Author Topic: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): COMPLETE
Darth_Lex  3896 posts
Registered: Nov '02
44424_Roan Fel
Date Posted: 4/17/07 5:47am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 10th!!
Auntie: Love Jag to the rescue
After all the secrecy, I figured it was time to let Jag have a hero moment in front of everybody. wink

The transition to Jag & Jaina as a couple seemed very seamless to me.
Are you listening, profic? talk_hand

OJN: I admit that I came back to re-read the last chapter, and savored every word.
Wow, thank you. blush What a great compliment.

PointGiven: I’ll be looking for it. cool



Thanks again for the great feedback, everyone! grin

Posting momentarily! dancing

 

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Darth_Lex  3896 posts
Registered: Nov '02
44424_Roan Fel
Date Posted: 4/17/07 5:51am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 10th!! - Date Edited: 4/17/07 5:59am (2 edits total) Edited By: Darth_Lex
CHAPTER FIFTEEN

43 ABY, two years after the Defeat of Darth Who
Funeral of Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon, Bastion


Across the crowded ballroom, Jag finally spotted Jaina. She felt his gaze, and turned toward him. With a subtle tilt of his head and shift of his eyes, he signaled he was ready – more than ready, truth be told – to get out of here. She tipped her head. Effortlessly she extracted herself from a conversation with one of the admirals, then weaved her way through the dense throng of mourners until she reached his side.

Hand-in-hand they slipped over to the wall, then walked along it until they reached the exit. The corridors were nearly empty, and soon they arrived at the complex’s massive hangar facility. They didn’t stop walking until they were inside the Wampa’s Claw. Jag sealed the boarding ramp behind them and activated the anti-surveillance jammers.

Jaina patted him on the rear. “Change first? Or take off?”

“Tough call,” Jag said, raising a brow. “Being around all these Moffs gives me the creeps. I feel like I need a shower.” He shuddered. “But that’s all the more reason to just get some distance from all this first.”

“Works for me,” Jaina said, heading toward the front of the shuttle. Her slim black dress flattered every luscious curve of her body, and he was pretty sure she was adding a little extra sway to her hips as she walked.

They took their seats in the cockpit. While the drives were warming up, Jaina reached over and put a hand on Jag’s knee. “You okay?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t seem okay.”

He put a hand atop hers and met her eyes. “I’m fine. I just… I knew he was dying, but I didn’t realize how much I was going to miss him until the funeral. Now it’s so real.”

“I understand,” Jaina said, and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek. When she sat up in her chair again she checked the indicators and displays on her half of the console. Then, abruptly, she sighed. “Okay. So. I have a confession.”

He glanced over. “Oh? What’s that?”

“Um…” Her face was starting to flush, and she hadn’t even had anything to drink. “I’m ready to get married.”

Without hesitation he leaned over to her and kissed her full on the lips. Deeply, seizing the back of her head in both his hands, claiming her lips and her soul with all his heart. When she finally whimpered he broke the kiss – but didn’t let her go. His face hovered only millimeters from hers. “About time.”

She frowned in mock consternation, then giggled. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

“When?”

She giggled again. “Tomorrow?”

“Your parents would kill us if we didn’t have a ceremony.”

She kissed his forehead. “Yours would, too.”

“True. A few weeks, then?”

“Deal.”

They shared another long, deep kiss. Then Jag shifted back into his chair and ran the final preflight checks. “We haven’t talked about it in a while. What changed?”

“A couple things, actually,” she said. An enormous grin still spread across her face. “The last couple days here. Watching you, being at your side. Listening to your eulogy. Seeing how respected you are, seeing the leader you’re going to be. I want to be here for you every step of the way. I want to support you as much as you’ve supported me. I want to share it with you, your life and your Empire. All of it.”

“That’s a pretty good reason,” Jag said as nonchalantly as he could manage. Inside he was experiencing an unfamiliar emotion – the one called giddy. “What else?”

