Jedi Cool

chapter 31:
 
Corran reports to Saba that the Errant Venture has returned and asks to be give a few days to visit her with Mirax.  Saba gives him leave, but tells him she will need him very soon.  With Hamner dead and Leia gone, he’s the best resource she has for handling galactic politics.
 
She goes to the Chief of State’s office every day to meet with her co-Chiefs only to find that the Senate is doing absolutely nothing.  Corran tells her it’s their way of making sure that she gets blamed for anything that goes wrong while she’s in office. 
 
Saba understands that which is why she, Senator Treem and General Jaxton are making quick decisions.  This job isn’t as hard as she thought it would be and it’s made her suspicious.  At first, she suspected that Treem and Jaxton just cooperate in order to get her out of the office quickly each day, but she thinks it’s more than that.  It’s as if both of them are sure there is something behind them.
 
Corran promises to keep his eye out for problems.  Then he gets a comm. that Tahiri has been sentenced to death.
 
At the Kesla Vein Pumping Station, Vestara is the first out of the hatch.  Ben follows, then Luke.  This has been a habit for them, investigating every station on the list.  This one is small and completely automated, the only drochs are tiny and there’s no sign that Abeloth or the Listeners have been here.
 
They find their speeder where they left it, but there’s another one nearby.  It’s not running and a line connected to it descends to the floor of the ravine.  Vestara pulls her lightsaber while Luke points out that snipers probably already have them in their sights.
 
A high-pitched wail coming from the ravine walls calls Vestara by name.  a woman jumps down and lands on their airspeeder, calling Vestara a traitor.  Ves recognizes Tola Annax, a fellow Sith.
 
Tola demands she turn herself in so they can determine whether it was her or her father who killed Lord Taalon.  Vestara explains that Taalon was changing.  Tola assures her that they are aware of the mutations affecting the High Lord.  If Vestara surrenders now, she might be acquitted.
 
Since the Sith clearly don’t know who killed Taalon, that means her father didn’t tell anyone.  Vestara is surprised and confused that he seems to be protecting her. 
 
Three Sith jump from behind the airspeeder.  Ben and Luke respond with their own lightsabers.  She and the Jedi are careful with the Force, lest they cause a storm.  This really doesn’t matter to Ves, but she suppresses overly using it.
 
Tola gets away.  Then their airspeeder explodes.  Ben thinks Tola was watching them fight just like Luke did at the Temple on Dorin, to see how the enemy fought.  Luke notes she was happy enough to sacrifice her comrades, though.  As it is, it was good to run into the Sith here.  However, the people of the area will show up soon to investigate, so it’s a good time to leave.
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chapter 30:
 
When Allana finishes her assignment early, Threepio offers her a break.  She wants to go outside.  That’s why she has guards, after all.  After getting her desert garments and spraying her with ultraviolet shield, the two droids escort her down the ramp.  Anji tumbles out with her.
 
They are met by Javon Thewles and three other operatives.  Allana thinks their body armor should be hot.  Javon assures her there are small cooling units inside.  Besides, they can pick each other out in a crowd easily and sometimes a show of force is a good idea.
 
On the other hand, it also means that the volatile species in the crowd are not seeing the operatives who are mingling among them in less conspicuous gear.  Hiding their strength is good strategy here.
 
They walk along, seeing a tent where a 2-1B droid drones on about the rights of droids, complaining about memory wipes and reprogramming, challenging the crowd to imagine being taken as a small child to a dark room where they are reverted back to infancy in seconds, knowing only how to obey and losing everything that made them unique.
 
It notes Allana with the two droids and asks if they belong to her.  She tells him that they take care of her so it could be that she belongs to them.  When asked if they’ve ever had memory wipes, Threepio amuses the crowd by saying he doesn’t remember.
 
The 2-1B goes on to relate a droid horror story so Javon suggests they move on before attention is turned back to her.  She did well, though.  The crowd won’t think much of the attempt to embarrass a child and was impressed by her ability to handle it with humor. 
 
Threepio, in fact, recorded the incident.
 
Reni reminds Leia that the Alliance’s pretty words are very nice but the reality is that they are dealing with enslaved populations.  Leia acknowledges that her words are hypothetical, especially since the GA does not have governing authority in this area or in many areas where there are freedom movements.  She points out that some of those movements are violent.
 
Padnel Ovim blurts out that they all know she’s referring to the Fireborn.  Leia asks if he commends or condemns his brother destroying hundreds of lives just to prove a point to Daala.
 
He explains he didn’t even know it was going to happen.  Leia tells him that she will condemn the slave practices of the Hutts if he can condemn the final act of his brother.  In the interests of promoting a civilized galaxy, of course.
 
Reni argues that the Alliance condemning the Hutts costs them nothing, while Padnel will lose much ground if he condemns his brother.  Leia will not give up the idea of sparing the lives of innocents just to praise the ideal that slaves have the right to struggle against their bonds.
 
Reni thinks Leia should back up her words with a military force that would defend Klatooine from retaliation by the Hutts.  If it costs the GA the potential revenues that would entail, Padnel could take the loss of support condemning his brother would cost him.
 
Leia believes that a freedom movement must be strong enough and have enough support to liberate itself before being admitted to the Alliance.  Reni notes that the Jedi have a history of operating without the approval of the prevailing government.  She wonders if they would support a freedom movement even if the GA does not.
 
Leia pretends to think about it, then specifies that a Jedi Knight and apprentice would be assigned to the system to support a movement if the native government of a world is able to seize control of the capital and declare independence.  Reni would rather have two recognizable Masters assigned and two full Knights.  Leia negotiates it down to one Master and two knights within a week of the declaration, but only if the Senate is in session.
 
Padnel refuses.  There are no guarantees here.  He points to how the Jedi are ruling now and they are not known to be even-handed ones.  They declare themselves Sith like Palpatine and Jacen Solo.  Leia tries to tell him that Jedi and Sith are not the same thing.
 
He challenges her to tell him what is the difference when they both use magic and lightsabers to determine the fate of others.  She assures them that the triumvirate will last only until a new Chief of State is elected.  One can look to Tenel Ka of the Hapes Consortium as an example of a Jedi who can be a successful ruler.
 
They decide they want Tenel Ka here, then. 
 
At lunch, Han offers his sympathies only to learn that Leia is thrilled.  She hopes Tenel Ka comes as she will probably support their recommendations and can spend some time with Allana. 
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     •     They use Tenel Ka’s full name here: Tenel Ka Chume Ta’ Djo.
 
 
 

chapter 29:
 
Moff Lecersen blasts Jag’s attendance at Hamner’s funeral and his speaking out in favor of the action against Chief of State Daala.  He accuses Fel of sabotaging the reunification process.
 
Not everyone agrees with him.  Moff Getelles of Antemeridias is in support of the Jedi, but he’s a minority.  Jaina comes in and tells him he’s damaging support for the reunification process by speaking in favor of the Jedi.
 
