Subject: [OTL]: (alt. Betsy/Star Wars) Fanged Butterfly 2: Knightcross 8/? (PG-15) From: Phil Hartman Date: Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:58:59 +0000 will1@earthling.net Fanged Butterfly Vol. 2: Knightcross Chapter 8 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. ---------------------------------------------- 40 ABY: Dathomir, approaching Singing Mountain Clan fortress: ---------------------------------------------- Mara Jade-Skywalker hated being wrong. She'd been able to atone for her past as one of Palpatine's Hands - Force-using assassin-spies who'd each believed themselves unique, sent on missions for their dark master (and occasionally against each other). She'd found the light side wasn't nearly so dull and staid as Palpatine had slandered it. She'd even been able to forgive, then recognize the decency of, a certain Tatooine farmboy after Endor left her without a Master. Palpatine's "last command" to kill Luke Skywalker had rebounded to Luke's *benefit* in 9 ABY, when Mara had slain Luuke Skywalker - a clone of the farmboy, created by the insane Joruus C'Baoth from the right hand Luke lost on Bespin to Vader. 10 years later, after annoying amounts of denial, Mara had found herself admitting that yes, she'd been wrong about that Tatooine farmboy. The wedding in 19 ABY was one of the most-watched galactic broadcasts on HNE since the first Empire Day speech following Order 66. Then, seven and a half years after that ... Mara's world turned upside down. The Yuuzhan Vong had managed to infect Mara with a likely-lethal disease. The Old Republic Jedi Vergere's odd healing tears slowed the illness, but she'd faced a resurgence of the sickness to keep the precious small life within her unharmed by the illness. Of course, Luke wasn't ready to take things lying down. Mara certainly wasn't. But she'd come to terms with sacrifice. Her now-epic delivery of a healthy son - a perfect baby boy, who helped Luke annihilate the disease within Mara - had been like a beacon for the galaxy to get up off its backside and kick Vong tail. For the first time, the Emperor's most famous Hand knew what it was to give life, instead of take it. Once the war ended in 28 ABY, she and Luke kept Ben with them, traveling the galaxy to help heal the wounds the Vong War had caused. But Ben had suffered a wound of his own. He'd felt the war, the untold number of deaths, through the Force ... and he feared opening to it. Intellectually, Mara understood. Emotionally, she wanted to let Ben find his own path. Part of her had sobbed in the middle of the night the first time Ben begged not to be touched empathically. He loved her; Mara knew that. He was a caring, dear boy - and definitely a boy - who worshipped his father and always greeted her with a hug. It was just so agonizing that he'd be afraid of something that was, basically, their family's life. She'd understood the Council's worries when they'd approached her and Luke in 30 ABY, about the Grand Master's son denying the Force. Mara had also been ready to Order 66 all of them when they'd suggested ... methods ... to MAKE Ben embrace the Force. This was her BABY they were seriously talking about - tampering with, like he was a defective droid - "I seem to remember a certain Dark Lord using children in Force experiments," Luke had replied in his utterly Luke-way, reasonable and kind. THAT shut up the discussion. Over time, with encouragement and trust and support, Ben had taken tentative steps. He'd glowed the first time he reached out to his parents - about age 7 - and found just how much they really loved him. Even after some setbacks, Ben had always stayed open to them empathically, at least. And amazingly, he didn't blame them for his delayed Force development. Then the Dark Nest tossed the shavit into the fan in 35 ABY. Betsy Braddock - to whom Mara was indebted for saving Anakin Solo from the Vong at Myrkr - once again stepped in, her precognition eerily showing her a vision of Ben joining the Killik hivemind. The very IDEA of her baby being part of a group of mentally-linked slaves, his light diminished ... horrified Mara. She and Luke let Betsy take Ben on a trip to Mon