TWO

A stunned silence still lay over the lecture hall as Leia stepped onto the dais and started after her brother. As a Jedi Knight, it was hardly her place to challenge a decree from the order’s most senior Master, but she knew what Luke was doing…even if he did not. She entered the small corridor behind the dais, and that was when Han caught up and took her arm.

He slid the panel shut behind them, then whispered, “Hold on! Don’t you want to talk this over before you quit?”

“Relax, Han. I’m not leaving the order.” Leia glanced down the corridor, toward the golden light spilling out the entrance to the lecture hall’s small library. Inside, calmly awaiting the storm, she could sense her brother’s presence. “I just need to talk some sense into Luke before this gets out of hand.”

“Are you sure?” Han asked. “I mean, you’re not even a Master.”

“I’m his sister,” Leia retorted. “That gives me special privileges.”

She strode down the corridor and entered the library without announcing herself. Luke was seated on a mat at the far end of the room, with a low writing table before him and the HoloNet access terminal at his back. Mara stood beside him at one end of the table, her green eyes as hard and unfathomable as an eumlar crystal.

When she saw Leia, Mara cocked her brow. “I doubt you’re here to pledge your obedience to the order.”

“I’m not.” Leia stopped in front of the table and glared down at Luke. “Do you know what you’ve just done?”

“Of course,” Luke said. “It’s called the Rubogean Gambit.”

Leia’s aggravation gave way to shock. “You’re taking control of the order as a ploy?”

“He has to do something,” Mara said. “The order is falling apart.”

“But the Rubogean Gambit?” Leia protested. “You can’t be serious!”

“I’m afraid so,” Luke said. “I wish I wasn’t.”

Leia reached out to her brother in the Force and realized he was telling the truth. He was filled with disappointment—in Kyp, Corran, and the other Masters, in himself, in her. The last thing he wanted was to take personal control of the order, but Mara was right. Something had to be done, and—as usual—it fell to Luke to do it.

Leia considered her brother’s plan for a moment, growing calmer as she reflected on his other options—or rather, his lack of them.

Finally, she said, “Your provocation isn’t strong enough. Most of the Jedi in that hall want you to take over. They won’t resist you.”

“I hope they’ll change their minds once they reflect on it,” Luke answered. “If not, then I’ll have to take control of the order.”

“For its own good.” Leia’s rusty political instincts began to trip alarms inside her head. “Do you know how many despots have said the same thing to me?”

“Luke is not a despot.” Mara’s voice grew a little heated. “He doesn’t even want control.”

“I know.” Leia kept her gaze on her brother. “But that doesn’t make this any less dangerous. If the gambit fails, you’ll be reducing the order to a personality cult.”

“Then let’s hope my ultimatum helps the Masters find a way to work together again.” Luke’s eyes grew hard. “I will not let them tear the Jedi apart.”

“Even if it means anointing yourself king of the Jedi?” Leia pressed.

“Yes, Leia—even if it means that.”

Surprised by the sudden sharpness in her brother’s voice, Leia fell into an uneasy silence. It was clear Luke had already made up his mind. That alone made her worry. He had reached his decision without seeking the benefit of her political experience—and the fact that she could think of no better plan made her worry even more.

When the silence became unbearable, Han stepped to the end of the table opposite Mara. “Okay, I’m lost. Will somebody please slow down and tell me what the blazes a Rubogean Gambit is?”

“It’s a diplomatic ploy,” Leia explained, relieved to have an excuse to break eye contact with Luke. “You distract your counterpart with a provocative assertion, hoping he’s so upset that he doesn’t notice what you’re really doing.”

“In other words, you pull a bait and switch.” Han scowled at Luke. “So you don’t want the Jedi to put the order first?”

“Actually, that’s what I do want,” Luke said. “Our problem now is that everybody puts the order last. Corran thinks we exist to serve the Alliance, and Kyp is convinced we should follow nothing but our own consciences. Meanwhile, Jaina and her team believe our first duty is to protect the weak from aggression.”

“I’m with you so far,” Han said. “Where I make a bad jump is the part where you take full control. If you don’t want to be king of the Jedi, why are you using this swindle to slip it past everyone in the order?”

