written by Leah and Shel
It was well into
the night, when the Noghri let a lone human enter the Solo's apartment.
That lone human skirted past Han and Leia's bedroom to the one shared
by the three children.
Silentely, the figure stood in the
doorway, looking down on the sweet faces. He sighed.
Jaina stirred with the added presence of a chilled sense
in the Force. Her big brown eyes fluttered
softly as she woke and sat up, looking at Kyp with confusion and sleep
in her eyes. 'Unca Kyp?'
He sighed, he should have known he
wouldn't be able to come and go without notice. "It's just Kyp, Jaya..."
He sighed again and moved to sit on the edge of her bed. "Go back to sleep."
She didn't obey, instead crawling on her knees to wrap
little arms around her uncle. 'Unca Kyp
leaving?' she questioned softly, hoping not to stir her twin.
"Yeah," he whispered, trying to pry
her off from him. It wasn't right this sweet little angel show kindness
toward a killer like himself. He'd been submerged into darkness
for so long, he was having trouble keeping his head out from it even just
for this short visit.
She tightened her arms around him despite the cold coursing
through her from his place in the Force. 'Why?
Where are you going?'
"Just to Yavin, for now," he told
her quietly. "No worries, Jaya." He stopped trying to pry her away, and settled his
arms around her in resignation.
'To see the pretty lady?'
He chuckled, "Yeah. She's waiting
for me, and I've taken longer than I said I would. I'm probably in trouble."
'You gonna marry her like Daddy an' Mommy?'
He chuckled low and shook his head.
"It's not like that, Jaya."
'Yes huh!' she hushed her voice again, 'I see your face
turn red when she was here'
He chuckled, "And does your father's
face turn red when your mother is around?" He shook his head no.
'Mommy said it used ta'
Kyp just sighed. He wasn't giving
in, he was just... not talking.
'Unca Kyp?'
He sighed, "Just Kyp... What, Jaina?"
'Why have you been scared lately?'
"Scared? I'm not scared."
'Yes huh, you have too been. Jacen and me feel it. Lots
of scared people cuz of the Maked 'Bidilantie.'
she frowned, knowing she got it wrong. 'You scared of him too?'
He winced, glad it was dark. "No,
Jaya. I'm not afraid of him. You don't need to be afraid of him, either."
'Mommy says he's been killin' lotsa bad people. Is that
why you're not scared?'
"Yeah." He wasn't lying.... he just
wansn't telling the whole truth.
'Mommy says that there a lot of people lookin' for him
too. I heard her tell Daddy that she hopes they don't find him. How come if he's hurtin'
all those people?'
"I'm sure he has his reasons," he
assured her. "Tomorrow you tell your parents that the people won't find
him." He leaned back to look at her, "Will
you do that for me, Jaya?"
She looked up at him with big scared eyes. She'd overheard
only bits and pieces of what her parents had
been saying about this crisis, and from what she and Jacen pieced together, either some new Jedi, or Unca Kyp was the Maked
'Bidilantie. So she nodded. 'Ok Unca
Kyp'
He half smiled, "Thanks." He stood
and lay her down in her bed, pulling the covers up about her, "Y ou need
to go back to sleep now."
'Come back to see us, ok Unca Kyp?'
He nodded, "Of course."
Jaina yawned and snuggled into her pillow before she was
fast asleep.
Kyp stepped back and looked over at
Jacen, then Anakin. "You three dream well," he told them quietly. He
went to the door and picked up his small pack, and headed to exit the apartment.
::Leia, dressed in her nightshfit and silk robe, sat on
the circular couch, waiting for Kyp to leave her children's rooms. When he finally did, she looked
up to him gently:: 'Kyp...'
He stopped in his tracks. Sith it..... He turned to see Leia and tried
on a concillitory smile. "Hi."
'Have a seat'. ::She patted the spot next to her, pulling
her robe tighter around her::
He sighed and moved to sit down...
in stead he sat in a chair across from her.
' Kyp, I'm worried about you'. ::Her light smile was more
diplomatic than sincere. Yeah, she wasn't
all that fond of Kyp, but she didn't hate him:: 'Han and I have discussed
things at great length, and we think it would
be best if you left Coruscant immediately.'
He nodded, "I was already doing so.
I conned Cracken out of an old beat-up X-wing... and I'm leaving as soon
as I get out of here. I..." he looked down. "I just wanted to check on
the kids before I left."
'Kyp, none of us are sure exactly why you're doing this.
Can you give me any reason that would make sense at all?'
He shrugged noncomittially. "I'm
just doing what I have to."
'What you have to? I don't understand, Kyp.'
He stood. "You don't have to, Leia.
Suffice to say that I'm keeping another Kun debacle from taking place."
With that said, he headed for the door, his small pack over his shoulder.
::She watched him with heavy eyes, shaking her head slowly.
It had taken all the willpower she had not
to expose him the moment she'd found out::
"I'll be back in a few months," he
called over his shoulder as he walked out of the apartment.
A few moments later, Han appeared
behind Leia, rubbing her shoulders.
::she leaned back against her husband's chest and sighed
heavily:: 'May the Force help Luke with him.'
"I'm sure everything'll turn out alright,
Leia." Han said softly. "I trust that kid knows what he's doing."
'Are you sure Han? What was the last body count?' ::she
asked a bit coldly::
He thought a moment, "It totaled at
about Four hundred, twenty-five."
'Knows what he's doing, hmm?' ::she sighed and turned
in Han's arms::
He smiled, "Hey, have I ever led you
wrong, Leia?"
'In a word? Yes.' ::She chuckled softly, trying to be
confident about all of this::
"I mean... when it's important," he
winked at her and gave her his famous Corellian lopsided grin.
'Again, yes'. ::Oh, this was too fun. She grinned right
back::
He rolled his eyes, "Alright alright..
.but don't I always pull us back out again?"
'Except for that once on Bespin.... I seem to remember
a certain farmboy....'
"Leia?"
'Yes?'
"Can't you let me be right... just
once?"
'I will when you are, my husband' ::she smiled diplomatically
and winked::
His jaw dropped and he laughed, swatting
her shoulder, "C'mon Princess... smart people should be sleeping right
now."
