Chapter 27
Bastion
She was toweling off her hair after a much-needed sanisteam when the expected knock finally sounded on the door of her temporary quarters. Hastily throwing on the tan jumpsuit that currently comprised her entire wardrobe, save the black flightsuit she'd been wearing prior to her medical care, Leyla slipped into the small sitting room of the two-room suite and slapped the door release; it slid open to reveal Cem standing tall and looking, much to her surprise, mildly… apprehensive. Almost nervous.
She stepped aside and waved him in. The door slid shut behind him, but he hovered in the doorway and took in her damp and disheveled state. "I can come later, if I've caught you at a bad time."
"No," Leyla shook her head, "please. This can't really wait."
Cem nodded and settled himself in an armchair, and watched her quietly as she harshly rubbed down her hair before tossing the towel aside and setting about pulling the unruly dark mass into a messy braid that would at least keep it out of her way. As she pulled her hair off of her neck though, his eyes lingered on the slowly fading bruises and she felt a wave of sadness from him that did not even remotely register on his face or physical bearing. "You're looking much better than when I last saw you," he finally offered.
She shrugged uneasily. "The hypothermia was the biggest thing, and the Emdees here say you had that pretty well taken care of before I even got here. The aural repair was a fairly simple procedure." His eyes again swept across the dark marks visible above the collar of her outfit, but he did not comment further on her injuries. "Cem, I need to know what he plans, now that the crisis is past."
There wasn't even the briefest moment of confusion, no questions were asked- Cem knew exactly what she meant. "There are no more plans," he assured her after a momentary pause. "He devoted his lifetime- this lifetime- to the mess created by Alpha Red."
"But now that it's done," she pressed, "what will he do? Where is he now?"
Her uncle sat back and compressed his lips into a thin line. "I don't know." She stared. "He spoke of a last errand with Talon Karrde, said to expect his return to The Hand in about a week." He sighed at her look of frustration. "Leyla, I know you do not trust him fully- perhaps not at all- but he is not after any sort of galactic domination. He knows well enough that more problems would be created than solved, should the truth of his existence come to light. Believe me when I tell you that the scheming is done; he accomplished what he set out for."
She looked uncertainly around the room for a moment, biting her lip. It wasn't enough; Cem had to know it wasn't enough. At the very least, she needed to see Thrawn again, but what would that accomplish, save to leave her in the same fog of confused skepticism in which her encounters with the clone usually left her?
One week until he would supposedly return from his mystery trip. Leyla sighed- she wanted nothing more than to get away from Bastion, away from military commanders, politicians, foreign dignitaries… all of whom were probably annoyed with her at best, more likely irate at the way she'd managed to step on most of their toes in the past few days.
There were all kinds of personal matters for her to deal with, on top of it all. She owed endless apologies to nearly every one of her family members and especially to Jacen, Luke, and Mara. She needed to speak with Ta'yen before he headed back to the Senex Sector, thank him for putting everything on the line for the Alliance, and find out if there was anything she could do to repay him. She'd have to make sure that Fyaru, Taseek, Yilina, and Damala made it off of Coruscant without incident, and find out what happened to Ghent as well.
And then there was Vulcor, who would likely be heading to Bastion with Olyxes as soon as he and Major Ra-ban finished squaring things away at the isolated base sequestered out in Wild Space. Leyla didn't know what would happen with the chiss Jedi, but with the element of secrecy blown, she could imagine little reason for maintaining the full operating base that far out in the middle of nowhere like that.
But Vulcor… they'd parted ways on a bad note and she didn't know where they would go now, but after everything, she supposed that they surely owed each other at least one more conversation. Preferably in a calm, relaxing environment, away from matters of galactic crisis and chaos. When was she supposed to fit that in with everything else and before Vulcor headed back to Ossus as he would surely do, once he'd relinquished his unwanted duties with Cem and Thrawn?
"Leyla?"
"I can't leave," she whispered. "Not yet."
Cem smiled sadly. "I don't think you could if you wanted to," he confessed. "I think the Chiss were anticipating a longer interview, after you've had some time to get your bearings again. Likewise, Reige and Darklighter might have some inevitable questions, not to mention… well, Master Skywalker, when he arrives."
