Elad perched on a narrow counter and fixed Luke with a steady gaze. "So, have you all made your decision yet?"

"Our decision?"

"Whether to trust me." Elad smiled. "That's why we're flying around in circles, right?"

"Oh. I, uh..." Luke hesitated, unsure what to say.

Elad laughed softly. "It's okay-I wouldn't trust me either, if I were you. Trusting too quickly is a good way to get dead."

"So I've heard." Luke wondered if Han realized how much he and Elad had in common.

"So why aren't you up in the c.o.c.kpit with the others, trying to decide my fate?"

Luke shrugged. "I had some things I needed to do."

"Lightsaber practice?" Elad asked.

Automatically, Luke's hand moved to the lightsaber hanging from his belt. It was strange how after such a short time, it had already come to feel a part of him.

"I've never met a Jedi before," Elad said. "It's quite an honor."

"I'm not a Jedi," Luke admitted. "Not yet." Maybe not ever. Maybe not ever.

"Well, you have the right weapon," Elad said. "That's a start."

"A lightsaber's not a weapon," Luke said, echoing what Ben had told him. "It's a tool, to focus the Force. That's what it really really means to be a Jedi. You have to connect to the Force." means to be a Jedi. You have to connect to the Force."

"And you don't?"

Luke ducked his head. "Not yet. Sometimes I'm afraid I never will." He'd never admitted this to Han or Leia, but somehow, it was easier to speak his concerns out loud to a stranger. "Ben-my teacher-I guess he saw something in me. He was so confident I would learn. But now he's gone. And sometimes I wonder...what if he was wrong?"

"You've never felt the Force?" Elad asked.

"Once," Luke admitted. "When it really counted. Everything rested on my shoulders, and I should have been terrified, but instead, I was just certain certain that I could do it. I knew it was our only chance and when I-" He cut himself off abruptly. What was he doing, talking about the Death Star with an outsider? He knew better-and this conversation was supposed to be about that I could do it. I knew it was our only chance and when I-" He cut himself off abruptly. What was he doing, talking about the Death Star with an outsider? He knew better-and this conversation was supposed to be about Elad Elad. How had he ended up revealing so much about himself?

Elad looked at him curiously. "When you..." he prompted.

Luke shook his head. "It just felt good to save the day," he admitted. "I know I could be of much more use to the Rebellion if I could access my Jedi skills, but without Ben..."

Elad raised his eyebrows. "I don't know who this Ben was, but it seems to me that you don't need him to tell you how to become a Jedi. Not if he was right, and you've really got it inside of you."

"But how am I supposed to figure it out on my own?" Luke asked, feeling helpless.

"Kid, we've all got to figure it out on our own."

Luke hated it when Han called him "kid," but this was different. When Elad said it, he somehow managed to sound like he was treating Luke as an equal.

"Every person on this ship is alone in the galaxy," Elad continued. "The Empire has seen to that."

"We're not alone if we have each other," Luke argued.

"I don't know about you," Elad said, "but sometimes I feel most alone around other people." He paused, looking like he was trying to decide whether to say more. "It's hard, having no anchor to the past, no one guiding you to the future. I know. You've just got to accept it. Stop waiting for this Ben to tell you what you want to do-find a way to decide for yourself. Something tells me you will."

The confidence in his voice spilled over into Luke. For the first time in a long time, he began to hope that he might find his way to the Jedi path all on his own. He looked up at Elad in grat.i.tude, realizing that even without the help of the Force, his instincts had been correct.

This man was on his side.

CHAPTER TWELVE.

The gray, hulking Golan III defense platform seemed to cast a shadow across s.p.a.ce as the Millennium Falcon Millennium Falcon sailed slowly past. sailed slowly past.

"You sure sure these landing codes will get us through?" Han asked again, casting a glance at the turbolaser protruding from the orbiting defense station. "Because if they don't, this mission of yours is over before it starts. Along with our lives." these landing codes will get us through?" Han asked again, casting a glance at the turbolaser protruding from the orbiting defense station. "Because if they don't, this mission of yours is over before it starts. Along with our lives."

"They'll work," Leia said. "General Dodonna a.s.sured me."

Luke admired her certainty. Her faith in the Rebel Alliance never flagged. It was as rock solid as her loyalty and her determination. He wondered if she'd ever experienced a true moment of doubt.

