She's Force-sensitive, Kyp noted to himself, watching the young woman as she piloted the small freighter. Strongly, I think.
It was unusual, to meet an adult so strong in the Force, who was so obviously untrained. Her piloting skill spoke of an instinctive use of her ability, but she did not appear to have any awareness of it at all.
Her lips pursed as she navigated around a small but fast-moving boulder in her path. She had refused his offer to take over the controls, telling him that there was no way she would let a stranger fly her ship. She was no doubt getting tired, but at least they were finally coming near to the edge of the asteroid field.
She seemed familiar, somehow. He was sure that he had never met her before, but both her face and her signature in the Force reminded him of someone. Could she be related to someone he knew? Some Jedi never knew their biological families – could she be a sibling or cousin to one of them? If so, he wondered why she too wouldn't have been given up to the Temple to raise. Perhaps her family had been unable to face the prospect of losing more than one child.
He held onto the console as the ship made one final dramatic sweep around a piece of rock over twice its size, and then realised with relief that they were close to entering clear space.
"Co-ordinates entered. We'll enter hyperspace the minute we're clear," she said curtly.
"Hopefully we can be well clear of here before the enemy ships realise where we are."
"Don't worry, we will be." True to her word, she engaged the hyperdrive practically the second the freighter was clear of the asteroid field.
"Right," she said, engaging auto pilot and standing up, massaging her hands as she looked at him. "We've got about eight hours 'till we reach Coruscant. I'll be taking care of the refugees. If you're hungry, there's plenty of food, but do not touch the Corellian whiskey."
"Yes ma'am," he responded, lifting his eyebrows. She gave him a slightly suspicious glare, and left the cockpit.
It was interesting, how she treated him. Most people in the galaxy treated the Jedi with awe and reverence – a Jedi Master even more so. She apparently had no such compulsion. He wasn't sure whether he found her irritating or refreshing.
---
"I need to get to Coruscant."
She had raised her eyebrow. "Good for you."
"I need you take me there."
"No. I have injured refugees on board. Coruscant is too far."
"None of their injuries are life-threatening."
"Look, I already saved your Jedi ass back there. I'm not your personal servant to take you wherever you want to go."
"This isn't about me. The Queen needs to know what's happening, and I need to tell her in person. You'll be well compensated for your trouble."
She glared at him. "If I head in that direction, the Chyanne ships are going to want to shoot us down."
"They're likely to do that whichever direction you head in."
"I don't know anything about you. I don't even know your name."
"Kyp Durron."
She paused in recognition. "You're a member of the Inner Council."
"Yes."
"Oh." She thought about it briefly. "I'm Joren Nevash."
"Nice to meet you."
"Hmm." She had studied him for a moment. "Fine. We'll go to Coruscant. But if my ship gets shot at by those Chyanne frigates, you're paying damages and compensation."
---
"Leaving hyperspace – now."
He once again sat in the cockpit, watching Joren's hands move over the console. He had spent most of the intervening hours with the injured refugees, first attempting some Jedi healing, and later just chatting quietly. Apparently they had known Joren prior to fleeing their homeworld; she had been one of the very few traders to regularly visit the small colony.
"Let me speak to Space Traffic Control when they hail you."
"Fine."
He watched her, once again wondering why she seemed so familiar. "If you don't mind me asking, which planet do you come from? I don't recognise your accent."
"I don't have a homeworld. I spent my childhood travelling."
"Ah. Surely, though, your parents must have-"
"I never knew my parents. I was adopted by a trader from Bestine IV, but he had no living family so we rarely visited."
Kyp sighed, frustrated. If even she didn't know her family history, then working out who she was related to would be difficult. Perhaps it would just come to him.
"Coruscant Space Traffic Control to incoming freighter."
"Outside Chance here, Control. I have ten refugees on board, some of whom need medical help, and a Jedi Master who needs to speak to you."
There was a pause, then a cautious, "Go ahead, Master Jedi."
"Kyp Durron here. I need to speak to the King and Council as soon as I arrive on planet."
There was another pause, while the junior officer at Control evidently spoke to someone more senior. "Affirmative, Master, Outside Chance. You are cleared on vector 34293AFX, and we will have medical personnel and a Council transport waiting on your arrival."
"Copy, Control, and thank you," Joren answered.
---
Joren might not have been the most reverent person in the galaxy, but he certainly couldn't fault most of her other characteristics. Her genuine care for her passengers was evident as she assisted them off the ship and into the hands of the waiting medics.
With Kyp there, they were able to pass quickly through Customs, and he saw his transport parked in a VIP area nearby. Joren started to head in the opposite direction, but he caught her arm.
"It might help if you came with me. You might have information on the Chyanne that I don't."
She looked for a moment as if she was going to argue, a distinct glare in her eyes, but after a moment she sighed. He was surprised, but realised that she wanted the Chyanne dealt with every bit as much as he did.
"Fine," she said, somewhat unhappily.
"Thank you," he told her, and guided her towards the large speeder. A guard standing next to it snapped to attention.
"Master Durron?"
"Yes, that's me." He provided his ID at the guard's request; evidently the man was too good at his job to take any risks of escorting the wrong person into secure territory.
"Mistress Nevash will be accompanying me to the Complex."
"Yes, sir." The guard bowed, and opened the door to the speeder to allow the two of them to enter.
Joren sat back, and blinked. "Sithspit, I'm going to be in the Palace Complex."
"You'll probably be meeting the Council, too."
"What?" she demanded. "That can't be standard practice… surely there's someone from the military or Intelligence who could interview me."
"That would take time. This is too urgent."
She looked at him, then shrugged and stared out of the window of the speeder. He knew that she was startled, but could not sense any actual fear from her.
