Luke hardly noticed the spectacular sunset outside his office window as he sat at his desk working through all the minute reports, proposals and other administrative detail that seemed to consume his life increasingly these days. From a certain point of view, he was light-hearten that so many Senators, representatives and dignitaries were willing to work with the Jedi and seek out their opinion on many of the hard diplomatic questions facing the galaxy today. It meant to him that maybe the Jedi could have a role in the future of the galaxy and not be feared; to finally return to the original mission of the Jedi Order, like Master Yoda and the Old Order had done. That the galaxy is now more willing to try to move beyond the hatred and bigotry that the Emperor and his father had inflicted on the galaxy more then 50 years ago.
That is why he felt that the new Jedi Order and the new Jedi Council in particular, was a step in the right direction. It showed beings all over the galaxy that the Jedi were equal partners, not masters, in the galaxy. The Old Order was more reserve, isolated and, to the majority of the galaxy, elites. Even after all his travels to collect everything on the Jedi Order and working side by side with many like Han and Wedge, it wasn't until his frequent sparing matches with Fyor Rodan that he began to understand at his gut level just how that isolation hurt Master Yoda and the others then helped. Isolation bred suspicion and fear while working with others, by being visible and outgoing to the people of the galaxy foster understanding and tolerance.
Of course, if Master Yoda and Ben had to deal with the amount of paperwork and nonsense that went along with this new council, they wouldn't have had the time to train anyone. Luke would have much rather been on Ossus with Mara, Ben and Artoo spending time doing simple things, such as a simple dinner with his family. To help teach Ben and the other youngsters learn the beauty of the Force and grow in the wisdom that the Force can bring.
Maybe I should let Kyp or Corran, when he returns, take over some of my duties, Luke thought with a sigh. Even though Kyp was consider to be a loose canon to many in the Senate and Jedi, Luke felt that he has matured and grown since the start of the Yuuzhan Vong war. Kyp was not as concern with being a hero nor trying to prove to other that he had changed for the better. The experiences he had with Jaina and fighting along side the military had changed him in ways that Luke was sure that even Kyp himself hadn't fully realized yet. To Luke the best sign of his growth was he was not involved with Jaina in the Vong Free Movement. A fact that he plans to raise loudly and often when he suggests that Kyp assume some of his duties.
He wish that he could suggest Corran but his daughter will soon be a teenager and Luke was sure that he would want to spend as much time with her as he could. Moreover, Jaina's reform would be more then enough of a job for anyone, including Corran.
Jaina's actions since the end of the war still worried Luke; he had all the faith that the Force will help Jaina see the light. Nevertheless, like Ben and Yoda, he also believed in giving the Force a bit of help. Hopefully, the time spent with Corran on Zonama Sekot would be beneficial to her path to redemption.
He wishes he could get an update from Corran, but since they left Denon, a strange interference has prevented any communications with the Unknown Region. There was sporadic contact with the Chiss space and some other out post at the edge of Unknown Region but any further is impossible. The experts he has talked to were still not sure what might be the explanation but they were still studying the problem. He wouldn't be worried if not for the fact that the Empire had a coup a couple weeks before and the deaths of Zekk and Tesar. Both had been found horribly tortured before they died, he had Tyria and Kell, with their son, to investigate the deaths and so far, they have only determined a great concentration of Dark Energy surrounding their bodies. Luke wanted to talk to Corran and Jaina to warn them about all the events in the past weeks and see if Sekot had any ideas on whom the Jedi was that was killing his students. He also wanted to let Jag and Lt. Commander Yoder know what happened in the Empire and see if he could get any clues about what might have happened there as well.
The quickness of the coup, the total lack of warning about the coming coup and the now silence coming from the Empire had Cal, Luke and others very concern. Even High General Hestiv seemed to be in the dark as well, or at least that was the impression Luke was getting from him. Hestiv tried to give them a strong front but according to GA Intelligent reports, he has not received any responses from his communication with Bastine.
All these developments had Luke wondering if the Dark Jedi and the troubles in the Empire were not somehow connected. Cal Omas had forward a report, so top secret it was for his eyes only, that Face, Tahiri and the rest of the new Wraiths had been dispatched to penetrate and conduct espionage on the Empire. Luke was informed of this development after he told Cal about the possible Dark Jedi on the lose. They had been originally assigned to divide their time between some new drug that was rapidly spreading thru the Core and the sad remains of the Yuuzhan Vong in the former Hutt space.