As they neared the atmosphere, the Imperial official manning the s.p.a.ceport called in with a request for their authorization. Leia read off the landing code she'd been given.

There was a pause.

"One moment, please," the Imperial said tonelessly.

Luke and Han exchanged a nervous glance. "Now's when they start shooting," Han predicted.

"Permission to land granted," the official informed them.

Han broke into a wide grin. "See? What'd I tell you-piece of cake."

Luke gaped wide-eyed at the towering marble columns looming over the crowded streets of Pilaan, one of Muunilinst's largest cities. Rising hundreds of stories above his head, they disappeared into a swirling mist of gray clouds.

"They don't call it Moneyland for nothing," Han said, his eyes drinking in the precious gems encrusted in several of the buildings' edifices.

"That's Money lend lend," Leia corrected him. "Nearly every wealthy being in the galaxy owes some portion of his fortune to the Muuns. It's the only reason the Empire tolerates them."

It was well known that the Emperor considered nonhuman beings to be second-cla.s.s citizens, unworthy of the privileges of Galactic power. But he made an exception for the Muuns. Although the Muun-controlled InterGalactic Banking Clan had long since been dissolved, Muunilinst retained its power as the financial center of the universe, and the Muuns remained in control.

With a heavy Imperial presence to ensure they didn't misbehave. Luke fixed his eyes on the sidewalk as they pa.s.sed by a line of stormtroopers standing guard over one of the elaborate marble temples.

"Just act like you belong, kid," Han advised him. "No one will look twice."

Luke had worried they would make a strange group: four humans, two droids, and a Wookiee. But the crowded streets were filled with beings of all kinds, and no one seemed curious about any of the others. The Muuns themselves were especially unconcerned. Tall and slender, with ashy gray skin, they stood stiffly erect, their faces expressionless. It was as if they were made of marble as well.

Luke could overhear them murmuring to each other as they pa.s.sed, a confusing language of short, repet.i.tive sounds. It sounded like a world of R2 droids.

He knew he was drawing attention to himself, gaping at everything they pa.s.sed, but he couldn't help it. He'd been on so few planets in his life, and all of them had housed more animals than people. Yavin 4 was nearly uninhabited, and despite its small cities, Tatooine's empty stretches of sand often seemed to stretch on forever.

This city, its streets pulsing with noise and color, its millions of inhabitants shuffling up and down the pavements, landspeeders jamming the streets, airspeeders streaking overhead-it was unlike anything he'd ever seen.

After all, not long ago, he'd been an isolated farm boy in the middle of nowhere, staring up at the stars and wondering if he would ever reach them. Now he was on the other side of the galaxy, on a secret mission in the heart of Imperial s.p.a.ce.

Life had become infinitely more dangerous, but at the same time, infinitely more interesting. He couldn't imagine going back.

Except back then, Uncle Lars and Aunt Beru were still alive, he thought. Shouldn't I Shouldn't I want to go back to that old life with them? Even if it's not possible, shouldn't I wish that it want to go back to that old life with them? Even if it's not possible, shouldn't I wish that it were? were?

Before he could let himself answer the question, they'd arrived at the rendezvous point.

"Mak Luunim lives on the twenty-third floor," Leia said, leading them to a turbolift just inside the grand white building. Even Han paused to appreciate the golden fountain glimmering at the center of the marble-encrusted lobby. But Leia was completely unfazed by the luxury.

Tobin Elad followed close behind her, seeming just as unconcerned by the surroundings.

If possible, the twenty-third floor was even more opulent than the lobby they'd left behind. The turbolift opened into a small entry area, filled with marble statues, all of the same Muun.

"My master." A sallow-faced Muun appeared behind them, seemingly from nowhere.

He was dressed in a simple robe of gray and brown, his gaze fixed on the sculptures. "The great Mak Luunim. He commissioned work from Muunilinst's finest artisans, and naturally, they were all inspired to turn their talents to his n.o.ble form."

" Naturally Naturally," Han muttered. "I'm sure their commission had nothing to do with it."

Leia shot him a look, its meaning clear: Behave. Behave.

"We have an appointment with your master," Leia told him. "He should be expecting us."

