A Journey of Discovery -- Book One: Pendulum Chapter 2 By Michele See Chapter 1 for disclaimer Rated PG-13 In a conference room deep in the belly of Home One, tempers were threatening to flare out of control. "Leia, we simply cannot put our plans on hold because you have a feeling that Luke Skywalker might possibly be held captive on Coruscant." Mon Mothma glided across the room, stopping to rest one hand on Leia Organa's shoulder. "I can sympathize with your concern for Commander Skywalker. I know he was a close friend of yours, but ..." "Is. Is a close friend. Not 'was.'" Leia clenched her fists, ignoring her superior's gesture of compassion. Why couldn't they understand? How could they be so heartless? "Is a friend," Mothma amended in an attempt to pacify her. "But this is our window of opportunity that we cannot pass up. The Imperials are still reeling from their defeat at Endor. More worlds than ever have openly decried Palpatine's tyranny, drawing a majority of the Imperial fleet away from Coruscant to put down these new insurrections. Vader and the Emperor have cloistered themselves in the palace in Imperial City. Now is the time for us to strike." The leader of the Rebel Alliance paused in her oration, looking Leia straight in the eye. "Palpatine slipped through our grasp on the second Death Star. He cannot be allowed to elude us again, Leia. He must be destroyed." "And you would destroy Luke along with him?" Tears of despair welled in Leia's eyes. "That is a risk we have to take, my dear. I'm sure the Commander would not expect us to hold back on his behalf." "No, he probably wouldn't." Han rose to his feet. "Because Luke always puts his own well-being below that of everyone else." He glared angrily around the room. "How many of us would even be here if it wasn't for him? I know I wouldn't, and I'm not about to abandon him now." "If you're so concerned about his welfare, General," spoke up General Madine, "why did you allow him to be captured in the first place? He was under your command at Endor. Are you in the habit of being so lax with your troops that they can wander right into enemy hands?" "You have no right ..." Leia began, trembling with anger. "Please, everyone." Mon Mothma raised her hands in an effort to quell the tension in the room. "Perhaps we can come to a compromise." She turned her attention to Han and Leia. "It will take us ten days to put the final touches on our planning, and have our warships reach Coruscant. You have that much time to mount a rescue on your own. But I warn you, if you in any way jeopardize our assault, the results could be disastrous." * * * * * * * * * * Han put his arm around Leia's slim shoulders as they exited the volatile meeting. "Ten days," Leia murmured. "We only have ten days. It will take half that time just to reach Coruscant." "Nah." Han gave her a warm hug. "Don't forget, we've got the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy to get us there." He tilted Leia's chin up to meet his gaze. "We'll find him, sweetheart, don't worry." The pair entered Leia's tiny quarters aboard the ship, settling wearily on her small worn couch, one of the few pieces of furniture in the room. Leia clutched his hands tightly. "Thank you, Han. For everything. But you don't have to do this. I can go myself." "If you think I'd let you just waltz into Palpatine's backyard, all by yourself, you're ... you're as crazy as Luke. Chewie told me what happened when you decided to visit Black Sun." "I had to. Someone was trying to kill Luke. I couldn't just stand by, and ..." "And let him take care of himself?" "I worry about him, Han. He's so vulnerable." They fell silent a moment, each lost in their own separate thoughts, which were light-years apart. "You love him. Don't you?" Han did his best to keep an accusatory tone out of his voice. Leia stared at him with a slightly puzzled look. "Yes." "I knew it." Han blew out an angry breath. "Fine. After we rescue him, I won't stand in your way." "You think...he and I...?" Leia asked incredulously. "What am I supposed to think? You just admitted you love him." Leia laughed lightly at his jealousy, and touched his arm. "Han. He's my brother." "Your...what?!" Leia gave a little shrug. "My twin brother." Seeing Han's wide- eyed astonishment, she continued. "We were separated when we were born, and hidden from the Empire." "How come this is the first I've heard of it?" "I haven't known myself for very long." Han narrowed his gaze. "How long?" "That night on Endor," she admitted. "The night he surrendered to ... Vader." "He just came out and told you..." Han began. "Wait a second, back the landspeeder up here. What'd you mean, he 'surrendered'?" "He ... he told me he could feel good inside Vader. That he'd once been a Jedi, and Luke was convinced he could bring him back to the light side." Leia wasn't about to admit Luke also told her Vader was their father. She refused to believe it herself. She somehow felt if she didn't