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Author's Note: Originally published on July 20, 2003. Removed for an unknown reason. Here's a repost. Wish I could get all those reviews back...
Remember Me
Jonash Solo walked down the dusty streets in Corellia's capital city, Coronet. He was on the "rough" side of town but he quite honestly didn't care. He needed a break from his life.
As the son of the Prime Minister of Corellia he was always under constant watch. The only time he found peace from the media was in the darker side of Coronet. It wasn't the safest part of the city, or even the planet, but somehow these dark and crime filled streets felt more like home to Jonash than the mansion he lived in with his parents.
He walked up to a crumbling building he had spotted several times on his trips down to this end of town. Although he had never ventured inside he always felt like something was calling to him. So tonight he took a leap forward and walked inside.
The inside was even dirtier than streets outside, if that was even possible. Jonash picked a secluded table in the back of the room. Even though he was disguised in street clothes he felt very out of place.
A beautiful waitress with long red hair approached him, "May I help you, sir?"
Jonash smiled at the woman, she was certainly beautiful and oddly enough looked out of place among all the riff raff that were seated inside. "Yes. I would like a..." Jonash lost thought for a moment. What did these sort of people drink? He was used to wine and champagne at galas and parties at home. "Corellian Rum?"
The woman smiled, "Coming right up."
Jonash looked around the bar. Though he wasn't even sure if bar was the right word. What bars on Corellia had tables and an entertainment stage? It was more like a... a... Bar and Grill. Yes, that's what he would call it. A Bar and Grill.
The waitress came back with his rum. "Anything else?"
"Yes," Jonash replied, "Your name."
The woman actually blushed! "Jaina, sir."
"Please don't call me sir," Jonash whispered.
Jaina sat across from him, "Why not?" she whispered back, "Even with your clever disguise I know who you are."
"And who is that?" Jonash asked.
"You are Jonash Solo, the Prime Minister's son," She said. Jonash could barely hear her.
Jonash almost jumped out of his skin, "Do you think-"
Jaina immediately shook her head, "The sort of people in here don't even know the name of the planet they are on half-the-time, I seriously doubt they would recognize you. You're secret is safe with me." With that she stood up and headed over to wait on a table with two very scruffy looking men.
Jonash watched her walk away. There was something about her that set his skin on fire. He took a sip of his drink and nearly chocked. What the hell was this stuff!? It was nasty!
When Jonash recollected himself, hoping beyond all hope that no one had noticed, he noticed something else. Jaina was at the bar, bartending! Jonash pored half his Corellian rum into a hole in the floor nearby and walked up to the bar, "So, Jaina, tell me about yourself."
Jaina looked startled, "What?"
"You obviously know all about me, now I would like to know about you."
Jaina smiled and leaned over the bar, "Its not nearly as exciting as you might think, pretty boy."
"Still, I would like to know."
Jaina sighed, "My father travels a lot for work and my mother died when I was little, that's all there really is to tell."
Jonash gestured to their surroundings, "How did you come to work here?"
"This bar belongs to my uncle."
"Your uncle?"
"My uncle is the oldest of three sons. I've been working here for about as long as I could talk or walk. First it was cleaning, then cooking, then mixing drinks, and now I waitress and ocassically make the drinks."
"Like now?"
"Like now."
"Hmmm... what else?"
"Why are you so interested in my life?"
Jonash raised one eyebrow, "Would you rather I not ask?"
"Yes, I would."
Jonash carefully took another swallow of his revolting drink and Jaina actually laughed! "You look so funny when you do that. Its obvious you have never had a REAL Corellian drink before."
Jonash looked up at her, "and I suppose you have?"
Jaina whipped out a shot glass and a large bottle of Corellian Mixer, a dangerous and heavy drink. Jonash had only ever heard of the drink once. Jaina pored the Corellian Mixer into the tiny glass and slugged it down without blinking an eye. "Yes, I have."
Despite himself, Jonash was impressed. "Tell me more about yourself."
Jaina sighed. Was he ever going to give up? "My oldest uncle owns this lovely establishment, My Uncle Zam is dead, and my father; youngest of the three; travels a lot for work."
"What does your father do?"
Jaina looked at him with a saddened expression, "You really don't want to know." And walked away from the bar. She couldn't look at him without feeling sad. She headed into the back to finish up the cleaning.
Jonash watched her go, sad. He wished he hadn't pressed her as he had. He really liked talking to her. He finished his drink (as much as it hurt) and left. He headed down the narrow streets for home. Home, that was a strange thing to call it, Jonash thought. To his parents it was home, to him it was his prison.
The next evening Jonash sat in a very different environment. He was sitting around a large table with his parents, fiancé, his future-in-laws and some other important people. Important people by his father's standards anyway.
"Darling, what is the matter?" Kita asked.
Jonash looked at her as if he had never seen her before in his life. He couldn't get Jaina out of his mind and sitting here listening to this boring conversation about politics was quickly getting to him, "Nothing, my dear, nothing."
Jonash pretended to be interested in the conversation but he simply couldn't. It was WAY too difficult to pretended to be interested in this bore. "Excuse me, but I feel as though I need some air."
"Darling to you want me to come with you?" Kita's eyes filled with worry and she softly rested her hand on his arm.
Jonash shook his head, "No, Kita. You stay here and finish off our wedding plans. I just need a walk to clear my head. This situation in the outer-rim has me conflicted." Jonash hated the formal and snobbish tone his voice took. He couldn't' stand it, but he knew that using politics as an excuse for his conflicted emotions would make his father all too happy.
Kita nodded, "I suppose that's well. A few more weeks and we will be husband and wife!"
Jonash felt like throwing up but he kept his ground and nodded, taking his leave. Jonash took to the back stairs to his quarters. He had an enormous bedroom, a sitting room, a dressing room, a kitchen, and a bathroom the size of Jaina's Bar and Grill. He changed into his street clothes once again and headed out the door.
He walked face paced to Jaina's Bar and Grill. For some reason he felt the burning need to see her again. To listen to her voice. To see her flaming red hair. As he entered the bar and grill he noticed a change of atmosphere about the place. It simply didn't seem as friendly as it had the night before and one quick look around the place told him why. Jaina was not there.
Jonash took his exit and headed down to the long stretching coasts of beach. As a child he used to often sit and listen to the sound of water, almost a melody for him. Maybe it would sooth his thoughts about marriage... and oddly enough about Jaina.
As he approached the beach he noticed a woman sitting on top of a rock just a little ways into the water. It was Jaina! "Jaina," He asked almost uncertainly.
The woman looked up at him, "Jonash." Her voice sounded worn, as if she had seen a thousand men killed in battle only moments before.
Jonash climbed on top of the rock next to her, "Are you alright?" He asked. He almost kicked himself for asking such a stupid question. Of course she wasn't alright!
