Part II

"Your Majesty," the young man bowed, "we will be coming out of hyperspace within fifteen minutes."

Emperor Jagged Fel looked up from the datapad that he was reading to watch the red and black robed Knight, a Force-user trained much as the Jedi were but who were loyal to him and his wife, the Empress. He smiled and nodded, "Thank you Knight Bosk, and tell Master Katarn to inform the palace of our arrival."

Bosk returned the Emperor's smile and related, "He has already done so, Your Majesty."

Jag laid the datapad down on the desk he sat behind and stood, smoothing the black tunic he wore, "Good. You are dismissed."

The Imperial Knight bowed again and departed, leaving Jag in solitude. The man, who brought peace and unity to the planets once known as the Imperial Remnant and those known as the Corellian Insurgents, stepped over to the large viewport of his chamber. Looking out at the swirl of blue hyperspace, Jag remembered a different life, one in which he would have laughed at the suggestion that he'd even be a politician much less an emperor of over a thousand planets that were spread all over the galaxy. He remembered a young man who came out of a war disgraced and demoted. He had been willing to die for his adopted people, he befriended them and loved them as his own, but he and his family learned the hard way that to the Chiss they were only tools and when the tools no longer proved useful, they were thrown away.

Aristocra Formbi made sure his family had no choice but leave the Chiss Ascendancy after the Swarm War. Soontir was stripped of his prestige and even a great deal of his wealth. Jag was demoted back to lieutenant. Cem and Wynessa, Jag's brother and sister, were dismissed from the academy with the explanation that they were not proving worthy, regardless of the fact that both of the younger Fels were surpassing even some of their Chiss classmates. The Fels left the home that they had built in the ice and snow of Csilla and moved to Bastion. Soontir still was in close contact with many in the Remnant government and as such was able to procure placement for himself and his children. Cem was commissioned in the army as a lieutenant. Wynessa continued on in her academy studies and would become an elite fighter pilot, whom many said was the female version of her father. And Jag was commissioned a fleet and granted the rank of commodore. However, within two years he had proven himself enough to be promoted to full rank of admiral.

Then came the second Corellian Insurrection and the Remnant's growing discontent with the Coruscant government. Pellaeon realized that the Remnant was doomed if it stayed within the Galactic Alliance. He had already petitioned the Moffs Council to secede from the GA before Princess Leia, now a fully trained Jedi Knight, showed up to ask her old friend Gilad to join the Corellians. Then the shocking news that Princess Leia Organa Solo and Han Solo had been killed by none other than their own son, the new Supreme Commander of the GA Defense Force, was announced and the Moffs quickly made a decision. They wanted nothing to do with Jacen Solo and his tactics that many said reminded them too much of not only Lord Vader but Emperor Palpatine. But the shock for Jag wasn't over. Only a few days after the decree that separated the GA and the Remnant and pledged Imperial help to Corellia, Admiral Pellaeon stepped down as Grand Admiral and the Moffs Council appointed Jag as Pelleaon's replacement.

The Moffs had been watching his career closely and with some gentle nudging by Pellaeon, they chose him over many other more seasoned admirals who were true veterans of the Empire. The military was turned upside down and before Jag could set out with a fleet for Corellia he had to shore up his right to hold the highest position in the Imperial military. However, he also saw the tarnish that needed cleaned off the government. So, before he was replaced by some more experienced admiral, Jag set out and began to make improvements not in the structure of the military but in the government.

As the head of state for the Remnant, just as Pellaeon had been before him, Jag implemented many polices that made life better on the planets he governed. Some of these same planets were still suffering from the Yuuzhan Vong invasion and he felt there were things that needed fixed. He did away with a lot of the bureaucracy that was more Galactic Alliance than Imperial and set about laws that encouraged the rebuilding and revitalization of these worlds. Since the Remnant no longer fell under the GA, the Reconstruction Authority was forced to pull out of the planets that it was involved with. Jag immediately filled the void and his proposals actually did a better job in a few months than the Authority was able to do in years. He quickly grew in popularity and soon the people were praising him and his ideas.

Jag laughed softly, as the ship came out of hyperspace and the swirl of blue turned back to white pin pricks of stars, at the irony of it all. He never set out to be a politician, he never wanted to be Emperor, he only wanted to do what he felt was right while he had the power to do it. It still amazed him how naturally he fell into the position as Imperial head of state, as well as, Grand Admiral.

He couldn't see Bastion yet. It was on the other side of his flagship Integrity in relationship to where his viewport was, but he could see the sun in the distance and the bustling traffic abound the defense platforms that surrounded the planet that was his home. He would never have thought that he'd ever consider the overgrown Bastion as home but he did. But than anywhere would be home as long as it was with Jaina.

The thought of his wife warmed his soul. She was his other half and if it hadn't been for her, he'd never have known success. Her insightfulness and desire to accomplish the goals she set forth for the galaxy had proven to bring the Empire to glory. She was everything to him and he loved her with every ion of his soul, and now she made him a father. He smiled at the thought of his tiny son, as the ship turned and Bastion filled his viewport. The baby would someday inherit his title, his empire, and as Jag considered his own mortality his mind fell back to the day he saw Alezander's mother for the first time in over five years.

