Star Wars - Black Fleet Crisis - Shield Of Lies

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Star Wars - Black Fleet Crisis - Shield Of Lies Page 26

by Michael P. Kube-Mcdowell


  time.

  Then they were off to play, wading into the sea and leaving stories,

  lessons, and parents behind. Jacen was captivated by the idea of the

  narkaa and kept plunging below the surface in hopes of seeing one.

  Jaina loved the warm current flowing along the beach and said that

  floating in it and letting it carry her along made her feel as if she

  were flying. And even though the water was nearly as tranquil as Lake

  Victory, the little waves that broke at the shore and tumbled over

  themselves trying to climb up the beach proved a fascination to

  Anakin.

  The only blemish in the picture was Leia. She was present in body but

  not in spirit. Her mind was on matters far removed from the

  beach--matters Han had brought her there to forget, at least for a

  time. Politics and diplomacy and statecraft and war were still taking

  her away from all of them. And Nil Spaar's reversal from potential

  ally to determined adversary was still an open wound.

  "Dad?"

  Han twisted his head toward Jaina, who had come up unnoticed to stand

  close enough to drip water on his leg. "I'm sorry, I can't rescue your

  brother from the narkaa," Han said, squinting. "I left my hero suit in

  the cabin."

  Jaina just ignored his gibe, as she was wont to do when intent on her

  own business. "Jacen and I are going to go down the beach and look for

  sea motes. Okay?"

  "Okay," he said. "But don't go out of sight. If you can't see me, I

  can't see you."

  For a moment she gave him her impatient I-know- that-Dad look. But

  Jaina was learning not to throw away her victories, and said nothing

  more than a breezy "Thanks!" as she ran away to where Jacen waited.

  Han's gaze flicked to Anakin, who sat at the edge of the water carving

  pools and rivers with his fingers for the waves to fill, then to Leia,

  who had gone twenty meters up the beach with her comlink. After a

  moment's hesitation, he bounced up from the sand cover and started

  toward her.

  Leia's conversation ended before he was halfway to where she stood, so

  he heard none of it. He only saw her switch the comlink off and turn

  as if to come back to him. But when she saw him approaching, she

  waited for him there instead. "I'm sorry," she said, kissing him

  dutifully.

  "I didn't think that would take so long. Do you still want to go

  swimming?"

  "You may as well tell me the news first."

  "Admiral Ackbar says the Fifth has taken up station without incident.

  No sign of the Yevethan fleet."

  "Good," said Han. "Maybe that business is over now."

  "I don't think Nil Spaar makes empty threats. If anything, he

  understates them."

  "Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. I didn't kidnap you away from

  Imperial City so you could hold strategy sessions in a bathing suit."

  "I know," she said, taking his hand as they started to walk. "Ackbar

  says that Senator Tuomi raised a challenge to my credentials this

  morning."

  "Oh, here we go again--" "Tuomi said the refugee population of Alderaan

  didn't constitute a state, and we're only entitled to nonvoting

  membership and representation by a legate. And, of course, a legate

  can't be president of the Senate."

  "Isn't that old news? Wasn't that issue settled when the Provisional

  Council was dissolved?"

  "There are a lot of new members since then--Dran-nik is one of them.

  Members who weren't around when the Alderaan question was decided, who

  didn't have any part in the decision. I guess some of them want to

  have their say now."

  "But can they actually do anything to you?"

  "The Ministry Council could, in theory," she said.

  "But the chairman was a friend of my father's. I don't think he'll let

  this get very far."

  Han shook his head. "I have to tell you, Leia--nothing makes my head

  hurt faster than trying to keep straight who's really in charge of what

  around here. It seems like every time I think I've got the gist of it,

  someone comes along to rename half the offices and rearrange the rest

  of them."

  Leia laughed. "I guess it does seem that way sometimes.

  But you know that the first concern was to make sure there was never

  another Palpatine--to prevent any single person from acquiring too much

  power. Mon Mothma told me that the Senate worries more about success

  than failure. They'll tolerate ineffective leadership forever, but

  effective leadership frightens them."

  "Which is nuts," said Han. "How is anyone supposed to get anything

  done in a system like that?"

  "They're not. That's the whole point. No one's supposed to have the

  power that goes along with their responsibilities.

  I guess there are some in the Senate who think I've crossed that line,"

  she said, clinging to his arm. "Ackbar said Behn-kihl-nahm would call

  me when all the shouting was over and tell me how many senators spoke

  in support of Tuomi's challenge."

  Growling, Han snatched the comlink from Leia's other hand and broke

  away from her toward the water.

