New Jedi Order Force Heretic I Remnant

PART TWO DESTINATION

The moment Jade Shadow dropped out of hyperspace near Bastion, capital of.
the Imperial Remnant, Saba Sebatyne knew something was wrong. Her mind.
rang with the distinctive and unsettling harmonics of life extinguished in great.
amounts. But it was more than that—this was the absence of life itself, as though.
chunks of the vital universe had been hollowed out, deeper than vacuum.
She roared at the same time Mara announced: "Yuuzhan Vong!".
"Where?" Luke asked from the copilot's seat.
"Everywhere!" Mara's hands played across the controls. "Hold on, everybody.
This could get rough!".
The ship lurched violently. Saba didn't need viewscreens to tell her that.
they'd been seen by the enemy. The empty points that were the Yuuzhan Vong.
and their strange, living vessels spun around her like pollen in a miniature.
hurricane. Jade Shadow danced among them, weaving in and out of.
confrontations, desperately trying to shake off any enemy craft they picked up.
on their trail. The ship rang with the sound of weapons fire, both incoming and.
outgoing.
Saba's blunted claws left great dents in the fabric of the navigator's chair she.
occupied. She wasn't aware of the low rumbling coming from her throat until.
Jacen Solo braved the shaking deck to come and crouch down next to her.
"Do you feel it, Saba?" he asked. "Can you tell through the Force what's.
going on?".
"I feel ..." Her teeth clenched tight as another wave of death rolled over her.
Bastion was being pummeled by the Yuuzhan Vong; lives were being.
extinguished by the millions. She didn't have words.
"I'm sensing life here," Jacen said, "but in great disarray.".
Saba agreed. She could sense the life energies scattered around the system:.
some on the planet, panicked, trying to escape the invaders; some in orbit,.
pulling back before an overwhelming invasion; and several other clusters.
throughout the system where forces were attempting to regroup. They were.
outnumbered by the Yuuzhan Vong, but they were there.
"I can make out at least fifteen capital ships!" Mara shouted from her position.
at the controls. "Big ones, too!" She shook her head in frustration. "Bastion is.
going to take a pummeling, no matter what we do.".
"It looks to me like they're pulling out," Luke said.
"Falling back to regroup elsewhere. Look." One figure stabbed at a screen.
"They're civilian ships. They've evacuated Bastion.".
There was a moment of tense silence as the significance of that statement sunk.
in. To evacuate Bastion, the Empire must have been hit hard. But it wasn't.
finished. As galling as a retreat was, sometimes it made the best tactical sense.
The ships flooding in waves from Bastion were getting out under cover of the.
planetary shields. It looked like they would hold long enough to save much of.
the population. If the population had stayed put, however, the concentrated fire.
of the Yuuzhan Vong would have eventually overwhelmed them.
That portion of the battle was already decided. Saba sent her mind out across.
the system, to where life-lights clustered in smaller groups. The largest, she.
guessed, contained the equivalent of two Star Destroyers as well as a number of.
support vessels. They were swinging around the back of a gas giant, caught in its.
gravity shadow and harried by a powerful enemy contingent.
Saba focused on the viewscreens before her, trying to match what she'd seen.
against the coordinates in the real world. Jade Shadow was too small to affect.
what happened on Bastion, but it might make a difference in a smaller arena.
"There," she growled, pointing with a thick finger.
"That section there. But you must be quick. They're in trouble.".
Jacen stood and stepped over to his aunt to relay the information. Saba shut.
her eyes as Jade Shadow leapt forward, ducking and weaving. Mara made a.
short hyperspace jump to take it closer to the gas giant, and for one brief and.
blessed moment there was nothing but silence.
Just another planet attacked by the Yuuzhan Vong, she told herself. Hunt the.
moment.
A small, furred hand grabbed Saba's scaly wrist. Opening her eyes again, she.
saw that Tekli now occupied the space that Jacen had just vacated. The.
diminutive Chadra-Fan emitted a wave of pheromones that Saba found soothing.
She knew that the healer's apprentice had learned how to control her chemical.
scents to produce compounds with properties therapeutic to various species, but.
she hadn't realized that the Barabels were included among those.
Although it might once have seemed strange to her to be comforted by a.
creature that looked more like a meal than an equal, she sighed gratefully,.
allowing herself to relax and be taken by the peaceful scent. A moment later, all.
too soon, it was back to the fighting.
The screen was filled with a bloated, orange-yellow gas giant. Numerous rings.
and moons crowded around it, as if for safety; many already showed signs of.
disruption as warring fleets plowed past or sometimes even directly into them.
Far below, through the dense atmosphere, Saba felt alarm spreading through a.
colony of balloonlike life-forms; similar to the giant beldons of Bespin, they.
were too primitive to understand the meaning of the disturbances taking place in.
the sky.
Jade Shadow came around the planet as though intending to ram the remains.
of the Imperial fleet, trailing two determined coralskippers. As Mara neared the.
two Star Destroyers that Saba had sensed, she performed a deft gravitational.
whip around one of the gas giant's larger moons. The coralskippers followed,.
tugging at Jade Shadow's shields with their dovin basals. Plasma fire peppered.
at their rear until, when Jade Shadow's vector had matched that of the Imperial.
fleet and it was in full view of the Star Destroyers, Mara stutterfired to distract.
them, then used the Force to drop two shadow bombs under their guard. The.
coralskippers blossomed into energy. Once the afterwash of the explosion had.
passed, Jade Shadow slowed and leveled out.
"This is Mara Jade Skywalker, captain of the Galactic Alliance transport Jade.
Shadow, hailing Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera. Are you receiving me,.
Chimaera?".
The subspace receiver crackled before a reply came in:.
"You're a long way from home, Captain Skywalker.".
"Just thought we'd drop in to see how you guys were doing," she said.
sardonically. "And from the looks of things, I'm guessing not so good.".
"Your timing could be better." The comm operator sounded weary. "I don't.
suppose you've brought a fleet with you.".
"I'm afraid not, Chimaera, but you could do worse than concentrating your.
fire on that cruiser lurking at the back. It's holding a yammosk. Take it out, and.
you might find your luck changing.".
"A yammosk?... How could you possibly know that?".
"Ask questions later, when you know I'm right.".
"Understood, Captain Skywalker. Passing on the information now.".
"Before you do that, I need to speak to Grand Admiral Pellaeon.".
"Patching you through to the bridge now, Captain Skywalker.".
The line went dead and, barely seconds later, a squadron of TIE fighters left.
the launching bays of Chimaera, angling away from the gas giant below to target.
the yammosk-bearing cruiser. Although the Yuuzhan Vong had eased off their.
attack for the moment, it was obvious that prior to Jade Shadow's arrival the.
fighting had been intense. Both Star Destroyers were scarred from weapons fire;.
black gashes had been torn through Chimaera's underside, exposing a large.
number of decks to naked space. Saba could feel its crew fighting to stay alive,.
along with the fading traces of those who had failed. She couldn't tell exactly.
how many were injured or dying, only that there were many.
"If you've come to say I told you so, Skywalker, then I'm not interested," the.
Grand Admiral announced curtly.
"This isn't the time for—".
"I'm not known for gloating, Gilad," Luke said, leaning past Mara to speak.
into the comm. "No more than you are for giving up.".
"Both Skywalkers? To what do we owe this honor?".
"Call it destiny, or good luck. Either way, your forces are taking a pounding.
Can you tell us what went wrong? Considering the size of your home fleet, I.
would have thought you'd be able to hold your own.".
"They took us by surprise," the Grand Admiral said irritably. "We were.
holding our own to begin with. Then the Vong pulled back. We thought we had.
them on the run, but they were just getting out of the way.".
Mara nodded in understanding. "Grutchins?".
"Thousands of them," the admiral said. "Once they'd punched a hole in our.
defenses, the Yuuzhan Vong came back into the fray. We've been on the back.
foot ever since.".
Saba hissed at the mention of the hideous, insectoid creatures. Swarms of.
grutchins had laid waste to too many defenses during the war with the Yuuzhan.
Vong for her to doubt that the same had happened here.
"Admiral," Master Skywalker said, "the offer to join forces is still open.".
"Your sister was up here a while back, trying to sell us on that idea. I thought.
the Moffs made it quite clear then that your help wasn't required.".
"And where are the Moffs now, Gilad?".
Saba noticed Pellaeon's hesitation. He may have been a commander with.
pride, but he was also smart enough to acknowledge when he needed help, no.
matter how much it hurt to do so.
"Okay, Skywalker," the Grand Admiral said after a moment. "We'll discuss.
this later, if there is a later. I understand you've given us some telemetry that.
might shift the balance here. If that works, we'll regroup with the rest of the fleet.
at Yaga Minor. Civilian refugees are heading for Muunilinst, but we suspect the.
Vong will follow our forces, to keep us off balance. If you beat us there, look for.
Captain Arien Yage of the frigate Widowmaker. She used to serve with me on.
the Chimaera; if she survived Bastion, she'll listen to you.".
"Understood." Mara and Luke exchanged glances. "Good luck.".
The Grand Admiral closed the line. For a moment, no one on Jade Shadow.
spoke. It was Jacen who finally stated the obvious.
"It had to happen," he said. "We knew it was inevitable, even if they didn't.
want to admit it.".
"That doesn't make it any easier to watch." Luke's voice was slightly.
reproving. His eyes were haunted by the deaths everyone was feeling.
"I wish there was something we could do," Tekli muttered.
"Unless it's likely to create a fleet out of thin air, you're better off not.
wishing," Mara said, glancing back at her briefly. "They had their chance to join.
with us, and they didn't take it. I'll bet the Yuuzhan Vong left them alone,.
knowing the Imperials would never join in—not until provoked, anyway. When.
their spies said they'd had just enough time to get over Ithor, to relax the.
defenses, the Vong hit them with everything they could spare. It's what I would.
have done in their shoes. Flatten the Empire with whatever resources they can.
get, this far out, and get rid of a niggling irritant. Then put those resources back.
into the real battle, elsewhere. Do it quickly enough and those forces won't be.
missed.".
"If the Empire survives, it may prove to be more than just an irritant," Luke.
said. He backed away to give his wife clear access to the controls. "What's the.
name of that other Star Destroyer? Do you recognize it?".
"It's pretty banged up, but I think it's the Superior.".
"The Yuuzhan Vong aren't going to let them wander around here forever.".
"Your guess at how much longer they can last is as good as mine, Luke.
Pellaeon can probably handle this lot, if they take out the yammosk, but anything.
tougher will turn him into metal rain for that moon over there.".
"And us with him, if we stick around." Master Skywalker was clearly.
unhappy about the decision he was being forced to make. On the one hand, Saba.
guessed, he wanted to stay and add the Jade Shadow to the Imperial forces.
withdrawing from Bastion. On the other, he had the mission itself to think of: the.
hunt for Zonama Sekot. Being destroyed wouldn't solve anything.
Her claws itched at the thought of running from battle, at leaving another.
planet to the nonexistent mercy of the Yuuzhan Vong. But harsh though it.
sounded, it seemed that leaving Bastion in favor of the mission did make the.
most sense.
"We'll meet them at Yaga Minor," Master Luke said, sighing heavily.
"The old stomping ground.".
"Can you get us safely out of the giant's gravity well?".
Mara responded unhesitatingly. "Of course. I can outfly the scarheads with.
my eyes closed.".
"Then do it," her husband said.
"Better strap in. This isn't going to be the gentle scenic stroll we were.
promised.".
Saba left them to handle Jade Shadow and strapped herself into a seat in the.
passenger bay. Danni Quee, who had sat pale-faced and silent through the entire.
encounter, remained in position to Saba's right, next to Jacen Solo and Tekli.
This was a familiar configuration. They had spent much of their voyage in.
readiness for mishap, despite Mara's words. Every time they had come out of.
hyperspace—and even during longer jumps, for the Yuuzhan Vong interdictor.
ships were an ever-present concern—they had been safely strapped in, just in.
case.
Now that "in case" had happened, Saba found the familiarity soothing. The.
hunt had begun. All that remained was to see if the prey perished, or if the hunter.
went hungry. The matter of who out of the Yuuzhan Vong and the Empire was.
the hunter, and who was the prey, she hadn't decided yet. But even from what.
little she had experienced of Grand Admiral Pellaeon, she already knew that he.
was not the sort to be readily preyed upon. He would have surprised many.
would-be hunters by turning on them at the last moment and showing.
unsuspected teeth. Perhaps this time would be another.
The niggling thought that even the sharpest teeth could be blunted with time.
followed her as Jade Shadow raced through hyperspace to the rendezvous point.
Jacen took the navigator's seat in Jade Shadow's cockpit when they emerged.
from hyperspace a discreet distance from Yaga Minor. The planet was known.
for shipyards that serviced the Imperial Remnant, and via the screens he looked.
on, impressed, at the vast orbital frameworks that dwarfed Yaga Minor's single,.
small moon. Everything from microwelders to self-contained ore smelters was.
being used to create ships for the ever-growing fleet. Two half-completed Star.
Destroyers hung in the spindly embrace of one of the shipyards; the others were.
in the process of building various freighters, frigates, tugs, and TIE fighters. An.
engine-testing range near one of the yards flashed every color of the rainbow—.
and beyond—as vessels ran through their paces before being released into.
service.
When Jade Shadow arrived, the remains of the fleet stationed around the.
Imperial capital and its neighbor, Muunilinst, were slowly coming into orbit.
around Yaga Minor—disheartened by the retreat but determined to fight back.
The first of the survivors docked their ships alongside the Golan III Defense.
Platforms orbiting the planet, while those needing repairs headed for the yards. It.
wasn't long, though, before the available berths were full. Yaga Minor wasn't.
designed to accommodate the entire fleet at once, not even one reduced by the.
surprise attack on Bastion.
Jade Shadow's long-range sensors detected three Star Destroyers arriving.
from Bastion, neither of them Chimaera or Superior. Jacen waited anxiously for.
any sign of Gilad Pellaeon. If the Grand Admiral didn't survive the battle of.
Bastion, Jacen didn't fancy their chances of bringing around the Imperials.
Pellaeon had so often been the voice of reason in the proud isolationist state. If.
anyone was going to convince the Moffs to join the Galactic Alliance, it was.
going to have to be him.
"How long do we wait for him to appear?" Danni asked Jacen quietly from.
behind, not wanting to startle him. She still looked nervous. Their escape from.
Bastion had been much narrower than Mara had let on, he knew, and Danni was.
Force-sensitive enough to have guessed it. Indeed, their trip thus far, from Mon.
Calamari across Yuuzhan Vong-occupied territory, had been enough to put.
anyone on edge. Once he would have felt safe upon reaching the Imperial.
Remnant, but the attack on Bastion had dispelled that comfort.
"To be honest," he said, "I don't know. What I do know, though, is that Gilad.
Pellaeon is a survivor. If he can get out of there, he will.".
Proximity alarms bleeped and Jacen turned his attention to his aunt's voice as.
she explained who they were to a squadron of TIE fighters that had noticed Jade.
Shadow lurking in the planet's outer orbits. But there was none of the usual.
Imperial hostility in the squadron leader's voice, as he was expecting. If.
anything, the pilot seemed relieved that Jade Shadow wasn't an advance vessel.
from the Yuuzhan Vong, scoping out Yaga Minor for the next wave.
My enemy's enemy is my friend, Jacen reminded himself. If Gilad Pellaeon.
didn't make it, then at least they would have that going in their favor.
His relief was short-lived, however, when another call came over the subspace.
band.
"Unauthorized vehicle identifying itself as Jade Shadow," said the deep,.
guttural voice through the comm unit. In his voice Jacen detected nothing but.
officiousness. "Please respond.".
"This is Jade Shadow," Mara replied. "What is it now?".
"You are required to state your intentions and prepare to be boarded.".
"What? We're on a peaceful mission.".
"That remains to be seen," the voice continued. "Do as you're told.
immediately or your engines will be disabled.".
"I'd like to see you try," Mara snarled. "Who am I talking to? Which idiot.
sent you?".
"I am Commander Keten and I represent Moff Flennic of Yaga Minor. You.
are violating Imperial space and will be fired upon if you do not obey its.
regulations.".
Now this was more what Jacen had come to expect of the Imperials. He.
moved back through to the cockpit to find Luke and Mara conferring over how.
to respond to the commander's demands. Through the massive transparisteel.
canopy, Jacen saw an armed Imperial transport moving to match orbits,.
accompanied by a dozen TIE fighters.
"What do you want to do?" Luke was saying.
Mara looked uncertain. "I don't know. I need time to think.".
"Time we don't have, my love," Luke said.
"I don't see what the problem is," Jacen put in. "Why not just let them board?
It's not as though we have anything to hide.".
Luke nodded. "He's right, Mara. And it will be a gesture of goodwill,.
besides.".
Jacen felt warmed by his uncle's support. Mara, however, was not as.
convinced. She shook her head, rejecting the idea.
"I know Flennic's type," she said. "He'll have a chip on his shoulder bigger.
than a Super Star Destroyer. Let him get ahold of us and we'll end up in some.
shipyard sweatshop for the rest of our lives.".
"Which might not be that long if the Yuuzhan Vong keep coming this way,".
Luke returned wryly.
"Please respond immediately," the commander said shortly. "Or we will be.
forced to take action.".
A smile touched Mara's lips as an idea sprang to mind. "With the Jedi we.
have on board, all we have to do is get Keten here and we can make the problem.
go away.".
Into the comm unit, she said: "We see your point, Commander. Our passenger.
space is limited, but we'd be pleased to welcome you aboard. When you see for.
your own eyes that—".
Keten cut her off with a chuckle. "You don't honestly think that I'd be the one.
coming aboard, do you? I'd sooner stick my head in a drive tube than take my.
chances with your Jedi mind tricks. No, the boarding party will consist solely of.
Mark Five security droids.".
Mara cursed under her breath. "Well, there goes that idea.".
"You can hardly blame him for being suspicious," Jacen said. "You were.
intending to use those Jedi mind tricks, after all.".
His uncle sighed. "Well, we can't very well turn him down now," he said.
"Not after agreeing to be boarded.".
The communicator bleeped. Another transport was edging closer.
"This is Captain Yage of Widowmaker," a woman's voice said over the.
comm. "Commander Keten, you may stand down. I shall be boarding this vessel.
myself, seeing as you will not.".
"But Captain—" Keten started.
Yage cut him off sharply. "May I remind you, Commander, that right here and.
now I outrank you," she said. "I am ordering you to stand down, and I expect.
you to comply without debate.".
There was a long pause before Keten finally came back with, "I shall submit.
to your authority, Captain, but I would like it to go on record that I do so under.
protest.".
"Duly noted, Commander," Yage said. "Yage out.".
The armed transport and its contingent of fighters accelerated to a lower orbit,.
leaving Jade Shadow to face the new arrival.
"Requesting permission to dock, Jade Shadow," Captain Yage said over the.
comm.
"The same Captain Yage Pellaeon told us to look out for," Luke reminded.
Mara.
"That's not the highest recommendation," Mara said, "but it will have to do.".
Speaking into the communicator, she said: "Feel free to match velocities and.
extend your umbilical, Captain. Welcome aboard.".
Jacen went back through the ship to ready the air lock. Jade Shadow was.
relatively cramped, given the extra equipment she had been fitted with along.
with the supplies required for their extended mission. There were five.
staterooms, a passenger bay, a galley, and a common area leading off a central,.
looping corridor. The bridge and common room were the diamonds in the.
corridor's ring. The main air lock hatch with its dummy door was located on the.
port side.
As he passed through the passenger bay, he was met by Danni coming the.
other way.
"Is everything okay?" she asked quickly as he passed.
"Better than it could have been," he said. "I'm just going to greet the locals.
now.".
He hesitated at the entrance to the main corridor, looking back at the scientist.
So far throughout the trip, Danni hadn't really had a chance to contribute in any.
way. He couldn't blame her for looking and sounding so anxious.
"I don't suppose you'd like to join me, would you?" he asked.
Her worried expression dissolved into a grateful smile as she followed him out.
of the passenger bay, obviously pleased to be finally doing something. When.
they reached the air lock, Jacen double-checked that his lightsaber was at his.
side, just in case this Captain Yage was not as reliable as Pellaeon had suggested.
she would be. From the corner of his eye he caught Danni watching him. He.
faced her fully when he saw the apprehension on her face.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
She shook her head. "Why do I keep allowing myself to get talked into these.
things, Jacen?".
He frowned, confused. "I didn't think I talked you into anything," he said. "I.
just thought you might like to come along and greet—".
"No, not here!" she said. "Here—on this mission.".
Jacen nodded, understanding the core of her reservations. "The locals can't be.
that bad, can they?" He tried to ease her concerns with a smile.
She shrugged. "I've never actually met Imperials before. But I do remember.
the stories my parents used to tell me." She paused, her eyes flitting nervously.
from the air lock to Jacen. "They can't all be monsters, can they?".
"No. They're human, Danni, just like us." He leaned against the bulkhead next.
to her, enjoying the momentary quiet the two of them had been granted. "You.
know, I wonder sometimes what it'll be like when the war is over. What do you.
suppose we'll do when we're not being asked to do stuff like this?".
"We'll go back to doing whatever it was we did before all of this started, I.
guess," she said.
He laughed a little at this. "It's been so long now that those days before the.
Yuuzhan Vong arrived are starting to blur. It gets harder and harder each day to.
recall just what it was like back then.".
"Maybe that's a good thing," she said. "A break with the past. If we can get.
the Empire to join up, that'll make the Galactic Alliance something truly new.
Who knows? We might just find galactic unity yet.".
"That's all well and good," he said, "but I wonder about the small things, too.
What I'll do, not just what happens to the galaxy.".
"You'll do what Jedi Knights seem to do best," she said. He studied her for a.
second. "Which is?".
"Get into trouble, of course," she said. Despite her nervousness, she forced a.
smile.
He smiled in return, glad that her mood had lightened. "I'd just as happily.
settle for a quiet life somewhere. There's a lot left to think about. A lifetime or.
two's worth, in fact.".
"It could get lonely.".
"It could indeed." He thought it nothing more than a flip comment until his.
gaze met hers. Suddenly he found it hard to look away.
"Jacen?" Mara's voice from his comlink snapped him out of it.
"Yeah," he said, straightening. "I'm here.".
"Ten seconds," she said. "I'll disarm the outer hatch when the umbilical is.
pressurized.".
A moment later a dull thud echoed through the hull as the Imperial transport.
sealed an umbilical to attach the two craft. Pressure readings on the far side of.
the air lock rose steadily once the noise died away. Less than a minute later,.
Jacen heard a gentle hiss as the air lock broke its seal and swung open.
He glanced at Danni. Her face was set in a determined mask, with no sign of.
the vulnerability he had sensed a moment before. But she tensed noticeably as.
three people in Imperial uniform stepped through the air lock. The one in the.
lead, a solidly built woman in her forties with black hair bound tightly into a.
bun, Jacen assumed to be Captain Yage, with the two male officers following.
close behind, their blaster rifles at the ready, her bodyguards.
"Welcome aboard Jade Shadow," Jacen said pleasantly, stepping forward. He.
introduced himself and Danni, keeping his hands respectfully behind his back at.
all times. Yage bowed perfunctorily to each of them in turn, but made no effort.
to introduce her male companions. "We'd like to thank you for your assistance.
back there.".
"Not at all," the captain said. "I have never been fond of time-wasting.
bureaucracy—particularly from the likes of officious idiots like Keten." She.
smiled tightly. "That's off the record, of course.".
"Of course." Jacen waved the guests through to the common area, where Mara.
and Luke stood, ready to greet them. Off to one side stood Saba and Tekli. Jacen.
noted the way Yage's bodyguards started in alarm at the sight of the enormous.
Barabel, their rifles rising slightly. Yage was startled also, he was sure, but she.
was professional enough to suppress any sign of her surprise. Saba rumbled.
slightly in her throat, and the troopers lowered their weapons.
Yage inclined her head politely to the two nonhumans when introduced, but.
quickly returned her attention to Luke and Mara.
"So at last I meet the legendary Skywalkers," she said, stepping forward to.
shake their hands. "I've certainly heard a lot about you.".
"All untrue, I'm sure," Mara said pleasantly.
"I hope not. Gilad speaks very highly of you both.".
"I don't suppose you've heard if Grand Admiral Pellaeon has returned from.
Bastion," Luke said.
A shadow seemed to pass across Captain Yage's face. "I'm afraid that Fleet.
Intelligence is in disarray following the Yuuzhan Vong's attack.".
"Have you learned anything more about how the enemy managed to do so.
much damage so quickly?".
"I already know why. We were taken disgracefully off guard by the attack.
Our spies had reported that the fleet approaching us was headed for Nirauan, not.
here at all, but I guess our spies weren't as reliable as we'd thought. Even so, we.
should have been ready. Anyone with half a brain should have seen the flaw in.
the reasoning that, if we hadn't been attacked yet, we were unlikely to be.
attacked at all. Our refusal to join with the rest of the galaxy in resisting didn't.
make us safe. That type of logic didn't work for the Hutts, so why should it have.
worked for us?".
"It seems to me," Mara said, "that you're paying the price for the council's.
lack of foresight.".
"Perhaps now the Moffs will see reason," Jacen added.