Calamari for a few weeks, chalking it up to "hands-on education." Adoring Betsy already, Ben had jumped at the chance. He'd returned even more open to the Force than before, and not a Joiner. Mara owed Betsy more than she could ever repay. That trip had marked a turning point. Ben - who'd inherited Mara's fiery red hair and brains (thank the Force he hadn't gotten her temper) - suddenly wanted to learn more about the Force. He'd become like a sponge, and he progressed so fast that it seemed cruel to send him to Ossus. But Luke couldn't find the time to help his son, with his Grand Master duties. Then Jacen stepped in after his questionable (poodoo-headed, Mara thought) method of halting the Killik expansion into Alliance space - tricking Jaina and other young Knights into attacking the Chiss, who then attacked the Killiks. Jedi didn't START negotiations by blowing things up. (And the irony of a former Imperial assassin thinking that wasn't lost on Mara.) Nobody seriously wanted to punish Jacen with imprisonment or kicking him out of the Order - he'd killed Shimmra, after all. But they couldn't ignore the line he'd crossed. When Jaina attacked Jacen for tricking her into attacking the Chiss, Ben's tearful pleas had shocked Jaina out of her rage. And Jacen - grateful to his little cousin for saving him - offered to help Ben continue his growth in the Force. In the end, Mara had been the one the rest of the Council turned to. Nobody knew Ben as well as she and Luke, and Luke was already abstaining because Jacen was his blood nephew. Mara simply sat Jacen down, and said, "I love you. But if Ben is hurt, there is no place - Core, Outer Rim, Unknown Regions, the Rishi Maze - where you'll be safe. I WILL skin you alive and feed you to a rancor. Clear?" "Clear, Aunt Mara. Ben's like a brother to me. I'd die to protect him," Jacen swore. That had been five years ago. Ben had been elated to join Jacen on his wanderings - had grown into a skilled and responsible Padawan. Until six weeks ago. Until Corellia threatened to use Centerpoint. Jacen and Ben had been the infiltration team to disable the starkilling weapon. Ben had come back sobbing, that he'd "killed" a droid that thought itself to be Anakin Solo. Jacen had been off distracting Thrackan, he'd rationalized. The point that Ben was afraid to talk to the real Anakin, or Han and Leia, seemed lost on Jacen. Ben seemed to recover; then the first bombing took place on Coruscant. And somebody had to do the dirty work of ferreting out insurgents. Mara had turned down Cal Omas' request to lead the effort of the "Galactic Alliance Guard." She'd pointed out that trusting one of Palpatine's ex-servants to do rather ... imperial ... door to door searches and interrogate suspects was NOT going to play well on HNE. If the Council had had worries five years ago when Jacen became Ben's quasi-Master, they were aghast when Jacen was named a colonel and started Force-pushing doors down, lightsaber in hand. The HNE footage took Mara back to the days when she'd sat in Palpatine's meetings and watched Moffs sending stormtroopers to ferret out Rebel cells. Sometimes she'd been among them. But then, it hadn't been her baby helping her nephew to apprehend insurgents on live holovid. Luke was livid, but - being Luke - had tried to negotiate with Jacen. Ben was too young for this, he'd said. Dissent needed to be permitted; this was a democracy. Ben had, at first, fought being taken away from the action. And Mara couldn't tell him no - she'd done the same work. So Luke relented. If Mara hated being wrong, she hated hypocrisy more. Then Ben came home with a military buzzcut, his sheared hair standing out shockingly bright red against his new black fatigues, Padawan braid trailing down his shirt like a line of blood. He'd called Luke "sir" - respectfully, hoping Luke would understand. Mara had admired Ben's discipline - squared away, boots shined. Luke had at least managed not to call his son an Imperial, but he'd insinuated it. Ben left in tears, marching in cadence. He'd hadn't been home in the month since then. Mara had faced the horrified pleas of their 10 fellow Council members to bring Ben home. She'd