I don't own Star Wars or any of the characters. Star Wars belongs to George Lucas.
And She Won't Come Home Again...
"Jaina said she has a bad feeling about this, Jacen. She says someone isn't coming back." The two-toned eyes of Zekk bored into the back of Jacen's head, daring him to contradict him. He did not have long to wait.
Without turning, Jacen laughed mirthlessly. "Jaina worries too much, Zekk. All of them will be fine. Master Skywalker was right to follow my suggestion of the exile on Dagobah. Besides, what are you complaining about? It isn't as if Jaina was sent. It was only Lowie, Tesar and Tahiri. So who cares?"
Zekk's rage projected itself like the flickering of a forest fire's light. "I care, Jacen. I've known Lowie since before I came to the Academy on Yavin IV. I've known Tahiri during my Academy days. I've known Tesar since the strike mission where we lost Anakin. I know them Jacen. They're my friends and I love them. Jaina says one of them is dead. If that's so, I intend to hold you accountable."
Jacen's laugh was harsher then even Tamith Kai's had been. "Do you think I care, Zekk? Jaina's feelings on this are unreliable and coloured by sentimentalism. As for you holding me accountable, I have no fear for two reasons. Firstly, because they are all fine. Secondly, because there is nothing you can do to me that could harm me..."
As the two men spoke, an old freighter pulled smoothly into the docking bay. There was a shudder just before the freighter landed that was uncharacteristic of Lowie's piloting. Is Lowie gone? Zekk wondered.
But no, there he was bounding down the ramp, his arms encircling Jaina and pulling her to him. But there was something wrong in his tone. Everyone had expected him to greet Jaina with the triumphant uluating howl of victory that a Wookiee, finally free of that disgusting slimeball of a planet, would be using. Instead, Lowie's voice had gone to keening croon that everyone recognised from the war. Lowie was in mourning for someone.
Tesar. It will be Tesar. He'll have picked a fight with the wrong creature and it'll have cost him his life. Zekk thought.
But no, he too went down the ramp and was met by his mother, an anguished hiss escaping his jaws.
Tahiri. I never saw it coming. I thought it had to be... anyone but Tahiri. A sob of anguish escaped Zekk as the realisation set in that the smiling, blond-haired young woman from Tatooine wasn't coming back.
He turned to look at Jaina, who was crying in Lowie's arms. She was keening in a faint voice, approximating the Wookiee tongue. He never loved me. If he did he would never have put my friends in danger.
Zekk understood immediately. Jacen. She means Jacen. Zekk still couldn't believe that Tahiri was gone from them forever.
"Only Jaina ever knew." Zekk spun around to see Jacen, staring coldly at him. "This isn't my fault, Zekk. You know it and I know it. They brought it on themselves."
Zekk's heart turned to ice. "Yeah, by trying to interfere with your plans."
Jacen hissed at the suggestion. "They disobeyed Master Skywalker. They had to be sent out to work out their problems Zekk. I didn't mean for them to die."
Zekk was not done. "But one of them did die, Jacen. One of the friends I loved is dead now, and it's all because of you. I'll never forgive you for that, Jacen."
Jacen shook his head and left without answering.
Zekk stared at the freighter, willing Tahiri to disembark and prove Jaina wrong. No one ever knew that I loved her most of all. Everyone thought I loved Jaina, but really it was Tahiri. We're the same. Orphans from a hellish world, who were turned out into the stars to learn the Jedi way. But then you were sent away from home, and I was forced to stay by circumstance. The person I loved has left me, and she won't come home again...
