Disclaimer: The people and places (except for my OC's) belong to either Lucas, Bioware, Obsidian,or West End Games.
A/N: Again, Jek is NOT the Exile. Thanks to my wonderful beta's Alexandra & Lossefalme. They're input was priceless. Quick notes will be on homepage.
Fear spread quickly when the Mandalorians attacked Onderon. The brutal strike came as a shock to many as the planet's largest city fell in less than half a day. There had been rumors of a growing Mandalorian force, but many had ignored them until now. The planets previously attacked were in the unknown regions of space, and therefore beyond the Republic's notice.
However, when one of the Republic's own planets fell, it was clear the threat was real. The Senate voted to enter into war during an emergency session called within hours of Onderon's fall. Plans were immediately set forth to stop the Mandalorians before their presence spread further. The Mandalorian stronghold was revealed to be just within reach of Onderon, on its own moon, Dxun. How they had gone undetected was unknown.
In the face of war, military resources had quickly come into high demand. Trade agreements were strengthened with planets such as Manaan, while new ones were sought out with planets like Lianna.
Lianna was quickly becoming an industrialized planet. It was also home to one of the premier shipyards in the galaxy. It's location along the Perlemian Trade Route was a key factor in the planet's industrial success. The Senate had little influence on the planet's activities. Most everything was controlled by the Allied Tion Sector as a whole – anything left was controlled by corporations.
However, the Allied Tion could do little to interfere with what Lianna could provide to the Republic. Trae Storm was a junior Senator who came from an affluent family with many holdings on Lianna. It was his initial request to develop regular trade for his planet. Therefore the Senate was confident an agreement could be made to provide new ships for the Fleet.
Though the issue was of the utmost importance to some, many Senators thought the venture was unnecessary. Those proud politicians had no doubt the Mandalorians would be stopped before the vessels were needed. The Republic Navy assembled a fleet of ships and soldiers and planned their initial assault on Dxun.
With permission from the Council, Revan was re-assigned to Fleet Headquarters. There, she would be able to work closely with the Fleet to better determine their needs – while Jek assisted Trae with his new duties.
Senator Storm soon realized the efficiency of the two Jedi and started to work more closely with them. Revan was able to help acquire the ship specifications for the Senator to take back to his planet for review. It wasn't long before Sienar Systems was selected as the manufacturer of the new ships.
Revan and Jek both felt Sienar's involvement happened too quickly, but there was little they could do about it. Once the trade agreement became such a high priority, their job was as nothing more than facilitators.
Upon their return from Dantooine, Revan and Jek had begun to spar together on a regular basis. It was the first time they'd spent with one another outside of their duties with the Senate. Revan was usually the winner in any practice match they had. Jek was a good swordsman, but Revan felt he always held back against her…something she found highly annoying. After their practice duels, they would often sit together and talk about the Senate, the Jedi, the Republic, and anything else that came to mind.
Neither could believe how much had changed since their trip to Dantooine. Before, they were always together as a sense of duty. Now, both truly looked forward to their time together.
The Council looked upon their friendship with approval. Some even felt Jek would be a good influence on her. She had a tendency to be defiant, and Malak had often times encouraged her. The Council had hoped by placing them together, Revan would teach Jek to be more confident and he would teach her to be more patient.
Trae Storm was a year older than Revan and a year younger than Jek. With their close proximity in age, and the time they spent with him, it wasn't long before the two Jedi and the Senator became good friends. Quite often, the threesome would enjoy their free time together.
Trae was new to Coruscant and the two Jedi were happy to be his guides. The Senator was definitely used to the finer things in life. He wore silk Senatorial robes during the day and clothes of the latest styles at night. He was slightly shorter than Jek…and quite handsome with blond hair and brown eyes. He was very friendly and the two Jedi also found him to be amusingly arrogant.
Trae preferred the more upscale cantinas of Coruscant's upper city. It took some time for Revan and Jek to convince him of the fun to be had in the rougher, lower city cantinas. Leery of his safety at first, he soon found traveling with two Jedi had its advantages.
Jek and Trae watched with amusement as Revan somehow always managed to convince the occupants of the best booths they'd rather sit elsewhere. It took a while for Trae to get used to being in the company of a woman such as Revan. He had been raised to believe that men were the protectors and he'd had little exposure to Jedi. So the night Trae had attempted to come to her rescue had given Revan and Jek quite a bit to talk about the next day after their sparring session.
Jek didn't approve of how Revan had handled the Corellian who had attempted a hands-on approach of introduction with Revan the night before. While they packed their things in their bags, he said, "You didn't have to hurt the guy quite that bad."
She was immediately defensive and faced him with her hands on her hips. "He grabbed my ass!"
"It's not the first time that's happened," he said pointedly.
She shrugged and returned to packing. "Hey, if Trae wouldn't have gotten involved, I might have handled it differently." The Senator had immediately confronted the larger man and demanded an apology.
She started to laugh. "Did you see how far that Corellian threw him?"
Jek laughed as well. "Of course. I'm the one who caught him."
"Remind me never to have him watch my back," she advised.
Jek nodded in agreement. "I'm sure after seeing you slam that man's head on the table, Trae will be sure to let you handle any further entanglements."
"Let's hope so…for his sake."
