Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 05_ Agents of Chaos 02_ Jedi Eclipse - James Luceno [130]
Karrde came to a sudden halt in the middle of the path and swung to Luke. “Do you think the Yuuzhan Vong realize what they’ve accomplished? They’ve sundered the Hutts, created a schism in the senate, taken the Hapans out of the war, sabotaged the import of the Jedi.” Before Luke could respond, he added, “Did you have any inkling it could end this way?”
Luke heard the voice of his former Jedi Master: Always in motion is the future. Hard to see …
“The future isn’t fixed,” he said. “It’s made up of possibilities. I saw without seeing.”
Karrde blew out his breath. “What can we do now?”
Decide you must how to serve them best. Help them you could. But you would destroy all for which they have fought and suffered.
Luke took Karrde by the shoulders. “We can learn from our mistakes.”
Leia had raced home from the shuttle departure platform only to find that Anakin and Jacen had already left. Now, with Isolder’s cheerless departure still on her mind and C-3PO and Olmahk helping her pack for an afternoon flight to Duro, the house comm system chirped, chirping insistently even after she had activated the answer-message function.
Throwing her hands up in a gesture of surrender, she accepted the call. Han’s was the last face she expected to see appear on the display screen.
“It’s just me,” he said, smiling lopsidedly while she gaped at his image, feeling as if months had passed since they had spoken. The display showed that he was calling from an Abregado-rae space terminal.
“I see you shaved off your beard,” she said finally.
He rubbed his chin. “Yeah, too itchy.”
“Well, at least you look like your old self again.”
He scowled, started to say something, then began again. “Grim business about what happened to the Hapans at Fondor. How’s Isolder doing?”
“I figured you’d hear the news sooner or later—even in a playground like Abregado-rae.”
“Hear about it?” Han said. “I saw it!”
“You what?”
“I was there—at Fondor.”
“You were at Fondor,” she echoed in disbelief.
“Droma and I were chasing after his clanmates. Some of them had managed to get themselves marooned in a deserted shipyard facility, and the rest were prisoners aboard a yammosk ship. Anyway, it’s a long, boring story. The point is, I saw the Hapan fleet get wiped out. But I thought Fondor’s primary went nova. I didn’t know it was Centerpoint.”
Leia pushed her hair back from her forehead. “You realize that Anakin and Jacen were there.”
Han took his lower lip between his teeth. “Did they fire it?”
Leia’s nostrils flared. “Do you think they’d do something like that?”
Han’s brow furrowed. “Take it easy. You know I don’t listen to the news.”
Leia thought about telling him about Thrackan Sal-Solo’s sudden rise to fame, but decided against it, knowing that Han would find out soon enough.
“Where did you bring the refugees you rescued?”
“Here. But they can’t stay for long. Abregado-rae is pulling in the welcome mat.”
Leia sighed. “SELCORE is searching for a world suitable for relocating everyone. We thought we were going to be able to count on Ruan, but Salliche Ag is suddenly refusing to accept any refugees.”
Han averted his eyes momentarily. “About Ruan,” he started to say.
“SELCORE is getting some unexpected help from Senator Shesh,” Leia went on. “I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”
Han nodded. “Long as it’s somewhere the Ryn won’t be treated like riffraff.”
“You have my word on it.” Leia paused, then added, “Will Droma be remaining with his clanmates?”
“Yeah. The way I figure it, he and I are about even.”
“So where does that leave you, Han?”
“I’m not sure. What about you—are you finally home for good?”
“I’m leaving this afternoon for Duro.”
“Same old Princess Leia,” he said with a sneer. “Then I guess it doesn’t matter where I end up.”
She narrowed her eyes for the cam. “Same old Han Solo.