[Legacy Of The Force] - 03(87)

“Well, you must be studying hard,” Zekk said. “Because I think you’re right.”

Jaina nodded. “It makes sense. The real spy is probably one of Galney’s consorts. Tenel Ka would have no reason to talk to them anyway.” She glanced back to Ben. “And Hapan noblewomen have a bad habit of underestimating male duplicity.”

The comment sent a bolt of alarm shooting through Ben, but he did his best to stay calm, reminding himself that during their practice sessions, not even Jacen could always tell when he was lying. “I’m glad that stuff finally came in useful. To tell the truth, I was beginning to wonder if those instructors were making it up.” He turned his attention to Zekk, who had already devoured most of his

“snack” and was using the bread to wipe the stew bowl clean. “You know how to use the multiprocessor if you’re still hungry?”

Zekk studied the unit with a ravenous gleam in his eye. “Oh, yeah.”

“Good.” Ben pointed to the locker beneath his bunk. “My spare flight utilities might fit you, Jaina, but Zekk…”

“Don’t worry,” Jaina said. “I’ll stick Zekk’s in the cleaner while he’s sanisteaming,”

“Then I’d better go talk to Lieutenant Ioli,” Ben said, Ioli had not told him to report, but the last thing he wanted to do was say anything else to arouse Jaina’s scrutiny. “She’ll want to send a report to Jacen as soon as we’re out of the dead zone.”

“Ask her to send one to Tenel Ka, as well,” Jaina requested.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Zekk said. “We know she’s surrounded by spies-even if Lady Galney isn’t one of them.”

“We’re just going to have to take that chance,” Jaina said. “Tenel Ka needs to know about this as soon…”

“The Queen Mother will know about it as soon as Jacen does,” Ben said. “She’s aboard the Anakin with him.”

Jaina frowned. “The Anakin?”

“The Anakin Solo-our new Star Destroyer,” Ben said proudly. “She’s in orbit above Hapes, and Queen Mother Tenel Ka is hiding…”

“Our new Star Destroyer?” Jaina echoed. She stood and leaned across the table toward Ben. “Jacen named a GAG ship for Anakin?”

“Yeah, he thought…”

“What did he think?” Jaina demanded. “That he would drag our little brother’s name into the poodoo pit with him?”

“Uh, you’ll have to ask him,” Ben said, realizing there was nothing he could say to calm Jaina down. “I gotta go.”

He retreated through the bulkhead and escaped forward. He was aware of the bad feelings between Jaina and Jacen, of course, but he had not understood the reason until now. Jaina was just as volatile and unreasonable as Jacen claimed. It was a wonder she had lasted in the military even as long as she had-but then, the standards of the old New Republic forces had not been nearly as high as they were now that Jacen and Admiral Niathal had reorganized the military. These days, someone as hotheaded as Jaina would never even make it into flight school-and he couldn’t imagine how she had ever become a Jedi Knight. Jacen was always telling him that a good Jedi used his anger-not the other way around.

Ben returned to his duty station and reported to Ioli, then coded a burst message to be sent over the HoloNet as soon as they left the Transitory Mists. After a few minutes of thought, he also included a warning about Jaina’s reaction to the Anakin’s name. With a little forewarning, maybe Jacen would be able to avoid another blowup like the one that had opened the rift between them in the first place.

After Ben finished the message, he remained in his seat, afraid to go back and give Jaina something else to be angry about. He really did not want to cause any more tension between her and Jacen, but his motives were also selfish. With his father already threatening to end his apprenticeship with Jacen, the last thing he wanted to do was give Jaina any reason to suggest to his parents there ‘ might be reason for concern.

Fortunately, avoiding Jaina and Zekk turned out to be easy. Their long trudge across the bogs had left them so exhausted that as soon as they had cleaned up and eaten, they climbed into bunks and fell asleep.

The pair still had not stirred nearly a standard day later when the Rover finally emerged from hyperspace in the star-spangled vastness outside the Transitory Mists. Tanogo quickly brought up the holocomm and sent Ben’s message.

To their astonishment, they received a response almost immediately-even before Ben had finished plotting their course back to Hapes.