They finished putting their things away and took a seat on the mat. They always faced each other with their legs crossed. That way, anyone wanting to use the room would think they were meditating and would therefore find another room. There were plenty of other quiet places in the Temple, but why go find another when they were already in one?
Once seated, Jek gave her a pointed look. "By the way, I don't think Trae appreciated you calling him a 'pretty-boy.'"
She smirked. "You know it's true." She paused before saying, "I can't believe he tried to accuse you of being one."
He smiled. "You don't agree?"
He watched her examine his appearance. He usually wore the standard brown Jedi robes, though he only wore tan pants and a white shirt while sparring. His thick, wavy hair was mostly one length. If down, it would fall just above his collar. He almost always tied the front back to keep it out of his eyes.
She finally answered, "No…you're all Jedi."
He chuckled. With a wry smile, he said, "Coming from you, I'm not sure that's a compliment."
She laughed lightly.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments. Revan recalled something else. "Oh, and you can expect some sort of pay-back for the whole dancing thing."
Jek teased, "I think he rather enjoyed it."
Jek had seen Revan dance on more than one occasion with various outings to the usual Jedi hang-outs. She always seemed to like it. And despite her protests, she seemed to have enjoyed dancing with Trae as well. The Senator looked as if he had taken dance lessons since he was able to walk. Jek, on the other hand, had been content to sit back and watch.
The Republic anxiously awaited the upcoming conflict at Dxun. When the time had come, the battle lasted several days. The sheer brutality of the Mandalorians was something the Republic forces clearly weren't prepared for. There were casualties on both sides, but the result was a defeat for the Republic and the loss of thousands of its soldiers. What the Republic thought would be a quick end was only the beginning. After the horrors they saw unleashed on the jungle moon, the Republic soldiers were dreading the day they would have to return there.
Revan had spent many late nights at Fleet Headquarters during the days leading up to the conflict. Jek hadn't seen her during that time, but they spoke on the comm each night so she could keep up to date on the Lianna agreement. After the battle at Dxun, they had resumed their practice sessions, but also continued their nightly calls.
Most times that Jek went out at night, he did so with Revan and/or Trae. But one evening, his friend Tocchu was on-planet and Jek had arranged to go out with him instead.
Tocchu was always asking about Revan. Jek found it interesting that many Jedi were curious about her. He recalled many occasions when they would walk through the Temple only to be stopped by other Jedi with questions for her. Her knowledge of Jedi history was quite impressive. He had guessed she gained most of it from Master Kreia. However, the Jedi Master wasn't the most approachable of women and Revan was often times much more pleasant to talk to. Not to mention, when Revan answered a question, it was easier to understand than when asking the guardian of the archives.
After a night of heavy drinking, he woke to the incessant beeping of his comm. It actually only alerted him twice, but it seemed to magnify in his head. He soon realized whoever it was had given up and he was relieved for the silence. He laid there for a moment before he decided to get up. He slowly made his way from his sleeping chamber into the common area. He walked by the comm and saw it had been Revan.
After retrieving a cup of caf from the dispenser, he settled into the seat at his comm station and commed her back. He took a sip of his caf while he waited for her image to appear. When it did, he nearly choked on his beverage at the sight of Revan…in her pajamas. She had not sat down before she answered. Therefore, Jek received full view of her attire.
He didn't say anything at first and watched her as she set down her own cup of caf and settled into her seat. Her pajamas weren't anything too revealing – just a simple pair of short shorts and a tank top. But he liked them.
He had just started thinking that maybe he should call her in the mornings more often when he realized she was speaking to him.
"Did I wake you?"
He looked at her face for the first time and said blankly, "No."
She gave him a doubtful look. Then her eyes moved from side to side to look behind him. She leaned closer to the comm and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry…do you have company?"
It took a moment for him to understand her question. Company? I just woke up. Then it dawned on him, Oh, company. He stumbled "Uh…no…no." He gave her a faint smile.
They went on to talk about what they had done the night before. He had told about the visit with his friend. She told him about her trip to the archives.
"Archives? You mean Master Dorak let you back in there?"
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but with limited access. I swear that man is only going to give me one datafile at a time just to torture me. I can't wait until Master Kreia gets back."
"Maybe if you took on a Padawan –"
She interrupted, "I'm not taking on a Padawan. Besides, I don't see you jumping to get one."
He laughed. Both knew there was plenty of time for that and neither wanted the aggravation. After all, they were still quite young and enjoying life as Knights. Once they took a Padawan, they would have constant companionship…a little too much for ones glad to be free of their own Masters.
As they continued to talk, Revan couldn't help but admire what she had never seen before – Jek had his hair down. She had often times found herself wondering what it would look like down. She'd thought he was handsome before, but like this… They would definitely have to speak more often in the mornings.
Jek had noticed a shift in Trae's attention towards Revan sometime around the Annual Senatorial Ball. Jek wasn't sure what made him notice…a stolen look, the occasional innuendo. It may have been the time he saw her blush when she was dancing to a slower song with Trae.
Revan was quite a bit different than other female Jedi. In fact, she was quite a bit different from the male ones as well. Revan was one that broke the rules on a regular basis. But the one rule Jek felt she remained true to was that of no emotional attachments. From what he understood, she had learned that lesson a long time ago when her first Master was expelled from the Order for bearing a child…an obvious attachment.
