****************************************************************************
**
Jaya.... Jaina bolted strait up in bed.
"Anakin?" She asked her dark room. She could have sworn she'd heard her youngest brother's voice. Getting up Jaina turned on the lights, and walking over to the far wall she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were puffy, and her night- gown was entwined around her body in an unusual way. "I look like I was dragged in by a dewback." Jaina mumbled to herself.
The crono on her wall depicted that it was three in the morning. Leisurely, she walked over to the refresher, shedding her cloths all the way and letting them lie on the floor. She turned on the water and let it run down her, washing away all the dirt she had picked up over the day before. Her hair, over the past years had been neglected and let go to grow, and now it reached the half of her back. She hadn't had her hair that long since she was around ten years old, and she sort of liked it.
After a while Jaina stepped out of the refresher and slipped on a shirt and pants. It was time to go for a walk. Maybe it would clear her head.
****************************** Out on the Runway *******************************
Jaina walked along the concrete runway that made it possible for ships to take off, and come back. Some people were still out and about, but many had retired to their own bunks. Looking around she could see the forests and mountains that surrounded the base, and strait up she could see the stars. The planet's six moons shone brightly, lighting her way and casting blue moonlight on the surroundings. The docking bay lights were now dimly lit because there were no ships going out or in.
She walked over to the forest and stood next to a large tree. There was a hole in the branches so she could still see the stars. A light breeze brushed at Jaina's hair, moving it slightly.
Looking up at the stars she couldn't help but feel slightly amazed. Five years ago she had been Knighted. Her family was happy, and her mother was still the Chief Administrator of the Republic, and everything was it should be. They had lived at the Imperial Palace, she had many friends, and was sure of her future.
"Always in motion is the future." said a voice behind her.
"Hi Zekk." Jaina said quietly. It had surprised her that he had heard what she was thinking, but it didn't bother her.
"What are you doing here?" Zekk asked as he came out of the shadows from beneath the tree to stand in the bit of starlight that she already occupied.
Jaina shrugged, "Couldn't sleep."
"Me neither." Zekk mumbled.
For a while there was quiet. The Jedi just stood there, two figures under the night sky.
Deciding to break the silence Zekk asked, "Why couldn't you sleep?"
At first Jaina was surprised, then said, "Tell me why you couldn't first."
Zekk kept his eyes on the night sky, then sighed. "What Vong do to prisoners..." he shivered, "I've had trouble sleeping since."
Jaina tried to contain the surprise she felt. Zekk had been captured? How? When? Why hadn't anyone told her! It didn't make sense. However, that explained a lot. The scars on his face and arms, they hadn't been there when they had said goodbye last.
"You?" He asked.
Jaina looked at her boots. "Jason and Anakin," She shook her head, "Especially Anakin. Sometimes I think I can hear Anakin calling me." Jaina paused. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just going crazy." Zekk looked at his old friend. "It's probably just echoes." he said, "It'll pass in time." "But it sounds so real." Tears welled up in Jaina's eyes and she shakily wiped them away with her sleeve.
"Hey, hey...." Zekk pulled her into his warm embrace and Jaina rested her head on his chest, grateful that he was there.
"You've always been strong, and I know you'll be able to get through this. Everything will be fine." Zekk wiped away a tear that had begun it's trail down Jaina's check, and pushed away a few strands of her long hair. At that moment all the years they had been apart melted away, and it seemed like they never had been separated. "I promise."
Jaina closed her eyes, letting Zekk's warmth soothe her. His promise was groundless, and reckless. He was overconfident. Jaina only prayed with all her heart that when it came to a deadly battle, or an important decision he wouldn't rush in blindly.
Like the shrouded woman who Jaina only knew as the wife of Anakin Skywalker, she was falling for a brash Jedi who didn't believe in rules. However, that was one of the things that was so alluring. Zekk believed anything could happen, and that he could do anything.... Jaina only hoped that what he promised would happen.
TO BE CONTINUED! YAY! (next some REAL adventure. You'll se.)
