Ylesia Read Online Free PDF

tactics. I’d rather fly for a while as an ordinary pilot before I’m given responsibility over eleven other lives.”
    â€œOh.” Jaina was abashed. “You could fly with Tahiri, then. Another Jedi in her squadron would be a boon to her.”
    â€œBut not this next mission,” Jacen said. “Not Ylesia. I want to fly with you, since we’re both going on the landing party.”
    Jaina nodded. “That makes sense,” she said. “We’ll find a slot for you.”
    Jacen seemed uneasy. “What do you think about Kyp Durron’s plan?” he asked. “Do you see a secret agenda here?”
    â€œI think Kyp’s past that sort of thing. It’s
your
plan that worries me.”
    Jacen was taken aback. “To capture the Brigader leadership? Why?”
    â€œKre’fey was right when he said there was a lot that could go wrong. We don’t have enough data on Ylesia to make certain the landings will go as planned.”
    â€œBut you agreed to join the ground party.”
    Jaina sighed. “Yes. But now I wonder if we oughtn’t leave Ylesia alone until we have a more seasoned force and better intelligence.”
    Jacen had no answer to this, so they plodded up the corridor without speaking, stepping carefully past a droid polishing the deck. The scent of polish wafted after them. Then Jacen broke the silence.
    â€œWhat’s with you and Kyp Durron? I sensed something a little odd there.”
    Jaina felt herself flush. “Kyp’s been feeling a little . . . sentimental . . . toward me lately.”
    Jacen looked at her in solemn surprise. It was that solemnity, Jaina decided, that she disliked most about him.
    â€œHe’s a little old for you, don’t you think?” Jacen asked. Solemnly.
    Jaina tried to throttle her annoyance at this line of questioning. “I’m grateful to Kyp for helping me come back from the dark side,” she said. “But with me, it’s gratitude. With Kyp . . .” She hesitated. “I’d rather not go into it. Anyway, it’s over now.”
    Jacen nodded. Solemnly. Jaina came to her cabin door and put her hand on the latch.
    â€œGood,” Jacen said. “Because you’ve been conquering a bewildering number of hearts while I was away. First Baron Fel’s son, and now the most unpredictable Jedi in the order . . .”
    Supremely irritated, Jaina opened the cabin door, stepped inside, and in the darkness of the cabin was seized by a pair of arms. Pressure was applied in an expert way to her elbow joints, and she was whirled around. A familiar scent, a spicy aroma from the Unknown Regions, filled her senses, and a hungry mouth descended on hers.
    A moment later—and the length of that moment was something she would not forgive herself—it occurred to her to resist. Her arms were securely pinned, so she summoned the Force and flung her assailant across the room. There was a crash, and items tumbled off a shelf. Jaina took a step to the door and waved on the lights.
    Jagged Fel lay sprawled across her bed. He touched the back of his head gingerly.
    â€œCouldn’t you just have slapped me?” he asked.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?”
    â€œConducting an experiment.”
    â€œA
what
?” Furious.
    His pale green eyes rose to meet hers. “I detected a degree of ambiguity in your last few messages,” he said. “I could no longer tell what your feelings toward me might be, so I thought an experiment was in order. I decided to place you in a situation that wasn’t the least bit ambiguous, and see how you reacted.” An insufferable smile touched the corners of his mouth. “And the experiment was a success.”
    â€œRight. You got thrown into the wall.”
    â€œBut before you remembered to be outraged, there was a moment that was worth all the pain.” His eyes turned to the door. “Hello there, galactic hero. Your mother