Jedi Prince_ The Lost City Of The Jedi Part 1

Star Wars.

Jedi Prince.

The Lost City of the Jedi.

by Paul Davids and Hollace Davids

The Adventure Continues...

It was an era of darkness, a time when the evil Empire ruled the galaxy. Fear and terror spread across every planet and moon as the Empire tried to crush all who resisted-but still the Rebel Alliance survived.

The Rebel Alliance was formed by heroic men, women, and aliens, united against the Empire in their valiant fight to restore freedom and justice to the galaxy.

Luke Skywalker joined the Alliance after his uncle purchased a pair of droids known as See-Threepio (C-3P0) and Artoo-Detoo (R2-D2). The droids were on a mission to save the beautiful Princess Leia. Leia, an Alliance leader, was a captive of the Empire.

In his quest to save Princess Leia, Luke was a.s.sisted by Han Solo, the das.h.i.+ng pilot of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p Millennium Falcon, and Han's copilot, Chewbacca, a hairy alien known as a Wookiee.

Han and Luke eventually succeeded in rescuing the Rebel Princess, but their struggle against the Empire did not end there. Luke and his ragtag group of Rebel freedom fighters battled armor-clad stormtroopers and mile-long star destroyers. Finally they destroyed two of the Empire's mightiest weapons: the Imperial Death Stars, which were as big as moons, and powerful enough to explode entire planets.

In the course of his adventures Luke sought out the wise old hermit, Obi-Wan Ken.o.bi, who became one of Luke's teachers in the ways of the Jedi Knights.

The Jedi Knights, an ancient society of brave and n.o.ble warriors, were the protectors of the Old Republic in the days before the Empire was formed. The Jedi believed that victory comes not just from physical strength but from a mysterious power called the Force.

The Force lies hidden deep within all things. It has two sides: one side that can be used for good, the other the Dark Side, a power of absolute evil.

After the deaths of the two evil Imperial leaders-Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine-a three-eyed tyrant who claimed to be the Emperor's son rose to lead the Empire. However, he was a liar and an impostor. His name was Trioculus. Trioculus was aided in his rise to power by the Central Committee of Grand Moffs, a group of sinister Imperial governors who spread terror, misery, and fear on many planets. Grand Moff Hissa had masterminded the secret plot to put Trioculus on the throne, as part of an even darker plot that would give the grand moffs more authority.

However, Kadann, the Supreme Prophet of the Dark Side, foretold that the rightful heir to the Emperor's command would wear the glove of Darth Vader, a powerful and indestructible symbol of evil. To strengthen his claim to be Emperor, and to unite the Imperial warlords who had been feuding among themselves, Trioculus embarked on a search for the glove.

Despite Luke Skywalker's efforts to prevent Trioculus from ever finding the glove of Darth Vader, Trioculus recovered the prize on a mission to the ocean world of Calamari. There the Imperials and the Rebels survived a deadly undersea explosion, leaving their fates unknown to one another.

Trioculus is now on a journey to see Kadann, to seek the Supreme Prophet's dark blessing and acceptance of his claim to be the rightful ruler of the Empire.

Meanwhile, Luke has arrived in Cloud City on Rebel Alliance business, and he is now on his way to visit Han Solo before he returns to Alliance headquarters on the fourth moon of Yavin.

Unknown to Luke, a strange dream is about to lead him on a mysterious quest-a search to find the legendary Lost City of the Jedi!

CHAPTER 1.

The Bomb and the Dream.

As Luke Skywalker knocked on the door of Han Solo's warehouse, a lens popped out of the metal wall, making a curious noise as it examined Luke's face.

BJEE-DITZZZ! BJEE-DITZZZ!.

"Please show your galactic ID card and stick out your hand for a fingerprint check," an electronic voice called out.

"Gracious," exclaimed See-Threepio, Luke's golden droid. "Han has certainly become strict about security!"

Artoo-Detoo whistled timidly in agreement.

"Maybe that's because Han's warehouse is in Port Town," replied Luke. "This happens to be one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Cloud City-a hangout for all types of alien hoods and sleazy, small-time gamblers."

Luke stuck his left hand into the slot, since his right hand was artificial and didn't have any fingerprints. It was mechanical, a replacement for his real right hand, which he lost in a lightsaber duel with the evil Darth Vader.

ZHOOOOOM! The door made a loud sound as it lifted up, allowing Luke and his droids to enter the warehouse.

Chewbacca, the Wookiee, greeted Luke with a friendly squeeze. "Rooow-rowf," he growled.

