Star Wars_ Fate of the Jedi 06_ Vortex - Denning Troy [41]
It was Leia who replied. “Because of Madhi Vaandt.”
She stepped over to the control console and reached over the top to touch a control. The HoloNet returned to a live feed, where the hologenic reporter was interviewing a hairless green biped who stood only about chin height to her. He had sunken eyes, a long dagger-thin nose, and a broad smiling mouth that made him look rather perverse and wicked. As Vaandt peppered the unfortunate Blaudun with barbed questions about owning another being, Leia spoke over the tinny voices coming from the audio feed.
“What’s changed lately?” Leia pointed at Vaandt’s image. “Her. It’s no coincidence she happened to be on Blaudu Sextus when the slaves went into revolt. Someone tipped her off—the same people who convinced the Octusi they were repressed in the first place: Freedom Flight.”
Kyp shook his head. “I don’t see it,” he said. “The whole Blaudun–Octusi thing isn’t ugly enough. If you’re trying to draw attention to the plight of slaves in the galaxy, there are so many other places you can make a bigger impact.”
“Yeah, but no other place where you know Daala is going to have to send in the troops,” Han said. He looked to Saba. “I’m betting the Blauduns don’t have much in the way of riot police.”
“This one doubtz the need ever occurred to them.”
“And since the Octusi are too stubborn to stop on their own, you know there’s going to be a confrontation,” Kyle said. He glanced in Barratk’l’s direction, his brow furrowed in thought—no doubt because he was wondering the same thing Kenth was: whether a new Council member from a once enslaved species would involve herself in such a thing—whether she would risk the lives of thousands to liberate hundreds of millions. “And you know it’s going to happen on live HoloNet.”
“No, it will not be a confrontation.” Saba fixed a bulbous eye on Barratk’l, then added, “Freedom Flight has made a mistake in their calculationz. This will be a slaughter.”
Barratk’l’s eyes widened noticeably, and she growled, “I hope you aren’t saying I helped them plan.”
Saba studied her for a moment, then replied, “No. This one is saying that Freedom Flight has made a mistake, and it would be good to let them know before it bringz blood.”
“Which is exactly what Freedom Flight wants,” Kyle said. His voice had assumed the deep, confident tone it usually did when all the pieces of a puzzle had come together for him. “There’s nothing like public outrage to force quick change, and if Daala blasts thousands of pacifist slaves on live HoloNet, it’s going to create public outrage.”
“But how does Daala fall for it?” Corran asked, raising his gaze for the first time since the subject had shifted away from Valin and Jysella. “If she’s smart enough to keep the Jedi bottled up inside our Temple, she’s smart enough not to fall for a trap like that.”
“Only if she knows everything,” Han said. “Whoever’s behind this is picking out-of-the-way worlds for a reason. Even Ken—er, Grand Master Hamner—didn’t know anything about the Blaudu system before this.”
“But I would have before I sent in troops,” Kenth replied. He was so accustomed to subtle digs that he allowed Han’s to pass unanswered. “No, my guess is that there are things we’re not seeing here. For instance, why did Daala use Mandalorians?”
“Because she wants to make a point,” Han replied. “Nothing says don’t stir the soup quite like a brigade of Mando bucketheads showing up on your doorstep.”
Kenth shook his head. “No, she used Mandos because she was hoping to handle this swiftly and quietly,” he said. “What if she had the extra Mandos on alert in case things heated up here on Coruscant?”
“You mean in case the Alliance military started to show signs of siding with us?” Kyle asked.
“That would be one reason, yes,” Kenth said. He did not reveal that he knew this to be the case, as he had promised to hold in confidence