Yage half turned to look at him. "You think so? You've already seen what.
Moff Flennic thinks of you. He might try to resist the Yuuzhan Vong, but he'll.
never join the people who took the Empire away from him." She looked at each.
of them in turn, her gaze finally coming to rest on Luke. "That's why you're.
here, isn't it? To try again to get us to join you. We already have a treaty. What.
more do you want?".
"Ideally," Luke said, "we'd like the Empire to become part of the Galactic.
Alliance—but that's one for our respective legal representatives to argue out. For.
now we'd simply like us to agree to help each other before we continue on with.
—".
"We can fight well enough without your help," Yage quickly pointed out. She.
may have been more courteous and diplomatic than Keten, but she still carried.
the Imperial pride. "We're ready for them now.".
"You won't get far using your existing techniques," Mara said. "Our greatest.
minds have been working on a way to counterattack using the yammosks that.
make the Yuuzhan Vong so hard to beat. We can give you those techniques—".
"In exchange for what?" the captain interrupted, a slight suspicion gently.
curling the corners of her mouth.
"Absolutely nothing," Luke said. "I'm not a diplomat, Captain. I'm a Jedi, I.
stand for life and peace, and I would never hold anything back for the sake of.
political point scoring. I'd rather get about the business of saving lives.".
A thrill went through Jacen at his uncle and former teacher's words. They.
rang true to the new philosophy of the Force that he was trying to determine.
Captain Yage, however, was not as easily impressed, and raised a skeptical.
eyebrow at the Jedi Master.
"Don't Yuuzhan Vong lives count to you, Jedi?" she asked.
Luke didn't recoil from her response. "The Yuuzhan Vong are the aggressors,.
and our help won't guarantee their defeat. What you do with this information is.
up to you.".
"To be honest, Skywalker, if it was up to me, I'd use it quite happily," she.
said. "But things will be grim without Gilad to champion your cause. The hardliners will always believe that the Empire in its glory days could have withstood.
the invaders with ease, and that your weakening of our strength has led directly.
to our destruction. If destroyed we must be, then we will go down with pride.".
Her voice was steeped in bitterness. "The last refugees from Bastion arrived.
some time ago. We're not expecting any more. If Gilad had survived, I'm sure.
he would have been here by now. With that in mind, you might be better off.
assuming that he won't be here to help you.".
The mood in Jade Shadow turned instantly grim. "Then we shall need to make.
alternative plans," Luke said. "We'll need to talk to Flennic, even if he's not.
prepared to listen to us. Can you get us to him without turning us over to the.
likes of Keten?".
She pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I can try," she said. "With Gilad out of the.
way, the anti-Galactic Alliance forces will be in ascendance. Add to that the fact.
that the Moff Council will be in tatters after the attacks on Bastion and.
Muunilinst, and you'll see why I hesitate to guarantee you anything at the—".
She stopped as her comlink buzzed. "Excuse me.".
Captain Yage turned away to take the call, exchanging a few simple words.
with the person on the other end. Before she had finished talking, before he had.
even seen her face, Jacen knew something was wrong. He could sense a.
powerful emotion radiating from her.
"What's gone wrong?" he asked when she clipped the comlink back on her.
belt.
"That was my second in command on Widowmaker," she said. "A shuttle just.
made it from Bastion containing injured ferried from Chimaera." Her troubled.
eyes met Luke's. "Gilad was on board.".
"That's good news, isn't it?" Jacen said.
She shook her head. "Not really," she said. "He's in a coma, and he's not.
expected to live.".
Anakin's mother came to see Tahiri the day before the Millennium Falcon.
was due to leave on its mission to patch up the communications gaps in Galactic.
Alliance space. Jacen and the others had left two days earlier, leaving a.
surprising hole in Tahiri's life. Since she'd learned that she had been intended.
for that mission, she felt as though she had let everyone down. She wasn't doing.
much to help the war effort by huddling in Master Cilghal's infirmary, that was.
for sure. Jaina came when she could, but she was too busy organizing Twin.
Suns' departure to be wasting time with the sick. Anakin's sister had said it was.
not a problem, and that she didn't mind taking time out to visit Tahiri, but Tahiri.
felt guilty nonetheless for inconveniencing her. She had caused Jaina enough.
trouble as it was.
So when the Mon Calamari nurse announced that Princess Leia herself had.
dropped by to visit, Tahiri was more than a little surprised—as well as.
embarrassed.
"How are you feeling?" Anakin's mother pulled up a seat and sat close to the.
edge of Tahiri's bed. Mon Cal's sun was setting, sending brilliant colors through.
the window and across the middle-aged stateswoman. There were many lines on.
her face, but they came from laughter and kindness and compassion. It was easy.
to see why Han Solo loved her. She was still very much a beautiful woman, with.
her eyes being her most outstanding feature. And whenever Tahiri looked into.
those eyes, she felt she could see Anakin staring back at her.
"I'm fine, thank you," Tahiri lied, blinking back the tears that were welling.
up.
Leia narrowed her eyes in friendly accusation.
Tahiri relented with a smile. "Okay," she said. "It's true that I have seen better.
days. I'll admit that much. But I'm just more tired than anything else. Even the.
small trip to see Jade Shadow off kind of took it out of me." She shrugged.
"Other than that, I think I'm doing all right.".
"There's no rush," Leia said. "The important thing is that you get well.
Cilghal tells me that you've put on weight, which is good news. She believes.
that your weight loss constitutes the total of your physical symptoms. Once you.
think you're ready, you're free to leave." She paused, allowing space for Tahiri.
to speak. When nothing was said after a few seconds, Leia asked, "Do you think.
you're ready?".
Tahiri didn't know how to answer. She knew that she could get up and walk.
out of the door anytime she wanted, but she didn't know what would happen.
after. The dreams hadn't stopped; if anything they'd become worse. If she left.
now, they would gnaw at her as they had before, and before she knew it she.
would be back in the infirmary again, still unable to explain to everyone just.
what was happening to her.
She didn't want to leave; she felt safe here. But she also couldn't stay forever.
The infirmary was for sick people, and she was—.
What? What was she, exactly? She didn't know, and that was the problem.
Leia placed a hand on her arm, and Tahiri realized that she still hadn't replied.
to the question.
"I want you with us when we leave," Leia said softly.
Tahiri felt herself recoil in surprise. "You can't be serious.".
Leia frowned. "Why wouldn't I be?".
Tahiri struggled for the words that would help make sense of everything that.
was happening in her head, but none were forthcoming. So she made excuses.
instead. "I'm not a very good pilot," she said. "Or a politician!".
"But you are a Jedi Knight, Tahiri," said Leia. "And that is something else.
entirely.".
"You have Jaina," Tahiri pointed out.
"Who is also a colonel, and has other responsibilities.".
Tahiri didn't know what to say. You're a Jedi Knight. The words didn't sound.
right, didn't feel right, and that only renewed her guilt and reinforced her belief.
that she had betrayed her friends. Worse, she had betrayed the memory of.
Anakin.
Had he ever felt such self-doubts? she wondered.
It was unlikely. None of the Solos seemed to be burdened with such a.
weakness. They always knew exactly who they were and what they were doing.
They were the most focused people she had ever met. The most sure of.
themselves.
Except for Jacen. He had doubts. She knew that he was still wrestling with his.
relationship with the Force and the council that Luke Skywalker had formed.
Perhaps she should have spoken to him while she'd had the chance. But it was.
too late now. He was in a completely different part of the galaxy, and who knew.
when he was coming back?
"We all have doubts about ourselves, sometimes," Leia said, and Tahiri was.
appalled to realize that she had fallen silent again. "It's part of what makes us.
sentient beings, Tahiri. Doubt makes us examine ourselves and all that we do.
And without the ability to do that, we become nothing short of monsters. I had.
doubts when I joined the Rebellion, all those years ago, and I had doubts when I.
married Han. But it's unlikely that Grand Moff Tarkin had doubts about.
destroying Alderaan." She paused for a moment, reflectively. "Don't be.
ashamed of doubt, Tahiri; it's a perfectly acceptable feeling.".
Tahiri was surprised to see tears sparkling in Leia's brown eyes, although.
whether they were for her destroyed home, she couldn't be sure. Then Leia.
reached out a hand and placed it over Tahiri's.
"I think," Leia said, "that you need the chance to find out who you are, Tahiri.
Veila, and I'd like to give that chance to you. What do you say?".
A chance to find out who she was ... For a moment, Tahiri froze, wondering.
what Jacen had told his mother. Was this some kind of game? But when she.
looked into Leia's eyes, all she saw was softness and sympathy. There were no.
games. This was real.
You will always be family to us, Jacen had written. The notion of family.
tugged strongly at her. Her parents had been killed in a raid by Sand People on.
Tatooine when she was a toddler. She was taken in by Tusken Raiders and raised.
by Sliven, who had died not long after she had been taken to the Jedi academy.
She had no one else in the universe, except—.
No, she told herself, forcing down the darkness that rose like a tide inside her.
I will not think these thoughts!
So she nodded. "Thank you," she said, forcing a smile.
"And I'll try not to be too much of a burden on you all.".
Leia smiled back and squeezed her hand. "You will be an asset, Tahiri. More.
than you realize.".
Some of Leia's warmth stayed with Tahiri after she had gone, but not for long.
Night had fallen, and there was a slight chill to the air stealing through the open.
viewport. Tahiri closed it and curled under the covers, shivering. The scars on.
her forehead were aching, as though a vise was tightening around her skull. She.
sensed someone else in the room with her, but was too afraid to lift her head and.
look.
If I ignore her, she told herself, maybe she'll just go away.
"Tell me more," Nom Anor said. He stared across at I'pan sitting opposite.
him, the light from the fire flickering on his haggard features.
I'pan nodded eagerly and did as he was told. "As they near the end of their.
quest, the Shamed One Vua Rapuung and the Jeedai Anakin Solo are stopped by.
another group of warriors—this one even larger than the one before. This group.
once served under Rapuung himself, before he was Shamed. They challenge.
Rapuung and question why he is consorting with an infidel.
" 'I have nothing to be redeemed for,' Rapuung tells them proudly.
" 'We know your claims,' the warriors respond.
" 'You believe me cursed by the gods?'.
" 'Whatever you are, whether cursed or not, you have clearly gone mad. You.
fight with an infidel against your own kind!'.
"Now, Rapuung can understand why these warriors would think him gone.
mad—he would have surely felt the same had he seen another warrior fighting.
against him with an infidel at their side! But his circumstances allow him no.
choice; this is his only way to fight for the truth.
"So, Rapuung challenges the warriors to defeat him alone, without the Jeedai.
at his side, so that he may prove his worthiness.".
Nom Anor narrowed his eyes. "But did you not say before that he had no.
amphistaff?".
I'pan nodded, standing to give his retelling more impact, his arms gesturing.
with theatrical flair. " 'Take up a weapon, Rapuung,' the warriors insist. 'Do not.
make us kill an unarmed man.'.
"But Rapuung is determined. 'I have triumphed thus far without weapons,' he.
says. 'If the gods hated me so, would they have allowed this?'.
"The warriors have no good answer to this, nor to his skill in battle, and, with.
the Jeedai's blessing, Vua Rapuung defeats them single-handedly.".
Nom Anor listened with the same rapt attentiveness as the others in the small.
fugitive group, huddling around the heat radiating from the fire. In the story,.
which took place on the captured world Yavin 4, Vua Rapuung was supposedly.
Shamed by the gods and therefore his implants wouldn't take. Believing that he.
had in fact been betrayed by his former lover, the shaper Mezhan Kwaad, he.
sought revenge on her. Along the way, he came across the Jedi Anakin Solo who.
assisted him in his quest, teaching Rapuung the Jedi heresy as he went. Initially.
reluctant, the Shamed One had been converted, much to the horror of those who.
had once known him. Even the Shamed Ones didn't defy the gods.
What happened next was quite unknown to Nom Anor, even though he had.
studied the events that had taken place on Yavin 4 in some detail, analyzing the.
details of a quite different heresy: that of the shaper Nen Yim, who had also been.
stationed there. She, along with Mezhan Kwaad, the same woman in I'pan's.
story, had been trying to bend the mind of a young Jedi girl over to the ways of.
the Yuuzhan Vong. Ultimately, the experiment had failed, and both Mezhan.
Kwaad and Commander Tsaak Vootuh had been killed in the girl's escape. Nom.
Anor knew all this; he had seen recordings of some of the events I'pan was.
relating; he had even met the Jedi Anakin Solo briefly while in the Yag'Dhul.
system. His spies had brought word of various versions of this story circulating.
through the lower castes. But he had never heard anything like the rest of the.
story that I'pan was relating to the attentive group.
"Go on," said Niiriit Esh, the former warrior who governed the small band of.
underground dwellers that Nom Anor had come to call his companions.
I'pan crouched down again to take up his tale, every eye present fixed.
unflinchingly upon him as they waited for him to continue. He was a good.
storyteller, and was clearly in his element relating the adventures of Vua.
Rapuung and the Jedi.
"On the landing ramp of the ship that would take them to safety, Commander.
Vootuh and shaper Mezhan Kwaad are forced to confront Vua Rapuung and the.
Jeedai," he went on. "Out of respect for what he once was, Rapuung demands.
that he be allowed to question his former lover in order to clear his name.
" 'I see no 'Vua Rapuung,' Commander Vootuh says. 'Only a Shamed One.
who does not know his place.'.
" 'It is not I who is Shamed,' Rapuung replies. 'Do as the Jeedai says, and.
know the truth.'.
"But shaper Mezhan Kwaad only sneers at this, saying that there is no sense in.
listening to the demented lies of Rapuung. 'He fights by the side of an infidel,'.
she says. 'What more do you need to hear?'.
"Then from the crowd that has gathered by the ramp steps Hul Rapuung,.
Vua's brother. He is a proud warrior with no stain upon his honor. 'Do you fear.
the truth, Mezhan Kwaad?' he asks. 'If he is mad, then what harm will speaking.
to him do?'.
"Mezhan Kwaad has no good reply to this, and Commander Vootuh, having.
already exposed the shaper in treachery, allows Rapuung one question of his.
former lover. But he informs her that she must answer truthfully, for the truth.
hearer will surely detect any lies uttered.
"Vua Rapuung stands tall among those who revile him and asks his question.".
The chamber in which they sat was silent as they waited for I'pan to reveal.
Rapuung's question. He paused deliberately, dramatically, his gaze flitting.
briefly to each one sitting there before speaking again.
" 'Mezhan Kwaad,' Rapuung says, 'did you intentionally rob me of my.
implants, ruin my scars, and give me the appearance of being Shamed? Did you.
do these things to me, Mezhan Kwaad, or did the gods?'.
"The shaper is silent for a moment, the look on her face too horrible to behold.
She has been trapped, and all present know it.
" 'There are no gods!' she cries." I'pan stood tall, his hands reaching for the.
ceiling, as if this in some way would make the shaper's exclamation more.
powerful than it already was. " 'This wretched thing that stands before me is my.
doing!' ".
Everyone gasped at this—all except Nom Anor who, while intrigued by the.
story, was not as easily impressed by I'pan's histrionics.
"Then," I'pan said, lowering his arms to his side, "with a base treachery that.
overshadows any she has shown before, she strikes Commander Vootuh and.
Rapuung, killing them both.".
A sigh of remorse and disappointment went up from the group listening to the.
story. Nom Anor could empathize. The Shamed One Vua Rapuung had been.
vindicated at last, only to die an animal's death moments later, unable to defend.
himself against the biological trickery of the shaper.
"There the matter might have rested," I'pan said, "but for the Jeedai. Before.
the treacherous Mezhan Kwaad can escape, she is slain by the infidels. They.
defend Vua Rapuung's honor at great risk to their own lives. They are alone on.
this world, surrounded by an army of mighty Yuuzhan Vong warriors who even.
now move in around them. Not even their superior powers—their Force—can.
possibly save them.
"As a group of warriors loyal to the old gods move forward to do battle with.
the brave but doomed Jeedai, another group confronts them, led by Hul.
Rapuung, the redeemed Shamed One's brother. Out of respect for Vua's.
memory, he says, the Jeedai should be allowed to go free. They saved one of the.
warriors' own number from shame and dishonor; do they not, then, deserve to.
live?
"No, say the ones who cling to the old ways. The Jeedai are infidels. They.
defy the gods.
"Pointing at his brother's cooling body, Hul Rapuung responds: 'How many.
of you fought with him? Who ever questioned the courage of Vua Rapuung?
Who ever doubted the gods loved him?'.
"A muttering rises from the ranks of warriors gathered around him, and the.
two factions grip their amphistaffs tightly.
" 'You will die,' say those who stand before Hul Rapuung. 'What is the point.
of that?'.
" 'A salute to the Jeedai!' cries Hul Rapuung in defiance, striking at the air.
with his spitting amphistaff. 'A salute of blood!'.
"The two parties clash, Yuuzhan Vong fighting Yuuzhan Vong, old teachings.
versus the new. Amphistaffs rise and fall, whipping and snapping at vonduun.
crab armor. Warriors die at the hands of those they once called allies—and it is.
those touched by the Jeedai heresy who fall. Outnumbered by the followers of.
the old way, of Yun-Yuuzhan and his servant, Supreme Overlord Shimrra, those.
who stood for the honor of Vua Rapuung fall to the last warrior.
"But their sacrifice has not been in vain. When the victors turn from battling.
their fellows to destroy the infidels, they find that both the Jeedai Anakin Solo.
and his companion have escaped.".
I'pan paused to sip from a cup of water. His audience sat in silence, caught in.
the events of that distant day on Yavin 4.
"Then the Jedi heresy should have ended there," Nom Anor said. He scanned.
the faces of those around him. "But you are all the spawn of that heresy, are you.
not?".
I'pan nodded, taking his place in the circle around the fire. "It would have.
ended," he said, "had it not been witnessed by the Shamed Ones watching from.
the edge of the battle, by the shapers' damutek. They spread the word, and that.
word continues to spread—from mouth to ear among those like us. There is.
another way for us Shamed Ones, a way that leads to redemption. We have.
found a new hope, and the word for that new hope is Jeedai.".
I'pan bowed slightly to indicate the completion of the tale. Although those.
gathered had probably heard the story many times over, they had sat entranced.
throughout the telling as though listening to the words for the first time. There.
was a smattering of shoulder slapping from around the group, while a couple of.
others stood and moved away to perform other duties.
Those remaining turned their attention to Nom Anor. This was the first time.
he had heard the story in its entirety, and they were curious to see what his.
reaction would be. If he was as moved by the story as they obviously were, then.
he was clearly one of them. Even though he had been with them a couple of.
weeks now, helping them establish their new home and working around the.
camp as needed, he had still not been fully embraced into the fold. He had.
learned very quickly that trust among the Shamed Ones was more important than.
virtually anything else, and their sharing of the tale with him was the first.
indication of that trust being extended to him.
The former warrior Niiriit Esh was watching for his response more than.
anyone else, studying him closely through the thin flames from the fire that.
licked at the darkness. He stared back at her, unsure of how the tale had made.
him feel. The story was without doubt different from the one he had taken from.
his research on the Yavin 4 shaper heresy. The order of events was wrong in.
places, and some words had been said by others than those they were attributed.
to. Even the very essence of the story had changed. This story had resonance,.
clearly—a resonance that even he was not immune to. And perhaps that might.
explain how it had spread, despite the odds. Hearing that a pro-Jedi sentiment.
was spreading through the ranks of the Shamed Ones on Yavin 4, Warmaster.
Tsavong Lah had ordered all the Shamed Ones sacrificed in order to cleanse the.
world of heresy. And yet, somehow, the story had still managed to get out.
The thing that struck Nom Anor most about the story was that he himself, who.
had studied the incident in some detail, and who had access to the recordings of.
the original events, had not remembered the disgraced warrior at the center of it.
Rapuung was just a Shamed One who'd been betrayed by his ex-lover, the.
shaper who had feared he might expose her heresy to her superiors. But now she.
was dead, while his name continued to live in the whispers of all Shamed Ones.
across the galaxy. His deeds had given hope to all those like him. Vua Rapuung.
was a legend.
As were the Jedi. Somehow their passive role in Rapuung's death had been.
transformed into a myth of hope for the Shamed Ones. If they ever knew ....
"I can tell that you are moved," Niiriit said to him. "Do you see now why we.
live as we do?".
He nodded, understanding for the first time that it was more than simply.
preferring squalor to indignity. "It is a powerful message." He looked over to.
I'pan. "How did you come to hear it?".
"It was first told to me by one in my work detail on Duro," he answered,.
picking at the stringy meat of a partially cooked hawk-bat. "Varesh had heard it.
from his crèche-mate who in turn had heard it from one of her friends shipped.
here from Sriluur. Since then I have heard it many times from many people—.
each time slightly different from the last." Without the animation of his.
storytelling to hide behind, I'pan appeared once again awkward and selfconscious. "The version I have told is but one of many.".
"Then how can you be sure it is the truth?" Nom Anor asked.
"I cannot," I'pan admitted. "I have no way of knowing whether the version I.
first heard, the one I have related to you, is more true than any of the others." He.
paused to spit a bit of gristle into the fire, glancing up to Nom Anor as it sizzled.
in the flames. "But it is the one that feels right to me.".
There was a murmur of assent from those remaining. By the reddish light of.
the fire, Nom Anor could see their unblinking eyes still filled with the scenes.
that I'pan had related. The misshapen, dirty, rejected band clearly wanted the.
story to be true. If there was hope for Vua Rapuung, then there might be hope for.
them, too. Exactly what the hope was for, Nom Anor couldn't tell. He didn't.
know if the Shamed Ones expected the Jedi to swoop in and rescue them from.
their pitiful lives; perhaps they believed that by consciously mimicking the.
characteristics of the abominable enemy they might somehow become worthy of.
their farcical Force—whatever that was.
"Well?" Kunra asked in a challenging voice, from the far side of the circle.
The disgraced warrior still didn't fully trust the group's latest addition, even.
though Nom Anor had gone out of his way to demonstrate nothing but.
worthiness in the time he'd spent with them. "What do you say, Executor?".
Nom Anor's eye found Niiriit's; they were shining almost supernaturally.
bright. There was an expression of such intensity on her face that he found it.
almost impossible to resist. "I say thank you, I'pan, for sharing your words with.
me. I am honored that you think me worthy of it. I would like very much to hear.
more about Vua Rapuung and the Jedi, when we have the opportunity.".
Niiriit smiled, her gaze still locked on his. He offered a smile in return, and.
realized only as he did that it was genuine. Of all the small band living in this.
underground camp, Niiriit was the only one with a mind keen enough to interest.
him. In the weeks since his arrival, he had enjoyed his talks with this ex-warrior.
the most.
Kunra, on the other hand, offered nothing more than a contemptuous grunt as.
he stood to leave the fireside group. As he watched him move away to the.
shadows, Nom Anor understood that Kunra might very well be jealous of the.
fact that a higher-ranking male was entering the group, thus usurping his own.
position. If this was true then it was stupid, although not unexpected.
And perhaps, Nom Anor thought, with so many gathered, now might be the.
best time to address the matter ....
"You do not want me here, do you, Kunra?" he called after the ex-warrior.
"You do not believe I am worthy of having Vua Rapuung's tale entrusted to.
me.".
Kunra stopped and faced him, his body language defensive. "I merely reserve.
my judgment, Executor," he said. "As is my right.".
"Your judgment of me?".
"Of you," Kunra confirmed, nodding. "I argued against you hearing the story.
of Vua Rapuung. It is the one thing in our lives that gives us hope. Our faith that.
the way of the Jeedai is a better one—a fairer one for all, not just those enslaved.
by the old gods—sustains us when all reason tells us that we should have given.
up long ago. Perhaps one day, by virtue of that faith, we will have the chance to.
regain our self-respect and emerge from the holes in which we cower. But you—.
given half a chance, I am sure you would defile it in a second if you thought it.
would help restore you to power.".
"Are you suggesting that I would betray you?" Nom Anor asked. "You and all.
of those here who have taken me in and helped me?".
The ex-warrior's muscles sensed, his scars glistening in the light. "That is.
exactly what I am saying, Nom Anor.".
Nom Anor stood now, also, and the Shamed Ones closest to him took an.
unsteady step back. Although much older and smaller than Kunra, he couldn't.
back down now. To do so would be to admit that he was lying. Unfortunately, he.
had few other options. If he couldn't talk the ex-warrior out of a fight—and he.
wouldn't have lasted as long as he had in Shimrra's court without being able to.
do that—there was always the plaeryin bol. Or if he hadn't misjudged the leader.
of the Shamed Ones ....
She rose to her feet and stepped between the two. "I will not allow this," she.
said, her voice firm and deadly as an amphistaff.
"It's my right to challenge him," Kunra hissed through his teeth.
"I thought we had abandoned the old ways, Kunra," Niiriit said. "Now you.
wish to embrace them again? You cannot have it both ways.".
"I understand that, but—".
"No buts, Kunra. Which is it to be? You are either with us or against us. And.
the same goes for you, Nom Anor," she said, suddenly turning on him. "We are.
too few to fight among ourselves.".
