Disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters are the property of George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd,
and this story is in no way making a profit off of said property. So, please, no one decide
to sue me. Thanks much.

STAR WARS: Shattered Dreams
Chapter 14: "The Final Moves"
by Dave Ziegler

I find it funny, somehow, that one day you can feel on top of the universe: reveling,
laughing, facing everything and everyone with a brash vivaciousness that would confound most.
It didn't matter the task or the place, there was simply no fear to hold you back. Then,
the next day, it all comes collapsing in on you. The universe finally tires of your feet
on its shoulders, and finds that single crack within your seemingly invulnerable exterior.

Now, having learned of your vulnerability, the cosmos plots, schemes, and connives to
lead you to your ruin. Events are twisted so that your feet tread through the dust of the
one place that can crush both you and your spirit. Then, enjoying your plight and its
handiwork, the universe sits back and laughs.

Pessimistic, isn't it? I once wouldn't have given such sentiments any second
consideration. But this is exactly what is happening to me, Elle Mathys. And I can't
seem to do a thing about it.

Not even a week past I was swept away from the Jedi academy, a place I had come
to think of as home, and sent to this, Coruscant, the capital world of the Republic.

It is a monstrous place, full of metal and glass. I was born on a simple agri-world
to a pair of parents who owned and worked a small farm, and took only the greatest of
pleasure in gazing at deservedly beautiful fields of green. A child of hard work, warm
sun, fields, and summers spent delightfully wading through the local lakes, I had never
even once given a second thought to the tales corporate children told of the massive
city planets.

After all, why should I have?

Then, as adolescence bloomed, a man came to my world, my town. His name was
Luke Skywalker, and he told me that I had special abilities, powers that should be
cultivated and used for the good of everyone. He offered to take me to his school
and teach me how to use these abilities in such a fashion. I agreed.

And so I left my parents and my fields, and traveled to Yavin IV, the home of
the Jedi academy. Though Master Skywalker had warned me that my new surroundings might
take a while to adjust to, I found myself almost immediately comfortable with the planet's
environment. It wasn't too different from my home world, after all. Where it sported
fields and lakes, Yavin showed trees and vines. Nature is nature. I had nothing to
fear.

What, perhaps, made the planet even more hospitable was the kindred spirit I found
there.

His name was Anakin.

Now, to be sure, he wasn't nearly the type of personality one would think I'd easily
relate to. I mean, when I first met him, his idea of a fun night was to simply sit and
contemplate the state of the universe and his place in it. He seemed to find actively
associating with others unnatural and uncomfortable. Me? If you flung me into a room
full of people I'd never seen before in my life, I would have five different conversations
going within a minute.

So, in a fit of pre-judgment, I did not approach him.

The universe then decided to reach out and nudge the course of my life yet again.

A year after my arrival at the Academy, having successfully completed the basic group
classes, I was assigned to one Anakin Solo for mentorship. I was hardly ecstatic at first,
as you can well imagine. Along with my own preconceptions, I had heard rumors which convinced
me that this boy would be oppressive and miserly, forcing me to walk the line of propriety
with unending vigilance.

And he did not disappoint. But, much to my surprise, I found myself not minding all
that much. Despite his strictness, he showed himself to be a fair and patient teacher, and
through the coming and going of our months together I saw flashes of things within him.
Flashes of things that I liked. Flashes of things he probably didn't even realize were
there.

So, at every opportunity I pushed him. I prodded, I poked, and I worked my way
through all the shields he had erected around himself. And there, at the core, I found
someone who was fun when he wanted to be, who strived in all things to be true and fair,
though just as often could be infuriatingly stubborn and unthinking. He loved the
vastness of the outside, and hated the confines of the in. He could be wise, yet naive,
and sweet, but dull.

It was a fascinating and intoxicating mix.

And the more time we spent together, the more I found myself wanting to continue
in his swirl.

Strangely enough, I imagined he thought the same of me.

My mother, however, once told me 'good things can lead down bad roads.' And she
was right. Though I do not blame him in any way, Anakin has lead me here, to the capital.
Practically, I could say that it was his praise of my abilities that convinced the masters
I would be qualified to help Captain Solo find his wife. But that would be a frail link.
They may have still chosen me anyway.

No, the real reason I'm here, the reason I did not refuse the mission as was optioned
to me, was because I wanted, out of fright or paranoia, to show Anakin that, like he, I could
maintain myself during a crucial situation. I was sure that once he saw this, Anakin would
not hesitate to include me in any mission the masters set for him.

I hated being left alone. When he's gone, even among all the students, all the friends
I've made at the academy, I feel like I'm walking in something of a shadow. It seems that
the sun only comes out when I can sit near him and tease a smile to his lips or a blush to
his cheeks. I wanted to help, to be with him whenever he had need of me. And for Anakin
to be near when I needed him.

It was a foolish idea. Despite the chill I felt at the academy whenever he was gone, I
knew I was safe. However unrealistic it may seem, Anakin had always returned from his
missions, and I believed he always would. And now, here, inside the capital, inside the
palace, I feel the most awful cold. There is nothing familiar, nothing I can hold on to
and anchor myself with. This planet, this place, these people, are larger, more important,
and more overwhelming than I ever imagined. No matter what I once thought, here I am nothing, a single speck of dust in a land of giants, and I know I cannot handle it.

I fear I will lose myself. I fear what the universe has plotted for me.

* * *

"Well?"

"Patience, Admiral," Raynar stated, not bothering to turn around and look at the
older man. He kept his eyes firmly on Elle and her rigid form, while she made use of her
unique abilities to try and locate the Chief of State. "If you find our methods tedious
and dull, sir, I'm sure you've plenty of your own that would keep you suitably entertained."

Han rubbed a quick hand over his face, hiding the half smile that had sprouted there,
but the effort was wasted when Chewbacca broke into a loud chuffing laugh. His eyes flicking
up toward his companion in irritation, Han watched the Admiral redirect his attention back
toward him instead of the young Jedi.