pointed out that someone needed to stop the insurgency. And Jacen hadn't butchered anyone. A day after Ben's ... initiation ... the internment of Corellians began. Han had been ... insane with fury; Leia had cried for Ben, not the situation. And they'd fled their son. And nephew. Ben had commed Mara tearfully, so she knew he still cared. They'd met for lunch, and it'd almost been normal. Luke had stopped by, then, and he'd promised Ben could always come home. Ben had thanked him, then calmly went back to eating, tearing up when Luke walked away hurt. And Ben shut down in the Force, shielding from his own parents, like he never had before. That had been three weeks ago. Ben at least let them know he was OK. Until he'd poured agony, grief, remorse and a plea for forgiveness into the Force almost 12 hours ago now - had latched onto her and Luke like he was drowning. Luke was both terrified and elated, and Mara could sense that father and son had reconnected. And she kept giving Ben her love and support, and he reached back, grateful that he could still be loved ... He'd been afraid of his own family, because of something that had happened the night before. Something JACEN HAD SET HIM UP TO DO. Jacen recoiled in fear from her. Far too late. "You let Ben spread his wings. You've done anything but fail," she'd reassured her farmboy. Oh, no. Luke Skywalker hadn't failed. He'd been the smart one. Mara had been proven wrong. Worse, Ben was HURT. He needed her first. She'd cuddle him, regardless of whether he was a teen. He was still her little boy. Part of Mara reached out to Ben - she was almost to her baby. The rest of her planned how carefully she would, quite literally, skin Jacen Solo alive before feeding him to a rancor. In pieces. One good thing about Dathomir? Plenty of rancors. ------------------------------------------------ Ben brightened, as a boat-like greenish ship with twin nacelles on wings mounted atop the craft, touched down on the landing pad inside the Singing Mountain Clan's fortress. The Jade Shadow - his Mom's ship - #They came. They CAME -# He looked at Betsy, then Tenel Ka, and the women shooed him toward the Jade Shadow with kind smiles, as Allana giggled. Ben dodged towering Dathomiri warrior women and hunched-over slave males, his tears flowing as the Shadow's hatch opened - Kirana Ti was welcoming two robed Jedi Masters - He sobbed as his parents hugged him, holding on and rubbing his back, while Kirana stepped back and smiled. "Dad - I've been a jerk - can you ever -" Ben stammered, as his father bear-hugged him and Ben returned the gesture. "Can you forgive ME? I let you go off with Jacen, and I should've been the father I'm supposed to be, not `Grand Master Skywalker,'" Dad said in a suspiciously thick voice. "But you're not the one who -" Ben stammered, until Mom coughed. "You're both sorry. You both love each other. Does the rest matter?" Mom said, hugging Ben again as he clung to her, and he and Dad grinned. "Thanks - hey! I forgot - Tenel Ka and Allana are here!" Ben gushed, as Betsy and the Hapans walked over, greeting the Skywalkers. It felt like things were finally gonna be OK, and there was the Falcon, and that clunky old freighter of Jaina and Jag's, swooping in - and Ani and Tahiri - #My family came for me,# Ben realized, managing a smile. Maybe things WERE gonna be OK. --------------------------------------------- "Betsy - thank you," Luke said simply, as he and Mara returned her hug, then put their arms around Ben. "Any time, Luke - Mara. Her Majesty of Hapes, you know, but may I introduce the Chume'da, Allana?" Betsy asked, a playful smile on her lips as Tenel Ka and Allana walked over. "Your Majesty - Chume'da," Luke said, before he and Tenel Ka broke into smiles and briefly hugged - they had been Master and apprentice, and friends, for far longer than they'd been Grand Master and Queen. Mara also hugged Tenel Ka, then beamed at Allana as the girl said, "Hello, Masters. You're Ben's mommy and daddy?" "We sure are, Allana ... you remind me of ..." Mara began - and realization hit her and Luke, as Allana giggled and Tenel Ka smiled shyly. "I will explain - once Han and Leia disembark," the