Just Talking

By Ash Darklighter

Disclaimer: These characters belong to George Lucas and T. Zahn. I am writing this for pleasure and will no intention of profiting.

Rating: NC-17

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The Jedi Academy – Yavin IV

Luke felt the familiar presence sweep over him as her ship entered Yavin’s atmosphere. Typical - she just loved to spring surprises on you, but if she thought that she was one up on him she could think again. ‘She’, of course, was Mara Jade. Mara was a lot of things – dangerous, funny, sarcastic, intelligent, a good friend and so beautiful it made parts of a certain Jedi Master ache. Parts that he’d thought didn’t work anymore. He’d just grasped that pertinent fact recently, but he wouldn’t let her find out. That would be one way to finish him off because Mara, his mouth curved in an appreciative smile, would kill him for sure. It might not be the best for their friendship - this strange feeling he was experiencing - and he really appreciated that part of their relationship. Mara said what she thought and didn’t hold back just because it was Luke. He sent a dark stare towards the administrator’s office. Some people were really getting up his nose and he couldn’t pull the saintly Jedi routine all the time. He was a human being for Sith’s sake, with all the frailties belonging to that species. ‘I’m just a man. That’s all. I’m just a man and I make mistakes. I wish...’

Without changing his stride pattern he altered his course and headed towards the communications centre – at this time of night it was deserted. It was with a sense of anticipation he heard her crisp tones…a sense of anticipation and something else.

"Jade’s Flame requesting permission to land. Transmitting codes."

"Go ahead, Flame," Luke smiled. "Landing pad four."

Tionne did a double take as she moved past the comm centre doorway. Master Skywalker sat at the console, a big smile on his face, guiding a ship in. She pulled out a pad and perused the list. They weren’t expecting anyone just now, but the Master knew who it was and was happy about it.

Tionne was genuinely in awe of Luke Skywalker and perhaps even a little bit in love with him, but she deplored his reckless spontaneity although she had to admit he’d been quieter of late. Not depressed, just subdued as if a light had dimmed somewhere. Of all the trainees on Yavin IV, Tionne was the one who had embraced the idea of becoming a Jedi Knight with the most dedication and she was the one with the least ability in the force. Not much of a sense of humour, but she could organise.

She moved to the doorway and stood calmly watching him, pearly eyes questioning.

"Oh, Tionne," his blue eyes gleamed at her, a long dormant sparkle of mischief appearing. "I need a room – for a guest."

"Now, Master Skywalker?"

"Of course, now." ‘Irritation is not of the dark side’, he told himself.

"Oh! The ship

"Mara Jade has just arrived. She’s bringing us some stores and a few items I requested for training."

"Did you know she was coming?" Tionne asked, a little irked at not being informed.

"No, I didn’t know. Mara just comes when she needs to."

‘So how did Mara know what to bring?’ Tionne sighed.There it was again - that spontaneity thing. Mara Jade had it too. Tionne didn’t understand the woman, in fact was a little afraid of her and certainly didn’t approve totally of her attitude. Tionne would have given almost anything to be as gifted in the force as Mara Jade was.

"Tionne?"

"Oh, sorry Master Skywalker." She shook her head to clear it.

"The Jade’s Fire is in spacedock somewhere. Mara came in the ‘Flame’ and it’s a little on the basic side, apparently." A smile curved his well-formed mouth as he listened to a stream of information Mara was sending him through a force link. "So," he explained patiently. "She needs a room."

"Certainly, Master Skywalker. I’ll check the log."

Luke sighed. Sith, she made it sound as if it was a hotel. He followed her into the cubby-hole she’d commandeered as her office. It was pin neat. Force knows he was painfully neat himself these days, but Tionne made him feel untidy. He glanced around at Tionne’s domain. Were his quarters so lacking in personality too?

"We could have a problem." The pearly-eyed woman mused quietly, wrinkling her straight nose.

"What kind of problem?" Luke dampened his rising ire.

"The rebuilding and restructuring we’ve initiated..."

"Yes?"

"The guest quarters are unavailable, they’re a building site. You should have let me know she was coming."

