As Long As We're Together
by Michele W.

(See Part I for summary and disclaimers)


Part II

Later that day:

	Luke smiled openly when he saw Mara enter the mess hall for 
lunch.  This time she came alone.  He fixed them each a plate of 
salad greens and joined her at a small side table.  He gave her a 
lingering kiss before sitting down.

	"I've missed you all morning," Luke began, not taking his
eyes off her face.
	"I can tell," Mara smirked, "and so can the entire mess 
hall."
	Luke leaned back in mild embarrassment, as he realized they
had become the center of attention.  Mara smiled slightly as she
felt Luke direct everyone's thoughts away from them.	
	"Should I meet you here for dinner?" Mara continued.
	"I was thinking, if it's all right with you, I would bring 
something back to our room for dinner."
	"Hmm, dinner for two, alone.  I think I like the idea," Mara 
agreed.
	After a few minutes of silence, Mara spoke up.  "Luke, you 
don't think we're, well, rushing things, do you?"
	Luke looked at her in surprise, but the thought had crossed 
his mind too.  "We've known each other ten years.  I hardly think 
we could be accused of rushing anything."
	"I know, I know.  But last night just seemed so...sudden."
	Luke squeezed her hand and nodded.  "Maybe we just needed 
to be by ourselves, away from trading runs and academies and New 
Republic politics..."
	"And sisters and brothers-in-law and smuggling bosses," Mara 
continued.  "Who knows, we might have gotten together years ago."
	"Do you really think we were ready years ago?  Maybe it was 
our destiny to wait until now," Luke mused.
	"You think everything that happens to you is your destiny," 
Mara kidded him.
	"Don't you?"
	"I don't believe in destiny, or fate, controlling my life."  
She looked him square in the eye.  "But I believe in us."
	Luke's only reply was to squeeze her hand again.

	Late that afternoon found Mara in sickbay, carrying out the 
second half of her duty shift.
	"Mara, would you please bring me those paradol samples?" asked 
the Doctor.
	"Of course, Doctor," she replied.  "Doctor, there's something 
I would like to ask you about.  Something personal."
	"Go ahead.  I am programmed for the strictest doctor-patient
confidentiality."
	"Well, it's nothing that serious.  It's just that, Luke and I, 
well, we expected to be home weeks ago, so we ran out of..."  Mara 
was finding this rather embarrassing.  "We seem to be in need of some 
type of birth control.  Is it possible...?"
	"No problem at all," the Doctor replied.  "Believe it or not, 
that is needed on this ship on occasion."
	The Doctor outlined to her the various methods available.  She 
chose a hypospray that was effective for one month.
	"As soon as you finish your next menstrual cycle, you simply 
come in for another injection.  There are no side effects, and you 
may stop whenever you're ready to have children."
	Mara nodded.  Ready to have children.  Mara had never, before 
now, considered such a possibility.
	"I do need to administer a pregnancy test before giving the 
first injection," the Doctor was continuing.  "If you'll have a seat?"
	Mara sat as the Doctor ran a scan over her.  What if she was 
already...?  What would Luke think?  What would they do?
	"The results are negative," the Doctor was saying, jolting Mara 
out of her reverie.  "I'll prepare the hypospray."
	"Thank you, Doctor."  Mara exhaled the breath she hadn't realized 
she'd been holding.  Perhaps she should have talked this over with Luke.  
But surely he wouldn't object.  Even with all of his 'happy family' 
fantasies, they both knew they weren't ready to start making babies.

	The rest of the afternoon, Mara let her mind drift to her 
relationship with Luke.  Relationship?  Is that what they were in?  
An hour ago, she was asking the Doctor for birth control.  
Yesterday she was denying the idea that he could possibly be 
interested in her, and now she was anticipating sleeping with him 
on a regular basis.
	This can't be happening, Mara thought.  Why did he have to 
say he loved her?  She didn't want to be anyone's lover, least of 
all his.
	Mara felt herself panicking.  And Mara Jade did not panic.  
This was all Skywalker's fault.  It was like he cast a spell over 
her.  She was no longer in control, which infuriated her the more 
she thought about it.  She would not let Luke Skywalker control 
her life.  Period.
	She would break it off tonight.  That's all there was to it.  
Maybe they should even get separate quarters.  What's this 'maybe' 
business?  Of course they should.  It was time for this being 
married charade to stop.  Mara resolutely ignored the voice inside 
her that kept telling her she'd be miserable without him.

	At 19:00 Mara headed for their quarters.  She was greeted by 
her smiling 'pretend' husband.  He had dinner waiting on the small 
table in front of the couch.
	"That actually smells good," she said truthfully.  "Just let 
me change clothes."
	When Mara returned, she found Luke pouring them glasses of 
what looked like wine.
	"Synthesized Chablis," he explained.  "A gift from Neelix."
	"Not bad," Mara commented as she took a sip.  They sat on 
pillows on the floor, leaning against the couch.  Mara began 
picking at her food with her fork.  Why did it have to taste this 
good?  Why did he have to be so good at everything?  Why did he 
have to be so nice to her?  Mara suddenly felt Luke prodding her 
mind.  She looked up to see him staring at her.
	"Stay out of my head," she ordered sharply.
	Luke blinked in surprise.
	"What's the matter?  I thought we ..."
	"You thought wrong," she snapped.
	Luke was taken aback.  What had happened between lunch and 
now?
	Mara set her fork down harder than she intended.  "This is 
happening too fast, Skywalker.  I'm not ready.  I may never be 
ready."
	"You seemed ready last night."  Gods, what a thing to say to 
her.
	"You took me by surprise.  I didn't expect you to be so ... 
so forward."
	Mara could feel the turmoil going through Luke, the 
disappointment.
	"Listen, Skywalker, it just wouldn't work.  We're too 
different."
	"I don't think we're so different."
	"You just don't get it, do you?  You think just because 
you're some hero of the galaxy that I should be grateful you 
decided to favor me with your attention."
	"Mara, I would never ..."  How could he have misjudged their 
relationship so badly?
	"For all you know, you could've knocked me up last night."
	"What?!"
	"It's not like you did anything to prevent it."
	"Mara, I ...," Luke stopped suddenly, as realization of her 
last comment dawned on him.
	"I had to go to the doctor and ask for birth control," she 
continued accusingly.
	"Then you're not ...?"
	"No, no thanks to you."
	"Mara, I'm sorry.  It's just been so long since I've ..."
	"And you assume I sleep with men all the time?" she 
interrupted.
	"Of course not."
	"Just leave me alone."
	"If that's what you truly want."
	"Yes, it's what I want."
	"Then why did you get birth control to use?" he asked 
quietly.
	Mara blinked back angry tears and turned away from him.
	"Mara?" he prodded, gently touching her shoulder.
	She shrugged him off, burying her face in her hands.
	"You know I would never force myself on you.  So why...?"
	"Because ... because ..."  Mara was sobbing by now.  
"Because I'm in love with you, too."
	He gently turned her around, enveloping her in a loving hug.
	"I'm so scared, Luke," she cried into his shoulder.  "Being 
with you scares me.  I don't know if I can do this."
	Luke stroked her hair.  "I'm scared too, Mara," he 
whispered.
	He lifted her chin and brushed away the tears streaming down 
her cheeks.  Why did he have to go and blurt out that he loved her 
this morning?  He should have waited.  And why did he have to 
brush her off when she voiced her concern about their rushing 
things?
	"I'm sorry, Luke," Mara was saying.  "I didn't mean to say 
those awful things about you."
	"I know.  And I'm sorry you had to ask for the birth control 
on your own.  It was irresponsible of me.  You'd think a grown man 
would know better."
	"Shhh.  We're in this together, remember?"  Mara clung to 
him tightly.  "Luke, tonight, can you just hold me?"
	"I could hold you forever."

	The next morning, Luke rose quietly, went out to the common 
room and sat down to meditate.  He would not push Mara.  He 
wondered if that was why Callista left him.  Maybe she felt 
pressured.  He didn't want to make that same mistake with Mara.
	He loved Mara deeply, and for now, it was enough just to 
know she loved him.  He would be patient.  He smiled to himself as 
he remembered Yoda's words from long ago -- 'The boy has no 
patience.'  Well, he wasn't a boy anymore.
	After awhile, Luke felt Mara enter the room and sit next to 
him.  She stretched one arm across his shoulders, laying her head 
against him.
	"I remember the first time you put your arm across my 
shoulders," he reminisced.  "Course you were also poking your 
blaster into the side of my head."
	"Didn't pull the trigger, though, did I?"
	He just shook his head, and they sat there in silence, both 
relishing the comfortable feeling of just being together. 

	Luke and Mara resumed their platonic relationship for the 
next several days.  They used the time to deepen their friendship 
and come to grips with their new involvement.
	Finally, at lunch one day, Mara asked Luke subtly, "So, what 
does Neelix have on the dinner menu tonight?"
	"Boiled peckfish, I believe."
	Mara made a face, then continued, "Perhaps you could fix us 
something different and bring it home.  How about what you made 
last time?"
	Luke looked at her in surprise.  They had rarely spoken of 
that night.  "Sure, if you like.  We still have that bottle of 
wine to go with it."
	"Perfect."

	A sense of deja-vu came over Mara as she entered their 
quarters that evening, though this time Luke had their meal set 
out on their small dining table.		
	After Mara changed into the closest thing she had to 
comfortable loungewear, Luke pulled out a chair for her.
	"This really is delicious, you know," Mara complimented him.  
"Perhaps you could teach me to make it sometime, or do I not want 
to know what's in here?"
	Mara wants to learn to cook? he thought skeptically.  
"Secret recipe, but I guess I can share my secrets with you," he 
winked.
	They continued on with small talk, discussing each other's 
afternoon.
	"Do you suppose this is how normal people live when they get 
married?" Mara wondered aloud.
	"Now what makes you think I know anything about normal 
people?  I haven't felt normal since I left Tatooine."
	"I don't remember ever feeling normal."
	"Maybe we'll both have a chance now, while we're on this 
ship."

