Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 02_ Omen - Christie Golden [36]
“Oh, he looks calm,” Han said. “Calm and contemplating how best to dismember us.”
“Dad,” Jaina repeated.
“I gotta say, I never thought we’d see this guy again,” Han said, smoothly shifting from acerbic humor to deadly seriousness. “And we’re not so glad about it, to be honest.”
“You’re certain it’s the same man you saw?” Jaina asked, directing the question to both parents.
“Yep. I recognize him.”
Seff did not move.
“And I recognize his feel in the Force,” Leia said quietly.
“Has it changed at all?” Jaina inquired.
Leia sighed, peering down at the tall, attractive young man whom she’d known since he was fourteen. She and Han had run across Seff Hellin just a few months before. He had alarmed their granddaughter, Allana, by how he felt to the girl in the Force. Allana had fled, screaming, to Leia, crying out Jacen’s name. The girl was perceptive … there was indeed something dark and dangerous in Seff Hellin’s energy.
And about ten minutes after that encounter, Hellin had shocked everyone by tearing loose a dozen blasters from the hands of GA Intelligence, throwing them against the wall, and then paralyzing his enemies as if literally freezing them dead in their tracks. A neat little trick, one that he shouldn’t have been able to do.
But one that Jacen Solo had.
“It’s gotten more intense,” Leia said, wishing she had better news to report. “Stronger. Darker.”
“Sounds like a cup of caf,” Han said. He ran a hand over his stub-bled face. “You know, I could use one.”
They had left Kessel as soon as word had reached them about Seff’s capture, and little things like food, drink, and sleep had been pushed aside. Leia had to smile. “Me too. I think I’ve seen enough here. Let’s go upstairs, get some caf, and take it somewhere private, where we can talk.”
They had all turned and were about to leave the prison via the catwalk that surrounded the cell block and led down to the main level when Seff spoke, startling them all.
“Yes,” he said, his voice laced with hatred. “Pretend to be just like us. Drink your caf, eat your nerf steaks, swing your lightsabers like real Jedi. But we’ll stop you. We’ll stop you and get back the people you’ve stolen.”
Leia fixed him with a compassionate gaze, her brown eyes soft. He stared back. And without another word, the Solo family turned as one to leave.
“Han, you and I need to meet with the Horns. They could use some support now.”
“After caf,” Han muttered, but his expression was troubled, and he added, “I can’t imagine how Corran and Mirax must be feeling.”
The Solos had had to mourn the deaths of two of their three children: Anakin and Jacen. Jaina, who had been their only daughter, was now their only living child. Beside her, walking swiftly like her mother in order to keep pace with the longer strides of Han as they headed to the security door, Jaina frowned.
“It’s been very hard on them. First Valin, now Jysella. And Daala’s comments didn’t help.” Her mouth was a thin line as she punched in a code and pressed her face to a small aperture for a retinal scan. She stepped back and let her parents emulate her.
“Yes,” said Leia grimly. “We saw the newsvids.”
“It’s disgusting,” Jaina blurted as the door opened and they headed toward the turbolift. “She all but declared that the reason Valin and Jysella went crazy is because of who their family is.”
“Well, come on, honey, not everyone can be Solos,” Han said, reaching out a hand to squeeze his daughter’s slender shoulder as the turbolift doors opened.
Being born a member of the Solo clan had never been easy, although it did have its privileges. Jaina offered Han a small grin, but her brow remained furrowed in righteous anger.
“Seriously, Dad, if you saw it, you know what I’m talking about.