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Sweat trickled down into the corner of Zekk's eye. He bit back the pain and concentrated on The Force; the living things around him in the dense jungle on Yavin 4. He looked at his own yellow-orange Lightsaber, then at his opponent, Tenel Ka. The one armed Warrior Princess of Dathomir and Hapes. Block! He thought. She was, again, beating him. But that's why he loved challenging her. He had joined Master Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy, or Praxeum as Master Skywalker liked to call it, much later than she. But he had had Jedi training before the Praxeum; though he did regret that. He had been recruited for Brakiss's Shadow academy and become almost a full Dark Jedi. But luckily he was cared for enough, even after almost totally destroying the Jedi Academy, to still be excepted by his friends, Jaina and Jacen Solo, Lowbacca, the Wookie of Kashyyk, and Tenel Ka, the Warrior Princess. Block again! Zekk concentrated on the Force harder. Attack! She blocked again, then came from the left with enough power to knock the blade from his hand. As soon the handle left Zekk's body warmth the blade turned off. Then the hum of both lightsabers was silenced. "Better luck next time, Zekk, my friend." Tenel Ka Said Without the slightest sign of happiness that she had just beat her opponent single-handedly, literally. "Thanks," Zekk replied, "I'll need it if I'm planning on dueling with you." Zekk walked over to where his lightsaber had flown, still glad he had lasted longer than ever against Tenel Ka. "Do you know where Jaina And Jacen are?" Zekk changed the subject of his loss. "I believe it is time to for Jacen's pets to be fed. Jaina is probably working on the Rock Dragon with Lowbacca and Emteedee." Tenel Ka replied, "I think I'll go help Jacen with his growing Gort, Nicta." "Okay," Zekk replied, "I'll go see if Jaina wants to work on the Lightning Rod." They both walked through the jungle to the newly rebuilt Massasi temple. * * *
"No!" Jacen yelled, "Not in there!" Jacen ran to the cage holding a Seventeen-toed Marf-mouse. He grabbed the gort just before she had unlatched the cage and let all of the newly hatched, baby, Marf-mice out. He looked a his young gort straight in the 3 eyes, "Not for Nictas," he said as if he were talking to a little baby. Though Nicta was only about three months old; she was already about a foot tall. Though , that's still very small compared to a full-grown female gort. They could grow to be up to 7 feet tall. Jacen stroked Nicta's new feathers, which had more purple than in her down. If you looked around Jacen's quarters you would assume he owned some sort of young bird. There was royal blue down everywhere. He had been trying to keep the mischievous gort out of trouble lately. But, she always found a way to get out of Jacen and Jaina's Double quarters. And Jaina hadn't been very pleased with finding blue fuzz in all of her components whenever she wanted to upgrade the Lightning Rod or tinker with a computer chip. Nicta made a high pitched purring sound, a few squawks then jumped out of Jacen's arm to sleep on her roost. "Jacen, am I late?" Tenel Ka suddenly appeared in the doorway of Jacen's room. "Late for what?" Jacen asked even though he knew the answer. He just liked listening to sound of her voice. "To help with caring for your menagerie of creatures." she answered. "Well, I fed just about everyone." Jacen replied, "I suppose you could feed the Piranha-beetles." Jacen joked. "I was not aware that you kept very viscous animals of that sort." Tenel Ka said with the just slightest bit of confusion in her voice. "But, Oh well if that is the only-" "No, I don't have any piranha-beetles." Jacen cut Tenel Ka off quickly, "I was only kidding around, trying to fool you, ya'know?" "Ah, Aha!" Tenel Ka replied without the slightest bit of confusion in her voice. "And, this trick of yours most certainly did work. But that does not answer my original question, are you done?" "Yes. I am done," Jacen answered, "I fact I just put Nicta to sleep. She was just about to let the baby Marf-mice out. But I think you better keep your voice down. 'Cause if Nicta Hears you she'll get up and run to you. She likes you a whole lot, I think." Tenel Ka thought about this and decided that she Knew the reason "Could it be that there is an attraction to me because of," She held out the Necklace that she always wore,"this necklace I received from you made of her egg shells?" Jacen looked at the pinkish shards of the necklace on Tenel Ka's chest and suddenly became dazed. "Yeah, maybe." He said in a far off voice. "Jacen," Tenel Ka said "Are you alright?" "What?" He asked snapping back into reality, "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. But if Nicta keeps shedding like this," He gestured across the room with his hand, "I'm not only gonna be knee high in blue fluff, but Jaina's probably gonna move in with you and stop speaking to me." Then maybe I could help clean up?" Tenel ka offered, "We could use the force." Jacen said nothing. He just nodded his head, smiled, and started concentrating.
