by Timothy Zahn
“I’ll get right to the point, Councilor,” Pellaeon said, his eyes flicking briefly to Ghent and the Noghri. “The war that began twenty-odd years ago is effectively over … and the Empire has lost.”
“I agree,” Leia said. “Is this opinion shared by others in the Empire?”
A muscle in Pellaeon’s cheek twitched. “I’m sure the average Imperial citizen has recognized that truth for quite some time,” he said. “It’s merely been the leadership who have clung to the hope that the inevitable could somehow be prevented.”
“And does that leadership now agree with the two of us and the average Imperial citizen?”
“Yes,” Pellaeon said. “Reluctantly, but yes. I’ve been authorized by the eight remaining Moffs to open peace negotiations with the New Republic.”
Leia felt her throat tighten. She had heard Vermel’s message; had come aboard and seen Pellaeon waiting alone for her … but only now did it suddenly seem truly real.
Peace. With the Empire.
“Yet as you have already said, the Empire has lost,” Elegos spoke into the silence. “What then remains to be negotiated?”
Leia resettled her shoulders, sending a silent word of thanks in Elegos’s direction for his subtle reminder of her duty here. She was representing the New Republic, and could not allow the emotional lure of peace to blind her to the hard intellectual realities of the situation. “Trustant A’kla makes a good point,” she said. “What you would gain from a peace treaty is obvious. What would we gain?”
“Perhaps what we would gain is not as obvious as you think,” Pellaeon said. “The New Republic is after all struggling with internal turmoil, with every indication that matters are getting worse.”
He looked pointedly at Elegos. “Several of the Moffs, in fact, believe you’re on the verge of collapsing into total civil war over this Caamasi issue. In the midst of such anarchy, the remnants of the Empire could easily be overlooked. Why then should we bother with the humiliation of a treaty at all?”
Leia’s mouth felt dry. It was an all too reasonable question. “If you really believed we were about to destroy ourselves, you wouldn’t be here,” she pointed out.
“Perhaps,” Pellaeon said. “Perhaps I merely don’t believe the more virulent haters of the Empire would forget about us.” He paused. “Or perhaps I may be able to keep that civil war from happening.”
Leia frowned. “How?”
“Let me first state what the Empire would want included in any treaty between us,” Pellaeon said. “We would want our current borders confirmed and accepted by Coruscant, with guarantees of free travel and trade between our worlds and those of the New Republic. No harassment; no border skirmishes; no propaganda pressure against us.”
“What about the nonhumans living under Imperial rule?” Sakhisakh demanded. “Are we to merely accept their slavery?”
Pellaeon shook his head. “The Empire which once enslaved and exploited thinking beings is dead,” he told the Noghri. “The human domination of Palpatine long ago became full cooperation between all the beings within our borders.”
“Do all your subjects agree that they’re now equals?” Leia asked.
“Probably not,” Pellaeon conceded. “But once we had the security of a peace treaty, any Imperial system wishing to join the New Republic would be offered the chance to do so.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “By the same token, we would expect systems within your borders who wish to rejoin the Empire to also be allowed to make that choice, with the same security and free trade guarantees extended to them.”
Sakhisakh bit out a Noghri curse. “What people would be so foolish as to give you their freedom?” he demanded contemptuously.
“You might be surprised,” Pellaeon said. “Freedom, after all, is a highly relative and subjective thing. And as I say, we’re not the Empire you knew.”
The Noghri rumbled under his breath again but remained silent. “Of course, all guarantees of safety would work the other direction as well,” Pellaeon said, turning back to Leia. “No attacks by Imperial forces; no provocation; no hired privateers.” His face twitched in an almost-smile. “And, of course, if we should happen to stumble across another superweapon Palpatine had hidden away, we would work with you to dismantle it.”
Leia braced herself. “And what about the superweapon you’re already using?”
Pellaeon frowned. “What superweapon?”
“The one that nearly defeated us once before,” Leia said. “Grand Admiral Thrawn.”
