Leia turned a scornful look on the captain. "I'll wager you a month's salary-yours, not mine, since I don't receive a salary-that your warrant doesn't mention his lightsaber. Warrants almost never do. You know why? I suspect not. It's because the damage each one does is indistinguishable from the damage of any other, so they are of almost no use as forensic evidence. Now, does your warrant specify his lightsaber?"

Savar looked at her but ignored the question. He returned his attention to Luke. "Please turn around and place your hands behind your back. I have instructions to shackle you."

Luke obliged, turning to face his companions. He kept up his cheerful demeanor. It wouldn't do for any of the holocams to see him looking irritable, for any recordings of such a response would appear on the news broadcasts.

Captain Savar grasped Luke's right wrist and snapped a stun cuff upon it.

Han was not as cordial as Luke. "Are you under orders to treat him like a common criminal, bantha-brain?"

Luke felt Savar stiffen, felt a rush of frustration, anger, and, yes, guilt guilt from the officer. It startled Luke; clearly, this was no prosecutorial lackey enjoying the arrest, but someone who regretted it. from the officer. It startled Luke; clearly, this was no prosecutorial lackey enjoying the arrest, but someone who regretted it.

"He's resisting!" The voice was m.u.f.fled and watery. Luke knew it had to be the Quarren speaking. Luke spun, his right arm still in the captain's grasp, in time to see the Quarren bringing his shoulder weapon into line, aiming at Luke.

From that moment, things moved fast. Five lightsabers, Luke's not among them, snaphiss snaphissed into colorful, humming life and were raised against possible attacks. One security agent, who looked to be a boy about Ben's age, twitched and fired, probably inadvertently; the bolt sped toward Luke. He leaned away from it, not feeling threatened, but Kam caught it on his blade and bounced it almost straight down into the permacrete.

Han, a blaster suddenly in hand-a small, powerful civilian model, not his usual DL-44-fired, and the shot sheared through the boy's rifle, throwing the ruined weapon out of his hands.

The Quarren didn't fire. There was now a lightsaber tip poised directly beneath his neck. The blade belonged to none of the Jedi; the dark-haired woman held it, her hand rock-steady, a curious smile on her face. The Quarren's gaze was on her now rather than on Luke.

The security troops brought their weapons up, variously aiming at Han and the Jedi, but, disciplined operatives, they held their fire pending their captain's order.

Savar, his expression ugly, turned toward the Quarren. "Nyz, did you just not understand the words support role? support role? Or are you stupid enough to violate my orders deliberately?" Or are you stupid enough to violate my orders deliberately?"

The Quarren hesitated. "You stiffened. The only reasonable conclusion was that he used a Jedi technique on you."

"The only reasonable conclusion is that you're an idiot. And I don't see you putting your weapon down." At Savar's words, a half squad of operatives aimed at the Quarren, though it was clear the woman with the saber needed no help.

The Quarren, reluctant, lowered the device. He glanced between the woman and the troops covering him. "You shouldn't point weapons at me. It doesn't improve your prospects for survival."

Savar's expression became disdainful. "Now you're on record for threats. Worn-out, petulant, whiny threats, come to think of it." He turned to face Luke again.

The Jedi, at Luke's nod, deactivated and stowed their lightsabers. So did the dark-haired woman. Han tucked his blaster away into a sheath at the small of his back. The troops finally lowered their rifles, though several kept an eye on the Quarren.

"Nice shooting," Luke whispered to Han.

Han's expression was sour. "Short-barreled piece of junk. I was aiming at his nose."

"Sure you were."

Savar led Luke to the personnel carrier that had landed directly in front. Its crew of security troopers, plus the woman in dark Jedi robes and the Skakoan, packed in as well. Leia insisted that someone accompany Luke, and Savar chose Han-"Not a Jedi" were his words.

With Han Solo on one side and an empty seat on the other, Luke waited, listening as Savar, outside, addressed members of his detail.

"Bessen, you are the stupidest trooper I've ever had the displeasure to command. Who told you to shoot the prisoner?"

"No one, sir, I didn't-I didn't mean-"

"Good answer. 'I didn't mean to, I'm just incompetent.' Are you competent to do two hundred pushups for me?"

The boy's tone became one of dejection. "Yes, sir."

"Good. Sergeant Carn, come watch him do two hundred pushups, then acquire transport and watch him run run back to the blockhouse on foot." back to the blockhouse on foot."

Han whispered, "To think I originally chose a military career."

"You had a military career. You made the rank of general, then retired."

"Don't rub it in."

"Can you do two hundred pushups?"

