When Jaina reached the room where Tenel Ka and Jacen were ‘talking’, she listened carefully at the door before trying to go inside. Hearing nothing, a small smile crept onto her lips. If they were doing what she thought they were doing, Jacen’s chances of marrying Tenel Ka had just gotten a lot better.

Thinking back, Jaina remembered when she and Jacen had first met the warrior girl. It was their second day at the Academy, and the twins had gone for a walk in the jungle so Jacen could begin his collection of animals. They hadn’t been walking for more than an hour when they realized just how lost they’d gotten. If they hadn’t been discovered by Tenel Ka it might of been days before they found their way back.

Jaina recalled Jacen trying to start a fire to send out smoke signals, completely ignoring the fact that the foliage above was to think to let any smoke out anyway, when he’d somehow upset a pack of woolmanders. The creatures immediately began to chase the twins farther into the jungle.

Meanwhile, Tenel Ka had been out doing her daily ten to twelve kilometer jog when she heard the noises made by the disgruntled woolmanders, and Jacen and Jaina’s own cries for help. She quickly located the angry animals and much to the twin’s surprise (when they figured out they weren’t being chased anymore), Tenel Ka had grabbed a nearby tree branch and was batting the woolmanders away. The animals at first tried to fight back, but eventually grew tired of being tossed by Tenel Ka’s weapon, and ran off.

The twins had slowly crept back to where Tenel Ka stood, still looking around warily for more of the creatures. Jacen had been in awe of the warrior girl, and after she led the twins back to the Academy Jacen had talked about her nonstop to Jaina, and anyone else who would listen.

Jaina had been slightly jealous at first, she’d always been the closest female to Jacen, sans their mother. But after getting to know Tenel Ka better the feelings of jealousy had gone away, replaced by friendship and a sense of relief, because she and Jacen had rarely had friends their own ages before.

But back in the present, Jaina again listened for voices. Confident her brother and Tenel Ka were engaged in something other than verbal conversation, she slowly began to open the door, but abruptly halted when it became evident the door was locked. Raising her eyebrows slightly, wondering why her brother would be presumptuous enough to keep others out, Jaina concentrated with the force in order to unlock the door.

After hearing the desired ‘click’, Jaina slowly pushed open the door. At first she couldn’t see her brother and Tenel Ka in the room at all, so she quietly crept inside. Peering over one of the consoles, Jaina spotted her brother and Tenel Ka on the floor, quite oblivious to her entrance.

Clearing her throat loudly, Jaina knocked on the top of the console. “Excuse me? Can I get a word in here?”

Jacen quickly jumped up, followed by a flushed Tenel Ka. “Jaina! What are you doing here? It’s not what it looks like, we were just, um, we were...”

“No need to explain, I know what’s going on.” Jaina said, seemingly saving her brother from anymore embarrassment. “Tenel Ka had been choking on something, and Heimlick maneuver notwithstanding, you decided to try a more intimate alternative.”

Glaring at his sister, Jacen replied, “No, but that’s not the point. What are you doing here? I thought I locked the door.”

“You did,” Jaina said, “but it’s a good thing I was able to unlock it. I mean, I’ve known how you two felt about each other for a pretty long time, and if I’d come in say, maybe an hour later, you two might of just gone and started your honeymoon early, and while it’d be sorta fun for you, I don’t think uncle Luke would approve, which reminds me why I came here in the first place.”

“And why is that?” Jacen asked, trying to control his temper. Tenel Ka’s reassuring hand on his arm helped to calm him down.

“Well, since you two were no-shows at this morning’s lecture, I volunteered to be the one to inform you of our much anticipated ‘graduation’. It’ll happen in two weeks, with one final force ‘test’, see uncle Luke for more information.” Jaina said.

“What kind of test?” Tenel Ka asked, looking suspiciously at Jaina.

“Probably something similar to what he went through on Dagobah, facing your fears, overcoming some great obstacle in your life, that type of thing.” Jaina said, unobtrusively yawning. “But what I don’t understand is why we have to stay here for four years when uncle Luke only stayed with Obi Wan for maybe two days, and Yoda for probably less than a week. It just doesn’t add up.”

