Chapter Twenty
Dead, decaying trees blocked the ancient forest path. Tahiri carefully held out an arm for balance as she climbed over the wreckage. If she put too much pressure on the trunks, she would fall through. Jacen walked in front of her, holding his emerald lightsaber blade in front of him. They were searching for stone bricks from a destroyed temple and scouting the area for anything useful or suspicious.
"It's right up here," Jacen said as he pointed to the northeast. Tahiri could see a jagged wall peaking through the forest. It was unknown exactly how the Temple had been wrecked. It had been in pieces for years.
"Have you been there before?" Tahiri asked. She and Anakin had found the Temple ruins, but hadn't entered. It'd had been a week before he left to be Luke's apprentice. Anakin had promised he would come back and they would explore it.
"No," Jacen replied as he sidestepped a spongy Vong growth. The Vong hadn't completely changed the moon, but had experimented on the landscape. Alien organisms intermingled with indigenous species. Tahiri wasn't sure what they had run into. She assumed everything they had encountered were experiments.
They entered a clearing. The remains of a Sith Temple were piled haphazardly around the area. A purplish-green blob covered half the stones that were closest to the ground.
"It looks like a damutek mixed with a yammosk," Tahiri commented as they picked through the rubble. One of the benefits of working with Jacen was that she didn't have to explain Vong-related matters. "Probably some type of experiment."
"It's still alive," he said. "It's not hostile."
" Does it act like a yammosk?" Tahiri asked as she inspected a stone. It looked sturdy enough to move.
"No," Jacen said after a moment. "It just wants to grow. It's eating the stones."
" I wonder if it can survive on anything else," Tahiri thought aloud. She knew that Jacen wouldn't want to kill it, especially so soon after he had killed the dhuryam. She also knew that taking its food away wasn't an option for him. The Riina part of her didn't want to harm the creature either. It wasn't hurting anyone at the moment. However, she knew if it proved to be hostile, they would have to kill it.
"I can't tell. It seems to like rocks the most. Maybe we can take some of them," Jacen mused.
"That should be fine. We can't get to the ones it's already covering anyway," she said. Thunder sounded overhead. She looked up as rain began to fall. "I hate these sudden storms."
"Come on. I see a cave up ahead!" Jacen shouted over the downpour. He grabbed her hand and led her through the rocks and forest. They ran onto a cobblestone path that once led to the Temple. Lighting crashed behind them. One of the dead trees caught on fire. The fire began to spread.
Jacen pulled her inside the cave. They stumbled inside. It was dark, but dry. It was also safe from the lightning, the one part of storms that Tahiri disliked. She started to move away from Jacen when-
Jacen yanked Tahiri behind him, "Shh!"
Tahiri stretched out with the Force and could sense a dark presence in front of them. She looked around his arm to stare at what had once been a woman. She was slightly annoyed at Jacen's protective stance, but she shrugged it off. The woman's blond hair hung in dirty clumps around her face. Her face was covered in blood. A tattered jumpsuit hung off her thin frame. The woman's eyes were black, smoldering with hatred and fear. She clawed the dirt with broken nails. She let out a guttural growl and launched to her feet. Large coral growths poked out of her back.
"We don't want to hurt you," Jacen said gently. The woman ignored him. She twisted around, snatched an amphistaff and charged.
Jacen met the hardened staff with his lightsaber. Tahiri used the Force to flip over the woman and strike from behind.
The woman let out a blood-curdling scream as she twisted around to attack Tahiri. Jacen kicked her as she twisted, causing her to fall. Tahiri landed on top of her, pinning her to the ground. Jacen dropped by her head and clamped his hands on her temples. His eyes fell half-shut as he tried to subdue her.
Tahiri clamped her legs tighter over the woman in an attempt to hold her still. The woman slowly began to settle. Her eyes shut and hands fell slack. The amphistaff rolled out of her hand. Tahiri and Jacen relaxed.
"Do you recognize her?" Jacen asked panting.
Tahiri shook her head, "She must have been an escaped slave."
Tahiri rolled off her as Jacen began to examine her. Tahiri glanced outside as a bolt of lightning struck a dead branch. She could see steam coming off the fire. It wasn't moving towards the cave, at least, she thought with relief.
The Force screamed at her. She whirled around shouting, "Jacen!"
Sweat poured down Jaina's face as she pushed the throttle forward. The skip would not leave her alone. She twisted into a spin in an attempt to throw it off. She pulled out of the spin early and managed to loop around behind the coralskipper. She blasted at it until it finally exploded.
She breathed heavily as she glanced over the scanners. The two squadrons had arrived in-system to an ambush. After they'd escaped from that, they scouted the system. This was the third assault they had endured. At least they were on the way out, getting ready to jump to hyperspace and meet a nearby Alliance support vessel.
