and more important diplomatic activities with each passing month.
Around the dais sat the members of the Alliance High Command, important
figures in the Rebellion given roles in the new government: General Jan
Dodonna, who had led the Battle of Yavin against the first Death Star;
General Carlist Rieekan, former commander of Echo Base on the ice planet
Hoth; General Crix Madine, an Imperial defector who had been invaluable in
planning the destruction of the second Death Star; Admiral Ackbar, who had
led the rebel fleet in the Battle of Endor; Senator Garm Bel Iblis, who had
brought his Dreadnought ships against Grand Admiral Thrawn.
Battlefield credentials did not necessarily imply that these brave leaders
would be gifted politicians as well, but since the hold of the New Republic
was still shaky, as the recent devastating civil war had shown, it made good
sense to keep military commanders in positions of power.
Finishing her speech, Mon Mothma raised her hands. For a moment it looked as
if she were about to give a benediction. "I call for any new business. Does
anyone wish to speak?"
Luke's timing had been perfect. He stepped into the light at the entrance
archway and drew back his hood. He spoke softly, but used his Jedi powers to
project with sufficient strength that everyone in the entire amphitheater
heard him.
"I would address the assembly, Mon Mothma. If I may?"
He walked down the steps with a gliding stride, quickly enough that the
others would not lose patience, but with enough grace to imply his own
strength of character. Appearances could deceive, Yoda had said, but
sometimes appearances could be very important. As he descended the long
ramp, Luke felt all eyes turn toward him. A hush fell over the assembly.
Luke Skywalker, the lone remaining Jedi Master, almost never took part in
governmental proceedings.
"I have an important matter to address," he said. For a moment he was
reminded of when he had walked alone into the dank corridors of Jabba the
Hutt's palace--but this time there were no pig-like Gamorrean guards that he
could manipulate with a twist of his fingers and a touch of the Force.
Mon Mothma gave him a soft, mysterious smile and gestured for him to take a
central position. "The words of a Jedi Knight are always welcome to the New
Republic," she said.
Luke tried not to look pleased. She had provided the perfect opening for
him. "In the Old Republic," he said, "Jedi Knights were the protectors and
guardians of all. For a thousand generations the Jedi used the powers of the
Force to guide, defend, and provide support for the rightful government of
worlds--before the dark days of the Empire came, and the Jedi Knights were
killed."
He let his words hang, then took another breath. "Now we have a New
Republic. The Empire appears to be defeated. We have founded a new
government based upon the old, but let us hope we learn from our mistakes.
Before, an entire order of Jedi watched over the Republic, offering
strength. Now I am the only Jedi Master who remains.
"Without that order of protectors to provide a backbone of strength for the
New Republic, can we survive? Will we be able to weather the storms and the
difficulties of forging a new union? Until now we have suffered severe
struggles--but in the future they will be seen as nothing more than birth
pangs."
Before the other senators could disagree with that, Luke continued. "Our
people had a common foe in the Empire, and we must not let our defenses
lapse just because we have internal problems. More to the point, what will
happen when we begin squabbling among ourselves over petty matters? The old
Jedi helped to mediate many types of disputes. What if there are no Jedi
Knights to protect us in the difficult times ahead?"
Luke moved under the diffracting rainbow colors from the crystal light
overhead. He took his time to fix his gaze on all the senators present; he
turned his attention to Leia last.
Her eyes were wide but supportive. He had not discussed his idea with her
beforehand.
"My sister is undergoing Jedi training. She has a great deal of skill in the
Force. Her three children are also likely candidates to be trained as young
Jedi. In recent years I have come to know a woman named Mara Jade, who is
now unifying the smugglers--the former smugglers," he amended, "into an
organization that can support the needs of the New Republic. She also has a
talent for the Force. I have encountered others in my travels." Another
pause. The audience was listening so far. "But are these the only ones? We
already know that the ability to use the Force is passed from generation to
generation. Most of the Jedi were killed in the Emperor's purge--but could
he possibly have eradicated all of the descendants of those Knights? I
myself was unaware of the potential power within me until Obi-Wan Kenobi
taught me how to use it. My sister Leia was similarly unaware.
"How many people are abroad in this galaxy who have a comparable strength in
the Force, who are potential members of a new order of Jedi Knights, but are
unaware of who they are?"
Luke looked at them again. "In my brief search I have already discovered
that there are indeed some descendants of former Jedi. I have come here to
ask"--he turned to gesture toward Mon Mothma, swept his hand across the
people gathered there in the chamber--"for two things.''
