Chapter 17

Jaina looked at the floor, unwilling to answer. Her heart beat so loud she was sure everyone aboard could hear it. Quietly she took the datacard from her pocket and handed it to Luke. Let that be answer enough. Luke Skywalker smiled compassionately. "Thank you, Jaina. I know that was hard on you."

You'll never know.

Jaina got up and left the hold, leaving the gathering Jedi to stand and wonder. The small bunk in her room was barely big enough for her to curl into a ball. She wrapped her arms around her knees and let out a painful breath, but she didn't cry; couldn't cry. She would have had she been capable, but tears would not find her. Perhaps the pain was greater than tears.

There were nine Jedi in their assault group. Luke, Jaina, Jacen, Anakin, Mara, Kyp Durron, his apprentice Miko Reglia, the Chev woman Tresina Lobi and her apprentice Thrynni Vae. Luke, Mara, Kyp, and Tresina were all Masters, and so they should make for a formidable force, should the need for conflict arise, which Jaina had no doubt it would. Even after the blow she had so recently suffered, Jaina was prepared for the battle ahead. She looked forward to it, even, knowing it would distract her from her own personal problems.

The question that kept circling around in her head was a simple one. How could he have done this to her? She just couldn't see her Jag perpetrating such fraudulence, but the evidence was clear. Perhaps she didn't know him half as well as she thought she did. Perhaps he was just as much of a stranger to her now as he had been that night in the Fantasy. The thought she had been living such a lie for so long was torturous, and so she made a conscious effort to think about something else.

She stretched out to Jacen through the Force, but he gave her a gentle nudge back. He was busy. He would talk to her later. Feeling spurned for the second time in the same day, she touched Anakin. Jacen had always been her confidant, but Anakin was most like her in beliefs and temperament. They had the same love of flying and tinkering, and when she had lived on Coruscant they had spent more time together than Jaina and anyone else.

Anakin responded immediately, and a few moments later the door to her room opened. He gave her a small grin as she sat up on her bunk. "How you holding up?"

"Not so well. But that's not why I called you in here. What planet are we going to?"

"A place called Tiras. It's just far enough into the Unknown Regions to be off our charts, so we had to use the coordinates on the datacard."

"I've never heard of it."

"Me neither," he said, taking a seat on the bunk across from her. "But that's really not such a surprise. Uncle Luke picked Tiras because the info you gave us says it's less of a military establishment than a place where they grow stuff. There'll still be plenty enough soldiers to put up a fight, though," he added.

"Hmm," Jaina said. "He's making a mistake wanting to go in with anything but guns blazing. They aren't going to take kindly to us showing up on their doorstep."

"Agreed, but this is his decision, and I'll stick by whatever he says. He's a lot wiser than I'll ever be."

Jaina shook her head in amazement. "When did you grow up on me, Anakin?"

He smiled roguishly. "Probably while you were off making googly eyes at your new husband."

Jaina's face fell, and Anakin knew instantly something was wrong. "Jaina? What did I say?"

Jaina shook her head, and ran her hand over her face and back through her hair. "He lied to me, Anakin."

"Lied to you? About what? How do you know?"

She told him then, her heart collapsing in on itself but still no tears fell. He listened in stunned silence, and sat back in disbelief when she finished. "Are you sure, Jaina? I've never met this guy, but its not like you to make a mistake this big about someone you should know so well."

"I don't see how I can be wrong," she sighed.

"Maybe he has a good excuse, then. You should talk to him before you do anything rash."

"A good excuse for lying to me?"

Anakin gave her one of those looks, a look that she had never expected to get from someone younger than her. It was one of those 'I'm disappointed in you' looks. "Jaina, what about what you just did to him? Isn't there a sound explanation for that?"

Jaina was silent, her mouth pursed at his assessment. "It's not the same. I wasn't going to lie to him about it."

"You think he's going to see what you did as a lesser betrayal? Jaina, a few hours ago you thought he was the greatest thing since the hyperdrive. Do you think he's changed that much? He wouldn't have done this to you without a reason. You owe it to him to hear him out."

Jaina scowled in his direction. Why was everyone so reasonable? Even if what he said made sense, she wasn't ready to forgive Jag for this yet. He had known how much being in his squadron meant to her, and he hadn't even had the courage to tell her he didn't want her there.

Anakin leaned over and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know this is hard, Jaina. But at least think about what I said before you blow up in his face, okay?"

Jaina just nodded as he got up and left her to her own thoughts.

It had been tough, but Luke had lived up to his legend and convinced the Vong to let them land on Tiras. Jaina wasn't sure what he intended to do once he got there, but she knew what part she was to play.