Jaina nodded, "Just another long day."
Jonash stretched out his legs and leaned back on his heads, "Come on, you can tell me."
Jaina shook her head, "You're too politically involved, it would be suicide."
Jonash shook his head, "I have no care for politics or the way my so-called-father runs things."
Jaina looked at him in surprise, "So called father?"
Jonash sighed and sat up, "The Prime Minister and his wife are not my parents." Somehow saying the truth out loud made Jonash feel all that much better about his secret parentage.
"Well, then who are your parents?" Jaina asked, becoming interested, despite herself.
"The Prime Minister is sort of a friend of a friend of a friend of my father's. My father used to be a smuggler but died of a sickness of the lungs many years ago. That's how the whole, kidnapped baby story came into place."
Jaina nodded. She had been little at the time but she remembered the story well. When the Prime Minister and his wife had their first child, it had been stolen in the middle of the night and then it was miracle when nearly a decade later the lost boy had been found! "So then the Prime Minister's child is still missing?"
"That boy will never be found," Jonash said sadly, "I just sort of took the substitute for their real child."
"Do you have any living relatives?" Jaina asked, "And what then is your real surname?"
Jonash nearly chuckled at her curiousty. "Well my real surname is still Solo. My father had belonged to the distant part of the clan that had been rejected years ago." He sighed, "Off spring of the dreaded Dalla the Black. The Prime Minister is actually something like my 7th cousin, twice removed or something." He took a deep breath, "And as for my family... Well I've found my mother and my sister."
"That's great!"
"Yeah I guess."
"You guess?" Jaina asked, wondering just what he meant.
"My mother is Tira Gama."
Jaina gasped. No wonder his answer had been 'I guess.' "Tira Gama! Daughter of Briza and Fritz Gama?"
Jonash nodded, "One and the bloody same."
"Wow. So... that would make Tiion Gama your sister, right?"
Jonash nodded, "Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?"
"I met Tiion on one occasion and she is by far the snottiest but self-centered person I have ever met."
Jaina slowly nodded her head in agreement. She had heard rumors that Tiion was a nasty person. "But still your mother would probably love to see you. You are her only son."
Jonash nodded ever so slowly. The thought of confronting his mother had been on his mind for years but he had never done it because Fritz Gama, his grandfather, was a nasty, greedy old man that Jonash bitterly hated.
Jaina sighed. They were out of things to say to one another. "So your real father was a smuggler?"
Jonash nodded, "Yes."
"Well now I don't feel so bad about my father."
"What do you mean?"
"My father is a smuggler. Runs smuggling jobs for certain scum on Corscant."
"Ah," Jonash said, now her reluctance to talk to him about her family made sense. The Prime Minister was hard on smugglers, especially those that went against his sort of politics.
Jaina took in a deep breath, she loved the smell of the ocean and then glancing at the time she looked at Jonash, almost sad, "Well I must be going. I have some work to do for my Uncle Han."
"Uncle Han?"
"The one that owns the bar." Jaina replied. "Big burly fella, couldn't miss him." Then Jaina suddenly felt awkward and out of place. She hurriedly kissed Jonash's check, "Bye!" and left suddenly.
Jonash watched her run down the beach, her red hair flying back before her. He touched his cheek with his hand and realized his face was burning hot.
As the days passed all talk turned from politics to wedding. Jonash hadn't seen Jaina in several days and it was absolutely killing him. Jonash stared at himself in the mirror. Here he was wearing a penguin suit, set to marry one woman, and thinking about a completely other woman.
Jonash ran his hand through his dull-brown hair, still thinking about Jaina. "Thinking about your wonderful bride-to-be?" A sing-song voice asked from behind him.
He startled and turned to see his "mother" standing there, "Mum, you startled me."
Krista Solo shrugged, "Sorry, but you just looked so far off, and in love."
Jonash was startled again, "What?"
"You and Kita belong together," she kissed his cheek, "I love you." And just like that she left.
Jonash felt guilty, not only about Jaina, but about thinking about that Gama's and what it would be like to met them. Although he despised Yorga Solo he greatly loved Krista. Krista was truly his mother, most of the time.
Yorga slammed the door to the dressing room shut behind him as he entered Jonash's private chambers. He voice boomed out, "HOW ARE WE DOING?"
Jonash glared at him. He had never particularly liked the man, as family or as a politician. "Just lovely." Jonash muttered sarcastically.
"What was that?" Yorga asked.
Jonash shook his head, "Look, father," Jonash nearly shivered, even after fifteen years he still had a hard time calling Yorga Solo father, "I don't think I'm ready for this."
"What!?" Yorga boomed, "Of course you are!"
Jonash threw off the overcoat, "No I'm not!" Jonash disappeared behind the curtain and shred off the ridiculous suit, "I am not ready to get married! Especially to Kita." He threw on some light cloths and emerged to see Yorga Solo purple faced and looking ticked.
"This has to do with that stupid waitress, doesn't it?"
"What?" Jonash asked softly. How did he know about Jaina?
Yorga placed both hands on Jonash's shoulders and squeezed, just a little too hard, "sleep with the woman, get it over with, and then marry Kita. Understood?"
Disgusted, Jonash left the room. All together he left the house. Was that how Yorga treated Krista? Did he sleep around? Jonash pondered these questions as he approached Han's Bar (that was the REAL name for the place, Jonash had discovered that morning.)
He pushed open the door and sat down at the bar. Jaina took one look at him and pored him a shot of Corellian Mixer. Jonash grabbed the glass and slugged it down, "I look that bad, huh?"
Jaina nodded. She pulled up a stool from behind her and sat across from him at the bar, "Tell me about it."
Jonash sighed, "I am simply not ready to get married and Yorga is insisting I marry Kita. I don't love Kita. I don't even like Kita!"
Jaina pored him another shot and helped herself to one. "Don't take marriage lightly Jonash. It's a serious commitment." She sighed, "I'm going to let you in on a little secret. My mother was a wealthy heiress from Corscant. My father was already into smuggling at this time. My mother left wealth and richness behind for my father. Because of love. If you do not love Kita do not bind yourself to her. Its that simple."
Jonash picked up his empty glass and Jaina pored him yet another shot. After slugging it down he said (more like slurred), "I suppose you're right."
He lifted up his glass again but Jaina shook her head, "You've had enough."
"That's only two." HICCUP! "I mean three." Jonash argued.
"I can barely hold down any more than three Corellian Mixers. If I can't hold that many down I sure as hell know that you can't."
Jonash slammed the glass down and plopped his head on the wet bar. He grunted, "So... I don't love Kita, so I shouldn't marry her riigghhhttt?" he drawled.
Jaina shook her head and pored some pink liquid into a tall, clear glass, "Drink this, It'll calm you down."
Jonash looked at her as if she nuts but took the drink anyway and gulped it down, "That tastes like crap!"
