Chapter 47

The pain wasn't as bad as she had assumed. Furrowing her brow in concentration, Jaina clenched her jaw and held her breath as the contraction followed its course, then eased away. She sighed, laying back against the bed, watching the Emdee droids flitting around her. Cilghal, Jag and the others had not returned yet, which aggravated her worse than anything, but the minor pains didn't help. "You know," she breathed, on the verge of breaking into a sweat, "it's not pleasant, but not as bad as I thought."

Mara just raised an eyebrow, swaying back and forth with Ben in her arms. "I hope Jag gets here soon. I don't want to be here when you realize its worse. And I really shouldn't have Ben here."

Jaina winced as she felt another contraction coming on. The muscles in her lower abdomen tightened and pulled, cramping tightly into a knot that shot pain from her knees to her lower back. She breathed in short gasps, trying to remember what they had said in those stupid classes. All memory alluded her, and so she reached deep into the Force for comfort. It eased her suffering a bit, but by the time she pushed past the pain to concentrate on the Force the contraction had ended. Not much of a help.

Ben started to cry, his wailing sharp and piercing through the bustle of the delivery room. Mara tried vainly to comfort him, then gave Jaina an apologetic look, saying, "I'm sorry to abandon you, honey, but I need to get Ben out of here. Jag will be here soon."

Jaina nodded, just relieved to have the contraction over with. Mara sashayed out of the room still trying to comfort the crying Ben. Jaina closed her eyes and tried to touch her own child, who was suffering a different sort of distress. She was panicky, claustrophobic almost, in a strange way. She wanted out, but the birthing process was scaring her. Jaina sent her a wave of calm, of love. It's okay. I'm here. I'll take care of you.

Hanna settled slightly, but was still full of anxiety. Jaina breathed heavily, sensing another contraction. She closed her eyes and grimaced. This time it was longer, and she could feel the increase of intensity. "Damn it, Jag, where are you?" she muttered as it ended. A bead of sweat ran out of her hair and into her eyes. She blew her bangs out of her face in irritation and waited for the next contraction.

And then something completely unexpected happened. The lights dimmed then came on again, this time in a reddish hue as sirens blared through the alarm system. Jaina almost forgot what she was supposed to be doing as realization hit her. That was the signal for all soldiers to report to their stations, battle-ready. The only time it was to be sounded was when the Roughshod had come under attack.

Jag stared blankly at the comm station, not fully comprehending what was coming from the other end. "What?" he blinked. "I...I don't think I understand."

Danni Quee's shrill voice came agitatedly back across to him. "Her water broke. Mara just took her to the medics. You need to get back with Cilghal as soon as you can."

Jag double-clicked in acknowledgment, unable to form an oral reply. "Okay, we've got to get out of here. Jaina's gone into labor."

The others immediately began to scramble for the controls of the small shuttle, turning them back towards the Roughshod. They had gone perhaps ten kilometers when the alarms began to go off like crazy, lights flashing and blinking with an intensity that blinded them.

"What's going on?" Anakin yelled.

Jacen, who was at the controls, cursed and pulled up hard. "We've just had a huge number of ships jump into the Maw."

"Friendly?" Jag asked hopefully.

Jacen scowled at the readouts. "Some of them. Less than half."

Jag's heart rate quickened, the implications settling disagreeably into his gut. This battle wasn't supposed to take place for weeks, and especially when his wife was giving birth. "Hail our allies, see what's going on."

He did so. "This is Jacen Solo of the New Republic, head of the Expansionary Study in the Maw Cluster, hailing all New Republic citizens and allies."

There a was a tiny pause, then, "Jacen?"

"Mom!" he exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"They've taken Coruscant, Jacen! I know we were going to pull out, but they came before we were evacuated. I think they know. Jacen, we didn't have anywhere to go, all we knew to do was come here."

Luke stepped forward, hitting the switch that would let him speak. "Leia, has the whole fleet pulled out? Are they following you here? We need reinforcements!"

"Luke?"

"Leia! Now!"

"I don't know! I don't know."

The shuttle shook with the first shot fired, the plasma glancing off the flimsy shields. "Give me those," Jag snapped, shoving Jacen out of the pilot's chair and flying full throttle towards the Roughshod.

"Find out!" Luke yelled, unusually lacking in his vaulted Jedi calm.

Leia cut the connection from the other end as the New Republic ships received the first wave of enemy fire. The small troupe in the shuttle watched in horror as the Roughshod made a slow turn to go join them. Jag gave the engines all they had until everyone thought they would blow, but they gained no ground on the monstrous Star Destroyer. With each breath Jag felt Jaina and Hanna were slipping further and further away from him and into the raining enemy fire of death.