"Do you find this boy's insolent behavior amusing, Captain Solo?"

"No, no. Of course not," Han placated, shrugging. "But you know wookies, Admiral.
They have the strangest sense of humor."
Terion peered at Han hard, his elderly face brimming with indignation. "You remember
that I was not in favor of bringing the Jedi in the first instance, Captain? That was
because they are an autonomous and uncontrollable entity. We cannot predict their
effectiveness or what they even bring to an operation. In essence, they are virtually
useless to us. But no, you and your brother-in-law insisted they be allowed to help.
And what have we to show for that dogged determination? A total lack of any progress
whatsoever!

"Really, Captain Solo, if you wish to actually find your wife, I suggest that you
do not continue to waste our time with these adolescents."

"Look, Admiral," Han said, tensing, "like the kid said, if you don't think this
is useful, go back and coordinate with the rest of the search teams. Or do something
else, I don't care! But don't stand here and complain to me, and make it seem as if
finding my wife is low on my list of priorities! I'd be willing to try anything that
could give me a lead, which is why I am standing here right now!"

The two men glared at each other, the five other occupants of the now cleared
hallway all pretending not to notice. All except for Chewie, of course. Upon the
start of the argument, the immense wookie stood firm, right behind his friend's right
shoulder, and threw his intimidating presence in Han's favor.

The Admiral continued to stare for a moment longer, until, finally, he stepped
away and turned, gesturing for the two NRI agents who stood off to his side. "DeVries.
Stevens."

"Yes, sir!" they snapped in harmony.

"Get on the comlink and get me an update from command and control. I don't
want to waste any more time than absolutely necessary."

Han turned away, throwing his arms up into the air and muttering something
about pigheaded military types. These kind of guys were always too wrapped up in
procedure and protocol to ever get anything real done. They were career and wanted
only a flawless record and the next promotion. Give him a dirty, under-the-table smuggler
any day, and Han could produce some real results. They were a part of the pulse of the
cities they lived in. Most nothing ever happened that they didn't know about.

Of course, Han didn't currently have access to any such person. After his marriage
to Leia, he had increasingly lost touch with many of his contacts and found himself ever
more reliant upon the Republic forces and only the Republic forces in the battles he
fought.

On the other hand, he did have at his fingertips two Jedi. And, Han was coming
to believe with more and more fervor, if anyone was going to help him win this battle,
it was going to be them.

"Well, Admiral," Raynar said, moving back into the copse of bodies that he had
separated from, drawing Elle silently behind him, "if you are really that worried about
wasting time with us, I suggest you lead us to Senator Meecron's offices. Elle's told
me that she can't find any trace of the Chief of State, so if you wouldn't mind spurring
the process along?" Raynar flicked his hand forward twice, almost as if he were
encouraging a stubborn pet to keep moving.

"Of course, Jedi Thul. The faster you and your compatriot are out from under
my feet, the faster I will be able to get some real work done. So, if you will just
follow us..." Terion strode quickly down the passageway, the two NRI agents busily
working their comlinks and scrambling to catch up with him.

Raynar, for his part, offered a wide smile at the man's retreating back. "If
he thinks he can intimidate me any, he's out of his mind. I've been near to running
the Thul Merchant Trade Fleet since I was fifteen, and handled a lot worse than his
sort. All you need do is bait them with a few well placed barbs and they are so
consumed with their own wounded egos as to present little real competition or obstacle
to what it is you want to achieve."

Chewie howled in agreement, and Han allowed himself a quick laugh. "Well, I'd
say you worked him over real good, kid. He went running almost as soon as you spoke."

As he addressed Raynar, Han's eyes flashed across Elle. She stood behind the
young man, her weight shifted precariously forward so that she was almost leaning on
his back. A soft, pink lip was worked mercilessly back and forth between her teeth,
and her quick, pale eyes told of an acute anxiousness somewhere within.

"Are you all right?" he asked, lifting her chin so that he could catch her
fleeting eyes.

She offered him a thin smile, and nodded. "I'll be fine, Captain. Thank
you."

"You sure?" he asked again. "You're Anakin's apprentice, right? I wouldn't
want you catching anything, now." Han suddenly grinned lopsidedly. "Especially
considering how he's always chattering on about you without even realizing it."

His grin widened as Elle managed a giggle at his comment. "I can't picture
Anakin chattering about anything, sir."

"Well, he may not think he does it," Han intoned, "but never believe him if
he tells you so. Now, first off, stop calling me sir. And second, you will be all
right?"
"Yes." Elle managed a more convincing smile this time. "Yes, I feel much
better now. Thank you, really."

"No problem, kid," Han said, gently pushing her forward and after Raynar. "No
problem at all."

* * *

"What have you got, Jacen?"

Jaina Solo crouched low in a cluster of small hillocks, their dry, limp grasses
doing little to help obscure her and her companions from those they watched below. The
earth felt cracked and brittle beneath her, as if it had not delighted in a shower's caress
for many months. Laying just behind the twins, Lowie grumbled an oath, cursing all the
dust-like earth that was tangling itself in his fur.

Jaina allowed a wry smile to cross her face at Lowie's complaints before pointedly
poking her brother in the side, yet again. "Well?" she hissed.

"Just a second, Jaya," Jacen hushed her, still staring through his pair of
macrobinoculars. "I'm still trying to get a good look at everything."

The most vivid feature of the area beneath him was the complex itself. Having
escaped in the dark of night with Tenel Ka, Jacen had previously been unable to really
form any coherent picture of it in his mind. There had only been the hangar, deep,
cavern-like, and torturous.

It was an intimacy Jacen could have lived easily without.

Now, though, he could see it all. Aside from the hangar, most definitely the
largest part of the structure, there were three other buildings, each set deep into
the ground. The first, which was painted in earthy browns and greens, Jacen assumed
was a barracks of some sort. It looked to have once supported a roof mounted blaster
canon, and was placed directly opposite the hangar. It seemed a design that would likely
make pilot to ship transfer as quick as possible.

