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Powerful Allies

by obi-ki

Title: Powerful Allies
Author: obi-ki
Rating: Adult
Archive: MA, anyone else please ask.
Paring: Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan, Luke/Mara
Summary: A Master's work is never done.

Disclaimer: Everything Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and Lucasfilms. I am just playing in his world, borrowing the boyz and their accomplices and will return them all when I'm through. No money is being made from this; it is all done for entertainment only.

Author's Notes/Warnings: This story includes both an explicit slash sexual relationship and a fade-to-black heterosexual sexual relationship. For those of you unfamiliar with the Star Wars extended universe, Luke Skywalker met Mara Jade on the planet Myrkr five years after Return of the Jedi. Their relationship traveled a rocky road for over ten years until they married eleven years after they met. They had been married six years when Mara became pregnant. She was very ill during the start of her pregnancy, having been poisoned by the Yuuzhan Vong and at times her survival was in doubt. The story takes place directly preceding "Edge of Victory I: Conquest" and ends with the events that occur in chapter one of that book. Although it does not follow canon completely, this story contains spoilers for some of the events in the Star Wars movies and the Expanded Universe books.

Thanks to Monalee and Merry Amelie for their thorough and very insightful beta/edits on the story. Without their keens eyes and competent red markers, this would be a much weaker story. As always, I can't keep myself from a few last minute tweaks, so all mistakes are mine. Also thanks to Sian for creating the theme and once again compiling a group of stories for the Constrict IV zine where this story first appeared. Feedback is cherished in any way shape or form at kiowkqgj@yahoo.com

Being one with the Force definitely had its advantages and one of those advantages was the beauty and variety of their surroundings. Just a thought could replicate the forests of Naboo or the great lakes of Chandrilla or the Artists' Commune on Mrlsst. Depending on their mood, their dwelling could shift into almost anything, from a cozy lakefront cottage to a rustic hunting camp or even an opulent resort suite. But today, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn sat on the algae-filled sofa that was situated in the center of a suite of rooms in the floating city of Heurkea, looking out the oval transparisteel window onto the rocking oceans of Mon Calamari.

"I've always loved it here," Obi-Wan commented. "I remember my first trip to Mon Calamari. We had some uncharacteristic downtime between missions and had traveled here with Bant and Tahl. We spent three days exploring the Coral Depths and visiting the Knowledge Bank." His expression turned pensive as he added, "I relived the memories of those happy days many times during my years of exile."

"I'm glad you were able to use those pleasant memories to sustain you all those years, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon replied softly.

Obi-Wan twisted so that he could look at the man beside him, taking Qui-Gon's hand in his as he spoke. "The years would have been unbearable if I hadn't had your visits to look forward to. The only problem was that you didn’t come to me often enough."

The hint of a smile appeared on Qui-Gon's face as he said, "That and being the slave-driving Master that I was, I made you train the majority of the time I was with you."

A matching smile appeared on Obi-Wan's face as he answered, "True enough. But the rewards when I mastered one of the lessons were always well worth the effort." He reached up and traced the graying beard with one finger. "And our time together now is worth almost any hardship I had to endure to get here."

"Even though the responsibilities of the corporeal world continue to make demands on our time together?" Qui-Gon asked.

"As much because of those responsibilities as in spite of them, my Master," Obi-Wan declared. "Being able to watch over Luke and offer him a modicum of comfort and support as he has struggled over the years have gone a long way to alleviating my guilt at leaving him."

"Just as being able to contact you alleviated my own guilt, my Padawan," Qui-Gon replied, the long-ago titles now more of an endearment than anything. "Luke's destiny has been intertwined with ours since years before his birth. The Force and fate used us as the catalyst that brought Anakin and Padme together all those years ago. From the moment Anakin offered Padme and me shelter during the sandstorm on Tatooine, the strands of our lives have been interwoven and each event that occurred has propelled us further along the path that Luke now walks."

Although to all outward appearances he was the picture of Jedi serenity, Luke Skywalker was seething internally with frustration as he listened to the speaker droning on. He had devoted his entire adult life to the needs of first the Rebel Alliance, then later the fledgling New Republic. Once the new government had stabilized, he had dedicated all his attention to finding other Force-sensitive individuals and teaching them the ways of the Force. He had done this in small part to honor the memory of his father, Anakin Skywalker, and his teachers, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda. But the larger reason had been that he had hoped that the Jedi would be able to aid the government in keeping the peace.

Luke had willingly sacrificed his private life to rebuild the Jedi into a group that he thought would be as well-respected as the Jedi Order of old. Much to his dismay, he now found that this was not the case. The very government that he had helped to create and vowed to defend and protect was treating him as if he, and by extension each and every member of the Jedi Order, was the enemy. In a new twist in the war they had been fighting for the past year, the Yuuzhan Vong had used the fear that their invasion was creating to rid themselves of the only real threat to their battle plan. The Vong had pledged to halt their incursion into the galaxy if all the Jedi were turned over to them. That false promise, in addition to the price that had been placed on the head of every known Force-sensitive, resulted in the Jedi being persecuted and hunted as if they were common criminals. Average citizens had joined the Peace Brigade, drawn by the false hope that turning in the Jedi would end the war, and almost every bounty hunter in the galaxy was searching relentlessly for them in an attempt to collect the financial rewards of their betrayal.

