by Jenifer Davis


Annie looked up from her work on the moisture droid to see her son Dryl running toward her. In one hand he held the model X-wing that Mara had given him on her last trip to visit, in the other was the portable comm. "Mommy, Mommy, Uncle Ghent wants to talk to you!"

She smiled, very sure that the mute hadn't been set and that Ghent was hearing every bit of her son's excitement. Dryl was so much like his father it truly amazed her. Mara said that the only way the boy resembled her was in his amazing ability to get into trouble. Which was probably right, her son had his father's ice-blue eyes and a combination of both of their hair colors, with a strawberry blond. Beyond that, all similarities ceased. Dryl's father had been fortunate enough to grow up in a seminormal household, Dryl had been a slave until he was three and then lived with his mother and aunt on a smuggling freighter. Nearly a year on the planet Myrkr working for the smuggler Talon Karrde had rounded out his young education, one much like her's, she was adopted at eight off the streets by a smuggler.

Dryl reached her, completely out of breath and handed her the comm unit, satisfied to play with his model as his mother talked with an old friend. Taking the comm unit from her son, she greeted Ghent warmly. "Ghent, how are you doing? It's been a long time since I heard from any of you."

"Yeah, I've been on Coruscant with Mara--"

"Mara, on Coruscant? What happened? Ghent, is she in trouble?" Annie knew very well that Mara avoided that planet at all costs since the Emperor's death, associating it with him and the Empire. The only way anyone would have gotten her near there would be against her will.

"Well, she's fine now. There was a bit of trouble, some Imperial captain trying to accuse her of organizing a plan to kidnap the Solo kids, but she's fine now and all her injuries are healed."

"Injuries? Ghent, you had better start at the beginning, or I will reach through the comm unit and yank it out of you. I want everything!"

"Well, The Empire is trying to make a come back through some Grand Admiral named Thrawn. He's come out to Myrkr to pick up ysalmari and, well, that was after we picked up Skywalker."

Annie's heart jumped, Luke, Karrde had Luke. "What do you mean, picked up Skywalker?"

"He was stranded, his hyperdrive out in the middle of space. Apparently he had tangled with a Star Destroyer. Mara had dropped us out of hyperspace to do a diagnostics check and nearly dropped us right on him. We picked him up and took him to Myrkr. Well, I guess it would be better to say that we were holding him captive. When that all cleared up, after General's Solo and Calrissian had come out here also and found out about him, we ended up having to leave Myrkr because of the Grand Admiral. Then that guy arrested Karrde, Mara and Skywalker rescued him and they went to find the Katana fleet. Of course, they got there too late and most of the ships were gone because of the Imperials. The New Republic was attacked out there and we joined in the fun. Mara's ejection seat was caught in the path of an ion cannon, but Skywalker found her and rescued her. So, she's been here on Coruscant recovering and Karrde left me here to look after her."

"So, is she recovered? And what's that about someone trying to kidnap the Solo kids?"

"Yeah, she's recovered all right, but apparently she has a past with the Empire and this captain knew. He was sent by Thrawn to kidnap the Solo kids, but Mara knew a secret passage and stopped the Imperials. But the captain implicated Mara, but everything has been cleared up now. It's just that we've been forgotten here on Coruscant. However, I did have something to work on, the Delta Source, which is what I wanted to talk to you about." Ghent launched into an explanation of what Delta Source was and a series of questions. Annie, on the other hand, couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. Mara had saved Han's children's lives, that meant that Mara and Han must have been in contact and she had certainly been in contact with Luke.

"Ghent?" It took him a few seconds to reply.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk about this later? Is Mara there? I need to talk to her."

"No, she went with Karrde and Skywalker and the Solos to a planet called Wayland. Something about a Dark Jedi."

"Oh, can you have her call me when she returns. Tell her that it urgent. I need to go, now, though. Why don't you and Mara come visit and bring all the stuff on this Delta Source with you? I'd like to take a look at it."