“Lately you’ve been so wonderful with Allana. Taking her with you to see Wyn’s new baby. Watching her on your own for that whole week when I had to make a trip to the Temple. Helping her with her lessons.” She shook her head. “I don’t know, I guess I always worried that I had no right to inflict a willful seven-year-old Jedi girl on you, when she wasn’t even yours.”

“That doesn’t matter, Jaina,” he said, his voice quiet but insistent. He had to keep his eyes focused out the viewport while he flew the shuttle out of the hangar and into the dark nighttime sky over Bastion, but his words were straight from the heart. “It never has, and it never will. I love Allana like she’s my own.”

“I know you do, but I guess I was never really able to stop doubting until recently.”

“And?”

She was flushing again. “And what?”

“Nice try.” He smirked at her. He’d called her bluff and she knew it. They were clear of the immediate traffic near the complex, so he set the shuttle to autopilot for the smooth climb through the skylanes toward space. Then he turned to the side to look into her eyes. “There’s something more. Right?”

She nodded, biting her lip. He waited a few seconds, then cleared his throat.

As usual, she blurted it out. “I want to have a baby.”

He laughed. “You’re jealous of Wyn.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Right.”

“Really, I’m not,” Jaina insisted. “Not jealous. More like… inspired.”

Jag raised a brow. “I see.”

“You’re already a wonderful father to Allana. And I love being her mother. I just…” She bit her lip again. “I want another baby. Our baby.”

“I do, too,” Jag said, and kissed her tenderly. Their lips lingered together, slowly and softly, an effortlessly perfect gentle kiss, for what felt like forever.

The navcomputer beeped. The Wampa’s Claw was leaving the atmosphere, and they needed to enter a destination. Jag sat up in his seat, pondering what course to set. Then it hit him. He chuckled, and grinned at Jaina.

“As it turns out,” he said, “I have a confession, too. But I think I’ll keep mine a surprise for just a little longer.”

“Hey!” Jaina exclaimed, swatting his arm. “No fair.”

“Trust me,” Jag said. “It’ll be much better this way than if I just tell you.”

Jaina scowled, and turned to the nav console. “This better be good, flyboy. Where to?”

“Borosk.”

“Huh? Why –” Another giggle. “Right. Never mind.”

After she tapped in the coordinates, they sat quietly for the short minutes it took the shuttle to reach the jump point. Once the starscape stretched to the bright streaks of hyperspace, they rose from their seats and headed back toward the cabin.

As they walked, Jag tickled his fingers down Jaina’s bare arm. “About that baby…”

“We couldn’t successfully accomplish that tonight even if we wanted to, and you know it.” She tossed a wicked grin over her shoulder. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t practice.”

********

43 ABY, the next day
Empire of the Hand Forward Strategic Command (FORSTCOM), Borosk


The tour had started in main hangar, where Jag had landed the Wampa’s Claw. It was still mostly empty for now, occupied only by the small vessels owned by the contractors who were putting the finishing touches on the facility. From there he had led Jaina through the diplomatic receiving suite, the large briefing theater, and the Intelligence wing. Next they had inspected the commanders’ offices and the state-of-the-art communications room. Then Jag had taken Jaina out on the rear balcony to show her the sweeping panorama of the rest of the base: infantry and pilot barracks, artillery garages, three massive starfighter hangars, and complete training and readiness facilities for all the soldiers and staff stationed here.

The last stop was the heart of the entire complex – the command center.

Jag tapped the wall panel and the blast door slid open with a whoosh. He motioned Jaina ahead, and she strode inside a few paces. Then she stopped in place and inhaled a sharp breath. He stepped into the room and stepped up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“So,” he said quietly, “what do you think?”

“It’s,” she whispered, “amazing.”

