Beyond - Legends Bloodstripes (YJK AU: Sky-Solos, Corran Horn, Danni Quee)

Title: Bloodstripes​

Author: windu4​

Timeframe: NJO Era​

Genre: Coming of Age, Action-Adventure, Romance, Drama, Comedy​

Characters: Sky-Solos, Corran Horn, Valin Horn, Danni Quee, Nelani Dinn, Others​

Keywords: sandwiches ​

Summary: ​

Jacen Solo doesn’t dream. His sister dreams about epic adventures, tense space battles and last-stands. His brother has esoteric visions of the future and frightening dreams of the past. Jacen is different. He doesn't dream. It’s only been a few short months since Jacen accidentally took Tenel Ka’s arm and that has greatly affected his perspective as a Jedi. He isn’t entirely sure what he wants. Does he want to lead the Jedi Order like his Uncle Luke? Does he constantly want to fight for what is right like his sister? Or does he want to give up all responsibilities and roam the galaxy like his father? In all honesty Jacen wants to do all of these things and none of them. Yet when Jacen turns 17 and travels to Corellia at his father’s behest to “earn” his Corellian Bloodstripes he learns a valuable lesson about destiny, fate and how the tiniest decisions can have the greatest effect on others. ​

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Notes: Hey guys, I'm back! Some of you may remember me and some of you may not. Basically, Jacen Solo is my favorite EU character and I'm a big fan of AUs. This story is an alternate take on the YJK/NJO series and I've taken some liberties to this story for my own (and hopefully yours) amusement! This story is going to be different than most Star Wars fanfics because this (at its core) is a true "coming of age" film and will deal with some fairly mature content. Don't worry, though! It won't be too dark. If you have any problems with drug use, slavery, violence, allusions to sexual content or snark than this might not be the fic for you. ​

Anyway, I work really hard on this and I hope you guys enjoy! ​

Disclaimer: Just rollin' around in the sandbox.​

Chapter 1​

Jacen Solo was a morning person. If he stayed in bed past 0900 hours he would wake up feeling as if he had wasted his morning. He was almost always up by 0700 and ready to conquer the day by 0730. He was fairly certain that he had received this trait from his mother. His sister Jaina woke up early alongside Tenel Ka to exercise but waking up early always made Jaina grouchy. Anakin didn’t even roll out of bed until noon if he could help it. Yet there was nothing that Jacen loved more than watching the sun rise.

That wasn’t the only thing he loved doing in the mornings either.​

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“This is good stuff, Peckham.” The two of them were sitting on top of Peckham’s starfighter staring up at Yavin as they passed a small t’bac pipe between them. The bowl wasn’t stuffed with t’bac, however. Instead the t’bac had been taken out and a rare stimulant and been packed inside of it instead. Jacen wasn’t entirely sure what the official name for the stimulant was but what he did know was that it was made of a plant that was either green or purple depending on its quality. ​

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“Thanks, kid.” Peckham said with a chuckle as he took the bowl from Jacen. “Did you use the seeds I gave you?”​

Jacen nodded. “They’re still growing. I made some fertilizer and it’s helping them grow awhole lot faster, too.” Jacen stared down at his fingers as he said that and grimaced. That definitely had not been fun. Fertilizer was normally made of manure and while Jacen had plenty of sources to get manure (he had more than a dozen pets) he hadn’t been able to do anything about the smell. Tenel Ka hadn’t done as much as held his hand for at least a week after he had made the first batch. “They should be done soon. I know a few people who would be interested in getting their hands on it.”​

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“You…haven’t told Master Skywalker about your uh, endeavors have you?” Peckham said in a slightly nervous tone as he lowered the bowl from his lips and exhaled a long stream of smoke.​

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Jacen laughed. “Of course not! I mean, Uncle Luke is so relaxed that you would think he smoked but nope…apparently being a Jedi Master automatically makes you calm all the time.” Jacen shrugged and took the bowl from Peckham. He laid onto his back and stared at the small pipe. It was a small one and could fit comfortable in the palm of his hand. The piece was mostly purple with swirls of blue and green twirling along the sides. “It’s my birthday.” He said as he continued to stare at the piece.​

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He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that. When he had turned 16 he had become a man by Corellian standards. His father had lauded him with tales about how much his life would change, how much more accountable he’d have to be for himself and the kinds of freedoms he would have. He had talked about how Jacen would soon learn how to pilot the Falcon on his own and how the ship would one day be his. Yet oddly enough, that wasn’t what Jacen wanted. That’s what Jaina wanted. At the end of the day it had been Jaina who had taken the Millennium Falcon on the Kessel Run with her father. It had been Jaina who had spent the ensuing weekends watching smashball games with her father or arguing over the finer points of ship mechanics with Chewbacca. Jacen couldn’t even remember how he had spent the days surrounding his birthday. All he could remember was the disappointment he felt for not sharing the same interests of his father.​

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His dad hadn’t shown any sign of shame or disappointment in his son but Jacen could have sworn he felt it through The Force. He wasn’t sure if it was his own insecurities or not but there was definite guilt that he hadn’t become the Corellian Male (™) that his father had clearly wanted.​

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“Is it?” Peckham frowned and cracked his knuckles before he stood to his feet. “Well then, I better get you a present! You shoulda told me sooner, kid. I would’ve gotten ya something real nice.” Peckham suddenly frowned and turned his head around quickly. “Where’s Zekk?”​

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Jacen laughed (a little longer and harder than necessary). “He’s still in bed! I tried to wake him up but he threw a hydrospanner at me.” This was odd because Zekk wasn’t a mechanic nor did he want to be one. Jaina was the one who owned all the tools. She was a personal aid to the Deck Commander at the Praxeum and as a result spent an awful amount of time on ships. That hydrospanner had looked an awful lot like Jaina’s which meant that she was spending a little too much time in Zekk’s room. This also resulted in him wondering exactly why she left a hydrospanner in Zekk’s room but that wasn’t something Jacen really cared about.​

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“Well, I hope he got you a good present.” Peckham grouched as he walked towards a hatch that led to the interior of his ship. “That boy doesn’t tell me shavit.” He muttered. “You want to meet me down there, kid?”​