Ghent answered, but she didn't notice as she turned off the comm. She had never thought about the possibility of Luke finding out about Dryl, instead choosing to believe that everything would work out just fine now that they had a real home. Oh, Mara hadn't been thrilled with the idea of her and Dryl living on the old Lars place, saying that Skywalker could return on any given day. But Annie knew better, she knew that Luke had cut off all his ties with Tatooine. He had no reason, no wish to return. At least, he didn't have. But if Mara said something to him, then everything could blow up.

"Mommy?" A small hand tugged at her sleeve, bringing her out of her reverie. "Are you thinking about Daddy again?"

"What makes you think that?"

"You have that look on your face again. Like when you look at the holo of the two of you." Annie was amazed at her son's observations, but then he was the son of a Jedi. He held up the model that he was playing with, looking at it more intently. "Is it true that Daddy flew an X-wing in the war? That's what Aunt Mara told me when she gave this to me."

"Yes, your father was a pilot, he was a great hero in the war because he was so good." Pulling her son into her arms, Annie yearned to have Luke there with them. Yearned to tell him that Dryl was his son, that he was Force-sensitive, that he looked almost exactly like the holos of Luke as a kid that Beru had shown her. But it wasn't to be. No, if Luke knew he'd probably take Dryl from her, to raise as his own with whatever new girlfriend he had. That she was sure of, he had to have a girlfriend, he was so handsome, a war hero, the only Jedi left. Of course he had a girlfriend, if not a wife. But Mara would know, if she had spent any time with him, she would know. Walking back to the homestead with her hand on Dryl's shoulder, Annie decided that she would have to ask Mara, for her son's sake.
 


It was two weeks later that the visitors arrived at the Solus homestead. Recognizing the speeder pilot, Dryl ran out to meet them. "Aunt Mara!"

She barely had time to get out of the speeder before he jumped into her arms. "Hey there big guy! I swear you grown an inch every time I visit."

The other two passengers smiled as the boy greeted his aunt. A woman came up from the lower level of the homestead with a tray of glasses in her hands. "Mara, it's about time you came to visit. Ghent, Talon, it's good to see you both of you. I take it everyone survived the trip to Wayland in one piece."

"Of course, did you actually think WE would get into trouble?"

"Mara, I know you too well to fall for that. What happened and what is this about a Dark Jedi?"

Mara fell into an explanation of the trip as the entered the house, Ghent and Karrde adding their own input along the way, all being followed by Karrde's pet vornskrs Sturm and Drang. Karrde's attention was drawn from the story, however, as he watched young Dryl play with a toy model that he had. Motioning the boy over, he examined what turned out to be a model X-wing. "This is a nice ship you have here, son."

"Aunt Mara gave it to me. It's an X-wing, like my daddy flew in the war. He was a great hero because he was such a good pilot." The boy spoke with pride in the father he had never known, knowing that he was a great man and that his mother still loved him very much.

"Oh, and who is your father?"

"I don't know," Dryl's face screwed up in concentration as he tried to remember the man he had never met, the face in the holo he had barely seen. "I think he's still alive and I'm sure Aunt Mara knows. Sometimes when they think I'm asleep she and Mommy argue about whether they should tell him or me about each other."

Talon's curiosity was piqued by this information. Annie had never entertained questions about Dryl's parentage, leading everyone to believe that his father had been arrested or killed. But if he was still alive and a war hero at that, that narrowed the field down. War heroes who flew X-wings were few and far between, the only two he could think of were Wedge Antilles and Luke Skywalker. Perhaps this is a long lost son of Commander Antilles, a spacer like him surely must have had several conquests, Karrde snorted at the word, in his time during the war. Commander Skywalker has never once mentioned having a girlfriend anywhere, I doubt he would be the father. But a look a Dryl, his facial features, which hardly took after his mother, made Karrde rethink his previous thought. Then again, if she is from Tatooine, perhaps she did know Skywalker.

Annie had noticed Talon's conversation with her son, but was not able to fully hear it. It appeared that he was asking Dryl about the model X-wing, and for a moment she feared that he would tell Karrde about his father. But he didn't know enough for Karrde to figure anything out, not unless he became uncharacteristically nosy and that would require a look at the holo she kept hidden in her room. Or if he ever saw one that Luke might still have, but she doubted that he had any.