Jaina shrugged, "But you didn't slur that time, now did you?"
Jonash looked at her, "I have a headache."
She nodded, "Go home, rest, and deal with your father later. But you do have to deal with it one way or another."
Jonash nodded. He stood up. Placed some money, including a hefty tip on the table, kissed Jaina's hand and left the bar. She was right. He stumbled home. How he made it home after three glasses of Corellian Mixer and a mysterious pink liquid he would never know.
Jaina kicked back her feet. Han's bar was closed for the evening and it felt good to just kick back. Jaina was amazed at how a man who had never had hard liquor before could easily gulp down three Corellian Mixers and not lose his breakfast. It hurt to even drink one of those things and she had been drinking Corellian Mixers as long as she could remember.
Uncle Han plopped down in front of her, "You like him don't you?"
"Who?"
"Jonash Solo."
Jaina sighed. Were her feelings that clear? "Yes, but I would never become involved like that with him, Uncle, I know better. Look at what happened to my parents."
Han nodded, "Yes. Remember what happened to your parents and you should be okay." He kissed her forehead, "Get some rest, it will be one heck of day tomorrow."
Jaina nodded, "Night Uncle Han."
Jonash awoke the next day with a nasty headache. How in the stars could three tiny glasses of alcohol cause so much damage? Jonash fixed himself a quick morning drink, something to wake him up and kill the headache before heading downstairs to deal with his "father."
Jonash approached him in his office. Still in his robes, Yorga Solo was reading the news and yelling about something that had gone wrong with his vision of politics.
"Yorga?"
At the sound of his son calling him Yorga, the Prime Minister dropped his paper and stared at the boy, "Yes?"
"I am not marrying Kita."
Yorga stood up, spilling his coffee all over himself, "What!?"
"I am not marrying Kita." Jonash repeated, "I am leaving here and going to find my mother."
Yorga tried to wipe the coffee from his deep purple robe while staring at his son. "I strongly recommend against that."
Jonash nodded, "I know how you feel but this is how I feel."
Yorga shook with anger, "YOU WERE BORN TO A GOOD HEALTHY NAME TO DO NOT RUIN THAT!"
Jonash stared at him as if he had never seen the man before in his life and exploded, "HEALTHY!? YOU CALL THE SOLO NAME HEALTHY!? WHAT A JOKE! WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT BEING A STUPID SOLO!?"
Yorga took a full step forward to Jonash, "THE SOLO'S HAVE BEEN A LEADING FAMILY IN THIS PLANETS POLITICS FOR CENTURIES-"
"BIG DEAL! MAYBE ON YOUR END OF THE FAMILY TREE!" Jonash interrupted, "ON MY END MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER RAISED HELL! YOU REMEMBER HIM? DALLA THE BLACK!"
Yorga full out smacked Jonash, "Shut your mouth."
Jonash glared at him. "Well it's the truth! Dalla plundered Corellia into smugglers and hot-blooded, illegal danger! What a great family name!" Jonash stomped out of the room. He headed up to his quarters, packed a small bag, some money and then threw it all back down. He wasn't taking anything from Yorga Solo. Not a bloody thing!
Jonash stomped back down the stairs and was almost out the door when he heard Yorga scream out at him, "GET BACK HERE!"
And the words that Jonash had wanted to say to Yorga for fifteen years exploded out of him, "GO TO HELL!"
Jonash walked the several blocks to the Gama residence. It was nearly as big as the prison he had grown up in. Gently he knocked on the large, marble door. It was open by a human maid, which surprised Jonash to say to least, "Is Senior Gama home?"
"Depends," The maid said in a swiftly voice, "What is your business here?"
Jonash thought quickly and said, "I come on behalf of Prime Minister Solo."
The maid raised her eyebrows, "Is that so?"
"Yes, that is so," Jonash replied.
The maid called for Senior Gama. Fritz Gama looked at the maid with a panicked expression, "leave us." The maid bowed and left quickly. "What do you want?" Fritz demanded.
Jonash raised his chin. He knew, he had to know! "Judging by your tone of voice you know why I am here."
Fritz almost laughed, "Boy, you are not welcome here, now leave!"
Jonash took a step towards him, "Not welcome here? Why GRANDFATHER why on Corellia not?"
Fritz stepped so close to his grandson that their faces were only inches apart, "I finally got my daughter to let Solo go, I am not going to allow you to undo all my work."
"All your work?"
"Father, who is it?" A tired sounding voice called from the stairway.
Jonash and Fritz turned to see an elderly woman holding the arm of a much younger one. It was Jonash's mother and sister! "Mother-"
Fritz cut him off, "No one, my dear, no one."
Tria Gama Solo obviously did not believe him. Being guided by her daughter Tiion she slowly descended the stairs. She looked deep into Jonash's eyes before replying. "My son, Jonash Solo." Tria pulled her eldest child into an embrace, her face wet with sad tears. "It's been so long."
Tiion stared at the Prime Minister's son in her mother's embrace, "Mother what is going on?"
Tria pulled back and placed one of Jonash's hands on Tiion's, "Tiion this is your brother." She turned back to her son, "I have known for many years that you are my child, but I haven't the heart to say anything."
Jonash's own face was wet with tears, "I've known for many years you were my mother, but I too, did not have the heart to say anything."
Tria pulled her son into another embrace, "Come, we have much to talk about."
Jonash slipped out of the Gama home later that evening. He was so excited he simply couldn't wait to tell Jaina. He burst into the Han's Bar nearly an hour later, flushed with excitement.
He walked right up to the bar and embraced Jaina, spinning her around in joy.
Jaina couldn't move, she could barely even breathe and Jonash spun her around, "Jonash what-"
But she didn't even get a chance to finish her question as Jonash brought his mouth down upon hers, "Marry me."
Jaina didn't have to answer. Jonash already knew her answer.
As the months passed, Jonash found himself beginning to like Jaina's father more and more with every passing day and he hopped the feeling was mutual. Jonash found himself mixed in with Corral's business and as the ex-son of the Prime Minister Jonash knew all the military tricks that helped them escape some nasty business.
Jaina was three months pregnant with their first child and Corral was taking them to Corscant to live for a while. Jonash, while already deeply missing his mother and sister, was happy to leave the Gama home and Corellia behind. Corral had a cousin who was selling his underground casino and Corral had bought it for them as a gift.
Jaina and Jonash were going to own their own business! Jonash was more excited than he could believe.
After leaving the formal life behind Jonash found that being a smuggler and often a pirate was fun, exciting, and one could make a great living off of it. Jonash only hoped his child did not become involved in the same kind of business.
Jaina's face was wet with tears of pain as her daughter was born. Not because of the physical pain but because of the emotional pain. They were going to lose their daughter. Not death, but to the Jedi Order.
