Beyond - Legends "Like The Deserts Miss The Rain" (DN AU, dark K/J) -- Updated 14 Jan 2016!!

Anakin's got quite the watch-dog thing going on with his sister. He wants to protect her, as brothers should, but knows that if he interferes, she'll pound him.

And now I have the joy of writing The Adventures of Reiniger And Anakin! And don't worry, I have absolutely no plans to kill Anakin. I mean, he's in the sequel and everything!

 

Just found this story now that the boards are back... I love it!! I'm not normally a big K/J fan, but I love them together in this. Is there any way I can have the PM'd chapter?

 

The chapters are cut off, I'd imagine you've had trouble reading? Or are you a previous reader?

I'll send that to you right now. I would have yesterday, but about, oh, half an hour after your post? I was in a pretty bad car accident.

 

--Chapter Eighteen--

Anakin gave his sister a hug before boarding the Shadow Chaser. He looked at Rache. "I'm only going to say this once, mostly because she'll hit me. But if you hurt Jaina, I'm going to beat you to death with a shovel."

Kyp snorted a laugh. He hadn't laughed as much in his existence as he had since these two had come into his life, not since . . . well, since they'd left it the first time.

"You have my word I'll protect her."

Jaina poked him in the side, then did the same to her brother. "I can take care of myself, thanks. Now get going, we're on a deadline."

"Yeah, yeah." Anakin gave them both a long look, then bounded up the boarding ramp.

As the ship left the hangar, Jaina sighed. "Sometimes, I still see him as a kid. But he's not."

Rache wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "My apprentice won't harm him, if that's what you're worried about."

Jaina looked up at him with amusement and disbelief. "Seriously? That's what you think I'm worried about? Anakin would kick Reiniger's butt from here to Tatooine."

"You think so? And what makes you so sure?"

"Well, we've both trained with the best Jedi swordsmen out there, and you'd have to be stupid to not see how powerful Anakin is."

He made a noncommittal noise and guided her back towards the main part of the ship. He was very aware of how powerful all of the Solos were. He was also aware that he'd planned to turn Jaina, make her his Sith queen, but somehow, he'd neglected to make any moves towards doing it.

He was slipping, obviously, distracted by everything else going on. He'd rectify that eventually. For now, it was enough that she was there.

---------

They arrived on Coruscant two days later. Admittedly, Rache had dawdled. He had no choice but to bring the Eradicator into Imperial space, even to orbit around Coruscant, because they'd sent the Shadow Chaser with Anakin and Reiniger. He'd considered coming in two of his stealth fighters, but had decided against it. If he was going to answer the Empress's summons, he was going to do it in a way that reminded her, and her cronies, exactly who she was messing with.

Back at the apartment in Imperial City, Jaina eyed the dress choices.

"Are you sure we have to go to this?" she asked.

"Unfortunately, very." He put his hands on her hips and leaned over her shoulder. "I prefer the red, obviously, but you wore that last time. Perhaps the blue velvet?"

She shivered at his breath on her ear. "I have no one to help me into that one."

He chuckled. "You have me, or did you forget?"

"There's no way in all nine Corellian hells that I could forget you've seen me naked." She turned in his arms, slid her hands up his chest. "I don't like the idea of you meeting her alone."

"I have little fondness for it, myself," he sighed. "In fact, my skin crawls at the thought. But I need to get what I can out of her, and I doubt she'll be very forthcoming with you around."

Jaina wrinkled her nose. "And I doubt we can tie her up and get her to talk."

"Hardly. Charming as the idea is."

He gave her a quick kiss, one that jolted Jaina clear to her toes, and stepped back. Picking up his leather gloves, he said, "Hurry and dress. We're going to be fashionably late as it is, but I don't want to miss a chance to speak with Pellaeon before I have to see Jade."

Jaina nodded. She eyed the dresses that she'd been considering, and decided Kyp was right. The blue was the best option. It was a deep, midnight blue, strapless, with a bodice that laced up in back. The skirt had a train covered with tiny silver stars of crystal and silver embroidery. A shooting star decorated the neckline in front. Jaina paired it with dangling starburst earrings of clear Corusca gems, and piled her hair up in an elaborate coif with more little stars. Just because she normally opted to wear plain Jedi robes didn't mean she wasn't her mother's daughter and didn't know how to dress up.

