AN: The survivors, Vola and Nicha & Flynn are my own creation, everything else belongs to Lucasfilm...
From Scratch
Chapter 14
"Survivors?"
Jacen nodded, "Yes. Near the largest fresh water supply I've ever seen."
Tenel Ka was slowly eating the stew he'd prepared for breakfast that morning. The sun had barely come up and he was already talking about a major excursion. "You are certain?"
He nodded. "Oh yes. In fact, I'd say we could be there within a half day if we took it slow. Or meet any unforeseen circumstances."
"Was he hostile?"
"He didn't seem like it, but he did try to follow me back to camp. I didn't let him and lost him in the jungle."
She nodded once, taking another bite of the stew and chewing it slowly. "You wish to find these survivors?"
Jacen shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest. Flynn seemed nice enough, but if they recognize you..." he trailed off. "I don't know what kind of extremists we're dealing with yet."
"I am a warrior," she reminded him pointedly, "I can take care of myself."
"Good point." He placed his bowl in the pot of water they'd designated as 'washing water' and swirled it around a little. Tenel Ka handed him her bowl and then watched as he did the dishes. Her lack of a second hand had caused Jacen to excuse her from dishes duty. He'd been amused when she'd not complained. Tenel Ka obviously knew her limitations. "While I do this, you want to pack the two packs in the cargo bay with the supplies we'll need for exploring? Jana should have been quite thorough with the list I gave her."
Tenel Ka was already on the ramp leading into the ship when she caught his last words. "List?"
Jacen nodded. "I took the liberty of giving her a list of the camping supplies I thought we'd need."
Tenel Ka's lips flattened again but she said nothing as she disappeared inside. Jacen thought he could hear her fuming softly about flogging Jana, but knew he had to be mistaken. Tenel Ka would never resort to something as primitive as that. He finished the dishes and banked the fire, making sure it was almost completely out before getting to his feet. The shelter was pulled back neatly, their campsite orderly and clean. So much for Royalty being messy. He turned to enter the ship, but Tenel Ka appeared, a pack fastened to her back, a second pack in her hand. She tossed it to him. "Ready?"
He grinned. "Efficient as ever I see." He pulled the pack on, fastening the clips tightly. "Shall we?"
She nodded, motioning for him to lead the way as she double-checked where her lightsaber was clipped to her belt. Whatever they were going to encounter, she wanted to be prepared.
Their first hour of travel was uneventful as they made their way along the trail Jacen had cleared deep into the forest. Then Jacen veered off, following a slight path to the east into a densely packed area of vegetation. Tenel Ka followed behind, her eyes scanning alertly for dangers as he tried to retrace his steps from the night before. Her lightsaber was ignited and in her hand before the sudden roar of a creature died away. She ducked, hitting Jacen in the back and sending them both sprawling as something large narrowly missed them.
Jacen rolled with the blow, dropping the pack in the process with a twist of his arms and came to his feet, lightsaber in hand. However, it wasn't ignited. Another creature he'd never seen before. Feline in nature, it had eight legs and reptilian skin, but was lithe and powerfully muscled. Its maw was large, powerful, with razor sharp teeth. Jacen could see it was under nourished.
Tenel Ka's lightsaber hummed in the silence as she rolled to her feet next to him, staring at the creature. She took a defensive stance, twisting around to guard his back in case there were more of them, her every muscle tensed for action. She waited for his signal, knowing he'd have a better idea how to deal with the creature than she did.
Jacen stared at the creature, not at all intimidated by its hissing growl as it scrambled around to face him. Whatever it was, it was hungry and that made it dangerous. Slipping into his Vong sense, Jacen reached for the animal's mind.
An almost overwhelming hunger greeted him, nearly driving him to his knees at its intensity. The creature was starving. Jacen struggled through the swirling vortex of hunger, reaching for other instincts it had, but to no avail. It was so hungry, that hunger was overriding every other instinct. Jacen pulled back, sending his senses searching through the brush. Searching, searching... he heard the thing growl again, saw it crouch so it could spring and... There! He found what he was looking for in an injured, almost mature viewspider. The creature's rear legs were broken, what would become its viewing screen, cracked.
Jacen could feel the life ebbing from its body and worked fast. He quickly connected with the cat-like lizard creature as it was about to spring, planting the suggestion of easier, less difficult prey in its mind. The creature paused, cocking its ears to the side, and Jacen very subtly -pushed- on its sense of hearing, intensifying it fractionally to hear the distress of the viewspider. The creature growl-hissed once more before springing quickly away into the trees.
Jacen crouched next to his pack, sweating slightly. That had been close; the cat-lizard thing had been ready to kill both him and Tenel Ka, or die trying.
A hand slipped onto his shoulder and he opened his eyes. "Are you well?"
He looked behind him, up into Tenel Ka's eyes and smiled. "Yeah, sorry. Thanks for knocking me down there. I like my head where it is."
She arched an eyebrow. "You are welcome. I too, like your head where it is." She turned, looking through the leaves again, "We had best leave before it returns."
Jacen scooped up his pack, debating if he should tell her that the creature was well occupied with another meal. "It found easier prey," he said at last, not meeting her gaze, "it won't be coming back."
He could feel the questions she didn't voice as he began walking away. Her eyes bore into the back of his skull, but he didn't elaborate. If she wanted to know, she'd have to ask. They continued on their march, Jacen keeping himself immersed in his Vong sense as they traveled. He'd been following it last night when he'd found the waterfall, it was probably safe to assume he could follow it again.
Tenel Ka was antsy. Not normally a word associated with her, the extreme circumstances in which she normally flourished were a bit too extreme for her. She couldn't feel Jacen in the Force. The jungle, the wildlife, everything was second to that fact. She could see him, hear him, but not feel him and that was very unsettling. They stepped from the woods almost 4 hours later and stopped. Jacen's presence suddenly returned and she breathed a silent sigh of relief. She didn't like being unable to sense him. "Jacen."
He turned to face her, a grin on his face. "We're here. It's just over there."
She cocked her head and heard the distant sound of running water. That was all well and good, but she wanted answers. "Jacen."
