Massassi trees formed a chaotic carpet of green below. Gnarled branches
thrust above the thick canopy like monster claws. Orvak glided in low,
watching the wake of his passage disturb treetop creatures who fled from
the blast of his hot exhaust.
His companion Dareb spoke over a tight line-of-sight beamed channel. The
other pilot's words were encrypted and descrambled by a special coding
system in Orvak's cockpit. "Long-range sensors are picking up the
protective energy field," Dareb said. "The
^ shield generators are right where our covert information said they
would be."
"Target verified," Orvak acknowledged, speaking into the microphone
built into his helmet. "Lord Brakiss, who endured some time here, knows
much of the layout of the Jedi academy itself-if the Rebels haven't
moved things around."
"Why would they?" Dareb said. "They're far too complacent, and we are
about to show them their folly."
"Just don't show me your folly," Orvak said. "Enough chatter. Head for
the target."
The invisible shields hovered like a protective umbrella over a section
of jungle where a river sliced through the trees and an ancient-looking
stone pyramid rose majestically- Orvak hoped that by the end of this day
Skywalker's Great Temple would no longer be standing.
But before the Shadow Academy could begin the primary assault, Orvak and
Dareb had to complete their preliminary mission: to knock out that
shield generator and open the doors wide for a devastating attack.
Orvak checked his sensors. In the infrared and other portions of the
electromagnetic spectrum, he could see the deadly ripples of the
hovering force field dome that
^ protected the Jedi academy. Yet, because of the tall Massassi trees,
the shield did not reach all the way to the ground, halting instead five
meters above the treetops. Five meters-a shallow gap between foliage and
sizzling energy, but wide enough for a crack pilot to negotiate. Here
and there, a few upthrust branches were singed and blackened where they
had intruded into the crackling energy dome.
"It'll be a tight squeeze," Orvak said.
"Ready for it?"
"I feel like I could take on the whole Rebel Alliance by myself," Dareb
said.
Orvak didn't acknowledge this display of overconfidence. "Closing in,"
he said.
He brought the stealth TIE fighter lower, just skimming the treetops.
Leaves whispered beneath him, chattering and scratching against the
wings of his ship. The air seemed to ripple in front of the fighter, a
faint indication of the energy shield, and he hoped the sensors were
correct.
"Stay on target," he said. "Once we get under the shields, our real work
starts."
Just as they passed underneath the invisible boundary, Dareb swerved to
one side to avoid an unexpected moss-covered branch that elbowed up only
a meter above the
^ canopy. The young pilot overcompensated and struck a corner of his
square wing panel against another branch, which sent him tumbling.
"I can't hold it!" he shouted into the comm system. "I'm out of
control!"
Dareb's TIE fighter pinwheeled up into the deadly force field and
exploded as it hit the disintegrating wall. Intent on his mission, Orvak
streaked onward, looking into the rear viewers to see the flaming debris
of his partner tumbling out of the sky.
He clenched his teeth and drew a deep breath through the oxygen mask in
his helmet. "We're all expendable," Orvak said, as if trying to convince
himself. "Expendable. The mission is all-important. Dareb was my backup.
So now it's up to me. Alone."
He swallowed hard, knowing that now the Rebels must be aware of his
covert mission.
The machinery looked like a set of tall disks half buried in the jungle
underbrush, surrounded by a cleared maintenance area that provided just
enough space for him to land his small Imperial fighter. Visible in the
distance rose the great pyramid that housed Skywalker's Jech academy.
^ He shut down the muffled twin ion engines and opened the cockpit
door, heaving himself out. Reaching into the stowage compartment behind
his pilot's seat, he retrieved the pack of supplies that contained all
the explosives he would need for a full day's work. . . .
Orvak stepped on the squashing, plantcovered ground. The jungle brooded
around him, chaotic and threatening. Overhead, he could hear the
crackling hum of the energy shield that had destroyed his partner.
Compared with the clean, sterile Shadow Academy, Yavin 4 felt
disgustingly alive. It swarmed with vermin, plants growing everywhere,
little rodents, insects, strange biting creatures that moved in every
direction and hid in every cranny.
He longed for the precise and spotless corridors of the Shadow Academy,
where his boots could ring loud and clear on the cold, hard metal
plates, where he could smell the recycled air flowing through the
ventilators, where everything was regimented and in its rightful place .
. . just as the Empire would be again after its victory over the Rebels.