"First, that the New Republic officially sanction my search for those with a
hidden talent for the Force, to seek them out and try to bring them to our
service. For this I will need some help."
Admiral Ackbar interrupted, blinking his huge fish eyes and turning his
head. "But if you yourself did not know your power when you were young, how
will these other people know? How will you find them, Jedi Skywalker?"
Luke folded his hands in front of him. "Several ways. First, with the help
of two dedicated droids who will spend their days searching through the
Imperial City databases, we may find likely candidates, people who have
experienced miraculous strokes of luck, whose lives seem filled with
incredible coincidences. We could look for people who seem unusually
charismatic or those whom legend credits with working miracles. These could
all be unconscious manifestations of a skill with the Force."
Luke held up another finger. "As well, the droids could search the database
for forgotten descendants of known Jedi Knights from the Old Republic days.
We should turn up a few leads."
"And what will you yourself be doing?" Mon Mothma asked, shifting in her
robes.
"I've already found several candidates I wish to investigate. All I ask
right now is that you agree this is something we should pursue, that the
search for Jedi be conducted by others and not just myself."
Mon Mothma sat up straighter in her central seat. "I think we can agree to
that without further discussion." She looked around to the other senators,
seeing them nod agreement. "Tell us your second request."
Luke stood taller. This was most importa
nt to him. He saw Leia stiffen. "If
sufficient candidates are found who have potential for using the Force, I
wish to be allowed--with the New Republic's blessing--to establish in some
appropriate place an intensive training center, a Jedi academy, if you will.
Under my direction we can help these students discover their abilities, to
focus and strengthen their power. Ultimately, this academy would provide a
core group that could allow us to restore the Jedi Knights as protectors of
the New Republic." He drew in a deep breath and waited.
Senator Bel Iblis raised himself slowly to his feet. "A comment, if I may?
I'm sorry, Luke, but I have to raise the question--we've already seen the
terrible damage a Jedi can cause if he allows himself to be swayed by the
dark side. We just recently fought against Joruus C'baoth, and of course
Darth Vader nearly caused the death of us all. If a teacher as great as
Obi-Wan Kenobi could fail and let his student fall to evil, how can we take
the risk of training an entire new order of Jedi Knights? How many will turn
to the dark side? How many new enemies will we make for ourselves?"
Luke nodded somberly. The question had been working at the back of his own
mind, and he had pondered it deeply. "I can only say that we have seen these
terrible examples, and we must learn from them. I myself have touched the
dark side and come through stronger and more wary of its powers than ever
before. I agree there is a risk, but I cannot believe the New Republic will
be safer without a new force of Jedi."
A murmur rippled through the chamber. Bel Iblis stood a moment longer, as if
he meant to say something else, but instead he sat down, looking satisfied.
Admiral Ackbar got to his feet and applauded with his flipper-like hands. "I
agree that the Jedi's request is in the best interests of the New Republic,"
he said.
Jan Dodonna also stood. After narrowly surviving the Battle of Yavin,
Dodonna had treated Luke with complete trust. "I agree as well!"
Soon all the senators were standing. Luke saw a broad grin on Leia's face as
she too stood. He felt the rainbows around him from the crystal ceiling,
seemingly full of power, and he felt warm inside.
Mon Mothma sat, nodding gravely. She was the last to stand up, and she
raised her hand for silence. "I give you my hopes for the rebirth of the
Jedi Knights. We will offer whatever help we can. May the Force be with
you."
Before Luke could turn, applause from the audience rolled like a storm
through the chamber.
Leia's quarters were among the most spacious and accommodating in the
Emperor's abandoned palace--and the room echoed with emptiness. Leia Organa
Solo, formerly a princess, currently the New Republic's Minister of
State--felt tired and worn as she returned to her rooms at the end of a long
day. The high point had been Luke's triumphant address before the assembly,
but that was merely one detail in a day filled with problems. Confusing
contradictions in multilingual treaties that even Threepio couldn't fathom,
alien cultural restrictions that made diplomacy nearly impossible--it made
her head spin!
