* Alterations *
Kyp ran throughout the ship looking for Jaina. It had been nearly twelve hours of tracking her, and no one, not even her father had a clue were she would be.
Finally he strolled into the hanger bay, thinking she might have decided to hideaway in there away from him again. When he reached the spot where her X- Wing had been sitting he saw it no longer was there. Then he dashed to the last person in the universe he'd rather ask for help. Bursting into the Jedi Master's personal quarters he spotted him in the far corner of the room holding a child in his arms gazing out into the window of endless space.
Reverently, Kyp made his way toward his old Master's side. "Master Skywalker?"
"Luke is fine. Would you care to hold my son?"
Kyp cradled the tiny bundle of skin in his arms. The feeling of warmth radiated from its tiny body. It was immensely hot, yet at the same time cold. "What did you name him?" he asked trying to sound as casual as possible. The child's eyes were closed, and his breathing had a rhythm that was soothing. Unexpectedly the baby opened up his big round eyes and looked up into Kyp's.
A strange sense of warmth emerged from them. It was as if the child was looking into his soul.
Luke bent over his child and smiled like any father would do. "Good morning Ben. This is Kyp. Kyp this is Ben."
Ben blinked at Kyp and slowly a smile formed on his face. His tiny hand reach out from under the blanket, which kept him warm, towards Kyp's face. The touch of his soft hand sent a strange vibration in Kyp's inner self. Suddenly Ben began to giggle and squeal for the first time.
The sight startled Kyp, but he too began to laugh. It was odd though and confusing. Was this what Jaina had been talking about? But how in the quasars could Yuuzhan Vong children be as innocent as the one in his arms now?
"What is all the laughter about?" A feminine voice asked as she walked over to them. It was Mara Jade, Luke's wife. She looked like new to Luke, and should be after spending five hours in the refresher. Mara lovingly went to her husband's side and gave him a one-arm squeeze. Turning to see what other visitor had come to hold their child, she saw it was Kyp, but as she let her feelings out through the Force, she felt a new change in the young man causing her to blink back in surprise.
It may have been a slight change, but he was leaning in the right direction. "Hello, Kyp. What is the cause of this odd visit?" she asked kindly.
At first he didn't respond like he was afraid what he would say would break the moment. "I can't find Jaina."
"I just saw her yesterday. We both had a long talk."
Turning towards the older woman, Kyp looked guilty. "I can only guess about what," he replied sarcastically.
"I'm sure. I don't think she wants to talk to you right now. In fact I know she doesn't."
"I know that, but no one can find her. Her dad and I have been searching this ship all night. The last time I saw her she ran from me to the cafeteria, but she's not there."
Luke eyed his old apprentice. "What do you mean?"
Handing Ben back to Mara, Kyp knew she felt better with her child not in his arms. Looking back at Master Skywalker he continued. "I can't feel her anywhere, but then again she probably blocked off my connection with her."
"You want me to channel on her?"
"Just to see if she's alright." Kyp added a little too quickly.
"I'll do it, but not for you but for my knowing she's alright." As he concentrated on the Force, Luke called out to his niece. Jaina? Where are you? Jaina can you hear me?
No response came. Coming back into the present, Luke shot a worried glance at his wife and then to Kyp.
"So where is she?"
"I have no idea."
Kyp frowned. "What do you know?"
"I don't know, she might have been kidnapped, possibly by an agent of the Peace Brigade who brought her to the Yuuzhan Vong."
"What!"
Mara's reaction was also anything but calm. "Sith! If they find out that she's Jacen's sister or that I'm her aunt then there's no telling what they'll put her through."
Luke was more composed yet at the same time he was frightened, something he was rarely, if never like. "It was just an assumption, I'm not saying that. Or she probably left the ship to get away."
"Her ship is gone."
"Where there you have it she left."
"But her luggage is still here."
Blinking back, Luke felt fear in his voice. "Kyp you can't go after her it's just too dangerous."
"You've got to be kidding, Skywalker. I'm not gonna let a bunch of Vong capture and torture her! Those dirty scum have to be taught a lesson."
"You're sounding more and more like an Imperial."
The Jedi eyed the Master. "I'll sound like anyone I want to when it involves Jaina. I'm going, Skywalker. Wither you like it or not. How could you not care for you're niece? You talk as if she's alright." With that he stormed out of the room.
