Star Wars_ I, Jedi - Michael A. Stackpole [24]
Wedge pointed at me. “If nothing else, his status as a hero of the Rebellion would probably distract other students.”
“Very true, but that’s not too difficult a problem to handle.” Luke smiled easily. “Dye your hair, grow a beard, you’ll look different. In your time with CorSec you performed undercover operations.”
“Sure, but I wasn’t known as Corran Horn during those assignments, either.”
“No, you changed your name.” Luke nodded solemnly. “In researching the Corellian Jedi I saw a name—probably an ancestor of yours. You may even have been named for him. He was Keiran Halcyon. You can use his name. It is close enough to your own for you to respond to it, yet far enough away to give you the cover you need.”
Keiran Halcyon. The name rolled around in my brain and seemed to soothe the last lingering bits of pain from Luke’s probe. “That might work. I have to think about it.”
Luke reached out and patted me on the shoulder. “It is a big decision. Go home. Definitely think about it. Think about reclaiming the heritage the Empire tried to deny to you. This is yet another chance for you to defeat that evil and prepare yourself to battle new evils. If you truly want the galaxy to be safe for the children you and Mirax will have, learning to become a Jedi is the best possible course you can take.”
SIX
Wedge ran me home and offered to stay and talk things over with me, but I let him go. “I appreciate the offer, Wedge, but you’ve got more important things to do than to listen to me argue this from all sides.”
Wedge pressed his lips together in a grim grin. “Nothing I have to do is more important than my friends. Mirax is as close as I’ve ever come to having a little sister, and I definitely think of her as family. You’re a good friend. As much as it bothers you to be able to do nothing at the moment, at least you have some options. I’m even more blind here than you are; but I’ll be ready to help no matter what decision you make.”
I shook his outstretched hand. “Thanks. Believe me, you’ll be hearing from me.”
“I’m counting on it.”
I held a hand up. “One thing, please. Don’t say anything to Booster.”
Wedge frowned. “But he’s her father. He should be told.”
“Yeah, but if Cracken was afraid I’d be a nerf in an antiquities bazaar, just imagine what Booster will do.” I shook my head. “The Errant Venture might not be in the greatest shape, but having an Imperial Star Destroyer show up and threaten a world probably won’t be the best way to get Mirax back.”
“You have a point there.” Wedge smiled. “I won’t lie to him, but I won’t go out of my way to say anything to him until or unless I have some good news.”
“Thanks. See you later, Wedge.” I walked down the steps from the complex’s common landing area and over to the apartment. The door slid open when I punched in the code. I was two steps inside before I noticed there were more lights on than when I’d left. Without a blaster or my grandfather’s lightsaber, I was defenseless against whoever had broken in. I was about to turn and head back out again, when a familiar hooting sounded from the living room.
“Yes, Whistler, it’s me.”
The little green R2 unit rolled over, swiveled his head so his visual monitors could take in the hallway, then turned around and disappeared again. I walked down to the living area and found a variety of bags and containers of food piled on the holopad’s table. The droid’s pincer arm extended from its cylindrical body and elevated a can of nerf and gumes to the top of a shaky stack.
“Whistler, despite what Mirax told you months ago about my dietary habits when she’s gone, I really can feed myself.” I dropped to my knees on the floor beside him and caught the can he dropped in my lap. “Yes, I’m certain this would be good, but I’m just not hungry right now.”
A whistle started low and spiked high.
“Why?” I snorted. “I don’t know how much of this you can understand, Whistler.” I ignored his derisive reply and pushed on, organizing my thoughts as I went. “Since you’re here, I know you pulled the Skate’s port logs and saw Mirax