queen said, sharing a smile with Betsy while Luke, Mara and Ben traded amazed looks. And there they were - "Ben -" Leia said simply, as he ran to hug her and made some kind of apologetic sound. She ruffled his hair, and Han put an arm around the boy, who almost gushed relief and gratitude into the Force again before they walked over to the Skywalkers, Hapans and Betsy. "Hey," Luke said simply, hugging his sister while Han clapped him on the back, and Mara and Leia hugged as Chewbacca and Threepio caught up. "Han -" "Look, kid ... whatever happens, I know you're torn up about Corellia. I blew a power converter when I saw Jacen - but you and Ben, you're family. What I'm saying is -" Han said, until Luke quickly hugged him and Ben leaned on Han. "We understand, Han. Thanks," Luke said, and he let Han and Leia go to greet the others. Chewie almost drowned Ben in a hug, and the boy looked - and felt - a lot better, greeting Threepio and then Artoo as the little astromech arrived. "Betsy, thanks again," Leia said, hugging Betsy and letting Han awkwardly hug the telepath. "Any time. But I believe you'd better greet Tenel Ka and Allana ... I wish the others had arrived -" Betsy said - no, wait, two X-Wing fighters had landed beside the Shawnkyr, and Jaina and Jag were racing up the walk - "Jaina," Han and Leia breathed in joy, and they embraced their daughter while Jag looked on with awkward happiness. The usually-reserved Fel grunted when Han slapped him on the back, but the in-laws also traded a smile. "Been WAY too long - BEN!! Force, I'm glad you're OK - Uncle Luke, Aunt Mara - Betsy! - Tenel!? Is that Allana -" Jaina almost squealed, hugging relatives and friends left and right as two orange pilot-suit-clad figures ran up. "Anakin!" Han roared merrily, and his youngest son hugged his parents while Tahiri took off her boots with a look of relief and laughed. "Hey, Dad - Mom. Thanks for - y'know, not being mad about -" Anakin started, until Han took him by the shoulders and beamed. "You stood up to Jacen. You didn't blow that blockade runner to space dust. I'm proud of you, kid," Han insisted, and Anakin returned his dad's grin while Leia,then Han, hugged Tahiri. "Hey, you old space pirate," Tahiri teased - she was almost like another of the Solo kids, and Han and Leia had never pressed her or Anakin on when they were finally going to wed. Vows in the Force transcended all of that, Betsy recalled - She swallowed against a memory of feathers against skin, and smiled when Anakin squeezed her hand. "Hey, Betsy," he said, before looking at Ben and calling, "Get over here, squirt." "Ani - Jaya," Ben laughed, hugging his cousins - Jaina had gotten around to hugging Ben, and added Anakin in for good measure. "Force, you HAVE to grow that hair out - the braid is astral, but you look like some kriff-headed Imperial Youth brat," Jaina teased. "I kinda like it," Ben sighed, looking guilty until Tenel Ka cleared her throat, and the Solos turned to their longtime friend. "Tenel Ka ... are you - with everything going on with Jacen, we haven't called. I'm sorry," Leia said, hugging the woman she considered a daughter. "It is utterly forgivable, Leia. I know you and Han needed to help Corellia, and Anakin and Jaina have been busy - but we are here now. That is what matters. And ... this is Allana," Tenel Ka said, finishing hugging Han, Jaina, Anakin, Chewie and Tahiri before letting her daughter bounce forward to look up at the gathered Solos. "Hi there ..." Han began, sounding kind - and then his jaw dropped, while Leia dropped to her knees and Allana squeezed her hands. "You're Jacen's mommy," Allana said happily. "Yes," Leia breathed, a ripple of recognition filling the Force, and Anakin and Jaina lit up - "And ... I'm your grandmother." Allana giggled again, letting Leia sweep her up and hug her. Han made a noise like a broken hyperdrive, but finally just hugged his wife and granddaughter, and Tenel Ka, Anakin, Jaina, Chewie and Tahiri hugged them. "Han Solo, grandfather. Thank the Force Lando isn't here. I'd never live it down," Han said with a suspiciously thick voice, as Allana leapt from Leia's arms into his. Artoo tootled and whistled, while