laser directional from along the Koornacht perimeter,” said General Rieekan.
“Those signals will reach the Yevethan pickets in eight hours or less, and Doornik Three Nineteen thirty-four hours later.”
“And if for some reason they willfully manage to ignore all that, they cannot fail to notice two days from now, when we repeat this message and allow the grids to carry it to the general citizenry, to prepare them for what may come,” said Behn-kihl-nahm. “I have no doubt that the Yevetha still have spies on Coruscant. They will know what has transpired.” He shrugged. “Indeed, they may already know.”
Leia finished fussing with the drape of her robes and looked up.
“Where is Ackbar? Has anyone seen him?”
“I did,” Han said. “He was heading for his office with a big bundle under his arm, muttering something about too much ormachek. I think maybe he was having trouble with his dress uniform.”
Leia’s face relaxed into a smile for the first time in hours. “If he went all the way back into his closet for the Mon Calamari battle tunic he wore at Endor, this may take a while.”
Tugging uncomfortably at his own uniform, Han said wryly, “I could have used a tailor myself. I hope we don’t look more silly than scary, standing behind you.”
Behn-kihl-nahm patted Han on the shoulder.
“Don’t worry—the right message will come through.
And your presence is as much for domestic eyes as for Yevethan ones.”
At that point Ackbar arrived, resplendent in his white admiral’s tunic.
“Is that everyone now?” called the young consultant from Nanaod Engh’s staff. “Can I have everyone but the Princess here by the banner?”
The consultant quickly arranged the extras along the wall behind where Leia was to sit—Han, Ackbar, and Rieekan all in uniform to the left of the banner bearing the gold-trimmed New Republic insignia, Engh, Behn-kihl-nahm, and Falanthas all in diplomatic dress to the right.
Then he brought Leia in and sat her down in the cupped-hand pedestal chair, which effectively vanished behind her robes. Backing up, he studied his handiwork, then peered at the tableau on the reference screen for a few seconds.
“That’s all I can do,” he announced. “Princess, you can go ahead whenever the technicians are ready.”
The technicians were ready in short order. Then, at last, it was Leia’s room, and Leia’s moment.
“I am Princess Leia Organa Solo, President of the Senate, Chief of State of the New Republic, and Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Force.
I address myself to Nil Spaar, Viceroy of the Duskhan League, to the governments of N’zoth, Wakiza, Zhina, and the other Yevethan worlds throughout Koornacht Cluster, and to the commanders of Yevethan armed forces everywhere.
“Whereas Viceroy Nil Spaar has freely
and
openly
admitted
to responsibility for grievous crimes against the inhabitants of Morning Bell, Polneye, New Brigia, Doornik Six Twenty-eight, and other legally constituted settlements in and near Koornacht Cluster-“Whereas these crimes include the unprovoked wholesale slaughter of the inhabitants of these worlds, and the illegal and immoral seizure of their homes, goods, and territory-“Whereas these acts grossly and wantonly violate the fundamental rights of sentient beings and peaceful worlds everywhere, as well as the fundamental principles of moral conduct-“Whereas these are rights and principles to which the New Republic is wholly and unswervingly committed in both law and spirit-“I do thereby instruct and advise Viceroy Nil Spaar and the ruling authorities of the Yevetha to immediately relinquish and withdraw from the systems you have seized, surrender any and all property confiscated, and release unharmed any and all prisoners now held. If you fail to do so in a timely and responsive manner, you will leave us no choice but to enforce this directive by every means available to us.”
Her gaze burned into the lens of the holorecorder.
“Do not misjudge this—our will and determination in this matter are unwavering. Withdraw from those worlds you illegally and immorally seized, or be removed from them. Those are the only choices. The New Republic will not allow you to profit from acts of such unbridled barbarism.
“Ordered and recorded this day and before these witnesses at Imperial City, Coruscant, by President Leia Organa Solo.
“End transmission.”
When the technical staff signaled the recording was over, the gathering dispersed with surprising speed.
Ackbar, Behn-kihl-nahm, and Han all came to her with words of support, but only Han lingered.
“Sounded great from where we were, Leia,” he said, catching her up in a quick hug. “If it was me you were talking to, I’d know you meant business. Now—how long do we wait?”