"Michael Stackpole "I, Jedi"" - читать интересную книгу автора

steadied her as she got back onto her feet. УBut then, as you said, easy isn't for a Jedi, is it?Ф
Master Skywalker tossed his cloak to Kam and brought the hilt of his lightsaber to hand. УThank you, Kam. If you would see to the others for a while.Ф
УAs you wish, Master Skywalker.Ф
The Jedi Master looked up at me as I slipped my lightsaber into my right hand. УWe don't have to do this, Keiran.Ф
I gave him a wry grin. УI think we do, Master. And I think you have a question you want to ask.Ф
Luke nodded slowly. УIs our duel a prelude to your leaving, too?Ф
The pure pain in his voice sank into me and pinned my heart against my spine. Luke was watching his dream of the Jedi academy collapse around him. Gantoris had been roasted alive with his own hatred and anger. Kyp, his most promising stu-dent, had fallen under the sway of an ancient evil and had vanished. Mara Jade, one of the Emperor's trusted practi-tioners of the Force, had come to the academy for instruction, but inside a week had chosen to leave again and even that morning had been whisked away by Han Solo and Lando Calrissian aboard the Millennium Falcon.
For having been open for only a little more than a month, the failure rate for promising students was staggering. I could have taken Luke's question as a confirmation of my abilities, but I felt it really marked how battered he felt at the moment. I could understand that because I was feeling a little betrayed by Mara's departure as well.
I saw her that morning when I'd arrived to get her for our run. УReady to go?Ф
УYeah,Ф she replied, Уbut not running.Ф She stood in her room in the color-shifting flightsuit in which she had arrived. Her bed had been made up and the Jedi robe she'd worn had been folded neatly and placed at the foot of the bed beside her heavy satchel. УThought another candidate might find a use for the robe.Ф
I leaned against the door jamb, using my body to bar the way out. УI thought you told me you weren't a quitter.Ф
A little fire blazed in her eyes, but she brought it under con-trol with an ease that surprised me. УI'm not. I've learned a lot here, but what I needed to learn isn't exactly what you need, or what others here need to learn.Ф
УWant to run that by me again, with the help files enabled this time?Ф
She relaxed just ever so slightly, shifting her weight to her back foot. УWhen the Empire trained me, I learned a lot of the things all of you are learning. I practiced them and perfected them. You and I have trained together with lightsabers. Do you think I picked all that up in an afternoon or two of quick study?Ф
I shrugged. УWell, with Kam and me as examples, it's possi-ble.Ф
УCute, Corran, but you know it's not true.Ф
УOkay, score one for Mara Jade.Ф
The flesh around her eyes tightened. УMy Imperial training directed me toward using dark-side techniques for tapping the Force. I let emotions fuel what I did. I came here thinking Luke would show me new things I could do, new abilities to learn, but what he did instead was show me how to employ the light side. I'm still doing the same things, but I have a new fuel source.Ф
УOne that runs a bit leaner, isn't as easily accessible .... У
УRight, but one that won't burn the engine out.Ф She graced me with an open, green-eyed gaze that surprised me with its vulnerability. УThe other day, when you were talking about the willingness to sacrifice yourself for others, you mentioned friends and those who could not take responsibility for them-selves. I started thinking about the Smugglers' Alliance. I've got a lot of things to think about.Ф
I nodded slowly. УAnd your little sojourn here was prompted, in part, by being uncomfortable with that responsibility.Ф УAnd here I thought all CorSec agents were not that bright.Ф
УWe have our moments.Ф
УUp to now I've been responsible for myself. I've been able to make decisions, but I've been comfortable with them on a tactical level. With Karrde putting me in charge of the alliance, 1 need to think more strategically. He's counting on me to do the right thing. More pressure. I can handle it-I refuse to fail him-but . . .Ф
УBut you aren't sure you're comfortable doing it.Ф I smiled. УI understand. This is why I am content to be a pilot in Rogue Squadron, not someone leading my own group of fighter pilots. I don't want to get so spread out that I can't make a difference when I need to.Ф
Mara's gaze sharpened. УI bet the smugglers working your sector of the Corellian system didn't like you at all.Ф УCan't understand why. Should I have had my sting opera-tions catered or something, I shook my head. УThey traded in rare commodities and I traded them the rarest of all for their wares: time.Ф
УYeah, on Kessel. Time goes a long way there.Ф
УAnd I didn't even charge extra for it.Ф I straightened up and offered her my hand. УI'm sorry to see you go. I thought be-tween us we could really kick some life into this place and help Luke move the students on to the next level of development. I hesitate to say it, but it's been fun working with you.Ф
Mara gave me one of her carefully hoarded smiles. УFor something that started off with our arguing and my ship getting stolen, the experience hasn't been as bad as I would have thought. Thanks for your help. If there is anything I can do for yOU . . .Ф
УActually there is.Ф I gave her a weak smile. УWith your con-tacts in the smuggling community, maybe you will hear some-thing about Mirax. I'd appreciate hearing anything. I'd owe you.Ф
УHow about a swap?Ф She hitched for a second, then glanced down at the floor. УWatch out for Luke for me, will you?Ф
УSure, gladly.Ф I frowned. УAnything specific? I know he won't like your leaving .... У
УThat, certainly.Ф Her voice shrank a bit. УHis involvement with the dark side. I know it functions as a spur to drive him on to teach his students, but I don't think he knows how much he was hurt by it. The experience had to be unbelievably traumatic and he's still healing. I don't fear a relapse, but maybe, I don't know.Ф
УHe might try to do too much, too fast?Ф
УThat would be like him.Ф
I nodded and wanted to kick myself for not having seen it sooner. For Luke, for anyone, the journey to the dark side and back would have been like being shot multiple times at point-blank range. Bacta therapy might heal the physical wounds, but the memories and nightmares resulting would take time to work out. While the Jedi calming techniques might get rid of the resulting anxiety, they just treated the symptoms without curing the underlying problems. Only time could heal them; time and the love and support of friends.