Pellaeon’s lips compressed briefly, and Leia could sense the wave of uncertainty and quiet fear washing through him. “I don’t know, Councilor. I have no idea at all what’s going on there.”
Leia threw a glance at Elegos. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said,” Pellaeon told her. “I’ve been here at Pesitiin waiting for General Bel Iblis for the past two weeks, and was running under a communications blackout for several days before that. I didn’t even know Thrawn had been reported alive until a week ago.”
Leia frowned, stretching out to Pellaeon with the Force. But there was no duplicity in his thoughts or emotions that she could detect.
“You say ‘reported alive,’ Admiral,” Elegos said. “Does your choice of words imply you don’t believe he has actually returned?”
“I don’t know what to believe, Trustant,” Pellaeon said. “Certainly I had every reason to think he was dead. I was there on the Chimaera’s bridge, standing at his side, when he appeared to die.”
“Again, you say ‘appeared’ to die,” Elegos persisted. “Did he or did he not truly die?”
“I truly do not know,” Pellaeon said with a sigh. “Thrawn was an alien, with an alien physiology, and …” He shook his head. “Has he actually been seen by anyone from the New Republic? Someone whose word and judgment you trust?”
“My friend Lando Calrissian was intercepted and taken aboard the Relentless, along with the Diamalan Senator,” Leia said. “Both of them claimed it was indeed Thrawn.”
“The Relentless,” Pellaeon murmured, frowning. “Dorja’s ship; and he was one of those who did meet Thrawn personally. Hard to believe he would be easily taken in by a trick. Or, for that matter, that he would risk his ship without exceptionally good reason.”
Leia hesitated; but there was no easy way to say this. “It occurs to me, Admiral, that these talks may be somewhat premature,” she said. “If Thrawn is alive, then you are presumably no longer head of the Imperial military.”
“If he’s alive, he will most certainly relieve me of supreme command,” Pellaeon said evenly. “However, at the moment that consideration is irrelevant. The military is subordinate to the Moffs; and the Moffs have authorized me to negotiate this treaty.”
“Wouldn’t that authority be rescinded, though, in the face of Thrawn’s return?” Leia countered.
“It may,” Pellaeon acknowledged. “But until I’m informed of such a decision, my authority stands.”
“I see,” Leia murmured, gazing at the old Admiral with a sudden new understanding. He had learned about Thrawn’s return a full week ago; yet, instead of rushing back to learn more, he had deliberately remained here under communications blackout. Not just to wait for Bel Iblis, but to make sure he still had the authority to negotiate if and when Bel Iblis arrived. To start the ball rolling, perhaps beyond the ability of the Moffs or even Thrawn to easily stop it.
This was not a game, or at least not a game he was helping to run. Admiral Pellaeon, Supreme Commander of Imperial forces, genuinely wanted peace.
“Did Thrawn say anything to Calrissian and the Senator?” Pellaeon asked into Leia’s musings. “I presume they were allowed to leave—very few people simply escape from an Imperial Star Destroyer.”
“Actually, in some respects his message was similar to yours,” Leia said. “He warned that the New Republic was headed for self-destruction and offered to help us avoid that.”
“Are you considering his off
er?”
“Unfortunately, his proposed method was deemed unacceptable by the Senate,” Leia said. “He wanted to speak privately with the Bothan leaders, and from those conversations determine who had sabotaged the Caamasi shields.”
“Interesting,” Pellaeon said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “I wonder how merely talking with them would accomplish that. Unless the clan leaders do indeed know the truth.”
“They claim they don’t,” Leia said. “And considering the growing threat to the entire Bothan species, I think they would give us that information if they had it.”
“You suggested you might also have a way to prevent civil war,” Elegos reminded the admiral. “Would you care to elaborate?”
Leia could sense Pellaeon pulling his attention back from his own thoughts. “I’m sure it’s occurred to you that the crisis could be resolved by finding a complete version of the Caamas Document,” he said. “In exchange for favorable peace terms, the Empire would be willing to offer you a copy of that record.”