Kyp helped her lace up the dress. He took entirely too long doing it, pausing to press a kiss to her shoulderblade, or the nape of her neck, after each tug of the cords.

"Are you trying to make me jump you so you don't have to meet with the Empress?" she asked huskily.

He pulled her slim but curved body against his and gave a low laugh. "Busted."

"Just remember, the only person you're dancing with tonight is me."

"As long as the same goes for you."

----------

The ballroom was just the same as last time, save for the attire of the attendees. Jaina snatched a glass off the tray of a passing server droid and sipped at the pale blue champagne.

"Nervous?"

"No, I just hate balls. I'm really dreading when my best friend gets married in a few months. She's Queen Mother of Hapes and it's going to go on for four kriffing days."

He smirked. "Intending to take me as your plus-one?"

Jaina inhaled a mouthful of champagne. As she choked and spluttered, he patted her on the back and laughed.

They wandered over to the buffet. Jaina couldn't identify most of what was on display, and stuck with those things that she could name. It wasn't much, and that left her a little grumpy.

More irritating was when her companion leaned over and said, "Stay here for a bit. I see Pellaeon and want to corner him."

"Sure, I'll just be decorative by the buffet," she snarled.

Kyp snickered and slid his gloved fingers down her bare arm before moving off.

She finished her champagne, traded it for a new glass, and scowled into the bubbly liquid. She hated these things, and she especially hated being alone at them. It would have been fun to have Anakin here, he'd have plenty of snarky comments to make about it.

Then again, she didn't want to have to shoo Anakin away when she got Kyp alone later.

"General Solo."

She jumped, nearly spilling her champagne, and turned to the black-uniformed man who'd managed to sneak up on her. He was tall, dignified, and completely stiff from his white-streaked black hair to his extra-shiny boots.

"Colonel Fel," she replied with dismay. "How . . . nice to see you."

"You're even worse at lying than the last time I had occasion to speak with you," he said. His icy green eyes--why did everyone have green eyes around here?--swept over her. "You look lovely. I trust Lord Rache is treating you well."

Appetite suddenly gone, she put both drink and plate on a nearby table and folded her arms under her breasts. "Not that it's any of your business, but yes."

"When we first met, I didn't think you the type for this," he said quietly.

"Define 'this'."

"The mistress of a Sith Lord."

Jaina barely managed not to glare at him. "What I am to Rache, or he to me, is none of your concern. And if you're harassing me because you're still upset over your . . . shock . . . I would really suggest you take your misplaced anger elsewhere. I wasn't responsible for that, and you don't want to be here when the guy who was comes back."

The narrow face, with the scar through his eyebrow, twisted in an expression of contempt. "And to think I was once interested in you. I thought you were a woman of honour, but you're nothing but a kept wh-"

"Go away," Jaina bit out, cutting him off.

A gloved hand came down on Fel's shoulder. Even though Rache was a few centimetres shorter than the Imperial pilot, Fel still froze when he realised who was standing behind him.

"Take the lady's suggestion," Rache purred, "before you find yourself in deeper than you can safely swim, boy."

Fel was good at hiding emotion, but nothing could disguise the raw fear he felt in Rache's presence. He turned on one sharply-dressed heel and stalked off through the crowd.

"Are you alright?" Kyp asked.

"Fine," Jaina snapped, then sighed. "Sorry. Something about him makes me want to Force-shove him into a wall. Or maybe a tree. I think I'm too worked up to stay."

"Dance with me once, then you can go back to the apartment." He held out his hand.

Knowing there was no point in resisting, she placed her hand in his and let him lead her out to the dance floor. The music playing didn't require her to pick up her train in order to dance. Jaina wasn't in the mood to deal with her dress on top of everything else.

Kyp drew her into his arms. She forced him to maintain a little distance, with a hand on his chest.

"Not too close," she warned in a low voice. "Jade has eyes everywhere."

"Thank you for reminding me," he replied in kind. "We wouldn't want her to see too much into this, after all."

She hated that simple truth, because all she wanted to do was melt into him and pretend no one else existed.

Maybe Fel was right, after all. She didn't know anymore.

----------

Rache saw Jaina off in a taxi speeder, with his cape around her shoulders. He'd nearly killed that Imperial whelp tonight; the only thing that had kept him from doing it was learning from Pellaeon that the Fels had Jade's ear. He didn't want to tip his hand too soon and do something petty just to assuage his own pride. He hadn't lasted this long by being stupid.

