Six

All that remained of the smelting center was a ten-kilometer impact basin ringed by a rim of sheer cliffs and broken stone. A day after the strike, the crater floor continued to glow and smoke, and Luke saw no activity there. But the surrounding plain shimmered with tiny flecks of color—the running lights and flood lamps of emergency crews digging through rubble sprays that had once been milling domes and flotation tanks. Though the effort was still being called a rescue operation, it had been twenty hours since anyone had been found alive.

“I’m going to kill them,” Lando said. He was standing next to Luke in the infirmary, watching the rescue operations through a waiting-room viewport. Despite three broken ribs and a badly gashed face, he had spent the last twenty-four hours personally directing the rescue effort from this makeshift headquarters. “Craitheus and Marvid both. I’m going to hunt them down and put a pair of disruptor beams through their heads. Maybe three or four.”

“You have a disruptor?” Luke asked. Disruptor weapons disintegrated their targets at the molecular level—causing so much pain in the process that they were banned in nearly every civilized society in the galaxy.

Lando shot him a glower. “I can afford to buy one, you know.”

“I’m sure you can,” Luke said. The rage in Lando’s Force aura made it impossible to read his true intentions, so it seemed possible that he was serious. “But you might want to hold off on that.”

“And why would that be, Master Skywalker?” asked Dena Yus, who was also standing next to Luke, opposite Lando. Though she still had a few bruises on one side of her elegant face, she had avoided any serious injuries by ducking behind a seat as the shock wave hit. “Perhaps you intend to make the kill yourself?”

“There isn’t going to be a kill,” Luke said, a little taken aback by her suggestion. “At least not until we have proof of the Qrephs’ guilt—and even then, only if there’s no other way to bring them to justice.”

Dena’s lips tightened in mock disappointment. “That’s very noble, Master Skywalker. But we have all the proof we require. The Qrephs’ threats were quite explicit.” She shot him an odd smile, then continued, “I’ll happily swear to it, if that will soothe your Jedi conscience.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Luke said. He couldn’t quite decide whether she was trying to flirt with him or sic him on the beings she held responsible for the destruction of the refinery. “It’s not my Jedi conscience that concerns me—it’s our emotions. Anger clouds judgment. So does fear.”

“And that way lies the dark side—I know.” Lando’s voice grew bitter. “I’ve got news for you, old buddy. The dark side is already here. It just killed twenty-eight thousand of my people and put Han and Leia both into a coma.”

“And rushing to judgment won’t change that,” Luke said. Anger did not begin to describe how he felt about what had happened to the Solos. The shock wave had caught them head-on, blowing the shattered viewscreen into their faces and leaving them both so badly injured that their recovery remained doubtful even now. A part of Luke wanted to join in Lando’s rage and pursue the vengeance Dena advocated, but he did not dare act on those emotions—not while they remained so powerful and raw. “We need to confirm our suspicions before we act.”

“That’s easy to say,” Dena replied, “but hard to accomplish. All we really know about the attack is that someone used a laser torch to cut away the safety chocks on all four tractor-beam generators at Crash Pit One.”

Luke raised his brow. “Are you sure it was a laser torch?” he asked. “There are other ways to cut—”

“I know what you’re thinking,” Lando interrupted. “But forget about Sith—it wasn’t a lightsaber. We found pieces of a torch rig near one of the generator turrets.”

“What we can’t figure out is how they took control of the beam targeting,” Dena said. “To do it from inside the control facility, they would have had to override the fail-safe lockouts.”

“And that should have triggered safety alarms at both ends of the drop,” Lando added.

“Maybe the control code was compromised,” Luke suggested. “That would have been child’s play for most Columi.”

Dena gave him an approving smile. “Excellent thought, Master Skywalker. We already have a team of slicers analyzing our control systems. So far, they swear the programming is secure.”

“Which is all the more proof that the Qrephs were behind this,” Lando said. “Had it been anyone else, we would have known by now how they did it.”

“Perhaps,” Luke allowed. Beyond the observation wall, an amber beacon began to brighten and swell as a distant craft rose into the air and turned toward the infirmary. “But I think it’s more important to figure out why they did it—and what they intend to do next.”

