[Thrawn Trilogy] - 02(24)

“Are they on file?” Luke asked.

She shook her head. “I’ve been through his file five times, and I’ve checked every other reference to him I could find. Nothing.”

“That’s where we want to start our backtrack, then,” Han decided. “Quiet business stuff is always good for digging up dirt.”

Leia threw him a patient look. “It’s a big galaxy, Han. We don’t even know where to start looking.”

“I think we can figure it out,” Han assured her. “You said the Bothans saw some action after Yavin. Where?”

“Any number of places,” Leia said, frowning. She swiveled the computer around to face her, tapped in a command. “Let’s see :”

“You can skip any battle they were ordered into,” Han told her. “Also any time there were only a few of them there as part of a big multispecies force. I just want the places where a bunch of Fey’lya’s people really threw themselves into it.”

It was clear from Leia’s face that she didn’t see where Han was going with this, a sentiment Luke could readily identify with. But she fed in the parameters without comment. “Well:I suppose the only one that really qualifies would be a short but violent battle off New Cov in the Churba sector. Four Bothan ships took on a Victory-class Star Destroyer that was snooping around, keeping it busy until a Star Cruiser could come to their assistance.”

“New Cov, huh?” Han repeated thoughtfully. “That system get mentioned anywhere in Fey’lya’s business stuff?”

“Uh : no, it doesn’t.”

“Fine,” Han nodded. “Then that’s where we start.”

Leia threw Luke a blank look. “Did I miss something?”

“Oh, come on, Leia,” Han said. “You said yourself that the Bothans pretty much sat out the real war everywhere they could. They didn’t take on a Victory Star Destroyer at New Cov just for the fun of it. They were protecting something.”

Leia frowned. “I think you’re reaching.

“Maybe,” Han agreed. “Maybe not. Suppose it was Fey’lya and not the Imperials that sneaked that money into Ackbar’s account? Transferring a block fund through Palanhi from the Churba sector would be easier than sending it in from any of the Imperial systems.”

“That takes us back to accusing Fey’lya of being an Imperial agent,” Luke warned.

“Maybe not,” Han argued. “Could be the timing of the transfer was coincidence. Or maybe one of the Bothans got a whiff of the Empire’s intentions and Fey’lya figured he could use it to take down Ackbar.”

Leia shook her head. “It’s still nothing we can take to the Council,” she said.

“I’m not going to take it to the Council,” Han told her. “I’m going to take Luke, and we’re going to go to New Cov and check it out ourselves. Quiet like.”

Leia looked at Luke, an unspoken question forming in her mind.

“There’s nothing I can do here to help,” he said. “It’s worth a look, anyway.”

“All right,” Leia sighed. “But keep it quiet.”

Han gave her a tight grin. “Trust me.” He raised an eyebrow at Luke. “You ready?”

Luke blinked. “You mean right now?”

“Sure, why not? Leia’s got the political end covered here okay.”

There was a flicker of sense from Leia, and Luke looked over just in time to see her wince. Her eyes met Luke’s, her sense pleading with him to keep quiet. What is it? he asked her silently.

Whether she would have answered him or not he never found out. From over at the door Chewbacca growled out the whole story.

Han turned to stare at his wife, his mouth falling open. “You promised what?” he breathed.

She swallowed visibly. “Han, I had no choice.”

“No choice? No choice? I’ll give you a choice-no, you’re not going.”

“Han”Excuse me,” Luke interrupted, standing up. “I have to go check out my X-wing. I’ll see you both later.”

“Sure, kid,” Han growled, not looking at him.

Luke stepped to the door, catching Chewbacca’s eye as he passed and nodding toward the outer office. Clearly, the Wookiee had already come to the same conclusion. Heaving his massive bulk to his feet, he followed Luke from the room.

The door slid shut behind them, and for a long moment they just stared at each other. Leia broke the silence first. “I have to go, Han,” she said softly. “I promised Khabarakh I’d meet him. Don’t you understand?”

“No, I don’t understand,” Han retorted, trying hard to hold on to his temper. The gut-wrending fear he’d felt after that near-miss on Bpfassh was back, churning hard at his stomach. Fear for Leia’s safety, and the safety of the twins she carried. His son and daughter : “These whatever-they-ares-“