So when the Senator asked Jek to explain the Jedi Code to him, Jek felt it was important to stress that particular rule. Trae had asked many questions. But in the end, Jek felt sure the Senator understood the limitations.
Unfortunately, or maybe not, the Senator understood the rules too well. The important part to him was that Jedi were not required to remain celibate. And just as the mere thought of Revan and Malak together in such ways on Dantooine had made Jek's stomach turn…so did the thought of Revan and Trae.
As the war continued along the Outer Rim, more and more Jedi became curious about what it would mean for them. So far, the Council had agreed the Republic would be able to handle the situation and saw no benefit in getting involved. Revan had been spending an increased amount of time with the Fleet and had expressed her deepest concerns with her oldest friend.
Therefore, Malak had started to travel to Coruscant on a regular basis. On one such visit, they were sitting on the floor next to the table in front of her couch and had had some food delivered. Revan's dining table was usually covered with datapads and several other odd items, so they had to use the smaller table for their dinner.
Her quarters were sparsely decorated. She had little in material possessions save for a few artifacts she had picked up from various places. The only thing she really had on display was her extensive crystal collection. There were also a few swords standing in the corner. Malak had decided he was going to use this visit to find a better spot for the weapons. He hated seeing them neglected in the corner where they could become warped. He usually found himself doing something to make her quarters more presentable when he visited.
After finishing his food, he leaned back against the couch. He had been wondering about the Senator she had been talking about. Malak and Revan were firm believers in the rule of no attachments. Where he felt he walked a fine line every once in a while, she did not. However, since he was around her so little these days, he thought it best to make sure.
He started, "Tell me about this Senator."
She smiled slightly as she thought of the other man. "Trae's not so bad."
Malak shifted his position so he was facing her. "Is he still pursuing you?"
"He is, but not the same as he was before," she said.
He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
She shrugged. "I don't know. I guess one night he and Jek sat down and had a long talk about the Code. Ever since, his direction has changed a bit."
For the first time in his life, Malak found himself somewhat thankful for Jek. He waited for her to explain.
"He understands there's not a chance for any kind of relationship…emotional, that is," she clarified.
Malak laughed. "So now he's just trying to get into your robes?"
She laughed with him. "Pretty much."
"Any success?" His eyes danced in amusement.
"No."
"Why?" he asked.
She straightened her legs and stretched her back. "You know why, Mal. I'm a Jedi. He's a Senator. There's no chance for discretion. Frankly, I don't think it's worth it."
"What's not worth it?"
She scoffed, "The sex. To have us show up on the latest holo gossip shows…" She shuddered just thinking about it.
Malak shook his head. "I'm sure he would be discreet."
She nodded knowingly. "Yeah, that's what they all say."
He was pleased she was still on track. They both supported each other to be the best Jedi they could be. Though he had several indiscretions of his own, he felt she was above that. By being that way, she helped him to maintain his objectiveness. He couldn't deny that there was a strong emotional tie between the two of them. But he always trusted they would both know to do the right thing if it really came down to it.
He also knew that deep down he wouldn't be able to walk away from his affairs so easily if it weren't for her. She had provided for him what he needed in order not to pursue the next step in any relationship. Nobody else could give him what a lifetime of unwavering friendship had.
The war with the Mandalorians continued with frequent battles along the Outer Rim. The negotiations with the Allied Tion sector had sped up and they were close to finalizing the agreement that would clear the order for their first ship. The manufacturer was prepared to begin construction of the first vessel immediately.
Revan and Jek were to meet with Trae to go over a few matters. However, upon leaving the Temple, they were unable to procure one of the Jedi speeders. They both agreed they would have to take the public transportation instead. But when they arrived at the departure zone, they realized they hadn't thought of how crowded it would be.
Revan said, "Let's just wait until the next one."
Jek disagreed, "If we wait for another, we'll be late."
"So?"
He frowned in disapproval. "Yes, of course, that doesn't seem to ever bother you, does it?"
She smiled at him, but finally agreed that they would take the first transport to the Senate offices.
The herd of people crowded onto the transport and most were forced to stand. There were hooks on the ceiling that Jek could hold onto. However, Revan was too short to reach them. They stood facing each other and tried to take up as little room as possible.
The vessel was probably over-loaded, for when it started up, it lurched forward and sent Revan falling towards the man behind her. Jek was quick to grab her and pulled her to him. She wrapped an arm around his waist for better support.
Every stop along the way caused a shifting in their bodies which were already too close. Jek became very aware of certain parts of him becoming more affected than they should be by the close contact. He closed his eyes and tried to will his body to behave. The last thing he wanted was for something to wake up with her that close to him. It was okay in his dreams…not in real life.
The vessel lurched again. Revan looked up at him and said, "One of the stabilizers must be acting up."
He tried not to look at her and barely acknowledged what she was saying.
She gave him a questioning look. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head quickly. "Nothing."
Another lurch…which meant more movement. He pleaded, "Can you try not to move, please?"
He sensed her confusion. He knew it was a strange request - how could she not move on the malfunctioning transport? Regardless, she did try to shift her position so she would have better stability. The only way she could was to hold on tighter to him…or the guy next to her. From the smell of the other guy, Jek understood her choice.
