Young Jedi Knights_ Trouble On Cloud City Part 3

"A show, I think," Jacen said. Tenel Ka leaned forward to watch.

To the sounds of m.u.f.fled cheers from all up and down the sides of the huge levitating city, a group of creatures arrowed out of one of the broad docking bays with a flutter of wings. The snub-nosed, bullet shaped creatures flapped their broad wings like giant fish swimming gracefully under thick water. They had no feathers, only gray leathery skin, like sails stretched tight over flexible cartilage and a network of thin bones. Except for the rus.h.i.+ng of air, the beasts made no sound in their flight.

"Hey, those are thrantas!" Jacen cried. He turned to Jaina. "We've seen holos of them. Remember some of the images Mom has? Thrantas were actually native to Alderaan, but someone brought them here many years ago to use as beasts of burden at the gas refineries and for constructing the floating cities." He nodded toward the cl.u.s.ter of swooping batlike creatures that circled, dove, and flew in formation.

"Since Alderaan was destroyed, those are probably the last ones in existence," Jaina pointed out.

"Only because Alderaan never made any attempt to defend itself," Anja muttered. "Your Luke Skywalker proved that the Death Star wasn't quite as unconquerable as the Empire thought."

The thrantas circled back toward the dazzling lights of Cloud City, diving through the brightly colored hewns as if they tonned a glowing waterfall. As the thrantas looped around, preparing to head back out to the open sky, many small figures dropped off a launching ramp from the sides of the white metropolis.

Lowie growled in surprise. "People are jumping!" Jaina cried.

"Out into open air!"

"Wait. They seem to know what they're doing," Zekk pointed out.

"Watch. I think it's part of the show."

Jacen's eyes gleamed. "They're thranta riders!"

Smooth-skinned lanky humanoids dove from their precarious perches, somersaulting into the open sky without a care. Jacen could see that their exposed skin was painted with whorls of color, in black and red, yellow and green. The humanoids fell and tumbled without fear... and each thranta nosed out and dove toward a particular rider, moving in a beautifully ch.o.r.eographed dance.

Flapping sail-like wings, the thrantas swooped beneath the tumbling, dropping humanoids. The thranta riders completed their aerial acrobatics and each one of them landed perfectly in position on a small harness on a thranta's back. With a resonant sound m.u.f.fled by distance and the vastness of the giant floating city, spectators applauded and cheered the show.

"They must be training for their sky rodeo," Jacen said. "I've read about them. Once a month they perform here on Cloud City in what has to be the most terrific exhibition in this spiral arm. Amazing creatures-and the riders, too. "

Several of the thranta riders now stood on the slippery backs of their beasts, holding their hands up. The squadron of thrantas swooped around each other in figure eights and swirled about like a swarm of maddened insects. In a silent, perfectly executed motion, the standing thranta riders leapt off the backs of their own creatures and landed on other ones. The riders switched mounts without a single mistake, without so much as a slip. Every movement was beautiful and precise, like patterns in a kaleidoscope.

"If this is practice," Jaina said, "can you imagine what the real show is like?"

"Maybe Cojahn was hoping to become a thranta rider," Anja suggested sarcastically. "He jumped off... but missed. Should've practiced more in the simulation chambers, I guess."

"That is an interesting hypothesis," Tenel Ka replied, surprising Anja.

Zekk nodded. "Maybe we should at least talk to some of those thranta riders, find out if they saw something......

Jaina sat up as cool dusk wind blew her straight brown hair around her face. "Ought to talk to the people at the SkyCenter construction site, too. Maybe the Ugnaught s.h.i.+ft boss who got fired, if we can find him, and anyone else Cojahn had contact with."

Zekk nodded. "We've got a lot of leads to follow, but at least Cloud City isn't as big as a planet. How many places can there be to look?"

Anja stood up in disgust, putting her hands on her hips. Her piranha beetle tattoo stood out on her upper right arm. "We'll never find anything even if we look. The explanation is pretty clear; it's right in front of us. Lando just doesn't want to admit that it could have been a suicide or even a simple accident."

