As Long As We're Together by Michele W. This is a Luke & Mara/Star Trek: Voyager crossover. Guys, be warned, this is a mushy romance. There are no space battles, superweapons, Imperials, Dark Jedi, or intricate plots. Rated PG-13. Disclaimer: All Star Wars characters are the property of George Lucas and his sanctioned pro-fic authors. All Star Trek characters are the property of Paramount. Absolutely no money is being made off this monstrosity, only the enjoyment of playing in the Star Wars universe. The majority of this story was written before The Hand of Thrawn series came out, so disregard anything that happened in those 2 stories. It just took me awhile to finish it up. (My pet peeve is when beginnings of stories are posted but never finished.) This is my first attempt at fanfic. Both Star Wars & Star Trek fans, please overlook all technical inaccuracies in your favorite universes, both intentional and unintentional. (i.e. I know Trek vessels probably have sonic showers, real water just worked better for my purposes). I want to thank my friend Elaeia for all her invaluable suggestions, and to her and my other fellow Luke fans who encouraged me to continue. Please ask permission before posting this anywhere else. Send comments to michelesky29@hotmail.com As Long As We're Together Part I Luke Skywalker was spending his last night on Coruscant with the Solo family, minus Leia, who was at a late committee meeting. Tomorrow he would return to Yavin IV for the beginning of a new semester. "So, Luke, who are you hitching a ride with this time?" inquired Han, after they sat down to dinner. "Well, I was going to go on the supply shuttle, but it's being delayed a week waiting on some special orders, and I really need to go sooner than that in order to make sure everything is ready for the new semester. So I guess, if nothing else, I'll ask Wedge if I can borrow a ship, though I don't especially like doing that." "Where's your X-Wing, Uncle Luke?" piped up Jaina. "It's still on Yavin, with Artoo. I came to Coruscant with Lando, remember?" "Luke, I'm not sure what you'll think of this idea," began Han, "but, well, I was talking to Talon Karrde a few days ago, before he left for the outer rim, and he mentioned that Mara was planning on going to Yavin soon. Perhaps..." "Mara? Mara Jade?" interrupted Luke. "Of course Mara Jade. How many Mara's do you know?" "Isn't one enough? How soon was she leaving? Do you think she'd even agree to let me ride with her? And why didn't someone tell me she was going to Yavin? Is she actually enrolling for classes, or does she have other business there?" "Whoa, there. I think she's leaving any day now. As to all those other questions, I guess you'll have to ask her," replied Han. "I'd better call Traffic Control and make sure her ship hasn't taken off yet. Can I use your comm unit?" "Sure, kid, go ahead." Han felt Luke seemed surprisingly anxious to travel with someone who had once vowed to kill him. Mara was a strikingly beautiful woman, but deadly and cold as ice nonetheless. Luke returned a few minutes later. "The Jade's Fire is still docked, and Mara is there now. The controller said she has requested departure clearance for tomorrow morning." Luke glanced up at Han. "I think I should talk to her in person. Can you tell Leia I'll be back later tonight?" "No problem." Luke made his way to Docking Bay 16, and spotted Mara studying a datapad. She glanced up and frowned as Luke approached. "Hello, Mara," Luke ventured tentatively. "What do you want, Skywalker?" "No 'Hi, Luke, glad to see you' ?" "Very funny, farmboy. Get to the point." "Okay, I heard you were leaving for Yavin in the morning. I was wondering if I could ride along?" "With me? Don't you have a ship?" "Not on Coruscant. And it's going to be at least a week before another ship leaves for Yavin." "So the great Jedi Master needs a favor. What's in it for me?" "Beside the pleasure of my company? It never hurts for a student to do a favor for the teacher." "Who says I'm going to be a student?" "Then why are you going to Yavin?" "Oh, all right. I am going to be a student. I thought I'd finally finish my training." "Why didn't you just ask me? I'd be glad to help you with your training." "I just wanted to do this on my own. I didn't think you did any teaching anymore." "I don't, actually. But I still like to address the new students, and I occasionally hold a special training class." "Sounds boring. What do you do with the rest of your time?" "Not much, I guess. Go on hikes through the jungle, advise the teachers, meditate a lot, the usual 'Jedi Master' type stuff," Luke grinned. "So can I have a ride or not?" "Yeah, sure. Maybe I'll get extra credit. Be here at 07:00 sharp." "Thanks, Mara. I'll see you then." Mara stared at Luke's retreating figure as he ambled away. She could swear she heard him whistling. 'What have I gotten myself into?' she wondered. Luke returned to the Solos' home to say his farewells. Leia had finally returned from her meeting, and expressed her misgivings about Luke traveling with Mara. "I can't believe you want to spend three days traveling through hyperspace with that woman." "She's not so bad, Leia. I probably won't even see her much once we reach Yavin." Luke arrived at the Jade's Fire the next morning a few minutes before 7. He admired the sleek lines of the beautiful ship. Just like her owner, he mused. "What are you gawking at, Skywalker?" "Just admiring your ship. I've never been inside, you know." "Well, it's time to get inside now." She glanced at Luke's lone satchel. "Is that all of your luggage?" "I travel light. Shall we?" He motioned to the ramp. "After you, farmboy." Mara frowned as Luke strapped into the co-pilot's seat. "Comfy?" "Sure thing, Captain Jade. Or did you want me to stay in my cabin for the entire trip?" "As tempting as that sounds, it's always easier flying with a co-pilot. Ready for take-off." Luke quickly familiarized himself with the controls, and the ship gently lifted off and entered the atmosphere. "Coordinates set for Yavin," Luke announced. "Prepare for jump to hyperspace," came the reply. Luke gazed out the cockpit window. "As often as I've done this, I still love seeing the star lines fly by." "Me, too," mused Mara, to Luke's surprise. "Really?" "You don't think I can appreciate the wonders of space?" "I didn't say that." "Did so." Luke sighed. "Mara, I don't want to spend the entire trip arguing. I apologize for my comment. I guess I was just surprised that we have something in common, besides the fact that we're both Force-strong, young, attractive, single, athletic..." "Enough already," an unwilling grin escaped Mara. "...have a sense of humor, can swing a mean lightsaber..." "Enough!" Mara laughed, as she swatted at him. By now Luke was laughing as well. "Now isn't this better than arguing?" "Don't get used to it." The rest of the day progressed much the same way, though with perhaps more sarcastic barbs traded than good-natured humor. After dinner, which consisted of ration bars and Luke's getting bopped for commenting, "Don't you have any real food on this ship?", they had pretty much run out of even hostile topics. "I'm going to my cabin," announced Mara. "I've got some trading run business to work on." "I'll stay out here awhile yet," replied Luke. "I wasn't inviting you along," said Mara tartly. Luke just shrugged and grinned, which infuriated Mara even more. She stormed off toward her cabin, and Luke swore he heard her mutter "Damn Jedi." Just then a strange feeling overcame Luke, and he stared out the cockpit window. "Mara, get out here!" he shouted, as he hurried to the helm controls. "What the..." Mara's eyes grew wide as she too gaped at the phenomenon in their path. "Drop us out of hyperspace!" she ordered, but even as she said it she knew it was futile. It was impossible to go to realspace and change course in time to avoid this 'who knows what.' The ship lurched, as if being grabbed by an impossibly powerful tractor beam, and both Luke and Mara were knocked to the deck. A few moments later, the ship seemed