[Legacy Of The Force] - 08(153)

“Yes. But not for the reason you think.”

Gotab shut down the lightsaber and handed it back to her. She could feel Venku getting closer. He appeared over the ridge, the lighter-colored plates of his armor picked out by the glowstick.

“Buir, it’s time we got you home, “he said.

“I’m enjoying talking to Jaina, “he said. “Come on, Kad’ika. Join us.” The old man smiled to himself. “Funny, Venku’s nickname is Kad’ika-Little Saber. He’s a sword, too, Jaina, but the sword of the Mandalorians. The one who persuaded us to look after ourselves and not venture out to fight other worlds’ wars.”

Right then that sounded like a good idea for anyone. She activated her lightsaber. It was a beautiful weapon, but Pert was right about recognizing it for what it was. Venku walked toward her and then stopped.

“Want to practice?” she asked.

“I’m not a Jedi.”

“You don’t have to be.”

“Okay.”

Venku took out two lightsabers, both blue, and looked at them for a moment with a terrible fond longing that completely shut out everything around him. Whoever had owned those before…. Jaina would never know, but she understood that sorrow when she felt it.

She took up her stance, saber held two-handed. Beviin’s beskad technique was for another day.

“Begin, “said Gotab.

Far into the evening, the darkness was illuminated with the bright humming blur of blades. And Jaina was illuminated too, and saw that the only way out of her dilemma was an agonizing but necessary passage through flame.

*

JEDI CAMP: UNDISCLOSED LOCATION IN THE TRANSITORY MISTS, NEAR THE HAPES CLUSTER

Perfect sanctuary was just a bedroll and a blanket on the dirt floor, and it was all that Ben needed right then. He just wanted to sleep. He crawled into the tent and let himself collapse facedown on the bed.

“You okay, Ben?”

Luke’s voice drifted over the faint whisper of breezes, cracking with fatigue. Ben rolled over and stared up into the tent’s ridge. “Yeah, Dad. I really think I am now. You?”

“You bet. Just checking.”

“Get some sleep.”

“Look who’s talking…”

But Ben couldn’t sleep, not yet. He settled for letting his mind churn, wondering how Lon Shevu was doing and if he’d been able to see Shula since he’d sent the transmission, and if Jori Lekauf’s folks were coping, unable to tell any-one that their son died a hero. There were so many broken people and shattered families in this war. Ben felt as if he knew them all personally.

I do, or at least I know too many.

Sleep would come when his brain decided it was good and ready, so he didn’t fight it. He just let his mind drift for what felt like hours until his father’s voice jerked him fully alert.

Yes: Dad was talking to someone.

Who’s woken him at this time of night? Nobody’s going to track us down here. But Ben slid his arm to his side and felt for his lightsaber anyway, because now he would never wake suddenly without reaching for it, for as long as he lived. It was one more legacy of this war.

“Oh…. sweetheart…. you found me. You found me. Stay awhile.”

Ben wondered if his father was talking in his sleep, then knew that he wasn’t, because he could feel Luke’s sudden emotion like a light being shone in his face. His reflex was to scramble out of the tent and rush to his father’s side, elated, with so much more to say and ask this time; but he stopped himself. This was Dad’s time, not his.

Ben knew exactly who’d found Luke Skywalker.

He smiled, laid his head on the makeshift pillow, and let the tears run down his face unchecked until sleep claimed him.