solo_sword | The Dragon Queen II- Saturday

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The Dragon Queen II- Saturday

The wedding was being held on the Dragon Queen II, because for these two particular people, there was no more perfect place to get married than on a spaceship. Everything was ready there, and Jaina and her family had gotten ready aboard the Falcon, which then docked at the larger ship for them to make their entrance.

She thought she'd be nervous, but… not even a little.

Leia reached over and squeezed her hand. "Ready?"

"I've never been readier for anything in my life," Jaina said, taking her bouquet from her mom. She'd actually gone traditional for this, white dress, flowers and all. If she was finally doing this, for real, she was doing it right. "And I’ve kept him waiting long enough, don’t you think?" It'd only been eighteen years.

Leia smiled. "It never hurts to be sure."

Allana, adorable in her dress, carefully stepped in front of Jaina, basket of petals in hand. Her nexu Anji trailed after her, almost as tall as Allana herself, but obeyed immediately when Allna said, "Anji, on my left."

When Han came out of the access corridor to join them, he kissed Leia on the cheek and said, "I guess you couldn't talk her out of it?"

"Han," Leia admonished.

He laughed, and offered Jaina his arm. "You know I’m only sore because he used to be the Emperor, right?"

"He was a Head of State, Dad, not the Emperor," Jaina said, taking his arm. "And he’s over that."

For now.

"He better be," he said, smiling wider than ever now. "I won’t have any daughter of mine raising little Imperials."

"Not that it’s your choice," Jaina replied wryly. "But don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself?"

"Yeah, Grandpa, stop rushing them," Allana said. "They’re not even married yet."

"They aren't?" Han teased, signaling Artoo to lower the boarding ramp. "Maybe it's time to do something about that."

When the ramp went down, the sound of a hundred Hapan long-horns immediately followed, because they couldn't not do this without fanfare and all that, especially given some of the circumstances. C-3PO exited first to announce them. "Your Royal Majesty, ladies and gentlemen, may I present the mother of the bride, Jedi Knight, former Chief of State of the New Republic, and Princess of Alderaan, Leia Organa Solo."

Jaina gave Leia a smile as she started down the ramp till she got to the bottom, where Luke was waiting to escort her the rest of the way.

Once they'd started off, Threepio continued, "The first heir to the Hapan Throne, the Chume’da Allana Djo Solo."

That got an insane amount of applause. Since the Sith knew who Allana was, they'd had to come out ahead of it and announce who she really was, which meant being treated like a Hapan princess, and they were on a Hapan ship. Allana sighed. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to this."

"Looks like it, kid," Han said. "But there is a bright side."

"Really?"

"Sure. You’ll get to spend more time with your mother. And when you’re in Jedi training, nobody’s going to applaud. They’ll just yell."

Allana's smile was sincere. "Thanks, Grandpa. That's going to be a relief."

She started down the ramp, tossing petals as she walked, with Anji at her side. That probably freaked a few people out.

"Your Royal Majesty, ladies and gentleman," Threepio continued, "may I present the bride, Jedi Master Jaina Solo, and her father, a former general-"

The rest of the introductio was drowned out by the horns and applause. Han squeezed Jaina's hand and looked down at her, asking, "What do you say, Master Solo? Is it time to make Jagged Fel the happiest man in the galaxy?"

Down the aisle, Kyp signaled the Jedi on either side of it, who ignited their lightsabers and lifted them. Jedi honor guards were the best.

"Yeah," Jaina said, "let's do that."

[Taken from Apocalypse by Troy Denning, and that is it for canon. *cries*

Open to anyone who decided they'd gotten an invite!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There were plenty of tables at the reception because there were plenty of people. Jaina had made sure to put all the Fandom people at one, though, because this all had the potential to be weird enough without intermixing on purpose.

Anak--err, Nik Antilles, Totally No Relation, was totally rocking the Alderaanian formal wear (where apparently there was no such thing as too many ruffles) and glancing around as he sipped wine he hadn't tasted in almost a decade.

It was weird to be back.

Ben had gotten used to Nik's head so he wasn't staring all the time, and was enjoying watching familiar faces do double takes between his table and the one where the Solos and Skywalkers were sitting.

