The Path of Dreams

~Chapter 5~

Presidential Mansion, Coronet, Corellia

He read the encrypted report again, and then hit the delete key. After a moment of digesting the information, Prime Minister Dur Gejjen, balled his fist and slammed it down on his elegant, native redstone desk, which was the only thing that he kept that had belonged to his predecessor—Thracken Sal-Solo.

His plan to rid the galaxy and, more importantly, himself of Jacen Solo hadn’t succeeded. The extremist thugs, who he had hired to rig up the explosives in several of the apartments in the Commeror neighborhood, had failed. They didn’t even manage to do away with the Skywalker brat. Sure, five GAG members were killed and twelve others seriously injured, but both Jedi and Shevu survived. Dur was furious.

He didn’t buy into Brisha’s assessment that Cha Niathal wouldn’t put Jacen Solo in charge of something that could prove disastrous to the Confederacy and, in particular, to Corellia. He had been in politics too long to not think like a politician and he knew what he would do if Solo was on his side. Cha Niathal was just as much a politician not to see Solo’s potential.

After a few more moments of trying to figure out how to solve this mess, he tried to get in contact with the mysterious Brisha Syo. He decided to convince her to do something to get rid of Solo; she proved that she was very good at such things. However, he soon discovered she had checked out of the hotel she was staying and the comlink frequency she had given him was out of range or she simply wasn’t answering.

“Kriff!” he swore and hit the comm switch that was built into the stone surface of the elaborate desk to cut the offensive beeping tone from the lack of making the connection. He had no idea where she disappeared to or for how long she would be gone. The woman, who had been secretly giving Dur information and supplying assassins since his ascension to power two years ago, had first came to him with the plan to assassinate several leaders of planets that were teetering on the edge of which side to support. The first attempt to create an opening for a new, pro-Corellian leader was a failure. Han and Leia Solo saw to that when they discovered and prevented the assassination of Tenel Ka of Hapes. However, the later assassinations of the leaders of Sluis Van, and Kuat were successful and implicated the GA as having involvement, which immediately caused those governments to declare war on the GA. Then the Queen Mother was found dead, which opened the door for the regent, Prince Isolder, to declare alliance to the Insurgency. Though relations between Corellia and Hapes were strained, Hapes had become an invaluable member of the Confederation. Dur still didn’t quite believe the Jedi queen could just fall over dead, causing him to often wonder if Brisha didn’t have something to do with it despite the original failure.

