Mara looked to Jaina. “And the rest of you?”
Jaina exhaled loudly, then looked from the floor to Leia. “You’ve been awfully quiet, Mother.”
“I’m not a Master.”
“I know,” Jaina said. “So what do you think?”
Leia’s brow rose, and she appeared almost as shocked as Mara felt. “You’re asking me what to do?”
“Don’t look so surprised,” Jaina said. “I know how you and Dad feel about the Galactic Alliance. You’re the only ones here who don’t have an agenda.”
“Oh, I have an agenda.” Leia smiled. “Your father and I did come all the way out here to make sure you and Jacen are safe.”
Jaina rolled her eyes. “Like that’s going to happen. Just tell me what you think.”
Leia didn’t even hesitate. “Jaina, I think you’re just making the situation here worse.”
“Worse?” Alema demanded. Her lekku were writhing. “What do you know? You’ve only been here-“
Jaina glanced at the Twi’lek out of the corner of her eye, and Alema fell silent.
“Thank you,” Leia said. “As I was saying, your presence is a provocation to the Chiss. They’re only going to press harder, and you’ll end up starting a war that might have been averted.”
“Averted?” Tahiri asked. “How?”
“I don’t know how-not yet,” Leia admitted. “But I can tell you how it won’t be averted: by destroying Chiss task forces. They’ll just start sending bigger flotillas.”
“They already have.”
Jaina turned to her fellows to discuss the matter-or so Mara thought. Instead, they merely looked at each other for a couple of seconds, then the Killiks suddenly let out a single disappointed boom and began to disperse. Tesar, Jacen, and Tahiri started up the corridor.
“We’ll go,” Tahiri said.
“So will Tekli,” Tesar added.
“That’s half,” Mara said, raising her brow to Jaina and the remaining two. “What about you three?”
“We four” Jaina corrected. “You forgot to count Lowbacca.”
SIXTEEN
Far below the Falcon, the golden expanse of Qoribu’s largest ring swept past, a vast river of sparkling rubble that curved under the purple moon Nrogu and faded into the twilight murkiness of the planet’s dark side. In the distance, just beyond the ghostly green crescent of the moon Zvbo, the first tiny darts of Chiss efflux were tracing a crazy lacework against the star-flecked void.
“We’re coming into visual range now,” Leia reported. “It looks like the search is spreading. I see ion trails to all sides of the ring-some up to thirty degrees above.”
“Wonderful.” Han’s tone was sarcastic. “The Chiss are going to be in a great mood.”
“What leads you to believe that?” Juun asked. He was in the port-side passenger’s seat, annoying Han by constantly peering over his shoulder. Fortunately, Tarfang had been sent back aboard the Shadow, where Tekli would be able to tend to his wounds. “Because they’re having trouble finding survivors from their starship?”
“How’d you guess?” Han’s voice was even more sarcastic.
“Procedure,” Juun answered proudly. “They’ve increased their search radius, and why would Chiss search protocols be any different from our own? “
“You’re one smart Sullustan.”
“Thank you.” Juun beamed. “Coming from Han Solo, that is an enormous compliment.”
“Yeah,” Han said. “Sure.”
He pulled back on the yoke, and the Falcon began to climb away from the ring. Immediately, Leia felt the curiosity of their escorts-Jaina, Saba, Alema, and Zekk-rise in the Force.
“Our StealthXs are wondering what you’re doing,” Leia reported. “To tell the truth, so am I.”
“We don’t have stealth technology,” Han explained. “And as bad as things are going for the Chiss, if they catch us trying to sneak in, they’re liable to blast first and not bother with questions.”
“Like the Talu insertion in the Zsinj campaign,” Juun declared. “The Falcon will act as a decoy while the StealthXs penetrate the enemy’s perimeter.”
“Not really,” Han said.
“No?” Juun sounded crestfallen. “Why not?”
“Because you can’t stuff a Wookiee into a StealthX cargo compartment,” Han said. “So we’re just gonna fly in there and fetch Lowbacca ourselves.”
“And the Chiss are going to permit that?” Juun gasped.
“Sure.” Han glanced over at Leia, then said, “Leia is gonna talk ‘em into it.”