Star Wars_ The Jedi Academy Trilogy 01_ Jedi Search - Kevin J. Anderson [57]
Dozens of space-traffic controllers stood at their stations around the 3-D map of the planet, pointing at images with light pens and drawing safe-approach vectors or prioritizing landing patterns. One of the war-damaged spaceports on the western end of Imperial City had just been brought back on-line in the last week, and much of the shuttle traffic was being rerouted there to ease the burden on landing platforms around the Imperial Palace.
Leia Organa Solo stood beside one of the traffic controllers. Seeing how busy the woman was directing space traffic, Leia tried not to ask too many questions, but she found it difficult to wait.
“There’s something.” The traffic controller reached up with the light pen to indicate a squarish violet icon used for Small Starship—Type Unknown. “Could that be the one you’re waiting for, Minister Organa Solo? Just popped out of hyperspace. Unable to determine previous vector.”
Leia felt a surge of excitement. “Yes, that’s the one. Have they requested clearance yet?”
The traffic controller touched a receiver implant at her temple. “Coming in now. The pilot sends only her name. Sounds like some kind of code. Winter?”
Leia smiled. “No, that’s her real name. Give her clearance to land on the top northside platform of the Imperial Palace, my authorization.” She drew in a deep breath, feeling her heart pound faster. “I’ll go meet her personally.” She turned and took two quick steps away before she remembered to thank the traffic controller for her help. “Come on, Threepio,” Leia said as she bustled past him.
The protocol droid snapped to attention, then hurried after her with his stiff-legged gait. He had returned to Coruscant with Artoo and Lando three days earlier and spent four hours in a luxurious lubricant-and-scrubber bath. Now he gleamed like new, with all traces of blob mucus removed from his finish.
Leia heard Threepio’s motivators humming as he followed. She ignored him, lost in her own conflicting thoughts. Han should have been back from Kessel two days ago, but still she had heard no word from him. He’d probably fallen in with some of his old smuggling buddies, had too much to drink, gambled far into the late hours, and completely forgotten about his other obligations. It was a good thing Chewbacca had sworn a blood oath to protect him, because Han was going to have to face her when he got back, and he was going to need a Wookiee’s protection. How dare he forget something like this?
For now, Leia would welcome her twin children home. Alone.
Standing on the top deck of the palace, Leia craned her neck and searched the hazy skies. Coruscant’s aurora shimmered through the twilight, eclipsed by the complex matrix of the great orbiting shipyards.
“Threepio, tell me the minute you see them coming.” The breeze tossed loose strands of hair in front of her eyes.
“Yes, Mistress Leia. I’m searching.” In an imitation of a human gesture, Threepio cupped two golden hands around his optical sensors as if it would help him focus better. “Don’t you think it would be wiser for us to step back slightly from the edge?”
Leia held her breath. Her children were coming home. They had not set foot on Coruscant for nearly two years, but now they would be back to stay. She could be a real mother to them, at last.
Just after their birth the twins had been sequestered on a secret planet uncovered by Luke and Admiral Ackbar. It was a world unrecorded on any chart, but habitable and protected. Luke and Ackbar had established a heavily guarded base there, leaving Leia’s trusted servant Winter behind to watch over the Jedi children.
She suspected Luke had given the children a bit more than just Winter for protection, though.
During their protective isolation Leia had managed to visit Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin every few months, usually with Han in tow. At a prearranged