Part 11. It's all just a nightmare, or is it?
The chamber was noiseless as Kodachi Cha's combination of an offer and threat played, the first time in Basic and the second time in Hapan.
"Queen Mother, please tell me this scar-head is lying." One advisor finally broke the silence. "The princess is here, right?"
"Unfortunately, she is not." Tenel Ka replied curtly. "She was with the Jedi on Zonama Sekot."
"This is impossible! I refuse to believe that any of this is not a part of a joke."
"The situation unlikely, but achievable. Kodachi Cha does not have the sense of humor required to joke."
"With all due respect, Queen Mother, what Cha demands is a dead person! Even you Jedi all say Ben Skywalker was killed." Another incredulous advisor insisted.
"We thought we felt Jacen Solo die, but he returned and rose to the rank of a Jedi Master." The one-armed Jedi argued. Few people in the chamber could guess which 'we' the royal woman used each time.
"So you do love that Jedi Master." Another woman commented. She then asked, "Queen Mother, you will do something about that warmistress, right?"
"That is a fact. Trace the signal." The Jedi queen gave her first order. The perfect timing told her that the transmission might lead to one of the few remaining traitors who believed the invaders. Few could arrange to have the threat played to more than fifty senators a council of advisors, and the queen.
"Milady, what of our fleet? Surely we can't allow her to get away with your only heir, especially a female heir!" The advisor's tone was rich with Hapan pride.
"We'll attack Coruscant." The Queen Mother decided after much hesitation. Her first inclination was to introduce her long-hidden second daughter to the galaxy, but it would not be wise. A response in the form of a fleet seemed most logical. Normally, a premature attack meant once again crippling the fleet, but ailing dovin basals suggested that they strike before any cures to the illnesses could be found. She had the feeling that there was far more on the planet than the usual attempts at survival from pariahs and a captured princess.
"But this is rather risky, surely you can choose another heir." A known supporter of Princess Chelik pointed out.
"I know, but there shouldn't be any royal bloodshed. In reality, we have little to lose because our Dragons are strong and it is only a matter of time before the rest of the Alliance attacks." A prominent admiral stated.
-scene change-
This was all a nightmare and a royal guard would wake the young princess up. Grandfather, Mother and Father were waiting for diplomats in the throne room and they wanted their heirs there. The hyperactive, little sister was shaking and reminding the older sibling.
When the older sister was dressed, she stepped out of the bedchamber. She screamed as Murra disappeared, but no one heard the voice. Her surroundings were strangely large and dark.
"Cousin, your daughter will remain perfectly anonymous." The cloaked figured accepted a bundle and disappeared.
The princess continued to trudge forward when she finally understood what she saw. She was three and Mother was sending Murra into hiding because of the price on the head of every Skywalker, including those who did not carry the name. I'd be hiding with her, if I didn't get caught. Hiding… Maybe that's why Mother doesn't mind when I wear that veil. Or maybe she doesn't care much about that stuff. At least that's one less heir to the throne.
Once again, the lights were bright and proportions were normal. Through the transparisteel the girl could make out a heavily damaged Battle Dragon.
"By the sixty-three worlds! That ship's crashing into the royal city!" Someone shouted.
"No…" The girl gasped as she realized the identity of the ship. She reached out with the Force and felt several oversized hands moving the ship away. She reached out with both hands as she added her what strength she could to the forces that were moving the failing ship. The Battle Dragon would land on one of Hapes' uninhabited moons, or at least the planet's countryside, if any Force-sensitive could help it.
"NO!" This time, the word came as a lasting scream of horror. All efforts at moving the ship were nullified when an oversized gob of plasma hit the ship, reducing it to chunks of debris. Grandfather… Sithspawn! He was on that ship! No, this has to be some nightmare. She spun around and dashed for the turbolift, but a shockwave through the Force sent the princess off balance. The teen reached further into the Force for comfort, but found herself unable to access it.
So I've been stripped? No wait, I'm not, since I can still feel myself. All I have to do is… The princess never finished the thought.
"Jeedai princess, answer our questions!" Someone snarled in heavily accented Basic.
"Huh? What?" The girl muttered groggily in Hapan.
The voice grunted something in another language before exclaiming in Basic, "Good, you are finally awake! Now tell us, where is Skywalker, your crèche-mate?"
Okay, just what in this galaxy is a crèche-mate?
-scene change-
Jysella groaned as she regained consciousness. As a result of the thud bug hit, her jaw was numb with pain. Though she had no mirror to aid her vision, she knew there were cuts on her shoulders and guessed that something was roughly holding the Jedi upright. It was likely that her robeskin had prevented the cuts from being deep gashes. Nerve endings in the wrists told the woman that the Yuuzhan Vong had taken the care to bind her hands.
A growl in the stomach made the Jedi wonder if she could somehow light a fire and roast the creature that held her wrists together. Experience on the planet taught the woman that most Yuuzhan Vong technology were as edible as they were repulsive. Well, all I have to do is find some dry wood and strike it with lightning.
"This cell?" The translation from the tizoworm interrupted the Jedi's musings.
"You idiot. This is a Jeedai, not an ordinary prisoner! Place this particular woman with them, and these infidels will all escape!" The piece of biotechnology translated for a second Yuuzhan Vong.
They think this highly of me? This is the one compliment I really hate. Jysella thought as she forced her eyes open. Her vision was blurred, but she could make out several armored figures and the insides of something that she determined to be the Yuuzhan Vong equivalent of a correctional facility.
"Little girl, welcome to your new home!" Jysella could judge from the accent that someone was attempting to speak Basic to her. The apparent leader of Jysella's escort gave the woman a malicious, fanged grin before forcefully pushing the small Jedi Knight into an empty cell.
"You four, guard the Jeedai!" The leader barked at Jysella's escort.
Great, solitary confinement and four guards to beat up! At least my lightsaber's in good hands and he might get help from another Jedi.
Before the woman could scramble to her feet and struggle, a living wall dropped from the apparent ceiling and separated her from the open planet. Desperation showed when the young woman scrambled to her feet and slammed herself against the new barrier. She pounded her fist against the wall of coral before her legs caved in and she slid to the equivalent of a floor.