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.
9
Just another day at the spice mines of Kessel.
The routine went as usuaclass="underline" transports came in, packages were marked, cargo was unloaded and shipped off under carefully observed transport restrictions. Nien Nunb had established rigid protocols and accounting methods to be sure that all spice orders were watched and sold to the properly authorized customers. Nothing could ever be perfect, but he knew the setup was as efficient as that of any other business in the sector.
The small Sullustan sat in his deep control chamber, overseeing the daily business of his spice mines. He was surrounded by several important business associates and administrators, as well as his hired mercenary guards. So far he had managed to keep from panicking about the attempt on his life, and it made him confident to know that Han Solo’s children and their Jedi friends were investigating the “accident.” But how many henchmen did Torvon have hidden here in the mines? And who did they really work for?
In fact, Jaina, Lowbacca, and their translating droid were even now out scouting for evidence of untoward activities and trying to find clues as to what was really going on. Nien Nunb had had to trade a few engine parts for the news that something was going to happen here on Kessel, but it was a small price to pay for the knowledge that he did, indeed, need to stay alert.
His new right-hand man, Second Administrator Kymn, moved toward the transport control deck. The screen showed a string of lights that indicated all approaching craft, all scheduled arrivals, and all major navigational hazards from the debris of Kessel’s exploded garrison moon.
“Administrator Nunb, we have a large cargo transport arriving from Ord Mantell. Exactly on schedule, sir,” Kymn said.
The mousy Chief Administrator blinked his huge watery eyes and leaned closer to the display. Nien Nunb could not recall any expected arrival of such an enormous cargo ship. He jabbered quickly, since Second Administrator Kymn understood the Sullustan’s language.
“Oh, yes, Administrator Nunb. This was set up weeks ago,” Kymn answered. “That transport is carrying the new office furniture, as well as food supplies, life-support recharge packs, and atmosphere enrichment generators. Don’t you remember signing the requisitions?”