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Boiny studied the room for a moment, then walked to the center of the floor, two meters from the lead sled.

“There was a cargo crate here.”

Cohl eyed the telltale marks in the sawdust. “Too large for a weapon’s crate.”

Looking around, the two of them spotted the portable holoprojector at the same time. It was resting on the retracted landing strut of one of the sleds. Boiny reached it first. Setting it atop the sled, he activated it. Cohl limped over as the device was beginning to cycle through its stored images.

“The summit hall,” he said, in response to the 3-D image of the majestic dome-roofed building, and the mount it crowned.

Boiny allowed the images to cycle again, pausing the device when it displayed a remote view of the wooded mount, and the four broad avenues that terminated at the hall.

“The vantage from the cluster of rooftops we saw earlier,” Boiny said, already initiating a reverse scan through the images. “Havac could be planning to attack Valorum before he arrives at the summit.”

Cohl tugged at what was left of his beard while he considered it. He gestured to the holoprojector. “He didn’t forget to take this. He wanted it to be found—just the way he wanted us to be found.”

Abruptly, Boiny ducked down beneath one of the repulsorsleds. “Here’s something he probably doesn’t expect to be found,” he said as he was standing up.

Cohl narrowed his eyes at the stubby metallic cylinder Boiny showed him. “A restraining bolt?”

“But an uncommon variety.” Boiny brought the bolt to eye level. “Similar to the ones we fired into the security droids aboard the Revenue, but altered to suit a more advanced droid. Maybe a combat model.”

“Havac has a droid,” Cohl said, mostly to himself. His eyes searched the floor. “Could that be what was in the crate? Or is this one restraining bolt of a bunch?”

Boiny adopted a skeptical look. “The Nebula Front employing droids? That can’t be right.” He regarded the bolt again. “One thing is certain, Captain. This bolt has already been in a droid. I can see the impressions left by whatever tool pried it out.”

Cohl took the bolt and clenched his hand around it.

“I warned Havac that someone in the Nebula Front had informed the Judicial Department about our plans to attack the Revenue. Suppose he decided to take extra precautions when planning this operation.” Cohl looked at Boiny. “Havac said that the Front had lured the Jedi to Asmeru. That could mean that the attempt on Valorum’s life on Coruscant was a ruse, designed to divert attention from Eriadu.”

“Right,” Boiny said uncertainly.

Cohl glanced at the holoprojector. “Havac leaves us and the holoprojector to be discovered by the authorities …” He grinned wickedly. “I’m not sure how Havac plans to do it, Boiny. But I think I know what he’s planning to do.”

“Captain?” the Rodian said in confusion.

Cohl shoved the restraining bolt into his breast pocket and began to limp toward the corridor.

Boiny followed him, gesturing back to the holoprojector. “Shouldn’t I at least delete this thing?”

Cohl shook his head. “Hide it in plain sight, just as Havac did. The only way we’re going to get to him is by making sure that everyone else keeps chasing their own tails.”

Outside the front entrance to Lieutenant Governor Tarkin’s palatial residence, Valorum, Sei Taria, and the rest of the Coruscant delegation waited for their caravan of repulsorlift vehicles to arrive. Fashionable tunics and brocaded cloaks were once again the order of the day, except in the case of security personnel, who were nearly as numerous as the diplomats.

“I trust that your stay with us has been pleasant,” Tarkin was saying to Valorum.

“Very pleasant,” Valorum replied. “Permit me to extend the same courtesy to you, should you ever visit Coruscant.”

Tarkin smiled without showing his teeth. “I hope, Supreme Chancellor, that Coruscant will one day be a second home to me. All the Core, in fact, from Coruscant to Alderaan.”

“I’m certain it will.”

The captain of the Senate Guard detail approached with a