Disclaimer: Star Wars and all its characters belong to Lucasfilm Ltd. No profit is being made off this work, so no one sue me. Please.

STAR WARS: Shattered Dreams
Chapter Two: "Why is it Trouble Only Knows Your Name?"
By Dave Ziegler

Jacen marveled at the dewback as it hauled its considerable girth across the
superheated sand dunes of its environmental enclosure. These creatures
possessed a quantity of grace and majesty that most people found easy to
overlook. Everyone simply thought of them as big, dumb, green lizards that
were useful only as pack animals. Jacen was glad to find that someone had
taken the time to collect and care for a sample of these animals. Too many
institutions just offered the public an outdated holographic display with an
adjoining lecture that too often stated the species had died out for one
reason or another. With a new home in Shental, some dewbacks were being
taken care of, and would guarantee that the species never graced that eternal
black list.

Reaching out from the silence behind him, Tenel Ka lightly laid her
hand upon Jacen's shoulder. "Perhaps we should move onto the next
environment?" she suggested. Jacen grunted a noncommittal affirmation,
moved to follow her, yet allowed his brandy eyes to linger upon the
dewback.

He promptly walked straight into another passing admirer.

Jacen stumbled backward, caught momentarily unawares, as his victim fell
to the pavement. Rather embarrassed by his oblivious meanderings, Jacen
raced forward and proffered his hand to the fallen body. "I'm really sorry.
I didn't mean to knock you over. Are you all right?" he blurted.

The woman whom he had sent tumbling looked up at him, brushing a
stray strand of blonde hair from her face.

"I'm fine, thank you. It was really my fault for not taking the walkway in
the first place." She indicated the moving pathway gently carrying a group
of sightseers as Jacen helped her to her feet. As he effortlessly lifted her,
the woman peered intently at Jacen's face. "Do I know you from
somewhere?" she questioned him. "You seem quite familiar."

Jacen frowned at this, trying to recall whether he had ever before
been graced with her presence. A beautiful girl, such as herself, would
be difficult to forget.

"I don't believe so," Jacen said, still not quite positive if he was
speaking the truth. The woman pouted slightly, then, just as
rapidly, regained her composure.

"My name is Gwynandra Salanon," she said, extending her hand
toward Jacen. He accepted it with a firm shake. "Why don't you stop
down at the Pay and Drink sometime for a visit?" she continued.

"Pay and Drink?"

"It's the name of the bar where I work," she shrugged. "I'll buy you a drink
when you come. A sort of apology for this whole mess." Gwynandra then
began to walk away, but stopped to face Jacen again. "Don't forget now,"
she scolded him, then disappeared into the crowded walkway.

Tenel Ka slid silently along side Jacen, frowning at the retreating mass
Gwyn had escaped into. She had felt something in that woman's presence,
nothing Tenel Ka could articulate at the moment, but there had been a
feeling. "There is something strange about that woman," she said. Jacen
glanced sideways at his companion, a grin cracking his features.

"You mean aside from the fact that she doesn't look any older than eighteen
and works in a bar?" he joked. "Come on, let's go find Jaina and Lowie."

* * *

Mercer ducked as another, aptly named, shot glass flew over his head and
struck the wall, shattering in a burst of crystalline pieces. Gwynandra
was livid and had decided to vent her frustrations on the ale glasses. "I
don't believe it! I just can't believe it! He didn't even recognize me!"
she screamed.

Another glass flew through the air, this time striking the wall just to
the right of Mercer's head.

"Me! How could he not remember me?" Grimly, Mercer decided
that he would have to intervene before all the glasses in the bar
had been destroyed, and the owner of the erstwhile Pay and Drink began to
get suspicious. That, and he was tiring of ducking ale mugs.

"Gwyn, don't you think it's been a while? Six years is a long
time," he soothed. Much to Mercer's surprise, his words seemed to strike
home. The hot flush staining Gwyn's face began to recede, and she set the
glass she had been ready to hurl atop the counter.

"You're right, of course," she demurely conceded. "I shouldn't be
angry with Jacen. It has been a long time. He probably just needs
a little time to reminisce, then he'll remember me." She suddenly
looked about her, taking in all the shattered glasses and overturned
chairs, and began to panic.

"Look at the mess I've made! How will I ever atone for what I've done?
How will he forgive me?" Gwyn pulled herself atop the counter, and
ran her panicky hands through reams of soft hair.

She would have to think of something. Quickly.

* * *

The emerald blade of Jacen's lightsaber blazed in the jungle heat. He
circled Tenel Ka warily, the warrior girl's own smoky grey lightsaber drawn
and at the ready. Rivulets of sweat fell down his face, inciting a sharp
burning sensation as they cascaded into his eyes. Jacen's hand moved from
the hilt of his saber momentarily, but was quickly replaced.

