PART THREE.

A TIME TO EVERY PURPOSE.

TWENTY-NINE.

The Millennium Falcon meandered with design through a press of large and slowly tumbling asteroids. Just short of the outer edge of the field, the freighter slipped into the shadow of an enormous hunk of cratered rock, matching velocities with it so as to remain concealed. No sooner had the Falcon returned to Mon Calamari from Caluula than Han and Leia had heard from Luke and Mara. With the HoloNet crippled, and Luke and Mara transmitting from Jade Shadow, the conversation had been garbled and brief. Han had summarized the events that had led to the ultimately bewildering battle at Mon Calamari, and Luke had as much as said that the Jedi search party had ridden Zonama Sekot back to known s.p.a.ce.

Despite the fact that the Yuuzhan Vong armada had returned to Coruscant, Luke had a.s.sured Han and Leia that it was safe for them to join the Jedi on the living planet, and that Vergere had been correct about Zonama Sekot's being the key to ending the war. He promised to explain fully when they arrived. Dismayed by what had unfolded on Caluula, Han and Leia had departed almost immediately for the Core, but not before both of them had been thoroughly examined by medical teams, and Leia had met with Alliance Chief of State Cal Omas, to acquaint him with the tragic truth about Alpha Red and what its deployment may have loosed on the galaxy. A fellow Alderaanian, Omas had been shaken by Leia's report, and had claimed that deployment of the biological agent had been a difficult decision, born of difficult times-one that might have saved countless lives.

The Yuuzhan Vong vessel that had evaded Errant Venture's weapons at Caluula was still unaccounted for, and it was hoped-even by some members of the Alliance's militant factions-that the craft had died in hypers.p.a.ce. Omas had given his word to Leia that the Alpha Red project would be terminated at once, but she feared that, with Dif Scaur continuing to helm the Intelligence division and the Bothans still crying for ar'krai, Omas might not be able to make good on his pledge again.

At best the project would remain on hold until Alliance scientists could determine if Alpha Red had actually been responsible for the deaths of so many of Caluula's winged-stars and flitnats. If the bioweapon wasn't to blame, then Alpha Red would continue to hang over everyone's head, as if a sword suspended by a delicate thread. That had been seven standard days ago. With the Perlemian still under sway of the Yuuzhan Vong, Han and Leia had taken the long way to the Coruscant system, jumping the thoroughly repaired Falcon to Kashyyyk, Colla IV, and Commenor, then skirting the Corellian Trade Spine into the Core.

At the same time, Sovv and Kre'fey had united the scattered Alliance fleets in the Mid Rim, at Contruum. Alliance command hadn't known what to make of the reports that had eventually reached Mon Calamari by couriers of a planet that had streaked from hypers.p.a.ce into the Core. With no actual recordings of the event, all Sovv, Kre'fey, and the rest had to go on were the statements of resistance fighters and smugglers, and a few grainy holos of a verdant world that hadn't been there days earlier, now orbiting in the Coruscant system.

What mattered was that whatever it was that had nearly collided with Coruscant had drawn the Yuuzhan Vong armada back to the Core, along with the secondary cl.u.s.ter of vessels, which had turned up briefly at Contruum, only to make an abrupt departure-presumably upon learning of the newly arrived planet. Not one of the top-ranking Alliance officers was willing to state publicly that a planet had transported itself to the Core from the far reaches of the galaxy.

Privately, however, many professed a belief that the Jedi had put their heads together and collectively moved the planet-as they were rumored to have moved Imperial warships during an attack on Yavin 4 some twenty standard years earlier. For days Kre'fey waited for the recalled armada to storm the mystery planet, but no attack had been launched.

Resistance groups were reporting that the planet had fomented widespread fear and confusion on Yuuzhan'tar, not only among the Shamed Ones, but also among the priests and other elite. Whether or not that was the case, Warmaster Nas Choka had positioned the vessels of his mighty flotilla in broad cover of Yuuzhan'tar, apparently while Supreme Overlord Shimrra made up his mind about what to do. A proximity alert sounded in the Falcon's c.o.c.kpit.

"Coming into visual range," Leia said.

Han began to edge the Falcon out from behind the asteroid.

"Let's have another look at those charts."

Leia called a map to the display, showing Coruscant's system of planets, sunward from Revisse to the OboRin comet cl.u.s.ter. The coordinates Luke had sent placed Zonama Sekot on the ecliptic, in orbit between Coruscant's Rimward brethren, Muscave and Stentat, at approximately ninety degrees to Coruscant.