Nom Anor bowed his head to her, partly to hide a smile of triumph. No, he.
hadn't misjudged Niiriit at all. "I apologize," he said to her. He then turned to his.
challenger and did the same. Playing the part of peacemaker was a new.
experience for him, but it was no different from any other role he had played in.
the past. He was a good actor. "It appears to be your right to mistrust me, Kunra.
Instead of fighting you, I shall do all in my power to convince you that you are.
mistaken in your mistrust. Is that enough to at least allow peace between us?".
"For now," the warrior growled.
Niiriit nodded. "Good enough," she said. "Now sit, both of you. You're.
making me weary just looking at you.".
"I think," Nom Anor said, "that I might use this excuse to retire for the night. I.
have heard much that requires consideration, and I am not as young as our friend.
here.".
"Of course. Sleep well, Nom Anor. We shall discuss the Jeedai on another.
occasion.".
"I hope so." He glanced quickly at Kunra as he spoke; the ex-warrior was.
grumpily thoughtful, but his anger had been successfully defused by Niiriit. That.
was good; Nom Anor didn't want to be stabbed in his sleep. Nodding good night.
to those still around the fire, he picked his way to the top of the ventilation shaft.
and descended the spiraling ramp they had built within it. The gradient wasn't.
steep, and the curvature was such that he completed a circle once every thirty.
meters or so. Within the circle of the walkway, rooms had been fashioned, two.
per level, that served as either crude quarters for the Shamed Ones or storerooms.
for the goods they had pilfered from the surface. The way was lit by the.
occasional lambent nest anchored to the shiny, layered surface that had been laid.
down by the chuk'a waste processor. It felt as if he were walking down the.
inside of an enormous shell.
He descended until he reached his room. Being the latest addition to the.
group, he lived in the quarters that had been most recently completed. There was.
still a tang in the air of the organic processes that had created the structure, and.
inside he had only the most rudimentary furniture: a rounded chest he had carved.
from a chuk'a egg and a dirt mattress. Nevertheless, it was still more.
comfortable than anything else he'd had since entering Yuuzhan'tar's.
underworld.
Nom Anor waved the lights out and lay on the bed, still clothed in the ragged.
remains of the cloak and uniform he'd been wearing when he had arrived. He.
hadn't been lying when he'd said that he had much to think about. The story of.
Vua Rapuung and the Jedi was an opportunity he had never dreamed of finding.
in the depths of Yuuzhan'tar. The strange, forbidden notions passing from mouth.
to ear offered him hope in the most unlikely of places. The whispers circulating.
through the Yuuzhan Vong underground did so like an asteroid orbiting a black.
hole, gaining momentum with each revolution, propelled by nothing more than.
the need to have something to believe in. The Shamed Ones might have brought.
this whisper into existence spontaneously, with nothing to back it up, simply to.
satisfy their terrible need for direction. But he knew the events of the Vua.
Rapuung story were based broadly in truth, and that made them so much.
stronger.
The Jedi aren't necessarily abominations. They can redeem as easily as they.
could kill.
He would never have heard such whispers from his usual vantage point, far.
above the forlorn creatures he currently associated with. Shimrra had no idea just.
how close to his heart the heresy was stabbing. If Nom Anor could follow the.
whispers to their source, if he could expose the heresy and bring to justice the.
person or persons responsible for spreading the word about Yavin 4, maybe then.
he could regain his previous standing—and perhaps be stronger than ever.
Thank you, Vua Rapuung, forgiving me hope.
Nom Anor smiled into the darkness as he thought about Kunra's accusation.
that he would sell out his fellow Shamed Ones and all they stood for in a second.
if he thought it would help him achieve his goals. The ex-warrior was right, of.
course—except, perhaps, that he wouldn't need an entire second to do it.
*.
"You can't be serious, Leia!".
Jaina rolled her eyes as she walked in on yet another of her parents' arguments.
—this one, it seemed, about the mission's itinerary. They were in the Millennium.
Falcon's main hold, poring over charts.
"We have to start somewhere," her mother responded. "And this seems as.
good a place as any.".
"But couldn't the decision have been made based on the toss of a credit or.
something, rather than some obscure and anonymous message?".
"What's going on?" Jaina asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Someone managed to get into the Falcon's computers and leave us.
instructions on where to go if we want to walk into a trap," her father said hotly.
"Your mother has taken it as some kind of portent and has decided to make it our.
first port of call.".
"Well, I'm glad to see you're not lowering the discussion by resorting to.
sarcasm," Leia shot back with some of her own. "And I admit that it's all very.
suspicious, but that just makes me all the more curious to follow it up.".
"But there's no sense to it!" Han went on. "I mean, are you trying to get us all.
killed?".
Leia scowled at her husband, but she ignored the remark. "Of course it makes.
sense, Han. The Galactic Alliance has lost contact with the Koornacht Cluster,.
and someone needs to check it out. That's exactly our brief, isn't it? So where's.
the problem?".
"Where's the problem?" Jaina's father leaned heavily over the map displays,.
his jaw tightening. "We've lost contact with Galantos and Whettam because the.
Yevetha have taken advantage of our little distraction and are on the move again.
And you want us to go barging in there with a handful of X-wings and a rusty.
old frigate? There's the problem, Leia.".
Jaina bristled at Twin Suns Squadron being described as a "handful of Xwings," but she didn't say anything. Her parents needed to fight this one out, and.
it was better if she stayed out of the line of fire.
Leia straightened, folding her arms in front of her. It was a clear message: she.
had no intentions of backing down.
"They're fine words coming from Han Solo," she said. "And do you have any.
better suggestions to go with your derision, Han?".
"Sure I have," he said, but with less self-assuredness than a moment earlier.
"What's happening in Corellia is still anyone's guess—and then there's the.
Corporate Sector. That's practically next door to Mon Cal, and—".
"So the Senate hardly needs to send us, then, do they?".
"Maybe, Leia, but ..." Han raised his hands in frustration and turned away.
"Anywhere but N'zoth!".
Facing her husband's back, Leia's stony determination faltered. Jaina was.
surprised to see it, but she could understand why. The intensely xenophobic.
Yevetha had kidnapped and tortured her father for weeks, some years back, and.
would have killed him had he not been rescued by Chewbacca and Chewie's son.
Lumpawarrump.
"The last we heard, their shipyard was fully functional," Leia said, adopting a.
more diplomatic tone. "They're extremely capable engineers. They'll fight the.
Yuuzhan Vong, if they're not fighting them already.".
"And then they'll turn on us," Han said, facing her again. "And the Fia, if they.
haven't already been exterminated. Why not send someone from the Smugglers'.
Alliance?".
"We need someone we can trust to do the Galactic Alliance's work, Han, not.
someone who will be looking for a quick profit.".
Han looked as though he wanted to protest this, but he knew he didn't have.
much of an argument on this score.
Leia put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Look, Han, I've discussed the.
security aspects with Captain Mayn and—".
"You asked Todra before you brought it up with me?".
"And," Leia continued without answering the question, "it's not like last time.
We're not going to pick a fight with them, and if they try it with us, then we'll.
just leave.".
Han sighed now. "All right, Leia. I can see how it makes sense from your.
point of view. It's a flashpoint, and we need to be there to make sure it doesn't.
spread. Perfectly understandable. But what if it's Jaina they capture, this time?
Or you?".
"It won't be me, Dad," Jaina said softly, confidently. "I'm quite capable of.
looking after myself.".
Han stared at his wife and daughter, wanting to argue but realizing he couldn't.
win this one. "All right," he said after a few seconds, his eyes narrowing sternly.
as he pointed his finger to each of them, "but you just remember that this wasn't.
my idea.".
"I'm sure you'll be quick to remind us, should something go wrong." Leia.
smiled, kissing her husband's cheek briefly before getting back to work. There.
were many details to finalize before their departure.
Barely had she taken half a dozen steps from Han when the sound of boots.
could be heard clomping up the landing ramp and into the Falcon.
"Anyone home?" a male voice called.
"In here, Kenth," Leia said, recognizing the Jedi's voice.
Kenth Hamner stooped slightly as he came into the room. "I thought I'd find.
you here.".
Seeing his somber expression, Leia stepped over to him and placed a hand on.
his shoulder. "What's wrong, Kenth? What's happened?".
"Not Kashyyyk," Han said, going pale. The Wookiee homeworld had recently.
been under threat by the Yuuzhan Vong.
"No, not Kashyyyk, I'm pleased to say." Hamner's expression didn't look.
particularly pleased. "We've just heard that the Imperial Remnant is under.
attack. Bastion and Muunilinst have been devastated. The offensive is expected.
to continue toward Yaga Minor as soon as the captured territories have been.
secured. Subspace and HoloNet networks are down." He turned to Leia when.
she opened her mouth to interrupt, as if knowing what she was about to ask. "We.
have no news of survivors, I'm afraid.".
Leia's mouth closed in a thin line as she looked at her husband. "Jade Shadow.
jumped right into a war zone.".
"They had no way of knowing," Han said. "It was just dumb luck.".
"All we can do," Hamner said soberly, "is hope they weren't caught in the.
battle. If they managed to retreat to a safe distance, then there's no reason why.
their mission should be endangered.".
Jaina closed her eyes, her mind reaching out through the Force, seeking her.
twin brother. The distance between them was almost incomprehensible, but.
they'd felt each other before across far greater gulfs. When she called his name,.
she didn't receive a reply, but she did feel an echo. He was there.
She opened her eyes and faced her mother. "Jacen's alive," she said.
Leia nodded. "Yes. And I would've felt it if anything had happened to Luke.
But what about the others? And the Empire itself? If the Yuuzhan Vong have.
finally made a move on it, then that entire area is now unsafe. With the fleet at.
Bastion out of the way, they can push on into the Unknown Regions unchecked.
From now on, no-place will be safe.".
"Not even the Chiss," Jaina said. "We know the Vong have been harrying.
them from the outer edges of the galaxy. Now they'll be caught in a pincer grip.".
"Only if the Empire falls," Hamner said. "It's too soon to say for sure one way.
or the other. This might only be a preemptive strike, simply warning us against.
using the Imperial Remnant in some sort of rearguard action against them.".
"Which is precisely what we were thinking of doing," Han said with a.
grimace.
"Preemptive doesn't necessarily mean decisive," Hamner responded. "We.
know the Vong are stretched thin. To mount a major attack like this must have.
cost them dearly elsewhere.".
"Perhaps we should step up our strike-and-run tactics in other areas," Leia.
said. "It might encourage them to withdraw the offensive.".
Hamner nodded. "I know Cal and Sien are doing just that. It will also help.
take the hysterical edge off some of the calls to step up the attack, too.".
"As long as we don't play into their hands." Leia nodded unhappily. "I just.
hate not knowing what's happened to Jade Shadow. We could help them if we.
knew they were in trouble.".
"That in part is why I'm here," Hamner said. "Cal sent me to make sure you.
wouldn't go rushing after your brother on some foolish rescue attempt. We need.
you where you can do the most good.".
"He's right, Leia," Han said, coming up behind her and taking her shoulders.
in both of his large hands. "Luke and Mara can look after themselves.".
"And Jacen's no slouch, either, Mom," Jaina reassured her with a broad smile.
"In fact, the three of them will probably send the Yuuzhan Vong packing in a.
day or two!".
The attempt at levity seemed to work. Jaina's mother took a deep breath and.
let it out in a gust. "You're right, of course," she said, patting her husband's.
hand as he squeezed her shoulders. "There's a bigger picture we need to.
consider. Until we know for certain that there's something wrong, we keep going.
as planned. To the Koornacht Cluster.".
"What was I thinking?" Han exclaimed. "If it's not too late to change my.
mind, I'd like to put in a vote for Bastion. The middle of a Yuuzhan Vong war.
fleet has to be better than a Yevethan cell.".
"The only cell there's likely to be," Leia said, with a faint smile returning to.
her attractive features, "is the one we put you in—for disobeying orders.".
"Whose orders exactly?" Han said with mock indignation. "I'm the captain of.
this ship, remember?".
"You just keep telling yourself that, dear," Leia said.
"What does that mean?" Han returned.
Jaina left them to it, confident that the argument had moved from something.
serious to just play-fighting. She envied them the ease with which they talked to.
each other now. Chewbacca and Anakin's deaths seemed to have cemented their.
relationship stronger than ever. For all their sharp-sounding words, she knew.
they were really on the same side.
Not paying attention to where she was going, she didn't see C-3PO coming.
around the Falcon's corridor until it was too late. With a cry, the golden droid.
staggered backward, tripping over a carton of rations on the floor and dropping.
the stack of Yuuzhan Vong-detecting mouse droids he'd been balancing,.
scattering them over the deck. Startled by the impact, many of them bleeped in.
distress, scurrying off in all directions. C-3PO flailed helplessly in an attempt to.
right himself, but the droids kept getting under his feet and hands, keeping him.
off balance.
"Oh, thank you, Mistress Jaina," he said as she grabbed him under the arms.
and helped him to his feet. "Beastly things! I don't understand why Captain Solo.
would need so many of them.".
Jaina snatched at one of the agitated droids as it went past, but it managed to.
evade her grasp. Catching these things was harder than getting drewood mites.
from a womp rat!
"Because, Threepio," she said, grabbing for another droid and failing again as.
it darted between her legs, "they're programmed to look out for Yuuzhan Vong.
Wherever we go, we can seed these droids to make sure there are no—spies.".
This last part was called out as she lunged again, this time managing to scoop.
one of the mouse droids off its runners. She pressed the shutdown switch on its.
belly, then pushed the inanimate droid into C-3PO's arms.
"Here you go.".
"Thank you again, Mistress Jaina. But you really shouldn't trouble yourself.
with this. I'm sure you must have much more important tasks to do.".
"No, not really," she said, sticking out a foot to head off another one.
"Besides, it was my fault that you dropped them in the first place.".
The job was made easier when Kenth Hamner pitched in to help, stopping on.
his way back from his meeting with her parents. His age made him less nimble.
than Jaina, but his longer reach easily compensated. Within minutes, they.
handed the last of the droids to C-3PO, whose thanks as he ambled off were.
muffled by the stack of droids once again in his arms.
"Thanks," Jaina said to Hamner as Threepio disappeared around a corner.
"My pleasure," he replied, dusting himself off. Then, just as she was about to.
continue on her way, he said, "You know, just between you and me, Cal's more.
worried about the Empire than he's letting on." He glanced at her wryly. "You'll.
let us know if you hear anything more definite from Jacen, won't you?".
Jaina frowned, confused by Hamner's conspiratorial tone. "Of course.".
Hamner hesitated for a moment, then nodded his thanks and continued on his.
way to the ramp and out of the ship.
Jaina was about to go and do a double check on the welds of a bank stabilizer.
her father had installed for the trip when she heard footsteps coming from the.
common area. She paused, waiting to see if it was her parents coming to find.
her. Two seconds later, though, there was the sound of her father crying out.
followed by a loud metallic crash.
"Oh, my," she heard C-3PO say from down the corridor.
"Threepio!" her father yelled, as a handful of mouse droids scooted across the.
deck from around the corner.
Gilad Pellaeon had seen too many people die young to feel that he was, or.
ever would be, too old to live.
His memories came and went in flashes, as though a searchlight had briefly.
found them in a thick fog. His life had become a series of fragments, and he.
could no longer recall how the pieces fit together. There were images of his.
birthplace, Corellia, and Coruscant, his home during his youth, but these were.
swamped beneath hundreds of other memories of other worlds he had visited.
throughout the years; these in turn were buried beneath thousands of memories.
of the empty gulfs that separated these planets. He had spent almost a century in.
space, rarely setting foot on solid ground unless circumstances absolutely.
demanded it. Deep inside, his heart recognized no world as his home—not even.
Coruscant, which at best he had endured while there, always glad to leave. No,.
the closest thing to home he'd ever had was the bridge of a starship—and he'd.
been on too many of those to feel affection for any particular vessel. Even.
Chimaera, the Star Destroyer that had served him so faithfully for so long, was,.
in the end, just another ship.
He frowned, puzzled. The Battle of Bastion, like the rest of his life, lay in.
pieces in his mind. The sharpest of these pieces, the most painful, was the image.
of the destruction of the Star Destroyer Superior—riddled with fires and craters,.
tumbling to its inexorable and terrible fate in the gas giant below. Chimaera had.
been in almost as bad shape. His last intact memory was of a coralskipper.
coming in low and fast to ram the bridge. He recalled nothing after that. How.
had he survived? No matter how hard he tried, he could find no memory to quell.
the confusion that throbbed at his temples. There was just blackness and pain.
Pellaeon's childhood memories were lost in that same blackness. He had been.
born before the Empire, before the anti-alien propaganda, before the fall of the.
Jedi—even before the birth of the child who would grow to become Darth.
Vader. His first military role had been with the Judicial Forces, which he had.
joined at the age of fifteen, having lied about his age. From the vantage point of.
a ship's deck, he had watched the tide rise and fall on so many politicians, and.
he had learned to be cynical about all of them—just as he had learned over the.
years to trust only in himself and his own judgments. That was how he had.
survived so many dramatic reversals. He was rarely the one at the front of the.
army, waving the sword and leading the charge. Gilad Pellaeon was the one.
more often than not standing back, ensuring his soldiers were well fed, well.
trained, and, above all, content. He had respect for everyone under his command.
—and for his enemy, too. That, above all, he thought, was why he was still alive.
today when so many others around him had fallen. You never knew when your.
enemy would become your new boss.
And that, ultimately, was the trouble with the Yuuzhan Vong. They didn't fit.
into this picture at all. He'd seen what they could do firsthand at Ithor, the forest.
world that had been utterly destroyed by the invader. He had argued with the.
Moffs that they should lend all support possible to the defense of the galaxy.
They, however, had resisted the idea of fighting alongside the New Republic and.
had proposed instead to huddle in their own corner of the galaxy and watch as.
those worlds around them crumbled and fell to the alien intruders, all the while.
remaining blithely confident that they were somehow immune.
But that confidence, that arrogance, had been effectively shaken with Bastion.
Ah, yes. Bastion ....
Other details emerged from the fog as the searchlight of his memory flashed.
across them: the first alarms as the coralskippers and strange, alien capital.
vessels had appeared in the system, tearing through planetary defenses as though.
they were made of paper. The surprise couldn't have been more total. The.
disorganized way the Imperial Navy had responded to the grutchins had appalled.
him. After Ithor, he had done his best to ready the Empire for a Yuuzhan Vong.
attack, but only his Star Destroyer, Chimaera, had responded efficiently and.
effectively at short notice. His crew had done everything he could have asked of.
them.
Pain stabbed through him, as though someone had rammed a force pike into.
his side. The memories fled as his insides exploded with fire. His back arched,.
his mouth opened wide to scream out his protest at the terrible agony flaring.
through him. He bucked and writhed to try to reposition himself in such a.
manner that the pain might stop, but nothing seemed to help. Nothing, that is,.
except for the voice calling out to him. It wasn't necessarily what the voice said,.
either, just the distraction it offered.
But then the pain closed in again, accompanied now by images of the.
Yuuzhan Vong's weapons flashing murderously around his ship, and the.
brilliant, almost blinding explosion of TIE fighters against the night sky.
Eventually these horrific images dissolved back into the blackness, leaving.
just the scattered pinpoint lights of the galaxy shining against the infinite.
darkness of space. The sight was one he had seen many times before, and one.
he'd thought he could never get tired of. He had always believed the idea of a.
galactic empire to be slightly ludicrous, since so much of it was empty space.
The planets, moons, and asteroids comprising such an empire were just handfuls.
of sand thrown into a vast ocean of nothingness. No emperor could rule such an.
ocean, no matter how many of those grains of sand he might call his own. Such.
vastness defied capture by any means.
And yet this time, he sensed a difference. The gulfs didn't seem so empty.
anymore. There was something—something he couldn't find words to describe.
A web, perhaps, stretching from system to system. A halo. A current running.
deeper than what lay visible on the surface. A truth, maybe?
Whatever it was, it made it seem as if the galaxy itself was alive.
Then even that began to fade as darkness crept in at the edges of his vision,.
taking the pain away along with everything else that had ever been him. Part of.
him fought it, as was his nature, but another part was happy to let it go. He had.
fought so hard and for so long against death that he had, perhaps, not spent.
enough time really living. He had no family apart from the navy; he had no.
home beyond the bridge of Chimaera. What was the point of living when he had.
nothing to live for?
The darkness opened up beneath him and he fell into it like a stone sinking.
into the depths of an impossibly deep sea. He could feel fluid all around him,.
and in his lungs; and yet, strangely, he wasn't drowning.
Bacta, he managed to think. They've got me in a bacta tank.
Then that voice again, calling to him.
Gilad Pellaeon, it said. Admiral, can you hear me?
He struggled to reply, fighting the darkness that pulled him down like thick.
tangles of seaweed. All he could manage was a single, choked syllable:.
"I—".
Is that you, Admiral? Can you talk to me?
"I-I'm here.".
With every word, the darkness receded just a little bit more. And as it ebbed,.
the pain returned.
"It ... hurts.".
I know, said the voice.
"Where—?" He wanted to ask where he was, but it didn't seem as appropriate.
as, "—are you?".
I have installed a neural shunt into your inner ear, the voice explained. My.
voice is coming to you directly through your auditory nerve. Please forgive the.
intrusion, but we had to take drastic steps to keep you alive.
"Who—are you?".
My name is Tekli, Admiral. I am a healer.
Agony ripped through him like a solar flare, burning every nerve fiber to.
cinders. Or so it felt.
"Are you healing me," he gasped, "or killing me?".
The pain is unavoidable. The only way to avoid it now would be for you to die.
But you must stay with your body, no matter what it's telling you.
"I—can't—".
Yes you can, Admiral. We need you. If you die now, many others will follow.
I'm not about to let that happen.
He wasn't used to being spoken to that way, as though by an insistent.
schoolteacher. "You're not—?".
I'm sorry. There are times when we all must endure the hurt in order to.
survive. Yours is now. The Force requires it.
Realization came to him then. The Force. This Tekli was a Jedi! But what was.
a Jedi doing in the Empire? And where—?
Another memory came to him. He had spoken to the Skywalkers in Bastion.
shortly before trying to break out of the gas giant's mass shadow. He.
remembered they had shown him some new tactics they believed would help in.
his fight against the Yuuzhan Vong. This Tekli, she must have come with them.
But what was he doing here with her? Superior was destroyed. He recalled.
ordering the evacuation of the dying hulk as it plunged into the gas giant. How.
had Chimaera avoided the same fate? If he had been injured and his crew had.
evacuated him to safety while they died, he couldn't live with himself. A good.
captain went down with the ship. He should be dead.
You're not dead, Admiral. Tekli's voice was compassionate but firm. Like I.
said, I'm not going to let that happen. You and Chimaera are both banged.
around a little, but recoverable. Just hang in there a little longer, okay?
He gritted his teeth and resigned himself to living a little longer yet. After all,.
what choice did he have?
When Jacen felt some of the tension ease in the tiny Chadra-Fan healer, he.
leaned forward expectantly.
"He fights with us now," she said, her soft voice barely audible over the.
mechanical buzzing of the droids assisting her. "He no longer works against us.".
"You're sure he will live?" he asked, needing something more definite before.
he would allow himself to feel relief.
She craned her neck to look up at Jacen, something approximating annoyance.
in her dark eyes.
"Yes," she said simply. "But not if I continue to be interrupted. I need to.
concentrate to help him.".
Her head dropped, and she fell silent again to devote her attention fully to.
healing the Grand Admiral of the Imperial Navy. Jacen felt subtle movements in.
the Force around her. He backed away in order to avoid disrupting her.
concentration further. The Chadra-Fan were renowned for their short attention.
spans as it was, without his interference making matters worse.
He stayed close enough to lend her a hand if needed—shoring up her.
relatively weak Force sensitivity with his own—but he did keep to the rear of the.
small medical bay, just to stay out of Tekli's fur.
Pellaeon had been removed from the bacta tank and now lay on his back on.
the room's operating table, attended by the frigate's 2-1B medical droid as well.
as Tekli. His numerous wounds stood out starkly in the harsh white light. Jacen.
could see far more than he actually needed to know that the man before him had.
come extremely close to death. His hips and abdomen had been half impaled,.
half crushed upon a control console when Chimaera's bridge had been rammed.
by an enemy fighter. One of his junior officers had pulled him from the.
wreckage and into a medical frigate with survivors of Superior. Under cover of.
wreckage from the dying Star Destroyer, the frigate had managed to slip away.
relatively unharmed—although not before a dozen TIE fighters had sacrificed.
themselves to ensure the Grand Admiral's escape. The commander of the shuttle.
who had brought him to Yaga Minor didn't doubt that it was worth it.
For a while, though, it had seemed a meaningless sacrifice, for Pellaeon had.
very nearly died anyway. Sizing up the situation in Yaga Minor with admirable.
speed, the shuttle's commander had contacted Captain Yage rather than his.
direct superior in the navy. Yage had ordered the shuttle to dock with.
Widowmaker immediately to transfer the patient. Tekli and Jacen, weighed down.
by the healer's equipment, had stayed with the Imperial commander while Jade.
Shadow withdrew to a discreet distance. As soon as Pellaeon had arrived,.
wrapped tightly in a life-preserving cocoon, the Chadra-Fan had gone to work.
