The Solo Quest dropped out of hyperspace to appear over the world of Denon, a planetary metropolis that appeared almost exactly as Coruscant had.
"This isn't Coruscant," Raynar said. He was seated in the copilot seat, looking out through the viewport. "It looks a little different than I remember." He then looked at the console. "These aren't even the right coordinates; I know that Coruscant's called Triple Zero for a reason."
"That's right. Remember when I told you that the Yuuzhan Vong invaded Coruscant?" Jacen asked.
"Yeah."
"Well, even though the Galactic Alliance reclaimed it," Jacen said, "they kinda can't occupy it for at least another three decades. The rebuilding of that planet will take some time and Yuuzhan Vong Shapers who weren't ferried away by Zonama Sekot are there to help in making sure that everything that's theirs is no longer there."
"So the GA decided to place its capital on Denon?" Raynar asked.
"Bingo," Jacen confirmed.
From there, after the Quest went through Denon's standard security checks, it was through the atmosphere and heading down for a public landing bay. Jacen paid the landing fee, and then he and Raynar took an aircab over to a private clinic located a few miles away.
"You know, I gotta ask," Raynar said as he and Jacen rode in the backseat of the cab, "now that the Jedi Order isn't exactly the institution it was, how are you still getting money? I mean, did you get a job, Jacen?"
"Uncle Luke is still on good terms with Chief of State Omas," Jacen said. "They established a Masters' Council so that they can direct and guide the Jedi who are doing missions. So long as the Order continues to serve the galaxy in a small way, Omas gives funding even to what would be called 'non-active Jedi,' according to GA policy."
"'Non-active Jedi,' like you?" Raynar asked.
"Basically."
"So you got to have a free ride traveling around the galaxy learning different Force-powers," Raynar said with a strained smirk. "Lucky you."
"Well, I help when and where I'm needed," Jacen said. "I saved you from Plo and Welk, right?"
"Only 'cause I called, but yeah," Raynar acknowledged. "So I guess Jaina's one of these active Jedi?"
"I haven't been in touch with her since the end of the war, but knowing her, I think she still would be," Jacen said. "That was certainly her choice after the war ended."
"Why haven't you been speaking to each other?" Raynar asked. "Did something bad happen? I mean, besides the war and... Anakin."
"Nothing really happened after the war, we just grew apart, taking different paths," Jacen said. "We still feel each other through our twin bond, and we give the little Force-nudges here and there between ourselves. I guess we just never found the time to really reconnect."
"You know, I'm sorry if I'm prying, especially after you saved me," Raynar said, "but did you keep up with the rest of your family after you went on your sojourn, Jacen?"
"In all honesty, not really," Jacen said. "I just kept to myself, and the rest of the family did their own thing, to the best of my knowledge. But don't worry, you're not prying; you saved me from Plo, so I guess it kinda goes both ways now."
"Okay," Raynar said.
"You know, actually, I think it may be a good idea to reconnect with my family, just for old time's sake," Jacen said. "I definitely would like to see Uncle Luke about that flow-walking thing, where you saw me back in the past."
"You wouldn't mind updating me on that, see what you figured out?" Raynar asked. "I mean, it seems pretty weird that I saw you when all flow-walking is is just seeing what's in the past."
"Don't worry, I'll let you know," Jacen said. "Ah, here we are."
By then, the aircab stopped outside the clinic that they were heading to. Jacen paid the driver, who didn't hear any of their conversation because of the soundproofing between the front and backseats (which could only be turned down from either end), and they walked out right before the aircab zoomed away.
Moments later, they were inside the clinic and they walked past the seated patients - some of whom gave Raynar some concerned and even horrified glances at his deformed visage - to meet with the blue-skinned male Twi'lek receptionist. He gave Raynar a startled look.
"Yeah, that's kind of why we're here," Jacen said to the receptionist. Raynar offered an annoyed glance. "We'd like to see Doctor Cilghal, please."