Dena’s Force presence suddenly grew cool and wary. “Don’t you think their goal is fairly obvious, Master Skywalker?” she asked. “They need to eliminate their competition in the Rift. It’s the only way to make their investment here profitable.”

Luke shook his head. “This is going to bring a lot of unwanted attention to their operations in the Rift—attention that will make it harder, not easier, to make a profit. Whatever is going on here, it’s about more than mining and money.”

“That’s hard to believe,” Lando said. “Money is a powerful motivator, and the Chiloon Rift has the largest concentration of high-value asteroids in the galaxy.”

“And it’s still small change to the Qrephs,” Luke said. “No offense, but Calrissian Holdings is nothing compared to Galactic Syndicated.”

Lando fell into a shocked silence, then finally asked, “The Galactic Syndicated?”

“Good. You know the company,” Luke said. “I’d barely heard the name until recently.”

“I didn’t say I knew them,” Lando corrected. “Nobody knows Galactic Syndicated. They’re a ghost corporation.”

“Ghost corporation?”

“An invisible mover,” Lando explained. “You can’t actually see them, but you know they exist because of a clear pattern of events.”

“And in Galactic Syndicated’s case, this clear pattern of events is …” Luke asked.

Lando rubbed his chin. “Well, the most noticeable is all these surprise takeovers lately,” he said. “The big players keep whispering the name Galactic Syndicated. But the buyouts are always through cutout corporations, so it’s impossible to be sure who’s responsible. A lot of people don’t even believe that Galactic Syndicated exists.”

“It definitely exists,” Luke said, recalling his conversation with Luewet Wuul. “In fact, I have it on good authority that the Qrephs are the sole stockholders of Galactic Syndicated. And asteroid mining is just a tiny piece of their empire. They started in livestock genetics, then moved into droid manufacturing and cyborg technologies. Now they hold companies that specialize in chemicals, privatized detention services, high-risk finance, reinsurance, waste disposal, nutritional synthesis, interstellar mass transportation—the list goes on.”

Without revealing the source, Luke went on to recount what Wuul had told him about the Qrephs’ most recent acquisitions, as well as the senator’s suspicions that they might be trying to take control of the galactic economy.

“And they’re not being subtle,” Luke said. “They’re using blackmail, extortion, bribery, even murder to make their purchases at a good price.”

Lando turned from the viewport toward Luke. “You say this buying spree started six months ago?”

Luke nodded. “About the same time your piracy problem really heated up,” he said. “And my contact says GET has been smuggling more product than ever into the Galactic Alliance.”

“And you think the Qrephs are using piracy to finance their acquisitions binge?” Dena was beginning to seep cool fear into the Force. She turned to Luke and laid her hand on his arm. “Luke, even if that were feasible, I don’t see why the Qrephs would base themselves in the Chiloon Rift. It can’t be easy to run an industrial empire from way out here, and they aren’t leading pirate raids personally.”

“No, but remember that the Chiloon Rift is beyond the reach of any galactic justice.” Luke was as puzzled by the fear he felt from Dena as he was by her sudden attempt to establish a level of intimacy with him. “Craitheus and Marvid are breaking laws all over the galaxy. Their base of operations needs to be somewhere law-enforcement agencies can’t touch them.”

“So the Jedi are here to bring them to justice?” Dena asked.

“That’s more of a byproduct,” Luke said. “Our primary mission is to stop the piracy, but the Qrephs have certainly made themselves a high priority of mine.”

Dena considered this for a moment, then shook her head. “There’s something you’re not saying,” she said. “Stopping the pirates was the Solos’ mission, and you aren’t here because of what happened to them. You were already in transit when the Qrephs sabotaged the drop.”

Luke gave her an appreciative smile, then tried to dodge the question by turning to Lando. “I see why you place so much trust in your operations chief,” he said. “She doesn’t miss much.”

Lando grinned. “She’s also right,” he said. “Hunting pirates does seem way below the Grand Master’s pay grade, and there’s no way you made the trip to Sarnus in a day. So, what’s really going on?”

