Darkest Knight

2

Jaina realized she was grinning like an idiot as she hugged her father. “What are you doing here? We didn’t even know you were coming.”

Beside her, Jacen gaped at Han Solo’s unfamiliar costume of tattered cloth and furs. His hair had been cut raggedly, and he looked much tougher. “Blaster bolts, Dad! Why are you dressed like that?”

Before Han Solo had a chance to reply, Jaina glanced behind him. Even in the dimness she could see that some of the Millennium Falcon’s plating had been replaced with dark anodized hunks of metal, new storage pods had been mounted on the bow, and a second transmitting dish was attached to the rear. Her jaw dropped. “And what did you do to the Falcon? It looks so … different!”

“One question at a time, kids,” Han said, laughing and holding his hands palm out at chest level, as if to ward off an oncoming charge. “There’ve been a few problems in the Outer Rim recently, so in her official capacity, the New Republic’s Chief of State—”

“You mean Mom,” Jaina said.

“Right.” Han’s grin was boyish. “Anyway, she’s been after me and Luke to do some scouting for her. Says I need to keep busy or I’ll get old too fast. And ever since he started this Jedi academy, your uncle’s made it a practice to spend some time away from Yavin 4, just to make sure his skills stay at their peak performance. Still, we figured it might be a good idea to keep a low profile, though, so—”

“You disguised yourself and the Millennium Falcon,” Jacen finished for him. Jaina continued to stare at all the lumpy, patchwork modifications to the light freighter.

“And Luke, too.” Han Solo nodded behind them to where their uncle, clad in a rumpled brown flight suit, emerged from the base of the temple. “Hey, Han, did you bring the last components for those new shield generators?” Luke called. He brushed a greasy hand down the front of his stained outfit. He looked very much like a down-and-out pilot who had deserted his post.

“You bet, Luke,” Han said. “Leia’s worried about your Jedi academy with the Second Imperium on the loose, so we’ve got to install those new shield generators and get them running with enough power to stop an attack.”

“I still think my Jedi Knights would do a good enough job defending themselves if it came to that,” Luke said, smiling at the trainees standing around the temple. “The Shadow Academy would be foolish to underestimate us.”

Han shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what you say, Luke—indulge me, or Leia will never sleep a wink.”

Laughing, Luke called for Jedi students to unload the heavy components from the Falcon’s storage bay. “I’ll have some of my students install the systems while you and I are away.”

The disguised Jedi Master strode over to the pair of Wookiees, who stood in earnest conversation. He seemed to be bidding Chewbacca farewell. Jaina thought she heard Luke say something about the time being near, but before she could ask about it, her brother spoke up.

“But what about Chewie?” Jacen asked. “Isn’t he going to be your copilot this time?”

Their father looked a bit uncomfortable. “I’ll manage without him somehow. Back home on Kashyyyk, he and Lowie have kind of a family emergency, you might say.”

“Emergency?” Jaina said. “Is anyone hurt?”

“Naw, nothing that simple. You’ve never met Lowie’s sister Sirra, have you?” Han lifted his chin to point in the direction of his Wookiee copilot, who was deep in conversation with Lowbacca. “Anyway, give the two of ’em a chance to talk first. Afterwards I have a feeling Lowie’ll tell you all about it. Meanwhile, I’ve brought messages from your mom and Anakin—and I’ve got a couple of surprises for you on the Falcon.”

“Uh-oh,” Jaina said. “More surprises on the Falcon?”

Han chuckled and put an arm around each of the twins’ shoulders. “Yeah, presents for you two.”

“Hey, that reminds me,” Jacen said, “I’ve got a new joke. Wanna hear it?” Before either of them could talk him out of it, he forged ahead. “What do Jawas have that no other creature in the galaxy has? Give up?” He raised his eyebrows. “Baby Jawas!”

Even their father had difficulty feigning amusement. Jaina studied her brother in silence for a moment, then turned to Han, getting back to the subject at hand. “So, what were you saying about those gifts you brought us?”

“Well, I brought a mate for Jacen’s stump lizard, along with some of those starflower blossoms they like to eat so much, and a refurbished micromotivator that still needs some tinkering. ’Course, you two’ll have to fight over who gets which gift,” he added, ruffling the twins’ hair as they walked up the boarding ramp together.

Jaina snorted indelicately. “That shouldn’t take long.”

In her quarters, Tenel Ka sat fascinated by the tiny holographic image of dark-haired Anakin Skywalker holding a cluster of brightly colored twine. She couldn’t figure out why the twins’ little brother would have sent her a message. She had only met the boy once, on Coruscant not long ago.

