CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER TWO

Jacen Solo tugged at the collar of his formal shirt for about the twentieth time in the last five minutes. Even growing up in a family where diplomatic functions were as common as breathing had not made Jacen comfortable with wearing formal clothes. He would much rather be wearing his flight suit or jedi robes, but tonight he did not have a choice. They were having dinner in the Fountain Palace's elegant dinning room with Tenal Ka, her parents, and her fiancée Zeille.

He looked himself over in the mirror and ran a hand through his neatly combed hair, tousling it slightly. He had to admit he cleaned up pretty well, just like his father. He sported a black vest over a white shirt with black pilot pants. Giving a final satisfied grunt, Jacen turned and left his room. Once in the hall, he could see his sister just emerging from her room as well. She gave him a wave and then knocked on the door to Zekk's room.

"Zekk? You better hurry up or we're gonna be late," then she turned to her approaching brother and gave him a large grin, "well, I didn't know dad would be joining us for dinner," she teased.

"Well, I didn't know mom would be joining us either," he teased back.

Before Jaina could think of a come back, the door to Zekk's room swung open and the young man stepped out, and immediately laid his gaze on Jaina. Her medium length brown hair flowed loosely around her bare shoulders, while her red dress flowed down the rest of her body coming to an end just above her opened toe shoes. She looked an exact mirror image of her mother.

"Wow," he breathed, "you look beautiful,"

Jaina felt her cheeks growing warm at the compliment and finally managed to get out a "thank you" when she found her voice again.

Jacen rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted to see was his sister and Zekk getting all googolly eyed over each other. He cleared his throat. "We better get going. Danni, Anakin and Tahiri are already downstairs waiting."

With that, the trio headed towards the turbolift and rode it to the second floor where the massive dining room was. The lift doors parted, allowing Jacen to see his younger brother and Tahiri sitting beside each other talking quietly, while Danni studied a Hapan painting on the far wall. When Anakin heard the lift doors open, both him and Tahiri, followed by Danni strode over to meet the others. Jacen could not help but notice how striking Danni looked in her silky blue dress with her curly blond hair done up in a tight bun with a few loose strands hanging around her bare neck. He felt himself blushing, just by looking at her.

"We thought you guys were never going to show up. What took you so long?" Anakin asked.

Jacen hooked a thumb back at Zekk. "Zekk needed a little extra time to get ready," he explained.

Zekk shuffled his feet, obviously embarrassed, but Jaina came to his rescue, "well, we're here now and I don't know about you guys but I'm starved."

"Same here," Zekk chimed in, and Jacen could feel his own stomach growling with hunger.

"Well," Jaina began, taking Zekk's hand in hers, "what are we waiting for?"

And with that, the group of young Jedi Knights walked into the dining room, but not before Jacen gently pulled Danni aside and whispered in her ear, "you look amazing,"

Danni's cheeks flushed slightly. "You look pretty handsome yourself,"

Jacen held out his arm and Danni took it in hers and together they walked into the dining room.

The Fountain Palace dining room was exquisite, to say the least. The first thing that caught Jaina's attention was the exotic scents and smells that attacked her nostrils, all of them being pleasant ones. There were tables along the walls of the room; each one filled with different Hapan delicacies for the guests to munch on before the actual meal arrived. There was also the long, and obviously expensively decorated table, by the sight of the freshly polished dishes and crystal goblet glasses, which were set up in the middle of the room where they would be eating. The chandelier, which contained a variety of Hapan coloured jewels, hung from the ceiling over the dinner table. The room itself was bright and cheerful with vibrant colours lining the walls. Jaina herself had been to many of her mother's diplomatic dinners but this room rivaled even the beauty of the banquet halls in the old Imperial Palace back on Courscant.

Tenal Ka was already there waiting for them when they arrived and rushed over to greet her friends. She led them over to the table and introduced them to the guests already seated. First were Tenal Ka's parents, Isolder and Teneniel Djo, whom the group already knew and then Tenal Ka introduced them to the handsome young man across from her parents. "My friends, this is Lord Zeille of Hapes, my fiancée," she seemed to stumble over those last words but quickly composed herself and finished the introductions. Then she told her friends to find a seat around the table.

