There were days that Soontir Fel hated being a man of duty. Being a man of honor. Today was just one of those days.
"Soontir . . ." Wynessa started. Soontir sagged in his chair, though at his age he did not have far to sag.
"I know." he said and looked at her.
"You want us to leave this place." he said. He glanced at the frosted glass.
"The Chiss had to kidnap me to get me here, with you to keep me bound. I do not know if they would release me, and frankly I am afraid to ask." he said. He glanced at his eldest remaining son. Jag's eyes held an angry fire that condemned him.
"I'm sorry if that disappoints you Jag." he said. The other remaining son looked between Jag and his father.
"But your . . . And you! . . ."
"A slave General, and a slave Colonel . . ." Jag glanced at Cem. "And a slave cadet." Jag spit.
"You shouldn't look at it that way." Soontir admonished. Jag glared.
"How can I not? I am BOUND to this place, to this FROZEN WASTELAND!" Jag roared. His family was silent, allowing his
words echo through the Ice walls of their home. Soontir glanced at his wife and his youngest children. Wyn for once had been quiet throughout. The tone and course of the conversation was upsetting her.
"Jag and I need to speak alone." Soontir said. Wynessa started to protest, but any words died on her lips when Soontir
glanced pointedly at Wyn and Cem. She scowled and then grabbed them and left the two Fel men alone.
"Were the theatrics necessary?" Soontir asked. Jag lifted his chin theatrically in response.
"It is in my blood." Jag said imperiously. Soontir sighed. In many ways Jag really was a Imperial's wet dream. Tall handsome, given to theatrics, though none who knew him would have guessed.
"So it is." Soontir said softly. "She this important to you?" Soontir said, cutting to the heart of the matter. Jag gave him a
startled glance.
"Wedge was kind enough to keep us appraised." Soontir said succinctly. "And I was raised among humans, I know when my
boy has a woman in his heart." Soontir said.
"Who is she? Jaina Solo?" Soontir asked as a joke. His grin slowly fell.
"It is Jaina Solo." he said in surprised. Jag merely starred down his father. Soontir moved to the bar and pulled out an amber
bottle of Wyren's Reserve. He pulled out two glasses and poured four inches. Jag started to protest. Soontir glared at him.
"If you truly want this woman as a wife, you'll have to deal with Solo far more than I had the displeasure. And no son of mine
is going to drop before Solo does. . ." Soontir said vehemently. Jag frowned.
"This is foolish." he observed. Soontir glared at him.
"Foolish? WE ARE CORRELIAN!"
[
[
"Foolish? We're Corellian!" Han protested. Jaina glared at him.
"Okay, how about suicidal? Anyone else would have de-energized a capacitor before trying to remove it. If it wasn't broken
already it would have put enough current through you to kill you!" she said. Han sighed.
"Jaina, Capacitors hold electric charge, not current." Han said exasperated. Jaina glared.
"I am well aware of that Dad. This . . ." she said holding the capacitor that was wider than her thigh. ". . . is a hyper drive
capacitor, it normally contains a TerraVolt of charge. That much charge even across so small a resistance is still a large
current." she said. Her gaze softened.
"Dad we just won a war, please don't hurt yourself." she said. Han started to melt a little.
"My grandchildren need at least one Grandfather who isn't an Imperial." Han's fire returned.
"Damnit Jaina! I've had enough pain!"
"Why are you so against him! I love him. What do you find so wrong about him?" she demanded. Han sighed.
"Look Jaina, You're my daughter. I'm going to hate him no matter what. And he's a Fel." he said. Jaina glanced at Leia.
"Feel free to jump in here." Leia glanced at her.
"No, Jaina, this is something you and your father need to talk about, as it is I've given up nagging him about de-energizing
equipment before he handles it." Leia said, pointedly ignoring Jaina's plea. Jaina sighed and dropped it. It was really
between Jag and her Father. She already knew her father respected Jag on some level, but that accepting him as her . . .
Whatever.
"So about Corran's . . ." Han groaned as if in pain.
