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Chapter 4

“Confrontation”
 

Two hours after their escape, the night was colder than anyone would expect on the desert planet. Tenel Ka pulled Jacen’s cloak tighter around her shoulders. They picked their way slowly along the rocks, moving slowly, as Tenel Ka was still weakened by her experience. So much so that her foot faltered, and she fought for balance.
“All right,” announced Jacen, “that’s it. We make camp now.”
She din’t turn. “No. We must keep moving.”
“You’re tired. You’re weak. I’m freezing. It’s too late, too dark, and too cold for us to go on.” Tenel Ka opened her mouth to retort.
“This is a fact,” he said finally.
The warrior girl lowered her eyes. “That it is,” she agreed, then scanned the area. “There is a cavity in that shelf of rock,” she said pointing. “It will serve as a good shelter.”
“I didn’t see it,” replied Jacen. “Good work.”
They settled into a large, protected space created by a long-past rockslide. The two Jedi settled against the unforgiving rock, trying to find a comfortable way to lay.
“Jacen,” Tenel Ka began, “I have made a decision.”
“What is it?”
“You must reach Master Skywalker without me. This space should hide me well enough for the day-- that should give you enough time.”
Jacen sat up. “Not a chance! How can you think I’d leave you behind to those… slavers?” The last word was laced with venom.
Tenel Ka fought for calm. “You said it yourself, Jacen-- I’m weakened. I would merely hamper your progress and cost us _both_ our lives.” She turned to face the stone wall.
“I… will _not_… leave you.” He pulled his knees under his chin. “This isn’t about ‘hampering my progress,’ is it? For the first time in your life, _you’re_ the one who’s weak. _You’re_ the one who needs rescuing, and you hate it.”
“Fine!” she shouted, then fell silent-- both of them stunned by her outburst. “Fine,” she said finally, “you are correct. I do not know how I can help you like this.” Jacen could hear the resignation in her voice. He knelt behind her and held Tenel Ka firmly by the shoulders, trying in vain to turn her.
“Tenel Ka-- you’ve done so much for me. I owe you my life a dozen times over, and would trust you with it again and again. Now, I ask you-- trust _me_. Let me help you now.”
She nodded. “All right.” Tenel Ka shivered. Reflexively, Jacen pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her gently. A moment later, she rested her head against his chest.
“Better?” he whispered, his breath full of the clean, sweet scent of her hair.
“Yes,” she replied, then sniffed. Slowly, they leaned against the rock wall as Jacen pulled the Jedi cloak around them. Tenel Ka nestled into his embrace and let the rhythm of Jacen’s breaths and beating heart lull her towards sleep.
“This is nice,” Jacen whispered.
“This is a fact,” she replied sleepily. Jacen listened to her breathing for a while as he fell asleep as well.
**********
The two young Jedi awoke an hour before sunrise, when the temperature had risen enough to make traveling possible. Rested, Tenel Ka seemed re-energized, and walked with a brisk pace more like her typical long-striding gait. Jacen stayed close to her at first, then inched away slowly, sensing her bristle at his concern. Not a word passed between them as they slowly made their way to the rendezvous point. Jacen constantly searched the bright blue skies for signs of the *Jade’s Fire.* They had crossed a wide expanse of dunes, and passed the sun-bleached bones of an ancient krayt dragon before reaching another timeworn rocky area.
Without a sound, they stopped, and sought shade beneath an outcropping of rock. Jacen produced the small flask of water he’d been given just two days before. *It seems like weeks since we began this exercise,* he mused. Tenel Ka, too, was lost in her thoughts. They brought her back to the cave, replaying what had passed between her and the young man she’d considered her
best friend in the galaxy. *But what _did_ pass between us? I have _never_ in my life required assistance like that-- I’ve never been so… helpless. But… it felt so… good, so right, when he held me.*
“Jacen,” she said aloud, startling the young man from his own reverie, “you are strangely quiet this morning?”
His mouth curled into a smirk. “I suppose I have been, at that. Would you like to hear a joke?”