Security around the Complex was very tight, and had been for a long time – for around two decades, in fact. Enemies had once been able to enter, and kidnap the heir to the throne; they would not be allowed to do so again. Royal Guards, military personnel and Jedi Knights surrounded the whole complex, and even as a Jedi Master it took Kyp a fair few minutes to convince them to allow Joren entrance.
"You will have an escort at all times," the guard in charge told her eventually. "If Master Durron is unable to be present, he will have to arrange for other security to attend you."
"Fine," she said irritably. "Can we go now? I want to get this over with."
"You're cleared for entrance." He stood back, and waved the driver of the transport to proceed.
---
They were met outside the Council chamber by Prince Jacen Solo. Kyp knew instantly when Joren recognised him; her body stiffened slightly and through the Force he could feel her nervousness.
So, she isn't totally fearless.
He bowed low, and beside him Joren did the same, although her bow was nowhere near as graceful as his own. He had, after all, been in close association with the Solo-Skywalker family since Prince Consort Han Solo had rescued him from Kessel when he was just a boy.
"Kyp. I heard you had some trouble on your trip."
"That's an understatement, Your Highness. If my suspicions are correct, we could be facing a serious military threat."
"I hoped you wouldn't say that."
Kyp nodded, and then turned slightly to indicate the woman standing nervously next to him. "Your Highness, may I present Mistress Joren Nevash. She risked her life to help me escape from Thyrena, along with ten colonist refugees, and she probably knows as much as I do about the Chyanne."
Prince Jacen turned with a nod. "We're grateful to you, Mistress…" He broke off as their eyes met, and Kyp felt something through the Force, some kind of sudden connection between the two others that startled him. Then it was gone, and Jacen blinked and recovered. "Mistress Nevash. You have behaved heroically."
"I- thank you, Your Highness." Her voice sounded fainter than normal.
The prince nodded, looking a little confused, and they stood there for a moment, none of the three sure of what to say. Then the door to the Council chamber opened, and a guard signalled that they were to enter.
Jacen strode in quickly, taking his seat on the left hand side. Kyp ignored his own seat, choosing to walk in slowly with Joren and stand by her side. He could feel her nervousness through the Force, and didn't want to leave her as the sole person on her feet, surrounded by such pivotal figures in the Galactic Kingdom.
The throne in the centre – the seat of Queen Leia – was empty, as were two others aside from Kyp's own. To the immediate right of the throne was Master Luke Skywalker, prince and leader of the Jedi Order. With his sister absent, he would be taking control of this meeting.
"Master Durron," he greeted. "And Mistress Nevash, I believe?"
She nodded without answering. Technically that was a violation of protocol when addressing royalty, but Kyp wasn't surprised when nobody corrected her. Reprimanding her for a triviality would have been pointless and ungrateful under the circumstances.
"What is so urgent, Master Durron?" asked Master Skywalker.
"The Chyanne have begun an invasion of the Kingdom, Master."
There were intakes of breath from a few of the Council members, but Skywalker just nodded. "How serious is this threat?"
"Serious. The Chyanne have already seized control of at least sixteen worlds, including Lamidia." There were dismayed looks – Lamidia was a major source of raw materials for a number of planets in the Core, as well as having a sizable population. "The colony on the world I visited, Thyrena, has been more or less destroyed. We brought ten refugees here to Coruscant, and we hope that other ships were also able to flee, but most of the inhabitants are now either dead or captured."
"This is grave news," said the Minister of Defence grimly from where he sat on the right of the room. "Do you have an estimate of the Chyanne's forces?"
Kyp answered quietly, and felt the negative reactions from everyone around him, Master Skywalker included.
"They've got shipyards on Alges Prime."
Joren's words turned everyone's attentions to her. "Alges?" Kyp asked. "You mean as well as the ones on the Chyanne homeworld?"
"Yes. They've had a secret alliance with the Algesian people for years now. I don't know exactly how long; I only found out a couple of days ago."
"How exactly did you find out?" Master Skywalker leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand.
"An associate of mine sliced into a Chyanne database, Your Highness," she answered. Her nervousness seemed to have been shoved aside by her determination. "He was from one of the occupied worlds. He knew he couldn't get off-world, so he tried to send the information out before the soldiers could catch him. I know that he sent the information to Galactic Kingdom forces as well as to me, but apparently it hasn't reached you yet." She bowed her head and said quietly, "I doubt that he's still alive."
There was silence for a moment, and then Prince Luke said quietly, "My condolences for your loss, Mistress Nevash."
"Thank you, Your Highness. If he died, then he did it trying to protect his world… I think he would have considered that a good death."
Master Skywalker nodded, and then quietly moved the conversation on.
---
"So what will you do now?"
"Fix my ship." She lifted her eyebrows. "As I recall, you said you'd pay for it."
Kyp smiled. "I already arranged it. The credits should be transferred into your account by the end of the day."
"Thank you." She smiled at him, and he couldn't help thinking how beautiful she was. He realised, with a little surprise, that he was attracted to her, and not just for her physical looks.
"Where will you go when it's fixed?"
"I don't know." She shook her head. "Half of my normal trade routes are inaccessible with the Chyanne invasion." She paused for a moment, then said softly, "I almost want to be doing something, to help free those worlds. I thought of joining the military, becoming a starfighter pilot, but… what would I do with the Outside Chance?"
"You could leave her on Coruscant," he offered. "I can arrange for a secure place for her. Or alternatively you could help out in another way... run supplies perhaps, or join an aid organisation to help the refugees."
"I'll think about it… thank you."
Kyp felt a new presence in the Force, and realised that Joren too had felt it by the way she suddenly turned around. For someone who doesn't even know she's sensitive to the Force, she certainly seems to be able to use it, if only unconsciously.
