Star Wars_ Death Star - Michael Reaves [111]
“Some? How much is some?”
Banu shook his head. “We are not fortune-tellers, Governor. We won’t know until the admiral recovers consciousness and can be tested.”
Tarkin’s face clouded, and Banu apparently saw it. The Cerean hurriedly added, “If I had to guess, I’d say she won’t remember the traumatic event, and that she’ll likely lose at least some of the past year.”
“I see. Well. Keep me informed. Admiral Daala is a valuable officer.”
“Of course.”
Tarkin turned and left.
“A valuable officer,” Roa said. He chuckled. “I heard that she can—”
“Ease up on that,” Uli said. “Don’t know who’s listening.”
That sobered all three of them, and with good reason, Uli knew. You didn’t want to be making jokes about the Grand Moff’s girlfriend and have it get back to him. Not if you didn’t want to wind up with your organs harvested.
CORRIDOR, OVERBRIDGE, DEATH STAR
As he headed back to the Command Center, Tarkin was both relieved and worried. He felt great affection for Daala, to be sure, and he was most pleased that she would survive. That she might not recall her most recent visits here and their enjoyable time together was regrettable, but considering the possibility that her injury could well have killed her, not so bad.
It was not so good, though, that whatever she had learned during her investigation of the spies in their midst would also likely be gone. Since she had never been here, officially, there would not be any files tucked away where that data might be found. She was too smart for that.
And it was not the least bit good that she was here and injured, since she was supposed to be at the Maw. That would have to be addressed.
As he walked, Tarkin considered his options. He needed to manage this in a way that would not come back to haunt him. He had not gotten to where he was by pretending politics did not exist. He had enemies, and they would glory in anything that might present him in a bad light to the Emperor.
Daala would recover swiftly; she was young and strong. As soon as she was sufficiently well to travel, he would have her transferred back to the Maw. A story would be put in place—an accident there had caused her some injury. She would go along with that, since her coming to see him would look as bad for her as it did for him. Travel logs could be adjusted, and there wouldn’t be any official record that she had ever been here, much less wounded in an action against the Rebels.
And if she didn’t remember it, well, not to be hardhearted, but perhaps that was for the best. Even a truth-scan couldn’t find a contradiction if the person undergoing it didn’t know it had happened. Regrettable, yes, but one had to make the best of bad situations and, by so doing, keep them from getting worse. He could fill her in later, once the war was over and things had settled down. For now he did not need anybody looking at him askance—not this close to having the station completed and about to begin its mission. That simply would not do.
His decision made, he felt better. Daala would not blame him in the least—she would do as much, were she in his place. Tarkin was sure of that.
52
ISD DEVASTATOR, OFF PLANET TATOOINE, ARKANIS SECTOR, WILD SPACE
“Lord Vader, the blockade-runner is in range. Should we open fire?”
“Yes—but do not destroy her. Target the drives and control systems—I want the passengers and crew alive. Once we have disabled them, we will capture and board the ship.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The captain returned to his business, and Vader moved to stand in front of the forward viewports to watch the fleeing vessel. It was critical that he prevent the plans for the battle station from falling into the Rebels’ clutches—and while he was at it, he would find out where they were being taken. Princess Leia Organa was at the core of this operation, and she would divulge what he needed to know—of that he had no doubt. Her mind might be resistant