And there was nothing he could do.

Mara stumbled uncharacteristically as the Roughshod rumbled under the firing of laser turrets and peppering of unfriendly fire. Ben clutched close to her chest, she bounced harmlessly off the wall and back into the heavy flow of foot traffic. The Imperial ship was moving, turning from its protective bubble of secure space and into the unidentified danger.

Wiping a piece of red hair from her eyes she pushed faster, shouldering her way forcefully to the only person who could be responsible for this. Anger churned in her, but she quenched it, concentrating it into a supersaturated knot of frustration to be released at a more opportune time, preferably when Ben was nowhere around.

The ship rocked again, this time more heavily. She was tossed against a tall, thin lieutenant who look down his corpulent nose at her distastefully as he brushed past. Mara scowled angrily at his retreating back and picked up her pace once again. Shifting her hold on Ben to rest him on her shoulder she slid through the last vanishing gap and through the doorway into the medical ward.

The sight was at once shocking, distasteful, and comical. Jaina lay sprawled in an undignified manner on the delivery bed, gripping the railing to her right with one hand and the collar of a smallish young Captain who Mara thought was the second in command. A Captain Onan, she thought. "What do you mean, minority?"

The Captain gulped heavily, throwing Mara a passing glance. "Less than half are friendly, General. I told you it was not wise to join in—"

"Did I ask for your opinion?" Jaina yelled as she gave him a violent backward shove away from her. "Bring all weapon stations on line and open fire on the largest target. I don't want us to let up until it's dust in our ion trails, do you understand me Captain?" Nothing further escaped her as a wracking wave of pain assailed her. She closed her eyes and arched her back, moaning loudly between her clenched teeth. Onan stared at his superior with wide eyes, looking lost in the awkward situation. Eventaully the pain subsided and Jaina collapsed against the bed, spent.

"Why won't it just come out?" she yelled to no one in particular. Mara moved to her side, laying a hand on her arm. She had come with the intention of reprimanding her for throwing them all into a battle where the odds were clearly not in their favor. Instead, she felt the unresistable urge to comfort the poor child.

Mara nodded to Onan, dismissing him with his orders. He saluted both Jaina and herself, then turned hastily and left. "Jaina, do you know what you're doing?" she asked softly. "You're going to get yourself and Hanna and everyone else killed."

Jaina turned a heated look in her direction, lasers shooting from her eyes. "Those are our people, Mara, we can't abandon them."

"I know that," she said soothingly. "But you can't strategize while you're in labor! Let someone else take over."

"It's my ship," the seventeen-year-old growled.

"And it should be taken care of in your absence."

Jaina started to reply, but stopped as another painful spasm assailed her. She whimpered pathetically, and it was all Mara could to watch her. "Jaina," she said softly, "you should be concentrating on Hanna and taking care of her. I don't know how she's doing, but Ben was terrified. She needs you."

Jaina sighed and closed her eyes tightly. "Why isn't Jag back yet? Does he know?"

Mara centered herself in the Force and stretched out to Luke through their bond. Silent she inquired about where they were. She received images of a battle, and a picture of herself only very, very small. They were far away, then, but coming. She started to pull away but he latched on. An image of Ben rose in her mind. She smiled and sent his positive thoughts then came back to reality. "They're coming," she said to Jaina.

Jaina, eyes still closed, said, "I can't wait forever. She's coming, quickly."

Mara just nodded and squeezed her hand, then went back to the waiting room.

Shimrra wrinkled his shredded nose at the figure before him in distaste. "This is what you plan to bargain with?"

Nom Anor gave the emaciated human a swift kick, knocking him to his knees, eliciting a small cry of pain. "It is, Overlord. Chak Fel was his name."

"Was?" he inquired.

"The coral implants have long ago erased any memory of freedom or individuality, Great One. He is but a shell of his former self, little more than a functioning body," Nom Anor explained.

The Supreme Overlord grunted, watching the human carefully. "And you really believe they will want him, especially if he is as useless as you say?"

Nom Anor nodded confidently. "Their clans our very close, Great One. They will want their kin back, no matter what condition. Actually, I would say that his poor state will increase their desire for his release."

Slowly the huge Yuuzhan Vong nodded. "Fine. Bring me the villip."

