[Junior Jedi Knights] -05(24)

Artoo buzzed twice.

Orloc threw his arms high into the air and let go of the precious Jedi cube, perhaps trying to grab on to something before he fell. The bobbled Holocron flew over Anakin’s and Tahiri’s heads as Orloc tumbled into the stone chute. Dashing up behind them, Uldir caught the Holocron.

“Got it!” he yelled. His voice cracked with triumph. At the door, Artoo finally succeeded in opening the main entrance again for Ikrit and Tionne. The two Jedi rushed back in. With mixed feelings, Anakin looked down into the dark chute. He should have been able to do something more to keep Orloc from falling-but if they had managed to save him, wouldn’t the Mage have tried to steal the Holocron from them again?

“Do you think he’ll be all right?” Tahiri asked, looking down into the pit with a horrified expression on her face.

“Ikrit and I survived our fall,” Tionne said softly from the other side of the room. “I think Orloc will be all right.”

“Mmmm,” Ikrit said. “I believe he is unhurt, that one.”

“In fact,” Tionne added with a dry note in her voice, “unless we get out of here soon, we probably haven’t seen the last of him yet.”

The unusual things they had seen and done since coming to Bast Castle amazed Anakin, but in the end there was one more surprise to come. Weary as the companions were, they were preparing to make the long climb back down to the Lore Seeker when Ikrit made a suggestion.

“There is another way to get to your ship,” he said. Even before hearing his plan, Tahiri was enthusiastic. Ikrit took them back to the hangar bay and showed them the ancient ships stored there. He had once owned just such a ship himself, and the controls could adjust to Ikrit’s one-meter height. If the ships were kept in as good mechanical repair as everything else in Bast Castle seemed to be, it would take only a matter of minutes to fly down to the Lore Seeker.

When a preflight check on their chosen ship showed that it was in excellent condition, everyone eagerly agreed to Ikrit’s plan. After ArtooDetoo plugged into a control panel to open the hangar bay doors and make sure that all intruder defenses were turned off, they put Ikrit’s plan into effect. Ikrit did an expert job of piloting the old ship, and when they reached the Lore Seeker he seemed almost sad.

Now it was Anakin’s turn to make a surprising suggestion.

“Why don’t you keep the ship, Ikrit,” he said. “It belonged to my grandfather, so I don’t think there’s anyone else who has a claim to it-and the controls are so old-fashioned that I’m not sure any other being would want it.”

The Jedi Master seemed uncertain and looked hopefully at Tionne. A smile of delight spread across her face.

“Of course-it would be just perfect for you.”

Anakin could have predicted that Tionne would like the idea, since she had such a love of history. Then Tionne frowned for a moment and looked over at Anakin.

“But are you sure it’s safe for him to fly it all the way back to Yavin 4?”

Anakin nodded. One of his special skills with the Force was knowing when machinery was working correctly, and he could sense that this ship was perfectly spaceworthy.

“It’s in great shape,” Uldir agreed. “I’ll even be his copilot if you like. I’ve been a trained pilot for years, you know.”

Tionne looked very pleased at this development. “Well, if it’s all right with Ikrit, I guess it’s all settled.”

“You’ll have to find a name for your ship by the time you get back to Yavin 4,” Tahiri said, grinning. “I’ll ask you about it.”

To Anakin it seemed that Ikrit’s white fur glowed with pride.

“Mmmm,” the Jedi Master said, nodding. “I will find a name for my ship.”

A sea of green trees rippled below the Lore Seeker as it glided toward the landing field and the Jedi academy. For Anakin, the sight of the Great Temple standing in its clearing, drenched in bright sunlight, was a very welcome one indeed.

“It feels good to be back,” he said with a sigh. Tahiri giggled. “That was certainly more of an adventure than I had bargained for.”

Tionne looked at her two students.

“Are you sorry you came with me?”

Anakin shook his head.

“The trip was worth making. I learned some interesting things about Darth Vader.”

“I learned to trust the Force and not just my eyes and ears,” Tahiri said.

“And we did find a lightsaber and a Holocron,” Anakin said.

“And a new ship for Ikrit,” Tahiri added. “So I think we’re glad we came along, but it may be a while before we go looking for adventures again.”