Nearly a month ago a Jedi Master named Mace Windu tracked Jaina down to one of their casinos and told her that her child would one day become a powerful Jedi. "A Jedi?" Jaina had protested. "But-"
"She will be well cared for, and live a prosperous life under the Jedi Code."
Jaina had protested that she must speak with her husband first before any decisions were to be made.
Jonash had hung his head in defeat, "I was afraid of this."
"What do you mean?" Jaina asked quietly.
"After we married, I asked your father about your mother. Your mother did not leave Corscant behind because she was wealthy and in love, she left Corscant behind because she was a Jedi and in love."
Jaina's mouth had dropped open, "Why did you not tell me this?"
"Your father begged me not to. He refused the Jedi Orders wish for you to join after you were born and warned me that we may very well be stuck with the same decision."
Jaina pressed her hand to her belly, "I do not wish to give up my child nor do I wish for her to have to live this life."
Jonash nodded, he felt the same way, "What should we do then?"
Jaina let out another pained cry. Jonash gripped her hand. This was far too rough on him to watch her suffer so. He knew, however, that she was crying from the pain of losing her child not giving birth to her child.
The nurse placed the daughter in Jaina's arms. Jonash brushed back a thick lot of black hair, "She has so much hair." The nurse simply smiled.
"What shall we call her?" Jaina silently asked, knowing that a name would be all they would ever have of their daughter.
"Krista." Jonash answered, "Krista Jaina."
Jaina looked up at him with tears in her eyes and then back at Baby Krista. "I love you my darling." She kissed Krista's head before handing her child off to Jonash.
Jonash rocked her silently in his arms as she looked up at him with deep blue eyes. Jonash bent down and kissed her, "I love you my baby girl. Don't you ever forget that. And don't ever forget my voice." He kissed her again and then handed his child off to a cloaked Jedi. He never saw her again.
Jaina packed the rest of their belongings. They had sold their successful chain of casinos a few days back and now they were leaving. After leaving on Corscant for two years Jaina was ready to leave. The pain of knowing her child was only a few buildings away but unable to see her was far too much for Jaina to bear.
Jonash heaved the last of the luggage into a corner, "Well that's it then."
Jaina nodded and Jonash embraced her, "I know, Honey, it hurts. It still hurts."
Jaina sniffled, "The pain never goes away does it?"
Jonash shook his head and silently thought, 'No it never does.' Their daughter would be two years old tomorrow and they hadn't laid eyes on her since she was taken away. Jonash pulled apart and kissed her forehead, "Come. We're going to miss our shuttle."
After receiving news that Jaina's Uncle Han had passed away and left Jaina his bar the two decided to move back to Corellia, back to home. Jonash hoped that in leaving Corellia behind he and Jaina could both heal from the loss of their daughter.
Jonash's head ached. He had been crying nonstop for three days. His mother was dead. DEAD! Jaina gripped his hand to keep her own tears from welling up in her eyes. His mother had always been so kind to her.
Jaina and Jonash had been living on Corellia for a year with little excitement in their lives. They had turned Han's Bar into an entertainment establishment of the sorts and it was doing quite well. Tira had loved the changes in Han's Bar and frequently visited.
Jonash picked up a small white flower from a vase nearby and slowly approached the crypt. Tira Gama was being buried in a crypt. Being buried was only reserved for those wealthy and well-to-do people, as it were. Jonash placed the white flower on Tira's coffin and openly wept. "I love you Mother."
Jaina quietly pulled her sorrow-filled husband away from the coffin. He hadn't stop crying for days and Jaina was afraid that his mother's death would send him over the edge. She spotted Krista and Yorga Solo off to the side. Krista silently nodded at the young woman and silently mouthed, "I'm sorry."
Jaina nodded back and mouthed, "Thank you." Before leading Jonash home.
Jaina watched the news with dread. "Darling come here!"
Jonash placed his hands on his wife's shoulders, "yes?"
"Look at this."
Jonash watched as a reporter, some kind of droid of sorts, reported that the Trade Federation has barricaded Naboo and the Queen as escaped only to have returned and defeated them with an army of Gungans. "It's the beginning of the end." Jonash whispered.
"What?" Jaina asked.
Jonash shook his head, "Nothing." He had been feeling nothing but dread for days. Like something terrible was going to happen to everyone he loved and he simply couldn't shake the feeling.
It had been two years since his mother's death... and two years since his sister had spoken to him.
"I HATE YOU!" Tiion screamed.
"That's Fritz talking not you!" Jonash had screamed back.
Tiion glared at him, "Your leaving Corellia destroyed our mother!"
"GRANDFATHER'S GREED DESTROYED HER, NOT ME!"
Tiion slammed the palm of her hand against his wet cheek, "SHUT YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!"
Jonash grabbed her hand, "DON'T YOU EVER HIT ME AGAIN, SISTER!"
"I AM NOT YOUR SISTER, YOU COWARD!!"
"OH YOUR NOT ARE YOU?" He screamed back
"NO I'M NOT! I'VE TOLD RANDILL SULL THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN YEARS! SINCE OUR PARENTS WERE SEPERATED!"
"Randill, Huh?" Jonash said, "That's a coward if I ever saw one."
"GET OUT!"
"WITH PLEASURE!"
Jonash shook his head to clear the memory. What a nasty business that had been.
Jaina gave another scream of pain. The nurse cried out, "It's a boy!"
Jonash gripped his wife's hand in panic. "Jaina, don't leave me. Don't you DARE leave me!"
Jaina sucked in a deep breath, "I can't take it. I'm too weak!"
Jonash gripped her hand even harder, "No your not! No your not!" It had been years since his mother's death and even longer since the birth of their daughter.
Jaina had wanted another child so badly. They had had a hard time conceiving one. Jonash had expressed his worry about Jaina have a baby at such an age, especially given her growing illness. But Jaina had been determined and now Jonash feared that determination would kill her.
Jaina gripped his hand, "I love you." She murmured. She sucked in a breath, "Name him Han..." she coughed, "Han Jonash Corral." And with that she was gone.
Jonash gripped his wife's lifeless body to him and wailed with pain.
Jonash bent down before his seven-year old son. "Han, I must leave."
"Why?" The little boy asked.
Jonash bit his lip, he could not confess to the boy why he was leaving him. It wouldn't be right, "There's something I must do. But I want you to remember this. I love you. Han, remember me, remember your mother, and most of all remember your Solo heritage. NEVER forget that." He kissed his forehead and handed Han's hand to Morgan, "Morgan please watch over him carefully."
Morgan hugged her dear friend, "I will and I will take care of Han's Bar for you. For Jaina."
Jonash kissed Morgan on the cheek. "Thank you." And with that he was gone with little Han Solo waving good-bye to his daddy.
No one ever saw Jonash Solo again.
