That's right two chapters in the same week. I worked a lot on that chapter, heck... I loved working on it. Its way longer than I had expected but i'm proud of the result. Hope you enjoy it. Lots of aciton comming up in the next chapter, I promise! and Finally some Tenel Ka appearance for all her fans.
Thanks to MikeRPG for the encouraging review and special thanks to Dark Austral, again, for helping me with Jacen's age. Ive settled that he was 16 when he was captured and two years later (now) hes 18. It's probably not the official age but its a fanfic so.. whatever, since I plan on making whis story go beyond NJO I want to keep jacen young... I find he's cooler as a teenager. So read, enjoy and i'm off playing God of War
Chapter 3: Rain of Water and Fire
The Right to Rule came out of hyperspace at Mon Calamari with only minor damage from its previous encounter with the Yuuvhan Vong. Grand Admiral Pellaeon took a short but deep breath as he stared into the blackness of space. Soon the capital ship rotated, allowing him to see the blue planet. He turned to his communications officer and told him to contact Admiral Kre'fey. He looked once more at Mon Calamari, seeing what he had been fighting for since the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, peace. Grand Admiral Pellaeon exited the bridge thinking of what a certain Jedi had accomplished in such a short time.
Several hours after Right to Rule's arrival at Mon Calamari, Colonel Jaina Solo was waiting in the crew lounge for Jag Fel. She felt his faint presence in the force when he entered. Jag smiled when he saw Jaina coming at him and returned her hug. She spoke first.
"It's been so long, it feels like it's been years." She said smiling
"It's only been two weeks Jaina but I did miss you."
As Jag spoke he noticed she was much more joyful than last time they had met the same way, Jacen, he thought. In the short time they had been separated, Jacen had managed to bring back Jaina's smile. She looked at him.
"You wanna go grab a bite? I found a good restaurant in the city."
"I want to but I have to report to Grand Admiral Pellaeon for debriefing in fifteen minutes. I'll join you right after."
Jaina smiled then kissed him right before leaving the room. She's really changed for the better, he thought. Jag left the room, heading for the debriefing room, thinking what he would eat on their first actual date in a while.
Somewhere in the main city of Mon Calamari, Han Solo was pouring Corellian whisky in four glasses. He looked at Luke, who was eating some kind of local food on the other side of table. Mara was on his left and Leia on his right, talking about Mon Calamari's weather. When he looked back at the whisky glasses, he remembered the evens of the last two weeks. The Yuuzhan Vong forces had halted their attacks on most worlds to regroup and take care of interior problems. According to Jacen, the Yuuzhan Vong had entered a critical moment of their religion. So soon after vongforming Coruscant, they had to initiate one of the final rituals that required most of their warriors to be present. Han's thoughts drifted towards Jacen. After a few parties and a week of enjoyment Jacen had announced to his family that he would leave temporarily to verify something. He insisted on keeping his destination a secret and on going alone. After borrowing a modified Lambda class shuttle, Jacen had said his quick good byes to his friends. Before leaving, Han had taken out the very same bottle of Corellian Whisky he was now drinking from and poured a glass for Jacen and himself. Now considering his son as a full grown man, they had shared their first real drink as adult to adult. Jacen had left back into the unknown promising he would be back before the next Yuuzhan Vong attack. His mother and uncle had unsuccessfully insisted that he took a well deserved vacation. Han looked at Leia, smiling and smiled himself.
Everything is going from good to better
Jacen's shuttle was in deep space near the unknown region when he felt what he had been seeking. A small Yuuzhan Vong ship was exiting darkspace. Jacen opened his communication output.
"Omega – three – eight – bravo." He said in the microphone
"My Lord" began Slayer Commander Fenix "I apologize for our tardiness; it was more difficult than we had conceived to leave Yuuvhan'tar unnoticed."
"Fenix, head for those coordinates, we shall land on the nearest planet."
"I hear and obey my lord."
Jacen steered his shuttle towards the near planet and landed in a deserted area. No living being populated the planet and it was mostly used as a hideout for smugglers during the galactic civil war. He saw the Yuuzhan Vong ship land near his. Four Slayers came out of it and bowed in front of Jacen, they then moved to secure the area just in case. The larger, Fenix, soon followed and bowed down to Jacen. Vergere was last to exit the ship.
