Jacen glanced around the small conference room the Council met in, somehow managing to absorb his surroundings through the thick fog that enveloped him.
His uncle, aunt, Kam, and Tionne were talking in hushed tones, expressions of concern on their faces.
Tahiri and Taan sat cross-legged side by side, their backs ram-rod straight against the wall, Taan's hands gesturing anxiously as they argued.
Jag looked a little out of place sitting at attention at the table in the corner.
Jacen felt sorry for him. In all the chaos at the Academy, he had been summarily forgotten.
"No." Luke shook his head, and Mara looked distinctly unhappy.
Jacen stood and walked over to join the group.
"I think we should." Kam insisted.
"I think we should send a couple of the Jedi to Eclipse." Tionne broke in quietly.
Both men turned to look at the silver-haired woman.
"I don't think it's that serious." It was Kam's turn to shake his head.
"You and Luke's not thinking this was serious is what brought us into this mess in the first place." Mara's voice was angry.
Luke winced.
"With all respect, Masters," Jacen interrupted, "I don't think this a minor threat."
Both men looked up frowning.
Jacen was relieved to see, however, that his aunt was nodding encouragingly.
"Go ahead and explain that, please, Jacen." She said calmly.
Jacen hated picking sides in these scuffles, but at least it was Aunt Mara's side he was on. "We've already decided that there's a great possibility that we're facing a new wave of Yuuzhan Vong." He planted both palms downward on the table. "Minor threat? My foot." He sent his piercing gaze at Kam. "And don't even start the stupid 'Jedi don't anticipate war' thing. That's a recipe for a grand massacre. This Jedi's going to anticipate a possible threat to his children and take preventative action. Period. No theories, no committees, no meditation."
Luke coughed, his message anything but subtle. "Thank you for your opinion, Jacen."
"Ri." Jacen called, "ai kerktergh aquhresh."
Tahiri looked up sharply, getting to her feet in one smooth motion.
"Dha?" she answered quickly, coming towards them.
"Tell Masters Skywalker and Solusar what you told me yesterday." Jacen switched back to Basic.
Tahiri's eyes shifted back and forth between Jacen and Luke. "I said there was a chance that this group of Yuuzhan Vong—and make no mistake, Masters, there isn't any way to have faked that video— are more of a threat than the last one was."
Kam frowned deeply. "How did you arrive at that conclusion?"
Tahiri was chewing on the inside of her lip thoughtfully. "Taan?" she turned around to face her friend. " Dorrikai kerghak?"
Taan was already walking toward them.
Tahiri rattled off a question in Yuuzhan Vong.
Taan nodded, answering rapidly.
Tahiri gestured toward the sitting Jedi Masters and said something.
Taan swiveled her luminescent silver gaze to look at Kam and Luke.
"What is it, Taan?" Luke asked patiently.
"Tahiri wants me to tell you about the Yuuzhan Vong Homewar." She said quietly.
Tionne cocked her head inquisitively. "Homewar?"
Taan nodded. "A civil war of sorts. One that caused us to begin looking for new places to settle."
"Go on." Luke prompted.
Taan blinked. "It started because a group of radicals claimed that the Overlords were being pacifists by not allowing us to follow the gods' commands to conquer. They gained many followers, especially among the younger generation that was eager for war. After the Overlords put down the rebellion, the dissidents were banished."
Luke thought for a moment, then looked at Tahiri. "You thought this has some relevance to the new attack?"
Tahiri nodded. "The holo showed the words on the walls. The dialect was slightly different than the dialects from any of the existing domains, and the yorrik coral dust was a different color. We thought at first it was from home— the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy— but the nutrients were so depleted there, there would've been no way to grow new ships so quickly."
"Tahiri speaks the truth." Taan's voice was nearly inaudible. "And we did not leave any warriors behind. Only the sick, elderly, and very young were commanded to remain on Yuuzhan'atar."
Luke sighed. "So what you're saying is that we're not facing the nice, peace-loving warriors, but the ones who like to rip people apart for the fun of it."
Taan nodded shortly. "In conclusion, more or less, yes."
"So the recent incidents are really the least of our current worries."
Everyone looked up at Jag, who had gotten tired of sitting, and had come over to join the discussion.
Tahiri nodded solemnly.
There was a loud bang as the heavy door swung open against the stone wall.
Kyp stalked in, carrying something in his hand.