His smile slowly faded. "Something the matter Tenel Ka?"
She nodded. "Why can I not feel your presence?"
He blinked. "What?"
"When we were fighting that creature, I only knew you were still behind me because I was touching you. I could not feel you through the Force."
He paused, nodding in sudden understanding, "Ah, yes. When I was here with Vergere, and on the seed ship, I developed what I've taken to calling a 'Vong sense'. They're outside the Force, or so we think, yet I can connect with them empathically. The only problem is that I can't use both the Force and this 'Vong sense' at the same time. One has to be shut down, or shut out, if I want to use the other."
"I understand. Thank you."
"Hey, no problem, I'll answer any questions you might have. Think you can keep up? This waterfall is pretty spectacular."
She nodded once in silence and paced him as they set off over the mounds of mossy ground towards the sound of the water. They stopped at a cliff, which was, in reality, a chasm that stretched thousands of feet across. Jacen grinned like a child in a sweet store as he stepped to the edge and looked down. Curious, Tenel Ka joined him... and stared. The waterfall was magnificent, the roar of running water dulled by all the floors it had to pass. "Incredible." She murmured softly without thinking.
"I thought so too."
She looked up, meeting his gaze. "Turn. The longest rope is in your pack."
He obliged by removing his pack and opening it. On the top was the rope and a grappling hook. He looked up at her and she shrugged. "Jana was thorough."
Jance laughed, pulling them from the bag and double-checking the knot on the grappling hook. He tightened it just to be safe and then slammed the ends into the ground, the durasteel digging deeply until it caught, refusing to budge. Tenel Ka nodded, satisfied, as he tossed the length over the edge of the cliff. "You have done this before?"
Jacen replaced his pack and moved to the edge, "You'd be amazed the things I've done on top secret missions in the last two years. Climbing is just one of them."
She didn't reply to his playful wink, simply waved him down. "Stop on the first floor you get to," she instructed. "We do not wish to join the waterfall."
He waved his acknowledgement before swinging out over the edge and dropping down. Tenel Ka moved forward and watched as he skillfully climbed, hand over hand, down to the first level. Forty feet below where she was now. She waited until he'd swung himself onto a ledge before picking up the rope. She wound it around her forearm to keep her descent controlled and slowly lowered herself over the edge. There was a wall to act as a brace for the first ten feet, and then nothing but open air. She wrapped her legs around the rope, just in case, and slowly let the length play through her fingers. It was several tense minutes before she came face to face with Jacen. "Move."
Jacen stepped back and Tenel Ka shifted her weight, freeing her legs as she did so. The rope began to swing like a pendulum and she landed easily in the place he'd just vacated. "Impressive." He told her admiringly. She's always been resourceful, but that wasn't something he'd expected her to do without help. So much for pre-conceived notions. Her lips twitched and for a split second he thought he'd get a smile, but no. She controlled herself and simply inclined her head in acknowledgement. Jacen grabbed the rope, tying it off on a nearby girder, before looking around. It had once been a bedroom.
The shells of several personal amenities littered the floor; a bed frame, a wardrobe and personal holo phone. A door stood ajar at the far end, and Jacen noted the damage looked almost willful. A pile of parts in the far corner caught his attention and he moved, going over to them quickly, before he knelt. Droid pieces. Smashed almost beyond recognition. The hairs on the back of his neck rose. The Yuuzhan Vong had been here. Were they still prowling the lower levels, looking for droids and humans? Possibly for sacrifices and slave labor? He hoped not; dealing with them while Tenel Ka was at his side was different from dealing with them one on one. She was an able fighter, one of the best hand-to-hand he'd ever seen, but his methods for dealing with the Yuuzhan Vong would probably shock her.
In silence, they carefully left the room, looking in both directions as they found a hallway. Jacen looked at her. "Shall we explore or should we head to the next level and fill our canteens first?"
Tenel Ka nodded back to the chamber. "Water first. This will not go anywhere."
"That's a fact," he teased.
She nodded solemnly. "It is so. Come."
Jacen shook his head. What was it going to take to get her to relax again? He followed her back to the rope, watching as she untied his knot and then turned, offering him the rope. "You don't want to go first?"
"I would. However, if I slip, I do not have two hands to catch myself. You do. It is practical for you to go first."
He raised an eyebrow. "When you put it that way I almost feel guilty."
"Do not," she admonished seriously. "It is a fact."
He laughed. "Alright, alright. Let's get this exploration on the road."
Jacen went first, dropping quickly down to the next level and finding it as solid as the last. The floor was slick and he looked in concern at the rope. The spray from the waterfall was thick on this level where it was almost non-existent on the floor above. That wouldn't cause Tenel Ka problems, would it? He hoped not; catching her if she fell would be difficult. She slid down the rope and he moved back as she swung onto the ledge. She slipped backwards, her boots finding little purchase on the slick floor and Jacen lunged at her, grabbing her left arm as she began to fall, throwing his weight backwards. He fell uncontrollably, slamming onto his back, the items in his pack digging into his muscles. Tenel Ka slammed down on top of him, their breath whooshing out almost as one as she lay atop him. Her forehead came down to rest against his chin and he could feel her shaking.
"Are you alright?" he asked when he could breathe again.
She didn't move, simply stayed where she was.
"Tenel Ka?" he lifted on hand, running it gently over her hair and down part of her back. She was still shaking, but not nearly as bad as before.
Her head came up slowly. "Thank you."
He grinned quirkily. "Anytime. It's not the fist time we've pulled the other from a life or death fall."
"It has been a long time since that has been a necessity."
"Oh sure, make me feel guilty again."
She shook her head. "No. That is not my intention."
"Uh, not that I'm objecting, but could you move? Your leg is really close to someplace er... sensitive."
Tenel Ka finally took stock of her situation. She was lying flat against him, the weight of her pack pressing her body against his. Even the supple armor couldn't hide the feel of his torso pressing so completely against hers. Their hips were out of line, her knees on either side of his leg, one slightly bent and pressing intimately against his groin. She blushed. She was fairly straddling his hip. "I..." she ducked her head and he laughed softly.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying this alot, but having you this close is a temptation I don't know I can resist."
