Jaina sat, trapped, between her brothers. Having them next to her didn't make her feel any better, and the atmosphere of this wretched place wasn't helping either. She usually didn't pout when Zekk left on missions, but this was the first time the note had read; "Jaina: went on a mission, length undetermined. -Zekk." That was it. No 'I love you' or 'I'll miss you,' or 'I'll hurry back.' Just, 'length undetermined.' That hurt. So Jaina sat between Jacen and Anakin and pouted.

"Aww, Jaya, don't be like this," Jacen was saying. "Do you really want Mom to see you like this?"

"Jacen, you can't possibly understand. He didn't even tell me he was leaving!" Jaina bit her lip. Brothers could be so unsympathetic!

"Jaina, we're just trying to help!" Anakin moved to hug his sister, but she moved away. The only arms she wanted around her right now were Zekk's. Jacen and Anakin exchanged glances, and Jaina glared at them.

The door to the cantina opened, letting in the Tatooinian sunlight that was harsh even at dusk. Framed in the glare were two forms, which approached the table where the three Solos waited.

Jacen and Kinkin were grinning widely, and Jaina managed a tiny half-smile. Leia sat across from her children, greeting each with a hug and kiss. Her escort stood with his back to them, hands clasped behind him, studying the crowd. Jaina noticed a lightsaber dangling from his hip, which surprised her, and a subtle bulge at his chest, which did not. Any guard worth his salt would carry a concealed blaster, but what was with the lightsaber? The guy didn't seem like the Jedi type.

After all the hugging and greetings had ended, Jaina leaned toward her mother and whispered, "He's not a sniffer or a shooter, so who is he, Mom?"

Leia smiled. "That's Colonel Logan DeKoma, one of the best bodyguards I have; he makes sniffers and shooters obsolete. Totally devoted and willing to take a blaster bolt in the head for me. I feel completely safe with him."

Jaina looked at the motionless form of the guard, managed a polite comment to her mother, and sat back. Her brothers started describing her Zekk plight to Mom, and she listened absently, studying this new guard. She placed him in his mid to late 30's. He had red hair, and was taller than the average human. He looked at if he worked out daily. But she wondered about the lightsaber he carried. What Jedi Master had given him that?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Jacen's elbow in her ribs. He was nodding to Colonel DeKoma. She stood up, already a little embarrassed.

"This is my oldest child, Jaina Solo," Leia was saying. Jaina automatically offered her hand for Jade to shake, but instead of shaking it, he cordially kissed the back of it. Jaina could feel her face getting hot, and she pulled her hand away. Colonel DeKoma didn't smile, and Jaina's opinion of him was rapidly decreasing. Did it hurt men like this to smile?

"A pleasure to meet you, Jaina. Please, call me Jade."

Jaina forced a smile. "Uh, nice to meet you too, Colonel...um, I mean, Jade." Heat was creeping into her face again. She hastily sat back down. The bodyguard might have winked, but she couldn't be sure. He had turned around again, and was busying studying the varied clientele of the cantina. She suppressed the warmth growing in her cheeks and tried to concentrate on the conversation her mother and brothers were having. There might be more to this Jade character than she's first realized.

The four Solos chatted for another hour or two about trivial matters until Leia had to leave. The twins had their own ships, and Anakin was planning on riding home with Jacen. Jaina had some work to do on Coruscant before she could return to the Academy. But that wasn't until tomorrow.

Leia stood up to leave, hugging them all once more. Colonel DeKoma followed her closely behind.

"That colonel has the best sabacc face I've ever seen!" Jaina exclaimed in a whisper to her twin.

DeKoma turned around. "Jaina, I play sabacc. We could play a few hands if you'd like."

The twins stared at him. "How'd you hear her?" Jacen demanded in awe.

Jade laughed humorlessly. "Didn't your mother tell you I have exceptional hearing, even for a bodyguard?"

Jaina managed a smile. Then the possibility of a sabacc game reoccurred to her. "Can I, Mom?" she asked hopefully.

Leia looked from her daughter to her bodyguard and laughed. Of course, dear, it's your choice. I can manage from here, Jade. I'll see you all back home." She turned, whispering something to DeKoma and flashing a smile to her children as she left.

The colonel motioned for Jaina to follow him. She glanced at her brothers before tagging along behind Jade, who didn't notice Jacen's sly grin or the thumbs up sign he gave her. She frowned at Jacen and ran to catch up with Jade.

Outside, Colonel DeKoma clasped her hand firmly. "Sorry if you think this is too forward," he told her gruffly. "But if anything should happen to you here, it's be on my shoulders. Mos Eisley isn't a place for the Chief of State's daughter to be wandering around alone."