to be 'spit out' of whatever it was that had swallowed it. Jade's Fire sat dead in space, its two occupants slowly climbing to their feet. "What in blazes happened!" Mara screeched. "Did you touch something on the controls?" she accused. "No, I just looked up and saw this big hole looming in front of us," Luke protested. "I didn't have time to get to the controls before it pulled us in." "We were traveling through hyperspace," Mara argued. "How could we even see anything in front of us like that?" Luke was as baffled as she was. "I don't know. It was like a black hole, but we're still alive, so it couldn't have been that." "Are you sure we're alive? Maybe this is how it feels to be 'one with the Force'?" Even Mara wasn't certain if she was being sarcastic or serious. "I'm sure. Your lip's bleeding, and I banged my knee pretty good." Mara touched her hand to her mouth and felt a trickle of blood. She was also sore from her sudden encounter with the deck. "All right, so we're alive. We still don't know what that thing was. Some kind of interdiction field?" "I don't think so. It was more like a vacuum that sucked us in, then spit us out," Luke answered. "Well, let's check for any damage, then resume course." They both went to the cockpit controls. The ship's systems all seemed to be operational except for one, the navicomputer. "I can't get a fix on our location anymore," Luke said. "What do you mean? We can't be more than a couple lightyears off from where we were before that thing pulled us in." "Apparently we are. The navicomputer's self-checks show it's working, but it doesn't recognize our location." "Move over and let me see." Mara practically shoved him aside. She couldn't come up with any better results, however. "This is just great. How are we going to re-plot our course? I doubt we're even still headed in the same direction." She glared at him. "I'm sure this must be your fault." "You sound like Threepio," he quipped, causing her to glare even harder, if that was possible. "All right, O great Jedi Master. How are you at dead reckoning?" Luke frowned. "I'll try feeling for Yavin's presence." "Try not. Do," she retorted. Luke frowned again, then closed his eyes and reached out for the Force-senses of his students and teachers. Nothing. He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and reached out again. Still nothing. He should at least be able to sense Kyp, Streen, and the other Force-strong teachers, even from this distance. It was as if Yavin had vanished. He opened his eyes to find Mara impatiently drumming her fingers on the console. "Well? Which way?" Luke didn't answer, but instead closed his eyes again and reached out for Leia's presence. He could always sense her. Always until now, that is. He expanded his scope, searching for anything familiar. A bit of panic was starting to creep in. He opened his eyes and looked at Mara. "Which way?" she repeated, more harshly this time. "I...I can't sense anyone. Not anyone on Yavin, or Coruscant. Not even Leia." Mara could feel his anxiety. "Are you sure you still have your Force powers? Maybe there's ysalimiri around." Luke glared back at her, then levitated Mara a few centimeters out of her seat. "Yes, I still have Force powers." "I believe you. Put me down. I'll see if I can sense anything." Even as she said it, Mara doubted if she would have any better luck. This was one of the areas, one of the many areas, in which Luke's skill far exceeded hers. After several minutes of stretching out as far as she could, Mara shook her head. "I could at least feel sentient beings, but they were very far away, and they felt strange, unfamiliar," Luke offered. "I couldn't even sense that much," Mara admitted. "So now what, Captain?" "Well, we can't just sit here. I guess we'll pick a direction and fly in realspace until we reach a planet or something." This sounded lame even to Mara's ears. "And then we stop and ask directions?" Luke chided her. "You know we could travel forever before reaching anywhere. Even if I can zero in on the beings I felt, I can't tell how far away they are. But you're right, we just can't sit here." "So I'm asking for the third time, which way?" Mara grumbled impatiently. Luke sighed, closed his eyes and briefly concentrated. He then stood and looked out the cockpit window. "That way," he announced, pointing slightly starboard. "The minds I felt that way don't seem to be any closer than any of the others, but they felt the most human." "All right, that way it is," Mara acknowledged, unsmiling. "Though I still think this only happened because I let you come along. Bad luck follows you everywhere." "It does seem that way sometimes. But cheer up. If I wasn't along, you'd be stuck out here all by yourself." "And that thought is supposed to cheer me up?" Mara muttered. Luke and Mara continued on for several more days, occasionally changing course slightly based on Luke's feeling of the human-like minds. Luke kept to himself as much as possible, as Mara's mood seemed to darken with each passing day. "Are you sure you're still sensing the same minds?" Mara complained one day after their ration bar lunch. "We've changed course six times. Maybe you're confused," she said, though she secretly doubted it. "But have you noticed how we've changed course? We keep adjusting in a starboard direction. I think they must be on a ship, traveling at a fairly high rate of speed, but not lightspeed. And we do seem to be getting closer," Luke defended himself. "Perhaps in a few days we'll intercept them." "And hope they're friendly, and speak Basic." "Or at least something the universal translator can handle. Say, to work off that delicious meal you prepared, how about a little lightsaber practice?" Luke goaded hopefully. "Okay, farmboy, you're on," Mara answered, to Luke's surprise. "Let's go to the cargo hold. It's empty and big enough for a good workout." 'She almost sounds eager,' Luke thought, as they each retrieved their lightsaber. 'Perhaps she's reviving that old death threat against me.' He expected Mara to be a worthy opponent, and she didn't disappoint him. They battled for nearly two hours before Luke finally took advantage of an uncommon lapse in concentration from Mara and knocked her lightsaber from her grasp. They both collapsed from exhaustion. "Whew!" Luke exclaimed. "You must have been practicing on your own." "Just with remotes. I prefer a live opponent, though, especially when I wouldn't mind if I accidentally sliced off an extremity or two," Mara grinned wickedly, then abruptly changed to a look of dismay when she saw Luke's face. Gods, how could she say something like that to him? He just sat there staring at his right hand, flexing it slightly. "Oh, Luke, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking," Mara gushed apologetically. He looked up at her and smiled weakly. "It's okay. You'd think I'd be over it by now." He held out his right hand and her lightsaber flew into it. Her lightsaber. Formerly his lightsaber. Formerly his father's lightsaber. It had been a long time since he held it, but it still felt comfortable in his grip. Mara edged slightly closer. "Have you ever regretted giving it to me?" "Never," Luke quickly responded. "I just pray it brings you better luck in battle than it did me." Of course, Luke knew that luck, good or bad, had nothing to do with his defeat that day. He handed the lightsaber back to Mara, got up quickly and left. Mara continued sitting on the deck, holding the lightsaber. She had never seriously thought about the day Luke had lost it. The day he lost everything -- his hand, his youth, his innocence, his faith in Kenobi, his vision of a brave Jedi father who died in battle. *Don't feel sorry for me, Mara* she heard in her head, instantly realizing she had unconsciously let her barriers down. *You've had it a lot worse.