"Your Highness." Joren seemed to once again be uncharacteristically insecure and nervous as she bowed low. Why did she have that reaction to Jacen – was it merely his status as the presumptive heir to the throne?
"Mistress Nevash." To her surprise, he extended his hand, and she reached out tentatively to take it.
The instant their hands touched, the Force seemed to explode all around the Palace Complex.
---
It was a… joining… like nothing Kyp had ever felt before. The Force rang out in jubilation, as if it had been waiting for this moment for decades, and he knew that Jedi all over the Complex had felt it overwhelm their senses. In front of him stood Prince Jacen and Joren, their hands still joined, total shock reflected on both their faces.
Then Jacen whispered, "Jaina…"
The word shocked Kyp, but the instant he heard it he knew that it was true. Joren Nevash, the trader who had never known she was Force-sensitive, was the twin sister of Jacen Solo, the missing daughter of Leia Skywalker… the actual, legal, heir to the throne.
Joren was Jaina Solo.
Stolen as a baby, kept surrounded for years by ysalamiri, Jaina had been unreachable. After a year, her kidnappers had been found, and were prosecuted and harshly punished for their crime, but no trace had been found of the child. The Queen had known her daughter lived – their Force connection told her that much – but even after the ysalamiri were gone, Jaina could not be located. With no Force training, and, it now seemed, no knowledge of who she was, Jaina had not been able to reach out for help.
With her missing, her brother – younger only by minutes – had been reluctantly named the presumptive heir. Kyp knew it was a role that he had never wanted.
Would Joren want it?
"Jaina…" Jacen said again, seeming to be enthralled with the sight of his long-lost twin. Kyp knew how close twin Jedi were, he had seen it with Luke and Leia, and he knew that Jacen had always felt the loss of his sister keenly.
Joren suddenly blinked, pulling her hand away, shaking her head as if trying to erase the overpowering sensation. "What… what did you call me?"
"Jaina." Jacen seemed to realise how overwhelmed she was, and explained gently, "My missing sister. You are her."
"No." She shook her head rapidly, as if trying to deny the Force promptings she had to be feeling. "No, I'm Joren. I can't be Jaina."
"You are." Kyp's tone was quiet. "The Force can not be wrong." He cautiously put his hand onto her shoulder, turning her to face him. "You told me you were adopted, that you didn't know who your parents were."
"Yes..." Her voice was shaky. "I was in an orphanage."
He nodded. "The kidnappers must have dropped you off there – either that or someone rescued you from them."
"I can't be Jaina Solo." She denied it again. "She's a princess, and, and she has the Force…"
"You do have the Force." It was a new voice, that of Master Skywalker. He had come running as soon as he felt the joining, and had overheard the end of their conversation. He now gazed with astonished happiness upon his long-lost niece.
"I…"
"I felt it in you when you were piloting through that asteroid field," said Kyp gently. "You've been using it instinctively probably your whole life."
"Kyp... I…" she looked panic-stricken, and he followed his instincts and carefully put his arm around her, pulling her against his chest. He exchanged looks with Luke.
"Come on, Jacen," Luke said quietly. "Let's give her a few minutes to take this in."
"But-" Jacen protested.
"I know you want to be with her, but you just need to wait a while longer. Come on. We need to contact your mother – she may have felt the surge in the Force, but she probably won't know what happened."
He led Jacen out firmly, and Kyp moved Joren carefully to a nearby bench, lowering her down and sitting beside her. She leaned in to him, needing the support badly.
"Your family are good people," he told her gently, stroking her hair away from her face. It felt surreal to be holding the heir to the throne in this manner, but he knew that right now more than anything she needed a friend to comfort her.
"I'm a trader," she said softly. "How could I fit in among royalty?"
"Your father managed," he said with a slight smile.
"My father…" She nestled into him even further. "My father was Alsayn Nevash…"
"He raised you," Kyp told her. "He deserves that title. But Han deserves it too. I know Han well, Joren, he rescued me from slavery a long time ago. He is a good man and a great father. I've never seen him more devastated than when he lost you."
She was quiet for a while, then said hesitantly, "When I was a teenager… I did a report for school, on the royal family. I remember talking to my dad about it. He told me that when… when the baby was taken, the Kingdom was in mourning for years. He said…" She sobbed, very slightly.
"We were all in mourning. I was only a teenager at the time, in the Jedi Academy, and I remember seeing Master Skywalker's face just after he heard you'd been taken. I'd never been frightened of him before."
He looked down at her, then realised something. "You know, I actually knew you as a baby." She looked up at him in surprise. "Not well, I spent most of my time on Yavin IV, but sometimes I'd be able to visit Han, and he'd let me hold you and Jacen… and Anakin, when he was born." Kyp sighed. "That was after you were taken. I think perhaps he and Jacen were all that kept your parents sane."
"Anakin," she whispered. "I think… I'd like to meet him. I always wanted a little brother."
"Well, technically you have two." Kyp smiled at her. "Jacen would probably let you get away with calling him that, too. He's spent his whole life wanting to meet his sister."
She stayed quiet in his arms for a long time.
---
"Jaina?"
She pulled away from Kyp and looked at Master Skywalker, who had just re-entered the room. She seemed uncertain whether to answer to the name.
"Jaina, your mother has been told. She's on her way."
She gave no visible reaction, but Kyp could sense her fear in the Force.
"I've asked the servants to sort out your rooms for you."
"Rooms?"
"The rooms of the heir to the throne. They've been empty for a long time."
"The heir? I thought Jacen…"
"He was only the presumptive heir, Jaina. He would only inherit the throne if you were never found. He took your place on the Council, but he never wanted to have the heir's suite."
"So I'm…" She turned to Kyp, panic-stricken. "I can't be the heir! I can't rule a galaxy."
