"The P'w'eck?" Tahiri repeated. "Weren't they the slaves of the Ssi-ruuk? "

"They were indeed," Leia said.

"But how-?"

"I guess that's what we're about to learn," Han said, the tension in his posture already easing. He reached forward to punch a new course into the Falcon's command board. "In the meantime, let's show these reptoids how to fly." Leia relayed the situation to Captain Mayn as Han sent the Falcon streaking toward Sentinel. While she could understand his readiness to accept the immediately obvious explanation, she preferred to reserve judgment until she'd heard what Panib had to say. Nothing, she knew, was ever quite as simple as it seemed.

Only by force of will was Jacen able to hold on to the contents of his stomach as he watched Tekli operate on the injured stormtrooper. The man lay facedown on the operating table, naked to the waist and fed by numerous intravenous drips and tubes. They had barely reached the Widowmaker's medical bay in time. Had it not been for Luke and himself propping up the trooper's defenses with large amounts of the Force, the alien invader would have probably overtaken his immune system completely and effectively killed him. As it was, Saba Sebatyne still had to strengthen the stormtrooper while Tekli tried to isolate the organism, carefully cutting through and around delicate tissues with her vibroscalpel. It was difficult and dangerous work, but after almost forty-five minutes of painstaking surgery, Tekli seemed to have finally exposed the problem.

The centipedelike creature the stormtrooper had been force-fed on Munlali Mafir had turned out not to be a "meal" at all, but rather, as Hegerty had suspected, an uninvited guest. The juvenile Jostran had survived the acids in the man's stomach long enough to burrow its way into his abdominal cavity and locate his spine. Once there, it had used the tips of its many legs to infiltrate nerves and tunnel into his spinal column. It had been working its way up to his skull, gradually taking over his body as it went. Tekli had caught it at the very top of the man's spine, just as it was about to invade his brainpan.

Its central body had already sent dozens of hairlike tendrils snaking into delicate neural tissues, and these were making extraction exceedingly difficult.

Tekli didn't doubt that the creature had numerous defense mechanisms designed to discourage removal. The filaments could physically damage nerve cells during extraction, or they could excrete any number of chemicals designed to kill as much tissue as possible around themselves.

Only with the help of Jacen was she able, strand by strand, to finally save the stormtrooper from a horrible fate. Jacen attuned his mind to that of the Jostran and kept it docile while Tekli worked, finding it much easier when it was on its own rather than in a pack of eleven.

Jacen couldn't shake the ghastly thought of what might have happened as Tekli scooped up the wriggling body of the alien and dropped it into a tissue sample container. Hair-thin tendrils trailed it like roots from a plant.

"Well done, my friend," he said. "Master Cilghal would be proud of you."

"Thank you, Jacen," Tekli said, stepping back from the table and removing her gloves, leaving a medical droid to suture the patient's wound. "But perhaps we should save congratulations until the anesthetic wears off." The Chadra-Fan's ears were limp with fatigue and her fur appeared dull. It was clear that the intense concentration required for the operation had taken a lot out of her.

"You're exhausted," Jacen said.

She nodded. "I feel as tired as you look." Jacen acknowledged the comment with a tight smile. He hadn't had time to change from the gear he'd worn on Munlali Mafir. He'd only had time to wash the dirt and sweat off his face and hands. In all, he suspected he looked as exhausted as he felt.

They left the patient in the care of Imperial meditechs. Outside the surgery, they met Lieutenant Stalgis waiting in the narrow corridor.

He had removed his helmet - revealing a long, lined face that suggested an age much older than his thirty or so years-but like Jacen, he hadn't had time to fully refresh himself yet.

"How is he?"

"He's fine," Jacen rea.s.sured him. "He just needs time to recover from the surgery."

"The thing-the Jostran-" Stalgis's face contorted into a look of revulsion.

"Has it?..."

"It's been removed." Relief rolled off the lieutenant in waves. "I can't tell you how grateful I am, to both of you. Tarl is a friend, as well as a member of my ground team. If he had died-if we hadn't made it back in time-" Stalgis gesticulated for lack of words.

