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Karrde snorted. “It wasn’t my place to approach the Remnant assembly. I’m a broker, Kyp, not an ambassador.”

“Then what makes you think it’s your place to approach us?” Kyp retorted.

“The fact is, I don’t know who else to trust with this. Judging by the way New Republic Intelligence handled that bogus Yuuzhan Vong defector, I’d venture to say that the Intelligence division, maybe even the Advisory Council itself, has been infiltrated. What’s more, the Defense Force can’t act without the approval of the senate, and the Security and Intelligence Council isn’t likely to back Admiral Sovv on the word of an ex-smuggler.”

“You still haven’t clarified why you need us,” Ulaha said. A Bith, she was delicate-looking and musically gifted. “After Ithor, we’re hardly in good stead with the senate ourselves.”

“That’s the point: you need to get them listening to you again. You’d think they would have learned their lesson from Ithor, but old habits die hard and they’re still reluctant to trust you. They don’t want to be perceived as indebted to the Jedi. It smacks of Old Republic thinking.”

Ganner grimaced, wrinkling the facial scar he had incurred at Garqi. “It warms my heart to see that you’re thinking about us, Karrde, but the Jedi don’t need a public relations person.”

“You’re wrong, Ganner. You’re too trusting. Anti-Jedi sentiment is spreading. Some folks think you’re holding back, others think you’re incompetent. A lot of people wish that Emperor Palpatine was still around, because they feel he’d know how to deal with the Yuuzhan Vong. If you want to go back to being monks, that’s your choice. But if you want to serve peace and justice, you need to smarten your image, and one way to do that would be to provide intelligence that ends up giving the New Republic a major victory. The best defense against treachery is treachery.”

“What role could we play in this?” Jacen asked impatiently.

Talon looked at him. “I can facilitate a meeting with one of the Hutts’ spice smugglers. We can find out for ourselves why no one is willing to deliver to Tynna and the rest.”

Jacen rolled his eyes. “This is Centerpoint all over again.” He glanced at Luke. “The Jedi shouldn’t have any part in this. It demeans us.”

“It doesn’t demean anyone,” Anakin argued. “We can help without having to raise a hand—or a lightsaber. You, if anybody, should be in favor of that.”

Everyone looked to Luke.

Images came to him of insects disguising themselves as leaves, twigs, and flower blossoms, and of small animals mimicking the variegated litter of the forest floor. The Force whispered to him once more: Deception, stealth, misdirection …

He realized that he needed to tread carefully, for fear of dividing the Jedi further. Where many lauded Corran Horn’s individual actions at Ithor, others favored Kyp Durron’s stance that aggression should be answered by aggression. What’s more, at Ithor Luke had renounced responsibility for spearheading the Jedi Knights.

“I’m not interested in repairing our tarnished image,” he said at last. “The New Republic isn’t eager to sanction our actions, in any case. But if we can help provide information that will prevent the fall of another world, the choice is clear.”

“I’m willing to go with Talon,” Jaina said.

Kyp made a face. “A seventeen-year-old spice buyer? I doubt the Hutts’ people will buy it.” He looked back at Karrde. “I’ll go. You’ll need someone to sort the truth from the lies.”

“Unlikely,” Karrde said, “but I appreciate the offer.”

“Then count me in, as well,” Ganner said. He glanced at Kyp. “Just to be certain we’re getting the full truth.”

Karrde glanced around him. “It’s settled then?”

Only Jacen remained unconvinced. “Centerpoint, enlistment, espionage … I never thought we’d come to this.”

Kyp Durron grinned and clapped him hard on the shoulder. “Cheer up, kid. Things are bad all over.”

SEVEN

The sign hovering between formidable guard towers read WELCOME TO RUAN REFUGEE FACILITY 17. But just below the greeting someone had scrawled, in a tiny almost undetectable hand, LAST CHANCE TO TURN