That did it. She looked up at him, her gaze narrowing. "You do not wish to be tempted?"
He laughed. "Tempt me all you like, Tenel Ka, just don't do it while you've got a good shot that could potentially cripple me."
She arched an eyebrow, gently lifting her knee in an almost caress and his eyes rolled back, a strangled groan coming from his throat. "Tenel Ka!"
She cocked her head at him, curious about the almost pleading tone in his voice. She could feel the familiar heat spiraling through her system, but the reaction Jacen was having was much more intriguing. Was this then, part of the frustration, the tension between them? Somehow, she knew it was. She lifted her hand to his face, tracing the line of his jaw. She felt his body respond and froze, her gaze on his face.
Jacen couldn't move, could barely breathe. With her knee pressing so intimately against him, he was fighting his body's natural reaction. Fighting and losing! He'd scrambled for control at her unexpected movement, but couldn't find it. Where had this brazen, inquisitive woman come from? He had no defense against her. Her hand touched his face and he opened his eyes as he lost the battle with his body, feeling her freeze. The desire to lean down and kiss her, to flip her over and ravage her mouth was almost overwhelming in its intensity. He swallowed hard, knowing she could read the emotions in his eyes. But he couldn't give in to that temptation. Not unless she made the first move.
Tenel Ka licked her lips, feeling the tension, the anticipation between them spike. Jacen was waiting for something; she could read it in his eyes. But she couldn't read beyond his intense desire to kiss her. Yet, he wasn't moving. What was he waiting for? His hands came up and slowly took hold of her shoulders, almost as if against his will. She tilted her head at him, her eyes beginning to drift shut and suddenly found herself being pushed.
Her eyes flew open as Jacen pushed her to her knees and scooted back, sitting up and bending his knee so he could rest one arm on it. She looked at him confused for a moment, her control absent. "Why did you not kiss me?"
He shifted his seat, trying to find a comfortable position in a distinctly uncomfortable state. "I made a promise to myself."
She leaned forward, looking at him curiously. "A promise?"
He nodded.
"What was this promise?"
He lifted the hand splayed on his thigh and gently brushed her hair off her face. "I won't touch you again until you ask me too."
She blinked. "I must ask?"
He nodded again. "I'm not going to coerce you into accepting me, Tenel Ka, I want you willing. Though I'm sure you know that now." He shook his head in disgust.
Tenel Ka caught his hand, searching his face. "Jacen, I-"
He looked back at her, his face serious. She froze suddenly, her gaze going over his shoulder and lunged at him, knocking them both to the ground again as an amphistaff slammed into the ground where they'd been moments before.
Tenel Ka rose to her feet, her lightsaber in hand. The pack was where she'd rolled, the straps laying free from the quick release tabs. Jacen was on his feet in an instant, his eyes narrowing. Weeds. The thought rose unbidden in his mind. Vergere had called him a gardener, someone who chose who deserved to live and who deserved to die. The choice here was a no-brainer: Tenel Ka would live. He pulled no weapon as the first of four warriors fanned out around them, two apiece.
Her eyes narrowed as she stretched out to the Force. She couldn't sense them, but it could lend her speed and strengths in her attacks. She'd learned it the hard way, but with the Force as her ally, she was almost impossible to hit, even for seasoned Yuuzhan Vong warriors. And from the look of these four, they weren't seasoned. Very few had more than one mutilation. Easy prey.
They came in at her, one at a time, the first swinging his amphistaff at her left side, thinking to take her on the weak side. She spun gracefully, igniting her lightsabre and catching the aphistaff in mid swing, turning the blow aside and countering with a slash to his upper arm. True to his lack of experience, the warrior tried to turn away from her blow, to bring the aphistaff back around to block, but his weapon was to wide. Her blade cut through skin, almost to the bone, as it crossed his upper arm. He didn't so much as grimace, true to his heritage, as he brought the aphistaff back around. Tenel Ka parried it, angling the saber just slightly so that when he stepped into the blow, the lightsaber blade stabbing towards his chin. He jerked his head back at the unexpected twist of her blade but couldn't avoid it as the glowing blade rammed into his chin and clear through his skull. The amphistaff folded, becoming supple again. The warrior crumpled to the floor, and she tugged her lightsabre free, spinning to face her next opponent.
He came in with a flurry of blows, hitting up high then low, his strikes powerful and accurate. Obviously, he was the more adept of the fighters. He stepped close with his attack, forcing her to turn her it aside rapidly. She didn't. Tenel Ka ducked under the swing, lashing out with her legs at his knees. She connected solidly with the side of his knee but was forced to retract her leg quickly as the aphistaff folded, becoming flaccid as it snapped downwards towards her foot. Spinning, she regained her feet, perfectly balanced on her toes as she eyed him warily.
They circled slowly, the warrior testing her defenses systematically. Tenel Ka parried and block, watching his eyes and shoulders. The movements he made being transmitted through his body language. She ducked, jumping to the side to evade the rigid weapon but received a boot to her chest instead. She staggered backwards into a rotting hulk of a bed frame, causing it to splinter and shatter. She hit the floor hard, unable to roll, and stared upwards, seeing stars as her head banged into the duracrete. She had to move, had to get up, yet her body failed to react to her commands. The image of the Yuuzhan Vong was split into three, the warriors lifting their weapons at the same time, as if to bring it smashing down. Her arm moved, almost in reflex, swinging forward and across every stomach of her blurry opponents. His eyes widened in surprise as the amphistaff dropped to the ground. She watched him fall for a second before closing her eyes against a surge of nausea. She deactivated her lightsaber, listening to Jacen dispatch his foes. Curious, she couldn't hear the hum of his lightsaber.
Her eyes opened slowly and she turned her head to look. She couldn't see him. All she saw was a flat, metallic looking object. She frowned, certain she was seeing things. Blinking twice, she looked again. No. The object was still there. She slowly pushed herself to a sitting position and reach for, what she could now see, was a datapad. Funny, why would anyone hide a datapad in a bed frame? She checked the power supply, not at all surprised to find it exhausted, and pulled the rod from the pad. She'd want to look at it later just to see what was so important it had to be hidden.
