Beyond - Legends The Value of Sacrifice- part II -AU- Solos/Fels, Kyp, Zekk, OCs...Thrawn-clone?! - complete 2/12

Man you ARE freaking out about this, aren't you?

If I were Lexi, who would I kill (aside from every GOP frontrunner)?

Yeah, let's not go there.

I'm fairly certain you made a comment about the AU to your AU being invalid fairly early in my story before I even mentioned Leyla, so that makes me think she's out.

In all fairness:
1) I said months ago that my-AU-Kyp would NOT be father to triplets. And when I wrote the triplet one-shot, I specifically did it in such a way that Gennevi's role was ambiguous, if implied. YOU carried it into a branch of this AU, not me.
2) Your AU of my AU could be invalidated in other ways- perhaps Zeltros will be blown up in the epilogue- R&R would be impossible because that's where they vacationed.
3) Or maybe I'll just kill Kyp.

oh man, I'm giving you ideas aren't I? Forget everything I just said. These aren't the droid you're looking for!

Yes, yes you ARE giving me ideas- but sadly, as I've already vowed that this story is the end of this AU (save for any future collaboration with your AU-AU offshoot), if it isn't already in THIS story, I guess it won't be happening.
(besides, that story would be a little too similar to New Beginnings, even if Jag wasn't really dead- so I guess I could still kill Kyp, but at least you know Gennevi wouldn't be pregnant if it happened...)

You REALLY hate me, don't you?

 

A/N: A surprise treat for... uh... the last day of January, thanks to LoriLynn who sent me, not only the 5 X-wing books I lent her, but an Obi-wan pez dispenser!
(for the record, that's prequel Obi-wan, not Alec Obi-wan; furthermore for the record, as much as I generally detest the prequel movies, Obi-wan rocks and, more to the point, Ewan McGregor is just awesome)
(actually, come to think of it... it's probably Clone Wars Obi-wan, but as I've never watched those, we'll just stick with prequel movie Obi-wan)
Right, and because there was a point to this ramble- the surprise treat, in honor of my pez dispenser, is that there will, in fact, be TWO updates today. This one, obviously, and another in about 6 hours. Crazy, I know. But Lori begged.



Chapter 25

Csilla

A red light was flashing on the alien control board; hesitating a moment, she depressed the button below it and found herself inundated with a steady stream of Cheunh warnings, and she struggled to make sense of the fast speech. Pressing what she assumed to be the transmit button, she leaned over the speaker and spoke in basic and then awkwardly repeated in Cheunh. ?This is Jedi Leyla Solo-Fel, I have secured the hostile freighter and the pathogen, please acknowledge.?

There was a pause, and then a heavily-accented basic rang out, the same voice of the commander, Na?czin. ?We were of the impression that Syndic Csun?abr?inrokini flew alone.?

?He misled you,? she said shortly. ?And now he?s dead.?

A longer pause greeted that statement. ?How?? the voice grew sharper.

?We were too late to stop the release of the pathogen but, for now, it is contained inside the vessel. I do not yet know if I am affected, but I need to get this ship off-planet to ensure that it is not released into your atmosphere.?

?To go where??

She swallowed thickly. ?Nowhere,? she spoke faintly. ?Just far enough away so that when you destroy the freighter, the pathogen will die with the vacuum.?

The ensuing silence was the longest yet, and then a new voice, more practiced with basic than the previous one, spoke to her. ?This is Aristocra Adr?igi?sabosen; with whom am I speaking??

?Jedi Knight Leyla Solo-Fel.?

?Fel?? he hesitated. ?You? are the granddaughter of Soontir Fel.?

?Yes.?

?And you offer your life to keep this substance contained??

She bit back a huff of frustration. They were wasting time. ?Aristocra, I have no choice,? she bit. ?I have an hour of oxygen and then, after that, I have to assume that the pathogen will mutate and mold itself to a human immune system; it is not so very different from a chiss?s. So in less than that hour, I need to ensure that this all was not for naught. And you can either help me do it my way, or force me to find the self-destruct protocols and risk contaminating your planet by doing it here.?

The voice sounded a bit strange. ?What do you need??

?A language interface transmitted to me,? she replied immediately. ?I don?t understand Ithorese. Basic if you have it- if not, Cheunh will suffice.?

?You will have it shortly. Is there anything else?? But she couldn?t respond, and leaned heavily against the pilot?s seat, throat tight and uncooperative. ?Jedi Solo-Fel, if there is anyone we can help you locate? family???

