Disclaimer: Well I'm really tired of writing this out for every chapter, so
if you wanna see me say I don't own this stuff, look at the last twelve
chapters.
Author's note: Well Oh Wonderful Readers and Reviews, I had every intention of posting this chapter days ago, but as usual RL got in the way. In further notes. Mara Jade: I hope I didn't earn your wrath; it's always scary to anger a certain scary red-headed chick we all know and slightly fear. Mariko and Sora Kairi: I hope you still like where I'm going with this story after this chapter. Sticks: You're Dark Journey rap was great. I always look forward to your reviews.
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Leia Organa Solo sat alone in the quarters she shared with her husband. Dimly she looked down at the data card she held in her hand. She numbly picked up her comm. link to call Han. Half of her was in shock and the other half, well conflicting thoughts were racing through her mind at the speed of light.
Later she wouldn't even remember what she had said to him, except that she knew it was a plea for him to come back to their quarters. Thoughts of Anakin, her beloved youngest child, and the twins, especially the people they had matured into, flickered through her mind. She was proud of her children, of the people they had become, of the choices they had made and of their accomplishments, but she wasn't ready to do it again.
She jerked in surprise as she heard the door slide open and Han call out in his usual cocky tone, "Sweetheart I'm home."
Surprised that she could sound so composed when she felt none of it, she called out, "I'm in here Han."
She wasn't facing the doorway when he came in but she could feel his lighthearted relaxation with ease. She hadn't seen Han this happy since.. well probably since he was celebrating his daughter's victory at Lando's Asteroid field with his family and friends. She almost hated to tell Han, now like this. It might not upset him, but it would definitely put him in to a tailspin.
She sensed his change in moods as he realized that she was upset. He wrapped a protective arm around Leia as he noticed the tears in her eyes.
Immediately fearing the worst, he asked, "Is it the twins?"
"No," she shook her head vehemently, "No, everyone's fine."
She stopped unable to meet his eyes and then said softly, "Han I'm pregnant."
"You're pregnant," he repeated dumbly.
Leia simply nodded and waited for him to form a complete sentence. She saw the beginnings of a joyous smile flicker around his face. In the past he had always been ecstatic when she was pregnant. He loved their children very much, but this was different. There was so much more to consider now. She was older for one thing and if nothing else the last decade had reinforced the knowledge that nothing in life was safe or certain.
There was more than that to consider, though. There were her children, old enough now to be having children of their own. Their reactions would be as different as their personalities, but it was Jaina, Leia dreaded facing with this news. They had never found out what had happened to Anakin on Myrk, but Leia knew that Jaina carried a terrible guilt about that time that often provided the motivation that drove Jaina in her role as Sword of The Jedi.
She blinked, drawn out of her reverie as Han gently touched her chin and turned her to face him. "Leia," he said softly, "We didn't plan this, and it won't be easy, but if you want this or even if you don't," he added gently, "I will be right here with you, no matter what happens."
Leia almost collapsed with relief, after almost thirty or so years as a couple Han was still unpredictable. She looked up, this time meeting his eyes.
"Han," she said softly, "I know this is crazy and I know this well be hard but I love you." She paused and caught his hand in hers and gently laid it on her stomach, "and I want to do this."
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Jacen Solo hurriedly pulled a fresh tunic over his still damp head as he dashed towards the door, barely remembering to grab his lightsaber and kiss his fiancé as he left. He was seldom late, but then today was unusual all around. He had felt his mother's confused and chaotic emotions the day before, but when he had called his father and asked what had happened, Han simply said that everything was okay.
To his surprise, he saw his twin dressed in her customary flight suite. Jaina raised a questioning eyebrow at him and he answered teasingly. "It's nice to see you, Goddess. I al most didn't recognize you without all of those bruises and lacerations. "
She glared at her brother and smiled sweetly, a smile that could send platoons of Vong in to fearful retreat, a word that under other circumstances they didn't even know, and said, "It's okay, Jacen. Just wait, those injuries might be more serious than you thought. You never know, what I might forget that everyone else doesn't know, like say what you and Tenel Ka have been up to."