Jacen placed a hand on the armor plating of the man's upper arm.

"We were glad to help. But I suggest you get some rest, now. Your friend is going to need you when he wakes." Stalgis nodded almost formally and strode off up the hallway.

"Perhaps you should listen to your own advice, Solo." Jacen turned to find Danni Quee standing behind him. She was smiling, but there was no mistaking the concern underlying it.

"I'm okay."

"You're tired," she said, her green eyes flashing at him. "And don't even try to deny it." A touch on the back of his hand signaled Tekli's departure. He sent a wave of grat.i.tude to the Chadra-Fan through the Force, then devoted all his attention to Danni. She stood before him wearing a standard Jedi expeditionary suit with her arms folded across her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her blond, curly hair had been cut to her shoulders.

"It's true," he admitted, stepping closer. "I am tired. In fact, I'd give anything right now to be able to curl up on my bunk and sleep for a day or two."

"Not even an attempted denial," she said. "I'm impressed, Jacen.

Unfortunately, there won't be time for you to sleep. You're wanted on the bridge now." Momentary alarm welled up in him, but he pushed it back down. "Is anything wrong?"

"Nothing that can't wait ten minutes for you to cleanup."

"Is it the Chiss?" he pressed.

"In ten minutes you'll have all the answers you need. But if you were to meet Commander Irolia looking like this, it would probably be taken as a declaration of war."

"She's not letting us proceed?" Danni continued to evade his questions. "... illegal use of biological weapons or something..."

"At least give me a hint!"

"... cruel and unusual punishment..."

"All right, all right!" Smiling, and feeling energized by the brief exchange, they walked along the narrow corridors of the Imperial frigate to the cabin he'd been a.s.signed. "Tell Uncle Luke I'll be there shortly."

"That's what comlinks are for." Her expression was mock indignant, but turned into a smile as she turned and headed off for the bridge.

"The planet is a legend," Commander Irolia said. Her youthful features were set in stubborn, self-a.s.sured lines. "I cannot believe that finding it is your true objective."

"I a.s.sure you that it's much more than a legend," Master Skywalker said. Saba was amazed at his self-control. She knew that he was exhausted and irritated, but all he allowed his face to display was calm and patience. "We have evidence that it once existed; the only question is whether it still exists today."

"What evidence is this?"

"We were told about Zonama Sekot by Vergere, a Jedi Knight from-"

"Vergere?" Irolia's eyebrows shot up at the name. "The same Vergere who sabotaged the Alpha Red initiative?" Master Skywalker didn't flinch from the truth. "The Vergere who prevented genocide the likes of which this galaxy has never seen, yes." The commander's exhalation had a mocking bite. "You expect me to trust her testimony?"

"No one is forcing you to accept anything," Captain Yage said, clearly annoyed by the Chiss commander's mockery. "We only want to go about our business. That's all. "

"But what is your business? That's what I am attempting to determine." The meeting was being conducted on Widowmaker's bridge in full view of the crew. Irolia carried herself as though it was her own ship and her own crew. Her tone and poise displayed nothing but self-a.s.surance. Saba knew that, should anything happen to the Chiss officer or the small contingent of guards that had escorted her across, then there would be dire consequences for Master Skywalker and his expedition.

What's more, Irolia knew that they knew-and that, presumably, was why she was so confident.

Saba wasn't an expert on humanoid appearances, but she imagined that the Chiss commander would have been regarded as quite striking among her own people. Her face was narrow and angular, her blue skin smooth and soft looking. Her wide red eyes contained both character and intelligence, and upon entering the meeting, had quickly scanned everyone on the bridge. She didn't doubt that the woman's evaluation of them would have been equally as brisk.

"All we ask," Luke said, "is for the freedom to look." Irolia paced three steps to her left, contemplating his words. "This is our territory," she said. "You do realize that."

"We recognize your authority over regions near here, yes. But we weren't aware that the Expansionary Defense Fleet had specifically annexed this system."

"If I were to tell you that we have, would you leave?"

