"She is battling something called a Slayer out at the edge of our spaceport," Leia heard the security chief on Ossus telling Luke as Han stuck to a skip like a mynok to a power line while Meewalh and Runt poured blaster fire into. C-3PO was behind her making his worrying noise but not loud enough to distract either her or Han.

"Are they near the Academy ship?" Luke asked as Leia pointed out some E-wings that needed help, Han nodded and pointed the Falcon on an intercept course. They have been slowly working their way to the area that Jaina was and were Tahiri had been but as the Yuuzhan Vong lost more capital ships the harder the skips fought to get to Ossus.

"No, to tell you the truth they both seemed more intent on slashing away at each other then to make any run on the spaceport its self."

"The Slayer has a holy obligation to rid the galaxy of the Abomination; nothing else will matter until she is dead." Runt said from his position in the lower gun well. "Not even a ship full of Jeedai will distract him from his duty. Especially a ship with mere children."

"I've got to agree with him Luke," Corran's voice sounding strained from the long battle they have been involved with the Yuuzhan Vong. "We could be sitting down there and he would not bother us until Peacekeeper is out of the way."

"How is she doing," Mara asked from her X-wing.

"We're not sure, but it appears that she is losing," the security chief came back after a short pause. Leia exchanged worried looks with Han; he face suggested he had the same though that she did. Tahiri was down there and they were stuck up here because of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet.

"Farm Boy, they have told me and I have seen it happen; Peacekeeper's body burns energy at great rate then any of us. That is why she is so small of her age and the more she use the Force the faster she burns up her energy." Tyria said from her fighter, sounding much more in control since she found out her husband was safely on board the Guardian.

"Are you sure she using the Force, I been searching for her and I can't feel her Jedi Girl?"

"I can, barely, but I've learned what to look for, Top Cop."

"How much faster does she burn," Kyp asked.

"She spent three days recovering from Denon. And she been fighting for hours already, even with cat naps and emergency rations during hyperspace jumps, it won't be enough to keep her going for long."

"Jedi Girl, can you tell how she is doing?" Leia asked trying to keep her voice even and not let them hear her worry.

"No, just that she is alive."

Leia felt something in the Force and then heard Jaina call out.

"Ossus, I need emergency landing instruction."

"Sticks, what is your statues?" Luke's voice coming back almost before she ended her sentence.

"Lost two engines and my droid," Jaina voice coming back cool and controlled. She felt that way in the Force also, she took after both of her parents in that regard. When the tough got going, she shined.

"Sticks, can you make it to one of the ships?"

"Negative, Ossus is closer."

"What's he waiting for give her clearance already," Han growled to himself. Leia also was wondering, without all her engines she was venerable to any stray skip in the area.

"Ossus let her in. Top Cop, Mother, Falcon and I are heading in also. Sticks you are to get under the shield then wait for us, understand?"

Then it hit Leia, Luke was worried about Jaina going after Tahiri. Leia clamped down on her anger at Luke, her daughter was in trouble and he was chasing shadows but she also remember Jaina's orders concerning Tahiri. Still, she was in danger and wouldn't waste time with Tahiri now.

"Ossus Control to Stick, you are cleared to enter … Ossus control to Stick you are to hold … Sticks do not approach the spaceport. I say again return to … Farm Boy be advised Jedi is approaching spaceport at full speed."

Leia felt a surge of anger from Luke that she hasn't felt from him in years, as he angrily demanded an answer from Jaina, who was ignoring him. Leia was too amazed to say anything, she couldn't believe that Jaina just lied to them and was most likely on her way down …

"Luke, may be she going to help Tahiri," Leia said on the comm, hoping that she was right. Luke didn't answer and Han just tried to fly faster. A Yuuzhan Vong frigate was able to get passed the line and was attacking the shield. Luke ordered them to eliminate the frigate; it was blocking their entry way and they had to destroy it before they could get down to the surface.

