From Scratch
Chapter 37
They took off just before sun set, the engines roaring to life in the stillness of the evening. They were strapped in, Flynn and Vola staring wide eyed at the view ports as Tenel Ka urged the ship upwards. She rose slowly, pushing herself into the sky before rocketing off towards space and the weightlessness that would ensure their journey.
It was uneventful, but Jacen kept an eye on their friends. Flynn was white beneath his tan and Vola's through seemed to be working for no reason. He hid a smile. Their first experience with space flight. Hopefully Tenel Ka wouldn't pull any fancy maneuvers and scare them more than they were.
True to form, Tenel Ka kept them on a straight, even course and they exited the atmosphere in a matter of seconds.
Jacen relaxed in his chair, scanning the instruments as he did. Tenel Ka had the ship firmly in hand and he was monitoring their repairs. Should anything crack or pop a seal, it would mean all of their deaths.
Finally, their course plotted and punched into the navcomputer, Tenel Ka nodded to Jacen. "You may have the honor."
"With pleasure." He gently pulled back on the hyperspace levers and catapulted them into hyperspace.
Tenel Ka unbuckled her crash webbing and stood, drawing a sharp gasp from Flynn. "What're you doing?!"
"I am going to eat."
"But... who's gonna fly the ship?"
Jacen chuckled. "It's on auto pilot, Flynn. Relax. It's going to be following a safe, preset course for the next week or so until we reach the Mon Calamari Homeworld. Until then, relax, enjoy yourself, and try not to think about it."
"A week?"
Tenel Ka nodded once. "You will need to occupy yourselves with activities while you are on board. Come, we will show you what there is to do on a space flight."
Skeptical, Flynn and Vola were slow to remove their crash webbing. Jacen assisted them with the straps and led them into the other areas of the ship with Tenel Ka trailing behind.
It took the two young survivors several days to get over the space sickness, which stated later that evening, and to accustom themselves to the hard sleeping pallets of the ship.
Tenel Ka and Jacen left them to their own devices in the sleeping room, having given up the bunk beds for the space of the cargo hold. Tenel Ka didn't object as it gave her room to exercise in the mornings while Jacen still slept.
The third day on their trip, with Vola and Flynn still behind closed doors, Tenel Ka confronted Jacen. "What did you find in that ship?"
"Which ship?"
She eyed him steadily. "The ship you insisted we stop and examine before coming to the surface on Yuuzhan'tar. You found something."
"You're so certain?"
She nodded once. "Fact."
Jacen went to his pack and pulled a ship's memory core from the folds. It was about the length of his arm and twice as wide. "This. Inside are the original memories of C-3P0 and R2-D2."
"Are you certain?"
He nodded. "Yeah. When I entered the ship a hologram of 3P0 greeted me. Only it wasn't me he was greeting, it was my grandfather, Anakin Skywalker."
"How is that possible?"
Jacen shrugged. "It looked like a personalized ship that had been heavily modified. Though what it would be doing in the bowels of the world is beyond me. If I read the markings on the ship right, it's from before the clone wars. At the very least it's from when the Clone wars were happening."
"How do you know this is genuine?"
"I don't," he admitted. "But I can't take the chance of it not being real. If this is a link to the past, my Uncle Luke will want to see it. Uncle Luke still doesn't really know why his father went to the darkside. I'm hoping the information in this core will settle the matter once and for all and let him move on."
"So, you did not do this for you."
"Yes and no." he put the memory core away. "I'm hoping it can explain why I was able to withstand the rebuilding process Vergere put me through, not to mention the torture. My Grandfather may have been a Sith, but from what my Uncle Luke says, he was a good man once. Confused and misguided perhaps, but he was powerful. So powerful he helped hunt down the Jedi Council of the time. A part of me wants to know about my grandparents."
"What about your grandmother?"
Jacen shrugged. "I don't even know her name. I kind of hope this will answer some of those questions too. Maybe put my mom's conscience to rest since she can't remember her real mother very well."
"I understand."
Jacen pulled her into a hug. "I never doubted you would. Come on, we should start planning for what's going to happen when we arrive back."
She said nothing as she followed him towards the lounge. She was certain he hadn't shared everything about what he'd found inside the ship, however, wouldn't push. Jacen would tell her more when he was ready.
Jacen was in the co-pilot's seat when they emerged in the Mon Cal system, right into the jaws of the Hapan fleet. He looked at his wife, as Flynn let out a shot of surprise.
