She stared at him for long seconds, not even a breath disturbing the stifling, storm-heavy stillness...
Then she smiled, stepping forward, and he stood to wrap his arms about her, blanketing all those fractured doubts and loyalties, Mara allowing the warmth of his close body to push them from her mind.
"Storm's over." she murmured, as the first bright breaks in the cloud reached the gardens far below.
He only frowned, uneasy. "There'll be others."
Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
The day of the inaugural flight was warm and close, Luke rising early, having last minute arrangements to make. He had travelled up to the Peerless every morning for the last three days, ostensibly to finalise details for the Invincible's arrival, intending to make it a routine so that when he did so this morning, it wouldn't seem out of place.
Reece met him at the landing platform, Hallin having been left onboard the Peerless two days earlier on the pretext of packing his personal equipment in the medicentre there in preparation for his move to the Invincible with the rest of The Heir's Command Crew, all of whom would be making the move with him- if he couldn't rely on the ship, then Luke intended to at least be able to trust those around him.
Reece was to remain on the Peerless today, to oversee details of the changeover of Command, Luke leaving word for Mara that he would return to Coruscant by mid-morning as he had done the last few days.
When he arrived back at the Palace, the Lambda shuttle to take him up to the Invincible was already waiting, Mara stood a short distance away, hand shading her eyes from the midday sun.
Luke remained quiet on the shuttle, aware of Mara's eyes on him but not acknowledging her, mind elsewhere; on the Invincible, on the planned attack - he knew how many there would be onboard but not where, and he knew they were heading for the lower Ops room which served as Bridge backup in the event of system failures.
Should he help them- clear the way a little, thin the number of guards? No; if they didn't succeed then there would be an enquiry and he needed to remain completely untouchable.
"Luke!" Mara said sharply, her tone that of someone who was repeating themselves.
"Hm?"
Mara leaned in so that her hushed whisper could be heard by him without being overheard by the pilots in the cockpit to the front of the shuttle, no privacy even here. "What's wrong with you today? Your head's on the other side of the galaxy- it has been since you got in this shuttle."
"I just don't like these things Mara- you know that." Uncomfortable that she could read him so well now he looked away, attention drawn back to the impressive hulk of the Invincible, ignoring Mara's intent look.
"You know, you used to smile so much when you first came here." she said.
Luke frowned, turning. "What?"
"You used to smile. Even though you had nothing to smile about you used to do it anyway. I always remember that; you used to talk and laugh and joke and tease. You used to call me Red - remember? I was always amazed at your... tenacity. Your refusal to be intimidated, to be hushed by that massive, overbearing Palace. Everybody goes around whispering there; it makes people feel small."
He glanced away uneasily, "It's only stones and mortar."
"But you don't smile anymore." Mara continued. "You don't laugh. I loved your laugh; it had heart. No side; no deceit or pretence, just..."
She shook her head, more disillusioned than frustrated.
Luke watched her impassively for several seconds then turned away, trying to bring his concentration back to the imminent attack, but the disruption was lodged now and he couldn't ignore it - or, for some reason, the disappoint in Mara's voice.
"I laugh." he said at last, very quietly.
"When?"
"Every time you try to do an infinity loop with a lightsaber for one," he said lightly, his voice just loud enough for her to hear, leaning in slightly as if to nudge her with his shoulder though the space between the wide, heavily-upholstered seats they sat side by side in prevented it.
"Thanks." She said wryly, rolling her eyes, but he could sense her mood lighten a little.
They remained silent for a while, Mara's head lowered again, lost in her own thoughts now.
Eventually Luke's hand, resting on the armrest beside hers, reached across just slightly, his little finger entwining around hers, lifting her head in surprise, her eyes going first to the pilots in the open cockpit in front of them and then to Luke, taken aback. Even this tiny act of intimacy was an incredible risk in public, and the fact that he had initiated it rolled through her like a warm breeze, melting all her doubts, completely beguiling her. How could he do that?
He held her eyes for long seconds, then turned to look forward to the cockpit of the shuttle and the two pilots there to check that they weren't being watched. But he kept his hand resting against hers, fingers gently entwined, aware of her eyes on him, of the change in her sense, like a cloud passing.
"Invincible..." Luke said at last, breaking the long silence, his eyes on the looming hulk of the massive Super Star Destroyer. "Bit of a contentious name."
Mara finally turned, glancing to the pilots, quickly pulling her wits about her, realising his words were for them. "You know Palpatine. He's always has a taste for the theatrical."
"Still..." He was aware of her finger trailing delicately against his, the act both playful and intensely alluring.
"Your old one isn't too bad." She said neutrally, eyes ahead.
"Peerless?" Luke paused without thought, attention focused on her hand against his own, eyes on the pilots. "No, I suppose not. Quite mild, really, by Imperial standards. Pity I can't keep the name."
"Maybe you should ask him if you can name the next one- he seems intent on giving them all to you anyway." Mara said, dryly flirtatious, eyes on the new Destroyer, which loomed so large now as to fill the viewscreen.
He smiled just slightly, the action pulling at the long scar down his face, the act incredibly appealing to Mara; she had never disliked the scar - remembered intensely the feel of it against her lips.
"Maybe the... 'Hissy Fit'." he said in mocking tones, "Or the 'Little Tantrum'."
She laughed lightly, "Very funny."
"Or how about the, 'Don't Worry about it- I'll Let You off with a Warning this Time'. Too long?"
"Well I can't see it striking fear into the heart of beings everywhere." She said, eyes remaining on the scar through his lips, longing to touch it.
"No, that would have to be the 'Mara Jade on an Off Day'."
"Thanks."
He squeezed her hand in reassurance and she smiled again, looking forward, though her full attention remained focused on him, and she knew he would know that.
They remained silent, fingers trailing against each-others, light as a shiver yet utterly enthralling.
"I don't think you'd even need anybody on that one... except you of course. Maybe I should suggest it to the Emperor."
"I think Palpatine may be looking for a few more security crew." Mara joked in kind, "You should see the amount of plain-clothes troopers and Red Guard he's sent up to the Invincible with the 'techs in the last few days."
Luke's hand froze an instant - then began moving again, a subtle shadow passing his eyes and hardening them, though his voice remained deceptively casual, "Really- how many?"
"I don't know - easily a couple of hundred, I'd figure."
Luke made himself breathe, forcing an indifferent tone. "Strange- they're not on the ship's log."
"No," Mara glanced to him, but looked away, reassured when he smiled just slightly. "They were kind of hidden in among the workers. But they're up there somewhere, on the Invincible. I have no idea where he's putting them though, because there's an awful lot of them and I don't think any have come back yet."