“I would rather hear something else. We were supposed to… talk.”
“Yeah, we were, weren’t we?” Jacen scratched his head absently. He jumped to his feet and began pacing.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine, I just need to decide exactly what it is I want to say.” He shook his head. *I know damn well what it is I want to say to her. Now do I have the strength to say it? Better yet, do I have the right?*
“Then let me speak first--“
“No!” he said sharply, then softened. “I know what I’m going to say.” Jacen sat beside her. “Tenel Ka,” he began, “we’ve been friends for a long time. We’ve been through a lot of good things and bad things, and we’ve always come out of it with that friendship strong.”
“This is a fact,” she said quietly.
“Now, I think, things are changing. Things are different. I-- I can’t do this.”
He stood and turned away, hanging his head.
“What can’t you do?” asked Tenel Ka. She winced as Jacen laughed in response.
“That just it, isn’t it? It’s what I _can’t_ do that’s the problem!”
Tenel Ka stood as well. “What do you mean?”
Jacen sighed. “In all the adventure’s we’ve had together, we’ve seen a lot of danger-- our lives have been on the line more times than I can count. But when it comes to getting us out of that danger, when it comes to doing what needs to be done…” He shook his head. “We’re supposed to be Jedi Knights, aren’t we? The ‘guardians of justice,’ as Uncle Luke likes to say. So who are we? Jaina and Lowie are pilots-- she could fix a hyperdrive with a Corellian half-crown piece, and he could program an astromech to make scrambled eggs. Then there’s you.”
“Me?”
“You-- the warrior; the stoic. The one who didn’t slow a step when she lost her arm, and can be counted on to save the day every time.”
“Jacen--“
“Yes, and then we come to Jacen. Now what we can we say about him?” Jacen made a show scratching his head and stroking his chin. “He plays with animals. ‘But surely that can’t be all,’ you say. ‘He’s a Skywalker!’ All right, so maybe he makes himself useful once in a while--“
“Jacen, you’re not being fair!” Tenel Ka was nearly shouting. She closed her eyes, probing his feelings. “This… jealousy… isn’t like you!”
“I’m not jealous!” he snapped. “I’m tired. Tired of having my life saved-- by Jaina, by Lowie, by Uncle Luke… and by you. You can’t know what it’s like!”
“You are as important as any of us. None of the things we’ve accomplished-- all the good we’ve done-- none of it was possible without you!”
“That’s a nice sentiment, Tenel Ka, but it’s hardly true. The worst of it is I’m not even disappointed for me-- it’s for everyone else. I’ve got this great role in the scheme of things that I’m supposed to play. I’m supposed to be a Jedi Knight, but what the hell kind of Jedi am I going to be? The galaxy doesn’t need a Jedi who can’t take care of himself. It doesn’t need me, doesn’t deserve me.”
His eyes stinging, his voice fell to a whisper.
“And neither do you.” Jacen turned and leaned against the rock.
Tenel Ka was stunned. Slowly, she began to step towards him. “You cannot truly believe this, Jacen. You are a fine Jedi-- the finest swordsman in the academy. Your ability with living things is a talent that has been a boon to us many times. There is no one else I would rather have beside me, in a battle especially. Jacen Solo, you are stronger, braver, and a better man than any I
have ever known.” Her voice failed her. She swallowed. “And I may not ‘deserve’ you, Jacen… but I _do_ need you. I know that now.” Tears fell from her cool gray eyes as she wrapped her arms around him, holding to him as if for dear life. “I _need_ you.”

Jacen twisted around, and gently held her face in his hands. He wiped her tears away. “There’s a part of me that’s been waiting years to hear you say that,” he said. “But it breaks my heart to see you cry. With your courage, your heart-- please never do it again. Not over me.”
Tenel Ka gazed into his brandy-brown eyes. “I reach out to give you support, and you show nothing but concern for me. That must be why--“ she stopped. *Just say it,* she told herself.