"He's coming here?"
"If I properly understood Admiral Darklighter, both Masters Skywalker were to escort Chief of State Belotab to the palace." She blinked a few times in confusion. "But of course," he nodded, "you've remained blissfully unaware of the immediate chaos once Niathal stood down and transferred command to Darklighter. The Senate is in an uproar and they probably only know a fraction of the true story, but they know enough. Polla Essada regained consciousness long enough to be horrified that Niathal went to war on behalf of the assassination attempt- under false pretenses, no less- and then again several hours later long enough to sign a formal request for the Senate to approve Belotab resuming his resigned post. The measure was approved with impressive speed and efficiency. In fact, I think Belotab himself was most reluctant for the change."
"And the leaders? The bothans and sullustans, and Niathal?"
He weighed his words a moment before sighing and regarding her carefully. "It was decided that any parties involved should be pardoned, provided they come forward freely and share any useful information they have which, in most cases, is not much. Darklighter has already spoken extensively with Bwua'tu and Kre'fey, and Niuk Niuv of Sullust has opened channels through your grandmother to discuss re-entry into the Alliance."
It figured; Leia Organa Solo never could stay away from politics for long. "What about Niathal?"
His eyes flickered. "Pending further investigation Cha Niathal will be pardoned for her crimes… posthumously."
"Posthumously?"
He met her wide-eyed look evenly before pursing his lips and looking down. "After transferring command of all GA forces over to Admiral Darklighter, she made a last transmission to her family on Dac and then sequestered herself in her private quarters aboard the Admiral Ackbar. Her aide found her several hours later when no one could reach her to begin dialoguing with Darklighter and Reige. She'd…" he hesitated. "She ran a line of carbon monoxide into her personal aquarium tank. It… seemed to be something she'd made especial preparations for... in advance."
Leyla closed her eyes as she understood, as much as she didn't wish to. The dishonor Niathal must have surely faced would have been too much, but to do anything against Ryoqim's demands would have spelled certain death for her entire homeworld. But she'd known it was an inevitability…
She shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the chill. Cem stood and hovered awkwardly a moment before crossing to the chair where she sat, and he briefly rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Try to relax," he murmured. "You've born a heavy burden these past several days, you deserve some peace of mind… if only fleetingly." Smiling tightly, she raised her eyes to meet his, and something deep in his hazel eyes flickered painfully. "I… would never have forgiven myself, had the worst happened on Csilla."
She reached up and gripped his hand tightly. "Thank you," she spoke softly. "For coming after me."
With a last tight squeeze of her hand, Cem headed for the door. Just before his hand connected with the release panel, she spoke quietly, almost reluctantly. "Was it worth it, Cem?" He stilled. "The secrecy, the duty… everything you've sacrificed- your family, your name… for a heritage, a role, that was never even a choice."
He didn't turn, but spoke to the door after a moment of consideration. "Someone must do it. Though… I cannot deny that I have found myself at times… jealous… of what Jagged has, what Wynssa has. Things that were never pragmatic for me, living my entire life as a lie."
"Things are different now; things could change for you. For the first time in your life… you exist."
"Perhaps; for now though, I am quite content to have the chance to know a family I could never before. To have the opportunity to know Ashlin and Naviin... your mother… you."
"I'm glad for that as well," she assured him softly.
X-X-X-X
Jaina and Jag did not see Kyp and Gennevi again until lunch the following day. With Naviin in tow, they sought out the couple as they sat in the dining facility, talking quietly with their heads close together, and settled down in empty seats around the table. Kyp and Gennevi stopped talking, with almost suspicious suddenness.
Cocking a brow, Jaina asked, "So what did Darklighter want yesterday?"
A discreet look was exchanged between them, before Kyp returned evenly, "We'll tell you later." And before she could muster an appropriate amount of speculative surprise on the matter, he switched the topic abruptly. "Have you seen Leyla today?"
