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Beyond - Legends "Maelstroms" conclusion (AU; Jaina, Ganner, A/T, more; post-SBS NJO, finished 12/27)

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Onderon1, Oct 18, 2016.

  1. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: The first part of, quite arguably, the single darkest thing I've written in a while. I've had this bunny for quite some time, and I finally feel skilled enough to approach it with maturity.

    It's never particularly violent - despite opening during Traitor, from which the initial conversation is taken, all respect to Mr. Stover - but there's some very serious (albeit entirely consensual) material here.

    Speaking of: This first chapter contains ... quite suggestive, albeit "screen-wipe" material. Mods, should this go overboard, please let me know and I'll happily rewrite.

    Plus, yes, the Betsy Braddock mentioned is Psylocke from the X-Men, albeit from an AU of "mainstream" continuity. Some explanation/spoilers below; more with her (and why she's running around with the NJO) in future chapters.

    (She is wearing a far more tasteful costume than she's known for generally. :p

    DISCLAIMER: LFL's are LFL's, Marvel's are Marvel's, OCs are mine, and the whole kit and kaboodle/everything else is Disney's. No infringement or besmirchment are intended, and I ain't making a dime, so don't sic the lawyers on me. :p

    *******************************
    Chapter 1: The Hate-Kriff:
    27.3 ABY: Hapes, Inner Rim:
    *******************************

    She entered the prefab conapt, tapping her fingers; she had to get back to Twin Suns - to Jag.

    To try and explain why I left him so - abruptly. Cuddling just seems so ... wasteful now, Jaina Solo thought, frustrated and not terribly satisfied. Oh, she loved Colonel Fel, but the idea of killing Vong - or, more dangerously, just killing - was more and more her outlet for ...

    There was a dangerous truth at the end of that thought, and Jaina set it down. Kyp was trying to get her to look away from the logical (or seemingly logical) end of that road, but it seemed so pointless.

    Like that damn trip to Myrkr. Jacen and Anakin dead, Tahiri missing ... Jaina recalled, closing her eyes.

    She opened them, shielding against the suddenly grating positivity of the last Jedi she'd expect to be so - cheery - as the feelings preceded Ganner Rhysode into the conapt's living room. He'd lost that roguish confidence that came with ego, but that - and the scar he'd picked up on Garqi - only made Jaina appreciate him more.

    He had a sort of animal stride to him, even if that giddy bubbliness roiling from him nauseated her.

    Loyalty, girl. You're getting ... wanton all of a sudden, Colonel Solo warned the Goddess.

    The Goddess glared at the sensible part of her psyche, as Ganner smiled and said, "Thanks for coming. I have an idea to run past you - an investigative mission."

    "To investigate what, and why wouldn't you consult one of the Masters?" Jaina asked, honest surprise and a small degree of flattery tempering her anger at this waste of her time.

    "Well ... I'm not saying they're true, but ... I've heard rumors that Jacen might be alive," Ganner said.

    What little self-control Jaina had came screeching out of psychological hyperspace.

    It was followed by that awful coldness she'd felt just after Jacen died ... and that was the only thing that saved Ganner's life, because RAGE bubbled beneath the ice as Jaina struggled to reply.

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

    "Another stupid lie," Jaina growled, razors in her voice and a terrible, dark flame in her eyes. "And you're an idiot for believing it."

    Ganner Rhysode was so - taken aback by the pure, unadulturated loathing in Jaina's voice that he almost didn't press on with his idea. The rumors that Jacen might be alive were - like a light.

    And that Jaina, the daughter and niece of heroes of the light, seemed so bitter to that light was ... troubling.

    "Don't you get it?" Ganner asked, trying to keep his frustration out of his voice. He didn't want to alienate Jaina, after all. "He's a hero. It'd be like - like he rose from the dead, Jaina! It'd be magical - it'd be a miracle! It'd give us hope again."

    "We don't need hope," Jaina shot back, suddenly giving Ganner the impression that she'd turned to duracrete. "We need more ships. We need better weapons. And we need Jedi. We need to keep on fighting. We don't need you wasting everybody's time on fantasies."

    "But what if it's not a fantasy? Your mother still claims he's alive -" Ganner pressed on, figuring that if Jaina was calm, she might still be willing to listen.

    The duracrete melted, but not in an eruption of anger, as Jaina's voice took on a weight like old, terrible ice in the middle of a Teyr river in mid-winter.

    "My mother," she replied, the clear struggle to keep her cool making her bite the words off with the sensation of crackling ice, "lost both her sons on the same day. She hasn't gotten over it. She probably never will."

    "She has a right to know -" Ganner continued, knowing he was taking a risk - like he was stepping onto thin ice as the winter rushed to spring - but not caring; this mattered, was bigger than either of them.

    "I'm not arguing with you, Ganner, I'm telling you. Keep your fat yap shut. I don't want anything about this getting back to Mom. To raise her hopes and then crush them again would break her. If you do, I'll break you," Jaina interrupted, an unspoken threat the only heat coming from her now.

    "But, but Jaina -" Ganner persisted - he didn't want to put her through the wringer, if anything, she seemed like she needed to vent.

    Jaina leaned in close, then, that dark, terrible flame in her eyes, burning Ganner almost as badly as had the medical laser he'd used to seal up the scar-causing wound he'd suffered on Garqi.

    "Don't think I won't, Ganner. Don't think I can't," she hissed, refusing to blink.

    Part of him was just - aghast - at the threat. True, he didn't know Jaina as well as, say, Zekk or that maniac Kyp (and that memory - the idea of Durron mentoring an emotionally unstable Skywalker descendant - was unsettling), but he'd thought they were at least casual friends.

    But part of Ganner gazed into that deep flame, and the Force rumbled - he couldn't leave yet.

    She's too dangerous like this, part of Ganner realized, finally recognizing that terrible flame.

    He'd felt a very faint, almost laughably incomparable echo of it, all the way back on Bimmiel, when Corran had called him out on his pride and smugness. Ganner had been infuriated.

    What Jaina was doing ... the holocrons and Tionne's stories warned of enraged Skywalkers. The idea that she might follow her grandfather's mistakes suddenly made Ganner's heart shatter.

    He hated himself for his next words, but grabbed onto his righteous indignation and fear for fuel.

    "You ... impossibly ARROGANT little brat," Ganner finally managed, his lips pulling back in disgust.

    Jaina reacted as if he'd slapped her; her dark, fearful spell vanished, and she stumbled backwards, pure shock rolling through her. Ganner felt a smidgen of regret, but squelched it - he had to act.

    "I'm sorry for your losses, Jaina, but this? This is WAY beyond legitimate grief," he continued, keeping his voice even. "You're hurt, horribly, and you're entitled to venting. But this? You're deliberately attempting to thwart the one thing that might bolster that fighting spirit you say you want."

    Jaina shuddered, as much with hurt as that dark rage, but Ganner drove the point home.

    "You're trying to pull yourself into a black hole and shut out the galaxy behind you so you can pour out your agony on the Vong. And any little bit of light ruins that. If it was just you, I might be a bad friend and let you wallow - but you're actively THREATENING to squash hope for others," Ganner spat.

    He crossed his arms, gave her a disapproving scowl, and said, "Not on my watch, Darth Goddess."

    Jaina's jaw actually dropped, right before she erupted in the most colorful streak of profanity Ganner'd ever heard. True, Teyr was something of a backwater, but the locals were hardly innocent farmfolk, and Ganner had heard a lot of swearing as a Jedi.

    Of course, he'd never seen another Jedi outlined in black flame and lightning as they raged, either.

    Finally, the carpet started to smolder, and Ganner risked taking a step forward. Letting Jaina get some of her hurt out was one thing, but the last thing they needed was to anger the Hapans with property damage, much less create a dark-side nexus.

    She took a deep breath, her eyes still a terrible shade of their usual liquor-brown, then looked, really looked at herself, and a sense of horror swept across Jaina as the miniature Force storm faded.

    "G-Ganner ... I ... what am I doing ... ?" Jaina whispered, shaking again.

    Ganner put a gentle hand on her shoulder, as much nervous as supportive, and Jaina clung to him, her shields flickering. The sheer depth of the void of negative emotions in her mind shook him, and he struggled to maintain himself outside of the gravitational pull of Jaina's maelstrom.

    It was still terribly dangerous, but in a very different way from the Force whirlwind that'd just faded.

    Jaina stood back, then, that rage returning but suddenly - terrifyingly - taking on a new dimension.

    Ganner had seen that hunger before. Once upon a time, he might've encouraged it, but he wasn't that man - that puffed-up boy - any more.

    "I'm not the one you want," he whispered, a similar hunger roiling within him as he slapped it down.

    "Right now, that petty little Imperial twerp back in my tent is thinking about his Chiss wingman. You know what it feels like to have another female's name get whispered in your ear at 03:00 by your dreaming, so-called 'significant other'?" Jaina rasped, a very different anger than grief rising in her.

    She took a step toward him, her hand on his chest, and Ganner was equally flattered and flustered.

    "Zekk - " Ganner gulped, feeling very much like a drowning man reaching for synthrope.

    Something like sad contempt mixed with bitterness echoed in Jaina's laughter. "He's dating my grandmother, Ganner. Stang, you know what that does to a woman's ego?" she grumbled.

    Ganner tried not to gape - true, ever since the Skywalkers had freed Padme' Amidala from stasis just before the collapse of Dubrillion, there'd been rumors about her and Zekk. But he'd never dreamed ...

    The dark flame was smoldering in Jaina's eyes again, and she ran a finger down Ganner's scar. He shivered at the gesture, looking into her eyes, then asked, "Are. You. Sure. About. This?"

    "I think I've wanted you since Ithor, frankly. But I was too young, and you were too decent, which I appreciate, and now ... we both know I'm old enough now to make my own decisions. And you?" Jaina replied, huskily.

    She was as much danger as she was forbidden fruit, Ganner knew. Reasons enough to say no.

    "Yes. Oh, Force help me, yes," Ganner whispered, kissing her as they stumbled back to the bedroom.

    The last thing he thought, before an entirely different kind of storm swallowed them, was how he'd possibly explain this to his silent partner in the very unauthorized mission they'd planned.

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

    Jaina stirred, her head pounding as her comlink screeched with no fewer than four unanswered messages.

    Oh. Jag. Of course he'd be worried. And Kyp, and Lowie ... oh, stang, she thought, blinking.

    There was, a rather increasingly panicked part of Jaina's mind chirped, sunlight coming in.

    It'd been what passed for night on Hapes when she'd ... she'd ...

    She sat bolt upright, realizing she was in someone else's sheets - and bed - and he was gone.

    Ganner. GANNER, Jaina realized, barely managing a biofeedback technique to halt her headache.

    It'd been consensual, of course. She hadn't been drunk, nor had she let the dark side drive her.

    Well, not the Force, at least. What had taken place had been ... a hate-kriff.

    A cold, self-loathing nausea washed through Jaina, and she sank her head into her hands.

    This wasn't just cheating on Jag. This ... was vengeance, for him calling out for Shawnkyr, mixed with my anger and grief, Jaina admitted, fighting back tears as she recalled Mara's long-ago, durasteel-clad warning.

    "There'll come a time when your boyfriend will do something stupid. Not intentionally stupid, but just male-stupid. It's called being human. What you must do is grasp your emotions with both hands, sit down, REASON through your feelings, and THEN - NOT BEFORE - act," Mara had emphasized.

    Jaina had tried not to laugh it off; she really hadn't been able to imagine Uncle Luke being stupid. She'd said as much, which'd drawn a quick smirk from Mara.

    And now, all of a sudden, I've gone and done the one thing Mara warned me against, Jaina admitted.

    She fought back a sob - the weight she'd been holding since Myrkr, that terrible gravitational awfulness of feeling Anakin vanish from the Force and Tahiri disappear in an explosion and Jacen LEAVING, suddenly threatened to crush her.

    Jaina struggled to keep control; she had to keep up appearances, at least for a bit longer, until she could figure out what to say to Jag that wouldn't shatter Twin Suns. And Kyp and her parents - !

    Ganner certainly didn't think highly of me. Not that I blame him, Jaina thought, hating herself.

    She noticed a datapad on the nightstand, and reached for it, her hand shaking as she read:

    Jaina -

    Please, please don't think I'm just ditching you. Last night was ... well, I'm glad it played out as it did.

    I don't want to leave you alone right now. But I have an urgent mission from the Masters' Council - one I can't talk about - and no, it's not looking for Jacen. I wouldn't lie to you about something like that.

    I do hope you'll rethink your attitude toward the idea, though. Yes, you're his twin, but mothers ... mine always knew when something was wrong, and she didn't even have the Force. Her Highness might be picking up on something even you can't sense, no disrespect intended.

    Anyway. You don't have to be alone any more. I ... don't think we should repeat what happened; the last thing I want to do is ruin your relationship with Jag. But if you need a friend, I'll be around. Force knows we all need someone besides our Masters or lovers or whomever to talk to, after all.

    That's why what I'm going to do might hurt you, when the details come out.

    I'm not terribly pleased about it; it's insanely risky, and I REALLY think the Masters should've told you ... but I've already said too much.

    Just know ... you're not as alone as you think you are, even if you did lose your twin - your other half. I didn't recognize that, and I'm sorry. We'll talk more when I'm back, hopefully with good news.

    Friendship forever,
    Ganner

    P.S. I'm with Betsy Braddock, so I've got a competent Jedi with me. Wish us luck, or the Force.

    Jaina tried to process the note - it was kind of Ganner, more than she deserved, or so she felt - and she managed a smile as she wiped her tears. Betsy - a purple-haired human woman from some planet called "Earth," with powerful non-Force telepathy and Force sensitivity - had fallen onto Sernpidal during the very opening days of the war. She'd saved Chewie that day, telekinetically pulling him aboard the Falcon, and had later helped Mara during her illness.

    At least Ganner's with someone who knows what she's doing. Betsy's psi-talent helped pull us out of some ugly fights with the Vong ... but what does Ganner mean, his mission'll hurt me? Jaina wondered.

    There was something there she needed to parse, but first, she had to face Jag.

    Jaina took a deep breath, drawing on the Force to refresh herself ... and froze.

    There were ... spots ... within her. Blended spots.

    SpotS - plural. And both ever-so-slightly different.

    Jaina knew where she'd sensed a similar Force-sensation, albeit second-hand ... from Mara.

    During her aunt's pregnancy with Ben. And that'd been just one commingled Force-signature.

    No - no NO no NO please - Jaina pleaded, gathering her clothes and darting for the 'fresher.

    She'd lock up after herself. Ganner deserved at least that much, and she'd need every friend soon.

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

    to be continued ...
     
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  2. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Things start to lighten up, here - a bit - with some hints about what really happened at Myrkr in this timeline ... [face_thinking]

    Plus - Psylocke. :D And her droids ... one's an OC, and one's a familiar snarkster. :p The Vong are in trouble now ... [face_devil]

    **************************************
    Chapter 2: Purple Prose:
    27.3 ABY, Hapes, Inner Rim:
    **************************************

    Ganner finished packing his duffle - Jedi traveled light, even under Master Skywalker's less-austere interpretation of monasticism - then looked up from the cargo hold of the Angel's Wing as he sensed his traveling companion's approach through the Force.

    To the average sentient's eye, the human woman might look perhaps only a bit off of species normal - roughly 30-plus standard years, light-skinned, only her light-violet hair and amethyst eyes giving the lie to her "normalcy." But looking closer, an observer might notice an an underlying, wiry steel to her musculature.

    The lavender and cream color of Knight Elizabeth "Psylocke" Braddock's Jedi robes were the other major signs she wasn't a usual follower of the Light Side.

    She raised an interrogative eyebrow, a Core Worlds lilt to her Basic as she asked, "Why are you shielding quite so tightly, Ganner?"

    "Ah - just - tension, I guess," Ganner replied, trying to modulate his mental defenses so he didn't look quite so guilty through the Force, while also attempting to stay calm. Betsy had picked up on basic Jedi skills incredibly fast after she'd joined the Order a little over 2 years earlier.

    But it was her mutant telepathy which operated on a different electromagnetic frequency than the Force, exposing the secrets of all but the most strong-willed. Fortunately, Betsy maintained a strict ethical code where her psi-talent was concerned, because Ganner had seen her skill in various circumstances.

    From mental probes, to powerful mind-frying "psycho-blasts," to a visible telepathic construct Betsy called a "psychic knife" - which could leave practically any sentient staggered or unconscious when plunged into their central nervous system - the still-somewhat-mysterious Earth-born woman was a master of her inborn gift. She had said it was "Alpha-class," or among the highest-ranked such powers among the reported millions of people like her on her world.

    Combined with her potent, rapidly-honed Force-strength, and trained combat and espionage skills, Ganner was grateful Psylocke was on their side.

    At least, she's not angry at me - yet, Ganner feared, taking a deep breath and reciting the Jedi Code (the old-school one recovered from one of Tionne's holocrons, not Master Skywalker's revised version). He boarded the modified Lambda-class Imperial shuttle, taking the co-pilot's seat.

    Betsy's astromech, R2-N4L (nicknamed Neal, after one of the telepath's fellow "X-Men," or mutants who fought for coexistence on their homeworld, from Betsy's stories) tweedled a hello, and Betsy smiled as she rubbed the droid's dome. "Hullo, there. Got our course set up?" she asked, taking the helm.

    "Fre-tweep-weet!" Neal replied, plugging into the main console. Betsy began the pre-flight check, then closed the hatch - and looked intently at Ganner.

    "We both know the gravity of this mission - no silly astronomical jokes, please - but you're on edge over something else," she said, neither cruel nor kindly.

    Ganner struggled with what to say; Betsy had all but become a member of the Skywalker clan, between helping Mara deal with the mysterious Force-entity calling itself the "Phoenix" during Mara's most recent pregnancy. And before that, she'd saved Chewbacca at Sernpidal, then revealed Artoo's history with Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars (and, indirectly, leading Princess Leia to find and free her and Master Skywalker's mother, Padme' Amidala, from stasis on Polis Massa).

    Betsy's hardly unbiased where the Skywalkers are concerned ... but she's generally fair to other Jedi, as long as it's not too serious a matter, Ganner thought, taking a deep breath as he tried to approach the question.

    "I think I made a horrible mistake last night. Things ... got out of hand with someone I consider a friend, who's already in a relationship. It was consensual ... but I still feel awful about it," Ganner started, keeping things vague for now.

    (Maybe, if he didn't think about the specifics and kept his emotions steady, Betsy couldn't detect the specifics.)

    The older Jedi raised an eyebrow, leaning back in the pilot's seat, and asked, "Acquaintance, casual friend, or someone you want to date again?"

    Ganner nearly choked - even with Betsy's ethics regarding her psi-powers, she was frighteningly insightful. "C-casual friend," he said - truthfully.

    (There were at least a dozen people, Betsy among them, whom Ganner was sure would inflict unpleasantness upon him if he answered differently.)

    "Hmmm," Betsy replied, frowning a bit. "You were trying to comfort them and it went further than either of you intended?"

    Ganner fought and failed to keep the color from draining from his face, while Neal chirped with concern and Betsy's eyes widened. "Ganner! For pity's sake, I'm not going to mind-flay you over this! If you're this upset, maybe I should find another mission partner," she asked, mercifully kind now.

    "N-No! I'm - I'm OK. I need to go - I think if I stay, it'll only make things worse right now," Ganner rambled, still truthful, and Betsy relaxed a bit.

    Her expression filled with a gentleness Ganner didn't think he deserved, and she said, "Was it someone who knew Eryl? I know you spent time with her before Myrkr."

    The memory of the 20-year-old Eryl Besa filled Ganner with sorrow; she'd been one of the casualties of the raid on the Baanu Raas worldship to slay the voxyn queen, which seemed to mark a watershed in the course of the Yuuzhan Vong War. They'd just been friends, though, nothing more.

    "It had to do with Myrkr, yes," he said, sighing.

    He turned to Betsy and continued, "I just wanted to help this person, Betsy. She was so - so enraged - then, it was like a dam burst, and ..."

    Betsy just nodded as she checked the instruments. "Ah. You can forego the details, thank you," she replied with a hint of amusement.