Except when it came to Jaina, he was more and more often finding himself the fool.

Guards dressed in Imperial red ushered Rache into Empress Jade's private quarters at the palace. She'd done little to redecorate since his last visit. It was still surprisingly bare and bleak, with grey walls, floors, and furnishings.

Empress Mara Jade had once been the Emperor's Hand. She'd essentially been raised with one mission in life: to be the Emperor's personal assassin. Shortly before his death, he'd ordered her to kill Luke Skywalker. Rache wasn't entirely certain what had happened; all he knew was that she'd failed, and for a time she'd been a smuggler with Talon Karrde. She'd also briefly studied to be a Jedi. He remembered that much, since the two of them had had a nasty encounter on Yavin IV when he'd left the Jedi Academy and turned himself over to Exar Kun.

At some point, in the years since Luke Skywalker's death, Jade had rejoined the Empire she'd temporarily abandoned, and had risen quickly and ruthlessly through its ranks. She'd been Empress for close to twenty years, and ruled with a sly and vicious temper.

The woman who lounged at a table in her private quarters wasn't the public image she put forth. Dressed simply in a sleeveless shirt and leggings, with a blaster on her hip, Mara Jade had her booted feet up on the table, a datapad balanced against her knees. Her red hair, sprinkled with white-blonde strands, was tailed rather loosely behind her shoulders.

"You're late," she said, without looking up. "I expected you two days ago."

He tamped down his irritation. It took effort to modulate his voice into a lazy, somewhat sardonic drawl. "Ran into some pirates. Since you asked me to look into it, and all, I took care of the problem."

Eyes a lighter green than his finally flicked his way, for just a moment, before she went back to her report. "And will there be any more attacks on my outposts?"

"There shouldn't be."

She tossed the datapad on the table and swung her legs down, standing in one smooth motion. "And how do things stand with the Jedi?"

He let one corner of his mouth curl up. "As they always do. Why do you ask?"

"You're bedding one of them. I'm naturally going to be curious."

A raven brow lifted. "The Solo girl? If she's the best they have, they're doomed. She's a better plaything than a fighter."

Jade's fingers danced down the front of his shirt. "Probably best that you're keeping her distracted, though I'll admit I'm a bit jealous. I don't like other women touching my things."

He caught her hand, grip firm but not bruising. "I'm not yours, Jade. I'm toying with the Jedi because it amuses me and keeps them out of your hair. But I'm not your tool."

Jade tugged on her arm, but his grasp was unrelenting. She pouted for a moment, then grinned. "You had me worried, with that silence for so long. You've been busy, though, haven't you? She certainly is pretty."

"Pretty, and diverting, but little else." Rache let go of Jade's wrist and turned to the food and drink on the table. Pouring a little dark red wine into a goblet, he took a sip.

Jade propped a hip against the table's edge and eyed him. "My informant says that the scientists might be close to getting Centerpoint up and running. Which is fortunate. I'm getting impatient, and since you won't give me the Suncrusher . . ."

He laughed, genuinely amused. "Give you my greatest weapon? Hardly. I'm not a stupid man, Jade."

"No," she agreed. "That you're not. Still, your reluctance makes things difficult for me. I want the Jedi dealt with."

"What's the hurry?"

He sank into one of the chairs and took another sip of the wine. He didn't want to consume too much, and cloud his judgement. Even before Jaina, dealing with Jade had been precarious at the best of times.

The Empress narrowed green eyes at him, staring in silence for a stretch long enough that he began to wonder if she knew of his deal with Jaina. Then she smiled, shook her head, and plucked the goblet from his hands.

"I've missed you, perverse as that is," she said. "No one is quite as . . . entertaining."

Jade drained the rest of the wine, set the goblet on the table, and slid into his lap. "Entertain me, Lord Rache."

A shudder of revulsion crawled up his spine, but he masked it well. After all, he'd had years of practise.

"Certainly, Your Imperial Majesty."

She ran a fingernail down the side of his neck, drawing blood. "I told you to call me Mara."

Force help him. It was going to be a long night.