?No,? she gasped in a strangled voice. ?No. I- it is better this way.?

?They will know how you died,? the voice assured her briskly, a layer of respect now present that had not been in his voice at first. ?And Csilla will forever be in your debt, and that of the syndic.?

A long sigh escaped her; again, she regretted the impossible last request from Nabrin. ?Thank you,? she whispered.

X---X---X---X

The rise above the planet was eerie, and Leyla found herself in a calm state of acceptance, after the initial distress of her situation. But Nabrin was right- a meaningful death was better than a worthless one, and to go willingly to hers in the effort to save a planetful of beings- even beings who had shunned her and her family- it wasn?t such

 

thanks to LoriLynn who sent me, not only the 5 X-wing books I lent her, but an Obi-wan pez dispenser!
I love that you were so happy about that. I spotted it and knew I just had to buy it for you

But Lori begged.
I've found that begging works for me. I got Kyp fathering triplets out of begging, and a double update!

So happy Leyla is out of the woods...so to speak!

How long till the next one?

 

Chapter 26

Imperial Space ? The Trucemaker

The call for Admiral Reige came through from Admiral Nhylatich who had long since returned with elements of the Home Fleet back to Bastion; Reige, in turn, relayed the information to Admiral Darklighter, who excused himself from the ongoing talks between Reige, Spa?rein and Tsel?oru?nuruodo, Lord Viholn of Senex, Traest Kre?fey, Jai Venn of Sullust and Sorosuub, and Darklighter himself. An eclectic bunch, to be sure, and lacking in representation from the Empire of the Hand, as none were willing to sit down in Captain Fel?s place, but the pieces of the puzzle were slowly being filled in- much to the horror of all who were present.

It did not take long for the summoned group to appear, and they wasted no time on pleasantries. There was tension in all of their faces, but it was Jag who was- uncharacteristically- most impassioned. ?Any word on what became of The Hand?? he demanded almost immediately.

Darklighter nodded slowly, drawing the four of them to a semi-private corner of the bridge, taking in the expressions ranging from concern to frustration in the four pairs of eyes of the Fels and Durrons. ?She?s just turned up at Bastion,? he informed them. ?Captain Fel reports that Leyla is with them.?

Jaina scowled expectantly. ?That?s it??

?Not? exactly,? he fought from wincing. ?He also reports that she is being transferred to the med center in the Imperial Palace for some? specialized medical attention.?

?For what?? Kyp asked sharply.

He shrugged a bit helplessly. ?The specialized treatment is, purportedly, for acoustic trauma in both ears; he did not elaborate. Furthermore, she has been undergoing treatment aboard The Hand after suffering moderate hypothermic shock following a brief but damaging duration of exposure to the planet of Csilla.?

?Csilla,? Jag murmured. ?What in blazes was Leyla doing on Csilla??

The admiral frowned and shook his head. ?According to your brother- winning the silent war.?

X---X---X---X

Imperial Palace ? Bastion

Less than three hours later, Jag, Jaina, Kyp, and Gennevi were being escorted through immaculate halls of the impressive structure of the Remnant?s seat of government. It was a winding route to the med center which lay near the middle of the palace, and the unfamiliarity of her surroundings made Jaina anxious. She supposed though that they would have to get used to it, since Nhylatich had arranged temporary accommodations for the four of them at least for the duration of Leyla?s recovery- possibly longer, given that the peace-talks were being formally relocated to Bastion as the commanders in question got their forces? repairs affected and the like. Which meant that the Coruscant-based GA government would be sending representatives, as well as the Jedi.

Their guide, a humorless young man in a starched grey uniform, waved an identichip before the sensor outside a wide, official-looking doorway; it slid open, admitting them into the ward beyond, and that was when Jaina realized that Leyla was being treated in a private wing. She wondered if that was a courtesy, a necessity, or a precaution, though a precaution from what, she could not say.

She could sense her daughter?s unconscious form, knew which room she was in before the guide stopped there, and waited impatiently as he handed access cards to Jag and Kyp with codes to get them into their temporary quarters, as well as access back into the med ward. ?The medics will be along shortly,? he informed them stiltedly and, with a nod, disappeared as they entered the room.

Leyla looked tiny in the hospital bed. Her face was pale, and a nasal cannula rested beneath her nose, the tubes extending over and behind her ears, both of which were bandaged over completely. A drip line ran to her right inner forearm which was the only part of her body visible beneath a heavy thermal blanket.

