Chapter 2

Lydia sat across from her father in the waiting room of the Stars End Medical Center on the small planet Ciselon. She had nothing to do while her mother was being examined. The waiting room did not have any toys that her doctor had. Her doctor had a dollhouse for her to play with. She did have to go away to another planet to go to the doctor though. The Chiss doctors weren't very nice to little children, Lydia thought. Her mommy took her to a nice human doctor nearby. She didn't go very much though.

"Mr. Fel? Your wife is in her room now," a nurse said as she stepped into the waiting room.

"Thank you," Jag replied, rising, "Come on, Lydia, let's go see mommy."

--

"Do you remember last time?"

Jag looked down at his wife. A few wisps of brown hair peaked out from her head wrap. Her cheeks were hallow, face drawn tight. Her brandy-brown eyes still sparkled with the burning passion and determination Jag had fallen in love with several years ago. Jag thought she was absolutely beautiful.

"I remember." The Fels had come to Ciselon for their honeymoon. Ciselon was a beautiful planet with winding canals and wide, rolling pastures. They had arrived two days after their wedding. On their first night they had taken a canal ride through city. The starry night and the street lights along the canals provided the perfect romantic setting. All along the canals were ornate buildings. Jag could see off in the distance the villa they had stayed in. The planet was just beautiful. Jag remembered the promised he had made that they would return on there on their fiftieth wedding anniversary. He hoped that he would be able to fulfill that promise.

Ciselon had a wonderful medical facility. Of course, Jag wouldn't have known that had he not gotten sick with the flu four days into their honeymoon. He hadn't wanted to go to a doctor, but his wife's stubborn nature would not allow him to wait. Jag remembered reading a pamphlet while he was being treated that stated that the Stars End Medical Center provided the best cancer treatment this side of the galaxy.

"Jagged?"

"Yes, beautiful?"

"Where is Lydia?" worried brown eyes met his green ones.

"She's at the hospital daycare."

"Oh. Jag, what-" A fit of coughing interrupted her statement. She couldn't stop. Jag rushed out of the room to find a nurse. He ran down the hall to the nurses station.

"My- my wife," he stammered, out of breath. The nurses understood him well enough and ran off. Jag clutched the counter for a moment to regain his breath, then bolted back to his wife's room. The door was closed. He could see through the window a doctor and two nurses helping his wife. An oxygen mask was being held on by one nurse. Jag turned his head, eyes filling with tears. His hand was pressed against the window. If she did not make it, he did not know what he would do.

iPlease let her be okay/i, Jag prayed, ilet her be okay./i

--

Admiral Whitaker was not a patient man. His spies had indicated that Fel had landed on the planet Ciselon that morning. He could not launch the attacks till Fel was out of the way and could not order the kidnapping until the final member of the team arrived. He was half tempted to send the team off without her, but she was the best. This would only work with her involvement. Her presence alone would also throw Fel for a loop.

His desk comm came to life, "Major Whitesun has arrived."

"Send her in," Whitaker instructed. She was finally here.

A red-head of medium height walked into the room. She wore a dark brown cloak over a plain jumpsuit. Whitaker could see no weapons on her, but that didn't mean anything. Jedi were weapons by themselves.

"What is the assignment?" Whitesun asked shortly.

"Here," Whitaker handed her a datafile, "All the information is included. Launch is once you board. The ship is waiting at-"

Whitesun cut him off, "I'll find it."

"Can you handle this assignment?" Whitaker asked as she looked over the file.

"Yes, you know where my loyalties lie," Whitesun snapped, "And don't worry about the Jedi Code."

With that, Whitesun left the room. Whitaker sat back in his chair with a smug grin on his face. This was working better than he imagined. As for as everyone knew, Whitesun was just a talented Intelligence Major. He knew the truth, however. He knew who she really was, or had been. She was just like him, another victim of the Yuuzhang Vong war. Her life had been ruined just as his had. It had taken her a little while longer to become what she had, but she was just like him: hard, cold, and ruthless. Being a kind person did not keep you alive. The galaxy stabbed its heroes in the back. It didn't care. Everyone was on there own. Whitaker had learned that on Corescant under the rule of the Vong.

Trent Whitaker had owned a small shop in a Corescant neighborhood. He had a wife, Lily, and four children: Joshi, Mela, Travi, and Ela. When the war had started, Trent and his wife thought they were safe. As it drug on, they began to wonder if they should leave, but where would they go? The day Corescant was attacked; Lily had left with the twins, Mela and Travi, in a refugee ship. Trent had learned that that ship had been destroyed before making it out of the system. Mela and Travi were only five. Trent was supposed to take another ship with Joshi and Ela. There hadn't been enough room for all of them. He had thrown Ela aboard with a neighbor and ran with Joshi to the next ship. He had never seen Ela again. He had researched the ship once he joined the military. Her ship, the Dream, had escaped the Vong, but he could not find her. No one knew what had happened to his little girl. She was a mere three years old. Joshi and Trent had not escaped, however. Joshi was ten years old. He and Trent had found other survivors. The group had become nomads, hiding from the Vong, hunting for food. Many had been captured and killed. They had carried out this lifestyle for years. Even after the defeat of the Vong, the nomads had to struggle to survive. Joshi had made it out. He had joined the reconstruction team on Corescant once he was old enough. For awhile Joshi had tried to find Ela, but eventually accepted that they would never see her again. Trent knew that Joshi was still hoping, but it would do no good. Ela was gone. Hope was not something the universe offered. It was a false emotion.

Whitaker shook his head. There was no sense in dwelling on that. All that matter was the destruction of Chiss.

Nothing else.

--

Whitesun sat in the corner of the small shuttle taking the team to Ciselon. Whitesun did not like the mission, but she had to do it. She hated kidnapping, but Jagged Fel's child? Could she actually do that? She would have to. She had a history with Jag, but that had been over for a long time. He was married now. No matter what she felt, it was over. Wars had happened since they parted ways. He could not love her now. She did not even know what he was like now. He had been in so many battles, as had she. She was an empty shell, never to love again. He was a family man. She had known about his relationships after her. He had clearly moved on. Was she capable of ruining his life?

She did not have a choice. She would have to be.

--