The connection that had grown between himself and Luke over the years was in its own way as strong as the master/padawan bond that had tethered him to Qui-Gon in his training years, so Obi-Wan quickly became aware of Luke's growing frustration. The idyllic setting that Obi-Wan had created began to waver as Luke's negative emotions flowed into the eddies of the Force surrounding them. Years together had negated the need for Obi-Wan to relay his plans to his Master and within seconds the scene around them disappeared and the solid forms he and Qui-Gon took on in their private times dissipated as they traveled along the currents of the Force into the corporeal world.

As he thought about the things that had been happening since the Yuuzhan Vong invasion began, Luke shuddered with an eerie sense of premonition. Although much of the history of the Jedi had been lost, he couldn’t help but compare the Vong's current pursuit to what little he knew about the Jedi purges that had accompanied Palpatine's rise to power.

The phrase 'they have become lawless renegades' filtered into his musings and drew Luke back to the present. Breathing deeply to calm himself as he released his anxiety and frustration to the Force, Luke attempted to refocus on the speaker. One of President Borsk Fey'lya's cronies was prattling on about the activities of a small group of Jedi who were working outside the structure Luke and the other senior Jedi had developed. Most likely the politician was doing this to focus everyone's attention on that small band and to minimizing the massive contributions to the war effort that the majority of the Jedi were making. He was so intent on containing his frustration at the speaker’s slanted view that he was completely unaware of a flux in the Force behind him. As the Force eddies dissipated, two spectral forms materialized, looking down upon the proceedings from the corner of the room.

"I am getting more and more worried about Luke, Master," the shimmering image of Obi-Wan said softly. "He has struggled for so long and what should be such a happy time for him is clouded by the war." He looked intently at his companion, ever thankful that he had always been willing to stand beside and support him during these necessary vigils. "I fear for him."

"Have faith, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon replied. "Luke is strong and has withstood many setbacks."

"I know but we all have limits to what we can endure," Obi-Wan countered. "His comparison of the current situation to the events that occurred at the end of the Clone Wars is closer to the truth than he realizes." A shudder passed through his blue-tinged image as the memory of Commander Cody's betrayal on Utapau washed through him. "This persecution of the Jedi is affecting him deeply. To have those whom you served with and trusted betray you, no matter the reason, is a pain unlike any other."

Blue eyes shone brightly as Qui-Gon placed his hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder. "No one understands his current plight better than you do, Obi-Wan. Trust in the Force. He will get through this and emerge stronger and more dedicated than he was before. And you and I will be right here, watching over him and guiding him through this difficult time, as we always have."

Mara felt Luke's frustration flowing across their bond as the meeting ended. Although she had not focused enough to know the actual content of the discussion, she had a pretty good idea of the main topic. The New Republic government led by the pompous Borsk Fey'lya had done nothing to dissuade the current Jedi hunting. In fact, it seemed that the government had fueled the paranoia and fear instead of curbing it. There were days when she wanted to take Luke, find a remote planet and spend their remaining years hidden away, raising their children.

When he finally reached the door to their quarters, Luke palmed it open and searched almost frantically for the one sight that would bring comfort to his burdened heart. Unwilling to take even an extra instant to extend along the Force for her shining presence, he called out as he hung his robe by the door. “Mara, where are you?” His reply came in the form of a wave of love coming from their bedroom. The sight that greeted him as he crossed the threshold into the room filled his heart with warmth and brought a smile to his lips.

Dressed in only an oversized shirt, Mara stood at her dressing table, brushing her red-gold locks free from the confines of her traditional braid. “I begged off dinner at your sister’s,” she said softly. She ran her hand unconsciously over her expanding abdomen and smiled impishly. “I figured after a day in the rancor’s den, you could use a quiet evening at home.”

Luke walked over to where she stood and pulled her gently into his arms. “Have I told you today how much I love you, Mrs. Skywalker?” he asked before gently claiming her lips.

“Not today,” Mara replied once their lips parted. She wrapped her arms around his neck and felt the tense muscles lying beneath her fingertips. Although he would never complain, these meetings with Fey’lya and his cronies always left him stressed and worn out. She smiled inwardly as she thought of a small way to help her tired husband relax. “Dinner won’t be ready for about an hour. How about I give you a massage?” she said huskily.

Luke sighed as he felt strong fingertips kneading the tight muscles at the nape of his neck. “You always know exactly what I need, Mara,” he said as he dropped down onto the edge of the bed. He pulled off his boots and in a matter of moments had stripped down to his small clothes. Sighing in anticipation, he spread out face down on top of the bedcovers.

As Mara straddled her husband’s hips and reached for the bottle of massage oil lying on the bedside table, Qui-Gon took advantage of the changing atmosphere in the Skywalker household to lighten Obi-Wan's mood as well. “I remember many a similar welcome as you sought to distract me from my frustrations after some of my more trying Council sessions. Makes me wonder if you've been plying your influence in more than matters of significant import. Have you been encouraging Mara, my Obi-Wan?” he asked.