Jag weaved the ship expertly in and out of the ranks of coralskippers, his mind bent on one purpose and one alone. The huge underbelly of the Roughshod loomed close, peaking his excitement. He could only hope that he wasn't too late.

The shuttle had no longer settled onto the deck than he was bounding down the ramp, Cilghal close behind, running as fast as he could for the turbolifts. They wouldn't move fast enough, seeming to take an eternity to reach the medical facility. The doors had barely opened when he was squeezing through the gap, running for a delivery room he had no idea where to find. After a few panicked seconds of turning in circles Cilghal yelled to him from down the hall, "She's in here!"

He had no memory of traversing the space, but only arriving at Jaina's side. He had pictured the moment the whole way, of seeing her face as he entered the room, of sharing the momentous occasion with her. Instead, he was meant with a gaze that could have cut him off at the knees. "Where the hell have you been?" she asked, hunched over and sweating heavily. "I've been in here like, six hours, and you show up now? Why don't you just get out? Get out!"

He was too stunned to speak. So he just stood and gaped. He thought for a minute she would say more, but suddenly a look of excruciation passed over her face and she made a sound that ripped his heart into pieces. He started to go to her, but stopped short as he remembered her angry words only a few moments before. "Push, Jaina," Cilghal instructed, having taken quick control of the situation. "You're so close, only a few more minutes."

Silent tears fell down her face as the anguish refused to let up. She looked back up at him, and her expression was the exact opposite as the one a few minutes before. It was longing, as if she couldn't understand why he wasn't holding her. He went to her immediately, holding her in his arms and burying his face in her sweat-soaked hair. "You're okay, Jaina. You're okay. I'm never leaving you."

She cried against his shoulder as another contraction overtook her. "This is it, Jaina!" Cilghal said. "I can see the head, come on, one more push!"

Biting her lower lip she pushed, squeezing his bicep until he thought her fingernails would draw blood.

Then the most wonderful, miraculous sound rang through the room. Hanna cried. For a full two seconds, he was sure his heart had stopped. He hadn't even seen her, but somehow he loved this baby more than he had ever thought someone was able to love their child. In an instant he had a whole new world, and it revolved around this baby.

Jaina collapsed back against the bed and into the crook of his arm, but seemed more alert than she had been. Her eyes followed Cilghal as she inspected their baby, checking for any illness or abnormality. Hanna continued to cry. The sound broke his heart. He never wanted her to cry again.

And then she was there, wrapped in a blanket and nestled into Cighal's huge flippered hands, screaming like there was no tomorrow. Immediately Jaina extended her arms, fresh tears running down her face. Cilghal handed their daughter to her, and quickly the cries stopped until they were just sniffles. In awe, Jaina ran a finger over the curve of her face, neither of them speaking the inexpressible words. Jag touched a small hand, so very, very small. If he had loved her ten seconds before, he loved her ten times more now.

Suddenly Jaina laughed, a huge, ecstatic laugh as she threw back her head against the bed. "What?" Jag smirked, wondering why her joy was being expressed in such and odd way.

She sighed contentedly and continued to caress the small face. "Nine months of pregnancy, seven hours of labor... and she looks like you."

Jag only smiled and kissed her head in silent agreement. The small red face was framed by tufts of coal-black hair, and sparkling green looked out at them from tired eyes. "She would be beautiful if she looked like a monkey-lizard."

Jaina looked up at him and smile, a smile more full of joy than he could remember seeing on her face in a long time. She was irresistible, and he kissed her fully, pressing his mouth to hers, hard. For a moment in time, even though a struggle for their very lives swirled just outside the durasteel bulkhead, there was perfect peace.

"What are you doing out of bed? Jaina, you should be asleep!"

Jaina looked at her aunt in irritation and continued to pull on her trousers. "I have to go check the bridge."

Mara scowled angrily, steering her back to the bed. "You had a baby less than three hours ago! Would Jag want you to be traipsing around where you don't need to be?"

Jaina halted slighlty at the mention of Jag. He had been forced to leave soon after Hanna's birth, the need for a commanding hand in the front lines too great. He had taken a squadron of TIEs into battle, and she had never been more scared for his life or anyone else's. She couldn't lose him now, not ever.

So many things were going on outside. Anakin had been sent on a lone mission back into the Republic and Empire to bring reinforcements, Jag, Luke, and Leia were in the thick of things, and Jacen, Danni, and Cilghal were busy strategizing, whatever good that would do. And there Jaina was, stuck. She wouldn't stand for it. "I just want to be presentable when Onan gets down here."

"Why is he coming?"