"Calm down, honey." He gripped her hand supportively.
"Jaina, you don't have to rule. If you really don't think you can, you can deny your claim to the throne – as I did. Jacen doesn't want to rule, but he wouldn't hold it against you. Just give it some time, don't make any decisions yet. You might find you'd actually like it."
Kyp agreed with him and told Jaina gently, "Your mother should be on the throne for a long time yet. Give it a few years. Learn what you should know, maybe take your place on the Council." He gave her a quick grin. "And while you're at it, maybe your uncle here could arrange for you to have a few lessons on using the Force."
He knew instantly it had been the right thing to say, as she immediately perked up. "I can become a Jedi?"
"Certainly." Luke smiled at her. "I'd be honoured to teach my niece – and I know my wife will want to get involved, too. She'll probably say you need a woman's touch."
"Or just someone who isn't busy all the time," Kyp pointed out. "Mara's got a lot less commitments than you do."
"True." Luke looked at him consideringly for a moment. "Kyp, I know you were thinking of joining the team going to Alges Prime, but I'm going to ask you to stay here. I'm assigning you to Joren's service – she needs both a friend and a bodyguard, and you can be both."
Jaina looked at him, startled. "What? I mean… you don't have to… I wouldn't ask..."
"It's okay." He squeezed her hand. "Luke's right, you need someone here you know. I'll stay."
Luke nodded to him, and Jaina looked grateful.
There was quiet for a while, then they all heard the approaching footsteps. "That'll be your mother," Luke told her quietly. "Jacen's with her. We'll leave you to meet them in privacy."
He gestured to Kyp, and the two of them left the room silently, leaving her sitting nervously on the bench.
---
Kyp tuned out the turbulent emotions coming from behind the closed door, and focused instead on Luke, who was watching him.
"You care for her," the prince said bluntly.
"I…" He sighed. "Yes, I do. I don't know how much yet… I haven't known her all that long."
"I'm not her father, I'm not going to warn you off her. Just be careful. A relationship with Jaina Solo would be much more complicated than one with Joren Nevash would have been."
"I know that, Master. Believe me, I do."
"Good." Luke sighed, and stared out of a nearby window. "Twenty years, and we've finally got her back. I can barely believe it."
"Han's going to be ecstatic."
"I know. I managed to contact Chewie, so Han should be hearing about it fairly soon if he hasn't already. I hope they've managed to fix the Falcon or he'll probably explode from frustration."
"For his daughter, he'd probably buy a new ship if he had to."
"For his daughter, he'd steal a ship if he had to." Luke sighed. "All these years, we've all feared the worst. I've wondered if Jaina was being abused, or being raised to hate us all… if the Sith had got a hold of her… it's almost a shock to hear she's had such a good life."
"Who else knows she's been found?"
"Word's probably spread fairly quickly. All the Jedi in the Complex felt her and Jacen connect, and some outside it may have too – I wouldn't be surprised if Anakin turned up soon wanting to know what happened. Then, there were a number of officials present when I told Leia, so they've probably spread the word."
"In that case, we need to get it formally released before other people do it for us. The Council needs to be informed, and then the press."
"I know. I'll tell the Council myself, and find someone to give a press conference." He stopped, as a sudden thought came to him. "Wedge needs to be told, too. He's been the one in charge of the search for Jaina."
Kyp nodded. "I can contact him for you if you like."
"Are you sure? The two of you aren't exactly on the best of terms with each other."
"I'm sure we can manage to be civil for a few minutes for something as important as this."
"Thanks, then, it would be helpful. I suppose I'd better go and summon the Council."
---
General Antilles' expression, when he saw who had called him, was not a happy one.
"Durron. This had better be important."
"It is. Jaina Solo has been found."
His expression changed into a combination of shock and delight. "What? Where was she found? Is she okay?"
"She's been living as a trader, and going by the name Joren Nevash. She was adopted as an infant and never knew who she really was. She's in good health, although more than a bit overwhelmed by the news. She's currently meeting with her mother."
"How was she found?"
"You've heard of the invasion by the Chyanne?"
"I was briefed on it a few minutes ago."
"She was delivering supplies to one of the colonies that was attacked. She rescued me, along with ten refugees, and got us to Coruscant. She had vital information, so I took her to talk to the Council, and shortly afterwards she shook hands with Jacen Solo. Jacen knew instantly who she was."
"Thank the Force." Wedge didn't question Jacen's knowledge, being well acquainted with the abilities of Jedi. "Does Han know yet?"
"Master Skywalker left a message with Chewbacca."
"Good. I'll come back to Coruscant immediately. At some point soon, I'll have to interview the Princess – we need to know if there are any of her kidnappers still out there."
"Okay, but I don't think she knows much. She can probably give you the name of the orphanage she was adopted from."
"That's a good place to start."
---
"How are you doing?" Kyp asked as he escorted Jaina to her new rooms.
"Better… at least, I think my little emotional breakdown is over."
"That wasn't a breakdown. It was just… shock."
"Well, whatever. I just talked to the ruler of the Galactic Kingdom as my mother, and survived, so surely I can cope with anything now!"
"I never doubted that." He sent her a quick grin. "Your suite is just around this corner."
They turned it, and instantly the two guards standing at the bottom of the short corridor snapped to attention. "Your Highness," one of them said respectfully.
Jaina blinked. It was the first time anyone had called her by that title. "Uh – hello," she responded, wondering what princesses were supposed to say in that situation. It probably didn't involve stuttering.
The guard opened her door for her, and she and Kyp entered. He smiled slightly at the look on her face. "Don't worry, I'm sure Queen Leia will arrange for someone to teach you what to do and say."
She sent him a slightly relieved look, and then for the first time really registered what she was seeing. The living room was massive, tastefully decorated with furniture the trader in her knew was very valuable, and there were a total of three doors, not including the one they had just walked through.