And in a chair along the wall beside the bed was Cem. He looked utterly exhausted, and when he glanced up and registered their presences, if possible, he lo

 

And after all of that, I can't help but think: Where is Vulcor? Surely he's relieved that she is alive. Though he probably doesn't even know how close she came to dying. Can't wait to read about that reunion. I know...shameless

Since we still have five chapters and an epilogue to go, I haven't ruled out you killing someone yet. It could still be lurking out there somewhere. Death is a sneaky little thing

 

A/N: Lori: I'm somewhat surprised to hear you say that, after the snippet I sent you with Vulcor and Luke a few weeks ago. And yes, death is a sneaky thing- guess we'll see what happens!



Chapter 27

Bastion

She was toweling off her hair after a much-needed sanisteam when the expected knock finally sounded on the door of her temporary quarters. Hastily throwing on the tan jumpsuit that currently comprised her entire wardrobe, save the black flightsuit she?d been wearing prior to her medical care, Leyla slipped into the small sitting room of the two-room suite and slapped the door release; it slid open to reveal Cem standing tall and looking, much to her surprise, mildly? apprehensive. Almost nervous.

She stepped aside and waved him in. The door slid shut behind him, but he hovered in the doorway and took in her damp and disheveled state. ?I can come later, if I?ve caught you at a bad time.?

?No,? Leyla shook her head, ?please. This can?t really wait.?

Cem nodded and settled himself in an armchair, and watched her quietly as she harshly rubbed down her hair before tossing the towel aside and setting about pulling the unruly dark mass into a messy braid that would at least keep it out of her way. As she pulled her hair off of her neck though, his eyes lingered on the slowly fading bruises and she felt a wave of sadness from him that did not even remotely register on his face or physical bearing. ?You?re looking much better than when I last saw you,? he finally offered.

She shrugged uneasily. ?The hypothermia was the biggest thing, and the Emdees here say you had that pretty well taken care of before I even got here. The aural repair was a fairly simple procedure.? His eyes again swept across the dark marks visible above the collar of her outfit, but he did not comment further on her injuries. ?Cem, I need to know what he plans, now that the crisis is past.?

There wasn?t even the briefest moment of confusion, no questions were asked- Cem knew exactly what she meant. ?There are no more plans,? he assured her after a momentary pause. ?He devoted his lifetime- this lifetime- to the mess created by Alpha Red.?

?But now that it?s done,? she pressed, ?what will he do? Where is he now??

Her uncle sat back and compressed his lips into a thin line. ?I don?t know.? She stared. ?He spoke of a last errand with Talon Karrde, said to expect his return to The Hand in about a week.? He sighed at her look of frustration. ?Leyla, I know you do not trust him fully- perhaps not at all- but he is not after any sort of galactic domination. He knows well enough that more problems would be created than solved, should the truth of his existence come to light. Believe me when I tell you that the scheming is done; he accomplished what he set out for.?

She looked uncertainly around the room for a moment, biting her lip. It wasn?t enough; Cem had to know it wasn?t enough. At the very least, she needed to see Thrawn again, but what would that accomplish, save to leave her in the same fog of confused skepticism in which her encounters with the clone usually left her?

One week until he would supposedly return from his mystery trip. Leyla sighed- she wanted nothing more than to get away from Bastion, away from military commanders, politicians, foreign dignitaries? all of whom were probably annoyed with her at best, more likely irate at the way she?d managed to step on most of their toes in the past few days.

There were all kinds of personal matters for her to deal with, on top of it all. She owed endless apologies to nearly every one of her family members and especially to Jacen, Luke, and Mara. She needed to speak with Ta?yen before he headed back to the Senex Sector, thank him for putting everything on the line for the Alliance, and find out if there was anything she could do to repay him. She?d have to make sure that Fyaru, Taseek, Yilina, and Damala made it off of Coruscant without incident, and find out what happened to Ghent as well.

And then there was Vulcor, w

 

Chapter 28

Bastion

Leyla did her best to relax more over the next couple of days. She wasn?t summoned for any further discussions with the Leadership Council, she managed a semi-regular routine which kept all of her parents happy but still left her plenty of time to sit alone and think and meditate, and she even agreed to accompany Syal and Wynssa on a shopping trip in the city of Ravelin while Jaina and Jag babysat for Ashlin.

Based on the look on her mother?s face as she sat down to play with the giggling one-year-old, Leyla half-expected to return and find out that her parents had decided it was time for child number three.

