[Thrawn Trilogy] - 02(156)

“We get ready for a boarding party,” Han told him. “Meet us in the portside main corridor just forward of the docking bay. We’ll see what kind of defense we can set up.”

“Right.”

Han shut down the comlink. “Let’s go,” he said.

“This had better be some defense,” Luke commented as they left the bridge and headed back down the portside corridor. “Especially when we’re talking maybe forty-to-one odds.”

Han shook his head. “Never tell me the odds,” he admonished the other, glancing at his chrono. It could be any time now. “Besides, you never know when the odds are going to change.”

“We can’t just abandon them,” Leia said again, dimly aware that she was talking to Fey’lya as if he were a child. “That’s my husband and brother out there, and a dozen good X-wing pilots. We can’t just leave them to the Imperials.”

“One mustn’t place personal considerations above one’s duty to the New Republic, Councilor,” Fey’lya said. His fur rippled, perhaps with appreciation of his own insight. But the blaster in his hand remained steady. “Surely you understand that.”

“It’s not just personal considerations,” Leia insisted, fighting hard to keep from losing her temper again. “It’s-“

“One moment,” Fey’lya interrupted her, touching the intercom switch. “Captain? How soon to lightspeed?”

“Another minute,” Virgilio’s voice came back. “Perhaps two.”

“As quickly as you can, Captain,” Fey’lya said. He shut the intercom off again and looked back at Leia. “You were saying, Councilor?”

Leia consciously unclenched her teeth. If Fey’lya’s aim would only shift-even a little-she might be able to risk jumping him. But as matters stood, she was helpless. Her rudimentary abilities with the Force weren’t nearly strong enough for her to grab or deflect the blaster, and he was nearly a meter out of reach of her lightsaber. “Han and Luke are vitally important to the New Republic,” she said. “If they die or are captured-“

“The Katana’s firing,” Karrde commented calmly, getting to his feet as if for a better view.

Leia glanced out the bubble as the distant Imperial ships were engulfed briefly in flame. “They know a great deal about the workings of the New Republic, Fey’lya. Do you want the Empire to get that knowledge?”

“I’m afraid you’re missing the Councilor’s point, Leia,” Karrde said, walking over to where she sat. He passed in front of her, dropping a data pad casually onto the tracking console beside her as he did so. “You’re concerned about your family, of course,” he continued, walking on a couple of paces before turning to face Fey’lya. “Councilor Fey’lya has a different set of priorities.”

“I’m sure he does,” Leia said, her mouth suddenly dry as she looked sideways at the data pad Karrde had set down. On its screen was a short message.

Turn on the intercom and com.

She looked up again. Fey’lya’s blaster was still pointed at her, but the Bothan’s violet eyes were turned toward Karrde. Setting her teeth, Leia focused on the board behind him and reached out with the Force : and without even a click the intercom was on. Another effort and the comm was, too. “I don’t understand,” she said to Karrde. “What other priorities could Councilor Fey’lya have?”

“It’s simple enough,” Karrde said. “Councilor Fey’lya is motivated solely by his own political survival. He’s running away from the fight because he’s put his most ardent supporters aboard this ship and he can’t afford to lose any of them.”

Leia blinked. “He’s what? But I thought-“

“That this was the normal crew of the Quenfis?”

Karrde shook his head. “Not at all. The captain and senior officers are all that remain, and they were mostly on his side in the first place. That’s why Fey’lya wanted a few hours before leaving Coruscant: so that he could shift duty assignments around and make sure everyone aboard was fully loyal to him.” He smiled thinly. “Not that any of them realized that, of course. They were given the impression that it was a special security arrangement.”

Leia nodded, feeling cold all over. So it wasn’t just the captain. The entire ship was on Fey’lya’s side.

Which meant it was over, and she had lost. Even if she was somehow able to take out Fey’lya himself she had lost.

“So you can imagine,” Karrde went on off handedly, “how reluctant Fey’lya is to risk losing any of them over anything so outmoded as loyalty to one’s comrades. Especially after having worked so hard to convince them of how much he cared for the average fighting man.”