* Irritated, Mara slammed her barriers up to keep him from hearing her thoughts. Trouble was, she wasn't sure if she was more irritated at him or at herself. After a couple more days of engaging in only superficial conversation, Luke unexpectedly stared off into space. "They're close," he murmured. He glanced at Mara. "Check your sensors." Mara looked at the controls and replied, "I detect a ship, fairly large, unknown design, heading 269.3." "So they surely can detect us too. Let's send a distress signal when we're in visual range." "Distress signal? I didn't know we were in distress," said Mara hotly. "Sorry, I don't know the proper signal for 'We're lost.' Besides, you've seemed pretty distressed lately," countered Luke. "Oh, all right. Send your signal. But you're doing all the talking." On board the U.S.S. Voyager: "Captain, sensors detect a small vessel approaching, two life signs. They're emitting a repeating message on a frequency we've not encountered before in this quadrant," reported Lt. Cmdr. Tuvoc. "On screen, Mr. Tuvoc," ordered Captain Janeway. On the main viewscreen there appeared a small craft, perhaps a cargo ship. It was bright red, with orange flames painted on the sides. "Wow!" exclaimed Tom Paris. "Will you look at that!" "It is impressive," agreed the Captain. "Commander," she continued, turning to Tuvoc, "try hailing them." "Audio only, Captain," he replied. "This is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the Federation Starship Voyager. Do you require assistance?" After a few seconds, she received a reply. Luckily the universal translator was able to handle the unfamiliar language, as it had throughout Voyager's journey. "This is Luke Skywalker of the Jade's Fire. As a matter of fact, we could use some assistance. We're having trouble with our navicomputer." "Of course. Come along side and we'll beam an engineer aboard. Or if you prefer, we can beam you to our ship first to discuss your problem." Mara and Luke exchanged puzzled glances and shrugged. "I'm afraid we're not familiar with the term 'beam.' Is it not possible to dock with your ship?" Luke put forth. Likewise, on Voyager, Captain Janeway exchanged puzzled looks with her bridge crew. "We do not have docking facilities for a ship your size. We could tractor you into one of our landing bays, Jade's Fire," replied the Captain. *They are NOT using a tractor beam on my ship,* Luke heard in his mind. "Voyager, if you tell me which landing bay to use, I can land in it. A tractor beam isn't necessary," ventured Luke, hoping they would agree. Eyebrows raised on most of Voyager's bridge. They all knew how tricky piloting into a landing bay on a moving starship was. It was a Starfleet test that most pilots needed many tries to accomplish. "Jade's Fire, I assume you have experience with such a landing?" inquired Janeway, more than a little skeptical. "Affirmative, Voyager, I've done it many times," replied Luke. Though not in this ship, he thought to himself. Realizing he had not asked Mara's permission for, or even opinion of, such a maneuver, he looked at her questioningly. "Go right ahead, hotshot. You're the one who volunteered." "Very well, Jade's fire," came Captain Janeway's voice. "Use Bay 6 on the port side. It will be illuminated for you. Janeway out." "Thank you, Captain. Jade's Fire out." Lt. Paris turned to his captain. "Permission to go to Bay 6 and observe their landing, Captain?" "I wouldn't mind observing this myself," added Commander Chakotay. "So would I," came from Ensign Kim, "Captain, Ma'am." Janeway smiled. She could understand their eagerness to see how this unknown pilot would fare. She just hoped he didn't put too many scratches on the docking bay's portal. "Very well, you may all accompany me. Mr. Tuvoc, you have the bridge. Unless you wanted to come too?" "Not necessary, Captain. I'm sure I will receive a full report from the rest of you." Luke headed the Jade's Fire toward the illuminated landing bay. "Well, is that finely-honed danger sense picking up anything?" he inquired of Mara. "No, it's not. I just hope we're not flying straight into the rancor's mouth. How about you?" "I sense no ill-will or malice, only good intentions and a genuine willingness to help us. Though I believe they will exercise caution toward us. And they seem pretty perplexed that we didn't know what this 'beaming' business was." "I agree. So how much do we divulge about ourselves? I'm hoping we can just ask directions and head for home," replied Mara. "I hadn't planned on mentioning anything about being Jedi. I myself prefer to blend in. They may not even know what a Jedi is." "They didn't seem to recognize your name, at any rate. So we're just two unfortunate space travelers who accidentally got caught up in some kind of spatial anomaly," Mara observed. "Which is exactly what happened, of course. I doubt we'll be here more than a few hours, a day at the most," responded Luke. "Coming up on the landing bay now." "Not a scratch, Skywalker." "Aye, aye, Captain Jade." The Voyager crew was in the glassed-in observation platform as the Jade's Fire gracefully entered the landing bay. Luke flew the ship in exactly through the middle of the open bay door, then more gently than anyone believed possible, lowered the ship down. Not a sound could be heard as the landing struts made contact with the deck. "Very impressive," murmured Chakotay. "Amazing," echoed Paris and Kim. "I agree," added the Captain. "Jade's Fire," she spoke through the comm. "Please remain aboard during the decontamination cycle." "Affirmative, Captain," Luke acknowledged. Mara began strapping on her forearm blaster. Luke looked at her in consternation. "You can't wear that! Don't you think they'll scan us for weapons? How can we expect them to trust us if we come out wearing weapons?" Mara grimaced. "How can we trust them? Are you leaving your lightsaber behind?" Luke hesitated. He rarely went anywhere without his lightsaber. It had become part of him. But in this case... "Yes, I'll leave it in my cabin. Satisfied? Besides, we're Jedi. There are many ways of defending ourselves." Mara glared at him, but she knew he was right. They surely would detect her blaster immediately, then probably throw them in the brig. Without saying anything, she unstrapped the holster and stowed the blaster in her cabin. "Jade's Fire, the scan is complete. You may disembark," came a voice over the comm. Janeway and the others had come down into the landing bay itself. They watched as the ramp lowered and a woman walked out, a beautiful green-eyed woman in a snug-fitting jumpsuit, with luxurious reddish-gold hair in a loose braid down her back. 'Whoa, what a babe!' thought Ensign Kim. 'Hot, Hot, Hot!' echoed Lt. Paris in his mind. Even Cmdr. Chakotay was unnerved by the woman's fiery good looks. The woman glared at all of them as if she could read their thoughts. Right behind her followed a man, about the same age, with dark blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. He was dressed all in black. Captain Janeway strode forward and extended her hand. "Greetings, I am Kathryn Janeway, captain of Voyager." Luke took her hand and shook it, replying, "I'm Luke Skywalker, and this is..." turning to Mara. "His wife, Mara," his companion answered smoothly. It took all of Luke's Jedi skill not to drop open his mouth in astonishment. *I'll explain later* he heard in his mind. Luke tried his best to pay attention as the Captain was introducing her accompanying officers. "We haven't met any other humans in this quadrant," Captain Janeway was saying, as Luke stole a glance at Mara, but she wouldn't look at him. "Won't you please come with us to our conference room? We'd love to hear where you're from, and we'll be glad to help with your navigational problem if we can." As Luke and Mara followed them down a corridor, Luke thought to Mara, *All right, what was that all about?* *Didn't you hear what all the male crewmen were thinking about me? The last thing I want is to have every man on this ship having the hots for me,* Mara explained impatiently. *So you thought they would leave a married woman alone? Am I the lesser of two evils? And you know I don't like being deceitful.* *Oh, Skywalker, you don't have to be so noble all the time. Pay attention, the Captain is talking to you.