Chapter 19: Farewells

Han sat in the pilot's seat of the Falcon and stared out the cockpit window at the bustle of Coruscant's central port. At any moment, dozens of ships were either coming and going from the planet's main travel hub, and Han was awaiting his clearance time in two hours. The ship was checked out and ready to go, and Chewie was in the back fiddling with the motivators yet again. As Han idly watched the ship traffic coming and going, his mind drifted back to the Senate vote. He had spent the last day trying to pin down how he felt about Leia and Luke being the children of Darth Vader. As he recalled Ben's anguished reaction, Han felt that he should feel angry, betrayed, or outraged. Every time the thought came up, however, his mind steered away from the anger to the perfect logic of the lie. Beyond logic, deep down he had always suspected something akin to what Bolsko had alleged since the night before the Battle of Endor. There had been something in Leia's eyes after Luke left to confront Vader. He found himself wondering to himself what he might have been motivated to do if his father was the most hated man in the galaxy and he had suddenly been tasked with trying to pull the galaxy back together. As he thought through the ramification of the revelations while his gaze drifted out the cockpit at the bustling port, he found that his resentment toward Leia seemed suddenly distant and muted.

"You wanted to see me, dad?"

Han startled, and he turned around to see Ben standing in the doorway. Han had become so entwined in his thoughts that he had not noticed the visitor at the door to the cockpit, and then he remembered the way Jedi always seemed to glide in and out of a room, sometimes seeming to appear out of nowhere.

"I told you about that," Han scolded, but Ben only grinned. Even as an adult, he could not resist sneaking up on his father. Han gestured to the co-pilot chair, and Ben sat down.

"When are you gonna get rid of this piece of junk anyway?" Ben asked, running his finger across the dusty console.

"When Mustafar freezes over," Han quipped back. Ben's grin faltered at the mention of Mustafar and the association with his grandfather. Han noticed the shift, and he quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Ben. Wasn't thinking."

Ben waved the concern away, then the shadow passed. "Anyway, what's up?"

"Just wanted to say goodbye. Didn't know if I was allowed up in the Jedi Temple, so I thought I'd have them send you this way," Han explained.

Ben frowned. He was not expecting this. "Where are you going?"

"Chewie and I are going to Kashyyyk," Han said. "Voon told me the galaxy was done with me, and I guess the writing's on the wall now."

"Nobody's blaming you," Ben countered, still frowning.

"Yeah, but nobody's opening up a government post for me, either," Han said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. "Probably best for Chewie and me to leave the galaxy-saving to the kids."

Ben was silent, not knowing what to say. Somehow, in his anger toward his mother, he had not anticipated that his dad would also be leaving; the emerging grief surprised him. With his new responsibilities to the council, it was hard for Ben to imagine much time to visit, especially given the renewed emphasis on renouncing attachments.

"Aren't you gonna say something?" Han asked, surveying his son with a mixture of sadness and pride.

"I'm. . ." Ben tried to speak but was surprised to find he felt choked up. He pushed the sadness aside, then continued, "I'm gonna miss you."

"I know," smiled Han. Han stood, and Ben stood as well. Han stepped forward and embraced his son, holding the embrace for a long moment. When the two separated, Han held his son by the shoulders and looked at him. Ben was surprised to see the concern in his eyes.

"You sure you're alright?" Han asked, frowning.

Ben looked away, recognizing what his father was alluding to. "Yes. I'm just. . . angry. I'm not supposed to be, but I can't help it." Ben looked up, and Han could see the anger smoldering as he thought of his mother. "Aren't you?"

"I thought I'd be, but no," Han explained, suddenly feeling rather tired.

"You're not angry? The lies? He encased you in carbonite?" Ben's voice began to rise as he thought of the sins of his grandfather, but Han raised a hand to silence him.

"She never told me, but I always wondered, son. Your mother kept a lot from me – it's why we went our separate ways – but I knew she always had her reasons." Han saw Ben shifting uncomfortably, his anger rising. "I guess at this point, I'm too tired to be angry about it."

