After this chapter is the Epilogue. I hope you will understand this ending. If you have not read the Legacy of the Force or the Fate of the Jedi novels you will probably not understand what is going on in the last few paragraphs. I will put out a little spoiler explanation at the end.
~JL~
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Coruscant, Jaina Solo's quarters.
Jag's hand slowly crept over Jaina's midsection before pulling her closer to him in bed. He moved his lips over her neck and face giving her light kisses until he managed to wake her. As Jaina's dark brown eyes fluttered open Jagged Fel gave her a warm sensual smile. "Do you want to go again?" he asked.
She groaned. "You're killing me. Don't you ever sleep?"
"I have to leave tomorrow," he said as he pressed her lips to hers. "I can't keep making excuses to come to Coruscant. I think my crew is started to suspect I am not meeting with Borsk Fey'lya."
She chuckled. "I hope they don't think you're meeting with him…not with those marks on your neck."
Jag's eyes went wide as he jumped out of bed and went to a mirror to examine his body for love bites or bruising. When he didn't see any he turned around and gave a feigned scowl to his lover. "Don't scare me like that."
She tried to suppress a smile, but failed. Her eyes raked down his body mesmerized by his taunt muscular build…a view only obstructed by a pair of gray boxer briefs. "Come back to bed and I will give your men something to talk about."
He smirked as he returned her heated gaze. She was wearing one of his old T-shirts she had taken from his quarters months ago. She liked wearing it to bed when he wasn't around. It was a reminder of the man she came to love…and she also knew he enjoyed seeing her lounge around in his clothing.
He gave her a warm, lazy smile as he crawled back in bed with her. "That was an interesting dinner tonight," he said softly. "Are the Solo dinners usually that noteworthy?"
Jaina smiled. "That one was a little more surprising than normal. Usually it's Anakin that does or says something shocking."
Jag caressed her belly with his hand. "You know, I noticed a pattern with your family."
"Which is?"
"You father married a princess, your brother married a queen." He looked at her questioningly. "I guess you have no choice but to marry an Emperor."
"You don't even have the job yet," she scoffed.
"It's not far off and I don't see that you have many options. I mean it is not like the galaxy is crawling with eligible male royals." He brought his hand to his chin in thought. "Oh, I forgot, Prince Isolder is a widower…maybe you can marry him."
Jaina made a face. "Ugh, he's as old as my mother…gross."
Jag laughed. "If you marry him you can be Tenel Ka's step-mother and sister-in-law and Allana's grandmother and Jacen's mother-in-law."
Jaina couldn't help but laugh at that dreadful scenario. "That's a horrible thought."
He reached out and grasped her hands in his. "Then avoid all that drama and marry me. You can be my Empress." He smiled and looked up at the ceiling in thought. "I think Emperor beats Queen and it is definitely better than a prince. You can one-up your dad and your brother." He gazed at her lovingly. "So, will you marry me?"
She smiled at him tenderly. "Yes."
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? What changed your mind?"
She gave a small languid smile. "Seeing Jacen today. He was so happy. For the last few years he was depressed and withdrawn. He and Tenel Ka let politics affect their marriage and it made them miserable. I decided I wouldn't let that happen to me. I would make a decision based on the man and not the situation between the Imperials and Galactic Alliance. You are the man I want…regardless of politics…I love you Jag."
"I love you too." He looked at her questioningly. "Does this mean you are willing to become an Imperial citizen?"
She gave a nod and then a tentative smile. "I guess I'll have to if I ever end up becoming Empress."
He had a look of exhilaration as he rolled over in bed so his head rested on her belly. "Did you hear that Jag Junior, I'm making an honest woman out of your mother."
She pushed his head away with a laugh. "I'm not pregnant."
Jag grinned wildly. "I'm willing to correct that problem, even if it takes all night." He swung a leg over her body so he was straddling her. "Get ready for the Jagged babymaker."
Jaina gave him feigned look of disgust. "Please don't give it a nickname." She playfully pushed him away resulting in Jag losing his balance and landing on the floor with a thud. Jaina laughed and crawled to the edge of the mattress and peeked over to her lover lying on the floor. "Are you alright?"
Jag grunted. "Ahh, yeah, it feels like I landed on some Jagged rocks" He laughed. "I think you need to kiss it make it better."
Jaina grabbed a pillow and tossed it at the man. "Nobody would believe what you're like behind closed doors."
He slowly got up and climbed back into bed. "We'll just have to keep that our little secret, My Empress." He leaned in and kissed her softly.
"Your secret is safe with me," she said before kissing him hungerly.