He mentally chastised himself for that lack of discipline. All Tenel Ka
would need was for him to be inattentive for a mere moment, and
then she would have him. Moving to wipe the sweat from his eyes
would have provided her with the perfect opportunity. Jacen couldn't allow
her that if he intended to win this match.

The tension spread between the two young Jedi like a quilt. Neither wanted to
embarrass their opponent, but both sought victory. Finally they came
together, their blades clashing and sparks flying everywhere. They danced
around one another striking, parrying, attempting to catch the other off
balance. Soon enough, though, their blades were once again locked in a brilliant
blaze of light and color.

Jacen pressed forward with all his might, while Tenel Ka shoved back,
applying just as great a pressure with her own blade. "I hope you don't
expect me to surrender," Jacen grunted.

"Perhaps you should," Tenel Ka parried. As they stood locked together,
neither opponent willing to concede an inch, a dark cloud coalesced in the
once clear sky and seemed to conquer the heavens. Its great mass obscured
the sun, a guardian against the light. The figures of Jaina, Lowie, and
Luke Skywalker all faded into shadows. Jacen saw only Tenel Ka and her
lightsaber.

He continued to press his attack. Tenel Ka would not yield though, but
then he couldn't expect any less of her. Without warning, the hilt of
Tenel Ka's lightsaber began to vibrate. There was a thundering crack, then
the blade of her weapon phased out of existence. Jacen fell forward. He
screamed, a cry of pure terror, realizing what was about to happen. What
he would be responsible for.

As Jacen hit the ground, the smell of charred flesh assaulted his nostrils,
and bile began to rise in his throat. On the jungle floor lay Tenel Ka's
delicate, yet strong hand, still clutching the vibrating hilt. It
exploded, tearing her flesh asunder and any small hope Jacen harbored of
coming out of this with a happy ending.

Tenel Ka, herself, fell to the jungle floor, shock overriding her other senses.
But Jacen could feel her eyes on him. Even in this semiconscious state, her
eyes were full of fire and hatred. They bored into his soul, viciously spitting
upon the fantasies Jacen conceived of their possible future together. Did he
really believe that he could maim her, rob her of her vitality, and she would
still be able to find it possible to love him?

* * *

Jacen all but leapt out of bed, a cold sweat blanketing his face. He
frantically pried himself loose of the sheets, then found his way over to
the couch, allowing himself to sink into its plush surface. All the pain
of that traumatic experience came flooding back in torrents. The horror
he felt as Tenel Ka's hand lay on the earth, the malfunctioning lightsaber
still in its grasp. The guilt he had experienced knowing that if he had
been more aware of his surroundings he might have been able to avoid
injuring his friend so. Injuring someone he cared so much about in such
a grievous manner.

The door between his room and Tenel Ka's retracted with a gentle hum. She
walked silently to where he sat, a light weight yet shimmering gown hanging
loosely about her body. "Jacen, I can feel your distress. What is
troubling you?" Tenel Ka sat down next to him. Jacen glanced up at his
companion, but couldn't quite bring himself to meet her eyes.

"I had a dream, a nightmare really, about ... about ..." Tenel Ka followed
his gaze down to the stump of her left arm. She had lost that portion of
the arm because of her own foolish belief that if the warrior was superior,
than the superiority of the weapon she wielded held no bearing on whether
she would achieve victory or suffer defeat. "About the accident," Jacen
finished.

When Tenel Ka had first lost the limb, Jacen had blamed himself. She
soon confronted him with the error of her own beliefs, which had allowed
the incident to transpire, and made Jacen see the folly of his grief.
That day had settled the uneasiness between the two friends, and, in time,
they had both learned to accept the situation and to continue with their lives,
enjoying each other's company. Neither of them had showed a relapse of
angst or guilt since. Until now.

"Why does this bother you again, Jacen?" she asked, her voice quiet yet
supportive. "We put this matter behind us many years ago." Jacen ran a
hand through his damp brown curls nervously.

"I know. Its just that this dream, it was so real, and it brought
everything to the surface again and-" Tenel Ka laid a finger upon Jacen's
lips.

"Do not think about it then. Concentrate on something different," she said,
leaning forward and gently kissing him on the mouth. When they parted,
Jacen put his arms around her and let his head rest upon her shoulder. He
desperately needed to feel her, the reassuring reality of her loving touch.

Tenel Ka returned his embrace, and it was there they stayed for the rest
of the night.

* * *

The morning sun shone brightly through the windows of the
tapcafe nearest the hotel in which Jaina's party were lodged. The
four friends sat around a small durasteel table, painted a pleasant baby
blue, a color which contrasted nicely with the mellow cream walls. Lowie
engulfed his meal lustily, and was quick to order more, while the others
seemed less enthusiastic with their own breakfasts.

