will1@earthling.net Fanged Butterfly Vol. 2: Knightcross Chapter 32 by Phil Hartman DISCLAIMER: Marvel's are Marvel's. LFL's are LFL's. Any original characters are mine. The rest belong to their owners/creators. No money is being made off of this. Please don't sue. WARNING: Mature themes. ------------------------------------------------- 40 ABY: Communications Center, Bast Castle, Vjun, Outer Rim Territories, Galactic East: 22 Days after the Battle of Corellia: ------------------------------------------------- It was, perhaps, not going to be the strangest gathering of beings Betsy had seen; that mixer of Lilandra's after the Warskrull defeat of Deathbird all those years ago probably counted for weirder. Most likely, Betsy admitted, six movies and 15 years of LIVING in the New Republic/Galactic Alliance had numbed her to the ... weirdness of a meeting of humans, aliens and Vong/human hybrids. (The hypocrisy of an X-Man thinking that Jedi and the Republic were odd was ... amusing.) This was a test run, with the Shaped Ones - represented by Tenel Ka, who was baldly (no pun intended) playing on expected sympathy from the Senate for the few Hapan survivors of the Confederation nova of Hapes Prime - first meeting the entire Jedi Council and Cha Niathal (G'vli G'sil couldn't leave Coruscant at a time like this, with reports of the war spreading rapidly). Nobody, not Luke, Leia, Han, Tenel Ka or the Council members who were present, expected this to go down easily; most of the post Vong War peace had been built on the promise of keeping the Vong OUT of the GA. The idea that Jacen had been half-Vong for at LEAST 10 years, then shaping Vong toxin victims for almost as long, on a dark side world ... was not going to go well, not without delicate negotiations. And that was WITHIN the Alliance Senate. Betsy was afraid the Confederacy might push for peace by offering to help incinerate Vjun from orbit. Ben had, fortunately, slept through the night; she'd let him stay with Luke and Mara another evening, loath to start the Master/apprentice work with Ben so raw from his Shaping's reversal. Admirably, he'd nevertheless been up about dawn, practicing in robes with a remote and his lightsaber outside the Shadow, and Betsy had watched unobtrusively. The boy's technique had improved somewhat since the last time she'd ... sparred, with him. Maybe it was that he didn't have claws and fury coming at her, Betsy admitted, as Ben met her at the entrance to the comm center, fresh from cleaning up from his workout. "I didn't know if I should report for the meeting or not. I didn't want to be a hanger on or whine about not being invited," Ben said, and Betsy smiled at him as they sat outside the room, waiting for the Council's shuttles to land. "You're doing fine. Did you eat something?" Betsy asked, glad at Ben's nod. "I don't wanna starve, seriously. I was just ... shocked, like you said last night. I hope I'm not being all needy," Ben sighed, but Betsy's knowing look prompted him to smile and add, "OK. I know you SAID I could be needy. But ..." "You are my Padawan, Ben. That means that, without being obsessive or smothering, you're the MOST important person to me. And you know I'm here for you anytime, Padawan, Knight, whatever your rank," Betsy promised. Ben smiled at that, and concentrated ... then said, "They're landing." "Then let us make ourselves useful, my Padawan, by serving as informal greeters," Betsy suggested, and Ben followed her to the landing pad. Better them than Threepio, Betsy figured. No need to worsen the situation before the veermoks REALLY started throwing shavit. ------------------------------------------------- "Rweootwoot doooo," Artoo observed, as a series of second- and third-generation Lambda-class shuttles started landing on the expansive pad. "Well, of COURSE there are a great number of shuttles, Artoo. You can't expect everyone to come in one large ship when several are coming from Endor and others from Coruscant," Threepio tried to explain, and Betsy fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Rwowrr BLURTT!!" Artoo snapped back, making Threepio throw his arms up in such a classic expression of horror that Betsy almost laughed. "Don't call ME a map-blind conversation piece, you felonious rolling short circuit! *I* did not steal the Jade Shadow, even if it WAS to save the galaxy!" Threepio retorted, as Ben returned Betsy's nod ... Ben tried not to smile TOO much, and said, "Hey, Threepio? Could you explain that Ewok grammar thing again? I might need it if Kettch and Myri get married." "Oh! Most certainly, Master Ben. And if I might say so, it's so good to see you fully human again. Of course, I mean no insult to Master Jacen, Mistress Tenel Ka, Master Tace or Mistress Allana, but I confess it IS distressing to be among so many sentients with Yuuzhan Vong traits," Threepio confessed in a low tone, as the droids followed Ben out of the way of the gathering adults. "Nice to see some things never change," Luke said innocently to Betsy, giving Ben a grateful smile as the new