As, 'twixt two equal Armies, Fate
Suspends uncertaine victorie

-"The Extasie," John Donne

Twenty-Six Years After the Battle of Endor
CSG: Commander Starfighter Group. Under any ordinary circumstances, Anakin Solo would barely be able to contain his excitement about his temporary title. These were not ordinary circumstances. Right now, the only thing he really cared about was getting the Imperials away from Kashyyk.

Which was, of course, very difficult to do in hyperspace.

Anakin generally spent the bulk of his time in hyperspace reviewing the mission parameters and doing whatever he could to prepare himself mentally for the engagement. Unfortunately, the concentration he needed for this task eluded him; he was far too agitated.

It was probably just as well. Anakin and the others would have to jump right into the thick of a battle already begun. Without knowing how the battle was going, there was really no way to plan, prepare. He would have to assess the situation once he was out of hyperspace. With this in mind, Anakin had made the decision to have his squadrons make the jump to lightspeed on their own rather than launching once they arrived. It was a minor inconvenience for the pilots, but the tactical advantage was well worth it.

A beeping sound caught Anakin's attention. Thirty seconds to realspace. Finally. As much as possible in the cramped cockpit, Anakin stretched out the muscles in his arms and legs that he would shortly be relying on. This was standard procedure for him before any battle, but there was extra tension before this particular one. As the timer slowly ticked down, he gripped his control stick firmly but comfortably.

The fathomless tunnel of hyperspace faded back into a starfield, and Anakin felt a jolt of acceleration as his sublight engines kicked in. "Rogue Leader here," Anakin called into his comm. "All squadrons, report in."

As the other squadrons were reporting their status, Anakin took a moment to assess the situation. General Solo's task force had the Imperials outnumbered, but the Imperials had larger ships – three ISDs – leaving him badly outgunned. The reinforcements Anakin was arriving with would bring the momentum of battle into the Alliance's favor. They could only hope it would be enough. Admiral Antilles was at least a day's travel behind. So, it would be up to the two Alliance task forces to stop the Imperial assault on Kashyyk, and secure the planet until reinforcements arrived. Alliance Intelligence had Imperial reinforcements about a day's travel away as well. There was no way to predict which set of reinforcements would arrive first.

"This is where the fun begins," Anakin muttered to himself.

I will never understand your family's definition of "fun." Master Skywalker's definition was much more sane.

Anakin grinned, knowing he must look a splitting image of his father. "Come on, Artoo. You can't tell me you don't live for this."

Technically, I don't live. Which is fortunate, given the odds of our surviving this engagement.

"You're beginning to sound like Threepio."

Never. If it were possible, the text display seemed indignant.

By then, all forces had reported their readiness to enter the battle. The additional ships entering the battle were not insignificant. Rogue was a converted Victory Star Destroyer, and brought with it all three squadrons under Anakin's command.

"Attention all Alliance fighters, this is Rogue Leader. I'm assuming command of all Alliance Starfighter Command units. Until otherwise instructed, proceed with your most recent orders."

One Star Destroyer and several fighters turned to face the new arrivals as they neared extreme weapon range. Several squadrons of Imperial fighters broke off from the main engagement to intercept, but would not reach them before they got at least one clean shot at the capital ships. Anakin would risk staying in formation to get a clean shot at the Star Destroyer. "Rogues, Bravos, Greens, torpedoes free, prepare to fire on my command."

Within moments, they reached extreme weapons range. Anakin waited a few extra seconds to give them a better shot at their target. As the Star Destroyer's turbolasers began to open fire, Anakin ordered, "Fire!"

All three squadrons released a salvo of torpedoes at the Star Destroyer, which couldn't possibly maneuver out of their way.

Of course, those turbolasers weren't looking too healthy for Anakin's fighters. "Break formation! Evasive!"

Anakin felt his blood go cold as two fighters exploded despite their maneuvers. By then, Imperial fighters had almost reached them. "All fighters, engage at will."

And then the confusion of battle made it impossible to focus on anything but not dying.

