Strong Enough
Chapter 16
Kyp was waiting on the Flight Deck the next morning when Zekk and Jaina, leading the Twin Suns Squadron, stepped out, fresh from their briefing. Jaina's face was an emotionless mask, the aloof figure of a Goddess among mortals. Just what she needed to be when putting such a close group of people's lives at risk. People who'd saved her lives more times to count.
He waited in the middle of the desk until Jaina nodded to her squad. "You know the plan. To your fighters, and may the Force be with you."
They scattered, Zekk staying behind as Kyp shook his head fractionally. This was between the three of them. They waited until the sounds of the active deck were loud enough to drown out any conversations they might have and Kyp spoke first. "I'm coming with you."
Jaina's eyes remained focused on his face, but she was shaking her head before he'd said anything. "You're too weak Durron. You'd be more of a danger than a help - much as I want you along."
Zekk eyed Kyp carefully. "Don't count him out yet, goddess," he said unexpectedly.
She turned her head, but her eyes never left Kyp's face. "What do you mean?"
Zekk nodded beyond Kyp, but Jaina didn't see the move. "I get the feeling it won't just be him coming along."
Jaina's eyes widened as she focused on the small figure walking towards her steadily. Tahiri held a helmet in each hand, her stance firm as she stopped a few feet away. Jaina could feel the Force, the despair carefully controlled, coming off her in waves. She turned to look at Kyp again. "I am not giving her the chance to kill herself."
Kyp smiled wryly. "Funny, that's what I said to her when she asked this morning."
"Then what is she doing here and why can she use the Force again?"
"I can answer that one, Master Durron," Tahiri said, her voice calm as she stepped closer to stop at Kyp's side. He motioned for her to go ahead.
Tahiri looked straight at Jaina, her eyes boring into the other woman's head until they made eye contact. Jaina, if she hadn't been as strong, would have taken a step backwards at the determination in the stormy gaze. Tahiri was coming, with or without consent.
"Explain yourself, Tahiri."
Tahiri smiled a faint smile and Jaina's eyes widened. That was unexpected. "I know what you and Kyp have been trying to do for me. I realize I haven't been the most avid of pupils, but I am your apprentice. Both of you. I'm Kyp's because he knows what it is to be a dark Jedi and to fall. He knows what it is to pull someone back from the brink. I'm your apprentice because Master Skywalker believes making me face my grief and accept it will make me a stronger person. A stronger Jedi. It's what losing Jacen and Ana... Anakin did to you. Losing your brothers made you face your fears."
Tahiri paused and looked across the flight desk at the fighters preparing for launch. "This is where Anakin would want to be if he was here today. This is where I feel closest to him." She turned back to look at Jaina and smiled a real smile that was tinted with sadness. "I haven't given you a chance to help me, Jaina. Not a real one. Kyp made me face some things about myself that I have managed to hide with the Force. Not anymore. You... you can teach me in your element. But I can't learn if you won't let me try. If you won't teach me, help me, the way Anakin would want you too. Please. Let us help."
Jaina looked back to Kyp, fighting to find some reason why she shouldn't let them come, but knowing it was futile. If she didn't, they'd follow on their own. If she did, she'd be two pilots heavy, but stronger for it. Or would they? She stretched out with the Force for Kyp's presence. It was there, as always, determined and strong, yet ultimately weakened by the prolonged suppression of Tahiri's Force Powers. Would he be a hindrance in this?
As if reading her mind, and he probably was, Kyp chuckled. "If you let Tahiri go, there's no way I'm staying behind Goddess. You have your wingman, she'll need one too."
"Kyp..."
He shook his head. "We're both coming. I'd get to your ship, Goddess, or the Twin Suns just might leave without you."
She glared at him once. "You and I are having words when we get back, Durron."
He winked at her. "More than a few, I should think. Be safe."
She looked at Zekk. "You're still my wing. Remember our job."
"As if I could forget." He waved her away towards the end of the deck before grabbing Tahiri in a tight hug. "Glad you're coming with us."
She hugged him back. "Keep her safe."
Zekk smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Always. Watch his back."
Tahiri nodded. "I promise. May the Force be with you Zekk. And thank you." She pulled away, running towards the ship Kyp had 'acquired' for her and vaulted to the cockpit.
