Crisis at Crystal Reef

8

As a Jedi, Jaina felt bound by her promises, no matter whom she made them to, and so once they got back to Chief Administrator’s cozy underground office, the first order of business was to make sure Lilmit got the promised engine parts. Once that was taken care of, Nien Nunb listened carefully to their description of the encounter with the former gunrunner.

The Sullustan touched a finger to his layered lips and murmured thoughtfully. Em Teedee was proud to offer an immediate translation. “Master Nien Nunb believes that Lilmit’s urgent desire to leave Kessel before some mysterious deadline indicates that some conspiracy is indeed afoot.”

“Does seem to kind of support your theory that something’s going on, Nien Nunb,” Jaina agreed. “But we have no idea what. Lilmit’s anxiety could be something perfectly simple.”

“Or perhaps not,” Tenel Ka said ominously. “We must be prepared.”

Lowie roared, and the little droid responded rather than translating. “Oh, indeed, Master Lowbacca, we mustn’t leave Master Nien Nunb unprotected here in the spice mines. He can trust us, of course, but otherwise he has no idea who his friends or his enemies might be.”

“All right. So we’ll have to leave someone here while the rest of us go look for our friend,” Jaina said. “Zekk?”

He gave a vigorous shake of his head. “Anja has the Lightning Rod. I’m not going to stay here while the rest of you go after her.”

Jaina frowned but had to admit the logic of this. She knew better than to get between a being and his ship. “Jacen, how about you?”

Her brother gave her an “Oh, come on!” type of look. “Jaina, if Anja trusts anybody, it’s me. I can’t leave her out there to face her problems all alone.”

Jaina’s heart sank. She couldn’t really ask Tenel Ka to stay here and let Zekk and Jacen go flying off in her ship, the Rock Dragon. She turned toward her last hope. “Lowie?” she said in a weak voice.

Lowie slapped a ginger-furred hand on her back and rumbled something consoling.

“An excellent idea, Mistress Jaina,” Em Teedee said. “Master Lowbacca and I should be delighted to stay here with you and er, um … protect the interests of Master Nien Nunb.”

Jaina gave an unconvincing smile. “Right.” She hadn’t really wanted to stay here herself, but she couldn’t argue the matter now.

Zekk put an arm around her shoulder, leaned close, and whispered, “Thanks for understanding.”

Jaina snorted. Zekk kissed her playfully on the cheek and said, “By the way, is it my turn to rescue you this time, or the other way around?”

Jaina pretended to glare at him until he kissed her on the other cheek. He grinned. “Don’t worry. If you need me, I’ll be back.”

Jaina slid both arms around his waist to hug him tightly. She pressed her cheek against Zekk’s, whispered, “May the Force be with you,” and then let go.

With Zekk as pilot, Jacen as copilot, and Tenel Ka as navigator, the trio set off for Mon Calamari in the Rock Dragon. Jacen was interested to see that Zekk looked much more relaxed when he was piloting a starship. He could sense that his dark-haired friend used the Force unconsciously to help him maneuver, judge distances, and react to small emergencies.

Jacen’s spirits were rising too, not only because he enjoyed doing something useful during a flight, but also because Tenel Ka was there working beside him. And because they had found a solid lead as to Anja’s whereabouts.

“Jacen, my friend, did you not say you knew someone who could assist us on Mon Calamari?” Tenel Ka said once they were well under way.

“Right. Her name is Ambassador Cilghal. Guess I ought to send her a message to see if she’s there right now and if she has time to work with us.”

“Cilghal?” Zekk said. “Didn’t she used to be a student of Master Skywalker’s, back in the early days of the academy?”

Tenel Ka looked interested. “She is a Jedi and an Ambassador?”

“Yeah. A Jedi healer and an Ambassador. The only one that I’ve heard of, so far,” Jacen said. “But Cilghal is so quiet and gentle, you’d never know she has all that power.”

For the next few minutes He busied himself sending a communique that explained their current mission and requested Cilghal’s help. Moments after the Rock Dragon dropped out of hyperspace into the Calamari system, they received the Ambassador’s answer.

According to the message, it would be Ambassador Cilghal’s greatest pleasure to assist them, and she had already begun making inquiries about recent arrivals on the planet to track down the Lightning Rod. She had also set up the appropriate clearances and approvals for the Rock Dragon to have a berth in the VIP docking section near her offices on Foamwander City for as many days as the young Jedi Knights might need it.

Tenel Ka looked impressed. “It would seem that Ambassador Cilghal is most efficient.”

A lopsided grin brightened Jacen’s face. “Yeah, she thinks of everything.”

“Good,” Zekk said. “You think there’s any chance she’ll have the Lighting Rod waiting for us by the time we land?”

Jacen rolled his eyes. “Even I’m not that optimistic.”

Tenel Ka reached over to pat Zekk on the shoulder with her single hand. “It is important to keep one’s hopes up.”

In less than an hour, the Rock Dragon was docked in the VIP area of Cilghal’s beautiful floating metropolis of Foamwander City. The Ambassador herself met them as they disembarked from the small Hapan passenger cruiser on one of the mist-dampened upper decks. Jacen made the introductions, and the female Calamarian greeted him and his friends with all the warmth of a proud aunt.

Cilghal was a gentle-voiced member of the fish-like race that also included the famous Admiral Ackbar. She wore watery blue robes that seemed to ripple and change color like the tides of the sea. Her blunt, salmon-colored head was streaked with a flush of pale green. She raised a massive flipperlike hand in greeting.

With the formalities over, Cilghal led them to a beautiful private dining area. Handing each of them a datapad into which the week’s arrivals from off-planet had been downloaded, she excused herself and ordered them all some food: salted fish, seaweed rolls, and something moist and delicious that they plucked out of scrolled shells.

Before they had finished their midday meal, the young Jedi Knights had tracked down not only the point and time of Anja’s arrival, but also the city to which she had moved herself and the Lightning Rod the evening before. The location was far to the north, in the ice-choked waters of the arctic circle.

“Crystal Reef!” Cilghal said with surprise when they showed her their findings. “A vacation resort reserved only for the wealthy and elite. If you wish to go there, I had better get to work immediately. Everybody wants to go to Crystal Reef, and even the planet’s Ambassador to the New Republic doesn’t necessarily get preferential treatment.”

Three hours later, they found themselves at Foamwander City’s water docks with all arrangements made for their trip north to Crystal Reef. The three young Jedi walked behind Cilghal as she led them to her waveskimmer.

“Most efficient,” Tenel Ka stated again with obvious approval, looking at the Ambassador and her sleek watercraft.

Cilghal crossed the gangplank, boarded the skimmer, and began a safety check. “How does she do it?” Jacen wondered aloud.

“Cilghal is amazing, all right,” Zekk agreed, walking across the narrow plank and stepping down into the skimmer. Jacen went next. The seas were choppy and the little boat dipped and swayed beneath him. Far below, he could discern shadowy forms swimming just barely out of sight. He turned to offer a hand to help Tenel Ka across. But with a mischievous glint in her eye, Tenel Ka ignored his hand, ignored the plank and the railing. In a single bound, she jumped aboard.