Now it was Jaina and Jag's turn to exchange a look, even as Naviin nodded his head enthusiastically. "We had breakfast with her," the boy informed Kyp succinctly; the Jedi Master smiled and nodded, but his gaze fell on Jaina questioningly. Her expression was enough to inform him that Naviin's relief at spending time with his sister once more was making him somewhat short-sighted to Leyla's unusually melancholy state since she'd woken.
Leyla had been pleasant enough when she'd joined the Fels in their suite for breakfast, but she was quiet, distant. Jaina couldn't decide whether it seemed more likely that she needed some more time to process all that she'd been through- details of which were still vague in places, but had been filled in significantly by Cem the night before- or whether she needed someone to prod her into opening up and venting about it. The last thing she wanted to do was to pressure her into talking, especially if it wasn't Jaina she wanted to talk to.
"Well we saw her late last night before turning in, and she said she'd meet us for lunch but-"
"But," a voice cut in, "she got lost. Sorry, dad; big palace."
She kissed Kyp's cheek and tousled Naviin's hair before sitting down in the last seat at the table and perusing the servi-unit options. Jaina studied her daughter and decided that she looked well enough- some color had returned to her cheeks, her eyes were a bit brighter than they had been the day before, even at breakfast. But even Jag and Gennevi, without an inkling of Force-sensitivity between them, could not fail to notice that Leyla was keeping herself so subdued within the Force that neither of her parents, nor her brother, had even realized she was coming.
It took only a few minutes for a server-droid to come whisking out with their meals once they'd selected from the monitor on the table, and the six of them settled into a companionable silence for several minutes while they ate.
The lounge where they ate was moderately busy, for midday. It seemed to cater to the residential sections of the palace but Jaina had to assume that, like the old palace on Coruscant where she'd been born and spent several years of her childhood, there were probably dozens of assorted dining facilities across the huge complex- small and accessible cafeterias for the menial office workers, or people who simply needed food quickly; ornate and elaborate restaurants for entertaining visiting dignitaries and the like.
This particular place seemed somewhere in the middle; simple and unassuming, it was cozy but lacked formal constraints. And the other people who passed through- the very large majority of beings in the palace being human, as far as Jaina had seen- paid their out-of-place group little mind. Soon enough, she supposed there would be plenty of visitors roaming the halls of the palace.
"So," Leyla took a sip of her tea- paused, made a face, sighed, and set it back down, whatever she'd been about to say forgotten. Gennevi looked at her curiously, and she smiled faintly. "Too sweet. Sorry, I was going to ask- what's happening now? I mean… Cem told me that Uncle Luke and Aunt Mara are coming out with Chief Belotab and all that, but… none of you have actually told me what you're sticking around here for."
Gennevi smiled ruefully. "Besides you?" Leyla flushed. "Well, we're all in a bit of trouble with Master Skywalker for corrupting young Jedi pilots into acting thoroughly like Rogues." By her tone, it was evident that the 'trouble' was minimal. "Assorted elements of both the Jedi and non-Jedi groups have teamed up with the various Fleets as they organize, repair, and ship out- to make sure everyone is on the same page, that sort of thing." She glanced around the table. "The four ofus are going to have to file a formal report eventually and explain everything in a way that doesn't implicate Gavin of any wrongdoing," she grinned.
"Isn't he the new acting Supreme Commander?" Leyla frowned. "Can he convict himself of subversion?"
Kyp laughed. "I think just about everyone involved here has performed some sort of underhanded sneakiness in recent days; I wouldn't worry too much about it. Though," he considered his daughter, "Cem hinted that the Chiss are going to want to have a longer chat with you some time soon."
She shrugged wearily. "Probably Belotab and Darklighter too, eventually."
"Well, Cem said that-"
"I've got it," Gennevi cut him off, a look of success on her face. "Finally- Bloodfin Squadron."
When she didn't elaborate, Jaina shook her head. "Sorry- what?"
"Cem. I've met him before."
"What?"