Zekk and Kyp shared an understanding look before heading towards their own fighters. Both would watch out for their wingmen and both would bring them home safely. There was no other acceptable option.
Jaina checked the blanket of stars around her visually before checking her instruments again. They were in the right place, but where were the supposed refugees? Blackness stared back at her, the glittering light of reflected stars refracting off the canopies of the rest of the Twin Suns squadron and their backup, the Twister squadron.
She flipped her communications to a wide band signal, "This is Jaina Solo of the New Republic squadron Twin Suns to any ships in the area. Please respond."
There was silence on the communication band, and Kyp broke in after a few moments. "Doesn't look like there's anyone out here, Goddess and I don't sense anything."
"Maybe we're early." Offered Tahiri, an edge of skepticism in her voice.
Jaina looked around again before pointing the nose of her fighter towards the Coruscant system. "We're either early, or maybe the refugee ships need our help. All ships come to bearing 075 and increase your speed. We have to find those ships. Spread out to search pattern Zeta and keep your radio communications to a minimum. We never know whose listening."
Her squadron radioed in one after another before splitting off into wing pairs. Kyp and Tahiri formed up behind her and Zekk, and her communications panel began to blink with messages on a private channel. She smiled faintly before changing over. "You have something to say Durron?"
"If you'll indulge me, goddess."
"Be quick, we have people to find."
"It feels like a trap. I don't think it's wise to separate the squadron."
"You question me?"
"I simply wish to offer my insight on the matter. I mean no disrespect."
"It's noted, but we don't have the time to waste with speculation. If we find no one in twenty minutes, we're jumping back to the battle group."
"Goddess."
Jaina's lips twisted into a grin. Zekk sounded very uncomfortable using her title. "Yes, Zekk?"
"I have to agree with Kyp, much as I hate admitting it. We should stick together if anything should happen."
"Do either of you know what the Zeta pattern is?" she asked, her voice holding an amused note.
Kyp answered first. "It's touch and go. You start from one point and spread out from there."
Zekk's was slower to follow, "I think it's when you start from a point but have to return to it eventually."
Jaina laughed; she couldn't help it. "You're both right. Zeta, in the Twin Suns, is a touch and go. Every ten minutes you return to the squadron leader before flying off in a new direction. By doing only one sweep of each wing in every direction, we cover enough ground to say if the transport is here or not. We modified it before we left, you must have missed that part of the briefing, Zekk."
"I must have. Apologies goddess." He sounded chastised.
"Accepted. Now, Durron, take your wingman, your sweep is going to be seven minutes instead of ten. Report back when seven is up."
"Yes ma'am." He wheeled his ship away, a silent Tahiri on his six.
Jaina watched him go before turning to her scanners and calling up the bearings of her squadron. Zekk was silent for long moments but she could tell something was on his mind. "What is it, two?"
He didn't say anything at first and Jaina reached out to nudge him with the Force. "Zekk?"
"I have a bad feeling about this." Came his soft response. "Something just isn't... I can't explain it."
Jaina felt a trickle of unease begin in her stomach and checked her scanners again. Still nothing but her own squadron. She closed her eyes, stretching out to the Force and made herself to relax. If Zekk was anxious, it couldn't be good.
She carefully submerged herself into the main stream of the powers and felt the life forces of her squad mates. She could feel the Force in Tahiri, Zekk and Kyp. She could feel the space expanding, a feeling of imminent action. Something was coming, but it wasn't the Yuuzhan Vong.
Her eyes flew open and she hit her communications, "Twin Suns and Twister, this is Goddess, get out of the system, now!"
"Wha...?"
"No chatter." She snapped, unable to identify the speaker as she swung her ship around towards the hyperspace exit point. "This is a direct order. Proceed to the hyperspace exit point and jump as soon as you have the calculations. Do it and do it fast. Anybody not out of here in five minutes will be left behind."
The ships in her squadron did an abrupt about-face maneuver and she watched them head towards the jump point. Twister jumped before any of the Suns, making a clean get away. Even as she watched, she knew that she and Zekk were outside the 5 minute mark. They were going to be left behind to fend for themselves and whatever was coming wasn't going to go easy on them.
Kyp and Tahiri were nearing the jump point when a feeling of unease settled over him. Something was wrong with Jaina. "Goddess?"
"Take them home Kyp. We'll buy you time."
