Chapter Twelve

The medward was a flurry of activity late into the night. The waiting room was packed with worried parents and friends. Telma removed her blood-soaked gloves and smock and threw them into small incinerator. She had just completed her third surgery of the day on a small human girl, removing shrapnel from her side and arm.

"Who's next?" Telma asked the orderly standing near the doorway.

"Davin Fel, Operating Room 4," she said as she glanced at her list.

Telma paused: Jag's son. She didn't realize he'd been hurt. She hurried into the next operating chamber. She snatched his file from the compartment just inside the room. Broken left radius. Shrapnel in arm. Laceration on skull. Fractured left femur. Bruising on left kidney.

Davin was lying on a bed with a bactacast on his leg. His arm was wrapped in a sling. A bacta bandage covered his hand. Telma quickly put on sterile gloves, smock and mask while a team prepped the boy. She picked up the necessary tools and began to work. A large shard of shrapnel was wedged in his forearm. She worked quickly, taking care of all the tiny shards that were left behind. She then reset the bone and applied a bactacast.

"What room are you taking him to?" she asked one of the nurses as she removed her soiled gear and threw them out. She moved to the sink to wash her hands.

"I was going to put him in his sister's room."

Telma blinked in surprise, "What's wrong with her?"

"No idea," the medic said as she and a Mon Calamari began pushing the bed from the room. Telma didn't respond. She wiped sweat off her brow as she raced to the waiting room. She found Jag easily. He was sitting on one of the benches against a far wall. Jaina was leaning against him.

"Jag," Telma called quietly. He looked up, surprised to see her. "I just finished with Davin. He's fine."

The relief was evident on Jaina and Jag's faces.

"What's wrong with him?" Jaina asked.

"His left arm and leg are broken. He had a piece of shrapnel in his arm and a gash on his forehead. He'll be okay," Telma explained. "I'll take you to him."

"Thank you," Jag said. "Do you know where Ani is? We haven't been allowed to see her."

"Davin is being put in her room. Is she okay?" Telma asked, motioning for Jaina and Jag to follow her through the doors.

"Yes, a concussion. They're keeping her for observation. I don't know why we can't see her," Jag responded, eyes narrowing.

Telma didn't have a response to that. She led them through the hallways into a small room at the end of a corridor. "I'll be down the hall if you need me."

"Mama! Daddy!" Ani squealed as they walked in. She tried to move off the bed, but Jaina stopped her. She sat down on the bed and wrapped her arms around the girl. Jag went over to check on Davin.

"How are you feeling, sweetie?" Jaina asked.

"My head hurts," she whimpered.

Jaina brushed Ani's hair from her eyes, dropping a kiss on her forehead. "Lay down, sweetie, so I can make it feel better."

Jag went over to Ani's bed. He pulled her into a tight hug, and then gently lay her back on the bed, "We'll be here when you wake up."

"'Kay."

Jag kissed her as Jaina rested a hand on her tiny forehead. She closed her eyes and placed Ani in a healing trance.

"She can't feel any pain," Jag stated as they moved away from their sleeping daughter.

"No," Jaina stated as she sat down in the chair next to Davin's bed. "And he's still out from the anesthesia."

Jag ran his fingers over Davin's brow, careful to avoid the bandage. His face was clean of dirt, but small scrapes and bruises marred his skin. While in the waiting room, Tahiri had come in and told them what happened. An unidentified attack group appeared around Shelter. They made no demands; just started attacking. Davin and Ani had been in one of the training rooms when the attack started. A chunk of the wall exploded. A piece of it landed on Davin. Ani had fallen, knocked her head into a table. The details of their escape were still sketchy.

A groan escaped Davin's lips. He opened his eyes, "Mommy? Daddy?"

"We're right here, son. How are you feeling?" Jag asked as he sat on the edge of the bed. Davin tried to sit up, but Jag stopped him. "Lie still."

"My leg and arm and head hurt," he mumbled.

Jaina touched his forehead, "I know, baby. Let me make you feel better. Close your eyes and take a couple deep breaths."

Davin nodded and closed his eyes as Jaina put him in a healing trance. The echoes of pain left his face. Jaina's eyes met Jag's and the tears began rolling down her cheeks. Jag pulled Jaina over to his chair so she could sit on his lap. She clutched his shirt as he rubbed her back. He squeezed his eyes shut as a couple tears leaked through his lids. They sat there for hours, listening the slow breathing of their two children.