"I didn’t know she was coming. I told you I felt this ripple in the force and it was Mara. I’m not her keeper. She isn’t a Jedi, not officially, even though she has the strength." Luke raked his hand through his hair making it stand on end. "Well she can’t bunk with me." He exhaled noisily.

"I should think not. It wouldn’t be appropriate."

It was on the tip of Luke’s tongue to ask why not, but he restrained from that idea. Somehow he didn’t think Tionne would appreciate the joke. An image fleetingly crossed his mind, involving Mara Jade curled up in his bed, but he squashed it before he turned too red and Tionne guessed what was in his mind. He mentally smirked. He knew Tionne wouldn’t even think that Luke’s body had urges. Jedi Masters apparently didn’t have them. Urges, that is. He wiped the picture from out of his head and tried to concentrate on what the woman was saying. ‘There is serenity... Oh bantha bollocks!’

"We could… I don’t know. There’s no one else in that wing, apart from..."

"What ... where?"

"The only place we have is across from your quarters. The suite of rooms kept for your sister and her family has just been finished."

"That will do then."

"But..."

"If there’s nowhere else, then that will do. Mara can’t stay on the ‘Flame’ when we have somewhere here. Leia won’t mind. She’s never seen them. There’s nowhere else?"

"There’s nowhere else," she finished off with long suffering patience. "Bed linen is kept in store three." Tionne tapped her pad. "I’ve cleared with the supply droid to have the required items. I’ll just go and see..."

"No," Luke interjected with a warm smile as he finally got his way. "You go to bed. It’s late and you must be tired. You’ve been working all day with the design people. If we finish making this place habitable for the students it will be largely due to your efforts Tionne. I’ll see to Mara. You’ve done a lot and I’m grateful." He didn’t want to admit to Tionne that the sight of his administrative assistant induced in Mara the desire to strangle the woman. Luke grinned to himself. He often felt like doing that to Tionne himself, but she was so good at dealing with the daily minutiae that he couldn’t bring himself to finish her off. Pity. Tionne wouldn’t understand, but she and Mara were light years apart.

"I’ll say goodnight then." She offered serenely and glided away.

"Finally," Luke said. He just wanted some space without somebody ‘Master Skywalkering’ him every two seconds.

He waited at the entrance to the great temple, straining his eyes; even with Jedi enhanced vision for a glimpse of her.

‘I’m coming, farmboy. You’re awfully keen to see me, or is it the Adegan crystals I have in my bag?’

‘I was hoping for some adult conversation, Jade.'

'How adult?'

Luke cocked his head to one side, slightly taken aback at her manner, but smiled broadly as her slim form approached. "It’s good to see you again, Mara, you’re looking good."

Mara surveyed Luke, surprised at how pleased she was to see him too. He looked very satisfactory, tanned and fit, although he was dressed in flowing robes, which hid most of his form. But in his eyes there was a tiredness.

Strangely affected by the expression on his face Mara dropped her satchel and moved forward to give Luke a clumsy embrace. Luke blinked in shock, but placed his arms gingerly around her. His arms corroborated what his eyes had told him on numerous occasions. He liked what he felt and saw.

"Farmboy..." Her voice was dry – very dry. "You gonna let go, or do you need help?"

It was on the tip of Luke’s tongue to say that he needed help, but wisdom got the better of him and sheepishly he let her go.

"Come on Jade. I’ll show you where you can crash. You managed to put the wind up Tionne no end."

"I did?" Mara smiled smugly. "Good. I wondered why you were swearing in your head, Skywalker." Her tone turned mocking. "Aren’t we straying a little near the dark side? I was quite shocked at the words I heard coming at me through the force."

"Bantha droppings!"

"That’s mild compared to what I heard." She put her hand over her heart and affected a maidenly horrified air but her green eyes sparkling wickedly up at him spoiled the effect.

Luke pulled out a comlink and pretended to switch it on. "Oh, Tionne, Mara would love to share your quarters..."

"Don’t even think about it or they’ll be looking for a new Jedi Master."

He led her along the corridors until he reached his quarters. "Here we are."

Mara’s mouth dropped open. "But these are your..."