Jag reminds her he’s here in GA space and had to give some kind of statement.  Did she expect him not to say that Daala was out of control?  She thinks he should be more politically savvy so that he doesn’t have the Moff Council aiming blasters at him.  That’s not something Jag is very good at. 
 
He notes that she seems to get angry with him whether he supports or doesn’t support the Jedi.  He’s not angry that she didn’t tell him about the plan to remove Daala from power.  In supporting that action, he did what he had to do.  She admits she’s angry because she can’t be here to give him support when he needs it.  She has an assignment.  She can’t talk about it, no.
 
Though found not guilty of several minor charges, Tahiri is found guilty of premeditated murder.  Someone else has always defined Tahiri:  the Tuskens, the Jedi, the Vong and Darth Caedus.  Now a group of beings who have never spoken to her.  She’s never had control over who she was.
 
Eramuth assures her that they still have sentencing and the appeals process.  He intends to prove that the ousting of Chief Daala colored the jurors.  She apologizes for being his only loss in this courtroom and surrenders herself to the bailiff.
 
Kandra, Valin and Jysella, the latter two under assumed names, are welcomed to Nam Chorios and sent to orientation.  Kandra can’t believe they’ve gotten through so easily, especially with the terrible fake ids the Horns have.
 
They admit they got them from a peddler on Coruscant.  But they just need to test how lax security is.  Jysella will stay in orbit to check out the Golan platforms.   Kandra and Valin will go down to the planet.
 
Kandra is getting irritated at the non-answers they have been giving her.  They seem to agree with whatever conclusion she guesses.  She asks if they can at least tell her where to put their cam so they can get the best view of the story they were promised.
 
Valin’s eyes focuses on a group of beings in Corporate Sector-style outfits.  He says there’s a ripple in the Force.  All three have pouches the right size for lightsabers.  He tells her to stay away from them as they are dangerous.
 
She has her cam operator keep her unit on the suspicious group at all times.
 
Then she looks over a brochure of recommended local businesses, turns to ask Valin his opinion and finds he’s gone.
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     •    Moff Getelles was working with Seti Ashgad via Loronar Corporation in Planet of Twilight.
     •    Valin and Jysella’s fake ids really are bad.  Valin is “Hal Cyon” his father’s family name separated into two names.  Jysella’s is “Jes Cyon” which is almost as lame.
 

chapter 28:
 
In the main hangar of the Rakehell, Javon Thewles is sitting in a beach chair wearing his body armor listening to Leia Organa Solo.  He tells her he’s never been the bodyguard of a child before.  He’s also concerned about the safety of bringing their adopted daughter into an armed camp with many different interests involved.
 
Leia understands this.  She doubts Coruscant would be any safer right now.  Besides, when Seha told them that their actions had cost him his job, they decided to make amends by offering him the chance to head up their security detail.
 
She also understands that he has some thoughts about the poisoning.  Thewles tells her that he suspects it was part of a plot to discredit GA security as a whole.  He had thought the Jedi were responsible since the involvement of Fleet Intelligence made it much easier for the Jedi to infiltrate the Senate Building.  Seha has assured him that it wasn’t part of the plan at all, which means that there are still poisoners out there.
 
There appears to be an unidentified player on the board who has reason to want to alter security. 
 
At Klatooine, Han jokes that it reminds him of Tatooine where he met a nice guy once and got a wife out of the deal.  He might look for a second wife here.  Leia tells Allana that, while she deals with freedom fighters and Grandpa looks for another wife, she will have to stay with Threepio and Artoo.
 
The Falcon lands along with a shuttle with GAS troopers and a shuttle with some civilian security, including Javon Thewles. 
 
A crowd waits at the camp below.  GAS comes out first, its commander assessing that Leia should take off at once as there are armed beings everywhere, the crowd is chanting anti-Jedi statements and local security seems nonexistent.
 
Leia tells him they’ll be right down.
 
She is greeted by Padnel Ovin, leader of the Sapience Defense Front.  Leia offers her condolences on the loss of his brother.  He introduces her to his aide, Nialle Aker, and the leader of the Freedom Advocacy Movement, Reni Coll.  Ovin goes on to present a droid leader of the Munumission Mandate Militia, Naysay,  and Azmar Huun from Freedom Flight, along with many others.
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chapter 27:
 
Vestara writes a real letter to her father, telling him that Abeloth is on Nam Chorios, posing as Master Nenn of the Theran Listeners and has taken her followers into hiding in a pumping station someone on the planet.  She just can’t bring herself to send it.
 
She finally does when she hears Ben calling her.  Vestara produces a list of pumping stations on the planet.  Luke appears, telling them that Sel is sleeping, but can’t cause any trouble while she is.  There’s not point in waking her up as she’ll just fall under Abeloth’s sway as soon as she does.
 
This was so much easier when they were younger and could just take what they had, knowing the blame would fall on Black Sun or a corrupt Imperial official.  He tells them they will get rest tonight, then swipe a vehicle from an Oldtimer.
 
The Mon Calamari judge informs Admiral Daala that her plea of not guilty has been entered, but she will be held without bail in recognition of the risks involved in her getting support from Imperial extremist groups.
 
Daala’s defense attorney expresses that this could prejudice a jury against her.  The judge advises they will all have to take steps to keep that from happening.  In Daala’s opinion, the conspirators still conspire.  She asks him to deliver a message for her without reading it.
 
He agrees, but cautions her about taking action regarding her case that don’t involve him.
 
She is transferred to the Armand Isard Correctional Facility where she undergoes the routine scanning while mentally composing letters to her regular attorney, her banker and Boba Fett.
 
She is put in the cell opposite from Tahiri Veila who waves at her.
 
When Luke wakes up, he feels better.  Ben hands him the text of a recent set of news stories.  It reveals that the Jedi have seized control of the government, Daala has been arrested and that Luke’s exile has been overturned. 
 
Luke thinks this is a disaster.  The Jedi are not politicians in general.  Though he’s happy he can return home at any time, they have to take care of Abeloth first and that means he can’t offer Saba the support she needs right now.
 
They leave Sel asleep and take off in a pilfered vehicle with supplies from Sel’s kitchen. It feels like old times.
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chapter 26:
 
Sul Dekkon doesn’t look good.  Tahiri hopes that means she’s won.  Eramuth warns her that Dekkon has something new in mind.
 
He rests the prosecution’s case.
 
Eramuth is granted a few minutes to confer with Tahiri, telling her that the fact that the jury has been sequestered does not mean that the events of the past few days couldn’t have reached them. Now that the Jedi are working on a transition government, the way the jury views this case may have changed, especially since the only version of the story they have is that the Jedi have taken over the government.
 
Dekkon shows up in court, looking unhappy, abruptly rests his case and that could persuade the jury that he believes the Jedi will arrange Tahiri’s release regardless of the verdict. 
 
