Chapter Six

"Dry your eyes mate
I know it's hard to take but her mind has been made up
There's plenty more fish in the sea
Dry your eyes mate
I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts
But you've got to walk away now
It's over" -The Streets

Great. Just great. Zekk thought as he walked briskly down the hall. Lowie had just given him the fantastic news that he could no longer accompany Zekk. Apparently there was some emergency back home.

Sure, Zekk felt bad for whatever had happened…Lowie hadn't been very specific. But now he had to go through the hassle of finding another partner for the next year or so. He and Lowie had worked together for almost a month…maybe two…they were just starting to get used to how the other worked and then- bam!- this happened.

Taking a deep breath, Zekk forced himself to release his frustration. Focus, there must be someone around here with no plans who can just up and leave… He could've smacked himself for thinking it. Of course no one's going to be able to just up and leave; it's a sithspawned military base!

If the need arose, Zekk could handle it himself, he was sure. But having two take on the job made it easier by a lone shot.

A familiar voice filtered into Zekk's thoughts then. Zekk paused, listening to the voice a little more. Fel…

His emerald eyes flicked around, trying to locate Fel in hope of avoiding him, and he noticed a nearby doorway cracked open. The sign read COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. Fel must be inside…

Uninterested in anything concerning Fel, Zekk started on his way again. But that was before he heard Jaina's name…

"-I believe she's washing up, but we're meeting up in the mess hall shortly. I'll bring it up then." Fel was saying. Obviously, he was talking about Jaina. Zekk couldn't hear what the person on the other end of the line was saying, but he found himself rather curious to know what Fel was going to bring up…

"Yes, sir. We'll be shipping out within the week." There was a pause before Fel continued. "It will be good to be home again."

Zekk didn't want to hear anymore. Turning abruptly and heading back to the Lightning Rod, his mind raced. He didn't want to think about Fel's words…what he was going to bring up to Jaina…or that the two of them were visiting Jag's home together, and leaving so soon. It sounded bad…very bad.

A sudden thought struck him. Maybe…maybe Jag was going to propose. And he had a trip home planned so Jaina could meet his family!

His heart sunk low. His day with Jaina would've been perfect, it certainly had the potential…then Fel ruined it, and then Lowie bailed on the mission and now Fel again… Zekk officially declared his life as miserable… that or pathetic, either worked.

"Musej Zekk! Force, what's up with you?"

He hadn't been paying attention to where he was going. He'd been too preoccupied to care. The words sounded familiar, the languages mixed together like that, in such a comfortable manner. Now, he saw Tahiri looking at him, her head cocked too one side, as though she were curious, studying him carefully. From the way she held her hands slightly in front of her, he could tell they'd almost crashed. Almost like he'd crashed with Jaina that morning…

Zekk considered telling her what he'd overheard, and that Fel was planning to propose to Jaina…but he couldn't bring himself to say it. He just couldn't. Hearing himself say the words would make it seem even worse, and he didn't know if he could take that right now.

"Lowie…" he said instead, shoving a hand back through his hair. "Lowie ran into some emergency or another from Kashyyyk and now I need to find another partner in a hurry before next week."

"Ooh." Tahiri responded, scrunching her nose. "Tough situation."

Zekk nodded. "Tell me about it…hey, would you be able to do it? I mean, you've had experience with the Vo- Yuuzhaan Vong."

"No." the younger Jedi replied instantly, shaking her head. "Sorry, but Corran's coming back about the time you leave and we've got an assignment."

Zekk groaned, and ran a forceful hand back through his dark hair. "That's ok…I'm sure I'll figure something out."

"I think most everyone around here's got assignments already." Tahiri murmured, the strange glint that was Riina appearing in her eyes. The girls Yuuzhan Vong half was enjoying this deceit just a tad too much. However, Zekk was too immersed in his own thoughts to notice the smirk that tugged at her lips, threatening to take over. "You'd probably have the most luck with Jaina…I hear she's been dying to get away from all these routine bases for awhile, anyway."

Zekk snorted. Under his breath, so Tahiri couldn't hear him he muttered, "Yeah…I just bet she'd want to up and leave her fiancé."

And then, with a sharp turn, he walked off. Behind him in the corridor, he left a very confused Tahiri.

Stalking back towards his ship, concentrating very hard on releasing his anger Zekk made a decision. He didn't need a partner; he was perfectly capable of handling everything on his own. He'd done it for years back on Coruscant and now was no different…aside from the fact that he was slipping into enemy territory during a war… but that didn't matter, it would be like old times.

He would leave first thing tomorrow morning.

"I just talked to Zekk…not even a minute ago, in the hallway." Tahiri murmured excitedly, waving her hands as she spoke. Riina remained with her, reveling in the delight of their sneaky plot.

"What about, kid?" Han asked, leaning in. Leia had left the room to use the 'fresher only moments before. She'd be back any minute.

"Well, Lowie's part is done…and Zekk's looking for a partner."

Han nodded, one side of his mouth lifting. "Knew he'd come through."

"There was something though…"Tahiri murmured, tilting her head and furrowing her brow, the faded scars that rested there wrinkling. "I suggested that he take Jaina as a partner…and it seemed like he got mad and he said something, I couldn't hear him though…then he just walked off!"

Han waved a hand, dismissing the thought. "Ah, it was probably noth-"

He stopped short suddenly, when Leia re-entered the room. Glancing at Tahiri, he leaned back in his chair, attempting to look casual. Tahiri fared much better than he.

"What are you two up to, lately?" The former Chief of State murmured, eyeing them suspiciously. Their whispers and cunning grins hadn't gone as unnoticed as they'd thought.

"Nothing." Han and Tahiri both spoke up.

Leia shook her head, an amused expression on her still-pretty face, though she still seemed a bit suspicious. "Honestly, it seems like you're plotting something big, with all the whispers."

Han and Tahiri both laughed weakly, glancing at one other from the corners of their eyes. When Leia continued to shoot them suspicious glances, Han found the excuse that he needed a shower, while Tahiri decided to go hunt down Jaina.

"Hmm…" Leia murmured, and her eyes narrowed as the door closed behind Tahiri. Then, shaking her head she figured it was probably nothing. Either that, or nothing she wanted to know…