"Unless the navicomputer agrees with me about this being a crazy mission, we should be seeing it soon," Han said. Leia pointed out the wraparound bay.

"There." Han sighted down her finger, far to starboard, to a gibbous green planet. "Well, it's sure no moon."

"Or Death Star," Leia said.

With a squeaking of joints, C-3PO entered the c.o.c.kpit.

"Excuse me, Princess Leia and Captain Solo, but I wondered if I might view with my own photoreceptors our destination." He motioned behind him. "Mistress Cilghal would also like to see the living planet."

The Mon Calamari healer wasn't the only Jedi on board. Kenth Hamner, Waxarn Kel, Markre Medjev, and several others were in the forward compartment. Still other Jedi were due to arrive at Zonama Sekot aboard Errant Venture. Jaina, Kyp, Lowbacca, Alema Rar, and the Wild Knights had come by starfighter.

"We should probably let Luke know we're here," Han said.

Leia turned to the comm board.

"Jade Shadow, this is Millennium Falcon," she said. "Just wanted to let you know that we're in the neighborhood."

Luke's voice issued from the c.o.c.kpit annunciators.

"Leia! Welcome to Zonama Sekot."

"Luke, Han here. I'm not imagining this, right? I mean, that's really a planet I'm seeing, and not the aftereffects of being bitten by an amphistaff?"

"Zonama Sekot is every bit as real as the Falcon, Han."

"It's beautiful," Leia said.

Luke laughed lightly.

"I wish you could have seen it before all the hypers.p.a.ce jumps we've been forced to make."

"You've got a lot of explaining to do," Han said. "How 'bout giving us some landing instructions?"

Luke fell briefly silent.

"Han, I'm afraid you're going to have to leave the Falcon in synchronous...o...b..t."

Han showed Leia a puzzled look and muted the mike.

"The pollen must be affecting him."

He reactivated the mike.

"You're kidding, right?"

"I'm dead serious," Luke said. "Booster's going to have to do the same."

"Luke, a Star Destroyer I can understand," Han said. "But if this is about suitable landing platforms, I've parked the Falcon inside asteroids."

"It has nothing to do with that. Sekot refuses to allow warships on the surface."

"But we're a freighter!"

"Sorry, Han."

Han worked his jaw in annoyance.

"I don't like it, but I'll do it if I have to. Who's this Sekot, anyway? The governor or something?"

"Sekot is the planetary consciousness."

Han blinked.

"Say again, Jade Shadow. I thought I heard you say planetary consciousness."

"Han, I told you I'll explain everything when you're planetside."

"Luke, in case Sekot hasn't noticed," Leia interjected, "the Yuuzhan Vong armada is so close we can practically touch it. They also have battle groups...o...b..ting Muscave, Stentat, Improcco, and The Covey."

"Sekot has parried the Yuuzhan Vong before," Luke said. "I'm guessing that Shimrra knows this. That's why the armada is staying put-for the moment."

"It's been a while since they met," Han said. "Maybe the Vong have forgotten."

"Not as long as you think, Han. Besides, Zonama Sekot can go to lightspeed if it has to."

"Yeah, well, you'd better tell this Sekot to keep the hyperdrives idling, 'cause after what almost happened at Mon Calamari, I don't know that anything can stop the Yuuzhan Vong now."

He fell silent briefly, then muttered: "Well, there is one thing-"

"We may know a way," Luke cut in.

Han blew out his breath.

"I hope you're right, Luke. But how're we supposed to get planetside from stationary orbit? We can't just jam everyone into the escape pods."

"You won't have to. In fact, your transport should be visible to the Falcon's scanners just about now."

Leia and Han watched the display screen. Shortly a vessel that might almost have been Yuuzhan Vong grown came into view. The ship's lobed, faintly luminescent hull was made up of six oval modules, smooth as skipping stones and seamlessly joined. Knife-sharp, the leading edges of the modules glowed with what appeared to be organiform circuitry. Han whistled in amazement.

"The waiting list for those things must be a kilometer long!"

"The pilot's name is Aken," Luke said. "Her ship will accept your cofferdam as soon as you're ready to extend it."