Ben sat with that thought and wrestled with the notion of forgiving his mother. Han watched the struggle play out on his face. He wanted to intervene with his son – to tell him there were more important things than carrying resentment around. But then again, he had been carrying resentment around for the past five years, himself. Who was he to push Ben toward forgiveness if he was not ready? In the end, he thought it better to let Ben sort it out for himself. Instead, Han offered a last parting comment, "Ben, I know you don't feel so great about being a Skywalker right now but try not to forget that you're also a Solo."

Ben's face lightened somewhat, and he returned a smile. "I hope that doesn't mean I gotta fly around in a souped-up garbage can."

"Hey, take it easy!" Han said, mock offended. The two embraced one final time and Ben turned, leaving the cockpit. Han watched him walk across the landing pad. His son looked back up at the cockpit and waved, a farewell which Han returned.

***

Kit yanked a strap shut a little too hard as she was stowing her pack, and the resulting burn from the fabric made her wince. She stepped back in the transport ship that was prepping for takeoff. The din from the outside landing area was somewhat muffled from the main cabin, so she was sure nobody would hear her if she shouted and cursed to relieve the pain. She looked at the angry red welt on her fingers and let out an old Alderaanian curse, but it gave her little satisfaction or relief. The entire day had started bad, and it slowly got worse the longer it went on. First, Leia had stepped down. Then, she gave her deposition to Specks, who promptly reassigned her to escort duty on the first ships hauling refugees off to Nevarro to get them off Coruscant. When she protested and told him about Leia's order that she head a commission, Specks told her that the non-existent commission from a disgraced Chancellor was not her concern anymore. Was every intelligence director that thick and obtuse?

"You wanna try Nysillin for that," a male voice said from behind her. She turned to see Jax standing behind her, looking concerned at the welt on her hand. He looked up, a bit embarrassed, then explained, "We used to get chafing from our body armor. Nysillin cleared it right up."

She nodded curtly, then turned back to her packing. "Did you speak to Specks?" she asked with a bit more aggression than she had intended.

Jax faltered slightly in response to her irritation before saying, "Not yet." Jax was quiet for a moment, then he added, "I heard you were being reassigned."

"Don't remind me," Kit retorted bitterly.

"What happened to the commission?" Jax asked.

"Specks. Apparently, only idiots are qualified to be the head of Intelligence," she said, shaking her pack one last time to make sure it was secure. "Why aren't you in there giving your deposition?"

"Not time yet. And you told me to see you before I left," Jax said. Kit looked up, and she realized that she had forgotten her request in her frustration toward Specks. She searched Jax's face attempting to pinpoint what she was feeling about him. The mistrust was still there, and his blue skin and red eyes triggered grief every time she looked at him. In direct contrast with her automatic distrust, she had found him deferential, respectful, even kind. And she could not forget that he had saved her life. To this point, he had been a rather stoic presence, rarely letting on what he was feeling. Now, he seemed sad, almost regretful. He noticed her attention to his reaction, and he looked away, abashed. Then, he added as a means of explaining, "I didn't have the luxury of friends in the Order. Nobody's ever helped me before."

Kit's attitude toward him softened. Despite the nagging concern that he could be a Chiss spy or some other nefarious actor, she couldn't help but feel that his heart was in the right place. "Well, we're all square. You save me, I help you." She put her hand out toward him, and said, "Good luck, Jax."

Jax smiled, shaking her hand, and he let his smile express his gratitude. She stepped back, and Jax looked out the back of the transport where the loading door was open. Through the opening, he could see the Millennium Falcon across the landing area. "Gonna say goodbye to Han?" he asked.

Kit felt her disappointment surge at the mention of Han. She had hoped for more from him. He had declined to give a deposition, and he appeared ready to walk away from the whole thing, even as it seemed clearer than ever that a conspiracy was about to tear down everything he had worked to build. She did not understand why he seemed okay with that. "I hadn't planned on it," she replied.

