Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 12_ Return to Ord Mantell - Kevin J. Anderson [30]
"The hyperspace route to the Anobis system is short," Anakin said.
"We'll arrive in less than a day."
"Then that's when the fun starts," Anja murmured.
She removed her lightsaber and began playing with it, looking at the intricate knobs and buttons. Every lightsaber was different, made from various raw materials. Jacen, Jaina, Tenel Ka, and Lowie had built personal energy blades using their skills and their imaginations. Anja was not a Jedi trainee, yet she had a sophisticated-looking lightsaber, apparently an ancient one.
Jacen tried again to strike up a conversation. "Hey, that's an interesting weapon. Have you had any Jedi training?"
Anja threw her head back and looked at him with scorn. "I don't have time to sit around in the jungle and concentrate at rocks and leaves."
She made a rude noise. "No. I bought this lightsaber from an old trader.
He said it's some sort of Jedi relic. Who cares? It works.
That's all that matters to me."
"But you used it well against the chameleon attackers," Tenel Ka observed.
Han Solo turned in his pilot's seat. "You don't need to be a Jedi to use a lightsaber, kids," he said, still trying to make a gesture of peace toward Anja. "Fact is, I used your uncle Luke's lightsaber on Hoth, to cut open a tauntaun so we'd have a place to keep warm until I could set up a snow shelter." Anja looked at her weapon again, studied the ancient carvings and scrollwork on its handle. She shrugged. "I can fight with reckless enthusiasm and enough skill to overpower any opponent I've encountered so far. It doesn't matter whether the Force is with me or not."
Fifteen hours later, the Falcon dropped out of hyperspace at the edge of the Anobis system.
In the cockpit Jaina sat with Zekk looking over her shoulder at the copilot controls. The dark-haired young man seemed intrigued by the systems of the modified light freighter.
"I can fly this ship," he,aid.
"No you can't," Han answered.
"In theory, I meant," Zekk said. "The Lightning Rod's very similar, only a little smaller and designed to be flown by only one person."
He looked down at the sensor array that scanned space in front of them.
He pointed to the small blip just as Jaina herself noticed it.
"There's another ship sharing our course," Zekk said.
"We're approaching pretty fast. That ship doesn't seem to be in much of a hurry," Jaina said. "Must be a cargo hauler."
Zekk nodded. "It has smaller engines, a bulky design. Not built for speed. It's a cargo hauler all right."
"Better let them know we're here." Han Solo leaned forward to the comm unit and opened a hailing frequency. "Ship ahead, this is the Millennium Falcon. Looks like we're on the same heading. Please identify yourself "
Instead, the small hauler released a cluster of metallic spheres that drifted in space for a few seconds before exploding in a blossom of multicolored fire. Then the ship jinked to the right, altered course, and swept downward using its low-power engines. The Falcon dodged the debris and rapidly closed the distance.
"Space mines," Zekk said.
"Again? Does he think he's running his own Derby out there?"
Jaina asked.
"We'll catch up to him in no time," Zekk said. "He's got no chance of outrunning the Falcon."
The pilot ahead seemed to realize the same thing. He returned to his course and responded over the comm system. "H-hello, Millennium Falcon.
This is Lilnt, captain of the Rude Awakening-an officially licensed cargo hauler from Ord Mantell. M-m-my apologies for that accidental release a minute ago. Our defensive systems malfunctioned and identified you as an enemy. I trust no one was injured?"
Han grunted. He nudged the Falcon closer to the other ship.
"What's your destination, Lilmit?"
"Anobis. I've g-got some important... supplies to deliver."
Anja glanced up from where she sat behind an invisible psychological wall that cut her off from the companions. She came forward