Whereas thinking about the smelly guy next to her was helping his situation, her movement was not. He said hoarsely, "Please stop."
He sensed her perform a slight probe of him through the Force. He prayed she would not discover the problem. He was relieved when he felt her Force sense slowly retreat.
The next time the vessel moved, he couldn't contain his gasp when the friction increased. Jek tried with everything he had, but he couldn't stop nature. He was completely mortified that his body betrayed him in such a manner…especially with his present company.
Just as he was trying to remember the first part of the Code he knew so well, he sensed her amusement. He risked a glance down at her. He sincerely hoped she had seen something funny elsewhere…anywhere.
The vessel shifted again and that's when he caught it. He couldn't believe the mischievous look he saw as she purposely brushed her hip against his groin. He was in shock. She was having fun with this. If he wasn't blushing before, he was now.
He tried to withstand a couple more movements. He knew his only options were to either let her continue or to call her out on it to make her stop. They were about to go into a meeting, so his best bet was to make her stop. He didn't know how it had ever come to this. He chastised himself for letting her get to him like that. But at the same time, the thrill of her doing what she was doing was hard to ignore.
He bent his head down and brushed his lips along her ear when he said, "You're playing a dangerous game."
Her smile grew as he felt her shudder. She lifted her chin to say coyly, "Oh, I'm sorry…I thought that was your lightsaber."
He hung his head next to hers to hide his embarrassment from the rest of the travelers. He could do nothing but laugh.
She laughed with him.
They finally reached their destination and Jek was sure to walk behind her. Once inside the office building, he told her he needed to recollect himself before going in to meet Trae. The last thing he wanted was to walk into Trae's office, of all people, in his current condition. He needed a little more time for his body to calm down. Next time he would definitely choose to be late.
Revan was completely amused by the entire exchange and went ahead without him. While on the lift, she couldn't help but to think about the faltering of the seemingly infallible Jedi. She had never imagined she could affect him that way. She laughed to herself as she recalled the spike of desire that had shot through her at the realization of his dilemma. She wouldn't be who she was if she didn't push things a little further. She knew she was playing with fire, but the opportunity was hard to resist. She didn't deny that any woman could have had the same effect on him. But she was secretly pleased it had been her.
When the lift arrived at her destination, she proceeded down the long corridor to Trae's office. He greeted her at his door and asked, "Where's Jek?"
She brushed past him and said, "Something unexpected…came up." She tried hard to suppress the enormous smile that threatened to emerge. "He'll be here soon."
When Jek did arrive, he didn't look at Revan once. She tried not to look at him. Every once in a while she would drop her shields slightly to let out a small tease for him to detect. She succeeded in making him blush at least two more times.
Once again, Revan was working with some of the officers at Fleet Headquarters. She had learned a great deal about strategy and troop movements since she had been assigned there. They had recently granted her permission to the Naval archives and she had spent many late nights gaining what knowledge she could. She found it amusing how much easier it was to get information from them than the Jedi.
However, she wouldn't be able to study the files tonight because of the plans she had made with Jek and Trae. The men had already gone to Trae's favorite upper city night club and were waiting for her there.
When Revan arrived, she found the table Trae sat at…alone.
She felt the Senator's admiring eyes upon her as she slid into the booth. Once situated, she asked, "Where's Jek?"
Trae nodded in the direction of the bar.
Revan turned her head to see Jek sitting next to a rather striking woman. It appeared she had come with friends, but they were in their own conversation at a table next to the bar. The blonde woman definitely had Jek's full attention.
Revan diverted her gaze to the serving droid that arrived at her table. She and Trae placed their orders. She glanced at Trae and noticed the sly smile on his face. She could only guess what she was in for. The Senator had become quite relentless in his pursuit of her…something she was not the least bit used to. Jedi weren't nearly as forward…well…except for Malak. During the day, Trae was relatively professional, but nights like these, he rarely held back.
She glanced back over at Jek and his companion and wondered if he would join them tonight. She was completely caught off guard when she saw the absolutely gorgeous smile upon his already handsome face. That smile…why have I never noticed it before? Have I ever seen it before? She found herself slightly disturbed that she hadn't.
The droid returned with their drinks and she turned her attention back to the Senator. He still held the sly smile and all she could do was smile back. She always found times alone with Trae to be quite amusing.
Unfortunately for Trae, his efforts of gauging Revan's reactions to seeing Jek with the other woman failed. He'd found the Jedi were particularly difficult to read...a trait he'd thought to be extremely annoying. He had wondered if there was anything more to Revan and Jek's friendship. They seemed to spend enough time together and sometimes acted oddly around him. He recalled just recently when Jek came in late to one of their meetings and seemed quite embarrassed every time Revan looked at him. The fact that Jek had made all facets of the Jedi Code so clear to Trae also did not go unnoticed.
Nonetheless, Trae began his usual attempt to woo Revan. The only other times he had opportunities like these were when they danced. He loved to tease her with whispers of promises as they swayed to the slower music. Alas, as soon as they returned to the table, he lost most of her attention to the other Jedi.
He began to tell her details about his homeworld. She and Jek would visit shortly and he had already begun to think of ways to be alone with her.