Tenal Ka took her spot beside Zeille, with Jaina and Zekk on her other side, while Jacen took a seat beside her parents with Danni, Anakin and Tahiri beside him.

Zeille stared over at the young man seated beside Tenal Ka's parents and said, "you must be Jacen," it was a statement not a question.

Jacen stiffened in his chair, "that's right,"

Zeille ran a hand through his short blond hair and smiled coldly at him. "Tenal has told me all about you."

Jacen suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He knew Zeille's statement had been meant to catch him off guard so he forced a roguish grin on to his face and said smoothly, "funny, she hasn't told me anything about you,"

The air at the table become tense but Jacen could have sworn he saw a small smile appear on the lips of Tenal Ka's parents, but they disappeared before he could tell for sure.

He caught the disapproving frown his sister sent him, but noticed with satisfaction the sides of Zeille's mouth twitch at the remark. Zeille opened his mouth to respond to Jacen's comment, but Tenal Ka, sensing a fight brewing between the two of them, cut him off by announcing that dinner was ready.

The attractive male Hapan servers came around and delivered a steaming plate of food to each guest. A mixture of meat from the local wildlife and vegetables made up the dish. Tenal Ka ate a couple of mouthfuls, and although the food tasted excellent, she found she did not have much of an appetite and ended up pushing most of it around her plate. She decided that this was the best time to approach Jaina with what she had been meaning to ask her since her friend's arrival. She cleared her throat and turned to her friend beside her. "Jaina, I have been meaning to ask you something," Tenal Ka began, showing an uncharacteristic display of nervousness, "would you be my maid of honour at my wedding?"

Jaina grinned, obviously flattered that her friend would choose her instead of some Hapan noble. "I would be honoured," she replied, and Tenal Ka looked as if the weight of a bantha had been lifted off her shoulders.

"So," Jacen began trying to change the subject, "what is it that you do, Zeille?" He asked, purposely forgetting to use his honoured title.

Zeille grinned that cold smile of his again as if he had been waiting for Jacen to ask him that very question. "I run the largest ship constructing yard in the Hapes Cluster," he bragged, "we make the special armour for the Hapan Battle Dragon ships. It's a very important job. I mean, I may not be running around the galaxy wielding a lightsaber but I'm saving lives all the same by making sure my ships have the best armour and weapons available."

Jacen gritted his teeth. "There's more to being a Jedi then knowing how to use a lightsaber. The Jedi are the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy."

Zeille waved a hand dismissively. "Of course. I never meant to imply otherwise. You can use the force to accomplish things that ordinary people could not, but that doesn't mean you're superior. Ordinary folks have gotten along fine without using the force for generations. In fact, many of the great leaders of the galaxy have no force potential whatsoever."

Jacen clenched a fist under the table. He knew Zeille was trying to provoke him. He hadn't come out and said it but Jacen knew that under all that talk what he was really saying was the Jedi were nothing special and the galaxy could get along fine without them. He bit back a response when he saw the look his sister was sending him. She knew how Zeille's comment had upset him and probably the majority of those present, but this was not the time or the place to argue about it, so he called upon a Jedi calming technique and let his anger drain away. Jaina was right. Making a scene would only serve to sink himself down to Zeille's level, and he was better than that, so he just sat there for the rest of the meal without saying a word.

Despite the reaction Zeille's comment had sparked in all the Jedi present, Tenal Ka had said nothing. It was as if the comment had not affected her, which Jacen found to be highly unlikely, or she just didn't care the way Zeille spoke to her friends, especially to Jacen.

By the time dessert came around, Jacen had had about enough of this Zeille guy. There was just something about him he didn't like, besides the fact that he kept his hand rested on top of Tenal Ka's throughout the entire dinner and tried to insult Jacen whenever he got the chance. Jacen had made a few comments of his own, completely ignoring the warning looks that Jaina kept sending his way.