    Ganner bit back a retort - Betsy didn't deserve his snippiness - and drew up his courage. "Am I a - I'm afraid what I did was ..." he tried to phrase.

    "Well, you spoke with someone already in a relationship alone in a conapt, both of you emotionally on edge. You weren't thinking, but to be fair, I'd have a hard time dealing with that as well, and I'm a good decade-plus older than you," Betsy said, a flicker of amusement in her tone and Force-presence.

    Ganner's shoulder twinged - Jaina had sharp fingernails, and he'd had to put a bacta patch on - while Betsy's mouth twitched. "You're laughing," Ganner accused.

    "Ganner, dear, you're talking to a woman who goes walkabout across time and space on a regular basis, clinically died twice, been blinded once, and had her mind switched into the body of an assassin from an entirely different race. And all THAT was before Sernpidal. You being scratched in the boudoir doesn't quite rate a giggle," Betsy replied, her tone droll but her eyes twinkling.

    Ganner's jaw dropped a bit - Betsy had long joked that her life story would rival even the craziest tales of the Skywalkers, but he hadn't believed her.

    The humor vanished from Betsy's eyes, replaced with friendship, as she took the Angel's Wing into a holding pattern as they awaited clearance from Hapes Flight Control to head to the hyperjump point, and added, "My point is, you were human. You acted from a place of compassion, not manipulation. Frankly, you both went into that situation without thinking, so I don't think either of you deserve to be thrown to a Sarlaac. Metaphorically, of course."

    "Thanks for the qualifier," Ganner managed to retort, drawing a bemused chuckle from the telepath.

    "Well, you're no Mandalorian, so you probably lack the beskar to handle the digestive juices," Betsy tweaked, her eyes twinkling as she received the go-ahead from Flight Control. She pushed the hyperdrive motivator lever forward, and the stars lengthened.

    "She swore like a Mando when I called her out on her attitude," Ganner recalled, blushing at the memory. "So ... any advice?"

    Betsy shrugged, asking, "I know you're focusing on the mission - as you should be - but've you given any thought to what you'll do when we return?"

    "I - I told her I'd be there for her, purely as a friend -" Ganner said, wincing when Betsy closed her eyes in what looked like pain - but exasperation leaked from her Force-presence.

    "Oh, Ganner. Seriously? The other man changes everything - and even if you don't intend to be a spoiler in their relationship, she needs to know what you mean. 'Friendship' has many shades to women. You have to be kind, but firm, when you draw your lines upon our return," Betsy warned.

    "Draw - Betsy, what happened last night was messy ENOUGH!" Ganner blurted. "Why do relationships have to be so - complicated!?"

    "Dwooo," Neal echoed, unplugging from the computer interface and rolling back into the modified main corridor dividing the staterooms.

    Thanks a lot, Ganner grumbled after the astromech. Then again, the droid had shown smarts enough to get out of the crossfire.

    He forced himself to look at Betsy, who was giving him a suspicious eye until she replied in a kind tone, "That's an older query than either of us, Ganner."

    "Interrogative: Have we departed already, Mistress? I do so look forward to exacting my assassination protocols upon the fanatic meatbags," Ganner heard.

    Wait - HIM!? he realized, shocked and freshly terrified, as an ancient-model, bipedal droid with paint the color of dried blood followed Neal into the cockpit.

    "Bwee-twoo-dweept," the astromech replied, a bit archly, and Ganner flinched beneath HK-47's optics before giving Betsy a pleading glance.

    She just grinned, nodding as she stretched out in her seat and replied, "No worries, HK. With our luck, you'll have plenty of chances to kill Yuuzhan Vong."

    "Amused response: Thank you, Mistress. But I hadn't thought Jedi believed in luck," HK said, a little too merrily for Ganner's peace of mind.

    Betsy made a slightly-dismissive gesture, winking at Ganner, as she quipped, "Call it the fickle side of the Force, darling. I seem to be attuned to it. After all, I ran across you on Dantooine the day of our battle against the Vong when they came after the Dubrillion refugees. Good for us, bad for the Vong."

    Ganner was agog at how flippant Betsy was, and stammered, "B-but I thought this was a diplomatic mission!?"

    Betsy just grinned, pointing out, "Only in the loosest sense, Ganner - after all, we're backing up the diplomats ... who consist of a half-shaped Jedi and her 'dead' Solo boyfriend. And with their track records, we'd be fools not to infiltrate the heart of the Vong Empire without all the best combatants we have."

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

    to be continued ...
     
  3. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Woah boy.
    This story really gets to the action fast.
    Myrkr was worse than in the original series.
    Hurry up with the next chapter!
    Must see Anakin and Tahiri again.
     
  4. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    Force Smuggler - Thanks for the reply. :)

    This was actually inspired by a happier 'fic - not that that's necessarily the future of this timeline, but for an idea of where things might go: http://boards.theforce.net/threads/...thers-drama-humor-etc.50029019/#post-52283918

    That said, things will - slowly - get better for Jaina. Slowly, however, and her situation will have a domino effect on the rest of NJO canon in this timeline
    especially where the equivalents of Dark Journey and Destiny's Way are concerned
    .

    Myrkr ... is more complicated, here, than it seems. When the whole truth is revealed, there'll be a fair amount of yelling (and cheering) to be done. :p

    I can reveal that, as Betsy hints, A/T are both alive, and actually fairly well. Very busy, though, as Chapter 3 will illuminate.

    Plus, the return of my fanon version of Tahiri's bantha, Bangor, who has a very unique talent ... [face_thinking]

    - Thanks again, :D
    Onderon1
     
  5. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: An update, this time explaining just how everyone's favorite dummy escaped seemingly certain death aboard a certain worldship ... it helps when one's girlfriend owns a teleporting bantha. :p

    Plus -
    This IS the real Anakin Solo. As to why the strike team brought A body back to Hapes ... explaination forthcoming.

    --------------------------------
    27.2 ABY: Myrkr:
    --------------------------------

    His cells were flashing out, the Force-overload shattering midi-chlorians as he drew and drew and drew upon the energy field to sustain himself just a bit longer.

    Anakin Solo knew he was already dead. He just needed to hold on long enough to destroy the cargo pod ahead of him, being pushed away by the Jedi imposter who'd cost the strike team so much time already. His purple-bladed lightsaber cut down another few Yuuzhan Vong warriors, and he half-ran, half-limped after the escaping Vong.

    He clicked the timer on his last thermal detonator three times, as he sent through the Force to his older slblings, Go now.

    "Anakin, I can't!" Jaina sobbed over the intercom, but Anakin shook his head over his shoulder - they had to finish the voxyn queen.

    Thirty seconds, he sent through the Force. Take her, Jacen. Kiss Tahiri for me.

    With that, he threw the detonator, willing it through the Force to land as close to the pod as he could. It hit the imposter in the head, but then, Anakin was back amidst a crush of Vong warriors, parrying and slashing.

    He leapt away, catching a glimpse of the imposter, identifying him as Nom Anor, and used the Force to nudge the detonator away from the executor. The distraction was enough to lower Anakin's guard, and he took an amphistaff in the ribs, slipping and falling.

    NO, Anakin insisted, seeing Anor reach for the detonator. One last flicker of the Force - the storm inside Anakin was fading back into the larger Force - and the silver sphere rolled closer to the pod. Nom Anor cursed, bolting, and Anakin prepared himself for the end.

    What he got, instead, was a very unexpected set of sensory impressions, as the detonator cracked and flashed, shaking the grashal.

    First, there was a war-cry, a feminine lilt to its' tone, accompanied by a Force signature Anakin knew as well as his own.

    No! GO! he pleaded - he couldn't bear the thought of her dying like this, he'd tried to save them all -!

    But then, amidst the hum of a lightsaber and the scents of battle, there was a massive rush of air and a sound - BAMF-A!

    And then, there was a triumphant Tusken war-cry, and a rush of displacement, and Anakin gasped as a small, but strong hand held his, while a blazing Force-presence pushed back the dark.

    "Where - YES!" Anakin heard his rescuer cry - of course it was Tahiri, but why were there trees and sunlight on -?

    Oh. Endor, he thought, Tahiri holding his hand as she clutched him tight through the Force, and furry faces peered down at him.

    "He's almost gone! I can't hold him much longer - Teebo, PLEASE!" Anakin heard, and he felt a hand clutch his as his vision faded.

    "Yub echee-waa!" Anakin heard, holding to Tahiri - then he gasped, then, as a rush of unfamiliar, but gentle Force-energy knitted together his wounds and pulled him back from the edge, his vision returning. The crowd of Ewoks backed up a bit, clapping or cheering.

    He looked up into blonde curls and tearful green eyes, unable to do more than try to smile, before worry for the team filled him.

    "No - no. REST, now, dummy. Bangor teleported us out - he heard my call," Tahiri insisted, while Anakin looked over at where Tahiri's pet bantha was now nibbling grass. The big bull had gained an unusual ability to traverse space months earlier, during a bizarre encounter with a six-armed Force-witch calling herself Spiral who'd attempted (unsuccessfully) to kidnap Betsy Braddock.

    "But - others," Anakin pleaded, not struggling as the small horde of Ewoks gently lifted him toward an elevator to their village. "My lightsaber -!"

    "We'll make you another one. And I'll call your family, I promise - you just have to get better, Anakin. Please," 'Ri asked, and Anakin nodded, unable to stay awake.

    He still felt guilty, as much for escaping Myrkr as for having dragged down the mission ... but maybe he'd destroyed the clones.

    That was all he could ask for right now, as a healing sleep claimed him and Tahiri's kiss brushed him through the Force.

    *************************************
    Chapter 3: Dummy Co-operation:
    27.3 ABY: Yuuzhan'tar/
    Coruscant:
    *************************************

    The halls of the allegedly profane were deep and black and shiny with lies, by bug-lamplight.

    This far beneath the streets of Yuuzhan'tar, the nature of the metal masquer that the humans had bound around the stone and nature of Coruscant untold klekkets before could be seen, clearly, like examining the inside of an ooglith cloaker.

    A job I should still have, Niirit Esh grumbled, examining another of the granite slugs - the things were gritty, and not nearly as tasty as a yanskac, but one made do with what one could.

    Unlike most of Domain Esh - warriors, mostly - Niirit had been apprenticed to a master shaper at a young age; she was part of the handful of children who underwent cross-training outside their domain to ensure alliances between the domains and castes.

    Not that that matters now. Not after ...

    Her teeth gritted involuntarily; it was her misfortune to have been a survivor of the Jeedai attack on Sernpidal, the one that had destroyed the new worldship.

    By the master shapers' views, anyone who had survived Sernpidal could not possibly have been on duty; therefore, survivors deserved to be Shamed.

    Shoon-mi - my brother, who refuses to join us, and whom I pray for and disdain alike - rescued me after I was brought here to be sacrificed. And thus I find myself with like-minded believers, Niirit mused.

    Ironic that she saw the Jeedai as her hope.

    Vua Rapuung's sacrifice lit the light in the darkness. We follow it now to hopefully find our species stepping out of the gods' shadow ... Niirit hoped.

    BAMF-A!

    Niirit - with the unfortunate I'Pan, who was Shamed because of his poor genes, and the former warrior Kunra, a mystery wrapped around cynicism - looked up from where they'd been gathering food. "Behind me," Kunra growled - not disdainfully, just falling into the almost cliched' attitude of a warrior taking point.

    A lifetime of cultural indoctrination wasn't that easy to set aside, Niirit admitted, following Kunra's lead.

    He had a point - whatever had caused the strange noise, like a massive displacement of air followed by a rush of sulfur, was large, to her shaper's senses. And snuffling.

    "SNORT."

    And foreign. Not one of ours. Native to this galaxy ... Niirit could tell - the beast's scent was stirring the enhanced olfactory receptors in her nose and her shaper's hand, and there was nothing of the Yuuzhan Vong in the odor.

    Then Niirit's nostrils twitched with two other scents - the creature wasn't alone ...

    "Who goes there!" Kunra snarled.

    "Fellow exiles. Seeking the Jeedai heresy," a voice - female, possibly adolescent, fluent in Yuuzhan Vong but strangely accented, as if someone had blended a Yuuzhan Vong speaker with a human tongue - called, gently.

    "We - and our companion and steed - mean you no harm," a second voice - speaking haltingly in Yuuzhan Vong, with a very human accent, male and with a tenor that seemed late-adolescent - called.

    Gauging age by voice was hard when dealing with other species, but Niirit had worked with both crechelings and youths as a medic. She risked stepping forward as the new arrivals strode out of the shadows, and Niirit called, "Who are you?"

    It was something of a rhetorical question, given the appearance of the female of the pair. The Domain Kwaad forehead scars were enough of a giveaway on a uh'maan, but the girl's hair was a sand-colored yellow, while her eyes shone like emeralds.

    The-Jeedai-who-was-shaped - Riina Kwaad, she would've been. Tahiri Veila is her uh'maan name, Niirit realized, glancing at the male with growing surprise. She'd heard he'd died at Myrkr ... of course, that was the official word on the matter.

    But, with the typical Jeedai resilience, the blue-eyed, brown-haired youth stood tall, giving Veila a warm look as they clutched hands like the Lovers of Yuuzhan Vong religion. Aa'henkin Solo clearly wasn't as dead as the Praetorite Vong wished the galaxy to believe, and a rumbling of hopeful welcome swept through the gathered Shamed Ones.

    Both of the Jeedai wore simple black ooglith cloakers, with weapon belts slung about their hips and a variety of infidel devices mixed with biots on them, backpacks slung over their shoulders. They'd come prepared for a stay, it seemed, and Niirit was intrigued.

    Niirit and Kunra exchanged a glance; they were, technically, co-leaders of this group. Finally, the former warrior nodded, and Niirit called, "I am Niirit of Domain Esh. My fellow leader here is named Kunra. Follow us, please. We can talk more back at our camp."

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

    Anakin and Tahiri kept pace with the Shamed Ones, Tahiri holding a blaze-bug lantern high as they walked, Bangor close behind.

    The Force was - odd, here, Anakin noted; a strange mix of pain and hope, mingled with the void of Yuuzhan Vong not-presence in the energy field. Had Anakin still had his lambent-crystal lightsaber, he might've had more insight into what the Vong occupation was doing to Coruscant's Force signature.

    As it was, he had Tahiri, and their bond, to let him see things via Vongsense. Anakin's more mundane senses told the story well enough for tactical purposes.

    Visually, Yuuzhantar was a study in contrasts. Orange and green moss was covering practically everything outside in the shattered, ruined cityscape, white and silver shards of duracrete and transparisteel poking up through the carpet of Vong-plants. Speeders and other signs of technological advancement could be seen, shattered or waiting for likely-fled or deceased owners to return.

    The sounds of distant animals, the scents of decay and strange alien fragrances, the tactile sensation of rough moss and jagged metal - all these sang of just how rapidly the galaxy's capital was being reshaped by its conquerors.

    It's the reality of seeing the heart of civilization shot through with yorik coral, Anakin realized, taking careful note of where they'd materialized. They'd only chanced short hops since landing on the surface, using the Force and miniature probe droids to guide Bangor's teleportation beyond where Anakin and Tahiri hoped the Vong would stop scanning for invaders.

    We have to try to rally the Shamed Ones, maybe start a revolution against the warrior caste, Anakin hoped, returning Ri's hand-squeeze as she smiled at him. We have to try something besides throwing the galaxy's survivors into a meat grinder.

    He owed it to Jacen, Raynar, Bela, Krasov, Jovan, Eryl, and Ulaha, especially.

    This war changed everything. It still is, Tahiri called, and Anakin linked his arm through hers as they came to a small encampment of what looked like miniature damuteks - the Vong word came easily to him, thanks to 'Ri's language lessons.

    Yuuzhan Vong, 'Ri gently teased him over their Force-bond, blushing as Anakin marveled at her. She'd saved his life - again - at Myrkr, until Teebo and the Ewoks could heal Anakin enough for him to even think about moving.

    Anakin's Force connection was still ... spotty, at best. It grew stronger each day, but massive exertions like he'd used to pull off risked muting his access. Clearly, his body wasn't yet fully healed, but Anakin recognized that for once, he needed to slow down.

    Plenty of reasons to. Most of the galaxy thinks I'm dead, and if Mom taught me anything, it's that if a figurehead comes back, he'd better bring a victory with him as well as hope, Anakin decided.

    He hoped it wasn't ego; that had been his failing at Myrkr. Tahiri winked at him, replying, You were there for me, remember? I'll be here for you.

    Like always. And I, for you, Anakin sent back, beaming at her with pure, unabashed joy.

    He missed his family, would make his way back to them ... but home was wherever Tahiri was, as far as Anakin was concerned.

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

    Khapet, Tahiri thought, trying not to blush again - she loved Anakin, too, and she was glad he was healing so well.

    Right now, though, we have to pay attention to where we are, Tahiri reminded herself, following the Shamed Ones.

    Niirit waved them over to a campfire, and Tahiri thanked the Shamed Ones as they offered Anakin and Tahiri something that looked like cooked granite slug. Tahiri didn't complain, biting into the meat - it was still better than military rations.

    They found seats around the fire, and the tall warrior with the incomplete tattoos rumbled, "So. The Jeedai-who-was-shaped and the ally of Vua Rapuung have come to the most dangerous place to their kind, to speak with the least of the Yuuzhan Vong?"

    "We've come seeking allies to throw down the tyranny of the warriors and the treachery of the intendants," Anakin tried to explain, his Yuuzhan Vong still heavily accented but understandable. Tahiri nodded, looking at Niirit, Kunra and the others.

    Most of the Shamed Ones looked almost near-uh'maan, Tahiri considered - their skin color and sloping foreheads gave the lie to that, but many of them looked far less mutilated and/or tattooed than the average Yuuzhan Vong. It was unfortunate, but realistic to expect that the more "normal" members of Yuuzhan Vong society would be condemned to its lowest rank.

    Which is why we're here - to try and help the Shamed Ones overcome an injust system, Tahiri thought, as Anakin turned to her.

    "We believe as Vua Rapuung did - that the caste system is injust, that the warriors' dominance and bloodlust is destroying any chance of a solution to the wasteful war taking place across the galaxy," Tahiri said, and more Shamed Ones gathered around.

    "We're not saying it'll be easy," Anakin quickly added. "But we've got to start somewhere, start building an - 'Ri, what's the word for coalition?"

    "SNORT," Bangor replied, drawing a look of mock offense from Anakin, who patted the bantha's nose.

    "I - is he bred for - heh - riding, or speech critique?" Niirit laughed, and Tahiri couldn't help but giggle.

    Then, the Force flickered with danger, and Anakin and Tahiri shared a glance - she switched to Vongsense, and squinted.

    "Niirit, have you set a watch on the tunnels? I'm picking up something," Tahiri asked, standing with Anakin.

    Niirit glanced at a villip she held, while Kunra barked orders, and one of the weaker Shamed Ones ran up, nodding. "Warriors!" the underfed Yuuzhan Vong wheezed.

    Time to make the dustcrepes, Tahiri - or maybe the now-sublimated, but still-extant, part of her that was Riina - thought, smiling.

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

    They left Bangor with the Shamed Ones; Niirit promised to protect the bantha, although Anakin was pretty sure the big fella could handle himself.

    We shouldn't complain about the help, though, either, Anakin reminded himself, keeping to the shadows as he and Tahiri prepared an ambush.

    After a moment, the intruders came into view - a small, five-member patrol - vonduun-crab armor, low-ranking, muttering to themselves about pulling shavit duty ...

    Anakin twisted in the air as he flipped into the heart of the warriors, bringing his lightsaber down in a shoulder joint of the armor of the one with the cape, then hitting the others with a Force shove.

    They fell, but didn't go flying back, and he spun on the ball of his foot as he pulled his lightsaber free - and hamstrung the screaming leader, then took the warrior's head off at the shoulders.

    Yeah, not entirely smart, Anakin admitted, as thud bugs started to land -

    then a barefoot streak of blonde in black broke the neck of a second warrior as she leapt into the fight.