"Tenel Ka?"
She looked up to find Jacen looking at her from the other side of the room. The two warriors he'd fought had their amphistaffs twisted around their necks like garrotes. It looked as if their weapons had turned on them and strangled them to death. How was that possible? She slowly pushed herself to her feet, checking her head for injury and finding none. She'd gotten lucky. "I am fine. You?"
"No complaints here. Think you could give me a hand with these corpses?"
She took a step and stopped as the room began to sway. "Jacen..." her voice was shaky as she stumbled.
Jacen leapt over the corpses between him and Tenel Ka, catching her as she twisted, beginning to fall. He pulled her close, dropping to his knees and cradling her against his chest. "Tenel Ka?" he asked concerned, one arm around her shoulders as he gently fan the other over her skull. He'd seen her crash into the old bed frame, had she injured herself worse than he'd thought? He found a bump on the back of her skull, and gently ran his fingers over it, alarmed when he found blood. "Tenel Ka! Stay awake, stay with me." He urged, seeing her eyes beginning to glaze over.
"Jacen..." she lifted her hand and clutched at the back of his neck. Her head began to throb and she fought to keep it away, the edges of her vision blackening. She fought it, reaching for the Force to help keep her conscious. It worked to a degree, but didn't eliminate the pain in her head.
Jacen placed her gently on the ground. "Stay with me, I'll be right back."
He moved slightly, shifting his weight so he could grab at the corpse of the warrior nearest him. He dug through the small pouch on the warrior nearest him, pulling a shred of something resembling the robe skin he'd worn for most of his tenure with the Yuuzhan Vong. Tearing off a strip of the creature, he moved back to Tenel Ka and gently lifted her head. Placing the strip against the back of her skull, it curled around the injury, sealing it quickly. Tenel Ka groaned, feeling it attach to her skull, "What is that?"
"Something that will help seal the wound, don't touch." She closed her eyes and he touched her face gently. "How do you feel?"
"Dizzy."
He chuckled softly, looking around before gently running his thumb over her cheek bone. Stretching out to the Force, he sent healing energies towards her, helping her control the pain in her head. She opened her eyes several minutes later, the gray orbs clear and direct as she looked up at him. He smiled. "Feeling better?"
"Much."
He made to move away, but Tenel Ka grabbed his hand. "Do not."
"Don't what?"
"Move." She dropped his hand and carefully pushed herself to a semi sitting position. Jacen, doing as he was asked, stayed where he was as he face came within inches of his. Their eyes level, she searched his gaze. "Thank you."
"No need, I'm just handy with their technology."
She shook her head, "That is not what I mean."
"Then wha...?"
She reached up and curled her hand around the back of his neck. "Thank you. For showing restraint."
"It's harder than it looks. Having you so close... You're pushing it, Tenel Ka." He admitted, "Nothing like a good fight to realize I don't know how much longer I can resist you."
She let him go and got to her feet. "Do not."
He reached for her, grinning, "Don't resist you? Alright, I'll stop fighting."
She stepped out of reach. "Do not stop fighting." She admonished.
He chuckled. "Sure, spoil all my fun."
"Are we interrupting?"
Jacen turned, getting to his feet, as Tenel Ka shifted her position. Standing in the doorway, two heavy blasters leveled on them, was Flynn. Two young women, one a Yuuzhan Vong with no tattoos or deformities, the other a human, stood behind him. "Flynn. Funny finding you here."
"I'm sure it is, Jacen. Who's your friend?"
Jacen glanced at Tenel Ka. "This is Tenel Ka. Tenel Ka, Flynn, the survivor I was telling you about."
Flynn looked at her critically. "You didn't mention you had a companion. Let alone as good looking a woman as that."
Jacen chuckled, glancing at Tenel Ka. "Now that you've seen her, I'm sure you'll understand why."
Flynn nodded, his gaze looking Tenel Ka up and down in a way that set her teeth on edge. She was used to men admiring her, just not with the amount of heat in their eyes that Flynn was showing. Jacen stepped between her and Flynn, blocking the other man's view. "Keep your eyes and hands to yourself, she's off limits."
Flynn holstered his blaster, motioning for the young woman, who was looking at Jacen with undisguised interest, to do the same. The Yuuzhan Vong female was staring, wide eyed, at the bodies of the four warriors littered around the room. "I understand, man. Gotta protect our womenfolk, right?"
Jacen chuckle. "I'm protecting you. She'd rearrange you six ways from life day. Who're your companions?"
"Vola," he motioned to the Yuuzhan Vong, "And Nicha. They insisted accompanying me today."
Jacen inclined his head to them. "Ladies."
Nicha looked at him as if he were a desert to be eaten, drawing Tenel Ka's gaze immediately. The survivor stepped forward. "You didn't tell me he was more handsome than his picture, Flynn. So, if your companion is off limits, does that mean you're fair game?"
Tenel Ka curled her hand possessively around Jacen's shoulder, speaking up before he could formulate a response. "My fiancée is not your concern. Cease looking at him with such desire."
Jacen blinked. Fiancée? That was news to him. He glanced at her, but Tenel Ka was looking straight at the other woman and he understood. She didn't want someone else coming between them. Looking at Flynn's disappointed face, he knew exactly how she felt.
Nicha smirked. "Well, if you ever want to cut him lose, honey, I'd be more than happy to take him off your hands."
Tenel Ka said nothing, simply trailed her hand down Jacen's arm. Jacen caught it, stopping its trek. "Flynn, I don't suppose you could show us the easiest place to draw water from?"
Flynn shrugged. "I don't see why not. You'd better tie off your rope if you want to be able to use it again eventually."
Doing as he suggested, Jacen quickly returned to Tenel Ka's side. She'd collected both packs, replacing hers, and was holding his. He thanked her softly as Flynn motioned the two women out into the corridor. Trailing behind, Jacen and Tenel Ka walked together in silence.
Fiancée. Had she made her decision, or was she simply ensuring none of the other female's they'd encounter would try to take him from her? A slow smile spread across his lips. By claiming to be bound to him, she'd unintentionally made her choice. Now that she'd said the words, he wasn't going to let her go back on them. Not for anything.
