Master Skywalker sat across from Kyp Durron in his office, studying him
with those cool blue eyes of his, his expression never giving a hint as to
what the Jedi was thinking. He just sat there, calmly, not judging the
other but taking every thing in. It was perhaps this aspect about
Skywalker that agitated Durron the most.
"Master Skywalker, why did you call me here?" Kyp finally broke the ice, his annoyance resounding in his voice if not the force.
"I've called you here Kyp to continue the discussions we started before the war."
"Then why is it just the two of us? This discussion involves all the Jedi?"
"That's true Kyp, but I thought that you and I should discuss this in a private forum as you and I exact the greatest influence over the other Jedi."
Master Skywalker was careful with his words. More than anything he wanted to keep the Jedi together, united in it's service to the Republic and such a task could not be accomplished if there was not at least civility among its ranks. Kyp Durron had influenced many a young Jedi prior to and during the war with the Vong and his status, while it waned considerably had not entirely disappeared with the war's end. If there was going to be unification of the Jedi, Kyp Durron had to be kept in the fold.
Luke's experience with Kyp told him that such would not be an easy task. Kyp was an angry man. Having lost his family at an early age to a ruthless and oppressive government and imprisoned in a spice mine on Kessel thereafter, Kyp had survived all his life on anger. It was this anger that made him an easy target for the darkside at the dawn of his Jedi training, leading him to lash out against the remnants of the government that had destroyed his life. These actions caused the death of many people, leaving Kyp forever the object of hatred among many in the galaxy. His turn to the darkside had been brief, but it had been enough to leave him to struggle with his own guilt.
It was perhaps guilt as well as anger that fueled the man now. Luke could not tell. His rage coupled with his battled hardened experience of late had made his feelings almost unreadable in the force.
" I don't see that we have anything to talk about considering you didn't hear me out in our last conversation."
"No Kyp, I did hear you out, I just didn't agree with you." Luke corrected, his tone still calm and his manner still nonjudgmental. This agitated Kyp.
"Master Skywalker, if you've called me here for an apology, you're wasting your time. I can't apologize for doing what I thought was right."
"I know you did what you thought was right and for that I would never ask for any apology just as I'm not going to apologize for my actions because I thought I was doing what was right. But thinking that one is right does not make him right. My actions however right I may have felt they were had consequences in that they caused harm to others. I'm willing to admit that. I can't believe though that you don't believe that your actions were without any consequences. No leader is infallible."
Kyp considered this for a moment. Master Skywalker was right. He was not infallible. All of his actions had not been good and maybe there were some that he wished he could undo. Still, he was not willing to give that up to Master Skywalker.
"Kyp," Luke continued, "if we are to build a new order we must come to understand what that means, what it means to be a Jedi. The only way to do that is to discuss it openly and come to an agreement. I need to understand your point of view and I need you to understand mine."
" I do understand your point of view Master Skywalker, patience, peace, the way of the Jedi. I know. You've drilled that into me from day one but I think there is more to it than that. When lives are at stake Master, it is the Jedi's responsibility to act."
"I agree with you on that. But the question is Kyp, how is the Jedi supposed to act? This is where you and I come to an impasse. What do you think Kyp, how should a Jedi act?"
It was such a blatant question that Kyp did not readily respond. He had in the past years, only been reacting to the situation at hand. He had not had much time to think it over. How should the Jedi act?
" A Jedi should act to protect lives that are both in danger and potential danger." Kyp added after a moment.
"And does that mean using aggression?"
"Yes." Kyp answered without hesitation. "I know Master that you don't agree with aggression, but I feel that aggression is a necessary instrument in defense. If someone's life is in potential danger from a threat, I think the Jedi have the right to use aggression to stop that threat before life is lost."
"I don't disagree with you on that. During the Rebellion I used measures that could be described as aggressive. What I don't agree with though is your blind aggression."
"If by "blind" you mean my attacking Vong worldships, I told you before that I won't apologize for doing what I thought was right."
"Again, I'm not asking you to. What I mean by blind aggression, is not reasoning out what you will do or how you will accomplish your task. There is no denying that being a Jedi involves control. It's one of our basic tenants. But control requires forethought, patience. Two things of which you are short on." The Master's voice rose slightly but he brought it under control. He did not call Kyp here to scold him, but it was important that Kyp know the errors of his actions.
"Kyp," his voice calm again, "there is a time to act and a time to listen and contemplate. You need to learn control, you need to listen."
"And Master you need to learn when is the time to act." Kyp returned matching the Master's calm demeanor.
Luke considered this for a moment and to Kyp's surprise, smiled and placed his hand on the younger Jedi's shoulder.
"Perhaps you are right Kyp. "Neither of us can say that we have used perfect judgment. Kyp, I don't want to surround myself only with Jedi who agree with me. That's why I want to keep you in the order, I think you and I, if we learn to be open minded, could complement one another. Just remember it is dangerously close to the dark side to attack without thought."
A brief moment of silence fell over the two before Luke added "And, I don't think that it is the way of the Jedi to use other people."
The last part of Master Skywalkers's speech was cryptic but he knew what the Master meant. He was referring to his conduct as regards his niece, Jaina Solo. He had enlisted the young woman's help in destroying, what he described as a Vong super weapon. The weapon turned out to be a Vong worldship a fact that Kyp was well aware of. He had manipulated evidence to make the worldship appear to be a sinister weapon capable of destruction unlike anything the galaxy had ever seen. He had lied to her, gained her trust, and, eventually, used her to gain the support of respected Rouge Squadron leaders. She vowed never to help him again.
Kyp did not respond to Master Skywalker's implication. It was an entirely personal matter. He merely looked at the Master and the look in his eyes told the Master not to pursue it any further.
" I think its good we had this talk, Kyp."
"Yes Master." Kyp said and for the fist time since the ordeal with the Vong, he used that term with sincerity.
As he made his way down the hall, Kyp found himself thinking of Jaina as he had done often lately. Ever since he began his quest against the Vong, Kyp had done what he felt was he had to do. Admittedly he realized that some of his choices were not in keeping with the Jedi tradition, but he saw them as necessary evils. Now that the Vong war was over, he had more time to contemplate his behavior and while he was not sorry for the course that he took, he did hold a few regrets. One of those regrets was using Jaina.
He had offered to train her in the force. He had done so because he felt that Jaina's potential in the force was best served under his guidance. He felt that he could help her attain her rightful position in the new order. Now more than ever he believed that was true. He did not know, however, if he could ever convince her of that.
Jaina Solo had been walking for what seemed like hours through the halls of the Errant Venture trying to rid herself of the nightmares that haunted her. She had been on board the ship since her return from her harrowing mission aboard the Vong ship, Exquisite Death. Her life had changed forever on that mission and now she was left only to contemplate her actions and her future. She could not do so sitting in her assigned quarters, so she walked, searching for the only place in space that could bring her comfort now.
Her journey took her to the hanger where her X-wing was housed. She walked over and leaned against one of its wings. She wasn't going to leave. She wasn't strong enough yet. But somehow just being near her X- wing brought her comfort- solace. Lately, it was only here that she could relax and be herself. This was the only place that she could allow herself to feel.
The memories of her experience aboard the Exquisite Death when her brother Anakin had sacrificed his life for the Jedi pulsated in her head. She allowed the pain to come through her. The loss. The guilt. The emptiness in her heart ached where Anakin had once been. In desperation, she laid her head in her hands and cried, a deep, mournful cry that would have surprised anyone who knew her.
She felt a presence pass over her, comforting her in her sorrow. It was soothing and gentle. She did not resist it until she realized that she had felt this presence once before. It was Kyp Durron. He had sent her the same comforting presence when they appeared before Wedge Antilles trying to convince him to join the renegade Jedi in destroying a supposed Yuuzhan Vong super weapon.
He had been following her since she left her quarters. Her anxiety and sadness spoke to him through the force. They were the products of bad dreams. With this he could sympathize for he too was plagued by nightmares.
"The worst nightmares, Jaina, are the ones we have when we are awake." He said evenly.
"Kyp. What do you want?" She said, turning away from him so he could not see her tears. Her displeasure with his presence was evident in her voice.
"I've been worried about you since your ordeal with the strike team. I was only concerned. I didn't mean to upset you."
Something in his voice sounded sincere but then Jaina had learned not to trust Kyp Durron. She turned to look him in the eyes and the pain he had caused came back. Worried? Kyp Durron worried about her? She doubted it.
"Worried?" She said sarcastically. "Thanks for your concern Kyp but I don't need it."
She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked angrily past him.