"Shut up."

The troopers watched, eyes wide, as two of the most famous humans in the galaxy, one of them under arrest for a felony, made small talk.

Savar, entering, slammed the transport's side doors shut behind him, leaving them all illuminated by weak blue glow rods. He sat down beside Luke.

As the transport lifted off, Han looked among the troopers. "Who wants to play some sabacc? I'll use my winnings for Master Skywalker's bail."

GALACTIC ALLIANCE SECURITY BLOCKHOUSE, GOVERNMENT.

DISTRICT, CORUSCANT.

LUKE WAS TAKEN TO A GA S GA SECURITY BUILDING, WHERE HE WAS SEPARATED from Han, who remained in the building's crowded main lobby, already making calls on his comlink. Troopers hustled Luke into a back chamber where he was searched and relieved of his personal possessions, then briefly holorecorded for identification purposes. After that, he was taken to another room, this one furnished with a bare table and chairs, where Captain Savar asked if he would consent to answer questions without his advocate present. Luke declined. from Han, who remained in the building's crowded main lobby, already making calls on his comlink. Troopers hustled Luke into a back chamber where he was searched and relieved of his personal possessions, then briefly holorecorded for identification purposes. After that, he was taken to another room, this one furnished with a bare table and chairs, where Captain Savar asked if he would consent to answer questions without his advocate present. Luke declined.

His next stop was a solitary confinement holding cell, a special one-beyond the durasteel bars were the glows of military-grade energy shields. There Luke was unshackled and left alone.

A considerable time pa.s.sed-Luke could not be sure how long it was, as his chrono was one of the items removed from him-and then a visitor was shown in. The man was a Twi'lek, green-skinned, broadshouldered, richly dressed in black and gray office garments of a style common on Coruscant. His lekku lekku-brain-tails-were wrapped around his neck. His brow ridge often cast his red eyes into deep gloom. The anger on his face and the stiffness with which he held himself made him a forbidding picture.

But Luke was delighted to see him. The Twi'lek, a pilot during the glory years of Wedge Antilles's Rogue Squadron, had lost his right leg below the knee in an engagement and subsequently returned to the practice of law. His limb replaced by a prosthetic one, he had performed as an attorney in numerous places across the galaxy and was now a familiar face in Coruscant litigation, interspersing high-paying cases with advocacy involving pilots or issues of const.i.tutional law.

Luke sprang to his feet as the Twi'lek was shown through the cell door. As the shields reactivated beyond the bars, he held out his hand. "Nawara. It finally happened."

Nawara Ven shook Luke's hand, but his expression did not brighten. "No, it didn't. Not the way we expected."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe you'd better sit down." He gestured at the cot that const.i.tuted half the furniture in the cell.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"They tricked us, Master Skywalker, and I'm feeling rather foolish at being tricked. We didn't look beyond the rumors that this was all about you leading the Jedi out of the Alliance camp and waging a private war on Colonel Solo two years ago."

"It's not not about that?" about that?"

Nawara shook his head. "The government is actually a.s.serting that, in not recognizing Jacen Solo's degenerative moral and ethical changes-the only way they can say 'descent to the dark side' in legalese-you were derelict in your duty as the Jedi Grand Master and were partly responsible for every consequence of his subsequent abuse of power. In other words, a share of every death, every act of torture, every butchered legal right, every military excess performed by the Galactic Alliance in the last war is being laid at your feet."

Luke felt the air go out of his lungs. He sat down. "You're not serious."

"As serious as death." Nawara frowned, deepening the shadow cast by his brow. "I'm certain they're holding back a related charge of treason as a negotiating point. The maximum possible sentence for that is, of course, death."

Luke drew in and then let out a deep breath of hurt. He had to acknowledge that some part of the accusation was valid-he should should have consciously recognized Jacen's excesses long before he had. That he had not, that almost no one in his immediate circle had done so, was a tribute to the power of self-deception and denial. have consciously recognized Jacen's excesses long before he had. That he had not, that almost no one in his immediate circle had done so, was a tribute to the power of self-deception and denial.

Of course, others had recognized Jacen's fall earlier. Ben, whom Luke had not listened to. Luke's wife, Mara, who had kept her own counsel ... and had died in doing so. If there was any death Luke bore partial blame for due to his refusal to accept reality, it was hers. While his grief had receded from everyday life, the pain still arose at unexpected moments to stab him in the heart. It was almost a physical pain, like a punch to the gut. He took another deep breath.

