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Jaina shoved Tyrr away, simultaneously sending a pulse to short out the hovering cam droid and reaching for her comlink. “Mom, Natua was just out here about a minute ago. She’s heading around the north side of the exhibition hall.”

“That explains something,” Leia said in a dry voice. “Looks like I’ve been chasing shadows. I’m on my way.”

“How about an exclusive interview since my information proved useful?” Tyrr said.

“How about I don’t punch you in the nose?” Jaina retorted. She was already turned around and running toward the exhibition hall, comming Radd as she went.

She found the Falleen at the bordok pen. Jaina didn’t slow her speed, didn’t cry out as she charged, merely dived toward the other Jedi. Natua, however, sensed her approach, and right as Jaina leapt toward her she opened the pen and the maddened animals stampeded out. Unable to move aside in time, Jaina simply Force-leapt upward, ran lightly across the backs of the creatures, and sprang toward Natua.

The other Jedi had her lightsaber up and the two blades clashed, sizzling. Jaina gritted her teeth and hissed over the noise, “I don’t want to hurt you!”

“But I want to hurt you. The real Jaina will thank me.” Natua broke the lock and pushed. Jaina fell back a pace and dropped into a defense position.

Stang, she really didn’t want to hurt Natua. The other Jedi was troubled, and needed to be taken care of. She was—

“Oh, now the gloves come off,” Jaina hissed angrily, realizing that Natua was trying to influence her with pheromones.

“Nice trick, Natua,” came Leia’s voice. “You led me on a merry chase there for a little bit. Jacen was able to throw his voice like that, too. Don’t suppose you’d care to tell me how you did it?”

Jaina didn’t take her eyes off Natua, but said, “About time you got here.”

“Sorry,” Leia said. “Natua did a pretty good job of misdirecting me.”

“Surrender,” Radd said, hurrying up. “You’re outnumbered three to one, Natua. You know we are only concerned about your—”

Natua lunged at Jaina, snarling. Both Solos brought their blades down on hers in perfect tandem, as if they’d rehearsed it. The sheer physical pressure of two crossed blades on her single one forced Natua’s blade toward the ground and she stumbled, caught off-balance. It was then that Radd sprang on her. There was no grace, no finesse, no skilled usage of the Force in his attack. He simply jumped on her from behind and rammed his hard skull into hers.

Natua crumpled, unconscious, to the ground. Jaina and Leia blinked at Radd. He shrugged, a little embarrassed.

“Hey,” Jaina said. “It did the trick.” She wiped a hand across her forehead and sniffed. “Whew. Is that me? I need a sanisteam.”

She glanced up to see a familiar figure striding toward her. “Looks like I missed all the fun—again,” Han said. Allana was walking at his side, her hand held tightly in his. She looked pale and frightened still, but was clearly recovering.

Leia looked sorrowfully at the unconscious Falleen and sighed. “This keeps getting harder to witness,” she said. “Valin, Seff, Jysella, and now Natua. All so young to have something like this happen.”

“Guess they don’t make Jedi like they used to,” said Han.

“Dad, I’m right here.”

ABOARD THE JADE SHADOW

THE DAYS PASSED, AND LUKE AND BEN LEARNED.

They learned primarily from Tadar’Ro, whom they grew increasingly to like. Even though he was Aing-Tii, and therefore would in part always be incomprehensible to them, he was clearly comfortable in his dealings with the two Jedi and seemed to like them after a fashion. He answered their questions as best he could, which sometimes was very well indeed and sometimes hardly at all. He was clearly trying.

“You are the third and fourth humans I have met,” Tadar’Ro said one day as they sat in what was clearly the Aing-Tii’s favorite spot. It seemed as rocky and barren as any other place, but the stones had been worn down by time. They held the warmth of the sun when it was cool and moved into shade from the taller standing stones when the