Jaina circled the spaceport to see exactly where the Vong were fighting. She spotted the flash of the freak's light saber on the west end of the field. She heard her Uncle Luke demand an explanation from her but she just ignore him. He wouldn't understand, one day he would but not today. That thing was a danger to the universe; she knew it from deep within her. If it had only stayed with Sekot, Sekot could control it, to heal it, to make sure it never became a danger. She landed nearby as the Slayer took a big swing at the thing, which was able to duck and step behind him and took a swing at his back. Jaina told the droid to remind silent and not to answer any attempts to contact her. She didn't see any of the security forces nearby, that was a smarter move then she would have expected. There was nothing that they could do against the Vong.

She hurried over to the area where she saw the battle, as she ran up she saw the Slayer, bleeding and still fighting, take another jab at the thing who blocked it and then a kick to his left leg. Jaina stood and watch for a minute, no matter who won they would lose to her. She wasn't quite sure what happened next but the thing somehow was able to get past the armor oh his chest and ran the Slayer through. He was dead before he hit the ground, the thing back up to avoid being hit. Exhausted it turned to Jaina and gave her a smile.

"Hey, how is the battle going upstairs?" It asked as it slowly made her way over to Jaina and turning off its light saber. "Jaina, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Jaina brought her pistol up and fired at the thing before it could get to close to her. The thing was slow to react, no doubt because of the fight it just survived. Jaina got it in the left arm since it couldn't get its light saber activated to block the shot. It screamed out in pain and drop it's light saber before falling to the ground.

"I though you Vong like pain," Jaina asked it coldly.

"Why did you shot me, Jaina," it asked as it lay on the ground, grimacing against the pain. "I thought we were friends."

"Wrong Vong, you are the enemy and the enemy has to be stopped before we can be safe again."

"I'm not your enemy Jaina, I am your friend and your fam …"

"Wrong Vong!" Jaina snapped out, "Do you think my parents really care about you? That anyone around here cares about you? They are still hoping somehow the girl they knew, the girl my brother loved, would some day come back. But she won't because you killed my friend, my brother's friend, and pretended to be something you can never be. Anakin died to make sure she would be safe but you killed her anyways!"

"I didn't kill Tahiri Veila," it said with its eyes narrowing, "you were there Jaina. You saw what was happening to them. If Tahiri Veila and Riina Kwaad hadn't merged they both would have spent the rest of their lives in a living hell of insanity. By merging they also make sure that Anakin's vision would not come true."

"If you hadn't killed her, we could have saved her …"

"How? Tahiri Veila was already dying when Anakin Solo saved her. Just as Riina Kwaad couldn't be removed from her body neither could Master Kwaad had remove Tahiri Veila. They were both too powerful, too bright of a light to be snuffed out. The moment they started experimenting on Tahiri Veila they sealed her fate, there was no way to remove one without killing the other!"

"You saying she still trapped inside of you? I knew it!" Jaina flashed red-hot anger through her system.

"No, Tahiri Veila and Riina Kwaad are both gone! All I have are their memories, their hopes and dreams. I am no more them the you are your mother."

"No, you are some sick twisted dream, my brother's worst nightmare come true." Jaina said bring her gun back up and took aim.

"Jaina, I don't want to hurt you but I will to protect myself," the thing said staring deep into Jaina's eyes.

"You don't get it do you, I am going to hurt you and then maybe, hopefully, Tahiri will be free!" Something flew out of the grass near the thing and before she could react wrapped itself around her upper right arm. A blue blade extended itself till the blade was just a hairs breath away from her neck. She could feel the energy from the blade raise the fine hairs on her neck and arm as she could just see it out of the corner of her eye. She could also feel it in the Force, it wanted to kill her already but something was keeping it at bay. She could tell that much through the Force.

The thing got up from where it fell and said something in Yuuzhan Vong, the light saber wavered and she snapped at it again. Reluctantly, it lowered the blade and unwrapped itself from her arm and dropped back to the ground where it crawled back over to the thing.