Jacen marveled how close it had been. First, the shock of removing the ageing.
admiral from the cocoon had stopped his heart. Then his body had failed to.
respond to bacta when they had finally gotten him into the tank. Tekli had.
ordered him to be removed so they could go to work directly on his more serious.
injuries, such as the ragged gashes and splintered bones of his abdomen and.
upper legs. Dripping blood and fluid, the old man on the operating table had.
seemed to deflate under the bright lights, losing substance with every second,.
until, finally, he began to respond to Tekli's treatment.
The pilot of the shuttle who had brought the admiral from Bastion had stayed.
with him throughout. A lean young man by the name of Vitor Reige, he looked.
exhausted and drawn. His left arm was clearly injured, but he refused to have.
any treatment until Pellaeon was stable, insisting that all attention be focused.
upon the admiral.
After a few minutes, when it was clear that Pellaeon's condition was going to.
continue to improve, the pilot exhaled heavily, gratefully, as if he had been.
holding his breath the entire time he'd been standing there.
He looked over to Jacen. "He told me to find you," he said. "Before he passed.
out the last time, he insisted I should find you Jedi, if you had come here.".
Jacen frowned. "Because he thought we could save him?".
The man's expression became instantly pinched, as if he was offended by the.
very notion. "He wanted you to know that we were grateful," he said stiffly. "If.
anyone should bear a grudge against the Empire, it would be you. But you.
helped us, and he appreciated that. We all did. I wouldn't be here now if you.
hadn't risked your own lives to show us how to fight those ...".
He fell quiet, biting down on the words. The memories of the recent battle.
were obviously still vivid in his mind.
Sensing the man's embarrassment, Jacen quietly changed the subject by.
pointing to the arm that Reige was cradling. "You really should get that looked.
at," he said. Before the pilot could voice the same objections that he had earlier,.
Jacen quickly added, "He's going to be okay. Really. Tekli will take care of.
him.".
Vitor Reige nodded his appreciation. "You saved my life, as well as the life of.
the admiral. I shall forever be in your debt for that.".
Jacen wanted to say that he didn't believe in debt, that people should just do.
what they thought was right regardless of obligation, but at that moment Tekli.
stepped back from the table and approached the two of them.
"I have done all that needs to be done," she said, her thin shoulders shrugging.
"The rest is up to him, now, and how he responds to the bacta.".
Jacen watched as the medical droids maneuvered Pellaeon back into the tank.
The Grand Admiral twitched as if in a dream as the powerful healing fluids went.
to work, then settled down into the tank's warm embrace. Convinced there was.
nothing more that could be done at the moment, Tekli gathered her equipment to.
leave. Helping her carry her tools, Jacen led her from the infirmary, leaving the.
droid to tend to Reige. Immediately outside the medical bay they found Captain.
Yage pacing back and forth in front of the doors. She came to a halt the moment.
the door slid open and Jacen and Tekli stepped out.
Her anxious gaze fell upon Jacen, who nodded in response to her unvoiced.
question.
"He'll live," he said.
Like a balloon releasing its air, the tension seemed to evaporate from the.
captain, dissolving her concerned expression. "I didn't think it could be done,".
she said, dropping her stare to the Chadra-Fan standing silently and respectfully.
beside Jacen. "I'm sorry for doubting you. I offer the appreciation of all my.
people for saving the admiral's life.".
The Chadra-Fan bowed her head. "I did not do it alone," she said. "Your.
admiral's determination to stay alive had a lot to do with it. With the will to live,.
anything is possible.".
"And Gilad Pellaeon certainly has that," Yage said.
The fur around Tekli's mouth parted as she smiled at the captain. "He still has.
some recuperating to do," she said, "but he should be out of the bacta tank in.
about six standard days.".
Yage's expression turned from relief to concern again. "Six days? That's too.
long!".
"Why?" Jacen asked.
"As far as the Moffs know," she explained, "Gilad died in Bastion. Flennic.
has had time to put himself in power, assuming control of Stalwart and the rest.
of the fleet. I wouldn't put it beyond him to do anything to avoid having to.
relinquish that power, now he's got it. While Gilad is weak, he is vulnerable, and.
we can't keep the secret of his survival to ourselves forever. Word is already.
spreading that one more shuttle made it out of Bastion before the battle's end. It.
won't be much longer before people know who was on that shuttle and where it.
docked.".
"What will happen when they find out?".
She shrugged. "I don't know. That'll be up to Moff Flennic and his.
underlings." Her comlink bleeped. Listening to the short message, she nodded.
and answered that she would be there immediately. "I guess we won't have to.
wait long to find out. We've just received a recall order.".
"Can't you disobey it?" asked Jacen.
"If we do, then we're going to have to have a very good reason.".
"Perhaps you should let me talk to them," he said. "Maybe we can work.
something out.".
The captain stared at him for a moment in obvious discomfort and.
embarrassment. Jacen understood exactly what she was thinking. Here was.
Yage, a captain of many years' experience from a diametrically opposed military.
force, and he was expecting her to hand over to him the explanation of why she.
intended to defy a direct order. But he could see how tempted she was. A Jedi.
Knight had saved the admiral; perhaps another would take this difficult choice.
away from her. At the very least, it might absolve her of a wrong decision.
Jacen carefully neglected to mention that his experience with Imperials was.
virtually nonexistent.
After a few moments' consideration she raised her voice to address the empty.
corridor: "I don't suppose anyone has any better ideas?".
She waited a moment until the silence was as deep as it was ever going to get.
on an Imperial war vessel.
"Well, I asked," she said, waving Jacen to follow her as she moved off. "Now.
let's see if you can make this situation any worse for us than it already is.".
"Twin Suns Squadron, stand down," came the voice of Captain Mayn over Jag.
Fel's helmet comlink. "We have attained our orbital insertion and are go for.
satellite deployment. You may revert to internal command.".
"Copy that," he replied briskly before switching to the squadron's internal.
subspace frequency. To the rest of the squadron he said, "You heard the captain:.
we made it safe and sound. Let's check out the neighborhood before getting too.
comfy.".
Twin Suns Squadron peeled apart into quarters, each accelerating to cover.
different segments of the world below. From orbit, Galantos possessed an.
uninviting boggy brown-green color, and at first glance showed little signs of.
advanced civilization. It didn't take long, however, before the inhabitants of.
Galantos, the Fia, became aware of the ships in orbit about their planet.
"Unidentified vehicles," came a voice over subspace, "this is Al'solib'minet'ri.
City Control. Please identify yourselves and state your intentions.".
"This is Captain Todra Mayn of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances'.
navy frigate Pride of Selonia. Our mission is a peaceful and diplomatic one.
We're here to talk to Councilor Jobath.".
"Not so fast, Captain Mayn." The voice of the Fia was patient and steady.
"You've only identified one ship. I count fourteen.".
"That's correct, Control. There's Pride of Selonia, Millennium Falcon, and.
Twin Suns Squadron.".
"And you command this mission, Captain?".
"Only when it comes to logistical issues such as these. Otherwise, I am under.
the orders of Leia Organa Solo.".
"Beneath the Multitude! Leia Organa Solo?".
"That's correct, Control.".
"Then we extend our warmest welcome to you, Captain," the Fia said.
effusively. "And, indeed, to all of her companions! And I am sure that Councilor.
Jobath would be delighted to speak with her once these formalities are out of the.
way.".
"What formalities, Control? We've identified ourselves and stated our.
intentions. What more—?".
"Captain, we on Galantos believe in doing things the proper way." The voice.
of Al'solib'minet'ri City Control was polite but firm. "We still don't know how.
long you intend to stay, how many people intend descending to the surface, what.
the precise purpose of their visit is, where they intend to travel, and so on.".
There was a slight pause from Selonia. "Very well, Control," Captain Mayn.
said wearily. It had been a long journey, literally from one side of the galaxy to.
the other. "We'll fill you in. Where do you want us to start?".
"Thank you, Captain." Jag could almost hear the prim and smug little smile in.
the Fia's voice over the comm unit. "First of all, can I have your exact mission.
designation for our records, please?".
Jag mentally switched off the conversation, leaving those in charge to work.
out the details. He had enough to think about as it was. As that day's Twin Suns.
Leader, he was responsible for the smooth running of the squadron on its arrival.
at a new system. Although he considered that he and Jaina had done a good job.
on short notice, small wrinkles in their procedures were still being ironed out.
His clawcraft had an X-wing on each side, while two claws tailed Jaina's fighter;.
the same pattern was repeated by the remaining half of the squadron to ensure.
the components were mixed. This, they knew, would result in some initial.
awkwardness, but in the long run would ensure that the squadron knit together as.
a whole.
He banked in a smooth arc, powering for the southern pole over the planet's.
gelatinous green pond-seas. There was the occasional town and scientific outpost.
on some of the more firm, rockier areas, but nothing out of the ordinary that he.
could see.
"All clear at our end, Twin Leader," came Jaina's voice over his comlink.
"Thanks, Two. How about you, Three and Four?".
"Clear skies, Twin Leader.".
"Easy picking," added Twin Suns Four, originally from Jag's Chiss Squadron.
"We're not here to stir up any trouble," he reminded his pilots. "So no.
showing off for the locals.".
"From the looks of things, they could use some livening up," Seven.
commented dryly.
Al'solib'minet'ri City Control was still requesting information from Captain.
Mayn.
"Do you really need to know the precise location where the Millennium.
Falcon intends to land?".
"I'm afraid so, Captain Mayn. It'll save trouble in the long run, trust me. And.
you might also like to tell me who exactly will be comprising the landing party.".
The captain sighed; Jag smiled. He was normally something of a stickler for.
procedures, but the Fia had a tendency to take protocol to ridiculous extremes. If.
he'd been in Mayn's position right now, he would have just gone ahead and.
landed anyway, regardless of what Al'solib'minet'ri City Control said. He.
doubted the consequences would have been too severe. The Fia had no planetary.
defenses to speak of, so what were they going to do if Captain Mayn decided to.
disregard their precious procedures?
But then, diplomacy wasn't his strong point. He was quite happy to leave that.
side of politics to people like Jaina's parents—although he got the distinct.
feeling that Han Solo would have agreed with him, if pushed.
Captain Mayn's bored reply filled the airwaves: "... Cybot Galactica protocol.
droid See-Threepio, Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila ...".
Tahiri's name caught his ear. He switched to another channel so he could talk.
to Jaina without being overheard.
"Did you know Tahiri was going with your parents?".
"No," Jaina replied. "But it's not a problem, is it?".
Jag didn't answer immediately. He knew that Tahiri was a friend of Jaina's.
and had been close to her brother, Anakin, but that wouldn't have stopped him.
from expressing a suspicion had he something definite to back him up. But he.
didn't. There was just her breakdown at Mon Calamari, and something about her.
behavior. He couldn't put a finger on it, but he felt that something was just not.
quite right about her.
"I guess not," he said eventually.
He hadn't even been aware that he regarded her any differently than the other.
members of the mission until the day they left Mon Cal. The departure of the.
mission had been decidedly more low-key than that of Jade Shadow, even.
though Leia and Han did have official recognition as envoys of the Galactic.
Alliance. Chief of State Cal Omas, Supreme Commander Sien Sovv, and Kenth.
Hamner had all put in an appearance to bid them farewell, thankfully without.
fanfare or speeches. With the Galactic Alliance in good hands, the Millennium.
Falcon had ferried the pilots of Twin Suns Squadron who weren't already in.
orbit up to Pride of Selonia, and a brief shaking of hands was held there. Jaina.
embraced her parents; Jag awkwardly accepted a pat on the shoulder from Han;.
Captain Todra Mayn, a tall, thin woman with a slight limp, had saluted the.
assembly with due respect. And that was it, except for a glimpse of Tahiri that.
Jag had stolen as everyone moved off to their ships. She had been standing at the.
back of the gathering, carefully removed from the activity. She was still thin, and.
very pale; the scars from her torture at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong stood out.
vividly on her forehead. And her eyes ....
Jag Fel wasn't one for flights of fancy, but he also wasn't one for ignoring.
what his senses told him, either—so when he saw the look of disgust on Tahiri's.
face and the intense hatred in her eyes, his hand had reached automatically for.
the blaster at his side. If she was to make any move whatsoever for Jaina or her.
family, he wanted to be ready. Had she shown any indication of attacking, he.
would have shot her down without hesitation.
She didn't, though, and the moment had passed uneventfully—but he had still.
been reluctant to remove his hand from the weapon at his side. It almost seemed.
to Jag that she had sensed him looking at her, and her gaze had swung over to.
him. When their stares locked, she was suddenly herself again, and he was left.
feeling slightly foolish. Whatever it was he had seen in her eyes had gone,.
replaced with a soft and subtle uncertainty.
Shoot Tahiri? What had he been thinking? She was just a sick teenager in.
desperate need of some rest, tagging along on the mission with lots of other tired.
warriors. Leia and Jaina thought she was having trouble getting over Anakin's.
death, that she had bottled up her grief so long and so hard that it was bursting.
out of her now in twisted, dark forms. When he had raised his concerns about.
her being on the mission, Leia had said firmly that it was just what Tahiri.
needed: a clear sense of direction provided by people she could trust. If.
something else went wrong, they would be there for her without hesitation. End.
of story.
Jag had no reason to doubt that it was the story's end. Nevertheless, that look.
he had thought he'd seen on Tahiri's face stuck with him, and he found himself.
repeatedly thinking about it throughout the long jump to Galantos. He didn't.
know exactly what the Yuuzhan Vong had done to her on Yavin 4, but he did.
know the enemy employed biological technologies far in advance of anything.
the Galactic Alliance had. Was it possible that the malevolent flash he'd.
glimpsed in her was in some way connected to this? It was impossible to say for.
sure. But whatever was going on behind Tahiri's fragile facade, he was going to.
need more information before he could take any action. And to do that, he was.
going to have to keep a very close eye on her at all times ....
"I'm thinking of volunteering for ground duty," he told Jaina over the private.
line. "I haven't seen much of the Galactic Alliance, except from orbit.".
"You couldn't have picked a worse place to start taking an interest, Jag," she.
said. "It looks like someone dumped an ore hauler full of sludge from orbit!".
He laughed. "Yeah, well, it makes a change, anyway. Care to join me?".
"Tempting, but no thanks. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather follow.
procedures from up here. Someone has to mind the baby, just in case the.
Yevetha come calling.".
He thought he detected a mild rebuke in her voice. "I'm not off to a good start,.
am I?" he said, unwilling to give the real reason for going down to the surface.
"Only a few days into our arrangement and I'm already trying to shuffle the.
roster around.".
"No, that's okay, Jag. You should feel free to volunteer for these things, if.
that's what you really want to do. I was hoping we could jiggle the roster a little.
myself, to make sure we got a chance to be off duty and on Selonia at the same.
time." A note of teasing replaced the rebuke. "But if wading around in sludge is.
more your idea of a good time than hanging out with me ...".
He smiled to himself. "You know that isn't the case," he said. "I was just.
hoping we could combine the two.".
Her laugh was part shocked, part delighted. "You've been too long in that.
crash couch, spaceboy. I'll be sure to report you to your superior officer, next.
time I'm Twin Leader.".
The line clicked off. Satisfied that he would be able to put his name down for.
the landing party without arousing her suspicion—or her ire—he turned his.
thoughts to regrouping with the rest of the squadron. Jaina was absolutely right.
in that respect: whatever his suspicions were regarding Tahiri, his job, first and.
foremost, was to look after the squadron and ensure the external security of the.
mission. The well-being of Tahiri was ultimately the responsibility of the person.
who had invited her aboard—and if he couldn't trust Leia Organa Solo, then.
whom could he trust?
Nonetheless, he decided to volunteer. Just to be sure.
"You're what?" The red face of General Berrida glowered at Jacen from the.
Widowmaker's hologram.
"A Jedi Knight, sir," Jacen repeated steadily. "I've come to help you.".
"Help us—?" The overweight general spluttered for a second. "And what.
exactly makes you think we need your help, Jedi Knight? All I see is an.
overgrown boy in robes.".
"Appearances can be deceptive," Jacen said, refusing to wilt beneath the.
general's blustering and outrage.
Berrida laughed derisively. "So where is this help you offer us, Jedi? Where's.
your support vessel?".
"Jade Shadow has retreated to a safe distance." Jacen had spoken to Uncle.
Luke and ensured that the rest of the mission stayed well out of sight until his.
gambit had paid off—or not, as the case might be. "You don't have to worry.
about it.".
"Don't tell me what I do or do not need to worry about, boy," Berrida.
growled. His holographic image flickered momentarily. "I don't like having.
unknown vessels lurking around my system.".
"A sentiment I understand completely, General. Which is why I've come to.
offer my help.".
"We don't need your help," Berrida said obstinately.
"I think you do." Jacen paced around Widowmaker's cramped bridge, trying.
his best to radiate a sense of calm control. Inside, though, he was thinking faster.
than he had during any lightsaber battle. "Tell me, why do you think the.
Yuuzhan Vong attacked Bastion?".
"They have issued no explanation.".
"Nor will they, probably," Jacen said. "Nonetheless, they must have one. No.
one risks resources in war without a reason. Now, I know you're not a fool,.
General, so I'm pretty sure you would have some idea as to their reasons. Why.
don't you share it with us?".
Berrida straightened, the corner of his mouth twitching irritably. "The.
Yuuzhan Vong attacked us in retaliation.".
"For?" Jacen pressed.
"For Garqi, Ithor, Exodo Two—".
"And for supplying information to the New Republic—specifically,.
information on hyperspace routes to the Galactic Alliance, which enabled it to.
turn the tide of the battle and, for the first time, hurt the Yuuzhan Vong." Jacen.
enjoyed the surprised look on Berrida's face. On Widowmaker's bridge, Captain.
Yage raised her eyebrows. "My mother negotiated that deal with the Empire,.
General. That's how I know about it. And I can assure you that not many other.
people do. There are people on our side as reluctant to deal with you as you are.
to deal with us.".
"So?" Berrida snapped. The general made no attempt to hide his growing.
irritation with Jacen. "What are you driving at, boy? Speak plainly before I have.
you arrested for obstructing the Imperial war effort.".
"It's really quite simple, General." Jacen smiled as sweetly as he could. "If the.
deal between the Empire and the Galactic Alliance was such a secret, then how.
do you think the Yuuzhan Vong ever learned about it? I mean, only your.
highest-ranking officers and my mother knew about it at the time. She passed it.
on to our military leaders, who employed it in our war effort. We know there's.
no leak at our end, because the new routes worked. If the Yuuzhan Vong had.
infiltrated our chain of command, the information you gave us would have done.
us no good whatsoever. The only way, therefore, that the Yuuzhan Vong could.
have known that the Empire had given the Galactic Alliance information that.
hurt them is if the leak was at your end." Jacen paused before pronouncing his.
conclusion. "You have a spy, General.".
"Nonsense!" Berrida's denial was mixed with just enough shock for Jacen to.
realize that his reasoning had hit home. "That's impossible!".
"It's not impossible at all." Jacen changed his tone to one of sympathy. He'd.
attacked enough; the general's defenses had been breached. It was Jacen's task.
now to turn Berrida into an ally, not to keep attacking and make him even more.
of an enemy. "The fact is, we've had problems with infiltration ourselves. First.
with the Yuuzhan Vong, and then with the Peace Brigade. Your staff could be.
riddled with alien impersonators and sympathizers, and you would never know.
They have living disguises called ooglith masquers that allow them to.
impersonate anyone.".
"We'll conduct security sweeps, random checks," Berrida said, but Jacen.
could tell that the man's self-assurance was flagging.
"All useless, I'm afraid, unless you know what it is you're looking for.".
Berrida glared balefully at him. "And you do know what to look for, I.
suppose?".
Jacen nodded. "My companions and I have had a great deal of experience with.
the Yuuzhan Vong. We don't profess to understand them, but I do feel that we.
are slowly coming to. And that, I believe, is the most important thing at the.
moment.".
More important than destroying them, he thought to himself. But he doubted.
that the general was ready for such philosophy. Be patient, he told himself. One.
step at a time.
"Let's assume I believe you," Berrida said, "and that I take you on your word.
that—".
"You don't have to take my word, General," Jacen interrupted. "The evidence.
speaks for itself.".
"Assuming I accept the argument, then," Berrida pressed on. "What next? Are.
you asking me to open my staff to your influence? How will I know then that.
I'm not trading one form of infiltration for another? I don't have to trust you,.
Jedi, just because you appear to be beating my enemy.".
"I'm not asking you to do that, General. All I am doing is offering you and the.
Empire advice. You can take it or leave it. Just give me the opportunity to.
present it properly, and then you can decide what to do about it.".
"Precisely what sort of advice are we talking about here?".
Jacen ticked several items off on his fingers: "First, we can advise you on how.
to detect and eliminate Yuuzhan Vong spies within your ranks. Second, we can.
teach your pilots new tactics that will help you fight more effectively on the.
front. And third, I can offer you my opinion of what you should do next.".
The general grumbled disdainfully. "Which is?".
"That we should leave Yaga Minor as soon as possible," Jacen said. "Any.
spies you have will already have reported to their superiors that this is where the.
fleet has regrouped. If your destruction is their aim, then it would be reasonable.
to assume that they'll attack here soon, before you have a chance to get your act.
together.".
The general grunted. "Anything else?".
"Only one other thing: we cordially invite you to join the Galactic Alliance to.
enable a continuation of this dialogue. We could have used your help many.
times over the course of the war, and I know that you can use ours now. We're.
not supplying anything with strings attached, General, but we do offer the hand.
of peace. All we ask is that you at least think about taking it in return.".
Jacen brought his own hands behind his back as he waited for the general's.
reply.
The holographic image of the general was motionless for a long time—long.
enough for Jacen to wonder if the image hadn't frozen. Then Berrida moved,.
tilting his head to one side with a grimace.
"I'll get back to you," he said, before his image abruptly dissolved.
Jacen let out his breath in a trembling rush, for the first time realizing how.
damp with perspiration his palms were. "I'm not sure if that went better than.
expected or worse than I could have imagined.".
"Better," Yage said, stepping up beside him. "It's not in that fat fool's nature.
to negotiate, or to entertain an original thought, so to get him halfway there is.
something of a major coup. If I know him, he'll already be on the line to Moff.
Flennic—who'll tell him to stop listening to such nonsense and impound us.
before we waste any more time. But by the time he acts on it, the situation might.
have changed." She looked around her bridge, her expression concerned. "It.
really depends on what's happened to the chain of command.".
"Who's filled the power vacuum, you mean?" Jacen asked.
Yage nodded. "Exactly. With Chimaera still missing, the Moffs will assume.
that Gilad Pellaeon is dead, but until they know for sure either way, they won't.
stick their necks out. And Flennic might not make any bold moves until he's.
certain of how the council will fall out. If he's got the support, he may even take.
the opportunity to make a move for leadership.".
"That wouldn't be good.".
"Not for you, no," Yage said. "And probably not for our chances of survival.".
Jacen didn't say anything; it wasn't her he needed to convince.
Later, when Tekli and her gear were settled in one of the frigate's empty.
berths and the subspace channels were free, Jacen commandeered a line to talk.
to Jade Shadow.
"Do you want to come back?" Mara asked, her voice conveying the worry she.
felt for him and the diminutive Chadra-Fan. "We can slip back insystem and—".
"I'd advise against that," he said. "They're going to be looking for you, so I.
think you'd be better off staying where you are. And wherever it is you're.
hidden, don't tell me. It's probably best I don't know.".
"That's not your only concern, is it?" Luke said.
"Well, no," he admitted with some embarrassment. "The thing is, Uncle Luke,.
I don't know much about Imperials, but I do know that they know you. I think.
they'd feel a lot more relaxed about negotiating with some young upstart than.
the man who brought down their Emperor.".
"I totally agree with you, Jacen," Luke said. "And I know that you'll do the.
job right. You seem to have a natural strength when it comes to negotiating.
Your mother will be proud. Not even she was able to talk the Imperials around,.
and she's one of the best diplomats the New Republic has ever seen.".
Jacen smiled at his uncle's praise. "That's kind of you," he said. "Although to.
be fair to my mother, the last time she was here the Imperials didn't have the.
Yuuzhan Vong snapping at their heels. Things like that tend to make people.
easier to persuade.".
"That's nothing but false modesty, Jacen, and you know it," Mara said. "Be.
sure to keep us updated on how negotiations proceed, as well as Gilad's.
condition. And don't forget that you can call on us for anything, anytime. We'll.
be flight-and fight-ready around the chrono if you need us.".
"I hope it won't come to that. It could be hours before we hear back from.
Berrida or Flennic. And you'll know if they decide not to talk at all and make a.
move on us instead.".
"Or if the Yuuzhan Vong come.".
There was a small silence after Mara's words. Jacen had proposed the.
possibility of another advance by the Yuuzhan Vong fleet simply as a bargaining.
chip, but the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He was less.
worried now about the Imperials than he was about being caught in an old frigate.
on the front line.
Still, the kind of work he was doing certainly felt a lot more faithful to his.
path than wielding a lightsaber or flying an X-wing in battle. He'd originally.
thought the stopover in the Imperial Remnant little more than a distraction on the.
way to finding Zonama Sekot, but perhaps it would prove to be something much.
more than that. Perhaps he had found another calling where he had least.
expected it.