 

Chilla ccp princess_melissa Jade_Max Lola64 Golden_Jedi princess_of_naboo Jaina_Solo_16 Darth_Intangable JediBettyBug18

 

Durroness SWpants666 dm1 skywalkerlover00 PRINCESSCAMBRIA Lonewolf89 ZekksGoddess Ceillean Rosa-Belle Alkibiades

 

SilverWolf77 Quivyr Lanta Jaina_Solo_Goddess angry_bendu1 Smily-faced_Abi star_writer24 Jedi_Sword Fireyforce JediMike2372

 

goddess_sticks iamobiwan1970 Lady_Tahiri bellum stellarum jedikatie26 Griffins_Ember Jainasolorocks Obi-Wandering Kailene maplecroix

 

skyag

Okay, I think that's all of you tagged for this update. Geez. I think this is my longest reader list ever!

 

Accident?!?! Obviously you’re okay, otherwise you wouldn’t be posting. But is everyone else okay?


"I'm only going to say this once, mostly because she'll hit me. But if you hurt Jaina, I'm going to beat you to death with a shovel."

Oh I love him.

you'd have to be stupid to not see how powerful Anakin is."

Oh yes.


"I prefer the red, obviously, but you wore that last time. Perhaps the blue velvet?"

I could see red looking better on her than blue.


He took entirely too long doing it, pausing to press a kiss to her shoulderblade, or the nape of her neck, after each tug of the cords.

"Are you trying to make me jump you so you don't have to meet with the Empress?" she asked huskily.

Haha. Yes


"No, I just hate balls. I'm really dreading when my best friend gets married in a few months. She's Queen Mother of Hapes and it's going to go on for four kriffing days."

Uugghhhh royal weddings.


"Colonel Fel," she replied with dismay. "How . . . nice to see you."


I’m sorry. I know this is a Jaina/Dark Kyp fic but….it’s Jag.


"The mistress of a Sith Lord."

I’d wince, but….she is…


Even though Rache was a few centimetres shorter than the Imperial pilot, Fel still froze when he realised who was standing behind him.

Having the Force is certainly intimidating enough.


"Not too close," she warned in a low voice. "Jade has eyes everywhere."

Mm, yes she would.

To be perfectly honest, I don’t think they’re fooling anyone…


At some point, in the years since Luke Skywalker's death, Jade had rejoined the Empire she'd temporarily abandoned, and had risen quickly and ruthlessly through its ranks. She'd been Empress for close to twenty years, and ruled with a sly and vicious temper.

That makes me sad. Aww…Luke. This is REAL AU, huh?
(And if this was mentioned before, I apologize. I don’t think so because of this paragraph, but my memory is very bad).

Jade's fingers danced down the front of his shirt. "Probably best that you're keeping her distracted, though I'll admit I'm a bit jealous. I don't like other women touching my things."

*wrinkles nose* Ew.
Not about their ages since Kyp and Jaina are far in age, but ew. It’s just…it’s Mara. And Kyp.


*shudders at the end*

 

Yeah, I'm fine. Had bruising and whiplash for a while (probably still have the whiplash, but my insurance doesn't seem to cover chiropractics. I was hurt worse than my mom, who was driving. The guy in the truck we slammed into had lacerations on the back of his head from the back window getting blown out, but he was okay, too. No one was seriously injured.

Yes, this story is very AU. Basically, everything went wonky when Exar Kun managed to kill Luke: he kidnapped Jacen, the Falcon was blown up at Carida or wherever it was Han tracked Kyp down, Leia lost her legs during the NJO time 'cause Jacen wasn't there to save her. Anakin obviously didn't die at Myrkyr. Luke wasn't there to help Mara through everything, so she went back to the dark.

That was supposed to make you feel icky. Good to know I succeeded.

 

Dude. Holy cow. That is scary. THE WINDOW BLEW OUT??? That. Is crazy.
TOTALLY icky. Like shuddery icky. Blech.

 

Oh, a new chapter - great.

Kyp starting to realize that he may have gotten more than he bargained for?

And what's with the "No more consorting with the Empress" rule? Surely Jaina was aware what probably will happen when Kyp and Jade meet alone ...

 

Well, our Jeep hit his truck going about 40mph. Some idiot jogger ran into the street, everyone braked, ours failed.

Interesting you should bring that up . . .