Jacen picked quietly at his food, the fork sliding clumsily between
twitching fingers. His eyes remained fixedly in concert with the
heap of cooling pancakes that lay before him. Tenel Ka sat at Jacen's
side, seemingly indifferent to the troubled state of mind that was
plaguing her friend. Only to those beings gifted with keen powers of
perception and empathy could recognize the agonizing concern racing
through her eyes.

Jaina, meanwhile, sensed her brother's unusual mood even before they
had met, but resisted inquiring into the situation. Tenel Ka had
taken her aside and requested that she try and let him eat something
before prodding him with questions. It seemed that restful sleep had
eluded Jacen for most of the night, and so Jaina complied with her
friend's wishes, although concern and curiosity were gnawing at her
insides.

Tenel Ka rose gracefully from her seat and motioned for Jaina to do
the same. She laid a hand softly on Jacen's shoulder. He flinched
ever so slightly at her purposefully delicate touch, then resumed
the constant vigil of his meal. "Jacen, my friend, please try to
eat," she said, before leaving the table behind.

When they had reached a sparsely occupied area of the tapcafe, Tenel
Ka stopped and began to explain to Jaina what had happened the night
before. The discussion entailed the nightmare he had suffered, and
the renewed sense of guilt that festered inside Jacen's conscious.
Despite Tenel Ka's many reassurances that previous night, he seemed
unable to banish it. It was astounding to see how much power one
dream could have over a person, and as Jaina put it "It was proof
of how much Jacen really cared for her, albeit not being terribly
healthy."

* * *

Gwyn moved slothfully down the street, ignoring the almost relentless
cheerfulness of the bright morning sun. She kicked at a loose stone,
then stopped cold. Through the window of a small tapcafe to her
right, she caught sight of a downcast mass of tousled brown curls.

Jacen! She had inadvertently stumbled upon Jacen!

Well, inadvertently might be a bit of a lie. She had been out
searching for him, but at that particular moment Gwyn's eyes were
downcast, heavy with the realization that she probably wasn't go to
find him. It had been but a gleeful stroke of luck that she had glanced up,
and saw him through those glorious windows.

Jacen seemed rather glum, although for what reason Gwyn couldn't possibly
imagine. She was positive that he had had one of the most
wonderful nights of his life last night. She should know, after all. She helped
to bring it about. Then again, Gwyn never really thought of herself as one to
grab the spotlight, so she pushed the thought aside, and found her
way into the tapcafe.

"Hello," Gwynandra waved. She stopped alongside Jacen and knelt so
that her eyes were on the same level as his own. "Going to stop by
for that drink today?"

"I don't know," Jacen said, mustering enough cheer to appear like he
felt there was a modicum of happiness in his life at the moment.

On the opposite side of the table, Lowie eyed the newcomer warily,
then barked a sudden question. Em Teedee hummed into life, thrilling at
the prospect of serving one of his primary functions.

"Master Lowbacca wishes to know who you are, Miss?" the little droid
asked politely, his voice floating up from where he was attached to
Lowie's syren fiber belt. The young wookie felt something strange
now that this woman was here, almost as if the day had been bright and filled
with sun, but as she approached a great carpet of clouds rolled in,
blocking out all the light. There was something wrong, he could
sense it in the very fiber of his being. Lowie allowed his hand to
dip toward the belt where his lightsaber hung, ready to be drawn if
needed.

Gwyn smiled benignly at Lowie. "My name is Gwynandra Salanon. And
who might you be?" she queried of the wookie. Before Lowie could form
a syllable, Em Teedee jumped in and provided an answer.

"The wookie whom you are addressing is Lowbacca of Kashyyyk, and a
full fledged Jedi Knight," Em Teedee hummed proudly, as if the
accomplishment was his own. Gwyn laid her hand across her chest in
mock surprise.

"Well, I must say, I'm impressed. I've never been in the presence of
real Jedi before. Your lives must be terribly exciting, dashing
about the galaxy helping all those people." Lowie began to form a
reply, but at the sight of Tenel Ka and Jaina weaving their way
through server droids and patrons, Gwyn became very hastened. "I'm
sorry to cut our conversation short, but I must be leaving now.
Good-bye." With a small wave of her hand, Gwynandra jogged through
the tapcafe and slid out the doors. As she left the building, the
tension in Lowie's shoulders began to ease and he let his hand rest
back atop the table in lieu of his lightsaber.

* * *

Jaina stared at the strikingly beautiful woman who had been talking
to Jacen and Lowie, and was now running in the opposite direction.
She felt a momentary pang of jealously at the girl's perfect figure,
but just as quickly pushed it away. "Tenel Ka, do you have any idea
who that is?" Jaina asked, pointing out the fleeing form of Gwyn.

