Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 06_ Vortex - Denning Troy [159]
Finally, when they had all looked up, Corran said, “That certainly went well.”
Saba cocked her head around so she could look up at him. “You are joking, yes?”
Corran shook his head. “I am joking, no. We rocked Daala back on her heels today,” he said. “We launched the StealthX wing without a fight, we recovered Valin and Jysella—”
“Your young are here now?” Saba asked.
“Not yet,” Corran said. “But they’re aboard the Cygnus-Seven and on their way.”
“On their way is not here,” Saba said. “This one will not stop worrying until they are with us.”
“Me either,” Corran said. “But they’re with the Solos. That’s the next best thing.”
“It is very good,” Cilghal agreed. “But I don’t agree that the conversation with Daala went well. She’s afraid of us now, and fear breeds danger.”
“True,” Corran replied. “But it also breeds caution, and we gave her plenty of reason to be cautious—and to think we’re ready to dish out more. Everything we’ve tried has worked. Now she has to be wondering what else we have up our sleeves.”
Saba nodded. “No one expectz the shenbit to stop biting until the prey is devoured,” she said. “Daala will want to take care, and care takes time.”
“So does politics,” Corran added. “The Errant Venture also got away clean with a hundred of Coruscant’s social elite. That’s going to put a lot of pressure on Daala to avoid a fight until after they’re scheduled to be back. If she tries to move before then, she risks losing her power base.”
“That’s true as long as everyone understands that our, um, guests on the Venture are safe,” Cilghal replied. “I suggest we ask Lando to transmit live updates of the tournament. If the public sees sabacc players playing sabacc, Daala will find it difficult to do anything that might put them in danger.”
“And it will show that they are not hostages,” Saba replied. “Perhapz we should ask Booster to offer them the option to leave?”
“Are you crazy?” Corran asked. “No one’s going to leave with a hundred million credits in play.”
“Exactly,” Cilghal said. “I like it.”
“We are in agreement, then,” Saba said. “But when the tournament endz—Daala will come for us, will she not?”
“Oh yeah,” Corran said, nodding. “One way or another, she’ll be coming. After the ruckus she made about the Jedi being a danger to the government, she can’t let us win. If she does, she’s done as Chief of State.”
“Then she is done either way,” Saba said, “because the Jedi are not going to lose this fight.”
Saba braced her hands on the chair arms and pushed herself to her feet. Her knees nearly buckled with the waves of agony that rolled through her battered body, but pain was nothing, only information that a Jedi could chose to examine or to ignore. She ignored it.
“We should ask the Solusarz to join us,” Saba said. “The Masterz—those who are available—should name a leader to guide us through the next few dayz.”
“What’s wrong?” Cilghal asked. She took Saba’s elbow, which was how one checked for a pulse on a Barabel. “Aren’t you feeling strong enough?”
“This one is strong,” Saba said, puzzled. “But she has killed another Jedi. She must present herself to judgment.”
“Judgment?” Corran asked. “By whom?”
“By the leader.” Saba curled a lip, flashing a bit of fang. “Sometimes it seemz like you have rockz in your nest, Master Horn.”
Corran’s brow rose. “Does it?” He looked to Cilghal, then asked, “I don’t know, Master Cilghal. The Masters Solusar are busy running evacuation drills. Do you think we really need to disturb them?”
Cilghal thought for a moment, then shook her head. “Under the circumstances, no. I think we all know who the temporary leader should be.”
Corran nodded. “Agreed.”
Saba waited for them to say a name—but when they merely turned to look at her, she began