Chapter Five

Leia was still sitting in bed, too shocked to speak or move when Jacen bolted through the door to his parents' quarters.

"Mom," he called out quickly.

"In here, Son," Han responded without surprise. Over the years he had gotten used to the Force connection between the other members of his family.

Jacen entered their bedroom more slowly and walked cautiously over to Leia's side of the bed. He knelt down beside Leia and asked more quietly this time, "Mom?"

"Jacen," she responded shakily and reached a hand out to him. Her hand clutched his arm tightly, as if she were afraid to let go. "Oh, Jacen," she murmured, "I saw her. I saw Jaina."

One of Han's long arms encircled her from behind. "It's okay, Princess. It was just a dream."

"No," she shook her head adamantly. "It was more than a dream, Han. Jaina was there in the dream with me. It was real."

Han and Jacen's eyes met in a quick worried glance over Leia's shoulder.

"What happened in your dream, Mom?" Jacen asked quietly.

"It wasn't a dream!" She snapped sharply and then paused, exhaling slowly. "She was there in front of me and she just stood there for a moment, but I could feel her, Jacen. I could sense her presence through the Force and then..." she hesitated, flashing back on the nightmarish vision. "Then an amphistaff hit her in the back and I woke up. But it was real, Jacen! I could feel her there with me. She is alive!"

"It's okay, Sweetheart. I believe you." Han leaned forward and gently kissed the top of her head. With enthusiasm that he couldn't quite make seem unforced, Han smiled and let out a gruff chuckle. "This is great news, Sweetheart," he said, flashing her a weak Solo grin. "It calls for a celebration."

Jacen managed to muster up a smile for his mother as she turned back to Han. Jacen didn't speak, but he had his doubts about what she had said. He had felt Jaina's absence from the Force with painful clarity. It was a constant gaping wound in the fore front of his perceptions. Still he kept his doubts about what Leia believed carefully hidden in the depths of his mind. He couldn't bring himself to destroy his parents' hope for a second time.

As his parents began to celebrate, Jacen stood up quietly and began to slip out of the room. He glanced back at them as the door slid open to let him out and saw Leia wrapped tightly in Han's arms.

His Jedi enhanced senses heard her whisper, "Thank you," to Han, as he stepped out the door. He almost collapsed against the wall.

"Jacen."

He glanced up and to his surprise saw Tenel Ka standing against the opposite wall of the corridor.

"You waited," was all that he could manage to say. His surprise was evident.

"Of course, friend Jacen."

He could feel her concern as they stepped away from their walls and fell in step as they walked slowly down the corridor.

"Is your mother okay?"

Jacen nodded distractedly. "She had a dream or vision of Jaina. She believes that Jaina's alive," he confided.

"You don't trust her vision."

"I don't know that it was a vision," Jacen exploded. "I feel..." He shuddered. "I have never felt so completely alone," he confessed. "And her presence is completely gone from the Force like Anakin's." He shook his head. "I wish it was true. I wish she was still alive, but there is no chance."

"She has lost two of her children. Perhaps she needs to have hope in something." Tenel Ka offered into the silence.

Jacen didn't comment. A moment later, Tenel Ka's comm. link started to chirp frantically. Jacen took a step away from her to allow her to speak with whoever had commed her in private.

As she quickly finished the conversation and clicked off her comm. link, she said, "My parents have summed me to meet with the immediately. I have to go."

Jacen nodded, "I'll see you again later then."

She hesitated, "Do you have someplace to be, friend Jacen?"

Jacen though and then shook his head. "No, I'll probably just try to find a way to help out in the Refugee camp."

"Not at this early hour of the day. Perhaps you could come with me? It is always helpful to have another perspective on a situation."

Jacen grimaced. His perspective- his reticence- had been what had gotten Anakin killed.

"I-"

Tenel Ka seemed to sense his reluctance and added, "Please, friend Jacen."

There was a hint of something in Tenel Ka's voice that caught his attention immediately. She rarely asked for something once, much less twice.

"Okay."

She smiled at him. "Thank you."

As they quickly approached the doorway that was surrounded by a double row of guards, Tenel Ka slid her arm formally through his. Jacen tried not to look surprised at her action, as the lead guard stepped out to meet them. They walked right up to the woman and waited.

The guard didn't quite meet Tenel Ka's eyes, but her gaze wasn't as downcast as those of the other Hapan courtiers that Jacen had encountered.

"Your escort will have to wait with us, Princess Tenel Ka. Your parents' requested that you meet with them."

"I am here," Tenel Ka stated blandly, ignoring the other woman's implication, "And he is with me."

"Princess-"

Tenel Ka took an abrupt step forward, cutting the guard off. "Fact, Natlia, I am the Princess and you cannot bar me or Jacen from this room. Now let us pass."

"Tenel Ka," Jacen started to volunteer to leave, but a sharp half-glance from her stopped him. This was a larger issue than just his presence.

The guard stepped slowly back and the guards in the rear opened the wide doors. Together he and Tenel Ka stepped into the room without a backwards glance.

In the far corner of the room, a man and a woman stood, studying an active holodisplay. The man was tall, handsome and well built. Jacen immediately noticed how stiffly the two stood and the distance between that separated them, even as the woman leaned heavily on the man's arm.

Tenel Ka slid her arm out of his and walked towards them with Jacen just a step behind her.

"You summoned me, Mother?"

That was when the couple noticed them. The woman was the first to face them.

"I did, Daughter," Teneniel Djo said slowly. She didn't even acknowledge Jacen's presence as she focused solely on Tenel Ka. "Hapes is under attack now," she said bluntly, "And I cannot lead. You must take charge of Hapes' military forces, Tenel Ka."

"What about Father? Why can't he lead? He has more tactical knowledge and experience in leading the Hapan military." Her voice was coolly analytical, not complaining, but searching for an answer that wasn't immediately evident to her.

"Because our people need to see you leading our forces. They need to know that there is a strong heir to the Hapan throne. You must show them that."

Tenel Ka nodded, not bothering to interject that she didn't want to be the heir to the Hapan throne. Duty came before personal desires. That was part of the Jedi way and it was something that she could easily understand. She glanced over to meet her father's eyes as she asked, "Fact?"

Her mother responded dully, "Fact." There were certain fates that a mother should not have to consign her daughter to.