Disclaimer: I own none of this and am making no money off of this.
Author's note: I'm really, really sorry about the lack of posts lately. I'll to post more regularly but now that school started up again please be patient. Thanks again for all of the reviews.
Jacen Solo sat in the small guest room in his parent's suite in an almost catatonic state. He knew now, why Jaina had gone to the darkside when she had felt what she thought was his death after the mission to Myrk. His mother, who had just barely been starting to recover from the loss of Anakin could not even begin to face the galaxy, and Han Solo, devastated at the loss of his only daughter, was too distraught to comfort his wife. Even Mara was deeply affected by the loss of her niece. For the first time since the mission to the fallen Coruscant, Mara had traveled to the Maw to let the presence of her young son comfort her. Luke, however, had stayed with the others, trying to pull his crumbling family back together, although he felt the pain of Jaina's death no less than the others.
Jaina's memorial ceremony, words that seemed foreign to him even as they echoed in Jacen's mind, would be held tonight. Tenel Ka, the queen mother of Hapes and a close friend of Jacen and Jaina's since they had all started the Jedi Academy, would also be there. Jaina's body had not been recovered, but there had been no sign of ejection and her x-wing had most definitely been blown up.
Instead of observing traditional Jedi funeral rights a memorial was being held for her. It had also been decided that the news of Jag's death should be conveyed in person. However, since Wedge Antilles was unable to take time off from the war effort to deliver the message to his nephew's family, it had been decided that Kyp Durron, who at one time had been a friend or at least a respected acquaintance of Jag's would carry the message.
* * * * * * *
The memorial was being held in the same place as Anakin's on Hapes, where Jaina had died fighting. In ones and twos people began to drift in. Standing up front was Leia, supported on one side by Luke and on the other by Han. Next to Han stood Jacen and Mara with Ben cradled in her arms. Tenel Ka was the next to arrive in a somber fashion without the entourage her station usually seemed to demand.
The pilots that flew in Twin Suns, Rogue Squadron and the Wraiths all filed in, sad and serious despite there usual irreverent behavior. Kyp slipped in next and after a curt nod to Luke, found a place next to Mara. Zekk, Tekli, Tesar and Lowbacca formed a solemn quartet at the edge of the gathering. Wedge Antilles and his wife along with Corran Horn and Mirax Terrik came to pay their respects with the rest of the gathering.
Tahiri Veila, though, was the last to appear. Showing a surprising amount of strength for a young person who had lost so much, Tahiri first approached Jacen. She kissed him quickly on his cheek and whispered something to him that made him slowly stand a little bit straighter. Next she walked over to Leia and embraced the woman for a moment. After trading a glance with Luke, they switched places allowing Luke to make his way to the center of the gathering.
He stood solemn and straight for a moment, but then began speaking softly but in voice that could be heard by everyone. "Jaina Solo, in her young life, had already become a great pilot and a respected Jedi Knight. However, in a side of her that the galaxy did not often get to see, Jaina was a sister, cousin, daughter and niece as well as a normal young woman. No, Jaina was never normal, no matter where she was or what she was doing. Each one of us will remember Jaina in our hearts in a different way, but know this: she will never be forgotten, not as long as we live." Luke paused a moment glancing around the gathered people. "I urge you all for Jaina's sake to live your life to the fullest, just as Jaina tried to do every day. When you start to falter or back away from a challenge, remember Jaina and from her memory gain the strength and courage to continue. That is the best we can do for Jaina now, by continuing to serve and believe in what she lived and fought for."
The gathering was eerily silent, except for the scattered sound of open weeping. No one moved towards the close group of family, but instead left as unceremoniously as they had come. Tahiri, however, remained standing beside Leia supporting her as best as she could, for Anakin, Luke realized dimly, it was always for Anakin and now also in honor of Jaina.
* * * * * * *
The thoughts running through Jaina Solo's head were not really worthy of repeating. Unless of course you needed a detailed plan describing how to murder the Vong in countless, highly painful ways, that is. It wasn't just the fact that she had been captured and tortured by the Vong, it was more the fact that Jagged Fel had been captured along with her. Ordinarily this wouldn't have been a bad thing to Jaina, but with all that had been happening, she and Jag had not been inclined to talk or even look at one another as of late.
Surprisingly, with the exception of his initial expression of concern, he had maintained his icy exterior. In fact, vacationing on Hoth would have felt warmer than being tied up with Jag in this oppressive room.
As she rested as best as she could, battered from her previous sessions with her Vong torturers, Jaina reflected on how she had been captured. It was something she had been thinking about a lot lately, or at least when she could manage a coherent thought. She was well aware that she as well as Jag should have been dead, but somehow, probably using their dovin basals to pull them in, the Vong had captured her. Why they had also grabbed Jag was a mystery to Jaina. For all the Vong knew he was just a simple pilot.
The hatch, or at least the Vong equivalent of a hatch, opened revealing her captors, her torturers, Nom Anor, the ever traitorous spy and a misshapen and quite ugly, at least in Jaina's opinion, Shamed One, whom she had only heard of referred to as Omini.
Drawing on reserves of strength that she had never known she had, Jaina rose managing to look her most regal and defiant as they approached. Preparing herself both mentally and physically, Jaina almost betrayed her feelings for Jag when they stroked the creature binding Jag and not her, releasing him. Knowing that for Jag's sake at that moment, she could not betray any emotion, she instead locked eyes with him, sending him as much strength as she could through the force, knowing that even though he couldn't feel it, he would need it.
* * * * * * * *
Kyp Durron hastily threw his clothes into a duffle along with a few other personal mementos. He had never had much in the way of belongings and he wasn't about to start collecting more now. Glancing around his quarters for any forgotten items, he physically flinched when he saw a holo of himself, Jaina and Jag sitting on the dresser next to his bed. The Holo had been taken back on Borealis during a rare moment of relaxation. In the photo Jaina was leaning over to kiss Jag, while Kyp watched on in amusement.
Finding no amusement in it now, however, Kyp deftly switched the Holo off and threw it in his duffle as well. Trying not to acknowledge the pain that threatened to overwhelm him, Kyp stormed down the corridor, an aura of pain flowing out behind him like a cloak. Throwing his duffle into the cargo compartment of his x-wing and, checking to make sure the astromech was in place, Kyp whirled as he felt a light touch on his shoulder.
He turned around quickly to find himself staring down at the diminutive young Jedi Knight, Tahiri Veila. Noting her bare feet, Kyp realized how she had snuck up on him.
Realizing he was in a bad mood and not caring if he took it out on her, he demanded, "What in the name of the Sith are you doing here, Veila? I don't need some little kid scurrying around under foot."
Kyp was almost pleased to see the flash of anger in her green eyes before she regained her composure. Bringing her arm out from behind her, she presented him with a holocube. "Leia asked if you would give this to Jag's mother. It's a collection of holos that were taken of Jag recently."
"Organa Solo really asked that," Kyp questioned her in disbelief.
"It's the first thing that she seems to have cared about in days."
Softening slightly, Kyp took the cube from her. "Tell Organa Solo that I will personally hand it to his mother."
"Thank you, Master Durron," she said with a sad smile as she turned to leave.
Just as she was about to exit, Kyp called out, "Hey Veila," when she looked at him questioningly, one eyebrow raised, he continued, "I'm sorry. I was upset."
Tahiri nodded in understanding and slipped out of sight, leaving Kyp alone to begin his long trip.
