Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order_ Dark Tide 02_ Ruin - Michael A. Stackpole [103]
“Caught red-handed.” Corran’s lips pressed into a flat line. “I didn’t mean to deceive you, Luke. I know that’s not possible, but . . . You all heard what Shedao Shai said to me. I sent a message to Agamar. A day from now I expect to get those bones from the archeological team that recovered them. I’ll have something Shedao Shai wants.”
Luke shook his head. “You weren’t planning something stupid, were you? Were you going to bring them to the Tafanda Bay and use them as bait?”
“I don’t know what I was thinking. I hadn’t gotten as far as planning.” Corran looked at his open hands, then pressed them flat on the table top. “I just knew, I mean I knew I had to have those bones here. Maybe I’d shoot them into the sun and tell Shedao Shai I’d done that so he’d race his ship into the sun’s gravity well trying to get them, and then get all burned up. I don’t know.”
Kre’fey scratched at his chin. “Trade the bones for a truce? I’m not sure that would work.”
Corran shook his head. “It wouldn’t.”
Luke heard the uncertainty leave Corran’s voice. “What do you mean?”
“I was wrong when I said I had something Shedao Shai wants. I have two things. I have the bones, and I have me. I killed two of his kin on Bimmiel, so he killed Elegos. He wants to kill me.”
The Imperial admiral slowly smiled. “And you want to kill him.”
“I wouldn’t mind it.” The Corellian Jedi’s head came up. “What I propose is this: I challenge the Vong leader to a duel. He wins, he gets the bones. I win, I get Ithor. To set it up, we have a truce. How long do you want? A week? Two?”
“A week would be great, two would be better.” Kre’fey nodded. “This could work.”
Luke shook his head. “No, this can’t happen.”
“Master? Why not?”
“First, Borsk Fey’lya will never agree to it.”
Kre’fey cleared his throat. “What my cousin does not know will not hurt him.”
Corran nodded. “And if it does not work, if Shedao Shai does not agree, we don’t have to explain yet another Jedi failure.”
“Corran, it’s still not right. You challenge him to a duel, you become the aggressor. You’re coercing him into acting. That’s not what Jedi do.” You’re treading perilously close to the dark side, my friend. Luke did not voice his concern because he wasn’t at all sure how either Admiral would take it.
The green-clad Jedi sat silently for a moment, then slowly nodded. “I think I understand your concern, Master, but this goes back to the discussion at our meeting months ago. I can feel the focusing of Vong power. I know that to do this is to preempt Vong action. Elegos sent himself out to try to stop the invasion and, um, if I can do that, even for a day, the chances of more people escaping goes up. It may not be the choice we want to make, but it’s the only one that seems to be offering itself at the moment.”
“But the example you’ll set. You’ll be playing into Kyp’s hands.”
“I know.” Corran closed his eyes and sat back. “I wish there was another way, Master, but this one just feels right.”
Luke wanted to protest and forbid Corran from striking the bargain with the Yuuzhan Vong leader that had been proposed. He didn’t because of the sense of calm radiating from his colleague.
The Jedi Master looked at the two military men. “You two approve of this plan?”
Pelleaon snorted. “Of one man taking a vigilante action to decide the fate of a planet and its population? That’s the last thing the Empire would ever condone. Not only is it risky for the man on the spot, but it would encourage others to act in an insubordinate fashion if they felt their action was ‘right.’ Were he under my command, I would forbid this action, but he’s not. I also recognize how absolutely desperate things are, and if this will work, I’m willing to work with it. The decision is going to be up to his commanding officer.”
Admiral Kre’fey frowned. “I seem to remember there having been a good reason for recalling Colonel Horn to active duty, but it escapes me now.” He sighed.