"Master?"
Luke snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Kyp's voice coming from the doorway. Luke's stomach dropped when he saw his formal student's grim look.
"Somehow I doubt that you have any good news for me," Luke said setting down the data pad he had been studying as Kyp walked over to the conversational nook of Luke's office.
"Great thing about the Force, it saves times beating around the issues," Kyp said as he sat down.
"Not the Force, Luke said joining Kyp and accepting the new pad from him. "It was the look on your face."
"Something that seems to be common with us Jedi, we can move rocks but can't use a sabacc face if our lives depended on it. Maybe we should get Han and Lando to teach a course on it at the Academy." Kyp had said with a hint of a smile which he quickly lost as he outlined what he had on the pad. "Lowbacca was found a few hours ago on Kashyyyk."
"Same as the other two," Luke said as a great weight gripped his heart. Lowbacca was the nephew of Chewbacca and one of, if not the most, shinny example of a Jedi. He had been in the same class as Jaina and Jacen and while he had his share of troubles with his niece, nephews, Tahiri and others, Lowbacca was always true to his heart and the Jedi way. His lost would not only be a great personal lost to his family but a great lost to the cause of justice and freedom in the galaxy.
"The family has already agreed to hold off funeral arrangements until Tyria and Kell get there," Kyp said nodding his head. "Kell has suggest that we alert all Jedi but especially anyone with a common connection to these deaths. I already acted on the suggestion by sending out a general low key alert. I also reassigned some more Jedi to the academy and let Ossus defense fleet in on the problem."
"Have you alerted the GFFA Defense Force?"
"Yes, or at least Hammer is doing so right now." Kyp said sitting forward, "we trying right now to contain the information and try to figure out just who is doing all this."
"Well, we know its not Rar," Luke said as Kyp nodded his head in agreement, "there is no way she could become that powerful over night."
"As far as we know only you and I have that much raw power, Luke, and it wasn't you and sure wasn't me either."
"True," Luke said with a sigh, "well, when Kell and Tyria get finished have them stop by Ossus and go through the file on every force-sensitive person we know of. Maybe they will come across something that will lead them somewhere."
"Right," Kyp said and then started looking uncomfortable as he continued, "Luke, something you should know. Kell has believes the common thread between all three so far is Jaina and Jacen."
"Is Kell suggesting that Jaina or Jacen …" Luke knew that the events over the past couple years has not endear Kell to Jaina but he was hoping he wouldn't think that even Jaina could kill three of her friends. He felt himself wince, and then again, we all thought the same thing about Tahiri before Ossus.
"No, of course not, Luke," Kyp said quickly and leaning forward to stress his point. "We all know about what happened between Tahiri and Jaina was an aberration. However, what Kell was thinking that Han, Leia and your family might be in danger from who ever is doing this as well as the twins."
"What makes him think it's the something about the twins?"
"Just that all three deaths so far have been friends or worked closely with the twins," Kyp said taking the pad back and looking for something on it. "Lets face it, Luke, the twins have made some powerful enemies on their own in the past few years."
"So Kell thinks someone is killing their friends to get at the twins." Luke said taking the pad back and read the page that Kyp had found. It was a theory that Kell was advancing about how the deaths were connected.
"He's just pointing out the possibility, Luke, he says it is too early yet to have a firm idea."
Luke was about to ask some more questions when the communicator counsel on his desk beeped for his attention. Getting up he thought hard about the idea that Jaina or Jacen's past was finally catching up to them. Ever since they started at the Academy when they were 14 years old, they, along with their younger brother and Tahiri, had a gift to find trouble even when they were trying hard to avoid it. Which wasn't often enough to suit Luke or their parents. "Kyp, check with GA Intelligences and see if they have any information on the Night sisters. Perhaps more of them had escape then we know of. Skywalker here."
"Luke, this is Cal, I need you to come to my office; it is very important."
"Of course, sir," Luke said looking over at Kyp. "What has gone wrong now?"
"I would rather tell you when you get here, Luke."
"I understand sir, I am on my way." Luke said as he broke the connection.
"When it rains it pours," Kyp said getting up from his seat, "I'll check with Hammer and then the two of us will stop in on the intelligent crowd. Maybe he will have some ideas on what to check for while we are there."