He was in the process of telling her about his estate on Lianna when she gasped and hurried out of her seat. The Senator looked up in time to see her jump into the arms of a very tall man with a hairless head adorned with tattoos. Judging by the red robes he wore, Trae gathered he was a Jedi.
When the tall man set Revan down she punched him in the gut. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming."
He smiled while he rubbed the soreness in his side. "I'm amazed I was able to do it without you knowing. It was harder the closer I got to you. The bond makes it a lot more difficult."
She nodded knowingly. "Tell me about it."
The man looked down at the table to see the Senator. Revan seemed to remember her companion and introduced them. "Malak, this is Senator Trae Storm. Trae, this is Malak."
Trae stood and held out his hand. Although he was disappointed with the interruption, he was glad to finally meet the infamous friend of Revan's. "It's nice to meet you, Malak. I've heard a lot about you."
Malak accepted his hand. "Likewise, Senator. I hope Revan hasn't been getting you into too much trouble."
Trae smiled. "Not enough, actually."
Malak chuckled and in a knowing tone, said, "Be careful what you wish for."
Revan rolled her eyes. "I'll be back." She ran off towards the bar.
The two men sat down. Trae was thrilled. He had worried about Revan's relationship with Malak as well. Now that he had actually seen the man and how horribly incompatible they were, he felt much better.
Malak looked around the cantina. "Doesn't Jek usually come out with the two of you?"
Trae smirked. "Jek found another companion for the evening." He nodded in the direction of the other Jedi.
Malak turned to see where Jek was seated with the well-endowed woman. Malak's expression grew into a sly smile. "Good for him."
Revan returned with four shots and set them in front of Malak. "Let me in."
Malak looked at the shots. "I'm not drinking those."
She insisted, "Yes you are. You have to catch up."
He looked at her in disbelief. "With four shots, Revan?"
She pushed on his arm so she could sit. "Let me in."
He frowned as he looked at the shots. He reached over and picked her up by the waist to set her down in the booth between himself and Trae.
Revan grinned wickedly as she nudged Trae. "He's a big guy, so it takes a lot."
Trae watched in amazement as Malak threw back each shot one right after the other. After he did, the Jedi rested his elbow on the table and closed his eyes as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
Trae almost felt sorry for him. Revan had only had one drink so far. Trae found it humorous she was able to get Malak to drink four.
The three sat and talked about the war, among other things, for a short while. Revan seemed to be in good spirits and Malak was very nice. However, Trae quickly realized he was definitely the odd man out when it came to this pair.
Trae was surprised when Revan suggested they all dance. He hadn't guessed Malak would be much of a dancer. It turned out he wasn't all that bad.
Malak really didn't mind dancing with Revan and her new friend, Trae. He knew of the other man's intentions for her and couldn't help but to be protective of her. After careful study, he had determined the Senator had no hopes for any sort of commitment from her. However, Malak wasn't even sure the Senator was worthy of what he desired from her.
Revan seemed to be having a good time. Though she tried to hide it, he knew the skirmishes in the Outer Rim had bothered her more than she admitted. She didn't feel the Republic was accomplishing anything with their efforts – and she grew increasingly frustrated with the Jedi's passive stance.
Malak was glad she had nights such as these to take her mind away from it. She had a tendency to overextend herself. He watched her as she was lost in the fast beat of the music. He reached out to her across their bond to get a better feel for the rhythm that she always understood better than he could. He never dared to dance without her.
Through that bond, he felt a slight tickle that was intended for her. She slowed her movements and glanced around for the source.
Malak slowed with her and they spotted Jek on the edge of the floor with the beautiful blonde he had been sitting with. Malak had recognized her earlier as Lady Tolana. He might not have liked Jek, but Malak could truly appreciate the success in that quest. Jek pointed towards the door, waved goodbye, and escorted the woman through the crowd.
He had just begun to smile about this new regard he had for his long-time rival when he felt the surge of shock and emotion coming from his dear friend. His gaze shot to her motionless form amidst the other dancers as she stared after Jek. Her mind seemed a whirlwind of confused thoughts and slight… He felt immediately assaulted by the force of her shields slamming into place before he had a chance to decipher her feelings.
She seemed to avoid his look that had turned into a glare and continued to dance. He carefully shielded his disapproval, knowing it would be highly unwelcome. Now certainly wasn't the time.
Malak glanced at the Senator briefly. He was always sure that Revan would turn down Trae's advances like she had the others before him. However, Revan had been spending a lot of time with Jek…and after what he had just witnessed…Malak felt she could use a distraction. Maybe Trae was the distraction she needed. Anything was better than…he shivered.
Jek had every intention of spending the night with Tolana. They had met before and he'd always found the woman attractive. So when he saw her at the cantina, he didn't pass up the opportunity to speak with her. She was very charming and he found he enjoyed her company.
One thing led to another and he ended up standing outside of her lavish apartment. His standing there was merely a formality. Both had every intention of him going inside. Yet when he bent down to kiss her, he was surprised by the lack of desire he felt. He kissed her a few more times to be sure, but the feeling remained the same - he could feel her desire, but not his. The whole exchange just didn't feel…right.