speak of it aloud, it wouldn't be true. Han ran a hand over his face. "I can't believe it. He's done some hair-brained things, but this takes the ryshcate." He looked at Leia. "I don't suppose he had a back-up plan?" Leia shook her head no. "Nah, of course not," Han said in exasperation. "What am I saying? This is Luke we're talkin' about. Are you sure he's your brother? You don't do crazy things like this." "Oh, I don't know," she grinned. "You just brought up Black Sun. And I openly walked into Jabba's palace disguised as a bounty hunter." "I'm guessing that was his idea, too?" The thought of how much danger Leia put herself in, or Luke put her in, still gnawed at him. "It was kind of a collaboration. Chewie wouldn't let me go alone, and it's not easy to disguise a Wookiee." Leia grinned again. "Though we could have cut his hair and dyed it again." "Huh?" "Never mind. Tell you some other time." Han started to press her, but decided it wasn't worth it. There were too many other things that needed answering. "He'll be lucky if the Alliance doesn't court-martial him," Han pointed out. "He's been thinking of resigning anyway." "I don't think that'll get him out of trouble. Surrendering to the enemy isn't something the bigwigs are just going to ignore, even for Luke. Maybe especially for him." "You won't tell anyone about that, will you?" Leia looked a bit nervous. Han looked at her in mock indignation. "Of course not." They sat in silence for a while, Han abruptly breaking it. "So just how long has he known?" "What?" Leia asked, startled. "How long has Luke known you're his sister? How'd he find out?" "I'm not sure. I think Ben Kenobi told him." "What! Now THAT I don't believe. Kenobi's been dead nearly four years. No way has he known that long." Han laughed. "With the crush he had on you? Nobody's that good at pretending." "No, Han!" Leia's mood seemed to lighten when she recalled Luke following her around like a love-struck siddle pup. "Ben still talks to him. Rather, his spirit does." Han rolled his eyes. "I shoulda known." He gave Leia a sly wink. "Well, at least now all I have to worry about is keeping Lando away from you. I KNOW he's not your brother!" * * * * * * * * * * * There was no difference between night and day inside an Imperial detention cell. Her body's signals that it had had enough sleep were the only indication to Jade that it was time to awaken. As she lay in the darkness, a warm presence filled her senses, and awareness of her whole miserable assignment flooded through her once more. "Good morning" floated across to her in a low, soft voice. Jade bit off the sullen retort that was forming on her lips. She knew she hadn't made a sound yet. How dare he be monitoring her, waiting for her to awaken? Burying her indignation, she responded as she imagined one of those weak-minded Rebels would. "Good morning, Commander." "Luke, remember?" he reproved gently. "Oh, sorry," she exaggeratedly effused. "It takes some getting used to, addressing a commanding officer by his first name." "That's all right. It took me a long time to get used to being called Commander." Luke gave a little chuckle. "Sometimes I still look around, wondering who it is somebody's talking to." Jade sat up in her bunk, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Knowing the layout of these cells, she glanced toward the corner, frowning. There was a reason why men and women weren't usually put in the same cells. "The refresher's in the corner," Luke offered helpfully. Blast him! Did she have no privacy? "Uhh, how did you ...?" she whispered meekly. "Nevermind." Jade could almost imagine the embarrassment coloring his face. "Don't worry, I'll go into a trance for a few minutes," he added. She made her way over to the simple unit, checking his sense. He really was in a trance. He was too damn nice for his own good, she thought, shaking her head. When she was finished, she contemplated her next step in her 'friendly, awe-struck pilot' act. Jade crossed over to Skywalker's bunk, intent on thanking him for his courtesy. She had expected him to fly awake at her touch. What she didn't expect was the accompanying spark of electricity that flashed between them. From the little jump he gave, the jolt surprised him too. Jade muttered a hasty "Thanks," then retreated to her own bunk. What was that all about? She could still feel the tingling in her fingertips. Much to her personal dismay, she had to admit it wasn't an unpleasant sensation at all. Quite the opposite. In fact, the exact opposite of the Emperor's cold dark touch. Could this be ... how the light side of the Force felt? "Any time," Luke murmured. He laid one palm over the spot on his shoulder where her fingers had rested only moments before. What had happened? Is this what it felt like to come in physical contact with another Force-user? He sure never got a buzz like that from Ben or Yoda. It didn't even compare to the warm feeling he always got when Leia touched