Disclaimer: Same as always.
Notes: Here is the rest of Chapter 10, which, I guess, is now Chapter 11. I hope you enjoy as always!
Dedication: To all of my reviewers. I couldn't do this without you!
The occupant of the room probably knew that Luke was standing outside in the corridor, but Luke knocked anyway.
"It's open," Luke heard Tionne call. Taking that as an invitation to enter, he keyed the door open and stepped into the smallish quarters of Kam and Tionne Solusar. Tionne sat on the couch, her feet propped up on some cushions, her swollen belly evident, even through the baggy Jedi robes she was wearing. To Luke, it looked like the woman was a balloon about ready to pop.
"You must excuse me for not getting up," she said, setting aside a datapad that she had been studying. "I've found lately that getting comfortable is a very rare occurrence. So, when I do get comfortable, I don't like moving for a while."
"Perfectly alright," Luke told her, taking a seat in a chair across from her. "I can't relate, but I do remember when Mara was nine months along."
Tionne laughed. The sound was smooth and melodical, like every sound that came from the minstrel's mouth. "Kam should be along any time," she said. "He was teaching some of the older students about Jedi philosophy. And, if I know Valin Horn, there's probably a good debate going on right now."
"Valin disagrees with the philosophy?" Luke asked with a frown.
"No," Tionne answered. "He just enjoys debating everything that Kam says."
Luke chuckled. Sounds a lot like his father.
The door swooshed open, and Luke turned as Kam entered. The Jedi Headmaster looked a little haggard, but none the worse for wear. His dark blue, almost black, Jedi robes rustled along the floor as he walked, but his stride was not a shuffling one.
"Sorry for making you wait, Luke," Kam said. He went to the end of the couch, gently lifted Tionne's feet, moved the cushions, and sat down in their spot, resting his wife's feet in his lap. He began to rub her slightly swollen ankles.
"No apology necessary," Luke told him. "I've only been here a few minutes myself. And, believe it or not, Tionne is wonderful company."
"Yes, I know," Kam said with a smile. He moved from rubbing Tionne's ankles to massaging her feet. "I'm the one married to her, remember?"
"Hey, I'm still here," Tionne said indignantly. Luke couldn't help but smile at the expression on her face. It was evident that she was trying to be stern, but the smile playing at the corners of her mouth ruined the expression.
"We know that, dear," Kam replied with a smile. He returned his attention to Luke. "If I may ask, is there a reason you wanted to see me?"
"We need to figure out a way to root out our traitor," Luke told him grimly. "We know we have one, we just don't know who it is, or how we can get the information."
Kam's smile disappeared and was replaced by a stony expression. "Do you have any suspects?"
"Too many," the other man said with a frown. "Anyone who's had any direct contact with the Vong, all of Twin Suns, and everyone that came in on the Falcon, Luck, and Caller."
"It seems that the easiest way to do things is to have everyone checked out for Vong implants," Kam suggested.
"But what if our traitor is willingly working with the Vong, like the Peace Brigaders?" Tionne interjected. "Then your plan doesn't work."
"Then we're in real trouble," Luke said, worry etched all over his features. "We just have to hope that's not the case."
Jaina entered the lightsaber training room on the level above her quarters. She knew there was no class scheduled, but as she entered the spacious room, she saw an emerald blade batting away stun darts from a remote. The room was dim, and Jaina had to squint to see who it was that was wielding the deadly blade. After a few minutes, the remote shut itself off and the emerald blade was extinguished. Jaina dialed the lights up a few levels. "Nice job, Jacen," she called to her twin.
"Thanks," Jacen called back, moving to stand across from Jaina. "I'm still a little rusty, though. I need practice against a live opponent."
Jaina replied to her brother's veiled invitation by igniting her violet blade and holding it at her side. "I'm in the mood for a good spar."
Jacen re-ignited his lightsaber and held it in a forward guard position. "I was hoping you would say that."
