Jacen woke to the sound of beeping. He frowned, his sleep-clouded brain not registering what could possibly be beeping at this hour of the night.

He slitted his eyes, and quickly closed them again; the light was much too bright to be night time. Had he over-slept?

He rolled, reaching for his wife, only to find cool cloth where she normally lay. Frowning, he wondered where she was, before the events of the morning flashed back to him in a rush. Vola. Gidden. He groaned, throwing his arm over his eyes. His head was still pounding and that incessant beeping wasn't helping.

Beeping. It had woken him up, but why? Now that his brain was starting to function again, he could tell the beeping was soft. So soft, it shouldn't have woken him.

He sighed, pushing himself out of bed, and keeping his gaze away from the directly light of the window as he searched for the source of the beep. The light flashing on their private comm. console indicated that someone had sent, and left a message. Barefoot, he padded to the chair in front of the console and checked the history.

One message from Mara Jade-Skywalker. Mara? He frowned. Why hadn't his Uncle Luke replied?

Jacen keyed the message and found nothing but text dated less than five standard minutes old.

Jacen.

We're on our way to speak with you about your message. Expect us within a standard week.

We'll talk then.

Mara.

Jacen frowned at the short message. More visitors? He made a face. After three months, couldn't people just leave him and Tenel Ka alone? Force sakes, he wanted some time with his wife!

He closed his eyes, running one hand through his hair. He supposed he would have to get used to it. With Gidden and another child, perhaps children, on the way, he wouldn't have her to himself for long. He sighed, leaning back in the chair and opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling. The image of the gray eyed girl with brown curls floated in his vision.

Was this to be the child Tenel Ka was carrying? He smiled faintly. A part of him hoped so. The girl in his mind's eye was cute as a button. The impish smile with a touch of the infamous Solo grin, the brown hair done up in warrior braids, dressed in the small lizard skin outfit that Tenel Ka would insist upon.

The image vanished and he pushed himself to his feet. Luke and Mara would be here before Gidden was ready; he intended to see that the boy could impress them

A roughish smile split his face as he shook his head. Gidden's lack of manners wouldn't, but his potential surely would. Jacen eyed the bed for a long moment before turning away from it and settling on the floor. He closed his eyes, needing to clear his mind and sleep certainly wasn't helping.

He began to meditate, clearing his mind as he slipped into the mainstream of the Force.


Tenel Ka knocked Gidden to the mat with the sweep of one leg, standing at ready position as he looked up at her startled.

"What me do?"

"What did you do," she corrected sternly. "You must learn to speak properly, Gidden."

He stuck his tongue out at her, attempting to get to his feet. "Me no like this game."

"You do not like this game." Her leg shot out, dumping him to the mat again.

"You mean lady, Ten'Ka!"

She crouched next to him, seeing his lower lip trembling. "Gidden."

He wouldn't look at her, simply stared at his hands as his eyes filled with tears.

"Gidden."

His chin slowly rose at the commanding tone.

"What would you like to do to me?"

He blinked, one tear sliding down his narrow cheeks. "Make you hurt."

"What do you feel?"

"Mad."

"And how do you want to use that anger?"

His eyes slowly widened. "Me never hurt nobody."

"You mean; you would never hurt anybody." Her gray eyes sparkled.

"Yup. Me... er... I wood never hurt anybody."

"That is better. What have we talked about anger?"

"Anger is bad." His eyes almost crossed as he concentrated. "Anger leads to the darkside. What darkside?"

"The darkside is selfishness, when you think only of yourself. Do you do this, Gidden?"

"Nope." His smile was toothy. "Me... always thinkin' 'bout mens."

"Just men?"

His smile turned sheepish. "Me... I do not like to think about women." He said slowly, concentrating.

Tenel Ka nodded with satisfaction. "Better. Why do you not think about women?"

"Me... I don' like them."

"Good. Why?"

Gidden made a face. "What this have to do with anything?"

"We are finding the source of your anger, Gidden. Only when you control yourself and are at peace, can you hope to learn the ways of the Jedi."

"You talk funny, Ten'Ka."

"I quote Master Skywalker," she told him, amused. "One day you will meet him, but not today. Stand."

He pushed himself to his feet as she resumed hers, his stance slightly awkward with the mis-matched length of his legs.

She looked at him critically, taking a defensive stance. "Clear your mind and think that you will strike me."

"Why?"

"This will be your first lesson in how to strike an opponent. You must first be at peace, without anger, for this to succeed."

