Memory 61

[sticksofthejedi]

Memory: Courtmartialed by Jacen.
Received: Day 239, evening (taken the next day)
Form: Ruby-colored crystal, shattered to take.
Summary: Jacen is becoming a little tyrant, and gets Jaina suspended for not destroying a vessel that probes a military blockade but retreats. Afterward Luke and Jaina have a talk about how they both Know For Absolute Certain Jacen has gone to the dark side, but we're only two books into a 9-book storyline so the authors can't have them go do anything about it; instead they go home to mope about it.

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The court-martial itself is off-screen, because the author chooses to have Jaina simply recap an incident that we've already seen and the results of the court martial to Luke. But basically what would have happened: Jaina's in the orange fighter pilot's flight suit at a military court. She's severely frustrated and disappointed, and will have done this whole thing disconnecting outward emotions, being stiff and deliberately talking clinically and in military terms.

Lieutenant Colonel Jaina Solo is charged with disobeying a direct order from commanding officer Colonel Jacen Solo. Rogue Squadron was deployed to enforce a military blockade in the Corellian system. A Corellian freighter breached the exclusion zone, and she, Jacen, and Zekk attempted to head it off in X-wings. The freighter targeted Jacen with laser cannons. Jaina disabled the ship's aft weapons and it changed course to retreat. Jacen ordered her to fire on the vessel even as it left the exclusion zone. Jaina refused the order and returned to the picket line, leaving Jacen to destroy the vessel with a volley of five torpedoes.

Jaina doesn't defend herself in court, just affirms the circumstances. Jacen's -- and thus, the military's -- argument is the freighter was still armed and though retreating it had targeted a Galactic Alliance ship and made itself a valid threat and target. It was technically a proven threat and she knowingly disobeyed an order to eliminate that threat. She is stripped of her rank and suspended from duty.

When the court adjourns, she goes into a sitting room full of military badges and seats herself next to Luke, who's waiting for her. This finally brings us back on-screen. She thanks him for coming, and he explains he wanted to hear her side of things, since he doubts she would turn and run from an engagement. She notes the sentence, since he wasn't in there with her; he already knows, and just asks her what happened.

Jaina: I didn't think it was . . . appropriate to continue attacking a civilian vessel when it was retreating.
Luke: Who ordered you to do that?
Jaina: Jacen.
Luke: Had the ship fired on Alliance vessels?
She recounts the engagement again.
Jaina: . . . It was just wrong, Uncle Luke. He wanted destruction. He wanted to teach them a lesson. I felt it.
Luke doesn't say anything, quietly thinking. So eventually Jaina speaks up again, stiff professional demeanor really falling apart now.
Jaina: Mom and Dad are going to be so ashamed of me. Please don't tell them. I'll do it myself when I'm ready.
Luke: They know the kind of person you are. But why haven't you defended yourself?
Jaina: Because if I told everyone what happened, they'd think I was whining. You know: everyone else has to do as they're told, but Jaina Solo thinks she's above orders.
Luke: I know you're right, Jaina.
Jaina: You wouldn't have fired, would you?
Luke: I meant that I know Jacen is turning to the dark side, and that it's beyond anything that you or I did when we ventured there.
Jaina: I don't want to be right.
Luke: Neither do I.
Jaina: You're arguing with Mara about it, aren't you?
Luke: Sometimes.
Jaina: She can't see what he's like these days?
Luke: She sees, but she has another explanation. And we live in difficult times.
Jaina: We always do. That's no excuse.

Since she's grounded, Jaina asks if Luke has any use for her. He invites her to have lunch with him and Mara Jade. The entire Solo-Skywalker family isn't seeing much of each other lately, and Luke notes while he keeps in touch with Leia, they don't really talk and he's feeling estranged from Han.

Jaina and Luke start heading to his place, but air speeder traffic is backing up, so Luke turns on the news. Turns out traffic has been halted because security forces are dealing with a riot somewhere. Jaina notes that this is going to be pretty commonplace, since the Galactic Alliance's military actions have upset a lot of people. She feels alarm in Luke, who calls Mara and asks where Ben is; neither of them know. Luke jumps to the correct conclusion: he's with Jacen. Luke's disappointed but decides he has to just continue taking Jaina home with him.

Jaina: You have to get Ben away from Jacen.
Luke: I know. I'm trying to get him to make that choice for himself. If I force it, I'll just make Jacen a martyr in his eyes.
Jaina: Am I wrong to think this about my own brother?
Luke: What do your senses tell you?
Jaina: That he's going to somehow break my heart one day.
Luke: Yes. We need to make sure that never happens.

But they both know it already has.