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By Root 1860 0

to die. I know that fairness has nothing to do with it, but I’ll never get over his death—just like the way he might never have been able to get over Chewie’s death. I never had any real doubts that I’d survive the war, but my worst fear was that I’d survive without you, Mom, and Dad. I didn’t want to live after Myrkr, Jacen. If you had died there, I don’t think I could have gone on. I wouldn’t have just become ‘the Sword of the Jedi,’ but the sword the Jedi would have been sorry they’d forged. I would have made the Kyp who destroyed Carida look like a simple scoundrel.”

Jacen whistled in relief. “What about Kyp? Now that we have survived.”

“I don’t know, I really don’t. He’s been something of a mentor, in the same way Mara has.” She brought her right forefinger and thumb close together. “I thought for about this long that I could actually feel something for him, but falling in love with your mentor isn’t a sane thing to do, because you’re not really seeing the person. You’re seeing the statue on the pedestal. You’re worshiping the idea.”

“The way Jag does with you?”

“Jag doesn’t worship me.”

“Now that he’s gotten to know you, you mean.”

Jaina smacked her brother on the arm. “Even though you’re right. The thing is, I don’t want to be at the center of anything, either. I know that Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara would like to see me mentor some of the young students—maybe even Ben—but Kam and Tionne have bonded with the kids much better than I ever could. Anyway, I don’t want to be too far from the action.” She looked at Jacen. “I have too much of Mom and Dad in me to give up fighting for peace and justice.”

“Especially now that you’ve gotten so good at it.”

Jaina snorted ruefully. “That’s the real problem, right? When it starts to come easy?”

“You just have to avoid the killing part of it.”

“Unfortunately, that’s part of the starfighter pilot job description.”

“So find some other way to satisfy your need for speed and action. I hear Podracing’s making a comeback.”

Jaina laughed heartily. “It’s in our blood, anyway.”

“More than the military is. I mean, Dad just about got drummed out, Mom was a Rebel, and our paternal grandparents were … What?”

Jaina shook her head. “I don’t know. But some people say that important traits tend to skip a generation.”

Streaking a cloudless azure sky, a dozen ships of motley design and capability soared high above Zonama Sekot and gradually disappeared from sight.

“Everyone’s leaving, Artoo,” C-3PO said in a wistful tone. “They’re returning to their homeworlds or going in search of missing friends. Masters Lowbacca, Sebatyne, Katarn, Zekk, and Azur-Jamin; Mistresses Rar, Ramis, and Kirana Ti; the children … I already miss them.”

Four days had passed since the Jedi gathering, and the two droids were standing on the simple terrace that fronted Luke and Mara’s cliff dwelling in the Middle Distance. The Skywalkers were completing repair work on Jade Shadow, and Han, Leia, and the Noghri had gone to Coruscant on unstated business.

R2-D2 chittered a short reply.

“Of course I realize that we’ll be seeing everyone again, Artoo. But under very different circumstances.”

The astromech fluted in a long-suffering way, and C-3PO tilted his head to one side.

“You can be the most infuriating little droid! I am fully aware of my need to adapt to change. But that needn’t interfere with my ability to express sadness over the closing of an era.”

R2-D2 issued a flurry of buzzes, zithers, and hoots.

“I know it was a war, you … you mechanic! And I also realize that it was a war that threatened our existence far more than any other war has. But that’s precisely the point, because for a moment we became as valuable as they were. As often as they fought with us, they fought for us.”

R2-D2 made a more decorous reply.

“You’re correct, Artoo. They do need us. But they need us in a good way.” C-3PO listened for a moment, then said, “A far more dangerous enemy? Who or what could possibly be more dangerous than the Yuuzhan Vong?”

R2-D2 warbled.

“Obsolescence?” After mulling it over, the protocol droid loosed