The Legend of the Jedi Queen

14. Return of the Jedi

"Jaina Solo. . . You're supposed to be dead!" Nellith couldn't help it, the words flew out of her mouth before she could stop them.

"So is Ben Solo," Jaina said simply, and she looked her niece over. "And I think we both know that's not true."

"You're my aunt, then," Nellith said.

"The one and only," Jaina said. She perked her head up, and glanced out the doorway. "We can have this conversation later. We need to get you out of here, and find your boyfriend."

"Tallis isn't—"

"Tell your mom that, now come on," Jaina said, and Nellith followed her aunt down the corridor. The First Order guards were slumped over on the ground.

"Did you do that?" Nellith asked.

"Yeah," Jaina said. She stopped. "I can sense another Force-wielder— can you?"

"Is this really the time for training?" Nellith asked.

"I train as we go," Jaina said. "Besides, this is important."

"I can," Nellith admitted. She closed her eyes. "It's down there."

When she opened her eyes, she realized she was pointing at a cell door.

"I bet you anything that's Tallis," Jaina said. "Come on."

Jaina ran over to the cell door and used her lightsaber to carve open the door. It flew back, revealing Tallis in his own restraints, looking admittedly much worse for wear. His own sleeve was rolled up, and there were slight nicks around the injection site, where he had struggled more. Bruises and cuts, almost everywhere—

"Is that really you?" Tallis's voice was hoarse.

"We're going to get you out, hang on," Jaina said. She outstretched her hand and did the black lightning trick. The restraints sprang open, but Tallis didn't move.

"Come on, we've got to go," Nellith said, taking Tallis's hand.

"I don't think I should go," Tallis said, his lilac-gray eyes hollow. "I don't think you want me with you."

"Well, we're taking you anyway, Supreme Leader's orders," Jaina said.

"My father sent you?" Nellith asked, surprised.

"Both your mom and dad sent me," Jaina said, helping lift Tallis out of the interrogation rack. "Andromeda Hux is staging a coup. Ben thinks she's going to challenge him and the Knights of Ren."

"Then we need to help him," Nellith said, with newfound realization. Her father did in fact care about her. It made the defenses around her heart melt with determination and resolve.

Jaina shook her head. "Not under my orders. I'm to get you off-planet and away, just in case it goes south."

"I can't lose them," Nellith said. She pulled her lightsaber out. "You said you train as you go— I know you must've been Mum's contact. You're to teach me in the ways of the Force. So train me."

Jaina's brown eyes focused onto Nellith's hazel gaze. In the older woman, Nellith saw understanding of what it was like to be young and impulsive, and the burning need of a Skywalker to save the galaxy. With that, Jaina nodded, and pulled out her comm unit.

"Kyp, it looks like the plans have changed," she said. "We need to get to the Supreme Leader— and I think we'll need a medpac for the boyfriend."

"Loud and clear, Goddess," a male voice said on the other end, sounding as if he were trying not to laugh. "Somehow I knew we'd be deviating from the script."

"Kid talked me into it," Jaina insisted. "Just meet us outside of the compound."

"You got it, Goddess," Kyp said before the click of the channel closing.

Jaina turned to Nellith and Tallis. "We'd better get out quick. Kyp's not the most patient Jedi around."

A blizzard swirled around the compound exit. Tallis had an arm around Nellith's shoulder, and she was partially lifting him with use of the Force. They stumbled after Jaina, who stopped in the storm. She outstretched her hand, and the storm parted to reveal a small ship and the side of the transport open.

"That would be Kyp, let's go," Jaina said.

"They took my lightsaber," Tallis murmured. "They took my mom's lightsaber."

"Can't risk it," Jaina said. "Maybe Ben will be able to get it. After the coup."

Tallis nodded miserably.

The trio headed onboard as a tall man with silver-streaked dark curls appeared.

"This one's in bad shape, thanks to Andromeda Hux," Jaina said as Nellith walked Tallis aboard the ship.

Kyp frowned a moment. "I'll get a medpac. You get in the cockpit."

Jaina nodded, and hit a button, closing the ramp. Nellith walked Tallis over to the medbay, and gently set him down.

"You're heavy," Nellith said.

Tallis cracked a smile, then winced.

"I've got this," Kyp said, grabbing a medpac. "I don't have time to use the Force, or bacta, or anything long-lasting, but we can at least keep you going."

"You shouldn't be doing this," Tallis muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nellith asked.

"You should've left me behind," Tallis added. "You wouldn't want me here, if you knew the truth."

"Can't have done much worse than me," Kyp muttered. "So spit it out— we don't have much time."

"Hux did the DNA testing on me, and she got the results back," Tallis said. "Palpatine."

"What?" Nellith asked.

"Palpatine is my great-great grandfather," Tallis explained. "Darth Sidious. The Emperor."

"So?" Nellith looked up to Kyp."I'm the Supreme Leader's daughter. I think we're even."

"So, I'm the heir to the Empire," Tallis said. "The one who actually has a claim to anything, unlike Snoke or Kylo Ren or even the Huxes."

"Hux wanted you as a puppet she could manipulate and use," Nellith realized.

"We don't care about who your grandfather is," Kyp assured him. "You're on our side- that's all that matters."

"Wish I could believe that," Tallis said mournfully.

"I think I can do something to help you," Kyp said. He placed a hand on Tallis's forehead, and Tallis immediately went unconscious.

"Why did you do that?" Nellith asked.

"He was getting a bit melodramatic," Kyp said. "And it'll keep him out of pain until we can actually treat him. Besides, it's a short flight— we should be in the Imperial Palace any second, now."