The second building was shorter, but visibly more armored than any other. It had a
pair of thick blast doors at the front, scarred and pock marked with age old blaster fire,
and was placed among a more uneven portion of terrain. Mounds and hills rose up around it,
much like the cluster Jacen himself currently hid in, providing a natural source of cover
for infantry. Both its appearance and location lead Jacen to believe that
this building was, in all probability, an armory, and the place the complex's past
inhabitants would retreat to as the most defensible position should an attack occur.

Between the two sat a mixed group of speeders and swoop bikes.
The third building, now, was something of a mystery to Jacen. It was a tiny,
hut-like box, seemingly no larger than his sparse quarters back on Yavin IV. There
wasn't much one could fit inside something like that, certainly not a mess hall or
any kind of off duty recreation center. Perhaps it was the officer's quarters?

At any rate, Jacen realized that speculating about it's past uses was pointless.
What was critical to their mission, what was vital for him was to find out what
Gwynandra Salanon was using it for now, so that their attack might be better planned
and coordinated.

Running the macrobinoculars over the entire complex again, Jacen noted the seven
guards that wandered through the base, most keeping a relatively close position to the
hangar. The clustering of guards immediately alerted him to the fact that his guess had
been right, and that Tenel Ka, upon being captured, was once again placed inside the
enormous building. Why else have so much manpower concentrated so close to its entrances?
It was the only conclusion that made sense, after all. Gwyn wanted him, and nothing would
be more valuable to her than something that could bring Jacen back into her grasp.

His gaze swept to the side of the hangar and its four stationary guardians, coming
to rest on the remaining three, who seemed to be walking a quick patrol between Tenel
Ka's prison and Jacen's mystery building. He watched them for a few processions, noting
with interest that they were fast to turn away from the hut. It almost seemed as if they
were frightened of it, scared to face what was inside, but wary enough not to abandon
their position outright.

What could be held within that frightened them so? Certainly not Tenel Ka, not
with the ysalamiri dispersing her Force abilities and the telling gathering near the
hangar. No, it had to be something else. Perhaps Gwyn had taken another prisoner?
Someone dangerous enough to make these hired guns stutter and choke.

"Jacen?" Jaina hissed again. "Come on already! If you're going to keep
staring through those things, the least you could do is give us some sort of
running commentary."

"Sorry," Jacen mumbled, scampering back down the slope a bit and moving
the macrobinoculars to his belt. "I got kinda caught up." His face twisted for
the barest of moments, the doubt of what had really so occupied his attention in
the camp flashing through his mind.

As fast as the change had come and gone, Jaina immediately caught a hint of
her brother's sudden emotional turmoil and gave his free hand a firm squeeze. "I
know how it feels, Jacen. To sit and wonder if you will ever see that person again.
Don't worry though," she smiled, "we won't let another of our loved ones disappear
from our lives, right?"

Jacen gave her a slow, coaxed nod. "Yeah, absolutely. It's time this ended,
and in our favor. No more concessions to fate." This time it was Jacen who flashed
a sympathetic smile to his sister. He knew intimately how much the disappearance of
Zekk still hurt her.

"That's the attitude we need, Jace," she enthused, Lowie barking his agreement
behind her. "Now, if you can just give us an outline of the facility, we can begin
taking back an important piece of our lives."

* * *

Mercer jumped quickly out of the small building that Gwyn used as her personal
quarters, the door slipping swiftly shut behind him. His breath was coming in nervous
ragged gasps, the encounter with the young woman still assaulting his senses.

Gwynandra was a changed woman.

No longer did she seem to him slightly lost in the tapestry that was reality.
Mercer had always looked upon Gwyn as someone who saw a different picture than everyone
else, and then attempted to weave it for her own pleasure. He admired her for that
gumption, however misguided or trivial he may have considered some of her pursuits.
Life was there to be taken, subdued, and then enjoyed.

Now, she was simply cold. That was the only word Mercer could think of to
describe the feeling he now suffered whenever she walked into a room. There was
an aura about her, one of danger and deathly indifference, that would instantly
rile up all the instincts he had developed over the years as a soldier.

His troops had noticed it too. They shied away from Gwynandra, leaving any
and all contact with her to Mercer. And these were cutthroats, mercenaries, and
criminals any man would fear to ever meet.

Gwyn had been livid when Mercer had reported that they were unable to locate
Jacen Solo, either alive or dead. He had expected her to be angry at first, but
then to break into a worry over whether or not he would ever be able to be with
her. Instead, she had become frighteningly livid, anger seeming to throb through
her every vein.

She had unendingly cursed his name for failing to bring him to her, for
failing to allow her a chance to demonstrate the falsities of love. It was
supposed to have been her victory, her chance to scar and denigrate the illusory
world that challenged her.

Shaping life to suit her pleasures now seemed, in Mercer's estimation,
farthest from Gwyn's mind.

* * *

"Right," Jaina mumbled to herself, crawling along the peaks overlooking
the complex. "It's time to get things moving."

She eyed her target carefully, then allowed her mind to dip into the
energies that circled it. A small frown creased her face as Jaina strained to
establish a concrete control over something so small and so distant. If Uncle
Luke were here now, she was sure he would be reminding her that size and space
did not matter where the Force was concerned. It was simply a matter of perception.
If she could perceive her target and what she wished to do with it, then she could
achieve it.

Unfortunately, at that very moment, Jaina felt as if the pressure of the
situation were driving her intended target thousands of parsecs away.

Damnit, she needed to concentrate! Jaina squeezed her eyes closed, shutting
out everything around her. Sight was a hindrance now, allowing in extraneous
information that was distracting her from her purpose. What she needed to do was
feel it, cradle it through the Force tendrils that surrounded it.

Moments passed, an intense expression aging the young Jedi's features as
Jaina struggled to find what she so sought. Then, finally, her eyes snapped back
open and a small, tired smiled replaced the taught lines that had just resided on
her face.

