Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 08_ Ascension - Christie Golden [36]
Ship had not seemed to like Jacen, and had allied itself with a different dark-Force user shortly afterward. Luke found himself wondering what Ship’s dislike of Jacen meant, then shook it off. It was not relevant, not anymore.
“If we can find Ship, then we’ll find Abeloth,” Jaina was saying. “And if he’s managed to escape her somehow, then he’ll have sought out the Lost Tribe. We could find one or both of our targets by shifting the direction of our search to finding him instead chasing them.”
“That’s a great idea, Jaina,” Luke said. He was a little embarrassed he hadn’t thought of it himself. “Ben, Vestara—you’ve both been inside Ship. Jaina, you’ve encountered him twice, and the second time you gave a good account of yourself. The three of you put your heads together and see what you can come up with.”
“I’d also like to utilize what resources we have back at the Temple,” Jaina said. “Have someone start pulling whatever research we’ve got on Ship.”
Luke nodded. “Get right on that. Anyone in particular you’d like to work with?”
Jaina cocked her dark head, considering. “I think if Natua Wan’s available, I could work with her. I know that most of the Jedi Knights affected by Abeloth are still having a close eye kept on them, and since I’m the one who brought her in when she snapped … I’d like to let her do something to feel useful.”
Luke nodded, pleased but not surprised that this had occurred to Jaina. He would have felt the same way. Even though it was certainly not the fault of the “Jedi crazies,” he knew that there was still a pall cast over Jedi Knights who had been, in the end, victims. Letting Natua Wan help with research would give her something positive to do while keeping her in the Temple.
“Let’s get right on it, then,” he said.
“But first,” Ben said firmly, deactivating the holographic game in which he had been soundly trounced, “lunch.”
JEDI TEMPLE, CORUSCANT
Natua Wan understood, completely, the reticence with which she had been allowed back into Jedi society. She had harmed innocents—coming perilously close to killing more than one—destroyed property and livestock, and threatened the entire Solo clan.
Everyone knew that she had believed, truly believed, that they were all imposters. That she had been unwittingly and utterly under the control of Abeloth, a being so powerful and dangerous that Grand Master Luke Skywalker had joined into an alliance with Sith to fight her. And they all knew that Natua Wan was cured.
But they still worried, and Natua couldn’t blame them. Even if it meant that, unofficially, she was still under observation.
She’d bridled at it at first, but the very practical Markre Medjev, the current chief librarian of the Temple, had pointed out that Jedi needed patience and compassion. After a time, they would all come to believe in their hearts, not just their minds, that the “crazies” were truly cured, and she and the others would again be sent out on assignments that required absolute faith in their abilities. She’d sighed, nodded, and resigned herself to the situation.
Natua had always been quick-tempered and, while intelligent, could hardly be called “studious” by even the most charitable of her teachers. Embracing where she was as Medjev had suggested, she had actually volunteered to stay at the Temple and assist Master Cilghal with some of her research. Cilghal had been surprised, but pleased, and had taken great pains to acquaint the Falleen with most of the librarians, who were delighted to have someone to take into their care.
It was … odd, but rewarding. So when Markre Medjev himself took her aside and said, “I have had a specific request for your services,” she was quite pleased.
“Who needs what?” Natua asked.
Medjev smiled. There was a twinkle in his dark eyes as he replied, “Jaina Solo needs help researching