Nawara dragged the other piece of furniture, a skeletal metal chair, forward and sat backward on it, resting his arms atop the back. "We can beat this charge, too. It will be harder than the fight we were antic.i.p.ating. It will require a considerable amount of mud slinging. Everyone Everyone a.s.sociated with Jacen bears the same responsibility, meaning a lot of people in the wartime government, yet they're not being charged. We can demonstrate that you're being singled out because you're a Jedi. Because you're the face of the Jedi Order." a.s.sociated with Jacen bears the same responsibility, meaning a lot of people in the wartime government, yet they're not being charged. We can demonstrate that you're being singled out because you're a Jedi. Because you're the face of the Jedi Order."

"Is that the truth? Is that why I'm being charged?"

"As far as I can tell from the hints I've picked up since your arrest, from the favors I called in while waiting to see you, it is."

"Explain that."

Nawara considered his words. "You must understand, I appreciate the Jedi. What you do, what you risk, what you accomplish. But not everybody does. You're unpredictable. From a military point of view, which I also understand, you're conceivably the most irritating force in the galaxy."

That brought a brief smile to Luke's face. "True." He nodded, unrepentant. "We have a sort of loose alliance with chains of command and legal precedent. Following orders is not as important as achieving goals."

"The Alliance's military and ex-military leaders intensely dislike a resource they know they can't control completely."

"So is the military behind this, or Daala?"

"The Chief of State, but many in the military support her." Nawara paused as if reluctant to continue. "They can can actually win this legal war even if we stomp them to pieces in some of the battles. If we mount a successful legal defense, so much dirt gets spread around that the Jedi lose a lot of public and government support-compared with what you get if the Jedi and the government suddenly decide to work hand in hand again. Or perhaps they have a case that's too strong for us. On the one hand, they might offer you a bargain: go free and manage the Jedi under their terms. On the other hand, they might just convict. Then you go to prison ... or do what they'd prefer you to, run off into hiding and prove your unreliability and criminal nature." actually win this legal war even if we stomp them to pieces in some of the battles. If we mount a successful legal defense, so much dirt gets spread around that the Jedi lose a lot of public and government support-compared with what you get if the Jedi and the government suddenly decide to work hand in hand again. Or perhaps they have a case that's too strong for us. On the one hand, they might offer you a bargain: go free and manage the Jedi under their terms. On the other hand, they might just convict. Then you go to prison ... or do what they'd prefer you to, run off into hiding and prove your unreliability and criminal nature."

Luke leaned back against the bars behind his cot and whistled. "Today just keeps getting better and better."

"They've been putting this together for a while. Some of my sources suggest that the order to make this case came down possibly as long ago as a year, maybe longer."

Luke thought about that. "Then why issue the warrant now? Did it take them all this time to a.s.semble the case?"

"No. The timing, your arrest taking place in a public venue on the first day of the Unification Summit, is obviously no coincidence. It const.i.tutes sending a message."

"To the parties considering rejoining the Alliance."

"Yes."

Luke scratched his jaw and thought about it. "They're saying to the Imperial Remnant, We're putting a leash on the people who gave you so much trouble over the years. It's safe to come back. We're putting a leash on the people who gave you so much trouble over the years. It's safe to come back."

"I believe so."

"And they're telling the Confederation, You and the Jedi had a mutual enemy during the war, but now we control them, which is another good reason to rejoin. You and the Jedi had a mutual enemy during the war, but now we control them, which is another good reason to rejoin."

"My thinking matches yours."

"Also another good reason to exclude the Hapans this time around. Queen Mother Tenel Ka would not react favorably to the action against me. If she doesn't partic.i.p.ate until the next summit, this situation could be resolved by then and she'd have time to cool down." Luke stood and began pacing. His stomach fluttered, either from tension or from the fact that he'd had no meal since his arrest, and he drew on inner reserves of calm to settle it. "Nawara, I'm not sure we can change the way we operate within the Alliance, or should. We serve a higher cause. Life, calm, progress toward a fair and serene future. Self-interest and the kind of pragmatism that sacrifices innocent lives don't motivate us the way they can the civilian and military authorities."

Nawara offered him an unhappy smile. "History, as interpreted by non-Jedi, demonstrates that you're wrong. In the records, Jedi often demonstrate these self-serving and destructive impulses. They just stop calling themselves Jedi. Like Jacen Solo did."

"Ouch."

"Your arraignment's in two hours. I can have a different set of clothes delivered if you'd prefer to appear before the judge in something fresher or more cheerful."

Luke glanced down at his black Grand Master robes. He winced, considering how they might remind a judge of the garments preferred by Jacen Solo. "Send for my white and tan robes, would you?"