"A Solo in Corsec? Why my father would . . . My father would. . ." Jaina tensed, her father had never mentioned her paternal
grandfather before. Jaina felt an uneasy pit of uncomfortness settle in her stomach. Before the war, her father never let her
see his remorseful side. Han sighed.
"I honestly don't know. . ." he said dejectedly. Jaina blinked at glanced at her mother who watched her father with concerned
eyes. Han sighed again.
"Look Jaina your not like me, and you're mother either. If you want to do it, then do it. You don't have to be a JedI, or a
smuggler . . ." Han flashed Leia a glance "or scruffy looking." he said with a grin. Jaina blinked in surprise as her mother
started laughing.
"Han! I can't believe you remember that!" she said and then realized. "Oh." Jaina gave them a confused glance and
plaintitively wish her conversations with her parents did not have to journey through numerous tangents every time.
"Yeah. Oh." Han said with a grin. Leia actually flushed red.
"Do I even want to know?" she asked. Leia sighed. Sooner or later Jaina would find out, from Luke, or Mara, who thought it
nearly as funny as Han did.
"On Hoth your uncle had just come out of the Bacta tank. We were there and you father made sure he thought the wounds
made him look better. Then your father and I . . . argued." Leia said.
"She called me scruffy looking." Han said, pleased with himself. "To which I said:"
"Who's Scruffy Looking?"
"Who's Scruffy Looking?" Han said joyously and Leia said in a resigned tone. Jaina blinked, confused why her father was so
amused by it.
"What's so funny about that?" Han chuckled.
"That's not what is funny, what is funny, is what your mother did in retalliation." Han said almost gleefully. Leia sighed.
"I told him 'I guess you don't know everything about women yet.'" she said.
"And then planted a big one right on Luke!" Han chortled. Jaina's eyes widened in shock.
"You . . ." Leia sighed.
"I didn't know he was my brother for almost a year after." Leia sighed. Han smirked at her and glanced at his now
traumatized daughter.
" Look Jaina, I'm not going to tell you what to do. Do what feels right and it'll probably be okay." He said and gave Leia a
roughish grin.
"I don't have to worry about you planting one on Jacen to make Jag jealous."
"HAN!"
"DAD!"
[
[
[
Jacen paused mid-stride and shuddered.
"Is something wrong?" Tahiri asked. Jacen frowned and shook his head.
"No, just something Dad said . . . Traumatized Jaina so much she projected." Jacen said. He frowned. "I'm not sure I want to
find out." he said and shook himself.
"Come on lets go." he told Tahiri. Tahiri nodded and followed. Jacen glanced at the hedges.
"Why a hedge maze?" he asked the woman on his arm. Tenel Ka glanced at him.
"I did not wish company when I speak to my mother." she said. She paused and continued.
"Or you." she said softly. Tahiri looked away. Jacen looked at her, and found he had no words to that comment. He grasp the
hand from his bicep and squeezed gently, finding Tenel Ka's grip to be almost painfully tight. Jacen sighed and steeled
himself. As much good as it would do, he had managed to put this off for a week.
"We're here." Tenel Ka said. Jacen looked from her to the . . . Statues. Teasars sisters, Ulaha, Raynar, Eyrl, and . . . Himself
and Anakin. He also saw that his statue had been placed close to another statue. Tenel Ka's mother. He realized that
Tenneniel and Anakin's statues were also grave markers. Jacen felt his mouth go dry as he looked at Anakin's statue.
"Anakin." Jacen breathed.
Beside Tenel Ka and Tahiri watch Jacen wipe tears from the corners of his eyes. Tahiri had loved Anakin, Tenel Ka had
been deeply grieved by her mother's death and Jacen's presumed death. But they had grieved healed and come to terms
with the death of Anakin and Tenneniel and in Tenel Ka's case been rewarded by Jacen's return from the dead. They were
over the loss. But in Jacen's case he had never had the opportunity to reflect. To grieve. To come to terms with Anakin's
death. He had not expected to feel the loss return as though he had been run through with a light saber. Tahiri glanced at
Tenel Ka and left with a soft smile, and moved so she could take a close look at Eyrl's visage. She had liked the older
woman who, like Tenel Ka, had treated her well. Tenel Ka glared pointedly at the pair of guards who had followed them, and
the left, and gently led Jacen to the stone bench before Anakin. Jacen's face was contorted in a mask of emotional agony.