Fallen

General Han Solo; Supreme Allied Commander, Army (male human from Corellia)
Chewbacca; Kashyyk resistance leader (male Wookie from Kashyyk)
Commander Anakin Solo; Rogue Leader (male human from Hapes)
Captain Jaina Solo; pilot, Millennium Falcon (female human from Hapes)
Doctor Jacen Solo; chief medical officer, Defender (male human from Hapes)
Commander Jagged Fel; commander, Devastator (male human from Corellia)

"Uncertain Victory"

Commander Jagged Fel was somewhat out of his element. He was much more comfortable in a fighter cockpit than the bridge of an Imperial Star Destroyer. The reason he found himself here was his superiors' confidence in his tactical judgment.

Many Imperial commanders were intelligent enough to know when they were beaten. Jag would have preferred to assume that all Imperial commanders were intelligent enough to know when they were beaten, but experience had repeatedly refuted this notion. Jag not only knew he was beaten, he had the wherewithal to minimize defeat as much as possible rather than engaging in an exercise of pride.

So, without the hesitation many other commanders may have experienced, he calmly ordered, "Begin an orderly retreat. Recall our fighters, and take us out of orbit to an observation position."

"Commander Fel, what about the Imperious?"

Jag sighed. He supposed he should be relieved that the officer had even thought of the other ship, but he would have preferred the young officer's initiative to be augmented by a grasp of the situation. "Imperious is lost. They may surrender or be destroyed at their captain's pleasure."

"And if the Rebels pursue?"

Now Jag was actually annoyed at the officer's ignorance. "They'll consider the withdrawal of a Star Destroyer from the field to be a blessing, and take the opportunity to consolidate their position and begin ground operations on Kashyyk." Relief operations, Jag added to himself. One of the advantages of being the aggressor in a conflict such as this was you had fewer things to worry about than your opponent.

Jag had no problem giving the Rebels a chance to give relief on the ground. Perhaps they would even help civilians – though, he had to assume that would be accidental on the Rebel terrorists' part, it was known to happen in the past. Meanwhile, Jag would have time to effect repairs and likely would have a fully operational Imperial Star Destroyer and its complement of fighters already entrenched in the system when reinforcements arrived. And by staying in sensor range, he would be able to give the Admiral a full report on the situation.

Minimal loss. Jag still wanted to be back in the cockpit, but he knew he had been given this assignment for a good reason.

General Han Solo sighed with relief as he saw the last ISD leave the field. He was puzzled, however, to see it not enter hyperspace.

"Do we pursue?"

Solo considered that for a moment, but finally shook his head decisively. "No. Take us into orbit."

The operations officer paused just long enough to express his doubt, then answered crisply, "Yes, sir."

A younger Han Solo might have snapped at the officer or at least said something biting. The older, battle-hardened version simply sighed. The tension these naval officers had serving under an Army officer was understandable to a point, but this was not exactly the Imperial Navy. They needed to get over it. Blind obedience to proper form without consideration of the circumstances was not something the Alliance could afford.

As they made orbit, Han stood from his command chair. "Begin preparations for relief operations." He nodded to his XO before leaving the command deck. "You have the bridge."

Jaina smiled as she brought the Millennium Falcon to a smooth landing on the Eldest's hanger deck. Her father's old ship berthed on his new ship. It seemed right somehow. Of course, the Corellian Star Defender was "his" ship in a much different way than the Falcon had been.

After completing her post-flight checkout, Jaina gladly turned the freighter over to Alliance mechanics after giving them a few quick instructions. She wasn't sure how she knew exactly what was wrong with the ship… she supposed, ruefully, that she "had a feeling," as Anakin would say.

Jaina reached her brother's fighter in time to see him climb down the latter. That was interesting. No heroic pose, no wide grin of excitement after his first successful engagement as a group commander. Jaina decided that he was probably just exhausted from the battle. It was probably best to just let him be.

"Hey," Jaina greeted pleasantly. "That was some fancy flying out there."