Leia shot a glance at Sakhisakh, saw the Noghri’s own subtle reaction. If they were on schedule, Han and Lando should be right now conducting their own search for that record on Bastion. “Just like that?” she asked Pellaeon. “You’d simply turn it over to us?”
“Once we have it in hand, yes.” He paused. “There is, however, one problem. If it does indeed exist, it would be located in the Special Files section of the archives, which is severely restricted and heavily encrypted. I don’t have any way into those files; neither does anyone I know. If we’re going to get to the document in time, the New Republic will need to loan us a top-rate decryption expert.”
There was a sort of choked-off gurgle from the direction of the tech station. Ghent was still facing the control board, but his back had suddenly gone rigid. “Where would he need to go?” she asked Pellaeon, her eyes still on Ghent. “To Bastion?”
“No, to the Ubiqtorate base at Yaga Minor,” Pellaeon said. “The commander there is a personal friend, and there’s a somewhat isolated computer access station he could use. Bastion itself would be far too dangerous.”
Leia looked back at him, her heart catching suddenly in her throat. “How do you mean, dangerous?”
“Bastion is the home base and stronghold of one of the most vehemently antipeace officials in the entire Empire,” Pellaeon said grimly. “Moff Disra. He also appears to be up to his neck in a private little war using mercenary pirate gangs and illegally obtained funds.”
“Yes, we’ve noticed all the pirate activity,” Leia said, fighting to keep her voice steady. Han and Lando on Bastion.… “You don’t think Moff Disra would appreciate having a New Republic representative on his world?”
Pellaeon snorted. “Digging into private Imperial files? Hardly. Your expert wouldn’t be there six hours before Disra would know about it. It wouldn’t be six hours more before some convenient accident would happen to him. But he’d be safe enough on Yaga Minor.”
“I’m glad to hear that,” Leia said, looking again at Sakhisakh. The Noghri’s face was rigid with the same ache and fear she herself was feeling. Han on Bastion, in the middle of a vengeful Moff’s stronghold …
“Would it be possible for you to supply such an expert?” Pellaeon asked.
With a supreme effort, Leia pushed her fears away. “I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t think so.”
Pellaeon seemed taken aback. “You don’t think so?”
“No,” Leia said, glancing over at the tech station again. Ghent was still facing the control board, but his head was turned just enough to let him surreptitiously watch the conversation around the game table. “Perhaps later, after we have an official agreement. But not yet.”
“By the time there’s an agreement it might be too late,” Pellaeon warned. “Our scout ships are picking up only occasional news reports, but even from what I know the situation in the New Republic is clearly getting worse. Even with an expert slicer at work, the project is going to take some time.”
He grimaced. “And there’s one other factor, as well. We suspect that one of Moff Disra’s agents may already have found his way into those Special Files once. We don’t know what he was looking for, but the Caamas Document is definitely one possible target. If we delay too long and he’s able to get in again to erase the file, we may never learn the truth. Only if we act immediately—”
“All right,” Ghent interrupted, swiveling abruptly around in his chair to face them. “All right. I’ll go.”
Leia blinked. Once again, he had taken her completely by surprise. “You don’t mean that,” she said. “This could be dangerous.”
“The danger would be extremely small,” Pellaeon insisted.
“Doesn’t matter,” Ghent said. His voice was trembling, but his jaw was set firmly. “On the way from Coruscant Elegos told me all about what happened to his world. It was terrible—everyone killed, all the animals, too. I hated the people who’d done it—I really hated them. And I hated the Bothans for making the whole thing happen in the first place.”
He looked over at Elegos. “But he told me hatred was wrong, that it was one of those things that hurt the hater more than the people he hated. He told me there can be justice without hatred, and punishment without revenge. He said we were all responsible for what we do and what we don’t do, and no one should have to pay for someone else’s crimes.”
He locked eyes with Leia. “I’m a slicer, Councilor Organa Solo. I’m a good slicer. And I’m responsible for what I do and what I don’t do, just like you or Elegos. If I can help and I don’t, I’m just as guilty as anyone else.” He waved a hand helplessly. “I’m not too good at stuff like this. You understand what I’m trying to say?”