"I don't suppose you organize this welcoming committee?"
She didn't spare him a look as she flipped on the comm. "This is Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo Solo. You are commanded to stand down your weapons and retreat to a respectful distance. I will be landing on the planet."
"Solo?" A familiar male voice came back over the comm, "Since when are you one of us, kid?"
Jacen chuckled. "Since I took your advice and wouldn't take no for an answer."
The familiar shape of the [i]Millennium Falcon[/i] streaked into view before taking up the escort position. Jacen turned to look at their awe struck passengers. "That's my dad."
Flynn muttered something under his breath and Vola looked as if she might pass out. They were both quiet even as Han Solo came back over the comm. "You two sure know how to cause a stir. The old Hapan Queen was talking war."
Tenel Ka's face tightened fractionally. "My grandmother cannot do such a thing without my approval. She has lost her power, General Solo, do not let her posturing fool you."
Han howled, his laughter filling their cockpit. "Welcome to the family, kid. Land that thing so we can welcome you properly."
"Dad, how tense is the mood on the planet?"
"They're alright. Your mother's been playing diplomat since you disappeared with Tenel Ka. She's managed to keep everyone calm with the help of your Uncle Luke and a few of his Jedi. No body wants to impose or even criticize the Jedi after their sacrifices in this war. Not even the Hapans."
Jacen chuckled. "Alright, we'll see you planet side." He clicked the comm off. "I think the Hapans especially didn't want to aggravate the Jedi after your contributions, Tenel Ka."
Her hand flew across the controls as she set a course for the landing pad set over by the [i]Falcon[/i]. "They would not dare move against the Jedi without my approval," she answered calmly. "And I would never give it."
He reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "I know. Do you think Jana will be waiting for us planet side?"
Tenel Ka finally looked squarely at him. "Yes. She deserves recognition for her part in our union. It would be fitting."
Jacen grinned. "That's what I thought you'd say. Alright, let's land this bird and go home."
She said nothing as she turned back to the controls. Behind them, Flynn and Vola exchanged glances. North spoke their thoughts, but read the same thing in each other's eyes. What craziness had they gotten themselves into?
Chapter 37
They took off just before sun set, the engines roaring to life in the stillness of the evening. They were strapped in, Flynn and Vola staring wide eyed at the view ports as Tenel Ka urged the ship upwards. She rose slowly, pushing herself into the sky before rocketing off towards space and the weightlessness that would ensure their journey.
It was uneventful, but Jacen kept an eye on their friends. Flynn was white beneath his tan and Vola's through seemed to be working for no reason. He hid a smile. Their first experience with space flight. Hopefully Tenel Ka wouldn't pull any fancy maneuvers and scare them more than they were.
True to form, Tenel Ka kept them on a straight, even course and they exited the atmosphere in a matter of seconds.
Jacen relaxed in his chair, scanning the instruments as he did. Tenel Ka had the ship firmly in hand and he was monitoring their repairs. Should anything crack or pop a seal, it would mean all of their deaths.
Finally, their course plotted and punched into the navcomputer, Tenel Ka nodded to Jacen. "You may have the honor."
"With pleasure." He gently pulled back on the hyperspace levers and catapulted them into hyperspace.
Tenel Ka unbuckled her crash webbing and stood, drawing a sharp gasp from Flynn. "What're you doing?!"
"I am going to eat."
"But... who's gonna fly the ship?"
Jacen chuckled. "It's on auto pilot, Flynn. Relax. It's going to be following a safe, preset course for the next week or so until we reach the Mon Calamari Homeworld. Until then, relax, enjoy yourself, and try not to think about it."
"A week?"
Tenel Ka nodded once. "You will need to occupy yourselves with activities while you are on board. Come, we will show you what there is to do on a space flight."
Skeptical, Flynn and Vola were slow to remove their crash webbing. Jacen assisted them with the straps and led them into the other areas of the ship with Tenel Ka trailing behind.
It took the two young survivors several days to get over the space sickness, which stated later that evening, and to accustom themselves to the hard sleeping pallets of the ship.
Tenel Ka and Jacen left them to their own devices in the sleeping room, having given up the bunk beds for the space of the cargo hold. Tenel Ka didn't object as it gave her room to exercise in the mornings while Jacen still slept.
The third day on their trip, with Vola and Flynn still behind closed doors, Tenel Ka confronted Jacen. "What did you find in that ship?"