Luke and Jacen would be the only ones to debark. Through their twin bond Jaina would be able to tell when things got scary, and the rest of their party would move in to help. It wasn't a good plan, in Jaina's opinion, but this whole operation was crazy if you asked her.

Jaina wished them farewell as they debarked, but she was more worried about staying on board with Kyp Durron. He was constantly prodding her for more info on the Vong, and much of it was things she would have to give up against Chiss wishes. She had done what they had asked for the good of the mission, but that was all they were going to get, and she told him so. He only smiled told her what was good for the Jedi was good for the Chiss.

As they sat on the ship, as quiet as possible, Jaina stretched out with the Force and touched her brother. He opened up to her, let her see and hear through him.

I am here on a peaceful endeavor on behalf of the Jedi Order, her uncle Luke was saying. They had been greeted at the ramp, but the warriors looked like they were more likely to pummel them than to hear them out.

We do not want your peace offerings, infidel, the lead Vong growled in barely intelligible Basic. He was hideous to behold, with tattered lips and a missing nose. One ear had been cut off, and swirling tattoos covered his bald skull.

Luke's calm physiognomy didn't waver. I was hoping to learn more about your people. Perhaps come to an understanding, avoid war.

The Vong spat at Luke's feet. Jaina pulled away temporarily, gesturing to her companions in the belly of the Chiss vessel. "I think we need to get ready." They nodded and began stuffing grenades and extra blaster power packs onto their utility belts. Jaina turned back to the conversation.

—disdain, the Vong was saying. Your are nothing but a maggot under my heel. I spit on your ancestors' grave.

"There's no way Uncle Luke can talk his way out of this one. Come on, let's move."

They hurried to the hatchway, lightsabers in hand but not ignited. Jaina got there just in time to see Luke gesture to the captives working the fields. "—us take them with us, then. What are they to you? You don't need—"

"Silence!" The Vong snapped, letting his amphistaff curl down his arm into his hand, where it straightened into a rigid staff. "You mock me by suggesting you are worthy of a compromise. The Yuuzhan Vong answer only to the gods, and do not negotiate with infidels. Prepare to die a death more honorable than you deserve!" He struck at Luke's head, but his green lightsaber was there in plenty of time to meet it. With an expert flick of his wrist the amphistaff went sailing across the field and the Vong commander fell to the ground with a smoking hole in his neck.

It was on then, the rest of the Jedi charging down the ramp in a headlong assault that would have made a band of Wookiees flinch. But instead the Vong met them step for step with a ferocity that stunned the Jedi.

All except Jaina. She had expected this, and instead of hesitating leapt over the heads of her comrades and landed in the thick of the fighting. Three more Vong fell to her blade before her mind had even caught up with her body.

The next twenty minutes or so were a blur of blood and death, a swirling collage of destruction that burned itself into Jaina's memory like an agglomeration of indecipherable nightmares. When she came back to herself she was in the center of their town, a trail of bodies behind her. She was bleeding profusely from a cut to her left hamstring, a wound that made movement especially difficult. She also thought her wrist might be broken, for it was swelled and turning purple.

Taking a break from her assault, she took a moment to observe her surroundings. Jacen and Anakin could be seen on her left, finishing off a group of their own. She could sense Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara somewhere back near the ship. Tresina and Thrynni were in the fields the captives had been working, and Kyp and Miko—

Miko! Miko was hurt, and badly. Jaina could feel his spirit fading, and Kyp's desperation at trying to defend himself and Miko both. She turned to Anakin and Jacen, projecting her thoughts in their direction. We have to help Kyp and Miko!

Anakin came running to her side, a terrible gash running across his chest. "Where are they?" he gasped.

"Are you okay?"

He ground his teeth with frustration. "I'm fine! Where are they, Jaina?" Jacen arrived then, and the way he winced she suspected one of his ribs were broken.

"Follow me," she said. She took off at a run, which was especially painful in her condition, and made the wound to her leg bleed even more. Jaina shunted the pain aside. She had endured worse.

As they rounded a bend Jaina could see the fight off to her right. Miko was backed against a wall, laying against a wall would be the more proper term she supposed, with Kyp in front of his prone form, swinging his lightsaber in a defensive arc around himself and his apprentice. But the Vong were closing in, and he wouldn't be able to protect them both for much longer.

Before Jaina's mind had even registered what she saw Anakin had blown past her, his purple saber like a spike of lightning in the Tiras dusk. Jaina recovered then, and followed her younger brother's headlong charge, Jacen close behind her.

The three Solo's slid into a defensive line, encircling Kyp and Miko in a protective ring. "Take care of Miko!" Anakin shouted to Kyp. "We'll hold them off."

And there they stood, an impenetrable wall against a sea of enemies. They raised their lightsabers in unison, and Jaina licked her parched lips in anticipation, then beckoned them forward.