From the moment Leia stepped from the pulsing multicolored cabin of the Sekotan ship and beheld the sight of her son, her brother, her sister-in-law, and so many friends, some of whom she hadn't seen in almost a year, and all of whom were standing against a backdrop of incredibly tall and wondrous trees, her heart skipped a beat. She felt like a child again. Even from the air Zonama Sekot had appeared more fantastical than real; a world of red and green-leafed trees, shimmering aqua lakes, and cryptic mountain ranges. The wounds the planet had sustained through its several hypers.p.a.ce jumps-its "Crossings"-were obvious and numerous, but they were surface blemishes, and couldn't impair the planet's aching beauty.

This far from Coruscant's primary, Zonama Sekot should have been frozen, but Luke had explained that Sekot was keeping the planet warm from within. Leia didn't know whom to embrace first. But since Han had captured Jacen in a wampa hug, she went straight to Luke and Mara throwing an arm around each of them and tugging them to her.

"There were times I thought I'd never see you again," she said, her eyes closed in joyous relief.

No sooner had Leia let go of them than Jacen was in front of her, smiling enigmatically.

"Mom," he said.

For a moment Leia was too spellbound to move. She stared at Jacen as if he had manifested from a dream. He stepped into her open arms and allowed himself to be held for much longer than he ever had. Leia finally let him go, but only to arm's length. She stroked his cheek with her right hand.

"You look changed, Jacen-more than after your time on Coruscant."

"I am different," he said. "Zonama Sekot has matured me."

Leia turned through a slow circle, her gaze falling on Saba Sebatyne, Danni Quee, Tekli, Corran Horn, Tahiri Veila... All of them seemed to be reexperiencing their initial awe of the planet through the eyes of the newcomers.

"You all look so different," Leia said to her son. "Is it the months we've been apart, or is it something about this extraordinary place?"

"Sekot makes a lasting impression," he said ambiguously. Leia repeated the name, as if trying it out on her tongue. "I keep hearing about Sekot. Will I get to meet Sekot in person?"

"I hope so."

"Jacen!"

Leia recognized Jaina's voice and stepped out of the way just in time to avoid being trampled. Leia turned another slow circle, trying to commit every scene of reunion to memory. There was bearded Corran, welcoming Mirax, along with his father-in-law, Booster Terrik. Elsewhere Cilghal and Tekli were conversing in the latter's native Chadra-Fan.

Danni-her blond hair elaborately braided-was surrounded by Talon Karrde, Lando, Tendra Risant Calrissian, and several other members of the Smugglers' Alliance, who were celebrating with sips of Corellian brandy from a shiny flask. Saba and some of the Barabel Wild Knights-including Saba's son, Tesar-were having an animated conversation, as were C-3PO and R2-D2.

"What adventures you've had?" C-3PO was saying. "Let me tell you, Artoo, you haven't experienced anything until you've been inside-"

The astromech droid razzed, tootled, and whistled. C-3PO straightened.

"You did what? You're exaggerating. The entire planet? That's impossible. You need to have your circuits serviced."

R2-D2 chirred.

"I do not need to defrag myself. I am perfectly-"

Again, the diminutive droid beeped and zithered. C-3PO bent his head to one side.

"Did I understand you correctly? Did you actually say that it's good to see me? Why, Artoo, this world must have done something to you, as well! "

Yet by far the most arresting sight of all was the manner in which Kenth, Kyp, Lowbacca, Alema, Octa Ramis, and more than a dozen other Jedi were cl.u.s.tered around Luke, who now stood in the center of the circle his comrades had formed around him, some of them seated, some of them actually down on one knee, paying close attention to everything he was telling them, his every word about Zonama-the planet-and Sekot, the planet's animating consciousness...

He has become a true Master, Leia thought. Momentarily overwhelmed by the emotions flooding through her, Leia began to move away from the transport landing platform, as if dazed. Han was suddenly beside her, his arm about her shoulders, leading her into a kind of glen.

"You okay?" he asked worriedly. She took a steadying breath. "It's just so much to take in."

"I know." He gazed around. "Some place."

"Have you ever seen anything to compare to this?"

He took his lower lip between his teeth.

"Well, there are some canyons on Luuq Two that are every bit as deep. Then there's Kismaano for cliffside dwellings. And, of course, Kashyyyk for trees..."

His words trailed off as Leia began to weep.

"Hey, hey. What's all this about? You should be happy about being here."

She wiped away tears with the back of her hand.

"I am happy, Han. This place-it's the safe harbor I've been dreaming about for months now. But I'm sad-for so many things. For Anakin and Chewbacca, and Elegos. For my parents, my homeworld, so, so many friends... "

She cried softly against Han's shoulder, and when she looked up into his face, she saw tears in his eyes.