Disclaimer: As per usual…
Part VI
The galaxy went on; war continued; months passed.
Jaina didn't come back. And one day, Kyp stopped asking about her.
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"I'm not sure this is a great idea…"
Luke studied the young man carefully. "Why?"
"I… I haven't left this ship in… what? Five months?" It was true; whenever the Jedi undertook a mission, either Luke or Mara stayed behind at first, and eventually Kyp was left to his own devices provided he checked in with Cilghal twice a day.
Mara sighed. "Then don't you think it's time to be moving on?"
Kyp stood and paced frantically about the living space. "Yes, but to go right back out there against the Vong… I feel too strongly about them, surely you can see that? I hate them, what they've done to this galaxy, what they've done to the people I care about. That hatred drove me before, and look where it got me! I lost everything I cared about, that I was trying to protect."
"Then perhaps it's time to prove that you've learned from your mistakes?" Luke said softly. "You've recognized the source of your slip, and that's important… you can use that. If you can't help but hate the Yuuzhan Vong, then try to turn that hatred into something good, and productive. Save lives, and know that every life you save is in rebellion against them." Kyp hesitated. "You have an extraordinary gift for the Force, Kyp; I'd hate to see you abandon that out of fear of yourself."
Kyp sighed heavily. "Tell me more about this strike team to Coruscant."
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One Month Later
Mara steeled herself and addressed the Jedi on the Council. Looking around, she met the gazes of Corran Horn, Cilghal, Kenth Hamner, Kyle Katarn, and Saba Sebatyne in turn, impressing upon each the seriousness of what she had to say.
"Kyp Durron will be joining this Council from now on, for as long as he chooses to remain." Silence; so far so good. "Luke fully expects that he be accorded the same respect as any of would give each other, and the compassion any of us would wish for in his place." She paused and analyzed faces. Corran's face was tense, but no surprise there… Kyp had never been his favorite person. Kyle, Kenth, and Saba took the news in stride, seeming neither surprised nor bothered by it. Cilghal's mon cal face was, as usual, difficult to read, but Mara thought she sensed a flicker of… consternation, perhaps, which seemed quite out of place for the Jedi healer. The room went without comment, however, and Mara continued. "There is only one specific request that Luke makes of you- try to avoid the topic of Jaina Solo in Kyp's presence. Apparently it's still a bit of a sensitive subject."
Kyle frowned. "What ever happened to her? I haven't seen her around in ages."
"I heard she was gallivanting across the Outer Rim with Jag Fel," Corran put in. "Reconnaissance and scouting for Kre'fey and the Chiss, I think."
Saba hissed. "This one thinkz that iz odd; quite the talented fighter pilot to waste on scouting."
Mara held up a hand to put an end to conversation. "Whatever the reason for Jaina's change in lifestyle choice, the point is that Kyp's been weaning himself off of his feelings for her, and after the mission to Coruscant, I think he's almost there; the last thing he needs now is to be reminded of what he's trying to forget."
Those present acquiesced, and a few minutes later, Luke and Kyp arrived to join Mara in the debriefing to the Council regarding what they had discovered on the drop mission to Coruscant, or the newly dubbed Yuuzhan'tar.
Though quieter than usual, and certainly lacking the cocky, arrogant demeanor that had defined him at the beginning of the war, Luke thought that Kyp seemed almost back to normal among the circle of Jedi masters.
But still… there was an ever-present melancholy about him that seemed impossible to break.
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"I thought that went well," Luke commented mildly, bringing three glasses of milk to the table.
"Yeah," Kyp muttered, "no one ran me through with their lightsaber."
Mara smacked his arm playfully. Kyp gave a half-smile and looked back down at the table, running a finger around the rim of the glass but not drinking. Luke frowned and looked questioningly at Mara who nodded and took her glass into the other room, giving the two men some privacy. "What is it, Kyp?" he asked softly.
The dark-haired man looked up. "Hm?"
"You've been moping around ever since we got back."
He shrugged. "It was pretty depressing, you know. That entire planet is ruined- millions of people dead, and those poor people in the under-city who are still trying to survive…" he shuddered. "It won't matter if we take it back from the Vong once the terraforming progresses just a little further; there won't be much left to salvage. Just a big pile of durasteel and ferrocrete under a jungle of deadly plant-life."
Luke sighed. "We're doing everything we can."
"I know. It just… sometimes, it doesn't seem like it'll ever be enough, does it?"
They watched each other for a long moment. "No," Luke agreed. "Sometimes it doesn't."
He wondered what they'd even been talking about. He got his answer several minutes later when he stood and headed to the bedroom he and Mara shared. A soft voice barely caught his ears when he had almost disappeared behind the door.
"I just want to be able to say I'm sorry."
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One Month Later
Luke woke up with a start in the middle of the night. There was nothing to alarm him, just the nighttime sounds of the ocean world of Mon Calamari; he could hear the waves breaking many stories below against the lowest, reinforced levels of the floating city.