Gidden scrubbed his face free of tears and closed his eyes.

"Do not close your eyes."

They popped open, "Than how me..." he bit his lip, trying again. "Then how am I gonna clear mind?"

Tenel Ka arched an eyebrow. "You will learn. Focus on what you would like to do, at this very moment, and let the rest slide away. Think only of that focus. You will quiet your mind."

"Me... I wanna hit you?"

She nodded.

He looked at her dubiously and focused solely on getting past her defenses.


In the rafters above the gym, malevolent eyes stared at the new Prince and his adopted mother. Impure, the thought was second nature. The new Prince would have to be disposed of quickly before he could be introduced to the Hapan Consortium as Heir to the throne.

A whisper of wind caused the Queen mother to look up, her gray eyes scanning the roof of the training hall, even as she deflected Gidden's strikes. Her eyes narrowed.

Something wasn't right.


Jacen's eyes flew open as his Danger Sense flared. His lightsaber leapt from the night table across the room and into his hand as he spun to his feet, meeting and deflecting the blaster bolt which angled in from the slightly open window towards where the back of his head had been moments before. The bolt rebounded off his blade, striking the ceiling to leave a black char mark. He stepped to the side, his breathing easy, chancing a peak out into the rapidly darkening sky.

Nothing.

No wind stirred, not a bird flew or sang. The sounds of the distant city and the waves hitting the shore covered any additional sounds which might have given away his attacker.

Nothing.

He reached out with the Force, searching for malicious intent, for anything, that would give him a clue. The next rooms were empty, the balcony leading to the great hall and the rooms beyond filled with servants preparing for Tenel Ka and Jacen's formal announcement of Gidden two days hence. He could sense only anticipation and excitement from them.

A darker flavor of emotions was emanating from the bowels of the dungeon. Jacen closed down his lightsaber, closing his eyes as he kept his back to the wall. Ta'a Chume. His lips thinned. He'd thought she was beaten, that with her ties to the crown and the royal family publicly severed, she would have been a beaten, crushed foe.

He'd been mistaken. He could feel her, almost hear her, coming up with plot after plot to regain control of the Consortium. He could hear the thoughts of the untrained guards around her, worrying about visitors who claimed to be authorized. He could sense their fear of the captive; their unwillingness to do anything to antagonize her or her visitors.

His eyes opened, hardened amber glinting in the dying sunlight.

Ta'a Chume had been left to her own devices, assuming to have been beaten. This time, Jacen was the jailor and she... she would learn she held sway over nothing.

He turned from the window, pausing only to open it to help vent out the room, before his confident strides carried him from the room. It was past time since he or Tenel Ka had spoken with their prisoner and he was going to rectify that.


Tenel Ka and Gidden completed their lesson after two hours on the mat. She had learned much about his fighting style, and had already started compiling a training program that would work on improving his weaknesses.

Gidden followed close on her heels as she entered the suites she shared with Jacen.

Gidden frowned. "Where Jay-sin?"

Tenel Ka's brow knit together as she stopped, sniffing the air. Burnt ozone.

She walked swiftly to the bedchamber and threw open the door.

The window was open, the gentle breeze lifting the curtains away from the sill. The bed was rumpled, having been slept in, the light on the night table glowing softly. A scorch mark was visible on the ceiling beside the bed, and Jacen's robe had been left draped over a near by chair.

"Jacen?" Tenel Ka knew, even as she asked, that he wasn't there. She checked the fresher before returning to the bedchamber.

Gidden was standing on the bed trying to reach the scorch mark, his brown furrowed in concentration. He was standing on one leg, the longer one, hopping a little to try and investigate the new sight.

"Gidden!" Tenel Ka lunged for him, knocking him to the ground as a blaster bolt slammed into the wall above the bed, a hair shy of striking her.

She rolled, hitting the ground on one shoulder, and came to her feet, Gidden at her back and lightsaber in hand. She felt a twinge in her belly, suddenly feeling sick. She pushed it away as adrenaline rushed through her system. "Jana!"

The aid was quick to appear. "Yes, Tenel Ka?" Jana frowned, sniffing the air. "What is that smell?"

"Take Gidden. Give him to the guard; they are to protect him. There have been shots fired into our bedchamber this evening. I will find Jacen."

"But... he's gone to speak with the prisoners!"

Tenel Ka met Jana's gaze. "Then I will join him. Make the arrangements for us and our guests to leave for the Island retreat immediately. Only the guards can accompany us."

