At the end of the walkway, the Skywalkers and Jacen were admitted onto a secure command platform where Chief Omas stood poring over holofeeds with Admiral Pellaeon. Han and Leia were already there as well, studying a second bank of holodisplays along with a Vratix-one of the mantiform insects who inhabited Thyferra. When the guards announced their arrival, Omas pretended to he engrossed in a holofeed of the Thyferran rain forest, leaving a surprised Pellaeon to wave them toward the holobank.
“Masters Skywalker, Jedi Solo, please join us.” Despite his aged face and bushy white mustache, Pellaeon-an ex-Imperial admiral-continued to look the part of the shrewd command officer he was. He gestured toward the insect at his side. “Do you know Senator Zalk’t from Thyferra?”
“Only by reputation.” Luke inclined his head to the Vratix. “I’m sorry the Jedi weren’t able to prevent the coup on Thyferra, Senator Zalk’t.”
Zalk’t scuttled over and greeted Luke by rubbing a massive forearm across his shoulder. “The fault was not yours, Master Skywalker.” His speech was filled with whistles and clicks. “Thyferra thanks the Jedi for their efforts on our behalf.”
“As does the entire Galactic Alliance,” Pellaeon added. “Had the Jedi not responded so quickly, we would have lost far more than the Thyferra system.” He cast a meaningful glance in Omas’s direction. “Isn’t that correct, Chief Omas?”
Omas finally tore his attention away from the holo and met Luke’s gaze. He looked even more careworn than usual, with ashen skin and bags beneath his eyes as deep as those of a Yuuzhan Vong.
“Yes, it was a relief to find the Jedi serving the Galactic Alliance for a change,” Omas said.
“The Jedi have always served the Galactic Alliance, Chief Omas.” As Luke spoke, he was pouring goodwill into the Force. He could sense the anger that Omas’s comment had raised in Han and Leia and even in Jacen, and he could not allow this meeting to degenerate into a shouting match. “But the issues have not always been clear, and sometimes we have taken the long view without talking to you. I apologize for our mistakes.”
Omas’s jaw dropped, as did those of Han, Leia, and Jacen. Only Pellaeon and Mara did not seem surprised Pellaeon because the Galactic Alliance and the Jedi order clearly needed each other to deal with the Killiks, and Mara because she was the one who had suggested to Luke that it was the duty of the Jedi order to support the Galactic Alliance. Imperfect as it was, the Galactic Alliance remained the galaxy’s best hope for achieving a lasting peace.
Omas finally recovered from his shock. “Thank you, Master Skywalker.” There was more suspicion in his words than relief, and he quickly turned back to the bank of holofeeds. “I trust the Jedi won’t find the issues too confusing today.”
Almost all of the holofeeds showed a small squad of Killik commandos leading a few Vratix “tarheads”-insects addicted to black membrosia-into a village of graceful, multibalconied towers. The tarheads would enter one or two of the towers, then return with a few Vratix and present them to the Killiks, who did not even bother lining the prisoners up before spraying them with shatter gun pellets. Sometime during the process, the hobo would usually show a Killik approaching the holocam, and the signal would go to static.
“The traitorsss are bringing out the village anirs,” Zalk’t explained in his whistling Basic. “But the coup actually began in Zalxuc. Before we realized what was happening, tarhead traitors had slain our high canirs and their assistants, and the Killiksss were hunting down every non-insect in the city.”
“Cutting off the head so they can control the body,” Leia said. “Standard coup strategy.”
“Yeah, but this one has a twist,” Han added. “Black membrosia will be running in the streets. Half the population will be addicts-and the bugs will be their suppliers.”
“It gets worse,” Leia pointed out. “If the Killiks hold Thyferra long enough, the Vratix will become Joiners.”
Luke nodded. “If the Killiks hold it long enough.” He turned to Jacen. “How long would it take for the Vratix to start becoming Joiners?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Jacen said, shaking his head. “The Killiks are trying-“
“That’s not what I asked,” Luke snapped. He could feel in the Force that Omas remained too suspicious of the Jedi to take advice from Jacen. “Just answer my question.”
Jacen scowled at the rebuke. “Cilghal would have a better idea than I do,” he said. “Normally, an outsider has to spend several months in a nest to become a full Joiner, but it might go faster for insect species.”