Unrequited **04/01/03**

I feel I should start this story with a few apologies. First to my beta reader, Di-Lee, for giving her absolutely no warning about this. She beta read this all a while ago and I had put it aside to work on another story. However I've found that I need the pressure of having an ongoing story to keep me writing, so I went back and dug this one up.

My second apology is to Liz. Sorry, Liz, but this is not the story you've been waiting for. But hopefully this will get my creative juices flowing and I'll be able to get some work done on that other story.

Okay, enough of that and on with the story. I'm considering offering a gold star to whoever can figure out where I stole the general plot from.

Now on with the story. Hopefully I'll be able to stay ahead of this, but if I stay lazy about writing, in a few weeks I'll be back to making it up as I go along.

***********

Anyone who might have been watching would have noticed nothing unusual. It was quite typical for the Millennium Falcon to weave a seemingly suicidal path through the capital ships of the New Republic Fleet. The freighter, and more importantly her captain, had a reputation for breaking the rules and coming out alive. Indeed, it would have taken an astute eye to see that there was nothing at all usual about this situation.

For one thing, the Falcon had already bypassed the command ship that was its usual destination. As the small freighter wove its way through the fleet, it buzzed the shields of one Mon Cal Cruiser and set off the collision alarm on a Corellian Corvette. But all of this was nothing compared to that famous ship?s seemingly clear intention to ram one of the frigates that hung at the back of the fleet formation.

The medical frigate.

The docking officer of that frigate sent word out to the Falcon to power down her engines and prepare to be tractored in. Han Solo however had no intention of obeying that suggestion. The Millennium Falcon broke the magnetic field of the hangar bay with her braking thrusters firing at maximum, sending the assorted crews scrambling in panic when they realized what was going on. Once within the cavernous hangar, the Falcon changed direction to avoid the rescue shuttles and the few defense fighters that were stacked in neat, orderly lines. Had anyone in the hangar been actually watching rather than fleeing in terror from the pilot with an obvious death wish, they might have noticed the even more suicidal person who stood at the bottom of the already lowering ramp.

The Falcon had not yet come to a stop and was still several meters off the deck when Leia jumped clear of her husband?s ship and hit the deck running. Ignoring the confused looks and even more confused salutes of the maintenance techs who came bursting through the door to see what all the excitement was about, Leia tore down the ship?s corridors on the verge of breaking into a panic. It was at that moment that she saw the comforting smile of a familiar face.

?How is she?? Leia demanded frantically. ?Is she??

?Jaina?s going to be fine Leia,? Mara Jade Skywalker soothed her sister-in-law. ?Her condition has stabilized and she regained consciousness a short time ago.?

?I need to see her,? Leia said, though in a much calmer and more relieved voice this time.

?I don?t think you should do that just yet,? Mara cautioned.

?Why not? I want to see my daughter.?

?I don?t think Jaina?s ready for that,? Mara explained. ?The first thing she did after she woke up was to order us all out of the room. When I tried to calm her she used the Force to knock me out into this hallway and then locked the door. I think we?re going to have to wait until she decides to let us in.?

?That doesn?t make any sense,? Leia said. ?Why would she do something like that??

?I don?t know. After she tossed me out she caught me trying to read her emotions and erected all sorts of mental barriers against me. When Luke arrived he suggested that we wait for you.?

?Luke?s here?? Leia exclaime

 

Looks good.

 

Wonderful post, Herman. I can't wait for more!!

 

Who's dead?

 

Ooh, interesting... Who's dead indeed? Jacen? Jagged? Zekk? *Crosses fingers* Please let it be Zekk... Also, interesting that you used the term "Rebel" fleet, instead of New Republic... Is this NJO AU? Or just a typo?

Anyway, being the sucker for Jaina stories that I am, I'm hooked, and I can't wait for more.

 

Yippee! Another Herman story!

I noted the "rebel" thing, too. Are we getting too analytical there, Herman?

Well, anyway, it's a great start! I can't wait to find out what put Jaina in such a state.

Bring it on, baby!

 

Hey, this is cool. I like the way you wrote Han and Leia's entrance... [C-3PO]Typical[/C-3PO]

So, who's dead?

 

YOU'RE POSTING!!!

What a wonderful surprise! I was really worried you were going to give up on this story. I'm SO happy to see you've started posting it. Now you HAVE to finish it!

This is a good story folks! Be sure to give Herman lots of feedback to keep him motivated!!!

Hmmm. I think that Rebel thing is probably a mistake. Sorry I didn't catch in the review, Herman.

 

Looks good Herman. I'm with you too.

 

Rebel Fleet??? Where does it say 'Rebel Fleet'? (Herman gives silent thanks to Cleo for unlimited edit time. Krikey, I must be losing it.)

And if you want to know who died, you'll just have to hang around, won't you? (or I suppose you could bribe Di-Lee)

You see people, I'm so in love with cliffhangers that I now start my stories with them.

 

::starts process of hanging around::

 

why oh why do i decide to read a new fic when i'm going away soon? its not logical..i'll end up playing catch up with this one too!

ah, well, it's worth it! i haven't read any of your fics before, Herman, but i decided i wanted to see your writing style. plus this fic was new and i didn't have to

that was a great first post. and already someone's dead! [face_shocked] what a good cliffhanger

so...who's the deceased??????

 

I'm considering offering a gold star to whoever can figure out where I stole the general plot from

Really. That first bit seems very familiar, but I may be hallucinating that . . . it's amazing what painkillers do to your mind

But N E way, great start!

 

Is it a real gold star, Herman? Or just one of those tinsel-y thingies teachers stick on A+ papers? If so, I've got plenty of those!

 

i don't know the plot...

so can i just have a gold star from you, KM? please?

 

**hands Vergere an entire sheet of foil stars**
There ya' go!

 

thanks!

 

Anyone else? School's out, so I've got plenty to spare!

(Not to diminish your gift, Vergere )

 

Oh this is good... I'm loving it... though I don't have any gold stars...

 

A shiny gold star would make this story even better!

Nice job, Herman. You've once again trapped me in your stories, oh Master of Cliffhangers!

Please continue...

 

IT'S A HERMIE STORY! Great start Hermie! Who's dead???

 

WHere's a new post? *great start*

 

That's what I was wondering, Jedi-Jade.

 

Yeah, come on, man, we want more!

 

Yeah, more !