arrivals - Kenth Hamner, Octa Ramis, Tresina Lobi, Cilghal, and a crowd of GAG security personnel around Cha Niathal - disembarked. A pair of GAG officers looked around, both a little concerned and intrigued, and Betsy thought she knew them - and they and Ben shared elated smiles, and a ... kind? ... Niathal let the pair go to greet the boy, as Jori Lekauf and Syal Antilles (both once again fully human) approached from Bast Castle. Maybe today wouldn't be entirely nailbiting. ------------------------------------------------- "BEN!! Patra and Colonel ... er, Zekk ... said you were alive, but I didn't quite believe it - what HAPPENED!?" Lon Shevu asked, still amazed as Ben clasped his wrists, then returned Patra Tebut's hug. "LONG story, Lon. Are you guys OK? How are the rest of the squads? I ... uh, heard about Coruscant," Ben said, guiltily ... He could've DONE something to stop Jacen from using the World Brain to attack Galactic City, Ben's conscience snarked ... and he decided he owed his oldest friends in GAG the entire truth, no matter how awful it was. "Lekauf! Good to see you too ... and you're ... Syal Antilles ... !? Weren't you ... dead?" Lon asked Syal, who ran a hand over her still regrowing hair while Jori and Patra exchanged nervous smiles. "I got better," Syal said, and for some reason Aunt Betsy laughed REALLY loudly at that ... Ben led his friends to a little thicket of trees with benches, set off by a small stone path. "Master Ben, perhaps Artoo and I should rejoin the conference delegates. There may be some point of order they need clarifying," Threepio suggested, but Ben shook his head and motioned the droids over. "You're being assigned to me, Threepio. Master Braddock's orders," Ben said, returning Aunt Betsy's telepathic approval with a smile. He and the others found seats, and Artoo rolled over to sit near Ben, while Threepio caught up. Ben took a deep breath, then started to talk ... and it didn't hurt, for some reason, getting everything off his chest. Not to his friends, even if they were a little older than he was; that bit of space kind of helped. Lon was REALLY mad at first when Ben talked about the Shaping, then disgusted and finally just pained when Ben said why Jacen had done what he did. Patra looked at Jori with both ... sadness and a little concern, while Syal ... Syal just understood. That, and she and Jori kept a bit of distance from each other; Ben sensed they were trying not to hurt Patra, who didn't complain. Lon and Patra did smile a little, then gasp, when Ben described the Phoenix, and Jori looked stunned when Ben described how POWERFUL it had felt ... "... but what I feel bad about isn't that I thought I was Jacen's son. I was brainwashed, I get that, and Mom and Dad and everyone else's been really understanding. What I feel bad about is Jori getting Shaped, and I didn't stop Jacen from using the World Brain," Ben said, looking at the others with shame. "Whoa, whoa, whoa ... you were gene altered AND Force influenced, among basically a cult of other people trapped the same way you were, and you feel bad about your freak cousin being a traitor?! Ben, you did well to break free at ALL! And you saved Jori from being a drone! As far as Galactic City, nobody got hurt. It was like Caedus was sending a message," Lon replied, and Ben smiled gratefully. "Thanks for understanding. I ... I'm gonna try not to whine and obsess over what happened. I'll miss GAG, too, you guys, anyway," Ben said, and Patra hugged him as Lon and Jori clapped him on the back. "Hey. I don't care what the paperwork says. You saved ALL of us, both in and out of uniform. Far as I'm concerned, you're welcome anytime," Lon said, and Ben fought back tears. "And ... if I can interrupt ... Patra ..." Jori started, but Patra raised her hand and smiled a little, while Syal looked ... uncomfortable. "We're good, Jori. You and I never actually dated, for Core's sake. And I understand how sharing a wild experience can bond people. Facing the World Brain with Zekk was ..." she said ... blushing? And Ben's jaw dropped as he asked, "YOU AND *ZEKK*!?" "Well ... since Colonel Solo's rank was such a problem, Zekk doesn't really HAVE a rank, so ..." Patra said, smiling a little, and Jori and Syal relaxed. Lon got a dirty grin and asked, "I remember the comm call ... something about him wanting to be a love slave?" "NO! It's the hair ... ," Patra tried to explain, and everyone broke into laughter. Well, except Threepio, who just did his best imitation of a sigh and said, "I despair of ever understanding sentient mating rituals - AHH! MASTER BEN! ARTOO! HAAALPP!!" Ben and Artoo shared a groan as one of the shaural vines started to entangle Threepio, and the boy lit his lightsaber as Artoo got his saw out... Things were almost normal again, Ben thought with a smile. ------------------------------------------------- Well, at least Ben's friends were understanding of the Shaped Ones ... "...can't BELIEVE this kind of genetic barbarism was going on behind our backs! AND it was being carried out by a