[Black Fleet Crisis] - 02(102)

“That’s it,” Leia said. “That’s their answer.”

Han shook his head and frowned. “I think the translation is ‘Oh yeah?

Make me.”” He drew a deep breath and released it noisily. “What now?”

“We wait for Bennie,” Leia said. “In the meantime, I want to see it again.”

Eventually the meeting at the residence grew to include Engh, Rieekan, Falanthas, Behn-kihl-nahm, and Ackbar. There were several showings of the recording, particularly the later clips. No one who saw it failed to be concerned.

“Bennie? What do we do?” Leia asked. “Send another ultimatum? Tell them we know what they’re doing, insist that they stop? Maybe a firm deadline this time, and a clearly stated consequence for missing it.”

Behn-kihl-nahm’s jaws worked at her use of the nickname in that setting, but he said nothing of it. “It’s difficult to see what magic words would make another warning any more credible than the ones we’ve already sent.”

“We should give them more time,” Minister Falanthas said. “There may be an internal struggle over this—a split between the military and the civilian government.

What we see at Doornik Three Nineteen may not reflect the ultimate resolution. If we respond too forcefully, it could force them into an adversarial position.”

“In the little we know, at least, there is no evidence the distinction is meaningful in the Duskban League,” Ackbar said. “Nil Spaar acts with the singular initiative and decisiveness of an autocrat—an absolute ruler.”

“He’s calling your bluff, Leia,” Han said. “There’s no other way to read this.”

Rieekan nodded. “I agree.”

“Yes,” said Ackbar. “Those ships have hyperdrive.

If they came from N’zoth, they left after we sent the first warning.”

“I’ll have to come back to the Defense Council, then,” Leia said, looking at the chairman.

Behn-kihl-nahm inclined his head. “And if Senator Marook and Senator Deega prevail this time, now that the stakes are clearly higher? Do we call the Fifth Fleet home and walk away?”

Leia stood up and walked to the study’s viewpane.

From there she stared out into the quiet hedge garden, its sculpted shapes lit only by the nightglow of Imperial City. “We don’t know what’s happening on N’zoth,” she said finally. “We only know what’s happening on Doornik Three Nineteen, and that it’s unacceptable.” She turned to them, her arms crossed over her chest. “Will you support a blockade of Doornik Three Nineteen?”

One by one, they nodded or spoke their acquiescence.

Drayson was the last to respond.

“I do not think the Yevetha will be easily persuaded of

their vulnerability, or our resolve,” he said slowly.

“But it seems a reasonable next step, even if it should

prove insufficient.”

Leia nodded an acknowledgment, then moved away from the viewpane and rejoined them where they sat.

“Admiral Ackbar, does General A’baht have what he needs to securely blockade that system?”

“We should consult with him on that,” Ackbar said.

“With at least one Yevethau Star Destroyer already there, the general will need to come in with overwhelming force or risk immediate hostilities.”

“Let’s pull up the rules of engagement for planetary blockade and review them with that in mind,” Leia said.

Behn-kihl-nahm stood. “Madame President, if you will excuse me—the decisions that remain do not require my presence, and I would like to go home to be with my family. Minister Falanthas—will you walk with me?

There is a small matter I need to discuss with you—” With the seats on either side of him suddenly empty, Nanaod Engh found a reason to excuse himself as well.

Leia looked questioningly at Ackbar when Engh was gone.

“These are hard enough decisions for soldiers,” Drayson said. “You cannot blame them if they want to distance themselves enough so that they can sleep.”

“Why should they be the lucky ones?” Han said grumpily, and sighed.

“Oh, hell. Here we go again.”

“No,” said Leia firmly. “We’re doing this to prevent a war, not to start one. But that means we have to teach Nil Spaar that he misread us. That’s going to be General ˇ A’baht’s real mission. Nothing more.”

General A’baht turned away from the display with the blockade order.

“Finally,” he said. “Finally.”

“What?” asked Captain Morano.

“We’re going into the Cluster,” A’baht said. “We’re going to deny the Yevetha the use of Doornik Three Nineteen as a forward base.” A’baht looked past Morano to the lieutenant at the comm station. “Call my tactical staff. Bring in the secondary screens. And alert all commands to prepare for redeployment.”