From Scratch
Chapter 14
"Survivors?"
Jacen nodded, "Yes. Near the largest fresh water supply I've ever seen."
Tenel Ka was slowly eating the stew he'd prepared for breakfast that morning. The sun had barely come up and he was already talking about a major excursion. "You are certain?"
He nodded. "Oh yes. In fact, I'd say we could be there within a half day if we took it slow. Or meet any unforeseen circumstances."
"Was he hostile?"
"He didn't seem like it, but he did try to follow me back to camp. I didn't let him and lost him in the jungle."
She nodded once, taking another bite of the stew and chewing it slowly. "You wish to find these survivors?"
Jacen shrugged. "I don't know, to be honest. Flynn seemed nice enough, but if they recognize you..." he trailed off. "I don't know what kind of extremists we're dealing with yet."
"I am a warrior," she reminded him pointedly, "I can take care of myself."
"Good point." He placed his bowl in the pot of water they'd designated as 'washing water' and swirled it around a little. Tenel Ka handed him her bowl and then watched as he did the dishes. Her lack of a second hand had caused Jacen to excuse her from dishes duty. He'd been amused when she'd not complained. Tenel Ka obviously knew her limitations. "While I do this, you want to pack the two packs in the cargo bay with the supplies we'll need for exploring? Jana should have been quite thorough with the list I gave her."
Tenel Ka was already on the ramp leading into the ship when she caught his last words. "List?"
Jacen nodded. "I took the liberty of giving her a list of the camping supplies I thought we'd need."
Tenel Ka's lips flattened again but she said nothing as she disappeared inside. Jacen thought he could hear her fuming softly about flogging Jana, but knew he had to be mistaken. Tenel Ka would never resort to something as primitive as that. He finished the dishes and banked the fire, making sure it was almost completely out before getting to his feet. The shelter was pulled back neatly, their campsite orderly and clean. So much for Royalty being messy. He turned to enter the ship, but Tenel Ka appeared, a pack fastened to her back, a second pack in her hand. She tossed it to him. "Ready?"
He grinned. "Efficient as ever I see." He pulled the pack on, fastening the clips tightly. "Shall we?"
She nodded, motioning for him to lead the way as she double-checked where her lightsaber was clipped to her belt. Whatever they were going to encounter, she wanted to be prepared.
Their first hour of travel was uneventful as they made their way along the trail Jacen had cleared deep into the forest. Then Jacen veered off, following a slight path to the east into a densely packed area of vegetation. Tenel Ka followed behind, her eyes scanning alertly for dangers as he tried to retrace his steps from the night before. Her lightsaber was ignited and in her hand before the sudden roar of a creature died away. She ducked, hitting Jacen in the back and sending them both sprawling as something large narrowly missed them.
Jacen rolled with the blow, dropping the pack in the process with a twist of his arms and came to his feet, lightsaber in hand. However, it wasn't ignited. Another creature he'd never seen before. Feline in nature, it had eight legs and reptilian skin, but was lithe and powerfully muscled. Its maw was large, powerful, with razor sharp teeth. Jacen could see it was under nourished.
Tenel Ka's lightsaber hummed in the silence as she rolled to her feet next to him, staring at the creature. She took a defensive stance, twisting around to guard his back in case there were more of them, her every muscle tensed for action. She waited for his signal, knowing he'd have a better idea how to deal with the creature than she did.
Jacen stared at the creature, not at all intimidated by its hissing growl as it scrambled around to face him. Whatever it was, it was hungry and that made it dangerous. Slipping into his Vong sense, Jacen reached for the animal's mind.
An almost overwhelming hunger greeted him, nearly driving him to his knees at its intensity. The creature was starving. Jacen struggled through the swirling vortex of hunger, reaching for other instincts it had, but to no avail. It was so hungry, that hunger was overriding every other instinct. Jacen pulled back, sending his senses searching through the brush. Searching, searching... he heard the thing growl again, saw it crouch so it could spring and... There! He found what he was looking for in an injured, almost mature viewspider. The creature's rear legs were broken, what would become its viewing screen, cracked.
Jacen could feel the life ebbing from its body and worked fast. He quickly connected with the cat-like lizard creature as it was about to spring, planting the suggestion of easier, less difficult prey in its mind. The creature paused, cocking its ears to the side, and Jacen very subtly -pushed- on its sense of hearing, intensifying it fractionally to hear the distress of the viewspider. The creature growl-hissed once more before springing quickly away into the trees.
Jacen crouched next to his pack, sweating slightly. That had been close; the cat-lizard thing had been ready to kill both him and Tenel Ka, or die trying.
A hand slipped onto his shoulder and he opened his eyes. "Are you well?"
He looked behind him, up into Tenel Ka's eyes and smiled. "Yeah, sorry. Thanks for knocking me down there. I like my head where it is."
She arched an eyebrow. "You are welcome. I too, like your head where it is." She turned, looking through the leaves again, "We had best leave before it returns."
Jacen scooped up his pack, debating if he should tell her that the creature was well occupied with another meal. "It found easier prey," he said at last, not meeting her gaze, "it won't be coming back."
He could feel the questions she didn't voice as he began walking away. Her eyes bore into the back of his skull, but he didn't elaborate. If she wanted to know, she'd have to ask. They continued on their march, Jacen keeping himself immersed in his Vong sense as they traveled. He'd been following it last night when he'd found the waterfall, it was probably safe to assume he could follow it again.
Tenel Ka was antsy. Not normally a word associated with her, the extreme circumstances in which she normally flourished were a bit too extreme for her. She couldn't feel Jacen in the Force. The jungle, the wildlife, everything was second to that fact. She could see him, hear him, but not feel him and that was very unsettling. They stepped from the woods almost 4 hours later and stopped. Jacen's presence suddenly returned and she breathed a silent sigh of relief. She didn't like being unable to sense him. "Jacen."
He turned to face her, a grin on his face. "We're here. It's just over there."
She cocked her head and heard the distant sound of running water. That was all well and good, but she wanted answers. "Jacen."
His smile slowly faded. "Something the matter Tenel Ka?"