Grey-green eyes shone mischievously as Obi-Wan composed his features in a vain attempt at innocence. “Me, Master? Try to be a distraction?” he said indignantly. “That would be beneath the decorum of a Jedi. I was just a faithful padawan, endeavoring to see to the needs of his aging Master.” The chuckle he was attempting to contain broke free and he looked down to see Mara reacting to the ghostly sound.

A whisper of sound registered to Mara’s Jedi senses and she turned quickly to look behind her. “Did you hear something, Luke?” A vaguely audible moan was the only response to her question and Mara chuckled softly. She returned her full attention to massaging the muscles beneath her fingers. Starting with his neck and shoulders, she kneaded and probed with her fingertips until all the tension and knots had disappeared.

As Mara continued to massage her way down Luke’s back, her touches subtly changed from relaxing to caressing. Fingertips grazed lightly over sensitive skin rather than kneading tight muscles. When she reached the small of his back, she could feel the arousal beginning to build from her touches. Knowing that this would be the best way to fully relax Luke, she slid her hands over his firm backside.

As Mara’s touches became more sensual, Luke lifted his hips and gently guided her to rise from her seated position on his body. Once she was lying beside him, he rolled onto his side to face her. He pulled her into his arms and tilted her face up to his. Covering her lips with his own, he initiated a passionate kiss. He slid his tongue past her parted lips, twining gently with hers.

Their lips remained locked together until Mara flinched and chuckled. As Luke looked at her questioningly, she explained. “Your son seems to have an issue with our current activity.”

Luke slid further down the bed, pulled up the fabric of her shirt and laid his head gently on her expanded abdomen. “Settle down, little one,” he said softly. “This time is for your mother and me." He rubbed his palm soothingly over her stomach and sent calming pulses to the restless infant through the Force. When the movement stopped, he pulled the shirt over her head and lay back down beside Mara. “Demanding already. Must take after his mother.” Before she could make any attempt to answer, he occupied her mouth in a more pleasurable activity.

Seeing the direction that the situation below them was taking, Qui-Gon took Obi-Wan's hand and said, “Let’s leave Mara to improvise on your suggestion and I’ll show you how old I really am.” Their vigilance presently not needed, the hovering images closed their eyes and almost instantly found themselves transported back into the ethereal world.

Returning to the welcoming embrace of the Force with thoughts of lovemaking in the forefront of Qui-Gon's mind, they now inhabited a very familiar bedroom. Solid bodies once again replaced the blue-tinged images they maintained when breaching the land of the living and Qui-Gon wasted no time pulling Obi-Wan into his embrace. Feeling the tension of Obi-Wan's worry over Luke now manifested into tense muscles, he decided to take a cue from Mara. "Maybe a massage would help you relax," he suggested as his fingers gripped the tight shoulders beneath them.

"A massage would be a great first step," he whispered as he melted under the ministrations of those strong hands. Almost as soon as he voiced his agreement, their positions changed and their clothes disappeared. Obi-Wan was now naked in the center of their bed, an equally naked Qui-Gon straddling his hips. "The Force is always so accommodating," he chuckled as he felt a trail of warm oil flowing over his shoulder blades.

"It does manage to anticipate our needs," Qui-Gon replied as he worked the soothing oil into the skin under his hands. As he stroked downwards in long, sweeping motions, a hint of melancholy crept into his voice as he added, "Though some days I miss being able to undress you slowly, caressing every bit of skin as it's revealed."

"I'm sure the Force would be willing to allow us that indulgence another time," Obi-Wan replied. He arched upward, pushing his naked butt against the firm cock resting between his cheeks. "But right now I have a more urgent need that requires us to be naked."

"Patience, Padawan," Qui-Gon chided as his fingers dipped teasingly lower. "I promised you a massage and I always strive to keep my promises."

Arching up again, Obi-Wan growled, "There are other places that you could be massaging."

"All in due time," Qui-Gon replied, pressing the body under his hands back down onto the bed. He continued his motions, shifting in turn between digging his fingers into the hard muscles and sweeping them in teasing caresses over the skin. He chuckled as Obi-Wan moaned and groaned, though it was impossible to tell which sounds were caused by pleasure and which were caused by frustration. Not that it mattered much as both sounds added to his arousal, each in its own way.

By the time Qui-Gon's touches had shifted fully from massaging to caressing, Obi-Wan had been reduced to a boneless mass with one very major exception. He heaved a sigh of relief, muttering, "It's about time," when he felt one oiled finger pressing gently against the opening to his body.

Although they could have easily moved directly into coupling in the Force-created realm, Qui-Gon still enjoyed slowly preparing his lover for the joining. He loved the way Obi-Wan writhed and moaned under him as he stretched and coated the tight opening, both men taking almost as much pleasure in the anticipation as they did in the act itself. Finally when neither of them could stand waiting a second longer, Qui-Gon shifted to kneel between Obi-Wan's knees and rubbed his oil-slick palm over his cock.

