Shards of Alderaan

6

Several days later, from where he stood, Zekk could see no more than Jaina’s jumpsuited legs sticking out from beneath the navigational console in the cockpit of the Lightning Rod. The stained brown fabric of her comfortable uniform provided a subtle contrast to the tarnished metal plates and lubricant-smeared components scattered around the floor.

After delivering his bad news about Raynar’s missing father, Han Solo had departed, heading home to Coruscant. He and Chewbacca had promised to return as soon as they could.

In the meantime, Jaina had vowed to help old Peckhum fix his battered ship, which had been severely damaged during the Second Imperium’s attack. The past few days of working with old Peckhum, Jaina, Jacen, Lowie, and Tenel Ka were some of the happiest times Zekk could remember.

At first Zekk had felt guilty for taking the young Jedi trainees away from rebuilding the Great Temple—since all that horrendous damage had been his fault—but Master Skywalker himself had given his blessing to restoring the Lightning Rod to working condition.

“I can’t think of any team more competent to repair Peckhum’s ship,” Luke had said to them. “Leia is sending another crew of New Republic engineers, and I have plenty of students to work on the Great Temple in the meantime. Besides, I have a sense that getting this old shuttle in flying condition will turn out to be very important in ways you can’t imagine.”

As the companions tinkered not only with systems damaged in the Imperial attack, but with old components that should have been replaced years before, Zekk realized that the Jedi Master was right about the importance of fixing the Lightning Rod—collectively and personally. He found something healing about repairing the damage he had indirectly caused, something therapeutic about laboring with his friends, who did their best to accept him, despite occasional moments of awkwardness.

While both Zekk and Peckhum were competent mechanics, Jaina was absolutely in her element. She dove into the task with gleeful enthusiasm, checking the cargo ship’s hull integrity, pointing out blaster-damaged plates, running diagnostics, and issuing orders like a top-notch flight mechanic. Surprised and a bit amused, Peckhum let Jaina have free rein in directing the overall repair project of his cargo vessel. Seeing how masterful and confident she was, Zekk felt warm inside.

Now, Jaina’s muffled voice drifted out from under the navigational console as she wormed her way deeper into the tiny crawlspace. “Would someone please hand me some line clamps and the signal flux meter?” She waved a grimy hand, waiting for her tools.

Lowie, whose upper body was wedged into an overhead access hatch like some huge and awkward furry stowaway, responded with an unintelligible roar. Eager to help, Zekk retrieved Jaina’s instruments from the top of the cockpit panels.

With a murmured thank-you, Jaina thumped around underneath the navigation console. “There,” she said at last, “that ought to do it. Now try the hyperchart function again.”

Zekk flicked a few switches and pressed a button. A holographic map of several recommended hyperspace routes shimmered in front of him. “That’s got it,” he confirmed. “Seems to be working fine now.”

Jaina scrambled out from under the console. She shook back her straight brown hair and wiped her greasy palms on the front of her rumpled flight suit, leaving dark handprints on the brown fabric. “A few finishing touches, and this ship will be ready to fly again, better than ever.”

Zekk gave Jaina an uncertain smile as he offered her a hand so that she could stand up. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have beside me fixing this ship. I bet the Lightning Rod hasn’t been in such good shape since Peckhum first got her. Hard to believe you started with nothing more than this battered hulk and a pile of spare parts.”

Jaina bit her lower lip, and her cheeks flushed pink at the compliment. “It was all of us really, working together as a team … including you, Zekk.”

The young man nodded. He knew what she was hoping, but he couldn’t stay. He couldn’t change his mind. “I’ll be leaving as soon as we’re finished with the Lightning Rod,” he said.

“I know, I know,” Jaina said. “Have you decided yet where you’ll go once you leave Yavin AT

“I’ve got a lot of possibilities, I guess.” He shrugged. “I asked Peckhum if he’d give me a lift back to Coruscant. From there … who knows?”

Jaina looked away. “Whenever you finally decide what to do with your life, I hope it includes us.”