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Coruscant, Imperial Palace, Solo Family Guest Quarters.
"Your parents handled that well," Tenel Ka said as she shifted in bed to face Jacen. He was lying next to her wearing briefs and a broad, eager smile. A thin sheet covered her body but he could still see the sensual outline of her womanly figure. He was tempted to pull it off and continue their earlier activities, but he knew they needed to some time to talk.
"When you are a Solo you expect the unexpected." He leaned in and gave her a soft lingering kiss. "Are you getting nervous about announcing me as your consort?"
She shook her head. "No, I should have done it earlier when I realized how unhappy you were." She reached over and caressed his face. "I'm sorry."
He took her hand in his and kissed her palm. "I'm sure you will make it up to me somehow."
"I will endeavor to do so," she said softly. "You once told me you desired to see the look on your mother's face upon seeing a child of yours…now I know why. I have never seen her so happy."
Jacen smiled and a feeling of joy flooded over him as he thought back to his mother's reaction. "She was happy…everybody was happy."
Tenel Ka's face turned serious. "Do you think they resent the secrecy?"
Jacen shrugged. "I think my parents understood. You have to realize most of my early childhood was spent in hiding and away from my parents. How can she blame us to protecting our child almost the same way she did with me and my siblings?"
Tenel Ka didn't look convinced. "I was surprised your twin didn't say anything."
Jacen laughed. "Did you feel the heat radiating off of her and Jag though the Force? She had other things on her mind."
"Now all that is left if telling the galaxy." She gazed deeply into Jacen's brown eyes. "I promise you, no matter what the reaction from the Hapan people, we will be together as a family…always. I never wish to be apart from you again." Her fingers teased a line down his chest. "When the Palace is cleared for occupancy we can go home."
He smiled. "Home. That sounds nice." He leaned in for a soft kiss. As he pulled away he smiled. "Finally we're a family."
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Leia couldn't sleep. Her mind kept wandering to the events of the day. Her son has a wife and daughter. She was a grandmother once again. She should be thrilled, but the situation with Lumiya was disturbing. She had promised herself that she wouldn't think about the situation, but she couldn't help dwelling on the subject.
"Leia, will you quit thinking so loud," Han said as he rolled over to gaze at his wife.
"Did you suddenly become a Force sensitive?"
"No, I just know your breathing patterns when you sleep. I can tell you were awake and brooding. What's wrong?"
She hesitated for a second not knowing if she should once again express her concerns. "Han," she said tentatively. "I still think it's a strange coincidence that Jacen was training with Lumiya, then it's discovered Lumiya delivered a virus that killed off a group of Royals who have been trying to kill his wife and child for the last few years."
"It is a strange coincidence," Han agreed. "And that's what it is—a coincidence."
Leia demurred. "I guess."
"Mark said Lumiya was training Jacen to defeat some future threat. Jacen couldn't be seeped in the dark nor light side of the Force to defeat this threat…whatever that meant. Don't you think involving Jacen in mass murder would defeat her purpose? That would definitely pull Jacen over to the dark."
Leia nodded. "That makes sense." She glanced over to her husband. "Mark said she was doing all of this to find redemption. I wonder what happened to her after she died? Did she go off the chaos of the netherworld or did she find peace?"
"I don't know." He leaned in to kiss his wife. "And I really don't care…but if your father found redemption after all he kriffed up stuff he did, I suspect it doesn't take much for the Force to forgive a person." He nuzzled her neck. "I don't want to talk about her, but since you woke me up…maybe we can find something fun to occupy our time."
Leia chuckled as her hands ran down his body. "You scoundrel."
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Deep space
Lumiya felt her Force-essence floating again…moving.
After she died she found her spirit trapped on Myrkr by the Force-Void bubbles created by the ysalamiri. Confined to the area, she was able to watch in fascination as Jacen fought to escape and then the final disturbing solution his family did to 'cure' him. She couldn't help but to feel sorry for the young man. He had a wife and family and now all was lost to him. He would have been better off staying with her. She could only hope things worked out for him.
Her spirit, invisible to all, shifted around the Myrkr compound going from building to building and around the grounds. She watched the large redheaded clone and his doctor son carefully place her remains in a body bag. Luke was there observing the process silently. The clone had turned to Skywalker and said, "She asked me to tell you that she was sorry. And I could sense that she meant it. She truly was sorry for all she had done." Luke didn't respond. He simply nodded and left the room.
