Crisis at Crystal Reef

22

Over the next two days, preparations continued for the great ceremony to honor the young Jedi Knights. Arrivals continued on the jungle moon as well, until nearly everyone at the Jedi academy had welcomed some visitor or other.

Zekk spent considerable time with old Peckhum, who had returned in the Thunderbolt. Tenel Ka’s parents—Teneniel Djo and Isolder—came to see her, followed by Ta’a Chume, Tenel Ka’s grandmother from Hapes, and Augwynne Djo, her great-grandmother from Dathomir.

In addition to Chewbacca, Lowie was surprised when his entire family showed up on Yavin 4. His parents, Mahraccor and Kallabow, had taken a brief leave from their jobs at the computer fabrication facility on Kashyyyk. His sister Sirra had also managed to break away from her duties as a New Republic emergency pilot to come see her ginger-furred brother honored in the ceremony. Raynar’s mother, Aryn Dro Thul, and his uncle Tyko—who were assisting the Chief of State in her investigation into Black Sun activities—were also very much in evidence, dressed in formal Alderaan colors as well as the insignias of the Bornaryn trading fleet.

Han and Leia spent as much time with their children as possible between planning sessions for the grand awards ceremony or conducting the Black Sun investigation. Anakin’s best friend and fellow student Tahiri had the full attention of the Jedi historian Tionne whenever the silver-haired instructor was not teaching classes. When they were off-duty, even See-Threepio, Artoo-Detoo, and Em Teedee enjoyed long droid conversations together, discussing the merits of various lubricants or the superiority of one type of motivator over another.

Master Skywalker himself welcomed many of his former students who had returned for the festivities. Looking unruffled and serene, he split his time, sometimes visiting with Leia and her family, sometimes catching up on news with former students, sometimes greeting visiting dignitaries, and sometimes encouraging his students and trainees.

On the day of the actual ceremony, in the midst of all the furor, the companions managed to steal away to the platform on the top of the Great Temple and find some quiet time together. Anakin and Tahiri sat at one side of the platform, dangling their bare feet over the edge, while the fluffy creature Ikrit, their frequent companion, basked in the sun beside them.

At one corner of the platform, Raynar and the cinnamon-maned centaur girl, Lusa, sparred with stunsticks. Lowie, Em Teedee, Jaina, Zekk, and Anja arranged themselves along another side of the platform to watch the busy landing field. Having just finished taking care of his menagerie of animals, Jacen now joined his friends, his fluffy blue pet gort riding on his shoulder. Tenel Ka, just finished with her morning’s calisthenics, dashed up one of the staircases at the four corners of the Great Temple to meet them.

When they were all together, Anja said, “I guess this is about as good a time as any to say good-bye. I’ll be leaving after the ceremony.”

“Why?” Jacen asked, sounding the slightest bit disappointed.

“Because I don’t belong here,” Anja said. “I’ve got to do something with my life, but being trained in the Force just isn’t it.”

“So, where are you going?” Zekk asked.

Anja shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I can’t stay at the Jedi academy. I’m not a Jedi. But you all are—you belong together.”

“We will not always be together, however,” Tenel Ka said. Lowie woofed his agreement.

“Right,” Jaina added. “We all just had that long talk with Uncle Luke. You know, the one that goes, ‘Now that you’re more or less a full Jedi, you have to think about what you want to do in life.’”

Anja gave a wry smile as she threw her silky dark hair behind her shoulder. “That’s not exactly the talk I had with him, but it’s close enough.”

“Well, hello….” A voice from behind startled them all. “Han told me I might be able to find you here.”

“Lando!” Jaina jumped up and greeted their visitor with a hug. Lando Calrissian’s smile was as brilliant as his flowing cape in the morning sun. “I’d like to thank you all personally for what you did to stop Czethros. Cloud City is perfectly normal again.” He gave a slight bow, swirling his colorful cape. “Just like me, there are a lot of lucky business owners in the galaxy whose companies are intact because of what you did. They just don’t know it. But I do, so I wanted to thank you.”

They all assured Lando that he was very welcome.

“Now, since that piece of business is taken care of,” Lando went on smoothly, “there’s another reason I came up here this morning.” His flashing eyes fixed on Anja Gallandro. “My buddy Han tells me you might be in the market for a brand-new job. And I just happen to be in the market for a good pilot.”

Anja jumped to her feet. Her face looked hopeful, and at the same time slightly suspicious. “I do need a job, but …” Her voice trailed off.

“But … ?” Lando prompted.

“I was pretty rude to you the last few times we met. I can’t believe you’d want to hire me.”