Obi-Wan quickly took the hint, moving to his hands and knees and was immediately rewarded by the press of hard flesh into his body. Qui-Gon built the pace slowly, drawing out every stroke to maximize their pleasure. The sounds of their bliss filled the room, quickly joined by bright strands of Force-energy heralding their love and desire swirling in the air around them. The strands glided over their flesh like a lover's caress and the additional stimulation was all it took to push them both over the edge.

Qui-Gon's collapsed on the bed and pulled a sated Obi-Wan into his arms, clean-up as unnecessary in this place as preparation had been. Words of love were also unnecessary, both men fully aware of how much they were cherished. Blankets appeared miraculously as well and, with a portion of their attention set to observing their charges in the world below, they drifted off together into the welcome embrace of the Force until they were needed again.

Mara woke to find that she was now alone in their bed. She sat up and looked around for her missing husband and found him kneeling in meditation on the small balcony off their bedroom. Picking up her discarded shirt from where Luke had tossed it, she pulled it over her head and padded softly to stand beside him.

Drawn from his light meditation by his wife’s proximity, Luke opened his eyes. Without rising, he laid one hand on her stomach and caressed her skin. “Did you have a nice nap?”

Placing her palm against his cheek, Mara smiled. “It would have been nicer if you could have rested too. Luke, you can’t keep pushing yourself like this. Force meditation can restore you somewhat but you have to allow your body to actually sleep at some point,” she chided.

“Things are disintegrating so quickly, Mara, and I just don’t know how to get through to the New Republic Senators and officials,” Luke admitted in frustration. “How can Fey’lya and his peers have forgotten what life was like in an occupied universe? And living under the Emperor will seem like a picnic compared to what life would be like if the Yuuzhan Vong annex the entire New Republic.”

“Selective memory has always been a requirement of politicians, Luke, and Borsk Fey’lya is the ultimate politician,” Mara replied. “He is as slippery as a Calamarian eel and has a gift for twisting the facts to support his position.”

Luke rose to his feet and pulled Mara into his arms. His blue eyes filled with pain as he spoke. “As much as I’ve wished for the Force to give me a clearer picture of the future, it’s probably just as well that my talent at prescience is at most times vague at best. If I had known how painful the Force’s chosen path would be all those years ago, I don’t know if I would have had the strength to follow Ben.”

Luke's wash of despair again floated along the eddies of the Force, tugging Obi-Wan from his resting-place. Almost instantly he felt Qui-Gon join him and together they returned their awareness to the land of the living.

Hovering above the open balcony, the spectral images watched the interaction between the couple. Luke’s soft-spoken admission caused another flash of pain to flow through his former Master. “The impending birth of their son should be a time of joy and anticipation for Luke and Mara. I still wonder if the Force isn’t expecting too much from him, Master,” Obi-Wan said in concern.

“The Force does not present any challenges that a Jedi strong in the Light cannot overcome,” Qui-Gon replied with conviction.

“There were so many times after your death that I doubted that I could go on,” Obi-Wan said hesitantly. “From one hopeless mission to another, the war escalating, my friends dying around me. The Force seemed to test my limits time and time again until I wondered if my heart would give out from the pain of it.”

“But you survived, in spite of it all. Have you wondered why after six years the Force has blessed Luke and Mara with this child now?” Qui-Gon queried in his best instructor tone.

Realization dawned in Obi-Wan's expressive gray-green eyes. “For the same reason it gave me Anakin, then Luke. To give them hope and an additional reason to continue the fight,” he responded with a smile.

“Trust in the Force, my Padawan,” Qui-Gon chided.

“Yes, Master,” Obi-Wan respectfully replied.

“Even when the Force was lying dormant within you, you always followed your heart,” Mara said. “If you trust the Force and your heart, we will get through this. We just need to decide how best to serve the citizens of the Republic while protecting our own.”

“I would like to bring all the Jedi to Coruscant so that we can discuss how to move forward and try to get Kyp’s contingent to stop these vigilante tactics,” Luke explained. “Any good military strategist will tell you that you cannot wage war successfully on two fronts. We need to convince the powers that be that the Yuuzhan Vong are the enemy, not the Jedi.”

Mara bristled at the mention of Kyp Durron’s name. Years ago, Luke had fought for the young man to be allowed to come back to the Jedi after he strayed into the Darkness. Like Fey’lya, Kyp seemed to conveniently forget that he owed Luke a substantial debt. Without Luke’s support, he would have been banished or worse. “The Jedi will gather if you request it, even Kyp and his crew. Once we have them together, you may be able to get through to them.” She watched as Luke’s expression clouded and she became concerned. “Luke, what is it?”

Luke closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to grasp the elusive thread of the future that flowed past him. Unable to bring additional clarity to it, he looked up at his wife. "The Academy," he said softly. "I think it would be best if we moved the students from Yavin to someplace more easily hidden and defended."

Mara looked at him in confusion. "That's not a combination that is easily achieved." Sensing that nothing would come from pushing for answers, Mara changed the subject. "Let's have dinner. You've always planned better on a full stomach, Farmboy." Taking his hand, she led him from the balcony.

The meal was eaten in companionable silence, with each just enjoying the solid comfort of the other's presence. It wasn't until he had finished his meal and noticed that Mara was still eating that Luke saw the chance to lighten the mood. "Our son must be hungry tonight."

