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"Why, thank you. We'd be delighted," Cilghal assured the tree creature.

The Yarin beamed at the small group. His kindly eyes lit on Anja.

"I'm sorry, young lady, that I almost disappointed you. You should have let me know you were in such distinguished company."

Zekk saw Anja blink, as if surprised that the Yarin now believed her to be in "distinguished company." Her cheeks reddened, as if it had not occurred to her until now that running around with Jedi Knights, royalty, ambassadors, and the children of war heroes and the Chief of State might actually impress some people.

"This way, this way," the Yarin said, motioning them toward his private dock. He gave Zekk a shrewd glance. "And you, young Jedi, have the look of a fine pilot about you, if I'm not mistaken. I believe I could entrust my minisubmersible to your capable hands." Zekk looked at the Yarin in surprise.

"Hey, I'm a pretty fine pilot myself," Anja objected as they reached the dock where the minisub was tethered.

"Zekk is an excellent choice," Tenel Ka interrupted. "I believe he is the finest pilot among us."

"Besides," Zekk muttered to Anja, "you're not going to pilot anything until I get my ship back." She clamped her lips shut and folded her arms across her chest. "I'm sure Cilghal will help me pilot the sub, since I'm in unfamiliar waters."

The treelike harbormaster opened the hatch with one branchy hand and helped the young Jedi climb down into the submersible. "And you, Ambassador," the Yarin said as he helped Cilghal down, "are probably most familiar with Calamarian oceangoing craft. I trust you will be able to handle any emergencies that might arise?"

Cilghal gave him a stately nod.

"We'll take good care of your little sub," Zekk assured him. "Does it have a name?"

The Yarin gave a wheeze that Zekk figured must have been a chuckle and said, "I call her the Elfa. Among my people, it is a word that means fish-so-small-that-it-is-not-worth-catching."

"We can't thank you enough, Harbormaster," Cilghal said. "We will take good care of your Elfa."

The ocean beneath the arctic ice was beautiful. The blue-green glow of water-filtered daylight transformed every creature, sea plant, or chunk of ice into a thing of magic. Particulates suspended in the water sparkled like gold dust. The Elfa was smaller by far than the Lightning Rod, and less maneuverable because it was in water, but Zekk enjoyed every moment of piloting it.

"The transponder signal's getting stronger," Anja announced in a ragged voice. "We're almost to the spice stash." Her breath seemed labored.

Zekk wondered if she had a fear of enclosed places and disliked the unusual feeling of being deep under water. Either that, he decided, or she was going through spice withdrawal again.

"Just let me know if I need to make any course adjustments," Zekk said.

Over the past two hours, Cilghal had shown him how to use most of the systems on the tiny submersible, and he now felt as comfortable with the Elfa as he had ever felt with any ship besides the Lightning Rod.

"Over there. Is that it?" Jacen asked, pointing.

"I believe so. You have excellent eyes," Tenel Ka said.

"Thanks. You have pretty nice eyes, too," Jacen teased.

"The signal's strong and clear," Anja said, ignoring the banter.

"Do you see it?"

"Got it," Zekk said, already making the course correction.

In less than five minutes he had maneuvered them into position beside the cache, which had been tucked away beneath blocks of freefloating arctic ice. The four separate containers were sealed, armored cases, quickly stashed there for safekeeping, anchored to the ice.

Anja crowded close to the windowport, looking over Zekk's shoulder to get a better view. Her face was flushed, her breathing ragged, her hair damp with perspiration.

"Okay, now what?" Zekk asked.

"Now we destroy them, just as we all agreed," Anja said.

"Hey, I hate to mention this, but those containers look like they're pretty well armored. How do you expect to get rid of them?"

"I believe I can be of assistance there," Cilghal said. She set to work at the controls