"Bangor wants to kill you for hurting me, however, I don't!" It said, "I though we were family Jaina I guess I was wrong." She bent down to pick up the creature never taking her eyes off of Jaina. Jaina was still shaken by the light saber, she never seen anything like it before or heard about anything like it, except once, in Anakin's vision. She got one shot off before the thing blocked it and then was hit by an unexpected Force blast that knocked her to the ground. Laying flat on her back both the pistol and her light saber were ripped out of her grip and went flying off somewhere. She silently cursed herself, just because she couldn't feel it in the Force didn't mean she couldn't use it. Way to go dummy last mistake you will make. Jaina could hear the sounds of repulses and ships landing near by, she hoped they could reach her before that thing got to her.

"Jaina," she heard her mom call out. She could feel her mom and uncle running over to her. The thing never pressed its attack; it had just walked over to the Slayer and bent down over it as if to look for something.

"Jaina are you alright?" Her mom asked as her father help her stand up. Uncle Luke was mad at her, but she was already prepared for it. Uncle Luke looked her over to make sure she was ok and then turn to look over Tahiri.

"Tahiri, your shoulder," Corran said taking step towards her. Her reaction set everyone on edge. She spun and held out her ignited weapon out as if to ward off attack. Corran stop and held out his hands as if to show her that he was unarmed. Her mother and father put their bodies between her and Tahiri.

"Tahiri, take it easy," Uncle Luke said slowly taking a step forward.

"Bring 3PO over here, I want him to translate my message to the Warmaster for you," she told Uncle Luke and then glared at Jaina, "I want to make sure there is no misunderstanding what I say to him."

"He is on the way, Tahiri," Uncle Luke said after putting away the comm link, "now let me look at that shoulder."

The thing didn't say anything, she just glared at everyone and made sure they kept their distance from her. When 3PO made it over to them she repeated her request.

"Certainly Mistress Tahiri, … she is calling to the Warmaster asking for a chance to talk to him." After several attempts she was allowed to speak with him.

["Speak Abomination."]

["I have killed the Slayer …"]

["Obviously, since you have his villip in your hands and are talking to me."]

["Then you know why I have asked for your ear."]

["We are Yuuzhan Vong, we do not surrender,"] although 3PO could not translate tones well, but the voice from the villip made it sound like he was ordering lunch. To him it said everything that needed to be said.

["I have bested you Warmaster, as I predicted. The gods are with me, not with you. What I told you before is true and you must accept the fact that the gods have decreed a new way of life."]

["Perhaps,"] the tone of his voice communicated deep thought, Jaina wasn't sure she didn't think they were capable of doing deep thinking. ["Perhaps, Tahiri the gods truly do bless you of all Yuuzhan Vong. But if we surrender to you then we will travel to Zonama Sekot, is this not true."]

["Yes Warmaster."]

["Then we will be forced to live not as we wish but as the False God wishes. No, child of the Yun-Yuuzhan, better to chose our own destiny then to be forced to have that choice made for us. The shame would be more then we could bare."]

["Warmaster, you are a great warrior who fought well and used your men wisely. You are also a wise leader; you know that the universe is as the gods wish it not as we wish. The gods demand strength and sacrifice to honor them for their many gifts, which will be true tomorrow as it was since time began. Change is their greatest test of all, for us to prove we are worthy of their gifts." She looked over at Jaina as she spoke, "we can not wish for what used to be or what we knew but must show strength and face the unknown, the new, and the different to survive. The gods do not do this to mock us or to test our faith but to test our strength and our hearts. To see if we truly are their children and face the new challenges not as scared children cowering behind their parents but as Yuuzhan Vong Warriors with our head held high in pride. For each new challenge we face and conquer, we can only grow strong and praise the mighty gods for making us who we are! The unknown and the change are the toughest for the warrior to face because the rules change without warning, plans to conquer the unknown will never work the same way twice, it is a clever and cunning beast that must be study and learned from to defeat. In the New Way, a warrior may not always need to slay his opponents but will always have to think faster, be more cunning to achieve his goals. The gods have set out that challenge for you Warmaster, but only can you chose your response only you can … "] It stopped and had a far away look in it's eyes, ["the gods are allowing you to use your free will to accept the challenge or not, to lead your warriors and live to see what the future holds or to only live in the past. The gods will not interfere with your choice Warmaster nor shall I."]

