Star Wars_ Legacy of the Force 04_ Exile - Aaron Allston [113]
“That cooperation won’t last without a commander they all agree on,” Leia said. “Now back to Alema?”
Wedge smiled. “Sorry.”
Jaina turned her tabletop display so everyone could see it. On it was the triangular plan of one entire Star Destroyer’s deck level. “We’ve added the last several days’ worth of Errant Venture security recordings to our sample, and Booster authorized the ship’s computers to give their analysis top priority. And gave us a more complete set of deck plans to compare them with. We can confirm a pattern of Alema’s movements.” She began tapping the screen, and each time she did so, a different level was displayed. “Here, for example. Casinos and shopping. Thin traces, widely spread. She was searching. And not finding anything.”
She tapped again. “A few casinos where she spent a lot of time. I don’t think she’s a gambler or attempting to build a new social life. Lavint shows up a lot in the holocam views during Alema’s presence, so it’s likely she’s keeping tabs on her partner.”
Another tap, and plans for small passenger staterooms came up. There was a bright spot in one area, suggesting frequent travel by Alema, and movement trails leading off from it in all directions. “Lavint’s compartment,” Jaina said. “No surprise there. But here’s one.”
She switched the view to a diagram of ship’s areas far away from the luxuries that the passengers enjoyed. “Just prior to the Bothan-Commenorian breaking of the Corellian blockade, she began venturing into the crew portions of the ship.”
Mirax, silent until now, sprang up and moved to stand directly in front of the monitor. “Bridge, technical centers…my father’s quarters. My quarters! She’s been in my room?”
In his best CorSec investigator voice, Corran asked, “Have you noticed anything suggesting that someone has been sampling your cosmetics, trying on your clothes?”
Mirax shot her husband an unamused look. “Other than you?”
“Ow.” Corran raised his hands. “I give up.”
“It’s not funny, Corran.” Mirax moved away from the display. She resumed her seat, clearly rattled.
Jaina caught Leia’s eye. “Mom, you may have saved Booster’s life by coming back when you did. When Alena stopped being able to sense you, she probably thought about getting to you through Dad, through the loose network of smugglers—and Booster’s an obvious target.”
“Well, let’s make sure she doesn’t get another crack at Booster,” Leia said. “Or at any of us. We’re going to hunt her down and eliminate her as a problem—the easy way, if she’ll cooperate, or the hard way if she won’t. And that means Jedi.”
Han gave her an incredulous look. “I’m not going to stay while you—”
She shot him a look suggesting that this wasn’t a matter for debate. “I think you’d better. Alema’s a Jedi who thinks like an assassin. How much training have you done against a combination like that?”
“I don’t need training, I have reflexes,” he blustered.
Wedge touched his arm. “Actually, you and I can do them a lot more good by monitoring everything on the security holocams. We can anticipate traps and ambushes, warn them about confederates Alema has that we don’t know about.”
“Well…” Then Han heard what Jag was saying to Jaina: “—need about five minutes to get some equipment from my X-wing.”
“Hey,” Han said. “If I’m not going, he’s not going.”
Jag turned his attention to Han. His reply was calm, reasonable of tone. “I’ve been preparing for this for years. And it’s my mission.”
“Jag’s right, Dad.” Jaina moved up to Han, then leaned over and kissed his forehead. “Please.”
Han uttered a little growl, then slumped, defeated.
Alema was thrilled. Only half an hour ago she had detected the Force presence—the one that said Leia was probably aboard again.
“You were right,” she told Lavint. She donned her black hooded cloak and felt around with her one functioning hand to be sure that all her weapons and tools were readily available.
“I usually am,” Lavint said. She got up from the bed, moved to the