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“We'll furnish you with sufficient funds for transport. More important, we'll have a better-behaved ship waiting for you when you return.”

“Perhaps a faster one, as well,” Largetto said.

“Not likely,” Reeze muttered.

Jadak swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. “I hope this mission's worthy of her.”

“Oh, it is, Captain,” Fang Zar said. “We assure you.”

Jadak blew out his breath and nodded resignedly.

Des'sein studied him for a moment. “May I take your gesture to mean that you're willing to execute the mission?”

Jadak looked to Reeze. “We wouldn't want anyone else to do it.”

Des'sein turned to Master Shé, who lifted the toolbox and headed for the YT's boarding ramp, his brown overcloak dusting the permacrete floor.

“Master Shé needs to modify the ship slightly,” Fang Zar explained. “But his work won't affect your flight.”

Jadak watched the Jedi disappear into the ship. Then he turned back to Des'sein. “What phrase will Folee use to identify herself?”

Des'sein blinked in short-lived confusion. “Oh, I see. No, you're mistaken, Captain. She is expecting you. The phrase we've provided you is a mnemonic aid she will need to carry out her part of the mission.”

“Mnemonic,” Jadak said.

“A memory shortcut,” Largetto said. “Folee will understand. And the Envoy will handle the rest of it.”

Jadak rarely asked questions about his assignments, but curiosity got the better of him. “The Envoy has been programmed—”

“Think of the ship as a key,” Fang Zar said. “The key to a treasure.”

Jadak waited.

“A treasure sufficient to restore Republic honor to the galaxy,” Des'sein said finally.

Senate Intelligence Bureau Director Armand Isard was scanning the crowd that had welcomed Supreme Chancellor Palpatine when his comlink chimed. The speeder bus had berthed moments earlier, and the Chancellor and his handpicked party were moving down the red-carpeted colonnade toward the atrium turbolifts. In passing, Isard noted that Jedi Skywalker had lingered behind to speak privately with Senator Amidala.

A muscular man who had a talent for going unnoticed in a crowd despite his height, Isard was dressed in an unadorned gray uniform. His black hair matched the luster of his knee-high boots. Leaving the red carpet for the relative solitude of the tier's forest of ornate columns, he depressed the comlink's ACCEPT button and glanced down at the device, whose small screen displayed the face of the bureau's assistant director.

“I just wanted to alert you to a little confab that's transpiring in one of the lower-tier berths,” the assistant director said.

Isard's dark eyes continued to track the movements of the welcome committee. “Go on.”

“Senators Des'sein, Largetto, and Zar have taken possession of a carry case delivered by the pilots of an old YT freighter.”

The three Senators were well-known members of the Delegation of Two Thousand, a loyalist coterie opposed to the strong measures Chancellor Palpatine had enacted since the start of the war.

“Jedi Master J'oopi Shé is also present.”

“Technical division?”

“That's the one.”

Isard walked while he spoke. “Interesting that they should be holding a private meeting while several of their cohorts are up here.”

“Which ones?”

“Danu, Malé-Dee, Eekway … the usual bunch. Do you have audio of the meeting?”

“No. Countermeasures were taken. But we were able to snake a snoop-cam through the landing bay's intake vents, so we have acceptable video.”

“The carry case …”

“Too soon to know what it contains. Our people are working on cleaning up the surveillance feeds.”

“Do we have anything on the couriers?”

“Nothing yet. The freighter carries a Ralltiir registry, and is owned by a company called the Republic Group.”

“That could be telling.”

“I thought so, too. The pilots transmitted a valid authorization code to Senate Airlane Control.”

Isard paused at the edge of the stark atrium, where the Chancellor and the others were awaiting a turbolift. The area was filling fast with Senators