Jax studied her and saw the anger and disappointment on her face. "He meant a lot to you, didn't he?"

Kit looked out the window. She felt the anger and disappointment, but she surprised herself by how flat her voice was when she said, "He was my mentor. He taught me everything I know. I trusted him and believed in him. My dad died fighting alongside him." She paused, looking back to Jax. Tears rimmed her eyes, and she took a moment before speaking again. "All the evidence points to a terrible new threat, and we're all just going our own ways as if nothing's happening. It's a little hard to swallow."

Jax took in her words and felt a renewed appreciation for her passion. She had given her life toward preparing for this moment, and now she was not wanted. He wished there were something to do, but with her new assignment, all he would do is cause a stir. Despite his desire to help, he knew it was even more important now to go to Sargon. This was somebody else's fight, not his. He would leave it that way.

"Well, I'm gonna stop and say so long. Want to join me?" Jax asked, hoping she would join him to get a bit of closure.

Kit hesitated, looking out the doorway with a volatile mix of emotions. Then, she added, "What the hell," as they left the hold together.

***

Commander Specks sat in his office, reviewing the playback of Officer Antilles's deposition. Her report was remarkably and uncomfortably close to the truth, and he knew that she was a threat to the work he had established over the past decade. His alarm at how close they had come to discovery grew, and given her reputation as a maverick, Specks had concluded it was best to seek counsel. He activated shutters over his office window, which plunged his office into darkness. He keyed a command on his console, activating his holonet, and he knelt to the ground.

Moments later, the holographic projection of Veryx appeared, and the hologram of Veryx spoke, "Rise, my friend."

Specks stood, then spoke, his voice cold and controlled. "The Antilles girl knows too much. She's been reassigned, but her reputation suggests she may be troublesome."

Veryx stood motionless, considering the report. "As Officer Antilles escorts the Solar Queen out of Coruscant, there will be a malfunction in her Z-95's core drive. The malfunction will be fatal, a regrettable error on Officer Antilles's part. Despite her connection to the Admiral, she will not be missed."

Specks nodded, then addressed his next question. "And the traitor?"

***

Leia Organa sank into a deep meditation after the last bureaucrat had left following the finalization of her resignation. Despite her anguish about resigning and handing over her power to whoever won the special election – likely Bolsko, if the polls were to be believed – she had felt a tremor in the Force. As she sank into her meditation, she reached out, allowing her consciousness to drift through the wilderness of thoughts and emotions rippling throughout the government complex. Slowly, her awareness found the faint disturbance, which seemed to be occurring somewhere within Intelligence.

Of course. Intelligence. It was the only way to explain Voon's dereliction. As she continued her exploration, she felt not one, but two consciousnesses. One was near. One was reaching out from across the galaxy. She opened herself deeper to the disturbance, and she began to distinguish an exchange. A conversation. She homed in further and began to distinguish the words.

"Take his report. Delete it. Ensure it never becomes exposed. The Chancellor's gambit at exposing us will fade into their pathetically short memories," said a cold, modulated voice. "When he arrives on Sargon, kill him."

"As you wish, my Lord," said a second voice. This one was more familiar. Leia sifted through her memory, struggling to place it. It was familiar, but she had never heard it in this tone and context. Then the voice continued, "And what of the Chancellor?"

"We have arranged for a suspicious transfer into her personal account. It will become known soon, sparking an investigation. At this stage, she is better discredited than dead. She cannot resist if nobody will follow her," said the darker voice.

"I see. Intelligence will be prepared to sound the alarm," said the second man. Then, the realization hit Leia like a gundark. Specks!

The darker voice and Specks appeared to register a disturbance at her surge in emotion. The darker voice spoke, "I sense a disturbance."

"Solo?" asked Specks.

"No. Stronger. Solo lacks the skill. . ." the darker voice said, then a suspicion seemed to occur to the darker voice, "But she renounced it. . ."

