• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

"Thanks for trusting me," Zekk said in a low voice as they all emerged into the sunlight in front of the Jedi academy. "That trust was what gave me the strength to leave the dark side for good."

"The trust of friends is rare and important," Tenel Ka observed.

Lowie crooned his agreement.

They walked down the temple steps toward the landing field. Several New Republic soldiers milled about taking readings at a freshly scorched spot on the ground. A group of assorted investigators stood inside the small craft bay on the pyramid's lowest level, talking in urgent tones with the night-shift guard who had been on duty the evening before.

Preoccupied with the old man's departure, the companions began walking across the grass with Peckhum toward the Thunderbolt. Suddenly, Zekk stopped and turned back to the burned, empty spot on the landing field.

His mouth fell open. He blinked in confusion. "You didn't have to move my ship inside, Jaina. I would have done it myself. Of course, I know that flying a ship is never hard work for you, but-"

"No," Jaina said. "I haven't been anywhere near the Lightning Rod this morning."

"Something's wrong," Jacen said.

Old Peckhum looked curiously at the spot where his tonner ship had been when he arrived the day before. But the Lightning Rod was nowhere to be seen.

"Ah," Tenel Ka said in a matter-of-fact voice. "Aha."

Jacen drew a deep breath, let it out slowly. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Inside the shadows of the small craft bay, Luke Skywalker left the other members of the investigative team and marched purposefully toward Zekk.

The dark-haired young man felt a cold twist in his stomach as his suspicions grew. Master Skywalker looked directly into his green eyes.

"Zekk, I'm afraid Anja has taken your ship."

Later, after Peckhum's tight schedule had forced him to leave, the young Jedi gathered in Luke Skywalker's office. Jaina squirmed as she watched a storm of emotions cross Zekk's face. "Anja stole the Lightning Rod!" he said through gritted teeth. "She ran away from the Jedi academy."

Luke nodded patiently. "She caught the hangar guard by surprise and took off before any of the orbital forces could stop her."

Zekk went on, fuming. "Anja is a thief, and I want my ship back.

What are we going to do about it? We've got to find her."

Jaina cleared her throat. "We could, urn, ask Mom and Dad to send out some security forces. Maybe they can track down the Lightning Rod, wherever Anja's taken it?"

"Or they could probably issue some bulletins to the authorities on various planets...... Jacen's voice trailed off.

Luke raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips, waiting for a full minute of silence before he spoke. "As for Anja leaving the Jedi academy, that is her choice. Not only is she an adult, she's not exactly a Jedi. We can't stop her from leaving if she wants to."

"But she can't take my ship to do it," Zekk said.

"No. That's true enough. But first-" he spread his hands and gazed around at his assembled students "-you tell me. Is she a criminal or a friend?

Would you like to have her arrested?"

Zekk squirmed at the Jedi Master's question. "Too bad we can't still send people to the spice mines of Kessel," he grumbled.

Each of the young Jedi shook their heads in turn.

Incarceration would serve no purpose," Tenel Ka said. "T believe she must have been desperate."

Jaina looked down at her hands in her lap. "And I think we all know why she was desperate.", Lowie woofed an observation. Jacen nodded and in a low voice said, "Spice."

"She was going through withdrawal," Zekk said, meeting Master Skywalker's eyes.

"Do you believe she intends to keep your ship-or even sell it?"

Luke asked. "In order to get credits to buy spice?"

Jaina was surprised when they all reacted instantly. Lowie bellowed a protest. "Indeed not!" Em Teedee added.

"She wouldn't do that. I think she's planning to bring it back," Jacen said in a confident voice.

Jaina bit her lower lip. "I have a feeling she's in more trouble than we know."

Luke stood. "Then I'd say this isn't exactly