Tenel Ka focused on the figure Jaina had indicated. She did indeed
recognize her. "She is the woman Jacen collided with yesterday
at the resort's zoo. I believe she said her name was Gwynandra Salanon,
and that she worked at a local drinking establishment. Other than that,
I can tell you only that I do not trust her. I felt strange fluctuations
within the Force when she was near."

Jaina nodded, absorbing all the information her friend was disclosing.
If Tenel Ka believed that there was something strange about this woman,
then there was definitely something not right. The instincts Tenel Ka had
developed from her life on both Dathomir and in the Royal Court of
Hapes, where your life forever depended on how well you were able
to judge your friends and avoid various schemes for political
advancement, were accurate more often than anyone's Jaina knew of.

"Well, let's go see what Lowie has to say about her," Jaina mused, beginning
the final descent toward their table.

* * *

Jaina entered her suite as the last vestiges of light faded from the
Candren sky. She quietly peeled away the navy jacket she wore, and
allowed the cool sea breeze that filtered through the open window
to wash across her body. Jaina toyed with the jacket for a precious
few seconds in the silence that permeated her suite. It had been a
gift from her good friend Zekk, a final parting one before he had
gone off in search of a mythic Jedi colony he had heard of in one of
Tionne's tales. It wasn't that Jaina had been upset that Zekk had
wanted to go, it was more the fact that he hadn't allowed her to search
with him. He had said something vague about their destinies not
being meant to merge quite yet, then left.

That had been three years ago. Three years without so much as a
message letting her know that he was still alive. Dejected and
betrayed, she had decided to join New Republic Intelligence.
Jaina had hoped the work would help to keep her mind off the subject.
Much to her surprise, the scheme had been successful. The missions
had come and gone, the reports piled up, and life seemed to return
to normal. She knew it was just a farce though, the emotions were
still there if only buried, and one day they would have to be dealt
with.

Jaina dropped the jacket onto her bed, deciding she needed something
to drink. It was no good, mulling over all this ancient history. A quick
trip to the kitchenette, for those who still liked to prepare meals
themselves, resulted in a steaming mug of hot chocolate, a beverage
her Uncle Luke had introduced to her. She then focused her attention
on the com station, a small unit which lay inside the far wall.

Jaina climbed quickly over the bed, momentarily snagging her foot on
the discarded jacket, and thumbed the activation switch. A small
rectangular section of wall slid upwards, revealing a row of knobs and
switches, and a small flat screen on which you could see the person
to whom you were speaking. Obviously Shental hadn't updated their
communications systems in a while, flat screens had long since been
replaced by holonet projections. It would serve her purposes,
though.

Pulling a chair up to the console, Jaina keyed in her authorization
code for the private frequencies of the Thul merchant fleet, and
waited for a few moments, sipping the chocolate, as her call was
processed. Raynar Thul had been a fellow Jedi Trainee at her Uncle
Luke's academy when she and Jacen had first arrived. He had fought
alongside them during the attacks by the Shadow Academy, but the
twins had only really become friends with young man after the ordeal
with the Diversity Alliance in which his father, Bornan Thul, had
been killed. It had been a hard time for Raynar, and he had needed
all the support they could give.

Nowadays, Raynar was a fully trained Jedi, but he also retained command
of the tremendous trading empire his parents had created. He had
vast resources at his disposal, and made it perfectly clear to
the twins, and their uncle, that, should they ever need anything, they
could call him using the authorization codes he had specially created for
them. These would bypass normal communications, and enter into his
private system.

Jaina was brought out of her reverie as the face of Raynar Thul
appeared on the screen. He still possessed the same spiky blonde
hair of his youth, although he now sported a more mature looking
beard. She smiled pleasantly, while attempting to wipe away the
faint traces of chocolate that lined her mouth.

"I like the beard, its very distinguished," Jaina giggled. Raynar's
face broke into grin as he realized who had come calling.

"Jaina! How have you been? It seems such a long time since I last
spoke to you or Jacen."

"Oh, I'm fine. Most everyone is. How are you and Lusa these days?"
"We're doing well," Raynar told her. "In fact, Lusa is off on a
mission for Master Skywalker right now. It seems there has been
another dispute on Kashyyyk between the Trandoshans and the Wookies,
and before they started ripping each other into little bits, the New
Republic wanted to get someone out there to arbitrate. Lusa volunteered,"
Raynar explained. "So what brings you calling, Jaina?"

Jaina attempted to stifle a yawn, as fatigue from the days activities
threatened to over take her. Blinking a few times to clear the weariness
from her eyes, she continued to speak to her longtime friend.

"I need to ask a favor of you," she said.