The trip out was actually productive; she?d been going through the same few sets of clothing and, since it looked like she was stuck on Bastion for at least the next several days, it seemed prudent to acquire something to wear besides the same black flightsuit, tan jumpsuit, and single set of Jedi-like tunic and robe which Mara had brought for her. And the heavy black boots she?d worn with her flightsuit- the first order of business was finding a more comfortable shoe for day-to-day wear around the palace. She was tired of feeling like she was always heading into battle.

Syal Antilles Fel, ever the regal Holostar, tried to get her into some formal gowns. Leyla smiled politely, obliged once, and then promptly put her foot down for subsequent attempts, after the absurd experience of lacing the thing up the back for five minutes- not to mention that it was ridiculously expensive anyway. Maybe she took after her mother in that regard more than she thought.

The three of them had an early dinner at a chic little restaurant in the city before returning to the palace where, based on the look of exhaustion on her father?s face, her parents had not decided that any more children were a necessary component of the Fel family.

Leyla was preparing to head back up to her own quarters when Jaina held up a finger to stop her. ?Actually, Mara?s asked if all of the Jedi currently in the palace could get together for a little powwow, figure out what?s happening while Luke is stuck here with the Council, that sort of thing.?

And so she found herself saying a quick goodbye to Jag and Naviin and trailing dutifully after her mother, who seemed to have a better grasp of the layout of the palace than she did and led them through several corridors, down five levels in a turbolift, and across an enclosed walkway over an elaborate garden courtyard before finally reaching the correct room. It wasn?t locked, and a simple wave of her hand in front of the sensor admitted them to a large and open, functional space with a round table big enough to seat about twenty people.

They wouldn?t have that many, Leyla supposed, but a fair few; more than her initial estimates guessed, actually, considering the first person she saw in the room was Taseek. Apparently Mara- or Zekk, perhaps- had extended the invitation to the Hand Knights as well.

The young chiss smiled slyly at her. ?Ever in the thick of things,? he commented to her.

She offered him a sardonic shrug. ?Believe me, I?m just waiting for the word and I?ll be on my way back to my own bed on Coruscant.? The two hovered back by the door while Jaina went to go take count of who was already present. ?You and Damala doing alright??

?We are thriving in our role as the two beings who manage to fit in exactly nowhere.? It was said entirely without bitterness or malice, but Leyla shook her head, confused. ?The Ascendancy does not know what to make of us,? he elaborated. ?It has never had the slightest interest in identifying and training Jedi.?

Her answer was cut short as she caught a brief wave of surprise from her mother, followed by a half-unsure, half-bemused question. ?Zekk, do you realize you have a child sitting on your lap?? Leyla whirled around in surprise, not having even noticed the tall, dark-haired Jedi when she walked in. ?Did you kidnap some poor kid off the streets of Ravelin??

Olyxes giggled and turned to look at Jaina; and

 

YES!!! WOOOHOOO!!! *Ewok happy dance!*

I can't believe you gave me the fake out by only sending me half that scene! Tricky tricky Alex! That was not nice!

And now the obligatory apology: I apologize for ever doubting your awesomeness. I should know by now that I will never be able to understand nor predict your creative genius (but hopefully I will still be able to affect it with shameless begging ) I will never question your motives again (lie #1) nor will I ever accuse you of being mean (lie #2).

In short....love you!

P.S.
I LOVED the way that Jaina was introduced to Olly. Not even an introductions just "I gotta run, here entertain him!" lol

 

Chapter 29

Bastion

Vulcor did not rescind his leave of absence, but he didn?t leave Bastion as planned either. Over the course of the next three days, he and Leyla fell into a comfortable companionship that was more about reestablishing the friendship they had once had than anything else. Granted, it might have involved a little more sitting curled up together on the oversized sofa in Leyla?s suite, and quite a bit more kissing when they were parting ways- or, more likely, for no good reason at all- but they did not press their relationship, did not concern themselves with talks of the future or of defining just what that relationship was.

It wasn?t avoidance of the subject- it was part of a strategy which the Fels and Durrons were subscribing to that seemed to center around getting Leyla to relax.

He?d held a reasonably lengthy conversation with Jaina the day after his arrival, mildly uncomfortable through the whole thing since he?d spent the night before with his arms wrapped around her daughter. Jaina was worried about Leyla; they all were. And Vulcor understood more about Leyla?s anxiety than any of them did, except perhaps, Zekk, Tahlia, and Cem, the former two of whom were distracted by their young son, the latter of whom was constantly dealing with matters of his fleet, most of which had returned to Wild Space, or dealing with the Leadership Council.

