Chapter 14

Jag walked into his apartment, several days later, after having another argument with Shawnkyr. To total darkness.

/That's weird. Jaina's supposed to be here, but even if she wasn't, she always leaves the lights on. / As he walked farther into the apartment he heard what sounded like crying. He followed the noise to the bedroom, and when he gently pushed open the door, he saw a small figure curled up in the corner.

"Jaina? Sweetheart?" Jaina was sitting in the corner with her legs drawn up beneath her, and her head laying on her knees, hugging herself. The moment that Jag saw the tears that were streaming uncontrollably down her face, he crossed the room and pulled her into his embrace.

They sat on the floor for a few minutes, with Jag slowly rocking her back and forth, rubbing her back. When Jaina seemed to run out of tears, she pulled back, wiping her eyes. "Sorry."

"What's wrong, Jaya?" Jag asked with concern clearly written on his face.

"Nothing. It's nothing, it was stupid." She said, trying to stand up, but Jag secured his arms around her waist, not allowing her to get up.

"Jaina, please just tell me. I don't think that you curled up on the floor counts as nothing. Come on, what do you have to lose? Sometimes just talking about can make it better."

"Today…it…it's been six months since Ani." With each word she spoke the closer she became to tears, before breaking down and clinging to Jag for dear life.

"Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry. Do you want to talk about it? Or would you like me to take you to your parents?" Jag said immediately knowing what she was taking about.

"No, I'd much rather be here with you. Mom and dad are on the other side of Mon Cal anyway. They need to be alone for a while, they're grieving in their own way. They're at Anakin's favorite part of Mon Cal…" She hesitated for a second. "…Jag? Would you tell me about Davin and Cherith?" She looked up at him and saw him stiffen slightly and take a deep breath.

"Only if you talk about Anakin and Jacen."

She hesitated for a faction of a second, but figured that if he was willing to talk about his siblings then she should reciprocate the favor. She nodded and looked up expectantly. "You first." He smiled and thought of how to describe his bother and sister.

"Davin was a few years older then I was, and was the typical big brother. He was my idol, everything that I wanted to be. We pretty much did everything together and when he went to the academy, I thought my world had ended. During that time Cherith and I became really close. We even built this clubhouse down in this old bomb shelter we found a couple of miles away from our house. We set this place up and it was actually pretty cool. It was somewhere we could go when we were sad or depressed or just bored, and we would just hang out. As far as I know we were the only two to ever go in there. About a year after Davin had graduated from the academy he went with my father to the Hand of Thrawn, where I believe they meet you aunt and uncle.
About a year or so later they came back and things were great. I was about to enter the academy, and Davin would come home and visit more then he usually did. But then all hell broke lose, and Davin died. Cherith and I would hardly ever leave our clubhouse, often spending days at a time locked in there. When we would go home mom would put on a brave face, but at night, at night we would here her crying. Wyn and Cem were really to little to know what was going on. And father, we never really saw him after that. He blamed himself, throwing himself into work and wouldn't come home for days to weeks at a time.
A few months later I started at the academy as planed. It was what I had always wanted, to follow in my father's and brother's footsteps. When Davin died it just fueled my passion for it, to be able to honor his death and prove to my father that I was worth something. A couple of months later Cherith joined me at the academy and things slowly got better. We both graduated and joined Vanguard squadron. About three or four years later we had learned to move on in our lives, I had risen to lieutenant colonel, and she to major with both of us serving as joint ExO's. Then one day we had a small group of pirates on our border. I was sick and Cherith was taking the day off, she demanded that I stay in bed and rest. She said that she would take my place. I can't really remember why now, but I went to the commander center just in case, and watched the battle play out. The pirates were more hostile then anticipated, and I watched as they took out most of the squadron. I remember the last thing she ever said was that it wasn't my fault and that she loved mom and dad…and me. I watched her ship explode and it felt as if the better half of me was going with it, with her. After that day I became the man that you originally met. Cold, unforgiving, heartless. I threw myself fully into work from that day on, soon becoming the Chiss 'rising star', and commander of Vanguard. And, well, you know the rest."