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“Sure.” Jacen said as he tucked the bowl into a pocket in his flight suit. Peckham was more than a little paranoid about letting people onto his ship. Jacen could only imagine why. The teenager stood to his feet and almost immediately fell back down. Sudden movement really wasn’t the best idea in this state. The young man stared up at the horizon again, altering his gaze from Yavin to the sun. It was a beautiful thing to watch but he also felt a sense of foreboding. It was currently 0800. Which meant it was quiet, dark and Jacen was able to think. Once it got busy he’d find himself under a constant barrage of emotions, responsibilities and people. Jacen hadn’t always considered himself a “person’s person”. That was his sister. She was the natural leader and the popular one. Jacen never felt like he was playing second fiddle to her. He was fine with his social status but people tended to assume that Jacen loved being around large groups just as much as his sister did…and that’s where it got frustrating.​

Jacen made his way to the edge of Peckham’s ship and took a quick breath of preparing before jumping. The young man barely had to reach through the Force. Instead it came to him. The fall was short but still managed to be exhilarating. Jacen landed on the grassy forest floor on both feet. He turned and glanced towards the exit of the ship and when he saw that Peckham wasn’t there sank to his haunches. It took only a moment of waiting before Peckham finally exited the ship. Jacen couldn’t help but chuckle at Peckham’s somewhat frenzied appearance. The man’s greying hair was sticking in all directions, his vest was splattered with grease and his boots were covered in mud. “Alright, kid. I know it’s your birthday or anything but do you wanna help load these goods onto my landspeeder? I’ll give you a ride to wherever you need to go on the Praxeum.” ​

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Peckham used to land in the hangar bay at the Praxeum but a certain ambitious kid and his barefooted friend had snuck on the ship and had caused quite a mess. Since then Peckham had taken care to park a couple of kilos away from the Praxuem. Jacen had no problem with walking out to meet Peckham and had no problem with walking back but a ride did seem appealing. “Sure.” Jacen said. ​

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“I can’t give you the present at your party or anything-.”​

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“I’m not having a party.” Jacen said calmly. He had made that very clear to Jaina and his parents.​

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“Alright…well then…here ya go. It’s on the house.” Peckham tossed a small clear bag at Jacen. The younger man caught it and immediately brought it to his nose. He sniffed and the overpowering smell of both lemons and fuel overwhelmed his nostrils.​

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“It’s called diesel…because it kind of smells diesel fuel.” Peckham explained. “You might like it."​

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Jacen stared down at the circular nuggets inside the clear bag. They were primarily green with spots of purple spread throughout each nugget. “I think I will.”​

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“You got anything going on this morning? This might take a couple of hours.”​

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“I told Master Horn that I'd give Valin some pointers on lightsaber combat.” Jacen said. “That’s at 1100. I’m free until then.” It had taken nearly a year for Jacen to finally convince Uncle Luke to allow them to do this and the project had just finished.​

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“Alright then.” Peckham said. “Let’s get started.”​

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Today was Jacen’s birthday but he was perfectly content with simply treating it like an ordinary day. ​

 

Jacen is a stoner? Well at least he won't want to become Sith and rule the galaxy...he'd be too mellow for that..

 

Hmmm....stoner dudes never get the Princess, ya know!

If memory serves, don't you have to join the CDF to get 'bloodstripes'? Nice start....I'll always read about 'normal' Jacen.

 

They did in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Okay we never saw them light up, but they hung around George Carlin...so I just made the assumption.

 

I will forever miss the comic genius of George Carlin...who would've thought...profound cynicism.

 

OOC: haha; Jacen is definitely too mellow to be a Sith...or do much of anything for that reason. That being said this chapter kind of expands on Jacen's own views and is a bit on the longer side. Hopefully this will better explain Jacen's own dynamic with kids his own age. It's kind of long but I think you guys will enjoy it!

Chapter 2​

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The dueling room next to Docking Bay 7 wasn’t exactly the cleanest place in the Jedi Temple. The walls were decorated with scorch marks, the floors were cluttered with broken training remotes and the single table on the far side of the wall was only supported by three legs. This was the first dueling room that had been constructed for the temple but it had been quickly abandoned for the more spacious dueling rooms scattered throughout the temple along with the courtyards outside. Yet Jacen preferred this room to all the others. It was more confined, cluttered and the lack of adequate lighting made it difficult to see. For Jacen and Jaina it served as a more accurate example of where someone would typically duel.

“Valin is late.” Jacen commented idly as he leaned against the stone wall, watching Jaina run through one of her training exercises. She was part of the reason why there were so many broken training remotes on the ground. Jaina had a nasty habit of cutting down the training remotes in the midst of the fight. Jacen had pointed out to her multiple times that the point wasn’t to destroy the enemy but learn to rely on the Force and not her senses. Jaina had easily learned how to focus on the Force and not her senses but he still felt as if she was missing the point. The fact that she was so willing to destroy the training remotes and indulge in stunning acrobatic moves made Jacen feel as if she saw this as a game instead of a training regiment.


He had kept these feelings to himself because he felt it wasn’t his place to comment. Furthermore, Jaina was far better at dueling than he and he didn’t want her to think he was jealous.

“He probably found Master Skywalker and decided to pepper him with dozens of questions. You know he does that.” Jaina twisted her purple lightsaber down towards her knee and effectively deflected an energy blast. Jacen felt a sudden warning in the Force and twitched his head to the right. He had barely felt that warning when the stun blast collided into the wall where his head had been moments before. Jacen sighed in annoyance and reached his fingers up to his scalp and pinched a scorched lock of hair.

He didn’t voice his annoyance but Jaina felt it clear through the Force. She chuckled. “You should relax, little brother. You seem tense.” Jaina spun on her heel as a third training remote attempted to circle around her. Her blade met metal and it fell to the ground in two smoking pieces. The remaining training remotes skittered away from her as if they feared their own fate if they continued to fire. Jaina paused for a moment before she removed the covering on her eyes.

“I’m not tense.” Jacen said as he walked away from the wall and reached down to pick up the training remotes. Valin didn’t need to be too overwhelmed by the debris cluttering the floor. He was reaching over to pick up another fragmented piece of durasteel when it began to raise off of the floor. Another dozen pieces began to float off of the floor as well. Jacen sighed and shook his head as Jaina deposited them on the table.

“You know, we’re twins. I know what you’re thinking even when I don’t want to know. Is this about your birthday?” Jaina lowered her hand and folded her arms across her chest as she leveled a glare at Jacen that reminded him a little too much of his mother.

“I’m fine…I just…I don’t know.” Jacen shrugged. “I guess I’m just bored. I’ve been here sitting at the Praxuem for about two years now doing absolutely nothing. I feel like I should be doing more. I was looking over some data in the library and it turns out that Masters took their apprentices to missions all the time.”