Jaina nodded, feeling herself blush again. Jade led her down dark and narrow streets and through the seedier parts of the spaceport. She felt safe with him, even in the darkest alleys. He stopped outside a nondescript door, which he opened for her.

She poked her head in and looked around. All she saw were bare walls, a table between two wobbly-looking chairs, a trunk, an old cot, and the door to the 'fresher. Her mouth puckered. Why couldn't she refuse a hand of sabacc?

Jade saw her hesitate and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "It's not much, but it's not so bad as far as Mos Eisley realty goes. Besides, I'm almost never on Tatooine to have a need for this place."

Jaina looked down at their joined hands and pulled hers away. She stepped inside with a toss of her head. "It's not that bad," she said politely.

He led her over to the table and pulled out a chair for her. With growing discomfort, she sat. He produced a deck of cards from the trunk and fed them through the randomizer. Jaina automatically told him they'd be playing by Corellian rules.

"My favorite style," he said as he dealt. Jaina put on her sabacc face and looked at the cards in her hand.

Jade tossed in his ante to match hers and looked at his cards. Jaina couldn't help allowing herself one, tiny smile. His wonderful sabacc face was gone, and a small grin was in its place. She returned to her cards and waited for Colonel DeKoma to produce a number from the randomizer. It came up an odd number, which meant they shifted cards. Jaina received her 3 of flasks back with a stony face and tried to decide which two cards should go. After a few more rounds of discarding and shifting, DeKoma called, placing his cards in the neutralizing field confidently.

Jaina had to admit it was a good hand with a value of nineteen. Then she laughed and placed her Idiot's Array in the field. The colonel's mouth dropped, then he smiled and pushed the pots toward her.

Jaina accepted them as calmly as she could and poured their contents onto the table in front of her.

She dealt the next round, and won. Throughout the game, the colonel had been smiling at her steadily. It almost made her mad, the way this grown man, old enough to be her father, was so obviously flirting with her. Instead of feeling mad, Jaina felt her cheeks getting hot. She smiled back at him and dumped the contents of the hand pot onto her accumulating pile of credits.

Colonel DeKoma winced as he anted up for the next round. Jaina smiled. For all his emotional distance, the guy was more expressive than he would admit to, and quite handsome. She had to give him that. She examined the cards in her hand and bit her lip. The card total was already in the 40's. What could she get rid of without discarding her entire hand?

Jade, meanwhile, looked like he was having fun. He was grinning openly at her. She returned the smile distractedly, trying to figure out how to lower her score, but how could she think with those green eyes staring at her?

Finally, Jaina got her score under control and called the hand, proud of her twenty-two. Jade snickered. She didn't understand why until he showed his hand; a pure sabacc. She stared, mentally adding up each total several times before she had to admit she'd lost. She pushed the pot toward him, trying not to look too upset. She hadn't lost a hand of sabacc in years!

Her eyes raised to find emerald eyes staring at her intently. The eyes moved closer and closer as he kissed her softly on the lips. Jaina pulled back, stunned. Where had that come from? And why did she like it so much?

"Better now?" the colonel was asking, a smile playing over his lips.

It took Jaina awhile to get her thoughts straightened out. "A . . . a little." She had to smile. This man was getting more complex every minute! What would his next surprise be?

They told each other about themselves. Jaina told Jade about growing up on Coruscant, about Jedi training, and even about Zekk. She asked him about his childhood, and he told her about living on Alderaan and his journey off-planet just a day before the Death Star destroyed it. She was stunned, and felt horrible for asking him to tell her his most painful memories. She apologized as best she could.

Finally, Jaina realized she had to get home. Jade walked her to the SoloSaber, and kissed her again.

"It was great meeting you, Jaina," he told her solemnly. "I enjoyed playing sabacc with you. We'll have to do it again sometime."

Jaina nodded, a smile forming on her lips. "Yes, we will. It was nice meeting you too, Colonel . . . um, Jade. She hurried up the ramp before he could see the scarlet color that suffused her face.

In the cockpit of the stock light freighter, Jaina's thoughts wandered from the preflight, something that had never happened before. She replayed the night in her mind. There was something about this Jade fellow . . . if only she knew what it was. A thought of Zekk flew into her mind uninvited. Jaina's hands froze. She did she think she was doing? Why was she blushing over an employee of her mother's while her dear Zekk was off collecting bounties? She bit her lip. She'd have to talk this over with Jacen. He'd know what to do. Maybe. And there was always Mom if Jacen failed her.

Jaina shook her head to clear her mind of the conflicting thoughts and activated the repulsors. The freighter lifted up and over the corrupted spaceport and into the vastness of open space. Her personal problems could wait until later.

Something behind them caught her eye. She stepped back, eyes wide. Jade was standing in the entrance. He turned and grinned at her. She stared. How in the Force had he beaten her here?