"Well, you didn't expect the Heir's Suite to be small, did you?" Kyp asked with a grin as he saw the look on her face.
She shook her head, and walked for the nearest door, thrusting it open.
"Force, that bath's like a swimming pool."
Even Kyp's eyebrows went up as he viewed it. "You probably could do a few laps in it."
She surveyed the room in awe, then turned and went to the next door. It opened onto a large bedroom, with a four-poster bed that made her gasp.
"They should sell all the furniture in here," she said, slightly dazed. "They could probably use it to fund a new school."
He chuckled. "You could always suggest it."
They entered the final room, which was mostly empty except for a few cupboards. She looked at him in puzzlement.
"I assume this is for you to practice your Jedi skills," he told her. "You can probably spar in here when you've had some lightsaber training, or practice against a remote. The Masters Skywalker might even choose to train you in here."
She nodded, fingering the place on her belt where her blaster was normally kept. It had been taken away upon their entrance to the Complex and not yet given back. "It's strange, to think of myself using a lightsaber. As a kid, I always dreamed of being a Jedi…"
"All kids do."
She laughed her agreement, and they went back into the sitting room, collapsing on the comfortable arm chairs.
"I'm hungry," Kyp commented. "Neither of us have eaten for hours. Shall we order in?"
"Is that the normal thing for royalty, then? Room service?"
"Well, you can probably go down to the kitchens and cook for yourself if you want…"
"I'll pass. My cooking's terrible."
"I'll get on the comm, then," he answered with a laugh. "What would you like?"
---
Three figures ran down the ramp of the Millennium Falcon at top speed. The first was a young man, the second his father, and the third a large Wookiee. Only the latter paused long enough to raise the ramp; the others continued running without looking back.
The guards on duty in the Royal Hanger were not surprised at the conduct of the two members of their royal family. Word about the heir's return had spread rapidly around the Complex, and had just recently made it onto the galaxy-wide news broadcasts.
Kyp smiled as they came up to him, breathless from the exertion. He bowed low to both Han and Anakin, and glanced at Chewbacca, who was still making his way over.
"Where is she?" Han Solo's demand was urgent.
"In her rooms. I left her talking to Jacen."
All of them left the hanger, heading quickly for the royal apartments. Every person they passed either stood to attention or bowed low, but on this day neither prince felt the urging for polite acknowledgement. They did not stop until they came to the door of Jaina's suite.
"Her Highness bids you to go straight in, Your Highnesses," one of the guards told them, before opening the door to admit them.
The twins were sitting on one of Joren's sofas, talking quietly to one another. As the door opened they looked up, and Kyp felt Jaina's apprehension as she gazed on her father and brother for the first time.
Jacen stood up, and courteously bent to offer Jaina his hand. She accepted, pulling herself up, her eyes focused nervously on Han Solo.
Han seemed to be drinking in the sight of his daughter. After a moment he spoke, emotion showing in his voice. "Force, you're beautiful."
She blinked, and moved forward. She offered him her hand, but rather than shaking it he pulled it towards him and turned it into a fierce hug. At first she seemed stiff, then suddenly she softened, returning the embrace.
They stood there for a while, Han apparently unwilling to let go. Eventually though, Anakin protested, "Dad, let me meet her!"
Han released her, and she looked at her youngest brother.
He came forward with a smile, and then gave her a light hug. He stood back, but kept his arms around her. "Dad's right. You are beautiful."
"Um, thanks." She had a strange expression on her face. "Wow. I wasn't expecting this. When I met the queen – Mother – it was so awkward…"
"That'll change," Anakin told her. "Mum'll be desperate to spend time with you."
"I suppose I want to get to know her, too," Jaina said quietly. "It's just… she's the queen."
Anakin gazed at her compassionately. "It'll be okay, big sis."
A surprised smile came to her face. "Big sis… I like that. I've always wanted a little brother."
"Well, I don't know about little." Anakin pretended to be offended, but didn't last long before he broke out into a wide grin. "I don't mind though. I've spent my whole life wanting to meet my sister. You can call me 'little bro' all you like."
---
The door chimed, and the voice of one of the royal guardsmen sounded over the intercom. "Your Highness, General Antilles is requesting an audience with you."
Jaina glanced at the other two occupants of the room, Anakin and Kyp. "He's the one who's investigating my kidnapping, right?"
Anakin nodded. "And he's a good friend of the family."
She pressed the button on her comm unit. "Okay, Major, let him in."
"Yes ma'am."
Jaina stood up to greet the visitor, and Kyp and Anakin automatically stood up with her. Kyp made a quick gesture to her, and she quickly followed his advice to straighten her clothes.
The general entered, his eyes going straight to her before he sank down onto one knee, bowing his head slightly. "Your Highness."
Jaina was a little stunned. She had had a few people bow to her over the last few days – including Kyp, although he had done so only rarely since she had told him it made her uncomfortable. This was the first time, though, that someone had actually knelt. What was different? Was it that he was making a formal visit to her?
"General Antilles," she stalled, looking at Kyp for guidance. He mouthed words to her, and she thankfully continued, "Please, rise."
He did so, bowing briefly to Anakin, and then she gestured him to a seat, sitting down herself at the same time. Kyp and Anakin sat together on the sofa.
"I assume you're here to ask about my childhood, General?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
"I'm afraid I don't know all that much. I know my father adopted me from an orphanage on Bestine IV, but how I got there I have no idea."
"Do you know the name of the orphanage, Your Highness?"
"I've been trying to think of it. I know my father told me, but it was a long time ago and it never seemed very important. I think… maybe Belvarade, or Belgarad? Something like that."