Red eyed and with tears flowing down his face into the scruff at his jaw. Jacen wiped a hand across his eyes, futily wiping at
tears.
"I'm sorry." Jacen said to Tenel Ka.
"You should not be. He was your brother. You had no chance to say good bye before now." she told him. He nodded, but
that rational part of him that could do that, was not in control.
"It shouldn't have been him. I was eldest." he said in a whisper. "Protecting him and Jaina was my responsibility." he said
tightly and louder. Tenel Ka managed to keep the frown from her face, but Jacen could sense it all the same.
"Dad taught me as much about being a Corellian as he could. I would listen, Jaina ignored him when he talked about it and
Anakin . . . Well Anakin's mind wandered a lot as a kid." Jacen said.
"I am the eldest son. I was responsible." Jacen said voice strained, struggling to keep the sob out of his voice.
"I kept Jaina from trying to save him, and part of her will always blame me for it." he said glumly. "Tahiri used to feel that way.
I still feel that way." he said softly. He stood and glared at Anakin.
"I was supposed to die before you, before Jaina. Old and feeble and in my sleep. You were supposed to bury me. . ." he said
in an angry whisper. Tenel Ka sensed what was coming and stood.
"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BURY ME!" Jacen roared in greif and turned and smashed the stone bench with a Force
assisted blow, showering himself with stone dust and small shards. And damaging his hand in the process.
Tenel Ka's guard returned in alarm, but soothed by a glance from their Queen. Jacen faced Anakin's visage.
"I didn't even bury you . . ." Jacen said and started to sob, and let Tenel Ka comfort him.
Near by Tahiri could only watch with sympathy. Then she had to look away. Anakin's death still ached too much.
[
[
"I am fine now." Jacen said gruffly, burying his lingering grief. Tenel Ka's jaws tightened, but let it go. She dealt with her grief over her mother much the same. Jacen had worked out his dispair and loss, but she knew it would take some time. And there was no point trying to convince a wounded Nek to do anything. She glanced to Tahiri, who had been kneeling on one knee, leaning her head against the pedastil of Anakin's statue, inside of which Anakin's Urn lay. Tahiri rose. In unspoken agreement they left.
They were nearly at the Palace when Tahiri spoke.
"I've made my decision." Tahiri said. Jacen and Tenel Ka turned their heads.
"Tonight I'm flying to the Maw to find Chilgal." she said.
"So you're going to do it." Jacen observed. Tahiri nodded.
"Yes." she said. Tenel Ka gave her an encouraging smile. Jacen nodded gravely.
"Anakin won't be there, but I will do what I can in his place." he said. Tahiri managed a smile.
"Thank you."
"As will I." Tenel Ka said. "It will be nice to have family that does not plot against me." she said. Jacen gave her a look. It
reminded her that he hadn't agreed to stay yet. Tenel Ka returned his glance with a confident, almost sultry smile.
Tahiri smirked at the exchange, but it was a bitter reminder. Sometimes it was too much. Her thoughts were interrupted
when's Tenel Ka's powerful grip encompassed her.
"I mean what I say Tahiri." she said. Tahiri, teared and returned the hug. Jacen, sensing this was a female conversation
quietly left them, and he needed a quiet moment to himself anyway. Tenel Ka frowned as she watched him go.
"He's not really okay. Is he?" Tahiri asked softly. Tenel Ka sighed.
"Not at all, but he will be, if given time." Tenel Ka said. She returned her gaze on Tahiri.
"He has nightmares. They started after the treaty was signed." Tenel Ka said. Tahiri stared at the ground. She was an adult,
by what life had forced on her, and in some ways she was yet that 14 year old girl. Dealing with a troubled adult man was
more than a task she could, or would want to deal with.
