Star Wars_ The New Jedi Order_ Dark Tide 02_ Ruin - Michael A. Stackpole [16]
Ganner scowled. “We have to make them change their minds. They have to see reason.”
Luke waved away the comment. “Actually, I’m somewhat pleased with this decision.”
“How, Master?”
Luke sighed. “Octa was close to the mark. No sanction, no support, no answering to politicians. We’ll be free to use our own best judgment in handling problems.”
Ganner ran a hand over his goatee. “But it strips us of resources we could use to handle problems.”
“Then you’ll just have to be creative, won’t you?”
Daeshara’cor shook her head. “How could they abandon us like this? After all we have done?”
“It’s better they have.” Luke held his arms out. “We are perhaps a hundred in number. A hundred Jedi. If the New Republic was relying on us, they’d pitch us into the battle and expect us to take care of things. They did it before, more times than I care to remember.”
He lowered his hands to the stage. “Face it, of late, our exploits have been less than awe inspiring. The problem at Rhommamool, for example, and even the loss of Dantooine. As Leia noted, the politicians can’t support the Jedi. This does not mean, however, that we will be totally alone out there. The military will be unable to help us overtly, but they are very sympathetic to us.”
Kyp snorted. “What a surprise, warriors liking warriors.”
Luke shook his head. “The leadership knows what is truly going on. Having us out there to deal with civilian difficulties will free up their people to do what they do best.”
Skidder groaned. “So we baby-sit refugees while others do the fighting?”
“We will protect them and guide them. If danger presents itself, then we take steps.”
Kyp Durron raked fingers back through his dark hair. “And we do nothing more? We get no more active missions? Nothing going into Yuuzhan Vong territory?”
Luke shifted his shoulders uneasily. “One mission. Corran is being sent to Garqi.”
“Figures he’d be your choice.”
“He wasn’t, actually, Kyp.” Luke smiled carefully. “That choice was taken away from me.”
“What?”
Corran’s mirth at Kyp’s surprise leaked out through the Force. “I used to fly with Rogue Squadron and resigned my commission there five years ago. That left me in the military reserve, and they just reactivated me.”
Luke nodded. “Colonel Horn will lead a team of six commandos and two civilian observers into Garqi to study the Yuuzhan Vong, coordinate with any resistance movement, and set up operations to try to get people off the world.”
Ganner rested his fists on his hips. “A half-dozen commandos against a planet full of Yuuzhan Vong?”
“They’re Noghri, Ganner.” Corran shrugged. “Besides, I figured to tap you as one of my civilian observers. Figured you had to be the equal of another dozen Noghri, right?”
Ganner’s harsh expression lightened. “Noghri. The mission has merit.”
Corran looked out into the audience. “Jacen, I’ve talked with Master Skywalker, and he’s consented to having you be the other observer. Want the slot?”
Luke could feel the different emotions warring inside Jacen, but grudging adherence to duty won out.
The youth stood. “I’m, ah, honored to be asked. If you think I should go, Master, I’ll go.”
“Good, Jacen, I knew I could count on you.” Luke clapped his hands once. “I’m in the process of preparing assignments for the rest of you. They should be ready by the end of the week. We’re only waiting on transport scheduling. I know that what you’re being asked to do may not be what you think needs to be done. You may think your skills are being wasted. I appreciate that, but these are the tasks that need doing.”
Fury arced from Daeshara’cor. “Then this meeting was all a sham?”
Luke frowned. “Not at all.”
“But if you were preparing assignments, you had already made your mind up. You knew what you were going to tell us to do. You weren’t willing to think about being wrong.”
“That’s not it at all. The orders could be changed easily. Had there been a convincing argument to show this