"Easy there, Chewie, not too hard," said Luke. "I've got a bruised shoulder."

Luke, Threepio, and Artoo had come to the planet Bespin on a mission for SPIN-the Senate Planetary Intelligence Network. Lando Calrissian, the governor of Cloud City, had requested their help because food pirates had invaded all of the big hotels and food storage companies. In the raids stolen food was s.h.i.+pped off to a secret Imperial base for the Empire, who needed food for its army of stormtroopers.

Artoo-Detoo had helped design a Warning and Detection Device-a WADD-to protect the food warehouses. It was an infinitely more sophisticated security system than the old, somewhat primitive device that protected Han's rented warehouse. Luke and his droids had just finished installing a network of delicate WADD units, and since they were in the neighborhood, they decided to drop in on Han.

"ChNOOOOg-bzeeep," tooted Artoo to Chewbacca. "KROOOpch shbeeek znooob pvOOOM!"

"Artoo would like to point out," Threepio translated, "that Master Luke's shoulder was bruised when we helped the Cloud Police capture a gang of Imperial food pirates-all of them on Cloud City's Most Wanted List. One of those nasty rogues kicked Master Luke in the shoulder, causing the skin tissue to turn blue and black."

"We usually refer to it as black and blue," Luke put in, as he rubbed his sore shoulder.

"Hey, you ol' Wookiee," he said, turning to Chewbacca, "are you taking good care of my friend Han?"

"Graaawrrr," roared Chewbacca, indicating that Han was being well cared for.

"Hey, kiddo," said Han, peeking out from underneath his unfinished house, his hands filled with tools. The house was floating in the air, about three feet above the warehouse floor.

Han dusted himself off and stepped out to greet his friend. "How's Her Royal Highness, Princess Leia?"

"She misses you," Luke said.

"She does?" Han asked with a hint of excitement in his voice. "I thought she was so mad at me for going off to build my sky house, that she'd have forgotten me by now."

Luke shook his head. "She misses you quite a lot, in fact. When you said good-bye to leave for the Kessel mission, she. . ." Luke stopped himself in midsentence, glancing around in sudden amazement. "Wow! I didn't know that you were building a mansion, Han."

"A floating mansion," Han said, laughing.

Han took Luke on a little walk around the outside of the house, pointing out all of its special features.

"I've been from one end of this galaxy to the other," said Han, his voice swelling with pride, "and I've never seen another house like this one. It's a new concept of mine-houses that float in the sky. If you don't like the cloud you're living on, you just drift off to another one."

"Rowww-Roofff!" growled Chewbacca. The Wookiee turned a repulsorlift control k.n.o.b, causing the house to lower smoothly and gently to the floor.

"Chewie wants to show off the floor plan, so step right inside," Han said.

Luke couldn't believe his eyes. Han's house had outdoor observation decks, a big kitchen under a transparent dome, lots of bedrooms with floating beds, a circular living room that could be turned to face any direction, a workroom for building everything from blasters to airspeeders, a two-cloud-car garage, and -- "Impressed?" Han asked with a wide grin.

Luke smiled and nodded.

"Very impressive," said Threepio. "What do you think, Artoo?"

"Chziiiich!" Artoo tooted enthusiastically, indicating that he was very impressed indeed.

"I was just wondering, Han," said Luke, "is there any special reason why you made the house with so many bedrooms?"

"Why do you ask?" Han replied suspiciously.

Luke gave a shy smile. "Well, I guess I was just wondering if you ever intend to get married and fill this house with kids."

Han laughed. "Who, me? Give up my bachelor ways and settle down? That's a real long shot, if ever I heard one." Han scratched his chin, giving Luke's question a little thought. "Of course," he went on, "I suppose I'd have to admit that there's always one chance in a hundred that it could happen."

Luke looked his old friend straight in the eye. "Come on, Han," he said, "you can tell me.

Were you thinking about marrying my sister Leia when you built this huge place?"

Han just laughed. "If I ever do decide to get married, which is highly improbable, Leia is at the top of my list. But this is all just wild speculation."

"Very wild speculation, I'm sure," Luke said, nodding. But the truth was, he wasn't so sure.

Han changed the subject by putting on a chef's ap.r.o.n and cooking them a spicy Corellian meal on his new nanowave stove. The hot and saucy dish was a favorite back on Han's home planet. Chewie then demonstrated his newfound cooking abilities by serving up one of his zoochberry pies for dessert.

"Congratulations, Chewie," Luke said, patting his full belly when they were done eating.

