Terin: Thanks!
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Chapter Two: Anxiety
Jaina held her breath as the lines of hyperspace stretched, then shrank into stars. Zekk was dozing in a nearby chair, so she typed in the coordinates for the Hapes Consortium. Her fingers shook a little, but she succeeded in making the ship hurtle onward once more. Taking a quivering breath, she sat back.
She was nervous.
She hadn't expected to be – but then, she hadn't really thought of returning to her family and friends since before her death.
Correction: she hadn't allowed herself to dwell on how they might react to her.
Returning with Zekk would bring expected results – suspicion, anger, bitterness and hatred – but her own homecoming was a wild card.
Jaina Solo had died. With Sanar's help, she had been brought back, but she wasn't the girl she had been before. Jaina had seen and felt things that no one was supposed to see or feel – at least, not while they were alive.
Despite the flippant attitude she radiated to Zekk, the fact that she had cheated death weighed heavily on her. How would her father react, when he realized that Jaina was mostly playing along, acting like her old self, so that people wouldn't worry? Would her friends pull away, afraid that she wasn't even Jaina anymore?
What if they thought she was possessed? After all, it was a distinct possibility, considering…
Jaina had returned with her life only after being one with the Force; she had found the strength to fight back only after being taken deep into two other people's minds. She didn't look at the world like she used to; she felt ripples that no one else felt; her sensitivity to the Force had grown.
Zekk worried that the New Republic would never forgive him; Jaina lost sleep over whether or not they would isolate her – call her an abomination – even execute her. Despite how she tried to reassure herself that no one would do that, even if only for the sake of her heritage and her physical appearance, the idea taunted her.
Abomination… Are you possessed, you-who-should-be-dead? Are you really Jaina Solo, or something else?
She clamped her hands over her ears as she concentrated on vaporizing the words. I am Jaina Solo. I have parts of two other people, but I am still Jaina Solo, and I always will be! My core will never change.
The unpleasant voice of her fear laughed. So you think…
So you think.
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Solo is afraid. The thought came to Sanar like a slap, and she stumbled a little. Why did she know that? It wasn't as if she and the Jedi were close; in fact, they'd come pretty close to scratching each others' eyes out. And yet the younger woman's anxiety was as clear as a bell in Sanar's mind.
It didn't take her a moment to realize why it was so. The bonding – of course. Kriff! I knew I'd regret that! When Solo had died, Sanar had reached out and desperately tried to save the girl. As Zekk had been too impassioned and grief-stricken at the time, the only way Sanar had been able to anchor – and thus save – Solo was to take the Jedi deep into her own mind, until Solo had seen everything Sanar knew or had experienced and vice-versa.
It had saved Jaina, but an irate Sanar decided that the success wasn't necessarily worth the consequences.
"Sanar! Hurry up," Devnos snapped.
Speaking of consequences, Sanar scowled as she continued on. "I'm coming, I'm coming; keep your shirt on."
Satisfied that his sister was doing what she was told – for once – the Dark Jedi turned back to his fellow Imperial – muttering something about "Onyx's" capture, no doubt. Though she knew it was Devnos' sole way of salvaging his competence in the eyes of his emperor, Sanar was heartily sick of Devnos' obsession with bringing Onyx to his death.
Whatever happened to his artistic side? the slave wondered with a sigh, but decided she really didn't want to know.
"…But how?" Falat was asking. "Onyx has disappeared completely; unless he is foolish enough to prance around, shouting his name for the whole galaxy, in the middle of Coruscant, it is unlikely that we will find him."
Sanar grinned and shook her head at the idea. Something in the innocent gesture caught Devnos' attention; an idea kept it. Uncomfortable under his stare, Sanar shifted. "What?" she demanded. "Is it against the law to smile now?"
A calculating expression dominated her brother's face, and growing triumph could be felt in the Force. "Sanar, what was the name of Onyx's other slave? The one that looked like you, but younger."
" 'The one that looked like me'?" Sanar repeated sarcastically. "Don't be a Neanderthal; I know you've see Onyx's little harem – they all resemble me, one way or another."
"You know exactly which one I mean," Devnos said, his eyes narrowing in intimidation.
With a sinking feeling, the slave understood the plan Devnos had hatched. "Oh, Jay-Something," she said dismissively, crossing her arms. In the back of her mind, a bond stirred; Sanar blocked it.
Now Falat was studying her, recognition beginning to dawn. "Would that be Jaina Solo?" he suggested, eyes dark.
Devnos shot his colleague a look. "The name is familiar to you?"
Filat hitched his pants self-importantly as he donned a bored expression. "Everyone knows about the Solos – how can you honestly work for the Empire and not recognize the name?"
At the man's words, Sanar recalled Solo's incredulity when she had realized Sanar didn't recognize the Jedi's name. "We grew up on a rather…remote planet," Sanar replied over Devnos' proud indignation. "And Devnos always was a little off in his own world – writers, you know. I take it the Solos are some key rebellion leaders?" the slave calculated.
Falat snorted. "The Solos are the Rebellion," he growled. "Jaina Solo is one of the few left – her brothers have been successfully taken care of, as have her aunt and uncle – Skywalkers. Her parents and she won't be far behind, if the Empire has its way."
"Onyx's love interest was the daughter of Rebel 'heroes'?" Devnos mused, raising an eyebrow, his eyes dark with plans. "Interesting."
Sorry Devy-Boy, but it's time for your party to experience a little crash and burn, Sanar thought. "Even if that slave was Jaina Solo, she was almost dead the last time I saw her – head injuries can do that to a person."
Devnos' triumph deflated. "Of course; I remember now."
Falat scowled. "No; the Solos all have nine lives. It took Onyx years to pin down the younger brother; the Emperor himself killed Jaina's twin. And we'll not get into how the Skywalker lucky streak lasted twenty years. Your knowledge of the Empire is woefully inadequate for such a…powerful follower of the Empire."
Sanar would have patted Falat on the back for such a stinging slap to Devnos' arrogance, but a dangerous glance from her brother hinted that he expected such an act, and so she stayed still. The best way to deal with Devnos, she had found, was to keep him unbalanced.
"It would be wise, Falat," Devnos said through clenched teeth, "to watch your words to one so high in favour."
Sanar snorted. "Devnos," she said condescendingly as she continued on down the hall, "you have no idea what you're getting yourself into, do you?"
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Please R&R!
.Tjz