THE END
Author's Note: Originally published on July 20, 2003. Removed for an unknown reason. Here's a repost. Wish I could get all those reviews back...
Remember Me
Jonash Solo walked down the dusty streets in Corellia's capital city, Coronet. He was on the "rough" side of town but he quite honestly didn't care. He needed a break from his life.
As the son of the Prime Minister of Corellia he was always under constant watch. The only time he found peace from the media was in the darker side of Coronet. It wasn't the safest part of the city, or even the planet, but somehow these dark and crime filled streets felt more like home to Jonash than the mansion he lived in with his parents.
He walked up to a crumbling building he had spotted several times on his trips down to this end of town. Although he had never ventured inside he always felt like something was calling to him. So tonight he took a leap forward and walked inside.
The inside was even dirtier than streets outside, if that was even possible. Jonash picked a secluded table in the back of the room. Even though he was disguised in street clothes he felt very out of place.
A beautiful waitress with long red hair approached him, "May I help you, sir?"
Jonash smiled at the woman, she was certainly beautiful and oddly enough looked out of place among all the riff raff that were seated inside. "Yes. I would like a..." Jonash lost thought for a moment. What did these sort of people drink? He was used to wine and champagne at galas and parties at home. "Corellian Rum?"
The woman smiled, "Coming right up."
Jonash looked around the bar. Though he wasn't even sure if bar was the right word. What bars on Corellia had tables and an entertainment stage? It was more like a... a... Bar and Grill. Yes, that's what he would call it. A Bar and Grill.
The waitress came back with his rum. "Anything else?"
"Yes," Jonash replied, "Your name."
The woman actually blushed! "Jaina, sir."
"Please don't call me sir," Jonash whispered.
Jaina sat across from him, "Why not?" she whispered back, "Even with your clever disguise I know who you are."
"And who is that?" Jonash asked.
"You are Jonash Solo, the Prime Minister's son," She said. Jonash could barely hear her.
Jonash almost jumped out of his skin, "Do you think-"
Jaina immediately shook her head, "The sort of people in here don't even know the name of the planet they are on half-the-time, I seriously doubt they would recognize you. You're secret is safe with me." With that she stood up and headed over to wait on a table with two very scruffy looking men.
Jonash watched her walk away. There was something about her that set his skin on fire. He took a sip of his drink and nearly chocked. What the hell was this stuff!? It was nasty!
When Jonash recollected himself, hoping beyond all hope that no one had noticed, he noticed something else. Jaina was at the bar, bartending! Jonash pored half his Corellian rum into a hole in the floor nearby and walked up to the bar, "So, Jaina, tell me about yourself."
Jaina looked startled, "What?"
"You obviously know all about me, now I would like to know about you."
Jaina smiled and leaned over the bar, "Its not nearly as exciting as you might think, pretty boy."
"Still, I would like to know."
Jaina sighed, "My father travels a lot for work and my mother died when I was little, that's all there really is to tell."
Jonash gestured to their surroundings, "How did you come to work here?"
"This bar belongs to my uncle."
"Your uncle?"
"My uncle is the oldest of three sons. I've been working here for about as long as I could talk or walk. First it was cleaning, then cooking, then mixing drinks, and now I waitress and ocassically make the drinks."
"Like now?"
"Like now."
"Hmmm... what else?"
"Why are you so interested in my life?"
Jonash raised one eyebrow, "Would you rather I not ask?"
"Yes, I would."
Jonash carefully took another swallow of his revolting drink and Jaina actually laughed! "You look so funny when you do that. Its obvious you have never had a REAL Corellian drink before."
Jonash looked up at her, "and I suppose you have?"
Jaina whipped out a shot glass and a large bottle of Corellian Mixer, a dangerous and heavy drink. Jonash had only ever heard of the drink once. Jaina pored the Corellian Mixer into the tiny glass and slugged it down without blinking an eye. "Yes, I have."
Despite himself, Jonash was impressed. "Tell me more about yourself."
Jaina sighed. Was he ever going to give up? "My oldest uncle owns this lovely establishment, My Uncle Zam is dead, and my father; youngest of the three; travels a lot for work."
"What does your father do?"
Jaina looked at him with a saddened expression, "You really don't want to know." And walked away from the bar. She couldn't look at him without feeling sad. She headed into the back to finish up the cleaning.
Jonash watched her go, sad. He wished he hadn't pressed her as he had. He really liked talking to her. He finished his drink (as much as it hurt) and left. He headed down the narrow streets for home. Home, that was a strange thing to call it, Jonash thought. To his parents it was home, to him it was his prison.
The next evening Jonash sat in a very different environment. He was sitting around a large table with his parents, fiancé, his future-in-laws and some other important people. Important people by his father's standards anyway.
"Darling, what is the matter?" Kita asked.
Jonash looked at her as if he had never seen her before in his life. He couldn't get Jaina out of his mind and sitting here listening to this boring conversation about politics was quickly getting to him, "Nothing, my dear, nothing."
Jonash pretended to be interested in the conversation but he simply couldn't. It was WAY too difficult to pretended to be interested in this bore. "Excuse me, but I feel as though I need some air."
"Darling to you want me to come with you?" Kita's eyes filled with worry and she softly rested her hand on his arm.
Jonash shook his head, "No, Kita. You stay here and finish off our wedding plans. I just need a walk to clear my head. This situation in the outer-rim has me conflicted." Jonash hated the formal and snobbish tone his voice took. He couldn't' stand it, but he knew that using politics as an excuse for his conflicted emotions would make his father all too happy.
Kita nodded, "I suppose that's well. A few more weeks and we will be husband and wife!"
Jonash felt like throwing up but he kept his ground and nodded, taking his leave. Jonash took to the back stairs to his quarters. He had an enormous bedroom, a sitting room, a dressing room, a kitchen, and a bathroom the size of Jaina's Bar and Grill. He changed into his street clothes once again and headed out the door.
He walked face paced to Jaina's Bar and Grill. For some reason he felt the burning need to see her again. To listen to her voice. To see her flaming red hair. As he entered the bar and grill he noticed a change of atmosphere about the place. It simply didn't seem as friendly as it had the night before and one quick look around the place told him why. Jaina was not there.
Jonash took his exit and headed down to the long stretching coasts of beach. As a child he used to often sit and listen to the sound of water, almost a melody for him. Maybe it would sooth his thoughts about marriage... and oddly enough about Jaina.
As he approached the beach he noticed a woman sitting on top of a rock just a little ways into the water. It was Jaina! "Jaina," He asked almost uncertainly.
The woman looked up at him, "Jonash." Her voice sounded worn, as if she had seen a thousand men killed in battle only moments before.
Jonash climbed on top of the rock next to her, "Are you alright?" He asked. He almost kicked himself for asking such a stupid question. Of course she wasn't alright!
Jaina nodded, "Just another long day."