"If this child doesn't stop growing so quickly, I'll need a repulsor sled to just get from one place to another," Mara said sarcastically. "I don't know how women do this more than once. Take that as a warning, Skywalker. If you ever think about doing this to me again, I'll have to reconsider my decision to let you live all those years ago." She tried to keep a scathing tone in her voice but the twinkle in her bright green eyes gave her away.

"I didn’t do this alone, Mara. You were a more than willing participant in the activities that created young Ben," Luke added with a smile.

"Don't get started on that again," Mara retorted with a growl in her voice that was not totally false. "Our son will not be named Ben, Obi-Wan, Biggs, Owen, or any of the other multitude of names from your past." She rose from her seat and attempted to leave the room but a hand at her waist pulled her heavily into Luke's lap. As Luke's kisses were much more pleasurable than arguing, Mara left that discussion for another time and lost herself in her husband's loving touches.

"I don’t see why Mara is so opposed to naming the baby Ben or even Obi-Wan for that matter," Obi-Wan said indignantly. "He could do worse than having such a wonderful person as his namesake."

"Pride is unbecoming a Jedi, my Padawan," Qui-Gon teased. The blue eyes of the translucent form sparkled mischievously as he added, "Maybe Qui-Gon would be a more appropriate name. Give the child a stronger role model to emulate."

"What was that about pride, Master?" Obi-Wan replied dryly.

It didn’t take very long for her current position to become uncomfortable so Mara reluctantly pulled her lips from Luke's and rose from his lap. Picking up the plates, she walked towards the food preparation area. "Let's get this cleaned up so we can relax."

Concentration creased Luke's brow as he looked over at his wife. "I need to make a few calls. I want to encode a private message to all the Jedi and attempt to contact Booster Terrik." Feeling a bit guilty about leaving Mara to clean up alone, he added with a half smile. "I'll repay you for completing my half of the cleanup with a foot rub later. Acceptable?"

With all the pressure Luke was under these days she would have done it without question, but Mara wasn't foolish enough to pass up this type of treatment. "Agreed," she said flatly.

Watching the byplay between Luke and Mara, Qui-Gon turned to his former apprentice with a barely suppressed smile. "That one could be your blood. Are there any liaisons with fiery redheads in your past that you'd like to confess, Obi-Wan?"

"Although I'd be proud to claim Mara as my own, she is too young to be the result of my adolescent oat-sowing," Obi-Wan teased in reply. The expression in the chameleon eyes became more serious as he reached over to caress a bearded cheek. "And once we took our first steps together, you know that I never shared myself with another."

"So many lonely years for you, love," Qui-Gon replied sadly.

"Before Tatooine, you were with me here and here," Obi-Wan said softly as he placed one palm over his heart and the fingertips of his other hand against his temple. "The knowledge that you loved me and were looking down on me from within the Force was enough to keep me going. I may not have been able to speak with you, but I never doubted that you were with me in spirit. Later on, I at least had your infrequent visits to look forward to."

After she finished cleaning, Mara joined Luke at the comm unit. "Any luck?"

"I'm really glad you had the foresight to create this private communication system for the Jedi," Luke said. "I encoded the message and sent it. Knowing that the Force must be used to retrieve the message in addition to the standard comm frequency makes me feel much more secure. There are so many out there now who would sacrifice us without a second thought."

Mara remembered that time during her illness from the Yuuzhan Vong spores and shuddered. Things had seemed so bleak for her then. But now she had recovered and their growing child was healthy. Thank the Force for small miracles or, in this case, large ones. Pulling back from her introspection, she said, "I was glad to be able to contribute something during that time, although part of me hoped that we would never have to use it." Releasing the pulse of sorrow that flowed through her, she added, "Were you able to locate Booster?"

"Not yet, but I spoke to Wedge and he's going to utilize some of his contacts to look for him," Luke replied. "I tried to reach Corran too but he and Mirax are not on Corellia. Force willing, they are somewhere with Booster and will be able to help him evacuate the children. I have a feeling that we are going to need all the help we can get."

Rising from the wooden seat, Luke pulled Mara into his arms. "Now, if I remember correctly, I promised you a foot rub. Tomorrow will be soon enough to deal with the rest of this." With a flick of his hand, the door to their quarters was securely locked and the lights everywhere but their bedroom were extinguished.

After brief detours into the refresher, they changed into sleep garments and settled into bed. Luke sat towards the foot of the bed with his back against the wall while Mara lay comfortably against a couple of pillows. Pulling her feet securely into his lap, he began to slowly rub small circles on the instep of the right foot. He could feel the tense muscles relax under his fingertips and the swelling being drawn from the flesh around her ankles as he moved his attentions there.

