Part II:

Kyp Durron found Jagged Fel asleep at his desk, head resting on top of his crossed arms. The younger man seemed so peaceful that Kyp almost didn't want to wake him. But he needed to be awake. So Kyp threw the unlit lightsaber that he was holding at Jag's right shoulder; it hit him before landing on the floor with a thump.

Jag sat bolt upright, green eyes filled with shock and confusion. He noticed the lightsaber on the floor, picked it up, and turned it on. He paled at the sight of the violet blade, eyes growing wide. "Jaina."

Kyp nodded, trying to remain calm. "She's been kidnapped."

"How?" Jag asked, glancing between him and the lightsaber.

"I don't know exactly. But Erlon took her, and he's holding her on his flagship. But he says that he'll let her go if you step down."

Jag found a way to hide his emotions behind the neutral facade he was so known for. "I'll comm the fleet leader and tell her to prepare for battle."

"You're not stepping down."

Jag sighed, pain briefly evident in his voice. "If I do, then everything we've done, every sacrifice we've made will have been for nothing."

"And your wife is just another sacrifice to be made to cement your power." Kyp was angry now.

Somehow Jag kept his tone even. "This isn't about my power, Durron. I never wanted to be emperor. But someone had to run against Erlon. That man is a kriffing psychopath. An empire led by him would be disastrous for everyone involved...maybe even the entire galaxy."

"Always so focused on the greater good." Kyp sighed, he knew that he should agree with Jag, but he found it difficult to do so when Jaina was in danger. "I just hope that focus doesn't get her killed."

"Me too."

Kyp took a deep breath, resisting the urge to punch him in the face.

"Well, I'm not going to sit around doing nothing," Zekk said, exasperated. He slammed his fist down on the table that he shared with his wife Taryn and her cousin Tenel Ka.

"That is not what I was suggesting, Zekk." Tenel Ka said, staring calmly at her friend. "All I said was that I cannot use the fleet to rescue a friend. That is unarguable. But this problem is larger than Jaina. Jagged Fel is a good ally to Hapes. Vero Erlon would not be."

Zekk's exasperation faded slightly as she spoke, due in part to his wife's comforting hand on his arm. It was replaced by worry that Tenel Ka was sure radiated off of all of them.

"You mean to use the fleet to help Fel stop the war." Taryn said, realization coming to her.

"Precisely."

Zekk looked at her, shame on his face. "Sorry I called you out."

"It's fine, my friend. This is a difficult time for us all."

Taryn stroked her husband's arm again.

"Do you think he'll hurt her?" Zekk asked, voice somewhat small. Taryn's expression grew worried in response to her husband's words.

"I would rather not think about that." Tenel Ka said. But she was thinking about it. Jaina was her oldest friend. The thought of losing her hurt deeply, but Tenel Ka was too far from naivety to not acknowledge that possibility.

Tenel Ka could feel that her daughter and niece were at the door. Not a surprise but something that made her tense slightly. At fifteen, Allana was still more naive than she thought she was, and at five, Keiara was much more so. "We have a couple of guests; let's try not to mention the word hurt or its synonyms when they're here."

Taryn and Zekk nodded.

"Come in." Tenel Ka said.

The two cousins entered holding hands, worry written on both their faces.

Tenel Ka had heard many times that Allana looked like her. With the same red-gold hair and grey eyes that she had, Tenel Ka was inclined to believe them. She also had some of her father in her. Not everyone saw it, but Tenel Ka could, especially today. Her expression of worry was so like her father's had been at that age.

Keiara's resemblance to her mother was undeniable. She had the same brown hair, brown eyes, and features that her mother did, only shrunken down. Now that resemblance was painful. Equally painful was how she held Allana's old stuffed tauntaun in her right hand. It had been a gift of a father's love; now, in Keiara's hand, it was a connection to an uncle she'd never met and a painful reminder of past failures.

Tenel Ka wondered what Jacen would have thought of all of this. Would he have rushed off to rescue his sister? Or would he have been her captor? She shuddered internally at what ten years more years on the darkside would have led him to. Perhaps it was better that he was dead.

Keiara brought her out of her reprieve. "Is my mommy going to be okay?" she asked, face twisted in concern.

Zekk and Taryn sat in silence, not sure of what to say.

Tenel Ka knelt before the little girl, looking into her eyes. They were serious for someone so small, yet not surprising. Tenel Ka had seen a similar seriousness in her own daughter ten years ago. "We're going to do everything we can to make sure that she is."

"Promise?" Keiara tucked the tauntaun under her arm and held out her right pinkie to her aunt.

Tenel Ka glanced up at Allana, then back to the little girl, and wrapped her much larger pinkie finger around Keiara's. "Promise."