Anakin straightened as soon as he saw her. "Thanks." His reply sounded… hollow, somehow.

Before Jaina could probe any farther, she was grabbed from behind. Her self defense instincts almost kicked in before she heard a familiar voice ask, "What have you done to my ship?" and turned around to hug her father.

Han grinned and then turned to his son. "Commander Solo, you're off duty?"

"Yes, sir," Anakin responded, maintaining military decorum for as long as necessary. "I've given my squadron leave from debriefing for the moment, and we're not on active status unless our orders change."

"Good." Satisfied that he was not breaking any ridiculous military rules, Han hugged Anakin as well. "You did great out there, son."

"Thank you, sir." Anakin's reply was too formal. Jaina knew Han felt it, too, but neither of them pursued it. And Anakin did seem genuinely glad to see his father, so it wasn't tension between them… it was something else. Whatever Jaina had sensed earlier. She decided to tell their father about it whenever she got a private moment with him.

"Well, since you're not on active status, you won't mind joining Jaina and I in a little jaunt to the surface? I know you're probably hoping to see your brother, and I haven't seen your uncle Chewie in months."

This family reunion suddenly made Jaina feel like a kid again. She hadn't seen her twin brother or the Wookiee in a very long time. "That sounds great," she agreed, and Anakin discernibly brightened at the suggestion.

"Good. We'll take the Falcon." Han grinned at his daughter slyly, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to commandeer your vessel, young lady. Military necessity, and all that."

"Oh, I understand, General," Jaina replied weightily. "Anything for the Alliance."

"I'll need a copilot, though. Think you can handle it?"

Jaina had been flying the freighter alone – something that should have been impossible – for quite a while now. "I should think so."

Doctor Jacen Solo felt death all around him. It wasn't just the Wookiees; the burning forests cried out just as much. The feeling of life that pulsed through the healthy forests was painfully interrupted everywhere a turbolaser had found its mark.

Jacen's assistant Chief Medical Officer was at his side as soon as he got up from resuscitating and stabilizing his patient. "He's stable," Jacen told her as he pulled off his gloves; unless anyone else tried to die on him, he was done treating injuries for the moment. "Get him and any others who need further attention onto the shuttle."

She nodded, and after a quick, "Yes, Doctor Solo," she rushed off to pass on and carry out his orders. Orders, Jacen thought to himself ruefully, before reminding himself that doctors gave orders all the time in hospitals, too. They had to, otherwise patients would die. Clear, authoritative instructions were vastly preferable to vague suggestions. In a way, medicine was much like the military in structure.

In a way, Jacen reiterated as he observed thick smoke rising from the burning forests. The military's job was over for now. Jacen and his medical staff's jobs were just beginning.

You're thinking Dad and Anakin are no different from the Imperials, Jacen scolded himself. That's a very stupid thing to think. Jacen shook his head at himself. Just because he was disgusted by all this destruction was no reason for that kind of thinking. His family, every Alliance soldier here, were putting themselves between innocent beings and violence. That made them about as different from the Imperials as possible.

But what about the Alliance's borderline-terrorist tactics against the Empire? That wasn't putting themselves between innocents and danger.

The burning forest reminded Jacen that the Empire tended to treat "unimportant" worlds and species like Kashyyk and its Wookiees with casual violence when it suited them. Did that justify the Alliance's more violent tactics against the Imperials? Jacen didn't consider himself qualified to answer that.

Jacen's reverie was broken when he abruptly noticed three familiar figures approaching. He immediately recognized his father and siblings, and walked up to meet them. "General-, Commander-, Captain Solo," he greeted with a less than professional grin.

Several hugs later, the complex moral questions Jacen had been pondering were driven away, paling in comparison to the fierce love and pride Jacen felt for his family. There was no question: they were heroes.

Jaina was uneasy. She needed to talk to both her brothers – individually, if possible. Despite the excitement of the reunion, Anakin was clearly still shaken up about something, and Jacen… Jaina could tell something wasn't right, and an uncomfortable conversation was sure to be the result.

