The Courtship of Jagged Fel

Authors: TKeiraLea & DarthLex
Timeframe: post-NJO
Characters: Jagged Fel, Jaina Solo, Jacen Solo, OCs
Genre: Romance, Action, Intrigue
Keywords: J/J, canon, post-NJO
Summary: One year after the treaty with the Yuuzhan Vong, peace at last prevails in the galaxy. Yet simmering disputes threaten to explode into open conflict at the edge of the Unknown Regions – and in the great unresolved love of The New Jedi Order.

Disclaimer: Lucasfilm owns all the rights to Star Wars. We wish we did, but we don't. Any similarities between this story and Troy Denning's upcoming Dark Nest post-NJO trilogy, and any resemblances to any actual person or event, are purely coincidental. Not that you could ever prove it if they weren't.

A/N: This novel is a collaboration between myself and DarthLex. We made the mutual decision to post our story under one of our existing screennames. And we both hope you enjoy the ride.

CHAPTER ONE

With his hands clasped at the small of his back, Jagged Fel stood on the bridge of the battlecruiser Polar Wind and gazed out the wide viewport at the small blue-and-white orb suspended against the star-speckled blackness of space.

He sighed. "They always look peaceful from a distance."

"I'm sorry, Colonel?"

Jag turned to face his aide, and raised an eyebrow.

"Ambassador, sir," Shawnkyr Nuruodo said. The Chiss officer did a creditable job of keeping her embarrassment from her expression. "I'm sorry, Ambassador?"

"I said," Jag replied after a moment, turning to look out the viewport again, "even the most troubled planets look peaceful from a distance."

"Yes, sir. At least since the end of the war."

He nodded. The peace treaty with the Yuuzhan Vong a year ago had brought innumerable changes to the galaxy, including the fact that one no longer arrived at a planet to find it surrounded by warships, if not aflame. Most noticeable for Jag, though, was the cessation of the nearly constant hostilities that seemingly had dominated the entire span of his life and career. Contemplating the planet in front of him, he found it difficult to comprehend that he was no longer first and foremost a military commander, but rather a diplomat. Chiss Expansionary Defense Force liaison to the Galactic Alliance and unallied planets in the Known Regions, to be precise.

A Fel turned diplomat. Jaina's mother probably had a good laugh when she thought of that.

Jag turned back to Shawnkyr. "Any changes to the situation since our last update?"

"Only a few, sir," she replied. "The military deployments in the commercial lanes have escalated slightly."

"Only slightly is promising, I suppose."

"The forces from Vikova –" Shawnkyr tipped her head to indicate the planet they circled in high orbit "– now have three squadrons of starfighters in place. The government of Achebi has yet to respond."

"So Achebians have two squadrons, to the Vikovans' three?"

"Correct, sir."

Jag ran his fingers through his hair. If he had to defuse the situation with forcible intervention, the Polar Wind and his single Chiss squadron of clawcraft could handle it. So long as the crisis didn't escalate much further. "The Vikovans still believe invasion is imminent?"

"Yes."

"Do we have any evidence that supports their claim?"

Shawnkyr's bright red eyes didn't look down at her datapad. "Not directly, no. But the Achebians have an unusually high number of naval and ground forces on maneuvers."

"What percentage of their total forces?"

"Nearly sixty percent, sir."

Jag scowled. "That certainly sounds belligerent to me."

"Agreed, sir. It could be merely an intimidation tactic, however."

"True," Jag said, and crossed his arms over his chest. "But we can't be sure either way."

"No, sir."

"Do we have any idea what the Achebian's motives for invasion might be?"

"The Achebians are accusing the Vikovans of war profiteering. The Vikovans remained neutral during the war, while the Achebians sided with the New Republic and suffered a number of devastating reprisals from the enemy because of it."

"Indeed." Jag took a deep breath. Many on Csilla still believed it was the Chiss leadership's decision to avoid overtly joining the war against the Yuuzhan Vong that had spared them. Personally, Jag thought good fortune had a lot more to do with it. "Jealousy is no doubt exacerbating the existing rivalry between the worlds."

Shawnkyr nodded. "Exactly, sir. The enemy attacks decimated the Achebians' mining operations and refining facilities, and their reconstruction is far from complete. The Achebians maintain that the Vikovans will only sell them raw ore and finished durasteel at grossly inflated prices, and this greed is greatly hindering Achebi's recovery."

"And they seek to remedy this alleged injustice with invasion and conquest."

"Yes, sir."

"Do we know if the Achebians' assertions have merit?"