"Jaina, wait." He called out to her, gently taking hold of her arm. He pulled her back so that the two were looking into each other's eyes.
"I know what you're going through."
"No one knows what I'm going through." Jaina said mournfully.
"That's where you're wrong. Remember, I lost a brother too and I've tasted the dark side. I know the pain and the guilt. I've felt it all. Let me help you."
"I don't need any help. I just need to be alone."
"OK." He said softly and released her. "Just keep my offer in mind." His words echoing another conversation they had once had.
She lowered her head and nodded. Then she turned slowly away from him. He gazed at her for a few moments before deciding to leave her to her solitude. Once he was gone, Jaina returned to her sobbing. From the doorway he could hear her cries, through the force he could feel her pain. He winced at it and vowed to himself that somehow he would find a way to help her.
The low humming resounded in Luke Skywalker's ear as the blade of his opponent's lightsaber came down within centimeters of his ear. He had to admit his new apprentice was getting better. In fact, he had never had a pupil advance as quickly as this one had, and he wasn't saying that just because she was his sister. Taking advantage of his distraction, Leia, managed to disarm him, taking Luke completely by surprise.
Standing there in his disbelief, he heard the sound of applause just to his right. He turned to face it and saw that the source was his own wife, Mara.
"That's what I like to see, a Skywalker put in his place." She said wickedly with an even wickeder grin.
"That being the case," Leia said "you'll love what I have in store for you."
That brought a laugh from all three of them. It was good to see his sister smile again. She hadn't done much of it since Anakin's death.
"You're doing quite well Leia." Mara complemented her.
"Well, I have a lot to get caught back up on. I've wasted so much time in diplomacy instead of Jedi training."
"Diplomacy is a part of being a Jedi, Leia." Luke said.
"Did Yoda teach you that?" Leia asked, raising an eyebrow.
Luke smiled at his sister's joke. "No. Experience. There really is so little that we know about the Jedi. Just what Yoda taught me, and the few stories that Tionne has been able to find. The rest we have to glean from the experiences we have. I have found the diplomacy, the art of knowing what the other party is all about helps in ways the force cannot. It is a good helper to the force."
"Diplomacy is the handmaiden of the force." Mara said with a smile.
The smile from his wife gave Luke a warm feeling inside and lightened his heart.
"We're going to need diplomacy in this new order of ours. There is a lot that the Jedi have to accomplish and much of it internally. We won't be of any use to the Republic if we don't solve some the issues that face the Jedi."
Just then, a voice came in over the intercom, informing them that a certain ship being piloted by a roughish Corellian captain whom they were all familiar with had just docked.
"Han." Leia said with a smile.
"You better go meet him." Luke suggested.
With that, Leia left the room and made her way to the docking bay were Han was located. Once alone, Mara walked over to her husband and wrapped her arms around him.
" Are you ready to address the Jedi about reestablishing the Jedi Council?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Luke said and with a sigh added, "There is just so much work to be done."
"My ever diligent husband." She said as she kissed his cheek. "Just remember Skywalker, you're not in this alone. This order is made up of many Jedi. All of who feel just as keenly the responsibility to make it work as you do. All you need to do is guide, they will follow."
"Or they may follow someone else." Luke said.
"Speaking of which, how did your "discussion" with Kyp go today?"
"We came to an understanding of sorts. I think we're making real headway on this."
"Good. Now, enough business." She said as she gave him a mischievous smile. She then took him by the hand, the light in her green eyes burning like a brilliant flame, and led him to where, Luke did not know, nor did he care.
Han Solo enveloped his wife in a long embrace at first sight. He held her for so long It had been a week since he had seen her.
"I've got a surprise for you on the Falcon."
Leia gave him a curious look. Through the years, she had learned that her husband was full of surprises. Some good, some bad, but one thing they always were was interesting. She gave him a cautious smile as he led her to the cockpit.
"There it is!" He said, stepping sideways to reveal the pilot and the co pilot's seats.
Leia looked past him and smiled.
"Oh, Han." She said with a whisper.
He had replaced the oversized copilot's chair that had once belonged to Chewie with one Leia's size.
"That's right. I made it official."
Tears welled in Leia's eyes. She wrapped her arms around Han and thanked him with a long kiss.
"Hey, princess, if I knew that I was going to get a reception like that, I would have done it sooner." Han said with a sly smile.
Leia studied Han for a moment.
"You're too good to me." She said at length.
"Pardon me mam." Han replied sarcastically.
"No, Han, I mean it. You've stuck with me for so many years through so many things. You stood by me when I was Chief of State, when I felt the need to undo all that Vader had done. You attended galas and State dinners when that really wasn't what you were about. And now, you're sticking by me while I pursue my Jedi training. You've done so much that you really didn't want to do just to please me. I feel like you've given up your entire life for me."
"Listen, I didn't do anything that I didn't want to do. And as far as giving up my life for you, well, I don't have much of a life without you."
With that, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. No, there was no life without Leia.
Luke studied the assembly of thirty or so Jedi, the remnants of the Order he had sought to put together. The war had taken its toll on the Jedi. Where there had been hundreds of Jedi ready to serve, now there were but dozens. As he scanned the audience, he saw his niece Jaina and remembered that the war had not just affected the size of the Jedi order but the spirit too. It was because of this that the meeting regarding the impending Jedi Council was so important.
"Honorable Jedi," Luke began "I thank you for your presence today….
Just then Luke noticed a figure in black step into the back of the room. It was Kyp Durron. His entrance surprised the Master because it lacked the showmanship that it had in the past. The Master took this as a good sign.
While Kyp tried not to call attention to himself, his entrance had not gone unnoticed by the rest of the Jedi. Luke, sensing the disturbance in the room, approached Kyp.
The room fell quiet as the Master approached his former student. They were not sure what to expect and Kyp was certain some of them were expecting a confrontation. Instead, Luke extended his hand to Kyp. The room began to murmur in astonishment. Kyp glanced around noticing the stir that Master Skywalker's action had caused and when he saw Corran Horn just to his left with both eyebrows raised he smiled inwardly almost as if in triumph. With that, he took the Master's hand and gave it a firm shake.
It wasn't like Luke to cause such a scene but he was hoping to show the other Jedi, both those loyal to him and to Kyp that he desired real peace and could accept them and their points of view. He had hoped that this small gesture would serve as a symbol to the Jedi of unification.
Once Kyp was seated the other Jedi settled down. Kyp, glad to have that whole scene behind him, began to listen to the Master's words. He could not concentrate completely on what the Master was saying because of another presence in the room There, seated across the room from him sat Jaina Solo, next to her brother Jacen and their friend Zekk.
Jaina never looked at him. She never acknowledged his presence. He wondered what she had thought of her uncle's gesture. Had it made a difference to her? He hoped it did because that would make it easier for him to pursue her as his apprentice and ultimately help her through her ordeal. It had occurred to him to brush her with his presence or to gently probe her thoughts, but considering her reaction to him earlier, he thought that not too wise. No, Jaina Solo was a river he would have to tread carefully.
"I've called you here today" Luke continued "to discuss my desires for reestablishing the Jedi Council."
"Master,," Tionne interjected "do you think that now is the time to reestablish the Council, with so many issues still left for the Jedi to solve?"
Luke smiled at Tionne. She was the Jedi historian and one of his first students. She was also one of his most loyal followers. The matter must be close to her heart or she never would have challenged him.
"I think that now is the perfect time to reestablish the Council Tionne. I believe that establishing a new Jedi Council will be the only way to work through the problems of the Jedi."
Luke could see the expressions on the faces of his fellow Jedi. He could see that they were puzzled at his words.
"What good is a Council if there is contentions among it's members?" Corran Horn said passing a significant glance in Kyp's direction. Kyp remained calm much to Corran's surprise.
Shame on you Corran for trying to rile Kyp like that. Luke spoke to him through the Force.
"I feel that an established Council of experienced Jedi with open minds could successfully come together and discuss the issues that face the Jedi and reach conclusions that are both beneficial for the Order and the individual Jedi."
Luke let his words lie in the air for a few moments to let the Jedi absorb what he was saying. Through the Force, he felt their confusion.
" During the war we were focused on saving lives not on maintaining the Order itself. Now, we have time to think. To focus on what is important. I believe now is the time for all Jedi to come together. That is why I called you all here today. I would like the commitment of every Jedi to this cause.
All eyes fell on Kyp. Yes, it would seem from past experience that if there was someone to object to Master Skywalker, it would have to be Kyp. Kyp, feeling that he owed to those Jedi that had followed him and especially those who had died in his service to give their side a voice rose and positioned himself in the center of the room.