Orvak took comfort in his solid leather gloves and the helmet that
protected him from infestation by the parasitic creatures of this
uncivilized world.
Taking the pack that contained his demolition equipment, he sprinted
away from his TIE fighter toward the humming shield generator station.
It bulked over him, powerful and unguarded. Doomed.
Although the shield generators were obviously new, vines, creepers, and
ferns grew in tangled profusion close to the warm machinery. Orvak could
see hacked ends and broken branches where someone had chopped away the
foliage in an attempt to keep the access clear. The irresistible jungle,
though, kept pressing its advantage. Orvak shook his head at the folly
of these Rebels.
When he reached the pulsing station, Orvak hunched over and glanced from
side to side, expecting Rebel defenders at any moment. Opening his pack,
he withdrew two of his six high-powered thermal detonators, shaped
charges he would place against the generator's power cells. These two
explosives would be sufficient to take down the Jedi academy's shields.
He would save the rest of the explosives for the second part of his
mission.
Orvak synchronized the timers. Then, removing his recahbrated compass
and glancing at the coordinates he had programmed in, he ducked and
fought his way through the underbrush toward his next target, which was
some distance through the jungle and across a river.
The Great Temple.
He paused for only a moment, opaquing his blast goggles as the timers
ran down to zero-and the explosive charges detonated.
The boom was deafening, and a pillar of fire rose to the sky, singeing
the surrounding Massassi trees. Satisfied, Orvak congratulated himself
on an excellent explosion.
Most spectacular.
But the next one would be better yet.
WITH RAYNAR AND Tionne crowded in the back, Lowie piloted the T-23
skyhopper back toward the Jedi academy at full speed. As they skimmed
along the treetops, Lowie explained the situation as best he could, with
Em Teedee translating.
". . . and that is why Master Skywalker requested that Master Lowbacca
retrieve you with such haste," the little droid finished.
'Veil, well, well," Raynar said in a sour voice. "I suppose you think
this is going to make you heroes for coming back to save the Jedi
academy. I'm sure I could have managed quite nicely without your help.
While you were off playing, I was here training with rnonne."
Lowie could tell by the blond-haired boy's tone of voice that he was
none too pleased to be stuffed unceremoniously into the cramped rear
seat, with his brightly colored robes
^
^ tangled about hiLTn. Raynar's parents had once been minor royalty on
Alderaan, before that planet was destroyed by the Death Star, and now
they had made themselves into wealthy merchants. He was not accustomed
to taking a backseat to anyone.
"No, Raynar," Tionne chided. The silvery haired Jedi teacher blinked her
alien mother of-pearl eyes. "No one does as well alone against an enemy,
and we must all work together to prepare. Without Preparation, a battle
is all but lost."
Raynar snorted, trying to straighten his robes. "Battle? We don't even
know there's going to be a battle. Why should we believe the word of
some traitor boy who's gone over to the dark side? He could just be
lying to get us all worked up. He's probably laughing at us right now."
Lowie's growls rumbled louder than the engine of the T-23. "Master
Lowbacca wishes to point out," Em Teedee said, 'that for many years Zekk
was a close fiiend to Master Jacen and Mistress Jaina."
Raynar pouted. "Then Jacen and Jaina Solo need to be more careful about
the friends they choose."
"Sometimes," Tionne said in a firm voice, "the gap between friend and
enemy is not as wide as you may think. Help often comes from unexpected
sources."
vl_ Lowie wasn't sure why, but senses in t @
back of his mind urged him to go faster still.
The small skyhopper shuddered and dipped as he pushed its engines to
their limits, and then beyond. He flew in among the trees, below the
deadly dome of the energy shield that protected the Jedi academy against
an attack from the skies.
"Hey, watch out for that big branch!"
Raynar yelped as Lowie swerved to one side.
"S
ave the heroics for when the Shadow Academy shows up-if they come, that
is."
Lowie was pleased to sense, though, that Tionne not only remained calm,
but actually approved of the way he piloted the little T-23.
Lowie looked up into the sky and understood why he had felt the sudden
need to accelerate. He gave a sharp bark, pointing up at the ominous
spiked ring shape barely visible as a silhouette through the film of the
atmosphere. "Master Lowbacca says-oh dear!-it seems that the Shadow
Academy has arrived!" Raynar fell silent, finding nothing more to
criticize about Lowie's piloting. Before long, ^
a blade of piercing sound sliced through the silence, followed by
several explosions. According to Lowie's sensors, the flickering energy
shield above had failed. He growled out the news.
