Thank you to my ever wonderful beta-readers, who read through 20-some pages of my work. Force knows how you put up with my errors, which are all too often silly mistakes. I would also like to welcome NarundiJedi to my ever-growing team of beta-readers! I do feel the need to note that I am going ahead and posting this chapter without the approval of Mirax-Jade. Sorry, Mirax! Your profile says you haven't been on for a few days, and I did need to post this part before I was eaten alive by hungry readers! Thanks JainaDurron, NarundiJedi and obaona!

Next, I'd like to remind everyone of the Kyp Durron Awards. Please do vote and support this minor awards show! The organisers (particularly Jilly) have put so much work into its presentation! 

I'd just like to reiterate that I do use Australian spelling in my fan fiction. So, if you come across a word that looks completely wrong, you know why. It's not the beta-readers – it's just, depending on your country, we all spell certain words differently. Isn't it a pain?

Also, you'll notice an "interlude" in the middle of this post. It was a dare (thank you, oba). Unfortunately, I can't resist dares.

Now, lastly, I wanted to leave my own thoughts on the motivations of Nenetlya, whom you'll meet throughout this story. At first, I intended for her to be a sweet, old lady (a la Red Riding Hood). Then again, the lady in RRH was a witch, so I suppose her character was doomed from the start. At the heart of the matter, Nenetlya is a mysterious character. You may hate her for what she says to Kyp and Jaina, but, on the other hand, she also might save the galaxy from the Yuuzhan Vong. As Jaina says in the story, is she a Sith in a Jedi's clothing? Hmm, although you could take oba's approach when reading: "I strongly dislike this woman. Smack her, Kyp!" Hehehe. In any case, all I'm saying is try not to instantly hate this woman. She's not going to become an arch-nemesis. She wants the best for people, but her ways are very unorthodox. She sees things but through a glass darkly. Decide for yourself, though. What are Nenetlya's intentions?

We're done here! Enjoy the show!

(So, anyone want to pick out my favourite lines?)

The Heat Within Series

Part II – Just Following Orders

Summary: Luke Skywalker asks Kyp to fly into the Unknown Regions with Jaina in a search to find a woman who knows the weakness of the Vong, and who has a weapon that could destroy them. However, the gifts this woman possesses are yet to be revealed.

~~

For some reason now unknown to Kyp Durron, he had programmed the computer of The Dauntless to awaken him by raising the lighting level in his quarters to full strength and initiating a computer subroutine, which would read out his daily schedule in a crisp, monotone voice. Lately, the recitation of the pre-programmed schedule had been reduced to only a handful of short points – mostly reminders concerning ship maintenance. Regardless of that fact, each morning Kyp would curse the computer's punctuality, blaming the A.I. for his lack of sleep or good mood. It was often with much bitterness that Kyp arose from his bed, unable to ignore the intolerable light shining in his face. Although Kyp could have reprogrammed the computer with a new routine, he found other tasks that needed completion - no matter how insignificant they were. His current morning routine provided him with a harsh, but unchanging awakening to the sterile environment of his starship.

This new day was no different than the others that had passed in the last month. The lights flickered on with fury, causing Kyp to moan and place both hands in front of his eyes. Muttering to himself, he kicked at the sheets surrounding his body until they were at the bottom of his bed. He then sat up and spun his body around to a sitting position on the side of the bed. The soles of his feet felt slightly chilled as they made contact with the floor a moment later.

The computer rattled on, oblivious to his discomfort.

"Third line of ship maintenance schedule: affix new bulkhead to corridor 5, section 23. Bulkhead was damaged due to the encounter with an unknown anomaly in the Garen sector. This task is scheduled to be completed before 1300."

Finally managing to adjust to the brightness of his quarters, he removed his hands from his eyes and reached for his pants. He had to blink several times before his eyes came into focus and he was able to locate his clothes. Jumping up, he dressed roughly, throwing one leg and then another into his pants, and zipping them up without a second thought to a shirt for his upper body. The computer, meanwhile, had finished its narration of the daily schedule.

Tiredly, Kyp stumbled over to the food unit, ordering himself a steaming hot cup of caf. He didn't bother finding himself a seat, and instead, leant against a bulkhead and consumed his beverage. The caf helped him in finding his bearings, and in no time, he was at least able to form a coherent thought.

Placing his cup back in the 'fresher, he turned to address the computer. "Identify the time, computer."

"The time is now 0710."

Kyp smiled to himself. He had beaten yesterday's time by two minutes. It was a pathetic thing to be proud of, he knew, but he congratulated himself nonetheless.

"Receiving a communication from the Jedi base. Priority one," the computer notified him calmly.

Kyp's eyebrow quirked in puzzlement. A communiqué from the Jedi? He hadn't talked to Luke Skywalker in more than three weeks, a few days after Kyp had returned Jaina Solo to the clan. Intrigued, if nothing else, he walked over to his comm. unit and patched the signal through.

A worn face belonging to none other than Jedi Master Luke Skywalker appeared on the screen. Instantly, Luke's face lit up with a smile. "Good. I thought that you might be asleep right now."

"I just got up," Kyp replied, running a hand through his dishevelled hair. "What can I do for you, Master?"

To Kyp's eyes, Luke looked as if he had aged several years in a matter of months. The war was truly taking its toll on the youthfulness of the Jedi and the New Republic soldiers alike. Luke's blue pools were not as bright as they had been in Kyp's memory. His once shining blonde hair was fading grey and his pale, weathered face cast an odd appearance.

"Actually, I have a mission for you." Luke paused, presumably to let the news sink in. It wasn't often that the Jedi called upon the service of the reckless Kyp Durron. No, Kyp was seldom entrusted with an assignment. Perhaps, to a point, rescuing Jaina had been redemption in the eyes of his peers.

"You've got my full attention now, Master."

"I want you to fly into the Unknown Regions."

Kyp suppressed a chuckle. The Unknown Regions? There was an extremely valid reason as to why that region of space was undiscovered.

"We received a deep space signal from a woman two weeks ago. This woman claims to have found our salvation." Luke's tone was eerily neutral. It unnerved Kyp more than he cared to admit. "I have been exchanging messages with her since then. She has discovered the weakness of the Yuuzhan Vong and, if given the proper resources, she could design a weapon that would destroy them."

"How does she even know about the Vong? The Unknown Regions haven't even been touched by their primary fighting forces," Kyp reasoned. In the past, many people had alleged that they knew the secret to stopping the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. Instead, they had only cost the lives of more NR citizens. Kyp was eager to dispute the outlandish claims of a woman in a backwater section of space.

"She's quite the traveller. According to her, she was on one of the first planets that the Vong invaded. She, and others from that world, fled to the Unknown Regions for safety. Before she left, she was able to interact with the Vong for a short amount of time."

"Call me a pessimist, Master," Kyp said, a frown on his face, "but we've been through this dance before."

"Kyp, I know." Luke suddenly looked more tired than before. His perseverance, however, did not falter. "We're losing the war. Morale is down to an all-time low. We need to grasp onto something, even though the truth behind this woman has not been revealed. That is why I'm asking you to voluntarily fly into the Unknown Regions with a Jedi co-pilot, locate this woman, and then bring her back to the Jedi base."

"Do you have the coordinates of her place of transmission and a description of her physical appearance?"

"Yes," Luke responded. "Do you accept the mission?"

Kyp cocked his head to the side and almost grinned. "It's better than my current assignment." At the moment, he was employed by the New Republic military to help patrol the Kesla sector in case the Yuuzhan Vong tried a sneak attack. Kyp expected Luke to have already called in a few favours to have him removed from this duty. Another Jedi ship would probably replace The Dauntless in a matter of hours. Despite the fact that his patrol mission lacked excitement, Kyp had been taking advantage of it by conducting much needed maintenance.

