by Kathy Tyers
for nuances of meaning... of hope. The only possible conclusion had been to
drive away these aliens or face a terrible fate.
So were the Rebels here to help, as they claimed? If they'd come hoping
to steal repulsorlift coils, they'd fallen into the Ssi-ruuvi trap along with
Bakura. They would have to help Bakura, now, simply to escape.
Gaeri eyed the delegates. Senator Princess Leia Organa, her own age, was
known throughout the Empire as one of the Rebellion's chief perpetrators. She
might be a deluded soul fighting for a lost cause, like Eppie Belden when
she'd had her youth and her mind, but she had risen to leadership. Gaeri hoped
to compare notes.
Princess Leia's dark-haired escort was no idealist, though. He watched
everything and everyone, especially their escape route. According to the data
files Governor Nereus had hastily sent Uncle Yeorg, this one--Solo - - was a
smuggler with a questionable past, a criminal record, and several blood
prices.
But the fair-haired one hadn't been in any of those files. He had a deep
calm about him that you could fall into. As the image of Dev Sibwarra warbled
on about the joys of entechment, Escort number two leaned forward for a better
view, although his upright posture did not appear to change.
Several trilling chirps drew Gaeri's attention back to the hologram. Here
it came the glimpse of the enemy. A massive upright lizard with a black V on
its face shuffled into the field and stared with a calculating black eye. "My
master, Firwirrung, has always treated me with the utmost of kindness, my
friends."
The senator on Gaeri's right muttered, "Bloody-handed Fluties."
"Good-bye for now. I look forward to meeting each of you personally. Come
to us soon." The image blinked off.
Now that the Rebels knew what Ssi-ruuk did to prisoners, Princess Leia's
face matched her white dress. She touched the smuggler's arm, and he bent to
listen to her whisper. Abruptly Gaeri guessed he was her Rebel consort. The
younger man slowly stared his way around the tables.
Time to speak up. "You see?" Gaeri called without standing. "This is a
threat against which we have no experience and no defense."
The young man nodded at her. He obviously understood their predicament.
"If I may be permitted to speak," called the gold-plated droid across the
chamber. "I found that spectacle utterly appalling. Mechanicals of all kinds
will be shocked by this perverse display of--"
Catcalls from around the chamber drowned it out. As projectors sank back
under floor panels, the Rebels stayed on their step below the governor's
chair. Princess Leia took another step downward. "Bakurans," she cried,
"whatever you think about droids, listen to me now. Let me tell my own story."
Gaeri rested her chin on her hand. The Rebel princess extended one hand
like a classical lecturer. "My father, Bail Organa, was viceroy and first
chairman of the Alderaan system, a trusted official of the Republic from the
days of the Clone Wars.
"When Senator Palpatine declared himself emperor, my father began to work
toward reform. Change proved impossible. The Empire has never been interested
in reform. It only wants power and wealth."
Gaeri's mouth twitched. True enough, if one-sided. The Imperial system
discouraged change and built economic stability. She shifted on her repulsor
chair.
"I was little more than a child when I began serving my father as a
diplomatic courier and not much older when elected to the Imperial senate."
She glanced sidelong at Governor Nereus. "The Rebellion was already active,
and as the Emperor surely guessed, I was not the only young senator involved.
My father had barely thrown in his open support when I was captured by the
Emperor's henchman, Lord Darth Vader, and taken on board his first Death Star.
"The Emperor claims that Alderaan was destroyed as an example to other
rebellious worlds. That is only partially true. I stood on board the Death
Star. I saw the order given. It was given to terrify me into revealing
information."
Governor Nereus rocked forward. "Princess Leia, that is enough--unless
you wish to be arrested for your crimes here and now."
Princess Leia's chin tilted defiantly. "Governor, I have only
strengthened your position. The Empire rules by fear. I have just given the
Bakurans one more reason to fear you."
But not respect him. Gaeri crossed her ankles, willing for the moment to
listen, if not to accept the Rebel point of view. That could have happened to
Bakura, if the Rebels hadn't destroyed that Death Star. Two senators in
Gaeri's field of vision shot covertly suspicious glances toward the governor.
"After the destruction of Alderaan," Princess Leia went on softly, "I
fled to Alliance headquarters. I have lived with its leaders, moving
frequently as the Empire continues to try to wipe us out. We mean to help you,
" she called. "The Alliance has sent one of its ablest military leaders,
Commander Skywalker of the Jedi Order."
Jedi? Caught with her defenses down, Gaeri reached for a pendant on her
necklace, the half-black, half-white enameled ring of the Cosmic Balance.
According to her religion, Jedi had upset the universe by their very
existence. For every height, there had to be a depth. She believed that every
time an individual learned to wield so much power, that diminished a hapless
counterpart somewhere in the galaxy. The power-greedy Jedi had puffed up their
abilities without regard for the unknown others they destroyed. Their
disappearance had become a morality tale, and the deaths of both her parents
left her profoundly religious. At least in the Balance she'd found comfort.
