Lightsabers

9

The acoustics in the grand audience chamber on Yavin 4 could carry even a whispered word from the stage to every seat in the hall. But today no lecturer stood at the far end of the long chamber, and Jaina’s steps were so slow and hesitant that her booted feet made no sound. With the exception of Jacen and Lowie, who sat on stone benches near the front, the audience chamber remained completely empty.

No, not quite empty. Images of a confident young warrior from Dathomir filled Jaina’s vision: Tenel Ka raising her cup in a pledge of friendship, Tenel Ka braiding her long hair in preparation for Jedi training exercises, Tenel Ka scaling the outer walls of the Great Temple, pulling herself up easily hand-over-hand. Jaina could sense through their connection in the Force that similar thoughts troubled her twin brother.

Just moments after Jaina took a seat near Jacen, the Jedi historian and instructor Tionne appeared through a side door and came to stand near the three trainees. Jaina felt her brother’s mood brighten at the sight of the silvery-haired Jedi woman. Tionne had taught them to look for multiple solutions to any problem, to find choices, fresh perspectives, new alternatives. As always, Jaina was struck by the wisdom in the mother-of-pearl eyes, wisdom gained from years of studying the tales and lore of ancient Jedi.

Tionne’s voice was soft and melodious. “Master Skywalker has asked me to … help you to move forward in your lightsaber training.”

Jaina shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to think about the deadly weapon she wore clipped to a utility loop on her orange jumpsuit.

Tionne motioned to the three seated trainees. “Please. Come up on the platform where we have more room to work.”

Jacen and Lowie mounted the steps, but Jaina hung back, not sure if she could express her reluctance. But when Tionne beckoned again, smiling at her with kind patience, Jaina found herself moving to join the others.

With each step, her lightsaber bumped against her leg, a grim reminder of its deadly presence. Her heart began to pound with dread, and a cold sweat broke out on her neck and forehead. Continuing with her lightsaber training, she could see now, was going to be even more difficult than she had expected, and Jaina could tell from the set of Jacen’s jaw that her brother was also struggling to control his own anxiety. He must have sensed her difficulty too, because he turned to her with a shaky smile. “Want to hear a joke?”

She forced a laugh. “Why not?”

This took her brother by surprise, and he paused a moment to think. “Okay, why is a droid mechanic never lonely?”

Jaina shrugged, knowing better than to attempt an answer.

“Because he’s always making new friends!”

Jaina giggled in spite of herself, grateful for the release in tension. Lowie let loose a bark of laughter as well. A dimple appeared in Tionne’s cheek, and the approving glow in her alien eyes showed that she understood how hard this must be for all of them.

Then, spacing the trainees two meters apart, each facing the same direction, Tionne took them through a series of exercises, using only the hilts of their lightsabers. Clearing her mind of all else, Jaina echoed the instructor’s strong, fluid movements as if she were performing a dance.

Apparently satisfied with their progress, Tionne ended the exercise and came to stand in front of Lowie. Gesturing for Jaina to take a position beside her, facing Jacen, Tionne pressed a stud on the handle of her weapon and a shimmering silver beam sprang from it, coruscating with energy.

“Please ignite your lightsabers,” she said.

Though a frown of doubt crossed Jacen’s face, he soon held a glowing emerald blade. With a snap-hiss, Lowie’s blade appeared too, blazing a deep gold, like molten bronze. He held it at his side.

“Oh, do be careful, Master Lowbacca,” Em Teedee said from the Wookiee’s waist. “You know how delicate my circuitry is.”

Biting her lower lip, Jaina closed her eyes and touched a button on her lightsaber. Her weapon whooshed to life; the flare of its electric-violet beam and the light of the three other energy blades penetrated even through her shut eyelids, bringing with them a flood of vivid memories.

Violet. The color of the evil Nightsister Tamith Kai’s eyes.

Silver. Brakiss’s flowing robes. The Shadow Academy. Jacen and Jaina dueling with each other in holographic disguise. A mistake by either of them could have meant death.

Bronze. Almost the reddish gold of Tenel Ka’s hair. Tenel Ka’s severed arm, still holding the handle of the failed lightsaber as it exploded. The shock on Tenel Ka’s face as an emerald blade sliced through her arm.

Emerald green. The color of Zekk’s eyes, surrounded by a dark corona. Zekk, who was even now being trained on the Shadow Academy, learning to serve the Second Imperium and using the dark side of the Force. And if the Second Imperium attacked the New Republic as planned—the New Republic that Jaina and Jacen and Luke Skywalker’s other Jedi Knights had sworn to protect—she would be forced to fight. How could she not defend the New Republic, when her mother was its leader?

Would she have to face Zekk with a lightsaber to protect her own mother?

With a cry, Jaina switched off her weapon and dropped it to the flagstones, backing away from it as if it had turned into a krayt dragon. An instant later all lightsabers were extinguished, and Jaina shuddered with relief.

Tionne’s pearly eyes were grave as she looked at her three young charges. Picking up Jaina’s discarded lightsaber, she seated herself on the cool stone of the raised platform and said, “Please, make yourselves comfortable. I need to tell you a story.”

Jaina, Jacen, and Lowie settled in a tight half-circle around her, crowding close, needing the contact. Tionne sat straighter and held her delicate hands before her, moving them as she wove her tale like an invisible tapestry before their eyes.

“Thousands of years ago, in a time of great evil and great good,” Tionne began in her rich musical voice, “there lived a woman named Nomi Sunrider with her husband Andur, who was training to be a Jedi Knight.

“When Nomi and her husband traveled to take a gift of precious Adegan crystals to Andur’s new Jedi Master, they were stopped by a group of greedy bandits, who killed Nomi’s husband and tried to steal the crystals. But when Nomi saw her husband lying dead, she snatched up his lightsaber and took a deadly revenge on his murderers. Afterward, seeing what she had done, Nomi was so filled with revulsion that she vowed never to touch a lightsaber again.

“To fulfill the dying wish of her husband, Nomi carried the crystals to his Jedi Master, Thon. There she stayed with her baby daughter Vima and began her own training to become a Jedi. She learned and grew in wisdom and the Force, but still she refused to touch a lightsaber, although it was the weapon of the Jedi.

“Eventually, however, there came a day when she discovered that her power with the Force alone could not protect the ones she loved. To save her beloved Jedi Master and to guard her daughter, Nomi once again took up a lightsaber and fought for what she knew was right.

“But by this time Nomi understood the purpose and meaning of the lightsaber—and from that day forward she fought with all the power of the light side of the Force. She was never eager to use her lightsaber, but she knew it was occasionally necessary. By learning to accept this, she became a great Jedi Master and a great warrior.”

As the story ended, Jaina drew a deep refreshing breath, coming out of the near trance she entered whenever listening to Tionne’s tales. Jaina sensed that much of the horror she had felt earlier had already drained away, though her muscles were as sore and weary as if she herself had fought all of Nomi Sunrider’s lightsaber battles.

Jaina felt something heavy and solid slide into her hand. She glanced down to see the handle of her lightsaber. Tionne had slipped it to her.

“No need to turn it on for now,” the Jedi instructor said gently, looking directly into Jaina’s brown eyes. “I think we’ve come far enough for today.”