"You want proof this was the Yuuzhan Vong's doing?" he demanded. "Here you go." He flung something down on the table.
The blood-red blob writhed on the durasteel table, its menacing maw opening to reveal multiple rows of needle teeth.
Tahiri jumped backward with a stifled scream.
Taan stared incredulously at it before looking back up at Kyp. "What is it?"
"I was hoping you could tell me." Kyp answered.
Taan shook her head. "I have never seen one of its kind before." She said slowly. "Where did you find it?"
"Pasted to the back of Jaina's x-wing." Kyp replied grimly.
"Well, I'm not sure it helps explain anything if none of us knows what it is." Kam said thoughtfully.
"Oh," Kyp laughed, "it explains a lot." He jerked his head at Jacen. "How does it feel to you?"
Jacen frowned. "If it's Yuuzhan Vong, it shouldn't exist in the Force."
"I didn't ask you to spout facts at me." Kyp's voice was harsh. "Just reach out and tell me how it feels."
Still frowning, Jacen did what the other man asked.
"The thing itself doesn't have any Force sense to it at all." Jacen said after a moment. "But," he admitted, "the air around it feels weird. Dead almost."
"Dead?" Luke echoed.
Jacen nodded. "Not quite dead; more like… dull. It feels odd to even reach out with the force at all, like it's trying to suck the energy out of me."
Kyp nodded. "Tahiri?"
The blonde shook her head. "Nothing. It Force-empty, yeah, so it's Yuuzhan Vong, but I'm not getting any of what Jacen is."
Again the Jedi Master nodded.
"I am not sure I understand what your point is, Master Durron." It was Jag's turn to speak.
"The point is it affects the Force somehow." He laughed bitterly. "Don't ask me how that's possible, since its Yuuzhan Vong."
Jag frowned. "If it is affecting the Force, would Jedi Veila not be bothered by it as well?"
Kyp nodded his conceding of the point. "It would be, except that it's attuned to a specific Force signature."
"Jaina." Mara said simply.
"Yeah."
"That's why Jacen felt it but Tahiri didn't." Kam clarified. "Jacen's signature is the close to Jaina's, and Tahiri's isn't."
"Which is why she never went into a hibernation trance. Why none of us ever felt her distress." Luke realized.
Mara swore under her breath, earning a brief glance from her husband.
"Great." Tahiri said darkly. "Just perfect."
.
"Hey, kid!"
Kyp Durron turned, feeling his muscles cry out in protest.
Han was striding purposefully down the hall toward him, almost bowling over one of the droids the Academy employed.
Kyp stopped and waited for the older man to catch up.
"Hi, Han." He said wearily.
"You sound like I feel." Han commiserated, draping one arm over Kyp's shoulders. He scanned the Jedi Master. "Look like it, too."
"Thanks." Kyp said dryly.
Han grinned briefly. "No problem."
Both men were silent for a few moments.
"How is she?" Han asked finally.
Kyp looked up at him. "You went to see her."
Han nodded. "I did, but I wanted to hear it from you."
Kyp sighed, unsure of what to say.
"It's ok, kid, I know it's bad." Han told him.
"Yeah." Kyp was quiet.
Han shook his head. "Can't say I ever imagined watching some machine breathe for my daughter."
Kyp swallowed and nodded.
"She'll be ok, though." Han's voice held forced cheerfulness.
"Yeah." Kyp couldn't find anything else to say.
"I just got back form talking with Jacen, Luke and Mara. They told me about the new Yuuzhan Vong thing."
Kyp waited.
"Actually," Han confessed, " they told Leia and I managed to pry it outa her."
Kyp smiled wanly.
"Anyway, I had a question for you."
"Shoot." Kyp blinked, forcing his heavy lids to open again.
"How did you know where she was when there was a Force-block or whatever? And don't lie to me, kid. I've had enough stress for one day."
Kyp stilled, his thoughts suddenly racing for an answer.
"I mean it. I want the truth." Han was serious.
Kyp sighed. "I didn't feel her in the Force."
"You just knew where she would be?" Han inferred.
"No." Kyp shook his head. "I'm not sure if I can explain it. It was early. Something woke me up, and knew she needed help."
"Nah, kid, now you're lying." Han said flatly.
Kyp stared at him incredulously.
"She didn't need help." Han corrected. "She needed you."