Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 04_ Agents of Chaos 01_ Hero's Trial - James Luceno [116]
“Mara!” Oolos and Tomla El said in unison.
But Mara wasn’t in distress. She inhaled sharply, then opened her eyes wide. “Oh, Luke,” she said, as if in awe. “I can’t explain exactly how I feel, but it’s like water after days of going without it.” She looked at her hands—first the palms, then the backs—and touched her face. “My fingers and my face are tingling.”
Gently, Luke took the bulb from her and squeezed a drop onto his tongue. “I don’t feel anything,” he said after a moment.
Mara took the bulb back and held it close to her heart. “There’s no reason you should feel anything.”
Luke looked his wife in the eye. “Mara, there’s one more thing you need to hear: Showolter said that the healing effect was temporary. Vergere told him as much when she came to his aid. He was already going into shock when he found Han.”
“That doesn’t mean it will work that way on me,” Mara said firmly. “Besides, at this point, I’ll accept temporary.” She forced a breath and took Luke’s hand in hers. “You have to let me do this, Luke. I know that you and Cilghal have been trying to heal me through the Force, and I know that I haven’t made it easy for you by withdrawing into myself. But this illness has been part of me for over a year now. It’s been my challenge, and I’ve fought it every way I know how. But it’s winning, Luke. It’s winning.”
She lifted the bulb to eye level. “If this makes things worse, then I’ll just have to fight even harder. But everything in me tells me that won’t happen. Do you understand?”
“At least let us monitor you,” Tomla El advised. “If something begins to go wrong, there are steps we may be able to take.”
“No,” Luke said, holding Mara’s gaze. “We’ll do this Mara’s way.”
She gave his hand a squeeze, then moved to a nearby countertop and carefully dribbled some of the tears into her cupped right hand. Before she could bring the transparent liquid to her lips or face, however, it vanished.
“My hand absorbed it,” she said in amazement, showing her palm.
Oolos approached, looking down at her from his towering height. “Mara, at least tell us what you’re feeling.”
She took a stuttering breath. “I’m not sure. Lightheaded, flushed. Everything is suddenly so bright—” She gave a start. “It’s triggering something inside me! I can—”
Mara’s arms and legs began to tremble. She put her head back, as if fighting for breath. She might have fallen if Luke had not hurried to her side.
“Quickly, Luke, convey her to the table,” Oolos said.
Luke carried her to the diagnostic table and set her down on her back. Eyes tightly shut, Mara groaned and hugged her trembling torso.
“We’ll have readouts momentarily,” Tomla El said from the table’s control console.
Luke’s eyes didn’t move from Mara. “Mara,” Luke whispered, close to her ear. “Mara …”
She groaned once more and then gave a start, staring wide-eyed at Luke. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice a raspy whisper. “I can’t explain what I’m feeling. Did I make the wrong choice, my love?” Her expression became imploring. “Look at me, Luke. Look at me …”
Her voice trailed off and she lapsed into a state of semiconsciousness. Luke searched for encouragement in the eyes of Cilghal, Tomla El, and Oolos, but found none. He returned his gaze to Mara and reached for her in the Force.
As he did, the spastic movements of her limbs began to subside and her entire countenance began to change. Her face relaxed and tears leaked from the outside corners of her eyes. Luke’s face grew warm, and his eyes grew moist with relief and vigilant joy.
Mara’s eyes blinked open and she smiled weakly. “I think it’s working,” she said softly, wetting her lips with her tongue. She closed her eyes once more, as if luxuriating in what she was experiencing. “I can feel it coursing through me. It’s as if every cell in my body were being bathed in light.” She groped blindly for