The room was enormous. Three times the size of a Star Destroyer bridge and twice as tall, it surely was one of the most sophisticated centers of its kind in the entire galaxy. Along three walls – on this level and one above, linked by six sets of spiral stairs – were numerous computer stations and display screens. The floor space held five huge battle assessment tables. The back edge of the room was dominated by a command dais, with four semi-circular consoles for integrating and displaying data or analysis from the other stations. The entire back wall, two stories high and as wide as the room, was a massive vidscreen. It could display a single large image or subdivide into smaller ones, depending on the current strategic need. For now, in understated blue hues, it showed the emblem of the Empire of the Hand.

“And you haven’t even seen the best part,” Jag said. “Come on.”

He took her hand and led her to one of the battle assessment tables. The biggest one, closest to the command dais. He entered a code on its keypad, and the main surface of the table divided into four segments, which retracted on angles to form a diamond-shaped opening about one meter wide. Into the opening rose a large hemispheric projector. Jag tapped another code, and a holographic image burst into view above the table.

The entire galaxy to scale, in three dimensions, from one end to the other. The sparkling hologram seemed to fill this entire end of the room. The star systems of Empire of the Hand were denoted in royal blue, stretching from Borosk to Nirauan and Csilla and beyond, two hundred sectors deep into the Unknown Regions. Adjacent were the eight sectors of the Imperial Remnant, a lighter shade of blue. Much of the galaxy was colored a soft tone of red, showing the extent of the Galactic Alliance. Autonomous regions, such as the Corporate Sector and Hutt Space, appeared in varying hues, with neutral and unaligned systems in white.

“I had it brought from Nirauan,” Jag explained.

“You’ve got your very own Hand of Thrawn,” Jaina said lightly, still awestruck. “Impressive.”

“I thought about calling it the Boot of Fel, but I figured that was a bit too presumptuous.”

She laughed. “Yes. Just a bit.” Then she took his hands in hers. “This is wonderful, Jag. It’s unbelievable, really. But this place, this command center – it’s not the whole surprise you said you had for me.”

“No,” he replied. “It isn’t.” Honestly he was surprised she hadn’t called him on that until now. But he couldn’t delay any longer. He took a deep breath, then said it. “Last year my father signed a secret treaty bringing Borosk from the Remnant into the Empire of the Hand.” He pointed to the map, and four other planets nearby, which were blinking between white and blue. “Morishim, Mygeeto, Garqi, and Ord Canfre aren’t Imperial worlds, but they will also be joining once we announce the Borosk treaty publicly. For the last few years my father has been more a diplomat than a commander. His last big objective for the Empire of the Hand was to finally give us a presence in the Known Regions – and he’s done it.”

Jaina nodded. “A foothold in the Known Regions, just on the borders of the Remnant. Which you need before the Empire of the Hand absorbs them, just like you did the Chiss.”

“That’s the expectation, yes,” Jag said. He brushed a stray lock of hair away from her face, and tucked it behind her ear. “How soon it happens depends on how stable or unstable the Remnant becomes without its Grand Admiral there to hold it together.”

Again Jaina nodded, letting it all sink in. “And?”

“And it’s been coming for a while now, but my father finally told me at Bastion, after the funeral, that he’s ready to retire. To pass on command of the Empire of the Hand to me. All of it. Military and civilian, diplomacy and trade. Everything Admiral Parck and he have done for four decades until now will be mine. Ours.”

“Wow.”

“That’s why we had this base built on Borosk. So I could take command in the Known Regions. So I could lead from a system in the Known Regions. They’re symbolically important as statements about the future of the Empire of the Hand. And…” He leaned down to kiss her forehead. “… because my heart is here in the Known Regions, with you.”

Jaina swallowed, and it took her a moment to find her voice. “You did this for me?”

“Yes.”

She furrowed her brow. “But where are we going to live? You didn’t show me any living quarters, or a –”

He cut her off with a finger on her lips. “It’s not built yet, because I told them not to. Because I want you to design our new home with me.”

