Dark Tide 1: Onslaught (6 page)

“Ganner could do that by himself.”

“He
could,
but if the Yuuzhan Vong
are
there, I think he'd be likely to launch into them, and that would leave the folks he came to save in a very bad position. You're in charge, and he will obey you, albeit rather reluctantly.”

Jacen smiled at Corran. “Besides, Corran, you have to admit that your lacking telekinetic abilities does put you at a bit of a disadvantage.”

“Sure. I can't move a rock with my mind, but, boy, can I make that rock think it's been moved.” He sighed. “Ganner is pretty good with TK. Makes sense to include him. And things could have been worse. You could have paired me with Kyp.”

“I'd not be so cruel to either of you.”

“Hey, I'm not that bad.” Corran arched an eyebrow at Luke. “Or are you thinking this is one of those from-a-certain-point-of-view things?”

“See, all that training did pay off.” The Jedi Master nodded. “This is also a chance, Corran, to show Ganner that Kyp's approach to the Force isn't the only way to do things.”

“Got it.” Corran smiled. “Well, may the Force be with all of us, I guess.”

“Yes, please.” Luke nodded solemnly. “You know, I like the fact that the Jedi are the galaxy's first line of defense, but what I'm dreading here is that the Yuuzhan Vong will show us how very weak a line that is.”

CHAPTER SIX

Corran Horn found Valin in a small clearing in the Yavin 4 jungle. The boy sat on the ground cross-legged, with his hands on his knees. He stared intently forward, concentrating on a small rock a meter in front of him. Sweat beaded up on his brow and threatened to trickle down into his hazel eyes.

Immeasurable pride and anguish roiled around in Corran's heart as he watched his son. The Horn-Halcyon line of Jedi Knights was notorious for its lack of telekinetic abilities. Corran still recalled his complete frustration with trying to move objects through the Force. Except under extreme circumstances, when he'd used the Force to contain energy that would have hurt others, he couldn't so much as tickle drool from a Hutt's lips, much less move a rock.

That Valin would try so hard to move the rock impressed Corran. Valin already had surpassed his father's expectations. Though only eleven years old, he already stood shoulder-height to Corran and clearly was going to take after his grandfathers in terms of size. His dark hair and hazel eyes were a compromise between his parents' coloration, while his features were more Mirax, with hints of Corran's own mother in there, too.
It's good he doesn't take after Booster Terrik in that aspect.

Like every father everywhere, Corran's chest tightened as he watched his son try a task he knew the boy would fail. He wanted to step in, to save Valin from the disappointment, but held himself back. Learning the lesson might hurt his son, but learning how to handle disappointment was more valuable than being able to move all the rocks in the galaxy.

And, to Corran's surprise, the small, ovoid rock began to move. It tottered on its base, then slowly flopped over on its side.

Corran whooped out loud. “Valin, that's great! You moved it.”

“Dad?” The boy's head whipped around, his long brown hair flicking sweat away. One lock pasted itself under his right eye. “I didn't see you there.”

“No, you were concentrating. That was great.” Corran advanced into the clearing and helped his son up to his feet. “I mean, what you did, I could never—”

“Dad, it wasn't what you think.”

“I know what I saw.”

Valin smiled and fingered the hair off his cheek. “Remember how you've talked about points of view?”

“Yes?”

“It's a point-of-view thing.” Valin squatted down and waved his father down with him. “Look again.”

Corran studied the rock. The ground at its base was alive with small, purple insects. They were swarming up through the dirt and around the base of the stone. “I don't get it. You set the rock on the entrance to one of their colonies?”

“No. I have been studying the garnants. They communicate through vibration and scent. I used the Force. I reached down and made them think there was a trail up. I made them think the rock was food. The first one marked it with food scent.” Valin shrugged sheepishly and pulled a small morsel of food from a pocket. “I have a reward for them, so it's not like I'm forcing them to do anything.”

Corran frowned for a moment. Compelling the behavior of a sapient individual, especially if it was against the individual's will and for the selfish benefit of the Jedi, undoubtedly would be of the dark side. Luring nonsapients into doing something natural didn't fall into that class at all, especially when the task was harmless and they were paid back for their actions by something that would replace the energy they'd expended.