Jonash stretched out his legs and leaned back on his heads, "Come on, you can tell me."
Jaina shook her head, "You're too politically involved, it would be suicide."
Jonash shook his head, "I have no care for politics or the way my so-called-father runs things."
Jaina looked at him in surprise, "So called father?"
Jonash sighed and sat up, "The Prime Minister and his wife are not my parents." Somehow saying the truth out loud made Jonash feel all that much better about his secret parentage.
"Well, then who are your parents?" Jaina asked, becoming interested, despite herself.
"The Prime Minister is sort of a friend of a friend of a friend of my father's. My father used to be a smuggler but died of a sickness of the lungs many years ago. That's how the whole, kidnapped baby story came into place."
Jaina nodded. She had been little at the time but she remembered the story well. When the Prime Minister and his wife had their first child, it had been stolen in the middle of the night and then it was miracle when nearly a decade later the lost boy had been found! "So then the Prime Minister's child is still missing?"
"That boy will never be found," Jonash said sadly, "I just sort of took the substitute for their real child."
"Do you have any living relatives?" Jaina asked, "And what then is your real surname?"
Jonash nearly chuckled at her curiousty. "Well my real surname is still Solo. My father had belonged to the distant part of the clan that had been rejected years ago." He sighed, "Off spring of the dreaded Dalla the Black. The Prime Minister is actually something like my 7th cousin, twice removed or something." He took a deep breath, "And as for my family... Well I've found my mother and my sister."
"That's great!"
"Yeah I guess."
"You guess?" Jaina asked, wondering just what he meant.
"My mother is Tira Gama."
Jaina gasped. No wonder his answer had been 'I guess.' "Tira Gama! Daughter of Briza and Fritz Gama?"
Jonash nodded, "One and the bloody same."
"Wow. So... that would make Tiion Gama your sister, right?"
Jonash nodded, "Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?"
"I met Tiion on one occasion and she is by far the snottiest but self-centered person I have ever met."
Jaina slowly nodded her head in agreement. She had heard rumors that Tiion was a nasty person. "But still your mother would probably love to see you. You are her only son."
Jonash nodded ever so slowly. The thought of confronting his mother had been on his mind for years but he had never done it because Fritz Gama, his grandfather, was a nasty, greedy old man that Jonash bitterly hated.
Jaina sighed. They were out of things to say to one another. "So your real father was a smuggler?"
Jonash nodded, "Yes."
"Well now I don't feel so bad about my father."
"What do you mean?"
"My father is a smuggler. Runs smuggling jobs for certain scum on Corscant."
"Ah," Jonash said, now her reluctance to talk to him about her family made sense. The Prime Minister was hard on smugglers, especially those that went against his sort of politics.
Jaina took in a deep breath, she loved the smell of the ocean and then glancing at the time she looked at Jonash, almost sad, "Well I must be going. I have some work to do for my Uncle Han."
"Uncle Han?"
"The one that owns the bar." Jaina replied. "Big burly fella, couldn't miss him." Then Jaina suddenly felt awkward and out of place. She hurriedly kissed Jonash's check, "Bye!" and left suddenly.
Jonash watched her run down the beach, her red hair flying back before her. He touched his cheek with his hand and realized his face was burning hot.
As the days passed all talk turned from politics to wedding. Jonash hadn't seen Jaina in several days and it was absolutely killing him. Jonash stared at himself in the mirror. Here he was wearing a penguin suit, set to marry one woman, and thinking about a completely other woman.
Jonash ran his hand through his dull-brown hair, still thinking about Jaina. "Thinking about your wonderful bride-to-be?" A sing-song voice asked from behind him.
He startled and turned to see his "mother" standing there, "Mum, you startled me."
Krista Solo shrugged, "Sorry, but you just looked so far off, and in love."
Jonash was startled again, "What?"
"You and Kita belong together," she kissed his cheek, "I love you." And just like that she left.
Jonash felt guilty, not only about Jaina, but about thinking about that Gama's and what it would be like to met them. Although he despised Yorga Solo he greatly loved Krista. Krista was truly his mother, most of the time.
Yorga slammed the door to the dressing room shut behind him as he entered Jonash's private chambers. He voice boomed out, "HOW ARE WE DOING?"
Jonash glared at him. He had never particularly liked the man, as family or as a politician. "Just lovely." Jonash muttered sarcastically.
"What was that?" Yorga asked.
Jonash shook his head, "Look, father," Jonash nearly shivered, even after fifteen years he still had a hard time calling Yorga Solo father, "I don't think I'm ready for this."
"What!?" Yorga boomed, "Of course you are!"
Jonash threw off the overcoat, "No I'm not!" Jonash disappeared behind the curtain and shred off the ridiculous suit, "I am not ready to get married! Especially to Kita." He threw on some light cloths and emerged to see Yorga Solo purple faced and looking ticked.
"This has to do with that stupid waitress, doesn't it?"
"What?" Jonash asked softly. How did he know about Jaina?
Yorga placed both hands on Jonash's shoulders and squeezed, just a little too hard, "sleep with the woman, get it over with, and then marry Kita. Understood?"
Disgusted, Jonash left the room. All together he left the house. Was that how Yorga treated Krista? Did he sleep around? Jonash pondered these questions as he approached Han's Bar (that was the REAL name for the place, Jonash had discovered that morning.)
He pushed open the door and sat down at the bar. Jaina took one look at him and pored him a shot of Corellian Mixer. Jonash grabbed the glass and slugged it down, "I look that bad, huh?"
Jaina nodded. She pulled up a stool from behind her and sat across from him at the bar, "Tell me about it."
Jonash sighed, "I am simply not ready to get married and Yorga is insisting I marry Kita. I don't love Kita. I don't even like Kita!"
Jaina pored him another shot and helped herself to one. "Don't take marriage lightly Jonash. It's a serious commitment." She sighed, "I'm going to let you in on a little secret. My mother was a wealthy heiress from Corscant. My father was already into smuggling at this time. My mother left wealth and richness behind for my father. Because of love. If you do not love Kita do not bind yourself to her. Its that simple."
Jonash picked up his empty glass and Jaina pored him yet another shot. After slugging it down he said (more like slurred), "I suppose you're right."
He lifted up his glass again but Jaina shook her head, "You've had enough."
"That's only two." HICCUP! "I mean three." Jonash argued.
"I can barely hold down any more than three Corellian Mixers. If I can't hold that many down I sure as hell know that you can't."
Jonash slammed the glass down and plopped his head on the wet bar. He grunted, "So... I don't love Kita, so I shouldn't marry her riigghhhttt?" he drawled.
Jaina shook her head and pored some pink liquid into a tall, clear glass, "Drink this, It'll calm you down."
Jonash looked at her as if she nuts but took the drink anyway and gulped it down, "That tastes like crap!"
