In the early morning, before most of the Jedi students had woke up, Jacen
and his companion, the warrior woman and Hapan princess Tenel Ka, sparred
in a clearing near the Jedi Academy, looking for the answer to what Jacen
percieved to be one of the more perplexing dilemmas he had faced in a long
time.
Tenel Ka seemed totally unruffled by his comments, but Jacen didn't think that it might be because she wasn't worried about his sister. Tenel Ka rarely showed what she was thinking, a trait that Jacen often found annoying when he was attempting to decide how much she cared for him. Her impassive mask gave him no clues as to whether or not she would be pleased if her told her how much he truly thought about her.
Flipping her red warrior braids over her shoulder, she brought her lightsaber up to block Jacen's attack with her serious expression firmly in place.
"It seems likely that Jaina's currently increased state of distress has stemmed from Master Skywalker's hints of an upcoming mission for which we are to be assigned." She said.
Jacen looked doubtful. "It may be connected to that, but I don't think that's what's at the core of the problem."
"What is, if not that?"
Tenel Ka brought her turquoise blade around in a viscious slash, aiming for the side of his head. He brought his lightsaber up and around to block her blow, then slashed downwards in an attack that would have cut into her side if she had not blocked it.
"I think," the young Solo said, blocking yet another viscious attack, "that Jaina's still upset," his blade came close to slashing her legs out from under her, but she jumped and delivered a kick that hit him in the chest, pushing the air from his lungs and sending him stumbling back a few meters. "about Zekk." He said, gasping. Then he grinned sheepishly.
"I should've seen that coming." He said. "I wasn't paying attention."
Tenel Ka nodded.
"Fact." She said, then launched into another shower of attacks that would confuse any ordinary opponent. Jacen was a Jedi in training and far from ordinary. While defending against her rapid attacks, he managed to say, "Jaina still blames herself for Zekk's fall to the Darkside. And she blames herself for not succeeding in turning him back when he led the Shadow Academy's attack on Yavin 4. She thinks she should have done something more, or stopped him from escaping or something." He looked exhasperated.
Tenel was now on defense. "There was nothing more she could have done." The warrior woman said. "Zekk escaped."
Jacen sighed, "And has successfully managed to disappear from the New Republic security forces and the Jedi"
"This is a fact." Tenel Ka said. "It is also a fact that you will never find out exactly what is troubling your sister until you talk to her."
Jacen sighed. "I tried. She won't talk to me." He said.
Tenel Ka raised one red-gold eyebrow. "Then," she said gravely. "You must try harder."
Jacen shook his head and backed away from Tenel Ka, shutting off his lightsaber as he did so. "It's getting pretty late, we'd better head back."
Tenel Ka seemed totally unruffled by his comments, but Jacen didn't think that it might be because she wasn't worried about his sister. Tenel Ka rarely showed what she was thinking, a trait that Jacen often found annoying when he was attempting to decide how much she cared for him. Her impassive mask gave him no clues as to whether or not she would be pleased if her told her how much he truly thought about her.
Flipping her red warrior braids over her shoulder, she brought her lightsaber up to block Jacen's attack with her serious expression firmly in place.
"It seems likely that Jaina's currently increased state of distress has stemmed from Master Skywalker's hints of an upcoming mission for which we are to be assigned." She said.
Jacen looked doubtful. "It may be connected to that, but I don't think that's what's at the core of the problem."
"What is, if not that?"
Tenel Ka brought her turquoise blade around in a viscious slash, aiming for the side of his head. He brought his lightsaber up and around to block her blow, then slashed downwards in an attack that would have cut into her side if she had not blocked it.
"I think," the young Solo said, blocking yet another viscious attack, "that Jaina's still upset," his blade came close to slashing her legs out from under her, but she jumped and delivered a kick that hit him in the chest, pushing the air from his lungs and sending him stumbling back a few meters. "about Zekk." He said, gasping. Then he grinned sheepishly.
"I should've seen that coming." He said. "I wasn't paying attention."
Tenel Ka nodded.
"Fact." She said, then launched into another shower of attacks that would confuse any ordinary opponent. Jacen was a Jedi in training and far from ordinary. While defending against her rapid attacks, he managed to say, "Jaina still blames herself for Zekk's fall to the Darkside. And she blames herself for not succeeding in turning him back when he led the Shadow Academy's attack on Yavin 4. She thinks she should have done something more, or stopped him from escaping or something." He looked exhasperated.
Tenel was now on defense. "There was nothing more she could have done." The warrior woman said. "Zekk escaped."
Jacen sighed, "And has successfully managed to disappear from the New Republic security forces and the Jedi"
"This is a fact." Tenel Ka said. "It is also a fact that you will never find out exactly what is troubling your sister until you talk to her."
Jacen sighed. "I tried. She won't talk to me." He said.
Tenel Ka raised one red-gold eyebrow. "Then," she said gravely. "You must try harder."
Jacen shook his head and backed away from Tenel Ka, shutting off his lightsaber as he did so. "It's getting pretty late, we'd better head back."