She had done it!

* * *

Mercer was shocked, to say the least, when he saw a squat silver sphere
tug at the belt of one of his troops, then suddenly break free and go flying
into the midst of their speeders. Of course, the shock only lasted as long as
it took him to realize that said sphere was, in fact, a live thermal detonator.

Then horror took over.

* * *

Jaina watched in rapt satisfaction as the first speeders erupted into a
brilliant fireball, hurling smoke and shrapnel every which way. The mercenaries
scattered in all directions, abandoning their posts and patrol lines, and looking
wildly for the source of the attack. Which, Jaina grinned, they were only too happy
to supply.
A great chugging whine filled the air, and Lowie burst over the nearest peak,
straddling a streaking swoop bike and brandishing his copper bladed lightsaber. He
let fly a deep, crazed roar, an embellishment to his character that Jaina found
particularly amusing.

Grabbing her own lightsaber, she began to hike over the hillocks and head
toward the camp. She watched as the first guards recovered and released a round
of crackling blaster shots at her speeding friend. Lowie swept through the first
volley, evading the shots with expert maneuvers, then sent some of the second
careening back toward the guards with an easy flick of his lightsaber.

While none of the deflected shots felled any of their enemies, they did
strike near enough to set those who had gathered themselves into another fit of
retreat. The confusion lasted just long enough for Lowie to blast through the
complex and back over the far set of hills, another vicious bellow echoing far
behind him.

* * *

Mercer stared at the burning speeders, then at the retreating form of
the swoop bike. How had this happened so quickly?

One of the other Jedi. It had to be. There was no mistaking the glowing
weapon the wookie had used against them.

"All right!" he yelled, cutting through the roar of the fire and freezing
his troops in place. The rest were just now stumbling out of the barracks, half
dressed and scrambling to bring their weapons to bear. "Gather me up all the
speeders and swoops that weren't damaged, and prep them for flight! We're gonna
make sure that other Jedi doesn't get back here and attempt to help his friend.
The rest of you, remember that it's the boy Gwynandra wants. He'll be around here
somewhere, you can be sure of it. Grab two of the ysalamiri, strap them to the
frames, and make sure you take him down alive!"

Mercer watched, pleased, as his troops broke into furious action, enacting
his orders without hesitation. The Jedi may have surprised them once, but now they
knew of them, and were ready. He would take great pleasure in dealing with the
wookie personally. It was high time Mercer finally faced his fear. He couldn't
allow fairy tales to haunt him forever.

And as for the boy, well, the boy had gone down easily enough the first time.
Those he left behind should have no more problem than he did using the ysalamiri to
take the child.

Then, with this Jacen Solo back in her possession, maybe Gwyn would be happy
again, Mercer thought as he climbed atop the swoop brought to him.

* * *

Jaina scrambled down the last of the hill and fell into the complex. She
huddled against the back wall of the smallest of the three buildings and surreptitiously
made her way to its corner, then silently eased her head around.

The last of the mounted mercenaries had jetted off in pursuit of Lowie moments ago,
leaving her a relatively clear path into the camp. Unfortunately, it also left the
remaining four guards to concentrate themselves. And concentrating they were. All
had fallen back to guard the entrance to the hangar, and two were just now hastily
strapping ysalamiri frames to their backs.

Jaina jumped as she pulled back around the corner, turning straight into a body
that had not been there before. "Sithspawn, Jacen!" she gasped. "You scared me."

"Sorry. I couldn't get in though. Not with all our friends standing about
waiting for me. Besides," he added slyly, "you should have known it was me."

"Forgive me if I'm somewhat distracted," Jaina responded dryly. "Those guards
do seem to be waiting for us, though, don't they? Perhaps we should oblige them?"

Jacen shook his head. "Getting through will be difficult, Jaina. Especially
with the two of them laden down with ysalamiri. I don't see how throwing ourselves
in front of them will in any way help us get inside the hangar."

Jaina removed the lightsaber from her belt and held it up before her brother.
"Remember Jacen," she reminded him, "it's only you who actually needs to get inside.
I'll just keep them busy while you free Tenel Ka."

"Are you kidding? Two of those creatures were enough to put both Tenel Ka and
myself so off our equilibrium that these guys actually managed to take us captive!
I'm not willing to sacrifice one loved one for another. There has to be another way,"
Jacen pleaded.

"Look, Jace," Jaina began, sighing impatiently. "I can sympathize, but you won't
lose me, and the longer we wait the more time we give them to prepare for our coming.
We need to hit them now while they are still solidifying their positions."

Jaina watched as her brother moved to rebuke her, but suddenly found his voice
overshadowed by a great, deep rumble that suddenly arced over the horizon and began to
descend upon the camp. Two large hovering troop transports, bearing the white and blue
seal of the Shental security force, dropped onto the earth some twenty feet from the hangar
and immediately began to spill men.
Mercer's four guards raised their rifles and began to futilely fire into the police
forces, felling only a few of the two score troops that seemed to endlessly descend from
the transports. In return, the police unloaded a barrage of their own driving the
mercenaries from their exposed position and ducking behind any sort of cover they
could find.

"I'll be damned," Jaina muttered, unable to believe that the Shental security
force was actually doing something useful for a change. She quickly grabbed Jacen's
hand and began to drag him at a run toward the hangar's entrance. "Come on, Jacen!
Now's our chance!"

* * *

Lieutenant Graydon smiled in satisfaction as his men began to descend upon
the secret installation. The young man who had been pointed out to him in the Pay
and Drink had been very forthcoming once properly persuaded. He had supplied Graydon
with such vital information as to confirm that Gwynandra Salanon had, indeed, murdered
Mr. Mek, where they disposed of the body, and the current location and strength of Miss
Salanon.

Though it seemed now to Graydon that the man had grossly overestimated the amount
of resistance they would meet upon storming the complex. Why, this would be wrapped up
in a matter of moments.

