Part 11 (2/2)
”I know.”
A pained look came to Han's face, but he pressed on. ”I thought you probably did. Well, Tahiri was sort of spying for Jacen. And when she found out that Admiral Pellaeon didn't want to bring the Imperial Remnant into the war on his side, Jacen gave her an order.”
”To a.s.sa.s.sinate Admiral Pellaeon?”
”That's right,” Leia said, once again amazed-and grateful-for how well attuned Han seemed to be to their granddaughter. ”Tahiri was following orders, just like any soldier.”
Allana's frown remained. ”Do soldiers always always follow orders?” follow orders?”
”Almost always,” Han said. ”When they don't, they need a really good reason.” always,” Han said. ”When they don't, they need a really good reason.”
Allana considered this for a moment, then c.o.c.ked her head up at him. ”Then you must have had a lot lot of really good reasons when you were a soldier.” of really good reasons when you were a soldier.”
A laugh-a guffaw guffaw, actually-exploded from Leia's belly. She reached down and mussed her granddaughter's black-dyed hair.
”You don't know the half of it, sweetheart.”
”Yeah, but I always got the job done,” Han said. He winked at Allana. ”Besides, n.o.body loves a yes-man.”
Allana nodded seriously. ”Mom says the same thing,” she agreed. ”I think that's why she's still so lonely. Hapan men are all all yes-men.” yes-men.”
Leia had a sudden, sad glimpse of her granddaughter's future: a smiling, redheaded woman standing beside a white throne, surrounded by beings of all species-Bothans and Hutts, Is.h.i.+ Tib and Mon Calamari, even humans and Squibs-but somehow still alone. There was no man standing with with her, no one like Han to whom she could turn for comfort or support. Allana Solo was going to live in a time of unprecedented peace and harmony, a time of prosperity for all the species of the Galactic Alliance. But her, no one like Han to whom she could turn for comfort or support. Allana Solo was going to live in a time of unprecedented peace and harmony, a time of prosperity for all the species of the Galactic Alliance. But she she would be the one who kept it, the one to whom the rest of the galaxy turned when that peace was threatened. would be the one who kept it, the one to whom the rest of the galaxy turned when that peace was threatened.
That was the destiny for which the Solos were preparing her. Leia knew from their brief visits to Tenel Ka how lonely such an existence could be, how wearying and frightening it was every day. What Leia did was the destiny for which the Solos were preparing her. Leia knew from their brief visits to Tenel Ka how lonely such an existence could be, how wearying and frightening it was every day. What Leia did not not know was whether she had the courage to condemn Allana to that destiny, to doom her to a life in which her word steered the fates of worlds. know was whether she had the courage to condemn Allana to that destiny, to doom her to a life in which her word steered the fates of worlds.
”... that right, Leia?” Leia?”
Startled from her reverie, Leia forced a smile and nodded to Han. ”Umm ...if you say so, dear.”
Han frowned, puzzled and irritated. ”I sure do,” he said. ”We're talking about her grandfather, after all.”
”Right. Prince Isolder was a good man,” Leia said. ”And ”And independent.” independent.”
Han shook his head in exasperation and started to chastise Leia for not paying attention, but Allana cut him off.
”It's okay, Grandpa. You're not always listening to Grandma, either.”
Han's expression changed from irritation to guilt, and Leia patted Allana's back.
”You're quite the peacemaker, aren't you?” she asked. ”Don't ever lose that, okay?”
”I won't, Grandma,” Allana said. ”But what were you thinking about just then? You felt so sad.”
Leia hesitated, dreading the prospect of trying to keep her vision hidden from Allana. Fortunately she was spared the necessity by C-3PO's timely arrival.
”Please excuse the interruption, but-” C-3PO stopped three steps into the room and ran his photoreceptors over the hot chocolate sprayed over the couch, the beverage table, and the floor. ”Oh, dear. I see Mistress Allana spilled her hot chocolate again.”
”Hey, it wasn't me!” Allana thrust her cup toward him, slos.h.i.+ng more hot chocolate onto the couch. ”Look.”
