Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order 11_ Dark Journey - Elaine Cunningham [59]
Jaina shrugged this off. “I’m a pilot. Appearances aren’t important to what I do.”
“That’s quite apparent,” Ta’a Chume murmured. But her eyes slid over the young woman, taking stock, measuring potential. A speculative gleam entered her eyes. “Tell me, do you wish to avenge your brothers?”
Jaina attempted to plot a direct path between these two topics but quickly gave up the effort. “I wouldn’t have put it quite that way, but yes, I suppose I do.”
As she said the words, Jaina realized the truth of them. All her life she’d heard that anger and revenge were paths to the dark side. At this moment, that hardly seemed to matter—in fact, such concerns struck her as petty and self-indulgent. The galaxy was fighting for survival, and the Jedi weren’t doing much better on that score than anyone else.
She realized that Ta’a Chume had been speaking for several moments and focused her attention back to the former queen.
“In order to achieve this, you will need to win support from the Hapan military,” Ta’a Chume concluded. “Beauty is a tool to be used, just like intelligence or talent or power or even this Force of yours. Don’t disdain it.”
“It’s more important on Hapes than in most places. More common, too.” Jaina shrugged. “No matter what I do, I’d fall short of your world’s standards.”
“Nonsense, on all counts. I suspect that you possess many resources you have not yet considered.”
Jaina regarded the older woman. The former queen was a powerful presence in the Force, yet she possessed formidable shields. Jaina could get no sense of what she was thinking, but she took what she knew of Ta’a Chume and made some assumptions.
“You want something from me,” she said bluntly. “Forgive me, but I’m running short on time and illusions.”
Ta’a Chume smiled, not at all offended. “All I ask is that you keep your mind open to all possibilities. These are strange times, and you may find yourself in a position to accomplish things you never dreamed possible. Now, about that gown.”
She rose and headed for the palace. After a moment, Jaina followed. Ta’a Chume had access to ships, fuel, and ammunition—all the things Jaina would need to take the fight to the Yuuzhan Vong—and apparently the former queen was willing to trade.
Jaina had no idea what currency Ta’a Chume had in mind, but that didn’t particularly worry her. She almost looked forward to matching wits with someone who’d made an art form of deception and intrigue. Like lightsaber practice, it might serve to sharpen her wits and skills in preparation for a real battle.
And unlike Ta’a Chume, Jaina had the Force with her. Light or dark—it didn’t matter. Those distinctions seemed artificial to her, half-understood concepts whose time was done. As Kyp Durron had said, this was their time, their war. The younger Jedi needed to decide what to do and how to do it, and then live with the results.
For the first time a tinge of unease darkened Jaina’s thoughts. “Hurling black lightning is one thing,” she muttered, “but quoting Kyp Durron puts me lower than I ever expected to get.”
The comm unit in Kyp Durron’s X-wing crackled. “Vanguard Three, acknowledge.”
The calm, emotionless tone of Jag Fel’s voice set the Jedi’s teeth on edge, but he clicked the channel open. “Sir,” he said in ironic imitation of the Chiss woman’s stern military manner.
If Jag picked up on Kyp’s tone, he didn’t let on. “The squadron is preparing to make the jump to Gallinore. By all reports, this world is rich in unusual plant and animal life, just the sort of planet likely to draw the Yuuzhan Vong’s interest.”
As far as Kyp could tell, the invaders were not particularly discriminating. Ithor had been a forested paradise, and they’d burned it to ash and rock. Duro, on the other hand, was a foul slag heap. That planet they chose to rebuild.
It occurred to him to wonder how the Yuuzhan Vong might transform Coruscant. He decided he didn’t want to know.
“Setting coordinates,” he said, reaching