A pair of figures suddenly darted out from behind the smallest of the buildings and
began to weave through the fighting at a breakneck pace. Graydon squinted through the
hail of blaster fire, trying to discover if the two bodies might be more of these forces
Salanon's man had spoken of.

No such luck.

"Solo," he murmured. Well, well, well. She was here after all. But who was that
boy with her? And why had she put herself in such a hazardous position to gain access
to the hangar?

Suddenly, Jaina Solo's entire story came crashing back into his mind.

Of course, Solo had said that the Salanon girl had taken both her brother and her
friend. Then that meant. . . .

Graydon lifted the handset to the transport's external loudspeaker and yelled into
it. "Wipe up the last of this lot, men! I want to be inside that hangar in another
minute, ready to secure its premises and detain anyone who might be inside!"

* * *

"Are you sure we're nearing the Senator's offices, Admiral?" Raynar asked,
strolling up behind the man.

"Of course. I know my way around this palace intimately," Terion bit
back.

They were moving down another cleared corridor, briskly passing by all of
its incredible beauty and splendor. Raynar had lagged behind the main group, mainly
to lend any kind of support he could to Elle. He was beginning to get a firm sense of
how much this environment was distressing her. Why, though, he wasn't sure. But his
worries for her had to take a second to seat to what he eventually felt was like an
intentional delay by the Admiral to arrive at Meecron's offices.

"I was just wondering, Admiral," Raynar noted calmly. "It seems that we've been
walking forever and not really arriving anywhere. Did you decide to take us on the
scenic route?"

Before the Admiral was able to conjure up a suitably terse remark, he was hastily
summoned to the lead of the party by his two troopers, Stevens and DeVries. The NRI
agents stood over the prone bodies of three of the palace guards that were supposed to
be stationed within each corridor to clear the way for them.

"They're all alive," Stevens said, retracting a gloved hand from the last guard's
neck. "I can't quite determine what put them down, though, sir."

"I've come for you, Admiral."

The entire party spun to face the new voice, Stevens and DeVries pulling blaster
rifles to the ready. The barrels moved in concert, waving steadily before them until
finally coming to rest on the young man who moved out of the shadows.

"I've come for you Pol Terion," Anakin said, taking another step forward.

"Hold your position!" DeVries cried, her finger tightening on the trigger. "Do
not move, and place your hands above your head."

Anakin smiled grimly. "You don't need those." He flicked a hand and both blasters
were ripped from their owners hands and sent sailing down the hallway. They came to a
clattering halt some fifteen feet later. "Now, back away from the Admiral, or I may have
to do to you what I did to them," he stated, gesturing at the palace guards.

"And what was that?" the Admiral asked, still safely behind his two agents. "Did
you kill them simply because they were in your way?"

Anakin snorted. "Of course not. I simply suggested that they were tired."

"Anakin!" Han demanded from behind the scene. "What the hell is going on?" Chewie
barked a similar question, but the young Jedi ignored them both.

"I could have you arrested for assaulting Republic officials, boy," Terion
warned.

"It doesn't matter. You're crimes are far worse." Terion frowned. "I hear
that my mother is missing now, Admiral."

"Yes. We are searching for her at the moment," he responded. Raynar felt that
the man was taking the measure of Anakin, sizing up an enemy.

"Did you think that after being on Dasney I wouldn't understand? Did you believe
that I would not figure it all out? Of course, you were rather intent on me not leaving
Dasney, weren't you? And then, when I made it back to Coruscant, you had the battle
droids waiting for me. I wasn't supposed to get this far, was I?"

Terion shook his head. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Now get out
of our way and let us proceed with our investigation, or I shall have you placed in
binders this instant."

"Wrong. You have every idea of what I'm speaking about. You, Admiral, are from
Dasney yourself aren't you?"

"Yes," Terion stated through gritted teeth.

"You grew into adulthood during the reign of the Empire. A time when your society
was raped and desecrated. You, and others of like minds, decided, once the Republic
had been formed, that you would never allow something like that to happen to your
planet again.

"Using positions of power and wealth horded from national industries, this
group began to take covert control of the planet. You built it up, preparing for
a war that will probably never come, and allowing memories of the Empire to fuel a
rampant paranoia. But that wasn't enough, was it?

"Eventually this shadow syndicate turned to its supporters who had achieved
positions within the Republic itself. They needed funds and supplies that could
only be delivered from something with far more industrial power than Dasney
possessed. At least until certain operations were finished, that is. They
turned to you, Admiral."

"Outrageous!" Terion thundered.
Anakin held up his hand. "I'm not finished yet. You see, Admiral, you
are not a stupid man. You knew that if you were to begin skimming funds and
equipment from the Republic, someone somewhere would eventually notice. But
you could not abandon your planet or people either. What was needed to remedy
the situation was a fall guy, someone you could quickly shift all the blame to
once these little indulgences were discovered.

"Enter Senator Meecron. A man with a failing political career, who, at
the time, would have done anything to reinvigorate his status and campaigns.
He was someone that you could control. So, it was arranged for him to win Dasney's
seat in the Galactic Senate.

"But once again, Admiral, you were no fool. You made sure your pick of a
patsy was well considered. If, by some slim chance, you found yourself unable to
control Meecron any longer, you were ready to play the card he feared the most.
His niece, Gwynandra Salanon. The girl, at the time, had been inside an institution,
receiving treatment for a mental instability. Meecron feared what light that would
cast on him in the eyes of the voters if the information ever got out.

"Now, Admiral, this is where it gets really interesting. Illegally obtaining
her medical records, you discovered that his niece's condition stemmed from an obsession
with a young Jedi. My brother, Jacen Solo. So when the time became ripe, and you found
that Meecron was no longer following your orders as obediently as you would have liked,
you suggested to him that he might want to consider removing Gwynandra from the
institution and hiding her away somewhere. You told him you had heard whisperings
of reporters sniffing around the subject. He panicked and did just that, but ended
up letting Gwyn loose and free to roam.