 

Ooooh, ewww, you're not going to....you aren't writing that...EWWWWW! Too AU for me. Although I suppose the worst of it would not be allowed on here thank goodness!

Glad you and your mum are OK and you're writing again on this story. I've seen on your profile that you write fiction off your own bat. What sort of fiction? And is it likely to be available in Australia? I'm curious. I do like your writing style.

 

It's skipped over. There's no PM section for that. Ugh!

My book is available in print and in ebook formats, both from Amazon. I think it's available in Australia, but I'm not 100% sure on that. Link to the ebook is in my signature. I don't generally point that out, because I try to keep a fairly low profile on the connection between "real" me and "fanfic" me, but if you're interested in reading it, that's where you can find it.

 

Oohh that's awesome!
I don't blame you for wanting to keep a low profile.

 

Thanks. It's not that I want to hide, per se, it's more that I've had certain users here on the boards harass me off the boards, and I'm reluctant to draw their attention again, especially in a way that could impact my professional career.

 

So. Um. Lookie what I got. Nothing like going three whole years between chapters.

----------------------------------------------------------

--Chapter Nineteen--

The Corellian System

The Shadow Chaser dropped out of hyperspace just outside the gravitational pull of the twin planets Tallus and Trallus. Anakin piloted the small, sleek ship with ease, nearly as taken with it as his sister.

"There," Reiniger said, pointing unnecessarily to the space station that floated in the space between the two planets.

"I see it," Anakin said calmly. "Better strap in. If I remember right, the gravitational pull as we go in is a bit much."

Reiniger's yellow eyes regarded the younger man for several moments. Without a word, the Sith sank into the co-pilot seat and strapped the crash webbing around himself.

Anakin ignored the Sith and concentrated on a smooth and discreet approach to the station. He wasn't entirely sure what they were going to do when they got there, especially if the Empire was already there. Technically speaking, all they were supposed to be doing was reconnaissance. He expected trouble. Wasn't there always trouble?

He didn't want to be here, didn't want to be allies, even temporarily, with a Sith. And knowing that said Sith was his brother? Anakin was distinctly uncomfortable.

The Shadow Chaser arrived unnoticed, thanks to its special equipment, and Anakin docked it.

"We're here for recon," he reminded Reiniger as he stood. "No killing anyone."

"And if they try to kill us?" the Sith inquired.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Stun them. Mind wipe them. But no killing!"

"You Jedi are so picky about violence."

Narrowing his blue eyes, Anakin said, "Shut up and get moving."

----------

Coruscant

Jaina had nearly worn a path in the expensive carpet when the front door finally opened and Kyp came in. He looked dishevelled, tired, and most of all, disgusted. Jaina wasn't sure she'd ever seen him with so much visible on his face.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Jade was . . . demanding." He tossed his cape on the nearest chair and yanked at the collar of his shirt. "I believe I'm going to take a shower. I feel dirty."

Jaina's brown eyes narrowed. His shirt was askew and- Realisation was a hard, cold punch to the gut, and her hands trembled, palms turning sweaty. She studied his face, taking in everything she was now so familiar with. "Did you- Did you sleep with her?"

That green gaze wouldn't meet hers, the first time he'd ever avoided eye contact. That itself was an admission of guilt, and before she realised what she was doing, she'd crossed the space between them and slapped him hard across the face.

In an instant, Rache was back, propelling her with his body into the nearest wall. Jaina gasped as he slammed her against the hard surface.

"I've done what I had to," he growled. The Sithly yellow was only a brief flicker in his green eyes. "No less than you. I don't delude myself that you're here for anything other than to use me, so don't get righteous, little Jedi."

"You promised you wouldn't," she whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She hated that her reaction was to cry. She was a Jedi Knight, kriff it! "You said you wouldn't sleep with her, and I believed you."

His anger faltered for an instant. "Are you genuinely hurt that I did?" he asked, his voice full of curiosity.

Jaina yanked her hands out of his and used the back of one to dash away the betraying tears. She couldn't hold in a shuddering breath, and found herself saying, "You're mine."

For a long moment, he just stared at her. "What?"

She took a deep breath, figuring that she might as well keep going, since she was vaped anyway. "You're mine, stang it. You promised you wouldn't-"

He couldn't deal with this at the moment, and he stepped back, letting her go. "I need a shower. And a full decontamination. Wait here."