Without waiting for a translation, Tionne said, "We can still return to
the Jedi academy, but we should leave the T-23 at the edge of the
jungle. I have a feeling it's not safe to approach the temple landing
field or the hangar bay. It's bound to be under attack." She sat up
straight between the two young Jedi trainees. "It has already begun."
The Great Temple of the Massassi had stood nearly unchanged for
thousands of years. The stone blocks in the walls and floors were as
solid as they had been the day they were assembled. Even so, Jaina felt
a vibration in the floor of the Jedi academy's control center. Warning
lights flashed across the shield generator console.
"Something's wrong, Uncle Luke," Jaina said. "There's been an explosion
out in the jungle . . . oh no! Our defensive shields are down!"
Luke stood behind the chair where Jacen sat at the communications
controls. He nodded grimly to Jaina. "Can you get the shields back on
line from here?"
She frantically flicked switches and checked connections, trying to
bring the shields back up. She scanned the display screens and
diagnostics, continually pushing buttons. "Don't think so," she replied.
"Power's out. The entire generator might be gone."
Her brother Jacen blew out his breath and pushed back from the comm
console.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," he said, running fingers through
his tousled brown curls. "I'll bet it's sabotage."
Luke caught Jaina's eyes, then Jacens, and came to a decision. "I'm
calling an all-hands meeting in five minutes. We may need to clear out
the Great Temple, go into hiding in the jungles where we can deflect the
assault. Send a message to your mother that we're under attack now and
need those reinforcements right away. Then meet me in the grand audience
chamber."
Jacen looked at his sister in a state of near panic. "My animals . . ."
he said. "I can't leave them in their cages if the Jedi academy's under
attack. They'll stand a better chance of surviving if they're free.
^ And if Uncle Luke's going to evacuate all of the students-"
"Go ahead," Jaina said, waving him away.
"Take care of your pets. I'll get a message to Mom."
Already running for the door, Jacen tossed a "thank you" over his
shoulder.
Jaina plopped down at the comm station, selected a transmission
frequency, and tried to make a connection to Coruscant. She received no
response, only dead static. With a sigh of disgust over the erratic
behavior of the old equipment, Jaina tried a new frequency.
Still nothing.
Odd, she thought. Maybe the main comm screen wasn't working. She donned
the headset and selected yet another frequency.
Static. She switched again. Stronger static, as if something had
swallowed up her desperate signal. Soon the crackling hiss built to a
crescendo squeal loud enough to set her teeth on edge. Jaina snatched
the headset off her ears and tossed it down with a shudder.
"We're being jammed!"
Jaina checked the readouts on the communications console just to be
sure. Their long-range transmissions were being blocked by the Shadow
Academy.
She had to let Luke know right away.
. . .
In his chambers inside the ancient temple, Jacen lifted the latches and
slid aside the doors to each cage that held his menagerie of unusual
pets. He could see that Tionne had kept them well fed while he was gone
on Kashyyyk. The near-invisible crystal snake with its iridescent scales
glittered with languid satisfaction, but the family of purple jumping
spiders in the adjoining cage bounced up and down in agitation.
"It's all right," Jacen sent the message w
ith his mind. "Be calm. You'll
be safe if you get to the jungle. Just get into the jungle."
One cage rattled with two clamoring stintarils, tree-dwelling rodents
with protruding eyes and long jaws filled with sharp teeth. In another
damp enclosure tiny swimming crabs peeked out of their mud nests.
Pinkish mucous salamanders slid out of their water bowl, gradually
taking a distinct form. Iridescent blue piranha-beetles swarmed against
the tough wires of their cage, chewing and eager to be free.
He turned them loose one by one, carrying them to the window as
carefully as he could, moving with a controlled urgency. Jacen had just
set the last of his creatures free-his
^ favorite, a stump lizard-when he heard a loud Wookiee roar, followed
by the voice of Em Teedee.
'Oh, thank goodness, we're not alone in the temple after all." Jacen
turned to find Lowie, Em Teedee, Tionne, and Raynar standing in his
doorway.
'Did the others leave without us?" Raynar asked with a look of forlorn
worry on his face.
"Everyone's up in the grand audience chamber," Jacen said. "We need to
get there as quickly as possible. Master Skywalker's giving his final
instructions before the battle begins."
When the group stepped out of the turbolift into the grand audience