild disgust. A still of young Princess Leia
was on the screen; the newsreporter was talking about an article about her in
an holo magazine.

"Don't tell me that you're going to buy it, Flyboy," she commented him as
lightly as she could manage.

He whirled toward her, apparently unaware that she had been standing behind him
for all this time.

"Huh... course not," he answered shortly, then turned back toward the screen.

Course not, she thought to herself with a pout. She bet with herself that he
would have the said magazine in his possession in less than one day, delivery
delays obliged. Dimly, almost unconsciously, she admitted to herself that she
was becoming slightly jealous of the attention that the young princess could get
from her best friend.

******

However, if Mara didn't exactly like the fact that Luke cared about the last
princess of Alderaan, someone else really didn't appreciate this discovery.

When the Emperor summoned Vader and ordered him to bring his 'slave' with him,
the dark lord of the Sith knew with all the fibers of what remained of his body
that something serious was about to happen. However, for the sake of his
beloved son and his own, he couldn't foresee what it would be about. The only
thing he could feel for sure was that either himself or his son wouldn't like
the outcome of the meeting.

While they patiently waited for their turn, Vader, who was freshly back from yet
another Jedi hunt, tried to gather as much information as he could about his
son's current situation with their master.

*Did you fail in a mission lately?* he asked his son through their Force bond.

*No, and I was careful to not use explosives anywhere near the Palace or the
master's installations,* the teenager answered, his own anxiety beginning to
escape his rigid self-control. *I didn't bring the Jedi matter up with him
either,* he added seriously, his head still bowed as the obedient slave he was
supposed to be to the eyes of the court.

Then what, his father wondered, had he or his son done to irritate their master?
Despite his extensive knowledge of the other's infamous bad temper, he couldn't
find anything that could lead to the warning that he was still feeling through
the Force.

Just then, the warder invited him to step inside the throne room; it was his
turn. Bracing himself, he stepped toward the opened double-doors. Luke
followed docilely behind him, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed; for
anybody else, he was his long-broken slave.

As the two of them stepped further in the room, his anxiety grew. Naturally, he
did his best to retain a cool set of mind, but he was aware that the Emperor
knew exactly how he felt. When he reached out to check on Luke, he discovered
that his son wasn't doing any better than he himself was; they were both very
uneasy about the circumstances of their summon. All too soon, they reached the
last platform that was under the Emperor's level; they both knelt respectfully
at their master's feet.

"Welcome, Lord Vader," the Emperor bid him, standing up from his throne to step
closer.

"What is thy bidding, Master?" he asked as he straightened up and raised his
head from his respectful bow.

"It seems that a lesson needs to be taught once again, Lord Vader," the old
ruler commented more coolly, turning his head toward the young teenager as he
did so.

Both Vader and Luke felt a jolt of cold dread slide down their spine at this; it
settled in the pit of their stomachs and didn't leave them alone.

"Did something happen while I was away, Master?" he asked as coldly as he could
even though he only wanted to step in front of his subservient son and defend
him from what he now knew was imminent.

"Yes," was the answer the other gave him--- then he raised his hands and blasted
the youth with his favorite discipline tool: lightning bolts which were born
from the Dark.

Vader took a reflexive step toward Luke to protect him, perhaps even block the
bolts with his lightsaber--- when the Emperor's mind suddenly contacted him; he
stilled in understanding. This wasn t only about his son...

*I once warned you about your care, young Vader,* the ruler grated angrily
through the Force as he addressed both of his servants. *This despising habit
of yours weakens you and corrupts your soul,* he then snarled as he put an end
to the boy's discipline. *Learn your lesson this time,* he finished with a
warning and the sending of what would be his final warning, *or next time shall
be 'most' unpleasant and final,* he added for emphasis.

If the boy could have answered, Vader had no doubt that he would have, but the
Emperor's attack had been vicious and straight to the point; Luke was on the
brink of unconsciousness. Even if he himself understood that Luke's good heart
had begun to overcome its tolerated boundaries, and that his own care was now
under the Emperor's scrutiny and that he were next if he didn't recover his
cooler attitude, he couldn't help but feel his heart break at the sight of his
son in torment. However, that emotional pain was almost inconsequential next to
his anguish of not being able to relieve him from his pain... yet. How he hated
their cursed masquerade, he thought in resent.

"I am your master now, child," the Emperor spat at the crumpled form of his
latest 'victim'. "You, like Lord Vader, are now my servant and shall be devoted
to myself, and myself alone. Am I clear?" he asked the barely conscious boy.

Even as Vader's thoughts stopped once again in realization that he would really
have to change his own attitude and fast before he caused more problems for his
son, Luke found the strength to moan and nod weakly in answer to his master.

"Good," the despot commented more coolly, then refocused on the older Vader.
"Take him away. When he'll be recovered, make sure he has learnt this lesson
well," he ordered him, then turned his back to him.

"As you wish, Master," Vader bowed reflexively, then snapped his fingers at two
nearby, regular troopers. "Carry him," he instructed them, then began his way
out of the suddenly suffocating throne room.

Up to now, they had never thought that their mutual care could be the source of
problems with their master, or, he amended, he himself had estimated that it
hadn't been 'too' serious to consider as a danger. They would obviously have to
revise their perception of their feelings, he resolved; he for one wouldn't take
any chance to anger the Emperor for something as trivial as a good emotion...,
nor would he allow Luke to dismiss it as if it were inconsequential, he added
seriously as they approached the double doors and the waiting scrutiny of the
Emperor's court.

He was perfectly aware of what his exit would do: it would remind everyone
around that the Emperor was a dangerous man to anger.

******

Today was Mara's day in the court. Once every week, it was her duty to be
present in the Grand Corridor and improve her flirting skills. Thus, she was
present that day... when Vader exited the throne room with the unconscious form
of her best friend in the care of stormtroopers.

Her first reflex was to drop her disguise and rush to his side, but fortunately
for her, she was very well trained in the art of maintaining an illusion. She
didn't budge from her location beside a pompous grand Moff. However, she
reached out and checked on her friend.

*Luke, what happened?* she asked him as coolly as she could even though she was
genuinely worried about him.

She expected her friend to answer her, or at least reassure her, but instead,
with what little consciousness he still had, he told her off.

*Don't...* he sent before shutting his mind to her.

She was so shocked by his reaction that she barely noticed the brief glance that
his father gave her as his group walked past her, let alone when her friend's
carriers took him out of her sight.