He was in the middle of shoveling the last of his pudding-like dessert into his mouth when Zeille spoke up again. His words causing Jacen to nearly choke on the last of his dessert.

"We haven't decided where we're going for the honeymoon, yet. But it'll definitely be some place exotic and exciting, right Tenal?"

Tenal Ka slowly nodded her head and busied herself with finishing her dessert so she would not have to look at anyone.

Finally, when Jacen did not think he could take anymore, dessert was finished and everyone began getting up to say their thanks and good-byes. For Jacen, the end could not come soon enough. Once all the good-byes were said, he didn't wait around for his friends. Instead he rushed out of the dining room and rode the turbolift to the main floor. From there, he exited the main doors to the Palace and stepped outside.

After the evening he had just had, all he desperately wanted was to be left alone.

By the time his friends had noticed he was missing, it was too late. Jacen was long gone.

Night was quickly approaching as Anakin and Tahiri walked side by side in one of the large cities on Hapes. After dinner, Tahiri had wanted to check out the beautiful city that they had passed through earlier that day. She especially wanted to see it all lit up at night. Anakin had volunteered to go with her, so they had changed out of their formal dinner wear into something more comfortable and then set out. And Anakin had to admit, he was glad he had come along. The city was a spectacular sight with all the glowing lamps that lit up the streets and pathways. Even the buildings were all lit up. You couldn't even really call it night on Hapes because everything was so bright. It reminded Anakin of Liberation Day on Courscant.

It was turning out to be a beautiful night. The skies were clear and you could see the stars starting to come out. There was a cool breeze that ruffled through Anakin's hair and he saw beside him, Tahiri shiver and hug her arms against her chest. He offered her his jacket and she accepted it with a grateful smile.

"Jacen seemed pretty agitated at dinner tonight," remarked Tahiri as they walked along.

Anakin nodded and placed his hands in his pant pockets. "I don't think he approves of Tenal Ka's choice for a husband."

"I don't think Zeille likes Jacen that much either," she said, "or the rest of the jedi for that matter," she added quietly.

"Yeah, I got that impression too," then Anakin smiled in the glowing moonlight, "I think Jacen's jealous."

"Jealous? But I thought– "

"That Jacen and Tenal Ka were just friends?" He finished for her.

Tahiri nodded.

"If only things were that simple," he said with a wistful smile as they continued to pass through the glowing city. "Their both so oblivious to how they really feel about each other. It's been like that since they first met. Everyone knows Jacen and Tenal Ka are meant to be together except Jacen and Tenal Ka." Then he turned to look at Tahiri, "my brother wouldn't have acted the way he did at dinner if he wasn't jealous. Did you notice the way he was glaring at Zeille every time he put his hand on Tenal Ka's? Then when Zeille mentioned the word 'honeymoon' Jacen looked as if he'd been the victim of a raging wookie who just lost a Dejarik game."

"It looks as if your brother has it pretty bad for Tenal Ka,"

"That," Anakin said turning to face her, "is an understatement."

Jacen tossed another stone into the blue green ocean and watched it splash. He'd been out there on the beach tossing rocks for almost an hour now. He had initially left the Palace to walk through the streets of the city, but had found he wanted to be alone without the eyes of curious onlookers watching him as he passed by. That was what had led him to the beach. Here, there was nothing but the sound of the surf crashing against the rocks to interrupt his thoughts.

He stood barefoot with his wrinkled and un-tucked white shirt blowing slightly in the wind, he had long since taken off his vest, which now laid beside his boots in the sand.

He blew out a breath he didn't know he had been holding and threw another rock into the water, but barely heard it splash against the sound of the crashing waves. He knew his behaviour at dinner had been a less than stellar performance and was thankful that his parents and even his Uncle Luke hadn't been there to witness it. He knew that anger wasn't the Jedi way but Zeille had made him feel so insignificant by making it sound that what he did for a living was so much more important than being a Jedi Knight.