She turned to Kyp. "Remember when you and Leyla were training on the Trucemaker and I told you that I was with the Second Fleet under Wedge back when… ah… he was out for your blood?" His brow quirked upwards and he nodded. "Well, after the crisis on Bastion was over, we had a squadron from Imperial space connect with us unexpectedly- purportedly as supplemental firepower to make up for the ships of the Fourth that had been damaged in an earlier engagement, before Pellaeon returned to rout the rebellious Moffs here."
Jaina thought back hard, trying to figure out that timing, finding it strange in some ways how close all of their paths had come to crossing with Gennevi so long ago. But after the attack over the Imperial capital had ceased- an attack which had pinned her, Jag, and her parents down on the planet- they had left in the Falcon themselves to meet with Wedge's Fleet. Which meant that the squadron of which Gennevi spoke must have left around the same time, because they hadn't lingered long before heading towards the Atrivis Sector to collect Kyp and the assorted Jedi who had taken down the Red Hand leadership.
It was strange how things came together. That stay on Bastion was the only other time Jaina had ever stayed in the Imperial Palace on Ravelin; shortly thereafter, she, Jag, and Kyp had spent a reasonable duration of time with the same fleet where Gennevi was serving; and somewhere in that whole experience, Gennevi had actually met Cem?
"Anyway," the older woman continued, "we couldn't quite figure out what they were doing with us- they were supposed to be about the most elite Imperial squadron out there. But I dealt with the Bloodfin commander a couple of times over the course of the week or so they spent with the Second, at squadron command meetings and the like." She hesitated. "And I would swear that it was Cem."
"It was," Jag assured her, even as he shook his head. "You would have met him as Davik Antell. And I'll bet anything that he was there because my father suggested that Admiral Nhylatich arrange it when he heard that Wedge had recovered Leyla."
Jaina looked at her silent daughter and noticed that she was staring off into space a bit, completely checked out of the conversation, even when Jag mentioned her specifically. In the thirteen ensuing years, Leyla had never been overly fond of discussing Red Hand but she'd never particularly shied away from it either. It was just… over and done with, a frightening but brief chapter in her young life.
"Leyla?"
"Hm?" she turned and jolted out of her distant musings.
Changing the topic of conversation completely, Jaina smirked. "There's a roguishly handsome young man from the Senex Sector who was asking about you earlier. Any interesting story behind that?"
Leyla's look wasn't quite exasperated, but it didn't give anything away either. "Nothing unusual, for this family- Ta'yen and I made a business arrangement in which I would try to help him figure out who tried to kill him and he would provide some better intel on slave trafficking so that the GA might better coordinate with the sector's efforts." She went a bit pink. "Not that I've been able to follow up on that…"
"Did you figure out who tried to kill him?"
"No, he figured it out all on his own." And she fell silent again for a long minute as Jaina fought back the frustration at how closed-off her daughter had become. "Anyway, mom, there's a roguishly handsome man looking for you too."
"Oh?"
Leyla nodded over Jaina's shoulder and everyone at the table turned to see Zekk, arms crossed over his chest, leaning against the wall near the door, watching their little gathering. Jaina shook her head back and forth slowly as the tall Jedi approached, and informed him sweetly, "I'm going to kill you."
"Can it wait until after I eat?" he pulled up a chair. "I'm starving."
"Where's Tahlia?"
Zekk scowled. "Recovering from the interrogation we just underwent upon our arrival."
"Anyone else come with you?" Leyla asked.
He nodded slowly and met her eyes carefully. "Damala and Taseek." Something in his tone told her quite clearly not to ask where Yilina and Fyaru were. "They came out to the Ottega System with the Jedi team."
Jaina suppressed another bout of frustration. Her daughter having secrets was one thing; her daughter having secrets with Jag's brother and Jaina's oldest friend was altogether more difficult to handle. But, she supposed- when you save the galaxy with the resources of a massive Empire nobody even knows exists anymore, there must be some allowances.
X-X-X-X
"You know," Leyla said drily to the man sitting in the chair across from her in her suite's living area, "when I left Senex a month ago, you were going into exile and talking about fighting a guerilla war against your father. In light of that situation, I wasn't expecting you to turn up with the whole sector-wide defense force."