He had shut her out.

They had known each other for years now and as far as she remembered, her friend
had never, ever cut off their link. In fact, 'she' had been the one to
sometimes blocked him when the Emperor had been with her, or when he had
contacted her during a touchy part of her courtesan training. Otherwise, they
had never treated each other so... coldly, she shook her head in confusion.

"The boy must have insulted the Emperor, my dear," the older man commented,
drawing her attention back to the here and now.

Mara raised her chin high once again, affecting an haughty air, then sniffed as
if in disgust. "I don't understand why Lord Vader would keep such a pathetic
thing with himself," she commented as falsely as she could.

However, despite her best attempts to control her feelings, her thoughts always
returned to her wounded friend...

******

Meanwhile, in the throne room, the Emperor carefully monitored all his elements
in his latest strategy to mold the boy's soul into his perfect tool. First, the
pain had been enough to scare him mute, both body and soul; not even his
training as an agent had prepared him for his latest discipline. Second, Vader
had been nearby, and had wisely deduced that the punishment had also been for
him; it had been a difficult victory with his servant, he conceded, but in the
end, the older man had bowed in acceptance of his conditions. And now third was
Mara Jade.

While the girl was much better controlled than the boy was, he could still feel
the burgeoning care that was strengthening in her in regards of young Vader.
Hence, he had made sure that she would be present in the Grand corridor to
witness his less-than-gratifying exit from a session of discipline. Unbeknown
to her, she saved herself from a similar fate when she maintained her disguise,
then even sneered at her best friend in order to please him, her master.
However, even her near-perfect devotion to him didn't keep her from worrying
about the 'troublesome' teenager.

*Young Vader will be treated for his minor injuries, Mara Jade,* he began
without preamble through her link with her.

As expected, the girl startled inwardly at his cold intrusion, but she didn't
resent it, nor did she try to hide her feelings from him. Instead, she berated
herself for worrying about her friend and turned her complete focus to him.

*I'm sorry, Master. How may I serve you?* she inquired obediently.

For a moment, the ruler silently relished his feeling of perfect control over
the young girl. Mara Jade was his, had almost always been ever since he had
taken her from her family. She was the proof that he had the ability to mold
even Jedi children into tools for the Dark Side and himself. Of course, he
conceded, he had to restrain her full potential to achieve such a perfect
result, but, he shrugged to himself, it was a small price to pay to achieve his
destiny and rule over Jedi servants. Besides, he thought more seriously, the
Jade girl had been a first test... but young Vader would be his crowning
achievement; he would overcome him 'without' diminishing his potential. Like
Father, like Son, he smiled sickly to himself, then added that the son may just
also supplant the father... in due time.

Aware that his youngest yet best servant was still waiting for his convenience,
he re-established their mental conversation. *Young Vader will remain your
partner for the time being, child, but,* he warned ominously, *do not, under any
circumstances, duplicate his filthy habit to worry or even care about anybody,
not even him. If you sense any such feeling, crush them without pity and be
wary of your partner.*

The child was slightly surprised by this, but he had taught her well when she
had been younger; she knew that she could only obey him, no questions asked, no
judgments allowed.

*It shall be as you wish, Master,* she answered deferentially, then waited for
him to cut their link.

He did so instantly, almost coldly.

Now that Jade was warned about her growing bad habit, it remained to be seen if
his two other Jedi servants had learnt their lesson.

******

When Lord Vader entered the common medcenter, its staff began to act as if they
were in a state of emergency. Three young men rushed toward him while a clerk
at the desk warned higher placed medics of their unexpected patient; around
them, the dignitaries, who had come here in search of help with their physical
problems, slightly cringed in fear at his sight which was even more ominous now
that he had an unconscious prisoner with him.

"That is your patient," he commented in mock-disgust as he pointed to his still
unconscious son.

Somewhere between the Grand Corridor and when they had exited the turbolift, his
young Jedi had lost his senses. While it slightly relieved him for his son
wouldn't be in pain for the time being, it also worried him even though he had
resolved not to worry too much about his son. He knew all too well that his
being out cold meant that his condition was worsening.

He tried not to wince when the troopers dropped their precious burden, then
silently followed the medical staff as they carried their new patient in an exam
room.

While he watched them evaluate the boy's health status, then decide to immerge
him in bacta as soon as possible, Vader stood near the far wall, lost in glum
thoughts. He should have seen it coming, he scolded himself grimly. The moment
that he had found out about his son's secret, he had known that the Emperor
wouldn't tolerate even an iota of a change in his life, that he would seen any
signs of care or even love as a threat in what had become his life. Before he
had found Luke, nothing had mattered to him except serve the Emperor and please
him. No one, not even a slave Jedi child, could have raised the beginning of a
feeling in him... then fatherhood had come crashing down on his shoulders... and
had changed him despite his best attempts to keep the changes from happening.
Even now, he conceded, he couldn't see himself as not caring at all about his
son; it was impossible. He would give his life to the Emperor, do anything to
please him... but he would also always look forward to seeing his son again,
share his latest success with him before he himself told him how he was becoming
a better servant for their master.

On the other hand, he reminded himself, the warning had been a very, very
serious one this time; he had to forsake any physical sign of his care, and
other than considering his son as special... yet secondary to their master, he
wouldn't allow himself to worry about him, let alone fear for him.

His son, like himself, was the Emperor's servant. He knew that their master
wouldn't endanger him, but he would use any means necessary to teach him how to
live properly, and how to feel only the emotions which strengthened their powers
born from the Dark Side of the Force, the only valuable source of power to serve
the Emperor.

******

When Luke's senses finally deigned return to him, he felt horrible. His first
instinct was to moan--- and he stopped in surprise as he heard his muffled
sound. Where was he?, he wondered even as he forced his eyes open.

A pinkish/watery veil was covering his eyes, keeping him from seeing where he
was. He brought his fist to his left eye to rub it clear, and thus understood
that he was floating in some kind of goop--- bacta, he belatedly identified.

He was in a bacta tank, probably in a medcenter. Before he could reach out to
check his feelings, or even study what he could see through the veil, something
tightened around his shoulders and pulled him upward. Before he had recovered
from his surprise, he was breaking the surface of the bacta.

"Just relax a moment," a cold, mechanical voice advised him even as a mechanical
arm removed his breathing mask from him. "You will be out of the tank shortly."