"Good Kyp, make sure Han and Leia get a full briefing. See if anyone down there has any clue as to where Jacen has been, if we have a idea where he has been we might find him." Since the end of the war, Jacen has been on a private quest of understanding. Luke, while worried about his nephew, was willing to not look too hard for him but under the circumstances knowing where Jacen was no long a luxury. Especially after his strange actions and disappearance on Denon with Tahiri when they thought she was dead, Luke felt that giving Jacen as much room as possible would be a good thing for his growth. However, even if he didn't wish to return to Ossus, they still need to warn him of this new threat. "Also, warn Tenel Ka and her government. If Kell is right about the link she is an obvious target."
"How about Tahiri?"
"I see to Tahiri, besides if we can't find her I am sure who ever this is won't be able to find her either."
A few minutes later Luke walked in to Cal Omas office to find that he was not alone, as Luke had suspected. High General Hestiv was sitting across from Cal trying hard to look dignified and calm but Luke could feel his anxiety as soon as he walked in the room.
"Ah Luke, thank you for coming on such short notice," Cal said as Luke walked in.
"Not a problem Chief of State, the Jedi is always available to assist you and the G.F.F.A at all times." Luke said as he sat down next to Hestiv, the man outwardly was calm as ever but he seemed restless in spirit.
"Luke, the High General here as something he wishes to discuss with us." Cal said with his best sabacc face showing.
"I have not, as of yet, received any official communications from the Empire since this rather unfortunate occurrence," Hestiv said stiffly, "as I am sure your little spooks will be able to confirm. Our Embassy has more bugs then a Hutt has fleas. That is unimportant, however I have received several communication from officers and ships still loyal to the Grand Admiral. While the fight goes on, it is going very badly. They are not expecting to reach Bastine to rescue Pellaeon nor to last much longer in the fight. Forces loyal to Pellaeon on Bastine know where he is but they, too, are unable to launch a rescue effort since they have no hope of success."
"So what you are saying is this new mysterious Emperor may in fact be the new legitimate government in the near future."
"Without you r assistance gentlemen, it very well could happen."
"High General, I am sure you understand what you are suggesting …" Cal started out cautiously but was cut off by the High General.
"I understand perfectly what I am suggesting Chief of State, however you rebels excel at this type of operations or you would have never held out as long as you did against Palpatine and Skywalker. I'm sure some supplies, somewhere to get damaged repaired and give those loyal forces a chance to relax would be easy enough to arrange without anyone being wiser."
"Which could get us dragged into your civil war, General."
"At this stage, not hardly," the High General said calmly. "Right now who ever is in charge has to shore up his or her defenses, bring the population more in line and hunt down those whom will resist. They may issue warning and threats but actually attack you is beyond their power at the moment."
"However, once we start helping you getting out will be all that much harder as the fight goes on."
"I understand Chief of State," he replied evenly, "however once Grand Admiral Pellaeon is back in command and freed of his imprisonment, he can rally more forces to his side and defeat these upstarts."
"I though you said that your people couldn't stage a rescue," Cal said suspiciously.
"They can't, that is correct, however the Wraiths and more importantly young Tahiri Veila could."
The silence in the office was deafen, Cal and Luke exchanged baffled look with each other before continuing. Of all the things, Luke figured he would never hear in his lifetime was an Imperial High General asking the G.F.F.A. to send in its best commando/intelligent team in to the heart of their Empire unsupervised. Unsupervised and armed to the teeth to stage a prison breaks.
"Young Tahiri staged a successful raid to free the crew of the Widowmaker without much assistance, here she will have our full support."
"Tahiri also went against a planet that was thousands of year behind us in technology not against the heart of the Empire," Luke reminded the High General.
"Which is precisely why she will have our full support," the general said, "as well as the rest of the Wraiths."
"The Wraiths have been disbanded …" Cal started but was again cut off, angrily this time.
"Do not treat me as a fool sir! A team that can stop an entire invasion fleet is not simply disbanded. Oh I am sure some have left but the core is still there." The General said passionately. "May I remind you just how far Grand Admiral has stretched out to not only make peace with you but come to your assistance during the war. Many had considered him mad at the least if not an outright traitor. Nevertheless, he made those decisions knowing a stable government on this side can only benefit his Empire. He came to you in your time of need and I am now coming to you in his. Or do I have to draw you a picture of what a new more aggressive Empire could mean to the power structure of this galaxy."
"I'll need a few days to consult with others," Cal said quietly, "I have an answer for you then."