By the time Luke had completed his ministrations on her left foot, Mara had slipped further down the bed and fallen deeply asleep. Gently lifting her feet from his lap, he slid carefully up the bed to lie beside his wife. Looking into her peaceful face, he realized that she had been right before. He did need to sleep. Placing a palm lightly onto her abdomen to feel the reassuring presence of their child, he closed his eyes and allowed the pull of sleep to claim him.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon found their attention drawn back to Luke as restlessness and frustration began to overshadow the peacefulness of Luke's dreams. Again leaving the comfort of the Force for the corporeal world, they hovered over the sleeping couple like an honor guard. They reached out through the Force to Luke, and Obi-Wan decided to use it to try to get a clearer picture of Luke's mental state.

Pressing gently forward into the sleeping mind, Obi-Wan was discouraged to see the strength of the despair that resided there. In spite of their best efforts at subtle reassurance and support, Luke was becoming more fearful as each day passed. He was afraid that he wouldn't be able protect the people of the New Republic, the Jedi, his friends, his family, his wife and his unborn child. Obi-Wan remembered his lessons well. How many times during his lifetime had he heard Yoda intone: 'Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering'? He pulled back from Luke's dreams to see Qui-Gon's deep blue eyes staring at him. "Master, isn't there anything more we can do to help him?"

Qui-Gon probed briefly into Luke's dreams, then closed his eyes and opened himself fully to the currents of the Force. Listening carefully for the tiniest directive, he was happy to find that after a few moments the Force had given him a small clue. Turning back to Obi-Wan, he said softly, "We can offer him a tiny kernel of hope. We must trust that he is receptive enough to read the subtle message." Opening his mind to his bondmate, he shared the vision of things to come that the Force had granted him. Once he pulled back, he continued, "We can enter his dreams and shift them to allow him to see this glimpse. I will be with you but you must be the one to approach him. Your presence will help him to understand that this is more than a dream."

Obi-Wan nodded his agreement and the two spirits sent their mental presences into the mind of the troubled Jedi Master. Darkness swirled around chaotically as they entered and the oppressive feeling of despair was very strong. Luke floundered in the darkness, calling out and reaching for fleeting images of friends and loved ones. Shifting his form from the younger one he preferred in Qui-Gon's company to the older one that his former student would recognize, Obi-Wan walked to Luke's side. He placed a hand on Luke's shoulder and concentrated on the images surrounding them. Soon the darkness cleared and the rugged beauty of the Yavin jungle lay before them. After a few moments, he knew that Luke could see and sense him.

Luke turned to see two men dressed in familiar Jedi garb standing beside him. "Ben," he called in a tentative voice. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, Luke. It's really me," Obi-Wan replied.

"It's been so long and you told me you could never come back to me," Luke lamented, as he remembered the time all those years ago when Ben had last spoken to him. "I've been so alone."

"Never alone, young Luke. We have always been beside you," a deep, soothing voice answered.

Luke looked up at the bearded, long-haired man who stood slightly behind his first Master. "Qui-Gon Jinn?" he asked in confusion.

"Yes, Luke, this is my former Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. But how…" Obi-Wan stopped as he answered his own question. "Leamona Halcyon. She told you about us."

"Yes, back during a much happier time," Luke replied wistfully. "She told me many stories about you two and about my father."

Luke's attention was drawn back to the scene around him. The location was intimately familiar, as Luke had spent a good portion of his adult life at the Jedi training academy he had founded on Yavin. A small group of children were playing with some basic Force manipulation toys in the garden by the ruins of the Temple. As he watched, a young man with brown hair walked toward the group and a small red-haired boy lifted up his hands and called out "Jacen." The young man scooped the giggling child up, lifted him over his head and flew him around in circles like a fighter. "Your daddy used to do this to me when I was no older than you, little imp," the young man whispered to the child. "Though if he catches me interrupting your class I will be in big trouble. Oh, oh, too late, here he comes now." Luke watched mesmerized as the child looked off to the right and he could see himself and Mara approaching the group.

Suddenly the people faded from the image, leaving only the empty garden behind. "Bring it back. I need to see more," the dream Luke cried out in distress as he dropped to his knees. "What does it mean? Ben, please, help me."

Obi-Wan knelt before Luke and speared him with an intense gaze. "This is hope and love. Hold the image close to your heart, Luke, and you will know what to do. And remember, we will be with you, always." He leaned forward and again placed a comforting hand on Luke's shoulder.

At the word 'we', Luke looked up again but was surprised to find that Master Jinn no longer stood behind Ben.

Luke's distress pulled Mara from a deep sleep and flowed from her into the baby. When she opened her eyes, she was shocked to see a shimmering form standing by the bedside focused on her expanded abdomen. A translucent hand hovered above her stomach and a gentle voice crooned. "Be calm, little one. All will be well." The baby calmed immediately and the specter turned towards her.

"Who are you?" Mara asked, suddenly wide awake.

"One who watches over you," Qui-Gon replied. "Now rest and remember, love and the Force will conquer any evil."

As much as she tried to fight to remain awake, she wasn't strong enough to counter the Force suggestion sending her back to sleep. Unconsciously bringing her hand to cover and protect her unborn child, she returned to the grips of slumber.

Qui-Gon reappeared at Obi-Wan's side and studied Luke intently. "Do not give in to despair, Luke. It is a path to the Dark Side. When times appear their most bleak, cling to the promise of what lies ahead."