He felt as if she'd sucker punched him. "What? No, we're not leaving without you."
"Don't make me order you, Durron." She came back softly. "Do it, they don't deserve to die here."
"Bu..."
"That's an order, Durron. Take the Twin Suns back to base. You have fifteen seconds before this place becomes hell."
Kyp was about to answer when Tahiri's voice broke through. "As you wish, Goddess. You heard the almighty one, we jump back to base on Kyp's order."
There were several clicks over the communications channels and Kyp swallowed the bile that was rising in the back of his throat. She couldn't stay here, but he knew she was too far away to jump out of the system safely. At least, jump back to base safely. "See you back at base, Goddess." He told her calmly, "If you're later than 03:00 I'll have your rank."
She didn't respond, but then, Kyp hadn't expected her too. She couldn't declare her feelings for him over an open channel. Much as either of them wanted to. He flipped the channel open again. "Mark. We jump in 3... 2... 1... Now."
The ships of the squadron shot into hyperspace just as a fleet of massive ships, their origin unknown, entered the system.
Jaina opened her communications channel as Kyp and the other disappeared. "We're on our own, Zekk. Link your Artoo unit to mine and we'll see about getting out of here."
He didn't say anything, simply did as she asked, the information scrolling across her screen. Even as she received the data, she was hailed by the alien ships.
"Unidentified craft, this is Niz'wan'zu. You will surrender and be taken into custody. Your machines will be-"
She clicked the channel off. Whatever they were, they looked like Yuuzhan Vong, or perhaps a new sect of Vong, and she wanted nothing to do with them. A swarm of objects, too far away to see clearly, but close enough to identify as fighters of an unknown sort, rocketed towards them.
Jaina pulled her X-Wing into a steep upward climb, hitting the throttle and speeding away from the oncoming ships, Zekk on her wing. His voice crackled over their private channel. "Any bright ideas here, Solo?"
"I'm working on it. Just stick with me."
"That will be the least of your worries."
"Don't remind me," she muttered.
They were far enough away from the strange ships that Jaina quickly ran through all of the points they could possible jump to. The fleet blocked their escape back to base and any points in that direction. They'd have to fly through a fighter screen if they wanted to head to their secondary escape route and the third held a quasar star that was likely to pull them in if they jumped anywhere near it. She swallowed hard.
That left only one option and, even as she punched in the coordinates, a chill settled over her. The last and only option was likely to get them both killed. With a heavy heart she opened herself to the Force and fed the numbers to Zekk's Artoo unit.
She felt his shock of surprise, but before he could question her, flipped open her comm.. "We jump in 2... 1... Now!"
Zekk followed her into hyperspace, a feeling of dread falling over him as they left the strange ships behind.
Coruscant. He only hoped Jaina knew what she was doing.
Kyp killed the engine on his X-Wing, staring forward into space as the other ships settled to the flight deck around him. Yet he was oblivious. Jaina was gone, had ordered him out - of all things - and now she was probably fighting for her life with Zekk. He closed his eyes briefly. Zekk would take care of her, would sacrifice himself so that Jaina could get away, but that was little comfort to the Jedi Master. The raw power of the Force was at his fingertips, and he was powerless to help her. Again.
A tap on his X-Wing canopy brought his head up and Tahiri's impassive face stared back at him. He offered her a smile and slowly pulled his emotions together from their fragmented thoughts. He popped the cockpit.
"I'm sorry," Tahiri told him softly, her own emotions scrambled.
Kyp felt warring guilt and relief within her, and it wasn't hard to figure out why. A part of him hated her in that instant for being relieved that Jaina was gone. He hid it well. "She'll come back," Kyp assured her, partly just to annoy the young woman, "Zekk and Jaina know how to take care of themselves. They'll come back, you'll see."
Tahiri shrugged. "Some of the pilots are talking a rescue mission. Don't we have to be debriefed or something?"
"They do, we weren't supposed to be on the mission."
Tahiri looked at him impassively.
Kyp pulled himself out of the cockpit, leaving his helmet on the seat and she moved away so he could get out.
Tahiri dropped to the deck and waited until Kyp hit the ground. "Supposed to or not, shouldn't we let them know what's happening?"
Kyp looked down at the young woman. "Do you even care about the fact that Jaina and Zekk, [i]your best friend[/i], are stuck out there with Force knows what?"