"It is good to see you Jacen Solo"
"It's good to see you too Vergere. I trust you're both ready for phase two?"
"Preparations are complete, my lord. We may begin as soon as you give the order."
"It's too soon; the ceremony on Yuuzhan'tar is nowhere near its beginning. The world brain promised me it would keep me informed when the moment comes. For now, I want you two to find out as much as you can about the secret Alliance project Alpha red. It's only a rumor I heard but I fear they may have begun works on a biological weapon."
"Such a thing must not be allowed to exist." Exclaimed Vergere obviously concerned "I will look into this alone; the Slayers lack the required aptitudes for this kind of subtlety."
"Very well, Fenix, you will wait for my signal on one of the Mon Calamari system's moon. Do not allow anyone to discover you."
"It will be done, my lord."
"Did you bring me what I requested?" asked Jacen serious as stone.
"Yes" said Vergere handing him a black box made of seemingly stone.
"Very good, we shall remain in contact."
On Mon Calamari, the Jedi Jaina Solo sat down in a newly opened restaurant she had recently discovered. It was still a mostly unknown place favored by the rich society of the planet and tourists. The war, however, had made business bad for them. Jaina looked at the menu while waiting for Jag. When he arrived, ten minutes later, he took the other seat on the table and smiled at her.
"You hungry?" she asked with a solo-smirk on her face
"Always"
They had a good time that day and stayed together until the night came. Jaina told him they should head back before it got too late. When she realized he had no place to go except his assigned uncomfortable military quarters, Jaina insisted he came with her and stayed at their place. She only then realized that they had been staying at the Skywalker's apartment. Because the entire family was always in movement, the Solos had never really found a place to settle down during the time of calm. During her well deserved 2 weeks off, Jaina had stayed in the miniature second room with Jacen until his departure. Han and Leia were in the guest room who was big enough for four people. She knew they wouldn't mind he she stayed with Jag in the room.
They got to the apartment a few minutes later. Everyone was still awake and no one objected Jag staying for the night. A few hours later, while they were all engaged in different discussions. Jaina, Leia, Luke and Mara felt something in the force.
Jacen
Jaina hurried to the door after quickly explaining to Jag and Han what had happened. Just as she opened the door, she came almost face to face with Jacen who had just arrived. He was wearing a long brown cloak that covered his body from Mon Calamari's usual evening rain. He hadn't shaved in a week and his beard was starting to show a lot. He was smiling softly and saluted them. Jacen was not very familiar yet with Jag and was formally, reintroduced. The pointlessness of the scene made everyone laugh.
Later in the night, Jacen offered his "bed" in the small room to Jag and told him he would probably need it more then himself. He told everyone he didn't mind sleeping on the couch and things settled without much difficulty. While Jaina was taking a shower before going to sleep, Jag approached Jacen with a glass full of a weird blue drink. Jag obviously wanted to talk to him alone.
"Jacen, I wanted to talk to you about Jaina." He began unsure of himself
"Yea, I sort of saw that one coming and first of all, I wanted to thank you."
"Thank me?" said Jag gaining more and more confidence.
"Yes, I've heard of what Jaina went trough after my capture. Anakin's death was a hard blow to us all and I can only begin to imagine how it must have felt for her too loose me."
"She was devastated, I almost didn't recognize her. She became annoyed at almost anything and showed a lot of anger and recklessness. In the end she didn't even seem to have a purpose in life. It was as if a part of her had died and I suspect that part of her was you."
"Yes… what pains me most is that I chose to break our bond. I was cut completely from the force during my capture and Jaina would have surely run to rescue me on Coruscant had she learned I was there."
"No doubt there. She would have probably gotten herself killed or captured."
"And I couldn't allow that to happen. That's why I broke our bond but I'm starting to think it was a bad idea. She fell in the darkness… but fortunately, she could depend on people like you to get her out of there. For that, I am grateful."