"Val says Val is hungry," Ender whispered to him as he returned to the table. "But fine."

"She knows not to order pizza, right?" Ben said.

"I think she knows," Ender said dryly.

He peered over towards tiny Ben.

"You look young," he said, "And a little traumatized."

Ben nodded. "I don't remember looking that young."

Ender smiled at him. "I do," he said.

"Should I go say hi?" Ben said. "He looks lonely."

"He might find it weird," Ender said, glancing that way. "But it can't hurt. I'll go pick you up some food in the mean time - maybe I'll stumble into him, too."

"Well, it's always going to be weird," Ben said with a little laugh. "It's a multidimensional wedding."

Ender shot Ben an amused look. "Does that mean I should, or shouldn't flirt with your past self?" he teased.

He wouldn't. Or at least not on purpose.

Ben's jaw dropped. "Please don't," he said, grinning. "His little head might explode."

"He keeps side-eyeing your beard," Ender said. "I think he's halfway there already."

"My beard is astral," Ben said. "He's just jealous."

Ender laughed. "It does suit you," he said, "But it would've looked terrible on you at that age."

"This is very true," Ben agreed.

"It's funny," Ender said, "That time seems both further away and closer than it should be at the same time..."

Ben nodded, sipping from his glass. "Does that make us really old?"

"Safely somewhere in the middle, I think," Ender said, "As long as we can avoid getting nostalgic."

That wasn't so hard; right now was much happier than those days had been.

"Oh, that's not a problem," Ben said, glancing around. "I miss everyone in this room, but I don't want to live here any more."

"Is it terrible if I say I'm glad to hear it?" Ender said softly.

He'd lived with some amount of guilt about dragging Ben away for a long time. It was... slowly wearing away.

Ben reached out and gave Ender's hand a quick squeeze. "I love my family, but my life is with you, kreetle."

Ender smiled a little. "Soon we'll be back on Nagoya," he said, "And then our own ship. With our own family."

"But for tonight, we can enjoy the great food, the familiar music, and the sounds of guests trying not to injure themselves looking from our table to the other one," Ben said, laughing.

Ender chuckled. "You're enjoying that?"

"Probably more than's strictly appropriate," Ben admitted.

Ender shook his head. "I should talk to your tinier self," he said, "See how he's doing."

He was a little worried.

Ben smiled at him. "You in the Ben rescuing business?"

"Since I was fourteen years old," Ender teased.

Ben waved him off. "Go, go."

Ender went.

He didn't return for some time, but when he did, he snagged Ben by the hand and tugged him towards the bathroom.

... not for anything like that. He just wasn't going to have a public display of affection in the middle of Jaina's multiversal wedding reception.

Ben's eyebrows arched up as he followed. "It was that bad?"

Ender pulled him into a hug without a word.

"I'm proud of you," he said softly.

Ben hugged him back. "I'm glad?"

Ender let out a soft laugh. "Sorry," he said. "He's... a lot like you. A fourteen-year-old you who grew up without interference."

"So...polite and closed off," Ben guessed.

"Which I can deal with," Ender said. "But it's a potent reminder how much you've changed."

Luke was not nearly as blase about the people surrounding them. It hadn't been all that long for him that Han and Leia had gotten married, and Jaina and Jacen were still in the gnawing on everything and screaming stage in his home galaxy.

"Han got old," he murmured to himself, trying to be subtle about staring.

(He wasn't that subtle about staring.)

"Not any older than the other you did," Ben replied with a tiny smile. "He looks like my dad, more or less. Shame that the haircut seems to be hardwired into all of you."

Luke made a face. "I think at this table, I'm not the one with the haircut problem."

Ben hid a smile behind his hand. "It certainly is a look."

Luke ran his hands down his all-black outfit. "And the ruffles..."

"And to think I'd been thinking of wearing the same thing," Ben said, eyes wide.

Ender was here as Ben's plus-one; they'd left the baby with Valentine the Greater and come here.

He was largely repressing the urge to call her every half-hour by people-watching. He hovered by the table and picked out familiar and unfamiliar faces in the crowd, mentally putting names to each one he recognized.

