Chapter 8

Naboo (62 ABY)

"Thank you, Control. The Entrepreneur out," Anakah Durron, or as she will be known as on this mission, Ana Bolie responded to the directions she received from the Naboo control from the pilot's chair. She turned to look at her partner for this mission and grinned. She was used to working alone, usually as a body guard for some high ranking individual who was in danger, or acting as such to find out what that high ranking official was up to. She had never had to act as the body guard / personal assistant to a Jedi Master before. And the thought that she was to act as Valin Horn's body guard seemed extremely amusing to her. He, after all, was quite capable of taking care of himself.

He must have sensed her eyes on him and turned from the datapad he was reviewing to give her a questioning look. He was dressed in a dark grey business suit and was still going over the specifics of the tibanna gas mining business he was supposed to own on Bespin. She found his attention to the minute detail rather annoying at times but she knew he was only being careful. He still considered his last big mission a failure. They were attending the Unity Celebration at the queen's urgent request to the Jedi Council for protection. She was nervous that something was going to happen. Apparently, after the capture of the Fels on Naboo, she began to receive threats because she helped GFFA in their search for information regarding their capture.

The Unity Celebration was celebrated every year to commemorate the peace Gungans and humans enjoyed since they had joined forces under the reign of Queen Amidala. It was a big affair and the queen or king always played a large role in it, along with the ruler of the Gungans. Valin was pretending to be a businessman here to enjoy the two week long activities and garner support for his fictitious operations in the realm of shipbuilding from the queen with the pretentious hopes of helping Naboo with its fledging yacht building business. Because, Valin Starlinger loved his Naboo yachts. If anyone looked into the Bespin businessman, they would find he owned several, The Entrepreneur being his favorite.

Anakah was to be his personal administrative assistant and body guard. She actually thought it a bit trite but no one else did. Their mission was simple: protect the queen and find out everything they could about Dro'godda's activity on the planet. Since, it was unknown who were involved, the only person who would know they were truly Jedi was the queen herself.

Finally, she said as they entered the bright atmosphere, "Aren't you overdoing the detail thing just a bit. I mean, how many times are you going to read that same page?"

Valin hid his mild surprise so quickly she wondered if she had imagined it. He swallowed and smiled weakly, "I guess I'm a bit distracted." He looked out the viewport as the capital of Theed seemed to come up toward them.

She looked back at the controls and busied her hands with the procedure for landing. She wasn't really fond of flying, just one more thing she didn't have in common with anyone else in her family, and she had to make this look like she was a pro at it. Valin had actually piloted the Naboo luxury yacht until they reached the Chommell Sector and made their last jump.

She turned the ship and brought it down at a forty-five degree angle to make it into the private hanger they had been assigned to by Control. She said, "Yeah, you have been distracted this entire trip." Then she glanced back at him and as many times before found him looking at her, she grinned when he couldn't meet her gaze, "And I'm beginning to wonder about that."

She turned back to her flying but her mind remained on the Jedi Master beside her. She had caught him staring at her more than once and she had to wonder. Ever since their sparring match she had an odd feeling about Valin. She had seen the look of possible longing in his eyes more than once. As she brought the ship down on its repulserlifts in the bay numbered 52A, she stole a glance back at him. He was busying himself with undoing the crash webbing and wasn't paying attention to her. She couldn't get a read on him at all through the Force, but she had the feeling he was trying to hide something which only fascinated her all the more.

She found herself engrossed in his strong, handsome features again. Valin looked a lot like his father but there were differences. His hair was longer than she had ever seen the senior Master Horn's being and was a darker brown, which considering his age only had a sprinkling of grey, a feature he had inherited from his mother. His jaw line was more angular which was clean shaven and gave his face a refined, sculpted appearance. But the aspect that she found most intriguing was his silver-grey eyes. They held a depth that she often wished she had a right to explore, because she was certain she could get lost in them. She had often, over the last day of their six day hyperspace journey of convoluted jumps, wondered if she should consider acting out her role as "personal assistant" to its fullest but she would need more than just subtle looks from the Jedi Master before trying anything.