Jaina frowned and quirked her eyebrow. “If I remember correctly you’re the one who hates going on adventures. You’re always in the same three places, Jacen. You’re either pouring over holocrons in the library, surrounded by animals in your zoo or off somewhere with Zekk. If you want to do something you should say so. Random adventures aren’t going to fall in your lap.”

Jacen frowned. “That’s not it at all. I’m not looking for an adventure. I’m looking to help people. Have you ever noticed that we’ve only ended up helping people by accident? We only end up going on these adventures when Uncle Luke isn’t looking. I want him to treat us like Jedi Apprentices who are going to train the galaxy. Not like abunch of teenagers who accidentally fall headfirst into mischief.”

“You’re a teenager, Jacen.” Jaina said. “I’m sorry to break the news to you. When Kyp took me on I made it abundantly clear that I wasn’t going to sit around the Praxeum all day. Maybe if you do the same to Corran you won’t find yourself sitting on your ass all day.”

Jacen frowned. “Maybe.” Kyp Durron was a maverick. A man who was always in the center of the action. He didn’t take people on adventures. He dumped them into the middle of a blaster fight with absolutely no warning. To Jacen that was a very poor example of what he wanted out of an apprenticeship. “It’s not Corran’s fault. He’s trained me well and makes sure that I’m always thinking for myself. Hopefully I’ll be knighted in the next two or three years. By then I can determine what I can do with my gifts…not anyone else.”

“You know…for all your ragging on Durron you guys are more similar than you think.” Jaina relaxed her stance. “Look, I know you said you didn’t want a party but I mine as well give you warning. There’s a little get together for you in the North Courtyard. I was supposed to tell you that there’s some kind of impromptu training session but unfortunately our Force bond goes both ways. Don’t think about ditching either.” Jaina said as she jabbed a finger at him. “I just figured you should be mentally prepared for a large group of people. I swear, sometimes you and Anakin are exactly the same...”

“Whatever.” Jacen muttered with a slight frown. The kid in him was happy that he had a party but that was about it. “How’s Anakin doing? I haven’t seen him all day.”

“He’s…fine. His nightmares are back again. I think you should talk to him.” Jaina said, suddenly looking more fidgety than usual.

Jacen rolled his eyes. “Please don’t tell me you tried to console him and made things worse.”

“I didn’t try and console him and only make things worse.” Jaina said, suddenly looking more defensive than bashful.


Jacen sighed and closed his eyes, reaching through the Force. He searched for the very distinct aura of his brother and soon found it. While he had a strong connection to his brother it wasn’t quite as strong as Jaina’s. He couldn’t determine what he was specifically feeling without alerting Anakin to his probing but he could tell where he was. Anakin was in one of the watchtowers with Streen and Tahiri. He wasn’t quite sure what they were doing but since Streen was there he felt better about the situation. He was beginning to retreat back into his own self when he suddenly felt a burst of excitement before Valin came sprinting into the room.


Valin was nearly identical to his father. The only difference was that Valin had inherited Booster’s height. At the age of 13 Valin was roughly 1.8 meters in tall and was a little broader in the shoulders than Anakin. The two of them were good friends and as far as Jacen was concerned they complimented each other almost perfectly. “You’re late.” Jacen said as Valin stopped to catch his breath.

“Sorry, Jacen! I had to babysit Jys while dad and mom were off fixing an inertial compensator on the Pulsar Skate.” Valin straightened. “I’m ready now.”


Jacen nodded and glanced at Jaina. She unclipped her lightsaber and tossed it at Jacen. “Try not to break it, Jace.” She said as she turned and walked out the room. “I’ll see you in an hour or so.” Jacen held up his hand and caught it with ease, somewhat irritated that she had thrown the weapon.


Jaina turned and walked out of the training room, not having said a word to Valin. Jacen glanced at her and then glanced at Valin. He saw exactly where Valin’s eyes were and cleared his throat loudly. Valin turned to him. “So…uh, happy birthday. I got you a present but I’m not supposed to…” He paused and gulped.


Jacen shook his head. “I know about the party.” He ignited Jaina’s lightsaber and the purple blade sprang to life. “Are you ready to begin?”

Valin nodded and unclipped his training weapon from his belt. He ignited it and his blue blade illuminated the dusty floor. Jacen moved his right leg forward and swiped a couple of spare bits of plastic to the side. “Why are you using Jaina’s lightsaber?”

“I um, left mine in my room.” Jacen said. In all truth he hadn’t used his weapon since he had accidentally severed Tenel Ka’s arm. Every time he stared at the weapon all he could remember was Tenel Ka’s bloodcurdling scream and the stiffness of her robotic arm whenever he held it. He only used a lightsaber when he needed to and when he did he normally borrowed Jaina’s. One day he’d construct a new weapon but for now he was fine with the way he was. “Do you remember the stance that I showed you last time?”

Valin nodded and planted his feet shoulder-width apart before holding his blade vertically in front of him.

“Good.” Jacen said as he held his lightsaber in a classic low-guard stance. “I’m going to go easy on you, you’ve done a good job of learning the katas for the forms so now we’re going to freestyle. Use what I’ve taught you. I don’t want you flailing around your lightsaber and hoping you block something.” Jacen was well aware that his own weapon could cut through flesh and that Valin’s couldn’t. He was perfectly comfortable with the situation, being the nephew of Luke Skywalker had resulted in him being thrust into the position of a role model. Despite his lax view on lightsaber combat he had no choice but to be better than everyone else in the room. If he wanted to influence the galaxy in a positive manner he knew he’d have to lead. Even if it was something he would prefer not doing.

Valin paused for a moment, staring at Jacen intensely through the brown locks of hair that tumbled across his forehead. Then he blinked and Jacen immediately shifted his lightsaber to block a blow to his shoulder. Valin then spun on his heel and tried to slip inside Jacen’s guard to jab at his kidney. Jacen simply matched Valin’s spin with one of his own. He then tapped Valin between the shoulder blades with the butt of Jaina's saber. “Dead.” Jacen announced. “Never try to outmaneuver someone faster than you, Valin. You’re fast but you’re not faster than me. Try to focus on my weaknesses.”

Valin turned around and assumed his stance again. “How can I exploit a weakness if you’re superior than me in every way?”