Anakin gave him a little grin. "She's fine."

Ender sighed. "I know," he said.

Probably.

"You've called less than you did with me," Anakin observed. "Is it getting a little easier to let go?"

"Either it is," Ender said, "Or I'm just more terrified of my sister's wrath than yours."

"That would be unwise of you," Anakin said with a little smirk.

"You clearly don't know my sister very well," Ender said, visibly amused.

Anakin's eyebrow went up. "True, but really?"

"Valentine might not be able to move Star Destroyers with a flick of her hand," Ender said, "But she can break empires with a few words."

"Well I can't do that first thing either," Anakin said innocently.

"Well," Ender said, "Then it's really not a competition, is it?"

"Not here, at least," Anakin said.

She knew her older self was supposed to be aware of her presence (her own presence? This was still weird) here, but a little bit of Tahiri's anxiety was probably leaking out through the Force despite her best efforts to damp it down. Yes, it was probably a little bit irrational to worry that someone at Jaina's wedding would mistake her for her older double and have anything scathing to say, but she was still going to worry about it a bit.

Also, she was staring at Anakin. Was it the bald head, or the ruffles? Probably both Force, that was just weird. At least it took the edge off her anxiety.

"He looks kriffing ridiculous, doesn't he?" Ben murmured, grinning.

"And so few people here can appreciate just how much," Tahiri replied in a low voice, one side of her mouth twitching. "Well, this won't be a boring event, that's for sure."

"It's really a testimony to our impossible weirdness threshold that the entire table's not in hysterics on the floor," Ben agreed.

"Yet," Tahiri said dryly. "Now that you've gone and said so. Luckily, I think we're used to that, too. Though not usually so many of us all in one place . . ."

"It is kind of brain-breaking," Ben admitted. "Have you spotted other you yet?"

Tahiri nodded. "I think I'll spare her the fun of this Fandom experience, though. Speaking of which, I meant to respond when you sent me that holo of you and Face a few weeks ago, but it was a little too much for me to process."

Yes, she was glaring at him. Only a little bit, and she was clearly trying not to laugh, but she had to at least put up a token protest about the brain-breakage, right?

Ben grinned. "He's so little! It's kind of adorable, right?"

"In a terrifying way, yes," Tahiri agreed. "Force knows he's incorrigible enough as an adult. Was he in any of your classes? Because that must've been weird."

"No, but the baby version of my mother's around. I'm afraid to ask if those two are friends," Ben admitted.

". . . I don't want to think about that," Tahiri decided. "How have you been?"

Ben beamed at her. "I'm good. We're moving to a new planet...pretty much after the wedding. You?"

Tahiri's eyebrows shot up. "Another one? Boy, you sure find ways to keep busy, that's for sure. Me, I just stick around on the one planet that moves around the galaxy for me. Not the most exciting assignment, but I think I'll enjoy the quiet while I can."

"Well, it's not everyone who can find a planet that does the moving for them," Ben teased. "We like to keep exploring. Neither one of us were exactly born for staying in one place."

"Yeah, but the scenery doesn't really change. Just the constellations," Tahiri said with a grin. "Maybe once everything's stabilized enough that I don't have to worry about leaving for a couple of days and coming back to find two settlements at each other's throats over some petty misunderstanding again, I ought to see about a more adventurous assignment. Or maybe I'll take a cue from you, go back to Fandom for a bit and teach, if I can think of something I could offer."

Ben smiled at her. "You'd be an astral teacher. Much better at teaching diplomacy than certain other blonde people I can think of."

Tahiri reached over to try and poke him in the arm. "You're still awful. That's a relief. I'll give it some thought, though."

"Good," Ben said, kissing her cheek. "I miss you."

That might have just really confused any non-Fandom people.

"Miss you too, gundark," Tahiri said warmly, and nudged at him with her shoulder. "But it's good to see you happy and doing well."

Ben blushed. "You too, mynock," he said.

"Tahiri," Ender greeted warmly. "Try not to gaze too deeply into it, or it might gaze back into you."

That was his version of thinking he was funny.

