“Kind of,” she said in a wry voice.
Given even a moderately clear image, Leia felt certain that the Hapan Intelligence Service-one of the finest in the galaxy-would be able to identify Morwan and her superiors.
Han brought the medbay feed up on his display. “Great-Threepio’s blocking the angle.”
Leia glanced over to find the golden droid standing in front of Morwan, his head canted sideways as he pointed to a drawer. On the bunk was a tray where she was gathering supplies.
“Be patient,” Leia said. “She’ll lean into view when she opens the salve drawer.”
Han grunted an acknowledgment and slumped back in his seat, looking more exhausted and discouraged than he had in years. It was as though all the struggle and loss they had endured through four decades of service to the galaxy had finally grown too heavy for even Han Solo to bear.
Leia reached over and touched his arm. “How are you doing?”
“Don’t worry about me.” He nodded at the crescent of stars outside the canopy. It was growing larger and more distinct by the moment, the black edges of the Transitory Mists seeming to pull away more quickly as the Falcon drew nearer. “I just need to hoid on another ten minutes. Once we’re in the mouth of that passage, we’ll have a good signal.”
“I’m not talking about your shoulder, Han. I mean, how are you doing?” With Nashtah-or rather, Aurra Sing-a constant presence since the failed assassination attempt, this was the first chance they’d had to talk over their decision to protect Tenel Ka, and Leia wanted to be sure Han realized what it would mean for Corellia. “No matter how you look at it, we’re working against Corellia’s interests here. I can sense how that troubles you.”
Han frowned, and Leia thought he was about to object for the thousandth time to having his “mind read” by his own wife. Instead, he let out a weary sigh and dropped his chin in frustration.
“It’s not what we’re doing that bothers me,” he said. “It’s Gejjen. I hate being played.”
Leia nodded sympathetically. “Me, too-but this is bigger than our feelings. If we’re doing this just because Gejjen played us, we’re doing it for the wrong reasons. I’m sure he felt he had no other choice. Corellia is in a desperate situation.”
“Desperate doesn’t matter,” Han said. He turned to face her. “When you let me talk you into this-way back when we still had a life on Coruscant-Corellia was supposed to be in the right.”
“We agreed Corellia was entitled to her independence,” Leia said cautiously. “But she had to declare herself totally independent. She couldn’t demand the benefits of Alliance membership without obeying Alliance law.”
“Right,” Han said, barely paying attention. “But Thrackan was playing games from the start, building secret fleets and trying to reactivate Centerpoint. And now Gejjen used us to try to expand the war.”
“What are you saying, Han?” Leia studied his pupils, looking for dilation or disparate size or some other sign that he needed another stim-shot to keep him out of shock. “That we should go back to the Alliance?”
Han looked at her as though she had just asked him to step through an air lock naked. “And help Omas choke the last dregs of independence out of the galaxy?” His face grew angry. “No way. He doesn’t get to use Corellia as an excuse for that.”
“Okay-so what do you want to do?”
Han shrugged the one shoulder he could still move. “I think we’re doing it, Leia.”
“You’re sure?” Leia already knew the answer-Han was never unsure about anything-but she wanted to hear him say it. “You know that keeping the Consortium out of the war might be the difference between survival and defeat for Corellia.”
A defiant light came to Han’s eye. “Don’t underestimate Wedge. Niathal hasn’t seen tricky until…”
“I’m not saying Corellia doesn’t have a chance, Han,” Leia interrupted. “Just that it’s a small one-and we’re about to make it smaller.”
“Yeah, but what choice do we have? Let Gejjen arrange the assassination of Tenel Ka and a four-year-old kid?” Han shook his head sharply. “I don’t want Corellia to win her freedom that way. If she can’t do it without dragging Hapes and the rest of the galaxy into a big civil war, she shouldn’t do it at all.”
“I guess you are sure,” Leia said.
“You aren’t?”
“Oh, I’m sure,” Leia said. “I’m fine with this.”
Han looked confused. “Then why are we talking it to death?” He turned back to his display and remained silent a moment, then spoke in a sad voice. “I just wish somebody in this galaxy could be trusted.”