Leia broke off the contact abruptly and came out of the meditation instantaneously. Gasping to catch her breath, the full weight of the realization hit her. And Jax would be walking into Specks' office any moment.

Reaching out through the Force, she sought Jax's mind somewhere through the crush of souls in the City Center.

***

"Well, kid," said Han Solo, clapping Jax on the shoulder. "Have a wonderful time on Sargon. I heard it's pretty backwards, but I imagine that's just your speed after all this."

Jax grinned. He had liked Solo, and he was grateful for his help in getting him this far. "Thanks for everything, Han."

Han then turned to Kit, who had seemed aloof and a bit resentful throughout the farewell. Han turned to her and began to explain something, but suddenly Jax could not focus on what they were saying. A ringing grew in his ears, and from far away he could hear somebody calling his name - a woman's voice. In his disorientation, he took a step back and sat down at the dejarik table.

The woman's voice became clearer, and he could understand what she was saying. Jax. Specks is a dark Jedi. Do not go to him. Do not let them take you to Sargon. You, Kit, and Han are all in danger.

The contact broke off as suddenly as it began, and when Jax came to, he looked up to see Han and Kit staring at him, confused and alarmed.

"Leia!" Jax said.

Han raised his eyebrows, surprised, then asked, "What about her?"

"She spoke to me. She said. . ." he screwed up his face in concentration to recall what she had said. "She said, 'Specks is a dark Jedi. Don't trust him. We're all in danger."

"Specks?!" exclaimed Han. "That idiot?"

Kit frowned thoughtfully. Then, suddenly, as if struck by a bolt of lightning, she ran to the Falcon's nav console and keyed in a command. The hologram of the dark Jedi attacking on Xarthax. Jax watched the video, and Kit turned back to him. "Recognize him?"

Jax nodded as dread stole over him. "He's called Veryx. He commands the Acronemses."

"Does he command anybody else?" Kit asked, urgency in her voice.

"I'm sure he does, but I never. . ." Jax said, but Kit cut him off.

"Luke and Leia bury their secrets on Xarthax. The only people who can access that data are higher level intelligence. Mainly Voon," Kit began.

"Yeah," said Han, shifting uncomfortably as he started to get a sense of where this was going.

"Voon is a weak-minded fool. Don't Jedi have a way of manipulating the weak-minded?" asked Kit.

"Yeah, I've watched Luke do it dozens of times," said Han.

"Right!" exclaimed Kit. Then she pulled up another file that she had sent Han a month ago, this one showing a list of audits. "Voon ordered an audit across all the data depots throughout the Outer Rim. I asked him about it, and he dismissed me, claiming he didn't know about it."

"I remember," said Han, now starting to catch on to where Kit was headed.

"What if Specks manipulated Voon to run the audit, then he found the data that Luke and Leia hid away?" Kit mused.

"Then sent it to Veryx," said Han.

"Who found it on Xarthax before blowing up the facility to make it look like a reactor accident," said Kit.

"While making sure Leia never heard about it," said Han.

The two of them stared at each other, thunderstruck. They both saw the pieces fit together. Kit spoke first, "It's like we've been playing Sabacc, but the other side started five hands ago, knows all of our cards, and knows what we're going to do next."

"Right," said Han, thoughtfully. Han stayed silent for a moment then looked at Jax. Han could see that Jax was just as alarmed, and he was beginning to grasp just how much peril they were all in. Han said, "Still want to go to Sargon, kid?"

Jax shook his head vehemently, his eyes wide with fear.

"I don't much fancy going to Kashyyyk anymore," Han admitted, and he looked to Chewbacca who uttered an affirmative in Wookie.

"What do we do?" Kit asked.

"I got an idea," said Han as he looked toward a compartment under the nav computer where he had stashed something that Luke had given him. "Just in case," Luke had said. Han smiled tightly to himself and thought, crazy Jedi.