Part 21 (1/2)
Corran looked at Booster. ”I've heard that before.”
”If you'd prefer, we could leave that part up to Councilor Organa Solo,” Karrde offered.
”In the past she and I have always been able to arrive at a mutually acceptable arrangement.”
”I'd hate to think what some of those arrangements might have cost us,” Corran growled.
”All right, fine. I presume you're aware we've had a lot of demonstrations and riots lately against Bothan businesses and consulates.”
”Over the revelations contained in the Caamas Doc.u.ment,” Karrde murmured.
”Right. Well, in and among all these protests we're starting to hear the name Vengeance'
being batted around. Not as a word, but as a group or organization.”
Karrde looked at Odonnl. ”Have we heard anything about that?”
”I haven't personally,” Odonnl said. ”But there's a lot of stuff our sources send in that I don't have time to look at.”
”We'll do a data search when we get back to the Wild Karrde,” Karrde said. ”What are Coruscant's conclusions?”
”No conclusions yet, just questions,” Corran said. ”The main ones being who and what this Vengeance is . . . and whether they're home-grown or getting help from outside.”
”Let me guess. The Empire?”
Corran's eyes narrowed slightly. ”You say that like you don't believe it.”
”Not exactly,” Karrde corrected. ”I say that like someone who rather cynically notices that whenever anything goes wrong in the New Republic, official blaming fingers immediately zero in on the Empire.”
”That's a little unfair,” Booster said. ”Especially considering the Empire's long history of this kind of meddling.”
”I'm not saying they're not involved,” Karrde said. ”I'm simply warning against the automatic a.s.sumption that they are.”
”But-”
”No, he's right,” Corran said reluctantly. ”There are a lot of beings who remember the Empire doing exactly the same thing to us: blaming the Rebellion for everything, then using that as an excuse to tighten their grip. That's why my visit here was supposed to be kept secret, in fact-General Bel Iblis didn't want it leaking out that we were even thinking in this direction.”
Karrde nodded. He should have guessed Bel Iblis would be the one who'd put this Rat.i.tan whisperfly in Con-an's ear. Unlike some of the New Republic's leaders, Bel Iblis knew how to keep his eye on his goal. And, when necessary, to ignore the shortcomings of the people he might have to deal with in order to reach that goal. ”Understood,” he said. ”We'll check our files; if there's nothing there, we'll start some quiet inquiries and see what we can find.”
”Sounds good,” Booster said. ”And as long as we're trading wish lists here, you also had some information you wanted, right?”
”Two simple questions, actually,” Karrde said. ”First of all: our friend Luke Skywalker is trying to locate the Cavrilhu Pirates. Any idea as to which rock they might have buried themselves under?”
”I know they've got a base on Amorris,” Booster said, pulling out a datapad and keying it on. ”And-let's see-seems to me their major stronghold is-right, here it is. A hollowed-out asteroid in the Kauron system.” Karrde shook his head. ”They've abandoned their Amorris site,” he told Booster. ”And according to Mara, Skywalker just finished chasing them off their asteroid.”
”What did he do that for?” Booster held up a hand. ”Never mind; I don't want to know.
Well, if those are gone then I can't help you. Second question?”
”Before he went to Kauron, Skywalker helped stop a pirate raid at Iphigin,” Karrde said, glancing casually around the bridge. No one else was in earshot. ”No idea which group was involved. During the battle, he sensed what he thought was a group of clones aboard one of the pirates' s.h.i.+ps.”
No one moved, but the atmosphere was suddenly rigid. ”I thought the Empire had already run through its supply of Mount Tantiss clones,” Mirax said, a shadow of dread in her voice.
”That's what Coruscant says,” Booster confirmed, not sounding any happier than his daughter. ”At least to us outsiders. Corran?”
”As far as I know, it's the truth,” Corran said. ”It's been years since we ran across any clone casualties in military action.”
”How long has it been since you looked for them?” Odonnl asked.
”Good point,” Corran conceded. ”I don't know.”
”It's hard to believe there could be any of them left,” Booster said. ”They were some of the best and brightest troops Thrawn had. You'd think Daala or someone else would have spent them long ago.”
”Unless Thrawn put some in deep cover where Daala couldn't find them,” Karrde said.
”What for?” Booster scoffed. ”Saving them? For what?”
”And why would they suddenly be making their appearance now?” Corran added.
”We don't know that they are suddenly making their appearance,” Odonnl reminded him tartly. ”Maybe they've been out there all along and it's just that you hotshot military guys haven't noticed.”
Corran took half a step toward him. ”Look, Odonnl, when we're busy trying to keep peace around the galaxy-”
”Easy, gentlemen,” Karrde said, stepping between them and holding up a hand. ”Let's try to remember we're all on the same side here, shall we?”
Odonnl's lips puckered. ”Yeah. Sure.”
”Why don't you head back to the Wild Karrde, Odonnl,” Karrde suggested. ”Get started on that data search.”
”Sure,” Odonnl muttered again. ”Good idea.”
”I'll escort you down,” Ven offered, stepping forward. Karrde looked at him in mild surprise-the Twi'lek had been so quiet he'd almost forgotten he was there. ”It's easy to get lost on a s.h.i.+p this size.”
The expression on Odonnl's face clearly indicated his opinion of that as an excuse, but he merely nodded and headed aft, Ven at his side. ”My apologies, Commander Horn,” Karrde said quietly as the two of them crossed under the archway and disappeared into the aft bridge.
”Odonnl doesn't have the same fond memories of the New Republic military that I do.”
”That's all right,” Corran said darkly. ”I have certain unfond memories of smugglers myself.”
”Corran,” Mirax said warningly, taking his arm.
The X-wing pilot patted her hand. ”Present company excluded, of course,” he amended.
”Let's get back to business.”
”Thank you,” Karrde said. What we know for sure-and all we know for sure-is that Skywalker sensed clones aboard those s.h.i.+ps. Our first job is to answer one simple question: whether they're Imperial leftovers, or whether someone else has found an-other cache of cloning cylinders.”
”Someone such as the Cavrillhu Pirates?” Mirax asked.
”That thought has crossed my mind,” Karrde agreed soberly. ”It could very well be that my two questions for your father are in fact interconnected.” He smiled at Booster. ”In which case, of course, I'd expect a discount on price.”