He smiled slyly and sipped lightly from his foaming brew of some exotic Imperial-world spirit. "I had a productive month." He tilted his head to the side, regarding her curiously. "As did you." He grinned. "When you left Senex a month ago, you were returning home at the bidding of your Jedi Council and… well, your mother." Her lips quirked. "I take it you never quite made it there."
"No," she shook her head. "We barely made it off of Eriadu before we were sucked into this fiasco."
He nodded slowly. "We," he repeated. "Of course. What has become of Jedi Vulcor?"
"Well…" Looking away a moment, she fought to keep the scowl off of her face. Truth be told, she didn't quite know. She'd assumed that he was bringing Olyxes to Bastion but Zekk hadn't volunteered the information about his son during lunch, and Leyla wasn't going to reveal his existence if his parents had some further reason of keeping him concealed. "We sort of went separate ways in the course of what needed to be done in the last several days. I imagine he'll be making his way here eventually. Or maybe he'll just return straight back to Ossus."
"Hm," Ta'yen shrugged, "well, will you pass along my greetings to him when you see him?"
"Are you not staying?"
His answering smile was sincere. "Don't misunderstand me, Leyla- it was no question at all to bring my forces to bear to help stop this war; not when the galaxy as we know it was on the verge of chaos and destruction. But this now- the negotiations and debates… these are now matters of the Galactic Alliance. Not Senex. In truth, I would have been gone already but I was waiting to see you first."
Strangely… that actually made her blush a bit. "I'm glad you did stay," she said quietly. "I want to thank you- and ask if there's any way that I can ever repay the great debt I now owe you."
Ta'yen waved her off. "Don't be absurd. All I could ask is that you pass it along to the right people- among the Jedi or in the government- that Senex will hopefully, one day soon, start to branch out of its self-imposed isolationism, form more concrete ties with the rest of the galaxy. Possibly even join the Alliance one day."
"I'll do that," she promised.
X-X-X-X
It was the next morning- about three days since the cease-fire, two days since The Hand made orbit over Bastion- when the overall atmosphere of everything changed. The Skywalkers arrived with Ferrin Belotab and Wynn Dorvan and, with the newly-reinstated head of the GA and the head of the Jedi order now present, the questions that were most important could now be asked:
Would the Ascendancy rejoin the Alliance? If so, under what conditions?
How would recent events affect the overall structure and organization of the Alliance?
What terms- if any- would the recently seceded systems face for reentry? And the Remnant?
Would Belotab carry on his term as before, or would a special election be arranged for the near future?
And then, the big questions that many were reluctant to voice but that could not be avoided- what was to become of the Empire of the Hand? How had it accomplished all it had done in recent weeks, months, and years?
The problem with the latter question was that Cem refused to say anything that would remotely implicate Karrde or Ghent, even if their actions had all been unfortunate necessities in order to achieve galactic salvation. And it was the former question which had the Chiss most on edge, kept them hovering with one foot out the door, unwilling to commit to anything as much as Cem assured Aristocras Adr'igi'sabosen and Tsel'oru'nuruodo that the Hand posed no threat to the Ascendancy; indeed, they hadn't even been aware of its existence, these long years.
But as before, much to Leyla's dismay, the Ascendancy found itself at odds with a Fel; this time, a Fel who had never even lived among them. And that secrecy was part of the problem, as far as she could tell, it made them edgy and defensive. They were reluctant to accept that the whole matter had not been pre-arranged, that Cem hadn't been reforging the Hand for decades, even as he served in the Remnant. And Cem argued as best he could against them, even as he protected the greatest secret that could bring the whole thing crashing down on them all.
Thrawn.
It was late that afternoon before she was finally summoned. Reluctant to go, she was at least grateful that they had put off the interrogation until all of the assorted leadership had gathered to be present for it.
Zekk had assured her over lunch that she need not worry about protecting him and Tahlia, or Cem. Nevertheless, she felt a distinct anxiety as she stiffly walked into the oversized conference room that was being used as the center of discussion and negotiation. Her great-uncle, whom she'd not even been able to see since his arrival that morning, smiled faintly at her; Ferrin Belotab was regarding her curiously, as though trying to reconcile her appearance to the last time they had met- some eleven years ago at a diplomatic function with her stepfather, if Leyla correctly recalled.