Jaina brought her blade up and immediately went on the offensive. Jacen easily caught her cuts and slashes with his emerald blade. He sidestepped away from her next attack and tried to exploit a weakness he saw in her defense, but Jaina easily anticipated his move and had her own blade at the ready as Jacen attacked. As he attacked again, Jaina flipped over his head, inverting in midair, and tried to attack her brother's exposed flank, but his lightsaber was there, stopping her blade.
Both were leaning into the deadlock, pushing all of their considerable strength into it. Their faces were centimeters apart. Jacen suddenly asked, "Do you really love Jag?"
Surprise shown evident on Jaina's face, but her blade didn't waver. "I love him more than anything else in the galaxy," she replied, her voice strained as she tried to talk and fight at the same time. It didn't quite work, and Jacen took advantage of her surprise to push harder, knocking his twin back. She almost fell, but got her hands beneath her and did a back flip away from Jacen, being careful not to dismember herself. She came up with her lightsaber in a guard position, and just in time, as Jacen was there, trying to find a weakness.
Both twins cut and parried, slashed and flipped, trying to disarm the other without inflicting harm. Jacen jumped over a slashed aimed at his knees. Jaina ducked away from a cut aimed for her head. Soon, however, their blades were caught in another deadlock, neither willing to concede a centimeter to the other.
"Are you sure that you were right in getting married so young?" Jacen asked, his voice hoarse and strained, sweat pouring down his face in rivulets.
"It was the right thing to do," Jaina told him, her own voice strained, sweat covering her face and neck. "We both knew it. We decided not to wait because we didn't have to. We loved each other; it didn't--doesn't--matter what others think."
Jacen pulled away from his sister slightly, and when she tried to press her advantage, he twisted his wrist, and sent her lightsaber flying away into the shadows. He held the tip of his blade a dozen centimeters from Jaina, pointed at her throat. "I win."
"Congratulation," Jaina said, calling her lightsaber to her hand. Jacen extinguished his blade and clipped it to his belt as Jaina did the same.
"I'm sorry for the questions," he told her. "It's just... I've been gone for months, and for some reason, I expected things to be the same between us when I got back. I was always the one that you loved the most, and you were always the one that I loved the most. Now, suddenly, Jag's in the picture, and I'm second best. I might not have minded as much, except that I didn't know Jag before two days ago. I know almost nothing about my sister's husband."
"You knew him before that," Jaina insisted. "I know you did. You met him on Ithor, right before the battle."
"I knew of him," Jacen corrected. "I saw him insult all the politicians, and I saw him introduce himself to you. Jag and I actually never met. We were never introduced. In fact, we never actually spoke to each other, either. The first introduction we had was the one you gave us when I showed up here."
"I'm sorry, Jacen," she said, throwing her arms around her twin. "I thought you two had been introduced. Not that I would have done anything different had I known that you two didn't know each other."
Jacen laughed, and it warmed Jaina's heart to hear him do so. He was carrying a lot of baggage from his time in Vong captivity. His being able to laugh was a sign that he was at least trying to move on. Jacen pulled back from his sister and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Now, because I love you, and you're my sister, I'm going to tell you this, so you don't have to hear it from someone else." He paused dramatically. "You stink. Go take a shower."
Jaina glared at him, then laughed at his perfectly serious expression. "Well, you don't exactly smell like a spring day on Yavin 4 either. Maybe you should take your own advice."
Jacen's expression cracked, a smile stretching from ear to ear. He threw an arm around Jaina's shoulders. "I think I will," he told her as he led her out of the room. "Just as long as you promise me you will too."
"Don't worry, oh wise brother of mine," she said. "I know good advice when I hear it."
Notes: I know that wasn't exactly a heart to heart there at the end, but hey, could you have a serious discussion while dueling with a lightsaber? I thought not. Anyways, leave me a comment or two, and I'll get Chapter 12 out as soon as I can. Thanks!!
