Part 20 (2/2)
”You think they've been studying us. ”
”They'd be fools if they weren't, and I don't think they're fools, ” said Drayson. ”That Yevethan s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p has had access to the Republic hypernet and the planetary NCI channels since the second day it was here. And the viceroy has had unimpeded access to the Chief of State of the Republic. Meanwhile, I can't even confirm how many League worlds there are, or their names and locations. I've been shut out completely, and I'm not accustomed to that happening. ”
”Is that why you're having this conversation with me instead of with the princess? ”
”That's one reason, ” said Drayson. ”The other is that you're going out there with thirty wars.h.i.+ps, and she's not. ”
”Can you tell me anything about what I'm likely to find? ”
”Some. There are several worlds on the fringe of the Cl.u.s.ter which are inhabited by species other than the Yevetha, ” said Drayson. ”Along the border, there's a sizable colony of Kubaz, two small mining installations owned by the Morath, and a commune of H'kig cultists who apparently left Ris.h.i.+ over a doctrinal conflict. A little farther in, there's a nest of Corasgh established by the Empire and then abandoned, and a droid-run Imperial factory farm, likewise abandoned, which represents a free lunch for any cargomaster willing to risk the trip. ”
”The droids are still tending and harvesting crops? ”
”Yes. Put a s.h.i.+p down at the loading docks, and the droids fill the hold without even being asked! ” said Drayson. ”Now, all of those are new since the last general survey of that sector, and there could be more. Based on that survey, there are also at least five indigenous sentient species in the Cl.u.s.ter, none of which have achieved hypers.p.a.ce travel. Some haven't even gotten off the ground. ”
”Not a very likely place for the Empire to put a key forward s.h.i.+pyard. ”
”Not with the Yevethan worlds nearby. ”
”Do you think they have the s.h.i.+ps? ”
”It would have been unusually sloppy of the Empire to allow that to happen, ” said Drayson. ”But I don't rule it out. ”
”It would be nice to know. ”
”Wouldn't it? But I don't. Chances are you'll end up finding out and telling me, instead of the other way around. ” Drayson rubbed his eyes, then finger-combed his short black hair. ”But here's something I keep thinking about. The Yevetha had just achieved interplanetary s.p.a.ceflight at the time of the general survey. Very bright, technically clever, rather proud of themselves, but no threat to anyone. ”
”Then the Empire shows up. ”
”And puts the Yevetha to work for a few years in Imperial s.h.i.+pyards, building and repairing vessels which represent a big leap beyond what the Yevetha had been doing on their own. Whether or not the Yevetha acquired any s.h.i.+ps or s.h.i.+pyards from the Empire, they almost certainly acquired the knowledge of how to build them. ”
”They could have created their own Black Fleet. ”
”Indeed, ” Drayson said. ”How's your memory, General? ”
”Why? ”
”I'm going to teach you a code, ” Drayson said. ”If you begin a message with it, that message will come to me without ever being seen at Fleet Headquarters. And if I send you a message, that same code will decrypt it. ”
”I don't like this, ” said A'baht, frowning deeply.
”And I don't believe I like you, Admiral. If Admiral Ackbar hadn't spoken up for you, I would wonder at your loyalty. Now I find myself wondering at his judgment. **** Are you asking me to conspire with you to conceal information from the president or from Fleet Command? ”
”Let me answer your question with a question-do you trust Leia's judgment where the viceroy and the Yevetha are concerned? ”
A'baht looked away and remained mute.
”That's why, ” said Drayson. ”The purpose of the code isn't to conceal anything. Just the reverse-it's meant to ensure that you can get the information you need, and that you can provide us with the same in turn. Information that might otherwise be filtered out by the prejudices of those who control the comm channels. ”
A'baht drew a deep breath and sighed. ”This is the real reason for this meeting. ”
”Only one of several, ” said Drayson. ”I want you to have everything you need to do your job out there, General. I want you and your people maintaining a high level of alertness through the whole deployment. I want you to see the punch coming, if there is one. I want you to come back without ever having had to open your gun ports. But if you do have to open them, I want you to know who you're trying to kill, and why. ”
”Is that all? I have people waiting for me. ”
”No, ” said Drayson. ”There's one more thing. I understand you know Kiles L'toth, the a.s.sociate director of the Astrographic Survey Inst.i.tute. ”
”We served together in the Dornean Navy. ”
”More than that, you were friends. Perhaps he even owes you a favor. ”
”Now I'm sure I don't like you. You know too much. ”
”You're not the first to think so, or say so, ” said Drayson.
”I want a better answer than that, Admiral. What does Kiles have to do with this? ”
”Nothing, yet, ” Drayson said. ”I just think it's been much too long since you and Kiles talked. A pity there's so little contact between the Fleet and the civil service. Sometimes I think they're two completely disconnected worlds. ”
The bark in A'baht's voice betrayed his growing anger. ”Speak plainly! What are you getting at? ”
”The Inst.i.tute is a long way from the Fleet Office, or the Palace, ” said Drayson. ”About as far away from the Senate and the president and the inner circle as could be. It must be nice not to have everyone breathing down your neck. It must be nice to be able to just do your job, without anyone questioning your every move. And they've been given everything they need-a whole fleet of astrographic and survey vessels. ”
A'baht stared, struck silent.
”Maybe you should call him before you leave, ” Drayson suggested softly.
A frown hardened A'baht's gaze still further as he weighed the implications. ”I don't like you, no, sir, ” he growled at last.
”You don't have to. ”
”No, I suppose I don't, ” said A'baht, and hesitated. ”But I suppose you'd better teach me that b.l.o.o.d.y code after all. ”
”Kiles. ”
”Etahn? What are you doing calling at this hour? ”
”Calling in a debt, ” A'baht said.
”I'll be glad to have it paid, ” said Kiles, touching the stump of his right leg unconsciously. ”Long overdue. What do you need? ”
”How many of your s.h.i.+ps can you put together quietly, without attracting a lot of attention? ”
”How quickly? ”
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