Cem and Reige were similar in their stiffly Imperial posture, expressions stoic without being grim, necessarily. Reige had five or ten years on her uncle, but the two men were of similar height and build, and mirrored one another from opposite sides of a long, rectangular table.
Fifth and most out-of-place was Aristocra Adr'igi'sabosen, the lone chiss among these human men. His gaze held no less intensity than it had in her suite two nights prior.
"Have a seat, Jedi Solo-Fel," Reige directed her quietly, and she slowly lowered herself into the chair beside Luke and opposite Belotab. "If I may, before we begin- how progresses your recovery?"
She fought the unconscious urge to reach up and rub at the marks she knew were still visible at the base of her throat. "Just fine, thank you, sir. My… injuries were not all that severe." It was true; she certainly could have died by Ryoqim's hands, by the cold of Csilla, or by Alpha Red, but once those three factors had been dealt with, only the matter of restoring her body temperature to a normal level had been a pressing concern for her long-term wellbeing.
"Yes, well," he leaned back in his seat and observed her over steepled fingers. "I would like to ask you about Torolis."
She blinked. "Torolis, sir?" He nodded. "I… barely even knew what happened on Torolis when it occurred, I was working on an unrelated project in the Senex Sector."
"Yes, we know you were not yet involved in Captain Fel's efforts. My question is more to do with how you felt… how you feel now… about the way in which the Torolis matter was… dealt with. When you learned the full story."
Leyla frowned heavily and glanced sidelong at Luke before looking quickly down the table at Cem. He was sitting back in his chair, unmoving, watching and waiting- and she realized something. This wasn't a test of her at all- it was a test of Cem, and of Zekk and Tahlia.
And it perhaps explained just why Olyxes was still being kept secret. Should his parents be viewed as traitors or war criminals…
She swallowed- and she decided that an honest answer was the best answer. "I was horrified," she returned bluntly. "Jedi have never been as willing as those in military power to quantify 'acceptable losses' and four million bothans seemed- and still seems- a steep price to pay. Especially when the means of stopping the tragedy is at hand, and the person wielding that power does not use it." She sighed. "But… I do not know, now, that any alternative means could have ended in anything but disaster, chaos, and tragedy. Due to the nature of this threat, it was inconceivable to risk alerting Ryoqim to the fact that someone was on to him until we had more information."
The Aristocra leaned forward and caught her eyes sharply. "And that someone was Syndic Csun'abr'inrokini?"
"As I understand it," Leyla held his gaze firmly, "he was deeply involved in the initial project against the Yuuzhan Vong."
"He was also deeply involved in treason against the Ascendancy when he kidnapped and faked the deaths of your father and grandfather, and an Aristocra of a Ruling Family."
Everyone else at the table was watching them closely; Leyla mustered as much conviction in her voice as she was able. "I cannot speak for his intentions, Aristocra. I did not come to know the syndic well in the month I spent in the service of the Hand. It is clear to me, however, that his actions saved their lives; just as his actions on Csilla saved mine. I will not insult his memory by questioning his motives now."
Adr'igi'sabosen straightened and blinked once. "Understood, Jedi Solo-Fel."
Leyla sighed and looked around the table once more. "If you're trying to determine whether or not to hold Cem, or Zekk, or Tahlia responsible for the deaths of the bothans on Torolis, stop. Had Torolis been a failure, Ryoqim would have tried Bothawui- which would have also failed. And then he would have assumed something was wrong with the bothan strain and moved on- maybe to Coruscant, where a rodian would be blackmailed into killing billions of humans, or calibops, or whatever; and if that failed, Rodia would have paid the price.
"But Cem and Zekk knew that Rodia was blackmailed too; they could have stopped it. But what happens when the twi'lek on Rodia, who must do Ryoqim's bidding or see Ryloth devastated, tries and fails to effect the deaths of all those rodians? Ryloth never seceded; we didn't know about Ryloth, just like we didn't know about Bpfassh, or Clak'dor Seven, or three other planets. And then what? Four million lives were saved on Torolis- at the cost of the billion-odd twi'leks on Ryloth?