Once she was done, she pulled the girl into a hug, then stood up and embraced her own daughter. She desperately hoped that she would be able to keep her promise.

"Do you think twenty-five pilots is enough?" Ben asked.

Luke Skywalker considered his son; the young man seemed more nervous than Luke had ever seen him before. Rightfully so. Even after all the hard experiences he had gone through in his seventy years, Luke still found this one to be worrying. "It's not Hapan or Imperial fleet size, but I think it will make a difference."

"You think?"

"There's no guarantee Ben."

"I know. I'm not stupid." He glanced at his father, yet his mind seemed far away. " I just wish there was. I don't want to lose another cousin." Pain was evident in his voice. Ben had no memory of his cousin Anakin's death, but the death of his cousin Jacen was still seared in his mind ten years later.

"I know, Ben. I don't want to lose her either." Luke remembered, vividly, the pain of losing his nephews. The deaths of the Solo boys had pained many, perhaps none more so than their parents. The idea that his sister and brother-in-law could lose their daughter too weighed heavily on Luke's heart and mind.

"But you don't want me to go."

Luke sighed. "It's not that I don't. I just worry about you fighting in your current mental state."

"Well- I'm going. I have to do what I can to help save her."

"I know." Luke knew there was no point in talking him out of it. There was too much hero in his blood. "Just be careful."

"I will, dad. Watch out for Larren."

"I will. You watch out for yourself, Ben."

Ben sighed, somewhat exasperated. "I get it, dad. I'll be careful."

"You better." The last thing Luke wanted was to lose his son, but he knew that Ben's life wasn't worth more than his cousin's, and that at almost twenty-four Ben was more than capable of making his own choices.

"What do you mean our daughter's been kidnapped?" Han asked, feeling as though he'd been punched in the gut.

"Vero Erlon's holding her captive on his flagship," Kyp said over the comm. Han had heard similar words before but this time was no easier. He knew enough about Erlon to know he was dangerous... his daughter had sent her son to live with them for a reason. His daughter was tough, but Han knew many tough people who'd still gone through hell... some who'd even died.

Han glanced at his wife, she was clearly as concerned as he was. "That's horrible news."

"You got that right." Han said, trying to disguise his worry. "That imperial husband of hers is stepping down, right?"

"No. Fel decided to fight him instead. We're engaged in battle with Erlon's forces right now." As Kyp spoke, Han felt his anger grow. He'd always had reservations about his son-in-law… now it was starting to seem like those reservations weren't misplaced.

"You've got to be kidding me. That kriffing…" Han tightened his fist.

"Han…" His wife started, voice firm.

Han turned to her. "What, Leia? He's a selfish prick that didn't even have the guts to tell us what happened himself."

Leia took a deep breath. "Han, I know you're upset, but Jaired is listening."

Han had almost forgotten about him. He and Leia turned their heads to face their five-year-old grandson. The black-haired boy was standing near the back of the cabin, green eyes staring back at them. He was the spitting image of his father… but Han still had hope for him.

"Hey. Kid. you shouldn't say what I did." Han said, voice coming out awkwardly.

Leia shot Han a look before turning back to their grandson. "Come here, honey." The boy obeyed, coming over to her. She pulled him onto her lap. "Your grandpa didn't mean any of those words. Your dad's very nice and loves you a lot."

"I know," Jaired said, worry evident in his tone. "Is my mommy going to be okay?"

Han's heart twisted at his words.

Leia was equally affected, trying to hold back tears. "Your dad and Kyp are going to do everything they can to make sure she is."

Kyp said nothing. Han just stared, finding little reassurance in Leia's words and unsure of how to lie to his grandson.

"Why are you being nice to me?" Jaina asked, glancing over at Erlon. The man who was holding her captive stood near the bed that she was strapped to, staring at her.

"Do you want me to stop being nice?" Erlon asked, smiling sadistically.

Jaina shook her head, her fear briefly showing before she got it under control again. "Not that it matters. You don't care what I want."

"You're right. I don't." He admitted, still smiling.

"All you want is to be emperor. But you'll never be one because my husband will never step down in favor of someone like you." She practically spat.

Erlon was unfazed. "I know. I realized that a long time ago. But your first statement was wrong, Jaina. Now that I know I will never be emperor, I want something else."

"Revenge."

Erlon smiled. "You're very intuitive. All my life, I've always been second fiddle to someone else. Then, just when it finally seemed like I might not be anymore, your kriffing husband swooped in out of nowhere and stole my position." His face was red with anger, fists clenched.

Jaina winced, slightly. "He couldn't let you win."

"No. He's too arrogant for that." Erlon said, staring at her. "But he'll regret that decision."

Jaina had dealt with countless foes in her life, but the way Erlon looked at her still sent a chill down her spine.