[Legacy Of The Force] - 02(80)

“Since you’re frank enough to say so, then may I ask if you have misgivings about a Jedi being seen to act against civilians like this?” Cilghal squirmed visibly, but Luke admired her courage for confronting him when nobody else seemed willing to point out that his nephew was behaving badly by Jedi standards-by any standards. “With your own son accompanying him?”

I’m the Grand Master. I have a duty. Sorry, Mara.

“I’m deeply troubled by it.”

There was a collective intake of breath.

“Is that it?” said Kyp Durron.

“I have no control over Jacen. He exists outside the Jedi order, and he isn’t Ben’s Master, and Ben is not his apprentice.”

Luke could feel-and see-eleven pairs of eyes turning to Mara. Luke knew it was unfair to expose a family argument to high council scrutiny, but this was no longer just a couple disagreeing over their child’s education. Jacen is turning dark. I have to have the courage of my convictions.

Mara looked up and her expression was set like permacrete in neutral calm. “I’m not sure if I should take part in this discussion. I have to declare an interest.”

“Let’s put this another way,” said Katarn. “It’s an embarrassment for the Jedi order to see the son and nephew of the Grand Master kicking down doors with the boys in black.”

“But you accept that the Galactic Alliance Guard is acting legally?”

“Unpalatably but legally, yes.” Katarn and Cilghal had now formed up into a definite but respectful attack, as if they were relieved that they weren’t imagining it all. “It’s the involvement of Jedi in it that we’re most uncomfortable with.”

Ah. We. Luke was ripped apart at that moment: he had either to humiliate his wife or deceive the high council because of his own personal fears. It didn’t matter that his word was law here. He knew he was on thin ice.

“I am, too,” he said at last. “I’ll be asking Ben to withdraw from operations with the Guard.”

“He’s thirteen,” said Durron. “You should be telling him.”

Mara said nothing, but Luke could feel her boiling inside. He knew what would happen when the meeting was over. But she had the grace not to argue with him in front of the high council.

“Jacen’s clearly popular with the public,” Durron added carefully. “And more than one of us in this chamber has gone to some extremes and come back okay, so maybe we should be making an effort to help him identify more with the order.”

“Meaning?” said Luke.

“It’s time he became a Master. We all know what he can do.”

Luke had a sudden image of his father. His sense of dŠj vu was both comforting, because his father had been redeemed, and terrifying-terrifying because Vader had once been a Jedi prodigy, too, a decent young man, but the dark side had claimed him nonetheless. And it might well claim Jacen. Luke could taste it.

It’s not frustration at not being a Master. He’s gone dark. And he’s not the only darkness I can feel.

Luke wondered why Lumiya had come back and knew it wasn’t to see how much her old homeworld had changed since she’d been away.

But it wasn’t the time to mention Lumiya. He turned his mind back to Jacen’s status in the order.

“Let me think about that,” said Luke.

The meeting broke up shortly afterward. Mara said nothing to Luke until they were well out of earshot, sitting in their speeder on the way back to the apartment.

“I want Ben away from Jacen,” Luke said at last.

“Honey, we’ve discussed that …”

“I’m sorry it came up in the meeting, but I can’t turn a blind eye to it any longer. It stops now. No thirteen-year-old should be out on raids with Jacen’s secret police.”

“Or with Jacen at all, right?”

“Mara, everyone sees it.”

“He’s having a bad affair.”

“Bad affair? He’s interning Corellians! You heard Cilghal. I’m not delusional. Have you spoken to Leia? Han?” Don’t mention Jaina. “I haven’t heard a word from my sister and my best friend in days. If you genuinely believe there’s nothing odd or worrying about Jacen right now, then open up that comlink and call Leia and ask her what she thinks.”

“Okay, and if she says yes, her son’s turning into Palpatine, what do we do? Drag Ben away from him kicking and screaming?”

“If need be, yes.”

“When did you last talk to Ben?”

Too long ago. “When he came back after being gassed.”

“Well, I speak to him most days and he’s a changed kid. He’s happy, he’s respectful, he’s calm. He’s grown up, Luke. Jacen did that.”