Luke remained silent, trying to decide why Dena was pushing so hard to learn his “real” reason for coming to the Chiloon Rift. Lando obviously trusted her, but there was a troubling note of desperation in her Force aura. And her clumsy attempt to manipulate him had certainly aroused his suspicions.

“Very well,” he said. He allowed his gaze to slide toward Dena’s reflection in the viewport. “But I don’t think you’ll believe me.”

“Try us,” Lando said. When there was no immediate reply, he took the hint and turned toward Dena. “Why don’t you let us talk in private?”

Dena looked through the viewport, where a string of running lights was growing brighter as an airspeeder approached the infirmary, then turned and nodded.

“Of course. They’re bringing in another load of bodies.” The sorrow in her voice was genuine. “I should go down to the morgue and see who they’ve found.”

“I’d appreciate that,” Lando said. “I’ll fill you in if Luke and I discuss anything that affects recovery operations.”

“Thank you.” Dena turned to Luke and squeezed his elbow. “Master Skywalker, if I can be of any assistance to you—at all—please don’t hesitate to ask.”

“I won’t,” Luke assured her. “You’re kind to offer.”

As the door hissed shut behind Dena, Lando asked, “Is there something I should know about her, Luke?”

Luke studied the door for a moment, reaching out in the Force to see if Dena would linger on the other side to eavesdrop. When he felt no sign of her presence, he finally shrugged.

“I can’t say for sure,” he said. “But didn’t she seem to be coming on a bit strong?”

“You shouldn’t hold that against her, old buddy.” Lando’s grin was more than a little sad. “You are a pretty eligible widower—even if you don’t think about it yourself.”

Luke felt a familiar pang of sorrow, then said, “So they tell me. But with Han and Leia’s recovery still so uncertain, it feels like Dena is trying to manipulate me—and very clumsily.”

Lando smiled in amusement. “Clumsy, yes,” he said. “But manipulative? I wouldn’t go that far. Dena fast-tracked through the ranks as a mining engineer.”

Luke frowned. “So?”

“So don’t let her good looks fool you. She grew up studying fracture patterns and stress loads.” Lando waved his hand toward the scene beyond the viewport. “And for most of her adult life, she’s been working on rocks like Sarnus. I doubt she’s up on the latest dating etiquette.”

“That’s possible, I suppose,” Luke said. “But you can’t feel her in the Force. She’s a little too curious about what I’m doing here.”

Lando sighed. “Dena isn’t the only one, Luke. I’m curious, too. And she’s right—it’s not like you knew what was going to happen to Han and Leia before you left Shedu …” He let his thought trail off, then cocked his head and studied Luke from the corner of his eye. “You didn’t, did you?”

Luke shook his head. “No, Lando. Even Jedi Grand Masters can’t see the future.”

Lando continued to eye him sidelong. “You sure about that?” he asked. “Your timing was pretty impressive.”

“Coincidence,” Luke said. “I was coming here anyway.”

“Because?”

Luke gave him a melancholy smile. “For several reasons, none of which are all that mysterious,” he said. “Mostly I wanted to have some fun.”

“Fun?” Lando echoed. “In the Chiloon Rift?”

Luke shrugged. “I hadn’t left Shedu Maad in a year, and I was tired of everyone fussing over my recovery,” he said. “And Han and Leia were out here with you. It seemed like a nice low-key mission.”

“Sure. Chasing pirates through an asteroid maze filled with banks of hot plasma is just low-key fun for you Jedi.” Lando’s brows came together in disbelief and annoyance. “What do you take me for, Luke? Some nerf herder sitting in on his first sabacc game?”

“Okay, maybe I wanted to test myself a little,” Luke said, showing his palms in surrender, “and have some fun with you and the Solos while I let the Masters get used to the idea that they can run things without me. Is there something wrong with that?”

Lando’s expression began to soften. “You’re not here hunting for the Sith homeworld or something?” he asked. “You just came out here to see if you’re all healed up?”

