Han, Leia had been annoyed to discover, slept through it all, including his own snoring.
Her grogginess persisted through breakfast. As she dressed for her meeting with the viceroy of the Duskhan League, she thought only about falling back into the now empty bed for a nap. It was the kind of morning that sorely tempted her to break her own rule about stimulants and take a cup of naris-bud tea or chew a stick of brightgum.
The temptation got stronger once she reached the final briefing. The conference room seemed to be full of bodies, and everyone seemed to be talking to her at once.
“Try to get emergency transit and landing rights on a provisional basis, as a stepping-stone to full navigation rights. We’ve got members in Joruna and Idek, and it’s a long way around for the freighters. “
“Almost everything we know about the Koornacht Cluster is thirty years old. It was in Imperial hands from the time of the Clone Wars until shortly after the Battle of Endor. The Empire didn’t allow anyone in, and-until now-the Yevetha haven’t seemed interested in coming out. “
“As near as we can tell, the Duskban League only includes the eleven worlds populated by the Yevetha. We believe that there are as many as seventeen worlds in the Koornacht Cluster which are populated by other species, and not part of the Duskhan League. But it hasn’t been possible to survey or contact them. “
“Intelligence hasn’t been able to find a single civilian pilot who’ll admit having gone into the Koornacht Cluster. We’ve gotten a deposition from one of our Imperial prisoners, a former bridge officer on a Star Destroyer which he says visited there on patrol. It’s pretty wild stuff, though, and nothing he says can be confirmed. “
“Mineral resources available for trade? Isn’t that information in the Duskhah application file? It’s supposed to be. “
“There isn’t any application. They’re not applying for membership. It’s more like an audition-for us. Nil Spaar seems to think this is some sort of summit meeting. He doesn’t want to be called ‘Ambassador, ‘ either. “
“Why doesn’t Intelligence have better information for us? Where does a viceroy stand in the Duskhan power structure? “
“I don’t think there’s any question but that Nil Spaar represents more worlds, a larger population, greater material riches, and a more advanced industrial-technological base than anyone who’s come to Imperial City in the last twelve years. And he probably knows it, too. “
“Leia, from a strategic standpoint, it sure would be nice to have a friend that big sitting between us and wherever Daala’s gotten herself to, in the Core. Right now Koornacht is one of the soft spots along the Inner Line. “
“Does anyone have any solid information on what he wants? “
“A link to the New Republic hypernet and the Coruscant information went in the second day. His staff did all the inside work, though. At least we know they couldn’t just eavesdrop on the net. “
“Where’s the technical analysis of the Duskhan embassy ship? “
“Does anyone else think that the Yevetha might be related to the Twi’lek? “
“Have you had a chance to review the results of the Obra-skai library search? “
“Leia, are you all right? “
“Princess Leia? “
Shaking her head, Leia pushed herself away from the table and started toward the door. Lightheadedness halted her steps halfway across the room. As she swayed unsteadily, Admiral Ackbar hastened to her side and took her arm.
“Help me to my office, ” she whispered.
In the privacy of the president’s suite, one floor up from the conference room, Ackbar helped Leia settle on a thickly padded couch.
“What is happening to you? ” Ackbar asked. “Should I signal the medical droid? ” An MD-7, a mobile droid specialized for emergency medicine, was permanently assigned to the executive section.
“No. I’ll be all right. I just want to lie down for a few moments. There was no air in that conference room. “
“You don’t look well. Do you want to postpone? “
She shook her head almost imperceptibly. “No-no, it would just complicate things. There’ve been too many delays already. I got up too quickly, that’s all. “
“Perhaps someone else should take over today’s session-“
“No one else can, ” Leia said sharply.
“Then someone should be in there with you. “
“Nil Spaar expects to meet in private with the Chief of State of the New Republic. That’s what he insisted on. That’s what we agreed to. We can’t make any changes an hour before the session-not without giving offense, ” Leia said, and closed her eyes. “Just go away and let me have a few minutes of quiet. I’ll be ready when the time comes. This isn’t a crisis. Everything will be fine. “