Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. If I did, I wouldn't be writing a fanfiction, now would I?
Tahiri's Reflections
Near Endor; 44 ABY
Tahiri Velia stared out at the viewport of her ship, bound for a planet as far away from Coruscant as possible. She had just escaped from prison, and needed some time for reflection.
Seventeen Years Earlier; Yuuzhan Vong Worldship over Myrkr
Tahiri and Anakin Solo had a rare quiet moment to themselves while the other young Jedi kept watch outside of their hiding place. Their feelings for each other were no secret to either one of them, and they began to discuss them.
"You know, Tahiri, when this war is over you and I should go someplace, just the two of us," Anakin stated, his eyes alight with contentedness, despite the fact that death itself was bearing down on them.
"I'd like that Anakin, but first we have to get off this Worldship to get to the end of the war," Tahiri murmured practically.
"Yeah, yeah, I know that. Tahiri, let's say you and I make it to the end. Would you be willing to marry me?" Anakin asked her.
Tahiri turned to him, expecting to see his eyes filled with mirth at his joke, but instead they looked deadly serious. Tahiri started, "Wow, Anakin, that's a lot to think about, I mean, we're still just kids, and we have our whole lives ahead of us!"
"Oh, come on, though, let's say hypothetically then, would you say yes, or no?" Anakin asked her, grinning slightly.
"Well, hypothetically I would absolutely say yes," Tahiri said, smiling back at her young love.
"Okay, since we got hypothetically married, I'm going to say that hypothetically we had a whole bunch of children, what would their names be, Mrs. Tahiri Solo?" Anakin asked her, gazing into her eyes adoringly.
Tahiri liked the sound of Tahiri Solo. "How many is 'a whole bunch'? I'd be giving birth to all of these children, you know," she smiled slightly at the thought of having children with Anakin.
"Hmm…well, let's see, how about six?" he suggested, staring at the backs of his siblings, crouched not too far away, but far enough away not to be hearing this conversation.
"Alright then, the oldest should be a boy named Ikrit Solo," Tahiri said, her eyes shining slightly with tears for she and Anakin's late mentor.
Anakin nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good way to honor Ikrit. How about next is a girl named Cassa Solo, after your mother?" he mentioned, knowing that would touch Tahiri.
Tahiri gave his hand a grateful squeeze. "It's perfect. Because I'm going to be having so many children, I'd like to get two over with at the same time. What about twin boys named Tryst Solo and Silven Solo, named after my father and adopted Tusken Raider father?" Tahiri asked Anakin.
"Lovely," he replied, "I think second to youngest should be a boy named Bail Solo, named for Mom's adopted father, and the very youngest should be a beautiful little girl named Breha Solo, which was the name of Mom's adopted mother," Anakin decided, rounding out the names for their children.
"I love the names, Anakin. We'll have to remember them for when we do start having children someday. Oh, and since you are my hypothetically betrothed now, I think I have the right to do this," Tahiri proclaimed, locking eyes with Anakin.
At first he seemed confused, but then Anakin got the gist of what she wanted him to do through the Force bond that they shared. He leaned into Tahiri, threw his arms around her, and gave her a kiss she would never ever, for as long as she would live, forget, right upon her lips.
Present
Tahiri sighed blissfully at the memory, then turned away from viewport, her eyes brimming with not yet fallen tears as she remembered that it was a few hours after that that she would lose her dear Anakin forever. She recalled the message that Anakin's parents had recently brought to her from Anakin in the afterlife via his uncle and cousin. He had said that he still loved her, would always love her.
Tahiri slammed her fist against the transparasteel of the viewport, wanting to give into the Yuuzhan Vong instincts that still lurked deep within her. She was still frustrated, even after all these years. She wondered why fate had to be so cruel as to take Anakin from her. What had either of them ever done to deserve this punishment? Tahiri knew she could ponder this question for eternity and never receive an answer.
Sometimes Tahiri wondered if it would be easier to just give up on everything, then she'd be with Anakin again, forever. She shook her head as if dispel the thought. That wasn't the answer. Anakin would want her to continue her life without him, but how? It wasn't like she could return to the Jedi after escaping prison like she did. Tahiri regretfully remembered her time as the Sith apprentice of Darth Caedus, the man who had been Anakin's older brother Jacen, and the weird relationship she had had with him. She never wanted to relive that experience again.
Tahiri had established that she couldn't be a Jedi again, there was no way she would ever be a Sith again, so what option did that leave? She hadn't enjoyed being a bounty hunter, and she certainly did not want to live the rest of her life in hiding.
As she was pondering these questions, Tahiri's comlink decided to start beeping. She frowned, wondering who would be calling her at this time. She flicked it on, and started in surprise at the sight of Imperial Remnant Head of State Jagged Fel.
"Hi Jag. What's up? Why are you calling now?" she asked him, puzzled.
"Tahiri," he replied, giving her a curt nod, "Listen, something's happening. The Imperial Remnant isn't going to be a 'Remnant' for much longer. Some positions in its hierarchy are going to be opening soon. Jaina and I think we may have found the perfect position for you," Jag told her, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"You have a position? For me? What is it?" Tahiri asked him, her curiosity piqued.
"Yes. Since, the Imperial Remnant's going to be, um, expanding, shall we say, Jaina and I thought it would be good to establish a Jedi presence in the Empire, uh, Remnant, I mean," Jag stuttered out.
"I'm no Jedi, though, Jag, and you know it," Tahiri sighed, her hopes for a new role dashed.
"You see, that's the thing. The Imperial Jedi don't necessarily have to be existing Jedi. In fact, Jaina and I would like fresh Force users, some that aren't tied to her uncle's Order. In other words, we want Force users who are 'free-thinkers' so to speak. Ones that are neither Jedi or Sith, but rather, ones that are loyal to the Force and the Empire," Jag finished telling her.
"Okay," Tahiri said, thinking, "I'll give it a try. See if I like it."
"Very good, you should come to Bastion as soon as possible. I'll be there waiting to meet you. May the Force be with you, Tahiri Veila," Jag intoned, signing off.
"May the Force be with you too, Jagged Fel," Tahiri murmured, staring blankly at the spot where Jag's hologram had been moments before.
Tahiri turned away from the communications system to the navicomputer, setting course for Bastion, the Imperial Capitol. As her ship jumped into hyperspace, Tahiri began to think that perhaps Jag's call was the best thing that could have happened to her at the moment. What better way for her to honor Anakin's memory than by continuing to use the Force and to serve his sister's fiancé?
Yes, Tahiri thought, I'll go be one of these Imperial 'Knights', and maybe, just maybe, I'll find the happiness I've been trying to find for so many years in the Imperial Remnant.
Author's Note: So that's it. I've always loved Tahiri, and I wanted to write something about her finally being happy, because honestly, she got the rawest deal of any character. Reviews are apprectiated! Oh, let me know if I should go anywhere with this story. I think it would be pretty cool to write about the formation of the Imperial Knights.
P.S. This was my first "published" so to speak fanfiction.