Star Wars - The New Jedi Order - Force Heretic I - Remnant - Book 17

by Sean Williams

  Shoot Tahiri? What had he been thinking? She was just a sick teenager in desperate need of some rest, tagging along on the mission with lots of other tired warriors. Leia and Jaina thought she was having trouble getting over Anakin's death, that she had bottled up her grief so long and so hard that it was bursting out of her now in twisted, dark forms. When he had raised his concerns about her being on the mission, Leia had said firmly that it was just what Tahiri needed a clear sense of direction provided by people she could trust. If something else went wrong, they would be there for her without hesitation. End of story.

  Jag had no reason to doubt that it was the story's end. Nevertheless, that look he had thought he'd seen on Tahiri's face stuck with him, and he found himself repeatedly thinking about it throughout the long jump to Galantos. He didn't know exactly what the Yuuzhan Vong had done to her on Yavin 4, but he did know the enemy employed biological technologies far in advance of anything the Galactic Alliance had. Was it possible that the malevolent flash he'd glimpsed in her was in some way connected to this? It was impossible to say for sure. But whatever was going on behind Tahiri's fragile facade, he was going to need more information before he could take any action. And to do that, he was going to have to keep a very close eye on her at all times ...

  "I'm thinking of volunteering for ground duty," he told Jaina over the private line. "I haven't seen much of the Galactic Alliance, except from orbit."

  "You couldn't have picked a worse place to start taking an interest, Jag," she said. "It looks like someone dumped an ore hauler full of sludge from orbit!"

  He laughed. "Yeah, well, it makes a change, anyway. Care to join me?"

  "Tempting, but no thanks. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather follow procedures from up here. Someone has to mind the baby, just in case the Yevetha come calling."

  He thought he detected a mild rebuke in her voice. "I'm not off to a good start, am I?" he said, unwilling to give the real reason for going down to the surface. "Only a few days into our arrangement and I'm already trying to shuffle the roster around."

  "No, that's okay, Jag. You should feel free to volunteer for these things, if that's what you really want to do. I was hoping we could jiggle the roster a little myself, to make sure we got a chance to be off duty and on Selonia at the same time." A note of teasing replaced the rebuke. "But if wading around in sludge is more your idea of a good time than hanging out with me ..."

  He smiled to himself. "You know that isn't the case," he said. "I was just hoping we could combine the two."

  Her laugh was part shocked, part delighted. "You've been too long in that crash couch, spaceboy. I'll be sure to report you to your superior officer, next time I'm Twin Leader."

  The line clicked off. Satisfied that he would be able to put his name down for the landing party without arousing her suspicionor her irehe turned his thoughts to regrouping with the rest of the squadron. Jaina was absolutely right in that respect whatever his suspicions were regarding Tahiri, his job, first and foremost, was to look after the squadron and ensure the external security of the mission. The well-being of Tahiri was ultimately the responsibility of the person who had invited her aboardand if he couldn't trust Leia Organa Solo, then whom could he trust?

  Nonetheless, he decided to volunteer. Just to be sure.

  "You're what?" The red face of General Berrida glowered at Jacen from the Widowmaker's hologram.

  "A Jedi Knight, sir," Jacen repeated steadily. "I've come to help you."

  "Help us?" The overweight general spluttered for a second. "And what exactly makes you think we need your help, Jedi Knight? All I see is an overgrown boy in

  robes."

  "Appearances can be deceptive," Jacen said, refusing to wilt beneath the general's blustering and outrage.

  Berrida laughed derisively. "So where is this help you offer us, Jedi? Where's your support vessel?"

  "Jade Shadow has retreated to a safe distance." Jacen had spoken to Uncle Luke and ensured that the rest of the mission stayed well out of sight until his gambit had paid offor not, as the case might be. "You don't have to worry about it."

  "Don't tell me what I do or do not need to worry about, boy," Berrida growled. His holographic image flickered momentarily. "I don't like having unknown vessels lurking around my system."

  "A sentiment I understand completely, General. Which is why I've come to offer my help."

