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Tsaak Vootuh fixed a venomous stare on the creature. “You have helped us quite enough. As for your ships, they are abominations and will be destroyed.”

“But what—how will we return home?”

Tsaak Vootuh allowed himself a grim smile. “How indeed, Imsatad?” he said. “How indeed?”

“Now, wait a minute—” Imsatad began, but Tsaak Vootuh cut him off with a look.

“I wish to see the captured Jeedai,” he told the human. “You will take me, now.”

“I’ll do no such thing until you—”

Tsaak Vootuh nodded in a certain way, and Imsatad was suddenly staring in astonishment at the head of an amphistaff poking out of his belly. He looked questioningly at Tsaak Vootuh, coughed blood from his mouth, and died. Vo Lian, Tsaak Vootuh’s lieutenant, withdrew the amphistaff he had struck through the man’s back.

Tsaak Vootuh gestured at the human who had been standing behind Imsatad. “You. Take me to see the Jeedai.”

“O-of course,” the creature stammered. “Whatever you wish.”

Tsaak Vootuh nodded and stood. Before leaving the room, he turned to Vo Lian. “Supervise the landing and make secure the space around this moon. I want the damutek on the ground within the next cycle. I will give the shapers no cause for complaint.”

Vo Lian snapped his fists against his opposite shoulders. “Belek tiu,” he said. “It will be done, Commander.”

PART TWO

THE SHAMED AND THE SHAPERS

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Borsk Fey’lya, Chief of State of the New Republic, offered an apologetic expression that looked as false to Luke as it was well-practiced. His words followed suit.

“I’m sorry,” he demurred, violet eyes unblinking. “I can be of no help in this matter, Master Skywalker.”

Luke fought down the urge to shout and sought the calm he so often implored of his students. “I beg you to reconsider, Chief Fey’lya. Lives are at stake.” Grief over Ikrit’s death was still raw.

The Bothan nodded. “I am painfully aware of that, Master Skywalker. However, whereas you are concerned with the lives of four—count them, four—Jedi, I must consider a great many more. I must consider the lives we will lose in an attempt to retake the Yavin system, a system with no tactical or strategic advantage. I must consider, further, that this action would quite effectively end the truce with the Yuuzhan Vong and cost even more lives in renewed warfare.”

“They’ve already broken the truce,” Luke replied, still trying to keep his voice even. “They promised not to take any more of our worlds if Jedi are turned over to them, something that the whole galaxy seems eager to do. And yet they’ve now taken Yavin Four.”

“Of course, neither I nor the senate sanction the purported purge of Jedi.”

“Purported?” Luke allowed the word to absorb all of the incredulity he felt at Fey’lya’s implication.

“And as for Yavin Four,” the chief continued evenly, “it is not one of ‘our worlds,’ not if by the use of the plural pronoun you mean the New Republic. Yavin Four is your pet project, Master Skywalker. You Jedi have made it clear that you are not bound by the laws and decisions of the senate. You fight unsanctioned battles and provoke needless dissent. And now, suddenly, after spurning our wishes, you desire our aid? Really, can’t you see the hypocrisy in that?”

“Chief, putting aside for the moment that you are confounding the action of a handful of Jedi with our order as a whole, these are children we’re talking about. They’ve done nothing, and they don’t deserve to suffer for the mistakes of others.”

“But you would ask me to jeopardize millions, perhaps billions for those same mistakes? Your mistakes? Listen to yourself.”

“That’s the most—” Jaina Solo exploded. Luke was surprised she had kept silent for so long.

“Quiet, Jaina,” he said.

“But he’s twisting—”

“Child, you have all of your mother’s fire and none of her common sense,” Fey’lya said. “Listen to your Master.”

“There’s no need to insult my niece,” Luke said. “Her brother is one of those missing.”

“Would this be Anakin Solo, who forged a fake