Jacen forgot to breathe for a second and then gulped and said sharply, "You wouldn't dare!"
Jaina's reply was cut off as Leia opened the door. Leia mentally sighed in resignation and shared a 'We-have-to be-crazy-to-be-doing-this-again' look with Han as she gestured her now mentally bickering oldest children inside.
Leia cleared her throat and both of them looked up quickly from their argument. She couldn't stifle a laugh as she looked back and forth between her children, wishing the people who held her kids in awe could see them like this.
"Hi Mom," said Jacen sheepishly.
"Hello Jacen, Jaina," she responded and then smiled, surprised when Jaina stepped forward to hug her first.
When she had leaned back and Jacen reached to hug her instead, he whispered in her ear, "She had a hard mission."
Leia immediately understood, she just hoped that Jaina would still be talking to her when she and Han had told them the news.
"Hey guys," Han said as he walked into the room.
"Dad," they responded in unison, drawing a chuckle from everyone present for the long expected twinism.
"Have a seat," he said jovially.
As Jacen and Jaina both moved towards the couch, they exchanged a curious glance. Their parents were outwardly cheerful, but both could sense something beneath the surface.
Tears almost filled Leia's eyes as she looked at her children. At one time she had never wanted to have children and now she couldn't imagine her life without them. She smiled slightly as Han came up behind her and easily wrapped an arm around her. "You're probably wondering why you're here, right," Han asked.
They both nodded and Leia added, "Your Father and I have some news for you."
She paused and took a breath and Jaina realized she had never seen her mother look that upset, not even after Anakin's death.
"Your father and I didn't plan this, but it did happen and we are happy about it. We just thought you two should be the first to know. Jacen, Jaina I'm pregnant."
For the first second both of their jaws dropped. Then their expressions changed again. Jacen's remained one of open, if slightly less obvious shock, while Jaina's face totally closed down and showed no emotion.
Once Jacen had regained his voice he said softly, "Wow."
Leia laughed nervously and said, "I agree."
They sat there a moment longer, silent and unsure of what to say. Han and Leia exchanged another brief, but worried glance and then Leia turned to her daughter. "Jaina are you okay," she asked hesitantly.
"Oh, yes, Mother, I'm fine. Congratulations," she added with a smile.
Leia however, had to keep from flinching. They had expected Jaina to react badly, to explode, but not to retreat back into herself as she had done after that fateful mission to Myrk.
Deciding it was best to leave it alone for now, Han said gruffly, "Well we arranged a family dinner for tonight, but we wanted to tell you kids first."
"That's great, Dad," chimed in Jacen trying to help his father lift some of the tension between his mother and sister. "What time should we be there?"
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Jacen Solo walked down the corridor towards the Star Destroyer's fitness and training center. He and Tenel Ka were temporarily staying aboard Pride of the Goddess and he couldn't wait to tell her the news. A broad smile that he didn't even try to erase graced his face. He was going to have another sibling. He knew it would probably be a bit odd at first having a little brother or sister-no one was sure yet which- so much younger than him, but he didn't care. No matter how much, Jacen thought with a scowl, Jaina was upset about it.
He knew a lot of Jaina's negative feelings about this stemmed from how much she missed Anakin, her guilt towards her little brother for not keeping him alive and what she perceived as their parent's attempt to replace him with another child. He grimaced as he hoped Jaina wouldn't actually say that to their mother, then smiled sadly as he thought of Anakin. Anakin would have a younger sibling whom he would never know, and who would only know him through holos and stories. Jacen sighed, wishing he could blow away all the tensions and complications surrounding his mother's pregnancy as easily.
As he sensed his wife's presence ahead, his smile grew wider and he walked faster. He knew the smile on his face must be incredibly goofy, but he couldn't help it. He smiled like that every time he thought of Tenel Ka as his wife. He had no idea how his sister had found out about it. They hadn't exactly announced the fact that they had eloped, but he knew there was no use trying to get that information from his sister, especially given her current mood. Sometimes Jacen just didn't see how Jag could stand to live with his sister, but then again, people had been saying that about his parent's for decades.