So, when their reunion with Chewbacca was cut short by a transmission from the Eldest, Jaina was less disappointed than she otherwise might have been.

"We'll be right up." Han deactivated his comm, and turned to the others. "Alright, it seems the President" – something about the way Han said her title was unmistakably affectionate – "needs a briefing on the situation here on Kashyyk. That means I'm going to need my CSG," he nodded at Anakin, "CMO," Jacen, "and a representative from Kashyyk to join me."

Damn. Rather than providing an opportunity to talk to her brothers along, the briefing would make both of them unavailable to her. She'd simply have to talk to one or both of them on the way there.

As they were boarding the Falcon, Han asked, "Jaina, I hope you don't mind, but maybe Chewie and I could take the helm on the way back… for old times' sake?" Something in the way her father asked made Jaina think he had sensed the tension between the siblings, guessed Jaina's intentions, and was giving her an opening to do what she needed to do.

Or he just wanted to take a joyride in his old ship.

Did it really matter either way? Jaina smiled. "No problem at all." Now. Anakin or Jacen?

As they were entering the ship, Jaina made her decision. "Anakin, would you mind helping Dad with the preflight check while Jacen and I inspect the main hold?"

It was a flimsy excuse, but Anakin was apparently in a cooperative mood. "Sure," he answered without argument, but also without the conspiratorial smirk he often shared with his sister.

Yeah, you're next, Jaina affirmed silently.

As Anakin disappeared around the corner, Jacen turned to face his sister. "All right," he said, apparently also seeing through the ruse. "What's the problem?"

Jaina got right to the point, too. "How long have you been on stims?"

Jacen's eyes widened. She had clearly caught him off guard. "I can be subtle when I want to be," Jaina admitted, "this just isn't one of those times."

"Clearly not," Jacen answered, leaning against the dejarik board for support.

"I notice you're not denying it," Jaina pressed. "Well?"

Jacen seemed to consider becoming confrontational, but apparently decided against it. "Yes."

"Yes?" Jaina prompted.

"Yes, I've needed a little extra boost."

Oh, Jacen… "I know military caf can't be all that good, but—"

"Jaina, I don't want to talk about it." He probably didn't, but there was definitely conflict in his eyes.

Do I back off, or do I keep going? Now that he knows I know, maybe he'll come to me later… Jaina knew it was probably wiser to back off for now, but it was difficult to do the smart thing when someone you cared about was involved. "Jacen, I don't have to tell you what those things will do to you."

"No, you don't." Jacen was starting to close off from her. Whatever his internal conflict might be, she was going to lose him if she didn't handle this carefully.

You can always talk to him later, don't push him completely away. "Just… be careful."

"All right." He looked at her to make sure she had nothing further, then took his seat.

Anakin entered the passenger cabin with heavy footsteps, no doubt to warn Jaina that he was approaching in case her conversation with Jacen hadn't finished yet. He gave Jaina a significant look as he asked, "Everything check out alright?"

"Yeah," Jaina answered, glancing at her twin as the three siblings sat around the dejarik table.

They settled into a companionable silence during the brief trip back to the Eldest. That could have gone a lot worse, Jaina reassured herself.

The Star Defender's conference room was about twice as large as Han would ever need for anything short of a full tactical briefing, but excess seemed to be standard procedure for just about anything on capital starships. Han, Chewie, Anakin, and Jacen occupied the seats closest to the holo projector, and several military aides whose names Han had no interest in memorizing and who certainly didn't need to be at this briefing studied data pads or otherwise tried to look like they were doing something important.

As was customary, a diplomatic droid's services had been offered and refused.

"But sir," the droid protested. "Surely my services are necessary in present circumstances for translation."

Chewbacca growled indignantly, and Han glanced up. The droid – M-4DU – appeared identical to C-3PO in every way except for his red paint, symbolic of diplomatic neutrality since the days of the Old Republic. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to possess a more interesting personality to match his more vibrant coloration.

