Disclaimer etc: see 1st chapter.

Oh, and to clarify: I am supposing that the events in the NJO series (and DN by association) never happened, so whatever 'big bad' turned up in those two ('cause I haven't read them – yet), never happened in this fic.

Which means (I finally figured something out!) that this is AU. (NB: My thanks to Master Solo for pointing that out.)

Yeah, that'll do. I'll shut up now.

Read please.

Choices

3 - Blame and Panic

"You killed him!"

Jaina just sat there, staring at the text blinking on the screen, unable to move. Oh God, I did! She couldn't oppose Tenel Ka's accusation, because she knew it was true. I just killed my own brother!

"You killed him!" Tenel Ka repeated, and Jaina could sense the fear and anger and blame in the Dathomirian's voice.

"Tenel Ka!" Luke's voice was strong and calm. "That's enough. It's not Jaina's fault."

Tenel Ka didn't answer; she just swung around on her heel and stalked regally out of the room. The second she left, she broke out into a run, her feet slapping against the floor. Luke sighed and followed her, his own tread slow and measured.

Jaina leaned forward slowly, her face buried in her hands. No… she moaned. Jacen…

She felt Zekk kneel in front of her, and let herself be drawn into his arms. "It's gonna be alright," he said softly. "It'll be okay."

She couldn't reply, she just listened to his empty reassurances, and, strangely, found herself believing them.

>>>>>>>>>

Tenel Ka retreated to the roof of the Jedi Temple.

She sat on the rough stone, her knees drawn up to her chest, staring out across the jungles of Yavin 4. She knew that she'd been unfair to Jaina inside, but she was shocked. Barely an hour before, the man who held Jacen captive had assured them that he would not be harmed, and now…

Tenel Ka rested her forehead on her knees, screwing her eyes shut. Why Jacen? she moaned to herself. It should have been me, not him…

"Tenel Ka?"

She looked up as she heard Luke's voice. The Jedi Master seated himself beside her, and studied her intently. "You have to keep calm," he said softly.

Tenel Ka looked away. "I am aware of this Master Skywalker," she answered.

"We'll get Jacen back," Luke said.

"How can you be so sure?" Tenel Ka asked, fighting to stop her voice cracking.

Luke smiled. "Jacen's always been too tough for anybody to get rid of," he replied. "He doesn't look that hard to kill, and he certainly doesn't act it, but…"

Tenel Ka nodded in reluctant acceptance, a smile tugging at her lips. "That is a fact," she stated. "Such as when he fell from Cloud City." She swallowed. That incident still brought back painful memories.

Luke nodded. "Exactly," he replied. "Who else would be lucky enough to be spotted and picked up? No one but Jacen."

A fleeting smile flickered across Tenel Ka's lips. "This is also a fact," she answered.

"Exactly," Luke stated. He smiled, and pushed himself to his feet. He lightly touched Tenel Ka's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry," he said softly. "He'll be alright."

Tenel Ka nodded, partially accepting his words, partially wanting him to leave so she could be alone. Luke seemed to understand. He dropped his hand from Tenel Ka's shoulder and stepped back. "When you're ready to come back, you know where we'll be," he said softly. He turned, and Tenel Ka heard as he walked away, his footsteps soft on the ancient stone.

She again leaned her head sideways against her knees. "Jacen," she said softly, her voice a whisper on the breeze. She stared out to the jungles, her granite-grey eyes brimming with emotion.

After a second she stretched out her legs and unhooked Jacen's lightsaber from her belt. Before he had left in the Millennium Falcon, Han had asked Tenel Ka to look after it until— His voice had caught, and he had swallowed. Until Jacen was back, the ex-smuggler had completed.

Tenel Ka lightly stroked her fingers over the metal grip, a tiny smile slipping unbidden to her lips. With a hum of power, she ignited the blade, the emerald green shining in the darkening air like a beacon.

"Master Skywalker is right," Tenel Ka said softly to herself, her gaze riveted on the thrumming blade. "Jacen will be alright."

She sprang to her feet, shaking her hair back behind her shoulders, and ran for the entrance to the temple. And that's because I'm going to go get him, she thought, determination blazing in her heart.

>>>>>>>>>

His body was one huge throbbing bruised nerve, and he was almost too exhausted to stay upright. He swayed on his knees, his vision blurring and then refocusing. It was confusing, to say the least.

"Ah, Jacen."

The Jedi dragged his head up as he heard Velac's smarmy tone. He bit back a choice reply that sprung to his tongue, and stayed silent. He focused on his captor, trying to keep awake.

Velac stepped into the room, her lips transfixed in a little smile. "How are you doing?" he asked, his hands clasped together in front of him.

Jacen felt a sarcastic smile spread across his lips. "Just fantastic," he answered, his voice rasping.

Velac sighed. "Not for much longer, I'm afraid."

Jacen frowned. "What?" he asked. He coughed involuntarily, and felt something warm spatter down his chin.

Velac's features twisted in a grimace of disgust at the blood splattered across his captive's face. "I talked to your twin sister," he replied.

Jacen stiffened immediately, his unwavering gaze intent on his captor. "Jaina?"

Velac let a tantalizing smile spread across his lips. "Yes," he replied. "Jaina." His face changed. "She was very rude."

Jacen pulled himself up, a smile twitching at his lips. "Well," he answered slowly, "you did kidnap me, and I am her brother. So I think that a little rudeness is allowed, considering the circumstances." He flashed Velac a little grin. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Velac merely looked at him, a sneer curling up the corner of his mouth.

