Author's Note:
Thanks again, Falcona. [huge mischievous grin] You're wondering what's going to happen with that, aren't you…?
Another diary entry coming in 2 more chapters! (If I can get that chapter written, that is. I'm having trouble with it.)
Enjoy! :)

Chapter Fifteen

"Force-sensitive, you think?" Jedi Master Luke Skywalker rubbed his eyes. A restful night's sleep was nothing but a memory, now. And that memory was increasingly distant. He was starting to see superimposed images of a tortured young Ben Kenobi and some blonde when he was awake, too; and that was particularly disorienting.
Lando Calrissian shrugged. "Either that, or she has some other form of telepathy. There's something very strange about that kid."
"Thought you called her about twenty?"
"She is. But she doesn't act it."
"How old does she act?"
He felt the confused realization from Lando. "I can't tell. She… fluxuates, or something. She just seems too young."
Luke frowned. A lot of unexplained Force enigmas had appeared recently, not the least of which…
His eyes widened, remembering Eerin Bant. Could these be 'Stanley's old friends?
He quickly regained control of himself. "I'll look into it," he said with a forced businesslike attitude.
Lando gave him an odd look, but nodded. "All right, then. See you later?"
Luke nodded. "Later." He flexed his right hand, the mechanical one. His blue eyes unfocused as he sought 'Dan Stanley's presence. He murmured, "Time to talk."

"Come on, Stanley! You can do better than that!" whooped Jaina, whipping past him as he barely dodged her 'missles'.
His response came over the comm a few seconds later. "If you insist." He twisted away and headed for the debris field. Jaina was certain he'd lied about never flying an XJ3-wing before.
She followed him to the field, a bit cross. Either he was bluffing, or he had been holding back on her. She had a suspicion it was the latter, and wasn't too happy about it.
She was right. Jaina gasped. "Wh—" How in the galaxy was he pulling that off?!
The Jedi Knight realized suddenly that people thought the same thing when they saw her fly. His easy manuvering through the thickest of the debris seemed impossible because she'd never seen herself pilot. And she'd bet, if she could see him, he'd be sweating right now.
Jaina smiled grimly. Good choice, Lando.
And plunged in after Stanley.

The door beeped.
Jedi Master Mara Jade Skywalker paused in struggling a sweater over Ben's head and checked the Force for any readings. "Come in."
Senator Misti Whitesun's secretary stood there. Her long, billowing green skirt shimmered with gold, falling to her bare ankles. Her tight blouse shimmered pure onyx, keeping her form from being easily determined.
She didn't move.
"Come in," Mara repeated, wondering what had brought this young woman to the Skywalker dwelling. Luke had mentioned she was somehow Force-trained. Could the Dark Jedi have decided to attack? She shifted, making sure she had intant access to her lightsaber.
The secretary handed the Jedi Master a datapad. "My findings," she said tersely. "All leads from the assassination attempt point to Tatooine itself and a decent-sized bounty."
Mara's confusion must've showed, for she scanned her briskly and added, "Knight Solo asked me to do my own search on Whitesun, Master Jade."
"Master Jade?"
She shrugged carelessly. "Differentiates between which Skywalker I'm talking about, doesn't it?"
"You mean Jade Skywalker." Mara suddenly realized how the woman's baiting resembled what Vergere had done to Luke.
The young woman shrewdly met the Jedi Master's gaze. "My mistake."
"Did you ever meet a Forn named Vergere?" she asked too-nicely. Sometimes these bureaucrats needed to be brought down a notch—
"Many times."
She blinked, the secretary's amiable reply catching her off guard. "Where?"
"You wouldn't believe me."
"Try me."
"No."
The woman left abruptly.

The Force guided him down the hall, lightsaber ready. His neck prickled, hair standing on end. Jedi Master Kyp Durron had known the Force too long not to recognize that someone was in serious trouble.
A glint of metal caught his eye up ahead, around the corner. Blaster! He jogged forward, raising his lightsaber—
To a med room's door closing.
Kyp didn't even hesitate. He charged in, catching the bounty hunter completely off guard. In seconds, the man was disarmed and glaring.
He hoisted the bounty hunter. "What was your assignment?"
Then he noticed who that was on the med bed. He nearly dropped his prisoner in his surprise.
"Senator Whitesun?"
Looking like an emanciated corpse, her eyes fluttered open, completely brown, her dark gray hair shrouding her. "Just dump him out the window," she slurred, but that didn't mean it wasn't an order.
Kyp looked in shock at the man he held.
"Let him take a swim."
A surprised laugh escaped the Jedi Master's lips as he carried the bounty hunter to the window, relieved him of his weapons, and did as the young senator suggested.
Still chuckling at her sense of humor, he turned back to her to see her draw a breath and say clearly, "You may go, Master Durron."
Kyp froze, staring at the woman. Impossible! His eyes fell to her twitching right hand… Six fingers… And her face… Virtually expressionless…
"Vaping moffs!" he blurted. "You—you're…"
Senator Misti Whitesun closed her eyes, and when she opened them the green showed, again. "Would you show yourself if you looked like that?" she asked softly.
Kyp couldn't believe this. Misti Whitesun—Senator Misti Whitesun—wore an oosglith masquer. Had a Yuuzhan Vong organism for a hand. And the Jedi hadn't even noticed!
He still couldn't notice, actually…
"It gets fatiguing," she commented. "Shielding it from you Jedi. Particularly…"
He turned in time to see a glint of something on her cheek. A tear?
Kyp swallowed. "Does your… secretary know?"
"Is that any of your business?" she asked sharply, brown of her eyes blazing. "Really, Durron! You're as bad as your mother!"
"My mother?!"
"Oh, get out!" she ordered, almost desperately. "Just leave!"
Coughs racked her tiny frame as he obeyed, and Kyp sincerely hoped he hadn't harmed her. That woman was more than met the eye, but a quick mind-read had revealed one thing.
She was no spy.

"Oh, Han. You know she was slotted for the scrap heap, anyway—"
"I don't care! No one else touches my Falcon! I'll have Lando's head for this!"
Leia tried again. "Han—"
She fell hard to her knees, panic and pain overwhelming her senses. Panic—from Jaina. Pain—from… from…
"Leia!" Han shook her.
Pain from… She opened her eyes, only able to stare dumbly at Han in her shock before she fainted.

Tahiri jumped at someone's hiss. Ignoring the stab to her stomach, she whirled around, spotting Barriss Offee, face contorted in pain.
"Now what did you go and do that for?" Barriss asked lightly to no one who Tahiri could see, though she looked. She dimly felt Jaina panicking for some reason.
The dead Jedi turned to Jedi Veila and grinned. "My friend just put himself in the way of a…" She groaned. "Idiot!"
She glanced at Tahiri. "Him, I mean. She sighed, shaking her head. "What a stupid…" The rest all fell under Barriss's breath.
Tahiri decided to go check on Jaina. If the Solo twin was panicked…
She jogged towards the hangar.