Ganner’s surprise pulsed out. “Abandon you?”
Corran nodded slowly. “Borsk Fey’lya has already managed to point out a number of things. I was not an officer in the New Republic Armed Forces when on my rogue mission to Ithor. He’s noted my presence there was counter to Ithorian custom and law. He has made me complicit in desecrating Ithor because I invited Shedao Shai to meet me there.”
Ganner frowned. “I’ve seen one report that suggests you should have known that a fallen Yuuzhan Vong leader is always immolated, so that by killing Shedao Shai there, you guaranteed the death of the world.”
Mara snorted disgustedly. “That little bit of Vong cultural lore, that’s from that supposed holojournal of Elegos A’Kla? The one he was supposed to have recorded while with the Vong, even though they would have smashed every bit of technology he took with him?”
The Jedi Master held a hand up. “We know that is a fraud. Someone did it and is publishing it to make money.”
Jacen snarled. “And is making a bunch of it, too. That thing is selling wildly. It’s because people are afraid.”
“And morbidly curious.” Ganner shook his head. “There is no doubt about it, the death of Ithor is a serious shock. Dubrillion, Belkadan, even Sernpidal—hardly anyone recognized those worlds. Ithor, on the other hand, is as well known as Coruscant.”
Corran sighed. “And now is a sister world to Alderaan.”
“Which takes us back to Uncle Luke’s first point. People are giving in to their fear. We can’t do that. If we abandon you, Corran, that’s what the Jedi will be doing.”
The Corellian Jedi managed a weak smile. “Thank you, Jacen, but it’s not really a question of giving in to the fear of others, it’s a question of being overwhelmed by it. Master, you must repudiate me. Borsk Fey’lya is looking to avert a disaster. He can do it only by laying the blame on someone else. Right now he’s playing off memories of Carida and Alderaan. He’s dropping the blame on the Jedi. You have to let it land on me.”
Luke shook his head adamantly. “The Jedi are not going to abandon you to political maneuvering.”
“Luke.” Mara leaned toward her husband from her chair and rested a hand on his shoulder. “I love you dearly, but this is a fight we can’t win.”
“Yes, we can, Mara.”
“Okay, perhaps we can, but the effort we expend in doing it is going to detract from our ability to help people.” She sighed. “If we’re waging public opinion wars when we should be fighting the Yuuzhan Vong, we will lose horribly. Right now Borsk Fey’lya has given us a way out of this mess, and that’s to let Corran shoulder the blame for the loss of Ithor. All it will take is for you to issue a statement saying Corran’s actions were undertaken without your consultation or consent.”
Luke’s face closed up. “That’s not true.”
Corran sighed. “From a certain point of view it is. You had reservations all along about the duel. You had concerns over what fighting the duel would do to me. In fact, you noted many times that the Jedi are not warriors.”
“Corran, I was your second in that fight.”
“You chose to support me despite my errors because the opportunity offered through the duel was one that protected many.”
A sense of resignation rolled off Luke Skywalker and surprised Jacen. “Uncle Luke, are you going to agree to this?”
The Jedi Master looked up. “I can’t fault their logic.”
“I can! They’re saying that lies told by Borsk Fey’lya and others are enough to destroy the reputation of a Jedi Knight. For the sake of making our lives a little easier, you’re going to pitch Corran aside. It isn’t right. I won’t stand for it.”
“Yes, you will, Jacen.” Corran nodded wearily. “This is what has to be done.”
“You’re letting the ends justify the means.” Jacen blinked his eyes in amazement. “Can’t you see that? To save us some pain, you become as evil as Darth Vader or Thrawn.”
“Jacen, if you look at the short-term ends, that’s how you can read it. I get hammered, but at least the Jedi won’t. That means you are still free to do the jobs that need to be done. If I didn’t do this, I’d deserve the reputation for being evil.”
Corran sighed heavily and unfolded himself from within the chair. With elbows planted on knees, he held his head in his hands. “I’m not totally innocent here. Far from it. Some of the things Master Skywalker feared, some of the things you feared, Jacen, about vengeance and the dark side, they were true. I’m going to need time to sort them out. My being disowned, well, we get some good out of it. For the Jedi. For me.”
Concern washed over Luke’s face and flooded his voice. “Corran, whatever you need . . .”
“I know, Master, thank you. I think, I hope, it’s just time.”
Ganner scratched at the scar on the left side of his face. “What will you do if you leave the Jedi?”
Corran shifted his shoulders uneasily. “Well, Coruscant isn’t home anymore. I have exchanged messages with Mirax. We’ll return to Corellia. I can do things there. My grandfather still has enough pull with politicians that I can have asylum. Maybe Corellia can be motivated to do some positive things concerning the refugees created by the Vong. Worse comes to worst and I hook up with Booster to use the Errant Venture to help out.”
He looked at Luke. “You know, despite problems I may be having, I’ll be there if you need help. It’s just, right now, I think this is the best thing I can do for the Jedi all the way around.”
“I think you’re right, Corran.” Luke reached up and patted Mara’s hand. “You’re making a tough decision much easier.”
