Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 13_ Trouble on Cloud City - Kevin J. Anderson [15]
Tenel Ka had always thought that the rigorous training Master Skywalker had undergone on Dagobah sounded interesting and challenging.
"May we visit this swamp climate?" she asked.
"Sure." Lando beamed. "After all, that's what you're here for. My professional test cases. We used a few areas on Dagobah as models, as well as the Bith homeworld and a planet in the Hapes cluster. I can't remember them all." His voice grew wistful. "This project was Cojahn's baby. He always got so excited when he talked about the different kinds of entertainment he was going to bring in here."
Lando led them around the edge of the central hub until he came to a door marked SwAmp, MARSH, BOG, BAYOU. They stepped through the doorway and found themselves in a small antechamber.
"Here, put these on." Lando handed each of them a gauzy jumpsuit of transparalon. "Best way to protect your clothes while we're visiting this attraction. It... gets a little messy."
They slipped the jumpsuits on over their boots and clothing, and crimped any excess material so that the transparalon formed a temporary seam, allowing each person to adjust the suit for its most comfortable fit.
Before the Wookiee donned his suit, Em Teedee detached himself from Lowie's syren-fiber belt and the little droid hovered to and fro,
"supervising" the process and making helpful suggestions.
Tenel Ka prepared to seal off the empty suit sleeve below the stump of her severed arm, but before she could reach over with her good arm, Jacen was already there doing it for her. It was the most attention he had paid her in days, and she was touched by his helpfulness. "Thank you Jacen, my friend."
Lando rubbed his hands together. "Everyone ready? Let's get into some mud."
As they entered the swamps, Tenel Ka reached out with her Jedi senses to detect anything amiss. A tide of sounds and smells and tastes washed over them. The odors of mildew, algae, and decaying plant matter assailed her nostrils, yet she did not find them offensive. The air was warm and humid, though not uncomfortable. Chirrups, gurgles, croaks, buzzes, twitters, and growls chorused from every tree and muddy pool around them.
Occasionally, Tenel Ka noticed construction workers adding finishing touches to the exhibit-a bit more hanging moss here, another holographic swamp creature there-but otherwise, the impression of an unexplored swampland was surprisingly convincing.
She found a long vine dangling across their path and, on the assumption that this was also part of the entertainment, she wrapped her arm around it, tested her weight. It held. Then, grasping the vine a little farther up, she swung out halfway over a murky brownish-green pool and let go.
She splashed down with satisfying force and found herself waist deep in muddy, lukewarm water.
Lando grinned. "Glad to see you're getting into the spirit of this.
That water's perfectly clean, by the way. It's been artificially
'muddied' with purified sand and food colorings."
Tenel Ka watched with great interest as her transparalon suit repelled the "dirty" water. Inside the suit she was comfortably clean and dry.
"But whatever is the point of all this?" Em Teedee asked.
Lowie chuffed with laughter. Jaina and Jacen giggled. "It's fun, Em Teedee," Jacen said. "Loosen up a little and get into it."
"I shall do my utmost, Master Jacen. Provided I don't damage any of my circuits. It's certainly a comfort that Mistress Jaina saw fit to waterproof my casing last year."
Lando reached out and helped haul Tenel Ka back out of the mud.
"I can show you some even better pools if you all want to go for a swim after midday meal." He led them around a dense clump of