    Tahiri stood back to back with Anakin, her blade cleaving a third warrior's forearm, and she spun about to impale the Vong soldier on her yellow lightsaber. The fourth found himself in a fast, ferocious clash with Anakin, but held his ground.

    That left the fifth, who started to run - right into an angry mob of Shamed Ones, and Anakin winced as they pounced.

    He didn't risk reflecting too long on the rally, instead feinting to the right and slashing leftwards across the warrior's chest. The cut was enough to make the Yuuzhan Vong drop his amphistaff, and Anakin finished the fight with a stab to the soldier's armpit.

    "Well-done, and well-met," called Kunra, as Anakin shut off his lightsaber - blue-bladed, made from a speeder bike handle and an Endorian crystal among other free-gathered parts. To some of the other Shamed Ones, Kunra said, "Dispose of the bodies."

    "You've shed blood in our defense. That says volumes of your commitment to our cause," Niirit added, approval in her voice. "There are many such colonies of Shamed Ones across Yuuzhan'tar. If you could negotiate with the surviving natives ..."

    Anakin smiled, shaking Niirit's hand and returning Tahiri's hopeful smile. "I think we can try something," Anakin replied.

    "Smooth, dummy. Niirit, we'd better evacuate. If these warriors were in touch with a yammosk, or if they're supposed to report in regularly, we can't risk discovery," Tahiri advised, shutting down her own lightsaber. "Bangor can help move a lot, and we'll pitch in, too."

    "Then it begins," Kunra grunted, abruptly but with approval. He clapped Anakin on the back, nearly knocking him over.

    Well, so far, so good, Anakin thought, grinning weakly as Tahiri fought a laugh.

    -------------------------
     
    Force Smuggler likes this.
  6. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Woohoo!

    Anakin and Tahiri!
    Ewoks and a Bantha!
    Awesome!

    They don't mess around.
    Ready to see this revolution grow!
     
  7. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Sorry for the delay - RL's been busy, and there've been some bunnies ... :p

    More with Jaina and friends, and what exactly is going on with Betsy and Ganner's mission ... [face_thinking]

    Plus - Abeloth does NOT exist in this timeline. So, while it's still an insane maze of black holes, the Maw is marginally safer to hide Jedi in than in canon. :p

    **************************************
    Chapter 4: Trickster's Deception:
    27.3 ABY, Hapes, Inner Rim:
    **************************************

    Cilghal was safely on Shelter, helping to protect the younger Jedi students, so Jaina's medical options were limited as far as who she could trust.

    Tenel Ka might have doctors who she trusts, but it's still Hapes. I can't take any chances, she thought, scarfing down an MRE and water. (It was hardly the best prenatal supplement, but she was ravenous and had to think on her feet.)

    Prenatal ... she thought, the sheer size of her situation threatening to overwhelm her again until she took a deep breath and tried to meditate.

    The effort wasn't that simple - Jaina's emotions were all over the place - but she focused on the tiny spots of light deep within her, and found her center.

    I WON'T put either - ? - of you at risk, she promised, trying not to give into her fears.

    Yes, she was pregnant, with children - HER children, possibly with one of the children by someone other than the man she claimed to love.

    But I'm not fighting a killer Yuuzhan Vong disease, nobody knows I'm pregnant - yet - and I'm not being targeted by Force knows who. Actively, anyhow, Jaina noted, standing as tall as she could inside her tent. (Yes, she had a barracks room with Jag, but strictly speaking, that was his room.)

    The thought of Jag sent a mixed pang of anger and fear through Jaina, but she clamped down on the emotions. She didn't want her children affected by darkness. If there was maybe one positive to all of this, it was that her - night - with Ganner had seemed to bleed off a lot of her sheer agony from Myrkr.

    But I can't hide this for long, either, not if I'm hanging out with the Masters or even other Jedi ... she thought, stepping outside into the mid-morning sun.

    There was, maybe, one person whom Jaina could turn to for help. It probably wouldn't be suspicious - they'd gone to Myrkr together, after all.

    I just hope she can keep quiet about this until I face a few dozen questioners ... Jaina thought, searching through the Force among the myriad refugees.

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

    "You want me to test for what?" Tekli squeaked, her large, black Chadra-Fan eyes widening in shock.

    The rodent-like Jedi student was still trying to process what Jaina - normally the level-headed Solo descendant - had asked of her.

    "Tekli, I'm not joking around," Jaina said, lowering her defenses so Tekli could Force-probe her. "I need to know what I'm dealing with here."

    Tekli shook her head, but gently touched Jaina's abdomen after her fellow Jedi had laid down on a cot. They were in a corner of a converted Hapan gymnasium - hardly a proper medbay, but given the overflow of escapees from Coruscant's fall, it was the best they could work with.

    This is a disaster - bringing new life into the galaxy in this time? Of course, Master Jade-Skywalker succeeded in having Ben, and Jaina's young and strong ... but the Yuuzhan Vong are after her for some horrible "twin sacrifice." Assuming Jacen's even alive, after what we felt after Myrkr, the healer thought.

    She focused her senses, half-closing her eyes and examining Jaina's Force-presence ... as well as that of the new lives within her.

    Oh. Oh. Oh, this complicates things ... Tekli thought, repressing a gasp when she sensed the reality of the situation.

    She opened her eyes, looked directly at Jaina, and said, "They're healthy. Both of them - twins. But ... one's different than the other ... a different father?"

    Jaina closed her eyes, and Tekli squeezed her hand in support as tears slipped past the human girl's eyelids. "I knew it," she whispered, an edge to her tone.

    "Jaina ... I know it's none of my business, but the fathers need to know, deserve to know, right away," Tekli advised. "It's just -"

    "The right thing to do, I know - except that one of the fathers is someone who's not here right now, and the other ... is likely to hate me," Jaina replied, faking a smile and swinging her feet over the edge of the cot. She sank her head into her hands, took a deep breath, and said, "Some squadron leader I am."

    Tekli patted her kneecap, trying to radiate support. "You got us out of Myrkr alive. Even after - everything," she said, glancing back at the freezers.

    It was hardly the ideal place to keep Anakin Solo's body, but they'd had hardly any time after the disaster of Myrkr for a funeral - it'd been barely 2 days.

    Jaina went pale, and for a moment, Tekli feared she might be facing morning sickness - but the pregnancy didn't seem that advanced.

    Oh. Me and my big paw, the Chadra-Fan thought, saddened - she must've reminded Jaina about Anakin - but the taller Jedi hugged her.

    "It's not your fault. You're a good friend, Tekli - thanks. I ... I have to go face Jag, try to - explain," Jaina managed to say, standing with a shaky smile.

    "Jaina," Tekli called. The human Jedi looked back at her, and Tekli added, "I've got some nutritional supplements I can spare, a datapad with a medical encyclopedia - it's not much, but however I can help, I will. The thing you really should do, though, is find a safe place and hide."

    Jaina's smile grew sad, but she thanked Tekli as the healer gave her the jar of supplement pills and the datapad. "If there was a safe place to hide, I'd do that," she said, waving as she turned to go.

    "Right now, though, I have to deal with one of these kids' fathers ... and hope the other one gets back safe from wherever he went on a mission to."

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

    Once she'd managed to swallow some water and one of the pills - it had a ghastly aftertaste, but beggars couldn't be choosers - Jaina sought out Jag.

    He was coordinating with Twin Suns, several of whom looked at Jaina with real concern - she wondered if she had "GUILT" written on her forehead.

    For his part, Jag smiled a bit, and Jaina felt her heart twist - she couldn't bear to deal with what was coming next.

    But if I call myself any kind of adult, I HAVE to tell him, Jaina decided, swallowing hard. This was almost harder than making herself move after Jacen had -

    "Excuse me, Apprentice Solo, but we need to chat," she heard, and Jaina blinked herself out of her reverie as a powerful Force presence approached.

    The fact she hadn't detected Kyp Durron - who, despite his effective title of "Master," was hardly subtle in the Force - was as worrisome as his "order."

    "Not. Now. Kyp," Jaina shot back, her eyes narrowing while she stared up at the rogue Jedi Knight. "I have something important to tell Jag."

    Kyp raised an eyebrow, clearly preparing to launch some inane noise about either "respect for senior Jedi" or, worse, some vaguely romantic banter.

    Instead, Jaina grabbed his robes by the front, opened her Force-presence to his passive probe, and growled, "You really want me with all THIS?"

    It was stupid, of course - Jaina knew telling Kyp about her situation, much less her mistakes, before telling Jag or her parents was only going to worsen matters - but she was sick and TIRED of the blowhard's idiotic behavior, whether behind the joystick or fighting with a lightsaber.

    She almost found humor in how Kyp's jaw dropped as he realized just what was going on, and Jaina let him go with a disdainful sniff.

    "I've got to grow up now, Durron. And you're going to tick off the wrong enemy sooner than later. Try not to get killed," Jaina added, turning away from him.

    She ignored Kyp's stammering and his Force-call, feeling ill as Jag fought the urge to grin - of course he'd be happy with Kyp's humiliation.

    I don't deserve you, Jag, Jaina thought, fighting tears - he'd probably hate her - but she also parsed that statement; hadn't he called out for Shawnkyr?

    Jaina managed a deep breath, then pulled Jag away from where he'd been coordinating the day's activities, and walked with him behind a large hangar. "This isn't what it seems like," she started, making herself look at Jag's green eyes. "I have some news. It's not good, and you have every right to be angry."

    Hardly the best way to start, Jaina reflected, as Jag's smirk at Kyp vanished, shifting to concern - that almost made Jaina feel worse than anger.

    "Jaina ... did Durron do something to you? You left late last night and never came back -" Jag started, and Jaina fought back a hysterical laugh.

    "No - no, despite how obnoxious he is, Kyp's got nothing to do with this," Jaina replied, pinching the bridge of her nose.

    She leaned against the building, took a deep breath, and said, "You mumbled something in your sleep. I got mad; I left to clear my head, talked with Ganner, of all people, and he called me out on how horrible I sounded. Things got heated, and ... things ... we slept together, Jag. I'm sorry, but - I slept with Ganner."

    Jaina felt sick as realization, followed by a paleness close to that of an Umbaran, swept across Jag's face.

    She let her tears flow, her voice low with fear, and she breathed, "I'm pregnant with twins, Jag. And they're by different fathers. I'm so sorry."

    For the first time that Jaina could remember, Jag held a hand to his mouth, closed his eyes, and walked about for a moment. The silence - and the sheer ice of his mental shields - was horribly reminiscent of the empty, cold void Jaina had felt after Jacen had vanished from the Force.

    Finally, Jag looked at her - with, to Jaina's shocked joy, a measure of compassion, and he said, "I said Shawnkyr's name, didn't I?"

    "Yes, but - you didn't deserve what I did! I - I'm not going to blame the 'dark side' for this, Jag. I hurt you, and I hate myself for it, and -" Jaina rambled.

    She shivered as he hugged her, and she tried not to sob as he held onto her - then, she leaned back as she felt a storm of emotions from Jag.

    He was composed, though, and tried to smile as he said, "I don't care whose children they are. If you'll let me, I'll be here for you, and them."

    "J - Jag -" Jaima stammered; she hadn't expected this - and she barely managed to slam up her shields as the Force rippled with approaching Jedi.

    Please please PLEASE don't let Kyp have told anyone about this - ! Jaina hoped, her heart sinking as the new arrivals rounded the corner.

    Kyp was there, looking half-discomfited, half-amused, Chewie accompanying Jaina's parents - who were surprisingly ablaze with happiness - close behind.

    Of course, the elder Solos' joy could've had something to do with the presence of the Skywalkers.

    Uncle Luke was carrying little Ben, who gurgled happily, while Mara (Jaina still thought of her as Aunt, of course, but her apprenticeship had sort of narrowed the formality gap between them) had a hand on the shoulders of either of the elder Skywalker kids. Rey waved, her brown ponytail dangling behind her, while her fraternal twin brother Kylo just nodded, his black curls a mess and his mind closed in a way no nearly 10-year-old Force user should've been able to do.

    Mom looked from Jaina to Jag and back again, while Dad tensed, but it was Mara (unsurprisingly, given all the time she and Jaina had meditated together) whose eyes immediately narrowed as she said, "Now is the absolute WORST time for you two to be hitting a rough patch. We've had a development."

    You have NO idea, Mara, a terribly inappropriate part of Jaina's mild giggled, while she wiped her eyes and looked at her mother. Mom's open worry made Jaina want to break down and just confess everything, but there was a tension to Uncle Luke that advised against it (that, and Jaina SO did not want to discuss her absurdly-messy love life in front of her cousins, regardless of how decent they usually were).

    Kyp made a somewhat-choked noise, but unsettlingly, it was Kylo who growled at Durron before Jaina could even glare at the Deyer-born Jedi. "Zip it, 'Blister.' The real Masters of the Order are speaking. Show respect," the boy snapped, drawing (and ignoring) angry looks from the adults.

    Only Uncle Luke's disappointed expression provoked anything like remorse from Kylo, and the eldest Skywalker heir said, "Sorry ... Master."

    The way Kylo said it made the apology sound like he'd stepped in nek dung, and not for the first time, Jaina worried about her cousin's future. True, he'd been badly shaken years earlier, narrowly escaping an attack by renegade Imperials that'd sent Rey spinning off in an escape pod to Jakku, and left their fraternal triplet sister, Jemma, lost Force knew where. But Kylo had rebounded, not always in the best ways - he had an unhealthy interest in Vader, for one thing.

    That, and Kylo had savaged a Yuuzhan Vong strike team sent to the Solos' quarters during Coruscant's fall, when Viqi Shesh and the infiltrators had to tried to kidnap the Skywalker kids for Force knew what kind of awful fate. Threepio and Rey both had said Kylo'd been really angry, which worried Jaina.

    "We'll talk more later, Kylo. Jaina - Jag, you'd better hear this too - we have some news we need to discuss in private. Can we speak inside the hangar?" Uncle Luke asked, and Jaina nodded, sharing Jag's mystified look - this had to be serious.

    Mom's Force-presence flared again, happiness muted by concern for Jaina, and Jaina managed a smile as she squeezed her mother's hand. "Sure, Uncle Luke - Mom?" Jaina asked, risking a gentle Force-flicker of support. She didn't want her mother to think she was still angry at her.

    And if Ganner IS right about Jacen ... Jaina thought, stomping on the train of thought - she had to deal with reality. It'd be difficult enough to share her news.

    "It's - more than your father and I could've hoped for, Jaina," Mom said, fighting what Jaina swore was - a grin?

    Jaina repressed her curiosity, joining her family (and Kyp, she noted with some concern) in the hangar, as Uncle Luke took a deep breath, preparing to speak.

    "Gerblz!" Ben squeaked with infant curiosity, and Jaina blinked as her eyes adjusted to the half-lit hangar - then, she sensed, as much as saw ... an Ewok.

    "I tried to tell you, but you were too busy with your confessional," Kyp whispered, bemusement in his tone, while Jaina watched the Ewok step forward with Artoo and Threepio, a rapid-fire discussion going on between the protocol droid and the grey-black-furred Endorian - Jaina almost recognized the Ewok.

    "Oh! Mistress Jaina, I have wonderful news! Shaman Teebo was deposited here by Bangor, Apprentice Veila's bantha, after she and Master Anakin stopped over on their way to attempt to rally the Shamed Ones on Coruscant!" Threepio exclaimed, and Jaina's mind raced as she turned to her parents.

    "I - I - but - Anakin's body -" Jaina stammered, horrified at the implications - and she risked reaching through the Force, toward that empty spot ...

    And her heart leapt as a familiar, cocky, apologetic and adoring Force-signature reached back, mixed with a bubbly, dual-but-kind mind supporting him.

    "Yub-wona-Ah-na-kin. I heal," Teebo said, grinning, and Chewie roared in triumph as Mom hugged Dad, and Uncle Luke hugged Mara and their kids.

    "But - Anakin's body - !" Jaina stammered, still at a loss for words, until Uncle Luke held up a datadisc and slid it into Artoo's dome.

    The astromech's holoprojector sprang to life, and Anakin - Jaina's goofy, headstrong little brother - appeared, laying on what looked like a wooden mat, clad in woven pants, his chest bandaged, as Tahiri (alive too! an elated part of Jaina cheered) knelt beside him. "Ah, hey, everyone," Anakin said, trying to smile.

    "Shush, dummy. Everyone, we're recording this so you know it's us. Yeah, Anakin almost did die on Myrkr, but I managed to hold onto him just long enough for Bangor to teleport us to Endor. Not sure why Endor, but Teebo healed 'Kin enough for him to rest. If the Yuuzhan Vong try to fake you out with some body of Anakin's, remember - we were in a cloning facility," Tahiri pointed out, her to-the-point attitude a bit muted when she talked about Anakin's near-death.

    Realization, and guilt, shook Jaina, and she leaned on Jag as Anakin grew serious and said, "DON'T blame yourselves. I blame myself for slowing down the team ... I felt Jacen fade ... Jaya, please hang on. And Mom, Dad, Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara - don't beat yourselves up. Or ... get mad with what we're gonna do next."

    Tahiri rolled her eyes, kissing Anakin's forehead, then turned to the holocamera with a determined expression. "The voxyn are gone - we hope. And with Anakin believed dead, now is probably the best time to go under deep cover and try to get the Shamed Ones, the Yuuzhan Vong underclass, to turn against the upper castes. We're NOT going to take stupid risks, but instead, try to do this right. I'm recording this on a holocam left over from Myrkr," she said.

    "Insane - Chewie, warm up the Falcon, we're -" Dad started to say, but Mom hushed him as Tahiri let Anakin get back into the field of view.

    "Believe me, I'm cured of any more arrogance. Yeah, I know going to Coruscant reeks of arrogance, but this is the smart play. We'll be careful - just don't risk coming for us. We've got the teleporting bantha, remember. The Vong'll be looking for ships, especially the Falcon," Anakin warned and pleaded.

    "We'll see you all again. Give my love to Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara, and the kids - we'll try to get in touch as soon as we can. May the Force be with you."

    The message ended, and Jaina shook with relief and fear - Anakin was ALIVE - and if that was possible, then ...

    She hugged her parents, still shielding, but flinched at the sudden hurt from her mother, and Jaina leaned back with concern. "Mom?" she asked.

    "Jaina, this is good news - why are you blocking yourself off in the Force?" Mom asked back, and Jaina struggled for an answer.

    She managed to say, "It's not - Mom, I'm sorry, it's just - it's not you. It's me. I'm sorry I hurt you before - it's just, right now -"

    "Right now, we're going to plan to hold the funeral," Dad interrupted, drawing surprised looks from everyone else, even as he winked at Jaina.

    Well, at least he's not yelling at me over fighting with Mom about whether Jacen's alive, Jaina thought, mildly relieved and a bit worried. When Han Solo had a plan, it usually meant someone was in for a wild ride.

    "But - if the galaxy hears that Anakin Solo is still alive - !" Kyp started to say, but Jaina held up a hand, giving him a kinder look than usual.

    "No, Dad's got a point. If we give any hint that Ani might still be alive, the turncoats and the Vong spies'll give Nom Anor and his network reason to look for Anakin and Tahiri," Jaina explained. "I'm not happy they're on Coruscant either, but if they can get the Shamed Ones to work with us, it's a start."

    Kyp looked just about ready to blow a fuse, until Kylo smiled - evilly - and said, "And we have to rebuild and regroup to crush the scarheads."

    "Kylo! Language," Aunt Mara replied, taking Ben from Uncle Luke when the baby started to fuss. "You three are going to Shelter, soon."

    "Your mom's right. You kids go get ready - we've already sent a team in after Anakin and Tahiri," Uncle Luke said, making Jaina spin toward him. He smiled that Luke Skywalker smile - kind of embarrassed but mostly warming - and added, "Sorry, Jaina, but we had to act fast."

    "... I guess that makes sense. You're sending all the Jedi non-combatants to Shelter, then?" Jaina asked, walking with her family, as she decided.

    Uncle Luke nodded, while Mom and Mara - both too alert for their own good - looked at Jaina intensely. She just smiled a weak smile, then turned to Luke and said, "I have another idea, that might draw off the Vong's attention from Ani and Tahiri, if you'll hear me out."