“I know how independent you are, Tenel Ka, so I hope you don’t mind my doing this,” Anakin’s recorded voice said. “But when Jacen and Jaina told me how hard it is for you to braid your hair since the accident, I took it as a problem to solve. You may have figured out a bunch of this stuff for yourself already”—Anakin’s holographic face smiled faintly—“but even if you have, it was still a challenging puzzle, and I enjoyed it.”

The Solo twins, who had delivered the holographic message to Tenel Ka after a long visit with their father, sat nearby on the floor of her chambers. Jaina rolled her eyes and chuckled. “That’s my little brother.”

“This is a fact,” Tenel Ka said, shifting her concentration back to the glowing hologram.

The boy’s image held the multicolored twine in one hand and threaded the fingers of the other hand through it, neatly separating the colors into individual clumps. Tenel Ka unconsciously lifted her hand to her head and threaded her fingers through some unbraided strands of her red-gold hair.

Moving with deliberate precision, Anakin slid his hands down the brightly colored strands, twining them together with the fingers of one hand as he went. “See, it can be done, if you approach the task from a different perspective.” The sequence cycled through again in slow motion while Anakin said, “I tried adding decorations several ways, but it worked best for me if I put the bead or feather in my mouth first. That way I didn’t have to let go of the braid to pick it up.”

“Ah.” Tenel Ka nodded her approval of the logic. “Aha.” Experimentally, her fingers began to twine a few strands of hair, following the single-handed technique Anakin had concocted.

The hologram shifted to a different scene, Anakin standing beside a fall of long glossy brown hair, caught up in a dozen Dathomiran warrior braids decorated with feathers and beads. The view pulled back, and Anakin gestured to his handiwork, looking both pleased and a bit embarrassed. “As you can see, Mom let me practice on her.” The tiny holographic image of Chief of State Leia Organa Solo turned with a warm smile and then spun in a graceful pirouette to give a better view of the braids.

As the holorecording ended, Tenel Ka nodded seriously, considering the new technique. With practice, she thought she could manage it herself.

A loud questioning growl sounded from the doorway of Tenel Ka’s quarters. She looked up to see Lowbacca standing at the arched entrance.

“Enter, friend,” Tenel Ka said, indicating a spot on the floor beside her. “Sit with us if you wish.”

“Lowie, is everything all right?” Jaina asked with a look of concern.

The lanky ginger-furred Wookiee ambled over and sat between Tenel Ka and Jaina on the floor. For a long time none of the companions spoke. Then Lowbacca reached toward his belt and flicked a small switch on Em Teedee’s back. “Ah, thank you, Master Lowbacca,” Em Teedee said. “That was indeed a refreshing shutdown cycle, although considerably longer than I had anticipated. Oh, look—we have company.”

Lowbacca interrupted the little droid with a rumble and a short bark. “Why, most assuredly, Master Lowbacca. I’d be delighted to provide a translation. That is my primary function, you know. I am fluent in over six forms of communication.”

Preoccupied, Lowbacca didn’t even scold the translating droid. Slowly, haltingly at first, the Wookiee began to speak, and Em Teedee translated. “Master Lowbacca knows that his recent … distress has been apparent to all of you, causing you no small measure of concern—a concern shared by myself, I might add.”

Jaina put a hand on Lowbacca’s shoulder. “Well, you did have us worried. We wanted you to be able to talk to us.”

“We’re your friends,” Jacen added.

Tenel Ka merely nodded and waited for Lowbacca to continue.

He squared his shoulders and went on with his explanation. “In recent months a family matter has arisen that has caused Master Lowbacca no end of worry over his sister Sirrakuk’s safety.

“As you may recall, young Wookiees occasionally take it upon themselves to perform a feat of great danger and difficulty, either alone or accompanied by friends. This gains them much respect, especially at a time when they are choosing their life path.

“Master Lowbacca decided to prove himself with such an act of bravery, since he knew that it would be difficult for many Wookiees to accept his decision to train at the Jedi academy rather than follow a more traditional calling. He was so proud of his intellectual skills that he chose to rely only on his wits; he descended to the deep forest levels on Kashyyyk without telling a single friend. Alone, he harvested these fibers from the dangerous syren plant. Though Master Lowbacca emerged unharmed with the trophy he had sought, he now admits that his solo expedition was foolhardy and ill-advised. And he fears that Sirrakuk is considerably more impulsive, more impetuous than he.”

Here Lowbacca paused to finger the glossy fiber of his webbed belt. Its intricate braiding reminded Tenel Ka of Anakin’s message to her, his technique of one-handed braiding.

Jaina gave Lowie a measuring look. “Ah, so now you’re afraid that your sister might try to go it alone just because you did?”

Lowbacca looked down at the floor and gave a series of low rumbles and growls. Resting both elbows on his furry knees, he held his head in his hands as he spoke.