Luke, who was still slightly dazed from his long lapse of unconsciousness,
slowly became aware that he was hanging from the inside edge of the tank, his
strong arm holding him stable against its upper edge. Why was he in a
medcenter?, he wondered tiredly, closing his eyes to shoo away the last remnants
of his forced sleep. As far as he remembered, he hadn't been hurt in a mission
since---

Then the memory of cold, indescribable bolts of energy came back to
him... The Emperor... He had upset the Emperor... because he cared too much.
Even more serious, he then remembered more clearly, it was his last chance to
prove that he wasn't allowing himself to be corrupted by his weakness.

A door slid open on his left; he raised his head just in time to see the dark
shape of his father nano-seconds before the sound of his familiar breath entered
his ears.

"Finally awake I see," he commented coldly.

Caught by surprise by his father's unusual coldness, Luke could only stare
mutely at him--- then he stifled a gasp of shock when the other's Force-powers
enveloped him and pulled him out of the tank. He set his wet, bacta-sticky body
down just beside the tank; he landed on his knees and hands beside the tank.

"You are fortunate that he didn't kill you," his father told him as he stepped
closer to his weakened, slightly shivering form. "Don't tempt your fate ever
again," he then warned him before he turned on his heel as if to leave him.

Luke, who was still confused from his drug-induced sleep, didn't know how to
understand his father's words. Was he pretending to be angry? Or was he truly
angry, even disappointed of him?

*Father?* he reached out hesitantly, ready to cower away if his father proved to
be genuinely upset at him.

For a moment, only silence answered him, then the dark lord left without a word,
throwing young Luke Vader into a serious spin of confusion. However, before he
could sink too much into it, his father finally answered him.

*I still love you, Luke,* he reassured him with a touch of his old warmth, *but
I can't afford to show this anymore, nor can you,* he finished more glumly, then
he left him alone with his feelings.

No, he agreed, they couldn't afford to feel too much for one another, not unless
they wanted to be allowed to see each other again, but... he conceded, he had
never expected the cut to take place this fast.

Well, he berated himself, the faster the better. He had some very hard work to
do on himself to become a true good servant to the Emperor. The others had to
become unimportant for him. Considering how natural it was for him to care and
worry about others, he suspected that being perfect in this area of his life
would be quite a challenge. Hence, he thought with fresh determination, he had
to start working on it right now.

Crushing his worries about his father's feelings for him, or how he would act
with his friend from now on, young Luke focused on getting back to his feet,
then to prepare himself to rejoin his 'master' who was waiting for him in the
adjoining room.

******

The moment that Luke and his father returned home, the young teenager excused
himself to his room, then took off all the holo pictures from his wall. What
had begun as an innocent interest had become an irrational passion and he had
slowly transformed his plain wall in front of his desk into a shrine to Princess
Leia of Alderaan. Every time he had purchased a magazine about her, he had
hacked into the program and pulled out the pictures into a separate disk before
using his father's computer to turn them into a larger and better format for
display on his wall. Then, as if it hadn't been enough, he had also begun to
compile his articles into what he had come to call the Princess' Diary--- but no
more, he reminded himself as he stashed his deactivated holos into a box with
the his book. She was the easiest person to cut out of his life, especially
considering that she had never really entered it in the first place; she was the
first person to leave his heart.

Unlike what he had thought though, the image of the captivating girl of his age
didn't disappear from his mind with the snap of his fingers, but he didn't allow
himself to give into his fascination once again.

It was not that easy about his father though. While they hadn't really talked
about how they would behave with one another from now on in fear of appearing as
caring during such a conversation, they both assumed a cool yet not too distant
attitude. The first days were much colder of course, the memories of their
latest discipline still fresh in their minds, but as the days, then weeks
passed, they both resumed appreciating each other's company when they could be
together. However, unlike 'before', they never touched, nor changed their tones
of voice or approached personal topics. Instead, they remained cool, barely
exchanging a minimum of information about each other's missions before helping
each other, training together, or simply going their separate ways. Despite
their distance though, they were still happy to see each other after long weeks
of separation.

The Emperor seemed to tolerate this minimal care between Father and Son; Luke
surmised that it was his reward for his greater devotion to him.

However, someone besides his father was slightly threatening his focus on his
master. He doubted that his partner was aware of it, but her mere presence
around him was constantly challenging his self-control over his disgusting habit
to care and love. To help himself, he had begun to think of her as his partner,
not his friend anymore, nor had he indulged himself in any stray talk with her,
but... despite his best efforts, he sometimes found himself staring absently at
her, or studying her for no other reason than because she was with him and he
found her interesting.

Fortunately, he was able to hide it from her by swiftly avoiding her eyes
whenever she looked up during those moments. However, the Emperor was aware of
his games of cat and mouse and met again with him, alone this time.

******

The young teenager reported in the Emperor's private rooms, assuming his role of
a subservient slave which had just been summoned to do his master's bidding.

For a long moment, the old ruler glared at the kneeling form of the young dark
Jedi. So much potential, he thought for the thousandth time since he had met
him; so much potential for trouble as well. Palpatine was perfectly aware of how
much control he had over the boy; it was almost complete.

However, he wasn't completely his yet. A small part of his soul remained rooted
in the Light and resisted anything he tried to corrupt it. Not the power of the
Dark Side that was now enshrouding the boy's soul and heart, not his own manual
veils... and not even the boy's several victims could snuff out that remnant of
the Jedi the child could have been.

Even worse, he conceded to himself, after monitoring the two teenagers for the
past three months, he had come to realize that the boy's aptitude to care for
Mara Jade was the key to the strength of their bond as Soul Mates. Without his
care, the bond was wavering and the girl was less able to tap into the boy's
strengths and vice-versa.

Without the bond, he mused unhappily, the children weren't as good tools as they
were with it, which meant, he scowled angrily, that he had to give some room for
the boy's care to resurface once again... with his friend, he sneered inwardly.

Unfolding his hands from over his stomach, he stepped closer to the still
kneeling boy; he reveled in his feelings of dread for as long as he wasn't
standing right in front of him.

"You haven't been very proficient lately, young Vader," he began ominously,
savoring the growing fear in his slave's senses.

"Yes, Master," the child admitted, cringing at his own words; he wisely kept his
head bowed in shame.

Palpatine let him worry about his new fate for a second or two, then took a step
away from him. "Mara Jade's performances are also less satisfying than usual,"
he commented with a sneer. "Tell me, child, what is the matter with you and
your partner."