The Muun hung his head and pa.s.sed his fingers along the wall. A hidden entryway opened in the marble. "You are to come inside."

They stepped into a wide parlor, squinting in the reflected glare. Dancing points of light shimmered from crystalline chandeliers, bouncing off golden walls and floor. Mak Luunim's apartment had nothing of the elegant beauty of the streets of Pilaan. Golden statuettes and framed, gilded paintings crowded nearly every inch of surface s.p.a.ce. Even the furniture contained more gold than fabric.

Artistic representations of Mak Luunim's face gazed back at them from every wall.

"Should we wait here for your master?" Leia asked.

Luke hoped the Muun would arrive soon. He was beginning to feel deeply uncomfortable. What kind of being would choose to live like this?

"I have no master," the Muun said mournfully.

"But you said Luunim was your master," Luke pointed out, confused. Something felt off, and he was beginning to realize it wasn't just the furniture.

"Indeed," the Muun said. " Was Was my master. Is no more. The n.o.ble Mak Luunim has left us." my master. Is no more. The n.o.ble Mak Luunim has left us."

"Left us to go to the store?" Han asked hopefully. "Because we can wait."

"Left our mortal realm." The Muun's long face seemed to grow even longer as his mouth stretched in a sigh of sorrow.

Luke's hand crept toward his lightsaber.

Han frowned. "Princess, maybe we should-"

"How did he die?" Leia asked. "And when?"

"We'll ask the questions here," a voice said from behind them. Luke whirled around.

The door they'd entered through was gone, turned back into solid marble. And standing in front of it, blasters drawn, was a line of six Imperial stormtroopers.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

"What business do you have with Mak Luunim?" one of the stormtroopers asked through his voice intercom.

"Who?" Han asked innocently. "Must have the wrong apartment. Now, I'm not saying all Muuns look alike, but just between you and me-"

" State your business State your business," the stormtrooper repeated, raising his blaster. Han did some quick calculations. They were surrounded, outgunned, outnumbered.

His kind of odds.

"Looks like we're done with the sweet talk portion of the evening," Han muttered under his breath. He exchanged a look with Tobin Elad, who nodded and inched toward the closest guard. Good Good, Han thought. The man knew how to read a room.

"Come quietly for detainment," the stormtrooper informed them. "Otherwise we'll shoot you right here."

"Death now or death later?" Han mused, readying his blaster. "What's behind door number three?" He pretended to think for a moment. "Oh, that's right," he added. " Fire. Fire. " "

Elad aimed a lightning-fast kick at the nearest stormtrooper, who went down in a clatter of armor. The others guards turned in his direction, distracted just for a moment.

Long enough. Han unleashed a burst of blasterfire at the troopers, then dived behind a couch before they could retaliate.

Luke and Leia fled to opposite corners, whipping out their blasters as they ran. Their fire provided enough cover for Han to take his time, aiming for the cracks in the stormtrooper armor. One by one, the Imperials went down.

The opulent apartment quickly turned into a war zone. Blasterfire tore through satin upholstery; statues of Mak Luunim blew up in a hail of marble dust. Chewbacca snarled as one of the stormtroopers tried to knock him out with a blaster to the head. He hoisted the soldier over his head and flung him through a wall separating the parlor from the dining area.

"No, no, no!" Luunim's servile employee sniveled, distraught. He ignored the blasterfire and scurried back and forth across the apartment, steadying wobbling golden vases and tossing himself across priceless heirlooms. "The master wouldn't like this at all!"

The master probably doesn't like being dead much, either, Han thought, shoving the Muun out of the way just before a burst of blasterfire could slam into him. Sometimes you Sometimes you don't have a choice. don't have a choice.

"And stay stay down," Han advised the Muun, who had curled up beneath a coffee table, clutching a shimmering silver figurine to his chest. The creature had clearly set them up for an ambush, but that didn't mean he deserved to die. down," Han advised the Muun, who had curled up beneath a coffee table, clutching a shimmering silver figurine to his chest. The creature had clearly set them up for an ambush, but that didn't mean he deserved to die.

Elad suddenly swiveled around, aiming his blaster directly at Han's head. "Hey-" Han shouted-just as the blasterfire seared past his face. There was a cry of pain from behind him as a stormtrooper took the hit.

"You're welcome," Elad smirked.