* * * * * * *
When her torturers returned, literally throwing Jag back in the room, Jaina kept up her act of disinterest until they left. Not caring if the room was under surveillance, which it most likely was, Jaina ran over to Jag. Gingerly she rolled Jag over onto his back to find him staring at her miraculously, painfully conscious.
As he started to speak Jaina pressed a finger soothingly to his lips to stop him. He was probably in shock, she knew. He was shaking and covered in the evidence of the Vong's torture. Realizing that she had to do something quickly, Jaina asked Jag quietly, "Do you trust me?"
A croaked, "yes," was the best he could manage.
Instantly then Jaina said, "I'm going to use the force to take you pain away, okay." She explained as she worked.
Jag's incoherent mind barely registered Jaina's calm explanation as she took his pain away and eased him into the peaceful, healing oblivion of a Jedi healing trance, or her tearful apology for getting them captured.
Jag regained consciousness a few hours later, healed but unable to sit up, still weak from his injuries. He looked around as best as he could and realized that Jaina was slumped against the wall next to him, exhausted from the strain of healing him.
"Thank you for healing me," he said truly grateful. He wasn't sure how to interact with Jaina now. When they were aboard the Errant Venture they had interacted professionally and politely but only when it was necessary.
Now they were stuck on a Yuuzhan Vong ship with only each other for company. The situation would have been difficult under any circumstances, but with their added personal complications it made the situation especially trying.
Jaina's only response to his comment was a curt nod of her head. They sat there for a few moments both resting as best as they could before Jaina broke the silence. "Jag." she started but then trailed off.
Curious despite having much bigger problems at the moment, Jag said encouragingly, "Yes?"
Her next words, whatever he had expected them to be or not to be, were a shock. "What happened to us? When you were patrolling out by the Hydian Way we were fine, but by the time you got back to Mon Calamari, you treated me worse than the Vong and acted like you hated me."
"You're asking me that, Jaina? I would think that would be obvious to you." He replied snidely.
Lashing out at the organic wall with her fist in frustration, Jaina snapped, "What are all the cryptic comments supposed to mean?" Cut to the power cable, Jag. Tell me what I did if it's so bad."
"I can't believe..I really thought we'd have a chance, but with your parents.I just hoped." Jag floundered around dodging from subject to subject and confusing Jaina. "I guess I can understand that you wanted a Jed boyfriend after all, but."
"What? Jedi boyfriend! Jag what are you talking about?" Jaina demanded.
"Your new boyfriend," he almost shouted, "the one that goes practically everywhere with you and Kyp."
All of a sudden the pieces flew into place for Jaina and she began hoping warily that this had all just been some insane mistake. "A guy a little taller than me, kinda skinny, got a beard, brown hair and eyes?"
His glare made it obvious to her that her question and its answer were beyond rhetorical. It was suddenly all too much for Jaina. The danger of their present situation, her exhaustion and the irony of having this discussion at that time combined until Jaina began laughing hysterically. Jag's sharp, but not unnecessarily painful slap brought her out of her hysteria and launched her head first into almost anger.
"You nerf-brained Imperial! Anybody on Mon Calamari or that Sithing Star Destroyer would have told you that the Jedi in question was my twin brother, Jacen, who couldn't wait to meet his big sister's boyfriend until said boyfriend humiliatingly dumped her in the mess hall! Believe me," Jaina said her tirade growing stronger with every passing moment, "If a certain son of an Imperial Baron hadn't been so stupid I would have been spending a lot less time with Jacen and a lot more with him."
Jag's kiss, though, unexpected was an effective way to end Jaina's tirade. "Jaina," he said softly, "I'm sorry. I know I jumped to conclusions, but I was jealous."
"You could have at least given me a chance to talk to you," she muttered petulantly.
"Yes, I know, but every time I saw you, you were with Jacen. I didn't know and I was angry. I thought you'd just been manipulating me, using me."
"How could you think that," Jaina demanded with a hint of her former heat, "If I ever dumped you it would be with fair warning."
"Because he was a Jedi and I'm not, because I'm the son of an Imperial Baron and you're the daughter of the former Chief-of-State and a New Republic general."
"You think I care about that Jag? My aunt was a former Imperial assassin and the Emperor's personal agent. Do you think I really care what anyone think about what I do with my life?"
Jag's response was cut off when the door opened revealing Omini and several warriors. "The Supreme Overlord wishes to see you, Jaina Solo."
"Well isn't that nice for him. Tell him I'll be glad to receive him later this afternoon."
The look of fury on the warriors' faces was reward enough for the effort Jaina had expended to keep up her goddess act and taunt the warriors. It was Omini's reaction, however, that was most telling for Jaina. Her taunt didn't seem to anger him at all, if anything it amused him. Omini's amusement, even though he was just a Shamed One made Jaina more wary than the warriors' fury.
"The Supreme Overloard wishes to see you now." Omini repeated.
Jaina appeared to consider it as if the presence of the armed warriors meant nothing. "Well," she said at last, "I suppose we should humor the old boy. Come along, Colonel." Jaina commanded as she walked out into the corridor.
Noting Jaina's continued Goddess act, Jag didn't take offense at her comments, but he did hope she remembered his weakened state. He wasn't sure if he could stand much less walk. However, he needn't have worried. The moment he managed to stand, he felt a phantom grip holding him up and helping him walk forward. Surprised but guessing that Jaina must be using the force to help him, Jag glanced up at her as she followed Omini. The rigid stance Jaina had adopted seemed to be the only hint of what she was doing.
When Omini stopped at last and Jag was able to draw even with Jaina, he noticed the forced regal look on her face although he could see the fear and concentration in her eyes. Jaina, apparently also realized the magnitude of their situation. To Jag's knowledge no one else in this Galaxy had ever seen the Supreme Overlord or at least lived to tell about it, not even Jacen Solo.
The moment that they entered the cavernous area where Shimrra was waiting, Jag was looking at Jaina, not the rooms other occupants. Jaina's momentary expression of shock and amusement didn't prepare Jag for the sight of the Supreme Overlord. Saying that he was terrifying and awesome hardly did him justice. Once Jag was able to take his eyes off of Shimra, he noticed that all of the other Yuuzhan Vong, who from their mutilations seemed to be very high ranking, were all bowed before Shimra in a gesture of submission.
"So," boomed the Supreme Overlord in Yuuzhan Vong which was quickly being translated to them by the tyzyworms, "You are the infamous Jedi, the one the heretics believe to be Yun-Harla, are you not, Jaina Solo?"
Even though it wasn't directed at him the sheer force of Shimra's presence almost over whelmed Jag and mad him want to cry like a scared young child. His respect for Jaina grew as she replied confidently, "I am Yun-Harla, Shimra. Why do you dare to bother a Goddess or her servants?"
His laughter joined by Omini's echoed through the room, although Jag had noticed the fearful responses of several of the room's occupants when Jaina declared herself as Yun-Harla.
"I am not some puny Yuuzhan Vong easily fooled by your heretical nonsense and I will not suffer your foolishness or the use of your Jeedai sorcery, or your companion will suffer for it."
Jaina's eyes glittering, hard and calculating, fixed on Shimra's. "Why do you call me here, Shmira? You've killed my younger brother among many others and tortured my twin. Do you worst, I won't tell you anything."
"Oh no Jaina Solo we will not kill you or torture you. You will tell us what we wish to know or we will torture him." He gestured sharply at Jag and he was immediately grabbed by a warrior, a coufee pressed to his throat.
Calmly, but with unmistakable ice in her voice, Jaina said, " Call your warrior back, Shimra and don't touch him or you will find out why my grandfather was the most feared individual in the galaxy."