Jag entered the wardroom where the five Jedi were being held. The Imperial Fleet had just arrived in the Corellian Sector days before, just in time to help the Insurgents defeat the Alliance and protect Centerpoint Station. Although, with Sal-Solo dead, the station was never able to be made operational, at least by the Corellians. However, there was someone else who wanted Centerpoint Station and who may possess what it would take to bring it to power.

That one person was GA Supreme Commander Jacen Solo and he really wanted Centerpoint but thanks to arrival of Corellia's new allies, he was denied the chance, yet again.

Jag didn't see her immediately. He instead noticed Kyp Durron, Kyle Katarn and a Jedi he didn't know in the wardroom and wondered what had happened to them to make them switch sides. Then he saw her. She turned from where she had been looking out of the viewport and Jag had his breath taken away.

She was imposing as ever with her arms folded over her chest and her long brown hair pulled in a tail. Her brown eyes flashed with determination and with sorrow. But to Jag she was beautiful. She was as beautiful to him as she had been nearly twenty years before when he had seen her for the first time at Ithor.

Then he noticed Zekk and his heart fell. They obviously were still together. He didn't know why it surprised him, he knew who the five Jedi were, but somehow seeing them made it all seem more real to him. He simply said to his escort, "You're dismissed."

"Yes, sir," the two white clad troopers gave a smart salute and exited the room. If the Jedi had planned him ill will, the two lieutenants weren't really of much use anyway.

Once the door was closed Jag stepped deeper into the room and asked, his tone commanding, "You requested this meeting."

Jaina stepped forward and the two Jedi Masters turned toward her. Well, it's nice to see who really is in charge, but then why does that surprise me. She swallowed hard and met his gaze then said, "Jag—Admiral Fel, we would like to join with you in defeating the GA."

Jag stared at her incredulously, "You want to join the Empire?"

Jaina smiled weakly and went on, "We want to join someone strong enough to stop him."

"Him?"

"Jacen." He was taken aback by the hatred in her voice but then Jag remembered that it was Jacen Solo who supposedly hunted down and killed his parents because they resisted arrest.

Jag rubbed his clean shaven jaw and said, "The Remnant and the Insurgents do not require your help if it's a private vendetta you are fighting, Knight Solo."

Before Jaina had a chance to respond, Kyp Durron glanced at her and she held her tongue. Jag suspected they were in a battle meld and that exchange of glances proved it. Kyp turned back to Jag and said, "It is not a vendetta, Admiral. Jacen Solo needs to be stopped. He is in control of the government and, through laws that he has ensured passage of, is becoming in control of the Jedi too."

Jag nodded; he knew which laws the Jedi Master was speaking of, but it didn't surprise him that Kyp would buck at such laws. He looked over at the other Jedi Master. He didn't know Kyle Katarn except in passing, but he knew of Katarn and seeing him here did surprise him, which prompted him to ask, "Master Katarn, what is your reason for defecting?"

Kyle looked up at him and simply responded, "Admiral Fel, I feel as my fellows do, Jacen Solo is dangerous. I spent a lifetime hunting down and destroying Dark Jedi, I refuse to be under the command of one."

Jag nodded, he had expected such and answer from pragmatic Kyle Katarn. Then he turned to the unknown Jedi and asked him the same question. Jaden Korr looked to be in his mid-forties with a muscular build not unlike Katarn's. He ran his hand through his dark hair and looked upon Jag with hard steel grey eyes. Finally he said, "My wife was Corellian, although she had never set foot on the planet, sir. Jacen Solo deported her because her brother had been implicated in a bogus arms deal on Coruscant. But she never made it to Corellia; the ship she was on mysteriously was blown into star food." Jag could see the grief in his eyes and the anger too. Kyle stepped over and gently laid his hand on his shoulder and the younger man nodded his head, eventually he looked up and went on, "She was pregnant with our only child."

Jag's heart tightened at the tale of such cruelness, he couldn't believe Jacen could be capable of such things. He said finally to Zekk, "And why are you here?"

Zekk's green eyes met Jag's and Jag felt every bit of the old jealousy that he had always felt towards the tall, dark haired Jedi. By the icy stare he received and the hard words as Zekk responded, Jag could safely assume he felt the same way. "I'm here because I feel as the others. And because my place is beside Jaina," Jag didn't miss the warning in those words either.

Then he was back to Jaina. She met his gaze and said, "Jacen is no longer my brother. He has lost his soul and the galaxy will pay the price unless he is stopped. Our hands were tied due to his position, if we chose to stay on Coruscant. And because none of us would follow his orders any longer after discovering the truth, we would have been marked as traitors. We can be more of service pledging ourselves to the side that will bring a real peace to the galaxy."

Jag took all of this in and then chuckled, "You all are acting as if Admiral Solo has become a Sith."

Jag would never forget the chill that ran through him as five voices rang out at the same time, "He has."

A knock on the door brought him out of his reverie and he turned from the viewport. "Enter."

Kyle Katarn entered the chamber and bowed his head, "Sir, the shuttle is ready."

