Reading Online Novel

[Legacy Of The Force] - 02(64)



“Where are you staying?”

Han didn’t sit down despite the mute offer of a chair. “That’s our little secret.”

“Okay.” Gejjen didn’t appear offended; paranoia seemed a normal part of political life. “My sources say there’s more than one taker for the contract.”

“Fett doesn’t play well with others.”

“Told you it wasn’t Fett,” said Leia.

“Fett or no Fett, Captain Solo, the threat is real. And while we’re appalled at what your son appears to be doing, Thrackan Sal-Solo is pursuing his line for his own ends, not Corellia’s, so as far as we’re concerned, we still have common cause.”

“Who’s we?”

“The Democratic Alliance. We understand how hard it is for you.”

“You think?”

“You’re here, aren’t you? We know you put Corellia first.”

“I’m going to deal with Thrackan myself, thanks.”

“We can’t be seen to do that, of course, but we can probably give you useful support.”

You load the blaster and I fire it. Yeah, I get the idea. “I just need times, locations, and access.”

Han was aware of Leia staring at his back, a kind of sixth sense that owed nothing to the Force and everything to more than thirty years of marriage. He turned slowly, expecting to see a weary frown of disapproval, and saw only wide-eyed resignation. Sometimes she looked just the way she had when he first met her.

“Just keep feeding me information about Thrackan’s location,” said Han. “Your party representatives have access to that, right?”

“When he’s taking part in government business, yes. Itineraries, meetings, that kind of detail.”

“Good.”

“So what’s your plan?”

Han gave him a slow, wary smile. “If I told you that, you wouldn’t be able to deny involvement, would you?”

Gejjen went to a desk in the corner of the room and took a datachip from a drawer. “Floor plans,” he said. “Government buildings. They’re not illegal, just only available for inspection in libraries and civic offices. They might he useful.”

“Consider me a librarian.”

“Dur,” said Leia. “If Thrackan Sal-Solo were to fall from power, would your party be in a position to form an emergency government?”

Gejjen was now focused totally on Leia: that was what really interested him, the seizure of power. Han chose not to be offended.

“With my colleagues, the Corellian Liberal Front, and those in the Centerpoint Party who’d like a change of leadership, yes.”

So that’s how a coup happens. In some guy’s living room while his kids are playing in another room. “Hey, you telling everyone my cousin’s days are numbered?”

“If you think you’re the first person this year to come up with the idea of neutralizing him, you’d be very much mistaken,” said Gejjen. “Corellia doesn’t want to be his personal toolbox any longer.”

“We’ll keep contact to a minimum,” Leia interrupted. “And we’ll keep changing our comlink code. I hope the next time we meet is when the crisis has passed.”

Leia herded Han out into the street and they walked a tortuous path to the center of Coronet, doubling back on themselves to check that they weren’t being followed. There was a lot of air traffic heading into the spaceport and a general buzz of tension in the city itself. It felt like a world bracing itself for the worst.

They came into the main boulevard where the apartment rental office was located. They’d lease something small and anonymous in the center of town, Han decided. Something nobody would expect the Solos to want to live in.

It’s just like old times again. Living on the edge.

“Do you think Gejjen’s cronies are setting me up to do their dirty work?” he asked.

“What, that the assassination contract is a ruse?” Leia shook her head. “You heard Jacen, you saw the holonews, and there’s the small business of the guy we shoved out the air lock.”

“Oh, yeah, him.”

“I’m not encouraging you to do this.”

“But you haven’t told me not to.”

“I’m not making your decisions for you, Han. I’m your wife, not your mother,” Leia said.

“But you’re a Jedi, too…”

“It sounds like a case of self-defense to me.”

“Not a coup?”

“That’s a separate issue.”

“Diplomacy’s a fascinating spectator sport,” Han said. “It’s about managing the inevitable with minimum loss of life.”