Hesitantly, the child raised his head to look at him. "I... huh... I don't
really know, Master. We both fight, fly, and plan as best as we can, but
somehow, we aren't as strong nor as fast as usually."

"You mean as before you were punished for your weakness, don't you?" the older
man taunted his servant meanly.

"Yes, Master," the teenager bowed his head once again.

"I know you yourself is completely recovered, boy," the ruler commented as he
stepped around his kneeling servant, "and that you learnt your lesson well, as
did your partner," he finished seriously. "But perhaps slightly too well," he
added, hiding his disdain at his own words.

While he let the child ponder his words, he himself made a note to monitor the
youth as closely as ever now that he would be allowed to be 'friend' again with
Jade. With their potential as soul mates, he didn't want to take any chance
with their ever falling in love... Love. The most sickening feeling from that
pestering Light Side... and the only feeling which could defeat the Dark Side.
Oh yes, he decided grimly, he would dissuade the teenagers from even considering
that feeling as possible for them.

"You and Jade share a bond, young Vader," he commented out loud to the nearby,
confused teenager. "As such, you can't cut yourself off from each other without
loosing your greatest strength."

"Master?" young Vader inquired in obvious confusion.

Taking a deep breath to force himself to say the despiteful words, Palpatine
turned away from the child to hide his grimace. "You may resume your friendship
with Mara Jade," he barely hissed, "but," he added, his anger surfacing even as
he turned toward the suddenly delighted youth, "you know the limits with your
Father, see to it that you maintain the same ones with your partner," he warned
him ominously.

"I understand, Master," the child bowed once again. "Thank you."

"Dismissed," he spat in answer, his back once again turned away from his
servant.

As he monitored the teenager while he made his way back to his father's palace,
he himself reflected over and over again that the risk had better be worth the
game or else he would be very disappointed indeed.

As it was, Luke heeded the Emperor's stern warning yet resumed his normal
behavior with Jade. His friend was, as usual, cooler than he was, but she too
felt the return of their bond and understood what it meant.

A few days later, they were back at peak's efficiency and were once again the
Emperor's best agents. However, both remained very wary about their secret
urges to be fascinated by their companion's physical or psychological
attributes.

******

Six months later.

The nearly sixteen-year-old teenagers had to destroy the databanks of an illegal
intelligence agency which was operating under a fake front.

As usual, they stroke at night, but unlike the usual targets, this one wasn't
deserted at night. The illegal staff was there, hard at work.

Mara and Luke cloaked their present in the Force and slipped past the first
security ring. The next security ring was tougher, but the two young assassins
weren't fazed by the unexpected challenge. They selected the most vulnerable,
less-checked point of admission to the higher levels, then attacked.

They continued their way toward the inner part of the 'base'. When they finally
reached it, they remained in the shadows and studied the up-to-now unknown
layout. At least twenty people were working around the main databank itself,
but another thirty some were in an opened room which was in the back of the main
room. It was exactly as they had foreseen, they sent to each other in pride,
then refocused on their mission.

Luke gave Mara her two explosive charges then readied his owns; they separated
and silently crawled on four, moving from one desk to another to reach their
destinations. When unsuspecting enemies walked too close to them, they hid
under the databrokers noses, using their Force cloaks to rendered themselves
invisible before they resumed their ghost-like progress. Inexorably, then
advanced toward their respective goals: the controls of the lighting
installations for Luke and the alarm system for Mara.

The young teenagers finally reached their destinations, still undetected. While
Luke took advantage of nearby crates to hide his bombs, Mara, who was hidden in
a small recess in the wall, quickly unscrewed the panel which was hiding part of
the lines that was connecting the alarm system of this level to the other
levels; she then cut the said wires, hid her own bomb in amongst the remaining
wires and gas ducts that were in the wall, then she screwed her panel back in
place, just in case someone found her little tampering.

*Ready?* her friend asked her from across the room. He sent her an image of
himself; he was crouched behind a stack of crates, his blaster and lightsaber
ready. He also informed her that he had disconnected the building's links with
outside and was ready to turn out the lights.

*Let's get this over with,* he sent her in his trademark fashion which meant
trouble for their targets.

He was ready.

So was she.

She had barely cleared her blaster from her forearm holster when the lights went
out in the large room. Everybody naturally panicked; both Luke and her jumped
out of their hiding places and began to lay down a heavy barrage of blaster fire
that took care of almost a third of the room's occupants before they had
understood what had happened. The remaining two thirds weren't that easy to
kill though.

Instead, they returned their fire; Mara, who was dressed in black, used the
darkness to her advantage. She moved all over the place, not giving off
her position thanks to a beginner's a steady fire. She thus managed to nail an
extra five men.

On the other side of the room, Luke jumped over the men who were distracted by
Mara's fire, drew his lightsaber, then attacked the door which was protecting
their main target. The door didn't resist him for long; he unseeingly fired one
last time at the men who were firing at him from behind, forcing them to remain
undercover until he was done with the door---- then hurried to shift his aim and
counterattack the defensive fire that was coming from inside the room when the
door fell inwardly.

He stepped inside the supposedly protected room; his lightsaber shifted back and
forth, easily deflecting the enemy's blaster bolts while he took care of them
with his right handed blaster. His ricochets proved to be as deadly as his
blaster shots. However, the enemy changed tactics and quickened their fire on
him; he stashed his blaster in his belt and used his two hands to hold his
lightsaber, then deflected the numerous fiery bolts that came his way. He
deepened his touch with the Force and felt that they had just signed their death
warrants; he refocused on his enemies.

Stepping closer to them, he deflected their fire right back at them, then
parried and slashed, cutting off two blaster's tips as he did so. One of his
preys tried to stun him; Luke easily brushed off the effect of the stun blast
without loosing his focus, then, one second later, took care of five more
outlaws. He then whirled around and shifted his blade from right to left then
back again; once he was close to the man who was threatening him on his right,
kicked the traitor while he blocked yet another bolt from his remaining
companion. As the other man fell on the floor, dead, Luke focused on his last
nemesis. He parried yet another blaster bolt, then another, and another, then
spun on the ball of his foot, lifting his arms above his head to avoid the
blaster bolts that would have incapacitated his elbow, then shifted his grip on
his blade and brought it back down and backward. As his last victim died,
reinforcement came in.