Eventually the group packed up the ships and blasted off planet taking her corporeal remains but leaving her spirit on the ysalamiri infested Force-forsaken world. It was a lonely existence, but it had to be better than the fate that awaited her… the horrific torment of Chaos or as others called it, The Void. It was a place where Sith and the spirits of evil sentient beings went after they died. The prophets and dark mystics told her that the Force lying within an evil person is corrupted and cannot join the flow of the Force. If she ever escaped this planet she was doomed to wander eternity with other tormented spirits. It was not a pleasant thought and compared to that, watching the grass grow and ysalamiri get eaten by Vornskrs seemed like paradise.
Unfortunately, one day something unexpected happened. Either the ysalamiri migrated with the seasons or their predators did and the tree lizards no longer exerted the energy to project their Force bubbles. Either way, she was finally free of the confines of the planet and she felt herself being pulled by some unseen force. She assumed she was heading to her final destination…wherever that was. She only wished she could have found redemption beforehand.
She didn't know how long she floated untethered from her body, her spirit drifting in the ethereal of space…but suddenly something changed.
She no longer sensed movement. She was now in a place of darkness and silence. She didn't know how long she remained in the blackness, but eventually she saw a glimmer of light and movement in the distance. It was a figure, possibly human, gliding toward her. When he was almost upon her she could make out his features. It was a tall man, with broad shoulders, and handsome chiseled face.
'At least the gatekeeper to Hell, is easy on the eyes,' she thought to herself.
The man smiled almost as if he could sense her thoughts. "That is very kind of you, my dear Lumiya."
That voice…she knew that voice. She moved her lips to speak, not knowing if that was possible in this form or if she even needed to bother. "Darth Vectivus?"
His smile grew broader. "I would say, in the flesh, but sadly that is not the case. No matter, I have become accustomed to this form." He motioned with his hand and her surroundings slowly materialized. She was at The Home.
She gazed around the vast residence in astonishment. "How did I get here?"
He looked at her forlornly. "Lumiya, you tried so hard to redeem yourself. I couldn't let you fall into the turmoil of chaos. When I felt your death I did everything I could to draw you here." He smiled. "And here you are. Saved from damnation, but doomed to live an eternity at The Home with me as your undying companion."
She smiled back at his ghostly image. "That doesn't sound so bad."
"Good," he moved smoothly over to the living area of the home. "And I have some good news. Something I recently discovered."
"And that is?"
The Sith Lord grinned. "That old LEP servant droid you purchased a couple months ago…it can hear my voice."
"So?"
"Watch." He turned toward the dining area. "LEP Droid."
A silver bipedal droid trundled out of the kitchen. It was an odd looking droid she had purchased to clean the expansive underground home. It walked into the room, its long spindly arms stretched out to its side and its small round head perched on a slender neck swiveling around searching its surroundings.
"Yes, Master Vectivus." The little droid moved toward them while spinning in circles looking for something.
Vectivus turned to Lumiya. "For some reason it has difficulty perceiving me with it's optical sensors, but it can hear me just fine." He turned back toward the droid. "Turn on the music player. Classical, the Mantooine Minuet."
"Yes, Master." The droid wandered over to the machine and pushed a series of buttons. Soon the soothing sounds of an orchestra filled The Home.
Darth Vectivus held out his hand to Lumiya. She was hesitant to touch him, but eventually she reached out and their ghostly forms intermingled at the hands. She was startled by the sensation that ran through her. It was a mixing of senses and she felt a strong masculine presence envelop her, hold her, caress her spirit…it was a strong pleasurable feeling that filled her with an almost sensual joy.
"Oh my," she said in surprise.
A smug smile crossed his lips. "I couldn't let you suffer in chaos, nor could I let you go. I have become quite fond of you Lumiya."
"Thank you," she said. If she had a corporeal form she was sure she would cry.
"Shall we dance?"
She smiled gratefully. "I would love to."
Her spirit mingled and swirled with his; two spirits surging and undulating with the beat of the music. Lumiya found it intoxicating.
"While here, there's no need worry about that unknown future danger the prophets predicted," Darth Vectivus remarked.
"True." Lumiya said as they swirled about the room. "Although I wish I knew if the warrior to defeat it was actually a Master of the Unifying Force. What else could the prophets have meant by a warrior that is neither seeped in the light or dark side of the Force?"
Vectivus shrugged his phantom shoulders. "Who knows? The prophets were notorious at misinterpreting visions and it really doesn't matter," he said with a husky voice. "Only we matter. Now and for eternity."
She smiled. "For eternity."