Lando flashed his white teeth. “I try not to hold a grudge. Besides, I know what it’s like trying to find honest work when you know all you need is a chance.” He held out a hand to Anja. “Would you mind being … respectable for a while? It’s all I’ve got to offer.”

“I’ll take it,” she said, shaking his hand.

Instead of letting her hand go, Lando smoothly tucked it under his arm and began walking with her toward the stone steps, spilling details of the position. “Now, you understand it doesn’t pay much at first, but there’s plenty of room to advance in my businesses.”

Anja’s attention focused completely on Lando. “Fair enough, Calrissian. I can handle that. What about benefits? Do you use incentives? Profit sharing?”

Lando threw back his head and laughed. “Young lady, I can see that we speak the same language.”

As they approached the entrance to go down into the Great Temple, Anja looked back at her friends and waved. “I’ll see you at the ceremony,” she said, then returned her attention to Lando.

As the two disappeared, arm in arm, Jacen heard Anja say, “If you’re really interested in giving people a chance to reform, I know this guy named Lilmit. I think he could really use a job, too….”

Jacen grinned. Anja really had come a long way.

“Jacen, my friend?” It was Tenel Ka. “Would now be an appropriate time to ask about the item you intended to give me?”

“Sure. I brought it with me,” Jacen said, reaching into the pocket of his rumpled brown jumpsuit. He held the object out to her. Irregular shards of translucent pearly pink dangled from a knotted cord of fine leather. “It’s a necklace,” he explained unnecessarily. “I made it from the shards of Nicta’s gort egg. Many cultures consider it to be very precious—the egg, I mean.” The gort sat angelically on his shoulder.

Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but Jacen could have sworn that some sort of liquid shimmered in Tenel Ka’s gray eyes when she said, “It is beautiful, Jacen, my friend. Would you please assist me in putting it on?”

Jacen reached both arms beneath her red-gold warrior braids to tie the thong at the back of her neck.

Before he could finish, Tenel Ka pulled him into a strong embrace and said, “I will treasure your gift more than all the rainbow gems of Gallinore.”

Zekk put an arm around Jaina. “I don’t have a necklace for you, but you can be my copilot—or my pilot—anytime you want.”

Resting her head on his shoulder, Jaina chuckled. “Don’t think I won’t take you up on that. Besides, necklaces aren’t exactly my style.”

Lowie looked thoughtfully, longingly up at the sky. He rumbled a mellow comment. “Indeed?” Em Teedee replied. “Well, I’m afraid I, for one, shall never understand these humans.”

The grand audience chamber of the Great Temple was filled to overflowing. Thousands of friends, family, dignitaries, students, and other spectators crowded the stone benches. Leia Organa Solo and her husband Han stood with Master Luke Skywalker on the dais at the front of the room, flanked by Chewbacca, Artoo-Detoo, and See-Threepio.

It was the same dais on which they had stood more than two decades ago after the destruction of the first Death Star, to receive special medals from the struggling Rebellion. But this time the former heroes of Yavin were here to honor their children, their nieces and nephews, their students and friends—the new heroes of a new generation.

Stirring music soared through the air and reverberated from the ancient walls. To cheers and applause, Jacen, Jaina; Tenel Ka, Lowie, Zekk, Em Teedee, Anakin, and Anja advanced up the main aisle and climbed the stairs to the platform. As they reached the dais, Master Skywalker welcomed each one with a medal. Next, Leia, Han, and Chewie offered thanks and congratulations on behalf of the New Republic.

The young Jedi Knights, along with Anja and Em Teedee, turned to face the audience. Raynar and Lusa also joined them, recognized for their assistance during the struggle against the misguided Diversity Alliance. Row upon row of friends and loved ones looked up at them with pride.

At a signal from Master Skywalker, the fully trained Jedi Knights in the first row of the audience drew their lightsabers and switched them on. Then Luke’s former students held their glowing energy blades high in blazing tribute to the new heroes before them.

When the crowd had spent a full two minutes roaring in approval, the Jedi historian Tionne quietly moved to the front of the dais at one side. Raising the stringed instrument she carried, the silvery-haired Jedi began to play.

Slowly, a hush fell over the audience, and Tionne lifted her voice in song. Her ballad told of the rise and fall of the Shadow Academy, the defeat of the insidious Diversity Alliance, and how the threat of Czethros and Black Sun had been overcome. The melody carried a message of new hope as Tionne sang of bravery in the face of danger, betrayal and redemption, trust in the Force, and sacrifice.

New legends of the new Jedi.