Finally, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as he thought about his other, more publicly acceptable initiative: the attack on Bothawui. At least, that sector would once again be under his control. He knew Admiral Fel wouldn’t fail him, he seldom did, which also terrified him for a lot of the same reasons he was afraid of Jacen Solo.

~~~

Freedom Medical Center, Northern Coruscant

Luke and Mara Skywalker made their way through the gathering crowds of HoloNet reporters and the otherwise curious of the medical center where their son was being treated. Jysella silently followed along as she held her robes tightly around her. She could feel the intense emotions in the Force—anxiety, confusion, sorrow, distrust, anger and hate. The boiling feelings concerned her because she felt just as much negativity directed toward the residents of the neighborhood that the hospital bordered as she did toward the GAG or the government in general. Suddenly, she wondered if the GAG had been smart to bring their injured to the hospital that serviced Mullin. Then she felt some of that emotion suddenly directed at her as a reporter from the extremely anti-Corellian Coruscant Tonight stepped before her, effectively cutting her off from the worried and distracted Skywalkers.

“What do you think of the attack, Jedi?” asked the rather handsome, tall human, who had to be in his late twenties.

Jys looked up at him and swallowed. She reached out and brushed his presence to determine his objective. As she assumed, he had a certain callousness that she was noticing more and more on Coruscant, especially from those who thought of themselves as true Coruscanti. “I’m not certain I understand, sir.”

He grinned but it didn’t contain much sincerity. “Oh, come on, by the color you choose to wear, we know where your loyalties really are. You are Corellian Jedi Jysella Horn, aren’t you?”

Jys really was beginning to feel uneasy about him and she began to covertly look for an escape route. “Yes, I am Jedi Horn. And yes my parents are from Corellia, but they, my brother and I have chosen to protect the greater good of the GFFA over any planetary claim to patriotism we may feel.”

The reporter seemed to loom larger before her, “Yet, you, your father and brother still insist on wearing Corellian green. And let’s not even get into your mother’s treason. However, Master Kenth Hamner, another Corellian by birth, doesn’t wear the traditional color. So why do you, if you are not secretly supportive of the Insurgency?”

Jys couldn’t help the momentary spike of her frustration. She stood to her full height, which to her disappointment was still several centimeters shorter than the man, and countered, “Look, sir, I can’t explain Master Hamner’s wardrobe choices, but I wear the green of Corellia because that is what I am, and in honor of my Halcyon Jedi tradition. I may be a Corellian, but I’m a Jedi first and foremost.”

Suddenly, another voice broke into the conversation, Jys was so distracted she never sensed her Master coming up behind her, “Jysella, is everything okay?” Mara, however was not addressing her apprentice, she was all but scowling at the reporter.

Jysella smiled and bowed her head as was the Jedi custom to the reporter and replied, “Yes, Master, and I was just on my way back to you and Master Luke.”

Mara finally turned her attention to Jys and evenly said, “Good. We know which floor he’s on.”

Jys nodded and then with one more glance at the steel-eyed man, she turned and followed Ben’s mother to where his father waited by the turbolift.

~

They entered the dimly lit waiting area of the bacta lab and the antiseptic tang of the healing substance assaulted his nose. Grand Master Luke Skywalker had been dunked into the tanks more than once, but despite the miracle the slimy stuff was, he never cared for the stench.

He glanced over at the young woman at his wife’s side and frowned. He really didn’t want to bring Jysella with them to the Northern Hemisphere, but he knew she wouldn’t have stayed behind for long. He wondered if the girl truly believed she was hiding her feelings for Ben from anyone. Both her parents and Mara and Luke were concerned that she felt more for Ben than she should, considering their ages. However, Luke really wasn’t sure what Ben felt for her.

Then again, he didn’t know much about his son these days. He hadn’t had a decent conversation with him for over a year, and the main reason why was coming toward them. He sighed and came to a halt before the GAG commander. Luke only felt unease as his nephew bowed his head and said in way of greeting, “Uncle Luke, I’m glad that you were able to come so quickly.” Then he looked at Mara, “Aunt Mara.”

Before he could greet Jysella, Mara demanded, “Where is he, Jacen?”

Jacen smiled and smoothly replied, “Ben is fine. He has received several burns, but as with the case the other day, he managed to save his life and that of Major Shevu. You should be quite proud of his abilities.” Jacen turned to Luke and gave a small crooked grin which, with his words, made Luke shudder for some unknown reason, “It won’t be long before Ben is as powerful as you or I.”

“You didn’t answer my question, Jacen,” Mara reminded; her tone and eyes were hard.

Jacen continued his calmness as he lifted his hand and brushed it over the bacta bandage on his forehead, as if to remind them that he too had received injuries from the blasts. Or maybe he did it to distract them, Luke wasn’t sure. Jacen had another one on his left forearm and one on his thigh, where the fabric of his uniform had been burned away. Dropping his hand to his side again, he informed, “He’s in room two. The droids just put him in the tank.”

Mara didn’t wait for anything else to be said; she pushed her way past Jacen, and headed for the door marked with large “two” with Jysella following close behind.

The women entered the treatment room and Luke instantly felt Mara’s surprise and then her grief over her son’s appearance, which startled him. He began to worry about how bad Ben’s injuries really were. Luke finally said, “Jacen, this is neither the time nor the place, but when we get back to Galactic City we are discussing Ben’s involvement in GAG.”

Annoyance flashed across Jacen’s face, but he quickly covered it; Luke couldn’t get a read on the younger man’s feelings at all. Jacen actually twisted his lips in a small smile as he countered, “Luke, Ben may be young, but he has an incredible talent for police and investigative work. This is what he wants to be doing. But more to the point, he is learning. The Force is very strong in him. He is not only learning how to use it and control it while performing his duties, he is learning to trust the Force as his ally. Isn’t that why you let him come with me to begin with all those years ago?”

Luke all but snapped as he glared at his nephew. He had been trying to get Ben away from Jacen for two years without success. First, Mara thought Jacen was good for Ben, and then after she began to see what he and Jaina were seeing, the Jedi Council decided to promote Jacen to Master. Ben immediately chose Jacen as his official teacher and there was nothing more he or Mara could do. “Now isn’t the time.” He repeated more forcefully and entered the room in which his son was being suspended in a bacta tank.

Luke came to stand beside Mara, who had a hand pressed against the tank, and slipped his arm around her waist. An unconscious Ben hung in the fluid with nothing covering him but a pair of shorts. His lanky, sinewy frame, which had began reminding Luke of the young Anakin Skywalker from Artoo’s holograms, was covered with several large and ugly burns. The worst appeared to be on his shoulders and across his back. Also the smooth skin of his face was betrayed with deep serrated gashes on his right cheek and forehead. Luke knew the burns would most likely heal without scaring, the gashes on his face probably wouldn’t. That saddened Luke, for he felt his son was too young to have such marring battle scars; but more importantly, Luke wondered just how many scars marred Ben’s soul.

