“Verified-Drayson, Hiram. “
“Call Kiles L’toth. Scramble. “
“Calling Kiles L’toth. Waiting. Verifying. Ready. “
“Kiles-this is Drayson. Is that one of your ships being splashed all over the grids by the Yevethan ambassador? “
The associate director’s voice was shaky. “We, uh-yes, we think so. It could be theAstrolabe . She’s four hours overdue for her logout from Doornik N1142. “
“Four hours. The viceroy said this happened four days ago. How is it you didn’t know you’d lost a bird? “
“Admiral, you know there’s not usually much traffic while they’re in-system. Look, what he’s saying-it’s not true. Astrolabe wasn’t on a spy mission. This was routine survey work-“
“I didn’t ask, ” said Drayson. “But others will. Better work on your answers. “
Princess Leia’s face paled when three red body bags appeared briefly on the monitor.
“I regret to report that there were no survivors, ” Nil Spaar was saying. “We were able to recover three bodies, which we are prepared to make arrangements to return. “
The viceroy’s face reappeared. “But we cannot and will not negotiate this or any other matter with President Princess Leia Organa Solo. Everything she has said to us has been revealed by her actions as a lie. She claims to negotiate in good faith, while she sends spies to our homelands. She claims to respect our independence, and yet she sends a New Republic fleet toward our territory. She claims to want a treaty between equals, and yet she seeks to weaken our position with espionage and threats.
“I do not know that any act is beyond her, if she thinks it will help secure her power. I am gravely disappointed to learn that she falls so short of the ideals to which the New Republic aspires.
“At this very moment, I, my staff, and my crew are imprisoned within the planetary shield of Coruscant. We are being hounded by a battle cruiser of the Coruscant Home Fleet. We want nothing but to return to our homeworld-but Princess Leia stands in our way, denying us the freedoms to which she so glibly gives lip service.
“I ask the chairmen of the Senate a nd each member world represented there to use whatever influence you can to persuade the princess to abandon her needlessly reckless and aggressive course. Open the shield. Allow us to go home. “
The Senate erupted in angry voices and harsh words as Nil Spaar’s face vanished from the displays.
“Turn it off, ” Leia said, and slumped into a chair.
“Turn it off! ” she repeated sharply when Engh and Ackbar were slow to move.
Engh finally complied, and the monitor dimmed to the color and brightness of the wall on which it hung. For a moment there was silence in the room.
Ackbar turned away to the viewpane, embarrassed for his friend. “This is a disaster, ” he said simply.
“He’s misinterpreted everything, ” Leia said disbelievingly. “How could this have happened? We played right into their strongest fears. How could it have gone so wrong? “
“Leia-we must do somethings” Engh pleaded with his eyes.
She nodded, and it seemed a great effort. “Contact General Baintorf. Have him open the shield. Tell theBrilliant to break off. Let them go. Ask Benny if he’ll appoint a representative of the Senate to arrange retrieval of the bodies. “
“Yes, Princess. Right away. ” Engh excused himself as though glad to escape.
“Flawlessly played, ” said Hiram Drayson. He stood with crossed arms before the monitor, watching as Senator Peramis and Senator Hodidiji submitted Articles of Withdrawal for their respective worlds. Three other small worlds, all represented in the Senate by their hereditary rulers, followed suit before Behn-kihl-nahm succeeded in suspending the session.
As the grids broke away from live coverage to analysis, Drayson called up a recording of Nil Spaar’s address. “Utterly flawless, ” he said after watching the replay, affirming his original judgment. There was more than a touch of admiration in his voice.
“But there’s one missing piece, Viceroy, ” he added, stroking his face with one large hand, a thoughtful expression in his intent black eyes.
“What did it gain you? What’s the payoff for weakening Leia’s hand and stirring up the Senate? There’s something not seen here-” Turning back to his desk, Drayson spun his computer toward him. “Verify. “
“Verified-Drayson, Hiram. “
“Call Etahn A’baht. Scramble and blind-route. “
“Calling Etahn A’baht. Working. Waiting, Verifying-“
“Admiral Ackbar. “
The big Calamari turned away from the viewpane to find the princess standing near the door. “Yes, Leia. “