[Dark Nest] - 3(19)

“It’ll help,” Luke said. “If their minds are still joined, then it’s more likely they have fallen under Raynar’s control.”

“And if we find their minds aren’t joined?”

“Then I’ll know that telling Madame Thul about the debate over Raynar was their own choice,” Luke said. “And I’ll take action.”

Luke led the way toward the salon. He could feel how concerned Cilghal was by his angry reaction to the Jedi Knights’ betrayal, but he felt amazingly certain of himself. The other Masters had left him no choice but to play the Grand Master fully-to run the order as he thought best and demand full obedience from everyone in it.

As Luke and Cilghal drew near, Tesar and Lowbacca rose from the snack table where they were sitting and watched the two Masters approach with an unblinking, insect-like stare. They were both wearing their formal robes, but not their equipment belts or lightsabers. Tahiri remained in the exercise pen, concentrating on her lightsaber form and paying no attention to the arrival of the two Masters.

Luke motioned Cilghal and her equipment to the adjacent table, then took a seat opposite the pair and motioned them to sit. He did not summon Tahiri from the exercise pen. Madame Thul had not actually named Tahiri as one of the Jedi who had warned her about the plans to target Raynar, so Luke was content to let the young woman continue exercising-for now.

He remained quiet, studying the two Jedi Knights across the table while Cilghal completed her preparations. Nothing in the Force suggested they were under the Colony’s control, but that meant little. Unless Raynar happened to be exerting the Colony’s Will at that very moment, Luke suspected there would be nothing for him to sense.

Lowbacca watched Cilghal prepare her equipment, his scientific mind seemingly more interested in her calibrations than in the reason he had been recalled to the Jedi Temple. Tesar, on the other hand, was so nervous that he began to hiss and smack his lips in an effort to keep from drooling.

Finally, Cilghal nodded that she was ready. Luke did not bother to explain the equipment. Like all Jedi who spent more than a few days among the Killiks, Lowbacca and Tesar had submitted to dozens of aural activity scans as part of Cilghal’s research.

“I’m sure you know why I ordered you to meet me here,” Luke said.

Lowbacca nodded and groaned, saying that it probably had something to do with what they had told Aryn Thul.

“We can explain,” Tesar added.

“I doubt it.” Luke’s tone was sharp. “But please try.”

“We had no choice,” Tesar said.

Lowbacca growled his agreement, reasserting

the

argument

that destroying the Colony would be immoral.

“And so would assazzinating a friend,” Tesar added. “Raynar was our hunt-mate. Killing him would be wrong.”

“Maybe,” Luke said. “But that decision isn’t yours to make.”

Lowbacca countered with a long, stubborn rumble.

“Jedi Knights do serve the Force,” Luke answered. “But now they serve it through the Jedi order. We’ve seen what happens when everyone goes in their own direction. We paralyze ourselves, and our enemies flourish.”

Lowbacca rowled the opinion that being paralyzed was better than following a yuugrr out on its limb.

Luke frowned. Yuugrrs were dim-witted predators famous for stealing Wookiee children out of their beds, then trying to shake their pursuit by going out on a thin limb. More often than not, the limb broke, plunging the yuugrr, the child, and sometimes the pursuers into the depths of the Kashyyyk forest.

“If you’re calling me a yuugrr, I’m not sure I follow your analogy.” It was a struggle for Luke to keep an even tone; he felt so betrayed by the pair that it required an act of will to remain interested in their reasons. “What’s it supposed to mean?”

“Not that you are a yuugrr,” Tahiri said, joining them. Sweat was still pouring down her face, and there were several holes where the remotes had burned through her jumpsuit and raised burn blisters. “You’re following one-and you’re taking the whole order with you. We had to do something.”

“We?” Luke asked. He resisted the urge to send Tesar to fetch some bacta salve from the first-aid kit. This was no time to appear nurturing, and besides, Tahiri’s mind still had enough Yuuzhan Vong in it that she probably enjoyed the pain. “Madame Thul didn’t mention your name.”

“Only because these two didn’t tell me what they were doing.” Tahiri shot Lowbacca and Tesar a dirty look. “Otherwise, I would have been right there with them.”

Luke did not bother to hide his disappointment. “I appreciate your honesty, but I still don’t understand.”