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"CAPTURED" - prologue

by Eric R. Umali

"A Walk By the Lake"

As it always did, late afternoon came warm to Yavin IV. The sun was dipping behind the tall stone Great Temple structure that now housed the Jedi Praxaeum. A dozen or so Jedi students milled in small groups about the grounds outside the Temple, their studies finished for the day.

Three of those students and their friend sat together on a roughly-hewn stone bench under a tall shade tree. On one end sat the tall, ginger-furred Wookiee named Lowbacca. Lowie reached down to his belt and adjusted the small translator droid he wore there, Em Teedee. The Wookiee barked a reply to something he’d just been asked.

"Master Lowbacca would like to-- what is the phrase? -- ‘get in on’ that wager as well, Mistress Jaina."

One of the others nodded. Jaina Solo sat in between her friends and brushed back a few locks of her straight brown hair. Now a bit over seventeen, Jaina’s features were showing signs of her mother’s strong, understated beauty.

"Great," she replied, smiling. "Zekk, add another name to the pool."

Their third companion, a lanky young man with long black hair, nodded and began working at the data pad in his hand.

"That makes fifteen people," Zekk answered. "Lowie, how many guesses do you want? It’s five credits per."

Lowie rubbed his chin, then smoothed out the black streak that crossed his forehead. He gave a low growl. Em Teedee translated.

"Master Lowbacca wishes to take two guesses: four weeks and eight weeks." Zekk looked at his pad while the droid continued. "May I take this opportunity to point out that this sort of gambling would not be looked well upon by your instructors, particularly Master Skywalker."

Already well used to the droid’s opinionated ways, the three students ignored him. Zekk looked up. "Eight weeks is fine, Lowie, but someone else has four."

The Wookiee considered again and barked an reply. "Four and one half weeks, then," Em Teedee said for him.

"It’s all yours, pal," said Zekk brightly and shook the Wookiee’s powerful hand. Zekk shook his hand in mock pain afterwards.

Jaina opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the arrival of another of their friends. Zekk looked up as well, then nonchalantly placed the data pad, face down, on the table behind him.

The new arrival was their fellow student, Tenel Ka. Her reptilian hide clothing shimmered slightly in the afternoon light, and her red-gold hair spilled over one shoulder.

"Good afternoon, my friends," she said, greeting them with her usual cool and detached manner. They responded in kind. "Do any of you know where Jacen is?"

Zekk looked towards Jaina, with one conspiratorial eyebrow raised. Jaina stifled a giggle, all of which went unnonticed by Tenel Ka.

"No," Jaina answered as they all shook their heads. Then, she added slyly, "Why do you ask?"

"Master Skywalker wishes to speak to him," she answered coolly. The three on the bench could tell that the red-haired girl did not miss that one.

"He might have gone down by the lake for a walk," said Zekk, "he mentioned it this morning."

"Thank you, Zekk," answered Tenel Ka. She turned and headed off.

"Hmm," said Jaina, thinking aloud now that their friend was out of earshot. "I wonder what Uncle Luke wants with my brother."

"Nothing important," said a warm, pleasant voice behind them. The three students turned to find the head of the praxaeum standing behind the bench, having appeared from nowhere. Luke Skywalker, former farm boy and now Jedi Master had a slight smile playing at his face. "Just wanted to see how he’s doing. I’ve been away lately and haven’t seen either of you in a while."

Understanding began to dawn on Jaina. "And it couldn’t wait until he got back from his walk?"

Luke just smiled and walked away. Zekk followed him with his eyes, then turned again to Lowie.

"Want to change your bet?"

**********

Tenel Ka’s mind was turning quickly as she walked towards the lake. She moved at a brisk pace, trying to determine just what she’d heard in the tone of Jaina’s voice just then, and why it made her so... uneasy.

*It’s almost as if she were... insinuating... that I would have some ulterior motive for seeking Jacen,* she thought to herself. *Well, of course I’d want to see him-- Jacen is my friend. My very good friend, as he has been for years. I owe him my life several time over. Jacen is--* she stopped, finding herself near the edge of the lake *-- right over there.*

Tenel Ka hurriedly brushed her fingers through her long, red-gold locks and straightened her attire in a few places. The clothes were those of a warrior of the planet Dathomir, her mother’s home, and was composed mostly of smooth, tough reptilian hides. She then stopped, having caught herself in the act. *Oh, my-- maybe Jaina has a point.*

Jacen Solo, Jaina’s twin brother, was sitting on a small rock jetty that reached out into the lake. He seemed lost in thought as he skipped stones across the water’s placid surface. Tenel Ka called his name, and when he did not turn, she began carefully picking her way across the stones toward the young man.

