Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lost Stars (9 page)

For a moment, Ciena felt a twinge of jealousy. That was not at all how she wanted to feel when it came to Thane—and yet it burned within her, an ember that refused to go dark.

But Kendy was already moving on. “So, what are we going to do with
our free day?”

“Personally, I don’t care,” Ciena said, “as long as it involves eating
real food
.”

On Imperial ships, officers were encouraged to drink nutritive beverages instead of consuming food; it was more efficient in terms of both ship resources and officer time, and the medics
insisted the nutritives were healthier, too. They didn’t taste bad—but they definitely didn’t taste
good
. The academy mess served the nutritives, and like most students,
Ciena had dutifully started getting used to them. But as long as she could enjoy some real, true, delicious food without guilt, she intended to indulge.

“I believe we will be able to find acceptable meals at virtually any potential destination,” Jude said, then hesitated before making her suggestion. “Would anyone else
be
interested in visiting the Museum of Multispecies Sciences?”

Kendy groaned, but Ciena shot her a look. Their third roommate was soft-spoken, patient, and accommodating; she deserved to get her way once in a while. “Maybe we could go to the museum
first thing in the morning. But in the afternoon, I’d rather do something less”—
completely boring?
—“cerebral. We study so hard here already,
you know? I’d
like to try something like, maybe, sea diving.”

“Diving.
Yes.
” Immediately, Kendy became excited. As a native of the tropical world of Iloh, she’d begun swimming even before she could walk. “I can’t
believe it’s been six months since I’ve been in the water! And no, Jude, swimming laps in the wave pool doesn’t count.”

Jude didn’t respond to that as they stepped into the
lift. Already she was deep in thought. “Diving would be a fascinating challenge. Bespin is a gas giant, which means we have no
oceans or lakes. Swimming pools are rare luxuries. Therefore my experience in the water is limited. The chance to expand my skills and observe marine life would be extremely pleasant.”

As the lift settled onto their floor, Ciena had to shake her head and smile. “Everything’s
a science project to you, Jude.”

“Science is the study of the entire material universe. Therefore everything
is
science—whether you see it or not.” Only the faintest smile on Jude’s thin lips
revealed that she was teasing them back.

Ciena didn’t mention what they might do that night. Inside she hoped they’d be celebrating her finishing the term as number one in the class, but even saying
that out loud sounded
prideful. The only other possible candidate for number one was of course Thane—and if he won, she thought she could be happy for him.

Maybe celebrate with him, toasting his success. She’d rather he toasted hers instead, but…

“Ciena?” Kendy shot her a look as they walked toward their room. “Your brain was in orbit for a second there.”

“Sorry. I think my head’s
still scrambled from that time you flipped me.” Ciena began untying the belt of her martial arts gear as the door swished open for them. “Think
you could show me how that’s done?”

“No way,” Kendy said with a laugh. “It’s one of the only things I’m better at than you.”

Next morning came the inspection of the laser cannons.

Ciena stood at attention before her cannon, which she’d assembled
to perfection. She’d made a point of using the most ungainly salvage parts possible so the instructors would see
that she could build one under even the most unfavorable conditions. Her gut told her Thane might not push as hard to make his own task more difficult. If she could gain an edge anywhere, that was
it.

Commander Harn walked along the rows of laser cannons, each one matched with
a cadet at full attention. Although the repair bay was by its nature a place to work hard and get dirty, the gray
rubberized floor and walls remained unstained by grease or scorch marks. Imperial discipline demanded perfect cleanliness, the erasure of every task as soon as it was done. Only Cadet
Windrider’s cannon displayed any smudges whatsoever—as usual.

Harn nodded approval as Kendy’s
cannon powered up. He opened her control panel, then nodded in satisfaction at her choices of new parts. He didn’t smile, though, not then or during
the next several inspections—though he did murmur, “Innovative,” when he looked over Ved’s work. That made Ved smile so smugly that Ciena wanted to groan.

She awaited her turn, started her engine, and watched as Harn checked the efficiency ratings
and overall power. Although he did not speak, his eyes met hers as if he were assessing her
anew—and well. She’d impressed him. Somehow she managed to keep a straight face, even when Kendy mouthed,
Way to go,
over the commander’s shoulder.

When Harn looked over Thane’s cannon and reached for the starter, Ciena held her breath—

—but the laser cannon didn’t power up.

At all.

The
color drained from Thane’s face. Ciena didn’t feel so good herself. She’d wanted to beat him but not to see him fail completely.

How is that even possible?
she thought, gripping her hands together more tightly behind her back.
Thane’s not an instinctive mechanic, but he works hard and he’s thorough,
and he would have checked his cannon dozens of times. This can’t be happening.

“This
is unlike you, Kyrell,” said Harn as he made a notation on the tablet he carried in one hand. “Let’s see where you went wrong.”

Harn flipped open the control panel of Thane’s laser cannon, then froze, his sharp features hardening into a look of displeasure, even anger.

Whatever it was, Thane saw it, too, and it made him swear out loud—right there, standing at attention, a commander right
in front of him. A few people gasped.

But Harn didn’t reprimand Thane. Instead, with a gesture, Harn released everyone from attention. Cadets crowded close, blocking Ciena’s view at first, but she pushed through until
she could see inside the open panel of Thane’s cannon and realized just why everyone had begun muttering and looking around suspiciously.

The wires inside had been cut.
Straight, clean—the marks made it clear that this wasn’t bad wiring or an accident. Someone had done it on purpose.

Sabotage.
Academy competition could be cutthroat, but up until then everyone had apparently played fair. A chill ran along Ciena’s spine at the thought of it. How could anyone, much
less an Imperial cadet, be so devoid of honor? She was nearly as offended at the thought as
she was sorry for Thane.

