Chapter 2: Organised Chaos

Watching the Galactic Alliance Guard prepare for battle reminded Tahiri of a Tatooinian circus; soldiers running this way and that, backwards and forwards with equipment and supplies, somewhat resembling that of performers rushing around and around in a circular ring with no where to go.

It was what Tahiri referred to as 'organised chaos;' the main hanger of the Star Destroyer Anakin Solo was a buzz of activity, and seeing it always gave Tahiri a rush like nothing else.

She was perched on the top deck of the Anakin overseeing all of the commotion with her commanding officer and GAG leader, Jacen Solo. Tahiri remembered watching a holovid once on the art of war, and seeing a perfectly orchestrated plan being put into action right in front of her eyes, she finally understood what it had actually meant; this was art – and war – at its purest form.

Jacen looked over at Tahiri with the smallest hint of a smile, and she knew he had been reading her thoughts and agreed with her. It was the typical expression he gave when they were both on the same page.

Tek, a young chron officer who had been supervising below, appeared at Jacen's side and saluted his commander stiffly.

"Excuse me, Lord Solo, I have a revised schedule on the battle preparations to give you," Tek stammered.

Jacen, who had not been paying any attention to Tek at this stage, spun on his heel and glared at the young man with his arms folded.

"Revised schedule?" Jacen asked. "I don't remember asking for a revised schedule." His voice was barely above a whisper, but the menace in it was unmistakable. If Tahiri had been in Tek's shoes, she would have rather Jacen yell at her – it was less terrifying!

Jacen continued to glare at Tek, his piercing gaze boring a hole right through the young officer's soul. Tek began to shake a little, and tried to open his mouth to reply, but it was too dry to get even the slightest noise out. Jacen inhaled heavily, his gaze unmoving. Although his face remained expressionless, Tahiri could tell by his force-aura that Jacen was growing impatient with Tek, and would soon crack if the young officer wasn't careful.

She knew that Tek was trying hard to answer the GAG leader, but somewhere along his neural paths, the message that told his mouth to form words got lost, and all he managed to do was look like a fish out of water, his mouth opening and closing every few seconds. Tahiri would have laughed at the sight, had she not known what was going to happen next.

Jacen cracked. Poor Tek never knew what hit him.

"Tahiri…find me a new chron officer!" Jacen demanded, turning away from Tek's lifeless body. "We've got a war to win!"

"Yes, sir!" she saluted. Jacen nodded his approval, and headed for his quarters. "Well," Tahiri sighed, "The first casualty of the war."