"Anakin?" She asked her dark room. She could have sworn she'd heard her youngest brother's voice. Getting up Jaina turned on the lights, and walking over to the far wall she looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were puffy, and her night- gown was entwined around her body in an unusual way. "I look like I was dragged in by a dewback." Jaina mumbled to herself.
The crono on her wall depicted that it was three in the morning. Leisurely, she walked over to the refresher, shedding her cloths all the way and letting them lie on the floor. She turned on the water and let it run down her, washing away all the dirt she had picked up over the day before. Her hair, over the past years had been neglected and let go to grow, and now it reached the half of her back. She hadn't had her hair that long since she was around ten years old, and she sort of liked it.
After a while Jaina stepped out of the refresher and slipped on a shirt and pants. It was time to go for a walk. Maybe it would clear her head.
****************************** Out on the Runway *******************************
Jaina walked along the concrete runway that made it possible for ships to take off, and come back. Some people were still out and about, but many had retired to their own bunks. Looking around she could see the forests and mountains that surrounded the base, and strait up she could see the stars. The planet's six moons shone brightly, lighting her way and casting blue moonlight on the surroundings. The docking bay lights were now dimly lit because there were no ships going out or in.
She walked over to the forest and stood next to a large tree. There was a hole in the branches so she could still see the stars. A light breeze brushed at Jaina's hair, moving it slightly.
Looking up at the stars she couldn't help but feel slightly amazed. Five years ago she had been Knighted. Her family was happy, and her mother was still the Chief Administrator of the Republic, and everything was it should be. They had lived at the Imperial Palace, she had many friends, and was sure of her future.
"Always in motion is the future." said a voice behind her.
"Hi Zekk." Jaina said quietly. It had surprised her that he had heard what she was thinking, but it didn't bother her.
"What are you doing here?" Zekk asked as he came out of the shadows from beneath the tree to stand in the bit of starlight that she already occupied.
Jaina shrugged, "Couldn't sleep."
"Me neither." Zekk mumbled.
For a while there was quiet. The Jedi just stood there, two figures under the night sky.
Deciding to break the silence Zekk asked, "Why couldn't you sleep?"
At first Jaina was surprised, then said, "Tell me why you couldn't first."
Zekk kept his eyes on the night sky, then sighed. "What Vong do to prisoners..." he shivered, "I've had trouble sleeping since."
Jaina tried to contain the surprise she felt. Zekk had been captured? How? When? Why hadn't anyone told her! It didn't make sense. However, that explained a lot. The scars on his face and arms, they hadn't been there when they had said goodbye last.
"You?" He asked.
Jaina looked at her boots. "Jason and Anakin," She shook her head, "Especially Anakin. Sometimes I think I can hear Anakin calling me." Jaina paused. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just going crazy." Zekk looked at his old friend. "It's probably just echoes." he said, "It'll pass in time." "But it sounds so real." Tears welled up in Jaina's eyes and she shakily wiped them away with her sleeve.
"Hey, hey...." Zekk pulled her into his warm embrace and Jaina rested her head on his chest, grateful that he was there.
"You've always been strong, and I know you'll be able to get through this. Everything will be fine." Zekk wiped away a tear that had begun it's trail down Jaina's check, and pushed away a few strands of her long hair. At that moment all the years they had been apart melted away, and it seemed like they never had been separated. "I promise."
Jaina closed her eyes, letting Zekk's warmth soothe her. His promise was groundless, and reckless. He was overconfident. Jaina only prayed with all her heart that when it came to a deadly battle, or an important decision he wouldn't rush in blindly.
Like the shrouded woman who Jaina only knew as the wife of Anakin Skywalker, she was falling for a brash Jedi who didn't believe in rules. However, that was one of the things that was so alluring. Zekk believed anything could happen, and that he could do anything.... Jaina only hoped that what he promised would happen.
TO BE CONTINUED! YAY! (next some REAL adventure. You'll se.)