Jacen shook his head. “That’s not true. Uncle Luke was vastly inferior to Darth Vader when he faced him for the last time….but he still beat him. It’s not just about your skills, Valin.” Realizing that he didn’t really feel like dueling he deactivated his lightsaber. “It’s about your mental state too. Darth Vader didn’t want to fight Uncle Luke because he was his son. Uncle Luke was fighting to redeem his father. Darth Vader was fighting at the behest of a man that was partially responsible for crippling him. Those were two weaknesses that my uncle exploited….he didn't necessarily have the skill to win that fight but he had a better reason. He had something to fight for. Keep that in mind whenever you cross blades with anyone.” Jacen said and glanced at the chrono directly above the door. The glass was shattered but it still told the time. Now, I’m going to go ahead and end this lesson because it’s my birthday and I shouldn’t have to work on my birthday.” He grinned crookedly as he punched Valin on the shoulder. “Can we reschedule for tomorrow? A full hour, I promise.”

Valin frowned and chewed his lip. “An hour and a half?”

Jacen chuckled. “If you can actually maintain that kind of concentration and energy for an hour and a half then sure. For now you should go ahead and get to that party. I’ll show up in about half an hour and pretend to be surprised.”

“Deal.” Valin nodded and turned off his lightsaber before clipping it to his belt. “See ya in a few!”

“My birthday present better be awesome!” Jacen yelled after Valin as the younger man ran down the hallway. When Jacen was sure he was gone he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. The one upside to this blasted party was that it was a surprise. Which meant that he didn’t have to change. That thought alone was enough to cheer up Jacen before he clipped his lightsaber to his belt. It was time to party.

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I think if you made Jaina pay for Remote replacements and repairs she wouldn't be so quick to destroy them. Coincidently my son's birthday is coming up in a couple weeks. Like Jacen, he doesn't want a party. He said he was turning 13 and was too old for parties. Instead he wanted to sit on the couch in his underwear, watching TV and eating a big block of cheese...like he did last year (I must have mentioned that Seinfeld reference to him at one time). He also wants the new Assassin's Creed game.

Hopefully Jacen will have fun at his party.

 

Shouldn't Jacen be getting Jaina something for her birthday? And shouldn't it be a surprise party for both of them? And JL, I have dreams of doing that for my birthday, but mine is during the Holidays...so it makes it rather impossible.

I understand Jacen's guilt over TK's arm...but it's been two years now, right? He might want to pick up his saber again

 

That's a good point. I was going to address that in the next chapter, I figured that Jacen and Jaina celebrated their birthdays at different times. Maybe a week apart? They might swap every year too. It'd be difficult to have a double party because they both have different interests and even different friends. I'll go into more detail in the story.

 

I would think they would celebrate at the same time if it is just getting people in the room with cake and presents. I can see having two parties if they wanted to do something special, like one twin wants to go to a smashball game and the other to the opera. Then it would make sense to have the celebrations separate because, I can't see Jaina wanting to go to the opera with Jacen.

 

That might have been a lack of foresight on my side. The next chapter will have the actual birthday party and that's when things really begin to pick up. That being said I thought I kind of pointed out how different Jacen and Jaina are from a purely social scale. That alone would warrant them celebrating different parties since they'd be looking for different things.

 

OOC: Alright guys! So this is a little on the longer side but I’m hoping that this chapter will shed some light on Jacen’s relationship with Anakin and his other friends. We’re still on Yavin IV but we will be hitting some action within the next two chapters! I made some adjustments to this chapter to match your critiques about Jacen/Jaina's birthday. Also we should keep in mind that this is an AU story and more of a "Coming of Age" story which would explain the angst....and er, drug use.

Chapter 3​

Jacen felt an unusual tightness in his shoulders as he headed towards the North Courtyard. He wasn’t necessarily stressed out. He just felt a significant amount of anticipation. He wanted to know what presents he was going to get, who were going to be there and if there would be any Corellian Ale. He had the feeling that this party would be a little more lively since Jaina was involved. Jacen and Jaina were born on the same day but they had often celebrated their birthdays on different days since their parties were always different. Unbeknownst to Jaina, her own birthday would be celebrated on a totally different planet and her ultimate present would be her first mission. As a result Jacen had gotten something a little extra special for his sister.

Jacen sighed as he shifted his bookbag from one shoulder to another as he stood in front of the door leading to the courtyard. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to use the Force to figure out who was outside. He knew that his immediately family was there and he could sense the presence of his Uncle without even trying. “Let’s get this started.” Jacen murmured to himself before he opened the door.

The brilliant yellow rays from the sun nearly blinded Jacen as he stepped outside. Then he was overwhelmed by the sudden declaration of “Happy Lifeday!”. Jacen was both deaf and blind then he was ridden mute when he couldn’t think of a single sarcastic or sardonic thing to say. Many people had pointed out to Jacen that he was the most sensitive of the Solo Twins. It had always been something he refused to believe but he could feel everyone’s Force Aura loud and clear and the sheer amount of love and compassion was overwhelming. “I think my sensory circuits are overloaded!” Jacen finally said with the cheesiest grin he could muster.

“Alright! Everybody! Hey!” Han Solo stood at the front of the massive stone table in the center of the courtyard. Everybody was talking amongst each other having what looked to be a good time. Han had been responsible for importing a significant amount of alcohol from Corellia against his wife’s behest. He was fairly certain that everyone who was of age had at least a couple of glasses to drink. Anyone who wasn’t of age had at least tasted the ale

The Wookiee nodded and opened his mouth, releasing a vicious roar so intimidating that C-3PO let out a surprised wail and shut down. Everybody stopped talking. Han winced and tapped his right ear. “Thanks Chewie.” He muttered.

“Now, everybody shut up and listen! I know that Luke and Leia get to have all the fun with the speeches, announcements and summits and all that other stuff but this year it’s my turn.” Han cleared his throat before he reached down and picked up a glass of Corellian ale. “So, last year Jacen turned a man. This year he turned 17.” Han paused for a moment as if expecting a sudden surge of laughter. Luke couched softly. “And uh, Jaina proved that she could play the role of both a man and a woman when she somehow managed to beat Luke at his own game during their race last year!”

Luke frowned although his blue eyes glinted with amusement. “I thought we agreed not to bring that up anymore.”

Last year, shortly after Jaina’s birthday she had challenged Luke to an air speeder race. At the time Luke Skywalker had still been in the point in his career where the idea of a Grandmaster racing Jedi trainee was more akin to “bullying” than “fun”. However, Han had managed to convince his best friend to take Jaina up on her offer. Due to Luke’s arrogance and busy schedule he hadn’t been able to devote as much time to souping up his land speeder as Jaina had. Jaina had ended up soundly beating him and while Luke had taken that in stride that didn’t necessarily mean that his pride hadn’t been wounded. “Sorry, kid. Someone’s gotta knock the only Jedi Master in the galaxy down a few pegs.”

