No Greater Plan

Zeeana was silent as they journeyed back to the Falcon. Guilt tearing at her heart at the thought of the others fate because of her. No one even knew if they were dead or alive. That was the hardest. The not knowing.

Glancing at Lieutenant Saunders in the passenger seat next to her as she steered the landhover, Mara gave him a nod and he returned it, acknowledging that he understood what she was trying to tell him.

Darien quickly clambered over from the front seat to the back of their hover. He had been a little surprised that Zeeana had chosen to return in their transport instead of Luke and Leia's, but he was glad when she looked up for the first time since they'd left the Senate grounds. Sitting himself down beside her, he raised and eyebrow and cocked his head. "Hmm, doesn't suit you, you know."

She gave him an odd look.

"The gown," he replied, contradicting his earlier comments made at the Senate meeting. "Well at least not with that frown attached."

"Has any one ever told you that you're an idiot!"

The Lieutenant smirked. "Usually Mara, but this 'idiot' refuses to leave you alone until you realize that this is not your fault and that you're not to blame. In fact I think I shall sit here and annoy you until you smile again!" He folded his arms and stared at her.

She raised an eye brow at him.

And he stared at her.

And stared at her.

Giving up a sigh of frustration, Zeeana rolled her eyes and turned away to look out across the darkening skies. "Idiot," she whispered again.

It wasn't too long before the space port came into sight. "We're almost there," Mara informed her comrades.

Zeeana gave a yawn and stretching, closed her eyes as she turned back towards Mara's voice. When she opened them again she came face to face with one Lieutenant Darien Saunders with a goofy look on his face and she conceded as a laugh escaped her lips. "You really are a determined fellow, aren't you?"

"Sure am." He winked at her as the landhover pulled to a stand still close to the Falcon.

"Not to mention, stubborn, loud and occasionally obnoxious, " Mara added quite happily as she jumped from the hover onto solid ground.

Darien jumped out behind her, holding his hand out for Zeeana to take a hold of in order to help her down. "She is so big on the compliments, I just don't know how I can stand them all!"

Zeeana grinned as she was helped out of the landhover and lifted back onto terra firma, "How do you put up with him, Mara?"

"He needs some one to keep him in line."

"On a leash is more like it," the young Senator smirked.

Darien turned to face both women and kneeling on the floor before them, clutched his heart with his hands, "You wound me ladies"

"You're such an idiot!" Mara gave him a playful push to the shoulder and he toppled over and as Zeeana laughed she smiled.

"See... I told you so!" Saunders grinned.

"Well if you didn't act like such an idiot, Lieutenant..." Mara heard the gir'ls voice trail off as she went ahead of them to catch up with Luke and Leia as they headed up and into the Millenium Falcon.

At least now the young Senator's mind was off certain other things. She watched as Zeeana helped Saunders, get up and dust him self off and then playfully tease the young woman for siding with the 'enemy'.

Zeeana grinned at the young man as he finished dusting himself off. "Have you quite finished then?"

Darien nodded, "Since I have accompished the task I set out to do and I can see that sweet smile of yours again instead of that evil frown, then, yes. I'm finished."

"I don't think I have ever met any one quite like you Lieutenant."

"That's because there is only one Darien Saunders." he said smugly.

"Thank goodness for that then. I don't think I'd be able to handle two of you," Zeeana laughed as she glanced towards the lights of the city. Her eyes scanned the buildings

"You've never seen the city at night have you?" The Lieutenant asked her as he noticed the look of awe that was washing over her face.

She shook her head sighing and leant back against the hover taking it all in, soaking it up as if it was something she'd probably never see again. "I never get the chance, Teal is usually the one to come here and do the important things. Even as far back as I can remember my father wouldn't let me leave the homestead."

"Why?"

Zeeana shrugged, "I don't know, the subject was strictly taboo and if I mentioned anything my mother would get all upset and leave the room. I used to think that she hated me, the hateful looks I saw when she thought I wasn't looking; the hurtful things she said to me. Father would comfort me, reassure said that it wasn't me that she hated and that's all that was ever said. I never understood what was going on and I was always so confused. But Teal would be there by my side, he always knew how to cheer me up. He was kind so loving and caring back then, but... after my mother died, he turned from me a little... he's always blamed me for her death," she stopped suddenly and sighed, "I'm sorry, Lieutenant I shouldn't be boring you with all this. We should go in they'll be waiting ," She said apollogetically.