"He could have done all of this in a matter of minutes," she narrowed her eyes around at them all. "The skill in his treachery was not in killing sentient beings, it was using their fear of death, the deaths of their entire species, against them. Forcing systems without the means to secede, like Sullust; forcing Admiral Niathal into an impossible place with trillions of lives in the balance.
"Four years ago," she said softly, the faintest tremor in her voice, "my father- Master Durron- was forced into an impossible position when a deranged ex-Moff put a blaster to my head and ordered him to fire Centerpoint Station at an unknown target. An incredibly fortunate bout of luck meant that the Jedi already knew that Centerpoint was being brought back online, and they had already begun the process of rigging it to self-destruct whenever it was next fired.
"What if they hadn't?" The eyes of the four men and the Aristocra were wide and riveted on her. "What if his choices were truly to see his daughter die, or to fire on an unknown target and kill millions, perhaps billions of sentients?" She shook her head. "There is no choice; not really. In such a situation, I would have been Torolis- but my death would have ensured life for countless others. I am loathe to use the phrase 'acceptable losses,' but there are times when sacrifice is necessary- even when it tears you apart to do it. My death would have been a sad story on the HoloNet for a few days; Torolis will be the tragedy of a generation. But it's what those sacrifices did prevent, or would have prevented, that truly counts.
"Was there anything else?"
It was quiet for a long time. Then, at last, Reige, who seemed to be the unofficial head of the gathering, shook his head slowly. "No."
A moment passed and her brows rose in surprise. "No?"
"No. You may go." He glanced around the room. "I think we're done for the day."
"But then…" she frowned and looked from Reige to Belotab, to the Aristocra, and finally to Cem and Luke. "What about everything I did?"
Reige frowned deeply. "How do you mean?"
"I thought I was here to answer questions."
"And you have; more than you realize, perhaps."
"But we didn't talk about any of my actions."
Reige was starting to look faintly bemused. "Which actions do you feel merit discussion today, Jedi Solo-Fel?"
Fighting the rising frustration, she pursed her lips and exhaled heavily and looked at Luke first. "I disobeyed the Masters' Council and disappeared." She looked at Belotab. "I broke into the Senate Building and sent part of my team to infiltrate the Senate Chamber which ended up being blamed," her eyes shifted to the Aristocra, "on the Ascendancy and used as justification," she turned last to Reige, "to start a potentially catastrophic civil war. I've managed to step on all of your toes in the past several days, not to mention the fact that I helped Cem subvert an admiral of the Galactic Alliance into turning on the Supreme Commander."
"Leyla," Luke turned to her slowly, "do you have the faintest clue what we've discussed today with Zekk and Tahlia… Damala and Taseek… and Captain Fel?" She shook her head, eyes narrowed and suspicious. "For much of the time- you."
"Me," she repeated dully.
Reige cleared his throat. "You," he repeated. "The fact that your actions on Coruscant saved Polla Essada's life; the fact that you urged Captain Fel to do all he could to buy time while you put together the pieces to draw out Ryoqim and force him to reveal the location of his secret base. The fact that you enlisted help from the unlikeliest of allies, in Lord Viholn, to put as swift an end as possible to an unnecessary and potentially brutal war."
"And," Adr'igi'sabosen added quietly, "the fact that you rushed headlong to Csilla and, at great personal peril, saved eight billion chiss lives. The fact that you put those lives ahead of your own when you found yourself trapped inside a contaminated vessel, and only your uncle's timely arrival prevented that tragedy from occurring."
"So no," Reige concluded, "we do not require any explanations, nor justifications, for anything you have done. Though we would ask that you remain about the palace as we turn our attention towards future matters, lest we find ourselves with any questions then."
Nodding faintly and feeling more than a little blind-sided, Leyla allowed Luke to steer her from the room a couple minutes later when the session adjourned for the day.
X-X-X-X
