Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Vector Prime by R. A. Salvatore

bluntly asked him his plans concerning the Jedi Council.
    Luke paused for a long while. “I haven’t made any final decision,” he replied, which took Jacen somewhat by surprise, since his uncle had seemed fairly certain that he would indeed reestablish the council.
    “Whether with council or by yourself, you must rein in these wandering Jedi,” Councilor Niuk Niuv said with uncustomary passion.
    Triebakk howled in protest, and Cal Omas gave words to the sentiment. “Rein in?” he echoed incredulously. “Need I remind you that you speak of the Jedi Knights?”
    “A dangerous group,” Councilor Pwoe remarked gravely, the watery essence of his voice only adding weight to the statement.
    “Causing disturbances throughout the galaxy,” Fyor Rodan was quick to add.
    Jacen noted that his uncle was watching the quietest member of the council, Chelch of Corellia, one he believed might be the swing vote on any resolutions concerning the Jedi, and one who was now giving no outward hint whatsoever of his intentions.
    “Why, I have heard of battles along the Outer Rim, as far out as the Angor system,” Fyor Rodan went on, standing up and waving his fist. “Jedi swooping in, torpedoes flying, against innocent citizens.”
    “Smugglers, you mean,” Cal Omas retorted.
    “Many who aided in the overthrow of the Empire!” Fyor Rodan shot back.
    “And you take that as an excuse for their current illegal activities?”
    “The Jedi Knights are not the law,” Niuk Niuv pointed out.
    “So they should be told,” Fyor Rodan said. “Chief Fey’lya, perhaps we should consider a resolution against the Jedi. A strong statement from this council demanding that they end all policing efforts that have not been explicitly authorized by this council or by regional ambassadors.”
    Borsk Fey’lya turned to meet Luke’s stern gaze, blanched, and rubbed his hairy face. “Let us not be premature,” he said.
    Jacen did not miss how the Bothan seemed to shrink back from his uncle Luke’s powerful presence.
    “Premature?” Fyor Rodan echoed with a laugh. “These wild ones have become a bit inflated concerning the policymaking role of the New Republic. Are we to tolerate that?”
    “Are we to deny their help in those areas where they are best qualified?” Cal Omas retorted angrily, bringing a derisive snort from Fyor Rodan, a shout of agreement from Triebakk, a groan from Pwoe, and a stream of retorts from the ever more impassioned Niuk Niuv.
    And so the shouting began again, at new heights, and Jacen quickly backed away from it all. The Jedi, it seemed, were to be judged on every move, and by people who, in Jacen’s estimation, had no right to judge them.
    He and Luke left the council chamber a short while later, the war of words, about nothing and everything all at once, raging behind them. To Jacen’s surprise, Luke was wearing a satisfied smile.
    “Both Fyor Rodan and Niuk Niuv tipped their hands in the last part of the exchange,” he explained to the obviously confused Jacen.
    “With the smugglers?”
    Luke nodded and smiled.
    “You think they’re tied to smugglers?” Jacen asked incredulously.
    “It’s not so uncommon,” Luke said. “Ask your father,” he added with a grin that set Jacen back on his heels. The roots of Han Solo were no secret to the young man.
    “So you think their complaints about the Jedi have to do with their own profits?” Jacen asked. “You think some of the councilors are working with smugglers that some Jedi are giving a hard time?”
    Luke shrugged. “I don’t know that,” he admitted. “But it seems to fit.”
    “And what are you going to do about it?”
    Luke stopped. Jacen did, too, the pair turning to face each other directly.
    “We have a hundred Jedi Knights setting their own agendas throughout the galaxy,” Luke explained. “That is the problem.”
    “You don’t think these Jedi at the Outer Rim are justified in going after smugglers?” Jacen asked.
    “That’s not