Chapter XII
"If I could have a moment of your time, sir?" The man he'd come to see looked up and smiled at the young Jedi. "Jacen Solo! To what do I owe this visit?" Cracken said. "It's about that new member of the Senate, Jonas Rianes," Solo said before his nerve failed him. When the idea to see the former head of Intelligence had come to him, it all seemed so reasonable. Now he wondered if he could make the older man see the reasons for his concern.
"I've heard of him from Belindi," Airen told him, "Keeps her on her toes, that's for sure." "My sister and I feel that he's hiding something and wanted to speak with him and see if we could confirm our suspicions," Jacen told him. "Using the Force, no doubt?" Cracken said, "I'm not sure the others would approve of such a thing but if you had sufficient reason I don't see why you should be denied the chance. I haven't met the man myself yet, so I can provide some cover for you."
"That's what I had in mind," he said in relief, "Jaina is trying to backtrack the source of the explosion, but so far she's come up dry. If Jonas is involved in any way, we need to know." Airen rose, leading him to the door and together they stepped into the hall and made their way over the surface of Denon. "Any news on your parents or uncle?" Cracken asked casually as they walked towards the new location for Senate meetings. "Not since my sister arrived," Jacen said, "Reports of trouble have died down a bit too, almost as if whoever was behind it was gearing up for something on a larger scale."
They rounded a corner and could see the complex ahead. To his surprise, Solo spotted the man they were looking for at the door in earnest conversation with a second individual. "That's him on the left," the young man said. Airen frowned and Jacen caught the shift in his emotions as Cracken dragged him to one side and into an alley. "What's the matter?" Solo asked. "I can tell you two things about that man, my friend. One, he's not who he claims to be," Airen glanced back at the figures ahead in a way that sent a shiver down the young Jedi's spine, "Two, he's far more dangerous than you can imagine."
His father-in-law was waiting for him when Corran came down the ramp, along with Talon Karrde. "Just dropping by, eh?" Booster said, smiling at them both. The expression was laced with worry for his daughter and grandchildren so Horn said, "Mirax is waiting for me on Corellia. They're hidden in my grandfather's estate and safe." "So how did a disreputable rogue like you end up with an Imperial?" Karrde asked. "I volunteered," Jag Fel said, unwilling to rise to the challenge. "Mara sent us to ask for your help, Talon," Corran said, "She's gone looking for Luke."
"If you think I'm going to run halfway across the galaxy looking for her," Talon began. "Han might, once he's done here," Terrik said. "What's Solo doing here?" Jagged asked. "Grilling a visitor with Calrissian," Karrde told them, "Seems that the two have met before and have unfinished business." "Where's Leia?" Horn asked. "Han didn't say," Booster said, "I got the impression he didn't want to discuss her mission." "We need fuel if we're going to go all the way to the Kathol Sector with Solo," Fel said.
"You'll have to discuss that with him, so I wouldn't waste my money yet," Talon said at which Booster shot him a dirty look. "We could use a little rest," Corran admitted, "Let us know when Han finishes so we can talk to him." The two men returned to their ship in order to do as they had said and await the former smuggler.
"Oh my, are we in the Kathol Sector Mistress Mara?" Threepio asked as he joined her in the cockpit with the sleeping form of her son cradled in his bronze arms. "That's right, you've been here before," Jade Skywalker said. "I'd rather not remember that time," the droid told her, "Still, things did work out for the best." "I can sense Luke faintly from here," she told him, "Which is strange since I can usually feel his presence strongly even at greater distances." "Where is Master Luke?" he asked. "I wish I had a better answer," Mara admitted as she scanned the sector. Much to her surprise she immediately picked up an object drifting in interstellar space.
Easing the throttle up, she headed in that direction as her readouts revealed the nature of her discovery. "It's an X-wing," she said, opening a channel. Almost at once a series of familiar tones sounded and Threepio exclaimed, "R2-D2, is that you?" The tones rang out again, and the golden droid said, "Well of course I have my logic circuits working. How else would I be capable of translating your balderdash?" "I'm going to bring it aboard," Mara said, hoping a study of the craft would reveal the fate that had befallen her husband.
Swinging the bay doors open, she matched speeds and allowed the starfighter to drift inside. One it was secure, she put the ship on automatic and jogged back to the bay. The X-wing was mostly intact, and a simple tug freed Artoo from his socket and she lowered him in her invisible grip to the floor. "Artoo says that sometimes he wishes you wouldn't do that but that time is of the essence if we are to save Master Luke," Threepio told her after the smaller droid finished singing out its musical invective.
"Who captured Luke?" Jade Skywalker asked, "Which way did they go?" Artoo replied and for a moment Mara was sure the protocol droid was shocked by the other's reply. "What did you say, Artoo?" Threepio asked, "Are you sure?" R2-D2 let out an affirmative chirp and C-3PO turned back to her. "I am afraid that Artoo is certain he has identified their attackers," Threepio said, "He believes Master Luke was taken by the Yuuzhan Vong."