"Ah so the vaunted Jaina Solo does have a weakness."
Jag was frozen amazed at the battle of wills he was witnessing. He barely saw the Supreme Overlord's slight gesture and felt the coufee slide into him. He dimly heard Jaina's scream and felt more than saw the warrior being torn away from him and thrown across the room. When he saw a thud bug come whirring towards him, Jag instinctively tried to duck. A foot away from him the thud bug stopped in mid air as if hitting a duracrete wall and fell inert to the floor.
For a moment Jag felt Jaina's force grip on him, that was helping to steady him, let go and he slid to the floor hardly able to move. From his place on the floor, he saw Jaina in the midst of a large group of warriors, fighting them off with a captured Amphistaff. The warriors surrounding Jaina were some of the best the Vong had ever boasted, but Jaina, motivated by a desire to live and aided by the Vong's honorable method of fighting only one on one, was steadily leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.
A small dark blur flying through the air towards Jaina from behind her, barely gave Jag enough time to warn her. "Jaina, watch your six."
Still to weak to move, Jag watched as time seemed to slow around Jaina. She caught the incoming amphistaffs of two warriors on her own and knocked the amphistaff aside. Turning away from the warriors, Jaina plucked the object out of the air. Jag's surprise turned to relief as a lightsaber, Jaina's lightsaber, activated in her right hand while the amphistaff remained in her left hand.
Exhibiting more confidence with her newly retrieved lightsaber, Jaina quickly and skillfully finished the fight with the warriors surrounding her only to find the room empty except for the scattered bodies of downed Yuuzhan Vong.
Quickly ascertaining that there were no immediate threats, Jaina moved back to Jag's side and dropped to the ground. "How badly are you hurt?"
"Not to bad. The cut on my throat isn't deep, but I can't move. I'm not sure why."
"The blade of the coufee contains a neural toxin that renders humans quickly and effectively paralyzed. I've heard that it's also becomes quite painful."
As soon as she heard the voice behind them, Jaina spun around quickly raising both weapons to guard position. She found herself facing none other than the Supreme Overlord. Watching the standoff between the Supreme Overlord and Jaina, Jag hissed as he began feeling the other effects of the toxin. Burning pain, like acid eating away at him, slowly crept towards the center of his body from his extremities.
"Jaina," Jag whispered quietly so that only she could hear, "Leave me here. If you go now, you can escape."
"No," she replied just as quietly as he had spoken but with a defiance that seemed to ring through the air.
Then she charged the Supreme Overlord, striking first with her lightsaber and then blocking with the amphistaff. Their amphistaffs locked in a deadly stalemate, the Supreme Overlord pushing Jaina further and further back. To Jag's horror, Jaina suddenly seemed to crumple, the ankle that he knew had been injured in the space battle above Hapes suddenly giving out. As Jag watched though, her fall quickly turned into roll. Diving under the Supreme Overlord's amphistaff, Jaina scored a long diagonal slash along his abdomen and down his thigh.
Roaring with fury, Shimra once again charged Jaina even as the living skin that clothed him drew back from the wound. Jag saw the faint glitter of silver hanging at the Supreme Overlord's waist a moment before Jaina did. The moment Jaina saw it, Anakin's lightsaber, at Shimra's waist, she froze. As the Supreme Overlord's amphistaff crashed down towards Jaina's head, Jag could once again do nothing. At the last moment, Jaina seemed to jerk back to reality in time to avoid the full blow. Unfortunately she couldn't completely avoid it and the blow to the side of her sent her crashing to the floor with blood rushing from a cut on her head.
Immediately back on her feet, Jaina resumed the fight with renewed focus. As Shimra rushed her lunging and slashing, Jaina retreated blocking his amphistaff, but unable to push him back because of his sheer mass. To buy herself a moment of time, Jaina used the force to aid her leap to the tier above them.
The moment she paused, Shimra stiffened his amphistaff and flung it at her like a spear. Not wishing to deal with the snake like creature up close as well as the Supreme Overlord, Jaina threw her amphistaff at the one already in the air. The two collided forcefully together and fell to the floor below in a hissing fighting tangle. As he ran up to the tier where Jaina was waiting, Shimra smoothly scooped another amphistaff.
However, what he didn't notice was Anakin's lightsaber lifting off of his belt, falling to the floor and rolling to a stop next to Jag. Still paralyzed, Jag tore his concentration away from the raging duel in the corner to examine the lightsaber. While he didn't know its significance, he did know that it was a very valuable weapon to have, especially at the moment. What perplexed Jag was the fact that Jaina was not using it herself. She knew he wasn't trained in the use of a lightsaber and even if he was, he could hardly be a help to her when he could barely move.
Summoning all of his concentration, Jag struggled to reach out and pick up the lightsaber. Finally with great difficulty and the sensation that his locked muscles were being painfully pulled in the opposite direction of his bones, he managed to achieve that.
As he grasped the lightsaber, he felt a strange tingle of energy pass through him from the handle. To Jag's surprise the tingle caused him to jerk and ever so briefly glance at the ceiling above the tier. Immediately a burst of inspiration shot through Jag. "Jaina," he shouted, "the ceiling."
Shooting a quick glance at the ceiling, Jaina immediately grasped Jag's idea. Swiftly Jaina leaped over the Supreme Overlord's head aiming a kick at his back as she flew over his head and landed quickly rolling back onto her feet. Focusing on the roof above Shimra, Jaina quickly used the force to bring it down on him. Shimra was pinned under tons of rubble as the pieces of the ceiling that Jaina had pulled free plummeted to the floor weakening more and more of the ceiling, creating a larger cave in. Not sparing him a backward glance Jaina ran to Jag.
Rising off of the floor as much as he could to help her, Jag tried to stumble along with her as she ran towards the wall and cut a whole through to a side corridor. Slinging her arm around his back, Jaina and Jag half- ran, half-stumbled through the corridor.
"Do you have a plan, Jaina or are you just trying to put as much distance as possible between us and them?"
"I actually do have a plan," Jaina grunted as she cut into the wall of another tunnel and dragged him through after her. "Shimra will be out of the fight for a while and it will take a few minutes for them to get their warriors organized." She paused sucking in a deep breath as they moved as quickly as they could down the corridor. "We're lucky that we're still on board this world ship and not on a planet. If we were, we wouldn't have a chance. As it is, if we can make it off of this ship, we should be fine."
Stopping for a second at a two way intersection, Jag was surprised when she stepped forward and cut through the wall in front of them. He and Jaina stumbled through the opening to find the reason why Jaina had created an entrance there- a brand new coral ship- sitting in front of them unguarded.
"Why isn't this guarded? How did you find this?" Jag questioned anxiously as Jaina deftly manipulated the ship and climbed into it.
"It's not guarded because it's not fully grown, yet, and I just guessed that this was here from the information I've heard from New Republic officers and a few of the Jedi."
The flight away from the Yuuzhan Vong world ship was unremarkable. With all of the Vong's attention turned inward searching for them and in disarray because of Shimra's inavailability, they weren't watching the still growing coral ships hanging to their hull like so many barnacles. In the partially developed coral ship, Jaina and Jag tumbled free of the ship and casually without drawing attention gained the necessary distance to go to hyperspace.
Once they were traveling safely though hyperspace, Jaina looked over at Jag. Despite the fact that Jag looked terrible, his skin was a pasty gray color, and he was covered in cuts and bruises as well as the lacerations on his neck. Jaina couldn't help but smile at him.
