LL3 1 Military Council Meeting

Han dashed through the hallways on the Council Building's top floor, dodging a herd of single-purpose droids. He wasn't thinking about the reasons why Leia would have him drop what he was doing to visit her immediately. He wasn't thinking about how much icier her voice sounded this time. It just meant he was in trouble again. He didn't think about any of it until he rounded the corner to the office lobby and saw the crowd.

Leia's expressionless assistant was politely ordering a gaggle of small system Ambassadors to calm down. "The Councilor has received the data and is reviewing its validity now," Winter told the gathering. "She will bring her findings to a Council Meeting as soon as she has something to report." The mirrored eyes of the Alderaan-native focused on Han in the back of the lobby. "Captain," she called to him, offering him the wide office door, "The Councilor awaits you. Please go in."

Han's brow furrowed as he wove through the panicked politicians. There was already a meeting going on inside.

In what Leia had first described as an office too ostentatious for her, the sizable floor, chairs, and couches in front of her desk were making use of themselves. Admirals and Generals littered the room. Chief Commander Mothma stood regally beside the desk and Leia sat behind it. Han snuck to a place to stand beside General Dodonna and listened.

"They should have known it wasn't going to work," General Madine was saying from his seat on one of the couches. "One Star Destroyer against all of Yavin Base? It had to be a separate faction. Or a renegade Captain."

Admiral Ackbar turned his fishy eyes to Madine, "Their failure in kidnapping Lendra, however ill-conceived the attempt was, does not neutralize this threat."

Han leaned to General Dodonna's ear and whispered, "What threat?"

Dodonna's gray eyes remained fixed on whoever was talking and leaned to whisper an answer, but he stopped when Leia stood up in her chair. "The Empire pulled their forces from the Iego, Ossus, Frakkan, and X-Simpe systems." Her voice lowered, "and they're assembling near Mandalore."

Madine sat up straight, "Either they're staging another kidnapping attempt or they're preparing for an attack to wipe out Yavin Base while everyone is here for the Minister of State ceremonies."

Solo cocked a brow. "If they were mustering for an attack, they'd mass on a system that we wouldn't be watching. Kadaan would be an idiot if he thought we didn't have spies in the Mandalore System."

"Maybe Kadaan is an idiot." Madine shrugged his hands, "He did just send a single Star Destroyer to attack our primary base."

Admiral Drayson croaked optimistically from a chair, "I'd like to think he simply realized how much work it was to keep protecting those systems."

General Dodonna's bearded jaw dropped. "Retreating?" He shook his head and crossed his arms, "It would take a lot more to convince me that the Empire is retreating."

Drayson shrugged his bulky shoulders. "Palpatine is no longer on the throne. It's possible that Kadaan has a more reasonable character."

Han's eyeballs rolled away and Leia commented on his expression. "He has a point. Kadaan has held on to his systems as best he could, but hasn't tried to attain any new ones. I don't think he has the thirst for power as Palpatine did."

"Not a thirst for power," Rieekan put in heavily, "A thirst for apprentices. With Lendra in hiding, Kadaan has ample time to prepare for the next kidnapping." His voice rose, "And I don't think he's going to stop when she graduates. His actions have the flavor of a personal vendetta."

Ackbar put out a suggestion. "Jedi Skywalker faced Lord Vader to end the same type of pursuit. Why doesn't Skywalker send Lendra to face Kadaan?"

General Madine shook his head with a dark grin. "He's not going to risk losing her like that."

Drayson tried to hide a suggestive chuckle.

Mothma, who had stood quietly aside to listen up to this point, turned her shoulders to Madine. "Jedi Skywalker has dedicated his life to rebuilding the Jedi Guild, General. Please do not be so quick to question his efforts."

Madine smiled at his lap. "I don't question them at all, Chief Commander." He raised his eyes to meet hers, "In fact, in light of his dedication over the years, I'm hoping the rumors are true."

Mothma raised an eyebrow at him, "Rumors?"

Leia's eyes shot to the Mothma's innocent face. The Chief Commander was pretending ignorance so she could take the temperature of the Military Council on the subject. They didn't disappoint her.

General Madine shifted in his seat, "Rumor has it that Jedi Skywalker and Lieutenant Lendra have formed a, eh, not-so-platonic friendship."