She nodded. "Why can I not feel your presence?"
He blinked. "What?"
"When we were fighting that creature, I only knew you were still behind me because I was touching you. I could not feel you through the Force."
He paused, nodding in sudden understanding, "Ah, yes. When I was here with Vergere, and on the seed ship, I developed what I've taken to calling a 'Vong sense'. They're outside the Force, or so we think, yet I can connect with them empathically. The only problem is that I can't use both the Force and this 'Vong sense' at the same time. One has to be shut down, or shut out, if I want to use the other."
"I understand. Thank you."
"Hey, no problem, I'll answer any questions you might have. Think you can keep up? This waterfall is pretty spectacular."
She nodded once in silence and paced him as they set off over the mounds of mossy ground towards the sound of the water. They stopped at a cliff, which was, in reality, a chasm that stretched thousands of feet across. Jacen grinned like a child in a sweet store as he stepped to the edge and looked down. Curious, Tenel Ka joined him... and stared. The waterfall was magnificent, the roar of running water dulled by all the floors it had to pass. "Incredible." She murmured softly without thinking.
"I thought so too."
She looked up, meeting his gaze. "Turn. The longest rope is in your pack."
He obliged by removing his pack and opening it. On the top was the rope and a grappling hook. He looked up at her and she shrugged. "Jana was thorough."
Jance laughed, pulling them from the bag and double-checking the knot on the grappling hook. He tightened it just to be safe and then slammed the ends into the ground, the durasteel digging deeply until it caught, refusing to budge. Tenel Ka nodded, satisfied, as he tossed the length over the edge of the cliff. "You have done this before?"
Jacen replaced his pack and moved to the edge, "You'd be amazed the things I've done on top secret missions in the last two years. Climbing is just one of them."
She didn't reply to his playful wink, simply waved him down. "Stop on the first floor you get to," she instructed. "We do not wish to join the waterfall."
He waved his acknowledgement before swinging out over the edge and dropping down. Tenel Ka moved forward and watched as he skillfully climbed, hand over hand, down to the first level. Forty feet below where she was now. She waited until he'd swung himself onto a ledge before picking up the rope. She wound it around her forearm to keep her descent controlled and slowly lowered herself over the edge. There was a wall to act as a brace for the first ten feet, and then nothing but open air. She wrapped her legs around the rope, just in case, and slowly let the length play through her fingers. It was several tense minutes before she came face to face with Jacen. "Move."
Jacen stepped back and Tenel Ka shifted her weight, freeing her legs as she did so. The rope began to swing like a pendulum and she landed easily in the place he'd just vacated. "Impressive." He told her admiringly. She's always been resourceful, but that wasn't something he'd expected her to do without help. So much for pre-conceived notions. Her lips twitched and for a split second he thought he'd get a smile, but no. She controlled herself and simply inclined her head in acknowledgement. Jacen grabbed the rope, tying it off on a nearby girder, before looking around. It had once been a bedroom.
The shells of several personal amenities littered the floor; a bed frame, a wardrobe and personal holo phone. A door stood ajar at the far end, and Jacen noted the damage looked almost willful. A pile of parts in the far corner caught his attention and he moved, going over to them quickly, before he knelt. Droid pieces. Smashed almost beyond recognition. The hairs on the back of his neck rose. The Yuuzhan Vong had been here. Were they still prowling the lower levels, looking for droids and humans? Possibly for sacrifices and slave labor? He hoped not; dealing with them while Tenel Ka was at his side was different from dealing with them one on one. She was an able fighter, one of the best hand-to-hand he'd ever seen, but his methods for dealing with the Yuuzhan Vong would probably shock her.
In silence, they carefully left the room, looking in both directions as they found a hallway. Jacen looked at her. "Shall we explore or should we head to the next level and fill our canteens first?"
Tenel Ka nodded back to the chamber. "Water first. This will not go anywhere."
"That's a fact," he teased.
She nodded solemnly. "It is so. Come."
Jacen shook his head. What was it going to take to get her to relax again? He followed her back to the rope, watching as she untied his knot and then turned, offering him the rope. "You don't want to go first?"
"I would. However, if I slip, I do not have two hands to catch myself. You do. It is practical for you to go first."
He raised an eyebrow. "When you put it that way I almost feel guilty."
"Do not," she admonished seriously. "It is a fact."
He laughed. "Alright, alright. Let's get this exploration on the road."
Jacen went first, dropping quickly down to the next level and finding it as solid as the last. The floor was slick and he looked in concern at the rope. The spray from the waterfall was thick on this level where it was almost non-existent on the floor above. That wouldn't cause Tenel Ka problems, would it? He hoped not; catching her if she fell would be difficult. She slid down the rope and he moved back as she swung onto the ledge. She slipped backwards, her boots finding little purchase on the slick floor and Jacen lunged at her, grabbing her left arm as she began to fall, throwing his weight backwards. He fell uncontrollably, slamming onto his back, the items in his pack digging into his muscles. Tenel Ka slammed down on top of him, their breath whooshing out almost as one as she lay atop him. Her forehead came down to rest against his chin and he could feel her shaking.
"Are you alright?" he asked when he could breathe again.
She didn't move, simply stayed where she was.
"Tenel Ka?" he lifted on hand, running it gently over her hair and down part of her back. She was still shaking, but not nearly as bad as before.
Her head came up slowly. "Thank you."
He grinned quirkily. "Anytime. It's not the fist time we've pulled the other from a life or death fall."
"It has been a long time since that has been a necessity."
"Oh sure, make me feel guilty again."
She shook her head. "No. That is not my intention."
"Uh, not that I'm objecting, but could you move? Your leg is really close to someplace er... sensitive."
Tenel Ka finally took stock of her situation. She was lying flat against him, the weight of her pack pressing her body against his. Even the supple armor couldn't hide the feel of his torso pressing so completely against hers. Their hips were out of line, her knees on either side of his leg, one slightly bent and pressing intimately against his groin. She blushed. She was fairly straddling his hip. "I..." she ducked her head and he laughed softly.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying this alot, but having you this close is a temptation I don't know I can resist."
