Chapter 6

He stood there, breathing heavily. He held in his hand a ceremonial-fighting sword. His opponent suddenly let out a shrill scream. She ran towards him as he brought his sword up in a defensive stance. The twin swords met.

Durasteel scraped durasteel as the two opponents fought for the upper hand in the winner takes all battle of life and death. His mind was fully into the battle. His body, a living weapon. His opponent was weaker than him. He knew he could defeat her. All he had to do was find the right opening.

He jumped back, narrowly dodging a swipe from his opponent. He brought his sword back up, and took to the offense.

Swipe. Slash. Parry. Backstep. His mind was arush with keeping up with her attacks. She was faster than him. He knew that now. In fighting, quicker was better than stronger. He had long ago started to perspire. His hands were wet with sweat. Once again, he took to the offensive side of the battle.

The two warriors were an even match. He knew that the only hope of survival he had was to overpower her grip on the sword. He took a risk, and raised his sword high. His opponent took advantage of the situation, and lunged her sword forward. He quickly brought his sword down, with all of his strength.

For several seconds, nothing happened. Then she fell to the ground. He looked around the room, which was eerily silent. He looked down, and smiled. There was a sword in him. A sword with a hand on it. He reached down, and pulled his hand up. There was blood on his fingertips.

He looked around him, for what was possibly the last time, and fell to the ground.

Jaina watched in slow motion as Jacen fell to the ground, bleeding from the sword wound in his stomach.

"JASA!!!" she screamed as she ran to his side. Danni lay nearby, completely unconscious. Jaina's Force awareness suddenly came flooding back to her. She realized that Danni had been blocking them. She pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind as she set to work to slowing the flow of blood coming from Jacen.

"Jasa, hold on. Please hold on." Jaina pleaded.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Kyp was laughing uncontrollably as Jag came back into the hangar. He noted the petite red-head standing next to him, working on the ship.

"How soon until the Amethyst is up and running again?" Jag asked.

"Not too long now, just have to…..there. Done," The woman said. Jag looked questioningly at Kyp, who smile in turn.

"Jag Fel, meet Xaria Bian. Self made wandering soul and mechanic extraordinaire." Xaria proffered a hand at Kyp's introduction, which Jag accepted.

"Thank you for helping Kyp with the ship, Ms. Bian-"

"Xaria, please."

"-Xaria. If there's any way we can repay you, I'll gladly cover any expenses."

Xaria held up a hand. "I only ask for two things in payment. One, if I could so kindly hitch a ride off this rock from you, I would greatly appreciate it."

Jag looked at Kyp. The eagerness in Kyp's eyes could not be masked. Jag stifled a laugh.  "Of course. And the other…?"

"Good ole Kyp here has to take me out for dinner."

Again, Jag glanced at Kyp, who nodded once, the anticipation glittering in his eyes. "I guess it's a deal then. We're leaving in a standard hour."

Xaria nodded. "I'll get my stuff."

Kyp laughed. "And I'll get to-" He stopped mid-sentence and grabbed at his stomach, doubling over in pain. "Jacen!" he cried out before he plunged into the darkness.

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Jacen lay on the ground, detached from the physical world. The pain that was initially there had disappeared. He didn't care though. Pain was nothing to him. He saw only shadows.

Jaina quickly ripped the sword out of his chest.

Jacen saw a long, straight shape pulled from the area of his chest. He smiled. Whose hand was that? he wondered faintly. Must have been that girl's… What was her name again? Denny? Danny? Danni. That was it. Danni Queen. Shame for her.

Jaina quickly ripped off  Jacen's shirt and placed it over the wound.

Hey! That's my shirt! What are you doing? Jacen thought absentmindedly. Hahaha. I look good shirtless. Except for that blood of course. Hey! Don't wipe the blood with my shirt! That's a good shirt! He continued thinking.

Jaina slumped over, unconscious.

"Jasa! Jasa! Come back here!" A figure said in Jacen's head.

Ha. Hahaha! Jasa! What kind of a name is that? Jacen thought.

"Jasa, it's me Jaya. Your sister! Take my hand" she said.

"What? Why?" he said, grabbing her hand.

"Because you're getting married. You have to survive for your fiancée. Do it for her." She said.

"Fiancée? Who am I getting married to" he asked.

"Tenel Ka! Don't you remember, Tenel Ka? Warrior queen from Dathomir and Hapes?" she reminded him.

"Oh…her… I'm getting married to her?" he asked.

"Yes!" she replied.

"Oh…o-" he started to say, but suddenly stopped as his eyes opened, consciousness flooding back to him. Who was that? It was that Danni girl again, Jacen thought deliriously.

"NOW I WILL FINISH YOU, JACEN SOLO!" she growled, " Die- oops…" she used the Force to call her lightsaber to her hand, except her hand wasn't there, so the saber went flying away from her.

"Some Jedi you are, can't even call your lightsaber to you," Jaina said as she called Danni's discarded saber to her hand, a feral glint in her eyes. "Now you'll see what happens to those who hurt my brother."