The look of pain that flashed across her eyes told Kyp he'd managed to hit a nerve. Remorse stabbed through him
, but he didn't let off. Tahiri needed to acknowledge the fact that there was more to life than death, fear and pain. Trust, worry, love and friendship. Hope was essential. Something she couldn't seem to see, and didn't seem to look for.
Kyp took her by the shoulders and shook her once. "Do you care about anything?" he demanded softly. "Anything besides what you're feeling and what you're thinking? Do you care that there are other people in as much pain as you, even though they can hide it better?"
She tore away from him, her eyes glazed with tears. "I thought you cared," she murmured brokenly before fleeing the flight deck.
Kyp watched her go before turning away closing his eyes. He hurt, he was exhausted and now he had another fence to mend before Tahiri would trust him again. He shook his head, his shoulders dropping fractionally as if a great weight was bearing him down. Jaina could take care of herself, he told himself silently, but Tahiri needed him. One problem at a time.
Taking a deep breath he squared himself once more and started off after Tahiri. She needed him, as did Jaina, but one was beyond his reach. The other was fragile enough that if he didn't do anything, she'd be beyond his reach soon. He couldn't allow that after Luke had charged him with Tahiri's wellbeing. He couldn't fail. His pace increased as he headed towards her quarters. He had to speak with her. Now.
Her door was closed when he arrived and he didn't bother knocking, simply walked right in and found her sobbing softly on her bed. Her room was orderly, the destructive urges that followed her grief seeming to have been absent.
"Tahiri."
She froze, her head coming up as she wiped away the tears but didn't look at him. "What."
"I'm sorry."
She jerked, not having expected the apology. "For what?"
Kyp sighed. "I shouldn't be taking my feelings out on you, you've only started to heal. It's not right."
She pushed herself up on her elbows, her head bent towards her chest. "I'm sorry too." Was her whispered reply.
Kyp settled onto the bed next to her and gently placed a hand on her head, stroking her hair a couple of times. "You don't have to be. You've had a rough time and I know you care about Zekk. I shouldn't have accused you otherwise."
She turned as he pulled his hand away and looked at him seriously. "Why did you?"
"You know why."
Tahiri sat up on her bed and pulled away, putting her back to the wall and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Because of Jaina. You've been helping me so much, and because of that, you can't help her."
Kyp nodded once.
Tahiri settled her chin on her knees. "I'm sorry you can't help her because of me."
"Zekk can help her."
Tahiri closed her eyes. "What if he dies?" she asked in a small voice.
"Do you think he will?"
"I don't know."
Kyp placed a hand on hers where they were folded across her legs. "Do you trust him?"
She nodded mutely.
"Then trust that he'll come back. You have to believe that if nothing else."
"Anakin didn't."
Kyp squeezed her hands gently. "Anakin has never left you, Tahiri. He became one with the Force and the Force won't ever leave you. It can't."
Her eyes opened slowly, the rage having dulled to an ache of pain and loss. A Loss she would never be completely over. "I wish I could believe you, Kyp, you've done so much..."
Kyp stood. "I need to rest and so do you. Maybe, just maybe, Zekk and Jaina will be back by the time we wake up."
Tahiri watched him leave without a word. Much as she wanted to believe him, to do as he said, she couldn't. Until Zekk was back safe on the cruiser, she wouldn't sleep a wink.
Kyp knocked on Tahiri's door the next morning after having the best night's sleep he'd had since she'd come on board. Rested, he could finally think and act to his full abilities. Yet, even as he knocked a feeling of dread settled over him. Tahiri wouldn't be behind the door when he opened it and, knowing it was futile, he headed for the flight deck.
He stopped before stepping onto it, seeing that he was already too late. Tahiri was gone and so was the [i]Lightning Rod[/i]. She'd gone after Jaina and Zekk. With a soft curse, he headed for his fighter and the unknown beyond. The Coruscant system and, hopefully, the other three Jedi. Yet, even as he cycled through the pre-flight sequence, Kyp knew it was futile. Jaina and Zekk would not have stayed in the system longer than they had too.
Even so, he launched and set the coordinates. He knew that's where Tahiri would go and, exact or not, he had to try and save her from herself. Jaina and Zekk would find their way home without help; he had to believe that or risk going crazy.