"That was about the best zoochberry pie I've ever had! I wish we could stay longer, but we've got to return to Yavin Four now and get back to SPIN headquarters."

Han and Chewie accompanied Luke, Threepio, and Artoo to the hangar where Luke had parked his Y-wing starfighter s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p. "Are you sure I can't talk you into coming back to Yavin Four with me?" Luke asked Han. "SPIN could sure use your help."

"I'll pa.s.s," Han replied. "All I want to do now is complete my mission-which is finis.h.i.+ng my sky house."

The two buddies said their farewells, and after the two droids were aboard, Luke shut the door to his Y-wing starfighter. He strapped himself into the pilot's seat, waiting long enough for Han and Chewbacca to move a safe distance away from the s.h.i.+p.

Luke pressed the power b.u.t.ton, only nothing happened except-KLIK-KLIK-KLIK .. .

The clicking sound kept growing louder and louder. Luke leaned forward to check the switch.

"Careful, Master Luke," Threepio said, "that sound might mean that-"

But before Threepio could finish his sentence, a sudden explosion hurled Luke back in his chair, so hard that his safety straps tore loose.

BROOOOMMPF!.

Luke flipped over backward, knocking his head against the floor. The blast hurled the thruster into his right arm, tearing open his mechanical hand.

The interior of the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p was in shambles. Flames were spreading, filling the s.h.i.+p with smoke.

Within seconds, Han and Chewbacca burst inside to help. Chewbacca and Threepio quickly put out the fire, and Han lifted the thruster, freeing Luke's trapped hand. Then he knelt beside his friend.

"You seem to be in pretty bad shape, kiddo," Han said. "We'd better get you some medical attention."

"Oh, I do hope you'll be okay, Master Luke," said Threepio. "One of the food pirates obviously sent us a nasty farewell present."

"Grrooooof!" moaned Chewbacca, holding up a tiny, charred mechanism he found on the floor.

"Dweeeep dzeeen-boop!" Artoo tooted.

"Yes, yes, Artoo, I know," Threepio replied. "That's a miniature bomb detonator.

Manufactured by the Empire!"

Thanks to the help of Lando Calrissian, Luke was transported at once to the Cloud City hospital, where a team of medical droids examined him immediately. The news about his condition was encouraging. Luke had lots of bruises and several cracked ribs, but no broken bones. However, the control unit in his mechanical right hand had been smashed by the s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p's power booster.

Luke couldn't bend the fingers of his mechanical hand at all. And the hospital didn't have the right spare parts. In fact, not a single medical supply outfit in Cloud City had them.

Luke's artificial hand would have to be repaired back on Yavin Four, and delicate surgery was definitely required.

It was obvious to Han that Luke was going to need a pilot and a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p to get him back to Yavin's fourth moon. It might take weeks to repair Luke's Y-wing starfighter, and besides, Luke was in no condition to pilot. Han resigned himself that his sky house was going to have to wait. Friends.h.i.+p came first.

With Chewbacca serving as Han's copilot, they departed with Luke and the droids at dawn.

The Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive unit was in tip-top condition. At faster-than-light speed, it was the quickest trip Han had ever made from Cloud City to the fourth moon of Yavin. As they made their approach, the moon loomed before them in s.p.a.ce, wrapped in the green glow of its luxurious forests.

When Luke awoke from a long nap, Chewbacca was already shutting down the hyperdrive thrusters, and See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo were preparing for the landing.

The Millennium Falcon began a smooth descent toward the main landing bay of Yavin Four.

There they were met by Princess Leia.

"Don't worry, your Highness," Han said in a rea.s.suring voice, as Leia led them toward the Senate building. "Luke had a little run-in with an exploding bomb, but fortunately your brother's like a Kowakian lizard-monkey that has nine lives."

"Thanks for bringing him home," Leia said.

"Hey, what are friends for?" Han said, putting an arm around her. He stared deeply into her bright, brown eyes. "Luke said you missed me," he said. "Sorry I've been such a hermit, Princess. I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Han stopped Leia to give her a very long kiss. And against the Princess's better judgment, she didn't try to make it any shorter.

While Luke lay in bed in the Central Clinic of Yavin Four, recovering from the operation that repaired his mechanical hand, Princess Leia asked his permission to send Threepio and Artoo to the neighboring town of Vornez.

"I want them to examine and help upgrade a new group of protocol droids that arrived from the planet Tatooine," she explained. "The new droids can't speak as many languages as Threepio, and they've never been programmed to translate the beeps of an Artoo unit, either."