[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(79)

“We also have to take into account who they are,” Jacen said, also turning to Tenel Ka. “You know my parents. They’re not murderers. I think we should trust this message.”

Luke’s heart filled with joy. Clearly, Jacen remained in touch with his emotions-and that meant there was still hope of guiding him back to the light side.

After a moment’s thought, Tenel Ka nodded to Jacen. “So do I.” She turned to Mara with an apologetic air. “You don’t know of the discrepancies in the witness accounts, but there was some question of whom the Solos were fighting during the attack. Their message clears that up.”

“Well, it’s your decision.” Despite Mara’s reply, Luke could sense that she was as happy as he was about the results. “I just wanted to be sure you had considered the possibility.”

“And I’m grateful for that-it could not have been easy.” Tenel Ka turned back to Jacen. “Obviously, this means we both need to cancel the orders regarding your parents.”

“Orders?” Luke asked.

“Capture and detain,” Jacen explained. He thought for a moment, then shook his head. “But we can’t. If they’re right about a traitor in your court…”

“And that much seems obvious,” Tenel Ka interrupted.

“… then canceling the orders would give them away,” Mara finished. “You have to let the orders stand.”

Jacen nodded. “Anything else could be a death sentence.”

“Very well-they’ve proven quite adept at eluding us so far.” Tenel Ka fell silent for a moment, then said, “Now we must consider what do we do about AlGray and her Heritage Council.”

“There’s only one thing to do,” Jacen said.

“Exactly.” Tenel Ka went to his side. “I have no right to ask you to do this…”

“Of course you do,” Jacen replied. “You don’t know which of your own fleet commanders you can trust, the Hapes Consortium is a loyal member of the Galactic Alliance, and it’s my duty to aid you any way I can. But I’m afraid the Anakin Solo won’t be enough-as I recall from the intelligence file, House AlGray has a dozen Battle Dragons of its own.”

“Correct-and I will provide you with a large enough flotilla to assure your victory,” Tenel Ka said. “But that isn’t what I was talking about.”

“It isn’t?”

“No.” Tenel Ka took his hand. “I must stay here to command the Home Fleet. With Aurra Sing coming after Allana, however, I want her away from Hapes. Until this is over, she will be safer with you aboard the Anakin.”

“Are you sure?” Mara asked, alarmed. “Jacen may be going into battle.”

“And I will be,” Tenel Ka replied, almost sharply. “AlGray is not alone on this ‘Heritage Council.’ When we move against her, the others will move against me-and Hapes will become a far more dangerous place for Allana than the Anakin.”

Mara nodded, a bit taken aback by Tenel Ka’s tone. “Of course. I didn’t mean to question your judgment.”

“Of course you did.” Tenel Ka’s tone softened. “And I thank you-it is not something I am very accustomed to these days. Besides, Jacen will not have much of a battle. He will have twice the fleet and far better weapons, so he is my best option.” She paused, as though an idea had just occurred to her. “Unless you and Master Skywalker will be returning directly to Coruscant?”

“Sorry,” Mara said. “Allana wouldn’t be any safer with us.”

“I’m afraid we have to track down Ben,” Luke explained, “and then take care of some unfinished business with Lumiya.”





Chapter Seventeen


It was not the dark silence of the Missile Hold that Alema found so troubling, nor even all those cylinders packed with detonite and baradium and propellant. It was the co!d. The caves of Ryioth, where she had spent the first years of her life, had been hot and dry and dusty, and the Gorog nest, in which she had lived as a Killik Joiner, had been warm and humid and close. But the Missile Hold of the Anakin Solo was frigid, even with a pair of bulky GAG utilities pulled over her own customary robes. Her nose was numb; her lekku were tingling, her teeth chattering, her old wounds aching; and her breath rose in curtains of steam.

“Alema, if you don’t keep that glow rod on the cut, we’re both going to be sorry.” Lumiya was kneeling in front of a missile rack, using her cybernetic hand to carefully run a fusioncutter down the nose-cone welds of a baradium missile. “This isn’t something I do every day.”