“Well, and maybe to set up a rendezvous with Ben,” Luke said. “I haven’t seen him for six months.”

“Ben’s here? In the Rift?” The suspicion returned to Lando’s face. “Luke, old buddy—”

“It’s not a mystery,” Luke interrupted. “Ben and Tahiri were on Ramook to investigate a Ship sighting—”

“A Ship sighting?” Lando’s eyes grew wide. “As in Vestara Khai’s Ship? The Sith meditation sphere Ship?”

“It was only a sighting,” Luke insisted. Ship was a sentient vessel created thousands of years in the past to train Sith adepts in the ways of war. Its most recent pilot was a young woman named Vestara Khai. A defector from the Lost Tribe of Sith, she had spent over a year earning Luke’s trust—and winning his son’s heart—only to betray them both during the Sith occupation of Coruscant. “And we don’t know that Ship was actually there. They never picked up its trail.”

Lando appeared unconvinced. “Then why are Ben and Tahiri still in the Rift?”

“They’re trying to track down Ohali Soroc,” Luke said. “She hasn’t checked in for a month.”

“Okay,” Lando said, now seeming as confused as he was suspicious. “Who’s Ohali Soroc?”

“One of my ten Quest Knights,” Luke said.

“A Quest Knight?” Lando’s jaw dropped, and he turned toward the viewport. “Now I get it. You think you’ve found—”

“No, we don’t,” Luke said. As someone who made his considerable resources across the galaxy available for Jedi use, Lando had been informed of the hunt for Mortis shortly after the ten Knights departed on their mission. “The Quest Knights are searching everywhere. We’re only looking for Jedi Soroc because she’s missed so many check-ins—and I’m sure that has more to do with the communication difficulties here in the Rift than with Mortis.”

Lando fell silent, obviously thinking.

Luke waited a few moments for him to calm down, then said, “On my honor, Lando. I’m telling you everything.”

Lando exhaled slowly, then finally turned around. “Okay, maybe you are,” he said. “But doesn’t it all seem a little strange to you?”

“All what?” Luke asked. “The coincidences?”

“Exactly.” Lando raised his hand and began to tick points off by lifting his fingers. “First, there’s a Ship sighting at Ramook. Then one of your Quest Knights goes quiet inside the Rift. Next, Han and Leia show up to help me deal with some pirate problems. And then you decide to play courier so you can see your son and decide if you’re healed yet.”

Lando folded his four fingers back down and lowered his arm. “I’m no Jedi, but that’s either the Force at work or—”

“Or the Qrephs,” Luke finished. “I see your point, but I don’t feel the Force behind this. It’s too … soulless.”

Lando scowled. “Actually, I was going to say Sith,” he replied. “Could they be the ones behind my pirate problems? Or could they be working with the Qrephs?”

Luke considered the question, then spread his hands. “You tell me,” he said. “You’ve met the Qrephs, and I haven’t. Could they be working with the Lost Tribe?”

Lando frowned for a time, then finally shook his head. “I can’t see it,” he said. “That would be like two sarlaccs in the same pit. It wouldn’t be long before they started to eat each other.”

Luke nodded. Lando was undoubtedly right about how quickly the Qrephs would turn on any possible Sith allies. But sarlacc digestion was notoriously slow. It could take a thousand years for a sarlacc to fully digest its victim—and that made Luke wonder if they shouldn’t be more concerned about how long an alliance between the Qrephs and the Sith might last before one finally destroyed the other.

Luke was still wondering when the door whispered open behind him. He glanced at the reflection in the viewport, half expecting to see Dena Yus. Instead, he was surprised to find C-3PO’s golden shape rushing into the room.

“Please excuse the interruption,” the droid said. “But Captain Solo has asked me to fetch you at once.”

As quickly as Luke turned, Lando was even quicker, and Luke found himself following his friend toward the door.

“Han’s awake?” Lando asked, charging out of the room—and nearly bowling C-3PO over. “Are you kidding?”

The droid threw his arms up to steady himself. “Captain Solo is quite awake,” he said, turning after Lando. “He said to tell you he has a plan.”