    "Of course, Jaina. Is it something with Twin Suns?" Luke asked, and Jaina felt her heart break - she owed her pilots better than this.

    But I can't take any more reckless chances, not with my situation, Jaina decided, sensing Jag and Kyp's attention - one welcome, one not so much.

    "We know the Vong have this obsession with - twins," Jaina started. suddenly horrified at what might happen if news of her twin pregnancy got out.

    She recovered quickly, continuing with not-quite-false sorrow, "My ... focus is shot, Uncle Luke. I ... I almost fell, last night. I'm no use to anyone right now, and if the Vong catch me and Anakin ... we can't afford the public relations hit we'd take if things ... worked out to that skunge Anor's plans."

    Concern swept her family's faces - Jaina knew she'd pay for this down the line, but she couldn't risk going to Shelter and endanger the children there if the Vong learned of her location. "Almost - Jaina!" Mom pleaded, but Jaina hugged her and tried to smile.

    "I'm ... I've gotten a lot of the load off my back. But I'm still recovering from Myrkr, from - everything. I HATE leaving like this, but it might be best if the galaxy thinks the Solos were lost at Myrkr, at least for a while," Jaina asked, turning to Jag and Kyp - this was going to be even harder to pull off.

    "Twin Suns doesn't just have to mean Tatooine, or twins," she began. "It can also mean blazing pyres ... or burning hearts."

    (She cringed at the sheer ridiculousness of the latter phrase, but blamed it on hormones - or reading Anni Capstan's romance holobooks.)

    Jag looked stricken, while Kyp fought back a laugh and asked, "You want us to co-lead Twin Suns as - your grieving, vengeful lovers?"

    Jaina punched Kyp in the upper arm, rolling her eyes while she replied, "Don't overrate yourself, Durron. But, you're two of the best pilots left here, and we all know I'm in no shape to be trusted behind a fighter console for the foreseeable future. The two of you seeking terrible judgment on the Vong for my 'heart-broken collapse' might be enough to scare even Tsavong Lah's elite. I'm not planning to sit out the entire war, just long enough to get my head on straight."

    That, and study up on Force-accelerating pregnancies, Jaina decided - now, all she had to do was find a bolthole to meditate in and stuff herself with food.

    The thought of running from a fight repulsed her, but the tiny points of light below her stress-clenched stomach convinced Jaina to face facts.

    She turned to face her family, still unsure how she was going explain all this - depending on how fast she could speed up the gestation rate, it might be sooner than she was prepared for - but Uncle Luke smiled a bit and said, "We've asked so much of you already, Jaina. Take the time you need."

    "We can - talk, try to -" Mom started to say, but Jaina squeezed her hands and gave her a sad smile, hoping Mom would understand.

    "Mom - this isn't - I'm not mad at you, at least, not any more," Jaina managed to say, the right words just coming to her as she thought on her feet.

    All the times she and Dad risked their lives for us - and I've been such an ungrateful brat, Jaina grieved, fighting back the tears.

    "I'm sorry. I'm so, SO sorry for being such a total schutta about - everything, after all the stuff you guys went through - go through - to keep us safe,," Jaina sobbed, hugging her mother. "Please - I have to go alone. Just for a while."

    She still didn't dare lower her shields - two too many people knew about Jaina's pregnancy, as far as she was concerned - but somehow, Mom seemed to understand. The Solo women leaned back, and Jaina felt relief as her mom smiled, giving Dad a nod before saying, "We need to trust her, Han."

    Dad looked stunned, but shook his head and said, "Alone. NOW. None of us should be alone right now."

    Chewie sniffed the air, then, and gave Jaina a piercing look - her heart did a flip-flop, as she remembered how sensitive Wookiee noses were.

    Finally, the big Wook rumbled, drawing looks of surprise from some of Jaina's family, but Jaina smiled and hugged Chewie. "I'd be honored to stay on Kashyyyk, Chewie. Thank you," she said, looking up at her old friend with real gratitude.

    He chuckled, then whispered in Shyriiwook, <Lumpy'll be happy to help with the life debt. And Malla will love having grand-cubs to spoil, even hairless ones.>

    So you did pick up that I'm expecting, Jaina thought, hoping he'd understand why she was keeping it quiet. Chewie just nodded, and she thanked him.

    "Probably safer than anywhere else. It's not like the Vong'll mess with Wookiees," Dad finally grumbled, hugging Jaina. "How'll you get there?"

    She gave her father a mock-annoyed expression and said, "Just give me a shuttle - better if I keep this quiet as I can. I'm not an invalid."

    Yet, anyway, Jaina considered, haunted but hopeful at the mental image of herself with a massive abdomen, waiting for contractions to start.

    ******************

    to be continued ...
     
    Force Smuggler likes this.
  8. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: A short update here, focusing on Betsy Braddock - more on how she got here, and her and Ganner's mission. :)

    Warning - mild spoilers for the overall timeline, here, especially where the large meta-arc is heading ... ;)

    **************************************
    Chapter 5: Shadowmoth's Flight:
    27.3 ABY, Hydian Way Northbound:
    **************************************

    The flight from Hapes toward Coruscant was, unsurprisingly, taking longer than Betsy had planned; the major hyperlanes were either clogged at various stopping points with ships fleeing the Vong advance, or full of dovin basal gravity mines that risked pulling ships out of hyperspace.

    Losing Duro didn't help things. We'd allowed the Vong too much access to the Core too early, so the Corellian Run would be even trickier to navigate than the Hydian, the purple-haired telepath considered as she watched hyperspace roll by. She made sure to take her eyes off the blue-white tunnel every so often. It wasn't clear whether staring at hyperspace actually drove people mad, but Betsy had seen stranger during her years, both as an X-Man and a Jedi.

    She smiled, glancing over at Neal as the astromech monitored the drives and other systems. Every so often, Betsy still had to pinch herself - she was a Jedi.

    Oh, it's not all triumphant lightsaber duels, dashing repartee', and fighting the Empire. If anything, I came late to the party for that aspect of things, the Terran telepath and late-onset Force sensitive mused, considering how she'd landed on Sernpidal more than 2 years earlier. Betsy had been asked by SHIELD, Earth's foremost global spy and extranormal defense agency, to investigate a rebel group of young teenaged mutants who'd hidden in Antarctica.

    By themselves, the teens wouldn't have been a serious problem. But their leader, Charles Lehnsherr - Rogue and Magneto's only son, and an embittered young dissident against either Professor Xavier's coexistence philosophy or Magnus' mutant-dominance stance - was so powerful that the "Genetic Ascension Front" actually managed to unsettle SHIELD. So, with my espionage expertise in STRIKE, SHIELD's European arm, I was called in to intervene, Betsy recalled.

    Her lips twisted in displeasure as she recalled how things had gone terribly wrong during the SHIELD raid on the GAF base at the Filchner Ice Shelf. The teens had taken over one of Magneto's old bases - not surprising, given Charles' knowledge of his father's strongholds before Magnus had become the semi-legitimate president of Genosha in the Indian Ocean. Betsy and the SHIELD strike team had surprised the GAF as the youths were teleporting out.

    Charles collapsed the teleportal he'd opened, just as the Helicarrier was trying to teleport me out of the collapsing base. The teleports interacted, and ... poof, Sernpidal, Betsy thought, shaking her head and smiling weakly.

    She was hardly upset, of course. Discovering that Star Wars was REAL - whether in her galaxy or another, in another time or another - had been amazing. And being able to save Chewbacca from the falling moon of Sernpidal, telekinetically pulling him aboard the Falcon before he would've been killed (and discovering her Force sensitivity in the process) had lifted Betsy's spirits after being thrown far from home. And then she'd faced the Yuuzhan Vong.

    Pain-addicted, extragalactic, biotech-using anti-technology zealots. Never a dull moment ... but I quickly learned not to make fun, Betsy thought.

    She'd helped hold the line at Dantooine long enough for the evacuation. After that, she'd taken the Vong as seriously as any of her new friends.

    And the Jedi Order and their allies have taken me in as one of their own. I can't possibly repay them, other than trying to help where I can, Betsy reflected.

    Oh, there'd been some moments - she'd shared the Prequel Trilogy, or a telepathic replay thereof, with Luke and Leia, who'd taken the information and discovered Padme' Amidala Skywalker, alive and in stasis, on Polis Massa. And there was the telling mystery of Mara Jade Skywalker, who not only bore an extreme resemblance to Betsy's fellow X-Man and friend Jean Grey, but who'd even manifested the Phoenix Force temporarily while pregnant with Ben.

    Fortunately for all of us, Mara was able to release the Phoenix back into the wider Force as she gave birth to Ben. But Cilghal's genetic assay proved that Mara, like myself, is X-factor positive - a mutant, in other words. In Mara's case, it's a low-level telepathy that compliments her Force sensitivity, but her children may well manifest mutant abilities as well as their Force gifts. And, it's a bit of evidence that Earth may be in this galaxy, Betsy pondered.

    The other bit of evidence that had sealed Betsy's certainty that she'd possibly been tossed about in time, had been a missing Skywalker.

    Luke and Mara first had triplets, in 17 ABY - Kylo, Rey, and Jemma. Then, 5 years after that, pirates under an Imperial letter of marque - forged, according to Gilad Pellaeon - attacked the diplomatic cruiser carrying the triplets. Rey was thrown out in an escape pod and landed on Jakku; Kylo ... fought the pirates, and won, although the records suggest it was more of a massacre than a fight, Betsy recalled, shivering a bit at the details from Tionne's report.

    But Jemma was never found. Luke's certain she's alive ... and there's a Jemma Simmons serving with SHIELD, in 2007 on Earth, in her early 20s ...

    At the time Betsy first met Simmons - a biologist specializing in extraterrestrial materials - she'd sensed something unusual about the young woman, an extra something to Jemma's mental signature. Not wanting to be rude, the older woman hadn't brought it up, and then, she'd been teleported to Sernpidal.

    But between her "British" - Core Worlds - accent, much like Mara's, and what I now think was a Force signature ... did Jemma land on Earth?

    There were few coincidences where the Force - or the life of a mutant superheroine - were concerned, Betsy had found.

    I suspect I was thrown back in time, just within my own timeline - I can't risk returning to Earth before history catches up to when I departed, she thought.

    She smiled with more hope, now, casting her telepathy back to the spare stateroom in a non-invasive probe; Ganner was still asleep, but troubled.

    He's hiding something important. I can't - won't - pester him about who he slept with, not unless it becomes a serious matter, Betsy thought.

    Their mission was supposed to be simple: make contact with Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila, help to bolster efforts to spread the Jeedai heresy, and set up a forward base for the surviving New Republic forces to infiltrate and undermine Yuuzhan Vong control of Coruscant. Nothing too grand, really.

    Now, don't be too grumpy. If Senator Plif the hoojib could kill Shedao Shai at Ithor, and Plif's constituents defeat the Yuuzhan Vong warship that would've sterilized the planet, then I can handle a simple infiltration mission, Betsy tried to cheer herself up.

    It can't be any worse than coordinating Hutt kadijics and pinning down that Yuzuhan Vong fleet at Nar Kreeta, after all ... that kept the Hutts in the war. And Anakin's survival after Myrkr, once revealed, could rally much of the rest of the galaxy to fight back. It's all about timing.

    The New Republic might still be reeling from Coruscant's loss, but Betsy was determined to help it get up off the mat.

    ******************

    to be continued ...
     
  9. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    Hmm. Very interesting. Looking forward to seeing where this goes.
     
  10. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Another short update - apologies; it's a busy week this week. :p

    But, more with A/T this time around, and a hint of what readers of Traitor already know (some things being the same as in canon) ... ;)

    ******************************
    Chapter 6: Well Measures:
    27.3 ABY: Yuuzhan'tar:
    ******************************

    While biots certainly existed to negate night's benefits, it still made more sense to attempt a recon mission after the sun went down.

    Gonna have get used to the rotation of Coruscant as the basis for a day, without Mirror Stations, Anakin thought, keeping to the shadows with I'Pan, as well as a former warrior named Grahkash Lah (a distant relative of the Warmaster, the powerfully-built female had grumbled), and a lithe ex-shaper called Onae Phaath. While a masquer could've hidden Tahiri's hair, the Jedi had decided that it was too risky for both of them to be on the surface unless it was really necessary.

    Of course, I'm not exactly hard to notice - probably got my face on the equivalent of every Vong wanted poster. So that's why I went with a masquer, Anakin thought, trying not to scowl beneath the living disguise. It was just a face masquer, one of the older variants - Anakin already wore an ooglith bodysuit, so doubling all of his garments seemed ridiculous.

    The four peered over the edge of a ruined spacescraper, looking at the former Senate building, which was surrounded by what looked like the biggest chunks of yorik coral Anakin had ever seen planetside. Work crews of slaves switched out, digging and heaving as warriors, shapers, and intendants watched and directed, and Anakin glanced at Onae.

    The shaper's eyes were narrowed, and she whispered, "The Well ... they prepare the new home for the pazhkic Yuuzhan'tar al'tirrna."

    Anakin's tizowyrm, backed up by the Yuuzhan Vong language lessons Tahiri had given him, translated the phrase as "World Brain," which made him raise one eyebrow. To a casual observer, the expression would've looked like the Shamed Yuuzhan Vong was hefting a scarred, malformed right eyelid.

    "What's a 'World Brain,' and why do I think it's not a good development?" Anakin asked, keeping his voice low. (Ever since Myrkr, he'd been trying not to draw attention to himself, either from opponents or just the universe in general; he'd dodged a major blaster bolt, and he was trying to learn from his mistakes.)

    Onae glanced at him as if he were a particularly slow apprentice (or a slow crecheling, given the company), before she sighed. "Apologies, Aahnekin Szolo. Riina - Ta'herai - warned me you wouldn't know as much of our lore and legends as I might assume," the Shamed One said.

    She turned back to the spectacle below, an almost-reverent look on her face, and she continued, "The ancient homeworld Yuuzhan'tar had a dhuryam - a larger, more powerful version of the yammosk war coordinator, capable of directing an entire world's biosphere. Somewhere, out in the deep dark of space, a Seedship is full of infant dhuryams, each with a set of slaves. Whichever dhuryam best manages its resources and slaves will be crowned the pazhkic Yuuzhan'tar al'tirrna, given the honor and duty of completing the shaping of the New Yuuzhan'tar. Other work will continue as well - moving Yuuzhan'tar closer to its star, the creation of the Rainbow Bridge of rings by destroying at least one of this world's moons, and so on."

    That ... so doesn't sound good, Anakin feared, sharing the lore with Tahiri over their Force-bond - at this distance, it was more images and emotions than actual telepathy (full, coherent sharing of thoughts was very rare among Force-users, unlike Betsy Braddock's crisp, clear psi-talent).

    Tahiri replied with comfort and strength, a measure of wariness at the news, and Anakin echoed her confidence - they'd find a way to prevent this.

    Or should we? I mean - OK, I don't want to see Coruscant get Shaped any more than it already has, but at the same time, if we could work with the World Brain, maybe ... get it to undermine the upper castes' plans ... ? Anakin wondered, risking a flicker of Force-probe toward the distant Well.

    He almost staggered, less from the pain and confusion of the slaves below - although Anakin certainly sympathized with them - as a vision hit him -

    HIS lightsaber, the one with the lambent, wielded by a tall, scarred Jedi, as innumerable Yuuzhan Vong warriors tried and failed to enter the Well

    and Anakin had to drag himself from the sight, while the Shamed Ones gathered around with looks of concern.

    "Is it your wound? I warned Niirit Esh you were not yet ready for this!" Onae hissed, not without some sympathy.

    "N-no - I'm OK, really. Just had a flash of - a possible future," Anakin reassured them as they headed back toward the tunnels to the Shamed One camp.

    He glanced back at the Well, a little frustrated but mostly worried, as he wondered, Ganner, what the stang are you going to try here?

    And when?

    **********************

    to be continued ... [face_thinking]
     
  11. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Yes, it's still alive ... :p

    Just been a very busy couple weeks. Here's something shorter than I'd prefer, but I should have some more free time this week. :)

    ************************************
    Chapter 7: Things Shared:
    27.3 ABY: En route to Kashyyyk:
    ************************************

    The flight had been relatively simple - the Hapes Consortium was close to Kashyyyk, galactically speaking, and both had become New Republic fortress worlds. Despite Jaina feeling fairly good, though, especially after learning Anakin and Tahiri were alive, her parents had insisted she not go alone.

    And the rest could do me good, she admitted, trying to doze on one of the Falcon's beds. Once upon a time, she could've slumbered easily in the small crew quarters, but that'd been before ... well, really, it'd been before Sernpidal.

    Cappie, Jaina's R2 unit, had accompanied her, and was powered off in the low glow of the night-cycle lumi-units. Jaina musedly wondered if the male-programmed astromech would be jealous of her children; he was a good friend, if a bit smart-mouthed a times.

    My children, Jaina thought, her smile quivering a little as she felt the tiny lives within her through the Force. They were strong, for being so small - probably too early to try and tell gender, but they had their mother's determination, she could tell, and that brought her a measure of comfort.

    She held onto it as she sensed the difference in the embryos. Tekli had been right; the children were undeniably from different fathers.

    Jaina struggled against her despair and self-loathing for her weakness - she had to quit wallowing, because she had only months to get her act together.

    I WON'T blame these babies for my mistake. But how do I go forward from here?Jaina tried to figure out, fighting back her tears.

    She needed to vent, but the absolute last time to do so was right now. As incredibly protective - over-protective, for good and ill - as her dad had been before Myrkr, he'd probably fly her to some bolthole only Corellians knew of if he learned he was going to be a grandfather. (If he didn't kill Jag first, of course.)

    And what'll Mom think ... ? Jaina feared, shame filling her. She'd been so cruel to her mother, so self-absorbed and resentful, especially after Myrkr.

    We don't appreciate what our parents do for us until we have to face their fears, Jaina realized, sitting up in the darkness and holding her abdomen.

    She heard a knock at the door, almost before she sensed her mother approach, and radiated greeting through the Force - she'd have to have this talk sometime.

    The hatch opened, and Leia slipped inside, sitting at the foot of Jaina's bunk, smiling with such understanding that Jaina wanted to just break down. She settled for hugging her mother, then made herself look into Leia's eyes, and Jaina took a deep breath - she wanted to try and explain, somehow.

    Instead, Leia laced her fingers with Jaina's, holding her hands gently, and said, "Whatever happened ... you don't have to talk if you don't want to."

    Jaina blinked, surprised, until Mom's smile grew a little sad. "I know when it's boy trouble, Jaina. Breha could always tell, too. I'd get a crush on some court page or a guard or some other 'inappropriate' person - used to drive Bail's sisters crazy, like most of what I did - but my mother understood. Sometimes, all a mother can do - needs to do - is just be there," she added.

    Jaina's defenses crumbled, and she had to struggle to keep her Force-presence shielded as she sobbed into her mom's shoulder, for a long while.

    Finally, she sat back, thanking Mom as she handed over some tissues, and Jaina blew her nose. "I meant what I said before we left - I am really sorry for how I treated you. And not just after Myrkr, but before, too," Jaina insisted, leaning on her mom's shoulder.

    "I know, honey. I'm just sorry I couldn't have been there more often," Mom said, and Jaina managed a smile - then, she sat up, making a decision.

    "I don't think I could've appreciated that, before ..." Jaina started to say, but Mom looked into her eyes right then, with an odd - kind but intense - expression.

    Jaina's jaw dropped a little as she realized - but by then, Mom grinned with sheer joy, and she said, "Bail's not a bad name, you know."

    "but - you're not - you -" Jaina stammered, both stunned and utterly unsurprised, as she hugged her mom. "You're not - I mean, if you're angry -"

    Mom leaned back, looking at Jaina again, then glanced at the hatch before looking at Jaina. "I'm not going to pretend that the timing pleases me. But, Force - first, learning that Anakin and Tahiri are alive, and now, this - ! Besides, you're my little girl. I want to help you, not judge you," she said, smiling stronger now.

