The Path of Dreams

~Chapter 21~

Hangar, Corellian Dreadnaught Revenger, Kiris Asteroid Belt

Jaina moved between the X-wings and reached out her senses. She knew he was in here and, sure enough, she found him. She took a deep breath, but she didn’t move to the place she felt him.

Things between Zekk and her were as strained as they ever had been. They still shared the same room, but they had become more like roommates than betrothed lovers with Zekk sleeping for the first time in his own bunk. He hadn’t touched her since that night. She knew he was giving her the distance he thought she needed. Although, she hated that she let Jag affect her as she did, she couldn’t help the way she felt. Unfortunately, she knew Jag would never return her feelings. How could he? She had brought him so low, regardless of what he was now.

But did she really want Jag to give her a second chance? Zekk had been her support since the Killik mess and she really did love him. She just wished that it was only him that she loved. She sighed again and knew that something had to change. She had to make a decision. The obvious was that she should let Jag go and completely give her heart to Zekk. He loved her unfalteringly and always had. He was there for her when she had needed someone, even if she refused to believe she did. He never pushed her. Even now, he just gave her the space she needed to make up her mind. Nothing more had been said about their exchange at the Horns’ reception and she knew that he never would bring it up again until she did.

She finally made herself move from her hiding place between the green and white X-wings of the Corellian Defense Force and walked the last distance to where Zekk was inspecting his new pilots. They were both given their own squadrons to command and Zekk tackled his command for Corellia with as much discipline as he had his command of the Rogues. Jaina had once joked about that, because it seemed so out of Zekk’s unassuming character to be such a stickler. However, Jaina knew that Zekk took his responsibility to the military as seriously as he took everything; so in a way, it really shouldn’t have surprised her.

Ennth’s Angels, Zekk’s squadron was newly formed just as hers. Zekk named them in honor of his home planet and all the people who had died in the periodic volcanic eruptions that practically destroyed the planet every eight years.

She waited for him to inspect the last pilot and X-wing. She couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips when she overheard him gently, but firmly, reprimand the Corellian for not having a completely equipped kit.

The pilot responded and then Zekk moved to stand before the group; his hands clasped behind his back and feet slightly apart. Then he said, “Overall, good, not perfect, but not terrible either. Correct or adjust as I recommended, and then I want you all to hit the simulators at 1300. We’re to see some action soon, if we are to believe the rumor, and I want Ennth’s Angels to be ready.” He saluted them and they returned the gesture. Jaina grinned at that. Then he crisply said, “Dismissed.”

Once the last of the pilots moved away to complete the tasks they had been given, Jaina stepped forward. Zekk had already headed for his own X-wing and was halfway up the ladder when she reached him. He said to her without turning, “I still can’t get used to the green and white paint job. I miss the matte black of the Stealth-X.”

She swallowed and said, “Yeah, I know what you mean. I miss the black too. I almost feel naked in these babies.”

Zekk looked over his shoulder and gave her a grin, “Now, that’s an interesting thought.” She gave him a small smile, but he lost the good humor as he asked, “So, are the Sabers ready?”

She shrugged and said, “I hope so.” She looked back over to where her squadron was finishing up with their own last minute preparations before going to the mess for mid-day meal. “They are all so young and cocky. I hate training green pilots.” As she looked back at Zekk, she tried not to think of the hundred or so over-zealous new pilots who had died under her command over the years.

He must have got the impression of what she was feeling and climbed down the ladder to stand before her. “Hey, they’ll be okay, Jaya. You have to believe that.”

She looked away from those loving emerald eyes and said, “I know. I’m just scared about this operation. I guess. I wish I knew where we’re going. I hate being kept in the dark even if it is for security purposes.” Then she looked back at him, smiled and asked, “Would you like to go to lunch with me?”

Zekk smiled back, but somehow it was sad. “Sure.”

They traveled the distance to the mess from the hangar in complete silence. We’re more like old friends, who have spent too many years apart, than lovers, Jaina sadly thought. They were miserable and she knew it was all because she couldn’t let go of the past.

However her distraction didn’t all arise from her left-over feelings for the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Military or her nagging bad feeling about the upcoming campaign, she still was wondering what she should do about her suspicions concerning Jacen. Allana’s revelation still shook her to the core. How could he kill the mother of his daughter? echoed through her mind. How could he want to harm his own child? She had thought about talking to Zekk about what she discovered, but whenever she wanted to speak she lost the nerve, which only worsened their already shaky relationship. Nor had she spoke to her mother or father about it. She had considered sending a message back to the Council before they left Corellia with their new squadrons to meet with the Revenger, but immediately rejected that idea as well. Jacen probably was in control of the Jedi Council or would deny the accusation. Besides, she thought, Uncle Luke and the other Masters should be able to see Jacen’s Darkness.