"Please have a seat, and I'll her know," the receptionist said as he spoke in a calm, professional tone; his surprise of Raynar's appearance was gone. "What are your names, by the way?"
"I'm Jacen Solo, and this is Raynar Thul," Jacen said. Raynar nodded at the receptionist, in spite of his earlier reaction.
"Jacen Solo?" the receptionist asked. "The son of Han and Leia Solo?"
"Sure am," Jacen said neutrally.
"I'll let Doctor Cilghal know right away," the receptionist said before he stood up and practically rushed away.
Once Jacen and Raynar were seated, the latter asked the former in hushed whispers, so as to not attract any attention from the other waiting patients, "So you're not known as the hero of the Yuuzhan Vong War? You're still only known as Han Solo and Princess Leia's son?"
"Me killing Onimi is only something that my family and closest friends know about," Jacen said. "As far as the galaxy's concerned, the war ended when Uncle Luke killed Shimrra Jamaane."
"And you're just okay with the fact that the galaxy doesn't know that you're the one who stopped the war?" Raynar asked.
Jacen shrugged. "I'm fine with it. I don't really care about that, anyway; I just want to expand my knowledge of the Force. Besides, there are rumors that I ended the war when I killed a second power to the Yuuzhan Vong throne, but neither anyone in my family or myself decided to confirm these rumors, because, really, what would that gain anyone? Maybe a little something in the historical archives, but really, what else? I mean, we let Tionne Solusar know about this, but that's really all about it.
"And in any case, I don't think it's a good idea to let the Yuuzhan Vong know that they were really run by a Shamed One the whole time; I can imagine they're having a hard time adjusting with their new lifestyle on Zonama Sekot as it is, especially the ones who were on top of the food chain."
"I also imagine it would hurt the Shamed Ones' morale if they learned that one of their own led their species and continued to let them wallow in their destitution?" Raynar asked.
"That's also another good reason we didn't reveal that to the galaxy," Jacen said.
"So Cilghal decided to become an M.D.?" Raynar asked.
"Hey, it makes sense to her," Jacen replied in the same hushed whisper. "Just as traveling the galaxy did for me. Uncle Luke did say that we should utilize our skills and abilities to how we saw fit, so Cilghal took up being a medical practitioner."
"She didn't become a Jedi Master?" Raynar asked. "I'd think she'd be on the Masters' Council by now."
"It wasn't for her," Jacen said. "She wasn't interested in the internal matters of the Order so much. She wanted to help people, so she did."
"You know, now that I think about it," Raynar said, "you haven't been keeping up with your family; how do you know about the other Jedi like Cilghal?"
"I keep up with some of the news in the Order," Jacen said. "I hear things, you know."
By then, the Twi'lek receptionist reappeared at his station and said, "Doctor Cilghal is ready to see you and Jedi Thul, Jedi Solo."
Jacen and Raynar stood up and walked past the other patients, who all looked a little peeved that they got to go earlier than the rest of them.
The receptionist guided the Jedi along to Cilghal's office. She looked up at them and flinched at the site of Raynar's face.
"Oh, Jacen!" Cilghal said. "Your startled me. Who's your friend here?"
"Cilghal, you remember Raynar Thul?" Jacen asked.
"Raynar?" Cilghal asked, now bringing her full attention on the burned Knight. "I thought you died at Myrkr like everyone else thought."
"I look dead, don't I?" Raynar remarked.
"You look like you need some intense physical therapy," Cilghal said. "Please, have a seat and tell me everything. Uh, Jacen, did you need to see me for something?"
"No, it's just for Raynar," Jacen said. "You can take him from here, Doctor?"
"Sure," Cilghal said.
Raynar turned to Jacen. "Again, thanks for saving me."
"Anytime," Jacen said before shaking his friend's hand. They then turned away from each other, with Jacen leaving and Raynar taking his seat to tell Cilghal about what happened to him after Myrkr and what she could do to help him.