[Black Fleet Crisis(97)
“Why was one of our ships anywhere near Koornacht? Did you know anything about this? “
“I do not have any answers, ” Ackbar said uncomfortably.
“Try to find some for me, ” she said, and turned away.
“Where are you going? “
Leia looked back over her shoulder. “Home, to think about resigning. “
“Leia-“
“Don’t try to argue with me, ” she said. “Not now. Maybe tomorrow. “
The Battle Operations Center of the fleet carrierIntrepid was deserted except for two generals carrying unhappy burdens. General Etahn A’baht carried the burden of knowing what he had done, while General Han Solo carried the burden of knowing what must come.
For more than two hours A’baht had been signaling Coruscant, attempting to speak directly with Princess Leia. All his attempts, using every direct and indirect route available to him, had failed.
He had reached Fleet Operations, the administrative message center, an apologetic first administrator, an uncharacteristically taciturn Admiral Ackbar, the president’s communications and protocol droid, and message boxes for half a dozen offices and their highly placed occupants. But Leia herself seemed to have disappeared from the command and communications structure of Imperial City, and no one A’baht spoke to seemed overly eager to look for her.
Finally Ackbar had agreed to carry a message for A’baht to the resident’s residence, asking Leia to contact him on board theIntrepid . That was when the waiting began-an excruciatingly tedious exercise in clock-watching and uncomfortable silence. The sprawling BOC, which easily absorbed dozens of
officers and ratings
when staffed, seemed
as claustrophobic as a cell inIntrepid’s brig.
When the hypercomm finally lit up and squawked a Red Line alert, both men started. When the holodisplay brightened to show Leia from the shoulders up, Han was startled and dismayed by how pallid her face was, how dark and lifeless her eyes.
“General A’baht, ” she said with a nod. Her voice was husky, and she cleared her throat after she spoke.
“Princess Leia, ” said A’baht. “Thank you for responding to my request. “
“I understand from Admiral Ackbar that you have some information for me. “
“Yes, Princess. ” He straightened his back and sat tall in his chair.
“I am the person responsible for the astrographic probes being sent into Farlax. Before the Fifth sailed, I requested an updated survey of that sector, including Koornacht Cluster. I did this with the full knowledge that this was in violation of your orders. I offer no excuse, and accept full responsibility for my actions. “
There was hardly a flicker of reaction on Leia’s face. “Thank you, General. You are relieved of command, effective immediately. The next person to sit here will decide the rest. ” Her eyes sought Han.
“General Solo. “
“Yes, Leia, ” Han said, stepping forward.
“I’m placing you in command in General A’baht’s stead. Your orders are to bring the Fifth Fleet back to Coruscant as soon as possible. “
“Uh-Leia-“
Her pain shone momentarily through the mask of numbness. “Just come home, Han-please. ” The holodisplay went dark.
A’baht turned away from the hypercomm. “I’m sorry, ” he said, standing. “You will need to recall the patrols before turning the formation. “
“What? Sure. Now forget excuses, and tell me why you did it. ” When A’baht hesitated, Han added, “That’s an order. “
“Very well, ” said A’baht. “I believed I had been denied the information I needed to do my job properly-both parts of my job, protecting my command and protecting the New Republic’s interests. Princess Leia made a military decision for political reasons, and it left me in an untenable position. I attempted to make an end run around her objections by going outside the Fleet, to the Astrographic Survey Institute. You already know the results. “
“I think I do. Do you? “
“What do you mean? “
“That flatfish was no spy ship. “
“No. “
“And it didn’t blow itself up, did it? “
“No. “
“Then maybe it found what you wanted it to find-what you were worried is out here. “
“Perhaps so, ” said A’baht. “But it doesn’t matter. The probe made no report, and there’ll be no more probes sent into that area. Whatever secrets the Yevetha have, they’ll keep. ” He saluted diffidently.
“Request permission to return to my quarters, sir. “
Han frowned. “Granted, ” he said, and A’baht headed for the hatchway.