Tenel Ka's eyes snapped open as she woke.
We fell asleep. She realized as she became aware of the male arms that held her. She lifted her head off of Jacen's chest. Jacen was lightly snoring, deeply asleep. She quickly replayed the last events she could remember.
Jacen had been more beat-up and nek-tired than she had realized, and found him starting to nod off mid conversation. It wasn't like she wasn't tired herself, so they ended up napping together on her bed. She started to shift but then stopped, realizing her right leg was intertwined with his leg.
Correction, I fell asleep on him. Tenel Ka mentally chided, slowly drawing a finger across one of his numerous scars. Jacen grunted, deep and rumbling before abruptly waking. He lifted his head and look at her. For once Tenel Ka had no clue what to say or do. Jacen seemed to be in the same quandary.
"Uh . . . Hey!" Jacen said in a forced suave tone. Tenel Ka smiled, ducking her head down and chuckling against Jacen's chest.
"Hey yourself." Tenel Ka replied, raising herself up to kiss him before settling back against his shoulder, feeling his grip around her shoulders tighten.
"Sorry I could only offer a . . . snuggle." Jacen said, more than a little chagrined.
Tenel Ka chuckled against his neck.
"It is fine Jacen, I would rather have you at top condition." she said. She then frowned.
"We're about to be interrupted." she said.
"Your head guard." Jacen said. He chuckled. "She's afraid of you?" he said laughing lightly.
"She's more afraid that she is interrupting . . . Queen making." Tenel Ka said.
"If I wasn't so bruised, and it didn't hurt so much when I breathe, we might have been." He chuckled only to find an annoyed glance his way.
"Do not downplay injuries again." Tenel Ka said in an aggravated tone. Jacen nodded.
"I promise." he said.
"Do not, If you do again, I will punish you." Tenel Ka said, her voice angry enough to emote how worried she was. Jacen bent down and kissed her forehead.
"Don't worry I won't do it again." he said.
Tenel Ka laid her head back down.
"Good."
Rayne Astarta found herself cursing her luck. It was bad enough that she had to interrupt her Queen's privacy, even worse it was during the night. And far worse that according to entry/access logs of the doors, the Queen had male company.
While the Queen so far had proven far more capable of self control and restraint, she was none the less someone that Rayne had no desire to annoy. And she was Jedi, if the Queen reacted violently, it would be extremely painful for her. And that was ignoring the fact that she could possibly be interrupting the Queen's sexual adventures, though she and the Guard knew that Tenel Ka had refrain from sex, or male companionship her entire life.
"Enter!" The Queen said loud enough for Rayne to hear. Fortunately it appeared that the Queen was not occupied, or not occupied sufficiently that she was unaware of her approach.
Rayne squared her shoulders and privately hoped that the Queen, like most of her predecessors, did not consider her furniture while she was sexually occupied. She opened the door and stepped into the unlighted room.
"You can relax you know, Tenel Ka wouldn't Force Choke you for disturbing her even if we were having sex." he said. Rayne hadn't seen the man up close before. The Scars were shocking, and she was impressed by the musculature of the Jedi man. His facial features was however, to her mind far too brutish for her tastes.
I know the Queen admires him, but he is ugly. Rayne thought Jacen snorted. Rayne belatedly realized that he could hear her thoughts.
The Queen lay on her side resting comfortably on his shoulder. She still managed to maintain a serious demeanor and expression.
"What is so pressing Rayne?" Tenel Ka asked, her cold choice of words indicating that she was mildly irritated.
"Apologies my Queen, the JedI Tahiri is requesting permission to board. She has indicated interests in traveling to Hapes." Rayne said uncomfortably. Jacen Solo exchanged glances with the Queen. Tenel Ka lifted her head.
"Knight Veila has permission to board, give her quarters in on the Queen's deck." Tenel Ka told her.
Rayne bowed and left, closing the door.
"Didn't know Tahiri had business on Hapes." Jacen said. Tenel Ka stilled slightly.
"We cremated Anakin there. There was not time for a proper funeral. When the crisis left my World, you mother requested that I place a tomb marker. . . I exceeded what she had in mind." Tenel Ka said. Jacen blinked. Tenel Ka continued.
"I had a stone pyre made as a cenotaph for Anakin the others and . . . You." she said. Tenel Ka's eyes shined with unshed tears. Jacen nodded and dropped his head back onto her pillow and starred at the overhead. Jacen sighed.