Fortunately for him, Jaina seemed to have resigned herself to the fact that all of them who had been involved in Cem?s secret war had secrets of their own and amongst one another, things that they just wouldn?t discuss with anyone else. But she was a concerned mother and, just as she had sent Vulcor after Leyla when she was worried for her safety, she was asking him now when she was worried about her head.

Vulcor, in turn, started paying attention to the little things, the little signs that he would have overlooked had they not been spending so much time together. She often fell into long lapses of silence, even when surrounded by family or friends, looking away distractedly and not registering much of anything going on around her; her appetite was lessened, and she had a tendency of picking dully at her food rather than eating it as she brooded.

And then there was the sleeping. That first night, the night she spent in his quarters, he?d woken early the next morning and thought initially that she?d left in the night. Sensing his wakefulness though, she?d called to him from the living area where he found her curled up in an armchair that dwarfed her, feet drawn up under her body, holding a hot mug in both hands, not really even drinking it as she sat in the darkened and quiet room. She?d smiled up at him and joined him on the sofa when he turned on the HoloNet News, dozing lightly again before stirring, yawning, and declaring that she needed to head back up to her own room.

Now, three nights later, he woke in the middle of the night and found her missing, this time from her own bed. He didn?t have to look long- indeed, he didn?t even need to move- as she was sitting on the wide ledge of the huge viewport of her bedroom that overlooked the city of Ravelin, her knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs, staring out into the night at the glowing city lights.

?I think I like Bastion more than Coruscant,? she murmured softly, not needing to turn to know he was awake and watching her. ?On an aesthetic level, anyway.?

?Leyla??

She sighed and leaned her head back against the wall behind her, gaze shifting upwards, as though to look beyond the night sky into space above, where the Imperial Home Fleet continued to orbit? where The Hand continued to orbit. ?He?s back.?

?Are you sure?? She nodded absently, still looking towards the sky. ?How can you tell??

With a shake of her head, she finally turned to look at him, brown eyes tired and wary. ?I don?t know. I just can.?

Tossing the covers away, Vulcor slid out of the bed and crossed over to the window ledge, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders; she leaned side

 

Oh Alex, that ending was as ominous and forboding as ever. Now I will be forced to spend my time wondering what Thrawn wants of Leyla.

Does he want her to take up some political position (not that he really has any sort of authority to give her a position...anywhere)?
Does he want her to train future generations of Chiss Jedi for him so they can grow into a vast army with which he (or yet another Thrawn clone) could use to take over the galaxy?
Does he want her to leave Vulcor and bare his little blue children?

The world may never know...

...or, well I guess we'll know in a few days. That's too long to wait. What do I need to do for another double update?

 

This. I'm not even going to post the rest of the story, you've uncovered the great mystery.

Or... perhaps you'll find out later today.

 

Chapter 30

Bastion

It took three days for Leyla to find an opportunity to journey into orbit without raising awkward questions from her family- primarily, the question of what need she could have to visit The Hand when all of her family were in the palace, not to mention Vulcor, Zekk, Tahlia, Taseek? everyone she could possibly have had an interest in seeing with ties to the Empire of the Hand was already readily accessible to her.

The chance did present itself though in a day when Syd, her aunt Wyn?s husband, was returning from the Home Fleet for a weekend pass at home with his wife and daughter. They invited the rest of the family for a relaxing day away from the Imperial Palace; Leyla regretfully declined, but urged her mother and stepfather to go with Naviin, and even Mara decided to go along for the adventure.

As for Kyp and Gennevi, they had kept suspiciously to themselves over the past week. At first, Leyla wondered if something was wrong with her father and stepmother, but they seemed content enough when she did see them, but they did not make as active an effort to spend time with the Fel and Skywalker clans, and mostly let Leyla come to them when she wanted to be sociable. Which, she reflected a bit guiltily, had been even less frequent since Vulcor had turned up some six days ago now. Nevertheless, they seemed unlikely to notice if she disappeared for a few hours.

Then came the technical element of the problem. As her ship had been thoroughly buried on the abandoned moon of Ithor, she was without her own transportation. Wanting to keep her trip under the radar, it seemed unwise to formally request or rent some means of transportation, even if it was just for a brief jaunt up into orbit, but that problem was solved by Vulcor, whose own Stealth fighter had been sitting in a hangar of the Star Destroyer since his arrival, as he had shuttled down with Olyxes in tow.

And so the day before she planned to enact her scheme, he arranged transportation up to The Hand to retrieve his fighter, which Leyla would, in turn, use to journey back and forth the following day, and anyone who bothered to care about checking the registration and transponder codes would simply assume that he had made the trip. But as Vulcor did not have numerous family members in the palace interested in his doings and whereabouts, the matter was unlikely to be further investigated.