She didn't lie to herself regarding her attraction to him. In reality, she thought he was very appealing and, if he had been anyone else, she would have probably slept with him already, but she couldn't in good conscious initiate the first moves with Valin. Sure she would subtly flirt with him, that was just part of her personality, but to act on her desire she felt for him was something else altogether. It wasn't his age that held her back, she had, after all, been with men even older than him. Nor, was it the fact he was a Master, but rather out of respect and love she still felt for his late wife who had been like an aunt to her. However, oddly enough, she never thought of Valin Horn as an uncle, he had always been just a friend and the father of her friends.

She finished her shut-down procedures and security precautions and then met Valin in the main living space. She found him putting away his datapad and making sure their lightsabers were carefully hidden in the briefcase he would carry. She went to a fine wood built-in cabinet and pulled out her gear which consisted of the latest Blast-Tech blaster. She pulled a power pack out of the pouch on the belt and expertly inserted it into the blaster, and then she made sure it was still sighted. Finally, she strapped on the belt, holstered the pistol and re-adjusted it to hang low on her right hip where it would be easy to access if she needed it.

She looked up when she heard Valin's rich sounding chuckle as he closed the case and keyed the lock, "You know, considering you are the best dualist in the whole damn Jedi Order, it is rather amusing to see you with a blaster strapped to your hip."

She smiled back, "Well, it may seem that I practice more with my saber, but trust me, this," she patted the blaster and smirked, "has gotten me and my wards out of more scrapes then that lightsaber ever did." She stepped over toward the exit to the hatch, there she looked over her shoulder and grinned, "I enjoy sward play, but in all reality, I will probably never use it outside the practice arena. Unless, of course, I want everyone to know I'm a Jedi, which in the type of missions I'm assigned to, will more likely get either me killed or the person I'm supposed to be protecting." When she reached the hatch she couldn't help but add with a tone of mockery, "However, if I ever meet a Sith Lord, I guess the lightsaber would be better."

Valin stepped in beside her and still smiling said, "That, my dear, is what I find so amusing. You are wasting your gift."

She laughed as she palmed the hatch release, "What is? That I don't get to use my saber skills or my meeting a Sith?"

He joined her laugh as the hatch hissed open and shook his head, "Oh, I don't think I'm answering that. Because we had this discussion several days ago, if I remember correctly."

"And you told me I was a Sith," she quipped as she took her position on his right side. It truly was a nice change to see him smile and laugh again. It had seemed like an eternity since she had seen him genuinely smile and if she could do that she was happy.

"No, I said you were as close to a Sith that I ever want to come," he smiled and responded as she looked at him. "You are twisting my words and my meaning, again, Knight Durron."

She broadened her own smile and cocked an eyebrow, "Well, Master Horn, isn't that what the best Sith do?"

He chuckled and said, "One can never win an agreement with you, can they? You are worse than your father." Then he became serious and added, "But we better finish this some other time, because now it's show time." And with that she too became serious and Anakah began down the ramp in classic point position, pretending she was the body guard of a rich Bespin businessman.

X

Later that afternoon Valin stepped into the large luxurious sitting room of the suite he and Anakah would be staying for the next two weeks. They had a meeting with the queen in just a little over an hour and had to play their parts. He was fumbling with the tie at his neck. He never liked pretending to be a businessman. First, because he couldn't carry his lightsaber; at least, if he was wearing the robes of a noble or a vagrant he had a place to hide it within the folds, but while wearing a suit he had to forgo the saber. Second, and probably the most important reason, was because he hated to wear a tie.

He was mumbling a Corellian curse and undoing the knot for the third time when he first noticed her. She was stood upon hearing him from the couch in the center of the spacious room as he came down the short hall that led to the bedrooms of the suite. He had to fight the urge to have his breath taken away. She was absolutely stunning. She was wearing a silvery-blue fitted suit that did incredible things to her blue eyes. The collar and cuffs were trimmed in a short black fur and the short tailored jacket was held together with large black buttons. The fitted skirt stopped several centimeters above her shapely knees. Her long black hair was done up in an intricate up-do of braids and twists and holding it all together on top of her head was two silver picks which he knew were actually her weapons. They were commonly known as assassin picks.

"Having problems with the tie again?" she grinned and asked. She stepped toward him with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

"Why are these things so complicated? It's only a knot for Sith sake," he looked at her and smiled; exasperated he dropped his hands away from the Sithspawned thing.

She continued to grin and stepped even closer. The seductive scent of Corellian lilies instantly engulfed him. Then she picked up the ends and began to expertly loop the tie into a perfect knot. When she finished she patted her accomplishment and said as she met his eyes, "It's only one more reason Man could never live without Woman."