  "We don't need your help," Berrida said obstinately.

  "I think you do." Jacen paced around Widowmaker's cramped bridge, trying his best to radiate a sense of calm control. Inside, though, he was thinking faster than he

  had during any lightsaber battle. "Tell me, why do you think the Yuuzhan Vong attacked Bastion?"

  "They have issued no explanation."

  "Nor will they, probably," Jacen said. "Nonetheless, they must have one. No one risks resources in war without a reason. Now, I know you're not a fool, General, so I'm pretty sure you would have some idea as to their reasons. Why don't you share it with us?"

  Berrida straightened, the corner of his mouth twitching irritably. "The Yuuzhan Vong attacked us in retaliation."

  "For?" Jacen pressed.

  "For Garqi, Ithor, Exodo Two"

  "And for supplying information to the New Republic specifically, information on hyperspace routes to the Galactic Alliance, which enabled it to turn the tide of the battle and, for the first time, hurt the Yuuzhan Vong." Jacen enjoyed the surprised look on Berrida's face. On Widowmaker's bridge, Captain Yage raised her eyebrows. "My mother negotiated that deal with the Empire, General. That's how I know about it. And I can assure you that not many other people do. There are people on our side as reluctant to deal with you as you are to deal with us."

  "So?" Berrida snapped. The general made no attempt to hide his growing irritation with Jacen. "What are you driving at, boy? Speak plainly before I have you arrested for obstructing the Imperial war effort."

  "It's really quite simple, General." Jacen smiled as sweetly as he could. "If the deal between the Empire and the Galactic Alliance was such a secret, then how do you think the Yuuzhan Vong ever learned about it? I mean, only your highest-ranking officers and my mother knew about it at the time. She passed it on to our military leaders, who employed it in our war effort. We know there's no leak at our end, because the new routes worked. If the Yuuzhan Vong had infiltrated our chain of command, the information you gave us would have done us

  no good whatsoever. The only way, therefore, that the Yuuzhan Vong could have known that the Empire had given the Galactic Alliance information that hurt them is if the leak was at your end." Jacen paused before pronouncing his conclusion. "You have a spy, General."

  "Nonsense!" Berrida's denial was mixed with just enough shock for Jacen to realize that his reasoning had hit home. "That's impossible!"

  "It's not impossible at all." Jacen changed his tone to one of sympathy. He'd attacked enough; the general's defenses had been breached. It was Jacen's task now to turn Berrida into an ally, not to keep attacking and make him even more of an enemy. "The fact is, we've had problems with infiltration ourselves. First with the Yuuzhan Vong, and then with the Peace Brigade. Your staff could be riddled with alien impersonators and sympathizers, and you would never know. They have living disguises called ooglith masquers that allow them to impersonate anyone."

  "We'll conduct security sweeps, random checks," Berrida said, but Jacen could tell that the man's self-assurance was flagging.

  "All useless, I'm afraid, unless you know what it is you're looking for."

  Berrida glared balefully at him. "And you do know what to look for, I suppose?"

  Jacen nodded. "My companions and I have had a great deal of experience with the Yuuzhan Vong. We don't profess to understand them, but I do feel that we are slowly coming to. And that, I believe, is the most important thing at the moment."

  More important than destroying them, he thought to himself. But he doubted that the general was ready for such philosop
hy. Be patient, he told himself. One step at a time.

  "Let's assume I believe you," Berrida said, "and that I take you on your word that"

  "You don't have to take my word, General," Jacen interrupted. "The evidence speaks for itself."

  "Assuming I accept the argument, then," Berrida pressed on. "What next? Are you asking me to open my staff to your influence? How will I know then that I'm not trading one form of infiltration for another? I don't have to trust you, Jedi, just because you appear to be beating my enemy."

  "I'm not asking you to do that, General. All I am doing is offering you and the Empire advice. You can take it or leave it. Just give me the opportunity to present it properly, and then you can decide what to do about it."

  "Precisely what sort of advice are we talking about here?"

