Part 18 (1/2)
”If Imperial Center actually allows such open defiance to occur,” Vokkoli rumbled, the subsonics from his deep voice sending vibrations through the table. ”The Freedonna Kaisu believe that Palpatine would respond instead by turning the full might of the Imperial Fleet against Shelkonwa.”
”Which is precisely why an alliance with the Rebellion is vital to Ch.o.a.rd's success,” Chivkyrie countered. ”Simultaneous attacks by our forces elsewhere across the galaxy would tie down many of the Imperial forces that would otherwise be used against Shelsha sector.”
[The s.h.i.+ning Hope agrees with Leader Chivkyrie that the political and psychological gains of such a move would be immense,] Slanni said. [But we do not agree that Ch.o.a.rd intends to actually join the Alliance.] He gestured to Vokkoli. [Nor do we believe, as Leader Vokkoli has suggested, that the Alliance possesses the military strength to sufficiently dilute Palpatine's response.]
”Whether or not our actions would be sufficient depends directly on the extent of Governor Ch.o.a.rd's preparations,” Chivkyrie pointed out.
”I agree,” Leia said, trying to sort through the implications of this unexpected bombsh.e.l.l. Slanni was right-the news that an entire sector had seceded from the Empire would be devastating to the illusion of unity that Palpatine had so carefully constructed around his New Order. It would create a natural rallying point for discontent and give the Rebellion a legitimacy the Alliance could never hope to achieve by itself. In fact, a breakaway sector could very well prove to be the beginning of the end for Palpatine's rule.
On the other, darker hand, it had been precisely the same sort of Separatist movement a generation earlier that had torn the Republic to b.l.o.o.d.y pieces. The last thing she and the other Alliance leaders wanted was a repeat of that era's ma.s.s chaos and death. ”Do we know anything about Ch.o.a.rd's own plans?” she asked Chivkyrie.
”I know he is preparing and positioning forces to take control of key installations,” Chivkyrie said. ”Beyond that, I have no specifics.”
”Specifics that are of primary importance,” Vokkoli said.
”Indeed,” Chivkyrie agreed, nodding to the Mungra. ”That is precisely why I asked Princess Leia Organa to join us.”
Leia felt her breath catch as she suddenly understood where the conversation was heading. Of course Chivkyrie hadn't talked directly to Ch.o.a.rd-a sector governor was vastly above him in tier rank, and for an Adarian that made a one-on-one conversation unthinkable. But Leia was a princess of royal Alderaanian blood, even if the world that had granted her that t.i.tle no longer existed. ”Do you know whether or not the governor would be willing to speak with me?” she asked.
”Chief Administrator Disra has a.s.sured me the governor would speak with anyone of his own tier,” Chivkyrie a.s.sured her. ”With your permission, we will leave immediately for Shelkonwa.”
”You haven't given him my name, have you?” Leia asked.
”Of course not,” Chivkyrie said, looking rather scandalized. ”For one thing, I was not certain whom the Rebel Alliance would send. For another, I would never have brought any name to him without permission.” He looked across the table again. ”But Chief Administrator Disra has warned me that the governor's preparations are nearly complete,” he added. ”If we are.
to be a part of this, we must move quickly.”
”I understand the need for haste,” Leia said. ”Yet Leader Vokkoli and Planning Director Slanni are also correct in their concerns. This would involve great risk for the Rebel Alliance, yet might come to nothing.”
”All of life involves risks that may come to nothing,” Chivkyrie said, some impatience creeping into his tone. ”You of the Alliance leaders.h.i.+p claim you seek to draw all enemies of the Empire beneath one roof. If you are unwilling to accept Governor Ch.o.a.rd to that gathering, perhaps it is not truly unity that you seek.”
[But is it our victory Governor Ch.o.a.rd seeks?] Slanni countered. [Or would he gain his independence only to turn and banish us from his territory?]
Thus turning Shelsha sector into a neutral zone, perhaps as part of a deal with Palpatine to allow Shelkonwa more freedom from Imperial rule?
Similar things had been done in the past, Leia knew, in the Corporate Sector and other places. If Ch.o.a.rd's new freedom was accompanied by public p.r.o.nouncements of his loyalty to Imperial Center, Palpatine might be willing to play along, especially if the alternative was to divert the military resources necessary to bring Shelkonwa back into fine. The end result would be that Ch.o.a.rd would gain the limited independence he apparently wanted, and the Alliance would have fought and died for nothing. Or it could be worse. Ch.o.a.rd could be a completely loyal Imperial, with all of this nothing more than an elaborate attempt to lure a few Alliance leaders into a trap.