Jaina gasped, and pulled him into a tight embrace. “Oh, Jag,” she murmured into his chest, over and over again. Finally she lifted her face to look into his eyes. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. “This is so much more than I ever expected.”

“But you like it?”

“I love it,” she said, stretching up to kiss him quickly. “And I love you. And I can’t wait to raise our family here, together.”

“Me too,” he said, and hugged her as tightly as he possibly could.

After a minute she drew back. “But we’ll have to change the name Empire of the Hand. It doesn’t really work if it’s not based at the Hand of Thrawn anymore.”

“I’d considered that. Any ideas?”

She grinned. “Give me a few days. I’ll think of something.”

He laughed. “I’m sure you will.”

********

Chapter Sixteen (43 ABY) next week…

How do you tell Han Solo you’re joining the Empire? Very carefully. laugh


p.s. Yes, we did just jump ahead two years. mischief The reasons why will be clearer in the next post. whistling

 

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morrison85  8114 posts
Registered: May '05
7850_Luke Skywalker
Date Posted: 4/17/07 6:47am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
Lukes dead? I must have missed something there tongue .Nice to see jaina and that other Fel-low ? are planning

 

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Lyne  158 posts
Registered: Aug '06
24201_Anakin and Padme
Date Posted: 4/17/07 7:08am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
Love that they are raising Allana and are planning on expanding their family. I hope we get to see Jaina forming the Imperial Knights.

Can't wait for the next chapter. Han's reaction is going to be priceless. laugh

 

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TahiriSoloFan  1691 posts
Registered: May '03
19661_Tahiri
Date Posted: 4/17/07 9:16am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
Do you know I've wondered about Jaina taking Allana into her home since it became obvious that Jacen was on the down hill slide? It just seems right somehow. Jag seems like he be a great dad.

Boy, Jag and Soontir have been busy ! cool

Jania telling Han she's joined the Empire....should be interesting! whistling

 

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RedGold  4293 posts
Registered: Nov '04
41217_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 4/17/07 9:31am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
*throttles Jaina*

So now she sees how awesome of a guy he is, how smart, talented, and freaking down right cool and NOW she wants to be with him???

*throttles Jaina again and again and again*

ggggrrrrrrrr

 

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Flowerlady  3400 posts
Registered: Dec '05
41083_Jaina and Jag
Date Posted: 4/17/07 9:53am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
Fantastic!!! applause

I loved it. love

Great job and I can't wait to see Han's reaction...Now that's something I don't want to miss... laugh



FL rose

 

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PointGiven  782 posts
Registered: Dec '06
6466_Soontir Fel
Date Posted: 4/17/07 3:14pm Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
Oh man I love it!!!

You have to say how Darth Who(I'm personally hoping for Darth Acheron) was killed though.

Also the Jag story will be up today

 

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IceFire27  57 posts
Registered: Jan '07
Date Posted: 4/17/07 3:37pm Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
In true Jaina fashion, she waits how many years to tell Jag that she's ready to start a family? tongue I love the fact that she and Jag have taken Allana in as their own.

I can't wait to she her telling Han about this. grin

 

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oldjedinurse  3375 posts
Registered: Oct '03
24114_Barris Offee
Date Posted: 4/17/07 4:44pm Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
*Happy Sigh*

Let me see. What did I enjoy about this chapter? (Besides everything--again!)

“Being around all these Moffs gives me the creeps. I feel like I need a shower.”
laugh Love that expression! Isn't that the truth about having to hang out with some people?

Jaina patted him on the rear... and he was pretty sure she was adding a little extra sway to her hips as she walked.
raised_brow Ooh-la-la! love

“I’m ready to get married.”
laugh So very, very "Jaina". Right in character!

"...I love Allana like she’s my own.”
kiss Just the way I hope Jag would/will be.

