He knew this to be true, and he knew that Soresh had done this to him. But knowing the truth changed nothing.

X-7 had free will as well-and, like all other beings, he willed himself to be happy.

Happiness was obeying Soresh.

The Commander pa.s.sed a datapad across the desk. "A valuable piece of Imperial property has been destroyed by the Rebel scourge. Your target is the pilot who fired the fatal blow. You will infiltrate the Rebel Alliance, gain proof of his ident.i.ty, and report back. The datapad contains everything we've got on the Alliance. Operations, security protocols, personnel data-everything."

X-7 nodded.

"You will arrange to be in a position to kill him, on my command," the Commander continued. "You will cast the blame on someone else, so that you can remain at the heart of the Alliance. Everything they know, you will know. And everything you know, I will know."

"For how long?" X-7 asked.

The Commander smiled. "Until the pilot is dead and the Rebel threat has been eliminated."

X-7 rose, tucking the datapad securely into his utility pouch. "It will be done."

CHAPTER FIVE.

The situation is more dire than even you know, Princess," General Dodonna said, his expression sorrowful.

When the general requested a walk through the lush temple grounds, Leia had expected nothing more than an evening of polite conversation. But the general obviously had more serious concerns on his mind-concerns that he preferred to keep between the two of them.

"A substantial portion of the Rebellion's funds were located on Alderaan," the general said.

Leia flinched at the name of her home planet. Just hearing the word sent a shockwave through her. Beautiful, peaceful Alderaan, blasted into a billion pieces of s.p.a.ce rubble.

Every being on the planet ground to dust. Millions of lives lost in a heartbeat.

In her her heartbeat, as she stood on the bridge of the Death Star, helpless to stop it. heartbeat, as she stood on the bridge of the Death Star, helpless to stop it.

There was nothing she could have done, she knew that.

And yet she still hated herself for it. For doing nothing-while her planet, her past, her own father father, were lost forever.

She forced the memories back inside herself, not wanting to reveal her weakness to General Dodonna.

"The funds, along with several key financial access codes, were lost with the destruction of the planet," the general continued. "We find ourselves in dire straits. Of course, the Rebellion lives and breathes through the sacrifices of its brave fighters, but..."

He sighed. "I'm afraid we must not lose sight of the more practical concerns. Without sufficient funding, we'll have no ships, no weapons, no defenses, and no hope of establishing a new base."

" All All the funds were housed on Alderaan?" Leia asked, surprised that the Rebellion leadership would have been so foolhardy. the funds were housed on Alderaan?" Leia asked, surprised that the Rebellion leadership would have been so foolhardy.

The general shook his head. "This is why I wanted to speak with you. We have a set of secret accounts on the planet Muunilinst."

Leia started in surprise. Although the InterGalactic Banking Clan had been disbanded, Muunilinst, its former home, was still the financial heart of the galaxy. And And an Imperial stronghold. Thanks to their financial skills, the Muuns were one of the few alien species actually tolerated-and even respected-by the Empire. But Leia knew there was still a strong Imperial presence on the planet. an Imperial stronghold. Thanks to their financial skills, the Muuns were one of the few alien species actually tolerated-and even respected-by the Empire. But Leia knew there was still a strong Imperial presence on the planet.

"It will be dangerous to retrieve the funds," General Dodonna admitted. "But it must be done. Our contact on the planet, Mak Luunim, is holding a datacard containing the access codes. Once you've retrieved them, he's agreed to help you transfer the accounts offworld and get you safely off the planet."

"Get me me safely off the planet?" safely off the planet?"

"You're the only one I trust for a mission like this, Princess."

Not so long ago, in what seemed like another life, Leia had preferred to be addressed by her other t.i.tle, senator. Proud as she was of her royal birthright, she was even prouder of the hard work and determination that had gained her a seat in the Galactic Senate.

Now, however, the t.i.tles seemed interchangeable. The Senate had been; Alderaan was gone. And the person she'd been-the peace-loving princess, the silver-tongued senator- that was gone, too.