"Prepare to jump," a voice called over the comm. She didn't know who had survived the fight out of the two squadrons, but she knew the speaker wasn't her commander. Jaina entered the coordinates and waited for the signal. It came a few seconds later. She pulled back on the lever and then collapsed against her seat. She tore off her helmet to wipe the sweat off her face and then put it back onThey'd lost too many. It was a pointless waste of life.
A white-hot pain burned through Jaina's midsection. "Jacen!" she screamed as she blacked out.
"As you can see, the toxin that our volunteers on Yavin administered soaked into the leg of the damutek as well as the soil. As the damutek grew, the supports weakened. That is what made it possible for the Jedi and captives to defeat the Vong," Jag said to the crowd. A group of around 100 beings was seated in the meeting hall. Some were preparing to head out on their own missions while others had just started the program. Jag, with the assistance of Nichos, was discussing Yavin. Telma would be arriving soon to give a presentation on poisons.
"Is that what we'll be doing?" a new recruit, Roz, asked from his seat in the front.
"Your exact assignment will depend on your location," Jag answered. "Our department scientist Telma will be the one to go over the various types of toxins with you."
As Jag continued to explain what Danni and Telma had for them, Cem slipped into the room. He moved quietly towards the front where Jag was standing.
Jag turned as his brother tapped his shoulder. "What is it?" he whispered as Nichos explained how he and Stav had smuggled in the toxin.
Cem gave him grave look, "It's Ani. She collapsed."
The blood drained from his face. "What happened?"
"Something with the Force, I guess. Davin says it's Jacen," Cem explained helplessly.
Jag looked around at the crowded room. Several beings were watching him. He didn't have a choice; he had to go to his daughter. Jag turned to Nichos, "Can you finish this? Telma should be here in five minutes."
Nichos nodded, "I got it."'
"Thanks," Jag said as he followed Cem out the door. They rushed down the halls to the leeward. Cem led Jag into a small room past the emergency room. His heart thudded in his ears as scenarios flashed through his mind. Despite what Cem had said, Jag prayed that it wasn't Jaina that had caused Ani's collapse.
Jag's heart jumped to his throat as he entered the room. His little girl was lying on the bed unconscious. Davin was seated next to her. Syal was in a chair by her head, stroking her hair. Wyn was standing behind Syal.
Jag rushed forward to the bed. Syal and Wyn moved out of his way before he sat down on the bed. He ran shaking fingers over Ani's hair and face. His voice was hoarse as he asked, "What happened?"
"She was playing by herself. She screamed and when I went to see what was wrong, she was unconscious," Syal explained. She swiped a tear out of her eye. "The doctors say nothing is wrong with her."
"It's Uncle Jacen," Davin said. "Uncle Jacen got hurt and we felt it."
"Are you okay, Davin?" Jag asked.
The boy nodded, "It didn't hurt me as bad."
Jag eyed him. There was something Davin wasn't telling him, "Davin, what else do you feel?"
"Mama's missing," Davin whispered. "It's like she's sleeping but she's not there. Ani didn't feel her cause Uncle Jacen hurt too much."
Jag swallowed nervously, "Is she hurt?"
Davin cocked his head, "No."
Jag breathed a sigh of relief. Jaina wasn't hurt, at least. He looked over to his brother, "Would you mind finding Corran Horn? He's probably at the sims with the Rogues. Tell him what's going on."
"Sure," Cem responded and left the room.
Jag sat down on the bed next to Ani wig Davin while they waited. Jag hated to bother the older Jedi, but he needed to know that Ani was okay. Regular doctors couldn't help him. He sat quietly next to the bed, one hand stroking Ani's hair.
Corran appeared in the room fifteen minutes later with Cem. He closed his eyes for a few moments, and then said, "She there. She doesn't have enough control to block whatever she was hit with. She'll be okay. I've nudged her along a bit."
"Thank you," Jag said with relief. "Have you heard anything from Yavin?"
"No," Corran answered, and then added, "Jaina's squadron is on their way back."
Ani groaned, causing Jag to whirl around to look at her, "Ani?" he said urgently. "Baby, wake up."
"Daddy?" she groaned. Her eyelids fluttered open as she struggled to sit up.
"Hey, sweetie. How are you feeling?" Jag asked as he caressed her cheek.
Ani's brow furrowed. She turned to Davin and asked, "Is Unca Jasa okay?"
Davin smiled at her, "He'll be okay. He's still there."
Ani frowned, "No lying, Dav. He's hurt."
"We don't know what happened, but we'll find out," Jag promised as he helped her sit up.
"What about Mama?" she asked worriedly.
"We're going to know soon," Syal reassured her. "I'll go get a doctor."
"Can I go home?" Ani asked Jag.