But not even he thought that he could bring the Imperials around without.
Gilad Pellaeon behind him. Whoever filled the admiral's place while he was.
unconscious would be too busy watching their back to listen to Jacen—and the.
longer they were in that position of power, the less likely they would be to give.
it up.
Get well soon, old man, Jacen thought as he wrapped up the conversation with.
Jade Shadow and went off to find somewhere he could wait in peace. Enjoy the.
quiet while you can. It may just be the calm before a terrible storm.
"It's changed.".
The voice of Anakin's mother snapped Tahiri out of her daydream. She'd.
been staring out at the gelatinous oceans of Galantos as the Millennium Falcon.
descended rapidly through the planet's atmosphere. She dragged her eyes from.
the view through the cockpit viewport to where Leia sat in the Falcon's copilot.
seat next to Han's.
"I'm sorry?".
"Galantos," she said. "It's changed since I last saw it." Tahiri glanced again at.
the view. "I didn't know you'd been here.".
"I haven't. Borsk Fey'lya toured here briefly a while ago. He sent back some.
reports while I was still on the council. He didn't like it much, if I recall. Didn't.
get on with the locals.".
"I can't understand why," Han grumbled sarcastically, flicking switches with.
exaggerated impatience. "These people could out-talk a Toydarian trader.".
"It's just their way of going about things," Leia placated him. "I'm sure they'd.
find your ways equally as odd.".
"Yeah, well, at least I get things done. I'm amazed anything's changed around.
here—ever! They'd discuss any proposals to death before they ever started.
building.".
"Well, somehow they're getting things done," Leia said, pointing at the.
screens before her. "That city there isn't on any of the maps we have. Or that.
one.".
Tahiri had boned up on Galantos's geography while in transit from Mon.
Calamari. She knew that the landscape below was inherently unstable, so the.
Fian cities were built to ride out seismic vibrations. Shaped like flattened spheres.
with stabilizing spikes beneath, they floated heavily on the many organic seas.
dotting the surface. Tahiri wondered if people would feel the movement of the.
cities as they wobbled beneath them. The very idea made her feel motion-sick.
Hopefully, she thought, they had dampeners like the cities on Mon Calamari.
"So they've been building," Han said. "Joining the New Republic worked for.
them, obviously, even if it didn't teach them how to talk properly.".
The Falcon swooped out of the sky, guided by navigational beacons to a.
circular landing field at the summit of Al'solib'minet'ri City. There was no.
evidence of any other starships, but there were a number of aircraft. Ground.
transport had been made difficult by the instability of the planet's crust; this had.
held back the development of the Fia until they had stumbled on balloons almost.
two centuries earlier. Now enormous vert'bo airships regularly carried livestock.
and other material goods across the shattered wastelands between the oases.
floating on the seas, while the Fia themselves took to speeders and suborbital.
shuttles. The sky was a maze of contrails near a busy town, punctuated by the.
enormous blimps, lazy dots drifting across a vibrant blue.
A celebration had gathered to greet the Falcon when it touched down. A band.
struck up when the engine noise died away and the landing ramp was extended.
The music was strange to Tahiri's ears—a mixture of high-pitched whistles and.
hollow drones—but it gave the scene a festive air as she followed Anakin's.
parents down the ramp. Leia's Noghri bodyguards followed at a discreet.
distance, carefully eyeing the gathering for any activity that might be considered.
a danger to the Princess.
Not far away, Jag Fel's clawcraft had also touched down. Al'solib'minet'ri.
City Control had accepted his addition to the landing party, but only after.
confirming the details at length with Captain Mayn, for whom Tahiri couldn't.
help but feel sorry. Watched curiously by the crowd, the Chiss-trained pilot.
strode confidently to join the other humans at the center of the crowd of short,.
long-featured, web-footed Fia.
"Welcome to Galantos!" one of the Fia cried, moving forward and waving its.
long arms in apparent agitation. Although not much larger than an Ewok, the.
alien's gesticulating startled Tahiri, making her take a cautious step back. Then.
she realized that the gestures were only meant to convey excitement and delight.
"I am Primate Persha." The Fia's voice was high-pitched, but musical rather.
than irritating. She spoke loudly to be heard over the muted squeaks of the other.
Fia around them. "On behalf of Councilor Jobath, I'd like to welcome you to.
Galantos, Leia Organa Solo, Han Solo, Tahiri Veila, Jagged Fel, and protocol.
droid See-Threepio. It is an unexpected honor and a privilege for us all!".
Leia smiled and bowed courteously. "Councilor Jobath could not attend?".
"Unfortunately, no," the Fia said, her eyes looking somehow even more.
melancholy than they already were. "He had a pressing engagement in.
Gal'fian'deprisi City. But he promises to be here as soon as physically possible,.
and wishes me to convey his warmest and most respectful greetings and hopes.
that your stay will be an enjoyable and fruitful one. We have made our finest.
diplomatic facilities available to you and will strive to fulfill your every request.
Please don't hesitate to ask for anything you require or desire at any point in.
your stay, day or night. Either myself or my assistant, Thrum, will be only too.
happy to accommodate you.".
With one of her small, web-fingered hands, the Fia waved them to follow her.
as she led them from their ships, waddling away on her wide, bell-shaped legs. A.
path opened up for them through a disconcertingly ecstatic crowd. The Fia were.
a small, inoffensive people whose wild arm gesticulations belied their otherwise.
placid nature. As Primate Persha kept up a steady stream of detailed instructions.
on how she or her assistant could be contacted over the next two days, Tahiri felt.
herself begin to lose track of the words. All meaning seemed to fade from them.
as the rising and falling of Persha's voice became notes of a complicated.
melody. Tahiri doubted that she was missing much by hearing only one word in.
three.
Persha led them into an ornate turbolift. C-3PO bumped into Tahiri's back as.
the doors slid shut.
"Forgive me, Mistress Tahiri," the golden droid said. "This sort of fuss is all a.
bit overwhelming for the likes of a protocol droid like myself.".
"That's okay, Threepio," she whispered back so as not to interrupt the steady.
flow of Primate Persha's ongoing speech, which had now moved on to express.
the Fia's joy at having such visitors on their usually unnoticed world—especially.
in such times of trouble and hardship that the galaxy was seeing. "I never.
thought I'd meet someone who talked as much as you, either.".
She knew the components of C-3PO's face never changed, but by the way he.
tilted his head at this comment Tahiri could tell that he hadn't really understood.
her little joke.
The diplomatic quarters in Al'solib'minet'ri City were expansive and well.
appointed. For all their isolation and other drawbacks, the Fia didn't skimp when.
it came to fittings and hospitality. Tahiri's room was decorated with white,.
bonelike panels ornately carved in the likeness of local life-forms; the images.
were peculiar looking, as befitted their environment, but stunningly crafted. The.
furniture was fashioned from a local, broad-grained wood, with some of the.
items so seamless that they looked as if they'd been grown that way rather than.
artfully cobbled together from various pieces. All in all, the room was both.
comfortable and luxurious—even if the bed was a little too short for her legs.
After checking out their quarters, the visitors reconvened in the anteroom at.
the heart of the diplomatic residence. Primate Persha had left them alone for the.
time being, graciously accepting their pleas to relax and unwind for a while—.
although not before reiterating her instructions, again in meticulous detail, on.
how to ask for anything at all they might require.
"I'll just be glad when we're off this rock," Anakin's father was saying when.
Tahiri walked in. He looked more flustered than Tahiri had ever seen him. She.
wasn't sure if it was because of the Fia or their proximity to the Koornacht.
Cluster—or perhaps it was a little of both.
"Don't tell me," Leia said with a half smile. "You're getting a bad feeling.
about this place, right?".
He shot her a dirty look before turning beseechingly to Jag Fel. "Please tell.
me there's a reason we shouldn't stay, Jag. Please. Anything.".
"Sorry," said the tall, handsome pilot. "Can't help you, I'm afraid." Shrugging.
off his backpack containing equipment he'd brought with him and placing it on.
the table in the middle of the room, Jag turned to Leia and said, "I've patched us.
into the planetary comm network and have opened a link to Selonia. I think.
we're safe in assuming that our encryption is light-years ahead of what these.
guys have here.".
"And the rooms?" Leia asked.
"Bugged, of course," he said. "But it's okay; I've jammed them. We're.
clean." Jag glanced at Tahiri when he said that, then quickly looked away. "We.
should be safe here now.".
"You wouldn't think these people would have a need for listening devices,".
Han said. "They're so busy talking all the time.".
Leia ignored his griping. "The Fia are all right," she said. "Actually, it makes.
a nice change from people who don't talk enough. But then, that's not to say that.
I'm entirely happy with what I see here, either." She fixed her husband with a.
sober stare. "I'm getting a bad feeling about all of this, although I hate to say it.".
"About what?" Tahiri asked.
Leia paused as if reaching out into the Force for an answer. "I'm not sure,".
she said shortly, shaking her head. "Everyone seems happy enough to see us, and.
Galantos is obviously a fairly peaceful place, but—".
"But it's almost too peaceful, right?" Han offered.
"Maybe," Leia said. "And there's still the question of the communications.
blackout. Jag, will you contact Captain Mayn and ask her try to patch into the.
planetary transceiver? Galantos had one when it joined the New Republic; if it.
doesn't anymore, I want to know what happened to it. Failing that, have her.
attempt to contact the nearest intersector network and see if she can get a.
message to Mon Calamari directly. We might be able to fix the problem locally,.
if it's just a technical hitch, and move on elsewhere without wasting too much.
time.".
"I'll second that," Han muttered.
"In the meantime, Tahiri and I are going for a walk.".
C-3PO instantly shuffled forward, only to be stopped by Leia putting a hand.
to his metal chest.
"Alone, Threepio," she said.
"I do not think that this is advisable, Mistress Leia," Threepio squawked in.
protest. "For just the two of you to be out there alone—".
"Someone has to talk to our hosts," she cut in gently but firmly. "Otherwise.
we shall appear rude." When he started to voice his objections again, Leia said,.
"I appreciate your concerns, Threepio, but they're not necessary. We'll be fine.
And besides, Han and Jag will need you to talk to the planetary transceiver—.
that's if they can get it on-line.".
"But Mistress, I really must—".
"The Princess will be safe," rumbled Cakhmaim, one of the Noghri.
bodyguards who escorted Leia everywhere she went.
"See?" Leia said, not just to C-3PO but also to Han, who was looking as.
dubious about his wife's plan as the droid sounded. "And anyway, I'll have.
Tahiri with me to keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary." The Princess.
winked at her. "That's if the conversation doesn't put her to sleep, of course.".
Warmed by Leia's trust in her, Tahiri smiled. "I'll try extra hard to stay.
awake.".
"Just be careful," Jag said. "And call us if you need any assistance, okay?".
"Stop worrying," Tahiri insisted, thinking: Why does he keep looking at me.
like that? It was difficult, she found, to regain self-confidence when those.
around seemed to have their own doubts about her. "You just concentrate on the.
housekeeping while we get on with the serious work.".
She and Leia left the anteroom with the Noghri in tow, startling the small.
contingent of Fia who were huddled together outside in the hallway, whispering.
animatedly among one another.
"Oh, Princess Leia," exclaimed a relatively broad-faced Fia with orange robes.
and pointy elbows. They all took a step back as Leia stepped out into the hall.
"You surprised us! I am Assistant Primate Thrum. I was discussing a matter of.
some minor importance with the diplomatic staff here. I apologize if we.
disturbed you in any way.".
"Not at all," Leia said, stopping directly in front of Thrum. "May I ask the.
nature of the matter you were—discussing?".
"It is nothing," Thrum said, glancing awkwardly to the other Fia around him.
"It is just that there appears to be an electrical fault in the quarters we have given.
you and we must ask—".
"Regretfully ask," put in one of the others leaning in close to Thrum.
"Regretfully ask," Thrum corrected himself, "that you consider moving—".
"We have noticed no such faults," Leia said imperiously. "My husband is.
sleeping. When he wakes, though, I shall have him look more closely. Until.
then, I'd appreciate if he were left in peace. He is extremely tired after our long.
journey.".
"Ah, yes, of course, Princess, of course." Thrum bowed low, sweeping his.
spindly arms in undulating movements that Tahiri suspected were meant to.
indicate abasement. "We would never dream of disturbing the great Han Solo.
during a rare moment of rest.".
Tahiri hid a smile. She had no doubt that the "minor electrical fault" they were.
talking about lay in the listening bugs that Jag had jammed. It must have.
frustrated the Fia no end that the only way they would find out what Leia and her.
entourage wanted was by good old-fashioned questions and answers.
"Thank you," Leia said, casting a brief and conspiratorial smile in Tahiri's.
direction. "I know he will appreciate that. For now, though, I was hoping that if.
it wasn't inconvenient, perhaps my friend and I could have a tour of your city.".
Thrum straightened almost with a snap, his face beaming with pride. "Of.
course, Princess! We would like nothing more than to show off our magnificent.
home." He snapped his fingers twice and his fellow conspirators quickly.
scattered. "I shall arrange immediately for someone to notify Councilor—".
"That will take time," Leia said, sweeping forward and forcing the fussing Fia.
to half run just to keep up. "And I'm really not in the mood for waiting. Like I.
said, it's been a long journey, and I need to stretch my legs. Why don't you just.
take me around, Assistant Primate Thrum? It will make things so much easier.".
He nervously followed along, clearly agitated. "But what of Councilor Jobath.
and Primate Persha?" he babbled. "I shall need to inform them—".
"I'm sure they can catch up in their own time," Leia went on, not even.
slowing her pace. "You know, they say that travel broadens the mind, and after a.
few days cooped up in an old freighter, I can assure you that mine is in some.
serious need of broadening. Now," she said, turning a corner at random, "what.
do we have down here? I don't think we came this way before. I must say, I like.
the architecture. Simple yet elegant. Are these corridors deliberately reminiscent.
of the Old Republic style, or did that come about purely ...".
And so it went on, with Leia rarely giving the Fia a chance to speak—or,.
indeed, to protest that he simply didn't have time to escort them at the moment.
Tahiri let herself fall behind, enjoying the sight of Assistant Primate Thrum.
trying to get a word in edgewise. Glancing over the Fia's flat head, the Princess.
caught her eye and indicated for Tahiri to take another corridor. Tahiri hesitated,.
then inconspicuously slipped away, her bare feet padding silently along the stone.
floor.
She felt slightly guilty going off on her own in this manner. And nervous. As.
Leia's voice slowly faded, Tahiri put her hand on the lightsaber at her hip and.
attuned her senses to the world around her. The diplomatic quarter of the city.
was extremely quiet, and for the most part deserted. This didn't overly surprise.
her, though. Galantos wouldn't receive many visitors, despite the mineral wealth.
of its soils, so she imagined that this section of the city was probably empty most.
of the time. Borsk Fey'lya's dismissal of Galantos many years ago had led to an.
avoidance of the place by New Republic officialdom. No other councilors had.
visited the planet and, following the Yevethan crisis, it seemed that Galantos.
had, for all intents and purposes, fallen off the map.
It was odd, then, Tahiri thought, that the Fia had invested so much money in.
opulent quarters for guests who never came. And it wasn't just that the buildings.
and rooms were well maintained; it was more that they were actually brand new.
Why would they build them now? Tahiri wondered. In the middle of a war?
Assuming she was being watched, Tahiri resisted her urge to break into some.
of the other guest rooms. She suspected that someone, recently, had stayed in the.
newly built quarters, and she would have loved for the chance to find out exactly.
who that had been. It was only a gut instinct, but she had learned to pay attention.
to her gut feelings—especially those originating in the Force, as this one seemed.
to. Someone had been here; she was sure of it. If not within the last few days,.
then certainly within the last month or two. Perhaps on her way back, she.
decided, when she had scoped out the rest of the place and getting caught.
wouldn't be so much of a problem, she would chance taking a closer look.
Following her instincts, she wove her way through numerous corridors until.
she reached a guard station separating the rest of the city from the diplomats'.
quarters. Two guards were busy discussing the details of a recent regulation.
change. They didn't seem to have been alerted to her presence. She gently.
reached out with the Force and encouraged them to leave their post for a.
moment, chasing a suspicion that they had perhaps seen someone lurking around.
a corner. While they were gone, she walked through their post as nonchalantly as.
she could.
The city outside the security perimeter was noisier than the guests' section.
The corridors were plainer here, but had numerous skylights or light-tubes.
allowing natural daylight to filter throughout. She noticed species other than the.
Fia about the place, too—a couple of mournful Gran and a group of Sullustans.
chattering among themselves. She presumed this area of the city contained.
government offices of some kind, since most of the Fia she passed wore similar.
clothes: not uniforms, but more the conservative kind of garb one might find in.
an office anywhere. They noticed her, too, but did nothing to stop her. In fact,.
some even went out of their way to avoid her, almost as if alarmed to see her.
walking these corridors.
This troubled her as much as the newness of the diplomatic quarters. Why.
should they be so frightened of her? Perhaps it wasn't of her as such, she.
thought, but of a human loose in the city. But still, what had they seen to.
encourage such ill feeling? A Yevetha she could understand, but Gran and.
Sullustans?
Tahiri set aside the thought for now; she would address it later, with the others.
in the security of their quarters. For now she concentrated on looking both lost.
and curious, choosing routes with the least pedestrian traffic, and constantly.
checking over her shoulder for a sign of the guards she felt sure would by now.
be coming after her ....
Her comlink bleeped. Without breaking stride, she raised her wrist and said,.
"Hello?".
"This is Leia. Where are you, Tahiri? Assistant Primate Thrum pointed out.
that we seem to have lost you. To be honest, I hadn't noticed. I was so wrapped.
up in the tour.".
Tahiri smiled to herself. "Sorry," she said, playing along with the charade. "I.
should have called you before now. I went to go back to my room to get.
something and must have taken a wrong turn along the way.".
"Would you like us to send someone to fetch you?".
"No, that's all right. I can find my way back.".
"Are you sure?" Tahiri could hear Thrum babbling something behind Leia's.
words, but couldn't quite make it out.
"I'll call you if I can't retrace my steps. Until then, I'm sure I'll be perfectly.
safe.".
There was no good argument to that. It wasn't as if she was out on the streets.
where a criminal element might threaten her; she was inside a government.
building populated by clerks. And Thrum could hardly insist that she return.
because they were nervous about her.
"That's fine, Tahiri," Leia said. "Come back when you're ready. Have fun.
while you're young, that's what I say. And I'm sure Assistant Primate Thrum.
would agree.".
The line went dead. Tahiri smiled even wider, imagining the frustration.
Thrum must have been feeling in the face of Leia's incessant chattering.
The thought of the talkative locals brought something home to her then. The.
Fia around here were conversing with none of the driven intensity of Primate.
Persha or her assistant. They were discussing the everyday occurrences of their.
lives in some detail, yes, but nothing more than that. She couldn't help wonder if.
the endless chattering of the Fia she had been formally introduced to was the.
nervous prattle of someone hoping to avoid awkward questions.
She continued through the building for a while longer before coming to the.
realization that she wasn't about to learn anything new this way. The corridors.
were remarkable only in that they all appeared almost exactly the same, and the.
only doors she found to be open led to nothing more interesting than storerooms.
or offices, often occupied by gossiping bureaucrats. Because she didn't know.
what exactly to look for, beyond anything that might explain the.
communications blackout to Galantos, she didn't have any clear objectives. And.
besides which, after an hour or more, she was starting to get a little bored with.
the game.
Deciding to make her way back to the others, she found a turbolift and.
dropped ten floors; she walked around briefly before going back up the same.
shaft to the floor she had started on. Then, figuring that if she had any pursuers.
on her tail, this would set them back a little, she wound her way back to the.
security post she had snuck through earlier. The same guards were there when.
she returned, both looking tremendously relieved to see her.
"Mistress Veila! You have returned!".
"Please forgive our lack o courtesy when you came by earlier," said one,.
approaching her. "It was remiss of us not to be here to give you directions.".
"It's really nothing," she said breezily. "I had a nice stroll.".
"Please allow me to escort you back to your rooms," he said obsequiously.
"We would hate for you to become lost again.".
"That won't be necessary," Tahiri said, with a small wave of her hand. "I can.
find my own way back.".
"I'm sure that won't be necessary," the second guard said, stepping up beside.
the first.
His partner nodded. "She can find her own way back," he said, and gestured.
her through without another word.
In fact, Tahiri did know her way back to her rooms, but that wasn't where she.
was heading. She was letting her instincts, not her head, guide her again.
Someone else had stayed in these rooms—she was more convinced of this now.
than she had been before. She half closed her eyes to shut out the distraction of.
her physical senses, walking where her feelings led her, reaching out with the.
Force to make sense of her suspicions. Whoever it was who had been the Fia's.
guest, she could feel their echoes and shadows all around her: in the walls, the.
carpets, the gilt-edged cornices, the carvings ....
She moved along the corridors, the feelings becoming stronger with each step.
she took, finally reaching their peak when she turned into one long passage.
leading to a wide viewport. The viewport itself looked directly out into the clear.
skies of Galantos, the sunlight through the decorative and colored glass casting.
rainbow hues across the numerous doors that lined the passage.
She stepped uneasily forward, her hands reaching out to touch each door in.
turn as she passed. They all seemed devoid of anything out of the ordinary, and.
yet the corridor rang with an odd, discordant resonance. The feeling was so.
strong now, in fact, it was almost tangible. Someone—.
She stopped abruptly. Her entire body tingled as her fingertips came into.
contact with the door at the far end of the corridor. She wasn't normally able to.
sense individuals so strongly, particularly in the ambience of an unfamiliar.
world. So what made this one so special? Why was her stomach churning at the.
thought of opening this door? What exactly was it in these echoes that disturbed.
her so intensely?
You are being foolish, she chided herself. You are a Jedi Knight and that is an.
empty room. There's nothing in there to be frightened of, but fear itself.
The door slid open when she touched the keypad: nothing to hide, it would.
seem, or else the door would have been locked. But the mysterious presence hit.
her like a wave of stale air, making her flinch.
Somewhere in the distance she thought she heard voices calling her, so,.
despite her apprehensions, she stepped into the room. Her movements were slow.
and awkward, as though she were trying to take strides in a Mimban swamp.
As expected, the room was unoccupied. It was far from being empty, though.
The feelings were so strong now that her entire body felt as though it was about.
to explode—and, such was the discomfort they were giving her, right then she.
would have been happy if it had.
Still allowing her instincts to guide her, Tahiri stepped over to the bed, lifting.
the quilt covering it to look underneath. Finding nothing, she lifted the entire.
mattress.
There.
At full stretch, she could just manage to get her fingers on the tiny silver.
object that lay on the dusty floor. And the moment she touched it, a shock went.
through her that sent her reeling. She lay on the floor, clutching the object,.
panting to catch her breath and fighting to hold the darkness at the back of her.
mind from sweeping in.
This was it: this was what had been calling to her. Just like the voices were.
calling to her now ....
"Mistress Veila! Are you all right?".
Was it a Fia who had called her name? She couldn't be sure; she was too busy.
trying to stay conscious.
"You must come with us, please," the owner of the voice continued. "You.
should not be here!".
She felt herself actively complying with the request, even though she seemed.
to have no real control over her body. It was as if she were lost in a vague fog,.
her movements as clumsy as a puppet's.
Turning, she saw three Fia guards at the door, one stepping in to take her arm.
and guide her out into the corridor. There, the other two took position close.
behind her. They were speaking, but she couldn't quite make out the words, as.
though she were disassociated completely from her body, looking down from.
above on all that was happening. And it was all because of the thing in her hand.
....
She brought the pendant up to examine it more closely. It was silver in.
appearance, but fashioned from a substance unfamiliar to her, and molded in the.
shape of a bulbous-headed, many-tentacled jellyfish—a bizarre cross between an.
Umgullian blob and a Sarlacc.
But she knew what it was. Although she'd never seen anything quite like it.
before, she recognized it immediately.
It was an image of the Yuuzhan Vong deity Yun-Yammka, the Slayer.
A wail came bubbling up from inside her, crying out in a language she wasn't.
supposed to know: Ukla-na vissa crai!
Tahiri clutched the totem to her chest as the world grayed around her and.
plunged her, finally, into black.
*.
In the week following the telling of the Rapuung story, Nom Anor.
accompanied I'pan on his missions to the upper levels. Using his knowledge of.
security codes and resource management, he was able to appropriate many of the.
raw materials the Shamed Ones needed to build their new home, things they.
hadn't previously been able to gain access to. Slowly but surely this ragtag.
bunch of Shamed Ones was becoming indebted to him, living a life they would.
not have been able to had he not been introduced to them. He had given them the.
lambents that supplied them light when the bioluminescent globes failed, and the.
arksh that gave them warmth during those colder nights, as well as the h'merrig,.
the biological processor that produced a significant percentage of their daily.
food. He had stolen the materials in good conscience, not caring how the thefts.
might hurt Shimrra's war effort. For now, all that concerned him was.
engendering the trust of his new companions. And while his small contributions.
had helped in this, it hadn't been enough to win over everyone—especially the.
likes of Kunra, who remained suspicious of his motives.