He was at odds over what to do. He knew then that he couldn't stay. He was rather embarrassed by the situation and was certain Tolana would be quite confused over his actions. He decided it best to play the gentleman act. He held her hand in his and placed a gentle kiss upon it. "Thank you for your company this evening, but I must go."
Tolana blinked. She stood still for a moment. Despite her obvious confusion, she nodded and turned slowly to step inside her apartment.
Jek had decided he was, in fact, proud of himself. Although he had just made a bastard move with a seemingly irresistible woman, he still felt good about it. Maybe he was becoming a better Jedi after all. Of course, he realized he would only accomplish that by staying out of tight places with Revan.
After leaving Tolana's apartment, Jek had decided to go to the Senate offices to work on the upcoming trade agreement. He had just finished gathering information from the archives and made his way to the lift.
He was surprised to find Trae already on the lift. The Senator seemed even more surprised. The Jedi smiled inwardly, knowing what Trae had expected…what he himself expected. He invited the Senator to the Jedi offices for some caf.
Jek sat quietly at the table and waited for Trae to say something. The Senator seemed troubled and Jek tried not to think of what could have transpired between Trae and Revan since he had left them.
The Senator finally spoke, "I didn't realize they were that…close."
Jek had caught a glimpse of Malak before leaving the cantina. It didn't make his decision to leave any more difficult. He began to say, "Since childhoo-."
Trae interrupted, "Yeah, yeah, yeah…I heard all about it."
Jek contained his grin. He had tried to discourage Trae's advances, but to no avail. Maybe Malak had more success.
Trae went on to say how Malak seemed quite protective of Revan. He felt as if he were being scrutinized for the better part of the evening. Jek laughed when the Senator said he hadn't felt like that since he was a teenager.
Jek thought to himself that it was perhaps the only time he had ever been glad for Malak's arrival.
Revan woke up on the couch the next morning. Whenever Malak visited, she let him have the bed since he was too tall to sleep on the couch. When they were younger, they used to share a bed all the time. However, that had ended sometime in their late teens. Revan had woken to Malak dry-humping her while he murmured "Eilan" in her ear. She'd been completely grossed out and refused to ever share a bed with him again. Not to mention, she was never able to look at Eilan in the same way after that.
Malak came into the room and she lifted her legs so he could sit. She set them back down on his lap. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. She could tell he was using the Force to clear away the haze of his hangover.
When he had finished he looked her way. She knew what was coming. Her shields had faltered last night and he had felt her reaction when Jek left with the other woman. Malak didn't let things like that go by very easily. However, she hadn't had time to think about her reactions the night before. She sure wasn't going to discuss anything with Malak until she had it figured out herself.
"So the trade agreement is almost complete?" he asked.
She simply said, "Yes."
The two of them had already talked about his plans for the immediate future. He would finally leave Dantooine. There had been an attempt on the life of a judge on Manaan. The Selkath had attempted an investigation, but had yet to find any suspects. They'd had many leads, but nothing that amounted to anything. In an attempt to strengthen their ties with the Selkath, the Republic had asked the Jedi for assistance in the investigation.
It would be the first long term mission Malak would be on without either Revan or a Master. Instead, he was assigned to a Knight who had just recently completed her trials. He had expressed concern about whether or not she would be able to keep up.
He had requested that Revan accompany him on the mission. However, she informed him the agreement wouldn't be done in time for her to go with him. He asked, "What will you do at the end of the assignment?"
She said, "I'll stay with the Fleet if the Council allows it. Even if they don't, I'll be sure to keep up with what's going on."
He nodded with a smirk that said he knew all too well how persistent she could be. His words were tight when he asked, "Will Jek stay with the Senate?"
"Yes."
Malak's disapproval the night before rang clear. He might have had his shields in place, but she didn't have to feel what he was feeling to know what he was thinking. If he thought he was getting any information from her, he was sadly mistaken.
He appeared to acknowledge her stubborn mood and moved on to a different topic. It wasn't one she really wanted to talk about, but she had to give him something.
"You and the Senator seem to be getting closer," he commented.
She shrugged. "We've gotten to know each other quite a bit over the past months."
"He hasn't given up, I see."
"No, he's quite persistent."
"I don't understand you, Rev. If I were in your place and had some hot Senator after me…and all she wanted to do was frack?" The heavenly look on his face was enough to show her he wouldn't hesitate.
"Don't tell me you've been away from Coruscant for so long that you don't remember what it's like? The Council looks the other way when there are little encounters here and there. But for something to show up on the holonet? I might as well get pregnant while I'm at it. Then they can send me out there with Master Kae."
Malak shook his head. "Do you really think they care that much over who each Senator sleeps with?" His mouth formed a tight line. "That's way too much to keep up with. Besides, you don't think Jek hasn't knocked boots with Senator S'nau?"
She knew he was trying to get a reaction from her, but she wasn't giving him any. He pushed on. "Hell, he was with Lady Tolana last night."
She flashed him a warning look that told him he was pushing his limits. Though it didn't escape her notice that Malak knew the identity of the woman. He stated, "You just don't know what you're missing."
She informed him in a flat tone, "I have had sex before, Malak."
He shook his head and waved his finger in front of her. "That time does not count. That guy didn't even know what he was doing. That little thing he did…that is not normal. Nobody does that."