	After dinner, they settled themselves on the couch.
	"Luke, do you ever wish you could turn back time?"
	"How far back did you have in mind?"
	"To our first night together, or rather, the next day."
She intertwined her hand with his.  "I know I told you that morning
I never wanted to turn back in our relationship.  I've changed my 
mind. Can we redo the rest of that day?  Pretend it never 
happened?"
	Luke reached out and cupped her face.  "We can't deny it 
happened, but it doesn't have to affect the rest of our lives."
He gave her a half-smile.  "I won't mention it again if you 
won't."
	"Deal."
	Luke cautiously kissed the palms of her hands.  He drew her 
close and gently brushed her lips.
	"Make love to me, Luke," Mara whispered.
	*Yes* she heard in her mind.
	Luke drew her closer and kissed her again.  Suddenly the past 
few days were forgotten as their arms encircled each other 
and their tongues seemed to want to trade places.  Ten years of 
pent-up emotions gushed forth from both of them.  They barely made 
it to the bedroom, and once there, practically ripped each other's 
clothes off.  This would not be the slow, gentle lovemaking of 
their previous night together.  'A Jedi Knows No Passion' flew right 
out the porthole.  They were consumed with desire, and they would 
not be denied.

	The next day, B'Elanna looked up as Mara rushed in.  "You 
just made it," she commented as she glanced at the chrono.
	"Sorry," Mara mumbled.
	"I came by your room about an hour ago to see if you wanted a 
cup of coffee before work, but no one answered your door."
	"I guess I was in the shower about then."
	"Oh, and where was Luke off to already?  I didn't see him in 
the mess hall."
	"He was home, with me."
	B'Elanna gave her a strange look.  "You were both in the shower?"
	Mara hoped she wasn't blushing.  "Well, actually ..."
	"Never mind, I don't want to know," B'Elanna said as she held 
up a hand to silence Mara.  "And it's none of my business."
	Mara exhaled gratefully.  She'd never engaged in girl talk about 
a man before, and didn't feel ready to start now.  This conversation 
definitely needed a new subject.  "How about you show me more about 
the warp core?"

	Luke had sprinted to the mess hall in record time.
	"There you are!"  Neelix boomed.  "I thought I was going to have 
to cook by myself today."
	"Sorry.  I guess we overslept."  Luke couldn't suppress the grin 
on his face.
	"Until 11:00?"  Neelix laughed.  "You seem to be in an awfully 
good mood.  Ah, young love is a wonderful thing."
	"It certainly is," Luke agreed.  "I haven't felt this relaxed 
in years.  Being on Voyager is like being on a second honeymoon.  
Actually, we never had much of a first one."
	"Well, then, by all means, enjoy it, my friend," Neelix smiled. 
"Though I would have thought a meditation teacher would be relaxed
all the time."
	Luke stopped.  "Well, uh, with Mara always gone on trading 
runs, things were sometimes a little strained."
	"I see," Neelix answered, though he had the feeling Luke was 
hiding something.
	Luke suppressed the urge to listen in on Neelix's thoughts, 
as Neelix seemed to be mulling over Luke's explanation.
	"What are we cooking today?" Luke asked, as he attempted to 
change the subject.

	*Things going as well for you as they are for me?* Luke heard 
in his head.
	*I think we should give them something to talk about every 
morning* he replied to Mara.
	*In your dreams, flyboy*
	Luke smiled to himself.  *See you at lunch, my beautiful 
dream-come-true.*

	When Mara entered the mess hall a few hours later, Luke was
already waiting for her at what had become 'their table.'
"How has your morning been going?" he asked.
	"You mean besides admitting we were both in the shower and 
couldn't hear the door chime when B'Elanna came by this morning?"  
Mara frowned, but didn't really seem too upset.  "How about your 
day?"
	"Okay, except for explaining how I was nearly late because 
we both overslept."
	"Well, we'll just have to get up earlier tomorrow."
	"I know, I promised Tuvoc I'd meditate with him in the morning."
	"You should have plenty to meditate about," Mara winked at him 
wickedly.
	Luke reached over and took her free hand.  "I just hope I don't 
get so absorbed in a trance I start levitating off the floor."
	Mara laughed lightly.  "Concentrate, you must concentrate," she
said in her best Yoda imitation, causing Luke to chuckle.
	"Mara," Luke turned serious now, "I feel things are going
to be fine between us from now on."
	"Jedi intuition?"
	Luke shrugged, smiling.  "Perhaps."
	"Then I must be a Jedi, because I have the same feeling."
	Indeed, only two Jedi could make love mentally in the middle of 
a crowded dining hall.

    
	The next morning, Luke awoke first again.  Darn farmer's 
chrono, he thought.  He was giving the still sleeping Mara a 
gentle hug when his early morning appointment occurred to him.  
He checked the time and leapt out of bed.  When he came out of 
the shower, Mara was looking at him.  She remembered his 
meditation date with Tuvoc.
	"Remember me when you're in that trance," she teased him.
	"How can I think of anything else?" he replied, as he leaned over 
and gave her a kiss.  Luke left quickly, before the temptation to just 
get back into bed got any stronger.

	"Enter," Luke heard as he pushed Tuvoc's door chime.  The quarters 
he entered seemed rather sparse, then he realized they reminded him of 
his own back home.
	"Good morning, Commander," Luke greeted his host.
 	"Thank you for coming, Mr. Skywalker," Tuvoc replied.
	"Please call me Luke."
	"As you wish," Tuvoc replied, though it went against his nature 
to be so informal.
	They seated themselves on the floor, cross-legged.
	"How would you like to begin?" Luke asked tentatively.
	"Perhaps you could go through the basic concepts of meditation as 
you would to your beginning students, and I will compare these concepts 
to my own methods."
	"All right," Luke said slowly.  Why did he ever agree to this?  He 
wasn't sure if he could explain anything without using the concept of the 
Force.  Well, he'd just have to give it a try.  No, he would do.
	"Let's close our eyes," he began, "and take several deep breaths. 
Let your body relax.  Clear your mind.  For now, there is no Voyager, no
Starfleet, no Delta Quadrant.  There is only the sound of my voice.  
Relax.  Relax," Luke's soothing voice emphasized.
	The thought crossed Luke's mind that Tuvoc may have invited him 
here only to disprove his claim to be a meditation teacher.  He would 
just have to do his best.
	"Open yourself to the power of your mind," Luke continued, careful 
not to say power of the Force.  "Now choose one thing, or one person, to 
concentrate on."  Luke felt Tuvoc think of his wife.
	"Good.  Now think only of her face, her features.  Her expression 
the last time you saw her.  Let her strength flow through you.  Let it 
fill you."
	Luke continued in this manner for some time.
	"Now, it is time to come back to this room.  Back to Voyager.  
Back to Starfleet.  I want you to open your eyes now, Tuvoc."
	Tuvoc's eyes fluttered open.  "That was very relaxing.  But 
tell me, how did you know I was thinking of my wife?"
	Oops!  Luke had to think fast.  "Neelix told me you were married.  
I imagine everyone on this ship thinks a great deal about their loved 
ones back home."
	"I see," Tuvoc replied, in his usual deadpan voice.
	"Perhaps you could show me some of the things you do when you 
meditate," Luke suggested.
	Tuvoc retrieved an old-fashioned wax candle in a candleholder 
and set it on the floor between them.  He lit it with a small 
incendiary device.
	"I have found, with enough concentration, I am able to make 
the flame flicker."
	"Fascinating," Luke encouraged him.  "Please proceed."
	Luke thought of how he had used this same exercise with his 
beginning students.  Some things were the same even galaxies apart.
	Tuvoc closed his eyes briefly, then slowly opened them and 
stared at the flame.  It began to flicker, almost imperceptibly at 
first, then stronger.
	After a few moments Tuvoc exhaled, and the flame stilled.
	"That is very good.  It takes a well-controlled mind to be 
able to manipulate objects," Luke praised.
	"All Vulcans have highly controlled minds.  It is the foundation 
of our society."  Tuvoc nodded at the flame.  "Do you, Luke, have the 
ability to move the flame with your mind?"
	Luke hesitated.  Of course he could make the candle dance 
through the air with no effort whatsoever.  But that wasn't an option 
right now.  Surely, however, it wouldn't hurt to exercise as much 
mind control as Tuvoc had just demonstrated.
	Luke didn't reply out loud, but instead fixed his gaze on the 
candle.  The flame seemed to grow brighter, then moved in a circular 
motion in one direction, then stopped and moved in the opposite 
direction.  Tuvoc's eyes widened, and Luke thought he had gone far 
enough.  Perhaps too far.  The flame returned to its original position, 
and Luke raised his eyes to Tuvoc.  "The mind is a powerful object," 
he stated simply.
	"Indeed, most impressive," Tuvoc bestowed a rare compliment.  
"I would be grateful if you could teach me your methods of control."
	"Of course.  But I seem to have run out of time this morning.  
My shift starts shortly."
	Luke excused himself and left hurriedly.  He had the sudden 
feeling that Mara would not approve of what he had just done.  He 
hoped she was not paying attention to his thoughts this morning.  
With luck, she had gone back to sleep.