Darien reached out as Zeeana began to move off, catching her gown in the tips of his fingers. He grinned at her as she looked back to see what was stopping her , "Just where do you think you're going." Zeeana turned towards him and as he let go of her gown he patted the side of the hover, "Now you're making the place look untidy. Sit! I want to hear this, you're not boring me at all. Besides, as your guardian," He began majestically, "It is my duty to know about these things so that I may better protect you!"

"But... I..."

"Zeeana, Darien. We need to get the rest of the paperwork signed." Leia's voice interupted as she started to protest.


"Sorry, Leia. My fault." the Lieutenant replied as he offered his hand to Zeeana, "Saved for now." he said with a wink.

~*~

Mara watched with a smile as the two youngsters headed inside. It seemed to be just what they both needed.

Company.

Leia walked back into the cockpit and Mara turned to her, "Looks like those two are getting along fine."

"Actually, they both seem to fit in quite well around here. But it's only been one day and by the time this is all over, she'll probably be glad to see the back of us, poor girl!"

Mara laughed and folowed her sister in law from the cockpit meeting up with other two on the way. Luke, Han and Chewie had gone down to the supply store in the space port to buy some parts for the Falcon's engine. As Han had said, after all if something didn't need replacing on the old girl every mission; it just wouldn't be the Millenium falcon.

~*~

Nathaniel had eaten, showered, changed and ready to try and make peace with Zeeana. He was off duty now until tomorrow afternoon and he was glad to have some time off rather than none. He sat back on his bunk contemplating Yale's offer and sighed. It had been five years since he'd met Teal the encounter still etched in his mind as clear as if it happened just yesterday. He closed his eyes and his mind wandered back to the time that he had first been invited to their home.

*Flashback*

"Nathaniel, Tyson... you guys hungry," Teal asked as he and his friends walked into the homestead.

"A little," replied the taller of the two.

"Starving!" grinned the second,

Teal laughed, "Now why am I not surprized, Nathaniel."

"You're always hungry, Nate." The other young man replied.

"Don't worry guys, my sister's a great cook, I'll get her to whip us something up while we go out and fix up that stupid combine harvester and thanks for offering to help it's kinda hard trying to do everything now that father's gone."

"He was such a great guy, "Nathaniel replied

"Not to mention awsome!" Tyson grinned.

Teal just shrugged, "He wasn't that great, guys. Trust me. Anyway folow me and I'll go find that little pain in the ass of a sister of mine and then us men can get some decent food into us."

*Thud*

"Ow, Shit! what the hell was that for you stupid wench?"

Tyson and Nathaniel stood, dumbfounded and silent as a young girl quickly appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, armed with what looked like some kind of root vegetables

*Thud*

"Zeeana!! Cut it out."

"Firstly, go and take those damn boots off and leave them outside, all of you. Secondly I am not a pain in the ass, nor am I a wench and thirdly... I don't cook for male chauvanistic jerks."

*Thud*

"Shit, Zee! Calm down. I'm sorry already, I was just..." he ducked another rocketed root vegetable, which hit the front door and rebounded onto the floor in front of him, and decided it was smarter just to run. Nathaniel and Tyson were out the front door with in seconds, Teal right behind them.

"Damn it, Zee!!!! These things don't exactly tickle you know!"

Nathaniel and Tyson laughed as the vegetable scored a direct hit to the back of their friend's head.

"Man your sister is hot!" Tyson laughed.

"Says you, but she has the damn temper to match,"

"Well you shouldn't be so mean to her, Amaris. What is she around sixteen, seventeen?" Nathaniel laughed as he removed his boots.

"Seventeen and you can go talk to her then if you're such an expert. Tyson and I will start on the harvester."

Nathaniel blinked, "What me; but, she'll kill me..."

"Your boots are off and so are we good luck ol' buddy."

"Cowards!" Nathaniel groaned as the other two walked off leaving him to 'clean up the mess' so to speak. He sighed and then taking a deep breath he opened the door, forcing himself to walk back into the homestead and tentatively towards the kitchen. "Um... excuse me, Miss Amaris... Is there anything I can do to help you in there?" He swallowed hearing movement heading his way and as the young girl came into view he yelled and ducked for cover expecting a barrage of flying vegetables.

"Why are you hiding behind the chair?" an amused voice asked.

"Ummmmmm?"

"You can come out you know, I don't bite... much."

"Ahhh well..."

"Don't worry, the vegetables are in the pot and the soup is on. Besides If I had really wanted to I could have targetted you before, I mean talk about an easy shot. It was enough just to see you standing there with that mortified look on your face,."

