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were projecting.”
    “So what do we do?” Jacen asked.
    “I requested the New Republic send a ship to evacuate them, but they’re dragging their heels. They might continue to for weeks.”
    “We can’t wait that long!” Jaina said.
    “No,” Luke agreed. “I’ve been trying to find Booster Terrik. I think the best thing for the moment would be to not only evacuate the academy but keep the kids on the move, in the
Errant Venture
. If we just move them to another planet, we don’t really solve the problem.”
    “So they’re with Booster?” Anakin said.
    “I can’t locate him, unfortunately. I’m still working on it.”
    “Talon Karrde,” Mara said softly.
    “Perfect,” Luke said. “You know where to find him?”
    “What do
you
think?” Mara said, smirking.
    “But what if the Peace Brigade is already at Yavin Four, or on the way?” Anakin asked.
    “It’s the best we can do, for the moment,” Luke told him. “Besides, the danger is still hypothetical. The Peace Brigade might not even know about Yavin Four. And even if they did, Kam and Tionne and Master Ikrit are there. They aren’t exactly defenseless.”
    “It’s not the best-kept secret in the galaxy,” Jacen said. “And with the illusion gone, what could Kam do against a warship? Let
us
go.”
    “Out of the question,” Luke replied. “I need you all here, and with the bounty on our heads—especially
your
head, Jacen—it’s too dangerous for you to go off alone. Your parents would never forgive me if I sent you into that with them away.”
    “Ask them, then,” Jaina said.
    “I can’t. They’re out of contact now, and could be for some time.”
    “Shouldn’t we at least go check on the praxeum?” Jaina persisted. “We could just hide at the edge of the system until Karrde shows up, keep an eye on things, run back here to report if things go wrong.”
    Luke shook his head. “I know you’re all restless, especially you, Jaina. But your eyes still haven’t fully healed—”
    “Not to Rogue Squadron specs, maybe,” Jaina protested, “but I can see well enough to fly.”
    “Even if your vision were fully restored,” Luke went on, “I still don’t think sending any or all of you to Yavin Four is the most productive course. There’s important work to do here. Weren’t you just telling Kyp that, Jaina, Jacen?”
    “Yes, Uncle Luke,” Jacen said. “We were.”
    “Anakin? You haven’t said much.”
    Anakin shrugged. “There isn’t much to say, is there?”
    Luke detected something a bit dangerous in that, but it quickly passed.
    “I’m glad the three of you are thinking about the situation. We agree that the academy is one of our most vulnerable spots. Help me find the rest. Don’t think for a second I’ve thought of everything, because obviously I haven’t. And don’t forget, we’ll reconvene the meeting tomorrow morning.”
    The three of them nodded and left.
    When they were gone, Mara clucked. “They might be right.”
    Luke sighed again. “They might be. But I have a feeling that whoever goes to Yavin Four must go in force, or they won’t be leaving it again. I’ve learned to trust feelings like this.”
    “You should have told them that, then,” Mara said.
    He flashed her a sardonic smile. “Then they would have gone for sure.”
    Mara took his hand. “No rest for the weary. I’ll contact Karrde.” She touched her belly again. “Meanwhile,Skywalker, find me something to eat. Something big and still bleeding.”
       Anakin checked over the systems indicators.
    “How do we look, Fiver?” he asked quietly, studying the cockpit readout display.
    SYSTEMS WITHIN OPTIMUM VARIANTS , the R7 unit assured him.
    “Good. Just hang on while I get clearance. Meanwhile calculate the first jump in the series to get me to the Yavin system.”
    That took a certain amount of finagling, including forging a code that would allow him to fly without a check that might alert Uncle Luke or anyone else who would try