"Master, will this new Council of yours embrace the views of everyone?"
Luke raised an eyebrow. Had he and Kyp not already discussed this? Reaching out with the Force, Luke sensed no bravado, no indignation from the Jedi. He only felt a keen sense of responsibility in him. He could tell that Kyp was still leading his people. His only hope was he was leading them down the right path this time. The path of control, the path of peace.
"Yes, Kyp it will embrace the views of everyone."
The room began to stir again. It was apparent that there were those who felt that some views were not worthy of hearing.
"The issues facing the Jedi are complex. They will not be settled easily. We must identify what the Order stands for and what it means to be a Jedi. These questions must be addressed if the Order is to survive. In order to accomplish this, we will need to consider views that might not have been considered before. Yes, we will embrace everyone's views, but we will not necessarily ascribe to all of them. I foresee the Council's main objective, at least during it's inception, to be deciding just what views will be accepted by the Order. "
"Master," Tionne rose again "we already know what views the Jedi should take, from the teachings of Yoda and the former Council."
"What we have are pieces of a puzzle that we may never be able to put together. I understand how you feel Tionne, I've asked myself all these questions before. I've contemplated and what I've come up with is that, while the old ways still hold true but this is a different time. A time of growth for the Jedi. The old Council however revered it may be in our eyes was not perfect. Remember, they were unable to stop Vader and the destruction of the Jed
These were bold words for the Jedi Master. As Luke scanned the audience he saw many heads shake in agreement to his last statement. Yet, he could tell that some were not convinced. This was as he expected. They would need more time to consider what he had said.
"If there are no further comments I will adjourn this meeting and leave you all to contemplate what has been said here today. I leave you only with this- if we don't stop bickering and come together on the many problems that face us, we will destroy the Jedi all over again."
For once the Jedi Master had stunned everyone into silence.
As the small assembly of Jedi began to break up, Kyp felt a nervousness creep inside of him as he looked around the room. People were no doubt talking about Master Skywalker's proposition and especially his embrace of Kyp Durron. In acceptance or rejection Kyp felt as if he had no place among the Jedi of present company. With that, Kyp left the meeting room.
As he turned the corner, he saw Jaina walking alone. He did not need his force abilities to tell him that she was deeply considering what her uncle had told the Jedi assembled just moments earlier. It showed on her face.
"Master Skywalker spoke truthfully today did he not?"
He had obviously startled the young woman because she jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Yes he did. You must be proud." Her tone was slightly derisive.
Kyp started to feign ignorance but would not insult Jaina's intelligence that way.
"I'm happy that the Master has extended himself to me. And I am equally happy that he has realized the need to reevaluate the Jedi."
Jaina only rolled her eyes and gave an insincere little chuckle.
"You're only happy because you believe that he's going to start to see things your way."
Knowing that Jaina was not privy to the private conversation that he and the Master had earlier, and considering that he did not really believe that Jaina was right, Kyp decided not to reply to her remark.
"Come now Jaina, you heard your uncle, no bickering." Was all he said.
"Bicker with you Durron." Jaina said with a wry smile.
"It's good to see you smile again, Jaina." Kyp said, deciding to ignore the sarcasm in her tone.
This caught Jaina of guard. She didn't even notice that she was smiling. Feeling a bit awkward, she rolled her eyes again and walked off.
Kyp watched her walk down the hallway until she was completely out of sight. He could not help but to smile ever so slightly as he thought of her. She was amazing.
As Kyp turned around he found Jacen standing directly behind him. The young man had approached him the moment he noticed Kyp with his sister. Jacen was not an aggressive Jedi. This had brought him and Kyp at odds before. Yet now Kyp sensed an emotion in the young knight that could only be described as volatile.
"Haven't you done enough Kyp?" He asked in a calm almost cold tone.
Kyp felt sure that the young man was not looking for an answer to that question and, through the Force he knew that Jacen was serious.
"Are you telling me to leave your sister alone Jacen?" Kyp asked, mimicking Jacen's tone perfectly.
"No, I'm warning you." He said moving closer to the older Jedi until he was eye to eye with him. "Stay away from my sister."
SOMEWHERE IN IMPERIAL SPACE
Admiral Taggart stared out of the viewport at the vast space that lay before him and at his tiny ragtag fleet. He thought of the possibilities that the universe, with its limitlessness offered. It was a place, were, in the blink of an eye, one's circumstances could change. Take for example the Empire for which he served. It had been at its height when a band of revolutionaries made up of aliens and smugglers, armed with ill gotten weapons and a sorcerer, brought it to a crashing halt. Now, as the universe would have it, the Empire stood on the threshold of regaining some of its old glory. Taggart smiled at the irony of the situation.
The Rebels made great sacrifices in their quest to rid the galaxy of the inequity they beheld in the Empire. They had denounced it as evil and spurned its purposes as corrupt, immoral and unjust. They rejected the power it commanded and, instead, chose to eradicate themselves of the only government ever to bring real order to the galaxy.
In their insolence, they instituted a government contrary to the Empire. Established upon lofty principles and goals the Rebels had created a government where individual thought was supreme. Where the state did not decide the fate of the sencient and thus not control its destiny.
Yet, in the heat of trial it was not these lofty ideals that proved true. It was the formalistic and rigid practices of the Empire. Where the impudent New Republic had given birth to civil wars and internal conflicts, The Imperial Remnant met the challenge of taming a new world. And had time and again proved itself by establishing order and a marked measure of prosperity.
The recent war against the galactic invaders known as the Yuuzhan Vong had proven to be the greatest trial to face the New Republic and The Imperial Remnant alike. During the conflict, the New Republic and The Imperial Remnant had been allies, former enemies banded together to fight a common enemy. Now at the war's end, it would appear that the New Republic had suffered the worst. Having lost its capital, the surviving senate members were now being forced to operate as a provisional government. They now conducted business on Correllia, a planet neighboring its devastated former capital of Coruscant.
The Imperial Remnant had suffered too during the war. But, because of its position in the unknown regions and its small numbers, the Vong had not considered them a great threat, thus, the Remnant had managed to avoid the bloodiest conflicts. And, while their existence prior to the war had been somewhat successful, it was nonetheless, modest. This fact allowed them to regain much of what was lost in the war. Now, it would appear, that the New Republic was seeking the help of The Imperial Remnant to fund their fledgling government. Taggart smiled once again.
"Admiral" a voice called from his comm., bringing him back to reality.
"Commander Rhent, is here to see you."
"Send him in."
Not more that a few seconds, past before a tall blue skinned Chiss walked into the room. He was dressed in the traditional olive colored uniform, marking him as an Imperial officer. The Chiss bowed formally to his the admiral and waited for Taggart to instruct him before he taking a seat.
"Please, be seated my friend."
"What is it that you wanted to discuss with me, Admiral?" It was so very Chiss not to mince words and get straight to the matter at hand.
"I wanted to discuss The Remnant's new position in the galaxy."
The Chiss raised an eyebrow. The weeks that had followed the war had been filled with talk of the Remnant's ability to take control of certain areas that had once belonged to The New Republic. There had been much debate among the military leaders and it had been said that the Moffs have even taken up a forum on the subject but nothing had been decided as yet. Furthermore, Taggart was an Admiral of one of the smallest fleets in the Remnant. It was unlikely that his opinion would be considered in the matter. That being the case, why was the human so interested in the topic that he would call upon him to discuss it?
"What do you think Rhent? Does the Remnant have a chance at gaining a foothold in the galaxy?"
"I think it possible, but there are obstacles."
"There are obstacles to any victory Rhent."
"True. But the ones we face are formidable. The New Republic may be wounded but they are not dead. They still have power. I think it foolish to underestimate them."
"What do you say is the greatest obstacle to the Remnant?"
"The Jedi."
Rhent had answered that without hesitation. It was the main topic of debate among dissenters to the "New Imperial Vision" as it was now being called. The Jedi, though now small in numbers were still a just as much a threat to the present Empire as the Jedi of old had been to Palpatine's Empire. And now there were rumors about a Jedi Council. It was this rumor that kept the grand vision of the Remnant from becoming a reality.
"Yes, the Jedi. If only we could alleviate ourselves of there threat."
"That would seem impossible. It has been tried too many times before and yet it has been met with failure."
"Ah, yes, but that was when the entire Order was the target."
Rhent blinked, not understanding Taggart's implication. Taggart, having worked around the Chiss for many years knew that this was a sign of surprise.
"You see Rhent, to destroy the Jedi, you need only to destroy one man,"
"The Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker?"
