Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 04_ Agents of Chaos 01_ Hero's Trial - James Luceno [82]
Luke was seemingly absorbed in watching Coruscant’s ceaseless traffic flow. By the time he turned from the window, all twenty Jedi Knights had entered and were taking seats at the round table or simply standing about, hoods lowered, waiting for Luke to explain why he’d asked them to come nearly halfway across the galaxy.
“The New Republic has two enemy defectors in custody,” he announced without preamble. “One is a priestess, the other is apparently her mascot or companion. As a result of their supplying military intelligence that was at least in part responsible for the recent victory at Ord Mantell, the defectors are being brought to Coruscant for further debriefing.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Kyp Durron said above outpourings of surprise and excitement. “I knew there had to be some disaffected among the Yuuzhan Vong.” He showed Luke an eager, thin-lipped smile. “When do we get a shot at debriefing them?”
“But it has to be subterfuge, doesn’t it?” Cilghal said before Luke could respond. “Notwithstanding the alleged military intelligence.” Her webbed hands were concealed in the opposite sleeves of her Jedi robe, and her bulbous eyes took in Luke and Kyp simultaneously.
Luke nodded as he moved to the table. “The New Republic is being cautious. If the defectors continue to supply intelligence that holds up, they’ll be given more credence.”
“They’ve agreed to provide more?” Wurth Skidder asked. He was the only one who wasn’t wearing Jedi robes, though from the tousled look of his blond hair he might have passed the entire journey from Yavin 4 with the hood of his cloak raised.
“Conditionally.”
Many of the Jedi traded glances, but no one spoke. Luke perched himself on the edge of the table, with one booted foot extended to the floor.
“They’ve requested a meeting with us.”
The gray-haired and bearded Streen uttered a short laugh. “Exactly the sort of thing I expected.” He regarded Luke. “Did they happen to say why they want to meet with us?”
Luke stood up and took a few steps toward the former Bespin miner. “They claim to have information about an illness Yuuzhan Vong agents introduced, long before the first worldships landed on Helska 4.”
A shocked silence fell over the room.
“I won’t try to fool any of you,” Luke said after a moment. “With all my heart I want to believe it’s the illness Mara has been suffering, but that remains to be seen.”
“If it is the same,” Cilghal said, still a bit stunned by the revelation, “dare we surmise that the Yuuzhan Vong know that Mara is ill?”
Luke tightened his lips and shook his head. “I don’t think we should leap to that conclusion.”
“Of course they know,” Wurth said firmly. “What’s more, I say they’re using Mara to get to us the same way they got to her.”
“You don’t know that,” Anakin said sharply. “The defectors have been scanned for just that sort of thing, and they’ll be scanned again before we meet with them.”
Nonplussed, Wurth sat back in his chair and stared at Luke. “Then you’ve already made up your mind to meet with them?”
Luke nodded once. “As an accommodation to the New Republic as much as anything else—a way of demonstrating to them that we can work together.”
Several meaningful glances were exchanged.
“We can all appreciate that, Master,” Ganner Rhysode said, “but if we’re going to do this, let’s do it for Mara and not for the New Republic. Personally, I couldn’t care less about accommodating the military or the senate after all that’s happened.”
Murmurs of agreement filled the room. Luke waited for everyone to settle down, then said, “I’m going to propose that the defectors meet with Mara and me alone.”
Jacen shot to his feet. “You do think it’s a trap!”
Luke turned