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By Root 2354 0

much. It had come forward only recently with its application to join the GA. B’nish had supported slavery, but nothing too egregious—or too forward-thinking—and, inspired by the uprisings on Blaudu Sextus and Klatooine, had decided that the time was right to end the institution and move toward becoming more active in galactic affairs. What little the GA had learned about Kameron Suldar painted the human male as pleasant and easy to work with, and nobody could summon much enthusiasm one way or another. The upshot was that if no one had any objection and things looked promising, B’nish would be permitted to join the GA.

And so it went. Dorvan was determined to get through all of them. They were listed in the order in which they had submitted their formal application. Sometimes, he noticed, the difference was minimal. Planet Number Fifteen to submit, Aloxor, had missed being Planet Number Fourteen by eighteen and a half standard seconds. The tower of data cards, which seemed to teeter rather precariously on his left, consisted only of those that dealt with the Galactic Alliance application. There was an entirely separate pile on his desk, which Desha would retrieve once this portion of the meeting was completed, that dealt with the Senate. And there was another pile after that.

Normally his bureaucratic heart would beat faster at the process, but there was simply so much, and it was all so important, Dorvan could not help but feel that he would be shortchanging someone in the end. That, or missing something important as he had warned, which was worse.

With the compartmentalizing ability that was one of his strengths, Dorvan mentally folded up his worries and tucked them neatly into a corner of his brain for later attention.

Consensus was reached fairly quickly on Xilxash. It was a small, backrocket world, notable largely for its agricultural contributions, particularly a succulent fruit called brul, which was all the rage in the best Coruscanti restaurants. The new government had toppled the old fairly easily; it seemed that most of the current “masters” of Xilxash felt that they would benefit more from having slaves as contributing citizens who could be taxed rather than as property that cost money. They offered nothing odious in their proposal and much that was positive.

“The fact that I’m very fond of brul has nothing whatsoever to do with my approval of their application,” said Dorvan, with one of his rare expressions of humor. Everyone grinned, and the motion to accept the application passed unanimously.

Dorvan picked up the next data card and grimaced inwardly. This would probably need a second cup of caf all on its own.

“Klatooine,” he said, and everyone fidgeted. “We’ve all heard the holonews on this one. Their recent liberation was highly controversial. Jedi Solo, you and Captain Solo were on Klatooine very recently. Can you share your insights into the current atmosphere there?”

Leia nodded. Elegant streaks of silver ran through her rich brown hair, making her look wise and dignified without detracting an iota from her beauty.

“As I am sure all of you know, this was a world that had willingly enslaved its population to the Hutts for twenty-five millennia. The treaty, known as the Treaty of Vontor, stipulated that the Klatooinians would serve the Hutts if the Hutts would protect their most sacred site, the Fountain of the Hutt Ancients.” Leia looked around, making eye contact with those assembled. “It seems the Sith accidentally did something of a good deed. They violated the fountain to get a sample of the glassine structure called wintrium, and because the Hutts did not act in time to prevent the blasphemy, despite an official ruling that the Hutts did all they could do, emotions won out and the Klatooinians rebelled. They have taken to calling that attack and the riots that overturned the treaty the Violation and Liberation. Unused as they were to governing themselves, Captain Solo, and Queen Mother Tenel Ka of Hapes, and I were asked in to assist them.”

“According to your report,” Dorvan said, consulting