”I'm afraid Han and I are the culprits this time,” Leia said. ”Where have you been? I must have called for you five minutes ago.”
”I'm terribly sorry, Princess Leia. I was answering the secure holo-comm.” C-3PO turned to point down the hall toward the den. ”Wynn Dorvan is asking to speak to you or Captain Solo. I tried to explain that you don't take calls during The Perre Needmo Newshour The Perre Needmo Newshour, but he was most insistent. He seems to think you have been ignoring a message he sent.”
”The Wynn Dorvan?” Han asked.
Leia added, ”As in Chief Daala's personal a.s.sistant?”
”Yes, that would be the correct Wynn Dorvan,” C-3PO said. ”Though I certainly understand your confusion. There are more than one hundred and seventy thousand Wynn Dorvans listed in the Coruscant directory.”
The Solos traded puzzled glances. They knew Wynn Dorvan from the days of the New Republic. As the underdeputy of tenolodium reserves, he had uncovered a lucrative skimming operation run by his own supervisor. Rather than ask for a cut-as many bureaucrats in his position would have done-he had risked his life to bring the matter to the attention of the New Republic Chief of State-who happened to be Leia at the time. After that, he had risen steadily through the ranks on the strength of his reputation. And now he was Chief Daala's personal aide.
”Shall I tell Master Dorvan that you'll be happy to return his call after The Perre Needmo Newshour?” The Perre Needmo Newshour?”
”No, we'll take it now,” Leia said, starting toward the den. ”Stay with Allana.”
”And call the Ess-Nine,” Han added, waving a hand at the hot chocolate. ”That stuff stains if you don't get it up right away.”
Leia led the way down the hall to the extra bedroom that served as their den, then stepped over to the small holocomm unit in the corner. Floating above the holoprojection pad was the fist-sized head of a nondescript man, his only remarkable feature being the fact that not a strand of his brown hair was out of place.
”h.e.l.lo, Wynn,” Leia said, folding her arms across her chest. ”Isn't the HoloNet a rather expensive way to comm across town?”
”That's why n.o.body will think to monitor it,” Dorvan replied. ”Is your end secure?”
”Scrambled and secure,” Han a.s.sured him. ”What's all this about? If Daala is trying to backchannel something on those arrest warrants-”
”Actually, Chief Daala doesn't know anything about this matter,” Dorvan interrupted. ”And I hope she never finds out. That's why I'm using a scrambled holocomm unit.”
”We're listening,” Leia said. ”According to Threepio, you think we've ignored a message from you?”
”Regarding the Mandalorians,” Dorvan replied. ”Are the Jedi trying trying to convince Chief Daala she has no other choice? As soon as those apprentices left the Temple, she instructed me to secure funding for a full company. I'll be able to delay things for a week or so because she wants it kept off the ledgers, but beyond that-” to convince Chief Daala she has no other choice? As soon as those apprentices left the Temple, she instructed me to secure funding for a full company. I'll be able to delay things for a week or so because she wants it kept off the ledgers, but beyond that-”
”Wait a minute,” Han said. ”A company? company? Are you telling me Daala is about to send for an entire Are you telling me Daala is about to send for an entire company company of Mandalorians?” of Mandalorians?”
”Of course,” Dorvan answered. ”Haven't you seen Head of State Fel in the last few days?”
Han and Leia exchanged glances, and Leia began to have a sinking feeling. Jag had some fairly rigid ideas about duty and honor, and he might have felt that carrying messages for Dorvan would create a conflict of interest for him.
After a second, Han said, ”Oh yeah, that that company.” company.”
Dorvan's head dropped. ”He didn't tell you.”
”Head of State Fel seems like a strange choice for a courier,” Leia said. ”Especially when you're obviously willing to risk direct contact with us.”
Dorvan looked up again. ”He wasn't actually a courier,” he explained. ”I just made sure he overheard what Chief Daala was considering, so that I wouldn't have to risk my job-and my freedom-by contacting you directly. Given Fel's relations.h.i.+p with your daughter-”
”You a.s.sumed he'd do the right thing,” Han finished, his tone growing hard. ”Me too.”
<script>