Disclaimer: I am not George Lucas or Rick Riordan.

Enter Jacen, Jaina, Ben, Danni, Booster, and Kirana Ti, on Woteba.

The instant Jacen, Jaina, and Ben step out of the cavern, they notice that Kirana Ti has provided Danni and Booster with coats and hot chocolate.

Ben. Oh, no way. We've been sitting in a cave and you get the luxury tent? Somebody give me hibernation sickness. I want hot chocolate and a coat.

Kirana. [sniffs] Males.

Jaina. It's all right, Kirana. They'll need extra coats. And I think we can spare some chocolate.

Kirana Ti reluctantly provides Jacen and Ben with coats and hot chocolate. Booster holds out the hot chocolate.

Booster. Chakta sai kae.

Booster chews on the cup.

Ben. That cannot be good for your intestines.

Jaina approaches Danni.

Jaina. You up for moving?

Danni. [nods] Thanks to Kirana, yes. You guys are really good at this wilderness survival thing. I feel like I could run ten klicks.

Jaina winks at Jacen.

Jaina. She's tough for a child of Yun-Q'aah. I like this one.

Ben. Hey, I could run ten klicks, too. Tough Yun-Ne'Shel kid here. Let's hit it.

After breaking camp, Jaina and Kirana Ti lead Jacen, Ben, Danni, and Booster onward.

Booster. Come on, Skywalker. Pick up the pace. Let's chant. I've got a girl in Agrilat . . .

Jaina. Let's not.

As such, they continue their journey in silence. At the back of the group, Jacen and Ben discuss.

Ben. How are you doing, man?

Jacen. Jaina takes it so calmly, like it's no big deal that I appeared. I didn't know what I was expecting, but . . . she's not like me. She seems so much more together.

Ben. Hey, she's not fighting amnesia. Plus, she's had more time to get used to this whole demigod thing. You fight monsters and talk to gods for a while, you probably get used to surprises.

Jacen. Maybe. I just wish I understood what happened when I was two, why my mother got rid of me. Jaina ran away because of me.

Ben. Hey, whatever's happened, it wasn't your fault. And your sister is pretty lubed. She's a lot like you.

Jacen, Booster, the Jedi, and the Witches stop at a bridge leading up to Cloud City, a city floating above the surface of Woteba.

That is a really large rock.

We're not seriously crossing that.

Jaina. [shrugs] I'm not a big fan of heights, I'll admit. But if you want to get to UnuThul's fortress, this is the only way.

Danni. Is the fortress always hanging there? How can beings not notice it floating above Woteba?

Jaina. Force illusions. Still, the mundane do notice it indirectly. Some days, the Utegetu Nebula looks purple. People say it's a trick of the light. But actually it's the color of UnuThul's palace, reflecting off the planet.

Jacen. It's enormous.

Jaina. [laughs] You should see Tython, little brother.

Jacen. You're serious? You've been there?

Jaina grimaces.

Jaina. We should go across in two different groups. The bridge is fragile.

Ben. That's reassuring. Jacen, can't you just fly us up there?

Jaina laughs, then realizes Ben is not joking.

Jaina. Wait . . . Jacen. You can fly?

Jacen. Well, sort of. More like I can control the winds. But the winds up here are so strong, I'm not sure I'd want to try. Jaina, you mean . . . you can't fly?

Jaina's expression grows fearful at the thought.

Jaina. Truthfully I've never tried. It might be better if we stuck to the bridge.

Booster leaps onto the bridge.

Booster. Easy. I'll go first. Danni, come on, girl. I'll give you a hand.

Danni. No, that's okay,

Booster pulls Danni onto the bridge.

Jaina. [to Kirana Ti] Kirana. I'll be back soon. Go find the others. Tell them I'm on my way.

Kirana. You sure?

Jaina. It's fine.

Kirana Ti nods reluctantly.

Exit Kirana Ti and the rancors.

Jacen, Ben. Just be careful where you step. It hardly ever breaks.

Ben. It hasn't met me yet.

Jacen, Jaina, and Ben join Booster and Danni on the bridge. As they move across the bridge, Ben suddenly stops.

Why do they have a bridge?

Jaina. [frowns] Ben. This isn't a good place to stop. What do you mean?

Ben. They're wind spirits. Can't they fly?

Jaina. Yes, but sometimes they need a way to connect to the worlds below.

Ben. So the bridge isn't always here?

Jaina. [shakes her head] The wind spirits don't like to anchor to the physical plane. But sometimes it's necessary, like now. They know you're coming.

Excited, Ben unconsciously activates his pyrokinesis, causing his shoes to smoke.

Jacen. Ben? What are you thinking?

Jaina notices that Ben's pyrokinesis is beginning to melt the bridge.

Jaina. Oh, kriff. Keep moving. Look at your feet.

Ben glances down, just now noticing what is happening.

Jacen. Ben. Stop it. You're going to melt it.

Ben. I'll try. Listen, Jacen, what did Shira call you in that dream? She called you a bridge.

Jaina. Ben. Seriously, cool down. I don't what you're talking about, but the bridge is . . .

Ben. Just listen. If Jacen is a bridge, what's he connecting? Maybe two different places that normally don't get along, like Cloud City and the planets below. You had to be somewhere before this, right? And Shira said you were an exchange.

Jaina. [eyes widen] An exchange. Oh, stang.

Jacen. [frowns] What are you two talking about?

Jaina. I understand now why Dathomir sent me here. Jacen. She told me to hunt for Scabrous, and I would find a clue about Luke. You are the clue. Dathomir wanted us to meet so I could hear your story.

Jacen. I don't understand. I don't have a story. I don't remember anything.

Jaina. But Ben's right. It's all connected. If we just knew where . . .

Ben snaps his fingers.

Ben. Jacen. What did you call that place in your dream? That worldship. The Baanu Rass.

Jaina. [gasps] The Baanu Rass? Jacen, why didn't you tell me that. That's where they're keeping Shira?

Jacen. You know where it is?

As Ben completely burns through the bridge, Jacen manages to catch him before he falls. As they scramble to the other side of the bridge, they are separated from Jaina by a ten-meter chasm. They glance back at her as the bridge continues to crumble.

Jaina. Go. Find out where the Yuuzhan Vong is keeping Danni's father. Save him. I'll take the Witches to the Baanu Rass and hold it until you can get there. We can do both.

Jacen. But where is the Baanu Rass?

Jaina. You know where it is, little brother. I'll see you there. I promise.

Exit Jaina.

As the bridge continues to crumble, Jacen and Ben scramble across the bridge, meeting Booster and Danni at the entrance to Cloud City.

Danni. What happened? Ben, why are your clothes smoking?

Ben. I got a little heated. Sorry, Jacen. Honest. I didn't . . .

Jacen. It's all right. We've got less than twenty-four hours to rescue a Je'daii and Danni's father. Let's go see the Joiner King.

Jacen, Ben, Danni, and Booster enter Cloud City.

Exit all.