	Luke continued on to the mess hall and had just about put 
the candle flame incident out of his mind.  After several hours, 
Mara and B'Elanna entered.  As Luke happened to be busy at the 
moment, they joined Chakotay and Tuvoc, who had also just arrived.
	"Wasn't it this morning that you were going to share 
meditation techniques with Luke?" Chakotay was asking Tuvoc.  
"How did that go?"
	Mara's ears perked up.
	"Very well," Tuvoc replied.  "I found many of his methods 
to be very helpful.  And he has an extremely controlled mind.  
Do you recall, Commander, that exercise I do with the candle flame?  
Luke was able to make the flame grow brighter, and then have it 
move in a controlled circular pattern.  I have not seen that kind 
of mind power since Kes left."
	Mara couldn't believe her ears.  "Excuse me," she interrupted 
Tuvoc.  "Did you say Luke moved a candle flame around, with his mind?"
	"Yes, that is correct.  Were you not aware what your husband 
is capable of?"
	"Yes, I am," she replied coldly.  "And he is aware what I am 
capable of."
	Mara got up quickly and marched back to the kitchen area.  
B'Elanna and the others watched in astonishment as Mara grabbed 
Luke by the hair and pulled him off to one side.
	"Ouch!" Luke protested.  "What are you doing?"
	"What is wrong with you?" Mara said in a low and menacing 
voice.
	"What are you talking about?" Luke kept his voice equally 
low.
	"I'm talking about your little dancing candle flame trick.  
Aren't you the one who wanted to keep our powers a secret?  So the 
first chance you get, you start moving things with your mind?"  
Mara emphasized her point by poking him in the chest.  She was 
hopping mad.  Luke managed to pull her farther out of anyone's 
earshot.
	"Now hold on.  It wasn't that bad."  Luke was not going to 
let her rattle him.  "Tuvoc moved the flame first.  I did nothing 
more than he himself did.  That shouldn't arouse any suspicion."
	"Well, Tuvoc seems to think you did more.  And he's telling 
everyone about it."
	B'Elanna, Chakotay, and Tuvoc couldn't hear what was being 
said, but they could see the angry expressions and gesturing arms.
	"I see now what's happening,"  Mara was continuing in a 
deadly tone.  "Tuvoc asked if you could match his control, and 
you couldn't back down from the challenge.  I'd expect something 
like this from Calrissian or that half-witted brother-in-law of 
yours, but I thought you were above this kind of thing."  Mara 
was certainly wound up now.
	"Just one minute.  You're blowing this all out of proportion.  
And since when do I have to answer to you for my actions?"  Luke's 
eyes were cold and menacing.  Anyone but Mara would have been 
trembling in fear.  "I don't have to listen to this!"  Luke turned 
and stormed into the rear of the kitchen.
	Still fuming, Mara stomped out of the mess hall.
	"What do you suppose brought all that on?" B'Elanna echoed 
everyone's thoughts.  "Why should his moving a flame upset her so?  
I mean, no offense Tuvoc, but if you can do it, it's not too far 
of a stretch that a guy who meditates constantly would be able to."
	"It seems to me," Chakotay put in, "that her reaction was 
triggered by the fact that he did move the flame, not any surprise 
that he was able to."
	"I agree, Commander," Tuvoc answered.  "It appears there is 
more to the Skywalkers than meets the eye."
	"Well, I have to get back to my shift," B'Elanna said as 
she stood.  "Perhaps I can sound Mara out a little."

	But Mara was not to be sounded out at all, B'Elanna discovered.  
Instead, she concentrated on her engineering work, refusing to talk 
about 'that stubborn schoolteacher she had the poor judgment to marry.'  
She continued her aloofness during her shift in sickbay, where the 
Doctor thankfully hadn't heard about the incident in the mess hall 
yet.
	Meanwhile, Luke had his hands full evading Neelix's questions.  
Though he knew Neelix meant well, he would only reply that he didn't 
want to talk about 'that hard-headed woman he had married in a 
momentary lapse of judgment.'

	At the end of his shift, Luke didn't feel like going directly 
back to his quarters; their quarters, that is.  Instead he headed 
for one of the holodecks and played a game of parrises squares 
against a computer-generated opponent.  How dare she talk to him 
like that?  He was a Jedi Master.  No one ever scolded him, or 
even raised their voice to him.
	He'd overheard Leia tear into Han on more than one occasion,
and now realized why Han sometimes retreated to work on the Falcon
when, oddly enough, it didn't even need working on.  Wasn't that 
the same think he was doing here in the holodeck?  Hiding out?  
Licking his wounds?  Taking out his frustrations on a phony 
opponent that wouldn't talk back?
	"Computer, end program."
	Luke sat cross-legged on the bare floor of the holodeck.  
He contemplated Mara's words to him and considered the possibility 
that she was right.  Tuvoc had challenged him and he foolishly 
thought there would be no consequences in taking up that challenge.  
Had he subconsciously been wanting to 'show off' his abilities 
every since they arrived?  Pride was not a trait a Jedi should 
possess.  He had some apologizing to do.  It was time to go 'home.'

	Luke entered their suite and found Mara sitting up in bed 
reading a datapad.  She didn't even glance at him as he walked 
through and went to the 'fresher.  When he came out she had turned 
out the lights and was lying on her side, facing away from him.  
For one fleeting moment Luke wondered if she expected him to 
sleep on the couch.
	*You can sleep here.  It's a big bed,* he heard in his mind.
	Quietly he slipped under the covers, but kept his distance.
	"Mara, I'm sorry," he whispered.  She turned over, but did 
not move any closer.  "I acted foolishly and impulsively.  You 
were right.  I took it as a challenge.  I..."
	"Luke," Mara interrupted, as she inched nearer to him.  
"You're human.  It happens."
	"It's not suppose to happen to me.  I'm supposed to be the 
one setting the example for Jedi to follow.  Now you know why Yoda 
didn't even want to train me."
	She heard him roll over and sigh in the darkness.  She scooted 
over next to him and put one arm around his waist.  "Luckily there's 
no Jedi here to see your example."
	"You're here," he stated simply.
	"I don't count.  I already know all your shortcomings, farmboy.  
And if it makes you feel any better, I don't think anyone would have 
thought much about you moving that flame if I hadn't made such a 
spectacle in the mess hall.  I handled that all wrong, and if we're 
caught, I'll be more to blame than you."
	Luke pulled her close and stroked her cheek.
	"I don't think it'll do us any good to debate who's to blame.  
And what would it hurt if we were caught?  Being a Jedi is nothing 
to be ashamed of.  Maybe we should just tell the Captain."
	"I think that would just make us look guilty.  No, let's wait 
and see what happens."

	A few moments of silence ensued, during which they held each 
other tightly.
	"Mara?" Luke whispered.
	"Yes?"
	Luke hesitated, then whispered quickly before he lost his nerve.  
"I wish you really were my wife."
	Mara was momentarily stunned, then found her voice.  "Why, 
Skywalker, is this a proposal?"
	He kissed her lightly.  "What would be your answer if it was?"
	"Try me."
	Luke doubted he had ever been this nervous in his life.  He 
knelt up in the bed, then pulled Mara up to face him.
	"Mara, I've admired you and treasured your friendship ever 
since I met you.  Well, since a few days after I met you, anyway."
	Mara stifled a snicker.
	"In the past few weeks, though, I've realized how much you 
mean to me," Luke continued.  "I need you, Mara."  He squeezed her 
hands tighter.  "I love you, and I want to marry you, if you'll have 
this sorry excuse for a Jedi Master."
	A jumble of emotions was running through Mara.  She could feel 
his anxiety.  "Luke," she began, "you are the only person to know 
the real me, perhaps even better than I know myself.  From the moment 
you came back to check on me when we crashed in the forest on Myrkr, 
I knew you were different from anyone I had ever met.  I was supposed 
to hate you, but I found I couldn't.  You trusted me when no one else 
did.  You are the only one to ever truly be my friend, no strings 
attached.  All that snapping at you was because I was scared to admit,
even to myself, that I liked you."
	Mara took a deep breath, trying to steady her pounding heart.  
"And now, I've fallen in love with you.  But not because you're a 
Jedi Master, or a war hero, or powerful in the Force.  I love the 
naïve farmboy, the tender lover, the caring, compassionate man you 
are.  Yes, Luke, I will marry you."
	Luke thought his heart would burst with happiness.  As he pulled 
her into a passionate kiss, he dropped all his barriers and let his 
emotions flood into her.  She gasped, then relaxed and did the same.  
He felt her love for him pour through him.  They both knew they would 
never again have any barriers between them.

	The next morning Luke awoke to strains of music coming from 
the outer room.  He instantly sensed Mara was no longer in bed 
beside him.  He got up, pulled on some pants, and went out to 
investigate.
	Mara was dancing gracefully, swaying to the music in perfect 
harmony.  Luke knew she had used the undercover guise of a dancer 
at more places than just Jabba's palace.  As he leaned against the 
doorway, smiling, Mara paused and glanced at him.
	"And what are you staring at?" she asked.
	"My beautiful fiancée," he responded, as he sent a feeling 
of love her way.
	"So why don't you come over here and join her?"
	"You know I don't dance."
	"It seems to me you've been doing other things lately you've 
never done before.  I know you're light on your feet.  It's time 
you learned."  She tugged on him with the Force, and his resistance 
weakened.
	Mara had been dancing to lively, exotic music.  "Can we at 
least start out with slower music?" Luke pleaded.
	Mara laughed gaily.  "Of course.  Computer, play 'Love in 
the Morning'."
	She took his hands, and transmitted the step instructions 
to him via the Force.  Luke, on his part, was a fast learner.  
"So what inspired you to get up and dance this morning?"
	"You," she answered.  At his surprised look she continued, 
"I just felt happy, carefree as a Judok bird.  I felt like dancing."
	"So you don't regret your answer last night?"
	"Not at all.  You don't regret asking the question, do you?"
	"Never," Luke smiled.
	"So how do you propose this marriage should take place?  
Everyone here thinks we're already married.  It's not like we 
can just pull over to the nearest planet and find a wedding 
chapel."
	"I know.  If we were going home soon, I'd say wait until 
then.  But..."
	"But we may never get home.  We have to face reality."
	Luke held her tighter.  "I guess we could admit the truth 
to the Captain.  Surely they have some way for people to get 
married here.  I'll consult the computer later."
	"We're getting too melancholy here.  This is an engagement 
celebration.  Computer, livelier music."
	The mood lightened as the happy couple twirled, swayed, 
and kissed till mid-morning.

	B'Elanna saw Luke and Mara leave their suite hand in hand, 
and caught up with them at the turbo-lift.
	"Well, you two seem to be in a much better mood this 
morning."
	"We are in an incredibly wonderful mood," Luke grinned.  
"Contrary to what everyone thinks back home, this is one 
understanding woman."
	Not surprisingly, that comment invoked a bop on the head 
from a certain redhead.
	They reached the level of the mess hall, and Luke gave 
Mara a quick kiss as he exited.  "See you at lunch," he called.
	"You'd better be fixing something good today, or you'll 
see just how understanding I can be, " he heard in reply.
	"So are you going to tell me what happened to put you two 
in an 'incredibly wonderful mood'?" B'Elanna inquired when she 
and Mara were alone.
	"Uh, it's, uh, rather personal."  Mara didn't know what to 
say.  "Suffice it to say that being here is like a second honeymoon 
for us."
	"I see," B'Elanna grinned slyly.  "And when are we going 
to hear the patter of little feet around here?"
	"What!" Mara protested as the meaning of B'Elanna's words 
sunk in.  "No, oh no.  We're not ready for that.  Not for a long 
time.  I'm not ready," she repeated.
	"If you say so," B'Elanna acknowledged, in a tone which 
suggested she didn't believe a word.

