Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 01_ Outcast - Aaron Allston [9]
But the strangeness of the situation did not leave Luke. He took a look around his table to see if the others present were similarly affected.
Kyp Durron faced the dais and wore an expression suggesting that he was somewhere else, maintaining a false show of interest that was nothing but polite veneer. Jaina, as beautiful as her mother, Leia, but even more dangerous, concentrated on those at the dais, especially Jag Fel. Han Solo, lanky, weathered, and vital, sitting to the right of Leia, wore his traditional vest and trousers, the latter decorated with the Corellian Bloodstripes, his informal mode of dress in defiance of event protocols; he stared in heavy-lidded disinterest at the speaker. Kam and Tionne Solusar, no visible sign left of the savage mutilations they had survived during the recent war, ignored the Bothan's speech and whispered between themselves.
And the Horns—
Luke blinked. Where were Corran and Mirax? They'd be testifying before separate panels later today and had announced they would be present at these opening ceremonies. Luke grinned sourly to himself. Corran Horn was a loyal ally and would stand beside him in the face of any danger, but he was obviously canny enough to avoid the threat of death by boredom.
Two hours later, those who had been sitting at the Jedi table moved out in a knot from the Senate Building into the sunlight shining on the plaza outside. Immediately Luke felt heat from the sun soaking into his dark Grand Master garments.
Han stretched, resulting in a series of popping noises from his arms and shoulders. “I think I died a couple of times during the speeches.” His voice was a grumble. “Leia kept poking me and starting my heart again. Some sort of dark side Force technique, I bet.”
Leia smirked and gave his ribs a two-fingered jab. “Like that?”
Han shrank away. “Ow. And yes. And I think maybe you should have let me stay dead. Because I just know there are more speeches to come, and I have to be at some of them.”
Leia gave him a look that was both disapproving and amused. “It wasn't that bad. Neither the pokes nor the speeches.”
Luke grinned and brought out his comlink. It, like all comlinks taken into the ceremonial hall, had been switched off as a courtesy to the event. Now he switched it on. Immediately it beeped multiple times, indicating that he had several messages to listen to, several calls to return.
Jaina's was doing the same thing. She grimaced. “Busy day to come.”
Luke felt it first, a ripple in the Force, not exactly of menace but of disquiet. He looked around the plaza, seeing the ostentatiously dressed members of the crowd continuing to stream out from the Senate Building. Speeder traffic confined itself to its proper travel lanes some distance away—
No, that wasn't quite true. Four night-blue personnel transport speeders, traveling in a tight chain and at moderate speed just above pedestrian head height, were moving toward this building entrance. This was not an unusual sight in the government districts of Coruscant; troops were often moved in to offer security at an event. But such movements usually took place before the event began, not after it ended.
The other Masters present felt the disquiet and became more alert, but made no outward sign. Then Jaina noticed. She put her hand on her lightsaber.
“Ben.” Luke kept his voice low. “Drop back, blend with the crowd. Call Nawara Ven.”
Ben glanced around and spotted the transports. His jaw tightened. He looked as though he wanted to argue, but he simply stopped in place, disappearing from among the other Jedi as they continued to move forward. He drew out his comlink and thumbed it on.
The four personnel carriers broke formation, one crossing past the group of Jedi and swinging in at their left side, one drawing up short and landing to their right. The third slid into place between them and the Senate Building, while the fourth settled immediately