"Ben's sense of humor is a terrible influence," Tahiri said, shaking her head in mock sadness, but she grinned. "Worth it though, I bet. Hi, Ender."

"Definitely worth it," Ender said, smiling. "But enough about us. How are you doing, Tahiri?"

"Well enough. This is more sophisticated company than I'm used to being in any more, and I may be rusty, so let me know if I'm about to do anything especially embarrassing, will you?"

That was only about halfway a joke.

Ender smiled. "You're in a room full of Skywalkers," he said, "What are the chances you'll be the embarrassing one?"

Tahiri actually seemed to relax visibly at that. "Not that great, when you put it that way, especially when we've got multiples of some of them. Thanks, Ender."

"You're welcome," Ender said. "I'm now technically a Skywalker myself, I suppose, so if all does goes wrong, I'll be happy to embarrass myself for your benefit."

"And belated congratulations on that," Tahiri said, grinning, "but I won't ask you to do that for me. I try not to ask that of anyone who hasn't been a Skywalker for . . . well, actually, with timeline considerations, I think you qualify by now, don't you?"

She chuckled, but with a little less mirth. "Anyway, I've always got other-me's problems to distract them with, if it comes to that."

Ender glanced back into the crowd, trying to pick out other-Tahiri's hair, at least. "How are you handling that?" he asked. "It can't be entirely comfortable."

"Oh, about as comfortable as dangling over a sarlacc pit," Tahiri said wryly, "but then again, the advantage to being a guest at these two's wedding is that people have got to at least think twice before saying anything to my -- or her -- face."

Sometimes it wasn't all that bad being almost-family to the galaxy's biggest trouble magnets.

"Anyway." She reached a hand up and brushed her fingertips against the hair falling over her forehead. "I've been getting looks like that ever since I first ended up with these. That I can handle. But living with what she's done, not to mention having it all public knowledge . . . she's got it way worse than I do."

"From what I've been able to tell, she seems to be handling it just fine," Ender said, his mouth quirking just a touch. "Rough going at first, of course. But she - and you - are resilient."

"Thanks," Tahiri said, genuine appreciation in her voice. "I mean, as character traits go, I can't really complain about getting that one. It'd be nice if the universe stopped trying to make us demonstrate it, though. It's going to be good for her, I think. Going with them. I don't think the Order's the right place for her to be any more."

Ender's smile turned a little more whimsical.

"Being a Jedi is a rough job," he said. "I frequently find myself wishing this iteration was less... dynastic. For some of you, the Order isn't a healthy place to be - or stops being one. But sometimes the pull of responsibility and attachment keeps you from leaving when you should. I'm glad other-you has recognized it's time to do something else."

"I'm still a little bit amazed you got Ben to see it that way," Tahiri admitted. "Being stubbornly loyal is one of those things that's as much a part of being a Skywalker as questionable hair decisions."

"Everyone has their breaking point," Ender said quietly, "a moment where loyalty alone isn't enough. Ben just hit his at a time where I could offer him an out, when necessity dropped out as an alternate motivator for staying."

"I"m glad," Tahiri said emphatically. "I . . . don't know if I've ever told you that, but I am. Anakin always used to get mad when I told him all those expectations were weighing him down too much, like I was thermal to think he shouldn't have to deal with that. Someone in this family deserves a break from it all."

She glanced over toward Jaina with a fond smile. "And it sure isn't going to be her. She loves this stuff too much."

Ender followed her gaze.

"The galaxy needs its protectors, too," he said. "I'm glad there are people like Jaina, or, as my sister once put it, we'd all be dead and tigers would rule the world."

He had a wry little smile on his face as he said it.

"Ben's still tempted to come back and help from time to time," he said, "But we have our own responsibilities now. They just involve less punching."

Sia had been freakishly busy since she'd left Fandom, but getting the invitation to this meant she felt she had to go. She'd never been particularly close to Jaina, but when given an opportunity to see family members from a generation ago, you didn't pass that up. So she'd shaken all guardians and showed up.

And it was weird. She was surrounded by people she'd mostly ever seen in holos, and occasionally she could pick someone out by recognizing them from either history texts or old family holos. She would definitely be finding people to talk to while lying extensively about who she was, but she had to get over the weirdness first.