Jaina shrugged, "But you didn't slur that time, now did you?"
Jonash looked at her, "I have a headache."
She nodded, "Go home, rest, and deal with your father later. But you do have to deal with it one way or another."
Jonash nodded. He stood up. Placed some money, including a hefty tip on the table, kissed Jaina's hand and left the bar. She was right. He stumbled home. How he made it home after three glasses of Corellian Mixer and a mysterious pink liquid he would never know.
Jaina kicked back her feet. Han's bar was closed for the evening and it felt good to just kick back. Jaina was amazed at how a man who had never had hard liquor before could easily gulp down three Corellian Mixers and not lose his breakfast. It hurt to even drink one of those things and she had been drinking Corellian Mixers as long as she could remember.
Uncle Han plopped down in front of her, "You like him don't you?"
"Who?"
"Jonash Solo."
Jaina sighed. Were her feelings that clear? "Yes, but I would never become involved like that with him, Uncle, I know better. Look at what happened to my parents."
Han nodded, "Yes. Remember what happened to your parents and you should be okay." He kissed her forehead, "Get some rest, it will be one heck of day tomorrow."
Jaina nodded, "Night Uncle Han."
Jonash awoke the next day with a nasty headache. How in the stars could three tiny glasses of alcohol cause so much damage? Jonash fixed himself a quick morning drink, something to wake him up and kill the headache before heading downstairs to deal with his "father."
Jonash approached him in his office. Still in his robes, Yorga Solo was reading the news and yelling about something that had gone wrong with his vision of politics.
"Yorga?"
At the sound of his son calling him Yorga, the Prime Minister dropped his paper and stared at the boy, "Yes?"
"I am not marrying Kita."
Yorga stood up, spilling his coffee all over himself, "What!?"
"I am not marrying Kita." Jonash repeated, "I am leaving here and going to find my mother."
Yorga tried to wipe the coffee from his deep purple robe while staring at his son. "I strongly recommend against that."
Jonash nodded, "I know how you feel but this is how I feel."
Yorga shook with anger, "YOU WERE BORN TO A GOOD HEALTHY NAME TO DO NOT RUIN THAT!"
Jonash stared at him as if he had never seen the man before in his life and exploded, "HEALTHY!? YOU CALL THE SOLO NAME HEALTHY!? WHAT A JOKE! WHAT IS SO GREAT ABOUT BEING A STUPID SOLO!?"
Yorga took a full step forward to Jonash, "THE SOLO'S HAVE BEEN A LEADING FAMILY IN THIS PLANETS POLITICS FOR CENTURIES-"
"BIG DEAL! MAYBE ON YOUR END OF THE FAMILY TREE!" Jonash interrupted, "ON MY END MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER RAISED HELL! YOU REMEMBER HIM? DALLA THE BLACK!"
Yorga full out smacked Jonash, "Shut your mouth."
Jonash glared at him. "Well it's the truth! Dalla plundered Corellia into smugglers and hot-blooded, illegal danger! What a great family name!" Jonash stomped out of the room. He headed up to his quarters, packed a small bag, some money and then threw it all back down. He wasn't taking anything from Yorga Solo. Not a bloody thing!
Jonash stomped back down the stairs and was almost out the door when he heard Yorga scream out at him, "GET BACK HERE!"
And the words that Jonash had wanted to say to Yorga for fifteen years exploded out of him, "GO TO HELL!"
Jonash walked the several blocks to the Gama residence. It was nearly as big as the prison he had grown up in. Gently he knocked on the large, marble door. It was open by a human maid, which surprised Jonash to say to least, "Is Senior Gama home?"
"Depends," The maid said in a swiftly voice, "What is your business here?"
Jonash thought quickly and said, "I come on behalf of Prime Minister Solo."
The maid raised her eyebrows, "Is that so?"
"Yes, that is so," Jonash replied.
The maid called for Senior Gama. Fritz Gama looked at the maid with a panicked expression, "leave us." The maid bowed and left quickly. "What do you want?" Fritz demanded.
Jonash raised his chin. He knew, he had to know! "Judging by your tone of voice you know why I am here."
Fritz almost laughed, "Boy, you are not welcome here, now leave!"
Jonash took a step towards him, "Not welcome here? Why GRANDFATHER why on Corellia not?"
Fritz stepped so close to his grandson that their faces were only inches apart, "I finally got my daughter to let Solo go, I am not going to allow you to undo all my work."
"All your work?"
"Father, who is it?" A tired sounding voice called from the stairway.
Jonash and Fritz turned to see an elderly woman holding the arm of a much younger one. It was Jonash's mother and sister! "Mother-"
Fritz cut him off, "No one, my dear, no one."
Tria Gama Solo obviously did not believe him. Being guided by her daughter Tiion she slowly descended the stairs. She looked deep into Jonash's eyes before replying. "My son, Jonash Solo." Tria pulled her eldest child into an embrace, her face wet with sad tears. "It's been so long."
Tiion stared at the Prime Minister's son in her mother's embrace, "Mother what is going on?"
Tria pulled back and placed one of Jonash's hands on Tiion's, "Tiion this is your brother." She turned back to her son, "I have known for many years that you are my child, but I haven't the heart to say anything."
Jonash's own face was wet with tears, "I've known for many years you were my mother, but I too, did not have the heart to say anything."
Tria pulled her son into another embrace, "Come, we have much to talk about."
Jonash slipped out of the Gama home later that evening. He was so excited he simply couldn't wait to tell Jaina. He burst into the Han's Bar nearly an hour later, flushed with excitement.
He walked right up to the bar and embraced Jaina, spinning her around in joy.
Jaina couldn't move, she could barely even breathe and Jonash spun her around, "Jonash what-"
But she didn't even get a chance to finish her question as Jonash brought his mouth down upon hers, "Marry me."
Jaina didn't have to answer. Jonash already knew her answer.
As the months passed, Jonash found himself beginning to like Jaina's father more and more with every passing day and he hopped the feeling was mutual. Jonash found himself mixed in with Corral's business and as the ex-son of the Prime Minister Jonash knew all the military tricks that helped them escape some nasty business.
Jaina was three months pregnant with their first child and Corral was taking them to Corscant to live for a while. Jonash, while already deeply missing his mother and sister, was happy to leave the Gama home and Corellia behind. Corral had a cousin who was selling his underground casino and Corral had bought it for them as a gift.
Jaina and Jonash were going to own their own business! Jonash was more excited than he could believe.
After leaving the formal life behind Jonash found that being a smuggler and often a pirate was fun, exciting, and one could make a great living off of it. Jonash only hoped his child did not become involved in the same kind of business.
Jaina's face was wet with tears of pain as her daughter was born. Not because of the physical pain but because of the emotional pain. They were going to lose their daughter. Not death, but to the Jedi Order.