But had some of the Jedi survived? Commander Skywalker looked so young,
not at all like her idea of a Jedi, except his intensity. He'd stared right at
her when she spoke. He might be listening to someone's thoughts.
Was a single Jedi so powerful that the Cosmos had brought in the Ssi-
ruuk, reducing so many humans to droid-powering circuitry, to balance his
rising powers?
He turned. Blue eyes probed her again.
She blinked and glared, and she didn't look away until he did, so she got
the satisfaction of seeing his composure falter. He glanced at her again, then
shifted his booted feet and stared at the ground.
With that threat dispelled for the moment, she stared a little longer.
Something about him reminded her of Uncle Yeorg.
Chewbacca leaned against the bank of lockers, openly returning the stares
of six stormtroopers. He thought he could guess their intention to confiscate
the group's weapons and leave them helpless. One trooper had started walking
over a few minutes ago. A single teeth-bared growl had sent him back, but that
wouldn't last. Luke's astromech droid stood near the arch with his antenna
rotating. Artoo wouldn't be much good in a fight.
Chewbacca didn't mind the odds, though. One armed Wookiee against six
stormtroopers should be just about even.
He heard bootsteps. Another Imperial strode up the red marble hallway.
This one wore an officer
's on-duty khaki. Stormtroopers gathered around him
and spoke quietly.
Chewie fingered his bowcaster.
Leia hadn't missed the senators' whispers and sidelong glances at Luke.
She guessed she'd seen how she would affect people if she were a trained Jedi.
Luke had offered to teach her, but maybe it wasn't such a good idea. This was
Vader's legacy Even Luke's talents, used honorably to support justice and
freedom, made people afraid.
She must recapture their attention. She sidestepped toward the governor's
gilt repulsor chair. "Governor Nereus, don't you see? You must accept Rebel
assistance or risk your entire population. We are your only hope. Allow us to
help you turn the Ssi-ruuk back. We are not a large force, but we are well
coordinated and equipped with better striking ships than the Empire has
allotted you." Luke had shown her the BAC readouts.
Nereus pressed his effeminate lips flat, then said, "For the help you
have given us, we will allow you to leave the Bakura system unmolested, and
give you a head start back to Endor."
One senator jeered from the upper table, "If the Alliance is eager to
assist, why didn't it send us more ships?"
Luke spread his hands. "We're doing all that we can without--"
"You see," Leia interrupted, anxious to smooth ruffled feathers, "our
forces at Endor wish to return to their homes. Some may have already gone."
Nereus grasped the armrests of his chair, smirking at their exchange.
"We have sent to Endor, though. For reinforcements," Luke insisted.
Leia didn't like the way Governor Nereus's frown firmed. "But our Endor
troops are exhausted. Reinforcements could arrive within several days or not
at all." Don't work against me, Luke.
Han extended one stiff hand. "The point is, we're here to help you. Seems
like you ought to take advantage of the offer while it's open."
"Would you clear data files for our use?" Leia asked hastily. "On the
Ssi-ruuk, of course, and any on Bakura itself that wouldn't compromise your
security."
Governor Nereus covered his mouth with one meaty hand. Feeling like a bug
on a laser dish, Leia held onto her poise and tried mentally to nudge him into
cooperating. If this interview dragged on without a promise of mutual
assistance, they were sunk.
A tall, elderly man stood up at one of the lower tables. "Nereus," he
exclaimed, "take help where you can get it. Everyone on the planet knows why
the Rebels are here. If you turn away their help, you're going to provoke an
uprising."
"Thank you, Senator Belden." Governor Nereus narrowed his heavy-lidded
eyes. "All right, Princess Leia. You have your data files. They will be keyed
into the communications center in your apartment. Do you have any other
requests for the moment, before I have your guide show you to temporary
quarters?"
"Are you leaving the truce issue unsettled?" She bit back frustration.
"You've said your piece. We'll discuss it."
"Very well. Prime Minister Captison--" Leia hustled down to the inner
table and extended a hand, which the trim gentleman clasped momentarily. "I
hope we speak again." Leia led her party across the central rectangle, then up
the steps on the other side.
"Move it, Goldenrod," Han whispered as they passed Threepio. "And keep
your voice box turned off." He sprinted for the weapon locker. Chewbacca
greeted him with a snarl and warned that the troopers had been eyeing their
cache.
"Isn't that too bad?" Han plunged in for his blaster.
Luke stepped sideways. He held his deactivated saber one-handed, low in
an ambiguous stance, not quite attack ready. Han watched his eyes widen. "It's
all right," he said. "That officer has them under control."
"Who does?" Leia spun around. She stared hard at the conversing
Imperials. "He's from Alderaan," she whispered low. "I can tell by the way he
talks."