"We are a peaceful expedition," Luke said. "Would you bar a trading mission from your territory, or a scientific team?" The commander laughed. "Don't try to fool me, Sky-walker! You're no more a trader than I am. And as for your motives being scientific, I ask this of you: Were you to find this planet, what exactly would you do with it?" A new voice spoke up from behind them when Luke hesitated: "It is our hope that Zonama Sekot will help us in our war effort, and in doing so save trillions of lives - including your own." Commander Irolia turned her attention to Jacen Solo, who had just entered the room. "Then your intentions are clearly not scientific, but rather military. So why should we allow you to pursue such objectives when you so readily interfere with our own?"

"Alpha Red wouldn't have won the war," Luke said calmly. "It would have turned us all into monsters."

"That's the war I'm talking about," Jacen said, stepping down into the center of the circular bridge to join the others. "The war against ourselves." Irolia took a long moment to consider this. "It surprises me to see Imperials and the New Republic working alongside each other," she said finally.

"We are no longer referred to as the New Republic," Luke said, ''We have a new name now: the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances."

"And the Empire has freely joined this Alliance?" Irolia asked, glancing at Yage.

"It has," the captain said.

"I suppose the Chiss are welcome to join, too." Luke seemed unfazed by the commander's sarcasm. "The decision would be yours. But yes, you would indeed be welcome to join in due course." Irolia snorted derisively but didn't address the Jedi Master's comment. Instead she said, "What concerns me the most here, I think, is the makeup of your senior crew.

Master Skywalker shrugged. "I have already explained that the military contingent is purely defensive."

"That might indeed be true. But the intention lies in its leaders.

Mara Jade Skywalker, Luke Skywalker, Jacen Solo-all renowned Jedi warriors."

"Danni Quee is an accomplished scientist," Jacen pointed out.

"Yes, I recognize that name. And Soron Hegerty we know, of course.

They fit in with your stated aims." Danni looked both startled and flattered to be recognized; Hegerty, on the other hand, showed no reaction at all.

"But you also have a Barabel among you," Irolia continued. "How does it fit in?" Saba stiffened.

"She is a Jedi Knight," Luke said.

"Another warrior, then?"

"Not in the sense that you mean."

"Really? Most reptilian species I've ever met have been aggressive and predatory." Saba's tail thumped the floor. She couldn't help it.

Captain Yage took a step forward at this. "Tell me, Commander, how would you feel if I were to tell you that most Chiss I've met have been arrogant and condescending." Luke signaled for patience. "Saba is life-sensitive. We hope that she will detect Zonama Sekot by its Force emissions when we are near it."

"Have you had any luck so far in this?"

"Not yet. That's why we need to keep searching." Irolia nodded after some thought. "Very well, Master Skywalker. I will agree to this only because we, too, would like to see this war brought to an end." She signaled to her bodyguards, who handed her a flat, rectangular package about the same size as her outstretched hand. "This memory disk contains authority codes and routes sufficient to get you to Csilla. They will remain active for one week. In that time, you must present yourself in person to obtain permission to travel within our boundaries. Without that permission, any trespa.s.s will be regarded as an act of aggression, upon which you will be expelled or destroyed.

Do I make myself clear?" Luke accepted the disk with a resigned look. "Abundantly clear."

"Then my mission here is complete." Commander Irolia's gaze briefly swept the room. "Perhaps we shall all meet again on Csilla."

"That's all you came here for?" Captain Yage asked. "To tell us to report to your superiors?"

"Not quite," Irolia answered. "I was ordered to give you the disk only if I thought you trustworthy."

"And if we weren't?" The Chiss commander smiled at this, but said nothing in reply. She simply nodded farewell and, with an imperious gesture, ordered her bodyguards to follow her as she strolled from the bridge.

"Why that trumped-up little-" Again, Luke silenced Captain Yage with a gesture. "She's just doing her job, Arien. We can't blame her for that."

"Nevertheless, I'll be happier when she's off my ship." She turned away to coordinate the disembarkation of the Chiss shuttle.

