Elegos accepted the weapon from me and clutched it in both hands. "I am pleased you managed to repair it, and that you survived your ordeal. Now you can admit you were wrong in how you dealt with Shala."

"My strategy for dealing with him was perfectly sound."

"Perfectly sound is a phrase seldom used to describe walking into an ambush." The Caamasi shook his head. "You were wrong."

"Not at all." I frowned at him. "I really wasn't the one who was ambushed, Shala was. I was just there to catch collateral damage."

"Another rationalization. I expect better of you." His eyes narrowed.

"You were wrong."

I started to protest, then folded my arms over my chest. "Elegos, I was a cop and a fighter pilot. Being wrong just doesn't come with the package."

"But you are a Jedi Knight now."

His statement shocked me with its simplicity and truth. "You're right, I'm a Jedi Knight. I was wrong, very wrong, and d.a.m.n lucky to get out of there alive."

The Caamasi smiled. "Not lucky, just strong in the Force.

You protected others and thereby were preserved yourself.

Never forget that fact."

"No, no I won't." I smiled at him. "And the cop/fighter jock in me can admit to being grateful to you. Thanks again for the rescue."

"All in a day's work." Elegos secreted the lightsaber away in a sideboard compartment, then headed for the food preparation station. "I've already been out this morning and learned a couple of important things that are the results of your Hutt encounter."

I shrugged on my bedrobe and knotted the sash at my waist. The robe had been one of Tavira's gifts. It had been fashioned from Ottegan silk of purple with gold trim at the collar and sleeves. I found it a bit too gaudy for my taste, but I was sore from the previous night's ordeal, and it was light enough not to make me ache. Walking after Elegos in it was a bother, though, with the material trying to wrap itself around my legs with each step.

"What did you hear?"

Elegos set out a small platter with fresh pastries and poured me a container of a bluish zureber syrup that looked horrible, but tasted pretty good. "The destruction of Shala's gang has caused serious problems. Apparently the Jedi's appearance over the city galvanized some local citizens to form little hunting bands of their own. Several Blackstar Pirates were beaten and stoned when they left the Aviary.

Rather nasty slogans have been painted on the walls and doors of some of the Invid s.p.a.ce-port docking facilities. While the locals love the money the Invids bring in, most are afraid that as long as they are here, the Jedi will remain and might begin to go after more than just the Invids."

I sighed. "I'd hoped the indigs might see the Jedi as a protector."

"The people here don't so much want a protector as they do a benefactor."

"Good point." An idea occurred to me and I smiled. "I can take care of that. What else?"

"The clutches you had outfitted with hyperdrives?"

"Yes?"

"Gone. Appears a couple of the Survivors decided they would find surviving easier elsewhere." I smiled. "Timmser and Caet?"

"They were the ones you insisted on having trained on the ships so they could instruct others." The Caamasi gave me an appreciative nod. "I didn't think they would take the bait. I expected them to remain and oppose the Jedi."

"I guess they heard there was a rumor that they were the reason I'd demanded a month from Tavira before becoming her consort. Story goes that I've been spending a lot of my off hours with them in a last grasp at freedom before becoming Tavira's nighttoy. They're both smart enough to know Tavira isn't likely to care whether or not it's the truth-just the rumor will damage her image and demand retribution."

Elegos narrowed his eyes. "And where would that rumor have come from?"

I shrugged. "You know me, when I'm drinking I can't keep a secret and I'm depressed enough to mourn my love life in public."

"Well done." He sipped from a gla.s.s of the blue syrup, which turned the golden down of his upper lip green until he licked it clean. "Will you rest today, or keep up the pressure?"

"Nothing breeds success like success." I took a big bite out of a pastry, chewed, then swallowed. "The Invid system has one huge weakness and I need to push and exploit it before Tavira can act."

