Chapter 1

In space near Kessel, there is the Maw. The Maw is a cluster of black holes with a small amount of space directly in the center where a space station had been built. This space station's usefulness was coming to an end. Here was where many Jedi Students had hidden during the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. But now that peace had been restored the young Jedi were being moved to a place with easier access, for there were only a few safe paths through the Maw. Even going a little off course would get you sucked into a black hole. Although Jedi could use the Force to guide their way through, it was just another hassle. Thus, all the Jedi Students, teachers, and even the maintenance personnel were being escorted out in several ships piloted by Jedi. The Maw Installation would be completely abandoned.

On one of these ships, a group of Jedi Students sat huddled together, talking excitedly. The four had spent most of their lives together on the Maw Installation, and the prospect of finally going somewhere new thrilled them.

Of the four there was Denz, the eldest son of Jacen and Tenel-Ka Solo. At age 17, with blonde streaks in his brown hair, he was the oldest of the group. As strong in the Force as Jacen was at his age, his special Force ability was surprisingly nothing like Jacen's. Jacen had always connected with nature like no other Jedi could, but Denz had always been more of an electronics whiz. If it took some sort of power to run, Denz could figure out how it worked, fix it, or build a replica. When it came time to construct his lightsaber, you can bet that he will add some "custom" parts.

At age 16, Jyo Durron was the second oldest and tallest of the four. He was the first son of Kyp and Jaina Durron. He had straight, brown hair that you almost never saw even slightly messy; and because he had complained that his glasses broke his concentration when using the Force because they kept sliding down his nose, Denz had constructed special bifocals that suctioned right to his eyes. Of course they not only acted as a normal pair of glasses, but they also had infrared and night vision. Although Denz was the technical genius, Jyo had a quite useful Force talent. He was famous on the Installation for his problem-solving ability. Whether it is an equation or figuring out the best way to do something, Jyo always had a plan. When he got his lightsaber, he undoubtedly would try to make up a sequence of steps and moves, for which the others would pick him on, saying that using a lightsaber was pure instinct.

Next was Cordell, Jyo's brother, who was only half a head shorter and a year younger than Jyo. He had brown eyes and blonde hair that almost looked white. He was the most athletic of the four, and when it came time for him to wield a lightsaber himself, he was expected to be the next Anakin Solo.

Finally, there was Zeek, Denz's younger brother. He was the youngest, age 13, and the shortest of the group. His Force talent was similar to Cordell's, but instead of being really athletic physically, he was extremely Force athletic. It was much easier for him to move things with the Force than all the others in the Jedi Academy. He was even already able to lift an X-Wing without breaking a sweat.

They called themselves the "Cousin Crew." They did almost everything together, including share their excitement.

"I can't wait till we get to the Core!" Zeek exclaimed. "Do you really think Master Skywalker meant it when he said our first test when we got there was to build our own lightsabers?"

Jyo spoke for everyone when he replied, "I hope so!"

Suddenly aware of someone coming up behind them, they all said at once, "Hello, Tahiri."

Behind them Tahiri smiled, her green eyes twinkled with amusement. "You guessed it," she replied with a smile. Tahiri was the teacher of the four young Jedi as well as the other sixteen students in their group. She was an average height female human with curly blond hair that never seemed to be brushed in any particular direction. She was usually seen in her bright orange jumpsuit instead of the traditional Jedi robes, which most Jedi Knights wore. Tahiri had been raised on Tatooine by a group of Tusken Raiders (sand people). After living many years of her life on such a dry and harsh planet, always bundled from head to toe in cloth as protection from the sand, Tahiri had found it to be quite a pleasant feeling to be able to go barefoot wherever she could. Thus, from the moment she had joined the Jedi she had insisted on not wearing any shoes unless it was completely necessary. She had also been captured by the Vong near the beginning of the war, and experimented on. Anakin Solo, who had been her best friend since childhood, had rescued Tahiri from the Vong. When he perished on Myrkyr, it was a great blow to Tahiri, and for many years she mourned his loss, but when she was given a teaching position at the Academy, she seemed to cheer up. Tahiri was famous for her stories of the adventures she and Anakin had shared.

Denz and the others turned around to see her customary bare feet, looked up, and smiled.

"Do I detect a hint of excitement?" she teased.

Zeek blushed, "You know we've been waiting forever to make our own lightsabers."

"And why is that do you suppose?"

"Well," Cordell said assuredly, "the lightsaber is the greatest weapon of a Jedi. It's legendary!"

"It may be legendary as the weapon of the Jedi, but it is not the Jedi's greatest weapon," she lectured. "So what is the Jedi's greatest weapon?"

"The Jedi's greatest weapon is ... his ability to solve a matter without any unnecessary violence?" Denz answered a little uncertainly.

"Correct, Denz. A Jedi is not a warrior by nature. He is the keeper of the peace, a protector of those who cannot protect themselves. A Jedi is made a warrior by situations that cannot be handled nonviolently. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Tahiri," they all recited at once.

"Good. Now about this lightsaber business..." she started to say.

Suddenly, the ship's alarms started to go off, and a second later the cruiser was rocked with an explosion.

Jyo looked out a port window, and his eyes grew wide.

"What is it?" Zeek asked frantically.

"I'm not positive, but I think it's the Yuuzhan Vong!"