Threepio exclaimed, "Bless my circuits! Technically, Princess Allana is the heiress to Hapes, Alderaan AND Corellia!" "Uh ... the Solos aren't exactly royals ... but she'd make a better Diktat than Thrackan," Han muttered, kissing Allana's forehead. "We'd better head inside - looks like another storm coming," Luke said, giving Kirana Ti a polite look. The Dathomiri Jedi Master bowed toward a waiting doorway. And then the hums of two more repulsor drives filled the sky, as the Force ... shuddered. "Jacen - and -" Leia said, concentrating while Ben paled and Han handed Allana to Tenel Ka. Mara snarled wordlessly before pointing at two fast-approaching specks on the horizon. One was a Lambda-class shuttle, similar in configuration to the Angel's Wing but painted black, like some kind of darkside echo of Betsy's craft. The Galactic Alliance firebird symbol was painted on the tail, and Kirana Ti glared at the craft when it swept in for a landing. The other ship was what chilled the gathered Skywalkers and Solos, though. An oval base with a snoutlike upper section sweeping down to an overhanging base with two laser cannons hanging off the back end was attached to two pivoting wings. The entire ship did a 90-degree turn, the wings going flat to allow the craft to land on its base - a Firespray-class patrol ship. And one infamous across the galaxy. "FETT," Mara spat, pulling Ben to her while the boy involuntarily whimpered and Slave I's hatch opened. But then, Ben took a deep breath and said, "Everybody - let him come. He needs to hear this too." "WHAT!?" the adults yelled - Betsy admired her "nephew's" courage, but inviting Fett to a confessional wasn't her idea of facing one's alleged sins. #More like ... suicide,# she thought, her glance sliding over at the slick patch of shielded feelings cutting through the Force. Jacen was approaching, flanked by a boy - all right, young man - with a sandy-blond buzzcut as severe as Ben's, and both were dressed in GAG black. Nobody missed that Jacen was also wearing a flowing black cape. His aide, at least, felt like a pleasant enough person, and the boy's face lit up briefly when he saw Ben - then filled with awe when he saw Luke and Leia. "Master Skywalker - Your Highness. Cpl. Jori Lekauf - my grandfather served with Lord Vader," the GAG soldier said, and Leia managed a polite nod. Luke also gave Lekauf a kind look, before letting Ben stand before Jacen. "Colonel Solo, sir," Ben said, snapping off a salute before swallowing. "Lieutenant Skywalker. I - kark, Ben, I was WORRIED!" Jacen exclaimed, hugging his cousin, all military coldness and dark aura vanishing as Ben returned the gesture. "YOU were worried!?" Mara surged - and Betsy looked around for any rancors or carving knives. She remembered Mara's vow of what she would do if Jacen ever hurt Ben. And Mara just might do it. "Master Skywalker, Ben's a valued member of the Guard. He's saved us a few times - he's a good guy," Lekauf enthused, and Ben returned Jori's smile before - Oh, SHAVIT. "Makes one of you worth something, maybe," Fett said, strolling over with Mirta Gev at his side. The girl had taken a truly hideous three-bladed knife from her boot, and was eyeing Jacen with murderous intent. "You can skin him, girl, but I get to feed him to a rancor!" Mara warned - and Mirta actually smiled at the older woman. "Hey, I like her. Who says all jetiise are weak?" Mirta quipped. Fett silenced her with a glare from behind his helmet, then locked eyes with Jacen - and Ben stepped between them with a stricken look. "Mand'alor, I ... I failed to save your daughter," Ben blurted. The boy drew a shuddering breath, while Fett asked, "What do you mean, kad'ika?" "Little Saber," the term translated into Basic - a taunt, or a greeting for a Padawan, as Betsy understood the term. Mara moved like she was about to leap onto the landing pad and carve Fett into chunks, but Ben gave her a pleading look. Mara reluctantly shut off her lightsaber, and Luke put his arm around her as Ben turned back to Fett and Mirta. "Ben, you didn't kill Vel! Let me handle this!" Jacen insisted, but Ben's look of - agony - pierced his mentor. "Jacen, you always say we have to be responsible. LET me, please!" Ben pleaded. "The boy has something to say, Solo. Let him speak," Fett said, removing his helmet. He looked ... old. Graying, with scars - but otherwise, much as Jango had, Betsy realized. The boy struggled not to break down, as he continued, "I was ordered to wait outside the interrogation room ... and I just ... listened ... to Jacen ... keep hitting her. I was too scared to act." "BEN! Kriffit, Fett, DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!" Jacen - SCREAMED - Betsy was shocked he was so - afraid for Ben - #Did we completely misread Jacen after all?