"Name it," Raynar replied.

"First of all, Lowie and I were wondering if you might be able to
locate a functional negative power coupling for a YT-1300 stock
light freighter?"

"Shouldn't be much of a problem," he mused. "In fact, Uncle Tycho
would probably be able to dredge one up rather quickly. What's the
second favor?"

"We need some information. There is this woman who's poking around
Jacen. Lowie and Tenel Ka both sense something disturbing about
her. I thought with all your connections you might be able to call
in a few favors and see if this woman has any sort of shady history."

"An intelligence officer asking for information?"

"I don't exactly have the resources usually at my disposal here,
Raynar. Besides, this is Jacen we're talking about. I don't want
anything happening to him, so I need someone I trust implicitly to
do this."

"I can do it, Jaina, but it will take a little more time. I'll need
a name too."

"She says her name is Gwynandra Salanon." Jaina proceeded to give
Raynar a full physical description just in case she was using an
alias. When they finished, he grinned mischievously at Jaina.

"Making Tenel Ka a bit jealous is she?" Raynar joked. Jaina laughed
despite herself. The day Tenel Ka confessed to being jealous of
anyone would be the day she gave up flying.

"I wouldn't know. Thanks Raynar, I owe you," Jaina said. Raynar
winked conspiratorially at her.

"Don't worry about it. A nice visit with everyone is all I ask in
return. I'll contact you with whatever information I have in a day
or so. In the mean time, if you suspect something's going on,
practice caution. I'll be expecting everyone to drop in soon."
With that final pleasantry he shut down the com unit from his end.

Jaina drank the last dregs of her hot chocolate and resealed the wall
unit. It hissed quietly shut, the mechanism that powered it barely
audible. She collapsed onto the bed not even bothering to take off
her flight suit, fatigue finally overwhelming her. Her last waking
thoughts were of Jacen and the hopes that his night would better
for him than the last.

* * *

Jacen Solo thrust his lightsaber forward, its emerald blade striking
his opponent's and sending showers of sparks everywhere. He shied
away from the flying flames, momentarily losing sight of his
adversary. Quickly, though, he extended his sphere of responsibility,
and Jacen was able sense the direction of the next attack.

Spinning on his heel, Jacen swept his green blade forward and
neatly parried the attempted assault. He could now see the beads
of sweat forming on Tenel Ka's forehead as she used all her
strength to combat him. Quite frankly, Jacen was surprised she
hadn't defeated him already, so, as not to press his luck, he
forced himself on the offensive.

He pushed on her gleaming blade with all his might, determined to
beat her at least this once. He had to show Tenel Ka that he
wasn't inept as she believed him to be, and could hold his own if it
came to a fight. As the two Jedi continued to struggle with one
another a tremendous crack split the dense jungle air, and the
smoky hued blade of Tenel Ka's weapon faded from existence. Jacen
pitched forward out of control, his momentum carrying him.

There was a smell of burnt flesh wafting in the air as Jacen struck the
ground. Next to him lie the hand of his friend, still grasping the
hilt of her blade, which vibrated strangely. Bolts of electricity
played across its surface, then, in an acrid burst of flame, the weapon
exploded.

Jacen looked up and saw Tenel Ka, her eyes locking with his. They
bored into his soul, chanting of how he had ruined her life. How
could she continue on as warrior now? How could she run through the
jungle, dive through the raging rapids, scale the walls of the great
temple? How could she perform anything she enjoyed again? She was
nothing now, only a cripple, a reject, not a Jedi any longer, and it
was all his fault! His fault! Jacen Solo's!

* * *

Gwynandra stared up into the night sky, lost in thought. Her
mind conjured images of Jacen, sitting in his room, smiling
contentedly as he relived his greatest moment. It had been the height
of his power, the day he had realized his abilities to their fullest potential.
How she wished she could experience it there alongside him, but knew she
mustn't be impatient. Jacen would be here soon enough. And then they would
have all the time in the universe.

* * *

Raynar Thul sagged in his chair, fingers drumming against the
blocky computer terminal. Its dull surface made for a frightening lack of
aesthetics, and Raynar had always been one to favor the visually pleasing.
He made a mental note to have it refinished at the nearest possible opportunity.

Of course, that train of thought was entirely spurious. Jaina
needed information on this Gwynandra character, and the
best place to start would be birth and family records. So,
if the idiot who was stationed at the communications console
on Coruscant would finally put him through to the Chief of State,
he would be able to get on with his work.

Having sat for another forty standard minutes as the com officer
checked and rechecked his identity and purpose for calling, Raynar
was beginning to lose his patience. As if by divine intervention,
though, the dullard of a com officer reappeared on the screen and
rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The Chief of State says she knows
you, and has told me to put your call through."