    Jaina lost it again, then, but at least this time her sobs were joyful - and slowly, like a lanced boil, more and more of her pain and fear drifted away.

    She finally gained some control over herself, and leaned on her mom's shoulder as Leia wiped her tears. "Thank you," Jaina whispered.

    "It goes without saying, but you're welcome. Now, I'm not going to go running to your father about this yet - he needs to be watched, between the I told you so about Myrkr and learning that Anakin's alive, and I can't ask Chewie to be the only one to keep Han from running to drag your brother and Tahiri back here," Mom reassured Jaina, a measure of humor in her voice.

    Jaina managed a little laugh, then opened herself fully to her mother's Force-senses - no sense in holding back, now. "Want to meet them?" she asked.

    Surprise crossed Mom's face, replaced by joy as she sensed her unborn grandchildren - then, shock, but no disappointment, as she sensed the children's difference from each other. "The one feels like Jag - not that I know Jag like you do, of course - but the other ... ?" she asked.

    Jaina blushed as she whispered, "Ganner. It ... Jag whispered Shawnkyr Nuruodo's name in his sleep, and I ... went a little ... vengeful. A lot vengeful."

    She made herself look at her mom, but Leia only radiated understanding - mixed with a bit of frustration, thankfully not directed at Jaina.

    "Jagged Fel is an idiot. I suppose Mara would call it 'typical-male idiocy,' but that overgrown Imperial man-child should know better," Mom growled.

    "Mom - ! You can't tell me that Dad didn't call out - uhm - OK, maybe I don't need to know," Jaina said, blushing deeper now.

    Mom just chuckled, patting Jaina's shoulder, and said, "You're my daughter and you're having babies. Let me have some favoritism?"

    ********************

    :)
     
  12. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Still very hectic IRL, but here's a short update ... :p

    *********************************
    Chapter 8: Insertion:
    27.3 ABY: Coruscant System:
    **********************************

    Obiviously, reentering realspace in a star system overrun by the Yuuzhan Vong was going to draw attention; Betsy had planned for that.

    Just have to give them something besides us to get all worked up over, the purple-haired Jedi mused as she pulled back on the reversion control. The Angel's Wing popped out very close to what had been Centax 3 - what with various Vong structures across the moon, it resembled a casserole gone bad.

    "Dropping the shadow torp now," Ganner said, his eyes half-closed as he concentrated with the Force. Shadow bombs - proton torpedoes hurled via telekinesis - were hardly a new trick in the Jedi arsenal, but this one had been specially modified.

    Betsy tracked it, risking an extension of her mutant telepathy to see if any yammosks nearby were paying attention. She nodded, picking up on some of the war coordinators' malevolent "gaze," then flipped a switch and said, "Neal, tell me you've got those coordinates ready?"

    "Betweep," the astromech affirmed, not without some nervousness, and Betsy nodded before she slammed the hyperdrive switch forward.

    The proximity alarms went berzerk as what the Wing's sensors registered as a small black hole appeared on the display - but by then, they were gone.

    The whole plan was to scramble the Vong's gravity sensors and yammosks just long enough to get the Wing past detection. Of course, that assumed they didn't cook the hyperdrive by jumping so close to Coruscant's gravity well, or fail to deceive the undoubtedly high degree of patrols from the Vong.

    This was, quite simply, an insane maneuver, even for Jedi - or former X-Men, Betsy supposed, doing a quick 3-count before reverting to realspace again.

    But then, the Order took me in and didn't think me raving mad when I told them about Earth, or the movies, she mused, juking instinctively.

    The Lambda-class shuttle was about as close to Coruscant's atmosphere as one could risk reverting without burning up right away, and Betsy balanced the need to power-dive past any stray sensors with the need to avoid an ugly reentry. Ganner managed a weak smile as the ray shields whined.

    "No worries, Knight Rhysode - we're through the atmosphere. Now, just to avoid any anti-aircraft emplacements, and we'll go looking for our missing Solobrat and his daring girlfriend," Betsy quipped, taking them through what had been the Senate District, all the while reaching out telepathically.

    A surprised flicker of grateful, late-adolescent human-ness reached back through the Force, and Betsy smiled as she "heard," Welcome to the party.

    ~What, and let you two have all the fun? Go silent for now, Anakin - we'll be there in a few,~ Betsy replied, edging the shuttle into a hollowed-out spacescraper.

    ~You've done well to make first contact. But now we've got to get down to brass tacks, or whatever the Yuuzhan Vong equivalent is ...~

    ***************

    to be continued ... :)
     
  13. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Another update, this time a bit longer and focusing on Jaina ...including a slight time-jump.

    Plus, Wookiees, some old friends of the Order, and an OC who will appear in another 'fic in this timeline (though it might be a while). [face_thinking]

    **************************************
    Chapter 9: Nesting Instinct:
    27.3-27.4 ABY: Rwookrrorro, Kashyyyk:
    ***************************************

    "Still doesn't feel right, leaving you here," Dad grumbled, as Jaina hugged him and looked around at the Falcon's landing platform.

    "I'll be fine, I promise. I'll stay with Malla and Lumpy, get some rest, get my head together, and be back in no time," Jaina managed, smiling while she watched Chewie bid farewell to his wife and son. Mom and Threepio were talking with an unexpected figure - a Mrlssi, in what looked like a lab coat.

    Dad tried to smile back, faking satisfaction well enough while Mom wrapped an arm around his waist and hugged Jaina. "I took the liberty of asking Dr. Buan to check on you every so often. He may be able to prescribe some treatment measures to help with the - stress," Mom said, giving Jaina a meaningful look.

    Through the Force, Jaina radiated gratitude, and managed a smile, even as Dad looked between them, clearly not missing that something was up. He started to open his mouth, but Mom smiled and said, "Han, we have to get back to Hapes and pick up Kylo, Rey, and Ben. Long way to Eclipse, remember?"

    "... yeah. And once we've got the kids there, maybe we can actually try to get some common sense through our youngest child's head as we swing past Coruscant?" Dad emphasized, walking (and arguing) with Mom after giving Jaina one more hug.

    Chewie gently squeezed Jaina's shoulder, barking a promise to look after her parents, and she hugged the big Wook before watching him board the battered freighter. She held her arms about her, managing a faint smile as Threepio shuffled past and said, "Do be careful, Mistress Jaina. I wish you a safe stay."

    "Thanks, Threepio. You watch out, too," Jaina reassured the protocol droid. He bowed, boarding the Falcon, and Jaina walked toward where the Wookiees were waiting with the (comparatively tiny) Mrlssi doctor.

    Malla greeted Jaina, who hugged her and Lumpy - she'd missed Kashyyyk and her family's old friends. "It's good to see you, too. Thanks for taking me in after ... well, Chewie told you about what's going on?" Jaina asked.

    Malla crooned an affirmative, without any condemnation, and Jaina was grateful once again for the Wookiees' welcome. "That means a lot, Malla - excuse me for a moment, please?" Jaina asked, and the female Wookiee nodded as the Jedi stepped toward the doctor.

    The average Mrlssi adult was, maybe, about the size of an R2 unit in height, with brightly-colored feathers. Dr. Buan was no exception, and his beak twitched as he extended a hand to Jaina. "Ms. Solo - er, Your Highness. Your lady mother explained the situation. I'm Tarvis Buan, xenobiologist and general practitioner," he said, in a somewhat grating, if polite voice.

    "Fretweep-betwee-dwooo," Cappie opined, a wary tone to the astromech's tweedle. Jaina patted his dome, appreciating his protectiveness but wanting to give the small avian doctor a chance.

    "You can call me Jaina, thanks, Doctor. I appreciate the help, but aren't you a little far from the Tapani Sector? It's further toward the galactic south," Jaina asked, watching Lumpy run to get a speeder before she turned back to the Mrlssi.

    Buan's face shifted in what Jaina thought might be a smile, and she pushed down a flicker of wariness - he felt kind enough through the Force. "I've long been fascinated by Kashyyyk's unique lifeforms, especially the wroshyr trees. The whole planet's incredibly unique, between the negligible axial tilt giving it one continuous season - unfettered growth - and the sheer size of the flora and fauna," he said, somehow reminding Jaina of a nuna.

    He glanced at her midsection and added in a cautious tone, "I've delivered a variety of offspring from many different sentients, but never Force-sensitives. If you'll allow, I'd be honored to assist you in whatever way I can. Your mother has, of course, pointed out the necessity of keeping this quiet."

    Jaina nodded, glancing at Buan again as the Wookiees pulled up, and she asked, "Did she arrange payment of some kind? I feel like I should -"

    "Oh, just being able to research a unique case like this is payment enough! I promise, your confidentiality is assured - although, I must say I'm intrigued by the possibility of someday publishing this as an anonymous case study in some of the Mrlssi xenobiology journals," Buan almost ... clucked, practically glowing with glee.

    Jaina repressed a rather snippy comment about being treated as a research subject; Buan sounded - and felt - like he was sincere, and Mom had trusted him. "Let's exchange comlink codes, and we can set up an appointment once I've settled in. Do you have a lab here in Rwookrrorro?" she asked, hefting her duffle bag and getting in Malla's speeder.

    "Over at the main medical center, yes. Dr. G'krain's been kind enough to let me share space and quarters there. I'm volunteering time to help refugees and the wounded in exchange for room and board," Buan said.

    He checked his comlink, seemingly satisfied once they exchanged codes, and waved as Jaina got into the speeder. "Get some rest, and watch what you eat - Wookiee spices are an adventure for most other species, but minimize them in your case, since you're expecting!"

    "I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Doctor - talk to you soon," Jaina called, scooting over to give Cappie some room (the seats could be folded up with a command from the driver, so the astromech could just roll into the speeder). Once everyone was secure, they took off.

    Malla rumbled a question, and Jaina nodded; she really wasn't sure just what she'd do, other than meditate, rest, and eat. "I'll probably do some 'saber drills - I brought a remote - and if I can borrow a simulator, I'll see if I can handle that. Do you know any refugee groups that need a volunteer?" she asked.

    "Dwoop-ptweet-dwbwaat," Cappie pointed out, drawing a frown from Jaina, but Lumpy warbled an agreement (given Wookiees' mechanical talent, it was hardly surprising that they'd pick up fluent understanding in Binary).

    Jaina shrugged, finally nodding. "You're right - I need to keep a low profile. I just want to do something to make myself useful until the twins are born," she said.

    Malla gave her a toothy grin over one shoulder, warming Jaina with a quickly-exclaimed series of activities - all of which sounded as non-dangerous as Wookiee arts and crafts could get, but still intriguing enough to keep Jaina from going stir-crazy.

    "Well, I can still use a multi-tool, true," she agreed, smiling. "Thanks, Malla. If I can't fly, maybe I can at least help other people somehow ..."

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

    While Buan's advice about avoiding environmental toxins while pregnant ruled out Jaina's first idea - starship maintenance - she was able to do light housework, and learned more about knitting than she'd ever imagined possible (including some passable attempts at blankets and booties).

    Jaina also got in some simulator time; the Mrlssi doctor had said that as long as she didn't get too excitable behind the joystick, keeping her skills sharp was a good idea. It didn't hurt to reinforce her Force piloting technique, although Jaina also was honing her power in another way.

    Deep meditation, coupled with Cilghal and Tionne's lectures on healing trances and the equilibrium technique of balancing one's body systems (usually a detoxifying and stress-reduction skill, but also helpful in dealing with the fluxes of pregnancy), were proving critical in moving things along, so to speak.

    A month in, and I look ... well, almost noticeable, Jaina thought, examining herself in the mirror of her guest room. She wore a black T-shirt, a spacer's coverall peeled down to her hips, and she was starting to show, thanks to the growth acceleration she was exerting through the Force.

    Buan didn't approve, and Jaina admitted he was probably right to be concerned; records on Force-accelerated fetal growth had been scarce, to say the least, among the Old Order artifacts recovered by her teachers. The pre-Imperial Jed had been very wary of attachments, including having families.

    But she was determined not to sit as a target for any longer than she needed to, even if she might be out of action for ... however long it'd take to get the twins to school age once they were born.

    This isn't about me, though. I sound so selfish to myself, sometimes. "How long until the kids go off to school?" Fierfek, I wanted Mom and Dad around when I was small. But ... I can't entirely put my life on hold, either, can I? I mean, my kids come first, but Mirax and Mara have careers, too ... Jaina wondered.

    She sighed, reaching inward to the increasingly-complex and intriguing spots of life within her - both now identifiable as male, both healthy.

    Boys. Brothers. Stang, I hope they get along better than Anakin and - Jaina started to think, her breath hitching at the memory.

    It still hurt to think about Jacen. She hadn't even chanced reaching down the broken twin-bond, refusing to risk her unborn babies' health if she collapsed under the weight of the emptiness that she was sure waited there.

    Instead, Jaina tried to smile, and extended a Force-probe inward to once again "cuddle" her sons - they already felt different, but most importantly, healthy.

    Ganner's child was the stronger of the two boys as far as the Force went; Jag's son was - as far as mental activity could be gauged in a fetus - sharper, seeming to take in more of what passed for details. Jaina tried to imagine floating in a basically saline environment, senses limited.

    She gasped, then, surprised but warmed, as two tiny, curious calls echoed back to her through the Force, radiating fascination and affection.

    Well ... hello there, Jaina sent, tearing up and beaming - her children already knew her, and were trying to support her.

    Something like wordless laughter rolled back, and the boys let their mother examine their minds and their Force-bond - fraternal though they were, they were linked. Jaina shielded them from her twang of grief as she recalled her link to Jacen, and took courage from the happy connection her boys had with each other.

    "Hang on in there, OK? I promise not to do anything stoopa and put you at risk. Hopefully, speeding up your growth isn't going to be a problem," Jaina promised, wiping her eyes and shrugging on her coverall's sleeves. She stepped into the hall, then blinked as another Force-sweep passed by.

    Shields up - didn't feel threatening, but I'm NOT taking any chances, she decided, checking her blaster and lightsaber as she walked into Malla's living room. The female Wookiee greeted her, while Cappie chirped and Lumpy waved from where he was working on a side of spare ribs for breakfast.

    "Malla, has anyone stopped by who you don't recognize? I could swear I just felt something -" Jaina started, until a knock rang at the front door.

    Malla immediately pulled Jaina behind her, while Lumpy raced to check the holocam and see who was there. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, and he barked a quick verification - the new arrivals were known, but unexpected.

    Jaina and Malla shared a look, and Jaina took a deep breath, shielding herself and the twins. "I'll just have to keep this as quiet as I can. The Order and the NRDF are probably gossiping about me anyhow. Let them in, please, Lumpy," she called, trying to smile.

    The young Wookiee agreed, opening the front door to admit two humans - one, a girl about Jaina's age in somewhat unkempt Jedi robes, an ocean of black hair dangling down her back, while the other was a young man a few years older than Jaina, clad in a spacer's coverall, his brown hair short.

    The Jedi was someone whom Jaina thought she knew in passing at the Yavin Praxeum (and that caused her another pang of grief), and they exchanged a polite nod - but the spacer was definitely someone whom Jaina recognized, his eyes lighting up with happy surprise as he grinned.

    "Jaina!? Stang, it's good to see you - but why are you on Kashyyyk? I mean - it's your business, we've just all been worried!" Uldir Lochett exclaimed.

    "It's ... a long story, Uldir. It's good to see you, too," Jaina greeted, clasping his forearms in greeting.

    Uldir Lochett had been a friend to Anakin when her kid brother and Tahiri had started out their official Jedi training. While Uldir's own Force potential was below the threshold for being a Jedi, he had refined his skills to become a better-than-average pilot, and was working with Uncle Luke's Great River transport network to aid Jedi and other refugees.

    Sorrow crossed Uldir's face, and he quickly added, "We've heard about Myrkr ... I'm so sorry. This is Klin-Fa Gi, another Knight, from Bonadan."

    "Jaina," Klin-Fa said, squeezing Jaina's hand as the Solo heiress tried to smile. On the one hand, she felt Jacen's loss all over again; on the other, she really wanted to tell Uldir about Anakin and Tahiri's survival. He deserved to know - no Zekk, sure, but still a kind, noble friend of her family's and an ally of the Jedi.

    But I can't. I don't dare - if their mission's to have any chance of success, we have to keep it as quiet as possible, Jaina thought, feeling awful.

    Instead, she settled for thanking them, while Lumpy closed the door behind the new arrivals, and Jaina asked, "What brings you to Kashyyyk?"

    "Bad motivator on the hyperdrive. We've got an R4, but ... well, you know R4s," Uldir quipped, smiling a bit. "We were hoping to borrow another astromech from Chewbacca's family, maybe speed up the repairs. You know how a refugee network relies on keeping ships moving."

    "I can imagine ... Cappie? Would you mind helping Uldir and Klin-Fa?" Jaina asked her droid, grateful when he tweedled in the affirmative.

    She blinked as her unborn children's Force-senses flowed over, through, and around her and the Wookiees, Cappie, and the guests - the boys were strong, and Jaina tried to adjust her shields. She comforted them when they projected confusion and frustration, surprised at how sharp the babies already were.

    And they're not the only ones, Jaina realized, trying to smile as Klin-Fa's face flickered with shock, and even Uldir squinted like he'd felt something.

    "Was that ... ?" he started to ask, but Klin-Fa just put a hand on his arm, thanking Malla as she welcomed them into the kitchen.

    The black-haired Jedi merely said, "The Force is strong on worlds full of life, Uldir. Life creates it, makes it grow ... and the Force returns the favor."

    The way Klin-Fa looked at Jaina - without judgment, but with knowledge - made the brown-haired young woman blink as they headed for the table.

    Well, I knew word was going to get out. I just hope I can explain why it has to stay quiet ...

    ******************

    to be continued ...
     
  14. Kurisan

    Kurisan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2016
    Hi Onderon1 . Had a brief look at this. I'll be honest: AU/crossovers don't usually appeal to me. But you came highly recommended! And I can see what the fuss is about. Explosive dialogue, and you have a way with the constant internal thoughts running the narrative, too. And right out of the blocks Jaina is tempted/tormented with the thought of finding her lost brother! Oh, how to tweak those emotional strings!

    I shall try to devote more time to this in the future. Consider me hooked. I'm a bit of a fan of Betsy Braddock as it happens, so it is interesting to think of her in the GFFA.

    K
     
  15. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    Kurisan - Thanks for reading. :D I appreciate the kind words - this is one that I've been working on for a while (albeit not updating very frequently ... [face_blush]).

    When first approaching this particular concept, I wanted to be careful of two things - first, that Jaina's situation sprang from the emotional aftermath of Myrkr, and not to paint her as being ... wanton for the sake of being wanton, shall we put it. She's not a trollop, nor did she get a fair shake at Myrkr (of course, none of the strike team did). We do have some subtext from earlier in the NJO that there was some attraction between her and Ganner ... [face_thinking]

    While nobody's called me out on this particular point, I figure it's a good time to address it - canon!Jaina likely wouldn't have been devastated enough to allow herself to become pregnant. But, she's dealing with the consequences, trying to move forward, and deal with her losses (and unintended gains).

    (Mild spoiler - here, one of the major reasons for why Ta'a Chume approached Jaina in Dark Journey to become Queen Mother was the loss of Teneniel Djo's second child.
    Here, that's not going to happen, with positive ripple effects for the entire timeline.

    Without giving too much away, Jaina's twins will go on to play major roles down the line - Jag's son, obviously, has a considerable destiny ahead of him, but that's not to say that Ganner's boy will get less "screen time." Nor that either of them will end up where it may seem most obvious. ;)

    As for Jaina's serious role in canon - who she slew during the Vong War, etc. - more on that soon. Ripple effects FTW. :D

    (I'm still forming up plans for what's going to happen with Jacen. I have a concept, but it needs to be executed carefully ... [face_thinking]

    The other major concern I had was - despite it's admittedly deus ex machina method - that Anakin's survival make sense within the confines of the setting. AFA the strike team knew, Anakin was "gone" ... albeit, here, with Tahiri holding him back from becoming one with the Force, while her childhood pet bantha extracts them from the firezone (with some particularly AU enhancements to said bantha's travel methods ... :p).