* It was rather difficult to carry on a silent conversation with Mara and an active one with the Captain and her party at the same time. "You have a beautiful ship, Captain Skywalker. Perhaps you will allow us a look inside?" ventured Janeway. "Oh, I'm not the captain," Luke answered. One fabrication was enough. "It's Mara's ship." "Yes, but I let him pilot once in a while," Mara put in. "Well, that was by far the smoothest landing I've ever seen anywhere," Chakotay complimented Luke. "Thank you, Commander," Luke replied. By then they had reached the conference room, where they were joined by Lt. Cmdr. Tuvoc and Lt. Torres. "So, where are you two from?" ventured the Captain. "Coruscant," replied Luke. "I'm not familiar with that planet. Is it in the Delta Quadrant?" "No. Is that where we are? Our navicomputer couldn't determine our location, and none of the star patterns were familiar." "So how did you get here?" spoke up Lt. Torres. "We were traveling through hyperspace when Luke and I saw some kind of anomaly right in our path. It sucked us in, and seemed to spit us out here, wherever here is," Mara explained. "How long ago was this?" inquired Captain Janeway. "About five standard days ago," Luke replied. "We've been traveling with sub-light engines hoping to meet up with someone who could assist us." "That could have taken some time. Lucky we came across your ship," said Cmdr. Chakotay. Of course, Luke knew luck had little to do with it; he had tracked their minds across space. "Yes, it was," he replied. *Now who's not being completely honest?* he heard in his mind. "That sounds similar to what brought us here," commented Ensign Kim. Voyager's crew related how a plasma storm hurled them 70,000 light years away, landing them in the Delta Quadrant, and the long voyage home that was ahead of them. "This doesn't sound promising," Mara said. "At least you know which way to go. We don't even know which direction our galaxy is, or how far away we are." "You're welcome to all our star charts," the captain offered. "And we can cross-match your own charts with ours. Ensign Kim, I am assigning you to this project. You've done the most work mapping this region." "Aye, aye, Captain. I'll be glad to work on this. Request permission to have Seven of Nine help. The Borg have been to many other systems that we don't have charts on." "Granted." She turned to Luke and Mara. "I'll have Lt. Paris show you to some quarters." "We don't want to inconvenience anyone," protested Luke. "We didn't expect to be here that long," added Mara. "It's no inconvenience. Even if you aren't here long, you must be tired from your trip. We have many empty cabins. And we look forward to hearing all about your galaxy. I do request, however, that you both have a routine physical exam. Just to make sure there are no side effects from your ordeal. If you don't mind, I'll have Tom take you to sickbay first." "Of course, Captain. Quite understandable," Luke agreed. *I don't like physical exams,* Mara sent to him in protest. *It won't hurt you,* he shot back. *Refusing wouldn't look good. Besides, we have nothing to hide that an exam could pick up.* Even Mara agreed that the exam was relatively painless, consisting of the doctor running a scanner over them. They were surprised to find the doctor was a hologram. They also noted the lack of droids anywhere on the ship. "I will have to share these results with the Captain, you understand," the Doctor told them. "Standard procedure. But I foresee no problems." Later, after they left, Captain Janeway entered sickbay. "Well, how did our two new visitors check out?" "They are both human, and they are both in remarkably good physical condition. Each has had one or two broken bones which mended some time ago. Luke's skeletal structure shows signs that at one time he was hit by a jolt of electricity, perhaps even lightening, but it must have been years ago. Mara also, but to a lesser degree. The only thing really worth noting, is that Luke's right hand is a prosthetic." "Prosthetic? I shook his hand when they arrived. I didn't notice anything unusual," Janeway observed. "It's quite advanced technology, similar to the construction of Lt. Cmdr. Data of the Enterprise, only more sophisticated. He said he lost his biological hand in an accident about sixteen years ago. He didn't seem to want to talk about it." "Well, I suppose that's understandable. Thank you, Doctor." Tom led Luke and Mara back to the Jade's Fire to gather some of their personal belongings. Mara kept him occupied showing him the cockpit while Luke hurriedly moved his gear into Mara's cabin, so Tom wouldn't notice they had two separate cabins. He needn't have worried. Tom was so entranced by both the sleek ship and her owner that he wouldn't have noticed anything else. Finally, after Mara stored her gear in a bag with Luke's, blasters and lightsabers included, they proceeded to the guest quarters. As they had hoped, they were not scanned for weapons this time around. When they reached their destination, Tom showed them the security code for entering, then ushered them into their new quarters, which consisted of a large common room with kitchen facilities to one side, a bedroom and a refresher. Luke and Mara's eyes widened. "All of this is for us?" Luke asked. "I was expecting one small cabin with bunk beds," laughed Mara. "Everyone on board has quarters similar to this," explained Tom. "This is an exploration vessel and Starfleet wants its crews to be comfortable on long journeys. Though no one expected our journey to last years." Tom proceeded to show them all the amenities available to them, even apologizing for the limited access necessary for the replicators. "But Neelix, who does the cooking, creates some, uhm, interesting dishes from what we grow in hydroponics, and also from what he scavenges from the planets we visit. I'll be back in about an hour to show you to the mess hall for lunch." Tom had given them each a comm badge already, and told them to contact him if they needed anything. After he left, Luke wandered to the computer console, while Mara inspected their quarters in more detail. "This is like a luxury hotel," she commented. "Quite a change from the monk's cell you live in on Yavin. Even your apartment on Coruscant is pretty sparse, I've heard." "I have everything I need. And who's been describing my apartment to you?" "Never mind," she retorted. Mara wandered into the bedroom. "There's only one bed!" she called out to Luke. "What did you expect? You're the one who told them we were married." Mara glared at him. "I didn't expect to be staying overnight. You're the one who said we'd probably only be here a couple hours." Luke relented. "All right, I'll take the couch. You can have the bed." "I suppose we could at least take turns," Mara replied. "You're right, if I hadn't said I was your wife, we'd each have quarters like this." "I think this looks quite comfy. It's not every day that I get to shack up with a 'hot babe'." "You did hear what they were thinking!" she exclaimed, as she threw a pillow at him. Luke dodged it easily, laughing. By the time they had stored what little gear they had brought from the ship, Tom arrived to take them to the mess hall. "I believe today's entrée is stewed garbo root," he joked. *You should be right at home,* Mara thought to Luke. *You may have ration bar withdrawal,* he shot back. When they arrived at the mess hall they got in line with trays. Neelix was an alien unlike any of the others they had encountered so far on Voyager. He was also different in that he did not wear a Starfleet uniform, though he did have one of their comm badges. "Afternoon, Neelix," Tom greeted him. "I'd like you to meet Luke and Mara Skywalker. They are going to be staying with us for awhile to work on some navigation problems." Luke felt Mara wince at being introduced as Mara Skywalker, but he wisely remained silent. "What is this concoction you're serving us today?" Tom joked. "This, my friends, is sautéed Obarian root and dried pentalu." "I think it looks pretty