That did it. She looked up at him, her gaze narrowing. "You do not wish to be tempted?"
He laughed. "Tempt me all you like, Tenel Ka, just don't do it while you've got a good shot that could potentially cripple me."
She arched an eyebrow, gently lifting her knee in an almost caress and his eyes rolled back, a strangled groan coming from his throat. "Tenel Ka!"
She cocked her head at him, curious about the almost pleading tone in his voice. She could feel the familiar heat spiraling through her system, but the reaction Jacen was having was much more intriguing. Was this then, part of the frustration, the tension between them? Somehow, she knew it was. She lifted her hand to his face, tracing the line of his jaw. She felt his body respond and froze, her gaze on his face.
Jacen couldn't move, could barely breathe. With her knee pressing so intimately against him, he was fighting his body's natural reaction. Fighting and losing! He'd scrambled for control at her unexpected movement, but couldn't find it. Where had this brazen, inquisitive woman come from? He had no defense against her. Her hand touched his face and he opened his eyes as he lost the battle with his body, feeling her freeze. The desire to lean down and kiss her, to flip her over and ravage her mouth was almost overwhelming in its intensity. He swallowed hard, knowing she could read the emotions in his eyes. But he couldn't give in to that temptation. Not unless she made the first move.
Tenel Ka licked her lips, feeling the tension, the anticipation between them spike. Jacen was waiting for something; she could read it in his eyes. But she couldn't read beyond his intense desire to kiss her. Yet, he wasn't moving. What was he waiting for? His hands came up and slowly took hold of her shoulders, almost as if against his will. She tilted her head at him, her eyes beginning to drift shut and suddenly found herself being pushed.
Her eyes flew open as Jacen pushed her to her knees and scooted back, sitting up and bending his knee so he could rest one arm on it. She looked at him confused for a moment, her control absent. "Why did you not kiss me?"
He shifted his seat, trying to find a comfortable position in a distinctly uncomfortable state. "I made a promise to myself."
She leaned forward, looking at him curiously. "A promise?"
He nodded.
"What was this promise?"
He lifted the hand splayed on his thigh and gently brushed her hair off her face. "I won't touch you again until you ask me too."
She blinked. "I must ask?"
He nodded again. "I'm not going to coerce you into accepting me, Tenel Ka, I want you willing. Though I'm sure you know that now." He shook his head in disgust.
Tenel Ka caught his hand, searching his face. "Jacen, I-"
He looked back at her, his face serious. She froze suddenly, her gaze going over his shoulder and lunged at him, knocking them both to the ground again as an amphistaff slammed into the ground where they'd been moments before.
Tenel Ka rose to her feet, her lightsaber in hand. The pack was where she'd rolled, the straps laying free from the quick release tabs. Jacen was on his feet in an instant, his eyes narrowing. Weeds. The thought rose unbidden in his mind. Vergere had called him a gardener, someone who chose who deserved to live and who deserved to die. The choice here was a no-brainer: Tenel Ka would live. He pulled no weapon as the first of four warriors fanned out around them, two apiece.
Her eyes narrowed as she stretched out to the Force. She couldn't sense them, but it could lend her speed and strengths in her attacks. She'd learned it the hard way, but with the Force as her ally, she was almost impossible to hit, even for seasoned Yuuzhan Vong warriors. And from the look of these four, they weren't seasoned. Very few had more than one mutilation. Easy prey.
They came in at her, one at a time, the first swinging his amphistaff at her left side, thinking to take her on the weak side. She spun gracefully, igniting her lightsabre and catching the aphistaff in mid swing, turning the blow aside and countering with a slash to his upper arm. True to his lack of experience, the warrior tried to turn away from her blow, to bring the aphistaff back around to block, but his weapon was to wide. Her blade cut through skin, almost to the bone, as it crossed his upper arm. He didn't so much as grimace, true to his heritage, as he brought the aphistaff back around. Tenel Ka parried it, angling the saber just slightly so that when he stepped into the blow, the lightsaber blade stabbing towards his chin. He jerked his head back at the unexpected twist of her blade but couldn't avoid it as the glowing blade rammed into his chin and clear through his skull. The amphistaff folded, becoming supple again. The warrior crumpled to the floor, and she tugged her lightsabre free, spinning to face her next opponent.
He came in with a flurry of blows, hitting up high then low, his strikes powerful and accurate. Obviously, he was the more adept of the fighters. He stepped close with his attack, forcing her to turn her it aside rapidly. She didn't. Tenel Ka ducked under the swing, lashing out with her legs at his knees. She connected solidly with the side of his knee but was forced to retract her leg quickly as the aphistaff folded, becoming flaccid as it snapped downwards towards her foot. Spinning, she regained her feet, perfectly balanced on her toes as she eyed him warily.
They circled slowly, the warrior testing her defenses systematically. Tenel Ka parried and block, watching his eyes and shoulders. The movements he made being transmitted through his body language. She ducked, jumping to the side to evade the rigid weapon but received a boot to her chest instead. She staggered backwards into a rotting hulk of a bed frame, causing it to splinter and shatter. She hit the floor hard, unable to roll, and stared upwards, seeing stars as her head banged into the duracrete. She had to move, had to get up, yet her body failed to react to her commands. The image of the Yuuzhan Vong was split into three, the warriors lifting their weapons at the same time, as if to bring it smashing down. Her arm moved, almost in reflex, swinging forward and across every stomach of her blurry opponents. His eyes widened in surprise as the amphistaff dropped to the ground. She watched him fall for a second before closing her eyes against a surge of nausea. She deactivated her lightsaber, listening to Jacen dispatch his foes. Curious, she couldn't hear the hum of his lightsaber.
Her eyes opened slowly and she turned her head to look. She couldn't see him. All she saw was a flat, metallic looking object. She frowned, certain she was seeing things. Blinking twice, she looked again. No. The object was still there. She slowly pushed herself to a sitting position and reach for, what she could now see, was a datapad. Funny, why would anyone hide a datapad in a bed frame? She checked the power supply, not at all surprised to find it exhausted, and pulled the rod from the pad. She'd want to look at it later just to see what was so important it had to be hidden.
"Tenel Ka?"