Chapter 16
Kyp was waiting on the Flight Deck the next morning when Zekk and Jaina, leading the Twin Suns Squadron, stepped out, fresh from their briefing. Jaina's face was an emotionless mask, the aloof figure of a Goddess among mortals. Just what she needed to be when putting such a close group of people's lives at risk. People who'd saved her lives more times to count.
He waited in the middle of the desk until Jaina nodded to her squad. "You know the plan. To your fighters, and may the Force be with you."
They scattered, Zekk staying behind as Kyp shook his head fractionally. This was between the three of them. They waited until the sounds of the active deck were loud enough to drown out any conversations they might have and Kyp spoke first. "I'm coming with you."
Jaina's eyes remained focused on his face, but she was shaking her head before he'd said anything. "You're too weak Durron. You'd be more of a danger than a help - much as I want you along."
Zekk eyed Kyp carefully. "Don't count him out yet, goddess," he said unexpectedly.
She turned her head, but her eyes never left Kyp's face. "What do you mean?"
Zekk nodded beyond Kyp, but Jaina didn't see the move. "I get the feeling it won't just be him coming along."
Jaina's eyes widened as she focused on the small figure walking towards her steadily. Tahiri held a helmet in each hand, her stance firm as she stopped a few feet away. Jaina could feel the Force, the despair carefully controlled, coming off her in waves. She turned to look at Kyp again. "I am not giving her the chance to kill herself."
Kyp smiled wryly. "Funny, that's what I said to her when she asked this morning."
"Then what is she doing here and why can she use the Force again?"
"I can answer that one, Master Durron," Tahiri said, her voice calm as she stepped closer to stop at Kyp's side. He motioned for her to go ahead.
Tahiri looked straight at Jaina, her eyes boring into the other woman's head until they made eye contact. Jaina, if she hadn't been as strong, would have taken a step backwards at the determination in the stormy gaze. Tahiri was coming, with or without consent.
"Explain yourself, Tahiri."
Tahiri smiled a faint smile and Jaina's eyes widened. That was unexpected. "I know what you and Kyp have been trying to do for me. I realize I haven't been the most avid of pupils, but I am your apprentice. Both of you. I'm Kyp's because he knows what it is to be a dark Jedi and to fall. He knows what it is to pull someone back from the brink. I'm your apprentice because Master Skywalker believes making me face my grief and accept it will make me a stronger person. A stronger Jedi. It's what losing Jacen and Ana... Anakin did to you. Losing your brothers made you face your fears."
Tahiri paused and looked across the flight desk at the fighters preparing for launch. "This is where Anakin would want to be if he was here today. This is where I feel closest to him." She turned back to look at Jaina and smiled a real smile that was tinted with sadness. "I haven't given you a chance to help me, Jaina. Not a real one. Kyp made me face some things about myself that I have managed to hide with the Force. Not anymore. You... you can teach me in your element. But I can't learn if you won't let me try. If you won't teach me, help me, the way Anakin would want you too. Please. Let us help."
Jaina looked back to Kyp, fighting to find some reason why she shouldn't let them come, but knowing it was futile. If she didn't, they'd follow on their own. If she did, she'd be two pilots heavy, but stronger for it. Or would they? She stretched out with the Force for Kyp's presence. It was there, as always, determined and strong, yet ultimately weakened by the prolonged suppression of Tahiri's Force Powers. Would he be a hindrance in this?
As if reading her mind, and he probably was, Kyp chuckled. "If you let Tahiri go, there's no way I'm staying behind Goddess. You have your wingman, she'll need one too."
"Kyp..."
He shook his head. "We're both coming. I'd get to your ship, Goddess, or the Twin Suns just might leave without you."
She glared at him once. "You and I are having words when we get back, Durron."
He winked at her. "More than a few, I should think. Be safe."
She looked at Zekk. "You're still my wing. Remember our job."
"As if I could forget." He waved her away towards the end of the deck before grabbing Tahiri in a tight hug. "Glad you're coming with us."
She hugged him back. "Keep her safe."
Zekk smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Always. Watch his back."
Tahiri nodded. "I promise. May the Force be with you Zekk. And thank you." She pulled away, running towards the ship Kyp had 'acquired' for her and vaulted to the cockpit.