He hadn’t done anything in the past year or so that would point to him being a Dark Jedi, other than his actions as GAG’s commander, but even then, he hadn’t done anything outside the law. It was just the way he went about it. Jaina began to wonder if Jacen was purposely trying to appear as if he was not dark. Similarly to how he could project an emotion he truly wasn’t feeling. She had suspected him of doing that for years, ever since the Swarm War. Maybe, the Jedi Council can’t sense it, she thought, but that didn’t make sense either. They’re the Jedi Council, if anyone could sense Darkness it’s them, especially her uncle and Kyp.

They entered the mess hall and, after retrieving their trays of food, they found a spot near the far bulkhead where two other squadron commanders were leaving. They exchanged a noncommittal greeting and the two Jedi sat down. Jaina looked at the mixture of stringy meat, which from its color and smell she recognized as gornt, and blandly colored vegetables.

Zekk wrinkled his nose and picked up a fork full of the stew. “You know, I never thought I’d say this, but at meal time I almost miss the Mothma.”

She smiled and held her breath as she placed a bite of the mushy mixture into her mouth. After swallowing without chewing, she said, “If you swallow fast enough it doesn’t have any taste.”

Zekk made a face and swallowed. Then he looked skeptically at his bowl and said dryly, “I really doubt that. I’m beginning to wonder whose side the food processing droids are on, because with food this bad it sure as ice on Hoth isn’t Corellia’s.”

She laughed and realized this was the Zekk she had fallen in love with. She found herself watching him as he forced down another bite of the stew and chased it with a swig from his water bottle. She mindlessly took a bite of hers and let her eyes play over his strong handsome face. His long black hair hung in a braid down his back to stop just at the bottom of his shoulder blades. She imagined all the times he had laid his head in her lap and she would play with the silky strands. Then she met his eyes and suddenly she knew.

She knew that no matter what she needed Zekk in her life. She took a deep breath and said, “Zekk, I think we need to talk.”

Zekk swallowed the bite that he had just placed into his month and shook his head. “No, Jaina. Not now. I don’t want to know what you are thinking right now.”

“Zekk, I know.” She smiled as she spoke and reached out to take his hand that lay beside his tray.

He pulled away and, before she could continue, said in a low, forceful voice, “No, Jaina. I don’t want to know. You need time to think, and right now as we are getting ready for battle isn’t the time. I don’t want to be another hasty decision. I love you. And I want you, but you are too confused right now to make any decision.”

“Zekk, please. I love you. I—”

He held his hand up and stood up abruptly. “Don’t. I know that you need me. But that isn’t wanting, Jaina. I feel the indecision in you.” She looked away; she forgot just how much he could sense from her even through her shields. Calmer, he sat back down, took her hand and gave her a heart warming smile. “Now isn’t the time.” She met his green gaze again, and he went on in a low tone. “Jaina, I don’t want to know one way or the other right now. I need to focus on getting my squadron ready for this battle. And so do you. I hope when this is all over you’ll make me the happiest man in the galaxy by finally committing totally to me, but right now I don’t need the distraction. Because, if you say anything now, I know that we will just be going back to what we’ve always been. And I can’t do that. I’d rather let you go as much as that will hurt me. However I’m tired of sharing you with him even if it is only in your dreams and fantasies. And I’m tired of pretending that I don’t know about them.”

After standing, he picked his tray up and quickly moved though the crowded mess. She took a ragged breath and dropped her chin to the collar of her flight suit. Covering her face with her hands, she fought off the sudden sting of tears. The reason for them wasn’t his rejection, but rather, his brutal truth.

I know that you need me. But that isn’t wanting.

