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Tal Fraan knew that it was the viceroy’s question to answer, and he held his tongue. But Nil Spaar turned his way and smiled. “What advice would you offer, Proctor? How shall I make this Leia show me her neck?”

“It is time we showed her our hostages,” said Tal Fraan evenly. “And since the pale vermin are uncomfortable with blood, we should find a way to remind them that we are not.”

The meeting of the Ruling Council in the matter of Doman Beruss’s petition against Princess Leia Organa Solo was delayed two days, then another, then another. No reason was given for any of the postponements. Leia was notified of them by secure messenger—Beruss did not contact her and made no attempt to see her. She suspected that the members of the Council were still divided about how to proceed now that she had rebuffed Doman Beruss’s private overtures.

Behn-Kihl-Nahm did come to see her on the third day. But his report was gloomy and his advice unusually terse.

“I cannot count on enough votes to protect you if you refuse to step aside,” he said. “But if you accede gracefully, Doman has promised to support me as interim President. Come to the Council and say that your duties are too taxing in this difficult time, that you must be with your family. Ask that I stand in for you until this crisis is past.”

“I didn’t ask for such help when my children were kidnapped,” said Leia frostily. “How will that look?”

“None of this need ever be made public,” said Behn-Kihl-Nahm. “Leia, Borsk Fey’lya has been trying to put together four votes for himself. If you appear unreasonable, Rattagagech will turn his support to Fey’lya, who is saying all the right things—and that will give Fey’lya his four votes. You must understand how fragile your position has become.”

“There will be no vote at all unless I accept Doman’s judgment that I’m unfit to be President,” said Leia. “There’s no need to select a caretaker if I haven’t stepped aside.”

“Princess, that option is gone,” the chairman said sternly. “All you will accomplish by being stubborn is to force the Ruling Council to report the petition of no confidence to the Senate. And no one can control or predict what will follow. If we are to deal with the Yevetha, there must be stability and continuity.”

“Then go back and tell Doman Beruss to put an end to this distraction, Bennie,” Leia said. “Because the easiest way to have stability and continuity is for me to stay where I am.”

The next morning, Leia received a visit from the tall, slender Rattagagech. He brought with him a balance table and a compartmented canister of colored hemispherical weights—the tools of Elomic physical calculus.

“I have come to analyze with you the logic of your circumstances,” said Rattagagech. “It will give you an opportunity to quantify the objective elements in conflict.”

“Please don’t trouble yourself, Chairman,” said Leia.

“It is no trouble—it is a welcome opportunity,” said Rattagagech, setting the transparent table on its floating pylon. “I find the old art elegant and the practice of it soothing—it makes me feel very young in the presence of minds that are very old and wise.” He sat down before the table, now balanced on its pylon.

“Chairman, I thank you for your concern,” said Leia, stopping him from opening the canister. “But you can’t help me.”

Rattagagech looked up at her in surprise. Her words verged on an insult to his intellect. “President Solo—Princess Leia—physical calculus is the foundation of logical analysis, and logical analysis is the foundation of Elom civilization. This art raised us from what we were to what we are.”

“I respect what the Elomin have accomplished,” said Leia. “But physical calculus would have told us rebellion against the Empire was futile. And logical analysis will always sacrifice one life for many, or a few for several, and leave you thinking you’ve done something noble.”

“I must call your attention to the work of Notoganarech, who has demonstrated that a properly weighted table tilts to support of