"Is he . . . Dangerous?" Tahiri asked in an ashamed tone. Tenel Ka had to restrain the more vehement response she might
have given.
"No, Jacen is not dangerous." she said firmly. Tahiri started to cry.
"I'm sorry!" Tenel Ka tried to soothe her.
"Its alright Tahiri. Jacen hasn't grieved for a brother that died years ago. That would disturb anyone. And . . . He needs to
come to terms with himself. He entered the war a young man, barely more than a boy, and what he is now . . . He doesn't
know himself." Tenel Ka said and then released Tahiri at last.
"He is not alone in this." Tenel Ka said, in a vulnerable voice. She sighed.
"When Dathomiri go to war, few are injured, fewer are killed. We steal Rancor Calves, and young boys, as terrible as the
latter sounds." Tenel Ka turned and walked, Tahiri following.
"The Hapans fight wars in hit and run raids. Their weapon systems are designed to do the most damage as quickly as
possible. Their Armies were in name only. They had no artillery, no armor, not even close to a large enough infantry." Tenel
Ka said. She snorted.
"Infantry! Did you realize it means 'boy-soldier'?" she said with a bitter laugh. Tahiri smiled though neither really found it
funny.
"This was what I had been trained and prepared for. Medieval conflicts and to fight oppnents hamstrung within the confines
of the cluster. I received a war on a full scale." Tenel Ka said bitterly.
"And I am fortunate that this war did not ruin us." Tenel Ka said. Tahiri was silent. The war had been painful and cruel to her.
Just as it been painful and cruel in other ways to Tenel Ka.
"I have adapted to my life, as you adapted to what they did to you Tahiri. Because we had no choice but to accept them. And
we have chosen our paths, mine chosen for me, and you by choice." she said.
"Jacen does not know what he wants, he has never truly chosen his path, he has only done what life has allowed him." she
said. Tahiri nodded.
"And now he has no immediate purpose or path to follow. . . But he can always go back to the JedI."
"And if he did? What would they have him do?" Tenel Ka reasoned. Tahiri grimaced.
"I know. Anything that needs a JedI needs fighting."
"Jacen needs a few years of peace. THAT I can offer." Tenel Ka said.
"And its not without benefit to yourself." Tahiri said impishly. Tenel Ka gave her an imperious glance.
"He is of good stock." she said. "And I have never made my intent unclear." Tenel Ka said. Tahiri smiled. It turned bitter.
"I wish Anakin had lived." she said quietly. Tenel Ka gave her a reluctant frown.
"We could have been sisters in law." Tahiri said. Tenel Ka smiled.
"Jacen considers you his sister now. I say we are sisters in law." she said. Tahiri gave her a raised expression.
"He isn't your husband yet." she observed. Tenel Ka gave her a confident smile.
"Leave that to me." she said. Neither noticed Jacen sitting in an alcove when they passed. He had retreated so deeply in the
Force that neither could sense his presence, and they had not seen him.
[
[
Jacen's wandering had taken him to Tenel Ka's private training area. The guards seemed to be aware of their's Queen's
intent with him, and pretended they didn't notice him going through forbidden areas. He found something he did not expect. Training droids. The same training droid Anakin developed on whim and boredom during the war. Except these droids had a Tendrando seal on them. The also had a model name.
Solo Mark-2 training droid. He laughed.
"Lando, you really are an entrepenuer!" Jacen said with continuing laughter. He looked for the on switch. Finding it he turned
it on. The Droid came to life, testing its limbs for damage. It then observed him.
"New User please identify name and service." it said with threat in its tone. Jacen raised an eyebrow.
"Jacen Solo, JedI Knight." he said. He ignored how hollow that statement sounded.
"Greetings honored knight, what level of training do you desire?" it said. Jacen almost told it he didn't want to train. Almost.
What part of him needed right now, was a fight. He looked around and found the training sabers. Not truly light sabers, but a
shaped force field that would act like a light saber.
"Give me your best Droid." he said. The droid colated and processed for a moment and then turned, remotely activating
three other training droids.