Zekk wasn’t sure what to say. He couldn’t make any promises at this point. He could no longer be certain of who he was or what he might become. The silence stretched like a taut wire between them.

“Come on,” Jaina said at last, breaking the tension and meeting his eyes, “let’s go help Jacen and Tenel Ka finish patching the outer hull.”

Two days later, his bags packed with a few meager possessions, Zekk stood with his old friend and companion Peckhum, saying his goodbyes to the young Jedi Knights before boarding the Lightning Rod.

With one hand on Zekk’s shoulder, Peckhum said, “This old ship’s seen some hard use, boy—of course, so have you—but you’d never know it to look at ’er now. Like a brand-new transport, with a dozen years of service left in her.”

Zekk felt a warm tingle of pride at what he and his friends had accomplished. “It’s like the Lightning Rod has a new life,” he agreed.

“Yep,” old Peckhum said, looking with great seriousness at the young man beside him. He cleared his throat, as if he had to force the words past some internal blockage. “That’s … why I want you to have her. Take her for your own, Zekk—the Lightning Rod is my gift to you.”

Jaina gasped. Lowie gave a curious rumble, and Em Teedee added, “Oh, my!”

Zekk blinked before shaking his head, not certain he’d heard right. “I couldn’t. I—I … How would you make your living?

“Well,” Peckhum said slowly, “truth is, Chief of State Organa Solo has been after me to modernize a bit. Wants me to use some newfangled cargo ship the New Republic has. They got it for me a year or more ago, because I’ve been doing so much work for the Jedi academy. But you know me and new things, so I’ve been resisting the offer. Guess it’s got some kind of improved guidance system, a code encryption whatchamacallit, and a bigger cargo hold. Gotta have more space now that there’ll be more supplies to bring back and forth to Yavin 4, you know—what with all the new guardian systems and added troops stationed in orbit.”

“But you’ve had the Lightning Rod ever since I’ve known you, Peckhum,” Zekk said.

A fond smile crossed the old man’s grizzled face. “Yep, I’d had ’er a few years even before you stowed away aboard her. You were a bold scamp, all right, stowin’ away from ship to ship after that disaster wiped out your family and your colony on Ennth.”

Zekk remembered. “They wanted me to live in their refugee stations before finding me some sort of foster home.”

“Yep,” Peckhum said. “And instead you found yourself a home with me.”

Zekk’s throat tightened. “You’ve done a lot for me over the years, Peckhum. I can’t take your ship, too.”

“To tell the truth, the Lightning Rod’s more of a junk heap than anything—a menace to the galaxy, really. You’d be doin’ me a favor to take ’er off my hands for me. That’s the only way I’ll ever get around to using that new ship. We’ve all got to move up to bigger and better things, boy. Don’t be so resistant to change.”

Despite his bold words, Zekk could see that old Peckhum was choked up at the thought of parting with the Lightning Rod. It was as if it were a part of him. Oh, well, Zekk thought, at least this way he’d have a piece of his friend wherever he went. A piece of home.

“All right,” he said. “I accept. But only if you’re sure.”

“I’m sure … I’ll miss you,” Peckhum said in a low voice. Then with a bit of bluster he added, “But I won’t miss this old garbage scow, not for a minute.” He kicked the boarding ramp. The toe of his boot clanged on the metal.

The emotion of the moment nearly overwhelmed Zekk, but he pasted a crooked smile on his face. “I can always tell when you’re lying, Peckhum,” he said.

Peckhum’s face broke into a broad grin. “I never could fool you, boy. You and the Lightning Rod are two of the best friends I ever had. Take good care of each other.”

Lowie woofed softly a few times. “Master Lowbacca wishes you safe travels,” Em Teedee translated.

“Live well,” Tenel Ka said. “And fight only the battles worth fighting.”

“We’ll miss you, Zekk,” Jacen said. “Don’t forget to come back and visit us.”

“You’ll always have us as friends,” Jaina said, but her voice came out in a whisper, hoarse with restrained emotion.

“I’ll miss you all,” Zekk said.