"I want to have you looked at, just in case, but then we will go home," Jag promised.
"Are you gonna stay with me?" Ani asked with a hopeful look.
"All day," he promised. Jag knew he would be incredibly busy tomorrow to make up for it, but he couldn't leave her. "Lay back down. After the doctor comes, we'll see what's going on with your mama and uncle."
Ani snuggled back down into the covers. "Kay."
An alarm was blaring in the cockpit. Jaina's eyes flashed open. She realized it was the hyperspace alarm. She snapped to attention and gripped the hyperspace level. Once the counter on the navicomputer read zero, she pulled the lever. Stars reverted from lines to dots. The cruiser, the Serpent, waited for the squadron. Jaina's orders appeared on the screen. She followed the landing instructions on autopilot. She remembered feeling a flash if pain from Jacen. She reached out to him; all she could feel were hazy flashes. She checked on the children; they were fine.
The cockpit rose. Jaina tore off her helmet and rested it on the console. Her fingers brushed the holo of Davin and Ani. She hoped she would be able to return home to see them. Having her children at home again was a blessing.
"Colonel Solo-Fel!" a voice shouted. Jaina stood up and looked over to the voice. She didn't recognize the man; he was wearing an Alliance uniform. She jumped down from the craft, wincing. Her entire body ached.
"I've been instructed to bring you this priority message," he said. He handed her a flimsi.
Jaina glanced over it. It was Jag asking her to call immediately. The children felt fine. She hoped nothing had happened to anyone else. For him to track her down…
"Colonel," General Erik Shyl of the Galactic Alliance greeted, causing Jaina to stop her train of thought. "I'll see you at the debriefing in an hour."
Jaina saluted and then hurried towards the communication center. She punched in a code for the Bespin base. She tapped her fingers in impatience. It took several minutes to connect to her and Jag's quarters.
"Mommy!" Davin's voice called. His small face appeared in front of her.
"Hello, Davin," she greeted with a smile. He looked healthy.
"Are you calling to check on Ani?" he asked.
Jaina's brow furrowed. She hadn't sensed anything wrong with her daughter. She wasn't going to ask Davin to explain it. "Where's your father?"
"Right here," Jag said as he appeared in the display. He lifted Davin from the chair and sat down. He placed Davin on his lap. "She's fine. She felt Jacen and passed out."
"Where is she?" Jaina asked worriedly. She wanted to find out if Jacen was okay, but first she needed to see Ani.
"She's getting dressed," Jag said as he glanced behind him.
Ani appeared just then with wet hair and wearing her pajamas. "Mama!"
"Hi, sweetie. Are you okay?" Jaina asked as she looked at her.
Ani nodded, "Uh huh, but what about Unca Jacen?"
"I'm going to call Uncle Luke," Jaina promised.
"Davin lost another tooth!" Ani squealed.
"That's great, Davin. Did you finish your ship?"
"Almost," he answered.
Jaina glanced down at the chrono on the console. She wanted to continue speaking with her family, but she still had to find out what was going on with Jacen and clean up before the briefing.
Jag noticed her expression, "Tell your mother goodnight, kids. She needs to check on Uncle Jacen."
"Night, Mama," Ani and Davin said.
"Be good. I love you both," Jaina responded.
"Love you, too, Mama," Ani said as she blew Jaina a kiss.
"Love you," Davin replied as he slid off the chair. She saw him grab his sister's hand and pull her out of sight. Jaina smiled softly at the gesture.
"Get ready for bed," Jag called to them. He turned and gave Jaina a concerned look, "Are you okay? The kids had trouble sensing you."
"I'm fine. I think Ani and I had a similar reaction," she told him. She smiled sadly, "I have to go."
"I know. I love you."
"I love you, too," she responded and cut the connection. She sighed and rubbed her forehead as she punched in the code to the Jade Shadow and waited. She was closer to Yavin than Bespin, so the signal connected quickly.
Mara's face appeared after a few minutes. She said, "We don't know what happened."
Jaina wasn't surprised that Mara knew why she was calling. She asked, "Where is he?"
Mara proceeded to explain that Jacen had gone with Tahiri to scout the forest and find building materials. Jacen had mentioned investigating a fallen temple. A forest fire was keeping the Jedi from reaching them.
"What's the plan?" Jaina asked. Even if she was allowed to leave, she knew she wouldn't make it in time to stop the fire.
"The fire is dying down. Once it's gone, Luke is going in."
Jaina closed her eyes and stretched out to her brother. He was still in pain, but something else was wrong. She couldn't figure out what, though. She didn't have time to dwell on it. "I'm sorry, but I have to go. Thank you."
Mara waved as she closed the connection. She pushed herself wearily away from the console. She had fifteen minutes to shower before the meeting.
Why couldn't anything ever be simple?
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