The big day had arrived, and everything seemed to be running smoothly. Then again, inside the linen tent where the women were being dressed and readied, Jaina Solo was thinking otherwise.
"I think I'm making a mistake," she blurted out, stopping not only her closest of friends and family, but also the beauty maids who were poking and prodding at her hair, face, and body.
"What are you talking about?" her mother asked. Leia had long been ready, her hair pulled back into an elaborate braid and held with shimmering pieces of silk. Her dress was made of the same material and hung down to the sand.
"Well, it's just that Wedge…he's…" she started to say.
"Old?" Mara Jade suddenly erupted. When several pairs of eyes turned on her, her face flushed about the same color as the rouge she was holding in her hand, "I mean, compared to you, I guess."
Jaina favored her aunt with a tight-lipped smile, "It wasn't exactly what I was thinking…he's been married before, and that turned into a flop. I'm just afraid that I haven't changed things, and that the same thing will happen to us."
"Oh darling, you're just nervous. I had the same jitters before I married your father, and look at us!" Leia said, resting an assuring arm around her shoulders.
Jaina looked skeptically at her mother and sighed. She glanced to the mirror and chewed on her lip for a moment, "I don't want to wear this dress."
"What?" it was Leia's turn to erupt, causing Mara to have to cover her face to conceal a snicker, "What else are you going to wear?"
"Anything but this. I'm uncomfortable; it's making this all not seem right. I'd rather wear my flight suit," the young woman's eyes lit up, "My flight suit!"
"Please tell me this is a joke, Jaina," Tenel Ka said. Even she had agreed to wear a dress over her leather-hide armor.
"No. I want to wear my flight suit," she looked to the only face that was going to listen, "Aunt Mara."
"You're the boss!" Mara answered, putting her hands up in the air. Rendezvous with me, Skywalker, you're not going to believe the last minute change that was just made. She pushed her way out of the opening of the tent, smiling as she saw Luke come out of the men's. He was dressed in his ceremonial Jedi robes; she had preferred to wear a free-flowing dark green dress that hit just below her knees.
"You look beautiful," her husband said, almost as if on cue.
Mara gave him a smirk, "Thank you love, but I come to you not with compliments, though you do look dashing yourself. Jaina has suddenly taken the liberty to wear her flight suit instead of her gown."
Luke chuckled, "Not surprised, but still, go on."
"Well I'm not going to have her standing up there like a fool! Your job is to get Wedge's, go back in there, and convince him to do the same."
"Alright, but let's make it quick, Ben is getting antsy in his dress clothes already."
Mara and Luke quickly made their way to the Firebird. They found both Wedge and Jaina's flight suits in the storage compartment. Wedge had requested a change of color not long after the two were granted pardon, so now the couple flew wearing a deep shade of cobalt blue instead of any Alliance-affiliated shades. Mara and Luke parted ways and the latter immediately faced scrutiny as he pushed through the curtains of the tent.
"What are you doing with that?" Wes Janson asked.
"Change of plans," Luke answered quickly, holding the flight suit out to Wedge, who was just finishing buttoning his sleeves, "Jaina insists that the two of you be married in a garb more suiting to your tastes."
A quick smile flitted over Wedge's features, "Not a problem for me, but—"
"Don't say it," Hobbie pleaded. Tycho shook his head sadly. Wes's face fell.
"Dress uniforms, gentlemen."
Han Solo could only chuckle as the three fighter pilots began throwing off their clothes to change. He helped Wedge unbutton and untie his entire dress suit, and he quickly slid into his flight suit, already feeling worlds more comfortable. The suit stretched and breathed unlike anything he'd ever worn before, his dress suit he had agreed to wear originally pinched and tucked a bit too much for his tastes.
Once they were all finished getting themselves together, Wedge gave them all a hopeful smile, "Everybody neat and pretty?"
Jacen bent down so that Ben could hop up onto his back, "We are in the green, sir."
"Let's go make some magic, then!" Wes hooted.
Then men were already in place when the women emerged from their own tent. Wedge and Tycho stood at the waters edge; his old friend and confidante' had agreed to be the one to Wed them. Wes and Hobbie waited for Tenel Ka and Tahiri to line up with them. Leia, Han, Luke, and Mara, each holding one of the triplets and Alex, made their way to the chairs waiting. Jacen let Ben down and they stood, now only waiting for Jaina to emerge from the tent with Winter.
Wedge looked at the various other people scattered further away on the beach, and up on the causeway that separated them from their apartments. Holocams were set up in various places, and he put on his most honest smile, knowing that this was being broadcast across the entire galaxy.
One of the beauty maids came out of then tent and struck a small bell. This signaled the start of the wedding. There was no music, no fanfare; both Jaina and Wedge preferred it that way.
A sudden feeling of emotion washed over Wedge as he watched Jaina come out of the tent, grinning at him like she had just done some diabolically evil. He thought that she looked equally as beautiful shoeless and in her flight suit as she would have in any dress. She was followed closely by Winter, who was serving as the document master, holding the papers they would sign during the ceremony to legalize their marriage.
Before Jaina started down the small aisle created by the chairs, Jacen gave Ben a little shove and the boy started down the aisle, holding a small box in his hands. Jaina and Wedge had kept the jewelry they were giving to one another a secret until the day they were married. Wes and Tenel Ka followed, as did Hobbie and Tahiri. Winter made her way down the aisle after them and took her place by Tycho's side, placing a gentle hand on Wedge's shoulder.
