[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(47)

“Thank you.” Jacen lowered Allana to the deck and watched her return to Tenel Ka’s side. Then he turned to Ben, who was still studying him carefully, and said, “I’d like you to escort Lady Galney to the guest suite. Stand by during her inspection.”

“Okay.” Ben’s voice betrayed his disappointment. “I mean, as you’d like, Colonel.”

Jacen would have preferred to let Ben stay for Tenel Ka’s briefing. But Ben had been present when Jacen learned that he was Allana’s father, and Jacen worried that seeing them together would overcome the memory rub he had used to alter Ben’s recollection of the incident.

Next, Jacen turned to Lady Galney. “Ben will see to anything you require to ensure the Queen Mother’s comfort.”

“Actually, I’ll be staying.” Galney flashed him a cold smile. “As I’m sure you can appreciate, times have been rather trying for the Queen Mother.”

“I’ll be fine, Lady Galney.” Tenel Ka kept her gaze fixed on Jacen as she spoke. “Colonel Solo’s suggestion is an excellent one-and I’d like you to take DeDe and Allana along. Ben-I mean, Special Agent Skywalker-can watch the Chume’da while DeDe does a security sweep.”

Galney’s green eyes flashed anger in Jacen’s direction, but she inclined her head to Tenel Ka. “As you wish.” She held her hand out to Allana. “Come along, Chume’da.”

Allana stepped past the offered hand to Ben, then took his hand and pulled him toward the exit. “Are you a Yedi too, Ben?”

“Yes.” Ben cast a guilty glance over his shoulder, then amended, “Sort of. I’m in training.”

“Mama was a Yedi once,” Allana said. “She still has her lightsaber and pwactices with a wemote …”

Allana’s narrative grew inaudible as she led her small entourage deeper into the anteroom. Once the door had slid shut behind DeDe and Galney, Jacen and Tenel Ka stood facing each other in uncertain silence, their eyes meeting, but their bodies still three paces apart.

Finally, Jacen felt sure no one would be returning unexpectedly. “It’s okay,” he said. “I just had a security sweep.”

Tenel Ka did not smile, but a look of relief flashed across her face. She was in Jacen’s arms almost before he could open them. “It is good to have you here, Jacen. Thank you for coming.”

“I’m glad you asked me.” Jacen held her to his chest, then said, “You didn’t need to come up here, though. I would have been happy to come to the palace.”

“No. This is better.” Tenel Ka pulled back far enough to look up into his eyes. “I needed to bring Allana someplace safe.”

Jacen cocked a brow. “And your palace isn’t?”

“Not at the moment.” Tenel Ka took his hand and led him over to the viewport, where the shadowy crescent of the planet’s night side was just rotating into view. “Someone poisoned the witnesses.”

“Witnesses?” Jacen asked.

“To the coup attempt,” Tenel Ka explained. “I had everyone who saw the attack isolated in the Well.”

“The Well is your detention center?” Jacen asked.

Tenel Ka nodded. “My secret detention center,” she explained. “Comfortable, hidden, and very secure. My ancestors have used it for more than twenty centuries to detain troublesome nobles, and no one has ever escaped from it.”

“They still haven’t, if I understand what you said correctly.” Jacen flashed a lopsided Solo grin. “Unless the Hapan definition of escape is broader than it is in most parts of the galaxy.”

Tenel Ka frowned at him, “Your joke is not funny, Jacen. Most of the men who died were innocent bystanders. I was only holding them until I could determine who was and was not involved in the attack.”

“Bystanders? Why would anyone poison …” Jacen let the question trail off, then said, “Tenel Ka, whoever killed the prisoners is trying to do more than silence co-conspirators.”

Tenel Ka nodded. “If all they wished was to protect their own identity, they wouldn’t have poisoned all the prisoners.” She turned and stared out at the darkening planet below. “The usurpers want it to appear that I am killing the innocent as well as the guilty. They are trying to turn my nobles against me.”

“We won’t let that happen. We’ll find out who these usurpers are and stop them.” Jacen placed his hands on her shoulders. “You said the Well is secret. Who knows about it?”

“Only one company of my personal guard and a few members of my inner circle.”