Part 18 (1/2)
”I can't match the influence of these signatures,” Leia warned, gesturing toward her datapad. ”Besides”-she hesitated, looking again at Fey'lya-”I'm not sure I don't agree with them that this is a reasonable compromise.”
”A compromise?” Fey'lya asked, his voice dead. ”This is not a compromise, Councilor Organa Solo. This is a sentence of ruin for the Bothan people.”
”The three of us are alone in this room, Councilor Fey'lya,” Gavrisom reminded him mildly.
”There's no need for rhetorical hyperbole.”
Fey'lya looked at the Calibop, his eyes as dead as his voice. ”I speak neither rhetoric nor hyperbole, President Gavrisom,” he said. ”Perhaps you do not comprehend how much time and effort would be involved in even merely locating an uninhabited world that would be suitable for the remaining Caamasi.” His fur rippled. ”But then to further insist that we bear the costs of reforming that world to Caamas's original specifications? We cannot possibly afford such an undertaking.”
”I'm familiar with the likely costs of such a project,” Gavrisom countered, his tone still patient. ”It was done at least five times during the Old Republic-”
”By peoples arrogant in their power and their wealth,” Fey'lya snapped, suddenly seething to life. ”The Bothan people have neither such power nor such wealth.”
Gavrisom shook his mane. ”Come now, Councilor, let us be honest here. The current state of overall Bothan a.s.sets is quite adequate to cover such a project. Certainly it would be a serious sacrifice, but not a ruinous one. I would further suggest that it represents your best chance of resolving this matter quickly and peaceably.”
Fey'lya's fur rippled stiffly across his body. ”You do not understand,” he said quietly.
”The a.s.sets you speak of do not exist.”
Leia frowned. ”What are you talking about? I've seen the market reports. There are whole pages of listings of Bothan holdings.”
Fey'lya looked her in the eye. ”They are lies,” he said. ”It is nothing more than a cleverly contrived datapad illusion.”
Leia looked at Gavrisom. The other's restless wings had suddenly stopped moving. ”Are you saying,” the Calibop asked carefully, ”that the leaders of the Combined Bothan Clans are engaged in fraud?”
The Bothan's rippling fur became even stiffer. ”It was to be only a temporary deception,”
he said, his voice dark with pleading. ”As our financial troubles themselves are only temporary. A gripful of bad business decisions has drained the Combined Clans of their resources and left us deeply in debt And then this controversy arrived, causing even more uncertainty. New investors and contacts were needed, and so . .
He trailed off. ”I see,” Gavrisom said. His voice was still calm, but there was an expression on that long face that Leia had never seen there before. ”You put me in a most awkward position, Councilor Fey'lya. How exactly do you suggest I proceed?”
Fey'lya's violet eyes met the Calibop's pale blue ones. ”We can recover, President Gavrisom,” he said. ”It will just take a little time. Premature revelation of this information would be devastating, not only for the Bothan people but also for those who have invested with us.”
”Who have trusted you,” Gavrisom corrected coldly.
Fey'lya's eyes slipped away from that accusing glare. ”Yes,” he murmured. Who have trusted us.”
For a long minute the room was silent. Then, rustling his mane again, Gavrisom looked at Leia. ”You are a Jedi Knight, Councilor Organa Solo,” he said. ”As such, you have the wisdom of the ages and the guidance of the Force. I would ask your recommendation.”
Leia sighed. ”I wish I had one to give,” she said.
”Have you made any progress in the search for the names of the Bothans involved with Caamas?”
”Not yet,” Leia said. ”Our Intelligence people are still working on the original datacard, but Crypt Chief Ghent tells me we already have everything we're going to get from it.
We're also searching through the old Imperial archives at Kamparas, Boddolayz, and Obroa-skai, but so far we haven't found anything.”
”It was probably kept in the Special Files section,” Gavrisom said with a whinnying sigh.
”The records Imperial forces were ordered to destroy before retreating.”
”Probably,” Leia said. ”We're still hoping a copy somewhere might have survived.”
”A small hope, though.”
”Yes,” Leia had to concede. ”Fey'lya, how much time will the Combined Clans need to get back on their feet?”
”The current projection is to have our major debts retired within three months,” the Bothan said. ”But at that time we will still be far from the financial position we are currently thought to be in.”
Gavrisom made a noise deep in his throat. ”And how long until you'd be able to take on this kind of project?” Leia asked, tapping her datapad.
Fey'lya closed his eyes. ”Perhaps ten years. Perhaps never.”
Leia looked back at Gavrisom. ”I wish I could offer you advice, President Gavrisom,” she said. ”But at the moment I can't see a clear path here.”
”I understand,” Gavrisom said. ”May I encourage you to meditate and seek further guidance through the Force?”
”I'll certainly do that,” Leia a.s.sured him. ”The one thing that is clear, though, is that the Bothans aren't going to be able to meet the demands of this pet.i.tion anytime soon.”
”Indeed,” Gavrisom said heavily. ”I'll have to attempt to buy some time.”
”How, by offering it for debate?” Leia asked doubtfully. ”That could be risky.”
”More than merely risky,” Gavrisom agreed. ”If someone decided to bring it up as an official bill, the full Senate could end up ratifying it. At that point I would have no maneuvering room at all.”
Leia grimaced. No room for Gavrisom, and even less for the Bothans. They would then have to go ahead and create a new homeworld for the Caamasi or face the consequences of defying New Republic law.
”But as you know, the President is not entirely without resources,” the Calibop continued.
”And there are certain parliamentary tricks that can be applied. I should be able to hold this up for a while.”
Leia looked at Fey'lya. ”But not for the next ten years.”
”No.” There was another brief silence. ”Well,” Gavrisom said. ”There seems to be little we can do right now. Except for one thing: I want the Combined Clans' financial records examined to confirm that the situation is indeed as described. Councilor Organa Solo, would you be willing to travel to Bothawui for such a purpose?”
”Me?” Leia asked, surprised. ”I'm not a financial expert.”
”Yet you surely must have been taught the basics by your father Bail Organa when you were younger,” Gavrisom pointed out.
”The basics, yes,” Leia said. ”But that's all.”
”That will be all you need,” Gavrisom a.s.sured her. ”The trickery will be in the falsified doc.u.ments, not the true ones.” He gestured to Fey'lya with one wing. ”She will be allowed to see the true ones, will she not?”
”Of course,” Fey'lya said, his fur rippling unhappily. ”I'll alert the Combined Clan leaders you will be coming.”
”You'll do no such thing,” Gavrisom said firmly. ”They are to have no notice whatsoever.”
Fey'lya's eyes flashed. ”You insult the integrity of the clan leaders, President Gavrisom.”
”You may see it any way you choose,” Gavrisom said. ”But they are to have no advance warning. And do not forget that Councilor Organa Solo is a Jedi Knight. If your clan leaders are not genuinely surprised by her arrival and request, she will be instantly aware of it.”