"You're going to make me blush if you keep on… but I've noticed, ever since you came back in her life, she's taken a new taste on it. Even her skin color is getting brighter now."
They ended their conversation when Jaina found them in the living room. Jag shook Jacen's hand and smiled.
What a person, he thought, He really has a gift with people.
Remembering something, he turned around and told Jacen.
"I almost forgot, Grand Admiral Pellaeon had a message for you; he would like too thank you for what you did for him."
Jacen smiled and nodded. Jaina looked confused but was too tired to ask questions. They all went to sleep, except Jacen who stayed in the living room.
In the middle of the night, Jacen, who had been meditating ever since the evening opened his eyes as he felt something in the Force. He sensed Vergere in the force somewhere distant.
It seems like she's finished with Alpha red
Jacen smiled, a smile that had no joy in it. It was the satisfied smile of the Slayer god, of the Yuuzhan Vong Arbiter.
Three days later, Jacen found himself alone in the Skywalkers' apartment for most of the morning. Jaina and Jag had returned into service, thought they were still on Mon Calamari. Luke and Mara were busy with the decision of the new Jedi council and his parents were on a diplomatic mission near the imperial capital in Chiss space. He retrieved the black box Fenix had given him. While softly applying pressure, the top opened, revealing its interior. It contained a Vilip, the Yuuzhan Vong's equivalent for Comm link, a smaller package rapped in robeskin tissues and a final item he identified quickly. Just as he was about to remove the object from its wrap, he felt a disturbance in the force. After a few seconds of focusing he realized it was his vongsense warning him. Something was going to happen soon, something Yuuzhan Vong. He sensed his uncle approaching the apartment and knew he didn't have a lot of time. He took out the Vilip from the black box and used its vongsense to accelerate its connection. The miniature face of Fenix formed on the small creature.
"Fenix, report!"
"I am ready for your command, my lord Slayer,"
"Gather the Slayers as fast as you can, regroup on Mon Calamari's nearest moon and prepare yourselves… I sense a nearing battle. Do not allow anyone to detect your presence Fenix."
"I hear and obey, my lord."
As he cut off the connection, Jacen felt Luke and Mara at the front door. He hurried and closed the box, hiding it as fast as he could. Just as he turned around, he saw Luke and Mara coming in, looking exhausted from the long meeting they had held.
During lunch, Luke, Mara and Jacen, who were the only ones present, ate their food while discussing about the Jedi council.
"I'm still not sure about a few of the choices" began Luke "Cal Omas's election as head of the Galactic Alliance is going to help us greatly in the forming of the Jedi council."
"I'm still not so sure about that." Continued Jacen
Mara looked at him, confused "Why is that? Having the politicians on our side is the best way of gaining the population's trust."
"Its not that I'm referring to, it's just that I don't believe politics should be involved with the council."
"You think the Jedi council should only serve the republic like the old Jedi order did?" asked Luke.
"Not that either" began Jacen "If we look at facts, the old Jedi order fell almost in direct response to the war when Palpatine declared the Jedi to be traitors. Most of the Jedi back then felt, themselves, betrayed by the republic they had sworn to protect."
"Yes but it was Palpatine, their original enemy, who had been planning this. It that sense, it wasn't the Old Republic that betrayed them it was Palpatine's new Empire." Said Mara
"Palpatine had been on the position for a long time without them realizing it and he certainly hadn't been the first supreme chancellor that nourished some resentment towards the Jedi council." Jacen paused then look at Luke with a faint smile. "Tell me, Uncle Luke, did you ever wonder why so many people hate the Jedi, especially back in the old order's time."
Luke smiled. "The quick conclusion many people thought of is that those people were evil in some sense and they naturally hated the Jedi that represented the light. However, I doubt this. As you pointed out on so many occasions, there is no real darkness or real light. It's all from our point of view. Someone whose life is guided by darkness will naturally consider his actions to be right and will think of the light as the enemy trying to stop him."