That earned a few chuckles. Han allowed a smile to cross his face even though he wasn’t quit sure if he was happy right now. “Though in all honesty, Luke deserves the title. I’m sure as hell not gonna call him a “Master” but I’d follow him into any battle and I feel the same way about Jaina.” Han turned towards Jaina and angled his glass towards her. “Princess, you’re the best damn pilot I’ve ever seen and while that’s definitely hereditary you also have some skills and talents that even Leia and I couldn’t teach you. One day you’re going to be like you’re Uncle. A Jedi Warrior that will encourage the loyalty and dedication of millions.”

Jaina’s face turned to a deep shade of red and she turned down and stared at her lap. “Daddy, you’re embarrassing me.” For someone as cocky and outgoing as Jaina she still found it awkward to be on the receiving end of so much praise.

“Oh trust me, this is the first of many embarrassing speeches. Consider it payback for all those tantrums you threw at diplomatic summits when you were younger.” Some more laughter rippled through the crowd and Han smiled. He felt like he was getting the hang of this. He couldn’t help but notice that Zekk laughed the loudest out of everyone but he was swiftly silenced when Jaina jabbed her elbow in his ribs.

“As for you, Jacen?” Han turned towards him. “I know that jumping around with blazing lightsabers isn’t your thing….as far as I know it shouldn’t be for most Jedi.” Luke confirmed Han’s statement with a nearly invisible microscopic nod. “But….you’ve got it where it counts, kid. If Jaina is the Jedi Warrior whose gonna take on the next big bad guy than you’re going to be the one who tells her how. You take after your mother in all the best…” Han cast a sly glance at his wife. “…and all the worst ways. I….” Han paused as he tried to figure out if what he was about to say was for Jacen’s ears alone but the last few glasses of ale in his belly convinced him otherwise. “…know it seems like I’m disappointed in you….I’m not. You’ve got great things ahead of you. When I was your age I didn’t give a damn about other people. As a matter of fact I had a hard time really caring about anything until I met your mother. But here you are….you don’t want personal glory and you don’t seem to seek adventure either. You just want to help people and that’s all that should matter.”

Jacen shrugged and smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck. He too was blushing just as furiously as Jaina. “Thanks….that means a lot, Dad.”

“Yeah…” Han nodded. “Anyway, let’s drink to our kids. Let’s drink to the galaxy. Let’s hope that they get their own fair share of adventures but don’t have their youth stolen from them like the rest of us.”

“I hear that!” Corran chimed in as other people nodded and murmured in agreement.

They all drained their glasses, another case of ale was broken and the party continued long into the night.

------​

It was 1400 hours and Jacen was nowhere near tired. It wasn’t necessarily because he was used to staying up late, either. There was just too much on his mind right now. His father had given a heartwarming yet slightly typical birthday speech. Yet there was one thing that was still bothering him. The one thing that he had truly taken away from that speech was what his father thought about the differences between Jacen and his sister. Apparently Jaina was the warrior and Jacen was the poet. Jaina was the one who’d accomplish all these great deeds while Jacen would be the one standing next to her guiding her all the way. Was that a good thing or a bad thing? Did that mean Jaina was destined to be a legend while Jacen was destined to simply be another Jedi?

“Do you know what Mom and Dad were doing at our age?”

There were five of them. Jacen, Jaina, Zekk, Tenel Ka and Anakin had all slipped away from the party. Tenel Ka had wanted to go for a walk and this had manifested into them all deciding to trek to the forest and stay there for the night. Luckily they had the next day to themselves due to the party running so long. After that Luke had pulled both Luke and Jaina to the side and told them that they each were going on a mission…a mission tailored to their own strengths and skillsets. “I know Uncle Luke was on a vaporizer farm on Tantooine.” Jacen pinched the end of the cigarra he had been smoking and passed it to Jaina. “….I wish I could work on a farm.”

“I’m certain that could be arranged.” Tenel Ka said as she stared into the fire.

Jacen sniffed and then sneezed before exhaling a long stream of smoke. “What makes you say that?” He questioned as he turned and laid his head in the redhead’s lap.

“I was reading about the Jedi Order….before the Purge. Apparently Jedi Apprentices could choose to join some kind of agro-cultural corps if they desired.” Tenel ran her finger’s through Jacen’s hair and plucked out a leaf before throwing it into the fire they were sitting around. “It seems as if that would be something you would enjoy.”

Jacen reached up with his right hand and took Tenel’s own. “Then that would mean I’d have to leave Yavin IV for a faraway distant planet and then I’d never see you again.”

“Absence makes the heart go fonder, friend.” Tenel said with a small, sad smile. “Besides, you are already leaving soon.”


“We’re all leaving soon.” Jaina said before she lifted the cigarra to her lips and took a puff. “We’ll just have to find out a way to stay in contact. I feel like the galaxy is getting to the point where they realize they need Jedi. Not former pilots and soldiers who fought in the Rebellion and then became Jedi. They need kids like us who aren’t all haunted from half-a-dozen wars fought with the-” Jaina unintentionally cut herself off as she frantically began to cough, pounding her chest with her fist as she did.

Zekk chuckled and gestured towards the tangled stack of tent poles, sheets, pillows and all the other supplies they had brought over from spending the night in the forest. A single white pillow lifted into the air before it floated towards him. Zekk plucked it out of the air and handed the pillow to Jaina. “Breathe through this.” He said. Jaina held out the white joint for someone to take. Anakin reached for it and Jaina swiftly slapped him on the hand. “Not now, Annie. You’re too young.” She took Zekk’s pillow and began to inhale through it, her irregular breathing calming as she did.

Zekk took the cigarra from Jaina. “I don’t know about you guys but I can’t wait to break out of here.” He frowned. “Ever since the Shadow Academy I’ve always felt like I’ve had a debt to pay. The sooner I can get out of here and prove my worth the better off I’ll be.”

Jacen nodded in agreement and the group sank into silence for sometime. After a moment Tenel Ka stood up and Jacen quickly found himself deposited on the forest floor. Zekk and Jaina also departed and Jacen was wise enough not to ask where they were going. Soon it was just two brothers and as Jacen slipped into a slumber Anakin finally caught his attention.

“Hey Jace?”

Jacen cracked one eye open. “What’s up?”

