“The y’luubi are unbelievably wonderful, Madame Thul,” Mara said, addressing their host. She and Luke had barely been back on Coruscant for a week before Madame Thul arrived aboard the Tradewyn and sent a message to the Jedi Temple inviting them to dine with her.
“The whole meal is,” Luke added. “Thank you again for insisting that we meet here.”
Aryn Thul-Raynar Thul’s mother and the chairwoman of the board of Bornaryn Trading-smiled politely. “I’m so pleased you’re enjoying it.” A gaunt, almost frail woman with gray hair and durasteel eyes, she carried herself with a dignity and grace appropriate to the shimmersilk gown and Corusca gem necklace she had chosen for their “casual” dinner. “I was told Yuza Bre is the finest restaurant on Coruscant.”
“By all accounts,” Mara said. “I understand reservations are usually required months in advance. I can’t imagine why it’s deserted tonight.”
“You can’t?” Tyko Thul asked. A large, round-faced man with short graying hair and hazel eyes, he was the brother of Madame Thul’s late husband-and the chief operating officer of Bornaryn Trading. He turned to Madame Thul and shared an arrogant smile. “It appears the Jedi are not quite as all-knowing as we are led to believe.”
“We shouldn’t judge that on the basis of a restaurant, Tyko. I doubt corporate acquisitions are very high on their list of concerns.” Madame Thul turned to Mara. “As of this morning, the Yuza Bre is a Bornaryn property. Buying it was the only way to guarantee our visit would remain private.”
“Buying a restaurant was hardly necessary, Madame Thul,” Luke said in a guarded tone. “If there’s something you need to discuss in private, I would have been happy to meet you aboard the Tradewyn.”
Given the argument among the Masters over whether to eliminate Raynar, both Mara and Luke had found the timing of Madame Thul’s dinner invitation suspicious. But Luke had been a friend of the Thuls since Raynar attended the Jedi academy on Yavin 4, and Mara had convinced him that if Madame Thul knew about the argument, declining the invitation would be viewed as evidence that he agreed with those who felt the only way to resolve the Killik crisis was to kill her son.
Madame Thul frowned. “Luke, we have been friends since before Bornan died.” Her tone remained nonchalant, but Mara could sense her anger-and her fear-in the Force. “Surely, you know me well enough to realize that if I wish to discuss something with you, I will.”
“Does that mean you don’t wish to discuss anything?” Luke asked.
“It means that you aren’t the primary reason I bought Yuza Bre.” Madame Thul allowed herself a guilty smile. “This happens to be Chief Omas’s favorite restaurant. As you can imagine, from now on, he is going to find it difficult to make reservations.”
“That seems rather petty,” Mara said. Madame Thul struck her as a woman who appreciated frankness, so she spoke bluntly. “And it’s hardly likely to sway his attitude regarding the Colony.”
Madame Thul shrugged, her blue eyes twinkling with mischief. “I have been trying to be heard on this for months, but that Jenet assistant of his refuses to schedule an appointment. This seems as good a way as any to make my displeasure known.”
“I’m sure it will accomplish that,” Mara said. “But if feeding y’luubi to the Skywalker family is how you show displeasure with the Jedi, I’m sorry to inform you it isn’t working.”
She smiled, expecting Madame Thul to do likewise and utter at least a polite little laugh. Instead, the chairwoman fixed her with a steely-eyed glare.
“I really don’t understand, Mara.” She turned to Luke. “Is there some reason I should be displeased with the Jedi?”
“That isn’t for us to say,” Luke answered. “You’re certainly aware of the Jedi’s role in the recent trouble between the Colony and the Alliance.”
“Of course,” Madame Thul said. “You were crucial in keeping the nest ships trapped inside the Utegetu Nebula.”
“So the answer to your question depends on you, Chairwoman Thul,” Mara said. “Where do your loyalties lie?”
It was Tyko Thul who answered. “Our loyalties lie where they always have-with Bornaryn Trading. We have outlasted three galactic governments … and we’ll outlast this one.”
“What about family?” Luke asked, addressing the question to Madame Thul. “I’m sure your loyalties also extend to Raynar.”
“Our interests in the Colony are very important to us, yes.” Madame Thul’s voice grew icy. “Obviously, Bornaryn will do whatever we must to protect them-and at the moment, we are well positioned to be extremely effective.”