He paused at the entrance as his gaze found Tenel Ka. A few seconds before he entered the room, the crackle and hiss of lightsabers had alerted him to the fact that she was sparring with someone, but he hadn't expected that someone to be Jaina.
He watched the two powerful women fight, automatically analyzing their fighting styles. The two were very evenly matched. They were the same age and had about the same amount of fighting experience. Tenel Ka had a shorter more compact build than the lithe and tall Jaina, but both fought in similar manners, using the cold and calculated style that didn't always allow for grace and elegance, but had kept them alive this long.
Neither really cared about winning, with them it was more a form of endurance training and a way to physically release the tensions of the day. He marveled at the fact that the loss of an arm didn't slow his wife down a bit and then began to clap as the sweat soaked women locked their blades in a stalemate. The pair ignored him, their eyes locked and stepped back, saluting one another. Both lightsabers flicked off with a twitch of the thumb as their owner's turned to face him.
He smiled at his sister as he walked over to kiss Tenel Ka. "Hey," Jacen said, "I thought you were going to be stuck doing paperwork all afternoon."
She grimaced slightly in response, much freer in displaying her emotions than she had been years ago, and said, "I was finishing when Friend Jaina asked if I would be interested in sparring. It sounded much better than bureaucratic red tape. Besides I must keep in shape."
"I don't think you have to worry about that, Tenel Ka,' Jaina interjected with a chuckle. "You managed to keep me on my toes."
"It was an interesting challenge," Tenel Ka answered returning Jaina's compliment. Although Jacen knew the statements were much more than compliments, they were the absolute truth. Both women were deadly and a force to be reckoned with when they had to be.
"Did Jaina tell you about the dinner tonight?" Jacen asked Tenel Ka changing the subject.
"Yes, she did," Tenel Ka paused clearly thinking, "It might be an excellent opportunity to announce our news as well, dear Jacen."
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his sister roll her eyes. "Yeah," he said considering it. "Mom's news would probably provide a good distraction."
Jaina murmured a vile curse under her breath and Jacen couldn't stand it any longer. He whirled around angrily to face his twin. "Do you have a problem with something, Jaina?" he demanded harshly.
Although she didn't flinch, Jacen was pleased to see the startled look in her eyes. For a moment Jacen thought she was going to explode, but then her fury was pushed down and she just glared at him icily.
"Get out of my way, Jacen."
"No," he said defiantly, "not until you tell me why you're so upset that Mom's pregnant."
Jaina's glare intensified, but she simply repeated, "Move, Brother. I have to meet Jag."
"N-," before he could even complete the word his sister sent him flying across the room. Tenel Ka looked on in stunned shock as Jacen slammed into the wall and Jaina stormed out of the room in a display of controlled raw power.
"Jacen," she gasped running to his side, "are you alright?"
He nodded, obviously distracted by his sister's behavior. "Jaina and I rarely push one another like that," he offered in explanation. "We know the potential fro explosion to well. It is her personal demons that she must face."
"She's not ready, yet," Tenel Ka stated, "but she will be, dear Jacen. Jaina has gone through much. She will survive this."
"But will my family?" His question was rhetorical and one he had asked many times over the years since the Vong war had begun, but that didn't mean he was any more sure of the answer than he had been in the past.
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Later that evening Jaina stood calmly with one of Jag's arms wrapped comfortingly around her waist listening, to Jag and Tahiri and Mara discussing the newest developments with the Vong. Jaina, however, had other things on her mind than the Vong. She squeezed Jag's hand lightly to draw his attention for a moment and then walked away. She wondered around the room for a moment until she ended up standing next to the nearest porthole. So far this evening she had managed to avoid her brother. She wasn't still angry with him, but she just wasn't ready to face him yet.