good," Luke commented. He instantly took a liking to the strange little man. "Ah, a culinary connoisseur, how wonderful!" exclaimed Neelix. "Though it appears your lovely wife doesn't share your opinion." He hadn't missed Mara's wrinkling up her nose at the sight and smell of his creation. "Uh, Luke and I do have different tastes in food," she stammered. She hadn't meant to offend him. "Don't worry," Tom interjected. "We all had that same expression the first time we tried Neelix's cooking. And the second time. And the third time. But eventually you get used to it." They all laughed, as Tom directed them to a table where Ensign Kim sat. "Good afternoon, Ensign," Luke greeted him. "Hi, and please call me Harry." Mara noticed right away that Harry was not eating the same thing that had been plopped on their plates; he had some kind of sandwich. Harry followed Mara's gaze and chuckled. "I didn't think my stomach would take it. I had to scrounge up something on my own." It surprised him that Luke seemed to be enjoying his meal. Soon, Lt. Torres, Cmdr. Chakotay and Lt. Cmdr. Tuvoc joined them at the next table. "So, what do you two do in your galaxy? To earn a living, I mean," inquired B'Elanna. "I'm a trader. I haul cargo for trade in my ship," Mara replied quickly. "Are you both traders?" Harry asked Luke expectantly. "No, I'm a teacher," replied Luke. "So you have to spend a lot of time apart?" B'Elanna continued. They were all curious about the newcomers. "Yes, too much," Luke smiled at Mara, who did not return the smile, but at least she didn't glare at him. "What do you teach?" inquired Chakotay. "Meditation, mostly," replied Luke smoothly. "You teach students how to meditate?" asked Harry. "That sounds kinda..." "Boring," put in Mara. Harry, Tom and B'Elanna agreed, but they were surprised to hear Mara say it. "I believe it sounds fascinating," countered Tuvoc. "I meditate on a daily basis." "As do I, if at all possible," added Chakotay. "Perhaps you could show Tuvoc and me some of your techniques." "I'd be glad to," grinned Luke. "Oh, please don't get him started, at least not when I'm around," groaned Mara. "He can sit cross-legged in some trance for hours." "I take it you don't meditate yourself, Mara," asked Chakotay. "No, though it's not that Luke hasn't pushed me to. I'd rather exercise or dance to clear my mind." "Maybe while these old stuffed-shirts are sitting around in trances, the rest of us can do something for exercise," put in B'Elanna. "Do you play parrises squares?" "Never heard of it, but I'm sure I could learn," answered Mara. "Hey, I like to exercise too" Luke said. "You'll just have to play the winner," Mara challenged. "After you're done m-e-d-i-t-a-t-i-n-g," dragging the word out. This time it was Luke who did the frowning. After lunch, Harry took Luke and Mara to one of the science labs, where they began studying star charts, even cross-referencing those from the Fire. From Luke and Mara's own observations and the Fire's recorders, they determined the anomoly disappeared immediately after depositing them in the Delta Quadrant. A sensor sweep from Voyager proved fruitless; there simply was nothing there. Several hours later, they were all feeling frustrated. "This is hopeless," complained Mara. "We can't give up, honey," Luke put in, emphasizing the last word. She kicked him under the table, but Luke thought a sore shin was worth it. She had started this 'I'm his wife' business. Harry and Luke, with Seven of Nine's help, spent day after day working on star charts, studying wormholes, anything that might give them a clue. Mara, meanwhile, spend most of her time showing off her ship to B'Elanna and Tom. Luke woke early one morning. He stretched out his legs, hitting the arm of the couch. For once, he was glad he wasn't any taller. "Computer, what time is it?" "The time is 05:00." Too early to get up. Too awake to go back to sleep. He turned on his right side, then shifted to his left. Finally Luke sat up, rubbing sleep from his eyes, running a hand through his tousled hair. 'I need a haircut,' he thought. A haircut? Here he was, sitting in the dark, on an alien spacecraft, in an unknown galaxy, and he was worried about needing a haircut? 'I must be losing my mind.' Might as well get up. Go exercise. Something. Luke rose, then realized his clothes were in the bedroom. And the 'fresher was off of the bedroom. The bedroom where Mara was still sleeping. He padded silently into the chamber, then paused. Light from the common area fell across Mara's face. She looked so peaceful, so gentle, so... beautiful. One slim bare arm rested on top of the covers. Luke finally tore his gaze away and turned toward the 'fresher. "I could give you a haircut, if you like," Luke heard from behind him. Luke turned around slowly. He knew he hadn't been talking to himself aloud. "Uhh... Uhh...," he stammered, "if you want to... I guess... okay." Mara started to ease out of bed. "Right now?" Luke blurted out, grateful that she was at least wearing a sleeping shift. "Sure, why not?" Mara stifled a yawn. "I'm awake, you're awake." "I didn't mean to wake you," Luke apologized, as he located his tunic in the now illuminated room. "I don't think you did," she replied, wondering just what did wake her. She saw Luke start to slip on the tunic. "Don't," she touched his arm. "It'll just get hair all over it. Sit down here," she motioned, as she pulled a stool into the 'fresher. Luke warily took a seat. "You have done this before, haven't you?" "No, not really. How hard can it be? I trim the ends of my own." Luke started to get back up. "I think they have a barber on board. I could just go there." She pushed him back down. "Sit. I promise not to scalp you." She rummaged through her travel bag and withdrew a small vibro-clipper. Mara laid one hand gently on his bare shoulder. Whether to steady herself or keep him from bolting, Luke wasn't sure, but a shiver ran down him nevertheless. "Now, let's see. Where should I start?" She slid the clipper next to his ear and started in. Luke didn't dare move. There was a time when Mara Jade this close to him with a potential weapon would have made him extremely nervous. But not anymore. Well, at least not for the same reason. "Relax," Mara soothed. "You're so tense." Her fingertips trailed over his shoulders as she moved in front of him. Her sleeping shift wasn't quite see-through, but Luke thought it best he shut his eyes anyway. He suddenly felt self-conscious without his tunic. He felt vulnerable. Why, he wasn't sure. He'd occasionally gone shirtless while teaching his students in the Yavin heat. For some reason, this was different. "How did you know I was thinking about needing a haircut?" he asked, forcing himself to ignore the tickling of the hair falling on his bare skin. "I'm sure you were asleep before I came into the room." He'd have felt it if she'd been awake and probing his mind. "I don't know, really. I just... I guess I dreamed it." "Ahh." That explained... nothing. How could she dream his thoughts? "I wasn't eavesdropping on your thoughts," she went on. "I wasn't implying you were." "I know," she said quietly. No argument. No snippy retort. Luke took a deep breath and tried to relax. He didn't get very far. His eyes flew open as Mara blew the loose hairs off him. She stopped as his gaze found hers. Time stood still for a moment, then Mara straightened up. "There, all done." "Thanks." "You'd better look in the mirror before you thank me." He stood and examined Mara's handiwork, though he found his gaze shifting to the petite redhead behind him. "Looks good," he complimented her. The haircut did look good. The barber looked great. She reached up to brush a stray lock from his back, causing him to jump. "I'm in your debt," he managed to get out as he backed away slightly, which was difficult in the decidedly close quarters of the 'fresher. "Well, I'm not ready for a trim, but I'll think of something," she winked. He had to get out of there, before... before... Luke edged toward the doorway. "Guess I better get dressed," he