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“No.” He sensed she wasn’t lying, but he also knew that one could easily get around detection with the proper mental gymnastics.

Luke sighed. “Then we simply have to keep searching for them. The Lost Tribe and Abeloth both.”

“There are an awful lot of old Sith sites in this galaxy,” Jaina warned. “Even for several ships of Jedi to be exploring.”

“Then we’ve got to be better hunters,” Luke said. “Talk to Natua tomorrow. Let’s see if we can narrow the search.”

Jaina nodded, looking glum, and bid them good night.

Vestara rose, as well. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said. “It was … kind of a difficult day and I’m extremely tired. I’m going to turn in.”

Ben smiled at her. “Thanks for the help with the tuk’ata,” he said.

She returned the smile. “Of course,” she said, glancing at Luke. He said nothing other than “Good night, Vestara,” and he felt a brush of disappointment from her.

Luke more than anyone understood the deep wanting Ben was experiencing. No one ever wanted to believe that someone he cared for was irredeemable. But Ben should know better. Not everyone could be saved.

Particularly if they didn’t want to be. And Luke was still deeply mistrustful, despite the girl’s apparent effort to help them.

When they had found Abeloth and the Lost Tribe, and Vestara came firmly down on the side of the Jedi in all interactions with them, then he would believe she stood a chance. And not a second before.

The door hissed shut behind Vestara and she leaned against it, closing her eyes. She hadn’t lied to the Skywalkers. It had indeed been a difficult day, and she was exhausted.

So much dark-side energy, swirling around her—it had been almost impossible to not joyfully yield to its seductive song. But she couldn’t. Not yet … and, she thought as she sat down and unbraided her hair, maybe not ever. It had been sweet and alluring, but for the first time she had a glimmer of insight into what the Jedi must feel when encountering it.

The dark side had ice to it. She had never noticed that; it was all she had known. But traveling with Ben and Luke had granted her a different perspective, and that made her feel uneasy.

She knew they were too far for Korriban’s Force energies to be reaching her, but like the memory of standing shivering in the cold even after one had come into a warm room, in her mind she could still feel them. Vestara slipped out of her clothes and into a sanisteam, then wrapped herself in the bed’s blankets. Tired though she was, she lay awake in the darkness for some time.

She hadn’t lied to Luke, but she hadn’t told him everything, either. She had indeed spoken to the so-called Sith hounds, telling them not to harm her or anyone she was with, and to find any Sith present on this dark world. And they had cringed and whimpered, because there were no Sith to be found.

What Vestara hadn’t told Luke was the third instruction she had given the tuk’ata.

Harm no one who stands with me, on pain of death. Seek out any of my brethren who might come to our ancient home.

And warn them to stay hidden.

SOLO SAFE HOUSE, CORUSCANT

“I’M NOT TIRED.” ALLANA SOLO, KNOWN TO NEARLY EVERYONE BUT her closest family as Amelia, scowled fiercely at her grandfather.

“You know, honey, you only use that tone of voice when you’re exhausted,” Han Solo replied as he tucked her in and knelt beside the bed, searching for the girl’s latest favorite stuffed animal, a fuzzy eopie that had seen better days. It had become Anji’s favorite toy, too, and had gone downhill rapidly since the day the Solos had brought the nexu cub home as a pet for Allana. “So in effect, when you protest that much, I know it’s a dead certainty that you are tired.” His hand closed on something soft and slightly soggy and he grimaced as he pulled out the beloved toy.

“Oh, you mean I have a tell.”

Han, who was tucking the toy beside her, did a double take. “What?”

“A tell,” said the eight-year-old. “Like when you’re gambling, and you do something that lets someone know if you have a good hand or—”

“I know