She smirked. "Oh, so you think the Senator's the one to show me how it's really done?"
He huffed, "Well, I'm not doing it."
She couldn't help but laugh as he stood up to go to the fresher.
She wasn't sure how Malak was always able to stay so objective in his encounters. Revan chose to avoid anything that could remotely lead to an emotional attachment. And although she agreed her first choice hadn't been the best one, she didn't believe that to be the reason for her dissatisfaction.
It wasn't that she didn't find Trae attractive. He was fun to be around. He wasn't asking for a commitment – that, she was sure of. Truthfully, she had always been glad to have Jek around to keep her from doing anything stupid.
She thought briefly of Jek. She had suspected he'd had encounters with women before. However, she was certain he hadn't since she'd known him…well…maybe not so certain. Any other morning, she would have commed him by now. She was somewhat thankful to have Malak's presence as an excuse not to call. Frankly, she wouldn't know what to say if she did.
Her thoughts were interrupted when Malak returned to the room. She smiled as she thought that's twice he'd saved her in the past twelve hours.
Once Malak left Coruscant, Revan and Jek's regular practice routine picked up again. She was becoming increasingly frustrated with his performance during their duels. She knew he could do better, but he kept holding back.
It was three days into their renewed sparring sessions and Revan continued to challenge Jek as much as he would let her.
She advanced with a series of quick strikes that he deflected, but lost ground doing so. Don't back up, strike back! She shouted to him in her head. He couldn't hear her, but it wasn't anything she hadn't said before.
She pounded at him relentlessly while he continued his defensive parries. Quicker Jek, you should have seen that more quickly. She continued, getting more and more irritated. She felt the pressure build in her chest and didn't recognize it as anger.
She wanted him to know how good he could be. She wanted him to know that he could beat her if he really believed he could. He had practiced so hard ever since that fateful day when he defeated Malak. Through their time together she had learned he always felt his win was undeserved. So he chose that skill outside of his normal training to focus on. She wanted desperately to prove to him that he really was an excellent fighter.
Over and over she had tried to bring it out of him and he still held back. What do I have to do to show you? She held his saber at bay with her own while she jumped up and kicked him in the chest, thrusting him away from her.
She paced in front of him with her blade still lit. "I'm going to make you fight me, Jek."
She could see he was trying to catch his breath as he said, "Trust me, you're already succeeding at that."
She continued to pace. "You can do better."
He closed his eyes and sighed. "Revan, will you give it up?"
"No."
She attacked again and he barely got his blade up to stop the assault.
She swiped at his legs and he leapt out of the way. She followed quickly. She could tell she was beginning to get to him. She needed to push him to his limits. He had begun to respond. He sent a Force push her way that she deflected with her own abilities. She smiled. "There you go, Jek. Use what you have. Think about it, don't just act. Gain every advantage you can."
He growled and struck back at her to attack. She dodged the assault but continued defensively to wage how much he was willing to put forth. More of that, Jek. You're almost there.
She knew he wouldn't be satisfied with a win if he felt she had held back. She brought herself back up to the challenge and returned his attack. They continued to slash and parry for several minutes. Keep it up, Jek. She dared not say anything out loud. There was no way she was going to distract him when he was this close.
She slashed at his lower right and swiftly came around to his left. He followed her through, but when she quickly readjusted and thrust at his upper right, he faltered.
She stepped back and looked upon him sternly. You almost had it. He seemed to shift uncomfortably under her gaze. She decided on another approach.
She deactivated her lightsaber and tossed it onto her bag. She felt a wave of relief coming from him. However, it disintegrated when she called two practice sticks to her hands. His eyes grew wide at the sight of the weapons and she couldn't help the small smirk that appeared on her face.
She held one stick out for him to take. Maybe a few cracks to the ribs will make you respond.
He clenched his jaw and shook his head. "Oh no. I'm not going to let you beat the hell out of me with a stick, Revan." His voice started to rise.
She continued to hold it out for him.
He took the offered stick from her and threw it aside. It bounced off of the wall and clattered to the ground. Her irritation grew. He asked, "What's wrong with you? And don't tell me I'm not fighting up to my potential again."
"Well you're not," she said matter-of-factly.
He shook his head. "This isn't about that. You've been acting like this for a couple of days now. There's something else. And I want to know what it is."
She refused to respond.
He continued, but a little more softly. "It's not just the duels, Revan. You've hardly spoken to me in a week. At first, I thought it was because of Malak. But he's been gone for three days now."
Suddenly uncomfortable with his questioning, she shifted slightly,
He went on, "We used to talk every day…every morning."
She was surprised to see him so bold with her. She wondered briefly why this spirit couldn't come out when they were dueling. But the point of the matter was that he was right.
She wasn't upset with Jek…she was upset with herself. The reaction she'd had the night Jek left with Lady Tolana caught her completely off guard. She wasn't supposed to feel that way. It was Jek, a Jedi, a man, a human, hell, a sentient being…Force, she wasn't supposed to feel like that.
Her gaze dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry." She shrugged helplessly with nothing else to say.
He just stared at her expectantly. "What's wrong Revan?"
There was no way to explain it. He was a Jedi, so she really couldn't lie to him. But she couldn't tell him the truth either.