Luke smiled back. He pressed a few buttons on the control board in front of him. "Transmitting the data now."

Glancing down at his desk, Luke's eyes once again rose to meet Kyp's. "You should know that this woman is elderly. Her name is Nenetlya. I want you to protect her. Help her in any way if it's within reason. It is also imperative that her data isn't damaged."

"Understood," Kyp replied. "She is expecting Jedi?"

"Yes, she knows." A flash of… something crossed Luke's face. "I'm afraid that I can't predict what you will find in the Unknown Regions. I wish I had more information for you, but Nenetlya had to stop transmitting a few days ago for fear of discovery. I don't feel comfortable sending Jedi in blind."

Kyp smirked. "I can look after myself, Master."

Luke sighed. "Take care of Jaina, please."

Kyp's eyes widened immediately, and he grasped at the wall beside the comm. unit in an attempt to maintain his balance. "What has Jaina got to do with this?" he sputtered.

Luke's eyes burned into his. "She's your co-pilot." The words were processed by Kyp so languidly in a way that betrayed his increasing heart rate and shock. Out of all the Jedi chosen for this mission, it had to be him and Jaina. Jaina and him. It occurred to him that he could ask for a replacement, but then again, Luke would suspect something. Well, was there anything to suspect? The kiss? Maybe. The remaining tension and uneasiness between them? Certainly. They had concluded their last meeting on a high note, though. The banter between them had been smooth and unprompted. There was nothing going on.

Kyp was jolted back to reality when he realised that Luke expected a response.

"My… co-pilot?" He still sounded stunned. Picking up the ball again, he recovered and added, "Well, in that case, we'll do a good job for you, Master."

"Take good care of her, Kyp. She's still healing emotionally from her capture," Luke reiterated. "I felt she needed a mission to get her back on track."

Smooth, Master, smooth…

"I will."

"Please," Luke insisted.

Kyp levelled his gaze. "I'll protect her."

Luke, at last, allowed a faint smile to grace his face. It would seem that he hadn't received the response he wanted, but was satisfied with the clear determination in Kyp's tone. "Good luck," Luke said. "I'm sending you the coordinates to a world on the Outer Rim. Jaina will be waiting on the surface. We both decided that it would be best if she stored her X-Wing in your cargo bay and you both flew in The Dauntless. She will meet you there in five days."

Luke reached to sever the communication. Kyp stopped him suddenly. "Master, why me?"

Luke considered this for a moment. "Jaina recommended you as her partner."

The screen went blank before Kyp was able to question Luke further. It was probably for the best. A million thoughts were racing through Kyp's mind – namely Jaina's intentions and her feelings. Force knows why she had put his name forward. Did she believe in him? Did she trust him? Was it even about trust? She had said once before that she did not trust him. On a mission of this nature, both individuals needed to be able to rely on one another. Rely was the word choice. Not trust. On the other hand, Jaina might truly believe Kyp to be one of the only Jedi Masters foolish or cocky enough to fly into the Unknown Regions. That little spore.

Kyp grinned devilishly, not saying a word. Jaina wanted him on her mission. Did that mean that their relationship was improving? Were they partners-in-crime?

There were downsides to this deal, he realised. It looked as if he would have to write a note of apology to the absent bulkhead to corridor 5, section 23. Sithspit - there went his early lunchtime.

~~

The world was barren, but that wasn't unusual. Many of the worlds out on the Outer Rim were unpopulated due to their inhospitable environment. Boearnn, the world where Kyp would reunite with Jaina, was on the very edge of the Outer Rim, practically on the doorstep of the Unknown Regions. Despite the red sky, and the brown earth, which was bleak in contrast to the many other colours of this world, the atmosphere was not harmful to humanoids in very small doses. That was why Kyp had planned to land The Dauntless, collect Jaina, load her X-Wing, and hightail out of there. Knowing Jaina, however, she would want to stop and talk, acting as if time wasn't against them.

Kyp engaged the landing gear, allowing the computer to take control of the rest. Getting out of the pilot's seat, he glanced over at the co-pilot's chair – a space that Jaina had once filled. He smiled to himself, half-tempted to put up a fight when it came to piloting his ship into the Unknown Regions. It was unwise to argue with a Solo, but for the past month he had only exercised his extensive repartee on the main computer. The computer made for no company, and had it been sentient, it would have rolled over in its grave.

Kyp made his way to the ship's only storage bay. He smirked as he felt his ship settle on the surface. He drew on the Force to depress the button on the other side of the cargo bay, which would lower the ramp and permit entrance to Jaina's X-Wing. As expected, Jaina was watching him, observing his dark form and the dimness of the cargo bay. Confidently, Kyp rested a hand on his waist, while he hooked his other hand on the belt which held his lightsaber and blaster.

"What took you so long?" Jaina called, obviously teasing.

"Did I keep you waiting, Goddess?" Kyp strode down the ramp, removing his hands from his mid-section and holding them up in mock-surrender.

Jaina smiled and cocked an eyebrow. "I wouldn't wait for you if the universe were ending, Kyp."

"I'm injured, truly," Kyp countered. He looked her up and down quickly, his eyes skimming the sides of her orange flight suit. "I see you're looking better. I doubt the "worse for wear" attitude suits you."

"Compliment?" Jaina inquired.

"Can't tell compliments and insults apart?"

"Kyp, whenever you're concerned, I find it better to ask rather than take my chances." Jaina spun around and walked towards her nearby X-Wing.

Chuckling, Kyp couldn't let this one go. "My unpredictability is one of my more endearing qualities," he shouted after her.

Picking up her helmet from the ground, she glanced behind her and tossed a disapproving glare at Kyp. Having seen that look many times on the faces of people even more frightening than a Jedi woman of short stature and brandy eyes, he shrugged it off and indicated for her to manoeuvre her craft into the bay. Nothing more was said until Kyp retreated to the cockpit due to boredom and Jaina secured her X-Wing, joining him thereafter. He sat in what he had named the "Captain's chair", stroking the smooth material that covered the two sidearms of the chair.

He felt her presence before he saw her. Closing his eyes, he reached out with the Force and formed a mental picture of her leaning casually against the cockpit entrance, simply watching him. The image was untainted by her usual sarcastic grin. She looked peaceful, completive, and several others emotions he couldn't identify. Had he been around Jaina for an extended period of time, he felt sure he would know her expressions, her movements, and… her laugh. Although he feared that they were both incapable of spending too much time around one another. They brought out the worst in each other. Perhaps in Jaina's mind they possessed this type of special teamwork that only flourished under pressure, and was never allowed freedom if they were not in a life or death situation.

Kyp sighed. This action seemed to startle Jaina.

Spinning around in his chair, he met her gaze. "You have the secondary quarters for this assignment. Put your things there while I set course for our destination. Afterwards, I'll prepare something for us to eat."

"I'm not hungry," she rebutted quietly.

"Fine," he responded, his face impassive. "I'll eat and talk; you'll listen."

She looked ready to dispute his plan, but must of thought better of it as she took one final look at him and wandered down the back of the ship.

Kyp froze and watched her go, noting her reluctance to engage him in another round of banter. He admitted only to himself that he took glee in exchanging rough words with Jaina Solo. She was a fine woman – one that he had seen mature, shape herself, and become a better person. It amazed him sometimes how she gave him the time of day, and in return, how he put up with her stubbornness and selfishness.