The warrior girl smiled, and a surprised Jacen swore it outshone both suns.
“That must be why I love you.”
Jacen’s mouth fell open, but he was unable to form a single word. *She said it!* his heart shouted.
“You… love me?” he stammered.
“This is a fact,” she replied. “Is there nothing more you have to say?”
Jacen thought. “Yes,” he said, and leaned his head forward.
Tenel Ka tilted her chin and allowed Jacen to guide her. Their lips inched closer, and she felt the warmth of his breath on her face, as he gently caressed her cheeks.
“I love you, Tenel Ka. I always have.”
Their lips met-- gently and shyly at first, then with growing fervor. Tenel Ka’s fingers roamed his back, then tangled themselves in his thick brown hair as Jacen’s own hands caressed her face and neck, then reached down to hold her waist. They kissed with a passionate longing, their hearts beating in time, loud in their ears, and parted only when breath became necessary. They stared at each other for a long moment until Tenel Ka reached up began combing out Jacen’s brown locks. “You’re very handsome when you’re kind of scruffy,” she said with a smile.
Jacen responded with a lopsided grin. “Who’s scruffy looking?” He leaned forward again.
“Isn’t this sweet?” called a mocking voice from near them.
They parted, with Jacen’s arm circling Tenel Ka’s waist, and quickly found the source. The slaver captain stood a few meters away, blaster rifle leveled at them. They moved out from under the outcropping, but soon realized they were surrounded-- Jacen counted eight men before a blaster bolt vaporized the rock beside him, throwing them both roughly to the ground. Before Jacen could retaliate, one of the slavers kicked him in the stomach with a heavy boot. He did it again, followed with a blow to his side with the butt of his rifle. Jacen rolled, tring to avoid the blows, but his assailant was soon joined by several of his comrades.
Between blows, he saw a pair of slavers throwing Tenel Ka hard against the rock wall. He had to help her. The young Jedi turned his energy from deflecting the pummeling fists to reaching out with the Force-- with all his might.
**********
Aboard the *Jade’s Fire,* Luke and Mara sat in the cockpit, frantically searching with both sensors and the Force. Jaina, Lowie and the others were already aboard as well. The young Jedi girl and the Wookiee manning the secondary sensor displays.
Zekk paced nervously back and forth across the deck. He stopped and looked down at a low shelf, where the Jedi trainees’ lightsabers had been kept during the exercise. Now only two remained-- a silver and black hilt and a carved ivory handle. Everyone else with a weapon was wearing it. He looked away. Zekk heard something, then looked back. The two weapons were shaking-- vibrating as if with their own life.
“Jaina--“ he began.
Zekk, Jaina and Lowie stared at the lightsabers as they began to rise off the metal shelf.
**********
Stunned by a few blows, Tenel Ka looked dimly into the leering eyes of the slaver pinning her to the stones. Twisting away from the man’s slobbering face, she looked to Jacen, and felt his efforts. Giving him her trust, she joined all her energy to his.
Together, they let go of a desperate burst of energy.
**********
Luke appeared in the passenger compartment as suddenly, everyone on the ship started at the same instant, all feeling the same thing.
“Did you feel that?” asked Jaina.
“Yes,” answered Luke, “a surge in the Force. It must be them.”
They turned again to the lightsabers. The Jedi weapons jerked upwards, then rocketed across the compartment, shattering the viewport and hurtling through the air.
**********
There was the sound of a landspeeder coming to a halt nearby as Jacen was dragged to his feet. The slaver captain grinned evilly.
“Now that you are about to die, Jedi, do you have anything to say?”
“Yes,” Jacen spat. “Would you like to hear a joke?”
The slavers laughed awkwardly. “Sure,” said their captain.
Jacen coughed. “What do you call a man staring at his own defeat?”
“I don’t know,” hissed the captain.
The young Jedi reached his hand out, fingers stretched.
“You,” he whispered, and the metal hilt of his lightsaber flew into his grasp. Before the slavers could even react, the emerald blade was lit and the closest slaver cut down. Jacen pushed away from the rock and stared into the barrels of his opponents’ blasters.