Davin's squeal echoed through the training room as he raced around the room in his hover chair. Ben ran from him, laughing as he tried to avoid capture. Ani giggled from her spot on the floor next to Han. She wasn't allowed to run around yet. Han had volunteered to keep an eye on the kids while Jaina, Jag, Luke, Mara and Leia met with the rest of the Jedi. Syal and Myri Antilles were also there. They were sitting on the floor some distance away, looking at their datapads. After about five minutes, Han decided that he and Leia's apartment was too small for several rowdy children and moved them to the training room.

"Myri! Syal! Come on!" Ben yelled as he ran by. The girls rolled their eyes, as if they were too old for such games. Davin whizzed by, almost running into the girls.

"Davin, slow down," Han warned.

"But Grandpa, I got to catch Ben! He's a Rebel!" Davin whined as he slowed.

"You want to catch a Rebel? Did your dad teach you that game?" Han asked.

"No, Grandpa 'Tir did," Davin told him.

"Figures," Han muttered, rolling his eyes. "Why don't you take a break? Come here and I'll tell you a good story about Rebels and Imperials."

"The one where the Imperials won?" Davin asked.

"No! One where we beat those Imps down," Han told him.

"In the Falcon?" Ani asked as she scrambled onto his lap.

"Yeah, in the Falcon. Come here, Syal and Myri. Your dad's in this one too," Han called. The two girls walked over to Han and sat down across from him.

Sometime later, Wedge, Leia, Jaina, Jag and Mara entered the room.

"Daddy, Grandpa says that the Rebels beat the Imperials," Davin called out. Leia and Jaina glared at Han.

"Han! Quit confusing him," Leia admonished.

"Hey, Soontir has had years to fill him with Imperial propaganda. I deserve some time too," Han replied indignantly.

"Dad," Jaina said exasperated as she and Jag gathered their kids together.

"Fine, fine. How was the meeting?" Han asked Leia.

"As well as expected," Leia said vaguely. She watched as Mara, Jaina and Jag took Davin, Ani, Syal and Myri out of the room.

"They're going to the Hapes Cluster," Leia said, once all the children were out of the room. "Jaina, Jag and Mara are accompanying them."

"Jag is going to have a hell of a time pulling Jaina away," Han commented as he stood up.

"Mhm," Leia agreed.

"There's something else," Han stated knowingly.

"Your son-in-law is up to something," Leia told him, offering him a hand.

Instead of rising, Han pulled her down to sit next to him. He wrapped an arm around her as she leaned against him. "My son-in-law? I never claimed him."

"Be nice," Leia admonished. "Wedge told me Jag had come up with some plan."

"So? He is always coming up with new tactics," Han shot back as he began rubbing her shoulders.

Leia rolled her eyes. "This is different. Wedge didn't give me all the details, but it sounds like he is going to try to recruit former captives."

"Good luck," Han scoffed. "It'll never work."

"You don't even know what he plans to do."

"Doesn't matter. The military has been trying to recruit refugees and captives for years," Han pointed out.

"Wedge thinks it could work."

"Wedge is an eternal optimist."

Leia glared at him, "Really. If I didn't know better, Han, I would think you cared."

"Good thing you do," Han said with a smirk. "I'd hate to ruin my reputation."

Jag ran a hand through his hair as he leaned against the wall in his and Kyp's office. Kyp wasn't in there at the moment, something Jag was thankful for. He needed a couple minutes alone to reorganize his thoughts. He'd just met with heads of Intelligence and military.

His plan had been approved, so long as he yielded positive results in a timely fashion. He had been given a list of liberated Yuuzhan Vong captives. The odds of actually locating the captives were slim. He was going to start with those still aboard the base.

It would have to wait, though. He was spending the rest of the day with Davin, Ani and Jaina. Tomorrow they were taking the children to the Hapes Cluster with the rest of the Jedi. They were riding separate from Syal, Cem and Wyn. Jag's siblings had been offered positions in the military, but they had decided they would rather help settle the children.

Jag jumped as the door opened. Kyp walked in. He dropped a pile of datacards on his desk before collapsing in his chair. "What are you doing here, Jag? I figured you would be chasing Davin down the hallways."

"What do you mean?"

"Your son tried to run me over," Kyp stated with a grin. "Han and Syal were trying to catch him."

"That chair was supposed to be returned today," Jag stated, shaking his head.

"They were heading toward the Medward."

"Did he succeed?"

"In what? Running me over? Almost. Never seen a hover chair move like that," Kyp quipped, propping his feet up on the desk.

Jag grinned, "Good."