Pushing aside his thoughts for another time, he restarted the engines and listened for their gentle purr that had frequently soothed him to sleep on cold nights. Taking the controls in hand, he glided The Dauntless up and into the sky, disengaging the landing gear, which slid into hidden compartments under the ship. She defied the gravity of the planet and soared past the red clouds, pushing through the atmospheric barrier like a flower would dirt. All of a sudden, the ship hit the endless space. Plugging in the coordinates, Kyp engaged the hyperdrive, which would send them literally sprawling into the unknown.

As promised, Kyp then left the comfort of his favourite chair to prepare an edible meal for himself and Jaina. Despite her protests, he intended to force her to eat just a small portion of the meal. If she rejected his offer, he knew his cooking wouldn't go to waste. He had a large enough appetite for the both of them.

Kyp was halfway through organising the meal when Jaina entered the mess. She collapsed in one of the chairs, but somehow managed to grab a drink from the food unit on the way. Happily, she sat there by herself for a few minutes, not making a sound. Kyp studied her carefully - almost to the point of distraction, which could have cost him a burnt meal. Eventually, she seemed to focus on reality and withdraw from her thoughts. Looking around, she focused on the soup Kyp had been cooking for the past ten minutes.

She clicked her tongue. "I didn't know you cooked."

He lifted a packet that contained the remnants of the soup, and half-smiled. "It has instructions," he stated as a way of explanation.

"Oh," she said softly, her eyes drifting downwards to the floor.

"Although," he responded cheekily, "putting it in a bowl is all my idea."

She laughed freely, meeting his gaze briefly, almost shyly. Belatedly, Kyp noticed the struggling innocence within her eyes. A moment later, however, she replaced her barriers and her mask and she was once again a female Jedi turned fighter pilot. Nothing more to those who didn't seek to analyse her.

"I prepared some for you," Kyp said.

"You know I didn't ask." Her tone was neither scolding nor pleased.

"It would be nice if you ate with me. I need some company."

Jaina shook her head. "I don't believe that. Kyp Durron needing company. What happened – break your toybox?"

Intentionally ignoring her snide remark, Kyp poured the soup into two bowls. He gave Jaina less. Carrying the two bowls to the table, he placed one in front of his female companion and the other across from her, in front of his intended seat. As an afterthought, he used the Force to reach for the packet of bread lying on top of the food unit. Settling himself down, he ripped a section of bread away from the loaf, dipped it in his soup, and officially began his meal. Jaina sat wide-eyed, gazing at his eating habits. It had been so long since Kyp had dined with anyone, and he had developed his own style of eating, which regularly allowed him to use his hands rather than utensils. Nevertheless, he straightened his body so that he was not in his usual hunched position, and attempted to minimise any rudeness on his part. A thought did occur to him during that time as to why he was being so considerate and changing his habits. In the past, he had seen Jaina eat in a manner much worse than he was now exhibiting. Granted, she was four at the time.

He mulled over this for a few moments before he noticed that Jaina had continued on with her meal, apparently dismissing his behaviour.

"So," he begun, hoping to start a conversation, "Master Skywalker told me that I was recommended for this mission."

"Really?" Jaina replied in a curious, exaggerated tone. She then proceeded to scoop her spoon against the bottom of the bowl, making waves in the thick liquid.

Taking another bite of the soaked bread, he chewed and swallowed. "Why did you do it, Jaina?"

She smiled. Kyp could tell that that she had an answer hanging on the tip of her tongue. However, she just took another large mouthful of soup and glanced at her food.

"You're just going to sit here and ignore the question?" Kyp persisted.

She laughed decisively. It wasn't like the laugh she had shared with him over his previous joke, though. It was much… colder to him. "What can I say, Kyp? You're reckless. Recklessness is perfect for this mission."

Kyp glared at her in complaint. "Your uncle was very concerned about you, Jaina. I'm here because he wants me to be. He believes that I can protect you."

It was now Jaina's turn to look obstinate. "What? I don't need you to protect me from anyone or anything. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself in any situation."

Kyp grinned. He had her now. How asinine she was not to see the trapdoor that he given out beneath her boots. Leaning forward, he made the most seductive expression he could, which was considerably attractive without the added sparkling of his green eyes. "Goddess, are you frightened that I'll give you another mind-blowing, scorching kiss that will blow your faculties out of whack?"

She slammed her palms against the table, standing up even before he had finished his sentence. "You have a deranged mind, Kyp Durron," she bit back. "Purely deranged."

Picking up her bowl, which still consisted of soup, she attempted to wrench a thick piece of bread off the loaf. It wasn't working, no matter how much she pulled. Gritting her teeth in frustration, Kyp watched her in fascination as she lost her temper. Smoothly, he swooped in and brushed his hand against hers, silently offering to salvage a piece for her from the ruined bread loaf. Kyp imagined her bearing her teeth, but instead, she froze and stared at the place their hands joined. He, too, stared at their hands for completely different reasons. In that moment, when he felt her soften at his tenderness, he removed her hand from the loaf and enfolded her palm in his.

It only took seconds for her to register what had happened before she was pulling hand away from his warmth and fleeing with her bowl and spoon.

Over her shoulder, she mumbled, "Forget the bread!"

He chuckled to himself before settling back down and easily tearing a section of the mauled bread away from the loaf. Strangely, he continued to chuckle as he dipped the bread in his soup. His amusement didn't stop until he realised that she had taken with her the meal he had cooked, shared a laugh over and forced her to eat.

~~

They used their time in hyperspace wisely by planning their approach to the coordinates of the planet they had been given and hypothesising about any space control which might have prevented them from landing. Information on the planet was scarce, which only made them more hesitant about the mission than they already were when they accepted the job.

Jaina was at the helm when they emerged from hyperspace. Both Kyp and Jaina had decided to cut short their hyperspace journey by disengaging the drive early, just outside the boundaries of the planet's star system. The planet that held their interest was one of many in a star system of two suns. In terms of order, the planet was almost at the centre in a long line of worlds – nearly all of which were uninhabited.

"Anything?" Jaina asked.

Kyp, in his place in the co-pilot's chair, inspected the scanners. "No ships orbiting the outer most planets."

"They don't look friendly to me," Jaina admitted, navigating The Dauntless further into the system.

"Depends. If you don't mind turning into an ice-cube, then they're perfect."

Jaina chuckled. "Remind me of this holiday spot next time I get some leave."

Kyp smirked at her comment and returned to studying the sensors. He needn't have bothered. The star system was quieter than any place Kyp had been to in the New Republic. He was able to sense the way this fact unnerved Jaina through the Force, but decided to keep silent and spare himself a handful of sarcastic quips.

"We have incoming, Jaina," Kyp said, reading seven ships on the scanners orbiting their destination.

"I see them," she replied. "Tactical assessment?"

"No match for The Dauntless. Those ships are at least thirty years old – maybe more." Pride swelled within him at the thought of his ship. He was tempted to comment on her capabilities when compared to the older vessels, but he then realised it would not be a fair evaluation.

Jaina glanced over at him, studying his face. "No gloating?"

"No gloating," he confirmed.

She shook her head, probably amused.

"So, what do you think? Are they merchant ships or space control?" Jaina questioned, slowing The Dauntless and hanging back.

"They look like merchant vessels. However, we're not going to risk being discovered. I've shut off our automatic identification beacon. I don't think they want the New Republic here, much less Jedi."

Pressing a few more buttons on his control panel, he continued, "Move us into orbit gently. I'll locate anything resembling a space port."

Jaina nodded. "Yes, sir," she mocked.

He didn't bother to respond.

