A/n: this is the updated Chapter 4...enjoy and don't forget to review.
~*~
CHAPTER 4
"Something's happening" Jacen bolted into a sitting position. He had been indulging in an afternoon nap. Danni looked up from her the report she was going over. "Did you have a vision?"
Jacen rubbed his sleep smooshed face. "No, it was more of an impression. It has something to do with - Tahiri." Jacen furrowed his forehead as if he were trying to focus on a far away object. "Something is different."
"Is that good or bad?" the concern on Danni's face was very obvious, but Jacen wasn't paying attention.
"Good, I think," he mumbled. He got off the bed and started putting on his Jedi robes. "I have to go." Without further explanation, Jacen exited the room.
~*~
"I just had the strangest request from Jacen. He wanted to borrow my X- wing."
"Don't look at me, kid," Han told his brother-in-law. "You're the Jedi Master. I was just as puzzled when Jacen told me he wanted to borrow the Millennium Falcon. Obviously, I said 'no'. "
"Then you also don't know where he intends to go."
Han shrugged. "Why do you think I came over here? Jacen isn't offering information, so Leia won't ask. But she'll be damned if she lets me rest 'til she finds out. I admit I'm curious, too. Leia thinks it might have something to do with our little friend Tahiri."
"I get that impression, too. But you forget that Tahiri isn't that little anymore."
"True, they grow up so fast," Han heaved a rare sigh of sentimentality.
~*~
"Good job, Lieutenant Colonel. You're making great progress. In another month you will have mastered the formation."
"Hah. Great progress, indeed. I can fly circles around you," Jaina retorted.
"That may be true, but the purpose of the maneuver is for the phalanx to retain strict formation. "
"Training is over, so you can stop with the nagging. It's time for some R & R." Jaina beckoned him over with a crook of her finger. "Col. Fel, can Jag come out to play?" she asked teasingly.
"Jag would love to, but first we have a date with the Baron."
Jaina groaned. She hadn't forgotten the appointment but was hoping to avoid it. The first visit with Jag's family a week ago had been a disaster. His parents had acted very formal while his youngest sister Wyn had been an obnoxious brat. The meal had been very uncomfortable, and Jaina knew that all parties involved were relieved when it was over. Maybe if she pleaded with Jag, she could convince him to abandon his plans for a second meeting. "Do we have to? Wouldn't you rather -" She whispered the most seductive thing she could think of into his ear.
"Tempting, but the Chiss are made of sterner stuff. You aren't scared of my father, are you?"
That got Jaina's back stiffening. "Of course not. A dozen Imperials couldn't scare Jaina Solo. Nope, Solo's are made of sterner stuff." She marched forward with determination.
Jag hanged back half a step so he could indulge in an inner smirk. Oh yes, Jaina had buttons, and he knew exactly which ones to push.
Minutes later they entered the Assistant Syndic's office. Imperial and Rebel eyed each other.
"I wasn't expecting you so soon. Syal and Wynssa will be here shortly. Have a seat."
Jaina wasn't sure how to respond as Jag remained standing. Feeling awkward enough, Jaina did as she was told. It was only then that she noticed the Sabaac table. Her eyes gleamed. "Do you play, Baron?" The challenge in her voice was clear.
"Does a banthar stink?" He moved over to the board and took his seat. He motioned for Jaina to switch to the seat across from him. Soontir tossed a bag of dummy credits that Jaina deftly caught. "Up for a friendly game, Solo?"
"Bring it on."
~*~
Jacen powered up his uncle's X-wing and lifted off. Jacen tried to make himself comfortable in the limited space. He would have much preferred the Millennium Falcon or Aunt Mara's Jade Shadow. Then again, beggars couldn't be choosers. He knew, when he had asked, that there was no way his dad would let him take his pride and joy out solo - Despite his name. Han might have let Jaina borrow the Falcon.
