High Heavens (Star Wars - Luke Skywalker)

XL - Lessons in Grief

"Are you sure?"

Mara sighed, wringing her hands together. She sat in front of Delta and Dusty in the latter's sitting room. "I can't say for sure--but I know what I felt. It's hard to explain, but it was... darkness. Suffocating. Surrounding everything."

Talking about it still made her shudder, but she tried to force any look of insecurity away. She glanced up at the two clones sitting across from her. With a shake of her head, she said, "I know I don't make any sense."

"Actually, you do," Delta said, leaning back in his chair. "To us, at least."

Dusty nodded, adding a muttered, "Yeah. Seen enough crazy Jedi nonsense to take these sorts of things in stride."

Mara tried not to take that too personally. "Okay, then what's our next move?"

Delta and Dusty shared a look. 

"What?"

"If this Empire crony is as dangerous as you say..." Delta rubbed a hand over his chin. "Then my vote is to hold off until we know more."

"So you want to do nothing?"

Delta met her eyes. "Well, what would you have us do?"

Mara sputtered. Run. Hide. Pray we get away in time. "I... don't know."

"Exactly," Dusty said. "Delta's right. Personally, I've had enough close calls in the past week. After Oja and Kirrie getting captured, I'm not eager to have any more. Especially not since we've lost our element of surprise." He nodded at Mara. "If they know we've got a Force-sensitive in our ranks, we've lost our edge."

Mara ducked her head. "Okay." She slowly pushed herself up from the couch, nodding. "You're right. I'll lay low. We all will."

Dusty and Delta gave her nods. By their expressions, they were probably going to talk with each other, so Mara let herself out. Best to get her mind off things, anyways. 

As she walked, she found herself slipping out of the village and into the forest. Her mind felt quieter out here, with fewer presences drawing her attention this way and that. She should have gone to meditate. But not even meditation seemed to calm her mind. 

A nervous hand danced her lightsaber. Was it arrogant to practice now? She had felt calm when facing off against the stormtroopers. Just her and the weapon between her hands. Centered, like she was connected to the very vibrations of the galaxy around her. Mara had never felt more at peace. 

She had to do something to push away that darkness. It still lingered at the edge of her senses--distant yet omnipresent--like a plague. 

The blade sprung from the hilt a moment later. 

Mara held it parallel to her body. For a moment, she studied it. When she focused on it, wielding a lightsaber came with a strange sensation. Each movement felt innate and natural, like the weapon was a true extension of herself. It was a conduit. Almost alive--connected to the Force, like her. 

Mara spun it. With one movement she was gone, lost in a meditative dance. The hum of the blade encircled her. A golden afterimage encompassed her, hiding Mara behind a cocoon of ignorant warmth. Each movement flowed into the next; endless, formless. 

A twig snapped behind her. Mara turned and swung, the lightsaber singing through the air. The blade came to an abrupt, sizzling halt mere inches from Alek's neck. 

He didn't so much as flinch. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Alek!" Mara hastily sheathed the weapon, stowing it back on her belt. "Stars, I could have killed you."