Horizons ( Luke Skywalker )

chapter XVI

Mara Jade was prepared to embrace the reality that Juno Luck was more than she appeared to be. Mara had steeled her nerves, smothered her hurt emotions with cold acceptance, and was ready to do whatever it would take to protect herself. After all, she had spent the majority of her life without the company of friends; it had been wise of her, wise of the emperor to protect her so. Now, she only wishes she could go back and time and prevent such a relationship with Juno from ever occurring.

Now, her instincts were preparing her to sever the ties in two.

What Mara had not prepared herself for was the sudden onrush of tears that began to rush from Juno's eyes. The girl had quickly turned red in the face as the sobs ripped through her throat, and she slumped against the door behind her. Mara was lost in her confusion.

     "Mara," Juno choked through her tears, "I need your help." Her voice along with her entire frame was shaking as she sought support against the wall. The situation had taken such a turn that Mara hardly thought of reaching out to help. How could she have imagined that the mess before her had been a trained assassin? How could Juno have been so cool and collected only to fall apart seconds later? It was so sudden and unexpected, Mara Jade still wasn't sure on which side of her to believe.

     "Juno, what is this?" she asked incredulously. When Juno finally dropped to the floor, Mara stepped closer and crouched down beside her. Juno's chest was heaving; there was no danger there. Mara placed a hand on her shoulder, urging her to calm down. Luke was always better at swaying emotions. Mara felt quite useless.

     "I think..." Juno gasped. She broke off and it took another moment before she could collect herself long enough to finish, "I think my father was murdered."

Numb. Mara Jade lost all feeling as she looked into the blue, tear filled eyes. It was never supposed to get this complicated, nothing was ever supposed to get too far. Mara was a master manipulator but she never asked for any of this, this grief that was about to pull the two of them under. Her entire life had turned into dramatic entertainment.

"Why would you say such a thing?" She whispered, mind whirring. News had only just begun to spread of the general's death; talk had it that it was from natural causes. His daughter, especially, wouldn't have known the truth of the matter. The emperor would have kept it quiet.

"I knew it was coming," Juno whispered. Her eyes had glazed over and her sobs had ceased. Now, her face was expressionless, as if carved carefully from stone. For a moment, they were completely still until she slowly lifted her eyes to meet Mara's.

"Mara," she started shakily, voice quiet in the dark room, "are you really the hand of the emperor?"

She could hear the blood rushing in her ears and she removed her comforting hand from Juno's shoulder. Her face must have betrayed her because Juno had the sense to quickly look horrified.

"No, please don't be angry with me." Almost desperately, Juno grabbed at Mara's hand. It was a dangerous situation; if Mara wasn't truly the friend Juno thought she was, she would be dead. Their close proximity didn't help to soothe any nerves.

     "Who told you to give that note to me?" Mara asked harshly, ignoring Juno's flinch at her tone. There was no room for soft emotions where self preservation was concerned. Mara Jade wouldn't have lasted as long as she did had she shown such weakness. But the look that Juno gave her, terrified and desperate, was something that would stay with Mara for a very long time.