Jacen sighed. *Three and a half years. Three and a half years you’ve known her. You’re the son of two of the Rebellion’s greatest heroes, the nephew of another, seventeen years old, and practically a Jedi Knight, and you can’t even walk up to your best friend and tell her...

*Tell her what? That you think she’s more beautiful than a Calamarian moonrise? That she’s the strongest, bravest, most wonderful, perfect woman in the universe? That you almost faint anytime you hear her say--*

"Jacen!" Tenel Ka shouted. Jacen started and swiveled around.

"Oh, ah... Tenel Ka... how are you? What are you doing here?" Jacen became immediately aware that his vantage point gave him a perfect view of her long, lean legs, bare from ankle to thigh. The young man quickly scrambled to his feet and smoothed out the utility jacket and pants he preferred to wear.

"I am getting hoarse trying to get your attention, that’s what. Were you that lost in whatever you were thinking about?"

"I suppose I was. So what brings you out here? Dying for my company?"

Tenel Ka felt her knees weaken just a bit as a lopsided smirk appeared on Jacen’s handsome face. The young Jedi woman snorted in disgust, her usual retort to Jacen’s "charms," but was silently appraising the changes in his appearance since they’d first met.

At fifteen, Jacen had gotten a growth spurt that now placed him more than half a head taller than her. As usual, he’d rolled up the sleeves and opened the top fasteners of his jacket. Every day he looked a little more like his father, Han Solo, the rakish and rugged good looks showing in his chin and eyes. *His eyes... brown like Saurian brandy...*

She shook herself from the reverie. "Maser Skywalker wishes to speak with you."

"Am I in trouble?" he asked, only half joking.

"No. He merely wishes to ‘catch up’ with you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I..." she bit her lip. "I inquired as much when he asked for someone to find you."

"I see. Wait, you _volunteered_ to look for me?"

"Yes," she admitted, trying not to say it sheepishly. "I was going to take a walk outside, anyway."

"Is that so?"

"This is a fact."

Jacen smiled when she said it, the oft-repeated phrase giving him a familiar feeling he enjoyed. The young man gestured back to shore. "So, would you like to provide _me_ with some company on my way back?"

"All right."

They had only gone a short ways when Jacen stopped. Tenel Ka could tell he was thinking something over very carefully, but not what. "Is there something wrong, Jacen?"

"Yeah-- I mean, no-- I--" For probably the first time in his life, Jacen found himself at a loss for words. Tenel Ka turned to face him, concern over his odd behavior evident in her cool gray eyes.

"I know there is something on your mind. Please," she asked, placing her hand on his arm, "tell me." "Tenel Ka," Jacen began, desperately applying a Jedi relaxation technique, "there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you. For a long time, in fact."

"Yes?"

"We’ve been friends for a long time now, and--" Jacen stopped short.

"--and?" Tenel Ka tried her best not to sound excited, but didn’t do very well.

Jacen’s eyes narrowed. He’d felt something, his Force sense detecting it long before his eyes or ears. His instincts sparked, and he sprang into action.

"Get down!" he shouted, and tackled the usually quite immovable young woman. Tenel Ka was about to express her surprise when it descended.

With a wingspan of more than two meters and a voracious appetite, katarns were animals to be feared and avoided. They were not often seen this close to the grounds of the academy, preferring to hunt in the deep forests and jungles. But this one exuded sensations of hunger and desperation.

The katarn’s jagged hook claws slashed as it dove, cutting crimson streaks across Jacen’s back and right arm. Ignoring the wounds, he rolled to his feet.

Tenel Ka’s hand went reflexively to the lightsaber she carried on her belt. She looked up, seeing a similar weapon clutched tightly in Jacen’s hand, his forearm streaked with blood. The katarn let out a bloodcurdling scream and dove again. Jacen leapt to meet it, twisting in the air as the emerald green blade of his lightsaber ignited and arced right through the attacking katarn.

The two katarn halves fell to the ground a meter away from Tenel Ka’s feet. Jacen landed gracefully in a crouch, and deactivated his lightsaber. He ran immediately to Tenel Ka, his face showing nothing but concern.

"Are you all right?"

"I did not have a chance to be harmed. Thank you, Jacen."

"Tenel Ka, are you sure?"

"This is a fact. But _you_ are the one who is hurt. Let me help you."

"I’ll be fine," he replied, suddenly defensive. He attempted to clip his lightsaber back onto his belt, but his fingers faltered and the metal cylinder thumped on the ground. "Blaster bolts! I forgot about the toxins!"

"Toxins?! The katarn’s claws contain toxins? Come on," she said firmly, and grabbed a fistful of Jacen’s shirtfront. The young man let himself be dragged back to the lake, where Tenel Ka had him by the water.

"Take off your shirt," she instructed.

"Why?"

"So I can clean your wounds. You are many things, Jacen Solo, but trained in field medicine is not one of them."

