Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 04_ Backlash - Aaron Allston [138]
“I’ve no idea,” Vestara said. She might be lying through her teeth. She might be telling the truth. Ben simply couldn’t be sure.
“Your cooperation is appreciated, Master Skywalker,” came the voice that had first hailed them. Ben and Luke exchanged puzzled glances. Of course Vestara had told them who was holding her captive, but why the courtesy and respectful title?
“I am High Lord Sarasu Taalon, commander of this force,” the voice continued. “Your reputation precedes you. We have studied you, and your son, a great deal.”
“I wish I could say the same,” Luke said. “I know nothing about you and your people, High Lord Taalon.”
“No, you don’t. But I am prepared for that to change—somewhat. Your vessel carries a Z-95 Headhunter.”
“It does,” Luke said. “I presume you’re about to ask me to come over to your flagship and chat over a nice glass of something.”
“You and Vestara, yes,” Taalon said. “You will have to turn her back over to us, of course. But there is no reason we can’t be civilized about this.”
“No, thanks,” Luke said. “Anything you have to say to me can be said at a distance. Vestara isn’t the worst companion I’ve ever traveled with. I think I’ll let her stay here with us for a while longer.”
Ben looked again at the Sith girl. His father was right. She wasn’t the worst companion he’d ever traveled with.
“Let us revisit that subject in a moment,” came Taalon’s reply. “As I’m sure you know by now, Apprentice Vestara Khai has done a commendable job of keeping us informed of what has transpired. We are aware that you are having … difficulty with certain Jedi who were fostered inside the Maw. We believe this is due to the intervention of a being known to us as Abeloth, whom Vestara encountered. Many of our own apprentices are displaying the same symptoms as your younger Jedi.”
“Your younger Sith were in the Maw, as well?” Luke sounded skeptical.
“No. But such identical displays of aberrant behavior cannot be attributed to anything else.”
Ben, too, was skeptical. But there was so much they didn’t know yet. He shrugged slightly when his father’s blue eyes met his. It was possible.
“We are many. You are only two,” Taalon continued. “We have a common cause.”
“Are—are you proposing a formal alliance?” Luke was so surprised he didn’t even bother to hide it. Ben, too, literally gaped for a moment. Vestara seemed more shocked than any of them, judging by her expression and her feeling in the Force.
“Precisely.”
Luke started to laugh. “I’m sorry, but that doesn’t sound like a very Sith thing to say.”
The voice was cold when Taalon spoke again. “This creature, this Abeloth, has the audacity to reach out and harm our apprentices. Our tyros. To toy with the Tribe—the Sith. The insult cannot be borne. It will not be borne. We are going into the Maw. We will find her. And she will know pain a thousand times worse than anything she has visited upon us. She will learn what it truly means to attack the Tribe. We will take delight in destroying all that is precious to her, and then, slowly, we will end her.”
Ben glanced at his father. “That, however, is a very Sith thing to say.”
Luke nodded. To Taalon, he said, “It may be that we do not need to teach her a lesson, as it were. We may simply need to find out why she is doing this.”
“And ask her nicely to please stop?”
Ben thought Han Solo could learn a thing or two from this Sith about infusing one’s voice with sarcasm.
“You just asked me nicely to help you out. Clearly you’re capable of good manners,” Luke replied, unruffled. “If it accomplishes the goal with fewer or perhaps no casualties, how is that not the best solution?”
There was silence. “It is possible she may not be amenable to … polite conversation. What then, Master Skywalker?”
“I will do whatever is necessary to free the ill Jedi from her control,” Luke said. “I assure you of that.”
His voice was not harsh, but there was a tone in it Ben recognized. The deed was almost as good as done when Luke Skywalker spoke like that.
“You agree, then?” Taalon asked.