["We are Yuuzhan Vong."] Jaina wasn't sure if the sad tone was 3PO's own feelings or if the Warmaster actually had some regret as he answer the thing's passionate speech.

["I understand Warmaster,"] it said as the ball inverted itself. She let it drop to the ground and then looked up in the sky and said quietly. "Rrush'hok ichnar vinim'hok"

"What does that mean," her father asked 3PO.

"Die well, brave warrior."

"That was a good try Tahiri," Uncle Luke said.

The thing pulled her gaze down from the sky and looked over at the Jedi with an angry but baffled look on her face. It locked its eyes on hers.

"And what of the Jeedai, will they too face the new and the unknown with their heads held high in pride or will they too cower behind their parents like small frighten children." If Jaina's mom and dad hadn't held her back that thing would have learned who is a child and who was not. The thing then directed her attention to Uncle Luke, "for two years I have walked among you. Pain, suspicion and hatred have been my companions during my journey. From the Yuuzhan Vong who considers me an Abomination, to the Jedi whom fear that I will destroy them, to the everyday people who believe I will do harm. Even the most compassionate acts you have done for me has always had an undercurrent of suspicion as if you expect me to attack and become what Anakin Solo feared. I am not Tahiri Veila nor am I Riina Kwaad and if I could I would travel back in time to make sure that great evil Master Kwaad attempt would never happen. But I cannot, I am not one of the gods I do not posses that power. And like you, I too morn the lost of Tahiri Veila and Riina Kwaad, I too have fond memories of both, and their lost was a great tragedy to the galaxy. Like you, Master Skywalker, I am the product of both the good of my parents and the worst of my parents. Should I fear you for the actions of your father or should I judge you from your actions?"

"We do understand Tahiri," Uncle Luke, "and we are trying …"

"Do or do not, there is no try." It said, and then talked quietly to the light saber, which had gone stiff in her hands. Jaina and everyone went tense, while it looked went from angry to sad. "See what I mean." She tossed Luke the weapon and said, "send this back to Sekot, that is a weapon of a Jedi." Then she turned and started walking away, her meaning was clear to Jaina. Jaina silently rejoiced in its choice.

"If you're not a Jedi, Tahiri, then what are you?" Luke called out to her.

"Alone."

They watch it go over to one of the security people, after conversing for a few minutes she got in to an air car and was driven away.

"We can't let her go, Uncle Luke. You have to send it back to Sekot," Jaina said softly to him.

"No," Luke said watching the air car speed her away.

"But Sekot can control her, if you let her run free Anakin's vision will come true."

"It won't Jaina," Corran said in a hard voice.

"You don't know that," Jaina snapped back.

"You're still alive, aren't you?" Corran said giving her a stare as hard as his voice, "That Slayer didn't shot her with a blaster."

"But …"

"Regardless," Uncle Luke's voice a mixture of sadness and regret, "she is right, we sent her along with Sekot in the first place, not just to find the Widowmaker but also because we didn't trust her. I tried to stop her from going into the Wraiths because I didn't trust her to stay true to her training as a Jedi. Your parents stunned her and use an Ysalamiri to control her because they weren't sure about her. Yet, truly what has she done to deserve that treatment?"

"As much as I disagree with Jaina's approach," Mara said shooting her look of strong disappointment, "we did have strong reasons for doing everything we had done, Luke."

"Did we," Luke said shaking his head.

"Should we go after her," her mom asked sounding worried.

"No, right now she will just push us away, I'll contact Face later and have him let her know that we will always love her."

"So what are we going to do, Luke?" Her father asked also sounding worry about it.

"We trust and we be here for her if she ever needs it," Luke answered taking his wife's hand.

"All the Wraiths have already received full pardons for all their activities during their absence, I even issued one to Flight Officer Bora for her crimes committed before she joined the Wraiths. For the three that died on the Sweet Sunset, I plan to honor them with every medal I can. It won't be much but …" Cal said sadly shaking his head. Cal, Fyor and Luke were walking from the reception area to the main entrance where air cars were waiting to take them back to the spaceport and then to the Guardian.