leader of our own military! You can't seriously think we'd allow you to join the greater Galactic Alliance!" Niathal snapped as Jacen finished explaining what he'd been doing on Vjun for so long. "Admiral, I do understand your concerns. But the Shaped aren't savages. We don't worship the Vong deities; we don't seek to convert or kill anyone to some overarching master cosmology. And I'm no longer a Sith Lord, or mentally dominating these people. I'm completely accepting of the need for the GA to establish an observation post here, and monitor us ... monitor me," Jacen tried to explain. Niathal looked like she was about to explode again, until Luke interjected, "Admiral, believe me, the Jedi are *not* suggesting blindly letting Jacen back into a position of trust. But he started out here meaning well. He made horrible mistakes, but he has released those Shaped Ones who were altered against their wills or other under duress." "And there are children here, second generation Shaped Ones who have never known what it was like to BE human. They don't deserve to have their lives disrupted, even destroyed, by essentially foreign species uprooting and experimenting on them," Leia said, glancing meaningfully at Tace, who'd come in with Allana and Jacen. Niathal glanced at Kenth Hamner, who said, "Militarily, I'm looking at this as a trump card of unparalleled potential. There are at LEAST 1,000 adult, trained Force users with Slayer enhancements here, nearly a squadron of coralskippers and frigate analogues ... Cha, we'd be fools to ignore the possibilities. Vong tech, Jedi skills ... on OUR side ..." "If, and I stress IF, we accept Vjun as a new GA world, we're talking serious restrictions. We'd be open to the idea of a treatment facility for victims of Vong poisoning, but WE would be doing the transporting. And this isn't going to be an easy sell in the Senate unless you at least try to expand your efforts to assisting other species' Vong victims," G'vli G'sil insisted via hologram. "Which is why I'm more than open to the idea of Cilghal, Tekli or some other Jedi healers also having a presence. Just because my techniques only affect humans, I don't want to seem xenophobic. We all know what that meant in the pure Vong," Jacen admitted, as Tenel Ka rubbed his head. G'sil and Niathal both looked aghast at the memories of the Vong War, and Cilghal, Saba and Tresina winced a little. "Thirdly ... and with all due respect to the children ... there is NO WAY Jacen Solo will go over well with the Senate as a head of state. Several hundred trillion sentients saw what happened the last time he addressed the Senate. And you KNOW what Keldabe and Bastion are going to say to the idea of an ex-Sith Lord leading half-Vong, half-human Force users," G'Sil said, looking apologetically at the twins. "Force ... the Mandalorians. Fett might have let go of his grudge, but after the devastation the Vong caused on Mandalore ..." Jacen whispered, looking protectively at Tace and Allana, as Leia hugged the twins. And Betsy finally spoke; she'd anticipated, maybe even precogged this. "Fett's code of honor precludes him slaughtering children. The Mandalorians might even see the Shaped Ones as akin to their own code of adoption in the Resol'nare," she said, standing to draw everyone's attention. "And Apprentice Skywalker and I are due to leave for Bastion soon, anyhow. Stopping to visit Keldabe would hardly be a problem, given Mandalore's proximity to the Remnant," Betsy concluded, glancing at Daala and Liegius, who shrugged neutrally. "An elegant solution, Master Braddock. Would that you had led the GAG from the start of this affair; your breeding and wisdom both shine through," G'Sil said, and Betsy afforded him a pleasant smile. She added plenty of teeth, though. G'Sil was almost more annoying than Phenirr; at least the latter man had Imperial indoctrination to excuse his obnoxiousness. G'Sil was pure politician, and Betsy had little patience for them (except Jar Jar, who brewed excellent tea). Which, she reluctantly allowed, was why she'd accepted a change to her flight crew after K'urod had dropped off the Angel's Wing ... At least Ben would be pleased. That meant something. ------------------------------------------------- The entire meeting had, of course, been under the tighest security, which meant half the civilized galaxy would know about the Shaped Ones, the GA's approaching them, and very possibly the Phoenix inside of a day. Betsy was counting on it; she might be a Jedi Master, but like ANOTHER member of the extended Skywalker family, she preferred a straight fight to all this sneaking around, even in negotiations. Fett would know what was here at LEAST by the time Betsy and her odd little taxi service reached Keldabe; Gilad Pellaeon, probably as soon as G'Sil's holocom switched off. The thoughts comforted Betsy. K'urod had been assigned to a StealthX squadron heading for Commenor, because the Hutts were sending reinforcements to challenge a GA task force going there; the Jedi were back in the war effort, even