him. Maybe his senses were heightened because of the trance. He was certain Jade felt it too, from the way she backed off like she'd been stung. Should he mention the occurrence, or pretend it didn't happen? Luke took a deep breath. He wasn't supposed to know she was Force-strong. Better to ignore it, unless she brought it up. "Uhh," he began hesitantly. "I've been doing some workouts in here, in my spare time." He forced a little laughter. "Do you mind ...?" "No, go ahead," Jade answered, in relief that he wasn't bringing up their shared experience. "I'll join you ... I mean, I could use some exercise too." In the dim darkness, Jade could hear him slipping off his outer tunic and moving toward the small open space in front of the door. She chose a spot as far away as she could get, in the confines of their tiny cubicle, and settled into a routine of stretches and sit-ups. She could hear his shallow breathing, barely panting. All right, so maybe he wasn't as evil as she had previously envisioned. So far, he'd been downright nice. Could it all be an act? If so, he was doing a lot better than she was. Jade shook her head as she took a breather. Get hold of yourself, girl. One unexpected touch, and you're suddenly going soft. As Luke launched into a series of push-ups, he stole glances at the silhouette moving in rhythm a mere three meters away. So she was an Imperial. Palpatine's spy. But what was she here for? To pry Rebel secrets out of him? Finding out he was on a particular mission three years ago hardly seemed worthwhile. Well, whatever the reason, he wasn't complaining. He enjoyed her company ... and her touch. It sure beat sitting alone feeling sorry for himself. After about another hour, Jade heard Luke return to his bunk. He didn't seem to be breathing hard, and she wondered briefly if he was stopping sooner than usual to allow her to quit without feeling inferior. She knew she could exercise him into the ground, but a lowly pilot shouldn't be able to. "Whew! Basic training wasn't this tiring," Jade wheezed as she sat down heavily on her cot. "You had time for basic training?" Luke joked. "With me, it was 'Hello. Here's an X-wing. Go fly.'" Jade let a little chuckle escape, then caught herself. Stang! He was putting her at ease, which in her experience was never an acceptable condition. Balancing between staying on edge, and pretending to be relaxed, wouldn't be easy, but she could do it. She was the Emperor's Hand, after all. They mutually launched into a spirited discussion of the merits of A-wings versus X-wings. Luke likewise kept his senses on alert, while giving the impression of being at ease. It wasn't easy, but he could do it. He was a Jedi, after all. * * * * * * * * * Luke and Jade stopped talking as their cell door suddenly opened. Two stormtroopers entered, stepping briskly to each side of the doorway. The light, newly streaming in through the opening, was abruptly blocked by a towering dark shadow -- Darth Vader. The dark lord ignored the young woman huddled fearfully on the right-hand bunk. His visor's gaze fastened on the young Jedi sitting to his left. "You will come with me," he stated in his flat, mechanical voice. "Why?" Luke replied, no fear evident in his voice. Jade's gaze traveled between the two opposing men, eyes wide in genuine astonishment at Skywalker's calm demeanor. She'd never heard anyone but Palpatine speak so boldly to the dark Sith. Vader made a slight gesture and the guards stepped forward, grasping Luke's arms and hauling him to his feet. "The Emperor wishes to speak to you," Vader explained, surprisingly. "The outcome will be no different than our last conversation," Luke stated. "I will NOT turn," he added forcefully. Luke glanced over at Jade as he was guided toward the door. 'It's all right' his expression told her, just before the small retinue disappeared into the corridor, the door swishing shut. Jade relaxed back onto her cot. Had it been only his expression that sought to reassure her? She had the distinct impression she had 'felt' those words enter her mind. Did he somehow suspect she was force-sensitive? No, how could that be? She'd been careful to keep her shields up, and hadn't used the Force at all since arriving. Surely he had merely been sending a feeling of assurance, unaware that she could pick up on his actual mental words. * * * * * * * * * It was nearly two hours later that Luke was escorted back to his cell by a contingent of Imperial Guards. It was too dark for Jade to see if he bore any bumps or bruises, but she felt no physical pain from him, only emotional pain. And frustration. "Are you all right?" she inquired tentatively. "Fine," he bit out, then softened his tone. "I'm fine. Just tired." "You missed dinner," she went on. Jade was burning with curiosity. What could her master have been talking to Skywalker about for so long? She cringed inwardly. Why did she even care? She was still here; he'd been brought back. Obviously