“Luke is trying to unite the Masters against him, Han,” Leia explained.

“Yeah, I get that part.” Han furrowed his brow, clearly even more skeptical of what was happening than Leia was. “But like I said, if Luke doesn’t want to be king, why try slipping it past everyone?”

“Because being sneaky is the only way to convince the Masters I really want this,” Luke said. “The threat has to be big—and it has to be real. If I’m too obvious, they’ll know I’m trying to manipulate them, and it won’t work.”

Han thought this over for a moment, then said, “That makes sense. But it’s still risky. How do you know they’ll catch on to this Rubber Gambit or whatever it is?”

“Han, they’re Jedi Masters,” Mara said. “They caught on before Luke finished his speech.”

Luke suddenly lifted his chin and looked past them toward the entrance to the library. “This will have to be the end of our discussion. The first Jedi is coming to tell me her decision.”

A sad heaviness began to fill Leia’s chest. “Of course.”

She took Han’s hand and turned to go. Danni Quee was already coming through the entrance, her blue eyes shining with unshed tears. When she saw Leia and Han already in the room, she stopped abruptly and looked a little flustered.

“I’m sorry.” She started to withdraw. “I’ll come back later.”

“That’s okay, Danni,” Leia said. “We were finished here, anyway.”

Leia started to lead Han past, but Danni put up her hand to stop them.

“Please don’t leave on my account. This won’t take long, and what I have to say isn’t private.” Without waiting for a reply, Danni turned to Luke. “Master Skywalker, I hope you won’t think I don’t value what I have learned with the Jedi because I came to this decision quickly, but I was never a true member of the order, and my future lies with Zonama Sekot. There is still so much to learn from her that I’d be lying to myself if I said that the Jedi came first. I wish you and the Jedi the best, but I’m going to return to Zonama Sekot.”

“I understand, Danni.” Luke rose and stepped around the table, then took her hands in his. “You were a tremendous help to the Jedi in our most desperate hour, but we’ve all known for some time that your destiny lies elsewhere. Thank you, and may the Force be with you always.”

Danni smiled and wiped her eyes, then embraced Luke. “Thank you, Master Skywalker. And please come see us when you can. Sekot would enjoy visiting with you again.”

“I will,” Luke promised. “I’d enjoy visiting with her, too.”

Danni released Luke and embraced Mara and Leia and Han, then left the room.

She was barely gone before Tenel Ka, the Queen Mother of Hapes, strode in. She held her dimpled chin high and her shoulders square, but the resolve in her eyes was more heartbreaking than reassuring.

Tenel Ka flashed Leia a sad smile, then turned to Luke. “Master Skywalker, I would like nothing more than to place myself entirely at the Jedi order’s disposal.” She bit her lip, then reached under the Jedi robe she had donned for her visit and removed her lightsaber from its clip. “And if there were only myself and my daughter to consider, perhaps I would.

“But that would be irresponsible. I am the sole able-bodied sovereign of an interstellar empire, and if I were to relinquish my throne, my nobles would spill lakes of blood fighting to take my place.” She held out her lightsaber to Luke. “It is with great regret that I must surrender this. I simply cannot fulfill the duties of a Knight in the Jedi order.”

“I understand.” Luke accepted Tenel Ka’s lightsaber, then pushed it back into her hand. “But please keep your lightsaber. You earned the right to carry it, and that can never be taken away.”

Tenel Ka managed a sad smile. “Thank you, Master Skywalker. Your gesture means a great deal to me.”

“Thank you, Queen Mother,” Luke said. “You may have assumed other duties for now, but you carry within you everything that a Jedi Knight is. Perhaps one day you will be free to return to the order. There will always be a place for you.”

Tenel Ka’s smile turned more hopeful. “Yes, perhaps that is so.”

She embraced Luke with her one arm, then surprised Leia by embracing her and Han. “You mean more to me than I will ever be able to tell, my friends. I am going to miss you both.”

“Miss us?” Han replied. “This isn’t forever, kid. We’re going to visit, you know.”