"No, no, no." He paused. "Unless you’d like to?"

"This miserable pile of rocks doesn’t have a room big enough to house you and me both, farmboy." She stepped back suddenly realising she was almost pressed against Luke’s chest. Her eyes caught his vivid blue ones and a shiver of excitement ran through her body.

Luke swivelled away from his own door to the one opposite. "You’re in this one. These are the rooms that have been prepared for Leia and Han, when they’re here. " He looked a little apologetic. "I don’t have many perks around here and it was considered acceptable that Leia and Han had rooms near mine. These are the only quarters in this wing. I hope you don’t mind."

"Mind? Why should I mind?" Mara uttered sharply and then flushed.

Luke seemed a little strange to her, but she was pleased to be on land even if it was Yavin IV. Mara also was glad to see Luke. He’d always accepted her for what she was in a way no one else had. He’d offered her a rare gift – his trust. The light glinted on his tousled hair. It looked as if he’d been running his hands through it. On an impulse Mara reached up and smoothed a curl into place. Luke stared at her in shock and then smiled and the warmth of his smile made the wandering trader almost feel at home.

"I’m going to have a quick shower. How about you go and get settled in and meet me in half an hour or so. I’ll go persuade a droid to feed you."

"You’re too kind, Master Skywalker." Mara gave a mock curtsey.

"Don’t!" Luke bit out, his sense dark with a kind of frustration Mara didn’t understand.

"What is it, Luke?"

"I’m fed up of being this person who doesn’t exist."

"The Master?"

"It’s not me. I don’t feel..." He closed his eyes. "Sith, I’m sorry, Mara. It’s just..."

"They’ve been Master Skywalkering you all day and you just want to be Luke."

He nodded. They gazed fascinated into each other’s eyes, searching for something and completely missed the approach of his assistant.

"Master Skywalker? I’m sorry to interrupt you at so late an hour."

Mara watched with interest as Luke physically flinched. She didn’t believe it, but Luke had recoiled at the title. Well, well.

"Oh, Tionne, we were just talking..." he gabbled a little nervously.

Tionne moved along the corridor with a pile of what Mara realised was bedding. Wonderful – to spend the night sleeping in a real bed. She was looking forward to that. It was worth coming all this way. She’d felt a need to see Luke and thought up an excuse. She needed to see he was doing fine. He’d been strained of late.

"Thanks I’ll take these from you," Mara murmured graciously. ‘Half an hour, farmboy.’

"I could easily make up the bed for you Mara. You‘ll have been flying for quite some time." Luke’s assistant offered kindly.

"No, it’s fine. I’ll do it. You’ve been most kind." The red haired trader sounded sugary sweet. Luke was tempted to gag in response, but Tionne wouldn’t see the joke.

Tionne stared at Mara a tad suspiciously, but decided her imagination must be playing tricks. They hadn’t looked as if they’d been talking.

Mara watched as Tionne reluctantly left, giving a final instruction to Luke as she did so.

‘Gods, poor Luke.’

The tow headed man reluctantly followed the smaller woman back to the administration office.

‘Half an hour, remember and I’m hungry.’

‘I’ll rig the droid, no one will know we’ve been feasting so late.’

‘Master Skywalker!’ she mockingly sent him and felt him smile.

Luke spent at least twenty minutes dealing with a data file, which had arrived suddenly at the comm centre. Tionne had gone to close up for the night and had spotted the incoming message.

"What were you doing?" She enquired briskly. "It’s very late, Master Skywalker, and you’ve been looking tired recently. I do feel you should get a decent night’s sleep."

Luke rolled his eyes. ‘For Sith’s sake...’

"We were just talking."

"I see."

"No, you don’t!" he exploded suddenly. "We were just talking. She’s my friend and..."

Tionne realised she’d intruded a little too far. "I’m sorry, Master Skywalker, but I was just concerned. You take too much upon yourself."

"It’s okay Tionne, I understand."

"Goodnight Master Skywalker."