The assault was brutal, each Vong desperately wanting to claim a Jedi for their own personal glory. There was no hesitation over pain or dismemberment. The loss of a limb wasn't even effective on them, because they just kept coming back. Jaina found that when she struck out, she needed to strike to kill.

Eventually the tide stemmed as their ranks grew less, and Jaina was able to spare some attention for Kyp and Miko. Kyp had the young man's head propped on his lap, and Jaina could feel the healing energies of the Force swirling in a vortex around him, trying to keep death at bay. "Will he be okay?" she asked.

Kyp looked up into her eyes, his face pained. "I don't think so, Jaina. His life force is so dim I can barely feel him."

Jaina wanted to weep. She hadn't known Miko well, but he was a part of the Jedi family. She would miss him all the same. By then Anakin and Jacen had picked off the last of the Vong warriors, and had turned to their failing companion. Miko had begun to shiver in his death throes, but Kyp ran a hand over his forehead and he stilled. A few moments later he let out a final shutter, and the four Jedi felt his presence leave his body. The body wasn't there long either, though, for it began to shimmer and fade as if it was nothing more than a hologram with a bad connection. And then it faded completely, his body joining the Force and leaving nothing but a pile of close in its wake.

Kyp lowered his head in grief, but no tears fell from his eyes. Still, his sorrow was so powerful it almost overwhelmed Jaina. She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, but made no other move to console him. "Come on, Kyp. Let's find Uncle Luke."

Luke had already known, of course. They all had felt Miko's passing. As the foursome approached the Chiss vessel Jaina thought she had never seen her uncle so grim. When he looked up at Kyp his eyes were full of tears. "Kyp...I'm so sorry."

Kyp waved him off, but didn't reply otherwise. Mara looked desolate, and wouldn't meet anyone's eye. "I'm going to go prep the ship," she muttered.

"Wait," Luke said. "Tresina and Thrynni have found something. A Vong is holding herself up inside the compound. They have a dangerous feeling, and want us to be there when they break in."

"Why don't you go rest in the ship?" Jacen suggested to Kyp. "We can handle it without you."

Kyp slowly shook his head, but still didn't voice his feelings.

"I'm still going to ready the ship for takeoff. Don't take long. I'm sure one of them managed to get a distress call off," Mara said, then walked sadly up the ramp into the transport.

As the adrenaline wore off, Jaina was beginning to feel the full effects of her injuries. She winced as she walked, no matter how hard she tried to keep her face expressionless. She recalled vividly now the slicing sensation as the amphistaff bisected her flesh and muscle, cutting away at the powerful sinew. At the time she hadn't even felt a prick, but now that she had slowed she began to remember everything. All her aches and injuries were now forefront in her thoughts. Jaina was glad of them. They were a good distraction from her afflicted thoughts. She could see her pain mirrored in her brothers faces, and even Uncle Luke seemed under strain, though that could have been accredited to the loss of a young Jedi.

Inside the compound they found Tresina and Thrynni beside a closed portal. "She's in there," Tresina said.

"How do you know?" Kyp asked, the first words he spoke since Miko's death.

"We saw her go in," Thrynni said.

"A warrior?" Jacen asked.

"No," Tresina shook her head. "Something different. She had an odd headdress, and hands with too many fingers."

"Well," Luke said as he hefted his lightsaber, "let's find out, shall we?" he followed through by shoving the business end through the coral flesh, cutting a hole for them to go through.

As they filed in Jaina noticed the unusual Vong, huddled in a corner with a golden orb clutched in one hand. "Who are you?" Luke asked her.

She responded by hissing, then barking something in their strange guttural tongue.

Thrynni stepped forward bravely. "We only want to know more about—" her plea ended in a gurgling choke as one of the Vong's fingers shot from her many-digited hand and pierced her through the neck, coming all the way trough to the other side.

"Thrynni!" Tresina gasped, catching her apprentice as she hit the ground. The flying appendage then wrenched itself free, the Vong calling it back to her hand. Blood spurted in gouts from the wounded Jedi, sputing like a fountain from the finger-sized hole. Before anyone could do anything else Anakin was there, his lightsaber decapitating the Vong in one quick sweep.

"Anakin!" Jacen gasped.

"What?" Anakin responded. "She killed Thrynni!"

Tresina was a weeping mess on the floor, holding Thrynni's dead body close and speaking in a language Jaina didn't understand. Jaina just turned away, letting her Uncle deal with the distraught Jedi Master. She had too many griefs of her own to be dealing with someone else's. As she left the organic structure she felt the slight release as Thrynni's body too joined the Force.