"Which ship?"
She eyed him steadily. "The ship you insisted we stop and examine before coming to the surface on Yuuzhan'tar. You found something."
"You're so certain?"
She nodded once. "Fact."
Jacen went to his pack and pulled a ship's memory core from the folds. It was about the length of his arm and twice as wide. "This. Inside are the original memories of C-3P0 and R2-D2."
"Are you certain?"
He nodded. "Yeah. When I entered the ship a hologram of 3P0 greeted me. Only it wasn't me he was greeting, it was my grandfather, Anakin Skywalker."
"How is that possible?"
Jacen shrugged. "It looked like a personalized ship that had been heavily modified. Though what it would be doing in the bowels of the world is beyond me. If I read the markings on the ship right, it's from before the clone wars. At the very least it's from when the Clone wars were happening."
"How do you know this is genuine?"
"I don't," he admitted. "But I can't take the chance of it not being real. If this is a link to the past, my Uncle Luke will want to see it. Uncle Luke still doesn't really know why his father went to the darkside. I'm hoping the information in this core will settle the matter once and for all and let him move on."
"So, you did not do this for you."
"Yes and no." he put the memory core away. "I'm hoping it can explain why I was able to withstand the rebuilding process Vergere put me through, not to mention the torture. My Grandfather may have been a Sith, but from what my Uncle Luke says, he was a good man once. Confused and misguided perhaps, but he was powerful. So powerful he helped hunt down the Jedi Council of the time. A part of me wants to know about my grandparents."
"What about your grandmother?"
Jacen shrugged. "I don't even know her name. I kind of hope this will answer some of those questions too. Maybe put my mom's conscience to rest since she can't remember her real mother very well."
"I understand."
Jacen pulled her into a hug. "I never doubted you would. Come on, we should start planning for what's going to happen when we arrive back."
She said nothing as she followed him towards the lounge. She was certain he hadn't shared everything about what he'd found inside the ship, however, wouldn't push. Jacen would tell her more when he was ready.
Jacen was in the co-pilot's seat when they emerged in the Mon Cal system, right into the jaws of the Hapan fleet. He looked at his wife, as Flynn let out a shot of surprise.
"I don't suppose you organize this welcoming committee?"
She didn't spare him a look as she flipped on the comm. "This is Queen Mother Tenel Ka Djo Solo. You are commanded to stand down your weapons and retreat to a respectful distance. I will be landing on the planet."
"Solo?" A familiar male voice came back over the comm, "Since when are you one of us, kid?"
Jacen chuckled. "Since I took your advice and wouldn't take no for an answer."
The familiar shape of the [i]Millennium Falcon[/i] streaked into view before taking up the escort position. Jacen turned to look at their awe struck passengers. "That's my dad."
Flynn muttered something under his breath and Vola looked as if she might pass out. They were both quiet even as Han Solo came back over the comm. "You two sure know how to cause a stir. The old Hapan Queen was talking war."
Tenel Ka's face tightened fractionally. "My grandmother cannot do such a thing without my approval. She has lost her power, General Solo, do not let her posturing fool you."
Han howled, his laughter filling their cockpit. "Welcome to the family, kid. Land that thing so we can welcome you properly."
"Dad, how tense is the mood on the planet?"
"They're alright. Your mother's been playing diplomat since you disappeared with Tenel Ka. She's managed to keep everyone calm with the help of your Uncle Luke and a few of his Jedi. No body wants to impose or even criticize the Jedi after their sacrifices in this war. Not even the Hapans."
Jacen chuckled. "Alright, we'll see you planet side." He clicked the comm off. "I think the Hapans especially didn't want to aggravate the Jedi after your contributions, Tenel Ka."
Her hand flew across the controls as she set a course for the landing pad set over by the [i]Falcon[/i]. "They would not dare move against the Jedi without my approval," she answered calmly. "And I would never give it."
He reached over and squeezed her shoulder. "I know. Do you think Jana will be waiting for us planet side?"
Tenel Ka finally looked squarely at him. "Yes. She deserves recognition for her part in our union. It would be fitting."
Jacen grinned. "That's what I thought you'd say. Alright, let's land this bird and go home."
She said nothing as she turned back to the controls. Behind them, Flynn and Vola exchanged glances. North spoke their thoughts, but read the same thing in each other's eyes. What craziness had they gotten themselves into?