Chapter 46

Mara crooned over the tiny child, her face unusually soft and kind. Her nose a whisper away from the tiny face, she smiled and murmured delicate, meaningless words of comfort. The baby waved a small fist in the air, clutching at her nose and lower lip. Mara smiled and kissed the small hand, then pulled back to look at Jaina. "He's so small."

Jaina smiled at her aunt, but inwardly aching to hold her own child. Soon, a small voice seemed to promise. Soon. "I don't think I've ever seen you this happy."

Mara only grinned at her assessment. "Maybe that's because I've never been this happy."

Jaina eased herself carefully into the chair beside her bed, watching the new mother and her baby. "You wouldn't have thought it a few hours ago. Gods, Mara, if I have to go through that I'm not sure I'm ready to have a baby."

"Jaina, you won't understand until Hanna actually comes. It's worth it; Force, it's so worth it."

Jaina sighed, looking down into the tiny red face, wrapped securely in a thermoblanket. "Truthfully? It already is. I love her so much already. There's no limit I wouldn't go to for her, Mara, nothing. It's like..." Jaina trailed off, trying to find the words that could express the emotion she was feeling.

"Like every breath you've ever taken had been only so you could take care of this baby?" Mara offered softly.

Jaina nodded solemnly, accepting her assessment. But it also made her think, made her wonder. Had her own mother ever felt this? Had Leia ever cared for her, even after birth, as Jaina cared for her unborn daughter? Jaina swore inwardly that her baby would never be second best. Jaina's family would come first, Jag and Hanna above everything. Without them, was anything else even worth having?

"So where'd Uncle Luke go?" she asked after a moment.

"Went to take a shower and change his clothes," Mara answered, her attention already refocused on the precious bundle in her arms. "I had to practically pull my lightsaber on him to get him to do that."

Jaina snorted derisively, imagining the Jedi Master being threatened by a woman who had went through labor less than a day ago. "You're lucky he wants to stay at all, you were so cross with him yesterday."

Mara scowled, raising her head to look up at Jaina temporarily. "He deserved it."

"Sure he did," Jaina smirked.

"Yeah, well," Mara continued in a sardonic tone, "we'll see how well you act when the man who caused you all that pain is hovering over you like a nervous mynock."

Jaina laughed at her estimation and silently agreed Mara was probably right. She doubted Jag would get treated much better when Hanna decided to make her appearance. "I felt us jump to hyperspace a few minutes ago," Mara observed suddenly. "Where are we going?"

Jaina sighed, running a weary hand over her forehead. "Jacen commed about and hour ago. Everything's set, now we just bait the trap and wait for our prey."

"No, not yet!" Mara exclaimed. "I can't be stuck here with Luke and everyone else fighting! Come on, can't we wait till I get back in shape?"

Jaina nodded eagerly. "I don't think there's any cause to worry. It will take weeks to pull out from all our systems, and a few more for the Vong to organize their own attack. We'll be there a good month and a half at least before anything major happens."

Mara sighed gratefully, turning back to baby Ben. "I'll have to start training right away. No more than a week from now if I want to lose all this extra baby weight and tone back up."

Jaina looked unhappily down at her own protruding belly, so swollen with child she could rest her plate on it when she ate. "I'll have less than that. I hope I have this baby soon, if the battle starts before I do...I don't think I could take it."

"I don't think Jag would let you," Mara mused.

"What?"

"He wouldn't let you be in the Maw during the big offensive when you were still pregnant. You didn't actually expect he would, did you?" Mara asked.

"I had never thought about it," Jaina said darkly. "Now I really hope I have this baby soon."

Mara patted her knee comfortingly with a smug smile plastered across her face. "Let's see if you're still saying that at ten centimeters."

"Is she still alive?"

Nom Anor shook his head vigorously. "No, Supreme Overlord. She met her end last night on the road back to her grashal, just as you wished."

The huge beast of a Yuuzhan Vong rumbled deep in his throat in satisfaction, implanted eyes roving over Nom Anor's kneeling form. "Excellent. And was our information correct?"

"I believe so, Great One," Nom Anor intoned. "The Jedi allowed her to leave, which meant Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker are still alive. It was a well-planned scheme."

"What are their plans?" he demanded.

Nom Anor swallowed hard, reluctant to divulge an idea. If he was wrong, the consequences were fatal, most likely worse. But the Overlord had asked, and the Executor must answer. "I believe they are setting a trap."