  After three long strides, he reached back and hurled the comlink out to

  sea with all the strength he could muster.

  It made a small white splash out beyond where the Thodian swimmer had

  been. A moment later, a sleek dark shape broke the surface near the

  splash, then slipped below again.

  "Han!" Leia's tone carried both puzzlement and rebuke.

  He turned back toward her. "I had to do it. It was trying to kill

  you."

  "What?"

  "Look at us. We're on vacation, for the first time in who can

  remember," Han said, slowly returning to her.

  "We're walking on a beautiful beach, hand in hand, with no kids

  climbing all over us--and we're talking about politics."

  She sighed. "You're right. It's worse than I realized."

  "Trust me. The New Republic won't fall if the President's out of touc h

  for a day, or three. And they're not going to get that mess all

  cleaned up while we're gone-you'll get your share of mop and bucket

  time."

  "Oh, that's comforting."

  Han stopped and turned her toward him. "Leia, you've given them enough

  of you. Can't you give your-self--us--these few days? If this isn't

  where you want to be, or what you want to be doing with this time, tell

  me, and we'll do something about it. And if I have to take you farther

  from the castle to break the spell the Wizard of Duty laid on you--"

  "Illafian Point is fine," she said. "It's beautiful here.

  And I doubt you could find a place that was any less like Imperial

  City."

  "Then stop worrying already.. Try to enjoy yourself, That's why you're

  here."

  She started walking again and pulled him along with her. "I'll try.

  But you're going to have to be patient with me," she said. "I'm kind

  of new to this 'having fun' business."

  "Oh?"

  "Oh," she said. "Being a princess of the royal family of Alderaan was

  a pretty serious matter, all things considered.

  Bail Organa's idea of recreation was to take some subject you kn
ow

  nothing about and try to become an expert in it."

  "You must have taken family vacations at drill school."

  "Close. We'd go visit friends of my father, or have them as guests at

  the palace, and Bail would always be saying 'Leia, this is my old

  friend Farblemumble. There isn't anything he doesn't know about

  noodlefishing, and he's offered to teach you nineteen ways to make a

  trap net out of an old sweater--'" Han was grinning broadly. "So

  that's why my clothes keep disappearing."

  She poked him with a finger. "And then I skipped right over the part

  Where I was supposed to be young and carefree--I was seventeen when I

  came here as a senator." She sighed weightily. "Oh, my stars--"

  "What?"

  "I just realized that I've been on Coruscant as long as I lived on

  Alderaan. A little longer, even." She shook her head. "Oh, I wish I

  hadn't realized that. I don't even like Coruscant that much, and now

  I've spent half my life there."

  "Really--that much? Ever been to the Ice Crypts?

  Walked the mazes in the Trophill Garden in East Minor?

  Heard a performance in the Kallarak Amphitheater?"

  "No," she said, and looked puzzled.

  "I thought not. You don't know Coruscant, Leia.

  What you know is Imperial City. And mostly the inside of rooms, at

  that."

  "You're right," she admitted. "I told you I wasn't strong on this

  'fun' business. --Did I ever tell you my first impression of Imperial

  City?"

  "I don't think so."

  "I wrote my father that it looked like a colony of squibs had moved

  into the Queen's collection of braaken glass." Leia laughed quietly

  and slipped an arm around Han's waist. "Bail thought the braaken glass

  was hideous.

  He understood."

  As they continued in an intimate silence, Leia cast her gaze about her

  at the sea, the beach, and the sky.

  "This is nice, Han," she said, as Anakin looked up from his sand

  sculptures and came running toward them.

  "Thank you. I don't feel quite so much like one of the squibs out

  here."

  Chapter 11

  "Admiral!" The nurse-medic saluted smartly. "Can I help you, sir?"

  I was informed that Plat Mallar has been removed from the bacta

  tank," said Admiral Ackbar, cocking his head slightly.

  "Yes, sir--about two hours ago. He's doing well.

  Dr. Yintal was able to speak to him briefly."

  "Where is Dr. Yintal now?"

  "Emergency, sir. There was an accident out at Biggs Field, just a

  short time ago--" "Yes," said Ackbar. "I know."

  "Do you have any information about what happened, sir? All we've heard

  here are rumors--" "A student in a TX-sixty-five missed his approach

  and crashed on a taxiway," Ackbar said. "Two other trainers and a

  command shuttle were hit by the debris. I have been told of three dead

  and sixteen injured."

  "Thank you, sir. That gives us some idea what to get ready for up

  here."

  "I will leave you to that in a moment," said Ackbar.