“I thought about calling it the Boot of Fel, but I figured that was a bit too presumptuous.”
laugh There's that Fel sense of humor again. You've done a wonderful job of not only maintaining your characterizations but ensuring that each one matures. That doesn't apply only to this particular piece of dialogue, but it seemed an appropriate time to mention it.

“You did this for me?”
love kiss rose If life was fair, everyone would have someone who loved them as much as this.

How do you tell Han Solo you’re joining the Empire? Very carefully.
thinking A question for the ages, my friend! I'm sure you will write an delightful resolution!

Thanks for writing this!

oldj

 

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Solo_and_Fel  832 posts
Registered: Apr '04
49847_H457: Jack Skellington
Date Posted: 4/17/07 8:21pm Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
Across the crowded ballroom, Jag finally spotted Jaina. She felt his gaze, and turned toward him. With a subtle tilt of his head and shift of his eyes, he signaled he was ready – more than ready, truth be told – to get out of here. She tipped her head. Effortlessly she extracted herself from a conversation with one of the admirals, then weaved her way through the dense throng of mourners until she reached his side.
Ok. When i read this, I actually said "whoa" out loud. I started writing a fic that had Jag & Jaina in it a few months ago and a section of it began with almost this exact same paragraph. Except there was no mourners. Soooo... good start to this chapter. tongue

“Okay. So. I have a confession.”
Aha! I like this. There's really no natural segue to accepting a proposal if you wait a really long time to respond to said proposal. As much as I like reading all the creative ways fanficcers have Jag propose... this was very much more of that stride I mentioned last time. He knows she'll accept when she's ready. And she knows he's waiting. And they're both ok with that.

You've really brought some key things to light here that are really good to have in a relationship: respect, admiration, support, and love.

Jaina's one lucky girl.

When the legacy series ends... I'm fairly certain I'm going to tape these chapters into the end of the last book (if it works out timing-wise). I did not think I could like any chapter more than the last... but we have a contender here.

It makes me excited for their Empire and them really being a team again. If you'd said to me two years ago that these two would be involved in the Empire and I'd like it... I'd have slapped you silly.... probably like Han will want to do to someone in the next post. tongue

Very nice job, Lex. Very nice. applause

 

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miranda82  394 posts
Registered: Mar '04
7558_Mirax Terrik
Date Posted: 4/17/07 9:12pm Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!! - Date Edited: 4/17/07 9:14pm (1 edits total) Edited By: miranda82
RedGold posted:
*throttles Jaina*

So now she sees how awesome of a guy he is, how smart, talented, and freaking down right cool and NOW she wants to be with him???

*throttles Jaina again and again and again*

ggggrrrrrrrr


I'm with RedGold on this one!

That and I can't wait to see Han's reaction to this piece of news! laugh

 

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obsessedwithSW  1772 posts
Registered: May '05
6007_Obi-Wan Kenobi
Date Posted: 4/17/07 9:31pm Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
dancing
Mush!

You hit the whole marriage baby thing in one post- Jaina must have been hit by the maternal instinct bad! Having a good guy tends to reel in the most ardent of us.

I am still waiting for a shirtess scene. batting

 

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jade_angel  3588 posts
Title: Executive Officer Vancouver BC, Canada
Registered: Apr '01
20045_Mara Jade
Date Posted: 4/18/07 3:23am Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
I was so not expecting that two year jump, definitely looking forward to seeing what happened in between. Jaina and Jag raising Allana is nice too, it's actually amusing thinking of Jag playing father, hope to see some of that too tongue

 

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jedi_princess18  875 posts
Registered: Jun '05
42356_Jaina Solo
Date Posted: 4/18/07 6:34pm Subject: RE: The Making of an Emperor (canon speculation NJO-LOTF: Jag & J/J): New Post April 17th!!
I got a little behind here, but I've definitely enjoyed getting caught up. happy

While I was sad to see that Luke and Tenel Ka were killed, I was glad to see that Allana will know her family.

And they're getting married! dancing Can't wait to see everyone's reaction to the news.

 

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