"Yes, Rhent. The Jedi, at present, are a fractious order. Small in number and afflicted with internal strife, they are being held together only by loyalty to the "hero" of the rebellion, Master Skywalker. If he were to be eliminated, then the rest of the order would abolish itself with conflict."
Rhent steepled his hands and gently rested his chin on the pointed ends of his fingers. It was a logical conclusion. Groups existing on the loyalty to one central figure were often left so devastated when that personality died that they were unable to maintain their stability. Rhent raised an eyebrow at Taggart in question.
"How do you suggest we do this? It is well known that it is nearly impossible to kill a Jedi."
"Nearly, yes, but not completely. However powerful the Jedi might be, they are still prone to the same things we are. We have accidents, we die untimely deaths, why not the Jedi. It would have to be so for the New Republic would not sit still for it if we killed the Jedi openly."
Taggart paused for a moment and studied Rhent. The Chiss sat upright in his seat, waiting for Taggart to finish. When Taggart did not, Rhent decided to interject.
"The Jedi have the ability to sense each other certainly they would sense their Master's impending death and rescue him. We would practically need to impair their abilities. "
That last statement brought a smile to Taggart's face. The Chiss was catching on.
"Why, Rhent, that is precisely my plan."
Taggart's remark must have really surprised the Chiss because he blinked twice, apparently, a sign of shock among his people. Taggart then removed a small vile from his desk drawer. It contained an odd violet colored liquid. Taggart moved it gracefully about his fingers. As he did so, the liquid changed to a deep red. Taggart brought it up to his face as if to admire its color.
"This, Rhent is a liquid made from an enzyme produced by Yalsamari. It has the ability to block the force. We need to introduce it into the Jedi's food supply. And, as the Universe would have it, the Republic have requested the Remnant supply the Jedi with food and that is our next mission."
"The Jedi can sense danger. Won't they sense impropriety on our part?"
"It will have to be an elaborate ruse for sure." He said as he fingered the controls on his console. "We will have to use someone innocent in our plans. Someone, unsuspecting , to deliver the supplies. Someone who may have a personal interest in the Jedi or at least one of them."
"Who might that be, Admiral?"
"This man." Taggart answered, turning the console around to reveal the image of a young man, an Imperial Officer, gazing roughishly at a young Jedi female. The young man was Jagged Fel.
Ah, yes. Now the pieces were coming together for Rhent. This was why Taggart had called him here. He knew that Jagged Fel's father was an old friend of his and that friendship also extended to Jag himself. What was more, Jag and his Spike team were currently aboard his ship, recuperating from some injuries. It was almost providential.
Han studied his daughter with a sudden newfound awareness of her age. It was not that he did not know that his daughter was now on the cusp of twenty, for he was her father, it was just that now with the passing of his youngest son, he was keenly aware of how fleeting time was. It seemed just yesterday that his house was full of rambunctious children and in particular the giggles of this little girl. No, not little girl, young woman, and a lovely young woman at that.
Her beauty made him both proud and nervous. Being a man, he knew what danger her beauty could cause in the hands of the wrong person. He knew what was out there and he knew that she would soon be venturing out into that world soon, if she had not already.
One day she would even be married. That thought produced in Han mixed feelings. He held reservations at letting his daughter go. Yet, he reflected on the joys of his own love for Leia and knew he could not begrudge his daughter that happiness. He only hoped that the man she married would love her as much as he loved Leia. He then vowed to himself not to let her go for anything less.
Rhent entered Jag Fel's assigned quarters as soon as the young man gave him permission. He entered to find Jag sweating as a result of his daily exercise routine. The routine obviously worked, for the young man was lean and well built. Rhent remained silent until Jag was finished and once he had completed the last push-up, he offered Rhent a friendly smile.
"What brings you here Rhent." He asked eagerly.
"I have an assignment for you, a favor actually."
"Anything." The young man said with a shrug while wiping the sweat off of his forehead with a towel.
"The New Republic has requested that we deliver food supplies to the Jedi on Yavin IV. However, we have much work to be done here what with running diagnostics and making repairs that we really cannot spare a pilot, so I have requested that the assignment may be past on to you, if you are willing." Rhent said, then he added: " I thought you might be the man for the job."
Jedi? The word sparked Jag's attention the moment it came from Rhent's mouth. Rhent's last remark however, caused Jag to give him a curious look?
"What made you think of me in particular Rhent?"
"Come now Jag, everyone has seen the holo of you and Jaina Solo during the reception on the Tafanda Bay. I may be Chiss but I have been around humans long enough to know that look. You have a special liking for Jaina Solo."
"Jaina Solo is an excellent pilot." Jag retorted. "She has great leadership potential as well. These are all admirable qualities that command my respect."
"They are also qualities that match yours Jag, and I might add they all reasons for you to be attracted to her. Jag it is perfectly natural for you to be attracted to someone such as Jaina Solo. "
"By "someone like that", you mean human?" Jag asked, raising an eyebrow at Rhent.
"Jag, you have spent your life around the Chiss and while you've mastered our ways, and been judged worthy by our standards, you are human and a male at that. A Chiss female would not be right for you." Ghent paused, letting his words carry their weight with Jag.
" I think your interest in this young woman is a good thing. It's about time that you pursued that aspect of life. Will you accept?"
Jag remained silent for a moment before answering.
"Very well Rhent, I will accept."
"Good. You leave tomorrow."
Once Rhent was gone Jag allowed his thoughts to dwell on Jaina Solo. It was true what Rhent said. He did have a special liking for Jaina Solo. Though the thought had never been articulated in his head, he could not deny its truth. She had held his fascination even before he had met her. At first, he knew her only by her call sign "Sticks". He had become acquainted with her reputation from the Chiss' many simulated battles against Rouge Squadron. She had been the fastest pilot on the team and, as he always made it a point to go after the best pilots in order to keep his skills sharp, he researched her background thoroughly. She was skillful and accomplished and he had to admit quite beautiful. He could not help but be impressed.
It was equally true what Rhent said about he and the Chiss. He was a human male and as such he had a need to connect with someone like himself. A Chiss female, with her rigidity and formality, could not satisfy his human need for companionship. How could a Chiss female understand the needs that beat inside a human heart? How could she understand the emotions that dwelled there? It was impossible. No, he would need an equal to quench the flames that burned within his lonely heart. And Jaina Solo was the only female in the galaxy who could be considered his equal.
"Are you ready?" A voice asked. Jaina turned around to see that it was her twin brother Jacen. He was dressed all in black and his hair was neatly in place. Her own appearance mirrored his. They looked as if they might be attending a state dinner or some other lavish event. If only that were the event they were attending. No, they were attending a private memorial of their brother's death, along with other members of their family.
There had been an official funeral, where Anakin's body was put to rest and burnt on the pyre. But that had been a public event. Now it was time to spread the Anakin's ashes into space and the family wanted it to be a private affair, a time that they could come together and remember Anakin put his death behind them.
Jacen and Jaina made their way down the hall in silence. Each one reliving their own memories of Anakin's death in their minds. As Jacen sensed Jaina's sorrow through their unique connection, he placed his arm around her and soothed her with his touch. They walked like that the rest of the way to the memorial site.
The memorial was simple. Each one spoke about their experiences with Anakin. Leia talked about the circumstances of his birth. Han spoke of the beauty of his face as he was placed in his arms. Jaina and Jacen recalled childhood antics. Luke spoke of how brightly he had shone in the force.
Everyone spoke about the future. It was a subject that had been put on hold with the invasion of the Vong and made even more elusive to the Solo's by Anakin's death. It seemed that with Anakin's death there had been an ending to all their lives. But, now, there was hope in their voices and happiness as well. Life would go on. No, it would not be that same life as it had been with Anakin in it but they would go on. They would plan for the future, they would love and laugh and be happy. But most of all, they would live.
"Jaina," Luke said as the memorial was over. "A message came through for you just before the memorial. It was from a Jag Fel. He's delivering food supplies here in the morning and will be spending a day layover with us. He says he's looking forward to seeing you."
"Thanks uncle Luke." Jaina said.
Jag Fel? There was someone she had never expected to see again. It had been over a year since she had seen him and was surprised that he remembered her. She remembered him to be a cocky Imperial pilot. She remembered too how she reacted to his attention at the reception on the Tafanda Bay. She smiled at her former girlishness. It now seemed like a lifetime ago that she had those fleeting feelings. Would she ever have those feelings again? She did not know.
She was a different person now. Matured by experience, she knew that those feelings, while wonderful when they happened did not constitute love. She considered her parents famous love and the strong feelings that Anakin and Tahiri shared and wondered if she would ever fall in love.