	Luke likewise was interrogated when Neelix caught him 
humming to himself.
	"I don't see any black and blue marks," Neelix commented 
as he looked Luke over.
	"Pardon me?" Luke questioned.
	"I take it you and your lovely wife patched things up.  
You, at least, seem pretty chipper."
	"Couldn't be better.  It was really a minor disagreement.  
We worked it out."
	"Glad to hear it.  By the way, Voyager is scheduled to reach 
a planet called Antare in a few days.  If sensors show an abundance 
of plant life, perhaps I'll be able to gather some new provisions."
	Luke's interest was aroused immediately.  "How many crew members 
are allowed to leave the ship when you arrive at a planet?"
	"Usually the Captain sends a small away team of about six to 
scout the local communities.  On occasion, more of the crew can beam 
down on a rotating basis."
	Harry had explained to Luke about matter transfer, or beaming, 
as they called it.
	"Do you think the Captain would allow me to go along?  It's 
been a long time since I've spent this many weeks on board a ship.  
I could help you collect food provisions."
	Neelix looked thoughtful.  "Well, it's possible.  We can ask 
her when we reach orbit."

	Luke's mood became even brighter the rest of the day, if that 
was possible.  He longed to set foot on a planet, any planet.  He 
missed the richness of animal and plant life.  Mara could see the 
anxious look in his eyes when he brought up the subject at lunch.
	"I hope it doesn't turn out to be a desert planet," Luke mused.
	"I would think that would make you feel at home," Mara kidded 
him.
	"Tatooine wasn't that bad, really," he rebuked.  "Though I 
thought it was, growing up.  I've been in a lot worse places since 
then."
	"I've been to Tatooine, and it's not somewhere I'd want to 
call home."
	"And where would you like to call home?" Luke asked.  "We'll 
have to discuss that one of these days."
	"You mean if we ever get back.  Right now it looks like this 
ship is our home," Mara sighed.  "But if we do find a way..."
	"WHEN we find a way," Luke interrupted.
	"When we find a way home," she frowned, "then, I don't know.  
Coruscant is the closest thing I've ever known as 'home.'  But I 
know you like Yavin better."
	He reached across and clasped her hand.  "I'll live wherever 
you want.  As long as we're together, even if it's on your ship.  
I don't want to spend half our time apart."
	Mara smiled at his earnestness.  "I want us to be together, 
too.  I guess we can discuss the location when we arrive back in 
our galaxy."
	Luke nodded in agreement.

	The next morning Luke had agreed to spend some meditation 
time with Commander Chakotay.
	"He doesn't do candles, does he?" Mara mumbled from under 
the covers, as Luke dressed.
	"Let's hope not.  And I promise not to repeat the other 
morning's episode.  I don't want to lose any more hair," he joked, 
rubbing his head.

	Luke and Chakotay started off with breathing exercises, and 
then Chakotay explained the vision quests he practiced, passed 
down from his ancestors.  Luke thought they sounded similar to 
visions he sometimes had.
	"Do you ever have visions when you meditate?" the Commander 
asked Luke.
	A Jedi doesn't lie, Luke kept telling himself, though he 
and Mara had not been doing a very good job of keeping to that 
axiom.
	"I let my mind wander and have daydreams, of a sort," Luke 
answered, though he didn't sound very truthful to his own ears.
	"Well, how about we meditate and see what happens," Chakotay 
suggested.
	"Fine," Luke agreed.
	They both settled on the floor cross-legged.  Chakotay lit 
a small incense burner, surrounded by several Indian artifacts.  
Luke noted his entire room was decorated with wall hangings and 
other objects Luke supposed were of his ancestors.  Chakotay began 
chanting softly, and Luke closed his eyes and let the Force flow 
though him.  Though Luke knew he could enter his companion's mind, 
and follow Chakotay's vision quest, that is not something he would 
do without permission.  No, he would simply meditate on his own, 
listening to Chakotay's soothing chant.  Perhaps some visions of 
his own would come his way.
	Images did indeed come to Luke.  He saw himself on a strange 
planet, along with several of Voyager's crew.  Suddenly he had his 
lightsaber out, fending off shots from an opponent he couldn't 
quite make out.
	After a few moments, he seemed to be back on Voyager.  He 
saw Mara, smiling at him, then he saw her holding a small bundle.  
What was it?  The scene then changed, and he saw Leia's face.  She 
looked strained with worry, with deep lines on her face and streaks 
of gray beginning to show in her hair.  She started weeping, and 
then Han appeared and held her close.  Luke instinctively knew she 
was crying for him, and he wanted to reach out and touch her, tell 
her he was all right.  The children appeared around them.  They 
all looked older.  The boys were trying to look stoic, but Jaina 
buried her face in her father's chest.  Luke's heart felt heavy.  
He wondered if they believed he was dead, since they wouldn't be 
able to sense him.  He was filled with guilt.  How could he and 
Mara be frolicking together here, while Leia and her family were 
mourning?
	Luke felt like he was being watched.  He came out of his 
trance to find Chakotay looking at him.
	Luke spoke first.  "Did you find anything on your vision 
quest?"
	"Actually, yes.  I saw you, holding some kind of lighted 
stick.  We were being attacked, I think.  That was all I could 
tell.  Then I awoke.  How about you?"
	Luke was surprised that Chakotay's vision matched one of 
his own, but decided not to mention it.  
	"I dreamed of my sister," Luke answered dejectedly.  "She 
looked very sad.  This must be hard on her, not knowing what 
happened to me.  To Mara and me."  He looked up at Chakotay.  
"We're twins, we're very close."
	"I understand.  All of us on Voyager left loved ones at 
home.  At least you have your wife with you."
	"I do feel fortunate in that regard.  I guess we should 
consider ourselves lucky.  And we've only been here a few weeks.  
You've been here four years."  Luke chuckled softly.  "But you 
do know which direction to head."
	"And that it will take us another fifty years," Chakotay 
added.
	"Perhaps a miracle will come along."
	"We're always hoping."

	Luke returned to his quarters before his duty shift started, 
and Mara met him at the door.  She hugged him tightly.  "I felt 
your sadness.  What happened?"
	Luke walked over and sat on the couch, pulling her onto his 
lap.  "I had a vision while meditating.  I saw Leia and Han and 
the kids.  They seemed to be in mourning.  Leia looked in terrible 
shape.  I don't even know if it was the present or the future."
	"And the future is always in motion," Mara reminded him.  
"We may be back before things get that bad."  She laid her head 
on his shoulder.
	"We'll never give up hope," he whispered, as much to himself 
as to her.
	They sat there in silence until it was nearly time for their 
shifts to start.

	Four days later, Voyager reached orbit of the planet Antare.  
The bridge crew was busy taking readings on the planet.  Or at 
least trying to.
	"It is a Class M planet," Tuvoc reported.  "However, it has 
a dense ionic outer atmosphere that prevents our sensors from 
getting accurate readings.  Also, we would not be able to transport 
or send a communication through the atmosphere."
	"I see," replied the Captain.  "Still, our food supplies need 
replenishing, if we want a variety to eat that is, and we could use 
some iridium if it's available.  Therefore, I believe I'll send an 
away team in a shuttle.  Commander Chakotay, you will be in charge.  
You can scan for life forms, cities, and agricultural areas once 
you are through the outer atmosphere.  Tuvoc, Kim, Paris, and 
Neelix can accompany you.  You may depart as soon as you are ready."
	"Aye, aye, Captain," acknowledged Chakotay.
	Luke had made his way to the bridge as soon as he sensed their 
approach to the planet, and had been standing quietly to the side.  
It was now or never.
	"Captain, request permission to accompany the away team."
	Janeway turned and looked at him.  "And your purpose for this 
request?"
	"I could help Neelix gather foodstuffs.  There may be varieties 
that I would be familiar with but the others would not."  Luke 
resisted the temptation to use mind control to convince her.
	Captain Janeway, for her part, doubted his story of possibly 
being knowledgeable of the local plant life, but she could sympathize 
with his restlessness in being on board a ship this long.
	"Ordinarily I would not assign someone this new to the crew to 
join an away team, especially when the planet is virtually unknown 
to us.  Of course, it's been a long time since we had anyone new to 
the crew."  She smiled, as if she were considering his request, then 
turned serious.  "If the planet turns out to be hostile, Chakotay 
and the others may not be able to look out for your well being."
	"I assure you, Captain, I can look out for myself," Luke replied, 
putting as much conviction in his voice as he could without using the 
Force.
	Chakotay remembered his vision quest from the other morning.  
"I don't believe there would be any harm in letting him come along," 
he said on Luke's behalf.
	Janeway hesitated, then nodded toward Luke.  "Very well, you 
may join them.  But you will be under Commander Chakotay's direct 
supervision.  I expect you to obey orders just like any other member 
of this crew."
	"Understood, Captain," Luke smiled graciously.  "And thank you."
	"Report to shuttle bay nine in one hour.  Consult with Neelix 
on what you need to bring and wear," Chakotay instructed Luke.
	"Yes, commander," Luke replied, as he turned and left.
	Janeway turned to Chakotay.  "Are you sure about this?  What 
prompted you to vouch for him?"
	"Just a feeling."  He was reluctant to discuss his vision.  
"Remember his manual landing in the shuttle bay when they first 
arrived?  I don't believe he will be a detriment to the mission."
	"I hope you're right.  With communication to the ship impossible, 
you will all be on your own down there."
	"I know.  We will be cautious.  You will have a full report 
as soon as we return."
	"Very well, Commander," Janeway dismissed him.

	Luke found out what type clothing was usually worn on away 
missions, and it was not much different than his usual clothes.  He 
and Mara had been allowed to continue wearing ordinary clothes, not 
Starfleet uniforms, and Luke had been adding variety to his wardrobe 
instead of just black Jedi wear, much to Mara's delight.  Since 
nothing was known about the planet Antare, the away team could only 
hope they would blend in.
	"This isn't fair, Skywalker," Mara whined.  "I want to go 
too."
	"The Captain barely let me go.  There's no way she'd let us 
both go."
	"So how come I can't be the one who goes, and you stay 
here?"
	"And you're going to help Neelix gather plants for food?"
	"Don't make me laugh," she retorted.  "I know you, Luke 
Skywalker.  That's not the real reason you're so anxious to go."
	Luke looked at her for a moment.  "You remember when I 
meditated with Chakotay a few mornings ago, and I told you about 
my vision?"
	She nodded.  "About Leia and Han and the kids."
	"Yes, but I had another vision as well.  Two, actually.  
Anyway, in one of them, I saw myself on a strange planet, with 
the same crewmembers that are going on this mission, and we were 
attacked.  And to top it off, Chakotay told me he had a vision 
of me holding a lighted stick.  Mara, I feel I need to be there."
	Mara's only reply was to go get his lightsaber and hand it 
to him.  He stuck it inside his outer tunic, then pulled her close.  
"I love you so much," he whispered, and kissed her tenderly.
	Finally she pulled away reluctantly, and tugged him toward 
the door.  "C'mon, you don't want to be late for your first mission.  
I'll walk you to the shuttle bay."