As instructed, Jaina flew casually around the unidentified vessels, attempting not to arouse any suspicions. Already their ship would attract an admiring eye with all the technology incorporated into her hull. The other ships did not react outwardly to their presence. They made no effort to intercept The Dauntless, even when her orbit became tighter than theirs.

"Perceptive bunch, aren't they?"

"Probably smugglers," Kyp explained, shrugging. "They lure you into believing one thing when really they are doing another."

"You will tell me if they're powering their weapons, won't you?" Jaina joked, a hint of sincerity in her voice.

"If they so much as scratch this baby, they'll be space dust," Kyp threatened tersely. "Right, I've located the space port. I'm programming the coordinates into helm control right now. Unfortunately, the port is a long cry from Coruscant or even Tatooine. It'll be a redneck hive down there."

"Your point?" Jaina had already begun to pilot The Dauntless down through the atmosphere, clouds skirting around the body of the ship. The planet hadn't been much of a sight from space, but once the vessel cleared the upper atmosphere, both Jedi were able to identify several buildings on the surface. This world was an industrial centre, mass producing… something in giant factories. Kyp wouldn't have believed that such a system of production and commerce existed in the Unknown Regions.

"It is no place for a young, beautiful female. I'll locate the older woman and bring her back to the ship. You can prep us for launch."

"Not on your life, Durron," Jaina retorted stubbornly. "I'm coming along. Besides, I've been to worlds such as this one. Outer Rim – heard of it?"

"There's a reason why this area of space is uncharted, Jaina," Kyp replied, more gruffly than he had intended.

She quickly changed the subject. "What do you think they manufacture here?"

Kyp sighed at the transition. "Sensors are registering what seems to be a large amount of metallic alloy in those factories."

"Spare parts?" Jaina guessed.

"For what? Seven ships?"

"It's a start," she responded. They were at docking stage above the space port when Kyp discovered a message - presumably from the management - on one of the older frequencies.

"This place is ancient," Jaina remarked, earning a silencing glare from Kyp, who was having trouble listening to the weak signal.

"They want to know why we're here."

"Trade," Jaina suggested. "If they ask anything beyond that, tell them it's none of their business. We'll grease some palms on our way out."

"My kind of plan," Kyp grinned. Manipulating his voice until he sounded like a rusty, old space pirate, he answered the authorities, barking out protests at being interrogated by a mere space port manager. For good measure, he added that his word was good on two hundred worlds. The authorities obviously believed his heated performance for he was given immediate access to a parking space.

As Jaina lowered The Dauntless into their given area, she snickered at the poor condition of the space port. Kyp had already expected the type of scum and villainy that existed on this rock. It wasn't pretty at all. The people on these worlds had never known the comforts that were second nature to those born on core worlds. They were the backward of the backward. Not to be trusted, in Kyp's opinion. This planet belonged in the era of Palpatine, where any advancement, whether it be political, technological, or what have you, was shunned. They probably still thought the Empire existed, or perhaps they believed the Old Republic still to be in operation. Force knows the Yuuzhan Vong – the latest threat - were worse than any political regime that a being could ever concoct.

Whilst Kyp had been wrapped up in his thoughts, Jaina had safely landed his ship and spun around to look at him, eyebrow quirked slightly.

"Well, that was surprisingly easy," she stated.

"Don't speak too soon, Solo," Kyp warned. She could jinx this entire mission. "Have you got the coordinates of the meeting place?"

Jaina threw him a scolding look. Right, of course she had the coordinates.

"I'll secure the ship. We'll bribe those short-sighted nerfs when we leave. I don't expect them to actually take care of the ship, though. What's the bet they want to steal her?"

"I prefer not to lose my money to gambling these days," Jaina responded, rising from the captain's chair.

"Let's hope you still drink," Kyp muttered.

Jaina went about fulfilling the tasks she had volunteered for while in hyperspace, ensuring that her own part of the mission would not lead them to failure. Kyp, on the other hand, assured the safety of his baby, making sure that all locking procedures were engaged once they left the ship. Once that was done, he returned to his cabin to inspect his appearance, not wanting to draw unwanted attention. He secured his lightsaber under the dirty brown robe that shrouded his entire body, save for his face. He knew that Jaina, also, had a robe in her possession – a duplicate of his own.

Kyp arrived at the airlock, noting that Jaina had beaten him.

"Ready?"

"We have company," Jaina told him, leaning against the airlock, her eyes drifting outside.

Kyp moved to stand beside her. His eyes immediately narrowed. "Scavengers. One of the worst kinds of trouble." Casually, Kyp said, "Let's play host, shall we?"

Opening the airlock, Kyp was the first one to move outside the ship. He kept his posture stiff and unyielding – a menacing figure to all who laid eyes on him. Kyp sensed Jaina step out of the airlock behind him, but not before she engaged the security protocols. Entry to the ship was nearly impossible now, thanks to the Dauntless's thick hull. This wasn't just a ship straight out of the sale yard – Kyp Durron had made many improvements to her.

"What can I do for you?" Kyp demanded coldly.

One of the men stepped forward, running a careful eye over The Dauntless. Eye was the word, indeed, for he only had one. It looked as if his left eye had been clawed out by some creature, leaving a sealed over wound that emitted a sickly yellow puss.

"Nice ship." His words were slurred with some strange accent Kyp couldn't identify. Then again, he could just be intoxicated.

"What of it?" Kyp said defensively.

"She for sale?"

Kyp snorted. "Even if she was, she's worth a lifetime of credits. By the look of you, I'd say you can't even afford a chip of her hull."

"You'd be wise to learn the way we do things here, boy. Insults like that could land your head on my dinner table." Kyp did not fail to notice a threat when he heard one. "Since you're an offlander, I'll cut you some slack. I won't be so generous next time we meet."

"I don't plan on staying long," Kyp rebutted, moving away from his ship and Jaina.

"Time isn't a problem."

"You don't want to challenge me. I'm a dangerous man. Too much betting and spirits. I could easily lose control and… slip." Kyp met the man's gaze, his green eyes glistening. To the man's credit, Kyp couldn't identify any fear or trepidation in his eyes, only blind arrogance. He felt, rather than heard, Jaina move up to stand beside him, wordlessly lending her support and her abilities. She didn't have to speak to show her disgust at these scavengers.

"Don't forget your place here, stranger."

The one-eyed man turned and walked out one of the minor passages, his mob hot on his heels. Most of his gang were just as filthy as he was, and seemed to be either missing a body part or scarred beyond belief. A few years in a bacta tank wouldn't have hurt any of them.

Once they were gone, Jaina turned to Kyp, her mouth upturned. "I'm impressed," she said simply.

"I practice my mean streak," Kyp replied, amused.

"An endearing quality?"

"You got it."

Glancing back at The Dauntless, he couldn't help but worry about her safety, as she was their ticket off this primitive world. For a quick second, Jaina laid a hand on his arm, squeezing in reassurance. He nodded, fixing his eyes forward. He had been protective about ships before, but never overprotective like he was now. The Dauntless was top of the line, best of the best, and many other phrases and superlatives. Mentally, he crossed his fingers.

They approached the central hive of the space port, where the offices of the management were located. Grabbing Jaina's arm, Kyp moved her closer to him, inclining his head to whisper in her ear.

"If you must insist on coming, we're going to use your femininity to our advantage."

Jaina looked at him as if he were insane.

"How do you propose we do that?" She was definitely mocking him.

He grinned. "For starters, flirt with the owner. We may not have to pay him as much. There is also the possibility he may not accept credits, so…convince him."

"That's easy for you to say," Jaina bit back.

