Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 01_ Outcast - Aaron Allston [133]
There were no more bogeys to be seen. It seemed that their continued existence had depended on the functioning of the mysterious machinery that lined those caverns.
Lando and Tendra had filed a report about the whole affair with the Galactic Alliance government, and had been castigated for acting without consulting the authorities. Lando's company was now under strict orders not to blow up anything else on Kessel until government scientists had the opportunity to make a thorough study of the planet's underworld—a task, Han knew, that would require lifetimes just to generate preliminary conclusions.
But at the moment, no one was worried about extinct bogeys, recovering subterranean ecosystems, or the dictates of the GA government. Today a celebration filled the cafeteria of the main building, a chamber that had been little used in recent weeks.
Pilots of the three phases of the operation, seismologists, mechanics, returning miners, a recently arrived archaeological team, spouses, and children filled the room, crowding the tables. Animated, cheerful conversation, for so many years and in recent weeks a rarity on Kessel, rose as a din.
At the first table sat the Calrissians, the Solos, Nien Nunb, and several of their friends. Tendra raised a glass. “Here's to no more groundquakes, ever.”
The others raised glasses and drank. Leia, her cheeks flushed, set her tumbler down and turned to Lando. “Is that just a hope, or is that the way it is?”
“The way it is.” Clearly deeper into his cups than Leia, he leaned toward her and almost lost his balance; he braced himself against the table and sat upright again. “More caverns that have been weakened by the explosives might collapse, but the likelihood of them interacting in any way is basically nil. And the Great Kessel Fault remains stable.”
Han gave Lando a nonchalant shrug. “Stable or not, it's all your fault. Yours and Tendra's and Nien Nunb's.”
“That's right, old buddy. All our fault. We'll be exploring it next, by the way. You want to earn some easy money?”
“Noooo.” Han put an arm around Leia. “It's back to Coruscant for us. We're trying to settle down. Raise a kid.” He didn't add, And we need to do it on a world where she isn't terrified of some specter from space coming after her. Allana hadn't mentioned any further contact from the mysterious presence that had spoken to her, but just the possibility was keeping the child jittery, costing her sleep.
Lando would not be deterred. “Who knows what you'll find down there? Spiders the size of frigates. Gigantic glow rods that can light an entire solar system. Ancient Sith preserved in blocks of crystal for thousands of years.”
Han shook his head, not uneasy, just disinterested. “They're all yours.”
“Oh, well.” Lando raised his glass, gesturing to old friends and new. “My final drink of the evening, then, and my final toast for now.” Suddenly he sounded much more serious. “Kessel is a homely world without much to commend it. It's a demonstration of your generosity of spirit that you would all come here to save it. You have my respect, and my thanks.”
“And your hospitality,” Wedge said.
“And my hospitality. Here's to you.” Lando drank and set down his emptied glass. He rose and extended a hand to help Tendra up. “I'll see you off as you leave over the next few days. Those leaving tomorrow, we'll cry over our hangovers together.” Smiling, the Calrissians departed.
Han drew in one deep, satisfied breath, let it out slowly, and turned to Leia. “Home?”
“Home.”
DOR'SHAN SPACEPORT, DORIN
Dressed in fresh clothes and breathing the Coruscant-like atmosphere provided by Jade Shadow's life-support system, Ben and Luke sat in the yacht's small lounge area. Momentarily free of responsibility, they could relax for a bit. Ben sprawled in a reclining chair while Luke sped through several days' worth of holonews