"Be careful." He warned the kid, a brotherly tone in his voice.
Luke smiled, tightly, appreciative of the genuine concern, aware of his own for Han.
"Keep doing what you're best at."
For a moment Han frowned, uncertain what he meant, then a stray memory connected; of long ago, in the Rebel base on Yavin, the Death Star closing in; when Han had told the kid he was leaving - leaving the Alliance, leaving that whole sorry mess behind - told Luke if he had an ounce of sense he'd do the same.
"Well take care of yourself, Han." The kid had told him, so fresh he probably still had Tatooine sand in his boots, "But then I guess that's what you're best at, isn't it?"
At the time it had been an insult, but they'd laughed it off within the day, gotten themselves fall-down-drunk and put the galaxy to rights the same night. It was all so easy, black and white. Reality... that was all the greys in between.
The Corellian nodded, suddenly melancholy, briefly smiling that lopsided grin before turning to walk up the ramp.
.
Karrde studied the Heir as he watched the unknown man walk up the shuttle ramp, aware that there was more going on here than met the eye- though that was true of most of his meetings with the Heir.
Luke watched in silence as Han disappeared into the ship, well aware of Karrde's curious eyes on him. His change of heart had been prompted by a reconsideration of just how much trouble Solo was capable of generating even when doing something as simple as leaving the Destroyer. Something would happen and it would all go ballistic- it always did with Han.
And even if it didn't, Palpatine would never believe that someone had simply stolen onboard a Destroyer that Luke commanded and made off with a ship. Especially when he went after the other spies, which he intended to do just as soon as Karrde left - which once more made Han's return to the Rebels a little muddy.
He had no idea what story Han would give for his time onboard the Patriot - whether he would admit to having spoken to Luke or not - but the opportunity to add a little ambiguity to the plot was just too tempting to pass up. Those who thought Han was trustworthy would believe this just another attempt by The Heir to muddy Solo's reputation in the Rebellion and those who thought him a double-agent would see it as proof for the very same reasons.
Plus it helped to alleviate the pressure from Argot, which was never something to be passed up on. Han would weather it unbothered, as he did most things, and it seemed that whilst their friendship remained intact, the occasional play wasn't out of the question; Solo hadn't come clean about the transmittrs after all.
Without turning, Luke waited until Han was entering the shuttle before saying quietly to Karrde, voice dry and distant, "Try not to shoot him- I know you'll be very tempted at times, but..."
"I'll endeavour to refrain." The mercenary said matter-of-factly, "Though with Corellians that can be hard."
"You're Corellian."
"Yes," The mercenary drawled, eyes still on the vacant ramp. "One has to appreciate the paradox that is my life."
Luke glanced sideways at Karrde before looking back to the now-empty ramp.
"Perhaps I should have told him not to shoot you." he said wryly. "Just drop him somewhere neutral; he can look after himself from there."
"I can imagine."
"And don't tell him anything."
Karrde's dark eyes came back quickly at that, "I thought you said he was one of your operatives."
"He is- he just doesn't know it. I'll be in contact." Luke turned before Karrde could quiz him further, glancing back as he left to add, "You should check your passenger- he's probably on your bridge by now."
Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
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Mara woke in the early hours of the morning and for long, sleepy moments couldn't work out why. They'd arrived at Endor two days earlier and Luke had spent the whole time on the new battle station, only returning a few hours ago to collapse into bed, exhausted. She'd curled up beside him, body hugging his, skin to skin, listening to his breathing in the darkness until he'd fallen into a broken, restless sleep, twisting and turning as he always did but never quite escaping his dreams.
Mara had laid awake in the darkness watching him, wondering what a Sith dreamed; terrible things? Nightmares and visions, barbed and twisted through with Darkness? Fractured foresight and future revelations perhaps... or simply dreams; moments and memories, hopes and fears all jumbled together, like everyone else.
He'd jolted awake with a gasp, jerking upright, arms held protectively before him, fingers splayed. For long seconds he stared breathless into the darkness, wide-eyed, chest heaving... then slowly tense muscles loosed as realization of where he was crept in and his breathing gradually returned to normal, and eventually he'd laid down on his back as his eyes closed, drifting again.
"Stop watching me." he'd murmured quietly into the darkness without opening his eyes.
Mara loosed a smile, "I'm not." She said, "I'm looking in your general direction."
"Well then look in some other general direction."
"I like this one." she'd maintained gamely.
He'd remained silent for long seconds and she began to wonder if he'd fallen asleep, then he rolled from his back onto his side, draping his arm over her and pulling her closely to him so that she faced away, body laid within the curve of his.
"Go to sleep." he'd breathed against the back of her neck, and she'd settled, closing her eyes, lost in his warmth and his touch...
.
Which was what was absent now. Slowly it percolated into her drowsy mind that she was alone- Skywalker was gone.
But the pale greeny-blue glow of an automemo light traced a soft line around the partly-open door so Mara rolled quietly from the bed and catwalked towards the diffuse light in the room beyond. Luke was sat with his back to her, leaning back to balance on the rear legs of the chair at his desk on the far side of the room, his bare shoulders highlighted by the dim light of the automemo.
Frowning, Mara took a half-step forward in absolute silence.
Immediately, Luke hit a key on the automemo and the screen fell dark, throwing the room into hazy star-shadows from the viewport.
Mara frowned, pausing instantly. "What's going on?"
"I'm working."
"Well then why did you just turn it off?"
His head turned slightly, the muscles in his back tensing just visibly, five years of lessons hard-learned spelled out in the scars across his back and arms, just visible in the wan light, "Is that what you came in here to find out?"
Mara paused for long seconds; she'd been on the very edge of shouting at him, indignant at the accusation... but wasn't it true?
He sighed; "What the hell are we doing? Who do we think we're fooling."
"Not each-other, apparently." Still smarting from the near-break-up just a few weeks ago, Mara wasn't looking for a fight; "Actually I was just reflecting that your answer was good enough for me."
He turned, tone and words indulgent, full of mock belief. "Really? 'Cos now I'm completely persuaded of your good intentions."
She smiled, draping her arms about him where he sat, "Come to bed, pushover."
.
Mara laid her arm across him, head on his shoulder as they lay back down, the pale glow of distant stars their only light. He heard her sigh, felt her breath against his skin, felt her warmth, mental and physical...
A sudden regret washed over him- at what he didn't know; realization of what this had become perhaps? Fear that it wouldn't be enough when it came to the moment, as it hadn't been for his father.
'Darkness wouldn't care.'; His father's words echoed in Luke's thoughts, a lifeline to cling to, a promise that he wasn't yet lost. But then his father had clearly cared a great deal for his mother... he still did. And yet and he'd still turned on her in the moment.