Han folded an arm across his chest and covered his eyes with the other hand.

"There is no sign of misconduct," Ackbar put in quickly, "Even the tabloids struggle to infer anything beyond professionalism."

Drayson added. "Commander Skywalker sent up a request to transfer her back to Gold Group before they left." He shook his head. "I think he's simply overworking her for the Jedi Training of it."

Admiral Sikey arched her brow. "Whatever his logical intent, he's certainly enjoying it." Eyes moved to her. She added to explain. "I have personally seen him laugh more and more frequently over the last few months."

Leia blinked twice at them all. "Now Luke's in trouble for laughing?" Her tone brought many in the room to gurgle up a chuckle at the absurdity of all this. Leia spread an easy palm in Admiral Sikey's direction. "After all these years, he has a fellow Jedi and it has boosted his spirits. That is all."

Han let out a deep breath through his nose. It was all over the grapevine how she turned in her lightsaber, but there were a dozen guesses what that meant. Only a handful of people knew the truth, even fewer knew that it started with Kess going off the deep end about the Skywalker bloodline. Leia was hiding her concern well, but both Solos secretly hoped this trip would give the reluctant couple a chance to work out their differences and get back to the part about getting this training done.

Madine glanced over his shoulder at Han's huff, "You know more details?"

Han's eyes shot to him with a whine, "Of course we know more! He's family!"

Leia called out evenly, "They are close friends, but Luke's dedication to the Guild far outweighs any friendship they've cultivated. His priorities have not wavered and he will not jeopardize her training." She motioned to Ackbar to answer his earlier query. "Luke will send her to face Kadaan if he feels it is necessary, but that's up to her Jedi Master, not us."

"Why don't we ask him?" Sikey looked at the Councilor with disappointment and disbelief, "Where are they?"

All eyes went to Leia for an answer. But the question was not about where they were. Nobody cared. It was, 'what were they doing there alone.' More than one person noticed that Skywalker didn't take his faithful droid with him, an action that was so unlike him that it called more attention than expected.

Luke worked very hard to keep the grapevine from assuming anything, especially since Luke was working so hard to prevent anything. But the willingness to sacrifice his life to save hers stirred the rumors into a tornado, and Luke wasn't here to prove them wrong.

Leia didn't know how to pacify the Alliance's suspicions any more than she already had, and her worry over the present state of the pair didn't make things any simpler. Leia didn't know what else she could spin.

Mothma watched her a moment and stepped up to take over before anyone else noticed. "The training of a Jedi Knight is more complex than any of us can comprehend. Jedi Skywalker needed her complete focus on a delicate set of lessons. The duties of Rogue Group and the risks of another kidnapping were affecting her training too greatly. Luke Skywalker's priority is rebuilding the Jedi Guild and he can only do that one trainee at a time." She looked around the room to them, nodding with honesty, "Of course, they've become close, for they are the only two Jedi in the galaxy to understand the other." Her voice softened to the gentleness of unquestioned command. "The 'rumors' shall henceforth reflect that."

Heads that didn't bow at the scolding nodded with obedience.

Admiral Ackbar spoke quietly, "And what of the Empire's movements?"

The Chief Commander gave him a quiet smile. "We will take our new Jedi's advice. Ground all fighter groups for complete repairs and activate all ground troops for training exercises. You should all review the new data and analyze it individually for theories on Kadaan's next move. Councilor Solo, prepare a treaty proposal for each of the systems the Empire has abandoned. Admiral Drayson, please proceed with Lieutenant Lendra's transfer back to Gold Group."

Voices muttered the default, "Yes, Chief Commander," and, after a silent pause, bodies stood and began to filter from the room.

Madine tried to get Han's attention, but Han glanced back at Leia. His wife jerked her head in a silent gesture of, 'I'll talk to you about it later'.

Leia watched Han turn away. When the Admirals and Generals all moved out the door, she looked at Mothma. The Chief Commander watched the small crowd mingle with others in the lobby in calculating thought.

When enough of them were gone, Leia whispered, "I'll inform Luke about—

"No." Mothma shook her head and half-turned, whispering low enough for no one else to hear, "Let them be alone."