The huge flaw in the way Tavira controlled her groups was what she saw as keeping her safe: all communication was pretty much one way. The HoloNet could keep her informed about big events in the galaxy, like a major New Republic push against her subsidiary groups, or events like the Sun Crusher and its destruction; but she was blind to local Courkrus news.

Word of an impending operation reached us when a small craft, like a Skipray blastboat, entered the system and commed directly with the headquarters of the various groups. During these runs she picked up local news, but until she made one of those runs, she'd not know anything about what I was doing.

I handled the benefactor problem rather quickly, and mopped up the rest of Shala's crew at the same time. Rach'talik had gathered a small band around himself and set up house-keeping in a warehouse in which Shala had stored a lot of the loot his group had taken. The night after the Great Hutt Roast-as it became known locally-I hit the warehouse, scattered the various denizens, then threw the place open to the public. This action became known as the Fire Sale, since it was a.s.sumed anything left in the place would be burned, and it was picked clean in hours. A few minor scuffles broke out, but visions of a shadowy presence caught in the corner of the eye was enough to quell them.

Two days later a communications ship arrived from Tavira. I would have loved to have been there to watch the communications officer when he tried to raise Shala and the Fastblast and got no answer. The information he got from the others wouldn't have pleased him any better, since desertions had decimated the Blackstar Pirates and LazerLords. Most of the Red Nova crew had gone native, leaving the Survivors and Riistar's Raiders the best off of the groups. In three weeks of absence, the cutting edge of the Invids had been considerably dulled.

Elegos and I expected a reaction from Tavira, and got it more quickly than we thought possible. Within a day after her communications ship left Courkrus, I awakened to a pounding on my suite's door. I heard Elegos's voice, had thrown back the covers and pulled my robe on, but didn't get even as far as closing it when the door to my bedroom burst open and Tavira stalked in. She shoved me back on the bed, then stood there with her fists on her hips, looking down at me. "Surprised to see me?"

I blinked and swiped sleepsand from my eyes. "Surprised?

No, I suppose not."

"Are you pleased?"

"Yes."

"Harumph." She eyed me appraisingly. "I would think you would show it more."

I pulled my robe closed and sat up against the headboard.

"It's early."

"And you had a late night." She sat on the foot of my bed.

"Alone?"

"Completely."

She smiled briefly, the same way pet owners do when they discover their animal hasn't messed something up in their absence. "Good. And you've not been bothered by this Jedi?"

I shook my head. "I've heard the stories, seen things occasionally, but come to no harm, no."

Her eyes shrank to amethyst and jet crescents. "But you were there the first time he appeared."

"What?"

Tavira brought her chin up triumphantly. "The visitation. People have determined that was the Jedi. He warned of his own impending campaign against the Invids. Well, this Skywalker won't get away with it."

"Skywalker?" My jaw shot open. "You think it is Luke Skywalker?"

She reached out and grabbed the big toe on my right foot, playfully wiggling it back and forth as she slid forward. "Of course, it is Skywalker. You blonds, sometimes you can't think at all. Skywalker is the only Jedi with enough power to be able to do what has been done here. The New Republic keeps suggesting he is off training more Jedi, but you yourself noted that he was present at Xa Fel. We are the New Republic's greatest problem, so it stands to reason they would use their greatest weapon against us."

"Indeed, it would."

She moved closer and rested her chin on my knee, smiling slyly. "In fact, the news about the Sun Crusher's destruction is pure disinformation. No one who had a weapon that was indestructible and capable of annihilating whole star systems would destroy it. No, they're waiting until they discover where I keep the Invidious, then they will obliterate it."

I pulled back, smacking my head on the headboard. "Ouch. Are you sure the New Republic would do that? They don't seem to have the guts to do such a thing."

"Carida is gone, isn't it?" She patted me on the other knee. "They blame its destruction on a rogue, a child, yet you notice he is lauded as a Jedi now. Since when are promotions given to people who fail to carry out orders?"

I shivered. "I'd never have thought of that."