Three to go, the youth thought grimly as he drew his blade from behind, changed
his grip yet again on it and took care of the first new man... who had had the
very bad idea of charging him instead of keeping his distances.

In the room nearby, Mara had also drawn her lightsaber, matching its shielding
abilities to her blaster's lethal potential, using Luke's lessons to deepen her
touch with the Force. Her blood red blade seemed like a living thing as she
twirled it around herself even as she laid a heavy fire on her remaining
enemies; she never blocked her own fire with her blade, but she never missed the
nemesis' either. The adults continued to try and overcome her.

Having enough of their game though, Mara changed her tactic. She reached out
with the Force and flipped their up-ended desks to a flat position on the floor.
Finding themselves without protection anymore, the men and aliens panicked.

They died a few seconds later.

A screeching, electronic-like sound attracted her attention. Now that he was
done with its operators, her companion was finishing the computers.

Time to make an exit.

Two minutes later, they finished their slide down the old-fashioned steel cables
Which had once housed what had been called an elevator. They left their
climbing gear behind and ran as fast as they could in the far from roomy passage
that was connecting this old shaft to the lower levels of Coruscant. The shafts
were dank, stinking and slippery, but it was their best escape route; they
merely ignored the particularity of their choice.

Once they were safe, they activated their respective bombs, then ran off once
again. Behind them, the traitors' hideout exploded in a most impressive
fashion, spewing debris all around itself.

The young Destroyers had once again been perfect to meet up with their master's
expectations.

******

When he awoke the next morning, young Luke Vader felt satisfied about his latest
mission. He had been successful, like always since he and Mara had recovered
their bond, and he hadn't been hurt despite the hot action that he had faced.

He was getting better, he smiled smugly.

He yawned, stretched, then stood up from his small bed and put on a loose shirt
and a pair of trousers. He knew that he was off duty till 0100, so he decided
to take his time and eat breakfast at home; he yawned yet again as he exited his
room, then padded barefoot toward the dining room where he usually grabbed a
quick breakfast.

He had selected that room years ago, he dimly remembered, knowing that if he
were to see his father in the morning, it would be there. However, he conceded,
this childish habit had long stopped being true---- except for today, he
realized in pleasant surprise.

His father's was in that room that morning. Of course, he reflected more
seriously, he shouldn't be 'that' surprised to see his father in the palace
since he was on Coruscant for a few more days, but, he admitted, he hadn't
thought that he'd still be there at 0900.

"Good morning, Son." his father greeted him coolly, barely glancing up at him as
he stepped inside the wooden, old-styled yet simply furnished room.

"Good morning, Father." he answered in kind while he sat in the chair closest to
him. "I didn't expect to see you this morning," he told him honestly as he
programmed his request for his breakfast.

"There's been some change in my schedule," the other answered as he slid a
datapad toward him.

Luke stopped it with his hand, then took a look at the head title: "Bum gangs
down each other's throat."

"Great job once again, I see," his father commented as he stood up.

"Thanks. There was nothing to it though," the youth tried to lessen his
father's pride. He had been great, but not that good either. He was merely
improving, he reflected seriously.

"Nothing? Nothing to those blasts that barely missed you?" Vader inquired in
mild disbelief as he stepped closer. "Nothing to those vipers who wanted to
kill you?"

Luke gaped at him. "How... do you know about that?" he asked, bemused; he
barely noticed that he too was now back on his feet.

"I followed your progress through the Force yesterday," his father admitted.
"I wanted to see you at work."

Luke shook his head in annoyance; count on his father to 'eavesdrop' on him,
but, he thought more seriously, this was a little too much above the line too.

"Father..." he began with a groan.

"I know," his father nodded seriously, "but I merely took advantage of my free
time to watch my son's prowess?" he commented as reasonably as he could.

"Hmm, I guess," the youth conceded although he fervently wished that the Emperor
'would' understand this the same way. "And?" he then asked him, unable to take
advantage too of his father seeing him in action.

"And..." his father began, taking one step closer, as if to touch him, Luke
noted, then seemed to catch himself and merely stood beside him. "I am prouder
of you than any word could explain," he commented, reaching out to show him what
he meant.

The image of his father resting his right hand on his shoulder made Luke feel
slightly lightheaded. He was 'that' proud of him? Whoa...

"Really?" he asked him in slight dubiousness.

Vader nodded, then sent another image, this time of his beaming with pride as he
watched him at work.

Yes, he really was that proud, Luke conceded.

"Do you think the Emperor is as satisfied as you are, Father?" he then asked
him, leaning against the table to hide his suddenly shaky legs. He had never,
ever thought that he could make anyone feel so much contentment in his actions.

"Son," Vader began seriously, "if he isn't, then he will never be. What you do
now is close to perfection."

"Then I'm also satisfied." Luke agreed, allowing his own pride to show, but
nothing else like gratitude toward his father... or even delight to please him.
He knew very well now what he could feel and what he couldn't.

As for his work, if his master hadn't complained to his father, then it had to
mean that he was content by it... Of course, Luke conceded, he had no doubts
that the Emperor would tell him without any detour if he weren't pleased by
either himself or Mara... or both for that matter.

******

Fortunately for the teenagers, their master never mentioned any new
disappointment of any kind; however, he didn't allow Luke to leave with his
father either.

As the months passed, Luke and Mara's missions became touchier, demanding more
preparation and creativity from their parts. Sometimes, they had to set up their
cover story weeks before their actual attack, other times, they had to use their
master's resources without the adults' knowing about it, and other times, they
had to really modify their physical appearances.

Like for their upcoming mission.

Luke sat quietly as the skin artist painted his chosen tattoo over his true
slave mark.
Up to now, his mark had always been an advantage since it had allowed him
to perfectly masquerade as a nobody in different places, but their new mission
required him to get rid of it. Since it was embedded in his skin, he couldn't
simply remove it, but on the other hand, he had figured out that he could cover
it. Hence, he had dyed his hair a garish blue, then had shown up in a tattoo
shop with a sample of the image he wanted.

If he was going to bear that mark forever too, he had thought, better be
something he'd be proud to display. He watched his arm with interest as his
chosen design slowly took shape; that of a black Sith dragon.

He had read the legends of the Sith, how the first lords had been rumored to
ride such powerful creatures. It was said that the dragons had rarely, if never
been seen, except by their victims, but even then, some of them hadn't even
caught of glimpse of them before they had died at their hands. It was a fitting
symbol, the young assassin thought with a satisfied smirk. No one but a Sith
devotee would know the true nature of the creature he would soon bear on his
left biceps, and he could easily relate to the legendary creature in his
everyday life.

