[Black Fleet Crisis(92)

“This is insane, ” Leia protested. “It’s a diplomatic vessel. We have no evidence that it’s even armed. Why would Nil Spaar do such a thing? ” She looked back over her shoulder at Alole. “Any response? “

Her aide shook her head. “No, sir. No answer at all to your earlier messages, or to my redline page. “

“Princess, ” Ackbar said, “with respect, the question we need to be asking right now is not why he might do it, but what we can do to prevent it. We can’t afford the luxury of thinking we have friends on that ship. “

“I agree, ” said Rieekan. “The casualties at Eastport testify to Nil Spaar’s priorities. They had to know what the consequences of a full-power lift with no advance warning would be. They’ve demonstrated that their convenience was more important to them than the lives of our people on the ground. “

“Not convenience, ” Ackbar said. “This was no coincidence. This was calculated. He must have known that we were meeting. This was meant to embarrass you, just like the invitation to the senators. “

“No-I can’t believe that, ” said Leia. But her face wore a defeated expression. “Nevertheless-” She sighed. “Alert the fleet and the ground defenses. Instruct the captain of theBrilliant to take up position and stand by for further orders. But we will not be the first to fire-I want that understood by everyone. This

has to be a misunderstanding. Let’s not do anything to make it worse. “

Aramadiawent into orbit forty klicks below the lower limit

of Coruscant’s planetary shield, withBrilliant shadowing it astern.

There it remained for the next two hours, as mute and inscrutable as ever-in General Rieekan’s words, “running the yard like a dog who knows exactly where the fence is. ” Ackbar and Leia watched the orbital traces of both ships on a monitor in her office, with Leia growing more and more impatient.

“What is he waiting for? ” she demanded of no one in particular, pacing the room. “He was in such a hurry to raise ship, and now he just sits there. It doesn’t make any sense. If he’s planning to leave, he’ll have to ask for clearance to transit the shield, won’t he? “

“So far as we know, ” said Ackbar, “it’s not possible to jump through or over our planetary shield. “

“That’s what I thought. But if he has something else in mind, he’s squandered his moment of surprise, and then some. So what could this be about? “

“Maybe he’s giving us a chance to apologize. “

“Apologize? For what? Am I supposed to guess? It’s hard enough dealing with all the ones who won’t say what they mean, or tell you what they think you want to hear-what am I supposed to do when they won’t talk at all? They come here and expect me to dance at their protocol ball without ever showing me the steps-” As she spoke, Ackbar recoiled at the bitterness of her words and the harshness of her tone. Belatedly Leia noticed his reaction. “I’m sorry, ” she said, and sighed deeply. “It isn’t you. I just don’t understand why this is happening, and it’s making me a little crazy. “

“Princess, ” said Ackbar, “that may be exactly why it’s happening. “

At the rostrum of the huge Senate chamber, Behn-kihlmahm gaveled the body into order. He wondered at the unusual number of senators present for the opening-more than half the number seated, if his eyes did not deceive him.

There had been much talk in the corridor and the cloakrooms about the sudden departure of the Yevetha that morning, but that could not account for the turnout.

The first hour or more of each daily session was usually lost to self-serving speeches intended more for the homeworlds than for the senators’ peers. It was common to find the chamber empty except for those waiting to speak. Behn-kihl-nahm glanced at the list and could find no name that could explain the high attendance or the speed with which the senators were moving to their seats.

There is something here, he thought worriedly.

“The chair recognizes Senator Hodidiji. “

“I rise to speak on a point of privilege. “

“Senator Hodidiji is recognized on a point of personal privilege. “

Hodidiji rose at his seat and addressed the rostrum without benefit of the microphone available to him, his voice booming out across the rows of planetary representatives. “Chairman, a matter of substantial urgency has arisen since I first requested my time. Due to the seriousness of this matter, I elect to yield my time to Senator Peramis of Walalla, and I ask that this body attend carefully to his presentation. “