"Good. Then do so," Raynar hastily encouraged the man.
The com officer's face faded and was gradually replaced
by the aristocratic features of the Chief of State of the New
Republic. "Chief of State Organa-Solo, I greet you," Raynar said
with a slight bow of this head.

"What may I do for you, Mr. Thul," Leia said smiling pleasantly.
Raynar unconsciously smoothed his robes before continuing to
address Leia.

"I would request the privilege of being granted access to the
archives on Coruscant. Birth and family records specifically."
Leia arched an eyebrow at this unusual request.

"May I inquire as to why you need access to these records?" It
was not government policy to allow anyone who wanted to enter into
such a vast database free reign to do as they desire. Thousands
of pieces of information could be altered, deleted, or
accidentally misfiled. Yes, there were many risks in letting an
unauthorized and inexperienced person into the system. As much as
Leia would like to accommodate him, Raynar needed to produce quite
a good reason to warrant this favor.

"Your daughter asked me to locate as much information as possible on
a suspicious individual they encountered at Shental." Leia's image
paused for a moment, as if considering something.

"Even so, Mr. Thul, I cannot grant you access to the database," Leia
said and gave him a wink. "Even with my job, one can't go around
frivolously granting favors." Raynar smiled to himself as he
realized what Leia was implying.

"Jaina asked me to act for her in this fashion as an extension of
the NRI. A sort of gofer I suppose." Leia's smiled broadened as
Raynar spoke.

"In that case, it wouldn't be prudent to hamper an NRI investigation.
I'm sure the Admiral would never let me hear the end of it. You
will be given full access to the database. Happy hunting, Mr. Thul,"
Leia said. Then the connection broke, and the image before Raynar
dissolved into nothingness.

Now all he need do was start searching.

* * *

Leia turned away from the com station, a line of worry creasing her
brow. If Jacen and Jaina were in trouble then she should send them
help. Then again, Raynar had said that she only wanted information
on someone who seemed suspicious. That couldn't be deemed terribly
dangerous could it?

Who was she kidding? The twins took after their father. No matter
where they went, trouble always seemed to find them. Anakin wasn't
shaping up much better. He had found himself in a few awkward
situations out in the jungles of Yavin IV since he first started
attending Luke's Jedi Academy. Leia had to find someone to send to
Candren V to help Jacen and Jaina if they needed it. Tenel Ka and
Lowbacca were there of course, but if Jacen and Jaina were in the
middle of something, then Leia would bet the bank that they were right
there with them.

She needed someone who wasn't a government representative, but who
she knew and trusted. Someone who would make his or her presence
known only if help was required. Now where she was going to find
this person Leia had no idea.

She could not go herself, no matter how much she wanted to.
Duty to her office and the Republic tied her to the Imperial palace.
Sighing, Leia knew that in the end she would have to trust in the
abilities of her children to carry them through any crisis. They
were trained Jedi, after all. Maternal instinct, however, often
rebelled against this cold, unfeeling logic.

A small, amber light began to flash on the communications console,
indicating to the Chief of State that she had another incoming message.
Leia filed her troubling thoughts away, composed herself, then prepared
to receive the communiqué.

* * *

A fresh morning breeze ruffled Jacen's unruly hair, as he walked
along the beach attempting to forget the nightmare that now plagued
his futile attempts at restful sleep. The sandy stretch of coast
was deserted except for the odd person who, like Jacen, were awake
early enough to come out and enjoy the solitude.

As he walked, Jacen studied the lightsaber that swung hesitantly at
his waist. There had been a great many times, these last six years,
that he would have died if the weapon had not been at his side. But
in the end, were those few rewards really worth the pain already caused?

Deep inside himself, Jacen knew that his lightsaber had practically
become a necessity in his chaotic lifestyle. Even at the ages of fourteen
and fifteen Jacen had been forced to use the energy blade, first to stop
the rise of the Second Imperium, and then to prevent the
Diversity Alliance from wiping out all of humanity.

It had saved more than his life, and was indeed worth the risk,
for accidents were rare, especially now that he was fully
trained. But the dreams, the dreams had dredged up the doubt and
indecision of his teenage years. Jacen needed to remind himself of the
good it could do in his hands, not the harm.

Seating himself in the wet sand, Jacen inhaled deeply and began practice to
a Jedi relaxation technique. He felt the force surround him, penetrate his
being, almost buoying him in this time of need. His anguish began to fade,
and each new breath he took felt somehow cleaner, sweeter than any of the
others from the past few days.

Even deep in this trance, Jacen felt his shoulder being suddenly and reassuringly
squeezed by a familiar hand. A soft, loving touch Jacen experienced far less
than he would like. He allowed the trance to dissipate, and the world around
him swam back into focus.