Still smiling but allowing her practical side to take over, she remarked, "You don't look so great."
"You look kind of beat up yourself, Goddess."
"Well don't you know how to make a girl feel good, Colonel."
"You started it, Great One. Do they have a med kit in here?" Jag asked still almost completely paralyzed although the effects of the toxin were beginning to wear off.
"No, the Vong warriors don't seem to like that kind of thing. They seem to think it makes them weak."
"Oh well," Jag sighed, "I'm not sure I wanted to know about Vong medicine anyway. It's probably more painful than the wound itself."
"Well I can put us both in a healing trance. That should take care of most of our problems until we can get to a real medcenter."
"Where are we going anyway," Jag asked.
"I'm not sure yet. We're heading for a point in deep space where we can change course. It's a little deserted system that Mara and I found a long time ago. I don't want the Vong to follow us to our destination, but from there we can go to either Kayshk, Mon Calamari or the Jedi base."
"Well that's good," Jag hissed once again in pain.
"Jag let me put you in a healing trance," Jaina almost begged.
"As the Goddess wishes," Jag conceded.
Jaina glared at him but kissed him lightly, a kiss that seemed to make Jag feel better than a thousand healing trances, before he descended into the dark peaceful oblivion of a healing trance, where Jaina soon joined him.
* * * * * * *
Groggily Tahiri rolled over on the couch in the Solo's quarters. She had spent a lot of time here in the past few days. As much time, in fact, as Leia would allow her to spend there. Although she was a full Jedi Knight, technically she was still a minor. She supposed the Solos were filling in as her guardians for the time being. The annoying beep of her comlink was enough to bring her out of her thoughts.
Quietly she flicked it on and said, "Veila."
"Tahiri, this is Tekli. Can you come down to the med center for a moment? This is something I think you need to check out. It's important."
Checking her chronometer, Tahiri groaned at the late or should she say early hour. "Can it wait a while, to say a reasonable hour of the day," Tahiri asked the eager Chandra-Fan.
"I know it's early Tahiri, but I really think you need to see this, now."
Tahiri groaned again quietly, "All right Tekli. I'll be down there in five minutes."
Four minutes later Tahiri strolled into the Hapan med center. She quickly walked over to Tekli, who she noted was talking to a young male patient, freshly out of bacta, if the light tinge of pink slime coating him was to be believed. To look the man fully in the face, the meter tall Tekli was perched on a chair in front of the patient. Tapping Tekli lightly on the shoulder to gain her attention, Tahiri attempted to hide her yawn.
"Thank you for coming, Tahiri." She gestured at the man sitting in front of her. "This is Dar Tibble, Twin Suns Seven."
Puzzled and hoping that there was an actual point to meeting a pilot that used to fly for Jaina, Tahiri said firmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she glanced down at his rank on his uniform laying in a nearby chair, "Lieutenant Tibble, but was there a reason for this, Tekli?" She asked with a side ways glance at her fellow Jedi Knight.
Smiling enigmatically Tekli said, "Please tell Jedi Veila what you saw Lieutenant Tibble."
"Well Ma'am," he began formally, although Tahiri could sense his amusement at addressing a teenage girl like that, "I was caught in the big explosion when the Vong cruiser blew. I was fairly near Colonel Solo and Colonel Fel when it blew. I was briefly knocked unconscious, but my astromech managed to get me ejected before I got fried. When I regained consciousness, I was floating around in space behind a big hunk of Vong debris so I couldn't get a comm. signal out. I did see two EV pilots like myself being pulled into a Vong Frigate. I'm pretty sure they were the Colonels, Ma'am."
Pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts, Tahiri asked, "Why didn't you say something earlier, Lieutenant?"
"I was unconscious from oxygen deprivation when they retrieved me, Ma'am and they stuck me straight into bacta. I thought they had been retrieved too, until Healer Tekli told me they were dead."
Turning to Tekli, Tahiri asked quickly, "Does anyone else know about this? Could someone have overheard you?"
"No," Tekli replied with a shake of her head. "I was the first person Lieutenant Tibble talked to and there was no else in here."
"All right, Tekli, are you going to be here for a while longer?" After receiving Tekli's quick confirmation, Tahiri continued. "Good. Let me know before you leave and don't say anything about this to anyone."
Both nodded easily, used to taking orders. Turning swiftly on her heel, Tahiri strode towards the door. She stopped for a brief second at the door. Half-turning she said gratefully, "Thank you, Lieutenant Tibble."
Five minutes later Tahiri stood at the door to the Skywalker suite. Striving to maintain her Jedi calm despite the excitement and adrenaline coursing through her, Tahiri forced herself to knock quietly and gently on the door.
A few seconds later the door whooshed open revealing Mara Jade Skywalker with the almost one year old Ben on her hip. "Tahiri," she said calmly, brushing disheveled hair out of her face, "It's a bit early."
"Three hours to dawn to be precise, Master, but this is important. Is Master Luke here?"
"No he's not," Tahiri noticed that she carefully didn't mention Luke's location, but she did step back from the door and walk back into the apartment, "but if it's really that important, come on in. Tell me about it."
Taking a deep breath Tahiri replied, "I don't think Jaina and Colonel Fel are dead."
"What?" Mara exclaimed incredulous.
"I think they're still alive," Tahiri restated.
"Explain," Mara said curtly.
"Tekli called me down to the med center about a half hour ago. One of Jaina's pilots had just been pulled out of Bacta. He explained that he saw Jaina and Jag pulled onto a Vong frigate after the battle and he wasn't lying."
Mara sighed and dropped to a seat on the couch, letting Ben get down on the floor to play with a nearby toy. "I suppose it is possible, Jacen's death was faked after all."
"Thank you," Tahiri said quickly grateful that the Jedi Master believed her.
"Don't get your hopes up yet, Tahiri," Mara warned, "but I do think it's worth checking out. Have you told anyone else?"
"No, after I talked to Tekli and Tibble I came straight here."
"Good," she paused for a moment, planning their next move, "I think we should bring Jacen in on this next. I don't want to upset Leia anymore especially not until we're sure about this, but I know he'll be willing to help. We can't do anything until tomorrow though. We have an extra room in here, why don't you catch a few more hours of sleep before we get busy, Tahiri."
Smiling gratefully, Tahiri felt the adrenaline that had been carrying her, drop out of her system and the physical and emotional exhaustion of the past few days return. "Thanks, Mara. That would be great."
* * * * * * * *
A week after going into hyperspace, Jaina and Jag were fully healed and well rested, if a bit desperate for food from their own galaxy, even if it was New Republic rations that dated back to the Clone Wars.
"We should be reverting to normal space in about five minutes, Jag," Jaina called to her companion who was still in the back of the ship.
"I'm here, Goddess," he whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from where he stood behind her.
Jaina took her eyes off of the controls for a second, to turn around in his arms. "You know, Colonel Fel, I'm very glad we made up."
"Me too, Great One, I enjoy this much more than fighting with you."
As if telepathically sensing that the ship was about to revert, the two kissed lightly and dropped into their respective seats. When the stars around them slowed and changed into pinpricks of light, Jaina and Jag both began to check their position.
After a few moments of quick work, Jag asked quietly, "Jaina where exactly did you say we were going?"
"A little solar system almost equidistant from Kayshk, Mon Calamari, and the Jedi base, but. this isn't it. I don't know when we are."
"I do," Jag replied seriously, "We're on the edge of Chiss held space. This is Nirauan."
Reviews are greatly appreciated by the author.