"Goodnight Tionne." ‘Thankfully…’ He didn’t know how much more he could take. What a waste of five minutes. "It sure felt like more", he glanced a brief glare at his chrono. Still time for a shower and then make some caf. Annoyance welled up from deep inside him. The communiqué could have waited until the morning. It hadn’t been important. His mood lightened at the thought of Mara being with him. She was one of the people he could still find the real Luke Skywalker with and boy did he need that now.

Mara tapped lightly on the door and stuck her head round. In the ‘fresher she could hear the shower running. "Typical," she grinned and rummaged in Luke’s small kitchen for caf making equipment only to spot the stuff ready and waiting. About to get to her feet she looked over the dividing cupboard and her jaw dropped.

Luke wandered out of his ‘fresher rubbing a towel over his head. His body glistened damply in the half-light. Mara’s mouth went dry. She’d never seen him without clothes before and he was beautiful. His body was lightly tanned, the muscles in his chest moving fluidly as he rubbed his hair dry. Firm buttocks and a trim waist topped by a flat washboard stomach and lower...

Luke thought that he had a good five minutes as he wandered naked out of the shower to find his sleep pants and a robe.

Mara swallowed and ducked behind the dividing cupboard her mind whirling in confusion. Her hand covered her eyes. By rights, she should have been struck blind for gazing on forbidden fruit. This was Skywalker for goodness sake, not some perfect being but his body was sculpted like something in the Imperial museum. She watched open-mouthed and wanting as he moved the towel over his chest, the flow and power of his muscles beneath the skin, the deceptively broad shoulders and powerful legs. Mara stared completely floored, but she felt a tell-tale heat pooling between her thighs. ‘Is he really forbidden to you, Mara’ a little voice in her head encouraged. ‘You could have him if you really wanted to. He’s no monk; he’s had other women. Dead ones too. You’re alive and you could help ease his tension.’

"No," she told herself and squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

Luke grabbed his sleep pants and his robe and disappeared back into the ‘fresher. Mara peered carefully over the top and couldn’t help herself. She made a run for it, her emotions tumbling about her in hot confusion.

"Emperor’s bones! What’s happening to me?" she whispered.

In a mindless daze, she showered, dressed and made up the bed in what was one of the children’s rooms. Tionne had given her bedding for one of the single beds, not the double in Han and Leia’s room.

"Mm," Mara said thoughtfully. "And Luke said her force sense was weaker than the others. It’s possible he was wrong."

‘Stim tea or caf?’ Luke sent through to her.

‘Do you have any hot chocolate?’ The last thing she needed to be was stimulated.

‘I always have hot chocolate. Come through when you’re ready.’

Mara pulled a plain green utilitarian robe around her body and crossed the corridor to Luke’s quarters. She looked around at the décor which reminded her of Tatooine in its choice of furniture and colours, plus the stunning holo of the sunset which provided a focal point.

"I like it," she pronounced. "It’s you."

"You don’t think it lacks character, is impersonal?"

"Gods no. What does Leia think?"

"She’s never seen it. Tionne dealt with the rest of the place, but I did this. You’re the only one…" He cleared his throat briskly. "We have plans for training facilities, exercise rooms, lecture classrooms..." Luke tailed off a little embarrassed, but Mara only smiled at him.

"You’re turning it into something that will last."

"I hope so."

"When did you last eat?" he asked horrified.

"Yesterday or might have been the day before."

"Mara!" They drank their drinks and Mara bit hungrily into the food he’d procured from the droid.

"I know. But I didn’t come here for the lecture. Save it for your other students."

"Why did you come?"

"I don’t know. I wanted to see you, I suppose, and I had managed to pick up the Adegan crystals."

"I’m glad you’re here." Luke said softly. "I miss you, you know."

"I know."

He leant forward and she did the same. Again their gazes locked on each other’s eyes. Mara’s sandwich fell from her hands into her lap breaking the spell.

"I’d better say good night."

"Yeah," Luke murmured and again leant closer and managed to capture her lips with the gentlest of sipping kisses.

Mara jerked away from him as if stung and ran from his room.

"Now why did you do that, Luke?" He asked himself.

Mara threw herself into bed and slammed her eyes closed, but she couldn’t dispel the image of Luke sitting just touching distance away, his mouth getting closer and closer and...