"But you managed to keep tabs on her, didn't you? You are, after all, the
director of New Republic Intelligence, and have all the necessary tools at your
disposal. Then you put the final touches on your plan. After a particularly
harsh mission, you generously gave my sister, an NRI agent under your command, leave
to take a vacation. Even more generously, you procured for her four reservations at
the Shental resorts on Candren V, and insisted she spend a little down time relaxing
with her brother and friends. And so, without realizing it, Jaina brought Jacen into
the waiting arms of Gwynandra Salanon.

"Once Gwyn had acted against my brother, and the situation cleared up, you knew
that the Republic's investigation would turn to her only living relative, Senator
Meecron. And once they started looking at him, they would discover trails of everything
he had done for you, and all you had stolen in his name. He would be arrested and tried,
and not one person would ever have glanced in your direction, leaving you free to continue
your operations as planned.

"But not everything turned out quite the way you planned, did it? The situation
with Gwynandra Salanon has taken too long to resolve itself, and when my mother sent me
to Dasney you panicked. You knew that if you did not put up some front of defending your
man, then Meecron would become suspicious and possibly ruin everything for you. But
once Eemar and I were able to escape from your headquarters, having read certain
documents that would have been better off destroyed, you knew that a contingency plan
would have to be enacted.

"This plan probably had you, in some fashion, telling Meecron that I had escaped
with information connecting him to Gwynandra Salanon and the situation on Candren V.
Under such pressure you figured the senator would do something desperate. And he has.
My mother has disappeared. And you are heading toward Meecron's offices to look for her,
aren't you?"

Raynar raised an eyebrow at the story, fitting in all the pieces that had been
missing from his own picture of the events. It was inherently deceptive, and somewhat
convoluted, but did actually make sense if he thought about it.

He turned to ask Elle what she thought of the tale, but saw only unadulterated
faith in her eyes. Raynar realized that in her mind Anakin could not be wrong.

"Anakin," Han said moving a step closer to the Admiral. Raynar noticed the low
dangerous tone of the man's voice and how his right had was straying toward his blaster
as he moved. "Are you absolutely sure about this?"

"Bah!" Terion scoffed. "How can he be? The boy doesn't have a single piece of
proof to support the entire ridiculous tale."

"Wrong," Anakin smiled. He gestured toward the shadowed wall from which he had
appeared, and R2-D2 trundled forth. "I have copies of some of your syndicate's top
secret documents and communiqués, detailing everything I just spoke of."

Terion blanched at the sight of the droid. He spun quickly to run, but found the
muzzle of Han's blaster and Chewie's bowcaster pointed evenly at him. "Not thinking of
going anywhere, are you, Admiral?" Han said coldly.

The two bewildered NRI agents moved to the side of the hallway, as Anakin began to
make his way toward the Admiral and his father. Raynar tore his gaze away from the scene
though, as he suddenly felt Elle go stiff at his side. Her eyes flashed closed, then
opened just as quickly, and she began to hop in excited little jumps.

"Anakin!" she yelled. "I can sense her, Anakin! Your mother!"

Elle moved to run to him.

A sudden, chorused metallic march sauntered eerily into the mostly deserted
hallway. Raynar turned, as did everyone else, to find a group of skeletal, beaked
droids enter the corridor up ahead, and raise a swarm of matte black rifles.

The Admiral took off at a run, heading the other way.

Then the blaster bolts began to fly.

* * *

Jacen felt eerily removed as he stumbled into the hangar. With only a few
strips of glowpanels actually illuminated, the cavernous building was swathed in
darkness, and its thick walls nearly silenced the sounds of the battle being waged
outside. It felt like he had been swept away from the middle of a tornado and
promptly dropped into a gently swaying sea.

"Which way?" Jaina hissed at him. Her voice fell, oppressed by the atmosphere
of the place.

He moved his eyes in slow careful sweeps, trying to locate something familiar,
something that might remind him whether to head left or right. At last Jacen sighed
resignedly. "I can't make anything out clearly. We may have to split up and take
opposite ends." All in all, though, Jacen wasn't sure his suggestion was the best
of approaches.

Jaina quickly shook her head, tossing her bound brandy hair in a whiplashing
arc, and somewhat relieving her brother. "No, that could take far too long. Come
on, Jace, think! We've been worried about the ysalamiri factor this entire time.
Why don't we just follow our senses to where the Force suddenly seems to disappear?"

Jacen flashed his sister a small but brilliant grin. "See, I knew there was a
reason you were born my sister."

Jaina snorted. "You mean aside from making you look deceptively good?"

"Yeah," Jacen snickered as he began to climb through the darkness. "And who
was it that decided to take a government position?"

"Oh, please," Jaina rebuffed him, picking her way past a stray crate that had
hidden in the shadows. "The intelligence division is hardly a bureaucratic mire."

Jacen managed another silent laugh before stopping short in his journey. His
hand quickly flew up, signaling Jaina to a halt beside him.

They both stood, immobile, with only their eyes scouring their surroundings.
The darkness still pervaded, but various peaks, dips, and lumps began to form greyish
highlights within the black sea. A particularly steep line caught Jacen's attention
and he began to point wildly.

"There, Jaya!" he exclaimed, his finger tracing the plunging line. "That has to
be it. I can't remember anything else rising to such a height."

Jaina nodded solemnly. "I agree. The null field the ysalamiri create is very
near. The edges of my awareness are becoming fuzzy."

Jacen moved to take a step forward and race toward his love, but Jaina quickly
placed a restraining hand on his shoulder. "You may be beginning to rub off on me,
Jacen, but don't you think that one of us should stay behind? At the periphery of
the rescue, just in case some sudden help is needed?"

"Expecting trouble? Look, all those guys are tied up outside with the security
forces," Jacen reasoned, waving his hand back toward the entrance. Noting his sister's
displeased frown though, he quickly stopped gesticulating and rubbed the bridge of his
nose. He was so close. So close, in fact, he could probably just yell out to Tenel Ka
and she would respond. The urge to release those shackles and take her into his arms
was all but overwhelming. Anything that kept him from doing just that would savagely
disagree with him.

