Ganner's Last Stand: What Could Have Been
Author notes: Basically the text in italics is the text I wish were in Traitor. The ones in regular text are parts from the book. I was just so irritated with how Traitor turned out that well… look what happened. MAJOR SPOLIERS FOR TRAITOR! There, you have been forewarned.
Disclaimer: This entire universe belongs to the Great One, George Lucas. The regular text are portions lifted from the NJO novel Traitor by Matthew Stover. Note: the text isn't exactly word for word.
Page 214
The old Ganner Rhysode suffered from that style-over substance disease. He'd had as bad a case as any he'd ever seen. It had nearly killed him.
Worse: it had nearly driven him dark.
He had to be sure he was doing this for the right reasons. He had to be sure he wasn't suffering a relapse into the glory sickness. He had to be sure he chased this rumor only because it was the right thing to do. Because the New Republic desperately needed any glimmer of hope.
Because Jaina did.
It nearly killed him to see Jaina like this. The brandy brown eyes that used to sparkle only held a dull light or an angry flame. He noticed that she went about her duties mechanically: she did what she had to do, spoke when spoken to, but otherwise she seemed dead. He had tried to cheer he up by teasing her and trying to rile her, but her only response was to glare at him and walk away. The only times she was "alive" was when she just came from a mission and had vaped a lot of the Vong, or when she was with that Jag Fel.
He didn't think anybody had noticed, maybe except for General Antilles.
He felt anger, jealousy, and gratitude all rolled in once when it came to Fel. Anger that he had shown up from the Unknown Regions and had stolen Jaina's heart, jealousy that he got to hold Jaina and he didn't, and gratitude that he had somehow managed to breathe life into her again. Gave her something to live for. If nothing else, he was grateful for that.
If he makes her happy, then so be it.
Every time he remembered that dark flame in what had been soft brown eyes, he felt another blow on a spike driving into his chest. Flirting with the dark – sure, lots of the Jedi had, since the war's beginning. Some had claimed it was the galaxy's only hope. At the Myrkr worldship, the strike team had discussed it seriously, as an option.
But it was one thing for, say, a Kyp Durron to talk about the dark: he was a creature of tangled hostility and self-loathing, always had been. It was another thing for young Jedi, in a desperate situation, to debate using dark side power.
For Jaina Solo to look in his eye and threaten his life was something entirely different.
It hurt him. Hurt him worse than he could ever guess it could.
She's sliding. The girl I love is sliding, slowly but surely. Love? Love… That sounds about right. I'm losing the girl I love… as if she were mine in the first place.
Jaina was making him frighteningly aware that she was the granddaughter of Darth Vader.
What hurt him the worst: there was nothing he could do about it.
Well, no, that's not entirely true, Ganner thought as he slowly heaved himself to hi feet in the camp ship's corridor. There is one thing I can do.
I can find Jacen. I can give her a reason again. He can save her, I know he can. I can't make her love me, but maybe I can help save her from herself. I have to try. No, do or do not. There is no try. Stupid mantra, but it works. I can't give up on her just yet.
Here goes nothing.
Ganner nodded to himself, then leaned close to the curtain that served as the chamber's door. "Excuse me?" he called softly. "Hello? Does anybody here speak Basic?"
Page 260
His nausea had vanished. It wasn't even a memory. No more weakness. No more uncertainty. Doubt and fear had disappeared along with the nausea.
He hefted Anakin's lightsaber.
"We both lose unless: - he spoke slowly – "unless somebody doesn't let them in."
'You have to play the hero," Jacen said sadly. 'Even if it kills you."
Ganner had a sad smile on his face when he turned to Jacen. "This is something I can do for Jaina. You have to go back to her. She needs you. She needs her brother more than she needs me. She doesn't need me at all."
Jacen's face blossomed with understanding as he looked into Ganner's eyes. "You love her… don't you? That's why you were so determined to bring me back."
"You have to save her Jacen. You're the only one who can. Even Jag Fel's attention isn't helping." His lips quirked into a smirk. "You'll go back… if only for the satisfaction of making Fel very very uncomfortable."
'What's this about Jaina and Fel?!" Jacen was astounded. Well well well… my sister's got herself an admirer!
"You'll just have to go back and find out for yourself. I'm not telling you anything."
Ganner squeezed the blade to life, and stared at its sizzling purple shaft. Here was the weapon of a hero. A real hero. Not a playactor. Not a pretend-hero, like Ganner had always been.
But this weapon was now in Ganner's hand.
