[Legacy Of The Force] - 05(63)

“I might win, and anyway—it’ll buy you time.” Lumiya was still testing herself to see if she resented Jacen for leaving her to die, too. “I’m expendable, as you’ve proven. My life’s purpose is to enable you to become a Sith Lord, because that secures the stability of the galaxy. The ambition of most beings is just to stay alive, overeat, spend too much, and avoid hard work. I’m happy that I can achieve much more than that… and we all die sooner or later. A death in service of a great ideal is a fine thing.”

Jacen gave her a long, blank stare, and she wondered if the idea of an eternal principle being more important than the short confines of his own mortal life was alien to him. He had to pass beyond that. He would.

“When you think of Ben’s fate,” she said, “think of the legacy you’ll leave in years to come, and ask who’ll be able to name the Skywalkers, or even the Solos. This is about the fate of trillions upon trillions for millennia to come—not one small family over a few decades.”

Jacen got to his feet, but Lumiya could tell he was looking at her without seeing her now.

“I’ll keep telling myself that,” he said. “The boots will get Mara’s attention, for sure.”

“I think I’ll play up the maternal grief and do something emotional, too. What are you going to do when Mara and Luke come after you—when they find out about Ben in due course?”

“I’ll deal with that when I have to.”

“It might be sooner than you think. I suggest you make sure you’re properly armed.”

“I have quite an armory,” said Jacen. “And I’ll be ready when the time comes.”

“Think laterally,” Lumiya said gently. “Luke can still take you in a lightsaber fight.”

“I’m already a few steps ahead of him. Trust me.”

She had to. The future of the galaxy depended on Jacen. He was the end of chaos and the beginning of order, and—like all forces of change—he would not be hailed by everyone as a savior. Some wouldn’t see how necessary he was. Some would try to stop him.

She would do whatever it took to clear his path—even if the price was her own life.

SURVEILLANCE CENTER, GAG HQ, CORUSCANT

Captain Girdun loomed in the doorway, backlit by the light from the corridor. “Showtime,” he said. “Niathal’s just been designated as acting Chief of State as of midnight.”

The troopers on duty in the listening post looked up. Ben detached the bead amplifier in his ear and tried to make sense of that news. “What’s happened to Omas?”

“He’s going to be out of the office for a day.”

“Oh, I thought—”

“He has to give a little notice to hand over the reins of state to Niathal when he’s out of contact—you know, command codes, that kind of stuff. So we have a window for his trip to Vulpter. Tomorrow.”

It was all moving too fast. Ben could recall feeling excited by the turmoil of events, but now that he was part of them, they were too fast for his comfort. They brought him closer to his mission. He wasn’t relishing the prospect; he knew how he’d felt after killing a suspect he thought was armed, so he could work out that he wouldn’t be any happier after dispatching Gejjen.

I’m an assassin. And everyone else my age who isn’t a Jedi is in school.

“What cover story has he given?” Ben asked.

“Private medical matter.”

“Yeah, saving his backside,” said Zavirk.

“I think this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for, Ben.” Girdun beckoned to him. “Come on. Briefing room.” He turned to Zavirk. “I want to know his itinerary to Vulpter. He won’t be taking us along, but he’ll still need transport, a minder, and a pilot, so let’s keep an eye on the logistics.”

“Bet he takes an Intel zombie or two with him for company.”

“Well, we’re keeping an eye on them, too, so that’ll help us triangulate, won’t it? Get to it, Trooper.”

The captain strode off down the corridor whistling, which was unlike him. Ben hadn’t realized Girdun disliked Omas so much. Maybe he just enjoyed a really major hunt. It couldn’t get much bigger than tailing the Chief of State to an illicit meeting with the enemy. There was no hate in Girdun, just a wonderful sense of focus and excitement. Ben wondered if darkness was as easy to spot as Jedi seemed to think.

But what’s darkness? Killing Gejjen?

The worst thing about growing up was that there were fewer right-or-wrong answers every day. It wasn’t a math test.

When they reached the briefing room, Shevu and Lekauf were already there, poring over a wall full of illuminated holodisplays. Lekauf, looking far from comfortable in his brand-new lieutenant’s rank insignia, gave Ben a nervous grin.