"Hey, I know you can do it." Removing his hand from her arm, he then pressed it to the middle of her back, encouraging her.

Slipping into character, Jaina confidently strode towards the office of the owner. From Kyp's position across the corridor, he was able to glimpse into the room, watching Jaina's performance. He had to admire her play-acting, especially when she readily had the space port owner accepting a smaller fee than was necessary. After no more than five minutes, she spun around and met his eyes with a smirk and a look of satisfaction and smugness.

Once she was within hearing distance, he commented, "Now, I'm impressed. My act pales in comparison with yours."

"My mother picked up a few things in her time as an Alderaanian princess. She passed the genes onto me."

"I do have to compliment Leia," he remarked. "Now, which way?"

From underneath her robe, Jaina revealed a miniature scanner. It would provide them with directions to the coordinates where they would meet Nenetlya. Kyp was grateful for its presence, otherwise they would have been wandering around districts filled with slum and squalor for the better half of the day. Jaina took a moment to analyse the screen and glance around at her surroundings before pointing out a route.

"That way." She indicated with a pointed finger.

"This way it is, Goddess," Kyp agreed.

Securing the device under her robe and smoothing its shape so that it would not be noticed, Jaina fell into step with Kyp. The smells that assaulted Kyp's nostrils brought him back to a time when he was in the Kessel mines – a time he would much rather forget and not share with Jaina. The Solo in question seemed equally sensitive when it came to the aroma of the people, the shops, and the stalls on the side of the street. She did not, however, comment on the wretchedness of this planet. He knew she hadn't seen worse, but that she was very capable of adapting to an atmosphere.

The two Jedi had walked for no more than ten minutes before they entered a congested area of the city, where commerce reigned. People brushed past them as if they weren't there, furious in their effort to get to their destinations. Jaina grunted once or twice, but then began to shove these people out of her way. Kyp stifled a laugh at a woman of such short stature tearing through the crowd.

They managed to find a way out of the hustle and bustle by taking one of the side streets. Jaina said that it would add more time on their journey, but anything was better than butting heads with the local population. He let her lead him, confident in her navigation skills.

There were many men and women leaning against the walls on this side street. Kyp felt eyes burning into his back and his front. Around him, he heard the elder members of the disorganised group speak a strange tongue that he had never heard before. He assumed it to be the native language of this planet. He allowed his eyes to scan the people watching him as they passed, noticing revulsion in their expressions.

Kyp turned his gaze back to Jaina just in time to spot a party of gruff men moving towards her. Kyp knew Jaina could protect herself remarkably well, but he felt an uncontrollable urge to keep his honour and his promise to her uncle. Before any of the men could lay a hand on Jaina, Kyp stepped in front of her, grabbing her arm and pushing her behind him. She didn't say a thing. Unbelievably, Jaina Solo was speechless.

"I like your woman," one of the men voiced.

Kyp suddenly found himself filled with a possessive need to claim that she was his woman, not deny that assumption and insist that they were just partners. She was his. They couldn't have her. Kyp stunned and astonished himself with his treacherous thoughts. Somehow his mind managed to reason that the men would most likely think she was free for the taking unless she wasn't bonded with another – who, in this case, was him.

"I dislike your attitude," Kyp responded.

"I wonder what she looks like under that robe," another man said, addressing his friends.

"I wonder what your face will look like once my fist connects with your nose," Jaina threatened, her voice low and icy.

Kyp's heart swelled with emotion at her words. She was wild and undaunted. If these men ever expected to tie her down, they were disillusioned. No man had been able to accomplish that goal.

"Let us pass. Now." Kyp decided to go for the straightforward approach. If they didn't follow his meaning, he could easily get his point across with a weapon.

"I like spirit in my women. It gives me a chance to tame them," the original man replied, smirking. "Leave the woman with us and I assure you that she'll get the treatment she deserves."

"She's under my protection. That means that if you touch her, you receive a quick, painful death. Ever been hit by lightning?"

The leader turned to his group and let out a bellowing laugh. The others followed, but their eyes never left Jaina or Kyp. Their private joke was greeted with a growl from Jaina, which emanated low in her throat. In comfort, Kyp squeezed her arm like she had done to him no more than half an hour ago. Wordlessly, he assured her that he would and could protect her from anyone on this world.

The men continued to laugh in uproar, transforming Kyp's face into a cold mask of annoyance, anger and impatience. Tapping into the Force, he applied pressure to the leader's neck lethargically. At first, the leader didn't notice the clench around his throat. It was evident when he did realise what was happening for his eyes widened and he sank to his knees in front of the two Jedi. Kyp towered over the pitiful man, his eyes narrowing into slits as he increased the pressure. The man clutched at his neck, desperately trying to stop the unseen force from strangling him to death.

"You will not interfere with us for as long as we remain on this planet. Understood?"

The man's eyes wildly searched for the aid of his friends – or former friends, it seemed. Each member of his band had retreated to the street's walls, pressing themselves into the brick. The leader had no choice but to nod.

"Good," Kyp responded, genuinely pleased. Releasing the Force's hold on the man's neck, he made a sweeping movement with his hand. "You may go."

The man didn't move from his place at Kyp's feet.

"Now," Kyp insisted.

The man scurried to his feet, not bothering to wipe the mud from his pants. In his eyes reflected a combination of fear and awe, but his curiosity did not dominate him and he fled down the street.

Jaina struggled in Kyp's grip. Carefully, he moved her around to stand in front of him.

"Was that display really necessary? Force knows what these people are thinking," she whispered, her eyes darting to the people still watching them.

"We'll be off this rock before they even have a chance to locate the governing body here." Kyp slid around Jaina, continuing to walk down the street. "And yes, I thought it was necessary. Those types of people don't respond to anything but violence."

Kyp's head tilted and he glanced back at her. "You didn't think I would really kill him, did you?"

"Murdering him in cold blood would have been of the Dark Side."

"That's not a response," he stated. "I've been to the Dark Side before."

"What do you want me to say? What will be satisfactory?" She caught up with him, matching him stride for stride. "No, I didn't think you were prepared to kill him. You've already done what most Jedi will never do. You've already learnt more in such a short time than someone who has lived a lifetime."

"That's better than satisfactory, Jaina."

"The truth is often better than a million credits," she quipped.

Kyp wondered when she had become so wise. It was probably around the same time she became so stubborn and thick-headed.

Pulling out her navigation device, she shrouded it with her hand and studied the screen every so often. Her subterfuge was successful and any passers-by were not intrigued by what she kept hidden. Jaina led Kyp to a small housing district that was quite upmarket for this planet. The houses themselves lined the small streets, but were the most sterile foundations Kyp and Jaina had seen since landing here. They all looked identical, as if crafted from the same mould. Fortunately, Jaina was able to direct Kyp to the proper doorway.

Kyp frowned, looking around the door's border for any sign of a mechanism for the entryway. He was unsuccessful. That didn't, however, matter as the door slid open only a few seconds later.

"Jedi. I knew you were here. Come in, come in."

The woman was obviously Nenetlya. Her shoulder-length hair was a stark white, which matched the neutrality of the silver suit she wore. She appeared clean and well-fed with a rounded waist that often developed with age. Her face was small and delicate, but her smile was wide and her blue eyes were dancing in fascination. Her skin was wrinkled, and as she extended her hand to usher them inside, Kyp caught a look at the blue veins which bulged on the back of her hand.

Nenetlya acted as if she had predicted their exact time of arrival at her home. Kyp couldn't explain this.

Nenetlya indicated for the two Jedi to take a seat in her main room. Slightly uncomfortable with this woman's enthusiasm, Kyp and Jaina positioned themselves on the same divan.