Jacen looked at him with ever growing confidence and smiled even more. "It's true that our actions are good or evil depending on our point of view but is everyone who hates the Jedi order evil? … From the Jedi's perspective, that is." Jacen paused, letting the thoughts sink in deeper in the two Jedi masters. "What I'm saying is that many people disliked the order for the same reason. The supreme chancellor of the Republic was elected with democracy. It was the people that elected him every few years who, in the end, decided who had power. Palpatine himself was a very charismatic leader and was elected easily. He even convinced the population that the Jedi were traitors. People, for years had been watchful of the Jedi order, always standing on top of them. The Jedi order, unlike the supreme chancellor, never left. They were apart from the Republic's democracy.
Many people feared that the Jedi, who sat on top of the Republic, might one day try to usurp the power from the chancellor."
Luke and Mara looked at Jacen shocked. "The Jedi would have never done such a thing. They were guardians of the peace not conquerors."
"True, but they had power… and people who have power use it, no matter how good or evil they are. When the old Jedi order discovered that Palpatine was the Sith lord they had been looking for, they tried to arrest him. Take away his power and assume control, granted it was temporarily, but they would have been in complete control of the Republic. Nothing, no laws forced them to hand over power to the newly elected chancellor. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the attempts to take away Paplatine failed with Vader's intervention. Palpatine convinced the public of what had happened and turned them over on his side by reanimating the mistrust of the Jedi order among the senators. When Palpatine formed the Empire, he was supported by most of the senate. He declared the Jedi to be traitors with almost unanimous majority. Palpatine played with the people's fears and succeeded in his plan. With no more Jedi to stand in his way and the senate approving him, he initiated a system of oppression that lasted for years until the days of the Rebellion."
Luke and Mara looked at Jacen, shocked. "How do you know all this? How do you know all those details about Palpatine."
Jacen froze for half a second, too fast for Mara or Luke too see. "Let's just say I learned and traveled a lot following my capture. To get back to matter however, my point is that I don't think the Jedi order should be involved in politics. It proved to be its downfall once and it may happen again. The Jedi should serve all life, not the republic or some politician." Jacen paused another short moment then smiled once more. "That, anyways, is my own point of view of things."
Luke smiled. "It makes sense. In some way, your reasoning is very similar to the one of the elders. One day you will make an amazing Jedi master."
"Each thing in its own time, Uncle Luke. First we have to finish this war. Answering the Yuuzhan Vong with force will simply not solve the matter."
"Yes, I agree with that and I think it's just about time the two us get back to our meeting." Said Luke, looking at Mara.
Mara hugged Jacen and Luke tapped him gently on the shoulder. "We're proud of you Jacen and we know your parents are as well."
Jacen continued smiling as they left. As soon as the door closed, Jacen's smile vanished just as he felt a sharp pain growing in his spine. Ignoring the pain, he focused on its message.
A warning from the world brain.
He had already warned the Slayers to be prepared and he knew there wasn't much he could have done at the present moment. Jacen took a deep breath and suddenly had an idea. It was something he hadn't done in a while. Something that would take his mind off being a god, at least for a short while.
Queen Mother Tenel Ka sighted in relief as she finished going through reports of the last battle with the Yuuzhan Vong. On the balcony of her apartments in the main city of Mon Calamari, she took a moment to smell the soft breeze coming from the ocean. It reminded of her of the sea on Hapes. Though there was a big difference between both planets, she felt home for the first time in a while. She had spent the last months moving constantly, mostly following her fleet or simply working on politic issues.
Tenel Ka could finally relax for the first time in three days. She had not seen any of her friends in a long time. Knowing Jaina, Lowbacca and Zekk were serving in the military, her thoughts drifter towards Jacen. She had not seen him in a long time. Not since his capture at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong. That event had left her empty. She had felt Jacen's apparent death in the force almost as strongly as Jaina. She had been alone when it had happened. She could remember it clearly. In the darkness of the night on Hapes, she had felt something of an explosion that had shaken the entire galaxy. The necklace Jacen had given her had shattered in hundreds of pieces and, without exactly knowing why, she had fallen on her bed, crying. Showing emotions she usually kept to herself, Tenel Ka had felt empty for a dew days following the event.