"Jaina." Jacen stretched out his senses through the Force, at the same time concentrating on the twin bond with his sister. Her feelings came through crystal clear. Jacen's lips spread in an easy smile. He was glad. He could feel her happiness. For the first time in a long while, she was letting herself relax. Jacen had yet to completely accept the source of her joy. He was still getting over the shock of his sister's relationship with the Imperial pilot. Conversely, Jacen was sure that Jaina felt the same way about his relationship with Danni. Tenel Ka was a good friend of hers, so naturally she preferred that he be with the warrior queen. Sometimes when she brought it up, Jacen was tempted to remind her about the crush she had on Zekk, but that would be playing dirty. Instead he chose not to defend his relationship, not even to Tenel Ka.
Though she tried to be discreet, Jacen knew Tenel Ka still loved him. On his part, adolescent love had evolved into something more, something different.
He thought about all this and more as he traveled seemingly aimlessly through deep space. In fact, he did not know where he was headed but let the Force guide the craft.
~*~
Tenel Ka paced the gilded floor of the Royal Suite. Such useless expenditure of energy was only something she did when thoroughly distressed and only in total privacy.
She could feel his presence getting stronger. That meant one of two things: either he was expanding himself in the Force or he was getting physically closer to Hapes. Whichever it was, Tenel Ka knew she had to control herself. Jacen's time with Vergere, his experience in the Embrace of Pain, and the last climatic battle with Omnimi had heightened his Force sensitivity greatly.
Tenel Ka tentatively opened herself to the Force. Yes, Jacen was definitely drawing closer. Soon he would be close enough to sense her emotions and thoughts as his own. Tenel Ka's instinctive reaction was to block herself off completely, but she had a secret to keep and doing so would definitely arouse Jacen's suspicions. It was because of her warrior's training more than her Jedi skills that helped her maintain an innocent front. Tenel Ka very much hated the pretence she was placing between herself and Jacen. The last release she allowed herself was the simply phrase, "Tahiri, hurry."
~*~
Tahiri drew her knees in and hugged them tightly. She curled herself into a ball like so many times before when she could not take the guilt and grief. There was still sadness; it would always be there. But she also knew that there was now hope as well. She clung to hope as tightly as she clung to herself. "Come back to me, Anakin, come back." The whispered plea was like a lullaby's refrain repeated over and over again as she gently rocked herself to sleep.
~*~
CHAPTER 4
"Something's happening" Jacen bolted into a sitting position. He had been indulging in an afternoon nap. Danni looked up from her the report she was going over. "Did you have a vision?"
Jacen rubbed his sleep smooshed face. "No, it was more of an impression. It has something to do with - Tahiri." Jacen furrowed his forehead as if he were trying to focus on a far away object. "Something is different."
"Is that good or bad?" the concern on Danni's face was very obvious, but Jacen wasn't paying attention.
"Good, I think," he mumbled. He got off the bed and started putting on his Jedi robes. "I have to go." Without further explanation, Jacen exited the room.
~*~
"I just had the strangest request from Jacen. He wanted to borrow my X- wing."
"Don't look at me, kid," Han told his brother-in-law. "You're the Jedi Master. I was just as puzzled when Jacen told me he wanted to borrow the Millennium Falcon. Obviously, I said 'no'. "
"Then you also don't know where he intends to go."
Han shrugged. "Why do you think I came over here? Jacen isn't offering information, so Leia won't ask. But she'll be damned if she lets me rest 'til she finds out. I admit I'm curious, too. Leia thinks it might have something to do with our little friend Tahiri."
"I get that impression, too. But you forget that Tahiri isn't that little anymore."
"True, they grow up so fast," Han heaved a rare sigh of sentimentality.
~*~
"Good job, Lieutenant Colonel. You're making great progress. In another month you will have mastered the formation."
"Hah. Great progress, indeed. I can fly circles around you," Jaina retorted.
"That may be true, but the purpose of the maneuver is for the phalanx to retain strict formation. "
"Training is over, so you can stop with the nagging. It's time for some R & R." Jaina beckoned him over with a crook of her finger. "Col. Fel, can Jag come out to play?" she asked teasingly.
"Jag would love to, but first we have a date with the Baron."
