[Black Fleet Crisis(91)

“That’s correct. “

“I want to see a list, ” Ackbar demanded.

“We’ve prepared one, and transmitted it to everyone on the clearance sheet for this meeting, ” said Rieekan. “I do have some additional information, which was given to me just before I left the office to come over here. The viceroy received visitors today on board theAramadia -“

“What? ” exclaimed Nanaod Engh. “They haven’t allowed anyone but their own past the portal since that ship arrived. Who was it? “

“Senator Peramis, Senator Hodidiji, and Senator Marook, ” said Rieekan.

“They arrived together, and all stayed more than two hours. Senator Marook left before the others. “

“Do we know if they were invited or they invited themselves? ” asked Leia.

“I made a discreet inquiry to Senator Marook’s staff. It seems they were invited. “

“Have they been in contact with the Yevetha all along? “

“Princess Organa, I can’t answer that. “

“Let’s get them all in here, and we’ll get some answers, ” Admiral Ackbar said testily. “Let Senator Peramis answer. “

“Easy, my friend. Let’s try to keep this in perspective, ” said Leia. “The viceroy has every right to meet with whomever he chooses. He doesn’t need our permission to hold a tea party. “

“Princess, forgive me-if you were not ready to hear the answers, why did you ask the question? “

Leia turned to Rieekan and frowned. “What are you talking about? “

“You asked if anyone had any notion why the viceroy was canceling his sessions with you. Now you learn that he’s met privately with some of the candidate legations, and publicly with

some of the Senate’s

most iconoclastic members. He’s not only broken all precedent, but pointedly extended courtesies to others that he’s never extended to you-and you refuse to draw the obvious conclusion. “

“Which is-“

“That something fundamental has changed. That your negotiations with Nil Spaar are over. “

“But what could have caused the change? ” Leia protested. “There were no problems at our last meeting. I can’t believe that he would throw all our work away without so much as a word! “

Admiral Ackbar, who was standing, was the first to notice the viewpanes of the conference room

beginning to hum.

The broad expanses

of transparisteel had been darkened against the morning sun and prying eyes, so he could not immediately see the cause of the tremor when he turned.

“Princess-a moment-“

“What is it? “

“I know that sound-” Engh was saying.

“Something big over at Eastport, ” Rieekan said.

“Can’t you hear it? “

By that time, Ackbar had strode to the controls for the viewpanes, and the room was abruptly flooded with light. As one, they turned their faces toward it and squinted into the glare.

They saw the bright spherical shape ofAramadia slowly ascending from the spaceport, with its three tiny escorts circling it like planets around a star. Ripples of atmospheric distortion rolled out of

scalloped depressions in its hull.

“I guess we’ll have to believe it now, ” said Engh.

“I have the port commander online, ” Rieekan said.

“Let all of us hear it, ” said Leia.

“Yes, sir. Go ahead, Commander-what’s happening out there? “

The roar of the Yevethan vessel’s pulse-lifters was louder over the comm line than it was in the conference room. “We’re still sorting things out. I can tell youAramadia did not request a launch window from the tower. Our first warning she was gonna lift was when she started to launch escorts. That wasn’t enough warning to get everyone clear of the downblast. There are six port sentries and at least three ground personnel injured, and the ship in the nearest bay, Motber Valkyrie, looks like it took some substantial damage. Those pulse-lifters are nasty-we’ve got reports of ships being bounced as far away as the commuter docks. “

“Thank you, Commander. Stand by, ” Rieekan said, and closed the link. “Princess, I recommend we immediately place the Home Fleet on high alert. “

“We must do more than that,

” said Ackbar. “I have

ordered theBrilliantto move into position to fire on theAramadia if necessary. “

“What? Why would that be necessary? “

“Princess, Ararnadia is inside our planetary shield, ” said Rieekan. “A ship that size could carry enough munitions to make quite a mess down here-at least the equivalent of a couple of Imperial assault frigates. We can’t wait until we know what she means to do to respond. “