The Other Solo

Chapter 14

Jaina closes her eyes and tries to concentrate on her mother. She's relieved to still feel Leia's life force.

"Mother, Can you hear me? Please tell me you're alright." Jaina continues to call out to her mother using the force.

We're almost there." Han informs. "Have you heard anything?"

Jaina shakes her head but doesn't open her eyes or speak. "Mother, we're on our way... Tell me where you are."

"Jaina..." Leia responds faintly. "Don't come here... Not yet anyway, it isn't safe."

"Where are you?" Jaina asks.

"We're in the war bunker. The First Order attacked before dawn. The Republic has sent reinforcemens but the planet has not been secured yet." Leia answers.

"We can help. You know Father will not stay away...Especially if you are in danger." Jaina argues.

"Please trust me. It would be better if you weren't here. I sense Ben has come. He may try to harm you or take you away." Leia warns.

"Then we definitely can't stay away! I may be the only one that can reach him!" Jaina pleads.

Han drops the Falcon out of lightspeed to complete chaos. There are battlecruisers with TIE fighters littering the sky. Resistance and Republic X-wing starfighters whizzing around firing on them. Jaina runs down to the gunner seat and begins firing on any enemy ships.

"Where is your mother?" Han yells from the pilot seat.

"She's in the war bunker!" Jaina responds while firing on a TIE Fighter.

Han manuevers the Falcon around a battlecruiser barely missing the blast of its cannons.

"We're heading down to the planet." Han informs Poe.

"Roger that... I'm going to stay up here and give em hell!" Poe responds back.

"Be careful." Jaina whispers as she watches his x-wing zoom by returning enemy fire.

Han breaks through the First Order blockade and is able to land on New Alderaan. They rush from the ship to the palace where stormtroopers and Republic soldiers are fighting. Jaina takes a step back, she can feel the change in the force as they get closer.

"Ben..." She mumbles under her breath. She can feel her brother searching for her. Chewie notices her and lets out a slight growl causing Han to turn to them.

"What is it?" He asks gripping her shoulders.

"Ben. He's some where in the palace." Jaina looks up to one of the balconies.

"He knows where the war bunker is... He must be after your mother." Han exhales.

"No..." Jaina shakes her head. "He's looking for me and Luke. He can sense I'm not in the war bunker."

Suddenly, Jaina can't stand any longer writhing in pain. She feels Ben reaching out to her with the force. He's trying to enter her mind and she struggles to block him out.

"Jaina!" Han bellows as he tries to get her to stand.

She closes her eyes and tries to take control of her mind. "Ben....Stop. You don't need to search my mind, I'm right here.... Tell me where you are."

The pain stops and she sees Ben standing in his room. She immediately opens her eyes and starts to run towards the palace. Chewie picks her up after a few paces.

"Let me go! I have to go to Ben!" She yells squirming.

"You can't go in there!" Han snaps.

"I have to! I must talk to Ben!"

Han sighs and looks at Jaina with a pained look. "Chewie let her down."

Once back on the ground Jaina hugs her father. "Trust me Papa. He won't hurt me. Go help mother."

Han nods kissing her on the forehead then reluctantly watches her run to the side of the palace. Most of the fighting is happening at the front so only a few stormtroopers and soldiers are around. Jaina fires on a few as she makes her way to the garden. She easily slips into the palace and is able to go up the servant staircase unseen. Using the secret passages they used to play with as children she is able to get into her room with no trouble.

No one is in halls or rooms but there is still an unsettling vibe all around. She finds her lightsaber and heads to Ben's room. He stands dressed all in black with his back to her looking at a wall of pictures.

"Ben." She calls in a hushed tone.

"I hardly remember this place... It feels like another life to me." He sighs not turning around. His hood is up but she can tell he has a mask on by the way it distorts his voice.

"Ben what are you doing here?"

He doesn't answer her, just tenderly touches the photos and drawings on the wall. "Even then I knew... knew I was different. The dark side called to me."

Jaina cautiously moves closer to him. "There was light in you... there still is. Please let it in."

She stops at the clicking sound of Ben pulling out his lightsaber. He ignites it and red illuminates the wall. She steps back as sparks and burnt paper swirl all around.

"Why have you come?" Jaina cries over the sound.

Ben turns to her while powering off his lightsaber. "I came for you."

"For me?"

"Come with me. Train with Snoke. Become great with me." He extends his hand toward her.

"Ben, I told you I would never join the dark side... That has not changed."

"Don't make yourself my enemy." He snarls.

"You are making me your enemy. I love you, our parents love you, please put this poisonous dream behind you." Jaina pleads.

"NO! You live in a fantasy Jaina! The Jedi are not the saints you have made them out to be! They are corrupt and unfit to rule the galaxy!"

"And who is? You? Snoke? You're a fool if you really believe the dark side is incorruptible!"

"Enough!" Ben hollers and removes his lightsaber. "You will come with me one way or another!"

Jaina ignites her lightsaber at the same time as Ben. They run towards one another and begin dueling. Ben has become stronger and gains the upper hand.

"You have grown weak sister." Ben taunts.

Jaina musters all the energy she can to force push Ben away from her. He flies across the room landing on the balcony. He hears the call for retreat over his communicator in his helmet. Angrily, he rises to step back into the room. Jaina drained of energy pulls herself up to her feet. Ben reaches out to grab her but Han and Leia enter the room.

"Ben!" Han shouts. "It's over. The Republic has overpowered the stormtroopers. They are retreating."

Ben slowly backs away toward the balcony.

"Please don't go." Leia begs. "Stay with us. We can help you."

"I don't need your help." Ben spits. Outside they see a dark Upsilon- class command shuttle hovering. "This isn't over Jaina. You will see the truth and I will be waiting."

Ben jumps off the balcony and into the command shuttle. They watch as it glides through the atmoshere. Leia orders the fleet to not fire and let Ben escape. They reluctantly agree.

Leia lets out a sigh of relief sitting next to Jaina. Han stares at the slashed wall.

"What do we do now?" Jaina asks.

"We take down the First Order and save Ben." Leia answers stroking her daughter's hair.

"Leia..." Han begins.

She shakes her head, "We save him at all cost...no matter what."