Author's note: I'm really, really sorry about the lack of posts lately. I'll to post more regularly but now that school started up again please be patient. Thanks again for all of the reviews.
Jacen Solo sat in the small guest room in his parent's suite in an almost catatonic state. He knew now, why Jaina had gone to the darkside when she had felt what she thought was his death after the mission to Myrk. His mother, who had just barely been starting to recover from the loss of Anakin could not even begin to face the galaxy, and Han Solo, devastated at the loss of his only daughter, was too distraught to comfort his wife. Even Mara was deeply affected by the loss of her niece. For the first time since the mission to the fallen Coruscant, Mara had traveled to the Maw to let the presence of her young son comfort her. Luke, however, had stayed with the others, trying to pull his crumbling family back together, although he felt the pain of Jaina's death no less than the others.
Jaina's memorial ceremony, words that seemed foreign to him even as they echoed in Jacen's mind, would be held tonight. Tenel Ka, the queen mother of Hapes and a close friend of Jacen and Jaina's since they had all started the Jedi Academy, would also be there. Jaina's body had not been recovered, but there had been no sign of ejection and her x-wing had most definitely been blown up.
Instead of observing traditional Jedi funeral rights a memorial was being held for her. It had also been decided that the news of Jag's death should be conveyed in person. However, since Wedge Antilles was unable to take time off from the war effort to deliver the message to his nephew's family, it had been decided that Kyp Durron, who at one time had been a friend or at least a respected acquaintance of Jag's would carry the message.
* * * * * * *
The memorial was being held in the same place as Anakin's on Hapes, where Jaina had died fighting. In ones and twos people began to drift in. Standing up front was Leia, supported on one side by Luke and on the other by Han. Next to Han stood Jacen and Mara with Ben cradled in her arms. Tenel Ka was the next to arrive in a somber fashion without the entourage her station usually seemed to demand.
The pilots that flew in Twin Suns, Rogue Squadron and the Wraiths all filed in, sad and serious despite there usual irreverent behavior. Kyp slipped in next and after a curt nod to Luke, found a place next to Mara. Zekk, Tekli, Tesar and Lowbacca formed a solemn quartet at the edge of the gathering. Wedge Antilles and his wife along with Corran Horn and Mirax Terrik came to pay their respects with the rest of the gathering.
Tahiri Veila, though, was the last to appear. Showing a surprising amount of strength for a young person who had lost so much, Tahiri first approached Jacen. She kissed him quickly on his cheek and whispered something to him that made him slowly stand a little bit straighter. Next she walked over to Leia and embraced the woman for a moment. After trading a glance with Luke, they switched places allowing Luke to make his way to the center of the gathering.
He stood solemn and straight for a moment, but then began speaking softly but in voice that could be heard by everyone. "Jaina Solo, in her young life, had already become a great pilot and a respected Jedi Knight. However, in a side of her that the galaxy did not often get to see, Jaina was a sister, cousin, daughter and niece as well as a normal young woman. No, Jaina was never normal, no matter where she was or what she was doing. Each one of us will remember Jaina in our hearts in a different way, but know this: she will never be forgotten, not as long as we live." Luke paused a moment glancing around the gathered people. "I urge you all for Jaina's sake to live your life to the fullest, just as Jaina tried to do every day. When you start to falter or back away from a challenge, remember Jaina and from her memory gain the strength and courage to continue. That is the best we can do for Jaina now, by continuing to serve and believe in what she lived and fought for."
The gathering was eerily silent, except for the scattered sound of open weeping. No one moved towards the close group of family, but instead left as unceremoniously as they had come. Tahiri, however, remained standing beside Leia supporting her as best as she could, for Anakin, Luke realized dimly, it was always for Anakin and now also in honor of Jaina.
* * * * * * *
The thoughts running through Jaina Solo's head were not really worthy of repeating. Unless of course you needed a detailed plan describing how to murder the Vong in countless, highly painful ways, that is. It wasn't just the fact that she had been captured and tortured by the Vong, it was more the fact that Jagged Fel had been captured along with her. Ordinarily this wouldn't have been a bad thing to Jaina, but with all that had been happening, she and Jag had not been inclined to talk or even look at one another as of late.
Surprisingly, with the exception of his initial expression of concern, he had maintained his icy exterior. In fact, vacationing on Hoth would have felt warmer than being tied up with Jag in this oppressive room.
As she rested as best as she could, battered from her previous sessions with her Vong torturers, Jaina reflected on how she had been captured. It was something she had been thinking about a lot lately, or at least when she could manage a coherent thought. She was well aware that she as well as Jag should have been dead, but somehow, probably using their dovin basals to pull them in, the Vong had captured her. Why they had also grabbed Jag was a mystery to Jaina. For all the Vong knew he was just a simple pilot.
The hatch, or at least the Vong equivalent of a hatch, opened revealing her captors, her torturers, Nom Anor, the ever traitorous spy and a misshapen and quite ugly, at least in Jaina's opinion, Shamed One, whom she had only heard of referred to as Omini.
Drawing on reserves of strength that she had never known she had, Jaina rose managing to look her most regal and defiant as they approached. Preparing herself both mentally and physically, Jaina almost betrayed her feelings for Jag when they stroked the creature binding Jag and not her, releasing him. Knowing that for Jag's sake at that moment, she could not betray any emotion, she instead locked eyes with him, sending him as much strength as she could through the force, knowing that even though he couldn't feel it, he would need it.
* * * * * * * *
Kyp Durron hastily threw his clothes into a duffle along with a few other personal mementos. He had never had much in the way of belongings and he wasn't about to start collecting more now. Glancing around his quarters for any forgotten items, he physically flinched when he saw a holo of himself, Jaina and Jag sitting on the dresser next to his bed. The Holo had been taken back on Borealis during a rare moment of relaxation. In the photo Jaina was leaning over to kiss Jag, while Kyp watched on in amusement.
Finding no amusement in it now, however, Kyp deftly switched the Holo off and threw it in his duffle as well. Trying not to acknowledge the pain that threatened to overwhelm him, Kyp stormed down the corridor, an aura of pain flowing out behind him like a cloak. Throwing his duffle into the cargo compartment of his x-wing and, checking to make sure the astromech was in place, Kyp whirled as he felt a light touch on his shoulder.
He turned around quickly to find himself staring down at the diminutive young Jedi Knight, Tahiri Veila. Noting her bare feet, Kyp realized how she had snuck up on him.
Realizing he was in a bad mood and not caring if he took it out on her, he demanded, "What in the name of the Sith are you doing here, Veila? I don't need some little kid scurrying around under foot."
Kyp was almost pleased to see the flash of anger in her green eyes before she regained her composure. Bringing her arm out from behind her, she presented him with a holocube. "Leia asked if you would give this to Jag's mother. It's a collection of holos that were taken of Jag recently."
"Organa Solo really asked that," Kyp questioned her in disbelief.
"It's the first thing that she seems to have cared about in days."
Softening slightly, Kyp took the cube from her. "Tell Organa Solo that I will personally hand it to his mother."
"Thank you, Master Durron," she said with a sad smile as she turned to leave.
Just as she was about to exit, Kyp called out, "Hey Veila," when she looked at him questioningly, one eyebrow raised, he continued, "I'm sorry. I was upset."
Tahiri nodded in understanding and slipped out of sight, leaving Kyp alone to begin his long trip.
* * * * * * *
When her torturers returned, literally throwing Jag back in the room, Jaina kept up her act of disinterest until they left. Not caring if the room was under surveillance, which it most likely was, Jaina ran over to Jag. Gingerly she rolled Jag over onto his back to find him staring at her miraculously, painfully conscious.
