Chapter 8

The cousin crew watched through the viewport as Jedron rushed up at them. As they approached the landing field, Jyo spotted a small group of Jedi that had gathered to greet the students. He reported that none of those gathered were recognizable to him from the holos they had received at the Installation.

The four transports began their final approach and extended their landing gear. After touching down and being secured, the four ships lowered their boarding ramps. The small group of Jedi smiled with joy when down each ramp about twenty-five to thirty young Jedi of all ages disembarked. In all there was one hundred seventeen Jedi students that arrived that day. One hundred seventeen Force talented individuals that took their first step on an actual planet, breathed their first breath of natural air, and felt for the first time the life that a planet radiates through the Force.

As the students exited the ships, they gazed in wonder at everything. The sun, the grass, the trees, the mountains, the buildings, there wasn't much that did not amaze these young minds that had been trapped on a space station for so long. The group of about ten Jedi Knights and Teachers greeted the Jedi students warmly. The young Jedi were split up into groups led by one Jedi each. They were then taken to be assigned living quarters before being allowed to explore their new home. Denz, Jyo, Cordell and Zeek ended up in a group led by a large hairy creature named Lowbacca. His fur was a deep brown and he had a black streak of fur over his left eye. Hanging diagonally across his chest and around his waist was an ammunition belt. Clipped to one side of his waist belt was what looked like a crossbow, and on the opposite side was a rather large looking lightsaber handle. The creature named Lowbacca stood there with his arms crossed over his chest baring his animal-like fangs in what appeared to be a smile of welcome.

"Hey guys," Jyo whispered to the others, "I think that's a wookie. I read about them in one of the library's books. They are really strong but smart at the same time. Some of the most advanced computers have been created by wookie scientists!"

Just then, Tahiri, traditionally barefoot, padded down the boarding ramp of the ship Denz and the others had been on. She must have seen Lowbacca because she dashed right for him and embraced him like an old friend. Tahiri then introduced Lowbacca to his group saying, "Attention everyone! This is our resident wookie Jedi, Lowbacca. He had accompanied Jacen and Jaina Solo on many of their adventures. I hope that you all will learn a lot from him."

The group of Jedi began to talk excitedly amongst themselves.

Tahiri continued, "While I will be your main teacher, Lowbacca will help you develop your combat ability.

"All of the other groups have already moved on toward their designated buildings to be assigned quarters. You were not split into groups randomly, but by ability. Consider yourselves the advanced class. Your training will be much more difficult than that of the other classes. There are still too few Jedi to maintain peace throughout the galaxy, and though many of you are still quite young, YOU ARE NEEDED!"

Tahiri paused to let that thought sink in then continued, "You, as well as the other classes, are the future. It is our hope that after a period of five years each and every one of you will have proven yourselves worthy of the title of Jedi Knight!"

That got a few gasps from the group of twenty.

Tahiri smiled at this and went on, "After a period of about two years you will all be made padawans and assigned to certain Jedi Knights or Masters, accompanying them on missions and learning from them in general."

Now the little group looked really excited.

"One final thing," Tahiri said, "tomorrow you will be given your first test, and I believe it is one you are all going to enjoy. Now follow Lowbacca and he'll show you where you will be staying, have fun exploring, and sleep well!" Tahiri waved as she jogged back toward the ships that had brought them here.

Denz and the others smiled expectantly. They knew what their first assignment would be, and Tahiri was right, they would enjoy it.

Lowbacca roared and started off in the direction of one of the larger buildings. The young Jedi walked quickly to keep up with the wookie's long, powerful stride. Within moments the group was at the entrance to their living quarters. Lowbacca pressed a button on the control pad and the door swished open. The doorway was not designed for a wookie, so Lowbacca had to duck to get through, and the rest followed him in. The main lobby was a large dome-like room with windows all around its base as well as in the center of the semi-sphere on top. This part of the building served as both the communications center and the lounge as the plush couches around the perimeter and many computers indicated. At the opposite end of the room from the entrance was a door, the only other way out of that area. As the young Jedi and their guide crossed the vast chamber, that door suddenly opened, and into the room walked a silver-plated protocol droid.

"Greetings and salutations," the droid called to the young Jedi as they approached. "My name is M-TD, translator droid. I am programmed to act as translator for Master Lowbacca until you are able to understand him yourself."

Lowbacca growled and moaned a reply. He then made a sound like laughter.

