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Lando's brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he gave a slow nod.

"I can well imagine." He paused, carefully considering his words. "I know it looks tempting to have all that instant energy, but don't let her talk you into trying any andris, all right? Spice can do a lot of damage in the long run, and once you're hooked, well... I've known a couple people who tried to quit and didn't make it."

Jaina, Jacen, and the others exchanged confused glances. "What are you talking about?" Jacen asked. "Who said anything about spice?"

"Ah. Aha," Tenel Ka said. "You believe Anja Gallandro is addicted to spice?"

Jaina bit her lower lip, stared at Lando in shock. Looking at the circle of serious faces around him, Lando spread his hands wide in apology.

"I... I thought you knew. Believe me, I've run into this enough times that I recognize the symptoms: wide eyes with huge dilated pupils, excess energy, restlessness, large appetite but never seeming to gain any weight. Not to mention always looking for chances to get off alone and then coming back with a fresh burst of energy, and the pale, almost translucent skin, quick temper..

Jaina sighed. "Sounds like Anja, all right."

"That's impossible," Jacen said. "I would have known."

Zekk said nothing, although he suddenly looked as if he were reviewing recent events in his mind.

Jaina shrugged. She usually believed that the straightforward approach was best. "Why don't we just ask her? There she is now."

Anja stood impatiently in the doorway of the restaurant. Spying the group, she trotted over to the table. Her glance flitted around Cloud Dance on the way to the table, noting her surroundings but showing little reaction to them.

"Uh, hi," Jacen said uncertainly as she slid into a seat between him and Zekk.

No one else spoke. Anja ignored the silence and began studying the holomenu that appeared on the table in front of her as soon as she sat down. She seemed to build an invisible wall around her, separating herself from any companionship.

Lowie nudged Jaina in the ribs, encouraging her to speak. She looked over at Lando, who raised his eyebrows, obviously waiting.

Jaina cleared her throat. "Before we start eating, I have a question for you, Anja. It's... about andris spice."

Anja's reaction was immediate and defensive. She jerked upright and pushed back from the table. "It's not mine. I'm just keeping it for a friend. And besides, who are you to go rummaging through my things and-"

Jacen's mouth fell open. He stared at her as if this was the last thing he'd expected to hear. "So you do have spice?"

Anja's face flushed, and her words were filled with heat. "Well, obviously Jaina must have found it. Otherwise, why would she-"

"Wait," Jaina said. "Nobody found anything. And we haven't been going through your stuff. But there were, urn... you just seem to... she faltered, "... to be showing signs of spice addiction."

Anja rounded on her. "I am not addicted. Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I do take andris. Sometimes. Andris does have legal uses, you know. I use spice when I want to, because I like it.

It's not a problem. And I can quit anytime I want to."

Anja stood, her face stormy. "Anyway, none of you has any right to question me. Who do you think you are, my father?" She glared at Jaina, then Jacen. Her voice became even colder. "I don't have a father.

Han Solo killed him, remember?"

With that, she stormed out of the restaurant.

Anja shook with fury as she stalked down one corridor after another.

Images and emotions seethed in her mind, twisted her stomach. How dare they confront her like that... imply that she was addicted to spice!

She slapped a hand impatiently against one leg as she walked.

She had started to think of some of the young Jedi Knights as her friends. But what gave them the right to ask about her private life?

It was none of their business whether she took spice or not. Their business here was to visit SkyCenter Galleria and give Lando their opinion of it.

They had all come to Cloud City to enjoy themselves and-until nowAnja