"And maybe it wasn't," Jacen said. "It's up to us to find out." He gave her a wry grin. "And believe me, we've solved greater puzzles than this before."

"Right," Jaina said. "So what are we waiting for?" laina gasped in amazement as she walked into the Cloud Dance restaurant, where they had agreed to meet Lando for a morning mealthough with Bespin's short daily cycle, any meal could have been a morning, midday, or evening meal.

The eating establishment was at one of the upper levels of the floating city, extending in a ring from a tall cylindrical tower.

Transparisteel windowports gave a 360-degree view of the clouds, the sunrise, the pa.s.sing cloud-car traffic, and a portion of the cluttered SkyCenter building site, which was covered by temporary screens and awnings.

With the exception of an opaque walkway around the perimeter of the circular room, the floor and ceiling were transparent as well. At the center of the room, a bubble of transparisteel rose from the floor.

Inside it, clouds swirled and danced in ever-changing patterns, lit from above by multicolored glowpanels.

Lowie bounded past Jaina into the room with a triumphant woof, as if claiming the restaurant for himself.

Jaina chuckled. "Thought you'd like it. It's your kind of place."

:"This is a fact," said Tenel Ka, entering behind her.

"Hey, I'm starved," Jacen said, rubbing a hand sleepily through his tousled brown curls.

Jaina gave her brother a playful punch in the arm. "You'll get your food soon enough. What do you think of the view?"

Jacen took two steps forward. Jaina watched in amus.e.m.e.nt as the full impact of the view hit him and he looked around for something to hold on to.

Lowie crouched on the opaque walkway, staring down into the cloudy depths, barking enthusiastic comments. "Master Lowbacca wishes to a.s.sure you that-even if the food turns out to be dreadfulthis is the finest establishment he has ever had the pleasure of dining in," Em Teedee translated unnecessarily.

Lando entered, flas.h.i.+ng a weary grin. "I can a.s.sure you, Lowbacca, that you'll find the food here more than adequate. Glad you could all join me." He glanced around at the a.s.sembled young Jedi. "At least most of you, that is."

With a flash of imitation Jaina noted that Anja hadn't bothered to show up on time. Neither had Zekk. Because of the sad-eyed young woman's hard life, Jaina tried to make allowances for Anja's brusque nature, but she found it difficult to understand the fascination she seemed to hold for Jacen and Zekk.

As quickly as the negative thoughts arose, Jaina squelched them, firmly forcing her mind to more pleasant thoughts. She noticed that a slight frown had creased her brother's brow. "I'm sure they'll both be here soon," Jaina said.

Lando selected the table with the best view in the restaurant, and they all settled onto transparent repulsorbenches.

"Here's Zekk now!" Jacen said, waving his friend over. "And Anja's probably just out exploring. She gets up early most mornings, you know.

She has an awful lot of energy."

Lando's brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully and he gave a slow nod.

"I can well imagine." He paused, carefully considering his words. "I know it looks tempting to have all that instant energy, but don't let her talk you into trying any andris, all right? Spice can do a lot of damage in the long run, and once you're hooked, well... I've known a couple people who tried to quit and didn't make it."

Jaina, Jacen, and the others exchanged confused glances. "What are you talking about?" Jacen asked. "Who said anything about spice?"

"Ah. Aha," Tenel Ka said. "You believe Anja Gallandro is addicted to spice?"

Jaina bit her lower lip, stared at Lando in shock. Looking at the circle of serious faces around him, Lando spread his hands wide in apology.

"I... I thought you knew. Believe me, I've run into this enough times that I recognize the symptoms: wide eyes with huge dilated pupils, excess energy, restlessness, large appet.i.te but never seeming to gain any weight. Not to mention always looking for chances to get off alone and then coming back with a fresh burst of energy, and the pale, almost translucent skin, quick temper..