# she wondered, watching as Ben continued tearfully. "I did s-stop Jacen from doing the same thing to Habuur's - Vel's - accomplice - but she's still dead. Because I didn't have the courage to act," Ben said, not looking down, remorse pouring from him. He dropped to his knees, still not looking away, still tearful, and said, "Ni ceta, Mand'alor." It was a formal apology in Mandalorian. The kind one gave when pleading for mercy. Betsy dared not breathe, as the galaxy's deadliest bounty hunter and his grief-stricken granddaughter stared down at the Son of Skywalker. Not even Jacen, pale and sweating, dared make a move - Fett WAS that quick. "You - you got some gett'se, Skybratter," Mirta spat, but she deferred to her grandfather as Fett kept looking at Ben. Finally, Fett said, "A Jedi killed my father. A Jedi killed my daughter. He nodded respectfully at Leia, then added, "A Jedi returned Ailyn's body. And a Jedi is apologizing to me. Two for two. Fair enough." The sense of relief through the Force almost shook the landing pad. Fett offered Ben a hand up, before concluding, "You do have gett'se, Skywalker. It takes a man to admit his mistakes and face them." Nobody missed that Fett was looking directly at Jacen when he emphasized the word "man." "What about his hut'uun darjetii boss?" Mirta spat, letting Ben step back as Lekauf pulled the boy out of the line of fire. Betsy's estimation of the corporal rose a notch, and she met Mara's gaze. Mara was shaking with relief, pride and a fierce determination to tell Ben to NEVER do something like that again; Luke was just relieved and immensely proud. Han, Leia and their other children looked both forgiving and shocked - Betsy could tell they were still reeling from Jacen's admission of killing Vel, but they weren't blaming Ben for his inaction. Allana looked terrified, and Tenel Ka ... The Hapan Queen's heart broke, and Jacen looked at her in horror as he felt it in the Force. "Is it true, Colonel?" Tenel Ka said, handing Allana to Leia and making her way forward. She bowed to Fett - one head of state to another - and squeezed Ben's shoulder in support before locking eyes with Jacen. "Your - Tenel - I ... I lost ... I overreacted. Badly. I understand that, but -" Jacen begged her to understand - "IS. IT. TRUE?" Tenel Ka - every inch the queen, every inch the betrayed lover - demanded. Not even Jacen could deny her, and he just nodded, Tenel Ka's face crumpling in response. Mirta's snarl of fury - and agonized spike of grief in the Force - cut him off, but Fett grabbed the girl by the arm and pulled her back. "Hmm. Seems the honeymoon's over. You deserve getting your heart cut out, darjetii Solo. Your Majesty - sorry your boyfriend turned out to be such a barve. Dance on his grave for me, hmm?" Fett said, replacing his helmet. "Ba'buir - HE MURDERED MAMA!" Mirta - sobbed - her blaster was in her hands before Jacen could stop her - And a comlink squealed. "Ganner Rhysode, this is Solo! WHAT is it!?" Jacen snarled into his comlink, and Tenel Ka reluctantly ran for Allana. "Sir - a Corellian carrier just dropped out of hyperspace! We're taking heavy fire - and there are at least six YT-5100 class Shrike bombers inbound for your shuttle!" a young woman's voice exclaimed, over the sound of explosions - Six sleek, black craft with disklike back ends tapering into twin mandibles - like smaller, slimmer versions of the Falcon, without the side-mounted cockpit - headed directly for the Singing Mountain Clan fortress. Missiles streaked through the air, as Kirana Ti shouted in Dathomiri for her warriors to head for the air defense towers. #It never rains but it pours ...