There have already been inquiries made about dropping the case against her and ending Master Skywalker’s exile.  Dekkon could very well believe in his heart that justice is going to be interrupted.  Or he could be acting.  Either way, his chances of winning today are better than they were yesterday.
 
They can rely on those odds or they can either hope the charges against her are dropped or that the Jedi do not lose the sympathy of the public in the next few weeks it takes the trial to wind down.
 
He tells the court that the defense rests.  Neither he nor Dekkon offer any closing arguments. 
 
At the Jedi Temple, the Jedi assemble to give Master Kenth Hamner a respectful funeral.  There is no word of Valin and Jysella.  Their transmitters have been removed so it seems that their being in carbonite when the other Shelter Jedi were freed of their illness prevented the two siblings from being cured themselves.
 
Senator Treen, General Jaxton and Head of State Fel are here.  Jag lets Saba know that his people really didn’t want him in such an obviously dangerous place with the triumvirate of the GA.  He also explains that there is an investigator assigned by the Department of Justice to look into Hamner’s death.
 
The Senate is already tabling any of its debates which is gong to make more work for her, Treen and Jaxton.  Any problems that erupt during this time is going to be blamed on the triumvirate. 
 
Saba would rather have not taken the job at all.  She asks Leia to go to Klatooine.  Though the Mandos have been called off, many species that have fought for their own freedom are going to be gathering there.  Saba hopes to normalize relations with them now that Daala is gone. 
 
Leia reminds her that they will have to offer something significant to prove that they are genuine.  Saba suggests she find a group that is closest to breaking away from their masters and can easily transition to self-government.  Offer them provisional Alliance membership and a Senate seat.
 
It will show they are serious and set a precedent for others to follow.  Leia adds that it could also divide the groups so they do not present a united front against the GA. 
 
Izal Waz lights the funeral pyre and says a few words honoring Hamner.
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chapter 25:
 
When the shuttle lands on the outskirts of town, Luke, Ben and Vestara hike the rest of the way to Hweg Shul.  Luke studies the town with his macrobinoculars when they get near.  He can several changes have occurred since they’ve been gone.
 
There are men and women on street corners, armed with blaster rifles.  There is Force storm damage everywhere.  Vestara reports that the comm traffic reveals they are wanted by the authorities for the death of Dr. Wei.  Many people in town knew they were searching for him.  Someone else found his body so it’s believe they are responsible.  Mayor Snaplaunce was stabbed after handing over his shuttle to them.  He’s survived, but doesn’t remember anything about the stabbing.
 
She thinks Luke might want to bring in some of his own people to help.  Knowing the Jedi are needed elsewhere, Luke tells her that they are on their own.
 
Stealthily, they make their way to Teselda’s dome.  She puts down her blaster when she sees them, explaining the authorities are after her.  Luke assures her that they didn’t do whatever it is they are being accused of.  Then he sings the song that triggers the key to her mnemotherapy technique.  She drops.
 
He questions her to find out if she’s been tampered with.  Sel identifies him as the leader of the Jedi and the enemy of the Listeners and the Lady.  Luke asks where the Lady is now.  She doesn’t know.  She also doesn’t want to go where Nenn is.  He’s in the pumping station with the Listeners and the drochs.
 
She doesn’t know where.  Luke asks what she was planning to do with them when she recognized them.  Sela admits she was going to delay them and alert the Listeners.  After confirming she hasn’t alerted them yet, Luke tells her to sleep until she hears his voice and his voice only. 
 
Vestara still thinks they should bring more Jedi in.
 
On her shuttle, Kandra is getting frustrated with Valin and Jysella.  Valin tells her some things are best experienced.  They are taking Kandra and her cam operator to Nam Chorios where they will witness something extraordinary. 
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chapter 24:
 
When the three Jedi enter the Senate chamber, many senators and aides begin moving to the safety of their docks.  Senator Treen intercepts Saba to learn that Chief Daala has been deposed and in the custody of the Solos and Solusars.
 
The Jedi have no plans to interfere with the function of the Senate.  None of this was within the conspirators’ plans, but Treen thinks quickly.  She assures them that, if they give her certain guarantees, that she can sway several key senators and the leaders of the Armed Forces to their side.
 
While Saba addresses the Senate, Treen quietly contacts Bramsin to apprise him of this new development.  She reminds him that the Jedi need them.  After quickly putting up a poll to see who supports her, she is allowed to speak, assuring the public that there will be no disruption of government during this time and she will cooperate with the Jedi Order so long as they work quickly to restore the executive branch to the hands of the elected.
 
She is certain that government will now behave more rationally than it has for several months.
 
In Chief Daala’s waiting room, Han notes that they’ve won.  Leia reminds him that this seems to her like fleeing the first Death Star.  They got some help then, but it caused more trouble in the future.  Han points out that it was 45 years ago.  This is different.
 
In the Chief’s office, Wynn Dorvan is ushered in.  He hands Saba his resignation.  She asks him to destroy it.  Dorvan explains that he’s of no use to her at all.  Daala’s allies will not work with him if he collaborates with the Jedi; her enemies will definitely not support him.  He also wants to be clear that Chief Daala, regardless of her flaws, is still an honorable person. He will work to support her defense, especially if she is going to face severe charges.
 
Saba appreciates his honesty.  She assures him that the Jedi do not intend to keep control of the executive branch.  Until a duly elected Chief of State can be sworn in, she will form a triumverate with herself, Senator Treen and General Jaxton. 
 
Dorvan asks if former Chief of State Solo might be a better choice.  Saba believes that it would give the impression that the Jedi are here to stay.  Besides, Leia is needed to help quell the problem on Klatooine.
 
Dorvan is needed to provide some continuity of government.  She is willing to allow a change of venue off Coruscant for Daala’s eventual trial as a concession.  The Department of Justice has dropped charges against Seha Dorvald, Booster Terrik and the Horn siblings.  They are also setting aside Master Skywalker’s plea bargain so he can return to Coruscant.
 
She is hoping to get them to drop charges against Tahiri Veila.  Dorvan encourages her to let that stand.  Unlike the other charges which are clearly motivated by Daala’s personal interests, Tahiri did kill Admiral Pellaeon.  In conjunction with Skywalker’s plea bargain being dropped, the public may think that dropping charges against Tahiri is indicative of the intent of the Jedi to use their power for personal gain. 
 
Saba doesn’t like it, but knows he’s right.  She tells him to destroy his letter of resignation and give her a list of ten worlds where he believes Chief Daala could get a fair trial.
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chapter 23:
 
Part of the crowd in front of the Senate Building, Javon Thewles notes the change from angry to curious.  The Senate seals itself up.  This cannot be good.  There are quad lasers emerging from the permacrete.
 
When a man with a holocamm on his shoulder pushes through, Thewles grabs a security officer and tells him to stun the man.  He’s going to trigger the lasers.  She fires at the man who drops unconscious to the outrage of the crowd that, nevertheless, backs up.
 