"General Rieekan's expecting me on Delaya, in the Alderaan system," Leia reminded him. A group of Alderaan survivors-beings who had been offworld when the Death Star attacked-had begun to a.s.semble there. Leia was eager to join them. She had told General Dodonna that she hoped the survivors might agree to join the Alliance-and this was true.

But she also felt a deep need to be with her people, and not just because she was their leader.

They were all she had left of her homeworld. They needed her-but she needed them just as much.

"If all goes well, this should be an easy mission, in and out," the general said. "You can go directly from Muunilinst to Delaya. That is, if you're willing."

"Of course, general." This was the only possible response. Whatever the Alliance asked of her, Leia would give.

"Excellent. I've already arranged transportation-you'll leave tomorrow evening. Mak Luunim is expecting you. And Luke."

"Luke?"

"I thought it might be best for him to accompany you. He's certainly proven himself as willing and able to a.s.sist the cause."

And you want him off Yavin 4, in case the Empire comes looking for him, Leia thought. But she couldn't disagree-and she would be glad to have Luke with her. It would have felt wrong to leave him behind.

Why is that? she asked herself. She barely knew Luke, and yet in the short time they'd been together, he had come to be important to her. More than that, he seemed almost a part of her. she asked herself. She barely knew Luke, and yet in the short time they'd been together, he had come to be important to her. More than that, he seemed almost a part of her. And he's not the only one And he's not the only one, she thought. Han's infuriating grin flashed across her mind.

Leia shook her head, trying to brush away the image.

Focus on the Rebellion, she reminded herself. Nothing else matters. Nothing else matters.

"I won't let you down, general," she a.s.sured him.

"You never do." He rested a hand on her shoulder, favoring her with a smile. Leia stiffened, suddenly reminded of her father. She had lived for the moments he'd smiled at her like that, loving and proud.

She would never see that smile again.

Once Leia briefed Luke on the mission, they headed to the s.p.a.ceport. It was always a good idea to rendezvous with the pilot before a mission, especially since they only had one day to formulate a strategy and a.s.semble supplies. As they approached the hangar deck, Leia spotted Chewbacca wheeling a cart of lubricant hoses toward the Millennium Millennium Falcon Falcon. As always, the dilapidated Corellian freighter appeared to be held together with tape and good luck-but Leia knew from experience that it was tougher than it looked.

Han, leaning against the Falcon' Falcon' s aft hull, offered them a jaunty wave. s aft hull, offered them a jaunty wave.

"What are you still doing here?" Leia asked sourly.

"Waiting for my pa.s.sengers." Han flashed that incredibly annoying smirk of his. "Don't worry, once Chewie finishes tweaking the hyperdrive, he'll lay out a banquet fit for a princess. I know how you royal folks like to travel in luxury."

Chewie let out a long, warbling whine.

Han rolled his eyes. "I know know food service isn't part of your job description, you furry oaf." He leaned toward Leia and lowered his voice to a loud whisper. "That's the problem with Wookiees-can't take a joke." food service isn't part of your job description, you furry oaf." He leaned toward Leia and lowered his voice to a loud whisper. "That's the problem with Wookiees-can't take a joke."

As Chewie roared in protest, Leia forced herself not to smile. She knew Han was just trying to get a reaction out of her, and she wasn't about to comply. "What makes you think I'm going anywhere with you?"

Han shrugged. "No one's forcing you, Highness. If you changed your mind about going to Muunilinst, that's your business."

Luke's eyes widened. " You're You're our transportation to Muunilinst?" our transportation to Muunilinst?"

Han gave him a mock salute. "At your service."

"Thanks but no thanks, flyboy." Leia shook her head. "This isn't your fight, remember?

I'm sure you have better things to do-on the other side of the galaxy."

For a second, Han looked wounded. Leia felt guilty. She didn't mean mean to say things like that to him-they just popped out whenever he was around. If only he wasn't so to say things like that to him-they just popped out whenever he was around. If only he wasn't so infuriating infuriating. There was just something about him. She often wished she'd never met him- but deep down, a rebellious part of her didn't want him out of her sight.

Han scowled. "Look, Your Worship, you know this bird's the fastest and fiercest in the galaxy. You want to get somewhere, the Millennium Falcon Millennium Falcon's the way to go."

