Chapter Six

Perched cross-legged on a synthleather rolling chair at the desk stationed in the corridor outside their suite, Jaina entered a few finishing touches into her memo. After one final skim, she transmitted it. Then she straightened, arching her back and rolling her neck against the discomfort that had settled into her body. Finally she achieved a distinct pop in her vertebrae, and sighed. Only then did she glance at the timestamp displayed on the datapad before her.

She had been there for a while. Still, better to be thorough than complacent. Despite all the security measures, an assassin had managed to gain access to their suite. What if she had been gone, and it had been Jag lying in the bed…

Jaina squeezed her eyes shut, willing the horrific thought from her brain. Down the hall, she heard the distinct ping of another datapad receiving a transmission. Forcing a polite smile, she called out to the security officer in possession of that datapad. "Major Fiore, that will be my notes on the improvements to the security protocols which need to be implemented."

When the tall man didn't immediately look to his pad, she added, "I've copied my fiancé, his brother and the Grand Moff, of course."

This brought him around, and he raised the datapad up, eyes darting as he read. His brow furrowed once, followed by a clench in his jaw – not to mention the simmering distrust and anger rolling off the man in waves. So Jaina wasn't at all surprised when he raised his blue-eyed stare and voiced his opinion.

"Snipers on the northwest and southeast corners? Seems a bit excessive. It's not like someone can climb up to these suites."

And that was the problem with ISS security protocols. For the most part, the population of the Remnant was human. While they occasionally fought non-human foes, they still assumed that all their adversaries thought like humans, if not Imperial humans. Everything about this man's training and career left him all but completely incapable of comprehending just how easy it had been for her attacker to make that climb.

Not that Jaina had actually mentioned this morning's attack – much less the intruder or his methods – in her report, of course. Unfortunately, nothing short of actually telling him would get through his thick skull.

If Soontir was really going to usher in a new age for the Empire, years of close-minded thinking needed to be broken down. At least he was used to dealing with Chiss, an alien society, and would be open to change. The ISS was going to be a much tougher nut to crack. And if they didn't adapt to these dangerous times, someone close to Jaina was going to get hurt.

Then, abruptly, inspiration struck. Jaina rose and walked toward the lift.

"Where are you going?" Fiore moved to follow her.

"Down. I'm going to show you just how wrong you are." Stopping at the lift, she punched its call button. The door began to whisk open immediately as she glanced over her shoulder at the doubt-filled security officer. "I'll be back up in a few."

"Would you like some company on the way, then?" asked a familiar voice from inside the lift.

"Jag." Jaina faced him just in time to find herself engulfed in his arms.

"I missed you." The strength of his embrace confirmed the sentiment.

She hugged him back. "I missed you, too."

He stepped back, quickly eyeing the security officer before turning his attention back to her. "Where are you off to?"

"To prove a point." She cast a meaningful glance in the officer's direction. "The Major and I have something of a disagreement on several details of the security measures."

"Sir, respectfully…" Then Fiore obviously reconsidered, and Jaina even didn't have to look to know Jag had donned the Fel-means-business face. "I'll discuss Lady Solo's suggestions with your brother at our next status briefing."

She shook her head. "Not good enough. Why don't you tell my fiancé what I was off to do."

Fiore clenched his teeth, holding his silence.

"Major?" Jag said sternly.

"Apparently, to prove that it was possible to scale the resort tower." When Jag remained stone-faced at the admission, he prattled on. "Of course, Lady Solo is an accomplished Jedi. Her powers prove nothing about the capabilities of any ordinary threat. And it's not as though there are legions of Sith Lords prowling the galaxy –"

"Enough," Jag growled.

The major flushed, then snapped to attention. "I apologize."

It took Jaina a second to understand which part of the litany had triggered Jag's offense. But somehow it didn't strike the chord in Jaina that Jag apparently feared. In fact, Jaina felt Jacen so strongly in the place where their twin bond resided that Caedus now seemed only a hazy memory. Jaina knew her brother still existed in the Force, happy for her and these days ahead. A small smile formed on her lips, and she touched Jag on the forearm.

"It's all right. I'm sure he'll see reason soon enough without me showing off." She wrapped her arm in his. "Come inside and tell me all about the repulsorsurfing."

Briefly Jag's green eyes searched hers before he inhaled a long, slow breath. "I'll be right in."

With a tip of her head, she left him to administer the admonishment he felt necessary. Undoubtedly her recommendations would be implemented within the hour. She scoped out the living area, just to be sure one last time that there were no telltale signs of the earlier struggle. Despite herself, she chuckled. The dressmaker and his entourage had been far more disruptive than the Yuuzhan Vong warrior. Behind her the door closed, and Jag slipped up behind her.

"I'll tell you about the repulsorsurfing…" He breathed into her hair as his arms wrapped around her. "But first, you tell me about the dress."

She leaned back into him. "It went well."

"And?"

"And how does it look?"

His eyebrow arched.

"Fabulous, of course." She affected an offended tone. "Why? What are you suggesting?"

"No," he said, not falling for it for a second. "I meant, what does it look like?"

"That –" Jaina popped out of his embrace. "– is a secret, Jagged Fel."

"But I thought we agreed to share everything?"

She sidled toward the bedroom. "Oh? Such as the purpose of your secret mission this morning?"

