Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 02_ Omen - Christie Golden [92]
She and Dorvan sat down. Daala refused sweetcakes but accepted caf. Once it was poured and the attendants had left them in private, she got right to the point.
“You can’t tell me, Master Hamner, that you didn’t know about this,” Daala said.
“I can, and what is more, it is the truth,” Hamner replied calmly. “I was unaware of anything any of the Jedi Knights or the Masters were doing along these lines. Admiral, you yourself specifically requested that I step in during Master Skywalker’s absence. That is because you knew you could trust me to not deceive you. And that, I have not done.”
“I will admit that I, and a few others, have,” Leia said quietly. “I believed and still believe it is in the best interests of everyone involved—in the interests of the Jedi, those poor unfortunates who are suffering from this malady, and in the interests of the Galactic Alliance—that the Jedi who have exhibited this behavior be kept conscious and studied by others like them. With all due respect, we can sense things that your doctors cannot. We—”
“This is exactly the issue I raised with Skywalker,” Daala retorted. “Judge, jury, executioner—Jedi. The rest of us just have to trust that you have our best interests at heart. Leia—beings are getting seriously harmed, even killed by this … malady, as you so delicately put it. And I can’t simply rely on the Jedi to police themselves.”
“Actually, you can,” put in Jaina, and Leia winced, just a little. “Because I did. Master Hamner is completely innocent in this. He knew nothing. I made sure he didn’t. I acted on my own initiative.”
“Alone?” said Daala sarcastically. “That would be quite the trick, even for the Sword of the Jedi.”
Jaina scowled. She, too, was thinking of the news coverage. “Obviously not.”
“Then name your accomplices.” Daala took a sip of caf It was delicious, robust and hot. The Jedi obviously didn’t skimp.
“I can’t do that.”
Daala sighed, placed the caf down, leaned back in her chair, and folded her arms. “Then we’re back to square one. I demand the release of Natua Wan and Seff Hellin, as criminals against the Galactic Alliance. You will hand them over to me and—”
“You have two, they have two,” Han said. He didn’t use we. He was not a Jedi, and the word choice was very clear. “You may not like it, Daala, and frankly much of the time I don’t like it, either. I’ve had to live with it for over forty years, that extra sensing thing they have. But it’s saved my life more than once, and I’ve learned to trust it.”
“You trust it because you trust the individuals,” Daala said. “I’ve got no reason to trust you. Less now.”
Jaina blew a lock of hair out of her eyes. Her mother spoke before she could. “We are all acutely aware of that. And that’s one thing that Master Hamner, Han, Jaina, and I have discussed.”
“Jaina Solo knew that what she was doing was contrary to what I had instructed the Order,” Hamner said. “I have not been able to extract from her the name of her compatriots, only her assurance—which I believe—that none of them other than Jedi Solo, Master Cilghal, and one other are from the Order. Jaina understands that she is to be reprimanded for what she chose to do.”
Daala bit back a retort and instead lifted an eyebrow. “I’m listening,” she said. Beside her, Dorvan entered data quietly. His caf cooled, untouched, in front of him.
“She will be confined to the Temple for a period of two weeks. The same punishment will be enacted upon the other Jedi. Even Master Cilghal will be subjected to this, for her decision not to come forward immediately.”
“I’m impressed,” Daala said, and she was. This was a step toward the humiliation she desired to see them experience. “Will this be made public?”
Jaina winced.
“Yes,” said Hamner. “And I’m prepared to talk with any reporters