"And what's in it for you?" Leia asked suspiciously.

"Nothing," Han said.

Chewbacca yowled, and Han shot him an annoyed glare. "Okay, fine, so there's a little something in it for me, but it's barely enough to pay for the fuel. Then I'll drop you two on Delaya, and you never have to see me again."

"I knew it!" Luke said, sounding overjoyed. "You can talk all you want about walking away from the Rebellion, but when it comes right down to it, you're on our side."

"Hey, slow down," Han protested. "I'm just flying you from point A to point B. Trust me, it's not because I'm joining your nutso Rebellion."

Luke shook his head. "Say what you want, but I know you believe in this fight and want to help."

Leia looked at Luke in amazement. He sounded so sure. Like he could look straight through Han and see the truth of his soul. Leia wondered what it would be like to be so certain about people-to look at them without doubt or suspicion. Some might call Luke naive, but there was something bold in his willingness to trust his instincts.

Even when they were wrong.

"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but you've got me figured all wrong," Han said, sounding almost sorry.

"I'm not wrong." There was an unusually steely note in Luke's voice, different from his usual young, questioning tone. "I know you, Han. I can see the good in you, even if you can't."

"Not everyone has a good side, kid. Not everyone's like you." Han glanced at Leia.

They were alike in this, she realized-both of them saw the danger in Luke's willingness to trust. And maybe both of them envied it. "The sooner you figure that out, the longer you stay alive."

CHAPTER SIX.

He would begin with Leia.

X-7 had no doubts about his plan. Princess Leia Organa was the public face of the Rebellion, but the Empire's informants suggested she was more than that. She was a key decision-maker, a diplomat, a leader-she would know the name of the pilot who destroyed the Death Star. And she would have access to him.

As the Preybird hurtled toward the Rebel Base, X-7 skimmed the datapad, soaking in every piece of information that existed on Leia Organa. His training had given him the ability to read and memorize information with great speed, and soon he had become an expert on the Alderaan princess. Everything the Empire knew about Leia, X-7 knew.

He knew what she liked and what she hated. What she respected. Whom Whom she respected. she respected.

And that was the person he would become.

Yavin 4 loomed in the viewscreen, the jungle moon awash in swirls of blue and green.

The comm console lit up with an incoming transmission. "You are entering restricted territory," the scratchy voice warned.

"Request clearance for landing."

The reply came as expected. "Landing code required."

X-7 recited the code he'd been given by the Commander, and armed his laser cannons.

He'd been a.s.sured that the Rebel codes were only a few months old, and that the spy who'd delivered them could be trusted. Still, he believed in being prepared.

"Permission granted. You may land when ready."

X-7 smiled. Not because he was happy, but because expressing the emotion he couldn't feel was good practice. Soon he would be one of them.

"Nice and slow," the man said, c.o.c.king his blaster as X-7 stepped through the hatch of the Preybird. "And let's keep your hands where I can see them."

So they hadn't been fooled by the landing code after all. Smart Smart, X-7 thought in approval. Allowing him to land and let his guard down before revealing themselves as a threat. This way, if he turned out to be an enemy, they could destroy him without destroying his ship.

Of course, their strategy a.s.sumed that he was more dangerous behind the firing controls of a laser cannon than he was on the ground.

It was a poor a.s.sumption.

The Yavin 4 hangar deck was a hub of bustling activity. X-wing fighters set off for missions while others limped onto the tarmac, bruised and battered. Maintenance droids and deck officers raced from ship to ship, scavenging parts from one to fix another, refitting and refueling with efficient haste. X-7 could see with a glance that there were fewer ships than needed, fewer parts, fewer pilots, fewer everything.

It was nearly laughable, the idea that an operation like this could stand up to the Empire. Some might have called it brave. X-7 knew better.

"Careful with that, friend," he told the Rebel guard, nodding at the blaster. "I'd hate for you to accidentally blow a hole through me." He kept his tone casual.

"Wouldn't be anything accidental about it," the guard growled. "Now how about you tell me where you got that landing code."

"From Lieutenant Jez Planchet," X-7 said. "He recruited me about six months ago.