	Hand in hand, they entered Shuttle Bay Nine.
	"There you are," Tom said boisterously.  "We'll be ready to 
go in a few minutes."
	Chakotay approached them.  "Hello, Luke, Mara.  Luke, we'll 
be carrying concealed phasers.  Are you familiar with a phaser's 
operation?"
	"I have not actually used one, but they are similar to the 
blasters we have at home," Luke replied, as he took the phaser 
and slipped it in his tunic, opposite his lightsaber.  He had no 
doubt in his mind as to which one he would pull out to use first 
if needed.
	Mara pulled Luke to the side and gave him a kiss goodbye.
	"Hey, do we all get a goodbye kiss?" asked Harry.
	"Dream on, flyboy," Mara laughed.  She turned back to Luke.  
"Be careful," she whispered to him.
	"I will," he answered quietly, "and I'll keep in touch."
	He started to turn away, but she touched his arm as an 
afterthought struck her.  "You said you had two other visions.  
What was the second one?"
	He grinned at her.  "I saw you, smiling, and you were holding 
a ... baby."  Of course, he hadn't been able to tell what was 
wrapped in the bundle he saw, but somehow he just knew.
	Mara's mouth dropped open, and Luke hurried onto the shuttle 
before she could retaliate.
	*I'll get even with you* Luke heard in his mind.
	*Can't wait* he sent back.

	The shuttle veered away from Voyager.  As they entered the 
ionic atmosphere, communication between the two ships ceased.
	"Well, Luke, I guess this will be quite an adventure for you," 
Neelix commented.
	"Why do you say that?" Luke replied.
	"I wouldn't think a meditation teacher would go on many 
undercover missions."
	"I didn't know we were going undercover?" Luke gave Chakotay 
a puzzled look.
	"We're not, really," Chakotay answered, kidding Neelix.  
"Neelix tends to get a little melodramatic.  That doesn't mean 
we'll be telling our whole life stories, though, either.  We'll 
just play it by ear, since we don't know what to expect on the 
planet."
	"I see.  But in answer to you, Neelix, I have been on quite 
a few undercover missions.  I wasn't always a meditation teacher."
	This brought questioning looks from the others.
	"So what were you before becoming a teacher?" Harry spoke up.
	"During the war I was a fighter pilot, but I saw a lot of 
groundside action also."
	"What kind of war?" asked Tom.
	"There was a senator who was very powerful and very evil.  
He declared himself Emperor and gradually his troops took over 
most of the galaxy.  I was part of the rebellion against him."
	"And your rebellion won the war?" inquired Chakotay.
	"Yes, it did, and peace was restored, though skirmishes still 
crop up now and then."
	"What rank were you?" asked Neelix.
	Luke seemed to look a little embarrassed.  "Well, I was a 
commander."
	"How long ago was this?" Tom asked.
	"The war ended about fifteen years ago, and I resigned my 
commission shortly after that."
	"Fifteen years!" Neelix seemed astonished.  "How old are 
you?"
	"Thirty-six," Luke replied uneasily.  "Remember, it was 
wartime, and officers were in short supply," he added.
	"Is that where you met Mara?" Tom asked.
	"No, I didn't meet her until about five years after the 
war.  Anyway, she was on the other side."
	"She worked for this evil Emperor?" Neelix asked incredulously.
	Luke wished he hadn't brought that part up.  "You'll have 
to ask her sometime."
	Thankfully, Tuvoc announced they were coming out of the ionic 
atmosphere by then.
	"Sensors show a town to the north," Tom reported as their 
shuttle neared the planet's surface.  Luke, of course, could sense 
the inhabitants immediately.  Most of them felt harmless, though 
he was picking up pockets of hostility.
	"Put down just outside the town," Chakotay ordered.  "We 
don't want to attract any unnecessary attention."
	Tom skillfully brought the shuttle down in the midst of a 
small clearing surrounded by trees and dense foliage.  They exited 
cautiously, but the area appeared deserted.  Luke stretched out 
with the Force, but felt no presences nearby.
	
	The short walk into town was uneventful, and they soon 
reached a marketplace.  The crew did not see any evidence of 
this being a technologically advanced society.  They seemed to 
be more agricultural oriented.  As they wandered through the 
open-air market, Neelix and Luke stopped to inspect the various 
fruits and vegetables for sale.  Luke kept his eyes and senses 
open for possible danger, and was relieved to notice the rest 
of the crew seemed alert.
	"Let's continue on," Chakotay said.  "We need to inquire 
about the availability of iridium, though I don't expect to 
find any."
	The villagers didn't appear to be paying much attention 
to them, which seemed odd to Luke, since they looked different 
than the humanoid residents.  Perhaps they had received alien 
visitors previously.
	
	Suddenly Luke's danger sense flared.  He looked around, 
narrowing his gaze, and noticed Chakotay watching him curiously.  
Luke stretched out with the Force, and felt ten, no twelve, 
hostile minds.
	Luke quickened his pace and walked next to Commander 
Chakotay.  "Commander," he murmured quietly, "we are being 
followed."
	Chakotay glanced at him, concerned.  "How do you know?  
I've seen no one." 
	"I just know.  Trust me.  There are twelve beings following 
us.  He paused, then continued.  "Two are moving 
up to each side of us now.  They mean to do us harm."
	Chakotay seemed to be absorbing his words.  He whispered to 
the others, "Everyone, be ready with your phasers.  We may have 
company."
	Luke noted the street was crowded with passers-by.  "Commander, 
might I suggest we move to a less crowded side street?  There are 
many bystanders here they could use as cover."
	Chakotay nodded in agreement, and they casually detoured 
through a deserted alleyway.
	Chakotay jerked as Luke suddenly spun around.  Out of the 
shadows behind them suddenly appeared a dozen aliens.  They were 
obviously a different race than the villagers, and were all armed.
	"Who are you?  What do you want?" Chakotay demanded of them.
The apparent leader of the aliens waved his weapon threateningly 
and sneered at them.  "You are in no position to be questioning us."
	Just then, Chakotay saw one of his crew behind him make a 
sudden movement, and the firefight began.  Both sides were armed, 
but Voyager's crew was outnumbered 2 to 1.
	In a blur, Chakotay saw Luke reach into his tunic and withdraw 
some kind of silver handle.  A green light sprang out of one end, 
and Luke began deflecting the enemies' phaser shots, ALL of the 
enemies' phaser shots.  The crew stopped firing; they didn't need 
to fire.  They stared as Luke moved faster than they thought humanly 
possible.
	The aliens stopped firing momentarily also, and in that moment 
their weapons suddenly flew out of their grasps and landed at Luke's 
feet.  Luke raised his free hand and clenched his fist.  The phasers 
at his feet crumpled as if being crushed by an invisible iron hand.
	All of the aliens except the leader made a hasty retreat.  The 
leader felt himself being tugged toward Voyager's crew, his arms 
pinned to his sides.  Luke clipped his lightsaber to his belt.
	Chakotay stepped forward, giving Luke another curious glance.  
There would be time for explanations later.  "Now then," he addressed 
the leader, "why did you attack us?"
	"I don't have to tell you anything," the leader spat.
	Luke stared at the man.  "You will tell him what he wants to 
know," he said in an eerie voice.
	The man seemed hypnotized.  "I will tell you want you want to 
know," he repeated slowly.
	By this time the rest of the crew, even Tuvoc, seemed mesmerized.  
This couldn't possibly be the same Luke that had been living with them 
for nearly a month.
	"Who are you?" Chakotay began again.
	"I am Vanore, of the Ubossi clan," he replied in a monotone 
voice.
	"Why did you attack us?"
	"To steal your weapons.  We have no technology to build our 
own phasers or ships, so we take them from visitors who land here."  
The man's tongue was loosed now.  "Even as we speak, your shuttle 
is being moved to our compound, and your ship in orbit will soon
be attacked."
	"Where is your compound?" Chakotay asked.  He wanted to get 
as much information out of the man as he could.
	"North of the city," was the reply.
	Chakotay turned to Tom and Tuvoc.  "Tie him up, gag him, and 
stash him out of sight.  We need to get to that compound."
	"Commander," Neelix spoke up.  "Ensign Kim was hit in the 
arm by phaser fire."
	"It's nothing," Harry put in quickly.  "Just grazed me."
	"I wasn't aware any shots even got through," Tom put in.
	"It was right at the beginning," Harry explained, "before..."
	Luke felt everyone looking at him.  There wasn't time for 
lengthy explanations just yet.  He looked at Harry.  "May I see 
it?" he asked, nodding toward Harry's arm.
	Harry removed his hand with which he had been covering the 
wound.  Luke tore the sleeve open more to get a better look.  It 
wasn't very bad.  He put one hand over the wound and closed his 
eyes.  Harry felt a tingling sensation.
	After a few moments, Luke pulled his hand away.  Tom and 
Neelix both examined Harry's arm.
	"You can't even tell he was hit!" Neelix exclaimed.
	"We should get moving," was all Luke said.  Chakotay nodded 
in agreement.

	"I wish we had a way to warn the Captain," Chakotay said, 
as they waited for the alien to be bound.
	"We do," Luke said quietly.  He stared straight ahead, his 
eyes seeming to glaze over.  "Mara, hear me," he whispered.
	Aboard Voyager, Mara was helping B'Elanna when she suddenly 
stopped and got a far-away look on her face.  "Luke," she said 
softly.
	"What's that?" B'Elanna asked.
	Mara seemed to be listening intently, though B'Elanna could 
hear nothing.
	"I've got to see the Captain," Mara said quickly, and she 
raced for the turbolift.
	"Wait, I'm coming too," B'Elanna called.  They reached the 
bridge in record time.
	"Captain," Mara began, "the away team has been attacked."
	Janeway looked at her strangely.  "How do you know that?  
We aren't able to communicate through their atmosphere."
	Mara took a deep breath, then decided it was time to be 
honest.  "Luke and I can communicate telepathically.  He says 
the beings who attacked them claimed that their ships would soon 
attack Voyager.  Your sensors wouldn't be able to detect them 
until they emerged from the ionic atmosphere."
	Janeway stared at Mara, who appeared dead serious.  "Was 
anyone injured?"
	Mara paused, as if listening, then replied, "Ensign Kim 
was grazed by a phaser bolt, but he's all right now."
	"Red alert," the Captain ordered.

