Star Wars_ The Jedi Academy Trilogy 02_ Dark Apprentice - Kevin J. Anderson [108]
Her expression softened, and she seemed to look directly into his eyes. “I miss you. The twins keep asking when they’ll see their Uncle Luke again. I hope you can visit—or maybe we’ll come to Yavin 4.” She straightened, taking a formal tone again. “I’m sure you’ll find Cilghal to be one of your most promising candidates.” She crossed her arms and smiled as the message flickered and vanished.
Cilghal stood in silence, waiting for Luke to respond. His mind spun. “Uh, welcome,” he finally said.
He had been disturbed since his confrontation with Kyp Durron; Luke did not know where the young man had gone after stealing Mara Jade’s ship. The gruesome death of Gantoris, coupled with Kyp’s rebellion, had been more than enough to resurrect the old fear in Luke again. His best students were going sour, getting impatient, trying to push the limits of their abilities.
But he had sensed a greater, deeper menace that vibrated within the very stones of the Great Temple itself … evil, and well hidden. Working alone, Luke had attempted to find its source, running his fingers along the stone blocks of the walls, trying to tap the cold shadow—but he had found nothing. He had only his suspicions.
How could Kyp have known the details of the Great Sith War? How could Gantoris have learned how to build his own lightsaber? What had Gantoris seen that last terrible night before he was consumed? What dreaded magic had he attempted? Luke was missing an important piece of the puzzle, and until he found it, he could not strike against the threat.
Ambassador Cilghal shifted and looked at him again. “Master Skywalker, you seem preoccupied. Perhaps Leia was wrong in suggesting that I come here to stay?”
Luke looked at her, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. “No, no,” he said, “that’s not it. If Leia thinks you have Jedi potential, then I would be honored to teach you here. In fact,” he said jokingly, “an even-tempered Calamarian will be a welcome change.” He smiled. “Follow me. We’ll find quarters for you inside the temple.”
The students at Luke’s training center continued their lessons of self-discovery, working eagerly or meditatively, honing their skills.
Newcomer Mara Jade listened intently to Cilghal’s firsthand descriptions of the attack on Calamari, pressing the ambassador with detailed questions about the Star Destroyers and the number of TIE squadrons they had carried. Old Streen sat next to Kirana Ti on a rounded bench, listening to silver-haired Tionne practice new ballads. The remaining students sat in other common rooms, or studied in their private chambers, or walked out in the jungles.
Satisfied at their activities, Luke slipped back into the deserted corridors and headed toward his own rooms. Artoo came around the corner and whistled a question at him, but Luke shook his head. “No, Artoo, I don’t want to be disturbed for a while.”
He stepped inside his stone-walled chamber, the small room where he had stayed as an X-wing pilot in the Alliance. Luke had removed the other bunks, furnished the room to his taste; but the room seemed barren, with only a sleeping pallet and some small Massassi artifacts.
On a ledge of black stone laced with blood-colored impurities sat the translucent cube of the Jedi Holocron.
Luke sealed his door, the first time he had ever locked it since returning to the abandoned temple. He held the Holocron in his palm and activated it, digging deep to seek his information.
“I wish to see Master Vodo-Siosk Baas,” he said.
The ghostly image of the nozzle-faced, stunted Jedi Master rose out of the cube, robed and covered with bangles, leaning on a long gnarled stick. “I am the gatekeeper, I am Master Vodo-Siosk Baas,” the image said.
Luke squatted in front of the interactive holographic image. “I need information from you, Master Vodo. You were a Jedi during the time of the Great Sith War. You have told us about your