“It's probably closer to the borderline with the dark side than you want to be playing with, but I'm very impressed.” Corran reached out and stroked his son's head. “Communicating with another species isn't easy.”

“Not really communicating, Dad.” Valin rolled his eyes. “They're just bugs. I make them think a rock is food.”

“More than I could do at your age.”

“But you weren't trained.”

“True enough.” Corran stood. “That notwithstanding, I'm very proud of you.”

“I'd like to make you prouder.” Valin stood and sighed heavily. “I'd been trying to move the rock with my mind for a while first. Then I decided to try that other way. I guess I'll never be a powerful Jedi.”

Corran rested his hands on his son's shoulders and touched his forehead to Valin's. “There are those among the Jedi that view strength as how far you can move something, or how easily you can break something. The real strength of a Jedi comes from within, from his heart and mind. Some Jedi move rocks just to prove they can move them, but the strongest Jedi don't see any reason to move rocks when that isn't going to solve the immediate problem.”

His son sighed again and smiled. “So, what are you telling me, Dad?”

“He's telling you, boy, that being weak is something you'll learn to get used to, perhaps a handicap you'll even get over.”

Corran's head came up as he turned toward the voice. “Ganner!”

The other Jedi nodded solemnly. The man stood a full head taller than Corran. His broad shoulders tapered down to a narrow waist and hips, but the man's body fairly rippled with muscle. Jet-black hair had been combed back to emphasize a widow's peak. The mustache and goatee he wore combined with his handsome features and piercing blue eyes to give him the sort of rakish good looks that easily made the man the object of admiring glances. The midnight blue and black Jedi robes he wore set him apart from the jungle and gave him the bearing of a government official.

Corran could feel the Force gathering in his son. He gave Valin's shoulder a squeeze. “Don't do it.”

The taller man opened his arms easily and let the hint of a smile twist his lips. “Please, Valin, show me what you can do. Project whatever vision you wish. I promise to be afraid.”

The boy lifted his chin as the Force drained out of him. “Scariest thing I can think of is you standing there.”

Ganner clapped slowly. “He has a lot of spirit, this is good.” He looked at Corran. “Our ship is ready to go.”

“I was just going to say good-bye to my son.”

“We have some time. Not much, but a little yet.”

Corran turned to Valin. “Go back to the Great Temple. Your mother and sister are there. Tell them I'll be along presently to say farewell.”

The boy arched an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure?”

Ganner laughed. “I won't hurt him.”

Valin turned his head and spitted Ganner on a hard stare. “As if you could . . .”

“Go, Valin. Your mother will get impatient, and you don't want that any more than I do.” Corran ruffled the boy's hair. “Your mother will be worried, so ease her fears, okay?”

The boy nodded, then started sprinting off toward the temple.

Corran watched him go, then slowly looked back at Ganner. “Okay, and now the
real
reason you wanted to meet me here, away from the others.”

“Perceptive, good.” Ganner's arctic eyes narrowed. “You're nominally in charge of our expedition—”

“Correction, I'm in charge of it.” Corran folded his arms across his chest. “You are my aide on this run.”

“In the data files, yes, that's it. In reality . . .”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning you're an old-style Jedi, you and your dual-phase lightsaber. Meaning I'm a much more powerful Jedi than you are. Meaning I know that you don't care for Kyp Durron's philosophy—a philosophy that I think must be embraced if the Jedi order is to fulfill its destiny in the galaxy.” Ganner gestured easily, and the rock rose in the air as if lodged in some invisible turbolift. “I will do what must be done for us to complete our mission, but I will not brook interference from
you
.”

The rock shot straight at Corran. He dodged to the right. The rock veered wide to the left, then tumbled and crashed back through the underbrush.

Ganner smirked at him. “Do you understand what I am saying?”

“Sure.” Corran let his hands fall to his sides easily. “You're saying that your philosophy is more important than the job we're being sent to do.”

“That's not it at all.”

