Star Wars Legends: Scattered Lights (CANCELLED)

Chapter 8

Yavin IV's atmosphere reflected Xanta's current thoughts. Clouds gathered above and poured on everything below. Outside the window, there was an odd silence in the heavy rain, one Xanta shared as he sat in the medcenter of the Jedi Praxeum.

"Hold still," he heard when he fidgeted a little.

Sitting on the bed, Xanta silently obeyed Cilghal's command. The Mon Calamari used the Force to administer the scratches and sores on his hands, the result of his gauntlets loosening and chafing on his skin while he hung for his life on Tanaab. The injuries weren't serious-or so, Xanta claimed-and they disappeared in moments.

"There," Cilghal said once she withdrew her webbed hands. "It is good you came to me when you did. If you had been wearing those gauntlets a little bit longer, who knows how worse your hands would have been?"

Xanta silently flexed his fingers to test them. It didn't matter what the Jedi healer said. Honestly, he just wanted to retrieve his armor from his quarters. "Thank you, Healer Cilghal," Xanta said respectfully. After collecting his cloak, his steps echoed on the ancient Massassi stone of the former base of the Rebel Alliance and current of the Jedi.

Nira had been waiting for him in the narrow, shadowy corridor outside the medcenter. "How's your hands?" she asked, waving an arm in the air.

Xanta eyed the gesture before he answered. "They are better... At least, they aren't missing like my lightsaber."

Nira winced. Regret came off her in tiny bursts, and Xanta copied them when he realized the severity of his off-handed comment. Malac had confiscated his saber to teach him discipline, since it had been handed over to "some inexperienced Jedi pupil," so Nira felt a little guilty about it.

Wishing to change the subject, Xanta cleared his throat. "Well... I suppose we should begin our duties. Where is Mistress Tionne?"

"In the archives," Nira groaned while swatting at something buzzing at her face. Wet-whiskers, Xanta recalled, insects that came out in Yavin IV's wet season.

Xanta ignored the few buzzing by his ears and continued, "It should not take long. We will be done within a day's time, I think."

"And after that?" Nira snarked. She had been convinced as little as Xanta had been by his own words, so the Jensaarai said no more.

While walking down the corridor, the Jedi Praxeum had been a little noisier than Xanta left it. There had been more recruits arriving in the hangar bays still holding X-Wings, more students training in the great hall that once held the victorious rebels after the destruction of the first Death Star, and even another recently-graduated Jedi Knight passing by, the last of whom Nira eyed in envy. Xanta withheld a comment when they at last came to Mistress Tionne's quarters.

"Ah, welcome!" the Jedi historian greeted them, holding a pile of datapads and scrolls at her doorway. "Can you please take these?"

Xanta's mind trailed away to barely notice Nira's grumbling while she took the pile in her arms. "Um, we come in or...?" she said, her eyes darting to the dark corners of the room behind Tionne.

The older Jedi, noticing Nira's expression, shook her head assuredly. "Oh no! The archives are just down the hall! Please wait a second."

Tionne retreated in her quarters, and Xanta eyed Nira. "You don't know where the archives are?" he asked, almost incredulous.

Nira frowned behind the shuffling pile. "I ain't been around, 'kay? I'd like to keep to outside..."

"And to the training rooms, from what Kirana told me," Tionne added, leaving the room with another pile she handed off to Xanta. "Xanta, can you lead Nira to the archives? I'll join you two soon enough. I need to tidy up around here first."