Jaina gently rested her hand on his check and gave him a small sad smile. "I'm sorry."

Jag, unable to respond, just smiled and looked down at her for a few moments.

"What about Anakin and Jacen?"

"Well Jace and I were born right in the middle of the Thrawn…eh, problem and just a few days after we were born he tried to have us kidnapped." Jag stiffened slightly and Jaina grimaced. "Sorry, bad topic. Anyway after that mom and dad sent us to a secret planet, Anoth, with Winter for the first two years of our life. We would hardly ever see them, and for our safety they didn't even know where we were. When we were about one, one and a half, Anakin joined us. When we were about two we moved to Coruscant and after a failed kidnapped attempt Anakin joined us.
We grew up as normally as the children of a war hero and a princess/chief of state could. Mom would be at work all the time and we would only really see her in the morning and at night. When Dad wasn't on a mission of some sort he would stay at home with us or work on the Falcon. Whenever Mom would go on a mission, Dad would go with her, leaving us with Chewy and Winter. Some times they would let us go, but it was never very exciting. We were kidnapped a couple of times, Luke married Mara, and Jace and I joined the Jedi Academy. A couple months after we joined, so did Anakin and for the first time that any of us remember, we got to be kids. Not the Sons and Daughter of Han and Leia Solo, not the Niece and Nephews of Luke Skywalker. We got treated the exact same way as everyone else, and got to hang out with our friends and do things normal people would do, well, as normal as a school full of Jedi teenagers could get. I took up an apprenticeship with Mara, and Jace and Ani with Luke. That's where I got most of my training and where I REALLY learned how to fly.
When I was about fifteen we took a family holiday to Lando's folly, really exciting huh? Anyway the three of us got to run it, and as far as I know I still hold the record. Lando conned Dad into running some supplies over to Sernpidal. Chewy died saving Anakin. That was pretty much the first strike the Yuuzhan Vong made. Anakin blamed himself for the whole thing and my dad shut himself off from everything and went away, and I mean really went away. He left everything, his family, friends, even the Falcon, I don't think even mom knows where he went. I joined Rouge Squadron, met you, was injured and blind for a few weeks. Mom and Dad got back together, Mara was poisoned, had Ben, got better…"

"Was that just the quick version?" Jag said smirking slightly.

"Yes, and no interruptions. Six months, 2 weeks, and 4 days ago, we left for Myrkr. Everything went to plan at first, we were captured, tortured, and then escaped. Well everything pretty much went to hell after that, we lost a lot of good people and Anakin was seriously injured saving me. I should have made him go into a healing trance but I told myself that he was an adult and that he knew his limits. We were cornered and I saw Anakin die before my eyes, while Jacen held me back. He held me back! And then he pulled me away! He left our little brother to die!"

Jag gathered her back into his arms but, to her credit, she kept talking.

"I turned to the dark side wanting revenge. I killed Vong after Vong to get to his body. We stole a ship, but we left Jacen. We just left him! In one mission I lost both of my brothers. I was the oldest, I was supposed to protect THEM, die for THEM! Not the other way around."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I know I didn't lose my siblings at the same time, but I can understand what you're going through."

Jaina turned tormented eyes to him. "How? How can you? When Anakin died I didn't just see it, Jag. I felt it! I felt his pain, his calm acceptance of what was going to happen, and then just nothing, he was just gone. When Jace died, I didn't feel it. I was to emerged in the dark side, to full of hatred, but I was cut in half that day. We were twins, part of the same person. We always knew what was going on with the other, where the other was. When he died, half of me died with him. How can you understand that?"

Jag sighed. "I'm not a Jedi, and I can't possibly imagine what it would feel like. But I do know that if you ever died I would feel about like you did with Jacen, and that's something that I can understand."

Tears came to her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time that day and she wrapped her arms around him tighter. "I'm sorry." She looked up at him and smiled. He leaned in slowly and gently kissed her. She smiled against the kiss and relaxed into his arms, wrapping her own arms around his head pulling him closer.