Two hours later, Luke erased the man's memory of what he had just hidden with
his work of art, then he paid him, giving him a little extra to make sure that
he didn't pay any more attention to his memory of him; he then left Coruscant's
underground area.

No one paid attention to him as he strolled down the streets before disappearing
inside one of his master's top secret passages. Now, he reflected seriously, he
had to find a swimming club to begin phase two of his cover story.

Two months later, Luke, as well as a dozen other teenagers, disembarked
from a public transport which had just landed on Tilus in the Oregan system.
Everybody but him were here to take part to a swimming competition that would
crown the fastest, strongest swimmer kids in the galaxy.

He himself was naturally there for his master; he had to penetrate a weapon's
dealer territory and offer a diversion while his friend would uncover the
dealer's sources and 'deal' with him. Luke knew from his surest sources that
the dealer had heard of his aquatic prowess; he estimated that the man would bet
on him winning and would thus keep a very close eye on all his races. Well, he
would give him a run for his money, he decided grimly.

Without even focusing, he felt his friend slip out of their craft and disappear
behind nearby crates. While he himself would keep the dealer busy at the
competition site, Mara would infiltrate his main base and destroy it. For the
moment though, she had to study the territory and their target to double check
their data; they would compare notes later tonight just before he himself had to
go to sleep. If only he didn't have to share his room with an alien, he thought
in disgust as he remembered once again his friend's conditions in this
enterprise, 'she' too would have some place to sleep for the night.

"Hey, Mak!" his roommate called, leaning over to grab his arm and pull him
forward. "Snap out of it, man. Haven't you been to another planet before?" the
alien asked him earnestly.

If Luke hadn't restrained himself, the other boy's arm might already be broken
thanks to a vicious pull, but except for an angry flash of his eyes, he didn't
react.

"Sorry, what did you say?" he asked him, extricating himself from its hold.

"If you stand here all day long, you'll loose the group," the other smiled.
"Come on."

"Right," Luke smiled back, although less warmly than the other kid had.

He hefted his bag over his shoulder and followed the already departing group.
He made didn't stay too close to them though. He had enough to swim in the
same, insanitary pool than aliens; he didn't want to stand beside them if he
didn't have to.

Green eyes flashing in concentration, Mara Jade studied the departing group,
then her friend, then she began to look around herself to judge how she would
slip out of the spaceport without being noticed. She spotted another group of
arriving competitors; those ones were with their families this time.

Perfect.

She hurried to put on a fluffy skirt over her tight trousers while remaining
hidden in the shadows of her chosen crates, then, after making sure that nobody
would pay attention to her, she ran out of hiding place. She caught up with the
oblivious group; she followed them all the way to the inner part of the
terminal, then she lost herself in the 'freshers.

Security was tight, she reflected as she hurried to lift herself in the nearest
ventilation exhaust port. She closed it just in time to avoid being spotted by
two alien women who came in. She remained immobile and silent for as long as
she wasn't alone again, pursing her lips as she watched the aliens who were
under herself. The non-humans were very numerous on this planet.

Once they were gone, she took a moment to remove her skirt to protect it for
later use, then she began her long crawl toward the side exit that she and her
friend had spotted on the plans they had used when they had prepared their
mission. Well, they had been right about one thing, she thought in
satisfaction: their target wasn't taking any chances, not even with kids and
their families. He was hosting the competition because of the income it would
provide him thanks to the galaxy-wide bets, but no one but his 'guests' were
allowed on 'his' world.

It was their master's, she mentally defied him dangerously, and the fiend was
going to learn it. She would find the identity of all his sources, yes, but she
would also destroy his every mean of enjoying life. After all, she reflected in
dark satisfaction, her friend wasn't the only one of the two who could play with
explosives. The traitor 'would' learn who was his master, she promised herself.
She continued her silent but quick crawl.

******

Hours later, after an exploration of her territory/target during which she
gathered the proof that her guest card was passing up street controls, she
headed toward her friend's hotel. She didn't have to wait for long; he showed
up almost immediately and they retreated into the deep, well-camouflaging screen
of the heavy leafed trees which were surrounding the inner court of the hotel.

*So were we right?* he asked her through the Force.

*Yes. We 'will' need your distractions tomorrow,* she nodded, almost
unconsciously brushing his bare, muscled arm with her hand.

It sent spikes of awareness in her limb and whole body.

*Okay, no problem. How long will you need?* he asked her.

*Minimum one hour, perhaps more. I'll keep in touch,* she promised him.

*I hope so,* he smiled seriously. *I know I can swim fast, but I don't know how
long I can keep it up,* he reminded her.

*Well, we know you can last at least one hour and a half,* she pointed out with
a physical nudge on his bare biceps, referring to his latest competition
results.

*Right,* he returned in kind. *But last time, I didn't have to worry about
you,* he added seriously, taking her hand in his.

*You won't have to worry about me here either, flyboy. Remember? I can take
care of myself,* she answered, trying hard to keep her mental voice strong even
though his hold on her hand was getting to her, softening her somehow.

Luke understood her rebuke all the same; he closed his eyes, pressing his lips
tighter as he realized what he had just said.

He dropped her hand. *I'm sorry, Mara. I guess I'm just used to work with
You,* he apologized.

*I guess so.* she agreed, her voice gentler now. *But we also have to remain
focus on ourselves only, Luke. It makes us stronger, and,* she added more
wistfully, *I doubt the Emperor will always let us work together.*

*Probably,* Luke agreed in resignation. *And I'm sorry about my weakness; it's
still very much a problem isn't it?*

*Well,* the girl mused seriously, *it isn't as bad as it used to be, but you do
have to learn to not worry about me, flyboy. I'm as good as you are,* she
finished with a nudge in the ribs.

*I should know that, shouldn't I?* he answered her tease with a wry smirk, then
turned his head toward the nearby motel. *I better go back inside,* he told her
when he refocused on her, *before the stupid aliens and their fellow alien-
lovers start wondering where I lost myself,* he sneered.

*Be careful,* she reflexively told him, then he was gone.