"Yes, your Majesty." Jana grabbed Gidden by the hand. "Come on, young prince, let's go find Scruffy; she's going to be your new best friend."

"Scruffy?"

Jana smiled. "She's the head of the Queen Mother's guards after me. You'll like her."

Gidden and Jana disappeared and Tenel Ka turned her attention back to the room. Two blaster bolts. Two different heights. Two different times.

She stepped to the window, her lightsaber un-ignited but ready just in case. The balconies of the other apartments of the palace held many hiding places. The droids, a simple minded person, anyone could be the would-be assassin.

She closed the window firmly and pulled the shutters closed before she shut the drapes. The window would no longer be a threat, for the moment, but they couldn't stay here. Not until the rogue element was found and dealt with.

Turning on her heel, she strode from the room, hooking her lightsaber back on her belt. Jacen was speaking with the prisoners and she needed to speak with Jacen. She waved away the guards that made to follow her, directing them instead to watch the child.

She could take care of herself and she wanted no more witnesses then there already were in the dungeons. Ta'a Chume had questions to answer. Questions which would be answered one way or another.


A woman of average height, average looks, and sporting several scars looked up as Jana entered the office. She pushed her paperwork off to the side as she saw the new Prince followed. "Jana, what can I do for you?"

Gidden's eyes widened. "You speak like rough road. All gravelly and stuff."

Scruffy leveled her gaze on the young prince, her silver-blue eyes calm. "An accident, young Prince that crushed part of my wind pipe."

"You been hurt?"

Scruffy smirked. "In the course of my work? All the time. It comes with the turf. Is something wrong, Jana?"

Jana pulled Gidden in front of her, laying her hands on his shoulders. "Someone attempted to eliminate the young Prince today in the Royal bed chamber. The Queen Mother has declared that all of her guests and the Royal Family are to be moved to the island fortress. I will need a guard posted on Prince Gidden until such a time as preparations are made and he can be removed from the city."

"But Jana!" Gidden's wine was matched by a pout. "I don' want guards!"

She squeezed his shoulders. "You don't have a choice, Gidden."

He crossed his arms over his shoulder and scuffed the floor with his shorter leg.

Scruffy examined the Prince with a critical eye. "We have a couple of new recruits who are finished their training and need some experience - they're in their teens. I think having an older sister or similar kind of bodyguard presence would be better. One you can play with maybe?"

"Games?" Gidden looked hopeful at the thought of gaining a playmate.

Scruffy arched an eyebrow at him. "You had something else in mind, young master?"

"But, what about Jana? She coming too, right?"

"Jana's place is here, young man." Scruffy's tone was firm, but not harsh. "She's the mouthpiece of the Queen when the Queen can't be here. You are subject to her, and consequently, my orders when the Queen is indisposed."

Gidden blinked, unable to understand the woman and stared at her blankly.

Jana chuckled. "She means, Gidden, that I can't come with you because I have to do Tenel Ka's job when she's not here. She doesn't have a decoy so we have to have other security measures."

"Decoy?"

Scruffy laughed.

Gidden jumped as the creaking, sandpaper sound echoed in the room. His wide-eyed gaze met Scruff's amused one.

"Young Prince, you have much to learn. I will assign you a couple of guards so that one may play with you and the other guard you. Is that to your liking?"

"What kind?"

"Girls." Scruffy made a note on one of the pads on her desk. "Tanner and Mikalea; they're relatively new, but very well trained. And they each have younger siblings, so you'll be helping keep them from being homesick."

Gidden stuck out his lip, pouting. "Girls. Yuck."

Scruffy waved them away, moving to go back to her paperwork. "I'll send for them right away, Jana. If you've nothing else..."

Jana didn't move. "One more thing."

"Oh?"

"Vola and Flynn will also need to be put under discreet guard until they can be moved. I'm afraid Vola's in no shape to travel just yet."

Scruffy leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest. "The Yuuzhan Vong, right?"

Jana held her ground, knowing that many of Scruffy's students and companions had been killed in the recently ended war. "Yes. I know your feelings, old friend, but put them aside. Vola is not a typical Yuuzhan Vong."

"Oh?" Scruffy's tone was soft, deadly. "Enlighten me."

Jana smiled faintly. "She has a nose."

Scruffy blinked and Gidden giggled.

"Was that supposed to convince me, Jana?"

Jana shrugged. "The species as a whole mutilates themselves at an early age. She has not. That should tell you something."