her assignment hadn't been altered. It wasn't like her to question His Excellency's actions. "I'm not hungry," he murmured. "I'm afraid I wouldn't be much company tonight. If you don't mind, I think I'll turn in." "Of course," she acquiesced politely. Perhaps he'll be more talkative tomorrow, Jade thought, as she settled back into her bunk. Perhaps then I'll get some answers. Luke stretched out on his hard cot and flung one arm across his eyes, as if warding off all the evil assaulting him. He'd been taken directly to the Emperor's throne room, a much more elaborate version of what he'd seen on the Death Star. But there was no space battle going on this time to distract him. He had learned during the conversation that Palpatine and Father had managed to snatch him up and escape the Death Star just before it exploded, though it was never revealed WHY his life had been spared. Inwardly, he hoped Father had somehow been responsible for this abrupt turnabout concerning his fate, but realistically, he imagined the Emperor had some devious, ulterior motive of his own. He'd also ascertained that the Rebellion was alive and well, though not for long, Palpatine had assured him. Palpatine once more tried to goad him into renouncing everything he believed in, and Luke once again defied him. It had been too easy, the Jedi thought. It was almost as if Father and Palpatine weren't expecting him to capitulate just yet. What were they planning? Did it have anything to do with Jade? No mention had been made of his new cellmate, or of how long he'd be kept a prisoner. Luke reached out cautiously with the Force. Jade was quiet, but awake. Another mystery to deal with, but not tonight. Tonight, he just wanted to sleep. * * * * * * * * * * Luke and Jade were awakened early the next morning by the whooshing open of the heavy durasteel door to their cell and the noisy entrance of two stormtroopers. Luke started to rise, expecting to be called away once again. But to his surprise, the troopers jerked Jade from her bunk, turning a deaf ear to her angry protests. "Hey, what's going on?!" Jade put on her best show. At last, her master was bringing her in for a report on her progress. Of course he could have communicated with her at anytime via the Force, but perhaps he reasoned the Jedi would have noticed. At any rate, she would be free of this cramped cell for awhile, and free of Luke Skywalker. Maybe she wouldn't even be required to return. Luke lay back down, having similar thoughts as Jade. It must be time for her progress statement. He wondered if she would return, if he'd ever see her again. He wished he'd thought to say some parting words to her, but she'd been whisked away too quickly. Wearily, he pulled himself into a cross-legged sitting position. He turned his thoughts to Leia as he prepared to enter a meditative trance, but somehow her image was replaced by an emerald-eyed redhead. * * * * * * * * * * * It was mid-afternoon when Luke lifted his head abruptly, sensing someone approaching. As they neared, he could hear the clomping of two sets of stormtrooper boots, and the sound of something being dragged. Or someone. The cell door hissed open, and Jade's limp body was dumped onto the floor. Luke hurriedly crouched next to her, feeling through the Force the pain radiating out from her entire body. Jade moaned as Luke gently lifted her, cradling her slim body against his chest and then laying her onto her bunk. Luke assessed her injuries as well as he could in the restored darkness. One eye was nearly swollen shut, and her wrist felt like it was broken. "They hurt you," Luke said, soothing her, but experiencing a wave of indignation at their cruelty. "What did you expect?" Jade bit out, her voice hoarse with pain. "They weren't inviting me to a tea party." Luke didn't answer. He turned instead and retrieved his portion of allotted drinking water, holding it to her swollen lips as she sipped slowly. He then proceeded to pull the thin covering off his bunk, ripping a strip from one end. Moistening the cloth with a little of the water, he tenderly wiped the drying blood from Jade's face. She eyed him suspiciously, but made no move to stop him. *I didn't think they would actually injure you,* he sent silently. Jade's good eye widened. *What are you talking about?* she sent back, then groaned as she belatedly realized she had just confirmed her Force-awareness ability. Palpatine and Vader watched the holo image of the prison cell intently. "You see, Lord Vader," Palpatine cackled. "I told you he would feel compassion for her." Vader only watched silently as his son wiped blood from the woman's face, causing her to moan softly. Just because his son was comforting the woman, though, didn't mean this scheme to convert him was going to succeed. *Can the Emperor hear our thoughts?