“That’s right,” Leia added, returning the Queen Mother’s embrace. “Your security chief may not allow baby holos, but I still want to see your daughter—and if we have to come all the way to Hapes to do it, we will.”

Tenel Ka stiffened in Leia’s arms. “That would be…nice.” She stepped back, her anxiety permeating the Force. “Be sure to let us know when you are coming, so we can arrange the proper security.”

“Of course.” Leia had to force herself not to frown. “Thank you.”

Tenel Ka gave Leia and Han an uneasy smile, then turned her attention to Luke and Mara as well. “Good-bye. May the Force be with you all.”

The Queen Mother spun and left the room so quickly that neither Leia nor anyone else had time to wish her the same.

Han frowned after her. “That was weird.”

“Something about the baby,” Leia said. “There’s a reason she won’t let anybody get a good look at it.”

“Maybe she’s embarrassed,” Han said.

“Han!” Leia and Mara exclaimed together.

“Look, she still won’t say anything about the father,” he said. “I’m just saying that maybe there’s a reason. Maybe she’s not proud of the guy.”

“You know, Han might be right,” Luke said. “Not that she’s embarrassed, but maybe there’s something she doesn’t want the galaxy to see. How would her nobles react if the heir to the Hapes throne was less than a perfect beauty?”

Leia’s heart sank. “Oh, no. That poor woman.”

“I’m glad you let Tenel Ka keep her lightsaber, Luke,” Mara agreed. “She may need it.”

They all stared out into the corridor after the Queen Mother, pondering the lonely circumstances of her life, wondering how they might be able to help, until another set of footsteps echoed down the passage. A moment later, Corran Horn appeared at the entrance to the library and bowed respectfully.

“Master Skywalker, would now be a good time to speak with you?” he asked.

“Of course.” Luke glanced meaningfully in Leia and Han’s direction, then returned to his mat behind the writing table and sat. “Come in.”

Leia took Han’s hand again and started past Corran. “Excuse us, Corran. We were just leaving.”

“Please don’t, at least not yet,” Corran said. “I’ve already said this to the rest of the order, and I’d like you to hear it, too.”

Leia glanced at Luke for permission, then nodded. “If you wish.”

Corran went to the center of the room and clasped his hands behind his back.

“Master Skywalker, first I would like to apologize for the part I’ve played in this crisis. I can see now that in complying with Chief Omas’s request that I become the order’s temporary leader, I was playing directly into his hands.”

“Yes, you were,” Luke said.

Corran swallowed, then fixed his gaze on the wall behind Luke’s head. “I assure you, it was never my intention to usurp anyone’s authority, but when it grew clear how bad Jedi relations had grown with Chief Omas and the Alliance, I felt something had to be done. I can see now how badly mistaken I was.”

“Mistakes are always easy to see in retrospect,” Luke said mildly.

Corran glanced down at Luke, clearly uncertain how he was taking the apology. “But I do carry the good of the order utmost in my heart.”

“Good,” Luke said.

“That’s why I think it might be best if I left.” Corran’s voice was choked with emotion. “My presence can only be a divisive element.”

“I see.” Luke braced his elbows on the writing table, then rested his chin on his steepled fingers. “Corran, isn’t this the second time you have offered to leave the order for its own good?”

Corran nodded. “It is. After the destruction of Ithor—”

“Don’t let there be a third,” Luke interrupted. “I won’t stop you next time.”

Corran frowned, clearly confused. “Stop me?”

“Corran, you may have been naïve for believing the Yuuzhan Vong would honor their word, but they destroyed Ithor, not you,” Luke said. “And the mistakes that led the Jedi into our current crisis are more mine than anyone else’s. So please stop trying to shoulder the entire galaxy’s guilt by yourself. To be honest, it makes you look a bit pompous.”

Corran looked as though someone had detonated a stun grenade in his face. “Pompous?”

Luke nodded. “I hope you don’t mind me telling you that in front of others, but you’re the one who invited them to stay.”

Corran glanced over at Leia and Han. “Of course not.”

“Good,” Luke said. “Then we’re all settled? You’re going to continue as a Jedi, and your loyalty to the order comes first?”

