Jag's clawcraft broke landed smoothly on the docking bay, the
eleven other crafts moving with him. As he went over his systems check, he
glanced up once in time to see his father standing at the edge of the platform.
Instantly he felt a twist of annoyance jab him, but quickly stifled the
emotion. Mouthing off wouldn't get him a commission back to Mon Cal. Of course,
at this rate nothing probably would.
Feet touching the durasteel ground, Jag nodded to the rest of his squad. Each
of them saluted him before turning to go inside. Instead of following, Jag
walked over to the tall figure at the edge of the bay. General Baron Soontir
Fel looked at his son, and Jag thought he saw a bit of muffled surprise at
their eyes being on the same level. His father nodded silently to him, his face
still blank.
"Welcome back to Csilla, Colonel Fel. I'm sure our return trip was uneventful."
The last bit, though some form of inquiry, was more a statement then anything
else.
The Baron turned on his heel, motioning for Jag to walk with him. A silent sigh
forming on his lips, Jag quickly stifled it to walk next to his father.
"Yes sir, it was."
There was a lengthy pause, in which the only sound was the boots hitting the
floor. They passed doors left and right, and a hallway here and there, then
they stopped in front of what Jag recognized as his father's office. Of course
it was because now he'd be hearing about his next mission, the mission that
would probably delay him further from returning to Jaina. The General sat
stiffly, though it was smooth enough to suggest that the man sitting was long
used to the predicament. Jag stood alert on the other side of the desk, facing
his father, hiding his agitation behind a bank expression.
"At ease, Colonel. Now, would you mind telling me why you haven't reported for
over six months?"
Jag's standing position changed, his thoughts were no less soothed. The reason
he hadn't reported in the last six months? How about that he didn't want to end
his time with the GFFA? Or that he didn't want to leave Jaina? Was that good
enough? No, of course not. It wouldn't be good enough because then his father
would flip about his being in love with a Solo. Realizing he was staring
absently into the wall behind his father's head, he quickly refocused his gaze.
"Sir, I refrained from sending a report because I felt it would be incomplete
if I sent it earlier. My observations would've been little more than
suggestions or views on a situation, unless you are considering the few
important battles we've engaged in."
Jag took a breath to go on, only to be stopped by his father's hand. "What do
you mean 'we', Jagged? There is no 'we'. You are not a part of the GFFA or the New Republic. You are not there to
lend your pilots and their skills toward another government's problem."
Knowing his chances of getting a court martial were growing higher with each
passing minute, Jag threw all caution to the winds and instead just spilled his
thoughts, not even first asking for permission to speak freely.
"Alright, Father, if that explanation didn't satisfy you, then perhaps one
similar to your own story with Mother will. I stayed, my squadron with me,
because I wanted to make sure no harm came to the woman I love."
If Jag had ever been asked when the first time he ever saw his father truly
shocked was, he would've had to say right then and there.
"Did you just say what I thought you said?" his father finally asked.
"Sir, yes sir."
Surprise drifted across his thoughts as he saw not anger, as he'd expected,
crawling across his father's face, but rather, happiness. The elder Fel stood
and walked around the desk, ignoring his slight limp as everyone else did, and clasped
his son in a hug.
"So who is she then?"
Jag raised an inquisitive eyebrow as his father led him out of the office once
more, now heading in the direction of his speeder. "You mean you're not going
to lecture me on falling in love with a piece of 'Rebel scum'?"
Soontir glanced over at his son's face, not exactly surprised by the question,
but slightly interested in the way it was phrased. It sounded like something
Han Solo would say. And nothing Han Solo would say or had effect on usually
turned out good.
"No, but the way you've phrased it has my attention piqued. Met Han Solo, have
you?"
Nodding, Jag inhaled deeply. Well, it was now or never. His father had asked
who he loved and even the answer of 'Jaina' would lead him to the obvious conclusion
of Jaina Solo. Han Solo's oldest and only daughter. An heir to the Solo name
and all that came with it in his father's estimation. Releasing his breath, Jag
heaved a sigh.
"Jaina. Jaina Solo."