	Tom and Tuvoc returned from hiding the alien inside an 
empty doorway.  
	"Let's go," Chakotay ordered the others.
	As they headed through the back streets, Chakotay fell 
into step next to Luke.  "Are you ready to start accounting for 
yourself?" he asked.
	"I am a Jedi," Luke replied simply, as he continued scanning 
the areas they passed through.  "I have certain powers I can call 
upon."
	"Obviously," Chakotay smiled.  "Thank you.  We are in your 
debt."
	"No thanks are needed.  I will go into more detail when we 
return to Voyager."
	"I, for one, look forward to that, as I'm sure the Captain 
will, too."

	They reached the northern edge of the city and came upon a 
fortress of some sort, surrounded by a solid wall about eight 
meters high.
	"I don't suppose you can see through this wall and tell if 
our shuttle is in there?" Chakotay turned to Luke.
	Luke shook his head and smiled.  "No, 'fraid not.  I could 
cut a hole in the wall, but I think it would attract less attention 
if we just looked over the top."  Dusk was falling by this time, 
and a lightsaber would show up easily.
	The others looked up at the top of the wall, then at Luke.  
      "You first," Chakotay invited.  "I'll believe anything at this 
point."
	Luke nodded.  "I'll bring the rest of you up if I spot it."
He crouched, then sprang up in a blur and landed gently on the 
top of the wall, where there was a narrow ledge.  He saw their 
shuttle sitting in the middle of the compound, along with two 
guards standing next to it.  He easily directed the guards' attention 
in the opposite direction, then looked back down at the crew.
	Chakotay suppressed a gasp as he felt his feet leave the ground.  
Luke levitated him to a spot next to him on the ledge.  Chakotay 
looked at him with raised eyebrows, then followed Luke's gaze toward 
the shuttle and guards.  Luke put his finger to his lips, then made 
a hand gesture toward the guards.  They slowly fell to the ground, 
as if in a deep slumber.  Luke shrugged.  "They were very sleepy."  
Luke proceeded to levitate Tom, Harry, Neelix, and Tuvoc to the top.  
They were fairly well hidden in the shadows, and no other guards 
had appeared.
	"Will the trip down be as smooth?" Tom whispered.
	Luke nodded affirmative, then looked at Chakotay.
	"Let him go first," Chakotay acceded.  Luke scanned the open 
compound, but felt no other aliens there.
	"There are several dozen beings inside the fortress' main 
building," Luke whispered.
	"I'll be quiet," Tom promised, then found himself floating to 
the ground.  He hugged the inside perimeter of the wall, and was 
soon joined by the others.

	Meanwhile, on Voyager, the crew remained on red alert.
	"I want continuous scans in all directions," ordered Janeway, 
though she knew the order wasn't really necessary.  The ship's 
sensors would automatically alert them to any incoming ships.  
"Shields up," she added.
	"Captain," said Seven of Nine, who was occupying Harry's 
station, "aren't you overreacting to this ... questionable report?" 
She glared at Mara, who stared back with equal intensity.
	"That's enough," the Captain commanded.  "Seven, there is 
no harm in taking extra precautions, no matter..."
	"No matter how ridiculous my claim sounds," finished Mara 
with irritation.
	"Mara, please," Janeway began, then stopped when she saw 
Mara staring out the viewscreen.  "Mara, look at me when I'm 
addressing you." 	Mara turned and looked at the Captain.  "There is 
a ship approaching through the atmosphere.  It is not our shuttle."
	Janeway looked to Seven for confirmation.  "Sensors are 
still unable... wait, a ship has just exited the atmosphere.  
Its weapons are powered up."
	"Ready torpedoes," ordered the Captain.
	"Another ship is coming," Mara suddenly interrupted.
	Sure enough, within moments the second ship appeared.  
Almost immediately both ships began firing on Voyager.
	"Fire torpedoes," Janeway declared.  "Target their weapons' 
systems."
	"Shields holding," Seven reported.
	The firefight was short-lived.  The alien ships were no 
match for Voyager, and they retreated back toward the planet 
without acknowledging Voyager's hails.
	Janeway turned to Mara.  "What is the situation of the away 
team?"
	Now they believe me, thought Mara.  *Luke,* she sent 
through the force, *the enemy ships have been repelled.  And how 
are you doing, my love?*

	As the away team surveyed their path to the shuttle, 
Chakotay started to say something to Luke when he noticed the 
grin on the latter's face.
	"Something funny?" he questioned him.
	"No, no," Luke became serious again.  "Mara says Voyager 
defeated the attacking ships.  The Captain wants a report on 
our situation."
	"Then give it.  You seem to know what's going on better 
than anyone."
	"Yes, Commander," Luke replied, then fell silent as he 
'talked' to Mara.

	The away team silently made their way across the compound.  
Luke hid the sound as Tom lowered the shuttle's ramp.  They quickly 
entered and strapped in.  As soon as they powered up the engines, 
more lights in the fortress came on, and the Ubossi poured from 
the building.  Their phaser shots bounced harmlessly off the 
shuttle's shields.
	"This is one piece of technology they're not getting their 
hands on," Tom declared.
	"Yes, and they weren't in possession of it long enough to 
be able to copy any information.  The computer's security systems 
were not breached," added Tuvoc.
	"But we weren't able to get any of that delicious looking 
suni fruit," Neelix lamented, causing everyone to laugh.
	"I, for one, will just be grateful to get back to Voyager," 
Harry put in.
	Luke silently transmitted to Mara that they were all safe 
and on their way back 'home.'

	When the shuttle landed in the docking bay, Janeway was 
there to greet them.  She gave instructions to the bridge for 
their immediate departure, then turned to the away team.
	"Chakotay, Tuvoc, I want a full report in my ready room 
at once."
	Mara had meanwhile also entered the bay, and greeted 
Luke back with a hug.
	"You two," Janeway directed her attention to Luke and 
Mara, "stand by.  I will want to talk to you also."
	"I guess the Bantha dung will hit the fan now," Luke 
whispered, as they walked away, arms encircled around each 
other's waist.
	"Why?  Just because we are telepathic..."  She looked 
at him curiously.  "Luke, what all happened on the planet?"  
He hadn't given many details during their communications.
	"Oh, you name it," he sighed.
	She frowned at him.  His lightsaber hanging openly from 
his belt hadn't escaped her attention.
	
	"I had no choice," he continued defensively, as they 
entered their quarters.  "We were outnumbered.  You and I both 
knew that eventually we would be forced to reveal our powers.  
It will almost be a relief to have it over with."  His calm 
blue eyes beseeched her pleadingly, hoping she would understand.
	"And what if the Captain doesn't appreciate us hiding our 
powers?  What if she wants us to leave Voyager?"  Mara countered.
	"Then we'll leave.  We won't be any worse off than we were 
when we first landed in this galaxy."
	"I suppose you're right.  We'll just have to wait and see 
what the Captain has to say."
	Mara laid her head on his shoulder as they sat together 
on the couch, awaiting their fate.

	Captain Janeway seated herself behind her desk, and motioned 
for Chakotay and Tuvoc to take seats opposite her.
	"Now, then," she began, hands clasped.  "I want a full 
report of what happened on the planet, from the beginning."
	Chakotay glanced at Tuvoc's impassive face.  "Well, we 
landed without incident, hiding the shuttle, we thought, in a 
grove of trees.  There was a large village nearby, to which we 
walked.  Neelix and Luke looked over the wares for sale in a 
marketplace we came to.  After leaving there, we continued up 
the main street."  Chakotay paused.
	"Go on," Janeway prodded.
	"As we walked, Luke came up to me and said we were being 
followed."
	"Had you seen anyone suspicious?" asked the Captain.
	"No, but he seemed certain.  He said there were twelve of 
them, behind us and moving to the sides.  He suggested we move 
to a side street to prevent bystanders from being possibly hurt."
	"Did he explain how he could see these beings if you could 
not?" the Captain asked.
	"I don't believe he did see them; it was more like he felt 
them.  At the time, he said he just knew they were there."
	"So you moved to a side street?"
	"Yes.  As we cut through an alley a few blocks over, the 
aliens made their appearance, twelve of them.  They confronted 
us, and began firing.  We began to return fire, but then..."
	"Then what, Commander?"  The Captain's curiosity was piqued.
	"It seems, Captain, our meditating fry-cook is some kind 
of wizard," Chakotay answered.
	"Wizard?" Janeway repeated.
	"He has certain powers," Tuvoc spoke for the first time.
	"Explain," she ordered.
	"He pulled an object out of his tunic, a metal handle.  A 
beam of light shot out of one end, and he began deflecting their 
phaser shots with it.  Captain, there were twelve of them firing 
at us, and he deflected all their shots.  In fact, he was 
deflecting the shots back at them, but he was careful not to 
mortally wound them."
	"Amazing," Janeway answered intently.
	"Actually, Captain, Chakotay hasn't even gotten to the 
amazing part yet," Tuvoc put in.  Janeway looked at him.  Rarely 
did Tuvoc consider anything 'amazing.'
	"Both sides were so surprised, everyone stopped firing.  
In that instant, the aliens' weapons literally flew out of their 
hands and landed at Luke's feet.  He made a clenching motion with 
his fist, and the weapons crumpled.
	"He picked up the weapons and crushed them with his hand?" 
the Captain asked incredulously.
	"No, he didn't touch them.  He crushed them with his mind," 
Chakotay explained slowly.
	"I see," Janeway said, though she didn't see at all, she 
thought.
	"The aliens then turned and ran.  All but one, that is.  
Their apparent leader."
	"And he...?"
	"It was as if he had been lassoed and pulled in, but of 
course, there was no rope."
	Janeway's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing as Chakotay 
continued.
	"At first the alien remained defiant, then something happened.  
Luke spoke to him, and it was as if he was suddenly hypnotized.  He 
answered all my questions without even blinking.  He told us our 
shuttle had been captured and brought to their compound.  He also 
told us about the imminent attack on Voyager.  He said his clan 
steals technology from strangers because they're unable to produce 
their own."
	"And then?" Janeway encouraged him to go on.
	"We tied him up and continued north to find this compound."
	"You omitted the healing of Ensign Kim's wound," put in 
Tuvoc.
	"Oh, yes.  Harry was grazed by one of the first phaser 
shots.  Luke covered the wound with his hand, closed his eyes 
for a few moments, and the wound completely healed," Chakotay 
explained.
	"At any time did Luke say how he was able to do all these 
extraordinary things?" Janeway inquired.
	"He just said he was something called a Jedi and has special 
powers.  He said he would explain further when we returned to 
Voyager."
	"I'm looking forward to it.  And your shuttle was at this 
compound?"
	"Yes, but there was a high wall surrounding it, perhaps 
eight meters tall.  Luke jumped to the top, then levitated each 
of us up to join him.  There were two guards at the shuttle.  He 
put them into a deep slumber, then lowered us down to the ground.  
We made it into the shuttle without incident.  More aliens appeared 
as we started the engines, but their shots simply bounced off the 
shields.  And here we are," Chakotay concluded.
	"Hmm," replied the Captain thoughtfully.  "Did Luke, at any 
time, try to take command of the mission, or usurp your authority 
in any way?"
	"No, not at all," came Chakotay's quick reply.  "He made 
suggestions, but it was always clear that I was in charge.  In 
that regard, he was still the same as he's always been.  But it 
was also certain that he's been in this kind of situation before.  
He saw what needed to be done, and he didn't hesitate.  In fact, 
Neelix and the others managed to find out from him that he had 
been a commander during a war in their galaxy."
	"Interesting. Well," Janeway let out a breath.  "I guess 
it's time to talk to our guests."  She tapped her comm badge.  
"Luke and Mara Skywalker, this is the Captain.  Please report 
to my ready room."
	"At once, Captain," came the reply.