In any event, it would be nice to see Jag Fel again.
"Master Skywalker, why did you call me here?" Kyp finally broke the ice, his annoyance resounding in his voice if not the force.
"I've called you here Kyp to continue the discussions we started before the war."
"Then why is it just the two of us? This discussion involves all the Jedi?"
"That's true Kyp, but I thought that you and I should discuss this in a private forum as you and I exact the greatest influence over the other Jedi."
Master Skywalker was careful with his words. More than anything he wanted to keep the Jedi together, united in it's service to the Republic and such a task could not be accomplished if there was not at least civility among its ranks. Kyp Durron had influenced many a young Jedi prior to and during the war with the Vong and his status, while it waned considerably had not entirely disappeared with the war's end. If there was going to be unification of the Jedi, Kyp Durron had to be kept in the fold.
Luke's experience with Kyp told him that such would not be an easy task. Kyp was an angry man. Having lost his family at an early age to a ruthless and oppressive government and imprisoned in a spice mine on Kessel thereafter, Kyp had survived all his life on anger. It was this anger that made him an easy target for the darkside at the dawn of his Jedi training, leading him to lash out against the remnants of the government that had destroyed his life. These actions caused the death of many people, leaving Kyp forever the object of hatred among many in the galaxy. His turn to the darkside had been brief, but it had been enough to leave him to struggle with his own guilt.
It was perhaps guilt as well as anger that fueled the man now. Luke could not tell. His rage coupled with his battled hardened experience of late had made his feelings almost unreadable in the force.
" I don't see that we have anything to talk about considering you didn't hear me out in our last conversation."
"No Kyp, I did hear you out, I just didn't agree with you." Luke corrected, his tone still calm and his manner still nonjudgmental. This agitated Kyp.
"Master Skywalker, if you've called me here for an apology, you're wasting your time. I can't apologize for doing what I thought was right."
"I know you did what you thought was right and for that I would never ask for any apology just as I'm not going to apologize for my actions because I thought I was doing what was right. But thinking that one is right does not make him right. My actions however right I may have felt they were had consequences in that they caused harm to others. I'm willing to admit that. I can't believe though that you don't believe that your actions were without any consequences. No leader is infallible."
Kyp considered this for a moment. Master Skywalker was right. He was not infallible. All of his actions had not been good and maybe there were some that he wished he could undo. Still, he was not willing to give that up to Master Skywalker.
"Kyp," Luke continued, "if we are to build a new order we must come to understand what that means, what it means to be a Jedi. The only way to do that is to discuss it openly and come to an agreement. I need to understand your point of view and I need you to understand mine."
" I do understand your point of view Master Skywalker, patience, peace, the way of the Jedi. I know. You've drilled that into me from day one but I think there is more to it than that. When lives are at stake Master, it is the Jedi's responsibility to act."
"I agree with you on that. But the question is Kyp, how is the Jedi supposed to act? This is where you and I come to an impasse. What do you think Kyp, how should a Jedi act?"
It was such a blatant question that Kyp did not readily respond. He had in the past years, only been reacting to the situation at hand. He had not had much time to think it over. How should the Jedi act?
" A Jedi should act to protect lives that are both in danger and potential danger." Kyp added after a moment.
"And does that mean using aggression?"
"Yes." Kyp answered without hesitation. "I know Master that you don't agree with aggression, but I feel that aggression is a necessary instrument in defense. If someone's life is in potential danger from a threat, I think the Jedi have the right to use aggression to stop that threat before life is lost."
"I don't disagree with you on that. During the Rebellion I used measures that could be described as aggressive. What I don't agree with though is your blind aggression."
"If by "blind" you mean my attacking Vong worldships, I told you before that I won't apologize for doing what I thought was right."
"Again, I'm not asking you to. What I mean by blind aggression, is not reasoning out what you will do or how you will accomplish your task. There is no denying that being a Jedi involves control. It's one of our basic tenants. But control requires forethought, patience. Two things of which you are short on." The Master's voice rose slightly but he brought it under control. He did not call Kyp here to scold him, but it was important that Kyp know the errors of his actions.
"Kyp," his voice calm again, "there is a time to act and a time to listen and contemplate. You need to learn control, you need to listen."
"And Master you need to learn when is the time to act." Kyp returned matching the Master's calm demeanor.
Luke considered this for a moment and to Kyp's surprise, smiled and placed his hand on the younger Jedi's shoulder.
"Perhaps you are right Kyp. "Neither of us can say that we have used perfect judgment. Kyp, I don't want to surround myself only with Jedi who agree with me. That's why I want to keep you in the order, I think you and I, if we learn to be open minded, could complement one another. Just remember it is dangerously close to the dark side to attack without thought."
A brief moment of silence fell over the two before Luke added "And, I don't think that it is the way of the Jedi to use other people."
The last part of Master Skywalkers's speech was cryptic but he knew what the Master meant. He was referring to his conduct as regards his niece, Jaina Solo. He had enlisted the young woman's help in destroying, what he described as a Vong super weapon. The weapon turned out to be a Vong worldship a fact that Kyp was well aware of. He had manipulated evidence to make the worldship appear to be a sinister weapon capable of destruction unlike anything the galaxy had ever seen. He had lied to her, gained her trust, and, eventually, used her to gain the support of respected Rouge Squadron leaders. She vowed never to help him again.
Kyp did not respond to Master Skywalker's implication. It was an entirely personal matter. He merely looked at the Master and the look in his eyes told the Master not to pursue it any further.
" I think its good we had this talk, Kyp."
"Yes Master." Kyp said and for the fist time since the ordeal with the Vong, he used that term with sincerity.
As he made his way down the hall, Kyp found himself thinking of Jaina as he had done often lately. Ever since he began his quest against the Vong, Kyp had done what he felt was he had to do. Admittedly he realized that some of his choices were not in keeping with the Jedi tradition, but he saw them as necessary evils. Now that the Vong war was over, he had more time to contemplate his behavior and while he was not sorry for the course that he took, he did hold a few regrets. One of those regrets was using Jaina.
He had offered to train her in the force. He had done so because he felt that Jaina's potential in the force was best served under his guidance. He felt that he could help her attain her rightful position in the new order. Now more than ever he believed that was true. He did not know, however, if he could ever convince her of that.
Jaina Solo had been walking for what seemed like hours through the halls of the Errant Venture trying to rid herself of the nightmares that haunted her. She had been on board the ship since her return from her harrowing mission aboard the Vong ship, Exquisite Death. Her life had changed forever on that mission and now she was left only to contemplate her actions and her future. She could not do so sitting in her assigned quarters, so she walked, searching for the only place in space that could bring her comfort now.
Her journey took her to the hanger where her X-wing was housed. She walked over and leaned against one of its wings. She wasn't going to leave. She wasn't strong enough yet. But somehow just being near her X- wing brought her comfort- solace. Lately, it was only here that she could relax and be herself. This was the only place that she could allow herself to feel.
The memories of her experience aboard the Exquisite Death when her brother Anakin had sacrificed his life for the Jedi pulsated in her head. She allowed the pain to come through her. The loss. The guilt. The emptiness in her heart ached where Anakin had once been. In desperation, she laid her head in her hands and cried, a deep, mournful cry that would have surprised anyone who knew her.
She felt a presence pass over her, comforting her in her sorrow. It was soothing and gentle. She did not resist it until she realized that she had felt this presence once before. It was Kyp Durron. He had sent her the same comforting presence when they appeared before Wedge Antilles trying to convince him to join the renegade Jedi in destroying a supposed Yuuzhan Vong super weapon.
He had been following her since she left her quarters. Her anxiety and sadness spoke to him through the force. They were the products of bad dreams. With this he could sympathize for he too was plagued by nightmares.
"The worst nightmares, Jaina, are the ones we have when we are awake." He said evenly.
"Kyp. What do you want?" She said, turning away from him so he could not see her tears. Her displeasure with his presence was evident in her voice.
"I've been worried about you since your ordeal with the strike team. I was only concerned. I didn't mean to upset you."
Something in his voice sounded sincere but then Jaina had learned not to trust Kyp Durron. She turned to look him in the eyes and the pain he had caused came back. Worried? Kyp Durron worried about her? She doubted it.
"Worried?" She said sarcastically. "Thanks for your concern Kyp but I don't need it."
She wiped the tears from her eyes and walked angrily past him.
"Jaina, wait." He called out to her, gently taking hold of her arm. He pulled her back so that the two were looking into each other's eyes.
"I know what you're going through."
"No one knows what I'm going through." Jaina said mournfully.
