[Thrawn Trilogy] - 02(19)

Han shrugged. “There’s a ship I promised to get out of impoundment for them. I can try that.”

“Do what you can,” Ackbar said. “You said Councilor Organa Solo’s brother was with you at Sluis Van?”

“Yes, sir,” Han said. “His hyperdrive needed some repairs, but he should’ve only been a couple of hours behind me.” He looked at Leia. “Oh, and we’re going to have to get Lando’s ship back to him at Sluis Van.”

Ackbar made a noise that sounded something like a choked whistle: the Calamarian equivalent of a grunt. “We’ll need to hear testimony from both of them,” he said. “And from Wing Commander Antilles, as well. It’s vital that we learn how the Empire was able to smuggle such a large force past so many sensors.

Leia threw Han a look. “According to Wedge’s preliminary report, they apparently were inside a freighter whose bold registered empty.”

Ackbar’s eyes swiveled in their sockets. “Empty? Not merely unreadable, as if from a sensor misfire or static-damping?”

“Wedge said it was empty,” Han told him. “He ought, to know the difference between that and static-damping.

“Empty.” Ackbar seemed to slump a little in his seat. “Which can only mean the Empire has finally developed a workable cloaking shield.”

“It’s starting to look that way,” Leia agreed soberly. “I suppose the only good news is that they must still have some bugs left in the system. Otherwise, they could have simply cloaked the whole Sluis Van task force and torn the place to ribbons.”

“No,” Ackbar said, shaking his massive head. “That’s something we won’t have to worry about, at least. By its very nature a cloaking shield would be more, danger to the user than it was worth. A cloaked warship’s own sensor beams would be as useless as those of its enemies, leaving it to flail about totally blind. Worse, if it were under power, the enemy could locate it by simply tracking its drive emissions.”

“Ah,” Leia said. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“There have been rumors for years that the Emperor was developing a cloaking shield,” Ackbar said. “I’ve put a good deal of thought into the contingency.” He harrumphed. “But the weaknesses are of small comfort. A cloaking shield in the hands of a Grand Admiral would still be a dangerous weapon indeed. He would find ways to use it against us.

“He already has,” Han muttered.

“Apparently so.” Ackbar’s swiveling eyes locked onto Leia’s face. “You must get me cleared of this ridiculous charge, Councilor. As soon as possible. For all his ambition and self-confidence, Councilor Fey’lya hasn’t the tactical skills we need against a threat of this magnitude.”

“We’ll get you released, Admiral,” Leia promised, wishing she felt that confident. “We’re working on it right now.

There was a diffident knock, and behind Leia the door opened. “Excuse me,” the squat G-2RD droid said in a mechanically resonant voice. “Your time has expired.”

“Thank you,” Leia said, suppressing her frustration as she stood up. She wanted desperately to have more time with Ackbar, to explore with him both this new Imperial threat and also discuss the legal strategies they might use in his defense. But arguing with the droid would gain her nothing, and might get her visiting privileges revoked entirely. Guard droids were allowed that kind of discretion, and the 2RD series in particular was reputed to be a touchy lot. “I’ll be back soon, Admiral,” she told Ackbar. “Either this afternoon or tomorrow.

“Goodbye, Councilor.” There was just a brief hesitation-“And to you, Captain Solo. Thank you for coming.”

“Goodbye, Admiral,” Han said.

They stepped from the room and started down the wide corridor, the G-2RD taking up position at the door behind them. “That must have hurt,” Han commented.

“What must have?” Leia asked.

“Thanking me for coming.”

She frowned up at him, but there was nothing but seriousness in his face. “Oh, come on, Han. Just because you resigned your commission-“

“He considers me one step up from a complete traitor,” Han finished for her.

An obvious retort about persecution complexes flashed through Leia’s mind. “Ackbar’s never been what you’d call an outgoing person,” she said instead.

Han shook his head. “I’m not imagining it, Leia. Ask Lando sometime-he gets the same kind of treatment. You leave the military and you might as well be tauntaun spit as far as Ackbar is concerned.”