Wedge nodded. "That should be enough to find it, my lady. Thank you." He paused. "Do you have any ID which might help? The adoption records, or a birth certificate?" Any birth certificate would be fake, but it might help lead them to the culprits.
"I'm sorry, I don't. All of both my and my father's records were stored on his ship, the Lady Aramina. It was blown up by pirates."
Antilles looked uncomfortable, probably realising that her adoptive father had been on board the ship at the time.
"My brother says you're a friend of the family," Jaina commented, changing the subject.
Wedge smiled a little. "I like to think so, Your Highness."
"I think I've heard of you. You used to command Rogue Squadron, right? I think I read about you when I did a history project on the war against Palpatine."
The general winced a little to hear such a major portion of his life labelled as "history," but responded graciously.
"You know, you can call me Joren." She made a face. "Oops. Or Jaina, even. Every time someone calls me 'your highness' I think they're talking about someone else."
"Thank you, Jaina." Wedge smiled at her warmly. "May I just comment on how wonderful it is to have you back?"
"You're about to tell me you held me as a child, aren't you?" Jaina asked, looking dismayed. "Everyone seems to be able to say that, even Kyp here."
"I can't," pointed out Anakin. "I wasn't even born yet."
"I have to admit, I did hold you as a baby." Wedge shook his head. "Unfortunately you were only a couple of weeks old at the time and I was terrified of dropping you. I had to beg your uncle to take you off me."
Kyp snorted, earning himself an annoyed look from Wedge.
"The famous General Antilles couldn't hold a baby?" asked Anakin, amused.
"In my defence, I hadn't had any children of my own at the time… and she was the heir to the throne of the Galactic Kingdom!"
Jaina winced. "Don't worry, I'd have been scared to hold myself."
Anakin chuckled. "I'd be scared of you trying to hold yourself, too. The contortions would be horrible." Jaina threw a cushion at him.
"By the way, Your- Jaina, I saw your uncle on the way over here. He says that Mara will be over tomorrow afternoon to give you your first lesson in using the Force."
Jaina's eyes lit up.
---
Master Luke Skywalker's approach to Jaina's first lesson would have been quiet meditation.
Master Mara Jade Skywalker's approach was to set a remote up in Jaina's practice room, give her a lightsaber and tell her to block its stinging pulses.
Kyp stood leaning against the door, watching his princess fight desperately to avoid getting stung. There were frequent yelps of pain as she failed to block the incoming pulses, but on the whole she was doing fairly well for her first attempt.
He couldn't help thinking how she seemed to glow in the Force as she fought. True, the emotions coming off her were mostly frustration, with a little excitement mixed in there, but she was just such a natural Force-user.
It was, after all, in her blood. Anakin Skywalker had been one of the strongest Jedi in the history of the Order.
He had come very close to being one of the strongest Sith in history, too. Fortunately, the love of his wife, the ruling Queen Amidala, had managed to save him before he fell too far to the dark side.
He knew that he was falling for her. No, he had fallen. He had only known her for about a week, but it had been one of the best weeks of his life.
He wondered if Han would kill him if he asked Jaina to go out with him.
---
Jaina's first Council meeting came earlier than anyone had anticipated. Everyone had expected that she would need more time to get used to her new situation, before taking up any of the responsibilities of the heir to the throne.
The meeting, however, revolved around the Chyanne invasion, and the moment she heard that she insisted on attending. Jacen entered with her, and stood silently behind her chair in case she needed any assistance. Kyp took his seat to her left, sending her support through the Force. He could feel how nervous she was.
She stayed silent as the meeting began, choosing to simply watch and listen. The other Council members spoke to each other for a while, then a visitor was admitted to the chamber.
General Tycho Celchu kneeled in front of the throne, where Queen Leia presided over the Council. She bid him rise, and he did so, directing a formal bow in Jaina's direction. Kyp could feel his curiosity about the recently-discovered princess.
"You have news for us, General?"
"Yes, Majesty. The Chyanne fleet is advancing. They have recently captured ten more planets, including Treynor VII and Yarlorna."
Kyp both felt and heard the reaction from the princess. All eyes turned to her as she gasped loudly.
"What is it, Jaina?" Leia sounded concerned.
"Yarlorna's primary industry is tourism," she told her mother quietly. "It's the main vacation spot for other planets in the area. They… take particular pride in their holiday camps for children."
Dismayed looks filled the chamber. General Celchu nodded gravely. "We believe most of the children are now captives of the Chyanne."
The Minister for Defence, Carlen Raydek, cursed under his breath. "This is getting worse and worse."
"It certainly seems that way." Leia tiredly leaned on the side of her chair. "Continue with your report, General."
As Tycho spoke, it became clear that the GK forces currently in the area were not sufficient to stop the invaders. A larger force would need to be sent, enough to attack and defeat the entire enemy fleet.
"I want to go."
This sudden pronouncement startled everyone in the chamber. "Jaina?" Kyp asked, looking at her with concern.
"I want to go with the fleet to Yarlorna."
Leia reached out to touch her daughter's arm. "Honey, you only escaped from Chyanne-controlled space less than three weeks ago. Why would you want to go back there?"
"I'm a pilot, Mother." It was the first time she had addressed Leia in that way, and despite the circumstances Kyp could feel a flash of pleasure from the queen. "I also know my way around that territory probably better than anyone else in the fleet, and I've fought against the Chyanne. I have friends who have probably already been captured and quite possibly enslaved. I'm going."
"Jaina…" This time it was Luke making the entreaty. "You may have fought the Chyanne, but you don't have any military training, and you've barely begun your training as a Jedi. You're acting on emotion, not rational thought."
She shrugged. "I'm not a Jedi yet. I'm allowed to act on emotion."