Kyp ran throughout the ship looking for Jaina. It had been nearly twelve hours of tracking her, and no one, not even her father had a clue were she would be.
Finally he strolled into the hanger bay, thinking she might have decided to hideaway in there away from him again. When he reached the spot where her X- Wing had been sitting he saw it no longer was there. Then he dashed to the last person in the universe he'd rather ask for help. Bursting into the Jedi Master's personal quarters he spotted him in the far corner of the room holding a child in his arms gazing out into the window of endless space.
Reverently, Kyp made his way toward his old Master's side. "Master Skywalker?"
"Luke is fine. Would you care to hold my son?"
Kyp cradled the tiny bundle of skin in his arms. The feeling of warmth radiated from its tiny body. It was immensely hot, yet at the same time cold. "What did you name him?" he asked trying to sound as casual as possible. The child's eyes were closed, and his breathing had a rhythm that was soothing. Unexpectedly the baby opened up his big round eyes and looked up into Kyp's.
A strange sense of warmth emerged from them. It was as if the child was looking into his soul.
Luke bent over his child and smiled like any father would do. "Good morning Ben. This is Kyp. Kyp this is Ben."
Ben blinked at Kyp and slowly a smile formed on his face. His tiny hand reach out from under the blanket, which kept him warm, towards Kyp's face. The touch of his soft hand sent a strange vibration in Kyp's inner self. Suddenly Ben began to giggle and squeal for the first time.
The sight startled Kyp, but he too began to laugh. It was odd though and confusing. Was this what Jaina had been talking about? But how in the quasars could Yuuzhan Vong children be as innocent as the one in his arms now?
"What is all the laughter about?" A feminine voice asked as she walked over to them. It was Mara Jade, Luke's wife. She looked like new to Luke, and should be after spending five hours in the refresher. Mara lovingly went to her husband's side and gave him a one-arm squeeze. Turning to see what other visitor had come to hold their child, she saw it was Kyp, but as she let her feelings out through the Force, she felt a new change in the young man causing her to blink back in surprise.
It may have been a slight change, but he was leaning in the right direction. "Hello, Kyp. What is the cause of this odd visit?" she asked kindly.
At first he didn't respond like he was afraid what he would say would break the moment. "I can't find Jaina."
"I just saw her yesterday. We both had a long talk."
Turning towards the older woman, Kyp looked guilty. "I can only guess about what," he replied sarcastically.
"I'm sure. I don't think she wants to talk to you right now. In fact I know she doesn't."
"I know that, but no one can find her. Her dad and I have been searching this ship all night. The last time I saw her she ran from me to the cafeteria, but she's not there."
Luke eyed his old apprentice. "What do you mean?"
Handing Ben back to Mara, Kyp knew she felt better with her child not in his arms. Looking back at Master Skywalker he continued. "I can't feel her anywhere, but then again she probably blocked off my connection with her."
"You want me to channel on her?"
"Just to see if she's alright." Kyp added a little too quickly.
"I'll do it, but not for you but for my knowing she's alright." As he concentrated on the Force, Luke called out to his niece. Jaina? Where are you? Jaina can you hear me?
No response came. Coming back into the present, Luke shot a worried glance at his wife and then to Kyp.
"So where is she?"
"I have no idea."
Kyp frowned. "What do you know?"
"I don't know, she might have been kidnapped, possibly by an agent of the Peace Brigade who brought her to the Yuuzhan Vong."
"What!"
Mara's reaction was also anything but calm. "Sith! If they find out that she's Jacen's sister or that I'm her aunt then there's no telling what they'll put her through."
Luke was more composed yet at the same time he was frightened, something he was rarely, if never like. "It was just an assumption, I'm not saying that. Or she probably left the ship to get away."
"Her ship is gone."
"Where there you have it she left."
"But her luggage is still here."
Blinking back, Luke felt fear in his voice. "Kyp you can't go after her it's just too dangerous."
"You've got to be kidding, Skywalker. I'm not gonna let a bunch of Vong capture and torture her! Those dirty scum have to be taught a lesson."
"You're sounding more and more like an Imperial."
The Jedi eyed the Master. "I'll sound like anyone I want to when it involves Jaina. I'm going, Skywalker. Wither you like it or not. How could you not care for you're niece? You talk as if she's alright." With that he stormed out of the room.