“Sure it is, but I don't expect you to understand that.” Corran shook his head. “You and Kyp and the others that believe the way you do—you're working very hard to establish what the Jedi mean to this galaxy. You're doing that by wearing sharp uniforms and taking strong stands. Much of the time you're probably right in the stands you take—I can't disagree with them. What I don't like is how you make the stands, and how you work. You're all saying, ‘Hey, we are Jedi. We deserve your respect.' I happen to think we need to earn it.”

Ganner's expression darkened. “We
have
earned it. The Jedi made order out of the chaos of the Empire.”

“No,
a
Jedi did that,
the
only Jedi there was at the time who was willing to stand up and fight the Empire. Luke Skywalker earned the galaxy's respect, not the rest of us. Our fight has to be waged each and every day out there, and here's a hologram you'd best study from all sides: People end up being inherently suspicious and resentful of anyone who sets himself up to sort right from wrong.” Corran gave him a half smile. “I saw it when I worked for CorSec, and I've seen it as a Jedi.”

The taller man threw his head back and laughed. “You, of all people, have the least call to criticize us for trying to establish an image that makes our jobs easier.”

“How do you plot that course?”

“What you did on Courkrus. You terrorized people. Made them see frightening things that weren't there.” A triumphant smirk played over Ganner's features. “You might have been going by the name Keiran Halcyon then, but you used the methods we use. You know how effective they can be.”

“No, no, no.” Corran shook his head. “You're not going to use what I did at Courkrus to justify your actions. Courkrus was an outlaw planet, ruled by pirates. I used their fear against them to break down their confederation. I made those who deserved to fear someone bringing justice, actually fear justice having arrived. You all come into a situation and hold yourselves back, aloof, judging always. No one can feel safe around you—they always have to wonder when you will come to judge them.”

“We deter them from turning to the dark side that way.”

“Yeah, I've heard that argument before, from guys at CorSec and in every security service on any planet I've ever visited. Fear, regardless of what good it might accomplish, is a stepping-stone on the path to the dark side.” Corran held his hands up. “None of that matters, though. You don't want me interfering with you on this mission of ours, fine. Don't give me cause to interfere with you. We're to go, find some academics, and bring them home. It's very simple.”

Ganner Rhysode snorted at his description of the mission, and Corran felt just a glimmer of respect for the man's rejection of that description.
Perhaps you are a little bit sharper than I am willing to grant.

“I do hope it will be simple, but these things never are.” Ganner waved a hand back toward the Great Temple. “Though some are taking refuge in the idea that the hyperspace disturbance around the galaxy will keep out all but the few Yuuzhan Vong who squirted through, I think the analogy that it's like a storm, a storm that may be abating, is more likely true. If so, we will likely find Yuuzhan Vong on that world and many others. I'll be ready.”

Ganner dropped a hand to his lightsaber. “I'll do whatever it takes to show these invaders why they never should have come here.”

“Aren't you forgetting something?”

“What?” Ganner snarled a bit as he slapped at a garnant on his neck. “The Yuuzhan Vong are invaders. We need to drive them back.”

“Our mission is to save the academics.” Corran smiled carefully as the larger man slapped at more insects. “It's a little detail, but you can see how painful missing the little things can be.”

Ganner growled again and brushed garnants from his clothes. “You did this to me.”

“Not me. Perhaps you stepped on a colony's main tunnel.” Corran kept his mirth in check.
I
will
have to speak to Valin about this.
He admired his son's sense of family, but the Force wasn't a tool for playing practical jokes.
I think he knows that. I just have to remind him of it and make sure he doesn't make that mistake again.

Ganner angrily scratched at his clothes and slapped at garnants. “They're everywhere.”

A shiver ran down Corran's spine as he caught a mental image of the Yuuzhan Vong swarming over Ganner the way the insects were. “Head back to the temple and hit a refresher station. They've painted you with a scent that will draw more to you. We'll go as soon as you are rid of them.”

“You may think this is funny, Horn, but I'm serious about what I've said. Don't get in my way.” The taller man tore his tunic off and started running toward the Great Temple.

Corran watched him go until he could no longer see the red bite bumps all over Ganner's back. “I have no intention of being in your way, Ganner, unless you force me to be there,” he muttered at the retreating figure. “If you do, I guess we'll find out just who really
is
the stronger Jedi.”