"This is ridiculous." The opinion came from one of the politicians on the Inner Council. "We've been without the heir to the throne for twenty years, and now she proposes to go off and endanger her life! She can not be allowed to go."
Jaina glared across the room. "Jacen and Anakin both go on missions as Jedi. I've read the rules, it only states that all of the heirs can't be gone at the same time."
She directed her next words at Tycho Celchu. "General, I have been flying around that area of space since I was an infant. I know every planet, every asteroid field, every Sithing hunk of rock there is to know. Can you honestly tell me you can't use that knowledge?"
Tycho looked a little helplessly at the queen. "She's right, Your Majesty. The territory is so far on the Rim that it hasn't been surveyed in hundreds of years. We could use her assistance."
Leia sighed. "Fine. As much as I want to keep you here Jaina, it would be hypocritical considering how often Luke and I used to leave on missions when my mother ruled." She exchanged wry looks with her brother. "You're not going without an escort, though, and I'd rather you stayed on one of the capital ships. I know you're a good pilot, but Luke's right – you don't have any military training yet."
Jaina nodded shortly. "Fine."
"Kyp, you're going with her."
He nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way, Your Majesty."
---
They stood together on the bridge of the Mon Remonda. It had once been the flagship of the Jaina's father, Han Solo, but had recently passed to the command of General Celchu.
Tycho bowed low as he approached them. "We're just about to drop out of hyperspace, Your Highness."
She nodded, then said quietly, "General, you don't need to treat me like a VIP. I'm here to help you, not the other way around."
He was about to reply, when they felt the sensations which indicated the ship was leaving hyperspace. The view at the front of the bridge changed to that of black space – with a massive fleet of Chyanne vessels right in front of them.
Tycho cursed, heading straight for his command post. Kyp felt slightly panicked. Their plan had not been to come out of hyperspace right on top of the enemy fleet, but rather to set a trap for them, using the information that Jaina had given them. Apparently the Chyanne had moved far faster than had been anticipated.
The first shot from a Chyanne ship came almost immediately, and the General barked out orders, scrambling fighters and getting his ships into position. Jaina and Kyp stood silently next to each other, unable to do anything to help. Kyp wanted to be out there flying an X-wing, but that was not his duty today. His duty was to protect Jaina.
---
"We're hit!"
The cry from a junior officer was rather pointless. Everyone on board had felt the collision, and most had been knocked from their feet.
"Shields are gone." This comment was more appropriate, and more serious.
Far more serious was the incoming missile.
"Highness!" Tycho's voice was breathless as he struggled over to them. "We need to get you to an escape pod."
Jaina shook her head.
"Highness, we need to get you off the ship."
"I'm not debating that, General, I'm just not doing it in an escape pod. There are still fighters in the hanger bay, right?"
Kyp pushed at her. "Run now, argue on the way. General, you need to evacuate the ship."
"I'm aware of that, Master Durron. Just get the Princess to safety."
"I will." He pushed at Jaina again, and together they left the bridge, running down the corridors side by side.
"Jaina, have you ever flown a snubfighter?" he asked as they ran.
"No. But I've never yet found a ship I couldn't fly."
"Joren-"
"Don't argue with me, Kyp. Look at it this way; in a starfighter I have shields and weapons. In an escape pod I'm basically defenceless."
"The enemy have no way of knowing you're here. In an escape pod they wouldn't think to fire on you!"
"And if our forces lose, my pod would go to the nearest Chyanne-controlled planet and I'd be captured. I'll take my chances in an X-wing."
"You just want to fight!"
"And you don't? I could feel how much you wanted to be with one of the squadrons out there."
He was surprised that her Force sense had been trained enough to pick that up, but stuck to what was important. "It's my job to protect you, Jaina!"
"Then get in one of the other fighters and be my wingman." They had arrived at the hanger bay, and she headed straight for the nearest X-wing.
He sighed, and surrendered.
---
"Jaina!"
He felt as if his heart had stopped as he saw her head straight at the enemy ship. Then she swerved up and away, just as the ship exploded in her wake.
He took a deep breath and let it out.
"Joren, if you give me a heart attack one more time-"
"You've got an enemy on your tail, Kyp." Her tone was cool. "Swerve to starboard and I'll deal with it."
He obeyed, gritting his teeth in frustration.
He was thankful that their astromechs had found them an encrypted comm channel to speak on. Announcing her name to the enemy fleet would have been extremely unwise.
She fired her lasers twice, and the fighter behind him veered off, one of its wings having taken heavy damage.
There was silence for a moment as they both concentrated on the battle, then Jaina said, "I see a weakness in the enemy cruiser. Its shields are failing on the rear side. I'm going in."
"What? There are at least ten enemy fighters in between us and that cruiser, Joren!"
Her voice was contemplative. "Have you realised you only call me Joren now when you're annoyed with me?"
"How about when I'm afraid for your life, Jaina?"
"I won't die."
"Well, I wish I could share your confidence!" She didn't reply, and he let loose a few choice expletives when he saw her X-wing turn and head towards the cruiser.
"Fine, but when we get back to Coruscant, you're the one telling your father."
---
They were picked up around two hours later by a Corellian cruiser, the Legacy. Kyp jumped out of his ship, and ran straight to Jaina.
"Joren, if you ever do that to me again…" He pulled her into a fierce hug.
When he pulled away from her, he saw a strange expression on her face. Then, suddenly, she was kissing him, and he froze in shock.
This wasn't supposed to happen, I was taking it slow, and… oh, sithspit. He kissed back hungrily.
The sound of a throat clearing brought both of them back to reality, and they separated to see Tycho Celchu in front of them. Kyp felt relieved that the other man had survived.
The General bowed low to Jaina, and as he stood upright again, Kyp could see the disapproval in his face. He realised with some chagrin that they had been kissing in full view of a large number of fighter pilots and crewmembers.