"I don't like it."

Jana leaned forward over Gidden, releasing her hold on him and slapping her palms down on the desk, her gaze on Scruffy's. "You don't have to like it, Scruffy, you just have to do it. The Queen mother's friends are our responsibility now and that includes the species you don't like. Assign them guards; I'll speak with you later."

Scruffy didn't say anything as Jana took Gidden's hand and led him from the room, the door closing firmly behind them. She finally took a deep breath, counting backwards from ten, before letting it out. Guard a Yuuzhan Vong? A wry smile tilted her lips and she shook her head once. Her fellow guards weren't going to like this. Not one bit.


Gidden was quiet as Jana led him back to his quarters, feeling that she didn't need him to speak.

First, he'd been enjoying a day with Ten'Ka. Then learned something new about Jacen, only to come looking for him and have Ten'Ka tackle him to the floor for no reason, then Jana took him to the raspy lady and said stuff he couldn't understand, and now he was going to his room. And he hadn't done anything wrong!

He was on confused little boy.

He squirmed against Jana's grip. "Jana, you hurting me."

Her grip relaxed a little and he felt his fingers begin to tingle. "Sorry, Gidden, I'm just frustrated with Scruffy, that's all."

"Why you call her Scruffy?"

Jana glanced down at him and smiled. "One day, when you're older, you'll be able to understand the story. Ask me then, ok?"

"How old?"

"Sixteen."

"But that's a long time away!"

She ruffled his hair. "Sooner than you think, young prince. Can you keep two young women entertained while I go find Tenel Ka and talk to her about the arrangements?"

Gidden sighed dramatically. "If I gotta."

She ruffled his hair again. "Yes, you must, but only for a little while. Soon enough you and Flynn can tease Vola on the island."

"Ten'Ka not coming?"

"I don't know, Gidden." Jana stopped by his door, palming it open. "Tenel Ka may choose to stay here to search for the Assassin. If she does, I'll be going with you, but she and Jacen will remain here. Would that bother you?"

"Me stay with Ten'Ka." He stepped into his room, fighting a sudden yawn.

Jana's smile was soft. "Of course, Gidden. Why don't you get some sleep, then you can keep the girls occupied when they get here."

"Okay." He didn't protest, simply went to his pallet on the floor and curled up in the blanket.

Jana shook her head in amusement as he was asleep in second. Ah, to be a child again. With a sigh she closed and locked the door, turning towards her next task. Vola and Flynn wouldn't be happy to hear of the re-location but they had to know. Jana only hoped Flynn would understand with Vola still being in a delicate condition. From what Tenel Ka had told her about the independent couple, she had a hunch he wouldn't like it. Not one bit.


Jacen entered the dungeon of the Fountain palace with sure steps. The air was dry, musty from lack of circulation and smelled of blood and sweat. It was also quiet. No pleading, no crying and no sound of torture.

A pity; torture had its uses.

The guards snapped to attention as he approached the cells holding Ta'a Chume and the senate members who'd been taken from the chamber. His gaze moved neither left, no right, but Jacen could hear them. He could see that they'd been put into cells in groups of four, sometimes five, forcing them to live in shifts. With two pallets a cell, it made for uncomfortable living.

The noise began as he approached, the curses coming his way, the cries for mercy and leniency. The sobbing.

Jacen tuned it out, his objective, the sealed cell at the end of the hall, his only focus. The senate members were nothing. Not one of them had the power to attempt to take his life. Not one of them had the nerve or the resources to try such a daring move.

Not one.

Yet, even as he passed the screaming women, he could feel their fear more than their professed hatred of him. He embodied everything they feared. He was the reasons for their loss of power. He was the reason for change.

To them he was simply an icon of change. Changes that would tear their civilization apart and leave them powerless in the aftermath.

He let the feelings roll of his back like water. Nothing they could do would change what was already taking place. Nothing would stop the reforms he and Tenel Ka were implementing. Men had tasted their freedoms, and while he was their leader in a lot of ways, his death would only make him a martyr. His death would have given them an icon to follow and emulate in search of their desires.

And so these women rightfully feared him.

The guard at the cell door stepped to the side, saluting as Jacen stopped. "Open the cell."

"Yes, sire." The guard pulled out the key controls and quickly entered the combination before unlocking the cell. The hiss of the hydraulics releasing the pressure to allow the door to open was audible, even in the commotion of the dungeon.