Zekk and Kyp shared an understanding look before heading towards their own fighters. Both would watch out for their wingmen and both would bring them home safely. There was no other acceptable option.
Jaina checked the blanket of stars around her visually before checking her instruments again. They were in the right place, but where were the supposed refugees? Blackness stared back at her, the glittering light of reflected stars refracting off the canopies of the rest of the Twin Suns squadron and their backup, the Twister squadron.
She flipped her communications to a wide band signal, "This is Jaina Solo of the New Republic squadron Twin Suns to any ships in the area. Please respond."
There was silence on the communication band, and Kyp broke in after a few moments. "Doesn't look like there's anyone out here, Goddess and I don't sense anything."
"Maybe we're early." Offered Tahiri, an edge of skepticism in her voice.
Jaina looked around again before pointing the nose of her fighter towards the Coruscant system. "We're either early, or maybe the refugee ships need our help. All ships come to bearing 075 and increase your speed. We have to find those ships. Spread out to search pattern Zeta and keep your radio communications to a minimum. We never know whose listening."
Her squadron radioed in one after another before splitting off into wing pairs. Kyp and Tahiri formed up behind her and Zekk, and her communications panel began to blink with messages on a private channel. She smiled faintly before changing over. "You have something to say Durron?"
"If you'll indulge me, goddess."
"Be quick, we have people to find."
"It feels like a trap. I don't think it's wise to separate the squadron."
"You question me?"
"I simply wish to offer my insight on the matter. I mean no disrespect."
"It's noted, but we don't have the time to waste with speculation. If we find no one in twenty minutes, we're jumping back to the battle group."
"Goddess."
Jaina's lips twisted into a grin. Zekk sounded very uncomfortable using her title. "Yes, Zekk?"
"I have to agree with Kyp, much as I hate admitting it. We should stick together if anything should happen."
"Do either of you know what the Zeta pattern is?" she asked, her voice holding an amused note.
Kyp answered first. "It's touch and go. You start from one point and spread out from there."
Zekk's was slower to follow, "I think it's when you start from a point but have to return to it eventually."
Jaina laughed; she couldn't help it. "You're both right. Zeta, in the Twin Suns, is a touch and go. Every ten minutes you return to the squadron leader before flying off in a new direction. By doing only one sweep of each wing in every direction, we cover enough ground to say if the transport is here or not. We modified it before we left, you must have missed that part of the briefing, Zekk."
"I must have. Apologies goddess." He sounded chastised.
"Accepted. Now, Durron, take your wingman, your sweep is going to be seven minutes instead of ten. Report back when seven is up."
"Yes ma'am." He wheeled his ship away, a silent Tahiri on his six.
Jaina watched him go before turning to her scanners and calling up the bearings of her squadron. Zekk was silent for long moments but she could tell something was on his mind. "What is it, two?"
He didn't say anything at first and Jaina reached out to nudge him with the Force. "Zekk?"
"I have a bad feeling about this." Came his soft response. "Something just isn't... I can't explain it."
Jaina felt a trickle of unease begin in her stomach and checked her scanners again. Still nothing but her own squadron. She closed her eyes, stretching out to the Force and made herself to relax. If Zekk was anxious, it couldn't be good.
She carefully submerged herself into the main stream of the powers and felt the life forces of her squad mates. She could feel the Force in Tahiri, Zekk and Kyp. She could feel the space expanding, a feeling of imminent action. Something was coming, but it wasn't the Yuuzhan Vong.
Her eyes flew open and she hit her communications, "Twin Suns and Twister, this is Goddess, get out of the system, now!"
"Wha...?"
"No chatter." She snapped, unable to identify the speaker as she swung her ship around towards the hyperspace exit point. "This is a direct order. Proceed to the hyperspace exit point and jump as soon as you have the calculations. Do it and do it fast. Anybody not out of here in five minutes will be left behind."
The ships in her squadron did an abrupt about-face maneuver and she watched them head towards the jump point. Twister jumped before any of the Suns, making a clean get away. Even as she watched, she knew that she and Zekk were outside the 5 minute mark. They were going to be left behind to fend for themselves and whatever was coming wasn't going to go easy on them.
Kyp and Tahiri were nearing the jump point when a feeling of unease settled over him. Something was wrong with Jaina. "Goddess?"
"Take them home Kyp. We'll buy you time."
