[Legacy Of The Force] - 08(23)

“Our diplomatic sources say that the GA is recruiting allies from outside its usual sphere of influence, “said Quille. “When the war is over, the map of the galaxy will look very different.”

Lecersen smiled. It always made him look more disturbing than when he frowned. “Well, there’s a big gap near Corellia where Centerpoint used to be, for a start.”

There was a ripple of laughter. Quille pressed on. “Rewards may be there for the taking, gentlemen.”

“In exchange for fighting Jacen Solo’s war for him, “said Rosset. “Is there anything we want badly enough for that?”

The discussion began rambling over the possibilities in a tapestry of voices. “Niathal’s war, too…”

“Oh, let’s not forget the admiral, shall we?”

“If an admiral was running it, it would be over by now.”

“Solo could always lose the war, of course.”

“If the GA is thinking this way, then perhaps the Confederation is, too, and maybe they’ve got a better offer.”

“Is there an offer?”

The silence was sudden. It was an excellent question. Pellaeon thought it was time to remind them that he was not senile, that he was not a figurehead, and that he did not lack informants.

“Bilbringi and Borleias, if we commit troops and ships to the GA.” Pellaeon let the names sink in. He still enjoyed that silent moment of revelation he could create in a meeting. Yes, it was vulgar theater to reveal what he knew of the offer leaked to the Moffs in that way, but it was also a shot across the bows of any Moff who thought he could best the old man. “And, of course, my question would be, what’s in it for us? Both those worlds are in the GA’s gift to give, but there’s still a small population in both systems, and we still might have to fight to take them. If it’s the latter, then all the GA is doing is turning a blind eye to any expansion on our part in exchange for our blood, and that seems to me like paying twice. If we wanted to expand, Solo would be in no position to stop us anyway while he’s so thinly stretched in this war, and we would need to commit nothing to his land-grab expeditions.”

“Then the question is whether we want to expand the Empire, “Lecersen said. “Do we?”

“I would be inclined to wait and see what’s left of the galaxy before we decide what we want, “said Rosset. “It flight be the difference between snapping up a bargain at a sale, and taking on a charity case that saps our resources.”

Pellaeon felt the surge of old emotions again. This was about duty. Wars left the galaxy in tatters, and the galaxy’s wounds were freshly healed after the Yuuzhan Vong War. It would take very little to tear the new tissue apart and make healing harder next time; some worlds had recovered very little in a decade. This was the situation an empire could avoid, could stabilize, could heal, but if it meant working with the likes of Jacen Solo-no, Pellaeon could never see that lasting. He might do business with Niathal, but not anyone as volatile and mystic as Solo.

We are the Empire. We bring order and justice for the common good.

The irony wasn’t lost on him; this was clearly Jacen Solo’s ideology, too.

“My problem with Solo, “Pellaeon said carefully, knowing that his exact words would reach Jacen sooner or later, and wondering if it was worth the effort to track the route, “is that he has no background in government or the military. Jedi are very good at being in opposition, being the conscience on the shoulder of leaders and keeping them on their toes, or even playing peacekeeping shock troops when needed, but they do not run things well. They’re doers, not managers… although I suspect Princess Leia has excellent leadership skills. Sadly, she’s not the one running the junta. How different life might be then.”

“Solo seems to be winning rather a lot for a man whose first uniform was a colonel’s, “Quille said.

“There’s a Mon Cal admiral in a shiny white suit to whom he owes at least some of that, I suspect.” Pellaeon realized Jacen was not a textbook Jedi and, from the rumors he was hearing, probably dabbled in the dark side, but the principle stood. The Jedi Council was part think tank, part special forces, part mystical reassurance for the ruling class; Jedi could nudge and steer, and even block, but they were used to being a small weight added to tip the scales. Jacen was from that tradition, but trying to be an emperor. He wasn’t up to the task.

“Are we taking a vote on this?” asked Rosset.

“There’s no formal offer, and so no motion on the table.” Lecersen drew the questions away from Pellaeon. “I would simply suggest that we keep a watching brief on the situation, and if an opportunity arises to clarify what Chief of State Solo has in mind, then we look to Admiral Pellaeon to explore it if he so wishes. The admiral has unique experience in seeing history repeat itself.”