Wedge thought it was the bright sun that was causing his vision to blur, but when he felt a wet streak run down his cheek he came to the realization that it was indeed his own tears. Jaina and Jacen were coming down the aisle now, arm-in-arm. Han smiled proudly, tears springing into his own eyes, and Leia had to dab at her cheeks with a towellette. Jaina gave a nod to her aunt and mentor as she passed by her and her uncle. Bryan, sitting on Luke's lap, reached out for her, "Mommy!"
Jaina chuckled and gave him a wave, as well as his brothers and sister. She looked up to Wedge as they neared the water's edge, feeling tears come to her eyes also. Jacen stood off to the side with Wes, Tenel Ka, Hobbie, Tahiri, and Ben, and Jaina took her place facing Wedge.
The lovers took one long look at each other and broke the silence with a laugh. Tycho chuckled himself, "Well then, I guess it's time to get this show on the road. I welcome you all to the marriage between Wedge Antilles of Corellia, and Jaina Solo of, well, I'll say Corellia, because the Force only knows she acts like one."
This released a comfortable laughter from the group of close friends who knew it all to be true. Tycho looked to the two of them "You both have requested to speak your own vows to one another, but before we do so, I'd like anyone here who believes that this union should not occur to speak now or forever hold your peace."
Wedge smacked a hand backwards, knowing it would connect with Wes' wrist as he grabbed for his crotch. Hobbie laughed, and Wedge just shook his head. What surprised them was a Wookie bellow that came from not far down the beach.
Jaina had to turn around, "Who in blazes...?"
A general laughter broke out amongst the group once again when they recognized the faces of Lowbacca, Zekk, Kyp Durron, Corran Horn, and Mirax Terrick-Horn quickly making their way towards the ceremony.
"You can't marry them without us!" Kyp said with a smile as the reached the seats the Jaina had held ready for them.
"Better late then never, hmm?" she asked, favoring him with a spicy glare.
"You know me, always have to make an entrance…"
"Why you little—"
"If anyone else doesn't have any objections, we can move right along with the—" Tycho continued, cutting her off.
"I OBJECT!"
Hobbie smacked Wes in the back of the head, "Shut up."
"Thank you," Wedge said, turning around and giving his friend a nod. He looked back to Tycho and smiled.
"Well then, you two can begin," Tycho told them.
"I guess I'll go first," Jaina said, taking Wedge's hands in hers and smiling up at him, "Well, General Antilles, I first came to hear about you when my Uncle told me about you, way back when I was a kid. You were my hero, legend incarnate. I spent most of my time studying holos about you instead of studying Jedi training techniques. Then, during the war, I flew with you and under your command, and I became convinced that you were not only one of the greatest military minds I had ever come in contact with, but one of the most compassionate people I had ever met. That was why, when they assigned me to your mission, I was more than happy to come aboard. And well, I'm pretty sure everything after that is history, as you probably know."
Wedge laughed and gave her hand a squeeze. Jaina rubbed his in return, "What I'm trying to say is, you're a God made flesh, the epitome of a real hero, and I love you."
Jacen gave Ben a nudge, "That's your cue, little man."
Ben gave him a look as if he knew exactly what he was doing, then walked over to his cousin, opening the box for Jaina to remove a pendant made of dark metal, formed into the shape of the original Rogue Squadron emblem.
"My token to you is made out of salvaged pieces of the original X-wing that you flew in destroying both the First and Second Death Stars, molded together in the crest of Rogue Squadron. The small chip of crystal on it is part of the one that gives my lightsaber power."
Jaina reached around his neck and clipped the pendant, placing it where it fell just above his heart.
Luke smirked and shook his head, "She's crazy."
"Forget her father's daughter. She's her grandfather's granddaughter, I think." Mara responded.
"Antilles, your turn," Tycho led him.
"That was quite a speech, love. I spent a good portion of my life without a real family, and it forced me into several situations that I didn't belong. Many of the years I spent as a fighter pilot threw me in and out of relationships, believing that every person who survived through a mission was meant to replace the loss of my parents. It wasn't until I became close with your parents, and your uncle, that I realized I didn't have to search so far for a family. I pretty much watched you grow from a headstrong little girl into, well, a much more headstrong young woman who would live and die for her family, and that was when I decided that you were what I had been searching for my entire life."
He took the necklace out of the box that Ben still held and lifted it into the sunlight. A piece of crystal hung on the end of a small black braided cord, cut into the shape of the planetary flower of Alderaan. It shone with iridescence that only Leia could place in the galaxy. She drew a sharp breath when the realization hit her.
"In the time that you disappeared to find Jag, I also took a trip, to the graveyards of Alderaan. I searched days on end trying to find you something that would have enough prominence in your life to bring you back to me. Just when I was about to give up all hope, I found it…the last remaining piece of your mother's ceremonial crown, thought to be destroyed when the planet was. I had it shaped into a flawless replica of your heritage's flower, and I present it to you as a token of our marriage."
Jaina's eyes were glittering with tears as he clipped the necklace around her neck. He left his palm on the side of her neck, and they both looked to Tycho.
"Hell, don't look at me, you both know what comes next." was his reply.
Wedge pulled his wife to him and kissed her fiercely. Jaina's hands gripped his arms as she returned the kiss with just as much passion. Jacen grabbed his cousin by the shoulders and covered Ben's eyes. Hobbie jokingly reached his own hands around Wes' head and blocked his vision.
A loud applause reminded them that they were surrounded by many spectators, but Wedge and Jaina were too lost in love to even pay attention.
"How dare you kiss me like a scoundrel in front of my family," Jaina said, breaking for air.
"Our family." Wedge corrected her, pulling her into him for an even deeper, more breathtaking kiss.