Star Wars_ Legacy of the Force 04_ Exile - Aaron Allston [49]
Even if Jacen had been lying, he was sure Luke would not have been able to detect it. Jacen had been proficient at concealing his true feelings and emotions for a long, long time. He’d grown even better at it under Lumiya’s tutelage.
Luke was silent for long moments. Finally he said, “I’m sorry. But we’re worried. He disappeared from the Temple and we can’t find any sign of where he’s gone.”
“Can you feel him in the Force?”
“Yes. But that doesn’t mean he’s safe. Just that he’s alive. Somewhere. And not close.”
Jacen sighed. “He’s too old to be running away from home like this. My guess is he resents the fact that you took him away from me. And you know, that suggests you were right. If he’s going to be doing things like this, he may not be mature enough to be my apprentice—at least not yet.”
Luke and Mara exchanged a quick look. It seemed like a neutral exchange, but Jacen could read it as though it were a large-text news feed: they were thrown off by his admission that they might have been right all along. He exulted in his power to position their emotions.
Mara said, “Has he communicated in the last couple of days?”
Jacen shook his head. “I received a text message from him explaining some ways he planned to make Luke ‘move his feet’ in sparring. That was the last I heard from him. Of course,” he added, “if he’s run away from home and can find a way to get offplanet, he’ll probably come here. To me. If that happens, I assume you want me to send him straight back.”
“That’s correct,” Mara said. “And even if he doesn’t show up there, if you find out anything about where he might be—”
“I’ll transmit it to you instantly,” Jacen promised.
“Thanks, Jacen.” Luke waved to something outside the range of the holocam view, and he and Mara disappeared.
Jacen smiled. Causing people to think and feel what he wanted them to, even without resorting to the Force, was becoming easier and easier…even with difficult subjects like the almighty Luke Skywalker.
KUAT SYSTEM ERRANT VENTURE
Love Commander followed the Pulsar Skate into the Flag Hangar, with the two X-wings bringing up the rear. Waiting at the doors leading out of the hangar was Booster Terrik.
The old man certainly wasn’t diminished by age, Han decided. Burly and gray-bearded, he floated around on a hoverchair as massive as the front end of an airspeeder. But he stood up out of the chair as the Skate’s boarding ramp came down and Mirax dashed down it. He might be too old to walk long distances, but he was certainly not going to be caught sitting down for a reunion with his daughter.
Lando, Han, and Leia were toward the back of the greeting line. Wedge, Iella, and Myri also embraced the old man. Han and Leia shook his hand. Corran, Booster’s son-in-law, was last to approach and did the same, his rueful expression suggesting he still hadn’t quite forgiven himself for coming to like Booster.
Booster finally sat again and fixed a glare on Corran. “But you didn’t bring my grandchildren.”
Corran folded his arms. “They’re scattered to the four corners of the galaxy on Jedi business. Not my fault.”
“Humpf.” The old man fixed his stare on Mirax. “Your husband still can’t do simple math. You can’t scatter two children to four corners.”
Mirax’s grin grew broader. “Jedi think that everybody can be divided into fractions. Come on, Father. We really need to talk.”
They settled into a private conference room only a few paces from the Flag Hangar. The black gleaming sideboard had been set out with finger foods, alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks, and sealed sabacc decks with holographic images of the Errant Venture on the backs of the cards. Most people present settled for the food and alcohol-free beverages, but Myri took a sabacc deck and practiced shuffling, stacking the deck, and palming cards. Leia watched the sophisticated card sharp’s techniques for a few moments before turning her attention to the others.