~ This will be it for this week. My prom is this weekend so I will have no
time to post another chapter until next week. Look for another one around
Tuesday. Thanks for all the reviews. Keep them coming! ~
Chapter 23: Frost
The journey through hyperspace was a long one. Zekk had kidnapped Jaina in the middle of the night and taken her straight to his ship. They had an entire day's worth of hyperspace between them and the Hapes cluster. At least Jaina would talk to him, even though the conversation was strained at best. He couldn't really expect anything else given the fact that he had abducted her twice now.
Jaina looked up from her food. "How exactly did you manage to kidnap me the second time?"
Zekk looked away from Jaina's inquisitive face, ashamed of what he was about to tell her.
"You won't be happy with what I'm about to tell you."
"I don't care. I have to know."
Zekk turned his back to Jaina. He couldn't face her when he told her this.
"I walked into the Grand Audience Chamber just as you and your husband-"
"Jag."
"-as you and Jag were ending the ceremony. I couldn't stand the fact that that you were no longer mine. I was so angry that I don't really remember what happened immediately afterwards. Then next thing I remember is sitting in Ta'a Chume's chambers. She was discussing methods of abduction with me. I guess the part of me that wasn't thinking clearly wanted you back so badly that I was willing to do anything to make it happen. I waited until you and Jag had left your reception. I made sure that no one was going to follow the two of you, and I set out to find your chambers. I didn't find them until after the two of you were fast asleep. Ta'a Chume lent me her guards who had the access codes to your room. I had your room gassed with a sleeping draught. You never knew what was happening until you awoke the next morning."
Jaina sat in stunned silence. She didn't know what to say. How could she really say anything to that?
"I know that you're probably furious with me, and I'm sorry. I really am. I can't say anything more to justify my actions."
Jaina swallowed hard. "Excuse me." She said as she rose from the table.
Zekk sat at the table, disgusted with himself at his actions and wondering how he could get Jaina to forgive him.
* * * * * * * * * * *
As the quintet of escapees made their way through the underbelly of the palace, they found that the corridors kept getting smaller, darker, and colder. The Jedi of the group, however, showed no signs that they were cold. It had become second nature to them to regulate their body temperatures to keep themselves warm or cool, depending on the circumstances. They were too engrossed in trying to find a way through the labyrinth of the catacombs to notice that Jag and Han were shivering uncontrollably.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jaina paced up and down the galley of the ship. She wasn't sure about what she should feel right now. Of course she was mad at Zekk, but she had to be nice to him right now. He was taking her home. Of course, she wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him. Thoughts of anger and gratitude and malice and forgiveness kept popping up in Jaina's head. She didn't want to deal with this right now. She just wanted to get home Jag. She smiled as she thought of him. She stretched out her mind to see if she could find him, surprised that she could use the Force again. She felt his familiar presence sing through her mind and she reached out to him-
Jag?
There was no answer.
Jag? She called again.
Still no answer.
Then the wave of paralyzing frost hit her.
"JAG!" She screamed, but the cold kept washing over her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Zekk heard Jaina's disembodied scream. Immediately, he leapt from his seat at the table and ran towards Jaina's presence. When he found her, she was curled into the fetal position rocking herself back and forth, whispering only one word.
"Jag."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jacen was the first to notice that Jag was missing. He had convinced Tenel Ka that the group needed to stop and rest, give themselves some time to collect their thoughts. They were all wet and hungry, but he wasn't cold. He could feel the icy wind whipping around his face, but he had long since use the Force to regulate himself. As they sat down, he noticed his father shivering. Instinctively, he took off his tunic and handed it to his father. He reached out to him, sending him waves of warmth through the Force.
It was then he notice that Jag wasn't sitting with them.
Jacen turned to his fiancée. "Do you know if Jag went back to check something out?"
Tenel Ka looked slightly confused. "No, I do not believe so. Why do you ask?"
"Mom? Dad? Have either of you seen Jag recently?"
Both of Jacen's parents shook their heads. Jacen had figured they wouldn't be paying much attention. Leia was too busy trying to warm Han up. Her efforts seemed to be working for the present, but they needed to get to the surface fast. Night was falling and if the temperature now was any indication, it was not going to warm up anytime soon.
If that's the case, Jacen thought, we need to find Jag.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jag Fel lay in the corridor, hypothermic. His lips were blue and he was drifting in and out of consciousness. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep what little warmth he had for much longer. Night was falling. He wished that Jaina were here with him. He wished that she were lying next to him, and that they were making love like they had the night before. He wished-
Jaina's voice resounded in his head. He could hear her calling him. He thought it was a dream, and if it was, he didn't want to wake up from it. He heard her call his name over and over until he gave in and let the black of oblivion claim him.
