"Debut" - part 1

Tenel Ka closed her eyes and breathed deeply, applying a Jedi relaxation technique to relax the growing ache at her temples.  Unfortunately, nothing seemed to help.  She sat in front of the communications station at the Jedi Academy, alone, speaking with her grandmother.

 Ta’a Chume, former ruler of the powerful Hapes Cluster, fixed her granddaughter with a cool stare.  “It is Hapan tradition, Tenel Ka.  You are recquired to do this.”

 “I have no wish to disrespect Hapan tradition, grandmother,” Tenel Ka sighed, “but what you are suggesting--”

 “I am suggesting nothing.  You are about to turn sixteen years old, and as a member of Hapan society, particularly as the heir to its rule, you have no choice.”

 “There is always a choice, grandmother.”

 The older woman paused, changing her angle of attack.  “Granddaughter, you know how much this would mean to your father.  You may favor your mother’s traditions in dress and behavior, but you cannot ignore his.”

 *She’s almost desperate now,* thought the young warrior girl, *to invoke her son’s name like this.  I will tell her now-- there’s no way she could think it was her doing.*

 “Father has already contacted me,” said Tenel Ka calmly.  “He told me how much this means to him.  He _also_ told me that it was my decision to make.”

 “And?”

 “To honor my father and the ways of my family, I will do this.  You may prepare this... function.”

 “The Hapan Passage Ball is no mere social function, granddaughter-- it would be wise of you to study the tradition before returning to Hapes for the preparations.”

 “I already have, grandmother.  I will be prepared.”

 “Good, then,” replied the older woman.  Tenel Ka could almost see Ta’a Chume rubbing her hands in anticipation.  The Ball meant pomp and pageantry-- things the granddaughter avoided and the grandmother reveled in.  “You have made the right decision.  Now we must discuss the matter of your escort,” she said as she raised a small data pad before her.  “I have taken the liberty of compiling a list of twelve or so affluent young men here--”

 “Grandmother,” said Tenel Ka, surprised, “I was not informed I needed an escort for this ceremony.”

 “But of course you do,” Ta’a Chume scoffed.  “Now these young men are all of sufficient social status to be suitable escorts.  May I recommend--”

 Tenel Ka cut her off.  “I will select my own escort,” she replied, though she hadn’t the slightest idea who she would choose.

 “Don’t be ridiculous, child-- whom do you know that could _possibly_ be of acceptable station?”

 She closed her eyes, thinking quickly.  Inspiration struck like lightning.

 “Not that I care about your social predjudices, grandmother, but I have a suggestion I believe will satisfy you.”

 “Yes?”

 “Would a Jedi Knight and son of the Chief of State of the New Republic be of sufficient station to serve as my escort?”

 Tenel Ka found much satisfaction in her grandmother’s reaction.  Ta’a Chume’s eyes went wide with surprise.  “You mean your friend-- young Jacen Solo?”

 “This is a fact.”

 “Yes... Yes, young Solo would be an excellent choice, granddaughter.  He will make a very good... escort.”

 The young woman could see the wheels turning behind Ta’a Chume’s eyes.  Tenel Ka felt a pang of regret, as she knew Ta’a Chume already had her and Jacen long married with several children in her mind.

 “Have you informed him yet, Tenel Ka?”

 “I will _ask_ him tomorrow, grandmother.  If he cannot, we will discuss your list.”

 “Very well.  Good night, granddaughter-- you will not regret this decision.”

 “I hope not, grandmother.  May the Force be with you.”

 Ta’a Chume nodded curtly, and the connection was severed.  Tenel Ka let out a long breath.  *Now I must decide how I am to ask Jacen.*  She hoped he would-- the thought of being escorted by some dull-witted, spoiled Hapan brat left an ill feeling in her stomach.

 *But the thought of sharing this with Jacen is... most pleasant.  At any rate, he can keep me entertained.*  “I wonder if he can dance?” she whispered.

 Tenel Ka rose and switched off the equipment, stifling a yawn.  She headed back to her quarters, and slept the moment her head hit the pillow.

**********

 Early the next morning, Tenel Ka stood at the foot of the rebuilt Great Temple.  It was time for her morning exercise routine, and she had planned on using the time to decide on how she would approach Jacen.  That is, until the young man appeared at the entrance.

 “Good morning, Tenel Ka,” he said, a lopsided smirk decorating his handsome face.

 “Greetings, friend Jacen,” she replied.  “I am surprised to see you here.”

 “Yeah, I’m not usually an early riser.  I’ve decided to step up my physical training.  A little advice from Uncle Luke.”

 Tenel Ka raised an eyebrow.  “Jacen, I do not believe I will ever become used to your referring to Master Skywalker that way.”

 Jacen shrugged.  “I know. It’s hard for me to think of him as Uncle Luke when he’s teaching or involved in training.  But it’s just as hard to think of him as Master Skywalker when he’s telling stories about my parents, or playing with Anakin.”

 “Ah.  Aha.  So you wish to join me in exercising this morning?”

 “If you don’t mind,” he said politely.

 “Of course not, my friend.”

 The two young Jedi began scaling the outside of the temple, using hands and feet, resorting to the Force as little as possible.  They picked their way upward, slowly, but surely.  Jacen often caught himself glancing at her, admiring her ability to climb despite having only one arm.  There was a brief flash of guilt through his heart as he thought about his role in her accident, but it was gone quickly.  Tenel Ka had long since absolved him of blame for losing her left arm.

 Jacen soon realized it was not only her tenacity he was admiring. At sixteen, she was already the most beautiful woman he’d ever known, with long, lean limbs and fiery red-gold tresses she wore in decorated braids.  He blushed a bit when she turned to look at him in mid-stare.  Jacen smiled, and returned to his efforts.