Valin found himself gazing into her eyes longer and more intensely then he intended. But there was something that drew him to the brilliant blue pools. Finally, he swallowed and said, "So, it is a conspiracy after all." However, it didn't come out as flippant as he had wished.

She raised an eyebrow, moved away, turning she said, "That's why all important men have young, beautiful assistants. They would be helpless without them." She flashed him a smile that sent a shudder through him. What he was feeling for her really disturbed him. The trip to Bespin from Ossus and then the final jumps to Naboo had been near torture. He despised that he could possibly feel such a strong attraction to her, but what made it even more dangerous was he knew Anakah noticed it. And very possibly felt attracted to him.

He knew of her reputation, and not the one about her skills as a Jedi protector. He had heard it whispered that "conquering men" was a great game to her. Was that what attracted him to her? The only other woman he could remotely compare her to was his first sexual encounter at age eighteen, Alema Rar, and it was that same sense of sensuality that had attracted him to her. But somehow he felt different about Anakah; she had a refinement to her that Alema never could have hoped to have.

He spent more than one sleep cycle on the trip awake fighting the desire he felt growing in him for her and the guilt he felt for the betrayal of Tahiri's memory. He knew this mission was going to be dangerous and it had nothing to do with possible assassins or even Dro'godda. It had everything to do with how far he was willing to let his lust for a woman half his age go.

But if it was just lust he could understand. However, he felt a connection to Anakah that he didn't understand and that was what truly worried him, because his lust he could control, this other feeling he wasn't as sure about. He couldn't even name it. He enjoyed their verbal sparring matches and he often found himself laughing at the end of them. Something he had not meaningfully done since the day he lost Tahiri. He had actually found himself talking with her about his wife over a delicious meal Anakah had prepared on the trip and for the first time since her death didn't feel the all consuming grief. Although, that relieved him, it scared him more.

Finally, she picked up his briefcase and grinned while handing it to him. She picked up the small datapad she would carry and said while pretending to think, "How did you put it? Ahh, yes, it's show time."

Valin accepted the expensive black nerfleather case and grinning back said, "Yep. Let's go. Starlinger is never late for an appointment."

X

Hapes (62 ABY)

The large throne room was filled to capacity and the common grounds of the palace was filled to capacity, everyone wanted to get their first official peek at the new princess. He looked out over the crowd from where he was sitting in his chair on the throne dais and desperately tried not to fidget. He was too warm, even with the climate control at full force, and he was uncomfortable in the rich velour and brocade of his dress of office. He was really glad that he did not have to endure the heavy robe his brother-in-law did. But mostly he hated with a passion the pomp and circumstance of most Hapan rituals. He had already suffered nearly an hour of the ceremony that would officially, not only name his niece but, proclaim her the next rightful heir to the throne.

He tried to listen to his sister's words but found his mind wondering and instead he watched the crowd. Near the front to one side was his family, well, the whole front was filled with "family" but he really only considered the Skywalkers, including his grandmother Leia, and the Durrons as family. The rest were greedy, back-stabbing Hapans who wished they were up here instead of himself and his sister.

He was slightly disappointed when he realized neither of the Durron twins was going to be present due to their missions. Zeth was not only his cousin, but also his best friend who he hadn't seen over four months since he was sent to the Fifth Fleet. He hadn't overly missed Anakah, but he knew Rodtic's youngest brother was disappointed she wasn't there. He and Meri had a chuckle at that and joked about Anakah having a man in every star system. But in reality he felt sorry for his cousin who could probably surpass even Hapan women in beauty. He only wished she and Marko could tame each other down, maybe then they could be happy together.

However, he was thrilled when Ben Skywalker and Liam arrived several days ago. They had just finished a mission in the Remnant and Liam talked nearly non-stop about it. But it was Ben, Bail enjoyed the most. His older, red-headed, blue-eyed cousin was extremely fun to be around and was something of a maverick, even more so than he himself. However, even that was short lived, because once Luke, Mara and Leia arrived with Ben's wife of only two years, Ben and Julith were inseparable, which only served to remind Bail yet again what was missing in his life without Cassie. Julith was the only child of Keyan Farlander and his second wife and fellow Jedi, Lara. She was a Jedi Master and a healer who lived at the Academy, and was about to make Ben a father within the next few weeks. Ben, who had been gone for nearly three months on his mission, was astounded by the prospect, which meant he doted over her heavily. Of course, Julith, who had spent the last trimester of her pregnancy alone and who was extremely independent, looked as if she could clobber Ben at any minute.