* Luke asked Jade through the Force. Jade stared at him, but he did not return her gaze. Does he know? she asked herself. Could he have seen through her act? The Emperor would be most displeased, and Jade knew the price for failing the Emperor. Could she somehow hide Skywalker's apparent knowledge? *I erected a barrier around my thoughts,* she finally sent back. *Have you?* *I hope so.* He glanced at her briefly, then looked down again. If they both were shielding their thoughts, how were they able to hear each other? He had once again felt a connection with her when he picked her up, but it had been diffused by her pain. Did they share some special link? Luke decided to try figuring that out for himself later. Luke did his best to heal Jade's injuries, apologizing for his deficiency in Force healing. As she was about to fall asleep, he began to rise to go back to his own bunk, but was stopped by a weak tug on his hand and a pleading whisper. "No, stay. Please." In the back of Jade's foggy mind, her assignment to compel the Jedi to feel compassion for her surfaced. She should continue to encourage him. It was inconsequential that contact with him soothed her spirit in ways she never knew existed. So Luke, somewhat nervously, lay down next to Jade on her narrow bunk. She felt warm and soft next to him, fitting comfortably into his embrace. Soon, he could feel her drift into a deep slumber. Eventually, Luke extricated himself from the sleeping Jade and stood. As he gazed at her bruised face in the shadows, a new wave of raw anger washed over him. Clenching his fists, he sent his thoughts out to Palpatine. *Why are you doing this to her? It's me you want.* A cackling of glee came back to him. Luke let his arms relax at his sides, and allowed the light side of the Force to refresh him and fortify him. Giving into anger only served as a delight to Palpatine. Suddenly, the whole scheme became clear to Luke -- let him develop a friendship with Jade, then provoke his temper enough that he would allow the darkside to consume him. Similar to what had come dangerously near to reality on the Death Star, when Leia had been threatened. He opened his eyes and looked at the cell door. Escape. How could he escape? Think, Skywalker. Luke tried standing on tiptoe to peer out the small grated opening in the door, gave up and levitated himself up enough to get a clear vision. Two stormtroopers stood at attention directly across from the door. Luke could feel the presence of two more at the end of the corridor. He doubted mind control would work as well on them as it had on Bib Fortuna, or that bounty hunter on Kothlis. Leia's voice echoed in his mind -- "Didn't you have a plan for getting out?" And Han's reply -- "He's the brains, sweetheart." Yeah, right. Some brains he was. He wandered over to his own cot and sat down. Once more his thoughts turned to the woman lying across the room. Hopefully, Palpatine would get the message that he wasn't going to turn, no matter what, and Jade would be spared any further torture. She was obviously only a pawn in the Emperor's twisted plan. Luke's mind was too agitated to think clearly. He must relax. The Force will come to you when you are calm, at peace. Would he constantly have to remind himself of Master Yoda's teachings? He settled himself on his cot cross-legged, took a deep breath, and let the Force fill him. It felt warm, comforting, pushing out the oppressive chill of the Emperor's palace. Jade awoke slowly, uncertainly. Recollections of the beatings during her 'interrogation' rushed back to her. She gingerly reached up to touch her face, startled at the feel of a splint on her wrist. She no longer ached, nor felt chilled. A warmth seemed to invade her senses. The whole room felt warm, and light, even though it remained engulfed in dark shadows. Skywalker! She could just make out his form on the cot across the room. Peace and comfort seemed to radiate out from him. She found herself drawn to him as a Stalyca moth is to a flame. The memories of their contact when he had held her filled her being. It wasn't a sudden spark, as when they'd first touched, but instead a gentle pulsing energy that endeavored to heal her, body and soul. Slowly testing the strength of her legs, Jade made her way across the cell and sat next to Luke. She didnšt disturb him as he meditated, but let herself simply be comforted by his nearness. She pulled her legs up into a similar meditative posture, wincing a little at the soreness in her limbs. Jade would never have believed that Palpatine would let her be beaten and yet the Stormtroopers had laughed at her protests, telling her they had had direct orders from him. She tried to accept the torture as necessary to her mission, but instead she had felt only resentment at merely being a tool in Palpatine and Vader's quest to convert Skywalker, to be used, abused, and discarded as it suited them. She glanced at Skywalker again and then closed her eyes, letting the peace and calm emitting from him flow into her. Why did she feel so comfortable with him, so at ease, so safe? He was the enemy and yet, she