A newswoman watches this, believing she may have recognized the stunned man.  She’d loved to know what’s going on in the building.  A man dressed in robes tells her the Jedi have stormed the building.  She recognizes him as Valin Horn.
 
Valin is with his sister, Jysella.  He explains that they can give the newswoman an exclusive if she can get them a hyperdrive-equipped transport and scan them for transmitters. 
 
The newswoman, Kandra Nilitz, of Landing Zone NewsNet hopes to use this to make anchorperson. 
 
Saba, Corran and Jaina cut their way into a turbolift and leap down the shaft til they hit a car which moves upward.  It stops suddenly, propelling the three Jedi up two stories until they use the Force to land on a ledge. 
 
Corran starts cutting through the door again when more cars cause Jaina and Saba to dodge.  Then they all jump through the hole and charge the troopers.
 
Daala can’t believe it when Dorvan tells her, via monitor, that it’s a Yuuzhan Vong invasion.  She comms her security who turns out to be Han Solo, telling her that her guests rushed out after eating some bad snacks served by her secretary.  Believing this is a Jedi assault, she opens her secret passageway and encourages Parova to join her before being stunned from behind.
 
When his story doesn’t work, Han tries shooting through Daala’s door.  Daala’s secretary will not help him and knows Han won’t shoot him because he’s a hero.  Han has the guests pull a sofa and table over to take refuge behind.
 
When the troopers arrive, Han and Leia fire at them before getting the door open.  Admiral Parova calls not to shoot.  She tells them their stun bolts brought Admiral Daala down.
 
Kam and Tionne appear in the office.  Han turns to Parova and tells her to take him to her leader as they come in peace.
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chapter 22:
 
Daala wishes for a break.  She wouldn’t have to retaliate if her armaments and infrastructure stopped being attacked.  If corporations would just be honest instead of pretending to be motivated by compassion.  If the news would go back to gossiping about the lives of holodrama stars. If the Jedi would just shrivel up and die.
 
Admiral Parova arrives for an unscheduled meeting.  That’s someone Daala believes she can count on.  Parova wants to replace the current security detail with a special force she’s brought with her. 
 
Daala is confused after the original two leave.  She doesn’t understand why Parova would replace two guards who’ve just been assigned here.  Parova explains that those two are completely incorruptible which is, apparently, the problem.  She starts to arrest her when the lights dim.
 
Daala tries to find out what’s going on, but there is no reply on the comm. 
 
In the waiting room, Leia uses the Force to pull the blasters of everyone there to her.  Han lets everyone know this is a coup.  That’s when the lights dim.
 
Senators Bramsin and Treen are prepared for Parova to break in to the HoloNet with the announcement of Daala’s arrest when a low rumble is heard.  This is not part of the plan.
 
Artoo opens a port on the Falcon, releasing the smuggling compartments.  Saba, Corran and Jaina pull themselves out.  They head down the boarding ramp into the hangar.  Artoo tells Threepio to follow him. 
 
The lights dim in the hangar, then across the Senate Building.  While chaos reigns, Bandy Geffer, dressed as a Naval ensign, races to the detention block to free Seha.  After cutting her loose, he cuts them into an armory and grabs some breathing gear and riot-control grenades.
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chapter 21:
 
The Fireborn returns to Coruscant, bringing the infamous Klatooinian terrorist Grunel Ovin to justice.  Thousands are there to either protest or rejoice.  That’s when the ship blows up.
 
It causes a stampede of the terrified gathering, some of the feeds carried by the HoloNet.  Then Grunel Ovin’s final message is received via an emergency beacon.  He explains he had to do what he did to free his people and to let the galaxy know that no one can own them. 
 
He will not tell them how he accomplished the destruction of the ship after allowing himself to be captured, but he does explain that every naval vessel is in danger.  This is a warning to Chief Daala who styles herself an honorable warrior, but has always been a lackey.  She’s traded the Emperor and Tarkin for corporations that profit off of the slave trade and use their profits to enact laws to their benefit. 
 
Several hours later, Wynn Dorvan doesn’t have any way to reason with Daala who orders Mandalorians be sent to Klatooine. 
 
Admiral Parova sends for Captain Hunor who is so valuable right now.  He truly believes that what he’s doing is for the purposes of removing an erratic and unreasonable Chief of State.  Once the Empire and the GA are united under Imperial rule, nonhumans like Hunor will find their careers stuck.
 
She explains to him that Mandos are being sent to destroy Ovin’s camp.  He’s to leak this to their usual resources and assume control of the Senate Building’s riot control center so the GA will be ineffective in handling protests.
 
She sends a signal to her compatriots and heads to the Senate Building so she can be there for the kill.
 
When the Jedi team finds out the Mandos are being called in, they determine that Plan Delta has to be executed now.  Thus far, Octa, Kyp, Kam, Tionne, Zekk, Taryn Zel and Bandy Geffer are inside the Senate Building.
 
When the crowds gather outside the Senate, Daala turns to Dorvan to find out how it was leaked so quickly.  She knows there’s a traitor and orders him to begin an investigation.   Fleet Intelligence will be searching, too.  Dorvan tells her that they’ll will just step on each other’s toes.  Daala thinks the redundancy will be good in case Dorvan is the leak.
 
While he works on beginning the hunt, he compiles his letter of resignation.
 
When the Millennium Falcon lands in the hangar, Han reminds Threepio of his and Artoo’s assignment.  They are to stay on the ship and send an alert if anyone comes aboard.  Threepio is to follow Artoo’s instructions when necessary.
 
Then Han and Leia greet Desha Lor at the ramp, telling her that they demand to speak with Chief Daala even if they have to wait.
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• I thought the Empire had a more liberal policy toward nonhumans now.  At least, that’s what we’ve been told in many books.  Are advancement opportunities still limited?

chapter 20:
 
After hiding the shuttle under an overhang, Luke, Ben and Vestara spot Ship.  It circles over the plant for some time and spirals out.  Knowing it won’t be able to track them here, they go to sleep.
 
Each sleeps fitfully, on reduced rations and spends their time doing other things.  Vestara continues her hypothetical letter to her father, describing how Luke and Ben have left her to herself while she sleeps.  She knows Luke is protecting Ben from her.
 
Her own father would not have done the same.  That was the way of the Sith.  So she continues her letter as if she had a father who would protect his daughter. 
 
Once the repairs are made, Luke tells them they will have to assume that Abeloth, in her Nenn disguise, is controlling some of the Theran Listeners.  They will have to avoid human contact on the way back to the city.
 
It’s hard to steer, avoiding mountains and hills, throughout the day until nightfall.  Their comlinks have started picking up faint signals.  There are reports of more Force storms in Hweg Shul and that Mayor Snaplaunce is recovering from a severe beating.
 