"It never seem much does it," Fyor said in a thoughtful tone, "they give us so much to protect everything we hold dear and in exchange their families get a shinny piece of metal."

"They also gave their families security," Luke said, "who knows what ramifications could have come from Admiral Kre'fey actions. Not just the extermination of the Yuuzhan Vong but what other government or military leaders would have use the same justification to exterminate a rival power. No, I can't for see what might have happened if he had gotten away with it and to tell you the truth I am glad I cannot."

"I can," Fyor said with a grimace, "it could had lead no where, it could have planted the seeds for a new Empire one day or a new civil war. No, we have enough problems in the galaxy today without our top people helping to create more in the future."

"We have our work cut out for us alright," Cal said, "We have to try to find a way to make sure this doesn't happen again. If we don't try then those little shinny bits of metal don't mean anything and we will have wasted not only Wraith lives but every life lost on Coruscant."

"The Jedi are willing to do our part," Luke told them, "we have Jaina and a court report droid sitting in with the people from the Justice Committee already. Corran is with them to make sure she tells them everything she knows."

"What about that other Jedi, Rar is it?" Fyor stopped and crossed his arms.

"She isn't answering her order to return here or to surrender to the military, I sent Hammer, he left 20 minutes after the ceremony, to Denon to ask the Courts to issue a arrest order for her if she doesn't contact anyone by the time he gets there."

"Good, the last thing we need is a Jedi lose with vengeances on her mind," Cal said as they resumed their walk, "by the way, we got a id on that spy the Wraiths brought back. Grand Admiral Pellaeon knew him, it seems that he was the one who tried to stir up the galaxy against the Bothan a few years ago. He escaped shortly there after; Pellaeon was very pleased to have him back in custody again. His people have already filed a petition to extradite him to the Empire. I think in this case, the Courts may see their way to turn him back over."

"All is well that ends well," Luke replied quietly.

"I talk to Tahiri, Luke. She sat there for an hour and listen to me and Face, all we got was a 'thank you' for our concern. After everything she been through, I think it might be awhile," Cal said with some concern.

"I know, but thank you for trying. We can only hope that one day she will be able to forgive us." Luke said with a small shake of his head. "But she may not consider herself a Jedi, but she still upholds her Jedi values. I can hope for more but that will do for now."

"I am sorry Anakin, I lost control. The idea that thing controlling Tahiri ... If only you contacted me sooner.

"It is alright Jaina, but now you see why we have to bring her back here. In order to save Tahiri we must get her to Sekot."

Jaina looked around at the ghostly apparition that Anakin rested in, the spirit world that looked exactly like Sekot. Even the warm feeling of love and belonging that filled her soul when she visited the wondrous planet was projected here. Her grief stricken soul drank up the peace and harmony like a man would water on Tatooine. Oh, how she wished the real world were like this.

"It will be one day Jaina, when Tahiri joins Sekot and teaches the True Way, the whole galaxy will be at peace forever." Anakin said with a smile that held the promise of a bright happy tomorrow. He looked exactly like he did when she last saw him, his blue eyes held such wondrous dreams, he wore the same combat suit, and his hair was a mess. The only thing he was missing was his light saber. "When the real Tahiri joins with Sekot and teaches the galaxy the True Way, pain, suffering and needless death will never be seen again."

"That would be wonderful Anakin," Jaina said wishing that she could hold her brother one last time. "I failed you twice I won't fail you again!"

"Of course you haven't failed me, Jaina. Even when you were working for Admiral Kre'fey you were really working for the True Way."

"But I did evil …"

"There is no dark side, Jaina, or light side only True Way. Even when I was alive I was working for the True Way." Then Anakin face clouded up, "I feel sorry for the others for they refuse to let in the True Way, Jaina." Then he brightens again, "but that too shall change one day. With Tahiri's help, all of the galaxy shall follow the True Way."

"I have faith in you Anakin and I will do what I can to get Tahiri to Sekot so Sekot can heal her and she can heal the galaxy." Jaina told her brother and seeing his face glow with happiness.

On the other side of the galaxy a planet … smiled.