Council Member Gios excused himself and hurried from the exhibition. Not knowing what to do, Bell stood in front of the display cabinets, trying to work out what had just happened. The last day had been so surreal, slipping from the bacta tank, running his fingers across the synthflesh over the freshly closed wound in his belly. It felt so strange to the touch, so unreal, as disconnected as Bell felt from the world. Since then everyone had been buzzing around him like soka flies. The med droids checking to see if his new intestinal implants were operating correctly, Indeera never leaving his side. And then there had been Porter Engle. Bell didn’t even know when the gruff Ikkrukki had arrived and wasn’t overjoyed when he announced his intention to stay. It was ungrateful, he knew, but, like Indeera, Porter reminded him of Elphrona, and Elphrona reminded him of Loden, who was the last person he wanted to think about right now. Especially now. Bell hadn’t gotten a moment’s peace since the attack, which was why he’d jumped at the chance to accompany the Innovator into Valo airspace in his Vector. Anything to be alone, except for Ember, of course. The charhound had been his only comfort as the science vessel rocketed to the Valo system, not demanding anything of him save the odd scratch behind the ear.

But now the dog was scampering out of the exhibit, heading after Stellan Gios!

“Ember, wait!” Bell called after the dog. “Where are you going?”

The charhound was out of the exhibition doors before Bell could stop her. He chased after her, only to find the dog in the crowded hologram chamber. At least he didn’t have to reach out with the Force to find her. He could see Gios making his way through the crowd and knew that the dog would be just behind him. And the man had said he wasn’t good with animals. Why the stars was she following him?

He pushed his way through the delegates, apologizing as he stepped on both feet and tentacles. So much for the grace and elegance of the Jedi!

Meeting Stellan had been as odd as everything else. Bell hadn’t known what to do when he saw the Council member making a beeline for him. As if meeting Nib, Mikkel, and Burry after all this time wasn’t overwhelming enough. He was sure that one of them would notice what he was trying to hide. Maybe Stellan’s interruption had been a blessing. At least Gios didn’t know him as well. And then there was all that stuff about lost Masters. It was all Bell could do not to run all the way back to his Vector. Why in the Republic’s name was Ember leading him back to the man?