## Chapter 5

1 In Return of the Jedi, Mon Mothma said that Bothan spies had learned the new Death Star’s location and an Imperial code that would allow a surreptitious Rebel approach. Even though all that turned out to be a trap, I figured the Bothans would probably use that to work themselves into a good position in the fledgling New Republic hierarchy.

Especially if I gave them a high level of smooth political maneuvering skills. The result of that train of thought was Borsk Fey’lya.

But even beyond that, I wanted to show the New Republic as being a somewhat uneasy patchwork of differing political views, motivations, and goals. We have this conflict in any group of humans of any size—surely among different types of aliens the effect would be even more pronounced.

So, again, Borsk Fey’lya. For all the frustration and trouble he causes, he’s not a “villain” in the usual sense. He and his people simply have different ways of achieving their political goals. The fact that his approach causes chaos and possible destruction is apparently never a concern to him. It’s the way Bothans have always done things, and he—and they—see no reason to change.

—TZ

2This seems to imply that Han first met Mon Mothma in Return of the Jedi, around the time of the Endor operation briefing. However, in Allegiance I have them meeting shortly after the Battle of Yavin, nearly four years earlier.

Does that make this line a goof? Well … maybe not. In a much later story, “The Tale of the ‘Tonika Sisters,’ ” from Tales from the Star Wars Cantina, I have a Rebel agent getting hold of a segment of the second Death Star’s prototype superlaser. Ergo, as far back as Yavin, rumors of a second Death Star would already be swirling around the Empire. Ergo, the line in Allegiance isn’t really a mistake.

Note that among other things, that bit of retrofitting implies that it took the Rebellion those same four years to track those rumors down. No wonder the Bothans came in for high praise when they brought the name Endor to Alliance attention.

Still, don’t let all these clever explanations give you the impression that I had this whole immense thing mapped out in advance. Right now, I’m using the Indiana Jones approach, and making it up (more or less) as I go.

—TZ

3And Mon Mothma undoubtedly recognizes the problem and conflict: future dividends of Leia as a Jedi versus present dividends of Leia as diplomat. Present versus future: a decision we all have to make from time to time.

And that’s one of the reasons the Star Wars movies were so successful. They portrayed real people-with real, timeless, human problems and challenges-against the backdrop of a wondrous universe.

—TZ

4“Just exactly like old times” perfectly calls to mind various scenes in the original Star Wars: Luke practicing his newfound Force abilities, Chewie and R2-D2 playing dejarik, Han and Leia sniping at each other. Therefore there’s no need to spell out what occurs between the end of this chapter and the beginning of chapter 6. Tim simply announces that the Falcon has arrived at Bimmisaari.

—BM