[Legacy Of The Force] - 04(43)

“The Venture’s an old Imperial Star Destroyer,” Han said, shrugging. “Commissioned as the Virulence.”

“I know that,” Lando said. “Well, except I forgot its original name.”

“Whenever an ISD served as the flagship for a task force or fleet,” Han went on, “the commanding admiral would be aboard, with his own quarters and his own private hangar. Which was called the flag hangar.”

“Ah.” Lando nodded wisely. “So, Han, old buddy, how long has it been since your Academy education has come in useful?”

“Now,” Han said, “I’m going to shoot him.”

CORELLIAN EXCLUSION ZONE

ANAKIN SOLO, COMMAND SALON

In the holocomm transmission Luke looked as serene as usual, but even so Jacen could sense that the Grand Master was impatient, distressed.

Mara, beside him, didn’t bother to hide it. Her expression was a mix of worry and anger.

Without preamble Luke said, “Jacen, where’s Ben?”

Jacen gave him a confused look. “I take it from the question that he’s not where he’s supposed to be.”

Luke nodded. “That’s correct. I notice you didn’t answer my question directly.”

Jacen felt a flash of anger-how dare Luke assume he was hiding something? The fact that he was did not enter into things. Luke needed to treat him with more respect. It was a lesson he had to make sure Luke learned. That would be soon, he hoped. “Do you see conversational ploys in every discussion, Luke?” The way he spoke the Grand Master’s familiar name was just short of insulting. “All right, then, let me be absolutely clear. I don’t know where Ben is.” That was the truth; Lumiya was monitoring Ben’s mission, not Jacen.

Even if Jacen had been lying, he was sure Luke would not have been able to detect it. Jacen had been proficient at concealing his true feelings and emotions for a long, long time. He’d grown even better at it under Lumiya’s tutelage.

Luke was silent for long moments. Finally he said, “I’m sorry. But we’re worried. He disappeared from the Temple and we can’t find any sign of where he’s gone.”

“Can you feel him in the Force?”

“Yes. But that doesn’t mean he’s safe. Just that he’s alive. Somewhere. And not close.”

Jacen sighed. “He’s too old to be running away from home like this. My guess is he resents the fact that you took him away from me. And you know, that suggests you were right. If he’s going to be doing things like this, he may not be mature enough to be my apprentice-at least not yet.”

Luke and Mara exchanged a quick look. It seemed like a neutral exchange, but Jacen could read it as though it were a large-text news feed: they were thrown off by his admission that they might have been right all along. He exulted in his power to position their emotions.

Mara said, “Has he communicated in the last couple of days?”

Jacen shook his head. “I received a text message from him explaining some ways he planned to make Luke `move his feet’ in sparring. That was the last I heard from him. Of course,” he added, “if he’s run away from home and can find a way to get offplanet, he’ll probably come here. To me. If that happens, I assume you want me to send him straight back.”

“That’s correct,” Mara said. “And even if he doesn’t show up there, if you find out anything about where he might be…”

“I’ll transmit it to you instantly,” Jacen promised.

“Thanks, Jacen.” Luke waved to something outside the range of the holocam view, and he and Mara disappeared.

Jacen smiled. Causing people to think and feel what he wanted them to, even without resorting to the Force, was becoming easier and easier … even with difficult subjects like the almighty Luke Skywalker.

KUAT SYSTEM

ERRANT VENTURE

Love Commander followed the Pulsar Skate into the Flag Hangar, with the two X-wings bringing up the rear. Waiting at the doors leading out of the hangar was Booster Terrik.

The old man certainly wasn’t diminished by age, Han decided. Burly and gray-bearded, he floated around on a hoverchair as massive as the front end of an airspeeder. But he stood up out of the chair as the Skate’s boarding ramp came down and Mirax dashed down it. He might be too old to walk long distances, but he was certainly not going to be caught sitting down for a reunion     with his daughter.

Lando, Han, and Leia were toward the back of the greeting line. Wedge, Iella, and Myri also embraced the old man. Han and Leia shook his hand. Corran, Booster’s son-in-law, was last to approach and did the same, his rueful expression suggesting he still hadn’t quite forgiven himself for coming to like Booster.