Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 04_ Lightsabers - Kevin J. Anderson [50]
Stormtroopers stood in ranks, gripping the balcony rails. The other students at the Shadow Academy sat all around, ready to watch the spectacle. He stiffened, wondering just how difficult this test was going to be. What had Brakiss meant? What was Zekk supposed to do now?
Boulders like miniature asteroids floated in the center of the open arena, along with metal boxes, small cargo containers, and artificial geometrical constructions. Long durasteel pipes drifted free.
Zekk could make no sense of the random mix of large and small objects.
Suddenly he understood: they were obstacles.
On the curved wall at the far side of the arena, Zekk saw the clear blister of an observation dome.
With his sharp eyesight he spotted figures inside, figures he recognized: the silver-robed figure of Brakiss; the intimidating Nightsister Tamith Kai, with her voluminous ebony hair and her blackspined cape; and the black-armored figure of Qorl the TIE pilot.
Master Brakiss leaned forward and spoke into a voice amplifier. His words boomed through the amphitheater, and all background noise faded ' "You are all here to witness the selection of a leader for our new Dark Jedi trainees-a leader who shall be the first general of our Shadow Academy forces when the Second Imperium makes its grand foray to reclaim the galaxy. Here, before you, we will witness the great battle."
On the other side of the chamber, where the view was partially blocked by drifting obstacles, another airlock opened, and a dark figure emerged. Because of the floating debris, Zekk couldn't see who it was.
Brakiss continued, "This will be a duel to the death between Zekk"-he paused, but none of the students cheered; they knew better, for they Would have to follow whoever the victor of this contest might be-"and Vilas!"
Zekk turned, keeping his lightsaber handle in front of him as he faced the thick-browed young man from Dathomir, Tamith Kai's most powerful trainee. Vilas held his ignited lightsaber ready for the duel.
Vilas pushed off from the far wall and flew toward the obstacles at the center. Zekk switched on his weapon and did the same, moving to meet his opponent in the open space. Zekk's heart pounded, and he realized that despite his anxiety, this was a battle he had longed for. How many times since he'd come to the Shadow Academy had Vilas been his rival? After today there would be no question as to who the greater student was.
Vilas shouted in his mocking, oily voice, "If you surrender now, young trash collector, I may only cripple you." He laughed. Zeick felt himself flush.
Norys or one of the other Lost Ones must have told Vilas their derogatory nickname for him. Trash collector.
Zekk reached the floating debris and found a pitted oblong stone, an iron-hard meteorite. He graspedit. "If you think victory is going to be that easy, Vilas, I'll defeat you before you can blink!"
Zekk hurled the stone with all his strength. In zero gravity the meteorite shot toward the other Dark Jedi-but the equal and opposite reaction after he threw the stone surprised Zekk, and he found himself tumbling backward from the momentum. He slammed headfirst into one of the floating metal cargo containers. A flash of bright pain burst inside his skull. His ears rang. He cleared his vision just in time to see Vilas easily nudge himself out of the path of the flying rock.
Vilas laughed. "Is that the best you can do, trash collector?"
Zekk realized he had been foolish. He concentrated, using the abilities he had recently acquired.
Since Vilas was no longer looking at the stone, Zekk used the Force to yank it back toward his enemy. The rock didn't have enough distance to build up much speed, but