Jaina Solo loved tinkering. She could do it all day. Just let her upgrade The Rock Dragon or the Lightning Rod and you would never hear her complain all day. Now, If I connect this capacitattor to this unit I should beable to cut the time it takes to get to light speed in half She thought. "Hey! Can I help?" a farmilliar called from behind. Immediatley Jaina felt happier than she had all day. She got out from under the Lightning Rod to make sure it was who she thought it was. And it was. "Hey Zekk!" Jaina said, "Did you beat Tenel Ka?" she knew the question was futile.She knew what kind of a challenge Tenel Ka was. "No, not yet." He answered. "But if I keep on practicing with remotes it won't be long before I do." "So what are you waiting for?" Jaina asked. She Could tell through the force that he was anxious for something. "There was this contest I entered. And I think the odds were pretty good, though I'm not exactly sure what the prize is," Zekk Explained, "But the winner was supposed to come out today." "Oh yeah?" Jaina said, "Well I hope you win. When is the winner anounced?" "Well about any time now I should be getting a message from someplace." He answered, "If I win, that is." "Win What?" before either Jaina or Zekk noticed Jacen, Tenel Ka and Lowie appeared right behind Zekk. "Well what could you win?" Jacen pursued further. "Oh some contest I entered." Zekk replied, happy to see his other friends. "Ah, and you are most confindent I can see." Tenel Ka added. "Well-" Zekk Began. When another figure stepped into view. It was Lusa, the centaur girl and jedi learner. "I have a message for Zekk." She said, "You can Take it the comm room." "Where's it from?" Zekk asked with a smile on his face and some idea of what it might be about. "Some place called Naboo. You ever hear of it?" Lusa replied. Mar Mar Binks, the Gungan ambassador to the new rebublic, waited nervously for the contest winner. "Mesa hopin' hesa show soon!" he said to himself in the broken gungan basic. Mar Mar knew the winner was a Jedi Knight, and a rather famous one at that. He had never met a Jedi- or apprentice- before. But, his father, Jar Jar Binks, had been saved many times by them. The famous Jedis, at least on Naboo, Qui Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi , helped save the Gungans and the humans on Naboo from the invasion army of the extinct Trade Federation in the last years of the Old Republic. Jar Jar had passed on about five years ago. He had died a wiser gungan than when he had first met the Jedis. He was famous for bringing the Naboo and the Gungans closer together. After helping the Boss Nass had died, The Gungan council chose Jar Jar as the next Boss. And though the Gungans didn't have their best years with Boss Binks, he was a better Boss than expected. "Where in dee swamp could hesa be?" Mar Mar was getting very nervous about talking to a Jedi. His father had told him how powerful they were. "Never bein messin wit a Bombad Jedi!" Mar Mar remembered his father's words. Then at long last the Jedi trainee appeared. He had a pale, white face, emerald green eyes, and his hair was the darkest possible brown. "Umm...hi." Said the boy, "Did I win?" The young Jedi Knight had an ear to ear smile. "If yousa name Zekk," Mar Mar answered, "yousa win a Five person stay at dee royal palace of Theed!" Zekk did dance around the whatever room he was in. "Five- People?!" Zekk Said still try ing to catch his breath, "Wow! Thats- great! I Just so Happen to have four friends!" Where's Theed anyways and how many knights? When can we leave? Does a small droid count as a person? Oh Hi!" I won!" This seemed to be the most excited anyone had been in the history of the Naboo's annual easy win contest. "Umm.. Well Mesa 'spect all yousen question bein answered in dee "You Win" packet that will be coming some time today." Mar Mar ahd just noticed that Zekk had been joined by Four others. Another young man, a Wookie, and two young women, one of which was missing an arm. Mar Mar Binks out and I hope to see you very soon."