Time: Takes place at the end of Dark Journey.
Summary: Explains why Kyp remembered Tenel Ka for the Jedi Knighthood ceremony in Destiny's Way.
Notice: I will not add the next installation until I have five reviews. It's so aggravating to get no responses to a story. And aggravation leads to hate, hate leads to force lightning, force lightning leads to dark robes and bad complexions.
THE NEW QUEEN MOTHER
He was tired, he was in pain (Jedi do feel pain, they just do not admit it), and he was thankful yet worried. Thankful that Jaina was back on the right side, that he now saw the line, and that he had been able to pay back some of his debt to Han. Worried because he did not know what came next, what this new… feeling, new connection was between him and Jaina, and where he went from here. He could no longer go back to what he had been doing; his view was different. He was different.
He looked up as three people entered the room. The first was Tenel Ka, the new Queen Mother of Hapes. Next came her two bodyguards, both of them stunningly beautiful, even more so than their queen.
"Thank you, Kyp."
"For what, your Highness?" Kyp asked, politely standing and hiding the pain he wasn't supposed to be feeling.
"You brought Jaina back. I have few friends left; I did not want to lose another. This is a fact." Tenel Ka responded.
Kyp looked intently at her. She seemed a different person from the young woman he had seen yesterday. She seemed more like a queen. More stately, more mature.
"I did not know Jedi needed protectors." Kip said, glancing at he bodyguards whose dislike of him could easily be felt in the force.
"Jedi do not. Queen Mothers must."
Kyp could feel no emotion coming from her, even with all his force powers.
"So, what will you do now?" he questioned.
Tenel Ka lifted up one side of her mouth in a mock smile, "I will lead."
"And your training?"
"I learned many years ago that I could not be a Jedi and a ruler of Hapes. I chose to be a Jedi then. Now I have no choice. Of this you should understand."
And then Kyp could feel what she felt: the pain, the hopelessness, the sadness, the loss. He remembered when he had found out his brother was alive but he could no longer save him. He remembered the pain of realization that he caused his brother's death, the loss of his brother forever, and the hopelessness of knowing there was nothing he could do.
"I will never be a Jedi. But I will fight. Fact."
"But…" Kyp started, wanting somehow to take away this young queen's pain.
"No! I have made my decision. I came only to thank you. And see if there was anything you needed." The Queen interrupted.
"I do not know of anything we need. But, since you feel indebted to me, let's just say you owe me a favor when I next need one. It may be that after this is all over I may want a vacation home on one of your planets, next to a large ocean." Kyp replied.
"If it is in my power, it is yours." Tenel Ka responded with a nod of her head. "Now I must go see Jaina before I am dragged before the council. Goodbye, Kyp."