 Tenel Ka followed Jacen’s progress as she paused to rest a moment.  Had he been watching her?  If he had, why?  *Jacen was probably just concerned about me,* she decided.  *I lost my arm almost two years ago, and he can still be terribly protective.  Sometimes, I even think I like it.*

 After half an hour, they had made it to the top.  Tenel Ka removed her fibercord rope from her pouch and fixed it securely to the stones as Jacen did the same with a filament rope from his belt.

 They began to rappel down the side of the massive pyramidal temple.  Jacen let out an excited whoop as he slid down his rope, passing her and landing several meters below her.

 Tenel Ka watched him, a smile beginning to play across her lips.  She began her own descent, but when her boot found purchase, the stones loosened, placed poorly during the reconstruction.  Tenel Ka slipped, and began to fall, her right hand starting to burn from the rope’s slipping.

 Jacen reacted quickly, looping his rope around his right hand and pushed with his legs.  The young Jedi swung across the face of the temple.

 Tenel Ka closed her eyes to cushion her fall with the Force, but was jarred.  She opened her eyes to find herself held securely in Jacen’s arm.

 “You all right, Tenel Ka?” he said, panting.

 “I am all right, Jacen, thank you.”

 “Hey, just returning the favor,” he said as they began descending again.  “You’ve saved my life plenty of times.”

 Two minutes after, they stood at the feet of the pyramid, catching their breath.  They walked to a small cistern, splashing their faces with the cool rainwater.  Tenel Ka sucked up her courage.  *Why is this scaring me so?  I’ve faced Nightsisters and stormtroopers and bounty hunters without flinching, but asking my best friend to be my escort to a ball is petrifying me.*

 “Friend Jacen, may I ask you something?” she tried nervously.

 “Of course you can.”  He sensed her uneasiness.  “Is everything all right?”

 “Yes.  That is, it will be if--”

 She was interrupted by the entrance of Jacen’s sister.  “You guys had better get inside if you don’t want to miss breakfast,” Jaina said.

 “Thanks, sis,” Jacen called back, then turned to Tenel Ka.  “You were saying?”

 “It can wait-- we should go inside.”

 “Okay.  You’re _sure_ everything’s all right?”

 “Yes.  And thank you again.”

 “What’re friends for?” he quipped.  As she nodded and headed inside, he added, *Yep.  Friends.  Just _friends_.*

**********

 That afternoon, Jaina was tinkering away as usual in her quarters.  There was a knock on the door.  “C’mon in,” she called, not taking her eyes from the circuit board before her.

 “Jaina, do you have a few moments to talk?”

 Jaina looked up to see Tenel Ka standing just inside her doorway, looking uncharacteristically nervous.  The young Jedi brushed back her straight brown hair and pushed back from her desk.

 “Of course I do.  You look nervous, Tenel Ka-- are you okay?  Jacen said you seemed a little off this morning.”

 “Oh, did he?  Did Jacen mention what happened this morning?”

 “Yeah.  He said he joined you for some exercise-- climbing and rappeling the temple.  You were going to ask him something, and you seemed nervous somehow.”

 “He failed to mention that he saved me from falling halfway down the temple?”

 Jaina smiled.  “No, but that’s Jacen for you.  So, what do you want to talk about?  My brother’s modest streak?”

 “No.  At least, not exactly.”  Tenel Ka sat on the edge of Jaina’s bed, as Jaina shut the door.

 Returning to her seat, Jaina prepared herself to give her friend her undivided attention.  Tenel Ka, calmly and carefully, began to explain her situation.

 “... and the Passage Ball is supposed to mark a girl’s entrance into Hapan society as a full-fledged woman.  There is a great banquet, a grand ball, and much ceremony.  As heir to the throne, I have virtually no choice in the matter.”

 “I’ll admit it doesn’t sound like your style, Tenel Ka, but it doesn’t seem too bad.  I mean, you said it means a lot to your father and grandmother.  You’ve agreed to it, then?”

 “Yes,” Tenel Ka answered.

 “Then I’m not quite sure what’s got you so uneasy.”

 The warrior girl bit her lip.  “I am expected to have an escort to the ball.”

 Jania whistled.  “I see.  So you’ve got to find a date to this thing.  But where does Jacen--”  Jaina slapped herself on the forehead.  “You want _Jacen_ to be your escort.”

 “This is a fact.”

 “So then just ask him,” Jaina said smiling.  “I can guarantee he won’t say no.  In fact, he’ll probably start jumping for joy.”

 “Oh, I hope not.  I have been nervous enough around him as it is.”

 “Why?  You two are best friends.”

 “But this is unlike anything I’ve done before.  It’s a social event, and it carries a great deal of importance to my family.  I am afraid it might be too much to ask.”

 “Jacen’s been trained in diplomatics-- our mother saw to that.  Besides, he’s your friend-- he’ll be doing you a favor.  What are friends for?”

 Tenel Ka shocked Jaina by letting a small smile touch her features.  “Jacen said the same thing this morning.”

 Jaina’s eyes widened.  “Tenel Ka, are you asking my brother to be your escort because he’s your closest male friend... or is there something more?”

 The warrior girl was quiet.  “I do not know.”

 “Well, _I_ know that you should march right over to Jacen’s room and ask him.  Get it out of the way, then sort it out later.”

 Tenel Ka took a long breath.  “You are correct, friend Jaina.”

 Jaina rose.  “Then what are we waiting for?”

 “We?”

 “Sorry-- what are _you_ waiting for?”

 Tenel Ka nodded.  “Nothing, it seems.  Thank you, Jaina.”  With a last deep breath, the warrior girl turned and stepped into the hallway.  Jaina watched her for a moment before returning to her desk, grinning happily.