  Jacen ticked several items off on his fingers "First, we can advise you on how to detect and eliminate Yuuzhan Vong spies within your ranks. Second, we can teach your pilots new tactics that will help you fight more effectively on the front. And third, I can offer you my opinion of what you should do next."

  The general grumbled disdainfully. "Which is?"

  "That we should leave Yaga Minor as soon as possible," Jacen said. "Any spies you have will already have reported to their superiors that this is where the fleet has regrouped. If your destruction is their aim, then it would be reasonable to assume that they'll attack here soon, before you have a chance to get your act together."

  The general grunted. "Anything else?"

  "Only one other thing we cordially invite you to join the Galactic Alliance to enable a continuation of this dialogue. We could have used your help many times over the course of the war, and I know that you can use ours now.

  We're not supplying anything with strings attached, General, but we do offer the hand of peace. All we ask is that you at least think about taking it in return."

  Jacen brought his own hands behind his back as he waited for the general's reply.

  The holographic image of the general was motionless for a long timelong enough for Jacen to wonder if the image hadn't frozen. Then Berrida moved, tilting his head to one side with a grimace.

  "I'll get back to you," he said, before his image abruptly dissolved.

  Jacen let out his breath in a trembling rush, for the first time realizing how damp with perspiration his palms were. "I'm not sure if that went better than expected or worse than I could have imagined."

  "Better," Yage said, stepping up beside him. "It's not in that fat fool's nature to negotiate, or to entertain an original thought, so to get him halfway there is something of a major coup. If I know him, he'll already be on the line to Moff Flennicwho'll tell him to stop listening to such nonsense and impound us before we waste any more time. But by the time he acts on it, the situation might have changed." She looked around her bridge, her expression concerned. "It really depends on what's happened to the chain of command."

  "Who's filled the power vacuum, you mean?" Jacen asked.

  Yage nodded. "Exactly. With Chimaera still missing, the Moffs will assume that Gilad Pellaeon is dead, but until they know for sure either way, they won't stick their necks out. And Flennic might not make any bold moves until he's certain of how the council will fall out. If he's got the support, he may even take the opportunity to make a move for leadership." "That wouldn't be good."

  "Not for you, no," Yage said. "And probably not for our chances of survival."

  Jacen didn't say anything; it wasn't her he needed to convince.

  Later, when Tekli and her gear were settled in one of the frigate's empty berths and the subspace channels were free, Jacen commandeered a line to talk to Jade Shadow.

  "Do you want to come back?" Mara asked, her voice conveying the worry she felt for him and the diminutive Chadra-Fan. "We can slip back insystem and"

  "I'd advise against that," he said. "They're going to be looking for you, so I think you'd be better off staying where you are. And wherever it is you're hidden, don't tell me. It's probably best I don't know."

  "That's not your only concern, is it?" Luke said.

  "Well, no," he admitted with some embarrassment. "The thing is, Uncle Luke, I don't know much about Imperials, but I do know that they know you. I think they'd feel a lot more relaxed about negotiating with some young upstart than the man who brought down their Emperor."

  "I totally agree with you, Jacen," Luke said. "And I know that you'll do the job right. You seem to have a natural strength when it comes to negotiating. Your mother will be proud. Not even she was able to talk the Imperials around, and she's one of the best diplomats the New Republic has ever seen."

  Jacen smiled at his uncle's praise. "That's kind of you," he said. "Although to be fair to my mother, the last time she was here the Imperials didn't have the Yuuzhan Vong snapping at their heels. Things like that tend to make people easier to persuade."

  "That's nothing but false modesty, Jacen, and you know it," Mara said. "Be sure to keep us updated on how negotiations proceed, as well as Gilad's condition. And don't forget that you can call on us for anything, anytime. We'll be flight- and fight-ready around the chrono if you need us."

  "I hope it won't come to that. It could be hours before we hear back from Berrida or Flennic. And you'll know if they decide not to talk at all and make a move on us

  instead."

  "Or if the Yuuzhan Vong come." There was a small silence after Mara's words. Jacen had proposed the possibility of another advance by the Yuuzhan Vong fleet simply as a bargaining chip, but the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He was less worried now about the Imperials than he was about being caught in an old frigate on the front line.