As Leia looked around her quarters, a frown etched her face. "Illumination
up two points," she said, and the room grew brighter, driving some of the
quiet shadows farther away. Han and Chewbacca were gone, ostensibly to
reestablish contact with the planet Kessel, although she believed it was
more of a vacation for him, a way to relive the "good old days" of
gallivanting across the galaxy. Sometimes she wondered if Han ever regretted
marrying someone so different from himself, settling down with diplomatic
entanglements on Coruscant. He tolerated endless receptions during which he
had to dress nicely in clothes that obviously made him uncomfortable. In
conversations he had to speak with a measured tact that was completely
foreign to him.
But Han was off having fun at the moment, leaving her stuck in Imperial
City. The New Republic's Chief of State, Mon Mothma, gave Leia more and more
assignments, letting the fate of planets hang on how well she accomplished
her tasks. So far Leia had performed well, but the seven years since the
Battle of Endor had been filled with many setbacks: the war against the
alien Ssi-ruuk Imperium, the resurgence of Grand Admiral Thrawn and his bid
to reassemble the Empire, not to mention the resurrected Emperor and his
gigantic World Devastator machines. Though they seemed to be enjoying a time
of relative peace at last, the constant warfare had left the New Republic on
shaky ground.
In a way it had been easier when they had the Empire to fight against, to
unify all the factions of the Alliance. But now the enemy was not so clearly
defined. Now Leia and the others had to re-forge links between all the
planets that had once been crushed under the Imperial boot. Some of those
worlds, though, had suffered so much that now they wanted to be left alone,
galaxy-wide federation of planets. They wanted their independence. But
independent worlds could be picked off one by one if other powerful forces
ever allied themselves against them.
Leia walked into her bedchamber and stripped off the diplomatic clothing she
had worn all day. This morning it had been crisp and bright, but the fabric
lost its vigor after too much time under the rainbow lights of the grand
audience chamber.
Within the next week or so, Leia would have to arrange meetings with
ambassadors from six different worlds in an effort to convince them to join
the New Republic. Four seemed amenable, but two insisted on complete
neutrality until their planets' specific issues were addressed.
Her most difficult task would be two weeks hence, when the Caridan
ambassador would arrive. Carida was deep in territory still held by vestiges
of the Empire, home of one of the primary Imperial military training bases.
Even though Emperor Palpatine was dead and Grand Admiral Thrawn overthrown,
Carida refused to face reality. It had been a major victory that the
ambassador agreed to come to Coruscant at all--and Leia would have to
entertain him, no doubt smiling pleasantly the entire time.
Leia turned on the controls of the sonic bath and set it for a gentle
massage. She eased herself into the chamber, letting out a long sigh,
wanting just to blank out the troubles from her head.
Around her, fresh-cut flowers from the Skydome Botanical Gardens brightened
the room with their faint perfume. Mounted on the wall were nostalgic scenes
from the planet Alderaan, pictures of the planet where she had grown up, the
planet Grand Moff Tarkin had destroyed to demonstrate the power of his Death
Star: the peaceful, sweeping grasslands that whispered in the wind, the
soaring kite creatures that ferried people from one smooth tower city to
another, the industry and deep settlements built into the walls of wide
cracks plunging into Alderaan's crust ... her home city rising from the
center of a lake.
Han had procured those pic
tures for her just last year; he wouldn't say
where he had found them. For months the images wrenched her heart every time
she looked at them. She thought of her foster father, Senator Bail Organa,
and her childhood as a princess, never suspecting her true heritage.
Now Leia looked on those pictures with bittersweet fondness, as an
indication of Han's love for her. He had, after all, once won a whole planet
in a card game and had given it to her for the other survivors of Alderaan.
He did love her.
Even though he wasn't here now.
After only a few minutes the sonic bath unknotted her muscles, revitalizing
and refreshing her. Leia dressed again, this time in something more
comfortable. In the mirror she looked at herself. Leia no longer spent the
meticulous time with her hair that she had when she was a princess on
Alderaan.
Since then she had borne three children, the twins, who were now two years
old, and recently a third baby. She was able to see them only a few times a
year, and she missed them terribly.
Because of the potential power carried by the grandchildren of Anakin
Skywalker, the twins and the baby boy had been taken to a carefully guarded
planet, Anoth. All other knowledge of the planet had been blocked from her
mind, to prevent anyone from prying it out of her thoughts. During their
first two years, Luke said, Jedi children were most vulnerable. Any contact
with the dark side could warp their minds and abilities for life.
She activated the small holodais that projected recent images of her
children. The two-year-old twins, Jacen and Jaina, played inside a colorful
sculptured playground artifact. In another image Leia's personal servant