She got up to refill the pitcher of fruit juice, thankful that the last shipment of supplies had come in. The evening meal was quickly out of the cooker, a juicy piece of meat that she had been saving for an occasion such as this. They all ate quickly, savoring the wonderful meal and talking small talk. Except Karrde. He had hardly touched his plate, instead feeding tidbits to the two vornskrs that were sitting under the table. He winked at Dryl, who did the same and returned to his thoughts. It had become more and more likely to him that Dryl was Luke Skywalker's son. Of course, Mara's intense hatred for him just confused matters more, but hadn't she mentioned that she had met Dryl and Annie after Dryl was born. Maybe she didn't find out until later. To his mind came their parting greeting as Annie and Dryl left Myrkr.

"'You take care of yourself, and don't buy any suspicious looking droids.'

'And don't kill anyone I used to date.'"

It had been a joke to them then, but now, after hearing Skywalker's story of how he left Tatooine and knowing Mara's hatred of him, it almost made sense. He had always gotten the feeling that Mara wanted to kill Skywalker, her Imperial background had made it even more apparent to him. And goodness knows, half the galaxy knew of how the two droids Skywalker's Uncle had bought had led him to the Rebellion. A joke about someone they both had in common? About someone who had, if unknown to him, an impact on their lives?

Talon looked up to see Annie watching him, and intent look on her face. "Is the meat to your liking?"

"It is wonderful, my dear."

"Oh," her mischievous grin crept back into place. "It looked to me like you were feeding it to Sturm and Drang. You do realize that I don't approve," this time Dryl bore the brunt of her disapproving look, "of animals at the dinner table."

"Oh, but they are practically family, dear. I do wish that you would allow me to have a cub brought out for you and Dryl, it would make a good pet and a wonderful playmate for Dryl."

"And it would survive in this desert? No, Talon, I wouldn't want to risk a living creature on our own dear pleasures. A pet would be nice, though." Her face grew thoughtful in turn, knowing that Dryl did need a playmate of some sort. She shook her head, as if to clear it of a memory, and rose with a smile on her face. "Would any body like some dessert? I've made a berry pie."

"I helped clean the berries." Dryl boasted proudly, as Annie put a sizable piece down in front of him. Before they had the chance to protest, equally large pieces were set in front of Mara, Ghent and Talon. As she placed a piece at her plate, Annie hid the fact that she was sliding two more good-sized pieces under the table to the vornskrs. Only Karrde caught her actions and smiled to himself. Next time Mara or he visited, there would be a vornskr cub in tow. Whether Annie liked it or not.

Karrde and Ghent insisted on doing the dishes, although there really weren't many to do by hand. Mara and Annie put Dryl of bed, Mara telling him a story about one of her smuggling runs. After the small child had drifted to sleep, the two women retired to Annie's bedroom, where they were deep in discussion.

Dishes finished, Ghent wandered outside, mentioning something about the sunset. Karrde only half-heard him, trying to hear the conversation on the other side of the wall. He walked quickly to the guestroom he was to share with his slicer, noting that the voices were more distinguishable.

"Annie, you need to tell him sometime. He has a right to know that he has a son." Karrde strained to catch the rest of Mara's tirade, finally deciding that she said something about Luke being the only one to train him.

"And what should I tell him. 'Hi Luke. I know it's been a few years, but this is your son. I had him after you left.'"

"Ran out is more like it."

"He didn't run out on me. We had a fight, he left Tatooine with Old Ben and a set of droids. I found out later, after the Imperials sold me to Jabba, that I was pregnant. He never knew, he never had reason to know. For all I know he could think I'm dead."

"He does. That I'm sure of."

There was a silence in the room, although Karrde almost believed that there were sounds of someone crying. Mara's voice, more gentle now, was heard. "What about Dryl? Your son has a right to know that he has a father and to know that father. Stories about how Daddy was a great war hero aren't going to cut it. He needs a father figure in his life and quarterly visits from Karrde and Ghent aren't enough. He needs to know his father."

"I know, I know. It's just too dangerous. You saw that the Imperials tried to kidnap the Solo kids. Hell, you saved their lives. What makes you think that they are going to leave the long lost son of Luke Skywalker alone."