"Oh!" M-TD exclaimed. "That was completely uncalled for. Just think if the children had understood what you…." The protocol droid seemed to suddenly remember that the twenty or so young Jedi were still standing there, waiting to be shown to their rooms. M-TD composed himself and made a noise that sounded like he was clearing his throat. "My humblest apologies," he began, "but sometimes, correction, MANY times this hairy buffoon will act more like an animal than a Jedi Knight."

Lowbacca rolled his yellow-green eyes and made a noise like a sigh.

Denz, Jyo, Cordell and Zeek were fighting to control their laughter. To them this was their first lesson in understanding wookies, and it taught that though they may not look a lot like humans, the mannerisms of a wookie are none too different.

"Now," M-TD continued, "please follow me, and I will show you to your rooms." The shiny protocol droid turned and walked back toward the door from which he had come, servo-motors whirring every time he moved his legs.

The group entered a long hallway as M-TD led them through the doorway. On each side of the hallway were twelve doors. "Each and every one of these doors leads to the rooms where you will be staying," M-TD told the young Jedi.

At the end of the hallway were two extra large turbolifts. "These will take you up to the classroom. Although much of your training will take place outdoors, all of yours studies will be held upstairs."

The group of twenty-two split up equally and each took a turbolift up to the classroom. The classroom itself, it turns out, was not that large. It was just big enough for twenty or so students. A door on the far side of the room was marked with the sign "Library", and on one wall was a list that designated whose room was whose on the first floor. M-TD told the children to memorize their room numbers for later. They only had one more stop to make and then the young Jedi would be free to explore their new home. M-TD led them back down the turbolifts but instead of stopping at the first floor, he had the lifts continue on down underground. The doors opened into a large, cavernous room lined on three walls, from floor to ceiling, with parts, pieces, and tools.

Jyo glanced at Denz. He could literally feel the excitement radiating from his body as his mind began to process all the possibilities, experiments, and creations.

"This," M-TD explained, "is where you will find all the parts you will ever need to construct anything you can think of. You are allowed to use the worktables provided here, but you are also free to take anything you like to your rooms. Now let us retreat back upstairs so that you can get settled into your rooms."

Zeek noticed that Denz looked a little disappointed, but he also knew that if he had a choice, Denz would choose to make this his room.

The turbolifts traveled up one floor and the Jedi Students dispersed as they found their rooms. Denz and Jyo's rooms were side-by-side, as well as adjacent to Cordell and Zeek's respectively. Each was amazed at the size of each room, roughly three times larger than their quarters back on the space station, where the brothers had to bunk together. The rooms contained basic necessities, such as bed, dresser, and refresher; but other than those three things, which took up about a quarter of the room's space, the rest was empty.

Denz imagined filling up that space with gadget after gadget. Jyo visualized himself with his lightsaber, creating and practicing combinations and strategies. Zeek and Cordell saw private duels being held in their rooms. The future looked bright for these young keepers of the peace. But might things get cloudy and threaten to destroy life as they know it? Only time will tell.

The slightly damaged speeder sped over an open field, a little too open for Jaina's tastes, but it was the most direct route to her uncle, Luke Skywalker; or at least she hoped so. They had been traveling for quite some time now heading in the general direction of where Ben felt his father. It seemed as though Luke was holding back, not trying to make contact, but they could not understand why.

Jake suddenly spoke up, "I just don't get it!"

Kyp, sitting next to him in the back seat, gave him a sidelong glance.

"I mean about what happened back at the cave."

"What seems to be bothering you Jake," Ben asked reluctantly.

"What I don't get is that when Kyp and Jaina launched their lightning attack, why did they just stun the Vong? Then a minute later you caused an explosion that trapped if not destroyed them altogether."

"Well Jakey-boy," Kyp began, "it's like this. We good Jedi don't believe in using the Force to kill, but we know that to kill we must use force."

Jake said nothing for a moment, and then his expression changed indicating that he just realized what Kyp had said, and that the play on words had fooled him. Noticing this, the other three cracked smiles, and Jake chuckled nervously.

"So," Jaina asked, "are you gonna tell us exactly where to find Master Skywalker, or am I going to have to continue to follow the weak Force readings we're getting from him?"

Jake shook his head and began to give Jaina directions to the real hideout.

Cordell and Zeek burst from their rooms simultaneously, looked each other in the eye, smiled, and then made a mad dash for the exit. They had had enough of the indoors; it was time to enjoy all that their new home had to offer. Jyo remained in his room a little longer trying to think up some lightsaber strategies, but realized it was futile. He loved to experience real air and gravity and couldn't wait to find a nice spot to meditate and feel the throbbing Force coming from the ground, the air, and the trees. Jyo quickly wiped the lenses of his glasses clean and exited his room. He turned left, took a few steps, and stopped in front of the door to Denz's room. He knocked.