”If we let this opportunity slip past unhindered, Governor Ch.o.a.rd will surely be defeated,” Chivkyrie said into her thoughts. ”His bid for freedom will become nothing more than a footnote to the dark history of Palpatine's rule.” He c.o.c.ked his head toward her. ”And the Republic Redux will need to consider whether the Rebel Alliance is truly the proper home for us.”
So there it was. Mon Mothma had warned Leia that Vokkoli and Slanni had threatened to pull out of the Alliance if Chivkyrie's plan was accepted.
Now Chivkyrie was delivering the same ultimatum.
One way or the other, it seemed, the unity of Rebel forces in Shelsha sector was doomed.
But maybe she could postpone that doom, at least for a while. ”I will not give in to blackmail,” she warned Chivkyrie, putting a double helping of royal displeasure into her voice. ”But neither will I dismiss out of hand any possibility of bringing about our ultimate victory against the Empire. I will return to my s.h.i.+p and communicate with my fellow Alliance leaders. If they agree, I will come with you to Shelkonwa to a.s.sess the situation.”
She looked over at Vokkoli and Slanni. ”I would also ask for your presence and counsel on this journey,” she added.
Chivkyrie stirred in his seat but remained silent. Vokkoli looked down at Slanni, then back up at Leia. ”We would be honored to accompany you, Princess,” the Mungra said gravely. ”May the Force be with you and your decisions.”
”Thank you,” Leia said, suppressing a grimace as she stood up. The Force.
If only she had the Jedi ability to tap into that source of power and wisdom. But she didn't. ”I'll be back within the hour.”
”I will await your return,” Chivkyrie said gravely. ”But be warned: within that same hour I return to my home. With you, or without.”
Luke was playing lightsaber games with the practice remote when Han arrived from the c.o.c.kpit. ”What, again?” he growled to Chewbacca, who was watching from just inside the room.
The Wookiee rumbled the logical question.
”No, I don't know where else he would practice,” Han admitted. ”But who says he has to practice aboard the Falcon at all? What happens if he slices through a wiring conduit or hydraulic line, or cuts off his own arm?”
Still, he had to admit that Luke was getting better with the ridiculous weapon. Those first few times old Ken.o.bi had run him through the drill, the kid had blocked maybe one attack in ten. Now, as Han watched, the remote launched a six-shot attack, only one of which got through. ”He could still cut off an arm,” he muttered.
Chewbacca warbled a reminder of Luke's ambitions and responsibilities.
”Yeah, and I'll bet that if he practices every day, he'll grow up to be a terrific Jedi Knight,” Han said with only a little sarcasm. ”Luke? Hey- Luke.”
There was a slight pause, as if the kid had to readjust his attention to something besides the remote. ”What is it?” he asked, turning to look at Han. ”Oh-hi, Chewie. Didn't see you there.”
Mentally, Han shook his head. Some all-seeing, all-knowing Jedi Knight Luke was. Simple tricks and nonsense, just like he'd always said. ”We're coming up on the Purnham system,” he told Luke. ”Need to fire up the quads.”
”Right.” Closing down his lightsaber, Luke stepped around the still-humming remote and touched a switch on the engineering control panel, sending the hovering ball scooting back to its charging station.
As he did so, the familiar two-tone approach warning sounded. ”Come on- move it,” Han said, crossing to the ladder and heading down. ”Cas.e.m.e.nt's going to be real unhappy if the pirates make it to the party before we do.”
”There,” Marcross said, pointing ahead out the canopy. ”One freighter, dead ahead.”
”Got it,” Quiller confirmed, his fingers tapping their way across his board as he keyed for an ID. ”It's ... not our Corellian. Looks like a Surronian of some kind- not familiar with the particular model.”
”You reading any weaponry?” LaRone asked.
”Couple of blaster cannons,” Quiller said. ”Nothing unusual for this cla.s.s.”
”Easy pickings, in other words,” Marcross muttered. ”When exactly is the Corellian due?”
”a.s.suming he stayed with the speed he was doing when he jumped, he could be here anytime,” Quiller said. ”If he really pushed it, he might conceivably have come and gone already.”
”I didn't know YT-1300s could go that fast,” Bright-water said.
”They can't; this one can,” Quiller told him. ”I was reading all sorts of interesting upgrades and modifications before they jumped. If these guys aren't pirates, I'm betting they're either smugglers or blockade runners.”
There was a trill from the board. ”Company,” Quiller announced, peering at his displays. ”Coming out from that cl.u.s.ter of asteroids to starboard.”
”I see them,” LaRone said grimly. There were two s.h.i.+ps swinging into view, patrol boats of some sort, sleek and fast and heavily armed. The Corellian s.h.i.+p they'd been tracking might or might not be a pirate, but these two definitely were.
And they were on the hunt. Swinging their bows around, they accelerated toward the distant freighter. ”Intercept in about ninety seconds,”
Quiller warned. ”LaRone?”