As he started to speak Jaina pressed a finger soothingly to his lips to stop him. He was probably in shock, she knew. He was shaking and covered in the evidence of the Vong's torture. Realizing that she had to do something quickly, Jaina asked Jag quietly, "Do you trust me?"
A croaked, "yes," was the best he could manage.
Instantly then Jaina said, "I'm going to use the force to take you pain away, okay." She explained as she worked.
Jag's incoherent mind barely registered Jaina's calm explanation as she took his pain away and eased him into the peaceful, healing oblivion of a Jedi healing trance, or her tearful apology for getting them captured.
Jag regained consciousness a few hours later, healed but unable to sit up, still weak from his injuries. He looked around as best as he could and realized that Jaina was slumped against the wall next to him, exhausted from the strain of healing him.
"Thank you for healing me," he said truly grateful. He wasn't sure how to interact with Jaina now. When they were aboard the Errant Venture they had interacted professionally and politely but only when it was necessary.
Now they were stuck on a Yuuzhan Vong ship with only each other for company. The situation would have been difficult under any circumstances, but with their added personal complications it made the situation especially trying.
Jaina's only response to his comment was a curt nod of her head. They sat there for a few moments both resting as best as they could before Jaina broke the silence. "Jag." she started but then trailed off.
Curious despite having much bigger problems at the moment, Jag said encouragingly, "Yes?"
Her next words, whatever he had expected them to be or not to be, were a shock. "What happened to us? When you were patrolling out by the Hydian Way we were fine, but by the time you got back to Mon Calamari, you treated me worse than the Vong and acted like you hated me."
"You're asking me that, Jaina? I would think that would be obvious to you." He replied snidely.
Lashing out at the organic wall with her fist in frustration, Jaina snapped, "What are all the cryptic comments supposed to mean?" Cut to the power cable, Jag. Tell me what I did if it's so bad."
"I can't believe..I really thought we'd have a chance, but with your parents.I just hoped." Jag floundered around dodging from subject to subject and confusing Jaina. "I guess I can understand that you wanted a Jed boyfriend after all, but."
"What? Jedi boyfriend! Jag what are you talking about?" Jaina demanded.
"Your new boyfriend," he almost shouted, "the one that goes practically everywhere with you and Kyp."
All of a sudden the pieces flew into place for Jaina and she began hoping warily that this had all just been some insane mistake. "A guy a little taller than me, kinda skinny, got a beard, brown hair and eyes?"
His glare made it obvious to her that her question and its answer were beyond rhetorical. It was suddenly all too much for Jaina. The danger of their present situation, her exhaustion and the irony of having this discussion at that time combined until Jaina began laughing hysterically. Jag's sharp, but not unnecessarily painful slap brought her out of her hysteria and launched her head first into almost anger.
"You nerf-brained Imperial! Anybody on Mon Calamari or that Sithing Star Destroyer would have told you that the Jedi in question was my twin brother, Jacen, who couldn't wait to meet his big sister's boyfriend until said boyfriend humiliatingly dumped her in the mess hall! Believe me," Jaina said her tirade growing stronger with every passing moment, "If a certain son of an Imperial Baron hadn't been so stupid I would have been spending a lot less time with Jacen and a lot more with him."
Jag's kiss, though, unexpected was an effective way to end Jaina's tirade. "Jaina," he said softly, "I'm sorry. I know I jumped to conclusions, but I was jealous."
"You could have at least given me a chance to talk to you," she muttered petulantly.
"Yes, I know, but every time I saw you, you were with Jacen. I didn't know and I was angry. I thought you'd just been manipulating me, using me."
"How could you think that," Jaina demanded with a hint of her former heat, "If I ever dumped you it would be with fair warning."
"Because he was a Jedi and I'm not, because I'm the son of an Imperial Baron and you're the daughter of the former Chief-of-State and a New Republic general."
"You think I care about that Jag? My aunt was a former Imperial assassin and the Emperor's personal agent. Do you think I really care what anyone think about what I do with my life?"
Jag's response was cut off when the door opened revealing Omini and several warriors. "The Supreme Overlord wishes to see you, Jaina Solo."
"Well isn't that nice for him. Tell him I'll be glad to receive him later this afternoon."
The look of fury on the warriors' faces was reward enough for the effort Jaina had expended to keep up her goddess act and taunt the warriors. It was Omini's reaction, however, that was most telling for Jaina. Her taunt didn't seem to anger him at all, if anything it amused him. Omini's amusement, even though he was just a Shamed One made Jaina more wary than the warriors' fury.
"The Supreme Overloard wishes to see you now." Omini repeated.
Jaina appeared to consider it as if the presence of the armed warriors meant nothing. "Well," she said at last, "I suppose we should humor the old boy. Come along, Colonel." Jaina commanded as she walked out into the corridor.
Noting Jaina's continued Goddess act, Jag didn't take offense at her comments, but he did hope she remembered his weakened state. He wasn't sure if he could stand much less walk. However, he needn't have worried. The moment he managed to stand, he felt a phantom grip holding him up and helping him walk forward. Surprised but guessing that Jaina must be using the force to help him, Jag glanced up at her as she followed Omini. The rigid stance Jaina had adopted seemed to be the only hint of what she was doing.
When Omini stopped at last and Jag was able to draw even with Jaina, he noticed the forced regal look on her face although he could see the fear and concentration in her eyes. Jaina, apparently also realized the magnitude of their situation. To Jag's knowledge no one else in this Galaxy had ever seen the Supreme Overlord or at least lived to tell about it, not even Jacen Solo.
The moment that they entered the cavernous area where Shimrra was waiting, Jag was looking at Jaina, not the rooms other occupants. Jaina's momentary expression of shock and amusement didn't prepare Jag for the sight of the Supreme Overlord. Saying that he was terrifying and awesome hardly did him justice. Once Jag was able to take his eyes off of Shimra, he noticed that all of the other Yuuzhan Vong, who from their mutilations seemed to be very high ranking, were all bowed before Shimra in a gesture of submission.
"So," boomed the Supreme Overlord in Yuuzhan Vong which was quickly being translated to them by the tyzyworms, "You are the infamous Jedi, the one the heretics believe to be Yun-Harla, are you not, Jaina Solo?"
Even though it wasn't directed at him the sheer force of Shimra's presence almost over whelmed Jag and mad him want to cry like a scared young child. His respect for Jaina grew as she replied confidently, "I am Yun-Harla, Shimra. Why do you dare to bother a Goddess or her servants?"
His laughter joined by Omini's echoed through the room, although Jag had noticed the fearful responses of several of the room's occupants when Jaina declared herself as Yun-Harla.
"I am not some puny Yuuzhan Vong easily fooled by your heretical nonsense and I will not suffer your foolishness or the use of your Jeedai sorcery, or your companion will suffer for it."
Jaina's eyes glittering, hard and calculating, fixed on Shimra's. "Why do you call me here, Shmira? You've killed my younger brother among many others and tortured my twin. Do you worst, I won't tell you anything."
"Oh no Jaina Solo we will not kill you or torture you. You will tell us what we wish to know or we will torture him." He gestured sharply at Jag and he was immediately grabbed by a warrior, a coufee pressed to his throat.
Calmly, but with unmistakable ice in her voice, Jaina said, " Call your warrior back, Shimra and don't touch him or you will find out why my grandfather was the most feared individual in the galaxy."