Ben is discouraged.  He is hungry and he smells bad.  Then, when he knows his father is going to speak, he goes into a rendition of being reminded how badly Dagobah stank, from the air, the water, the food, Yoda and his lightsaber blade.
 
Seha is now shackled and pushed along by guards who shove her into a chair.  She finds herself facing Javon Thewles, who tells her his career ended the minute he took her out to dinner.  She tells him she hadn’t intended him to get involved in this.
 
He wants to know why she poisoned all those people.  She was the only one with access to the beings and the Senate building.  She reminds him that she wasn’t.   Tons of politicians, including Wynn Dorvan, had access.  They could have been poisoned aboard Errant Venture.   That leaves out the poison in the Senate building, though, and that had to have happened after they arrived.
 
She knows he’s been sent in her to guilt trip a confession from her.  He assures her he wasn’t.  He called in some favors to get a few minutes with her.  He’s resigned from GAS and will have to leave soon.  If she didn’t poison anyone, they need to find out who did.  They should evaluate the consequences of the crime and see who would have had a motive.
 
There was no reason to discredit Thewles personally, but it is true that GAS as a whole was.  Maybe she did all this to draw out an enemy.  Seha knows he’s jumping at straws here and will put himself in danger.
 
She tells him to forget about this, go home and find a job.  She’s just a confused Jedi who thinks everyone she knows has been replaced by duplicates.  He’s not having it.  Knowing she was just doing her duty, he’s not angry with her. 
 
When security finds her with her head down, they ask if she’s alright.  She tells them she just needs to learn to keep her mouth shut.
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chapter 19:
 
At the Jedi Temple, several are gathered to watch a holoimage of Kyp and Octa, dressed as Senatorial aides show them images of the Senate chambers which are more crowded than normal these days due to the debate over whether or not the GA should get involved in slave revolts.
 
Fleet Intelligence now handles security for the Chief of State and the Senate which means there are a lot of people running around that aren’t well known.  GAS resents this intrusion into what it believes is its territory.  Kyp finds that a Jedi Mind Trick taking advantage of that gets him information.
 
The Navy is putting its own hardware into security systems so the two Jedi have been able to get some of their own hardware piggy-backed on those.  That will allow them to get two or three Jedi into the building with minimal checks dressed as Naval personnel.
 
They may be able to implement Plan Delta, but that will need to be done soon. 
 
Han asks what that is.  Corran explains that Plan Delta involves getting as many Jedi into the Senate building as they can and, during a critical time, when as many politicians are in the building as possible, trigger a series of false security flags that indicate an invasion force has reached the plaza outside the Senate.
 
The building programming still retains a defense plan that includes holographic animation of a Yuuzhan Vong invasion.  They enable that, the building seals up, the Jedi will be posted at the armories to keep building security out and can get to Daala.  They’ll tell the Senate that she’s been secured to keep her from retaliating against revolting slave populations.
 
They’ll persuade the Senators that doing this will save the lives of millions of voters who will look upon them as heroes.  The next part of the plan falls to Seha, but it will be dangerous.
 
Wearing a green jumpsuit, she walks across the the plaza to the main entrance where reporters had been tipped off.  They ask her why she poisoned the Senators.  She plays cute, telling them she’s not crazy, she knows everyone around her is real and has brought some coins to pay for a ride back to the Temple when she’s released.
 
She even has a droid advocate because she feels the case is so weak.  The droid is loaded with all manner of special features, including holocams that will document their movements even if it’s shut down or burdened with a restraining bolt.  She will likely be taken to the security center where the droid will record all manner of valuable information.
 
Bramsin and Treen aren’t happy to see Seha give herself up.  There’s a chance now that it will be discovered she had no part in the poisoning.  However, neither Lecersen nor Jaxton are going to admit they let themselves fall ill.  The girl will be put in the hands of Parova anyway and she will figure out what’s going on.
 
In the courtroom, Eramuth tells Tahiri that no one is able to change the terms of her confinement.  The only evidence regarding the incident she describes is being filtered out by the warden who has a vested interest in making sure that only his version of events is known.
 
Unless one of her attackers chooses to volunteer that he knew in advance that she was going to be delivered into the wrong area at the wrong time, there’s not much they can do except continue to work on trying to get her transferred to another prison.
 
Eramuth is also putting pressure on the warden, telling him that every decision he makes regarding Tahiri is going to be analyzed and implied that a GAS agent has been slipped into the prison to look into charges of corruption.
 
He warns her to stay on guard, though.  For today, they will try to destroy some witnesses by the prosecution.
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chapter 18:
 
In Hutt Space, Grunel Ovin is being held in the brig of a GA frigate.  He’s likely going to prison for his role in the Klatooinian slave revolt but hopes others will keep up the fight
 
Captain Hunor arrives to discuss options with him.  He explains that he finds he’s stuck between his duty to the GA navy and his duty to sentients all over the galaxy.  He leans toward sentient species.  He believes he can do this duty by killing Ovin and making his death mean something.
 
When night falls, Ben and Vestara get to work on the ship while Luke sits to communicate with the tsils.  He creates in his mind a droch enlarged to human size, giving it the taste and Force-impressive of long-dead Dzym from so many years ago.  He puts upon it Abeloth’s image.  Then he creates an image of Callista being swallowed by Abeloth and thus becoming Callista.  Then he shows them Callista becoming Dyon Stad.  Then he moves on to other images and the Force shows him the final image of Master Nenn.
 
The tsils understand Abeloth very well it seems.  Vestara approaches him.  He tells her that Abeloth has absorbed Master Nenn.  It will be very difficult to convince the Oldtimers of this.
 
Ben has a plan to reassemble the solar wing arrays into a wind rudder that will move the ship.  It’s not idea, though.  Luke is going to hide their footprints.  They cannot sleep inside the plant because it’s the first place anyone will look for them.
 
Then they’ll fire up the thruster and push the ship as far away as they can.  Once they find someplace to hide, they’ll work on repairs there.
 
Luke goes to get water.  When he returns, he sees something different.  A spook-crystal that had been near the plant’s chimney base is gone.  There are no other prints here, but an Oldtimer could have done it anyway. 
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chapter 17:
 
Luke can feel death agonies.  He is sure it’s Ship.  He fights to regain control of the shuttle.  Vestara tells him that something else died on the ground.  It affected Ship but then it ran off.  Luke realizes the blast hit a tsil.
 
He sets the ship down.  Ben tells him that the mayor will be angry.  Luke assures him they’ll restore it, assuming the mayor was behind this.  Vestara reminds Ben that the mayor knew where they were going and offered his shuttle.  The systems failures could have been mechanical or they could have been sabotaged.
 
At the ruins of what looks like an old fortress, they find Dr. Wei’s body.
 
With their comlinks too far to get a response from Hweg Shul, Luke suggests they try again when the winds die down.
 
Ben doubts Wei was working for Abeloth.  Snaplaunce didn’t think he would mutate drochs and send them out into the galaxy.  The question is why the evidence showed that he was.  He points out that there really was little evidence anyway and that was just enough to get them going.  That could have been planted. 
 
