Enemy Lines II_ Rebel Stand - Aaron Allston [30]
Tsavong Lah considered, then nodded. “I will find a way to give you one, if not both. Withdraw.”
When she was gone, he allowed himself to revel in an all-too-rare moment of simple elation. Doom was not upon him. The gods did not punish him. He faced nothing more serious than treachery … and treachery was something he well knew how to deal with.
Less familiar to him was the notion of reward, especially as it applied to one who was not Yuuzhan Vong, one who was not a loyal warrior or adviser. “Send in Viqi Shesh,” he said.
Viqi entered the chamber, somewhat thrown off her rhythm by the fact that her escort guards, instead of staying beside her as she passed through the portal, remained behind. She hesitated just within the chamber, her quick glance taking in the presence of Tsavong Lah on his seat of command, of his advisers and servants staying well away along the walls.
“Come to me, my servant,” the warmaster said.
Viqi Shesh offered a glowing, though entirely insincere, smile at Tsavong Lah and stepped forward to bow before him. She straightened and awaited his words, but he offered none until, at his gesture, three Yuuzhan Vong in his command chamber departed.
“I have summoned you,” the warmaster said, “to acknowledge that you do indeed have worth. Your analysis of the situation with my arm was correct. I was afflicted with treachery. I offer you my congratulations.”
Viqi actually felt her knees go weak. It wasn’t from relief at being proven right. No, the story she’d concocted was supposed to be one that would buy her a considerable amount of time to find a way to escape. But she’d been right, the conspiracy had been rooted out, and her time was at an end.
Blast the conspirators. Blast them for existing, for being clumsy enough to be detected so early, for fouling up her plan.
She didn’t let her smile waver. “The fact that I am of some service brings joy to my heart,” she said. “I hope that I shall continue to be of worth to you.”
“You shall. And for your next assignment, you will travel to Coruscant, below us. Yuuzhan Vong warriors have died there, and the burns that killed them suggest strongly that Jeedai are the culprits. You will go with Denua Ku and join a search unit there—a unit of warriors, and even our remaining voxyn. They may be dying off, but they can still hunt Jeedai. You will offer your insights to the warriors, who will run the Jeedai to ground. You will have the opportunity to distinguish yourself further in my service.”
Words nearly failed her. On an expedition into the ruined world’s depths, she’d be watched at least as closely as she had been observed here. She’d be forced to travel with a fast-moving pack of idiot warriors, running her into exhaustion. Dirt and sweat would be her companions. And voxyn—the thought of being within kilometers of the ferocious creatures was terrifying.
She offered the warmaster her most alluring smile and bowed again. The gesture gave her time to find her voice. “I live to obey, Warmaster.”
Vannix, Vankalay System
“Will you be offering your political support to Senator Gadan?” The old woman was stiff-backed, as alert as a hawk-bat on the lookout for prey, and the downiness of her white hair, which should have softened her appearance, should have made her grandmotherly, instead gave her the aspect of some mad Force-wizard from a scary bedtime story. Too, the jagged scar zigzagging across her forehead, which hinted at a fractured skull or even brain damage in some long-ago battle, was hardly reassuring.
“Addath enjoys my every confidence …” Leia said, her voice smooth. Han waited, though, because he could detect the unspoken but at the end of her statement.
Admiral Apelben Werl offered up a faint, exasperated sigh, and leaned