# Betsy thought, pulling Tenel Ka and Allana to safety. ---------------------------------------- The first missile slammed into the higher A/T tower, shattering it and pouring the agony of death into the Force. Allana screamed in terror - in PAIN - Jacen wanted more than anything to comfort his little girl. But this was his fault. The Corellians obviously had been leaked the details of this gathering - Ben's fresh gout of horror ruled him out, and somehow, Jacen didn't believe his parents would risk their loved ones just to kill him. #Well, so YOU think ...# the dark thing chuckled. #SHUT UP!# Jacen snarled back at it, and motioned Lekauf after him - as a missile streaked directly for the walkway where the corporal and Ben were standing. "BEN!" Mara screamed - Jacen and Luke tried to deflect the ordinance - but Ben executed a perfect Force-leap, pulling Lekauf with him, over the explosion which forced the rest of the Skywalkers and Solos back with Tenel Ka and Allana. They were alive. That was what mattered, and Ben and Lekauf landed at Jacen's side, exhausted. "Jasa ... didn't ... I didn't tell ..." Ben moaned, and Jacen hugged him - shielded him as the missiles kept streaking down and Lekauf commed the Ganner - "I know, Bennie. I know," Jacen whispered, nodding as Lekauf keyed in the shuttle's security code. [GO! I'll protect Ben!] Jacen shouted in the Force, pulling his cousin after him - he could sense the rest of the family scattering, Luke helping Kirana direct fire patterns and Jaina borrowing Tahiri's X-Wing to fight back, Anakin and Dad following. Mara's spike of fear and fury was cut off when she and Betsy moved to help Tenel Ka and Allana to safety - Jacen knew he'd lost his one ally on the Council. Another sacrifice. And a sign. "Time to start your advanced training," Jacen whispered to Ben, as they boarded the shuttle. Fett had already taken off, but the Corellians weren't stupid enough to attack him - Jacen was their target. Jacen set that aside; he was too busy helping Ben strap in. "Lekauf, best possible speed! If those traitors want to bring the fight outside the Five Sisters, I'm all for it!" he spat, referring to the five habitable worlds of the Corellian system. "Yessir," Lekauf said, totally professional despite the threat of imminent death and the preceding drama back on the landing pad as they flew through a hail of turbolaser fire. The Ganner was providing suppression fire, taking down the Corellian bombers. Jacen left the flying to Lekauf, then sealed the door to the passenger cabin and stroked Ben's forehead as he dozed. The dark side had to be embraced, not programmed into someone. Ben's conversion had to accelerate. "I know you didn't mean to trap me, Ben. But someone in our family DID call the Corellians,"Jacen lied casually. "B-but - they wouldn't -" Ben begged, waking. "Maybe not directly. But I need you - you're strong enough to face Fett, and you're strong enough to help me end this war. We can't do that if people keep tracking me through you," Jacen said. Ben looked like he wanted to believe him ... "I hurt you and I'm sorry. You've trusted me for five years - please, let me have another chance," Jacen pleaded - that WAS the truth. "You mindrubbed me about Allana. But ... you were protecting her ..." Ben said, hope rising in him - He still wanted to save Jacen, and the Sith student's heart was touched - his "little brother" was back. "No more mindrubs. But you have to trust me as much as I trust you, please?" Jacen asked. Ben nodded, and opened to Jacen in the Force, asking empathically, [What do I have to do?] [This is going to hurt a little. I'm sorry,] Jacen sent across their bond - then quickly severed the boy's Force bonds to Luke and Mara. [I c-can't call them ...?] Ben asked, afraid, as Jacen hugged him. Ben was bonded solely to him now. [Maybe later. I promise, I'll be here for you,] Jacen vowed, as Ben leaned on him and feared someone had betrayed HIM - his heart broke again. Part of Jacen cried along with Ben. The dark thing just hissed in anticipation. ------------------------------------------- tbc ...