Binary Skies

Chapter 13: Mistake and Mistaken

Anakin took care of their survivor while Luke and Nakari, with Artoo's help, scanned the entirety of the Harvester. Once that was complete, Anakin helped Nakari slave the controls of the Harvester to the Desert Jewel.

Finally, they all traversed back to the Jewel, scanning it as well just in case, and took off for open space without bothering to remove their suits, so eager were they go leave Fex.

As soon as the planet was far behind them Luke pulled off his damaged helmet. "All right, I've got to get out of this thing; I feel like my head's going to fall off," he muttered, pulling off the rubber cowl underneath with some difficulty. Apparently breaking out in a sweat earlier when he'd been attacked by the skullborers had caused the cowl to stick; charming.

Nakari looked to Luke with a wry smile. "Your head looks fine to me."

Anakin chuckled from where he sat in the cockpit listening to the conversation. Nakari and Luke were currently standing in the small lounge, but they had left the door to the cockpit open, so Anakin could hear their words clearly.

Luke laughed. "That's debatable. I've done a lot of things no sane person would do," he chuckled, peeling out of the rest of the suit. "Finally," he sighed, dropping onto the nearest chair and resting his head against the wall, eyes closed.

Nakari, not yet fully out of her own suit, laughed at Luke's comment, but her mirth died when she saw more fully something she'd barely caught a glimpse of before.

Frowning, Nakari shrugged out of the rest of her armor and then tentatively approached Luke, her gaze riveted to his neck, which had become exposed during his removal of his rubber lining and helmet.

She wasn't a blind fool; she'd noticed how he intentionally kept his collar high and he always fidgeted with it. She knew the mark bothered him, but this was the first time she had seen it exposed so clearly.

She recognized the mark instantly and understood why Luke was so uncomfortable with it. He bore the Imperial symbol on his neck, a brand obviously meant to cause both short-term and long-term trouble and pain.

She didn't think he realized it was exposed, since he was so laid back at the moment. Nakari bit her lip and then approached, kneeling down beside him and starting to reach for his collar...

When Luke felt fingers ever so lightly brush the skin of his neck, he reacted without even thinking, hand snapping out to grab the assaulting hand before it could even retract, taking in a sharp breath as his entire body went ridged.

When Luke opened his eyes and realized it was Nakari he was holding in that grip, he abruptly released her, trembling from an assault of memories, guilt, and other feelings he didn't want coming to the surface. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that, just..." Luke trailed off, struggling with words for a few moments as he pulled the collar as high as it could go. "Please don't," he asked her, wincing as a shudder went through him when the words brought the memory to the front of his mind at full force.

...you will be branded like the animal you are...

Please...don't...

Nakari retracted her hand, feeling an odd combination of embarrassment, fear and shame. She dropped her hand and her gaze simultaneously, allowing him his space.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, rising awkwardly. "I didn't mean to cross a line. I was...well, it was exposed, and I know you prefer it covered..."

She too was struggling for words. Luke had not as of yet shown her such battle-ready action and he'd never lifted a hand to her like that. While she knew it had been a knee-jerk reaction for him which she had instigated, she wasn't sure how to feel right then.