"Combat simulation confirmed. Simulation begins in 3,2,1 . . ."
[
[
Tenel Ka watched Tahiri's X-wing take off. When the time came she tried to find Jacen, but Tahiri said Jacen was doing what he needed right now, and that she would be back soon. Tenel Ka sighed. She looked at her nearest guard.
"Where is Jacen Solo?" she asked, knowing her guard had kept the comm open when she asked. Someone in the guard had
seen him last and they sent the missive to the guard.
"My Queen, the JedI Solo is in the Training grotto." she said. Tenel Ka frowned.
"What is he doing there?" Tenel Ka asked.
In the training grotto, Jacen had found much more satisfying opponents than mere droids. His short fight with them hadn't lasted long. They apparently hadn't been fully repaired since the last time Tenel Ka used them. Fortunately one of the few male guards was young enough, and arrogant and cocky to think he could take on a JedI. To his credit, he had been infantry before distinguishing himself so well that he had been hand picked for the Royal Guard.
"oof!" Unfortunately a JedI was a much more difficult opponent for the guard. That is not to say the Guard didn't make a damned good accounting for himself.
Jacen Solo worked his neck and advanced again. Both men had stripped to the waist. A fact the guard regretted as Jacen Solo Hammered his ribs. The best he could do was kick at Jacen's knee, and force a hasty retreat.
"Give it to him Runweld!" The crowd didn't help. Another male guard gave terribly optimistic advice throughout, while the
female guard watched with professional interest. In the case of some of the younger guards, non-professional interest.
This was the scene the Queen entered the room. The combatants ignored her, though her other guards gave her a wary
glance. She found Gunvor in the room and joined him.
"Perhaps you could explain this?" she asked. Gunvor glanced at her.
"Not less than nine days ago you and the Knight Tahiri fought each other until weak in the legs." he said succinctly. "I don't
see a male JedI." Gunvor added and jerked his head at the guard, yet again on the receiving end.
"Runweld is young and foolish, and has his own issues. They both needed a fight, even if the outcome was obvious from the
outset." Gunvor said.
"How so?" Rayne asked. Gunvor gave her a look.
"The scars tell enough." Gunvor said. "Not all of them are from Torture."
Tenel Ka frowned.
"A man gets scars like that from hard fighting. Hand to hand. Runweld's barely marred, barely more than a boy, regardless of
their actual age." Gunvor said, knowing Runweld was in his late twenties, and as a Royal, had not fought in the last two
years. and was clearly shamed at some level for it.
"I had hoped he find a peaceful way to rest himself." Tenel Ka said. Gunvor snorted.
"He's been raised since birth to be a warrior monk, and fought in the most vicious war in a thousand years. What else does
he really know?" Gunvor said. That thought stopped
Tenel Ka cold. A tear formed in her eye. She wiped it away, composing herself with that gesture.
"Very well, I shall tolerate this so long as he doesn't injure my guards." she said and winched as Jacen violently slammed
Runweld hard into the stone floor. " . . . Too much." Gunvor however was not at all worried.
"He's not slamming Runweld telekinetically. As long as he does not do that, we have no cause to worry." Gunvor said with a
grunt.
"What set him off?" he asked. Tenel Ka glance at him.
"Consider it Queen's business." she said. Gunvor nodded.
"Very well my Queen." he said. Tenel Ka nodded, grateful to have one advisor who could accept commands so readily.
"What progress on our postwar plans?" she asked. Gunvor grimaced.
"Our troops shall muster out by division, Our most veteran Divisions will return next month, parade through the Queen's City,
and be discharged from service. Soldier's retained will have been transferred to our post-war battalions. Our estimates are
150 million retained for the next two years, and we expect troop strengths to drop back down to 4 million by the end of the
decade." he said. Tenel Ka frowned.
"Why keep so many so long?" she asked. Gunvor coughed.
"Her Majesty may find it useful to post a large number of energetic, virile men in certain places." Gunvor said. Tenel Ka
frowned again.
"That seems to have some negative potential." Tenel Ka said, thinking out the natural outcomes. Gunvor nodded.