None of that mattered right now, though. He was on another mission with.
I'pan, and this time collecting equipment and gaining the Shamed Ones' trust.
was far from his mind. This time, he had a different agenda.
"How much farther?" His tone was full of irritation as he squeezed himself.
between two enormous conduits.
"Almost there." I'pan looked around to get his bearings, then headed for a.
small hole in one of the walls. On the other side was a ferrocrete tunnel.
originally intended to give maintenance droids access to a seemingly endless.
stream of cables and pipes bunched overhead. The tunnel curved away slightly.
to the left and had no entrances or exits other than those that had been knocked.
through the ferrocrete by other explorers. For all Nom Anor could tell, it might.
have circumnavigated the entire wretched planet.
They came across the corroded remains of a droid halfway along their.
journey. It was slumped on its side, burned out and stripped of all its useful.
parts. The expression on its blackened, empty face was a hideous parody of life.
Nom Anor kicked it over, stepping on the fragments for good measure as he.
passed.
Soon they reached a narrow crack in the side of the tunnel, and I'pan put a.
knobby finger to his lips, calling for quiet. Then he slipped awkwardly but.
soundlessly through the crack. Nom Anor waited anxiously in the tunnel, fearing.
a trap. There was nowhere to hide in this endless, abominable place.
I'pan's hand suddenly reemerged from the crack and waved him through.
"They're not here yet," he said. "We'll have to wait.".
Nom Anor followed I'pan into the sub-basement. Despite years of infiltrating.
the infidel societies, he still felt slightly hemmed in by the sharp edges, flat.
planes, and impossibly perfect corners that characterized such rooms. Nothing in.
nature exhibited such properties as these artificial monstrosities—or at least not.
simultaneously, anyway. It felt as though their very design was intended to suck.
the life out of those who occupied them, as if in some vain attempt to fill their.
terrible emptiness.
The room's only door was locked from the outside. If he was patient, he told.
himself, he would soon be safely back in the reassuring jumble of the deepest.
levels, where the weight of all the buildings above warped the edges, bowed the.
planes, and thwarted the corners sufficiently to fool the mind into thinking it.
might almost be natural. Almost.
I'pan collapsed bonelessly into a corner, appearing in the shadows to be little.
more than a pile of rubbish under all the rags. Finding a spot in the center of the.
room, where someone had unsuccessfully attempted to soften the room's.
harshness by planting a vurruk carpet, Nom Anor concentrated on breathing.
exercises to pass the time. He was much fitter than he had been before Ebaq 9.
He hadn't noticed how the years of stress had racked his body until a few weeks.
of a solid, simple exercise regime washed it clean. His pulse was again strong,.
and the gash across his fingers had healed perfectly into a ragged, attractive scar.
He felt younger than he had in decades. Nom Anor's self-imposed exile may not.
have advanced his return with any great speed, but physically it was doing him a.
world of good.
The sound of scuffling from the far side of the basement's door broke his.
meditation. Nom Anor and I'pan rose to their feet together as the lock clunked,.
the door opened, and three people stepped through. The leader, a tall man with.
no eyesacks to speak of, stopped in front of I'pan but stared critically over at.
Nom Anor. He held a sack in one hand, which he passed to I'pan without a.
word.
I'pan took it. "Aarn, T'less, Shoon-mi," he said when the door was safely.
shut, addressing each of the strangers in turn. "I have brought someone who.
wishes to learn more about the Jeedai.".
The three Shamed Ones studied Nom Anor closely. It was clear they didn't.
recognize him. He knew their type well. They carried an air of toil with them, as.
though subservience was an atmosphere that could be bottled. I'pan had.
explained in advance that these three didn't belong to a rogue group such as the.
one Nom Anor had stumbled across; such were rare, even following the spread.
of the Jedi heresy. These three were properly employed workers operating under.
cover.
"His name is—" I'pan started, but was stopped as Nom Anor stepped forward,.
pushing his companion aside.
"I am Amorrn," he said. The false name was intended ostensibly to avoid.
alarm over his former existence, but mainly to reduce the chances that word of.
his survival would reach Shimrra.
The tall one nodded. "I am Shoon-mi," he said, "Niiriit's crèche-brother.
When she fell from grace, it was I who freed her from the priests' cells and.
allowed her to escape. She has told you about me?".
Niiriit hadn't, but Nom Anor could see in the man's sad eyes a yearning for.
acknowledgment. He knew this sort, too: his immediate family would have been.
Shamed along with Niiriit, and he was brave enough as a result to resist the.
established order in small ways, yet too cowardly to abandon it entirely.
"She has told me many things," he said. "She tells me that you, too, follow the.
ways of the Jedi.".
This was mostly true; she had spoken of a person closer to the surface who.
believed in a slightly different version of the heresy. She and Nom Anor had had.
many conversations on the topic of the Jedi, but she had never once mentioned.
her relationship to Shoon-mi. He wondered if her devotion to the heresy had.
burned out all other concerns—perhaps even any feelings for Kunra that might.
once have existed.
"I pay heed to what I hear," Shoon-mi said cautiously.
"Will you tell me what that is?".
One of Shoon-mi's companions looked nervous. "This is neither the place nor.
the time," she said. "We are due back in—".
"You go, T'less," Shoon-mi said with an edge as sharp as the room's corners.
"Tell Sh'simm we were held up in the yorik nursery. This is more important.".
He looked directly at Nom Anor, his narrow eyes studying the ex-executor.
intensely. "And this is as good a place as any.".
The one called T'less nodded, glancing at Nom Anor before hastily slipping.
out of the room.
"Don't let us get you into any trouble," Nom Anor said ingratiatingly.
"We won't be missed," said the Shamed One I'pan had named Aarn. "Things.
are chaotic on the surface. Whatever it is that afflicts the dhuryam still causes.
great discomfort. There is confusion and instability. Many are joining our ranks.
as they are blamed for mistakes or inefficiencies caused by those higher up, and.
this influx makes it easier for us to slip through the cracks.".
Nom Anor listened with stunned amazement. Aarn clearly suffered from a.
different kind of heresy: that of rebellion. He'd had no idea that such things were.
discussed at any level of Yuuzhan Vong society, even among the Shamed Ones.
"I'pan has told me the story he heard on Duro," Nom Anor said, swallowing.
his surprise. "But he tells me also that there are differences between his story.
and yours.".
Shoon-mi nodded. "In the version he tells, it was Mezhan Kwaad who killed.
Vua Rapuung. But I have heard that he survived her blow, and that he sacrificed.
himself directly so that the Jeedai could escape. And I also heard that it was his.
brother who killed him. Hul Rapuung was willing to consider that Mezhan.
Kwaad had Shamed him intentionally, but could not go so far as to accept the.
Jeedai as allies. When Vua died, his supporters fell on Hul and killed him, and it.
was during this confusion that the Jeedai escaped.".
"Even so," Nom Anor said, "the message is essentially the same, is it not?".
Shoon-mi shook his head. "There are differences there, too. The Jeedai stands.
accused of using fire in his attack on the Yavin Four installation. That is an.
abomination of the first order. Most people who hear the story shy away from it,.
preferring to ignore it as an awkward detail rather than try to examine it and.
thereby come to a better understanding of the Jeedai's way. But understanding is.
the key. Anakin Solo proved himself to be more than just an infidel tool user.
Later, when his créche-mates were in danger, he sacrificed himself in glorious.
combat so that they might live. He did not shy away from death. You and I both.
know that these are not the actions of primitive infidels. They are adaptive.
strategies—strategies we can learn from.".
Nom Anor nodded, absorbing what he'd been told. This story of Vua.
Rapuung's death rang closer to his memories. There was no mass uprising in the.
records, no clash between warriors with different ideologies, as I'pan had related.
it. But Shoon-mi had not mentioned the slaughter of the Shamed Ones on Yavin.
4, either. In the mythic sense, clearly the deaths of a thousand Shamed Ones.
were irrelevant compared to the death of a single significant one.
The fact that Nom Anor had once turned down an invitation to duel with the.
great Anakin Solo would never be known. The executor had killed an entire.
squad of warriors with an infidel's blaster in order to keep that particular secret.
from getting out.
"Where did you hear this story?" he asked.
"From me," Aarn said, stepping forward.
The relatively youthful Shamed One had narrow features that spoke of.
generations of Shame before him—so much so, in fact, that Nom Anor found it.
an affront to his dignity even to be in the same room as the man, let alone talk to.
him.
"I heard it from one of us who served on Garqi.".
"And where did they hear it?".
Aarn shrugged, his craggy face pinched into a frown. "I'm not sure," he said.
"Why do you need to know?".
Nom Anor shrugged this time. "I am merely curious how there came to be two.
stories that differ so dramatically about the same event," he said. "It's not as if it.
happened that long ago. One of the stories must be partly false—but that doesn't.
necessarily mean that the other is entirely true. If one should be false, why not.
the other, too?".
"They overlap enough to convince me that the foundations, at least, are true,".
Shoon-mi said. "You know how quickly rumors change. Word of mouth can.
distort truth in a very short space of time. But that does not change the essence.
of the story.".
Nom Anor nodded thoughtfully, pretending to consider the point Shoon-mi.
had made. "But which, then, is the most true? Which Jedi do I listen to? The one.
who uses fire, or the one who doesn't?".
"You must follow your instincts," Aarn said.
Nom Anor glanced at the Shamed One, briefly and with a hint of a snarl at the.
corner of his mouth. It incensed him to have to associate with the likes of the.
man, when a few months back it would have been beneath him to even waste a.
thought on his kind.
"I'd rather hoped to follow the story back to its source," he said, speaking.
directly to Shoon-mi. "To the one who took it off Yavin Four in the first place—.
the one who saw it with his own eyes and was brave enough to repeat it.".
"I don't have that one's name," Shoon-mi said. "I don't know that anyone.
does, either.".
"He was never named in your version of the story?".
Niiriit's brother shook his head. "I'd remember if he had been. That person.
would be as famous as Vua Rapuung.".
He'd also be dead, Nom Anor thought to himself. Going around telling stories.
about heretics was one thing, but admitting who it was who disobeyed.
Warmaster Tsavong Lah's direct order was another thing altogether. It could.
have been anyone, though: a warrior might have smuggled out a favorite slave;.
the shaper Nen Yim might have spoken of her experiences on Yavin 4; or.
someone belonging to a domain rivaling Kwaad might have even spread such.
rumors. The possibilities were numerous.
"Are there any other differences between the stories, then?" he asked, hoping.
to sound more like an innocent student of the Jedi rather than someone with an.
ulterior motive.
"There's some discrepancy over when the events occurred," Aarn said.
"Yes, I know. One version suggests that all this happened when Yavin Four.
was still in the hands of the Jedi. Doesn't that bother you?".
"Not really," Aarn said. "Stories do change of their own accord. I would be.
more suspicious if all the versions were exactly the same.".
"Do you know of any others who tell tales like this, then?" Nom Anor asked.
"A few," Shoon-mi said. "Everyone tells a handful of trusted friends, and each.
of those in turn tells another handful. That is the manner by which rumors.
spread. Not knowing who told who more than one or two reiterations ago may.
be frustrating, but it certainly makes things safer for all of us.".
That much was true, at least, Nom Anor thought. Without that fact working in.
its favor, the Jedi myth wouldn't have filtered far enough to reach his ears. At.
the same time, though, not being able to trace it back would hardly work in his.
favor. Shimrra wouldn't be happy with only half the information, if Nom Anor.
decided to divulge it. Unless the Supreme Overlord could be assured of wiping it.
out at its source, he would never believe that it had been completely eradicated.
This would undoubtedly frustrate him, and that would make Nom Anor the.
source of this frustration.
The heresy was like disease eating away at the underside of Yuuzhan Vong.
culture. Beneath the surface, as he had always thought of it, beneath the warrior,.
shaper, and intendant castes, lay the foundations built by the workers. The.
efforts of the workers were sustained by the priests, who shored up any weak.
areas with babble that would barely hold water if one poked a single claw at it.
The priests made everything possible because, without gods demanding sacrifice.
and servitude, what was there to stop the workers from rising up? Or the.
warriors from turning on the weak? The intendants from stealing from anyone.
they felt like? It was the glue of the gods that kept not just the Yuuzhan Vong.
invasion on course but the Yuuzhan Vong race as a whole together.
If something were to supplant the gods—new gods, or no gods at all—Nom.
Anor suspected that Yuuzhan Vong society would fly apart like a shattered.
planet. There would be no center left to hold it together; it would be eaten away,.
decayed. He knew it was his duty to report the extent of the heresy to Shimrra.
To do otherwise would be to actively participate in the destruction of everything.
he had worked toward for decades. Yet part of him still wondered if there might.
not be some way he could turn all of this around to work in his favor, without.
bringing everything down around him. And wouldn't that be the greatest irony.
of all? To use his enemies, the Jedi, as the means to his own victory?
"Amorrn?".
He realized that he had been too preoccupied with his thoughts to notice the.
conversation taking place around him.
"I'm sorry," he said, gritting his teeth on the false camaraderie. "I was.
thinking of how strange it must have been for Vua Rapuung to be so close to a.
Jedi for so long.".
"There have been others," Aarn asserted. "I heard of a Jeedai who allowed.
himself to be captured, and he couldn't be broken.".
I'pan nodded. "I've heard of him, too," he said. "His name was Wurth.
Skidder. He seduced a yammosk with his mind and then killed it.".
Nom Anor said nothing, although he was certain he knew more about the.
incident than the Shamed Ones relating it to him. The Jedi Wurth Skidder had.
been a prisoner on Créche, a yammosk-carrying clustership destroyed at Fondor.
Its commander, Chine-kal, had been circumspect in reports prior to his death, but.
what seemed certain was that Skidder had been close to the breaking point.
before an attempted rescue by one of the New Republic's most daring irritants,.
Kyp Durron's so-called Dozen. One member of this group, a Jedi by the name of.
Ganner, managed to kill the yammosk, but he had been unable to rescue his.
friend. The galling thing was that, although Wurth Skidder had died, it was true.
he had never been broken.
"Mezhan Kwaad couldn't break the Jeedai-who-was shaped," Aarn said.
"And then there are the Twins, also," Shoon-mi said. "Both have been.
captured, and both have escaped. Yun-Yammka has never been able to break.
them, either.".
"So you are saying that they are even more powerful than the gods?" Nom.
Anor asked.
The question seemed to make Shoon-mi nervous. "Not necessarily," he said.
"But perhaps the Jeedai know more about the gods than the priests do.".
And there it was, stated boldly: the true heresy that had the potential to bring.
the Yuuzhan Vong species to its knees. Once the workers stopped listening to.
the priests, what would fill the vacuum? The warriors? The intendants? The.
Jedi?
The latter truly would be an abomination, Nom Anor knew. He would never.
allow himself to be dictated to by an infidel. But he would use them to get what.
he wanted: either news of the heresy could regain his favor with Shimrra, or the.
heresy itself could destabilize the Supreme Overlord's rule. That seemed a.
simple enough progression. It wasn't the normal way an ambitious Yuuzhan.
Vong climbed the ranks—but since the ladder one would normally ascend to.
further one's status in the Yuuzhan Vong hierarchy had effectively been kicked.
out from under him, he was forced to resort to other methods. It wasn't.
something he was particularly proud of, but it was necessary.
"We must return." Aarn shuffled about on his feet. Nom Anor wondered if.
Shoon-mi's blatant statement of faith had unsettled him, too.
"I understand," Nom Anor said. "But I would very much like to talk to you.
again. The notion of truth intrigues me, and I'd like to hear as many different.
versions of Vua Rapuung's story as possible. If you hear it from anyone else—".
"Then we shall tell you, Amorrn," Shoon-mi said, nodding. "I'pan should take.
you to see Hrannik, too. I've heard she is also busy spreading the message.".
"I will," I'pan said. "I know a couple of others, as well. The truth is.
spreading.".
"The truth is spreading," Shoon-mi repeated, as though by rote.
Bidding a quick farewell, the two from the surface exited via the abominably.
right-angled door, leaving I'pan and Nom Anor alone again. His deformed.
companion opened the sack Shoon-mi had given him and looked inside.
"What is it?" Nom Anor asked.
"Food, some old clothes," I'pan answered. "The usual stuff. Shoon-mi likes to.
look after his sister.".
"Why doesn't she talk about him?".
"Because she believes he is a traitor to the truth," I'pan said as though the.
answer should have been obvious. "As far as she is concerned, he should leave.
his unit and join her rather than paying lip service to the old gods. Until he does.
this, she will not even acknowledge his existence.".
"But she will accept his gifts," Nom Anor observed wryly.
I'pan laughed at this. "She is not so proud that she will refuse help," he said.
"Survival is her priority; changing her brother is secondary.".
Nom Anor remembered the way Niiriit's eyes had glowed in the light during.
the telling of I'pan's story. She was a true fanatic, more dangerous to the system.
than any of the others. There was nothing more lethal than a trained warrior who.
had turned against her old leaders.
He smiled to himself, confident with the beginnings of a plan that was slowly.
forming in his head. All he needed now was the source of the Vua Rapuung.
rumor.
"Are you coming?" I'pan said, breaking into his thoughts.
Nom Anor smiled again, wider this time. "Time to go home, I'pan," he said,.
nodding.
I'pan climbed through the fissure in the wall they had entered through earlier,.
leading him in the direction of the "home" he thought Nom Anor had been.
referring to.
Jaina watched the holo through a third time. She still couldn't believe what.
she was seeing—although the heavy feeling in her gut suggested that part of her.
was at least beginning to.
The holo came from Al'solib'minet'ri City Control, piped up to Pride of.
Selonia on a secure line. Jaina had returned to the frigate specifically to view it,.
at the request of her parents who felt she needed to see what had happened to.
Tahiri. It also gave her the opportunity to get her X-wing serviced and diagnostic.
checks done on her craft's weapon systems while things were quiet.
The holo had been taken two hours before in the diplomatic quarters where.
her parents were staying with Jag, Tahiri, and C-3PO. It showed Tahiri being.
guided along a corridor by a small contingent of Fian security guards. According.
to the report Jaina had received from her mother, Tahiri had gone on a brief.
exploratory mission through the city, after slipping away, with Leia's assistance,.
from the Fian escort. It seemed that she had led the guards on a merry chase.
before they had finally managed to track her down to one particular room where.
they'd found her lying on the floor in a seemingly dazed state. She had.
accompanied them without protest, allowing them to return her to the others in.
her party.
From the casual manner that they carried their blasters, and from their.
unconcerned expressions, it was obvious that the guards were not expecting any.
kind of trouble whatsoever. Nevertheless, their leader appeared less than.
impressed by the runaround that Tahiri had given them.
Jaina watched as Tahiri looked down at something she had clutched in her.
hand. The cam angle didn't allow a good shot of what the object was, exactly,.
but Tahiri's reaction upon seeing it was both startling and disturbing. The girl.
recoiled as though struck by a blaster bolt to the forehead, her expression one of.
absolute horror. In an instant, too fast for the cam to follow, her ice-blue.
lightsaber was out and at the ready, sweeping to cover her from any attack. The.
security guards fell back, themselves startled, bringing their blasters up to the.
ready. The leader barked a warning, but Tahiri didn't seem to hear or see him.
Her eyes were wide as they darted manically from side to side, exactly as if she.
was expecting an attack. Her lightsaber whipped around in a bright arc as she.
pirouetted to cover herself from some nonexistent attack from the rear. The.
guards jumped back a step or two farther at this, confused by the sudden change.
in the situation. Jaina could understand their fear, too. There was a look on.
Tahiri's face that warned of what might happen if she was provoked.
The ranking security guard was marginally braver than the others. Despite his.
own obvious apprehensions regarding Tahiri, he cautiously stepped forward and.
demanded she deactivate her lightsaber. If she didn't, he said, he would be.
forced to open fire upon her.
Jaina slowed the playback at that point, watching closely as Tahiri listened to.
the guard's request. The girl half turned; her expression changed to one of alarm,.
as though seeing the guards around her for the first time. A procession of.
emotions flashed across her delicate features: dismay, regret, fear, and, finally,.
despair. For a split second, Jaina even thought Tahiri might attack the leader.
who had approached her. Then, as though struck from behind by a stun baton,.
her eyes rolled back into her head and her legs folded beneath her. Her lightsaber.
died the instant she released it, the handgrip clattering across the floor and into a.
wall.
Even then, with Tahiri seemingly unconscious and her weapon nowhere near.
her, the guards remained wary, keeping their distance with their blasters trained.
on Tahiri's prostrate figure. The leader was also reluctant to approach, nervously.
calling for backup on his comlink. Even when they did find the courage to step.
up to her and prod her with their feet, Tahiri didn't respond. It was only when.
the reinforcements arrived that the girl finally stirred, sitting up with obvious.
bewilderment. But she didn't protest against the weapons being leveled at her, or.
resist when she was loaded aboard a hovercart and examined by a medic. A short.
time later, she fell into what appeared to be a deep sleep from which she couldn't.
be awakened.
By then, the others had been notified and were arriving on the scene. Jaina's.
mother came first, along with a Fia who was later identified as Assistant Primate.
Thrum, followed closely by Jag.
"Is she hurt?" Leia asked the paramedic leaning over Tahiri.
"No," she was told. "She simply appears to have fainted.".
The leader of the security guards explained how Tahiri had drawn her.
lightsaber. When pushed on the matter of why she should do something like this,.
the Fian security guard replied, "That's just it—I don't think it was us she was.
attacking." When asked to explain, however, the guard was unable to do so.
Nonetheless, Jaina knew what he meant.
Even though the holo had been taken at awkward angles that often didn't.
allow her to see Tahiri's face, Jaina could tell that whoever Tahiri had been.
fighting, it hadn't been those guards. Her lightsaber was swinging, yes, but her.
attention had been on something else, something unseen. What that something.
was, Jaina had no way of telling.
Her mother, using every bit of leverage her diplomatic weight afforded her,.
convinced the medic, guards, and Assistant Primate that Tahiri would be better.
off in her own quarters, where she could be examined properly. The anxious.
procession had wound its way through the empty corridors of the diplomatic.
quarters to where Jaina's father and C-3PO were waiting. There, Leia had.
insisted they be left alone so that they might tend to the girl in peace and quiet.
The Fia had agreed to allow this, but clearly with reservations. Even from her.
position in orbit, Jaina could see that Assistant Primate Thrum was not overly.
convinced that this was the right thing to do. His job had been to keep an eye on.
the visitors; what with Tahiri's unauthorized jaunt and the jamming of the bugs.
in the diplomatic suites, he wasn't really having much success at it.
Jaina's mother had called her as soon as they'd determined that Tahiri wasn't.
in any immediate danger and was, as the Fia in charge of the medical droid had.
diagnosed, simply unconscious. Jaina's first thoughts were concern that Tahiri's.
illness—whatever it was—hadn't been relieved by leaving Coruscant. Leia.
agreed: she had hoped that keeping her busy would be enough to clear the angst.
that seemed to have taken hold of her.
"But perhaps I'm hoping for too much," Leia said, frowning. "It's still early.".
Jaina wasn't convinced it could all be put down to stress. "Whatever's going.
on, Mom, I don't think it's entirely in her head.".
"Something in the Force, you think?".
"I honestly don't know. If it is, then it's something subtle that you're not.
picking up." She shrugged, feeling frustrated at being so far away from her sick.
friend. "She was a long time without a Master, after Ikrit died. Who knows.
what's been going through her mind?".
"Luke wouldn't have made her a Jedi Knight without being certain she was all.
right," Leia said, but something in her expression told Jaina that her mother.
didn't really believe it could be dismissed so easily.
Midway through the conversation, C-3PO announced that he'd managed to.
access a security holo showing what had happened to her before her collapse.
The droid succeeded just in time; barely had he appropriated the holo when it.
was snatched out from under him and secured in a domain he had no access to.
The Fia were clearly becoming sensitive to the overactive curiosity of their.
guests.
Jaina and the others watched the holo, increasingly mystified.
"Tahiri looks terrified," she said over the secure link with her family.
"Of what, though?" Han asked. "There's nothing there but the guards. And the.
most they would've done is bore her with details of procedures she should have.
followed.".
"Well, something upset her," Leia said.
"Something that none of us can even see," Jaina mused.
And there the matter rested. Leia insisted that the best thing for Tahiri right.
now was to let her sleep. She hadn't been harmed by the Fia; there was nothing.
out of the ordinary on any of the scans C-3PO took of her. They would have to.
wait until she woke up to find out exactly what had happened.
"Here's another mystery," Jaina's mother said after a few moments' silence.
"The Fia aren't afraid of the Yevetha anymore.".
"What?" Han exclaimed. "That's like standing on the Jundland Wastes in high.
summer and not being afraid of krayt dragons.".
"You'd think so, wouldn't you?" Leia agreed. "But that's what I was told by.
Thrum. When I asked him what precautions they're taking against the threat of.
another Yevethan attack, he said they didn't need to take precautions, as N'zoth.
was no longer a problem.".
"Just like that?" said Han.
Leia nodded. "I asked him about diplomatic ties, thinking that maybe the.
Yevetha have had a change of heart about alien species. He said that they didn't.
exist. There's no embassy on Galantos; no negotiated peace settlement. It's like.
