Star Wars_ Millennium Falcon - James Luceno [31]
And then there was that faster-than-all-get-out YT-1300 freighter the group had picked up somewhere …
He remembered the prewar and war years, infiltrating the Metatheran Cartel and other crime organizations, the hundreds of trips to far-flung worlds, the encounters with arms merchants, spice dealers, CIS sympathizers … more often than not he didn't know what he was carrying or what he was delivering. He simply did as instructed, trusting that he was furthering the causes of the Senate Delegation of Two Thousand and the Jedi Order, fighting the war in his own fashion and taking care of his scattered family at the same time. With Reeze, also recruited by the group, Jadak had piloted the Stellar Envoy through the thick of some of the fiercest battles of the war—on Muunilist, Cato Neimoidia, and other worlds.
With each session in the bacta tank, his actual memories began to resume chronological order. But he still couldn't recall events leading up to the accident. Some HoloNet entries listed his death as having occurred shortly before the official end of the Clone Wars. There were no facts about where his death was supposed to have occurred, but it was undeniable that in some sense he had died then.
A few of the Republic Group Senators to whom he answered had survived to see the Alliance to Restore the Republic—the so-called Rebel Alliance—defeat the Empire, but all of them were now dead. Several had died as early as the Ghorman Massacre, and others were lost on Alderaan when it was destroyed by the Death Star. Many more died during the extended conflict with the Imperial warlords. Only a handful had died of natural causes.
By his final sessions in the tank, Jadak was questioning the importance of recalling the details of the accident—especially now that a bigger question had begun to gnaw at him. With all the members of the Republic Group dead, who had been keeping him alive all these years … and why?
HAN AND LANDO EXCHANGED VIGOROUS HANDSHAKES AND A warm back-clapping embrace. When it came to greeting Leia, Lando held her in his arms for a long moment, smiling roguishly when she finally pushed him away, shaking her head in amused disapproval.
“The galaxy's one constant,” Tendra said, indicating her husband with a toss of her head and hugging Leia hello.
“No,” Leia said, “I've got one of those, too.”
The Calrissians were dressed casually, in loose-fitting pants, simple pullovers, and sandals, and for perhaps the first time in her life Leia felt overdressed in their presence.
“And who is this gorgeous little creature?” Lando was saying, dropping down on one knee in front of Allana. “It can't be Amelia. Surely she hasn't grown up this much in only one year.”
“Someone has to,” Allana said while Lando hugged her.
“Hey,” he said with theatrical surprise. “Learning your dad's bad habits already?”
“No, I come by them naturally.”
Leia laughed with everyone else, relieved that the mere mention of the word dad didn't throw Allana into conflict. The Calrissians knew nothing about her secret paternity, and assumed, as most did, that Han and Leia had adopted her in part to offset their grief over the death of their second son. For a time, Allana had found it difficult to refer to Han and Leia as her parents, but she had since grown accustomed to doing so in mixed company.
“Amelia, do you remember little Lando?” Three years old and all but a clone of his father, he was holding a toy dragon and dressed in the same outfit worn by Lando Senior.
“Hi, Lando,” she said, going over to him. “Is that the dragon from Castle Creep?”
The toddler nodded shyly. “Perystal.”
“I watch that show, too! Is Perystal your favorite toy?”
“I have a Prince Gothik.”
“Wow. I used to have a stuffed tauntaun.”
The boy ran to Lando and wrapped his arms around his father's legs. Lando bent down and scooped him up, beaming. “His nickname's Chance.” He tousled his son's curly hair. “He's my lucky star.”
Han smiled, and Lando caught it. “Don't say it.”
Han shrugged. “Hey, even Boba Fett's a grandfather.”
Lando set Chance back on his feet,