"You are Nenetlya?" Kyp asked. The woman nodded and took a seat across from them. "My name is Jedi Master Kyp Durron."

Jaina interjected, "I'm Jedi Knight Jaina Solo."

"I know who you both are," Nenetlya responded, as if it were plainly obvious.

"We have been on several holovids during the war. I didn't realise that the signal stretched to the Outer Rim," Jaina explained.

"No, I know you both. You may not realise it right now, but I do," Nenetlya insisted. Kyp was beginning to doubt the sincerity of this woman. "There is no cause for concern. I am ready to accompany you back to Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. I speak the truth about the Yuuzhan Vong."

"You'll excuse me if I sound cynical," Kyp commented.

"You have not been brought to the Outer Rim for nothing, Master Durron. You will learn a good lesson here."

If possible, Kyp began to look even more sceptical.

"And what lesson is that?"

"Honour, duty, and the power of your word."

Nenetlya's words struck a cord in Kyp. How was this woman able to hint so subtly about the promise he had given Luke? That promise was one of the most important things he had ever done in his life. To him, it mattered. What abilities did this woman really possess?

"We must leave soon," Nenetlya stated. "I have many enemies on this planet."

"We know absolutely nothing about you." Jaina finally found her voice. "How can we trust you?"

"Jaina, it is not my trust that you truly seek in your heart. Do not rely so heavily on the word, but place your faith in the emotion."

Jaina frowned, and inched closer to Kyp. He looked from Jaina to Nenetlya, his own emotions swirling in doubt.

"Until I know who you are, what abilities you possess, and how you claim to know us so well, I will be watching you. This mission is of unparalleled significance. While you're stuck in your corner of the world, many hundreds of thousands die every day at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong," Kyp described, rising from the divan. "You have given your word that you can stop this."

His eyes met Jaina's stare fiercely. In that moment, he told her to stick close to this woman and discover her secrets. He instructed her to keep safe and to not turn her back.

Walking to the door, he said, "I'll keep an eye on those enemies of yours. Jaina will help you pack. We leave in twenty minutes."

Unable to clear his head or forget the words of Nenetlya, he strayed to her doorstep. His eyes were keen to survey the street where her house resided. But each time he studied a passer-by, he couldn't help but see Luke's face staring right back at him, trusting him, giving his niece to him.

He had given his word.

~~

INTERLUDE!

(Sane people take a break for 10!)

~~

In the passing minutes, Jaina discovered Nenetlya's intense devotion to science. The laboratory at the back of the house was a jungle of tools and technology. Jaina was careful not to lay a hand on a thing in the room. She had never been interested in pure science, but was dedicated in her knowledge of the science behind the creation of her X-Wing, her blaster, her lightsaber, and all the tools she used on a day-to-day basis.

Nenetlya bustled around the lab, professionally gathering certain materials into a small knapsack. Her movements were fast and agile. To Jaina's eyes, she was nearly finished filling her bag when she hesitated and then stopped completely.

"I do realise that you need to have confidence in me as a person to believe a word I have said or will say." Her voice was quiet and hushed.

"Loyalties are very important to me," Jaina responded, unsure of Nenetlya's intentions.

"Do you think that can be accredited to the war?"

Jaina shrugged. "Life and death situations – such as those that occur during war - commonly bring people closer together. I surround myself with people I can rely on. I need to be able to give anything for them."

Nenetlya frowned in confusion. "You keep Kyp Durron close to you. Does a trust exist there?"

"We're Jedi. We're partners. You cannot understand." Jaina realised how rude her words might sound to Nenetlya's ears. This woman was only asking questions. Jaina didn't know why she had gotten so defensive.

"Maybe I do not. But perhaps you don't understand the nature of your relationship with him."

Nenetlya was pushing a point.

"I apologise if I sound impolite, but we've barely known you five minutes and you're passing judgment on us," Jaina said. "Why?"

"I'm merely looking out for your best interests. I care for you, Jaina."

"I don't even know you."

Jaina turned to scrutinize Nenetlya's tools on another desk. As far as she was concerned, the conversation had reached an end. Nenetlya, however, had another plan. Her rough hands grabbed Jaina's arm in an icy grip, but then quickly softened to a tender caress.

Leaning towards Jaina, the woman whispered intensely, "Kyp Durron is a betrayer. I have seen it. He will betray you, Jaina Solo. He will hurt you beyond belief."

"That is the past!" Jaina snapped.

"Once a betrayer, always a betrayer."

Nenetlya released Jaina. "Do not give yourself to him, Jaina. Do not."

Jaina stood, frozen. Who was this lunatic that Uncle Luke had discovered? Had her uncle known that this woman was more than she seemed?

Gathering her composure, Jaina glanced down at the arm the woman had held. She blinked, swallowing the excess saliva in her mouth.

"Kyp wants you to be ready in ten minutes."

"He's suddenly always getting what he wants, isn't he?" The woman's tone was not spiteful in the slightest. She sounded….truthful. "What will he want next?"

"This is something we will not discuss again."

~~

Jaina and Nenetlya reunited with Kyp outside the front of her home. Nenetlya was allowed the chance to memorise her home in her mind one last time. It was obvious to Jaina that the older woman had lived their many years and enjoyed a full life on this planet. From what her uncle had told her, Nenetlya was a refugee. The Yuuzhan Vong had invaded her planet, forcing her to travel to the Unknown Regions on a poverty barge. Idly, Jaina wondered how Nenetlya had paid for her higher standard of living on this planet. By rights, refugees were left to fend for themselves and were often found dead on the street. It seemed to Jaina like this woman had many, many secrets that had not been exposed. If it wasn't for the hope that this woman's promise bred, Jaina doubted she would have allowed her two feet near The Dauntless.

What did Nenetlya hide behind her innocent exterior? The woman had a gift. Jaina was sure of that. Perhaps she was a telepath, but how had she predicted Kyp's future after being with him for five minutes? A fortune-teller? Nenetlya had a motive – one that would not be easily discovered. Was it her goal to tear apart the bond that she kept with Kyp? Jaina knew, somewhere deep down, that Kyp had been transformed into a better man. Her strong personality often conflicted with his, but at the end of the day, she would have it no other way. He knew how much he had hurt her long ago. She now saw such emotion in his eyes when he looked at her. He valued her opinion, her trust, her abilities, and moreover, he valued her. He didn't want her to change.

She had wanted him to change for so long – to make him more polite, more respectful, and more trustworthy – but right now she felt she was happy with her partner. He was reckless – hadn't she said he was perfect for this mission? – but so was her father. Han was the one person who knew her best. An old scoundrel.

Jaina eyed Kyp out of the corner of her eye. He looked strong and confident, but at the same time, he looked reflective and open. He couldn't betray her.

Nenetlya indicated that they should start moving back to the space port. Knowing these roads very well, she took point. However, she was still too close to hear anything Jaina might say to Kyp.

Reaching into the Force, Jaina passed a message to Kyp. Drop back. I need to talk.

Kyp's pace slowed, concern mixed with interest crossing his features.

"There's much more to Nenetlya than meets the eye, Kyp," Jaina began. "She said…things to me when you were outside. I don't understand her motivations."

Jaina decided on leaving out Nenetlya's prediction that Kyp would betray her. She knew he wouldn't react well to that kind of negativity.

"I know, Jaina. But she's the galaxy's salvation, it seems."

"Have you ever heard the story about the Sith in Jedi's clothing?"

Kyp's eyebrow quirked. "And what if she saves the galaxy?"

"Do you believe in her?"