He felt as if she'd sucker punched him. "What? No, we're not leaving without you."
"Don't make me order you, Durron." She came back softly. "Do it, they don't deserve to die here."
"Bu..."
"That's an order, Durron. Take the Twin Suns back to base. You have fifteen seconds before this place becomes hell."
Kyp was about to answer when Tahiri's voice broke through. "As you wish, Goddess. You heard the almighty one, we jump back to base on Kyp's order."
There were several clicks over the communications channels and Kyp swallowed the bile that was rising in the back of his throat. She couldn't stay here, but he knew she was too far away to jump out of the system safely. At least, jump back to base safely. "See you back at base, Goddess." He told her calmly, "If you're later than 03:00 I'll have your rank."
She didn't respond, but then, Kyp hadn't expected her too. She couldn't declare her feelings for him over an open channel. Much as either of them wanted to. He flipped the channel open again. "Mark. We jump in 3... 2... 1... Now."
The ships of the squadron shot into hyperspace just as a fleet of massive ships, their origin unknown, entered the system.
Jaina opened her communications channel as Kyp and the other disappeared. "We're on our own, Zekk. Link your Artoo unit to mine and we'll see about getting out of here."
He didn't say anything, simply did as she asked, the information scrolling across her screen. Even as she received the data, she was hailed by the alien ships.
"Unidentified craft, this is Niz'wan'zu. You will surrender and be taken into custody. Your machines will be-"
She clicked the channel off. Whatever they were, they looked like Yuuzhan Vong, or perhaps a new sect of Vong, and she wanted nothing to do with them. A swarm of objects, too far away to see clearly, but close enough to identify as fighters of an unknown sort, rocketed towards them.
Jaina pulled her X-Wing into a steep upward climb, hitting the throttle and speeding away from the oncoming ships, Zekk on her wing. His voice crackled over their private channel. "Any bright ideas here, Solo?"
"I'm working on it. Just stick with me."
"That will be the least of your worries."
"Don't remind me," she muttered.
They were far enough away from the strange ships that Jaina quickly ran through all of the points they could possible jump to. The fleet blocked their escape back to base and any points in that direction. They'd have to fly through a fighter screen if they wanted to head to their secondary escape route and the third held a quasar star that was likely to pull them in if they jumped anywhere near it. She swallowed hard.
That left only one option and, even as she punched in the coordinates, a chill settled over her. The last and only option was likely to get them both killed. With a heavy heart she opened herself to the Force and fed the numbers to Zekk's Artoo unit.
She felt his shock of surprise, but before he could question her, flipped open her comm.. "We jump in 2... 1... Now!"
Zekk followed her into hyperspace, a feeling of dread falling over him as they left the strange ships behind.
Coruscant. He only hoped Jaina knew what she was doing.
Kyp killed the engine on his X-Wing, staring forward into space as the other ships settled to the flight deck around him. Yet he was oblivious. Jaina was gone, had ordered him out - of all things - and now she was probably fighting for her life with Zekk. He closed his eyes briefly. Zekk would take care of her, would sacrifice himself so that Jaina could get away, but that was little comfort to the Jedi Master. The raw power of the Force was at his fingertips, and he was powerless to help her. Again.
A tap on his X-Wing canopy brought his head up and Tahiri's impassive face stared back at him. He offered her a smile and slowly pulled his emotions together from their fragmented thoughts. He popped the cockpit.
"I'm sorry," Tahiri told him softly, her own emotions scrambled.
Kyp felt warring guilt and relief within her, and it wasn't hard to figure out why. A part of him hated her in that instant for being relieved that Jaina was gone. He hid it well. "She'll come back," Kyp assured her, partly just to annoy the young woman, "Zekk and Jaina know how to take care of themselves. They'll come back, you'll see."
Tahiri shrugged. "Some of the pilots are talking a rescue mission. Don't we have to be debriefed or something?"
"They do, we weren't supposed to be on the mission."
Tahiri looked at him impassively.
Kyp pulled himself out of the cockpit, leaving his helmet on the seat and she moved away so he could get out.
Tahiri dropped to the deck and waited until Kyp hit the ground. "Supposed to or not, shouldn't we let them know what's happening?"
Kyp looked down at the young woman. "Do you even care about the fact that Jaina and Zekk, [i]your best friend[/i], are stuck out there with Force knows what?"