"I hadn't thought about Anakin's grave. What a crappy brother I am." he said honestly. He glanced at Tenel Ka.
"That's probably where she is going." He said. Tenel Ka nodded.
"I agree." She said and extricated herself and stood.
"I should greet her. You are welcome to come with me." She offered. Jacen considered.
"No, from what I'm getting through the Force she's wary of running into me. I think she wants to speak to you privately." he said. Tenel Ka blinked and then nodded.
"Very well, please sleep here?" Tenel Ka said with uncharacteristically frail hope in her voice. Jacen smiled.
"Of course." he said. Tenel Ka leaned down and kissed him again and then left.
"You have been spending too much time with Jaina." Tenel Ka said to Tahiri. Tahiri gave her an amused glance from the cockpit of the XJ-4 she had "borrowed" from the Errant Venture hours earlier.
"Is that a bad thing?" Tahiri asked.
"Normally no, but your flight skills need some polish." Tenel Ka said glancing at the ground crew, who were cleaning up supplies and crates that Tahiri had knocked over with the backwash from her engines. Tahiri blanched.
"Right. Sorry?" she offered to the annoyed crewmen, only to receive aggravated glares and rude gestures. Tahiri sighed and jumped, vaulting the distance from cockpit to land near Tenel Ka.
Tenel Ka glanced at her guards.
"Leave us." she said. They left without protesting, knowing better by now. Tahiri smirked at her.
"I think you've been Queen too long." she said. Tenel Ka nodded.
"Perhaps, but I am better suited for it than anyone." she said without pride. Tahiri's smirk faded. She nodded.
"Alright." Tahiri said and followed Tenel Ka when she turned, and headed toward the turbo lifts.
"How was your battle?" Tenel Ka asked nonchalantly. Tahiri bristled at the tone.
"Bloody, frightening, how was yours." Tahiri said a little harsher than she intended.
Tenel Ka glanced at her
"Our losses were fairly light we lost 10% of our capital ships, most of their crews and many soldiers. Totaling 460,000 casualties." Tenel Ka said. Tahiri stopped mid step. Tenel Ka stopped and faced her. Tahiri's expression was of shocked contriteness.
"Tenel Ka, I'm sorry. I-" Tahiri said visibly upset. Tenel Ka nodded and allowed the younger girl-woman, Tenel Ka mentally corrected herself, hug her.
"It is alright Tahiri, We committed 5 million, losing less than a tenth of them is an extremely favorable loss rate for the task I gave them." Tenel Ka said. Tahiri expression told Tenel Ka that she wasn't old enough or ready to accept casualties as a fact of life. Tenel Ka gave her an unfelt smile and pulled her by the arm.
"Come." she said. Tahiri followed her.
"Jacen is aboard." Tenel Ka told her once they entered the turbo lift. Tahiri grimaced.
"I know, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting-" She stopped when Tenel Ka began to laugh
"You are the second person in less than an hour who has assumed that they have interrupted my coital adventures with Jacen." she said. Tahiri started to laugh, until she realized what Tenel Ka was saying, causing a mildly disgusted face.
"I don't want to know . . ."
"Jacen is still recovering from injuries sustained during the battle, he could not threaten my virtue at the moment." Tenel Ka said. Tahiri frowned.
"He didn't seem hurt this morning." she protested. Tenel Ka sighed.
"Unfortunately he seems to be very good at hiding his injuries." Tenel Ka intimated. Tahiri grimaced.
"Anakin was like that, always pretending he was in better shape than he was. Or denying it entirely." she said, not completely in the present.
"So what brings you aboard my ship." Tenel Ka asked most pointedly. Tahiri blinked and looked at her.
"Officially, I'm giving your military help with the holdouts. Truthfully, I needed to talk to Jacen about something." she said vaguely. Tenel Ka eyed her suspiciously. Tahiri blanched.
"No! I'm not after him, he's yours!" Tahiri said half panicking. Tenel Ka slowly nodded.
"Good, I am Hapan, but I'm not willing to reach an 'arrangement' over my mate."
Tenel Ka said, blinking as she realized how vehemently she had claimed Jacen.
"I didn't think you would, what I need to talk to him about is . . . Something Anakin left for me." Tahiri said, leaving the impression that she was pleased and very embarrassed by what she had been given.
"You are pleased about it, why are you so embarrassed?" Tenel Ka asked.