And then he felt it again… a brief pang through the Force, like a sharp pain that faded slowly… and with it came an anticipation, and a bit of nervous excitement…
With a jolt, he knew. Smiling, he lay down once more and stretched out in the Force, lending his support and strength halfway across the galaxy.
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Six Weeks Later
Kyle Katarn came flying into the meeting room where the Jedi masters were meeting Cal Omas and a few other members of the advisory council.
"Good heavens," Omas exclaimed, wiping at the caf he had just spilled down his front in surprise, "Master Katarn, what is it?"
The Jedi stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "Jacen… Jacen Solo…" Luke and Mara stood up. Everyone else leaned forward in their seats. "He's just arrived in orbit; he escaped."
Luke extended his awareness through the Force and felt a hesitant mind respond to his touch before opening more freely. He understood; Jacen didn't want to alarm his family by suddenly being there after so many months' absence. He smiled broadly. "Well I say we go meet him."
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The Council greeted the news of Ganner Rhysode's sacrifice with solemnity, but the general air was one of happiness, of celebration. Luke only wished that any of Jacen's immediate family were there to greet him, but Han and Leia were en route to the Remnant to try to convince Pellaeon to formally unite with what remained of the New Republic. He settled for forwarding a message to the Imperial Palace on Bastion, knowing that Gilad Pellaeon would ensure that it was passed along as quickly as possible.
He wasn't even entirely sure how to get in touch with Jaina or Jag, but he would drive his efforts that way after the brief reunion- and before dealing with this Vergere creature.
"Where's my sister?" Jacen finally asked as the initial clamor died down. Kyp was seated near Luke, and he felt him tense. "I tried to reach out to her, but she's closed herself off…" he frowned.
"Jacen," Luke said carefully, "she's been doing her own thing for the last several months, a lot of work in the Outer Rim and the Unknown Regions. We'll do our best to get in touch with her."
Jacen opened his mouth to reply and then seemed to think better of it. Perhaps he read the stilted response as something better left until later to clarify- and he did.
It was several hours later that Luke finally managed to find some time alone with his long-lost nephew. He arrived at his quarters just as Jacen was finishing an emotional comm call to his parents in Bastion. They embraced for a long minute before sitting down, and Jacen eyed him with a quiet seriousness.
"What's going on with Jaina?"
Luke sighed. "She's doing okay, that much I know. But no one has really seen her for several months. She's been doing some reconnaissance work with Jag Fel, alternately for the Chiss or for Admiral Kre'fey."
Jacen's surprise was palpable. "Fel, huh? She's flying with a Chiss squadron now?"
His uncle's reply was measured. "I think they're operating by themselves. I can't say for sure."
For a long time, Jacen frowned at his uncle. "Uncle Luke, what's wrong? Why hasn't anybody seen her, or at least talked to her?"
"Look, Jacen…" he was quiet and patient. "I lot has happened while you've been gone. You remember the falling out Jaina and Kyp had, a few weeks before the Myrkr mission?" Jacen nodded. "Kyp sort of… slipped. He's better now, but he nearly killed Corran Horn, and he took off one of Kenth Hamner's hands."
"What does that have to do with Jaina?"
He hesitated. "Kyp had… very strong feelings for her. He tried to use her, to trick the Council into thinking she was slipping him information in an attempt to… get her to come back to him." Jacen frowned. "So Jaina used that, and with the help of Jag and Zekk, they captured him and brought him to us. A couple weeks later, she left and hasn't been back."
"I'm not sure I follow."
Luke sighed and shook his head. "Until we relocated to Mon Calamari, Kyp was sharing quarters with Mara and myself. I think Jaina knew that neither of them would be able to get over what had happened when they were so close." He shrugged. "She left, and Jag followed her. That's really all I can say."
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Three Weeks Later
Only family members were present, waiting for the XJ X-wing to settle down on the landing pad. Luke and Mara held hands, and Han stood with one arm slung around Leia and the other around Jacen. As the craft powered down and the canopy popped, however, Jacen ducked from under the grasp and approached.
Jaina swung down with the grace of a dancer and was immediately swept up in her brother's embrace. Her smile was broad, despite the tears in her eyes, and Luke was relieved to see her looking happier than he could remember since the onset of the war.
"Jaina," Han and Leia approached their children and drew them both in massive hugs. "It's been so long- how are you?"
She smiled softly. "I'm doing wonderfully," she replied honestly. "It's been nice, having something of a change of scenery."
Han studied her carefully. "You look good," he said. "Jag treating you nice? For that matter, where is he?"
She laughed. "Jag is great; he stayed back on Csilla though."
"On Csilla?" Leia frowned. "I thought you were in the Outer Rim, I didn't realize you'd stopped over in Chiss Space."
Jaina waved her off. "Jag had some… things to take care of…" she glanced once at Luke whose lips quirked. "He decided to visit his family while I visited mine."
"You guys married or anything yet?" Jacen asked slyly. Jaina choked.
"What?" she demanded.
His grin widened. "Oh, you know… flying about the Wild Regions, alone, scouting out the enemy position… it's very romantic…"
She smacked him. "No," she turned to exit the hangar, the rest of the family following suit. "Not married," she dangled her ring finger over her shoulder. "Just engaged."