She herself remained in the thickets for a while, thinking about her friend.
She dimly admitted to herself that she too wished that they would be able to
work together on this mission. She felt safe when he was with her, yet she knew
that she was also there to watch his back if something turned wrong. How many
times had they saved each other's skin now, she wondered. Too many times to
count, that was sure, but they had always come back safe and alive... because
they had been together.

Luke wasn't her family, she knew that, but he was like a brother to her,
although lately... her feelings for him were beginning to mutate into something
she knew was forbidden... She didn't know how to explain it, nor how to control
it, but her feelings for Luke were no longer only friendship, nor that of a team
mate either... it was something more, something she was desperately trying to
keep under control. Even though she and Luke were allowed to strengthen their
Force bond through genuine care for each other, she knew all too well that they
weren't allowed to go beyond that boundary.

She knew that she wasn't allowed to yearn for his presence when she was alone...
She couldn't entertain thoughts of kissing him either like the actors were doing
in the holomovies... She couldn't fall in love with him... but, she admitted in
worry, her heart seemed to have decided otherwise and resisted everything her
rational mind threw at it, except perhaps that she would hurt Luke if her
feelings became known by the Emperor.

A night bird chirped in the darkness, pulling her out of her thoughts.

Right, she reminded herself as she pulled her mind away from her heart, time to
find a place to sleep.

******

The next day, the dealer's guests had already converged toward the competition
pools and the bets were being registered; in short, the game was about the
begin. Luke methodically stretched each one of his muscles for what would be a
strenuous exercise. He had to monopolize the media's attention; he had to keep
their target here until Mara was finished and had bombed the place... He had to
win.

"All right, gang, listen up," his team's trainer called around himself.

Luke sighed and reluctantly approached him, as did the other teenagers. He
stoically endured the touch of alien's skin against his own. When he would be
done with this assignment, he decided, he would take three to five long, very
hot showers, and perhaps a bath or two while he was at it, he finished
seriously.

Meanwhile, his 'trainer' finished his useless speech; it was time to race.

Luke was in the first one on the start line. He took his assigned position and
prepared for the departure, used a moment to focus as everybody shushed down,
then they signal went off and he and his competitors were gone. He dove as far
as he could, barely penetrated the water before he emerged, then instantly began
to pull water.

He immediately set himself as the leader of the pack, taking a good five strokes
of advance compare to the rest of his competitors. The fun had just begun.

A few kilometers away, Mara was slipping from wall to shadows to recesses,
slowly penetrating the dealer's innermost sanctum. Unlike her regular targets,
she knew that this one kept his information in the office of his ship instead of
his house. As she had estimated, the ship was heavily guarded and the guards
weren't allowed to follow the competitions like the rest of the gang was.

Not a problem, she sneered to herself as she found a discreet spot where she
could access the under-floor space. Once there, she crawled until she was under
the ship, then crawled out from one duct which opened into another one. Thanks
the gods for her small body, she reflected as she made her way inside the
cramped confines which eventually allowed her access inside the ship's
corridors. Even though she wasn't claustrophobic, she wasn't going out that
way, she promised herself while she cat-footed toward her objective.

At the open-roofed pool complex, Luke watched the competition board. Those guys
from Calamaria really were fast, he thought seriously, so were the Avians and a
girl from Atagastcar literally flew above the water. He checked another
category of information; his next competition was in ten minutes. He sat on the
bench of his team, closed his eyes and called on the Force's energies to
rejuvenate his strengths.

When he got the signal to go to his block, he was feeling like new. The
competitors he was faced with this time had also won their own first race. Now
it was time to see who would be the fastest of that group. Up on the guest's
balcony, the target watched greedily.

It took Mara a good thirty minutes to download all the information that her
master had requested. Fortunately for her, the ship's corridors weren't guarded
at all; the fools were so confident that nobody would get past their outer
circle of defense that they never thought about patrolling 'inside' the ship for
intruders. Well, she wouldn't blame them for being laxist, she reflected
seriously; the more they were, the better it was for her.

Once she had pocketed her datadisk, she destroyed the man's computer system,
exited the room and headed for the engine system. She was tempted to make it
overheat, but if she wanted to complete her mission, she had to delay the ship's
destruction. She set her explosives near the system's inflammable elements; as
she programmed the plastic, she admitted that this was her favorite tactic to
annihilate a target.

Luke's hand slapped the wall once again; he barely avoided hitting his head in
the wall thanks to his speed, but he didn't care. When he looked up, he saw his
results.

He had won again. Good. He had just bought Mara another fifteen minutes.
He heaved himself out of the water, sat on the edge of the pool and panted
heavily. He eyed the two aliens who had also managed to earn their place in the
higher level of finals, then he shifted his eyesight upward toward the honorific
observation gallery. The target was still there, enjoying his new victory.
The next course would be against those guys, he reflected as he closed his eyes
and tried to rest... They were fast... and Mara needed at least another half-
an-hour. He would have to win again.

Using yet another duct to exit the hangar bay, Mara made her way back into the
house, then into a few strategic places where she could plant her destructive
devices. Finally, she was ready to teach the dealer who was his real master.

Luke had been keeping up his distraction for almost an hour and a half now, Luke
thought seriously as he got set for yet another race. Unlike his last
competition on Coruscant though, this one was of a very high caliber, demanding
much more energies and strength then it had last time. If Mara didn't finish up
soon, not even the Force would allow him to keep up with the finned and winged
aliens, he conceded in shame. He couldn't even harm them one way or another
without looking suspicious since they were born swimmers. He had no choice but
to play 'fair'.

*Mara, if you're ready, do it now,* he sent her.

*Brace yourself,* she answered him.

Less than two seconds later, a loud sound of explosion cut through the air,
attracting everyone's attention toward their target's mansion. Or rather, his
former house.

Its remaining pieces fell down on the surrounding buildings; a large piece of
concrete came back down and crashed in the pool that was closest to Luke's
position. It sent everyone into a frenzy of panic.

Screams resounded all around him, the teenagers tried to run on the more than
slippery floor while the adults tried to gather their charges. Luke used the
perfect distraction to reach out and choke the man with the Force.

Up on the balcony, the dealer's sudden difficulty to breathe brought the guards
to panic. Luke refrained himself from smirking, thus foolishly giving himself
away. Just when the man was about to die, he released him.

*Never forget who the true master is,* he sent darkly, deepening his voice
so that it sounded like a man's.