"I can understand perfectly where you're coming from, Captain Yage." The hologram broke into static, then cleared to reveal the face of Mara Jade Skywalker at the controls oijade Shadow. "I don't even want that woman on my scopes."

"You caught all that, Mara?" Luke asked, facing the image of his wife in the holofield.

" Loud and clear."

"What gets up my jets," Yage said, "is the a.s.sumption that we're answerable to them at all. The Empire has been collaborating with the Chiss for years, ever since Thrawn's day. But there's no treaty-we don't owe them anything. Just the idea of having to report our every I movement to them makes my hair stand on end."

"We have to respect that we're in their territory now, Arien," Luke said. "And they do things differently than we do."

"a.s.suming we are in their territory," Mara said. "How about looking at that disk?" Jacen took it from his uncle and put it into a reader. As Irolia had promised, it contained routes and security codes, but nothing else. The Chiss were tight-lipped when it came to doling out information.

They were lucky to get this much.

"Thoughts, anyone?" Luke asked. "Do we plow on regardless, or should we comply with their request and report in?"

"It's your decision," Yage said.

"Yes, but to reach that decision I would like to hear everyone's opinion. "

"I don't think there's any great harm in doing what they say," Mara said.

"Even though it does irk me."

"I say to the Maw with them," Yage put in. "They can't tell us what to do." Luke nodded quietly to both women's comments. "Jacen?"

"We'll need access to their information," his nephew replied. "It would make things much simpler. Soron's data is accurate but doesn't cover more than ten percent of the Unknown Regions." The xen.o.biologist had looked slightly bored throughout the political exchange, but seemed to perk up now that she'd been brought into the conversation. "The Chiss have been expanding through this section of the galaxy for decades.

Irolia clearly knew of the legend of the wandering planet, so it must be common knowledge among her people. I believe access to their data would be invaluable."

"But would it actually make the difference, do you think?" Luke folded his hands in front of him, as he so often did when pondering weighty matters. "It certainly might." Hegerty nodded at the map.

This small amount of data has already told us something interesting. Note the outer edge of their territory. See how it has held firm against the Yuuzhan Vong incursion? They have either developed similar jamming and combat techniques as your own fighters, or the enemy has withdrawn its offensive in order to concentrate on other areas. I would imagine that the answer to this mystery would be of interest to your tacticians back home." There was a general murmur of agreement following that observation. The heads of the Galactic Alliance seemed an awfully long way from the Unknown Regions, but Hegerty-and Irolia-was quite right. Luke's mission was military at least in the sense that any information of military value would immediately be added to the war effort. Even though galaxy wide communications didn't reach into the Unknown Regions, subs.p.a.ce transmissions could be relayed through an isolated holocomm on the edge of Galactic Alliance s.p.a.ce. All communications from the mission were relayed to Cal Omas immediately.

Luke nodded. "You might be right. But tell me, Saba: have you detected any sign of Zonama Sekot in this vicinity? If we are hot on its scent, then we might not need to contact the Chiss at all." Saba straightened, her nostrils flaring involuntarily. "I sense nothing. If Zonama Sekot iz here, it iz well hidden."

"I thought as much. It's like looking for a droid in a desert: something's more likely to find us before we find it." He nodded again.

"I'm of the opinion that we should do as Irolia says and check in with the local authorities. As Soron said, it couldn't hurt. And who knows; it might actually Tielp." He glanced around to everyone, as though waiting to see if there were any objections to his decision.

When no one spoke up, he said, "Okay, then. I'll leave the details of the course with Mara and Arien to prepare. Those of us who just came back from Munlali Mafir will need a break before we take on anything else." Captain Yage smiled. "I'm sure you won't get any argument from Doctor Hegerty on that score." The meeting broke up, then, leaving Mara Jade Sky-walker and Captain Yage to discuss the finer points of the Chiss map. Luke motioned to Saba, Jacen, and Hegerty, and they joined him for a quiet discussion near the bridge's exit.

"How did Tekli get on with the Jostran?" was the first thing he asked his nephew.

"It was touch and go for a while," the young Jedi replied. "Another centimeter and it would have been too late. But she caught it."