"Love is the only thing we possess that we can give and have returned to us freely," Obi-Wan reassured Luke. "Its strength adds to the power of the Light and will help vanquish the Darkness. Be patient, Luke, and all will be revealed in time."

With a final squeeze to the shoulder he clasped, Obi-Wan rose to his feet and took Qui-Gon's hand. "Remember, Luke, we remain by your side, always."

They faded from the dream and again hovered invisibly in the bedroom. Obi-Wan pushed Luke back into a deep sleep, allowing the memory of the vision to remain with him. Morning and the bleak reality that accompanied it would be coming soon enough.

Mara woke to find Luke still sleeping peacefully beside her. Studying the handsome face that always looked so young in slumber, she replayed the memories of the previous night in her mind's eye. Was it a dream or had she really seen the spectral image of a Jedi that she didn't even recognize? She thought he'd said, 'One who watches over you.' Who would be watching over her? The remembered voice was so comforting and full of compassion and concern. The baby kicked as she lay thinking and she absently rubbed her stomach and sent him soothing thoughts. She closed her eyes and concentrated on bringing up the image of the Jedi, hoping she could find some clue to his identity.

"Qui-Gon Jinn," Luke said softly. The sound of his voice caused her to jump and she looked over at him, startled. "The person you were picturing in your mind is Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn." The confusion he felt over the bond from Mara had awoken him so he had looked to see what was bothering her. A shadowy image of Master Jinn was the last thing he expected to see in her mind.

"How can you be so sure?" Mara asked in confusion. "You never met Qui-Gon Jinn."

"I probably would have recognized him from the holopics that Leamona Halcyon showed me when we visited her on Corellia but I did meet him. Last night," Luke replied. Seeing the confusion in those green eyes, he added, "Ben came to me last night while I was sleeping. It's rather complex so maybe it would be easier if I just showed you." Luke rose from the bed and helped Mara to her feet.

Once she stood and the baby shifted, Mara's physical needs became pressing. "Give me a minute," she said as she rushed into the refresher.

Making a quick stop in the kitchen, Luke poured two glasses of juice then headed into the common room. Knowing that meditating on the floor was no longer comfortable for Mara, he placed the glasses on the low table by the sofa and sat down on the worn cushions. He patted the seat beside him when Mara came into the room and she came over to sit beside him. He took her hands in his and looked deep into her eyes. "If we both drop into a light meditative trance, I should be able to replay my dream/vision from last night and share it with you. My recollection is rather vague at this point so this will help me to study it as well. Ready?"

Mara took a deep, calming breath, nodded her head and regulated her breathing and heart rate to match Luke's.

Once they were in sync, Luke tapped into his Jedi ability for full recall and began to re-examine the details of the dream. Luke reviewed the events as they had occurred, beginning with the vague but dark images that had plagued him. He controlled the pace of the replayed memory and watched the scene shifting more slowly this time. He examined the thriving wildlife of Yavin before becoming aware of Ben Kenobi's presence. He remembered his amazement that Ben was really there and felt the secondary persona of Qui-Gon Jinn. Again he was not really surprised that he recognized the older Master but was startled to find that something about his Force aura was very familiar. It was as if he had felt it before, many times in his life.

Luke felt his attention drawn away from the Masters by the movements of the people around him. He looked over to see the group of children with their instructor, noticing now that the person was Tionne. He watched as Jacen, with his friend Tenel-Ka trailing a few feet behind him, approached the children and picked up a small boy. The child appeared to be three or four years old and as he looked more closely, he realized that this was their son. The child's greeting and Jacen's words to him echoed in his mind and the feeling of love pouring from his nephew was almost palpable. He could sense the joy as Jacen shared the childhood memory with his cousin and the gentle teasing in his words as he felt Luke's approach. He sighed as the people faded from the dream, leaving only the jungle of Yavin behind.

Luke could feel his distress as strongly as if he was actually reliving it and could hear his pleas to his former Master. He felt Ben's calming presence as he replied and also felt the wave of love and concern that came from his first teacher. He focused more intently on the content of his Master's words -- 'this is hope and love' -- and realized what Ben had been trying to tell him. He continued to review the vision, because now he was sure that it was a vision, and concentrated on the words of Qui-Gon Jinn. Peace and serenity just flowed from the man, warning him of the danger of giving into despair and his need to concentrate on the hope of the future. Finally Ben echoed his Master's earlier statement that they were always with Luke and the two men faded from his mind. He had slept then, wrapped in the comfort of the promise of love and hope.

Wetness was trailing down his cheeks when he opened his eyes and Luke was not surprised to see matching trails on Mara's face. Reaching over to trace her tears with his fingertips, he smiled. "Ben and Qui-Gon have given us a most precious gift but we must not allow ourselves to become complacent. This promise of the future will give us the strength to go on but we must make our decisions and fight this battle as if we have no knowledge of this. As Yoda was so fond of saying, 'Always in motion the future is', and we cannot allow any other possibility to become reality."

"Just knowing that our child and at least some of our family survive will have to be enough," Mara replied.

Thinking back to earlier that morning, Luke realized that he had not asked Mara why she was picturing Qui-Gon. "Mara, when I woke up, you were looking at a mental image of Qui-Gon Jinn. Why?"