  "Did you say that Plat Mallar regained consciousness?"

  "Just briefly, right after he came out of the tank. He and Dr. Yintal

  exchanged a few words. But the prisoner's sleeping now."

  "Mind your words--Plat Mallar is not a prisoner," Ackbar said

  sharply.

  "I'm sorry, sir. I understood that he was an Imperial pilot, from an

  Imperial depot world--" "You are mistaken," said Ackbar. "He is a

  brave young man who risked his life to try to help his people.

  And I have taken a special interest in his welfare. I expect him to

  receive the very best care this facility can offer--is that

  understood?"

  "Yes, sir," the nurse-medic said contritely. "I understand, sir."

  "I would like to see him now. Is he still in Unit Number Five?"

  "Yes, sir. I'll take you there--" "That is not necessary," Ackbar

  said. "See to your preparations."

  The bacta tank in Intensive Care Unit 5 was vacant and drained. A

  young Grannan male lay in the IC bed nearby, monitor bands on his broad

  forehead, soft thorax, and left wrist.

  Standing close by the bed, Ackbar leaned over the patient and studied

  him closely. Plat Mallar's fingers were drawn up short into his

  skin-cuff, and his eye crease was closed and sealed with a thin bead of

  a glistening secretion. A clear gas tube pumped methanogen into Plat

  Mallar's respiratory sacs; an opaque red tube carried his poisonous

  wastes away.

  But his skin had regained the typical Grannan color and luster; despite

  the surroundings, he no longer appeared on the brink of death.

  "Good," Ackbar said to himself. "Good."

  Hoping that Plat Mallar's sleep was as restful as it appeared, Ackbar

  moved the self-adjusting chair over beside the bed, then settled his

  large body into it. Setting his comlink on the bed beside him where he

  could reach it quickly if called, Ackbar placed his hands on his knees

  in a familiar and comfortable posture.

  "Sleep, little one," he said quietly. "Sleep and heal.

  When you are ready, I will be here."

  Leaning forward across the control yoke, Han Solo peered sideways out

  the windshield at the steps leading to the main entrance to the General

  Ministry.

  "Where are The Sniffer and The Shooter?" he asked Leia. "I don't see

  them. You didn't tell Nanaod you were coming back today, did you. Do

  you want me to come in with you?"

  "No," she said, gathering up her robes so that she could climb out.

  "But I hope you'll be at home when I get there. I might need you

  then."

  "We'll be there," Han said, nodding. "You sure you don't need me to

  come up, now?"

  "I'm sure," she said. "I'm just going to go do what needs to be done,

  and we'll see what happens after that."

  The entrance to the Grand Ministry had once been the reception entrance

  to the Imperial Palace. Forty polished stone steps led up to triple

  metal-mosaic doors sheltered under a great cantilevered stone awning

  edged with eight stars--symbols of the founding signatories of the

  Declaration of a New Republic.

  The security monitors spotted Leia as soon as she stepped out of the

  speeder. A courtesy droid met her at the doors and opened one.

  Walking with long-strided purpose, she started down the main promenade,

  ignoring the expressions of surprise and whispers of curiosity she left

  in her wake.

  By the time she was. halfway down the main promenade, The Sniffer and

  The Shooter came running up from behind to join her. She did not break

  her stride, but continued into the General Ministry's central

  offices.

  The office staff rose at once as she entered. An older woman emerged

  from a back room and rushed forward to meet her.

  "Madame President," said Poas Trell, the first administrator's

  executive aide. "We weren't told you were coming--the first

  administrator is over at the Senate this morning--" "That's all right,"

  said Leia. "No special preparations were called for. Where is the

  minister of state?"

  "Minister Falanthas is meeting with the Vorkaan de
legation. But I

  could have him paged--" "No," said Leia. "That's not necessary

  either.

  Do you have the emergency petitions for membership?"

  "The originals? Why, yes--they're in Minister Falanthas's secure

  file."

  "I want them," said Leia. "And an endorsement tablet."

  "Of course, Madame President. Won't you let me call the administrator

  and Minister Falanthas?"

  "Completely unnecessary. They have their work to do, and I have mine,"

  Leia said. "We'll use your staff conference room, if it's available.

  You can witness."

  Plat Mallar stirred in the infirmary bed and made a noise that might

  have been a soft groan. Setting his datapad aside, Admiral Ackbar

  leaned forward and watched as the young Grannan's eye crease opened and

  his eyes sought to focus.

  "Good morning," Ackbar said, patting Mallar's hand. "Don't be

  afraid.

  Do you know where you are?"

 

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