She didn't star out at the stars, though, but instead looked at the people milling around inside, her family. As if in a trance, Jaina watched her mother make the announcement. She watched, totally detached as everyone gasped in shock. Then the round of congratulations began, sincere if not always enthusiastic.
Suddenly the words her Uncle had spoken at her Knighting returned to her and she marveled at the truth of them. She was alone and she was not at peace. She watched dispassionately as her Mother approached her.
"Jaina," Leia addressed her twenty- six year old daughter, "Will you hold this against me, and more importantly, your sibling, forever?"
"Is that what you think," asked Jaina in a quiet, controlled voice.
"I don't know what to think, Jaina," replied Leia seriously. "Now you're more of a mystery than Anakin ever was."
Jaina looked away, her face a mask and stared into the depths of space. Instead of infinite blackness and tiny pinpoints of light, she saw the future spread out before her like an ever changing tapestry.
"My Sister will never meet her brother. She will know him though, through us. She will be a great Jedi and the Force will be with her." Jaina blinked, banishing the vision and what she had seen in it.
"You had a vision." It was a statement not a question on Leia's part; she knew the signs.
Something in Jaina had seemed to soften when the vision had appeared and when she spoke again it was different. The anger was gone, replaced only by determination. She looked into her Mother's eyes and Leia forced herself not to gasp in shock. She often had trouble seeing her children in their roles as powerful leaders and fully-grown respected individuals, but in that moment she knew. Leia saw the power, the mental and physical drive that made Jaina the Sword of The Jedi.
"I failed Anakin, Mother," Jaina said without faltering, formal but not angry. "On Myrk he died because he made use of a heroic tactic to save my life." She paused. "I should have been the one to save him. He was my little brother. I promise you, Mom, that I will allow no harm to come to my sister, no matter what."
The moment ended and Jaina realized everyone's eyes were on them.
"Oh, Jaina," Leia said sweeping her daughter into her arms, knowing Jaina's pain and accepting her love and loyalty to her sister.
A moment later, smiling Jaina backed away from her Mother and walked towards Jacen. "Brother, dear," she said simply and extended a hand. Hands were clasped and twins were united, together strong and powerful. All was forgiven, all was right, for now.
Author's note: Well Oh Wonderful Readers and Reviews, I had every intention of posting this chapter days ago, but as usual RL got in the way. In further notes. Mara Jade: I hope I didn't earn your wrath; it's always scary to anger a certain scary red-headed chick we all know and slightly fear. Mariko and Sora Kairi: I hope you still like where I'm going with this story after this chapter. Sticks: You're Dark Journey rap was great. I always look forward to your reviews.
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Leia Organa Solo sat alone in the quarters she shared with her husband. Dimly she looked down at the data card she held in her hand. She numbly picked up her comm. link to call Han. Half of her was in shock and the other half, well conflicting thoughts were racing through her mind at the speed of light.
Later she wouldn't even remember what she had said to him, except that she knew it was a plea for him to come back to their quarters. Thoughts of Anakin, her beloved youngest child, and the twins, especially the people they had matured into, flickered through her mind. She was proud of her children, of the people they had become, of the choices they had made and of their accomplishments, but she wasn't ready to do it again.
She jerked in surprise as she heard the door slide open and Han call out in his usual cocky tone, "Sweetheart I'm home."
Surprised that she could sound so composed when she felt none of it, she called out, "I'm in here Han."
She wasn't facing the doorway when he came in but she could feel his lighthearted relaxation with ease. She hadn't seen Han this happy since.. well probably since he was celebrating his daughter's victory at Lando's Asteroid field with his family and friends. She almost hated to tell Han, now like this. It might not upset him, but it would definitely put him in to a tailspin.
She sensed his change in moods as he realized that she was upset. He wrapped a protective arm around Leia as he noticed the tears in her eyes.
Immediately fearing the worst, he asked, "Is it the twins?"
"No," she shook her head vehemently, "No, everyone's fine."
She stopped unable to meet his eyes and then said softly, "Han I'm pregnant."
"You're pregnant," he repeated dumbly.