—" She paused, as if unable to find the words to express her thoughts. "I don't.
know—it's like the Yevetha simply gave up and decided to stay at home from.
now on.".
"I don't believe that for a second," Han said. "It'd be like them to lie low for.
years while secretly rebuilding and plotting their revenge." He shook his head.
"Mark my words: they have to be up to something. I tell you, if my home was on.
Galantos, I wouldn't be taking my eyes off that cluster for a second.".
Leia nodded again and, far above in the ship, Jaina had to agree with the.
suspicion. Vicious xenophobes didn't just roll over after a sound beating; they.
came back twice as nasty and three times as determined. The Yevetha were.
liable to come bursting out of the Koornacht Cluster at any time.
"Do you want me to take a look?" she asked down the subspace link.
She caught the momentary hesitation on both her parents' faces as they.
glanced at each other; but then, equally as fast, their expressions softened.
"Don't stick around to make any enemies," Han said. "Just get in and get out.
again, understood? Don't make me have to come in there after you.".
Jaina smiled at this.
"And get back to us in one piece," Leia added.
The only dissenting voice came from Jag. "This is crazy," he said to her.
parents. "You can't be seriously considering sending Jaina off into unknown.
territory like this.".
"We're not sending her," Leia said. "She volunteered.".
"Besides, if the Fia are telling the truth," Han put in, "then the territory's.
likely to be safer now than it ever was.".
"And if they're not telling the truth?" Jag asked.
"What's your problem, Jag?" Jaina piped up frostily.
"Look, I don't mean to imply that you couldn't handle it," Jag said. He looked.
uncomfortable confronting the combined Solo family. "I'm just thinking of the.
squadron, that's all. Who's going to run it with you gone?".
"You, of course," she said, surprised that she should even have to point this.
out. "It'll take me a couple of hours or more to prep for the mission. That'll give.
you time to get back up here and take over, won't it?".
"I guess so," he said. There was a look of uncertainty on his face that she.
wasn't used to seeing. He was clearly uneasy with this whole idea. "But there's.
something I want to do here, first, if that's all right.".
"Of course," Jaina said.
He nodded, still without conviction. "And you'll take some backup with you,.
right, Jaina?".
She smiled, suddenly realizing the source of his concern. He wasn't thinking.
about the squadron at all; he was thinking about her. He was worried about her.
well-being, and the fact that he cared so much for her filled her with a warm.
satisfaction.
"If it makes you feel any better," she said, "then I'll take Miza and Jocell.
along with me.".
She knew that would ease his mind on at least one score. They were two pilots.
from his Chiss Squadron, so he knew he could trust them.
"Okay, so that's settled," Han put in with a look she couldn't quite fathom.
"When you're ready, Jag, I'd like to go with you to check on the Falcon, to.
make sure she hasn't been interfered with. I doubt we've given these guys.
enough time to plan anything like sabotage, but we can't afford to take any.
chances.".
"I'll stay here with Tahiri and Threepio," Leia said with a slight frown. "Good.
luck, dear. And do as your father says: don't ruffle any crests, all right? If the.
Yevetha have softened, we could really use their help against the Yuuzhan.
Vong.".
"Understood, Mom." The sight of Tahiri in the background, unconscious,.
pale, and vulnerable, gave Jaina a twinge of guilt for leaving. "I'll be back.
soon.".
Jacen reached deep inside himself, searching for the wisdom of his last.
teacher's words.
"The Force is everything, and everything is the Force," Vergere had said,.
shortly before she died. "There is no dark side. The Force is one, eternal and.
indivisible. You need worry about no darkness save that in your own heart.".
Not even the darkness of others? he wanted to ask her as he stood listening to.
Moff Flennic's ranting. The terrible, anti-life obscenities dripping from the.
mouth of this self-styled savior of the Imperial Remnant was almost more than.
Jacen could bear.
"Retreat?" the man was growling. "Retreat? I hear that word and I think of.
cowards; I think of cowards and I find myself reaching for my blaster." He.
paused to fix Jacen with a baleful glare, presumably to let him know he wasn't.
exaggerating. "There's not one man under my command who would accept an.
order to retreat from me without questioning my sanity. They'd sooner relieve.
me of my command than follow such an order—and they'd have every right to!".
"Moff Flennic," Jacen said as placatingly as he could, "if you'll just listen to.
what I have to say—".
Moff Flennic snorted. "And give you the opportunity to plant your thoughts in.
my head? I'm not stupid, boy. I'm not senile. Who do you take me for? I was.
hunting Eloms decades before you were even born.".
Finding solace and strength in the memory of Vergere's wisdom, Jacen found.
an island of calm within himself and relaxed his clenched hands.
The solidly built man paced the flight deck in full uniform, waiting out.
Jacen's silence with tense energy.
"Well?" he snapped after a moment. "Aren't you going to tell me that hunting.
intelligent life-forms constitutes some violation of your weak Jedi sensibilities?".
Jacen shrugged philosophically. "My sensibilities are my own, sir, and I have.
no wish to impose them upon you.".
"And yet you want me to do what you tell me," the man scoffed. "Isn't that.
the same thing, boy?".
"Not at all. I am merely explaining what, to me, would be your most prudent.
course of action at this moment. How you choose to respond to my opinion, of.
course, is entirely up to you.".
"But you won't like it if I ignore you, will you?".
"If you ignore me, your people will be slaughtered," Jacen said softly. "And.
no, I would not like that at all.".
Flennic hesitated, something approximating amusement flickering behind his.
keen eyes. Then he resumed his pacing, slower, each step more deliberate than.
the last. "You know, boy, if you were one of my officers, I would have had you.
shot for speaking to me the way you just did.".
Jacen fought to maintain calm. For all the Moff's abhorrence at the idea of.
Jacen implanting ideas in his head, he seemed to have no problem in practicing a.
few mind games of his own. The constant use of the word boy was no doubt.
intended to make Jacen feel small and inadequate. It was lame at best, and.
served only to further Jacen's frustration.
"Moff Flennic," he started tiredly.
The Moff raised a hand to silence Jacen. "I know what you're going to say,".
he said. "That you're not one of my officers—nor would you want to be, I.
imagine. But I wouldn't take you even if you wanted me to. And do you know.
why?".
"It's not relevant, sir," Jacen said, trying to maintain his tone of respect even.
though all he wanted to do was grab the man by the collar of his uniform and.
shout at him to just listen.
The man stopped pacing and turned to face him. "I have no idea why you're.
bothering to talk to me, boy. I'm clearly wasting your time. That's what you're.
thinking, isn't it?".
"Actually, sir, I don't believe for a second that I'm wasting my time," Jacen.
said. "If anything, I think you know that what I'm saying makes sense, but.
you're just too proud to admit it. You're desperately trying to convince yourself.
that I'm wrong.".
"Really?" The word was more of a challenge than a question.
"You're no fool, sir," Jacen said smoothly. "Convene the other Moffs, if you.
want to. Tell them what I've told you and see what they have to say. I'd be.
particularly interested in speaking to Moff Crowal of Valc Seven, since she.
might have access to something I'm looking for.".
"And what might that be?" asked Flennic.
Jacen smiled slightly at the suspicion that suddenly pinched the man's face.
"Information, of course," he said. "Understand, sir, that our time in the Empire is.
limited; our mission lies elsewhere. When we have what we need, we will be.
leaving.".
Flennic's eyes narrowed. "And you think Valc Seven would be an ideal.
fallback position for our fleet when we retreat from Yaga Minor?".
"Actually, that's the last thing you'd want to do. Valc Seven is on the edge of.
the Unknown Regions. Fall back that far, and you've already lost the Empire.
No, my choice of fallback—the place you would do best to lay a trap, if you.
prefer—would be Borosk.".
The Moff was silent for a long moment. Jacen knew what he was thinking.
Borosk was one of several small, fortified worlds guarding the edge of the.
Empire. The Moff would be wondering if this was part of some convoluted plot.
on behalf of the Galactic Alliance to gain territory from an old enemy.
But Jacen hoped that even Flennic would see that that was just ridiculous. If.
the Imperial Remnant lost such a stand, Borosk would fall to the Yuuzhan Vong,.
not the Galactic Alliance. And the Galactic Alliance had more important things.
to worry about than a small system on the edge of its territory.
The continuing silence suggested that Flennic was unable, for the moment at.
least, to fault the plan. Pressing home his advantage, Jacen went on:.
"Moff Flennic, if you move quickly enough, you might save Yaga Minor.".
This got a reaction. Yaga Minor was the Moff's personal holding. When it fell.
—as it surely would, if the fleet stayed where it was—Flennic would have.
nothing, regardless of what happened to the Empire as a whole.
"Explain," Flennic demanded.
"The Yuuzhan Vong are stretched to the limit right now. Thanks to our hitand-run campaigns, the forces they've assembled to knock out the Empire are.
badly needed elsewhere. They can't afford to commit here for too long.
Knocking out your fleet quickly is their priority. Wherever it is, they'll go. Once.
it's destroyed, they figure they can wipe out your shipyards at their leisure.".
"So if we send them packing now," Flennic put in, "you're saying they won't.
come back?".
Jacen shook his head. "I can't guarantee that," he said. "But if they did come.
back, it certainly wouldn't be in such numbers.".
Flennic was pacing again. "And what makes you so sure staging a.
counterattack at Borosk will work?" he asked, his attention directed to the floor.
ahead of him.
"Two reasons," Jacen replied. "One, the spies infiltrating your staff will make.
sure their warmasters know about the move. And two, we'll teach you how to.
fight the Yuuzhan Vong more effectively.".
That pulled the Moff up to a complete halt, swinging his full attention around.
to Jacen. "In exchange for what?".
"Nothing, actually. My only interest is in saving lives and maintaining the.
stability of this region. We can haggle over information with Moff Crowal when.
this matter is resolved.".
Moff Flennic grunted. " 'This matter'?" he echoed incredulously. "You make.
it sound like we're in the middle of a minor squabble over an asteroid!".
"Please don't take offense, sir, but from the point of view of the galaxy, that's.
more or less what this is. The Empire has dominion over a few thousand systems.
out of hundreds of thousands of millions. Yes, you have tactical significance,.
and no, I do not like to see lives wasted unnecessarily; but your failure to survive.
will make little difference in the greater scheme of things.".
Flennic's face filled with blood. His jowls quivered from the rage building up.
inside him. Jacen had gotten the reaction he'd hoped for. Through the Force he.
could feel the pressure rising like stresses in a neutron star. Any moment now,.
something would give. The question was: would he explode or implode?
The answer never came. The comm on Flennic's desk buzzed and the Moff.
vented his anger on it.
"I told you, no interruptions!" he bellowed into the comm unit.
"But, sir, there's an incoming call from—".
"I don't care who it's from, you fool. Get rid of them now, or so help me I'll.
have you ejected into space without—".
He stopped short when another voice issued from the comm unit. "That's.
hardly the way to speak to a subordinate officer," the voice said. "Especially.
when you're on my ship.".
Flennic's features went from startlingly purple to deathly white in the time it.
would have taken light to cross the room.
"Grand Admiral?" he said unbelievingly. "You're—alive?".
"Of course I'm alive," Pellaeon said, his voice oddly muffled but clear. "It.
will take more than a bunch of overeager Yuuzhan Vong to put me out of the.
picture.".
"But—".
"What's the matter, Kurlen? You don't sound as overjoyed to hear my voice.
as I'd thought you might.".
"No, that's not it at all. It's just—that is, I'm—" The man stammered.
awkwardly for a moment, then straightened and returned his glare to Jacen.
"How do I know this isn't one of your mind tricks, Jedi?".
It was Pellaeon who answered. "Just take a look at him, Kurlen. He's as.
surprised about this as you are.".
That was true. The last thing Jacen had expected was assistance from the man.
he had last seen unconscious in a bacta tank, looking as though death was but a.
few short breaths away. It also confirmed something he had been wondering:.
that Pellaeon had access to more than just audio via his comlink, but was hiding.
his own visuals.
"It's nice to hear your voice, Grand Admiral Pellaeon," Jacen said with.
absolute honesty.
"Under better circumstances, Jacen Solo, I would say the same." There was.
the hint of a smile in the man's voice. "Thank you for your help at Bastion. I.
owe the Jedi my life, and I never forget my debts. You can safely assume I shall.
listen to your thoughts on the Yuuzhan Vong with far more interest than some of.
my colleagues.".
"It would be my pleasure to discuss them with you, sir," Jacen said, mindful.
to keep any conceit from his tone. Even though he would be dealing with Grand.
Admiral Pellaeon, he still didn't want to get on Flennic's bad side. The future.
was full of unseen waters; it was important to leave as many means of crossing.
those waters open to him as possible.
"Another time, perhaps," the Grand Admiral said. "I've been a little out of.
touch these past couple of days, and right now I have a strategic withdrawal to.
discuss with Moff Flennic.".
"We were just discussing that very thing," the Moff said, licking his lips.
nervously.
"Were you, indeed?" Pellaeon asked. "And have you issued directives to the.
surviving officers?".
"Well, no, but—".
"Assessed possible locations for a more substantial regroup?".
"Borosk was one location that came to mind," Flennic said, shooting Jacen a.
warning look.
"A good choice, Kurlen. I suggest you get onto it straight away. The longer.
we sit here, the more stupid we'll look when the next wave arrives. Capital ships.
should start moving within the hour, leaving a small defense force behind. I trust.
I can leave the arrangements in your hands? I have business elsewhere that needs.
attending.".
"Uh, Grand Admiral—".
"Yes, Kurlen?".
"Don't you think this deserves a little more discussion?".
There was a long silence. Jacen maintained an expression of serene patience.
while Moff Flennic looked increasingly nervous.
When Pellaeon spoke again, it was in a voice with all the cold clarity of a.
hydrogen bath.
"Understand this, Kurlen: what I just gave you was an order, not an invitation.
While I command the Imperial Navy, you will do as I say, regardless of whether.
or not you agree with those orders. Otherwise—and believe me when I say this.
—if I have to secede from the Empire in order to ensure this navy's survival,.
then I shall do so without hesitation—and I guarantee that we won't be back to.
pick up the pieces of your shipyards afterward.".
"I understand, Grand Admiral," the Moff stammered.
"Good," Pellaeon returned crisply. "But I'm not finished. This is just the.
beginning. You will also issue orders to allow Jade Shadow free access to this.
system, and any system within the Empire. The Moff Council has gravely.
underestimated the threat of the Yuuzhan Vong against my advice one too many.
times, and it won't happen again. I won't let it happen again. The time has come.
to take what few assets we have left and ensure that nothing like this ever recurs.
If we survive Borosk, the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi will be our best hope of.
long-term survival, and I intend to take advantage of them while the Empire still.
exists. Is that understood?".
The large but temporarily cowed man just nodded.
"The connection must be poor, Kurlen, because I didn't quite catch what you.
said.".
"I understand perfectly, Grand Admiral Pellaeon.".
"Excellent. Now, send our young friend back to Widowmaker. I want to pick.
his brain about the Yuuzhan Vong while I still have the opportunity to do so.".
Flennic didn't look at Jacen as he pushed a button for the door to open. It did.
so with a faint hiss. Jacen bowed in farewell, but the Moff turned away as.
though he wasn't even there.
Hiding his relief to be out of the man's presence, Jacen walked rapidly down.
to the docks where the Lambda-class shuttle waited to take him back.
*.
Jaina took her time prepping for launch, hoping to catch Jag when he arrived.
But a suspicious-looking scuff mark on the Falcon held him up on the surface.
and she couldn't delay forever. As soon as she and her two wingmates were.
kitted up and had clearance authorization from Pride of Selonia, she launched.
her X-wing and powered away from Galantos.
The sight of two clawcraft shadowing her was still a little unnerving. It wasn't.
all that long ago that craft with similar cockpits—TIE fighters—had represented.
fear and hostility for those who had survived the Rebellion and the tumultuous.
years that had followed. She was too young herself to have any firsthand.
memories of that time, but Jaina had heard enough stories and seen sufficient.
footage to have had the same instinct instilled in her. She didn't know how many.
times the Empire had tried to kill her parents in all, but she was sure it was in.
double figures, at least.
At the same time, though, the clawcraft's four sweeping weapon arms.
resembled an X-wing's S-foils. Sometimes she wondered if the Chiss hadn't.
deliberately designed their fighters to unsettle and reassure both New Republic.
and Empire. It was like sitting on the fence, giving the impression that they.
might have allegiance to either power.
"Locking on to your navicomputer," Jocell said. A brisk, efficient woman.
from Csilla, homeworld of the Chiss, she was easy to work with. Miza was the.
better pilot of the two, but less reliable, as far as Jaina was concerned.
"Last one there's a flat-lined drebin," came Miza over the comm unit.
The decidedly non-Chiss phrase immediately caught Jaina's attention. "Jump.
laid in," she replied, figuring she knew where the pilot had picked it up. The.
frigate accompanying the mission was staffed by navy personnel from all across.
the galaxy; when Twin Suns Squadron wasn't on patrol, there was plenty of time.
for socializing in the mess and picking up on some of the native lingo.
"Be on your guard for when we arrive," she said. "I'm bringing us in at the.
edge of the system, but you never know what might be waiting for us. Even if.
the Yevetha have embraced the idea of peaceful coexistence with their.
neighbors, they're not likely to welcome someone barging in through their.
shipping lanes.".
"Understood," Jocell said.
"Discretion is my middle name," Miza added.
"Ready, Cappie?" Jaina asked. Her R2 unit whistled cheerfully as her forward.
view swung around to face the bright cloud of the Koornacht Cluster. "Then into.
the Multitude we go.".
Stars suddenly extended into streaks of light as she and her wingmates blasted.
into hyperspace. From there on it would be up to her navicomputer and R2 unit.
to ensure that the three vessels reached their destination safely, leaving her with.
nothing more to do in the cramped cockpit than sit and wait and think ....
Tahiri's frailty worried her more than she was prepared to admit—at least to.
others. Back on Mon Calamari, the girl had called her that one time before.
collapsing, but since then she'd barely said a word to her when Jaina had visited.
her in Master Cilghal's infirmary. Tahiri had been glad to see her, there was no.
question about that, but she had been uneasy and troubled at the same time—and.
maybe even a little embarrassed.
Tahiri had always been so fiery and independent, defying conventional.
sensibilities in numerous ways, from insisting on bare feet to disobeying direct.
orders. Showing off for Anakin had been part of the latter, Jaina was sure, but if.
the impulse hadn't been there in the first place, then her little brother would.
never have had such a willing sidekick.
No, Jaina thought. Not sidekick. She really had to dispel the image of Anakin.
and Tahiri as perfectly matched pals getting into harmless scrapes. Those.
"scrapes" they'd been involved in could hardly be regarded as harmless. If.
anything, some of them, such as their adventure with Corran Horn at Yag'Dhul,.
had been outright dangerous. And their last one together had been fatal,.
culminating in Anakin's death ....
No, Anakin and Tahiri had definitely been more than just kids, and their.
relationship had been advancing toward something more than just friends near.
the end, too. The grief that Tahiri had been suffering was not for the loss of a.
friend, but for the loss of a loved one. Even if that love never had a chance to.
fully blossom, it didn't diminish Tahiri's pain. The potential for a relationship.
had been there, and it was for this that Tahiri grieved—a love not fully realized.
Jaina imagined that the grief Tahiri suffered was on a par with her own, but at.
least she had the benefit of being able to focus her grief on what had been lost;.
Tahiri's grief was for something that could never be. It was, and might forever.
be, completely intangible.
Jaina wondered if her mother's decision to invite Tahiri along on the mission.
had been entirely sensible. Yes, the girl would do better kept busy rather than.
lying around in an infirmary, alone and dwelling on her grief. But was being.
surrounded by the Solo family the right thing for her? If Jag died, Jaina was.
certain she wouldn't want to be stuck in the company of General Baron Soontir.
Fel and Syal Antilles for too long. They would only serve as reminders of what.
she'd lost.
The image of Tahiri unconscious on Galantos, as pale and thin as she'd been.
on Mon Calamari, made Jaina's heart ache. After several awkward visits to the.
infirmary and a number of silences during the mission so far, Jaina still had no.
idea what it was Tahiri had wanted when she'd called her that day after Uncle.
Luke's meeting of the Jedi. To say she was sorry? To blame Jaina for letting.
Anakin die? She didn't know. The black tide of grief made people do crazy.
things. She knew that firsthand, and so did her parents. But if there was anything.
she could do to make life easier for Tahiri, she would do it in an instant. The.
problem was that she doubted even Tahiri herself knew what that might be. All.
they could do was hope that they could work it out before something else.
happened ....
Too many hours, two system checks, a detailed scan of her R2's files.
regarding the N'zoth system, and a halfhearted attempt to learn some words in.
the fiendishly difficult Chiss native tongue later, her navicomputer bleeped to.
warn her that they were about to emerge from hyperspace.
"Heads up," she said to her wingmates. "We're there. And remember, this is.
just a surveillance sweep, so don't provoke anything unless you absolutely have.
to. Is that clear?".
"Understood, Colonel," Jocell said. "Preparing to disengage navigational.
lock.".
"I don't know about you," Miza said, "but I'm becoming a little sluggish from.
all this rest we're supposed to be enjoying. I'll almost be glad if we could find.
something to shoot at.".
"I know what you mean," Jaina said. "But I don't want you using so much as.
a hard stare without my direct authority, Miza. Clear?".
Miza chuckled. "I'll keep my hands safely in my lap.".
"You do that." Her R2 unit bleeped again; Jaina glanced at the translator to.
learn they had five seconds before arrival. "Okay, guys, here we go.".
The first thing that struck her as her X-wing rattled back into realspace was.
the brightness of the sky. She'd been in close clusters before, but it was easy to.
forget just how much of a difference it made when a large number of hot, young.
stars clustered so closely together—especially after spending so much time at the.
edges of the galaxy, avoiding the Yuuzhan Vong. Because she had brought them.
in at the outskirts of the system, N'zoth's primary was hidden in the radiance.
from the many other suns, and it took her some moments to actually locate it.
Bright and blue-tinged, it burned at her with an almost forbidding glare.
Her wingmates dropped out of hyperspace beside her, and immediately peeled.
away into formation. Sensors swept the space around them; astromech droids.
chattered via comlinks; intrasystem landmarks were confirmed. According to.
New Republic records, no one had been to N'zoth since the Yevethan crisis,.
twelve years earlier. Then, the Yevethan Black Fleet had been routed by New.
Republic forces after it attempted a genocidal cleansing of the area around the.
Koornacht Cluster. Jaina agreed with her father that the silence since was.
probably an indication of frantic retooling rather than peaceful reconsideration.
This would be the first opportunity anyone had to find out one way or the other.
"I'm picking up extensive mass readings," Miza said. "Judging by the uneven.
distribution, I'd say we have at least three fleets massed in orbit around worlds.
two and five.".
"Which one's N'zoth?" Jocell asked.
"Two," Jaina supplied. "I'm not picking up signatures consistent with old.
Imperial designs, but that's not unexpected. The Yevetha were quick to learn,.
and they would have had to start again from scratch. Why not redesign at the.
same time?".
"No capital ships that I can see," Miza said. "Just plenty of small ones, easy.
pickings.".
Jaina didn't caution him again; she knew it was just his sense of humor. Still,.
she would have preferred it if he remained serious like Jocell.
"There are no thrustship exhaust traces, either," Jocell said. "Rad and IR.
readings are—odd." After a brief pause, she added, "Jaina, are you seeing what.
I'm seeing?".
Jaina studied her screen. The mass shadows were exactly where Miza had.
said: clumped in broad orbital corridors around the rocky second planet and a.
bloated gas giant on the far side of the system. It made sense, she thought, to.
keep your fleets close to both home and a refueling base. You wouldn't put them.
all in one spot. That would be tactically unsound. Just because you weren't.
expecting trouble didn't mean it wouldn't come to find you.
The probing triangle of ships continued their surveillance of the system. From.
the Yevetha's point of view, she supposed, they were trouble, and she didn't.
doubt that the xenophobes would have monitoring stations all around the system,.
ready to spot just such an intrusion as theirs. But where were the flashes of.
engine exhausts as interceptors launched? Where were the echoes of hyperspace.
distortions as squadrons of updated thrustships rushed to confront them? Why.
was there nothing but diffuse mass and heat appearing on the scanners, nothing.
concentrated in any particular place?
N'zoth was radiating heat like a small sun. Not surprising for a desert world,.
perhaps, but why wasn't the heat concentrated around the cities?
Sithspawn, she silently cursed. If her father had been here, she knew just what.
he would have said.
"We're going in closer," she said. "And I have a feeling I know what we're.
going to find.".
Neither of the Chiss pilots asked her to elaborate, suggesting that perhaps they.
had had the same feeling. Instead they silently slaved their clawcraft to her Xwing as she laid in a course for N'zoth.
The hyperspace jump was mercifully short. When they arrived where the two.
fleets had been in orbit around the Yevethan homeworld, Jaina found the reality.
of the situation much worse than she had imagined. There was nothing but.
wreckage. Thousands of thrustships, dozens of capital vessels, and one battle.
station capable of maintaining the entire lot floated in pieces around the planet.
below. The wreckage was still hot—it could take months for excess heat to.
radiate through vacuum—and it was this that had shown up on the scopes. Jaina.
took her small contingent on a wide parabola around the deathly silent wreckage,.
moving them in closer to the planet itself.
