Shorter Scenes

The wry comment was so familiar, so normal. For a fleeting moment, Jaina remembered who they"d been just a few years ago - a fearless, confident survivor and a girl who ran toward adventure with headless joy.

Two more casualties of the Yuuzhan Vong. (22)

"With Anakin"s death I lost a brother, but the Jedi lost something I can"t begin to define. My feelings tell me it"s something important, something we lost a very long time ago."

For a long moment Zekk was silent. "Maybe so. But we have the Force, and each other."

Simple words, but with a layer of personal meaning offered like a gift, if only Jaina chose to take it.

"Each other," she echoed softly. "But for how long, Zekk? If the Jedi keep having "successes" like the last mission, pretty soon there won"t be any of us left."

He nodded, accepting her evasion as if he"d expected it. "At least we"re going home." (23)

Jaina turned to Zekk, a question in her eyes.

"I"ll be remaining on Hapes, or going where I am most needed," he said softly, a world of regret in his eyes.

Who could need him more than Jacen? Jaina tamped down the surge of anger and accepted his decision with a curt nod. But she made no attempt to shield her emotions from him." (109)

"Jaina thrust her head into the cockpit, and the grin on her face was that of the girl Zekk had known long ago. "Turn up that music and let"s get ready to dance."

The Jedi pilot smiled faintly, understanding exactly what she meant." (p. 136)

""It should be an adventure," he said, trying to keep his tone light. "I"ve never flown in tandem before."

Jaina came up behind the pilot"s seat and leaned down, resting her chin on his shoulder and sliding her arms around his neck in the sort of casual, friendly embrace they"d exchanged many times over the years. "It"s not the stupidest thing we"ve ever done."

"Who can argue with that?"

She chucked and rose. The quick click of her boots faded as she passed through to the Yuuzhan Vong ship." (137)

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