	The Captain's door signal chimed.
	"Enter," she invited, as she opened the door via the control 
on her desk.
	Luke and Mara walked into the ready room, both looking rather 
apprehensive.  Janeway motioned for them to sit in the chairs just 
vacated by Chakotay and Tuvoc, who stood nearby.
	"And I thought your telepathic abilities were impressive," she 
began, looking at both Luke and Mara.  "But the report I've received 
from Chakotay and Tuvoc is incredible."
	"I suppose it would appear that way," was Luke's reply.
	"First of all, I wish to thank you for everything you did 
during the away mission, and for the warning of the attack on 
Voyager.  Now, you may have been under the impression that I don't 
run a very tight ship here," the Captain continued.  "I assure you, 
nothing could be further from the truth."
	The Captain directed her attention to Luke.  "I don't care 
for surprises, Mr. Skywalker.  I expect to be informed of the 
capabilities of every member of this crew, and that includes both 
of you."
	Luke could feel Mara becoming agitated without even looking 
at her, but he wasn't expecting her to use her anger to defend him.
	Mara leapt to her feet.  "How can you talk to Luke like that?!  
He's a Jedi Master, for Sith's sake.  Don't you realize he could 
crush your puny ship with just a thought?"
	"Mara!" Luke grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.  
"That's enough.  The Captain's right.  We should have said something 
long ago."  He turned back to Janeway.  "I...We...apologize.  We 
should not have hidden our powers."
	Mara continued to fume, but Captain Janeway seemed to accept 
Luke's apology.
	"Perhaps, then, you will indulge us with an explanation."
	Luke finally let go of Mara's arm, and taking a deep breath, 
began his story, much like Obi-Wan Kenobi explained to him so many 
years ago.
	"There is an energy field generated by all living things.  
It surrounds us, and binds us.  Certain individuals in our galaxy, 
both human and alien, have the power to use this force.  It both 
controls our actions and obeys our commands.  Many who have this 
ability to use the Force choose to become Jedi, such as Mara and 
I.  The Jedi are the guardians of peace and justice in our galaxy."
	"I believe Mara 'mentioned' that you are a Jedi Master," 
Janeway interjected. 	
	"Yes, I am.  I began an academy to train Jedi. You see, I 
really am a teacher, though I guess you could call me 
semi-retired. And meditation is an important subject there."  Luke 
smiled at Tuvoc and Chakotay. 
	"And do you teach at this academy, Mara?" asked Chakotay.
	"No, I... haven't quite finished my own training yet," Mara 
replied sullenly.
	"I would think a Jedi Master's wife would rate private 
lessons," Janeway quipped.
	Luke and Mara exchanged glances.  *We have to come clean 
on this matter too,* Luke sent.  Mara just nodded.
	"Actually, Captain, we're not married," Luke admitted, 
shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
	"But we'd like to be," Mara put in, much to Luke's surprise.
	"Indeed."  The Captain seemed surprised also.  "Well, you're 
certainly giving a good impression of being married.  So why all 
this subterfuge?  As I said before, I don't appreciate being kept 
in the dark in regards to my crew."
	"When we first arrived, we didn't expect to be here very 
long," Luke began.  "And then when it looked like we were staying, 
well, it would have been hard to say, 'By the way, we have special 
powers.'"
	"You could have tried," the Captain countered.
	Luke didn't bother to explain that Jedi do not 'try.'  "In 
our galaxy, Jedi are either revered or hated.  Very seldom do I 
get to enjoy anonymity.  I suppose it was selfish, but it has 
been a lifetime since I was able to be a regular person."
	"Hmm.  But why pretend to be married?  We're fairly open-minded 
here.  We wouldn't have objected to your sharing quarters," the 
Captain stated.
	"I'll defer this explanation to Mara," Luke replied.
	Mara frowned at him, but knew she was trapped.  "All right.  
When we first landed in your docking bay, and I came down the ramp, 
well you see, sometimes it's a curse to be able to hear other 
people's thoughts.  The truth is, some of your crew," and Mara 
glanced at Chakotay, "especially Tom and Harry, were thinking 
rather suggestive thoughts about me."  Janeway thought she noticed 
Chakotay blushing slightly.  "And I figured if they thought I was 
married, they'd leave me alone.  We only planned on being here a 
few hours.  We haven't even ever been on a date,"  Mara added, 
glancing at Luke.
	"Well, we can move you to separate quarters now, if you 
wish," Janeway offered.
	"No!"  Luke and Mara spoke at once.  Luke continued,  
"Staying together is the best thing that's ever happened to 
us."
	"I understand," Janeway smiled.  "One thing bothers me, 
though.  Mara, you said you heard the crew's thoughts.  Does 
this mean both of you listen in on all our thoughts?"  The 
Captain was no longer smiling.
	"Certainly not," Luke assured her.  "We don't eavesdrop.  
It's just that those particular thoughts that day were coming 
through loud and clear."
	"The next time you want to know anyone's thoughts, please 
ask," the Captain instructed them.
	"Of course," they agreed.
	"Captain Janeway," Luke knew it was time to find out 
their fate.  "We apologize again for not disclosing our true 
selves.  We never meant to disavow your authority on this ship.  
If you wish us to leave, we will do so at once.  We do not wish 
to cause you further trouble."
	Janeway studied them carefully, clasping her hands.  "Master 
Skywalker," she began, then stopped and looked at him, "that is 
how you are addressed, I suppose?"
	"Yes."
	"Master Skywalker, Mara," she began again, "I would like to 
learn more about the ways of the Jedi.  I feel you must have 
fascinating tales to share.  And how can I do that if you leave 
so soon?  I invited you once to stay as long as you wish.  That 
invitation is still open.  It is I who should be apologizing to 
you."  She smiled slightly.  "You don't know how many times I 
escape to the holodeck just to hide away and be a regular person.  
Please stay."
	Mara reached over and grasped Luke's hand.  They looked at 
each and Janeway surmised they were talking it over silently.
	Luke spoke first.  "We will stay, if you truly want us to.  
But there must be something we can do to atone for our deception."
	"Perhaps there is, Master Skywalker," Captain Janeway appeared 
thoughtful.  "I believe everyone you know on this ship has the right 
to the truth concerning both of you.  I am going to call a meeting 
of the entire senior staff, and you two will address them, explaining 
yourselves as you have here, and answering all their questions."
	"Agreed, and please call me Luke."  Luke relaxed visibly.  
Perhaps this wasn't such a fiasco after all.  It would be a relief 
not to hide anymore. 	
	"Now, in gratitude for your most likely saving the lives of 
my away team, what can I do for you?"  the Captain asked them.
	"You have done so much already, and Jedi never act in the 
hope of receiving payment, but there is one small favor we would 
ask."  Luke hesitated, then looked to Mara for reassurance.  "During 
our stay I have availed myself of a few of your computer's many 
files, and I discovered that in your Starfleet, a ship's captain 
has the authority to perform marriage ceremonies for passengers."  
Luke took a deep breath and Mara squeezed his hand tighter.  "Would
you do us the honor?"
	Janeway broke into a wide smile.  "It would be my pleasure."
	There were many handshakes and congratulations issued, then 
all began leaving to prepare for the upcoming staff meeting in one 
hour.
	Captain Janeway stopped Mara just as she headed for the door. 
"Mara, might I have a few moments with you, alone?"
	The others left, and Mara seated herself apprehensively in 
the lounge area where the Captain indicated.
	"I'm sorry for my earlier outburst, Captain.  I have quite 
a temper at times, I'm afraid."
	"No need to apologize.  I can see why you and B'Elanna have 
become friends.  Mara, I had a few more questions, and I think I 
would get more honest answers from you than from Luke.  He seems 
a bit on the modest side."
	Mara laughed.  "That's an understatement.  What would you 
like to know?"
	"You said, and I quote, 'he could crush your puny ship with 
just a thought.'  Was that, hopefully, an exaggeration?"
	"No, Captain, it was not.  I've seen him do many amazing 
feats, and heard of many others.  His brother-in-law told me Luke 
once built a massive fortress out of a pile of rubble with the 
Force, and then later demolished it into oblivion, all without 
lifting a finger.  Destroying this ship would not be beyond his 
capabilities.  But to allay your concerns, Captain, even though 
he could do it, he wouldn't do it.  He never harms anyone or 
destroys anything unless it is an absolute last resort."
	"I'm glad to hear it, and I believe you.  Chakotay and 
Tuvoc relayed how none of the aliens were harmed on the planet."
	"Luke is the most kind, compassionate, righteous man there 
is.  He believed in me and called me a friend when no one else 
would.  I still find it hard to believe he's fallen in love with 
me."  Mara's eyes were bright with passion.
	The Captain continued in her curiosity.  "I take it Luke 
is well-known in your galaxy, more so than you?"
	"Luke is a war hero, the top war hero.  He destroyed a 
huge space station of death when he was just 18, when he barely 
knew what the Force was.  He formed an elite squadron of fighter 
pilots and became the youngest commander ever.  He then played 
a key role in the end of the war, and has continued to fight for 
justice for all races of beings.  There are many statues and 
monuments dedicated to him.  He resurrected the Jedi order, 
which had become all but extinct, and is the only living Jedi 
Master."
	Mara leaned back in her chair.  "You didn't know him before 
we came here.  He was a very different person, always serious, 
always worried about how his students would turn out.  He rarely 
laughed or joked in public.  He has borne the weight of the entire 
galaxy on his shoulders, and has never asked for anything in return.  
And yes, Captain, he is very modest."
	Captain Janeway could hear the admiration in Mara's voice as 
she spoke.  "And you, Mara, what is your story?  And what is your 
last name, by the way?"
	Mara sighed.  "My name is Mara Jade."
	"As in Jade's Fire," the Captain deduced.
	"Yes, and my story ... is quite different from Luke's.  
The war in our galaxy began when a senator took control of the 
government.  He had Force powers, but he used them for evil, 
and declared himself Emperor.  He took me from my home when I 
was very young, because he recognized my Force potential, and 
molded me into his personal servant.  Luke turned out to be his
greatest enemy, and his enemies were my enemies.  I was ordered 
to kill Luke, but failed, obviously.  I did not actually meet 
Luke until five years after the war, after the Emperor was dead.  
He was not the vile person I expected, and eventually we became 
friends, though somewhat distant.  I've been helping the new 
government for some time now, though many still do not trust me.  
Sometimes at night, as I lie beside Luke, I still cannot comprehend 
the miracle that has brought us together.  Now, I can't imagine 
life without him."
	"I believe, Mara," the Captain observed, "that you two 
compliment each other; two lonely people who have found comfort 
and love in each other's arms.  Apparently it has taken you both 
many years to realize that you need each other."
	"You're a very intuitive woman, Captain Janeway."
	"As are you, Mara Jade."