"Geeze you like to put the boot in don't you!" braved Nathaniel raising an eyebrow.

The young girl smirked, "And as long as you remember that, I'm sure we'll get on just fine. So is that offer of help still valid?"

Nathaniel shrugged cautiously eyeing the young woman up, "Well, if you promise not to throw things at me, yes."

"Help me clean up in the kitchen?"

"I can do that."

"Then you're safe." She grinned and held out her hand to the young man, "I'm Zeeana Amaris, Teal's sister."

"I'm Nathaniel Bardo, pleased to meet you."

*End flashback*

Nathaniel sighed and glanced at his time cell. Just a little while more and then he could leave. He didn't want to show up too early just in case she had 'visitors'. In the mean time a quick nap was in order.

~*~


Destiny...

The word swam in the young redhead's mind. Destiny... what the hell was all this. "So you're trying to tell me we were bred for this purpose and this purpose alone. And who is this... Zeeana?"

"She's my sister," Teal answered quickly.

Rukia shook her head and placed her hands around it squeezing gently. "I think I'm getting a headache."

"I already have one!" Teal replied.

Bathaden placed a hand on Rukia's shoulder. "You're father was asked not to say anything until you were old enough to understand; but unfortunately because of his untimely demise, it has been left to us to inform you of your importance to the Empire."

"So then there's four of us altogether with these incredibly high levels of Midichlorians; including Nathaniel? I didn't know he had the power?" Rukia replied a little surprized.

Bathaden walked around her, "Firstly, that is correct. And as for Nathaniel, he has quite a high level of Midichlorians, but because he is too damn lazy to train more often, they have not been allowed to develop to their fullest potential."

"Isn't that going to be a bit of a problem?"

"Not after we've finished with him. He has a new training schedule to begin once he returns to duty."

Teal smirked, "He's going to be thrilled about that, that's for sure."

"And what about this, Zeeana, your sister." Rukia continued her questioning, "How high are her Midichlorian levels? And what does she think about all this?"

"Her Midichlorian levels, according to what we know, are fairly high. In reality though, we're not one hundred percent sure it is her yet and she doesn't know about this. We'll have to test her to be sure. However within my sister's blood, the Emperor's DNA resides. Zeena is the Emperor's blood daughter and heir to the Empire."

The young woman puffed out a deep sigh, her head was ringing and she rubbed her eyes. "This is all begining to sound just too weird. This girl, Zeeana is assumeably the Emperor's ligimate heir, but you're not completely sure and she doesn't know and the four of us are destined to do... what... if I dare ask... although, I'm already pretty certain of where this is all going. I think, however, that I would like a definate confirmation, just so that I can return to my quarters and wake up from this bizzarre dream that I seem to be having."

Yale exchanged glances with Bathaden, and nodded, "I think, Teal that you should escort Ensign Thalaris to the med room and then back to her quarters and continue the rest of this discussion in private. It has been a little much for her I think. We can sort out the scouting party plans later."

Teal nodded and helped Ensign Thalaris to her feet. "Come on, Ensign let's get you sorted out." He saluted as he began helping the girl to her feet.

Bathaden and Yale watched as they left, "Well I think that went well," The admiral said clearing his throat a little.

"Poor girl looks awful." Bathaden chuckled.

"Not to worry my old friend, I'm sure she'll be fine. If there's one thing I know about those two it's that they're both loyal to the Empire and it's causes and I'm sure things will go to plan. There's more than just a spark of interest between them two and there has been for a few years now. Our biggest problem is, the girl. We have to get a Midichlorian test done on her as soon as possible. I know it's her."

"But the name is not as the Emperor named her."

"Amaris must have changed it to try and throw us off the scent, if Teal hadn't joined us when he did then we may have never found her. I'm surprised that Amaris didn't change all of their names the idiot."

"I must admit though it was clever of him to use such as he did. Coordinates to the ancient place of myth, how amusing, but I feel he did the Emperor an injustice by renaming her Zeeana, such a weak name. The name she was given at birth by the Emperor was such a strong name, Ashariana wasn't it?"

Yale nodded in confirmation as he wandered around the room, "Meaning goddess over all; yes a very strong and defined name. Only given to those who have the power with in their grasp to become a strong ruler over the people."

Bathaden raised an eyebrow as he continued, "Let's just hope that if she is definately the one, that she will live up to the name her biological father gave her."

Yale sighed wistfully in reply.

"Yes, let's."

tbc