Weeks, months even years later, she had learned of Jacen's escape from the Yuuzhan Vong. It had been 2 years since the critical mission that had taken him away from the New Republic. Last she had seen him, both of them were 16 years old. She looked at herself, now an 18 years old Queen Mother of Hapes. As her mind drifter towards the sea once more, drawn by its beauty, Tenel Ka felt something in the Force, a presence she had not felt in a long time. It was a presence that filled her with joy and hope. It was Jacen.
She quickly turned towards the presence and saw him. Near the glass doorway that led to a second part of the balcony, stood Jacen Solo, smiling at her with his usual solo grin.
The bright light behind him and the wind gently flowing through his messy brown hair almost made him look like a ghost. Tenel Ka slowly approached him, unsure of herself, she reached for the young man in front of her. He looked deeply in her eyes.
"Hi" he said "It's been a while."
Convinced that the man in front of her was really her friend Jacen Solo, she slowly hugged him. "Friend Jacen." She whispered releasing him "It's good too see you again"
A soft smile drawn on her lips melted his heart. All of the time they had spent apart seemed to melt away. Her golden red hair floating in the wind, her beautiful eyes sparkling with life, her red lips that made his heart flutter, everything made him want to embrace her.
Regaining control on her emotions, Tenel Ka took a good look at him. How he had changed in the two years he had been away. She too had changed, her position as Queen Mother of Hapes, the war itself had given her more maturity, both mentally and physically. Both entranced by each other, they lost track of time. For minutes, or hours for all they knew, they looked at each other, wordlessly.
Jacen was the first to break the ice. "You look good today, Queen Mother."
"And so do you, friend Jacen." She paused "Would you like to come inside?" seeing his question she spoke first. "I have already dismissed the personnel here. We can be alone…"
She didn't finish her phrase but Jacen didn't need to hear it. "Yes, I would like that."
Jacen's presence had calmed her, the stress she had gathered during the day had worn off by the single contact with her friend. They sat down in her living room sharing a drink he had forgotten the taste. Everything seemed too grandiose in the Queen Mother's personal quarters. Jacen, who until recently had only been used to Yuuzhan Vong dwellings, had spent two whole days rediscovering the different items in Luke and Mara's apartment. However, compared to Tenel Ka's quarters, his uncle's apartment was almost minuscule. He had lost habits of such amazing and over exaggerated details. All this, however was not enough to keep his mind completely off her. He looked at her, as she told him of the amazing view her place offered. She was almost breathtaking; he could feel the light emanating from her as she spoke. For the first time in a while, Jacen was overwhelmed by someone. Overwhelmed but not threatened, it was a rediscovery for him in some way.
A most pleasant rediscovery.
As the afternoon slowly left its place to the evening, they relaxed together, letting the weight of the war flow off their shoulders. He was finally having his well deserved vacation. They spent an hour in her private pool and as the evening brimmed with the orange light of the sun setting. Jacen glanced at her, her hair glowing in the sun beam on the balcony. Wordlessly, he approached her, his head slowly tilting down towards hers. She closed her eyes, following his movement. Their lips meeting for a single moment they would remember for the rest of their lives.
As Jacen and Tenel Ka shared a kiss under the setting sun, Jacen felt a sharp pain in the scar on his chest. Breaking the bond between them, Jacen took a moment to breathe. He apologized to Tenel Ka but noticed she was staring at something in the sky. Rain filled the stars of the night. No a single cloud, he thought, then he noticed it wasn't normal rain either.
Rain of fire was falling on Mon Calamari's capital city and the fires were Yuuzhan Vong pods dropping from high orbit. Armed with their deadly weapons, morale boosted with their holy task set by Supreme Overlord Shimmra, the warriors were about to take on the holiest task of their lives. The destruction of Mon Calamari's capital was about to begin and with the entire Galactic Alliance fleet on patrol on the other side of the star system. The undetected YuuzhanVong had only small defensive positions to destroy and the path of victory would be theirs.
Only one thing, unknown too them, was about to stand in their way. That thing was a living god, that thing was Jacen Solo.
Never thought of adding some text down here before... but anyways. Its weird the affect a girl can have on a guy, specially when she's smiling... anyways... lots of action in next chapter, I promise!