Star Wars_ Young Jedi Knights 13_ Trouble on Cloud City - Kevin J. Anderson [3]
Jaina had moved the Rock Dragon out onto the open landing field, and for the next few hours the companions had worked in a heavy silence.
Unfortunately, the activities they normally found so soothing had brought no comfort today. Tenel Ka grimaced and replaced another cyberfuze that was in perfect condition.
To make matters worse, her own normally well-controlled emotions were playing strange tricks on her. For the past several days she'd had a profound feeling of missing Jacen... and Zekk, of course. It didn't make sense. It wasn't as if the two young men were gone, as Lowie had been when he'd accompanied his friend Raaba to visit the Diversity Alliance.
No, Tenel Ka saw Jacen-and Zekk-every day. Yet somehow, each time she saw the smuggler girl Anja laughing with the two young men, most likely at some joke Jacen had told, Tenel Ka felt an ache that was almost physical.
Perhaps a change of scenery was the answer. If Tenel Ka could get away from Yavin 4 for a while, it might clear her mind-and she might be able to escape the constant reminders that Jacen no longer spent most of his free time with her. She found the pain as haunting and indefinable as the phantom pangs she sometimes felt from her severed arm.
Scowling, Tenel Ka touched a probe to a circuit, overloaded it to 10, 20, 30 percent more than its capacity. The cyberfuze finally failed in a tiny puff of white smoke. Tenel Ka nodded with satisfaction. As she began to replace the component, a loud Wookiee bellow drifted in from outside.
"Visitors?" Em Teedee said. "Why, whatever could he mean? We weren't expecting anyone, were we?"
"I do not believe so," Tenel Ka said to the little droid. The whine of sublight engines filled the air around the Rock Dragon. "Perhaps we should investigate."
Jaina yanked the little silver droid's leads free from the navigational console. "Well, then, what are we waiting for?"
"It's Lando!" Jaina cried. Her spirits lifted even as the Lady Luck touched down on the stubbly grass of the landing field not far from the Rock Dragon. The sight of Lando Calrissian's space yacht kindled a sense of excitement in her that had been missing for weeks. His visits always meant something interesting.
As usual, her father's old smuggling buddy made a dashing entrance.
With a burgundy cape fluttering behind him, he seemed to glide down the Lady Luck's ramp, his dark handsome features lit by a dazzling smile.
By the time he reached the bottom of the ramp and greeted Jaina and Tenel Ka with a kiss each on the hand, and Lowbacca with a friendly slap between his furry shoulders, Zekk and Jacen were running across the landing field toward them. Master Luke Skywalker followed at a more leisurely pace.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" Jacen asked.
"Are we going to GemDiver Station?" Zekk added. "I've never seen the place, but Jaina and Jacen told me all about it."
Lando laughed. "No, not quite. I'm glad you kids are all here, though, because I have an invitation for you. A business proposal, really."
Jaina exchanged an intrigued glance with Tenel Ka. "We are prepared to assist you," Tenel Ka said. Lowie rumbled his agreement.
Lando grinned. "As it turns out, I already talked to all of your parents and got permission."
" Hey, that's great," Jacen said.
"What is it you need from us?" Zekk asked.
"Some professional assistance. From professional young people like yourselves. But it's not on GemDiver Station. I've got the coruscagem mining operation running pretty well by itself. Right now, I'm on my way to Cloud City."
"Bespin?" Jaina said. "You still own property there?"
Lando smiled. "At the moment, quite a lot. You know how I amalways looking for some new way to make credits. I decided I needed to diversify my holdings a bit more, so I talked to one of my old smuggler buddies who lives on Cloud City and we came up with the perfect investment." Tenel Ka's eyebrows rose as Lando spoke.
"Old smuggler buddy?" Jaina asked.