"All right, Jaina. Look, do you sense anyone in here with us? I don't."

"No, I do not. But," she emphasized, "we can't sense Tenel Ka either. Anyone
could be in the ysalamiri bubble with her. We need to take some precautions here. I've
had just about enough surprises on this trip already."

"Right, fine," Jacen hastily conceded. "I'll go, and you find yourself somewhere
to keep watch. With the lighting the way it is, though, you'll probably have to be inside
the Force bubble too. Otherwise you might not be able to maintain eye contact."

"Are you sure that's the way you want it?" Jaina asked, taking a long deep look at
her brother's face. Determination she did not mind, but the almost fanatical glint his
eyes had taken on the closer they came to Tenel Ka bothered her. If Jacen became too
consumed he could become careless and oblivious, and that would put both him and Tenel
Ka in danger. All she wanted was for them to get in and out as quickly as possible and
meet up with Lowie. Once that happened, the lovers could take all the time they needed
to let free the tension and fear that must currently be tearing at their souls.

"I'm sure, Jaina," he assured.

She simply nodded, comforted by the knowledge that Jacen, not matter what his state,
would never allow himself to fail Tenel Ka. And she was here, just in case. Then, moving
quickly and silently, she dashed off to Jacen's right and disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

The whine and flash of blaster shots began to gradually dissipate around the man
as the security force's full contingent of soldiers came to press on the small group of
mercenaries. It wouldn't be long now before they were routed and the authorities had
complete control of the area. Knowing that the forces of justice would prevail allowed
him to take a moment of pleasure in a tiny, personal smile. Too often he had seen darkness
conquer, so anytime it was forced back was a reason for celebration.

Still, the battle here would not be over. Not by a long measure. The deepest
darkness had yet to fully manifest itself, but he could feel it coming. Very soon now,
the time for battle would be upon him.

He pulled his dark cloak more tightly about himself, then moved gracefully out into
the midst of the battle. His tall, strong form moved like the slightest of shadows
through the rain of blaster bolts and dashing men, before finally coming to rest
unnoticed before the entrance to the hangar.

Yes, the darkness was very, very close.

He had to stop it before it could hurt her, whatever the cost.

* * *

Only when she felt the firm warmth of a hand upon her own, prising it free from
the manacle that held her to the plate, did Tenel Ka allow a swollen and bruised eye to
ease open. She fell limply forward into a pair of strong arms that quickly and tenderly
wrapped themselves around her waist. Tenel Ka buried her face in the crook in of Jacen's
neck, momentarily content with the sensation of his body against hers, and the gentle
fashion in which he lowered her to the floor.

He continued to murmur silent, soothing words, his lips brushing against her hair
every second syllable. The simple intimacy of the way in which Jacen cradled her
unconsciously brought a smile to her split lips. Tenel Ka had never really known before
the complete peacefulness she did that moment.

Jacen had survived, as she felt he had. And he came for her, as she knew he would.

Nothing Gwynandra Salanon had said or done could have robbed her of her faith in that
respect. Tenel Ka knew that their belief in each other was an important foundation of the
relationship she and Jacen shared. To abandon it due to threats, starvation, and beatings
would have been unforgivable. It would have shown that, perhaps, she was not worthy of his
love.

Then Salanon would have won.

That was part of the reason Tenel Ka had made no attempt at escape. The knowledge
that Jacen would come for her, and that when he did, each and every one of Gwynandra
Salanon's illusions would come crashing down around her secretly pleased the Jedi no
end. Through it all, she, Tenel Ka, would have finally and irrefutably won.

It was selfish, callous, and possibly even a dangerous attitude to take in such
a situation. Tenel Ka did not care though. She would make this girl see that Jacen
was hers, heart and soul, through no means of persuasion or trickery. He was in her
company freely and willingly.

After everything she had endured, it was a victory Tenel Ka needed to taste.

"Jacen," she whispered. Her voice was faint and worn, much like her body in its
present state.

"What did they do to you?" Tenel Ka could hear the horror in his voice, the
seeds of anger that were now breaking open and sprouting. Jacen's fingers moved
lightly down her shoulders, sides, and hips, examining the damage she had incurred.
Tenel Ka didn't bother to try and hide or even lessen the grimaces that flashed across
her face each and every time his gently searching fingers struck a particularly fiery
welt or bruise. After all, that would defeat the entire ideal for which she had suffered
them.

"The girl, Salanon," she coughed, "and I differed on our view of the world." Tenel
Ka managed to drop a weak hand on top of Jacen's. Her fingers dug against his flesh until
finally burrowing their way between his own. "Despite all of this, I think I won each
round."

"That's hardly a comfort," Jacen murmured, pressing his face into her hair and
gently returning the faint pressure of her hand with his own. "This is my fault. I
shouldn't have left you for so long. I should've have found my way back here as soon
as possible."

"I am sure, my friend Jacen, that you took as much time as was necessary." A
short fierce cough ripped through her insides, stunning Tenel Ka into momentary silence.
Using his free hand, Jacen pulled her even closer to him and let her full weight sag
against his body, until finally Tenel Ka stopped trembling from the wracking cough and
once again found her voice. "My apologies," she gasped. "I lack the strength to fight
them off."

A sad, disbelieving smile spread across Jacen's face. "You've nothing to apologize
for," he said, pressing his lips against her forehead in a light gentle kiss. "A cough is
a cough." Yet another kiss, this time just below her ear, along the line of her jaw. "As
long as you are still with me, nothing else matters." He caressed her with a third and
final kiss, just at the corner of her swollen mouth.

"Do you feel ready?" Jacen asked after a moment of soft and warm silence. "We need
to get away from here."

Just as Tenel Ka moved to respond, the entire hangar blazed into light, the meters
upon meters of glowstrips exploding with life. Everything around Jacen spun into a swirl
of brilliant black and yellow lines, all turning and sinking inward before dissipating in
a gradual haze.