The plan almost worked.

She turned off her comlink before she even left her suite; if anyone did happen to be looking for her, it was an honest enough mistake to miss the call if she turned it off to take a nap. It was mid-morning, a time when people were roaming the palace doing their work, people were coming in and out for meetings. There was a lot of traffic, but much of it in passing, people who wouldn?t know or care who she was, and she blended in with such crowds as she made her way down the busiest corridors on her way to the hangar where Vulcor had left his ship. Her black flightsuit would make her unremarkable to the average observer.

She made her way to the hangar without incident; she walked confidently past dozens of bays, smiled broadly at techs who wouldn?t remember her in another ten minutes anyway, and finally reached the berth where the Stealth craft lay in wait.

There was no astromech unit but she didn?t need one, especially for such a short trip as this. The flight helmet was already inside the cockpit, so she leapt gracefully to the wing of the fighter with the aid of the Force, before a tech could bother to notice her and try to bring a ladder. And as she reached down into the open-canopied cockpit and grabbed the helmet, a voice behind her nearly made her lose her balance and fall.

?Jedi Fel.?

When she was assured of her balance, she whirled and glared- and then started in pleasant surprise and mild confusion to see Yilina and Fyaru standing there watching her. With a resigned sigh, she leapt back down, helmet in hand, and crossed over to the two chiss, smiling lightly. ?You?re back,? she looked them

 

Three things:
1. I had a feeling that Leyla's future was going to entail something like this. I was predicting some sort of proactive role in whatever type of collaborative government that's going to develop in the future. And you know she'll accept cuz she's a Solo/Fel/Durron...they don't walk away from stuff like that.

2. That scene between Leyla and Vulcor was beautiful. Really fitting for the characters and the exorborent amount of time and hassle that they have had to go through to get to this spot. I had planned on asking if I could write and smutty missing scene for this chapter, but I really don't think I want to. At least for that scene. It would ruin the moment.

3. Where exactly are Kyp and Gennevi? I'm starting to get suspicious. The last thing I remember them doing/saying was something about Darklighter and then...they just disappeared. I'm going to assume that they were off making then celebrating the conception of baby Durron. That is an excellent use of their time!

 

In anticipation of tonight final chapter in this Epic, End All Fic....

DUN DUN DUNNNN!!!!!

 

Lori - And you know she'll accept cuz she's a Solo/Fel/Durron...they don't walk away from stuff like that.
A Solo/Fel/Durron? Hell, Leyla's slacking by family standards- what about the Organa side and the... er... Amidala side? A great-grandmother who was queen at 14, a grandmother who was a senator at... 17? 18?... Leyla should be freaking Empress or something. Maybe Wrynn was on to something all those years ago...

A/N: Dun Dun Dunnnn indeed- buckle in for a long final chapter. Note that there IS still an epilogue to come on Sunday. But this is the Part II conclusion.


Chapter 31

The Hand

She woke early the next morning and, after bidding farewell to a sleepy Vulcor, slipped noiselessly through the halls of the palace; first to her room for her flightsuit once more, and then to the hangar to make the trip she had attempted the day prior. As ever, Thrawn was waiting for her, even had someone standing by to direct her to the office just off the bridge that had been primarily utilized by Cem in the course of recent events.

?I?ll accept.? There was just enough of a flicker in Thrawn?s eyes for Leyla to realize that he had honestly been unsure of what course of action she would choose. She garnered a strange sort of pride at doing anything unpredictable to the clone who saw everything. ?But I have two conditions.?

He settled back in his chair, even as she stood straight and tall, posture unforgiving as she prepared to make her demands. Fingers steepled in front of him, he considered her carefully before speaking. ?As you are informing me of such, am I to guess correctly that both conditions are mine to fulfill?? She nodded tersely. ?You wish me to disappear.?

It was silent for a long moment as she struggled for the right words. ?In essence? yes,? she admitted. ?From this part of the galaxy, anyway. You can?t be interfering in affairs here and expect to continue to go unnoticed. The secret is already too open.?

?This was not unexpected,? he acknowledged. ?Such as it is, I have no intentions of abandoning the Unknown Regions. There are yet threats which have gone too long unwatched, since the first collapse of the Hand.?