She wanted Jagged Fel.

~~~

Krylon Orbit

Ben brought the X-wing out of hyperspace and orientated himself so that the green, brown and blue planet of Krylon floated before him. Then he smiled as he reached out to find Jysella. He instantly felt her joy and excitement which mixed with his own. He had sent her a message immediately before leaving the Anakin in the X-wing that Jacen had allowed him to borrow. The journey to Krylon, which was in the same sector as Yavin, wasn’t an extremely long one from Mon Calamari, but for Ben it may as well have been to the outer edge of the opposite side of the galaxy.

Once he entered hyperspace after leaving the Anakin, he forced himself into a hibernation trance, just to prevent him from going crazy, despite the trip only being a few hours long. He couldn’t wait to see her again. His waking hours, in which he wasn’t training with Jacen or performing GAG duties since Jacen told him that he could visit her after he killed Marcia, had been filled with all the things that he wanted to talk to her about. And with the things that he wanted to do with her. He didn’t dwell on the more private things, though, because he wasn’t sure how she felt about that aspect of their relationship.

In the end, it didn’t really matter. They would have their entire lives for that, he thought. The only thing that mattered right now was just being together and having each other to lean on and to talk to. Ben took a deep breath and smiled when he felt her impatience. A little anxious, aren’t you? he thought back to her.

Yes, it’s been a long time. I’ve missed you.

He needed no coaxing. He hit the comm and asked Vincent Control for a flight plan. After receiving the coordinates, he readjusted accordingly and hit the throttle. Soon he broke the heavy atmosphere of the lush planet and headed for the darkening side of the planet in the east.

~~~

City Spaceport, Vincent, Krylon

Although Jys was pacing and she knew, as she made another circle, it was distracting those around her, she couldn’t help it. She had been near useless since receiving his recorded message two local days ago. They were the slowest two days she ever lived through.

It was early evening in the capital city. The spaceport was always busy, but for some reason it seemed even more crowded this evening. She walked passed a vender that claimed to have the largest collection of holo-magazines on the Outer Rim and sold candies and snacks from all over the galaxy as well. After making the countless pass before the stand, its owner, a female Toydarian, flew off her stool to hover in Jysella’s path.

Stopping, Jys openly glared at the avian, but the vender was unaffected and simply put her hands on her rounded flanks as if they were hips and complained, “You know for a Jedi you don’t show much patience. You are making me dizzy just by watching you. Not to mention you are scaring off my customers.”

Jys sighed and, as she softened her expression, said, “I’m sorry, Grada. I’m just excited that’s all.”

The shopkeeper snorted, which caused her to bob up and down in mid-air. “Excited? I’d say that you are a walking bundle of nerves.”

Jys grinned at the bluish-grey alien. “Yeah, I guess I’m that too.”

Grada flew back under her canopy and settled on her stool. “So, what has you so uptight?” Then she snickered and pointed a long taloned finger at the young human. “No, let me guess. Only a male seems to do this to females of the human species, including Jedi. I remember Jedi Veila the other week. She didn’t drive me as spin-sick as you are determined to, but she was as bouncy as a whisperkit with a ball of string in a room full of fans as she waited for her mate.

Jys tried to hide her grin as she leaned her elbows on the narrow counter. After resting her chin in her hands, she admitted, “You’re right. I’m waiting on my—my friend.”

“You mean your mate,” the old female accused.

Jys straightened and shook her head. “No, Grada, Ben is my friend. My very close friend, but someday,” she shyly smiled and a blush touched her cheeks, “I hope to be his wife.” She then turned to look out over the purple mountains that were in the distance. She reached out with her senses and found Ben not far away. Grinning from nearly ear to ear, she turned and announced, not even trying to contain her excitement, “Grada, he’s almost here!” Then she took off at a dead run to head toward the edge of the landing pad.

Grada watched with great amusement as the slightly built human wove her way between the throng of beings who were milling around the waiting area. To herself she snorted, “Only a friend, my bloated belly, no one’s that crazy over a friend.” However, as a Duros stepped before her counter, Grada completely forgot the young Jedi and focused on the most important thing—making the sale.

Jysella watched from a safe distance as Ben brought the Stealth-X expertly around and gently down onto its landing gear in his designated landing area. She actually was impressed. Ben hadn’t had much flight experience since he operated to be a ground trooper with GAG. But obviously, he had been working in the simulators since she had last seen him.

She held her breath as the canopy opened and he stood up. He was dressed in the black flight suit of GAG and his helmet was marked with the yellow bars of his rank. He turned to look in her direction and immediately pulled his helmet off. She was amazed at how he much he had changed since the last time they had been together. They had communicated nearly every other day since she left Coruscant by conventional methods and every day by their Force bond, but seeing him up close made the change in Ben all the more real. The boy was gone.

