trecebo: Well thanks! I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far and I hope you stick with us! Hurray! Another one who likes Zekk better! I'm thrilled and honored that your reading my story. :-) And a quick thanks for reviewing Finding Truth and He Stopped Loving Her Today as well. I appreciate it.
ElorinnaEvenstarre: Heh heh, after so many years of marriage to Han Solo I think Leia probably finds it relieving to conivnce herself that it's nothing...heh heh heh. Thanks for reviewing!
Chapter Seven
"Jaina, we've got to talk." Jag said, a serious expression written across his features, evident in the way his eyebrows had furrowed together.
"About what?" Jaina asked, raising an eyebrow. Her mind began wandering back to the events of that morning, when- but no…that couldn't be what Jag wanted to talk about. At least she hoped not, there was no reason to talk about it after all…
Another question sprang to her mind, and she was struck by the oddness of the situation. Why did he want to have this discussion- it sounded important, after all- in the mess hall, of all places
"I got a call from my father a few days ago." He stated, sitting and motioning for Jaina to take the seat next to him. She did so, perching herself on the edge of the seat and pulling her tray closer as she picked up her utensil.
"Yeah, because you know…if you hadn't cut to the chase right off that would've been really annoying." Jaina commented, rolling her eyes and grinning at Jag as she poked into her food. She was in a great mood…she hadn't felt this way in- in…a long time. It felt good.
"Jaina, this is serious. Can I just tell you this?"
"Okay, I'll be good." Jaina responded with a mock pout, resisting the urge to roll her eyes and poking her utensil into her food again. She wasn't sure if she dared to take a bite just yet. Usually, she waited for Jag to test the food first, and then she'd try it… but he seemed rather focused on talking today…
"I've been called back into Chiss Space."
Jaina looked up from the suspicious-looking meal, her brandy eyes zeroing in on Jag. "For how long?"
"Well…permanently. They want me to take back control of my squadron and begin training with them again immediately." He responded, his face expressionless.
"Ah…what excuse are you using this time?" She asked, turning back to her food. Sithspit, I'm hungry. Can't Jag just take a little bite…a tiny one?
"Excuses won't work. Besides, I'm not fond of lying to the military." Jag replied, a small grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Growing serious again, he continued. "I leave within the week."
"Hold on…you're really leaving?" Jaina asked, her attention successfully drawn away from the meal that rested on her tray. She was silent for a long moment before speaking again. "Tell me, how long ago exactly, did you get this call?"
Jag shrugged, starting to become rather uncomfortable. Others within the mess hall were starting to throw them strange looks. "Um…they notified me about four standard days ago…we were in hyperspace near the Anoat system."
"Four days ago?" Jaina asked in disbelief. "Thanks so much for the update."
"Well I don't have a choice. I have to go. I just wasn't sure how to tell you." Jag insisted, his forest green eyes clouding with confusion. Jaina was upset, sure…but not nearly as upset as he pictured…
"There's always a choice. You don't have to do anything." Jaina retorted, pushing away her meal tray. She'd lost her appetite completely.
"You do when you know your duty." Jag responded, finally picking up a utensil and poking it into his own food.
Jaina stared at him for a long moment, her eyebrows raised. Fire lurked in her eyes the next time her mouth opened. Quietly, she murmured, "Are you saying I don't know duty?"
"Of course not. It's just that you're a lot more…freelance than I am." Jag replied, tasting his meal. It wasn't bad either, as far as he was concerned. Could've used a little less spice though.
Jaina just sat there, staring at him. He'd just told her that he was leaving- which she'd already decided she would forgive him for, it's not like he was forcing her to go, too- and now he insulted her. Fantastic meal they were having.
"So, I was thinking, we can test our relationship over the long distance, and if we still feel the same way, then maybe we could take the next step?" Jag mumbled around his food. She knew that by 'the next step' he meant marriage, he'd mentioned it before… Swallowing his mouthful, he continued. "I just want to know if you'll…be alright here."
Slowly, Jaina murmured, "Why wouldn't I be alright?"
Jag took another bite before speaking again. She didn't notice the strange, appraising look he gave her, or the slow, strange manner in which he spoke the words. "Well, you know…with that Zekk fellow around…"
"What about Zekk?" She asked, and her brandy eyes turned back down to her plate, avoiding Jag's eyes.
"Well, I know there's been…history there, though it was a long time ago…and I just wanted to clear that up, that it was indeed, a long time ago…" He responded carefully, still studying her over his carbo-protein biscuit.
Jaina's brandy gaze was still fixed on her plate.
"I know there's been…history there, though it was a long time ago…"
The words resonated within her head. They wouldn't seem to leave her no matter how hard she tried to focus on the fact that Jag was leaving her behind. But that only made her wonder more…why wasn't she angrier?
After a long period of silence, Jaina rose from the table suddenly, a faraway look settled into her brandy eyes. Somehow, she felt as though an enormous weight had been lifted from her. She felt…light, almost.
"…Jaina?" Jag asked, looking up at her, a bit surprised at her sudden move.
"Jag, I know the solution to this problem." She responded slowly, the faraway look remaining on her face, her eyes gazing at him strangely. Jag looked relieved.
"We have our own lives, let's go with that…" She paused for a moment and tilted her head. "Goodbye Jag."
Jag's forest green eyes widened and his every feature held shock from her words. It was not the response he had expected. He had expected her to want to come back to Csilla with him… not end their relationship! He sat there stunned, his eyes following her as she turned and strode from the mess hall.
In the corridor outside, she met Tahiri, who had been heading in the opposite direction. Upon seeing her, the younger girl had grinned and waved. Jaina returned the gesture.
"Hi Tahiri!" Jaina said brightly, smiling at her. Her grin widened as an idea suddenly hit her. "Hey…you wouldn't want to go test out those new sims with me, would you? Afterwards, we could grab something in the mess hall, or whatever."
Tahiri looked at the girl strangely and grinned. This was strange…Jaina wasn't with Fel, and she wasn't in some fired-up, sarcastic mood…what had she been drinking now? Cocking her head at the older Jedi, she said, "Wow…what's with this mood change?"
"Well…I just ended it with Jag…" she murmured, her brandy eyes showing no expression whatsoever, a fact that Tahiri found very strange indeed. "…so, are you up for those sims or not?"
If possible, Tahiri was more shocked than Jag had been. But she forced herself to get past it for the moment, and met the other girls' eyes. Her grin was astonishingly wide as she replied, "Sure!"
Much later that night, Tahiri practically ran back to the Solo's apartment. She had to talk to Han!
Thankfully, Leia was gone…probably getting a call to Luke. She'd been meaning to for days now.
"Han….Han!" She called…her blonde curls bouncing all around her head as she waited for him to appear. Riina chided her impatience.
"Damn…can't anyone get some sleep around here?" He asked groggily, stretching as he moved stiffly into the main room.
"Why would you want to sleep, right now? Jaina and Jag broke up!" She informed him in a high voice that made the girl's Yuuzhan Vong counterpart cringe.
Han's jaw dropped open, all traces of sleep gone from his eyes. "Well that certainly helps things along…"
Tahiri nodded vehemently. "Now we've just got to get Jaina and Zekk to be partners…you know, for his mission!"
Han nodded slowly, sinking into a nearby chair. "We've got about two weeks to work on it, so don't worry yet…"