“Yes.” Corran nodded. “Of course.”

Luke smiled broadly. “I’m glad. We couldn’t afford to lose you, Corran. I don’t think you realize just how valuable you are to the order. The Jedi do have a duty to support the Galactic Alliance—far more than we have been—and nobody represents that viewpoint better than you do.”

“Uh, thank you.” Corran remained in the center of the room looking confused.

After a moment, Luke said, “That’s all, Corran. Unless there’s something else—”

“Actually, there is,” Corran said. “I think the other Masters have all chosen to stay, as well. After I spoke with them, they asked me to tell you they would be waiting in the auditorium.”

“They did?” Luke raised his brow and tried to avoid showing the satisfaction that Leia sensed through their twin bond. “I guess I should go hear what they have to say.”

Leia stepped aside, then she and the others followed Luke into the auditorium. The room was even emptier than before, with Kyp, Saba, and the rest of the Masters gathered in a tight cluster near the front of the speaking dais, holding an animated conversation in barely civil tones. Tesar, Lowbacca, Tahiri, and Tekli were seated together a few rows back, trying not to be too obvious in their eavesdropping. Jacen sat on the opposite side of the aisle, appearing more interested in his conversation with Ben than in whatever the Masters were whispering about.

The rest of the order was gone—presumably sent away by the Masters so they could have a private conversation with Master Skywalker. The fact that Jacen, Tesar, and the others had been asked to stay suggested that the conversation was going to be about the Killiks. Apparently, Luke’s plan had at least made the Masters willing to talk again. Leia doubted they would agree on anything, but talking was a start.

When Han saw the gathering of Masters, he hopped off the dais and held his hand out toward Ben. “It looks like we’re going to be a little out of place at this meeting, partner. Why don’t we go back over to the Falcon and work on that warp vortex problem I was telling you about?”

Ben’s eyes lit up. He started to say good-bye to Jacen—until Kenth Hamner rose and spoke from among the Masters.

“Actually, Captain Solo, we’d like you to stay.”

Han cast a worried look in Leia’s direction, and she knew they were thinking the same thing: that Jaina and Zekk were going to be a big part of this conversation.

“Yeah, sure,” he said. “Whatever you want.”

Ben twisted his freckled face into a sour expression. “What about the Falcon’s vortex problem?”

“Don’t worry about that, kid,” Han said to him. “Vortex stabilizers don’t fix themselves. It’ll be there waiting when we’re ready.”

“Perhaps Ben’s Defender Droid could take him home.” Kenth glanced toward the speaking dais. “If that’s acceptable to the Masters Skywalker?”

“Of course,” Mara said. She looked toward the back of the hall. “Nanna?”

The big Defender Droid stepped out of the shadows, then extended her metallic hand and waited as Ben reluctantly shuffled up the aisle to join her.

Once the pair had left the hall, Kenth turned to Han. “Thank you for staying, Captain Solo. We know your affiliation is informal, but you’re an important part of the order, and your opinion has always carried a great deal of weight with the Masters.”

“Always glad to help,” Han said cautiously. “So what’s this about?”

“In a minute.” Kenth waved Han toward a seat. Clearly, the Masters had come to an agreement about one thing—they were going to meet Luke’s gambit with a united front. “First, we would like to ask how Master Skywalker sees family fitting into his new view of a Jedi’s commitment to the order.”

“I’m not saying we have to abandon our loved ones,” Luke said, stepping between Leia and the Masters. “But obviously, any Jedi is required to be away from his or her family for extended periods.”

When Luke remained between Leia and the Masters, she took the hint and stepped off the dais, then went to Han’s side. They both sat on the bench with Jacen.

As Luke and the Masters continued to clarify just what Luke meant by “placing the order first,” Han leaned close to Jacen’s ear.

“Tenel Ka left the order,” he whispered. “Thought you’d want to know.”

“I already did,” Jacen answered. “Uncle Luke didn’t leave her much choice, did he?”