    And Betsy - thanks. :) I'm glad you like how she's working out; when she's well-written (and wearing enough clothing ... :p), she's a very sensible sort of Jedi (I've long suspected, given her odd power development in Marvel canon, that she might have more than just mutant powers, but just IMHO).

    I really need to revive my first ever 'fic on these boards, which dealt with Betsy's arrival in the NJO (and addressed one of the first canon losses thereof ... no secret that :chewie: is alive and well here :D

    - Thanks again, and Happy Thanksgiving, :D
    Onderon1
     
  16. Kurisan

    Kurisan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2016
    Onderon1 Yeah... all those twists and turns and maybes and what ifs just to keep the story on track and somehow making sense in context of existing canon (which has all been blown away by TFA anyway)... That's why AU is not so hot to me: Too much hard work trying to shoe-horn existing characters into what the writer wants them to be, rather than what they are. Seems cleaner to me to start with a new character and be free to write that story you want to write.

    I admire your resolve! I'll be back.:cool:

    K
     
  17. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Busy holiday week, but I can update this a bit ... :)

    A quick step back in time, then forward again - there was a scene I didn't write yet. [face_blush]

    ********************************
    Chapter 10: Land Surveys:
    27.3-27.4 ABY: Yuuzhan'tar:
    ********************************

    27.3 ABY:

    They'd screamed in under the radar, and Betsy hadn't been entirely sure the hollowed-out spacescraper she'd chosen to shelter the Angel's Wing in would remain stable. But she'd had hardly any choice in the matter, frankly.

    Patrols are thicker than we'd expected, the Force-sensitive telepath noted as she and Ganner made their way through the ruined landscape. There was no pattern to how badly the city-world had been ruined; some blocks looked untouched, while others were a mix of wrecked buildings and Vonglife. Every so often, a knot of Yuuzhan Vong warriors would wander past, and Betsy was grateful her mutant psi-talent could hide her and her Jedi mission partner.

    "You think the Wing'll stay undetected?" Ganner asked, checking his wristcom every few moments as they followed Anakin and Tahiri's beacon.

    "Astromechs are smart droids. Neal'll rotate the cloaking system as we planned," Betsy reassured the younger Jedi. "And I told him to flee if things get too hot."

    Ganner's frustration was poorly masked through the Force, but he shifted to bemused satisfaction as a piece of metal "ground" shifted in front of them. A scarred, but still-somewhat-human-looking Yuuzhan Vong male glared up at them, finally grumbling, "Hawkbat."

    "Shadowmoth," Betsy replied in fluent Yuuzhan Vong - she'd picked up the language telepathically early on in the war. Like much of Yuuzhan Vong biotech, tizowyrms were useful but unsettling (and Betsy did not want ANYTHING crawling in her ear). Kunra nodded with respect and let them enter the hatch.

    Kunra, Tahiri called him, Betsy reflected, following the Yuuzhan Vong underground, with Ganner bringing up the rear guard. A Shamed One, but a warrior ...

    From what the younger Jedi had said in their rapid telepathic chat earlier, Kunra was something of an anomaly, even among the Shamed Ones. He kept quiet, yet Niirit Esh - the ex-warrior's co-leader of the Shamed One cell which Anakin and Tahiri had made contact with - trusted him implicitly.

    As long as Kunra remains trustworthy, he could be a Sith and I'd give him the benefit of the doubt. We need all the help we can get, Betsy thought, shaking her head under the guise of looking around the tunnel which Kunra led them down. It resembled a subway tube, but shot through with rock ... and coral.

    The sheer amount of yorik coral injected - for lack of a better word - into Coruscant unsettled Betsy more than the disparity between sensing Yuuzhan Vong minds with her telepathy and their absence in the Force. At least she'd been able to confirm for the Jedi that the Vong were in the Force - just a different frequency, for lack of a better term.

    And if what the Shamed Ones told Anakin and Tahiri is accurate, we've little time before Coruscant changes even more. Possibly irrevocably, she worried, smiling despite her concerns as two welcome faces (and a furrier, if no-less-welcome visage) finally came into view amidst the Shamed One camp.

    Ganner grinned, clapping Anakin on the back and returning Tahiri's friendly hug, while Betsy gave the youngest Solobrat a mock-scornful glare. "Young man, don't you EVER nearly get killed again, do you understand?!" Betsy lectured, her scowl turning to a happy grin as she hugged Anakin.

    "Yes, ma'am - agk -" Anakin wheezed, and Betsy stood back, worry filling her until he managed a sheepish grin. "I've been taking it easy, promise."

    "'Easy' by his definition," Tahiri grumbled, nonetheless kissing Anakin's cheek before hugging Betsy. "SO glad to see you, Betsy. Nice trick with landing."

    "Yes, well, now that we have four Jedi on the ground, we can take turns running recon - and yes, Anakin, that DOES mean the three of us. I want YOU on a routine cycle of healing trances until you're fully mended, and I won't take no for an answer. We need to be firing on all cylinders," Betsy ordered.

    Strictly speaking, she had the least amount of actual Jedi experience among the four-member team. But the Vong War had been a crash course in lightsaber-wielding and Force usage, while her age and previous combat experience made her a more logical choice to take command. At the same time, she planned to let Anakin and Tahiri remain the liasons with the Shamed Ones - the teens had done very well so far.

    Now, it was time to take the next step, and try to head off the coming arrival of the World Brain.

    **************************
    27.4 ABY:
    **************************

    They ran - again.

    Running was hardly an unknown quantity to the watchers; it was one of the few cogent responses to what was going on, and the odds they faced.

    Bloody hell - at least I can keep the yammosks from tracking us, but those Shaped vornskrs aren't such an easy thing, Betsy fumed.

    She and Anakin - he'd finished healing, finally, which had been a good thing given how stir-crazy he'd gotten hiding as he recuperated from Myrkr - ducked behind a piece of duracrete near the ruins of the Jedi Temple. They'd been trying to keep their field bases near the Force nexus so as to mask their signatures from any Force-sensitive hunter-beasts created by the Vong.

    Betsy flicked black bangs out of her eyes - she'd dyed her hair early on, it was far too distinctive in its' "natural" shade for deep cover - as she counted. Using combat sign, she warned Anakin, Three warriors, two beasts, and a subaltern - standard patrol.

    Anakin nodded, his hand tensing about the amphistaff he'd recovered from a warrior earlier on. Using the Force in combat was one thing, and could be more easily masked than overt lightsaber-swinging; screaming "Jedi infiltrators are here!," especially which Jedi were present, was quite another.

    Betsy had no intention of ending up in a sacrificial pit or a shaper's lab. She'd faced variants of each on Earth as a member of the X-Men.

    They flicked razor bugs at the vornskr-creatures, and Betsy allowed herself a grim smile as one of the creatures died quickly. She meant it no particular ill will, but Karrde's "tamed" pets - and the now-extinct voxyn - had been cranky enough. Shaped anything was quite more than she wanted to face willingly.

    A quick psi-burst slew the other vornskr, and Betsy leapt forward, a stolen tsaisai flickering in her hands like a ninja's sai. The shortsword-like variant of the amphistaff found the armpit of one of the warriors, and he seized before Betsy whirled away, slashing the throat of the subaltern.

    For his part, Anakin had hamstrung one of the remaining warriors, and unleashed a ballistakinetic attack of small, shrapnel-like debris at the last one. The Vong snarled, her vonduun crab armor pitted and cracked under the Jensaarai technique, and Anakin took advantage of her distraction, finishing her.

    "They're getting more and more numerous. The rumblings from the damuteks near the Well are right - the Vong high command are consolidating," Anakin observed, his voice neutral as he destroyed the subaltern's villip. They'd learned the hard way that patrols were frequently called by their bases - and if contact was missed, the Vong had no problem swarming an area with warriors.

    Betsy nodded, gazing into the distance toward the warped, but still-open yorik coral monstrosity of a dome rising over the former Senate. The Well of the World Brain would be enclosed once the World Brain was inserted into it, and after that, who knew how they'd get rid of the planetary yammosk?

    Dhuryam, Niirit and her shaper allies called it. We could try and destroy the dome, but that'd require more explosives than we brought ... or hijacking a frigate with a volcano cannon, Betsy considered, following Anakin to the rendezvous point with the Shamed Ones.

    The problem was, the New Republic - or what remained of it - was still reeling. They'd managed to set up a hypercomm link with a listening post at Borleais (Betsy had never been so happy to hear Wedge Antilles' voice), and the news was mixed, at best.

    Good news is, most of the Jedi managed to escape, other than the "sacrificial Heroes of Myrkr" - I don't like deceiving anyone about Anakin and Tahiri's survival, but right now, we've little choice. Nom Anor would scour Coruscant if he had any inkling that we were here; he seems to have an especial loathing for me, right after Mara - and if Anakin and Tahiri were exposed, the Vong would have a spasm of rage, Betsy thought.

    The Skywalker children were safe on Eclipse, at least, while Padme' and Zekk were supervising refugee and Great River operations on Naboo (itself a fortress world, thanks to the early Loyalist consolidation of private fleets and troops early in the war). Mara was with Luke, and Han, Leia, and Chewie were running operations for Wedge.

    Jaina, however, had apparently suffered ... Wedge hadn't called it a breakdown, exactly, but his concern had been obvious from his tone.

    "Jag and ... Durron ... are running Twin Suns these days. Wherever Jaina is, Jacen's death must've affected her worse than we knew," he'd said.

    Anakin hadn't taken the news well; he'd struggled to keep from collapsing for about a day. But he'd managed to rebound, mostly with some (sensible and calm) attention from Tahiri, and he was putting on a brave face. Betsy could sense the young people's worries and survivor's guilt, though, and she'd tried what psychology she could provide. Ganner, a few bits more mature than the teens, was better able to soldier on, occasionally with a questionable joke.

    But what can anyone do in the face of the galaxy's heart becoming a savage, living vision of Yuuzhan Vong wish fulfillment? Betsy thought.

    She refused to lose heart; she'd faced far worse than this, after all - mental manipulations, physical reshaping, and even death, a couple times.

    I've made the GFFA my home, the telepath vowed, smiling as Anakin raced to hug Tahiri, and Ganner waved in greeting as Niirit and Kunra nodded.

    Shimmrra himself won't take it from us, changed though it might be.

    ********************

    - to be continued ...
     
  18. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Sorry for the brevity of this update, but I wanted to post something tonight - more Saturday. [face_peace]

    ****************************************
    Chapter 11: Cutting Poodoo:
    27.4 ABY: Borleias, Colonies Region:
    ****************************************

    There were fewer more terrifying things than a determined ex-Emperor's Hand on the warpath, striding through a jungle she really detested.

    Given that Mara Jade-Skywalker was frustrated by the necessity to hide her children light-years away, her mood was downright frightful.

    All of that just made Jagged Fel even more wary when the still-crimson-haired Jedi Master found him - alone - near the makeshift still.

    "I'm honestly not sure which is more frustrating, Colonel - your transparent excuses to avoid me, or the awful quality of this moonshine," Mara said, her voice in the absolutely-unsettling calm which usually presaged someone dying horribly ... or at least being maimed. (Jag had seen Imperial files on Mara's career.)

    Jag took a deep breath; he knew this day would come, ever since Jaina's abrupt departure. "Master Jade-Skywalker," he said with honest respect.

    Mara raised an eyebrow, sitting on an overturned crate, and Jag sat as well; a trickle of sweat ran down his back, a gesture which had nothing to do with the jungle heat. "Don't give me that, Jag. You know this isn't a formal setting, and you need to relax some time," she said, almost sounding personable.

    Or drop my guard some time, Jag reflected, taking a deep breath - Leia was off-world on a mission with Han and Chewbacca (Leia had found Jag shortly after Jaina's departure for Kashyyyk, so he knew she knew that Jaina was pregnant), while Kyp was running the rest of Twin Suns through simulator drills.

    He seriously wondered how he could possibly get out of this situation with all his limbs intact. True, Leia had been ... understanding about Jaina's situation, but she'd made it clear that she was displeased over the whole affair (fortunately, Her Highness had recognized that Jaina had some part in this, too).

    But it's one thing for Jaina's diplomat mother to be merciful where her daughter is concerned. Mara views Jaina as another daughter ... Jag worried.

    He forced himself to face Mara - honesty was the best policy - and said, "You deserve to know the whole story behind Jaina's departure."

    "I have a good idea of the narrative, actually," Mara said, still icy-calm, her eyes narrowing.

    "But I'd thought better of you than to abandon your pregnant girlfriend - or am I misreading this mess, because if I am, now's the time to speak up."

    Jag repressed his instinctive flare of outraged shock; Mara was not only a Jedi, but a Jedi Master, and Jaina's aunt and teacher. He'd never particularly thought it likely that Jaina could hide the facts from Mara forever. Instead of yelling, Jag merely said, "I didn't want Jaina to leave - but the children's safety -"

    "Children?" Mara interrupted, masking her surprise smoothly. She even smiled a bit, and said, "Of course. Skywalker blood leans toward twins."

    Her expression turned icier as she added, "I'm assuming it's 'just' twins. Carrying triplets is not fun, and even if Jaina went to ground to protect the kids ..."

    "I trust Jaina's Force-awareness of her own body," Jag replied, letting some of his frustration color his tone. "And NO, I did not 'abandon' her. You heard Jaina ask me to help look after Twin Suns. I would gladly raise the children with her, if she allows ... but I will respect her wishes in the matter."

    Mara blinked - Jag enjoyed being able to score something of a point, even against such a formidable debate opponent - but nodded, a flicker of respect crossing her face before her frequent smirk returned. "Good to hear. But I don't think even pregnancy would shake her as badly as she seemed," she probed.

    Jag's brow furrowed; it was one thing for Mara to try to defend her niece against the man whom Mara thought had crossed Jaina. It was quite another for Mara to probe too deeply into Jaina's business without Jaina's permission.

    "Outside of whatever arrangement Jaina and I reach regarding our child's upbringing, I don't believe I should comment on Jaina's personal life," he replied.

    He bit the inside of his mouth - Mara was not stupid - and unsurprisingly, the Jedi Master parsed Jag's phrasing, a look of rage flickering across her face.

    "DURRON ..." Mara snarled - Jag had heard of people "snarling," but he'd never really heard it before. (He was glad it wasn't directed at him.)

    Nevertheless - mostly because Jag didn't want the trouble or responsibility of running a combat squadron without Durron's expertise, and less because he wanted to defend what honor Durron had left - he coughed and said, "Ah, no, actually. The other child is Ganner Rhysode's, Jaina told me."

    That sent a look of actual shock across Mara's visage; she shook her head, clearly confused, but pierced Jag with a suspicious look, and he sighed.

    "Yes, I said Shawnkyr's name in my sleep - only in my sleep, I would NEVER betray Jaina like that," he admitted, humiliated to give voice to his sin.

    Realization, followed by disappointment, etched themselves on Mara's face, and she muttered, "Hate-kriff. I told that girl never to do that ..."

    "I don't know if Ganner knows he will be a father. Given his absence from Twin Suns or other Rebellion activities ... ?" Jag probed.

    Mara raised an eyebrow and said, "He's on a deep-cover mission. I almost hope Jaina didn't tell him before he left; he needs to focus, where he is."

    "Of course. I trust you'll keep this quiet until Princess Leia has a chance to explain it to General Solo and Master Skywalker?" Jag asked.

    Mara started to glare, but Jag held up his hands; he knew what she'd say. "Of course - Master Skywalker probably already suspects," he allowed.

    "... I'll coordinate with Leia. And I won't maim you - at least until I talk to Jaina," Mara replied, standing and walking away.

    She gave Jag a cold glance over her shoulder, adding, "And I'll hold you to your promise, Fel. Standing by her is noble ... but listen to her wishes."

    ************************

    - to be continued ...
     
  19. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Apologies; Saturday became busy with RL [face_blush] , and Sunday is a workday for me ... [face_money_eyes]

    Anyhow. Another short update, this time starting to tie some plot threads together ... and answering a certain question ... [face_thinking]

    **********************************************
    Chapter 12: Of Men and Mouse-Droids:
    27.4 ABY: Yuuzhan'tar/Coruscant:
    **********************************************

    Anakin had decided that of the two, at least hawk-bat was fresh. Rations were ... rations.

    I think I'd've had better results trying to cook one of my T-shirts, the young resistance leader tried to joke, nibbling a hawk-bat wing as he sat around the campfire with the other cell leaders. The approximate month of surveillance, raids, and planning had been mostly about intel-gathering.

    Unfortunately, what the Shamed Ones had managed to learn was that their best target was incredibly well-defended.

    "The only way to destroy the Well would be to hijack a frigate, and the volcano cannons would incinerate any craft flying unauthorized near the perimeter," Kunra growled, glaring over at Ganner (unsurprisingly, the ex-warrior and the once-headstrong Jedi didn't like each other very much). "Infiltration -"

    "is gonna be impossible with the degree of security around the Well," Ganner shot back, his frustration nagging at Anakin through the Force like a very needy whisperkit. (A whisperkit that had sunk its claws into the back of Anakin's head, true ...).

    These two love going round in circles, Tahiri noted, unusually dry sarcasm in her tone as she finished her own meal. Ganner underestimates our resources.

    And Kunra's going against type too much to impress Niirit. Who'd've thought we're NOT the lovesick pair for once? Anakin quipped, winking at Tahiri.

    ~Children, please. We've got to get this mess settled and act before the World Brain arrives - either that, or evac and try to bring in a larger strike team,~ Betsy sent, her own exasperation coloring her telepathic "voice."

    She must've been broadcasting to more than Anakin and Tahiri, because Ganner and Kunra both looked embarrassed. "Master Brah'dak raises an excellent point. Time is not on our side," Niirit pointed out, giving Betsy a respectful glance before activating what looked like a villip with some extra ... sacs.

    I'll probably never get used to that, Anakin admitted, watching the communications device open and project a somewhat-more-colorful version of a hologram than the blue-tinged images he was used to. What he saw was something best described as an asteroid-sized mass, with lumps of ... plant life?

    "This image was transmitted from the outer edge of the Yuuzhan'tar system approximately six of your standard hours ago," the ex-Shaper said, her eyes meeting those of the Jedi and Kunra. "The pazhkic Yuuzhan'tar al'tirrna will be coming within range of this world soon, to claim it."

    Betsy cursed something vile, but obscure - Anakin figured it was something from her homeworld of Earth - while Tahiri squeezed Anakin's hand and Ganner's eyes narrowed. "If we could attack it in space, before it had a chance to get close ... ?" he asked Kunra.

    "The orbital defenses, as well as the honor guard of defense craft accompanying the pazhkic, would shoot us down before we got within weapons range," Kunra said, but without the edge of dismissiveness he'd had before. "A worthy idea, Ganner Rhysode, but fraught with impossibilities."

    "It's either that or attack the Well," Betsy said, half-closing her eyes. Anakin could tell she was attempting some kind of long-range scan, but it wasn't clear if it was with the Force or her mutant telepathy.

    Finally, the older Jedi sent telepathically, ~Anakin, Tahiri, link with me in the Force. I'm trying to scry the World Brain for any weak spots.~

    You're the boss, Tahiri agreed, and Anakin followed her lead, lending Betsy his strength in the Force - what there was; he worried sometimes if he'd ever reach the levels of Force-power he'd had. Myrkr had permanently damaged his midichlorians, as far as anyone could tell, but he could at least feel the Force.

    Don't be so worried, Anakin. Deep wounds take time to heal. And before you ask, Ganner's in a funk and shielding worse than before. The last thing we need is a sulky male in a battle-meld, Betsy sent, her Force-"voice" about as clear as her telepathy due to her proximity to Anakin and Tahiri.

    Anakin radiated acknowledgment, glancing at Ganner - the older man looked nervous, then, and made some excuse about checking the supplies. If Anakin hadn't seen Ganner's openness and relaxed manner around Betsy or Tahiri, he'd suspect the older Jedi of double-agency. But this felt more ... personal.

    Why's he so guarded around me? I was the one who kriffed up at Myrkr with the reckless last stand stuff, Anakin wondered, until Betsy shushed him.