Of course Ghanima was in attendance. One of her favorite former students was getting married, there was the chance to inwardly snicker at politics, alternate reality bingo, the chance to see other former students, and an excuse to wear an utterly fabulous hat.

"That's a great hat," Nik. Totally Nik, told her with a smile.

"Thank you," Ghanima said, grinning as she adjusted the brim. "I must say, it's lovely to be at an event where proper attire is not wildly out-of-place. You're looking quite dashing yourself."

Ghanima didn't particularly care if that plethora of ruffles was in-or-out of style right now. The only thing that mattered was having enough confidence to make it work.

"Thank you," he replied with a grin. "Nothing on the outfits from the Senators from Naboo, I'm afraid, but their fashion has always been a little...ahead of its time."

"What is it they say on all those fashion shows? They are always saying to be creative and break the rules, and then yell when someone actually tries something new." Ghanima shook her head, amused. "Of course new things look... unusual. They're new. I shall have to go shopping on your Naboo sometime, if only for the adventure."

"I believe Ben and Ender have a place there," he said. "I haven't come back to this galaxy in decades."

"I hear congratulations are in order, by the way," she teased, smiling at Anakin. "How does it feel, to be so old and have a newborn great-great grandchild?"

"Old," Anakin groaned. "I feel very, very old."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to keep up with the new batches of freshmen for many years to come," Ghanima said reassuringly. "...even when she shows up as a freshman."

MEAN, GHANIMA. MEAN.

"That was unnecessarily mean," Anakin groused.

In case you want to look at the cake, or mingle or whatever, or run into someone whose face you have.

It was a truth universally acknowledged that Bens, regardless of universe, were drawn to the food.

Jaina's Ben was staring at the cake, eyes darting occasionally to the table of kind-of-sort-of family members.

Was that him with a beard? REALLY?

It was, and he was waving a little dorkily at him. "Try the red things. They're good."

"Sweet or salty?" Ben said, reaching up and scratching at his chin for the beard he didn't have. "I'm trying to save room for dessert."

This was so, so weird.

"Kind of sour," Ben said, "but it's not a vegetable or anything, so don't worry that I'm trying to get you to eat something sneakily healthy."

Ben laughed despite himself. "I guess you do know me...being me and all."

"It's weird to see another version of yourself," Ben said. "Trust me, I completely freaked out when I saw Baby Dad over there."

"He's so...smiley and bouncy," Ben said, eyes wide. "It's not normal."

"He still hasn't gotten together with Mom," Ben said. "It's hilarious to hear her talk about her as this woman who works with Karrde."

Ben laughed a little nervously. "Wow, he's really young. That was, like, four wars back."

Ender hadn't meant to stray past tiny Ben on purpose - he was trying to fetch his own Ben some food while he was busy dealing with his relatives.

He shot tiny Ben an idle smile on his way to the plates and tried not to linger.

"So...you know all those guys?" Ben said, pointing to the table.

"By name, by reputation, or personally?" Ender asked, smiling at him.

It was Ben. He couldn't not smile.

"Yes," Ben said, then blushed. "Personally, mostly. I know most of 'em by name and reputation."

Not the weird blond guy or the one in all the ruffles, but most of the rest of them.

"I know most of them personally," Ender said lightly, "And half of them have doubles in this room, which makes things interesting."

"Interesting is one way of putting it," Ben said. "That Luke looks almost my age. It's weird."

"He's still a few years older than you," Ender promised. "You think that's weird, try going to school with your older brother who's now younger than you."

"No way," Ben said. "Jaina mentioned some stuff, but wow. I thought she was kidding about half of it."

"Oh, she probably hasn't even told you a quarter of it," Ender said. "Fandom's... unique, and you quickly learn how to make sure it doesn't break your brain."

"Why did you end up there?" Ben asked.

"Because my commanders needed somewhere to put me after they were through with me," Ender said mildly.

Ben winced slightly. "Know that feeling," he said, then glanced over at the other Ben. "...which I guess is why you two are friends?"

