Star Wars_ The Jedi Academy Trilogy 02_ Dark Apprentice - Kevin J. Anderson [12]
Han skimmed past the gaping pit, feeling a blast of hot steam across his cheeks. His goggles fogged again, but he found his way to the steep ice waterfall, the final obstacle before the finish line. The edge of the precipice flowed with long tendrils of icicles like dangling cables that had built up over centuries during the brief spring thaws.
Kyp launched himself over the edge of the frozen river, igniting both ski jets. Han did the same, tucking his poles against his ribs, watching the packed snow fly up to strike the bottoms of his skis with a loud slap that echoed along the ice fields in unison with the sound of Kyp’s landing.
They both charged forward, then slewed to a stop in front of the cluster of prefab huts. Kyp peeled down the hood of his parka and started laughing. Han held on to his deflector poles, feeling his body tremble with relief and an overdose of excitement. Then he, too, began chuckling.
“That was really stupid, kid,” Han managed at last.
“Oh?” Kyp shrugged. “Who was stupid enough to follow me? After the spice mines of Kessel, I wouldn’t consider a little turbo-ski slope too dangerous. Hey, maybe we could ask Threepio to tell us the odds of successfully negotiating that slope when we get back.”
Han shook his head and gave a lopsided grin. “I’m not interested in odds. We did it. That’s what counts.”
Kyp stared across the frozen distance. His eyes seemed to follow the arrow-straight lines of nonreflective water conduits ringed with pressure joints and pumping stations.
“I’m glad we’ve had so much fun, Han,” he said, staring into something only he seemed to see. “I’ve done a lifetime’s worth of healing since you rescued me.”
Han felt uncomfortable at the thick emotion he heard in Kyp’s voice. He tried to lighten the mood. “Well, kid, you had as much to do with our escape as I did.”
Kyp didn’t seem to hear. “I’ve been thinking about what Luke Skywalker said when he found my ability to use the Force. I only know a little bit about it, but it seems to be calling me. I could do a huge service to the New Republic. The Empire ruined my life and destroyed my family—I wouldn’t mind getting a chance to strike back.”
Han swallowed, knowing what the boy was trying to say. “So you think you’re ready to go study with Luke and the other Jedi trainees?”
Kyp nodded. “I’d rather stay here and have fun for the rest of my life, but—”
Han said in a soft voice, “You deserve it, you know.”
But Kyp shook his head. “I think it’s time I start taking myself seriously. If I do have this gift of using the Force, I can’t let it go to waste.”
Han gripped the young man’s shoulder and squeezed hard, feeling Kyp’s rangy frame through his bulky gloves. “I’ll see that you get a good flight to Yavin 4.”
The whirring hum of repulsorlifts broke the quiet moment. Han looked up as a messenger droid approached, streaking like a chromium projectile over the ice fields. The droid arrowed straight for them.
Han muttered, “If that’s a representative from the turbo-ski resort, I’m going to file a complaint about that ice-mining machine. We could have been killed.”
But as the messenger droid hovered over them, lowering itself to Han’s eye level, it snapped open a scanning panel and spoke in a genderless monotone. “General Solo, please confirm identification. Voice match will be sufficient.”
Han groaned. “Aww, I’m on vacation. I don’t want to bother with any diplomatic mess right now.”
“Voice match confirmed. Thank you,” the droid said. “Prepare to receive encoded message.”
The droid hovered as it projected a holographic image onto the clean snow. Han recognized the auburn-haired figure of Mon Mothma. He straightened in surprise—the Chief of State rarely communicated with him directly.
“Han,” Mon Mothma said in a quiet, troubled voice. He noticed immediately that she