Jag spooned another bite of the bland stew into his mouth. It was customary soldier rationing, the same thing Jag was used to eating when he was with the Chiss. The fact that it was familiar made it no less appetizing. He ate it anyway, knowing it was the best way to keep his nutrition up.

As he took another bite he noticed a number of his associates were gathering next the community Holonet station. Something of interest had happened, Jag guessed, something big to cause such a ruckus in the pilots. He really had no desire to know what it was. Most news that made itself this way was from the Republic, and held little curiosity for him.

He continued to eat. Silently he evaluated the improvement of his officers, reminding himself of the weak points of their defense. Those were the ones he needed to work on in their next session. Perhaps he could—

"Jag!"

Jag turned, looking to the excited face of Commander Eliab. "Yeah?"

"Come look at the news! The Jedi have joined the war."

Jag frowned. "The Jedi? Aren't they with the Republic?" he asked, knowing very well what the answer was.

Eliab shrugged. "I don't know anything about that. But I do know that they're running a report on the Holonet that the Jedi just overthrew the Yuuzhan Vong base on Tiras. Single-handed! No fleet or anything. Can you believe it?"

Jag had stopped listening at the mention of Tiras. Chiss-controlled Tiras. Jag shook his head to clear the confusion. "Tiras?"

"Yes, block-head, Tiras! Were you listening to anything I just said? Come on, come see for yourself," he waved Jag towards the giant holoprojector. A bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jag got up and moved towards the crowd of officers. He stood in the back, but could clearly see and hear the newscaster. The report rolled by again, telling how a distress call had come through from the Tiras system, requesting aid in transporting recovered slaves. When help arrived they found the system devoid of Vong inhabitation. They had been decimated, and all that was left were the slaves. They all had been freed of their binding implants, and when questioned had claimed Jedi had freed them.

"Isn't it great, Jag? If the Jedi are that effective against the Vong and they've decided to help, we might actually be able to win this war!" Eliab was saying.

Jag wasn't listening, a terrible dread overcoming all other emotions. How would the Jedi know about Tiras? How would they have even gotten the information to find it? There was only one answer.

Jaina.

Jag felt a deep anger seethe through him, one like he had never known before. He should have known she would do something foolish like this. She just couldn't help herself, could she? She had to get involved. Had to be in the middle of it. And to make matters worse, she had to bring a whole troupe of Jedi along with her. He also wasn't ignorant to the fact that the only place she could have gotten that information from was his personal computer. She had tampered with high-level security files, stolen them from him. She had taken advantage of the trust he had placed in her.

But never again. He wouldn't let her have the chance.

Jag turned from the holo, feeling as if someone had removed his heart from his chest. How could she do this? How could she be so careless with his feelings, take such advantage of his love? Never had he expected such a betrayal as this. The shock of it almost outweighed his pain, his anger.

But Jag had lost two siblings, been deprived of a childhood since the age of nine, and been sold into a political alliance like a slave to the Ruling Families' will. He had endured enough heartbreak to deal with it rationally, to not let it control him. He moved with purposeful strides as marched to the Admiral's office, and no one who saw him would have believed he had just suffered the greatest heartbreak of his life.

"I don't understand," Pellaeon said. "You want to leave? Now? When we were just beginning to make progress?"

Jag kept his eyes focused on a point above the Admiral's head. "A...personal need has just been brought to my attention. A family emergency of sorts. One that only I can rectify. I am sorry, Admiral. I have enjoyed my time here, and I promise to return as soon as the situation has been mended."

Pellaeon shook his head. "Colonel, isn't there some other way? I really don't think we can spare you."

Jag breathed in a ragged breath through his clenched teeth. Another reason for him to be furious at her. "I am sorry. Truly. I cannot be spared from my duties in the Ascendancy at this time. I promise to return with due haste."

Pellaeon tapped his fingers nervously on his desk. "When do you think you will be back?"

Jag mentally tallied the days in his head. He expected Jaina to stop on Csilla on her way back to Coruscant, and if he could catch her there it would cut the time considerably. But if he had to venture all the way to Coruscant to find her...

"Anywhere from one to three weeks," he stated finally. "Possibly longer.'

Pellaeon let a hiss escape through his teeth. "I will not pretend I am okay with this. Whatever it is cannot be as pressing as the situation we are in here. But if you feel you must go I cannot stop you. Only wish you a safe and speedy return."

Jag sighed defeatedly. Leaving this place was harder than he had expected. He had clicked with so many of the other officers. He felt as if he belonged. "Thank you, Admiral." He looked Pellaeon in the eye then, and extended his hand in a very human-like farewell. "It's been an honor serving with you."

"And you," Pellaeon said, taking the hand. Jag shook it for a moment, then turned and marched out of the office. He had a wife to find. What he was going to do with her when he found her, he wasn't sure. But it wasn't going to be pretty.