as Corran tried to get the new Corellian PM, Denjax Teppler, to agree to Jedi mediation. Han and Leia were going to Corellia, since Teppler had at least listened to them during their backchannel efforts early in the war. Hopefully, they could get somewhere. Luke and Mara were headed back to Endor, to help move the Order back to Ossus until the Coruscant temple could be rehabilitated, with most of the rest of the Council joining them on the Shadow. Kenth, of course, was headed back to Coruscant as the Jedi leg of the Triumverate, the GAG personnel and Syal joining him for the ride. Anakin and Tahiri, arguably the most well tested Vong experts in the Order, were staying, helping the Shaped Ones get used to life outside their little world (and helping Tenel Ka keep Jacen trustworthy). Chewie was taking a shuttle to Kashyyyk to debate Confederacy agents trying to get the Wookies to leave the GA, Lowbacca with him. And Jaina and Jag were headed to Nirauan, to drop off the now human Ysanna, and give Soontir and Wynssa the good news about a new baby Solo Fel in a few months. It was another leavetaking, but at least this one was more positive, Betsy thought, as she checked the Wing's systems once more. At least Ben was fully human, the Skywalkers and Solos were all talking to each other (well, Ben WAS avoiding Jacen, for obvious reasons) ... SHE was the one, for once, with the bizarre mix of traveling companions. In other words, Betsy was back to her normal, and it felt good. Even with Daala, a chained up Turr Phenirr, Threepio AND two twoodling astromechs onboard. Ben was visible through the transparisteel front window, talking to Niathal, and he lit up as she handed him something. She waved politely to Betsy, then returned Ben's salute, and let the boy run to board the Angel's Wing. He strapped in in the co-pilot's seat, and said with a smile, "The admiral said if I ever want back in the GAG, she'd let me in in a second. I'd still wanna go through boot camp, though, to be fair." #He's still thinking of others,# Betsy commended, nodding as Artoo and Neal handled the navicomp work and she took the Wing out of atmosphere. "An ... admirable consideration, Apprentice Skywalker. A positive view indeed, to find a Jedi willing to work within the system, avoiding elitism," Daala said, and Ben struggled with his response; he was smart enough to know a taunt when he heard one, but he didn't want to be rude or bratty. And it WAS Daala. Honorable or not, the woman knew how to hold a grudge. "Actually, Admiral, ma'am, I think we both know the danger in trusting a Jedi who thought his position meant he knew everything," Ben said calmly, glancing over his shoulder at Daala, and Betsy weighed the answer. The boy WOULD know what Daala and Liegius had endured, and the depth of Jacen's treachery. Daala smiled back, tilting her head and nodding appreciatively. "An answer both politic and true," she said, accepting a cup of some beverage from Liegius as he returned from the kitchenette. "Must everything be a dance with you, love?" Liegius asked, but Daala looked at him and merely smiled that smile, and the holoexpert merely shrugged back. Those Shaped Ones who hadn't possessed Force sensitivity before their changes lost such powers after the process was reversed, and Betsy was relieved. Daala was dangerous enough as she WAS; no need to worsen things ... A thud came from one of the cargo holds, and Betsy snapped into the intercom, "Don't make me play with the atmospheric pressure mix in that hold, Phenirr." A snarl through a gag was the only reply, and Ben looked both impressed and concerned, but Betsy radiated assurance to the boy, and he maintained an excellent sabaac face as he returned her affirmative via the Force. No need to tip off Daala that the threat might be false. For her part, Daala radiated a slight degree of respect, and applauded briefly. "How refreshing to meet a Jedi who doesn't let sentimentality get in the way." "The environmental controls, by the way, are voice locked," Betsy added, not needing to emphasize that it was HER voice they were coded to. Daala was infamous for gassing a large number of rogue Imperial Moffs years earlier during the post-Endor spats between warlords. Betsy had made a point to ensure that Threepio was shut down until Bastion, just in case someone got an idea to have HIM mimic Betsy. "Such caution from a Jedi. A trait from your years as ... what did you call it? An X-Man?" Daala asked, too sweetly. Betsy turned around in her seat and replied icily: "I COULD let you see the inflight movie ... Booster Terrik uncensored?" Ben and Liegius both looked violently ill, Artoo and Neal SCREAMED, and Daala ... Daala lost all color in her face for an instant. "You ... you make Caedus at his worst seem pleasant," was all she said, turning back to her drink. And with that, the mistress of the Angel's Wing allowed herself a satisfied smile, turned back to the flight, and finally relaxed a little. It was good to be in charge. ------------------------------------------------- tbc ...