She looked pained. ?But you can?t do this again,? she insisted. ?No more scheming and manipulating leaders across the galaxy into doing what you want. No more slicing and hacking into highly-encrypted channels to get information. If there?s a matter that requires the attention of the Alliance? get in touch with me. I have faith that you?ll find some creative way of getting my attention,? his lips quirked, ?or have Cem talk to me but? no more espionage.?

?Jedi Solo-Fel, where do you imagine I disappeared to in the week following your recovery over Csilla?? She shook her head; indeed, the question had been weighing on her mind ever since Cem told her he had disappeared in the first place. ?I had a bargain with Master Karrde, made some eight years ago now at the death-bed of a mutual acquaintance? a friend? that he would administer the extensive information network compiled over decades of diligent work; and once the matter of Alpha Red was closed, it would be shut down for good. It is done.?

?And Ghent??

?Has no desire to continue violating the standards of his work, now that the necessity is gone. He will go back to his life of retirement.? Leyla nodded, trying to find any measure of duplicity in the clone before her; there was none. ?And your second term??

She swallowed. This one had been difficult, but she was resolved. ?You owe the truth- the full truth, the real truth- to my father and grandfather. They know about Syndic Nabrin now but they don?t really understand and? they should know why they were imprisoned for nine months. My-? her voice caught, ?my father should know why he nearly lost everything, should know that his wife and unborn son nearly died as a result of his? duty as a Fel; his duty to you, who died when he was just a boy.?

His expression was un

 

Oh we have so much to talk about....

First things first: Baby Durron is a Bothan?!...all right, I'm on board. I was actually thinking about Kyp and Gennevi adopting when you kept saying that she was too old to have kids of her own. But that fact that you made it a Bothan orphan from Torolis...excellent. It was heartwarming and beautiful! Also, loved that Kyp is all nervous about it (and I would LOVE to know what he and Jaina talked about. I'm sure you've already considered-and possibly jotted down tidbits-of a missing scene to fill in that gap)
Also on this note, I find it rather ironic (in a good way) that Gavin would be helping his former lover adopt a Bothan given that another of his former lovers was in fact a Bothan. Perhaps he sees this as the child he and Asyr never had the chance to get? (Or I could just be making wild speculations)

Isn't it fascinating how even grown men revert to bumbling, awkward teenagers when confronted with their girlfriend's father? Let's see how Jag likes being called 'sir' by his daughter's significant other! Something tells me he will be comming Han to apologize for all those 'Sir battles.' And the casual promise of death was a nice touch.

And now for the ending...wow. I honestly can say that I didn't see the name change coming, though it is rather fitting. I always thought that Kyp got the shaft in that particular department (Kyp...shaft....NO! Focus, Lori!) It is rather suiting though, given the changes that Leyla has gone through over the last few weeks and especially given her state of mind in dealing with Thrawn.

And speaking of your favorite blue-skinned hero/villain/sex God ...I really don't think he'll be disappearing for as long as some people would hope. That was a rather ominous comment about dangers lurking in the Unknown Regions. Should you decide to not retire this AU *ducks the incoming punch* that would be a great segway to use. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that you have really brought Thrawn to life for me. I'm sorely tempted to download Outbound Flight right this moment so that I have a little more to draw on.

I think that's all for now. I will be anxiously awaiting the epilogue. And since I have to work all day with Snooki on Sunday, it'll be greatly appreciated!!

 

Epilogue

53 ABY

Coruscant

It was suspiciously quiet.

Padding softly down carpeted corridors in a dark-paneled hallway, Leyla stealthily approached the target door, pulling her presence back, lest those inside be alerted to her coming.

The grey metal door was closed, the control panel on the wall flashing as normal, a red light above the numeric keypad steady as it awaited the proper code sequence to grant admission into the apartment beyond.

But she was a Jedi; and Jedi were not hindered by such mundane, everyday things as access codes and locks. Letting her hand rest lightly against the cool metal of the door, she exerted herself quickly in the Force, felt for the intricate system that connected the sliding panel to the alarm system, worked carefully around it as she disengaged the double-latch locking mechanism. A last burst of effort slid the door just far enough on its tracks to allow her to squeeze through, and it immediately closed again behind her.

The apartment was as suspiciously quiet as the corridor had been. The entry-way was standard, neat and unremarkable, and she quickly but quietly continued forward to where it opened into a larger living space- also empty. Which only left her two options to locate her quarry- and she knew he was here.

Her first option was straight ahead, down the corridor to where it ended in a kitchen and dining area. Taking a moment to consider, she peered thoughtfully down towards the closed door- and then opted for option number two, which was the hallway that branched out to her left.

