Leox shrugged, the expansive and liquid gesture of a man at ease, the sort of man who might put others at ease, too. “A figure of speech. But there’s absolutely no reason to object to that spice.”

Orla’s eyebrow remained raised in an extremely skeptical arch. “No reason, huh?”

He played his best card. “It’s medicinal.”

“Riiiiiiiight.” She sighed. “There isn’t anything we can do about it now. And I think you’re too smart to lie outright about it being legal—at least, in the most limited sense. So I guess we’ll have to let it go.”

“That, and I’m the only pilot you’ll find who’s willing to take a job involving killer gardening robots, poisonous vines, winsome young ladies who turn out to be Nihil warriors, and some mysterious element of the dark side that you, personally, set free.”

After a pause, she admitted, “That too.”

It turned out to be a much quicker trip when they were heading directly to the Amaxine station, not finding it as an emergency stop. Within the hour, Affie announced, “Everybody strap in. We’re dropping out of hyperspace soon.”

Reath strapped in. From the moment Master Cohmac had come to him in the Archives, he’d been keyed up—energized by purpose. However, he had to center himself. If he was going to confront Nan and Hague, he needed to do so with the utmost control.

They’re dangerous warriors, he told himself. They probably have weapons that you didn’t discover before. You have to be ready for them.

All true, and yet when he thought about Nan and Hague, he still saw a sweet young woman with a round face and shining dark hair, and an elderly man who used a cane to walk.

Their story might be more complex. Could they be under the control of the Nihil, serving the group against their will? From some of the briefings, Reath remembered that the Nihil were famous for threatening certain planetary authorities, forcing them to turn a blind eye to their marauding or pay enormous ransoms. If the Nihil could intimidate an entire world’s government, they could easily force two vulnerable people into doing their bidding.

Maybe we’ve come here to arrest them, Reath realized. Or maybe we’ve come here to set them free.

“Dropping out of hyperspace in five!” Leox shouted over the creaking of the jittery Vessel. “Four! Three!”

Reath grabbed the straps of his safety harness, as did the other Jedi.

“Two! And one!”

The Vessel shuddered, then shifted into the smooth rush of normal flight. Every one of the Jedi breathed out in relief. Wryly, Cohmac Vitus said, “The easy part is over.”

From the bridge, Leox called, “You can say that again.”

The others exchanged glances. Reath was the one who asked, “Why do you say that?”