Jaina sighed. "Sounds like Anja, all right."

"That's impossible," Jacen said. "I would have known."

Zekk said nothing, although he suddenly looked as if he were reviewing recent events in his mind.

Jaina shrugged. She usually believed that the straightforward approach was best. "Why don't we just ask her? There she is now."

Anja stood impatiently in the doorway of the restaurant. Spying the group, she trotted over to the table. Her glance flitted around Cloud Dance on the way to the table, noting her surroundings but showing little reaction to them.

"Uh, hi," Jacen said uncertainly as she slid into a seat between him and Zekk.

No one else spoke. Anja ignored the silence and began studying the holomenu that appeared on the table in front of her as soon as she sat down. She seemed to build an invisible wall around her, separating herself from any companions.h.i.+p.

Lowie nudged Jaina in the ribs, encouraging her to speak. She looked over at Lando, who raised his eyebrows, obviously waiting.

Jaina cleared her throat. "Before we start eating, I have a question for you, Anja. It's... about andris spice."

Anja's reaction was immediate and defensive. She jerked upright and pushed back from the table. "It's not mine. I'm just keeping it for a friend. And besides, who are you to go rummaging through my things and-"

Jacen's mouth fell open. He stared at her as if this was the last thing he'd expected to hear. "So you do have spice?"

Anja's face flushed, and her words were filled with heat. "Well, obviously Jaina must have found it. Otherwise, why would she-"

"Wait," Jaina said. "n.o.body found anything. And we haven't been going through your stuff. But there were, urn... you just seem to... she faltered, "... to be showing signs of spice addiction."

Anja rounded on her. "I am not addicted. Not that it's any of your business, but yes, I do take andris. Sometimes. Andris does have legal uses, you know. I use spice when I want to, because I like it.

It's not a problem. And I can quit anytime I want to."

Anja stood, her face stormy. "Anyway, none of you has any right to question me. Who do you think you are, my father?" She glared at Jaina, then Jacen. Her voice became even colder. "I don't have a father.

Han Solo killed him, remember?"

With that, she stormed out of the restaurant.

Anja shook with fury as she stalked down one corridor after another.

Images and emotions seethed in her mind, twisted her stomach. How dare they confront her like that... imply that she was addicted to spice!

She slapped a hand impatiently against one leg as she walked.

She had started to think of some of the young Jedi Knights as her friends. But what gave them the right to ask about her private life?

It was none of their business whether she took spice or not. Their business here was to visit SkyCenter Galleria and give Lando their opinion of it.

They had all come to Cloud City to enjoy themselves and-until nowAnja had been enjoying herself, in spite of the somber news about Cojahn's death.

It certainly wasn't her fault that the clumsy guy had taken a cloud dive.

Anja drew in a deep breath. Of course, she did have an inkling whose fault it might be. In all likelihood, Cojahn's death had not been an accident. Anja was observant and had already seen a few signs that Black Sun was involved here in some way. She had long known that Czethros held an interest in several of the gambling casinos on Cloud City. It was entirely possible that Calrissian's friend had gotten in the way and Czethros had been forced to have his people remove him. It was not a pleasant thought, but not shocking either.

She did feel edgy, though, out of control. How she wished she could take a dose of andris right now. She didn't need it, of course, she a.s.sured herself But it would make her feel so much better....

The urge was almost overwhelming, yet she had little enough of the precious spice. Czethros was so stingy with what he gave her, even after all she had done for him. Perhaps if she gave him some information he might be grateful enough to...

Her footsteps quickened, and in less than five minutes she found herself at the doorway to a private comm center. She paid her credits and slipped into a soundproof booth. She knew the transmission codes by heart, and within moments an image tonned on the screen in front of her. The man had close-cropped moss-green hair and an eye visor that circled the base of his skull like a ring around an oddly shaped planet.

"This had better be important," Czethros said, dispensing with any pretense at civilities.

