These were his thoughts as he stood on the Anakin Solo’s bridge, looking out through the forward viewports in a rare moment of inactivity. Ahead and down, relative to the ship’s keel, he could see a Golan III Space Defense Nova-Gun, one of several space stations, packed with shield generators and weapons, guarding space above Coruscant. It was far enough away to be little more than an elongated blue triangle with tiny bumps and knobs all over it, like an odd-shaped blaster pistol aimed out into space. Also visible was the constant, soothing stream of vehicles and vessels entering or leaving Coruscant’s atmosphere-troop transports, freighters hauling military supplies, holonews transports, naval interceptors ensuring that everything was as it should be.
“Sir?”
Caedus turned to face the speaker. Captain Krai “Deuce” Nevil, a male Quarren with a distinguished record in starfighter operations, had, like many fellow pilots, made the transfer to naval operations and a command role when his cockpit skills had begun to diminish. Now he wore the blue naval uniform with the same professionalism with which he had worn the garish orange of the X-wing pilot, but Caedus sometimes wondered if he brought the same enthusiasm to his role as the Anakin Solo’s new captain.
Caedus nodded, acknowledging that he had heard his captain.
“Admiral Niathal is coming up, sir. On her personal shuttle.”
“Really.” Caedus considered that. Whatever news she brought had to be important enough that it couldn’t wait for their next regularly scheduled meeting; nor could it be committed to the potential insecurity of holocomm transmission. “Make standard preparations for her arrival and have Security do a sweep of my conference room.”
“Yes, sir.” Nevil saluted and withdrew.
Chapter 14
Niathal barely waited until her GAG security escort was out of the conference room and the door shut behind them before getting to the point; she did not even bother to sit. “Sadras Koyan, Corellia’s Five Worlds Prime Minister, is talking to us about changing sides.”
“Really.” Caedus sat and leaned back in his chair. “Just betraying the rest of the Confederation and risking retaliation.”
“My analysts suspect that the boost of hope he might have received when the Hapans withdrew from the war was lost when they isolated themselves from the Confederation again, and that he would much prefer to be on the winning side.” She offered a good simulation of a human shrug. “It’s not inappropriate for his psychological profile.”
Koyan had been Chief of State of the Corellian world of Tralus, but had been elected, by a majority though not unanimous vote of the other Chiefs of State when Dur Gejjen had been assassinated. A member of the aggressive Centerpoint Party, he had probably been seen by the other chiefs as the lesser of several evils in the succession scramble that followed Gejjen’s death. “What are they offering?”
“They want to negotiate with you-you specifically. We designate a point in space-any point-equidistant between Corellia and Coruscant. The two sides bring an equal number of vessels in equivalent class ratings. You and their negotiator can negotiate either face-to-face or ship-to-ship through tight-beam transmission.”
“Who is their negotiator?”
“I do not know.”
“Not Koyan?”
Niathal shook her head. “His profile suggests a distinct aversion to being in the company of dangerous people. This is clearly how he has survived so long.”
“I don’t like it.” No longer even pretending to be at ease, Caedus leaned forward. “Even if they give us the opportunity to choose the spot for the meeting, they can communicate that information to a secondary force…”
“As can we.”
“… which can then jump to that site and attack.”
“As can we. They have no advantage.”
“Except in insisting that I be there. If their plan is intended to be an attempt on me, then success on their part, even if military losses are equivalent, disrupts our own coalition government and removes me as a strategic resource for the military.”
Niathal cocked her head, a gesture of curiosity. “You are unusually cautious today. Learning from Koyan himself?” Caedus opened his mouth to hurl back a retaliatory remark, then closed it again.
Niathal was right. He was more cautious-not because of possible danger to himself, but because of danger to Al-lana. He was not going to let her be more than a few paces from him until the war was resolved. Taking her into the vicinity of what might be a trap was the last thing he wanted to do.
On the other hand, Niathal could not be allowed to learn that Caedus’s behavior was changing because of concern for the child. So far as she knew, Allana was a hostage, leverage against the Hapan Queen Mother. For Niathal to suspect that Caedus’s feelings were more personal, more heartfelt, could endanger both of them if Niathal ever turned against him.