Tenel Ka stood there, hand on his shoulder, clad in her lizard hide
armor as it glistened in the dawning sunlight. "You realize now that
you have done nothing to ruin my life, friend Jacen? That you, in fact,
bring me more joy than anyone knows?" she asked, her voice subdued,
yet full of emotion.

Jacen glanced up at her, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"I think so," he began. "It just really upsets me that you have to braid
your hair using your teeth." Tenel Ka sighed, then shoved a surprised
Jacen face first into the sand.

"I believe that is but the least of your worries at the moment," Tenel Ka
said, pinning him in the sand. Jacen struggled but could not break the viselike
grip of the warrior girl.

"I concede defeat! The spoiled and incredibly unworthy son of the Chief of
State of the New Republic begs for the mercy of the particularly beautiful
and skilled princess of the entire Hapes Cluster," Jacen teased. Still she would
not let him up. Jacen struggled to think of something he could do,
something to encourage Tenel Ka to grant him freedom from his sandy
constraints.

"You want to hear a joke?" Tenel Ka released her arm lock and helped Jacen
to his feet.

"I would find that most pleasing," she said with a glimmer in her grey eyes that
only Jacen could see.

"I promise you this one will be really good," Jacen began. "Now, what has a
white shell, two beady black eyes, and the survival instincts of a nerf?"
Tenel Ka shook her head, not knowing what response her friend was
trying to elicit.

"An Imper..." He stopped short as they both felt something lurking
near them, something foreboding. A Rodian appeared on the beach,
stomping through the sand toward them. They both turned to move
the other way, only to find a Talz barring their path. Each of the
aliens withdrew a blaster and took aim.

Both Jedi loosed and ignited their weapons before the first shot
flew from the muzzle of either blaster. Tenel Ka allowed the Force
to slip around her, supporting her, guiding her actions as she swung
the blazing turquoise blade in front of her, deflecting each shot the
Rodian sent forth.

Jacen, meanwhile, faced off against the Talz. It threw a quick few
shots which Jacen deflected easily.

Seeing that the blaster was not going to help him grab victory, the
Talz holstered his weapon and swung out the forcepike he had been
carrying upon his back. He advanced on Jacen, the
weapon held at waist level, a ready position for easy upward jabs
to the chest.

The Talz lurched forward, thrusting the forcepike out. Jacen deftly sidestepped
the blow and swung his lightsaber in a falling arc, severing the weapon.

Just behind him, blaster bolts continued to bounce harmlessly
off Tenel Ka's lightsaber blade, as the Rodian displayed a lack of
ingenuity not shared by his companion. Not wanting to continue this
game until the Rodian's powerpack ran out, Tenel Ka allowed
her focus to shift slightly. She concentrated on the pistol grasped
loosely in the alien's hand. If she could just reach out and yank it....

The blaster suddenly flew from the Rodian's hand and landed in the
rough sand at Tenel Ka's feet. The greenish amphibian appeared quite
lost without its sidearm, and began to flee through the early morning light.

Satisfied that her opponent no longer posed any threat, Tenel Ka spun to
see how Jacen was faring.
Apparently, quite well. The Talz lay on the sand, its dirty white
fur standing straight up in fear, for the emerald green blade of
Jacen's lightsaber hovered near his throat. Jacen nodded his thanks
to her for dealing with the Rodian.

"What do you suppose that was all about?" he asked.

"I do not know," Tenel Ka said, disengaging her lightsaber. "But I
am sure that he can inform us." Tenel Ka indicated the frightened
Talz with a flick of her finger. Jacen slid the lightsaber away
from his attacker and gestured with the blade that he should get up.
The Talz immediately hopped to his feet, fearing some sort of
horrible retribution if he did not comply with the demands of his
captors.

"This is a fact," Jacen quipped in response to Tenel Ka's assessment
of the situation. "Let's get him over to Lowie's room and see if
Em Teedee speaks the same language as our friend." They
proceeded along the beach, heading for the still barren walkways,
when Jacen suddenly pitched forward. Tenel Ka was at his side in an
instant.

"What is wro...." Then Tenel Ka felt it also. The world seemed to
spin as everything went out of focus. It was almost as if someone had
smothered her in a blanket, cutting her off from everything that
gave a person life. She felt barren and deprived, a hollow vessel for
what had once so happily filled her.

She managed to clear her vision enough to see the tail end
of their Talz prisoner as he fled toward a group of rough looking
humanoids who lined the near edge of the walkways. There had to be
at least six of them, Tenel Ka estimated, including the cowering
Rodian. In the lead, however, were two humans. One was a rough
looking man with a grizzled beard, the other a slim, muscular woman.
On their backs rested the metal nutrient frames which supported the snake
like bodies of ysalamiri.