He chuckled. "No. That doesn't mean I couldn't in time." Kyp's tone was very cautious. "If she's telling the truth, she could save us. The New Republic. The Jedi."

"I'm all for saving those people, Kyp," Jaina said, her eyes focusing on Nenetlya's back.

Kyp's tone darkened. "What did she say to you?"

"Something I didn't expect."

Jaina felt Kyp prod her through the Force, but she reinforced her barriers, rather than letting him know the truth.

"It was about me," he stated, downtrodden.

Jaina sighed. "This woman seems to believe she has insight into the future."

"It's not unheard of," Kyp reminded her.

"All right, I doubt Uncle Luke's judgment in this matter," she admitted. "This woman could be dangerous."

"She's just an elderly woman," Kyp said.

Jaina turned her head to meet Kyp's watching gaze. "An elderly woman that knows a fair amount about us and what we feel inside."

"Point." Kyp sighed, yanking the collar of his thick robe. He then shook his head, already deep in thought. Jaina stayed silent, waiting for his opinion.

"All we can do is to watch her," he finally said. "We have a quick trip back to the Jedi base and then we probably won't see her for a few months. It's likely they'll put us on other missions."

"So, you're saying she's only our problem when she's in our company?"

"Pretty much." Kyp smiled. "Like my logic?"

Jaina couldn't manage a smile. She nodded, and both Jedi caught up with Nenetlya, who seemed oblivious to the entire conversation. No one talked or questioned each other during their walk. Jaina noted how Kyp kept a sharp eye out. She also noticed the tension in her own body, which was slowly building. There were no disturbances in the Force that Jaina could sense, but by that same token, the Force seemed almost…unsettled. It was unreasonable of her to jump to that conclusion, though.

They arrived back at the space port safely. The owner, who was casually leaning against the entrance to his office, gave Jaina the approving eye and a wink. She looked in his direction, but did not return his favour.

Kyp guided Nenetlya through the port until they reached the area where The Dauntless was docked. Jaina could almost feel Kyp's release of breath, relieved that the technological marvel that was his ship hadn't been touched by those scavengers. Jaina hung back, watching Nenetlya's reaction to the ship, which was evidence to the fact that she would soon be off this world.

Kyp ushered Nenetlya inside. He poked his head back around the airlock to signal to Jaina, but suddenly, in the flash of a second, Jaina saw Kyp's face shift to adopt so many different emotions.

Through the Force, Jaina heard Kyp's voice boom at her in a tone that nearly knocked her off her feet in its intensity. Behind you! Get out of the way!

Operating on pure instinct, Jaina rolled, and her hand dived under her robe to retrieve one of her two weapons: her lightsaber. As she completed her roll and found shelter underneath The Dauntless, Jaina clicked her lightsaber on, the purple beam shining brilliantly amongst the filth of the space port. Jaina's eyes focused on her attackers, who were blindly shooting old fashioned blasters at the ship and at the airlock. Her opposition were not a sight for sore eyes. The group consisted of six people, each of a different species, but all wearing the same expression.

Nenetlya's enemies? Jaina questioned through the Force.

Judging by Nenetlya's reaction, yes, Kyp responded.

Reaching beneath her robe once more, she brought out her standard military issue blaster. She moved out from behind her safe position, fired repeatedly and caught two of the six alien attackers before she was forced to again take shelter behind the landing gear. The aliens now saw her as a bigger threat and a few shots almost made it her way, but were stopped by her steadfast lightsaber. Keeping her lightsaber in her right hand and her blaster in her left hand, she repeated the action again and her blaster shots clipped another attacker. With her lightsaber, she also managed to deflect another shot back, which seriously wounded another of her enemies. This did not, however, stop the alien from continuing to fire his or her weapon.

Stay there. I'll come out and defend you. They'll be distracted for a few seconds, Kyp insisted.

No, don't endanger yourself, she immediately rebutted. These aliens are not good shots. I'll be fine. Get the engine running and wait for me.

Who taught you to be so stubborn?

Jaina ignored him. Instead, she once again dived out from her hiding place, but this time she kept moving away from her shelter. She systematically continued to shoot her blaster and deflect any of the enemy shots with her lightsaber. Her hands ached from her multiple movements, as she was used to operating only one weapon at a time. The shots from her opposition increased, and as Jaina soon discovered, those scavengers she and Kyp had previously met when they docked had decided to join the party.

Kyp, Jaina warned.

I see them. You must dive through the airlock, Jaina.

She worried she would get hit if she followed his advice. In spite of her fears, she backed up until she was almost in line with the airlock, glancing at the entrance to the ship out of the corner of her eye.

Her minor loss of concentration caused a blaster shot to knick her in the right shoulder. She felt the scorching energy rip through her clothing, scathe her skin, and continue on through the air. She grimaced. Sweat poured down her face, her hair interrupted her vision, and her shoulder blades ached.

Jaina realised she must have been broadcasting her emotions because Kyp soon yelled at her. Jaina!

In a split second, she made a decision. All at once, she leapt for the airlock, disengaged her lightsaber, and kept her finger on the trigger of her blaster, firing blindly regardless of her aim. Her body twisted as she flew through the air, her brown locks flying around her like a protective aura. She kept her eyes open, focused, on the blaster bolts she knew they were firing. Mentally, she embraced into the Force and begged for the great power to keep her safe.

Her mouth drifted open and her grip tightened on her blaster, as time seemed to flow in slow motion for her. She registered Kyp speaking to her through the Force, but she could not make out his words. All she knew was that she had to survive and that she had to keep depressing the trigger of her blaster.

After what stretched like minutes, Jaina saw the ceiling of The Dauntless above her. A second later she felt the back of her head hit the floor. As she collided with the surface, her eyes closed and she felt a river of heat swell down her shoulders and eventually through her entire body. She heard her heartbeat in her ears and felt the warm rush settle near her heart.

She then lost consciousness.

~~

"How is she?"

Kyp raised his head from his hands, rubbing his fingers against his chin. He looked positively drained after spending an hour caring for Jaina in The Dauntless's miniature sick bay. Taking care of her injuries shouldn't have taken him an hour, but too often he found himself distracted by her pale face to administer any treatment. Even after she was stabilised, his body had refused to move for a good fifteen minutes.

Blinking rapidly to adjust to the light in the mess, Kyp's eyes flew to the form of Nenetlya, who was taking a seat across from him.

"She has a concussion. A blaster bolt scathed her right shoulder. I've applied a bacta bandage, but that will need to be changed every few hours. She also dislocated her left shoulder," he explained, repressing a sigh. "Overall, she's lucky to have sustained such a small amount of injuries. She must have deflected the blaster bolts that were coming towards her with the Force. Her main injuries were caused by her impact against the floor."

"Luck, indeed," Nenetlya said. "When do you expect her to recover completely?"

"I'll restrict her to bed rest throughout the trip." Kyp let his fingers skim along the edge of his cup of caf in reflection. His eyes flickered down to watch steam rise from the liquid. "When she gets back to base, they might put her in a bacta tank for an hour."

Nenetlya nodded. "Is something on your mind, Kyp?"

"Jaina," he paused, unable to explain his concern for her. After a few seconds, he decided to move on. "The mission," he added.

"Me?"

Kyp grunted. "You are the mission, lady."

Her mouth quirked. "I'm not quite what you expected, am I?"

"Heroes take many forms, I suppose," he said nonchalantly.

Changing the subject, Nenetlya revealed, "You're the first Jedi Master I've met in person."

"Disappointed?"

"Not at all," she responded softly. "You are quite a complex character. You intrigue me."

"I'm not an experiment," he countered.

