[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(32)
“More than we’d like to be,” Isolder said. He sounded more disappointed than angry. “Your mother and Captain Solo arrived unannounced and asked for an audience with the Queen Mother. Before she could find time for them, they slipped out of the guest salon and disabled the entire palace security system.”
“We’re still trying to learn how,” Tenel Ka said. “As close as we can estimate, they did it in less than two minutes-and they had to travel nearly half a kilometer through unfamiliar corridors.”
“Maybe you’re having trouble because they didn’t do it,” Zekk suggested.
“Of course they did it!” The woman who said this was a stately looking aide of perhaps forty or fifty-it was hard to tell, given how hard Hapans worked to stay young and attractive. “Such a feat is nothing for a…”
“Thank you, Lady Galney.” Tenel Ka silenced the woman with a polite flip of two fingers, then turned to Zekk. “Do you have another theory?”
Zekk furrowed his brow, then said, “Maybe they were here for the same reason we are-to warn you.”
The suggestion was greeted only by doubtful-in many cases scornful-Hapan expressions, and even Jaina had trouble seeing the basis for Zekk’s assertion.
Finally, Tenel Ka asked, “Then why were they seen leaving with the leader of the assassination squad?”
“They were?” Jaina gasped.
“I’m afraid so,” Tenel Ka said. “A pale woman with a shaved head and a topknot. When my guard managed to pin your parents down, she even risked her own life to rescue them.”
Jaina’s heart sank. It certainly sounded like her parents were working with the assassins.
“There must be an explanation.” Zekk gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. “Jaina, you need to trust your feelings.”
Jaina pulled away, irritated and confused and - shaken. She found it hard to believe that her parents would participate in any kind of assassination attempt… but she just didn’t know. There were all kinds of rumors suggesting her father had helped Boba Fett assassinate Thrackan Sal-Solo, and her mother had experienced firsthand the evil wrought by Darth Vader. Was it too much to think Leia might kill a friend to keep Jacen from following the same path?
“I don’t know what my feelings are,” Jaina said. She turned to Tenel Ka. “Tenel-er, Queen Mother, I don’t know what to say.”
“I’m having a hard time believing it myself,” Tenel Ka replied. “First appearances are against them, but the investigation is far from complete, and there is some conflicting evidence.”
“Such as?” Zekk demanded.
“Some eyewitness accounts suggest the Solos may have attacked a few assassins when the fighting began.” Tenel Ka turned and extended her arm toward the great hall where most of the fighting had taken place. “We can go have a look, if you’d like.”
“I’d like.” Zekk’s voice was hardly hostile, but it did not take a Jedi to sense that he was angry. “Why are you ignoring these accounts?”
“We’re not ignoring them,” Isolder said. He stepped to Zekk’s side, and they all started toward the ruined hall. “But eyewitness accounts are notoriously unreliable-as I’m sure you were taught in your investigation courses at the Jedi academy.”
“And some eyewitnesses claim that the men the Solos attacked were actually trying to defend the Queen Mother,” Lady Galney said. “Some very credible witnesses.”
“I’ll judge that for myself,” Zekk said. He turned to Isolder. “When can I speak to these witnesses?”
Isolder stopped and turned to Zekk. “You want to interrogate Hapan nobles?”
“That’s right,” Zekk said. “There’s something wrong here, and I…”
“That’s enough.” Jaina grabbed the back of Zekk’s arm and squeezed. His tone was bordering on the rude-especially to the sensitive Hapan ego-and harsh accusations would only make the official investigators more likely to overlook evidence that might exonerate her parents. “I’m sure the Queen Mother and her staff will discover the truth.”
“Fact,” Tenel Ka said. “The investigation will give the Solos every benefit of the doubt-and I do intend to interview every eyewitness personally.”
That was enough to quiet Zekk’s protests, and to assure Jaina that her parents would not become convenient scapegoats. Though family duties on Hapes had forced Tenel Ka to leave the Jedi order, she retained all the talents and Force skills she had learned as a Jedi Knight. If anyone tried to lie about the Solos’ involvement, the Queen Mother would know.