Free Refugee: Force Heretic II by Sean Williams

must learn to trade and fight side by side. If Bakura and the P’w’eck are to work together, then we have to consider all our religious beliefs. We’d like them to feel safe enough to visit here. Toward this end, Cundertol managed to find a compromise: the Keeramak would come to Bakura to perform the consecration in person. The ceremony was planned for two days from now. That’s where things stood when—”
    “When Prime Minister Cundertol disappeared,” interrupted a voice from the entrance to the chamber.
    Jaina’s grip on her lightsaber tightened instinctively as she turned to see a tall, aging man in a scarlet robe approach the table. His face was long and angular, the bones beneath clearly showing. Two Bakuran guards closely shadowed him, rifles held firmly across their chests.
    “Deputy Prime Minister Harris,” Panib said, standing. He sounded relieved. “Thank you for joining us.”
    Harris indicated for Panib to return to his seat, then nodded to everyone else around the table by way of greeting. “Princess Leia, Captain Solo: it’s a pleasure to meet you again. And of course you, Lwothin.”
    An attendant brought up a chair, and he sat between the P’w’eck and Leia.
    “I apologize for the delay,” he said to Panib, “but there was a bomb threat at the main spaceport and I had to take a shuttle from Lesser Grace. As you can see,” he explained to the rest of the table, “we are suffering from a pronounced civil unrest. Not on behalf of the majority, I imagine, but rather a violent and unprincipled minority who think they know what’s best for Bakura. This minority has decided that the P’w’eck are no different from the Ssi-ruuk, and the Keeramak’s visit here is nothingmore than an elaborate ruse that will result in the entechment of everyone. ‘Once an enemy, always an enemy’ is their maxim. There is simply no room for negotiation.” He clenched his fists helplessly on the table. His gaze fell upon Leia and Han. “I understand you have experienced interference from them already.”
    “A secure transmission was interrupted by someone warning us away,” Leia said. “Whoever it was had access to comm channels that should have been restricted.”
    “They are everywhere,” Harris said sourly. “As the consecration looms, their desperation increases. They have been behind at least five disruptions to subspace communications in the last fortnight. Kidnapping Molierre Cundertol was an act of suicidal bravado. It is strange but, while I have to condemn their methods, I can’t help admire their spirit.” He shook his head sadly. “Nevertheless, we will never negotiate with terrorists.”
    “What about Cundertol?” Han asked. “Any idea where he’s being kept?”
    “We’ll find out soon enough. Especially now that we have the terrorist leader in our hands.”
    General Panib was clearly taken aback by this news. “Since when?”
    “She was taken into custody shortly before I left to come here. We have her in a security holding cell, awaiting interrogation.”
    “Is she—” Panib hesitated. “—who we suspected she was?”
    “Malinza Thanas,” Harris answered with a smug smile. “Yes.”
    The surprise in the room was palpable. Jaina knew the name. Malinza Thanas was the daughter of people her parents and Uncle Luke had met on Bakura the first time they’d visited. When Malinza’s parents had died, Luke and Mara had taken her on as a sponsor child, visitingher a couple of times. She’d heard nothing about the girl being a terrorist leader, however.
    “Malinza?” Leia asked. “Are you certain of this?”
    “There’s no doubt,” Harris stated. “She admits it herself.”
    “She
admits
she kidnapped the Prime Minister?” Panib asked.
    “Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”
    “When you say ‘interrogation’—”
    “I don’t mean to imply torture, Princess,” Harris said. “We are a civilized people, and it would take more than a little civil unrest