Here is ch. 6, I hope everyone enjoys! Remember, please review!
Chapter 6
In route to Hapes, the home planet of the princess Tenel Ka, the strike team began to allow their many wounds to heal, both physical and mental ones. They were going to meet up with Master Skywalker and other jedi there to discuss their next plan of action and to have a proper funeral for Anakin Solo and the other members lost during the mission.
Not much was said during the long jump to Hapes. Jaina was absorbed in her dark feelings and pain, while Tahiri was so shaken up that she could barely walk or eat. Matters only got worse when the entire team minus Jaina suddenly felt the death of Jacen Solo. It was like throwing salt into already open wounds for the young jedi that had already been through so much, and they knew that they would not be able to take much more before they all broke down.
Jaina slowly walked through the long corridors of the palace on Hapes, where the strike team had landed earlier that mourning. She had set out alone on a walk through the city, but was soon stopped by the former Queen Mother, Ta'a Chume, who spoke briefly to her about staying in the palace as her guest and coming to the state diner that would be held the following night. Somewhat reluctantly, Jaina agreed knowing it would give her some much needed space away from her parents. As she was walking down the hall, Jaina came across Tenel Ka.
"Jaina, my grandmother informed me that you will be joining us here in the palace. Let me show you to your rooms," Tenel Ka spoke hastily. The princess had obviously changed out of her old, tattered clothes from the mission that had plenty of rips and blood stains on it into a long midnight blue gown that flowed as if it was an extension of her body. The brilliant color of the dress accented her rust colored tresses, no longer in dirty braids, but now cascading in wisps down her back. She looked stunning, even with the haunting pain hidden behind her eyes.
The two girls began to walk down another long hallway in the center of the luxurious palace. They eventually came to a stop before a single door which Tenel Ka reached over and opened. Beyond the door sat the most amazing room Jaina had ever seen. It was larger than most apartments that Jaina had been in and contained every luxury from a giant fountain in the center of the room to a personal wardrobe, all in her size. She could tell by the richness and style of the clothes that they were obviously chosen for her by the former queen. "I could get used to living in a place like this," Jaina muttered under her breath.
"As you can see everything that you would need to get cleaned up and for the rest of your stay is located in here, but if you need anything else just ask myself or any of my bodyguards," spoke her friend quite diplomatically, as if she was speaking to some stuffy dignitary rather than an old friend. "And Jaina, I don't want us to quarrel. I'm sorry if I said something to offend you before, but right now I think we should all be sticking together, not pushing each other away. This will only make us weak and vulnerable to the dark side."
" Well, if the dark side could bring my brothers back, I would gladly give into it," she replied coolly while walking over to sit on her massive bed.
"I am sorry to hear you say that. I will leave you alone now." And with that Tenel Ka turned and walked out of the door, leaving Jaina alone in the large, cold room.
Alone. That was how Tahiri Veila felt as she sat on her small cot in the room she was given at the refugee station on Hapes. While truthfully there was hundreds of people wandering around the refugee base outside of her small living quarters, the lack of one made her feel as if life itself was over.
How could Anakin be gone? Only days before they had been on Myrkr, fighting to save lives, not destroy them. They had made love and it was the most amazing and beautiful thing that Tahiri had ever experienced, filling her with more joy and happiness than she had ever felt before. She had been in love and she never bothered to tell Anakin. What if he died without truly knowing her feelings for him?
That thought deeply disturbed Tahiri. She did not know why the two of them had never verbally expressed their feelings for each other. Maybe because neither of them really thought that they would run out of time; that one of them would be brutally stolen from the other.
Emptiness echoed inside of Tahiri. She felt no pain or anger towards the Yuuzhan Vong; she felt nothing. Numbness, and that was the worst part of all.
Reaching over to the table next to her cot, Tahiri picked up her lightsaber. She ran her fingers over the cool metal of the deadly weapon. How many lives had she taken with this instrument? Was it worth it since she had failed to protect the one life most precious to her? Carefully she pressed her delicate finger to the activation switch. The energy blade sprang out of its sheath with a gentle, almost soothing humming sound. Gradually, Tahiri began to move the blade closer to her arm, the heat radiating off of it and leaving a large burn mark across her skin. Finally, she was feeling something.