Chapter Four
Telma had a pounding headache. She opened her eyes slowly. She remembered everything that had happened. She was in a hospital, somewhere. She could taste bacta on her lips. She guessed that at least three days had passed since her rescue.

"I see you are awake," a male medic said.

"H-" Telma started to say, but her throat was too dry to speak. The medic handed her a cup of water with a straw. She took a sip, and then spoke.

"What's my diagnosis?"

The medic raised an eyebrow, but answered, "We were able to save your lek. It's unclear if you have any permanent damage. You may be happy to know that your implant was removed."

Telma nodded and said, "Thank you."

The medic began doing several tests, checking her motor skills, sight, hearing, dexterity and mental skills. He gave her a shot to ease her headache. After her exam determined everything was well Telma was left alone with a tray of food.

"How are you feeling?" a voice called from the doorway.

Telma looked up. She smiled at Jag and beckoned him to come in.

"Fine. I see you aren't confined to a bed," she responded with a smirk.

"No," he answered as he sat in the chair by her bed. "We were lucky; we didn't lose anyone."

"Good," Telma said. "Where are we?"

"Csilla."

"Oh?"

"They're all here," Jag said, answering her unspoken question. "Jaina and the kids."

"How are they?"

"Good," Jag responded. "The military is waiting for a clearance from the medics to question you. They want to know everything."

Telma shrugged and said, "What did you tell them?"

"Nothing they wanted to hear. Nothing that would win the war," Jag told her, "You're the last one to be questioned."

"How are the others?"

"As well as you could expect. The Galactic Alliance has a program to try to help captives find their families. Most are leaving in two days." Jag removed a datapad from his pocket. He turned it on and handed it to her. "I thought you might want to see this. It has some information on the current political and military situation."

Telma waved it away. "It makes little difference to me. After I get out of here, I plan to continue working as a surgeon and only need to know where I'm needed most."

"Whoever you work for will be lucky to have you," Jag responded, taking the datapad and placing it on the nightstand by Telma's bed.

"What about you?" she asked.

Jag shrugged, "I'm not sure."

Telma and Jag spoke for couple more minutes, until a nurse chased out him. Telma sat silently as the nurse changed the various fluid bags in her IV. Exhaustion overcame her, and she sank back into the pillows to sleep.

A raw scream ripped through the night air. The brunette woman sat up, sweat pouring down her face. Somehow, her screams did not wake the other two beings in the room. She stumbled out of her borrowed bed and pulled her boots on. She palmed the front door open and ran into the hallway. She continued to run down the hallways, vaguely aware of Chiss guards staring at her.

Britna did not know where she was going. She ran until she couldn't breathe. She collapsed against a wall and felt her body slide to the ground.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Britna looked up to see the Jedi that had saved her standing over her. She shook her head slowly. He sat next to her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm Jacen," he said.

"Britna."

"You want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

"I-I don't know. Some of the others have trouble sleeping. I can fall asleep, but I keep feeling their whips cracking against my back. I keep hearing the screams of others being tortured," she said, eyes filling with tears. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry."

Jacen shook his head and said, "Don't be."

"It shouldn't affect me this much. I wasn't held captive long," she mumbled.

Jacen's lip quirked. "With the Yuuzhan Vong, the length of time ceases to matter. The first time I was a captive, I was only there for half a day. It wasn't nearly as bad as my second go around, but it freaked me out pretty good."

"You were taken twice?" Britna asked in shock.

"The first time I was a stupid kid. I got myself captured. The second time, well, I guess I was still a stupid kid. I trusted the wrong person," Jacen explained.

"How long were you there? The second time, I mean."

"Years."

Something in Jacen's tone stopped her from asking any more about his captivity. Brtina closed her eyes and let her head hit the wall.

"Do you want to go back to your room?" Jacen asked quietly.

Britna nodded. Jacen tugged her hand to help her stand. She smiled gratefully at him as she pulled away. Jacen walked with her back to her room.

"Thank you, Jacen," she said and then entered her room. She felt marginally better.
Perhaps she could sleep tonight.

The night was quiet on the ice-covered planet. Off in the distance, three Clawcraft flew into a hanger, returning from their night patrol. Light reflected off the snow, casting a glow over the landscape. The glow streamed into the bedroom window.

Two slender arms wrapped around Jag's torso from behind. He turned to face Jaina and stared into her eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Thinking about the future."

"What about it?"

"Bringing the children to Csilla was exactly what you needed to do. Now that I'm back though, I think we need to move to the frontline. At least I do. I won't make the decision for you," Jag told her as he went to sit on the edge of the bed.

Jaina slowly sat down next to him, biting her lip. She asked, "You want to leave the children?"

"Of course not!" he stated. "The last thing I want to do is miss any more of their lives. I just can't…I can't sit around while others are suffering."

"I understand. I think we should go, too. It's something that I've been thinking about for a while. Anyone can train pilots, but you and I are some of the best fighters in the galaxy. They need us," Jaina answered, "but the kids need us, too."

"I know, but I don't want them to grow up in a galaxy where they have to hide," Jag explained. He took her hand and added, "We should take them to the Jedi. My parents will protect Davin and Ani with their lives, but without a Jedi here, they are at a higher risk."
Jaina was quiet for a few minutes. Her eyes shifted from his face to stare outside. He waited patiently for her to speak. He knew how hard it would be for her to leave Ani and Davin.

"You're right," Jaina said at last.

Jacen's ship was packed. Jaina, Jag, Ani, Davin and Jacen were leaving Csilla. Syal and Soontir were seeing them off. Telma, who had finally been released from the medward, was with them.

"This is my friend Telma," Jag said to Ani and Davin. They were standing near the ramp of Jacen's ship. Ani buried her face in Jag's shoulder while Davin reached out to shake the Twi'lek's hand.

"Where you with my Daddy?" he asked.

"Yes," she responded with a smile.

"Ani, sweetheart, say hi. She won't hurt you," Jaina said quietly. Ani mumbled a rushed "hi" and hid her face again.

"Daddy says you are going with us to the Shelter," Davin stated.

Telma glanced at Jag. She was accompanying him and Jaina to the main Galactic Alliance base. She did not know if Davin knew that he and his sister were being left with the Jedi.

Davin tugged on her hand and gestured for her to kneel down. He whispered on her ear, "I know you're going to the base and we have to stay at the Shelter. It makes Ani sad to hear it."

Telma smiled at the boy. She nodded, "I understand."

"It's time to go," Jaina reminded everyone, "Ani, Davin, it's time to say goodbye."

Jaina took Ani from Jag. With Davin following, she walked over to Syal and Soontir. Jag watched as his children said tearful goodbyes to their grandparents. Jaina also said her goodbyes and then took the children inside the ship.

"I'll see you inside," Telma said with a tip of her head and turned to board the ship. Jag walked over to his parents.

Syal hugged her son tightly. She whispered into his ear, "Promise me you'll be careful."

"I will," Jag promised. Soontir pulled his son into a tight, quick hug. After Soontir released him, Jag turned and walked up the ramp, hoping that he would one day return.