Anja recognized the room behind him as his office on Ord Mantell.

She nodded and got to the point. "It's business, of course-what else?

I'm on Cloud City, staying at the Yerith Bespin."

She explained how she and the young Jedi Knights had learned of Cojahn's death and the suspicious circ.u.mstances surrounding it, and how very intent her companions were on discovering Cojahn's real killer.

The moving red light on Czethros's visor hiccuped in agitation as she relayed her story, and she knew he understood her silent implication: if he was at all involved, he'd better cover his tracks quickly.

"I hoped this information might be... worth something to you?" she said, trying to keep the desperate tone out of her voice.

Czethros's scarred face betrayed no expression. "You were right to tell me, my little velser," he said. "You'll be suitably rewarded.

I'll contact you." With that, he abruptly terminated the communications link.

Anja smiled. That had gone well, she thought. Since more would be coming any time, perhaps she would reward herself with just a small dose of spice.

As the morning wore on, Tenel Ka found herself growing more and more impressed with Lando Calrissian. She had never gotten to know the man very well, never spent as much time with him as Jacen, Jaina, or even Lowbacca had But as the former smuggler led them on a tour of yet another portion of his enormous, not-quite-finished amus.e.m.e.nt complex, it became increasingly clear that the man was intelligent and quick-witted, a loyal friend and a shrewd businessman.

Even as Lando explained each new attraction to the interested young Jedi Knights, she could tell he kept his eyes open for any clues to what really lay behind Cojahn's death. He had asked them to use the Force to sense any hidden dangers at the construction site: workers with malicious thoughts, sabotaged a.s.semblies, or substandard materials.

As they did this, Lando reviewed the SkyCenter's work logs and message boards; he interviewed with subtle, probing questions any crew members they encountered. But the senses of the young Jedi revealed nothing more unusual in the work crew than sadness, curiosity, or indifference on the subject of their former boss's demise.

Lando led them down one of twenty transparent corridors that spoked out from a central domed hub. "We call this area our Climateria, where visitors can choose from over a dozen different climates. In each zone,"

he said, pointing down to the pie-shaped s.p.a.ces between the transparent walkways, "people will be able to visit a holographic zoo that displays creatures living in that sort of climate, go on some rides, listen to music, visit informational exhibits, and eat food a.s.sociated with that particular climate on various planets. For example, we have a rain forest climate, a low desert climate, an ocean climate, swamps and marshes-"

Tenel Ka had always thought that the rigorous training Master Skywalker had undergone on Dagobah sounded interesting and challenging.

"May we visit this swamp climate?" she asked.

"Sure." Lando beamed. "After all, that's what you're here for. My professional test cases. We used a few areas on Dagobah as models, as well as the Bith homeworld and a planet in the Hapes cl.u.s.ter. I can't remember them all." His voice grew wistful. "This project was Cojahn's baby. He always got so excited when he talked about the different kinds of entertainment he was going to bring in here."

Lando led them around the edge of the central hub until he came to a door marked SwAmp, MARSH, BOG, BAYOU. They stepped through the doorway and found themselves in a small antechamber.

"Here, put these on." Lando handed each of them a gauzy jumpsuit of transparalon. "Best way to protect your clothes while we're visiting this attraction. It... gets a little messy."

They slipped the jumpsuits on over their boots and clothing, and crimped any excess material so that the transparalon formed a temporary seam, allowing each person to adjust the suit for its most comfortable fit.

Before the Wookiee donned his suit, Em Teedee detached himself from Lowie's syren-fiber belt and the little droid hovered to and fro, "supervising" the process and making helpful suggestions.

Tenel Ka prepared to seal off the empty suit sleeve below the stump of her severed arm, but before she could reach over with her good arm, Jacen was already there doing it for her. It was the most attention he had paid her in days, and she was touched by his helpfulness. "Thank you Jacen, my friend."

Lando rubbed his hands together. "Everyone ready? Let's get into some mud."