The look of pain that flashed across her eyes told Kyp he'd managed to hit a nerve. Remorse stabbed through him
, but he didn't let off. Tahiri needed to acknowledge the fact that there was more to life than death, fear and pain. Trust, worry, love and friendship. Hope was essential. Something she couldn't seem to see, and didn't seem to look for.
Kyp took her by the shoulders and shook her once. "Do you care about anything?" he demanded softly. "Anything besides what you're feeling and what you're thinking? Do you care that there are other people in as much pain as you, even though they can hide it better?"
She tore away from him, her eyes glazed with tears. "I thought you cared," she murmured brokenly before fleeing the flight deck.
Kyp watched her go before turning away closing his eyes. He hurt, he was exhausted and now he had another fence to mend before Tahiri would trust him again. He shook his head, his shoulders dropping fractionally as if a great weight was bearing him down. Jaina could take care of herself, he told himself silently, but Tahiri needed him. One problem at a time.
Taking a deep breath he squared himself once more and started off after Tahiri. She needed him, as did Jaina, but one was beyond his reach. The other was fragile enough that if he didn't do anything, she'd be beyond his reach soon. He couldn't allow that after Luke had charged him with Tahiri's wellbeing. He couldn't fail. His pace increased as he headed towards her quarters. He had to speak with her. Now.
Her door was closed when he arrived and he didn't bother knocking, simply walked right in and found her sobbing softly on her bed. Her room was orderly, the destructive urges that followed her grief seeming to have been absent.
"Tahiri."
She froze, her head coming up as she wiped away the tears but didn't look at him. "What."
"I'm sorry."
She jerked, not having expected the apology. "For what?"
Kyp sighed. "I shouldn't be taking my feelings out on you, you've only started to heal. It's not right."
She pushed herself up on her elbows, her head bent towards her chest. "I'm sorry too." Was her whispered reply.
Kyp settled onto the bed next to her and gently placed a hand on her head, stroking her hair a couple of times. "You don't have to be. You've had a rough time and I know you care about Zekk. I shouldn't have accused you otherwise."
She turned as he pulled his hand away and looked at him seriously. "Why did you?"
"You know why."
Tahiri sat up on her bed and pulled away, putting her back to the wall and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Because of Jaina. You've been helping me so much, and because of that, you can't help her."
Kyp nodded once.
Tahiri settled her chin on her knees. "I'm sorry you can't help her because of me."
"Zekk can help her."
Tahiri closed her eyes. "What if he dies?" she asked in a small voice.
"Do you think he will?"
"I don't know."
Kyp placed a hand on hers where they were folded across her legs. "Do you trust him?"
She nodded mutely.
"Then trust that he'll come back. You have to believe that if nothing else."
"Anakin didn't."
Kyp squeezed her hands gently. "Anakin has never left you, Tahiri. He became one with the Force and the Force won't ever leave you. It can't."
Her eyes opened slowly, the rage having dulled to an ache of pain and loss. A Loss she would never be completely over. "I wish I could believe you, Kyp, you've done so much..."
Kyp stood. "I need to rest and so do you. Maybe, just maybe, Zekk and Jaina will be back by the time we wake up."
Tahiri watched him leave without a word. Much as she wanted to believe him, to do as he said, she couldn't. Until Zekk was back safe on the cruiser, she wouldn't sleep a wink.
Kyp knocked on Tahiri's door the next morning after having the best night's sleep he'd had since she'd come on board. Rested, he could finally think and act to his full abilities. Yet, even as he knocked a feeling of dread settled over him. Tahiri wouldn't be behind the door when he opened it and, knowing it was futile, he headed for the flight deck.
He stopped before stepping onto it, seeing that he was already too late. Tahiri was gone and so was the [i]Lightning Rod[/i]. She'd gone after Jaina and Zekk. With a soft curse, he headed for his fighter and the unknown beyond. The Coruscant system and, hopefully, the other three Jedi. Yet, even as he cycled through the pre-flight sequence, Kyp knew it was futile. Jaina and Zekk would not have stayed in the system longer than they had too.
Even so, he launched and set the coordinates. He knew that's where Tahiri would go and, exact or not, he had to try and save her from herself. Jaina and Zekk would find their way home without help; he had to believe that or risk going crazy.