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“No, I can’t,” said Leia slowly. “But isn’t that what colonization is about? Gambling on what conditions are going to be when you get there? I’m not saying that the Therans are right,” she added, holding up a hand as the man before her drew breath for an indignant protest. “What I am saying is that they are supported by the majority of the population of the planet.”

“Who are kept as their slaves by superstition and lies!”

That isn’t the Republic’s business. Leia straightened her shoulders under the velvet weight of her robe, seeing, in the flare of Ashgad’s anger, the reflection of what her own reactions would have been at eighteen. But it shouldn’t be that way! She remembered crying to her father, when after a complicated and emotional court case concerning vampiric Garhoons and their prey, the prey had elected to return to their vampires. It had taken her a long time to understand and respect her father’s decision to pursue the matter no further.

“Nam Chorios is not a part of the Republic. Legally, we have no right to interfere in their affairs.”

“Not even to protect the rights of the colonists? The rights of men and women who …?”

“Who left the Republic,” said Leia, “to go live on a world that was not part of it. Who decided to take a chance on a world about which they knew almost nothing. Everyone knows the deficiencies in the Registry’s information. And the Empire ‘protected the rights’ of Alzoc III, of Garnib, of Trosh.”

Ashgad’s broad face reddened. “The cases are nothing alike! We certainly aren’t asking you to enslave a native population! Just to ensure those who wish it the right to a decent livelihood.”

“The majority of Nam Chorios’s population voted not to affiliate with the Republic,” said Leia. “And that, the colonists did know. We have no right to disregard the wishes of the majority. I have no wish to sound hardhearted, Master Ashgad, but the Newcomers are not being constrained in any fashion that I have heard of.”

“Except that their lives are there. All their assets, which with the gun stations in operation they can’t even take with them should they leave. Their stake in the future is on that planet.”

“So is the stake of the original inhabitants, Master Ashgad.”

The big man stood for a moment, one hand on his hip, the other on the back of his chair, head down, one dark lock of his thick hair hanging over a forehead furrowed with frustration and thought. Among the dusky leaves of his miniature bower, Dzym had fallen silent again, gloved hands folded, a small frown of concentration furrowing his smooth forehead. He hadn’t, as far as Leia could discover, even made secretarial notes to himself in a hide-out mike to supplement a recorded transcript of the interview.

“What I will do is this,” said Leia, after a moment’s silence. “When I return to Coruscant, I’ll authorize an investigation team to see what’s really going on down on the planet and to explore other options, if possible. We may be able to negotiate with the Therans who control the gun stations.”

“No one negotiates with the Therans.” Fierce bitterness flashed like a dagger in Ashgad’s voice and glinted in his green eyes. “They’re fanatical lunatics who’ve had that entire population of credulous fools under their spell for generations.”

There was a small movement among the dyanthis leaves. Leia glanced quickly across at Dzym, in time to see the secretary sit back, strangely misshapen-looking in his granite-colored robes, an expression of satiated ecstasy flowing across his face. He sighed deeply, savoringly, and was still.

“I had hoped to convince you to come to our aid, Your Excellency.” Ashgad’s voice again drew her mind away from the curiously nonworking secretary. “And I very much appreciate your sending a commission. I’ll certainly use all the influence I possess in the Newcomer community to help them with their findings.”

Leia rose, and extended her hand. “I know you will.” She spoke with genuine warmth, though the cynical rebel who still lived in the back