Gwynandra Salanon stepped out from around the backside of the plate, a pair of
ysalamiri strapped to her back. "It's true, isn't it?" she accused, pointing a severe
finger at Jacen.

"What?" he snapped. Jacen tried to shuffle himself and Tenel Ka backward. He
wanted distance between her and Tenel Ka, even if, realistically, it wouldn't do much
of anything. If she didn't have the ysalamiri he could fight back effectively!

"You do love her," Gwyn said. Her voice seemed hard and cold, almost unwilling
to form the words or leave her mouth. "You would choose her over me; a vagrant, battered
whore!"

Releasing Tenel Ka, Jacen maneuvered himself in front of her and ignored the muffled
protest she managed to speak. He would not let Gwyn touch her again. But how to get them
both past her and out? Jacen need more time.

"Look, sister," he said, trying his best to sound as calm and cool as his father did
whenever facing a critical situation, "I haven't known you for longer than I've been on this
planet. What made you think you were in the running in the first place?"

"Liar!" Gwyn spat. "I was at your Jedi academy. I saw you rise and claim your
birthright!"

"My birthright?"

"The power. Your power! It was there for the taking once you claimed the harlot's
arm. You showed yourself worthy of it. All you needed to do was to grasp it and take me
away," Gwyn pleaded. "But no, you let yourself be blinded. Instead of letting her be the
foundation of your ascension, you allowed her to drag you down and away from your destiny.
Instead of finding your true love, you gave into her wiles and carnality, and let pleasure
corrupt your heart into some base facsimile of love."

Gods, he needed to get Tenel Ka out of here and fast. All it would take was quick
Force push or a hurled object to distract her and let him grab Tenel Ka. But the ysalamiri,
the ysalamiri! How could he get. . . . wait. What was it Nyar had said to him? Everything. . . .
everything was part of nature. Yes, that was it! But could he possibly mean the ysalamiri
could be reached through the Force? That was ridiculous, impossible. . . . it might be the
only way to get Tenel Ka out.

Offering a silent prayer to the heavens, Jacen began to concentrate. *Please,* his
mind projected. *Please help me. I won't hurt you, but you put us in danger. Please.*

"Listen," Jacen stammered, trying to speak both to Gwyn and maintain his silent plea.
"I've known Tenel Ka for six years now, and she had ahold of my heart before I even spoke
word one to her. I was not seduced, corrupted, or anything of the like! My heart, my soul
chose her, and I can only think myself beyond lucky that hers felt the same for me."

"You see," Tenel Ka croaked from behind Jacen. "I win."

Gwyn's face twisted into a mask of absolute hatred. Her eyes seemed burn right
through him, searching with vicious intent for Tenel Ka.

*Please, please, please, please, PLEASE!*

And suddenly the bubble shattered.

Jacen's face lit into a winning smile as he felt the Force flood back through him.
"Right," he began, but the rest of the words died on his lips. There was a thin, terrible
smile lining the curve of Gwyn's mouth. It was the kind that made you envision your worst
nightmares, or feel the need to vomit.

"Thank you," she said. "You have set me free."

Jacen knew he sensed the sudden, intense rush of cold and evil a moment too late.

The sharp snapping lightning bolts struck him directly in the chest, and threw his
twisting body some ten feet through the air. Jacen landed hard and suddenly along the
tarmac, his chest and shoulders still flaring with snippets of bluish energy. A slight
groan escaped his lips; save for that, he was completely still.

* * *

Jaina was on the move before her mind even really registered what was happening.
She leapt from her hiding spot among a stack of crates, screaming her brother's name, and
ignited the deep violet blade of her lightsaber.

With the Force once again coursing through her body, the young Jedi sped over the
ground and through obstacles with an amazing speed and grace. She would have seemed to
be a blur to any onlooker, till at last she locked her muscles and skidded to a halt in
front of Tenel Ka. A wave of her lightsaber pushed the oncoming Gwyn back a step.

"So, the whore has another defender," Gwyn sneered, unstrapping the ysalamiri from
her back and carelessly tossing them to the ground. "The sister of the boy who's fallen,
no less."

"You've got it wrong," Jaina stated. "You're the one who's fallen. You reek of the
darkside."

"That is purely a matter of perspective. I, unlike my dear Jacen, have embraced my
opportunity for power. I have truly ascended, and will show him and his love," Gwyn spat
the word, "what glory he chose to ignore."

Jaina shook her head. "Not a chance. Not unless you manage to show me first." She
twirled her lightsaber for emphasis.

"If that is your choice, fine," Gwyn grinningly conceded. "A lightsaber then?" she
mused. "I can play that game." Reaching into the vest she wore atop a pair of oversized
coveralls, Gwyn produced to lightsabers. The first lit a deep, beautiful jade; the other,
a startling turquoise.

"Jacen. Tenel Ka," Jaina gasped.

"Yes," Gwyn agreed. "Sinner and temptation. Fitting that I should excise both you
and them from existence with their own weapons."

"No," Jaina hissed, pursing her lips in determination. "Never." Then she feinted
left, and slashed with her blade right.

* * *

Leia Organa Solo stared strangely at Senator Meecron's attaché. The girl had
spontaneously broken into a fit of laughter more than a minute ago and had not stopped
since. She was writhing in her chair, a mirthful grin widely cracking her face.

Leia spared the senator a glance, but he seemed not to notice his attaché's
strange behavior. He was slumped at his desk, still, she assumed, trying to think of
a way to con her into accepting his terms of surrender. So, the Chief of State simply
returned her gaze to the girl, determined to out wait her sudden fit.

When finally another thirty seconds passed, and Xayla's laughter had somewhat
subsided, Leia pointedly cleared her throat and raised a questioning eyebrow at the
girl. Xayla smiled all the wider and simply said, "Another has been born into the
universe."

To Be Concluded. . . .