stammered. "Me, too." Luke grabbed up his clothes and went out to the common room. He decided to go visit the pool for a swim, a nice cold swim. Mara leaned against the counter. She picked up her brush and ran it absent-mindedly through her long tresses. Her offer to cut his hair had been innocent enough. At least in the beginning. Being that close to him was unnerving. She hadn't realized he was so muscular. She was glad he had his eyes closed most of the time; he didn't see her gaze traveling up and down his physique. And the powerful aura surrounding him was overwhelming. Why had she never felt it this strongly before? Mara shed her shift and stepped into the bathing stall. Men weren't the only ones who sometimes needed a cold shower. By the end of their second week on Voyager, even the ever- optimistic Jedi Master could see no solution to their dilemma. He sat sideways on their couch, staring at the datapad in his hand. Mara sauntered into the room and took a similar seat at the opposite end of the couch. "You look pretty glum," she observed, poking his bare foot with her own. He glanced at her and laid the datapad down. "Mara, we need to talk." Mara could hear the seriousness in his voice. He gazed into her bright green eyes and sighed. "I'll never give up, but I just don't know what else to do. I can't find any clue to the way home." "So we're stuck here?" "We don't have to stay on Voyager. We could get on your ship and just fly off. But in what direction? Voyager has collected data from every region they've visited here in the last four years. I've been reviewing it, looking for clues, and so have Harry and Seven of Nine. I don't think any world we could go to would be better equipped to help us than Voyager has been." Mara considered his words carefully. "Then we may as well stay here, for now. Captain Janeway said we were welcome to stay as long as we want." "I agree. But I think we should offer to take on duties. We can't expect to be treated like guests indefinitely." "I agree," replied Mara, then looked at him strangely. "This is eerie. We're agreeing on more things in the last two weeks than we have in the last ten years." Luke laughed. "Well, to test that observation a little more, how much do you think we should tell them about us?" "Such as, we have Force powers, you're a Jedi Master, and we're not really married? Things like that?" "Precisely." "What good would it do to tell them now? Other than have them think we can't be trusted?" Luke nodded, but his thoughts were in conflict. Jedi shouldn't lie. It went against everything he believed in and what he taught his students. Perhaps not revealing their Force powers wasn't really a lie, just an omission. From a certain point of view. But this business of pretending to be married. Though Luke had never come right out and called Mara his wife, he had went along with the ruse. Was that any different? Mara could read his thoughts. She seemed to be getting better at that, the more time they spent together, or maybe Luke was letting his guard down. "I'm sorry I got you into that one," she apologized. "If you want, I'll confess to Captain Janeway, and we can get separate quarters." Luke looked at her quite awhile before answering. "No, let's leave things the way they are, if it's all right with you. They may question everything we say or do otherwise. Besides, I don't mind staying with you. Unless you're wanting to distance yourself from me." It was Mara's turn to stare at him. "I want to stay with you," came out in a rush. She took a deep breath. "Anyway, if they know we've been sharing these quarters, unmarried, they'll just assume that we've been..., that we're..." "Lovers?" Luke finished, instantly wondering what made him say that. It suddenly seemed to be getting very warm in the room. He hoped he wasn't blushing. Mara seemed to be uncharacteristically speechless. Luke got up from the sofa and started pacing. "All right, we ask the Captain if we can stay, and we ask to join the duty roster." He stopped and looked at Mara. "What do you think?" She had been thinking 'he's cute when he's nervous,' and then 'why in the worlds am I thinking that?' She was glad she had all her barriers up. "Sounds fine." This conversation definitely needed a new direction. "Do you have a job in mind for yourself, if the Captain gives us a choice?" Luke relaxed visibly. "I was thinking that Neelix could use help in the galley." Mara groaned, but was smiling at him. "Just what we need, swamp stew every night." "So what about you?" Luke asked. "Maybe something in engineering," she replied thoughtfully. "Well, we'll go see the Captain in the morning. I guess if we're going to be stranded, this isn't a bad place to be." Mara yawned. "I think I'll turn in." Luke impulsively reached down and squeezed her hand. "Goodnight, Mara." She headed into the bedroom, as it was her turn. Mara hadn't allowed him to take the sofa shift every night when he had offered. "Goodnight, Luke," Mara whispered. Neither one of them got much sleep that night, each lost in their own thoughts, and all those thoughts were centered on the person in the adjoining room. After breakfast the next morning, Luke and Mara requested permission to see the Captain. They entered her ready room at the time appointed them. "What can I do for you two?" Captain Janeway inquired, as she motioned for them to sit. "Harry tells me you haven't had much luck in finding your galaxy in any of the star charts." "No, we haven't," Luke replied. "And that's why we're here. We have two favors to ask." "Go on," the Captain invited. "You've been very generous so far, allowing us to stay here, and we are grateful," began Luke. The Captain nodded, but remained silent as Luke continued. "When we first arrived, you said we were welcome to stay as long as we wanted. We were hoping that offer still stood," Luke said as he glanced sideways at Mara. "Of course," smiled Captain Janeway. "All of us are glad to have you. As I said, we'd like to learn more about your galaxy. And the other favor?" Mara spoke up, "We'd like to join the duty roster. We feel like we're taking charity from you. We want to pull our own weight." "Well, I don't want you to think we ever considered you charity. But I can see that neither of you is the type to want to sit around while others are working. So I will grant your request. Did you have any preferences to the type of assignments?" Luke nodded at Mara, so she went first. "I've been observing B'Elanna in engineering, and I worked for awhile as a hyperdrive mechanic. I thought perhaps I could be of some use there." "I see," the Captain responded. "And you," she turned to Luke. "My idea isn't quite so technically oriented," Luke began. "I've noticed that Neelix seems extremely busy in the galley at meal times. I would be glad to help him. Of course, any tasks you assign would be fine." Janeway smiled at that. "I believe that's an excellent idea. I've never had anyone volunteer for K.P. before." "K.P.?" Luke was puzzled. "Kitchen Patrol. Old Earth military term. And Mara, we'll see what we can do about your request." She tapped her comm badge. "Commander Chakotay, please report to my ready room." "At once, Captain," came the reply. Chakotay entered a few moments later. "Commander, the Skywalkers have requested placement on our duty roster, and I see no reason to deny that request," Janeway smiled. "They even had some ideas, which I'll let them explain to you. Will you please see that they are assigned appropriate tasks, and on the same shifts?" "Of course, Captain," Chakotay responded. "Well, Luke and Mara, welcome to Voyager's crew. At least until you find a way home." Luke shook her hand. "Thank you, Captain. We appreciate everything you and your crew have done for us." "You're welcome," replied Janeway, smiling. "If you'll follow me, we'll go check out the duty roster," said Chakotay as he ushered them out. Luke's request for mess hall duty met with surprise and immediate approval. Neelix could indeed use the help. There were no actual openings in engineering, though. "The Doctor could use assistance in sickbay however," Chakotay explained. Mara's face paled, but she heard in her mind, *These people are doing us a great favor just in allowing us to stay. We can't act too picky.