Ender smiled a little. "Your other self and I were roommates for years," he said, "We have that in common - among many other things." He tilted his head, studying this younger Ben.

Ben blushed slightly under the scrutiny. "Like what?" he asked, fighting the urge to fidget.

"Complicated families and situations we'd rather not have been in that we couldn't escape," Ender said. He tilted his head. "Are you okay?"

"Of course," Ben said, all smooth face and innocent eyes. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Just looking at these past few months? Abeloth," Ender said. "Vestara. Exile. A few more things that have you putting on a brave face because everyone else's problems seem bigger and you don't want to be a drag on Jaina's wedding."

Ben's eyes went a little wide. "Guess you really do know a Ben."

"I do," Ender agreed. "And I remember he had a hard time with this. And that's okay, Ben. You're allowed."

Ben snorted softly. "You know that's not true."

"Well, I'm not asking you to hurl yourself at Jaina crying right this minute," Ender said lightly. "That might be a bit of an etiquette faux-pas."

"Maybe just a little," Ben said dryly. "I'm not going to cry on anyone about anything, thanks."

"But there's a large range between 'I'm fine, really' and 'being a sobbing mess'," Ender said.

Ben arched up his eyebrows. "Really."

"Really," Ender said, without even a hint of sarcasm. "If you're somewhere south of 'I'm fine', it won't hurt to talk to someone."

It wouldn't be him, this time, but still.

Ben shrugged. "Yeah, I'll get right on that."

It was strange, and yet not at all, to see a Ben with his defense mechanisms so calcified.

Ender smiled faintly at the thought - neither sad nor particularly happy.

"I guess I deserved that," he said. "But I was there. With the older Ben. You'll have to forgive me my concern."

"And he got all...share-y about it? Huh," Ben said. "Not really my style."

"I've known him since he was fourteen, and his mother died," Ender said. "I wouldn't have called him 'not share-y' even then. Afraid of taking up space, maybe."

That...sounded familiar. Kriff it.

"Well, there's a lot of us, even before the doubles," Ben said.

"And he was the youngest," Ender said, figuring that talking about it like it was just his Ben's issue was the easiest way to avoid pushing this one back into getting defensive. "He got used to everyone else's problems being bigger than his own, especially with one war coming in after another. I think being in a place as peaceful as Fandom was weird for him at first."

"I can see how that would be hard to get used to," Ben agreed, eating one of the red things the other Ben had recommended and relaxing slightly.

"Making friends helped," Ender said, casting a glance towards his own Ben. "But it took him a long time to loosen up."

Not that he'd exactly been better, but who needed to know that?

Ben shrugged. "Well, I didn't...he didn't?...have a lot of friends."

"Which is a shame," Ender said. "Most people I know like him quite a lot. He deserved more, though I suppose that can be said about all of us."

"I don't really want that many," Ben said.

"Why not?" Ender asked.

"I don't really like spending that much time with people," Ben said. "I'm not used to it."

"Do you enjoy being alone?" Ender asked.

It was one thing to tolerate something because it was all you'd ever known; quite another to enjoy it. One of the two was not a good thing.

Another shrug. "It's fine."

"I used to prefer it that way," Ender said. "In some ways, I still do. It's safer."

Ben nodded. "Exactly."

"He's the one who convinced me to stop," Ender said. "Funnily enough."

"Huh," Ben said, frown lightening a bit. "Interesting."

"Safe is a good place to be," Ender said, shrugging faintly. "Until it's the only thing that keeps you from enjoying your life."

Of course he was drawn to the food, and Tahiri couldn't help smiling and shaking her head at that. Some things were comfortingly consistent.

She wasn't going to go out of her way to talk to him, though, given the somewhat . . . strained history between every other version of them that she knew of. It just seemed awkward.

still made her smile, though.

Ben gave her a glance, then did a double take. She was so young.

Jaina is probably slightly more eloquent than "eeeeeee" but there's no guarantees as to how much.

"Congratulations, Jaina," ~~Anakin~~ Nik said, beaming at her proudly.

"Thank you," she said, smiling. "That's a new look for you."

"Well, I figured it would be a way to fly under the radar."

With the ruffles, that seemed...unlikely.