“I forgot to give you your birthday present.” Anakin held up a small wooden box. Jacen sat up and extended his hand. The wooden box floated across the fire and landed in Jacen’s hand.

“I was beginning to wonder.” Jacen said. He opened the box and was confused by what he saw. At first he assumed that Anakin had simply found some kind of molten rock or coral and given it to him because he assumed that it looked cool. While Anakin was definitely the “strangest” Solo Child he wasn’t completely devoid of social graces. Why would Anakin just give him a piece of rock?

“Go ahead,” Anakin encouraged with a smile. “Pick it up! I made it myself.”

Jacen reached into the box and picked up the piece of coral. Upon closer inspection he saw that the piece of coral was much more complicated than it looked. While it was definitely made of rock Anakin had clearly crafted it to resemble some sort of starfighter. It was triangular shaped and sported a canopy made of smooth, dark glass. Jacen slipped his index finger under what had to be the wing and felt what could only be a small canon. “How long did this take you?” Jacen questioned, clearly awed.

“Not long.” Anakin picked up a stick and stared at it for a moment before putting it in the fire. “I gave Jaina a multi-tool to get out of tough situations. I got you that so you could remember me. You were always more sentimental than Jaina….besides…that might come in handy in the future.”

Jacen swallowed hard before he tucked the ship back into the box. “I’ll never forget you, Anakin.”

Anakin was silent for a long moment. “What Tenel Ka forgot to tell you about Agro-Corps is that they send all the people who aren’t good enough to be Jedi there.”

Jacen knew what Anakin meant when he said that. “You’re good enough to be a Jedi. You’re one of the most skilled people I know.” Jacen held up the wooden box. “I mean, look at this thing. It’s gorgeous.”

“But….” Anakin sighed. “It’s not just that. What if I’m too powerful? Do you know how I came up with that idea, Jace?”

“You’re wild and uninhibited imagination?”

“I had a dream. I had a dream that hundreds of those things were orbiting Coruscant. I don’t know how or why. I don’t know if it was a bad thing or a good thing. All I know is that I saw those hovering around Coruscant…I’ve never seen anything like that in my life….except for in my dreams.” Anakin paused. “I just…I don’t know. It’s just…you guys are leaving. I’m going to be stuck here and nobody seems to understand me quite as well as you do.”

Jacen stared at his fifteen year old brother and knew how he felt. He knew that Anakin felt as if he was cursed by a legacy that he didn’t want. He knew that Anakin felt destined to forever live in his siblings’ shadows. He also realized just how dangerous attachments could be for someone like Anakin. “Anakin, if I didn’t have to leave I wouldn’t but I do. Maybe it’s good that I have to go. Maybe you need to learn how to understand yourself instead of relying on me.” Jacen shrugged. “Either way, you’re going to be fine. We’re all going to be fine. You’re not going to be sent to Agro-Corps, you’re not going to fall to the dark side and in case you were wondering? It’s pretty obvious that Tahiri has a massive crush on you.” Jacen smiled and decided to try and take a page out of Jaina’s book. “So I have a suggestion, quit worrying and enjoy yourself. You can worry about becoming a Sith later.”


Anakin didn’t look very convinced by Jacen’s words but he could sense his brother’s distress fading through the Force. Even by a little bit. Jacen made a mental note to talk to Uncle Luke before he left. Anakin was going through the exact same problems Jacen, Luke and Han had before they had grown up. Luke had told Jacen the very same thing when he was 15 and apparently Han had told Luke something similar when they had met. They had years of life ahead of them and there was no point in worrying about the future.

“So what does this thing do other than look awesome?” Jacen said, as he allowed a goofy grin to cross his face.

“Well…you’ll have to wait and find out.” Anakin said. “I’m not even quite sure myself…when I showed it to Tionne she said it was the closest thing she had seen to a modern Jedi artifact.” Anakin grinned.

“Don’t let that get to your head.” Jacen said with his own smirk. Jacen straightened and ran his fingers through his hair before he turned towards the sky. It was dawn again and the sun was beginning to creep over the horizon.

“Jacen!”

The teenager turned and saw Tenel Ka standing by the tent, her single arm planted on her hip. “I would like some assistance in building this tent. This is a difficult task to accomplish with a single arm.”

 

Interesting story. I'm interested. Continue!

 

Interesting. Are we getting a hint of the VONG? Sorry the stupid tablet would autocorrect unless I put that word in all caps. I must tell you, as a nonsmoker and a mother I want to smack those cigarras out of their hands and lecture them on the dangers of lung cancer.

 

I wasn't entirely sure how to make this clear but there's no tobacco in those cigarras

As far as the VONG are concerned I honestly wasn't sure if I was hitting you over the head with blatant symbolism or not haha. I just was using that as a focus point for Anakin's own problems. I'm not even sure if you could really call them problems. He just has a really unique personality and with this fanfic I wanted to make the differences between Jacen, Jaina and Anakin really blatant. I never really thought that Anakin should have a "guiding light" role like in the NJO. I'll be touching on that as the series continues. That's not to say he won't live up to his potential, just not in the way people are used to seeing.

 

Yeah, I got it. It's still smoking and inhaling nasty carcinogens. Plus, I can't stand the smell of smoke no matter what's in Zig Zag. It's a nasty habit.

 

You have a point. Jacen Solo will be hacking away like Vader before he's 30. He mine as well take on a Sith Moniker. That being said, this fanfic isn't pro-anything and I'll be exploring this from both sides. I didn't just toss it in as a clever wink to Dazed and Confused or anything.

 

I loved Han's birthday speech! I say this as a parent...we don't always tell our kids how proud we are of who they are.

Hmmm....sleeping bag nookie? Yes, I think so!

To let you know how much of a square I am...I actually thought they were smoking tobacco! And ZigZag? I never would've gotten that without the context! Anyway, I've always thought that Anakin's leadership ability was a bit overblown, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that plays out.

 

OOC: Yes. This show is going to focus on the theme of fatherhood quite heavily so using Han Solo for that toast was the best choice I could make. As far as the Solo Kids go I have always figured they could be classified by the different Jedi Groups. Jaina is the Jedi Warrior. Jacen is the Jedi Counselor. Anakin is the Jedi Sentinel. I'm not saying that's the roles they will play in future stories but it does make it easier for me to organizer their traits. As a heads up I'm not sure the next time I'm going to update. I'm doing NaNoWriMo this year and I'll be focusing on that. If anyone is interested be sure to PM me for my info!

