Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 04_ Backlash - Aaron Allston [37]
How would Grandpa Han find R2-D2? He’d rely on instincts, meaning that he’d go toward whichever place looked most interesting. Allana had met very small children who thought that way, and she wondered how Han managed to win at so many things when he thought like a small child. She wasn’t sure it would work for her.
Jaina’s boyfriend Jag talked about methodology and grid patterns, which were just grown-up terms for making sure you looked at everything in order. She looked around, mentally dividing the grounds into quarters, and wondered which pie-slice to start with.
And, oh yes, there was the Force, which Leia, Jaina, and Allana’s real mommy used all the time. She wondered if the Force would tell her anything. She was a little frightened of it, since it had led her to where a scary thing had talked to her on Kessel. But R2-D2 was missing, and she wasn’t willing to be frightened right now.
She thought about R2-D2, how she missed her astromech friend and how everyone would miss him worse if he never came back. Then she turned due north and began walking toward the domes in that direction. Anji quickly padded out ahead of her and disappeared into the shadows. Allana wasn’t worried. She could still feel Anji in the Force, and she knew that Anji wouldn’t stray very far from her. After all, Allana was Anji’s friend, and friends didn’t run off into the jungle without each other.
NORTH OF REDGILL LAKE, DATHOMIR
The odd grouping of one cargo speeder, three mounted rancors, and four Witches on foot rounded a spur of Redgill Lake just as dusk was settling. Spread out before Luke and his party was a large encampment, a gathering of nearly two hundred individuals in two distinct areas separated by a few meters of unoccupied ground.
Luke’s party had, of course, passed by several hidden sentries on their way here, especially in the last few kilometers. Luke had felt them out there, concealed, observant. So had Kaminne, and she had offered hand signs, a different one at each location, and Luke’s party had passed unmolested.
Now, as they came within a hundred meters of the encampment, curious Witches from the near portion of the camp and equally interested men from the northern portion moved their way. Luke could sense suspicion and even hostility, especially from the women.
And one touch of alarm, quickly suppressed. He looked back and forth, trying to pinpoint its source, but could not; it had vanished before he could get a fix on it. He altered his perceptions and could feel his own blood among the people, but in the thick of the crowd it was impossible to pinpoint its exact location. Still, he had reason to be certain that the Sith girl was nearby, watching.
Kaminne sprang forward from her seat to land on the hood of the cargo speeder. She spoke loudly, projecting like a trained orator. “I bring good words. The men who have been following the trail of the sisters of Raining Leaves are not enemies. I have met them and now bring them before you as counselors to this conclave. You have all heard the name of Luke Skywalker. It is he who sits behind me.”
A murmur of voices rose from the assembling crowd, and Luke felt the emotions shift—the suspicion did not exactly diminish, but it was joined by interest and curiosity.
“With him is his son, Ben, and they have been joined by the lady Leia Solo, her mate, Han, and others. I have granted them safe passage among us.” She looked down at Yliri and gestured for the Corellian woman to guide the speeder to a spot a few meters from the waterline, near one of the campfires.
Han sighed. “So I’m just ‘her mate.’”
Leia gave him an innocent smile. “Always have been. Fetch me something good to eat, would you, mate? And then you may treat yourself to a few drippings of soup.”
Carrack gave Han a sour look. “Hey, at least you got a name. Me, I’m just ‘others.’”
The speeder grounded where Kaminne indicated. Its occupants piled out and