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"And so much renewal," Rastur added.

He pointed down. "I have already began seismic studies, mapping out a good location to build our next Hopetown. I will also choose the best spot for erecting the house Shinnan and I designed together. Maybe I'll find another wife, or maybe I'll live alone. Life goes on. We must continue to do our best. "

"But why, when you know it's hopeless?

Why not go someplace where you can live out your lives in safety, build something that will last for future generations? There are plenty of other planets."

Rastur's eyebrows knitted together. "Because this is our home," he said, as if the answer was obvious.

"Then find another home," Zekk said.

"I've lived many different places."

"Yes, and now yoxfve come back to Ennth,' Rastur said. 'It all comes back to Ennth.

This is our colony. We paid for it with our blood and our sweat. We can't just abandon it."

"Even when you know more people will die in eight years?"

"And many more people will be born in eight years," Rastur said stubbornly. "On a planet with four seasons, the colonists live and work during the spring and summer and autumn, then crawl back into their shelters during the wintertime, preparing for next spring.

'We all go about our lives during the daytime and return to sleep at night, before another day begins. Ennth is just the same. We have seven and a half years of building and renewal and success, before we must retreat for a year during this time of groundquakes and volcanic eruptions.

But then we come back again and rebuild and continue our lives. It is an endless cycle."

Zekk was angry now, unwilling to accept this way of thinking. "It is a pointless cycle," he said.

"But you are one of us, Zekk," Rastur said. 'You'll understand in time.

Once you see what it means to invest all of your hope and heart in a place-a home-you won't be able to leave so easily."

Zekk drew in a deep breath. "Then perhaps I should just leave now," he said. "I thought this planet might become my home again... but this isn't the kind of change I'm looking for in my life. You can have Ennti an your en(s cyc e. I need something more permanent."

Zekk raced away from the Ennth system in the Lightning Rod, not turning back to look at the bloated refugee stations or the angry moon whose gravity still ravaged the planetary surface.

He flew on, his eyes and mind grimly focused forward. He would follow the Force now-the light side-letting it direct him.

He would bounce from place to place until he found his destiny.

He knew that if he trusted the Force, he couldn't go wrong.

IN THEIR LTNCERTAIN and desperate hiding place inside the broken asteroid, Jaina shut down all of the Rock Dragon's power systems, hoping to prevent detection by the enemy ship.

"First order of business is to check the extent of our damage," she said, moving about, all businesslike. She would have to keep her cool during this emergency if the young Jedi Knights were to survive. 'I'm not entirely familiar with Hapan engines or electronics, but we've got to make these repairs."

Jacen turned to the warrior girl from Dathomir, his eyebrows raised, and leaned close to her. "Do you think your grandmother remembered to put an instruction manual in this ship?"

Tbne A no(. (e(wi'..i a grim expression.

"I would not be surprised if she had included specific procedures on making emergency repairs in an asteroid field while an enemy hunts for this ship."

"Ta'a Chume is a very thorough lady," Jacen argued.

Jaina consulted the console sensors before switching them off to conserve their power cells. She determined that the cave contained a minimal atmosphere; it seemed thick enough that they could survive outside, provided they wore breathing masks.

@ast we woet need to wear environment suits,' she said. "That'll make repairs a lot easier."

"Mistress Jaina, is there anything I can do to assist you?" Em Teedee said. "I am highly capable in many forms of communicationespecially in conferring with electronic devices, such as the