Nenetlya rested her head on her hands. "I am somewhat of a student of human nature."

"I don't like people analysing me," Kyp defended strongly.

"You also don't like people getting close to you."

"Why don't we talk about you?" Kyp took the opportunity to have a large gulp of caf to keep him awake. "I have a topic. Your enemies – what did they want from you?"

"I am indebted to them."

"In other words, you owe them money?" Kyp shook his head and let out a breath. "Why didn't you tell us this before? We – Jedi – just got you off the planet."

"Would telling you have helped?" Nenetlya replied. "Do you have the proper currency to repay them?"

"No," he said. "You realise how this looks now?"

"It looks like I'm lying." She chuckled. "To you, I was lying even before you came to the Unknown Regions."

He waved his hand, frustrating at how she was seeing right through him. "What I think doesn't matter right now. You left out a vital piece of information. Do you have anything else to share with us?"

She shook her head.

"Well, now we've got that cleared up," he said, taking one final sip of his caf and rising from the table.

Nenetlya cleared her throat. "Where are you going?"

"To the cockpit," he stated, walking over to the dispensary and placing his soiled cup inside.

Nenetlya rose out of her seat. "Please, stay. I would like to continue our conversation. You don't need to visit the cockpit immediately, do you?"

Kyp exhaled, brushing a hand through his hair. "I like to do a check on my ship regularly," he said. "I don't need to go immediately, though." Returning to the table, Kyp sat down. Similarly, Nenetlya mimicked him, a warm smile on her face.

"I'm glad Jedi Master Luke Skywalker sent you."

"Why is that?"

"It gives me a chance to familiarise myself with you," she responded brightly.

"Nenetlya," he began seriously, "what you see is what you get."

"Oh, I think there is more to you than you would have people believe." Nenetlya's eyes narrowed, watching his reaction. Kyp almost wished his face could stay frozen in an impartial expression throughout their conversation. "Jaina is very attracted to you. She's already formed tight bonds with you."

"Where are you going with this?"

"You feel her pull, don't you? You know she's starting to rely on you. Can you deal with that? Can you cope with the fact that you might hold another life in your hands?" Nenetlya let her words sink in before adding, "You have no qualms with risking your life. You have more at stake now."

"I've pulled people out of fires before, Nenetlya," Kyp growled. Nenetlya was once again hitting one of the many sore spots in Kyp's heart.

"People you love?"

Kyp stared at Nenetlya. "They say you shouldn't fall in love with the wayward, Kyp. Don't fall for Jaina," Nenetlya insisted. "You will only bring yourselves heartache."

"Jaina and I don't have that type of relationship," Kyp stated matter-of-factly. Already sick of the subject of conversation, Kyp rose to his feet. His mind drifted back to his discussion with Jaina and her silent affirmation that this woman had made him the subject of their conversation. Force knows what Nenetlya had said there. "If, in the future, I ever decided to form a romantic liaison with Jaina, I would do it of my own free will, regardless of your warning. I don't know what you are, Nenetlya – telepath, fortune-teller – but while you're on my ship, you're just a passenger. While we're on this mission, you're just the objective. And beyond that, you may be our saviour and our Force-sent, but I rule my life. No one else."

Nenetlya immediately responded, "I don't mean to upset you, Master Durron."

"What you see is what you get," Kyp said. "I'm straightforward to the point of bluntness, Nenetlya. If I were upset, you would know it."

He turned and strode towards the door. He stopped mid-stride. "If you will excuse me, I think I've delayed attending to my ship too long."

~~

Kyp watched silently from the doorway as Jaina finally came around to reality. He had adjusted the lights to a minimum setting so as not to blind the young Solo. Jaina had been asleep for more than ten hours, which prompted Kyp to reevaluate his diagnosis. For a few anxious hours, he believed that the concussion was worse than he first predicted. Thankfully, he had now been proven wrong by Jaina's awakening.

Jaina groaned as she opened her eyes. She attempted to lift her right arm up to shield them, but winced in pain. She didn't bother to try again, obviously recalling the events that had put her in the sickbay.

"Kyp," she croaked dryly.

He smiled, and was somewhat startled that she had managed to feel his presence despite his light shielding. He approached her bed and poured a small portion of water from the jug into her cup. He bent over her, cupped her head gently, and encouraged her to sip the fluid. He made sure she didn't gulp it down too fast, thereby choking herself.

She nodded her head after a few sips, telling him she didn't need anymore. He placed the cup back on the side table, but did not stop supporting her head.

"So, there's still life in you yet, Solo," he said in greeting.

She smiled, still dazed from her long rest.

Carefully, he slid her further over the mattress until he had enough room to sit on the side of her bed without unintentionally squashing his patient.

"What happened?"

"After your dramatic performance, you mean?"

She nodded.

"I got us off the planet and into hyperspace. Two of the ships in orbit tried to follow, but they're no match for this baby. After that, I treated your wounds," he explained, restraining the urge to make a joke. "Oh, and then I shared a friendly conversation with Nenetlya."

"Why do you make it sound like she has a death wish?" Jaina chuckled.

Kyp laid his free hand on her chest. "Easy, easy," he said. "You have a concussion, your right shoulder is bandaged in bacta, and your left shoulder is dislocated."

"I have quite a knack for injuring myself, don't I?"

"It seems that way," Kyp replied. "I make it sound worse than it is, though."

"So, Nenetlya? Is she going to be a problem?" Jaina's head almost felt limp in his hand. Evidently, the fall had taken more out of her than she expected and she didn't have the energy to support herself.

"Well, she's just a bit strange. Maybe all those years on that planet have affected her mind."

"I hope we didn't come out here for—"

Kyp finished for her, "Nothing."

They both remained silent for a while. It was Kyp who eventually broke the silence. "Jaina, I don't think you recommended me because I'm reckless."

"I don't think I did either," she admitted quietly.

"Partners?" he said.

"Yeah," she whispered. "Partners."

"You want something to eat?" Kyp asked, tilting his head and giving her his best lop-sided grin.

She grinned and shook her head. "I've had enough of soup."

"Jaina, I don't just prepare soup."

"Well, aren't you quite the cook?"

~~

Jedi Master Kyp Durron's personal log, Captain of The Dauntless:

The woman, Nenetlya, and Lieutenant Jaina Solo were safely deposited on the Jedi base. The base's medical personnel have assured me that Jaina will recover from her injuries and return to active duty in a week. Nenetlya, meanwhile, will remain on the Jedi base to construct the weapon that will ensure the elimination of the Yuuzhan Vong. My impressions of Nenetlya are mixed. I have let Master Skywalker know of my reservations towards her, but I purposely failed to reveal the conversation I shared with her in regard to my relationship with Jaina.

I can't help but feel that in Nenetlya's words exists an ounce of truth. I have admitted to myself that Nenetlya struck a nerve. I thought I knew where I stood with Jaina. I thought I knew the meaning of the word partners and why we reaffirmed that relationship on the way back from the Unknown Regions. For a long time, I felt that I understood our love-hate relationship. By kissing her, I think I changed the nature of our relationship and our personal definition of the word "partners".

I don't expect to see Jaina or Nenetlya for some time. I've been assigned to work with one of the main New Republic taskforces on the front line.

I know where I'm supposed to go from here, but I'm left with a feeling of anticipation.

End log.

~~

Next up: Part III – Dead, Like You.

Summary: Jaina is brought back from the dead by a new Chiss healing device, but despite this miraculous feat, she soon finds herself feeling empty, disconnected from reality and never quite alive. As time progresses, the nightmare of her death begins to haunt her in her dreams.