Nearly a month ago a Jedi Master named Mace Windu tracked Jaina down to one of their casinos and told her that her child would one day become a powerful Jedi. "A Jedi?" Jaina had protested. "But-"
"She will be well cared for, and live a prosperous life under the Jedi Code."
Jaina had protested that she must speak with her husband first before any decisions were to be made.
Jonash had hung his head in defeat, "I was afraid of this."
"What do you mean?" Jaina asked quietly.
"After we married, I asked your father about your mother. Your mother did not leave Corscant behind because she was wealthy and in love, she left Corscant behind because she was a Jedi and in love."
Jaina's mouth had dropped open, "Why did you not tell me this?"
"Your father begged me not to. He refused the Jedi Orders wish for you to join after you were born and warned me that we may very well be stuck with the same decision."
Jaina pressed her hand to her belly, "I do not wish to give up my child nor do I wish for her to have to live this life."
Jonash nodded, he felt the same way, "What should we do then?"
Jaina let out another pained cry. Jonash gripped her hand. This was far too rough on him to watch her suffer so. He knew, however, that she was crying from the pain of losing her child not giving birth to her child.
The nurse placed the daughter in Jaina's arms. Jonash brushed back a thick lot of black hair, "She has so much hair." The nurse simply smiled.
"What shall we call her?" Jaina silently asked, knowing that a name would be all they would ever have of their daughter.
"Krista." Jonash answered, "Krista Jaina."
Jaina looked up at him with tears in her eyes and then back at Baby Krista. "I love you my darling." She kissed Krista's head before handing her child off to Jonash.
Jonash rocked her silently in his arms as she looked up at him with deep blue eyes. Jonash bent down and kissed her, "I love you my baby girl. Don't you ever forget that. And don't ever forget my voice." He kissed her again and then handed his child off to a cloaked Jedi. He never saw her again.
Jaina packed the rest of their belongings. They had sold their successful chain of casinos a few days back and now they were leaving. After leaving on Corscant for two years Jaina was ready to leave. The pain of knowing her child was only a few buildings away but unable to see her was far too much for Jaina to bear.
Jonash heaved the last of the luggage into a corner, "Well that's it then."
Jaina nodded and Jonash embraced her, "I know, Honey, it hurts. It still hurts."
Jaina sniffled, "The pain never goes away does it?"
Jonash shook his head and silently thought, 'No it never does.' Their daughter would be two years old tomorrow and they hadn't laid eyes on her since she was taken away. Jonash pulled apart and kissed her forehead, "Come. We're going to miss our shuttle."
After receiving news that Jaina's Uncle Han had passed away and left Jaina his bar the two decided to move back to Corellia, back to home. Jonash hoped that in leaving Corellia behind he and Jaina could both heal from the loss of their daughter.
Jonash's head ached. He had been crying nonstop for three days. His mother was dead. DEAD! Jaina gripped his hand to keep her own tears from welling up in her eyes. His mother had always been so kind to her.
Jaina and Jonash had been living on Corellia for a year with little excitement in their lives. They had turned Han's Bar into an entertainment establishment of the sorts and it was doing quite well. Tira had loved the changes in Han's Bar and frequently visited.
Jonash picked up a small white flower from a vase nearby and slowly approached the crypt. Tira Gama was being buried in a crypt. Being buried was only reserved for those wealthy and well-to-do people, as it were. Jonash placed the white flower on Tira's coffin and openly wept. "I love you Mother."
Jaina quietly pulled her sorrow-filled husband away from the coffin. He hadn't stop crying for days and Jaina was afraid that his mother's death would send him over the edge. She spotted Krista and Yorga Solo off to the side. Krista silently nodded at the young woman and silently mouthed, "I'm sorry."
Jaina nodded back and mouthed, "Thank you." Before leading Jonash home.
Jaina watched the news with dread. "Darling come here!"
Jonash placed his hands on his wife's shoulders, "yes?"
"Look at this."
Jonash watched as a reporter, some kind of droid of sorts, reported that the Trade Federation has barricaded Naboo and the Queen as escaped only to have returned and defeated them with an army of Gungans. "It's the beginning of the end." Jonash whispered.
"What?" Jaina asked.
Jonash shook his head, "Nothing." He had been feeling nothing but dread for days. Like something terrible was going to happen to everyone he loved and he simply couldn't shake the feeling.
It had been two years since his mother's death... and two years since his sister had spoken to him.
"I HATE YOU!" Tiion screamed.
"That's Fritz talking not you!" Jonash had screamed back.
Tiion glared at him, "Your leaving Corellia destroyed our mother!"
"GRANDFATHER'S GREED DESTROYED HER, NOT ME!"
Tiion slammed the palm of her hand against his wet cheek, "SHUT YOUR FILTHY MOUTH!"
Jonash grabbed her hand, "DON'T YOU EVER HIT ME AGAIN, SISTER!"
"I AM NOT YOUR SISTER, YOU COWARD!!"
"OH YOUR NOT ARE YOU?" He screamed back
"NO I'M NOT! I'VE TOLD RANDILL SULL THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU IN YEARS! SINCE OUR PARENTS WERE SEPERATED!"
"Randill, Huh?" Jonash said, "That's a coward if I ever saw one."
"GET OUT!"
"WITH PLEASURE!"
Jonash shook his head to clear the memory. What a nasty business that had been.
Jaina gave another scream of pain. The nurse cried out, "It's a boy!"
Jonash gripped his wife's hand in panic. "Jaina, don't leave me. Don't you DARE leave me!"
Jaina sucked in a deep breath, "I can't take it. I'm too weak!"
Jonash gripped her hand even harder, "No your not! No your not!" It had been years since his mother's death and even longer since the birth of their daughter.
Jaina had wanted another child so badly. They had had a hard time conceiving one. Jonash had expressed his worry about Jaina have a baby at such an age, especially given her growing illness. But Jaina had been determined and now Jonash feared that determination would kill her.
Jaina gripped his hand, "I love you." She murmured. She sucked in a breath, "Name him Han..." she coughed, "Han Jonash Corral." And with that she was gone.
Jonash gripped his wife's lifeless body to him and wailed with pain.
Jonash bent down before his seven-year old son. "Han, I must leave."
"Why?" The little boy asked.
Jonash bit his lip, he could not confess to the boy why he was leaving him. It wouldn't be right, "There's something I must do. But I want you to remember this. I love you. Han, remember me, remember your mother, and most of all remember your Solo heritage. NEVER forget that." He kissed his forehead and handed Han's hand to Morgan, "Morgan please watch over him carefully."
Morgan hugged her dear friend, "I will and I will take care of Han's Bar for you. For Jaina."
Jonash kissed Morgan on the cheek. "Thank you." And with that he was gone with little Han Solo waving good-bye to his daddy.
No one ever saw Jonash Solo again.
THE END