"Hello, Jaina," he said. She smiled at him. There was something about him . . . she wasn't quite sure what, but she knew it wasn't his skill at sabacc. She could forgive him for that. Sabacc brought back a memory of Zekk, and she winced, trying not to show it. This is all I need right now, loneliness and guilt, she thought. Why do I have to feel like this?

Jacen and Anakin saved her from her thoughts. The Bladestorm landed neatly beside the SoloSaber. The family reunited and made their way to their quarters, Jade warding off the newsgrid reporters and Senate members by waving a heavy blaster pistol around. His other hand rested on the hilt of the lightsaber. The family remained silent around the newsgrid reporters, waiting to talk until they were within the security of their own walls.

Somehow, Jaina was the last to pass through the door. She almost collided with Jade, who was on his way out. He gave her another kiss, which made her head spin. "I love you, " he whispered. She watched him walk down the hall, speechless.

Leia sneaked up behind her daughter. "He's leaving for a few days," she told Jaina, making the girl jump. "He's a pilot in Rogue Squadron too, as well as a Jedi Master and one of Wedge's best TacGens. Why do you think he makes such a great bodyguard?"

Jaina whirled around and looked her mother in the eye. Brown eyes locked, and Jaina could see that Leia already knew of the feelings welling up in her daughter. "I . . . well, when'll he be back?"

Leia laughed and patted Jaina's shoulder. She shook her head and walked away, still laughing, without answering. Jaina just hoped she wouldn't share her amusement with Dad.

Jaina returned from the 'fresher, making Jade jump. He hastily stuffed something small into his pocket, covering it up with a suggestion that they take a walk in the jungle.

She grinned and took the hand he offered. They ambled out of the Great Temple and into the shade of jungle. They hadn't been walking long when Jade stopped. "Jaina, I have two presents for you. Here's the first." Jaina watched as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful silver ring set with an orange gem.

Jaina gasped. "It's . . . so beautiful Jade!" He slipped it onto her left ring finger as she pledged to wear it forever.

"The silver was shaved from the hilt of my lightsaber;" he explained, still holding her hand. "And the gem is from the inside of my lightsaber. It still works fine."

Her eyes widened and she threw her arms around him. "Jade, that's so sweet. I love it even more now than before."

"Now here's the secon . . . daaahhhh . . ." Jade dropped to one knee, clutching his middle.

"What, what's wrong, honey?" Jaina tried to help him up, but for some reason, he didn't seem to want to get up. She looked at him worriedly and found his green eyes staring at her dreamily.

"Jaina Solo, I've loved you since the first day I've met you. I want to make sure these feelings last forever." Jade paused to grin up at her. "Jaina Solo, will you marry me?"

Jaina felt as stunned as she had the first time he'd kissed her. Exactly half of her wanted to scream Yes! at Jade, and the other half was screaming, What about Zekk, you traitor?! She bit her lip. Now what was she supposed to do? "Yes?" Jade asked hopefully."

She looked down into his face and tried to smile. She failed. "Jade, I...I don't know. I mean, I'm only just eighteen. I...give me one day? Please?"

Jade looked like her was trying not to show his disappointment. He stood up with some difficulty and took both her hands in his. Jaina's heart turned over. Those eyes! Jade leaned down and touched his lips to hers.

Then he grinned. "One day . . ." He held up a finger jokingly. "I love you, Jaina. I want you to know that." Jaina bit her lip and nodded, trying to smile. "Still can't say it?" Jade asked. Jaina shook her head and looked down. "It's okay. When you do say it, it'll mean more to me than you could ever know." They walked back to the Temple hand in hand, the only noises accompanying them being those of the jungle.

One standard day later, Jaina sat on the edge of the bed she and Jade shared, fidgeting. When Jade strode in, she jumped up and kissed him nervously. She sat back on the bed, facing him, but avoiding eye contact.

"Jade, I've decided--"

"Yes?"

Jaina took a deep breath and smiled. Here goes nothing, she thought. "I will say yes to getting engaged, and we can take it from there. I'm not ready for wedding plans yet, but I do know I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Jade closed his eyes and smiled. When he opened them, Jaina could see tears forming. He hugged her tightly. "Thank you," he whispered. Jaina pulled away so she could kiss him. She looked into his eyes. He was grinning. "I love you, Jaina." She looked up at him and smiled. She'd never been able to say that to him. And yet today. . .

"I love you too, Jade."

He laughed and hugged her tighter, his tears dampening her shoulder. She didn't care. Jaina knew she was going to be happy as long as she and Jade were together.

Back to the Fan Fiction page.
Back to Jaina's main page.
Back to Geocities.