~So many questions, not enough room. ~
Chapter 22: Compassion
Tenel Ka led the escapees through the dark, narrow duracreet catacombs of Hapes. She knew that the outlet to the surface was very near. She just couldn't see it. She jumped minimally when she felt a hand on the small of her back. Her hand went to the hilt of her lightsaber and she turned around to face her assailant.
She couldn't help but laugh at her own stupidity as she saw the identity of her "attacker". It was Jacen. He looked at her, confused.
"Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Yes, dear Jacen, everything is fine. You merely startled me."
Jacen feigned surprise. "I startled you. You're losing your edge, Tenel Ka."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously at this. "Do not be so presumptuous, love." Her lightsaber was on and above her head before Jacen could say another word. She then pushed him out of the way and lunged at the intruder behind her fiancée. The intruder was quickly dispatched and Tenel Ka turned to the rest of the group.
"We had better move faster if we want to get to Jaina alive."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Zekk stood on the bridge of the Kyria, replaying the conversation he had just walked away from.
"Because I don't love you, not like that."
Jaina had said those words to him before. He just never really listened to him. He could hear the compassion in her voice when she spoke of her husband. It wasn't there when she spoke of him. Why couldn't she love him like she used to?
Because she never really loved you like that, he thought.
Resigned, he started the walk back to Jaina compartment.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The escapees continued the long trek through the underbelly of Hapes. They were tired, hungry, wet and cold. To break up the monotony of the trip, Jag had attempted to start a conversation.
"Han, you never did tell me how and why you, Leia, and Jacen were thrown into the prison."
Han eyed his new son-in-law wearily. "That's because they never told us we were going to prison."
"What?"
"We were woken up in the middle of the night and told that the palace was under attack and that, for our own safety, we would be taken to a designated safe room. Jacen and Leia didn't feel any that they were lying to us, so we followed them. You're lucky that your family blasted off right after the wedding reception. Luke and Mara did they same thing, something about urgent Jedi business back on Mon Cal."
"Looks like we got the short end of the deal, huh?"
Han laughed. "Yeah, we did kid. We sure did."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Zekk opened the door to Jaina's prison cell. She lay in the corner, curled up in a ball, trying to sleep. It couldn't be easy on the cold durasteel floor. She looked so beautiful lying there. It broke Zekk's heart every time he looked at her, just knowing that she would never love him. She stirred on the floor and her eyes fluttered open. She looked sleepily up at Zekk.
"Do you really love him?" he asked.
"Did you really have to ask?" was Jaina's reply.
Zekk laughed, bitterly. "No, but I thought it was worth a shot. Thought maybe you'd changed your mind or something. Thought maybe, you might love me like you used to."
Jaina sat in her corner, stunned by the compassion that Zekk was showing. She knew that he thought he really loved her, but then again, she also knew that what he felt for her was not really love.
"I'm sorry." She managed.
"It's okay. I'm just sorry that I had to put you through all of this. I've only ever wanted for you to be happy. That's all I'll ever wish for you Jaina."
"I know."
Zekk extended a hand to help her up. He smiled at her as she stood in front of him.
"What do you we have some breakfast, I get you some real clothes, and we turn this ship around and get you back to your husband?"
Jaina's smile lit up the room.
.
Chapter 22: Compassion
Tenel Ka led the escapees through the dark, narrow duracreet catacombs of Hapes. She knew that the outlet to the surface was very near. She just couldn't see it. She jumped minimally when she felt a hand on the small of her back. Her hand went to the hilt of her lightsaber and she turned around to face her assailant.
She couldn't help but laugh at her own stupidity as she saw the identity of her "attacker". It was Jacen. He looked at her, confused.
"Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Yes, dear Jacen, everything is fine. You merely startled me."
Jacen feigned surprise. "I startled you. You're losing your edge, Tenel Ka."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously at this. "Do not be so presumptuous, love." Her lightsaber was on and above her head before Jacen could say another word. She then pushed him out of the way and lunged at the intruder behind her fiancée. The intruder was quickly dispatched and Tenel Ka turned to the rest of the group.
"We had better move faster if we want to get to Jaina alive."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Zekk stood on the bridge of the Kyria, replaying the conversation he had just walked away from.
"Because I don't love you, not like that."
Jaina had said those words to him before. He just never really listened to him. He could hear the compassion in her voice when she spoke of her husband. It wasn't there when she spoke of him. Why couldn't she love him like she used to?
Because she never really loved you like that, he thought.
Resigned, he started the walk back to Jaina compartment.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The escapees continued the long trek through the underbelly of Hapes. They were tired, hungry, wet and cold. To break up the monotony of the trip, Jag had attempted to start a conversation.
"Han, you never did tell me how and why you, Leia, and Jacen were thrown into the prison."
Han eyed his new son-in-law wearily. "That's because they never told us we were going to prison."
"What?"
"We were woken up in the middle of the night and told that the palace was under attack and that, for our own safety, we would be taken to a designated safe room. Jacen and Leia didn't feel any that they were lying to us, so we followed them. You're lucky that your family blasted off right after the wedding reception. Luke and Mara did they same thing, something about urgent Jedi business back on Mon Cal."
"Looks like we got the short end of the deal, huh?"
Han laughed. "Yeah, we did kid. We sure did."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Zekk opened the door to Jaina's prison cell. She lay in the corner, curled up in a ball, trying to sleep. It couldn't be easy on the cold durasteel floor. She looked so beautiful lying there. It broke Zekk's heart every time he looked at her, just knowing that she would never love him. She stirred on the floor and her eyes fluttered open. She looked sleepily up at Zekk.
"Do you really love him?" he asked.
"Did you really have to ask?" was Jaina's reply.
Zekk laughed, bitterly. "No, but I thought it was worth a shot. Thought maybe you'd changed your mind or something. Thought maybe, you might love me like you used to."
Jaina sat in her corner, stunned by the compassion that Zekk was showing. She knew that he thought he really loved her, but then again, she also knew that what he felt for her was not really love.
"I'm sorry." She managed.
"It's okay. I'm just sorry that I had to put you through all of this. I've only ever wanted for you to be happy. That's all I'll ever wish for you Jaina."
"I know."
Zekk extended a hand to help her up. He smiled at her as she stood in front of him.
"What do you we have some breakfast, I get you some real clothes, and we turn this ship around and get you back to your husband?"
Jaina's smile lit up the room.
.
