Star Wars_ Legacy of the Force 07_ Fury - Aaron Allston [101]
Ben shook his head. “I’ll be more useful accompanying you aboard the Anakin Solo.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Because with both of us boarding, Jacen will conclude that we’re there to kill him. It will help keep him from guessing that Allana is the mission’s real goal. And he won’t be wondering where I am or what I’m up to.”
Luke gave his son a close look. “And will diversion be your genuine intent? Not revenge?”
“Yes, Grand Master.”
“All right, then.” Luke rose, prompting the others to do the same. He turned to Tycho. “General, I’m sorry about imprisoning you and your pilot. And stealing your shuttle. And exposing you to Ewoks again. And such.”
Tycho shrugged. “I acknowledge that, from your perspective, you have to keep me a prisoner until your operation begins, to keep me from doing my duty and alerting the Alliance…”
“Yes?”
“There’s no reason why you couldn’t take me with you to Colonel Solo’s action against Corellia, put me in the cockpit of a starfighter, and let me make my way home from there. After I fly around getting a good look at everything, that is.”
“Good point.” Luke nodded. “We may do that. And your pilot?”
“Oh, you don’t have to imprison her at all.” Tycho reached into his tunic pocket.
Wedge’s forefinger dug into Tycho’s ribs. “No tricks.”
Tycho grinned and passed Luke a datacard. “In our ongoing effort to maintain cordial relations with the Jedi Order, and thus effect your rapid return to the Galactic Alliance, I present you with our special envoy, Captain Syal Antilles, who will remain with you and communicate with my office whenever you permit.”
Syal’s jaw dropped. “Wait. What?”
Tycho fixed her with a stern look. “This assignment is no milk run, Antilles. This is a tricky diplomatic mission with a lot at stake, and just trying to keep up with the Jedi can get you killed. But if you help keep the Alliance and the Jedi in touch, if you keep them talking, you’ll be making a big difference in this war.”
Wedge looked proud and reflective. “I was years older than you when I became an ambassador for the first time. Remember that, Tycho? How did we get through that assignment, anyway?”
“Pretty much, we opened fire on everyone who disagreed with us.”
Wedge nodded and turned to his daughter. “When all else fails, just do that.”
chapter thirty
SANCTUARY MOON OF ENDOR, JEDI OUTPOST
Jag lay on the medical ward bed. He might have been mistaken for a dead man but for the very slow rise and fall of his chest.
Jaina, sitting on a chair near the foot of the bed, had a good sense of how nearly dead Jag had been. He’d had damage to his neck, a fracture to his left elbow, multiple breaks in his left thigh, internal injuries…Since he would never have survived a direct jump from the asteroid system to Endor in the cockpit of a starfighter, they had made a short jump to Bimmiel, transferred Jag to the Falcon, and left his X-wing covered by camouflage sheets and sand in a chilly tundra valley.
But now, after time in a restorative bacta tank, after medicines and rest, the medics said he was much improved; he would soon recover fully.
Jaina wasn’t sure. In the Force, Jag didn’t feel like a man struggling back toward health and vitality.
Jag opened his eyes. He didn’t move, not even to turn his head, until he’d seen everything he could from his position—a survival trait, Jaina decided, possibly one he learned while stranded on Tenupe.
Finally he turned his head and saw her. He offered no smile, but he did speak. “Hello.”
“Hello yourself. Remember much?”
“Yes.” He started to nod, thought the better of it as half-healed injuries pulled. “I remember everything. Except where we are.”
“Endor. You were unconscious when we got here.”
“Ah. And Zekk?”
“Better. He was kind of a mess coming out of the asteroid. He took the same amount of damage you did…but emotional,