She watched him stalk off into the 'fresher, hating herself for admitting weakness. Funny, he hadn't seemed triumphant in learning it . . .

When he emerged from the 'fresher, he'd dried off and dressed in dark green shimmersilk pajamas, his long, dark curls tailed at the nape of his neck. He found Jaina sitting on the bed, knees drawn up, her forehead against the arm braced across them. She'd stripped off the fancy gown, braided her hair in its usual plait, and wore leggings and a thin, sleeveless top, her feet bare.

"Jaina," he said.

She looked up, and he saw she'd been crying. He swallowed hard, the urge to apologise to her on the tip of his tongue. It was confusing and irritating that he felt guilty for hurting her. Because he had hurt her. He'd promised he wouldn't go to Jade's bed while Jaina was in his, and he'd broken that promise.

But Jaina didn't want him, not really. She enjoyed sharing his bed, but she didn't want him. He was a tool for the New Republic, that was all.

Wasn't it?

He sat beside her on the bed, cross-legged, and wasn't sure what to say. "I didn't want to. You know I didn't."

She sniffled and looked away. "You still did it."

Kyp rolled a shoulder. "You gave yourself to me even though you didn't want to."

Jaina snorted. "You're an idiot."

Dark green eyes narrowed. "Perhaps. What for?"

She shook her head, yanked the tie out of her long braid, and began running her fingers through the dark strands. He recognised the nervous habit and waited for her to speak.

"Do you really think that I'd be here if I didn't want to be?" she asked, after a minute or two. "If this were just business . . ."

He caught her hand, threaded his fingers through the silky locks of her hair. "Is it not?"

"No," she whispered. "And it never has been."

"You hate me," he said.

She laughed bitterly, even as she leaned into his touch. "I thought I did. I wish I did."

Kyp found himself speaking, voicing the thoughts that had filled his mind lately, and didn't even stop to wonder why he was confessing all to her. "I'm not completely evil, Jaina. I know what I've done and who I've become. And I know I can't go back, not after this long. I've been Darth Rache for longer than your grandfather was Darth Vader. Do you think that there is any hope of salvation for me now?"

Jaina looked into his pained eyes and her heart broke. "Force help me, Kyp, I do. There is good in you. If there wasn't . . . I couldn't love you."

He gave a hard shudder at her words. No one had loved him since his parents had died. No one had cared, until Jaina. And he'd done nothing to deserve it. The thought that he'd betrayed her made him sick to his stomach, and he wasn't entirely sure why.

"Jaina-"

"Shut up," she whispered, and rose on her knees. "For once, just shut up."

He snapped his mouth closed, but a moment later, she'd slid into his lap and pressed her lips to his. He automatically wrapped his arms around her and she sighed into his mouth.

Her fingers found the fastening of his shirt and undid it, opening the garment to expose his chest. There was a long scratch on the side of his neck and she had to take a steadying breath and fight the urge to go pound Jade's face in for touching and for hurting Jaina's things. She had no way of knowing that the Empress had expressed a similar sentiment about her.

She dropped her shields to him, reached out through the Force for him. He resisted for a moment, then cautiously let her in. He tried to hide it, but he felt oily for giving in to the Empress.

Jaina wanted to erase that.

"Mine," she said again.

"Yours," he agreed, after a long moment, and kissed her.

----------


Lying beside her as she slept, Kyp stroked Jaina's cheek with a knuckle. He'd never heard before the words she'd spoken to him, declaring her love as he, for the first time, selflessly gave her whatever he could. Now, she curled into him, one small hand flat on his chest.

That declaration of devotion had undone him, utterly and completely. He hadn't known until she'd said it that he needed her, just as surely as she needed him. He wanted to do everything he could to make it up to her, wanted to make her smile, and if that was love . . .

"Shavit," he muttered, and hauled her close.

He fell into a restless sleep, found himself at the controls of a small ship, and so very angry, filled with grief.

They said his brother was dead. The Empire had killed him.So he fired.

But Zeth wasn't dead. Kyp saw his face on the monitor, an older version of his own. But the fire was coming. It was too late.

"Zeth!"

He woke sitting upright, hands fisted in the sheets, covered with sweat and shaky. Beside him, Jaina sat up, touched his arm.