"I sensed your distress during the vision," Mara explained. "When I opened my eyes to look around, I saw a translucent form standing by the bed with his hand almost touching my stomach. He was talking to the baby, telling him to be calm and that everything would be all right." Mara looked intently at Luke and added in amazement, "When I asked him who he was, he answered--'One who watches over you'."

"They both told me that they had been with me continuously and now I see that they really meant with us," Luke said. "I felt so alone at times and resented that Ben wouldn't appear to me again, no matter how much I begged and pleaded. But now I realize that he's constantly been with us through all our trials and joys, and so has Qui-Gon." He hung his head and whispered softly, "I'm ashamed that I had so little faith."

"But you do have faith, Luke. You always have," Mara replied as she lifted his chin to meet his gaze. "I think you've always been aware of their presence in the Force and it subconsciously brought you comfort. You just weren't cognizant of what it was that you were feeling."

"Such a smart woman, that Mara," Obi-Wan said. "Maybe I should reconsider the possibility that we are related. With the Force, all things are possible."

"I'm beginning to wonder how much of your time apart from me was spent coaching Mara instead of what you were supposed to be doing, Padawan," Qui-Gon replied dryly.

"I would never shirk my assignments or responsibilities, Master," Obi-Wan replied indignantly. "I just happen to be able to handle multiple tasks."

Luke and Mara spent the next few days preparing for the conference with the Jedi. Arrangements were made and Luke worked painstakingly to create an atmosphere that would allow everyone to feel they could speak freely.

Finally the morning of the meeting arrived. Luke rose at dawn and spent three hours in deep meditation to prepare. Trying to anticipate any possible path the discussions could take, he mentally reviewed each scenario. He used the image of his son and Jacen as a focus and found that it helped him to recenter himself when the imaginary discussion got too intense.

Mara and Luke left their quarters, hand in hand, heading for the room they had reserved about an hour before the meeting was due to begin. Luke knew that many of his strongest supporters would be looking to speak with him beforehand. Concerned that any private discussions could hint of favoritism, he had declined to set any pre-conference meetings. As they entered the semi-circular room, a nervous silence dropped over it. Attempting to resolve some of the tension, he started at one side of the room, greeting every individual Jedi personally and thanking them for coming to Coruscant.

At precisely 10:00, Luke and Mara climbed the stairway that led to the podium and called the assembly to order. The meeting went well at first, with the speakers remaining calm, controlled and polite. But soon things began to deteriorate and voices rose to a fevered pitch. As the frustration of the crowd grew, so did the anger and fear surrounding them.

Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon looked down from their vantage point, watching the events unfolding before them.

"This reminds me of some of the Council and strategy sessions I sat through during the Clone Wars," Obi-Wan said sadly. "There was so much dissension among the Jedi during that time, and like now, the negative situation was being fueled by those people the Jedi were sworn to serve and protect."

"Sometimes it is difficult to hear the voice of the Force when so many others are clamoring to create distractions to support their stance," Qui-Gon replied. "Luke is resilient and he will find a way to filter out the distractions and discover the path the Force intends him to follow."

Eyes glued to the scene playing out below them, Obi-Wan said, "From before he was born, the Force has exerted its influence on all areas of Luke's life. Not one event has occurred from the moment that you discovered Anakin on Tatooine that has not affected Luke in some way, shape or form. I know I shouldn't question, but I still believe there are times that the Force expects too much from him, even with our assistance."

"We both know that the life of a Jedi is difficult, Obi-Wan. The Force is a hard taskmaster but it takes care of its own," Qui-Gon responded. "Luke will persevere. He just may need to be reminded occasionally of exactly what he is striving for."

Grasping Qui-Gon's ethereal hand, Obi-Wan joined his Force sense with his Master's and reached out to Luke.

A wave of despair flowed through Luke as the arguments escalated and for a moment he almost allowed it to overwhelm him. But before it could fully take hold, his eyes met those of his nephew across the room. As their gazes locked, the dream image of his young son playing with Jacen filled his mind. He grasped onto it like a drowning man to a rope and used it to pull his heart from the throes of despair.

A familiar aura floated in the Force as Luke struggled to regain his composure. He opened up his senses, quickly recognizing the imprint marking the waves of peace and comfort directed at him through the Force. Looking around the room to try to catch a glimpse of the ethereal watchers, Luke smiled as he saw the fabric of one of the banners hanging above the meeting room fluttering as if the wind were passing through it. "Thank you, Masters. I won't forget," Luke whispered into the air.

As Luke steeled himself to face Kyp's next verbal challenge, Ben's earlier words filled his heart. There might continue to be trials and challenges for him and his family and for the New Republic but he had the allies he needed to succeed. 'Love and hope.' Combined with the Light of the Force and the knowledge of the constant presence and support of his ethereal partners, these were very powerful allies indeed.

The End.

PS—At the time that the outline of this story was written, Luke and Mara's child had not been born but I had a strong hunch that the child would be a boy and that Luke would decide to name him Ben. Both of those things came to pass in the subsequent books and I choose to believe that the Force was allowing me that brief moment of insight.