“I understand perfectly,” Leia assured him. “And I very much appreciate your offer. The question is whether I can allow you to put yourself at risk this way.”
“It would seem that should be a straightforward question for you to answer, Councilor,” Elegos said. “As a Jedi, does Crypt Chief Ghent going to Yaga Minor seem the correct path?”
Leia hid a grimace. Once again, the Caamasi’s perception had come through, reminding her of the true source of her insight and guidance.
Except that for once that source had failed her. Or perhaps more correctly, she had failed it. No matter how hard she stretched out to the Force, all she could see was the turmoil of her own fears for Han’s safety. Fears that she’d managed to suppress until now; guilt that she’d allowed him—even encouraged him—to step onto a hostile world in the first place; resentment and anger that after all their years of sacrifice she and Han were still the ones who always seemed to be called on to risk everything for others.
Blinking back tears, she tried to push back the sudden surge of emotion. But it remained a restless churning pool washing across her mind and spirit.
And as the Jedi calm eluded her, so did any hope of reading Ghent’s path.
“I don’t know,” she admitted at last. “I can’t seem to get any kind of reading.”
“Does that mean you can’t guarantee his safety?” Pellaeon asked, frowning.
“No one’s safety is ever guaranteed, Admiral,” Elegos said. “Not even by a Jedi.” He smiled faintly, an oddly melancholy expression. “Though, of course, most of us travel through our entire lives without any assurance at all that the path we are on is the correct one. No assurance except that of our own spirits within us.”
“Elegos has been spouting that sort of stuff ever since we left Coruscant,” Ghent said with a weak attempt at a grin. “I guess some of this nobleness stuff must have rubbed off on me.”
Unsteadily, he got to his feet. “This is the right path. And I’m ready. When do we leave?”
“At once,” Pellaeon said, sliding around the end of the table and standing up. “I’ll put together a letter of introduction for General Hestiv and detail one of my most trusted pilots to fly you to Yaga Minor.” His eyes flicked across Ghent’s outfit. “I think we’ll
also put you in an Imperial uniform. Disra may have informers on Yaga Minor, and there’s no point in drawing unnecessary attention by bringing an obvious civilian onto a military base.”
“You won’t be taking him there yourself in the Chimaera?” Leia asked.
Pellaeon shook his head. “Once you and I have finished our discussions, I’ll be heading directly to Bastion. There are some rather pointed questions Moff Disra owes me answers for.”
Leia swallowed. “I see.”
“With your permission, then, I’ll go arrange for Crypt Chief Ghent’s transport.” Pellaeon smiled faintly at Ghent. “I mean Imperial Lieutenant Ghent’s transport. Come with me, Lieutenant.”
Stepping past Sakhisakh, he headed for the Falcon’s exit. “Sure,” Ghent said, starting after him. “So long, Elegos. You too, Councilor.”
“Go in wisdom and courage,” Elegos said gravely.
“May the Force be with you,” Leia added. “And thank you.”
Captain Ardiff was waiting in the aft bridge when Pellaeon emerged from the turbolift. “The Millennium Falcon has cleared the sentry perimeter and jumped to lightspeed,” he reported.
“Good,” Pellaeon said, looking past him to the viewport. In the distance, he could see the faint flickers of reflected sunlight from the solar panels of the TIE fighter escort as they headed back to the Chimaera. “And Lieutenant Mavron?”
“He and his passenger left half an hour ago.” Ardiff lifted his eyebrows slightly. “May I ask …?”
“How the talks went?” Pellaeon shrugged. “As well as preliminary talks ever go, I suppose. Organa Solo isn’t about to commit the New Republic to a course of action based on my word alone, and I made it similarly clear that I can’t accept her word as guaranteeing Coruscant’s future actions. So there’s a great deal of careful verbal dancing yet to be done.”
“But she’s willing to talk.”
“She’s very willing to talk.” Pellaeon hesitated. “At least, about most things.”