Han pretended to consider the matter. "As a matter of fact, I do think we have need of your services."

"Very good, sir! I was certain—"

"Don't you want to listen to your instructions?" Han's voice was all mock sincerity. "This is, after all, a very important assignment."

Everyone at the table knew he was toying with the droid. Except, of course, for the droid. "Very well, sir. How might I be of assistance?"

Han set his hand on his holster. "My sidearm hasn't been field tested in quite a while. Would you like to help me with that, or would you like to get lost?"

"Oh… really, sir."

"Thank you, M-4DU," Han's XO shot him a rueful look, "that will be all."

"I certainly hope so."

Anakin and Jacen were both accustomed to Han's dislike of overly helpful droids, but for the benefit of those who hadn't known him as long, Han explained, "I can speak better Shyriiwook than that overgrown toaster even when I'm twice as drunk as I am now."

Anakin and Jacen exchanged amused glances. Both of them were fully aware that Han was not even slightly drunk, but now every officer in the room would have to wonder.

"General Solo," one of the aides announced. "We have the president on line."

"Excellent! Anyone who isn't a Wookiee resistance leader, CSG, or Chief Medical Officer, please leave the room."

A brief ripple of shock went through the room, but within moments Han's orders had been carried out. The audacity of letting the "paper pushers," as Han called them, sit through the waiting and then sending them out of the room as soon as the briefing actually started was almost too much… which made it perfectly in character for Han.

The holo unit came to life. "Madame President." Han's greeting was formal in language, casual in delivery, his way of telling her he had somehow managed to secure a more or less private conversation.

"General Solo," Leia answered with a warm smile. When she ascertained that no one present was outside of her extended family, she seemed to relax a bit. "It's good to see you all. I wish we didn't have so much work to do."

"Let's get right to it," Han suggested.

"What's our tactical situation?" Leia asked.

"Ah, that's the easy one. If their reinforcements arrive before ours, we're toast. If our reinforcements arrive before theirs, we're toast when they decide to send another fleet."

"Status on the ground?"

Han nodded to Jacen, who answered, "We're not in a position to estimate casualties, but at least two villages are a complete loss. My doctors have been working around the clock, and I'd say we've done all we can for the injured."

"You look like you've been working around the clock," Leia pointed out, more mother than president.

"I'm fine," Jacen assured her.

Leia nodded. "Anakin?"

Anakin snapped to attention. "Yes?"

"Your father tells me you did a very good job with your first major command. Well done."

"Thank you." Anakin, who seemed almost back to his old self prior to the compliment, suddenly seemed deflated again. He didn't sound proud, or embarrassed… just… nothing.

Leia looked troubled, but went on. "Okay. What are our options?"

That earned a few moments of silence. Jacen surprised everyone by being the first to speak up. "I think we need to talk about evacuation."

Chewbacca roared – not in anger against his "nephew," but with evident disgust towards his suggestion.

In his best imitation of a protocol droid's shrill voice, Han said, "Master Chewbacca suggests that your proposal may be logistically difficult and ill advised."

"I know it isn't easy—"

"Or possible," Han added helpfully.

"—but I don't really see what our other options are. I think at this point we need to consider saving the most lives we can."

Leia nodded, and looked expectant. "Well? What else can we do?"

"We can fight off the Imperial reinforcements, at great cost of lives on both sides, and then be swept away by the sheer numbers the Imperials can draw on."

"Jacen's so very optimistic," Han commented.

"What do you think we should do?" Leia asked. "It is your ship and your fleet, after all."

Han shed all pretense of unconcern, and leaned forward. "This is what you get for putting an Army General in charge of a naval operation," he said, his voice deadly serious. "We fight the Imperials until we can't fight them anymore. We defend this system until there's nothing left to defend them with."

"What can that possibly accomplish?" Leia, ever practical, asked. "The Imperials can keep sending fleet groups until we run out of resources. The surprising thing is that they haven't done anything like this in the past."