~~~

Outer Bothawui Orbit, GA Fifth Fleet, Mon Mothma

She pushed the steamed purple vegetables across her plate for the tenth time and finally he had enough of it. Laying his fork down and pushing his plate away, Lieutenant Colonel and Jedi Knight Zekk grinned and said, “I know that you don’t like sparci cabbage, but Force, Jaina, do you have to torture it any more than it already has been?”

She looked up absently and responded, “Huh?”

He lightly laughed and quietly said, “Come on, it doesn’t look like you’re hungry either. Let’s get out of here.”

She sighed deeply and laid her fork down across her uneaten meal. Then she met her fiancé’s slightly amused, but concerned gaze, and said, “No, I’m not hungry. I have a lot on my mind.”

Zekk stood, waited for her to follow, and then fell into step beside each other. They deposited their trash and left the mess hall to head back to the privacy of the sleeping quarters they shared. Once behind the closed door, Zekk asked, “Jaina, what’s the matter? You haven’t been yourself for days.”

She sat down on the bunk, which was assigned as hers, and looked down at her folded hands. “I’m worried about the battle coming up. Something doesn’t feel right, Zekk. I think Dad and Mom are out there.”

Zekk dropped his long frame to sit across from her on the bunk that was officially his; although, he never slept in it. He had a hard time sleeping without Jaina beside him. After a moment he said gently, “You’ve fought against them before.”

She nodded and surprised him by moving to sit beside him, “I know. But one of these times they’re either gonna have to shoot at me or I at them. Zekk, I don’t think I can do that. I wish I knew how Mom and Dad were doing,” she slipped her arm around his waist and he immediately answered by pulling her into his lap. These moments of true intimacy were rare between them; they often found themselves on different shifts or too exhausted to do more than sleep. So, holding each other and talking felt like heaven to Zekk, even if the topic was depressing. She laid her head on his shoulder and finally continued, “I wish they knew about us and our engagement.”

Zekk chuckled in spite of the gravity of their conversation. “And then your father would think he really had justified reasons to kill me.”

Jaina mockingly slapped his chest and looked up at him. Giving him her best mock-glare, she said, “You know, he just might have good reasons. Sometimes, you torment the Sith out of me.” He treasured the small lopsided grin she gave to him at the end.

She had made every dream that he had ever had come true when she agreed to marry him. They had officially become lovers during Jaina’s court-martial and, by the time the trial was over, Zekk had proposed. He loved her more than life itself and he hated that she felt so distraught over the war and what it was doing to her family.

Zekk pulled her even more into his embrace and shifted until he was leaning against the bulkhead. He then became serious, “Jaina, do you ever wonder if we are fighting on the wrong side?”

She turned within his arms and met his green eyes. She seemed to get lost there for a long time, just searching. Finally, very quietly she admitted, “Yes, I do, especially when the government I’m defending keeps someone like Jacen around. I can’t help but feel uneasy about him, Zekk. I’m afraid that he’s lost himself.”

Zekk reached up and tucked a loose lock of her long brown hair behind her ear and swallowed. He didn’t like where his old friend was heading either. Zekk knew that road, he had traveled it once. “Jaina, I fear for him too. But I also worry about Ben. I still don’t know why Master Skywalker hasn’t done anything about him.”

Jaina sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder again. “Yeah, I hope Ben is alright. He’s too young for what he’s doing. Look what fighting a war young did to us.”