Bail suddenly brought his attention back to his sister who had picked up the extremely calm baby from the gilt bassinette that had been placed beside her throne. She was dressed in a long, flowing, lacy, white garment and white bonnet. He absolutely adored her, and wished her all the best.

Allana concluded her speech which up to only a few sentences ago had been a sort of a progress report on the Hapan Consortium, "…And I present to you, People of the Hapan Consortium, Our daughter and heir, Princess Mi'kaila Maree D'jo." Bail watched as the room of Hapan nobles and Galactic notables stood and applauded the future of Hapes.

Bail applauded, thankful that this part was at least over.

X

Jacen and Tenel Ka waited until they saw the Chief-of-State leave the small sitting room, which she had requested to use to discuss the growing threat of Dro'godda with Luke, Jaina and Kyp. Then Jacen stepped up to the closed door. They could still hear the festivities of the celebration ball. Jacen stole a look at his wife and smiled. He could tell she was excited about this even if she pretended not to be in typical Tenel Ka fashion. Finally, he said, "So, you are sure about this?"

She looked at him and her grey eyes narrowed some, "Of course."

"It will mean moving to Ossus," he countered. They had been repeating this same conversation for at least three weeks.

"Fact." She turned to the door again, as if deciding she had enough rehashing the same argument, reached up and determinedly knocked on the wooden door. Then she looked at Jacen and said, "I have never been more ready to leave."

Jacen only smiled, bent over and surprised her with a quick kiss. As he pulled away he whispered, "I only want you to be sure. It will be one of the few times a former Queen Mother moved from Hapes."

She tried to suppress her smile but failed, "That is a fact, but I had never been a typical Queen Mother." Just then the door opened.

They moved into the room to find Luke, Kyp and Jaina standing by the window which overlooked the gardens. The three Jedi Masters smiled and slightly bowed. Jacen laughed and said, "Please, we are family."

Luke stepped closer and said through his still boyish smile, "True, but you are also royalty."

Jacen took that as his cue, "Actually, I was hoping to be a Jedi Knight again."

"What?" Jaina asked as she came to stand beside their uncle.

"You had told me, Master Skywalker, that if I ever wanted to come back to the Order I could," Tenel Ka reminded Luke of his words all those years ago when she resigned.

Luke gazed at her and nodded his pure white head, "Yes, I remember that." Then he turned to Jacen and said, "I told you the same thing."

Jacen grinned and said, "Well, Tenel Ka and I would like to resume our roles as Jedi Knights."

"You will need to put the Order and the Force first and not Hapes," Kyp joined the conversation.

Tenel Ka looked at Kyp and replied, "We are ready to do that. Hapes is in good hands with Allana as Queen Mother and now she has an heir."

Jacen looked at his brother-in-law and smiled, "Actually, it was you that helped me make my decision, Kyp."

"Me?" Kyp was genuinely surprised. Over the years Jacen had grown to love Kyp like a true brother. They may have had disagreements from time to time but he never regretted that Jaina married him.

"Yes, Kyp, you. Well, actually it was a memory of you." Jacen paused and looked at Jaina. He knew how difficult it was still for her to think about the time Kyp nearly died. "It was the memory of when I helped restart your heart outside Coruscant on The Warrior Queen after you were poisoned."

"That made you want to rejoin the Order?" Kyp asked incredulously.

Jacen gave a slight chuckle and went on, "That and saving my granddaughter and possibly my daughter when Mi'kaila was born." He looked at Tenel Ka then from Luke, Kyp and Jaina and announced, "I have decided that the Force has called me to be a healer. I have rarely felt the fulfillment that I felt when I've used the Force to help save a life. And if my mother could complete her Jedi training in her fifties surly I can become a healer while being in mine. I have already completed some of the course work needed via the HoloNet and feel that if someone is brave enough to take on a rusty old Jedi Knight as an Apprentice I could be a healer in a year or two."

Luke stepped forward and enveloped Jacen in a tight embrace. As he pulled away he laughed and said, "It was about time you finally see what the Force truly wants of you. Welcome home," Luke said and then surprised Tenel Ka by embracing her in much the same way he had Jacen.

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