She didn't need to look, but she had to. N'zoth had been pounded from orbit,.
possibly by chunks torn from the wreckage of the fleet above. Lava and sulfuric.
clouds belched from the bottom of a score of new craters around the globe, and.
the atmosphere was filled with ash. Where there had once been cities, there were.
now only great holes in the crust. Every trace of the Yevethan civilization had.
been reduced to atoms.
For once, Miza didn't have any smart comments; he was as quiet as the others.
as they swung around N'zoth's equator. Jaina turned her sensors toward the.
distant gas giant, not doubting what she would find there. Someone had attacked.
the Yevetha, taking them unawares and totally decimating a fleet of considerable.
size. The Fia stood to benefit most from the destruction of the Yevetha—and it.
would certainly explain why they no longer seemed to care about the.
xenophobes in their backyard—but there was no way they could have come by.
this sort of firepower. No, this could have only been the work of the Yuuzhan.
Vong.
A cold and uncomfortable feeling spread through Jaina's stomach as she.
thought of her parents and Jag back on Galantos—little knowing what she'd.
found. She reached out with the Force to find her mother, but the distance was.
too great. And with communications down in the sector, there was no other way.
to warn them.
She was about to order their immediate return to Galantos when Miza.
messaged her. "Jaina, I'm picking up a transmission from that small moon we.
passed a moment ago.".
"Put it on the air," she ordered.
There was a pause followed by some cold static. Jaina tried to boost the.
signal, but no amount of switches flicked would clean up the noise.
"Miza? Jocell? Either of you getting anything?".
"Nothing," Jocell replied.
"Likewise," Miza said. "It's like they're trying to open a line, but for some.
reason they're not saying anything.".
"Maybe they can't," Jocell suggested. "They might be too badly injured.".
Jaina nodded thoughtfully to herself. It was a possibility, she supposed.
Flicking her own comm unit, she said, "Whoever you are, if you can hear this,.
click your mike twice.".
There was a slight delay, followed by a distinct double click.
"Okay. Now, if you're injured, click twice again.".
Another delay, followed by two clicks.
"I'm picking up a weak power reading from the bottom of a crater," Miza.
said. "It's consistent with that of a small vessel. I guess he's been hiding there in.
the ruins of his thrustship. He probably survived by laying low until whoever did.
this had passed on.".
Jaina considered this, but quickly dismissed it. It didn't ring true, somehow.
"No, that's not the Yevethan way. They don't hide from fights. My guess is he.
crashed there and was knocked unconscious, awakening only when the battle.
was over.".
"That's if he is a Yevetha," Jocell said.
"What else would he be?" Jaina asked. "You're not suggesting he might be.
one of the Yuuzhan Vong, are you?".
"I don't know. But without a visual, we have no way of knowing.".
"Miza? What do you think?".
"My gut instinct tells me it's a Yevetha—and an injured one at that. Like you.
said, Jaina, it's not in their nature to hide, so why else would he be down there?
And it makes no sense for it to be a Vong, either. Whatever caused this was a big.
fleet. They came in, hit hard, and moved on. What would it serve them to leave a.
single small ship behind?".
"I agree," Jaina said. "But I also agree with Jocell that we're going to need a.
visual—especially if we're to rescue the pilot.".
Miza's clawcraft was veering off before she could give the order. "Already on.
my way. This shouldn't take too long.".
"Jocell, keep an eye out for anything unusual. If we have to get out of here in.
a hurry, then I want plenty of warning.".
"Understood, Colonel.".
Jaina watched Miza's ship shrink to a tiny speck of light shooting across the.
face of the moon. She felt uneasy having her wingmate so far away, even though.
there seemed to be no overt threat anywhere in the system right now. Or maybe.
she was nervous because there was no overt threat around. It was too quiet for.
her liking.
To take her mind off everything, she opened a line with the Yevethan pilot.
"We're going to try to get you out of there. Do you copy?".
Two clicks.
"Hang in there. One of my pilots is on the way down now. He'll be passing.
over your head in a matter of seconds. Then we'll—".
This time a low, malevolent chuckle came over the comm unit, followed by a.
raspy, fluidy cough.
"Your optimism is as shallow as your compassion," said the voice—definitely.
Yevethan, and male. "You care no more for me than I do for you.".
"Not quite the response I was expecting," Jocell muttered.
Jaina ignored her wingmate. "We do care—why do you think we're trying to.
—?".
"Soon I shall join my people," the Yevetha continued. "Soon the Yevetha.
shall be no more. But we shall not go down quietly.".
"There is no reason to go down at all! Just let us—".
"In the face of death's bright dawn," the Yevetha went on, "I shall offer one.
final act of defiance, so that when we are talked about in times to come, they will.
say that the Yevetha were warriors to the end!".
Jaina felt a cold discomfort pulse through her. "Miza, get out of there!".
"Way ahead of you, Jaina!".
"There is nowhere to run," the Yevetha said. "The galaxy belongs only to.
those who had the power to destroy our once-mighty race!" A faint and.
disturbing hiss issued from the comm unit. "Die with me, won't you?".
"Miza! Talk to me!".
"Almost—".
A powerful flash of energy lashed out from the ball of rock. Miza's clawcraft.
vanished into it a split instant before reaching Jaina's X-wing, sending her.
tumbling end over end, shields down and cockpit dead.
"You did it!".
Jacen found himself enveloped in a hug the moment he stepped off the.
shuttle's boarding ramp. Taken by surprise, he automatically returned the hug.
before realizing who was giving it to him. The warm, petite body pressed against.
his; the hair; the delicate yet very female scent ....
"I always knew you would," Danni said, pulling away slightly. "But I was still.
worried about you. You Solos have a knack for doing things the hard way.".
"It was Admiral Pellaeon, really," Jacen protested. "If he hadn't woken up.
when he did, I doubt I could have convinced Flennic of anything.".
"You're just being modest." Danni laughed, playfully punching his shoulder.
"I bet Jacen Solo could convince a Selonian to lie if he really wanted it to.".
Footsteps approaching from the docking bay's main entrance prevented him.
from responding to this. Danni stepped back, looking embarrassed, as Luke.
walked around the corner.
"I thought I felt you come aboard," said Jacen's uncle, dressed in his.
customary Jedi robes.
"How long have you been here?" Jacen asked both of them. He hadn't seen.
Jade Shadow anywhere near Widowmaker on his return flight.
"Captain Yage sent a shuttle when Gilad woke up," Luke explained. "By the.
time Danni and I arrived, they'd used his codes to patch into the Imperial.
security network without being noticed, and from there eavesdropped on your.
conversation with Flennic. He insisted on interrupting. I hope you don't mind us.
doing that. It wasn't that we thought you couldn't manage on your own, Jacen. It.
just seemed simpler this way, and a chance to prove to Flennic that the Empire's.
Supreme Commander is still alive.".
"I'm just relieved that the admiral came out of this all right," Jacen said. "Can.
I talk to him?".
"That will be up to Tekli," Danni said. "He's still recuperating in the bacta.
tank. That talk with Moff Flennic tired him out, short though it was." Then,.
leaning in slightly toward Jacen, she added, "You know, for someone normally.
so quiet, she certainly has a lot to say when it comes to her patients.".
Jacen smiled. He had developed a great deal of respect for Master Cilghal's.
apprentice. Although not strong in the Force, her knowledge of healing was.
extensive, and she had clearly demonstrated the ability to handle herself during.
recent emergencies.
The three of them walked unimpeded through the corridors of Widowmaker.
Luke seemed perfectly at ease, explaining as they went that Mara and Saba had.
stayed behind to keep an eye on events from afar. Jacen had to admire his.
uncle's poise. Even surrounded as he was by Imperial trappings, the Jedi Master.
moved and talked with an air that suggested this ship could have been his own.
rather than one that belonged to a once-formidable enemy.
They reached the medical bay and were automatically waved through by the.
stormtrooper guards. Inside they found Tekli studying reports on her patient's.
progress while a weary-looking Captain Yage talked to him.
Gilad Pellaeon looked better than when Jacen had last seen him, but not as.
recovered from his injuries as Jacen would have liked. He was still immersed in.
the bacta tank, and looked just as terribly thin and pale as before. He was.
communicating solely via attachments to his breath mask, which gave his voice.
the faintly muffled tone Jacen had noticed while dealing with Flennic.
"And what about Screed? Is he still alive?".
"Admiral Screed was executed by Warlord Zsinj," Yage said.
"Really?" As if in thought, Pellaeon paused for the time it took a few handfuls.
of bubbles to float up past his body. "My memory must be going to have.
forgotten that. I always had a soft spot for that old hawk-bat.".
Yage glanced at Luke and his companions, realizing for the first time they had.
company. "You have visitors, sir," she said.
Pellaeon opened his eyes to peer through the thick nutrient filling the tank,.
then closed them again. His face was distorted by the curved, transparent wall.
enclosing him, making it impossible to read his expression with any accuracy.
"Ah, yes," he said. "Skywalker." There followed a sound like a grunt, but it.
could just as easily have been a short bleat of amusement. "Come to view the.
relic, have you?".
Jacen glanced at his uncle. The Jedi Master's face was calm and unruffled. He.
offered no response because clearly the comment didn't deserve one.
"How are things proceeding, then?" the Grand Admiral asked after a few.
seconds.
"Mara reports that ships are moving in ways consistent with the withdrawal.
you ordered," Luke replied. "The jump points are filling up fast.".
"Good." He nodded slowly, the movement causing his body to swivel gently.
in the fluid. "It's nice to know that what Flennic is telling me is the truth.
Nevertheless, I'll wager that he is skimming a percentage off the top to defend.
his holdings here.".
"I wouldn't take that bet," Jacen said. "I don't think Flennic is going to like.
sitting here defenseless while the fleet abandons him.".
"You're probably right," Pellaeon said. "He'll be snug and safe where the.
concentration of firepower is greatest. He wouldn't do anything that might risk.
his life. That won't stop him doing what he can to protect his investment,.
though." The Grand Admiral's eyes opened again, fixing directly upon Jacen.
"You did well back there, young Solo, but reason and common sense were never.
going to bring Flennic around. He understands nothing but force—and I'm not.
talking about the one you Jedi regard so highly, either. I'm talking about the.
brute sort." His eyes closed once more, as if irritated by the solution.
"Reminding him of his insignificance, unless he joined the greater scheme of.
things, might have done the trick, but in the end I'd rather have him angry with.
me than you. I'm used to it.".
Jacen bowed slightly, even though he was aware that Pellaeon wouldn't see.
the gesture. "Moff Flennic is someone whose displeasure I wouldn't wish to.
cultivate, Admiral," he said. "But I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, either.".
Pellaeon laughed. "Well put, lad. As indeed was your argument back there.
We really do find ourselves in a difficult place at the moment. I fear we won't.
have much time to practice the new maneuvers while relocating the fleet—or.
afterward, for that matter. If what you say is true, then the Yuuzhan Vong will be.
sure to strike when we are least able to defend ourselves. They'll want to strike.
hard and fast like they did in Bastion and leave us too battered to be of any use.
to anyone. I doubt they'll be converting our worlds just yet; they'll come back.
for those when they have both the time and resources to do so.".
"It could be resources they're after," Danni said, "as well as neutralizing a.
threat.".
"They could get resources from anywhere," Pellaeon said. "There are millions.
of uninhabited chunks of rock out there just brimming with raw materials. And.
they wouldn't require an army to take them, either.".
"They don't use them the way we do, Admiral," Danni explained. "They still.
need planets for their plantations. But that's not what I meant, anyway. I was.
thinking of armies. Coralskippers and yammosks they might need to grow from.
scratch, but cannon fodder is much easier to come by.".
There was a small silence. "You're talking about combat slaves?" Pellaeon.
said. "That would explain why they hit Bastion first, not Yaga Minor. If it had.
been me ordering the attack, I would've done it the other way around. And it.
also explains something else. Arien, that holo you showed me earlier. Put it back.
up on the screen.".
Captain Yage tapped at a keyboard and instantly one of the monitors.
displaying Pellaeon's vital signs was replaced by a patchy view of the Bastion.
system. The distributions of Imperial and Yuuzhan Vong forces were marked.
with sweeping schematics containing thousands of minute details. By scrolling.
the diagram forward through time, Yage could show how the battle had.
progressed on any number of fronts, as collated from information gleaned by.
sensors on all the Imperial vessels.
Jacen noted that the map became patchier as the battle progressed. Great.
empty spaces appeared in the intelligence as ship after ship was destroyed, along.
with observational satellites and beacons. Soon it was like trying to watch stars.
through storm clouds: apart from the area around the gas giant where Pellaeon.
had made his last stand, the rest of the system was visible only through.
infrequent, incomplete glimpses.
When she reached the point in the analysis she was looking for, Yage froze.
the image and zoomed in close on one of Bastion's poles. There, designated by a.
ringed dot, was a single ship.
"We don't know where this came from," she said. "The last survivors only.
caught a glimpse of it. Its vector suggests that it came in late into the battle,.
when the planet was all but taken. That didn't seem to make sense, since it's so.
big.".
She called up some sketchy schematics. The vessel was shaped like a flattened.
sphere with five trailing stalks of various lengths. It was large enough to hold.
several of the Yuuzhan Vong carrier analogs Jacen was all too familiar with.
"If it was a military vessel," Yage concluded, "then why did they wait until.
the end of the battle to utilize it? But if it wasn't a military vessel, then what's it.
doing there at all?".
"It has to be a slave carrier," Pellaeon said. "They wiped out the fleets in orbit.
around Bastion, and that gave them an entire population ripe for capture. Those.
who couldn't get away in time are probably already on their way to the nearest.
processing plant to be turned into mindless drones willing to sacrifice.
themselves for the warmaster. I saw creatures similar to them at work on Duro.".
"They have been used in many other places since," Luke said. "In fact, I'm.
sure that this was the same kind of ship that Saba encountered a few months.
back at Barab One.".
Pellaeon nodded grimly. "Citizens of the Empire—all people—deserve better.
than this. Had we known that this was what they were after ..." He trailed off,.
the thought as obviously disturbing for him as it was for everyone else in the.
room.
"You were outgunned, Admiral," Jacen offered. "There was nothing else you.
could have done.".
"Outgunned and poorly organized," Pellaeon agreed. "Wherever that ship.
came from, the chances are it's probably hundreds of light-years away from us.
by now. The only thing we can think about now is how to stop it from happening.
again. At Borosk, or anywhere. To anyone.".
As far as Jag Fel was concerned, very little was going right on Galantos.
Councilor Jobath was still tied up somewhere on the other side of the planet,.
Tahiri remained unconscious, and he and C-3PO had yet to determine precisely.
why communications with Galantos had been disrupted. On top of that, Jaina,.
the one person he would have liked to have with him right now, was on her way.
to N'zoth, while he was still stuck on the planet. All in all, Jag felt he'd seen.
better days—and been on more successful missions.
Finally, after an hour pacing the common room of their diplomatic quarters,.
he decided that enough was enough. He had to do something. He couldn't delay.
rejoining Twin Suns Squadron any longer.
"I'm going for a walk," he said brusquely.
Thrum stood in alarm from the table at which he was showing Leia plans of.
recent additions to the planet's infrastructure. "I don't think that would—".
"It's okay," he cut off the nervous Fia. "I won't be that long. And I don't mind.
if I'm shadowed, either.".
A guard, recently assigned to their door, accompanied him as he strolled.
through the wide, luxurious corridors, trying to remember the way to where.
Tahiri had collapsed. There was something about the recording of that moment.
that had been bothering him. Just before she'd drawn her lightsaber she had.
looked down. At first he had thought she might have been dizzy and had brought.
up her hand in the typical response people had to such spells. But then he.
realized that she'd been holding something, and it was possibly this that had.
triggered her reaction. No one else had mentioned it, which surprised him, but he.
had to check for his own peace of mind.
There had been nothing on the holo to indicate what it might have been,.
though, which meant he had no real idea what he would even be looking for. He.
still had to try. He'd already checked the pockets of Tahiri's robes, which had.
been empty, and he certainly couldn't ask her directly; so the only chance of.
finding out just what it might have been was to examine where it had all.
happened.
He reached the right corridor and strode along it to roughly where he thought.
the incident had occurred. Sweeping his gaze along the ground, he began a.
methodical search of the area while his guard watched on curiously.
"My friend lost something," Jag explained when he saw the deep furrows in.
the Fia's brow press down upon his melancholy eyes. "I just wanted to see if she.
dropped it here when she fell. It could have been overlooked in all the.
excitement.".
The guard nodded his understanding, but the expression of confusion.
remained.
After a couple more minutes scouring the corridor, Jag said, "I don't suppose.
you could help me look, could you? It might help things along a little.".
"What does it look like?" the guard asked.
That stumped him for a second. The Fia would probably want a detailed.
description, and he didn't have the faintest idea what it was.
"You'll know when you see it," he said elusively, adding under his breath, "I.
hope.".
Their search was hampered by the thick weave of the carpet, along with the.
fact that the ambient light of the corridor wasn't particularly bright. His back.
soon ached, and he found himself wondering if he might not have imagined the.
whole thing. If there was anything there, it was proving harder to find than a flea.
on a bantha.
"Is this it?" the guard asked after a while. He held out a small piece of.
transparent plastic for Jag to examine.
Jag climbed to his feet and stepped over to the guard. As he took the proffered.
object and examined it, he tried not to look as though he had no more of a clue.
than the guard himself. The object, it turned out, was nothing more than a scrap.
of packaging missed by the cleaning droids. He didn't see how it could have.
provoked such an extreme reaction from Tahiri.
"No, that's not it," he said, hoping he was right. Nevertheless, he slipped it.
into his pocket just in case. "Let's keep looking.".
Even as he said this, already bending over again to continue his search, he.
caught a glint of something silver in the carpet farther along the corridor.
Cautiously, so as not to lose sight of it, he walked toward it. There, at the edge of.
the corridor fully four meters from where they'd been looking, was a small.
object poking out of the carpet. If it was the thing that Tahiri had been holding,.
then she must have flung it when spinning around defensively with her.
lightsaber; then, he imagined, it had been pushed deeper into the pile by the large.
feet of one of the Fia. Otherwise it would have surely been spotted before now.
He reached down and plucked it from the carpet. It was small, about half the.
size of his thumb joint, and looked to him to be a pendant or charm of some.
kind. It was metallic in nature, but with a grown texture, rather than forged.
There was a hole through which a chain or thong might have been threaded, and.
on the face were carvings in an unknown language. It was surprisingly heavy.
The creature it portrayed was hideous and completely unfamiliar, but that.
wasn't so surprising, Jag thought. There were many different types of creature in.
the Galactic Alliance, and most of them were unfamiliar to him—just as the.
various cultures of the Unknown Regions would be unfamiliar to them. One.
thing about the creature portrayed did trouble him, though: It seemed to be.
covered in scars.
"Is that it?" the guard asked, peering over his shoulder.
"Yes," Jag said, quickly tucking the object into one of his flight suit's pockets.
"I'm sure my friend will be glad to see it again. She thought she'd lost it.".
Thanking the guard for his help, Jag let himself be led back to the diplomatic.
quarters. Nothing had changed: Tahiri was still unconscious, and C-3PO.
couldn't give an estimate as to how long she might remain like this.
He sighed wearily. He really couldn't delay any longer. Jaina was long gone,.
and he had to get back to his squadron. Being accused of dereliction of duty was,.
at the moment, more of a concern to him than any of the uneasy feelings he had.
about the small, silvery object in his pocket and its relevance to the mission.
His clawcraft had been refueled by Al'solib'minet'ri City's landing field.
technicians. As he ran through the craft's maintenance records to double-check.
what exactly had been done in his absence, a brief note appeared on the.
computer screen:.
YOU MUST LEAVE HERE IMMEDIATELY.
Jag stared at it for a long moment, startled. He quickly surveyed the bay for.
signs of someone watching him, but saw no one suspicious lurking about. Then,.
when he looked back at the screen, the message had disappeared. He tried to.
access it again, but the maintenance logs showed no record of it ever having.
existed in the first place. Whoever had left the message for him had made sure it.
would be erased as soon it had been read.
But why? And if the sender had been so keen to have him leave, then why put.
the message in such an inaccessible spot? Placing it in the flight systems, where.
he wasn't likely to see it until he was already leaving anyway, seemed.
redundant. Unless, maybe, the person responsible for the message had no choice.
but to use this means. Or perhaps the message was intended for him alone, and.
this was the only way to ensure that no one else saw or heard it.
He fought a growing sense of unease. Tahiri, the pendant, this.
message ... There were too many questions without answers, and none of them.
sat easily with him. He fleetingly considered staying behind to help Leia and.
Han, but quickly dismissed the idea. There was no actual evidence that anything.
was up; there were just a couple of hints and warnings, as well as the workings.
of his suspicious mind. Besides, Han and Leia could look after themselves; they.
had had plenty of practice at it, after all.
"This is Twin Suns Leader, Al'solib'minet'ri Control," he said into the comm.
unit. "Preparing for ascent to orbit. Do you have a preferred corridor?".
"Not so fast, Twin Suns Leader," came the patient Fian voice from the other.
end. "There are still some questions we need to ask before—".
Jag rolled his eyes and activated the clawcraft's engines. Confident he could.
avoid any Fian vessels that might get in his way, he ignored the squawking of.
Al'solib'minet'ri City Control and roared up into the atmosphere.
As he matched orbits with Pride of Selonia, he contacted the two pilots Jaina.
had left on patrol when she left.
"Nice move, Jag," Seven said. "Captain Mayn's been itching to thumb her.
nose at all of these Fian formalities since we arrived. They've been hailing her.
every time our orbit drifts by so much as a meter.".
There was amusement in Seven's tone, but Jag remained serious.
"Has there been anything more than that?" he asked. "Anything unusual at.
all?".
"Are you kidding?" she shot back. "Apart from all the chatter, it's been quiet.
No incoming; no outgoing; nothing. The communications blackout is still in.
place. Beats me what people do around here.".
Jag focused on that problem instead of the many others batting at him. He had.
initially assumed that the communications fault would be easily fixed, so they.
could move on to their second port of call. But when he and C-3PO had analyzed.
the records automatically kept by the planetary transceiver serving Galantos and.
the rest of the system, he had found that there was no fault at all. From there they.
had contacted the nearest intersector network and ascertained that.
communications between Galantos and the rest of the galaxy could be easily.
reestablished, once a small routing correction was made. The fact that it hadn't.
been made was suggestive, but Jag hadn't decided of exactly what, yet. It was.
almost as though the Fia had deliberately cut themselves off.
But why would they do that? With the Yevetha at their back door, along with.
a wealth of minerals the rest of the galaxy would surely be interested in, contact.
with the outside would be exactly what they'd want. Except, Jag thought, that.
the Fia claimed that the Yevetha were no longer a threat, and they seemed to be.
turning a tidy profit from someone, anyway.
There was something afoot on Galantos, and he'd work it out sooner or later.
All he needed was another couple of those puzzle segments ....
An urgent bleeping issued from his instrument panel. "Twin Suns," came the.
voice of Selonia's duty officer. "We're picking up hyperspace disturbances in.
sector twelve. It looks like we have company. Want to check them out?".
"Twin Seven, on my way.".
"What sort of company?" Jag asked the duty officer as he watched Seven's Xwing sweep out of formation and accelerate away from the planet.
"It's hard to tell," the duty officer returned after a moment's consideration.
"They're still a long way out. But there appears to be a number of smaller.
vessels accompanying two much larger ones.".
"Can you at least determine the type of vessel they are?" Jag pressed.
"No can do, I'm afraid," came the reply. "They could be—".
Another bleeping cut him off.
"Hang on, Twin Leader," the duty officer said. "More ships. Sector six this.
time, on the other side of the system. Two small vessels only, and one of them's.
an X-wing. The other could be a clawcraft, but its emissions are strange. It's.
almost as though—".
"Emergency!" came Jaina's voice suddenly over the subspace link. "I have an.
emergency situation. I've lost Twin Eight, and Nine isn't going to last much.
longer. I need immediate assistance. I repeat, immediate assistance!".
Jag's mind worked overtime. Eight was Miza, a Chiss Squadron pilot.
"What happened, Jaina? Did the Yevetha attack you?".
"Not quite," she said, sounding weary. "They were all dead when we arrived,.
bar one. He chose to blow his drive rather than talk to us, and that's what did all.
the damage. I only just managed to patch things together enough to get back.
here. But this will have to wait, Jag. You'd better watch your back to make sure.
what happened to N'zoth doesn't happen here, too.".
"This is Seven," came the voice of the pilot scouting the far side of the.
system. "I have a positive ID on those incoming vessels. They're Yuuzhan Vong.
—two squadrons of skips and a blastboat analog escorting two larger types I've.
never seen before. They've spotted me and have started in pursuit. I need help.
out here, guys!".
Jag urged his clawcraft up and away from Selonia. "All right, Twin Suns.
Squadron," he broadcast to the rest of his pilots. "Let's scramble!"