Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Lost Stars Read Online Free

her borrow it, she could still get to the hangar in time.
    Her father saw her haste and pressed his lips together in a thin line that threatened to become a frown. “Flying again today?”
    “Pappa, please.How else am I supposed to get into one of the Imperial academies?”
    “You should practice, and often. Nothing would make your mother and me prouder than to see you become an Imperial officer.” Paron Ree paused. A few birds flew overhead, screeching
their usual calls; Ciena watched them fly, because whenever her father brought up this next subject, she found it hard even to look at him. Sureenough, he continued, “We only wish you would
practice more at the new simulators in Valentia, instead of spending all your time with that boy.”
    “Thane’s my
friend
.” She stressed the last word.
    “We shouldn’t take anything from second-wavers. We should rise by our own power, not because of their gifts.”
    Sometimes Ciena flew into a rage at this point in the fight—but if she did thattoday, she definitely wouldn’t get to fly. So she took a deep breath before she continued: “I
help Thane as much as he helps me. We work
together
. Neither of us owes the other anything, and he remembers that as well as I do.”
    Her father sighed. “His kind have short memories. But go. Take the ridgecrawler; I’ll ride the muunyak home. Your mother and I will be back later, and you will havefinished your
lessons and cleaned the kitchen top to bottom.”
    “Yes, sir.” Her spirits lifted. She’d fly today after all.
    “Become a better pilot than this Kyrell boy,” said her father, as he straightened his robe and began to walk inside the Nierre home. “If there’s only one slot for a
Jelucani cadet, I want it to be yours.”
    Ciena laughed. “We’re
both
going. The Imperial Starfleetwon’t be able to do without us!”
    Even Pappa had to smile.
    Thane wondered if he could manage to jar loose the restraining bolt on the CZ-1 tutor droid. If so, then the droid would let him go even if he hadn’t completed his stupid
mathematics test.
    “Your concentration is faltering,” said CZ-1. “This is not conducive to optimal performance.”
    Thane pointed to the nearest chrono.“I’m late for flying practice.”
    “You must complete your lessons in order to master the subject. How else will you gain admission to an Imperial academy? Your parents’ fondest hope is that you will follow in
Dalven’s footsteps.”
    Sometimes Thane believed CZ-1 was slier than a droid ought to be. Nothing made Thane fume like the knowledge that Dalven had, somehow, managed to get into oneof the academies—one of the
lesser ones, but still. Thane suspected his father might have bribed the local recruiter to admit his elder son to bolster the family pride. But Oris Kyrell wouldn’t exert himself like that
for Thane, who would have to get into the academy on his own.
    So he thought fast. “I won’t gain admission to an Imperial academy if I can’t fly well,” Thane pointed out.“And how can I fly well if I don’t
practice?”
    “Your family has its own hangar and aircraft. Therefore you can practice at any time.”
    With his best smile, Thane said, “But we also have you, CZ-1. That means I can take math lessons at any time, too. I can only fly with a partner when Ciena’s free, and she’s
coming today, so doesn’t it make sense for me to prioritize flight time?”
    CZ-1 cocked his head, and Thane heard the faint whirring that meant the droid was thinking hard.
    Very casually, Thane said, “You know, when I get back, I really ought to give you a lubrication bath. A nice long soak. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
    A few more moments of silence followed before CZ-1 said, “Now that you mention it, my couplings
have
been stiff lately.”
    With a grin, Thanesnapped off the mathematics holo and grabbed his flight jacket. “I’ll be home before my parents get back from that stupid banquet. Okay?”
    “And mathematics