“It looks more frightening to me than interesting,” Jaina said. “If you’re right about Bothawui joining Corellia, it won’t be long before Nal Hutta follows. The rebels will control a quarter of the galaxy.”
“Not that.” Bwua’tu pointed a finger at Duro, which was located just beyond Corellia on the Corellian Trade Spine. “It appears that Chief Omas’s fears were rather well justified.”
Jaina scowled, still not understanding. “I’m happy to hear that, but…”
“The mines.” Bwua’tu tapped a control key below the display, and the map zoomed in until it showed only the Corellian system. He pointed at a tiny yellow blip near the outer edge of the system. “In a few weeks, the Kirises will be in a direct line between Duro and the Corellian star. With all that electromagnetic blast in the background, it would be impossible for the Duros to detect the launch of the Kiris fleet.”
Jaina’s jaw dropped. “Sal-Solo was going to attack Duro?”
“The timing is certainly right,” Bwua’tu said. “And Duro still has large deposits of baradium and cortosis.”
Jaina did not know whether to be sickened or relieved. As the primary component of explosives ranging from thermal detonators to proton bombs, baradium had become the commodity of choice among the galaxy’s evergrowing number of arms smugglers. And woven cortosis fibers could be used to short-circuit lightsaber blades.
“Well, at least Chief Omas and Uncle Luke can stop double-guessing themselves about the blockade,” Jaina said. “The last thing the galaxy needs is someone dumping a million tons of baradium into the black market.”
“Or to start selling lightsaber-proof armor,” Bwua’tu added. “But that’s not our concern at that moment. Someone needs to warn the Queen Mother about the situation-and we can’t trust this to a holocomm. Even if the signal isn’t intercepted, we can’t be sure the message will reach Tenel Ka without passing through the wrong hands first. The Consortium is a real flooger-bed of intrigue.”
“I can reach out to her through the Force,” Jaina said. “That will give her some warning.”
“A specific warning?”
Jaina shook her head. “She’ll know there is danger, but not from where.”
“Then someone needs to see her in person,” Bwua’ru said.
“So you’re sending me?” Jaina asked. “I’m asking you,” Bwua’tu corrected. “You’re a Jedi, remember?”
“Of course,” Jaina said. “I mean, I’ll be happy to go.”
“Good.” Bwua’tu checked his chrono, then said, “And
I think you should pick up Zekk on the way. This isn’t the sort of thing we should take chances with. I’ll ask Lowbacca and Tesar to go out early and take over the observation post,”
“Very good.” Jama would need to carry some extra fuel for Zekk’s StealthX, but it was doable-and it would give her a chance to figure out what the blazes her parents were doing. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you,” Bwua’tu said. “I’ll send a message up the chain of command, too, but this will be faster-and maybe you can find a way to keep your family name out of this mess. I doubt anyone back on Coruscant would want HoloNet News accusing Han and Leia Solo of running across the galaxy arranging coups.”
Chapter Five
The Queen Mother’s Special Salon was equipped with every modern convenience, from flavor-optimizing beverage dispensers to auto-massaging furniture to participatory holo-drama booths. So Han did not understand why the only chronometer in the room was an ancient pendulum clock, the kind with a long, weighted arm that swung side-to-side and emitted a loud tock every second. By his estimate, he had heard that tock more than twenty-five thousand times already, and each one seemed louder than the last.
“One more tock, and I’m going to smash that thing,” Han growled.
“I don’t think the Queen Mother would take that very well, Captain Solo,” C-3PO said. Not for the first time, Han wondered why they hadn’t left him behind on the Falcon with Cakhmaim and Meewalh. “It’s pre-Lorellian, probably looted from a Balmorran colony ship by the very pirates who abducted Tenel Ka’s ancestor.”
“So it’s about time Tenel Ka got another.” Han eyed the salon’s rare byrlewood paneling and gilded ogee molding, searching for the spycam that just had to be there. “By the looks of this place, she oughta be able to afford something a little quieter.”
“Han!” Leia, who had been sitting on the floor meditating, opened her eyes. “That clock is worth more than the Falcon. A lot more.”