It could explain why the diagram was hand-drawn.  Someone may not have known how to use Wei’s computer very well or maybe at all.

It could have been an Oldtimer.  Someone badly drew a diagram because there weren’t any other hand-drawn ones in the printouts.  Whoever did this knew Luke would come to find Wei and set him up to be attacked by Ship.  However, they had to have also known they’d be taking the mayor’s shuttle.  Snaplaunce could have been in on it or it could have been a matter of him being predictable in loaning his ship out.
 
They will have to see if the ship can be repaired, hope there are tools left, and find a way to stay warm and sustain themselves for however long it takes.  Fortunately, Luke points out that they can communicate through the tsils.

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chapter 16:
 
In Hweg Shul, Luke meets with with Mayor Snaplaunce to find out more about Dr. Wei.  The mayor explains that he has been here for 30 years, attempting to become part of the community.  He had married a local woman who died after twenty years in an accident.  Their son is studying medicine off-world.
 
He tends to work alone, but sometimes hires someone to help him.  The mayor offers to check if he’s done so recently.  Ben finds a sheet of flimsi under the mattress.  It’s a drawing in black ink of the outline of a human male viewed from the side. 

There is a projection from the back of the neck that looks like a droch.  Some of the notes indicate that the doctor was considering using drochs on human hosts.  The drochs would have to be altered to keep them from killing their hosts. 
 
As a former police officer, Snaplaunce doesn’t think the flimsi looks right.  It appears the drawing was scanned and then printed with notes added.  Wei really isn’t the type to mutate drochs anyway.  Sel reports that a look at the landspeeder shows he Wei regularly traveled 483 kilos.
 
Snaplaunce has the distance plotted and finds an old processing plant camp exactly matches the distance.  He offers his own shuttle for their use: an ancient TIE bomber painted yellow and red with the words “Vote Snaplaunce” on it.
 
The three climb into the ship and head off, with the warning to make sure they don’t deviate from their course.  Along the way, they encounter Ship.  This TIE bomber doesn’t have weapons.  Ben suggests they throw rocks.
 
They fly to avoid Ship’s weapons until the Golan fires.  There is a surface hit that takes out entire mountain ledge. Sensors and other systems start to fail.  The shuttle is just glanced by Ship’s shot and falls out of control as an explosion 
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chapter 15:
 
Jagged sits with Jaina on his couch.  Jag explains she told Eramuth about Daala’s  discovery of the Sith on Klatooine.  She doesn’t tell him about the plans to depose Daala in case he takes steps to protect his people and inadvertently tips Daala off.
 
She asks how the investigation into the attempt on his life is going.  He can’t say.  He asks how the search for Abeloth is going.  She can’t say.
 
He wonders if it was like this for her parents. Jaina doesn’t think so.  Their relationship didn’t require that they keep so many secrets. They were on the run for a long time together.  Besides, a lot of stress was avoided when her father stopped smuggling.
 
Jag admits his parents were on the run and a lot of stress was avoided when his mother gave up acting.   Jag and Jaina should do the same.  For the time being, they can’t avoid keeping secrets from each other, but they will have to agree not to be angry about it.
  
On his own couch, Lt. Javon Thewles is having a reasonably pleasant day until five Naval officers burst in and put him under arrest for conspiracy to commit murder.  They show him a photo of him speaking with the young woman in the hangar and asks if he knows her.  He tells them he’s not answering any questions without speaking to a lawyer first.
 
The Solos clear security at the Senate Building before heading to the conference room where, not only Daala is waiting, but also Dorvan, his assistant, General Jaxton, Admiral Parova and several security officers. 
 
Daala has them sit and asks where Seha Dorvald is.  Han and Leia genuinely don’t know. Daala tells them that she posed as a shuttle pilot and poisoned General Jaxton and Moff Lecersen.
 
They’re looking for her now, on the supposition that she’s another mad Jedi.  She is willing to give the Order the benefit of the doubt here, but only unless they turn Dorvald over to the GA.
 
Dorvan clarifies that both Jaxton and Lecersen were tested and given an antidote.  None of the other passengers on the shuttle were affected. However, there was a small tank with a timer attached to the Senate chamber’s water supply with the same poison.  It hadn’t triggered yet.
 
Han doesn’t understand how Seha could have gotten that far.  Daala accuses the security forces for being incompetent. One of them was dating Dorvald and they’re trying to figure out how much she got out of him. 
 
The Dust Dancer should be long gone, but Leia has no idea what Seha is up to now.  She offers to return to the Temple and inform Master Hamner of the situation.
 
At the Temple, Han and Leia meet with the Masters to tell them what’s going on.  No one believes Seha poisoned anyone, but it does leave the question as to who did and why they only went after Jaxton and Lecersen. 
 
Corran thinks points out several investigative techniques for finding out.  Fel has the motive to take out Lecersen who’s rumored to have been behind the assassination attempt on him.  Of course, that makes Han and Leia suspects, as well.  Both he and they have had the motive, means and the opportunity to go after Lecersen.
 
They just have to find someone who could do that to both Lecersen and Jaxton.  Then add in the Senate chamber, too.  They would need more information that Daala is likely not to provide it.  Corran suggests they asks Dorvan or go through Fel’s office.
 
Seha is back here at the Temple.  Word will be sent to the Dust Dancer.  At least, they’re only looking for Seha and not Kyp or Octa.  There are too many unknowns here now.  Saba doesn’t like it and she knows Leia won’t like the task she has for her now.  She wants Leia to see if she can persuade Seha to turn herself in, risking trial and possible execution.
 
Admiral Parova assures Daala that the  new Naval security team will be in place in a few minutes.  GAS won’t like it, but those who fail usually resent those who haven’t.
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chapter 14:
 
Vestara is composing a letter she doesn’t intend to send.  It’s to her father.  Normally she would start by addressing it Father.  Not in the real world of the Sith right now, she tries Dad.  That’s not right either.
 
It’s too much like Ben.
 
Finally, she settles on Papa and starts writing about her concern for his injuries.  This type of sentiment is normally not encouraged.  They are strange to her, but not distasteful.   She goes on to explain how seeing Luke comfort his son over the loss of his mother makes her glad that she has a father who is as warm and supportive.  It would be hard to have a cold, indifferent father who pushed her into a ruthless world.
 
Of course, she has to stop here, but her father is, in fact, more like the latter than the former.
 
She relates what Luke has told them about his last visit here before Sel comes to sit with her.  Sel asks if she’s alright.  Ves assures her she’s just thinking. 
 
They stop at a cave.  Taru leads the group inside where several Oldtimers sit.  He introduces them to Master Nenn of the Theran Listeners.  While Vestara returns to her reverie, Luke explains the problem of Abeloth.
 
