passenger as we were leaving Onadax,” Han explained. “Someone who said he was trying to escape the riots. We haven’t had much chance to talkto him since we took him aboard, but I’m guessing he’s not the one we’re looking for.”
“He’s the right species,” Leia added, “but doesn’t know much about what’s going on.”
“And who is
he
, exactly?”
“He’s Droma,” came a distinctly Ryn voice over the comm. “It’s nice to speak to you again, Jaina.”
Jaina’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s good to hear your voice,” she managed.
“Hey, I told you to wait in the hold,” she heard her father say.
“What, you think I’m going to take your secrets and sell them to the Vong or something?” The Ryn blew a rapid, lamenting tune from the chitinous, flutelike nose sported by the members of his species. Its sound came clearly down the comm. “Don’t be so paranoid.”
“This has got nothing to do with paranoia! It’s to do with
privacy.
”
Their voices slowly faded into the background, culminating in a tired sigh from Leia—as though having the two of them on board together was already proving too exhausting for her.
“As soon as we’re in orbit, I’m coming across, Mom.”
“Personally I think you’re better off where you are. But, if you feel you have to, then I’ll let your father know you’re coming.”
Jacen helped Danni up from the floor of the passenger bay. He waited a moment as she rubbed a dull fog from her eyes. Nearby, his uncle knelt by Saba and Tekli, gently rousing them.
“Welcome back,” Jacen said.
“How—?” Danni started groggily. “How long was I out?”
“A few hours,” he said.
“We’re here?”
He smiled broadly. “Yes, we’re here, Danni. Come see for yourself.”
Seeing that she was still feeling vague and disoriented, he steadied her as she made her way to the rear of the ship to where the exit hatch hung invitingly open. Before he’d taken one step down the egress ramp, he felt his breath taken from his lungs at the sight outside.
Knee-high grass swayed in a serene breeze beneath a magnificent deep blue sky. The air was filled with a fine down—possibly pollen from numerous flowering plants scattered about the area. Jacen breathed in deeply, savoring the thousand exotic scents and enjoying the slight giddiness the fragrances caused in him.
We made it
, he thought as he descended the ramp and set foot on the planet’s soil.
We’re actually on Zonama Sekot
.
After a dozen steps through the grass, he stopped to let her look up at the multicolored globe of Mobus suspended in the sky above, resembling a mighty, baleful eye bulging down upon them.
“Incredible, isn’t it?” he said softly.
“I don’t know what impresses me most,” she said. “The view, or the fact that we’re actually standing on a sentient planet.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, “I’m sure the locals will manage to dampen your excitement a little.”
“The locals—?” For the first time she noticed the two tall figures standing some distance away to their left, quietly conferring with one another. “Why? What’s wrong with them?”
“Let’s just say they’re not particularly overjoyed to see us,” another voice said. They both turned to see Mara, striding toward them across the grass.
“What exactly happened?” Danni asked. “Did
they
knock us out?”
Together, Mara and Jacen explained the situation asbest they could. They told her of the space battle and the Yuuzhan Vong expedition,
Jade Shadow
’s descent to the surface of Zonama Sekot, Luke and Mara’s encounter with the Ferroans and the Magister, and the imprisonment of the ship. On hearing this part, Danni went to examine the verdant fronds that had crept up the landing struts of
Jade Shadow
, confirming Mara’s assertion that they weren’t going to leave anytime soon. There was a ferocious vitality surging through the leaves; cut one and three more would undoubtedly grow
“He’s the right species,” Leia added, “but doesn’t know much about what’s going on.”
“And who is
he
, exactly?”
“He’s Droma,” came a distinctly Ryn voice over the comm. “It’s nice to speak to you again, Jaina.”
Jaina’s eyes widened in surprise. “It’s good to hear your voice,” she managed.
“Hey, I told you to wait in the hold,” she heard her father say.
“What, you think I’m going to take your secrets and sell them to the Vong or something?” The Ryn blew a rapid, lamenting tune from the chitinous, flutelike nose sported by the members of his species. Its sound came clearly down the comm. “Don’t be so paranoid.”
“This has got nothing to do with paranoia! It’s to do with
privacy.
”
Their voices slowly faded into the background, culminating in a tired sigh from Leia—as though having the two of them on board together was already proving too exhausting for her.
“As soon as we’re in orbit, I’m coming across, Mom.”
“Personally I think you’re better off where you are. But, if you feel you have to, then I’ll let your father know you’re coming.”
Jacen helped Danni up from the floor of the passenger bay. He waited a moment as she rubbed a dull fog from her eyes. Nearby, his uncle knelt by Saba and Tekli, gently rousing them.
“Welcome back,” Jacen said.
“How—?” Danni started groggily. “How long was I out?”
“A few hours,” he said.
“We’re here?”
He smiled broadly. “Yes, we’re here, Danni. Come see for yourself.”
Seeing that she was still feeling vague and disoriented, he steadied her as she made her way to the rear of the ship to where the exit hatch hung invitingly open. Before he’d taken one step down the egress ramp, he felt his breath taken from his lungs at the sight outside.
Knee-high grass swayed in a serene breeze beneath a magnificent deep blue sky. The air was filled with a fine down—possibly pollen from numerous flowering plants scattered about the area. Jacen breathed in deeply, savoring the thousand exotic scents and enjoying the slight giddiness the fragrances caused in him.
We made it
, he thought as he descended the ramp and set foot on the planet’s soil.
We’re actually on Zonama Sekot
.
After a dozen steps through the grass, he stopped to let her look up at the multicolored globe of Mobus suspended in the sky above, resembling a mighty, baleful eye bulging down upon them.
“Incredible, isn’t it?” he said softly.
“I don’t know what impresses me most,” she said. “The view, or the fact that we’re actually standing on a sentient planet.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, “I’m sure the locals will manage to dampen your excitement a little.”
“The locals—?” For the first time she noticed the two tall figures standing some distance away to their left, quietly conferring with one another. “Why? What’s wrong with them?”
“Let’s just say they’re not particularly overjoyed to see us,” another voice said. They both turned to see Mara, striding toward them across the grass.
“What exactly happened?” Danni asked. “Did
they
knock us out?”
Together, Mara and Jacen explained the situation asbest they could. They told her of the space battle and the Yuuzhan Vong expedition,
Jade Shadow
’s descent to the surface of Zonama Sekot, Luke and Mara’s encounter with the Ferroans and the Magister, and the imprisonment of the ship. On hearing this part, Danni went to examine the verdant fronds that had crept up the landing struts of
Jade Shadow
, confirming Mara’s assertion that they weren’t going to leave anytime soon. There was a ferocious vitality surging through the leaves; cut one and three more would undoubtedly grow
Similar Books