Page 281
Deep in the Force, Jacen seized that bridgeway with the hands of his mind. One long, smooth tug would lift him to it. And he could reach Ganner's side, and join in his fight, stand at his shoulder against the Yuuzhan Vong –
"Jacen, wait."
"I should have known, somehow. I should have known you'd be here."
Vergere stood only a few meters above and to his right, on the coral-draped Senate platform that had once belonged to the delegation from Kashyyyk. "Come Jacen. Your sojourn in the lands of the dead it at an end. It is time once more to walk the fields of day."
Instead of answering, he turned back towards the brideway above – but her Force grip tightened on his shoulder.
"You cannot save him Jacen. All you can do is die with him. He has chosen his destiny. The only aid you can offer is to honor his choice. You stand at the very gates of death; life lies before you. If you turn back now – even for a single glance over your shoulder – you are lost."
"What do you want me to do? I won't leave him! I won't! If I die trying then so be it."
With that, Jacen made contact with Ganner through the Force.
Hey Ganner. Buddy. You okay up there?
As okay as anybody can get while facing a thousand Vong warriors. Why the interruption? I thought I told you to get out of here.
I'm here to save your hide. I'll hold the ceiling up while you make a run for it.
You sure you can carry the ceiling? It's got a lot of pretty cracks in it.
I'm sure. Get ready… set… go!
Jacen let the Force flow through him: a great flood that filled his very being. He channeled it into holding the ceiling while Ganner took the opportunity to slash his present opponent across the chest, turn around, and run. He concentrated and tore another piece out of the Great Door and used it as a shield while he ran. When he got to the edge, he tensed and leapt down, using the Force to cushion his fall. He landed a few meters away from Jacen.
"Thanks for the save. You done talking with your 'friend'?"
"Yup. I managed to talk him into doing me a big favor. Come on, my guide's up there. We've got a way out."
Ganner looked up and saw a feathered alien on the Kashyyyk platform.
"That's Vergere?"
"The one and only. Let's go."
The two of them vaulted up to the platform, with Ganner adding a nice somersault before they landed.
"Show-off."
"I do have a flair for the dramatic."
"We will have time for your pleasant banter once we are off the planet."
"Ganner, Vergere. Vergere, Ganner Rhysode."
A sudden boom sounded through the building and several pieces of the ceiling crashed into the World Brain's pool. The three of them looked at each other, then suddenly sprinted into the Senate offices with Vergere in the lead.
The coralcraft blasted free of the planet with three passengers safely aboard. They were now in hyperspace, headed towards the new NR base. Jacen figured they should be grateful that Nom Anor kept his escape craft in top shape.
Tsavong Lah should have a few words to say to him when he finds him.
He still couldn't think of Ganner as the self-sacrificing hero that he'd been in the Well as the same Ganner he'd known before. I guess the war's changed everybody. But more like a person changed him. I never thought it would be Jaina.
He'd ribbed him a little about being shirtless once they'd gotten free of the planet.
"You just had to go and fight the Vong without a shirt on, didn't you?"
"If you have to act the hero, why not go all the way? I figured I'd look more dashing without my shirt on."
"Ugh. And I thought you were making headway in the arrogance department."
"Have I thanked you for the save back there?"
"Yes you did."
"Well… thanks again."
"You're welcome. Besides, I couldn't go back and tell the others that I'd let you sacrifice yourself and that you went out in a blaze of glory, now could I? I figure the others would miss your swaggering."
"She wouldn't miss me. She practically threatened to kill me when I told her about going after you. She said it was just a stupid rumor."
"But you did find me. I could always tell Jaina that you were the one who saved me. She has to be grateful. She might even kiss you for saving me." Jacen looked at Ganner with a smirk and made kissy noises. Ganner reached over and ruffled his hair.
"Don't Jacen. Jaya's happy with Fel. She may think that nobody notices, but I do."
"Jag Fel huh? Isn't he the Corellian raised among the Chiss? Baron Fel's son."
"Yup. So should I tell your dad about him?"
The two of them shared wicked smiles and thought of the possibilities. At that instant, Jacen became a teenager again, plotting against his sister. He had changed in numerous ways, but he was still Jacen Solo. Ganner had also changed. He'd matured, gained some new insight into what it took to be a hero. A hero doesn't try: he just is. He had changed, but he was still Ganner Rhysode: Jedi Knight, grandstander, and in love with Jaina Solo.
End.
Author notes part 2: First SW fic, so please go easy on me. REVIEW onegai!!! All comments are welcome,