Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 02_ Shadow Academy - Kevin J. Anderson [58]
"Hey, Uncle Luke!" Jacen cried, but Luke held up a hand for the boy to wait.
They needed to escape soon-it was their only chance. They had to seize the moment. But Luke also had to see, had to know. Behind him, he heard the weapons systems of the Shadow Chaser powering up. The ship's external laser cannon turrets raised and locked into firing position.
When the red door slid open ahead of him, Luke Skywalker stood transfixed. He stared at the sculpture-handsome face of his former student.
"Brakiss!" he whispered in a voice that carried across the docking bay, even above the chaos of shrieking alarms.
Brakiss stood where he was with a faint smile. "Ah, Master Skywalker. So good of you to come. I thought I sensed you here on my station. Are you impressed at how well I have done for myself?"
Luke held his lightsaber out in front of him, but Brakiss remained outside in the corridor and did not step across the threshold.
"Oh, come now," Brakiss said with a dismissive wave, "if you intended to kill me, you should have done it when I was a weak trainee. You knew I was an Imperial agent even then."
"I wanted to give you the chance to save yourself," Luke said.
"Always the optimist," Brakiss replied in an airy tone.
Luke felt cold inside. He didn't want to fight Brakiss, especially not now. They had little time. But didn't he have to confront his former student somehow-resolve their conflict?
They had to go now. He needed to escape with the kids before the Shadow Academy managed to get its defenses back on-line again.
Brakiss held out his soft, empty hands. "Come and get me, Master Skywalker-or are you a coward? Would your precious light side allow you to attack an unarmed man?"
"The Force is my ally, Brakiss," Luke said. "And you have learned to use it to your own ends. You are never unarmed, any more than I am."
"All right, have it your way," Brakiss said. He brushed the fabric of his shimmering robe and made ready to step forward. His eyes blazed now, as if he held the fury of the universe within him, ready to unleash it from his fingertips.
Just then, an explosion of hot energy streaked past Luke's head from behind and melted the door controls. With a second blast from the Shadow Chaser's laser cannon, the controls were completely fried. The heavy metal plates slammed back into place, sealing Brakiss and Luke apart from each other.
"Uncle Luke, come on!" Jaina yelled from the ship. "We have to go."
Luke shuddered with stunned relief, turned, and sprinted back toward the shuttle. He knew it wasn't over between him and Brakiss; but that would have to wait for another time.
Jaina and Lowie and Em Teedee linked into the Shadow Chaser's computers, trying to open the station's huge space door from within. While they worked, Tenel Ka raced around the docking bay, sealing all of the red doorways, making sure that none would open. The ominous man in the silvery robes had stalled Luke, and they couldn't afford another skirmish like that. Tenel Ka had to seal the doors, just in case a contingent of stormtroopers made its way to the docking bay.
Luke climbed into the shuttle. Tenel Ka sealed another metal door, then ran to the last one. Just as her fingers touched the controls, though, the door slid open. A tall, dark woman loomed in front of Tenel Ka, crackling with angry energy and ready to attack.
Tenel Ka looked up and instantly knew what this person was. "A Nightsister!" she hissed.
The dark woman glared down at her with a similar flash of recognition.
"And you are from Dathomir, girl! I claim you. You are a fitting replacement for the three I am about to destroy."
Tenel Ka stood in front of the Nightsister, her arms and legs spread like a barrier. "You will have to get through me first."
The dark woman laughed. "If you insist." She struck with the Force, an invisible blow that nearly knocked Tenel Ka sideways-but the young woman deflected it and stood strong, lips clamping together in