"Ah so the vaunted Jaina Solo does have a weakness."
Jag was frozen amazed at the battle of wills he was witnessing. He barely saw the Supreme Overlord's slight gesture and felt the coufee slide into him. He dimly heard Jaina's scream and felt more than saw the warrior being torn away from him and thrown across the room. When he saw a thud bug come whirring towards him, Jag instinctively tried to duck. A foot away from him the thud bug stopped in mid air as if hitting a duracrete wall and fell inert to the floor.
For a moment Jag felt Jaina's force grip on him, that was helping to steady him, let go and he slid to the floor hardly able to move. From his place on the floor, he saw Jaina in the midst of a large group of warriors, fighting them off with a captured Amphistaff. The warriors surrounding Jaina were some of the best the Vong had ever boasted, but Jaina, motivated by a desire to live and aided by the Vong's honorable method of fighting only one on one, was steadily leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.
A small dark blur flying through the air towards Jaina from behind her, barely gave Jag enough time to warn her. "Jaina, watch your six."
Still to weak to move, Jag watched as time seemed to slow around Jaina. She caught the incoming amphistaffs of two warriors on her own and knocked the amphistaff aside. Turning away from the warriors, Jaina plucked the object out of the air. Jag's surprise turned to relief as a lightsaber, Jaina's lightsaber, activated in her right hand while the amphistaff remained in her left hand.
Exhibiting more confidence with her newly retrieved lightsaber, Jaina quickly and skillfully finished the fight with the warriors surrounding her only to find the room empty except for the scattered bodies of downed Yuuzhan Vong.
Quickly ascertaining that there were no immediate threats, Jaina moved back to Jag's side and dropped to the ground. "How badly are you hurt?"
"Not to bad. The cut on my throat isn't deep, but I can't move. I'm not sure why."
"The blade of the coufee contains a neural toxin that renders humans quickly and effectively paralyzed. I've heard that it's also becomes quite painful."
As soon as she heard the voice behind them, Jaina spun around quickly raising both weapons to guard position. She found herself facing none other than the Supreme Overlord. Watching the standoff between the Supreme Overlord and Jaina, Jag hissed as he began feeling the other effects of the toxin. Burning pain, like acid eating away at him, slowly crept towards the center of his body from his extremities.
"Jaina," Jag whispered quietly so that only she could hear, "Leave me here. If you go now, you can escape."
"No," she replied just as quietly as he had spoken but with a defiance that seemed to ring through the air.
Then she charged the Supreme Overlord, striking first with her lightsaber and then blocking with the amphistaff. Their amphistaffs locked in a deadly stalemate, the Supreme Overlord pushing Jaina further and further back. To Jag's horror, Jaina suddenly seemed to crumple, the ankle that he knew had been injured in the space battle above Hapes suddenly giving out. As Jag watched though, her fall quickly turned into roll. Diving under the Supreme Overlord's amphistaff, Jaina scored a long diagonal slash along his abdomen and down his thigh.
Roaring with fury, Shimra once again charged Jaina even as the living skin that clothed him drew back from the wound. Jag saw the faint glitter of silver hanging at the Supreme Overlord's waist a moment before Jaina did. The moment Jaina saw it, Anakin's lightsaber, at Shimra's waist, she froze. As the Supreme Overlord's amphistaff crashed down towards Jaina's head, Jag could once again do nothing. At the last moment, Jaina seemed to jerk back to reality in time to avoid the full blow. Unfortunately she couldn't completely avoid it and the blow to the side of her sent her crashing to the floor with blood rushing from a cut on her head.
Immediately back on her feet, Jaina resumed the fight with renewed focus. As Shimra rushed her lunging and slashing, Jaina retreated blocking his amphistaff, but unable to push him back because of his sheer mass. To buy herself a moment of time, Jaina used the force to aid her leap to the tier above them.
The moment she paused, Shimra stiffened his amphistaff and flung it at her like a spear. Not wishing to deal with the snake like creature up close as well as the Supreme Overlord, Jaina threw her amphistaff at the one already in the air. The two collided forcefully together and fell to the floor below in a hissing fighting tangle. As he ran up to the tier where Jaina was waiting, Shimra smoothly scooped another amphistaff.
However, what he didn't notice was Anakin's lightsaber lifting off of his belt, falling to the floor and rolling to a stop next to Jag. Still paralyzed, Jag tore his concentration away from the raging duel in the corner to examine the lightsaber. While he didn't know its significance, he did know that it was a very valuable weapon to have, especially at the moment. What perplexed Jag was the fact that Jaina was not using it herself. She knew he wasn't trained in the use of a lightsaber and even if he was, he could hardly be a help to her when he could barely move.
Summoning all of his concentration, Jag struggled to reach out and pick up the lightsaber. Finally with great difficulty and the sensation that his locked muscles were being painfully pulled in the opposite direction of his bones, he managed to achieve that.
As he grasped the lightsaber, he felt a strange tingle of energy pass through him from the handle. To Jag's surprise the tingle caused him to jerk and ever so briefly glance at the ceiling above the tier. Immediately a burst of inspiration shot through Jag. "Jaina," he shouted, "the ceiling."
Shooting a quick glance at the ceiling, Jaina immediately grasped Jag's idea. Swiftly Jaina leaped over the Supreme Overlord's head aiming a kick at his back as she flew over his head and landed quickly rolling back onto her feet. Focusing on the roof above Shimra, Jaina quickly used the force to bring it down on him. Shimra was pinned under tons of rubble as the pieces of the ceiling that Jaina had pulled free plummeted to the floor weakening more and more of the ceiling, creating a larger cave in. Not sparing him a backward glance Jaina ran to Jag.
Rising off of the floor as much as he could to help her, Jag tried to stumble along with her as she ran towards the wall and cut a whole through to a side corridor. Slinging her arm around his back, Jaina and Jag half- ran, half-stumbled through the corridor.
"Do you have a plan, Jaina or are you just trying to put as much distance as possible between us and them?"
"I actually do have a plan," Jaina grunted as she cut into the wall of another tunnel and dragged him through after her. "Shimra will be out of the fight for a while and it will take a few minutes for them to get their warriors organized." She paused sucking in a deep breath as they moved as quickly as they could down the corridor. "We're lucky that we're still on board this world ship and not on a planet. If we were, we wouldn't have a chance. As it is, if we can make it off of this ship, we should be fine."
Stopping for a second at a two way intersection, Jag was surprised when she stepped forward and cut through the wall in front of them. He and Jaina stumbled through the opening to find the reason why Jaina had created an entrance there- a brand new coral ship- sitting in front of them unguarded.
"Why isn't this guarded? How did you find this?" Jag questioned anxiously as Jaina deftly manipulated the ship and climbed into it.
"It's not guarded because it's not fully grown, yet, and I just guessed that this was here from the information I've heard from New Republic officers and a few of the Jedi."
The flight away from the Yuuzhan Vong world ship was unremarkable. With all of the Vong's attention turned inward searching for them and in disarray because of Shimra's inavailability, they weren't watching the still growing coral ships hanging to their hull like so many barnacles. In the partially developed coral ship, Jaina and Jag tumbled free of the ship and casually without drawing attention gained the necessary distance to go to hyperspace.
Once they were traveling safely though hyperspace, Jaina looked over at Jag. Despite the fact that Jag looked terrible, his skin was a pasty gray color, and he was covered in cuts and bruises as well as the lacerations on his neck. Jaina couldn't help but smile at him.
Still smiling but allowing her practical side to take over, she remarked, "You don't look so great."