“It only formalizes what we’ve all known for some time,” Leia said. Jacen and Tenel Ka had been close throughout their teenage years, and Leia did not want Jacen to allow Tenel Ka’s departure to influence his own decision. “Tenel Ka’s duties as the Queen Mother already prevent her from participating in the order in any meaningful way.”

Jacen smiled and placed his hand on Leia’s knee. “Mom, I’m not going to disappear again. I’ve already decided to stay.”

Leia was so relieved that she suspected even Han could feel it, but she kept a straight face and said, “If that’s what you think is best for you, dear.”

Jacen laughed and rolled his eyes. “Mother, your feelings betray you.”

“I suppose so.” Leia grew more serious, then asked, “What has Tenel Ka told you about her daughter?”

“Allana?” Jacen’s presence suddenly seemed to disappear from the Force, and his tone grew guarded. “What about her?”

“We mean, what is Tenel Ka hiding?” Han demanded. “Mention the kid, and she closes up like a rabclab in ice water.”

“What makes you think Tenel Ka would tell me anything?” Jacen asked.

“She obviously has,” Leia said. “Or you wouldn’t be trying to dodge our questions.”

Jacen stared at the floor. Leia had the sense that he wanted to tell them, but was struggling with whether he had the right. Finally, he met Leia’s gaze.

“If Tenel Ka finds it necessary to keep her daughter out of the hololight, I think we should trust that she has good reason.”

Han looked past Jacen to Leia and nodded. “Luke was right.”

Jacen’s eyes widened. “About what?”

“About Allana,” Leia said. “If she were, uh, afflicted in some way, Tenel Ka would need to keep the child hidden. The Hapans’ obsession with beauty goes beyond the neurotic. I can’t imagine what they might do if the heir to their throne was blemished.”

The alarm in Jacen’s expression began to fade. “Don’t bother asking for details. I don’t know them.”

Leia could tell by the way Jacen avoided her eyes that he was lying, but she decided to let it go. He clearly felt that they were already asking him to betray a confidence, and pressing him any harder would only make him less forthcoming.

“We know all that we need to,” Leia said. “I only hope Tenel Ka realizes we’re here to help.”

“Mom, Tenel Ka has more money than Lando, and dozens of Jedi friends,” Jacen said. “I’m pretty sure she knows she can get all the help she needs.”

“Hey, we’re just worried about her,” Han said. “Poor kid—whatever’s wrong, I’ll bet the problem came from the father.”

Jacen frowned and was silent for a moment, then said, “I’m sure you’re right, Dad. And if this is your way of asking if I know who the father is, it’s not going to work.”

Han pretended to be hurt. “You think I’d snoop?”

“I know you would,” Jacen said. “That’s the Zeltron Lead you just tried. You taught it to me when I was ten.”

Han shrugged. “And I didn’t think you were listening.”

Leia’s attention was drawn to the gathering of Masters by a sudden lull in their conversation. She looked up to find Luke seated on the edge of the dais, motioning everyone forward. As they all approached, she sensed a certain hopefulness in her brother’s presence.

“The Masters have agreed that the order’s first responsibility during any crisis is to respond in a coherent and united fashion,” he said. “Now the question is, what are we going to do about the Killiks?”

“That’s why we asked all of you to stay,” Tresina Lobi said, turning to Leia and the others. “You know more about the Killiks than any of us, so your insights will guide our decision.”

Luke nodded his agreement. “I’d like to ask Jacen to share his vision with the rest of us.”

“Vision?” Corran asked.

“It’s why I organized the attack on Supply Depot Thrago,” Jacen explained, going to stand between the Masters and the dais. “I saw the Chiss launch a massive surprise attack against the Killiks.”

Kenth frowned. “Surely, you didn’t think that you could prevent—”

“Let him finish,” Luke said, raising his hand to silence the Master. “Jacen’s plan was desperate, but not unreasonable given the circumstances at the time—especially our own disarray.”

Jacen continued, “What really frightened me about the vision was that the Chiss failed to destroy the Colony. Instead, I saw the Killiks mount a counterattack, and the war spread to the Galactic Alliance.”

“Let me see if I understand this,” Corran said, frowning in confusion. “You saw the war spreading to the Galactic Alliance, so you attacked the Chiss to keep that from happening? That sounds crazy, Jacen.”

