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"I do not believe you will need this," Tenel Ka said, taking the firebrand from Raynar and tossing it back into the campfire. "Your instincts and reactions were commendable."

"Oh, yes. Excellently well done, everyone!" Em Teedee's silver oval floated over to Raynar. "I scarcely had time to be frightened although I do believe Master Raynar has sustained some injury."

"It's not too bad." Raynat pulled aside his brown Jedi robe to examine the thigh where the rakhmar had clawed it. Dark blood ran from a pair of gashes just below his right hip.

Jaina knelt beside Raynar and examined the leg.. "What do you think?" she asked her brother.

Jacen winced. It looked worse than he had expected. "I think we shouldn't have walked all the way here. Maybe we should're borrowed Lowie's T-23

instead. It's a long hike back to the Great Temple."

Tenel Ka pressed her hand against the wounds to slow the bleeding.

"Raynar should not walk with this injury," she agreed. "We must bind the leg."

By the light of the campfire, Jaina tore strips of cloth from the bottom of Raynat's Jedi robe.

Em Teedee brightened his optical sensors to provide lighting from above while Jaina and Tenel Ka bandaged Raynat's thigh. Unperturbed by all the blood, Tenel Ka wiped her hand on the ground.

"I think I'll be able to walk now," Raynar said bravely, though his voice wavered. When Jacen and Jaina helped him stand, however, all color drained from his face and his knees buckled.

Jacen caught him before he fell.

"Dear me! Perhaps Master Raynat would be better advised to rest while one of us returns to the Jedi academy to summon assistance," Em Teedee said.

"I believe I would make an appropriate messenger. Therefore, I volunteer to serve in that capacity."

But before the little droid had even finished speaking, Jacen heard something approaching through the jungle. "We've got company," he said.

Tenel Ka had already assumed a fighting stance, lightsaber drawn, before they identified the sound as hoofbeats.

"Lusa?" Raynar murmured. "Is it Lusa?"

At first Jacen thought his friend must be delirious, but he quickly discovered that Raynar was right. Her rich cinnamon hair and mane flying, Lusa galloped out of the trees. Only when she reached the center of the clearing did she come to an abrupt stop.

In the firelight, sweat glistened on the centaur girl's bare torso and flanks. Her face seemed to go almost as pale as Raynar's when she looked at him. "You're hurt!" she gasped.

Color flooded into Raynar's face. "Yeah, I... noticed."

"Hey, how'd you find us?" Jacen asked.

Still looking at Raynat with concern, Lusa answered distractedly.

"Before you left Raynar gave me a general idea of where you would be camping. When I got the message, I just headed this direction and hoped to find you."

"Message? What message?" Jaina asked.

"Oh." Lusa stamped a hoof. Her eyes sought out Tenel Ka. "I believe you have a grandmother who used to be queen of the Hapes Cluster?"

"This is a fact," Tenel Ka said.

"Well, she's wreaking havoc with the protective forces stationed in orbit. She asked for Master Skywalker, and when she found out he wasn't here she demanded to see you immediately.

Tionne told her that you were out, and the New Republic forces wanted to detain her ship while they ran a background check, but your grandmother wouldn't listen. She must have intimidated the guards somehow, because she'll be at the landing field in half an hour."

Jacen chuckled. "That sounds like Ta'a Chume all right."

Tenel quirked an eyebrow at him. "It would seem we all have business back at the Jedi academy." She turned her cool gray eyes back toward Lusa.

"Raynar requires immediate medical attention. He should not walk."

"I... I could carry him," Lusa said. She sounded rather uncertain.

Jacen knew the idea must have been difficult for the centaur girl. For years the Diversity Alliance had taught her to loathe humans. She was just beginning to unlearn her distaste for physical contact with them.

"I couldn't ask you to--," Raynar began.

"You do not need