"Well it was meant for my . . . Use, but I was too young to receive it when he died, so it was in Leia's possession since he died, well Han's at first it took him a while to tell Leia what it was." Tahiri said fidgeting with an object in her pocket. Tenel Ka was more than a little mystified by it.
"What item can fit in your pocket and embarrass even Han this much?" she asked. Tahiri blanched.
"Just something Anakin . . . Provided." she said evasively. Tenel Ka blinked, then a flash of insight made her eyes widen.
"He froze his semen?" she asked. Tahiri gaped.
"How did you . . .?" Tahiri started to ask. Tenel Ka smiled patiently
"Because all of the male JedI did, except Master Skywalker and Master Horn." Tenel Ka said. Tahiri didn't seem to know how to respond to that.
"Why did he hide that?" she asked. Tenel Ka shrugged.
"Probably he was to embarrassed by it, they were told to indicate who they would prefer to have received it. Since Anakin and you were under the Republic's legal age, they must have given it to Leia for safe keeping. When Jacen was presumed dead . . ." Tenel Ka trailed off.
"Oh." Tahiri said.
"It was too soon after I believed him dead, and I couldn't afford to be distracted by a small child during a war that could have lasted years. Fortunately Jacen is alive." she said.
"What did you do with . . ."
"It was placed in a safe place, and now that the war is over it will be destroyed. I will have no use for them." Tenel ka said.
"Because you have the whole man?" Tahiri teased. Tenel Ka nodded seriously.
"That is my intention." She said. "As soon as his injuries are healed." Both women laughed. Tahiri calmed a little.
"Jaina suspected as much, she said she saw him slammed into a Coral console." she said. Tenel Ka winched.
"He has a few bruised ribs, at least that is what he's admitting to." Tenel Ka said with a dark look. She punched the lift controls much harder than was needed.
"We will go see him, and he is then going to see my doctor." she said in an angered tone, while Tahiri nervously shifted a step away form her.
"Uh . . . You're saying Mom had this the whole time?" Jacen asked looking up from the sealed tube in Tahiri's hand.
"Yes, though she was embarrassed about it." Tahiri said.
"Well no wonder that was her dead son's . . . Soldiers." Jacen said. He looked at her.
". . .Do you intend to use it?" He asked. Tahiri flushed in embarrassment. She shakily nodded.
"I think I should, I loved him, and I couldn't ever replace him." Tahiri said. Jacen leaned back a little.
"I understand how you felt about him, Tahiri, but you don't have to do this, you don't owe anything to him or our family, even if he left his . . ."
"Soldiers" Tenel Ka supplied helpfully.
"Soldiers to you." Jacen said giving Tenel Ka a mildly irritated glance. He continued.
"They promised us that the . . . Samples would stay viable for ten years, so there's no rush. And you shouldn't give up on finding love Tahiri, I doubt Anakin would want you to pin away over him." he finished.
"How can you say that!?" Tahiri nearly shrieked. "He was your brother!" she said heatedly.
"I haven't forgotten Tahiri." Jacen said seriously. Tahiri slumped a little. "Nor have I forgotten that when I thought I was dead, I hoped Tenel Ka could find happiness." He added. Tahiri flushed again, unable to look at him and his scarred self. He stood and put his hand on her shoulder. Tahiri looked back up at him.
"If you want to go through with this, you know you'll have my family's support." Jacen said. "And I'm sure Mom or Dad said as much." Tahiri nodded.
"I'm want to but . . ."
"But you'd be alone. Well Tahiri, Anakin is dead, but between Dad and Myself we can make up a little for him being gone." Jacen said. Tahiri teared up and hugged him tightly. Jacen grunted.
"Tahiri his ribs." Tenel Ka interjected. Tahiri released him and grabbed his shoulders.
"Sorry! I-" Jacen chuckled.
"Its alright." he said and tussled her hair, she frowned and batted at his hand. "I think of you as a little sister anyway." he told. Tahiri smiled. Tenel Ka cleared her throat.
"We are headed for Hapes, perhaps visiting Anakin would help give you perspective." she said. Tahiri brightened.
"That's a great idea! I never thought you were so much of a romantic!" Tahiri enthused. Jacen frowned.
"Don't expect him to show, I'm very sure I was hallucinating on Coruscant when I thought I saw him." Jacen told her. Tahiri sobered.
"I know, but I want to speak to him even if Its just his grave." she said. The door opened and Rayne escorted an older woman inside. Jacen frowned. Tahiri smirked.
"I should go, have fun with the doctor!" she said and moved out. Jacen glanced at an annoyed Tenel Ka.