Jacen nodded. “It’s convoluted, I know. But I felt we had to change the dynamic. Obviously, the Chiss are still attacking—”

“And the Galactic Alliance is still being dragged into the war.” Kenth’s tone was sharp. “Not only are we fighting in the Utegetu Nebula now we have the Chiss mobilizing against us because they think we gave the Ackbar to the Killiks. I don’t see that your attack accomplished anything except to hasten the war—and make everything vastly more complicated.”

“It convinced the Chiss they couldn’t win with a quick strike,” Han said, coming to Jacen’s defense. “At least now there’s some chance you can bring this mess under control before it erupts into a galaxywide bug stomp.”

“Han is right,” Corran said. “Besides, debating our past mistakes—whether or not they were mistakes—won’t solve this problem. We need to talk about how we’re going to stop this war before it gets out of control.”

The Masters nodded their agreement, but fell silent and stared at the floor, clearly reluctant to launch into the same argument that had been threatening to tear the order apart for several months. After a few seconds, Corran, Kyp, and even Saba began to cast expectant glances toward Luke, clearly hoping he would take the lead. He remained silent, determined to force the Masters to work through the problem themselves and develop their own consensus.

Finally, Jacen spoke up. “I know how to stop the war.”

Everybody’s brow—including Leia’s—went up.

“Why am I not surprised?” Kyp asked. He ran a hand through his unruly hair, pausing to scratch his scalp. “Okay, let’s hear it. You seem to be the only one with any ideas.”

Jacen stepped over next to Luke, placing himself squarely in front of the Masters. His determination hung heavy and hard in the Force. He was going to stop the war. Too much would be lost if he did not.

“We kill Raynar Thul.”

“What?”

This was cried by several Jedi at once, among them Tesar Sebatyne and the other young Jedi Knights who had accompanied Jacen on the raid against Supply Depot Thrago. Even Leia found herself wondering if she had heard Jacen correctly.

“Did you see that in your vision, too?” Corran asked. He turned to the other Masters, shaking his head in disapproval. “We talked about this before.”

Luke frowned. “We did?”

“When you and Han were captured on Woteba,” Mara informed him. “It was our backup plan.”

“And now it should be our primary plan,” Jacen said calmly. “It’s the only way to prevent the war.”

“Go on,” Luke said.

“Most insect species have an immense mortality rate,” Jacen explained. “One egg out of a thousand might produce a larva that survives to become an imago and produce young of its own. When Raynar became a Joiner—”

“But killing Raynar would destroy the Colony!” Tesar rasped.

“I believe that’s the point,” Kenth said. “They have declared war on two other galactic civilizations.”

Lowbacca roared an objection, protesting that the Dark Nest was causing all the trouble.

“Jacen has obviously given this a lot of thought,” Luke said, raising his hands for quiet. “Why don’t we hear him out?”

“Because hearing Jacen out is dangerous,” Tahiri said, glaring at Jacen. “He says one thing and means another.”

Coming from Tahiri, whom the Solos had considered practically their own daughter since Anakin’s death, the comment was especially stinging. Leia would have admonished her for her rudeness, had Luke not done so first.

“That’s enough!” Luke scowled first at Tahiri, then at Tesar and Lowbacca. “This debate is among the Masters, and when we ask for your opinion, you’re going to give it in a civilized fashion. Is that clear?”

Tesar’s scales stood on end and Lowbacca’s fur ruffled, but they joined Tahiri in nodding. “Yes, Master.”

“Thank you.” Luke looked back to Jacen. “You were saying?”

“When Raynar became a Joiner, the Killiks began to value the lives of individual nest-members,” Jacen continued. “Their population exploded, they began to strip their own worlds bare, and that’s when the Colony was born and began to infringe on Chiss space.”

“But will killing Raynar change that now?” Saba asked from the front bench. “The Killikz have already changed. This one does not see how removing Raynar will change them back.”

“Because the change is a learned behavior.” Jacen was obviously ready with his answer. “Raynar is the only element of their personality that innately values individual life.”

