[Black Fleet Crisis(34)

“Then you must realize that if the Yevetha win the benefits of membership without the obligations, there’ll be an uproar in the Senate, and in thousands of capitals. And if the Yevetha are granted privileges not available to our members, you can expect hundreds of member worlds to resign. “

“That won’t happen, ” Leia said. “I expect that any treaty with the Yevetha will provide them with only a subset of the rights contained in the articles of confederation-no open markets, no monetary controls, no dispute resolution, no voice in the Senate, no military umbrella-“

“The presence of a shepherd is frequently undervalued in the absence of a wolf, ” said Behn-kihl-nahm.

“Maybe so, ” Leia said. “But there’s a lot to be gained by forging a link-any link, to start-with the Yevetha. The Senate will understand that. “

“Many a foolish notion has won support in that body, ” Behn-kihl-nahm said, “and many a falsehood has enjoyed currency in that room. Princess, no matter how much we want that ally on the Inner Line, or access to Koornacht’s metals and the Yevetha’s technology, we must always be aware of the price. We are not the suitors-they are. “

“Thank you for your counsel, Chairman. “

“Remember that Cortina and Jandur also came here full of prideful bluster, and both eventually signed the standard articles of confederation. And that was long ago, when membership meant less than it does today. “

“Time! ” called the aide.

Leia emptied her glass quickly. “If you’ll excuse me, Chairman-” Behn-kihl-nahm nodded and backed away, leaving her alone with Admiral Drayson and a recording droid.

“End recording, ” said Drayson. A black droid controller was all but concealed in his hand. “Princess, may I have a moment? “

“A moment, but not much more. “

“I’m concerned about the process, about the fact that all your advisers must rely on secondhand reports. It makes it difficult for them to provide you with the independent counsel you expect from them. “

“What are you suggesting? “

“That I arrange for more eyes and ears in the room with you. I could provide you with a burst-transmission comlink small enough that even General Solo would be hard pressed to find it. “

“I don’t expect to be frisked by the viceroy, ” Leia said curtly. “And you can’t promise me the comlink would be undetectable by the Yevetha-can you? If we can listen in, in theory so can they. “

“Quite true, ” said Drayson. “Technical assets are always subject to discovery. Of course, if they were covertly monitoring the sessions themselves, they wouldn’t be likely to-“

“Do you have evidence that they are? “

“No. But sometimes I find it more prudent to assume what’s not in evidence than believe that what I can’t see isn’t there. “

“Admiral Drayson, I’m afraid I don’t understand that

thinking. Especially in this instance. “

“Time, Princess Leia, ” called Alole, peering back into the room from the corridor.

“Coming, ” Leia called. “No ‘technical assets’ in the Grand Hall, General. We’ll have to make do with my eyes and ears. I won’t take the chance of confirming their worst fears by being caught spying. Understood? “

“Of course, Princess. “

The Yevethan ground skimmer that picked up Nil Spaar in the bowels of the Imperial City administrative complex discharged him a few minutes later in the bowels of the embassy shipAramadia .

There was no one there to greet him, but that was no surprise. Nor was the fact that the driver waited inside the skimmer for Nil Spaar to climb out on his own and walk the few steps to the airtight exit hatch on the front wall. As soon as the hatch closed behind him, a thick yellow gas began to fill the chamber where the skimmer hovered.

Shortly afterward a scalding spray poured down on the skimmer from thousands of tiny jets, chasing the yellow mist down vents and drains.

Behind the hatch, Nil Spaar found himself in a sanitary entry station.

The drill had already become familiar to him, but that day there was more urgency to his motions. Quickly removing his clothing, he dropped it into a sterile incinerator. There was a reassuring pop and hiss when he sealed the loading chute.

The face of the incinerator grew warm to the touch.

Then Nil Spaar stepped into the scrub chamber.

With eyes closed, he invoked the needle-spray showers-first the gentle rain of the fumigant, then the agonizing bite of the scrub jets.

As the water pelted his body, his expression softened to

one approaching bliss. He lingered in the scrub chamber, willingly enduring a second cycle of cleansing. Then he passed through the inner door, where waiting hands draped his body in a fire-blue gown.