The last time he'd dreamed of his brother, of what he'd done with the Suncrusher, he had pushed Jaina away, retreated into Darth Rache. This time, he turned and gathered her into his arms, fighting a renewed grief over the long-ago death of his only family.

"I killed him," he rasped. "My brother. He's dead because of me."

"Shh." She couldn't say it was okay, because it really wasn't. She couldn't imagine killing Anakin, didn't want to contemplate having to deal with Reiniger. One day, she'd have to, but she couldn't think about it tonight.

Jaina kissed his shoulder, pressed her nose to the pulse point in his throat, and let him silently cry.

----------

Kyp pretended valiantly that she hadn't witnessed him crying. Admitting weakness was not one of his strong points, and that failing had, in fact, led to him becoming a Sith.

Still, he secretly appreciated that Jaina had been there for him. He hadn't known that he needed that.

The fight they'd had the night before, and the subsequent making up, had made him forget what he'd learned from speaking with the Empress. As he and Jaina dressed the next morning, he told her of the Empress's plans for Centerpoint, that she intended with certainty to point the weapon at Yavin IV and take out her most dangerous enemies . . . all without knowing that the most deadly ones of all were on Coruscant itself.

"We can't let her get it," Jaina said, as she tugged on her boots. "But how do we stop her?"

He shrugged. "Kill her?"

She paused and stared at him. It made him uncomfortable and he looked away as he said, "You know as well as I do that she won't stop until she's dead."

"I know," she replied. "Would you really find it that easy to kill a woman you've slept with?"

Kyp grimaced. "Not you," he told her. "But Jade? In an instant."

She knew he was a Sith, had seen him kill people, but she still wasn't sure if that was reassuring or disturbing. What had passed between them in the night didn't change his basic nature, or the fact that he was the Dark Lord of the Sith. Somewhere along the way, he'd just become Kyp to her.

"Hey." He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her to him. "I would never hurt you. Never again. I know you don't like that I have an easy time killing. You've made that clear often enough. But sometimes it's necessary, Jaina."

She nodded. "I've done my share. Force . . . I was planning to kill you."

He ran a hand over her cheek. "I know. And I wouldn't blame you in the slightest."

"I can't now," she whispered. "Even if you're still the enemy."

"Not your enemy," he assured her.

Her hand went to the lovebite on her neck, the one that mirrored the scratch Jade had given him. "I'm aware of that."

He grinned for a moment, then sobered. "If we take her out, there will be a power vacuum. My credits are on Pellaeon. I'm not sure what our approach should be, but it needs to be fast."

"If we leave now, she's going to know you've cast your lot in with the Jedi," Jaina said.

"I know. I think she already suspects. She asked me last night what you are to me." He cupped her face in his hands. "I lied and told her you were just a toy. But you've always been more than that, Jaina Solo."

She leaned in and kissed him, hard. "I know. Somehow, I've always known."

Then she sat back and looked around the apartment. "Nice digs. Too bad she's going to completely destroy them when she comes after you."

He sighed. "Ah, well, sacrifices need to be made sometimes. I have enough credits to get another, even nicer place. Pack your things, let's blow this cantina."

----------

The Eradicator dropped out of hyperspace near Tallus and Trallus, the cloaking system activated. The Corellians and other peoples of the system had no idea the ship was there, which was precisely how Kyp wanted it.

"They should be finishing soon and we'll rendezvous here, as planned," he told Jaina, as they stood on the bridge of the ship, looking out at the twin planets and the superweapon suspended between them.

"Why don't we just blow it up?" she asked.

He arched a dark brow at her. "With what?"

"Um. We're on a Super Star Destroyer, Rache."

"We may end up doing that, if our reconnaissance finds a weakness we can exploit. I'm not sure how much firepower it will take."

Jaina shifted her weight from foot to foot. It made her uncomfortable to be standing here. She eyed him sideways, lost in thought. She'd wanted to kill him, but then she'd fallen in love. And he knew how she felt now.

Was he redeemable? she wondered. Luke had turned to the Dark Side, before Anakin was born, and he'd come back. Could Kyp? Anakin had suggested it, but she'd never really thought it possible before last night.

"Something is bothering you," he said in a low voice. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Just thinking." Jaina hugged herself, unable to quell an anxious feeling gnawing at her gut. She'd had it since Ailana's death, and it increased day by day.