Ysalamiri are a creature indigenous to the planet Myrkr. They
possessed long, fuzzy snakelike bodies, and lived in the metal
trees of Myrkr's forests. It is from this strange vegetation which
they drew their nourishment. Ysalamiri also have the natural ability
to push away the Force for approximately ten meters in any direction.
An ability which some theorize as a natural evolutionary step to avoid
becoming the prey of Vonskyrs, which hunt the forests of Myrkr using
the Force to guide them.

In any case, the unique property of ysalamiri became common knowledge
after they played an integral role in the plans of Grand Admiral Thrawn to
restore the Empire five years after its initial defeat. Although not easily
obtainable, ysalamiri had become the prominent anti-Jedi weapon of the age.

Not yet ready to admit defeat, Tenel Ka thrust herself to her feet. She may
have lost her ability to use the Force, but she had still been trained in the
ancestral ways of a warrior on Dathomir. She would have to rely on those
skills, and her enemies ignorance, in this battle. Her lips came together in a
grim line as she prepared herself to meet the enemy. Despite the odds,
Tenel Ka knew that she had to defeat them. She could not allow her
position or Jacen's to be used against either of their parents in some sort
of scheme to achieve political objectives, or to make some type of profit
from their suffering.

Tenel Ka suddenly realized, though, that if victory was to be hers, she could
not appear ready to defend herself. By doing so, she could quite conceivably
eliminate her only advantage. She needed to let their would-be abductors
get closer to her, then be ready to strike at their weakest moment.

This plan now firmly in mind, she allowed herself to take a few steps forward,
then feigned lightheadedness and pitched forward, collapsing alongside Jacen.

It seemed an eternity, as Tenel Ka's muscles clenched in anticipation,
before she felt two pair of hands seize her shoulders and pull her to a
standing position. The one on her right had cold, wet hands, seeming
almost reptilian in texture. It must be the Rodian, Tenel Ka concluded.
The creature to her left felt unusually like rubber, an occurrence that puzzled
her momentarily. Tenel Ka knew of no species that had a skin texture
similar to what she felt, and so decided her second attacker must be wearing
some form of environmental suit to protect it from the hazardous atmosphere
that this planet must offer it.

In a further effort to asses her situation and prevent premature action, Tenel Ka
let one eye slide perilously open. Ahead of her, the two humans stood, their
ysalamiri strapped to their backs, keeping the prone Jedi inside the Force bubble
for fear of what could happen if they faltered. Alongside her two guardians,
she noticed that Jacen had also been roughly hauled to his feet, and was being led
off the sandy dunes.

The odds were definitely not in her favor. Slowly and subtly, Tenel Ka
snaked her leg around the Rodian's. It, in a superfluous state of euphoria
for successfully capturing its intended prey, did not give the slightest indication
of an awareness outside its own delusions of grandeur. Tenel Ka then
kicked her leg backwards, sweeping her opponent's out from under him.
With a startled shriek, the Rodian fell, while in a single fluid movement, Tenel Ka
untangled her limb and brought the ivory hilt of her lightsaber crashing down
on the globe that encircled the head of her other abductor.

The shattering of glass mixed with the shouts and screams of mass confusion.
A bluish vapor fled from the environment suit of the alien, as it clutched at
the jagged remains of its helmet, suffocating in the hostile atmosphere of
Candren V. The Talz, its white fur standing on edge, left Jacen and proceeded
on Tenel Ka, who mere seconds before had disabled the angry Rodian as it was
lifting itself from the sand.

Although appearing rather menacing, with an average height of two meters
and muscular builds, Talz are not widely known for their fighting abilities, but
rather for their gentle natures. It was for this reason that Tenel Ka decided not
to do the displaced creature any permanent damage, but just render it unconscious
it with a swift kick to the head.

Jacen groaned, trying to drag himself to his feet, the disharmony of having
his lifelong connection with the Force severed in an instant weighing on him
heavily. Tenel Ka quickly shifted her sight to her ailing friend, and her heart
wrenched. She had spent a portion of her life without having fully been
conscious of her Force abilities, so the presence of the ysalamiri had been
disorienting to her at first, but the effects could be shaken off. Jacen, though,
had never lived without feeling its embrace. For him, the force bubble created
by the furry snake like creatures was equivalent to total sensory deprivation.
He was alone and lost, and there was nothing Tenel Ka could do.

This time, the battle was lost.

Mercer and his female companion drew their blasters and took aim. Tenel Ka
realized, in a fleeting moment, that she had no means of escape, and let her
gaze drift back toward Jacen. She allowed herself to indulge in a feeling of
comfort, knowing that when she awoke Jacen would be near. Together, then,
they could put an end to this.

Tenel Ka never saw the fierce blue ripples of the stun shot.

To Be Continued....