The hiss was suddenly the only sound as the door swung open, the delegates from the senate straining to glimpse the woman who had brought them to such powers, only to have been betrayed by family.

The cell was dark, drawing a disappointed sound from the onlookers.

Jacen ignored them, looking into the darkness, the only light shining down in one corner, illuminating the captive.

Bound hand and foot, the stun cuffs humming softly in the darkness with chains that led away from wrist and ankle to the wall, the captive was forced into an almost indecent posture.

Gone was the veil, the proud and noble bearing. Gone was the poised, refined Queen Mother who'd ruled Hapes for decades. Gone was the creature that had held him captive below ground with threats and abuse.

Jacen beheld a shrunken creature, her red hair strung around her face like drying straw. Her green eyes, once so vivid with passion and hatred had sunken into her skull only to stand out against cheeks so thing the bones were visible. Her clothing, unchanged in days, was rank, tattered and torn. It exposed flesh more than it hid, but hung off a gaunt frame he had trouble believing.

"What happened?"

The guard glanced into the cell before snapping her gaze back to his. "She won't eat, sire. She hasn't touched the water we've brought her and she refuses to move. She simply stares at the same spot on the floor, blinking occasionally. I think she's trying to starve herself, sire. Rather that than beheading and a peasant's funeral."

Jacen stepped into the cell. "Bring me clean water and food; she'll eat before the day is done."

The guard saluted, closing the door behind him, but not sealing the cell.

Jacen acknowledged the guard with a wave, turning his gaze back to the pathetic creature within. "Ta'a Chume."

She didn't look up and Jacen idly wondered if she was able to.

"Ta'a Chume." He raised his voice, not unkindly, as he stepped towards her circle of light.

"Have you come to gloat, Jacen Solo?" Her voice was rough, a raspy whisper, as she forced the words through a mouth and body that was becoming severely dehydrated.

"On the contrary; I've come for advice." He stepped into reach, entering the lit circle.

"Don't mock me, male." She tried to spit at as his feet, but no moisture came to her mouth. "You've come to enjoy your victory. The evil Ta'a Chume finally defeated. Let me die in peace."

Jacen crouched so that she would look him in the eye. "I need your help, Ta'a Chume, and in return, perhaps I can do you a favor."

"I want nothing from you."

Jacen smiled faintly. "I don't blame you for that. Did you attempt to have me killed again?"

Her laugh was harsh, degenerating quickly into a dry, hacking cough.

Jacen waited as she fought to regain her breath. "I didn't think so."

"You have many enemies, Jacen Solo. Don't expect me to help you find them."

"And if I were to offer a Royal Pardon and a comfortable exile?"

Jacen didn't even flinch as the voice of his wife echoed in the cell, making the unexpected offer.

Ta'a Chume's head came up slowly, as if the weight was too great for her neck. "You lie, child. I am to die for treason I did not commit."

"Treason you have repeatedly committed." Tenel Ka corrected. "You should die for killing my mother if for no other reason."

"She killed herself." Ta'a Chume's smile was grim, her lips cracking and beginning to bleed. "She should never have been Queen Mother."

Tenel Ka's gaze was impassive.

"What if Tenel Ka were to publicly acknowledge you as kin, Ta'a Chume. Would you help then?"

They both saw her jerk as if struck.

Jacen reached out to gently grasp Ta'a Chume's hand, feeling the leathery skin. The heat under the lamp was sucking the moisture from her body. "Family is important to you, Ta'a Chume, as is being a part of the greater scheme. We're up against someone we haven't yet identified. If nothing else, this meeting will end my suspicion of you as a suspect behind it. Tenel Ka is still family; you didn't try to have her killed."

Ta'a Chume's head dropped. "Leave me."

Tenel Ka grasped Jacen's other hand and pulled him to his feet, breaking the contact. She pulled him from the cell as the guard arrived with the food and water. Jacen waved him in, meeting Tenel Ka's gaze. She held close, embracing him despite their surroundings. "She is no longer a threat."

Jacen placed his chin on the top of her head, gently stroking her hair. "My only question then is, if not her, then who?"

Tenel Ka didn't answer. She'd come down expecting the perpetrator to be Ta'a Chume only to find a shell of the woman who had wielded the office with power and authority. A shell who had no desire except to die.

Tenel Ka pulled away slowly, meeting his gaze. "I do not know, but we had best find out. Come, we must speak with intelligence."

He didn't protest, simply held her back long enough to give the order to allow Ta'a Chume unchained and to have her clothing changed. The rest would be up to her.