"Huh." That wasn't particularly comforting. Han settled his boot knife
and his pocket blaster. "What's the chance he's got an Alderaanian conscience
inside his Imperial uniform?"
"Not much," she said--but she said it to Luke.
Han straightened and stared. The black-haired officer looked like any
other Imperial like a target, with the kill zone marked by red and blue
squares. He turned around and then strode toward them. Han kept a hand near
his blaster.
Luke clipped his saber back to his belt and holstered his blaster, then
walked to meet the tall officer. Leia followed Luke, leaving Chewie with the
droids. "Cover us, Chewie," Han murmured, and he followed too.
"Your Highness," oozed the officer as he bore down on Leia, "what an
honor to meet you at last. Captain Conn Doruggan, at your disposal."
Han wouldn't've minded disposing of him for good, but Leia had slipped
into her senate manners again. "Captain Doruggan," she said with an elegant
nod. "This is Commander Skywalker, Jedi Knight." Then she condescended to
notice him. "And General Han Solo."
Luke shook the officer's hand, but Han kept his right hand low. He
glanced over his shoulder at Chewie. The Wookiee stared back, watching (and
covering) faithfully. Leia could take a few steadiness lessons from Chewie.
"We must be going," said Leia. "Thank you for introducing yourself."
The Imperial captain reached for her hand. Han pressed his palm to his
blaster, barely keeping his trigger finger disengaged. She met the handshake
and let him smooch her fingers. Immediately Luke glanced in Han's direction
and flicked his hand. He must've done something with that Force of his Han's
jealousy cooled a hundred degrees, but it didn't go out. Leia led them up the
echoing hall toward the roof port.
Following with Luke and Chewie, Han glared at Luke. "Don't do that to me,
" he said. "Don't ever do that." He'd been jealous before, of Luke. That'd
been unnec. This probably was too.
"I'm sorry," Luke murmured, eyes ahead. "I had to. We couldn't afford
what you wanted to do."
"I'll control myself, thanks."
Leia turned around and walked backward. "What's wrong, Luke?"
Not Han. Luke.
"Nothing." Luke shook his head. "I want to speak with... a couple of
those senators. And Commander Thanas promised to make contact today. Let's go
dig into our new data files."
CHAPTER 8
Their conductorstguide drove them by tram back across the Bakur complex,
then took them to a second-floor apartment. The instant the suite's door slid
shut behind Chewie, Han spun around. Leia guessed what he was going to say
from the sour look on his face. It would've curdled Bantha milk.
"You told them too much." He waved one arm. "Especially about the Endor
troops. Those Imperials don't need to know our people are exhausted. They'll
gather up every fightership for parsecs and wipe out the Fleet."
"No, they won't. They can't contact anybody else. They've tried."
Relieved, she laid her palms on his chest and looked up into his glittering
dark eyes. She'd expected a lecture about that renegade Alderaanian. For one
instant, the dead world had lived--bitte
r memories with the sweet. Imperial
policies had never been approved on Alderaan. It was a rare and suspect
individual who volunteered for Imperial service.
"Well, you did," he muttered. "Don't tell them so much."
"They'll assume--" Leia began.
"Hold it," said Luke. "Did anyone else hear the aliens' human say they
came "at the behest of your own Emperor"'? These Bakurans are ignoring it."
"I caught it." Leia stepped away from Han. "I'm trying to figure out how
to use it."
"Good."
"But did you--" Leia began again.
"Save it," said Han. He circled the apartment's main room, peering into
all of its floor and ceiling corners. Paneled in pale yellow natural wood, the
main room had a single long window looking out on one of the greenwells. A
hexagonal lounge pit filled the room's center, cushioned in green with small
blue pillows floating several centimeters above it. Han overturned every
pillow, then started rapping walls. "I don't mind telling you I'd rather sleep
on the Falcon."
"I wouldn't," sighed Leia.
Threepio stood by the door, one hand covering his restraining bolt as if
he were self-conscious. Sometimes his pseudoemotive programming amused her.
"Sir, droids require no rest. May I suggest that you humans sleep for a little
while? Artoo will stand guard--"
From beneath a hanging lamp, Artoo cut him off with a derisive hoot.
Han paused in front of a long, curving wall that displayed a real-time
forest mural. Its branches waved in an intangible wind. He peered at the
detail work.
Leia shook her head. Of course the Imperials were bugging them. They
probably had voice sensors trained on this suite from across the complex.
She said, "Obviously Nereus is the real power on Bakura. But he's trying
to keep the Bakurans quiet by letting them play government games."
Han turned around and leaned on the mural. "You bet he is. And he's as
bugged as a closet full of rat roaches about having armed Rebel ships in his
system."
"But the people aren't," Leia insisted.
"No," rejoined Luke. "The people just want to survive. So does Nereus,"
he added drily.
"So once he's safe," said Han, "he turns on us and wipes us out--if we
don't pay attention."