"It's…it's something that I need to deal with…on my own." And she would…she would. She felt confident that if she tried hard enough, she would make it go away.
Compassion filled his eyes. He sighed resignedly. "Will you let me know if there's anything I can do to help?"
She thought about it a moment and then smiled faintly. "Probably not."
He looked slightly affronted with that answer. But it certainly wasn't anything he could help her with.
She looked down at the weapon still in her hand. Doubting he would continue to duel, she called the other one to her and walked them back over to the rack. She packed her things and hauled the bag over her shoulder. "I have to go."
And she left.
Jek stood there staring in the direction she had gone. She wasn't normally quite so fierce in their duels. He had been sure she would run him through if he hadn't stopped her. It was the part of Revan he had come to know as the only one that could put Malak in his place…that could put anyone in their place.
Although he wanted to be able to help her, he had realized long ago there were limitations to their friendship. While he had never defined them before, it was clear they existed. He had no right to push her…though he wanted to badly.
He tried to think of different possibilities. Is it Trae, the Council, the war, Malak? He paused a moment as a bit of sadness came over him. Could it be me? He couldn't understand his desperation to know what was going on with her. One part of him pushed him to find out while the other held him back in caution. He just needed to figure out which part was the Force and which part was his heart.
It was two weeks later and the trade agreement for Lianna was almost finished. The finalities were to be completed on the planet itself. Trae had already gone in order to make the necessary preparations. Revan and Jek's involvement, at this point, was merely a formality…although a required one.
It was the day they were to leave when Jek woke up with a very uneasy feeling in his stomach. When he tried to get up, he was overcome with dizziness and was forced to lie back down.
After a visit from one of the healers, it was determined Jek had come down with hesken fever. The healer insisted Jek stay in bed and had refused to grant him permission to leave the Temple for three standard days.
Once the healer had gone, Jek made his way to the comm in his quarters to break the news to Revan. She would have to go without him since there was no time to delay the signing of the agreement.
When she answered, he noted he wasn't so sick he couldn't admire her choice of pajamas. Ah, the green ones. It had come to be a secret pleasure of his. He had found it was something he had missed during the time she wasn't really speaking to him.
Her first words were, "You look like hell."
He grunted, "I feel like it too."
She asked cautiously, "What's wrong?"
He rested his elbow on the table to steady his head. "Some sort of virus."
Jek couldn't read her expression, but she took a moment to say, "And?"
He sighed, "And I can't go."
Her eyes widened in surprising alarm and she immediately ended the call. Jek's mind was a little foggy, which made him even more confused at her reaction. He didn't have too much time to think about it because two minutes later, she was at his door.
He groaned when he heard the door chime and detected her presence on the other side. He used the Force to open the door from where he still sat at his comm station. She wasn't happy, but she had managed to hastily throw on a set of Jedi robes.
He half-heartily said, "Revan, you shouldn't be in here. The healer said it's contagious. The last thing you want is to get this on your way to the Outer Rim."
She ignored his warning. "What do you mean you 'can't go'?"
He slumped his shoulders and closed his eyes. "I'm sorry, you'll have to go without me. It was never required we both be there."
He was confused by the agitation he could detect in her. She was usually good about shielding her feelings, but she seemed too distracted to do so now. He was getting a headache trying to decipher it. He really just wanted her to leave so he could go back to bed.
He looked up at her questioningly. "What's wrong?"
She started to pace, which he had a hard time watching. She stopped in front of him and practically pleaded, "Jek, you have to go. I can't go by myself."
He was so confused he was becoming nauseous. "What are you talking about? You are more than capable of doing this. You don't need me. Since when do you need anybody?"
She started to chew on her lip as she paced again. "It's not about my abilities, Jek."
He gave up and just hoped she would explain it.
She seemed to hesitate. She stopped pacing in front of the dining table and stared at the ground. She quietly said, "It's Trae."
Trae? What about Tr-… In his current state, he hadn't had time to think of what all of this really meant. Trae was finally going to be alone with Revan…without Jek. He felt his nausea increase…and his heart sank.
They were silent for a couple of minutes. All he could think of to say was, "I'm sorry, Revan."
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's okay. Is there anything I can get you?"
He stared at the floor, dejected. "No."
She walked to the door and before leaving said, "I hope you feel better."
His delayed, "Thanks," didn't come out before the door slid shut and she was gone. He couldn't believe he could feel worse than he did ten minutes prior. He had the impression the feeling wouldn't be any better after the virus had passed.
Revan leaned up against the wall outside of Jek's apartment. She always prided herself on being prepared for anything. This, however, she had not seen coming.
Trae had flirted with her on a regular basis. Of course she flirted back. Why not? It was fun. She never thought it would amount to anything. And if it did…well, maybe Malak was right. Who knows?
Malak had certainly encouraged her to get to know the Senator better. Then there was Jek…a different story all together.
She had sensed Jek's deep regret that she was going alone. However, this was about her and Trae, not Jek. She and Jek were Jedi – they had boundaries. It was something they probably both needed reminding of…something she'd already reminded herself of on more than one occasion.
She took a deep breath and tried to center herself. She had a feeling she would be doing a lot of meditating on the way to Lianna. When she walked off that ship, it would be as a Jedi…whether Trae liked it or not.