'Wait a minute,' Mara put in, frowning. 'You know where Bastion is?'
'Oh, yes,' Parck assured her. 'Thrawn anticipated that the seat of government might periodically change, and he wanted us to know where it was at any given time. So he had a special homing device installed in a dummy file in the central Imperial Records Library, reasoning that where the government went the library would soon follow.'
'It's a device of Chiss design,' Stent added with clear pride. 'Totally dormant except when in hyperspace, a time when virtually no one thinks to do scans for such things. We've followed Bastion's movement from system to system with a great deal of interest.'
'Indeed.' Parck looked at the pilot again. 'Is Sorn on his way back?'
'He'll be here in about three hours.' The pilot nodded at Mara. 'Has she given you anything useful?'
'Not really,' Parck said, looking at Mara as he gestured to the newcomer. 'But I'm forgetting my manners. Mara Jade; this is General Baron'—he paused dramatically—'Soontir Fel.' Mara kept her face expressionless. Baron Soontir Fel. Once a legendary TIE fighter pilot, later turning his back on the Empire to become a member of Rogue Squadron, he had vanished years ago into a trap set by Imperial Intelligence Director Isard and never been heard of again. The general assumption had been that Isard had had him summarily executed for treason. Yet here he was, apparently once again flying with Imperial forces. And a general, yet. 'General Fel,' she nodded acknowledgment. 'Do I take it from the admiral's tone that I'm supposed to be impressed?'
The young Fel, she suspected, would have taken instant offense at that. But this older version merely favored her with a faint smile. 'There's no time for pride out here, Jade,' he said gravely.
'Once you've joined us, you'll understand.'
'I'm sure,' Mara said, folding her arms across her chest and squeezing her hands tightly into fists with the effort as she stretched out with all her strength. The Force was there—she could feel it flowing through her. Yet for some reason she still couldn't touch any of them, human or Chiss. It was almost like the Force-suppressing effect of those sessile Myrkr creatures called ysalamiri. But that couldn't be it, because she could still feel the Force perfectly well. Besides, there weren't any of the creatures in the room with them—
She swallowed a sudden grimace, feeling like a fool as she focused on Parck and the Chiss standing with their backs to the wall. Of course there weren't any ysalamiri in the room—they were one room over, pressed up against the other side of the wall where they could protect her interrogators from her mind probes. They'd probably put the creatures along the sides, too; probably why Fel had been so careful to hug the wall on his way across the room. Maybe even scattered some above the ceiling—
She took a deep breath, a huge part of the tension in her chest abruptly easing. Of course there were ysalamiri in the ceiling. That was how and why her link to Luke had been so abruptly cut off. Which meant he was still alive.
She took another breath, suddenly aware that Parck and Fel were both staring at her. 'Such a gracious invitation,' she said, trying to pick up on the threads of conversation before her silence became too blatant. 'Sorry to disappoint you, but I already have a job.' But too late. 'I see she's figured it out,' Fel said conversationally.
'Yes,' Parck said. 'I'm rather surprised it took her this long, actually. Particularly since she noticed the ysalamiri effect as soon as she came within the effect of their shroud. I could see the break in her step.'
'At least it proves she has Jedi abilities,' Fel said. 'Just as well we were prepared.'
'I congratulate you all on your cleverness,' Mara said, putting some scorn into her voice. 'You are indeed the true heirs to Thrawn's genius and military might. Let's stop dancing around, shall we?
What exactly do you want from me?'
'As General Fel has already said,' Parck said. 'We want you to join us.' Mara felt her eyes narrow. 'You
'Not at all,' Parck said. 'In fact—'
'Admiral?' Stent interrupted, his head tilted slightly to one side as if listening to something.
'Someone's just tried to access the Upper Command Room computer.'
'Skywalker,' Fel said with a nod. 'Nice of him to save us the trouble of tracking him down. Have the Phalanx bring him here, Stent. Remind them that only those carrying ysalamiri are to approach him.'
'Yes, sir.' Stent stepped past Fel and headed along the wall at a fast walk, speaking rapidly in his own language as he headed for the door. As he passed Mara, she caught a glimpse of a small device in his ear—the Chiss version of a comlink, no doubt.
'He'll be joining us in a few minutes,' Fel said, looking back at Mara. 'You must rank very highly indeed in Coruscant's eyes for them to send Luke Skywalker himself to rescue you. I hope he won't resist to the point of the Chiss having to hurt him.'