"The men know that Rape remains a Capital offense." Gunvor said bluntly. Gunvor then hesitated.
"Your highness, an issue did come up that I hadn't considered." he said, for once embarrassed. Tenel Ka looked at him in
surprise.
"What is it." Gunvor coughed.
"It would appear that our soldiers were . . . Free with their genetics with foreign women, and a number of them, a large number have been orphaned in favor of the Crown, or rather that is the intent of the local governments." Gunvor said.
Tenel Ka stared.
"Explain." she said. Gunvor nodded, his presence being greatly uncomfortable and increasingly embarrassed.
"Our troops were lonely, and often station in male-depopulated areas. Our troops were well fed and rationed, often much better than allied troops, giving our troops more . . . Resources to work with. Where-ever our troops were stationed they invariably left children. A lot of these children have been orphaned, by either death of their parents or . . ." Gunvor left the other possibilities to Tenel Ka's imagination.
"Hapes is the only one on this side of the Galaxy to survive almost unscathed, aside from Corellia. The Governments and
refugee organizations of these battleground worlds are shattered, and are looking for someway to lesson the demands on
their funds." Gunvor said. Tenel Ka was stunned silent. She found her voice.
"How many?" she asked. Gunvor winched.
"Ten million give or take a few hundred thousand." he said. Tenel Ka stared at him in an incredulous look. Tenel Ka was
having a hard time finding this plausible.
"Ten million?" she asked incredulously.
"it's a lowball figure. We ran the numbers using our prewar illegitimacy numbers involving the army." he said.
"Simply scaling up to present troop strengths. My number crunchers say our troops are likely to have fathered 80-150 million
children." Tenel Ka's eyebrows rose.
"Your planners think as many as a sixth of my soldier impregnated local women throughout the galaxy." Tenel Ka said in a
disbelieving tone. Gunvor shrugged.
"it's a problem through the invasion path and stronghold worlds. People thought they were going to die, were rescued or
successfully defended by our troops. Exoticism, savior worship, or desperation, whatever way you slice it, our troops found
themselves in a very advantageous sexual situation, and a lot of them took advantage of it. Corellia's in the same boat, and if
Coruscant had a Government left, they'd be saddled with a much worse burden." he said. Tenel Ka raised her head.
"So you advocate placing these children in my government's trust? Or rather in my trust?" she asked. The orphanages were
under the Queen's personal domain, and had been for generations. Gunvor raised himself to his full height. For once
allowing his personal feeling to show through.
"My Queen, these children's Fathers fought bravely, they either are unaware of these children or are dead. We OWE these
men this. These children are of HAPAN BLOOD!" he said fervently. He calmed slightly.
"Our culture does not allow much for orphaned children, we have little in the way of the social stigma's other human worlds
hold women who are . . . Creative in conceiving their children. Our conflicts occasionally kill our men, but they were never
much considered in domestic realtion to their . . . Children. We have never needed of orphanages except in rare extremes.
My Queen I beseech you, let us do this one thing for our dead!"
Tenel Ka allowed a smile.
"Very well Gunvor, I agree. Coordinate with Audre, Borghilde, Ida and Vendla to get these children here and in good health, I
will have Ingrid bring me solutions. In the mean time, we will need temporary quarters for these children. Our current
Orphanages are woefully inadequate for this many children." she said. Gunvor nodded.
"It shall be done my Queen." he said leaving his Queens with an even greater burden on her person. She glanced down at
Jacen and her gaurds. They had ceased their spar and talked and laughed affably. She sighed. Ten million orphaned
children. At least. Tenel Ka pinched the bridge of her nose.
She sighed. Gunvor was right. Regardless of the cut throat mentality Hapan women had when it came to their progeny, it was very hard to know that so much Hapan blood was orphaned and alone in the universe. As terrible as war and its consequences were to adults. It could be far crueler to the children left behind.
[
[
"Do you feel better now that you have damaged some of my guards?" Tenel Ka asked. Jacen glanced at her.
"They knew, or should have known what they were getting into." he said.
