Sorry this took so long, guys! One thing after another conspired against me, from my computer, to the internet, to my other fics, to… :P anyway.

Garnet Turner: thanks! This thing is kind of weird to write, but fun, so long as I don't thing too much on how I'm going to end it, lol.

Jaina: well, thank you :) more to come, but this may eventually get paused, as it is on JC, because I've stumbled into a block on the ending, and the fact that I don't have access to DJ isn't helping… :P

JediJayaSolo: :D

Some of this is taken directly from "Dark Tide: Ruin", especially dialogue. I don't own the book, don't sue.

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Cheering Me On


{Jag's POV}

I was nervous, had been since I realized that I would be representing the Chiss. I had not been Spike squadron's leader for long (only since Davin's death), and the role was just becoming comfortable. It has been difficult to earn the Chiss' respect – especially because, in their eyes, not even "Davin's child brother" could meet the standards Davin himself had set.

We – the Spikes – followed the moffs out onto the dais, and I retreated behind a hard mask of impassiveness so that no one would see my trepidation. I was going to mess this up. I was so going to mess up. Thrawn's teeth, why did I agree to this, anyway? The Spikes are pilots, not politicians.

I shook hands with and bowed my way down the line. I was too tense and impatient to deal with politicians, so I bypassed them completely. If I had to fake respect for those blood-sucking creatures, I'd never get through this. Hah, I'd probably knock a few heads and get chucked out of the military before I could blink – if I wasn't court-marshalled for screwing up public relations. I was vaguely aware of surprised, and even angry, murmurs, but I ignored them.

I came to my uncle, whom I had only just met, and bowed in respect. I tensed in surprise when he pulled me into a hug, then released me with a grin. I blinked rapidly for half a second, then pushed my astonishment aside to greet Admiral Pellaeon. My gaze drifted, however slightly, and found a pretty girl wearing Jedi robes, seeming to be on tip-toe, looking at me, eyes wide. It took me a moment to recognize her, and when I did, I swallowed. Jaina Solo – here? I had heard she was in Rogue Squadron now (Mother and Cherith were in constant contact with Jaina, and even Father kept an eye on her), but I had not expected her to be here.

I hesitated a fraction of a second before walking briskly past the Remnant moffs and off the dais, to Davin's friend. When I stopped in front of her, I snapped my head and upper body forward in a bow, not quite as deep as the one I had given to the others, but respectful nonetheless. Davin's friends – whom he had always chosen so carefully – deserved that much from me. I straightened, my spine erect, shoulders tense; it was hard to be this close to someone Davin had cared so much about.

"I am Jagged Fel," I introduced, in case she didn't remember me. We had only met once, after all, and that wasn't a time that people…enjoyed reminiscing about. My eyes met hers for a moment, and I knew that she had recognized me even before I had told her my name. I wondered what Davin had told her about me, then pushed the question aside.

My gaze raked over her and I was dimly aware of her blush. I had barely noticed her at the funeral – at least, I had not taken in what she looked like. I had been rather preoccupied with hating her and my grief.

She was small, and I decided that there was no doubt she had gotten her height from Ambassador Solo. The Jedi robes that she wore fit her loosely, showing only whispers of a figure. She was a little tense, uncertain of why I was in front of her. Perhaps, I thought with an imperceptible flinch, I reminded her of my brother. As children, Davin and I had been so close in looks that people mistook us for twins.

Realizing I was staring, I fought down my embarrassment. "A Jedi, too," I remarked, looking up at her face once again. "Fascinating."

She blinked in confusion, and I had the feeling that was not what she had expected. Had she been waiting for Davin's wink and, "Lookin' good, sweetheart"?

"Too?" she queried.

Her brown eyes unsettled me, and I caught my breath. "In addition to being a superior pilot," I managed, remembering the scores Cherith had waved around in my face smugly after Jaina's last letter.

"One of the top fliers in Rogue Squadron!" my sister had crowed gleefully and perhaps even proudly, as if Jaina was a waif Cherith had adopted and mentored. "You'll meet your match yet, Jag," she taunted. "Imagine, being beat by a 'Rebel' pilot."

Jaina was eyeing me with some scepticism. "You are a difficult kill," I offered, hoping Cherry never got vids of this event. Oh, how she'd love to hold how I used that high a praise for a Rebel over my head…

Jaina surprised me with a soft smile. "You meant that as a compliment," she noted.

I nodded. "Among the Chiss it is high praise indeed. I was only a bit better than you at your age."

If I had been at home, Cherry would have rolled her eyes and teased me. Perhaps the man beside Jaina was channelling my little sister, because he mocked, "Which was what, about a year ago?" Jaina seemed to be fighting down a smirk as she glanced up at the man.

I hesitated half a second; I had not noticed the man, nor had I expected the mockery. A corner of his mouth lifted, however, and I realized the teasing was not mean-spirited, as it would have been, if it had come from a Chiss.

"Yes," I answered, slipping into command voice without realizing it, "just before I took command of my squadron."

General Antilles – my uncle Wedge, that is, but I didn't know if I'd ever get used to calling him that – stepped down from the dais and approached us. "Colonel Fel."

I turned, somewhat grateful for the distraction. I had had little time to practise conversation techniques amongst the solemn Chiss, especially with Rebel pilots, and I was unsure of where to go with the discussion, now that the pleasantries were through. I had walked out on impulse, knowing that Davin would have done the same, were he in my position. Jaina appeared to have welcomed the recognition of our bond, however faint it may be, but that did not quite loosen my tongue. Well, I always had been a taciturn child. Some things never changed.

"Yes, Uncle?"

My uncle glanced at Jaina, offered her a small, fleeting smile, then returned his gaze to me. "You should return to the dais and greet those people you bypassed." He nodded toward Borsk Fey'lya and his confederates. "They're fairly…important."

I could almost see Davin's smirk and I shook my head. "They're politicians," I corrected, my upper lip curling faintly in disgust.

The general lowered his voice. "The impression is that you skipped them because they are not human."

A feeling of self-righteous anger shot through my veins and I turned to face the dais and raised my voice. "If they believe I did not greet them because they are not human, they are stupid. I did not greet them because they are politicians."

Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw approval flash in Jaina's eyes and I straightened proudly.

It was almost like Davin was cheering me on.

~TJF