Notes: Here is the rest of Chapter 10, which, I guess, is now Chapter 11. I hope you enjoy as always!
Dedication: To all of my reviewers. I couldn't do this without you!
The occupant of the room probably knew that Luke was standing outside in the corridor, but Luke knocked anyway.
"It's open," Luke heard Tionne call. Taking that as an invitation to enter, he keyed the door open and stepped into the smallish quarters of Kam and Tionne Solusar. Tionne sat on the couch, her feet propped up on some cushions, her swollen belly evident, even through the baggy Jedi robes she was wearing. To Luke, it looked like the woman was a balloon about ready to pop.
"You must excuse me for not getting up," she said, setting aside a datapad that she had been studying. "I've found lately that getting comfortable is a very rare occurrence. So, when I do get comfortable, I don't like moving for a while."
"Perfectly alright," Luke told her, taking a seat in a chair across from her. "I can't relate, but I do remember when Mara was nine months along."
Tionne laughed. The sound was smooth and melodical, like every sound that came from the minstrel's mouth. "Kam should be along any time," she said. "He was teaching some of the older students about Jedi philosophy. And, if I know Valin Horn, there's probably a good debate going on right now."
"Valin disagrees with the philosophy?" Luke asked with a frown.
"No," Tionne answered. "He just enjoys debating everything that Kam says."
Luke chuckled. Sounds a lot like his father.
The door swooshed open, and Luke turned as Kam entered. The Jedi Headmaster looked a little haggard, but none the worse for wear. His dark blue, almost black, Jedi robes rustled along the floor as he walked, but his stride was not a shuffling one.
"Sorry for making you wait, Luke," Kam said. He went to the end of the couch, gently lifted Tionne's feet, moved the cushions, and sat down in their spot, resting his wife's feet in his lap. He began to rub her slightly swollen ankles.
"No apology necessary," Luke told him. "I've only been here a few minutes myself. And, believe it or not, Tionne is wonderful company."
"Yes, I know," Kam said with a smile. He moved from rubbing Tionne's ankles to massaging her feet. "I'm the one married to her, remember?"
"Hey, I'm still here," Tionne said indignantly. Luke couldn't help but smile at the expression on her face. It was evident that she was trying to be stern, but the smile playing at the corners of her mouth ruined the expression.
"We know that, dear," Kam replied with a smile. He returned his attention to Luke. "If I may ask, is there a reason you wanted to see me?"
"We need to figure out a way to root out our traitor," Luke told him grimly. "We know we have one, we just don't know who it is, or how we can get the information."
Kam's smile disappeared and was replaced by a stony expression. "Do you have any suspects?"
"Too many," the other man said with a frown. "Anyone who's had any direct contact with the Vong, all of Twin Suns, and everyone that came in on the Falcon, Luck, and Caller."
"It seems that the easiest way to do things is to have everyone checked out for Vong implants," Kam suggested.
"But what if our traitor is willingly working with the Vong, like the Peace Brigaders?" Tionne interjected. "Then your plan doesn't work."
"Then we're in real trouble," Luke said, worry etched all over his features. "We just have to hope that's not the case."
Jaina entered the lightsaber training room on the level above her quarters. She knew there was no class scheduled, but as she entered the spacious room, she saw an emerald blade batting away stun darts from a remote. The room was dim, and Jaina had to squint to see who it was that was wielding the deadly blade. After a few minutes, the remote shut itself off and the emerald blade was extinguished. Jaina dialed the lights up a few levels. "Nice job, Jacen," she called to her twin.
"Thanks," Jacen called back, moving to stand across from Jaina. "I'm still a little rusty, though. I need practice against a live opponent."
Jaina replied to her brother's veiled invitation by igniting her violet blade and holding it at her side. "I'm in the mood for a good spar."
Jacen re-ignited his lightsaber and held it in a forward guard position. "I was hoping you would say that."