“So we remove Raynar, and they unlearn the behavior?” Kenth asked.

“Exactly,” Jacen said. “Raynar’s ability to project his will through the Force is what binds the individual nests into the Colony. If we remove that, the nests will need to survive on their own.”

“The nests will either return to their normal state or starve,” Kenth said. “Either way, the problem takes care of itself.”

“Not exactly,” Corran said. “You’re forgetting the Dark Nest. By all accounts, they’re already running the Colony from behind the scenes. If we take out Raynar, what’s to prevent Lomi Plo from taking over?”

“We have to take her and Alema Rar out, too,” Jacen said. “I’m sorry, I thought that was a given.”

When no one objected, Luke asked, “So everyone agrees on that much, then? The Dark Nest must be destroyed.”

“Assuming we can,” Han muttered. “We’ve tried that before, remember?”

“We’ve learned a lot since then,” Jacen insisted. “This time, we’ll succeed.”

“I’m glad you’re so confident, Jacen,” Kyp said. “How about letting the rest of us in on the secret?”

“I already have,” Jacen said. “We’re going to eliminate Raynar and his nest, too.”

This drew a pair of snorts from Tesar and Lowbacca, but a warning glance from Luke was enough to silence the two Jedi Knights.

“Now I’m really lost,” Corran said. “If we have to destroy the Dark Nest anyway, why don’t we just stop there and reason with Raynar?”

“I wish we could,” Leia said. “But Raynar’s mind was shattered by the Flier’s crash, and the Killiks have a very fluid concept of truth. When you put those two things together, you can’t count on him to behave rationally. We only persuaded him to abandon Qoribu by convincing him that if he didn’t, all of the nests there would turn into Dark Nests.”

“That’s true, Mother,” Jacen said. “But the real problem is you can’t destroy the Dark Nest without killing Raynar. As long as there is an Unu, there will be a Gorog.”

“That’z zilly,” Tesar scoffed.

“Not at all.” Cilghal spoke in a soft voice that had a quieting effect on the whole argument. “I began to suspect the same thing myself when the Dark Nest reappeared in the Utegetu Nebula.”

Corran, Kenth, and even Luke looked stunned.

“Why?” Luke asked.

“Do you remember our discussion about the conscious and unconscious mind?” Cilghal replied.

Luke nodded. “I believe you put it this way: ‘Like the Force itself, every mind in the galaxy has two aspects.’ ”

“Very good, Master Skywalker,” Cilghal said. “The conscious mind embraces what we know of ourselves, and the unconscious contains the part that remains hidden.”

“I thought that was the subconscious mind,” Corran said.

“So did I, until Cilghal explained it,” Luke said. “The subconscious is a level of the mind between full awareness and unawareness. The unconscious remains fully hidden from the part of our minds that we know. Right, Cilghal?”

“You have an excellent memory, Master Skywalker,” she said.

“Wait a minute, Cilghal,” Kyp said. “You’re saying that Jacen is actually right? That even if the Dark Nest didn’t exist, the Colony would create one?”

“I am saying that Jacen’s theory fits what we have observed,” Cilghal replied. “To the extent that the Colony is a collective mind, it makes sense for it to create an unconscious. And you cannot destroy an unconscious mind without also destroying the conscious mind.”

Cilghal paused and swiveled one bulbous eye toward Tesar, Lowbacca, and Tahiri. “I am sorry, but if this theory is correct, it is simply impossible to destroy the Dark Nest without destroying the Colony. One accompanies the other.”

“Then Jacen’s theory is wrong!” Tesar rasped.

“That is always possible,” Cilghal admitted. “But it explains everything we have observed, and that makes it the best working theory we have.”

“So we kill one of our own?” Corran shook his head harshly. “I can’t believe that’s our best option. It goes against everything I feel as a Jedi. We’re not assassins, we don’t betray our own, and we don’t destroy entire civilizations.”

“Corran, we talked about that, too,” Leia reminded him. “It’s because Raynar is a Jedi that we must act. He’s become a threat to the galaxy, and it’s our responsibility to stop him.”