He jumped from the fighter in a Force assisted leap, shocking the tech and droid that were headed toward him with a ladder. She watched him, but it wasn't until his feet hit the permacrete something in her clicked. Ben is really here! At that thought, she took off running toward him again, ducking under the safety line and ignoring the reprimand from a technician. Ben caught her in his arms and she wrapped hers around his neck. Breathlessly, their lips met in a hungry kiss.

She had promised herself that she wouldn’t cry upon seeing him, but as the kiss finally broke she realized that she hadn’t kept her promise. The tears came freely and she gasped, “Ben, oh gods, how I’ve missed you!”

He brought one of his hands up to wipe away the tears on her cheeks. Then he swallowed and smiled that smile that caused her heart to flutter. “I’m sorry that it’s been so long, Jys. I tried to get away sooner.”

She leaned up on her tip-toe and kissed the corner of his mouth, and then she said, “I understand, Ben. You’re in the military and I know the rules. I don’t blame you.”

Suddenly, his mood darkened and he scowled as he said, “No, I blame our parents.”

She furrowed her brow but, before she could question him, he smiled and stroked her hair, saying, “It’s longer and you left it loose. I like it.”

She grinned and reached up to run her fingers though his hair which was still slightly damp from his helmet, the ends curled more than usual. "Yours is longer too." She tilted her head and let the tips of her fingers linger on the white scar from the Mullin attack. The year old scar was faded, but it was still a subtle reminder for Jys that Ben Skywalker was far older than his seventeen years. "And you've gotten taller."

He grinned lopsidedly and said, “I’m as tall as Jason...well, almost.”

They held each other’s eyes captive for a long moment until he pulled her close again and whispered into her ear, “I love you so much.”

She held onto him just as tightly. “I love you too. I can’t wait for this all to be over so we can be together.”

The tech that tried to stop Jys came over and told them that they had to leave the landing pad due to more incoming traffic. The Vincent spaceport wasn’t large enough for all of the traffic that came in and out of it. Ben grabbed his duffle from the cargo compartment of the X-wing and secured the ship. He set the intruder alert and instructed the R-9 droid to comm him if anyone tried to get too close to the GAG fighter. Then he and Jys entwined their fingers and began to walk back through the spaceport. Jysella led them to the news stand and waited until Grada finished with a Ryn that was arguing over price of the latest issue of some spy games holo-magazine. “Take it or leave it, the price is the same,” the feisty Toydarian commented.

“Oh, fine. Here is the lousy ten credits,” the male huffed and stalked away.

Jys pulled Ben forward and the avian looked up at them after she put the creditchit away. Jys looked back at Ben and smiled. “Grada, this is my friend—”

“Ben Skywalker!” The old Toydarian then peered at Jysella, clearly surprised.

Jys was taken aback. “Yes, but how—”

She lost her shock and snorted again as she held out her three-fingered hands, “I sell holomags. I have seen his face before.” Then looking back at Ben, she said, “You’ve made quite the splash when you killed that bounty hunter, young Skywalker.”

Jys suddenly felt Ben tense. They hadn’t talked much about his touching of the Dark Side. She was hoping that he’d want to talk about it sometime during his visit.

Ben swallowed and responded to Grada. “I’m happy that his terrorist group has been finally stopped.”

Grada snorted, “I’m sure the Hutts he double-crossed are just as happy.” She scratched the side of her stubby trunk and narrowed one eye as she regarded Ben. Not satisfied, she flew out of her booth and around them as they stood together. Ben squeezed the hand he held, and Jys could feel his unease at the scrutiny. Finally, she hovered before them and said, “He’s handsome, I suppose, considering he’s human. Good choice for a mate.”

“Grada!”

Ben laughed and held out his hand, the tension gone. After Grada took it and they shook hands, he said, “It’s nice to meet you. Jys has told me that you've become a good friend.”

She grinned and flew back to her stool. Shrugging, she said, “Yes, the Jedi have helped me greatly. The city wanted to close my stand down.” She looked around and gestured, taking in the shelves and racks of food packages and holo-magazines. “They said it cluttered the spaceport too much. This is my life and I’ve been here since before the days when your grandfather was a Jedi. I don’t know anything else.” She paused. Jys smiled and Grada encouraged by the Jys’s shy smile somehow went on by saying, “If Jedi Veila and Jedi Horn wouldn’t have stepped in I would have lost everything.”

Ben gazed at Jys and smiled as he squeezed her hand again. Jys responded to his silent praise with a shrug, “I’m just glad that we were able to help. It amazes me how much Tahiri and I are needed.”