"What?" Jacen asked, his face quickly falling.

"I believe that my goal will be complete anyway," Velac continued. "Even without you present." The corner of his mouth twitched up in a tiny smile.

"What does that mean?" Jacen asked, his voice audibly shaking.

>>>>>>>>>

Tenel Ka lifted the Rock Dragon off the ground, her fingers flashing across the controls. Her mind was racing with frantic emotion, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't keep herself calm, couldn't rationalise her thoughts.

She knew that Han, Leia and Lowbacca were all up there in the Millennium Falcon, but she knew that they wouldn't be able to find him. She didn't know how she knew, but she did.

There was just one thought at the front of her mind as the Rock Dragon shot into space.

Save Jacen.

>>>>>>>>>

Lowie frowned and growled.

Han swung over to him, his hands remaining on the Millennium Falcon's controls. "What's up?" the ex-smuggler asked.

Lowie let out a low growl, and Han frowned. "The Rock Dragon?" he asked. "Isn't that Tenel Ka's ship?"

Lowie nodded his shaggy head.

"Why's Tenel Ka out here?" Han asked softly.

>>>>>>>>>

Tenel Ka saw the light flashing on the console, indicating that the Millennium Falcon was calling. She ignored it, focusing on her scanners. There has to be something here, she told herself forcefully.

She couldn't see a thing, but as she searched, she felt something. She couldn't identify it, but she somehow knew.

She swung the Rock Dragon around, and headed left.

>>>>>>>>>

Leia watched the Rock Dragon turn around from the Millennium Falcon's cockpit. The ship was just heading out to space, in an apparently random direction. The Chief of State frowned. "Where's she going?" she asked softly.

The Hapan cruiser kept going, until it suddenly just… disappeared.

>>>>>>>>>

The numbness was fading, but the fear and grief was still there. The realisation that she might have just accidentally killed her twin brother ripped at her soul, but the numbness was fading.

There wasn't much she could do, so she just kept going over the message that Jacen's captor had sent. She had already found the communications program and there was no telling what else was buried in there.

For now though, she had found nothing, but that didn't stop her.

She had to find Jacen, and she couldn't stop until she did.

Jaina jumped as she felt a hand descend on her shoulder. She jerked back from her position with her nose barely an inch from the screen, and looked up at Zekk. "What?" she asked snappily.

He shook his head at her. "Jaina, you have to take a break," he reprimanded. "Working yourself to the point of exhaustion will not help Jacen."

"I know," Jaina replied quietly. "But I have to do something."

A light suddenly started flashing on the console, and Zekk started. "What's that?" he asked.

Jaina swung around. "A message, coming in from the Millennium Falcon," she answered. Her face lit up. "Maybe they found something!" Her fingers danced across the keyboards, opening the voice channel.

"Hello? Anyone there?" Han's voice boomed in over the comm system.

"Yeah Dad, I'm here," Jaina answered.

"Hi Jaina," Han greeted. "Hey, is Tenel Ka down there with you?"

Jaina frowned. "No, not that I know of," she replied. "Why?"

"Damn it."

"Dad, what's happened?" Jaina asked, frowning.

"We may have a problem."

>>>>>>>>>

The Rock Dragon shuddered slightly as it docked with the larger ship. Tenel Ka stared out the cockpit windows at the monstrous structure in amazement. She had managed to fly straight through the cloak around the vessel, and hadn't been accosted by any fighters. She drew her gaze away from the ship and back inside her own vessel.

She checked her lightsaber was clipped firmly to her belt, and then moved towards the airlock.

>>>>>>>>>

The metal gleamed in the harsh light, throwing bright reflections off into the young Jedi's eyes. Jacen shifted, his skin prickling with fear. Velac slowly spun the blade in his hand, his attention focused on Jacen. "It's a pretty thing, isn't it?" he asked softly, his voice almost a whisper. "Made exclusively for me." He ran one finger up the razor-sharp edge, a bead of crimson blood spilling down his hand. "Cuts almost anything."

Jacen didn't reply, just watched the patterns the blade threw on the walls. I have a very bad feeling about this, he thought.

Velac reached out and wrapped his hand around Jacen's neck, lifting him to his feet. "I have no time for people who insult me," he said calmly. He raised the blade next to Jacen's face, running the point down the Jedi's cheek. Blood spilled quickly from the cut, spreading warmly across his skin.

"It's been nice knowing you Jacen," Velac said softly.

Suddenly Jacen's brain kicked into action. Move! he yelled at himself. Move you idiot!

But too late.

A sharp pain stabbed through his stomach, skewering him in place. His eyes flew wide open, and he stared at Velac's face, searching for some shred of compassion.

He found none.

Velac released his prisoner, letting Jacen crumple to his knees, drawing the blade out of his stomach and wiping it clean on his sleeve. He studied the injured Jedi with an almost clinical air.

"Yes, Jacen," he said softly. "You should have thought twice."

Jacen was gasping for breath, his forehead furrowed in pain, hunched over, blood spilling over his fingers as he pressed them to the hole in his stomach. His eyes were screwed shut.

Tenel Ka…

His eyes flew open. Gotta live. Gotta live for Tenel Ka.

Velac frowned, his hand tightening around the knife. "Jacen?" he asked, clearly expecting the boy to die, and die quickly.

Jacen looked up.

Tenel Ka.

He lunged forward.

>>>>>>>>>