Chapter 5: Xaria
Jacen Solo sat in the small room that was doubling as a cell. He and Jaina were quietly planning amongst themselves.
"What about your Vongsense?" Jaina inquired.
"I tried it already." Jacen replied, "For some reason, I can't access it. How about we sne-" he started to strategize, when he was interrupted by a loud gasp by Jaina. "Jaya, Jaya? Are you all right?" Jacen asked in a worried voice.
"I can feel him again. I can feel Jag." Jaina said warmly.
Jag! Jag, can you feel me?, she inquired over their mental link.
Jaina? Where are you? Are you hurt? Is Jacen with you? Are our children alright? Don't worry baby, we're coming to get you! Jag replied hurriedly, as if he was afraid their link would close.
Coruscant. No. Yes. And Yes. She replied.
Jacen sat there watching his sister talk to her husband over their mental link. He was so intent on pondering how Jaina and Jag had created their mental link, that he didn't notice the lone figure enter the small room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Kyp sat in the hangar bay on Hapes, clearly frustrated. He had been trying for the last four hours to fix the repulsorlifts on the Frozen Amethyst. Jag had gone off about an hour ago, claiming that he was "taking a walk".
That's a pretty long walk, Kyp thought ruefully. He reached for the hydrospanner, but his hand never found it. Instead, he connected with flesh. Under the Amethyst, he couldn't see what he was grabbing at. Then, he heard a soft female voice, obviously the owner of the flesh he was touching.
"Is my knee really that attractive?" she asked.
Embarrassed, Kyp slid out from under the Amethyst. In front of him stood possibly the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She had deep auburn hair that extended to her waist and big startling ice-blue eyes. "Ummm….I was looking for this." He said, standing and grabbing the first thing he could find, a fusion coil. He looked sheepishly down at his hands, suddenly wishing that he were under the Amethyst again.
"If I'm guessing correctly, you don't use fusion coils to repair damaged repulsorlifts." She said, laughing.
Kyp shot her an annoyed glance. "And I supposed that you know how to fix them?"
The woman smiled. "Actually, yes, I do." There was no gloating in her tone, just an eagerness to help that Kyp could see in her eyes. He nodded.
"Alright, then. I can use all the help I can get."
The woman extended her hand. "I'm Xaria Bian, wandering soul and mechanic extraordinaire. And you would be…?"
Kyp took her extended hand. It was warm and much smaller than his. He could have sworn he felt a jolt of electricity when their flesh had connected. He shook those thoughts from his mind. "Kyp," he said, "Kyp Durron-"
Xaria gasped. "Kyp Durron?!" she squeaked.
Kyp laughed. He offered her a low, sweeping bow. "None other." He said.
"The same Kyp Durron who-"
He nodded, solemnly. "The same, physically at least. The mind is older, tired."
Xaria eyed him, warily. "I guess that would explain the fusion coil for the repulsorlifts."
Kyp laughed again. "So are you going to help me or not?"
"Just show me where to start."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Jacen slowly turned his head, as he realized that there was someone else in the room with him and his sister. It was Danni Quee. She threw a sword in his direction. He caught it subliminally and slowly stood up, weary from the Embrace. "Fight?" he asked.
"Fight." Danni confirmed.