Leia simply nodded and waited for him to form a complete sentence. She saw the beginnings of a joyous smile flicker around his face. In the past he had always been ecstatic when she was pregnant. He loved their children very much, but this was different. There was so much more to consider now. She was older for one thing and if nothing else the last decade had reinforced the knowledge that nothing in life was safe or certain.
There was more than that to consider, though. There were her children, old enough now to be having children of their own. Their reactions would be as different as their personalities, but it was Jaina, Leia dreaded facing with this news. They had never found out what had happened to Anakin on Myrk, but Leia knew that Jaina carried a terrible guilt about that time that often provided the motivation that drove Jaina in her role as Sword of The Jedi.
She blinked, drawn out of her reverie as Han gently touched her chin and turned her to face him. "Leia," he said softly, "We didn't plan this, and it won't be easy, but if you want this or even if you don't," he added gently, "I will be right here with you, no matter what happens."
Leia almost collapsed with relief, after almost thirty or so years as a couple Han was still unpredictable. She looked up, this time meeting his eyes.
"Han," she said softly, "I know this is crazy and I know this well be hard but I love you." She paused and caught his hand in hers and gently laid it on her stomach, "and I want to do this."
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Jacen Solo hurriedly pulled a fresh tunic over his still damp head as he dashed towards the door, barely remembering to grab his lightsaber and kiss his fiancé as he left. He was seldom late, but then today was unusual all around. He had felt his mother's confused and chaotic emotions the day before, but when he had called his father and asked what had happened, Han simply said that everything was okay.
To his surprise, he saw his twin dressed in her customary flight suite. Jaina raised a questioning eyebrow at him and he answered teasingly. "It's nice to see you, Goddess. I al most didn't recognize you without all of those bruises and lacerations. "
She glared at her brother and smiled sweetly, a smile that could send platoons of Vong in to fearful retreat, a word that under other circumstances they didn't even know, and said, "It's okay, Jacen. Just wait, those injuries might be more serious than you thought. You never know, what I might forget that everyone else doesn't know, like say what you and Tenel Ka have been up to."
Jacen forgot to breathe for a second and then gulped and said sharply, "You wouldn't dare!"
Jaina's reply was cut off as Leia opened the door. Leia mentally sighed in resignation and shared a 'We-have-to be-crazy-to-be-doing-this-again' look with Han as she gestured her now mentally bickering oldest children inside.
Leia cleared her throat and both of them looked up quickly from their argument. She couldn't stifle a laugh as she looked back and forth between her children, wishing the people who held her kids in awe could see them like this.
"Hi Mom," said Jacen sheepishly.
"Hello Jacen, Jaina," she responded and then smiled, surprised when Jaina stepped forward to hug her first.
When she had leaned back and Jacen reached to hug her instead, he whispered in her ear, "She had a hard mission."
Leia immediately understood, she just hoped that Jaina would still be talking to her when she and Han had told them the news.
"Hey guys," Han said as he walked into the room.
"Dad," they responded in unison, drawing a chuckle from everyone present for the long expected twinism.
"Have a seat," he said jovially.
As Jacen and Jaina both moved towards the couch, they exchanged a curious glance. Their parents were outwardly cheerful, but both could sense something beneath the surface.
Tears almost filled Leia's eyes as she looked at her children. At one time she had never wanted to have children and now she couldn't imagine her life without them. She smiled slightly as Han came up behind her and easily wrapped an arm around her. "You're probably wondering why you're here, right," Han asked.
They both nodded and Leia added, "Your Father and I have some news for you."
She paused and took a breath and Jaina realized she had never seen her mother look that upset, not even after Anakin's death.
"Your father and I didn't plan this, but it did happen and we are happy about it. We just thought you two should be the first to know. Jacen, Jaina I'm pregnant."
For the first second both of their jaws dropped. Then their expressions changed again. Jacen's remained one of open, if slightly less obvious shock, while Jaina's face totally closed down and showed no emotion.
Once Jacen had regained his voice he said softly, "Wow."
Leia laughed nervously and said, "I agree."
