“She’s stealing Gorog!” Ben cried.
The skiff’s trajectory began to flatten as Alema prepared to enter hyperspace. The XJ3 pilots commed for permission to open fire, and Luke reached out to them in the Force, urging them to avoid disabling the vessel.
“Permission granted,” Orame said over the comm channel. “Open fire.”
The pilots hesitated. “But-“
“You heard the order,” Luke said, still reaching out to the pilots through the Force, urging them let the skiff go. “Open fire.”
The skiff’s trajectory began to weave and wobble as it began evasive maneuvers.
“She’s getting away!” Ben cried. “Stop her!”
“They have to be careful, Ben,” Mara said gently. “Or they might hurt Gorog.”
Ben considered this, then sighed and took her hand. “Let them go. I don’t think Gorog wanted to stay anyway.”
The skiff’s trajectory reached the edge of Ossus’s gravity well and vanished. The flight controller reported that the stolen skiff had entered hyperspace.
Han let out a sigh of relief. “Right on sch-“
“Not now,” Luke interrupted, raising his hand to silence Han. He turned to Ben. “How did you know Gorog didn’t want to stay? Do you still feel her in your mind?”
Ben closed his eyes, then nodded. “Sort of. She wants me to be happy.”
Luke felt his own dismay mirrored in Mara. If Ben remained in touch with Gorog after she had entered hyperspace, it could only be through the Colony’s Will. He was part Joiner-Dark Nest Joiner.
Mara had reached the same conclusion. Luke could feel her alarm and anger through the Force, and she was as quick as he was to realize that they could not discuss their plans in front of their son.
“Ben, m? be Nanna can take you to the pilots’ lounge for some Fizzer,” Mara said. “We have some things to discuss, then we’ll find you there before we leave.”
Ben made no move toward the door, where Nanna and C-3PO were waiting.
Luke frowned. “Ben, I’m sure you heard your mother.”
Ben nodded. “I heard. But why do I have to stay behind on Ossus?” Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Han. “Is there going to be another war?”
Han grimaced, then said, “Not if we can help it, kid.”
“And certainly not in this part of the galaxy,” Mara added. “Why are you worried about that?”
“Because this is what you do when there’s a war,” Ben said. “You just dump me someplace with Masters Tionne and Solusar and then never even come to visit.”
The accusation struck a pang in Luke’s heart, and he felt Mara wince as well. They often wondered how much Ben’s refusal to use the Force had to do with the separation anxiety he had suffered during the war with the Yuuzhan Vong, and Ben knew this particular complaint had an effect on them.
Even so, Mara refused to be manipulated by an eight-year-old. “Don’t exaggerate, Ben. We had to keep you safe, and you know we came to see you every chance we had.”
“Besides, they won’t be gone long this time,” Jacen said, stepping out from behind Han and Leia. “There isn’t going to be a war.”
Ben frowned. “How do you know that?”
“I know.” Jacen flashed a crooked Solo smile. “Trust me.”
Luke felt a sudden qualm in Mara, and though her eyes remained fixed on Ben, he sensed that her thoughts were on Jacen.
“Besides, you’re not going to be alone,” Jacen added. “I’ll be here, too.”
“You’re not going back?” Ben asked.
“Not yet. The Masters are worried that some of us have spent too much time with the Killiks already.”
“Tell me about it,” Ben answered, rolling his eyes.
“So maybe you and I could hang out together?” Jacen glanced at Mara. “If that’s all right with your mother.”
“Of course.” Mara answered with no outward hesitation, but Luke detected just a hint of apprehension, as though she did not quite trust the “new-and-improved” Jacen. “As long as Master Solusar thinks Ben is keeping up with his schoolwork-“
“No problem!” Ben’s smile was as broad as a Hurt’s. “School’s easy.”
“And as long as you obey Masters Tionne and Solusar,” Mara warned Ben. “No secrets with Nanna, either.”
“I can’t do that anymore,” Ben said. “Dad altered her program.”
“Good.” Jacen took Ben’s hand and started for the door. “Why don’t we get that Fizzer now?”
“Can I have kyleme?” Ben asked, not looking back. “A Blue Giant size?”