Grada nodded and forcefully added, “Well, we are glad that the Jedi are here. Too many different beings in too small a place need good direction and, since the government is often too concerned with in-fighting, the Jedi provide the guidance.”

After a few moments more of idle talk, they caught an air taxi that took them to Jysella’s apartment. During the flight through the darkened city of identical pre-fabricated white durosteel and permacrete buildings, Jys told Ben of some of the antics Doran Tainer had pulled while he was visiting. He had just left the day before she received Ben’s message that he was visiting.

“It’s so nice to see Tahiri happy,” Jys said sobering. “I just wish she’d give into him.”

“What do you mean?” Ben asked. He had known Tahiri his entire life, but she had never been as close to him as she was to the Horns.

She sighed and laid her head on his shoulder, Ben took the hint and wrapped his arm around her. “I know he wants to marry her, but she just won’t say yes.”

Ben gently rubbed her upper arm and she wrapped her arm around his waist. “Do you think she still loves my cousin Anakin?” he quietly asked.

She shook her head against him and said, “No, I know she loves Doran. She told me that a small part of her will always love Anakin Solo, but she has long ago put him behind her.” Then she looked up at him and went on, “I think she’s afraid she’ll loose Doran like she lost Anakin.”

Ben looked away from her and he quietly said after a moment, “Losing someone can be really hard, but I don’t think by not marrying will make any difference. Not if they really love each other.” Then he met her eyes again and, in a low voice that made her shudder, he said, “I can only imagine what I’d do if I ever lost you.”

She squeezed him slightly around his waist and affirmed, “Ben, I’m not going any where.”

His blue eyes darkened with passion and he smiled as he huskily whispered, “Good.” Then he leaned down and kissed her passionately, taking her breath away and setting her desire on fire.

~~~

General’s Quarters, Anakin Solo, Mon Calamari Orbit

Troddeln stared out the viewport behind his desk at the mass of ships of the Fifth Fleet and his taskforce for a long moment, then he turned and stared at his informant.

“This information is accurate?” he asked barely containing his disgust, which he felt more for the messenger than for the message.

“Yes, Master. We were given the data from Lady Lumiya upon our return from Tryferra, and she instructed us to come and give it to you immediately.”

Troddeln scowled. If what the Twi’lek was telling him was true, the taskforce and the Fifth Fleet were sitting graniteslugs awaiting a flock of hungry hawk-bats. Alema had carried out her assassination assignment with as much efficiency as she always carried out such duty. Troddeln had to admit the way in which she did murder was clean and simple. She simply shot them the same way she had tried to assassinate him—by poison dart. By the time anyone really knew how serious the dart was, she would be long gone. And, even more importantly, there was absolutely no chance for survival, because no antidote existed for the lethal concoction of several different toxins, including amphistaff venom provided by his Yuuzhan Vong Warriors and Qing Niao.

Finally, he stood up and clasped his hands behind his back. He had to think. He couldn’t let Insurgent intelligence even have a hint of his knowledge of the Grand Admiral’s plan. He had to be discreet but he had to move quickly. He would have to get at least another fleet maybe two out here. Mon Calamari’s ability to defend itself was nearly not existent. He had to hand it to Fel, his plan was brilliant, but he hadn’t counted on his own ally betraying his own fleet. Dur Gejjen was too gullible and too easily swayed by Lumiya’s subtle mind tricks.

He turned around and hit several keys on his datapad. Suddenly, the room darkened and a detailed map of the galaxy filled the room from a holoprojector on a low table. Alema yelped as she found herself amidst the planets.

Just as quickly as the map appeared, Troddeln keyed in another command and it changed to only represent the Mon Calamari Sector and the sectors near by. Then he added a command for fleet placement within any of these sectors. Finally, a smile touched the corners of his mouth. As he saw the Third Fleet was near Kashyyk, he keyed yet another command on the datapad and the display changed again to show only the Kashyyk System.

Troddeln turned and ordered his servant. “I have a new assignment for you, Alema.”

“Yes, Master?” She said as she batted at the glowing orb that represented the planet Trandosha, her hand passing through the hologram.

“I’m sending you as a messenger this time.”

She made a face, and he let the icy smile grow. She only liked assignments that involved killing. “Don’t worry, Alema, when you return and, if there is still anything left of our enemy, I will have another assignment. One in which you, I think, will enjoy very much.”

She looked at him quizzically, and he snickered, “You will get a second chance to finish off your friend from Tenupe.”