by Greg Keyes
not to die after all.
"The other shapers are the dupes of Yun-Harla," Shimrra went on. "They
shall not know of this. You will labor here, with me. You will have the
resources and assistants my household provides. Together with me, you will
bring the deepest secrets of shaping forth from the waking mind of
Yun-Yuuzhan, and before that unleashed knowledge, the infidels will fall."
He paused. "Now, you may speak."
Nen Yim composed herself. "Dread Lord, the inhabitants of the worldship
Baanu Miir-
"They are nothing. They are dead. They might have been spared but for
the infidels, who desecrated our shipwomb and destroyed the new worldship
there. It is nothing. They were the old. The shapers are the old. You are on
the new path, the most sacred of all, Master Nen Yim. Forget what has gone
before."
They are nothing. The infidels had killed them, everyone on Baanu Miir,
on every worldship too old and worn to achieve faster than lightspeed. In
her heart, at that moment, Nen Yim felt a hard rage and made a solemn vow.
Up until now, the infidels had been an interesting problem to her, almost an
abstraction. Now they were her enemies in the
deepest sense. Now she would work to bring about their
annihilation.
And behind that quiet rage, quickly overwhelming it, over whelming even
the godlike presence of Shimrra, rose a strange,
Now my shaping truly begins, she thought. And the universe shall
tremble at what 1 create.
EPILOGUE
Luke warily regarded the holographic image of Borsk Fey'Iya, chief of
the New Republic.
"So you're saying I'm free to return to Coruscant?" the Jedi Master
asked the cream-colored Bothan's diminutive image.
"If you wish," Fey'Iya replied. "I want you to understand that the
original order for your arrest came from the senate, not from me. It took
some time, but I have exerted the pressure necessary to have it rescinded."
"I appreciate that, Chief. But I seem to remember that it was you who
threatened me with arrest a few months ago. How can I be certain that this
isn't just a trick to lure me back?"
"In point of fact," Fey'Iya said, "I hope you don't come back."
"Why is that?"
"Don't take me for a fool, Master Skywalker. I am aware of at least
some of your activities. It is perhaps possible that some of them are ...
useful. However, there are still elements in the senate-powerful
elements-who cite you and your Jedi as the cause behind the Yuuzhan Vong
breaking their truce. Now, you and I know-whatever I may have said before of
political necessity-that the truce was broken because the Yuuzhan Vong very
simply want every world in our galaxy. But, though I've made the arrest go
away, I still am not in a position to actually sanction your rogue
activities."
"In other words, you want deniability."
"I have deniability, Master Skywalker. I want to keep it
that way, for the time being." He paused. "In time, things may change."
"I think I understand you, Chief," Luke said. In time we Jedi may be
your only hope.
"Good. In that case, I'll bid you good day-or night, whichever it is,
wherever you are. And, Master Skywalker?"
"Yes, Chief Fey'Iya?"
"I hope things go well with the birth of your child."
"As a matter of fact, I now have a son," Luke said.
"My deepest congratulations to you and your wife," Fey'Iya said.
"Thank you," Luke replied. "May the Force be with you."
The Bothan nodded gravely, and his image wavered out.
"How could you be so calm with that preening Hutt-drool?" Mara asked.
She was half reclining on the bed, Ben sleeping-finally!-in her arms.
Luke shrugged. "It would have been the easy path to show him anger.
After all, his actions nearly cost me everything." He sat on the bed next to
her, and she nestled under his arm. He looked down at his son.
"But we're okay. He's not worth the pain of anger. Besides, if we can
mend skyhooks instead of crashing them, we should."
"You're such a softy, Skywalker," she said, but nestled deeper into his
arms, so he could reach all the way around her.
"You had another communication while I was in the 'fresher," she said.
"I was just getting to that. It was Kam. He and Tionne think they've
found the planet we're looking for. And they send their congratulations."
"So they're headed back here?"
"Yep."
"Wow. And the Falcon showed up yesterday. When Jaina gets here, it'll
be a real reunion."
"Yeah." Luke touched the tiny, perfect digits of Ben's hand. "And guess
who'll be the center of attention? That's you, fellah." He cocked his head.
"He looks like you today."
"He looks healthy," Mara said softly. "After that, he could look like a
Dug for all I care."
"You did it, Mara," he whispered, kissing her cheek.
"We did it, Luke."
"Now I only want to know one thing," Luke said.
"That being?"
"How long before we get to sleep through the night again?"
Mara snorted and patted his hand fondly. "If this one is anything like
the Solo kids, I'd say at least another twenty years."
Something in Ben's gray eyes seemed to agree.