Tenel Ka’s rancor-tooth lightsaber clattered to the rocks beside her, just beyond her reach. Seeing their comrades in attack, the two slavers holding her ran to join their shipmates. The warrior girl winced as the whine of blasters filled the air. As she grasped the weapon, she looked towards the fight. Jacen stood alone, surrounded by slavers. His emerald lightsaber blade flashing
as he deflected bolt after bolt, dancing among his attackers, cutting them down. Tenel Ka rushed from behind, and soon, the two Jedi stood on either side of the slaver captain.
“All right,” the man said, “I know when I’m beat.” He dropped the rifle to the ground. Jacen moved beside Tenel Ka.
“Are you all right?” he asked. She nodded, and they deactivated their lightsabers. Jacen saw the flash of motion in the corner of his eye. Time seemed to slow. He saw the muzzle of the tiny holdout blaster begin to glow. With lightning reflexes, he ignited his
blade again and swung it before Tenel Ka. The red light shot from the slaver’s hand, struck the emerald lightsaber with crackling sound, and reflected straight back at the man. The bolt struck him square in the forehead. The slaver crumpled before them just
as the *Jade’s Fire* appeared in the sky above Jacen and Tenel Ka embraced again, exhausted. “There,” she said, “you have just
saved my life.”
He looked into her cool gray eyes. “I stopped counting.”
“Good,” she replied, and pulled him to her again.
The scarlet ship landed gracefully, whipping up the dust and sand. Even before the landing ramp was fully extended, Jaina bounded down it and threw her arms around both her fellow Jedi. Lowie and Zekk were only a few steps behind, and joined in as well. The friends held on to each other for a while as Luke and Mara descended.
Luke took Jacen’s hand. “You’ve done well, Jacen… Tenel Ka. I’m very proud of you both. Come on up, and we’ll see how you’re both doing.”
Soon, they young Jedi sat together on the acceleration couches. Tenel Ka was snuggled firmly against Jacen, the faintest hint of a smile permanently on her lips. The friends talked animatedly, laughing and enjoying themselves. Suddenly, Zekk smacked himself on the forehead.
“I almost forgot!” he exclaimed.
“What is it, friend Zekk?” asked Tenel Ka.
“Umm… ahh,” Zekk stumbled.
“It’s okay now, Zekk, they can know.” Jaina patted him on the shoulder as Zekk produced his data pad.
“All right. Well, ah, Jacen, Tenel Ka-- we’re all really happy that you two are… well, that you’ve… gotten together. Now, someone will be _really_ happy.”
Tenel Ka raised an eyebrow, then reached out with the Force. “You have been… wagering… as to when Jacen and I would… realize our feelings?” She looked at Jacen. “What do you think of this?”
Jacen shrugged. “It’s kind of nice to know they’re in favor of it.”
Zekk smiled. “And the winner, with the time of three and one half weeks is…” He frowned. “It’s marked with initials.”
“Let me see that,” said Jaina, who peered over Zekk’s shoulder, using the opportunity to hug him. “J.A.S.A.-- Jasa?” She turned to her brother. “Jasa?”
“Huh?” said Zekk, confused.
“Zekk, ‘Jasa’ is what Anakin used to call my brother when he was little. He was ‘Jasa’ and I was ‘Jaya’.”
Tenel Ka twisted around. “You knew about this? And you wagered yourself?”
“I made a decision to tell you today by 1337 exactly. Who knew all _this_ would happen?”
“How much did he win?” asked Tenel Ka, yet to show any reaction.
Zekk looked over his pad. “Three hundred credits.”
The warrior girl thought a moment, then relaxed back against Jacen. “Save it for my present on our first anniversary.” She closed her eyes as Jacen bent to kiss her.
“You’re sure we’ll last that long?”
Tenel Ka smiled sweetly. “We must. You have my heart.”
“And you’ve mine, love-- you have mine.”
THE END.