"That's where you're wrong. Remember, I lost a brother too and I've tasted the dark side. I know the pain and the guilt. I've felt it all. Let me help you."
"I don't need any help. I just need to be alone."
"OK." He said softly and released her. "Just keep my offer in mind." His words echoing another conversation they had once had.
She lowered her head and nodded. Then she turned slowly away from him. He gazed at her for a few moments before deciding to leave her to her solitude. Once he was gone, Jaina returned to her sobbing. From the doorway he could hear her cries, through the force he could feel her pain. He winced at it and vowed to himself that somehow he would find a way to help her.
The low humming resounded in Luke Skywalker's ear as the blade of his opponent's lightsaber came down within centimeters of his ear. He had to admit his new apprentice was getting better. In fact, he had never had a pupil advance as quickly as this one had, and he wasn't saying that just because she was his sister. Taking advantage of his distraction, Leia, managed to disarm him, taking Luke completely by surprise.
Standing there in his disbelief, he heard the sound of applause just to his right. He turned to face it and saw that the source was his own wife, Mara.
"That's what I like to see, a Skywalker put in his place." She said wickedly with an even wickeder grin.
"That being the case," Leia said "you'll love what I have in store for you."
That brought a laugh from all three of them. It was good to see his sister smile again. She hadn't done much of it since Anakin's death.
"You're doing quite well Leia." Mara complemented her.
"Well, I have a lot to get caught back up on. I've wasted so much time in diplomacy instead of Jedi training."
"Diplomacy is a part of being a Jedi, Leia." Luke said.
"Did Yoda teach you that?" Leia asked, raising an eyebrow.
Luke smiled at his sister's joke. "No. Experience. There really is so little that we know about the Jedi. Just what Yoda taught me, and the few stories that Tionne has been able to find. The rest we have to glean from the experiences we have. I have found the diplomacy, the art of knowing what the other party is all about helps in ways the force cannot. It is a good helper to the force."
"Diplomacy is the handmaiden of the force." Mara said with a smile.
The smile from his wife gave Luke a warm feeling inside and lightened his heart.
"We're going to need diplomacy in this new order of ours. There is a lot that the Jedi have to accomplish and much of it internally. We won't be of any use to the Republic if we don't solve some the issues that face the Jedi."
Just then, a voice came in over the intercom, informing them that a certain ship being piloted by a roughish Corellian captain whom they were all familiar with had just docked.
"Han." Leia said with a smile.
"You better go meet him." Luke suggested.
With that, Leia left the room and made her way to the docking bay were Han was located. Once alone, Mara walked over to her husband and wrapped her arms around him.
" Are you ready to address the Jedi about reestablishing the Jedi Council?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." Luke said and with a sigh added, "There is just so much work to be done."
"My ever diligent husband." She said as she kissed his cheek. "Just remember Skywalker, you're not in this alone. This order is made up of many Jedi. All of who feel just as keenly the responsibility to make it work as you do. All you need to do is guide, they will follow."
"Or they may follow someone else." Luke said.
"Speaking of which, how did your "discussion" with Kyp go today?"
"We came to an understanding of sorts. I think we're making real headway on this."
"Good. Now, enough business." She said as she gave him a mischievous smile. She then took him by the hand, the light in her green eyes burning like a brilliant flame, and led him to where, Luke did not know, nor did he care.
Han Solo enveloped his wife in a long embrace at first sight. He held her for so long It had been a week since he had seen her.
"I've got a surprise for you on the Falcon."
Leia gave him a curious look. Through the years, she had learned that her husband was full of surprises. Some good, some bad, but one thing they always were was interesting. She gave him a cautious smile as he led her to the cockpit.
"There it is!" He said, stepping sideways to reveal the pilot and the co pilot's seats.
Leia looked past him and smiled.
"Oh, Han." She said with a whisper.
He had replaced the oversized copilot's chair that had once belonged to Chewie with one Leia's size.
"That's right. I made it official."
Tears welled in Leia's eyes. She wrapped her arms around Han and thanked him with a long kiss.
"Hey, princess, if I knew that I was going to get a reception like that, I would have done it sooner." Han said with a sly smile.
Leia studied Han for a moment.
"You're too good to me." She said at length.
"Pardon me mam." Han replied sarcastically.
"No, Han, I mean it. You've stuck with me for so many years through so many things. You stood by me when I was Chief of State, when I felt the need to undo all that Vader had done. You attended galas and State dinners when that really wasn't what you were about. And now, you're sticking by me while I pursue my Jedi training. You've done so much that you really didn't want to do just to please me. I feel like you've given up your entire life for me."
"Listen, I didn't do anything that I didn't want to do. And as far as giving up my life for you, well, I don't have much of a life without you."
With that, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. No, there was no life without Leia.
Luke studied the assembly of thirty or so Jedi, the remnants of the Order he had sought to put together. The war had taken its toll on the Jedi. Where there had been hundreds of Jedi ready to serve, now there were but dozens. As he scanned the audience, he saw his niece Jaina and remembered that the war had not just affected the size of the Jedi order but the spirit too. It was because of this that the meeting regarding the impending Jedi Council was so important.
"Honorable Jedi," Luke began "I thank you for your presence today….
Just then Luke noticed a figure in black step into the back of the room. It was Kyp Durron. His entrance surprised the Master because it lacked the showmanship that it had in the past. The Master took this as a good sign.
While Kyp tried not to call attention to himself, his entrance had not gone unnoticed by the rest of the Jedi. Luke, sensing the disturbance in the room, approached Kyp.
The room fell quiet as the Master approached his former student. They were not sure what to expect and Kyp was certain some of them were expecting a confrontation. Instead, Luke extended his hand to Kyp. The room began to murmur in astonishment. Kyp glanced around noticing the stir that Master Skywalker's action had caused and when he saw Corran Horn just to his left with both eyebrows raised he smiled inwardly almost as if in triumph. With that, he took the Master's hand and gave it a firm shake.
It wasn't like Luke to cause such a scene but he was hoping to show the other Jedi, both those loyal to him and to Kyp that he desired real peace and could accept them and their points of view. He had hoped that this small gesture would serve as a symbol to the Jedi of unification.
Once Kyp was seated the other Jedi settled down. Kyp, glad to have that whole scene behind him, began to listen to the Master's words. He could not concentrate completely on what the Master was saying because of another presence in the room There, seated across the room from him sat Jaina Solo, next to her brother Jacen and their friend Zekk.
Jaina never looked at him. She never acknowledged his presence. He wondered what she had thought of her uncle's gesture. Had it made a difference to her? He hoped it did because that would make it easier for him to pursue her as his apprentice and ultimately help her through her ordeal. It had occurred to him to brush her with his presence or to gently probe her thoughts, but considering her reaction to him earlier, he thought that not too wise. No, Jaina Solo was a river he would have to tread carefully.
"I've called you here today" Luke continued "to discuss my desires for reestablishing the Jedi Council."
"Master,," Tionne interjected "do you think that now is the time to reestablish the Council, with so many issues still left for the Jedi to solve?"
Luke smiled at Tionne. She was the Jedi historian and one of his first students. She was also one of his most loyal followers. The matter must be close to her heart or she never would have challenged him.
"I think that now is the perfect time to reestablish the Council Tionne. I believe that establishing a new Jedi Council will be the only way to work through the problems of the Jedi."
Luke could see the expressions on the faces of his fellow Jedi. He could see that they were puzzled at his words.
"What good is a Council if there is contentions among it's members?" Corran Horn said passing a significant glance in Kyp's direction. Kyp remained calm much to Corran's surprise.
Shame on you Corran for trying to rile Kyp like that. Luke spoke to him through the Force.
"I feel that an established Council of experienced Jedi with open minds could successfully come together and discuss the issues that face the Jedi and reach conclusions that are both beneficial for the Order and the individual Jedi."
Luke let his words lie in the air for a few moments to let the Jedi absorb what he was saying. Through the Force, he felt their confusion.
" During the war we were focused on saving lives not on maintaining the Order itself. Now, we have time to think. To focus on what is important. I believe now is the time for all Jedi to come together. That is why I called you all here today. I would like the commitment of every Jedi to this cause.
All eyes fell on Kyp. Yes, it would seem from past experience that if there was someone to object to Master Skywalker, it would have to be Kyp. Kyp, feeling that he owed to those Jedi that had followed him and especially those who had died in his service to give their side a voice rose and positioned himself in the center of the room.
"Master, will this new Council of yours embrace the views of everyone?"