"Point taken." Jag followed, his long stride allowing him to catch her easily. Just inside the bedroom he snatched her hand, tugging Jaina to him. "You can't fault a guy for wanting some mental image of his future bride in her wedding gown."

"No hints, flyboy. Expectations are hard enough to live up to." Suddenly a vision popped into Jaina's mind, clear as a Holonet broadcast, of her striding down the aisle wearing –

The thud of her hand against his chest didn't do justice to her outrage. "Put some clothes on me!"

"I have a better idea. How about I take some off?" He grinned, then buried his face in her neck. The sensation of his lips teasing her pulse left Jaina momentarily speechless, save a little moan.

Her pleasure was short-lived. Jag tore away, walking towards the refresher and yanking his shirt over his head. "I think I'll shower."

After watching him disappear into the smaller room, Jaina flopped onto the bed and muttered, "Tease."

She shut her eyes and listened to the sound of running water. It took little for her to imagine Jag in quite the same predicament he had envisioned for her moments ago. Oh yes, Jaina was quite content to wait through his little delaying tactic. Patience was a Jedi virtue, after all. Rather quickly, the trickle of water ended, and she sensed his presence exiting the refresher.

Opening her eyes, she found Jag, wrapped in a towel from the waist down, standing at the foot of the bed. With a second towel, he rubbed the moisture from his hair. Her eyes ambled down across his hard chest, his riveted abs, his – swollen, yellow and blue mottled ribs?

"What did you do to yourself this time?"

He glanced down and poked at the discoloration, wincing slightly.. "One too many daring moves on the repulsorboard."

She sat up. "Showing off for the holojournalists?"

"Actually, trying to keep pace with your dad." Throwing the towel over his shoulder, he walked to the nearest dresser and rifled through the top drawer. "That man is truly crazy."

"Like you're in any position to talk. I've seen some of the stunts you pull."

"No, Fels resist fear. There is a distinct difference between being fearless and being utterly irresponsible. Or perhaps utterly delusional. I still haven't decided which one he was when your father reverse-looped into a double rotation, landing backwards." He looked over his shoulder for a second and smiled. "You're definitely your father's daughter."

"Thanks, I think. I just hope those holojournalists got some footage. That I want to see."

Jaina watched Jag, now with fresh briefs in hand, move away from her toward the closet. He was obviously enjoying this little game of tuskcat and motimouse. Fine. She was perfectly happy to let him get dressed completely before she made him take all his clothes right back off…

His clothes…In the closet!

Jag's fingers had just closed on the closet handle when Jaina sprang from the bed. Her back slammed the door closed not a second too soon. Trying to act casual despite her explosive maneuver, Jaina lifted her brown eyes and met Jag's very self-satisfied smirk.

Since he seemed none the wiser, Jaina played along with his game. "Why bother?"

He rested a palm on the door just beside her head. "With clothes?"

She bit her lip in response, all the while pondering how she was going to keep Jag from finding the arm. In the meantime, Jag took her non-verbal response as a sign to proceed with his game and set about nibbling his way along her right earlobe.

A shrill alarm saved Jaina from her own weak knees. "I'd better get that."

She didn't dare move yet, though, lest he open the closet and find that blasted arm. The comlink alarm trilled a second time, and she made a snap decision. Spinning in place, Jaina strategically bumped Jag back with her hip, then blindly reached into the closet and grabbed for a pair of slacks and shirt. Lucky for her, Jag never wavered from dark on the bottom and white on top, so whatever she picked was bound to match.

"Better get dressed. We still have lots on our plates today."

She stuffed the clothes into Jag's arms, then barreled him over to the refresher. He barely had time to manage a half-spoken protest before she slammed the door shut in his face. Jaina blew her bangs as she waited a few heartbeats to be sure he wasn't going to try and come back out. The comlink signaled again, and Jaina sprinted to the living room.

Wedge. Catching her breath, she clicked it on. "Go ahead."

"Can you talk?"

"Not really." Her brain furiously pondered options. "Give me fifteen."

One click indicated Wedge's acknowledgement before the line closed. By the time Jaina gathered her wits and strolled back into the bedroom, Jag emerged from the refresher, fully clothed. "So what else do we have on our plates?"

"You –" Jaina moved in his direction. "– need to find your brother."

"Oh, no need to worry. Major Fiore has already begun to implement your suggestions."

Grabbing Jag by the hand, Jaina tugged him out of the bedroom. "I have no doubt of that." She tugged him all the way to the front door before he dug in his heels and stopped her. "No, you need to find your brother to make arrangements."

"For what exactly?"

Jaina opened the door. "To share his room."

"What?" Jag realized he had an audience –Fiore and one other security officer – and lowered his voice. "I have a perfectly good room right here, with you."

"You did." Jaina propped her hands on her hips. "But I've been thinking, weddings are all about anticipation. Nights to remember and all that."

He reached out to embrace her, and spoke softly so only Jaina could hear him. "I assure you, Jay, our wedding night will be one to remember."

"Good," she said, swatting his hands away.

"See?" He tried again, reaching for her. "Then there's no need –"

Smiling, Jaina shoved Jag hard, sending him stumbling backward into the corridor. "No, it'll be much better if we save our energy for the wedding night." Jag just stood there, gaping at her. "Now, go find Cem, because I'm going to have the good major here change the lock codes just to be sure you keep your end of the bargain."

Then, before he could say anything, she used the Force to shut the door in his face.