Wedge sat at his desk going over some random report someone needed him to approve when Tycho came running in.

"Sir, we have a large fleet exiting hyperspace at the edge of the system."

"Yuuzhan Vong?" Wedge asked, fearing the worst.

"No sir." Tycho said almost smiling. "It's worse, it's your brother-in-law."

Wedge sat there with his mouth hanging open starring off into the abyss. /Soontir? I haven't seen him in almost twenty years./ "Uh, he brought a few ships with him did he?" he asked, finding his voice again.

"He didn't just bring a few, he brought five star destroyers, and…two SSTs." Tycho said now fully grinning.

"Two SSTs!"

"There's a shuttle coming down now sir. I'm assuming it's General Fel. Should I notify colonel Fel?"

"No! He called earlier saying that he and Jaina were not to be disturbed tonight." Wedge threw him a wink before walking out the door. "And besides I'm not in the mood to deal with a pissed off Goddess tonight."

"Nervous?" Tycho asked, as they got closer to the docking bay.

"I haven't seen my brother-in-law, let alone my sister in more then twenty years! Of course I'm nervous!"

"Come on, it's only Soontir."

"Exactly, it's Soontir!"

"Okay so you DO have a point, but I bet Jag will be happy to see him."

"Would you be happy if your father came to check up on you after you disregarded his orders? There's also Jaina to consider in all of this. Soontir sent him to gather information…not to find a girlfriend."

They stood to the side as a shuttle landed and the ramp descended. Soontir came down the ramp with just as much and command he always presented. As Wedge looked him over he noticed that he now wore an eye patch and walked with a slight limp, causing him to look even more menacing and regal.

Soontir stepped over to Wedge and tipped his head slightly. "Wedge."

"Soontir, it's good to see you again…and the fleet you brought."

"I thought you might like that. I have another surprise for you, but first I would like to see my son. I actually expected to meet him here."

"Twin Suns has a different sleep cycle then most of the base, so right now most of the squadron is asleep."

"Well call him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind getting up."

"The goddess has ordered that none of her pilots are to be disturbed tonight." /Please accept that, Soontir, if Han's reaction was any clue I don't want to know what yours is going to be. /

"I don't care what the Goddess said and what she didn't, it's my son and I want to see him."

"He'll be up in a few hours, you can talk to him in the morning."

"If you don't take me to Jagged right now, then I'm taking my fleet and my wife back to Chiss space."

"Syal! Syal's here!"

"Yes, but if I don't see Jagged then you won't see Syal."

"Fine, this way." Wedge led Soontir through the corridors towards the officers quarters. /Please let it be Jag that opens the door. /

The longer they walked the more fidgety Wedge got, until it got to the point that when they rang the comm, anyone could see the he was nervous. Jag opened the door wearing only a pair of sleeping pants and his mouth hanging open. "Father! What are you doing here?" Jag asked stepping into the hall and closing the door all except for a small crack.

"I'm here to deliver a fleet to the New Republic and to check up on you because…"

"I don't need to be checked on." Jag said before he could think otherwise.

Soontir raised his eyebrows and gave an annoyed look. "None the less I am checking up on you, both professionally and personally. Now aren't you going to let us in?"

"Jag? What's going on out there?" Said a very distinctly female voice. Soontir looked to both Wedge and Jag and they both looked as if they were about to run.

"Who exactly is that Jagged? And what exactly is she doing in your room?" Soontir asked with icy coolness.

"Actually it's my room." Jaina said opening the door. "Is there a problem?"

By this point Soontir was barely keeping his anger in check, not only at Jagged, but at this girl standing in front of him.

"No, well not a war related problem at least. May we come in? I believe we all have some explaining to do." Wedge said attempting to keep the peace. Jaina inclined her head and stepped back to allow everyone in.