“We’ll solve this quickly enough,” Harn promised, his voice sharp and cold as an ice pick. “Whoever thought to improve class rankings through such a stunt will have cause
for regret.” He strode toward the main door panel, pressed his hand to it, and said, “How many cadets had access to this room, alone, between Cadet Kyrell’s last visit and this
inspection?”

The flat monotone of a synthesized voice replied, “One.”

“And who was that?” Harn barked.

“L-P-eight-eight-eight.”

Ciena had misheard the computer. She had to have.

But then the computer continued, finishing its answer: “Cadet Ciena Ree.”

“I would never do such a thing,” Ciena swore in Commandant Deenlark’s office, as she stood at attention before his long obsidian desk. “Not
to anyone,
but especially not to Thane.”

“And why not? He was your only competition for the top rank in the class, yes?”

“But—he’s my friend.”

“Friendship rarely endures ambition.”

Ciena’s stomach churned so violently she had to fight not to be sick on the floor. This nightmare had swallowed her whole. Not only had she seen Thane’s shocked look of dismay, not
only had the entire
class glared at her as she was hastily marched out of the repair bay, but also—and worst of all—her honor was in tatters, and she didn’t know whether she could
salvage it.

What happens if I’m thrown out of the academy?
Her thoughts raced wildly while she maintained her rigid posture and best attempt at outward composure.
I’ll never become an
Imperial officer. Maybe I could still get work
as a pilot, but I couldn’t return home to Jelucan, not ever. My parents couldn’t even allow me in the house without the rest of the
kindred shunning us.

No. She couldn’t put her mother and father through that. If she were expelled, Ciena would have to travel to some completely unknown planet and start over, completely alone.

The doors of Deenlark’s office slid open, and the commandant
barked, “We’re still dealing with this situation.”

“Sir. Yes, sir.” Harn quickly stood at attention. “But another cadet has stepped forward with critical information.”

The mixture of terror and hope flooding through her made Ciena unable to speak, even when Jude walked through the door, a tablet in her hands. Once Commandant Deenlark motioned impatiently for
Jude to begin, she spoke
as calmly and evenly as if she were reading a list of machine parts. “Sir. Cadet Jude Edivon of Bespin, T-I-eight-zero-three, reporting in. A thorough review of the
data reveals that at the time Cadet Ree supposedly entered the repair bay to tamper with Cadet Kyrell’s ship, she was in fact with me and her other roommate, Cadet Idele, in our bunk.
I’ve pulled up data logs that show her leaving
the martial arts arena, entering the lift, and coming into our room, and there is no correlating record of her departure.”

Ciena felt almost faint with relief, but Deenlark continued to frown. “Data logs can themselves be tampered with, Cadet Edivon.”

Jude nodded. “It is my belief that someone not only sabotaged Cadet Kyrell’s ship but also the repair bay computer, in order to make it
look as though Cadet Ree was the one
responsible. In short, sir, I believe she was framed.”

“Your beliefs are meaningless without evidence, Cadet Edivon,” said the commandant. Ciena didn’t dare hope that Jude and Kendy’s testimony on its own could clear her. If
so, wouldn’t he have said so already?

“Sir—I hesitate to name the person who seems to be responsible for this sabotage, because
while the data is clear, it is not absolute proof.” Jude’s fingers tightened
around the tablet, as if she were afraid the information would be snatched from her.

Why are you holding back?
Ciena wanted to shout.
Who did this to me?

Commandant Deenlark stood up, and he was tall enough to tower over even the willowy Jude. “Report your findings.”

Jude gave Ciena an apologetic glance.
“Sir, it appears that the person responsible for framing Cadet Ree was…Cadet Thane Kyrell himself.”

No.
Ciena refused to believe that. There had to be another answer; Jude must have misunderstood the data.

But nobody was better at getting into the inner workings of computers than Jude. Thane was the only other competitor for the top slot, and mechanical repair was one of his main weaknesses.
If he
hadn’t done well on the project and had feared he would fail—he could have cut the wires of his own machine to disguise his inability to repair it. By framing Ciena for the sabotage, he
would not only avoid being marked down for failing the project but also drag her down so far she’d never be number one in the class.

This isn’t as simple as class rank, though. This could get me expelled!
Thane wouldn’t do that to me, not ever.

And yet Jude stood there with the proof glowing on the datapad in her hands.

“W
HAT DID THE commandant say?” Nash asked Thane.

“Just to come to the office.” Thane resealed his uniform jacket, making himself ready for the meeting.

“Do you think he’ll offer you another chance at the laser cannon?” Ved lay back on his bunk, hardly even pretending to be concerned about what happened to Thane’s class
rank.

At the moment, Thane cared about his rank even less than Ved did. “I think he’s going to tell me what really happened.”

Nash raised an eyebrow. “You still think Ciena didn’t screw with your engine? Even though
there’s proof?”

“It’s not like her,” Thane said shortly as he walked toward the door.

He wasn’t 100 percent sure Ciena was innocent—the data had pointed to her, and Thane had to admit data within the academy computers was difficult to falsify. However, he felt at
least 95 percent sure. Not only did Thane trust her, he understood what kind of person she was and where she came from. Sure,
plenty of academy cadets would cheat to get ahead. But Ciena, a girl of
the Jelucani valleys—she would die before doing anything dishonorable. Surely she would never betray anyone, much less him. They meant too much to each other for that.

Still, he felt that five percent uncertainty, and he’d never doubted Ciena before, even for a second.

When Thane walked into Commandant Deenlark’s
office, he was surprised to see Ciena standing there at full attention. At first he was glad—
good, we can smooth this over and move
on
—and then he realized that she refused to meet his eyes. Was that out of discipline or guilt?