[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(17)

“I don’t see how your informants can know what Jacen believes,” Jaina said, still probing for the source of his intelligence. “I have the Force and I’m his twin sister, and even I couldn’t tell you what he believes.”

“Vow aren’t a Bothan, Jedi Solo.”

Jaina raised her brow. “So your sources are inside the True Victory Party?”

Bwua’tu looked away for a moment, obviously debating how much to tell her.

“You asked me for an honest answer.” Jaina sent him a little Force-nudge. “And I gave it to you.”

Bwua’tu nodded. “Very well. We both have divided loyalties here, so we’ll just have to trust each other.” He waited for an affirming nod from Jaina, then continued, “For some time now, the Bothan government has been asking me to resign my commission and return home. The intelligence regarding the assassinations is their latest attempt to persuade me.”

“They have a source inside GAG?” Jaina gasped. “I don’t know the nature of their intelligence,” Bwua’tu replied carefully. “Only that it has proven accurate so far.”

“That doesn’t mean you should believe their denial,” Jaina said. “I mean, the Bothan government has a vested interest in convincing you that the attack on the World Brain wasn’t Bothan.”

“True, but there is other evidence,” Bwua’tu replied. “Had True Victory been behind the attack, it would not have failed.”

Jaina chose to ignore his species conceit for the moment and treat the statement as fact. “Okay. If Bothans weren’t responsible, who was?”

“My guess is Corellian terrorists. If the World Brain has been helping Jacen track them, then they’re the ones who have the most to gain by killing it.” Bwua’tu retreated toward his desk, then clasped his hands behind his back and stared at the galactic vidmap hanging on his wall. ”But that’s hardly our concern at the moment. Whatever your parents are doing in Hapan space, their trip has something to do with a coup attempt. Perhaps they are Only going to warn Tenel Ka about the consequences of supporting the Alliance.”

“You mean, to threaten her?”

“A threat is a warning,” Bwua’tu replied. “At the mo-ment, that is what we must assume. It’s really Corellia’s only hope.”

“Which means the Corellians aren’t going to send the Kiris fleet against our blockade,” Jaina said, guessing Bwua’tu already realized this. “They’ll use it to support the Hapan coup.”

“Exactly,” Bwua’tu replied. “My fleet is badly out of position.”

“So you’ll reposition?”

“I’ll certainly suggest it to Admiral Niathal,” Bwua’tu said. “But she’s a very domineering fish. She’s laid a trap for the Corellians, and she won’t abandon it easily.”

“So?” Jaina asked. “You’re going to move anyway, right?”

“And disregard my krevtt” Bwua’tu sneered at her as though she had suggested cheating at dejarik. “Who do you think I am-your father?”

“S-sorry,” Jaina said, taken aback by his harsh tone. “I didn’t mean anything by it-but there’s something else you should know. When the falcon departed, my mother sensed my presence. She must know the Jedi are watching the Kirises.”

“I see.” Bwua’tu grew thoughtful. “Do you think she would tell your father?”

“We have to assume that,” Jaina said.

“And we must also assume he’ll tell the Corellians that we know about their secret fleet.” Bwua’tu’s expression grew pensive. “And yet, we can’t be certain. This does add an interesting twist to the problem.”

“That’s an understatement,” Jaina said. “But now you’ll have to move the fleet.”

Bwua’tu frowned at her. “Haven’t you been listening? Admiral Niathal’s mind is made up.”

“But when she hears…”

“She isn’t going to change her plans because of a few feelings between a mother and daughter,” Bwua’tu said. “She’ll dismiss it as soft intelligence.”

“Then what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know yet.” Bwua’tu wrinkled his muzzle and returned his gaze to the galactic vidmap on his wall. His voice assumed an absentminded tone. “How interesting.” When he did not elaborate, Jaina went to his side and stared up at the vidmap. It was a standard galactic projection, with the luminous white cloud of the Deep Core near the center of the upper frame and the Unknown Regions not shown at all. Corellia was a small dot on the opposite side of the Deep Core from Coruscant, forming a large triangle of space with Bothawui and Nal Hutta.