* "That would be...acceptable," Mara acquiesced. "Though I've not had any formal medical training." Mara's expression didn't escape Chakotay's notice. "How about you spend half a shift in sickbay, training with the Doctor, and the other half as an engineering intern, learning from B'Elanna." Mara's face brightened. "That sounds fine, Commander. When should we start?" "There's no time like the present. I'd like you, Luke, to work in the mess hall 11:00 to 19:00. That will cover the lunch and dinner meals, when Neelix is the busiest." "Very well," Luke acknowledged. "And Mara, I'll have you work in engineering from 11:00 to 15:00, then in sickbay from 15:00 to 19:00. Of course, you'll both have time off for meals yourself." "Sounds fine," Mara replied. "Then I'll go make arrangements with Neelix, the doctor, and Lt. Torres. Be at your stations at 11:00." "Aye, aye, Commander, and thank you again," Luke answered. 11:00 found Luke and Mara at their assigned duty stations. Luke plunged right in, following Neelix's directions in preparing and serving that day's entrée. He'd always enjoyed doing "real world" labor, as he called it. Even growing up on Tatooine, he really didn't mind working with his hands, tinkering with ships and droids and landspeeders, despite his rounds of whining and complaining to his Uncle Owen. He even liked helping Beru in the kitchen. She had instilled in him an appreciation of the art of creating palatable dishes out of what little they could grow. That skill had sustained him during his years of bachelorhood. But he was seldom allowed in the Academy's kitchens; Tionne and the other teachers thought it was undignified for a Jedi Master, the only Jedi Master, to be cooking and serving up swamp stew. So Luke immersed himself in the delight of working with his hands, amid the joy of anonymity. Mara, meanwhile, was also enjoying herself. B'Elanna took her from station to station, giving her a preliminary overview of the general workings of the engineering department. Mara learned that many of Voyager's systems were not much different than those of ships in her galaxy. The only thing that troubled her was when she suddenly realized she was looking forward to sharing her new- found knowledge with Luke. About 13:00, B'Elanna suggested they take a lunch break. As they entered the mess hall, Mara noticed Luke behind the counter and smiled. He looked happy and content, more relaxed than she'd ever seen him in the ten years she'd known him. He had carried the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders ever since becoming a Jedi, and it showed in the troubled lines on his face. Now those lines had all but disappeared. Luke glanced over and saw Mara watching him. He smiled and waved. He found Mara, well, absolutely captivating. Though she'd probably kill him to hear him thinking such a thing. And she'd actually been friendly toward him in the last two weeks. Neelix came up beside Luke. "You, my friend, are one lucky man," observed Neelix, as he followed Luke's gaze. "What?" Luke was startled out of his reverie. "You have a beautiful wife who is enamored with you." "Mara?" Luke was surprised. "Of course. I can see it in her eyes. She's proud of you, proud to be your wife, and completely in love with you." Luckily for Luke, Mara and B'Elanna reached the counter by then, saving Luke from having to reply. "Hi, there," Mara greeted him. "You look like you're having fun back there." "Uh, yes, I am," stammered Luke. He couldn't keep Neelix's words out of his mind, and he was careful to keep his mental barriers up. "You can take a break now, Luke," Neelix was saying to him. "Go join your wife for lunch." Luke glanced at his 'boss.' "Thanks." Luke filled a plate for himself and joined Mara and B'Elanna at their table. Soon Tom ambled over and sat opposite B'Elanna. Mara launched into a detailed description of everything she'd learned. Luke fixated on her face, though he was finding it hard to concentrate on what she was saying. Neelix's earlier comments had shaken him. He knew it couldn't be true, of course. Mara could never love him. No, it was ridiculous. "Luke? Luke?" Mara reached over and swatted him on the arm. "Are you listening to me?" "Sure, Mara, of course I am." "So what did I just say?" Luke gave her a blank look. "Just as I thought," though amazingly she looked more amused than angry. "I asked if you were ready to learn to play parrises squares. Tom and B'Elanna challenged us to a match tonight." "I guess so. All right, sure," Luke answered, as he took in the grins on Tom and B'Elanna's faces. *Where is your mind today?* he heard Mara ask him silently. *Did something happen I need to know about?* *No,* He thought back quickly. *Not at all.* Mara gave him a strange look. "Meet me here for dinner at the end of your last shift?" Luke asked her, trying to change the subject. "Okay," she answered, still wondering what had gotten into him. Mara and B'Elanna headed back to engineering. "Luke seemed a little distracted at lunch," commented B'Elanna. "So I noticed." "But it's still obvious how much in love with you he is. He's really got you on some pedestal." Mara suddenly stopped walking. "It is? He does?" B'Elanna laughed. "Of course. He's your husband. This is a good thing." "I know, I know. He's just, uh, he's usually shy about showing his feelings in public. Don't say anything to him." "All right," B'Elanna shrugged. Now it was Mara who was distracted the rest of the afternoon, even during her training sessions with the doctor. How could B'Elanna even imagine something like that? She doubted Luke would ever love again, after Callista. This was definitely the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. When Mara reached the mess hall just after 19:00, Luke was already seated at a small table waiting on her. After collecting her tray she sat down opposite him. "Hi," he said warmly. "Hi yourself." "How did the sickbay training go?" "All right." Mara tried to sense any abnormal emotions coming from him, but he was keeping his barriers up tight and his gaze locked onto his tray of food. "So what time is this parrises squares match?" "In an hour. So eat light." Luke just nodded. The rest of the meal was mostly silent, each of them lost in their own thoughts. After dinner, they retreated to their room, changed clothes, and headed to the recreation level. Both were secretly glad for this diversion. It would have been awkward sitting in their room alone together. Luke quickly picked up on how the game was played. He and Mara were giving Tom and B'Elanna a run for their credits, even without using the Force. The tense moments from earlier had all but disappeared. Serve, slam, return, serve. The match continued for over an hour. "Mine!" Luke shouted, as B'Elanna returned his serve. "I've got it!" Mara called, as Tom miraculously returned Luke's volley. The disk ricocheted off the ceiling, then the wall, unfortunately in a different direction than Mara was anticipating. She just missed making the return. "Game and match!" shouted Tom triumphantly. "Can I help it I have a partner as slow as a Hutt?" Luke laughed. "Who are you calling a Hutt?" Mara rejoined, laughing just as hard. With that, she unexpectantly jumped on Luke's back, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "Am I as heavy as a Hutt, too?" she kidded him, as he pretended to stagger under her weight. Tom and B'Elanna were doubled over in laughter, even though they had no idea what a Hutt was. Caught up in the fun mood, Mara leaned around to the side of Luke's head. "Hutts have long tongues, remember," she said, then promptly licked his ear. Nearly dropping her in surprise, he fell to his knees and they both rolled on the floor in mirth. Luke found himself lying on top of her, their faces inches apart. They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, until they