Jaina pulled her trousers the rest of the way on and walked to the bed, still sore and weak from the delivery. She found herself drawing on the Force to help her erase the aches and fatigue. "Because I asked him for a report. He said the Yuuzhan Vong had been hailing us, but he didn't know how to answer. I said I would take the call."

Mara placed her hands firmly on her hips, a determined look in her eyes. "You do not need that kind of stress. I'm going to make him leave."

"This is my ship and my crew, and they take orders from me," Jaina said haughtily.

"And this," Mara patted the cylinder on her belt, "is my lightsaber. He'll understand that too."

About the then Captain entered the room, carrying a small metal box. Mara started to tell him to leave but was cut off. "Bring it here, Captain, and pay her no mind."

He dutifully handed her the portable comm unit and took a seat beside her. A red light blinked on the surface, indicating the signal hail. Jaina hit the button and said, "This is General Jaina Solo-Fel of the Imperial Remnant, contacting the Yuuzhan Vong insurgency." The screen fizzled, unable to understand the villip's feed, until finally a strained, contorted image of a Yuuzhan Vong face appeared in front of her.

"I am the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong, interpreter of the will of the gods, blessed by define connection. And I, infidel, have something that you want."

Jaina's thoughts immediately turned to Jag, hoping beyond hope he hadn't been captured. "Unlikely," she replied cooly.

"Let us wait and see," he smirked, if his terrible face was capable. A few seconds later a second face appeared, this time human. It was sunken with malnourishment, unseeing almost, as if the world didn't exist. But it was unmistakably the face of someone related to Jag.

"Chak," she muttered.

The Overlord reappeared, smiling in his smugness. "I see you do know him."

"Give him back," she snarled.

"How about we trade?"

Jaina furrowed her brow. "Trade?"

"You come to our flagship, and we will discuss negotiations here."

It was too obviously a trap. He would kill her when she arrived, demoralizing Jag and the rest of the fleet. Unless she could kill him first... She had lost Chak for Jag once, she couldn't again. "When shall I arrive?"

"Jaina!" Mara exclaimed, trying to knock the device off her lap. She was met by a solid Force wall, holding her back.

"Whenever you wish," the Vong said.

Jaina cut the connection and dropped the Force wall. "You cannot be serious," Mara snarled. "There is no way in all nine Corellian hells that I'm letting you leave this newborn to go throw your life away."

Jaina stood, wincing at the uncomfortable motion. "I'm going to get Chak back, and we're coming back safely."

"No, you're not listening to me," Mara snapped. "I will cut the power cables to every damn ship in this Star Destroyer before I let you go."

It was at that moment that Jacen and Danni chose to make their entrance. Immediately they sensed the tension radiating between the two women. "What's wrong?" Jacen asked.

"Jaina wants to go on a suicide mission into the Yuuzhan Vong flagship!"

"They have Chak!" Jaina explained. "I have to get him back, and none of you can stop me."

It was silent for a long tense moment, then Jacen said, "Jaina's right. We have to get him back. But I'll go."

"Jacen, no—" Danni pleaded.

"I have to," he shrugged her off. "I can't let Jaina go like this. She's my sister, Danni."

"I'm coming with you," Jaina said staunchly.

"You just had a baby, Jaina..."

"I don't care. Hanna is safe. For now. But if we don't stop this now, she's not going to be safe for long. This isn't just for Chak, but for Hanna and Jag and everyone I love. I have to kill the Supreme Overlord, Jacen."

The decision came down to Jacen. Jaina knew Mara would object, but if Jacen agreed there was nothing she could do to stop them. She reached out through her twin bond, touching his soul and letting him see her determination and love for her child. He had to let her do this, if only so that she could know she did everything to make the galaxy safe for her baby.

"Okay," he said finally. "But you're not going to do anything. You're just going to talk, and let me handle all the action. Do you understand?"

"Yes," she said with a rush of relief.

Mara took a deep breath and blew it out. "Then I'm coming too."

Jaina turned to her aunt and took her by the shoulders. "I need you here Mara. I need you here because," she swallowed down a rush of tears, "if I don't come back, I need you to take care of Hanna. A long time ago you made me promise that if you didn't live I would be a mother to Ben. And now I want you to make the same promise. Tell me that my baby will have a mother, whether I come back from this or not."

Mara wiped a solitary tear from her eye and nodded, pulling her niece into an embrace. "I love you Jaina, and Hanna will never be without a mother."

They held each for a long moment, and right before Jaina pulled away she whispered, "And remember to tell Jag that I will always love him."