Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 13_ Trouble on Cloud City - Kevin J. Anderson [24]
"We must remain watchful and follow any leads," Tenel Ka said.
Anja snorted. "Well, this watchfulness is about as interesting as watching all of you contemplate the Force or think at rocks back on Yavin 4."
She gave an experimental bounce on the tree branch fifty meters above the ground, took another step and bounced again, then again.
Step-bounce, step-bounce. A dangerous game. Lowie gave a cautionary woof, but she seemed utterly confident and tensed like a predatory animal ready to spring. The thought of falling did not seem to worry Anja; in fact, Lowie wondered if it had even occurred to her. Then again, he mused, maybe it had and she found the thought exhilarating.
Jacen, apparently giving up on finding any interesting creatures in the artificial tree, stood up and began pacing and bouncing just as Anja was doing. Lowie growled a warning at him as well. Jacen stopped, inhaled deeply, let his eyes fall halfway shut. His entire body seemed to relax, and he walked with a smooth effortless grace to the far end of the limb he was on, then headed back toward Tenel Ka, who was seated closer to the trunk, drawing in slow, deep breaths.
Anja snorted and continued bouncing along her branch. "And exactly what sort of clues do you expect to find at the top of a tree?"
Jacen glanced up at the young woman-and in that moment she missed her footing. "Oh, Mistress Anja, look out!" Em Teedee cried.
Anja tried to regain her balance, but to no avail. Lowie watched her tumble from the branch as if in slow motion.
Before Em Teedee had finished speaking, both Jacen and Tenel Ka were completely alert. Lowie's furry arm shot out, and he managed to slow Anja's descent, but he could not get a grip on her. Jacen and Tenel Ka, however, each succeeded in grasping one of her limbs and pulled Anja to safety on their branch.
"Thanks." Anja's voice carried an uncharacteristic quaver, and her face was paler than usual, her eyes brighter, with an unaccustomed startled look in them. "I must not have been paying close enough attention. I guess I owe you one."
"Hey, don't worry about it. That's what friends are for," Jacen said.
"To be there. All of us young Jedi Knights have saved each other's hides more than once."
"This is a fact," Tenel Ka said, then changed the subject. "And I believe Anja was correct: this treetop will not aid us in our investigation.
We should continue our search in a place more likely to yield clues."
Anja smiled at the warrior girl-a genuine smile. The expression was not a common one for her, especially when addressing either Jaina or Tenel Ka.
"Okay, where do we go then? I'm open to suggestions," Jacen said.
"Someplace with more people, to start with?" Anja said, making a shaky attempt at humor.
"An area with more construction perhaps?" Tenel Ka offered.
Jacen waggled his eyebrows. "I guess maybe we should get back to our roots, then."
Tenel Ka nodded. Anja smiled.
"It's too bad... just when I was starting to branch out," Jacen went on.
Lowie groaned.
"All right, all right." Jacen shot him a mischievous grin. "I know it goes against the grain, but maybe we should all leaf now."
Lowie grumbled a halfhearted protest, reluctantly swung off his branch, and began clambering back down the tree.
"Yes," Tenel Ka said slowly. "I wood advise climbing down immediately."
"Great," Anja said, "I think that's a vine idea."
Tenel Ka stared at her in surprise. Lowie gave a curious growl.
Jacen's mouth fell open.
"It's certainly more advisable than risking life and limb," Em Teedee added unexpectedly, shocking them all into amazed laughter.
Anja was glad to be on the move again as she and the others trekked through the amusement complex, keeping up their pretense of having fun.
All of them seemed to find the physical activity relaxing.
Anja certainly welcomed the relaxation. She'd become increasingly tense as her suspicions had mounted, and she'd begun to believe that Calrissian