Star Wars_ The Jedi Academy Trilogy 01_ Jedi Search - Kevin J. Anderson [61]
Not long ago, Leia thought, the Alliance had been made up of the bravest and most dedicated fighters, those willing to die for their ideals. How could the New Republic degenerate into bureaucracy so quickly? She thought of heroes she had known, like Jek Porkins and Biggs Darklighter, who had died to destroy the first Death Star; she hoped their spirit still remained somewhere in the new government.
At the transmission console Winter made a small noise to attract Leia’s attention. “This has been difficult, Leia, but I think I have a contact. The entire city of Kessendra seems to be abandoned, but I was able to obtain communications codes for the Imperial Correction Facility. With further inquiries I have tracked down a person who seems to be at least nominally in charge of what passes for a government there. His name is Moruth Doole, originally in the administration of the prison. Somehow he is now overseeing the spice-mining operations.
“There seems to be quite a bit of chaos there. My first contact was with the garrison station on Kessel’s moon. Everyone seems quite alarmed at being contacted by the New Republic. I was bounced to several others before Moruth Doole finally agreed to speak with us. He is waiting for you now.”
“Go ahead,” Leia said. Winter checked her board, then initiated contact. Leia stepped into the transmission field.
A small hologram of a froglike creature appeared above the dais. Static caused by poor transmission equipment on the Kessel end smeared Doole’s coloring into yellowish green. His archaic waistcoat and bright-yellow cravat made him look a comical figure.
“You must be Minister Organa Solo?” Doole said. He spread his hands toward her image in a placating gesture. She noticed that he wore some sort of mechanical contraption, a focusing mechanism perhaps, over one of his lanternlike eyes. “I am extremely pleased to hear from a representative of the New Republic, and I apologize for any difficulty in getting in touch with me. We’ve had some social turmoil over the past couple of years, and I’m afraid we have not yet managed to quell all disturbances.”
His fleshy amphibian lips stretched upward in what must have been meant as a smile. A long, sharp tongue flicked out as he spoke, but Doole talked so quickly that Leia could not get a word in edgewise. In her years of diplomatic service Leia had learned not to count too much on reading body language from nonhumans, but could this be a sign of nervousness?
“Now then, Minister, how can I help you? Believe me, we have been considering sending a representative to establish relations with the New Republic. I would like to extend an invitation for you to send an ambassador to our world, in the interests of maintaining harmony. On Kessel we like to think of the New Republic as our friends.”
Doole stopped talking abruptly, as if he realized he had said too much. Leia frowned inwardly but controlled her expression. Moruth Doole was saying exactly what she wanted to hear, giving perfect political answers without her having to ask the questions. Odd. What was he thinking? “Actually, Mr. Doole—I’m afraid I don’t know your proper title. How do you wish to be addressed?”
Doole stared with his one eye and fiddled with the mechanical lenses, as if he had never considered the question before. “Uh, Commissioner Doole will do nicely, I think.”
“Commissioner Doole, I welcome your offer of openness and cooperation, and I hope we have not already acted prematurely. One of our representatives went to Kessel more than a week ago, but we have heard nothing from him. He was due to return three days ago. I am contacting you to see if you could verify that he did indeed arrive safely?”
Doole raised his long-fingered hands to his cheeks. “A representative, you say? Here? I am aware of no such arrival.”
Leia kept her face placid, though her heart grew cold. “Could you check to see if his ship, the