Luke raised an eyebrow. Had he and Kyp not already discussed this? Reaching out with the Force, Luke sensed no bravado, no indignation from the Jedi. He only felt a keen sense of responsibility in him. He could tell that Kyp was still leading his people. His only hope was he was leading them down the right path this time. The path of control, the path of peace.
"Yes, Kyp it will embrace the views of everyone."
The room began to stir again. It was apparent that there were those who felt that some views were not worthy of hearing.
"The issues facing the Jedi are complex. They will not be settled easily. We must identify what the Order stands for and what it means to be a Jedi. These questions must be addressed if the Order is to survive. In order to accomplish this, we will need to consider views that might not have been considered before. Yes, we will embrace everyone's views, but we will not necessarily ascribe to all of them. I foresee the Council's main objective, at least during it's inception, to be deciding just what views will be accepted by the Order. "
"Master," Tionne rose again "we already know what views the Jedi should take, from the teachings of Yoda and the former Council."
"What we have are pieces of a puzzle that we may never be able to put together. I understand how you feel Tionne, I've asked myself all these questions before. I've contemplated and what I've come up with is that, while the old ways still hold true but this is a different time. A time of growth for the Jedi. The old Council however revered it may be in our eyes was not perfect. Remember, they were unable to stop Vader and the destruction of the Jed
These were bold words for the Jedi Master. As Luke scanned the audience he saw many heads shake in agreement to his last statement. Yet, he could tell that some were not convinced. This was as he expected. They would need more time to consider what he had said.
"If there are no further comments I will adjourn this meeting and leave you all to contemplate what has been said here today. I leave you only with this- if we don't stop bickering and come together on the many problems that face us, we will destroy the Jedi all over again."
For once the Jedi Master had stunned everyone into silence.
As the small assembly of Jedi began to break up, Kyp felt a nervousness creep inside of him as he looked around the room. People were no doubt talking about Master Skywalker's proposition and especially his embrace of Kyp Durron. In acceptance or rejection Kyp felt as if he had no place among the Jedi of present company. With that, Kyp left the meeting room.
As he turned the corner, he saw Jaina walking alone. He did not need his force abilities to tell him that she was deeply considering what her uncle had told the Jedi assembled just moments earlier. It showed on her face.
"Master Skywalker spoke truthfully today did he not?"
He had obviously startled the young woman because she jumped at the sound of his voice.
"Yes he did. You must be proud." Her tone was slightly derisive.
Kyp started to feign ignorance but would not insult Jaina's intelligence that way.
"I'm happy that the Master has extended himself to me. And I am equally happy that he has realized the need to reevaluate the Jedi."
Jaina only rolled her eyes and gave an insincere little chuckle.
"You're only happy because you believe that he's going to start to see things your way."
Knowing that Jaina was not privy to the private conversation that he and the Master had earlier, and considering that he did not really believe that Jaina was right, Kyp decided not to reply to her remark.
"Come now Jaina, you heard your uncle, no bickering." Was all he said.
"Bicker with you Durron." Jaina said with a wry smile.
"It's good to see you smile again, Jaina." Kyp said, deciding to ignore the sarcasm in her tone.
This caught Jaina of guard. She didn't even notice that she was smiling. Feeling a bit awkward, she rolled her eyes again and walked off.
Kyp watched her walk down the hallway until she was completely out of sight. He could not help but to smile ever so slightly as he thought of her. She was amazing.
As Kyp turned around he found Jacen standing directly behind him. The young man had approached him the moment he noticed Kyp with his sister. Jacen was not an aggressive Jedi. This had brought him and Kyp at odds before. Yet now Kyp sensed an emotion in the young knight that could only be described as volatile.
"Haven't you done enough Kyp?" He asked in a calm almost cold tone.
Kyp felt sure that the young man was not looking for an answer to that question and, through the Force he knew that Jacen was serious.
"Are you telling me to leave your sister alone Jacen?" Kyp asked, mimicking Jacen's tone perfectly.
"No, I'm warning you." He said moving closer to the older Jedi until he was eye to eye with him. "Stay away from my sister."
SOMEWHERE IN IMPERIAL SPACE
Admiral Taggart stared out of the viewport at the vast space that lay before him and at his tiny ragtag fleet. He thought of the possibilities that the universe, with its limitlessness offered. It was a place, were, in the blink of an eye, one's circumstances could change. Take for example the Empire for which he served. It had been at its height when a band of revolutionaries made up of aliens and smugglers, armed with ill gotten weapons and a sorcerer, brought it to a crashing halt. Now, as the universe would have it, the Empire stood on the threshold of regaining some of its old glory. Taggart smiled at the irony of the situation.
The Rebels made great sacrifices in their quest to rid the galaxy of the inequity they beheld in the Empire. They had denounced it as evil and spurned its purposes as corrupt, immoral and unjust. They rejected the power it commanded and, instead, chose to eradicate themselves of the only government ever to bring real order to the galaxy.
In their insolence, they instituted a government contrary to the Empire. Established upon lofty principles and goals the Rebels had created a government where individual thought was supreme. Where the state did not decide the fate of the sencient and thus not control its destiny.
Yet, in the heat of trial it was not these lofty ideals that proved true. It was the formalistic and rigid practices of the Empire. Where the impudent New Republic had given birth to civil wars and internal conflicts, The Imperial Remnant met the challenge of taming a new world. And had time and again proved itself by establishing order and a marked measure of prosperity.
The recent war against the galactic invaders known as the Yuuzhan Vong had proven to be the greatest trial to face the New Republic and The Imperial Remnant alike. During the conflict, the New Republic and The Imperial Remnant had been allies, former enemies banded together to fight a common enemy. Now at the war's end, it would appear that the New Republic had suffered the worst. Having lost its capital, the surviving senate members were now being forced to operate as a provisional government. They now conducted business on Correllia, a planet neighboring its devastated former capital of Coruscant.
The Imperial Remnant had suffered too during the war. But, because of its position in the unknown regions and its small numbers, the Vong had not considered them a great threat, thus, the Remnant had managed to avoid the bloodiest conflicts. And, while their existence prior to the war had been somewhat successful, it was nonetheless, modest. This fact allowed them to regain much of what was lost in the war. Now, it would appear, that the New Republic was seeking the help of The Imperial Remnant to fund their fledgling government. Taggart smiled once again.
"Admiral" a voice called from his comm., bringing him back to reality.
"Commander Rhent, is here to see you."
"Send him in."
Not more that a few seconds, past before a tall blue skinned Chiss walked into the room. He was dressed in the traditional olive colored uniform, marking him as an Imperial officer. The Chiss bowed formally to his the admiral and waited for Taggart to instruct him before he taking a seat.
"Please, be seated my friend."
"What is it that you wanted to discuss with me, Admiral?" It was so very Chiss not to mince words and get straight to the matter at hand.
"I wanted to discuss The Remnant's new position in the galaxy."
The Chiss raised an eyebrow. The weeks that had followed the war had been filled with talk of the Remnant's ability to take control of certain areas that had once belonged to The New Republic. There had been much debate among the military leaders and it had been said that the Moffs have even taken up a forum on the subject but nothing had been decided as yet. Furthermore, Taggart was an Admiral of one of the smallest fleets in the Remnant. It was unlikely that his opinion would be considered in the matter. That being the case, why was the human so interested in the topic that he would call upon him to discuss it?
"What do you think Rhent? Does the Remnant have a chance at gaining a foothold in the galaxy?"
"I think it possible, but there are obstacles."
"There are obstacles to any victory Rhent."
"True. But the ones we face are formidable. The New Republic may be wounded but they are not dead. They still have power. I think it foolish to underestimate them."
"What do you say is the greatest obstacle to the Remnant?"
"The Jedi."
Rhent had answered that without hesitation. It was the main topic of debate among dissenters to the "New Imperial Vision" as it was now being called. The Jedi, though now small in numbers were still a just as much a threat to the present Empire as the Jedi of old had been to Palpatine's Empire. And now there were rumors about a Jedi Council. It was this rumor that kept the grand vision of the Remnant from becoming a reality.
"Yes, the Jedi. If only we could alleviate ourselves of there threat."
"That would seem impossible. It has been tried too many times before and yet it has been met with failure."
"Ah, yes, but that was when the entire Order was the target."
Rhent blinked, not understanding Taggart's implication. Taggart, having worked around the Chiss for many years knew that this was a sign of surprise.
"You see Rhent, to destroy the Jedi, you need only to destroy one man,"
"The Jedi Master, Luke Skywalker?"