УI'11 watch him for you. Take care of yourself, okay?Ф
УWill do.Ф
УAnd if any of your smuggler pals manage to have some spare food-good food they need to offload somewhere, you know where we could use it.Ф
Mara shouldered her satchel and slipped past me. УYou've got it, CorSec. See you a couple parsecs down the line.Ф
After Luke saw her off, he took us listlessly through the morning's exercises. He clearly was trying to do his best with us, but his heart wasn't in it. I recognized in him the same sort of behavior leila had reported in me after my father's death. He was thinking too hard about what had happened and allowing himself to dwell in the past while the rest of the universe was sliding on into the future.
In my case, Iella and Gil Bastra had taken me to one of the seediest cantinas on Treasure Ship Row. The place called the Fcl Swoop was packed with a rough crowd of swoop-riders and speeder bike jockeys. After a lot of Corellian whiskey, they got me singing a little song about the lack of brains and intestinal fortitude of speeder bike enthusiasts. My singing voice, even at the best of times, would cause a riot in a receptive audience, and the resulting brawl kind of tore the place apart. Fact was, though, that the aches and pains and scars that resulted brought me back into the real world and anchored me there.
Unfortunately for me, we didn't have any cantina to hit, nor did we have any whiskey to drink. I felt a little physical activity would still be good for Luke and help ground him again, so I challenged him to a duel. Kam explained that there were things I needed to learn from a living foe and that he, Kam, did not have the control necessary to spar with me. It would be up to Luke to make sure I didn't hit him and he didn't hit me, caus-ing him to concentrate.
I lit my lightsaber, letting its snap-hiss fill the hangar. УFair question to ask, if I'm leaving or not. You've got ample reason to ask it. No, I'm not going anywhere unless, of course, this fight goes badly for one or the other of us.Ф
Luke's green blade sprang to life. УLet me see what you have learned.Ф
I closed with him and arced a cut in toward his left shoulder. }te came up and blocked it high left, picking it up in the outer ring of defense. I came down and around in a sweeping blow at his left leg, but he brought his lightsaber down and batted mine aside easily. The spark of light exploding from the contact of the two blades washed shadows across Luke's disinterested ex-pression.
About what I expected. Shifting my lightsaber to my right hand. I closed quickly and snapped the blade down in an over-hand cut. I picked up my speed on the cut, forcing Luke to block me in the middle ring. Continuing my forward move-ment, I pushed in with my right hand, then slid the lightsaber's hilt down. I hammered his breastbone with the lightsaber's hilt, then hooked my right leg behind Luke's right leg and dumped him to the ground.
I backed off as his blade's green light illuminated the surprise on his face. I let an edge drift into my voice. УIf you aren't going to respect me, at least respect what Karo has taught me.Ф
Luke slowly climbed back to his feet, but did so with his lightsaber always remaining between the two of us. I kept my blade angled across my body, with my hands held near my right hip and the blade's tip hovering near my left shoulder. I stamp-feinted with my right foot, as if I were beginning a charge, and Luke withdrew a half-step.
He's got to focus. I waited for him to set himself, then I came in on a circular approach that worked me toward his left. I slashed twice, crosswise, forehand and back, to keep him away from me, then drove straight toward him. I lunged with the blade. Luke's green lightsaber came around in a circular parry that carried my blade wide to my right.
His triumphant laugh died abruptly as my right foot kicked him in the gut. While he'd parried, I'd recovered from my lunge and kicked out straight into his midsection. He doubled over and fell back a couple of steps, his left hand rubbing his belly, but I gave him no chance to recover. I came on hard and fast, whipping my silver blade through an infinity loop, lashing out high and low.