"Yeah."

"It's me," Jyo called through the door.

Denz slid the door open and asked, "What's up?"

"Want to go outside and meditate or just breathe some fresh air?"

"Nah," Denz replied shaking his head, "I think I'll just stay in here and start working on the designs for a new gadget. Just something I can put in my room so it doesn't feel so empty."

Jyo shrugged, "Your loss. Good luck," he said with a wave. Jyo started off after Cordell and Zeek as Denz closed his door.

Denz didn't have much luck though, sitting on his bed trying to think of the parts necessary to make his new idea come to life. He huffed a sigh of disgust, "Maybe I'll be able to think better with more people around," he said to himself. Denz left his room after all and poked his head through the door to the lounge. There were a couple students in the room either on a computer or reading one of the books from the library upstairs. Denz noticed someone at a table with paper and a pencil and decided to go see if he was doing something interesting. As he approached the kid, Denz recognized him. With his shoulder length, black hair pulled into a ponytail and short stature he was impossible to mistake. His name was Todan Ems. Denz had seen him just like this on the space station many times. Todan seemed to spend as much time drawing as he did training to be a Jedi. "Hey, Todan!"

The black haired boy glanced up from his work and gave Denz the peace sign, his traditional greeting. Denz sat down across from Todan and asked him what he was drawing now. Instead of answering, Todan turned his sheet of paper around and slid it toward Denz. He took one glance at it and gave a low whistle. Though all around the edges of the paper were little doodles, right in the center was what looked like very detailed specs for a lightsaber.

"Looks nice Todan, but aren't we supposed to use the Force to guide us through the construction of our weapons?"

Todan finally spoke, "I know that's how we're supposed to do it, but I figure if I get stuck all I have to do is glance at this and it'll put me back on track."

Denz shook his head, "Whatever you say, Todan."

The door to the outside opened and Jyo walked back in. Denz called to him, "Hey, Jyo! Tired of all that fresh air yet?"

Jyo just shook his head and left the room via the door to the hallway and the turbolifts.

Denz shrugged and turned back to Todan, "I guess you also figured out that our first assignment was to construct lightsabers, huh?"

Todan nodded.

"You going to make any special modifications on yours?"

"Uh, no."

"Do you want some?"

Todan looked up and raised an eyebrow.

"OK, OK. Just thought I'd ask."

Jyo saw Denz still talking to the same kid. Wonder who he is? Jyo thought. He put the question aside and went back out into the noontime sunshine again. He turned right, went halfway around the building, sat back down in his previous spot, and leaned up against the outer wall. Before opening his book, Jyo glanced up and saw Cordell running full tilt across the grassy plain that surrounded the five or six buildings. He was obviously enjoying all the space he had to move around. Maybe this is the answer to the releasing of Cordell's energy. Jyo smiled, One can only hope. Jyo opened his book, but something caught his eye before he began to read. He looked closer and, sure enough, it was Zeek practicing his levitation. Jyo recalled that Zeek never wanted to levitate himself at the Installation for fear of falling to the hard metal floor. Now, though he looked a little wobbly, Zeek was hovering a good three feet off the ground. Jyo chuckled when Zeek finally lost it and plopped to the ground, then he settled into his book about the ancient Jedi Counsel, Jedi Masters such as Yoda and Mace Windu, and read of the adventures of great warriors like Obi-Wan Kenobi.

He didn't know why, but when he sat here the first time and let himself fall into the Force, he was overcome with an urge to read about Jedi history. As a result, he had rushed back inside and continued up to the library on the second floor. Jyo had felt himself almost drawn to the very book he picked out. Now, illuminated by Jedron's sun he sat reading it on the cool grass, leaning up against the building that acted as his new home. And as he read, it felt as though he was transported to that place and time and was actually watching the events in the book play out before his very eyes.

Cordell stumbled, fell, and rolled, as he laughed hard at Zeek falling on his rear. He was still laughing as he pulled himself upright and shook the grass from his blond hair. Zeek saw Cordell laughing and scowled. This made Cordell laugh even harder so that his eyes watered. He wiped his eyes dry and as soon as he opened them a large dirt clod hit him right smack on the forehead, knocking him over backward. Cordell looked up with a surprised expression on his face and saw Zeek, about ten dirt clods hovering around him, ready to fire. Cordell scrambled up and started running again as he was pelted from behind with Zeek's dirt clods of revenge.

Soon, a couple other young Jedi took sides and a small dirt clod war began. Jyo was impervious to it all, however. That is, until he got clocked with a stray clod.