He expresses his concern that the Listener techniques could make them vulnerable to being manipulated by her.  She may learn to simulate the voices of the tsil.  He offers to teach them how to cut themselves off from the Force.
 
Nenn and his group agree to this, but have news of their own.  A Listener adept named Cura was found dead this morning with injuries to her body.  It would appear she was tortured.   Ben is confused that Abeloth would kill instead of incorporate.
 
It’s possible Cura was too strong to be taken against her will.  Additionally, a doctor Cagaran Wei, a Latecomer, has vanished.  He has been studying the effects being a Force-user has on the body and has a particular fascination with drochs.
 
His disappearance coincided with the arrival of the ship that may have contained their enemy.  Nenn will order all members here to be on alert for this Abeloth, provide teachers to learn how to shut oneself off the Force and will look for Dr. Wei.
 
Luke asks if they have any hints.  Nenn says he has a home in Hweg Shul that may give some clues.  His landspeeder is there, too.
 
Luke knows that Vestara probably wonders why they traveled the two hour trip from Hweg Shul to hear this, but he holds his tongue.
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            •    In the chapter, Luke says he remembers Dr. Wei.  This is the first mention of the good doctor, though.
 

chapter 13:
 
Daala is frustrated with the Solos.  They won’t let her speak with Hamner and she doesn’t believe their reason, they won’t give her information on the Jedi who attacked Bwua’tu.  If they think they can normalize relations between the GA and the Jedi, this isn’t the way.
 
Han reminds them that there is no evidence that the attack was a Jedi.  Dorvan points out the lightsaber use and the forensic evidence that it was wielded by someone who knew what they were doing.  Leia reminds him that there are many in the galaxy who can use a lightsaber without being a Jedi. 
 
There are former Jedi and, now, Sith.  Daala still thinks there’s little difference between Jedi and Sith, as Darth Caedus demonstrated.  Leia reminds her that she herself hired a bounty hunter named Zilaash Kuh who used a lightsaber, yet wasn’t a Jedi.  That Kuh’s identity papers were falsified and she has since disappeared is another problem for Daala.
 
The Chief of State insists that the Jedi be a government resource.  Han points out the public may not want that.  She thinks the public’s opinions vary and don’t matter.  They aren’t smart enough to make galaxy-reaching decisions.
 
Leia reminds her that Palpatine thought that way.  Daala tells her Palpatine’s direction was correct, his reach was too far.
 
On the Falcon], See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo are disguised with new paint jobs.  They wear restraining bolts that are inactive.  The protocol droid is not looking forward to what’s next.
 
Under the ruse of returning a mechanic’s toolbox to him, the droids get to the next hangar where the Dust Dancer is waiting.   They deliver the box to Seha and head back.
 
Bandy Geffer is working on the shuttle.  Seha goes aboard, opens the smuggling compartments and gives the materials to Kyp and Octa.  The toolbox contains items made to look like mechanic’s implements, but are actually credcards, identity papers, explosives, makeup supplies. 
 
They are posing as members of Senator Treen’s delegation.  Octa asks how the date went.  Seha admits that Javon was interested.  Octa warns her to be careful.  He’s security which makes him suspicious and he won’t be happy if he finds out she’s a Jedi who’s just using him.
 
Seha asks if she can’t pretend to have a normal life every once in awhile.
 
She has the fire suppression system turned off, takes off, emitting smoke to cover the two escaping Masters and takes off.

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chapter 12:
 
Thei had pulled a glow rod to see what happened.  She saw her mother overwhelmed with drochs and heard her tell Thei to run. 
 
Taru tells Thei to come back to the present where she is safe.  She must come back to her home with her husband and for the baby she will have.  The scene changes to her present home.  Taru recognizes a saucepan on the stove that is just like the one her mother used to make the soup in the cave.
 
This is probably what brought the memories to the surface.  Taru will be using a technique called vein-routing to heal her.  The Force-users meld into the Force to view the inside of Thei’s brain.  Taru has surrounded the portions of her memory related to her terror.  They see past memories of her growing up, getting anxious when there were events or sights that tied back to the earlier incident.  They bind those memories together and pull.
 
Pulling these memories from her mind is like drawing out a blade.  But the memories are part of a real human experience and Taru doesn’t want them to fade into nothingness.  He asks if Luke wants them.  Luke would rather not take on the terror of a five-year old who saw her mother die.
 
Taru tells him to release them.
 
He offers to look at Luke’s injured leg, but is hit in the head by a floating datapad. Luke tells whoever is doing that to stop.  No one will admit to it.  A Force storm rises up, swirling medical instrumentation around.  Outside is chaotic.  Technology and vehicles fly everywhere.
 
Luke, Ben and Vestara work to help people trapped inside collapsed buildings and injured by flying debris.  Then they help dig out victims of the storm after it passes. 
 
Sel confirms that the Listener techniques didn’t cause this.  It was something different.  Luke guesses it’s Abeloth experimenting and hardly caring what happens as a result.  Sel wants to give Luke the key to her mnemotherapy.
 
It’s a sheet of flimsi with the lyrics to an Alderaanian lullaby.  It was used to cure her. Luke may have to use it if he thinks she’s been compromised by Abeloth. 
 
He tells her she’d be better off leaving for awhile.  Sel reminds him that he would, too.
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chapter 11:
 
Outside in the Nam Chorios night, Luke tells Ben and Vestara to brace themselves. The droch-killing ground lightning surprises them. 
 
Sel tells them someone piloted a small ship in two nights ago near Bleak Point.  Luke remembers landing there when he first arrived so many years ago.  Where he’d seen Callista for the last time, not knowing it was the last time.
 
She might’ve escaped the fate that awaited her if he’d gone after her. 
 
Sel takes them to Master Taru Durn A woman named Thei is there, too.  She was orphaned at the age of five after her mother disappeared.  Thei had come wandering out of the wilderness alone with no memory of what happened.
 
She was adopted and lived a normal life until six months ago when she began to experiences emotional collapses.  Some of them are triggered by the smell of topato soup.
 
She and her husband have disagreed about how to treat her.  He prefers modern techniques over the Oldtimer healing.  They are using a minor use of the Force here.  Thei is in a hypnotic state that enhances her connection to the Force.  Through this technique, they are able to view the past through her eyes, seeing, hearing and smelling as she did.
 
He  asks her if she will remember the time when she and her mother left to go to Ruby Gulch.  He guides her gradually through the details of planning and leaving on the journey.  There are breaks in the details that Thei doesn’t want to remember. 
 
Inside a cave, her mother had begun to cook topato soup.  Afterwards, they fell asleep.  A noise awakened them.  The floor of the cave collapsed and her mother fell out of view.  There was the smell of a huge droch nest.

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chapter 10:
 
In a Simulator Club, Moff Lecersen walks in wearing an old-style TIE Fighter uniform and helmet.  The rules are that patrons must wear the uniforms of either a decommissioned service or a style that has been out of date more than twenty years.  There are all manner of uniforms representing the Galactic Empire, the Rebel Alliance and more.
 
