Chapter 1
As Han Solo led Wedge Antilles to the main hanger at the Jedi Academy, he heard his wife's voice proclaiming in pleading tones, "I don't like this anymore than you do, but it could mean an alliance with the Chiss even if negotiations with Bastion fail."
A voice that Han recognized as his brother-in-law's responded to Leia's pleading, "I realize that, but I'm not sure that now is a good time to assemble a team of Jedi. Almost all of the fully trained Jedi are scattered all over the galaxy doing what they were trained to do, and I need the rest to stay here at the academy to watch the trainees. It would simply take too long to get enough Jedi together for what the New Republic is proposing."
As Han and Wedge rounded the nearest ship, the Shadow Chaser, Luke noticed their presence with a smile.
"Han, would you please tell your wife that she asks the impossible?"
Han shook his head regretfully, and said, "Sorry, kid, but it won't work. Trust me, I tell her that all the time, and she never listens." Leia just rolled her eyes.
Wedge turned to Luke with a look of apology. "Sorry, Luke," he said. "But I have to side with Leia on this one. You know that this mission is very important to the New Republic and the chances of pulling it with Jedi around are a lot better than the chances we'd have without your help."
"Well," put in Han, "Which Jedi do you expect will be available? You heard Luke, not many of the Jedi are around right now."
Wedge sighed. "Can't you think of something, Luke?" Wedge shook his head. "And I'm afraid the mission can't be postponed. The Remnant is expecting us to be there at a certain time, and we need the other team to be in the Unknown Regions before then."
"That doesn't give us much time." commented Luke. "But maybe." His voice trailed off and he looked as if he were deep in thought.
"Maybe what?" Leia prodded. Luke shook himself from his revere, and looked at companions as he replied, "It would be risky, but." he paused. "Some of the older trainees are almost Jedi Knights. They might be able to handle the mission well enough."
Seeing Han and Leia's alarmed looks, he added, "Under the supervision of a full-fledged Jedi, of course."
Leia still looked somewhat skeptical, and Han wasn't liking the idea at all. Finally, Wedge broke the awkward silence that followed Luke's comment, "Do you think they're ready to take on a mission of this much importance?"
Luke chuckled. "They've proven that they work well under this kind of pressure, or have you forgotten the incidents involving the Second Imperium, Diversity Alliance, and Black Sun?"
Wedge smiled. "No, I remember. Those youngsters did a pretty good job of taking care of themselves.and the New Republic."
"Are you serious!" Han cried out in disbelief. "You'd send my children into the middle of Imperial territory? Have you both gone mad!?!"
"Actually, Han," Leia's calm voice startled Han into silence. "They're both right." She looked up and met Han's incredulous stare. "It's the only way we can pull off this mission. We have to risk it."
Han sighed, defeated. "Well," he said. "I never could argue with a lady."
The corners of Leia's mouth lifted in wry amusement. "Oddly, I don't seem to recall that having been one of your traits. In fact, I think it's usually quite the opposite."
Han lifted his chin proudly. "I try to learn from my mistakes, sweetheart."
Leia snorted. "I wish."
Han looked insulted. "What's that supposed to mean?"
As Han Solo led Wedge Antilles to the main hanger at the Jedi Academy, he heard his wife's voice proclaiming in pleading tones, "I don't like this anymore than you do, but it could mean an alliance with the Chiss even if negotiations with Bastion fail."
A voice that Han recognized as his brother-in-law's responded to Leia's pleading, "I realize that, but I'm not sure that now is a good time to assemble a team of Jedi. Almost all of the fully trained Jedi are scattered all over the galaxy doing what they were trained to do, and I need the rest to stay here at the academy to watch the trainees. It would simply take too long to get enough Jedi together for what the New Republic is proposing."
As Han and Wedge rounded the nearest ship, the Shadow Chaser, Luke noticed their presence with a smile.
"Han, would you please tell your wife that she asks the impossible?"
Han shook his head regretfully, and said, "Sorry, kid, but it won't work. Trust me, I tell her that all the time, and she never listens." Leia just rolled her eyes.
Wedge turned to Luke with a look of apology. "Sorry, Luke," he said. "But I have to side with Leia on this one. You know that this mission is very important to the New Republic and the chances of pulling it with Jedi around are a lot better than the chances we'd have without your help."
"Well," put in Han, "Which Jedi do you expect will be available? You heard Luke, not many of the Jedi are around right now."
Wedge sighed. "Can't you think of something, Luke?" Wedge shook his head. "And I'm afraid the mission can't be postponed. The Remnant is expecting us to be there at a certain time, and we need the other team to be in the Unknown Regions before then."
"That doesn't give us much time." commented Luke. "But maybe." His voice trailed off and he looked as if he were deep in thought.
"Maybe what?" Leia prodded. Luke shook himself from his revere, and looked at companions as he replied, "It would be risky, but." he paused. "Some of the older trainees are almost Jedi Knights. They might be able to handle the mission well enough."
Seeing Han and Leia's alarmed looks, he added, "Under the supervision of a full-fledged Jedi, of course."
Leia still looked somewhat skeptical, and Han wasn't liking the idea at all. Finally, Wedge broke the awkward silence that followed Luke's comment, "Do you think they're ready to take on a mission of this much importance?"
Luke chuckled. "They've proven that they work well under this kind of pressure, or have you forgotten the incidents involving the Second Imperium, Diversity Alliance, and Black Sun?"
Wedge smiled. "No, I remember. Those youngsters did a pretty good job of taking care of themselves.and the New Republic."
"Are you serious!" Han cried out in disbelief. "You'd send my children into the middle of Imperial territory? Have you both gone mad!?!"
"Actually, Han," Leia's calm voice startled Han into silence. "They're both right." She looked up and met Han's incredulous stare. "It's the only way we can pull off this mission. We have to risk it."
Han sighed, defeated. "Well," he said. "I never could argue with a lady."
The corners of Leia's mouth lifted in wry amusement. "Oddly, I don't seem to recall that having been one of your traits. In fact, I think it's usually quite the opposite."
Han lifted his chin proudly. "I try to learn from my mistakes, sweetheart."
Leia snorted. "I wish."
Han looked insulted. "What's that supposed to mean?"