    He tried to relax, glad of Tahiri's presence and reassured at Betsy's confidence - then, the purple-haired woman gasped, images rolling along the meld.

    It was - chaos.

    Slaves rioting against blank spots - probably Yuuzhan Vong, some kind of storm of violence - and amidst it all, a pained, familiar figure, desperate -

    "GAAH!?"

    The meld, and the horror-show (aboard the World Brain craft? Anakin guessed), both vanished, as Betsy opened her eyes, radiating shock and revulsion.

    "There's a slave revolt going on aboard the World Brain's asteroid. And - I managed to detect - Force-blocked, but alive -" she stammered.

    Anakin dared to let himself grin, while Tahiri whispered, "Jacen ..."

    "WHAT!?" Ganner blurted, looking over from the ration stores and letting his jaw drop - his shields fluttered, and he was afraid as much as glad -

    and Anakin leapt to his feet as a very particular, unwanted image slipped from Ganner's mind, making the young men both turn as red as Mara's hair.

    "You - and - and - JAINA!?" Anakin wheezed, more embarrassed than angry, while Tahiri leapt to take his arm and Betsy GLARED at Ganner.

    "Anakin, take a deep breath. Prepare a small squad to move on my mark. Ganner, let's take a little walk, SHALL we?" Betsy ordered.

    Anakin shoved down his thousand-and-one-questions, letting Tahiri push him away from doing something stupid to Ganner. They still had to work together.

    But if he hurt my sister, I'll get in line behind everyone else ... after we rescue Jasa.

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

    She hadn't been so angry since she'd been dumped by Warren Worthington III - and Betsy was used to sorting her anger, even when she didn't want to.

    "You absolute, bloody - you should have WARNED me! Damnit, Ganner, this is the WORST scenario you could've stumbled into!" Betsy blurted once she and Ganner were (hopefully) out of earshot of Tahiri, Anakin, and the Yuuzhan Vong. (Force-range was another matter entirely, but she was trying to shield.)

    "You don't think I KNOW that!?" Ganer snapped back, running his hands through his spiky hair. "It just - I asked her, I'd never -"

    Betsy waved him into silence, repressing an instinctual eye-roll. "Oh, relax. You're reckless, not a monster. Nevertheless, you've put your foot into a pitfull of poodoo ... Force help us all, when Mara and Leia learn of this. And Han ..." she thought aloud, the various scenarios running through her mind.

    Ganner looked like a wounded Ewok, but Betsy didn't feel much sympathy. "What did you expect? She was in a dark-side snit, suffering horribly, and reached out to someone whom she thought wouldn't be more than a feel-good excuse to bleed off her excess emotions," she growled. "You knew better."

    "Yes, I did. But now ... the reason things got so out of hand was that I told Jaina I'd heard rumors that Jacen was alive. And now ..." Ganner trailed off.

    Betsy tried not to facepalm; it was bad enough that Ganner had let his night with Jaina slip in front of Anakin. Now, there were two Solobrats in Vong-sights.

    "Well, at least we have a tactical target. Extracting Jacen, Anakin, and Tahiri just became our aleph priority - we'll leave behind a hypercomm to communicate with the Shamed Ones. There's far too much attention going to be cast on Coruscant with two Solos and the Jeedai-who-was-shaped all in one place," Betsy decided, shelving her outrage with Ganner.

    "Come on. If we're to salvage anything of this clusterkriff, this is our one best shot. We're NOT wasting it."

    *************************

    - to be continued ...
     
  20. Kurisan

    Kurisan Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 26, 2016
    Hi! I'm back and read chapter 2. That was an... uncomfortably familiar exchange between Betsy and Ganner. I wonder how many times that particular comforting-going-further scenario has played out across the cosmos? The mutant is right: There is always more to it. Methinks Ganner is going to find that out sooner or later.

    And then HK turns up! Cool. Always liked that dude and his speech quirk - though I haven't even read any books with him in it - just seen the memes.

    I'll be back.:cool:

    K
     
  21. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    Kurisan: Thanks for the reply. :) Yes; Ganner should have been smarter about his decisions and timing ... :oops:

    As Jaina points out, though, it's not all his fault. (Nor is it all hers - I wanted to be careful not to portray Jaina as prone to ... wantonness.) She's attempting her best to deal with the aftermath of an awful situation (Myrkr), and things are going to get even more difficult before it gets better.

    Without giving away spoilers ... Ganner will be having to face what's happened. Which might be fairly spoilerific in its own right ... but this is an AU. :p

    More HK soon. I've not forgotten him, even in all the shuffle and the angst. [face_blush] With what's coming, he might be very handy to have around ... [face_whistling]

    - Thanks again, :)
    Onderon1
     
  22. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Sorry for the brevity of this update - RL was busier than planned today ... :p I'm hoping to post something longer, later on Sunday.

    For right now, back to Kashyyyk, and a certain expectant goddess ... [face_thinking]

    And, both ironically, and happily, the names I picked for Jaina's sons are actually established in Legends canon lore. :D

    *********************************************
    Chapter 13: Unfamilar Shores of Self:
    27.4 ABY: Rwookrrorro, Kashyyyk:
    *********************************************

    Odd food cravings, mood swings, the reality that she was having trouble bending over to pull on her shoes ... Jaina had tried to prepare for all those.

    But there are just some things about a Force-pregnancy that nothing can explain away, she mused, waking up to another floating hairbrush.

    "Rian, what is your fascination with my hair care products?" she whispered, radiating tired amusement to Ganner's son as he kicked inside her happily. The twins were approaching the 6-month mark for gestation, thanks to Jaina's heavy use of Force-trances to speed up their growth, and she'd decided on names.

    Rian just laughed back through the Force. Jaina had picked the name from one for a classic airspeeder, given the boy's seemingly never-ending energy and joy in telekinesing objects even in utero. She really wasn't that surprised that Rian was already telekinetically gifted - the power was Ganner's forte' - but Force-active fetii were making for an interesting medical break.

    Roan, Jag's son - Jaina had heard stories from the Wookiees of Roan Shryne, a heroic Jedi who'd died on Kashyyyk fighting Imperial slavers at the start of the Empire - burbled a bit, rolling over and going back to sleep as Rian finally dozed off. Less Force-strong than his brother, but still absurdly powerful, Roan seemed more prone to using Force sense to examine his surroundings. Jaina expected the baby would be perceptive as he grew older.

    An action junkie and a "reserved" ... tactician? Great. They will take after their fathers, Jaina laughed, setting her hairbrush back down on the nightstand.

    She glanced at the chrono - 02:28, thanks, guys, she mock-snarked - then rolled over, considering the future. Again.

    It'd be difficult; of course, her family would help, Jaina knew (not that she wanted to rely on them, but she was NOT about to do anything more reckless than what she'd already done, and try to "stand proudly on her own" when she would soon deliver Force-sensitive twins).

    But what about when they get older? What about the boys' futures - what will they want out of their lives? What are their options, even? Jaina pondered.

    She'd been brutally honest with herself weeks earlier, when she'd faced her anger - with herself, with the Vong, with the war, with the expectation that she'd be a Jedi, with her running away to Rogue Squadron and later Twin Suns because of her issues with her mother and her own seeming decided future.

    I want my babies to be able to live the lives they want, so long as they learn to control their Force powers. Other than that, I WON'T dictate what the boys should do - and I won't let anyone else dictate their lives, either, Jaina decided, scowling.

    Of course, easier said than done. The sheer pressure of expectations and family history were bad enough for her; Vader's granddaughter and all that.

    Force help me, if ANYONE gives my babies grief over my non-married status when they were conceived, I'll kick those idiots' shebs - hard, she vowed.

    Jaina wasn't foolish, of course. She knew that between the Vong, the rumored hard-line Imperial sect that'd tried to kidnap her cousins years earlier, and Force knew what other threats, Rian and Roan wouldn't have quiet childhoods. But she'd be stanged if anyone tried to make them be Jedi or Imperials or ...

    Or whomever. Jacen was never happy with the Order, not really - he was so awkward at first, trying to be the hero, then he questioned everything ... and Anakin almost died fighting for ungrateful murglaks over Myrkr. We should've just shadow-bombed that stupid worldship, Jaina thought, frowning.

    And then, of course, there were Ganner and Jag. Jaina would NOT try to entrap either man - nor would she keep them from their respective sons. But she wasn't sure how she'd handle what could very possibly end up being two well-meant proposals (or rejections).

    I'm not happy with Jag, but we both kri - no, BAD verbage. We both messed up badly. I can't ignore Jag calling out Shawnkyr's name, any more than he should be expected to ignore how I betrayed him, Jaina thought, wiping her eyes at how pettily she felt she'd behaved toward Jag.

    Are we over? He didn't seem to feel that way, but that was weeks ago, and I'd just dropped the news on him, Jaina worried.

    At the same time, she didn't regret Rian's existence - just the circumstances of his creation. Jaina owed Ganner a huge apology and an explanation.

    Force - and everyone told me to avoid Kyp. Turns out I didn't even need him to get me in trouble, Jaina reflected, sighing.

    She tried to drift off and try to get some more sleep before the boys awoke. They were already a handful, and they weren't even born yet.

    But I don't regret THEM, not one bit, Jaina thought with real joy.

    She hadn't planned to have kids anytime soon, much less during a war - but then, she and Jacen had been born a decade before peace with the Empire.

    Jaina drifted off, confused but oddly comforted as she dreamed of a familiar, white-robed young man her age, walking among Vonglife, with ... a bird?

    *****************************

    to be continued ...
     
  23. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Blergh. Struggling through the latest snowfall exhausted me - apologies for another short update. [face_blush]

    Given that this is an AU set basically concurrent with Traitor, and I have NO delusions that my writing skills are anywhere near Mr. Stover's, things are about to be considerably different from Legends canon - even moreso than what's already been happening ... [face_peace]

    So, at last - what the stang is Jacen up to with Vergere ... ?

    *************************************
    Chapter 14: Garden Planning:
    27.4 ABY: Coruscant/Yuuzhan'tar:
    *************************************

    If you can't touch the Force, then make do with what you do have.

    Jacen Solo was - for once, despite all he'd been through over the last month - doing surprisingly well right at the moment.

    Oh, his Force connection was still cut off, he was barely wearing much (a Yuuzhan Vong robeskin and various accessories torn from said living cloth didn't really count for what he considered acceptable garb), he was being chased through the wreckage of the Senate District by angry Vong warriors ... but he lived.

    Right now, that was really a victory. Between being captured at Myrkr, tormented, forced to befriend a giant alien brain monster, and set off a bloody slave revolt, and putting up with the psychobabble coming from the Fosh "familiar" who called herself Vergere, Jacen was just glad to be able to walk, think, and be free.

    "Jacen, where are you going?" Vergere - who hadn't actually left him, for whatever reason - asked as he examined a moss-covered chunk of durasteel.

    "Literally or metaphorically? Because whatever you've got planned, I'm sick of playing games - and please don't babble some noise about 'everything is a game.' Being caught in a 'game,' especially one as sick as the last 2 years have been, implies said sickness on the part of those moving the pieces on the board," Jacen shot back, frustrated with the avian healer.

    Vergere cocked her head, reminding Jacen yet again of her bird-origin, then watched Jacen as he concentrated on the moss with his Vongsense. If it was true that the Vong were just in a different "frequency" of the Force, and he could detect the energy thereof, he should be able to manipulate it ...

    "Ah. Then, do you consider me sick? A foul weed to be plucked from the garden?" Vergere pondered, but Jacen ignored her query, focusing his thoughts.

    He smiled a bit as the moss rippled, changing colors, and took some grim satisfaction from Vergere's clear shock as the moss went from orange to blue.

    "I think that you'll play whatever game you're playing, and I'll keep doing what I have to in order to stay alive. Frankly, I'm tired of having to make the choices of who lives and dies, but I'm past the childish foot-stomping that I did before Myrkr. Sometimes you have to fight in order to protect yourself and those you care for," Jacen riposted, concentrating and turning the moss back to orange. "And whether you give me the Force back or not, I'm not going to quit learning."

    Vergere's eyes narrowed, and she clucked a bit as they kept walking in the late-afternoon sunlight. "I ... had not expected you to be able to manipulate Vonglife. Your exposure to the World Brain has given you an ... impressive connection to biots," she said, assessing Jacen.

    He stayed cautious, but spared her a smirk and bowed. "I have you to thank for sticking that slave seed in my chest. Until I can get off Coruscant and back to the Jedi, I'll make do with what I have," Jacen pointed out, extending his Vongsense.

    Vergere actually stepped back then, her discomfort almost registering to Jacen beyond Vergere's expression - maybe a flicker of returning Force?

    He glanced at himself in a reflective shard of durasteel, wincing a bit as rainbows danced in his eyes, and Vergere whispered, "A bit too far, perhaps ..."

    Jacen snarled at her, jabbing a finger at Vergere and all but spitting, "YOU blocked my Force connection. If you don't like it, then FIX it! Or LEAVE!"

    He was so TIRED of all her gibbering and double-talk - if he'd had an amphistaff or tsasai, he'd just stab her and be DONE with it.

    Jacen blinked at that, taking a deep breath, and examined his spark of rage - yes, Vergere had tortured him, kept nagging him, but he couldn't just kill her.

    "The fact that you can still keep yourself from lashing out like an animal means that the game is far from over," Vergere replied, seemingly praising him.

    Jacen shook his head, continuing to walk, as he wondered, It was almost like - I felt Vonglike in all that anger ... or maybe I'm just being honest.

    He'd been under insane stress, but Jacen wasn't sure he wanted to examine just how angry he could get ... no matter the cause.

    Anakin could always handle it better. Of course, he'd run off and hit the cause ... Jacen thought, sorrow filling him.

    He glanced, then, toward a bombed-out spacescraper - then did a double-take, noticing the distinctive feathered wing painted on the Lambda-shuttle's tail.

    "The Angel's Wing - HERE!?" Jacen blurted, breaking into a grin - the ship belonged to a very welcome arrival, if she was here - !

    He heard a disapproving sigh from behind him, scowling over his shoulder at Vergere as she said, "Braddock. Here. This is -"

    "Oh, just SHUT UP already!" Jacen yelled back, that ugly rage filling him again as he jabbed a finger toward the Fosh. "I've got a chance to escape!"

    Vergere looked like she was about to retort, but a purple shadowmoth appeared between them, and a Coruscant-accented voice snapped, ~QUIET! I'm very glad you're here and alive, Jacen, Force-blocked or not, but follow my mental 'voice' and meet up with some Shamed Ones, about 10 meters ahead.~

    "Shamed Ones ... ?" Vergere inquired, stepping back a bit as the shadowmoth seemed to glare at her.

    ~Oh, do stop pecking about, you overgrown space chicken. Either you can come and get help, or step off. Jacen's leaving with us, and that's that,~ Betsy Braddock sent telepathically, her voice clearly full of frustration.

    ~We've precious little time to get this mess cleaned up, and either you can accept that the 'game' is changing ... or lose. So YOU 'choose and act.'~

    ******************

    to be continued ...



     
  24. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Busy week, but here's a small update ... [face_peace]

    *************************************
    Chapter 15: Pecking Orders:
    27.4 ABY: Coruscant/Yuuzhan'tar:
    *************************************

    Betsy had decided that for the initial reunion, it'd be best to ease Jacen back into freedom slowly; he'd be shocked to learn who was still alive, after all.

    And Ganner's NOT going to help matters if he just - blabs about what happened between him and Jaina, the telepathic Jedi thought, giving the unusually-abashed telekinetic prodigy a warning glance as they awaited Jacen and Vergere's arrival. The Fosh's presence was going to make this even more difficult.

    "I get it. Keep things vague until we figure out what's going on," Ganner muttered, almost sullenly. Betsy bit back a retort, glancing at the Shamed Ones who were ringing the fringe of the "clearing" (more a small plaza of duracrete with pieces of broken debris slathered with Vong-plants, giving it a wild look). The low-caste Yuuzhan Vong were alert, and one gave Betsy a few hand-signals as the new arrivals came within line-of-sight.

    Betsy, of course, had been both psi-tracking and Force-following Jacen and Vergere once she'd locked onto them. Vergere, unsurprisingly, was shielding remarkably well - even though mutant telepathy was a different frequency than Force-sense, the Fosh clearly could handle herself against either.

    Jacen flared with hope, at least in his thoughts - he was a muted, albeit not-quite-absent, flicker in the Force. Every so often, he radiated a sense of Vong-ness, the same sort of neural activity that Tahiri gave off when she was tapping into her Riina-thoughts, and Betsy wondered just what had happened to Jacen.

    He's alive. We can work from there. And I'm no slouch in the deprogramming department ... Vergere likely has some hold on him, she reflected.

    On the one hand, Betsy could hardly deny that Vergere's tears had been a major reason Mara had lived so long as she had, before the redhaired Jedi had been able to tap into the Phoenix Force and wipe out the coomb spores which'd threatened her and Ben. But Vergere had clearly had a reason to aid the Skywalkers.

    Ensuring the survival of an immensely-powerful, possibly Grey-descended Skywalker has to be part of some plan of hers, the British-born psi thought.

    As for why Vergere had gone to such lengths to kidnap a Solobrat - whom, Betsy reflected, was also a descendant of Anakin Skywalker - she'd find out.

    Finally, Vergere - still in purplish robes - and Jacen - rather scruffy, with an unevenly-grown-out buzzcut and a few days' worth of beard, wearing a Yuuzhan Vong robeskin over a loincloth and what looked like socks - stepped forward, and Betsy and Ganner approached them with welcoming expressions.

    (Well, Betsy would settle for smiling - Ganner was pouring nervousness into the Force, and she didn't want to have to mind-control him into not misspeaking.)

    "Jacen ... you look - well, for everything," Betsy greeted, returning his hug and glad to see his honest smile. She glanced at his chest, visible through the robeskin's folds, and repressed a wince at the still-ugly implant scar, while Jacen's smile flickered and his mental defenses let his concern slip.

    "The seed did die and fall out. I've picked up Vongsense pretty easily ... maybe it'd be faster if you mind-scanned me for the quick version?" he offered.

    Ganner glanced at him, then Vergere, but Betsy sent via a tight-beam psi-pulse, ~She's not holding his mental leash - at least, not actively.~

    So she's not mind-tricking him, but you're comfortable going into Jacen's head after he's spent months in Yuuzhan Vong captivity? Ganner retorted.

    Betsy spared Ganner an amused look and replied, ~You forget, Ganner, Jacen's currently without the Force. I've done this sort of thing before.~

    With that, she shifted her active consciousness into Jacen's mind, grateful for his lowering of his non-Force mental barriers (even for the headblind, there were ways to at least slow down telepathic probes). Betsy sifted through Jacen's most recent memories as he warned, It's not pretty, even for the Vong.

    ~I'm grateful for the warning, Jacen, but I'm a big girl,~ Betsy sent back, nevertheless steeling herself. She'd helped raid shaper damuteks on various Vong-held worlds earlier in the war, and torture grottoes and sacrificial temples - and before that, she'd been an X-Man, facing anti-mutant bigotry.

    Nevertheless, the sheer torment to which Jacen had been subjected, as well as the multiple challenges to his belief system - losing Force-access, Vergere's mind-games, the slavery aboard the World Brain's vessel - shook the older Jedi; Jacen was harder, but in a resilient way, not brutalized. He was stable, and if there were any Force-compulsions driving him, they were either buried or awaiting triggers - for right now, Jacen seemed safe to bring home.

    And made of sterner stuff than we ever credited him for, Betsy reflected, as she hugged Jacen and left his mind. "I'm so sorry," Betsy whispered.

    "Thank you. Is - how's Jaina doing? And Mom, Dad, Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara, and their kids?" Jacen asked, leaning back and wiping his eyes.

    Ganner made a rather nervous noise, drawing Betsy's glare and Vergere's suspicious glance, but Betsy interrupted. "Jaina's recuperating - she'll be delighted to see you, as will your parents and the others," she said, deciding it was safe to share her other major news. "And -"

    "Braddock. You are making a terrible mistake, attempting to alter what must take place. Jacen's training is not yet complete," Vergere interrupted.