Maybe he's right, Jacen grudgingly admitted to himself. Zeille didn't run around the galaxy going on adventures and trying to settle problems by using the force or a lightsaber. He had his own successful company that made the armour for the Hapan ships, ensuring that the passengers onboard would be safe in times of battle. It was obvious he had made millions of credits doing it. His marriage to Tenal Ka would have ideal benefits for both parties involved. The Royal Family would inherit the most successful ship constructing facility in the Hapes Cluster, while Zeille and his family would inherit the wealth and all the privileges that went along with being a member of the Royal Family. Who was he to get in the way and spoil it? Especially if that was what Tenal Ka wanted, and it looked like she did.

Tenal Ka… he really didn't want to think about her right now.

He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't sense the person approaching him.

"Credit for your thoughts," said a voice.

Jacen whirled around, momentarily startled, and found himself face to face with Danni. He flushed at not having sensed her approach. "Uh, I guess I was so preoccupied I didn't sense you coming up behind me," he said with a sheepish grin.

"Whatever it was it must've been pretty serious," she said sitting down on the sand.

"Naw, not really," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, joining her on the sand. Danni didn't seem to be buying it because she kept staring at him with a worried expression on her face. He gave her one of his famous lopsided grins to ease her worries. "Really, I'm fine."

"Don't give me that Solo lopsided grin," she chided, but then she softened, "you've been acting really distant for weeks now, what's going on?" When he didn't say anything she went on, "It's Tenal Ka, isn't it?"

He sighed. He could not hide anything from her. "I just don't think she's thought this whole coming home and deciding to get married thing through. I've known her for years, and let me tell you, the Tenal Ka I know would rather be out battling Night Sisters, then being tied down by marriage to some guy she hardly even knows."

"Maybe she's changed," Danni suggested.

"Maybe," he admitted with a shrug, "I just want her to be happy that's all."

"Is that all?" Danni pressed.

"Of course! What other reason would there be?"

"I don't know, you tell me," said Danni.

He stared at her open mouthed until he thought of something to say. "There is no other reason," he stated firmly.

Danni nodded but he could not tell whether she believed him or not.

"I'm sorry about the way I acted at dinner and then leaving without saying anything," he apologized.

"It's okay. I suppose it was just the Han Solo in you," she teased.

He laughed. "My dad doesn't care much for fancy dinners either. It makes me wonder how he survived all these years with my mom."

"He must've learned to adapt to uncomfortable situations."

"Not really. My dad still fidgets and complains every time he has to dress up for some diplomatic function. He's threatened more than once to go wearing his grease stained clothes that he wears when he's tinkering with the Falcon," he explained to her.

"What did your mom say?"

He grinned at her. "She ended his threat pretty quickly when she promised him she would send the Falcon to a scrap yard if he ever did that."

This time it was Danni's turn to laugh and Jacen noticed how beautiful it made her look, with the moon casting highlights over her face and hair.

When she finished laughing, she realized he was staring at her, and instead of turning away, he moved closer to her. Danni responded by doing the same until they were mere inches apart. Danni reached up to stroke his cheek with her hand. Jacen gently pulled her closer to him and bent down to kiss her. Danni returned the kiss with equal force and ran her hands through the back of his tousled brown hair.

The kiss seemed to go on forever but when they finally parted she saw Jacen was grinning at her like an idiot. She was glad it was dark out so he would not see the dark shade of red her cheeks were turning. She had never felt this way about anyone before. She had never had time for a relationship while she was working her way to becoming a scientist. She had devoted all her time to her studies and then she had left home to join the ExGal observation team on Belkadan before the Yuuzhan Vong had destroyed it. Sure, there had been advances made towards her, but having a relationship had been the farthest thing in her mind at the time. That was until she had met Jacen Solo, or rather until he had heroically rescued her from the clutches of the Yuuzhan Vong. She had tried not to fall for him, even though she knew how he felt about her. She was five years his senior, which made having any sort of a romantic relationship near impossible. Jacen though, did not seem to care, and as they grew closer, she found herself not caring either.

But as they sat there alone together on the sand, staring up at the stars, she could not help but wonder that even though he was here with her that his heart was with someone else.