Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 04_ Lightsabers - Kevin J. Anderson [1]
All this and more had led Luke Skywalker to the conclusion that the Shadow Academy was gearing up for a major battle against the New Republic.
Since the dead, of Emperor Palpatine, there had been many warlords and leaders who had attempted to rekindle the imperial way-but Luke sensed through the Force that this new leader was something more evil than just another pretender....
Bright sunlight fell across Luke, warming his hands. Brilliantly colored insects flitted about, buzzing in the new day. He shifted against the rough branches and drew a deep breath of the fresh air, catching mingled scents from the lush jungle all around him.
The Shadow Academy was still out there, still training Dark Jedi. Luke hated to rush his training of those who studied the ways of the light sidebut circumstances forced him to attempt to bring out powerful defenders faster than the Shadow Academy could create new enemies. A fight was brewing, and they had to be prepared.
Luke grabbed a loose vine and let himself drop, drop, drop until, landing with a jarring thump against a wide Massassi tree branch, he set off, running at top speed back to the academy.
The workout had awakened him fully, and now he was ready for action.
It was time for another gathering of students at the Jedi academy-and Jacen Solo knew that meant his uncle, Luke Skywalker, had something important to say.
Life at the academy was not a constant series of lectures and classes, as he had experienced during tutoring sessions back on Coruscant. The Jedi academy was designed primarily for independent study in a place where Force-sensitive individuals could delve into their minds, test their abilities, and work at their own pace.
Each potential Jedi Knight had a range of skills.
Jacen himself had a knack for understanding animals, calling them to him, and kno thoughts and feelings wing their His sister Jaina, on the other hand, had a genius for mechanical things and electronic circuits, and possessed engineering intuition.
Lowbacca, their Wookiee friend, had an eerie rapport with computers, which allowed him to decipher and Program complex electronic circuits.
Their athletic friend Tenel Ka was physically strong and self-trained, but she usually avoided relying on the Force as the easiest solution to a Problem. Tenel Ka depended on her own wits and strength first.
In his quarters Jacen's exotic pets rustled in their cages along the stone wall. He hurried to feed them and then ran his fingers through his unruly brown curls to remove any stray bits of moss or fodder he might have picked up from the cages. He poked his head into his twin sister Jaina's chambers as she, too, Prepared for the big meeting. She quickly combed her straight brown hair and scrubbed her face clean so that her skin looked pink and fresh.
"Anv idea what Uncle Luke's going to talk about? @' she asked, drying drips of water from her chin and nose.
"I was hoping you'd know," Jacen said.
One of the other young Jedi trainees, Raynar, emer-ed from his room dressed in garishly colored i-obcs with an eye-popping display of intense priiiiary blues, yellows, and reds. He seemed terribly I'lustered as he brushed his hands down the fabric of I"is robe. let out a sigh of dismay, and ducked back int) his rooms.
"Ilet the meeting has something to do with that i i-lp Llncle Luke just took to Coruscant," Jaina said.
J@liceii remembered that their uncle had recently flown off in the Shado@v Chaser-a sleek ship they had appropriated from the Shadow Academy in order to make good their e-,cape-to discuss the threat of the Second Imp erium with Chief of State Leia Organa Solo, Luke's sister and the twins' mother.
"Only one way to find out," Jacen said. "Most of the other students should be in the grand audience chamber already."
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Jaina