Zekk rested his chin on top of her head, closed his eyes and tightened his arms around her small shoulders, “I know what you mean.” Then through their bond, which was as much a left-over from their time as Killik Joiners as a product of their love and the Force, he added, But we all had each other to get us through, Ben has no one.

~~~

Main Hangar, Mon Mothma

Jedi Knight and Rogue Squadron pilot Valin Horn was using a hydrospanner to make a few adjustments to the inertial compensator. To reach the contemptible devise, he had to lay on his on his belly over the top of his XJ7 X-wing, and lean into a service compartment. The space was tight and Valin was starting to get annoyed.


When his R-5 astromech began to tweeter at him from his slot slightly behind the pilot, Valin snapped, “Not now, Fetcher, I realize that you don’t like it when I do my own work, but I don’t like how the inertial compensator is acting. Besides, I am the one who needs it.”

Not satisfied, the astromech, who had been a gift to him from his mother and had been flying with him since he was sixteen, screeched again. This time Valin finally lifted his head to look at the droid, and in the process banged his head on the edge of the service compartment.

“Owww!” he exclaimed as he rubbed the back of his head. Glaring at the droid, he said, “This had better be good—” However, the tickling of clearly feminine laughter forestalled the rest of the comment.

Valin turned toward the chuckling young red-haired woman. She leaned against the landing strut of his X-wing and, after crossing her arms over her chest, she said, “I was under the impression Jedi were more perceptive.”

Valin continued to rub his abused scalp and slid down the closed S-foil. Once reaching the tip he stood and easily leapt off the end, landed in a crouch and faced her.

She pushed away from the strut and stepped before him. She smiled as she held out her hand to him and announced, “I’m Allia Judday.”

Valin returned her smile and, after wiping his hand on his flight suit, he took hers to shake, “You’re the new pilot, aren’t you?”

She nodded, and then he went on to say, “I’m Valin Horn. But somehow I think you already know that.”

She blushed and grinned, “Yeah, I do. According to the new roster, I’ll be your wingman. I thought I should introduce myself before the commander gets here.”

Valin suddenly was concerned, “What happened to Fritzer?”

She shrugged and said, “Apparently, he came down with something and was pulled from the roster. Colonel Zekk assigned me to fly as your wing.”

“Oh,” was all Valin could say. Allia had been assigned as an alternate pilot just a few days ago. She had a good flight record and was known for her aggressiveness, but the last thing Valin wanted to do was go into battle with a new wingman. Then he sensed the familiar presence of the commander and looked up to see Zekk entering the hangar with Jaina close behind.

They found Valin and Allia, and Zekk said, “Well, I see you two have met officially. Lieutenant Fritzer has come down with—emm—the Bothan flu.” Which wasn’t a flu at all, but a rather nasty venereal disease that humans usually couldn’t contract but there always were exceptions.

Jaina snickered, “It seems he came back from his last shore leave with more than just memories of a good time.”

Valin shook his head and chuckled, “I told him to leave the Bothans alone, but would he listen to me? Of course not.”

They laughed and Valin noticed the blush deepen on Allia’s cheeks. He had to admit she was pretty, not as lovely as Syal, but then, not many women were in his eyes. Her auburn hair was cut short and curled around her ears; her eyes were a vibrant silver grey. Suddenly, Zekk’s words cut into his thoughts, and he turned his attention back to his friend and commander.

“Well, I would like you to hit the sims and get some flight hours in. We have a battle coming up and we all need to be at our best.”

Valin nodded and said, “Yes, Sir.” Zekk glared at him, but the commander nodded in response. Zekk hated the titles that came with his position as commander of Rogue Squadron.

After Zekk and a snickering Jaina moved away, Valin turned to Allia and inquired, “You came from V-Swords, right?”

Allia looked at him suspiciously and defensively began, “Hey, I know it is an Eta-5 squad but I have been flying X-wings since before I could walk.”

Valin held out his hands and defended, “Wait! Did I say anything about you being an interceptor pilot versus an X-wing pilot?”

“Well—no…”

“What I was getting at was that I have a really good friend who used to fly with them.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Then she blushed further and laughed, which dispelled some of the tension, “Wait, that didn’t sound right. I mean I’m sorry—“

Motioning for her to come along, Valin grinned and began to move toward the exit and the simulators. She smiled and quickly fell into step beside him. He said, “I know what you meant. Although, once you find out who, you may feel the other way.”

She furrowed her brow and asked, “Oh, that sounds ominous. Now I’m really curious.”

Valin thought about the woman he loved and his heart ached. They had always been friends but when he joined Rogue Squadron they became closer. By the time the Battle of Drall occurred he had fallen for her. When she was injured and he saved her life, he knew that he was hopelessly in love with her, and then she confided in him that she had always loved him. He understood her decision to follow her heart and defect. It was a thought that had crossed his mind more than once, but it still hurt to think that they were on different sides in this crazy war.

“Well? You are the one who brought it up.”

He smiled and looked away, “Syal Antilles.”

She surprised him by nodding sadly and looking away. “Yeah, I know her. I wasn’t really all that surprised when she defected. It would be very hard to fight your family.”

Valin looked at her and thought about what she was saying. “Yeah.” Then added silently, But fighting the person you want to spend the rest of your life with is even harder.