Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 06_ Vortex - Denning Troy [158]
“Grand Master Hamner is not available,” Saba replied evenly. “You may speak to this one.”
Daala shook her head. “No,” she said. “You will fetch Hamner at once. After what the Jedi have done today, you are on the verge of open warfare with the entire Galactic Alliance military.”
“The entire military?” Saba let out a derisive siss. “This one does not believe you.”
“What you believe doesn’t matter,” Daala said. “Where is Master Hamner?”
“Unavailable.”
As Saba spoke, a door on the far side of the Council Chamber slid open. Corran Horn entered the room with Cilghal close on his heels and strode toward the speaking circle. As soon as they were close enough to see Daala’s hologram hovering over the projector pad, they stopped and remained outside the cam angle.
“Very well, then,” Daala said. “Assemble the rest of the Council.”
Knowing that Daala would notice even the slightest flicker of her eyes toward Corran and Cilghal, Saba was careful to keep her gaze fixed on the hologram. Instead, she touched both of them through the Force, just a gentle nudge to see if they wished to assume their seats. When both shook their heads, Saba leaned closer to the holoprojector.
“The rest of the Council is not available,” she said. “If you wish to speak to the Jedi, speak to this one.”
Daala’s eyes narrowed. “Where are they?” she demanded. “What are you planning now?”
“The Jedi have executed their planz, Chief Daala,” Saba replied. “Now the question is this: what are your planz?”
“You would be wise to assume the worst, Master Sebatyne,” Daala replied. “You leave me no other choice.”
“There is alwayz a choice, Chief Daala.” Saba sat back in her chair and placed her hands on the armrests. “This time, the choice is yourz. If it is a fight you wish, the Jedi will oblige you—in that much, at least.”
Daala’s expression hardened to ice. “Am I to take that as a threat, Master Sebatyne? Don’t waste your breath. The Jedi might take hostages, but they would never kill a hundred beings in cold blood. Even I don’t believe that.”
Saba started to deny that the sabacc players were hostages, but she stopped when Corran Horn gave her a Force nudge and stepped into the camera range.
“Chief Daala, did you believe the Jedi would join forces with the Sith?” Corran asked. Instead of slipping into his seat at the end of the speaking circle, he crossed in front of the cam and came to stand at Saba’s side. “There are many, many things you don’t know about the Jedi Order. You would be wise to keep that in mind.”
“Master Horn, I remind you that I am the Galactic Alliance Chief of State,” Daala replied coolly. “Threatening me is an act of treason.”
“Who is threatening?” Saba broke into a fit of sissing. “Chief Daala, that is too funny. We are long beyond threatening, are we not?”
The color drained from Daala’s cheeks, but that was the only sign of fear she betrayed. “Yes, Master Sebatyne, I suppose we are.”
“Good.” Saba leaned forward and stared into the cam lens, deliberately making her image as menacing as possible. “This one is glad we understand each other. Much will depend on it.”
Then Cilghal stepped into cam range. “The hostages, as you call them, will return in three days, when their sabacc tournament has come to an end.” She crossed the speaking circle and came to stand opposite Corran, so that she and Corran were flanking Saba. “Let us hope they will not find a city in ruins.”
“I agree, Master Cilghal,” Daala replied. Her white-sleeved arm rose, signaling an assistant to end the transmission. “One can always hope.”
The hologram vanished, leaving Saba and her companions to stare at the swirls of color fading on the projection pad. They remained silent for a moment, each taking the time to form his or her own impression of Daala’s words without being influenced by the others. Saba was not sure what to make of the Chief-of-State’s reaction, whether