Before the Storm - Michael P. Kube-McDowell [40]
“I don’t think it matters,” Leia said. “There’s no question in my mind that they feel threatened by us. I think it’s critical that we give them reason not to be.”
“If they do feel threatened, that should provide you with useful leverage,” said Behn-kihl-nahm.
“I’m not looking for leverage,” Leia said. “That’s the wrong tone for these talks. The Yevetha have good reason to be wary of us—reasons that everyone here ought to be able to identify with. I don’t want to twist their arm. I want to win their trust. It’s not going to be quick or easy. But I think Nil Spaar and I have a chance to develop the kind of personal rapport that will carry us through the hard parts. I don’t know if we’re going to end up with an alliance or an application for membership. But I’m not going to worry about that now.”
“Five minutes,” an aide called.
“Thank you, Alole.”
“Please—be very careful with your promises, Leia,” said Behn-kihl-nahm as they all rose. “The idea that we are all equals in the eyes of Coruscant is very important to the strength of the New Republic.”
“I realize that, Chairman.”
“Then you must realize that if the Yevetha win the benefits of membership without the obligations, there’ll be an uproar in the Senate, and in thousands of capitals. And if the Yevetha are granted privileges not available to our members, you can expect hundreds of member worlds to resign.”
“That won’t happen,” Leia said. “I expect that any treaty with the Yevetha will provide them with only a subset of the rights contained in the articles of confederation—no open markets, no monetary controls, no dispute resolution, no voice in the Senate, no military umbrella—”
“The presence of a shepherd is frequently undervalued in the absence of a wolf,” said Behn-kihl-nahm.
“Maybe so,” Leia said. “But there’s a lot to be gained by forging a link—any link, to start—with the Yevetha. The Senate will understand that.”
“Many a foolish notion has won support in that body,” Behn-kihl-nahm said, “and many a falsehood has enjoyed currency in that room. Princess, no matter how much we want that ally on the Inner Line, or access to Koornacht’s metals and the Yevetha’s technology, we must always be aware of the price. We are not the suitors—they are.”
“Thank you for your counsel, Chairman.”
“Remember that Cortina and Jandur also came here full of prideful bluster, and both eventually signed the standard articles of confederation. And that was long ago, when membership meant less than it does today.”
“Time!” called the aide.
Leia emptied her glass quickly. “If you’ll excuse me, Chairman—”
Behn-kihl-nahm nodded and backed away, leaving her alone with Admiral Drayson and a recording droid.
“End recording,” said Drayson. A black droid controller was all but concealed in his hand. “Princess, may I have a moment?”
“A moment, but not much more.”
“I’m concerned about the process, about the fact that all your advisers must rely on secondhand reports. It makes it difficult for them to provide you with the independent counsel you expect from them.”
“What are you suggesting?”
“That I arrange for more eyes and ears in the room with you. I could provide you with a burst-transmission comlink small enough that even General Solo would be hard pressed to find it.”
“I don’t expect to be frisked by the viceroy,” Leia said curtly. “And you can’t promise me the comlink would be undetectable by the Yevetha—can you? If we can listen in, in theory so can they.”
“Quite true,” said Drayson. “Technical assets are always subject to discovery. Of course, if they were covertly monitoring the sessions themselves, they wouldn’t be likely to—”
“Do you have evidence that they are?”
“No. But sometimes I find it more prudent to assume what’s not in evidence than believe that what I can’t see isn’t there.”
“Admiral Drayson, I’m afraid I don’t understand that thinking. Especially in this instance.”
“Time, Princess Leia,” called Alole, peering back into the room from the corridor.
“Coming,” Leia called. “No ‘technical assets’ in the Grand