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“But I would like to ask you something,” the priest said, settling cross-legged upon a stone.

“Ask, then,” Corran said.

“I mentioned Shedao Shai. When you dueled him, you risked your life for the planet Ithor, correct? Those were the only stakes?”

“Yes,” Corran said. “The Yuuzhan Vong were going to poison the planet. Shedao Shai agreed that if I won the duel, it wouldn’t happen. If he won, he got the bones of his ancestor back.”

“And yet, from what I have been able to determine, Ithor had no real strategic value, no valuable minerals for your machines. So why did you do it?”

Corran frowned, wondering where Harrar could possibly be going with this. “Three reasons,” he said. “The first was that I couldn’t stand aside and let Ithor be destroyed if there was something I could do about it. And there was—Shai had a vendetta against me. I was the only one around who could tempt him with such a duel with such stakes. The second reason was that I had something of a vendetta against him, as well—he murdered my friend Elegos when he tried to make peace with your people.”

“That last I can understand,” Harrar said. “Revenge is desirable.”

“Not for a Jedi,” Corran said. “It was foolish and dangerous of me to fight Shai with those feelings in my heart. If I had been fighting primarily for revenge, rather than for Ithor, it would have been wrong.”

“I have heard it said that Jeedai avoid the strong emotions. I have never understood it. Perhaps another time you can explain it to me.”

“I can try.”

“Good. But for present, I don’t want to lose the scent of this hunt. I still don’t understand your motives. And not just yours—many of your people died defending Ithor. You fought for it from the start. Were you protecting the secret of the pollen that destroyed our troops? Surely you could have replicated it elsewhere.”

“We were never actually able to replicate it,” Corran said. “But no, we fought for Ithor because it was one of the most beautiful planets in the galaxy, and because the Ithorians are a peaceful people who never harmed anyone.” He crossed his arms. “And because it was one of our planets.”

“And yet you personally suffered disgrace for defending it.”

Corran stiffened. “You know a lot about me,” he said.

“It is a famous story,” Harrar said. “Shimrra was delighted at your treatment. It was then that he began to understand that the best way to destroy the Jeedai was merely to turn your own people against you, something that was remarkably easy to do.”

“Yes, wasn’t it,” Corran said. “All Tsavong Lah had to do was promise not to wipe out any more entire planets if we were handed to him for sacrifice. Some people were frightened enough to do it.”

“There must be more to it than that,” Harrar said. “Perhaps some are jealous of you and resent your powers. Perhaps because some Jeedai may abuse that power?”

Tricky, Corran thought. He’s trying to pump me for information on our weaknesses.

“Think what you want. The reason for my disgrace after Ithor was because a lot of people hadn’t quite figured you guys out. They didn’t realize that you weren’t planning to stop until every last one of us was dead or enslaved. They couldn’t imagine why anyone would poison an entire planet—a planet that, as you say, had no military or commercial value—just because they could. They thought it must have been because the Jedi put up a fight and angered you. A lot of people figured that Ithor was destroyed because I killed Shai rather than in spite of it.” He realized, suddenly, that his voice had been rising, and that he had just delivered a genuine diatribe. He hadn’t realized how much bitterness lingered in him.

But this was the first time he had really discussed the matter with one of them.

“Here is my dilemma,” Harrar said. “I do not understand how a people who placed such value on Ithor could also hold dear the abomination that was Coruscant.”

Corran snorted. “And I don’t understand how a people who claim to worship life would destroy a pristine planet,” he replied.

“So you’ve said once already. But since you said it, I’ve been thinking