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Note: The section with Tenel Ka was written by Jade-Max, who, at the time, was helping me with this fic. Gratitude and praise to her.
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Chapter Three: Jacen Solo.
"Jaya?"
"Yeah?"
"They're coming."
"No bantha cheese."
"I'm serious!"
"So'm I."
"I guess they'll tell us what happens to us next…"
"Really? Are you sure they're not coming for a game of Sabacc? Honestly, Jasa, you're getting to be as bad as Threepio."
"I am not as bad as Threepio!"
"Could you say anything more Threepio-ish?"
"Hey!" The appearance of bright light coming from a doorway cut off any other retort Jacen might have made. As if to heighten the Solo twins' dread, two of the Emperor's Guards, their blood red robes a sharp contrast to the dark room, entered.
Without a word, the Guards moved into the room, each taking a Solo twin by the arm and pulling them out effortlessly.
They walked halfway across the Imperial Palace before they were thrown into different sides of a large room. When the Guards had left, the door slammed shut. Jaina cast a curious glance around before looking at Jacen. "They need to fire their interior decorator. Everyone knows pastels are in. White is so three months ago," she finished in a mock snobby voice.
Jacen smiled faintly and walked toward her—and right into an energy wall. "Ouch," he muttered, rubbing his already sore shoulders.
Jaina looked around again, this time in admiration. "Idiot shields, however," she paused to wink at Jacen, "are very in."
Jacen groaned and shook his head in mock despair as he took a seat against the wall. Only Jaina could joke about "idiot shields" in an interrogation chamber, he thought wryly. Only Jaina.
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Jacen Solo was messier and more idiotic than he had been five years ago. Or, Onyx consented generously, perhaps not more so, but rather more obviously so to the Darkest Knight after five years of living among the higher class.
Hungrily, Lord Onyx's gaze left Jacen and found its way to Jaina. The last time he had seen her was eighteen months previously, at Mon Calamari, when they had duelled. She had believed she was fighting to defend the Jedi students, when his real mission had been to capture her. He had left thinking it impossible for any woman to be more beautiful than she had been that day.
He had also left thinking she was dead.
But it had been a lie—another lie, he thought, seething—from his Master. Lord Onyx's hand clenched in a fist for a moment before he released it and concentrated once more on the young woman who was still unaware of his presence. Her hair was in a loose braid that was swiftly coming undone, first from her duel with the Nightsisters, and then from her captivity. Her clothes were that of any Jedi Knight—tan pants and tunic, and dark brown robe. Her multi-tool belt—all items well used and permanently grease-stained—hung at an angle, starting at her natural waistline and going to the bottom of her hip where her lightsaber would normally be.
She was far more beautiful than he remembered, he thought, his eyes darkening with desire. And at last she was his.
"I will keep the girl, of course," the Lord Emperor said at his apprentice's side. When he felt Lord Onyx tense beside him, Brakiss chuckled and let his gaze fall on Jaina. "Such a lovely creature, is she not, Lord Onyx? So much like her mother."
Lord Onyx raged inside, knowing without a doubt that the Emperor had planned this. Knowing, also, that his master would be willing to hand Jaina over to Onyx—but only for a price. "Yes," Lord Onyx murmured as his mind raced to figure out what the Emperor might want in return for Jaina. "Lovely. I do believe, however, that you promised me a Jedi captive. Why not give me her?"
"Hm, perhaps." The Emperor pretended to think about it for a moment. "No, Lord Onyx. She is too powerful. She could—and would—escape you too easily."
Onyx was not soothed by the fact that Brakiss' degrading comments meant the Emperor was more aware of his apprentice's power. Through gritted teeth, Onyx snarled, "She would not escape."
"Perhaps…" Brakiss considered, "if she had a Force suppressor… But then she would still be dangerous."
"I'm sure you and your technicians could think of a way to fix that." Onyx turned a cold, fake smile on Brakiss. "Why not use her twin against her?"
"Oh, because," the Emperor said, a malicious smile spreading across his face. "I'm going to re-stimulate his nerves."
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Jaina jolted out of her bantering mood as Jacen's body began to shake from pain, and he screamed into her mind. Jumping to her feet, she raced to the wall of energy that separated them, able only to feel his agony and her own while their bond began to fray as death grew closer and closer.
Helpless, panicked, she attacked the wall, unmindful of the electric shocks that ran through her arms and shoulders everytime they contacted the energy. "Jacen!" His name was torn from her throat as tears streamed down her cheeks. "No, JACEN!"
As his body writhed from the exploding nerve endings, the she punched the barrier, Jacen's pain echoing in his twin. Despairingly, she realized that his nerves weren't just active; they were being stimulated to the point of death. Her breathing came in short gasps as she slammed her hands, open palmed, against the barrier that separated them again, even knowing it was useless. "No…"
/I love you, Jaya,/ Jacen managed to say through the bond as his body went into severe shock.
Tears blurred her vision as blackness began to encroach on the edges. /Jasa…love you too!/ Jaina screamed as she felt the "Jacen-ness" of her brother—his very mind—disappear into the pain, his heart still pumping. There was a loud crack of bones snapping, and Jaina dropped to the floor, shocked into pained silence as Jacen—and half of her heart, soul and very being—became one with the Force. She could never be sure if he heard the last message she'd sent to his mind.
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Halfway across the galaxy, Leia Organa Solo gasped as a phantom pain flew over her from the Force. Before she could comprehend from whence it came, there were two explosions in the Force: the death of a Jedi—no, her very heart and soul screamed, not just any Jedi, but Jacen!—and the other of anguish unlike anything she had ever felt, from Jaina.Her baby, barely more than a thought within her, terrified and in pain, screamed, and Leia's heart with it.
In a desperate act, she severed her bond with Jaina, and strengthened her mental shields. Her husband, Han Solo, turned to her, reading the awful truth in her eyes, and opened his arms. And, in the comfort of her also-grieving husband's embrace, and in the comfort of the knowledge that her baby was safe, the princess cried.
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The Rock Dragon sped through hyperspace with its precious cargo, Lowie at the helm. Tenel Ka had just unbuckled her crash webbing to go check on the students when a blast of white-hot pain lanced through her soul. Jacen! She went crashing into the wall, stumbling from the sudden, blinding pain. His Force presence blazed brilliantly inside her for a brief, shining moment, before disappearing completely. It felt much like a last caress.
Tenel Ka slid down the wall, shaking with silent sobs she couldn't release. Lowbacca's inquiring whine penetrated her anguish. Jacen is gone. She bowed her head and wiped her eyes, noticing for the first time that her cheeks were streaked with tears. Forcing herself to her feet, she shielded her emotions and buried them. She could feel the confusion of the Jedi children; Jacen's passing had disturbed the Force.
Setting her jaw resolutely, Tenel Ka rose to her feet. She could grieve later; for now, she had a responsibility to uphold, and a promise to keep. She would get the children safely to Hapes. Offering a silent assurance to Lowie, she resumed walking towards the cargo bay, feeling empty and suddenly so very, very alone.
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Poor Jacen :( Poor everyone… hands out tissues The next chapter will be much longer, because I suddenly realized how many chapters this fic could be divided into :p I'll put it up on Tuesday, God willing, before I leave for Mexico.Please R&R!
-Tjz