That night she dreamed and in glorious technicolour. Sensual, hot and sweaty dreams, which left her writhing in her sleep her hands trailing over her own body. Blast the Jedi Master for this. He was probably unaware he’d done it.

Luke sat where she’d left him. He couldn’t believe what he’d just done. The feelings he had for the beautiful green eyed trader had proved too powerful to resist. He’d probably just ruined their friendship. He couldn’t sleep after that and moved to meditate, but after half an hour of fruitlessly trying to achieve his inner sense he gave up in disgust. ‘No meditation for tonight’ he laughed at himself as he set off on a run through Yavin’s jungle in the pitch dark.

Tionne was standing at her bedroom window greeting the new day with a Jedi meditation exercise. She always liked to do this for it made one feel whole and at peace. Suddenly there was a crashing in the undergrowth and a rather weary Luke Skywalker stumbled out of the jungle. He was breathing heavily, sweat soaked and his vest top had several rips in it. He looked as if he’d gone a couple of rounds with a Krayt dragon.

She glanced at her chrono astonished to see how early it was and the Jedi Master had been pushing himself through a gruelling session.

"He truly is dedicated to the jedi ideal. He strives harder than any of us," she said, then cast a critical look at the state he was in. "But he’d better not wear himself out. I should perhaps hint to Trader Jade that the master needs an early night. Perhaps she could join me and the other trainees for some extra meditation practise."

Luke sank to his knees with an agonising groan. Pulling off his soaked vest top he tried to mop his face with it. ‘Frustration - is it dark or light side of the force? Who knows or cares?" He surveyed the crumpled torn rag he held in his hands. "Sith, Skywalker, you reek of something and it’s not pleasant.’ He noticed the nasty torn scratches across his chest. ‘Figures," he mocked lightly. ‘Control, you must learn control and not run into bushes with sharp scratchy thorn things.’

The sun rose in the sky and Luke greeted the day, not with a Jedi meditation exercise but with a strangled curse as he tripped over a hidden set of roots and went sprawling. "That’s it. I’ve had enough." He limped to his own quarters, stuck his grimy body under the sonic shower and crashed dead to the world on top of his covers for half an hour.

The lumbering dewbacks, which were walking over him, refused to go away and he could hear more as they pounded towards him.

"I’m coming?"

"Master Skywalker, it’s time for your first class." He heard Cilghal’s voice through the sound of the dewbacks.

"Sithspit!" he cursed and pulled his pillow firmly over his head, before wearily getting to his feet. Clothes might not be a bad thing. He pulled his black tunic and pants from the wardrobe and set his mask for the world.

Luke stood in front of his class and tried to clear his head. He was so tired he could hardly think straight, let alone teach the future generation of Jedi. Mara had sat in on most of the classes, distracting him with an intent green-eyed stare. He’d also felt a few sarcastic comments flying his way but, needing all the concentration he could muster, he kept his shields up and refused to let her disrupt his thought processes. Mara, to her credit, had participated fully in the classes during the day and Luke sensed she had learned a few things. At one point he’d moved to correct her stance when she was sparring with one of the others and he’d drawn a little strength from her energy. Mara sensed his tiredness and fought all the harder until her opponent lay gasping. She sensed he needed to rest, but wouldn’t until the bout had reached a satisfactory conclusion.

"Come on, we have to talk." Luke pulled her by the arm and led her back to the wing of the temple where their quarters were located.

"I’m sorry about last night," he muttered quietly. "I didn’t think and I’ve ruined the friendship we had. I don’t ever want to risk that."

"Lighten up farmboy," Mara tried for humour. "It was only a peck."

Luke brightened a little. "You’re sure?"

"Besides – you’re so tired you can hardly see straight. What did you do last night?"

"Went for a run." They subsided to the floor in the corridor outside their rooms.

"By the force, my bones ache."

"Well if you were running all night I’m not surprised."

"I have to keep up my fitness, Jade. The Jedi train body as well as mind."

"Yeah," she shifted uncomfortably.