Tycho said nothing about it, probably because publicly reprimanding the heir to the throne would have been a supremely bad idea. "Your Highness, I'm glad you're safe."
"Thanks, General. I'm glad you are, too."
He gestured for them to walk with him, and they left the hanger bay together. "Despite the battle not going to plan, we've achieved our objectives today. The major part of the Chyanne fleet is gone. They still have a number of ships guarding the planets they've conquered, but hopefully that shouldn't be too much of a problem."
He paused, then continued. "We have also received intelligence which suggests their Supreme Commander is dead. He appears to have been on the cruiser the two of you helped destroy."
Kyp glared at Jaina and, mercifully, she refrained from comment.
"General Antilles has been on Bestine IV, conducting his investigation. He's on his way here now, and he'll take the two of you back to Coruscant."
Jaina sighed, but nodded. Kyp knew that she'd far rather be helping to free her friends, but she truly wasn't needed here any longer.
"In the meantime, we can provide dinner if you're hungry, Your Highness?"
"General, that's the best thing anyone's said to me in days."
---
General Antilles had been pleased to see Jaina; less so to see Kyp. They now sat in the VIP quarters of his ship, which had naturally been assigned to Princess Jaina.
"It seems that the woman who brought you to the orphanage was the wife of one of those we prosecuted for kidnapping you," Antilles told her. "We already knew that she had turned up dead a matter of days before we caught them.
"I suspect that she wanted to protect you from your kidnappers, but she didn't want to get her husband in trouble, so she kept your identity a secret. She used a false name for herself, too, but it was fairly easy to work out who she really was. Evidently either her husband or his superiors killed her when they found out what she had done."
"What about the ysalamiri?" Jaina asked. "I thought they'd surrounded me for years, not months."
"Mistress Varey either didn't know what they were, or was concerned that without them your family would find you. She gave one of them to the orphanage, told them it was a pet and that it was the only property your deceased mother and father had left you."
Kyp considered. "Does that mean your father took it with him when he adopted you?"
She frowned. "I don't know. I-" She suddenly looked surprised. "Actually, yes, I remember. He told me once that he'd been given a ysalamiri, that he hadn't known what it was at first, but when he found out he got rid of it. Dad never knew I was Force-sensitive, but he was always a big admirer of the Jedi. It makes sense that he wouldn't tell me that my 'parents' left me a creature like that."
Wedge noted that down, presumably for his report. He looked up and smiled. "It seems, Your Highness, that I can finally leave this job behind."
"Have you been on the case the entire two decades?" He nodded, and she winced. "Wow. That had to be hard."
"Not as hard as it was for your parents."
Jaina grimaced, sitting back. "Seems like I almost had the easy part. I got to grow up happily with a loving father, while everyone else was mourning me."
"I don't think anyone would begrudge you that, Jaina," said Kyp quietly. "I think your parents are mostly relieved that you had a good childhood."
She squeezed his hand, and then leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips. As she sat back, they both noticed how raised Wedge's eyebrows were.
"Well, there's one thing Han is not going to be relieved about," was all he said.
---
"Do you really think he'll kill you?"
Kyp laughed, pulling Jaina closer against his chest. They both lay on the couch in her temporary quarters, where they had recently been watching one of Wynssa Starflare's holodramas. They would be at Coruscant within the hour.
"He won't kill me. He might throw a punch or two."
Jaina groaned.
"It's okay. He's got reason to be protective, and to be quite honest I like that. He's not the only one who wants you to be safe and happy."
"Well, hopefully since I'm both safe and happy with you, he'll come around eventually."
Kyp smiled, and kissed the back of her head. "We'll just have to give him some time to get used to the idea."
Jaina turned herself over onto her side, her head still resting on his chest but now able to look up at him. "You are certain you want this? To be the… boyfriend of the crown princess."
"Boyfriend, lover… Maybe more eventually, it's still a little early to tell." He played with her hair affectionately. "I know what I'm getting into, don't worry. I'm not about to change my mind."
"What did I ever do to deserve you?"
"Well, you started off our relationship by saving my life. That was a pretty good start."
"You're welcome."
He bent his neck down, and they kissed softly. She was young, and he knew that it might be a while before they became lovers in all of the meanings of the word, but he didn't care. Just being with her was enough.
"So, are you looking forward to getting back to Jedi training?" he asked after they stopped kissing.
"My arms are aching just thinking about it."
"Well, as soon as you learn to stop getting hit..." he teased.
"Easy for you to say, Master Jedi! Until three weeks ago, I'd never even picked up a lightsaber – the only fighting I knew anything about was firing a blaster!"
"Don't forget firing lasers and torpedoes. You seem to have those down fairly well."
"Anyway, to answer your question, I am kind of looking forward to it, even despite the painful shocks. I never thought I'd be a Jedi, but now… it's kind of what I want the most."
"And being the heir to the throne? How are you feeling about that?"
"I don't know. I don't know enough about it, I guess. You told me weeks ago that I needed to spend a few years learning before I made any decisions. I think you were right."
He kissed her head again, and she smiled up at him. "I love you, you know," she said softly.
The words were almost unbelievable to him. It was the first time either one of them had said them – they had used the word 'lover', but it was different, less absolute.
"I love you too," he said, knowing that it was true.
"My life's changed so much these past few weeks, Kyp. Everything's different, even what I thought I knew about myself. I'm not Joren Nevash anymore, or not just her. It's all different, and scary, and I'm just so glad you're here."
He leaned down and kissed her again, and felt her happiness in the Force. He linked their minds, showing her his own feelings, and felt her joy increase.
Soon they would be at Coruscant, and facing the queen, the Council and Han Solo. For now, though, for now it was just the two of them.
For now, everything was perfect.