Tavira placed hands on either side of my hips and kissed me gently on the nose. "Oh, you would have, my dear."

"Thank you." Then she slapped me. Hard. Snapped my head around to the right and by the time I'd recovered, she stood again beside my bed and glared down at me. I pressed my left hand to my cheek. "What did I do?"

"It's not what you did, it's what you've failed to do!" She turned away from me, but fury poured off her. "You should have dealt with this Jedi situation."

"What? Me? How?" I sat forward. "I had no way to reach you."

"Immaterial. All I've heard since I've been here is that you've not drawn a sober breath since the Jedi arrived. The night Shala died, you were so drunk you destroyed a speeder bike and didn't even know it." She gestured vaguely toward the street in front of the hotel. "I've brought you another one, by the way. Don't destroy this one."

"i'm sorry."

She spun back, with her hand raised to slap me again, but she hesitated.

"You are sorry, and I expect a change. Your behavior must improve. You must lead by example. You must show them not to fear the Jedi."

"Emperor's black bones, he melted Shala's headquarters.

Two nights ago it was still warm."

She lowered her hand. "You cannot let your fear show. These Jedi, they are like animals. They can smell fear. It's so thick here, I can smell it, and I hate it."

"Fighting the Jedi is not easy."

"I don't want you to fight it, I want you to lead the others in opposition to it. You do that, and I will take care of the Jedi." Her fists returned to her hips. "As much as I would like to join you there for a proper reunion, I have preparations to make. I'll be back within the week. I expect to see you sharp and in control."

She started to walk out of the room, then paused and turned back. "Oh, kill Jacob Nive and take command. The man's spirit is broken. If he can't be fixed, he's useless."

"I'll remember that."

"Do that, darling." She gave me a wink. "It's an object lesson you would do best never to forget."

I did exactly what Leonia Tavira wanted. I cleaned myself up and started making the rounds of the remaining groups on Courkrus. I visited them all in their strongholds, snapping orders, inventing security procedures, threatening, bribing, hinting darkly that any group that didn't get tough would be melded in with other groups, losing their autonomy. And of those groups that ran, well, I simply asked if anyone truly believed the galaxy was big enough to let them hide from Leonia Tavira.

The Survivors took heart immediately, and even Jacob Nive seemed to recover some of his nerve. The Blackstar Pirates remained sullen but determined to stick things out. The Red Nova crew rallied and even started talking with the LazerLords about a merger that would keep the two of their groups functioning well. Riistar's Raiders, whom I had largely left alone, started plotting to surpa.s.s the Survivors and began making overtures to me about shifting my allegiance to them.

What was truly great about this effort and the rebound in morale was that it rested very strongly on my representations of Tavira's plans to deal with the Jedi. I quickly let things evolve such that I moved into Shala's position of directly confronting the Jedi. I promised a trap that would destroy him and I knew, as the Invids put their trust in me-transferring much of it from their trust in Tavira-that if I went the way of Shala, morale would collapse flat and Tavira would lose the combat arm of the Invids.

How I would have the Jedi kill me was something I hadn't had time to figure out yet, but I knew it would have to be really spectacular or really nasty. I didn't know which I would settle for-Shala's demise would be tough to top and a bit rougher on me than I wanted to attempt. Grisly would probably be the best and I wanted to leave clues to the Jedi living in the city's sewers so lots of time would be spent hunting down there, while I could be living someplace a bit nicer.

To heighten the tension concerning the confrontation, I decided to return to the Crash cantina. I knew everyone there well enough to be able to blank their memories during my en-trance and scramble my features to avoid recognition when I suddenly appeared in their midst. I projected a red mist con-densing into my form to cover my appearance, and almost laughed aloud as previously brave men and women recoiled from me, moving away from the bar toward the furthest reaches of the room.

I ignited my lightsaber and pointed it at Jacob Nive. "Where is Idanian?"

All the blood drained from Jacob's face. "I d-don't know."