suddenly remembered Tom and B'Elanna were still present. Luke scrambled to his feet, then helped Mara up. Mara glanced over at their victorious opponents. "We'll get you next time," she challenged, though she wanted to hide in embarrassment. "Sure," B'Elanna answered, "and then we want a full description of what a Hutt looks like." Mara grabbed Luke's hand and practically dragged him out of the court. "Goodnight," he called over his shoulder. "Looks like we're leaving." She let go of his hand as soon as they were alone in the corridor, but didn't speak. "That was fun," Luke commented, trying to get a response out of her. Mara fumed. "Not another word," she ordered him, and wisely he complied. What in the stars had come over her? She couldn't even think of any way to blame this on him. When they reached their quarters, Luke showered first, while Mara fixed herself some herbal tea, hoping it would calm her and wishing she had something stronger. When Luke was finished in the 'fresher, Mara brushed past him without a word. The shower seemed to relax her, thankfully, as the tea had not. When she emerged, she found Luke standing near their large window, staring out at the stars. He glanced over as she entered the room. They both wore loose-fitting sleep attire, were barefoot, with damp hair, though his tended to dry much faster than her long thick mane. Not wishing to remind her of anything to do with the parrises squares match, Luke brought up a subject he had been pondering on in recent days. "Mara, have you wondered what is happening back home? I assume time is continuing on just like it is here." She came over and stood next to him, grateful for something else to think about. "I'm sure it is. We've been gone nearly three weeks. That would make us two and a half weeks overdue at the Academy." "Did anyone there know exactly when you were coming?" Luke asked. "Well, no, but they were expecting me by the beginning of classes. How about you?" "Same here. They probably thought I was coming on the supply shuttle, but that would have landed over a week ago. I suspect they have contacted Coruscant by now," he mused. "Leia must be frantic. I can't sense her, so I know she can't sense me." "Do you think they've sent a search party?" Mara wondered aloud. "For you, that is. No one would bother searching for me." "Mara, that's not true. I'm sure they're looking for both of us. Unless they think we just ran off together," he winked. "Oh, I'm sure that was Leia's first thought. She doesn't like me or trust me." Mara sighed. "Karrde is somewhere in the Outer Rim by now. No, no one else would even notice I'm gone. No one would ever miss me." Luke turned and took her hand. "I would miss you," he said softly. "And I would never stop searching for you." He reached up slowly with his other hand and cupped her cheek. "I'm glad you're here with me," she whispered. She gazed deep into his eyes, then laid her hand lightly on his chest. "If I have to be stuck in another galaxy, there's no one I'd rather be stuck with." Her admission surprised even herself, but somehow it felt right. Luke's only reply was to lean over and gently kiss her on the lips. When he leaned back, Mara tightened her grip on his tunic and pulled him closer. He let go of her hand and encircled her waist instead. This time the kiss was deep and prolonged. Mara relished the feel of him as her own hands traveled up and down his sides and back. He was trembling, and then she realized she was too. His lips moved to her neck as he ran his fingers through her hair. Luke gently pulled Mara to the floor, his lips never leaving her. The desire in him swelled as he felt her soft, warm body beneath him. He was overcome with the sensuality of her. Mara, for her part, could not believe this was the same Luke Skywalker she had known for ten years. He was both strong and tender at the same time, caressing her with his gentle touch and soft lips. Eventually they rolled over and she lay on top of him with her head on his chest. Mara could hear Luke's strong heartbeat as he held her tightly and stroked her hair. Neither spoke, but both had the same thoughts. How far were they going to take this? Finally Mara broke the silence. "It's your turn to have the bedroom tonight," she whispered, though she didn't think she could bear to be that far apart from him. Luke obviously felt the same way, as he whispered back, "I would be honored if you would join me." Mara raised her head and nodded, "I accept." They both got to their feet, then Luke scooped her into his arms. "Are you sure?" he said quietly. He didn't want to pressure her. "I don't think I've ever been so sure of anything in my life," she answered, thinking that if he tried to back down now, her hold-out blaster was still hidden in her gear. Entering the bedroom, he set her down next to the bed. Mara reached out and removed his tunic, and he returned the favor, pulling her nightgown off her. Mara noted he was not blushing, as she had expected him to do. He lightly caressed her, as she removed his pants. Luke used the Force to pull back the covers and they eased onto the bed. Their love-making was slow and gentle, as neither wanted to rush the experience. Afterwards, they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms. Luke awoke first the next morning, feeling slightly disoriented. Why was there hair in his mouth? Suddenly his eyes flew open and he cautiously reached out next to him. So it hadn't been a dream! Mara stirred at his touch and turned over to face him. She popped open one eye, then abruptly sat up in bed, clutching the covers around her. Luke smiled up at her. "Good morning. I had the same reaction when I woke up just now," he chuckled. Mara lay back down and eased over closer to him. She reached up and brushed the hair away from his face. "Well, I guess we've gone and done it now," she observed. "I suppose there's no turning back." A shadow of a frown crossed Luke's face. "Did you want to turn back?" "Never," Mara replied firmly. "I'm not letting you go." They spent the next several hours talking, touching, kissing, caressing, making love, and getting to know one another in ways they had never imagined. "We have to get up and get ready for our duty shifts, you know," Luke said reluctantly. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and wrapped one of the covers around himself. Mara smiled at his modesty. "You know, I'm seeing a whole new side of you, Skywalker," she laughed. "Would that be the front side or the back side? To the best of my knowledge, both sides should be new to you, madam." "Um, perhaps I need another look," she teased, as she used the Force to yank off the cover around him. Luke lifted up one side of the sheet that still covered Mara. "I've been enjoying some new scenery myself." He flung the sheet back and levitated the shrieking Mara into his arms. "Join me for a shower?" Luke invited. "Yes, I believe I could use someone to wash my back," Mara acknowledged. When they reached the shower, Luke set her down carefully. "You're a beautiful woman, Mara, both inside and out," Luke said softly. He wasn't gazing at her perfect body though, he was looking deeply into her eyes, those endless emerald pools. He traced her lips with his finger, then her cheekbones and forehead. "I love you, Mara," he whispered. Mara froze. She could feel the sincerity that poured forth from him. These were not words he took lightly. These were words he'd only spoken to one other woman in his life, a woman who had then broken his heart. How much courage had it taken him to finally say these words to someone new? Mara started to speak, not sure what she was even going to reply. Luke put a finger against her lips. "You don't have to say anything now." Mara gratefully remained silent, a thousand thoughts running through her mind, none of them coherent. Luke kissed her gently, but did not speak again. After their shower they dressed in silence, both stealing awkward glances at the other. Finally, Luke gave Mara a hug. "C'mon, Mrs. Skywalker, we don't want to be late for work."