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Somehow I balled my hands into fists and fought to stop the tears threatening to leak from my eyes. If I had not set the destruction of the Invids as a condition for our decision about having a child, she never would have taken this risk. I should have seen that, I should have known what she would do. She never was one to stand around idle when a goal eluded her grasp.

Was she? With that question, with my realization that I couldn’t remember enough about her to answer it, the tears came. I wanted to apologize, but the lump in my throat choked off my words. My mouth gaped open in a silent scream, then I hammered my right fist down against the arm of my chair and snapped my mouth shut. I sniffed, swiped at tears, then sat back upright.

“Please, forgive me,” I croaked.

“Nothing to forgive, Corran.” Tycho gave me a brave smile. “You’re taking this a lot better than I would if I had the equivalent news about Winter.”

Cracken reached out and patted me on the knee. “But for your sense of Mirax’s being gone, I would not be overly alarmed, Captain Horn. She is overdue for reporting in, but not by so much time that I see a need to assume the worst.”

“I’m not assuming, sir.” I opened my fists and stared down at my empty hands. “She’s gone. Not dead, just gone! I was sleeping and heard her scream my name, and then she was gone.”

Cracken’s head came up. “You think this is more than a nightmare?”

“It was no nightmare.”

“Then part of your Jedi heritage?”

I stopped and thought hard. Did I maintain some sort of unconscious, untrained connection with Mirax through the Force? I didn’t know if that was possible.

“I don’t know, General, I just know she is gone. I can’t feel her anymore.” I looked toward Tycho. “Tell me you can feel Winter’s presence, please.”

Tycho smiled quickly. “I think I know what you mean, Corran, and I do feel her presence when we’re together, but it is not a constant thing. She’s off nursemaiding Anakin Solo and I have no idea where she is or how she is doing. Knowing her, I assume all is well. I can’t tell you, however, that I have the same bond with her that you share with Mirax.”

“Thanks for your honesty.” I turned back to Cracken. “Tell me where she last was.”

The general shook his head. “I cannot.”

“You must.”

“I can’t and won’t, Captain Horn.” Cracken’s face closed. “Think about it for a minute. I have agents in place who are very vulnerable.…”

“It’s Mirax’s vulnerability I’m worrying about here.”

“I know that, man, don’t think I don’t.” An edge crept into Cracken’s voice and sliced through my anger. “She’s in the same position you were when we inserted you and the Rogues here, into Coruscant. If I give you that information and you head out after her, you might just cause those who are dealing with her to think they have been set up. You have to trust her and trust that she will do the right thing.”

“And if that isn’t enough?” I found my hands had become fists again, so I forced them open once more. “You may not want to give me the information, General, but you can be ordered to do so.”

“Only by the New Republic’s ruling council.”

I gave him as hard a stare as I could muster. “I’m willing to petition them to get me that information. What I’ve done for the New Republic may have aged a bit, and nothing is as tiresome as yesterday’s hero, but I’ll burn whatever political capital I have to save Mirax.”

Cracken frowned at me. “But we don’t even know she needs saving yet.”

“You don’t know, General, I do.” I stood and offered both men a salute. “I respect you both very much, and I do not mean to be insubordinate, but my wife is in trouble and I will help her. I’d like your help, but absent that, don’t try to stop me.”

FOUR

I knew General Cracken’s reasons for refusing to give me the information I wanted were good and sound, and I would have resisted my request the same as he had, were I in his position. That sort of cold logic melts away, however, in the face of the sort of anger and pain I was feeling. If I had just made a decision and not tried to delay things, Mirax wouldn’t be missing.