There, he was right. Skywalker was Dryl's father. Somehow it all made sense, the last piece of a puzzle falling into place. A puzzle he had been working on since Mara and Annie had entered his service. No, one that he had been working on since Annie Solo had disappeared. He made a face, Mara's words about Dryl needing a father very well hitting home. Part of him resented Skywalker's parentage of Dryl, of at least knowing of it. He had always hoped that perhaps Annie would see him in the light he saw her, that maybe he could become Dryl's father. He had wished that from the moment that he had first recognized her as Solo's little sister, a girl he had fallen for that time he had work with the pair. But Annie's next words crushed all hope of that, for what Dryl had said was true.

"I love him. Goodness knows why I still do, but I do. But I need to protect my son, as a mother it is my duty. I'd give anything to tell Luke about Dryl, that he's here, that I'm still alive. But I can't, my son won't be safe. I don't care about what you say, that there are not any more Dark Jedi. Where there are Jedi, there will be a Dark Jedi. And besides, there is one that hasn't been accounted for. Maybe you didn't know this, but Ciero didn't die on the Death Star at Endor. He's still alive, he's still out there and he's probably still trying to find me."

"Trying to find you?"

Karrde could hear Annie's wry grin as she replied. "Let's just say that he took an interest in me when I was arrested. However, I was more valuable to the Imperials as something they could sell to Jabba than as his newest play toy. I've heard reports that he's searching for me."

"Probably much like those reports that Jabba's kinsfolk are looking for his favorite dancing girl. All the more reason for you to tell Skywalker. What if the bounty hunters finally find you? What will happen to Dryl then?"

"He has his instructions on what to do. And I'm sure you'll know as well."

The silence was long, even Karrde was beginning to feel uncomfortable when Annie finally spoke again. "I don't want to loose Dryl. And that's what will happen, no matter who finds out."

"What? I realize that there will be a few Imperial attempts to kidnap him. Especially if Ciero is alive. But they can be stopped and prevented. It's not like you need to tell the whole galaxy who Dryl is. Goodness knows that you can tell everyone else that Dryl is someone else's son, just tell Skywalker the facts. What makes you think that he's going to be taken from you."

"Luke will. He'll want his son to be with him. And his new girlfriend or wife. I'm old news, I guess the term would be. He forgot about me long ago, when he ignored me in Jabba's palace."

Mara burst out laughing, a sound Karrde hadn't heard in a long time. "Honey, he didn't notice you because he was too intent on trying to sway Jabba's mind, an impossible feat in itself. And besides, there is no girlfriend or wife. And believe me that nearly every single girl in the galaxy would like to snag him. I don't think he's dated a single person since the end of the war, much less when he joined the Rebellion. I'd almost say," Mara grew soft and thoughtful, "that he was still in love with someone else, someone he knew back home."
 


It was a sad farewell as the visitors returned home after their week with an old friend. Dryl was sad to see his aunt and the two men go, but he was so worn out when they left that he could scarcely protest their return to Mos Eisley. He yawned a huge yawn as Mara and his mother hugged each other. "I'll be by in a few months, Annie. Take care and don't buy any strange looking droids."

"Don't worry, you take care also, stay away from Dark Jedi, you hear? And try to keep from killing anyone I know."

Giving Annie his customary kiss on the cheek, Karrde noted the change in their greeting. _For Dryl's sake perhaps? Was he asking questions about his father?_ He watched, deep in thought, as Ghent gave both mother and son a hug before they all climbed into the speeder. The little boy stood next to his mother, a huge yawn cracking his face, but he insisted on staying and waving to the retreating travelers.

During the return to the Wilde Karrde, Talon was deep in thought about Annie and Dryl and their situation. Not to mention the latest news. Finally, he pushed the thought from his mind. After all, if Annie didn't want Skywalker to know, he wasn't going to be the one to tell him.
 


Through the weeks and months that followed the thought wouldn't leave him alone. He couldn't help but to think that if their roles were reversed, he would have like Skywalker to tell him of a long-lost girlfriend and son. Especially if they were Annie and Dryl. But then, he didn't want to be the one to face Annie's wrath when she found out who it was that told. Mara agreed with him, though she didn't know it, Skywalker had every right to know.

