Horizons ( Luke Skywalker )

chapter V

     He was quickly losing control. He no longer knew how much was acting. Because those dark feelings he conjured up in the throne room, they stayed with him. And the taste of Mara Jade's lips, that stayed with him. It wasn't his instinct of survival that kept him going anymore. He was thriving on the dark forces he felt creeping up on him, humoring everything Palpatine told him.

     He was losing himself in the name of escape.

     Of course, it had to be at that moment of realization that Mara Jade made her visit. It had been weeks since he'd last seen her, when he had asked her to visit him. Luke hadn't really been falling for her charm but he had to make her think he was letting her in. She had to be his way out of there.

     But, somehow, he'd forgotten about the act, along the way. His words and his actions weren't completely forced and he found himself thinking about her way more than he should have. 'Curse women', he thought bitterly. 'Every last gorgeous one of them.'

     He feared they would literally be the death of him. At least, one in particular would.

     Without warning, the door to his room slid open. As with her previous visits, she strolled into his room with an air of confidence. Luke didn't bother forcing a smile at the sight of her, just allowed slight surprise to show on his face. "I didn't realize you'd really come back," he said truthfully.

     For weeks, he waited for her to return, wondering if each day would be the day he saw her again. The days they spent together could be counted on one hand but Luke already felt a closeness to her. He had imagined her in his mind, building her persona up into something he could recognize. Mara Jade had become more than a person. It made seeing her so suddenly feel surreal.

     "Worried, were you?" Her lips quirked back in a grin, as if she knew a joke but wasn't telling. Luke tried not to notice the way her hips swayed as she walked towards him. His heart must have picked up on the danger because it's beat started to quicken. Yes, Mara Jade was dangerous. Danger and cunning and beauty all wrapped up in a skin tight jump suit. Luke was doomed from the start.

     Mara's green eyes zeroed in on Luke as she stepped towards him. It was almost as if she were watching herself do it, not entirely in control of her actions. It wasn't okay with her; having control in situations was her comfort.

     But maybe it was okay, just this once. It was a part of the mission. It was crucial. She would be Luke's fall. "There's just something intriguing about you, Skywalker," she said, enjoying the affect her words had on him.

     "Intriguing?" Her words weren't the most romantic; Luke always felt as if he were an experiment of hers. She was trying to figure him out. A part of him hoped that maybe, one day, she would just see him as a man.

     "Mhm." She didn't bother giving him any true reply. It would be better if there were no distractions.

     Her lips unceremoniously brushed against his. How did she do that? She seemed to have the remarkable skill of slinking up on him and and sharing kisses within seconds. But his thoughts were scattered and he didn't have it in him to pull away. Maybe that's why he leaned into her kisses; he couldn't think straight.

     But as usual, he forced himself to pull away. His sense of duty still weighed too heavily on him even as all of the Emperor's words repeated in his mind.