She looked up to find Jacen looking at her from the other side of the room. The two warriors he'd fought had their amphistaffs twisted around their necks like garrotes. It looked as if their weapons had turned on them and strangled them to death. How was that possible? She slowly pushed herself to her feet, checking her head for injury and finding none. She'd gotten lucky. "I am fine. You?"
"No complaints here. Think you could give me a hand with these corpses?"
She took a step and stopped as the room began to sway. "Jacen..." her voice was shaky as she stumbled.
Jacen leapt over the corpses between him and Tenel Ka, catching her as she twisted, beginning to fall. He pulled her close, dropping to his knees and cradling her against his chest. "Tenel Ka?" he asked concerned, one arm around her shoulders as he gently fan the other over her skull. He'd seen her crash into the old bed frame, had she injured herself worse than he'd thought? He found a bump on the back of her skull, and gently ran his fingers over it, alarmed when he found blood. "Tenel Ka! Stay awake, stay with me." He urged, seeing her eyes beginning to glaze over.
"Jacen..." she lifted her hand and clutched at the back of his neck. Her head began to throb and she fought to keep it away, the edges of her vision blackening. She fought it, reaching for the Force to help keep her conscious. It worked to a degree, but didn't eliminate the pain in her head.
Jacen placed her gently on the ground. "Stay with me, I'll be right back."
He moved slightly, shifting his weight so he could grab at the corpse of the warrior nearest him. He dug through the small pouch on the warrior nearest him, pulling a shred of something resembling the robe skin he'd worn for most of his tenure with the Yuuzhan Vong. Tearing off a strip of the creature, he moved back to Tenel Ka and gently lifted her head. Placing the strip against the back of her skull, it curled around the injury, sealing it quickly. Tenel Ka groaned, feeling it attach to her skull, "What is that?"
"Something that will help seal the wound, don't touch." She closed her eyes and he touched her face gently. "How do you feel?"
"Dizzy."
He chuckled softly, looking around before gently running his thumb over her cheek bone. Stretching out to the Force, he sent healing energies towards her, helping her control the pain in her head. She opened her eyes several minutes later, the gray orbs clear and direct as she looked up at him. He smiled. "Feeling better?"
"Much."
He made to move away, but Tenel Ka grabbed his hand. "Do not."
"Don't what?"
"Move." She dropped his hand and carefully pushed herself to a semi sitting position. Jacen, doing as he was asked, stayed where he was as he face came within inches of his. Their eyes level, she searched his gaze. "Thank you."
"No need, I'm just handy with their technology."
She shook her head, "That is not what I mean."
"Then wha...?"
She reached up and curled her hand around the back of his neck. "Thank you. For showing restraint."
"It's harder than it looks. Having you so close... You're pushing it, Tenel Ka." He admitted, "Nothing like a good fight to realize I don't know how much longer I can resist you."
She let him go and got to her feet. "Do not."
He reached for her, grinning, "Don't resist you? Alright, I'll stop fighting."
She stepped out of reach. "Do not stop fighting." She admonished.
He chuckled. "Sure, spoil all my fun."
"Are we interrupting?"
Jacen turned, getting to his feet, as Tenel Ka shifted her position. Standing in the doorway, two heavy blasters leveled on them, was Flynn. Two young women, one a Yuuzhan Vong with no tattoos or deformities, the other a human, stood behind him. "Flynn. Funny finding you here."
"I'm sure it is, Jacen. Who's your friend?"
Jacen glanced at Tenel Ka. "This is Tenel Ka. Tenel Ka, Flynn, the survivor I was telling you about."
Flynn looked at her critically. "You didn't mention you had a companion. Let alone as good looking a woman as that."
Jacen chuckled, glancing at Tenel Ka. "Now that you've seen her, I'm sure you'll understand why."
Flynn nodded, his gaze looking Tenel Ka up and down in a way that set her teeth on edge. She was used to men admiring her, just not with the amount of heat in their eyes that Flynn was showing. Jacen stepped between her and Flynn, blocking the other man's view. "Keep your eyes and hands to yourself, she's off limits."
Flynn holstered his blaster, motioning for the young woman, who was looking at Jacen with undisguised interest, to do the same. The Yuuzhan Vong female was staring, wide eyed, at the bodies of the four warriors littered around the room. "I understand, man. Gotta protect our womenfolk, right?"
Jacen chuckle. "I'm protecting you. She'd rearrange you six ways from life day. Who're your companions?"
"Vola," he motioned to the Yuuzhan Vong, "And Nicha. They insisted accompanying me today."
Jacen inclined his head to them. "Ladies."
Nicha looked at him as if he were a desert to be eaten, drawing Tenel Ka's gaze immediately. The survivor stepped forward. "You didn't tell me he was more handsome than his picture, Flynn. So, if your companion is off limits, does that mean you're fair game?"
Tenel Ka curled her hand possessively around Jacen's shoulder, speaking up before he could formulate a response. "My fiancée is not your concern. Cease looking at him with such desire."
Jacen blinked. Fiancée? That was news to him. He glanced at her, but Tenel Ka was looking straight at the other woman and he understood. She didn't want someone else coming between them. Looking at Flynn's disappointed face, he knew exactly how she felt.
Nicha smirked. "Well, if you ever want to cut him lose, honey, I'd be more than happy to take him off your hands."
Tenel Ka said nothing, simply trailed her hand down Jacen's arm. Jacen caught it, stopping its trek. "Flynn, I don't suppose you could show us the easiest place to draw water from?"
Flynn shrugged. "I don't see why not. You'd better tie off your rope if you want to be able to use it again eventually."
Doing as he suggested, Jacen quickly returned to Tenel Ka's side. She'd collected both packs, replacing hers, and was holding his. He thanked her softly as Flynn motioned the two women out into the corridor. Trailing behind, Jacen and Tenel Ka walked together in silence.
Fiancée. Had she made her decision, or was she simply ensuring none of the other female's they'd encounter would try to take him from her? A slow smile spread across his lips. By claiming to be bound to him, she'd unintentionally made her choice. Now that she'd said the words, he wasn't going to let her go back on them. Not for anything.