As the lights came up Soontir got a good look at the girl standing in front of him. She had long brown hair pulled up into a messy bun, she had on a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. The grace and certainty of her reminded him of royalty, yet at the same time a cocky fighter pilot. When she turned around, he noticed the similarity between her and Leia Organa Solo. /Solo, I wonder how that old smuggler is. Jagged mentioned something about the Solo's losing their two sons, only their daughter survived I believe. Wait daughter…Jaina Solo…Jaina Solo is playing Yun Harla, the 'Goddess'. Shawnkyr said something about Jagged's undignified part in it…but that would mean… /

"Father? Father, are you all right?" Soontir realized that Jag was talking to him.

"I'm fine, just thinking." Jag looked doubtful but didn't push it.

"Why don't the two of you sit down, we'll be right back." Jag grabbed Jaina's hand and started pulling her to the other room.

"Wait, who are you?" Soontir asked still standing.

"Jaina turned back to look at him for a moment, and felt Jag squeeze her hand lightly. "Jaina. Jaina Solo."

"Jag? Is that your dad?" Jaina asked once their bedroom door was closed and locked. Jag fell back on the bed and dragged her with him. She leaned up on her elbow and looked at him.

"Yeah."

"You don't sound very happy about that." Jaina said with her brow creased.

"I am happy to see him but he expects me to be the same stuck up Chiss Colonel I was raised to be. He expects me to be clean-cut all the time. You didn't see the look he gave me when I opened the door. He looked at me as if I was some scruffy rebel.… But you know what? I like being like this. I like being a real person, not just a colonel, I like the person I am around you. I really don't want to go back to the way I was. Plus I really don't like having my hair as short as it was."

Jaina laughed and lightly hit him on the shoulder. "I like the way you are too. Plus I really don't have time to melt the ice king again, and I hated your hair before, it was way to short. Why is he here by the way?"

"He brought a Chiss fleet to help the war, and to probably drag me home."

"It's great that the Chiss are getting into the war and all, but what I meant was, why is he sitting in our living room in the middle of the night?"

"Oh, well, my only guess is that he wanted to tell me something and bribed Wedge into bringing him here."

"Well, I guess that means we should probably get dressed and see what he wants."

"Uhg." Jag grabbed a pillow and put it over his head.

"Jag, come on…" Jaina grabbed her own pillow and whacked him in the stomach.

"Oof. Jaina…" She stuck her tongue out at him causing him to strike out with his own pillow, starting a pillow fight.

"You're a chicken you know." Jaina said hitting him in the head.

"Chicken?"

"Yes, chicken."

"We'll see whose chicken." Jag started tickling her and she fell on the bed, with him falling on top of her.

"Okay, okay I give, I give, you're not chicken." Jaina choked out. "But you're still chicken." She said once she had stopped laughing. "You'll go head first into a squadron of coral skippers, but you won't go into a room where you father and uncle are."

"Yes I will."

"Then prove it."

"What if I'm more comfortable here?"

Jaina smiled and Jag felt an invisible grip grab him and throw him on the ground and his clothes fall on top of him. "Okay, okay, I get it. I'll get dressed."

"I knew you would." Jaina said already getting dressed. After Jag had gotten dressed they walked out to find a slightly calmer Soontir and an embarrassed Wedge, each holding a glass of whisky.

"Where'd you get that?" Jaina asked sitting down in a chair.

"Cabinet. I know you to well Jaina. You need to find a better place to hid this stuff. Want some?"

"No thanks, I'd prefer not to have a headache while on patrol. Now what can we do for y'all?"

"We should actually get going, you're right, the two of you do have patrol in a few hours."

"You mean you made us get up and dressed for nothing?"

"Wedge is right, you'll need a good night sleep to be able to function properly. Goodnight Jagged." Soontir stood and walked out the door.

"Umm, right----well…" Jaina said into the awkward silence that followed.

"Oh right, we'll I'll see you tomorrow…well, today." Wedge then stood and followed Soontir out the door."

"Okay---Well."

"I am NOT looking forward to later." Jag said walking back toward the bedroom.

"Neither am I, if that makes you feel any better." Jaina said changing back into her pajamas.

"What are you doing? We have to get up in a few hours."

"Plenty of time to sleep." Jaina said turning the lights off and climbing into bed.

Jag shook his head and climbed into bed after her.

End Chapter 14