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Kessel Sector, Outer Rim Territories
The creature—ancient, dark, evil, and dangerous—awakened after a long sleep…and she was hungry. She slowly opened her eyes and gazed around the dark cave full of ragged volcanic rock and glass crystals. She sluggishly extended a slithery tentacle outward and wrapped it around a stalagmite on the cave floor and pulled herself forward, unhurriedly toward a fissure leading to the surface of the planet. She needed to feed; she needed to create anarchy—for she was the Bringer of Chaos. She escaped her prison years ago, but was confined to this planet with no ship and no sentients to rule. But that had changed. She sensed voices in an unknown language. She would enslave and force whoever was outside her mountain fortress to bend to her will. And then she could once again reestablish herself in her rightful place in the universe. She was Abeloth, the Beloved Queen of the stars…and soon all would know.
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Krigar led his hunting party down a path frequented by local animals that were good to eat. Meat was plentiful but they had to compete with the carnivorous plant life that was also abundant on their strange new world. In the last few weeks they had wandered out further than usual in search for new hunting grounds.
Krigar raised a hand signaling for the rest of his party to halt. He saw movement in the distance, something slithering out of an opening along the side of a dormant volcano. He called his brother forward.
"What is that?" he said in his native language. He refused to speak Basic. A few in his party spoke the language so they could communicate with the Merciful Ones, but Krigar found the concept of assimilating into their language and culture offensive.
The tall muscular man shook his head. "It is something I have never seen before."
Krigar gazed at the tentacle beast for a long moment. "It may be edible." He signaled for the rest of his party to remain while he and his brother approached the strange animal.
The creature slithered and moved across the ground using its many appendages to push and pull itself toward the two men. When they were a few meters apart the ugly creature stretched and formed into a humanoid appearance. Its mouth stretched unnaturally wide across its feminine looking face exposing rows of sharp teeth. The creature spoke out in an unknown language. It paused, perhaps waiting for a reply. When none came it spoke in a more familiar tongue.
Krigar turned to his brother, Jomak Kaz. "It is speaking Basic. Do you understand it?"
Jomak listened for a moment then bared his teeth threateningly. "It says it is here to enslave us. It is ordering us to bow down to it. It calls itself Abeloth the Queen of the Stars." Jomak Kaz replied angrily to the creature in Basic. "We bow down to no one!"
The creature's wide smile turned to a snarl as it attempted to ensnare the two men with her tentacles. A strange look of surprise came over the beast when the men easily pushed her grasping appendages away. She then said something indecipherable to Krigar and he turned to his brother for translation.
"It says, 'what manner of creatures are we that we cannot be subdued of the power of the Force?'"
Krigar snarled. "I have heard enough." He uncoiled a snake-like creature wrapped around his arm. "You may translate for it if you wish."
He stepped toward the monstrous creature. "We will not bow down. We will no longer be subjugated and bent to do the will of others. The dark and light side of your Force abandoned us a thousand generations ago and therefore holds no sway over us." He shook the snake-like creature and it stiffened into a heavy staff. "We are no longer 'Shamed Ones', we are free men." Then with a loud battle cry he brought his amphistaff crashing down on the creature's head as his brother rushed in to assist in the kill.
The living thing screamed in alarm and surprise and tried to slither away, but the remainder of the hunting party closed in striking the creature with their lethal staffs, cutting the flesh and poisoning the body. They did not halt until the beast stopped moving. The men then stepped back to examine the corpse.
Krigar poked at the eviscerated body until he was convinced it was dead. He then turned to his comrades, amphistaff raise high above his head and announced. "We are Yuuzhan Vong warriors and Abeloth, The Queen of the Stars is no more!"
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: Abeloth was the villain in the Fate of the Jedi series of books. She is an ancient evil… an evil demi-god or something like that. All I know is she made life miserable for the Jedi and just about everybody else. In the professional novels starting from the Legacy of the Force Luke saw a vision of a dark man…an evil approaching. Then you have all the horrible Jacen drama followed by the Abeloth problem. This fic is my way of ending all those problems. In the prequel fanfic Second to None I got rid of the most of the Vong problem. I wrote that the Shamed Ones (name of the Vong slaves) lived because I was thinking, "They would have come in handy to kill the Force strong Abeloth since they are immune to the power of the Force". If you have more questions just send me a PM. I don't want to spoil everything for people who haven't read the novels.
Next is the Epilogue and I then am done with this story. I am doing another Diary Challenge at TFN. I am now writing The Journal of Talon Tantiss and that story can be found in my profile. It is the continuing adventures of the Tantiss family. Thanks everybody for reading and taking the time to review. It is always nice to hear from people reading my stories.