Epilogue: Here With Me
Tenel Ka exited the shadowed doorway to a balcony on the fortress of the Singing Mountain Clan. Tears were running down her cheeks, but her heart was unburdened. Augwynne had left this world and become one with the Force, and after the songs of mourning would come celebrations and rejoicing.
Jacen stood on the balcony, staring out across the forest and mountains, his face dreamy and far away. She smiled slightly at this and wiped the tears out of her eyes, then crossed the few meters between them.
Jacen came out of his reverie as she reached his side and took her hand in his, caressing her skin softly with his thumb and sending tingles up her arm. He turned his head to grin at her, obviously sensing her sadness.
"Well," he said after some silence, "We got out of that alive and we made it here in time. Not bad for a couple of young Jedi Knights that have a habit of getting into trouble."
Tenel Ka nodded, "I wonder what Kanortine had to say about our escape."
Jacen smiled devilishly, "I can just see his face… and then he would say in that really superior tone, 'Well, that's Jedi for you.' I hope we never run into him again, he'd be after our blood."
"I made sure that he received my opinion of his hospitality before I left," Tenel Ka said with a slight smirk, remembering all the guards she'd gotten past.
Jacen laughed, and then said in a more serious tone, "I hope Moneeq was alright. That was a very brave act she did."
Solemnly, Tenel Ka inclined her head.
When the silence wore on, Jacen spoke up again, "So what will we do now?"
Tenel Ka considered for a moment, "I am not taking a Master at this time, but I will be going on a mission with Rachel and Ami Taren, Jex Midanyl, and maybe Jovan Drak, the Rodian. And you?"
"I'm not sure," Jacen said with a shrug, "There's always some new kind of plan hatching, and I think Uncle Luke has booked an appointment with the New Republic committee to discuss establishing a Jedi Council."
Jacen hesitated for a moment, "That reminds me, it isn't public yet, but Mom's retiring from the Chief of State position tomorrow."
"Ah, aha," Tenel Ka mused, "That is good. She has worked long and hard and needs a vacation."
Jacen grimaced, "Yeah right, like my mom will ever really take a vacation. Something always happens and then her, Dad, and Uncle Luke have to save the galaxy."
They laughed together and then continued to gaze out at the horizon. The sky was the purest blue and the beauty of Dathomir took all breath away. A gentle wind whipped at Tenel Ka's hair and Jacen moved closer to put her arm around her, making them both feel warm and safe. The future was unknown for them, but with love, everything seemed more certain.
At the beginning of Dark Tide I: Ruin…
The image on the holoprojector was blue and fuzzy, but the facial features were unmistakable. Tenel Ka glanced at her co-pilot, the Rodian Jovan Drak, and the girl in the navigator's seat, Rachel Taren.
The person in the hologram was Jacen and since it had been addressed only to her at the beginning, without any of her titles, Jedi or royal, she assumed it was private. Which meant that she couldn't possibly take it in front of the two other occupants of the cabin of the Rancor Tooth.
"Please route it to my room," Tenel Ka said to Jovan, "I can take it in there. I am confident you and Rachel can put the ship down safely."
Jovan's alien face didn't so much emotion, but Rachel's eyes sparkled with mirth and she flashed Tenel Ka an impish grin as she left the cockpit.
When Tenel Ka had closed the door to her chambers, she pressed the button on her holounit and Jacen's figure came to life. She sat down on the bed to listen.
"Hey Tenel," his image said, flashing her a grin, "I suppose you've heard a bit about the conflict at Helsa IV and Durbillion, but it probably isn't very accurate, you know how stories change. Anyway, you probably won't get this message until right before you get to Yavin IV, but just so you know, we'll be deciding what to do about it."
Jacen paused for a second before continuing.
"It seems like forever since I've seen you, and I hope we can get some time alone before the big meeting starts. I'll be waiting for you at the landing pad. Good-bye."
Tenel Ka sighed happily as the message ended. It had been months since she'd seen Jacen and as much as she'd enjoyed kicking around the galaxy with two goofballs like Jovan Drak and Rachel Taren, she missed Jacen so much sometimes that there developed a tight feeling in her chest.
