A/N: Alrighty! I can't believe that I've FINALLY posted a fic other than a one-shot! Yay for me! Any ways, you read the summary, and that pretty much sums it up of what sets up this story. Because of the way I wanted the plot to go, I had to change a few things. So this won't go exactly according to the way the Original Trilogy does, but it will for the most part. Well, I practically just contradicted myself, didn't I? Any ways, you get the point. : D
I've already got about four or five chapters finished and ready to go. So the updates at first will probably be pretty quick. I'm not so sure about the chapters later on, so you'll just have to trust me! If you want to be reassured or something, just go to my profile and read the area called 'Writings'. Also, read the area above it (I think) called 'Reviews'. That way I don't have to repeat anything else!
Speaking of reviews, I really like reviews! I'll most likely be much more motivated and much less prone to fall into a depression of Writer's Block if I get reviews. Yipee! Any ways, reviews would be really nice, especially for this first chapter. That way I can see what you readers out there think of it. I love corrective criticism just as much as praise, so the only thing I won't accept would be flames.
Thanks very much for being so patient as I ramble on, and please enjoy (and review)!
-Mara E. Jade
P.S.
Can't forget this!
Thank you so much, Porcelainheart94!!! You're an awesome beta!
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Star Wars. Not the plot, characters…
(I have a feeling that I'm going to be getting very sick of writing those things)
Chapter One
Darth Vader's loud and raspy breathing could be heard as he walked down the corridor, looking left and right.
Where could she be? He thought. My master said she was here, on this level.
As he turned the corner, he saw the very person he was looking for.
"Jade," Vader called to her.
A girl still in her late teens turned her head to Vader's call.
"What is it, Vader," came the cool reply with narrowed green eyes. "You know I only answer to my master."
"Mara Jade," Vader ignored her snide remark. "It's been awhile. But I have no time for talk. I hear from our master that you are an exceptional pilot."
She only nodded in reply.
"Good, because I need those skills. I need you to take a TIE fighter down into the trench of the Death Star where the rebels are currently. We need a better pilot than those clones."
"And why am I needed to do this? Why can't you do it yourself?"
"Because our master has commanded me to do something else equally urgent. And because it is our master's wish for you to do what I have asked you."
Vader knew that Jade couldn't refuse now. But before he could explain the situation, Jade interrupted.
"I already know the situation, Vader. Like you said, no time for talk. I'm ready for anything."
Vader nodded, and then left Jade to do her job.
---
Mara Jade began a brisk pace to the hanger. Her red-gold hair that was in a tight braid was swinging back and forth. Once she was in the hanger, she quickly found a TIE fighter and took off.
As soon as Mara was in the trench, she didn't wait for any help. She knew her mission, and her target. And with that, Mara Jade went to work.
Soon after Mara had arrived, only one rebel was left.
He's a tricky one, Mara thought. It almost seems as if… He is! He's Force sensitive, Mara realized. Then, with a feral smile, she thought, well, he won't be sensitive much longer.
But Mara didn't get the chance to relieve the rebel of his life, because, right after, a TIE fighter behind her got blown to bits, and it's wing clipped Mara's.
What the kriff was that? She wondered in bewilderment. Then she saw a light freighter that hadn't been there ten seconds ago. But Mara didn't have time to ponder about the light freighter, because her fighter was spinning out of control from her clipped wing.
Mara struggled with the controls of the fighter, and soon had them under control. But right after that, behind her the Death Star exploded into a storm of pieces.
What the kriff! What just happened?
But Mara soon found out what just happened. Because with the impact of the explosion behind her, Mara and her fighter once again started spinning out of control. She sighed with frustration. Mara tried to settle her dizzy mind and tame her fighter. Soon, she had it under control again. That's more like it, she thought with satisfaction. But then Mara realized that she had a huge problem:
She had nowhere to go to.
---
Darth Vader ran to the closest hanger in an awkward manner. I really hate this suit. But I can't think about that right now! I have to get out of here! Vader had been told to check something on the Death Star for his master. But Vader abandoned all hopes of finishing his task because the Death Star was about to explode. Once he was in the hanger, he found a small shuttle that had a hyperdrive and took off.
---
"Wahoo!" Han Solo yelled over the comm. Luke Skywalker smiled. Han had come back.
"Come on kid, let's blow this thing and get out of here!" Han told Luke.
Luke targeted with the Force and let his proton torpedo go. It sunk into the hole and the Death Star began to explode. Luke sighed with great relief as he directed his X-wing out of the explosion.
I did it.
"Hey, Luke." Leia's voice through the comm. broke through his thoughts. "Do you see that TIE fighter spinning out of control about a few kilometer left of you?" Luke looked where she had described and saw it.
"Yeah, Leia. What about it?"
"The pilot might have valuable information." She paused, and then continued. "We need you to escort him and bring him back to the base." Then, as if Leia felt like she needed a justification for doing this, she said, "Besides, he has nowhere to go; TIE fighters don't have a hyperdrive, am I right?"
"Yeah, you're right," Luke replied with a sigh. "I'll be back shortly. But, Leia, what if the pilot becomes hostile?"
"Like I said, he has nowhere to go. We are his best hope. He'll agree if he's at least moderately sane."
"Ok, see you soon." Luke ended the call. He looked out of his cockpit and saw that the fighter was still where it had last been. Probably trying to figure out what to do next, Luke mused. Luke flew his X-wing over closer to the fighter and sent a calling sequence to it.
"Imperial fighter, please reply."
Shortly after, a sweet, melodic voice carried through to Luke.
The voice sounded nothing like a male.
I hear you. What do you want?
---
Imperial fighter, please reply
Mara had concluded that she would have to A, crash land on Yavin IV, and hope that she can rebuild her fighter without the help of the rebels. B, ask help from the rebels and risk her being captured, or killed. Or C, crash land on Yavin IV and steal a ship from the rebels and risk being caught. Mara had weighed the risks and decided that C was the best choice. That was when the message from the rebel had come in.
Mara finally decided to answer it, because either way, all hopes of sneaking to Yavin IV were crushed.
"I hear you." Mara had finally replied. "What do you want?" Never was the diplomatic type… Mara mused.
Please follow my course to Yavin IV.
Mara snorted. If you even think I'm going to follow you... But Mara knew that she had to follow the X-wing, because it was her only hope. Some hope THAT is.
"Ok, just lead the way."
---
Luke sighed in relief. The pilot had agreed. But the pilot wasn't just a pilot; the pilot was a female pilot. Luke really didn't know that much about the Empire; he didn't know if female pilots were rare or not. But he did know this: that this pilot was no ordinary girl. Even through the comm. unit Luke could feel something about her. There was a certain… aura about her. All Luke knew, was that he could not wait until he got to meet her in person. Oh great, Luke thought. I'm falling for a girl that I don't even know. An Imperial girl, no less.
--
What do you think? Well, I really want to know, so please review!
-Mara E. Jade
P.S.
One thing I'd really like to know about this first chapter is if I'm writing the characters all right, and if Mara is written too much like a Mary Sue. So if you could tell me your opinion, that'd be great!