"The preliminary economic analysis from Csilla suggests that while the Vikovans have charged prices exceeding prewar market levels, the Achebians are exaggerating the scope of any unfairness in light of the galaxy-wide supply disruptions caused by the war."

Jag nodded. "Have the Achebians acted aggressively toward any of their other neighbors?"

"No, sir. But Vikova is the weakest planet in the sector."

Jag chuckled in helpless bemusement. "Of course it is."

"Perhaps we will learn more after we have met with delegations from both planets in person."

"We can hope so." Jag gave one last look at the planet, then began to walk toward the open portal at the rear of the bridge. "What else was in the update?"

Shawnkyr fell into stride with him. "The political assessment you requested from Csilla is already completed, sir."

Jag grinned. Chiss efficiency at its finest. "And?"

"The analysts have been aware for some time of a conflict within the Vikovan regime between those who seek closer ties with the Chiss, and those who seek closer ties with the Galactic Alliance. The Csilla and Mon Calamari factions, respectively, sir."

"Our labels or theirs?"

"Ours, sir."

"Understood." As he spun into the narrow corridor, Jag clasped his hands at the small of his back again. "So it would seem the request for our aid is a bold move by the Csilla faction in their government."

"Exactly, sir. The analysts believe the planet's new leader is using this action to consolidate her authority and preempt those who opposed her rise to power."

A woman. Interesting. "And her name?"

"Iliana, sir."

"Iliana … ?"

"Members of the Vikovan aristocracy apparently use only a single name."

"How charming."

"I'm sorry, sir?"

"Never mind, Shawnkyr," Jag said, keeping his smirk to himself as he saluted the two Chiss ensigns they passed. "Do we know anything more about this sector historically? Where its allegiances fell?"

"Until the last century the sector was quite isolated," Shawnkyr replied after a glance at her datapad. "At the time of the Clone Wars it still was considered too close to the Unknown Regions to warrant attention by either side. The sector technically was part of the Empire, but only rarely did the central authorities intervene in its affairs."

"No strategic value?"

"Not that we're aware of, sir. The Achebians' aggression appears to be a matter of local dispute, not one of military or commercial importance to either the Chiss or the Galactic Alliance."

Jag sighed. "And we are yet another piece in that game – a piece to be played by the Vikovans against the Achebians, and by this Iliana against her opponents."

"It would seem so, sir. Unless more is happening here than we know."

"Which is always possible."

Shawnkyr nodded once, decisively. "Yes, sir."

Jag frowned. "I don't appreciate being made a game piece."

"Of course not, sir."

"Then again," Jag said, "perhaps this request for assistance is genuine. Vikova is far closer to Csilla than it is to the Core. Increasing political and commercial ties to the Chiss might very well be of great benefit to the Vikovans, in the short term and the long run."

They arrived at the open portal to Jag's office on the battlecruiser. He waved Shawnkyr ahead, then followed her inside.

"That's true, sir. Your presence here could be simply the fortuitous event needed to instigate the Vikovan government to move forward."

Jag stopped in his tracks. "I'm sorry? Your presence?"

"Yes, sir," Shawnkyr said. "I thought you knew."

"Knew what?"

"That the request for assistance was made specifically to you, sir."

Jag tapped the wall panel, and the door slid shut with a hiss. "I was under the impression that the Vikovans requested that the Chiss mediate the crisis with Achebi."

Shawnkyr shook her head. "No. They requested that Ambassador Fel mediate."

"That would have been nice to know before now."

"I'm sorry, sir. I will inquire into the error immediately."

"Of course." Jag shrugged off her formal apology and sat down at his desk. He looked up at Shawnkyr where she still stood by the door. "They requested my involvement specifically?"

"They did. But it would not have taken much for them to find you. Our departure from Adumar three days ago was prominently featured in the planetary media reports."

"You could be right. Still, I'm no diplomat, Shawnkyr. Everyone knows that."

"That may be true. A diplomat might not have outflown the local Adumari aces quite so brazenly. But don't forget, you are a war hero."

Jag was about to deny it when he stopped himself. "I suppose I am."

Shawnkyr stood silently, patiently, while Jag snatched up the small holocube on his desk.

He twirled the cube in his fingers and gazed at the images of the beautiful young woman inside. "Why would anyone want a war hero to mediate a dispute on the brink of hostilities? Wouldn't you want a diplomat for that? A real diplomat?"

Shawnkyr blinked. "Those are rhetorical questions, I take it?"

Jag faced his aide again, and laughed. "Yes, Shawnkyr. Yes, they are."

She smiled, nodded once, and let herself out.

Jag stopped spinning the cube, then tapped in a code to the long-range transmitter.