“I understand that he’s a threat,” Corran responded. “But if he’s as shattered as you say, we shouldn’t be trying to kill him—we should be trying to help him.”

“May the Force be with you on that!” Han scoffed. “You’ll need it. Raynar’s more powerful than Luke, and he doesn’t want your help.”

Luke cocked his brow at Han’s assessment of his relative strength, but looked more surprised than insulted and did not protest.

“Corran, think about what you’re asking,” Leia said. “Exactly how do you suggest we help Raynar? You know how difficult it is to hold a regular Jedi against his will, and Raynar’s resources are immensely more vast. I’m afraid we have to face the reality of the situation.”

“So you’re agreeing with Jacen?” Corran asked. “You think our only choice is to kill Raynar?”

The question struck Leia like a kick in the stomach. She had known Raynar since he had come to the Jedi academy on Yavin 4 as the haughty child-heir to the Bornaryn Shipping Empire, then watched him mature into the sincere young man who had volunteered to accompany Anakin on the ill-fated strike mission to Myrkr. The thought of actually sending Jedi against him made her lips tremble with sorrow. But she had seen for herself, when the Killik fleet attacked in the Murgo Choke, that he had no such qualms about assaulting his former friends.

Leia nodded sadly. “Yes, Corran,” she said. “I think Jacen is right. Our best option is to take out Raynar. In fact, it is our duty.”

Corran’s face reddened, and Leia knew the exchange was about to get rough.

“Our duty?” he demanded. “What about Jaina and Zekk?”

“What about them?” Han shot back.

“They’re Joiners, too,” Corran pointed out, still looking at Leia. “Will you be so eager to kill them when they take Raynar’s place?”

Luke raised a hand in an effort to restore calm, but the damage had already been done. The question had heated even Leia’s blood, and Han immediately went into full boil.

“They’re not going to take Raynar’s place!” Han shouted.

“You can’t know that,” Corran replied. “Jaina has always done as she pleases, and now she’s with the Colony.” He turned back to Leia. “So I want to know: will you say the same thing when we have to go after Jaina and Zekk?”

“That’s a baseless question, and you know it!” Leia said.

“Not really,” Kyle Katarn said. “I, for one, would find your answer relevant to Raynar’s case.”

“Huttwash!” Kyp protested. “Jaina and Zekk have already demonstrated that they’re Jedi first. It’s not relevant at all.”

“Then why aren’t they here?” Kyle pressed.

“Probably because they’re trying to stop a war,” Han retorted.

And they were off, voices rising, tempers flaring, gestures growing increasingly sharp. Corran continued to press the Solos about what they would do if Jaina and Zekk were running the Colony instead of Raynar. Han and Leia continued to insist it was a moot question, and Kyle, Kyp, and the rest of the Masters continued to line up on both sides of the issue, taking increasingly rigid positions.

Within minutes, it grew apparent that they had reached an impasse, and Leia sensed her brother’s frustration building. His attempt to unite the Masters had failed miserably. They were no closer to reaching a consensus now than they had been while he and Han were trapped in the Utegetu, and even Leia could see the situation was only going to grow worse.

“Thank you.”

Though Luke spoke softly, he used the Force to project his words into the minds of everyone present. The effect was immediate; the argument came to a sudden halt, and the entire group turned to face him.

“Thank you for your opinions.” Luke stepped back onto the dais. “I’ll consider them all carefully and let you know what I decide.”

Kyp frowned. “What you decide?”

“Yes, Kyp,” Mara said. She stepped toward him and locked eyes with him. “What Luke decides. Don’t you think that’s best?”

Kyp’s brow rose, then he looked around him at the faces of the other Masters—many still flushed with the emotions of their argument—and slowly seemed to realize what Leia already had: Luke was taking control of the order.

Before Kyp found the breath to answer, Han turned and started up the aisle toward the exit, his boot heels clunking on the wood floor. Leia started after him, almost running to catch up. Luke seemed content to watch them go in silence, but not Saba.

“Jedi Solo, where are you going?” the Barabel demanded.

“With Han,” Leia replied. “To get our daughter back.”

“What about the order?” Saba asked.

Leia did not even turn around. “What order?”