	When Mara returned to her quarters, Luke was waiting for 
her.  He enveloped her in a passionate embrace and kissed her 
tenderly.  "So, what did the Captain want?" he asked curiously.
	"Just girl talk," Mara teased.

	The senior staff assembled in the conference room at the 
appointed time.  Present were Chakotay, Tuvoc, Paris, Kim, Torres, 
Neelix, the Doctor, and Seven of Nine.  Tom, Harry, and Neelix had 
filled in B'Elanna, the Doctor, and Seven on the events of the 
away mission, though their story met with much disbelief.  Luke 
and Mara entered, followed shortly by the Captain.
	Janeway addressed the group.  "We are here to clear up any 
rumors or guesses that may be circulating.  The Skywalkers are 
prepared to explain their unique abilities, and to answer any 
questions you may have.  Luke?"  She yielded the floor to the 
Jedi Master.
	Luke rose, and launched into his explanation of the Jedi, 
much as he had for the Captain an hour earlier.  As he concluded, 
Seven of Nine was the first to speak.
	"I have heard your claims, and what the away team says they 
saw, but I have seen no proof of these claims.  I wish to see a 
demonstration of these so-called Force powers," Seven stated.
	"It seems we have a doubting Thomas among us," Janeway 
smiled.
	"What's that?" Luke and Mara and several others looked 
puzzled.
	"An old Earth expression," Jane explained.
	"Well, I really don't do demo..." Luke started to say 
when Mara elbowed him.
	"It won't hurt you, just this once," she chided him.
	He turned to her, "Why don't you, then?  You can levitate 
objects."
	"I'm not nearly as skilled as ... oh, all right."  She 
looked around the room.  There were several datapads lying on 
the table.  Mara concentrated, and one of them rose slowly, 
then moved through the air.  Luke watched proudly; he hadn't 
really been sure how Mara's levitation skills had progressed.  
	As Mara moved the pad above the heads of the crew, suddenly 
the rest of the datapads rose one by one, and sailed behind her 
lead one.
	"So you decided to join in the fun after all," Mara called 
out to Luke, while maintaining her concentration.  "Up for a game 
of follow the leader?"
	"Lead on," he replied.  
	Mara's datapad suddenly sped up, engaging in a series of 
abrupt twists and turns in and around the astonished crew.  She 
even stopped it in mid-air once, and Luke caused all the rest to 
stop without missing a beat.  She pushed it forward again, in 
even more intricate patterns, weaving and dodging around the room.  
Luke kept the rest following behind like a tail on a kite, matching 
her motions exactly.  Finally she settled the datapad back in its 
original position on the table, and Luke did likewise with the rest, 
gently lowering them without a sound.
	Mara grinned at the crew.  "The lead datapad shows what a 
half-trained Jedi can do with the Force.  Those that followed are 
only a small demonstration of what a Master can do."
	"It was an effective demonstration," Seven admitted.
	At the very least, it was an ice-breaker.  All at once, 
everyone had plenty of questions.  Luke and Mara answered them 
all with patience and humor.  Finally, Neelix brought up a question 
on the one subject they hadn't gotten to yet.
	"So, do you have a home near this academy?" he asked, looking 
at both of them.
	"I live at the Academy, but Mara ..." Luke began.
	"We're not married," Mara confessed.  "Just engaged."  A 
frown from Luke caused her to continue.  "And only friends when 
we first arrived here."
	Stunned silence filled the room.
	"You fell in love after you got here."  It was more a 
statement than a question from Neelix.
	"Yes," was Mara's quiet reply.  "Maybe."  She looked at 
Luke.  "Or maybe it was ten years ago."
	"And we just admitted it," he put in.  "To ourselves and 
to each other."
	"How romantic," Neelix exclaimed.  "You said you were 
engaged.  When did you plan on marrying?"
	"Captain Janeway graciously agreed to perform the ceremony," 
Luke replied, nodding toward the Captain.  "So I guess whenever 
she is ready."
	"I'd say the sooner we get these two married, the better," 
Janeway laughed.
	"But we have to plan a celebration!" Neelix protested.  "With 
a party, and food."
	"And a wedding cake," added Harry.
	"And dancing," B'Elanna put in.
	"You must give us a few days to prepare," Neelix beseeched.  
"At least three days."
	The Captain looked at Luke and Mara with raised eyebrows.  
"Will three days be all right with you?" she asked.
	"Yes, but, we really don't need a party.  Just a quiet 
ceremony is all ..." Luke began.  He felt bad enough about 
pretending to be married already.
	"Nonsense," Neelix interjected.  "We haven't had a wedding 
here on Voyager yet.  Please allow us to do this for you.  You 
don't have any objections, do you, Captain?"
	"Of course not.  I think everyone could use a celebration," 
she agreed.
	"Then it's settled.  A wedding in three days."
	Everyone rose, and began congratulating Luke and Mara.  
Even more questions poured forth about the Force and the Jedi.  
Finally, Neelix, Tom, Harry, and B'Elanna excused themselves to begin 
the wedding preparations.

	Luke and Mara were eventually able to extricate themselves, 
and walked back to their quarters.
	"It's been an interesting day, farmboy," Mara teased.
	"What makes you say that?" Luke replied, a dead-pan expression 
on his face.  "Just because I had to use the Force, now everyone knows 
about us, probably the whole ship by now, and all of a sudden we're 
getting married in three days.  You call that interesting?  You must 
have a dull life when I'm not around, Jade."
	"Compared to the monk's life you led, you mean," she retorted.
	They fell onto the couch, laughing and kissing.
	"You know, a marriage ceremony for two Jedi isn't the same as 
for anyone else," Luke commented as he held her tightly.  "There is 
a Force-bonding ritual that follows the vows part."
	Mara pulled up and looked at him.  "What kind of Force-bonding?  
I thought we already had a bond."
	"We do.  We're probably halfway there already."  He kissed 
her lightly.  "But the ritual makes the bond even stronger, and 
permanent.  My thoughts and feelings will be your thoughts and 
feelings, and vice-versa.  For the rest of our lives, no matter 
how far apart we are.  We will be as one soul.  It is the strongest 
connection possible for Jedi."
	"Stronger than your bond with Leia?" Mara asked.
	"Yes."  He stroked her hair.
	"And how do you know about this?  I don't recall any Jedi 
getting married to each other in the last 20 years," she continued 
her questioning.
	"I read a lot.  About Jedi history.  There isn't much else 
to do when you lead a monk's life."
	"And you know how to perform this ritual?"
	"Yes, I do."  He brought her face up to meet his gaze.  "Mara, 
we don't have to do that part, if you don't want.  We can just have 
a normal wedding, like regular people do."
	She reached up and stroked his cheek.  "But we're not regular 
people, are we?  You said yourself we're halfway there, and I like 
what we have together now.  I don't want to feel like we're missing 
out on having something even better.  We should do the ritual.  I 
want to, Luke."
	He pulled her closer and they kissed passionately, each 
reveling in the feelings of love pouring from the other.  Luke rose 
effortlessly with Mara in his arms, and started for the bedroom.
	"Are you sure we should ...," Mara asked demurely.  "I mean, 
we'll be married soon, maybe we should wait ..."
	The look on Luke's face was priceless, Mara thought.  He 
stopped and blinked at her several times.  All of a sudden, he 
dropped Mara on the floor right where they stood.
	"You're right.  You take the couch tonight.  I'm going to 
go get some dinner."  She wasn't going to best him.  He headed 
for the door.
	Mara sprang up and tackled him from behind.  "You go out 
that door and it'll be the last thing you ever do!"
	"But my dear, didn't you just say ..." Luke wasn't done 
with her yet.
	"Never mind what I said, funny man.  You are not going 
to leave me unfulfilled."
	"Unful..., so, you admit I fulfill your needs, hmm."
	"You ...you ..., wipe that smirk off your face right now."
	Luke was sure he had never been this happy or carefree 
in his entire life.  He stood, pulled Mara up, and slung her 
over his shoulder.  "Then I guess we've got some fulfilling 
to do.  We can eat dinner afterward."
	They never did get around to going out to dinner that 
evening.