CHAPTER 2: SAFE HAVEN?
The Yuuzhan Vong ship penetrated Hapes's shields, and began its descent to the surface with Tenel Ka and Ganner at the controls. Still distracted by her concerns for Jaina, Tenel Ka did not notice the appearance of two Hapan fighters until Ganner spoke up,"Escort?" startling her.
"Yes, they carry the royal crest," she replied as she focused on them. The fighters were now in range of low range sensors and Tenel Ka could see one of the pilots gesturing for them to follow them. "Looks like we might have a welcoming committee," she sighed. That was the last thing they needed. The Jedi strike team was tired, physically and mentally, and no longer possessed the energy to put on brave faces for anyone. Too much had happened. Nevertheless, they had to do it, if only to project the image that the Jedi order needed: they were unbeaten, despite their losses. Of course, Tenel Ka knew, that was a load of rubbish. All they needed now was rest, and their families. Moreover, as the ship landed on the docking platform, she knew that need was desperate in all of them.
The Jedi team walked down the ramp and into the hangar to a deafening chorus of applause. The comrades looked at each other.
"Well, at least they're not shooting at us," Ganner commented wryly. Tenel Ka managed to smile at that, knowing some people in the cluster, Archon Thane among them, would certainly like to do just that. She saw her parents walking towards them, and could not stop herself from running to them as she had once done as a child. As they embraced her fiercely, she knew she was home, safe, at least for the moment. The rest of the Jedi now reached them and introductions were made. Tenel Ka now realised, that, in her eagerness to be reunited with her parents, she had not noticed that Jaina was not present. She sighed, at a loss about what to do with her friend. She reached out to her with the Force, and found her still in her cabin.
"Tenel Ka, are you going to stand there daydreaming all day?" her father's voice interrupted her reverie. With a start, she focused back on the rest of her companions, now about 25 meters away, headed towards the royal palace. They all looked slightly amused. Tenel Ka was rarely caught like that, she reflected with a hint of annoyance. then again, she was rarely worried about a friend who was edging on the dark side. She started to rejoin the group, concluding that Jaina was best left to her own devices, at least for the time being. As a long-term issue, that was out of the question, and yet, she could not find the answer to the problem.
"What are we going to do?" Zekk asked as the team sat in Tenel Ka's luxurious quarters in the palace. She had told the others of her worries about their friend and suggested that they work together to find a solution. However, none appeared.
"She used the dark side on the worldship to kill that guard and if we're not careful, she might have a shot at us too."
"Don't be melodramatic Zekk," Ganner said. "Jaina had one brother killed and the other's in Yuuzhan Vong captivity. Anyone else would be in the same state as she is. Besides, she would never try to attack any of us. She does have some grasp on reality, you know."
"What's that supposed to mean? That if she were intent on killing us, she wouldn't be able to? She's stronger in the Force then any of us," Tahiri spoke up. Tenel Ka regarded her for a moment. Anakin and Tahiri had had a relationship and it was obvious that she was deeply grieving for him.
"Look: she's used the dark side before and she'll use it again. I promise you!" Zekk snapped vehemently. "The dark side is very seductive, and she'll find that out for certain, I'm sure."
"Whoa there Zekk, you're barking up the wrong tree here!" Alema retorted hotly, "The poor girl's been through hell, can't you account for that in your little analysis? Or does your lack of family prevent you from understanding what it's like to lose someone like that?"
Zekk lunged at the Twi'lek but was stopped by Lowbacca. The Wookiee growled a warning to both Jedi and Tenel Ka recognized it as a less polite way of saying, "calm down and be quiet."
"Listen, all of you. All this arguing is not going to help anyone. We need to contact Master Skywalker and update him on our situation. Then we can sort out the other things. I think we can all agree on one thing though: we aren't the people who can help our friend now."
Zekk was quiet for a moment.
"You're right, it's her family," He levelled his emerald gaze at Tenel Ka. "When we speak to Master Skywalker, we must make a request for him to come here personally. Perhaps he can reach Jaina in a way none of us can."
And with that came a unanimous agreement.
While the Jedi discussed how to brief Luke, there was discussion elsewhere on Hapes. In the sectors where high-ranking dignitaries lived, Archon Thane plotted to secure his future. He turned to the villip on his desk, and addressed the Yuuzhan Vong warmaster, whose face the villip mirrored.
"I'm certain, Warmaster, that we can come to some kind of agreement on the matter?"
The Vong seemed to reflect on the news of the Jedi arrival. "Yes, I believe we can, infidel" he replied. "I hope you and your associates can secure the group of Jeedai soon? I am most eager for someone to deliver Jaina Solo to me and the reward to that person will be most generous"
"Indeed, Warmaster, you shall have Solo and her compatriots within days." Thane eagerly replied, his thoughts of the riches he would get for this.
"Very well," the villip said, "You have one week".
The villip reverted to its normal shape, leaving Thane and his dreams of glory. One week to secure the Jedi! Thane had never before been gifted with such an easy task, and so long to complete it. He contemplated on what to do with the riches he would receive. There was that new blastboat that he wanted to add to his personal armada and it would come in handy if the Yuuzhan Vong got nasty with him.
Of course, it was not exactly common knowledge that Jaina was with the Jedi, as she was in solitude but Thane had managed to place a spy droid near to the Jedi quarters, and the faithful servant had relayed the information back to him. Judging by his personal analysis, he felt that Solo would not be a difficult adversary to neutralise, given her current state of mind. Though he did make one mental note to consider when briefing his men: It is imperative that Jaina Solo is taken alive. If not, then changes to the employment status of the men will be made. With that, he left his quarters to seek out his henchmen.