Tionne passed the end of the passage leading to Luke’s quarters a couple of hours later. She often felt it was a shame that Luke had isolated himself to this part of the building. She’d not seen him since he and Jade had disappeared a couple of hours previously. Therefore she didn’t know what to do when she saw them helpless with laughter over some story or other sitting on the stone floor, mugs of hot chocolate steaming gently beside them.

"Master Skywalker, Trader Jade?"

"Oh, Tionne?" Luke’s mirth vanished. "We were just talking..."

Mara sniggered and Tionne threw her a look of confusion. Then Luke began to laugh.

Tionne shook her silvery white head and muttered. "I’ll leave you to it."

She marched off, her back a straight line. "I think we might have offended her," Mara laughed darkly.

"You can be evil, Jade."

"Nah, I’ve renounced the darkside and resolve to walk in the light, apart from when Tionne gets up..."

"Mara," Luke warned.

"Come on, Skywalker. You were itching to whip out your saber and..."

"That could be taken several ways, Jade…" Luke realised what he’d said and went scarlet. Mara stared at him and probed his senses. Luke’s defences slammed down, but not before Mara caught on to one particular image and her breath quickened.

‘Luke wanted her, he desired her in a sexual way. What he felt for her was mixed up with a healthy dose of good old-fashioned male lust.’ Mara sought deep inside her own mind and drew forth the images she’d stored carefully from the previous evening. Again in her mind she traced his taut body, glistening torso and firm cheeked buttocks.

"I’d better go," She jumped to her feet, thrusting the empty mug of chocolate in Luke’s direction and bolted for the door.

"Mara, what is it? Mara – wait! " Luke frowned as he caught the falling mug with the force and guided into his hands. It was still warm!

Moving across to her door he knocked gently. "Mara," he hissed.

"Go away, Skywalker." "We have to talk. What’s wrong? If I’ve done something to upset you, I’m sorry."

"Go away."

"Okay," he said sternly. "I’ll go, but we will talk."

Mara pressed herself against the door of the suite, her heart beating anxiously. Luke wanted her in his bed. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her body. "I want him too. Sith, I want him."

She felt his presence retreat and then his door slam shut. "We were just talking...we were just having fun. How could everything change so quickly?"

Her head drooped in defeat. The friendship they had was irrevocably changed by the fleeting glimpse she’d had into the Jedi master’s soul. She’d better go salvage something out of this before the awkwardness became too great for them to handle. There was no way she was walking away from him like the other women had. Mara would never do that…she couldn’t. It would be a betrayal and Luke might never recover.

Taking a deep breath she opened the door and lifted her hand ready to knock on Luke’s door.

"Luke!"

The Jedi master leant against the wall, arms crossed and his blue eyes icy. "Jade."

Mara backed away a little only to find herself pressed against the wall, her forearms held tightly in Luke’s iron grip. He’d moved swiftly before she’d been able to react.

She tried to break his grip and failed. "Luke...I..."

"I thought I could trust you," he ground out, his eyes bleak. "But your friendship comes with conditions attached. You’ll never give enough of yourself to me – will you? Your friendship has a price tag."

"I..." she tried to say as his words arrowed into her heart and stung. She couldn’t believe that because he was hurting, so was she.

"Will you?" he shook her roughly and Mara struggled to break free. "Luke!"

Abruptly he let her go and sank onto his knees. "I’m sorry Mara, I’m overreacting. I didn’t mean it." Mara watched as he wearily dragged his hand across his eyes and then it was more than she could take. This man felt something more from her, more than anyone in the entire galaxy ever had or would. But being Luke he would keep it to himself, existing with a faint flicker of hope until it became too much and the flame died. He would never force an unwanted relationship on her. She would have to be the one to make the first move and Luke thought that Mara didn’t care for him.

"I would settle for any crumbs you would throw me. Haven’t you realised that by now?"

Reaching out she tangled her fingers in his hair. Luke pulled her towards him, his hands moving to her face, caressing the soft skin until her eyes fluttered closed and she moaned. Her hand cupped the back of his neck and brought his face close to hers, close enough to...