“I’m afraid the situation is rather more serious than that, and Lowbacca believes that the responsibility is largely his,” Em Teedee said. “You see, since childhood Sirra’s best friend was Raabakyysh—or Raaba, as Master Lowbacca’s family referred to her—intelligent, strong-willed, beautiful, and adventurous. In fact, Master Lowbacca had always felt that … Well, go on,” the little droid prompted. “You thought that what? You can’t simply stop in the middle of a sentence.”

Lowie gave a low groan and began to speak again. The dark streak of fur over his eyebrow fluffed up, slowing his agitation.

“Approximately one month ago, Raaba prepared to show her own skills in the face of danger, since she wanted to join a difficult and exclusive pilots’ school, hoping one day to become the captain of her own ship. Sirra and Raaba had agreed to accompany one another—but the night before they had planned to go, Raaba impulsively decided to go alone.

“In secret, she descended to the lower jungles at night, leaving behind nothing but a brief message to explain to Sirra what she had done and why. According to her note, Raaba had hoped that by duplicating Lowbacca’s feat of bravery she might impress him enough that he would someday consider her a worthy mate for a Jedi—when they were old enough. However …”

Lowbacca paused and heaved a deep sigh before continuing. “However—oh dear!—I’m afraid Raaba never returned from her ordeal,” Em Teedee continued. “When her family searched for her they found only her bloodstained toolpack. Nothing more. Raaba was gone.”

“Oh, Lowie.” Jaina leaned her head against the Wookiee’s shoulder.

Tenel Ka looked at her friend, sensing his pain. “Ah. This is why you feel responsible.”

Lowie spoke again, this time in strangled tones. “Since Raaba’s … loss, Sirra has become increasingly reckless, as if she hardly cares whether she lives or dies. Sirra has refused all offers from other friends to accompany her on her rite of passage, insisting that Raaba was the only one she trusted enough to take along. A while ago, in desperation, Master Lowbacca sent Sirra a message asking if she would accept him as a suitable substitute. Chewbacca has just brought word of her answer.” Em Teedee paused for a moment. “Oh, thank goodness—she’s accepted!”

“Hey, that’s great,” Jacen said in a relieved voice.

“Oh, indeed,” Em Teedee chirped.

Lowbacca didn’t respond immediately. He seemed to be intently studying a chip in the flagstoned floor.

“Something’s still bothering you, Lowie,” Jaina said.

Tenel Ka glanced down at the stump of her severed left arm, then gave Lowie an understanding look. “You fear to face your loss. The loss of Raaba.”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” Jaina said. “It’s going to hurt to go back to Kashyyyk, because your friend Raaba won’t be there. And you feel responsible that she died trying to copy something you did.”

After Lowie’s response, Em Teedee said, “Master Lowbacca is also concerned that his grief over the loss of Raabakyysh will render him less capable of supporting his sister at this critical time. He realizes that it may not be feasible, but he was hoping to impose on one of you to accompany him to his home-world.”

Tenel Ka answered immediately. “You came when I needed you, after my accident. I can do no less, my friend.” She reached out her hand to touch Lowbacca’s.

“Hey, I’ll come too,” Jacen said, placing his hand over both of theirs. “We’re stronger together. All of us.”

Jaina placed her hand over the others. “I guess we all go then,” she said. “Stronger together.”

Lowbacca hung back, standing near the disguised Millennium Falcon while the Solo twins said goodbye to their father.

Han Solo gave his kids a lopsided grin. “Yeah, I kinda had a hunch that all of you were gonna volunteer to go with Lowbacca,” he said. “As soon as Chewie told me the situation, I cleared it with your mom. Should be a good opportunity for you kids to brush up on Wookiee language comprehension, too.”

Just then Luke Skywalker, wearing his tattered jumpsuit, emerged from the hangar bay with Chewbacca. Lowie could smell the grease stains and solvents on the old fabric. “Everything ready?” Master Skywalker asked.

“Ready as it’ll ever be,” Han Solo replied with another grin. “You and Chewie finished prepping the Shadow Chaser?”

Luke turned to Chewbacca, who had come up beside him, and said, “The Chaser’s a good ship; don’t let anything happen to her.” The big Wookiee shrugged and gave a bark of agreement.

Han Solo thumped Chewie on the back. “Take care of yourself. I’m trusting you with my kids, you know. Keep ’em all in one piece, okay? We’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” With that, Han gave the twins one last hug and went aboard the Millennium Falcon.

Before walking up the ramp, Master Skywalker looked around at the young Jedi Knights with calm confidence. “Don’t forget that you’re stronger together,” he said. “May the Force be with you.”

When the departing Falcon was just a speck in the distance, its bank of sublight engines glowing white, Lowbacca heaved a sigh and growled questioningly at Jaina.

She chuckled. “Right. What are we waiting for?”