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Corran Horn shook his head. “Find the motive, means, and opportunity, and you find the criminal. Head of State Fel, for instance, might have a motive to do in Lecersen, as there’s some talk that Lecersen could have been behind the assassination attempt made against him.” He cocked a brow at Han and Leia. “Which makes you two suspects as well, since you were endangered by that attack. You, like Fel, have access to associates with considerable skill and perhaps poisons. Means. And you, like Fel, have been visitors to the Senate Building recently. Opportunity.”

Leia offered Corran an Oh-no-you-don’t smirk. “But, Officer, we have no motive to harm Jaxton.”

“Correct. Lecersen and Jaxton. Find the connection, find the motive. And then why the entire Senate chamber? One general, one Moff, and a lot of Senators?” Corran shrugged.

Master Cilghal heaved a rumbling sigh. “I wish they had mentioned the name of the poison. I could then tell you about its availability, characteristics … Will they give up that information?”

Leia shook her head. “Probably not. Daala only gave up as much information as she did in order to shake us, gauge our reactions, and embarrass her security detail for their failure. If we start making inquiries of her office, she’ll seal up tight.”

Corran looked thoughtful. “Back-door the query. Ask Wynn Dorvan. Or perhaps persuade Head of State Fel to ask Moff Lecersen.”

“Is Jedi Dorvald back?” Saba Sebatyne asked.

“Back, and safe, and here at the Temple. Since she’s already wanted as one of the pilots who left with the StealthX wing, we made sure that her return to the Temple was by inconspicuous routes. And we’ll get word to the Dust Dancer just as sneakily.”

Han leaned back and stretched his long legs out under the table. “There’s one good thing about her being suspected of attempted murder.”

Cilghal gave him a disapproving eye. “Murder charges are not good subjects for jokes.”

“I’m not joking. They think Seha’s motive was an attempted poisoning. Or hundreds. This means they’re not looking for Kyp or Octa.”

Cilghal considered, then nodded. “You’re right. That is a good thing. And not a joke.”

“See, if I were telling a joke, it would start out, ‘Two Mon Calamari and a Quarren swim into a cantina …’ ”

Saba offered a hiss of displeasure, interrupting. “This one dislikes the fact that there are unknown forces moving around us. This plan is dangerous enough. We must be even more cautious. Make sure the message getz to everyone who needs to know.”

The others nodded.

“Let us return to our duties. Jedi Solo, this one has a special task for you … for your special diplomatic skillz.”

“What’s that?”

“This one wantz you to persuade Seha to turn herself in for arrest, trial, and possible execution.”

In the Senate Building, the meeting was now finishing, with only Daala, Wynn, and Admiral Parova still present.

The admiral made her final statement as she rose. “I’ll have the first team in place in five minutes, Chief Daala.”

Daala nodded. “Be prepared for some resentment from security.”

“Those who have failed always resent those who haven’t. I’m used to it. And allow me to say, I’m proud, we’re proud, to offer you our service, you personally.”

“Thank you, Admiral. And well done.”

HWEG SHUL, NAM CHORIOS

THE ITHORIAN WAS PHYSICALLY IMPOSING, AS THE HAMMER-HEADED species tended to be in comparison with humans, and not at all happy. “I have considerable difficulty thinking such disturbing things about Dr. Wei.”

Luke, pausing midway through examination of a sheaf of flimsi printouts in Dr. Wei’s small home office, nodded in understanding. “I can appreciate that, Mayor Snaplaunce. Can you tell me what you know of him?”

The mayor, standing in the office’s doorway, offered a credible imitation of a human shrug. “He has been here nearly thirty years and has tried not just to get along in the community but to become a part of it. He was married for twenty of those years to a woman of the Newcomers, a jeweler, who died in a landspeeder accident. They have a