"If you say so," Kyp answered. He picked up a datacard from the desk and threw it to Jag, who caught it. "There's the latest sims. I need the usual; problems, mistakes, if a pilot does something funny."

"Understood," Jag responded. "Ragen's hyperdrive has already been replaced. The rest of the fighters have passed routine inspection."

"Is the carbon scoring off my S-foils? I would hate for the Vong to see dirty wings," Kyp said with a smirk.

Jag raised an eyebrow, "Go scrub it yourself, Durron."

"Now what's the point of being the head of a squadron if I have to the dirty work. ? That's what I have you for," Kyp drawled.

Jag gave Kyp a look. He pocketed the datacard and waved, "Goodbye, Kyp."

Jag exited the office to head to his quarters. He stopped in the mess hall to pick up their dinner. He'd complete the sims evaluation when everyone was asleep. He wasn't wasting his limited time with his family on work.

The sounds of giggling met his ears as he entered his quarters. Davin was sitting on the floor, sending his spaceship models flying through the air. Upon seeing his father, Davin let the ships fall as he scrambled from the ground and tackled Jag.

"Davin, be careful," Jag said as he placed the bag with their dinner on the table.

"My bones are all fixed. Telma said so," Davin stated. "Mommy used the Force to make them heal faster."

"And we'd like to keep it that way," Jag told him.

Davin let out a dramatic sigh, "Okay."

Ani tugged on Jag's pants leg. "Daddy, what's that?"

Jag scooped Ani up and tossed her in the air. She giggled as he caught her. "Put me down!"

"Jag, what are you doing?" Jaina asked as she entered the room.

"Save me, Mama!" Ani exclaimed in a fit of giggles.

"Oh, I don't know. I think she's fine. What do you think, Davin?"

Davin shook his head, "She is."

Ani scrambled down from Jag's arms. She put her hands on her hips and glared, "I said to put me down, Daddy."

"Now who did you learn that from?" Jag asked, laughing.

"Mommy and Grandma Leia."

Jaina burst out laughing, causing Ani to look confused. She leaned over and kissed Ani's forehead, "Smart girl."

Jag stood on a dais above the refugee chamber. Telma stood next to him. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back. In ten minutes, he would speak to a group of various refugees about his plan. He closed his eyes in thought. He had no problem speaking to pilots about an upcoming skirmish or cutting down a recruit. Speaking to real people, however, was much more difficult. It felt like there was a dogfight in his stomach.

"Relax," Telma said. "Focus."

He took a deep breath, but it didn't work. "I'll feel better once this is over."

"Perhaps you should have asked your mother-in-law for some tips," Telma quipped.

Jag eyed her, "Princess Leia has a natural grace and regal bearing that back her phenomenal public speaking skills. I'd be embarrassed to even attempt practicing a speech in front of her."

"And your mother is Wynssa Starflare," Telma replied with a chuckle.

Jag ignored her and glanced at his wrist chrono. "It's time."

Jag and Telma left the dais and walked out of the chamber. It was a short walk to the meeting hall. About 50 beings sat in the room. Jag recognized Britna, seated in the back. He gave her a polite nod.

"I'm sure you all are wondering why you were asked to attend this meeting. The Galactic Alliance has sent representatives from their military to encourage you to enlist. They offer you an opportunity to strike back at the Yuuzhan Vong, be it through actual fighting, providing medical relief or other services. They send counselors to tell us how to cope with the horrors we've seen," Jag began. He took a step closer to the crowd seated in the rows of chairs. "I think we can all agree how ineffective they are."

A slight chuckle sounded through the chamber, which helped ease Jag's nerves a bit.

"Like the rest of you, I was a captive of the Yuuzhan Vong. This is Telma; she was with me," Jag nodded at Telma, and then continued, "We have all been on the inside. We've seen just how strong the Vong are. We've toiled in fields, tending to the very coralskippers that destroy our galaxy. The slave implants inserted into our bodies forced us to tend the amphistaffs that would later kill our brethren.

"We are all here today because we found a way to survive. By surviving, we fought back at the Vong." Jag stepped closer, "I'd like to offer you all another chance to fight back; a way to fight back without going through military channels. Not everyone is a soldier, but each is strong. The Yuuzhan Vong have planets dedicated to supplying their warriors. Their resources are cultivated by slaves.

"By working together, we can turn the spoils stolen from our galaxy into the Vong's undoing. By using those bonds that solidify the Vong's hold on our galaxy, we can expel them from our homes and be free."