[Thrawn Trilogy] - 01(31)

“And what if you’ve offended them?” Leia snapped. “Do you have any idea how much groundwork went into this mission?”

“Yeah, as it happens, I do,” Han said, his voice hardening. “I also have a pretty good idea what could happen if our late pals with the stokhli sticks brought friends with them.”

For a long minute Leia stared at him, and Luke sensed the momentary anger fading from her mind. “You still shouldn’t have left without consulting me first,” she said.

“You’re right,” Han conceded. “But I didn’t want to take the time. If they did have friends, those friends probably had a ship.” He tried a tentative smile. “There wasn’t time to discuss it in committee.”

Leia smiled lopsidedly in return. “I am not a committee,” she said wryly.

And with that, the brief storm passed and the tension was gone. Someday, Luke promised himself, he would get around to asking one of them just what that particular private joke of theirs referred to. “Speaking of our pals,” he said, “did either of you happen to ask the Bimms who or what they were?”

“The Bimms didn’t know,” Leia said, shaking her head. I’ve certainly never seen anything like them before.”

“We can check the Imperial archives when we get back to Coruscant,” Han said, feeling gingerly at one cheek where a bruise was already becoming visible. “There’ll be a record of them somewhere.”

“Unless,” Leia said quietly, “they’re something the Empire round out in the Unknown Regions.”

Luke looked at her. “You think the Empire was behind this?”

“Who else could it have been?” she said. “The only question is why.”

“Well, whatever the reason, they’re going to be disappointed,” Han told her, getting to his feet. “I’m going back to the cockpit, see if I can muddle our course a little more. No point in taking chances.”

A memory flashed through Luke’s mind: Han and the Falcon, sweeping right through the middle of that first Death Star battle to shoot Darth Vader’s fighters off his back. “Hard to imagine Han Solo not wanting to take chances,” he commented.

Han leveled a finger at him. “Yeah, well, before you get cocky, try to remember that the people I’m protecting are you, your sister, your niece, and your nephew. That make any difference?”

Luke smiled. “Touche,” he admitted, saluting with an imaginary lightsaber.

“And speaking of that,” Han added, “isn’t it about time Leia had a lightsaber of her own?”

Luke shrugged. “I can make her one anytime she’s ready,” he said, looking at his sister. “Leia?”

Leia hesitated. “I don’t know,” she confessed. “I’ve never really felt comfortable with the things.” She looked at Han. “But I suppose I ought to make the effort.”

“I think you should,” Luke agreed. “Your talents may lie along a different direction, but you should still learn all the basics. As far as I can tell, nearly all the Jedi of the Old Republic carried lightsabers, even those who were primarily healers or teachers.”

She nodded. “All right,” she said. “As soon as my work load lightens up a little.”

“Before your work load lightens,” Han insisted. “I mean that, Leia. All these wonderful diplomacy skills of yours aren’t going to do you or anyone else any good if the Empire locks you away in an interrogation room somewhere.”

Reluctantly, Leia nodded again. “I suppose you’re right. As soon as we get back, I’ll tell Mon Mothma she’s just going to have to cut down on my assignments.” She smiled at Luke. “I guess semester break’s over, Teacher.”

“I guess so,” Luke said, trying to hide the sudden lump inhis throat.

Leia noticed it anyway; and, for a wonder, misinterpreted it. “Oh, come on,” she chided gently. “I’m not that bad a student. Anyway, look on it as good practice-after all, someday you’ll have to teach all this to the twins, too.”

“I know,” Luke said softly.

“Good,” Han said. “That’s settled, then. I’m heading up; see you later.”

” ‘Bye,” Leia said. “Now-” She turned to give Threepio a critical look. “Let’s see what we can do about all this goop.”

Leaning back in his seat, Luke watched her tackle the hardened webbing, a familiar hollow pain in the pit of his stomach. I took it upon myself, Ben Kenobi had said about Darth Vader, to train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well as Yoda.