She felt the ship hit the ground and she leaped up off the bed and out of her room, just about colliding with Rachel as she raced down the ramp. The Jedi girl from Commenor only laughed good-naturedly. The gravity change hardly affected Tenel Ka, but as she saw the other people clustered around the landing pad for their arrival she slowed to a stately walk. Jacen was there, grinning widely at her, but behind him, there were some friends of Jovan, Rachel's sisters, Sorka and Ami, not too mention Jaina, Anakin, Raynar, Lusa, and Lowbacca.
All seemed happy their comrades back, but Jacen finally cut the greetings and requests for stories short by saying he had something to see Luke about before the big meeting began. He took Tenel Ka's hand and led her away from the crowd, heading for the Temple. When they were inside however, Jacen didn't take the proper corridors to Luke's office, but the direction of the Jedi dormitories.
"Jacen?" Tenel Ka asked in a puzzled manner.
He put his finger to his lips and continued walking quickly towards his room. They reached it and he yanked her by the arm into it and then closed the door behind them.
The first thing he did was slip both of his arms around her and kiss her with great fervor on the mouth and she didn't object one bit. She'd missed him over the months, his jokes, his laughter, his company, his smile and she'd especially missed this. She kissed him back and looped her arm around his neck, stepping as close as possible and allowing everything else to fade from her mind.
Jacen finally broke off, breathless, and moved to kissing her neck heatedly, tightening his hold around her as if to keep her from escaping him for so long again.
Reluctantly, he finally stepped an arm's length away from her and regarded her with his thoughtful brown eyes.
"I really missed you," he admitted sheepishly.
Tenel Ka smiled, "I missed you as well."
Jacen sighed and slumped as he caught sight of the chrono sitting on his desk.
"I actually do have to meet with Uncle Luke now, but maybe I can see you again after he's done this big audience that we're having."
"Perhaps," Tenel Ka conceded, and felt rather bad at the thought of not seeing him again for a while.
He opened the door again and he hugged her briefly before they stepped through.
"I will save you a place in the throne room," Tenel Ka called as he moved away.
Jacen grinned and nodded before dissappearing around the corner.
Tenel Ka sighed to herself and shook her head slightly as she walked towards her own room on this floor.
Before Jacen left for Belkadan with Luke the next day, he met Tenel Ka on the roof of the Great Temple, giving her a kiss on the cheek and embracing her tightly. Tenel Ka soaked up the senses of him, saving them to use while they were separated for indefinite lengths of time.
"Tenel Ka," Jacen began, looking seriously into her eyes, "I know it might be awhile before I see you again, but I love you, you know that, and I'll always manage to make it back to you. Everything seems so dangerous now, so I just want to say… be careful okay? These Yuuzhan Vong aren't your average bad guy."
"If you are careful, then I will be careful Jacen. Do not concern yourself over me," Tenel Ka said solemnly.
"Yeah right," Jacen muttered, but he grinned at her, "Don't do anything I wouldn't, keep your ship in good shape… oh, you know all that. Just stay alive okay? I don't want to imagine life without you."
"Neither would I," Tenel Ka smiled.
Jacen kissed her one last time, then he whispered, "I love you," and strode away, with Tenel Ka looking worriedly after him. Somehow she knew he would get himself in trouble again, and she would probably be on the other side of the galaxy. It made her uneasy, but in times like this, there was no simple solution and everyone had to make sacrifices.
She had to hold on and trust in the Force and things would turn out all right in the end.
Forty Miles from the Sun
There is nowhere left to hide,
There is nothing to be done,
No people to be saved,
No pets we've never named
40 miles from the sun
as darkness carves the mind
we come undone without our pride
no time on earth to come
all the pleasures just begun
40 miles from the sun
in our coats beneath the layers
wash my skin of all the hate
we should sleep late
everything just kind of grates
40 miles from the sun
I need to lose to make it right
I'll confront the stars tonight
I will babble I will bite
You'll never know how much you shine
40 miles from the sun