Part 36 (1/2)
CHAPTER NINETEEN.
”I'm so sorry, mistress Padme, but the director of Bagrila Industries is unable to take your comm. ”
Sighing, Padme pinched the bridge of her nose. Another one. And now I'm running out of names and favors. ”All right, Threepio.
Who's next on the list?”
”The Yylti Corporation, Mistress, ” said See-Threepio. ”But it's half a standard hour before they can lie contacted. ”
”Fine. While I'm waiting, you can bring me another caf. ”
”Oh, ” said the droid. ”Mistress Padme, are you sure that's wise?”
Right now there was more caf than blood running through her veins. She should change her mind, but...”Just bring it, Threepio. ”
As the droid withdrew, she turned back to the living room's picture window to watch the rain falling in sheets upon the city. Lacy tatters of light gray cloud drifted between the buildings. This high above street level it was easy to believe there was no street level, that she floated in a luxurious balloon free of all ties to common ground-or reality.
I wonder if it's raining on Lantech.
Fear for Anakin stabbed through her. The latest comm from Yoda wasn't encouraging. Unbroken the blockade remains. Senator. Even as she called in every favor owed to her, she'd begged Palpatine to relent and authorize more CAR s.h.i.+ps to help Admiral Yularen and Master Windu.
But Palpatine remained obdurate. The situation was delicate, he claimed. There were wheels within wheels, precariously spinning. For the first time in her life she was angry with him. Disappointed. For the first time in their long friends.h.i.+p she thought he'd let her down.
We owe Anakin and Obi-Wan our homeworld. What does it say about us if we refuse to repay that debt?
Though they still had no antidote to the bioweapon. Queen Jamillia had courageously promised two squadrons of pilots. It was the best she could do, given that Naboo wasn't a militarized society. But Palpatine was Supreme Chancellor, the ultimate commander of the GAR.
He can't be putting politics above our friends' lives. He just can't.
But what else was she supposed to think?
149.
”Here, ” said Bail, walking up behind her. To save time and minimize complications they were both working out of her apartment.
”Your caf-which by rights I should tip down the sink. How many mugs does this make since lunch? Four?”
”Five, ” Padme admitted with a rueful smile, and faced him. ”But who's counting?”
He handed her the steaming mug. ”Your protocol droid. It's in the kitchen ready to blow a circuit relay fretting over you. ”
”I'm fine. ”
Bail gave her a sharp look. ”No, you're not. ”
No, I'm not. But there was no use dwelling on it. ”So, where are we up to?”
Because he knew her so well, he didn't bother arguing. ”I'm waiting on two return comms, ” he said, retreating to the arm of the nearest chair. ”But I'm not hopeful about either. ”
”What about Brentaal?”
”Brentaal's promised us three heavy-armored Dreadnaughts-if we can guarantee them protection against the bioweapon. ” Bail scowled. ”Brentaal, Anaxes, the Ch'zimi-kho Conglomerate-everyone's singing the same song, Padme. Of course we'll help-once there's an antidote. ”
”We can't really blame them, Bail, ” she said, and took a sip of caf to hide her distress. ”After Chandrila, everyone's terrified of a reprisal attack. ”
”Which of course was the point. ” Bail perched on the arm of the nearest chair. ”I just spoke to Tryn. ”
”How's he holding up?”
He shook his head. ”He's not. He says he's at a total dead end. I've never seen him so upset, Padme. I wish...”
”You had no choice, ” she said gently. ”He's one of the best in his field and the only man you could trust. You had to get him involved.
”I know, ” he said, and ran a hand down his tired face. ”But this is hurting him. Badly. ”
He was so despondent. It wasn't like him. ”You can't think about that, Bail. We have to focus on coordinating the civilian fleet. ”
”Well, that sounds fine in theory, ” he retorted, glaring, ”except that without an antidote there won't he one! Thirty Naboo starfighters is an escort, not a fleet!”
”I know, ” she said, after a moment. ”I'm sorry. Please, let's not fight. I've still got people to comm. Have you?”
Sliding off the chair, Bail nodded. ”Don't worry. I'm not giving up. ”
”Of course you're not. And neither am I. Bail, we're going to make this happen. ”
He wanted to believe her. Stang, I want to believe me. But after nine straight hours of prevarications and outright refusals, belief was in ever-diminis.h.i.+ng supply.
”Go on, ” she said. ”Get back to your list, and let me get back to mine. ”
Alone again, she turned to stare at the rain.
I'm doing my best, Anakin. Don't give up hope yet.
Bant'ena stood behind her lab bench, trying not to feel the burning pain in her face where Durd had struck her three times because he didn't like what she'd said. There was blood in her mouth, warm and metallic. He'd loosened some teeth, too. It didn't matter. All she cared about now was getting in his way. Tripping him up and making him fail.
150.
Diverted from beating her further by Colonel Barev, the Neimoidian was lurching around the lab in a rage, comlink clutched in one fat, sweating hand.
”What do you mean crash-landed? What do you mean there's nothing left but a charred body? You told me this agent had urgent information for me and was safely past the GAR battle group! And now you're saying the agent's dead and I can't have the message?
Barev...”
Whatever the colonel was saying, it did nothing to soothe Durd's escalating fury. He was being denied what he wanted, the one thing he could not tolerate.