"No." He said. Tenel Ka advanced menacingly.
"You know I said no . . ." Jacen said an hour later now taped and bandaged much more than he considered necessary. Tenel Ka snorted as she emerged out of the refresher with a towel hanging over one shoulder. Jacen felt his mouth go dry.
"Tenel Ka . . ." he started. Tenel Ka glanced at him as she opened her clothing locker.
"Yes?" she asked as she selected and put on her underwear. Jacen noted that she was using telekinesis to compensate for having one arm. She glanced at him, finding him deep in thought.
"You were saying?" she asked discarding her towel. Jacen swallowed and lifted himself onto his elbows. Tenel Ka frowned at him and he reluctantly laid back down.
"You sure you don't want a shirt or something?" he asked. She frowned at him.
"I am wearing no more and no less than you are." she pointed out. Jacen nodded.
"And I have made my intentions abundantly clear have I not?" she continued, placing her fist defiantly on her hip. Jacen nodded.
"You right, I shouldn't have expected half hearted effort, this is you were talking about he said. She raised an eyebrow.
"I don't do anything half assed you mean." she supplied. Jacen blinked and then laughed.
"Your right." Tenel Ka allowed him a smile as she got under the covers and settled into a comfortable position with him. After a while Tenel Ka abruptly asked.
"Do you think I should get a prosthetic?" she asked. Jacen starred at her incredulously.
"You're the one who ripped off an attached droid arm." he pointed out.
"A prosthetic, built to replicate the full function of my original arm, not a ham-fisted abomination." Tenel Ka said vehemently. Jacen couldn't retreat, since their legs were entangle.
"Sorry?" he offered weakly. Tenel Ka sighed.
"I apologize, I have considered it often since the war began, but I wasn't able to secure three weeks for such an operation and recovery time. Especially when Mother died." she said. Jacen hugged her .
"If you want it, get it." he said. Tenel Ka chuckled.
"I haven't had the luxury of thinking that way in a long time." Tenel Ka said. Jacen eyed her and nodded.
"Well I'm around for at least 3 months . . ." Jacen said reminding her that she hadn't convinced him to stay yet. " . . . you have the time now." he finished.
"Your right, and I was a little presumptive when I came out of the refresher." she offered. He snorted.
"No, you were right on the mark, the problem for me is: If I stay, what the hell am I going to do?" Jacen asked her. Tenel Ka paused. Her thought process had never gone beyond convincing Jacen to stay or marry her.
"I won't be working much either Jacen, once the war ends, my only duties are to approve taxes and laws, command my peace-time Forces and produce heirs." she said. "Only the last would require more than a few hours for one or two days out of a month." she said. Jacen frowned.
"How the hell did your predecessors spend their time?" he asked. Tenel Ka was getting annoyed.
"Well my grandmother spent the first 5 years of her reign finding her consort. She preferred the test drive method." she said harshly. Jacen sighed.
"Sorry, I just can't imagine not having a job or mission." he said apologetically. She nodded.
"So when you said three months, that's the longest you can stand to be without a purpose?" she asked. He nodded.
"Yes. And I guarantee Jaina is probably worse about it." he said. Tenel Ka shook the bed with her laughter.
"Jaina? Your parents will never have grandchildren from her, she will never have time for it."
"We'll never have grandchildren from you, you won't have time for it!" Leia hissed. Jaina glared and spat back in her face.
"That better than having children you never had time for!" Jaina returned. Leia's mouth opened, very hurt by the remark.
"I spent more time with you than most Coruscanti women Jaina. I was home every day when you were young!" Leia shouted.
"Oh, great." Han said to Jag Fel.
Half an hour ago Han and Leia finally tracked Jaina down to her Quarters on the Errant Venture to find their daughter very occupied with Jag Fel. Said man gave Han an aggrieved glance.
"This is my room, I do not enjoy being trapped on my bed." he said. Han glared.
"Kid this is not the time to remind me what I saw." Han said. Jag bit his tongue. Han looked around and found the comforter.
"I cant believe Booster stapled the sheets to the bed." Han told him, trying to ignore his wife and his daughter's verbal war. Jag took the offered comforter and wrapped it around his waist, allowing him to discard the pillow he had been using. Jag stood.
"Thank you he." said stiffly and moved to find his pants.
"You running?" Han asked. Jag glared.