Senator Treen is wearing the uniform of a Naboo pilot from at least 60 years ago, General Jaxton is wearing a mismatched and miscolored outfit, Senator Bramsin has the red robe of a Royal Guardsman. 
 
Then there’s the newest member of the conspiracy: Admiral Sallinor Parova who is dressed in a white admiral’s uniform that has all the makings of a child’s costume with printed-on embellishments.  A Bothan mask and hand gloves make up the costume.  One glove is larger than the other and goes flying when she gestures with it.  An inappropriate and insensitive commentary on the plight of Admiral Bwua’tu.
 
Parova is also the acting Chief of Naval Operations in Bwua’tu’s absence.  Though Bwua’tu has been an obstacle, Lecersen still considers him an honorable warrior, not deserving of mockery.
 
Jaxton and Lecersen are just free of their Jedi captivity.  Jaxton has been debriefed by Daala and confirms she’s wound tightly enough that not much will set her off.  Bramsin suggests they cause some mistrust of the GAS. 
 
She’ll likely turn to the Navy instead which Parova will be glad to handle.  She also has a plan in place to push the Chief of State over the edge when the time comes.
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chapter 9:
 
Sel explains that her time as a Jedi is a faint memory now. She works as a healer for strangers who come here.  She barely remembers her time on Coruscant before she was sent her with a Jedi Knight named Beldorian.
 
This world is dangerous for Force-Users.  Beldorian the Hutt struggled against it before succumbing to his baser nature. Taselda was too inexperienced to handle it before falling into insanity. 
 
She’s lived this long by consuming drochs quickly and live.  They give off bursts of Force energy that cause the body to regenerate beyond what is normal.  The larger drochs tend to drain memory from their victims and eating them can result in one absorbing those memories. 
 
She gave it up a long time ago, so she’s aging normally now. 
 
She helps the Theran Listeners heal.  Vestara asks if she stays here just to help a few ungrateful farmers and desperate visitors.  Sel admits she really has no place to go.  Even if she knew her family when she was young, they’re all dead now. 
  
Over a period of years, a Listener technique was used to restore her sanity.  The by-product was to lose most of her memories.  That’s why she doesn’t remember meeting him. 
 
Luke suspects that Teselda is in more danger than anyone else here now.  She may need to leave Nam Chorios.  Something is coming here, if it’s not here already, that preys on vulnerable persons through the Force.  He fears the opening to voices in the Force that the Theran Listeners utilize will make it easier for Abeloth to manipulate them.
 
Sel speculates that Luke may be able to recognize Abeloth easier if he can spot changes in her behavior.  Luke appreciates the offer, but doubts that Sel wants Abeloth holding sway over her. 
 
He’d like to find out if any small craft have arrived, especially if they’ve bypassed the station.  He’d like to learn some Theran techniques, too.  She offers to put him in touch with someone who can teach him.
 
Seha lands the shuttle in the Senate Building.  Chief of State Daala is waiting with several aides to greet Dorvan, General Jaxton, Senator Bramsin and several others.  When Seha tries to power down the ship, though, a GAS officer insists she take off immediately.
 
She attempts to tell him there’s a problem with her thrusters, but he won’t have it.  She shoos him off the ship, then allows the right stern thruster to blow.  She storms down the ramp, tossing a datapad in his face and yelling about him not giving her time to run a diagnostic test.
 
The sight of both of them covered in smoke and some fluffy matter causes her to laugh.  Lt. Javon Thewles finally agrees to help her and gives her access for another 24 hours to have a mechanic look at the ship.  Seha accepts the offer if he takes her to dinner.
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     •    Beldorian also appeared in Planet of Twilight.
 
 

chapter 8:
 
After checking into a hostel that smells strongly of droch repellent, Luke leads Ben and Vestara out to find the Theran Listeners.  He finds what looks like the hovel of the Oldtimers.  A man lets them in where they find a dozen men and women sitting and watching.
 
Ben feels like he’s surrounded.
 
Luke has a short conversation with the barkeeper who sends them to Sel for healing.  On the way out, someone flicks a droch on Ben’s back.  Ben tells his father that this doesn’t seem like it’s changed much from the old days.  Luke answers that they didn’t come after them with clubs this time.
 
At Sel’s dome, an elderly woman with white hair lets them in.  She knows he is Luke Skywalker.  Luke recognizes her as Teselda, the woman he met 30 years ago.  She admits there are things she doesn’t remember.  He introduces her to Ben and Vestara as the galaxy’s oldest surviving Jedi.
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     •    Yes, Teselda was the crazy Jedi we met in Planet of Twilight.
 
 

chapter 7:
 
Chief of State Daala sits with her friend, Nek Bwua’tu, and confesses she thinks this planet is a hellhole sometimes.  He is one of her remaining confidantes even though he cannot answer.
 
The way power on this world is handled is beyond reason.  It is just the discrediting of a rival, but the way people resort to treachery in mere office politics over things of little value.
 
She, however, plans to stay the course and crush those who crave power for their own ends.  The Slave revolt leaders who just want to replace those they overthrow, the arrogant Jedi, those that use good people in their way.
 
Desha Lor enters to tell her that Wynn Dorvan is returning right now.
 
At the Temple, the Jedi are working together as they haven’t for a long time.  The Dust Dancer is coming down. Kyp and Octa are hidden in its smuggling compartments.  Seha is the only pilot and she is not well-known even without the inserts that are altering her facial structure.
 
Nevertheless, two Masters entering the Senate Building will force Daala’s hand.  They must try, however, to keep this as bloodless as possible.  This involves getting Kyp and Octa the resources necessary to allow them to infiltrate the building, such as disguises.
 
Leia suggests that they propose some meeting between her, Han and Daala, that will give them the means to get materials to the two Jedi.  Daala will want to speak with Kenth Hamner, so they come up with a cover story.  Feeling that Daala may launch a tactical strike against him personally, Hamner has gone into hiding until the relationship between the Alliance and the Jedi Order has improved.
 
Elsewhere, in the Temple, Valin Horn gets the name Nam Chorios in his mind.  He knew he needed to go somewhere and that feeling gets stronger every hour.  He can tell that Jysella knows, too.
 
Kam Solusar comes to sit with them in the mess hall.  He notes that their tests have come back showing that they are cleared of the carbonite sickness.  This means it’s back to work.  They are going on a light courier run to Corellia to deliver some supplies to their enclave there.
 
Valin suspects their shuttle will have a tracking device on it.  They will land someplace that is not Corellia, try to escape and the fake Jedi will come to capture them or kill them.
 
Only a crazy person would walk into this trap.
 
Valin and Jysella engage in some light bantering about how this assignment really only requires one Jedi.  Kam finally agrees to give Valin another assignment.
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     •    Corellia has a Jedi enclave?  I know they had a school during the LotF series. Did that get reopened then?