Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide II: Ruin by Michael A. Stackpole

Author:Michael A. Stackpole [Stackpole, Michael A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-345-46742-3
Publisher: A Del Rey® Book
Published: 2011-10-04T13:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Luke found Mara standing at the large viewport in the suite they’d been given on the Tafanda Bay. He caught a bit of surprise from her as he entered the cabin, but the spike leveled quickly as she recognized him. She’d been hugging her arms around herself as she looked out at the Mother Jungle below, and let them slacken slightly, but Luke laced his fingers through hers and hugged her from behind.

He kissed her neck. “How are you doing?”

Mara nodded confidently. “Good, very good. High Priest Tawron stopped by and graciously performed with me the ritual he did for the Jedi and others. I felt ashamed that I’d not been there with the Jedi, but—”

“It’s okay, Mara. We would have loved to have you there, but we want you rested to be at your best.”

She leaned her head to the right, gentry touching her temple to his. “I know, and that’s very sweet of you, Luke, but there are times I feel like a malingerer. In some ways Ithor seems so peaceful that maintaining an edge is tough for me. It’s not so much that I like strife, it’s just that I’ve been trained to deal with it. I’m at my best doing that.”

“And you’re one of the best doing that.”

“ ‘One of’?”

Luke laughed lightly. “Let me amend that. The best at dealing with strife.”

She turned her head and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. Mind if I just relax here in your arms for a while?”

“Sure, we have time.”

“A day or two?”

“Well, sure, but standing here for a couple of days will be a bit much, don’t you think?” Luke smiled. “We could get faint from hunger.”

“Oh, good point, husband mine. Perhaps we should go lie down.”

“Definitely like the way you think, Mara.” The Jedi Master hugged her just a bit tighter. Outside the viewport a flock of triple-clawed manollium birds took off in a brilliant gush of color, to whirl and dive in a rainbow arc back down to another roost. “Wow. With all the planning and everything that has been going on, I have had little time to stop and see what it is we’re fighting to protect.”

“I’ve been watching for hours and there is always more to see.” Mara turned within his arms and brought her arms up and around his neck. “Relal Tawron was very good for me. He told me that while the Mother Jungle is a peaceful place, it is not without violence and hostility. He noted that predators and prey are all part of the natural cycle. A predator kills prey and eats it, then bugs and microbes devour what remains, nourishing plants that provide food and shelter for the prey.”

“And he likened you to a predator?”

Mara shrugged. “Actually he likened me more to a firestorm burning a huge swath through the jungle during the dry years.”

“Hmmmm, didn’t think they got that much news out here.”

“Oh, Jedi sarcasm. I’m wounded.”

They both laughed aloud, and Luke kissed her again, on the lips and tip of her nose.

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