Star Wars - The Crystal by Elaine Cunningham

Author:Elaine Cunningham [Cunningham, Elaine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2001-05-10T23:30:23+00:00

Jaina eased her Z-95 into the docking bay of Crystal Reef and powered down the systems. The battered ship sighed off - an oddly human sound that coaxed a chuckle from the young pilot. She didn’t need her newfound connection with the ship to recognize relief when she heard it.

A few new dents in the cockpit made it harder to open than Jaina expected. After a few attempts she shouldered it aside and rose stiffly from the seat.

The howl of an enraged Wookiee split the air. Chewbacca loped forward and plucked Jaina from the seat, holding her aloft and punctuating his scolding with an occasional teeth-rattling shake.

“I’m sorry you were worried, but I’m fine,” Jaina told him as soon as she could speak. “The ship took a few hits, though.”

As she’d expected, this captured Chewbacca’s attention. The Wookiee set her down and began to take stock of the damage. Jaina reached in the pocket of her flight suit for her favorite multitool and put it into Chewbacca’s outstretched hand.

“I’ll be back to help as soon as I can,” she said, turning her gaze to the small group of people that the long-legged Wookiee had outrun.

Chewie responded with a grumble. Jaina reached up to pat his shoulder, then strode forward to meet her family.

Her father was the first one to reach her. Relief and concern battled for supremacy on his face. “What happened to you? Problems with the hyperdrive?”

“Worked great,” she told him with a grin. “But I thought it was illegal to put a Class Two hyperdrive on a ship this size.”

Han glanced back to see if the others had heard. “Nice try, kid, but I’m not that easily distracted. Spill it.”

She linked her arm in his. “I had a little problem in sublight, but nothing your modifications couldn’t handle. But like you said, the rest of the flight was easy.”

Jaina glanced toward her brothers, who were marveling at the damage her ship had withstood. Her mother and uncle came up slowly, probably in deference to Mara Jade’s uncharacteristically slow pace.

Her aunt’s bright green eyes met hers. “I’m not surprised you’re late, seeing that you took off before giving your new ship a name. Hasn’t anyone ever told you that’s bad luck?”

“You already named her,” Jaina said.

Mara raised a quizzical brow, but the expression on her face suggested she had a good idea what was on the girl’s mind.

“You told me once that most ships were named after the pilot, one way or another.”

“I thought you’d see it that way,” Mara said. She reached into the pocket of her flight suit for a small metal disk. “It will take time to get exterior ID plates made up, but I made this for you on the flight over.”

Jaina took the disk and studied it for a long moment. A simple design had been etched into the metal: a multifaceted gem as well as the symbols for the word that defined how Jaina, as a pilot, would always think of herself:

Crystal.

She thanked Mara with a nod, then turned back to her father.

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