They sat there a moment longer, silent and unsure of what to say. Han and Leia exchanged another brief, but worried glance and then Leia turned to her daughter. "Jaina are you okay," she asked hesitantly.
"Oh, yes, Mother, I'm fine. Congratulations," she added with a smile.
Leia however, had to keep from flinching. They had expected Jaina to react badly, to explode, but not to retreat back into herself as she had done after that fateful mission to Myrk.
Deciding it was best to leave it alone for now, Han said gruffly, "Well we arranged a family dinner for tonight, but we wanted to tell you kids first."
"That's great, Dad," chimed in Jacen trying to help his father lift some of the tension between his mother and sister. "What time should we be there?"
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Jacen Solo walked down the corridor towards the Star Destroyer's fitness and training center. He and Tenel Ka were temporarily staying aboard Pride of the Goddess and he couldn't wait to tell her the news. A broad smile that he didn't even try to erase graced his face. He was going to have another sibling. He knew it would probably be a bit odd at first having a little brother or sister-no one was sure yet which- so much younger than him, but he didn't care. No matter how much, Jacen thought with a scowl, Jaina was upset about it.
He knew a lot of Jaina's negative feelings about this stemmed from how much she missed Anakin, her guilt towards her little brother for not keeping him alive and what she perceived as their parent's attempt to replace him with another child. He grimaced as he hoped Jaina wouldn't actually say that to their mother, then smiled sadly as he thought of Anakin. Anakin would have a younger sibling whom he would never know, and who would only know him through holos and stories. Jacen sighed, wishing he could blow away all the tensions and complications surrounding his mother's pregnancy as easily.
As he sensed his wife's presence ahead, his smile grew wider and he walked faster. He knew the smile on his face must be incredibly goofy, but he couldn't help it. He smiled like that every time he thought of Tenel Ka as his wife. He had no idea how his sister had found out about it. They hadn't exactly announced the fact that they had eloped, but he knew there was no use trying to get that information from his sister, especially given her current mood. Sometimes Jacen just didn't see how Jag could stand to live with his sister, but then again, people had been saying that about his parent's for decades.
He paused at the entrance as his gaze found Tenel Ka. A few seconds before he entered the room, the crackle and hiss of lightsabers had alerted him to the fact that she was sparring with someone, but he hadn't expected that someone to be Jaina.
He watched the two powerful women fight, automatically analyzing their fighting styles. The two were very evenly matched. They were the same age and had about the same amount of fighting experience. Tenel Ka had a shorter more compact build than the lithe and tall Jaina, but both fought in similar manners, using the cold and calculated style that didn't always allow for grace and elegance, but had kept them alive this long.
Neither really cared about winning, with them it was more a form of endurance training and a way to physically release the tensions of the day. He marveled at the fact that the loss of an arm didn't slow his wife down a bit and then began to clap as the sweat soaked women locked their blades in a stalemate. The pair ignored him, their eyes locked and stepped back, saluting one another. Both lightsabers flicked off with a twitch of the thumb as their owner's turned to face him.
He smiled at his sister as he walked over to kiss Tenel Ka. "Hey," Jacen said, "I thought you were going to be stuck doing paperwork all afternoon."
She grimaced slightly in response, much freer in displaying her emotions than she had been years ago, and said, "I was finishing when Friend Jaina asked if I would be interested in sparring. It sounded much better than bureaucratic red tape. Besides I must keep in shape."
"I don't think you have to worry about that, Tenel Ka,' Jaina interjected with a chuckle. "You managed to keep me on my toes."
"It was an interesting challenge," Tenel Ka answered returning Jaina's compliment. Although Jacen knew the statements were much more than compliments, they were the absolute truth. Both women were deadly and a force to be reckoned with when they had to be.
"Did Jaina tell you about the dinner tonight?" Jacen asked Tenel Ka changing the subject.
"Yes, she did," Tenel Ka paused clearly thinking, "It might be an excellent opportunity to announce our news as well, dear Jacen."
Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw his sister roll her eyes. "Yeah," he said considering it. "Mom's news would probably provide a good distraction."
Jaina murmured a vile curse under her breath and Jacen couldn't stand it any longer. He whirled around angrily to face his twin. "Do you have a problem with something, Jaina?" he demanded harshly.
Although she didn't flinch, Jacen was pleased to see the startled look in her eyes. For a moment Jacen thought she was going to explode, but then her fury was pushed down and she just glared at him icily.
"Get out of my way, Jacen."
"No," he said defiantly, "not until you tell me why you're so upset that Mom's pregnant."
Jaina's glare intensified, but she simply repeated, "Move, Brother. I have to meet Jag."
"N-," before he could even complete the word his sister sent him flying across the room. Tenel Ka looked on in stunned shock as Jacen slammed into the wall and Jaina stormed out of the room in a display of controlled raw power.
"Jacen," she gasped running to his side, "are you alright?"
He nodded, obviously distracted by his sister's behavior. "Jaina and I rarely push one another like that," he offered in explanation. "We know the potential fro explosion to well. It is her personal demons that she must face."
"She's not ready, yet," Tenel Ka stated, "but she will be, dear Jacen. Jaina has gone through much. She will survive this."
"But will my family?" His question was rhetorical and one he had asked many times over the years since the Vong war had begun, but that didn't mean he was any more sure of the answer than he had been in the past.
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Later that evening Jaina stood calmly with one of Jag's arms wrapped comfortingly around her waist listening, to Jag and Tahiri and Mara discussing the newest developments with the Vong. Jaina, however, had other things on her mind than the Vong. She squeezed Jag's hand lightly to draw his attention for a moment and then walked away. She wondered around the room for a moment until she ended up standing next to the nearest porthole. So far this evening she had managed to avoid her brother. She wasn't still angry with him, but she just wasn't ready to face him yet.
She didn't star out at the stars, though, but instead looked at the people milling around inside, her family. As if in a trance, Jaina watched her mother make the announcement. She watched, totally detached as everyone gasped in shock. Then the round of congratulations began, sincere if not always enthusiastic.
Suddenly the words her Uncle had spoken at her Knighting returned to her and she marveled at the truth of them. She was alone and she was not at peace. She watched dispassionately as her Mother approached her.
"Jaina," Leia addressed her twenty- six year old daughter, "Will you hold this against me, and more importantly, your sibling, forever?"
"Is that what you think," asked Jaina in a quiet, controlled voice.
"I don't know what to think, Jaina," replied Leia seriously. "Now you're more of a mystery than Anakin ever was."
Jaina looked away, her face a mask and stared into the depths of space. Instead of infinite blackness and tiny pinpoints of light, she saw the future spread out before her like an ever changing tapestry.
"My Sister will never meet her brother. She will know him though, through us. She will be a great Jedi and the Force will be with her." Jaina blinked, banishing the vision and what she had seen in it.
"You had a vision." It was a statement not a question on Leia's part; she knew the signs.
Something in Jaina had seemed to soften when the vision had appeared and when she spoke again it was different. The anger was gone, replaced only by determination. She looked into her Mother's eyes and Leia forced herself not to gasp in shock. She often had trouble seeing her children in their roles as powerful leaders and fully-grown respected individuals, but in that moment she knew. Leia saw the power, the mental and physical drive that made Jaina the Sword of The Jedi.
"I failed Anakin, Mother," Jaina said without faltering, formal but not angry. "On Myrk he died because he made use of a heroic tactic to save my life." She paused. "I should have been the one to save him. He was my little brother. I promise you, Mom, that I will allow no harm to come to my sister, no matter what."
The moment ended and Jaina realized everyone's eyes were on them.
"Oh, Jaina," Leia said sweeping her daughter into her arms, knowing Jaina's pain and accepting her love and loyalty to her sister.
A moment later, smiling Jaina backed away from her Mother and walked towards Jacen. "Brother, dear," she said simply and extended a hand. Hands were clasped and twins were united, together strong and powerful. All was forgiven, all was right, for now.