[Legacy Of The Force] - 07(35)

Zekk blinked at him. “Trying to get a date with an Alliance loyalist?”

“No.”

“Because you’re not going to find many on Kashyyyk.”

Jag gestured at Jaina. “I came to spar with her. You know, lightsabers.”

Jaina gave him a scornful look. “Jag, do you even know how to use a lightsaber?”

“I know Lesson One. Don’t grab the glowy end.”

Jaina paused, obviously uncertain as to how to respond to his curious request. She walked up to face him. “Jag, I don’t want to hurt your feelings. I have every respect for you as a pilot, as a tactician, as a soldier. But in hand-to-hand combat, you’re nowhere near my equal. And you can’t begin to simulate Jacen’s abilities. I won’t get anything out of a practice session, and you might get hurt.”

“I might indeed.” He looked around. “Which are the real lightsabers, and which are the fakes?”

Zekk handed him one of the practice weapons. “This is one of the safe ones.” He handed Jaina the other. “Show him what you’re talking about, Jaina. I could use the rest.”

Unwillingly, she handed Zekk her lightsaber. “He knows exactly what I’m talking about. He’s studied Alema Rar for years. He knows what she’s capable of. I’m worse.”

“Well, then this won’t take too much of your time or energy.” Jag looked down at himself, then gave his thigh a slap. “Here, give me a jolt. So I know what I’m in for.”

Shaking her head in exasperation, Jaina lit the training weapon. Its violet blade leapt into life with a softer snap-hiss than that of a true lightsaber. Then, slowly, she leaned over to strike Jag’s leg.

The blade made a crackling noise. Jag’s leg jerked, a muscular spasm, and he almost fell.

He put weight on it again, took a few experimental steps around. “Ah. Got it. I bet that teaches the young Jedi the virtues of not getting hit.”

Zekk nodded. “It does.”

“All right, let’s do it. Zekk, you call it.” Jag flipped his faceplate down, becoming a believable, if slightly short, simulacrum of Jacen Solo. He thumbed his training lightsaber into life and raised it in a credible two-handed grip.

“Go.”

Almost faster than the eye could follow, Jaina lunged. Jag moved his blade laterally to sweep her point out of line, a clumsy maneuver suited to a first-year sword student. Jaina disengaged before their blades met and thrust, popping her blade across the side of Jag’s neck.

Jag let out a yell and staggered back, patting at the point of the blow. “Wow.”

“Necks aren’t too bad.” Zekk rubbed his own in sympathetic memory. “Wait until you catch one across your eyelid. Or groin.”

Recovered, Jag stood once more in ready position. “Again.”

“Go.”

This time Jag initiated the attack, a basic vertical slash. He was strong enough to give it a lot of power.

Jaina stepped aside and her lateral blow hit him across the upper arm.

“Ow. Blast it.” Jag rubbed the spot of the injury.

Jaina gave him an exasperated look. “Technically, this bout isn’t over, because all I did was take your arm off, in theory. A Jedi might be able to continue for a while with a wound like that. But let’s call that one a win for me.”

“Sounds reasonable. Jaina, you’re fast.”

“I’m going to keep going until I think I’m fast enough. Are we done?”

“Oh, I’m not bright enough to be done yet.” Jag resumed the ready position. “Again.”

Zekk snorted, amused. “Would it be wrong of me to admit that I’m really starting to enjoy this?”

“Yes.”

“Go.”

Jag tried the same maneuver. Jaina stepped aside again, swung-Jag took the blow on his left forearm. The glowing blade bounced. Jag’s arm didn’t twitch, didn’t react at all to the electric shock.

He reached out with that arm. Fast as a blaster duelist drawing and firing, he caught the hilt of Jaina’s practice weapon just above her hand and squeezed.

The weapon crumpled. The beam cut off.

Jaina, caught off guard for only a fraction of a second, stepped back, chambered her leg, and kicked Jag in the solar plexus.

His solar plexus went konk, a metallic noise.

Jag rapped his training sword against her support leg. It spasmed and she fell. She rolled out of her fall, but Jag was already swinging in the direction of her roll. His blade caught her across the back of the neck. She completed her roll, ending up on her back, looking up at him with a pained expression. “What was that?”

Jag shrugged and pushed up his visor again. “I won.”

Jaina’s face twisted in anger. “Flying’s what you’re best at. So fly.” She gestured as if pushing the air before her.