could not despise him, but felt strangely attracted to him, engendering feelings that both alarmed her and awakened in her emotions she had never dreamed of. Hesitantly, craving contact, she reached over and laid one hand lightly on his knee. Whatever the future held for her, Mara Jade knew her life would never be the same. Luke awoke first the next morning, and instantly sensed Jade stirring in her cot across the room. He remembered being aware of her presence next to him while in his trance the previous evening, and vaguely wondered how that was even possible. Traces of disappointment flitted through him that she had returned to her own bunk sometime during the night, but he quickly squashed those feelings. Now was not the time. Jade rolled over wearily, caught in the limbo between deep sleep and wakefulness. She had barely let a soft moan escape her when she jerked awake at the sound of a whispered "Are you all right?" nearby. Skywalker crouched next to her bunk, concern oozing out of him. The realization that she didn't feel at all resentful of his anxiety was the first thing to hit her, followed closely by her own uneasiness that she had allowed this to happen. No one had ever demonstrated any interest in her well-being before. In fact, she had harshly discouraged anyone who tried, even avoiding human medics in favor of impassive droids. So what made this meddling Jedi any different? Luke backed away when Jade sat up abruptly. "Just a little stiff," she informed him briskly. "I'll recover." *I'm sorry they hurt you on my account,* Luke sent silently. Jade hesitated. Stang, he did know she was Force-sensitive; she hadn't dreamt it. *What makes you think it had anything to do with you?* she returned. *Just a hunch.* Luke fell back silent. It would most likely be better, for Jade's sake, if he kept up the pretense of believing she was a fellow Rebel. "Sorry I don't have the bedside manner of Too-OneBee." "Too-OneBee?" Even their droids were sympathetic weaklings? Jade was careful to hide in her voice the disdain for the Rebels that was reemerging in her thoughts. "You've never been treated by him?" Luke laughed softly. "Unfortunately, I've had the dubious honor of being in need of his services on several occasions. I guess I'm just accident-prone." "No, I managed to stay unscathed until now." "I'm not exactly conducive to good health in anyone around me." Luke bit his lip in regret, knowing how true that statement was - - Owen, Beru, Ben, Biggs, Yoda. Even Han had nearly died. He shook himself out of his doldrums. He was supposed to be lightening the mood. "Uhh, did you grow up on Fondor? It would have to be better than Tatooine. Tell me about your family." So, he was going to pretend to still think she was a Rebel. Jade clung to the slim hope that Palpatine wouldn't realize the Jedi had discovered she was a sham. She didn't want to think about the consequences of failing him once more. "Yes, my father ran a shuttle service there," she launched into her cover story. "And I had a brother and two sisters..." They continued an easy conversation throughout the day, working in some stretching exercises and seeing who could come up with the best derogatory remarks about their unappetizing dinner. The more time Jade spent with the Jedi, the harder she was finding it to feel anything but respect and a genuine liking for him. Shortly after their meal, a pair of Royal Guards paid them a visit. Luke and Jade sat motionless, each wondering which one of them would be taken away this time. "Skywalker," one of the guards spoke in a commanding tone. "You are to come with us." Well, I guess this is it, Luke thought. He'd been rather surprised to be left alive this long. As he rose in acceptance of his fate, he glanced at Jade, her face looking drawn in the light filtering in from the doorway. "Can you give me a moment?" he asked, not really expecting to receive it. The guard who had addressed him nodded, though, and allowed Luke to say his good-byes. Luke crossed over to Jade, who had also risen. Reaching out, he took one of her hands, relishing the extraordinary feel of their personal connection. "Jade, there's a strong possibility I may not be returning," he began softly. "I just wanted you to know, I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet you." Jade had never felt any remorse over the deaths of all the thousands of Jedi in the galaxy. Why was the thought of losing this one causing pangs of regret to fill her? She squeezed his hand, still amazed at the intimate warmth that flowed between them. "I'm glad I received the chance to finally know you too, Commander." Luke leaned in close, and surprised her by kissing her softly on the cheek. "Goodbye, Lieutenant Jade Maiwara." "Goodbye, Jedi Luke Skywalker," Jade returned hastily as the guards began to pull Luke away. She followed the gentle gaze of his eyes with her own until he disappeared into the hallway, and the cell door clanged shut in her face.