Jacen just shook his head. He couldn’t believe it. The Jedi had done exactly what they were supposed to do at Ithor. They had helped whisk refugees away, evacuating the entire planet. They opposed the Yuuzhan Vong, putting themselves at risk to discourage the invaders. They’d suffered casualties and fatalities and had even won a duel that should have guaranteed the safety of the world. Their efforts had prevented countless deaths, and yet enemy treachery and political manipulation resulted in a Jedi being blamed for a disaster he had done all he could to prevent.
And my uncle is accepting that this is what must happen. Jacen had long known that the heroic mold in which Luke and Corran had cast themselves as Jedi was not to his liking. It seemed a poor fit, and that fit worsened as the Jedi bowed to political considerations. If we serve life and the Force, how can we let politics turn one of us, all of us away from that duty? We can’t! There has to be another way.
He sighed. I have to find that other way.
“Jacen.”
The young Jedi straightened. “Yes, Corran?”
“You’re idealistic, and that’s good. I know this doesn’t sit well with you. I can see that in your eyes. Yours, too, Ganner. I appreciate that, but I need the both of you to do something for me. Something I can’t do.”
Ganner nodded. “Name it.”
Corran looked at the both of them, and when his green-eyed gaze met Jacen’s eyes, the younger Jedi felt a jolt. “Some Jedi, like Kyp and Wurth, will take my leaving as a good sign. They’ll consider the sort of discussion we’ve had here just a display of weakness. When I leave, they’ll think they’ve won some sort of victory. No persuasion on your part will change their minds. It will just lower you in their estimation. It will make their plays for power that much more effective.”
He glanced at Luke. “You have to support Master Skywalker. If the Jedi aren’t together in opposing the Vong, Ithor will be just one more tragedy in what’s going to be a very long list.”
“I’ll do it.” Ganner smiled. “Thanks for providing me an example to follow.”
“Don’t follow it too closely, Ganner. Be yourself. Set an example for others.”
Corran shifted his gaze to Jacen. “What about you?”
Jacen started to open his mouth, then closed it. Thoughts and emotions ran rampant through him. He wanted to agree, but it meant committing himself to a direct
ion he wasn’t certain was for him. A direction that will take me away from where I need to be. Yet, despite his ambivalence, he nodded. “I’ll do my best.”
“I’m sure that will be more than enough.” Corran straightened up, momentarily shaking off his weariness. “I’m sorry to abandon you. My ability to help . . . There are things I have to do. I just hope you are able to handle the Vong. If there ever comes a time when folks look forward to the return of the man who killed Ithor, well, we know that means the invasion is completely out of hand and things are truly beyond saving.”
Also by Michael A. Stackpole
WARRIOR: EN GARDE
WARRIOR: RIPOSTE
WARRIOR: COUPE
LETHAL HERITAGE
BLOOD LEGACY
LOST DESTINY
NATURAL SELECTION
ASSUMPTION OF RISK
BRED FOR WAR
MALICIOUS INTENT
GRAVE COVENANT
PRINCE OF HAVOC
DEMENTIA
A GATHERING EVIL
EVIL ASCENDING
EVIL TRIUMPHANT
ONCE A HERO
TALION: REVENANT
EYES OF SILVER
THE DARK GLORY WAR
A HERO BORN
AN ENEMY REBORN
WOLF AND RAVEN
STAR WARS: ROGUE SQUADRON
STAR WARS: WEDGE’S GAMBLE
STAR WARS: THE KRYTOS TRAP
STAR WARS: THE BACTA WAR
STAR WARS: ISARD’S REVENGE
STAR WARS: I, JEDI
STAR WARS: THE NEW JEDI ORDER: DARK TIDE I: ONSLAUGHT
The unforgettable Star Wars saga continues with The New Jedi Order adventures . . .
They had been living on the very edge of disaster for so very long, fighting battles, literally, for decades, running from bounty hunters and assassins. Even the first time Han and Leia had met, on the Death Star, of all places, and in the gallows of the place, to boot! So many times, it seemed, one or more of them should have died.
And yet, in a strange way, that close flirting with death had only made Han think them all the more invulnerable. They could dodge any blaster, or piggy-back on the side of an asteroid, or climb out a garbage chute, or . . .
But not anymore. Not now. The bubble of security was gone.
To Han Solo, the galaxy suddenly seemed a more dangerous place by far . . .
—from Vector Prime
Also in The New Jedi Order series
VECTOR PRIME
by R. A. Salvatore
Dark Tide I
ONSLAUGHT
by Michael Stackpole
Agents of Chaos I
HERO’S TRIAL
by James Luceno
. . . coming in August 2000!
A Del Rey® Book
Published by The Ballantine Publishing Group
Copyright © 2000 by Lucasfilm Ltd. & ™
All Rights Reserved. Used Under Authorization.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by The Ballantine Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.
Del Rey is a registered trademark and the Del Rey colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
www.starwars.com
www.randomhouse.com/delrey/
Library of Congress Catalogue Card Number: 00-190326
eISBN: 978-0-345-46742-3
v3.0
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