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Two Days Later
Luke met Kyp's X-wing as he got back from a two-week mission to Ylesia with the Ralroost. He watched the slow, tired movements of the younger Jedi as he climbed out of his fighter and lowered himself gently to the ground with the aid of the Force.
They walked in silence towards Kyp's quarters, taking a long way around to the building and enjoying the smell of the salt-water that permeated the air, and the sounds of the cries of the aquatic birds, searching for small prey in the ocean below.
"You don't have to try to close yourself off," Luke finally told him. "Jaina knows you're here."
He flushed. "Oh." He sighed and stopped walking. "Maybe I shouldn't be here."
"That's up to you," Luke responded evenly, turning to face him. "But no one is asking you to go."
Kyp stood wavering for a long time before exhaling loudly and continuing walking. "I guess I can't escape my past forever, can I?"
"No," Luke eyed him curiously. "You can't." They entered the building and took a turbolift up several stories. "How was Ylesia?"
This time, he huffed. "A pain in my neck. What was supposed to be a simple in-and-out sort of mission turned into a full-fledged 'ground forces capture the government and then get attacked by Yuuzhan Vong who shouldn't have been there in the first place.' It probably wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't led the ground forces."
Luke frowned. "You volunteered for that?"
Kyp shrugged. "Someone needed to do it. And, in doing so, I had the dubious honor of meeting the one and only Thrackan Sal-Solo."
"Indeed? Pray tell, what is Admiral Kre'fey planning to do with the honorable president of the Peace Brigade?"
He chuckled. "Nothing; he's being extradited to Corellia."
"Ouch."
"Ah well- he's a slippery weasel of a man, I'm sure he'll wrestle his way out of whatever punishment they deem best and have himself elected mayor of Coronet or some such."
Luke remembered the day when Kyp would have simply cut down Sal-Solo on the spot. This seemed like a remarkable improvement.
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Three Days Later
Engaged.
Jaina Solo was engaged.
Oddly, that thought didn't bother Kyp as much as he initially thought it would. Luke had quietly told him the news shortly before the knighting ceremony for the new order of Jedi, lest it catch him off-guard if it came up in the ensuing festivities.
Mildly wistful, Kyp took a seat near the middle of the big hall where he figured he'd blend in. Apparently he figured wrong. Han and Leia slid in next to him, smiling warmly. He did his best to return the gesture.
"How are you, kid?" Han asked quietly, though the hall was still filling and the ceremony was not due to start for another ten minutes. "You've been awfully distant since you got back."
"Sorry," he muttered back, "I was just" avoiding your daughter "recovering from an exhausting mission."
Han laughed. "I hear you encountered my dear cousin."
"Yeah, he's a gem; I can't see why you two don't get along." Han laughed at the sarcasm dripping in Kyp's tone.
They made casual, small talk for a few minutes and watched the soon-to-be-knighted Jedi file slowly onto the stage. It was amazing, Kyp thought, watching these Jedi- these children, really- who he remembered from their earliest days at the academy. The war had forced them all into adulthood much earlier than they'd probably expected.
He saw Jacen and Jaina file in at the end of the line. His heart gave a small jolt upon seeing her, but the longer Kyp studied Jaina, the better he felt.
Despite everything… she looked happy. The nine or ten months since he'd last seen her must have done her some good. Kyp took a deep breath.
It was time to move on.
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He made an obligatory appearance at the celebratory get-together afterwards. He was greeted fondly by Lowbacca and some others with whom he had flown before, but Kyp's mind was focused more towards leaving quickly and silently.
Managing to duck away from the banquet hall, he made it three steps down the stairs that led to the pedway below when he heard a soft voice call his name.
"Kyp."
He froze. She was coming towards the stairs. He kept walking without turning.
"Kyp, wait."
Sighing, he stopped again. He still didn't turn, but could feel her approaching slowly. Closing his eyes, he waited for her to start yelling, to hit him, run him through with her lightsaber… anything…
"I'm sorry for tricking you like I did."
His eyes snapped open. "What?" he demanded, turning. "You're… sorry? After everything I did, you're sorry?"
Her voice was calm. "Yes. You were confused, unbalanced. I used that. It was… unfair."
A long silence stretched out between them during which he looked into her eyes and read total sincerity behind her words. So he did the only thing he could.
He laughed.
She was mildly affronted at first before realizing that the gasping laughter was turning into sobs instead, and Kyp sat heavily on the step in front of her, turned away, and put his head in his hands. "I'm sorry, Jaina," his voice was muffled and thick. "I'm so sorry. For everything; from using you to destroy the worldship, to hitting you aboard the Errant Venture, and everything in between. I might have been confused, but that does not even begin to excuse any of it. The things I did…" he took a gasping breath. "I can't even begin to ask your forgiveness."
"Then don't," she said softly, sitting on the step next to him. Her voice was serene, her face peaceful. "But know that you have it anyway."
End Part VI