"Well, I doubt anyone will recognize you," she said helpfully. It really was too late to change it now. Maybe the ruffles would distract them.

Anakin grinned proudly. "That's what I thought!"

There was a reason Obi-Wan was picked for undercover assignments.

"At any rate, I'm really glad you're here," Jaina told him.

"I'm glad we could all make it," Anakin said. "I wouldn't have missed for anything short of another civil war, and even then, I would've tried."

Jaina smiled. "I appreciate it. Though in the case of a civil war we wouldn't be doing this yet which is why this didn't happen a year ago."

"Good point," Anakin said. "Did my information help at all, by the way?"

"It did," she said. "Thank you. No idea if Abeloth will ever pop up again, but for now, it's done."

"It took her a few thousand years to show up again, so I think we'll have to just warn your great grandkids or something," Anakin said.

"Oh, then it's a good thing she's here," Jaina said dryly. This was not a problem she wanted to pass down.

"Brunette, white-streak, looking a little weirded out?" Anakin guessed.

"Yeah. You don't know her by now?" she asked.

"I know her," Anakin said, "but I was not going to leap on relatives hoping to make friends." He smiled. "I learned that from you. Sometimes they might want to hit me a lot first."

"Don't suppose I can convince you to sell me this ship," Eric said, smirking down at her.

"It's not mine. You'd have to talk that over with Tenel Ka," Jaina said. "And good luck with that."

"Which one is she? I'm very persuasive," Eric said and Eric, no. No, this is a terrible idea.

"Oh, sweetie, you do not want to set yourself up for that," Jaina warned. Though it'd be hilarious.

"Why not?" Eric demanded. "The last girl who really challenged me just up and got married to some short guy. I'm sure her friends are exactly my type."

"She's the queen of sixty-four planets, grew up with not one but two female-centric planetary dynasties, stood up to a Sith Lord and could probably kick your ass with one hand."

Literally. Because she only had one hand.

Eric grinned. "And you haven't introduced me before now? Shame on you, Jaina. She's just my type."

"Just please don't cause an intergalactic incident at my wedding." She didn't think he would, but he did proudly talk about decapitating people.

"Fiiiiiine," Eric said, pretending to be put out. "I'll limit myself to only really funny jokes about Jag."

"That's... probably all I can ask, huh?" she said.

"I won't start a fight or eat even your annoying guests, and I promise not to tell stories about us to your groom," Eric said. "And I'm going to go sleep with your friend with all the planets."

"No," Jaina said, like that would work.

"I'm not saying that I'll sleep with her on each planet, though I'm also not ruling it out--"

Eric, stop.

"Also do not make me smack you at my wedding," Jaina told him.

"Because you'd enjoy it too much?"

ERIC.

Eventually, it was Ender's turn to make a pass by the bride. He was smiling. "Congratulations," he said, "If you haven't started tuning that word out. You look fantastic."

"Thank you," she said. "I think it's the dress and all the happiness."

"I think they both help," Ender said, with a wry little smile. "But the happiness is the most blatant. Jag's lucky."

"The lucky thing is mutual," she decided, because she was allowed to be a sap today. "I'm glad you could make it."

"You're Ben's family," Ender said, "Alternate universe or no, that makes you family by proxy. I wasn't about to skip it."

The smile turned less wry. "So what's next?"

"Honeymoon. After that, nooooo idea, and I'm good with that right now," Jaina said.

"I wish you at least a couple of months devoid of anything you might have to punch," Ender said.

"Oh, don't do that. That sounds boring," she said.

"That's why I only said a couple of months," Ender said, with a slight chuckle.

"I can't even imagine it," Jaina said. "Which probably says something..."

"That you're used to it," Ender said, "And you've come to enjoy it. And the galaxy is most likely a safer place for it."

"Well, it is in my job title," Jaina pointed out.

And she'd always enjoyed it. Yoda would have had a field day with her.

Ender wasn't about to give her any guff about it as long as she didn't give him or Ben any guff about quitting their respective versions of that business. In his estimation, the galaxy needed people like her.

"'Sword of the Jedi'?" he said. "I suppose so, though I doubt you stumbled into that job unwillingly or without thought."