There were four doors- two bedrooms, a refresher, and a combined office and comm center. Quickly eliminating the latter two possibilities, she headed for the second bedroom door, the smaller room, hand centimeters away from the panel to open it? and then she stopped, narrowed her eyes, and turned shrewdly towards the first bedroom door.

Time was of the essence; she slapped the door-release, ducked inside, ending the maneuver in a somersaulting roll, coming up on one knee and looking around in confusion upon seeing that this room was empty too.

That was when the tingle ran down her spine, and she twisted around just in time to see something fly at her from atop the wardrobe. Recovering from the surprise in the half-second it took to reach her, she caught the projectile and fell backwards, exerting the slightest bit of effort in the Force to cushion the impact of her head against the wooden floor.

Her laughter quickly wiped the concern from Tylas?s violet eyes, and he smiled, a feline and feral grin, even as he wrapped copper-furred arms around her neck as she sat up again. ?Hi,? his voice was muffled against her shoulder as she hugged him in return. ?I won this time- but you cheated.?

?I did not!? she insisted in mock outrage.

?You did,? he countered stubbornly. ?You used the Force to open the door.?

She considered. ?Well? yeah, but what was I supposed to do? Knock? It would have given me away pretty quickly, eh??

?The viewport?? he suggested, eyes widening far too innocently.

With a chuckle and a grin, she hoisted the young bothan from her lap and set him on his feet before standing herself, taking in the bedroom, relatively unchanged in the six months since she had last seen it. Finally allowing her awareness to extend naturally, she could sense her father?s presence easily enough in the kitchen, a deep amusement coursing through him as he surely sensed their antics and the outcome of their little game.

Leyla took a moment to study her adopted brother. Tylas had grown quite a bit in recent months, and was taller and slimmer than a human child of his age would generally be. His copper fur rippled with excitement, and a single white stripe that started at his chin extended down the front of his body, disappearing below the neck of the red tunic he wore over black pants.

?Aren?t you looking spiffy today,? she took his hand and led him from their parents? bedroom where he?d staged his ambush. ?What?s the occasion??

?Leyla!?

?

 

A/N: Throwing this in a separate post because I'm having internet issues and wanted to just get the post up there...

Thanks to all who read/commented/lurked! This was, by far, my most ambitious undertaking for a single fic EVER, not to mention the absurd size that this whole AU grew to be... anyway, I wanted to go out with a bang and this was it. I hope it rose to expectations (for anyone who had any) and appropriately blew your minds.

And no, Lori, there shall be no more. We'll just have to trust Thrawn to head off those threats lurking in the Unknown Regions. I hope the epilogue was conclusive enough for you, while still, obviously, leaving some mystery to speculate on.


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For anyone who enjoys Kyp and Gennevi, Lori has her own offshoot AU of this AU in which the two of them have triplet girls (that's Lori's rebellion against me not giving them a baby Durron soon enough I guess- haha). Check out her fic 'Rest and Realization' for triplet-shenanigans and keep your eyes out for a future (yet-untitled) triplet-fic.
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Anyway- I shall be turning my mind to other matters. Currently in the works is a Cem Fel diary (Measure of Merit) which is compatible with THIS Cem but set when he is 16-17 (and so isn't really part of the AU, but could be a side-note of it).

Thanks once more and until next time-

*~Lexi~*

 

I loved the opening scene. I'm glad Leyla has taught Tylas some of her hiding and hunting skills? Does he ever pretend to be a nexu? I can just imagine a cute little Bothan stalking around the apartment pouncing on Kyp and Gennevi. I think my heart may have just melted.

And as for Leyla---YES! You wrapped it up so nicely. She does her part to help the galaxy then rejoins Master Vulcor on Ossus (I bet she calls him Master all the time ) where they get married, and have some babies. Sounds like a pretty solid plan. And I think we have a consensus that Leyla will have two children. But you had her get married first? Pssh! How traditional!

...Navi- sorry, Naviin, he doesn?t like the nickname anymore...
Oh I don't think he'll mind when someone calls him that. Under certain circumstances, of course. Ah man, now I really want to start writing that scene!

And no, Lori, there shall be no more.
Yeah yeah, where have I heard that before? I think it was before A New Beginning and that was...like 6 months ago? Don't rule anything out!

that's Lori's rebellion against me not giving them a baby Durron soon enough I guess- hahaha
Pretty much. Plus the image of Kyp Durron surrounded by three girls is just too adorable to pass up. Although Kyp and Gennevi with a cute little Bothan is adorable as well