Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 02_ Omen - Christie Golden [26]
Luke whistled softly. “The Kathol Rift? I’ll need everything you can learn, then. This just keeps getting better and better.”
“What’s so bad about the Kathol Rift?” Ben asked.
“I’ll tell you later,” Luke said. “Thank you, Cilghal. Now, didn’t you say there was some good news? I think I could use it along about now.”
Cilghal smiled faintly. “Ben mentioned Seff Hellin earlier. I am pleased to report that he has been captured—by the Jedi. We are currently holding him deep within the Temple for analysis.”
“Well, that is good news. Does the GA or Daala have any idea about this?”
“None whatsoever. Jaina, Tahiri, Mirax, Winter, and Jag took him down.”
“Tahiri?” Ben was pleased. He knew Tahiri Veila hadn’t been willing to fully rejoin the Jedi, but he was glad to know that she was cooperating with them.
“Indeed. It would seem that she is not opposed to aiding us. Perhaps she will decide to rejoin at some point.”
Ben hoped so. It had been his choice to spare Tahiri, believing she could come to her senses, be redeemed.
Cilghal hesitated. “I said that the GA and Daala do not know about Seff’s capture. Nor do any of the Masters save myself. No one has any desire to place Master Hamner in a compromising position.”
Luke frowned, then nodded. “If this comes out, he can in all honesty deny any knowledge of it, and the Order is not affected. I still don’t like it.” He sighed, and then shook his head, seeming to refocus on the matter at hand. “What have you learned about Seff so far?”
“He does not demonstrate Valin’s ability to blank the encephalo-scan, and thus we were able to successfully take brain scan readings. The parts of his brain that are active while dreaming also appear to be active while he is awake, to a certain extent. In other words, there is a definite dream state occurring, although he is wide awake and cognizant of what is going on. Our investigation continues.”
Investigation. Even Cilghal was starting to use Ben’s terms. Ben suddenly was hurled back in time in his mind to when Master Cilghal had been conducting the investigation into the murder of Mara Jade Skywalker. The detachment had helped. Ben had burned with the desire to do everything exactly right, so that the investigation into his mother’s death wouldn’t be compromised. He’d been the one to prove what had happened to her, even when things seemed to point in another direction entirely. And now here was another investigation, not into a murder but into something that was most assuredly a mystery.
“What is his behavior like?” Luke asked.
“Exactly as you’d expect. He thinks everyone’s been taken and replaced by doubles. He is scared and angry and determined to kill us all. Captain Solo and Jedi Organa Solo will be arriving within a few hours to offer what insight they can, as they were the ones who encountered Seff Hellin first.”
“I remember,” Luke said. “I’m not sure they will be able to give us any additional insight, but who knows? Anything else?”
“I would have thought that this would be quite sufficient for one conversation, but if you insist, I’m sure I can come up with something else.”
Luke laughed. The sound surprised Ben. There was so much bad that was going on, it seemed hard to find anything to be amused about. But now Cilghal was grinning, too, and he mentally shrugged.
“No, I think you’re right,” Luke said. “That’s more than enough for one day. Let me know when you find anything on the Aing-Tii, and brief me after the Council meeting. In the meantime, Ben and I will set course for the Kathol Rift.” He hesitated, then added, “And please give my deepest sympathies to Corran and Mirax. This is an especially difficult time for them.”
“Of course, Master Skywalker.” Cilghal inclined her hairless head. Her image disappeared.
Luke settled back in the chair, folding his arms behind his head. His blue eyes were distant, unfocused. Ben held his tongue for a while, but finally he couldn