The Yuuzhan Vong ship penetrated Hapes's shields, and began its descent to the surface with Tenel Ka and Ganner at the controls. Still distracted by her concerns for Jaina, Tenel Ka did not notice the appearance of two Hapan fighters until Ganner spoke up,"Escort?" startling her.
"Yes, they carry the royal crest," she replied as she focused on them. The fighters were now in range of low range sensors and Tenel Ka could see one of the pilots gesturing for them to follow them. "Looks like we might have a welcoming committee," she sighed. That was the last thing they needed. The Jedi strike team was tired, physically and mentally, and no longer possessed the energy to put on brave faces for anyone. Too much had happened. Nevertheless, they had to do it, if only to project the image that the Jedi order needed: they were unbeaten, despite their losses. Of course, Tenel Ka knew, that was a load of rubbish. All they needed now was rest, and their families. Moreover, as the ship landed on the docking platform, she knew that need was desperate in all of them.
The Jedi team walked down the ramp and into the hangar to a deafening chorus of applause. The comrades looked at each other.
"Well, at least they're not shooting at us," Ganner commented wryly. Tenel Ka managed to smile at that, knowing some people in the cluster, Archon Thane among them, would certainly like to do just that. She saw her parents walking towards them, and could not stop herself from running to them as she had once done as a child. As they embraced her fiercely, she knew she was home, safe, at least for the moment. The rest of the Jedi now reached them and introductions were made. Tenel Ka now realised, that, in her eagerness to be reunited with her parents, she had not noticed that Jaina was not present. She sighed, at a loss about what to do with her friend. She reached out to her with the Force, and found her still in her cabin.
"Tenel Ka, are you going to stand there daydreaming all day?" her father's voice interrupted her reverie. With a start, she focused back on the rest of her companions, now about 25 meters away, headed towards the royal palace. They all looked slightly amused. Tenel Ka was rarely caught like that, she reflected with a hint of annoyance. then again, she was rarely worried about a friend who was edging on the dark side. She started to rejoin the group, concluding that Jaina was best left to her own devices, at least for the time being. As a long-term issue, that was out of the question, and yet, she could not find the answer to the problem.
"What are we going to do?" Zekk asked as the team sat in Tenel Ka's luxurious quarters in the palace. She had told the others of her worries about their friend and suggested that they work together to find a solution. However, none appeared.
"She used the dark side on the worldship to kill that guard and if we're not careful, she might have a shot at us too."
"Don't be melodramatic Zekk," Ganner said. "Jaina had one brother killed and the other's in Yuuzhan Vong captivity. Anyone else would be in the same state as she is. Besides, she would never try to attack any of us. She does have some grasp on reality, you know."
"What's that supposed to mean? That if she were intent on killing us, she wouldn't be able to? She's stronger in the Force then any of us," Tahiri spoke up. Tenel Ka regarded her for a moment. Anakin and Tahiri had had a relationship and it was obvious that she was deeply grieving for him.
"Look: she's used the dark side before and she'll use it again. I promise you!" Zekk snapped vehemently. "The dark side is very seductive, and she'll find that out for certain, I'm sure."
"Whoa there Zekk, you're barking up the wrong tree here!" Alema retorted hotly, "The poor girl's been through hell, can't you account for that in your little analysis? Or does your lack of family prevent you from understanding what it's like to lose someone like that?"
Zekk lunged at the Twi'lek but was stopped by Lowbacca. The Wookiee growled a warning to both Jedi and Tenel Ka recognized it as a less polite way of saying, "calm down and be quiet."
"Listen, all of you. All this arguing is not going to help anyone. We need to contact Master Skywalker and update him on our situation. Then we can sort out the other things. I think we can all agree on one thing though: we aren't the people who can help our friend now."
Zekk was quiet for a moment.
"You're right, it's her family," He levelled his emerald gaze at Tenel Ka. "When we speak to Master Skywalker, we must make a request for him to come here personally. Perhaps he can reach Jaina in a way none of us can."
And with that came a unanimous agreement.
While the Jedi discussed how to brief Luke, there was discussion elsewhere on Hapes. In the sectors where high-ranking dignitaries lived, Archon Thane plotted to secure his future. He turned to the villip on his desk, and addressed the Yuuzhan Vong warmaster, whose face the villip mirrored.
"I'm certain, Warmaster, that we can come to some kind of agreement on the matter?"
The Vong seemed to reflect on the news of the Jedi arrival. "Yes, I believe we can, infidel" he replied. "I hope you and your associates can secure the group of Jeedai soon? I am most eager for someone to deliver Jaina Solo to me and the reward to that person will be most generous"
"Indeed, Warmaster, you shall have Solo and her compatriots within days." Thane eagerly replied, his thoughts of the riches he would get for this.
"Very well," the villip said, "You have one week".
The villip reverted to its normal shape, leaving Thane and his dreams of glory. One week to secure the Jedi! Thane had never before been gifted with such an easy task, and so long to complete it. He contemplated on what to do with the riches he would receive. There was that new blastboat that he wanted to add to his personal armada and it would come in handy if the Yuuzhan Vong got nasty with him.
Of course, it was not exactly common knowledge that Jaina was with the Jedi, as she was in solitude but Thane had managed to place a spy droid near to the Jedi quarters, and the faithful servant had relayed the information back to him. Judging by his personal analysis, he felt that Solo would not be a difficult adversary to neutralise, given her current state of mind. Though he did make one mental note to consider when briefing his men: It is imperative that Jaina Solo is taken alive. If not, then changes to the employment status of the men will be made. With that, he left his quarters to seek out his henchmen.