Jaina brought her blade up and immediately went on the offensive. Jacen easily caught her cuts and slashes with his emerald blade. He sidestepped away from her next attack and tried to exploit a weakness he saw in her defense, but Jaina easily anticipated his move and had her own blade at the ready as Jacen attacked. As he attacked again, Jaina flipped over his head, inverting in midair, and tried to attack her brother's exposed flank, but his lightsaber was there, stopping her blade.
Both were leaning into the deadlock, pushing all of their considerable strength into it. Their faces were centimeters apart. Jacen suddenly asked, "Do you really love Jag?"
Surprise shown evident on Jaina's face, but her blade didn't waver. "I love him more than anything else in the galaxy," she replied, her voice strained as she tried to talk and fight at the same time. It didn't quite work, and Jacen took advantage of her surprise to push harder, knocking his twin back. She almost fell, but got her hands beneath her and did a back flip away from Jacen, being careful not to dismember herself. She came up with her lightsaber in a guard position, and just in time, as Jacen was there, trying to find a weakness.
Both twins cut and parried, slashed and flipped, trying to disarm the other without inflicting harm. Jacen jumped over a slashed aimed at his knees. Jaina ducked away from a cut aimed for her head. Soon, however, their blades were caught in another deadlock, neither willing to concede a centimeter to the other.
"Are you sure that you were right in getting married so young?" Jacen asked, his voice hoarse and strained, sweat pouring down his face in rivulets.
"It was the right thing to do," Jaina told him, her own voice strained, sweat covering her face and neck. "We both knew it. We decided not to wait because we didn't have to. We loved each other; it didn't--doesn't--matter what others think."
Jacen pulled away from his sister slightly, and when she tried to press her advantage, he twisted his wrist, and sent her lightsaber flying away into the shadows. He held the tip of his blade a dozen centimeters from Jaina, pointed at her throat. "I win."
"Congratulation," Jaina said, calling her lightsaber to her hand. Jacen extinguished his blade and clipped it to his belt as Jaina did the same.
"I'm sorry for the questions," he told her. "It's just... I've been gone for months, and for some reason, I expected things to be the same between us when I got back. I was always the one that you loved the most, and you were always the one that I loved the most. Now, suddenly, Jag's in the picture, and I'm second best. I might not have minded as much, except that I didn't know Jag before two days ago. I know almost nothing about my sister's husband."
"You knew him before that," Jaina insisted. "I know you did. You met him on Ithor, right before the battle."
"I knew of him," Jacen corrected. "I saw him insult all the politicians, and I saw him introduce himself to you. Jag and I actually never met. We were never introduced. In fact, we never actually spoke to each other, either. The first introduction we had was the one you gave us when I showed up here."
"I'm sorry, Jacen," she said, throwing her arms around her twin. "I thought you two had been introduced. Not that I would have done anything different had I known that you two didn't know each other."
Jacen laughed, and it warmed Jaina's heart to hear him do so. He was carrying a lot of baggage from his time in Vong captivity. His being able to laugh was a sign that he was at least trying to move on. Jacen pulled back from his sister and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Now, because I love you, and you're my sister, I'm going to tell you this, so you don't have to hear it from someone else." He paused dramatically. "You stink. Go take a shower."
Jaina glared at him, then laughed at his perfectly serious expression. "Well, you don't exactly smell like a spring day on Yavin 4 either. Maybe you should take your own advice."
Jacen's expression cracked, a smile stretching from ear to ear. He threw an arm around Jaina's shoulders. "I think I will," he told her as he led her out of the room. "Just as long as you promise me you will too."
"Don't worry, oh wise brother of mine," she said. "I know good advice when I hear it."
Notes: I know that wasn't exactly a heart to heart there at the end, but hey, could you have a serious discussion while dueling with a lightsaber? I thought not. Anyways, leave me a comment or two, and I'll get Chapter 12 out as soon as I can. Thanks!!