Jaina groaned. She hadn't forgotten the appointment but was hoping to avoid it. The first visit with Jag's family a week ago had been a disaster. His parents had acted very formal while his youngest sister Wyn had been an obnoxious brat. The meal had been very uncomfortable, and Jaina knew that all parties involved were relieved when it was over. Maybe if she pleaded with Jag, she could convince him to abandon his plans for a second meeting. "Do we have to? Wouldn't you rather -" She whispered the most seductive thing she could think of into his ear.
"Tempting, but the Chiss are made of sterner stuff. You aren't scared of my father, are you?"
That got Jaina's back stiffening. "Of course not. A dozen Imperials couldn't scare Jaina Solo. Nope, Solo's are made of sterner stuff." She marched forward with determination.
Jag hanged back half a step so he could indulge in an inner smirk. Oh yes, Jaina had buttons, and he knew exactly which ones to push.
Minutes later they entered the Assistant Syndic's office. Imperial and Rebel eyed each other.
"I wasn't expecting you so soon. Syal and Wynssa will be here shortly. Have a seat."
Jaina wasn't sure how to respond as Jag remained standing. Feeling awkward enough, Jaina did as she was told. It was only then that she noticed the Sabaac table. Her eyes gleamed. "Do you play, Baron?" The challenge in her voice was clear.
"Does a banthar stink?" He moved over to the board and took his seat. He motioned for Jaina to switch to the seat across from him. Soontir tossed a bag of dummy credits that Jaina deftly caught. "Up for a friendly game, Solo?"
"Bring it on."
~*~
Jacen powered up his uncle's X-wing and lifted off. Jacen tried to make himself comfortable in the limited space. He would have much preferred the Millennium Falcon or Aunt Mara's Jade Shadow. Then again, beggars couldn't be choosers. He knew, when he had asked, that there was no way his dad would let him take his pride and joy out solo - Despite his name. Han might have let Jaina borrow the Falcon.
"Jaina." Jacen stretched out his senses through the Force, at the same time concentrating on the twin bond with his sister. Her feelings came through crystal clear. Jacen's lips spread in an easy smile. He was glad. He could feel her happiness. For the first time in a long while, she was letting herself relax. Jacen had yet to completely accept the source of her joy. He was still getting over the shock of his sister's relationship with the Imperial pilot. Conversely, Jacen was sure that Jaina felt the same way about his relationship with Danni. Tenel Ka was a good friend of hers, so naturally she preferred that he be with the warrior queen. Sometimes when she brought it up, Jacen was tempted to remind her about the crush she had on Zekk, but that would be playing dirty. Instead he chose not to defend his relationship, not even to Tenel Ka.
Though she tried to be discreet, Jacen knew Tenel Ka still loved him. On his part, adolescent love had evolved into something more, something different.
He thought about all this and more as he traveled seemingly aimlessly through deep space. In fact, he did not know where he was headed but let the Force guide the craft.
~*~
Tenel Ka paced the gilded floor of the Royal Suite. Such useless expenditure of energy was only something she did when thoroughly distressed and only in total privacy.
She could feel his presence getting stronger. That meant one of two things: either he was expanding himself in the Force or he was getting physically closer to Hapes. Whichever it was, Tenel Ka knew she had to control herself. Jacen's time with Vergere, his experience in the Embrace of Pain, and the last climatic battle with Omnimi had heightened his Force sensitivity greatly.
Tenel Ka tentatively opened herself to the Force. Yes, Jacen was definitely drawing closer. Soon he would be close enough to sense her emotions and thoughts as his own. Tenel Ka's instinctive reaction was to block herself off completely, but she had a secret to keep and doing so would definitely arouse Jacen's suspicions. It was because of her warrior's training more than her Jedi skills that helped her maintain an innocent front. Tenel Ka very much hated the pretence she was placing between herself and Jacen. The last release she allowed herself was the simply phrase, "Tahiri, hurry."
~*~
Tahiri drew her knees in and hugged them tightly. She curled herself into a ball like so many times before when she could not take the guilt and grief. There was still sadness; it would always be there. But she also knew that there was now hope as well. She clung to hope as tightly as she clung to herself. "Come back to me, Anakin, come back." The whispered plea was like a lullaby's refrain repeated over and over again as she gently rocked herself to sleep.
