[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(33)

“Thanks, Your Majesty,” Jaina said. “I appreciate it. If there’s anything we can do to help…”

“There is,” Isolder said instantly. “We know the Falcon often travels under false transponder codes. A list would prove very helpful.”

Jaina’s mouth grew dry. She was being asked to choose between her loyalty to her family and her duty to the Jedi order, and she was well enough trained to realize that her decision really did not hinge on whether her parents were guilty of anything. A member state of the Galactic Alliance was asking for information regarding an attack on its government, and as a Jedi Knight she was obliged to provide it.

When Jaina was slow to answer, Lady Galney reminded her, “The Hapes Consortium is an important part of the Galactic Alliance-a very important part-and your parents are terrorists.”

“Alleged terrorists,” Tenel Ka corrected. She fixed her gray eyes on Jaina, then said, “It would be better for everybody. My commanders will be more … careful if they know when they’re actually dealing with the Falcon,”

“And the information will be useful only as long as they remain inside the Consortium,” Isolder pointed out. “If they aren’t a danger to the Queen Mother, I’m sure they’ll be departing Hapan space as soon as possible.”

“In which case, we won’t pursue them beyond our boundaries,” Tenel Ka added. “We’ll leave them to the Alliance authorities-whom I’m sure already have the false codes.”

“I’m not sure I know all the false codes,” Jaina said, forcing herself to answer. Tenel Ka’s deal was more than fair. The Hapan Royal Navy was going to be boarding-or destroying-every YT-1300 it found. This way, at least Tenel Ka could issue orders instructing her commanders to capture the Falcon and her crew in one piece. “But I’ll give you the ones I do.”

“Thank you,” Tenel Ka said. “I know how hard that must be for you.”

“Just tell your commanders to be patient,” Jaina said. She glanced in Galney’s direction and was a little sickened by the smug satisfaction she sensed in the woman, but that changed none of the basic facts of the situation. “Mom and Dad won’t give up easily-but they’re not going to kill anyone they don’t have to, either.”

“I’ve already instructed my commanders that we need your parents alive,” Tenel Ka said.

“Good,” Jaina said. “We should go someplace and finish our briefing. On our approach, Zekk and I saw the Falcon jumping into hyperspace. If we hurry, we may be able to spare your commanders the trouble of capturing them.”

“By going after them yourselves?” Isotder asked. “In Hapan space?”

Jaina frowned. “Assuming they’re still in Hapan space, yes.”

“Oh, that won’t do.” Galney stepped in front of Jaina, then turned her back as she addressed Tenel Ka. “We can’t have Jedi Solo pursuing her own parents. It will look as though you staged the attack as a pretext for property seizures. You’ll end up driving more nobles into the enemy camp.”

Tenel Ka sighed, then looked over Galney’s shoulder at Jaina. “Lady Galney is right, my friend. It would look very strange to Hapan eyes.”

“No one has to know,” Zekk said. “We’re Jedi.”

“Everyone would know,” Isolder said. He waved a hand around the chamber, allowing it to linger a bit on Tenel Ka’s retinue. “Look about.”

A sheepish look came to Zekk’s face, and Jaina realized she had to yield to Tenel Ka’s wishes. The Hapes Consortium was indeed a flooger-bed of conspiracy and intrigue … and sending a daughter to bring her own parents to justice would have raised eyes even on Coruscant.

“Right, but this is a matter of Alliance security, too,” Jaina said. “We could help by identifying that assassin and trying to trace her travels. That shouldn’t offend…”

“Actually,” Tenel Ka interrupted, “I’ve already asked your brother to help us with that investigation.”

Jaina’s jaw dropped. “Jacen?”

“I know you’ve had your differences of late, but this is what Jacen does now.” Tenel Ka’s voice was apologetic but firm. “Can you honestly say you would do better?”

“That depends on what you mean by better,” Jaina retorted. She could not believe Tenel Ka intended to turn her brother loose inside the Consortium. “Do you have any idea what he’s been doing on Coruscant?”

“Protecting the populace from Corellian terrorists, by all accounts I have seen.” Tenel Ka’s tone was defensive and stubborn. “I’m sorry to distract him, but there may be a connection between the terrorists and this assassination attempt-and Jacen is the only one with the knowledge to investigate it.”