Title: Disease

Author: Immortal Aussie

Email: FRT

Setting: Jedi Temple Coruscant; post-NJO by about 38 years

Primary Characters- Mara Jade Skywalker

Secondary Characters- Luke Skywalker, Ben Skywalker

Summary: Mara's death

Disclaimer- all these characters belong to George Lucas and Timothy Zhan and my Betas NadaAMGirl, for such fantastic editing.

Spoilers- the Thrawn Trilogy, NJO Series, Journey's End (Sort of. It's a FanFic by Herman Snerd), The Hand of Thrawn Duology, Return of the Jedi, The Courtship of Princess Leia and some of the Dark Horse Comics (Union in particularly). These are all of them that I can think of there may be more that I don't know of, which I haven't read yet.

Genre: Drama/Romance

Type: EU

Words: 1,367

If you look into the Jedi Council chambers, you'll see someone with flame red hair and bright green eyes glazed over like she isn't really seeing what is there. That person is me. Mara Jade Skywalker.

During the reign of the Empire a lot of people used to know me by another name, which was Arica. I used this name when I infiltrated Jabba the Hutt's palace on the barren planet of Tatooine, to kill the one remaining Jedi, Luke Skywalker on the Emperor's command. I did all this assassin and undercover work because I was the Emperor's Hand, the person he trusted the most- apart from Vader that is.

I met Luke a few years later on the forest planet Mykr. I naturally tried to kill him in vengeance for my master's- The Emperor- death on the second Death Star above the moon of Endor. When he managed to escape from Karrde's base, who I was working for at that time, I still blamed him for my master's death. When we were heading back to the base he told me the truth- that Vader, his father- had actually killed him, and not Luke. It was at that point that I realised that Palpatine had lied to me all my life.

Later we became quite good friends. Luke was willing to sacrifice his life so; his sister Leia, her husband Han, Karrde and I could escape from C'Baoth - the evil Jedi clone.

Twenty-two years ago, the Yuuzhan Vong invaded this galaxy, not as friends, but as enemies, determined to conquer us. Their Supreme Lord Shimrra was sure that when they invaded our galaxy that they would succeed.

They infected me with this disease. The Yuuzhan Vong executor, Nom Anor had made it to help eliminate us- the people of our galaxy. It slowly started killing me by attacking my cells one by one. It also seemed to have no cure. However, Han, still reeling from, Chewie's death, managed to secure some of Vergere's (a Jedi from the Old republic who became Elan- a Yuuzhan Vong priestess- familiar) healing tears. These managed to control it up until a few years ago. There was something in the tears that slowed down the disease- I have never known what it was exactly. Then it came back to haunt me for the rest of my days. I can no longer slow it down because I've run out of her tears. Luke and I were quite grateful to her and Han for giving them to me.

Yes. I am dying.

The disease is slowly eating me from the inside to the out, and creeping slowly towards my heart.

Yes. I am dying…. ever so slowly.

I suddenly realise all is quiet, as quiet as a room full of people sounds to the deaf. The silence is broken. I hear a whisper. My name. I open my eyes and I see Luke crouched over me, and the ceiling of the Jedi Council chambers. Crouched? The ceiling?

/Mara? Mara, are you all right/ Luke's voice is so clear it takes me awhile to realise he'd spoken through the Force. I start to say yes but all that comes out is a harsh racking cough. I nod.

I must have blacked out again because the next thing I remember opening my eyes laying on our bed with Luke and Ben, our son, sitting by my side looking extremely worried. Their eyes are red. I look to the other side. All I can see for a couple of minutes is blurriness, like I have been crying. Then I can see Cilghal, the Mon Calamarian Jedi healer. "Why isCilghal at my side?" I wonder.

"Mara", Cilghal stated, "I've found out why you have been fainting quite frequently lately." She says this because I've fainted about five times this past month. "I've already informed Luke and Ben, as you can probably tell."

"Yes?"

"You've been fainting because your disease has finally reached your lungs. That's why you keep running out of breath. Since it is quite close to your heart, I say you will live about another week at the most. I am really sorry. I did not think I should tell you but Luke told me that you had a right to know what was going on." Cilghal is looking quite heartbroken from telling me this. Over the years that we've known each other we have become quite good friends. Her face looks all blotchy and her voice is all wavering and thick so I can hardly understand her. Luke looks like his all world has come down around him- like the planet is just about to explode and all sign of life will disappear for ever.

I realise that Luke is sobbing quietly by my side. I reach up and comfort him by telling him softly that all will be fine eventually. I know he'll miss me dreadfully when I am gone. He will want to die himself. He's going to live about another twenty years and still miss me dreadfully. I know this because I dreamed it last night.

One month later…

I woke up from a deep sleep to find Ben sitting by my side.

"Mum? You aren't going to die are you?" he asks looking stricken.

"Ben, you know that I am dying, I can't change that, I don't want to die. I know you don't want me to die, but I am. I'm sorry Ben."

Three months later…

I'm still in bed. I have not been up since that fainting fit three months ago when Cilghal told me to stay in bed so the disease takes longer to reach my heart. She also told me that resting would slow the disease in reaching my heart because I would not be doing anything that would strain it. She's just left me again after more tests. I know it's reached my heart now. Luke is in the council chambers listening to Jacen's latest reports on the conflict in the Hapes Cluster. He recently returned from there with his new Padawan Athanasius, an Abinyshi from Inysh.

I start choking and can't breathe. Somewhere I can hear a voice in the back of my mind telling me I'll die before the day is out. I recognise it as Anakin Solo's voice. When I realise that I'm dying, I start panicking and fighting to start breathing again! I don't want to die before Luke! I promised to always be by his side! How will he survive without me? I look after our rooms and make sure he doesn't keep getting in trouble!

I can feel his anguish through the force. He can feel me dying. He feels scared for me. He loves me more than life it self. He and our son Ben are racing down to our bedroom. They love me so much, Luke and Ben. The reach my side after what seems like an age.

"Luke…" I manage to choke out.

"Please don't die", he tells, "Not now."

"Luke… Ben…. Please don't feel this way. It is my time to move on. I'm looking forward to it." I have to get this out though it takes all my strength to say it. As I finish I collapse down on my pillow.

Luke nods, unable to speak.

I feel myself slipping further and further away.

Suddenly I see my nephew Anakin. I must be dreaming because he died in the war. He seems to be beckoning for me to come with him.

All of a sudden I feel stronger than I have ever felt before and I realise I have died. I can no longer feel the disease. I am one with the Force now. It feels like I'm walking on air, like I'm floating; I'm all at peace now; calm and relaxed.

How could she die on me? I love her some much; I feel like half my soul is missing; like I'm only half alive, like a piece of material being ripped in half. I feel tears brimming in my eyes. I don't care if anyone sees me crying. On the way to the council chambers I passed several students who stared at me, not knowing what had just happened. I also passed Kam and Tionne ushering some Padawans outside, they quickly glanced at me with sympathetic looks, they must have felt Mara's death, they know I must feel grief stricken at her death.

"Master Skywalker?" one of the Padawans asked me but I ignored them and keep walking.

When I arrived there, I had the tears running down my face. I tell them that I am resigning from the Council and the Order, and that I am going to move to Tatooine to live out the rest of my years. They seem shocked at this but I knew that they are not that surprised. They all had had a feeling that something like this would happen if Mara died.

Later, when I'm getting ready to leave, Mara appeared to me through the Force. She tell me that everything will be all right and that she is at peace now, that Mara is no longer suffering from her illness. That we will be reunited not long into the future.

The End.