“Your point?” Jacen asked in annoyance.

“No point. But you two might want to talk to uncle Luke anyway, I kinda told him about the marriage thing.”

“Jaina, is there anyone you haven’t told? I was kind of hoping to tell some people myself, I am the person getting married, right?” Tenel Ka asked.

“I don’t think Raynar and Lusa know. Want me to tell them?” Jaina was getting tired of the entire situation. Actually, she was just tired.

Deciding to ignore his sister’s comments, Jacen focused on Tenel Ka instead. “Want to go talk to uncle Luke now?”

“Sure,” she replied. “See you later, Jaina.”

Jacen and Tenel Ka left the room in search of Master Skywalker, while Jaina stayed behind a while longer. She didn’t think they’d been very grateful to her for setting them up, but at least she’d get a good seat at the wedding. If she chose to go, that is.

Jaina yawned again, perhaps she should try to get more sleep. The ground hadn’t exactly been comfortable, but if she slept she would run the risk of getting caught in the dreams. But the more she thought about sleep, the more attractive the idea became.

It wasn’t like Jaina needed to be awake for anything else, she never had to go to another lecture again. Finding no other reasons sufficient to keep her from sleep, Jaina started toward her room, her only thoughts being how nice it would feel to finally get some sleep.

Stupid people. All of them peasants, she was certain of that. Oh, she wanted to be home! No one would dare to pound on her door, the sounds almost like explosions, when one considered it. Would such things haunt her forever? How could one tiny, insignificant experience mark her forever?

Well, as interesting and enlightening as all this is, what’s the point? Jaina thought grumpily, even in sleep there was no rest.

Honestly, didn’t they understand by now that she was still sleeping? Granted, she was awake now, but it certainly wasn’t by choice. She lazily reached over to push open the curtain a little, a valuable commodity for a room with such an insanely large window. Dark outside. Now, she was ‘foreign’ to this place, but wasn’t it traditional to sleep when the sky was dark?

Tracing her fingers across the glass, Angelica was startled by how cold it felt. Hadn’t it been beyond hot earlier in the day? It had something to do with the clouds, she could remember that much from her studies as a child. The moisture in the air too, or the lack thereof. No matter, such things weren’t important.

Sure they aren’t, you just keep telling yourself that, Jaina thought.

The noise had stopped, finally. Maybe now she could get back to sleep. As Angelica stared at the dark sky, there were few stars this far out on the Outer Rim, a flicker of movement caught her eye.

Readjusting her gaze, Angelica focused on where she thought she’d seen something. Nothing now. Probably just her mind playing tricks on her.

She’s got a mind? I would of never guessed, thought Jaina.

There it went again. The light had been closer this time, but it still disappeared before she could make anything out. A knot of cold fear settled in her stomach. If they had found her already, everything was lost before it was even begun.

Angelica back away from the window, reaching over to the other side of the bed for her shoes. Fumbling for the left one, she unscrewed the small compartment built into the large heel. Pulling out the tiny blaster, the power source so small it was only good for a few shots anyway, she faced to window again.

There was a chance she could take out whoever had been sent before she was taken out, a small chance, but a chance nonetheless. Scanning the darkness for signs of movement, Angelica tried to hold her shaking hands still. She’d never held a weapon before, at least not without an instructor with her. She’d not even remembered owning the thing until a few moments ago. It probably wouldn’t do her much good, she’d always had terrible aim, but didn’t they say it was better to kill yourself than to allow someone else the pleasure of your death?

Angelica watched carefully for movement outside. Her heart was beating faster than it ever had before, and a cold sweat enveloped her body. Swallowing thickly, she inched closer to the pane of glass separating her from the darkness.

Straining her ears, Angelica heard faint noises coming from the window. Her breath quickened, coming in short, shallow gasps. She could make out the sound of a handle turning, and resigning herself to a seeming inevitable death, she carefully aimed the blaster towards her right temple.

Short, but I was receiving some rather threatening emails because I hadn't updated in so long.(you know who you are)