Star Wars_ Legacy of the Force 07_ Fury - Aaron Allston [94]
Leia shook her head. “Somebody was very serious.”
No one answered over the comm board, but a noise came from the speakers—labored breathing.
Leia frowned and activated her microphone. “Zekk, is that you?”
“Not me.”
“It’s me.” The voice was Jag’s, pained.
“Jag!” Four people spoke his name simultaneously, Jaina loudest of all. She added, “How did you get off the asteroid?”
“Got to the surface. Commed my astromech and it gave me distance and bearing to my X-wing. Fortunately, it was upright, just covered in dust. But it’s damaged, and I’m…I don’t think I can calculate a hyperspace jump right now.”
Han heaved a sigh of relief. “Don’t worry about it, kid. We’ll run the numbers for you. You just catch up to us.” He activated his transceiver, giving Jag’s X-wing a clear signal to home in on.
“Will do, sir.”
“And don’t call me sir. I hate that.”
“Understood, sir.”
SANCTUARY MOON OF ENDOR, JEDI OUTPOST
Luke and Ben, similarly clad in dark Jedi robes, swept into the communications center. At a nod from Luke, the Jedi technician on station there withdrew into the corridor, leaving them alone with the hologram of Han and Leia.
Han’s hologram offered Luke a lopsided smile. “Hey, old buddy.”
“It’s good to see you.” Luke’s gesture suggested he would prefer to be able to embrace his sister and brother-in-law. “A live holocomm transmission all the way from Bimmiel? This is an extravagance for you, isn’t it?”
Leia nodded. “Big news calls for a big show. Luke, Alema Rar is dead.”
Luke let out a long breath. At last. He looked between them. “She gave you no choice?”
“None.” Leia’s tone was decisive. “Jag is badly injured. Zekk is a bit…perturbed, but coming out of it. Jaina is unhurt. Also, the asteroid was destroyed.”
Luke cocked an eyebrow at her. “That seems a little excessive.”
Han snorted. “Not our doing, Luke. An unmarked frigate attacked while we were doing our support-role thing. They launched shuttles that planted fission bombs all over the asteroid. Then they left. Alema’s weird little Sith ship got away, too, but it was unoccupied.”
“And there’s no hint as to who blew up the asteroid or why?”
Han shook his head. “A complete mystery. And you know how I feel about complete mysteries.”
“You don’t care, as long as they don’t interfere with you getting paid.”
Han grinned. “Something like that.”
Leia said, “We’re going to transport Jag to you. Jaina and Zekk will escort us in.”
Luke nodded. “It’ll be good to see you.” He glanced at the monitor that displayed data about this communication. “Another few seconds and the odds of this contact being traced go up by an order of magnitude.”
“See you in a couple of days, old buddy.” Han reached off to the side, his hand disappearing as it extended beyond the range of the holocam at his end, and the hologram winked out.
Luke felt like sitting down, letting gravity just overcome him for a while, but that might worry Ben.
At least it was over, finally over. Mara’s killer was no longer a threat to him, to his family. He felt a touch of regret—unlike Jacen, Alema Rar had insanity to blame for the evils she perpetrated. If she had been able to accept help, she might have remained a force for calmness and order.
But that was pointless speculation. Her life had ended. Perhaps Mara could rest easy now.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Are you all right?”
Luke nodded. “Better. Mara’s murderer has met justice, and we can put that uncertainty behind us.”
“Yes.”
Luke turned to face his son. There was something in Ben’s reply…it was not in the tone of his voice, but there had been a little tug in the Force when Ben spoke. Surely Ben didn’t doubt that Alema was truly dead? Leia would not have said she was if there were any doubt.
Luke pushed the question from his mind. Ben would tell him what was bothering him when he was ready. “Why don’t you go get in some training? I have some thinking to do.”
Ben nodded, dubious. “Let me know if you need anything.”
“Sure, Ben.”
On the outpost roof, Luke sat cross-legged on the hard surface of the landing pad, his back