Then, his group was making an exit; he fled with them, grabbing a towel on his
way out. Considering that everybody wanted nothing else but to return home as
soon as possible, obviously fearing an attack all over the outlaw's city, most
of the crowd headed for the spaceport, not caring in the least if they were
leaving their luggage in their hotels' rooms.

Luke followed the throng for as long as it was necessary, then cut away from it
and rejoined his friend. Together, they easily managed to steal a small ship
that would bring them back home.

******

Resting in his chosen seat, Luke shook his head while he watched the chaos that
was unfolding under them. Every ship that could leave was making a hasty
departure, as if the whole planet was going to explode under them.

"Well, that will teach him to defy the master," Mara commented from the pilot
seat.

"That, and to organize an event without his permission," he agreed. "You sure
know how to rattle a rat's nest, Jade" he smiled, nudging his friend's shoulder.

He didn't put too much energy in his movement though; she noticed it.

"Tired?" she asked him as she made the transition into hyperspace.

Luke leaned his head back against the head rest and closed his eyes.

"I was the fastest human, but those cursed aliens sure drained me. Such
competitions should be illegal; they aren't fair." he stated darkly.

"I agree. They have a physical advantage compared to us."

"Yeah," he nodded sleepily, slightly shivering as he did so.

"There must be some clothes of some kind in this crate. Why don't you try to
find them?" she suggested coolly.

"I hope you're right," he admitted as he opened his eyes to look at her
beautiful eyes.

She was safe, she had succeeded, and she had saved him from a most profound
humiliation. No wonder that he sometimes wanted to spend all his day and night
with her, he admitted. He wouldn't go over his master's boundary, but... he
would really like to just talk and share more secrets with her. They didn't
have that much time to do so when they were preparing for missions, even less
when they were involved in them. In fact, the only time they had for themselves
was when they were coming back from a mission, like right now.

However, his body wouldn't cooperate at the moment; it kept tugging at his
eyelids to make him go to sleep. Slowly, he pulled himself from his slight
slouching position and stood to his feet. As he did so, he wondered if Mara
felt as good with him as he felt with her; after all, he conceded shamefully, he
was weaker than she was when it came to his feelings.

"I'll try to find some clothes," he told her once he was standing. As he passed
her chair, he set his hand on her shoulder. "By the way, Jade, I'm glad to see
you well." he smiled gently.

"Get some rest, flyboy, you deserve it," she smiled back coolly yet a little
more warm than usual.

"Right..."

Hmm, friendship, he conceded, but probably not that strange tingly feeling he
himself was dealing with whenever he was close enough to touch her, he reflected
glumly.

He found dirty mechanics coveralls in a back storage area; if he hadn't been so
darn cold, he reflected in disgust, he would never have even touched the soiled
fabric, let alone cover himself with it, but even a Sith could only bear this
much cold without falling into hypothermia, especially while in transit in
hyperspace. Even after drying himself as much as he could, he was still
shivering almost uncontrollably, so his still damp swimming suit was now on the
deck while he himself was curled up on his side on a narrow bunk, trying to find
a warm, comfortable spot to gather up some body heat. He would go to sleep, he
told himself adamantly, intent on resting and warming himself.

Five minutes later, he wasn't conscious enough to know that he had been right.

Mara spent the first forty minutes of their trip in the pilot seat, debating
whether she should go to her friend and take advantage of the time-off she could
spend with him, or if she should just let him rest. They had so little time
now, she mused sadly. When they had been younger, they had positively yearned
to be where they were today, but they hadn't realized that their work for their
master would truly become their whole life. No more time for friendly chit
chat... for sharing of secrets and hopes... they still knew each other very
well, but at the same time, some kind of distance seemed to have appeared
between them. She knew that part of the distance was part of their duty, but
another part, their awkward silences, didn't seem necessary, she reflected
sadly.

Whereas their silence had always been warm, easy, they were now filled with a
strange shyness, an incertitude that hadn't been there before.

She finally decided to at least check on him. She found him asleep but
shivering rather strongly on his small bunk. She quickly hunted for a blanket
to cover him, but came up dry. Lousy spacers, she thought angrily to the former
owners of the ship; the fools hadn't thought to pack even the most meager of
emergency material aboard their ship.

Acting on instinct, she crawled on the bunk with her friend, curled up around
him in his back and began to warm him up with her own body heat. She knew that
he wasn't in any kind of danger; he was merely uncomfortable, and she reminded
herself seriously as she wrapped her arm more tightly around her friend while
being careful not to wake him up, he had probably been through worse than that
during his years of slavery... Still, she admitted to herself, he deserved a
break. He had been successful too in their last mission, so he didn't have to
be tormented by his cold body, she decided seriously.

As she continued to warm him up, she studied their actual surroundings. The
small room around them was filled with crates and crap of all kind, and it
was far from being sanitary. She continued her superficial study of the small
room--- and her eyes fell on her friend's discarded bathing suit. She gaped at
it, then at her still sleeping, oblivious friend.

For some strange reason, she suddenly, acutely became aware of her and her
friend's exact, current predicament. Her breath quickened at those thoughts,
and she suddenly felt so warm that she wanted to pull away from her friend... or
rather, she corrected, she wanted to wake him up and share her newfound heat
with him, to warm him up in turn.

She didn't though. Unsure as to what was going on, she dealt with it like she
had been trained to do: observe, register, and analyze. However, the young girl
admitted to herself that for once, it was very hard to restrain herself from
exploring. She made a mental note to check with some adults what this was
about... Could this be what was known as attraction?.., she worried slightly.
If so, then it was above their master's ----

Young Vader slowly shifted his position, turning around to seek more of her
warmth. Truly unsure as to what she should do, she didn't move until he had
stopped wriggling about; to her disbelief, he did once he was more or less
tightly pressed against her, his head burrowed in her shoulder while his relaxed
body seemed to mold itself to her own. For long minutes, sixteen-year-old Mara
Jade, active assassin of the galactic Emperor, could only gape in bemusement and
thorough confusion at the situation she was now dealing with.

When the temptation to kiss her friend became too much, she disentangled herself
from him and almost ran back to the cockpit, wondering how she'd ever be able to
watch her friend in the eye after what she had just experienced.

She also prayed that the Emperor never found out about what had just happened to
her.

******

To be continued in part 9: More than Partners

Well, liked it? Hope so ?

Copyright 2000, SJ (skyjade@globetrotter.net)
(Any positive stuff is welcome, but any mean stuff will be sent to the garbage
smasher without being read.)