[Dark Nest] - 3(5)
“Are you sure?” Han asked. “I mean, you’re not even a Master.”
“I’m his sister,” Leia retorted. “That gives me special privileges.”
She strode down the corridor and entered the library without announcing herself. Luke was seated on a mat at the far end of the room, with a low writing table before him and the HoloNet access terminal at his back. Mara stood beside him at one end of the table, her green eyes as hard and unfathomable as an eumlar crystal.
When she saw Leia, Mara cocked her brow. “I doubt you’re here to pledge your obedience to the order.”
“I’m not.” Leia stopped in front of the table and glared down at Luke. “Do you know what you’ve just done?”
“Of course,” Luke said. “It’s called the Rubogean Gambit.”
Leia’s aggravation gave way to shock. “You’re taking control of the order as a ploy?”
“He has to do something,” Mara said. “The order is falling apart.”
“But the Rubogean Gambit?” Leia protested. “You can’t be serious!”
“I’m afraid so,” Luke said. “I wish I wasn’t.”
Leia reached out to her brother in the Force and realized he was telling the truth. He was filled with disappointment-in Kyp, Corran, and the other Masters, in himself, in her. The last thing he wanted was to take personal control of the order, but Mara was right. Something had to be done, and-as usual-it fell to Luke to do it.
Leia considered her brother’s plan for a moment, growing calmer as she reflected on his other options-or rather, his lack of them.
Finally, she said, “Your provocation isn’t strong enough. Most of the Jedi in that hall want you to take over. They won’t resist you.”
“I hope they’ll change their minds once they reflect on it,” Luke answered. “If not, then I’ll have to take control of the order.”
“For its own good.” Leia’s rusty political instincts began to trip alarms inside her head. “Do you know how many despots have said the same thing to me?”
“Luke is not a despot.” Mara’s voice grew a little heated. “He doesn’t even want control.”
“I know.” Leia kept her gaze on her brother. “But that doesn’t make this any less dangerous. If the gambit fails, you’ll be reducing the order to a personality cult.”
“Then let’s hope my ultimatum helps the Masters find a way to work together again.” Luke’s eyes grew hard. “I will not let them tear the Jedi apart.”
“Even if it means anointing yourself king of the Jedi?” Leia pressed.
“Yes, Leia-even if it means that.”
Surprised by the sudden sharpness in her brother’s voice, Leia fell into an uneasy silence. It was clear Luke had already made up his mind. That alone made her worry. He had reached his decision without seeking the benefit of her political experience-and the fact that she could think of no better plan made her worry even more.
When the silence became unbearable, Han stepped to the end of the table opposite Mara. “Okay, I’m lost. Will somebody please slow down and tell me what the blazes a Rubogean Gambit is?”
“It’s a diplomatic ploy,” Leia explained, relieved to have an excuse to break eye contact with Luke. “You distract your counterpart with a provocative assertion, hoping he’s so upset that he doesn’t notice what you’re really doing.”
“In other words, you pull a bait and switch.” Han scowled at Luke. “So you don’t want the Jedi to put the order first?”
“Actually, that’s what I do want,” Luke said. “Our problem now is that everybody puts the order last. Corran thinks we exist to serve the Alliance, and Kyp is convinced we should follow nothing but our own consciences. Meanwhile, Jaina and her team believe our first duty is to protect the weak from aggression.”
“I’m with you so far,” Han said. “Where I make a bad jump is the part where you take full control. If you don’t want to be king of the Jedi, why are you using this swindle to slip it past everyone in the order?”
“Luke is trying to unite the Masters against him, Han,” Leia explained.
“Yeah, I get that part.” Han furrowed his brow, clearly even more skeptical of what was happening than Leia was. “But like I said, if Luke doesn’t want to he king, why try slipping it past everyone?”
“Because being sneaky is the only way to convince the Masters I really want this,” Luke said. “The threat has to be big-and it has to be real. If I’m too obvious, they’ll know I’m trying to manipulate them, and it won’t work.”