Jag smiled and nodded, "Then lead the way Master Katarn, I am most anxious to get home."

The older man snickered, "I'm sure you are. Kyp and Zekk have been keeping an eye on her."

Jag grinned as he fell into step with his friend, "I'm sure they have, along with my parents. I hope I get a chance to spoil my son and that he isn't already a terror before I even get to meet him." Jag shared a chuckle with the onetime Imperial Stormtrooper officer as they made their way to the shuttle bay. Kyle was his leading body guard. He also was the primary trainer in the order of Imperial Knights in lightsaber and combat skills. Kyle and his onetime apprentice Jaden brought with them the skills that the other three were lacking in. Kyp, Zekk and Jaina were fighter pilots, plain and simple. Kyle and Jaden were the down hard, get dirty fighters, which was probably the reason Jag had never really encountered them while fighting the Vong. After all, he had been a fighter pilot.

They entered the shuttle amidst the strict parade-like pomp and circumstance that he secretly hated, but his closest advisors all insisted he needed, while the crew and staff of the hanger stood in prefect formation and saluted him. After getting settled in the shuttle, Jag let his mind wonder back to the day he received the most unusual advice from the most unusual source.

Kyp Durron entered the command office near the bridge and saluted. "Sir, if I may speak freely?"

Jag returned the salute and snickered, "Since when did you ever not speak freely, Kyp."

The Jedi had been working for the Empire and the Insurgents for about six months. Kyp, Jaina and Zekk quickly become adapted to flying TIEs and leading squadrons, while Kyle and Jaden began going on missions with the ground troops. They had discovered three latent Force-sensitives among the enlisted and began to train them in the ways of the Force. Kyle kept Jag informed of their progress.

The older man chuckled and nodded his head, "True." Then he sat down on the chair before the desk and after a moment of staring into his hands he looked up and met Jag's eyes. "You know she is still in love with you, don't you?"

Jag instantly felt uncomfortable. He stood up and moved toward the drink dispenser. After offering Kyp a drink, which the Jedi declined, Jag poured himself a brandy. He then swirled the amber liquid around the snifter before taking a long draw on the smooth drink. Finally, he turned back to Kyp and said, "She always had a strange way of showing her love for me, Master Durron. But I do not believe she still holds any feelings for me."

Kyp gave him a crocked grin and then went on, "And you are still in love with her."

Jag turned fully on the Jedi and spat, "I could say the same about you."

Kyp stood up slowly and stepped toward the younger man, smiling, although sadly, he responded, "Yes, if you want an honest answer, I do love Jaina. I always have. But I know I am not right for her. She was destined for greatness. She is the Sword of the Jedi, although, just as the prophecy that proclaimed her grandfather the Chosen One, I feel that destiny no longer coincides with the Jedi. Being the sword could mean many things. From being the protector to being the murderer and everything in between."

Jag shuddered at Kyp's words. Since when did Kyp Durron become philosophical? But he missed one important piece of the puzzle. "What about Zekk? She and he seem to be involved in a fairly intimate relationship."

Kyp nodded again and said, "Yes, but she doesn't love him. To her he is a friend and since their time as Joiners, they share a bond. But it isn't a bond of love. They are partners, nothing more."

Jag grinned, "I remember her telling you that very same thing but she never had a relationship with you like she is with Zekk."

Kyp snickered and laid his hand on Jag's shoulder, a gesture of an old friendship, of old comrades of an unbelievable war, "No she never did. But I also never pursued her. I knew where her heart truly lied and still does. Zekk is a fine man, Jag, and he loves Jaina ever bit as much as you do. But he knows she doesn't love him and, yet, he holds onto her."

Jag stepped away from Kyp and took another drink of his brandy, after swallowing the warm liquid he turned back and said, "How can he do that if he knows she doesn't love him?"

Kyp grinned and Jag instantly saw the spark of mischievousness that he remembered in the older man, "Because she lets him. She believes you hold no emotion for her. She thinks you can not forgive her for what she did to you during the Swarm War. And she doesn't feel herself as worthy of you."

Jag stared at him and Kyp went on but the seriousness returned in his voice, "I'm here because I promised Han and Leia a long time ago that I'd watch out for her. Han Solo was the closest thing I ever had to a father. He may not have been perfect, but who the hell is. I can't stand to watch her throw herself into this war like she did after Anakin died and that is exactly what she is doing. But I'm not the one to save her this time and neither is Zekk. You are the only one she wants to save her and if you don't she will end up fighting until either the Force or her Corellian luck runs out."

Jag looked out at the approaching city and knew instantly where he was. He would be home in less than thirty minutes. He smiled as he pulled the small box out of his pocket. He opened it and looked at the small medallion of gold that he had made when all danger of losing the child had passed. He had been carrying it around for well over a month now and he planned to present it to Jaina. He picked it up and fingered the delicate carvings. Upon its surface was the crest of his family, on the back was an inscription, To the woman I love, the queen of my soul and the mother of my child.

His child, his heir and he'd finally get to meet him in less than thirty minutes. Nothing had ever made Emperor Jagged Fel happier.