"What kind of trap?" he snapped, his voice commanding a plausible explanation.

"That will be seen in time. But since we know it's coming, we will be able to see it and make contingency plans in advance, Supreme One."

Shimrra considered, his huge hand fingering the mutilate scraps of a jaw bone. "We need a bargaining chip," he said finally.

Nom Anor's eyes widened in surprise. Was he actually considering negotiating with the infidels? "Bargaining, Great One?" he swallowed.

"No, of course not!" he bellowed in offense. "Something to throw them off. Something to distract them while we cut their throats from behind. What do we have that meets that criteria?"

The executor wracked his brain, thinking frantically over all he had learned while posing as a Chiss General. There had to be some obscure fact, some scrap of knowledge that could help him in this. Something to distract the Republic and Imperial leaders...

"The Fel child," he said suddenly, an idea forming in his head.

"Who?" Shimrra inquired insistently.

Nom Anor's head snapped up, excitement building inside him. "Three years ago a member of the Fel clan disappeared, vanished. I remember because the reports said it was in a system the Praetorite Vong were scouting. No body was ever found. It is likely that we took him as a slave."

Shrimrra laughed at the suggestion. "You think that after all this time he would still be alive?"

Nom Anor shrugged helplessly. "Those of this clan are particularly resilient. I would not say it was impossible. If we do still have him alive and in custody, he would be a perfect distraction for the infidel leadership."

The great master of war thought for a long moment, then with a flick of his hand dismissed Nom Anor, saying, "Conduct the search."

Jacen Solo examined with a critical eye the handiwork of the New Republic engineers, estimating the remaining time it would take to make sure everything was secure. Not long. "Aunt Mara had her baby," he said to his companion.

Danni looped her arm through his, smiling up at him. "Will we get to see it when they come?"

"I'm sure," Jacen said. "And Jaina will be having hers soon, too."

"She's so lucky," Danni sighed.

Jacen felt his throat constrict, a sudden panic descending on him. He liked Danni a lot, loved being around her, might even love her, but the thought of her wanting children...it was terrifying. "Uh, you like kids, huh?"

She laughed loudly, slapping his arm playfully. "No, silly, not lucky like that. Lucky that she is able to get along with her husband. What are the chances, after being forced together like that?"

Jacen nodded, relieved. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I think they love each other, anyway."

"Even better," Danni smiled.

The small cruiser that had been sent as a flagship for the surveying team of scientists now floated in a the chosen pocket of space between the voids that would serve their purposes. It was were the Vong would meet their end, and more than likely hosts of New Republic and Imperial citizens. "Was your mother excited that they could finally start withdrawing their forces to the Maw?" Danni continued.

Jacen had opened his mouth to answer when proximity alarms started to blare and the bridge became a flurry of motion. "What?" Jacen asked. "What's happening?" Thus far they had remained undisturbed in the Maw; visitors were not at all in the ordinary.

"Two ships just appeared on our scopes," an officer said. "Two Victory-class Star Destroyers. They're hailing us."

Jacen had not been put in charge of this mission, but Danni was not the leadership-type and soon after arriving in the Maw it became apparent that if any progress was to be made Jacen would have to be the one to do it. Stepping forward he said, "Patch them through."

After a few seconds a hazy image of his sister appeared before him. "Hello, Jacen."

Jacen sighed in relief. If it had been someone wanting a fight, they stood no chance. The small cruiser was not at all equipped for combat. "Jaina. Wow it's good to see you. You look beautiful. How's the baby?"

"Mine or Mara's?" she smiled.

He returned her grin. "I meant yours, but I want to know about both."

"Baby Ben and Mara are doing fine, and you can be the judge about Hanna when you come over. You can dock with us at..." she rang off a string of coordinates that were absorbed the by the navigators to Jacen's right.

"Okay. We'll see you then."

For a second Jacen couldn't believe his eyes. His sister, always so petite and thin, now looked as if she was smuggling the Death Star under her tunic. Nevertheless, she was so beautiful he could hardly stand to look at her. She fairly glowed, her smile bright and happy, lighting up the entire hangar as he descended the landing ramp, Danni on one arm. Jacen broke away from his companion at the sight of her, racing down the hangar to gather her in his arms.

Jaina laughed gleefully, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly. The unbreakable bond between them that had been forged before birth flared, love and understanding flowing between them like a fountain. I missed you, Jacen, she seemed to say.

I missed you, Jaina.