"Let’s just go back to the academy and they can take care of it at the infirmary."

Tenel Ka gave an exasperated grunt in reply. "We don’t have time," she said, and reached for his jacket, pulling the tail from under his belt and yanking it open. Jacen was suddenly of two minds about the situation. Yes, Tenel Ka was tearing off his shirt, but she was doing it because she thought he couldn’t stand up to a little mild neurotoxin. *Then again, my arms are going numb…*

"Turn around," she commanded, and, as he always did, Jacen obeyed her. Slowly, she pulled the torn jacket away from him, being particularly careful around the long, but shallow cuts that scored his skin. She proceeded to do the same with his undershirt. When it was off, Tenel Ka had to admit-- she was startled at what she saw. Not at the wounds, but at the condition of Jacen’s torso.

She had been around for his growth spurt and, as far as she knew, he did not have a rigorous physical training regimen as she did. But the young man before her boasted a torso of hard muscles, cut by long and vigrorous exercise. She looked him over appraisingly until a flush touched her cheeks. *What am I doing? I always thought he was handsome, but this…* Tenel Ka cleared her thoughts, but was glad Jacen had his back to her.

"Sit near the water," she was able to say, but quietly. He did, and she tore a clean piece of cloth from his shirt, and wetted it. With painstaking care, she began to clean the cuts.

"Jacen, what you did," she began, but Tenel Ka found her voice faltering a bit. "It was--"

"I know, I know. Foolish and unnecessary. You’re a warrior, and you don’t need protecting. You could have taken care of it yourself--"

"Jacen," she interrupted calmly, "I could not have. _I_ did not sense the katarn’s approach. If you had not, I would now be dead. What was _going_ to say was that what you did was very brave. Thank you." She leaned over his shoulder and kissed his cheek. The kiss left Jacen with a warm burning on his cheek, and Tenel Ka with the same sensation on her lips.

Tenel Ka resumed her work. After a minute, Jacen broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Much more to do?"

"No," she replied. "The cuts are long, but fortunately, not deep." She ran her hand along his side. "I did not know you had… increased your physical training, Jacen."

"How did you know?" Tenel Ka squeezed his firm bicep in reply. "Oh. I discovered something in one of the holocron archives. It’s called Bashu Do-- it’s a martial arts form especially for Jedi. Bashu Do focuses on honing physical abilities and Force abilites at the same time."

"I am impressed. How long have you been studying this?"

"A little over a year."

"Could you show me sometime?" Tenel Ka asked, her voice betraying a touch of eagerness.

"Of course."

After a few last touches, she was done. "I am finished."

They both stood, and Jacen turned to face her. He opened his mouth to speak, but felt himself begin to fall into her cool gray eyes. "Tenel Ka, I… thank you," he managed, then took her hands in his. "I’d hug you but I don’t think I can raise my arms." The usual lopsided grin appeared. Tenel Ka fought back a smile of her own and hoped Jacen did not notice.

"Well, since you did save my life," she began, then carefully wrapped her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head against him. Wincing a bit, Jacen placed his around her waist and rested his cheek in her mane of red-gold hair. A minute later, neither seemed inclined to move.

"Zekk, come on, they’ve got to be-- oh!" Jaina’s unmistakeable voice intruded, ending on a most surprised note. She and Zekk had gone in search of Jacen and Tenel Ka and had stepped out of the woods only to find them embracing tenderly. Jaina started when she noticed both her brother’s state of undress.

"Sorry for interrupting, folks, we’ll just be on our way. Come on, Jaina," said Zekk quickly, and began tugging the aghast girl back with him.

Tenel Ka released her hold quickly, as did Jacen. "No, you’re not interrupting any-- ow!!" he cried as Tenel Ka’s hand brushed one of his cuts. Her normally stoic demeanor evaporated instantly.

"Oh, Jacen, I’m sorry," she said, and quickly moved to check his back. Jaina and Zekk rushed to them.

"Jacen, what happened? Are you all right?"

"I’m fine," he said nonchalantly, "just had a run in with some of the local fauna."

"What your brother means to say, Jaina, is that he just saved my life from a very large, very angry katarn," said Tenel Ka, sounding much like a scolding mother. "You will find its body further down the path. Jacen has been infected with some of its neurotoxin, and so his hands and arms are not working properly."

Zekk leaned over Jaina’s shoulder. "His arms seemed okay a minute ago," he whispered in her ear, and got a playful smack for it. Neither Jacen nor Tenel Ka heard the comment.

"Then let’s get hero boy to the infirmary, then," said Jaina. Tenel Ka led him away, Jaina right behind them. Zekk picked up Jacen’s torn jacket and held it up before him, gaping at the ragged slashes in the material.

"Maybe I should re-think my own bets."