"They're probably testing us," Han admitted. "So I say, give them results they aren't going to like. What good will it do? Draw a line in the sand, and keep the Imps behind it. Defend an entire species from casual slaughter." Han grinned. "You're telling me you can't spin that into good propaganda? 'Alliance fleet holds off Imperial xenocide'?"

Leia nodded. "I assume the Wookiees will refuse evacuation?"

That was something Jacen hadn't even considered. Chewbacca grunted a definite affirmative.

"All right," Leia decided. "These are your orders: stay in the Kashyyk system, and hold it until it is no longer tactically possible to do so. Admiral Antilles will be arriving with elements of the Hapes and Corellia fleets within two hours. Once the Imperials have been completely driven out of the system, we'll discuss maintaining a permanent Alliance presence in the system to prevent future attacks." Leia smiled at each of her family members – including Chewbacca – in turn. "I love all of you very much. And I don't need to tell you to be careful. If it becomes necessary to abandon Kashyyk… I expect to see all four of you" – she favored Chewbacca with a particularly pointed look – "back safely. Promise me you won't get yourselves killed."

Jacen ran into Jaina after the briefing – they were both, as it turns out, on their way to Anakin's quarters. Their mutual concern for their brother smoothed over any resentment that might have arisen from their earlier conversation.

They decided it would probably be best if only one of them went to talk to Anakin. And Jacen was the easy choice for that particular duty. Even before he became a doctor, Jacen had always been the most empathetic of the siblings. So it was that Jacen found himself outside his brother's door.

"Yes?" Anakin called from inside. His voice sounded shaky, but it might have just been muffled by the door.

"It's me," Jacen raised his voice slightly so Anakin could hear it through the door.

The door slid open, and the cheerful greeting Jacen had planned on saying died on his lips.

Anakin was as pale as a ghost. Something had definitely shaken him up.

"Can I come in?" Jacen asked.

"Yeah," Anakin tried to sound casual. "I was just… yeah, come on in."

Military quarters, even for fairly senior officers, were nothing to write home about. Jacen took a seat at Anakin's desk chair while his brother sat on the edge of his bed. "Something I can help you with?"

Despite the circumstances, Jacen smiled at his brother's thoughtfulness. "No. Actually, I was hoping there was something I could help you with."

"Oh?" Anakin continued trying to seem casual.

"Yeah… Jaina and I… well, we both noticed…"

"It's nothing," Anakin insisted.

"Okay," Jacen said. "Good, now at least we're in agreement that there is an 'it.'" He gave Anakin a chance to object, then went on, "Now, for the sake of argument, let's operate under the assumption that 'it' isn't nothing."

"Just… post-mission jitters. Completely normal."

"Anakin, I'm your brother. You can talk to me." When he didn't offer anything in response, Jacen went on, "Look…"

"We lost a lot of good pilots out there." Anakin finally seemed to let his guard down, and Jacen didn't press him any farther. He went on without prompting, "Usually I… I just know what's going on, and I can warn them… but there was too much…" He shook his head. "It was overwhelming. It was all I could do to just… I couldn't focus."

"I don't know much about this military stuff," Jacen admitted, "but I do know that everyone, even the best commanders there are, loses pilots. Even Wedge did back when he was in command. And you weren't just in charge of one squadron… an entire wing."

Anakin shook his head. "But I should have been able to control it…"

"It was your first command," Jacen insisted. "You did fine."

"No…"

"Anakin, Dad said you did great. You're being way too hard on yourself."

"No!" Anakin insisted. His eyes were haunted. "You don't understand, Jacen… I felt them die."

Jacen was taken aback, had no response to offer. "You mean… you felt responsible—"

"No. I mean I felt them die. Without even looking at my radar, I knew they were gone. I felt them die. And it almost killed me, too."

There was no response to this. And Jacen knew that he couldn't tell anyone about this, maybe not even Jaina. Before he could think of anything suitable to say, alarm klaxons started going off throughout the ship.

Jacen felt his stomach go cold. The Imperial reinforcements had arrived first after all.

To Be Continued…