One of the officers called out, "We've been contacted by the Shadow Chaser. They're now docking in Bay 28."

Kyp turned on one heel, cape swirling around him, and left the bridge. Jaina followed in silence, deep in thought. She had to bring him back to the Light, somehow. In her heart, she knew she'd never really wanted to kill him. Rache she wanted destroyed, but Kyp . . .

Her thoughts were interrupted when they reached Bay 28 and met Reiniger and Anakin. She was very happy to see her brother, and surprised him by hugging him tightly.

"It's been three days," Anakin said. "Why are you acting like it's been a month since I've seen you?"

"It's been a long three days, let's put it that way."

"Report?" Kyp asked mildly, with an underlying thread to his voice that made his apprentice stand a little straighter.

"The station is not operational right now," Reiniger said. "It requires someone with the Force to operate in the first place, which might be an issue for the Empire if they want to use it, since they keep killing every Force-sensitive they encounter."

Kyp snorted. "That figures. How are its defenses?"

Anakin spoke up. "It's got really good plating, and its shield generator, when they bother to turn it on higher than enough to keep space debris out, is strong. But I'm not sure the Eradicator alone has enough firepower to destroy it. The generator is pretty deep inside the core of the station, and unlike the Death Star, it doesn't have any convenient exhaust ports."

"Hmm. I'll need to think about this. We'll sit here and watch for a bit, see if any of Jade's people show up." Kyp nodded to his apprentice. "Get me the schematics and I'll study them. Once they're in the computer, you can take some personal time."

"Yes, Master."

Reiniger left the docking bay. Kyp looked to the Solo siblings. His gaze rested for a long moment on Jaina.

"I'll see you in our quarters once I've looked over the schematics. I may want your opinion, but I'd like to study them myself first."

Jaina raised a brow as he turned and left.

"What was that?" Anakin asked.

She shrugged. "He's been acting strangely the last two days. I don't know."

She didn't know, and it worried her.

 

He didn't want to be here, didn't want to be allies, even temporarily, with a Sith. And knowing that said Sith was his brother? Anakin was distinctly uncomfortable.

That is so very Anakin.
I’m uncomfortable with Dark!Jacen too!


Kyp/Rache may feel he “did what he had to,” but Jaina’s reaction was perfect. It’s disgusting to think that sleeping with someone – especially someone you don’t like – is what you “have to do.”
And poor Jaina. I feel so terrible for her.


He sat beside her on the bed, cross-legged, and wasn't sure what to say. "I didn't want to. You know I didn't."

She sniffled and looked away. "You still did it."

Exactly. He consciously did it; she didn’t rape him. He HAD a choice.


"I'm not completely evil, Jaina. I know what I've done and who I've become.

I agree with him, but still….he shouldn’t have slept with her.
And, I’m sorry, but ew I can’t believe that Jaina just jumped in his lap after learning that.


"I killed him," he rasped. "My brother. He's dead because of me."

"Shh." She couldn't say it was okay, because it really wasn't.

Savit. Now you have me feeling bad for him.
And no, it’s not okay. It’s pain and guilt he’ll have to constantly live with.

I do like seeing him trust Jaina more and open up a lot more often.


"I know. I think she already suspects. She asked me last night what you are to me." He cupped her face in his hands. "I lied and told her you were just a toy. But you've always been more than that, Jaina Solo."

Well, at least he’s honest in what he said to Jade.


Was he redeemable? she wondered.

He loves. Yes. He’s redeemable.
But still rawr ew


Rache she wanted destroyed, but Kyp . . .

And there IS a difference!!


"It's been a long three days, let's put it that way."

*wide eyes*
Gosh, I too feel like she’s been there a month (and it has nothing to do with the length of time between updates )

And now I have to roll my eyes. They’re saying “you’re mine” after three days?! Ugh.



Life is strange. That sums up the end

 

No, no, no, it's been three days since she's seen Anakin. She's been with Rache for over a month at this point.

 

OKAY!! That makes sense phew thanks for clarifying

 

I love what you did here.

I think, she forgave him too fast. But what do I know, I've never been in this position before, maybe a love deep enough works that way?

What I like especially, is the distinction between Kyp and Rache and what is salvageable about him and what not, could turn interesting. And where do things go with Reiniger?

 

I never said this was in any way a healthy relationship.

As for Reiniger, well... We'll see!