[Legacy Of The Force] - 08(69)
“I know, “Jaina said. “And I’m very sorry that you never got any help from Coruscant after the war.”
“I’m not. It means we don’t owe you naas.”
So Gotab wasn’t Kubariet. There was something in his Force presence that stuck in her mind. It wasn’t the resentment and suspicion, which was odd enough in a Jedi, but the… the…
It was like identifying a few bars of a tune; familiar enough to re-create the whole song, but just out of reach of memory…
Healing.
Gotab could heal.
She saw it now. He had that same Force impression of quiet weariness, of being a buffer against adversity, that she’d encountered in other healers.
That just intrigued her more, but she wasn’t here to be fascinated. She was here to improve her chances of arrest-ing her brother and stopping his self-destructive, galaxy-destroying descent into total darkness.
She stuck her fork in the last slice of nerf on the serving plate, something she would never do at home.
Be a different Jaina.
She could.
IMPERIAL DESTROYER BLOODFIN, IMPERIAL DOCKYARD, RAVELIN
So, Admiral, “said the executive officer, “you approve?” Pellaeon surveyed the new Destroyer’s bridge, a tableau of definitive standards frozen in a moment of paint-scented perfection.
“She’s splendid, “he said. “I still have misgivings about using the best tableware when we have such rough company for dinner, so to speak, but she can’t remain a decoration.”
He wandered into the holochart. The projection was big enough to stand within. He had his doubts about that refinement, too, because he didn’t feel it gave him the best theater overview to fight the ship, but he could always use one of the bridge repeaters. That was more his scale.
“Let’s try the comm system, shall we? Get me Admiral Niathal.”
“Very good, sir.”
Cha Niathal should have had contacted him by now if only to vent her spleen. His sources-old friends and comrades simply staying in touch, never spies-said that there was now a bigger war going on between Niathal and Solo than there was on the front line. She’d be looking for an ally.
Well, there was only room for one backside on that big chair. What did they expect from power sharing?
If Niathal had any sense…. she’d be looking for a tri-umvirate. Pellaeon had sense, and he wasn’t sure he’d want to make up the numbers.
“Gil, “said Niathal’s voice.
He turned and smiled at the holoscreen. She looked tired. Mon Gals’ eyes were indicators of their fatigue; hers were dull and had lost their shine. “How are you, Cha? Has the boy left you in charge?”
“We all miss your humor greatly. So this is Bloodfin.”
“Indeed. Turbulent-class. Smaller and more agile. I thought I’d give you the holographic tour.”
“Actually, I’m glad you made contact. Much as I’d love to scrutinize Bloodfin, could we discuss a confidential personnel matter?”
Pellaeon gestured to the XO to indicate he was moving to his day cabin to continue the conversation. Hatch closed behind him, he diverted the link.
“Go ahead, Cha.”
“By all means say I told you so.”
“Ah, Jacen. Very well, I did mention it, but let’s move on. In a few days, we’ll be committing ships and troops to Fon-dor. If there’s anything you want to tell me, now would be a good time.”
“He’s prepping to mine Fondor’s approaches and cut off the orbitals in a few hours, and he’s talking about a first-assault phase within a week. Has he discussed his detailed plan with you?”
“He tells me he’s getting under way at twenty-three fifty-nine Coruscant time, which is… let’s see… three standard hours’ time. Isolate the planet, secure the shipyards, then move on to the planet itself.”
“Define move on.”
“He expects a surrender, he says.”
“Do you?”
“No, I think he’ll have to occupy it, and first he has to take the capital.”
“I estimate he has enough troops to take the orbitals, and that’s all. So level with me, Gil, because I don’t trust Jacen to value my crews’ lives now-has he offered the Imperials Fondor? Are you planning to occupy it?”
Pellaeon didn’t have a yes or no answer to that. An I-thought-about-it-and-we-might-have-to wouldn’t help.
“He has made no such offer, “he said, “nor hinted. He may want us to interpret his silence on the matter as a hint that it might be on the table, to ensure our attendance, but unless he has some elaborate plan for troop deployment that he hasn’t shared with me, then once his troops are committed to the shipyards, the only forces left to land on Fondor are mine. In which case… he’s left the doors open for us to rob him.”