"And you know better." Tenel Ka said pointedly. Jacen shrugged.
"I think even Mom forgets I am still my father's son." he said. Tenel Ka paused. She hadn't considered that Jacen's reaction
wasn't all that dissimilar to Han's reaction to Chewie's death. Granted Jacen didn't take a swing, for old time's sake, at Boba
Fett . . . Tenel Ka blinked as inspiration struck her. Jacen gave her a strange look.
"Do I want to know?" he asked, having discerned enough of her thought patterns, to realise Boba Fett somehow came into
her mind.
"It is convoluted." she said. His eyebrows raised.
"Well I'm interested now." He said. Tenel Ka studied his expression. She nodded and continued, recognizing that Jacen
wanted something other than grief to occupy his mind.
"…Ten million?" Jacen asked, eyebrows raised.
"That was my reaction." she said. Jacen considered.
"That sounds low." he said. Tenel Ka blinked. Jacen chuckled.
"This has happened before Tenel Ka, It came up when the Galactic War finally ended and Mom had to deal with it. And the
Hutts. . ." Jacen said with a flare of genuine anger echoing in the Force. Tenel Ka drew back a little bit, being near Jacen in
this state was like being three feet from a high powered amplifier at a Vratixs concert. The raw power of the violent angry
emotion plowed through her like a tidal wave. And then it ceased when Jacen realized what he was doing.
"I'm sorry, are you alright!" he said, slightly panicked. She pinched her nose, trying to fight off the sensation of extreme
pressure in her sinuses. =
"I am fine Jacen." she said pinching her nose again. "You were speaking of Hutts?" she said. Jacen swallowed and then
continued.
"After the war, the rebels and imperials, well mostly Stormtroopers, left millions of kids all over the Galaxy. Most places found
decent ways to deal with them, but on certain worlds, the kids inherited the Imperial stigma." He said. "Some of the worlds knowing sold the orphans, especially Imperial orphans to the Hutts." he said grimly. Tenel Ka felt a pit of cold anger erupt
within her.
"Slavery." she said. Jacen nodded.
"The Hutts thought they could go back to the way human slavery was ignored in the outer rim during the old republic. Big
mistake. The Wookies live almost as long as Hutts, and hate them almost as much as they hate Trandoshans. The Wookies
nearly declared war on the Hutts." Jacen said. "Dad was the one who talked them out of it." Tenel Ka managed not to gape
in shock. Jacen smirked.
"I know, I think Mom was pretty surprised to, but when it serves his purposes, Dad can be diplomatic. Anyway, truth was the Wookies had been looking for an excuse to declare war since the Empire blew the Hutts Fleets out of Space. The Hutts had done something to the Wookies Two or three hundred years ago, ancient history to us, but within living memory for them." Jacen said.
"A thousand, much less a hundred million angry war bound Wookies is something I would not wish on anyone." Tenel Ka
said softly. Jacen nodded emphatically.
"Exactly which is why they talked the Wookies out of it. Mom sent a Full fleet to Nal Hutta and bombarded their shipyards as
a warning. The Hutts returned the kids to their homeworlds, where they was a lot of political and some literal head hunting." Tenel Ka nodded. It was one thing to ostracize a man or a woman for 'finding comfort with the enemy', it was another entirely to sell the resulting children into slavery to the Hutts. Especially when more righteous minded relatives found out.
"So my task may be more complicated than simply building and staffing Orphanages." She said. Jacen nodded. She sighed.
"I though perhaps someone like Boba Fett could track down our lost children, but he is not a person I can use for such a
wide reaching program. No, I need to either set one of my Agencies on it, or recruit some group outside of the Cluster." She
said. She grabbed Jacen by the wrist.
"But first I need to see some of our existing orphanages." she said pulling him toward the Queen's Wing.
"But we're headed to . . ."
"You have realived some of your stress, I intend to remove it entirely."
"I thought . . ."
"Stress releif First, I need to change clothes anyway." She said. Jacen looked at her and then shrugged. It wasn't like she needed to twist his arm to get him in her bed.