"You look kind of beat up yourself, Goddess."
"Well don't you know how to make a girl feel good, Colonel."
"You started it, Great One. Do they have a med kit in here?" Jag asked still almost completely paralyzed although the effects of the toxin were beginning to wear off.
"No, the Vong warriors don't seem to like that kind of thing. They seem to think it makes them weak."
"Oh well," Jag sighed, "I'm not sure I wanted to know about Vong medicine anyway. It's probably more painful than the wound itself."
"Well I can put us both in a healing trance. That should take care of most of our problems until we can get to a real medcenter."
"Where are we going anyway," Jag asked.
"I'm not sure yet. We're heading for a point in deep space where we can change course. It's a little deserted system that Mara and I found a long time ago. I don't want the Vong to follow us to our destination, but from there we can go to either Kayshk, Mon Calamari or the Jedi base."
"Well that's good," Jag hissed once again in pain.
"Jag let me put you in a healing trance," Jaina almost begged.
"As the Goddess wishes," Jag conceded.
Jaina glared at him but kissed him lightly, a kiss that seemed to make Jag feel better than a thousand healing trances, before he descended into the dark peaceful oblivion of a healing trance, where Jaina soon joined him.
* * * * * * *
Groggily Tahiri rolled over on the couch in the Solo's quarters. She had spent a lot of time here in the past few days. As much time, in fact, as Leia would allow her to spend there. Although she was a full Jedi Knight, technically she was still a minor. She supposed the Solos were filling in as her guardians for the time being. The annoying beep of her comlink was enough to bring her out of her thoughts.
Quietly she flicked it on and said, "Veila."
"Tahiri, this is Tekli. Can you come down to the med center for a moment? This is something I think you need to check out. It's important."
Checking her chronometer, Tahiri groaned at the late or should she say early hour. "Can it wait a while, to say a reasonable hour of the day," Tahiri asked the eager Chandra-Fan.
"I know it's early Tahiri, but I really think you need to see this, now."
Tahiri groaned again quietly, "All right Tekli. I'll be down there in five minutes."
Four minutes later Tahiri strolled into the Hapan med center. She quickly walked over to Tekli, who she noted was talking to a young male patient, freshly out of bacta, if the light tinge of pink slime coating him was to be believed. To look the man fully in the face, the meter tall Tekli was perched on a chair in front of the patient. Tapping Tekli lightly on the shoulder to gain her attention, Tahiri attempted to hide her yawn.
"Thank you for coming, Tahiri." She gestured at the man sitting in front of her. "This is Dar Tibble, Twin Suns Seven."
Puzzled and hoping that there was an actual point to meeting a pilot that used to fly for Jaina, Tahiri said firmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you," she glanced down at his rank on his uniform laying in a nearby chair, "Lieutenant Tibble, but was there a reason for this, Tekli?" She asked with a side ways glance at her fellow Jedi Knight.
Smiling enigmatically Tekli said, "Please tell Jedi Veila what you saw Lieutenant Tibble."
"Well Ma'am," he began formally, although Tahiri could sense his amusement at addressing a teenage girl like that, "I was caught in the big explosion when the Vong cruiser blew. I was fairly near Colonel Solo and Colonel Fel when it blew. I was briefly knocked unconscious, but my astromech managed to get me ejected before I got fried. When I regained consciousness, I was floating around in space behind a big hunk of Vong debris so I couldn't get a comm. signal out. I did see two EV pilots like myself being pulled into a Vong Frigate. I'm pretty sure they were the Colonels, Ma'am."
Pausing for a moment to collect her thoughts, Tahiri asked, "Why didn't you say something earlier, Lieutenant?"
"I was unconscious from oxygen deprivation when they retrieved me, Ma'am and they stuck me straight into bacta. I thought they had been retrieved too, until Healer Tekli told me they were dead."
Turning to Tekli, Tahiri asked quickly, "Does anyone else know about this? Could someone have overheard you?"
"No," Tekli replied with a shake of her head. "I was the first person Lieutenant Tibble talked to and there was no else in here."
"All right, Tekli, are you going to be here for a while longer?" After receiving Tekli's quick confirmation, Tahiri continued. "Good. Let me know before you leave and don't say anything about this to anyone."
Both nodded easily, used to taking orders. Turning swiftly on her heel, Tahiri strode towards the door. She stopped for a brief second at the door. Half-turning she said gratefully, "Thank you, Lieutenant Tibble."
Five minutes later Tahiri stood at the door to the Skywalker suite. Striving to maintain her Jedi calm despite the excitement and adrenaline coursing through her, Tahiri forced herself to knock quietly and gently on the door.
A few seconds later the door whooshed open revealing Mara Jade Skywalker with the almost one year old Ben on her hip. "Tahiri," she said calmly, brushing disheveled hair out of her face, "It's a bit early."
"Three hours to dawn to be precise, Master, but this is important. Is Master Luke here?"
"No he's not," Tahiri noticed that she carefully didn't mention Luke's location, but she did step back from the door and walk back into the apartment, "but if it's really that important, come on in. Tell me about it."
Taking a deep breath Tahiri replied, "I don't think Jaina and Colonel Fel are dead."
"What?" Mara exclaimed incredulous.
"I think they're still alive," Tahiri restated.
"Explain," Mara said curtly.
"Tekli called me down to the med center about a half hour ago. One of Jaina's pilots had just been pulled out of Bacta. He explained that he saw Jaina and Jag pulled onto a Vong frigate after the battle and he wasn't lying."
Mara sighed and dropped to a seat on the couch, letting Ben get down on the floor to play with a nearby toy. "I suppose it is possible, Jacen's death was faked after all."
"Thank you," Tahiri said quickly grateful that the Jedi Master believed her.
"Don't get your hopes up yet, Tahiri," Mara warned, "but I do think it's worth checking out. Have you told anyone else?"
"No, after I talked to Tekli and Tibble I came straight here."
"Good," she paused for a moment, planning their next move, "I think we should bring Jacen in on this next. I don't want to upset Leia anymore especially not until we're sure about this, but I know he'll be willing to help. We can't do anything until tomorrow though. We have an extra room in here, why don't you catch a few more hours of sleep before we get busy, Tahiri."
Smiling gratefully, Tahiri felt the adrenaline that had been carrying her, drop out of her system and the physical and emotional exhaustion of the past few days return. "Thanks, Mara. That would be great."
* * * * * * * *
A week after going into hyperspace, Jaina and Jag were fully healed and well rested, if a bit desperate for food from their own galaxy, even if it was New Republic rations that dated back to the Clone Wars.
"We should be reverting to normal space in about five minutes, Jag," Jaina called to her companion who was still in the back of the ship.
"I'm here, Goddess," he whispered in her ear, wrapping his arms around her from where he stood behind her.
Jaina took her eyes off of the controls for a second, to turn around in his arms. "You know, Colonel Fel, I'm very glad we made up."
"Me too, Great One, I enjoy this much more than fighting with you."
As if telepathically sensing that the ship was about to revert, the two kissed lightly and dropped into their respective seats. When the stars around them slowed and changed into pinpricks of light, Jaina and Jag both began to check their position.
After a few moments of quick work, Jag asked quietly, "Jaina where exactly did you say we were going?"
"A little solar system almost equidistant from Kayshk, Mon Calamari, and the Jedi base, but. this isn't it. I don't know when we are."
"I do," Jag replied seriously, "We're on the edge of Chiss held space. This is Nirauan."
Reviews are greatly appreciated by the author.