"Yes, Rhent. The Jedi, at present, are a fractious order. Small in number and afflicted with internal strife, they are being held together only by loyalty to the "hero" of the rebellion, Master Skywalker. If he were to be eliminated, then the rest of the order would abolish itself with conflict."
Rhent steepled his hands and gently rested his chin on the pointed ends of his fingers. It was a logical conclusion. Groups existing on the loyalty to one central figure were often left so devastated when that personality died that they were unable to maintain their stability. Rhent raised an eyebrow at Taggart in question.
"How do you suggest we do this? It is well known that it is nearly impossible to kill a Jedi."
"Nearly, yes, but not completely. However powerful the Jedi might be, they are still prone to the same things we are. We have accidents, we die untimely deaths, why not the Jedi. It would have to be so for the New Republic would not sit still for it if we killed the Jedi openly."
Taggart paused for a moment and studied Rhent. The Chiss sat upright in his seat, waiting for Taggart to finish. When Taggart did not, Rhent decided to interject.
"The Jedi have the ability to sense each other certainly they would sense their Master's impending death and rescue him. We would practically need to impair their abilities. "
That last statement brought a smile to Taggart's face. The Chiss was catching on.
"Why, Rhent, that is precisely my plan."
Taggart's remark must have really surprised the Chiss because he blinked twice, apparently, a sign of shock among his people. Taggart then removed a small vile from his desk drawer. It contained an odd violet colored liquid. Taggart moved it gracefully about his fingers. As he did so, the liquid changed to a deep red. Taggart brought it up to his face as if to admire its color.
"This, Rhent is a liquid made from an enzyme produced by Yalsamari. It has the ability to block the force. We need to introduce it into the Jedi's food supply. And, as the Universe would have it, the Republic have requested the Remnant supply the Jedi with food and that is our next mission."
"The Jedi can sense danger. Won't they sense impropriety on our part?"
"It will have to be an elaborate ruse for sure." He said as he fingered the controls on his console. "We will have to use someone innocent in our plans. Someone, unsuspecting , to deliver the supplies. Someone who may have a personal interest in the Jedi or at least one of them."
"Who might that be, Admiral?"
"This man." Taggart answered, turning the console around to reveal the image of a young man, an Imperial Officer, gazing roughishly at a young Jedi female. The young man was Jagged Fel.
Ah, yes. Now the pieces were coming together for Rhent. This was why Taggart had called him here. He knew that Jagged Fel's father was an old friend of his and that friendship also extended to Jag himself. What was more, Jag and his Spike team were currently aboard his ship, recuperating from some injuries. It was almost providential.
Han studied his daughter with a sudden newfound awareness of her age. It was not that he did not know that his daughter was now on the cusp of twenty, for he was her father, it was just that now with the passing of his youngest son, he was keenly aware of how fleeting time was. It seemed just yesterday that his house was full of rambunctious children and in particular the giggles of this little girl. No, not little girl, young woman, and a lovely young woman at that.
Her beauty made him both proud and nervous. Being a man, he knew what danger her beauty could cause in the hands of the wrong person. He knew what was out there and he knew that she would soon be venturing out into that world soon, if she had not already.
One day she would even be married. That thought produced in Han mixed feelings. He held reservations at letting his daughter go. Yet, he reflected on the joys of his own love for Leia and knew he could not begrudge his daughter that happiness. He only hoped that the man she married would love her as much as he loved Leia. He then vowed to himself not to let her go for anything less.
Rhent entered Jag Fel's assigned quarters as soon as the young man gave him permission. He entered to find Jag sweating as a result of his daily exercise routine. The routine obviously worked, for the young man was lean and well built. Rhent remained silent until Jag was finished and once he had completed the last push-up, he offered Rhent a friendly smile.
"What brings you here Rhent." He asked eagerly.
"I have an assignment for you, a favor actually."
"Anything." The young man said with a shrug while wiping the sweat off of his forehead with a towel.
"The New Republic has requested that we deliver food supplies to the Jedi on Yavin IV. However, we have much work to be done here what with running diagnostics and making repairs that we really cannot spare a pilot, so I have requested that the assignment may be past on to you, if you are willing." Rhent said, then he added: " I thought you might be the man for the job."
Jedi? The word sparked Jag's attention the moment it came from Rhent's mouth. Rhent's last remark however, caused Jag to give him a curious look?
"What made you think of me in particular Rhent?"
"Come now Jag, everyone has seen the holo of you and Jaina Solo during the reception on the Tafanda Bay. I may be Chiss but I have been around humans long enough to know that look. You have a special liking for Jaina Solo."
"Jaina Solo is an excellent pilot." Jag retorted. "She has great leadership potential as well. These are all admirable qualities that command my respect."
"They are also qualities that match yours Jag, and I might add they all reasons for you to be attracted to her. Jag it is perfectly natural for you to be attracted to someone such as Jaina Solo. "
"By "someone like that", you mean human?" Jag asked, raising an eyebrow at Rhent.
"Jag, you have spent your life around the Chiss and while you've mastered our ways, and been judged worthy by our standards, you are human and a male at that. A Chiss female would not be right for you." Ghent paused, letting his words carry their weight with Jag.
" I think your interest in this young woman is a good thing. It's about time that you pursued that aspect of life. Will you accept?"
Jag remained silent for a moment before answering.
"Very well Rhent, I will accept."
"Good. You leave tomorrow."
Once Rhent was gone Jag allowed his thoughts to dwell on Jaina Solo. It was true what Rhent said. He did have a special liking for Jaina Solo. Though the thought had never been articulated in his head, he could not deny its truth. She had held his fascination even before he had met her. At first, he knew her only by her call sign "Sticks". He had become acquainted with her reputation from the Chiss' many simulated battles against Rouge Squadron. She had been the fastest pilot on the team and, as he always made it a point to go after the best pilots in order to keep his skills sharp, he researched her background thoroughly. She was skillful and accomplished and he had to admit quite beautiful. He could not help but be impressed.
It was equally true what Rhent said about he and the Chiss. He was a human male and as such he had a need to connect with someone like himself. A Chiss female, with her rigidity and formality, could not satisfy his human need for companionship. How could a Chiss female understand the needs that beat inside a human heart? How could she understand the emotions that dwelled there? It was impossible. No, he would need an equal to quench the flames that burned within his lonely heart. And Jaina Solo was the only female in the galaxy who could be considered his equal.
"Are you ready?" A voice asked. Jaina turned around to see that it was her twin brother Jacen. He was dressed all in black and his hair was neatly in place. Her own appearance mirrored his. They looked as if they might be attending a state dinner or some other lavish event. If only that were the event they were attending. No, they were attending a private memorial of their brother's death, along with other members of their family.
There had been an official funeral, where Anakin's body was put to rest and burnt on the pyre. But that had been a public event. Now it was time to spread the Anakin's ashes into space and the family wanted it to be a private affair, a time that they could come together and remember Anakin put his death behind them.
Jacen and Jaina made their way down the hall in silence. Each one reliving their own memories of Anakin's death in their minds. As Jacen sensed Jaina's sorrow through their unique connection, he placed his arm around her and soothed her with his touch. They walked like that the rest of the way to the memorial site.
The memorial was simple. Each one spoke about their experiences with Anakin. Leia talked about the circumstances of his birth. Han spoke of the beauty of his face as he was placed in his arms. Jaina and Jacen recalled childhood antics. Luke spoke of how brightly he had shone in the force.
Everyone spoke about the future. It was a subject that had been put on hold with the invasion of the Vong and made even more elusive to the Solo's by Anakin's death. It seemed that with Anakin's death there had been an ending to all their lives. But, now, there was hope in their voices and happiness as well. Life would go on. No, it would not be that same life as it had been with Anakin in it but they would go on. They would plan for the future, they would love and laugh and be happy. But most of all, they would live.
"Jaina," Luke said as the memorial was over. "A message came through for you just before the memorial. It was from a Jag Fel. He's delivering food supplies here in the morning and will be spending a day layover with us. He says he's looking forward to seeing you."
"Thanks uncle Luke." Jaina said.
Jag Fel? There was someone she had never expected to see again. It had been over a year since she had seen him and was surprised that he remembered her. She remembered him to be a cocky Imperial pilot. She remembered too how she reacted to his attention at the reception on the Tafanda Bay. She smiled at her former girlishness. It now seemed like a lifetime ago that she had those fleeting feelings. Would she ever have those feelings again? She did not know.
She was a different person now. Matured by experience, she knew that those feelings, while wonderful when they happened did not constitute love. She considered her parents famous love and the strong feelings that Anakin and Tahiri shared and wondered if she would ever fall in love.
In any event, it would be nice to see Jag Fel again.