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Young Jedi Knights

Book 8

The Fall of the Diversity Alliance

Diversity Alliance

by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta

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To Steve Sansweet, a fellow Star Wars enthusiast from day one, for your friendship and for helping us keep our sense of humor acknowledgments

Writing each volume of the Young Jedi Knights requires a lot of help from many different people Sue Rostoni, Allan Kausch, and Lucy Wilson at Lucasfilm Licensing; Ginjer Buchanan and Jessica Faust at Boulevard Books; A. C. Crispin for helping us create Raynar's parents; Lillie E.

Mitchell, Catherine Ulatowski, Katie Tyree, and Angela Kato at WordFire, Inc.; and Jonathan Cowan, our first test-reader.

A special thanks to all of the fans and devoted readers who have enjoyed this series so much and urged us to tell the further adventures of Jacen, Jaina, Tenel Ka, and Lowbacca. Your enthusiasm and support give us the energy we need to write these stories.

THE RAGTAG GROUP of ships drifted through space, maintaining silence, broadcasting no telltale signal that could give away their location.

This assortment of merchant vessels, scout cruisers, and security ships had been cobbled together over the course of two decades by the noble Thul family of Alder-aanto form a trading fleet. Since most of the family had been off-planet when Alder-aan was destroyed, the Thuls had moved to Coruscant, the commercial and governmental center of the galaxy. Through shrewd investments, they had built the remnants of their ancient wealth into Bornaryn Trading, a powerful galactic company with a steady flow of cargo and burgeoning business on countless routes.

At the moment, though, the merchant fleet had no known destination.

The vessels huddled close together in an empty space between the stars, keeping themselves safe. Security starfighters flitted protectively along the edges of the convoy, while the other craft clustered in the center like a school of nervous glim-merfish.

On the Tradewyn, the flagship of the Bomaryn fleet, Aryn Dro Thul stood proudly on the observation deck. She wore a simple gown of midnight blue shot with silver that complemented her braided chestnut hair.

A sash of scarlet, yellow, orange, and purple was tied loosely about her waist. Though slight of build, Aryn projected an air of dignity that often fooled those she met into thinking her a tall woman.

As she stared through the main windowport, her intelligent blue eyes kept watch on the cargo vessels, fleet skimmers, security shuttles, and scout drones she and Bornan Thul had assembled for their business.

Now, with the disappearance of her husband, all responsibility for Bornaryn Trading rested on her shoulders. Aryn turned to her brother-in-law, who stood beside her on the deck of the Tradewyn. Tyko Thul was a powerful merchant who had made his fortune in droid manufacturing. Though he was a calculating and sometimes pompous man, she was glad of his support during this time of crisis.

"Is there any word yet on my husband?"

Aryn asked. "A coded message perhaps? We must find some trace of him soon."

Tyko scratched his short blond hair with one hand, and his shrewd hazel eyes narrowed in concentration. "No, Aryn--there's been no sign of Bornan. He has simply disappeared." A frown creased his round face, so deeply that furrows appeared in his rosy cheeks and his chin.

"I don't know if this is a new kind of scam he's pulling, or what he hopes to gain... but I wish he'd make some sort of contact with us."

Aryn paced the deck of the flagship, looking out the broad windowports at two of the heavily armed security starfighters dashing back and forth, crisscrossing the convoy perimeter to guard against external attack.

"You're so skeptical, Tyko," she said. "I don't think it's anything of the sort. Bor nan's been kidnapped, or hurt... or even killed."

Tyko shook his head. "I'm being skeptical?

At least I'm thinking he might still be alive and all right. I know my brother, Aryn. He's probably run across