Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 08_ Diversity Alliance - Kevin J. Anderson [7]
Jacen tried to calm the young man. He even sent subtle, soothing thoughts, as he might to a frightened animal. But once they left Yavin 4, Raynar's agitation in, creased minute by minute. By the time the Shadow Chaser made its jump to hyperspace, Jacen felt edgy himself.
Even the normally patient Master Sky walker turned with a strained smile and said, "I can take it from here, Jacen. Why don't you two go in the back and practice a few Jedi relaxation exercises? I'll call you when we're ready to make our rendezvous with the fleet."
"I'm not sure I can relax," Raynar said.
But when Jacen unbuckled his crash webbing and headed back toward the crew compartment, the other young man obediently followed.
Before Jacen could leave the cockpit, however, Raynat turned back.
"Master Sky-walker, are you sure you have the coordinates right?"
"I programmed them in myself from your notes when you decoded the transmission," Luke said, and when Raynar seemed about to ask for more details, he added, "Jaina and Lowbacca confirmed coordinates for both the Shadow Chaser and the Rock Dragon. We're fine."
The answer appeared to satisfy Raynar, who finally let Jacen lead him into the back. Jacen took a deep breath, held it for a few heartbeats, and slowly released it.
Then, to break the tension, he said, "I guess you're pretty scared."
Raynar sat down, shoulders hunched over, and stared at the deckplates.
"How would you feel if somebody in your family was missing and maybe even dead?"
From the astromech station, Artoo-Detoo whistled a mournful note.
Jacen gave a humorless laugh. "Believe it or not, that situation isn't completely uncommon in my family. I know how you feel."
Raynat looked up at Jacen. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth!
"Yeah, I guess you do at that."
An hour later when Luke called them back to the cockpit, both boys were more relaxed. Raynat even attempted a joke or two. Jacen already knew the punch lines, but he laughed anyway because it was so funny to hear the normally pompous boy working so hard to use humor. The kid wasn't too bad, Jacen decided, but he needed a little. work on his timing and delivery.
As soon as they buckled themselves into their seats, Raynar began to show signs of nervousness again. "Why don't you tell Uncle Luke your joke, Raynat?" Jacen said.
"The one about the Neff herder and the purple rancor?"
"Maybe later," Luke said. "We're just about there. Okay... now," he said, nodding to Jacen.
Jacen leaned forward and disengaged the hyperdrive. The starlines shortened abruptly and resolved themselves into a million twinkling lights in the blackness of space.
Empty space, without any merchant ships anywhere in sight.
Jacen blinked in surprise. "Where are they?" He asked.. "What happened to the fleet?"
Luke Skywalker looked at the control panel, perplexed. "These are the coordinates they gave me."
"They're gone," Raynat said in a gloomy voice. "The fleet has left without me."
Jacen adjusted the volume controls as the cockpit speaker crackled to life. "Shadow Chaser, this is Rock Dragon," Jaina's voice said.
"Kinda lonely out here. Weren't we expecting company?"
"Still waiting to make contact," Jacen answered. "Uncle Luke says " From the comm speaker a new female voice cut through his transmission. "Shadow Chaser and Rock Dragon, please broadcast confirmation of your identities."
At Luke's nod, Jacen complied. They waited. "Identities confirmed," the voice said at last. "This is the Tryst. I am prepared to take you--"
"Where is my mother? Where is the fleet?" Raynar cut in. "They were supposed to meet us here. What have you done with them?"
"Ah, would that be Master Raynar Thul?" the voice answered. "This is your second cousin, Captain Dro Prack, of the security shuttle Tryst assigned to the Tradew'yn. Now if you'll all be so kind as to slave your navigational computers to mine, we can be on our way to