"No, I'm putting pants on since I doubt Jaina will be in a good mood when this is over. What the hell made you think it was okay to enter my Quarters in the first place?" He said managing to slip on his pants without losing the comforter.
"Heh, Jaina told us this was her quarters, probably to piss me off a little, that why Leia's trying to brow beat her." Han said. Jag gave the two a wary glance. Leia and Jaina were now shouting hoarsely at each other nose to nose.
"Should we intervene?" Jag asked. Han scoffed.
"Do you want to interrupt an argument where the participants have light sabers?" Han said. Jag tilted his head and nodded.
"Good point." he said. Han snorted. He sobered.
"Your uncle asked me to try to convince you to defect." he said. Jag glanced at him.
"I swore an oath of honor to the Chiss Empire." Jag said, offended.
"They don't think much of humans." Han pointed out
"My oath stands." Jag insisted. Han gave him an appraising look.
"Alright, I won't argue with you. Your honor bound and duty driven. A good man, a guy men would prefer for a son in law. Good for you. And good for me, I didn't want you around Jaina anyway." Han said. Jag gave him a confused look.
"Your reasoning sound counter intuitive." Jag said. The fish is checking the bait. Han thought.
"You live in cold hard facts Jag, a great thing for a Colonel, but a piss poor thing to have for a spouse. Jaina needs a guy that can get her to relax, make her laugh. Some one who can love her." Han said almost flippantly. Jag redden.
"I love Jaina, there is no doubt about that!" Jag said almost vehemently. It's a nice worn, that shiny thing looks good. Han scoffed.
"Sure you do now. But once it gets inconvenient for you, you won't think that way." Han said.
"That is not true Han, I'm taking a diplomatic position, it keeps me outside the Empire where I can stay in contact-" Jag said. A nibble here a nibble there. . . Han thought.
"Whatever either way your just candy for her, she'll find a man who's a human. A good man my daughter deserves, not some Imperial wanna-bee." Han said. Jag glared.
"We'll see about that." Jag said, storming into the refresher. Han glanced back to Leia and Jaina who had concluded their fight and were exchanging hugs. Confused Han frowned at them.
"Wait, what did I miss?" he asked. They both gave him matching frowns.
"You were in the room." Leia said. Han shrugged.
"Yeah, I was too busy yanking Imp boy's chain." Han said. Jaina looked around for Jag, alarmed that he left.
"Where is he?" Jaina demanded. Han rolled his eyes.
"Imp boy got worked up and went into the Refresher." he said. Jaina glared.
"Why do you do that Dad? Jag's a great man. You never gave Tenel Ka or Tahiri this much scrutiny." Jaina said.
"They weren't sleeping with your brothers. Besides how much better can it get than a Queen. The boy really one-upped me there. And Tahiri was your brother's choice, it's the one thing I thought he had right. Even in death." Han said guiltily. Leia dropped her hands and approached Han.
"Han, Anakin loved you, you can't do this to yourself Han." Leia said. Han sighed.
"Besides we have Tahiri as a . . . whatever . . . " Leia paused midthought and then whirled on Han.
"I'm a step down from Tenel Ka?" she said incredulously. Han smirk.
"She's a red head. Would you rather, he shacked up with that scientist?" Han said waggling his eyebrows.
"Han . . ." Leia said in an angry voice. Han sighed.
"Are you saying I shouldn't take pride in my boy?" he asked. Leia stopped. She sighed.
"No, you should." she said. She glanced at Jaina.
"Sorry for bursting in like that, I don't know what your father was thinking." Leia said glaring at Han.
"I was thinking I'd surprise my little girl. Not witness my first grandchild in conception-Oof!" Han said and then grunted in pain when Leia elbowed him harshly.
"I apologize Jaina, we'll be going!" She said dragging. Jaina waved him off.
"Don't worry Dad, we'll name the first one after you! Jag?. . . Oh Ja-aaaa-aag!" Jaina said recognizing what would traumatize Han the most.
"Damnit." Han swore. Leia chuckled.
"So will he defect?" she asked. Han grimaced.
"Don't know, kid's a stuffy son of a bitch sometimes." he said. Leia frowned.
"Well how did it go?" she asked.
"Well, he'll either defect, or kidnap Jaina." Han said. Leia laughed.
"Revenge comes in time?" she asked. Han glowered.
"Daughters are the Universe's punishment on you for being a man." Han said.
"Relax Han, Jag couldn't keep Jaina with him if she didn't want to be with him." she said. Han glanced at her.
"That's what I'm afraid of." he said