Chapter 4​

​

“How long are you gonna be gone?”

“Awhile.” Jacen’s room was a mess. He had forgotten to lock the cages in his room two nights ago and as a result the dozen or so creatures in his room had run wild. Droppings were scattered on the floor, his bed sheet had been torn to shreds and there was some strange green goo on his wall. Luckily for him he was leaving Yavin IV in only a few short hours; he could worry about the mess whenever he returned. He had been able to convince Anakin to keep an eye on the animals for him. They would be moved to the zoo (located near one of the many towers that were scattered around the Praxeum) and Anakin would just make sure Jacen’s pets were okay and wouldn’t tear at each other’s throats.

“How long is awhile?”

Jacen pulled his head from underneath his bed and stared up at the blue-eyed, red-headed child that had a particularly annoying habit of following him around whenever. “I don’t know Ben, awhile.”

“Oh.” Ben sounded slightly disappointed and stared down at his feet. “Will you talk to me on holonet sometimes?”


Jacen spotted the tiny, metallic box he had been looking for and grabbed it. Now, he had everything he was looking for. Jacen pulled himself from underneath the bed and looked up at Ben. He wasn’t necessarily annoyed at the kid but he was in a hurry. Maybe he didn’t need to blame a seven year old for his inability to pack in a timely manner. “Of course.” Jacen said with a grin. “I might even get you a present if you behave.”

“A present!” Ben suddenly tackled Jacen with a hug and knocked him to the ground. “Thanks!”


Jacen laughed and gently pushed Ben off of him before he pinned him to the floor and started to tickle him. “Only if you behave. No sneaking into X-Wings. I’m pretty sure you nearly blew up a hangar bay that time.” One could make an argument for Luke and Mara being terrible parents but they really weren’t. They just happened to lose track of Ben right when he was being the most mischievous.

“I wasn’t going to blow it up! I just wanted to fly like dad!”

Jacen smiled. “One day you’ll be able to fly like Uncle Luke. Not for a few more years though.” Jacen stood to his feet and grabbed his bookbag along with a suitcase. Jedi were supposed to travel light but Jacen had little interest in leaving too many things at the Praxeum. He wasn’t sure when he was coming back…he didn’t even know where they were going.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Jacen.” Jacen glanced up to see his Aunt Mara standing there. The dress code at the Academy was fairly lax. Mara was simply wearing plain cargo pants and a black t-shirt. Her hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail and her face was coated with sweat. Jacen was guessing that she had just returned from one of the many sparring sessions she held throughout the day.

“I can fly like dad!” Ben said suddenly as he quickly squirmed out of Jacen’s light hold on him.

“You can probably fly better than your father.” Mara said with a smile as she stooped down and scooped her son up off the floor. “But you’re not going to be thinking about flying for a very long time. Not after that stunt you pulled.” Mara’s smile was still on her face but she was making it very clear that she hadn’t forgotten about the hangar bay incident.

Ben’s eyes went wide as saucers. “But mom I was just trying to fly.”

“Don’t you see, Ben?” Jacen adjusted his bookbag. “You tried to fly but you did something else. So you should wait until somebody shows you how instead of trying yourself.”

Ben narrowed his eyes, he clearly didn’t want to accept the truth that was in front of him but he was a smart kid. After awhile Ben sank in Mara’s arms, knowing that he simply couldn’t argue with Jacen’s logic. “Are you ready to leave?” Mara finally questioned after a long moment of silence.

Jacen sighed as he looked over his room. For some odd reason he felt as if he was never going to see it again. “Yeah. I’m just about ready for the mission debrief.”

​

 

I'm not even going to ask how Ben got into the x-wing…shouldn't there be some sort of security in a hangar containing military-spec hardware?

Good luck with NaNoWriMo…I'm not sure I could do 1000 words a day.

 

Obviously not or else you wouldn't be able to have the Young Jedi Knights series of books. That would be pretty boring if every time they tried to go on an adventure they were blocked by the Officer-in-Charge of the docking bay requiring that they have signed orders from the Jedi Master to take a ship. I just wanted to read a book where Child Welfare Services comes to Yavin 4 to close down the academy because Luke lost track of too many students.

Nice update!

 

I totally agree with SiouxFan. I mean, the YJK were fun but I always found it highly unrealistic that so many students could go on so many escapades. I tried to address that by saying that Jacen and his peers never went on "real" adventures except by accident. This missions Jacen's class are going to is going to be their first "official" mission. As far as Ben is concerned that's not just a random thing I put in the story. I'm going to fully address that and Ben's behavior as the story goes on. I'm not sure if you guys will like it but I like to tie up loose ends.

Thanks for the reviews!

 

I like it when people act semi-normal in stories. I remember getting highly irritated that Ben was allowed to become a jack booted thug in GAG when he was barely in his teens. In one of my fanfics one of the Jedi apprentices wasn't allowed on combat missions until he was eighteen because his mother said, "I didn't give birth to a son so the Jedi could make him into a child soldier." Kids shouldn't be sent into combat. I don't care if they are Jedi trainees or not. Damn, some of those novels were like a Star Wars version of the hunger games. Let's give kids lightsabers and send them off to fight in an galactic war against aliens that coincidently happen to be Force-resistant.

I like the realism you are putting into the story.

 

OOC: For anyone who is a real big fan of classic EU ships….you are probably going to hate me by the end of this fanfic. This chapter is going to leave some hanging threads regarding the tension within the Order. However, at the end of the day remember that Jacen and Jaina are still teenagers. So they are going to bitch, moan and act like children in the worst ways possible. That's another thing I never noticed in the NJO. Anyway, enjoy!

Chapter 4​

There was no real mission debrief. Instead Jacen Solo, Jaina Solo and Tenel Ka were all standing in the hangar bay in front of Luke Skywalker and a handful of other Jedi Masters. Jacen had to admit that he found the informality of this meeting slightly disappointing but he’d take it over sitting through another lesson in this place. His impatience with his lack of progress had been fairly obvious for several months now. While the meeting was informal Jacen had to admit that he’d never thought he’d be in the private hangar bay before. The hangar bay they were standing in was reserved for essential personel and Jedi Masters only. Jacen had never set foot in here and now he could see why.

While the hangar bay wasn’t as large as the X-Wing docking bay was it was definitely the fanciest. Instead of being located in the ziggarut or one of the towers the hangar bay was underground roughly three kilos away from the main grounds. The exit to the hangar bay was covered in forestry and it hadn’t been placed on the map for the grounds to the Academy. Jacen was guessing that this hangar bay was also used for emergencies if the Temple ever came under siege. As Jacen glanced around the dimly lit room he noticed several ships that belonged to Jedi Masters in the order.