"Done."

COURT CHAMBERS, CORUSCANT.

At the arraignment, Leia, Han, and Ben waited in the audience, which otherwise seemed to be made up entirely of the press, all with holocams running.

A gray-skinned Duros judge, chosen out of the standard rotation of Alliance judges, turned out to be sympathetic to the Jedi. He listened to the charges, ignored the prosecutor's a.s.sertion that Luke was a flight risk, ordered Luke to appear at hearings that would proceed from this event, and released him on his own recognizance. Minutes later, Luke, his family, and Nawara Ven exited the building through a portal Nawara knew but the press did not. They emerged at the fortieth-story walkway level into fresh air and nighttime darkness alleviated by pedestrian lights and traffic streams.

Luke opened the bag Captain Savar had given him at arraignment's end and began pocketing his personal effects. "That was a bad day. I look forward to some meditation."

Grim-faced, Leia handed him his lightsaber. "I don't think you'll get that chance. Things just keep getting better and better."

JEDI TEMPLE, CORUSCANT.

The Jedi Temple's medical center was a complete, if compact, hospital facility-operating theater, private recovery rooms, common ward, bacta chambers, therapy chambers, sealed atmosphere rooms to simulate various planetary environments, laboratories-and Valin Horn was now the centerpiece of the neurology lab. Strapped to a deactivated repulsor gurney that was resting on a platform built to accommodate it, he strained against his restraints, not speaking. There was no one present for him to speak to.

They watched him from an adjacent chamber through a sheet of transparisteel that was reflective on the lab side, transparent on the observer side. Luke stood with Master Cilghal, the Mon Calamari Jedi Master who was the Temple's foremost medical expert. Also on hand were the three other members of the Horn family, Leia, and Ben. Jysella Horn, Valin's sister, a lean woman in her midtwenties, wore a look of resolute calmness appropriate to a Jedi, but redness around her large, expressive eyes suggested that she had been crying. Her mother, Mirax, looked grimly determined and seemed unable to turn away from watching Valin.

Cilghal, her voice as gravelly as that of most Mon Cals, spoke clinically. "The patient is not rational and not cooperative. He continues to insist that everyone he knows, whom he sees now, has been replaced by an imposter. He is paranoid and delusional."

Leia became tight-faced. "Like Seff, only in a different way. Seff was on about Mandos." Not long before, while traveling aboard the Millennium Falcon Millennium Falcon, Leia and Han had encountered the Jedi Knight Seff h.e.l.lin, who had exhibited a mania as pervasive as that which Valin seemed to be experiencing. Seff had left their company before he could be evaluated.

The similarity of their behavior sounded ominously to Luke like something one may have contracted from the other, or something they could have developed from exposure to a common source.

"His blood pressure is high, at a level consistent with his state of anxiety," Cilghal went on, "and there are greater-than-normal levels of stress hormones in his blood. Toxicology, virology, and bacteriology reports are in their preliminary stages but have suggested no answer. Basic neurological tests suggest no damage, but we have not been able to employ more advanced scans."

Luke glanced at her. "Why not?"

"I'll show you." Cilghal moved to a monitor affixed at head height on the wall beside the viewport. Delicately, because her larger-than-human hands were ill suited to the task, she depressed a number of keys beneath the monitor.

The monitor screen snapped into life, showing a series of five jagged lines, like simple graphical representations of extremely precipitous mountain ranges, one above the other. "This," Cilghal explained, "is a brain scan, set to display brain wave forms. It can be set to show many different types of data in different types of graphical representation. This is the scan of a normal being-myself, as a matter of fact.

"Now I will show you Valin's first scan." She clicked another series of b.u.t.tons.

The image on the screen was wiped away, replaced by bars of jagged peak-and-trough lines so tightly packed, so extreme and savage that Jysella took an involuntary step back from the display. Cilghal continued, "No living member of any species we know could display waveforms like this and survive for very long. A few minutes after we took this, we took another reading. It, and subsequent ones, looked like this."

The monitor image wiped again. Luke thought for a moment that it had not been replaced, for the screen was almost blank. But there were still measuring bars to the right and left of the display. There were simply no lines between-not one.

Cilghal blinked at the image. "This is the brain scan reading of a dead person. Valin Horn is demonstrably not dead. There is no way a reading of Valin could yield a result like this. But it did."

"I've seen this before." Luke stared curiously at the screen, then glanced over at Valin, who was glaring at the viewport. Though unable to see through it, he seemed to be staring at Luke; perhaps he could feel the distinctive presence of the Grand Master. "Years ago."