But new to their connection was someone else, another life inseparable from his twin's. Hanna was easily sensed through Jaina, her primitive mind somehow alert and restless. Jacen pulled away, staring in awe at the protrusion where his niece lay nestled. "I can feel her," he whispered.

Jaina smiled, taking his hand in her own. "I know. Isn't it fabulous?"

"Yeah," he said. Only then did he notice the others gathered around. Luke, Mara and Anakin stood off to one side, while Cilghal spoke softly to Jag a few feet away. In Mara's arms was a tiny bundle of limbs and blankets, squirming gently in her embrace. Jacen moved away from Jaina and towards his other family. He hugged Anakin and Luke briefly, then looked silently down at his newborn cousin.

Ben Skywalker glowed with the Force, as if he was a conduit to it's power. How could so small a person possess such a deep connection to the Force? "He's beautiful Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara," he said.

"Thank you," Luke beamed, wrapping an arm around Mara's shoulders. "We think so."

It was then that Jacen remembered Danni, whom he had abandoned back at the shuttle. He turned and smiled, motioning for her to some forward. She did so shyly, smiling unsurely at everyone. "This is Danni Quee," he said. "Danni, this is my sister, Jaina, my brother Anakin, Jedi Masters Luke and Mara Skywalker and Cilghal, and you met my brother-in-law, Jag."

"Hello," she said softly.

Everyone intoned their greetings, welcoming her eagerly into their group. "It's wonderful to meet you at last," Luke said.

"Thank you," Danni replied. "I grew up hearing stories about you, and how you defeated the Empire."

"I'm afraid those have become more diluted with fiction than fact," Luke said softly. "But thank you anyway."

"And the Empire is anything but dead," Jag smiled.

"Do you all want to see what all we've done?" Jacen asked eagerly, changing the subject.

"Sure," Jaina said, starting for the shuttle.

"Jaina," Mara said, "I need to stay here with Ben. Why don't you and Danni stay with me? We can show her around."

Jaina looked hesitant, then nodded curtly. "Okay. Would you like to stay with us, Danni?"

Danni looked doubtful, and threw Jacen a questioning glance. He smiled reassuringly and said, "Go ahead, they don't bite; not much, anyways."

"You're baby's beautiful," Danni said, smiling down at the child as Mara laid him in his crib.

"Thank you," Mara said.

"How old is he, exactly?"

"Two weeks and a day," Mara answered.

Danni looked shocked. "I thought you had just had him."

"I did," she said, "but we've spent most of the time since then in transition from Bastion to here."

"Oh," Danni said. Then to Jaina, "And when is your baby due?"

Jaina rubbed her stomach and smiled. "Soon. Two weeks at the most." It looked as if Danni was about to say something else, but Jaina beat her to it. "So exactly what is the relationship between you and my brother?"

"Jaina!" Mara scolded, but Jaina ignored her.

Danni flushed slightly and smiled. "We're, ah, more than friends, if that's what you mean."

"I see," Jaina said stiffly. "Are you getting married?"

"Jaina!" Mara said reproachfully. "He's seventeen, for goodness sake! Not everyone settles down before they're twenty like you did."

Jaina snorted derisively, and rolled her eyes. "And not everyone waits until they're forty, either."

"I'm twenty-two," Danni interjected.

"Oh," Mara said.

"See?" Jaina said to her aunt, pointing at the young scientist. "She's old enough to want to get married."

"But I don't think I'm going to be settling down anytime soon," Danni continued.

Jaina went on to Mara, "Now was that so hard? All I wanted to know was what their plans were."

"But you should have asked Jacen. Look at her, you're scaring her to death!"

"I am sitting right here, you know," Danni said helplessly. For a second she seemed to squint at Jaina, then said, "Um, are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you're kind of...leaking."

Jaina looked down at herself, and sure enough, her trousers were strangely wet. "What's that?"

"Jaina!" Mara said excitedly, "You're water's broke!"

Jaina's eyes grew wide and panicky. "What? Now?"

"Yes! We have to get you to the medics!"

"I'll comm Jacen and everyone else," Danni said, running to the comm unit.

Jaina took a few deep, calming breaths. Her baby was coming, her baby was finally coming. She smiled and closed her eyes, reaching out to Hanna. She was stressed, no doubt about that, and anxious. She wanted out, and Jaina could sympathize. Soon I'll be able to hold you in my arms, Little One, she thought. We all are so eager to meet you. And then as an afterthought, Please don't hurt me...