"He has said he will end my actions. Where is he?" I swept the blade around in a grand arc, causing people to duck or cover their eyes with their hands. "Where is he?"

A chorus of denials came back weak and timid.

"Tell him, I will meet him. The same fate that took Shala the Hutt awaits him!" I kept my voice very low and as menacing as I could. "When we meet, his time will be at an end."

I slashed the lightsaber down through the bar and across, whipping the blade through the area where the Savareen brandy and other expensive liquors were kept. The brandy im-mediately exploded in a gout of blue flame, which lit the area behind the bar and began to spill out onto the main floor. More bottles exploded and the bartender started screaming, allowing me to step back and make my escape. I slipped into the night amid the shouting and yelling of people trying to deal with a fire, and began taking a fairly quick route back to the hotel.

Across the street I saw a knot of five individuals turn and come in my direction. The fact that Jenos' brave talk had sp.a.w.ned hunter gangs didn't surprise me, and I'd dealt with that many individuals before. I ducked into an alley, moving halfway along toward where it turned right and led out to another street, then prepared to project an image of my actually walking further along a non-existent part of the alley. Getting them to chase me and hit the wall had worked wonders before, and if I could take a couple of them out, it would make the rest of the task much more simple.

They came to the alley mouth but didn't run in. When I hit them with the illusion, they didn't shout, didn't point, didn't draw blasters. In fact, they seemed to look directly at me, which meant the illusion wasn't taking. That struck me as odd because they looked human, but since they wore hooded cloaks I couldn't be certain which humanoid species they were.

Since they spotted me, I moved away from the wall and further down the alley. I let the Force flow toward them as they walked forward, but I caught no sense of fear or antic.i.p.ation from them. I could feel them in the Force, but I wasn't getting nearly the sort of feedback I expected.

Something very odd here. Time to provoke a reaction.

I threw back the right side of my cloak and brought my light-saber out. I thumbed it to life and wove the humming blade back and forth before them.

"You don't want any part of this, trust me. Run now and I'll let you live."

One by one they likewise freed their gun arms. I set myself to pick off blaster fire, but none erupted, no angry whines filled the alley, no red bolts burned toward me. Instead, blue, yellow, red, orange and purple lightsaber blades sprang to life in their hands. Five of them, hissing in concert, like a krayt dragon hungry for the meal wrapped up in my clothes.

They advanced, and I realized there really wasn't any way things could get much worse.

Then a sixth silhouette appeared at the mouth of the alley and a green lightsaber sprouted in his hands.

Great, now we have the whole rainbow represented. I lifted my left hand from my blade's hilt and waved him forward. "C'mon, pal, one more won't make any difference."

I wished I felt as brave as those words sounded.

The man at the alley mouth started forward. "No one need die here tonight."

I knew that voice! Luke!

And I recognized in his warning to those I faced a directive to me. I slid to the right and blocked a red slash low right, directing the red blade away and into the brick wall. Pivoting on my left foot, I snapped a sidekick into my foe's belly, driving her back. I discovered she wore an armored breastplate, which partially shielded her from the strength of my kick. The armor, however, didn't stop her from catching her heels on debris and going down, temporarily taking her out of the fight.

Luke engaged Yellow and Purple as I ducked beneath a blue slash and twisted to bring my left hand up. I caught my foe on his chin with the heel of my hand. The blow shifted the mask he wore up a couple of centimeters, temporarily blinding him. A quick punch to the throat choked him, then I grabbed him by the clasp of his cloak and flung him into the alley wall. His armor clicked hard against the bricks, then he dropped back all boneless and the deadman switch on his lightsaber shut it off.

I parried Orange's cut and caught his wrist in my left hand. I shifted my right hand up, then whipped it down and across. My lightsaber's heavy pommel caught Orange right behind the right ear, or where the right ear would have been on a human. As Orange dropped senseless to the ground, his hood slid back and I saw he was a Rodian.