"Prophecy," she admitted. "So... I kind of did, but it turned out to be right."

"So not unwillingly," Ender said, "But unprepared."

Jaina considered it. "I'm honestly not sure on the 'unwilling' part. It was in the middle of the Vong War, and I was... complicated then."

Apparently Jaina was developing that thing called tact as she got older.

...Mostly.

Eh. Who needed tact, anyway?

"Are you still complicated now?" Ender asked. "You seem rather at peace with it all."

And she and calm-as-anything Jag made a good couple.

"I've evened out," she said, matter-of-factly. "I know my role, I'm good at it, I'm the right person for it, and I'm comfortable in it. If I'd had to be the First Lady of the Empire too, that might've re-complicated stuff, but it's a moot point now."

"Blessings on your joyful day," Ghanima said once it was her turn with the bride, blue-on-blue eyes filled with mirth. "How does it feel, to be a respectable, married woman?"

Not that any Fandom student was ever going to be completely respectable, let alone any of the extended Jedi clan.

"Wouldn't know, I've never been respectable," Jaina smiled, because come on, that was easy.

Ghanima broke into a grin. "Oh, good, now we know you haven't been possessed or turned into a Pod Person for your wedding," she teased. Yes, Ghanima Atreides, Princess Royal, loves bad earth sci-fi. Hush. "That's quite the relief."

"Stranger things have happened," Jaina said. "Are you enjoying watching my various family members freak out around alternate versions of themselves?"

"It's hilariously satisfying, after all the fun of your Mr. Darklighter giving me a heart-attack when I first started teaching," Ghani laughed. "Although I'm wondering if having two Bens in the same universe is safe for the ice cream population."

"Believe it or not, my Ben doesn't seem to have the ice cream thing," Jaina said. "So it's still at least partially safe..."

"Then we're only in danger from his combined collections of tiny robots. That's much better," Ghanima replied. "How does it feel, having so much family here?"

"Good. And a little nerve-wracking, wondering how they're all dealing with it," she admitted. "There were warnings, but still."

"Is it an unforgivable breach of protocol for me to hug you right now?" Tahiri asked, grinning. "You look amazing, by the way."

"Thank you, and it'd be a breach of protocol not to," Jaina said, going in for one."Just ask Threepio."

"I'll take your word for it, since I've heard plenty from him already today," Tahiri said, and whlie she didn't actually go 'eeeeeeeeeeee!' out loud it was exactly that kind of hug. "Is it a huge relief now? All that planning and buildup and now here we are and nobody even had to dodge any blaster bolts."

Tahiri, no.

"It really is," Jaina said. "The planning was easy, but with everything going on I really didn't think this would happen for a while. It's good to just be able to get to this point."

"It took long enough, Force knows," Tahiri laughed. "So it's a good thing the universe didn't feel like throwing another spanner into the works. I can't even remember if my two of you are on speaking terms at the moment, but if so at least I've got a pretty good idea they'll get past that."

Jaina frowned. "That seems like forever ago now that he and I weren't talking. Hopefully they can skip past the part where everything was really terrible."

"I'll see what I can do," Tahiri said, deadpan. "I'm afraid most of the galaxy being terrible is beyond my control, but does it count if I ask you for permission to knock their heads together if I have to?"

"Yes," she said. And paused. "Or just yell at your me. That's the same thing."

"But depending on the circumstances, possibly not as satisfying," Tahiri told her. "And by the way, wow. You made it."

Hey, with the childhood they'd had, it was still occasionally a completely mindblowing thing to realize they'd achieved adulthood. A functioning and fairly healthy one, even.

"It's weird to me too," Jaina told her.

"Maybe someday, eventually, it won't," Tahiri suggested. "It'll even seem normal."

Because any of them was an expert on normal.

"I'm glad I could make it ~~because wtf canon~~," Ben said, giving her a little grin before leaning in for a hug.

Yes, I skipped the actual ceremony, because canon always does.

If I missed anything, or if you need an NPC (I don't know that I could play everyone but I could try), let me know heeeeere.

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The Dragon Queen II- Saturday

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