"Ah, hell," he muttered and kissed her. Mara’s mouth opened and her tongue greeted his as they explored each other’s mouths. Luke’s kisses increased in power and Mara moaned urging him through the force to touch her body.

Luke let his hand slide down her body and locate the fasteners to her suit. He moved back against the wall and Mara moved to straddle his lap, facing him as they continued to drug each other with their kisses. Through the barrier of their clothes, Mara felt her nipples harden along with something else she thought the Jedi Master had little use for. It was obviously in working condition.

Luke’s tongue slipped back into her mouth, tasting and teasing her, his busy hands stroking her clothes from her upper body and finally Mara felt the air on her bared breasts. Opening her eyes she noted with satisfaction and a little fear that Luke was staring at her naked bounty like a man starved. He was still wearing far too many clothes and she slipped her hands beneath his tunic to stroke and caress what she’d longed to touch the night before.

Luke pressed his naked to chest to Mara’s. Naked! When had that happened? Her fingers found his flat male nipples and squeezed until they stood out, little nubs of sensitised flesh.

"Mara," Luke whispered as he kissed his way around her neck and down her throat. "We cannot stay here. Anyone could pass and I don’t think I could say we were only talking. Do you?"

Mara’s only response was a fevered moan. If Luke Skywalker thought that she was going to stop… She bit the side of his neck gently and he shuddered.

"Mara… I’m convinced Tionne stalks these corridors until she can remind me of something I’ve failed to do."

Mara’s eyes narrowed and some awareness of her surroundings returned to her. "I don’t think I could take any more saccharine," she muttered caustically.

Luke dragged himself to his feet and pulled Mara up with him. Pressing her into the wall he ground his body into hers, his pelvis thrusting involuntarily. Their kisses deepened, growing more urgent as fire raced through them. Mara’s head moved back against the wall as Luke’s hot mouth travelled down to her breasts. Through the barrier of their clothes she could feel his hardness press against her.

Luke tried to keep his head, he really tried, but Mara was proving to be too good at making him lose it. Enough was enough. He picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and marched into his quarters before dumping her unceremoniously on the bed. He stood over her, his chest bare, sculpted muscles perfect in the half-light of a single lamp, but nothing could disguise what burned in his blue eyes.

Mara’s green eyes flashed in response and Luke flung himself down beside her, his chest rubbed against her breasts as he moved over her. Mara fumbled for his belt and the fastening to his pants, but wasn't quick enough for the Jedi master and he completed the task himself. Luke swiftly drew her jump suit off her body, leaving her in the barest of items. Her skin glowed damply as passion sweated between them. It was too much for him, he grabbed her remaining items and pulled them off leaving her as nature had made her.

Suddenly Luke parted her thighs and thrust deeply into her with a cry, stretching and filling her to her very centre. Green eyes locked with blue as, for an instant, they stopped. Beads of moisture ran down their faces, the knowledge of what they were about to do shining vividly in their expressions. Luke began to move. At first it was slow and deliberate, but Mara tightened silken muscles around him. She wanted it all and Luke’s control broke. He moved, covering her open mouth with his, mimicking with his tongue what he was doing with his body. Luke’s movements quickened and the pleasure mounted. Crying out in the heat of their passions they climaxed together and lay still.

"I’m dead," Mara murmured dazedly.

"No, I think I am," Luke whispered huskily as he nuzzled a rosy pink nipple.

Stretching with feline grace, Mara rolled taking him with her and found herself looking down into his sated, half closed eyes. She smiled lazily with satisfaction.

"If I’d known you were this good Skywalker, I would have coerced you into this kind of exercise a long time ago."

"We were both more than willing, Jade."

"Better not let your staff know that you’re sleeping with the enemy."

"You’ve never been my enemy."

Shifting above him, Mara laughed low in her throat and Luke’s traitorous body reacted. His shaft hardened and pressed against Mara’s stomach. Mara bent her head and began to kiss his firm chest, her perfumed hair covering him. As she moved to straddle him, he moved his hands over her firm breasts and began to stroke and tease, and the beautiful trader gasped. Impaling herself, she looked down at her lover and smiled wickedly.

"So do you still wanna just talk?"

THE END