    Betsy scowled back at the Fosh, then glanced at Jacen and psi-asked, ~You didn't throttle her - I don't trust her, but can she come with us safely?~

    Jacen sighed aloud, resignation and a seemingly-incongruous flicker of gratitude rolling through his thoughts as he recalled Vergere's treatment of him. She's annoying, and she hurt me as much as she helped me ... but I'd rather NRI have her than let the Vong torment her for helping me escape, he replied.

    Betsy nodded, then did one quick, deep probe of Jacen's thoughts - nothing overly violating, but a check of her suspicions - and turned to Vergere.

    "Walk with me. And don't worry about the warriors; these Shamed Ones are more than able to give us enough warning to head for cover if the Master Shaper's hunting neks get too close," Betsy ordered, refusing to give the Fosh a choice about whether this discussion was going to take place.

    Vergere merely cocked her head, nodded to Jacen, and took a few steps with Betsy, who examined the Fosh's head-feathers. They shifted color every so often, but seemed to hover around green - but when they were purple, they reminded Betsy of another manipulative not-quite-ally she recalled.

    "I don't expect you to either consider me a real threat or fully cooperate, but unless you somehow have leverage over Ch'Gang Hool - which, I fully admit, is possible - then you're likely on the outs with the Vong hierarchy for helping Jacen escape. So, if for no other reason than your own labyrinthian plans, or more basely, your survival, at least be realistic enough to hear me out," Betsy started, locking eyes with Vergere and crossing her arms.

    The Fosh nodded, the corners of her mouth twitching a bit. "How very ... practical you are, Elizabeth Braddock," she - praised?

    "I'll take that as a compliment. You've likely determined that I sensed the depth of Jacen's Vongsense connection to - let's call it Yuuzhan'tar, for the sake of saving time," Betsy conceded. "You've somehow psychically linked him to the World Brain, correct? And if he develops that connection fully ...?"

    Vergere gave her a quick, open smile, but it shifted back to that half-smirk - still, respect was visible in the Fosh's eyes, even if her mind remained shuttered. "He is developing faster than I had anticipated, but yes," she replied. "If we can get him to it, he can influence the World Brain directly ... inspire it."

    Betsy raised an eyebrow at the phrasing, and allowed herself to lean back against a moss-covered outcropping - she glanced at Jacen, who was chatting animatedly with Ganner and some of the Shamed Ones, and she was glad to see the reunion seemed to be going well.

    "So," she continued, turning back to Vergere, "we have a key to the control mechanism over Yuuzhan'tar's shaping. How do you intend to turn said key?"

    Vergere half-closed her eyes and shrugged. "Jacen is, and remains, his own entity. I merely exist to guide him ... hopefully, to promote life," she said.

    Betsy nodded; she'd suspected Vergere was hardly aiming for some masterstroke against the Vong. "Frustrate their efforts until we can rally and retake the planet," she divined, drawing another honest - if brief - smile from the Fosh.

    "You are a mind-reader," Vergere quipped. She grew serious, then, and added, "Your small resistance will not be enough to breach the Well. I have -"

    "A plan? Well, I have a teleporting bantha. All we need is a mental impression of the Well's interior and I can handle transmitting the target to Bangor," Betsy said, deciding it was past time to reveal her sabaac skifter.

    Vergere's eyebrow-feathers rose, and Betsy grinned as they walked - and she extended a flicker of telepathy to summon her last surprise for Jacen.

    "The bantha you and Riina - Tahiri - saved from - Spiral, was that the witch's name? - months ago?" the Fosh asked, as the ground shifted.

    Jacen looked saddened at that, but Betsy gently clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Myrkr was awful, Jacen, but you made it - and you weren't alone."

    Surprise, then happy realization, crossed his face, and Ganner managed a smile as an energetic blonde leapt from the hatch, hugging Jacen.

    "I'm really glad you're alive," Tahiri said, returning Jacen's grin before glancing suspiciously at Vergere - then, the Tatooine-born girl added, "And ... dummy?"

    Betsy steeled herself - Jacen could, at least, have had some hope of Tahiri's survival, but most of the other Jedi had felt Anakin's near-death.

    So, when the youngest Solobrat popped up out of the tunnel to the Shamed Ones' field camp, Jacen's reaction was hardly surprising - he turned ashen, understandable shock, suspicion, and disbelief filling him as he and Anakin clasped wrists.

    "Sorry for the scare, Jasa. 'Ri and Bangor managed to pull me out ... I felt you - well, I'm just glad - y'know," Anakin said, fighting back tears.

    "A - a -" Jacen stammered, his color returning as he realized his brother was solid, NOT a Force-ghost or a delusion, and they slowly smiled.

    What intrigued - and infuriated - Betsy was Vergere's reaction. The Fosh's beak literally dropped a bit, clacking shut as her head-feathers greyed.

    "All - ALL - that EFFORT. And - now - here we are," she said, some color returning to her head-crest while she glanced at Tahiri - and Betsy gasped.

    "YOU!" she growled, whirling on Vergere - it all made perverse sense, now that the pieces had made it this far across the board - as the others blinked.

    Vergere didn't even try to deny it; she did, at least, have a flicker of remorse in her expression (or maybe Betsy imagined it) as she said, "Yes. I was there."

    "What, at Myrkr? We saw Vergere there, Betsy," Anakin said, but the elder Jedi merely nodded at him before meeting and holding Vergere's gaze.

    "No, young Solo - my compliments on your survival, difficult as it makes things," Vegere back-handedly complimented. "Knight Braddock means Yavin."

    Horrified realization swept over Anakin and Tahiri, while Ganner went pale and Jacen growled, "You were INVOLVED with Tahiri's shaping!?"

    "Not directly, but it was to serve a larger end," Vergere replied, sounding more and more exhausted. "Regrettable, but -"

    "No. You can't trust her - you were right, Betsy, we have to leave now. I won't ask Tahiri to spend a moment near that treacherous - witch," Anakin spat, hugging Tahiri as she swayed. Betsy worried for the girl for a moment, until Tahiri managed to find her center.

    Vergere drew herself high, jabbing a finger toward Anakin, and said, "Feel your anger, young Solo, but know that your reckless attachment risks everything you have suffered and fought for. Jacen is on the brink of possibly dealing a crippling blow to the Yuuzhan Vong, if he will but embrace his -"

    "SHUT UP!" Jacen - raged, was really the only descriptor that did his sheer fury justice as he gritted his teeth and balled his fists, his veins throbbing.

    A slow, rumbling ripple in the Force - long-banked power breaking through a dam - warned Betsy, and she prepared her psychic knife, just in case.

    Vergere sighed, but remained silent as Jacen stomped near her, ranting, "One - ONE - good deed in saving Mara doesn't justify the - the torment you put me and Tahiri through! Maybe I did need to toughen up, to face my inaction, but Tahiri did nothing to earn your - we're SENTIENTS, not PAWNS!"

    His eyes rippled with - rainbows? Betsy worried - and a moment later, the moss rippled around them, changing colors, while the Shamed Ones gasped.

    One of them nearest Betsy whispered, "He is a new Supreme Overlord! Look at his gaze - no, don't, it's too terrible to stare upon!"

    What in the name of ... ? Betsy worried, sensing Jacen's emotions peak - and Anakin, Tahiri, and Ganner all did the same, waving the Shamed Ones back.

    Vergere still looked damnably calm, holding out a hand, and said, "Here we all are, then, Jacen. Once again, you can choose who you are. What you are."

    Betsy looked at her as if she were insane - with Vergere, it was really rather hard to tell, even when she made sense - and Jacen ... howled.

    Oh, dear, she thought, shielding herself as best she could as the Force scream blasted out of Jacen, rapidly followed by a radial telekinetic shockwave.

    By that point, everyone had managed to find some makeshift cover - mercifully, Betsy could sense nobody was dead, although there were some wounded. She spared a glance up from above the durasteel pile she'd ducked behind with some of the Shamed Ones, and cringed at the sight before her.

    The ground where Jacen stood was blackened, still crackling with dark-side energies, while he stood, horror-struck ... his hands around Vergere's neck.

    Jacen released her, stumbling backward, his shame and fear rippling through the Force - he had it back, at least - as Vergere coughed.

    "Well ... not quite productive, but we have arrived," the Fosh managed, weeping and using her tears to heal her burns and bruises. "As has the Executor."

    WHAT!? Betsy fumed, risking a psi-scan - yes, the oily noxiousness of the skull-faced Vong entering the clearing was all real, and familiar.

    Nom Anor and a dozen Vong warriors approached cautiously, and Anor gibbered some rapid-fire nonsense about Jacen being a god or something.

    Then, he held out Jacen's lightsaber, and the young man extended a hand toward it, glancing with frustration toward Vergere - and thinking, Betsy?

    ~Your play, Jacen dear. We can take them by surprise, but if we stealthed after you and Anor falls for it ...?~ Betsy replied via telepathy.

    Jacen managed a mental smile; his lessons in deception, learned at his mother's knee, managed to fool the Vong as he seemed to agree with Anor.

    Vergere looked somewhat - relieved wasn't quite the right term, Betsy thought, but the Fosh nodded as she glanced toward the telepath. Anakin and Tahiri radiated outrage, but held their positions as Betsy psi-called, ~Follow, but do NOT engage. We have an opening here.~

    ~Now, we just have to play the sabaac hand we've been dealt.~

    ************************

    - to be continued ...
     
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  25. Onderon1

    Onderon1 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2008
    A/N: Unfortunately, another short update here - I've been rather I-)today ... [face_blush]

    But, the end nears... ;)

    *************************************
    Chapter 16: Blasphemers Abroad:
    27.4 ABY: Coruscant/Yuuzhan'tar:
    *************************************

    The problem really was, Anakin figured, that they were making this up as they went along - which had not worked at Myrkr.

    I'm sure Betsy remembers that, dummy. Force knows I remember it. But if we act too soon, things go to pieces, Tahiri thought along the bond - this close, it was clear as a Mon Cal ocean, none of the usual lack of clarity that Force telepathy so often had.

    Anakin squeezed her hand; they were keeping close to the shadows as the afternoon drew on, getting closer to the Well and the World Brain. I just want to get my big brother back and get out of here, 'Ri, he thought, smiling sadly - to be this close to fixing, even some, of what went wrong on the Myrkr mission ...

    But it's bigger than just me fixing my foul-ups, Anakin recognized, too. They'd built something, this past month - organized the Shamed Ones, gained valuable intelligence into what the Vong elite were doing ... and if they risked losing the chance to build even more on it, who knew if they'd get another chance?

    ~I'm glad we came to the same thought, Anakin,~ Betsy 'pathed, grim determination evident in her mental tone. ~I've a plan, but you won't like it much.~

    Anakin blinked as the older Jedi shared her idea with him and Tahiri, but the blonde girl held onto Anakin's hand more tightly as he fought back his protest. You're right - I DON'T like it, the youngest Solobrat fumed, meeting Tahiri's gaze and holding onto her support and caring.

    But ... you're right. We can't throw away everything we've worked to achieve, not yet. So - what do we do?

    ~Get back undercover and await contact from us, Borleais or another resistance cell. Ganner and I came here to exfiltrate at least one Solo,~ Betsy replied.

    Anakin could almost hear her smirk as she cut off the link with a supportive, ~And we're going to fulfill our mission, no matter how chaotic it gets ...~

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

    Betsy nodded as she sensed Anakin and Tahiri head for cover, and she met Ganner's glance while he caught up with her. OK, so Hero Boy and his girlfriend are safe. Two Jedi against an honor guard of Vong warriors, plus stang knows how many others and the Well's defenses, seems ... unwise, to be VERY sarcastic, Ganner thought at Betsy, knowing she'd detect his diatribe.

    Betsy shrugged noncomittally - she was keeping her skifter closer to her chest, since the fewer who knew what was going on, the less the Vong could torture said details out of captives. ~Fair enough. From chatting with Vergere, however, we don't need to destroy things, just get close enough to let Jacen have a few minutes with the World Brain. After that, we just have to stay alive and escape,~ she sent, preparing herself for Ganner's likely snort of frustration.

    She wasn't disappointed - he did snort, rolling his eyes, and thought, Oh, THAT's brilliant. Your telepathy's impressive, but even you can't mind-kriff thousands of Vong, especially that close to the World Brain. If it's a super-yammosk, won't it just mess with your powers?

    She nodded; the psi-static being thrown off by the dhuryam was making her contact with Jacen difficult to maintain, at best. As it was, she was able to maintain a silent conversation with Ganner fairly easily, but that was mostly due to his proximity. ~It already is limiting my range,~ Betsy admitted.

    ~So, we need a stalking burdok, to use a term you're familiar with - a distraction. And since Jacen is the one we need to get to the Brain ...~

    Ganner looked at Betsy, sighed - and handed her his lightsaber, shaking his head. DON'T give me any noise; you're the indispensable one, he thought.

    With that, he stood, his hands raised high, and Betsy facepalmed as Ganner shouted, "I - ah, surrender! For the glory of the god that is Jacen Solo!"

    Seriously, Ganner? Betsy thought, reinforcing her projection of "look-past" so that any warriors who raced to capture Ganner missed her.

    There was a gravity about him, though, that made Betsy wonder if Ganner was less showboating, or ... oh.

    Rhysode, you absolute IDIOT! the telepath fumed, watching as two Yuuzhan Vong warriors dragged him over to Jacen, Vergere, and Nom Anor.

    Self-sacrifice only makes sense when it's not tied to a possible actual sacrifice to a giant planet-controlling piece of killer tatsushi!

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

    Jacen was - aghast, to say the least; he was still trying to figure out how to convince Nom Anor to accept his "conversion" to the "True Way." Ganner throwing himself to the neks wasn't something he had either requested or expected.

    For his part, the executor looked giddy - or, at least felt that way, via Jacen's Vongsense. "A convert and a sacrifice ..." he mused, tapping his fingers.

    "Well? If there was ever a sign from the Yun'o that the time for consecration is right, it would be two Jeedai falling into your lap," Jacen pressed.

    Vergere looked almost as doubting as Betsy sounded in Jacen's head. ~Try not to sell it TOO hard, Jacen. Anor's not stupid,~ she advised.

    Believe me, I know. Just be ready to move, Jacen thought back, keeping it short - who knew what telepathic resources the Vong had here?

    Anor did look mistrustful - or maybe that was just his general hideousness - but nodded, waving the guards forward who were holding Ganner. "You ... the leader of the butchery that you performed against the voxyn at Myrkr. How did you get here? And why would you so readily accept the True Way?" he accused, leaning toward Ganner.

    Jacen didn't blame Ganner for swallowing; Anor's left eye was, in fact, a plaeryn bol, a Vong biot capable of hurling a horrible poison at a target - or drenching them with the toxin at closer range. "I - I've been thinking about my - failure to keep Jacen's brother, Anakin Solo, alive. I - I saw the futility of fighting the inevitable," he said, sounding ... broken.

    There was something more, though, Jacen realized. Ganner did sound ... guilt-ridden, and he felt miserable through the Force - ashamed, for some reason.

    Later, Solo. Play the hand you have, he thought, glancing at Vergere, then Nom Anor, who slowly nodded.

    "Well, then. I don't know that Ch'Gang Hool is ready for the proper consecration ceremony ... but nobody can deny the potency of a willing Jeedai sacrifice," the executor finally agreed, waving them forward.

    "Jacen Solo, ask the World Brain to prepare for an ... entree', I think the uhmaan word is?"

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

    Betsy tried not to vomit - she'd feared Anor might take the direct route, but she certainly didn't want to risk Ganner so blatantly.

    She whispered a few words into her comlink - the extraction was going to have a very narrow window - and drew her telepathic illusion of non-existence tight about her as she followed Anor's party closer and closer to the Well. The plaza around the former Senate was filled with thorn bushes, of all things, as well as checkpoints and what looked like a ring of dovin basals around the yorik-kul coral shell being grown to encase the World Brain.

    Don't let the thorns scratch you. As it is, they're each laden with a potent neurotoxin; fully grown, the venom would be enough to ruin your nervous system, Betsy "heard" along her psi-link to Jacen. It was the one mindlink she could maintain with the growing psi-static from the World Brain - shielding herself from the dhuryam was taking most of her reserves.

    ~Thanks. How did you learn that delightful tidbit?~ she called, keeping as close as she could to the knot of Vong, humans, and Fosh.

    The World Brain told me. It's still cranky about how I ... tried to kill it before worldfall, so it's taking a delight in tormenting me with my ineffectuality, Jacen sent, mildly embarrassed. But I've grown up a lot since then. All I need to do is chat with it.

    ~Let's hope you can sell it on your ideas as well as you did Anor,~ Betsy replied, shielding herself as she caught up with Anor's sacrificial party. There were several exchanges in rapid-fire Yuuzhan Vong between Anor, Jacen, the doubtful-looking shapers, and some of the warriors.

    Finally, one of the shapers shook his head, but nodded - and the portal to the inner Well slid apart, making an unsettling shlurping noise -

    and Betsy held her breath as Anor handed Jacen another lightsaber, one she, Jacen, and Ganner recognized - Anakin Solo's lambent-saber.

    "To perform the sacrifice, of course. Once you bloody your brother's weapon in sacred use, you will prove your conversion," Anor said, clearly amused.

    "Of course," Jacen replied, not skipping a beat.

    And with that, he walked Ganner into the Well, nodding for Vergere to follow, and Betsy managed to slip past the Vong.

    The air was thick with a sulfurous stench, while glowbugs illuminated the walkways. Below them, in the former Grand Convocation Chamber, lumpen heaps of bronzium and other precious metals marked what had been former statues representing member species of the New Republic. The repulsorlift-laden Senatorial pods were wrecked, hanging from their various spots in the walls.

    And below, writhing in a pool of noxious, glowing liquid, was an enormous, black-tentacled, one-eyed nightmare.

    It rumbled, its displeasure and suspicion quite obvious, while Betsy dropped her mental illusion - the World Brain would, quite simply, either ignore it or crush her already-overtaxed mindshield, and Betsy needed to be ready to fight - and asked Jacen, "Are you sure about this? You're taking a mad risk."

    He just smiled, nodding as he replied, "I know. But I have to finish this before we leave. What I need from you ... hold the line a bit longer, please."

    "She needs to live - to get you out of here," Ganner interrupted - then, he blinked as Jacen handed him Anakin's lightsaber. "I can't - !"

    Betsy blinked as the Force flashed around, over, and through her - and she knew, finally, what had to be done.

    History had to be changed - she'd accidentally altered the course of events by saving Chewbacca at Sernpidal, 2 years earlier.

    There'd been more tiny shifts in the timeline, which had rippled out to lead to Tahiri being able to save Anakin at Myrkr - and now, on Kashyyyk, Jaina waited.

    Betsy grabbed Ganner's upper arm, held his eyes, and said, "You have to live, also. Just - hold them for 5 more minutes. Stand, Ganner - we'll catch you."

    He tried to stand a bit taller, nodded at Vergere, clasped Jacen's offered forearm, and ran for the portal, while Jacen let the World Brain reach for him.

    Betsy repressed an instinctive shudder as the World Brain's tentacles enfolded Jacen and the dhuryam rumbled, dragging the young man toward it.

    "What did you see? I could tell you had a Force-vision," Vergere asked, watching as Betsy prepared her lightsaber and Ganner's.

    The telepath weighed what to tell Vergere - Betsy wasn't entirely sure how much she should reveal, at least not until they'd escaped (if they did).

    "You won't like it," Betsy teased, grinning. She grew more serious, adding, "You want a lightsaber? If those warriors get this far -"

    Somehow, she was hardly surprised when Vergere produced Jacen's lightsaber from within her robes, the verdant blade's light clashing with her feathers.

    The Fosh just nodded, deactivating the 'saber, and glanced at where the World Brain pulled Jacen beneath the liquid in the Well.

    "I have found," Vergere said in an extremely wry tone, "that you have a way of making events fall into place despite my wishes. For once, our goals align."

    "Now, let us see what our respective students - for, despite his Knighthood, Rhysode is learning from you - have gleaned from our lessons, yes?"

    *****************************

    - to be continued ...