The opportunity presented itself in an unseemly manner. The smuggler's alliance was renegotiating with the New Republic. And as a representative Karrde had to meet with the Council. It was during his discussions with the council, debriefing more like it, that he had noticed Master Skywalker's presence in the Council chamber. Very likely he had been called in to mediate if needed. The Jedi had long been known for their skills in that area.

The meeting had ended in a deadlock, the Council unwilling to meet the Alliance's requirements and Karrde unwilling to yield anything until they yielded more themselves. As the meeting broke up, he watched Luke speak with his sister and give her a kiss on the forehead before turning to leave. Talon quickened his pace, wanting to catch up with the young Jedi Master. Now was the time to tell him, if ever. At least Mara wasn't here to pass the news of his informantship on to Annie. Maybe she'd think that Skywalker had figured it out for himself.
 


Luke left the Council in a hurry and in a daze. He was impatient with himself and others around him, but he was sure it was because of his frame of mind. Hell's bells, he got like this every year, around this time. It was nearing the anniversary of the Battle of Yavin, it was getting too painful to be around others. Especially Han and Leia who seemed to always be in some sort of a happy, lovey, dovey mood. He needed to get away and made a mental note to tell Leia that he was going to go on vacation again. Somewhere different this time. None of those resorts where everyone recognized him and all the girls threw themselves at them. With a sad smile he realized that meant he would have to make the arrangements himself. Not let Leia do them. She knew that he was usually depressed about this time, that was certain, as well as the fact that she attributed it to the loss of his aunt and uncle, and Ben. She usually made plans for him to go someplace to cheer him up. No, he just needed a break, somewhere where no one would make a big fuss over him.

"Commander Skywalker," Luke mentally sighed to hear Trader Karrde call his name. Turning he saw the older man approaching him as the Council meeting let out.

"Master Trader Karrde, how can I help you?"

"Oh, it's not much really. It's just that I was on Tatooine the other day," Karrde could see the shadow cross Luke's face at the mention of that planet. "And I was wondering, aren't you originally from Tatooine?"

"Yes, though I haven't been back since the Battle of Endor." Luke desperately wanted to get away from that topic, Tatooine only held too many memories, sad ones of people he had lost. "I doubt any information I have would be of any use to you."

"I thought that you were. It isn't so much information that I need as opinions. I've done very little trading there, well Mara and others of my employees," he tried he best to not say Annie's name out loud, "haven't exactly suggested working there. But now that I've moved in there, I was hoping to speak with someone who had spent some time there. And of the people I know it's either General Solo or you. And I figured that you would be the best source. You haven't really spoken much of your life there, before the war, have you?"

Luke sighed, this subject was quickly approaching one too painful for him to want to think about. "It's a time I'd rather not remember. I lost several people dear to me to the Imperials before I joined the Rebellion."

He turned to go, hoping that Karrde would take a hint, not caring if he offended him. Talon didn't give up, however. "Yes, I heard about your aunt and uncle. But didn't you also have a girlfriend there?"

Luke stopped in his tracks, tears threatening to fill his eyes and blind him. Only one other person knew of Annie and that was Wedge, only because he had been there when Luke got the message. He wondered how Karrde knew, then racked it up to a question from someone who was uninformed. And he thought most people knew his life story better than he did. "Yes, Trader Karrde, I had a girlfriend, named Annie Solus. She was arrested and killed by Imperials after the Battle of Yavin. They believed that she knew information about the Rebellion because of our relationship, but she didn't."

He walked away, deep in his thoughts, ignoring the trader. He hadn't thought about Annie for a long time, or the fight they had had. How he wished he had gone to get her on the way to Mos Eisley with Ben and the droids, but he had been too stubborn to do so. So certain he was that he would return as a hero and would convince her to go away with him. Instead she was arrested and executed, not even giving him the chance to say goodbye, or tell her one last time that he loved her. It was the biggest regret he had ever had in his life, and now it was one that threatened to push him even further into depression . As he walked away, he barely heard and thus ignored Karrde behind him, who was talking half to himself.

"I thought so. Perhaps you should return, I think there's a surprise in store for you."



 

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