Chapter 23: Frost
The journey through hyperspace was a long one. Zekk had kidnapped Jaina in the middle of the night and taken her straight to his ship. They had an entire day's worth of hyperspace between them and the Hapes cluster. At least Jaina would talk to him, even though the conversation was strained at best. He couldn't really expect anything else given the fact that he had abducted her twice now.
Jaina looked up from her food. "How exactly did you manage to kidnap me the second time?"
Zekk looked away from Jaina's inquisitive face, ashamed of what he was about to tell her.
"You won't be happy with what I'm about to tell you."
"I don't care. I have to know."
Zekk turned his back to Jaina. He couldn't face her when he told her this.
"I walked into the Grand Audience Chamber just as you and your husband-"
"Jag."
"-as you and Jag were ending the ceremony. I couldn't stand the fact that that you were no longer mine. I was so angry that I don't really remember what happened immediately afterwards. Then next thing I remember is sitting in Ta'a Chume's chambers. She was discussing methods of abduction with me. I guess the part of me that wasn't thinking clearly wanted you back so badly that I was willing to do anything to make it happen. I waited until you and Jag had left your reception. I made sure that no one was going to follow the two of you, and I set out to find your chambers. I didn't find them until after the two of you were fast asleep. Ta'a Chume lent me her guards who had the access codes to your room. I had your room gassed with a sleeping draught. You never knew what was happening until you awoke the next morning."
Jaina sat in stunned silence. She didn't know what to say. How could she really say anything to that?
"I know that you're probably furious with me, and I'm sorry. I really am. I can't say anything more to justify my actions."
Jaina swallowed hard. "Excuse me." She said as she rose from the table.
Zekk sat at the table, disgusted with himself at his actions and wondering how he could get Jaina to forgive him.
* * * * * * * * * * *
As the quintet of escapees made their way through the underbelly of the palace, they found that the corridors kept getting smaller, darker, and colder. The Jedi of the group, however, showed no signs that they were cold. It had become second nature to them to regulate their body temperatures to keep themselves warm or cool, depending on the circumstances. They were too engrossed in trying to find a way through the labyrinth of the catacombs to notice that Jag and Han were shivering uncontrollably.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jaina paced up and down the galley of the ship. She wasn't sure about what she should feel right now. Of course she was mad at Zekk, but she had to be nice to him right now. He was taking her home. Of course, she wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for him. Thoughts of anger and gratitude and malice and forgiveness kept popping up in Jaina's head. She didn't want to deal with this right now. She just wanted to get home Jag. She smiled as she thought of him. She stretched out her mind to see if she could find him, surprised that she could use the Force again. She felt his familiar presence sing through her mind and she reached out to him-
Jag?
There was no answer.
Jag? She called again.
Still no answer.
Then the wave of paralyzing frost hit her.
"JAG!" She screamed, but the cold kept washing over her.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Zekk heard Jaina's disembodied scream. Immediately, he leapt from his seat at the table and ran towards Jaina's presence. When he found her, she was curled into the fetal position rocking herself back and forth, whispering only one word.
"Jag."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jacen was the first to notice that Jag was missing. He had convinced Tenel Ka that the group needed to stop and rest, give themselves some time to collect their thoughts. They were all wet and hungry, but he wasn't cold. He could feel the icy wind whipping around his face, but he had long since use the Force to regulate himself. As they sat down, he noticed his father shivering. Instinctively, he took off his tunic and handed it to his father. He reached out to him, sending him waves of warmth through the Force.
It was then he notice that Jag wasn't sitting with them.
Jacen turned to his fiancée. "Do you know if Jag went back to check something out?"
Tenel Ka looked slightly confused. "No, I do not believe so. Why do you ask?"
"Mom? Dad? Have either of you seen Jag recently?"
Both of Jacen's parents shook their heads. Jacen had figured they wouldn't be paying much attention. Leia was too busy trying to warm Han up. Her efforts seemed to be working for the present, but they needed to get to the surface fast. Night was falling and if the temperature now was any indication, it was not going to warm up anytime soon.
If that's the case, Jacen thought, we need to find Jag.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Jag Fel lay in the corridor, hypothermic. His lips were blue and he was drifting in and out of consciousness. He knew that he wouldn't be able to keep what little warmth he had for much longer. Night was falling. He wished that Jaina were here with him. He wished that she were lying next to him, and that they were making love like they had the night before. He wished-
Jaina's voice resounded in his head. He could hear her calling him. He thought it was a dream, and if it was, he didn't want to wake up from it. He heard her call his name over and over until he gave in and let the black of oblivion claim him.