There was the Pulsar Skate, Raven Claw, Jade Sabre, and the Millenium Falcon. Jacen spotted roughly six Stealth-Xs alongside three other cruisers.


“I’m glad that the three of you are here today. I understand that you all have become restless during your time here and you seek the opportunity to expand your abilities.” Luke Skywalker stood at the head of the group. Kyp Durron stood at his left and Corran Horn stood at his right. Jacen could sense the presence of his mother and father but they were busy in the Falcon. The repeated sounds of the engine turning on and off told him they were probably trying to get it off the ground. “I have a surprise for all of you…and a gift.” Luke smiled. “First off, you are not simply going on your first mission. This is going to be the first step you are taking to become true Jedi Knights. The three of you have proven through your hard work and effort that you are almost ready for Knightship.”

“What about Zekk?” Jaina suddenly asked.

Jacen nodded. That question was also on his mind. He could feel the natural excitement and happiness over the fact that the Masters felt he was ready for his next trial. Yet, he wanted to know what would happen with his friend as well.

“Everyone is ready at their own pace.” Corran Horn interrupted. “It would do you well to focus on what you are about to here. We’re not about to send you three on some bantha-tail chasing mission. Your mind should be on the present instead of focusing on your friend.”

Luke nodded in agreement with Corran and Jacen couldn’t help but notice that it was Corran that was doing the rebuking, not Luke. “I still would like to know Zekk’s process. We’re all concerned about him. Ever since he came back from the Shadow Academy the Masters have treated him like the plague!”

“Jaina.” Jacen murmured as he touched her on the shoulder. Jaina grimaced but fell silent.

“Not everyone follows the same path, Jaina.” Luke said calmly. “I understand your concern but you’re letting your attachments dictate your emotions. Zekk will become a fine Jedi, one day. However, there’s no denying the fact that he made mistakes in the past. We don’t live in a vacumn. I cannot and will not rush the training of someone who has had trouble with the Dark Side.”

That could have been the absolutely worst thing to say. Kyp Durron was Jaina’s Jedi Master and he had progressed to the rank of Knight and then Master faster than anybody. Kyp Durron was a fine Jedi but at the age of thirty he was the youngest Jedi Master in the Order. He was also the only Jedi in the Order who had managed to kill thousands.

Jacen saw Jaina open her mouth to retort again and decided to say nothing. It wasn’t his fault Luke had prodded the hornet’s nest. Fortunately, Tenel Ka did not share the same relationship that Luke did with his niece and nephew. “That is enough, Jaina.” Tenel Ka said sharply. The edge in her voice was so hard that Jaina closed her mouth and stared at her feet. If there was anyone who could “control” Jaina it was Tenel Ka. The Warrior Princess commanded a certain level of respect that could not be denied.

“You will all be sent on different missions.” Luke continued on seamlessly as if the argument had never happened. “They are all tailored to your specific skillset. However, these missions will also force you to focus on skills you have been avoiding. Tenel Ka; you have the greatest potential to change the galaxy out of everyone in this room.” Luke shifted his blue gaze to her grey eyes. “You will accompany my sister; the current Chief of State to the Chiss Ascendancy. There you will help broker a peace treaty between the Galactic Alliance and the Chiss. The reason why I have selected you is because you’re the daughter of Prince Isolder. You will be standing proof that the Chiss Ascendancy can still retain its freedom even if its aligned with the New Republic.”

Tenel Ka nodded. “I will do as you wish, Master Skywalker. I must say that diplomacy has never been my strongest suit but I will use my natural knowledge and the skills you taught me to help Princess Leia to the best of my ability.”

Luke turned to Jaina. “Jaina, you have proven yourself to be one of the most skilled swordmasters amongst your generation. While you do seek for thrill and adventure a little more than I’d like you still have an earnest desire to do good.” Luke paused for the slightest second and his eyes flickered towards Kyp. Jacen could feel a sudden sense of apprehension but it vanished as soon as Jacen sensed it. “We have come to believe that a Sith Artifact owned by Darth Sidious has been found on Naboo. You and Kyp Durron will head to Naboo to secure this item. I am sending Jaden Korr with you on this mission. His experience with Sith should give you the aid you need.”

“Which ship will be taking?” Jaina questioned. “Kyp doesn’t own a light freighter of his own.”

“We’re all going to cram into my X-Wing together.” Kyp cut in; the sarcasm very clear in his tone. Jacen was beginning to get the feeling that the Jedi Masters were annoyed with Jaina for bringing up Zekk. It just so happened that Kyp was the only Master who couldn’t control his emotions very well. It wasn’t as if all that mattered. Jacen was far more perceptive than people gave him credit for and he could feel the frustration that the Masters felt practically dripping off of their auras.

“I’d be fine with that if Jaden didn’t have to cram in there too.” Jaina muttered in a tone so low that only Tenel Ka and Jacen could hear her.

Jacen shook his head. “What’s my assignment, Master?” He questioned, suddenly ready to get this started.

“You will be going to Corellia.” Luke explained. “The Corellian Defense Force has requested the aid of the Jedi to destroy a slavery ring in its lower depths.”

Jacen frowned. “Why can’t they do it themselves?”


“It’s an undercover mission.” Corran Horn stepped forward. “We believe that a slavery ring has been forcing slaves to participate in swoop bike races on Gus Taon and Corellia. You’re going undercover as a swoop bike racer in order to put an end to it.”

The frown on Jacen’s face stayed. “That sounds more like a mission for Jaina. I’m not very accomplished when it comes to mechanics.”

“You fit the look of a damned swoop bike racer, though.” Corran replied. “You smell like reefer all the time and your hair is so long that it’s nearly covered your shoulder blades. You said you wanted a mission? Well than here’s what we have. Take it or leave it.”

“Is leaving it really an option?” Jacen questioned as he felt his anger spike and his cheeks go red. Luke was again impassive. Jacen reached out with the Force to feel the auras of the Masters again and was surprised. Luke wasn’t projecting any emotion at all. Just serenity. “I’ll take it.” He quickly uttered before Corran could respond. “Is that everything?” Jacen asked moodily.

Luke Skywalker nodded. “May the Force be with all of you.”

 

I like Horn telling Jacen he looks like a long haired, dirty, hippie freak(In so many words).