  Still, the kind of work he was doing certainly felt a lot more faithful to his path than wielding a lightsaber or flying an X-wing in battle. He'd originally thought the stopover in the Imperial Remnant little more than a distraction on the way to finding Zonama Sekot, but perhaps it would prove to be something much more than that. Perhaps he had found another calling where he had least expected it.

  But not even he thought that he could bring the Imperials around without Gilad Pellaeon behind him. Whoever filled the admiral's place while he was unconscious would be too busy watching their back to listen to Jacenand the longer they were in that position of power, the less likely they would be to give it up.

  Get well soon, old man, Jacen thought as he wrapped up the conversation with Jade Shadow and went off to I find somewhere he could wait in peace. Enjoy the quiet

  while you can. It may just be the calm before a terrible storm.

  "It's changed."

  The voice of Anakin's mother snapped Tahiri out of her daydream. She'd been staring out at the gelatinous oceans of Galantos as the Millennium Falcon descended rapidly through the planet's atmosphere. She dragged her eyes from the view through the cockpit viewport to where Leia sat in the Falcon's copilot seat next to Han's.

  "I'm sorry?"

  "Galantos," she said. "It's changed since I last saw it."

  Tahiri glanced again at the view. "I didn't know you'd been here."

  "I haven't. Borsk Fey'lya toured here briefly a while ago. He sent back some reports while I was still on the council. He didn't like it much, if I recall. Didn't get on with the locals."

  "I can't understand why," Han grumbled sarcastically, flicking switches with exaggerated impatience. "These people could out-talk a Toydarian trader."

  "It's just their way of going about things," Leia placated him. "I'm sure they'd find your ways equally as odd."

  "Yeah, well, at least I get things done. I'm amazed anything's changed around hereever! They'd discuss any proposals to death before they ever started building."

  "Well, somehow they're getting things done," Leia said, pointing at the screens before her. "That city there isn't on any of the maps we have. Or that one."

  Tahiri had boned up on Galantos's geography while in transit from Mon Calamari. She knew that the landscape below was
inherently unstable, so the Fian cities were built to ride out seismic vibrations. Shaped like flattened spheres with stabilizing spikes beneath, they floated heavily on the many organic seas dotting the surface. Tahiri wondered if people would feel the movement of the cities as they wobbled beneath them. The very idea made her feel motion-sick. Hopefully, she thought, they had dampeners like the cities on Mon Calamari.

  "So they've been building," Han said. "Joining the New Republic worked for them, obviously, even if it didn't teach them how to talk properly."

  The Falcon swooped out of the sky, guided by navigational beacons to a circular landing field at the summit of Al'solib'minet'ri City. There was no evidence of any other starships, but there were a number of aircraft. Ground transport had been made difficult by the instability of the planet's crust; this had held back the development of the Fia until they had stumbled on balloons almost two centuries earlier. Now enormous vert'bo airships regularly carried livestock and other material goods across the shattered wastelands between the oases floating on the seas, while the Fia themselves took to speeders and suborbital shuttles. The sky was a maze of contrails near a busy town, punctuated by the enormous blimps, lazy dots drifting across a vibrant blue.

  A celebration had gathered to greet the Falcon when it touched down. A band struck up when the engine noise died away and the landing ramp was extended. The music was strange to Tahiri's earsa mixture of high-pitched whistles and hollow dronesbut it gave the scene a festive air as she followed Anakin's parents down the ramp, Leia's Noghri bodyguards followed at a discreet distance, carefully eyeing the gathering for any activity that might be considered a danger to the Princess.

  Not far away, Jag Fel's clawcraft had also touched down. Al'solib'minet'ri City Control had accepted his addition to the landing party, but only after confirming the details at length with Captain Mayn, for whom Tahiri couldn't help but feel sorry. Watched curiously by the crowd, the Chiss-trained pilot strode confidently to join the other humans at the center of the crowd of short, long-featured, web-footed Fia.